That night.
Hanzhen tossed and turned on the couch for a long time but still couldn't fall asleep. The bed was very hard, and there was a smell of pine on the quilt, which she couldn't tell whether she liked it or hated it. Miyun lay quietly beside her, breathing evenly.
The light in the room was dim, casting an ambiguous halo on the table and chairs. Hanzhen put on some clothes and left the room. Outside the room, a slender and elegant bamboo forest transformed into a beautiful ink painting landscape in the hazy twilight. In the distance, the pine and cypress trees, like black jade, were layered with green, reflecting a faint cold light under the white moonlight.
The mountain breeze was slightly chilly, and Hanzhen gathered her clothes and looked into the distance. This place was quiet and peaceful, like a paradise, unconcerned with worldly affairs, detached from the mundane world. Just like the monk named Zhitong she met today.
If only I could live here forever.
The path was lit up with orange lights, and Hanzhen turned around and saw Zhitong walking slowly towards her with a lantern in his hand. She looked at him without saying a word, and the warm and ambiguous light reflected on his face was not as bright as his eyes.
He walked closer and smiled softly: "I saw you standing here from afar so I came to see you. You seem to be worried about something?"
Hanzhen nodded and sighed softly: "Actually, there were some things going on at home, so I came out to relax."
Zhitong raised his eyebrows slightly and did not ask any more questions. His slender fingers brushed away the bamboo leaves that fell on his white clothes, and he smiled and said nothing. Previously, it was his eyebrows that attracted too much of her attention. Hanzhen only noticed his clothes now. His robe was white and soft like floating clouds. It didn't seem to be the dress of an ordinary monk.
Hanzhen became interested in him and suddenly asked what she was thinking: "Master Zhitong is about thirty-five or thirty-six this year."
Upon hearing this, Zhitong laughed out loud, his voice as gentle as the finest jade. He blinked his eyes, looked at Hanzhen who seemed a little regretful, and said with a smile: "I am already over fifty years old."
When Hanzhen heard this, her mouth opened wide, with disbelief written all over her face.
Zhitong added, "Monks do not tell lies." Then he smiled softly and said, "Don't you know the donor's name?"
Hanzhen swallowed and answered blankly: "Master, just call me Hanzhen."
Zhitong's expression softened. He smiled and nodded slightly, "Hanzhen. It's late. Go to bed early."
Hanzhen nodded, but did not move. In her mind, the only thing she could think of was the warm smile that Master Zhitong had just given her. She secretly sighed that he was like a real immortal, and wondered where in the world there could be such a man who could make people admire him. His smile was so dazzling that the world was eclipsed.
Before Hanzhen could come to her senses, Master Zhitong had already left. Hanzhen looked at his figure, and for some reason, she felt a vague sense of familiarity in her heart.
>>>>>>>>>>I am the dividing line of the plot turning point>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In the evening, it rained heavily, and the pavilions and towers became hazy in the rain. The world became chaotic, with a sense of continuous sadness.
The room was dim, Zhao Pei sat on a low stool hugging her knees and said nothing. Rain came in through the half-open window, soaking half of her body, but she was unaware. Ruhua came in with dinner, and was shocked to see this scene. She hurried forward to close the window and complained to Zhao Pei a few words. But she seemed to have heard nothing, with a dull look on her face.
Ruhua thought that she was probably thinking of something sad again. Too many things had happened recently. Ruhua knew that although Zhao Pei looked calm, she must be feeling bad. She was worried that she was not as happy as usual... She didn't say anything more, put down the food tray silently and went out.
Zhao Pei kept thinking about what Chen Baxian had said to her not long ago. Every word was like a sharp blade, piercing into her heart, crushing it.
The door creaked open again, and Xiao Yi's voice came: "Why don't you have dinner?"
Zhao Pei froze and ignored him. Seeing that she was silent, Xiao Yi walked forward, bent over and half-huggled her: "What's wrong?" His voice was gentle and concerned.
Zhao Pei felt sick in her stomach, and she shook off his hand and stood up coldly. Her eyes were cold and nothing else. Xiao Yi was stunned when he saw her expression, and he frowned and stopped talking.
She looked deeply at the man in front of her, her voice as cold as ice: "Xiao Yi, I misjudged you. I knew you were cold, but I didn't expect you to be so cruel."
Xiao Yi frowned, still saying nothing.
Zhao Pei's eyes were slightly red, and her voice was shaking: "Xiao Lun... Did you kill him? Brother Xiao Dong, and Xiao Ji and his son... You killed them all, right? Tell me, did you kill them?"
Xiao Yi was stunned for a moment, then answered calmly: "Yes."
When Zhao Pei saw him admit it, her mood suddenly plummeted to the bottom. She quickly turned her head away, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body was like a broken leaf shaking in the autumn wind. After a while, she calmed down and said coldly: "Xiao Yi, you are so cruel to seize the throne. They are your brothers... They share the same blood with you. You actually... You actually..." Zhao Pei felt a lump in her throat and could not continue.
In front of her was the blood-stained river. She saw Xiao Lun in a mighty military uniform looking at her with a smile: "Pei Pei, wait for my triumphant return." She saw Xiao Gang sitting in the deep hall with a lonely look on his face: "I'm afraid, Seventh Brother won't tolerate me." Han Zhen's eyes were red and she burst into tears.
To this day, she is the only one who remains in the dark. She still foolishly hangs around this heartless man, thinking she is deeply in love with him.
A thin layer of ice formed in Xiao Yi's eyes: "Who told you?"
"You don't need to know." Zhao Pei said with a trembling voice: "Xiao Yi, I really don't understand you. Just for this cold palace, for this reputation above thousands of people, for the mountains of memorials, you are so cruel."
As soon as the words fell, Xiao Yi's face darkened instantly, as if he was touched by anger. Xiao Yi's hands hidden in his sleeves clenched into fists, and he said in a low voice: "What do you know? This is a cruel thing. If you don't hold the initiative in your own hands, if you are kind-hearted, then you will be the one killed by the knife. I am cruel? I am ruthless? This is a necessary condition for survival in the royal family. The Golden Palace is built with the blood and bones of thousands of people. If you don't want to be one of them, you must be strong and ruthless." Xiao Yi became more and more cold, and he exuded a sharp coldness, forcing Zhao Pei to retreat. She staggered and leaned against the wall.
Zhao Pei understood what Xiao Yi said, but she still couldn't accept it for a while. She couldn't accept that the people around her left her one by one, and she couldn't accept that their departure was related to Xiao Yi.
She bit her lip tightly, stared at him and said angrily: "You are wrong. Only virtue can rule the world. Iron and blood can only gain temporary power. Only people like Xiao Tong can truly control this country!"
She casually said the words "Xiao Tong". Xiao Yi's eyes suddenly darkened, and all he could see was coldness. Zhao Pei regretted it instantly, but it was too late.
Xiao Yi narrowed his eyes slightly, and the veins on his forehead appeared faintly. The sharp blade in his eyes slashed across Zhao Pei's body, stinging and stabbing. After a long time, he laughed sarcastically: "But he is dead, isn't he? He didn't dare to face all this, a coward." Xiao Yi said contemptuously.
"But he looks innocent. Xiao Yi, you have too much blood on your body. I don't like the smell of blood on you." Zhao Pei was driven crazy by him and said everything.
Xiao Yi stepped forward step by step, and the invisible pressure made her breathless. Zhao Pei had no choice but to lean against the wall and dared not move. She looked into his fiery eyes and knew that she had completely angered him.
"Yes, I'm covered in blood." Xiao Yi tried his best to control his sneer, "I'm still alive, so I will become dirty. I will roll and struggle in the world of mortals, and as I grow old, I will eventually become the dust under my feet. And he, who remains in your beautiful memories, has always been perfect and unattainable. So even today, you still can't forget him, right?" Xiao Yi kept a smile on his face, but what he brought to Zhao Pei was a tremor all over his body.
For some reason, when Xiao Yi said this, her heart suddenly ached. For him or for herself, the chaotic emotions were incomprehensible.
Zhao Pei trembled uncontrollably all over and couldn't utter a word.
Xiao Yi stared at her for a long time and laughed contemptuously: "Did I get it right? Xu Zhaopei, you said you don't want to see me again, and I will do as you wish. Don't regret it!" He said the last sentence fiercely, full of perseverance and determination.
Zhao Pei bit her lip and watched him walk away with a resolute look, falling to the ground inch by inch. She suddenly regretted it... At that time, she had an illusion that he had left her world without looking back.
The rain outside the window was still dripping, like endless hatred and resentment. The color of Zhao Pei's world gradually dimmed. She was trapped in the torment of love and hate, wondering if everything would end when the rain stopped, or... until death? (To be continued)