At the end of September, Zhao Pei's brother Zhao Jie got married. Her sister-in-law was Du Yuerong, who had traveled with them before. The family had one more person, but also one less person.
Time passed quickly, Zhao Pei counted the days on her fingers, and the divorce was only one month away. In the days and nights before, she had been haunted by nightmares, and the scene of that night kept circling in her mind. His every word, every smile and every sadness, was so clear and so heartbreaking.
Zhao Pei didn't dare to escape anymore, and she was no longer able to do so.
Now she can only keep those memories and live her life, enduring the endless longing, enduring such a long distance, and enduring such an embarrassing identity.
The autumn leaves swirled and fell. A woman in a yellow dress walked down the path. She had her hair tied up in a bun, and her face was as charming as a lotus. I saw the woman in red standing on the flying bridge, standing still. Her figure was reflected on the water, swaying with the waves, very ethereal.
She walked forward with a faint smile and called out, "Sister Zhao Pei, what are you doing here?"
Zhao Pei was immersed in infinite feelings, and was suddenly frightened by her, shaking off the tears that were about to fall from her eyes. When she turned around, she wiped them away hastily, looked at her and smiled: "Sister-in-law."
The light yellow lady was Du Yuerong.
Du Yuerong responded with a smile, and asked her with some concern: "Sister, what's wrong with you?"
Zhao Pei shook her head and forced a smile: "It's nothing. I've been lectured by that old maid from the palace, and I'm almost going crazy." Before marrying into the royal family, there would be older and more experienced maids who would explain the rules of etiquette to these girls, and of course how to perform the rites of husband and wife.
Du Yuerong covered her sleeves and said, "If you find it annoying now, you will have to endure it when you get married."
Zhao Pei pouted: "It was the old monk who forced me to marry him. I didn't really want to marry him. I..." Before she finished speaking, Du Yuerong covered her mouth: "Oh, my dear sister. You can take random medicines, but you can't say random words. What old... Really, it would be bad if someone heard it. Don't say it again in the future, understand?"
Zhao Pei looked at her nervous expression and found it a little funny: "I know, sister-in-law. What are you afraid of in your own home? We are not outside."
Du Yuerong stared at her in a reproachful manner, as if she wanted to say something but kept her mouth shut. After a long moment, she sighed with resentment, "What a silly sister."
Zhao Pei smiled bitterly, turned her head and looked at the duckweed on the water, muttering: "This autumn day is getting more desolate day by day."
Her expression was filled with the sadness of autumn, with sorrow and loss hidden in it. Du Yuerong looked at her, her heart trembling slightly, and after thinking for a long time, she said, "Sister, have you ever heard this saying: 'Before practicing Zen, you see mountains as mountains and water as water. During practicing Zen, you see mountains not as mountains and water not as water. After practicing Zen, you see mountains as mountains and water as water.' Actually, the scenery has not changed, only the state of mind has changed." Seeing Zhao Pei turned to look at her, she smiled and said, "Zhao Pei, don't worry all the time, relax. You see, this autumn is also exceptionally refreshing."
Zhao Pei murmured, "I meditate on Zen, but I cannot understand my own heart or the hearts of others, nor can I understand the fate and destiny, nor the joys and sorrows of separation and reunion."
Du Yuerong originally wanted to persuade her, but seeing her getting more and more sad, she was at a loss. She took a small step forward and touched her thin shoulder. Just as she was about to say something, someone behind her sighed, "Rong'er, let me do it."
Du Yuerong turned around and saw Zhao Jie standing behind her with a grim look on his face. She was slightly stunned, and without saying anything else, she nodded, turned around and left.
Zhao Jie turned his gaze to Zhao Pei who was sitting by the bridge railing. He restrained his expression and took a few steps forward: "You left Aunt Li in the Pearl and Jade Pavilion and sneaked here by yourself?"
Zhao Pei lowered her head: "That old woman is teaching me some dirty stuff, I don't want to listen." Zhao Jie wanted to laugh but couldn't. He squatted down beside her and saw that she was wearing such thin clothes. She must be shivering there not just because of the cold but also because of something else.
"Pepe, it's getting cold. You should remember to put on more clothes. After you get married, we won't always be by your side."
Zhao Pei said calmly: "It would be best if I died of cold. I don't want to get married."
Zhao Jie frowned when he heard this: "What do you mean by freezing to death? That's nonsense. What's wrong with you? You look like you're neither dead nor alive after coming back from hunting. It's really annoying. What happened? I thought you had figured it out, but it turns out you're still being willful!" Zhao Jie was angry and his voice was a little high.
Zhao Pei looked up at him and shouted angrily, "Brother, you know nothing!"
Zhao Jie looked at her tearful eyes, and was stunned. He slowed down his voice and said, "Then tell your brother."
Zhao Pei opened her mouth, but her throat was dry and she could hardly utter a word. Zhao Jie waited for a long time before she heard her voice with sobs coming out: "Brother, I miss him so much that I am going crazy. You have to help me..."
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Xiao Tong had stopped behind Xiao Lun, but he was still unaware and stared at the bracelet in his hand silently. Xiao Tong turned around and saw that it was an ancient bracelet with black background and red lacquer.
"Ahem." Xiao Lun coughed a few times, but still didn't feel anything. He just stared at the bracelet, as if he wanted to carve another flower on it. Xiao Tong had no choice but to call out, "Sixth brother."
His thoughts finally came back, he looked up and saw him putting the bracelet back into his sleeve, and replied listlessly: "Brother, you are here."
Xiao Tong shook his head and smiled faintly, then he lifted his robe and sat down opposite him: "What's up? Did you encounter something disappointing today?"
Xiao Lun laughed at himself and said, "I am so muddleheaded, how can I not spoil the fun every day?"
Xiao Tong said nothing more, and looked at him with a hint of ridicule: "Whose is this?"
"Huh?" He was stunned and didn't react.
Xiao Tong's eyes fell on his sleeves, and Xiao Lun suddenly realized and said, "It was from a girl a long time ago, and I had forgotten it. Today I remembered it and took it in my hand to play with it. I was wondering why the eldest brother is like the eighth brother, and likes to ask about these things?"
Xiao Tong knew that with his Sixth Brother's personality, how could he keep things from a woman he had already forgotten? That person must have an indispensable place in his heart. And this person... He looked away with a smile, looking at the pond in late autumn. The leaves of the trees beside the pond fell one after another, floating on the cold water like a red rain. It was sad and beautiful, touching the heart.
"Is your injury better, brother?" Xiao Lun suddenly asked him.
Xiao Tong looked at him again and smiled slowly, "It's been so long, it will get better naturally."
"When Third Brother told me about this, I was shocked. Big Brother, too, why would you go to the mountains and forests for no reason? Do you want to become a monk and retire like the old man?" Xiao Lun said angrily, "You have been kept in the palace, and it is not easy for me to go and see you. I can only imagine what's going on here."
Xiao Tong frowned, looked around, and then looked at him again: "Don't be disrespectful. I'm fine, you don't have to worry." It seemed that Xiao Gang still concealed some facts. Although he felt relieved, he felt a strong sense of guilt.
"Sixth brother..." He called softly, "I..."
Xiao Lun looked at him, waiting for his words. Xiao Tong didn't say anything after all. It was better to keep these words to himself. If they were to be exposed one day, it would be an unforeseen trouble.
"Sixth brother, you are only twenty years old. Do you really want to live like this for the rest of your life?" Xiao Tong asked him.
Xiao Lun was stunned, not knowing where this came from, and couldn't help asking, "How?"
"I heard that you've been hanging around brothels and bars lately, spending money like water?"
He laughed: "How did you know that, brother?"
"Someone will tell me your every move." Xiao Tong looked at him calmly, "I know, and others will tell my father as well."
Xiao Lun asked casually, "So what if I know?"
"That's why I asked you, do you want to be a rich and idle person forever? You are only twenty years old, you haven't started a family yet, and you haven't realized your ambitions. But your father can do all these for you. I know these things, and you know who are the informants around you better than I do. Why do you deliberately leave others with an excuse? You are really a child to be angry with your father until now."
Xiao Lun was a little surprised to hear him say this. He also stopped playing games and said seriously: "I know that my elder brother is doing this for my own good. But I just don't want everything to be arranged by my father. I have my own pursuits and things I want to have. He is not me, he can't do it for me."
He had no choice but to sigh and stop talking.
The two sat in silence for a long time, and Xiao Tong finally said: "I know what you are thinking. But after all, your surname is Xiao, and you are the prince of Liang. There are some things that neither you nor I can control."
Someone once said that he hoped not to be born into a royal family in the next life. And they were no exception.
Xiao Lun thought for a long time and nodded slowly: "Liu Zhen understands. Although I am not born with the eldest brother and the third brother, the eldest brother and the third brother have always been kind to me, and Liu Zhen is grateful. I am your sixth brother, your left shoulder and right arm. I will cheer up for my eldest brother." No matter what the road ahead is, I will stay by your side. (To be continued)