“Hehe, it was originally just an old grudge between the imperial court and Night Mountain, because a certain person has indeed delayed things for quite a while.” He recovered from his stunned state, lightly laughing, his thin and handsome face subtly turning away. The handkerchief in my hand fell empty.
“Well, I’ll tell you, if I hadn’t met you, Night Mountain would have already been engulfed in bloodshed. According to the imperial court’s plan, within three days of entering Night Mountain, we would preemptively launch an attack with thirty thousand troops. The Chen King is determined to seize Night Mountain. Xiao City is a sacrificial pawn, and I am a dead man walking. Even if the King doesn’t kill me, I will commit suicide, and then those thirty thousand soldiers can justifiably attack Night Mountain… No matter how detailed Night Mountain’s plan is, it cannot counter this strategy. But the Chen King never expected to meet you here, you… have become a chess piece that can restrain the Chen King, though even Night Lock himself is unaware of this.”
His light, breezy tone was as if he were discussing something completely unrelated to himself, yet I was terrified. I had always known Liu Yu was a mysterious political strategist, but I never expected him to be so ruthless as to have his subordinates commit suicide to achieve his goals…
g, I was abandoned and left to die on the streets, and it was the Chen King who rescued me. Grateful for his kindness, I must repay him. This time, I volunteered to come.”
“What now? What will you do now?” I asked anxiously.
“Now? Follow me…” He smiled softly, taking my hand and walking out, and I followed, puzzled.
- War
I followed Shui Ruohan towards the King’s study. Passing through a corridor, I suddenly remembered something and stopped abruptly. He turned back, confused, and I asked desperately, “Are you planning to hand me over to Night Lock and then make peace with Night Mountain?”
“Yes.” His eyes seemed to appreciate my intelligence, and he nodded with a smile.
War (2)
“No! If thirty thousand soldiers return to Yue City with you, and you fail, Liu Yu will definitely kill you.” I grabbed the railing, refusing to move.
A hidden smile suddenly appeared in his eyes: “What are you afraid of? If we stay here, it’ll only lead to more complications. By the time the King devises a strategy, we’ll have no way out. Moreover, even if we return without achievement, the Chen King seeing you might not punish me.”
“You don’t have to be afraid of complications,” I said timidly.
“You want me to surrender to Night Mountain?!” Shock swept through his eyes. I bit my lip and didn’t dare speak, but he suddenly sneered, “Are you falling for the Night Mountain King?”
“I’m just afraid you’ll die…” I blurted out.
Unexpectedly, he sneered again: “Miss Long, don’t you understand? Even if the Night Mountain King cherishes you, he won’t abandon Night Mountain for you! Besides, his ambitions are not limited to Night Mountain – he wants the entire empire!”
“…”
“Do you know what having blue hair means?”
I shook my head. He gripped my arms and said word by word: “There’s a well-known curse in the Mirror Kingdom: those born with blue hair, i
No wonder the imperial court wanted to eliminate Night Mountain – they feared this terrifying prophecy, feared that Night Lock would overthrow their imperial dynasty. I nodded, understanding, but then noticed a flaw: “You just said ‘male’, what about females? What if a female is born with blue hair?”
Ruohan was momentarily stunned, his mouth twitching, silent. I anxiously grabbed his sleeve: “Tell me, what does my blue hair represent?”
He suddenly laughed, his demon-like handsome face softening: “Besides not being afraid of death, you seem to be afraid of many things.”
Seeing his anger subside, I breathed a sigh of relief and said, “If Ruo Han asks you to hand me over, we won’t go to Night Mountain.”
“Don’t even think about it!” He coldly spat out these two words, but his face showed no surprise, indeed, he had heard my conversation with Ruo Han in the hallway.
“I also think he’s just fantasizing…” I nodded, rarely agreeing with Night Lock.
His elegant sword-like eyebrows raised slightly, his eyes meaningfully fixed on me, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, waiting for me to continue. I thought for a moment and began to speak frankly: “I’m not from Night Mountain, so why ask you? Just ask me directly!”
“You…” His eyes, full of delight, quickly faded, glaring at me. Hearing me speak like this, he managed not to slam into the wall, which showed his strong composure. I couldn’t help but laugh, and he became angry again: “What are you laughing at?”
“Do I need to submit an application and get your signature and seal before I can laugh?” I still wanted to laugh but didn’t want to look too unseemly, so I held back the risk of internal injury and didn’t clutch my stomach while laughing.
“Talking nonsense again.” He always liked to casually explain my 21st-century language as nonsense.
“Okay, okay, I’ll stop laughing. I’m hungry. What is there to eat?” I asked.
I saw Shui Ruohan again on the day Suo Mulang and his son Xiao Cheng were to be executed. The people of Night Mountain crowded around densely, and a few young attendants with difficulty cleared a path for me, eagerly letting me walk in. Actually, I didn’t really want to come, but my feet seemed to react faster than my brain.
In the sea of people, I saw Shui Ruohan with somewhat scattered spirits, his eyes wandering through the crowd, seemingly searching for something. After just four days, he looked even more frail and thin, as if he might collapse at any moment. I pushed through the crowded people, quickly stepped behind him, stood on tiptoe, and covered his eyes from behind with both hands, trying to sound relaxed: “Guess who’s behind you? I’ll give you three options: one, a beautiful woman; two, a very beautiful woman; three, an extremely beautiful woman… choose!”
He trembled deeply, and after a long time, a long-missed smile spread across his face. He removed my hands, gazed at me for a moment, and then said, “You are the fairy in my heart.”
“I know you’re trying to cheer me up, and I know you’re not feeling well inside. I understand that today is the day Suo Mulang will be executed.” He spoke softly, with the same gentle breeze-like smile, but looking even more fragile.
“Are you really okay?” I asked, having seen his melancholic and distracted appearance and wanting to cheer him up. He had come to Night Mountain bearing such a heavy task, and for my sake, he had hesitated to act.
“I’m fine,” he said with a faint smile.
Under the blazing sun, a man behind me suddenly raised
a knife. My heel trembled, and my eyes were covered by a large hand, falling into a familiar embrace. The next second, I felt like I was flying like a bird, and then heard the sound of something heavy falling, followed by a collective gasp.
Goodbye, Uncle Suo Mulang. I nestled in that familiar embrace, whispering in my heart.
Night Lock held me without saying a word, until the noisy sounds from the execution ground faded. Only then did he release me, bringing me to the rear garden pavilion. We sat in silence until dark. I didn’t know what to say. He propped his head with one hand on the stone table, his white, misty eyes unfocused, gazing into the distance.
A young attendant ran over in a panic. “My Lord, something seems wrong at the Cherished Moon Tower tonight.”
Night Lock’s eyes became sharp, and my heart was suddenly gripped.
I exchanged a glance with Night Lock for half a second, and we ran towards the Cherished Moon Tower. Night Lock kicked open the tightly closed door. The room was filled with burning red candles, reminiscent of a wedding day. Lang Yue, wearing a wedding dress, lay straight on the bed, her eyes hollow.
