Liu Yu gently rubbed his confined eyes, then opened them. Surprise crossed his handsome face. His clear eyes were deeply attracted by the street’s flower lanterns. A slight smile curved his mouth as he turned to gaze at me: “Extremely beautiful.”
I laughed: “I heard tonight is the annual lantern festival, where everyone goes to the riverside to release lanterns and make wishes.”
As we spoke, a gentle breeze caressed my cheek, tousling my hair.
Just as I was about to thank him, he embraced me from behind, whispering in my ear: “Yet all these beautiful scenes pale in comparison to you, becoming mere decorations…”
The three of them walked to the famous Supplication Lake nearby, carefully carved lanterns of various styles floating on the lake surface.
candlelight brushing the dark water. A group of subordinates gathered to spar, Zhang Yang’s mother sitting by the river mending shoe soles. Seeing us approach, everyone stopped, shouting enthusiastically, “Long live the Chenchen Wang! Long live the Chenchen Wang! Long live the Chenchen Wang…”
“The winner of the sparring will be generously rewarded by this Prince!” Liu Yu laughed, letting go of my hand and walking towards them.
I walked to the riverbank, carefully holding a lotus lantern and gently placing it on the lake surface, my fingertips touching the icy water, cold and slightly painful…
Suddenly, a cry: “Assassin! Protect the Chenchen Wang!”
Screams erupted, amid flashing blades, flower lanterns fell everywhere, splashing flames, several black figures darting where the sparring had been. Assassins?! Where was Liu Yu? He couldn’t be in danger, right?
“Jiao Long, come with me!” A powerful hand grabbed me in the chaotic crowd, I came to my senses, seeing Liu Yu’s anxious eyes. Just as I was about to ask, a guard fell before us, chest clothing in tatters, bloody sword marks everywhere, dead – a dead person?! I was terrified, suddenly embraced by him, hearing his uneasy yet gentle voice, “Don’t look.”
“Chenchen Wang! Your time has come!” A sword flash came, a black figure in a silver mask flying over, a thin sword thrusting towards Liu Yu. Liu Yu quickly pushed me aside, turning to dodge the sword tip, swiftly picking up a sword to counter the black-clothed person: “Who are you?”
The black-clothed person laughed mockingly, a tall figure standing before us, one hand lifting the black hood, a blue-ink-like long hair cascading down, dazzling among the surrounding flames.
“My name is Ye Suo.”
“We servants are incompetent and have startled the Prince.” The guards kicked away the flower lanterns and fireballs around us, kneeling down with a clatter.
“As long as everyone is safe, rise.” Liu Yu spoke, not standing up himself, and the guards did not dare to rise, remaining kneeling.
Cold tears rolled from my eyes. Liu Yu frowned, crouching down and embracing me in his arms. Liu Yu, what exactly have you hidden from me?
After returning to the government office and taking a bath, that enormous sense of familiarity and fear continued to assault me repeatedly. Only when the maid helped me change into a clean silk robe did I come to my senses.
“Where is the Prince?” I asked, thinking it was time Liu Yu told me the truth.
“In the front hall,” the maid answered softly.
I pushed open the door and entered the front hall, where Shui Ruo Han was treating the wounded soldiers one by one. He nodded slightly when he saw me, his calm eyes looking toward the inner room beside the front hall.
I smiled slightly, lifting the pearl curtain and entering the room where Liu Yu was sitting at the desk, writing something.
“Liu Yu,” I called softly. He raised his eyes, his brows gradually furrowing, “Why are you dressed so lightly? Be careful not to catch a cold.”
“It’s fine,” I responded. He put down his brush, stood up, and draped his outer robe over me, sitting together and rubbing my cold hands, “Your hands are so cold.”
I leaned on his shoulder, drawing warmth from him. “Liu Yu, tell me the truth.”
“What?”
“Tell me the truth. Who is Night Lock? And the fire on the lake, that terrifying fire, why did I kneel
before you…” I asked urgently.
His body stiffened. “What do you remember?”
“I’m very much awake,” he continued leaning towards me, the musk fragrance filling my entire nose, and my head seemed to explode in an instant, with a curse-like voice urging me to quickly escape from the person before me.
I wanted to leave the warm jade bed, but he pulled me hard, and I stumbled, falling onto the bed. He took the opportunity to flip over and press me underneath him, restraining my hands so I couldn’t move. Terrified, I didn’t dare to move, only glaring in protest, “Do you know what you’re doing? I, Lan Jiaolong, am not worthless!”
“Of course you’re not worthless. You are my queen, the only woman in the world that Liu Yu wants…” He gently rested his forehead against mine, his lips curving in a smile, warm breath blowing on my face like a terrifying proclamation, declaring that I could only ever spin in the palm of his hand.
“I, Lan Jiaolong, hereby swear that no matter life, aging, illness, or death, no matter wealth or poverty, I am willing to always stay by Ye Suo’s side, never betraying or abandoning him.”
“I, Ye Suo, hereby swear that no matter life, aging, illness, or death, no matter wealth or poverty, I am willing to always stay by Lan Jiaolong’s side, never betraying or abandoning her.”
The firm, happy voices rang in my ears, constantly sweeping through my thoughts accompanied by a long, unceasing flute sound, suddenly making me feel an unprecedented exhaustion. I relaxed my rigid body, and unconsciously, tears welled up in my eyes. He swept away my tears with a compassionate kiss, softly saying, “Salty.”
“I will hate you,” I said resolutely.
He lowered his eyes, speaking with a musky, turbid yet determined voice, “If you hate me, it will make your heart contain only me, and I am willing to accept that.”
I bit my lip, watching him through misty eyes as he slowly lowered the pure white curtains…
g illusory flute sounds were actually so bleak and sorrowful…
Soft morning light fell outside the window, casting white light in squares on the ground. I sat on the cold ground, wrapping my disheveled silk clothes tightly around me. Cold as ice water spread from my fingertips to my internal organs, chilling me to the bone…
Now Who is Torturing Whom
The clear face on the bed looked like a child who had received candy, murmuring softly in satisfaction, but it sounded too harsh to my ears. I could only hold myself tighter.
“Little Jiaolong, why are you sitting on the ground?” Liu Yu lay on the soft pillow, drowsily opening his eyes, his blue hair scattered around the pillow, his handsome face exceptionally lazy in the morning light.
I said nothing and didn’t move. He seemed to gradually wake up, putting on an outer robe and crouching beside me, gently lifting my chin, saying with tender satisfaction, “You are now mine.”
“Don’t touch me,” I turned my head away, cold as snow, wrapping my arms around myself even tighter.
“It’s too late to say that now,” he laughed childishly, then carried me horizontally, saying caringly, “The ground is cold, don’t harm yourself.”
My entire body was frozen stiff until he carried me back to bed. I didn’t resist, my unfocused eyes looking through his face overflowing with care, silently staring into the distance. Only now did I realize the entire room was filled with his musky scent, suffocating.
He embraced me from behind, providing warmth, his hands around my waist, his head buried in my thick hair, delighted, “I like that you don’t have vulgar rouge fragrance.”
“Can you let me go now, Your Highness?” I asked in a flat tone, as cold as thin ice.
