The Sovereign – Chapter 57

Volume Three: A Hundred Things Changed with the Spring Breeze

A Thousand Reminders and Ten Thousand Exhortations

I want you to protect her at all costs, ensuring her complete safety

The sound of horse hooves was strong and resonant. Ye Ming wielded the whip to drive the carriage forward. She carefully guided the horse, fearing that the bumpy road would cause discomfort to Liu Zhu’s body.

Three li into the loquat forest, the trees were lush, and the afforestation on the slopes appeared to have great depth. Yi Qingyu’s bamboo hut was located in the deepest part of the loquat forest. It was a simple cottage made of ancient bamboo and was her resting place.

The carriage galloped, kicking up dust. Finally, it stopped in the forest. Ye Ming lifted the carriage curtain and saw Liu Zhu’s face. Her eyes paused slightly, but she didn’t say much, only carefully helping the two of them down.

The bamboo hut was quiet except for the sound of the wind. In the small courtyard, wine jars of various sizes were placed, and the fragrance of loquat wine wafted through the air.

It turned out that all the fruits from this tree had been made into wine. Liu Qianxun saw that the courtyard was exquisite yet simple, without losing its elegance. In her mind flashed an image of Yi Qingyu drinking wine and practicing martial arts, graceful and unmatched, truly beyond compare.

“Loquat fine wine, mellow and fragrant upon tasting, moistens the mouth and nourishes the lungs…” Liu Zhu murmured softly.

“You know a lot.” Yi Qingyu’s voice came leisurely. Liu Zhu’s body trembled slightly, but she didn’t move.

Ye Ming felt that she hadn’t heard the sound of wind, nor seen her approach, yet Yi Qingyu had appeared at some point. What kind of master could tread on wind and clouds, appearing without a trace, causing her and Liu Qianxun to not notice at all?

“Greetings, Cheng Wangfei!” Liu Qianxun bowed her head in respect.

“Don’t call me Cheng Wangfei!” Yi Qingyu’s face instantly darkened. The thing she despised most in life was this identity and title of Cheng Wangfei. “The title of Cheng Wangfei is merely to help Yan’er intimidate those people. Although I am nominally your godmother, your birth mother is here, so you must not call me mother.”

“Yes.” Liu Qianxun was neither servile nor overbearing, doing things in an orderly manner, not asking or telling, knowing when to advance and retreat within a small space. Yi Qingyu somewhat admired her. However, whenever she gazed at her, she always felt uncomfortable. Although she didn’t have brown eyes, the □□ in her pupils looked extremely similar to Liu Zhu’s.

Yi Qingyu turned slightly, seeing that Liu Zhu had been facing away from her and hadn’t spoken. She stepped forward, “How have you been feeling lately? Let me check your pulse.” She had apparently transformed into a doctor, showing concern for Liu Zhu’s well-being.

“With daily acupuncture and Xun’er stimulating the Feishu acupoint, the pain has reduced significantly,” Liu Zhu tried to speak to her calmly.

Her heart was like a calm lake, with only Qingyu able to stir up waves. Her once lifeless heart had regained vitality after being illuminated by sunlight, but she still couldn’t face Qingyu with composure. She didn’t know how to interact with her. Strangely, even though she had prepared for days to meet her, she still felt nervous.

“Am I that unsightly? You seem unwilling to look at me?” Yi Qingyu had noticed in both encounters with Liu Zhu that she always faced away from her and avoided eye contact. She didn’t understand why, but a strange feeling arose within her.

But she didn’t dislike Liu Zhu’s somewhat cold and rejecting attitude towards her.

“No, it’s not that. You are… beautiful, very beautiful. It’s just that I am ugly and have no face to show you.”

How could Qingyu not be beautiful? She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and also the most wonderful existence.

Liu Zhu finally turned around slowly. A translucent mask covered the upper half of her face. The flawless white jade matched her snow-white skin, yet didn’t seem out of place.

“Then why do you cover your face when you see me?”

“I just fear that my ugly face would spoil the beauty of this loquat forest and also taint your eyes, Qingyu.” Liu Zhu gently touched her own face, but felt Qingyu approaching her. She looked up, and those deep eyes were full of tenderness. “I can heal your face. You don’t need to be like this.”

This was how Qingyu looked when she was gentle. Qingyu’s gentleness was different from others; it always carried a hint of dominance within its uninhibited nature. But to Liu Zhu, it was the greatest gentleness in the world. Still, she remained calm, “There’s no need. I’m used to it. Why should a dying person care about their physical appearance?”

“As you wish.” Yi Qingyu turned away, feeling somewhat uncomfortable, yet not knowing why she felt this discomfort. Liu Zhu’s thin wrist extended, and Yi Qingyu, without raising her eyes, joined two fingers to take her pulse.

“Your pulse is erratic, and your heart is beating fast?” Yi Qingyu asked rhetorically. If she could see Liu Zhu’s face clearly, she would surely notice its peach blossom-like redness.

“It’s nothing, just caused by the cough.” Although Liu Zhu’s heart was racing, she mostly felt joy. Even just quietly being by Qingyu’s side made her feel happy. Wherever Qingyu was became the most beautiful place, and any scenery looked beautiful.

“Who goes there?” Yi Qingyu suddenly raised her eyebrows. She saw Li Yue dressed as a female official, followed by several armed guards. They bowed to Yi Qingyu, “Pardon the intrusion, Cheng Wangfei. The Emperor has ordered Princess Qinghe to enter the palace.”

“Xun’er is my goddaughter. There’s nothing wrong with you coming to the loquat forest to fetch her, but next time, don’t bring irrelevant people in. I don’t like having my peace disturbed.” Yi Qingyu greatly disliked unrelated people coming to the loquat forest, disturbing her tranquil life.

For so many years, she had been with the Liu Zhu in her heart, never separating. That deep longing had penetrated into her marrow. Without a physical body, without her smile, everything relied on a single thought, holding hands with her in her heart through the years. She always believed that Liu Zhu’s soul must be by her side, never having gone far.

“This servant acknowledges the fault. We will retreat outside the forest to await the Princess.” Li Yue and the others bowed deeply and left reluctantly.

“In the future, I’ll trouble Aunt Qing to take care of my mother. Xun’er will come to visit from time to time.” Liu Qianxun spoke calmly, with perfect etiquette.

“Aunt Qing?” Yi Qingyu’s eyes changed slightly, but became hollow and weak. This “Aunt Qing” pulled her back to many years ago, to memories of when she was with Liu Zhu.

They had once discussed that if they had children, they would have the children call the other “Aunt.” Not a birth mother, but better than a mother, able to tie them tightly together, never to be separated.

But now all of this had become futile. The past was like the wind. Twenty long years had passed regrettably, and she had been keeping watch alone until now. Memories were like knives, lacerating her heart once again.

Seeing her expression, Liu Zhu felt a pain in her heart as if being whipped. How could she forget every word they had ever spoken? These years, it was by relying on these beautiful memories that she still had a glimmer of hope and motivation to live.

Yi Qingyu laughed dryly, sighing slightly, powerless and weathered, “Aunt Qing… alright, just call me Aunt Qing then.”

“In that case, Xun’er will take her leave.”

“I hope you remember Yan’er’s deep affection and painstaking care for you. May you never let her down in this lifetime.” Yi Qingyu cared for Qin Junlan as if she were her own daughter, teaching her martial arts since childhood. Whether due to influence or blood relation, Qin Junlan had also come to like women. She only hoped that she wouldn’t follow in her own footsteps.

“Xun’er understands.” Liu Qianxun felt sudden guilt. She knew Qin Junlan had gone to great lengths for her to enter the palace, and she didn’t know how to respond to this deep affection.

All of this was merely a beauty trap. In Qin Junlan’s view, entering the palace meant staying together, companionship, but she was going with deception and the intent to take. One day, the truth would come to light.

“Mother, I’m leaving. I’ll come back to see you in a few days.”

“Go then, the Emperor is waiting for you.”

Watching Liu Qianxun leave, only Liu Zhu and Yi Qingyu remained in the bamboo cottage. Liu Zhu suddenly felt at a loss, but Yi Qingyu said, “Come with me.”

After saying this, she led her to the bamboo garden in the backyard. “I live a simple life here, and the days are boring. If you’re willing, you can help me cultivate these slender bamboos.”

“This is…” Before her eyes was a garden of jade-like emerald green tender bamboos, which were precisely the Biliu new bamboos, containing her name. Her heart was filled with mixed emotions, and she just tightly clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms, unaware of the pain.

“I want to grow a cluster of bamboo, not too much, just this big is enough, so that I can see them every day when I wake up.” Yi Qingyu tenderly cupped a bamboo leaf.

“Qingyu…” Liu Zhu’s heart was instantly filled with bitterness, fearing that tears would wet her eyes at any moment. She lightly pressed her nose, trying to alleviate the reluctance in her heart.

The bamboo forest wind gently lifted the leaves. Qingyu’s gaze fixed on the slender bamboo, looking as beautiful as a person in a painting. Liu Zhu just quietly stood beside her, smiling like a bright light, using the gentlest gaze to lovingly steal glances at her.

An eight-person sedan chair carried the noble body of the Princess. She was received with the highest palace etiquette.

At Wu Zi Slope, three li away from the ceremonial guard, one could overlook the vast procession in the distance. Ling Yu stood at the vantage point, her gaze falling on the luxurious sedan chair. Her eyes were unfathomably deep, but that unperturbed composure concealed a sense of grief. In the end, everything transformed into that deceptive, bewitching smile she showed to the world.

Finally, it had come to this step. Finally…

Soon, she would obtain what she wanted. The plan to strengthen the Yu Kingdom and unite with other countries to resist Ji was about to take its first step. Yet, why was her heart, which should have been elated, so heavy, even feeling a twinge of pain? It was as if she held a dagger, peeling away her hard shell bit by bit, leaving only a bleeding heart.

“Reporting to the Sect Leader, the Tower Master has successfully entered the palace.” Mo Feng came to report after investigating the situation. Lin Wuming glanced at him, “Isn’t what you’re saying obvious? Can’t the Sect Leader see for herself?”

“Uh, this subordinate is foolish.”

“Say something useful.” Lin Wuming impatiently waved his feather fan. Ling Yu remained silent, watching the sedan chair procession gradually move away until it disappeared from sight.

“Yes, there’s news from the Luo Kingdom and the Qing Kingdom. They agree to the matter proposed by the Sect Leader.” Mo Feng held personal letters from the kings of both countries.

“Oh?” Ling Yu stared at Mo Feng with interest, her slender figure supporting a bewitching smile that made Mo Feng shudder. He always felt that the Sect Leader’s mood was unpredictable, not knowing when he might anger her. It was known that someone once had their tongue cut out for saying the wrong thing, and others had met with fatal consequences for failing missions.

He nervously presented the letters, bowing as he stepped forward, “The letters are here.”

Ling Yu’s beautiful eyes scanned up and down, suddenly breaking into a chilling smile. That smile was bone-piercing like the ice of severe winter, yet like a sharp beam of light, stabbing Lin Wuming’s heart with pain. Only he sensed the heartache in Ling Yu.

“Very good. Send a message to the Changning Mansion and the Emperor. This palace will visit the Ji Kingdom in one month.”

“Yes.” Mo Feng suddenly felt a movement in the air, as if someone was approaching. He alertly drew his sword, “Who’s there?”

A person in a black cloak appeared, face covered. He didn’t speak, only slightly bowed to pay respects to Ling Yu.

“This subordinate will take his leave.” Lin Wuming pulled Mo Feng aside. He could almost certainly determine that this mysterious person was the most deeply hidden palace spy of the Ji Kingdom – Ghost Eye.

Ghost Eye approached Ling Yu, silently awaiting orders.

Ling Yu gazed forward, her eyes distant. At this moment, this ruthless and cold-blooded Sect Leader, who had killed countless people, showed only endless melancholy. After a long while, she slowly said, “Ghost Eye, I want you to protect her completely.”

Ghost Eye merely nodded, silent, gender unknown. Those calm eyelids showed not a ripple of emotion. As an assassin and spy, he had reached the highest level. Whether in martial skills or strategy, he was an elite of the Shura Sect.

“If anything happens, I want you to protect her with your life, at any cost. If there’s danger, you may retreat in advance. Remember, the Tower Master’s life is more important than everything else. Understand?” For Ling Yu, the lives of everyone in the Shura Sect were not as important as Liu Qianxun’s. While obtaining what she wanted would be perfect, she would never let Liu Qianxun lose her life in the process.

If the mission failed, they could find another way, but if a person died, they would disappear forever. No matter how far and wide one searched, she could never be found again.

After receiving the highest order, Ghost Eye bowed deeply and then suddenly departed.