The Sovereign – Chapter 75

Volume Four: Opulent Splendor Like a Dream, Waters Flow East

A Stone’s Throw Away, Yet Worlds Apart

So close, yet seemingly worlds apart

A gentle breeze caressed their faces as an ornate carriage came to a stop in front of the loquat forest. Well-trained guards took their positions on either side. Chen Qing opened the carriage curtain, helping Yun Jin, her son, and Liu Qianxun alight.

“Wait here,” Yun Jin instructed Chen Qing. “Mother Consort prefers tranquility and dislikes strangers approaching.”

“This humble servant will await the Princess and Consort here, without disturbing,” Chen Qing replied, bowing before leading the others to stand guard at the entrance of the loquat forest.

Under imperial orders, Qin Junlan had personally decreed that they must protect them without leaving their side. Chen Qing had essentially become Liu Qianxun’s personal guard both inside and outside the palace. However, this loquat forest was Yi Qingyu’s domain. She had always been wary of strangers and particularly despised people from the imperial court approaching. Chen Qing and the others could only wait at the entrance.

“Come, Guo’er,” Yun Jin extended her hand, taking hold of Guo’er. Turning to Liu Qianxun, she said, “Let’s go.”

Liu Qianxun nodded silently. Noticing that Chen Qing and the others hadn’t gone far, she pondered that it might be difficult to leave through this entrance. If she made a move, these people would surely notice. The only option was to enter the loquat forest first and then make plans. Regardless, she was determined to see Ling Yu today.

“Jin’er, go to the cenotaph~” Yi Qingyu’s ethereal voice drifted over. Liu Qianxun only sensed a dark shadow flash by, and before she could get a clear look, Yi Qingyu had vanished.

Yi Qingyu’s figure moved as swift as lightning, arriving suddenly and departing with grace. She lightly stepped on the loquat trees as if walking on level ground. After informing Yun Jin, she hurriedly returned to Liu Zhu’s side.

“Wow~ Grandmother flew away again. Aunt Master, can you fly too?” Guo’er asked excitedly.

“I can. When you grow up, I’ll teach you,” Liu Qianxun replied with a smile, affectionately patting Guo’er’s head. He immediately became elated, tugging on Yun Jin’s hand. “Mother, did you hear that? You must bear witness, Aunt Master said she’d teach me qinggong.”

“Alright~ Mother will bear witness,” Yun Jin said with a faint smile, glancing at Liu Qianxun. “You must remember what you promised Guo’er today.”

“I will. Come, Guo’er~” Liu Qianxun extended her hand, and they walked hand in hand with him between them, heading deeper into the grove.

The loquat forest felt damp after the rain. Yun Jin, fearing Guo’er might slip while walking, carried him in her arms. However, Guo’er was nearly five years old and had some weight to him. Yun Jin, untrained in martial arts, found it strenuous to carry him while walking. Liu Qianxun, unable to bear seeing Yun Jin struggle so, took Guo’er from her arms. “Let me carry him.”

“I can walk by myself. I’m a boy, I’m not afraid of falling,” Guo’er protested, struggling to get down, worried about tiring Liu Qianxun.

“Be good, Guo’er. Grandmother is waiting for us. Aunt Master walks faster, we’ll get there sooner to see her,” Liu Qianxun coaxed.

“Alright then,” Guo’er relented, resting his little head on Liu Qianxun’s shoulder. Yun Jin suddenly felt that Guo’er’s intimacy with Liu Qianxun was like that of a close relative, even like mother and son.

At the cenotaph, silence reigned. Liu Zhu’s blood flow had improved somewhat, and her emotions were gradually stabilizing. She stared blankly at the coffin. If the person lying inside were Qingyu, and she were the one alive, she certainly wouldn’t be as strong as Qingyu. But if she were truly lying in there, Qingyu would be left alone and desolate, facing the remaining years of her life.

The loneliest thing is to see no hope at all, only able to guard one’s heart alone. Liu Zhu realized at this moment that the living have always been more miserable than the dead. She was gravely ill and might close her eyes forever at any moment, but leaving Qingyu alone for a lifetime was something she couldn’t bear. Yet, what could she do?

“Ah~ Life is ultimately an illusion, like flowers in a mirror or the moon’s reflection in water. Life and death are but a dream; it’s better to have loved passionately,” Liu Zhu murmured to herself, completely unaware of Yi Qingyu standing behind her.

“In this world, only love can transcend life and death. To share a bed in life and a grave in death is also a kind of happiness,” Yi Qingyu walked to the front of the coffin, waving her hand to conceal it behind lush branches, restoring it to its previous state.

Qingyu was always so free-spirited and unrestrained. Having shed the sharp edges of her youth, she now bloomed with mature beauty. Liu Zhu couldn’t bear to look away even for a moment. Life is short, and she wanted to cherish every beautiful moment of Qingyu. Qingyu often said she was the most beautiful woman in the world, not realizing that she herself made everything else in the world pale in comparison.

Liu Zhu gazed lovingly at Qingyu’s back when suddenly she heard a child’s tender voice, “Grandmother~”

“Mother~” Yun Jin’s clear, melodious voice followed closely.

“Mother~” Liu Qianxun was the first to step forward, noticing blood stains on her clothes, and asked anxiously, “Mother, are you alright? Why is there blood on your clothes?”

“There’s blood on Mother Consort’s sleeve too,” Yun Jin also grew worried, even forgetting to bow in greeting.

“Grandmother, are you hurt?” Guo’er looked up, tugging at Yi Qingyu’s robe.

Yi Qingyu’s eyes twinkled with amusement. Looking at Guo’er brought her joy, dispelling some of the gloom. “Grandmother is fine, no need to worry.”

Liu Zhu’s body trembled slightly, at a loss. She gripped Liu Qianxun’s hand, alternating between tightening and loosening her hold. Liu Qianxun could feel her tumultuous emotions. She held Liu Zhu’s hand tightly, patting it gently, trying to calm her down. She knew Yun Jin’s appearance would inevitably stir up her emotions.

“Mother, let me introduce you. This is the Wise Princess Consort Yun Jin, and this is the young Prince Guo’er,” Liu Qianxun introduced them. Liu Zhu came to her senses and hurriedly curtsied slightly, “Greetings to the Wise Princess Consort and young Prince~”

Yun Jin quickly stepped forward to help her up. Even without being acquainted, she could see that this was an elderly person suffering from a serious illness. “Aunt, please don’t stand on ceremony. This isn’t the imperial palace, there’s no need for formalities. Just call me Jin’er.”

“Jin’er…” Liu Zhu’s heart secretly rejoiced, but felt more bitterness. She held Yun Jin’s hand, reluctant to let go. Her eyes glistened, her chest heaving, her hands trembling slightly. “Qingyu has raised Jin’er so well. You’ve blossomed like a lotus, graceful and elegant, amiable and polite. Truly worthy of being called a wise consort~”

Liu Zhu wished she could use all the beautiful words in the world to describe her. She had dreamed of Yun Jin countless nights, but could never see her clearly. Sometimes she was the crying infant in swaddling clothes, sometimes just a blurry shadow. If there was one greatest regret and guilt in her life, it was giving birth to Yun Jin but never having raised or cared for her.

Fortunately, she became Qingyu’s reason to live on. Years ago, when the Empress Dowager used Liu Zhu’s parents’ lives to force Qingyu to marry King Cheng, Qingyu reluctantly agreed, and Liu Zhu became her maid to stay by her side. But Qingyu, with her proud nature, wouldn’t allow King Cheng to touch her. The Empress Dowager, unable to fully control the palace at that time, urgently needed King Cheng’s power to support the Yi family. So she instigated Liu Zhu to consummate the marriage with King Cheng. How could Liu Zhu bear to let Qingyu suffer such torment?

She vaguely remembered that rainy night when she got Qingyu drunk and entered King Cheng’s bedchamber herself… The next day, war broke out at the border, and King Cheng left for the battlefield. When Qingyu learned the truth, she chased him to the border and killed him. Upon returning to Jidu, Liu Zhu was already pregnant. The two concealed this fact, intending to flee far away, but the Empress Dowager pursued them relentlessly.

Poor Qingyu, carrying the pregnant Liu Zhu, fled from place to place. Finally, when Yun Jin was born, they couldn’t bear to let the child suffer a life on the run, so they returned to Jidu. To protect the child’s life and future, Qingyu claimed the child as her own, which is why Yi Qinghan doted on her so much.

They had planned to settle the child and then leave, but Yi Qinghan tricked Qingyu into the palace, saying she could see her sister one last time to say goodbye. Then she sent people to hunt down Liu Zhu. It’s been over twenty years since they were separated, and only now has Liu Zhu seen her own daughter, Yun Jin.

Before her death, being able to see Qingyu and Yun Jin left her with no regrets. She had never raised Yun Jin for a single day, never dared to hope to hear her call her mother. Just seeing her safe and well was enough to put her mind at ease. Moreover, Xun’er now had an elder sister in the world, which comforted her.

“Aunt, are you alright?” Yun Jin noticed her staring blankly, showing no reaction for a while, and looked at Liu Qianxun in confusion.

Liu Qianxun noticed Qingyu eyeing Liu Zhu curiously and could only remain silent. In the end, her mother couldn’t conceal her emotions. The pain of being separated from her lover for over twenty years, finally reuniting with her own flesh and blood – joy and sorrow intermingled. The agony of being torn apart while still living is perhaps the greatest suffering in the human world. Alas, though they were just a stone’s throw away, they might as well have been worlds apart.

To Yun Jin, she was merely a stranger.

“Jin’er~” Qingyu called her name softly. Yun Jin understood and let go of Liu Zhu, taking Guo’er with her to the cenotaph. Mother and son performed deep bows three times before Liu Zhu’s memorial tablet, a sight that pained Liu Zhu to the point where she could hardly breathe.

Yun Jin was only twenty-one years old, but since she could remember, she had never stopped kneeling and bowing to Liu Zhu. She never asked why, nor did she ask who Liu Zhu was. She only knew this was someone her mother had missed for a lifetime. Since it was an elder from the past, she and Guo’er’s bows were appropriate.

While Yun Jin was bowing, Liu Qianxun pulled Liu Zhu aside, gently stroking her hair and holding her hands. “Mother, I have important matters to discuss with Ling Yu. Yun Jin and Guo’er will keep you company here. I’ll return by dusk.”

“Your status is different now. Act with caution and don’t give others any opportunity to find fault with you.”

“I understand, Mother~” With that, she turned to leave. Qingyu noticed her departure and her words but paid little attention. She was preoccupied with her inexplicable feelings towards Liu Zhu.

She felt something was strange but couldn’t put her finger on it. She felt a sense of familiarity with Liu Zhu, yet also found her distant and unfamiliar.

“Where’s Xun’er?” Yun Jin turned around and couldn’t see Liu Qianxun, finding it strange.

“Xun’er said she was going to choose a gift for the Emperor and didn’t want anyone to know. Jin’er, please help keep her secret,” Liu Zhu, quick-witted as ever, immediately covered for her.

Yun Jin merely nodded slightly.

Yi Qingyu took Liu Zhu’s wrist. “Come, I’ll take you back to the bamboo cottage for acupuncture. Jin’er, help brew the medicine~”

“Yes, Mother~”

“Grandmother, Guo’er can help too,” Guo’er grinned, smiling innocently. Liu Zhu felt her heart melting. Seeing Guo’er’s face, so similar to Yun Jin’s, she longed to caress him.

“Aunt, the path is slippery. Be careful, let me support you~” Yun Jin was graceful and considerate, even more attentive. Not to mention that she was Liu Zhu’s own daughter; even if she weren’t, how could anyone not like such a young woman?

Qingyu, thank you for raising Jin’er so well. Liu Zhu, supported by Yun Jin, couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

Most people thought the loquat forest had only one entrance, but for those skilled in qinggong, anywhere could be an exit. Liu Qianxun avoided Chen Qing and the others, using her qinggong to fly out from another side, and hurried towards Jing Garden.

It had been months since she left Suyuan Tower, and returning now gave her a sense of how things had changed. As soon as Liu Qianxun stepped into Suyuan Tower, she was surrounded by people greeting her. Without her, the entire Suyuan Tower had lost its flavor. Although she rarely interacted with her subordinates on a daily basis, her presence was everyone’s reassurance. Now that the sect leader was personally in charge, everyone was on edge, afraid of making mistakes that could lead to fatal consequences.

“Mo Feng, where is the sect leader?” Liu Qianxun remained cool, though she seemed a bit softer than before.

“In Jing Garden. I’ll lead you there, my lady.”

Jing Garden was guarded by three layers of hidden guards inside and out, with sentries at every corner, connecting all posts into a net. Ling Yu had trained her subordinates well; whether they were from the Shura Sect or guards, they all had to possess the ability to observe in six directions and listen in eight.

Before entering the courtyard, one could sense the oppressive sword energy and sounds of combat. Sword shadows intertwined, the sound of blades clashing grew closer. Ling Yu was seen leaping into the air, nimbly avoiding sword energy. Lin Wuming and He Xi raised their swords, attacking from both sides towards Ling Yu. Ling Yu’s eyebrows arched upwards, her coquettish air mixed with killing intent. She controlled the wind with both palms, the twin swords spinning in her hands.

Lin Wuming and He Xi felt they were losing control of their swords, unable to attack or defend, retreat or advance. Suddenly, Ling Yu’s hands turned slightly, the sword bodies twisted and deformed under the force, and a powerful energy backlashed, throwing Lin Wuming and He Xi three feet away.

“Hmph~” Ling Yu lightly patted the dust off her clothes, smirking mischievously as she smoothed her hair. Her eyes, brimming with allure, glanced up and caught sight of Liu Qianxun. Her smile deepened.

“Xun’er has arrived~” Ling Yu beckoned to her. Liu Qianxun approached, “This subordinate pays respects to the Sect Leader.”

“No need for formalities~”

“Sister~” He Xi stood up from the ground, smiling broadly as he walked towards Liu Qianxun. Seeing that her younger brother had grown even thinner, Liu Qianxun couldn’t help but feel concerned. “How are things at Suyuan Tower? Are you tired?”

“Nothing much has happened recently, but someone has been investigating us in secret. It might be people from the palace.”

“Oh?” Liu Qianxun was quite surprised. Who could be investigating her? Could it be Qin Junlan? Or the Empress Dowager? Or perhaps court officials?

That day, Qin Junlan mentioned Ling Yu in front of her, probably testing her. Now they’re investigating Suyuan Tower. This is the heart of an emperor – on one hand so affectionate, yet on the other, unable to resist trying to eliminate doubts.

“Alright, you may withdraw now. Xun’er, come with me,” the Sect Leader turned to leave. Lin Wuming and He Xi bowed respectfully before departing.

Liu Qianxun followed Ling Yu into the inner chamber. A faint fragrance wafted through the air in the ancient-styled room, now occupied by just the two of them. Ling Yu had her back to Liu Qianxun, her expression hidden, but Liu Qianxun could sense her mood – it was not pleasant. She knew Ling Yu’s habits; when her emotions were turbulent, her way of calming herself was to remain silent, or practice martial arts. In extreme cases, she would discipline sect members.

They fell into silence. Ling Yu didn’t speak, and neither did Liu Qianxun. It used to be like this too; whenever Ling Yu was in a bad mood, Liu Qianxun would quietly stay by her side until she was ready to talk.

After a long while, Ling Yu slowly turned around, displaying her usual alluring smile, her eyes full of emotion, her crimson lips parting slightly, “You’ve obtained the military deployment map, haven’t you?”

“Yes, I came today to deliver it.”

“I knew you would…” Ling Yu’s lips curled upwards as she slowly approached. Their eyes met, yet they seemed worlds apart. Liu Qianxun didn’t know when it had started, but a distance had grown between her and Ling Yu.

Ling Yu said nothing more, not even finishing her sentence. She just took Liu Qianxun’s left arm, cradling it in her hands. After a moment’s hesitation, she rolled up the sleeve.

On the flawless, smooth white arm, she could no longer find the “keeper’s mole” she had once placed there herself… Ling Yu’s facial muscles twitched slightly, her pupils contracting imperceptibly, as if from emotions pushed to the limit. Her smile was both self-mocking and tinged with bitterness.

“Are you satisfied now? Sect Leader…” Liu Qianxun’s cold words, devoid of any emotion, pierced Ling Yu’s heart like an icy blade, leaving it bleeding and raw.

“If it weren’t for that night, I wouldn’t have been able to get the map…”

“Shut up!” Ling Yu’s low voice uttered these words, filled with anguish. It was like a heavy, low cry. She wanted to roar out loud but had no strength left. She turned her back, her fists clenched tightly, nails digging deep into her palms. The sword wounds that had just healed reopened.

Blood slowly trickled down between her fingers.

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