Chapter 40: A Thousand Strands of Thought (2)

The Chu land was closest to the Royal Domain, swallowing the Five Lakes of Nanze in the south and the Jiuyi in the north, with the Three Rivers running through the territory in the west. With Juan Yuan and Luo as pools, and Bo Shui as moats, it annexed the Houfeng State during the time of Emperor Xiang, and since then, it had leaped to become the most vast and powerful state in the Nine Domains. Standing by the river and looking out, just looking at the endless flow of people, horses, and boats in front of Feng Shui Du, one could imagine what kind of prosperity the Chu capital, Shangying, was.

"Master, from here on, we must take the waterway. It will take another half a day by boat to reach Shangying. Should we take a rest here first?" Li Si and Mo Heng led the reins and walked slowly. After two days of galloping, they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Zi Hao looked at the Chu River, noncommittal. His white clothes were not stained with dust, not at all like he had traveled such a long distance. He had the same cold expression as usual, quiet and calm. All the way, he had been in this faint manner. The further south he went, the less he spoke. Since entering the Chu border, he hadn't said a word, only his eyes becoming deeper. Several passenger ships passed by in the river, and the ferry became a little quieter. The sky gradually drifted with fine rain, misty and hitting his face, wetting his clothes. However, he didn't seem to have any intention of hiring a boat to move forward, but instead dismounted and walked toward the end of the ferry.

The wind pulled his robes, and the rain became heavier.

A light boat in the middle of the river came closer and closer from the depths of the clouds and water, and stopped lightly at the ferry. In the misty rain, a green bamboo umbrella half-covered the woman's ink-wash plain face, with only a touch of cinnabar red on her lips, painted on her skin like curdled fat, as beautiful as peach blossoms. Her steps were graceful, and her dark gauze sleeves dragged like light smoke. She walked to the front, and the hand holding the umbrella lifted slightly. Her lips bloomed with charm, and her eyes were moistened by the rain. An umbrella covered two people, looking at each other quietly, their eyes reflecting each other, the most familiar breath.

The rain curtain was faint, falling all over the sky and eyes.

"You have come. I knew you would definitely come." Zi Rao said softly.

Zi Hao looked at her faintly with his hands behind his back, not answering, and walked onto the boat alone. White clothes and dark robes brushed past each other, and the rain fell like smoke beside him.

Under the green bamboo umbrella, the water was clear and shallow. Zi Rao turned her head slightly, her bright eyes drooping. Li Si, who had been stunned for a long time, saw Shi Niang standing at the bow of the boat and whispered, "Princess, you... you have been in the Chu State all along, why didn't you tell the Master? The Master was worried to death!" Zi Rao pressed her finger to her lips, smiled, and turned to follow Zi Hao.

The boat traveled for half a day. Zi Hao sat quietly in the cabin, closing his eyes to adjust his breath, asking nothing and saying nothing. Zi Rao didn't make a sound either, just resting her chin on her hand nearby, looking at him without blinking, her eyes full of tenderness. A boat went downstream, passed green mountains and ancient ferries, passed through city streets and palace workshops, from quiet to noisy, and then away from the hustle and bustle, entering a manor built by diverting water. The subordinates of the Mingyi Tower's Chu State branch guarded strictly inside and outside, but no one knew the origin of the cold-looking young man who got off the boat, except for Nie Qi, who had been waiting outside, "Nie Qi greets the Master!"

Zi Hao swept his gaze over him, as if he hadn't heard, and walked straight inside. Zi Rao raised her eyebrows behind him.

Nie Qi didn't dare to get up. Further ahead, Shang Rong led several shadow slaves and knelt down without a word. A row of green bamboo corridors turned into the depths of the quiet bamboo, and Shi Niang stopped and knelt before the corridor, followed by Mo Heng. For a time, the huge manor was silent, so quiet that one could hear a needle drop. Li Si saw that Zi Hao's expression was wrong and hesitated whether to follow, but when she turned her head, she saw Shang Rong give a wink, so she hurriedly caught up a few steps. Watching several heavy curtains fall quietly, the graceful figure of the Nine Princess was half-hidden under the dim light under the curtain, and a low, soft laugh made the hearts of the people who were originally uneasy settle down a bit, "I will take that punishment for Su Ling first. When he sees you, he will ask for punishment himself. Don't be angry; it was I who let them hide it from you."

The sound of rain in the corridor was quiet, and the light and shadow filtered under the curtain, setting off the quietness of the room. The man in white closed his eyes and leaned on the soft chair, his face sinking into the darkness, unable to tell whether he was happy or angry.

Zi Rao moved gracefully and sat down beside him. Her thick eyelashes drooped, and the ink-like eyeliner hooked with charm, but her voice was warm and soft, "The giant snake in Wangliang Valley was very fierce. If it weren't for Ye Xuanshang's help, you wouldn't be able to see me now." Seeing no movement, she peeked at him from under her eyelashes, "I fought with Huang Fei some time ago, from Xichuan to the Chu capital. I fought when I had to, and talked when I had to. He has such great power in the Chu State that even the King of Chu gives him three points of respect. If you didn't come, I would have no way."

Soft words, she never mentioned the matter of Qi Shi.

Zi Hao finally opened his eyes, "Just these things, do you think they could really hide them from me?"

Zi Rao's eyes swept past, "If they couldn't hide it, why did you come?"

Zi Hao didn't answer, just stared at her quietly across the quiet light.

Hair like a waterfall, eyebrows like cut, eyes flying up into the temples, a smile messing up the spring breeze.

It was really like it. When she was young, she once wore his clothes and slept on the couch, even deceiving that shrewd and suspicious woman. The Eastern Emperor and the Nine Princess, meeting by chance in the green bamboo forest in the past, had long seen their own shadows in each other's eyes.

The coldness of hiding joy and snow for thousands of feet, the mocking smile on the blade of blood-colored slaughter, the loneliness under the deep palace tower, the blood-sucking wounds in the shadows of midnight dreams.

Such a woman, seen through by him as crystal clear, yet she also calculated him to death. Even knowing that Xue Zhan's injury was strange, seeing that Mo Heng's words and actions were unusual, and discovering that Su Ling's silence and lack of persuasion were very abnormal—the clues were clear and hung in his heart like a mirror. He couldn't hide it, but he still came. If he didn't come here in person, he really wouldn't know what other methods she could think of to deceive him.

"Mo Heng, Shang Rong, Shi Niang, Nie Qi, even Su Ling was counted in. What else couldn't be hidden?"

His tone was clear, like ice water and autumn lakes. Her eyes turned, but she poured the starlight into them, "The day I left the Imperial Capital, you once said that no matter what, they could follow my orders. Your golden words—do they count or not?"

Zi Hao raised his eyebrows lightly. Follow my orders—the secret edict in the Changming Palace, what did he give her besides these? Suddenly he propped up his body, his long eyes narrowed, and he said in a deep voice, "I feel that what Zhao Gong said also makes some sense. If this continues, won't this place become the Zhao Ling Gong?"

Zhao Ling Gong, the three words he never mentioned. Others didn't know, but she knew his taboo in his heart. That palace was originally the bedroom of Lady Yu.

In those years, Feng Wan eradicated King Luo, controlled the attendants around Emperor Xiang, and used the excuse of Lady Yu's serious illness to lure Emperor Xiang to visit, from then on imprisoning him, and he was never able to step out of Zhao Ling Gong until his death.

Deep Zhao Ling Palace, quiet Nine Heavens, under the Phoenix Tower of the Jade Palace, was the deep prison of the scorpion pond where snakes and scorpions tumbled.

It buried a generation of emperors and sons of heaven, overturned the eight-hundred-year foundation of the Yong Dynasty, and buried a soul of clear fragrance and beautiful bones. That cold palace and abandoned hall, the golden cage in the royal city, was the shame hated by the master of the royal family, and the existence deeply hated by the young Eastern Emperor.

I don't know when it started, but his silence became a taboo in the Changming Palace that no one dared to touch, along with all deception and betrayal, just like he never allowed anyone to enter his bedroom at will, and never let anyone see the real face behind his smile. Even if the truth was ferocious and terrifying, the Eastern Emperor could not tolerate a single lie before him.

A few words passed outside the curtain. Li Si stood with her head down, her face pale with fright, but she heard the Nine Princess's voice containing a smile, with charm, speaking softly and clearly, "Don't say, I really thought so. When you come here, I won't allow you to leave this room, and no one else is allowed to enter."

When the words fell, there was no sound from the Eastern Emperor for a long time. The drizzle turned heavy, soaking through the green bamboo and emerald eaves, dripping down like a stream, like a curtain, like a screen. All around, the smoky colors were blurred. This small manor seemed to have truly become a world isolated from the world. In the dimness, only she and he remained. In the darkness, their eyes were fixed on each other, and their breathing could be heard.

For a long time, he heard Zi Hao laugh lightly, and said in a low voice, "Trapped me here, for a long time, don't you feel bored?"

Zi Rao's phoenix eyes narrowed, reflecting his handsome and cold figure, deeply and shallowly revealing charm, "How could it be? Let you accompany me to play chess, read books, sweep snow and cook wine, burn incense and tune the zither, listen to the rain and enjoy the moon—there are so many things to do. If you look at those endless memorials again, I will burn them all with one fire. If anyone causes any messy things to bother you, I will kill them all one by one, and let you rest your body here with peace of mind. Wouldn't it be better for a long time?"

She said it word by word, slowly and leisurely, her breath like orchids, winding fingers into softness.

Zi Hao squinted at her as she spoke, his thin lips curled, and he couldn't help but smile, coughing slightly, but the smile became deeper and deeper, saying in a low voice, "Nonsense."

Zi Rao burst into laughter, "Finally saw you smile, is your anger gone?" Seeing him frowning slightly and not speaking, she continued softly, "Have you felt better these days? Has that poison flared up again? Do you sleep well at night, and do you still cough severely?"

Behind the deep gaze, there was an imperceptible weariness. Zi Hao's smile faded slightly, "Just saying you entered Wangliang Valley and then there was no news, and letting Xue Zhan bring back an injury—can I eat or sleep well? Traveling nearly a thousand miles in two days, you say it's good or bad?"

Zi Rao went behind him, climbed onto his shoulders, and shook him gently. Zi Hao's lips suddenly tightened, his face turned pale, and he raised his hand to stop her, but didn't speak.

His hands were as cold as ice and snow, without a trace of warmth. Zi Rao felt something was wrong. Through his clothes, she vaguely touched something unusual on his shoulder, as if there was a bandage wrapped underneath, and she was surprised, "What happened?"

Zi Hao closed his eyes and said faintly, "Nothing."

Zi Rao said, "If you don't tell me, I will ask Li Si."

Zi Hao knew he could not hide it from her. If she were to press him, Li Si might say even more, so he avoided the serious and focused on the trivial, briefly explaining the ins and outs in a few words. Zi Rao scrutinized his complexion, her fingertips lightly brushing his collar, and through the edge of the cloud-silk dark patterns, she glimpsed the snow-white bandages inside. She leaned down and whispered, "What kind of beauty is that Princess Qie Lan, that she has you so concerned, to the point of disregarding your own life?"

Zi Hao glanced at her and leaned back on the soft chair, "What nonsense are you talking about again?"

Zi Rao saw that he looked tired and sighed gloomily, "Forget it, anyway, you have had this temper since you were a child. Once you have a plan in your heart, no matter what method you use, you must do it according to your meaning. I know, you came to the Chu State this time, and there must be some other things. No matter what it is, rest well first. Even if you can't sleep, rest your mind."

Zi Hao responded faintly. At this time, his mind was relaxed, and waves of weariness seemed to emerge from his bones. He closed his eyes heavily. Suddenly, warmth fell beside him. In the blur, he very naturally covered the hand that was holding the brocade blanket. The soft, warm hand was like an obedient chick, lying obediently in his palm. The woman who was quietly leaning beside him, the faint fragrance like water, stirred up the deepest peace in his heart...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 41 =====