Chapter 85: Three Lives of Flowing Light (1)

"Are you betting on Fuchuan in this game?"

Beneath the green forest, the spring was as warm as jade, and the curling mist floated across the veranda, gracefully lingering on a piece of green waves in the full garden twilight.

Some lazy questions came faintly from the plain brocade bamboo chair under the veranda. The silk robe, as soft as floating clouds, seemed to cover a layer of faint smoke gauze on the person, and the smile of the person lying with eyes closed also appeared and disappeared in this twilight light and shadow.

"There are indeed signs of Xuan Kingdom using troops in Fuchuan." Su Ling seemed to answer, but did not come to a conclusion, "As for what exactly, it depends on the movement of the Liefeng Cavalry."

"If you were Ji Cang, would you just sit and wait for Huang Fei to occupy this first opportunity?" The Eastern Emperor's voice was in a piece of floating, dark fragrance, vaguely having a deep meaning. Su Ling was startled and said, "No matter what, Ji Cang will not ignore Huang Fei's layout and act rashly."

"Preemptive strike, those who strike later are controlled by others." The golden silk patterns on the white sleeves flicked gently. Zi Hao on the bamboo chair raised his hand, and the light sound of flying birds flapping their wings, a small green bird pierced through the mist and landed on his sleeve, like a piece of green feather floating into the clean white flowing clouds, with a silver-plated small tube on its foot, vaguely carrying the spring cold of Mobei.

"Strange soldiers and strange changes, the way of reality and emptiness." After reading the secret report, he smiled sideways, and the warm and cold waves flowed in his long phoenix eyes, "Xuan King Ji Cang is worthy of being Shao Yuan Jun's opponent."

Su Ling took the secret report and glanced at it, "Xuan Kingdom spies discovered in Fuchuan, Ji Cang mobilized more than 100,000 troops of the Left and Right Armies to approach the seven cities."

The silk clouds floated, and through the mist, only the faint white clothes were like smoke, against the light and shadow, as if they were about to disappear. Zi Hao had already stood up and walked into the room. In the evening fragrance of mist, he left a sentence, "Where is the main force of Ji Cang's Red Flame Army now?"

Su Ling's heart tensed, and he turned to follow his pace. Zi Hao glanced sideways, and at that moment, the deep light in his eyes startled the smoke of the world.

"Where has Wu Yu arrived?"

"Passed Yu Ling a few days ago, and arrived at Sheyang today."

"Good, faster than expected." The ice curtain clear light splashed on the ground behind him, Zi Hao stopped in front of the case, "Order Mo Heng to meet with Wu Yu, divide the troops into two routes, one main force stationed at Jieri Peak, and one to select elites from the secret department to intercept all scouts of the Liefeng Cavalry approaching Dafei Chuan."

The secret report in Su Ling's hand tightened, and his eyes were sharp, "According to Mo Heng's news, the Yue Ma Gang has secretly controlled the grain road of the seven cities, and all warships can be in place within five days. Once there is any movement from the Xuan army, they can also send troops to respond, ensuring nothing goes wrong."

Zi Hao's fingertips moved north along the Royal Map, "With the speed of the Liefeng Cavalry, if they march rapidly through Mingyuan, they can reach Danzhou within a day. If the strategy is appropriate, they can take Quchi and Xingwei in two days, and force Yanci. As long as Huang Fei takes these four cities first, he will not be defeated, and then he will have room to fight back."

Su Ling raised his head, "The Liefeng Cavalry should not disappoint us."

Zi Hao said, "After the last batch of war horses arrives in the Chu capital, you will set off back to the country immediately, mobilize troops, and wait for the final opportunity."

Su Ling shook his sleeves slightly, took the order solemnly, and waves surged in the depths of his pupils.

The battle of the sword, calculating the world. Such a dangerous move, such courage, even though he was accustomed to the Eastern Emperor's deep planning, Su Ling still felt his heart and soul shaken. Whether in the Jiu Hua Hall of the Di Du or in the conversation in the bamboo forest, the man with the plain clothes and clear face always had the power to control everything, and his thousands of styles were incomparable.

A Kui Dragon golden lamp illuminated the endless Royal Map of Mountains and Rivers, and the subtle arrangements under this lamp light gradually seeped into the four seas and mountains, every inch of territory and land. Night had fallen, and the new moon rose outside the window. Suddenly, fireworks shot up in the dark green sky, illuminating the night and thin wind, Zi Hao raised his head slightly, looked out, and must sacrifice to ghosts and gods before the war. What's more, today is the annual Mysterious Origin Night.

Under the forest by the veranda, Li Si held the lamp candle and had just lit several green jade glazed lamps in front of the steps, but when she turned around, she unexpectedly saw the Nine Princess standing in front of the veranda under the moon, covered in faint brilliance, setting off the green silk like water, brows and eyes like dreams, deep and shallow, thick and light, like drifting moonlight, like condensed evening frost, only making people feel tender and lingering, with ten thousand entanglements.

She stopped her steps and held her breath. Zi Rao turned her eyes gently at this moment and turned to look.

"Princess."

Under the green bamboo light, Zi Rao looked at her quietly for a while, and asked lightly, "Who is inside?"

Li Si replied, "It is Princess Han Xi, who came over in the evening to ask the Master for advice on formations, and has been delayed until now."

Zi Rao's gaze raised slightly, and just as she was about to speak, several crisp sounds of jade pendants came from her side, and a small white shadow jumped onto her shoulder, then jumped into her arms, rubbing and rubbing her head, but it was Xue Zhan who hadn't seen Zi Rao for several days, rushing up to seek her favor.

Zi Rao stroked Xue Zhan, glanced into the room, and reached out her sleeves. Li Si only thought she would go in and serve the medicine herself as usual, but saw her crystal-clear fingertips gently touch the jade cup, the moonlight and clear light, accompanied by the wide sleeves falling silently. She said lightly, "Go." She walked forward, her slender clothes flowing with the wind, slowly drifting into the night, and soon disappeared into the depths of the bamboo shadows.

Xue Zhan suddenly jumped out from her side, and Han Xi was startled and looked back strangely. Opposite, Zi Hao leaned on the soft couch, his cloud clothes like snow, his clear face like snow in the lamp, and the moment the little beast broke away from Han Xi's arm, he raised his eyes gently, his gaze falling outside the shadow of the overlapping light curtains.

The light footsteps entered, his warm and faint smile in the depths of his eyes faded into the depths of the lamp fire. At the moment a touch of green entered his eyes, he raised his hand to press on his chest, and coughed out a few light coughs. After a moment of blinking, Zi Hao took the medicine knelt and offered by Li Si, but did not drink it all at once as usual, just sipped it slowly in his hand. The jade cup was exquisite, and the bitter bitterness of the medicine juice was vaguely mixed with a trace of clear and enchanting tenderness, like the return of the midnight light tide, quietly rolling up the deepest waves at the bottom of the abyss.

In the following days, Zi Rao never stepped into this quiet hermitage, and was even often not in the villa. She never explained where she was going when she went out, and always brought a bit of wine when she returned, her laughter lazy and charming, her style enchanting and dusty, only making the subordinates in the villa dare not look at her. Shang Rong and others were accustomed to the wanton style of the Nine Princess, and saw more of the reactions of others who were either respectful or fearful, or envious or afraid, so they didn't care, except for Li Si.

Li Si had served Zi Rao since the Langxuan Palace, so she was naturally more intimate. Now that her medical skills were refined, she recently found that she often brought some minor injuries, which seemed to be caused by fighting with others. With the Princess's martial arts cultivation, who did she meet, what kind of fight did she have, to be injured frequently? Although they were all insignificant minor injuries, it made people worry inevitably.

Facing Li Si's questions, Zi Rao just smiled as if nothing had happened, the smile faintly revealing a sense of pleasure, and then continued to go her own way as usual. One day, Li Si became anxious and said from behind, "If the Princess doesn't tell me, I... I can ask the Master to ask."

Zi Rao stopped her steps, glanced at her. This girl had become more and more like him since she followed Zi Hao. Whatever she decided, she insisted on it, and would not stop until she reached her goal. Zi Rao raised her eyes and smiled, turning to continue walking, "Why don't you try?"

Li Si paused her steps meeting that gaze, followed into the medicine room, and asked

A firework bloomed beside her, a tree of fire and silver flowers with stars like rain, drifting down onto her dark robes and cloud-like sleeves, silently dissipating. By the riverbank, many young women were releasing lanterns in groups. The elegant and gorgeous Chu robes set off their gentle, quiet demeanor in light gauze, and faint laughter kept drifting out, merging into this noisy, bright, and flaming scene. Zi Rao stopped to watch, lost in deep thought. It seemed that a long time ago, there had been such a lively scene in the Wang Cheng, but it had been too long—so long that the memory was somewhat blurred. She only remembered the brilliant light between heaven and earth, with thousands of bright lanterns following the water and waves, illuminating the three thousand imperial gardens and the nine-layered dragon pavilions. The jade pools and celestial halls were like a fairyland, making one unable to look away.

There had also been a youth in white, with clear, faint smiling eyes reflected under the light and shadows of the green water and deep waves, accompanying her to release that small silver lantern, his gentle expression like the most beautiful light in the world.

This scene often entered her dreams—a long, seven-year dream without light or sound. When looking back, there was one person there, a pair of steady hands, fingertips lighting the delicate lamp, eyes lifting in a smile, starlight as such, the moon like waves.

By the Du Xian Bridge, the heart's flame was full, carrying the most devout prayers of the women of the world, flowing through a thousand lives, flowing into every cycle of fate. Zi Rao smiled slightly, watching the river flow away. A clear moon shone alone in the sky, casting a lonely, quiet, and beautiful figure on the edge of this half-life of prosperity.

The wind blows, and the stars fall like snow.

Laughter and joy invite the heavens to dance, yet in an instant, longing surged like a tide into her heart.

She could not help but stop on the bridge. Just then, she suddenly felt something in her heart and looked back abruptly. Across the bustling crowd, across the ten thousand trees and thousand stars, she suddenly fell into a pair of familiar eyes.

Deep within the lantern light, someone stood quietly alone, also looking over with a smile.

His snow-white robes were like jade, his clear eyes faint, yet they stole the brilliance of the stars and moon. The sky full of light and rain, the clamor of the mortal world, all seemed to have nothing to do with him. He only looked at the woman standing alone among the masses on the white jade bridge, with a quiet and serene gaze, carrying a trace of faint, ethereal tenderness.

Among the common people, in the vast red dust, she turned around and found him.

(End of chapter)