Chapter 1919

Xiang Liren lowered his voice and said: "Do you really expect her to stand on our side and help us deal with Li Chen Zhou?"

Dong Bingtai said meaningfully: "As long as you offer an irresistible condition, anything in this world can happen."

Xiang Liren however sighed again: "Even so, we may not be able to topple him!"

Dong Bingtai said: "Grand Tutor, you're being overly pessimistic; in this game of chess, the outcome is still undecided—how can we give up?"

Xue Lingjun stood before a lone grave; today is the death anniversary of her late husband Hong Xinglian, this short-lived talent of Da Yong died three months after their wedding, and not long after Hong Xinglian's parents also passed away one after another, thereafter Xue Lingjun's reputation as a husband-killer spread throughout the world. Xue Lingjun gazed at the snow-covered tomb, her eyes grew moist; she set down the offerings she had brought for the rites, lit three incense sticks, placed them in the brazier before the grave, and softly sighed: "Husband, these past years I have only now come to see you; do you blame me?"

The snow-covered grave naturally gave no reply; Xue Lingjun gave a bleak smile, pressed her lips, then whispered: "You would never blame me, for you love me so deeply—how could you blame me? In this world, only you have treated me sincerely…" After a pause she added: "But I have harmed you; I am an ill-omened woman, I ought not to live in this world."

A sigh came from behind; Xue Lingjun turned sharply. Before entering the cemetery, she had already had the area cleared and strictly ordered her retinue guards to remain outside; without her permission no one should have entered.

Appearing before her was a familiar face—Shi Kuan, commander of the Jinlin Guard.

Xue Lingjun furrowed her brows; she had not deployed any Jinlin Guard for her outing today, yet she did not know why Shi Kuan appeared here. She spoke angrily: "What is it?"

Shi Kuan maintained his usual respect toward Xue Lingjun, clasping his fists in salute: "Someone has entrusted me to deliver a letter for the Princess to review."

Xue Lingjun's doubts arose instantly: why must this letter be delivered to her at such a time? Moreover, her visit to mourn her late husband was kept low-key, deliberately avoiding notice, yet Shi Kuan could find this place—proof that he has been tailing her.

Shi Kuan produced a letter and presented it with both hands; Xue Lingjun reached out and took it, coldly saying: "You may withdraw." She was extremely displeased at being disturbed at such a moment.

As commander of the Jinlin Guard, Shi Kuan surely possessed the ability to read the situation, yet he still had no intention of leaving; respectfully he said: "Please, Your Highness, look at it now!"

Xue Lingjun's brows knit, her phoenix eyes widened; in her view Shi Kuan's conduct bordered on insubordination, he was blatantly pressing her step by step—something that had never happened before. Furious, she laughed bitterly: "Shi Kuan, are you speaking to me, Your Highness?"

Shi Kuan nodded, his gaze locked on Xue Lingjun without showing the slightest fear or retreat; his expression gave her a vague sense of foreboding deep inside. She took a step toward him, intending to push him back, but he did not retreat; this motion nearly caused her to collide with his broad chest. Her phoenix eyes almost blazed with fire as she shouted: "Impudent!"

Shi Kuan said meaningfully: "Actually, I am doing this for your reputation, Your Highness; you had better see it clearly in person." His words already carried a threatening tone.

Xue Lingjun hesitated a moment, then decided to make a small concession and see what the letter said. The letter was well sealed, the wax untouched; she opened it. At this point Shi Kuan finally stepped back two paces, his gaze turned elsewhere.

Xue Lingjun unfolded the paper and read line by line; upon seeing its contents, her pretty face instantly turned ashen as paper, she bit her lip so hard it broke, her phoenix eyes filled with panic and humiliation. She crushed the letter in her hand, then quickly unfolded it and tore it bit by bit until she was certain its contents could not be restored, only then did she look toward Shi Kuan.

Shi Kuan merely stood there silently; when Xue Lingjun approached him, he slowly turned his head.

Xue Lingjun stepped close to him, suddenly raised her hand and slapped his face hard; Shi Kuan's visage was like marble carved, though he took her slap he did not budge, his expression unchanged. She backhanded him again, then, like a madwoman, she swung her palms back and forth, striking his face with all her strength.

Shi Kuan made no evasive move from start to finish, letting Xue Lingjun's palms strike his face until her hands reddened and swelled from the rebound; only then did she lower her hands, crouch before him, her swollen hands covering her face, and weep silently.

Shi Kuan gazed at Xue Lingjun, a hint of pity in his tiger eyes, and said softly: "Someone has asked me to tell you: if you wish no one to know, then do not do it; the reputation of the Da Yong imperial house rests entirely in your single thought."

Xue Lingjun's heart bled; she could not bear to recall the past. She had thought those shameful secrets, buried with her imperial brother's death, would stay hidden forever, yet they were exposed again. She felt as if she were naked, kneeling in this icy snowbound world, surrounded by the world's contemptuous voices, scornful glances, and even her breath grew painfully difficult.

"Who wrote this letter?" If Xue Lingjun's gaze could kill, Shi Kuan would already have been chopped into countless pieces.

Shi Kuan said: "Princess, rest assured; the letter's contents are known only to its writer, who has asked me to inform you that he hopes you will decide quickly and sever all ties with the rebel."

Xue Lingjun nodded, having already guessed who wrote the letter; she rose slowly from the ground, a cold wind blew, and the torn paper she had shredded fluttered like butterflies, sweeping past her feet, some sticking to her fur coat, like specks of stain leaving a shocking mark on the white fur.

Had it been before, the fastidious Xue Lingjun would never have tolerated this, but now she felt indifferent, for she sensed her whole body was riddled with wounds.

Xue Lingjun drew a deep breath, trying to straighten her spine, yet she constantly felt a pair of eyes behind her watching—those of her late husband, filled with mockery and contempt; instantly she felt all hope lost, even began to despise herself, regretting why she clung to life in this world,

At this moment Shi Kuan produced another letter, presented it with both hands, and said respectfully: "Princess, if your mind is calm, you may now look at this letter."

Xue Lingjun gazed at the letter and felt a dread as if facing a serpent or scorpion; she had always considered herself exceptionally wise, with few officials in the Da Yong court worthy of her notice, but today she realized that those she once deemed mediocre were not as they seemed; some merely concealed their talents, awaiting opportunity, and in their hands lay many secrets and privacies they rarely use—yet once they act, the world shakes and colors change.

Li Chen Zhou again arrived before the Princess's mansion; at dusk fine snow drifted in the sky, standing in the snow gazing at the somewhat blurry gate, Li Chen Zhou's vision instead showed a thinly clad woman shivering as she walked through the swirling snow; his heart leapt wildly, though he could not see her face, he knew it was Jian Rongxin; he shut his eyes tight, then opened them again and the vision vanished completely.

Li Chen Zhou shook his head; the pressure of recent days had been immense, for some reason the image of Jian Rongxin kept involuntarily surfacing in his mind—before it only appeared occasionally at night, now it grew ever more frequent, even appearing in daytime; a bitter smile touched his lips. He had thought the recurring phantom would be Xue Lingjun, after all she was his first woman and should have left the deepest imprint, yet time had distanced them further, the estrangement deepened, and even Xue Lingjun's face began to blur in his memory.

Li Chen Zhou silently gazed at the plaque of the Princess's mansion; for the first time he felt the urge to retreat, thinking that going over would merely bring another refusal. As he was about to turn and leave, the sound of a carriage's Palace Bell rang from the street corner; looking up, he saw the Princess Xue Lingjun's carriage heading toward the gate.

Li Chen Zhou braced himself to accept yet another missed encounter, but he did not expect the carriage to halt beside him; the curtain lifted slowly, revealing Xue Lingjun's unusually gaunt, pallid face, her phoenix eyes quietly fixed on him, holding an emotion hard to put into words.

Li Chen Zhou looked at Xue Lingjun, and a warm smile blossomed at the corner of his mouth.

"The snow's heavy; come in and rest a while!"

The fire burned brightly; outside snowflakes flew, yet inside it was warm as spring. Li Chen Zhou sat there, showing uncommon restraint; he heard the rustle behind the screen, likely Xue Lingjun changing clothes. He closed his eyes, recalling their past passionate encounters, but felt none of the former heat and urge; clenching his fists, he discovered his palms were icy cold.

The bead curtain stirred; Xue Lingjun had changed into a red long dress, **** half-exposed, her slender waist could be encircled with one hand, she walked toward Li Chen Zhou with graceful sway; it was clear she had dressed specially, her cherry lips blazed like fire, her pretty face lightly powdered, her complexion much improved, her beautiful eyes glanced to and fro, her alluring charm undiminished.

Li Chen Zhou caught the familiar faint orchid scent from her, yet his heart felt an inexplicable strangeness. (To be continued~^~)