Chapter 247: Longing Turns to Snow

"True love? Forget it, too troublesome."

Jiang Yunchu waved her hand. This poison, since she came over, has always been something that accompanied her; if she were to lose it for a moment, she would still be somewhat unaccustomed, you know.

Ze made a soft "tsk tsk" twice; a girl of this age shouldn't be just beginning to experience love, right?

Yun chu, on the other hand, gave the impression of having seen all worldly affairs and being ready at any moment to leave home.

"Don't say it too early."

"In Zhongzhou, the wood blossom is nurtured by the love of father and mother; only then can a child form a wood blossom flower, which is rare and something many can hope for but cannot obtain."

Ze explained in detail, he could use his divine sense to perceive things, but he couldn't see them clearly, and for many things he didn't want to see them too clearly.

But he suddenly heard Yun chu's laughter, clear and pleasant like wind chimes, clinking and ringing, with a slight sense of impact.

"When things reach an extreme they reverse; true love, how could it have poison?"

"Love? Perhaps there is some, but human nature—what it cannot withstand most is testing. Rather than testing human nature, think about how these years have been spent, think about my children, how to settle them."

"Perhaps dying on the battlefield might actually be a kind of destiny."

When she spoke, she carried a vibrating laugh, her whole person in a very relaxed posture, not forced, but her true nature—just like that.

"Dying on the battlefield..."

Ze's unfocused eyes twitched slightly, looking at her with something eerie.

"Handsome uncle, don't you think dying on the battlefield is the best way to die?"

She curled the corner of her mouth, no longer explaining, no longer continuing to narrate; her understanding and way do not require others' approval or resonance.

"Over there..."

"Who the person behind the scenes is, I don't know either; I only know it's a man."

Ze suddenly spoke; he naturally knew that Jiang Yunchu had been waiting all this time for this matter.

He gave a light sigh, somewhat helpless, saying, "He is an ordinary person, with no martial arts, no inner strength, but around him are many extraordinary people and events, even Zhongzhou is involved."

"Yun chu, many things—I'm sorry I can't explain them clearly."

"I have secrets I must guard, and also people I must protect."

"The person behind the scenes uses your mother to restrain me; in his hand is a sandalwood hairpin, which I carved myself and personally placed on your mother's head."

Ze's lip corner seemed to twitch upward slightly, as if he saw the scene back then, even recalling Ying er's appearance and smile.

"He made a demand: as long as I am trapped in that dungeon, Ying er will be safe."

"He said, Ying er got married."

"He said, Ying er had a child."

"He said, Ying er is very happy, every day bringing a smile."

"But..."

Jiang Yunchu suddenly realized that, as his words fell, his black hair turned gray strand by strand at a visible speed, becoming snow-white.

Only his facial expression remained unchanged, but his eyebrows and hair, inch by inch, turned into longing made snow.

Though he repeatedly spoke of love, he could still chat and laugh freely, utterly indifferent to his beloved woman marrying another and bearing children for someone else.

She thought he didn't care.

She thought that twenty years of drawing a line as a prison had already worn away her beloved in her heart.

But everything before her was like a morning bell, harshly striking her heart; watching his hair turn white inch by inch, seeing that expanse of snow, her eyes grew sore and tears rolled down.

Her heart felt as if something were pinching, squeezing, pulling it, bringing fierce pain—not a dull ache but a spasmodic pain, a tug-of-war sensation.

They had only just met for the first time today!

Why does seeing his white hair hurt her? Why does seeing his calm expression hurt her?

Beneath that calm expression, just how many wounds lie hidden?

"Yun chu, when you encounter it, you'll understand: the wood blossom can carry poison, but it can also be non-toxic."

Ze gave a light smile, like a clear breeze and bright moon, causing the stars and moon on the horizon to hide in shame.

"You..."

Jiang Yunchu wanted to speak, but discovered her voice was hoarse, carrying an obscure, hard-to-describe feeling.

"Don't grieve for me."

Ze lifted his head; although he couldn't see with his eyes, his divine sense was upon Jiang Yunchu—how could he not perceive her emotions?

"I love her; everything I've done is my own choice, unrelated to her."

"Yun chu, the affairs of our elders have nothing to do with you juniors."

"From now on, I will guard a courtyard; whenever you need help, you can come find me."

"Little Wood—"

"Hah!"

"Forget it; I can't even manage my own heart, why bother with your infatuation?"

Ze said it sentence by sentence; his carefree, magnanimous demeanor made Jiang Yunchu's heart feel even more wistful.

She doesn't like love, doesn't like affection; clearly simple matters become complicated once love is involved, and a person ceases to be themselves—she doesn't want to become that kind of person.

"Let's go..."

Ze smiled, then closed his eyes; the feeling of his gaze on her also gradually faded, as he withdrew his divine sense.

In a single night, the person with a head full of splendid hair was deeply imprinted in Jiang Yunchu's heart.

"Handsome uncle, goodbye."

She rose lightly; when she stood up, she felt her legs had no strength, she leaned on the table corner before finally standing—originally, intense heartache can make one lose strength throughout the body.

"Let's go..."

Ze closed his eyes and lightly waved his hand.

Jiang Yunchu's steps grew increasingly heavy; her footsteps on the small path carried heavy sounds, reflecting her inner unrest.

All along, she kept thinking of Ze's words; those heavy footsteps were never hidden.

"I have seen the Princess Consort."

"I have seen the Princess Consort."

The patrollers of Wang Fu only saw a thoughtful figure; upon seeing someone, they instinctively nodded and walked past the crowd.

The night grew deeper and deeper.

Bai Zhi saw her master safe and sound; the heart she had been clutching finally relaxed.

"Master, it's late; you should rest."

After Bai Zhi finished speaking, she heard no reply from her master; looking at her master's gaze, she was somewhat dazed.

"Master?"

Bai Zhi raised her voice slightly and, taking the opportunity, grabbed the Princess Consort's arm.

Jiang Yunchu seemed to wake from a dream, saying, "I'm fine; let me stay quiet for a while."

She walked into the Study with a blank expression, sat at the desk, looked at the relationship diagram she had drawn earlier, and lightly added two characters: "man".

Mask, man.

Although the news was scarce, the shock Ze gave her was indeed great.

It seemed to shatter some of her inner beliefs; indeed there truly is love, one can willingly draw a line and imprison oneself for twenty years; indeed there truly is love, longing turns to snow.

That…

Why did she become an orphan? Was it because her parents stopped loving her? Or did they have unavoidable reasons?