She threw herself into his arms.
Her tears had never been so worthless in her life. They gushed out like a waterfall, drenching his shoulder in an instant. The light purple had turned into a deep purple, the same color as the purple orchids growing by the stream.
Meng Fuyao buried herself in Zhangsun Wuji's embrace, rubbing her tears, snot, and blood unceremoniously on his shoulder. She sobbed, wanting to use his seemingly illusory yet incomparably real embrace to release all the pent-up frustrations she had accumulated over the past 18 years.
"Her hair is turning white again …" She cried.
"At least I let her stay until winter …" She cried.
"I saw her age spots … age spots …" She cried.
"Seems like we have a martyr in our hands. Otherwise, where would we get the money to stay in the hospital …" She cried.
"Fatty and the rest still have a conscience, knowing to accompany her …" She cried.
"A bunch of fools, hotpot, can she even eat hotpot?" She cried.
"Who's going to clean her up and bathe her? Those clumsy nurses? How much can they do? She has so much pride, some things … some things, who's going to help her … "
She cried. "She's still waiting for me …"
The last sentence made Zhangsun Wuji tremble, and Fuyao immediately shut her mouth. After crying for a while, the accumulated depression in her heart seemed to have been washed away by water, revealing a bit of moonlight. She also vaguely remembered that there were some things that could not be talked about too much.
It was difficult for her to tell anyone about her obsession to return. To her enemies, it was tantamount to asking for trouble. To her friends, it was still asking for trouble. Zhangsun Wuji was considered the wisest, most understanding, and most open-minded person. He knew how to let her fly and give her freedom, but even he would never allow her to fly out of the five continents, out of this time and space, and out of his life forever.
She could only carry the pain on her back.
Meng Fuyao raised her sleeves and wiped her tears. Her legs gave way, and she fell to the ground. She had been holding in her breath, and she no longer had any strength left.
Zhangsun Wuji reached out to hold her, and they sat down on the grass of the early summer night. He hugged her and quietly watched the moonlight and wind.
The crescent moon was like an eyebrow, frowning slightly. The clouds were as thin as paper, shining with a jade-white light. Fireflies danced around them, streams gurgled, and purple grass emitted a faint fragrance. Night insects crouched in the grass and chirped tirelessly, their voices crisp and bright, like jade hammers striking the tranquility of the night.
The wind in the wilderness was strong, causing their clothes to flutter. Under the moonlight, two shadows were glued together, but the outline was vivid and distinct. They belonged to him and her, and not a single strand could be mistaken. As they hugged and watched the moonlight, their eyes became moist. It turned out that in such a deep and vast world, one or two people were but two stones sinking in the abyss of time, surrounded by endless distance, loneliness, and desolation.
Zhangsun Wuji's faint fragrance grew stronger in this cold place. A distant bell tolled from an unknown temple. She breathed in the fragrance in a daze and listened to the cool and majestic bell tolling. Memories of the past flashed through her mind like a horse lantern, drifting between illusion and reality. She seemed to realize something, but it was all nothingness.
Zhangsun Wuji said softly, "Fuyao."
"Hmm?" She replied softly.
"The people of the world are obsessed with obtaining it. They run all the way, but obtaining it is actually just around the corner."
Meng Fuyao tilted her head, thinking slowly, 'What does he mean?'
"Fuyao, do you have an obsession?"
"Yes," Meng Fuyao answered honestly.
"Me too." Zhangsun Wuji raised his head and sighed to the moon. "When I was young, I hoped that my mother would not always sigh at me, making me feel that she had never liked me. When I was young, I wanted to find someone I could protect, so that I would feel that I was still needed. Later on, I suddenly realized that what I was looking for was just around the corner, and the road ahead was so long. I hoped that I could walk on it with her forever."
Meng Fuyao was silent for a long time before replying softly, "Some roads are destined to be walked alone."
Above her head, that person remained silent for a long time, an indescribable loneliness in the midst of the misty moon. Flowers fell like snow from the trees in the distance as the wind blew past.
Meng Fuyao closed her eyes, feeling a sour and bitter feeling in her heart. The bitterness seeped into her internal organs, creating a complicated feeling. Fate was so unwilling to be tamed, like a beast crouching in the dark and unwilling to be tamed. It was one thing for her to be bitten and bruised all over, but it was also unavoidable that innocent people would be hurt.
She really didn't have the face to linger in Zhangsun Wuji's warmth any longer. She struggled to get up, but Zhangsun Wuji hugged her even tighter. She turned sideways to push him, but Zhangsun Wuji suddenly took advantage of the situation and pulled her shoulder.
The light and shadow before her eyes darkened, and his warm and cool lips fell on her.
They landed on her lips.
Lingering.
That charming taste of lips and teeth. Even though they had only drunk tea, they somehow carried a faint fragrance of wine. From one kind of softness to another, from one kind of entanglement to another. His kiss was like the wind, the moon, the clouds, and the fog. It was the purest nature in all creation. It entered her silently like a dream, filling her world inch by inch. When she was barren, he was full. When she was dry, he was moist. It was clean yet thick.
It was just like the first time they kissed in the hot spring. He was still as passionate as ever, sucking and turning like a poem written by a poet. However, the kiss gradually gained strength, pain, frustration, and depression. It was as if he wanted to cover her lips with this strength forever, so that she would remember his taste and memories for a long time. Every time their lips met, it was like lightning striking each other, colliding with a silent moan and tremble. Her panting gradually became faster, but her gasps were blocked by him. Bit by bit, he kissed away the unwiped blood on the side of her lips and shared that salty and sweet taste with her.
Feeling the struggle of the person beneath him, he held her even tighter. Since they met, he had let go of her too many times, letting her fly as she wished. Her swaying wings were like knives cutting through his heart, bleeding. But tonight, he didn't want to let go again, so he forced her this time!
He did not want this life to be long or short, nor did he want this life to be short or fast. If there came a day when his blood turned to jade and he became the time she forgot, then there would still be this bloody and painful kiss to remember this journey of vicissitudes of life.
Such a heavy and fierce kiss did not belong to the usually elegant and calm Zhangsun Wuji, but it truly crushed Fuyao's heart. She closed her eyes and finally let herself go completely limp. Her waist could not help but bend backward in the crook of his arm, like a weeping willow. Tears gradually seeped out from the bottom of her eyes, silently flowing into the corner of Zhangsun Wuji's lips, and then being kissed away by him with blood.
The wild flowers fell like snow, the night wind plucked the strings, and the willows by the stream swayed and fell, drifting further into the quiet spring mountains. The moonlight swept over the peak of the spring mountains, undulating like water in the fluffy green grass, illuminating the people kneeling in each other's embrace, illuminating the tears on her cheeks and the blood on his lips, illuminating her gently trembling in his arms, her delicate and slender shoulders, like a crane in the sky that wanted to fly but could not be held back.
This kiss was so long, and this kiss was so short.
He finally let go of her, moving the kiss to her smooth forehead. He touched it lightly, and then pressed it against her forehead, motionless.
Their breaths intertwined with each other. Fuyao's soft panting could be heard in the silence. Her pale face was finally suffused with an intoxicating blush. Her eyes were as charming as spring, incomparably gorgeous.
Zhangsun Wuji looked at her deeply and said in a low voice, "Fuyao … what do you want me to do with you …"
Fuyao was silent for a long time. After a long time, she smiled and said, "I realized that we can't even say that we'll leave it to fate. There are some things that God did not give us from the beginning."
The blush on her cheeks gradually faded, and her eyes became clear again. She straightened her body, kneeled, and slowly tidied up her messy hair.
Yes, she couldn't say it, she couldn't indulge in it, and she couldn't indulge in it. If it was in the past, she would have doubted whether her perseverance was worth it because of the reality of the changes in time and space. However, from today onwards, she would never turn back on the path forward.
Her mother was waiting for her.
The 18 years that she feared the most would no longer be an obstacle between her and her mother.
What other reason would stop her from rushing back?
Zhangsun Wuji slowly let go of her hand. That helpless and desolate gesture of his made a gentle gesture in the void, but only a little bit.
The person in front of him was quiet and bold. That calmness was an unchangeable determination, and that boldness was an unhesitant persistence.
He silently looked at Fuyao, at the bitter fruit of letting go. He could only swallow that bitter fruit in the bottom of his heart, blocking the passage in his heart.
After a long time, he said, "Fuyao, I won't let go either."
She let out a long sigh. What was there to say? What was there to persuade? Just like how he couldn't persuade her, she couldn't selfishly and hypocritically persuade him either.
Zhangsun Wuji suddenly laughed and said, "I believe that sincerity can be felt by heaven and earth. I believe that even if there is a master of fate in the world that overrides all will, there will be a way to break it."
He gently held her hand and said, "Go to sleep. You've been tired for the whole day. Some things can hurt if you think too much about it. It's better to forget about it first." Not allowing her to refuse, he flicked his finger and hit her sleeping acupoint out of habit.
Watching her fall asleep with a bitter smile, Zhangsun Wuji stretched out his hand and slowly placed it on her back. Closing his eyes, he circulated his True Qi around her dantian at high speed.
After a long time, he let go of her and quietly looked down at her sleeping face. His fingers gently caressed her slightly swollen lips.
"Since it's destined, I'll let you fly higher. Instead of watching you struggle under the torment of your obsession for the rest of your life, why not help you break through the sky?"
= = =
After that day, Meng Fuyao returned to Zhan Beiye's secret residence to recuperate. She had no interest in the rumors about the Champion of Zhen Wu and only focused on training every day to recuperate. Her Cleaving Nine Heavens had reached the sixth level, and she had successfully fused the Soul of Gale and Moon with Cleaving Nine Heavens. In fact, she had always felt that it was strange that she could not fuse the three types of top-notch Qi so quickly. In fact, she had done it. Old Daoist was right. Only by constantly fighting on the edge of life and death could one quickly stimulate and improve one's potential and reach a speed that normal training could not achieve. According to Old Daoist, he had reached the sixth level at the age of 24, which was unprecedented in the history of the sect. It was a miracle that no one would be able to do it in the future.
The thought of the old Daoist's setback put Meng Fuyao in a good mood. However, even though she had successfully leveled up, her injuries were severe, and the integration of true Qi was unstable. She would need a long time to recuperate. Now that her goal had been set, all she had to do was focus on her training. Before her "Cleaving the Nine Heavens" was completed, she would not rush to Qiongcang hastily. She only had one chance, and once she went there, she would not allow herself to fail!
In that case, she would stick to her plan and wreak havoc in Tian Sha while she was recuperating.
Zhangsun Wuji 'returned' to the country. Zhan Bei Heng personally sent the 'returned' Zhangsun Wuji out of Pandu. Before he left, he gave Zhangsun Wuji a luxurious carriage. Inside the carriage were all the purses, jade pendants, dudou, Ruyi, and other things that the noble ladies of Tian Sha had asked him to pass to them. Zhangsun Wuji didn't mind at all and accepted them with a smile.
That was only on the surface, but in reality … Meng Fuyao sighed. That person had changed his face to stay by her side. According to him, his father's health had improved recently and he was able to take care of things. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to rush to Tian Sha. Since he had come such a long way, he decided to rest for a while before leaving.
Meng Fuyao did not think that there was any need for him to rest, but he did not look too well. She thought about how shameless it would be for her to chase him away after such a long journey, so she kept quiet.
Xuanyuan Yun also left for real. She did not dare to not follow her father back home. Before she left, she wanted to see Zong Yue again with tears in her eyes. That day, Meng Fuyao came back in a daze after the martial arts competition at the Golden Hall. She did not know how the two of them had gone, but she thought that the underground party must have come up with a secret code and decided to let her in. In the end, Xuanyuan Yun was stung by a group of poisonous bees that Zong Yue had recently reared. The color, shape, and smell of Meng Fuyao's medicine that night was extremely similar to human excrement.
Zong Yue was the same as usual. Other than the pain and ripples in his eyes when he first called out "Brother Ah Yue", it was like the wind that passed by without a trace. His mind was like a lamp in a remote village at midnight, clear and warm, but distant and silent.
After resting for a few days, she received Zhan Nancheng's invitation to a banquet. Before she left, Zhangsun Wuji reminded her, "Zhan Nancheng has the intention to invite you. Perform well in the things I've taught you, such as the art of war, but you don't need to be proficient in political affairs. What Zhan Nancheng needs is a brave general who can be won over, not an outstanding person who is well-versed in both literature and martial arts. Don't push yourself too far." He then stuffed something into her hands and said, "If something happens that makes you angry but you can't fight back, open it."
Was he playing with Zhuge Liang's brilliant plan? Meng Fuyao snorted. "Will there ever be anything in my life that makes me angry but I can't fight back?" Although she said that, she still agreed and went to the banquet with Ya Lanzhu. In front of the palace gate, she saw a carriage and a horse passing by, accompanied by a Tiansha official. The carriage stopped when it passed her, and a pale, skinny young man stuck his head out to greet her. "Oh, it's General Meng. Are you going to the banquet?"
Meng Fuyao looked up and met the Fourth Feng Prince's polite smile. Zhangsun Wuji had "left", but the siblings had not left yet? Did this weakling not know that she had scolded Rotten Lotus? Where was Rotten Lotus? She had probably been hiding in her room crying these few days, hadn't she?
Thinking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao had arrived. Suddenly, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and half of Fo Lian's face was hidden behind the carriage. She smiled at her and said, "General Meng, what a coincidence."
Her smile was as graceful and holy as ever, and it was a kind of noble elegance that was similar to Zhangsun Wuji's.
Meng Fuyao stared at her and hissed. She felt a chill run down her spine.
Was she smiling? Was she smiling? Was she smiling at her?
Damn it, she had never been convinced by any woman in her life, but now she was convinced by Feng Jingfan!
A woman could actually remain calm after being scolded to such an extent. She could even smile at the person who had scolded her. It was unbelievable. Had she scolded the wrong person that day when she was seriously injured? Or did Rotten Lotus suffer from intermittent amnesia? Or did her brain automatically clear the screen and delete all the discordant words?
However, what Rotten Lotus said next completely shattered her fantasies. She even felt her vision go black. How could there be someone so powerful in this world …
Fo Lian smiled and said, "General Meng, are your injuries better? Jingfan was just thinking about how rude I was that day. I knew that you were seriously injured, but I still pestered you to invite me to a banquet. I can't blame you for blaming me. "
The Fourth Prince smiled and said, "General Meng must have misunderstood me. During the banquet later, I'll toast you with a cup of wine. You're famous now, a true hero. You deserve a cup of wine from Fo Lian. "
'I deserve it, I deserve it. You probably think that you're honoring me by toasting me with Fo Lian's wine, but I'm afraid that my stomach will rot …' Meng Fuyao raised her sleeve and covered her mouth. She coughed and said, "I'm still seriously injured, so I dare not accept it. Thank you, thank you."
The two of them even invited her politely, "The carriage is spacious. How about riding together? Since you're still injured, I'm afraid you'll get tired easily. "
"I was born to be a lowly wretch, so I can't sit in a noble carriage. Once I do, my three souls will be extinguished, my limbs will be paralyzed, my organs will be in disorder, and I'll be fuming from my seven orifices …" Meng Fuyao covered her mouth and extended her hand to invite them. "Please, please."
The two of them exchanged a few more polite words before leaving. Meng Fuyao lowered her sleeve and stiffened her neck. She said to Ya Lanzhu, who was beside her, "Zhuzhu, quickly pinch me to see if I'm still alive."
Ya Lanzhu stared straight at her and said weakly, "I was hoping that you would pinch me. I'm still in a daze."
The two of them turned their heads and looked at each other. After a while, Ya Lanzhu said, "Talent, talent … Meng Fuyao, I don't think you're qualified to carry her shoes."
Meng Fuyao scratched her cheek and said, "Zhuzhu, look at her. She's a real princess. Compared to her, you're like an auntie in a wet market arguing over the last ten cents."
"That's right," Ya Lanzhu was deeply sorrowful. "Such a noble, flawless, magnanimous and graceful princess, whose skin is as thick as a city wall. I'm really ashamed to sit together with her …"
"That's not just average … No, I'll feel inferior if I sit with her." Meng Fuyao made a quick decision. She turned her horse's head and said, "Zhuzhu, please tell Zhan Nancheng that I have diarrhea. I'll go back and do it slowly."
"I want to have diarrhea too, but I'm not going to do it now. I'll definitely do it when I see her later. Let's go together." Ya Lanzhu turned her horse's head.
Unfortunately, it was too late.
Two groups of people came out to welcome them. The officials from the Ministry of Rites had personally come to welcome them. They had already seen Meng Fuyao and Ya Lanzhu. When they saw the two of them turn their horses in front of the palace gates, they hurried forward to stop them. They tried every possible way to persuade them, but Meng Fuyao's insistence on leaving was making things difficult for them.
She sat on her horse, swaying, and comforted Ya Lanzhu. "Zhuzhu, just treat it as someone accidentally swindling you at the banquet. Out of sight and out of mind."
Ya Lanzhu sighed. "If I'd known, I would've filled my stomach first …"
When they entered the Martial Virtue Hall, the Tiansha Imperial Family, military generals, and the remaining imperial families and sect leaders of the various countries had already gathered. They greeted her with smiles. Fo Lian was sitting on the third seat on the left. Seeing her enter, he raised his head and smiled. Meng Fuyao looked at her for a while, then took a deep breath and smiled as well.
'Since you don't know shame and I can't scold you to death, then I'll change to another method.'
The officials from the Ministry of Rites whispered to her to enter the inner hall, saying that His Majesty had invited General Meng inside for a while. Meng Fuyao rolled her eyes. Knowing that the main topic had come, she quickly followed him in. Indeed, Zhan Nancheng was there, but the strange thing was that Zhan Beiheng was not. She bowed, and Zhan Nancheng made some small talk before asking, "General Meng is a high official in the Limitless Sword Dynasty. You have achieved success at such a young age, and your name has spread throughout the seven countries. You are truly admirable."
Meng Fuyao held the teacup in her hand and calmed herself down. A bitter smile flitted across her lips before she replied, "You flatter me, Your Majesty. It's just an empty title. It's nothing much."
Zhan Nancheng's eyes flashed. "An empty position is honorable and leisurely. Even an idle person can't have it."
"Of course, of course." Meng Fuyao held onto the teacup and replied perfunctorily.
"But then again," Zhan Nancheng said with a smile, "when I was young, I would always cover up every time I read about the heroic deeds of the past. To think that a man in this world, gold was like dirt, and his guts were as hard as iron. He was able to control the universe, and his stubborn ways shook the world. He was able to gallop for thousands of miles on the battlefield, or take down the head of the enemy. How exhilarating was that? It's a pity that as an emperor, I am trapped in this silent palace all day long. "
"Your Majesty is noble, and there are countless valiant generals serving you. A general is inferior to a general. Who among the celestials can compare to Your Majesty?" Meng Fuyao smiled and sighed.
"General, why are you sighing when you are proud of your success?"
"Your Majesty's words have evoked my melancholy thoughts." Meng Fuyao sighed. "I've never been good at poetry or literature since I was young. I've only loved the art of war and martial arts. I also feel that all men should be the same. Learning both literature and martial arts, selling their heads to the royal family, drinking the blood of their enemies." Meng Fuyao kowtowed and raised her head. Her eyes shone brightly as she sighed.
"General Meng, you must be joking." Zhan Nancheng smiled. "Aren't you a third-grade general in Wuji now? Who in the world would dare to disrespect you?"
"I'd rather take off my official robe, change into my crude armor and boots, and go to the battlefield three thousand miles away from the Great Wall. I'd fight until heads roll. That's what I call satisfying!" Meng Fuyao laughed heartily.
Meng Fuyao laughed heartily. Halfway through her laughter, she hurriedly sat up straight and apologized, "This commoner has been rude."
"It doesn't matter. I like straightforward men like you." Zhan Nancheng smiled and helped her up. "True temperament, true courage!"
After beating around the bush for a long time, he finally got to the point. "General Meng, you're always frowning and unhappy. Could it be … that something's bothering you?"
"What could be bothering me? I'm just feeling aggrieved and uncomfortable! " Meng Fuyao slapped her thigh and leaned back. "To be honest, Your Majesty, ever since I became a general, I still felt that the day I entered the military camp to kill people was the most satisfying day. Now, I spend my days drawing and writing, drinking and laughing with a bunch of officials. What's the meaning of this?"
"The Wuji Crown Prince dotes on you, and your promotion is just around the corner. General's future is limitless. How could you abandon yourself like this?"
Meng Fuyao raised her eyebrows and did not speak. Zhan Nancheng kept pressing her, which made her feel awkward. She stammered, "The Crown Prince dotes on me … I can't even think about going into battle … It's really hard to bear the public's mouths … I'm a man …"
She stammered, which made Zhan Nancheng's eyes sparkle. Once he confirmed the information in his heart, he stopped asking and smiled.
He motioned for Meng Fuyao to sit closer. "General Meng is skilled in the art of war. May I ask you about the art of encirclement?"
"Your Majesty, you're too polite. I only know a little." Meng Fuyao sat down and pointed fluently on the sand table that had been prepared beforehand. "In a coordinated battle, the infantry should stay close to hills, forests, obstacles, and overgrown vegetation. If the terrain is unfavorable, trenches must be dug. The infantry and cavalry should be divided into reserve and combat teams and take turns to attack. If the enemy attacks from the side, we'll attack from both sides. If the enemy attacks from the side, we'll face them in a circular formation. The archers should be on the outer flank of each team and arranged according to the echelon formation. This way, we won't hurt ourselves and the cavalry at the back will be more likely to counterattack …"
= = =
An hour later, Meng Fuyao staggered out of the inner palace with the Tiansha Emperor. Zhan Nancheng's face was beaming with happiness. He held her hand and almost sent her to her seat. She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to pinch his hand and send him to his grandmother's house.
The banquet started the moment they came out. It was just a list of delicacies and the riches of the royal family. Meng Fuyao buried her head in her food, determined not to look at the rotten lotus flower opposite her. Unfortunately, even if she ignored him, he would not let her go. Halfway through the banquet, Fu Lian pulled the Fourth Prince's sleeve. Accompanied by him, she personally raised a wine cup and said with a smile, "I've always admired heroes. General Meng, the leader of the Zhen Wu Sect, must have a toast."
Everyone turned to look at her and laughed. "General Meng is very lucky. Princess Fu Lian's wine is not for ordinary people to drink."
'That's right, who would be able to drink it?' Fuyao thought. She straightened her body and took the cup. Her smile was even more fake. "That's right. Princess Fu Lian's holy name is renowned throughout the seven nations. How can a boor like me be worthy of drinking her wine?"
She held the cup but did not drink it. Instead, she twirled it in her hand and turned to face the crowd. "Everyone, please don't think that Princess Fu Lian is really fond of martial arts, so you're giving me a toast out of love. In fact, I've met her once and can be considered an old friend. Speaking of which, it's really my luck."
Everyone's interest was piqued. "Didn't General Meng and Princess Fu Lian meet before? But when and where? "
"At the Pinnacle Mountain of the Wuji Nation," Meng Fuyao said with a smile. "At that time, Princess Fu Lian met a group of bandits and her guards were no match for them. I happened to pass by and helped her a little." She smiled modestly. "That scene really left a deep impression on me."
"So it was a hero saving a beauty." Someone laughed. "General Meng, don't keep us in suspense. Everyone is waiting to hear it."
"Actually, it's nothing much. Princess Fu Lian's guards were naturally brave and the bandits were naturally ferocious. All the scenes of beauties in danger were the same, but the human nature that was displayed was amazing." Meng Fuyao smiled. "Princess Fu Lian's temperament is really calm and sincere to Buddha. At that time, blood was splattered, the carriage toppled, and the guards fell one by one in front of the carriage. Princess Fu Lian sat cross-legged in the carriage calmly and chanted sutras for the guards in time. One died, another died …"
Everyone listened. At first, they didn't hear anything, but when they heard it again, they were left in deep thought. Everyone in the hall was an outstanding person, so it was impossible that they couldn't understand a few words. Gradually, they couldn't laugh anymore. Fu Lian's hand that was holding the cup trembled.
Meng Fuyao didn't stop there. She continued, "The guards died in time, and Princess Fu Lian's reincarnation was even more timely. I thought that those souls who died while protecting their master were probably dragged out and sent to heaven by Princess Fu Lian's unparalleled reincarnation speed before they could even enter the netherworld. Ah, as a guard of Princess Fu Lian, dying in front of Princess Fu Lian is really a blessing that can't be cultivated for several lifetimes. At the very least, I didn't have to pay for a ritual."
The entire hall was silent. Even the sound of chopsticks being raised could not be heard. Only Meng Fuyao's boasting could be heard, wantonly praising Feng Jingfan's holiness, nobility, loyalty, and composure in the face of death.
"What's even rarer is that I finally witnessed the true equality of all living beings and universal love that day," Meng Fuyao said solemnly. "I saw with my own eyes that a guard was guarding the carriage with his life, trying his best to prevent bandits from entering and harming Princess Fu Lian's body. That guard was stabbed to death by one of the bandits. When I saw it, my lowly blood was no longer noble nor calm. I went forward and chopped off the arm of the bandit who killed him. The arm fell in front of Princess Fu Lian, and Princess Fu Lian treated it equally and placed it together with the guard's body for reincarnation …"
"Pfft …"
Ya Lanzhu suddenly spat out the food in her mouth. Seeing that everyone had turned to look at her, she hurriedly waved her hand vigorously. "Continue, continue. Splendid, splendid. I'm truly in awe. I just don't know how the bodyguard who died with his eyes wide open felt when he and that arm were sent to heaven at the same time."
Fu Lian held her wine cup and stood there quietly. She lowered her eyelashes and said nothing. If one didn't look closely, it would be impossible to notice that her sleeves were trembling slightly. The Fourth Feng Prince looked at her in shock, then at Meng Fuyao. He opened his mouth and said angrily, "Meng Fuyao, what are you talking about!"
"I'm talking about the Princess's holiness, piety, calmness, and nobility." Meng Fuyao looked at him innocently. "Princess Fu Lian was born with a lotus in her mouth, and her beauty has spread throughout the seven nations. You must have some actual, personal, glorious deeds for people to spread, so that we, the boorish people, can further worship you."
"You …"
"For the Princess's good name to spread, I'm willing to die a thousand deaths." Meng Fuyao smiled at the Fourth Prince. "Your Highness, don't tell me you don't like what I said?"
Without waiting for the Fourth Prince's reply, she turned around and bowed deeply to Fu Lian. She sighed with extreme shame. "After this incident, I suddenly realized that compared to you, I'm really too restless and troublesome. Thanks to your teachings, I finally understand the true meaning of holiness and compassion. There's no need to distinguish good from bad, no need to distinguish between loyal and treacherous, and no need to care about right and wrong. All I care about is transcendence."
She smiled and took a few steps forward to stand directly in front of Fu Lian. Her posture was ramrod straight, and her voice was clear.
"After I returned that day, I was overwhelmed with emotions. I tossed and turned restlessly that night, unable to sleep. So I put on my clothes and got up in the middle of the night to write an elegiac couplet. I wonder if the Princess would be interested in listening to it? Come to think of it, it was written for your guards. "
Fo Lian remained silent. She raised her eyes and met Fuyao's burning gaze. Her eyes were dark and gloomy, but they were as dark as the sky before a rain. They were heavy and bright, bringing with them a needle-like sharpness and flame-like brilliance, pressing into Fuyao's eyes.
Meng Fuyao did not evade, but looked at her with a smile. If Fu Lian's gaze was a poisonous needle, then Meng Fuyao's would be a powerful knife. When their gazes met, they both felt the sparks in each other's eyes.
She did not answer, but Meng Fuyao did not wait for her to reply. She raised her wine glass and said clearly,
"You can risk your life, but I'll transcend them all. Who cares if you're enemies or friends, you'll all ascend to heaven."
"Horizontal calligraphy, holy and pure lotus!"
"Good! Good! The antithesis is neat and realistic, and every word is compassionate. It's wonderful! " The only one who applauded was Ya Lanzhu. She was all smiles, her braids flying in the air. Her crisp clapping reverberated in the frighteningly quiet hall. "General Meng is a genius, and the princess is even more so!"
Everyone lowered their eyes and stared at the banquet in front of them. Only God knew when the two of them had become enemies. How could Meng Fuyao humiliate Princess Fu Lian in front of the nobles of the Seven Nations? Was she not afraid of revenge from the Xuanji Nation?
They stared at Fu Lian's back, unable to see her expression. How would the princess, known for her generosity and kindness, react to this sudden humiliation?
Only Meng Fuyao saw her expression.
Fu Lian was actually smiling.
She smiled calmly and innocently. Using a voice that only the two of them could hear, she said, "Meng Fuyao, I'm here to toast, not to be humiliated by you."
"You're here to harm me," Meng Fuyao replied with a low laugh. "Of course you're not stupid enough to poison the wine, but your clueless brother has some good stuff …" Her smile grew more sinister. "You're so polite, so good at persuading me to drink, and so many people are supporting you. If I don't want to fall out with you, I'll drink. But after thinking about it, my life is ten thousand times more important than your face, so I have no choice but to let you down."
She takes a step back and raises her wine cup. She raises her voice: "Princess Fu Lian's virtue of sending the enemy's corpses to the afterlife is the best. I don't dare to overstep Princess Fu Lian's authority. I can only offer this cup of wine to the guards who died protecting Princess Fu Lian."
She solemnly poured the wine on the ground.
The clear wine spread out on the golden floor and slowly flowed under the lotus dress under everyone's breathless gazes. She stood there silently, as if she was numb and did not know how to avoid it. Fourth Prince Zhang Huang looked at Meng Fuyao angrily and then at Buddha Lotus. He reached out to pull her. "Sister, let's go back to our seats."
Fu Lian suddenly laughed. She flicked her sleeves and shook off her brother's hand. With her head slightly raised, she slowly returned to her seat with one hand behind her back. She kept her back straight, her elegant and dignified demeanor unchanged. As she walked, she said, "I really don't understand what General Meng is talking about. I'm just a weak lady who doesn't know martial arts. In front of a strong enemy, what else can I do other than being frightened and chanting sutras to pray for Buddha's protection? My guards risked their lives to save them, and I hate that I can't be in their place. But if I were to rush in, I would distract them and burden them even more. As for the enemy's arm … "She raised her eyes and glanced at Meng Fuyao." Does General Meng think that a lady who doesn't know martial arts would be able to distinguish friend from foe in a sky full of broken limbs? "
She smiled gently, gracefully, and nonchalantly. "But no matter what, it's rare for General Meng to empathize with my dead guards. I thank you on their behalf."
Meng Fuyao laughed coldly, but before she could speak, Fu Lian continued, "I just don't understand why General Meng is so angry. Speaking of which, General Meng and I will still be the emperor and minister of the court in the future. Why must you be so merciless and overbearing? Could it be that, as the rumors say, General Meng … hatred has turned to jealousy? "
Meng Fuyao, who was drinking water, spat it out and looked up at her. What? Emperor and minister of the court? Did she mean that she would be the Wuji Empress and that she, the General of the Wuji Sect, would be her minister sooner or later? And what did she mean when she said hatred has turned to jealousy? Did she see through her true gender, or was she just hinting at the rumor that General Meng and the Wuji Crown Prince had an affair? Regardless of the former or latter, she had brought it up in the Golden Palace in front of the nobles of the Seven Nations. Had she gone mad with anger?
At that moment, a buzz went through the crowd. It was an unexpected shock, not only because of the sharpness of Fu Lian's words, but also because of her last sentence. Of course, they did not think of Meng Fuyao's gender. They only thought that the fiancée of the Wuji Crown Prince had exposed the Crown Prince's affair in front of everyone. Was the Wuji Crown Prince's unmarried personality really because he liked men?
Meng Fuyao stared blankly at the shameless woman in front of her. She suddenly understood what Zhangsun Wuji meant when he said that he was furious but unable to retaliate. He had predicted that Fu Lian would not give up even after he left and would most likely find an opportunity to create public opinion while he was away. When she mentioned their marriage in front of the Seven Nations, with her current status and position, how could she refute her lie?
Meng Fuyao's hand slowly reached into her bosom and touched the outline of the object. She then smiled and asked Fu Lian, "Princess, are you talking about the emperor and minister of the court?"
Fu Lian smiled elegantly. "This matter is known to the world, so there is no need for me to avoid mentioning it in front of others."
"I forgot." Meng Fuyao spread out her hands. "May I know when Her Highness will take the throne?"
"General, you seem to have overstepped your boundaries." Fu Lian lowered her eyelashes, looking both shy and happy. "The Crown Prince has already made his decision about me. But why do you think that you have the right to ask such a question?"
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