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Chapter 145 Accompanying you to the ends of earth
Situ Yaohua looked at the two blankly. Lin Qing turned to look at him and said, “Now, you are over.”
After Situ Yaohua was silent for a long time, he chuckled lightly and said with a sad and bitter expression, “So what, I am a prince of Great Liang. The most honorable person among the heaven and earth. No one can insult me. Lin Qing, you also can’t!”
Lin Qing looked at Situ Yaohua yell at him like a trapped beast. He just gentle pushed the plate on the table in front of him, beckoning for Situ Yaohua to make a choice.
This was the benevolence and cruelty that emperor Jinghui bestowed on him and Situ Yaohua must make a choice.
Unexpectedly, Situ Yaohua picked up the long sword from the table without the slightest hesitation and drew out the bright and shiny sword blade. A weird smile appeared on his face and he thrusted at Lin Qing. Lin Qing was expressionless.
Of course, Zhao Zimu blocked it for him. Her head leaned to one side slightly and a hair was raised. Two fingers clasped together. The snow-white sword blade broke like snow with a sound. The sound echoed till the bottom of Situ Yaohua’s heart.
“You…,” Situ Yaohua said bitterly. He looked at the woman that he had once liked. Although, Situ Yaohua was interested in her, but she was only a woman after all. If he thought about it, Zhao Zimu was nothing but a flower that grew in other people’s flower pot and that he had taken a fancy on. She didn’t leave a deep mark in his heart.
But today, he felt that he was wrong. He was wrong for underestimating her and that he didn’t truly figure her out. He was wrong beyond reasonable limits. If he had known earlier that she had such capabilities and was so important to Lin Qing, he should’ve have thought of a way and not hesitate to pay any price to eliminate her.
But now, it was too late to say anything…
Situ Yaohua stared into Zhao Zimu’s eyes with complexity and unclarity. Perhaps, even he himself didn’t know how weird his expression was now. Hatred, bitterness, unwillingness and resentment. In the end, his gaze turned to the poisoned wine on the table. He looked once deeply at the two, laughed out loudly and said, “I, Situ Yaohua, had been honorable and glorious my whole life. My ability and wisdom didn’t lose to anyone. I didn’t expect that in the end, that my ending will be like this. I curse you to not have a good ending. Lin Qing, I will wait below for you!”
Having said that, he picked up the wine on the table, raised his head and drank it.
The wine was like a knife, piecing through his intestines.
No talent would be outstanding all the time. Heroes were only viewed by their success and failure. It was merely that.
Situ Yaohua fell. The look in his eyes dimmed. He quietly fell on the messy straw mat of the prison. Black poisonous blood overflowed from his mouth. His breathing gradually stopped. There was no antidote for the wine bestowed by the imperial palace.
Lin Qing took Zhao Zimu’s hand and walked out, without letting go even when they left the prison.
—
Three years later, on the grassland. The struggle between Tata and Muke had reached a fierce stage. The entire grassland was in chaos. The leaders of the various tribes were in turmoil. Muke and Tata had been constantly suspicious of each other. The war started. Some leaders of the tribes also took advantage of this opportunity to start a rebellion. One’s own people slaughtered one’s own people. The population of the entire grassland was instantly on a steep decline. Not to mention the population, even the horses, cattle and sheep have also been declining in sharp numbers.
Under the leadership of Zhao Zhong, the northwest army took advantage of this opportunity to defeat the Xiongnu court. Muke led the defeated generals to flee to the Western Desert. Tata led his remaining troops to re-establish the Xiongnu court on the grassland, but because of the problem with power, he was often threatened by the other tribes. The Xiongnu court on the grassland was in a decline.
After this battle, Zhao Zhong resigned. Emperor Jinghui allowed it. Everything of the northwest army was still handled by Chen Jin. No matter how Chen Jin requested earnestly for emperor Jinghui to let him (ZZ) stay, and said that he (ZZ) was a subject very able to protect the country and the border and asked the emperor to not allow his resignation, it was of no use. But after Zhao Zhong, another star of the battle emerged. He was known as Ye Yiqiu and was able to let Chen Jin turn his gaze away from Zhao Zimu.
In the court, because the crown prince forced the emperor to abdicate, brothers killing each other and cronies helping each other, fifth prince was also given the cold shoulder after the death of the Eastern Palace.
Because of Situ Yaohua’s death, Situ Jinkang and Situ Wenrui thought that their chance had come. Unexpectedly, emperor Jinghui created Situ Yuxuan the crown prince to everyone’s surprise with the rank of Eastern Palace. Moreover, the opposing voices in the court were weak. Therefore, Situ Yuxuan sat firmly in the position of crown prince.
Because the former crown prince failed to let the emperor abdicate and after hearing that Situ Yaohua had been bestowed with the death by emperor Jinghui, Situ Yuanxiao entered the void house and didn’t get involved with the affairs of the world ever since. And because of this attitude of his, emperor Jinghui only removed his rank of the prince of first rank even if he stood with Situ Yaohua’s before and didn’t blame him anymore.
After another three years, emperor Jinghui’s body had gotten worse with each passing day. Situ Yuxuan took care of everything in the court. Second and third prince also took this opportunity to provoke a dispute in the court, but they had been suppressed by Jiu Qiansui. Now that Situ Yaohua was dead, emperor Jinghui had been suspicious of Lin Xian. Basically no one at court dared to make things difficult for Lin Qing anymore. He seemed to have become a true Jiu Qiansui.
Moreover, Zhang Yong, a student of the Imperial College banded together with a group of students to target second and third prince for being disloyal and carried out a fierce condemnation against them. From then on, the remnant forces of the second and third prince at court were hit hard and they were unable to rise up again and cause chaos.
After another three years, emperor Jinghui passed away. Situ Yuxuan succeeded the throne with the era name Xuande and took sole power of the political affairs. He appointed Zhang Yong to replace Lin Xian who had retired as the member of the cabinet and Ye Yiqiu as general Jingbei. He took over all the military affairs in the northwest from general Pingxi. These two people, one on the inside and one on the outside, quickly helped emperor Xuande stabilize and control the entire court of Great Liang. No one could easily cause trouble anymore.
As for Jiu Qiansui, after emperor Xuande ascended the throne, he requested three times to retire from being a public figure. In the end, emperor Xuande allowed it.
It was said that when Lin Qing left the Forbidden City, emperor Xuande followed him closely. The people at court felt appalled that although Lin Qing had left the Forbidden City, he still held a heavy weight in the heart of the new emperor. Weighting heavily in the heart of the new emperor was still very important, otherwise, he wouldn’t have received such treatment when he left. Therefore, some thoughts to re-target Lin Qing because of his retreat, had also been stopped.
Now matter what had happened, Lin Qing had already left. All the disputes in court would have nothing to do with him anymore.
At this moment, the people of Qiansui’s residence were busily packing up and the carriage outside the door had been fixed. From one look, one would know that this was because they would go to a long journey.
Zhao Zimu was dressed in woman’s clothes and combed his long hair behind him. Just as she was thinking about to put which hat on him, the comb was suddenly snatched away.
Lin Qing lowered his head and remained silent. So, Zhao Zimu smiled at him in the mirror and spoke first, “I heard that the climate in the south is much better than the north. There are green trees all year round. Both the men and women are all handsome, beautiful, graceful and elegant. The scenery is picturesque and the customs refined. You will definitely like it when we get there.”
It could be seen that they planned to go to the south.
Lin Qing still didn’t spoke. Zhao Zimu put her head on his shoulder and asked softly, “What is the matter?”
Lin Qing was silent for a moment. Then, he raised his head, looked in the mirror expressionlessly and said, “There naturally is a place full of heroes, beauty and very spirited with flourishing flowers everywhere. When people with such a countenance as you go there, you will definitely attract the gazes of many people.”
Despite his expressionless face, Zhao Zimu still knew what he meant. In the past few years, Lin Qing has spent more and more time alone in front of the mirror. Sometimes, he would get up secretly before dawn and sat alone in daze in front of the dim bronze mirror and secretly removed his white hairs…
Even though she had acted that she truly didn’t mind, but she could still often see the sorrow and sadness from his eyes when he looked at her.
She was also helpless and could only use her head to rub against his shoulder and inserted her hand into his clothes.
“What are you doing?” Lin Qing asked faintly.
“Letting you know that even if you got old and lost your handsomeness, I will still like you.”
Lin Qing humphed once, turned his face to a side and said, “Only like me?”
“Yes, really.” She really wanted to raise her fingers and swear to the heaven and earth as long as she could make him feel reassured.
“How to prove?”
Lin Qing pulled her down and kissed her.
“When you die, I will be with you.”
Zhao Zimu looked deeply at him. Lin Qing was stupefied. Then, he covered his face with his hands.
“Aside from you, I won’t take a fancy on anyone. Neither power nor wealth can change my heart and won’t be able to let me leave you. Wherever you are will be wherever I am. In the sky, on the earth, through the yellow springs, Lin Qing, what you choose, I will follow. In this lifetime, if you lay in the underground, I will definitely be at your side and won’t be a widow.”
“Won’t be a widow.” This was her promise and her decisiveness. She loved thoroughly and didn’t leave a way out for herself.
Lin Qing felt something hot and damp in his eyes that had fallen down. Like a fool, he pulled her clothes with tears streaming down his face.
“Aren’t you a fool?!” Lin Qing said with difficulty.
“Quite foolish, but there are so many smart people in the world. God has given you a fool, presumably, he wouldn’t mind letting a fool keep you company. So, Lin Qing don’t worry. We will always be together.”
She wiped away the messy traces of tears on his face and hugged him tightly. Lin Qing’s lips were pressed against her chest. He felt very hot.
She looked at him and saw that his dark eyes were looking quietly at her. The things inside those eyes seemed to want to swallow her wholly.
She couldn’t help but chuckle. She pulled away his clothes, lowered her head and printed her lips on his body. This was an endless rhythm but she likes it.
The two left the capital that year. Few people saw them come back again. And the people who once swept the land under heaven gradually faded from people’s memories with their departure.
No trace was left with this departure.
She protected him in unstable situations and he schemed against the heavens for her. Although, there were many twists during the process, the ending was still satisfactory and didn’t disappoint the great effort of the two.
At this point, wishing all the fated people to find their way to each other and live happily ever after regardless of your status and differences, you can find the one who can spend the rest of your life with you.
TLNote: Thank you for reaching the end. It had been a fun nine months. I feel like ZZ didn’t have a purpose in life in her past life. That was why she died without any resistance. With her abilities, she could’ve escaped. After she was reborn, she found a purpose because she wanted to repay LQ for being kind to her in the previous life. During this process she fell in love with him. I think that LQ needs someone like ZZ who can give him reassurance all the time.
Still three side stories to go.
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