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墨書 Inktalez
Outside of Jin Wang's Army, the Guard did not recognize Yin Luo. When the report was made, Yin Luo walked into the Military Camp and saw a person in silver armor. The black cloak billowed behind him due to his swift movements. Although it had been more than half a month since she last saw that handsome face, his extraordinary demeanor remained unchanged.
Yin Luo spotted him at a glance and stood still. Mu Changqing stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace for a tight hug, then released her, holding her face with a serious expression. "Are you out of your mind? What’s the situation now? What are you doing here?"
Surrounded by tens of thousands of troops, Mu Changqing showed no concern for anything else. It was clear that he was worried about her sudden arrival at the front lines, recalling the dangers she had faced along the way.
Yin Luo looked up at him and saw the worry in his eyes. Her heart warmed, and she smiled, saying, "I'm glad you're okay."
Seeing the mist in her eyes, Mu Changqing could no longer voice his reprimands.
He lifted his cloak and wrapped it around Yin Luo's slender figure, leading her into the tent. "You must be tired from your journey. I've had someone prepare a meal; you should rest for a bit."
However, Yin Luo reached out to hold his hand and said, "Are you very busy? Please give me some time; I have something urgent to tell you!"
Mu Changqing glanced at her but said nothing as he took her directly into the main tent.
Although spring was approaching, the day was still quite cold. Noticing that she felt icy all over, Mu Changqing ordered someone to bring in a brazier.
Just as they settled down together, a voice suddenly came from outside the tent. "Prince, there is an urgent report!"
Mu Changqing looked up at the entrance of the tent. Remembering what Yin Luo had just said about something urgent, he squeezed her hand and said, "You rest for a moment; I’ll step out for a bit and come back soon."
Yin Luo grasped his hand in return. "Longqing..."
Mu Changqing comforted her with an embrace and gently stroked her long hair. "Don't worry; I'll be back very soon."
Yin Luo felt a bit uneasy. Even though she had finally seen him at this moment, that unease did not fade away. She raised her head to look at Mu Changqing for a while before suddenly leaning in to kiss him on the lips. Then she released his hand and replied, "Okay, I'll wait for you!"
Mu Changqing took a deep look at her before standing up and striding out.
Yin Luo watched him leave the tent, thought for a moment, and walked to the entrance to glance outside. She saw Mu Changqing's black cloak swirling wildly in the fierce wind as he hurriedly left her sight.
Qin Liu Yan approached from a distance, her steps somewhat hurried. Yin Luo noticed her immediately, lowered her gaze, and returned to the tent.
Moments later, Qin Liu Yan entered from outside. She did not greet Yin Luo but directly said, "Princess, I just ran into Liu Wei. He was with He Ren. As far as I know, he was indeed once affiliated with Prince, but since the news of Capital City being sealed off, his faction has been unclear. Yet now he suddenly appears here... Not to mention that the City Gate has long been sealed and one cannot leave the city without the Emperor's decree; just this person's sudden appearance is truly suspicious. I worry that things have changed."
Yin Luo's expression tightened; she felt uneasy and sensed that Mu Fengyan had cast a wide net. Just as she had arrived at Military Camp, this person showed up, clearly indicating that the urgent report mentioned by He Ren must have been brought by him!
If this person has now defected to Mu Fengyan, what could his purpose be?
Having traveled from Capital City for several days, news must have reached Mu Fengyan by now. Regarding his collusion with Jun Moyu, he likely already guessed that she knew everything. If she revealed all of this to Mu Changqing, then his plan would fall apart. This person's arrival... Yin Luo's breath caught; does this mean he is here to stop her? What would he say to Mu Changqing?
Yin Luo suddenly stood up and hurriedly walked out of the tent.
"Where did you just encounter Liu Wei?"
Qin Liu Yan followed her and pointed to the right front, saying, "Over there, past the third Camp."
Yin Luo confirmed that Mu Changqing had indeed gone in that direction and immediately continued walking briskly toward it.
Upon reaching outside the tent, she unexpectedly saw He Ren and He Xin standing there. Without hesitation, Yin Luo charged inside.
"Princess, you can't go in here..."
"Move aside!"
"Princess..."
Yin Luo's gaze suddenly turned cold as she raised her hand to strike at He Ren's right shoulder. He Ren quickly dodged, and Qin Liu Yan stepped forward to block his attack.
With Qin Liu Yan's obstruction, Yin Luo lifted her hand and pushed aside the curtain of the large tent to enter.
Inside the tent, there was a complete silence.
Liu Wei, the lieutenant, stood at the lower end but did not speak at that moment. Sitting in the higher position, Mu Changqing had a dark expression. The moment Yin Luo entered, he glanced at the entrance, his gaze stopping on Yin Luo without moving.
Seeing this, Liu Wei cupped his hands and said, "Since Prince has matters to attend to, I will take my leave."
Mu Changqing remained silent, and Liu Wei had already turned and quickly walked out.
A sense of unease grew within Yin Luo. She hurriedly walked up to Mu Changqing, grasping his sleeve and said, "What did Liu Wei tell you? His words cannot be trusted. The situation in Capital City has already changed; your people are all under the emperor's control. This Liu Wei is likely working for the emperor. Longqing, the emperor intends to put you to death this time!"
Mu Changqing slowly raised his gaze to meet Yin Luo's anxious eyes. Suddenly smiling, he took her hand and gently pulled her into his embrace, lowering his gaze to look into her eyes. "What does Liu Wei say have to do with you? Why are you in such a hurry?"
His fingers were rough from years of wielding a sword, causing a slight sting as they brushed against her face. Looking into his eyes, Yin Luo was momentarily unsure of what exactly Liu Wei had said. She reached out to hold the hand that was caressing her face and softly replied, "You are my husband; if he wants to harm you, of course I am anxious."
"Is that so?" A faint smile appeared on Mu Changqing's lips as he lowered his head and gently brushed against her lips, saying, "Since I am your husband, do these lips only belong to me for this lifetime?"
Startled, Yin Luo found his words puzzling and unclear in intent. The demeanor of the person before her seemed subtly different...
She furrowed her brows and remained silent.
Noticing her silence, Mu Changqing's expression darkened further. He opened his mouth and bit down on her lip. Startled by the pain, Yin Luo looked at him in confusion. "Long..."
"Have you missed me after such a long time apart?"
His hands began to move restlessly as he directly unfastened her belt. Startled, Yin Luo trembled at his touch and tried to grasp his hand, but he firmly held both of her hands behind her back and leaned down to kiss her.
Yin Luo remained still; his movements were indeed rough. Moreover, this was the meeting tent, which contained only tables and chairs, with no beds. Especially since... there were people outside, separated by just a curtain... Although they would definitely not come in, she felt truly uncomfortable being here.
Yin Luo's breath was somewhat unstable, yet she could not break free and could only gasp, " Longqing... let's change places..."
Mu Changqing completely ignored what she said, directly sweeping aside the items on the nearby desk and placing her on top of it.
"Longqing..."
The sharp pain made Yin Luo stiffen her body. She raised her gaze, unsure if it was an illusion, but for a moment, she felt that there was anger in Mu Changqing's eyes. However, upon closer inspection, there was nothing there.
She bit her lip; there were still many things she wanted to say, but given the current situation, it was clear that she could not say anything at all.
She sighed softly in her heart and eventually closed her eyes slowly.
Yin Luo did not know how she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she felt weak all over. She frowned; this situation was indeed somewhat unfamiliar.
As she stood up, she nearly fell down. Her complexion changed because there was no light in the tent, making it impossible to see inside. She called out " Liu Yan," but no one responded.
After struggling to reach the entrance, she was already drenched in sweat. Her intuition told her something was wrong. She gathered all her strength but found she could hardly lift a finger. This condition clearly indicated... she had been poisoned!
Yin Luo's expression changed drastically as she hurriedly lifted the curtain, only to find people standing outside, all armed with long swords. Just as she took a step outside, the person at the front extended their sword to block her path. "By order of the Prince, we are to protect the princess. During the Prince's military campaign, without the Prince's command, the princess cannot leave the main tent!"
Yin Luo's face turned pale!
Not only had she been poisoned, but now she was also under house arrest. This meant that Liu Yan's concerns were valid; that Liu Wei had indeed said something!
Currently, with Mu Fengyan and Jun Moyu working together, their goal was to put Mu Changqing in danger. At this moment, if Liu Wei intervened, it was clearly intended to undermine her and prevent Mu Changqing from believing her words!
She had let down Mu Changqing time and again. Such a man, originally ambitious and spirited, had willingly fallen into her hands once or twice simply because of a single word: "love"!
Jin Wang, who held power over the court and the people, ultimately faced defeat time and again. This time, if he discovered her "deception" once more, he would surely hate her to the bone! So, last night...
The pain in her body had not yet faded. It is said that the more one worries, the more one fears loss. She had shown great concern yesterday, but she had overlooked his unusual emotions at that moment, or perhaps she simply did not want to believe it...
Yin Luo retreated into the tent, sitting silently on a nearby couch.
He believed her!
So now he had imprisoned her...
From now on, he would never trust her again, right?
Yin Luo's face was paler than ever. All her means of defense were gone; even the whip he had once given her had disappeared! Qin Liu Yan was nowhere to be found, and she feared that she too was imprisoned somewhere just like her.
Now, she had no one to rely on. If she wanted to save Mu Changqing, she could only depend on herself...
There would be no reinforcements here. Once war broke out, Mu Changqing would face a double assault from the Western Yu Army and the Li Nation Army. At that time, he would be directly labeled a rebel; it was likely that not only would he die, but his past brilliance would also be completely erased.
A lifetime, all ruined!
Yin Luo steadied herself and suddenly walked over to the dressing table.
She did not know how to detoxify herself but guessed that what was inside her was something like Soft Bone Powder. This type of drug would only immobilize one's limbs without being fatal. Moreover, its effects seeped into the blood; the only way to detoxify was through bloodletting. The less blood there was, the weaker the drug's potency would become. As long as she could get out, even if it meant risking her life, she had to try her best!
With her mind made up, Yin Luo took a hairpin from the dressing table and extended her fair wrist. Steadying herself, she did not hesitate to make a cut.
Dressed in Su Yi, blood dripped onto her clothes like fiery flowers blooming in vivid colors.
She sat still, leaning against the dressing table with her hand supporting her chin, closing her eyes and remaining silent.
She had lost a lot of blood, and her vision was somewhat blurred. Although she felt a slight surge of strength, the excessive blood loss left her feeling faint.
Someone outside came to deliver breakfast. After calling out a few times with no response, they lifted the curtain and walked in. Upon seeing the scene inside, they screamed in shock, dropping all the food on the floor.
The guards outside heard the commotion and rushed in. When they saw the woman weakly leaning against the vanity, covered in blood, they were equally horrified.
"Quick... go summon a doctor!"
One guard snapped back to reality and hurriedly ran out. The other two stepped forward to check on Yin Luo's condition. One of them reached out to touch her shoulder but suddenly felt dizzy, followed by a sharp pain in his shoulder, causing him to faint immediately.
The other guard was startled by this and saw that Yin Luo's face was pale. Unsure whether to retaliate or not, he hesitated. In that moment of uncertainty, Yin Luo spun around and struck him down with a palm as well. She then tore off a piece of her skirt to bandage her wrist wound and removed one of the guards' armor pieces, putting it on before heading straight out of the main tent.
She blended into the crowd, using the excuse that she needed to report to the Prince due to a sudden wrist injury. Everyone in Jin Wang's Army knew how much the Prince cherished his wife, especially since he was currently on the battlefield. Given the recent incident with her wrist, the guards had heard some rumors and did not suspect anything.
Yin Luo raised her whip and struck it hard against the horse's rear, urging it onward toward the battlefield.
However, she was still late.
The battlefield was engulfed in flames and chaos, with both sides clashing fiercely, making it impossible to distinguish friend from foe.
In such a chaotic scene, Yin Luo felt as if she were falling apart inside.
Her vision darkened intermittently as she forced herself to endure the discomfort and observe the tumultuous battlefield. Her only belief at that moment was that she had to rescue Mu Changqing; she absolutely could not let him die!
After inquiring about Mu Changqing's whereabouts from a guard, Yin Luo wasted no time and charged straight toward the front lines. The guard noticed her urgency but had no idea what was happening. He called out after her a few times but received no response and could only give up.
Yin Luo ran forward, seizing a dead man's spear without caring whether there were enemies nearby; she attacked anyone she encountered.
In the midst of battle, her arms were cut several times, leaving bloody gashes on her skin. She also had injuries on her shoulders and wrist from earlier; now she was relying solely on sheer willpower to push through.
The sky was gray and dim, and the sound of screams filled the air. Suddenly, a splash of blood flew towards her, hitting her face, the heavy smell of blood making Yin Luo's eyes turn red.
"Mu Changqing—"
She suddenly shouted, unable to find Mu Changqing. Riding her horse in circles, she fought off the enemy soldiers rushing at her while desperately calling out, "Mu Changqing! Come out—come out—"
She heard no response; the wind howled around her, mixed with the continuous screams. A spear suddenly thrust from behind, and Yin Luo couldn't dodge in time. She was stabbed in the left side of her abdomen. She swung her spear and killed the attacker, but her body lost balance, and she fell off the horse.
The world spun!
It felt like she had returned to before her crossing, when she was blown up by ammunition, experiencing this same sensation before dying.
The world turned gray and gradually became a point in her vision, then the light disappeared, and boundless darkness enveloped her…
"You've gone mad…"
A tightness around her waist suddenly pulled her back to reality. A voice fell into her ear, followed by a swift rotation of her body as she was lifted up.
Yin Luo took three seconds to adapt to the darkening vision. When she looked up, she found Mu Changqing's face just inches away.
In disbelief, she reached out to touch his face. Mu Changqing swiftly swung his sword to eliminate another nearby enemy before holding her tightly and leaping onto a warhorse, galloping towards a safer area.
Yin Luo was held in his embrace; he said nothing but occasionally dealt with nearby foes.
The familiar scent from him filled her nostrils as Yin Luo finally heard herself speak slowly, "Longqing… I’ve done some things that hurt you… but I regret it now… The Emperor has allied with Xiyu; they… want to kill you together, and this battlefield… is where you will meet your end… Longqing… you…”
Her vision darkened again. Yin Luo struggled to close her eyes and suddenly coughed violently until a metallic taste filled her mouth.
She reached out to cover her mouth, watching blood seep through her fingers. Her gaze was vacant as she urgently grasped Mu Changqing's sleeve, "Longqing… don’t go…”
Seeing the blood gushing from her mouth, Mu Changqing's eyes turned cold and dark, a look he had never shown before. "Is this what you want to say to me?"
His gaze was pained yet tinged with redness. "You heartless woman, I should have let you die from the very beginning!"
If she had died back then, she would not have intruded into his world, there would not have been so many tomorrows, and he would not have fallen to such depths. Without this woman, he would still be the esteemed Prince of Jin, second only to none, ruling over the entire Exiled Nation. But because of her, because of this woman who deceived him time and again, he was left in ruins, utterly defeated!
With tears welling in his eyes, Mu Changqing looked up at the sky. In the past, he would never have believed that this place would become his burial ground, nor that he would truly die here with this woman! But now, it seemed that after having her in his life, nothing was impossible…
He closed his eyes and rode forward at full speed.
He Xinhai and He Ren followed closely by his side, providing protection. Once they reached a safe area, Mu Changqing directly shoved Xiang Wan into their hands and ordered, "Take her away. Don't come back. Remember, if she loses even a single hair on her head, I will never forgive you—even if I descend to the underworld!"
"Your Highness..." He Ren and He Xinhai's expressions changed significantly. Yin Luo's gaze narrowed as she disregarded her weakness and lunged towards Mu Changqing. However, he dodged her and she fell to the ground.
Her body felt numb to pain as she struggled to maintain consciousness. She saw the dark expanse ahead and reached out to grab Mu Changqing's garment. Then… with great difficulty, she pulled herself up along the fabric.
"I won't leave..."
She looked at the darkness in his eyes with difficulty and stubbornly extended her hand into his palm, gripping his fingers tightly. "This time… if we live, we live together… if we die… we die together."
His eyes were turbulent as he stared deeply into hers. Suddenly, a smile broke through—a smile filled with extreme sorrow. "But… I do not wish for that!"
He spoke each word clearly before waving his hand, causing Yin Luo to fall straight to the ground under his force.
His mournful voice lingered in her ears as Yin Luo distinctly heard something inside her heart tear apart with a loud crack. She lifted her gaze, her eyes blood-red. "Changqing..."
"I wish I had never known you!"
Mu Changqing suddenly stepped back and turned away. Amidst the endless cries of despair, his voice was low and heavy as if thousands of arrows pierced Yin Luo's heart. "The reason I let them take you away is not because I can't bear to part with you; it's because you are simply unworthy to die alongside me! You want to share life and death with me? You have no right! Not in this lifetime!"
Mu Changqing finished speaking and suddenly leaped onto the warhorse. His dark robe danced wildly in the wind, and his figure quickly disappeared among the guards, never to be seen again.
"Changqing—" Yin Luo shouted, but suddenly everything went black before her eyes. She fell to the ground, and all sounds and everything else came to a halt along with her thoughts. The world turned dark, and the only belief she held in her heart collapsed in an instant. All she remembered was that he no longer wanted her!
Mu Changqing did not look back. He did not know who had knocked off his hair crown; his long black hair blended with the black armor and clothing, swirling on the blood-soaked battlefield, as if the last bit of brilliance in his life had fully bloomed.
*
Three years later, Mo City.
In a secluded small town, people came and went endlessly. Men plowed while women wove, leading a peaceful and warm life.
In a courtyard, a young woman held delicate needlework in her hands, her eyes filled with gentle affection as she mended a blue cotton coat. Suddenly, the courtyard door creaked open, and she looked up to see her husband returning from outside, drenched in sweat and carrying a deer in his hands, smiling broadly.
The young woman hurriedly got up to take the prey from him, wiping his forehead with a cloth as she said, "Look at you, all sweaty again. Didn't I say we don't need these lately? You don't have to work so hard."
The man smiled and gently touched her rounded belly, saying, "You and our son are waiting for me to provide for you. How can I not work hard? Don't worry; I will make sure you and our son won't suffer!"
The young woman smiled helplessly as she looked at his once stunning face, which was now somewhat gaunt but still captivating. She pulled him into the house and fetched water for him, saying, "It's too hot these days; you should go out less. I'm about to give birth. Aunt Zhang said I need someone by my side."
Upon hearing this, the man's expression tightened as he caressed the woman's belly and said seriously, "Luoluo, don't worry. I'll stay home these days to take good care of you and our son!"
"You just know it's definitely a son?"
The woman teased him.
The man chuckled and embraced her, saying, "If we have a daughter as beautiful as you, she'll probably be snatched away by others. I can't bear to let go of a daughter; I can only trouble Luoluo to give me a son!"
The woman rolled her eyes at him helplessly. "Nonsense!"
The man chuckled again, watching his wife’s shy and delicate appearance at that moment. His heart stirred, feeling a surge of emotions! There was no way around it; the pent-up frustration he had endured for nearly a year was truly unbearable. However, for the sake of his wife and child, he could only endure it, offering a helpless smile.
The woman seemed to sense his discomfort, but given her condition, she could only reach out and embrace him, quietly leaning against him and softly calling, “Longqing…”
*
That night, outside the Yard Gate.
Inside the house, it was dark, clearly indicating that the people inside had gone to sleep. Outside, however, stood a woman dressed in Su Yi, her belly prominent, quietly stepping out.
Two people stood outside the Yard Gate, but one of them had an empty arm, which looked somewhat strange.
“Princess.” The two outside quickly bowed and called out as the woman approached.
The newcomer was Yin Luo.
Yin Luo responded and looked at He Ren and He Xin, saying, “Did anyone notice you coming?”
“Rest assured, Princess. We are always particularly careful when we come. We took many different routes along the way; no one will know,” He Ren replied.
Yin Luo nodded and glanced at the dark house before saying, “Your Prince is resting. We won’t see you today.”
He Xin looked at Yin Luo hesitantly and finally said, “Princess… does the Prince still not remember anything from the past?”
Yin Luo paused and glanced at He Xin. He Xin seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn and quickly lowered his head. After a long silence, Yin Luo finally spoke, “Isn’t it better this way? Mu Fengyan won’t let us go. Since Longqing can live well now, why must he remember the past? Our family of three will have a better life in the future.”
“But…” He Xin wanted to say something more but was pulled back by He Ren and fell silent. He only added, “The black jade you possess and the Prince’s former Jin Wang's Army have all been taken over by us. Both of us are currently trusted by the Emperor. If one day the Prince regains his memory and wants to reclaim everything from the past, my brother and I will swear to follow him to the death!”
Yin Luo glanced at He Xin’s hopeful eyes for a moment before saying slowly, “If one day he truly regains his memory and wants to reclaim everything from the past, rest assured, I won’t stop him.”
He Xin breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing the words, and although He Ren did not show it, he was clearly relieved as well. Seeing Yin Luo's inexplicable expression, He Ren hurriedly comforted her, "Don't worry, Princess. Even if the Prince regains his memory, we will tell him that it was you who risked your life to use your pardon to exchange for the Prince's life from the Emperor. The Prince holds you in his heart and will surely forgive you!"
Yin Luo did not respond, only gazing at the dark night sky. Whether he forgave her or not, it was all something she deserved.
After sending off He Ren and He Xin, Yin Luo returned to the room, carefully climbed onto the bed, and lay back down beside the man, only to find that Mu Changqing was not asleep.
She was startled and was about to explain when suddenly she felt a tightness around her waist as Mu Changqing pulled her into his embrace, reproaching her, "Out so late at night, aren't you afraid of hurting the child?"
Yin Luo was filled with uncertainty and didn't know how to respond. The person beside her lowered his head and softly called her name by kissing her ear, "Luoluo..."
"Mm?" She instinctively replied.
Feeling his stubble rubbing against her chin was somewhat uncomfortable, Yin Luo slightly turned her head. Then she heard the man's voice: "Rest assured, you will always be my woman, the mother of my child. No matter where we are, I will protect you for a lifetime, Zhao Qian."
Yin Luo was stunned, still unable to comprehend. His kiss fell on her lips, gentle and fleeting, almost a whisper: "In this life, I Mu Changqing only love you deeply..."
Yin Luo's body suddenly trembled as she widened her eyes to look at the dark ceiling. His voice echoed in her ears repeatedly as if all her senses had stopped functioning; she could only hear him.
"I Mu Changqing in this life..."
Mu Changqing...
He said Mu Changqing... But she had never told him that her surname was Mu; she had always called him "Changqing," and so had others. So when did he learn that his surname was Mu? Did he regain his memory?
Realizing this point left Yin Luo in shock, her consciousness gradually fading away as countless thoughts surged through her mind. By the time she came back to herself, she found that tears were streaming down her face.
The man beside her gently kissed away all her tears, finally stopping at her lips with tenderness.
Yin Luo's heart suddenly softened like a spring pool, rippling gently with waves of emotion.
“Longqing…” She whispered softly, cradling his face and actively offering her lips.
To live again, there was no moment more grateful than this; heaven had given her such a man! She would cherish and protect him with her entire life, from now on, without any deceit, wholeheartedly!
“Longqing, I love you!”
I love you, these three words that should have been spoken long ago, but were delayed for so long. This time, it is sincere and wholehearted; my whole heart, my entire being, my whole body belongs to you, born for you, living for you.
“I love you too.” The man whispered softly, kissing away her overflowing tears again and again, uttering the most beautiful words of love in the world.
I love you too, how wonderful. (THE END)
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