Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Six

Hearing Yuwen Rui’s words, Xi Xi very happily hooks up the corners of her lips, “Then this servant shall leave first, may Gentleman and Princess take your time talking.”

I feel the corner of my eyes twitch. Yuwen Rui, why is it Yuwen Rui again? Did he not just come by? Why is he here again?

After Xi Xi leaves the room, only Yuwen Rui and I are left, his face dropping the previous look of anger, clearly refined face carrying a faint smile, elegantly pacing over to my bedside and sits down.

“What, want to see his majesty?” He gently says, unable to make out any emotions in that cool and pleasant-sounding voice.

I raise my head to look at him, “Father Emperor is injured.”

“En,” He lightly purses his lips, a sharp light flashing past his fox eyes, “You’re also injured.”

Eh……

I slowly say: “I have awakened.” But Father Emperor has not yet.

Yuwen Rui pretends to go along with me as he nods, “Are you able to move?”

I move my fingers, en, it’s rather flexible, “Should be able.”

He does not expose me, neither hurried nor slow as he says: “Are you able to get out of bed by yourself?”

Get out of bed? *Cough cough*, this is a rather difficult one. But don’t I still have Xi Xi and the others? I say: “Perhaps able.”

“Perhaps?” Yuwen Rui lets out a little chuckle, those fox eyes making a slight move, “Do you wish to fall and tear another wound open on your way there? Or perhaps want to……”

I stick out my ear, want to? Want to what?

He shows no shame at all in saying: “Want to have me carry you over to visit his majesty?”

“Obviously don’t want.” I firmly say.

“Is that so ah……?” Yuwen Rui seriously thinks for a bit, then very casually says: “You just put your heart to rest and recuperate then, wait until you’re able to step on the ground yourself before starting to worry about others.”

I fall silent after hearing this, looks like the matter of visiting Father Emperor, will require a thoroughly planned underground battle.

Just as Yuwen Rui and I were countering one another back and forth, someone lightly knocks on the door, asking: “Ah-Lan, can I come in?”

Yuwen Rui gets up to open the door, saying to Imperial Sister outside: “She’s only just woke up, you have a good talk with her.” After saying that, Yuwen Rui considerately closes the doors and leaves, giving Imperial Sister and I some time alone.

Imperial Sister approaches me, the usually stunningly beautiful face now pale and haggard, her eyes also losing its past brilliant shine. She forces herself to smile in front of me, “Ah-Lan, you’re finally awake.”

I don’t know how to describe my current feelings, this look of Imperial Sister’s is something I have already expected, on one hand, I’m brutally thinking the sooner she faces it, the sooner she will submit to facts, one the other hand, I cannot bear to see the pain she is in right now. I think, Imperial Sister ultimately needs to experience some pain to be able to mature.

“Imperial Sister.” I speak up, carrying happiness in my voice, “I’m no longer a fool.”

Imperial Sister’s expression brightens up a little, sitting at the edge of my bed, saying: “That’s right ah, I heard from Xi Xi, it was you who saved Father Emperor at the time. Ah-Lan, how come you’re suddenly not a fool anymore?”

I blink at her, “Imperial Physician said my brain originally had a blood clot, then after smelling that something-something fragrant, I was actually cured, say, isn’t it strange?”

The above, is nothing but nonsense from me, but I believe Imperial Sister won’t be so bored in a time like this, to request proof of this matter.

Imperial Sister’s smile spreads a little more, “Is that right ah, truly a lucky hit.” Her eyes suddenly turns gloomy, “But Father Emperor has still yet to wake up……”

“Father Emperor is the destined child of the heavens, of course his misfortune will turn to good fortune, Imperial Sister mustn’t be too worried.” I say: “Instead, it is Seventh Brother’s matter……”

The smile at Imperial Sister’s lips vanishes, filled with bitter pain, “Seventh Brother? No, Ah-Lan, he is not Seventh Brother. Seventh Brother has long died, he is the Yun Ze child hostage, Su Qi.”

“Seventh Brother died?” I cry out in surprise, causing a burst of pain from my chest. Inside, I’m miserably wiping away the tears, lord, my acting is too great. I breathe a little and once again ask: “How does Imperial Sister know Seventh Brother is dead?”

Imperial Sister’s eyes are filled with sorrows, “Cousin has already investigated it thoroughly, the fire at the western palace back then, was done under the orders of the Yun Ze empress, the one burned to death was only a beggar, and the real child hostage was hidden under the wing of Seventh Brother’s mother.”

“We only know Seventh Brother’s mother is Second Uncle’s concubine, but did not know she is from Yun Ze, and is even the palace maid that had once served Su Qi’s mother in Yun Ze Palace. After meeting Second Uncle, she hid her identity, becoming Uncle’s concubine with her mind at peace. But when Su Qi ran into trouble, she had immediately hidden Su Qi within her own estate, in order to escape from Yun Ze Empress’ hunt down.”

Speaking up to here, Imperial Sister’s eyes were glimmering with tears, “Seventh Brother, Seventh Brother had fallen ill at this time, and passed away not long after. Although Aunt was pained at heart, she also thinks of Su Qi who is the same age as Seven Brother, hence, simply going along with the plan to raise Su Qi as Seventh Brother, on one hand, being able to avoid Yun Ze Empress’ watch, one the other hand, also able to prevent Uncle from taking on the pain of losing a child.”

Imperial Sister’s tears drop by drop falls, glistening and clear like a crystal, “Seventh Brother, Seventh Brother had long gone, yet I wasn’t at all aware of this!”

“Imperial Sister.” I slowly raise my right hand which had a little strength, patting her shoulder as I say: “This isn’t your wrong, none us knew Seventh Brother is no longer here.”

Imperial Sister cries whilst shaking her head, “That’s not it, Ah-Lan, that’s not it.”

I continue to comfort her, “Imperial Sister, it’s not your fault, it’s really not your fault.”

Imperial Sister cries even more sorrowfully, “I have always thought Su Qi is Seventh Brother, the Seventh Brother that has always doted on me, the Seventh Brother that has took me out to play, but I was wrong, he’s not here anymore, the one I had been loving all along is not Seventh Brother, I, I, Ah-Lan, I miss Seventh Brother, wu-wu, the one I love is clearly Seventh Brother ah!”

My face turns 囧……

Dare I ask, Imperial Sister’s meaning is that, Seventh Brother being long gone is not what make her most heartbroken, but it is that she’s found she has fallen in love with the fake Yuwen Xiu, that is to say, Su Qi?

My feelings are in an absolute mess, what’s this, how I am supposed to comfort her now? One is a Yun Ze prince, one is a Yun Mi princess, the two kingdoms just happens to be in bad terms……

“Ke-ke.” I lightly cough two sounds, “Imperial Sister, there’s a turning point for everything, don’t be so saddened yet.”

“Ah-Lan, he planned to assassinate Father Emperor, he wants to snatch away Yun Mi.” Imperial Sister’s voice is weak, that face covered in tears breaking my heart, “We cannot be.”

I sigh and say: “Imperial Sister, Seventh Brother, oh no, I mean Su Qi. Just like how you are Yun Mi’s princess, of course he has his own duties as a prince of Yun Ze. What he is doing, is not what he wants, he……he also has his own troubles.”

I recall that abnormally dejected sight of Yuwen Xiu, eh, I mean Su Qi. Recalling him tell me his ‘view on choices’……that’s right, how could he possibly want this too? Everything comes down to fate playing tricks, in the face of fate, we are no more than a tiny dot.

Imperial Sister slowly stops the tears from falling, bitterly laughing as she says: “How could I possibly not know, but Ah-Lan, do you understand how it feels to love someone, loving too deeply, that feeling……is too painful.”

How it feels to love someone?

Don’t understand?

I slightly fall into a daze, thinking: no, I understand this feeling, just that I have now practically forgotten it all.

I indifferently smile at Imperial Sister, “But Imperial Sister, no one has ever made a rule saying we can only love one person in a lifetime, nevermind a person who is incapable of giving us happiness.”

Because no one knows for sure, whether the person you love will personally break your heart in the very next second, then turn and swiftly leave.

Who we love the most, can ultimately, just be oneself.

Imperial Sister pauses, then lowers her eyes, “That’s right ah, who says that, who says we can only love one person……” When she looks up, tears fully lines her eyes, poignantly smiling as she says: “It will all be forgotten in due time, right?”

Her tears dropping onto my arm, feels a little warm and wet, I heavily nod, “That’s right.”

Time can wipe everything away, including the most passionate love and the most deepest hatred, it is just a matter of how long it will take.

After imperial Sister leave, I lay back on the bed motionlessly for a long time, until the loud laughter of someone pushing the doors open pulls me back to reality. The arriving person is in a body of dust covered armour (suggesting a hurried travel), figure standing tall and mighty, ruggedly handsome face not at all showing his age, “Lan lass, are you better yet?”

I look at the middle-aged man before me in surprise, “Eldest Uncle?”

The man heartily laughs, placing down the helmet in hand and comes up to my bedside, saying: “I heard Rui brat say you gained great credit, and in a strange combination of circumstances, cured your brain, hahaha, truly a happy news ah, happy news!”

I form imaginary sweat, how great of you, Yuwen Rui, to think of an excuse practically the same as mine. I sweetly smile at Yuwen Yi, “Eldest Uncle, you’re finally back, it’s already been a good few years since I last saw you.”

“Well isn’t that true?” Yuwen Yi reaches out to pinch my cheek, action not holding back in the slightest as he pinches me to pain, “Was originally going to arrive a few days earlier, if it wasn’t for cooperating with Rui brat’s plans and going into battle again. Lan lass, seeing that you’re lacking in blood, I’ll tell the imperial physician to concoct some more supplements for you later, mustn’t let this little body get even thinner.”

My face slightly feels warm, has presumably already turned red, I say: “Eldest Uncle, does Cousin know of you coming?”

Yuwen Yi says: “Not yet, isn’t it all because I heard you were injured, hence directly coming over to your place here, thought I could run into Rui brat too.”

Yuwen Yi didn’t go to see Father Emperor first thing……ai~, an estrangement has ultimately been formed. I say: “Cousin went out.”

Yuwen Yi says: “No haste no haste. Oh right, Lan lass, let me introduce you to someone.” He calls out to the door: “Miao lass, come and met our family’s Lan lass.”

Miao lass? I squint my eyes with great interest, could it be Ling Zhi’s second sister who has a widespread reputation, Ling Miao Er?

After Yuwen Yi’s voice is heard, a woman in silver armoury steps in. I inwardly sing my praises, seeing her brows appear delicate yet shows no sign of weakness, features very pretty but not cute and fussy, pride hidden within those orbs, tall and strong figure but not at all rough, indeed a rare maiden of heroic bearings.

The woman faintly smiles but does not carry any flattery: “Ling Miao Er greets Fifth Princess.”

I smile in response, “No need to be courteous.”

Yuwen Yi walks up to the table, smiling as he says: “Miao Er and Xian Er are both Ling Zhi’s younger sisters, just that Ling Zhi was appointed to Rui brat’s side, Miao Er and Xian Er both in the outside world with me, to make a rare return this time, I am able to give you two a timely introduction.” He says to Miao Er: “How’s this, isn’t my family’s Lan lass lively and bright?”

Ling Miao Er nods, speaking to Yuwen Yi with great familiarity: “Uncle Yi, these words of yours have been repeated into my ears so many times already.” She smiles at me, “Uncle Yi always talks about the matter of Princess burning his beard when you were a child, Miao Er has heard so much about Princess.”

I of course know what he had spoken so much about, back in the days, Yuwen Yi was also one with a full beard, and cherished it so dearly, even Yuwen Rui was not allowed to touch it. Then when winter came, Yuwen Rui and I were playing with firecrackers together, and with one little act of carelessness, I had thrown the lighter towards his beard, then his cherished beard had been reduced to a burnt mess. At that time, he was furious, picking me up by my collar, wanting to throw me out. But once I expressionlessly and motionlessly stare at him for a very long time, Yuwen Yi puts me down and heartily laughs out loud, constantly saying I’m an interesting child.

Ai~, let’s not mention the past matters ah.

Yuwen Yi turns to say to me: “Lan lass, Miao Er is a very capable lady. These past few years, when it comes to leading the soldiers to kill the enemy, she is not one to leave out, and this time, the strategy for the battle at the borders was also set together by her and Rui brat, truly did splendidly ah!”

I reveal a look of great appreciation, “[Older] Sister Miao is so amazing.”

Ling Miao Er smiles bright and clearly, “Princess shouldn’t listen to Uncle Yu’s nonsense, the strategy this time, was all credited to Gentleman’s thorough consideration, I was only acting on orders.”

“Look look look look, Miao lass is just being modest.” Yuwen Yi shakes his head and says: “Had you not had the capability, how could you and Rui brat possibly be renowned as the army’s male and female Zhuge pair (refers to Zhuge Liang – a genius strategist from the Three Kingdoms period).”

Ling Miao Er doesn’t appears to be affected, gracefully saying: “That is all their absurd praising, how could I possibly be on par with Gentleman.”

I look at Ling Miao Er, thinking she is indeed far stronger than that Ling Xian Er, no wonder why the soldiers in the army all submit to a woman, with just her unyielding attitude, afraid that it is even more firm-standing than that of the great majority of men.

Yuwen Yi suddenly turns serious, saying: “Such a great lady, just don’t know if my family’s Rui brat has the fortune……”

Right as the words reached the crucial point, Yuwen Rui happens to suddenly show up at the doors, holding a tray in hands as he cuts off Yuwen Yi’s words, “Father, you’re back?”

After seeing Yuwen Rui, Yuwen Yi no long cares about whatever he was saying just now, standing up to walk to Yuwen Rui’s side, strongly smacking him, “Brat, you still remember your father ah?!”

Yuwen Rui is not at all affected by the smack, indifferently saying: “Your strength has gotten lighter than last time, Father, have you gotten old?”

Yuwen Yi once again bursts into loud laughter, “Indeed Rui brat, your insulting skills sure doesn’t dwindle ah. Come come come, look at who I brought back with me this time?”

Yuwen Rui looks at Ling Miao Er who stands at the side, indifferently smiling as he says: “Ling Miao Er.”

Ling Miao Er hooks her lips up into a smile, eyes gaining an additional touch of a girly happiness, “Gentleman.”

Yet Yuwen Rui does not have the attentiveness to analyse her happiness, carrying the medicine bowl over to my side, coldly saying: “Aren’t you going to hurriedly get up and take your medicine?”

I feel a little saddened, why the heck does his tone immediately turns colder towards me?

I rest against the soft pillow as I extend my hand, ready to take the medicine bowl, but only see Yuwen Rui swiftly move to the side, then narrows his long and fine eyes, asking me: “You’re able to hold the bowl?”

After these words were heard, Yuwen Yi and Ling Miao Er both freeze, of course, I am of no exception.

I look at the serious face of Yuwen Rui, this-, his meaning is……?