C76

"Wait, Empress — since you have nowhere to go, why don't you find my master?" He suddenly stood in front of me, took out a piece of paper from his waist and thrust it into my hand. "This is my master's current residence," he said.

I was surprised. "Your mistress — you mean Yang Liang?"

"That's right. Although this place is crowded, it is far away from the imperial court, far from trouble. He can't serve the Empress by her side. The only person he can entrust this place to is His Majesty, the Duke of Han."

I took the note. In the glimmer of the snow that had yet to melt, I saw that there were tears in Ah Zhi's eyes, but only within them. I didn't expect a man like Ah Zhi to shed tears.

"Alright, I will go."

"Empress — take care!" Although he tried his best to suppress the grief in his heart, his voice was choked with sobs.

My heart was shaken by the fact that a man of seven feet could stand and weep like that.

Seeing that he wanted to say something but stopped, sadness flashed across his eyes. I asked, "Is there anything else?"

He hesitated for a moment, feeling uneasy. He held his sword with both hands, not knowing where to place them. He could only rub them together as if rubbing his hands to keep them warm.

"No-no, Your Highness. I don't know when we'll meet again after this farewell. A few words from Ah He have been buried in my heart for eight years, but his status is humble. I'm afraid he might offend Your Highness after saying so."

I smiled sadly and said:

"I'm no longer the Empress. If you have anything to say, just say it. After I go this time, I'll never return to the capital again!" He felt a pang in his heart. Why was it that he felt so heavy when he was escaping from his sorrow?

No matter what he said, it didn't matter. They would never see each other again. It would be better to make him speak his heart out, lest he have to regret it for the rest of his life.

He had always been a clumsy speaker, but today he changed from his usual demeanor. He looked at me deeply for a long time. His face showed a hint of bitterness but also yearning as his eyes fell into his memories.

"When the Empress was nine years old, it was the first time he saw her. He knew that the Empress's heart would never stop with him, but he could not help but fall in love with her. Although to A'he, the Lady is the moon in the sky, A'he is only a mortal on the ground, forever out of reach. "He has tried to use other women to fill the gap, but unfortunately, the stars are too dim in the face of the moon."

I was shocked. I thought he was being good to me because of loyalty and because of Yang Liang's instructions. Although I sensed that something was wrong with him several times, I didn't think that he would have such thoughts.

Eight years, nearly half of my life, so deep I can't bear it.

I gave a pale smile, only resentful that the sky was merciless and that I was playing tricks on the world.

The night was bleak, and the north wind was bone-piercing. Through the endless darkness, through the glimmering snow, I could see a few tears on Ah He's cheeks, hanging there, as if frozen in the cold wind, while his eyes flickered with a fiery light.

"Hey, you know, I —"

"Empress need not say too much. A'he knows his limits and will not trouble Empress, may she have a safe journey." He cut me off and wiped the tears off his face. He was back to normal, but the sorrow that couldn't be diluted was growing on his forehead.

The darkness before dawn gradually faded, and the sky had already turned white. Ah Zhi still looked at me without moving, afraid that he would miss me and never see me again.

The time for parting had come, and I no longer hesitated. I turned to leave, but suddenly he grabbed me from behind, pulled me back, and held me close to his chest, close enough to suffocate me.

He didn't say a word. He just let Ah He hug me tightly. A warm feeling rose in his heart.

For a moment, just for a moment, he let go of me, turned, and walked away, not looking back, not even looking at me, his long lonely figure disappearing quickly into the mist.

After a long time, I reached my hand to my waist. When I hugged him, I could clearly feel that something had been stuffed into my waist.

Taking it out and unfolding it, he found that it was actually a roll of sheepskin map. The outer skin was rough, but the map was fine.

His eyes were misty, and his heart was moved. He could always think of what I needed. The territory of Big Sui was vast, and with this small map, I wouldn't lose my way.

Early in the morning, in the fog, I bought two sets of small men's clothes at an embroidery house. Although they were a little loose, they still looked like scholar's clothes.

When I learned that a caravan was heading east, I used a few taels of silver to lie about my fallen family and went to a distant relative to accompany them.