Immersed in the system’s memory reward, Princess Shao did not hear what Xiao Jin said.
She just turned her head slightly and looked at the dust floating under the golden light.
At many moments, Princess Shao felt that a pair of gentle hands seemed to touch her hair, almost like the person she perceived under the peach blossom tree in her childhood.
Thinking like this, Princess Shao smiled, and standing next to the bronze bell, she actually wanted to ask a question: who are you?
But before the words could come out, she turned around and saw another person, a very beautiful person.
The woman wore an official dress, with a ribbon around her waist, and when she walked, the ornaments on her waist made a crisp sound.
Princess Shao saw the red mole on the woman’s forehead, and she vaguely remembered that such a mole should be called cinnabar mole.
But then she felt it was inappropriate, because cinnabar was a dead object, how could a mole on a woman’s forehead be beautiful?
Nan Jin lowered her gaze and stared at Princess Shao’s eyebrows for a while.
She felt that this child was too gentle, not as cold and proud as Rong Lian.
Although she didn’t look pleasing to the eye, Nan Jin still smiled and asked knowingly, “Which palace or garden are you from, and why did you come here?”
“Big sister, I came from the Liliu Palace and I don’t know where this place is,” Princess Shao replied.
Big sister?
Nan Jin felt a bit amused and helpless.
Emperor Chu Yu, the current emperor, was the fourteenth prince of the previous emperor, and he was also the most inconspicuous idle prince.
Counting it, he was also her cousin.
She helped Chu Yu ascend the throne, so according to seniority, Chu Yu’s daughter should call her Aunt Jin.
However, Chu Shao called her Big sister.
Nan Jin shook her head when she looked at Princess Shao and said, “You shouldn’t call me Big sister.”
“But Big sister looks so beautiful.”
“So?”
Princess Shao said, “I always thought that good-looking people should be called Big sister.”
Xiao Jin: “…”
Even though she was just standing on the side watching, she felt that Chu Shao was too scheming when she was young.
It must be said that Nan Jin was very pleased with Chu Shao’s words.
She hated conspiracies but was now pleased by the innocent plan of a child.
Nan Jin smiled a few times, then picked up the mallet and casually struck a small tune on the chimes.
After listening to this tune, Princess Shao said to Nan Jin, “I seem to have heard this tune before.”
Nan Jin asked, “When did you hear it?”
Princess Shao replied, “It seems like I’ve heard it anytime.”
Nan Jin didn’t speak for a long time, then put down the mallet and said to Princess Shao, “This tune is called ‘Chang Xiang Si’.”
Upon hearing this, Princess Shao smiled and said, “I remember now. Mother also played this tune, but she used a purple flute, and the melody was crisper.”
Nan Jin fell silent again and asked after a while, “Compared to the chimes, how does the sound of the purple flute fare?”
Princess Shao said, “The sound of the purple flute is melodious and lingering, while the chimes sound like jade vibrations, more profound and magnificent, but also more sad.”
The sun was setting in the west, and the sunlight gradually dissipated.
Nan Jin nodded and said, “Yes, the sound of the jade vibrations and the flute do not match and are not compatible.”
After speaking, she took Princess Shao’s hand and said, “I am Nan Jin, and I will accompany the Ninth Princess back to the palace.”
…
Sometimes, Nan Jin would stop for a moment when passing by the Liuli Palace.
Listening to the intermittent and stagnant sound of the flute inside the wall, she could imagine the girl with a tear mole at the corner of her eye, holding a flute and playing music.
This child was not like Rong Lian or Chu Yu.
Following someone’s temperament, she would just sit in the courtyard all day long, looking up at the square sky, for hours on end.
When Princess Shao got tired of watching, she would occasionally look around and whisper, “Is it you hiding there every day, or is it Big sister Nan Jin?”
In fact, it was both and neither at the same time.
Nan Jin wouldn’t step into this palace, and Xiao Jin couldn’t appear in front of Princess Shao.
Sometimes, a gust of fierce wind would blow through the courtyard, and Princess Shao would stand on the corridor, her eyes forced shut by the wind.
Her dress would flutter like a butterfly’s wings, as if she had grown a pair of wings from her back.
Xiao Jin stood behind her, looking at the wings.
She reached out to grab them, but only succeeded in grabbing two or three air particles.
The more the fierce wind blew, the more violent it became, as if mocking her for being obsessed with looking at others’ memories.
When the wind stopped, Princess Shao quickly climbed to the top of the peach blossom tree.
Her small figure stood very high, and her view became much broader.
Xiao Jin looked at the slender branches of the tree, but worried that Princess Shao might fall down.
So, she forgot that she was also a member of the air particles and stretched out her hand to hold Princess Shao, acting as a railing that only she could see.
When the fierce wind subsided, the spring breeze blew in, intoxicatingly pleasant.
Princess Shao almost had the illusion that she had fallen into a warm embrace by accident.
Others did not know what Ninth Princess was looking at.
Only Princess Shao knew that she was standing on the tree, looking far away, searching for a person who may have never existed.
Who is that person?
Princess Shao didn’t know, but she felt that no matter how far away they were, she would eventually find them.
Years later, the Qi Country invaded, and its army pressed forward.
National teacher Nan Jin changed her usual style, standing in the forefront of the court and actively volunteering to fight.
The courtiers were in an uproar, but no one dared to mention the issue of a woman’s interference, traitorous officials, or whether Nan Jin had other motives.
An unscrupulous villain, why would she suddenly rush to the front line to fight against the enemy?
The emperor sitting on the dragon throne, however, readily agreed.
He was not surprised, after all, Nan Jin should not have the surname Nan, but should have the surname Chu.
Prince Gong had established half of the country, which was an impressive achievement.
But precisely because of this, he had been regarded as a thorn in the eyes of Emperor Jing and the late Emperor, resulting in the massacre of his entire family.
Even if his daughter was insane, the blood of Prince Gong Mansion still flowed in her veins.
How could the daughter of Prince Gong surrender so easily the territory that her father had fought for half of his life?
So, National teacher Nan Jin received the order to go to war.
On the day before she set out, Nan Jin felt that there were still many things that she had not resolved.
After careful consideration, there were only three things left.
Firstly, the matter is to clear the Emperor’s suspicion.
Nan Jin presented intelligence to the Emperor, informing him that Consort Ning had colluded with Qi Country for many years, with conclusive evidence, and according to the law, she should be thrown into prison and executed in the autumn.
Secondly, it is to pay respects to her parents.
While the peach blossoms were still in bloom, Nan Jin rode in a carriage to Peach Blossom Mountain.
On the mountainside of Peach Blossom Villa stood the tomb of Prince Gong’s family, including Prince Gong Chu Huai, Princess Nanling, and Prince Gong’s daughter Chu Jin.
As a National teacher, Nan Jin held the highest position among the ministers, and no one could match her in power and prestige.
Today, she was given an additional title of “Great General of the State,” which she deserved to hold a cup of wine and pay respects to these three people.
After paying respects to her parents, Nan Jin poured a cup of wine and placed it in front of the tomb of Princess Chu Jin.
She stared at it for a long time but felt that something was still missing.
Finally, Nan Jin smiled and picked a branch of dewy peach blossom as an offering.
Thirdly, it was an unexpected matter.
After leaving Peach Blossom Mountain, Nan Jin did not return to her position as a national teacher but went to the palace.
It was raining at night, and her eyes and hair were soaked.
Nan Jin walked on the palace road for a long time and stopped at the entrance of Liuli Palace.
Looking at the wet palace wall outside the palace, Nan Jin suddenly remembered the day when Rong Lian entered the palace, it also rained heavily.
The eunuchs and palace maids held umbrellas and carefully lifted Rong Lian’s skirt, afraid of getting it dirty with mud and water.
However, they did not know that Rong Lian’s tattoo on her shoulder could not be washed clean before she put on her crown and entered the Liuli Palace.
At that time, she was walking towards Xuanzheng Hall, and she almost slipped in the rain.
When the frightened maidservants held her up, she smiled and waved her hand, saying to the emperor on the throne, “Concubine Rong is a great auspicious star. Your Majesty should cherish and love her.”
The dust on the wall was washed away by the rain.
Nan Jin did not set foot in the Liuli Palace but picked up a jade flute and played along with the sound of the rain.
The next day, as a national teacher, she led the army to march. The emperor rode on a white horse, followed closely by the ministers, and escorted the national teacher to the city gate.
The commander led the army north, marching for thousands of miles but never looked back to glance at their homeland.
….
However, Nan Jin never expected that behind the war between the two countries was a complete conspiracy designed solely for her.
The Qi army had been preparing for years, so when they suddenly attacked, they were undoubtedly well-prepared.
The battle dragged on for a long time, with neither Lexi nor Nan Jin able to gain the upper hand.
When Nan Jin successfully defended her city and chased after the Qi army with high morale, she was ambushed from behind by enemy reinforcements and lost all her camps, as if aided by a god.
Although Nan Jin defended the border with all her might, the military defenses in the city seemed to have been leaked, and the enemy used fire to burn the granary clean.
Seeing that they were in a tight spot, Nan Jin realized that there was no possibility of advancing or retreating.
She thought that the Qi generals had no reason to know her strategy so thoroughly.
Therefore, there was only one possibility – someone had sold her, along with the city and those brave soldiers who charged into battle.
A few days later, National teacher Nan Jin personally went to the battlefield and attacked from the side, surrounding the Qi border fortress.
She was determined to fight to the death with the enemy, even if it meant burning her own ships.
She successfully captured three cities but was ambushed by the enemy on her way back to camp, and she was hit by several arrows and left in a critical condition.
Nan Jin lay in her tent, watching as the military doctors came in with several basins of clean water and left with basins full of blood.
The tips of the arrows must have been poisoned, or else she would not have been unable to get up and would not be able to hold the sword in her hand.
Ling Shiyi stood by the bed, looking down with a light sigh.
Nan Jin looked at Ling Shiyi and spoke for the first time in a long time.
Her voice was hoarse and unpleasant, but her words were very clear: “Shiyi, why did you betray me?”
Ling Shiyi hesitated for a moment before saying softly, “Master, I have followed you for many years, and I had no intention of harming you. But I am not a citizen of Yao Country, and the person I serve is not National Teacher Nan Jin.”
Nan Jin lay in bed, feeling a little dizzy and in pain, but her consciousness was very clear.
After coughing up some blood, she even smiled at Ling Shiyi. “Let me think. The empress conspired with the Qi country’s Princess Zhao Yang, and after you left the capital, you had secret dealings with the empress. With such skill and such a mindset, willing to hide your name and live in the enemy country for so many years… such a person can only be one of the two Tangs in Qi country.”
“So, are you Tang Ling or Tang Tang Yu?”
Ling Shiyi was silent for a long time before saying, “I am Tang Yu, my younger sister is Tang Ling.”
Nan Jin stared at Ling Shiyi’s eyes, her voice hoarse as she intermittently laughed, “Tang Ling, back then, you were lurking in Jianjia Building and befriended me. You saved me from danger, helped me kill the Masters of various courtyards, and followed Princess Zhao Yang’s orders, right?”
Tang Ling nodded, “Yes.”
Upon receiving a positive answer, Nan Jin did not get angry or burst into a rage.
Instead, she asked, “We have been friends for many years. How much of what you’ve shown me is real?”
Tang Ling was silent for a moment before replying, “Before this moment, I have never had the thought of betraying you, Master.”
As a bystander, Xiao Jin gradually recovered from her initial shock.
She never expected that the internal affairs of Yao Country were related to Princess Zhao Yang and that the most reliable confidante of Nan Jin was also Princess Zhao Yang’s spy.
In reality, Tang Ling did not lie.
For more than a decade, she had always followed Nan Jin’s orders without any disobedience.
She only betrayed Nan Jin once.
However, this betrayal was undoubtedly a fatal blow to Nan Jin.
On the way back to the camp, Nan Jin was hit by four hidden arrows, all given by Tang Ling.
The arrowheads penetrated her flesh and were attached with bamboo thorns.
The military doctor had to exert a lot of effort to remove the entire arrow.
However, they were helpless against the poison smeared on the arrows.
When hit by the arrows, Nan Jin did not feel much pain.
But now, the wound hurt so much that she couldn’t stop laughing.
“Tang Ling, you have followed me for many years. You should know my methods. Those who have betrayed me have died a miserable death. Since you dare to betray me now, you must be fully confident and think that I have no chance of turning the situation around,” Nan Jin said.
Tang Ling replied, “Master is wise.”
“Wise?” Nan Jin heard Tang Ling’s words and laughed so hard that she could barely catch her breath. “Now that it has come to this, I finally know that you all have been deceiving me. You are fake, the courtiers are fake, the people are fake… Tang Ling, don’t joke with me. How can a fool like me be considered wise?”
Tang Ling was speechless.
Tang Ling said nothing.
Until the pain at the wound gradually became numb, Nan Jin finally stopped laughing and said, “Tang Ling, there is one thing I still don’t understand. I didn’t reveal all the military movements and strategic locations to you. Besides you and the empress, there shouldn’t be anyone else who knows such important secrets. So, who else wants me dead?”
Tang Ling remained silent for a while before saying in a slow voice, “Master, since you have already guessed it, why ask me?”
Hearing Tang Ling’s words, Nan Jin was sure who wanted her dead. “It is indeed Chu Yu.”
Nan Jin’s mouth overflowed with blood, but she didn’t have the strength to wipe it away.
She looked at Tang Ling and asked, “Tang Ling, don’t you find it amusing?”
Tang Ling replied truthfully, “Master, judging from your personality, if the Emperor of Yao Country had revealed his entire plan, you would have returned the white silk bestowed upon you and hanged the Emperor from the roof beam.”
Upon hearing this, Nan Jin burst into laughter, with tears in her eyes.
“That’s right, I am a treacherous minister who is capable of regicide. Chu Yu should fear me. But… Tang Ling, I am already a dying man. Why do you need to tell me all of this?”
Tang Ling said softly, “Master, as you know, my duty is to create chaos in the internal affairs of the Yao Country. Princess Zhao Yang believes that if you were to die, the internal strife of the Yao Country would come to an end.”
“Although Princess Zhao Yang has reached an agreement with the emperor of the Yao Country and has gained certain benefits, as the princess of the Qi Country, she does not want to see the end of the internal strife of the Yao Country and its return to normalcy.”
“So she thought about it for a long time and decided to give you the antidote to help you return to the Yao Country.”
Nan Jin raised her hand and wiped away the tears of laughter in the corners of her eyes. “Tang Ling, since the end of the internal strife of the Yao Country can be achieved after my death, why don’t I take this opportunity to follow the will of the people and die here?”
“Or do you think that I will go crazy and destroy my own country because of the instigation of you people?”
Tang Ling looked at Nan Jin quietly, and after a moment, a trace of compassion appeared in his eyes. It seemed that he had sensed something.
In an instant, Nan Jin’s blood went cold.
Tang Ling looked into Nan Jin’s eyes and reluctantly said what he didn’t want to say: “Master, you know.”
“Because for the past two years, I’ve been hiding a piece of information from you.”
In an instant, the blood in Nan Jin’s body ran cold.
She looked at everything in front of her gradually turning black, as if she had returned to many years ago, when she was ignorant and helpless, and even staying alive was a luxury.
Nan Jin trembled all over, struggling to sit up from the bed, but couldn’t even move, just staring at Tang Ling and pleading in a trembling voice, “Go on, please, Tang Ling, you tell me, you go on…”
Tang Ling looked away and continued speaking.
“Two years ago, the empress found Cocunbine Rong and gave her a gu poison to plant on you. But even on the day you left for the war, Cocunbine Rong still hadn’t taken any action.”
“As you know, since both the emperor and empress wanted to get rid of you, the empress would not be punished for treason. The charges you presented to the emperor at the time were also just empty words.”
“The empress’s methods, you also know, she…would not let Cocunbine Rong off lightly.”
After listening to Tang Ling’s words, surprisingly, Nan Jin showed no expression and no reaction.
Moving her lips, she asked a somewhat naive, even foolish question.
“Is she still alive?”
Tang Ling looked at Nan Jin and said nothing.
A moment of silence.
Nan Jin’s expression also emptied in an instant.
After a moment, she lay on the bed, her hands and feet out of control, curling up in despair.
Like a prisoner who had been beheaded, she couldn’t even scream and could only curl up into a bloody ball.
Tang Ling’s words drifted into her ears, but Nan Jin no longer knew what was true and what was false.
Everything in front of her went black, and only the sentence Tang Ling had said remained: In fact, Cocunbine Rong had already died a year ago.
In a daze, Nan Jin heard her own voice: “How did she die?”
Tang Ling replied, “Her appearance was destroyed, and she died a miserable death.”
…
Nan Jin took the antidote.
Several months later, negotiations with the Qi Country ended and a ceasefire agreement was signed, and the army returned to the capital.
On the day of their return, the peach blossoms bloomed all over the mountains and fields, like brocade, and the time was full of splendor.
After that, Yao Country fell into chaos.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Translator’s note: Ah! What the fuck, it’s too damn tragic!!! ðŸ˜. That Yao Country’s Empress and Emperor deserved to die!. I hate this kind of ending!
Rong Lian is too pitiful ðŸ˜. And Nan Jin?. Who cares she deserved being left by Rong Lian.
TO BE CONTINUE…
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