Everlasting Longing

Yеlü Кuаnhе was the Grаnd Рrесеptor of thе Yеlü Tribe. During Yеlü Lie's absеnсе, аll imроrtant resрonsibilities were handled bу him.

Аt this momеnt, he wаs lеаding thе tribesреорlе, standing rеspectfullу оn the Dеsert Plain tо welcоme the Тribаl Сhiеf. Тhеу formed а linе sevеrаl milеs long, strеtching аll thе way frоm thе Roуal Palаce.

Wherеvеr Yеlü Lie gаlloped раst, thе tribesреорlе аll knelt in wеlсomе. It was оnly aftеr the sоund оf hоofbеаts fаdеd into the Roуal Palacе that Yelü Kuаnhe and thе othеrs rоse аnd returned to the palace, preparing to report to the Tribal Chief on the events of the past two months. His wise and thoughtful eyes still could not believe that there had been a woman on the Young Master's horse! This had never happened before!

Originally, they should have all begun addressing Yelü Lie as Great King, but because the old Tribal Chief had passed away less than three years ago and the old Princess was still alive, Yelü Lie insisted that everyone continue to call him Young Master.

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"What? He brought a Han woman back?" Princess De slammed the tea table forcefully, her beautiful eyes not diminished in the slightest in sharpness and severity despite the passing years. Originally overjoyed to learn that her only son had returned to the palace and about to go see him happily, she immediately darkened her expression upon hearing this from her personal attendant and stubbornly refused to go see him. Their Yelü family was such a noble clan—how could they allow a Han person to set foot on this land, and even let that filthy Han woman enter the Royal Palace! Even if she was taken for pleasure, she should have been casually discarded upon returning to the palace. He actually...

"I also heard from Keli Han that the woman has bewitched the Young Master, completely captivating him. Let's hope she isn't some spirit from the Helan Mountains!" the attendant added.

Keli Han was that red-haired giant—the one whose face Yelü Lie had slashed.

Princess De first furrowed her brows, then smiled and said, "Isn't the Empress Dowager summoning Lie'er? He should be leaving in two days, right? He won't return until after the Hunting Games of the Chieftain of the Eight Tribes." Now she felt relieved; during her son's absence, she would have plenty of time to torment that Han woman who dreamed of climbing the social ladder. Having figured this out, she elegantly sat down, waiting for her son to come pay his respects.

※ ※ ※

Jun Qiluo's hair, half-damp, cascaded down her back. She wore a snow-white Brocade Marten Fur Robe with rabbit fur trim on the sleeves; the robe trailed all the way to the floor, tied at the waist with a hollow-knotted Jade Belt. The red belt was adorned with a white jade bead at each knot. Over the fur robe, she wore a Gauze Coat.

Upon entering the Royal Palace, Yelü Lie brought her to this luxurious and masculine Villa. Unlike Great Song architecture, which was always divided into several small rooms, stepping inside here, the first things to catch the eye were a large desk and walls filled with scrolls. Passing through the side Gauze Canopy, crossing a Foyer, and rolling open the Cloth Curtain, one entered a bedroom. Inside were many precious and rare curios, fully embodying the atmosphere of the Beyond the Wall Tribes. To the right of the bedpost hung a Broadsword, its hilt inlaid with many gemstones, the blade sheathed in a Brocade Sheath.

Where she stood now was the Arched Window facing east inside the room. On the western side of the room, enclosed by a Gauze Canopy, were a Bathing Pool and a wall of large wardrobes.

Was this his room? Without saying much, he had turned and left, leaving four guards stationed outside the main door and summoning two maids to attend to her bath.

By now, roughly two hours had passed. The east-facing window offered no view of the sunset but instead let in a roomful of chill. She sighed, lowered the bamboo curtain, and stepped away from the window.Does he—have wives and concubines? Such words she could not bring herself to ask, yet she could not stop thinking about them. Even as she pondered, she mocked herself for caring. If even commoners could have three wives and four concubines, how much more a dignified Tribal Chief? Those bestowed by the emperor, those who willingly offered themselves, and a large group of attendants—he was probably busy now, rushing between his wives and concubines to comfort their longing for him. And what about her—how could she bear it?

During the half-month of travel, there had been little time to rest, and he had not touched her again. She was relieved to find she was not yet pregnant, as her monthly cycle had come; he knew as well, but his expression darkened.

Upon entering the Royal Palace, she sensed the Khitan people looking at her with contempt. Even though they dared not speak disrespectfully to her because of Yelü Lie’s concern, their eyes could not deceive. They prided themselves on their superior lineage, especially in this place of pure Liao People, so not being pregnant was for the best—for her and for any child.

"Let me in!"

Outside came the sharp, commanding voice of a girl speaking in the Khitan language.

"Apologies, Lady De, the Young Master has ordered that no one is allowed to enter," the guards at the door stopped her.

"I want to see how you plan to stop me!"

Jun Qiluo sat unmoved on the edge of the bed. Was she a jealous concubine? A high-ranking concubine jealous of a female slave? How could she possibly deserve such an honor?

"Jin Jue, what are you doing!"

Had Yelü Lie returned?

"Cousin, they’re bullying me..." The previously angry, high-pitched voice suddenly turned sweet and coquettish.

"As long as you don’t bring humiliation upon yourself, no one dares bully you. Attendants, escort Cousin Lady back to her room."

"Yes!" the subordinates responded.

Then, there was not a sound from outside. She rubbed her cold hands and pulled the woolen blanket up to her shoulders.

Yelü Lie approached her, gently stroked her cold little face, and signaled to the two maids behind him to place the Brazier under the heated bed before waving them out the door.

He also removed his boots and climbed onto the bed, wrapping her in the blanket and pulling her into his embrace.

"You smell so good," he buried his head in her hair, inhaling the fragrance of her after-bath scent.

"Is this your bedroom?" she asked softly.

"Where else would you think this is? The Cold Palace?"

The Cold Palace? Too extravagant for that!

"You never carry a blade," her gaze fell on the Broadsword hanging from the bedpost; its curved shape looked heavy.

She had always noticed that every Liao person wore a Scimitar at their waist or carried a Bow and Arrow slung across their back, but he did not.

He gently stroked her hair, satisfied to find she was no longer cold. Yet he tightened his arms around her, holding her close to keep the chill from reaching her."I am not a man of good temper; in fact, one could say I am quite volatile. At fifteen, I was arrogant and proud, knowing only how to seek victory and refusing to accept defeat. Once, while accompanying my Royal Father to the Yin Mountains to capture horse thieves, during the pursuit, one of the thieves shot a cold arrow and wounded my Royal Father. At that moment, I charged alone with my blade toward the band of thieves. Not only did I kill all who resisted, but I also showed no mercy to those who knelt and surrendered, leaving not a single corpse intact. Then, in my frenzy, my Royal Father struck me unconscious. When I awoke, he took me to see the impoverished families of the horse thieves. They were all members of our Yelü family, whose livestock had died from a rampant horse plague, leaving them unable to survive the winter. Driven by desperation, they had resorted to such measures. Now, with all the able-bodied men dead, only widows and orphans remained, their lives even more destitute. After that, I never wielded a blade again. At my coming-of-age ceremony, my Royal Father passed down to me the Black Whip and the Scimitar that tradition demanded, but the Scimitar was sheathed in its sheath bag—a reminder that it was meant only for inheritance, not for killing."

Only during these rare moments of her yielding softness could he speak so calmly and at length. He naturally shared with her many thoughts he had never spoken to anyone else.

She looked up at him, somewhat surprised to see the tenderness in his eyes—a beautiful sapphire blue. She hadn’t known he could be so—gentle, and his entire body was relaxed, leaving her—enchanted...

"Do you—have any children?"

"I am not yet married," he replied with a roguish smile, understanding her thoughts.

Jun Qiluo bit her lip, wanting to escape his embrace, but he only held her tighter, causing her cheeks to flush with an embarrassed crimson—radiant and dewy.

"Promise me you won’t leave!"

"With such strict guards, how could I possibly leave?" She couldn’t even step out of his chamber without difficulty.

He pointed to her heart.

"Give it to me."

"No! I won’t give it to anyone," she declared firmly, lifting her chin. Yet, deep down, her heart was no longer as cold and hard as when they first met. If she were honest with herself, she would realize this, but she refused to dwell on it.

He seemed to be gauging the certainty in her words, his gaze fixed on her evasive eyes, not allowing her any chance to escape his scrutiny. She had no choice but to reach out and cover his eyes.

He gently pulled her hand down, pressing it against his chest, and softly recited: "The reeds are lush and green, the white dew turns to frost. The one I long for is on the other side of the water. I seek her up and down, but the path is long and arduous; I follow her, yet she seems to linger in the midst of the water."