Сhарtеr 20 (7/14)
“For yоur оwn sаkе, уou must leavе. Yоu are vеry much likе Yun Quе… Васk thеn, out of sеlfishness and foolish clevеrnеss, I tried tо keер hеr, аnd it cоst hеr lifе. I dоn’t wаnt the Вlade Mаstеr to suffеr the same рain as I did…”
“Аctuallу, еvеrу timе thе blаde fell, I wоuld think: а pеrsоn livеs on just а breаth; in thе instant betwееn life аnd death, suffering is but а fleeting momеnt—whаt is thеre tо fear? But аftеr Yun Quе died, I rеаlizеd… thаt’s nоt truе at аll…”
Тhinking of hеr sister, Yun Wеishan’s voiсe сhоkеd slightly: “Whаt sераrates life аnd death is that when the mоuntain flowers blоom in splеndor, thеrе will be nо one left to stand beside you and admire them together; it’s the mournful cry of birds outside the window on a rainy night, with no one left to offer comfort; it’s the joy of three generations under one roof, the affection of growing old together… And I severed the world’s bonds and love with my own hands. The sin I bear can never be atoned for in this lifetime.”
Elder Yue said, “But you are free now… The Half-Month Fly is fake; you can leave Wufeng. Find a quiet place, find a steady person to spend your life with.”
Yun Weishan shook her head with a smile. “I agreed to infiltrate the House of Gong for Wufeng to gain my freedom. I don’t want to harm anyone else… Finding a quiet place is possible, but I won’t seek anyone to spend my life with.”
As she spoke these words, her mind was filled with scenes of her time with Gong Ziyu—in Xue Manor, Gong Ziyu cooking porridge for her in the room. At that time, Yun Weishan watched his back, her eyes red. In her heart, she clearly thought, “I found him long ago…” Yet, with reddened eyes, she spoke calmly, uttering words that cut her heart like a knife.
Elder Yue: “Before that, you must not let the Blade Master know; otherwise, he will never let you go.”
Yun Weishan: “Don’t worry. Before then, I want to spend a little more time with him. In these final days, I want to leave behind some memories… to sustain me in the days to come…”
Gong Yuanzhi sat in the courtyard, quietly grieving. He looked up and realized that scattered snowflakes had begun to drift from the sky at some point. Only then did he notice that the azaleas planted in Jue Manor had sprouted many buds, their white flower buds tightly closed, delicate and lovely. With a small short-handled knife, he cut off one flower and slowly peeled away the tightly wrapped outer layers. The tender white petals scattered in his palm as he murmured, “He liked white flowers the most…”
Shangguan Qian approached softly. “I remember Young Master once said he didn’t like flowers and plants, so why would he favor white flowers alone?”
“Brother truly doesn’t like them… It was Younger Brother Lang who liked white flowers.” Gong Yuanzhi’s eyes held a faint sorrow. “I once thought that in Brother’s heart, the only one I had to yield to was Gong Langjiao. I never imagined there would now be another—you.”
“Young Master Zhi, you jest. How could I compare to you and Younger Brother Lang?”
Gong Yuanzhi lowered his head again and cut open another bud: “You’re right. If Younger Brother Lang were still here, none of us could compare to him.”
Gong Yuanzhi’s hand trembled. The sharp blade slid across the flower bud and cut his finger directly. A drop of blood fell onto the snow-white petals.
The blood red against the flower white was strikingly jarring.
“In Brother’s heart, those of us alive can never compare to the deceased Younger Brother Lang,” Gong Yuanzhi said slowly.
“How did Younger Brother Lang die?”
“Has Brother never told you?”
“You reminded me before not to bring up Younger Brother Lang on my own. Since Young Master doesn’t speak of it, I don’t ask.”Gong Yuanzhi spread open his palm as the white petals scattered in the wind. He looked up, reminiscing: "Younger Brother Lang died in that winter ten years ago, the one that changed the House of Gong..."
Ten years ago, the Cangdong Thunder Hall, allied with the House of Gong, sought refuge within the House of Gong to escape the pursuit of Wufeng. The House of Gong made an exception and allowed all sixteen members of the Thunder Hall family to enter. Little did they know it was all a plot by Wufeng... Every one of them was a Wufeng expert in disguise..."
Before and after the gates of the House of Gong, Wufeng and members of the House of Gong clashed in a chaotic battle.
Gong Liushang held a blade in one hand and gripped the fur collar of the Thunder Hall master with the other, shouting: "Why did you deceive me?!"
The Thunder Hall master's expression twisted, filled with guilt and madness: "I had no choice!" With that, he swung his weapon and struck Gong Liushang. Gong Liushang was hit in the lumbar spine and collapsed to the ground.
Just as the Thunder Hall master was about to deliver a fatal blow to Gong Liushang, Gong Hongyu, covered in blood, appeared and knocked down the master. He turned back to find Gong Liushang unable to move his lower body, the ground stained red with blood.
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