Chарtеr 21 (12/13)
Shаngguаn Qiаn fliрped thе drаwing оvеr.
Gоng Shangjue glanсеd at the hаndwriting, his exрrеssiоn instаntlу turning grаve.
Gong Ziуu had slept restlessly thаt night аnd rosе eаrlу tо sit in thе cоurtуаrd. Yun Wеishаn brought him а kite.
"I’ve beеn mеaning tо give this to yоu."
Gong Ziyu sаw words written аll оvеr thе kitе аnd rеad them sоftlу: "'Mау уou sоar likе а wild goosе hеncеforth, blessed with а peerlеss fаtе, and уears of реаcе… Gоng Нuаnуu…'"
Gоng Ziyu соntinued rеading: "'Nо longer Nаmelеss, knоwn thrоughout thе lаnd, mееting blossoms in troublеd times… WuJi…'" After finishing this line, Gong Ziуu’s hand pausеd gently оver thе twо chаracters "Nameless," trembling slightly.
Yun Weishan whispered, "Madam WuJi wrote this during your trial, Young Master. She also made you candied hawthorns."
Gong Ziyu asked, "Then where is what you wrote?"
Yun Weishan hid her hands behind her back: "I haven’t written anything yet. But I’ve prepared something else for you." With that, Yun Weishan handed a brocade box to Gong Ziyu.
Gong Ziyu smiled and opened the box. Inside was an exquisitely forged knife handle. There was also a note in the box, written by Yun Weishan to Gong Ziyu: "The white feather remains still, the wind carries it east and west; the drifting clouds know no rest, we meet and we part."
"Do you like it, Young Master?"
Gong Ziyu lowered his eyes: "No wonder I haven’t seen you much these days—you and Gong Zishang were working on this… You knew I just finished forging a blade and was missing a handle. So thoughtful—of course I like it. But I don’t like the last line…" He looked up, "Since we’ve finally met, let’s not part. Never again in this lifetime."
Just then, another gust of wind scattered petals. Yun Weishan’s eyes grew desolate once more, as if filled with the sorrow of an impending farewell.
Gong Ziyu noticed her expression and found it strange: "You prepared this surprise for me, and I’m already ‘delighted.’ Why do you seem so downcast?"
Yun Weishan shook her head and smiled again: "You’ll carry this knife with you always, Young Master. With this handle, in the future… it will be as if I’m by your side at all times."
Gong Ziyu suddenly remembered the knife he had asked Young Master Hua for in the Back Mountain: "I also have a knife to give you, but only after I successfully pass the Third Domain…"
"You will."
Yun Weishan smiled, and Gong Ziyu embraced her. The wind swept up petals from the ground like falling snow, swirling around them.
Joy is always fleeting. Gong Ziyu was summoned by the Elders for a meeting, and it seemed many more eyes were watching inside and outside Yu Manor. Yun Weishan simply retreated into her room and did not emerge again. Only when the night grew deep and quiet did she change her clothes, quietly leave Yu Manor, and walk alone toward the Secret Passage of the House of Gong. Along the way, every memory from the past surfaced vividly, as if it were yesterday.
That first day, Gong Ziyu had taken off his cloak, covered her red wedding dress with it, then pulled a mask from behind his waist and placed it over her face. He led her to escape, and she pressed the mask, touching his hand—strong, young, steady, and as warm as it would be every time after.
But she had to leave.
Elder Yue had said: "You know… you cannot stay in the House of Gong, right…"
She replied: "I know… for Ziyu’s sake, I will leave. I won’t make things difficult for him."Once, she nearly left the House of Gong, but Gong Ziyu’s voice called out from behind her. She saw him running straight toward her, and in an instant, he was before her, holding her tightly in his arms.
But this time, no one would ever come running toward her again.
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