Chapter 24
Chapter 24
True Self (4)
“And this wound on my arm, is there a weapon in this world that can cause a wound like this?”
The wound was thin as cicada wings, hard to distinguish with the naked eye.
The group spoke with such certainty that they managed to convince some of the people present.
“…there were rumours that the lady suffered from sudden heart palpitations when she was three. The imperial physician could not find anything wrong and it dragged on for a month, but in the end, it saved His Excellency, the Senior Grand Secretary!”
“That’s right, how could an ordinary human be so exquisite and beautiful? It’s too suspicious!”
If you throw enough mud, some of it will stick; accumulated defamation can break one’s bones.
“Your Imperial Highness, when evil comes into the world, the heavens will be in chaos!”
“Your Imperial Highness, please burn the demoness as a sacrifice to the heavens!”
Rong Yi stood up abruptly, and a group of gentlemen and ladies also got up and fell to the ground one after another.
“Your Imperial Highness! You must not!
“A band of lawless degenerates who bully men and women all year round, how can their words be trusted?”
“The pain of witchcraft of the previous dynasty can still be felt, we cannot set this precedent!”
“Your Imperial Highness!”
Zheng Wan’s eyes were full of light despair; her body was trembling like a winter jasmine on a cold spring day, and her feet leaned subconsciously towards Cui Wang. The piercing sharpness of his consciousness seemed to have eased a little, and she took the opportunity to grab one of his wide sleeves.
Cui Wang seemed to be looking at a young deer being chased by hunters, that was now clutching pitifully at straws.
“Don’t be afraid.”
He said at last.
Zheng Wan felt something in her heart; when she raised her head, two lines of clear tears fell, and she choked:
“Why… are the hearts of people like this.”
Her eyes were sad and mournful.
Cui Wang didn’t answer; he just turned his head and looked out of the marble boat.
Seeing that the Crown Prince was silent, the inebriated degenerate reached out to him—but Cui Wang flicked his fingers, and a strong blast of Qi5 sent the whole group out along with clouds of dust and smoke.
Rrruuumble——
The intact wall of the marble boat was pierced through with numerous holes, and even the roof was completely destroyed. The rest of the people stood reflexively and stared dumbly at everything that was happening around them.
They only heard the “Splash!” of people falling into the water; the odious dandies who had been calling out of blood just moments ago fell like dumplings into… Lanpo Lake, one entire garden away.
The people in the marble boat couldn’t recover their senses for a long time.
Zheng Wan also turned her head to look at Cui Wang.
His disguise was gone.
Light diffused into the marble boat through the damaged parts, bringing in the colour of the skies and water; the young gentleman was standing all alone in a glowing, snow-coloured robe. His black hair spilled down like a waterfall, a few strands carried by the wind. In his left hand was a longsword, while a delicate lady clung to his right sleeve, giving him a touch of softness.
But when people saw his eyes, they would understand that the world was just a lonely wilderness to him, and everything was insignificant.
Once again, Zheng Wan’s heart pounded violently.
She never expected that one day, she, Zheng Wan, would be moved by the beauty of others. She much less expected that the appearance that was hailed in the book as “favoured by the heavens and unique in the world” would be like this.
In comparison, she was just rubble on the roadside, obscure and dull.
The Crown Prince said cautiously:
“State– State Preceptor?”
At his words, Zheng Wan looked up; her hand subconsciously clutched a little tighter onto his sleeve, as if fearing that he would leave, and she asked timidly:
“You– you’re the State Preceptor?”
The young lady’s face was full of disbelief; the tears in her eyes seemed ready to roll down at any moment, like pear blossoms in the rain.
Cui Wang cast his eyes down, his face remaining impassive:
“Yes.”
At that moment, the marble boat shook violently; colourful rays of light burst out from the phoenix tail, dazzling the eyes of everyone present.
Zheng Wan cried out in shock, as if greatly frightened, and leapt towards the State Preceptor.
The “great opportunity” she was waiting for had come.
It was for this “great opportunity” that she had painstakingly acquired the bloodstone zan. The zan had given her the chance to build favour—in the secret realm, he would not abandon her.
In any case…
But before she could get close, she was blocked by a cold and harsh Qi.
Zheng Wan looked up uncomprehendingly; before the question could be spoken, a whirlpool suddenly appeared, taking the two of them in it.
Only leaving the others behind, looking at each other:
“Has the State Preceptor made peace with the Zheng family?”
Footnotes:
5 Qi: 气; In traditional Chinese culture, Qi (also written as ‘ki’ or ‘chi’) is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity. Qi translates literally as “air” and figuratively as “material energy”, “life force”, or “energy flow”. Qi is the central underlying principle in Chinese traditional medicine and in Chinese martial arts. The cultivation of Qi is a major theme in martial arts and ancient fantasy Chinese novels.