Chaos Of Beauty

ꦼ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴇɴ

Noticing her hesitation, Yu Yan He takes out a small piece of paper from his sleeve, spreading it before Gui Wan’s eyes. Gui Wan accepts it, having glanced over the words on the paper, she freezes, such exceptionally graceful handwriting, is clearly from the hand of the Empress, the words were dark red, a letter written in blood, on the little piece of paper, it says: protect the land, protect my royal child, protect the elder statesman. Each stroke hooks onto the heart, each word works up one’s emotions, from these quivering strokes, the Empress’s heart pain pours out.

From her mind, the image involuntarily emerges before her, the Empress’ wretched smile, the scene of her kneeling before her, the mournfulness when she was crying as she requests for her to protect her son and father, the resolution in her smile as she spoke of protecting the land. Thinking and thinking, even her heart was turning sour at the thoughts, Gui Wan could only bitterly smile, right now, how could she give up on the weeping older sister deep within the palace?

“Before Hu Guo Temple, this is what the Empress sent out from the palace, it’s been left with me for a month now, a few days ago, I finally received another written message from the palace with great difficulty, after you’ve read it, decide for yourself.” During Gui Wan’s moment of contemplation, Yu Yan He takes out another identical piece of paper, pa.s.sing it over.

Actually feeling afraid to accept this, this little piece of paper, with such immensely heavy air around it, Gui Wan thinks for a long time, and in the end, she still extends her hand to take hold of it. Upon opening it up, she sees a half a poem: The spring breeze naturally resents the relentless water, it blows east and the water continuously flows west.[2]

Placing the two pieces of paper together, Gui Wan found it difficult to speak in this moment, crumpling the papers into one, she raises her head and faces Yu Yan He, “Brother, have you already made up your mind?”

Without answering her question, Yu Yan He only looks at her steadily, his eyes filled with gentleness.

……

The time between them seems to have been silent for a long, long time, so long that Gui Wan had almost forgotten where she is, matters that occurred over the past half of the year and more, revisits her mind, scene by scene, she is searching for answers. Having returned from Feng Qi Slope, this past month, she had spent recuperating her body, avoiding all the worldly controversies, knowing that the Empress’ t.i.tle has been protected, she was greatly relieved, at the same time, she found a few contemporarily prestigious strategists and educationists, in efforts to learn the art of trickeries, could it be that, this is also her subconsciously preparing for the future?

No matter how she thinks about it, there is no results, Gui Wan sighs in resignation, noticing that her brother is waiting for her answer, she spreads out a smile on her face: since there is no answer, then from now on, she can slowly search for it, perhaps, she will find a perfect solution that’s best for both sides.

Seeing a hidden meaning within her smile, Yu Yan He knows she found an answer, and also relaxes. Watching as Gui Wan walks up to the study desk, taking a brush, grinding the ink, he was rather puzzled, walking up to her, he continues to watch as Gui Wan takes out a piece of paper, writing something on it. He was about to join her, when the paper was already handed to him, Gui Wan’s voice was filled with cheeriness as she says: “Before Brother leaves, think of a way to pa.s.s this to the Empress.”

Yu Yan He speechlessly accepts the piece of paper, his steady eyes glances over the two short phrases:

Fragrant flower and plants have already pa.s.sed by so why is it necessary to hate, summer activities in the shade is [also] pleasant.[3]