The Romance of Oblivion:Past Lifetimes

Chapter 148: Longing Chulian

Jiang Yi Huai knelt on the bloody patch of snow, he pulled a pink jade earing from the light blue satchel that is hanging on his waistband. She watched his movements and crushed the earing without much effort. A small red pill came out of his grasp and fed it to Xiang Zihui.

"Will he...." Yun Ren Xie choked between her words, she wanted to know if there is still a chance of survival for him.

"Can. Let's go back to the camp. We're currently inside Wei State." Jiang Yi Huai answered, he sighed in relief once he saw the bleeding stopped. All of deep wounds started to heal quickly.

The girl immediately nodded, blue flames that are about to devour the forest started to dissipate. Jiang Yi Huai had Xiang Zihui leaning on him as they waited for a while. From the far distance were shadow guards and Nian Feng is one of them.

He hastily went to Zhao Chulian and pulled her in his arms. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you? Do you feel any pain?" Nian Feng asked her before breaking the embrace. He saw a bruise on the corner of Zhao Chulian's lips, his hands trembled as he caressed that part.

"Im just tired." Yun Ren Xie responded, she fainted right away in exhaustion.

They took Zhao Chulian and Xiang Zihui back in the military camp for recuperation. Jiang Yi Huai made a duplicate of Xiang Zihui's body like a burnt corpse before making his spy send it to Xiang Se's faction. Chu State had a new emperor, all the royal family have perished and the only prince alive is Xiang Se.

In the past, Xiang Zihui had known there will be an obstacle in his ways before he can even ascend as the emperor. He had told Jiang Yi Huai to create a false death of Xiang Zihui when that time comes.

Two days had passed, a galloping steed rushed towards the hidden military camp. A man in dark brocade hastily went inside before handing the steed to a soldier. His pale purple eyes gleamed in hostility, he went towards the largest tent and opened it.

At that moment, Yun Ren Xie was holding the hand of Xiang Zihui who is still unconscious. She heard a flap and raised her head, to her surprise, it was like she had seen an almost replica of Xiang Zihui.

"Ying Zheng?" she hadnt know how to react. The man kept standing on the entrance while his other hand is still holding the curtain upward. For a moment, she had seen a hint of remorse in his eyes.

"You are.... Zihui's concubine?"

Yun Ren Xie shook her head gently. "His foster sister."

It took them a while before Ying Zheng finished listening to her explanations, she skipped the part that she had done the deed with Xiang Zihui or neither mentioned her feelings for him.

Ying Zheng smiled wryly as he leaned on the wooden pillar. "So, how did you meet Xiang Zihui?" she asked.

"When I was just thirteen, my father died without a heir other than me. They crowned me as Qin State's emperor and I was just too young back then, pampered by my father since birth, I dont know how to be strong. That is when Xiang Zihui barged inside the palace, he introduced Li Si to me, a sixteen year old scholar with great insights. Xiang Zihui said he wanted to be brothers with me, that I need to repay his kindness in the future."

"That is the first and last time I saw him, we had the same age and almost identical face which shocked me apparently. For two years, Li Si became my right hand man. He had helped me in every way and I feel thankful to him and Xiang Zihui. Afterwards, at the night of Winter Banquet, Xiang Zihui had arrived. We were really almost identical but he is too haughty and serious while I only know how to fool around with women. That year, he said he had become the crown prince of Chu State. Xiang Zihui also had plans saying once he became the emperor, he would help me conquer the five other states and Chu State will be my pillar of support."

"I never knew he is ambitious." Yun Ren Xie whispered while fiddling with the silk handkerchief in her hands.

"No. He isnt ambitious. Xiang Zihui said he will give Chu State to my hands and everything will belong to me as he would frolic around with his Ah Lian." Ying Zheng had a helpless smile, he glanced at Zhao Chulian to see her shocked expression. "I didnt know the Ah Lian he mentioned was you. Even though we've been brothers since nine years already, I cant seem to read his thoughts."

The girl turned behind her to take a gander at the unconscious Xiang Zihui. How she wished she is Zhao Chulian, how she hoped they will forever be together. But no, its quiet impossible. The night she was dragged to the woods, the shadow guard of Xiang Se fed her poison that will kill her the fifth night. Will she die before seeing him wake up?

That day, Ying Zheng didnt stay for long. He left without a word. Yun Ren Xie stared at the golden hairpin in her hands. It symbolizes Ying Zheng's reckless love and pain. She recalled he had given Fang Ye Xue a red plum blossom carving during the Lantern Festival. Now, its not only wood but a precious red plum blossom of gems.

She felt something is off about her, why does she regret turning him down? Is it possible to even love two people? Not quite right! Yun Ren Xie placed the hairpin on the desk before turning to Xiang Zihui.

"Hurry and open your eyes or everything will be too late already. There are only three days left for me to live." she caressed his face and gently planted a kiss on his forehead.

Two days later, it was during midnight. The hands of Xiang Zihui moved. His eyelashes trembled for a while before opening his eyes. He wanted to move his hand in order to sit upright but something warm is holding it. Xiang Zihui tilted his head sideways only to see a sleeping Zhao Chulian who had her head leaning on the bed while her hand is holding his wrist.

Footsteps were heard outside the tent, Xiang Zihui closed his eyes and observed the movements. Someone entered, the person stopped behind Zhao Chulian.

"Ah Lian. Ah Lian." Nian Feng called out, he gently moved Zhao Chulian. She opened her eyes before yawning in sleepiness. "Your here again. Its been the fourth night, you should rest inside your tent."

"But I want to guard Dage......."

"Prince Zihui will wake up soon. Let's go?"

Xiang Zihui heard silence when the ruffling of clothes slowly resounded. "Alright." she answered back.

He opened his eyes only to see Nian Feng and Zhao Chulian's back facing him. She is leaning on Nian Feng while walking lazily. "Does Dage hate me? If he wont wake up soon, I'll really commit suicide." the girl blurted out of nowhere.

Nian Feng chuckled at what she said. "Silly girl, Prince Zihui doesnt hate you. But if he gets to know you've been drinking wine every night, I just dont know how he will react."