Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 201

Chapter 201 Li
In a quiet room of the Great Horn Monastery, Concubine Yin De wore a plain black and white checked daoist robe. Her hair was simply tied together with a wooden bow. She held a scripture in her left hand and stroked a head of dark hair in her right.

Princess Gaoyang placed her head on her mother’s lap and muttered, “Mother, Mubai is about to leave …”

Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled faintly and gently stroked Princess Gaoyang’s head, saying, “Mother knows that you have said it many times.”

Princess Gaoyang curled her lips and muttered sadly, “I’m so reluctant to part with him …”

Imperial Concubine Yin De only smiled and did not say

“Mother, why aren’t you talking?”

“Actually, missing you is a kind of happiness.” Imperial Concubine Yin De finally spoke and said softly, “Mother came from your age.” When he was young, all the things he liked were tightly held in his hands, and he didn’t want to relax for a moment. After living for a long time, one would gradually understand that there were many things in this world, like autumn wind leaves and sand between the fingers. They were not things that could be kept if they wanted to stay, they could be held firmly if they wanted to grab them. It’s better to miss them when we meet. ”

Princess Gao Yang muttered in a low voice, “It’s better to miss each other …” “Mother, have you missed someone? Just … close your eyes, his mind is full of that kind of thing, miss him?”

Imperial Concubine Yin’s expression froze for a moment, and she smiled softly without saying anything.

“Actually, I haven’t thought of a single question for all these years … but I don’t dare to ask you.” Princess Gaoyang said.

“Then it seems like you want to ask today?” Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled kindly, “Ask, Ling’er. You have grown up and are sensible. The questions you want to ask must be reasonable.”

“Then did I really ask?” Princess Gaoyang sat up and looked at Imperial Concubine Yin De seriously. She whispered, “Mother, I want to ask … how did you get along with Father Emperor all these years? He … killed my grandfather’s family!”

Imperial Concubine Yin De’s eyes suddenly flashed with fear. Her eyelids also jumped, but she immediately calmed down.

Seeing her mother’s sudden expression of fear, Princess Gaoyang hurriedly covered her mouth and shouted, “Mother, am I stupid enough to ask? Then pretend I didn’t say anything!”

“You didn’t ask wrongly.” Imperial Concubine Yin De took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She closed her eyes and said leisurely, “You … really want to know?”

“Yes!”

“It’s actually very simple.” Imperial Concubine Yin De’s voice was very calm, as if she was telling a story that had nothing to do with her. She said indifferently, “The more I hate him, the harder I will try to love him.”

“What?!” Princess Gaoyang cried out in surprise.

“Yes.” Imperial Concubine Yin De’s voice was still indifferent. “Use love to dissolve the hatred in my heart, dissolve his hatred towards our Yin Family. Love him without reservation, without regret, as always.”

“Mother” Princess Gao Yang widened her eyes in shock and couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva. “How did you do it? If it was me … impossible!” She murmured.

Imperial Concubine Yin De’s extremely beautiful lips curved up slightly. She smiled faintly and said, “There is nothing in this world that is impossible for a person. When a person has no other choice but to do something, anything can be done.”

“But, but!” Princess Gaoyang argued a few times and paused hesitantly. “If it was me, even if I couldn’t get revenge, I would definitely die!” She gritted her teeth.

“I won’t.” Imperial Concubine Yin De’s voice suddenly became a little cold. She said calmly, “Death is not enough. When you discover that if you seek death, you will kill your brother’s entire family. When you discover that if you seek death, the innocent children in your belly will also die together …”

At this point, Imperial Concubine Yin De’s voice became slightly trembling, and she said word by word, “You wouldn’t have made such a choice!”

‘”I, I” Princess Gaoyang’s face suddenly turned a little pale. She stared at her mother with wide eyes and shouted, “I don’t know what would happen to me, but … at least I will always hate him! It’s absolutely impossible for me to love him in return!”

“When you’re as old as mother, you’ll understand.” Imperial Concubine Yin De slowly closed her eyes and said leisurely, “It’s actually very easy to die, but the hard part is that life is worse than death.” Ling’er, when I was pregnant with your brother, I tried to kill him thirteen times. Because I don’t want him to be born in this world, born with shame, hatred, and blood. I don’t want my son to be a lifelong enemy of his father. But then I figured out that the child was innocent and that I wanted to live for him. I must love your father for him. For his sake, I have to resolve the feud between the Li Yin and the Li Yin families … As a result, there is an additional Consort De of the Zhenguan Dynasty in the world, and from now on there is a woman from the Yin family. ”

“Mother, how did you survive all these years!” Princess Gaoyang’s nose suddenly turned sour and tears began to fall down her cheeks. “In the past, I was too ignorant and always naughty to make you angry. So, you’ve always been living for us!”

“Being able to live for others is not without happiness.” Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled miserably and said calmly, “Forget all of my desires, hatred, love, and paranoia. I’ve lived for so many years for you, your brother, and your uncle’s family.” Apart from that, I also have to love your father without any reservations or regrets. “Only by truly loving him will he be able to forget that there is also a trace of the Yin Family bloodline left on you, and forget about the enmity of the kingdom …”

“Mother, you are too bitter, too difficult … Wuwu!” Princess Gaoyang threw herself into Concubine Yin De’s embrace and cried heartlessly, “Haven’t you had your own love and pursuit all these years? You’re completely alive for us!”

“Hobby? Pursue?” Imperial Concubine Yin De smiled faintly and gently stroked Princess Gaoyang’s beautiful hair. “Whenever a trace of this thought appears in my mind, I will decisively strangle it. Because, I am not worthy to possess these things.”

Princess Gaoyang’s delicate body suddenly trembled slightly, “Mother! Did you suddenly run into the empty door in order to strangle something?”

“No!” Imperial Concubine Yin De firmly and decisively denied it and said in a stern voice, “Why do you think that?”

“Mother, are you angry” Princess Gaoyang raised her head and stared blankly at Concubine Yin De. “You are so strange today!”

“Nothing. You insisted on asking these questions, which disturbed my mood.” Imperial Concubine Yin De took a deep breath and closed her eyes again. “Alright, you go. I want to meditate and comprehend the Dao.”

“Oh” Princess Gaoyang nodded in confusion and could only slowly withdraw.

Slowly opening her eyes, she glanced at the green lanterns, ancient cases, scriptures, and Yin De Fei who were slightly self-deprecating and somewhat miserable as she chuckled, “Hobby? Pursue? … Ling’er, these only belong to you. Only you deserve to have … cherish them, my child!”

Imperial Concubine Yin De closed her beautiful eyes and began to meditate.

Half an hour later, a melodious string of pipas suddenly sounded in the courtyard outside the room, accompanied by a crisp slap, “How wonderful, Mubai! Why are you playing this tune so beautifully today? It seems to be much better than before!”

“Is there?” Qin Mubai’s voice rang out.

Imperial Concubine Yin De’s jade fingers trembled in fear, and she inadvertently dropped an ancient book beside her.

“There’s obviously a lingering sadness in the song. Don’t you recognize it, Ling’er?” Imperial Concubine Yin De muttered to herself, “So, he also can’t bear to leave … Silly girl, you should use dessert to taste his thoughts.” A man is like a book. You need to read it carefully to understand. Although your Mubai is young, he is just like the scripture in this ancient case. He has a profound meaning and is not the kind of simple little man that can be seen in a single glance … ”

At this moment, she heard Qin Mubai say, “Gaoyang, is your mother in the house?”

“Yes, what’s wrong? Is there anything I can do for you?” Princess Gaoyang asked.

“It’s fine. I just want to leave the capital temporarily. I want to say goodbye to her, but I don’t want to disturb her. Why don’t you go in and tell her for me?”

“That’s good too.” Princess Gaoyang answered and pushed the door open, telling the truth about Qin Mubai’s words.

Imperial Concubine Yin listened indifferently, still with her eyes closed, and said indifferently, “I see. Tell him that I love listening to his pipa music. If you like, please play a tune for me.”

“Oh, alright.” Princess Gaoyang blinked her eyes a few times and retreated lightly. She said to Qin Mubai, “Mubai, my mother asked you to play a song for her.”

“Alright.” Without another word, Qin Mubai sat down in front of Imperial Concubine Yin De’s door and gently stroked the strings of the zither, playing the song “Mountains and Rivers”.

In the quiet room, Concubine Yin De closed her eyes and listened.

An immortal voice echoed as it moved around the beam.

Those notes seemed to be able to pierce through a person’s skin, reaching all of his internal organs, and piercing through his heart.

“I actually … am his confidant!” Imperial Concubine Yin muttered in a low voice. Her curved red lips seemed to be trembling slightly.

“Imperial Concubine Yin, this lowly official is here to say goodbye. This lowly official is going to work in Yuanren Prefecture and County. This place can be as short as a year and a half, or as long as three to five years. If this lowly official is not in the capital, I will have to trouble you to take care of Mubai.”

Imperial Concubine Yin did not say anything. She closed her eyes, her slightly pale face trembling.

Qin Mubai was also silent for a moment and said leisurely, “Your Highness, you should take care of yourself.”

Imperial Concubine Yin De suddenly burst into tears.

…

“Why didn’t my mother say anything? Should I go in and take a look?” Princess Gaoyang said softly.

“No need. Let’s not disturb him any more. Let’s go.” Qin Mubai held Princess Gaoyang’s hand and turned around to walk towards the snow-covered courtyard.

Imperial Concubine Yin’s tears fell like rain as she listened to the sound of a pair of footsteps stepping on the snow gradually fading away.

“Ling’er, Mubai, you all … must cherish it!”

…

At the entrance of the Great Horned Temple, Qin Mubai turned around and wiped away the tears on Princess Gaoyang’s lids. He smiled.

“Go back, Ling’er.” Qin Mubai whispered, “It’s just a short separation. I’ll be back.”

“But I really can’t bear to let you go” Princess Gaoyang waved her arms and hugged Qin Mubai tightly, swallowing her tears. “I would rather not see you for a year, but I only hope that you are in Chang’an. This way, I will feel that you are very close to me, very close!”

“Idiot.” Qin Mubai gently patted her on the back. “If the two love each other for a long time, then how could they be in the morning and evening? Didn’t I tell you so long ago? Take this period of separation as a reminiscence!”

“To miss?” Princess Gao Yang mumbled as she chewed on this sentence. “Could it be that seeing each other is really not as good as missing each other?”

“What?” Qin Mubai asked in surprise. This was not something Princess Gaoyang could say.

“My mother told me …” Princess Gaoyang said sadly in a low voice. “She said that if we meet, it would be better to miss …”

“It’s better to miss each other” Qin Mubai carefully tasted this sentence in his heart. For a moment, a hundred emotions mixed together.

‘”Although I know that you won’t forget me and will come back one day, I’m just sad, sad …” Princess Gaoyang wept and said, “Why are you men leaving so ruthlessly? In your eyes, isn’t separation worthless at all?”

“It’s not like that, Ling’er.” Qin Mubai sighed softly. “No one likes to separate. Men and women are the same. It’s just that the way they express themselves is different.”

“I don’t understand! In short, I just don’t want to be separated from you, even for a moment!” Princess Gaoyang cried louder and hugged her tighter.

…

After all, Qin Mubai left the Great Horn Temple and the Imperial Palace.

Qin Mubai led his horse outside the red and green walls of the Imperial City. He glanced sideways at the snow on the palace in the distance and muttered, “Life is really lonely like snow …”

…

In the next few days, Qin Mubai either accompanied his father or acted alone. He bid farewell to Jiang Xia King Li Daozong, Duke Wei Li Jing, Duke Lu Cheng Zhi Jie, and the Hundred Cavalry Soldiers.

The feeling of parting was always not good. Mother Madam Liu and sister Shuang’er always cried in the dark and their eyes were always red.

Yao’er no longer practiced the piano, always playing the pipa over and over again, becoming silent.

The night before he left, Qin Mubai arrived at Wu Mei’s house.

“I’m here to bid farewell.” Qin Mubai said to Wu Meiniang as they sat on each other’s seats.

“I know.” Wu Meiniang nodded calmly, “I just don’t understand why you came to see me today? Put me at the end of your farewell?”

“You should understand.” Qin Mubai only smiled.

Wu Meiniang lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment before whispering, “Is it because you can’t bear to separate from me the most?”

Qin Mubai smiled and remained silent.

Wu Meiniang sighed softly and said, “Let’s go! I have never had such contradictions as today. I’m both afraid of this moment and looking forward to seeing you leave earlier. I waited bitterly for four days, but I didn’t go out. But when you came, my heart ached.”

Qin Mubai held her hand in his palm and gasped, “Take care of yourself while I’m away.”

“I know.” Wu Meiniang nodded, “You don’t have to worry about me at all. Don’t worry about doing what you have to do.”

“Does what I said before still count?” Qin Mubai suddenly asked.

“Which one?” Wu Meiniang asked.

“That’s right. You said that if I find a good shop, I will send a message to you. Go to Xiangzhou and open a semicolon for Qin Immortal Pavilion.” Qin Mubai said.

Wu Meiniang knitted her eyebrows and whispered, “Let’s talk about it again … At that time, it was just an unthought-of sentence that was thrown out. It was not as easy to open a new shop in a new place as I imagined. Perhaps, it was even harder than when I first opened the number one wine in Chang’an.”

“I know.” Qin Mubai nodded, slightly disappointed.

“But” Wu Meiniang smiled sweetly, “I can go to Xiangzhou to see you!”

Qin Mubai raised his eyebrows and smiled, “I’ll wait for you!”

“But there’s one thing I have to tell you now!” Wu Meiniang said seriously.

“What is it?”

“That is … having a Princess Gaoyang is enough. Stop playing around!” Wu Meiniang gritted her teeth and said hatefully, “If you can’t hold back your loneliness when you arrive in Xiangzhou, I will definitely not forgive you!”

“Eh!” Qin Mubai was stunned, “What if … someone else comes up to me to hook up with me on their own initiative?”

“Then I’ll send her away and serve your family!” Wu Meiniang’s starry eyes glared with murderous intent, “I can’t beat Princess Gaoyang. Am I still unable to defeat the little girl from Xiang Province? Hmph!”

“What if, what if it’s someone you can’t defeat?” Qin Mubai asked in a timid voice.

“You said that you wanted to fight!” Wu Meiniang was furious. She jumped up and threw Qin Mubai to the ground. She pressed down on him and drew her bow, each holding one of his ears and shouted, “Are you determined to cheat in Xiang Zhou?”

“No, no, this is a complete misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!” Qin Mubai laughed heartily, but a pair of thieving hands hugged Wu Meiniang tightly with extreme dishonesty.

“Thief man, you’re too dishonest!” After Wu Meiniang finished picking up his ears, she picked up his nose in embarrassment and scolded him softly, “I really want to consider whether I should go to Xiangzhou with you and watch you closely!”

“Alright, alright. Welcome, welcome! On behalf of Xiangzhou, I would like to welcome Wu Meiniang!” Qin Mubai laughed heartily.

“Hmph, don’t even think about it!” Wu Meiniang smiled charmingly, then grabbed his ears and whispered in a ferocious manner, “You can’t even look at a dishonest man. You don’t have to look at an honest man. If you have me in your heart, you will naturally feel your conscience and do not act rashly. If you don’t have my preference for nonsense in your heart, it would be useless for me to force you to do so!”

“Feel your conscience?” Qin Mubai gave a wicked smile. A thieving hand swam from her back towards her shoulder, threatening to attack her chest. “How about I learn how to touch it first?” Qin Mubai smiled sinisterly.

“Beg for a fight! Beg for a fight! Deng Du, if I don’t deal with you for a day, you’ll be so bad! Ah-look!”

“Wow–ah!”

A miserable scream suddenly sounded, and the people of the Wu Clan felt their hair stand on end when they heard it–“What is this doing? Why is it screaming so miserably and terrifyingly?”

…

Shortly after, Qin Mubai walked out of the Wu Clan’s main entrance, rubbing his ears as he walked. He grinned his teeth and cried out in pain.

Wu Meiniang delivered her to the door and covered her mouth with a giggle, “Seeing that you’re not being honest in the future, humph, this girl has a trump card to deal with you!”

“Mother Mei, you’re a dog! You actually bit my ear?” Qin Mubai grinned and said dejectedly, “It hurts so much. I’m afraid it’s bleeding!”

“Stop pretending. I haven’t seen it. I’ve seen it a hundred times before. I didn’t even have a tooth mark.” Wu Meiniang smiled sweetly and said, “Alright, hurry up and go back to rest. You have to get up early tomorrow! Remember … take good care of yourself when you get to Xiangzhou. Also, remember to miss me!”

“Then … will you come to Xiangzhou to see me?” Qin Mubai asked.

Wu Meiniang raised the corner of her mouth and smiled mysteriously, “I won’t tell you! Or come, or don’t come. Even if I come, I won’t predict you in advance, lest you have time to erase some traces that you don’t want me to see.”

“Are you prepared to launch a surprise attack?” Qin Mubai grinned in astonishment and thought to himself, Isn’t Wu Meiniang too “modern”? He actually learned how to secretly “check the posts” without a teacher?

“You’re very nervous! Haha!” Wu Meiniang laughed loudly, “Then it’s decided-I will definitely launch a’surprise attack ‘on you from time to time, so for the sake of your ears, you must be obedient in Xiangzhou!”

Qin Mubai subconsciously rubbed her ears and laughed dryly, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. I’m stuck in a barracks filled with men every day. Where am I going to play around? Besides, I already have the number one beauty’s wife in the world. Who else would I look at?”

“Hmph, it’s best if this is the case!”