Chapter 598 – Before Life and Death, a Conversation about Passion and Love (2/2)

Chen Changsheng continued, ”Senior Su Li is so unrestrained and open-minded, but not even he would agree to marrying off his daughter to Zhexiu, so how could your parents agree to marry you off to me?”

Xu Yourong replied, ”I do not require the orders of my parents and my teacher is also far away. My marriage is my own matter.”

Chen Changsheng argued, ”And the Empress? She so dotes on you, cares for you—could it be that you don't need to heed her opinion?”

Xu Yourong's voice was very calm. ”My affairs have never heeded the opinions of anyone else, and if you really are Crown Prince Zhaoming, then whether you're ill or not, even on the verge of death, you would still be blessed to live ten thousand years and the Empress would never agree to me being married off to you, so this question of yours has no meaning.”

(TN: Wishing someone to live ten thousand years is a phrase usually reserved for wishing the emperor a long life, here being used to indicate that Chen Changsheng is a member of the Chen Imperial clan and that the Empress would not permit a marriage with someone associated with her enemies.)

The starlight fell upon the lake and was reflected off its surface, falling on the house in a sheet of silver, outlining her body in silver as well. She was strikingly beautiful, as if at any moment, she could ride the wind and depart.

Gazing at her figure, Chen Changsheng felt like it was getting further and further away. He softly asked, ”Then what about me?”

Xu Yourong turned to him, her dress rising in the wind, her voice as chilly as the wind. ”And what about you?”

Chen Changsheng looked into her eyes with no intention of backing down. ”I will not let you marry a person about to die, and I don't want you to tell the world about our relationship. Our engagement is already annulled and as long as we don't admit it, then after I die, no matter who you marry, it will be much easier, like…Qiushan Jun.”

After awakening and confirming that his meridians were all ruptured, that his chance of living was nil, that his future days were scarce, he began to consider a few problems. This was his true opinion, his own decision. He thought that he would be able to very calmly accept all of this, yet when he spoke about how, in the future, she should marry Qiushan Jun, for some inexplicable reason, a feeling of bitter sorrow appeared in his heart.

Xu Yourong quietly stared at him, not speaking for a very long time. Just when Chen Changsheng thought that she would depart with a flick of her sleeve, she suddenly said, ”Just like you say, the engagement between us had already been annulled, so there's no relationship between the two of us. This being the case, what right do you have to speak with the tone of a fiancé and discuss what I will do after your death?”

Chen Changsheng did not know how to respond because everything she said was correct.

”But I really will die, and I will die very soon.”

”Every person will die—Emperor Taizong and Zhou Dufu also died. This is a common affair.”

”I'm just worried about you.”

”Relax, while you are still alive, I would die for you, just like you would die for me.”

This was the most passionate of romantic phrases, the most sincere confession of love, but Xu Yourong had spoken so calmly and indifferently, like she was speaking of a most simple and plain principle. Water will flow downhill, the sun will set and not rise again, every person will die, and we are lovers walking the same path, naturally able to offer our lives for each other.

If this were anyone else, they would assuredly be rendered stunned and speechless by the contrast between these words of passion and the mood they were spoken with. However, Chen Changsheng also possessed an extremely unique personality and did not feel that any of this was inappropriate. On the contrary, he felt that this was the her that he loved so much. He was a similar sort of person and so regardless of whether confronting life and death or love, he would cast his emotions into the deepest part of his body, confronting and handling these matters with a calm attitude.

”…But I will not live for you. While you are still alive, I will live my own life. If you die, I will similarly live well.”

Xu Yourong looked into his eyes and said, ”But first, you must struggle to live and I will also struggle for your survival. I do not want you to die.”

This conversation before life and death about passion and love came to an end.

She had very calmly obtained the final victory in this debate.

……