Chapter 23 (1/2)
I think it ironic that in Lost You Forever Xiao Yao has three a man in her life but really none of the three co she wants in her life At most we can say one has more than the others, or really it co that she want a sirow old with someone But fros for adventure deep down inside, she’s just too scared to reach for it So right now you can say she’s stealing ti I can’t say the way she’s heartbroken over Xiang Liu and thinking about hi, plus Xiang Liu stuck her in a clam shell for thirty-seven years which if you ask me fairly screams “I love you” even if he says otherwise I love her loyalty to Jing, though, because it’s the very thing she felt was lacking in her parental figures hence she’s never going to be the first to let go The ball is in Jing’s court but he’s kindness really is at odds with his end goal of giving everything up to be with Xiao Yao He could use a littleLiu’s coldness, otherwise he’s really drifting farther and farther frolad everyone that ets back to business with lots of action thathope to another shi+p
Chapter 23 – Fa returned to Qing Qiu around ht but ordered the servants not to alert the Grand Mada
Jing was concerned about Feng Long and Zhuan Xu’s situation so didn’t even bother to rest and instead et a summary of what happened the last thirty some years By the tiht
He slept for two hours and washed up before heading to see his grand on a pallet, with Hou, Hou’s wife Lan Mu, and Fang Fang Yi Yang flanking her on either side
Jing saw her and rushed over to kneel before her “Grandmother, I’m home”
There were tears in the Grand Madaestured for hiht I would be able to last until I saw you”
Jing saw that she looked healthy and energetic, with her color high and said “Grandrandson?”
The Grand Mada to sit beside her “You’re too thin! You need to recuperate for some ti srandmother approves”
The Grand Madareeted his brother and sister-in-law and the Grand Mada, she’s been so busy on your behalf all these years”
Jing politely bowed to Yi Yang but said nothing After he straightened hi to say to grandmother”
The Grand Madalanced at Hou and the a bit”
Everyone bowed and left the rooerandmother permit it”
The Grand Madam was not surprised “I knew you would say this I also knohat I will say back: Is towards Yi Yang and she feels the saes for her, but I can’t see that she doesn’t have feelings for you!”
Jing raised his head “I already love another, please will grandhed “Silly child, you long do you think feelings will last Day after day, the endless tis will be shtness Actually, a ive her what she needs, she gives you what you need, you respect her one step, she respects you one step Back and forth, like floater lasting for a long ti!”
“If you are Hou then you can do whatever you want and I don’t care! But you are the future Tu Shan clan leader, and the leader deter is s clan relies on the Tu Shan clan which further liement, she is the best choice for the leader’s wife! For the Tu Shan clan, yousaid “I don’t want to be the clan leader, let older brother be the clan leader!”
“You wretch!” The Grand Madam slapped the table and all the plates and cups shattered on the floor and the tea splashed Jing The Grand Mada the best clan leader wife, I don’t have another sixty years left!”
Jing kept bowing his head even as his forehead slaround and jabbed into his flesh “If grandement, then I can only leave the Tu Shan clan”
The Grand Mada “If you want le me now If I die then you can do whatever you want and no one will care”
Jing kept bowing and begging “Grandmother!”
The Grand Madam called her maid “Xiao Yu, tell this wretch to scra master not distress the Grand Mada her chest and her face had turned purple so he immediately left
But he didn’t leave and only knelt down in the courtyard The maid reported it to the Grand Madanore hi knelt outside her roonored hiewas arranged, she had servants bring everyone back Jing was just recovered fro that his face was pale white and his forehead bloody and bruised, looking very ragged Hou and Yi Yang saw him like that and the hatred in their eyes flitted past
Yi Yang walked into the room and saw the Grand Madaiveness for Jing
The Grand Madam saw everyone has arrived so said to Xiao Yu “Call that wretch inside”
Jing was helped inside the roo rushed over to help tend to him but he kept his distance “No need to bother therestrained her tears and reluctantly stood to the side and shot very pitiful looks at the Grand Mada and watched Xiao Yu patch up the cuts on Jing’s forehead
She then had both grandsons sit and glanced across their faces “Everything is set In three days ti as the next Tu Shan clan leader This is a rushed affair so there won’t be a lot of guests, but the Yellow E, Gui Fang, and the Middle Plains Six Big Fah”
Jing and Hou were shocked that the Grand Madauests
Jing knelt down “Grandmother, the clan leader ed “A few years? How randfather died shortly after your father was born and I had to steel myself and run the entire clan I finally lasted until your father ht I could take a break…but that wretch actually left before oodness your e the clan Us ts raised the pair of you but yourto join that wretch I pray day and night that you will take over as clan leader, but then you disappeared for years! I got you back after ten years and before I could even let out a sigh of relief, you went unconscious and wouldn’t wake up How er do I have left for you to torment?”
The Grand Madam spoke and a lifetime of pain and hard work rose up and the noran to cry
Hou, Lan Mu, and Yi Yang all knelt down before her and the Grand Madauys think, this tiardless of whether you want to or not”
Jing continued to bow his head on the ground and begged “Grandmother, I really don’t want to be clan leader! Older brother is the elder, why can’t he become the clan leader?”
The Grand Madam shouted “Wretch! You know the answer and yet you still ask? Sos can be concealed to the world but can’t be concealed frorandfather was the last leader of the Tan farandhter of the Chi Sui clan, the current cousin of the clan leader Hou…will they accept him as clean leader?”
The Grand Madam clutched her heart and cried “Wretch, tellFa the clan leader?”
Jing pleaded “I can go beg them one by one”
The Grand Madas you’ve done behind my back all these years The clan elders only accept you, they won’t allow you not to be the clan leader”
Jing could only keep pleading and bowing his head “Grandmother, I really don’t want to be clan leader, older brother wants to be clan leader!”
The Grand Madarandsons “The clan leader has to lead from within and influence the world beyond, that is a true clan leader Not everyone can be the clan leader just because of desire!”
“Hou, come here!” The Grand Madam reached out her hand and Hou kneeled over to her side
She raised him up to sit beside her “Hou, I know you are not one bit less capable than Jing But the clan leader determines the rise and fall of an entire clan If you become clan leader, the nine clan elders won’t accept you and the Tu Shan clan will splinter froet support from outside the clan either, the Chi Sui and Tan faenerations enerations to come The fall of a clan could be in one decision”
The Grand Mada, his last words were for me to take care of you All these years, have I treated you one whit less?”
Hou answered “Grandmother has always treated ” That is why all those years he had chances to forcibly take the clan leader role and he never could get up the hard heart to kill the grands have stagnated until now
The Grand Mada he couldn’t leave behind was you No matter how much you hate your mother, she didn’t kill you and instead raised you to adulthood and found you the best masters to teach you all the skills you have now You have the Tu Shan clan blood in you, how can you watch the clan fall and let me die in worry?”
Hou was devastated and knelt down and bowed his head hard “Grandmother please be well” But he never said that he wouldn’t vy for the clan leader position
Jing also bowed his head hard “Please cancel the clan leader ceremony three days from now I don’t want to be clan leader” Still he refused to accept the clan leader role
The Grand Madae, and despair all rushed to her heart and suddenly all her blood burst forth and she spit out blood that splattered on Jing and Hou
Both Jing and Hou jumped up and went to assist her but her face was ashen and she was barely breathing Jing wanted to transfer power to her but Hou violently pushed his hand away “I’ll do it!”
Jing knew Hou’s poere stronger so didn’t fight hirandmother’s pressure point to help her spiritand Lan Mu called out “Doctor, doctor!”
The Grand Madam’s personal doctor a lady by the na and Hou’s body and her face changed She fed the Grand Madaradually stabilized
Jing and Hou were both relieved and Hou said “Grandmother, please cancel the ceremony in three days! Your health is et better soon”
The Grand Madam smiled bitterly “I won’t hide it from you two any and Hou were in disbelief and both looked at the doctor
Se Mai Er said “The Grand Madaitated and yelled “No, no! Grandmother has been so healthy these past tens of years, there must be a way to treat her”
The Grand Madaured you would likely itch to do soe the entire Tu Shan clan which shows that I’randson I would have gotten rid of you already But you are ’s ood to you You are the piece of flesh on my heart and I cannot bear to cut you off But I can’t rid you of your ath to keep this fasters, I had Se Mai Er plant a voodoo bug in y these past tens of years? It was all due to the voodoo bug sustaininghad researched a lot about voodoo bugs these years because of Xiao Yao and he ic”
Hou asked “Is there is way to break it?”
Se Mai Er replied “The voodoo bug has backfired today, there is no way left”
Hou anxiously asked “Backfired? What does backfired ic of voodoo is that it allows a person to accoreatest desire, but conversely before death the person will endure the greatest pain of the voodoo bug collecting on it’s equal pay all the insides until the body, soul, and essence is all consu, not even a corpse”
Jing stared at his grandmother and tears carandhed “How could I? Because of you tretches! Even if I endure the most horrific pain and have no corpse left, if I can protect the Tu Shan clan then after I die I will have done my duty to our ancestors and not be asha and she curled up in pain Jing and Hou rushed over to help her
The Grand Madaet out!”
Se Mai Er said to Jing and Hou “The Grand Mada in her life, she doesn’t want anyone to see her like this…if you both respect your elder then please leave now!”
Jing and Hou stared at their grandmother curled up in pain and looked at each other before leaving the roo
“Ahhhhh……Ahhhhhh……” The screaony calared at each other in rage but when they heard their grandony, both closed their eyes in pain Because of the consu her insides
The Grand Mada ony an hour a day now but row longer and her mental acuity will leave her She said earlier that she has at most a year left, but really it’s half a year only”
Xiao Yu started crying “For hundreds of years I’ve taken care of the Grand Madam and seen what she has done for the Tu Shan clan, what she has done for you both If both of you even have a shred of filial piety left in you, then please accept the Grand Madam’s wishes for the sake of the Tu Shan clan When she is lucid let her see the new clan leader ee so that she can die in peace, so that this pain is worth it”
Xiao Yu finished and gestured for the whistle he vaulted on his winged ride and was gone into the air though the sound of his angry howling screa and walked out slowly, step by step until he left the residence and arrived at the base of Qing Qiu Mountain
His winged ride Li Li ca to take hio He thought he could leave Qing Qiu and wander the world just the two of the Qiu
Jing turned back towards Qing Qiu Mountain
The Tu Shan clan residence was built on the side of Qing Qiu Mountain, froenerations of Tu Shan clan leaders have built and expanded on it There were tens of courtyards and when the waning sun shone down on it, it illuminated all the bricks and trees that loith life
He illing to give up everything, but he could not give up his bloodline
The sky turned dark but Jing still stood at the base of the mountain
The sound of thunder reached hi awake and he said to Li Li “To Sheng Nong Mountain!”
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Xiao Yao was already asleep when she akened by the thunder in therain striking the roof tops was an unending battering noise
Xiao Yao listened for a bit and was about to go back to sleep when she suddenly heard a crane call out She put on her robe and opened the door It was pitch black out and the wind and rain was howling
Xiao Yao looked around and then sao figures walking towards her in the darkness
Xiao Yao incredulously asked “Jing? Is that you?”
The figures ca He was soaked through as if just fished out of the water, his hair crown long gone and his hair a mess plastered all over his ashen face
Xiao Xiao said “The guards said so into Zhi Jin Palace but when I arrived and saas Master Jing, he already looked like this His highness hadhim to see the Princess”
Xiao Xiao finished and left quietly
“Jing, you…coed into Sheng Nong Mountain in thehim into her room
Xiao Yao placed him beside the brazier and helped dry his hair She saw his forehead was cut and bruised and she touched it “What happened?”
Jing grabbed Xiao Yao suddenly in a tight e Xiao Yao silently let hi said “Grand has backfired and is consu backfires, there is not much time left to live Xiao Yao was stunned and didn’t kno to co said “Grandmother wants me to assume the clan leader position in three days time I can’t say no anymore”
Xiao Yao said “I understand”
“I had decided that regardless of whether Grand to be with you…but now…I’m sorry!”
“It’s okay, it’s really okay!”
Xiao Yao sighed It wasn’t that she didn’t care but if Jing’s grand selfishly choose to leave the Tu Shan clan to be with her, then he wouldn’t be the Jing that Xiao Yao liked
That night Jing didn’t go back to Qing Qiu
That night, Hou also didn’t go back to Qing Qiu Lan Mu was long used to it and never dared speak a word about it That night she turned into a fox and snuck to check on Fang Feng Yi Yang and saw that she was alsoIn sixty years, it wasn’t the first tione at the saht, not because of Hou not co she shouldn’t know and she was absolutely terrified
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The second day past noon, Jing and Hou both returned to Qing Qiu
The Grand Mada rather healthy and not like so “Did you decide?”
Jing knelt down “Your grandson agrees to assume the clan leader position”
She smiled and turned to Hou “Did you decide?”
Hou knelt down “Your grandson will never vie for the clan leader position”
The Grand Mada to make a blood swear in front of all your ancestors that you will never vie for the clan leader position and never har!”
The Grand Madah of relief and broke into a s away her tears “I didn’t waste allboth bowed their heads and said sirandson has caused you to suffer!”
The Grand Madam said “The elders will handle the cereo to the ancestral shrine to swear a blood vow”
Hou bowed “Yes”
The Grand Madarabbed each by the hand and looked at the happy!”
Jing looked at Hou, since he returned to the Tu Shan clan he’s used all sorts of methods to try and resolve their dispute but Hou never accepted Could Hou really put down his anger and a their grand called out “Older brother!”
Hou stopped and Jing asked “Are you really willing?”
Hou laughed coldly “You’re giving up the freedoive up so didn’t knohat to feel and said “I know you have always known I don’t want to be clan leader Why didn’t you ith o I told you then I didn’t want to be clan leader, and I didn’t hate you If you worked with o”
Hou laughed in derision “I can fight for what I want, I don’t need the high andto toss ive me? Does itup high looking down in pity at soer likebacked up and had nothing to say in response
Hou grabbed Jing’s shoulder in such strength it could shatter Jing “Why don’t you seek revenge? I would rather you sought revenge over looking at you being so fake and pathetically noble Why don’t you hate ly crippled leg, even your woman can’t stand you and doesn’t want you Don’t you hate e!…”
Jing grabbed Hou’s hand “Older brother, I really don’t hate you!”
Hou pushed Jing off “For Grandht to each do what is required of us There is no need to pretend to be close brothers Everyone knows I’m the lowly born son of a h born you”
Jing rubbed his aching shoulders and watched Hou storm off He realized this was it, he could never return to the happy close brothers of the past Perhaps their grande for each brother assu each other, and that was the best result that could be hoped for
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Two days later, the Tu Shan clan held a not very spectacular but still very solemn clan leader initiation ceremony
The Yellow E Families, everyone sent representatives to attend The Grand Emperor send his Eldest Princess and Ru So as his envoys and Xiao Yao secretly thanked her dad for giving her a legiti Qiu and witness the ’s life
Perhaps because all nine-tailed foxes are white so the Tu Shan clan preferred white, the altar was decked out in white and below the altar were jade beams carved in various displays of nine-tailed foxes
Jing wore the most formal attire and first prayed to the Heavens and the ancestors, before thanking the Grand Mada to the altar to accept from the clan elder the nine-tailed fox jade emblem which represented all the Tu Shan clan wealth and power The two elders placed a white nine-tailed fox lined coat around Jing which represented the king of the foxes and the Tu Shan clan being the ruler of the entire fox kingdom
The ceremonial horns sounded and the elders announced the co turned and walked to the edge of the altar to look down on all the Tu Shan clan e white spectral nine-tailed fox suddenly appeared, with nine fluffy tails that danced like dragons in the sky, covering almost the entire air above theic of the nine-tailed fox tribe
Such glorious omen did not always appear in every clan leader initiation cereround in supplication and bowed to Jing Even the Grand Madam kneeled with tears in her eyes and murmured “May the ancestors continue to watch over the clan in future generations”
In the repeated bows and prayers of the Tu Shan clanon the white altar seemed so far away
Xiao Yao felt rather dazed, fro carried the fate of his entire clan on his back! He, was no longer her Ye shi+ Qi
When the banquet began, Xiao Yao started drinking and used the excuse of a headache and tossed all the duties to Ru So and snuck away She followed the mountain path down the hill
The secludedin places, and there was no end in sight It was just like life
Xiao Yao s alone, but life was naturally the journey of an individual and perhaps she was destined to walk her road by herself
The sound of footsteps reached her and Xiao Yao turned around and saw Fang Feng Bei
In a split second her heart soared and beat wildly She had the urge to run away but forced herself to calm down and casually asked “I didn’t see you at the cere Bei s, who else could you see?”
His tone of voice was Fang Feng Bei so Xiao Yao relaxed and aardly explained “Co, it’s not like I should be looking around”
The talked side-by-side along thestepped on illu Bei said “Little sister said Jing didn’t want to be clan leader, and to cancel their engageht in front of the Grand Mada little sister’s personality, she would have found a way to cancel their engage is clan leader, little sister’s years of hard work is finally right at her fingertips She won’t give up now”
Bei looked at Xiao Yao “Seeing hope so close but evaporated into the air, are you upset?”
Xiao Yao replied “Of course I’m a little upset, but perhaps I’ve been disappointed and always getting the short end of the stick since childhood, no s are promised me, I instinctively expect it to be crushed No nant the promise is, I never fully believe in it So I’reater good of the world, what other love in this world could be fully trusted
Fang Feng Bei softly chuckled “Your personality isn’t all that, no matter how happy you always brace for the pain to cohed “That is why I treasure the happiness right beforethat is real”
Fang Feng Bei stopped and asked with a so find happiness?”
“Why not?”
Fang Feng Bei put his fingers in his ed horse came He vaulted on its back and reached out his hand to pull Xiao Yao on the back of the horse in front of hi Qiu Castle and took Xiao Yao to the underground ga den run by the Li Jie tribe
Xiao Yao accepted the dogtheir business right under the Tu Shan clan noses”
Fang Feng Bei smacked her upside the head “Even if you’re not scared of offending the Li Jie tribe, I sure a faced feesture towards Bei and barked twice