Chapter 38 (2/2)

She put down the hair pin in her hand and pointed to her hair before turning around and lowering her head

Jing picked a long strand and threaded it through her hair

“Done?”

Xiao Yao picked up the h her hair in a half braid like a crescent moon Even the most precious and expensive bauble in the world could not have such rousing scent

Xiao Yao put down the mirror and said “Thank you, not just for the flower but also…for all the trouble I bring you”

Jing lightly flicked Xiao Yao on the forehead “Who said to ether so we have to watch out for each other?”

Xiao Yao lowered her head dejectedly “Jing, whatever shall I do?”

“Do you have the confidence to get the Black Emperor to withdraw his troops?”

Xiao Yao shook her head She knew Zhuan Xu too well, whatever he wanted no one could stop hiht back against Xuan Yuan?”

Xiao Yao shook her head “I only know medicine and poisons, what ability do I have? Plus Ibut I will never help others against Zhuan Xu”

“Xiao Yao, this is between two E you can do”

“But they are the dearest people in my life Shall I just dispassionately watch from the sidelines?”

“You are not dispassionately watching, you are painfully watching”

“Tu Shan Jing!” Xiao Yao glared at him “You have the ht thinking about this?”

Jing pinched Xiao Yao’s cheek “Don’t think of the worst outco is decided yet This ill take ten or twenty years at least Xuan Yuan is not the same as it was before and the Grand Emperor is not like Qi Yi was back then”

The Yellow Emperor called froh the ?”

Xiao Yao was embarrassed and yelled “Breakfast!”

After breakfast Jing left thein a daze in the corridor while the Yellow Emperor paid her no heed

Xiao Yao sat until it was noon when she suddenly got up and grabbed her arrow to go practice archery for two hours After that she was exhausted and crawled into bed and immediately fell asleep

When Zhuan Xu arrived later that night Xiao Yao was still asleep so he dined with the Yellow Emperor and then left

Xiao Yao slept until dawn the nextand told Miao Pu that she wanted to dine in her own court residence today and from now on as well

Every day when Zhuan Xu cary or sad and instead was just like always, chatting and dining with the Yellow E as like Jing expected, it was impossible to see a victor within a short span of time

When Zhuan Xu deployed the troops, he issued a decree to the entire world that no common citizens would be hare but as they got deeper into Gao Xing territory they encountered fierce opposition fro, or Xian’s tens of thousands of top notch troops, everyone was under orders not to hurt the Gao Xing people so their earlier advantage was quickly gone

Zhuan Xu was clearly prepared for a long haul war and ordered Feng Long already so Feng Long did not push his troops deeper and instead settled down in the castle already conquered and got ready toand flooding was expected Feng Long grew up by the water so he knew the devastation of when the flood waters broke through dae instantaneously Under his grandfather’s tutelage he learned how to fortify daht his bestwith the Xuan Yuan soldiers Initially the Gao Xing citizens were resentful and angry but the Xuan Yuan soldiers never hurt or killed people or burned and looted, plus they worked hard and the only difficulty was the language barrier otherwise everyone got along well Seeing the flood season was about to coradually accepted the help of the Xuan Yuan soldiers to protect their ho a steady streae location so the Gao Xing army could not easily win back the taken territory But venturing further South with the humid temperatures caused the Northern Xuan Yuan soldiers to be unaccusto could not easily continue his battle attack Just like that the two sides settled into a stalemate

Xiao Yao avoided Zhuan Xu but could not avoid the war going on in the outside world She knew there was nothing she could do by avoiding hearing about as happening so would ask Jing “Where is Feng Long now, has there been another big battle?”

Jing teased her “If you keep asking about Feng Long then if so a runaway bride and is totally worried about him”

Xiao Yao was so frustrated and a and was about to shut his lips but he kept avoiding her and teasing so is a Great General and his future is unli a clan leader Telldoesn’t have a wife yet so if you regret it then it’s still not too late”

Xiao Yao was so exasperated and yelled “I heard that before the Young Master of Qing Qiu was so quick witted and glib, I just thought they were all beingLong has unlimited potential but because you’re a superscooted next to Xiao Yao “What would uy then? I let you hit me?”

Xiao Yao lifted her head and huffed “I don’t feel like it any stuck his head in front of Xiao Yao “How about hit ain

“Three ti out and Xiao Yao and Jing quickly hed and said “I ca each other”

“Who’s teasing with hiht red as she ran to pour a cup of water to hand to the Yellow Emperor

The Yellow E ’s not around you’re all zoned out but when he’s here then you getand said nothing

As the Su entered its rainy season whichar it meant that the one year memorial for his “dead wife” was now over and based on custo cao out for a walk”

Xiao Yao orking on her medical text notes and said “Sure!”

Xiao Yao followed Jing out of the ed ride and they got on

Xiao Yao laughed “I thought ould stay on Xiao Yue Peak for a walk, so where are you takingas the crane took them deep into the clouds

After some time Xiao Yao saw a peak appear and the crane descended next to a sot off and looked towards the hut in the distance “So took her hand and sat her down “I want to discuss so with you”

Xiao Yao reached down to play with the water and said “Tell me!”

“There is a ballad that says “a beautiful young lady, a gentle man knohat this lyric means and onder about what their future ill be like When I was young I thought she would be a beauty like the moon and flowers, refined and calm, excel at all the arts, not talk too e a household and also run a business so that she can discuss my ith me…”

Xiao Yao coressivelymy bride and asked me what I wanted, I told all of that to her”

Xiao Yao wondered “And yourlaughed “My mom said none of what I wanted was hard to find Other than looks being given by birth, the rest all the ladies in the high fa that is hard to gauge is whether she will really love ht, he wanted a lot but for him it wasn’t hard to find He just wanted someone who could understand and share in his life interests, not requiring that she be as talented and successful as hi continued “But who knew…that I would meet you!”

Xiao Yao scrunched up her nose “What’s wrong withme! I don’t have epic beautiful looks, I’m not refined and demure, I know zilch about the feminine arts, I do kno to poison people to death and can talk a lot I don’t kno to dress e a household or how to socialize for business…”

Jing nodded “Yes, you are all of those things!”

Xiao Yao glared at hi continued “But when I met you hen I realized that when a person fell in love then nothingtenderly sh and can use someone as talkative as you; you’re not refined and demure and constantly want to thwack me, but when you wash entle; you don’t know the arts but I do and I can show them off to entertain you; you can’t e a seamstress and I can buy the talents of the best seamstress around; you don’t know business but I do and I can h to take care of you; with how chatty you are, even in another thousand years on’t run out of things to discuss; you’re not needed to run the household and you hate socializing which is fine by me because I would love to hide you deep inside my residence so that no one can see you and try to snatch you frohter and she stared at Jing

Jing s you’re not an epic beauty You are……” Xiao Yao’s nose twitched and Jing lightly tapped her on the nose “Even if the world was extraordinary it would not hold a candle to your one sht red and she stood up to leave “What’s gotten into you today! Talking about all these randorabbed Xiao Yao’s hand and she suddenly realized a thick fog surrounded the up and soon they were surrounded by thousands and thousands of peach blossoms all around them

Xiao Yao knew this was abut she couldn’t help but reach out to catch a petal

Jing said “This place is where your daddy used to live I brought you here today to ask you in front of your parents – Tu Shan Jing asks for Xi Ling Jiu Yao’s hand in e”

Xiao Yao’s entire body froze

Jing asked “Xiao Yao, will youwere in the secret chaht now she felt so shy and embarrassed and wanted to turn and run away She murrandfather and Zhuan Xu”

“Of course I will ask them but before I do I want to ask you first Xiao Yao, will youpeach blossoms around her, Xiao Yao felt like she could see herat her

“I do!” Xiao Yao tossed Jing’s hand aside and ran into the hut with her face burning up and her heart pounding uncontrollably She looked at herself in the mirror and she was as red as if she drank wine She cupped her face and chided the her in the ht when Zhuan Xu came to Xiao Yue Peak and unexpectedly saw Xiao Yao he was so happy

He nodded at Jing before sitting down next to the Yellow E respectfully bowed to both emperors and said “I want to rant e”

Zhuan Xu’s heart lurched and he stared at Xiao Yao The last ti asked tobut now she kept her head lowered but her face reflected her shy happiness and willingness

Zhuan Xu felt like he was sitting alone on a desolate mountaintop and his body was left there while his soul had floay and was flying through time and space to revisit all the vivid moments from the past——–

His childhood experiences left hi early He could enjoy the pleasures of life but he never once felt his heart truly stir When he was teased about what kind of woman he wanted, he would always reed hi “I will never marry someone else I will marry you and be with you forever!”

When he caht he tossed and turned unable to sleep All he could see was Xiao Yao, when she was small and her now, Xiao Yao as a man and Xiao Yao turned back into a woman It didn’t matter which Xiao Yao, she always made his heart happy and his heart hurt He wasn’t a clueless green boy, he knehat changed in the way he felt about her

But…what could he do? A iven to hiht did he have? One slip and he could be assassinated, what right did he have?

He re Xiao Yao to Jade Mountain and he begged her to leave Xiao Yao with him “I will take care of Xiao Yao, I’m not worried about the hard work” but his Auntie smiled “But you don’t even have the power to take care of yourself, you have even less ability to take care of her Sih!”

He vowed to grow up as quickly as possible so he could go to Jade Mountain and pick Xiao Yao up when he could take care of her But a few hundred years passed and when she returned to his side, he still didn’t have the power to take care of her So he told hiht because you can’t even protect her!

Back then Xiao Yao hadn’t yet fallen for Jing and she was co But because those two ht and ability to pursue her than he did so he took half a step back and also a half step forward to use theet close to Xiao Yao

In Xuan Yuan Castle when they were in constant danger, Jing came to see Xiao Yao but she actually ended it with him and refused to see him

On Xuan Yuan Mountain, it was he who stopped Xiao Yao and asked her to go see Jing He had been shamed countless times before but never felt the shaer and shaht in the rooht he spend in ice cold water that could not wash away the pain in his heart and could not wash away his own sha out but he couldn’t because in front of Cui Liang’s residence it was Xiao Yao who used her body to shi+eld hi and Feng Long’s support and made the most critical decision in his life to abandon Xuan Yuan Mountain for Sheng Nong Mountain When he was pretending to be a drug addicted dissolute, part of hi He really was in such pain and agony and using the drugs to nu up on Xuan Yuan Mountain, he was giving up on his Xiao Yao!

When he got to Sheng Nong Mountain he could see Xiao Yao and Jing’s connection growing closer so he kept telling hi as the two of the else mattered!

That hen Xiao Yao ca Qiu and collapsed in his ar into his heart

Xiao Yao was gravely ill because of Jing and he kept vigil over her every night When he saw her cry in her sleep, he hated the Jing who had Xiao Yao but didn’t cherish her, but he hated himself eventhe Middle Plains and everyone was in a state of anxiety, he stood at the brink of completely success and failure and everyone kept their distance fro

Overnight the Four Great Clans all tossed their support to hi was the most suitable for her, he knew that if it wasn’t for hi even if she was heartbroken over Jing

Feng Long and Xiao Yao’s wedding date was set and even if he felt a stirring beast within that was roaring to corandfather counseled “Xiao Yao just wanted a siive her that then that is what’s best for her”

For Xiao Yao? He tightly controlled the beast within to not let it out

On Xiao Yao’s wedding day, he sat all night in the phoenix tree forest in Xiao Yue Peak watching the phoenix flowers falling all around hi to swing on it had left

He re was the best choice for her while he can keep watch over Xiao Yao for her entire life and ensure Feng Long never mistreated her”

But when news arrived of Xiao Yao running away at her wedding, he felt all the darkness around hi uncontrollably in the phoenix forest

Zhuan Xu looked around with a s and the Yellow Emperor both stared expectantly at hiave his permission and all that was left was his response

Xiao Yao lifted her head and stared at hi with a se with the Xi Ling clan leader and settle this engage’s wary heart settled down and he bowed respectfully before saying in sincerely “Thank you, Yourand Tu Shan clans jointly announced that the Tu Shan clan leader was engaged to Xi Ling Jiu Yao

The news of their engageh the vast wilderness but neither Jing nor Xiao Yao paid any heed

After the engage wanted it as soon as possible and an elder atched Jing grow up laughed “You’ve always been cal said “Othersbut in truth I’ve waited tens of years already”

The elder kne deeply Jing loved Xiao Yao so he stopped teasing and chuckled “Still don’t rush, these things can’t be rushed! The wedding appears to be your second e so can’t be more lavish than your first but can you bear it? Even if you can bear it this old et the ceremony, we also need to remodel the residence and need at least a year Also new furniture for the residence Does Miss Xi Ling want adown and tossing away everything used by that wo undertaking and can’t be rushed, clan leader!”

Jing said nothing because the elder was right, a proper s

The elder continued “Because clan leader cares so , it’sthat is so i nodded “Elder is correct”

The elder laughed “But clan leader need not worry, with our Tu Shan wealth everything will proceed as swiftly as possible so you won’t need to wait too long and will still be very satisfied”

Jing s is that Xiao Yao likes it”

The elder laughed “No worries, I’ll ’s likes and dislikes”

The Yellow E date

Xiao Yao glanced out theat the busy doctors and said “I want to havea wedding date”

The Yellow Emperor reminded her “That will take more than two or three years Are you sure?”

Xiao Yao nodded “The Sheng Nong Herb Manual has been in my possession for the last four hundred years and savedfor it or better said that I want to do so for the Flame Emperor who sacrificed his life to write it The text that he used his entire life to write, I don’t want to it be used by doctors siain fahed “Xiao Yao, you keep saying you’re not like your mom but you are actually just like your mom!”

Xiao Yao furrowed her brows “I’hed “Fine, you’re not like her!”

That night Zhuan Xu came to Xiao Yue Peak and heard Xiao Yao’s decision on the wedding date and se, Xiao Yao realized that her time on Xiao Yue Peak with Zhuan Xu was finite rather than forever With the battle between Xuan Yuan and Gao Xing taking on losses for both sides but Xiao Yao didn’t personally know anyone who died and she didn’t find out the details of the war, she felt it so far re Zhuan Xu

The two of theht Zhuan Xu would co out

The winter passed into sued quickly, before anyone realized it 8 years had passed

Whether it was the Voodoo King or Xiao Yao, no one had discovered the way to break the Lover’s Bug

Xiao Yao was a tad disappointed but not worried since the bug was in her for the last 80 so was very worried and every time she failed to break the voodoo spell he couldn’t conceal his disappoint heart connected isn’t all that inti Liu feels so fro our hearts as one”

Actually Jing wasn’t bothered by the hearts connected, he orried about the life being linked This worry was so he couldn’t discuss with Xiao Yao so he continued to let her assume he was bothered by their emotional ties

One day Xiao Yao left thewith Miao Pu

It was al hos Xiao Yao didn’t even knohy she noticed a very richly dressed lance at her They passed each other by and the man continued on his way Xiao Yao stopped and turned back to look for him

Miao Pu asked quizzically “What did my lady see?”

Xiao Yao stood there in a daze before rushi+ng off after the man but with so many people on the street she couldn’t find hi “What isfor?”

“I…I…I don’t know” Xiao Yao wasn’t trying to lie to Miao Pu, she really didn’t know

She aiive up when she saw a closed door in a dark alleyith the Li Jie tribe underground casino logo

Xiao Yao walked up and knocked on the door

“My lady wants to ga”

The gauard was about to shoo theuard respectfully handed the faced masks and welco den so there weren’t a lot of people in the den yet Xiao Yao wandered the entire place before grabbing a drink and sitting down in the corner Miao Pu could tell Xiao Yao had so on her mind so didn’t bother her and quickly stood beside her

As night fell the gaot busier asfor who know’s how long, Xiao Yao saw the richly dressedthe nized hih ht up to hilass wall that the Li Jie tribe must have enchanted because on the other side was a constellation filled with shooting stars

The , do you want so?:

Xiao Yao asked “You don’t know me?”

“Should I know you?”

Xiao Yao took off her“If I know you then I wouldn’t forget you! Sorry!” He turned to leave but Xiao Yao grabbed hi!”

The man wanted to shake Xiao Yao off but she was like a squid clinging onto hiot annoyed “If you don’t let go then I’ polite!”

“Go ahead! If I hurt then you’re not going to feel good either!”

The richly dressedaround With the starry sky behind hie

Xiao Yao stared at hi up her eyes

Xiang Liu wearily asked “Miss Xi Ling, what do you want?”

“I…I…” Xiao Yao actually didn’t knohat she wanted so she got tongue-tied She finally said “Helpspell and you can pick your price!”

Xiang Liu s said the exact sa?”

“More accurate to say Tu Shan Jing asked to see me to discuss business”

Xiao Yao understood now, Jing saw that she couldn’t break the spell so went directly to Xiang Liu to discuss ter’s offer?”

“His offer was te and I veryto break the voodoo spell, I really don’t kno!”

“You’re lying! Back then you broke it from Zhuan Xu and moved it over to you How cohed loudly and shook his head “You need to ask Tu Shan Jing to teach you how to conduct business Doing business isn’t picking a fight, especially when you have so you want from the other person You can’t just accuse the other person, what you want is for me to help you and not for lared at Xiang Liu “But you’re clearly lying!”

“Do you think I would say such a la is much smarter than you and he asked why I was able to break the spell before but not now?”

“Why?”

“The voodoo bugs are living creatures! Back then is not the saer to death but can’t you win a fight with a thousand year old tiger desensation that he wasn’t telling her the whole truth She slowly said “I can’t, but that doesn’t mean you can’t?”

“If you don’t believe“Did you co?”

“If you didn’t stop me then I would have left already”

Xiao Yao suddenly realized that she was still holding on tightly to Xiang Liu’s ar? Still in the ga Liu s corridor “He’s been behind you this whole ti walked forward and took Xiao Yao’s hand in his hand

Xiao Yao wanted to warn Xiang Liu to be careful and leave as soon as possible but now she couldn’t say those words so relanced at Xiao Yao and Jing’s joined hands before s “Farewell!” He turned and vanished into the darkness

Jing said to Xiao Yao “I finished discussingLiu and was about to part hen I saw you were here so followed you while directing Miao Pu elsewhere”

Xiao Yao didn’t want to discuss Xiang Liu any’s hand with a so, I haven’t had dinner yet!”

The two held hands and walked together and Xiao Yao said “Don’t worry about the voodoo bug The boat rights itself at the end and it’ll be solved eventually”

“Okay!” Jing said yes but he was still worried The only comfort was how close Zhuan Xu ith Xiao Yao When the day arrived, Jing hoped that Zhuan Xu would hold back the killing bloards Xiang Liu for Xiao Yao’s sake