A dream that lasts for a thousand autumns

  The other world.

  Under the flying eaves of the Dou Gong, inside the magnificent and luxurious Ji Le Temple, music and dance rose to a crescendo, as Daji leaned against King Zhou's chest.

  This Blissful Hall is at the top of the Deer Platform, level with the surrounding towering peaks, surrounded by white clouds and misty haze, without seeing ordinary birds and sparrows, but a group of auspicious cranes flying around the platform, making this mortal world's strange and wonderful place even more ethereal. The surroundings of the Blissful Hall do not see evil rocks or twisted trees, only willows and green bamboos planted according to the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams, with fragrant flowers and grasses under the trees, and butterflies dancing in rows. What is even more strange is that pool of spring water, rising from the ground, also rises into the clouds along with the Deer Platform, eliminating so much trouble of carrying water up from below.

  The music and dance stopped, a swordsman stepped onto the grand hall, wielding a precious sword that danced with cold light, almost invisible in shape.

  King Zhou's eyes lit up as he watched, this swordsman's swordsmanship was truly remarkable, not at all like the ordinary ones that were usually recommended. Daji, on the other hand, found it uninteresting and only observed seriously because King Zhou liked it. Gradually, Daji also saw something extraordinary, every sword move seemed to be in harmony with heaven and earth, every action seemed to be like the movement of wind, thunder, and clouds. The swordsman's heart was filled with intense killing intent, but he condensed it without revealing any external signs, only causing the sword tip to quiver into a flower-like pattern woven from cold light. Just one glance made her whole body feel chilled, her limbs numb and weak.

  "What a heavy killing intent!"

  Daji pouted and said, but King Zhou was not angry, instead he was delighted, and tightly hugged Daji who was in his arms.

  "It is necessary to have this kind of murderous spirit, so that those obstinate and ignorant barbarians can know the severity of my power! Hmph, these inferior people, all emerged from under me, actually dared to slander my beloved concubine, and plotted rebellion, if I don't eliminate them, how can I vent my hatred?"

  "But Your Majesty, if you kill them all, then whose king will you be?"

  King Zhou fell silent for a moment, with past events flashing through his mind. But as the swordsmen in the palace let out a chilling cry filled with murderous intent, his brief moment of benevolence sank back into a sea of desire.

  "I would rather have the whole world turn into white bones than let one person defy my will!"

  "But, Your Majesty, I only need one carriage to travel, one chopstick to eat, and one mat to sit and sleep. What use is the reverence of all under heaven? As long as you love me, that's enough."

  Daji let out a soft sigh and leaned into King Zhou's chest, muttering in a voice that was barely audible.

  "We had never met before, yet I've lost my soul; three thousand drowning for your sake."

  "Your Majesty, is our humble abode really this good?"

  "Hmm, of course, this world is just a fleeting cloud, only the beloved concubine is the most real thing by my side."

  "But Your Majesty, don't you blame the members of our clan for rebelling and causing chaos?"

  King Zhou's heart was filled with intense hatred as he gazed at the rebellious ministers and treacherous sons surrounding Lu Tai. Their faces were like demons and ghosts. The leader was none other than Daji's cousin, whose bloodshot eyes stared intensely at him. King Zhou gripped his sword hilt tightly, wishing he could devour their flesh alive.

  "Your Majesty? Your Majesty?"

  Daji's cry awakened King Zhou, who looked around and saw that on the Lu Tai, in the Temple of Supreme Joy, inside and out, there were only about a hundred loyal soldiers, while opposite them were thousands of people, and below the Lu Tai were tens of thousands more, densely packed as far as the eye could see. They had come to overthrow King Zhou, but also to catch a glimpse of Daji, who had brought shame to the entire land.

  "You scoundrel, you tyrannical ruler! Hand over Daji and I'll spare your life!"

  "Foolish fantasy, I would rather die myself than hand over Daji! Moreover, Heaven protects me, how can you treacherous officials and traitors harm me at will? Heaven will surely punish you treacherous officials to the underworld!"

  From all directions, earth-shaking jeers suddenly rang out. These people who usually trembled with fear at the sight of King Zhou were now laughing, their faces flushed with joy, as if they had encountered the most ridiculous thing in the world. King Zhou's face turned dark and his fingers on the hilt of his sword turned white with rage.

  That morning, the sun shone in from outside the Temple of Supreme Bliss as usual, with auspicious rays everywhere. But after that day, it was unknown whose blessing it would become evidence for again. Those cranes scattered and escaped, not because they had a magical ability to avoid disaster, but because their trainers were chopped into meat patties by the righteous army, their masters were killed, and without control, they all fled for their lives. For a time, feathers flew outside the Temple of Supreme Bliss like snow, each crane worth 500 taels of silver, every feather also valuable. This sky full of feathers was like a rain of money.

  King Zhou's mouth twitched slightly at the corner, and this detail was noticed by Daji's cousin.

  "As long as you hand over Daji, we will still respect you as king, enjoy the honor of the nine tripods, and still be able to command the world."

  Daji's brother-in-law gazed straight into the eyes of Zhou Wang in the Temple of Supreme Bliss, as if he had already seen through his heart.

  "Why should I trust you?"

  King Zhou's words made Daji's face turn pale, while her brother-in-law revealed a hint of a smile.

  Under the heavens, who does not love the mountains and rivers? Who can remain unmoved under the turbulent sky of power? Moreover, King Zhou has been on that throne for so many years, the taste of being above all people, how can it be abandoned just by saying so?

  Everyone can't escape from being greedy.

  "As long as you hand over that wicked woman who brings disaster to the country and its people, this world will still be yours, Great King. We are willing to atone for our sins today and serve as your guardians of the four directions!"

  King Zhou was still hesitating, pacing back and forth inside the Temple of Supreme Joy.

  "My queen..."

  King Zhou wanted to speak but stopped, and Daji had already shed tears in streams.

  "I bid farewell to Your Majesty!"

  Daji knelt before King Zhou, her tearful eyes gazing deeply at this robust man, wanting to hold him in her heart. Yet, a thread of resentment had already formed within that heart.

  Daji hid a short sword in her sleeve and walked quickly towards her cousin, having already made up her mind to die. Her cousin's eyes were shining with excitement at this moment, while the men around him had a disgusting look of lust on their faces.

  "Four steps, three steps, two steps..."

  Daji was secretly plotting in her heart, she wanted to kill her sworn brother, although they had also been close and loved each other.

  "Ah!"

  Her brother-in-law suddenly had a flustered expression and dodged to the side, while Da Ji heard the sound of something tearing through the air. Her body involuntarily took a big step forward, and then she ran two more steps before stabilizing. Da Ji looked confused, because she saw a sword blade protruding from her chest, and the floral pattern on the sword looked so familiar. Blood was gushing out along the strange pattern on the sword, making a sound like tearing fabric.

  Daji finally realized that this sword was Zhou's. She held the short sword with difficulty, wanting to turn her head back, but slumped down diagonally.

  King Zhou's eyes had no lingering attachment, so indifferent, without a hint of emotion.

  "It's all my fault!"

  Daji spoke in a voice that only she could hear, saying she wanted to laugh, but all that came out were tears overflowing from her eyes.

  "Daji, you can't die! Quickly tell me where King Zhou hid all his treasures?"

  Her brother's hoarse voice shouted in Ta Ji's ear, but Ta Ji's eyes were still looking in the direction of Zhou Wang. Two rows of tears fell onto her brother's hand, scalding him to the point where he almost withdrew his hand.

  "It turns out that everything in the past was just my illusion, those loves, those poems, those words of affection still echoing in my ears, were all fake. King Zhou, it's only now that I see your true face! And that ridiculous cousin, who admired my looks and used me to climb up the social ladder, it turns out I was just a pawn, he only wanted money! Why didn't I see through it at all? I hate him!"

  Daji's eyes closed, as if unwilling to look at this filthy world again. However, she did not see the last scene of King Zhou throwing himself into the sea of fire, nor did she hear King Zhou's calm or frantic cries in the sea of fire.

  Under this sky, there will always be new kings and queens, as well as that intertwined **.

  Now

  Gao Yun suddenly opened her eyes and saw Daji's face in the mirror, feeling a little confused, then remembered many things.

  "So I'm Daji after all!"

  On the dresser, there was a completed marriage application form. Gao Yun picked it up and took a closer look. In the column for "husband", it was written "Shi Li". For a moment, Gao Yun felt dizzy, as if she saw the face of Xiang Yu, but without the murderous aura, with softer edges.

  "Huh? When did you get up? We'll be going to register soon, aren't you a bit nervous?"

  Shi Li's face was hanging with a mischievous smile as he stood in front of Gao Qian.

  It's really the Emperor of Qin! Gao Xuan felt a sharp pain in her chest, she opened her mouth to say something, but tears rolled down first. Shi Li hurriedly sat down beside Gao Xuan and wiped away the tears on her face.

  "Look at you, you're about to get married and still like to cry so much."

  Shi Li gently brushed against Qiu Xiu's nose with her lips, leaving a fleeting kiss on her face.

  "We had never met before, but our spirits have already disappeared."

  Shi Li was about to leave when Gao Xuan suddenly recited a line of poetry.

  "Drown in three thousand feet of water for you."

  History does not think twice about the next sentence, then a face of confusion. This poem is like being printed in the depths of the mind, but when thinking carefully, there is no impression at all.

  At this moment, Gao Xuan sat in front of the dressing table in the sunlight, and her whole body was bathed in dazzling light. After Shi Li finished reciting the poem, she stood up and walked towards a brighter place, as if she had emerged from a cocoon. Shi Li stared blankly for a while, but didn't notice that Gao Xuan's face was already covered with tears in the bright light.

  The Civil Affairs Bureau Marriage Registration Office, there are always people lining up in front of the office, and many couples get married on auspicious days, so it's hard to get a spot.

  Gao Yun stood by, lost in thought, occasionally glancing at Shi Li beside her. He had a look of happiness on his face, and that happiness was so real, without any pretence. Gao Yun began to doubt her own past life, which seemed like a dream, and the reincarnated love that spanned thousands of years. How could it be such a coincidence? How could he still look exactly the same after thousands of years, even with the same smile at the corner of his mouth?

  Next in line were Gao Jie and Shi Li, who would also become formally recognized as husband and wife under the law.

  Gao Yun and Shi Li didn't plan to have a wedding banquet, and both families agreed with the children's decision. Although marriage is a big deal for a lifetime, those who have experienced it know that it's just that one thing. Moreover, Gao Yun and Shi Li had already been living together, and the two elderly people had met and had tea together, and they also visited each other during Chinese New Year, which has been going on for almost four years. The three-year itch couldn't even break them up, and people who knew them and their friends all thought it was really strange that they hadn't registered yet. After Gao Yun unexpectedly became pregnant, they unanimously decided to have the child, and getting married was just a matter of getting a certificate to make having children more convenient.

  The people in front have gone in, and as long as they wait for another ten or so minutes, they can get their marriage certificate.

  Just then, Shi Li's mobile phone rang.

  Gao Yun's heart suddenly ached for no reason, as if she had experienced this moment before, but trying to recall it was futile. Shi Li answered the phone and got up to walk outside, winking at Gao Yun as he left, indicating that he would be back soon. Gao Yun opened her mouth several times, but nothing came out, and deep down, she felt a sharp pain, as if Shi Li's departure this time meant he would never return.

  Ten minutes later, Shi Li returned with a gloomy face, while Gao Xuan missed the marriage registration because Shi Li was not there.

  "We missed..."

  "That was Wang Nian's call just now, don't you want to know what he said?"

  His face was gloomy, like the last moment before a storm broke out.

  "Is this man really worth entrusting one's life to?"

  Gao Yun wanted to argue, but hesitated for a moment. She and Wang Nian indeed had some unclear things between them, but wasn't it all because of Shi Li's repeated requests that Gao Yun joined Qifeng Entrepreneurship? Gao Yun felt bitter and wanted to laugh, but tears flowed down first. Shi Li didn't stay, taking big strides away from the Civil Affairs Bureau marriage registration office.

  It's been a chaotic day, extremely chaotic.

  "You say, in what way am I inferior to him? Does he have more money than me? Does he have more power than me? Why did you choose him over me? Wasn't I good enough for you? I can give you the entire company, even transfer it under your name, isn't that loving you?"

  Gao Xuan's eyes were cold as he stared at Wang Nian, this person was actually the reincarnation of Daji's cousin, with the same greed and face, it was as if he had changed into a new costume and reappeared on stage.

  The board meeting has ended, and as the financial director, Gao Yun received doubts from small shareholders because several measures proposed by Gao Yun would clearly expose Qifeng Chuangye's financial situation to public view. Although the houses built by Qifeng Chuangye are all people-oriented projects, their exorbitant profits are still somewhat shocking. In order to maintain the company's image and follow the unwritten rules of the entire real estate industry, the board of directors believed that someone as overly kind as Gao Yun should be eliminated. However, under Wang Nian's intervention, the proposal to remove Gao Yun was vetoed.

  Afterwards, Gao Yun asked Wang Nian what he had said to Shi Li, and as a result, Wang Nian became very excited and jumped around.

  Gao Xuan couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous this situation was.

  "This is what I bought for you. I hope you can marry me, because only I can bring you happiness and give you everything you want, this is my oath to live."

  Wang Nian suddenly pulled out a delicate jewelry box from his pocket, pretending to be casual as he handed it over, but his eyes were fixed on Gao Juan's reaction. As a result, Gao Juan was completely unresponsive, and Wang Nian had no choice but to open the jewelry box himself, revealing a colorful diamond ring lying quietly inside. A faint cold smile spread across Gao Juan's lips, still unmoved.

  "If I weren't pretty, if I hadn't found out about your embezzlement, if my boyfriend wasn't a police officer, if I had no value to you at all, ask yourself, would you still love me? Would you still promise to marry me with such conviction? I'm already doing you a favor by helping with the accounts and working for your company, which is already an insult to my husband. Do you think I'm like those other girls who only care about money? Do you think I'm that cheap? Although I'm not pure either, I will never be dirty! Take away your stinky hands! And your colored stones too! Today I'll tell you straight out, I despise the kind of person you are, so just give up on me!"

  Wang Nian stared blankly at Gao Yun's sudden outburst, momentarily unable to react.

  "I despise people like you the most, who think that just because they have money, they can buy everything. Do you know what those colorful stones in your hand are also called? I doubt it, just like you don't know that for people who live by their labor, it takes 30 or 40 years of work to afford a house of 60 or 70 square meters! Remember this, the diamond in your hand is also called a blood diamond, and every single one of them is stained with several, even dozens of lives! I'd rather wear fake crystal from street vendors than wear that thing, it would give me nightmares and make me feel dirty!"

  The sky outside the window has long been dark, and it is the moment when evil awakens.

  Wang Nian woke up from the humiliation of Gao Qiong, his face was pale, he calmly lit a Cuban cigar, puffed out a few mouthfuls of fragrant smoke, and stared at Gao Qiong's face through the smoke. That face was still delicate, but suddenly became hateful.

  Gao Yun wanted to leave, but was caught by Wang Nian, who grabbed her arm and pressed her down on the conference table.

  At this moment, Wang Nian revealed his true face.

  "You think being a bit prettier makes you nobler and cleaner than other women? Bullshit! It's still the same, just using money to get by! Now I can get by without using money, do you have any opinions? Your self-righteous dignity is not even worth a pile of dog shit in my eyes! Forgive me, I've spoken crudely again, this is very unrefined."

  Wang Nian stopped, got up from Gao Qian's body, adjusted his tie, and thought for a while. Suddenly, he punched Gao Qian, who had not yet recovered from the shock, and kicked her several times in the ribs.

  "Forgive me, I'm just a rough man, only knowing how to fight and kill. Now I don't like you anymore, you're just a toy, do you understand? I've played with you enough, now go die!"

  Wang Nian made a phone call and two security guards came in, dragging away Gao Qian who was groaning in pain.

  Have you ever been in love? No, those were just illusions.

  Tears flowed continuously in Gao Xuan's eyes, transcending time and space, a thousand autumns had passed, but everything in the cycle of reincarnation remained unchanged. Those resentments, those hatreds, and those weak loves that withered in the face of reality, all flowed through Gao Xuan's heart, like poison seeping into her flesh and blood.

  The night had grown deep, and Gao Yun looked on in despair as the car came crashing down on her once again. The intense pain made her wish she were dead, yet somehow she couldn't faint, as if a string in her mind was stretched taut, forcing her to savor every last bit of this taste of death.

  Looking out from the bed, I couldn't see the sky, the windows were nailed shut with thick wooden boards.

  Gao Xuan stretched her neck, trying to lift it a bit higher, just to see the scenery through the gap between the wooden boards, take a look at that sparrow that had been chirping outside the window for days, but it was in vain. The room inside was pitch black, dusty all over the floor, and the air was filled with a pungent stench, as if there was a corpse rotting somewhere.

  There was no corpse in the house, only Gao Yun's high paraplegia.

  After being beaten and run over by a car, Gao Qiong miraculously survived, but was left paralyzed from the neck down, with only her head able to move. Wang Nian was surprised that this woman was still alive, but did not send anyone to finish her off again. It's already like this, no different from being dead.

  The treatment cost a lot of money, and Shili had no choice but to take on multiple part-time jobs, but it was still not enough.

  Two years after the incident, Gao Juan was finally discharged from the hospital and moved into a dilapidated small courtyard. At first, Shi Li came to visit her every day, but as time went by, he came less and less often. The nanny they hired was rough in manner, with an unpleasant appearance, and had a fondness for painting her eyebrows and eyes. Every week, she would go on one or two blind dates, and each time she returned, it would become Gao Juan's nightmare.

  Gao Xuan lay on the bed, quietly thinking about those past and present things, love or hate, and her own tragic life. Why did the wounded never change? Perhaps women were born to live for love, like moths flying into flames, knowing it was death but still having no regrets.

  But this love is hypocritical beyond compare.

  It's been a month since Shi Li last came, and the nanny hasn't shown up for two days either. The courtyard inside and out is quiet and still.

  Gao Yan had a sudden thought that maybe she was the only person left in this world, and she couldn't even move, waiting for death in such loneliness. Gao Yan's throat was parched, two days without food or water made her extremely weak. The nanny had gone to another blind date, before leaving, she maliciously put Gao Yan's fingers in her mouth, sneering that if she was hungry, she could start by gnawing on her own fingers. Who would have thought, the nanny didn't come back. Maybe she met someone with unique taste at the blind date, or something unexpected happened on the way, otherwise she wouldn't be gone for two days.

  On the fourth day, the nanny still hadn't returned.

  The sparrows outside the window seemed to have increased in number, chirping non-stop. Gao Juan couldn't remember how many times she had shouted for help, but this remote place was deserted. Suddenly, a car approached from afar, and Gao Juan wanted to shout loudly, but all that came out of her mouth was a hoarse gasp, she could no longer produce any sound. The car drove away, and Gao Juan moved her dry eyes, unable to squeeze out even a single tear.

  Her fingers still weakly rested on her lips, the pose the nanny had put her in made it impossible for her to avoid her own hand. Gao Yun licked those few fingers again, unconscious, but a wave of meaty flavor spread across her tongue tip. Hunger made her dizzy, everything distorted and blurred. At some point, those few fingers were bitten through, blood flowed into her mouth, slid over her tongue tip, and suddenly woke Gao Yun up, she sucked greedily without care, only realizing after a long time that these were her own fingers. Tears quietly rolled down, so this was the taste of being alive, Gao Yun viciously gnawed on her own fingers, letting blood stain her cheeks.

  Gao Yan finally felt the long-lost pain, sharp as a needle, hatred like the sea.

  "It's like this, it's just like this. Shi Li and Wang Nian, I will remember everything you have given me, and be reborn with resentment!"

  One moment is life, love and hate intertwined; the next moment is death, silent and soundless.

  Time is illusory, life and death are cyclical, no one knows its secrets.

  "Am I alive again?"

  Gao Yun dared not open her eyes, fearing that she was still lying on the bed covered with corpse liquid. She made an effort to smell a few times, and there was a stench in the air, but it was definitely not a foul odor. Gao Yun hesitated for a long time before opening her eyes, and the first face she saw was Gao Tian's twisted face. Gao Yun remembered this man, he was Wang Nian's thug.

  "Open your eyes! Open your eyes! Haha, quickly call the master!"

  Gao Xuan frowned at the ugly face in front of her, thought for a moment, and suddenly kicked him away. The world was quiet again.

  As she turned around again, another face appeared in front of Gao Yun's eyes. It was Yang Ming, another man who tried to buy her heart with money. Gao Yun furrowed her brow and remained silent, secretly thinking to herself: Had she really woken up? Was everything she experienced just now real? Why did she always feel that something was off?

  "It's you! I've succeeded after all!"

  Yang Ming's words made Gao Qian's eyes flash with cold light, and she realized that there was indeed a problem here.

  "I, I am your master! It was I who rescued you from hell, it was I who gave you a second life, it was I..."

  "Are you messing with my head? Idiot, don't you know that 'drowning in three thousand' is a Buddhist phrase? Buddhism wasn't even introduced to China until the Han Dynasty, so where did this term come from during the Shang Dynasty? And besides, King Zhou was clever and quick-witted, how could he have written such terrible things? And I remember your face, you're the one who ran me over with your car."

  Yang Ming blinked his eyes and stared at Xiao Wu's ghost in disbelief. She still had judgment?

  "How... did I end up creating a wise oni? What's wrong with this world?"

  Yang Ming's sigh had not yet ended when he was kicked out of the door by Gao Qian, colliding with Gao Tian who had just woken up, and both people fainted together.