Volume 1 Chapter 24 Life and Death Situation

  "Is it worth it?" Xu Wuyan knelt on the ground, supporting Ling Wenqing, and a wave of sympathy rose in his heart.

  "I don't know, I just hate myself for falling in love with my own enemy, I'm so angry!" Ling Wenqing weakly gasped for air, his dark eyes filled with unresolved knots and resentment.

  "You don't love your uncle, it's a distorted and twisted dependence. He has imprisoned you within these high walls, cutting off your free-spirited wings that yearn for the sky. He killed your children, even indirectly harming Hu Zi. You hate him; but in this profit-driven Jun Guo Gong Fu, you are so isolated and helpless, so lonely and desolate. The only one you can depend on is this man who once made you feel a little warmth. He is your only dependence for survival here, you cannot leave him; this dependence makes you think you have fallen in love with your uncle, and that's why you don't want to kill him to avenge Hu Zi and the children."

  "So, I didn't fall in love with your uncle, did I? I didn't wrong Tiger and my child, did I?" Xu Wu Yan's words were like a lifeline, grasped tightly by Ling Wen Qing as if they were the last straw to cling to, seeking comfort for his tormented soul.

  Xu Wuyan looked at the slender and snowy fingers grasping Ling Wenqing's, this frail body had endured how much suffering to become so gaunt and soulless, even needing others' approval for its own emotions. Xu Wuyan's mouth curved into a gentle smile as he nodded lightly, "Yes! You never loved him!"

  "Thank you..." Ling Wenqing's tightly furrowed eyebrows finally relaxed, and her expression calmed down a lot. "Wuyan, you are the most intelligent woman I have ever met in my life, but... sorry, I still left a difficult problem for you." Ling Wenqing pulled out the cherry blossom silver hairpin from her head, her eyes distant and melancholic as she said, "The black-headed viper is our hometown's sacred creature, I won't let them die in a foreign land! Can you cremate me along with them and let us drift away with the wind?" Ling Wenqing's gaze slowly dispersed and dimmed as she spoke.

  "Third Lady! Where is the black-browed viper?" Shao Qian, seeing the situation, couldn't care less that Ling Wenqing was a poisonous person and hastily walked forward to ask anxiously.

  The only response to Shao Qian was the ticking sound of the copper clock in the study, while Ling Wenqing peacefully lost his last breath in Xu Wuyan's arms. Xu Wuyan glanced at Xu Qinghe, who lay on the other side like a fool, and had never felt that someone was as pitiful as him...

  "Silence! We must find the Black-headed Cobra as soon as possible! Do you know where Ling Wenching is hiding it?" Shao Qian thought that such a dangerous creature existed in the capital, and his duty as Minister of Justice made him think only of eliminating the known hidden danger.

  "Shao Qian, we all heard what San Furen said, and she didn't mention the whereabouts of the black-bellied snake, so don't force it out of him!" Fang Zhuo Han saw that Xu Wu Yan's expression was somewhat dazed, as if he had been struck by Ling Wen Qing's words, and didn't want her to receive any more stimulation.

  Xu Wuyan picked up the hairpin that had fallen to the ground, gently laid Ling Wenqing flat on the ground, stood up and looked at Chu Jieyu and Mei Fangqian who were standing in the distance with a look of horror and astonishment. "Aunt, Uncle has not eaten anything for a whole day! You should think of a way to get something for him to eat!"

  Mei Fangqian's body trembled involuntarily as she listened, and she took a few steps back after exchanging a glance with Xu Qing. Chu Jueyu, who was accustomed to seeing big scenes, only had her body slightly trembling, and her lips quivering as she said: "Xuan'er, have the servants prepare some food, and serve Master!"

  Xu Mo Xuan was the one who personally saw Jiao Xiang get injured and Yao Zhi die, so he naturally knew what would happen if he got close to Xu Qing He now. Without answering, he looked at Xu Wu Yan, hoping to find an answer in those clear eyes;

  Xu Wuyan didn't say a word, but instead took step by step towards Chu Jieyu. Not even a bit was Chu Jieyu startled by Xu Wuyan's approach, her face pale and retreating in fear. At a distance of three feet from Chu Jieyu and Xu Moyuan, he stopped, his mouth slightly raised, with an air of sarcasm lingering in the air. "Madam! It's better not to harm innocent people, Madam and Uncle's relationship is deep, it's better not to borrow someone else's hands!" Xu Wuyan suddenly turned towards Mei Fangqian, who was hiding on one side, her body trembling uncontrollably. "What do you say? Second Mistress?"

  Mei Fangqian nodded hastily, looking at the black bloodstains on Xu Wuyan's body. Her legs softened and she fell to the doorstep. "Yes... yes, you're right! You're right!" She said in a flustered tone, repeating herself without even knowing what she was saying anymore.

  Chu Jieyu then coldly glanced at Mei Fangqian, coincidentally meeting Xu Wuyan's clear and transparent gaze, and unconsciously looked away; Xu Wuyan sneered and clenched the silver hairpin in his hand, if he hadn't done anything wrong, why would he be so frightened!

  "Go to Lushan Garden!" Xu Wuyan no longer looked at anyone and strode out.

  Shao Qian and Fang Zhuohan looked at each other, noticing the unusual expressions on Chu Jieyu and Mei Fangqian's faces. They suppressed their doubts and followed them; Xu Moxuan looked at his mother, Xu Wuyan's words and expression just now showed that she had hatred towards her own mother, was it just because of the death of the third madam?

  "Mother! You and the second lady should go back and rest first! I'll handle things here!" Xu Moxuan looked at his biological father lying on the ground, without any expression, then turned to Chu Jieyu.

  Chu Jieyu looked at her son, for the first time feeling a rift between them like an uncrossable chasm that separated her from her own child. She wanted to say something, but didn't know how to start, and all she could do was slowly nod her head.

  At this moment, the fallen cherry blossoms filled the courtyard, under the decoration of several lanterns wrapped in water-blue gauze, as if it were a paradise on earth. Xu Wuyan's footsteps trod on the delicate petals that still emitted a faint fragrance, making a soft rustling sound, dotting the quiet moonlit night of the fallen cherry blossom courtyard. A gust of night wind blew by, and several flower petals fell onto Xu Wuyan's scattered floral water mist green grass pleated skirt, stirring up a hint of sorrow for the already departed master.

  This scene, this beauty fell into the eyes of Shao Qian and Fang Zhuo Han, was so beautiful that it captured people's hearts, moving to the point where one couldn't help but hold their breath and not disturb her. Amidst the blooming cherry blossoms, the beauty lightly moved with lotus steps, wandering aimlessly.

  Xu Wuyan stared at the lanterns that couldn't shine through, but the cherry blossoms fell like flower rain in the deepest part of the Falling Cherry Blossom Garden, step by step towards that mysterious darkness...

  Under the moonlight, a cherry blossom appeared on top of the blue high wall in the depths of the fallen cherry blossom garden, looking especially holy and elegant in the darkness; Xu Wu Yan stared blankly at that cherry blossom, lost in thought, as scenes of getting to know Ling Wen Qing flooded his mind.

  "What is this? How can there be a cherry blossom growing on the wall?" Fang Zhuo Han was shocked by Ling Wen Qing once again, how many more astonishing things did this enchanting woman have that others didn't know about? Just this beautiful and unparalleled Falling Cherry Garden was enough to make countless people pursue it in vain. It's said that people from Nanjiang are often eccentric, it seems the saying is true.

  Shao Qian was carefully looking at the blooming cherry blossom on the wall, thinking about the connection between all things, when suddenly an idea appeared in his mind. He looked at Xu Wuyan with excitement, "Wuyan! I know!"

  Only to see Xu Wu Yan put the silver hairpin in his hand on that cherry blossom, just fitting, a bright moonlight sprinkled on the silver hairpin, forming a white halo on the wall. As the halo continued to expand, crack! The sound of the wall cracking open echoed in the ears of the three people;

  The white light dissipated, and when he could see clearly again, Shao Qian couldn't help but be shocked and pale. "Silent! Be careful!" A cry of alarm, his body subconsciously pounced towards Xu Wuyan who was closest to the wall...