Chapter 110 I’m Sorry, Qianwu

Without knowing their trouble, Shui Yinzhu held Wu Chen’s hand and walked towards the Xiyan Palace. Her small hand was cold, while his large hand was just the opposite. As it started to get cool in Autumn, the large hand kept her small hand warm as usual. The two of them sat under the phoenix tree, chanted sutra, and stared at the air. Life was peaceful and cozy. When the sun got dazzling in the afternoon, they headed to the bedroom of the Xiyan Palace to have a nap. If Shui Yinzhu knew what would happen, she would never step into that room with Wu Chen. But life is unpredictable. There was no chance for the monk to run away. Even if they avoided it this time, there would be next time. It was just a matter of time. They opened the door. Wu Chen and Shui Yinzhu got into the room, and the door was immediately closed from outside. The emperor, Yun Su, was sitting beside the bed. Clearly, he had been waiting for them as a group of guards served beside him. “Sister Xi, I’ve indulged you for so much time. You should return to me now.” As this gentleman look-alike spoke, he walked towards Shui Yinzhu when she was hiding behind Wu Chen. He carried her away in his arms regardless of how reluctant she was. The two guards beside him held Wu Chen just in case he fought back. “Yun Su, what are you doing again?” Shui Yinzhu panicked. Was this coming real, the thing that she had been worrying about all this time? As Wu Chen struggled against the guards calling “Yinzhu”, she was too desperate to concern about Yun Su’s feelings anymore, who was holding her. She said, “Yun Su, leave him alone. He has nothing to do with this.” “Does that sound possible? Sister Xi, he has so much influence on you.” “What do you mean by that, Yun Su?” She was intimidated. “Sister Xi, why haven’t you recovered after all this time?” Yun Su lifted her head and threw his question as he looked into her eyes. “Just like the imperial physicians said, the illness hurt the essence of my body...” Even though she was extremely flustered, there was no fear in Shui Yinzhu’s eyes. She was no longer the kind of girl that could be startled easily. But Yun Su put an end to her lie and said, “Sister Xi, you are such a genius with exploiting human nature. You manipulated the imperial physicians, the palace maids, and the eunuchs to poison yourself so that you could save his life. Do you think I should keep him alive or not?” Wu Chen couldn’t believe what he had just heard. He asked Shui Yinzhu anxiously, “Is he telling the truth? Yinzhu, tell me, is it the truth?” Shui Yinzhu left the question unanswered. She was upset but kept trying to stay calm. She understood that the emperor had his source, and there wouldn’t be any use denying that. So she asked, “How did you know that?” She didn’t deny his words, and that could be considered as a positive answer. Wu Chen found it so hard to accept the truth that Shui Yinzhu had been hurting her own health to save him. No wonder it took her so long to recover. “Yinzhu, you shouldn’t have done that. You really shouldn’t...” But his words couldn’t change what had happened already. Nor could they change Yun Su’s decision upon this. Yun Su was beyond angry. But he still kept that kind look. “Sister Xi, if it takes so long for you to recover, of course, I should investigate into it.” As he picked up a lock of her hair and smelled, his face looked more affectionate, and his voice softened, “Someone, beat this licentious monk to death.” “No, wait. Please let him go. Don’t kill him. I’ll do whatever you want. Please. I won’t meet him ever again, and I won’t take any medicine myself. Please don’t. Please...” Shui Yinzhu struggled so hard and begged Yun Su. But no matter how hard she tried to beg him, the emperor remained indifferent. He couldn’t stand the monk anymore. As the monk was clubbed by the guards, Shui Yinzhu felt the pain in her heart. But no matter how painful it was, Wu Chen tried his best not to cry out. Even though he bit his lips so hard that they started bleeding, the monk wouldn’t let Shui Yinzhu feel sad about him again. Maybe this was his karma. Since Feng Qianwu had become a monk and changed his name to Wu Chen, he was no longer supposed to be bound by human relationships. Even though he never did anything breaking the precept physically, his heart no longer belonged to the Buddha. Shui Yinzhu was the reason for his broken family. If his death could atone for her crime, he would be willing to die. All he hoped was that she no longer had to suffer. He would be dead. But at least Xuan Zhi stayed alive and would come for her sooner or later. After his death, she didn’t need to worry about his fate every day and poison herself to save his life. No one would use his death to threaten her ever again. Even though Wu Chen would loathe seeing her turning back to the cold-hearted person she used to be, Shui Yinzhu would have to get back on her feet by herself in this cruel palace. Wu Chen murmured in his heart, “Farewell, Yinzhu.” He didn’t make a single sound until passing out. The clubs gradually took this young man’s life, one hit after another. No matter how loud Shui Yinzhu cried for him, she was still not able to preserve his life. Wu Chen finally lied on the ground and no longer moved. As he had confirmed Wu Chen was dying soon, Yun Su let go of Shui Yinzhu and left the room with his men. Yun Su didn’t feel worried about Shui Yinzhu committing suicide again. He could tell that Wu Chen was no match for Xuan Zhi in her heart. But that, too, made up much of a reason why he hated this. Shui Yinzhu was poisoning herself for a man she didn’t even love. But she wouldn’t even look at Yun Su. The freed girl ran up and held Wu Chen in her arms. The back of the monk was covered in blood, staining her white dress. Shui Yinzhu cried helplessly and said, “I’m sorry, Qianwu. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Qian Wu...” Wu Chen struggled to open up his eyes, breathing feebly. Using all his strength, he raised his right hand and wiped the tears in Shui Yinzhu’s eyes. But he couldn’t wipe them all up as more tears dropped from her eyes. He stopped wiping, and his hand fell. The monk looked deeply into those red, teary eyes and said disjointedly, “Yin Zhu... Stop crying, and don’t try to avenge me. I’m glad to see your sincere tears for my death... You are not alone. Xuan Zhi will come and pick you up... Find somewhere... far away from this cruel palace... and get a real life...” “I’m sorry, Qianwu. I’m sorry, Qian Wu. I’m so sorry, Qian Wu. I’m sorry, Qianwu. I’m sorry,” as more tears dropped from her eyes, she kept repeating the same sentence because she couldn’t think of any other words. Shui Yinzhu didn’t love Feng Qianwu, but she owed him so much. And after his death, her debt only increased to this man who brought her hope in her deepest despair. He saved her life twice and rescued Xuan Zhi from death. If it weren’t for her, Feng Qianwu’s family wouldn’t be broken. If it weren’t for her, he would still be the handsome Second Young Master of the Fengs. If it weren’t for her, he wouldn’t die even after becoming a monk... “Yin Zhu, I’m running out of time... I don’t regret...loving you.” As he saw her guilty, Wu Chen closed his eyes where there was always a reflection of the girl he loved. He passed away peacefully like he had cleansed all her sins. Shui Yinzhu held tightly to the cold body whose heart no longer beat. Tears covered her face until she cried them all out. She repeatedly said, “I’m sorry, Qianwu.” Looking from afar, the girl became part of a weird and poignant picture. A beautiful girl wore a white dress, the middle of which had been stained with blood as if plum blossoms fell on the snow. She had a simple hairpin with two pearls on her bun, sitting on the ground. Held in her arms was a motionless handsome monk in white clothes. Time was frozen at that moment as if it was no longer moving forward. The bedroom door was opened again, yet the weird picture inside that room remained the same. Yun Su, the emperor, stood at the door. He was carrying a boy killed with a sword. There were freckles on the boy’s face, but blood was flowing out of his wound. Yun Su threw the dead body of the young adult towards Shui Yinzhu. He was the boy that ran into her in the Imperial Garden earlier today. Shui Yinzhu’s heart had grown numb. It wouldn’t ache for an unknown stranger. She pitied him, but that was as far as she could go. Shui Yinzhu only cast a glance at the boy, then she touched the face of Wu Chen for the last time. She vowed inwardly, “Qianwu, thank you for what you’ve done for me. Please rest in peace. I will avenge you.” She shut her eyes for a few seconds and opened them. The woman without emotions returned. She no longer looked innocent. The chilling aura appeared in its stead as if winter had come earlier. The frigidity was mixed in that soft voice. Shui Yinzhu spoke to Yun Su ironically and slowly, with each syllable stressed, “Yun Su, are you killing anyone that I smile at?” “He wasn’t supposed to get attracted by your smile.” “Okay. That means you are killing anyone attracted by me.” “Sister Xi, for this life, the afterlife, and the life after that, you belong to me only. No one is allowed to stare at you.” “Yun Su, I wish I had never met you if possible,” she spoke with glamor in her voice. Shui Yinzhu gradually turned to a succubus as her expression turned alluring. “But I would love to meet you. Sister Xi, will you please not look at any other men in the future? Stay with me and be my own girl, will you?” “Yeah? Then you can have me by your side.” Shui Yinzhu said as she silently added one more sentence to her words that she would stay to watch him lose everything and die. Irony flashed across her charming eyes, with no one being able to notice it. “Did you just agree? Did you? Sister Xi, do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this moment? You are finally willing to stay with me.” The young emperor was so excited as he finally got approved by his beloved girl. “Yes.” That smile only appeared to be more attractive. She blended a sliver of purposeful innocence in it. Her white dress stained by blood looked oddly beautiful. Combined with the charm of innocence and glamor, she was only more exquisitely dainty. All her charms got mixed, and it would be impossible for any man to turn that down once he felt the throb of blood and got ready to tear her clothes apart. As Shui Yinzhu slowly and seductively walked towards Yun Su, each one of her steps felt like a titillating feather in his heart, making it harder to resist her. It was absolute glamor. As she walked to Yun Su, she raised that tender right hand and used that crystal clear fingernail of her index finger to scratch in circles on his chest.