Chapter 128 Death in the Hall

He was thrilled at her consent. But when he was about to move on, he noticed the fear in her eyes. Xuan Zhi realized that it must have reminded her of what Yun Su did to her, so he stopped moving and held Shui Yinzhu in his arms instead. He wouldn’t continue, knowing that she was hurt so deep within and that she might get unhappy. “What’s wrong?” Shui Yinzhu asked. “Nothing. There’s no need to hurry. We have plenty of time for you to get used to it.” Shui Yinzhu didn’t say a word. Her Zhi had always been a silly man in front of her. She kissed on Xuan Zhi’s lips. The woman was running out of time, and she couldn’t wait for her inner world to heal. What she hated was the touch of Yun Su, the past of herself, and even her own body. But Shui Yinzhu loved Xuan Zhi. She was willing to consummate the wedding with him. Xuan Zhi was no longer repressing himself now that Shui Yinzhu had already taken the initiative. Hesitation would only make him less of a man. The night was joyful and sweet. The intimate love of two bonding hearts was the echo of two souls and the combination of lust and flesh. After that night, Shui Yinzhu became the wife of Xuan Zhi. Xuan Zhi didn’t fall asleep for an entire night. Yet when the morning sun shone on the bed, he was still full of spirit as he hugged Shui Yinzhu and kissed the sleeping beauty’s lips. The emperor knew it was a tiring night for her, so he quietly got up to get water and clean her body. When his beloved wife got up, Xuan Zhi started traveling with her. Time really flew when the two of them stayed together. Late at night, he held her harder. Their relation grew closer after sex. How she wished that time would freeze forever! But that wouldn’t be possible. As the night came on the third day, Shui Yinzhu knew she would have to face reality the next morning. But her mind was empty. The streets in her sight seemed like miles away, just like her lost heart... Xuan Zhi tightened his grip on Shui Yinzhu’s hand. The woman let him do so. The two of them wandered around holding each other’s hands. An inconspicuous wonton store of an old couple attracted them. They ordered wonton for two and slowly tasted it. The old man was still cooking wonton while his wife was wiping his sweat. The ordinary scene somehow rippled in Xuan Zhi and Shui Yinzhu’s hearts. Xuan Zhi picked up the hand of Shui Yinzhu and kissed its back. “Yinzhu, I don’t want to be the emperor. Let’s open a wonton store too, shall we?” “Fine.” Even though it was impossible, Shui Yinzhu still wished for such a dream. At least for tonight, just tonight, she was her living wife. Before they got back to the house, Shui Yinzhu bought a pink dress. That would be her clothes tomorrow. Everything would come to an end. It started to grow darker at night. Shui Yinzhu slept in Xuan Zhi’s arms. It was so cozy. But after that night, she would no longer be able to stay by his side. Tears dropped from her eyes and wetted Xuan Zhi’s clothes. “What happened, Yinzhu?” Xuan Zhi held her closer. He got a bad feeling. Shui Yinzhu didn’t answer his question. She kissed him instead. The woman was using the limited time she had to feel him. The craziness made Xuan Zhi feel more unsettled. But he didn’t say a word and gave her all that she demanded. Neither of them went to sleep. They wrapped their arms around each other to feel the warmth and existence of their loved ones. No matter how much unwilling they were, the sun rose again. Xuan Zhi was unwilling to take his hands off Shui Yinzhu as if his woman would vanish the moment he let go. But the light of the sun eventually shone on their bed. That was the craziest night that Shui Yinzhu had. The sore on her body almost made it impossible for her to move, but she kissed Xuan Zhi’s lips and pushed him away with all her strength. It was the first time for Shui Yinzhu to get up on her elbows without avoiding his sight. Her fair skin and her curvy body were covered with bruises. It was such a tempting view, but Xuan Zhi didn’t have the courage to touch her. The more abnormal she looked, the more worried he was. After she put on the pink dress, coldness appeared in her eyes as if the vengeful woman was back. It was the first time for Xuan Zhi to see her in a dress of this color. He was caught in a daze but didn’t say a word. Pink added alacrity to the woman. But this time, she didn’t put on the simple hairpin with two pearls. It was in the pocket of her clothes instead. Shui Yinzhu smiled and took up the teapot from the table. The smile was clean and pure, without a sliver of seduction. She told Xuan Zhi to get some hot water from the house owner. After he left the room, she took out some powder and spread it on the inner surface of the cup. Then she hurriedly threw the wrapper below the bed. When he came back, she made two cups of tea. The clean cup was for Xuan Zhi while she drank the one with the powder. Inside a remote palace among all the grandiose palaces in Huaiyang City, there was old King Yun that was caught days before. At that moment, the old man sat on the host seat in the palace. He appeared much older than before. Instead of being the proud leader of his empire, he looked more like an ordinary old man now. Ever since he was caught and sent back, old King Yun always sat there staring blankly. The once ruler of the empire was nothing special after losing his power. Even though he gave up his throne, the Empire of Yun still ended in Yun Su’s hand. A woman in pink stepped into the palace. Clean and beautiful as she appeared, she was attractive to any other man. The pure eyes were unworldly. The beauty looked exactly like the woman who saved him from the brothel many years ago. Old King Yun gazed at the woman that approached and couldn’t help asking, “Meng Xi, is that you? Are you here to visit me?” Her eyes turned ironic. The woman was Shui Yinzhu. With the preference of white and red, the princess changed to a pink dress that her mother wore the first time she met with old King Yun. The woman was followed by a handsome and righteous man with calm eyes. He tried to hold her hand, but Shui Yinzhu shook her head and asked him to get Yun Su into the palace. Yun Su was thrown to the front of the palace with his acupoint sealed. Xuan Zhi dismissed all other people because he could deal with old King Yun himself. That was also what Shui Yinzhu wanted. There were only the four of them in that empty palace. Old King Yun was seated; Yun Su had to lie on the ground with his sealed acupoint; Shui Yinzhu was gradually walking towards the center of the palace; Xuan Zhi was staying by her side. Old King Yun had woken up from the illusion of the past. There was hate in his eyes. Even though he wasn’t as overwhelming as when he was the emperor, his aura was still aggressive to make others feel afraid. “Meng Xi was gone long before. You are the daughter of that bastard. You should have been sacrificed. Su, you are such a fool. How could you lose the Empire of Yun for this witch?” Shui Yinzhu smiled. It was a big smile on her face. “Indeed. My father is a bastard. He put my mother into prison, destroyed my empire, and killed my foster parents.” “Wait, what did you just say?” Old King Yun stood up in agitation. “I said that you are my biological father.” “That’s impossible. How is it possible?” “Why do I need to lie to you now?” “She gave birth to you after she went to the Kingdom of Shui.” “I was born a month later than the estimated date, just like you.” “Why didn’t she tell me about it? Why did she die for that old man?” “Because mom hated you. If I had been given a choice, I would rather pick an animal to be my father than you.” “Meng Xi did not betray me. I shouldn’t have wronged her. I shouldn’t.” “Yet you still forced her to death. And you tried to bury your own daughter alive.” “I’m sorry, kid. It’s my fault.” “You are in no position to apologize. Besides, your dearest son Yun Su isn’t a kid of the Yun family. I’m sure no one told you in that temporary palace. All your children had been slaughtered. There is only one princess left.” “It’s not possible. How? How could that happen?” Shui Yinzhu felt pleasant to see old King Yun in astonishment with a murderous look. She moved her eyes away from old King Yun and turned to Yun Su. The irony went stronger in her eyes. “Yun Su is but an illegitimate son of a palace maid and a guard. Am I right about it, Yun Su? You don’t even deserve that family name. Do you understand why the Empire of Yun came to an end and why I didn’t get pregnant with your child?” Shui Yinzhu’s words were merciless. Following them was something even crueler. “Do you think it would be that easy to get me? You’ve put me in despair over and over again, so you should be prepared for my vengeance. I did it all, including the prophecy. I destroyed my body and my reputation, for there would be no way for me to bear your child.” Yun Su couldn’t move when his acupoint was sealed. But his eyes told her that it was so much to digest. His Sister Xi was cruel, not only to others but also to herself. Yet Yun Su could only look at the ground. “You bastard, animal. I’m going to kill you.” Old King Yun took a while to understand it. The pain in his heart urged him to kill Yun Su. However, Shui Yinzhu stopped him. Old King Yun then said, “I’m sorry, Xier. It is all my fault.” “It’s all right. The blood of the Yun family has always been dirty. We shouldn’t have existed in this world. Father, I’ll do my duty as your daughter and send you off to the underworld so that you can apologize to all those you’ve killed.” Shui Yinzhu was calm in front of that hysterical old man. Then she took out a dagger. Old King Yun saw the woman getting close and suddenly knocked his head towards the pillar in the palace. He did it over and over again until his life was about to come to an end. Blood spilled from his head. As he fell down, he looked at Shui Yinzhu and said, “I’m sorry.” Then he closed his eyes forever. That was the only thing he could do for her. He owed Shui Yinzhu and her mother so much and wasn’t willing to make his daughter a murderer of her father. Shui Yinzhu was supposed to feel happy to see the dead old man. But something ached in her heart. She spat out some dark blood and fell down backward. Xuan Zhi immediately went up to hold her. “Yinzhu, are you alright? What’s going on? Don’t scare me.” Xuan Zhi’s heart was frozen. His premonition came true. He was so afraid that he was going to lose her. What Shui Yinzhu took in the morning was poison. She was selfish on the last day of her life. Even if she had to die, she wouldn’t want Xuan Zhi to see her ugly appearance. Shui Yinzhu was relaxed in Xuan Zhi’s arms. Everything came to an end. She reached out her right hand and touched the face of Xuan Zhi. This man was the only one she felt reluctant to let go of. “Zhi, I’m afraid I have to go. It’s the happiest thing in my life to meet you and Kong Yue.” “No, Yinzhu. You can’t be this irresponsible. You can’t just die like this. What am I supposed to do without you?” “You fool. Just forget about me. Find a good girl and lead a happy life with her...” Shui Yinzhu puked more dark blood. Her life was about to come to an end. Xuan Zhi held Shui Yinzhu tightly in his arms, trying to stop her on the way towards death. But it was impossible. Shui Yinzhu used her last strength and told Yun Su, who was helplessly lying on the ground, “Yun Su, you said you love me, didn’t you? You can’t die. Stay alive...and suffer the stings of conscience. If there were to be an afterlife, I’d rather be an animal than...meet you.” Shui Yinzhu almost lost her sight. She suddenly felt cold. The woman took out the simple hairpin with two pearls from the front pocket with her shaking hand and put it on her chest. She looked at Xuan Zhi with her cloudy eyes. He was her husband. They had married but couldn’t live together for the rest of their life. “Zhi, I’ll go meet with Yue. Live a happy life... And never get devoted to a woman... like me in the afterlife... I’m not worth it.” It was quiet in that already empty palace. Shui Yinzhu willingly closed her eyes. It was tiring for her to live. Dying would mean a good rest. Xuan Zhi didn’t let go of the cold body of Shui Yinzhu. Time froze at that moment as if the breeze was the only thing alive in that hall. It wasn’t in the winter, but the temperature felt only colder. The prophecy came true. Princess of the Kingdom of Shui... 9 years old... 16 as a living sacrifice... the Empire of Yun prosperous... Otherwise... the Empire of Yun would perish...