Chapter 614
The World's Harshness, Tracing Back to Past Fate
Chapter 614 The World's Harshness, Retracing Past Fate (First Update)
The wind blew in from the cave entrance, fluttering her plain sleeves.
On this day, her fourth day in the canyon, she saw some people with white patterns painted on their faces, who looked very similar to someone she remembered. She learned from Yu Ji that most of the heroes who came later were Yue people who had fled from the south.
For the past three days, they had learned that Lingcheng was shrouded in a terrifying atmosphere controlled by high-ranking Qin officials, and they were to conduct reconnaissance in Lingcheng's prison the day after tomorrow. However, the atmosphere here was not tense, but rather somewhat relaxed. Two or three heroic men playing music sat on a rock not far from her, watching people perform sword dances.
In the past few days, Xu Zhi has been certain of one thing—her illness is not physical, but mental.
She not only experienced hallucinations, but also frequently recalled things that weren't hers, which she would then forget uncontrollably. She probably even sleepwalked at night.
She often felt that there was another person living inside her body.
The woman often smiled, but she didn't love it.
The woman didn't shed tears, but she often cried.
The woman was afraid of pain, but she was completely numb.
She didn't know it was because her head was slowly recovering after hitting it, and she even thought it was a sign of her split personality.
For example, right now, as everyone is seeing each other off, drinking and laughing, she quietly watches them.
The Yue people here originally came from a wild and uncivilized land. They were unaware of the etiquette of the Central Plains in the north and were uneducated by nature. They saw a strange woman dressed simply sitting in the distance enjoying the wind and came over without knowing her intentions.
Before the Yue people could get close, they were stopped. Upon seeing who it was, they returned dejectedly.
At this moment, the laughter in the distance gradually grew louder.
She was talking to Yan Sheng.
Yan Sheng complained, "Sister Azhi discussed with the strategist last night, is it really because she doesn't want me to go with you?"
She gently comforted her.
She really knew how to soothe children; she was very good at coaxing five- or six-year-old Li Zuoche.
I don't know what's wrong with Xiang Yu, who is usually very impatient, but he actually managed to talk to her slowly for a couple of minutes.
Last night, she specifically asked him about the carving he and Wu Guang did by the water, intentionally inquiring about the connection between the mausoleum city and the stone carving. These were not the same thing, but given his current status, it was truly unclear.
This made him wary... Had she lost her memory?
These exiled nobles had nowhere left to retreat, and many were to be secretly executed by the imperial court.
He doubted her because no one else understood as well as he did the extent of Ying Hehua's obsession with the Qin Dynasty.
The last vestige of affection she had for him was probably used up when she locked him up in Huaqing Pool at Mount Li.
He couldn't hope that she still loved him; he could only hope that she wouldn't be like her father.
If she were to contact the Secret Pavilion and coordinate an attack from within, they could wipe out this canyon and kill everyone inside in a very short time. And without a doubt, she would be one of them.
Although Xiang Chan's words made him waver, after so many years, he didn't believe they could overcome the insurmountable barrier of national subjugation, even now.
Until, in this canyon.
She, along with yet another naive child and that boy named "Sheng," recklessly stepped into his world once more.
This time, she was all alone and had to ask him for help.
When she was alone, she rarely smiled, and even those faint smiles carried a hint of sadness.
"If Uncle Yan and Aunt Yan have really been unjustly arrested, please do your best to rescue them."
He never imagined that she would bow her head for those two civilians because of such a request.
"If the strategist needs anything, I am willing to do my best to help."
Zhang Liang looked at the horse beside him and asked, "How can you help, young lady?"
She didn't speak immediately, but instead stroked the black horse tied to the ladder.
They found Wuzhui on the road, and Xiang Yu liked it very much.
The horse's teeth were still small, and its eyes were round and black.
She changed the subject, saying, "I think the horse's eyes look a lot like a horse I've seen before. The longer I look, the more I see the figure of a girl beside that horse. The woman is a bit older, always wears a green robe, and always carries a long black sword."
Zhang Liang knew the answer to the woman she was referring to—Shen Zhi.
"She spoke to me with a resolute gaze. I kept trying to make out her features more clearly. I also really wanted to hear what she was saying to me,"
She kept talking as she walked forward.
Zhang Liang didn't know if she was testing him or if she had other intentions.
"It seems that if I just walk a little further, I will be able to hear clearly."
Below the entrance to the gorge cave is a waterfall with a huge drop; if one loses their footing and falls, they will surely die.
A breeze swept by, her black hair fluttering in the wind, her thoughts already in turmoil. "Young lady, be careful!"
She stopped just as he was about to withdraw his hand after saying those words, turned to look at him with a half-smile and a faint expression, and said, "The title 'Young Lady' sounds rather strange. Strategist, please just call me by my name."
She gently moved her hand away from his.
The outside light fell on her face, shimmering and reflecting through her dark eyes, and also into Zhang Liang's amber eyes.
"...The strategist is right. I need to show some sincerity when I ask for your help."
This made him feel dazed.
She glanced at the cascading waterfall below, paused for a second, and said, "I thought that being honest was the best way to build trust. I want to tell Mr. Song a secret. About my identity."
Zhang Liang didn't answer; he was actually nervous.
“I am not the Chu princess that Lao Wu described.”
“I am just an ordinary woman. I have no family, no friends. I don’t even know where my fiancé is.”
“Mr. Song. I have nothing but an empty soul and a life.”
"What I want you to save is someone else's home and a peaceful Lingcheng."
She was referring to Yan Sheng, but Zhang Liang felt it was more than that.
Today's wind seemed to be specially chosen by heaven, intentionally bringing these words to him, to shake his soul.
Below that cave entrance was a bottomless abyss.
It was also an abyss in his heart.
That conversation deeply moved Zhang Liang.
As night fell, a gentle breeze blew in, tinkling softly.
He heard soft sobbing.
He stood in front of that wooden door, thinking and thinking, raising his hand and lowering it again and again.
A short, urgent cry came from inside the room, "...No! Don't kill me, I didn't...I didn't, I didn't..."
Just as he was about to push open the door, another voice rang out. The girl lowered her voice to a whisper, "It's alright, Your Highness, you had a nightmare... A-Yu will stay with Your Highness." The girl rustled as she got up, "I'm so sweaty, I'll go get a basin of water."
The houses built between the canyons were very simple, and he was unaware that her mental world was in turmoil due to the recurring nature of her illness.
The dim moonlight shone on her, and she felt as if she were hallucinating again.
As if bewitched, he stood there motionless, brazenly standing in front of the woman's window.
She rested her head on her arm, and glistening tears rolled down her cheeks.
Her eyes were brimming with tears, yet her gaze was clear and innocent, tinged with a naiveté that shouldn't have been there, just like many years ago.
Back then, she half-coaxed and half-deliberately fed him most of the wine. By the time he realized something had been added to the wine, it was too late. He was shocked to discover what she was up to. A princess of such stature would go to such lengths for the benefit of Qin and to disrupt Chu.
Even something like this can be considered a scheme?
She treated him only as a handy sword, and love as a rope, wanting him to be a symbol of submission to her.
The fiery red wedding dress stung his eyes, and he would no longer allow her to orchestrate this absurd disaster.
Unexpectedly, she cooperated with his unreasonable arrogance, calling his name softly and gently. When she was deeply moved, she looked into his eyes, as if she wanted to etch him into her memory.
He just stared into those eyes, and as he stared, he fell into that abyss.
Under the moonlight, she propped her head up and looked at him through tear-filled eyes.
What she said that night was almost identical to what she said today.
"Zhang Liang,"
"You will take revenge, you will."
"But... you've won so many times. This time, I don't want to lose."
The moonlight in spring is as pale as silver, or as light as snow.
The destruction of Xinzheng is still fresh in our minds.
My father hanged himself in Xianyang prison not long ago.
Zhang Liang, how can I avenge the loss of my country?
So, can he lose?