Chapter 615
Going Against the Current
Chapter 615 Going Against the Current (Second Update)
After the rain, the grass turned even greener. Time seemed to have frozen for only a few days, but people outside were filled with anxiety.
Today is a very special day.
Today is the day to die, and those who will be beheaded are not only the people of Lingcheng who were arrested, but also a certain official who is hated to the core.
On the last day of the deadline set by Ying Zheng, the terrifying atmosphere shrouding the city of Ling reached its final judgment stage.
That night, Long Ju and Wu Guang went to investigate. The matter had been clarified: it was all caused by a meteorite falling from the sky. It was said that Qin had determined that the stone was man-made, and the so-called carving was a forgery. According to rumors, the emperor was furious and ordered his men to arrest the sorcerers who lived several miles away from the meteorite. If no one confessed, all the innocent people would be buried alive.
It is not yet certain whether Uncle Yan and the others are inside.
"If you want me to go, I will shoot that corrupt official through the head with an arrow!" Yan Sheng raised his crossbow and tested it again and again.
Yue Ren said, "Hey kid, you've only been learning archery for a few days? So arrogant."
Yan Sheng said, "Brother Long Qie said that my sister is very good at archery. I am also very talented. I have only been learning from my sister for a few days. If I learn for a few more days, I will definitely be able to succeed."
Xu Zhi did not wear the Chu-style quju robe, but changed into a light black outfit and tied her long hair up with only a wooden hairpin.
Someone came up with a plan, which wasn't particularly complicated: first, have someone pretend to be a villager, wait for the right moment, shoot and wound the leading official, create chaos and conflict, and then rescue all the people.
Xiang Yu's method was crude and simple, and seemed out of place at this time. However, it was not rejected by his strategist.
The Chu people, led by Long Ju, did not hesitate at all.
After Wang Jian's death, the court did not immediately announce the next person to guard the southern region. For some time, a huge vacuum appeared in the Chu region, and many people were restless. The former nobles of Chu were entangled in a complicated situation, and many wanted to devour the Xiang clan.
Zhang Liang devised many strategies to help them avoid unnecessary trouble. Along the way, they had maintained a great deal of understanding and trust.
Zhang Liang held a long sword in his hand, his figure slender, still the only white-clad figure.
If Xu Zhi could remember that she was Ying Hehua, she would quickly understand that the person he was trying to test and guard against was none other than her—the princess of Qin.
The rain pattered against the stones, and the path was muddy; they needed to move quickly.
The rain gradually intensified. In this tightly packed time, the final three years, like a torrent of lightning, would leave no one a chance to catch their breath.
When she was head over heels in love with Zhang Liang, they belonged to opposing camps. Now, she has discarded her original identity and calls herself 'Xu Zhi,' unaware that this is her most primal, pure soul facing him.
He knew perfectly well that they could never go back to the way things were, that he could never hold her in his arms again and have her call him 'Zifang'.
More than a decade has passed, and things have changed. For the sake of South Korea and youthful desires, he has become tainted with too many things he did not want to do.
A person who is extremely pure is not necessarily kind.
Some people, once they want something, firmly believe that there is nothing they cannot obtain through strategy, especially someone as exceptionally intelligent as Zhang Liang. If he so desires, he can easily manipulate people and play with them at will.
Years ago, at Longtai Palace, he bet that she wouldn't shoot Han Cang to save Li Xian. That's why he sent assassins to infiltrate the officials beforehand.
But she made her move without hesitation. From this, he became certain that Ying Hehua was someone who would never compromise easily.
Later, his father committed suicide, and the King of Han pleaded with him. Under immense pressure, he prepared to end it all, using his own death to put an end to this illusion.
To die at her hands could be considered a peaceful end.
He had planned everything meticulously, but he never expected that she would compromise with Bolangsha's attack, personally poisoning him just to ensure his safety.
Before he left, he noticed her staring at him.
She noticed him looking at her, a faint smile playing on her lips.
"I thought the strategist was a master, and masters never show their true faces. Since this trip is to go out of the gorge on business, perhaps you should still wear your bamboo hat."
As expected, the Yue people saw a richly dressed man appear below the inn. The man was dressed in dark black, wearing an official's hat, and had a stern face.
The Yue man scoffed, "To prevent harassment from petty thieves, that high-ranking official hasn't shown up lately. Ha, I didn't expect him to dare ride a horse today?"
Years later, will the events at Longtai Palace repeat themselves in Lingcheng?
This is a question that not only Zhang Liang wants to know.
The same applies to Li Xian.
— The wooden inn where Xu Zhi was staying had two floors. There was a peach tree in front of it. After the rain, the peach petals fell to the ground, and many of them were in the mud.
“This peach tree is very beautiful,” Ayu said.
Xu Zhi gave a complicated "hmm".
In fact, they also remembered that after leaving the canyon, the group sneaked around Lingcheng and saw many dilapidated scenes. There were not many people on the streets, and in many places, there were signs of fighting and bloodstains that had not been cleaned up.
That was considered a very good tavern in Lingcheng. However, the shop had long since been emptied out, with few furnishings left, and only a waiter remained to look after it.
When the waiter saw that someone had arrived, he knew that someone who could still move freely outside during this period must be someone not to be trifled with.
A chess piece has developed its own ideas; it tries to see through the game and what changes it will bring.
After going up to the second floor, we turned left and right and entered a side room in the back. It was an excellent spot with a panoramic view of the street, making it a great place for sniping.
The moment Xu Zhi saw that face, she understood why they wanted her to do this herself.
Li Xian was indeed the Qin official who orchestrated this massacre.
—'Li Xian is the son of Li Si.'
Zhang Cang's words immediately confused her, causing her hand holding the crossbow to tremble uncontrollably, and her index finger on the crossbow suddenly curled up.
As the person beside them drew closer, the breathing of the others quickened.
She gritted her teeth and aimed again, but her vision suddenly blurred—the scene in front of the Dragon Terrace Palace suddenly flashed into her memory!
His voice was not as gentle as it was in the village, and his tone was not always soft.
She always felt that there were many things hidden in his eyes, things she didn't want to touch. Looking at them for too long, looking too deeply, would hurt her.
Although Li Xian doesn't laugh often, he's willing to smile when she speaks, and he always has great patience for her occasional bad temper.
It seemed like he would do anything she asked him to.
But she always felt there was a lingering gloom in her eyes... so many times, she would think that she was seeing things wrong.
But the images that suddenly came to mind seemed to explain the appearance of the darkness.
In those scenes, his kisses were always sudden, imbued with extremely strong emotions.
She couldn't understand what had happened to him back then. Why did he hold her so tightly, forcing her to comply until they were both breathless, before finally letting go?
It seems that his gentleness and kindness in the village were all an act.
My head was getting increasingly dizzy, and more sounds emerged even faster than the images.
"I am but Your Highness's dog, summoned at will and dismissed at will; when you no longer wish to use me, simply shoot me dead with an arrow."
'Ah Zhi. This path is so bloody and cruel, it has no room for kindness and purity, and it's not worth your all.'
'Princess, our relationship cannot be severed by interests alone.'
'You saved me, I want to repay you with my body.'
"Ah Zhi. If you truly care, I'd be willing to consider it for ten years."
Her hands could no longer grip the crossbow. The arrow was aimed at something more than just simple pain; too many echoes resonated within her body, making her heart feel as if it had been seized by something…
In the shadows of the attic, Zhang Liang stared at her staggering retreating figure.
With a clang.
The crossbow bolt flew from his hand and embedded itself in the peach wood window frame. The last trace of emotion in Zhang Liang's eyes faded into silence.
What's going on in those clear yet chaotic sentences?
Her breathing suddenly quickened, and her face turned deathly pale. Were all her nightmares real? Was she really an utterly wicked, ruthless person who murdered her teacher and killed those who had wronged her before she fell ill?