No pop-up ads, so refreshing! Thanks for your support! Sounds good to me ^_^... Chapter 123

  “…Look, this pipa is called ‘Wu Xiang’, made of golden nanmu wood and ice strings. I got it coincidentally when I was in the south border. Even though many things have happened since then, I let Qing Wei keep it well all along. I knew that one day I would give it to you…”

  The room wasn't big, so at a glance, it seemed like Qin Zhuo filled the whole space. I followed him in and listened as he told me one thing after another.

  “…This is the ‘Sang Pao’, you told me about it, I didn’t expect it to be hidden in the Qi Yue Wang Palace all along……And this one, look, I saw a hundred-year-old purple sandalwood tree one day and thought that this wood would make the best zither. Although someone was giving suggestions on the side, the shape of this zither is indeed a bit ugly, but I made it myself, just waiting for you to give it a name…”

  Qingying followed behind us, her emotions no longer as excited as when she first saw me. At this moment, hearing Yu saying that, I couldn't help but interrupt and say: "Miss Qing, each of these guqins has a story to tell, they are all collected by Young Master since he came to Nanjiang until now, and many of them were even made by him personally! That day when he went to Xieyigu to pick you up, he instructed me to bring all these guqins back to the city. Miss Qing, you must play to your heart's content, without you playing the guqin beside him, I haven't seen Young Master dance with his sword for a long time!"

  She looked at me, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and though she didn't say a word, her expression was full of anticipation.

  I couldn't help but recall the day I first arrived at Qi Yue, the overly complex emotions in his eyes, at that time, I only felt a sudden shock in my heart, however, just for a moment, he had already recovered as usual, walked forward and hugged his wife, and formally introduced us to each other.

  So I thought it was just my own illusion and laughed it off.

  These days, he has been treating me as usual. Because the king of Qiyue is slightly ill, Tianlian Princess returned to the capital, and in this small official residence on the edge of the city, I and Ping seem to have returned to our previous life in the Xiangfu, or perhaps, this is the feeling he is trying his best to give me.

  It's just occasionally when he looks at me with his eyes and smile, it's almost gentle enough to scare me.

  Something has changed, and I understand that I should leave, so some things can't be delayed any longer.

  I made an excuse to send Qing Wei away, and I took the zither from Pan Yu's hand. It was made by him personally with purple sandalwood, although the workmanship wasn't exquisite, but the material was exceptionally good. I lightly plucked a string, and the silver sound was pure and deep. Then I looked up at him, smiled, and said: "Are you waiting for me to name it?"

  He nodded with a smile, his eyebrows and eyes soft.

  I gazed deeply into his eyes: "What do you think of the two words 'period and'?"

  His smile froze, and he didn't say anything.

  I stood up and looked out the window: "I remember that time when Father was in high spirits, he gave you a topic of 'armour bestowed by the emperor' to test your poetry skills. Several brothers wrote about sacrificing their lives for the country with grand words, but you wrote 'the army has achieved its goal and is returning, looking back at the place where they set out, not seeing any human figure, only empty sand'."

  He didn't say anything and walked silently beside me.

  I turned to look at him, opening my mouth lightly: "Pian, I've always hoped you could truly live according to your own heart's desire. But when we arrived in Qi Yue and saw your current life, it's actually not bad. I can see that Tian Lian loves you deeply, and you have a child together. Why must you still cling to the past, letting hatred bind you? I know this war was something you planned and initiated with your own hands - can't you just give up?"

  "Give up?" He repeated in a light tone, his lips curling into a bleak and self-mocking arc: "Perhaps it's easy for you, but for me, that's an unforgivable blood feud that will last till death."

  I quietly watched him for a few seconds, then turned and left without saying a word. I hadn't taken a few steps before he grabbed my wrist and suddenly wrapped his arms around me from behind.

  His face was buried in my hair, and his voice sounded a bit muffled: "It's me who's wrong, don't be angry, I know you're doing it for my own good, but I don't even know why I said those stupid words, but as soon as I think that you might be advising me because of Nan Chengyao, I..."

  I tried to struggle free from him without leaving any marks, but he didn't let go. So I could only calm down and say: "I'm not angry, you can let me go first."

  He immediately released me, but his eyes still brought some tension.

  I took a deep breath in secret, then looked straight into his eyes and opened my mouth: "I will advise you, not because I know my true identity, nor for anyone else. I have no memories from before, since I woke up, I only knew that I was a member of the Murong family, even until now, in my heart, you are still my closest younger brother, forever and ever won't change."

  In the depths of his eyes, a flash of suppressed light flickered by, as if he wanted to say something, but I didn't give him the chance, opening my mouth first: "Pian, just like you said, Huan'er is already dead, and among the people close to me, only you are left. You don't know how much I care about you, this younger brother of mine. Actually, thinking about it, in this world, only familial relationships last forever. So, promise me, even if we don't have a blood relationship, you won't deny me as your older sister."

  His complexion calmed down, and even his breathing was quiet. Only a pair of eyes, deep like the sea, quietly looked at me, with a hint of shallow sadness, without making a sound.

  I didn't expect him to answer me now, I understand that he is just feeling lost due to the sudden family separation and has developed an excessive dependence on me. For now, his emotions are unclear even to himself, but they will surely return to normal with time and my departure. He's been smart since childhood, so I'm not worried.

  I looked at him quietly and said, "Actually, I also understand that it's hard to change your decision, but I still think there are some things you should know. If you still refuse to give up on revenge after knowing them, and want to carry this burden for the rest of your life, I won't stop you again."

  I told him that Mother had once asked me to steal a confidential letter and I refused.

  I told him that the rebellion was not a rumor, but a joint plan between the Murong family and the Crown Prince's mansion. However, after the failure of the plot, Nan Chengyuan shifted all the blame to the Murong clan in order to protect himself.

  I told him what Xiang'er said to me when I last saw her.

  I told him about Sangmu Qing's true identity and Su Xiuzhen's conjecture, whether he believed it or not.

  I told him that whether he was willing to admit it or not, his and Rou'er's lives had been saved by Nan Xiangyao before, as well as Rou'er's child who was living among the common people.

  Throughout my long speech, he remained silent, his expression complex and difficult to read, I had no idea what he was thinking in his heart.

  I looked into his eyes, speaking softly and slowly: "When you left the capital, I told you that I have never deceived you, nor will I now or in the future. What I said may be hard for you to accept at this moment, but I can swear that there is not a single false word. Now, are you still determined to start this war and let countless civilians die and scatter just for your vengeful obsession?"

  After a long time, he spoke again: "I admit it, this war was started by me. At first, I didn't think much of it, just because..."

  His words paused for a moment, and then he continued to speak in a soft yet firm tone that was both strange and familiar: "But now, this war is not just my own affair. The entire Qi Yue is mobilizing its national strength to prepare for it. And I am no longer the Murong Chen of Southern Dynasty. It was Qi Yue who took me in when Southern Dynasty was determined to eliminate me, and it was Tian Lian who was willing to give me a home when I had nowhere else to turn. I promised her that I would use my life to repay her."

  Still remember the shocking swan's reflection (harem)