Bai Aoxue looked at Luoyan who left firmly, and knew her uncleâs words finally hurt the straightforward woman.
With a slight sigh, Bai Aoxue strode towards her.
Realizing that Bai Aoxue was following behind, Luoyan neither stopped her, nor spoke to her.
âLuoyan, would you like to listen to me?â said Bai Aoxue who was looking at Luoyan with her head sideways in an attempt to break the silence.
Luoyan didnât know what Bai Aoxue was going to say, but she still nodded. Even though they couldnât be relatives, they could be friends.
Bai Aoxue took Luoyan to a lotus pond in the side courtyard of the generalâs mansion. Regardless of the dust, Bai Aoxue sat gently beside the pond without any affectation.
Then she looked at Luoyan and patted the place next to her, which meant inviting Luoyan to sit there.
Luoyan was also very calm; she walked to the place and sat down in a natural manner.
Bai Aoxue looked at the lotus pond with a blank expression on her face. After a long time, she said in a distant tone: âThis lotus pond was once the favorite place of my mother.â
Luoyan didnât understand why Bai Aoxue talked about it, but she still listened with much patience.
âThat explains! Ye Zhaojue is too dull to arrange a lotus pond here.â Luoyan joked, pretending to be in a good mood.
Bai Aoxue smiled slightly and said slowly: âYou should know that itâs not easy for my uncle to support my mother from her childhood. Also because he saw the inconstancy of human relationships, he had been very indifferent since childhood. Except for confronting my mother, he was like a poker-faced puppet. Later, my mother had got married and thought her husband could be entrusted for life, but she didnât expect to get into the abyss. Then after my mother gave birth to me, my uncle was very good to me. Maybe he knew that my mother and I were his only kinsfolk in the world.â
âLater, my uncle fought in the battlefield and became both famous and respected all over the state. He became the next patron saint of Chengxi, but in the end, he failed to protect his sister.â
âMy uncle was far away at the border when my mother died. At that time, I was little and didnât know things at all. I only knew that my uncle, whom I adored and feared since my childhood, cried like a child in front of my motherâs gravestone when he came back. That was the only time I saw my uncle cry.â
Luoyan was shocked by Bai Aoxueâs words. She didnât expect that the man who was like a god in her eyes would cry. She always thought that Ye Zhaojue was a man of steel who would never shed tears but blood.
âSo Ye Zhaojue actually has a heart.â Luoyan sighed.
Itâs just that his heart never belongs to me...
Luoyan just sighed in her mind. She could never speak it out.
Bai Aoxue looked at Luoyan and continued: âLater, my uncle touched my head and told me that I would be his only kinsfolk and he would protect me in my whole life. But my uncle has his responsibilities, which are protecting the state and making people live in a world without war. But I suffered a lot and almost died in the prime ministerâs mansion, which also made me awaken to the truth. But my uncle blamed himself again for this.â
âHe always felt that my motherâs death was his fault. If he could stop her at the beginning, perhaps she would not have died so early. Because of this, my uncle had some shadows in his heart. Even if he didnât say it, I knew that he thought he couldnât even protect the people around him, and how would he dare to love?â
âThat he refused you again and again is not because he has no feelings. Itâs not because heâs hardhearted, but because heâs afraid! War poses so many risks. In case he really married you, if he died on the battlefield one day, leaving you lonely and helpless, he would feel sad and guilty. So he could only push you away again and again.â
Luoyan who was originally careless, hearing Bai Aoxueâs words, had already got eyes red, but was stubborn to bear the tears in her eyes. She looked at Bai Aoxue and said: âMaybe Ye Zhaojue simply doesnât like me.â
Bai Aoxue listened to Luoyanâs words and said with a knowing smile: âI donât understand my uncleâs mind, but I know how he is. He had never been so helpless with any other woman. My uncle had never minced his words about affections. But for you, he hesitated to move forward instead of being decisive as before.â
Luoyan was stunned by her words, but did not say anything.
Bai Aoxue sat by the lotus pond, and her soft and white fingers brushed the ripples. Looking up at the clear and blue sky, she said: âTo be honest, my uncle is lonely. Living for so many years, he has always been protecting others, protecting his younger sister and protecting the ordinary people. Now he has more responsibilities. I always make him worry about me. Seeing that he has white hair on his temples, I am more longing for someone to accompany him. They can go out on a horse and also ride home.â
Luoyan reasonably said in a choked voice: âIf he really cares about me, he shouldnât think so much. Iâm not afraid of death. I will follow him until I die. Even if he dies on a battlefield someday, I will keep this family for him and be her wife in the next life!â
Bai Aoxue listened to Luoyanâs words, and thought it would really be her uncleâs loss if he missed such a good girl!
âAoxue, to be honest with you, I made an agreement with Jun Wuhen yesterday...â After thinking about it, Luoyan decided to tell Bai Aoxue.
Bai Aoxue heard Luoyanâs words with some uneasiness in her heart. But she still calmly looked at Luoyan and slowly said: âWhatâs the agreement?â
âYou know my love for Ye Zhaojue is not a joke. Iâve already said that I wouldnât marry anyone else except for him. When my father chose a husband for me at that time, I threatened him with my life. Now Iâve been waiting for Ye Zhaojue for too long. I really want to continue waiting if I could, but time and tide wait for no man.â
âBefore I came to Chengxi, my mother had been seriously ill. I told my father that if Ye Zhaojue still had no feelings for me this time, I would thoroughly relinquish and go back to Mobei to choose someone else to be my husband, or let the emperor of Chengxi arrange my marriage. Itâs because my mother wants to witness my happiness with her own eyes before she passes away. In Chengxi, you have a saying that the children would like to care but parents canât wait. I donât want to see my mother leave with regret.â
âSo I bet with Jun Wuhen yesterday. If Ye Zhaojue still refuses to marry me today, I will marry into the palace and become the princess of Jun Wuhen! In this way, the two states can get on well with each other. Itâll be a good marriage that unites the two states together. Without war, Ye Zhaojue wonât have to suffer so much. I would get married anyway. It doesnât matter who he is, since that man is not Ye Zhaojue.â
Bai Aoxue was shocked by Luoyanâs resolute decision, but looking at the desolation on her face, Bai Aoxue still felt distressed for the decisive and arrogant girl.
Making such a decision may be what she didnât want to do most. But she had no choice.
It was the most unwilling thing for every woman that she couldnât forget her beloved but had to marry someone else.
Even if Luoyan would get married with someone else, she still considered for Ye Zhaojue. That made Bai Aoxue anxiety-ridden. Who else in the world could love so selflessly?
âWell. I have to go now. No matter what happened, the story has to end. If this is the end of me and Ye Zhaojue, I hope I am the one to end it. After all, itâs also me who started it.â Luoyan looked at Bai Aoxue and smiled slightly as if she was relaxed.
However, Bai Aoxue knew how much sadness and helplessness there was in this smile.
âItâs not over. Itâs not the end of today?â Bai Aoxue smiled sportively and looked at Luoyan earnestly.
Hearing Bai Aoxueâs words, Luoyan frowned. She didnât understand why Bai Aoxue said like that. Turning around, she saw Bai Aoxue pointing to another place with her soft and white finger.
Following Bai Aoxueâs finger, Luoyan turned her head, slowly and firmly, exhausting all her courage in her whole life.
That man, whom she loved deeply but couldnât be together with, was walking towards her step by step, quickly but decidedly.
The warm spring sun poured from his head, shining on him, and then spread on the ground. He walked towards her firmly step by step, breaking the sun.
Luoyan felt that the sun was too mottled and dazzling. She couldnât see the scene clearly. While trying to see the most beautiful scenery in her life clearly, she wept with tears that blurred her vision.
Raising her hands to cover her mouth, she was afraid of crying out loud. She wasnât emotional, but she cried again and again because of Ye Zhaojue.
In fact, Ye Zhaojue was also very nervous. Enlightened by Jun Yeyan, he finally dared to face up to his mind. Looking at Luoyan crying such and such, he felt as if a knife were being twisted in his heart.
She was such a strong woman but still covered her lips and dared not to cry out loud when he watched her tears rolling down. Ye Zhaojue was distressed. He made this woman suffer too much.
He at first didnât want to hurt her, but still unconsciously hurt her again and again.
Bai Aoxue saw Ye Zhaojue coming, and knew that she should leave. She gently said beside Luoyanâs ear: âThere are many imperfections in life, but there are always some endings that will make you cry with joy. Even if you suffered at the beginning, there is wonderful ending for you. Luoyan, you deserve it.â
Then Bai Aoxue left.
âAoxue, thank you.â No matter whether Bai Aoxue could hear it or not, Luoyan whispered softly.
Ye Zhaojue went to Luoyanâs side and his eyes met hers.
âWhy are you crying again? No more cry from now on. It is not good for your eyes.â Ye Zhaojue sighed slightly and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his hand.
Luoyan looked at Ye Zhaojueâs action obsessively, feeling like in a dream. She never thought that Ye Zhaojue would be so gentle and affectionate to her.
This was her dream which she even dared not to fancy.
âYe... Zhao... Jue...â Luo Yan looked up at the man in front of her and said softly. She was afraid these were all her fantasies. They would disappear if she talked loudly.
âLuoyan. Itâs me. I am here.â The six simple words included less coldness and alienation but more love and care.
At this time, Luoyan finally knew that it was true. She wasnât in her dream. It was also the first time that Ye Zhaojue called her name without the hateful âPrincessâ.
She had no scruples, and she didnât want to scruple. Luoyanâs tears burst out again, and she rushed to Ye Zhaojue.
Ye Zhaojue caught Luoyan and held her firmly in his strong arms. His eyes were full of satisfied happiness.
âLuoyan, please marry me. Now, I want to be greedy. I want to hold the sword in my hand and I am more eager to have you.â Ye Zhaojue dressed the messy hair of her and said gently.
Listening to Ye Zhaojueâs words, she was stunned for a second, but nodded quickly without hesitation.
The lotus pool without lotus was still sparkling.