东宫 Eastern Palace: Chapter 24

        I could finally see Li Cheng Yin, although he was standing far away, however I could see him at one glance. Half of his body was leaning on the railing, he was wearing a beautiful jade coloured cover on the back, wind blowing the tassels of the cover and his sleeves, many people knelt down. I could also see the Emperor because the surrounding people were shouting out: "Long live the Emperor!" I have never felt so distant and irrelevant.

        I could see Zhao Liang Di, she was wearing ceremonial clothing, walking upstairs from the back of the gate tower. She did not reveal herself, however I could recognize her from the shadow reflected on the curtain. I could see that she was reaching out her hands to put a black coat on Li Cheng Yin's shoulders. The wind was very strong that the coat flipped over, the patterns on the coat which was made out of red and golden silk could be seen being reflected by the lights on the top. Li Cheng Yin turned around, it was too far so I couldn't see the expression on his face, maybe he was smiling at the beauty that was standing behind him.

        I have never went to the top of the Cheng Tian gate, or spend the Lantern Festival with Li Cheng Yin. I never knew that on the night of the Lantern Festival, he would always bring Zhao Liang Di to such a high place to watch the fireworks.

        A pair of couple, tonight was suppose to be a good day to spend as a couple.
　　
        I thought that it would be different, I thought that everything that happened yesterday would change everything. Yesterday night when I was captured by the assassin, he once looked at me that way, he called my name, he used the arrow to swear an oath.

        All these actions made me thought that something would change, however only one day have passed, and he's standing there with another woman as if nothing had happened, enjoying the bustling night of the Lantern Festival, receiving greetings from the commoners.

        While my safety and my whereabouts were unknown, I am his wife.
　
        Someone called me: "Xiao Feng."
　　
        I turned around, looked at Gu Jian in disappointment.
　　

        He was staring at me, I slowly smiled at him, wanting to talk to him, however the moment I opened my mouth, cold wind went inside making me cough, my throat was already in pain, coughing made it even more painful as if my throat was about to split open. Coughing too much made my head hurt as if there were sharp rocks in my head and those rocks pricking my blood vessels, making it hard to breathe. I bent down coughing as if I was coughing something out of my body. I didn't feel that it was painful, it was just that my chest wasn't feeling well, maybe it was because I was cold, that's why I am sick now..........Being sick was supposed to feel this bad.
　　

        Gu Jian helped me get up, however I stumbled over as I felt that something inside my body was about to rupture, silently coughing it out, my chest felt a bit better now.

        He lifted my face, I could hear my voice, I said: "It's not a big deal........" I could see the expression in his eyes was filled with pain. He suddenly lifted his hand to wipe my mouth.

　　　　

         Through the lights, I saw the bloodstains on his fingers and also on his sleeves, little by little I realized these were fresh blood. My body had weakened, feeling dizzy, I knew that I wouldn't be able to stand up myself, the mouthful of blood was as if I had used my whole strength to spit it out. He hugged me, whispering into my ears: "Xiao Feng, just cry, just cry." I used my remaining strength to push him away: "Why should I cry? You purposely brought me here to see this, why should I cry? You can stop pretending now, why should I cry? You said that once I see all this, then you will let me go. I am leaving right now!" "Xiao Feng!" He rushed over wanting to support me with his hands, I was stumbling over, however I tried my best to stand up. I turned around and I stared coldly at him: "Don't touch me, and don't follow me or I will die right in front of you. Even if you have exceptional martial arts skills, you still can't prevent me from killing myself. You can prevent it once, but you can't prevent it forever. As long as you try to follow me, I can always think of a way to kill myself." He actually stood there, dared not to move one step forward, maybe because I sounded very determined.

     
        I don't know how far I went, all four directions were filled with people and lights that were bright and dazzling. I grabbed the collar of the leather fur coat as my body felt cold again, so cold that I was clenching my teeth. I know that I have a fever, my feet felt like it was stepping on sand, weak without any strength. I stood there weakly under the lanterns, surrounded by laughter, people coming and going. In the distant sky, fireworks were constantly being launched. On the night of the Lantern festival that was filled with excitement and laughter, where should I go?

        The world is so big, however there was no place for me.

　　

         A'Du, A'Du, where are you? We'll go back to Western Liang, I miss Western Liang.

　　In front of me was a lantern with a gold foil cutting of a beauty, the candle inside was very hot, the lantern kept on turning, the beauty was either sitting or standing, angry or happy....... I felt that everything was turning dark, the beauty on the lantern seemed to be Zhao Liang Di, slowly smiling at me: You think there is something different? You think you have a place in his heart? You think that once you are taking as hostage in place of his Majesty, then he will have some pity for you?.......

        I can only stand firmly by leaning on the tree. My hair was stuck on the rough tree barks creating a slight pain, however it felt comfortable.........because this slight pain would ease the pain in my chest. A'Du is not here, at the capital city I ended up being all alone. Where can I go? Going alone back to the Western Liang. If I can't arrive there by a month, then three months, half a year, one year. I want to go back to Western Liang.

        I looked up to look at the moon, this type of bright and pure white moonlight, gently shining on everyone. The capital city that was under the moonlight, bustling and peaceful, countless times under the moonlight, A'Du and I would wander around in the city, however this place was not my home, I want to go home.

　　
        I slowly walked in the west direction, if I want to go back to Western Liang, then I would have to walk through the Guang Hua gate, continue walking towards the west direction, passing through the Yu Men gate would be Western Liang.

        I want to go home.

        I haven't arrived at the Guang Hua gate, suddenly people started to scream, someone even shouted: "Cheng Tian gate is in flames!" I thought I heard it wrong, everyone looked at the south direction, faint flames can be seen on the Cheng Tian gate, black smoke was spreading out, everyone covered their mouths and screamed in shock seeing the beautiful building being enveloped in flames. Those lanterns, those curtains..............The flames were swallowing them one by one, the fire was getting bigger and stronger, the Cheng Tian gate was being burned in the raging fire. 

　　
        The streets suddenly became chaotic, countless people screaming and running away, unsure of what to do. Suddenly the army was rushing through, the noisy crowd took the initiative to step aside, the speed of the horses was like a gust of wind. The people responsible for putting out the fire rushed over carrying wooden buckets of water, people pulling carts filled with buckets of water.

        I could see the Shen Wu army surrounding Cheng Tian gate, not long after I could see the ceremonial weaponry. Afterwards the army marched towards the palace, as everything must have been fine now.

　
        I should not be worried, the lives of the people on top of the Cheng Tian gate have nothing to do with me.

　　
         I should just go back to Western Liang, tell my father that I had came back, then ride my little red horse on the grassland like the same as before, passing by days without worries.

　　
        I saved some of my strength, continued to walk in the west direction. The Shen Wu army passed by with their horses, I could hear whipping sound and a loud shout: "His Majesty have an imperial decree! Close all nine city gates!" Each voice passing the message: "His Majesty have an imperial decree! Close all nine city gates!" Hundred years of prosperity, the Lantern Festival have never have this kind of situation happening before, however the commoners did not have any objections. The commoners are still talking about the fire as they still haven't fully recover from the incident. The intensity of the fire gradually lowered. "Closing all the city gates, can we not go out?" "This huge fire, closing the gates was because they are scared something big might happen. Once the fire at the Cheng Tian gate is put out, then the city gates would be open again....." People around were talking to each other, all the noises made me felt impatient. I could not move, even there was a burning pain when I tried to breathe. My throat was like a charcoal, dry and burning hot. I was sitting by the street and leaning my head against the tree, gasping for air.

        I only sat there for a moment, never have I thought that I would fall asleep just sitting there.

　　
        When I was little, I went hunting with my father, I fell asleep on the horse, my father carried me on his back on the way back. I comfortably slept on my father's back, even drooling on his back causing his back to be wet. I was too lazy to lift my eyelids, only could see countless lights in the streets that looked like stars that we normally see on a summer night at the grassland. It was said that if you see a shooting star and then tie your belt into a knot, but then make a wish at the same time, the wish would come true. However I'm too clumsy, every time I see a shooting star, I would either forget to make a wish or tie my belt into a knot......Tonight there were so many shooting stars, if I make a wish, what can I wish for?

        I used my strength to pull out my hand, wanting to tie my belt into a knot, however my fingers were weak, so my hands just hang down.

        It was like that.

        I closed my eyes, and then slept.

　
        I don't know how long I had slept, it felt as long as a person's life, but also felt very short. This sleep felt deep, but also not that deep because I could feel that there was a lantern constantly spinning nonstop right in front of my eyes. The gold foil on the lantern was so bright that it hurts my eyes, also it was constantly talking into my ears. It was very annoying, why can't it let me sleep peacefully?

        I know that I am sick, because if my body doesn't feel cold then it would feel hot, a moment it would feel cold, a moment it would feel hot. The coldness would make me clench my teeth. When I feel hot I would also clench my teeth, because the air that I breathe out would be burning hot.

        I was also talking in my sleep, I want to go back to Western Liang, I want my father, I want A'Du, I want my little red horse.........I want the old days back....Only I knew that the things that I wanted I can no longer have anymore.

　
        When I spit out the mouthful of blood, I already knew.

　　
        My chest was in pain, consciousness had dropped, and then I fell back asleep.

　　
        In my dreams I was riding the horse in the boundless dessert, looking around. Maybe I was crying, I could hear my own sobbing voice.

　
        What's there to cry about? We Western Liang women do not cry over these things.

　　

        In the end I finally woke up, my whole body was in pain, eyelids felt awkward as it felt heavy that I couldn't open it. I slowly opened my eyes, the first thing that I saw was A'Du, she looked at me with her teary red eyes. It was dark everywhere, the sky was filled with stars like a sparse glimmer. I finally recognized that this place is a broken temple, why am I here? A'Du lifted me up and fed me some water. I felt that the pain in my chest got better. I held her hand tightly, muttered: "A'Du, let's go back to Western Liang." My voice was actually hoarse and disordered, even I didn't understand what I was saying, however A'Du nodded her head. Her cold fingers touching my forehead gave me a comfortable feel. Fortunately A'Du came back, and found me. I didn't have any strength to ask her where she had went for the past two days, I was taken as hostage by the assassin, she must be very worried. I felt very relieved having her by my side, A'Du came back, we can go back to Western Liang together.

        I felt dizzy, so I was about to fall asleep again. Suddenly A'Du stood up, I used my strength to open my eyes to glance at her once, she was standing by my side, listening attentively to some sound, I could also hear it too. It was a faint sound, there was a large group of people coming here.

　　
        A'Du bent down to help me get up, I felt very weak as if there was no strength in me.

　　
        If those people are the Shen Wu army or the Yu Lin army, then I don't want to see them because I don't want to see Li Cheng Yin, however I am scared that A'Du won't be able to take me away from those people.

　　
        The temple door opened, in a matter of life or death suddenly a white figure flew down from the rooftop like a huge bird. A bright sword was being swung around in the doorway, I heard a lot of screams, I recognized that the person that flew from the rooftop was Gu Jian and the people outside the door were the Shen Wu army. I felt like blood was rushing to my head, although I didn't see Li Cheng Yin, however Gu Jian is killing people right now.

        A'Du was holding onto the golden inlaid knife, carefully watching Gu Jian fighting against the Shen Wu army, I grabbed the golden inlaid from her hand, A'Du looked at me in a suspicious way.

        I slowly approached the people that were fighting, the Shen Wu army thought that I was with Gu Jian, one after another running towards me with their weapons. Gu Jian's martial arts skills are exceptional, although he was surrounded by the army, every time when someone ran towards me, he would grab the sword in midair and kill. Every move was precise, every time when the sword flashed, someone would be lying down right in front of me.

　　
        Warm blood would be splashed on my face, and there would be more and more people lying down in front of me. The Shen Wu army doesn't seem to be afraid of death, everyone running in this direction and being slashed by the sword. I was shocked by the innocent killing, I wanted to shout out 'stop,' however my voice was hoarse and almost unable to speak. Gu Jian seemed to have heard it, but also did not.

        I bit my teeth, and ran towards Gu Jian with the knife, he lightly pushed the knife away, my hand had no strength so the knife fell to the ground. At this moment I could hear loud noises breaking in the air, heavy rocks being thrown towards me, I looked up and A'Du looked at me and rushed over. Smoke was everywhere, the loud noise was so loud that the whole temple was almost shattered by the noise.

<Chapter 23                                                                                                               Chapter 25>

东宫 Eastern Palace: Chapter 23

     Fortunately the fall was not that painful, after getting up, suddenly a person can be seen standing not too far away.

      

        Gu Jian!

        He was holding onto a box that was filled with food, standing quietly there staring at me.

        I could only force the corners of my mouth to move, facing towards him and smiling.

        Afterwards I quickly turned around and ran.

        Without waiting for me to run three steps further, Gu Jian had already grab hold of me, one hand grabbing onto my wrist, the other hand holding onto the box of food.

        I said: "Just let me go, what's the point of locking me here? I will not leave with you anyways." Gu Jian suddenly laughed coldly, said: "I can let you go, however you have to follow me to this place, as long as you go there with me and don't change your decision, then I will let you go." The moment I heard that I felt that it was strange, so I cautiously asked him: "What place?" "You will find out when you go there." I looked at him strangely, he said: "If you are scared, then forget about what I had just said, anyways I won't let you go, if you don't want to go then don't go." What's there to be afraid of? I said in a loud voice: "You'll keep your promise?" Gu Jian suddenly laughed, "As long as you keep your promise, then I will definitely keep my promise." I said: "What are we waiting for? Let's quickly go." Gu Jian stopped and said: "You don't regret?" "What's there to regret about?" I suddenly thought of something, said: "You aren't allow to regret either." Gu Jian smiled, said: "I definitely won't regret." He placed down the box of food, opened the lid, inside the box was really a roasted mandarin duck. He said: "You eat first, and then we'll go." At first I didn't have any appetite, however seeing him like this, if I don't finish the food he will definitely not let me go, so I grabbed the chopsticks and then started to eat the roasted mandarin duck. Honestly my throat and my mouth were in pain, even my tongue was numb, chewing the roasted mandarin duck in my mouth did not have any taste at all. However I quickly finished eating, placing down the chopsticks, said: "Let's go." However Gu Jian looked at me, asked: "Was it delicious?" I carelessly nodded, he did not say anything, only raising his head to look at the round moon in the sky, then he pulled up the fur coat, covering half of my face, said: "Let's go." Gu Jian's martial arts skills was quite fast, I could see that the tree leaves in front of me quickly pass through, then we flew from the rooftop to the bottom of the tall walls. Looking at these walls, I suddenly felt that it was quite familiar.

        Gu Jian pulled me to the top of the wall. After landing on top of the wall I couldn't help but to look around, immediately I felt foolish.
　　
        The walls consists of large pieces of glazed roof tiles with interlocking wooden brackets, which was quite magnificent, in the middle the outlines of the palace halls can be seen making this place quite familiar, because every time when I am at the top of the walls these were the things I would immediately see. I was speechless, Eastern Palace!
　　
        This place was the Eastern Palace! The place that I had just left was within the palace walls of the Eastern Palace.
　　
        Gu Jian seeing me dumbstruck, faintly said: "That's right, we were in the storage room of Eastern Palace." I bit my tongue and not saying anything, I regret a lot, I should have shouted out from the window, so that the entire Yu Lin army would come, then I would be safe. No matter how good Gu Jian's skills were, he cannot snatch me away again when facing against the Yu Lin army which consists of thousands of people........I really regret a lot.

        However regretting now was no use. Gu Jian pulled me to jump off the tall walls, then going on top of someone's rooftop, twisting and turning, landing and passing through someone's garden, opening a small door, the bustling world suddenly appeared in front of me.

        Every time at this night everywhere would be filled with lanterns, people and laughter. It seemed like everyone had came to the street, as if all the lanterns were hung on the streets of the Capital City. The moon in the ink coloured sky was like a mirror that's bright and white, but also like a glutinous rice ball, honey filling would pour out once bitten. The moonlight reflected the thin layer of frost on the rooftops, looking more and more clear, but not too cold. The night wind had burnt firework smell, women with fragrant smell, smell of food, all mixed together would be the special smell of the Lantern festival......The front of the stores on both sides of the street and the trees hung numerous kinds of lanterns. Gu Jian and I walked into the street that was like a tide of people, as though all four directions were surrounded by people and lanterns. The lanterns come in different colour: yellow, pink, blue, purple, red, and green.....Staring at these colourful lanterns would make a person feel dizzy. If this happened before, I don't know how happy I would be with this type of excitement. However today I could only lower my head, walk silently and let Gu Jian pull my hand. At the front of the street, a huge crowd was forming watching the dragon lantern. It was so crowded that Gu Jian couldn't help but to stop. From time to time, the dragon's mouth would spew out silver fireworks, and everyone would be amazed. Suddenly the dragon's head faced towards us, 'bang' spraying out large fireworks, everyone was so surprised that they stepped back. The fireworks was sprayed in front of me, I was so scared that I closed my eyes. When I was squeezed by the crowd, I almost fell back, fortunately Gu Jian reached out his hand and supported me from behind. When I opened my eyes, I realized that he used his sleeve to cover my face and that I was in his embrace.

        I did not make any noises, only using my strength to break free from his hands, fortunately he did not force me again, only grabbing my arm and continued to walk forward.
　　
        After passing through the south street, suddenly a whistling sound can be heard, making a 'bang' sound in midair, everyone raised their heads, seeing half of the sky covered with gold and silver lines, creating a large flower in the sky, overshadowing the round moon. Apparently fireworks were released at the top of the seven star tiered tower.

         The top of the tower was filled with splashes of gold and silver, various fireworks with different patterns like the peony springs, the people on the streets raising their heads high. Gu Jian also raised his head to look at the fireworks, the chilly wind blowing his head scarf, behind us was like a lantern city. Every time when fireworks rose to the sky, his face would become bright, every time when the fireworks dimmed down, his face would be hidden in the shadows. I could see him through the brightness and darkness.

        I was thinking, if I run away at this moment, Gu Jian won't be able to catch up to me, the street was filled with people, if I escape to the crowd, he will definitely not be able to find me.
　　
        However he was grabbing onto my arm, grabbing very tightly, I won't be able to break free from his hands.
　　
        Both sides of the street were lined up with vendors selling various kinds of things such as snow willow flower, bright and shimmery new year banner, one glance would make people feel dizzy, making people not fond of it. I lowered my eyelids as I didn't want to look at those things. However there was this one vendor seller blocking our way, looking at Gu Jian with joy: "Gong Zi, buy your wife a pair of hairpin! Your wife is beautiful, however if she wears the hairpin, she'll be even more beautiful! Ten copper coins for one pair of hairpin, cheap and pretty! Gong Zi, buy a pair of hairpin!" Gu Jian waved his hand, I thought he wanted to push away the seller, never have I thought that he would pick a pair hairpin and give the seller ten copper coins.

        He said: "Lower your head." I said: "I don't like these things." However he pretended as if he didn't hear what I had just said, reaching out his hands to place a hairpin into my hair, placing one after another.

        Because we were standing very close, I could feel his breath on my face, soft, warm, and also itchy. His body had a faint smell, not the ambergris fragrance that I used to smell, but an indescribable faint smell like the cantaloupes from Western Liang, fresh with a chilly feeling. Afterwards Gu Jian pulled my hand, looking at my right and left side very seriously, as though he was scared that the hairpins would become crooked. I've never seen him look at me this attentively, so I felt that my ears were burning hot, very uncomfortable, so I urged him: "Let's go." I didn't know where he would bring me, he seemed as though he didn't know either, we were walking and stopping at the bustling street, because the street was too crowded, the stream of people were like a tide rushing forward, wanted to move but can't move.

        Continuously turning until we had reached the last street, Zhuque main street appearing in front of my eyes. Looking as far as I can see, the street that is outside the Cheng Tian gate is often cleared when the Emperor tours the street, right now it is crowded with people, at a distant place a bright building can be seen.

        I could guess where he was bringing me, suddenly I felt scared. "What's wrong? You don't dare to go?" Gu Jian faintly smiled, turned around to look at me, I felt that his smile had a hidden meaning. His smile was not like that when I first saw him. At that time he was wearing a white gown, standing on top of the roof, looking at A'Du and I rushing through the streets.

        Why did it turn out like this?

        I said: "What do you really want to do?" "Nothing is sadder than a sorrow heart." His tone of voice was flat as if he was saying something that wasn't important. "I have given up all hope, so I want you to feel the same way and just give up." I wasn't carefully listening to what he was saying, but staring at the tall city gate tower, wandering in my thoughts. This is the Cheng Tian gate, there were countless red lanterns lit up upstairs mixed with all kinds of lanterns creating a layer of bright light, downstairs was also surrounded by countless lights making the whole city gate tower bright like the heavenly bejeweled jade palace. The closer you are, the clearer you see. The pearl coloured curtain hanging from upstairs was blown by the wind, drifting lightly, finally I could see the ceremonial weaponry and the people standing behind the curtain. The palace maids with their hair worn in a bun and moving, the lighting showing their figures behind the curtains, I suddenly recall seeing a shadow play on the streets before. At the high and tall Cheng Tian gate, everything happening upstairs was like a shadow play, every movement felt that it was out of reach.
                       

        The faint sound floated downstairs and can be heard from a distance. The people downstairs suddenly started to make loud noises because the curtains upstairs suddenly opened up, the palace maids threw things down, people fighting over them. I knew these were gold money, these money are specifically used by the officials to give to the commoners. The sound of the money scattered on the floor seemed like a beautiful rainfall.....seemed like everyone knelt down to grab the money on the floor, only I was standing there staring blankly at the top of the Cheng Tian gate.

<Chapter 22                                                                                                                Chapter 24>