Bai Xiaofeng dived deeper and deeper into the water. Finally, he saw an arm and abruptly pulled the person out of the water...
"Shuang Hua, Shuang Hua..."
"What's going on?" Shuang Hua ran out in a bit of a panic. Seeing the chaos by the lotus pond, she stopped and frowned, asking.
"Hey, when I came here, I saw a young man in white shouting 'Shuang Hua' and then dashing headlong into the water."
"A young man in white?" Shuang Hua looked at the still - rippling white robe in the pond and the suddenly emerging back of a head. She couldn't help shouting, "Bai Xiaofeng!"
Bai Xiaofeng emerged from the water. When he clearly saw the face of the girl in his arms and heard the angry shout from the shore, his mind went completely blank.
"Humph." Seeing him, Shuang Hua turned around and ran. Bai Xiaofeng, in a flurry, got the drowning girl onto the shore and then chased after Shuang Hua.
"Shuang Hua, Shuang Hua!" For some reason, seeing that Shuang Hua was okay, the anxiety in Bai Xiaofeng's heart finally subsided. But the situation he needed to explain now was really a headache.
In a deserted place, Shuang Hua was stopped by Bai Xiaofeng. Looking at the angry Shuang Hua, Bai Xiaofeng said with a look of guilt, "Shuang'er, I'm really sorry."
"Humph, you already knew that Queen Feiyu wasn't dead, right? Not only did you know, but you also knew her, didn't you? You brought me here just to humiliate me!"
"I..." Facing Shuang Hua's accusation, Bai Xiaofeng was speechless and just looked conflicted.
"Don't say anything. I'll never trust you again." After saying that, Shuang Hua left. For some reason, when she first heard their conversation, she was shocked, disappointed, and sad. But after truly accepting this news, a sense of unreality welled up in her heart. That feeling told her that her marriage with Emperor Yong seemed to be off.
Seeing Shuang Hua turn around, Bai Xiaofeng knew that if he didn't take action, he would lose her forever. So he gritted his teeth and firmly hugged her from behind.
"Shuang'er, listen to me. At first, I did have the intention of teasing you, but later I regretted it. It was my fault that I let you be chased and killed all the way; it was also my fault that I flirted with other women everywhere. I know I can't give you much, but when I saw you this time, I understood a lot. Now, I don't want to watch you walk out of my world, leaving only a back view. From the moment I thought you jumped into the water out of despair, I've been afraid of losing you. So this time, I won't let you go!"
"Let go of me. What are you doing hugging me?" Since she heard his words, Shuang Hua's heart had been pounding wildly. Such a close - range contact, Shuang Hua had never imagined that that person's embrace would be so warm.
"I won't let go. I've decided, I won't let go!" Bai Xiaofeng knew it was time to be thick - skinned.
"You brute. You're all wet!" Shuang Hua started to get angry.
"I don't care. Unless you promise me that you're not angry and won't leave me, I won't let go!" Bai Xiaofeng's eyes sparkled. It was rare for him to be so serious.
But Shuang Hua was very angry and shouted, "You're a scoundrel!"
"I've been a scoundrel for a long time. You just found out."
"If you don't let go, I'll call for help!"
"Call then, call then, call then. I'll let you call!"
"Ah——"
On that day in the palace, many people heard that scream that echoed through the sky.
Oh, it wasn't a woman's scream but a man's.
The emperor, who was playing chess alone, smiled faintly when he heard the report from the palace servants. Then he explained the source of the sound to everyone. After all, it was in the palace. If he didn't explain why there was a man's scream, it would make the palace people feel uneasy.
At this time, a woman in red gently came to his side and said sarcastically, "You mobilized so many of my people to chase and kill him just to make that white bird realize his feelings?"
"Isn't it good to reduce a rival in love? There are too many people around Ji Feiyu." The emperor smiled lightly and continued playing chess.
"But I don't understand. Since you've agreed to marry Shuang Hua, and you let Bai Xiaofeng realize his feelings for Shuang Hua, what's your intention?"
"Bai Xiaofeng made Ji Feiyu get involved in that situation back then. I was quite dissatisfied. Since I've caught him in the wrong, I naturally have to punish him. The engagement between me and Shuang Hua has been set. Shuang Hua's attitude towards him is unclear. What's the use of just him realizing his feelings? It'll just add to his pain."
"You're so cruel." The woman in red suddenly said, feeling ashamed of herself.
The emperor smiled lightly. "But haven't you also got what you wanted?"
Only then did Zui Lianhua remember that although she had sent people to chase and kill Bai Xiaofeng and lost some of her men, she had indeed obtained half of his internal energy.
In fact, her feelings for Bai Xiaofeng had long changed from love to disappointment. She didn't care about being entangled anymore. All that was left was self - interest. It seemed so sad, but it was also really helpless.
But was she the only one who benefited from Bai Xiaofeng losing half of his internal energy?
No. The martial world and the imperial court had always been at odds. This was clearly the emperor's strategy!
"Fortunately, I didn't become your enemy. I've repaid your life - saving grace. From now on, we'll stay out of each other's way." After saying that, Zui Lianhua didn't look at the emperor who was still playing chess. She drifted away in her red dress.
The emperor still sat there, his figure seemingly unchanged...
In fact, it was true that Zui Lianhua chased and killed Bai Xiaofeng, and it was also true that she wanted half of his internal energy. The emperor just told Zui Lianhua to spare Shuang Hua when he learned that Zui Lianhua had captured Shuang Hua and was about to start a massacre, saying that it would be the repayment of his life - saving grace.
Zui Lianhua was very puzzled, but the emperor told her that they could watch a good show together.
As a result, they saw that scene.
But no one knew whether the emperor let things develop like this for other purposes. Maybe he wanted to wake Shuang Hua up through this incident, suggesting that there might be other people worthy of her attention. Or maybe he hoped that the marriage would be disrupted halfway so that he wouldn't have to marry her.
In short, the emperor's mind was always unfathomable, and the development of events was always unexpected.
(10)
Half a month later. On the way back to the Northern Cold Region from the Great Yong.
Shuang Hua was almost angry to death by Bai Xiaofeng. She had never thought that her favorite Aunt Xia Ling was actually Queen Feiyu. She suddenly felt like a joke. Moreover, she learned this news after Emperor Yong had agreed to marry her, and that bad bird Bai Xiaofeng clearly knew it a long time ago!
So she drove Bai Xiaofeng away. She had to go back quickly to ask her elder brother to call off the engagement!
A few months later, Aunt Xia Ling was knocked unconscious by her elder brother and stuffed into the wedding procession to be sent to the Great Yong. Shuang Hua rode day and night, planning to apologize to her aunt. As a result, she encountered Bai Xiaofeng coming to snatch the bride. Shuang Hua was so timid that she directly avoided him. But how could she avoid him forever?
When that man blocked her way, she knew she was doomed.
"Shuang Hua, I've already seen through my own heart. What about you?"
"Shuang Hua, either give me a chance and let's get to know each other better?"
"Shuang Hua, this is your favorite snow lotus. I finally managed to pick it. Isn't it for medicine? Here, it's for you."
"Shuang Hua, this set of whip techniques suits you very well. I specifically found it for you. How about I teach you?"
"Shuang Hua, how about trying my cooking? I'm excellent at barbecuing. Hey, don't go..."
"Shuang Hua..."
"Shuang Hua..."
This was probably what it felt like to be cherished by someone.
...
One year later.
The world was vast, and the desert was desolate. They were riding horses in the thick moonlight.
A long time had passed since they had cleared up their feelings.
Shuang Hua finally decided to follow Bai Xiaofeng.
It had nothing to do with his sweet talk, but everything to do with what she had seen with her own eyes.
Sometimes, when two people got together, they just followed their hearts.
In fact, for most people, feelings usually started as a gentle stream at first, and no one would pay much attention. Until one day, the water was blocked and kept accumulating until it finally burst out all at once.
So along this journey, they had both gained a lot.
And that was enough.
Looking out at the desert, the sky was high and the earth was wide. In the distance, the frosty moon was shining brightly.