Zhou Donglin knew that she was waiting for someone.
The person she was waiting for flirted with one concubine today and reveled in another concubine's arms tomorrow, leading a carefree and dissipated life.
However, Li Qiyu didn't just sit there idly all the time. Occasionally, she would touch her sword, but Zhou Donglin had never seen her dance with it.
Zhou Donglin remembered that Li Qiyu was excellent at both swordsmanship and marksmanship. When she danced with the sword, her heroic aura was overwhelming, looking valiant and dashing. Watching her dance with the sword used to be Zhou Donglin's favorite thing. She seemed to be able to take people to the battlefield filled with clashing swords and horses, making them feel the grandeur of a female hero.
Now she also danced, but no longer the sword dance. Instead, she picked up the silk ribbons and danced the soft and alluring silk dance meant to charm men.
This kind of dance didn't suit her at all, so she looked awkward no matter how she danced. The most distressing thing was that she was learning the extremely difficult Hu Xuan Dance. He saw Li Qiyu fall off the stage many times. Every time she fell, he desperately wanted to rush out and catch her.
Zhou Donglin felt extremely heart - broken. He knew who Li Qiyu was imitating - the Concubine Xiang, who had recently won the emperor's great favor with her dance on the palm.
She had always been proud. Since Concubine Xiang could dance on the palm, she would learn the more difficult Hu Xuan Dance.
But her starting point was to please Song Jiaye. For this purpose, she had already lowered her status and dignity.
She was no longer the Li Qiyu he knew. What the eldest sister - in - law of the Li family said was right. She was locked in a cage and had become Song Jiaye's plaything. In order to survive in the palace, she was forced to learn things she had once scorned.
He couldn't bear to blame her. He understood her difficulties and only felt heart - broken for her.
So one day, when he saw the girl he loved finally waiting for the man she had been longing for, he was happy for her. He watched her jump up excitedly and perform a dance in front of Song Jiaye.
She seemed to suddenly come to life. Even though he couldn't hear what she was saying, he could imagine the joy in her tone.
A smile also appeared on Zhou Donglin's lips.
Even though this happiness wasn't given by him, as long as his girl was happy, he was satisfied.
It seemed that the pain in his body didn't matter at all. His whole body felt comfortable because of her good mood.
Although Zhou Donglin had never had a woman, he knew what was going to happen next. He didn't want to watch this scene. Just as he was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly saw Song Jiaye stand up and slap Li Qiyu.
He was loudly scolding Li Qiyu about something. Zhou Donglin didn't hear it clearly. He only saw Song Jiaye angrily fling his sleeves and leave, leaving Li Qiyu sitting on the ground alone, covering her face and crying.
Zhou Donglin immediately wanted to go down to find Li Qiyu, but then he thought of his not - fully - recovered body. He didn't dare to meet her in such a mess.
Moreover, it was night. If he went to see her, it would only put her in greater scandal.
He took two steps outside. After much thought, he managed to hold back from turning back. He watched Li Qiyu covering her face and crying, and he also covered his mouth.
He could feel her collapse, her embarrassment, and her despair.
When she was in pain, his heart ached too.
This was the tacit understanding they had developed since childhood, and the unique spiritual connection between childhood sweethearts.
However, when Li Qiyu was in distress, that scumbag Song Jiaye, after leaving the Queen's palace, went straight to Concubine Xiang's palace. With Concubine Xiang, he was much gentler. As soon as he entered the palace, he hugged Concubine Xiang's soft waist and went into the room.
Zhou Donglin felt extremely heart - broken.
Song Jiaye, you don't deserve Qiyu's love!
Li Qiyu sat in the yard in a daze all night. On the other side of the palace, Zhou Donglin was also accompanying her in this silent way. The two eunuchs who were looking after Zhou Donglin came to urge him several times, but Zhou Donglin remained unmoved. So they simply ignored him and shrank to a sheltered place, curled up together, and fell asleep with their heads touching.
Li Qiyu didn't sleep all night, and Zhou Donglin watched her all night. At the third watch, a red light suddenly appeared in the east.
There was a fire! It seemed to be in Concubine Xiang's palace.
The originally quiet palace became noisy as the fire grew stronger. Zhou Donglin saw Li Qiyu shoot out like an arrow, heading towards the burning Concubine Xiang's palace!
What was she trying to do? Was she crazy?
Zhou Donglin was both angry and anxious. Regardless of his still - unhealed injury, he quickly rushed down the Star - Picking Tower and ran towards the direction of the fire.
When Zhou Donglin arrived, Li Qiyu only saw the dying Concubine Xiang and the unconscious Song Yian, whose dragon robe had been burned by the fire.
"Where is the Queen? Where is Her Majesty the Queen?" Zhou Donglin anxiously grabbed a palace maid and asked.
Because the emperor was in trouble, the palace maids were all busy running around and didn't have time to answer Zhou Donglin. It wasn't until Zhou Donglin found Xia Xuan, the long - serving maid beside the Queen. Xia Xuan was so anxious that tears were about to fall.
"Her Majesty the Queen rescued His Majesty, but she's still inside!"
But the fire inside was too fierce. None of the palace maids dared to go in. Xia Xuan had tried to rescue someone before, but her hands had been burned with blisters.
The fire was really too big.
Zhou Donglin looked around and saw a palace maid holding a quilt. It should have been prepared for the emperor and Concubine Xiang. Without thinking, Zhou Donglin snatched the quilt, poured three buckets of cold water on it, and then wrapped himself in the water - soaked, extremely heavy quilt and rushed into the burning palace.
After rushing in, Zhou Donglin found that the situation inside the palace was more complicated than it looked from the outside. There was black smoke everywhere, making his eyes water constantly. Although he was wrapped in the wet quilt, which could briefly protect him from the fire, he still couldn't withstand the scorching heat that seemed to roast people. His ears were filled with the crackling sound of burning wood. He anxiously shouted, "Qiyu, Li Qiyu!"
There were falling beams everywhere. If it kept burning like this, the palace wouldn't last long before it collapsed. Zhou Donglin anxiously walked deeper into the fire. Suddenly, he felt something hook his foot. He looked down and saw a hand. Following the hand, by the light of the fire, he finally saw the person who was holding on to him for survival.
Li Qiyu.
At this moment, a piece of wood fell and landed right on her face. Half of her face was being roasted by the fire. She was already unconscious, but still twitching in pain.
Zhou Donglin was greatly shocked. Without thinking, he grabbed the burning and scalding wood and threw it aside.
He seemed to have an iron hand, and at this moment, he didn't feel any pain at all.