Gao Yuyue patted Yan Lu’s shoulder. "Well done, Little Lulu. You’re surnad Yan—don’t tell Yan Ting is your dad?"
Yan Lu smiled. "He’s my uncle."
Gao Yuyue glanced at Liu Runxi. "You two really deserve to be desk mates."
Your family backgrounds are evenly matched.
This minor episode didn’t weigh on anyone’s mind.
Liu Runxi took the jacket from Shen You’an’s hands, just about to put it on when a tissue was extended toward him.
Liu Runxi froze for a mont.
Shen You’an, seeing him spacing out, helplessly picked up his left hand and noticed a scratch near the hypothenar area. The wound was quite deep, and blood was seeping out.
Liu Runxi hadn’t even realized when he got injured.
"It’s fine, it doesn’t hurt at all."
Shen You’an pressed the tissue against the wound, but the blood quickly seeped through, leaving small red stains scattered on the surface.
Liu Runxi lifted his gaze and quietly looked at her.
Shen You’an took a small coin pouch from her backpack, pulled out a povidone-iodine swab, and gently dabbed the wound. She then took out a band-aid and carefully applied it to the injured spot.
Gao Yuyue nudged Yan Lu, gesturing for her to look.
Yan Lu raised her eyebrows. "A perfect match, don’t you think?"
Gao Yuyue glanced again at Gu Bichen nearby.
Gu Bichen was looking in Shen You’an’s direction, his gaze deep, lost in thought.
The group watched with interest, while Shen You’an and Liu Runxi remained surprisingly calm, making the others feel rather bored in contrast.
To lighten the atmosphere, Yan Lu asked, "Do you guys know the history of Lushui Ancient City?"
Gao Yuyue imdiately responded, "I do! Before coming here, I specifically looked it up. Over a thousand years ago, Qing, Yan, and Hui were three rival nations. Among them Hui Country was the most powerful. Qing Country was situated in a bitterly cold region with harsh living conditions, while Yan Country guarded steep passages, making it geographically formidable but challenging to expand. To balance the two nations, Prince Hui proposed arranged marriages. Both Qing Country and Yan Country sent princesses to Hui Country for political alliances. To display the grandeur of his nation, the prince ordered the construction of a magnificent garden called the Qingyu Yanchun Building. Its splendor and magnificence were rarely seen in history. Unfortunately, the original site was destroyed during war and conflict. Though it has since been rebuilt, it can’t compare to its forr glory—a real pity."
The Qingyu Yanchun Building is located within Lushui Ancient City, nestled beside the royal city by the waters of Lushui, surrounded by mountains, with an unparalleled scenic view.
Gao Yuyue narrated passionately, "It is said that the Qingyu Yanchun Building held the Shanglin Fu, penned personally by the Qing Country Princess. However, historians have declared that the original work has long been lost; what’s on display today is rely a replica written by later generations."
Yan Lu gave her a thumbs up. "You sure know a lot."
Gao Yuyue said proudly, "Of course! A thousand years ago, Qing Country’s territory was roughly equivalent to today’s Qingzhou. The area has always kept legends about the Qing Country Princess alive. Rumor has it that the night she was born, there were celestial phenona, and she was born holding a jade piece in her mouth. Later generations called her Princess Qingyu, and the jade that she was born with beca the famous Pair-Wing White Jade Token."
The group listened more and more intently, and Shen You’an, walking at the back, trembled slightly in her lashes. Her hand, resting by her side, couldn’t help but clench.
"Princess Qingyu ca for the arranged marriage, but at that ti Prince Hui was gravely ill, unable to do much. As a result, Princess Qingyu and the Yan Country Princess were gifted respectively to General Xiao Lin, the Guardian of State, and the Crown Prince Huo Han. Princess Qingyu and General Xiao Lin shared a deep and harmonious love, inseparable as twin fish. Later, Qing Country breached the alliance agreent and attacked Hui Country. General Xiao Lin was tragically ambushed and killed on the battlefield. Overco with grief, Princess Qingyu found herself torn between love and duty, ultimately choosing to die for love. After her death, her loyal servant placed the jade token in her coffin as a burial item. Nearly a hundred years later, Qing Country was defeated and annexed by Yan Country. A grave-robbing gang broke into Princess Qingyu’s tomb, and the jade token resurfaced in the world."
Yan Lu, enraptured by the tale, couldn’t help but ask, "And then what happened?"
She knew about the legends surrounding Princess Qingyu but wasn’t as familiar with the finer details Gao Yuyue shared.
"And then, any woman who ca into possession of this jade token dread of experiencing a grand, passionate love like Princess Qingyu herself. But alas, it was a cursed token—Princess Qingyu died for love, so what good fate was left for those who followed? Nothing more than beauty fleeting and being consud by tragedy."
It required tickets to enter the Ancient City. Yan Lu made a phone call, and soone personally delivered the tickets into her hands.
The Ancient City is divided into three parts: the streets and the outer periter of the royal city are often used as filming locations and generally closed to the public. Tickets are required to enter the Qingyu Yanchun Building, with entry restricted to a limited number of visitors each ti. The remaining sections include the Hui Country Royal Palace ruins and its museum; one part is open to the public while another is reserved for research and permanently closed.
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