By evening, Anhou took out the bronze tripod to cook another al for Chen Yi. This ti, Chen Yi didn’t decline, eating with delight, while the others, seeing the bronze tripod filled with copper rust, chose to stick to their simple dry rations.
After dinner, Chen Yi had a brief chat with Anhou before deciding to sleep. In the underground palace, he could only rest in the burial chambers. Fortunately, he was close to the main chamber. The surrounding chambers were either empty tombs ant for divine beings or served other purposes.
Tossing the outer layer of his clothing onto the stone bed, Chen Yi pulled Yin Tingxue into his arms. The girl let out a sharp "Ah!" before gasping twice and settling down obediently.
"How have you been these past few days?"
Chen Yi asked, feeling that he genuinely missed her.
Especially since he often felt uneasy in front of Anhou, he missed those tis where he could act domineering in front of Yin Tingxue.
"Not much really..."
Yin Tingxue obviously couldn’t tell him the truth, especially since Zhou Yitang had cast a magical silence spell upon her.
"How has she treated you?"
"Pretty well."
Yin Tingxue evaded the question without giving a clear answer. Chen Yi held her shoulders closer, his breath warming her nose, which she disliked, prompting her to turn her delicate nose away.
Then, seeing Chen Yi’s slightly discontented expression, she hurriedly added:
"Really, pretty well. Master Zhou hasn’t bullied or scolded , in fact, she’s shared quite a bit of what’s on her mind with ."
Chen Yi ruffled her loose hair thoughtfully. That did seem to make sense—Zhou Yitang was that kind of person. In her presence, Yin Tingxue wouldn’t just avoid harm but would be well-protected.
Yin Tingxue gazed at him for a mont before swallowing nervously.
Her words just now carried a hidden aning, silently accusing him of bullying her.
Fortunately, he didn’t catch onto it.
Having spent two or three days with Zhou Yitang, and now back in Chen Yi’s arms, Yin Tingxue couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow. There’s that saying—once you’ve experienced light, it’s hard to endure darkness. Those two or three carefree days, without worrying about his bullying or his anger, were filled with ease, yet no matter how bitter the feeling, she could only serve him obediently. He would never let her go.
After a while, as her thoughts drifted, Yin Tingxue recalled sothing important she needed to say now.
"Chen Yi..."
"Hmm?"
Chen Yi lowered his gaze and saw Yin Tingxue’s face flushed red.
Even so, she pushed past her shyness to speak:
"That kind of thing... can you do it less often in the future?"
"Oh?"
Chen Yi raised an eyebrow, looking at her for a mont.
Feeling faintly that he might be displeased, Yin Tingxue dared not defy him. Leaning closer, she lightly kissed the corner of his mouth.
"I’m not stupid. Doing that too often... I’d probably get pregnant, right?"
After the kiss, she softened her tone to gently persuade him:
"Could you do it less often from now on?"
She wasn’t asking him to stop, only to do it less often. She knew stopping was impossible—he loved teasing her like that.
Chen Yi looked at her for a while and chuckled:
"Isn’t it only natural for a wife to bear her husband’s children?"
Yin Tingxue’s brow furrowed at these words, a sourness welling in her heart, prompting her to plead:
"But I don’t want to..."
"Oh? Seems like a few days apart have made you grow bolder."
Saying this, Chen Yi grabbed her waist. Seeing his eagerness, she begged:
"Don’t, please... Everyone else is sleeping!"
Chen Yi ignored her, reaching for her clothes.
Yin Tingxue panicked inside, struggling against him. But her strength was no match for his—she was subdued in no ti.
"You promised you’d be kinder to ..." she cried with a sobbing voice.
Chen Yi halted his actions, turning to lie beside her without pressing down on her, holding her waist as before.
Yin Tingxue didn’t resist, taking a deep breath. She said nothing for a while, only glancing at him with lingering fear, understanding this wasn’t the ti to discuss children. Her eyes watered, yet she held back her tears.
This man... soone like him needed to be slain with "Three Corpses." Three might not be enough—thirty would be better. She thought this, her heart filled with both hatred and grievance.
But as her thoughts shifted toward his eventual punishnt, Yin Tingxue felt a surge of delight amid her resentnt. All compassion for him seed to fade—she believed his punishnt was deserved.
"Little fox, what are you thinking?" Chen Yi asked.
Yin Tingxue jolted and shook her head, then changed the topic:
"Why do you always call ’little fox’?"
Chen Yi ruffled her hair, laughing:
"Because you always have little sches brewing."
Yin Tingxue jumped in surprise, suddenly feeling anxious.
"It’s nothing. A woman with a few little sches is even more lovable."
Chen Yi said playfully.
Yin Tingxue relaxed a little, calming down.
Chen Yi recalled her earlier words, reminding himself of his promise to treat her better. After thinking for a while, he spoke gently:
"Once I’ve sealed off Mount Tushan, I’ll be credited with the highest rit in protecting the court. The Empress Dowager will surely reward . Besides, I’ve cultivated so exceptional connections. When we return, I’ll have her pardon you and even grant you the title of Commandery Princess."
Yin Tingxue was surprised, her lips naturally forming a smile.
"Really?"
"Hmm. That’s the arrangent I got by being soone’s adopted son, selling out my body for favors."
Chen Yi joked pitifully to amuse her.
To his surprise, she teased back with a hint of schadenfreude:
"Well then... you should sell out a bit more."
Chen Yi was montarily speechless.
Normally, he’d seize on such remarks as an excuse to bully this little fox, but he decided to let it slide, seeing how happy she was.
Saying nothing more, Chen Yi’s thoughts began drifting. In his past life, he’d said similar things to Zhou Yitang, only for her to respond with a sword strike. Luckily, he’d been stronger then, quickly subduing her onto a bed in return.
Among many won, Zhou Yitang naturally seed dull—not only was she cold and indifferent, but also stubborn and rigid.
"She’s an incredibly stubborn person, just like ."
Chen Yi muttered to himself.
"You... both are stubborn?"
Yin Tingxue seed to have caught on to whom he was talking about.
"Hmm... But she’s a good person. I can’t claim to be one."
Chen Yi paused before softly continuing:
"She’s a ’living sword,’ never killing unless it’s to save lives. I am... not like her."
Hearing Chen Yi’s words, Yin Tingxue thought of the one-ard woman determined to sever his "Three Corpses."
Zhou Yitang had said that Chen Yi would secretly be kind to won—only the won themselves might not realize it. These seed like her heartfelt sentints, muddled and hazy, heard by Yin Tingxue for so reason.
The Commandery Princess wondered: if Chen Yi was like this, then was Master Zhou any different? Otherwise, why would she prepare a sword for Chen Yi? Why rember Ge Sheng? Why cling to feelings from a past life?
Yet, the care they showed for each other was sothing neither truly desired.
"Did you know her before? Did you promise her anything?"
Yin Tingxue asked softly.
"I did..."
Chen Yi’s gaze fell as he answered.
Between them, there was no lack of vows sworn on mountains and seas.
Once, he recalled making Zhou Yitang happy, asking if she’d sing him Ge Sheng in another life if she didn’t love him in this one.
She had hesitated for a long ti, staying silent through the night.
The next morning, there was still no answer—he thought she’d forgotten.
Around half a month later, when even he had nearly forgotten the matter, she suddenly blew out the candle in the dead of night and said:
"You must wait, and I must also wait.
Wait for the next life. Wait until a hundred years later."
Chen Yi was speechless. Such a response seed perfunctory—she likely felt no affection for him.
Which was only proper. He had broken her sword, betrayed his master, desecrated her...
But it was also improper.
For by chance, Chen Yi discovered sothing unexpected—
At so unguarded mont,
The woman who hated him down to her bones had secretly stood atop a mountain peak, closed her eyes, turned away, and in the style of ancient Tang people, sang Ge Sheng quietly to herself amidst layers of autumn leaves.
"Winter’s night, sumr’s day. After a hundred years, return to the chamber."
Chen Yi was dumbstruck. It was as if she were preparing for another life, because in this one, she still didn’t dare love him.
It was as if she were telling him:
Chen Yi... we must each endure the passage of spring and autumn, until the next life, until a hundred years later.
A heart full of lancholy, years of estrangent.
Mistake, mistake, mistake.
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