Suiyan is waiting for your return - Chapter 4

The eagle from the east can still fly over this old, dilapidated high wall, while she, long trapped in the web of dust, has no freedom left.

Yunxi gazed at the spirit tablet before her, her heart feeling empty.

She grew up in Xicheng as a child, spending very little time in the Protectorate’s mansion. Her father, during his lifetime, was either at the front lines of the border or in the barracks for military drills. The actual time they spent together as father and daughter was minimal. Three years ago, due to the death of her beloved prince, a deep chasm formed between them. In the past few years, Yunxi often didn’t even want to speak to him, resenting him for having only loyalty to the so-called emperor and country in his heart, without any flexibility.

Is it really just leaving me alone in the world, Father?

Yunxi could never forget that day a month ago. When the only thing delivered to the mansion was a battle robe, stained with blood, unable to hide its cold, shining chill, it arrived in the chilly autumn dusk of the capital, accompanied by the winds and dust of war.

No one knew that what Shen Jie brought back was, in fact, an empty coffin.

Shen Maoling insisted that his ashes be scattered in the borderlands, to protect the great dynasty at the moment of his death on the battlefield.

What a complete annihilation, what a national protector and great general!

Yunxi did not cry her heart out; the few tears that fell were merely for show to others. She was not as the world imagined, revering this powerful war god. After a lifetime of repression, could she simply forget all his sins and commemorate him as a perfect father?

Before she even had time to forgive him, she had to figure out how to live decently alone in this world of desires in the capital.

But when that day truly came, her heart felt hollow.

She had witnessed him leading his army into battle, indifferent to life and death, laughing as he said, “A real man stands tall and unashamed when alive, die with honor on the battlefield wrapped in a horsehide, truly a great fortune of life!”

He was a real man, a great hero, every word and deed entirely upright, without fault.

Because of this, he was unwilling to offer even a comforting lie or a beautiful falsehood. To this day, Yunxi still does not want to believe that he would betray the queen mother.

Fortunately, death concealed everything.

No one knew.

No one.

Yunxi wiped away the last tear from the corner of her eye. Great hero, the principality you protected with your life still relies on me for its defense!

Yunxi wiped away the last tear at the corner of her eye. “Great hero, the Protectorate’s mansion you traded your life for still relies on me for its protection!”

She sat quietly in the embroidery chamber, alone by the bed, gently caressing the bright red wedding dress.

Mandarin ducks in brocade, lotus flowers on the same stalk, entwined branches, and hehuan flowers; every detail was exquisite. How magnificent and precious this was, embroidered stitch by stitch by her own hand.

In the past, she had neglected her needlework, and the embroidery tutor always said that as a country princess, she must personally stitch her wedding dress, so she had to take it seriously.

A young girl’s shyness is not easily displayed, but Yunxi diligently stitched day by day at the window. If she made a mistake, she would undo it; if she missed a stitch, she would fix it. The needlework was challenging, yet she embroidered both shyness and joy into it, resulting in something that anyone could see was full of festive brightness.

She was overjoyed that there was a Prince Ayu in the world. They had agreed that on the next spring day, when the first peach blossoms opened, he would come to greet her in red attire on a white horse with a grand procession. At that time, the falling petals would be plentiful, scattering red dots everywhere, just at the right time in March.

But now, in this autumn dusk, everything was gone.

Yunxi wasn’t foolish. She knew that Prince Ayu could not come anymore. There would be no treason; the Northern Di would not allow him to live. If there were treason, she could only pretend he was dead.

The young gentleman on the path, as beautiful as jade, who used to smile gently, was no longer her youth; he was now just a shadow in her midnight dreams!

Suddenly, there was a sound at the door.

Yunxi’s gaze tightened, and she threw a plain hairpin from her dressing table in response. The hairpin cut through the air and firmly embedded itself in the door panel.

“Get out!” Yunxi grasped her phoenix crown and exclaimed angrily.

The naive little maid Shu Yue trembled in fear, mustering her courage to report, “The… the Lord of the Void… is here…”

“Does she have the face to come here?” Yunxi’s anger escalated upon hearing this. She opened the door and scolded, “Who allowed her to come in? Call the guards, and immediately drive her out! No need to hold back!”

Shuyue swallowed hard, her big doe-like eyes wide open. “Country Mistress, the Qingming Temple has already left.”

“Left?”

It has been a whole month since the news of my father’s death spread throughout the capital, and today the spiritual coffin has just been returned. How could she not come to see my father?

“Hmph.” Yunxi sneered coldly, her eyes filled with disdain. “Of course. Now that the person is dead, what else can she do?”

“Country Mistress…” Shuyue realized she had made a mistake and quickly lowered her head. “The Qingming Temple sent scriptures, saying it was to accompany my lord on his journey. They requested Country Mistress to burn them.”

Letting her burn them? Yunxi felt embarrassed for both of them. “To offer salvation? Does she really think she is a transcendent who can help in times of crisis?” She waved the Buddhist scriptures away. “Throw them all out!”

Shuyue smiled bitterly, realizing it was as the temple predicted. “Country Mistress…” she hurriedly closed her eyes and transmitted the message quickly, “The Qingming Temple said they will return all of the Great Lord’s belongings to you, as long as you burn the handwritten scriptures in front of the funeral hall!”

So they want her to provide salvation; it seems they all feel indebted to her.

Shen Yunxi tore the scriptures to shreds, page by page. “But I simply do not want to let him receive salvation!”

How dare they even mention his belongings! Let this pair of adulterous lovers kneel before my father even in death and repent!