Zhan Zhao Adventures - Chapter Seven (Part V)

Chapter Seven: Mulan Flowers Slow (Part V)

Amidst the open wilderness beneath the evening sun, a yellow-shirted human shadow was running.
 
Finally, the yellow colored silhouette stopped her footsteps. Amidst the evening sun that was like blood, what was dyed red was black and beautiful large eyes, was slightly flashing snow-white rabbit teeth, was a delicate and clever lip, was flying and hoisting long hair that was like silk.
 
It was only that Young Brother Huo no longer remained and existed; the one who was present was the eldest daughter of the Linglong Manor, Huo Linglong.
 
Her heart was already tangled. Tangled like three portions of flowing water, seemingly appearing as one portion of hesitation, one portion of palpitation, one portion of lingering and remaining.
 
She stopped.
 
She clearly and explicitly knew that once she slowed down, she would be caught up to, but she still stopped down.
——Could it be this person, ordered her to both want to meet him, yet additionally fear to meet him?
 
Behind her there finally was transmitted a light sigh.
 
After the light sigh, it was a leisurely voice: "Linglong, why did you depart?"
 
This person behind her, in the final result, still swallowed back down the sentence underneath: Since wanting to depart, why additionally must you stop down?
——If she departed, how could he then catch up!
 
Amidst the blood-like remnant sun after the rain, Huo Linglong's long eyelashes that were warm like a dove's wings were slightly trembling, appearing as if floating with a shallow red mist. She turned her body over.
——What ought to be faced, sooner or later must all be faced.
 
When she turned her body over to face this person, her face color had already quieted and calmed down.
 
Her delicate brows gave a hoist, and she coldly said: "Who again are you?"
 
The joy at first glance inside this person's eyes had already changed into amazement: "Linglong, what is the matter with you? For what did you speak out these words? I am Shao Jizu."
 
Huo Linglong gave a cold laugh, and said: "Yi, are you not the Commander Shao of the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, how could it be possible that you are Shao Jizu? Did not the Shao Jizu I knew die. What relationship does the Commander Shao of the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion possess with a commoner woman like me."
 
Shao Jizu wondered: "Linglong, you again spoke angry words. Am I not precisely properly and well before your face?"
 
Huo Linglong lofted up her head, saying with a cold laugh: "Commander Shao's painstaking care, I then even more do not understand. The Shao Jizu I knew, could it be he was not killed by you?"
 
Shao Jizu already had no words to speak out.
 
Huo Linglong continued: "The Little Shao I knew, originally was a hero whose spirit launched forth like wind and who was a top-tier standing pillar between heaven and earth; was he not killed by you this Commander Shao? Was he not killed by the fame, benefit, and wild ambition of your Prince of Xiangyang's mansion? You not only killed him, you additionally ate his conscience, could it be it is not so?"
 
Although her voice was clear and crisp, inside Shao Jizu's listening, it appeared as if it became unspeakably ear-piercing.
 
"How could you again be the Shao Jizu I knew? You, being in person beside the Prince, when bullying the commoner hundred surnames, are very grand and scenery-filled; directing the subordinates of the Jinshi Hall to kill people at the Xiqiao Ferry port is also tightly relaxed and easy; inside the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion when assisting King Zhou's tyranny and pulling out the sword to fiercely bully and scare people, were you not also tightly majestic and powerful. There additionally is one round, where you could even lift up the Prince's signboard, inviting the Emperor's imperial decree of bestowed marriage to come to the Linglong Manor to press me, being furthermore tightly proud and spirited. How could you then be the Shao Jizu I all along knew!"
 
Shao Jizu's bitter laugh had already stiffened upon his handsome face. That gaze of his where ice and fire dissolved into each other for a long long time remained upon her face, ordering her to unconsciously avoid it away. Only to hear him slowly say: "Linglong, we from childhood knew each other; I from childhood favored you and loved you, and at present additionally have settled the marriage engagement, why must you again speak these angry words."
 
Huo Linglong said: "This instead is strange. The one who from childhood played together with me, how could it be you? The one who settled marriage engagement with me, how could it be you? Commander Shao, one is afraid, still recognized wrongly the person? If you from childhood knew each other with me, if you settled marriage engagement with me, how could you then at the time when I went to the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion bar me, how could you then pull out the sword fiercely and viciously to bully and scare me, to threaten me? Commander Shao's this turn of words, spoken so that I can howsoever not understand clearly."
 
Shao Jizu said in a soft voice: "Linglong, that day you night-invaded the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, I indeed possessed places where I was not right. It is only that if you are angry and cannot pass over me, you might as well rush toward me, why again go to find trouble for the Prince of Xiangyang."
 
Beneath the evening sun, he had already clearly and cleanly seen the mocking smile upon Huo Linglong's face. That smile, unexpectedly was also dyed blood-red by the evening sun. For a time one could not look out how much sorrow was inside, how much helplessness, how much severed affection. This smile unexpectedly ordered his heart to pain like a knife cutting.
 
Only to hear Huo Linglong laugh and say: "His Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, can it be larger than the Southern Pure Palace? His trouble, could it be that I then cannot find? Who let him be multi-noted and meddlesome, inviting the Emperor's imperial decree of bestowed marriage, my father, then must because of this force me to marry you! Why can I not look at what kind of three heads and six arms, supreme supernatural power he after all possesses, that managing relaxed matters unexpectedly managed onto the head of me, Huo Linglong. Why can I not look at which road's god and immortal he after all is, why even the Little Shao I knew, the moment he entered his Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, then only recognized glory, splendor, wealth, and honor, and did not recognize his own conscience?"
 
Shao Jizu said: "Linglong, how can you be so discourteous and rude toward the Prince? The favor of recognizing my talent that the Prince holds toward me, Jizu in this lifetime, even if powdering the body and smashing the bones, also already has no means to repay."
 
Huo Linglong nodded her head and said: "In your view, the favor of recognizing talent naturally has to conquer over public justice, right, and wrong. No wonder, no wonder. I originally said I offended him, what again has it to do with you? Commander Shao originally is not a person of the Linglong Manor; the Prince, even if he sent people to kill me, is also our Linglong Manor's own matter, why must it be by Commander Shao personally leading the team, urgently and closely pursuing out."
 
Shao Jizu said: "Linglong, my one slice of painstaking care, I still hope you are able to understand and forgive. That day at the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, Jizu indeed should not have set hands with too heavy a weight; but if it were not Jizu setting hand to mutually bar, the place where you offended the Prince would be great. This turn Jizu personally came out, was also anticipating to be able to seek and visit to find you, to explain toward you."
 
He let out a long breath, and again said: "I know inside your heart you generate anger at me; tracing to the root and concluding the matter, it was still because I was unable to consult together with you, and then begged the Prince to request from the Holy One the imperial decree of bestowed marriage. It is only that you because of this shifted anger to the Prince, yet truly should not."
 
Despite having used up the strength of his entire body to control himself, his voice still listened up as hoarse and suppressed. Was this that his all-along-as-usual composure and coldness had already been burned clean and clear by fire-like deep affection?
——This was his longing, his hanging concern, his dreams winding and soul lingering; why, having faced his own beloved person, this person whose talent and wisdom surpassed others, whose reputation was loud and ringing as the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion's number one good hand, unexpectedly also was identical to common people?
 
Huo Linglong's heart, unconsciously within a turn, had already softened down; her mouth's wind, however, still forcedly supported itself, saying: "I precisely cannot look past someone relying on force to bully people, lifting up the official mansion's signboard to come to our Linglong Manor to press a person's head down. I myself, being inside the Linglong Manor, properly and well, beckoned whom, provoked whom; he is no more than a Prince, that is all, could it be that it only permits him to come provoke me, and does not permit me to go provoke him?"
 
She looked at Shao Jizu, and again said: "As for you, you additionally possess the capability to speak before my face with light sketching and faint writing, four-square and level-stable! Using out this kind of method, do you not feel it is excessive? Although Little Tang, as a person, although proud is proud by a portion, yet he also cannot compare to you this not selecting means!"
 
This sentence was just like a sharp sword, piercing and paining his flesh and skin, piercing through his heart. Shao Jizu called out a single "Linglong!", the unspeakable bitterness and pain inside that voice unexpectedly ordered Huo Linglong's words to no longer be able to be spoken down.
 
Amidst the silence, Shao Jizu bit his teeth; the blue veins upon his forehead were already jumping.
 
He let out a long breath, and finally slowly said: "Linglong, could it be that you up until the present time, all still do not know my mind's intent toward you?"
——Beneath the evening sun, upon the open wilderness, amidst the long wind wordlessly sobbing, he still spoke it out. Even though speaking out this sentence, as for him, was howsoever difficult.
 
Huo Linglong's body could not help but give a shock! Her face color, for a time, had also already become unspeakably pale.
——Beneath the evening sun, upon the open wilderness, amidst the long wind wordlessly sobbing, she also still heard it. Even though hearing this sentence, as for her, was howsoever difficult to believe.
 
She bit her lip, her eyes looking at the ground before her face; only after a long while passed did she then say in a light voice: "This mind's intent of yours, at what time did you speak with me? You all along did not speak, could it be that I all along should understand? Who again do I know, whether what you want is me, or whether you fancied that portion of marriage dowry of our Huo family?"
 
Shao Jizu's face color had already turned solemn and grave. Beneath the slanting sun, the beautiful person was like jade. But he and she, why had they already turned identical to road people? The tenderness of past days, the innocence of past days, the love affinity of past days, appeared as if they had already along with the wind drifted and vanished. Inside his eyes there already was filled with helpless bitterness: "You in the final result, still do not believe me."
 
This helplessness already appeared as if falling flowers and flowing water; the unfeeling tone of voice for a time stabbed Huo Linglong to be without words and droop her head.
——Could it be she had already tacitly admitted?
 
Shao Jizu however looked at her, and said: "Linglong, your mind and thoughts are ingenious and clever; I do not believe you would be unable to know my mind's intent. You precisely have a hard mouth; in truth, inside your heart you bound to have long since understood. I, Shao Jizu, am a top-tier standing pillar of a fellow between heaven and earth; your Huo family's Linglong Eye, Shao Jizu has never placed it upon the mind's center."
 
His gaze had already become as sharp as a sword-edge; his voice had already become as solemn and grave as a monolithic rock. It was as if that was his dignity, his pride; he absolutely did not permit challenges toward them.
 
Having heard these words of his, Huo Linglong however suddenly without a half portion of fear lifted up her head; her gaze met onto his; beneath the evening sun, the gazes were like electricity; for a time it was just as if one could hear the clanging mutual intersection of metal, and this metal's sound also appeared to be as blood-red as the remnant sun.
 
She had already begun to laugh. Her rabbit teeth had also already beautifully and well flashed light: "This instead is strange! Your tone, how is it completely identical to Little Tang's? Who upon the martial forest does not know, our Huo family's Linglong Eye, once opened up, is able to spy and observe the future; apart from Little Zhao, who again is not dreaming of it and seeking it. Just relying on you, could it be that you do not want it? Even if you do not want it, your master, could it be that he also does not want it?"
 
Upon Shao Jizu's face one could not look out any expression. It was merely that sometimes, possessing no expression, how is it not precisely a kind of expression?
 
He said dryly: "Linglong, how again could you suspect onto the Prince's body?"
 
Huo Linglong's small mouth gave a twitch, and she said: "You thought that having barred me down, that day's night inside the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion, I then saw nothing at all? Inside such a large grand single piece of a Prince's mansion, what can not be built, yet deviation-wise there was built a Chongxiao Tower; what kind of a secret was stealthily, sneakily, and ghost-like hidden inside there, you yourself can be cleanly, purely, and entirely without knowing? How can you again let me believe your words?"
 
Shao Jizu already was without words to speak out.
——He still underestimated her. This exquisite and elegant young girl was already no longer that elegant young girl in his heart who did not know the world's affairs, and for whom ten thousand matters did not pass through the brain. These few days coming, she appeared as if she had already learned a lot.
 
Could it be because the eldest daughter of the Linglong Manor, after all, is endowed with exceptional talent, different from the crowd; or could it be because these few days coming, there already was a person who ordered her to unconsciously change? ——The Huo Linglong before his eyes appeared as if suddenly already very unfamiliar.
 
A long, long silence. Two people who each harbored their own mind's thoughts, no one knew what was good to speak.
 
Then Huo Linglong heard a light sigh of his: "Originally inside your heart, no matter what I speak, it still is without use. It appears that only the words he speaks, can you then listen and enter in."
——Inside his voice, why was there unspeakable vicissitudes and disappointed loss?
 
Huo Linglong's body gave a tremble, upon her face immediately there was no blood color. Her lips were tightly bitten: "What do you speak?"
 
Shao Jizu looked at her; the faint gaze was however howsoever unable to be glossed over and hidden from loneliness and pain. A strand of unexplainable ice and fire appeared as if it had already within his blood burned: "Why must you clearly know yet intentionally ask? Do you not take it to be that I do not know. For you to so hurry toward the capital city, if it were not going to the Southern Pure Palace to find him, who again would it be to find?"
 
Upon Huo Linglong's face it suddenly again flushed thoroughly red; she said in a loud voice: "Between me and Little Zhao it is clean, pure, and clear; do not contain sand and shadow to project reflections. Furthermore, let alone that I at present am not going to find him, even if I go to find him, what business again of yours does it concern."
 
Shao Jizu's gaze was already freezing cold, freezing cold to the point of already approaching cruelty; but amidst this cruelty, it again appeared as if bearing a scorching heat sufficient to burn up and exhaust ten thousand objects: "Do not forget, you are already the wife whom I with correct posture and upright stance have handed down marriage gifts, and am about to carry out bright match and upright marriage with. Even if not speaking of this, our from-childhood friendship and affection, you yourself are also not unclear. If you go to Kaifeng to find him, why again does it not concern my business?"
 
What was jumping inside his eyes was already cruelty, was deep affection, was pity and regret, was desolation. His gaze had already stared onto hers: "I know, Little Tang also knows. We however all along forcedly endured and did not speak. This is absolutely not because he is the Little Zhao Prince, but rather because we know that willful temper of yours, fearing you would be awkward, embarrassed, and heartbroken, and furthermore thinking of the Linglong Manor's reputation, as well as your identity as the Huo family's eldest daughter. If it were not looking after the friendship and affection toward you, at the time when your brother Huo Feng a few days ago came to the Prince of Xiangyang's mansion to pursue your downward trace, why should I suffer bitterness to conceal and hide on your behalf!"
 
His gaze had already from Huo Linglong's body moved away, looking toward the far mountains that were dyed thoroughly red by the slanting sun, and were beginning to be swallowed up by the dark clouds. His words, however, word by word, knocked upon her heart's center: "Are you not consistently disliking owing other people's human sentiments? No matter whether you are willing or not willing, you however owe mine.”