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墨書 Inktalez
After the Atami Showdown, as we dragged our weary bodies back to Chang'an, it was a haggard yet joyful Han Meilan who rushed out to greet us like a bird.
It was evident that she had lifted a heavy burden from her heart, not just because of our safe return.
On the sickbed lay Lin Jiu, who had awakened but was still exceptionally weak. Upon seeing us, he broke into a bright smile. I thought that Melan must have already shared everything with him.
I didn't know what had transpired between them, but whenever Melan looked at Lin Jiu, she often blushed shyly. She sat by the bed while Lin Jiu would intentionally or unintentionally reach out his hand to hers and then quietly hold it.
After the excitement of Lin Jiu finally being out of danger faded, I found myself feeling unusually thrilled about this situation; my rival had completely changed his heart. Brother Jiu was truly an old-fashioned ally in my favor.
Months later, we returned to Wanzi Mountain to celebrate the wedding of Melan and Lin Jiu. Guests from Snowfall Villa arrived, including Luo Dachun's aunt, Sikong Feixue, who came in person. It was my first time seeing Sikong Feixue in person; she truly was a beauty as cold as ice. Despite having stayed at Snowfall Villa for half a year, I had never encountered her before due to her elusive nature. Regardless of her past feelings towards Melan, she was the one who raised Melan, and it was surprising to see her at such an occasion.
Not only did she appear, but she also shed a few tears, leaving Luo Dachun utterly astonished.
A year later, Melan and Lin Jiu welcomed their first daughter into the world. I officially became an "aunt," and the speed of my promotion was enviable!
***
By the end of the third year of Zhenguan, the court began to clean up Mirror Gate and Medicine King Pavilion.
However, we did not resort to simple and brutal methods to eradicate them; instead, we captured them one by one alive and destroyed all their nests that could be dismantled.
For those who survived, we meticulously sorted through them and organized a team of experts for deprogramming. Initially, those who aspired to join Mirror Gate and Medicine King Pavilion held some ideals of mutual benefit but were merely deceived and exploited. By eliminating those negative influences, many could become pillars of the state.
Ultimately, the qualified candidates selected from Mirror Gate and Medicine King Pavilion formed a new team of over a thousand people, establishing a new Mirror Gate with Nie Qiuyuan as its new leader. The influence of Mirror Gate continued to expand as new members joined and became loyal followers.
The purpose of Mirror Gate transformed; it no longer sought justice through personal vendettas but became guardians and overseers of the law. Wherever the law failed to uphold justice, a group of mysterious figures would emerge to warn and remind others.
Since the leader was a descendant of the Youqiong Clan, Mirror Gate also took on part of the responsibility for safeguarding world peace. Under the strong yet righteous leadership of the new head, the disciples of Mirror Gate lived fulfilling lives filled with meaning and pride.
The founder of Mirror Gate, Dark One, must be smiling upon seeing all this from above.
And I, unknowingly, became the Madam Sect Leader, respected and worshipped by so many. Inside, I thought, ah, this feels truly wonderful!
***
I witnessed the prosperous era created by Li Shimin throughout my life. This person is truly remarkable; it is simply impossible not to admire him wholeheartedly.
There was a time when the masters of Snowfall Villa and Mirror Gate shared control of the Ministry of Justice and the Dali Temple in the court, almost creating a situation where "there were no thieves"—a tale that spread among the people. With the support of these two powerful factions from the martial world, Li Shimin's regime was as solid as a fortress, allowing everyone to sleep soundly.
Brotherhood was not formed in vain.
My expertise flourished in the Tang Dynasty. The title of Peach Blossom Death God, Ye Liuhui, became increasingly renowned, sometimes even used to scare children. But as for the Killer God nonsense, my dear husband never took it to heart because in front of him, I would always be a delicate girl.
When one lacks skill, they cannot be strong or assertive.
We handled cases in the court for ten years. After a decade, Nie Qiuyuan resigned from his position as Chief Justice to focus on being the Master of Mirror Gate. Mirror Gate was a powerful yet extremely peaceful organization; eventually, we even started raising chickens and growing vegetables.
Yes, you have grasped the crux of the matter.
Nie Qiuyuan never served as a prime minister of the Tang Dynasty in his life; he was simply my husband!
Under my husband's eager inquiries for details, I confessed everything and assisted him in writing a historical document that could "fool" me into his arms, which I solemnly buried at the site where I had seen Tang Dynasty artifacts.
Please, how could naive me be blinded by such fake history?
It was simply embarrassing!
***
In the tenth year of Zhenguan, seven years after the decisive battle at Tengyue Atami, I returned to Rehai with Nie Qiuyuan and Luo Dachun once again.
For us, the preparations had already been completed; we were ready to undertake our innate mission.
It took us a long time to understand that it was not difficult for them to enhance their abilities; the challenge lay in how to channel their power correctly. Surprisingly, this method relied on the "Star Absorption Technique" that I had stumbled upon.
Why did I become the "Destined One"? Perhaps it was fated that Ye Liuhui practiced this unorthodox martial art to save Luo Dachun's life. And I, having traveled across a millennium from a distant time and space to the Tang Dynasty, had a mission that extended beyond merely becoming Nie Qiuyuan's wife.
Opening the Disaster Gate and sealing it was a complex and terrifying process, one that words like "thrilling" could hardly describe. With the support of everyone at Snowfall Villa and Mirror Gate, we fought tirelessly for seven nights to conclude this monumental operation that would be recorded in history.
In the end, we emerged victorious.
Later, I carefully studied historical records and concluded that the Disaster Gate had not been reopened for over a thousand years after our actions.
Afterward, I had a brief disagreement with Nie Qiuyuan. We secretly ventured out to pay respects to someone on the land of Tengyue Atami—a person buried here whose visage was forever etched in my heart.
I hoped he was at peace.
***
In our lifetimes, we never saw Rong Fu again. However, as our wisdom and cultivation grew, we gradually sensed the surging malice in the world. Thus, we understood: he had never given up. Perhaps he no longer had the power to stir up trouble in this life, but he would sow seeds of evil in places where they could easily thrive and bloom. The threat of evil would always remain.
Therefore, guardians must also endure forever, living on without end. They must always remain vigilant.
***
Luo Dachun never married. He later secluded himself at the peak of a mountain but would journey alone each summer to the lush Southern Country just to witness the shooting stars streaking across the night sky.
In our lifetime, we were the best of friends.
***
Spring awakens feelings of love. It can also easily fill a woman's heart with sorrow when she is filled with love.
This was the fifth spring since my marriage to Nie Qiuyuan.
Although we were forced to be apart for two years after our wedding, ever since the decisive battle at Tengyue Atami, we have been together.
Not just "together," but inseparably so.
After the arrival of a peaceful and prosperous era, my idol sometimes plays the role of the Best Actor in front of others, looking cool and composed. As he matures with age, more and more women send him flirtatious glances. However, whenever we return home and find ourselves alone, he instantly transforms into that childlike boy who never grows up.
Playful, curious, and even a bit spoiled—this is the side of Nie Qiuyuan that no one else ever sees. So when we are together, I often call him "Night."
Yet every time I feel troubled or upset, when a case remains unresolved, Night will change into my mature and wise Autumn, comforting me and alleviating my worries like a dependable tree.
It is this charming duality that makes him forever perfect in my heart; the longer we are together, the deeper my love grows.
However, as time passes, my worries have only deepened.
We have been married for five years now. Our relationship is so sweet and intimate that it’s hard to part from each other. But why have I not become pregnant yet?!
Who among us is unable to conceive?
I am particularly worried that the problem lies with me.
This shadow has grown larger and larger until it suddenly overwhelmed me.
Outside, a gentle rain falls, and the air is cool and damp. I lay on the bed sobbing quietly, my tears soaking the pillow.
"Zhenzhen? Zhenzhen?"
Autumn returned from work and immediately became anxious upon seeing me like this. Without even changing out of his official robe, he rushed over.
"Why are you crying?!"
Seeing how much I had cried worried him greatly because I usually have a big heart and rarely cry. With my busy and interesting work life, I hardly have time to shed tears.
Nie Qiuyuan lifted me up and held me in his arms, allowing my tears and snot to smear all over him.
"What’s wrong? Hurry and tell me, don’t scare me like this."
I cried even harder, my words coming out in gasps.
"Shouldn’t you... take a concubine or something..."
The thought terrified me; it was something I simply couldn’t accept. Yet, I couldn’t help but think about it, and it was tormenting me to no end.
Nie Qiuyuan's face darkened instantly.
"What are you saying? Zhenzhen, have you lost your mind?"
"Of course I don’t want that either, but..."
But you are the last heir of the Youqiong Clan, and the Youqiong Clan is the guardian of world peace. If I were to become barren because of this misfortune and the clan were to die out because of me, would I not become a historical sinner?
Qiu ghed deeply, his expression gradually softening as he cupped my face and gently wiped away my tears.
"Why didn’t you tell me about such foolish thoughts earlier? Why torture yourself like this?"
My idol was nearing thirty this year, looking increasingly mature and handsome. As I gazed at him, imagining someone else sharing him with me made me feel utterly devastated. He wiped my tears for a while, but it was futile against the abundant flow.
"Silly girl, are you worried about the Youqiong Clan dying out?"
Well, I had always had that thought, but I had never voiced it to him. This guy was indeed both smart and understanding.
Qiu held me tightly, gently stroking my back, whispering softly in my ear like he was comforting a child: "Don’t be foolish. In this lifetime, I only want you. If you want someone else, then I won’t allow it."
Such a gentle yet firm vow brought me peace, and gradually, I stopped crying.
"But..."
"There are no 'buts.' If it needs to end, then let it end. After all, I was supposed to die anyway. If the incense burns out, then that is fate."
"But..."
"There are no 'buts!'"
The male god smiled mischievously as he picked me up.
"So it turns out Zhenzhen is worried about such things. As your husband, it's my responsibility to make sure you don't have to worry anymore."
"Hey! What are you doing? ... Hey... Big White!"
"This is just the beginning. We haven't tried enough yet. Besides, we need to try a few more methods..."
"..."
"Zhenzhen..."
"I hate this! Let go of me!"
"Don't move. Let's try a little more, okay..."
"..."
"Zhenzhen..."
"Mm..."
"I... love you..."
***
I lived in the Tang Dynasty for a total of eighty years.
During these eighty years, I had four sons and one daughter with Nie Qiuyuan. It turns out I was quite capable after all; infertility was just an old joke!
Thanks to my husband's excellent genes, these kids are stunningly beautiful (though it might just be my maternal delusion; still, I truly think they are gorgeous). The most frightening part is that their Intelligence Quotient all took after their father.
(Why not take after their mother? My Intelligence Quotient is also as high as 169!)
We spent our lives outsmarting and outmaneuvering them, proving time and again that experience is invaluable.
(Hey, are you really their biological parents?)
Among these children, the smartest is the eldest son, the prettiest is the daughter, and the best fighter is the son-in-law. The son-in-law is someone I never calculated against; I treated him sincerely throughout my life because he was truly pitiful—my husband had already dealt with him quite harshly.
In this amusing battle of wits, my dear husband always emerged victorious. No one could keep their thoughts hidden from him, not even the smartest eldest son. Oh my goodness, a true god among men! From the very beginning, I was captivated by him and spent my life gazing up at him with admiration.
In my heart, the ultimate happiness for a woman lies in being dominantly conquered by a man worthy of admiration, and then being cherished and loved deeply by him for a lifetime.
Of course, when we grow old, this world will belong to our children.
***
In the distant Tang Dynasty, I quietly passed away on a winter day filled with falling snow. My beloved took great care of me, so I hardly felt much pain.
Dying before your beloved is a fortunate thing if you truly love each other.
However, he loved me as deeply as I loved him, so he did not allow himself to suffer either.
We chose a quiet resting place in the western outskirts of Chang'an, in a picturesque landscape. At that moment, everything was covered in a blanket of pure white snow.
My lover extended an arm to create a pillow for me, just like we did in our youth. He held me tightly in his embrace, squeezing me very closely, a sweet smile gracing his face.
In this life, we truly have no regrets. Even if there is no afterlife, it is already more than enough to find solace in that. Moreover, between us, there lies a secret promise worth looking forward to.
As an unparalleled martial arts master, it would be incredibly easy to stop my breath in an instant and quietly rest beneath the earth.
***
Many years later, I came across a piece of news.
That day, I held the newspaper, my hands trembling uncontrollably, the aroma of coffee filling the air as it splattered across the table.
The man beside me took the newspaper and let out a soft "Oh."
The report stated that in the construction project in the western suburbs of Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, an ancient tomb from the Tang Dynasty had been unearthed. Inside the tomb were the remains of a man and a woman, tightly embracing each other. When people attempted to separate the two skeletons, they instantly turned to dust—each contained within the other, never to be parted again.
...
Does this scenario sound somewhat familiar?
Heh heh, you must have read "Notre-Dame de Paris."
Thus, the story of these two skeletons spread wildly across the internet and was affectionately referred to as—China's ancient Quasimodo and Esmeralda.
Please, Quasimodo!
If you knew how handsome this ancient Quasimodo was in life—how charming and charismatic—you would surely go wild with excitement!
Hee hee... (To be continued...)
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