Shui Xinyuan couldn't help but her legs felt weak and she squatted down. Chunxiang knelt beside her worriedly.
Shui Xinyuan slowly raised his head and smiled at Chunxiang.
"...Can you play the pipa for me?"
"ah?"
"Thank you."
Chunxiang nodded noncommittally and took the pipa out of the bag.
"When you are ready, close your eyes, listen to my instructions, and start playing... you know? Keep your head empty and play to the end."
"good……"
"Shui Qiancheng."
Shui Xinyuan called to his younger brother who was hiding behind Chun Cha.
Shui Qiancheng, who originally thought that his sister would curse loudly, heard her calm tone and raised his eyes to look at her.
My sister is not angry... of course it is impossible.
Shui Qiancheng could clearly feel the emotions that his sister was trying to control beneath her seemingly smiling calm expression.
"Sister...sister..."
"Shui Qiancheng...Qiancheng, why do you want to study in the capital?"
"ah?"
"What was your original purpose for reading?"
"this……"
...Because I wanted to see my sister, I originally thought that I could live with my sister when I arrived in the capital...
Seeing his brother biting his lip and not knowing how to answer, Shui Xinyuan showed a helpless expression.
"You can't answer, right? That's right. I always thought that you wanted to contribute to this country by studying. If that's the case, you wouldn't be able to do such a thing."
"..."
"Do you think my sister will scold you?...I won't scold you. You have caused such a big trouble, it's no longer up to me to punish you."
"……Well!"
The sound of fighting became louder and louder.
It sounds like people hurting each other.
"...Qian Cheng, my sister was once very happy."
A line of tears flowed down from Shui Xinyuan's right eye.
Shui Qiancheng... Chun Cha, Xu Gongchun and Lin Bojian all looked at Shui Xinyuan.
Chunxiang sat on the ground, closed her eyes, and hugged her pipa.
"Chunxiang."
"……exist!"
"Start playing...play 'Snow Moon Wind Flower' for me."
Chunxiang took a deep breath.
Shui Xinyuan turned around and stood on the chair...and jumped onto the stone railing.
Shui Qiancheng's voice calling his sister was drowned out by the sound of the pipa.
It's so far away from the ground here.
Shui Xinyuan began to dance on this stone wall that collapsed in many places.
…
After hearing Bai Zikui's explanation that Zhao Shizhong asked them to delay for three days, Lu Fusu immediately took action.
It was now the night of the second day, maybe the morning of the third day, the soldiers would launch an offensive, and he hoped to rescue Shui Xinyuan before then.
Lu Fusu proposed to break into the abandoned city disguised as Bai Zikui, but Zhuge Qing immediately stepped in to stop him.
"Your Majesty is completely different from him in appearance and figure, so we can't mess around with him."
"But this is the most reliable method."
"Your Majesty, I know you plan to take action personally, but before you enter the ruins, there are hundreds of troops outside. And, if what that man said is true, there will also be soldiers from your servants inside."
Shui Xinyuan is currently on the top floor of the pavilion, and Shui Qiancheng and the others are on the floor below. From the city gate to where Shui Xinyuan is, they must pass through the outer stairs twice. There are dozens of Zhao Jisheng's soldiers standing guard along the way.
They should not be monitoring Shui Xinyuan, but Shui Qiancheng and the others.
"...I don't think we can deceive the people in the ruins, but as long as you and I rush in, we should be able to deal with about twenty people."
"Really..."
If it doesn't work at all, you can still stop it, but just because it works, it's even more difficult.
Zhuge Qing crossed his arms, sighed deliberately, and raised his head.
"Then a head-on breakthrough?"
"Um?"
"Horse a frontal attack. Your Majesty will lead the first group of troops to rush in. Ten of the elites will rush in with Your Majesty. The others will block the enemies outside the city gate in front of the city gate. If those desperadoes are lazy, these troops will be enough to deal with them.
If they are brave and good at fighting, send two hundred more infantry."
"good……"
The moon is still hanging in the sky, and it is full.
After entering the abandoned city, there is no hiding place at all, so we can only break through with all our strength.
Lu Fusu issued an order to the general, put on his armor and mounted his horse. Zhuge Qing also led the horse over.
"Do you want to come too?"
"If I wait here, why bother coming here from the capital."
The cavalry on standby gathered one after another.
Lu Fusu and Zhuge Qing sat on their horses and stared at the ruins in front of them.
"...I have never fought in a war."
"I haven't fought either, and no one here has fought."
"I really hope this is the first and last time."
"Yeah... I didn't expect His Majesty to be so unsuitable for wearing armor."
Zhuge Qing joked, and Lu Fusu smiled lightly.
"Doesn't it suit you?"
"not at all."
The entourage came to report that everything was ready.
I don't know when the wind stopped. If it weren't for the situation at hand, it would have been a peaceful night.
"...Everyone is about to go to the battlefield. I have only one order."
Lu Fusu looked around at all the soldiers.
"No death is allowed. The queen and I do not want anyone to die."
The general took a step forward.
"Is this a military order?"
"Yes, it's a military order."
"I... obey your order!"
Lu Fusu pointed his horse's head toward the city site and whispered: "Let's go!"
The cavalrymen spurred their horses at the same time.
Lu Fusu rode at the front, Zhuge Qing followed closely behind, and fifty cavalry also set off.
It's already half the night...
Almost all the desperadoes who had been camping in front of the ruins for three days drank wine and fell asleep. When they suddenly heard the sound of people and the sound of horse hooves, the young and vigorous people jumped up one after another.
"Yo... they're finally here."
"Didn't you say you won't launch an offensive?"
"Which one? Which one do you have to kill to receive the reward?"
These people were not well-trained soldiers, but rogues from nowhere, gathering in front of the city gate with weapons.
Lu Fusu immediately drew his sword.
"Your Majesty, rush in directly...open the way!"
Following Zhuge Qing's order, the state soldiers on horseback used spears and swords to repel the enemy, and Lu Fusu took the opportunity to rush into the city gate.
A bonfire was burning in the city gate, and several strong men rushed down the stairs. They looked like Zhao Jisheng's family soldiers.
Stairs are the only way to go upstairs.
Lu Fusu jumped off his horse and slashed the arm of the first soldier who rushed over with his sword, but the wound left was not deep.
When Lu Fusu swung his sword, he had no intention of killing his opponent.
The soldier rushed forward again, and Zhuge Qing slashed at his feet.
"...Is Your Majesty too merciful?"
"Yeah?"
"If you are too merciful, the fight will never be finished."
Lu Fusu walked up the stairs and slashed at the body of the tall man who rushed over with a sword at lightning speed. The man pressed his side and rolled down the stairs.
"...I just don't want to see Shui Xinyuan covered in blood."
"Don't worry, the Queen is not that fragile!"
Zhuge Qing kicked the soldiers at the bottom of the stairs and shouted.
Lu Fusu smiled bitterly, chopped off the arm of another soldier and pushed it aside.
Yes, Shui Xinyuan once risked his life and fought hard to save himself.
Two family soldiers rushed over at the same time, but Lu Fusu took action first.
Two domestic soldiers were hit by swords in their legs, their legs weakened and they fell to the ground.
The stairs seem to never end.
We haven’t arrived yet, we haven’t reached the place where we can see Shuixinyuan.
I don’t know why, but her light and graceful dancing posture flashed through my mind.
...Shui Xinyuan...
"His Majesty!"
Hearing Zhuge Qing's voice, Lu Fusu woke up from a dream and heard the voice at the same time.
...what a familiar voice.
lute.
Is it because you vaguely hear the music that you can't help but recall Shui Xinyuan's dance?
He turned back to look in the direction from which the sound came.
Instead of breathing a sigh of relief, he was trembling with fear.
……what happened?
What is she doing...?
On the balcony railing extending outward from the top floor of the tower.
Closer to the sky than to the ground.
Shui Xinyuan danced to "Snow Moon Wind Flower".
...I really want to see Lu Fusu again.
I really want to take one last look at him.
Since this wish cannot be realized, at least I hope he can see himself.
Water xinyuan dances on the high wall covered with dust.
If I have so-called pride, it is not because of my uncertain bloodline such as the possibility of becoming the princess of Xia Kingdom, but because I am my father's daughter, as a palace concubine, as Lu Fusu's wife... and as Shui Xinyuan.
of these years.
...I hope he can hear this music.
I hope he can remember my dancing.
..."Snow Moon, Wind Flowers".
Now, this has become proof that I am alive.
At this moment, dancing for you is my pride.
...please see it.
I'm here.
What appeared in front of me was a scene that should not appear on the battlefield.
Everyone who heard the sound of Pipa and saw Shui Xinyuan's dancing, whether they were enemies or allies, put down their weapons and looked up at the tower in disbelief.
The people who were fighting in the light and shadow of swords also noticed the strangeness of the people around them, and also followed the gazes of others, and they were all stunned.
Some of them did not immediately realize that Shui Xinyuan was dancing, because that was not a place for dancing, and even an acrobat could not easily stand there.
Just a slight mistake can put your life in danger.
Who is it? What are you doing there...
Shui Qiancheng watched his sister dance blankly.
He had heard that his sister was practicing dancing in the palace before, so he knew that she was dancing, but he always wondered what the use of dancing was.
...Shui Qiancheng was so confused that he completely forgot that he had ever had such doubts before.
So beautiful.
What a graceful and graceful dance.
He finally realized that he knew nothing about it before.
During Spring Tea, Xu Gongchun and Lin Bojian... were all fascinated.
Lu Fusu rushed up the stairs with all his strength.
He pushed away the soldiers who could see God just like the many soldiers on the ground, and rushed up desperately, even forgetting to breathe.
Hurry, you must catch up...before she gives up her life.
The water heart dances selflessly.
She danced, forgetting where she was and why she was dancing. She was only thinking of one person, swinging her sleeves to her heart's content and drawing arcs with her feet.
... I really want to see him, I really want to hear his voice... I just want it once before I die.
Before she finished her dance, a strong wind blew.
The horizontal wind blew into his sleeves, and Shui Xinyuan's center of gravity became unstable.
When Shui Xinyuan's feet slipped off the railing, Shui Qiancheng screamed.
Lu Fusu stepped onto the last step, ran over quickly, and stretched out his hand.
The blood-stained sword was thrown to the ground and bounced up.
If Shui Xinyuan falls, he will hit the terrace downstairs hard and then the whole person will be ejected.
……catch.
Shui Xinyuan fell on her back, and Lu Fusu grabbed her hand.
Then, he pulled with all his strength, stretched out his arms to hug her body, and leaned back.
A heavy impact.
But he still didn't let go of his arm.
Sand and dust are rising.
The sound of the pipa stopped.
When his hand was pulled hard and almost torn off, Shui Xinyuan came back to his senses.
Before she realized that she almost fell, her body was pulled up.
……it hurts.
I don't know what hit my forehead.
She touched her forehead and when she wanted to get up, she realized that she had fallen to the ground...