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Hongqian served up the hot meal.

Pingting managed to finish half a bowl before frowning, "I just can't eat any more." She placed her chopsticks down.

Zuiju saw Pingting really couldn't eat any more based from her expression and knew her mind could not be changed. She softened her voice, "That's fine."

Hongqian packed away the dishes and went out of the room with Zuiju. She stopped outside the door, asking, "She was all happy-go-lucky this morning. Why has she forgotten over a nap and become like this? It seems that great intelligence is no good. They have very bizarre emotions."

Zuiju hurriedly silenced her, lowering her voice as she chattered back, "You know what? If you were her, you'd probably have long gone crazy."

Hongqian poked out her tongue and entered the side room.

Zuiju stood by herself outside the door and looked at the patch of pale snow on the courtyard. A cold gust of wind seemingly stroked her neck. Just how Pingting would put it, it was quite refreshing.

Pingting wasn't the only one upset. Her heart seemed to be clawed by a cat too.

The worst thing, she knew, was the dangerous path that led to an abyss-like ridge laying before them.

The war between the four countries was intesifying. It used to be the Dong Lin army attacking Gui Le and Bei Mo, but now it was an alliance of Yun Chang and Bei Mo's army attacking Dong Lin.

Endlessly causing loss of life.

Everyone understood what the danger meant, even the most stupid of the nobles.

Her teacher, Huo Yunan, was born a noble. He knew Dong Lin's upperclass and thoroughly understood their reactions.

Who could guarantee that their country would not collapse under the enemy country's power? Who could stand the eventual demise of their home?

A country was a home, but only with a country could one have a home.

Who wasn't like that?

Zuiju deeply sighed, her chest so stuffy that it was sore. She grinded her teeth and determinedly undid her clock, letting the cold wind flow inside until the lava churning inside be frozen. She shivered three or four times before buttoning up her clothes and took the hot tea from the side room to Pingting who she then helped to sleep.

That night, she slept in the other bed in Pingting's room.

She suddenly heard a voice in the middle night. Zuiju got up and rubbed her eyes, seeing that Pingting had woken and sitting on the bed.

"Why have you woken again, Miss Bai?" Zuiju got off the bed, and walked until she was beside her. Her voice was soft as she questioned.

Pingting was silently staring at the sky outside the window. Her gazed remained fixed as she answered, "The moon has come out."

Zuiju followed her gaze and looked up at the sky. The moon had indeed come out of the clouds some time earlier, but it was dim, listlessly bleak.

Studying the position carefully, she realised that it had passed half the sky.

The moon had passed half the sky.

The sixth had come...

Zuiju's heart sunk, but her words remained warm. "There is still one day and the Duke must be hurrying back."

Pingting's voice was like calm waves. "He must be on the horse, very, very tired. His throat must be dry and hoarse, completely covered dust except for his shoulders where snow has accumulated."

Zuiju could only think that her voice was drifting from the ends of the earth. It was like a leisurely pluck of a qin string that trembled in to beckon the flowers and trees. She lowered her head to look at her expression but could not find any clues.

She then draped the blankets around Pingting, accompanying her by sitting at the head of the bed. The two watched the moon moving. More than an hour had passed before Zuiju softly encouraged, "Go to sleep."

Pingting obediently lay down onto the bed and closed her eyes. Zuiju sighed in relief and got off the bed to return to her own. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Pingting's eyes flicker open.

"What?"

Pingting glanced at Zuiju, laughing ruefully. "Nothing." She then obediently closed her eyes once more.

That night at the Hua Residence, Chu Beijie had thought she was Lady Hua's mute maid and had said, "Sleep," when seeing she was sick.

That person who did whatever he wanted, without the slightest care for the world's social conventions. He had not known her well, yet he'd carried her by the waist and took her into her room, placing her on the bed before clumsily covering her with blankets.

His stiff "Sleep" was just like a command he gave to his soldiers, yet it was memorable now that she thought about it.

He will come back; he will definitely be back.

Her slender palm clenched into a tight fist under the blankets.

If such deep love could not withstand such a test and simply melt into running water, what was the point of the two swords, Parting Soul and Divine Spirit?

The moon had passed half the sky.

The sixth had arrived.

Chu Beijie was wildly galloping forwards.

The morning north wind whistled in his ear.

In his life, he had galloped so wildly numerous times, letting his horse's four hooves fly off. He'd indulge himself in the ride with his cloak fluttering in the wind. Even mountains were unable to stop his approaching figure.

Galloping across the plains was a heroic pleasure.

But at this time, he could not feel any pleasure.

The wind blew hard at him. It was painful like sword wounds on his face. Not only did the wind tear at his face, it tore at his heart.

His heart was like a grill on fire which remained suspended in the air.

The secluded residence was a place inaccessible to his eyes.

Yet the faint fragrance of plum blossoms lingered in his heart.

Chu Beijie deeply understood the King's intention. He knew from the way his Brother did everything he could to lengthen his stay at the capital that an irresistable force must've headed towards the secluded residence.

How could Pingting's white jade hands that played qin possibly return the King of Dong Lin's challenge of war?

Was his thin figure heading towards the dazzling white of a sword?

The soft body that he couldn't hug enough of, the handsome little face that he couldn't look enough of, the clear singing voice he couldn't hear enough of...

...Why did those wretched men refused to spare her, gently let go of her?

She had secluded herself.

She no longer cared about the affairs of the outside.

She had had enough sorrow and had been hurt over and over again. She just wanted to do things like the old times, and if she could, be a satisfied woman.

As Chu Beijie's woman.

"Pingting is not greedy, just hopes that Duke will come to see Pingting once before heading out to the battlefield. On Duke's birthday, Pingting wants to tell Duke something very important."

This was a very simple wish.

A wish that even normal men could grant.

Yet he was not a normal man. He was Chu Beijie, Dong Lin's Duke of Zhen-Bei.

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