Rebirth of My Beloved - Side Story: The Previous Life (5) · When will you return? After the blooming of the roses? Before the blooming of the peonies?

page views:1 Publication date:2023-04-24 08:17:10

"You wait outside," she said, turning to Jianjia.
"yes."
She turned and went into the latrine. The latrine in the palace was also magnificently renovated, with no odor and very clean.
After she finished tidying herself up, she was about to go out when she caught a glimpse of a pale yellow hue on the horizon. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was winter plum blossoms in bloom.
She couldn't help but push open the back door and walk over. About fifteen minutes later, she came into view a plum grove. There were not only winter plums, but also red plums, pink plums, green calyx plums, and so on. She was delighted and broke off a red plum with snow still on it. She held it to her nose and took a deep sniff. She felt her physical and mental fatigue disappear.
She had no idea where this place was, that there was such a plum grove, which she was left to admire all by herself.
"I wonder what her jade-like face resembles? A branch of plum blossoms frozen in spring snow." Suddenly, a melodious voice came, but it was faint and indistinct.
She turned around quickly and shouted, "Who's there?"
After a series of rustling footsteps, a handsome face with peach blossom eyes slowly emerged from among the winter plum blossoms. Wearing a white jade crown and a sky-blue fox fur cloak, it was undoubtedly Tuoba Mingnan.
Upon seeing him, Lü Daiqing hurriedly curtsied and said, "Greetings, Your Highness Prince Jing."
“Why call me Prince Jing? Call me Cousin. Cousin, please get up. There’s no need for such formalities. It was my rudeness. I only saw a beautiful woman floating in the plum grove, like a fairy, and that’s why I recited a poem in praise of her. I never expected it to be you, my cousin.” Tuoba Mingnan stepped forward to help her up, his eyes shimmering with tenderness, his words full of regret.
Lü Daiqing subtly pulled her hand away from his and whispered, "Ignorance is no excuse, cousin, you don't need to blame yourself for this." Why did she have to meet him here? It's just that what I feared most has come to pass.
Seeing this, Tuoba Mingnan also took a step back, as if remembering something, and asked with concern, "Oh, by the way, how are you feeling after falling into the pond that day, cousin? Are you alright?"
Lü Daiqing then remembered that he had saved her life, and she had intentionally distanced herself from him. Feeling ashamed, she lowered her guard and said earnestly, "Thank you for your concern, cousin. I was only frightened and am fine. I haven't yet thanked you for saving my life." After speaking, she knelt down and performed a deep bow.
“Cousin, please rise quickly. It was nothing, and I cannot accept such gratitude. If you are truly grateful, why not accompany me to stroll through this plum grove and appreciate the beautiful winter scenery?” He helped her up, and in the winter sunlight, his ethereal beauty captivated Lü Daiqing. Moreover, he had saved her life, so how could she refuse? It would be petty. After all, she nodded in agreement.
The two strolled through the plum grove together, chatting happily, and were somewhat reluctant to part ways.
Knowing she couldn't stay long, as Jianjia was probably looking for her, Lü Daiqing prepared to leave once she left the plum grove.
"Cousin..." came a hesitant soft call from behind.
She turned around, and Tuoba Mingnan was staring at her intently. When he saw her turn around, he smiled happily and said, "Cousin, will there be another opportunity for us to travel together like this in the future?"
"This..." How could she be sure that men and women should not touch each other, let alone travel together in private?
“Cousin, I don’t want to go against my heart, nor do I want to deceive myself,” he paused, his eyes shining brightly with adoration. “I have long been in love with you, but I have never had the chance to express my feelings. The day I saw you at the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, I was struck by your beauty. When I discovered you had fallen into the water, I was frantic and rushed to your rescue.” He took her hands in his, speaking rapidly, “Cousin, I have never felt so moved by a woman before. My marriage to Lady Ran was merely an arranged one. If you also love me, I will do everything in my power to marry you.”
Even the most aloof Lü Daiqing was moved by his heartfelt confession and the deep affection such a virtuous and upright man had for her.
“Cousin, you…” After returning home that day, she couldn’t stop thinking about him and often thought of him. Now that she knew he was deeply in love with her, she didn’t know how to respond.
Tuoba Mingnan knew he couldn't push her too hard, so he took off the jade ring from his waist and placed it in her hand, saying gently, "Cousin, you don't need to respond to your cousin immediately. I'll give you this jade ring as a token. It won't be too late when you've made up your mind."
No sooner had she finished speaking than an anxious call came from afar: "Princess, Princess, where are you? Please answer me, Princess—"
She heard hurried footsteps behind her, and Lü Daiqing nodded and called out loudly, "Jianjia, I'm here."
After she hurriedly left, Tuoba Mingnan changed his previous infatuated appearance, a triumphant smile appeared on his lips, and his eyes were full of sinister malice. "She took the bait so easily, my good cousin. It wasn't for nothing that I exhausted my efforts. Cousin, don't let me down."
*************************************
When Lü Daiqing returned to the Imperial Garden, the garden party had already begun. She had no heart to enjoy the scenery anymore and claimed to be ill, so she returned to the Prince's Mansion.
After returning to the palace, she hid the jade ring in her dressing case to avoid being discovered.
Her heart was pounding heavily. She was somewhat confused. What kind of feelings did she have for Tuoba Mingnan?
She didn't know whether this feeling was romantic love between a man and a woman.
All she knew was that if she had to choose one person to marry, she would choose this person.
She thought, this must be what liking someone is.
Thinking this way, she felt at ease. It seemed that her feelings for her brother were only those of a brother and sister, and that the person she truly loved was Tuoba Mingnan, not her brother.
Yes, that's it. It seems she needs to seriously consider her relationship with Tuoba Mingnan.
However, she never expected that before she could calm down and think things through properly, there would be another war, and her brother would be going to war again, setting off in the spring.
She had no mind to think about anything else; she put everything else aside and focused on preparing things for her brother and sewing clothes every day.
As the army set off, she stood on the city wall, gazing at the peerless figure riding the snow dragon horse, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Originally, her brother had already been awarded the title of General of Light Chariots for his pacification of the Western Barbarians, and his safe return would surely have brought him even greater advancement. However, she would rather he achieve nothing in his career than allow him to sacrifice his own safety for a meteoric rise.
"Brother—" she called out loudly. In the still chilly weather, the cold wind was biting, and the tears on her face were dried by the wind. Her cheeks were sore, but none of this could compare to the grief of parting in her heart.
The man shuddered and slowly turned around, his long black hair fluttering in the wind. He saw a pale figure on the city wall, desperately waving a silk handkerchief in his hand.
"Qingqing..."
"Brother, take care of yourself~" Lü Daiqing shouted loudly, half of her body leaning out of the city wall, tears streaming down her face like broken beads. She watched the army cross the moat and even the banners disappear into the mountains and forests before she descended from the city wall in a daze.
Lu Danfu's departure lasted for nearly half a year. During this time, Lu Daiqing fell ill from longing and spent her days eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist prayers, asking Buddha to bless her brother with safety.
Tuoba Mingnan would occasionally bring her little trinkets to cheer her up, which would make her smile, but afterwards she would still be overwhelmed by longing.
Over time, even the most hard-hearted woman would be moved by it.
Autumn arrived in the blink of an eye, and when chrysanthemums bloomed all over the eastern fence, Lü Danfu finally returned.
Overjoyed, Lü Daiqing rushed out and threw herself into the man's arms. The captivating scent of sandalwood was something she longed for even in her midnight dreams.
Lu Dan held his sister's slender body tightly with both arms, and the suppressed emotions in his heart burst forth again, as if to engulf him and make it impossible for him to escape.
How could he let go? How could he possibly let go? She was his lifelong obsession, his lifelong tribulation.
Countless times he resented the injustice of fate. If he hadn't been her half-brother, he would have been the most deserving person in the world to match her. He knew all her preferences, understood all her thoughts and feelings, and most importantly, he loved her more than his own life. There would never be anyone in the world who loved her more than him.
But he happened to be her own brother. They came from the same womb and shared the same blood, so they relied on each other and lived together day and night. This was the most advantageous condition, but also the most disadvantageous condition. They were inseparable because of this, but they could never be together for the rest of their lives.
He heard her soft, sobbing voice beside him, gentle yet touching his heart. She said, "Brother, I've missed you so much."
He let out a sigh, and that alone was enough to warm my heart.
************************************************
The tenth month of that year was Lü Daiqing's birthday, which was also her coming-of-age ceremony, after which she could start discussing marriage.
The Prince's Mansion held a grand celebration, with guests filling the house and gifts piling up in the warehouse, so a separate wing had to be set up to store them.
As soon as Lü Daiqing got up, Luo Feng brought her a carved sandalwood box, saying it was a congratulatory gift from Prince Jing. When Lü Daiqing opened it, she found a finely crafted red and green hairpin that shone brightly in the sunlight, and was extremely precious.
"His Highness Prince Jing also has a message for Miss: he hopes that you will wear this crown and hairpin at your coming-of-age ceremony today."
Lü Daiqing had become very close to Tuoba Mingnan over the past six months, and their relationship had grown much stronger. Seeing his thoughtfulness, she was deeply moved.
She thought it was time to seriously consider their situation.
"Miss, the young master has arrived."
Lu Daiqing quickly closed the box and put it aside, covering it with a handkerchief. For some reason, she didn't want her brother to know about her relationship with Tuoba Mingnan.
The beaded curtain was lifted, and Lü Danfu walked in. He was dressed in a crimson robe, with a gold belt binding his long black hair behind him, from which hung a ruby.
This outfit makes him look like a demon descended to earth, captivating and alluring.
“Brother,” Lü Daiqing called out, noticing a yellow pearwood box in his hand.
She was sitting in front of her dressing table when Lü Dan helped her stand behind her and said with a smile, "You're up so early."
He placed the box in front of her, and mysteriously raised his chin, saying, "Open it and take a look."
Lu Daiqing glanced at her brother suspiciously, then lowered her head and opened the box. A white jade lotus crown lay quietly on the red velvet cloth. It was carved from a single piece of white jade without a single flaw. The design was ingenious, with three lotus flowers blooming on top of each other, resembling twin lotus flowers. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a lotus within a lotus.
It was far more precious than the red and green hairpin that Tuoba Mingnan had sent.
Lü Daiqing turned her head in surprise, "Brother, this..."
"This is for you. Wear it today. When I went to the Northwest to pacify the barbarians, I passed through Huodan and obtained this jade at a high price. I then designed this crown and sent it to Suzhou to find craftsmen from Jinxiuge, who spent a year crafting it. Seeing your surprise, it was all worth the effort." He said softly, his eyes filled with tenderness, completely different from his decisive and ruthless demeanor outside.
She nodded emphatically. As for the red and green crown that Tuoba Mingnan had sent her, she had long forgotten about it. She was now so moved by her brother's kindness that she couldn't think of anything else.
Less than a month after Lü Daiqing's coming-of-age ceremony, Lü Danfu was ordered to go to Suzhou to quell a rebellion. He was now personally appointed as a second-rank general, but he was only just turned twenty. He was favored by the emperor and his young talent was praised by everyone.
Only Lü Daiqing knew how much he had sacrificed for this. How many young men would dare to go to the battlefield alone before they were eighteen to be the vanguard? How many noble young masters could endure the hardships of the frontier? And who could be as selfless as him, risking their lives for a bright future instead of relying on the protection of their family?
Lü Daiqing felt sorry for him; her heart ached terribly.
She spent this year's New Year alone; Lü Danfu was unable to return.
Tuoba Mingnan continued to send her many exquisite gifts, but the person she longed for remained missing. Was he alright? With the New Year approaching, was someone by his side? Was he complaining and feeling annoyed by the tasteless rice cakes again?
She didn't know.
On the day of the Lantern Festival, good news arrived that the young master had quelled the riot in Suzhou, seized a large amount of stolen money and weapons, and returned victorious.
Lu Daiqing had been bedridden for many days due to longing for her absent lover, and upon hearing the good news, she wept with joy.
After that, it became commonplace for Lü Danfu to lead troops into battle or quell rebellions. Whenever he returned home, he would not stay for more than a few days before preparing to set off again. The journey would last from three days to half a year. Although he always returned victorious, Lü Daiqing still experienced great ups and downs because of this, and often fell ill due to worry.
During this period, she met with Tuoba Mingnan privately several times, but did not give him a satisfactory answer each time.
On the Qixi Festival, when young women can openly go out and play, Lü Daiqing decided to respond to Tuoba Mingnan's feelings today.
Zhao Baolin and Fan Mengjiao went on an outing with her. While the two of them were guessing riddles, she met Tuoba Mingnan in a small alley.
"Cousin, you look so beautiful today. If there were truly fairies, I think they would all look like you." Tuoba Mingnan took her hand and said tenderly.
Lü Daiqing smiled and said, "Cousin, please don't tease me. I have something to say to you today." She had thought about it for a long time before coming to this answer.
Upon hearing this, Tuoba Mingnan was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Okay, go ahead, go ahead, cousin is listening." He looked ecstatic that his beloved was about to accept his advances.
"It's been over a year since my cousin confessed his feelings to me. I've remembered everything he's done in this past year, and I'm deeply moved. I have no way to repay him but to fulfill his wish. I'll be sixteen this October, and I hope he can settle things at home and come to propose marriage then." She didn't want to think any further about her feelings for Tuoba Mingnan. She only knew that she should get married as soon as possible. As long as she didn't marry, her brother wouldn't give up on her and wouldn't take a wife. He was already of marriageable age, and she had to sever this bond with him herself.
Tuoba Mingnan's eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe what he was hearing. He was at a loss for words, and finally hugged her tightly, his voice trembling as he said, "That's wonderful, that's wonderful! You finally agreed to marry your cousin. Don't worry, I will definitely marry you when the time comes." But when no one was around, a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
As soon as he embraced her, Lü Daiqing felt extremely uncomfortable and repulsed, but she gritted her teeth and didn't refuse. After a while, she whispered, "Cousin, I should go, or someone will come looking for me again." This embrace made her feel suffocated, and she just wanted to escape as soon as possible.
"Alright, go ahead." He immediately released her, and Lü Daiqing felt much more comfortable once she was freed.
"Qing'er, what are you doing here?" A questioning voice came from behind. Tuoba Mingnan immediately hid in the darkness and flew away.
Zhao Baolin and Fan Mengjiao were standing outside the alley looking inside. "Qing'er, who was that just now?" As clever as Zhao Baolin was, she immediately noticed something was wrong.
"No one, you must have misjudged him."
"No, there must be someone. Let me think... could it be Prince Jing?"
Upon hearing this, Lü Daiqing looked up in surprise, "How did you know?" Had they been eavesdropping all along?
“We didn’t eavesdrop, I guessed it,” Zhao Baolin seemed to understand what she was thinking. “Prince Jing saved you at the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, and later there were repeated rumors in the capital that Prince Jing seemed to have feelings for you and gave you countless treasures. How could I not guess it?”
Lu Daiqing thought about it carefully and realized it was true. She no longer hid it. "Since you have seen me, I am not willing to deceive you. I am interested in Prince Jing. We were just discussing the marriage. I also have his token." As she spoke, she took out the jade ring that Tuoba Mingnan had given her.
Zhao Baolin and the other woman were shocked upon hearing this. "What did you say? You have feelings for Prince Jing?!"
Lü Daiqing nodded.
“You’re insane, absolutely insane! Prince Jing is not as simple as you think. His ambitions are obvious. If you have feelings for him, how can you face the Empress?” Zhao Baolin said loudly and sternly.
Lü Daiqing was somewhat annoyed. She knew Tuoba Mingnan well enough to know what he was like, and she was not so bad at judging people. If she married him, her heart would still be with her aunt. Zhao Baolin's words made it sound like she was ungrateful.
Fan Mengjiao chimed in, "Yes, yes, Qing'er, my father said that Prince Jing is not a simple man, and told my brothers to stay away from him. My father would not lie."
"That's enough. I'll make my own decisions. You don't need to say anything more. It's getting late, so I'll head back to the palace."

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Rebirth of My Beloved - Side Story: The Previous Life (5) · When will you return? After the blooming of the roses? Before the blooming of the peonies?

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