Chapter 4 — All I Crave in This Life Is Peace

Xie Hang possessed a relaxed gaze, a quick wit, and an extraordinary air of elegance. As we sat together in the shaded pavilion, our conversation flowed with such ease that I often found myself laughing until the corners of my eyes crinkled. My gaze drifted casually, landing not far away on Fu Lin. He, too, had attended this floral gala. He stood beneath the blooming peach trees, facing the daughter of the Prime Minister, Murong Lan.

"Heir, this is a peace charm I sought for you; it can ward off evil and dispel misfortune."

Her eyes were filled with affection, her cheeks flushed with the rosy tint of shyness. He accepted it, his expression remaining as frigid as ever. "My thanks." He tied the charm to his belt, and seeing this, the blush on Murong Lan’s face deepened. She was the betrothed chosen by his father, and for the sake of appearances, he would always offer her the respect she was due. At that sight, my smile faltered, stiffening for a fleeting moment. In my past life, I was his wife. I once knelt in the meditation hall for a hundred days just to pray for a single peace charm for him. Filled with earnest joy, I presented it to him, only for him to cast it aside without a second thought. "You are the Heir’s wife; why do you believe in such baseless superstitions? Do not engage in such foolishness again." It seemed it was not the object that was wrong—it was simply that the person offering it was.

"Miss Chi Zhen, are you unwell?"

Seeing me tear up, Xie Hang followed my gaze, as if he suddenly understood something. After a long silence, he comforted himself: what if her heart already had a place of refuge? As long as he dared to compete and to claim what he wanted, why could he not win the heart of this beauty? He produced a silk handkerchief of a soft blue hue, his voice gentle and warm. "Miss Chi Zhen, has the wind and sand irritated your eyes?"

I touched my cheek, feeling the biting cold, and finally regained my composure. "Yes... the wind was rather strong just now." I accepted the handkerchief, grateful for his help in easing my awkwardness. While I had been lost in my thoughts, I did not notice that Fu Lin had drawn near. In truth, he had been watching Chi Zhen from the moment he arrived. Today, she wore a dress the color of peach blossoms, her features so vibrant and spirited that the flowers around her seemed to dim by comparison. Seeing her laughing so happily with that other man filled him with a sudden, inexplicable irritation.

"Is this Miss Chi Zhen? Truly beautiful!" Murong Lan stepped forward, breaking the tension with her generous, natural demeanor. "Forgive us, but Wen Yin and I have been standing for a while and are quite tired; we thought to rest here for a moment. We shall not be a bother to you and this young gentleman, shall we?" She blinked, her eyes flitting toward the embroidered handkerchief still in my hand, a look of playful, knowing mischief on her face.

Just as I opened my mouth to reply, a cry of panic erupted through the crowd. "Assassins!"

Dozens of highly skilled assassins charged toward Fu Lin, scattering the four of us. Among them, two masked figures with exceptional agility took advantage of the chaos to seize me and Murong Lan. We were like fish on a cutting board, each held at knifepoint and forced to stand on the freezing, windswept eaves of the pavilion.

"Fu Lin, you coward! You slaughtered hundreds of our brothers!"

"My wife and children all died by your hand!"

"Today, one of us is your younger sister, Fu Xue’er, and the other is your betrothed, Murong Lan! Choose one! I want you to taste the agony of being torn between two paths, to lose the one you cherish most!"

The blade pressed into my neck, drawing a deep line of blood; the pain was blinding. In my previous life, when I had cut my own wrists, that same bone-deep agony had been so vivid it still haunted my nightmares. Having lived once more, I cherished my life more than anything.

"Brother, I am not Fu Xue’er! Catching me is useless!"

The assassin tightened his grip. "Do not try to deceive me! During the chaos just now, I clearly saw that man surnamed Fu never once took his eyes off you, terrified that you might be harmed. If you are not his sister, you are someone he holds deeply dear!" He turned to shout at Fu Lin, "Two lives! Choose one! Otherwise, both shall perish!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"Release Murong Lan!" Fu Lin’s voice emerged, raspy and strained.

So it was as I expected. Even knowing the answer, I could not help but smile bitterly. Before Fu Lin, I would always be the one who was never chosen. The assassin let out a cold laugh, leaning in to whisper in my ear, "To think this dog named Fu is such an interesting creature. His eyes were clearly glued to you, yet he still chose the other woman."

High above the eaves, Murong Lan was tossed aside like a discarded piece of fabric. "As you wish!"

Fu Lin lunged forward, catching her waist in mid-air. At that same moment, while Fu Lin was distracted, the icy blade pressed mercilessly against my throat, ready to claim my life. In the blink of an eye, a stone flew through the air, striking the assassin’s eyelid. Xie Hang swept in like a storm. His sleeves billowed, and with a metallic ring, the weapon in the assassin’s hand was knocked away. He shielded me with his body, one hand still maintaining his stance, his hair wild in the freezing wind. His expression was frigid toward the world, yet when he looked down at me, his gaze softened instantly.

"Do not be afraid. I am here."

I stared at him, my voice trembling. "You are wounded!"

His left arm was soaked with blood, and as his head slumped against my shoulder, his breathing grew shallow. "It is nothing."

My eyes were filled with profound worry, failing to notice that beneath his lowered lashes lay a flicker of hidden cunning. How could a mere assassin truly wound him? He only wanted Chi Zhen to cherish him a little more.