Chapter 7 — When I was born again, I was content to keep my hands to myself, but that cold and powerful God was frantic again

There were many chaotic emotions in his eyes, as messy as water being stirred up by someone. In my previous life, I had never seen his eyes like that. He always looks calm and self-controlled, making it impossible for others to see through.

“Something happened in the capital.”

He said, his voice hoarse.

"The third prince plotted treason, His Majesty passed away. In order to investigate the true will of the previous emperor, I was chased and killed by their people all along the way."

I stood at the door of the room, the sunlight shining in from behind, extending my silhouette on the ground, all the way to the side of his couch.

"According to the emperor's will, the successor is the Crown Prince."

His fingers tightened on the blanket until his joints turned white.

"Third Prince's people want to kill me and put me out of business. I brought along a decree to temporarily escape to the south. The Crown Prince's people are already on the way here. When they arrive, I will immediately return to the capital."

After saying those words, he looked at me, as if waiting for me to say something. I don't speak up. I have heard too much about court battles like this in my past life. At that time, I desperately wanted to step into his world, secretly read his dispatches, memorize every name he had mentioned, trying to find in those cold lines some traces related to myself. But we never found it.

“Tham Chi Y.”

He suddenly called my name, his voice was different from before, carrying a strange awkwardness that I had never heard.

“On the way here, I kept thinking about one thing.”

He paused for a moment, as if the next words were difficult to utter.

"I was thinking along the way, why I still remember her previous appearance clearly, but I couldn't remember when she started to change."

His fingers tightened and then slowly relaxed.

“I remember how she intentionally dropped her handkerchief at my feet at a royal banquet, how she copied my poems at a poetry festival, how she pretended to meet me by chance in a temple, I remember them all.”

The sunlight through the window fell on his pale face, making his eyebrows and eyes appear especially clearly. His eyelashes were trembling very slightly, the amplitude was so small that it was almost impossible to see, but I stood next to the sofa and could see very clearly.

“At that time, I felt that she was very annoying.”

"I feel like she's like a moth always rushing towards the light, completely insensitive to pain."

Outside the yard came the sound of Bich Dao chopping wood, each sound was heavy but steady. The leaves of the Pipa tree were moved by the wind, making a gentle rustling sound.

“After that, she didn't rush forward anymore.”

His voice became lower and lower.

"I, on the other hand, am not used to it."

I leaned against the door frame, my hands tucked into my sleeves. In my previous life, I waited for him for seven years. Wait for spring. Wait until autumn. Wait until daylight. Wait through the dark night. Waiting until the end, he stood outside the door and asked a question:

“Are you dead?”

Those long days of waiting, now that I think about it, they are just like a pile of ashes, as soon as the wind blows, they disappear completely.

“Lord Bui.”

I spoke up, my voice very soft:

“Do you know what a person thinks when he is about to die?”

He raised his head to look at me, a glimmer of confusion flashed in his eyes. Of course he doesn't know. No one knows who I am who has lived a new life. In his eyes, I'm probably just saying meaningless words.

“I thought, if there is another life, I will definitely not know you anymore.”

This saying is true. It's the last thought before we die. It's also the first thought after I was reborn. Bui Dien Chi's pupils slightly shrank.

“But she still knows me.”

“Yes.”

I stood up straight and brushed the dust off my sleeve.

“But I don't want to continue knowing each other anymore.”

I turned around and walked out of the mist room. The sunlight shines on my face, extremely warm. Bich Dao had finished chopping firewood and was squatting under the pipa tree picking up fallen leaves, softly humming a To Chau folk song. Hearing footsteps, she raised her head to look at me and smiled, revealing two small buck teeth. Three days later, the Crown Prince's men arrived in Suzhou. The person who came was a group of forbidden soldiers, the general leading them was Chu, who was the confidant next to the abandoned Crown Prince. He brought with him the Crown Prince's orders, asking Bui Dien Chi to immediately return to the capital. At the same time, it also brought news from the capital that the Third Prince's rebellion had been quelled, the Crown Prince was dethroned and ascended the throne before the emperor's coffin, and the era name was changed to Vinh Ninh.

"Master Marquis, your Majesty has already said that the will in your hand is the most important evidence to quell all remaining rebellions and bring everything back to the right path."

General Zhou stood in the yard, his armor reflecting cold light under the sunlight.

“Please depart immediately.”