After the Alluring Beauty Was Forced into a Political Marriage - Chapter 28

Lianzhi was skilled at the pipa, while Lu Jingce excelled at the flute. “Guan Ju” was a piece they had frequently performed together during their youth. In those days, Lianzhi could only pour his entire heart’s devotion into the music.

When the Consort was alive, Lianzhi had studied under her as her disciple and received her true teachings. After she passed away, Lianzhi never neglected his skills and practiced often. Whenever he played the pipa, his cousin would always be by his side, wearing a gentle smile.

“Brother Jingce!” Lianzhi set down his pipa and turned back to look at him, his eyes curved like crescent moons from smiling. “Does it sound good?”

Lu Jingce fixed his dark, ink like eyes on him, gazing steadily for a long time until Lianzhi’s cheeks flushed crimson. Only then did he smile and say softly, “The loud notes chatter like pattering rain, the soft notes murmur like secret whispers; loud and soft together, like pearls large and small falling onto a jade plate.”

A light flickered in Shen Lianzhi’s eyes. Receiving praise from the one he loved made him overjoyed. “Truly?”

“How could I lie to you?” Lu Jingce said helplessly.

Lianzhi’s joy intensified. He leaned closer to Lu Jingce. “Then, Cousin, I will play for you every day from now on. What do you say?”

He was so overcome with delight that he failed to notice the lack of distance between them. Lu Jingce looked down at him with half lidded eyes, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. He reached out to pull Lianzhi close. “Lianzhi, sit properly.”

That deep, pleasant voice tunneled into Lianzhi’s ears like a warm breeze, leaving half his body numb and tingling. Lu Jingce’s lips were almost pressed against his ear. “If Lianzhi is willing, then nothing could be better.”

“This pipa of yours, you are only permitted to play it for me.”

“This pipa of yours, you are only permitted to play it for me.” Shen Lianzhi snapped his eyes open, breathing slightly hard. It took him a good while to emerge from that dream of the past, filled with flowers and moonlight.

The surroundings gradually became clear, but Shen Lianzhi felt as though a piece of his heart had been carved out, leaving an empty ache. The words from the dream continued to haunt his ears: “This pipa of yours, you are only permitted to play it for me.”

After the age of fourteen, Shen Lianzhi became increasingly obedient to Lu Jingce. If Lu Jingce told him to go east, he would never go west. Lianzhi did not find this strange; after all, his cousin would never harm him.

Brother Jingce had told him he was only allowed to play for him alone, and Lianzhi had never played for anyone else until yesterday. Breaking that promise left Lianzhi feeling profoundly uneasy.

Somehow, he remembered the sentence from his cousin’s letter half a month ago: “I only want to ask you one thing, in your heart, between him and me, who truly treats you better?”

Lianzhi had not answered him.

Shen Lianzhi bent over, burying his fingers in his hair. He was in agony. He felt as if he had been pushed to the edge of a precipice with a pack of fierce wolves behind him.

To step forward meant being shattered to pieces; to step back meant death without a grave.

He could not face Lu Jingce, and he could not face Shiqin Bari. This complex emotion wrapped around him like silk threads. Lianzhi was smothered inside this cocoon, barely able to breathe.

Because of that dream, Lianzhi spent the entire day in a daze. Late at night, when Shiqin Bari returned to the King’s tent, he impatiently embraced him to kiss him, his hands wandering restlessly. “Khatun.”

Lianzhi felt his fervor, but he was currently so full of worry that he could not muster a shred of interest. “Great King, I am weary.”

Shiqin Bari’s movements stopped. He stared intently at Shen Lianzhi, and seeing his pale face and exhausted expression, he finally stopped, though quite reluctantly.

“What is it?” Shiqin Bari asked. “You look as if you have much on your mind.”

“I drank too much wine yesterday and have a bit of a headache. It is no matter.” Lianzhi dismissed him with a few words.

How could Shen Lianzhi let Shiqin Bari know his true thoughts? Do not be fooled by the little barbarian’s current submissiveness; Lianzhi had witnessed his explosive temper before.

A man who could grasp another’s hand to hold a sword against his own heart was not someone to be trifled with. Lianzhi could only bury those old matters deep underground, away from the light of day.

Shiqin Bari was so young and high spirited; how could he tolerate his Khatun having so much history with another man? If he found out, the mere thought made Shen Lianzhi shudder.

Fortunately, he had no way of knowing, Lianzhi mused. Now that he and Lu Jingce were separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, there was nothing left. Even if there were, there could not be.

Shiqin Bari still remembered Lianzhi’s grace while playing the pipa. His passion had not faded, and he felt guilty for lying about taking a concubine. Therefore, he was perfectly submissive to Lianzhi, protecting him like a precious jewel in his palm. “If you do not want to, then we will not. Sleep!”

Having said that, he diligently brought water to personally wash Lianzhi’s body. This task made him feel parched. As Shiqin Bari wiped his calf, he said hoarsely, “Khatun, you are so fair.”

“Khatun, your body is truly beautiful.”

He held Shen Lianzhi’s ankle and tilted his head to give the soft calf a light bite. His two sharp canines sank into the flesh, causing a stinging pain. Shiqin Bari called him softly, “Lianzhi.”

He had never called Shen Lianzhi’s name in such a gentle tone before. The affection contained in that “Lianzhi” was as heavy as a massive boulder. “Before, I said some foolish things. Do not take them to heart.”

A flush appeared on Shiqin Bari’s peerlessly handsome face, showing a hint of the shyness unique to a youth.

He then muttered something low in the Xia tongue. Lianzhi did not understand and whispered back, “What does it mean?”

“Subuda, what does it mean?”

“Subuda means Pearl. It is the Xia name I gave you. As for the meaning of that sentence,” Shiqin Bari paused.

Shiqin Bari looked up, then shifted his gaze away awkwardly. It was truly unexpected that this ill tempered young Chanyu could have such a green, bashful side. “You are as beautiful as a pearl.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he hurriedly lowered his head. He waited a long time but received no response from Lianzhi. The King’s tent was so silent that they could hear each other’s breathing.

Shiqin Bari felt frustrated and embarrassed, but just then, a slightly cool hand pressed against his cheek, using a bit of force to make him lift his face.

Shen Lianzhi looked at him with a slight frown, the ends of his brows drooping. In those eyes, there was a sadness that could not be hidden.

Shiqin Bari stood up and reached out to smooth the space between Lianzhi’s brows, then carried him to the bed. “What are you doing? Are you going to cry? How useless.”

Lianzhi did not speak but silently buried his face in the other man’s chest, wrapping his arms around his waist. Shiqin Bari’s eyes widened slightly, his heart pounding wildly. Shen Lianzhi had never, he would never, embrace him like this.

“Shiqin Bari.” This was also the first time Lianzhi had called him by his name. When the Khatun called him, it seemed different from when others did. Shiqin Bari felt as if he were floating in mid air, his heart melting completely.

“Thank you. I like this name.”

Lianzhi remained somewhat despondent, and Shiqin Bari tried various ways to make him happy. However, the better Shiqin Bari treated him, the heavier the guilt in Lianzhi’s heart became.

Shiqin Bari also loved to hold him after their intimacy, tirelessly asking what else he was hiding. “I have told you everything about myself; you must be honest with me as well.”

Every time he heard these words, Lianzhi did not know how to respond. Shiqin Bari had questioned him thoroughly, and Lianzhi had hidden nothing except for one thing.

That guilt weighed on his heart like a mountain, and Lianzhi could no longer endure it. He pushed aside the curtain of the King’s tent, wanting to go out for some air, without letting anyone follow.

Lianzhi spent his days huddled in the tent, and the grasslands were so vast that he did not know where to go. He could only wander aimlessly. He did not know where he had walked when he suddenly heard music. There was no one more familiar with that tune than he was.

Lianzhi followed the sound to a felt tent. A man was sitting on the ground behind the tent, holding a huji. He was playing earnestly, unaware of the movement around him.

When the piece finished, he realized someone was standing nearby. Xurigan stood up abruptly and bowed respectfully to Shen Lianzhi. “Khatun!”

Lianzhi looked at the object in his hand with curiosity. It looked like a flute but was not one. The music was melodious and mournful, quite moving. Lianzhi asked him, “What is this?”

“This object is called a huji, a musical instrument of Great Xia,” Xurigan replied stiffly.

Lianzhi had only asked casually. He said, “You play well,” and was about to leave when the cold, stern man behind him actually spoke up to stop him. “Khatun!”

Lianzhi turned back in surprise.

“This song, what is this song?”

Xurigan and Lianzhi were only a few feet apart, so Lianzhi could easily see his face and his entire person.

When Xurigan followed Shiqin Bari in the past, Lianzhi always felt he was like a heartless, cold stone. But at this moment, the look in Xurigan’s eyes was certainly not something a stone could possess.

Lianzhi silently took a step back, his expression turning slightly cold. “The song?”

“Since the Great General of the Left can play every note of the song correctly, then does it really matter if you know the name?”

After saying this, he walked back to the King’s tent without looking back. Shiqin Bari happened to be inside.

“Where did you go?” Shiqin Bari asked.

“I only went out for a walk,” Lianzhi said softly.

Shiqin Bari did not press further. He looked at Lianzhi and said with some excitement, “Nuomin and Lakshen are going to be married.”

“Married? They,” Lianzhi said with surprise. Lakshen was the current Wise King of the Left and Shiqin Bari’s second older brother.

Princess Nuomin had failed to become Shiqin Bari’s queen, but during this time, she had fallen in love with his brother, Lakshen. The two were mutually in love and were a perfect match.

“Lakshen is truly my best brother,” Shiqin Bari said. “Since he is marrying Nuomin, my eldest sister will no longer think of making me take her as a concubine. This is wonderful news.”

Lianzhi also smiled and nodded.

Shiqin Bari added, “The grand wedding will be in one month. The Great Zhou will also send an envoy to offer congratulations.”

He handed the Great Zhou envoy’s credentials to Lianzhi. Lianzhi’s hand trembled as he opened them, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat. He scanned the document quickly, and finally, his gaze froze at the very bottom.

The envoy, the envoy sent by Great Zhou, was the Prince of Chu.

It was Lu Jingce.

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