As I walked towards the Jingshi, I thought I heard the sound of Liebing, my brother's flute, in the distance. When I arrived, he and Wei Ying were still together! What could he have been talking about all this time? I wondered

Brother greeted us and left us alone. I went inside. I went to the table and sat down. I put down the jars and prepared a cup and its bowl. You came in and watched me pour the alcohol into the cup. I pushed it slightly in front of me. Then I took the teapot to prepare my tea. I put it to brew.

I heard you say my name. I looked back at you. You seemed to be hesitating, searching for your words. It was rare to see you so indecisive. You finally made up your mind and came to sit across from me. You spoke to me about my brother.

Strangely enough, I had the impression that this was not what you wanted to tell me initially. I said nothing and listened to you.

"Your brother's dilemma is huge, after all he is Jin GuangYao's sworn brother. If I were him.... " I knew very well how he felt. Hadn't I been in a similar situation myself?

I gave you the cup. You took it but didn't drink it right away.

"When he gets proof, he'll find it intolerable!"

In light of what we had discovered, the other thing that had always seemed suspicious to me found its explanation. The events in Qiongqi and the death of Jin Zixuan. Had Jin GuangYao used control through music to cause the death of his half-brother and remove an obstacle between him and the position of clan heir! I would bring up the subject.

"On the road to Qiongqi, the sound of the flute. You were surprised that I knew about it. I had to tell you that I had asked Wen Ning.

"I thought it was an auditory mirage. Except that during the battle of the nightless city, I heard that sound again. Just one. One and only one. But I was too panicked to think about it. How does everything get tipped over?"

I looked at my love. So, even then, someone had taken advantage of your weakness caused by your sister's death to sink you! Why didn't I pay more attention back then! I was a musician too! I was not far from you, I should have heard it too!

The snow had started to fall. You got up, took one of the jars of alcohol and went out on the gallery. You looked pensive, ...elsewhere. I came to your side because that's where I belong, next to you. I kept silent. If you wanted to talk it was now.

"Since my rebirth, I think about it sometimes, I don't feel like it was an illusion anymore. I believe it more and more. On the road to Qiongqi and the nightless city someone played the "collection of the torment" in secret and altered the orders that Chenqing gave."

It could only be Jin GuangYao, When I think about it, it is true that I did not seem to see him on the battlefield! You smiled with a disillusioned look.

"Maybe or maybe not..."

I asked you if you didn't want to know, but you told me that it wasn't so important to you to know the truth anymore, that you didn't care. It wouldn't change the past because in everyone's mind it was you, the patriarch of Yiling, who had committed all these misdeeds. Even if you could prove your innocence, no one would believe it!

I knew you were right. That's the way people are. No one in the sects would want to admit that they were wrong about you! Because to admit their mistake was also to admit that they had been manipulated by a person in whom they had placed their trust, and not only one or two of them, but all of them!

"It's amazing, how much they need a target. A target that everyone hates. Thanks to me, they can unite and think themselves smarter. That's when I realized that even without Jin GuangYao, without that flute sound, there would have been someone else! You can't predict everything!"

I went back inside and settled in front of Wangji. My fingers played our music. It described you so well! When you heard me playing, you came back to the entrance of the Jingshi. You leaned back and stared into the distance. What were you thinking? Don't lose hope my love!

"In this world someone still believes in you!"

Remember our promise that night when we launched our lantern.

"To act according to your conscience"

I looked at you. You were leaning against the doorpost, your head slightly back, enjoying the "emperor's smile". What would you do if I stood up and put my lips on yours? Would you push me away? Or on the contrary, would you let me? What kind of lover were you? Did you like to take things in hand or did you prefer to have someone do it for you?

When you were the patriarch of Yiling, there were many rumors about your love affairs and the number of women you had! I must confess that I was jealous.

Now I think about it, this behavior was not in your habits. You liked to flirt, but you never made any inappropriate gestures towards the young women we used to meet. Even the beautiful Mianmian! You were chivalrous with her. You were not the type to have had a lot of affairs, 2 or 3 I think but not more!

I was jealous of these women. Because they were able to catch your eye and make you want to hug them and kiss them. I would have given anything to be in their place.

The other night in Qinghe, when I carried you on my back, you can't imagine how happy I was to feel your body against mine, even if it only lasted the time of the return to the inn.

You continued to drink, ignoring my thoughts! Would I ever have the courage to take that first step towards you, at least not tonight. But maybe once this matter with Jin GuangYao is solved, then maybe I will have the courage!

After all, I've been waiting for you for 16 years, so I'm only a few weeks or months away!

The tiredness of the day finally got to us and we went to bed. I smiled when I saw the time ? It was long past bedtime! I think I was going to have to add a few more pages of copy tomorrow!

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)