Out from the study, as expected, there was the Imperial Manor’s young male servant who waited upon him, guided Duan Shun Jie to see the housekeeper.
The housekeeper was about a forty year old middle-aged man. His manner was extremely polite. The him who had served in the Manor for a long time, of course knew the concept of absolutely do not consciously offend others. Moreover, Duan Shun Jie was Pingnan’s well-known General, came over and pledging his allegiance to Datong was Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s great achievement, also, Xuan Yuan’s concern toward him made the housekeeper feel that this person and his Master’s relationship was not ordinary at all.
Seeing the housekeeper rather respectful towards him, Duan Shun Jie of course wouldn’t let go of this opportunity. Seeing him arrange for him a place to stay then prepared to leave, he busily called out to him: “Mister, please wait a moment.”
The housekeeper quickly stopped his step, turned his body: “General Duan, what order do you have?”
“I want to ask you about someone. Is Lady Ouyang in the Manor?”
The housekeeper had a slight doubt, pondering for a while, he asked back: “Is she that coming from Pingnan Miss Ouyang...”
“Yes, yes.” Thinking again, he was a man, asking about another’s wife seemed a little odd. Duan Shun Jie busily explained, “She and I are old acquaintances. This time, there is a friend of her who entrusted me a letter to give to her, so I want to see her and have a chat.”
The housekeeper of course wouldn’t know the real nature of Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi’s relationship. Greeting seemed not to be suspicious at all, but his face was still rather hesitating: “General Duan wanting to see her is actually not a problem, but this Ouyang Lady because she’s about to give birth, The Lord had specifically arranged a secluded place, not that convenient to see a guest.”
“That is fine. Maybe I can ask Mister to let me see the one who is in charge of attending to Lady Ouyang, her maid also can.” Duan Shun Jie worried if he pressed on too much he would attract his suspicion, he busily indicated that not seeing Ouyang Si Qi directly also could do.
“This...” The housekeeper fell silent for a while, seemingly felt that Duan Shun Jie’s request was not too much, he nodded his head to say he agreed. “I will send a word to the maid of Ouyang Lady, ask her to come here to see you, is this alright?” Duan Shun Jie of course fully agreed.
Waiting for Ouyang’s maid to appear was a bit boring, Duan Shun Jie couldn’t help but walk out from the room and in the yard which Xuan Yuan had appointed for him to stroll all around. The yard was not too big, but quiet and secluded. Aside from the main room, there were two winged rooms by the both sides. In front of the door of the yard, grew some didn’t-know-what-was-the-name flowers and trees, yet it was such an elegant and refined set.
If there was not this Ouyang Si Qi’s matter, maybe he would happily stay in this small world. Just like Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s wives and concubines, everyday only waiting for him to appear.
Thinking and thinking, his heart gradually gave rise to a spell of chill.
Recalling the him at the first time when he descended from Zhongnan’s Mountain, what kind of enormously proud and smug man he was, swore to overthrow Datong’s tyranny and considered it as his main duty, wholeheartedly wanted to save the world and its people, how could he expect that the him several years later would actually become such an ambitionless and condescended to take the place inside Datong’s Prince’s Manor side yard, taking all of his hope and put it on a man who doesn’t love him.
Just like this sitting alone with his thoughts running wild, Duan Shun Jie eyed that the sky’s color had turned dark, yet still no one appeared. Thought to himself, if Xuan Yuan returned from Palace, it would be hard to execute the plan, he walked to the door intending to make the discreet inquiries all around by himself.
Exactly when he reached the door, he saw a tall and lanky beautiful maiden entering the yard’s door.
“Excuse me, is General Duan in?” As the maiden entered the yard she raised her voice to ask.
Duan Shun Jie busily greeted her: “Miss, I am Duan Shun Jie. Are you from Lady Ouyang place?”
“Servant1 is the one attending to Lady Ouyang, Cui Huan. Ordered to come here to meet General Duan.” Seeing Duan Shun Jie, the maiden busily lowered her head respectfully, then followed him to enter the room.
“I am your Lady’s old acquaintance from Pingnan. Here is the letter from her good friend for her, will trouble miss to pass it on my behalf.” Duan Shun Jie while speaking, was fishing out from his bosom the earlier had been prepared envelope and handed it over to Cui Huan.
Cui Huan accepted it properly, seeing that Duan Shun Jie seemed like he still had something to ask, she said: “General Duan do you still have anything to ask?”
“How is your Lady?” Duan Shun Jie adopted a manner of one former days friend should be concerned about attitude, lightly asked about her well-being.
“Lady is doing well, only that she is about giving birth soon, not convenient to meet guests, hope General Duan can excuse her.” This Cui Huan even if a maidservant, her bearing compared to the normal girl of humble birth was even more tasteful and appropriate. Obviously the manor of the Seventh Prince was of hidden dragons crouching tigers2, not just any ordinary rich and powerful family could compare.
Of course this made him sigh, yet Duan Shun Jie could only keep it to himself. Knowing that he wouldn’t get anything from Cui Huan, he raised his body to send the guest off.
Cui Huan refined and courteously took her leave, out from the yard rather far still she did not forget to look back and stare at the far place. Seeing that nobody was following her, only then could she continue to advance in ease.
Putting into full use his air-kungfu skill Duan Shun Jie inwardly laughed: If his whereabouts could be seen by this not too skilled in martial arts maiden, then he would have truly wronged his own self who had trained hard for tens of years in the Zhongnan Mountain.
Ouyang Si Qi’s residential place was seemingly rather far. Duan Shun Jie following behind Cui Huan for quite a long while before he could see her entering a rather secluded building.
Walking quietly on his tiptoe, he then went up the ridge of the roof of the building to hide. He saw Cui Huan talking with a man dressed up like a guard in front of the building door.
“...nothing. How is Lady?” He couldn’t hear clearly the first line of the conversation, maybe talking about the meeting with him situation.
He listened to the man in guard’s clothing say: “Nothing. The same old thing. Still unwilling to eat.”
That Cui Huan whole face was extremely angry: “This Lady really likes to repeat something over and over again. Already got herself into this wretched situation yet still want to put on her haughty airs. Clearly knew that if something bad happened, Master will surely take our heads away.”
“That’s right. That’s right.” The guard’s whole face was also bitter, “No matter what, she is still the Master’s woman. Master also only ordered us that we must take care of her, didn’t say we could not regard her as our Lady...She ought to vent all of her temper on us.”
Cui Huan shook her head then excused herself to enter the room. Duan Shun Jie certainly wouldn’t take this mediocre martial artist guard into consideration. At will, he put into good use his air-kungfu then following her slipping into the room.
Maybe because Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng saw that Ouyang Si Qi was enduring this kind of belly so she would be unable to flee, inside the room there wasn’t a single guard. Once Duan Shun Jie entered the inner hall, he could hear the voice of Cui Huan.
“Lady, you eat a little alright? You don’t feel hungry, but the child wouldn’t be able to cope with it.”
But there was no voice of reply, it seemed like Ouyang Si Qi resorted to a non-cooperative resisting manner.
“Lady...” Cui Huan naggingly persuaded her for a long while, Ouyang Si Qi was still not uttering a word.
“Then… Your servant will retreat. I placed the dinner for you here. If you need me, just call me to wait on you.”
Seeing Cui Huan about to go out, Duan Shun Jie busily hid behind the curtain. Looking at Cui Huan’s whole face walked out unhappily, waited until she passed by him, he strecthed out his hand to press on her sleeping point on her nape. Cui Huan didn’t even make a groaning sound then just collapse. Duan Shun Jie quickly dragged her body to hide her behind the curtain. He then moved sideways to squeeze himself into inner room.
The sitting on the bedside Ouyang Si Qi, upon the sight of a black shadow opened her mouth to scream. Duan Shun Jie quickly dashed to cover her mouth, seeing Ouyang Si Qi waved her hand to signal that she wouldn’t scream, by then he let go.
“Why is it you!” Ouyang Si Qi now was already completely a sight of pregnant woman. Except for her high-bridged nose, her face was slightly swollen. Although a little thin and pallid, and looks pathetic, but her bearing still was as menacing as before.
Duan Shun Jie of course knew Ouyang Si Qi wouldn’t show him any good face. But he could careless for this situation before his eyes, he only cared to lower his voice as much as possible: “Si Qi. I beg you to trust me this one time. You quickly come with me. I will send you to Zhongnan Mountain, to my Master’s place.”
Ouyang Si Qi’s expression changed. When Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng made her move into this secluded building only told her not to go out before the due time. However, several days ago, when she said she want to go for a stroll on the backyard garden, the guard nervously didn’t let her go, it was as if she was being put under house arrest. Even when she used a hunger strike no one seemed to pay attention. Since earlier she had faintly felt that the situation was not good. And now Duan Shun Jie saying such a thing, more to confirm her heart’s ominious premonition.
But her face would never give the impression of weakness in front of Duan Shun Jie, coldly she said: “Now you are pretending to be what good person? If not because of you, how can I get into this plight?”
Duan Shun Jie’s heart was burning with impatience, but could only count by fives and tens3 in explaining the situation. When he said that Xuan Yuan intended to send her to Dali Temple after she gave birth, Ouyang Si Qi’s face already lost its color and turned to a deathly pale color.
“Si Qi, It is me who had wronged you. You just come with me first, wait until you have arrived to a safer place, until then it still won’t be too late to blame me again.”
Trying to persuade her for more than half a day, Ouyang Si Qi still looked in a trance without responding. Duan Shun Jie almost knelt down to beg her. “Si Qi, just regard it as your Brother begging you this time. You don’t cherish yourself, still you have to consider your child...”
Perhaps the “child” word had encouraged Ouyang Si Qi. Her in trance expression disappeared in an instant. Got the support to help her stand up, said: “Let’s go! But next time, this “brother” word you absolutely don’t ever mention again. Also don’t think that by helping me one time I will help you put in good word to the Lord of Zhongnan.”
Being suspected as wanted to use this as pretext to be forgiven by his Master and Brothers, Duan Shun Jie truly felt a grievance. But the sky color had turned to dark, he was afraid Xuan Yuan had returned to Manor and noticed, so he didn’t dare to argue further with Ouyang Si Qi. He could only help her to leave from the window at the back.
Dragging Ouyang Si Qi with her almost ready to give birth body, abosultely unable to unfold his air-kungfu, Duan Shun Jie could only help her to walk in the secluded area in the Manor. When they ran into people, they hid in the hidden place by the path. If couldn’t hide then just rapidly hit the enemy to make them collapse. With much difficulty, they finally got close to the Royal Manor’s back door.
It was said as a back door, but there were two guards to stand on guard. Duan Shun Jie hid Ouyang Si Qi first then he walked forward to talk to them. Recognizing Duan Shun Jie as their Master’s friend, the guards of course respectfully came to talk, but as sudden as a flash of lightning, they were hit down on the ground by Duan Shun Jie.
Pulling Ouyang Si Qi until they were out of the Royal Manor, Duan Shun Jie immediately bought a carriage at the nearest town and let Ouyang Si Qi to ride on it while he served as the cart’s driver, went to the direction of Tong’an City’s gate.
Due to his title as Pingnan General, they successfully went out of Tong’an. Duan Shun Jie knew, if Xuan Yuan had realized, surely he would lead a pursuer team to catch up to them. He gave up the main road and turned to the secluded little path, desperately dashed toward Mount Zhongnan. Had predicted that Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng could worry about the sensitivity of their status, did not publish them as wanted criminal, that’s why Duan Shun Jie still dared from time to time to go to small towns to buy food and clothes.
This day in the evening, both of them had arrived at an outskirt of a town. Just going for one more day they already could entered Mount Zhongnan’s border. Ouyang Si Qi unexpectedly made an uproar, shouting her stomach was hurt and unwilling to go on. Duan Shun Jie could only find an uninhabited broken shrine for her to settle down, intending to warm the meal for her to eat and rest for a while before continuing to go.
Who could have thought, Ouyang Si Qi couldn’t hold outeven more. Seeing her gasping with an extremely suffering face, Duan Shun Jie, being inexperience also could guess that she was about to give birth. In an instant, in panic he busily rushed into a town and searched for an experience midwife all over the town. With much difficulty he found a midwife, but the midwife said she needed to prescribe some essential medicine before she could go. Under this having no choice situation, Duan Shun Jie could only give the midwife the detailed location then he himself rushed back to look after Ouyang Si Qi.
At the time when he returned, Ouyang Si Qi already pained to the point of having an unclear consciousness. Holding her hand tightly, Duan Shun Jie could only watch as Ouyang Si Qi raged and groaned unceasingly. He wanted to make haste but couldn’t help with anything, anxious and nearly let his tears drop.
Waited for a long time, still couldn’t see the midwife coming, Duan Shun Jie indistinctly felt that something was off. However, Ouyang Si Qi’s pained face had completely disrupted his senses, he could only tightly hold the continuously jolting Ouyang Si Qi, intending to alleviate her pain a little.
“Quick, quick go and boil some water! You... You help me deliver the child...” Most probably aware that she already couldn’t hold out until the midwife came, Ouyang Si Qi struggled to make a causing one to be shocked decision.
“I...” By this time, the situation already didn’t allow him to decline. He could only employ his utmost pace to gather the firewood from all around to heat up water. In accordance to Ouyang Si Qi’s signal, he spread a clean white cloth.
Hadn’t poured the boiled water to fill the jar, in the quiet broken shrine, raised a noise of a loud and clear voice of a wailing infant. Duan Shun Jie already couldn’t describe his mood. Using the burnt on the fire sword to cut off the baby umbilical cord, when he checked on Ouyang Si Qi, she already lost her strength and fainted.
He busily took off his outer garment, tore it into several cloths, after soaked it, he helped to wipe clean and tidy up the baby and Ouyang Si Qi. Also took out from cloth-wrapper, the white middle layer change-cloth to wrap the baby as swaddling clothes. The little baby still didn’t stop the wailing, but this loud and clear noise already couldn’t conceal the sound of the horse’s hoof from all around.
The Duan Shun Jie whose heart since earlier had been in confusion, by this realized that the situation was not right. Hugging the baby and charged out of the broken shrine, he was finally aware that the place actually had been surrounded from all directions. The soldiers in Datong’s army most elite division’s uniform unceasingly urged their horse to move forward to lessen the circle --- he who had been thrown into disorder by Ouyang Si Qi’s giving birth matter unexpectedly thoroughly couldn’t sense the pursuers had come. Duan Shun Jie clearly understood, the him this time, taking an unconscious woman and a newly born baby, no matter what he did, it would still be impossible to escape smoothly.
Things have come to this point, maybe the Heaven has decided that we brother and sister could only die together.
The circumstances was this desperate, Duan Shun Jie’s heart abnormally became calm.
Not to mind the coming closer and closer horse’s hoof sound, he entered the shrine. He put the baby in front of Ouyang Si Qi’s chest, let it found and sucked the mother’s milk by itself.
When Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng entered, before his eyes was this scene --- Duan Shun Jie’s back was carrying a sleeping baby whose whole face satisfied after eating to its heart content, like a Guardian God, blocking the way in front of Ouyang Si Qi.
“You don’t come here.” Seeing Xuan Yuan not at all stopping his step, Duan Shun Jie bent his waist, using his left hand to lift the long sword by his side, the tip of the sword was pointed at Xuan Yuan.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s face became stern at once, stopping his steps, his voice seemingly more freezing than the ten thousand year old black ice: “If I didn’t know better, looking at you like this, roughly will really think that you are the father of this child.”
Breaking off the relationship with Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng under this kind of circumstances, Duan Shun Jie’s heart was as if dripping blood. Yet, getting entangled in this ill-fated relationship, he had committed sin after sin. Since it had come to this, if still not interfered in Xuan Yuan taking Ouyang Si Qi as a mean to get into his Imperial Father’s good side, he himself probably also couldn’t forgive himself.
If it was the former days him, maybe he still had the chance if he put all of him into a fight with Xuan Yuan, but the him who needed to protect a newborn baby, a weak married woman, right hand not agile, perfectly understood, today even if he sacrificed his life he still might not be good enough. But if wanted him to abandon Ouyang Si Qi and escaped by himself, no matter how he didn’t have the heart to do so.
His heart and head was in sharp pain, Duan Shun Jie only could desperately endure the impulse to let the tears flow.
“If you want to take Si Qi, you have to step on my dead body first.” The hand which was holding the sword firmly made a knead, Duan Shun Jie diligently tried to ignore the left hand’s out of sort kind of feeling.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s response was facing upwards and made a haha loud loughter. After the laughter had ended, his face all solemn, his pair of eyes’ murderous look became visible.
“Duan Shun Jie, you are being overly naive! You think with this kind of threat I will take your demand and let you go freely? Just quickly put down your sword and make way, considering the former days’ relationship, I won’t make it difficult for you.”
Before his eyes, this Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng had ripped down his tender and gentle mask, returned to that person in Ping’an who commanded a magnificent army with thousands of men and horses4 Cruel Prince, this kind of him was the real Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng --- Duan Shun Jie upon this realization slightly trembled in fear.
Since long ago had known, that gentle to the extreme Yan Xi Cheng and afterward, that the toward him saying sweet word honeyed speech Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng was no more than a swindle, an illusionary being. At first it was because he wanted to use him to destroy Pingnan, then afterward, because he wanted to buy his support to make him serve Datong. Saying this and that, between the two of them from beginning to end was nothing but his own wishful thinking, down to today this kind of ending.
Just about to open his mouth to tell Xuan Yuan to dream on, beside him, Ouyang Si Qi had let out a weak groan: “Child... My child... Give me my child...” Duan Shun Jie busily turned his body. Si Qi already awoke, she was extending her arm to take the baby from his back.
Duan Shun Jie quickly supported her to sit down, squatted down to let her hold her baby while he was untying the knot in front of his chest. By the corner of his eyes he saw Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng didn’t seem to have any intention to seize the opportunity to attack, he couldn’t help but softened out his tone of speaking: “Xi Cheng, Si Qi, her feelings towards you is deep and absolute. Just now she just gave birth to your child. You just consider your husband and wife part so let them mother and child go...”
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng not in the least bit touched, his eyes became even darker to the point of unfathomable. A long while after he opened his mouth to respond: “Let them go to kindly let you be my child’s appropriate father, isn’t it?”
Once this line said, Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi instantenously lifted their heads in disbelief to look at him.
“Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng, you... You are a beast!” Ouyang Si Qi could no longer bear it and cried out in anguish.
Duan Shun Jie seeing her this heartbroken, wanted to say some comforting line, but his own heart also empty and desolate like being stabbed into a big hole, could only choose to restrain with all his might the agony in his heart.
“Hmph! Who didn’t know the two of you in Pingnan were man and woman in love. Duan Shun Jie, you for the sake of Ouyang Si Qi would go as far as not hesitate to...” The word already on the edge of the mouth, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng stopped his mouth at the right time, looking at his left and right, he said: “All of you out. Without my order, not even one of you are allowed to enter.”
Seeing his subordinates all leaving obediently, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng then sneeringly continued: “Ouyang Si Qi, your beloved Big Brother towards you could be said as having deep and heavy feelings, for you he...”
“Shut up!” Had realized what he wanted to say, Duan Shun Jie unrestrained shouting out. He looked in disbelief at the whole satisfied face of Xuan Yuan, couldn’t believe he actually wanted to tell their secret to Ouyang Si Qi.
Ouyang Si Qi was not a fool. Watching the two’s manner, of course could have guessed that there was a great secret between them which they hid from her.
“Duan Shun Jie, you tell me, you two actually...” Roughly thought Duan Shun Jie had betrayed Pingnan because of her, Ouyang Si Qi’s face turned ghastly pale. “It couldn’t be...”
Could see what Ouyang Si Qi was thinking about, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng burst out a haha loud laughter. “Don’t get it wrong. It was the thing that happened after I crushed Pingnan.”
“Xuan Yuan! If you dare to say it, I ...” Unable to imagine if Ouyang Si Qi found out about the truth of their relationship how heartbroken and desperate she could be, Duan Shun Jie even if had to die at this moment still unwilling to reveal the real relationship between him and Xuan Yuan in front of her.
Right at this moment he finally deeply understood how low and degrading was his affection, how much shameful it was, if other people came to know, he would have no face to see other people again. Such sorrowful and desperate love, he himself was surprisingly delusional with the thought it could bring him happiness. The more he thought about it, the colder his heart became, froze as the the eternal ice. Almost forfeited even the strength to speak, he could only employ his pleading eyes to look at Xuan Yuan, hoping for him to spare the very last bit of his self-esteem.
However, Xuan Yuan’s eyes seemingly had frozen with the ruthless coldness. Without giving him any form of reply, only said with his deepened voice: “Duan Shun Jie, only if you obediently let Ouyang Si Qi go with me, I assure you, our affairs will forever be a secret. If you don’t, I could only tell the fact to Si Qi, let her decide by herself, whether she wants to go with you or not.”
With Si Qi’s temper, if she found out about him and Xuan Yuan’s relationship, how could she still want to accept his protection. But what other choice did Duan Shun Jie have, just said that the very last bit of his self-esteem was about to be snatched away, he still wouldn’t be able to utter the word of abandoning his sister and go by himself.
Looking at Duan Shun Jie’s completely troubled expression, a surge of unspeakable nameless ache gushed through Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s heart. When they were in Jinling, he had known that Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi’s personal relationship was extremely good. Seeing it like now, Duan Shun Jie with his ready to sacrifice everything to protect Ouyang Si Qi’s stance, even more made his heart displeased to the fullest.
Fervently creased and twitched his brows, he made a cold laugh and said: “Duan Shun Jie, you yourself should have known, with your current situation, you basically couldn’t protect anyone. Throwing down your life, all the same, Ouyang Si Qi still must return to Tong’an with me!”
Duan Shun Jie certainly knew what he had said was really as the matter of fact. If his hand hadn’t been wounded prior, he probably still could put all of him into a fight against Xuan Yuan. However, presently, fighting all out with his full strength could only block him for a short while, outside still had Xuan Yuan’s elite personal soldiers who eyed them menacingly. No matter which to be considered, both were to his disadvantages.
“Yet, considering that you had been in the same bed sharing pillow with me, I will also not kill to the last one5, as long as you leave Ouyang Si Qi behind and just go by yourself, I will not make it difficult to you.” Knowing his psychological attack scheme was a success, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng continued with his deepened voice.
“Same bed sharing pillow” These four words instantly were like a lump of enormous stone dropped between Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi.
“What?!” Ouyang Si Qi shouted out in disbelief. “Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng, what nonsense are you uttering!”
Didn’t dare to believe Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng actually could expose their secret like such was not his problem at all, Duan Shun Jie could only feel a spell of darkness before his eyes, his ears also heard a buzzing sound, it was as if he had lost his ability to ponder deeply. Towards Ouyang Si Qi’s accusing question’s, not even half a word could he reply.
He could hear Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s word after word deliberate slow and leisure speech: “If not, why do you think such powerful Pingnan could be destroyed by me only within months? If not because Duan Shun Jie, during the war on Mount Panlong and Jinling city, in a row let the water flowing out, how can he help me to establish this great success! Hehe... Too bad, you never see his docile and gentle face when he was under my body, he is thirty percent more charming than you!” The ill and poisonous words were like a knife or arrow stabbed at Duan Shun Jie. The atmosphere seemingly at this moment had turned to become dangerous.
“You... Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng you...” Duan Shun Jie was both ashamed and furious, nearly couldn’t even hold the sword, but didn’t know how should he refute to Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s apparently right but actually wrong speech. Only his face turned green turned white, the blood circulation in his chest flow upside down, it seemed he was angry to the point of vomit blood.
“Me? Me what. You dare to say when on Mount Panlong you didn’t on your own accord throw yourself to my embrace? Dare to say when Jinling was destroyed you didn’t make love with me on the bed? Also, surrendered and turned over to Datong, wasn’t it because you wanted me to continue the intimacy with you?”
Hearing Ouyang Si Qi’s sharp gasped from behind him, Duan Shun Jie himself, by Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s word, his consciousness had become a little blurred.
Is that so? So this engraved in heart and carved in bones6 affection, in Xuan Yuan’s heart, from the beginning to end was merely his own carnal desire? Those numerous anguish moment seemingly had become an unbearable to look back memory. Duan Shun Jie’s heart was hurt to the point even not half a word could be said, could only blankly stare at Xuan Yuan’s smiling proudly face.
In a moment, he almost wished he could just turn into dust, could disappear into thin air and need not to face this cruel reality anymore.
“Duan Shun Jie, was he saying the truth?” Didn’t know how long had passed, Ouyang Si Qi opened her mouth at long last. Her voice was as if being twisted with a kind of piercing ears dryness and roughness.
How to face Ouyang Si Qi and explain clearly the details of this complicated affair. Duan Shun Jie knew, no matter how he explained, he would only invite disgrace to himself. He could only keep silent, shifted his eyes to another side.
“I ask you one more time, was he saying the truth? If you don’t say anything I will regard it as the truth?” Ouyang Si Qi’s voice was trembling even more, more heartbreaking. Obviously she couldn’t believe in this world actually could exist such a bizarre matter.
Maybe could sense the adult’s state of mutual hostility atmosphere, the baby on Ouyang Si Qi’s bosom suddenly woke up, made a loud wailing sound.
Ouyang Si Qi’s tears also at the same time flowing out. She was crying while facing upwards and made a laugh haha laughter: “Hahahahaha...What kind of morality that was! This world actually have such bizarre thing! Duan Shun Jie, like this you actually still want to hypocritically show your concern to take me to escape from Tong’an? Heaven, Duan Shun Jie, I truly admire you. If father in the other world knew, know that that prostitue gave birth to what kind of son for him, personally spelled an end to his went through hardship to establish property, still shoved his sister into the pit of hell, don’t know how furious he would be! Indeed, dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes. A prostitute’s son must be an inborn prostitute!” Ouyang Si Qi wildly laughed like an insane woman. From the corner of her eyes, blood was dripping and rolling down unstopping, flowing on that snow white’s face particularly shook one to the core.
From earlier, his heart had been beaten to pulp by Xuan Yuan’s cruel word. Seeing Ouyang Si Qi so much in anguish, Duan Shun Jie still couldn’t say half of the comforting line, he only felt that his consciousness gradually dimmed --- was he actually at fault?
Only loving one person, using all of his life to love him. This feeling was indeed like dirt and mud, could only meet with others’ looked down upon. Until today, being pointed at his nose, verbally cursed as a male prostitute, even half of the refuting word he couldn’t utter.
Unexpectedly found out Duan Shun Jie’s unfortunate life experience, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng was shocked. But he was a man of appearance, right away calming down, with a gentle voice said: “Si Qi, you have known about this, still want to act as if nothing happened and let Duan Shun Jie protect you? Why don’t you return with me to Tong’an. I will beg Imperial Father to be lenient in dealing with you, after all, you are his grandchild’s mother.”
By Xuan Yuan’s word she was up with a start, Ouyang Si Qi immediately looked at the baby in her bosom, the disordered eyes little by little revealed a tender and warm feeling: “Good baby, they are bad people. Baby and mama go together, we go to the place where we can be happy eternally.”
Sensing that something was off, Duan Shun Jie was unable to deal with his agony anymore. Throwing himself, he still had the time to catch the ruthlessly thrown to the floor baby. Ouyang Si Qi had taken out a dagger from her bosom and with all her strength she stabbed her own chest...
“Si Qi!” Witnessing his one and only blood relative died before his eyes, Duan Shun Jie was no longer able to bear the hit, could only feel before his eyes was darkness, losing his consciousness at once.
Didn’t have the time to see the expression of the only man in this world who had an intimate physical relationship with her, Ouyang Si Qi dejectedly tumbled down, finally left this made her felt an immeasurable agony and despair world.
The death of the former Lord of Pingnan’s daughter didn’t raise a great disturbance at all. Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng announced that Ouyang Si Qi died due to difficult labor. Feng Zong’s dismay towards him of course like a bamboo split when it met the knife’s end7, even decreed an Imperial Edict to bestow Ouyang Si Qi a lavish funeral as an Imperial Concubine. The Seventh Prince’s crisis could be said as a bamboo split when it met the knife’s end.
The received the order to attack He Chuan Lin Crown Prince’s army encountered the unexpected heavy lost. Moreover, the Crown Prince when Ping Tian Sect moved their assassin had been stabbed and suffered a severe injury. Not long after returned to Tong’an, he passed away. The court was in great uproar because of this.
The benefit from his death Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng boldly used the Jianghu force, using his surprise attack tactics to destroy Ping Tian Sect and He Chuan Lin coalition. Only needed three months to officially defeat He Chuan Lin’s army, to recover the southwest8 strategic point. Once again established the center of attention among the people his undebatable meritorious achievements.
Under these circumstances, Feng Zong broke a rule to make an exception, making the Seventh Prince Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng as the Crown Prince. Even though the others Princes who were older than him in their heart refused it, but were at a disadvantage since there was none who could surpass his merits and achievements so they were unable to oppose.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng holding two post as the Crown Prince and the Regent Prince, double honorable positions, publicly developed an unparalleled power and influence in the court. Even Feng Zong sometimes had to look at his face color when handling matters.
Be busy in propping up his power and influence within the court, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng naturally would be too busy to attend to him. Upon hearing the news from the reporting attendant that the secretly taken into custody Duan Shun Jie had escaped, he only unhappily twitched his brows. Ordered to depose of the guard who was in charge after investigation and deal with him accordingly, he didn’t make anymore reaction.
End of Fallen Hero Chapter 15
Out from the study, as expected, there was the Imperial Manor’s young male servant who waited upon him, guided Duan Shun Jie to see the housekeeper.
The housekeeper was about a forty year old middle-aged man. His manner was extremely polite. The him who had served in the Manor for a long time, of course knew the concept of absolutely do not consciously offend others. Moreover, Duan Shun Jie was Pingnan’s well-known General, came over and pledging his allegiance to Datong was Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s great achievement, also, Xuan Yuan’s concern toward him made the housekeeper feel that this person and his Master’s relationship was not ordinary at all.
Seeing the housekeeper rather respectful towards him, Duan Shun Jie of course wouldn’t let go of this opportunity. Seeing him arrange for him a place to stay then prepared to leave, he busily called out to him: “Mister, please wait a moment.”
The housekeeper quickly stopped his step, turned his body: “General Duan, what order do you have?”
“I want to ask you about someone. Is Lady Ouyang in the Manor?”
The housekeeper had a slight doubt, pondering for a while, he asked back: “Is she that coming from Pingnan Miss Ouyang...”
“Yes, yes.” Thinking again, he was a man, asking about another’s wife seemed a little odd. Duan Shun Jie busily explained, “She and I are old acquaintances. This time, there is a friend of her who entrusted me a letter to give to her, so I want to see her and have a chat.”
The housekeeper of course wouldn’t know the real nature of Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi’s relationship. Greeting seemed not to be suspicious at all, but his face was still rather hesitating: “General Duan wanting to see her is actually not a problem, but this Ouyang Lady because she’s about to give birth, The Lord had specifically arranged a secluded place, not that convenient to see a guest.”
“That is fine. Maybe I can ask Mister to let me see the one who is in charge of attending to Lady Ouyang, her maid also can.” Duan Shun Jie worried if he pressed on too much he would attract his suspicion, he busily indicated that not seeing Ouyang Si Qi directly also could do.
“This...” The housekeeper fell silent for a while, seemingly felt that Duan Shun Jie’s request was not too much, he nodded his head to say he agreed. “I will send a word to the maid of Ouyang Lady, ask her to come here to see you, is this alright?” Duan Shun Jie of course fully agreed.
Waiting for Ouyang’s maid to appear was a bit boring, Duan Shun Jie couldn’t help but walk out from the room and in the yard which Xuan Yuan had appointed for him to stroll all around. The yard was not too big, but quiet and secluded. Aside from the main room, there were two winged rooms by the both sides. In front of the door of the yard, grew some didn’t-know-what-was-the-name flowers and trees, yet it was such an elegant and refined set.
If there was not this Ouyang Si Qi’s matter, maybe he would happily stay in this small world. Just like Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s wives and concubines, everyday only waiting for him to appear.
Thinking and thinking, his heart gradually gave rise to a spell of chill.
Recalling the him at the first time when he descended from Zhongnan’s Mountain, what kind of enormously proud and smug man he was, swore to overthrow Datong’s tyranny and considered it as his main duty, wholeheartedly wanted to save the world and its people, how could he expect that the him several years later would actually become such an ambitionless and condescended to take the place inside Datong’s Prince’s Manor side yard, taking all of his hope and put it on a man who doesn’t love him.
Just like this sitting alone with his thoughts running wild, Duan Shun Jie eyed that the sky’s color had turned dark, yet still no one appeared. Thought to himself, if Xuan Yuan returned from Palace, it would be hard to execute the plan, he walked to the door intending to make the discreet inquiries all around by himself.
Exactly when he reached the door, he saw a tall and lanky beautiful maiden entering the yard’s door.
“Excuse me, is General Duan in?” As the maiden entered the yard she raised her voice to ask.
Duan Shun Jie busily greeted her: “Miss, I am Duan Shun Jie. Are you from Lady Ouyang place?”
“Servant1 is the one attending to Lady Ouyang, Cui Huan. Ordered to come here to meet General Duan.” Seeing Duan Shun Jie, the maiden busily lowered her head respectfully, then followed him to enter the room.
“I am your Lady’s old acquaintance from Pingnan. Here is the letter from her good friend for her, will trouble miss to pass it on my behalf.” Duan Shun Jie while speaking, was fishing out from his bosom the earlier had been prepared envelope and handed it over to Cui Huan.
Cui Huan accepted it properly, seeing that Duan Shun Jie seemed like he still had something to ask, she said: “General Duan do you still have anything to ask?”
“How is your Lady?” Duan Shun Jie adopted a manner of one former days friend should be concerned about attitude, lightly asked about her well-being.
“Lady is doing well, only that she is about giving birth soon, not convenient to meet guests, hope General Duan can excuse her.” This Cui Huan even if a maidservant, her bearing compared to the normal girl of humble birth was even more tasteful and appropriate. Obviously the manor of the Seventh Prince was of hidden dragons crouching tigers2, not just any ordinary rich and powerful family could compare.
Of course this made him sigh, yet Duan Shun Jie could only keep it to himself. Knowing that he wouldn’t get anything from Cui Huan, he raised his body to send the guest off.
Cui Huan refined and courteously took her leave, out from the yard rather far still she did not forget to look back and stare at the far place. Seeing that nobody was following her, only then could she continue to advance in ease.
Putting into full use his air-kungfu skill Duan Shun Jie inwardly laughed: If his whereabouts could be seen by this not too skilled in martial arts maiden, then he would have truly wronged his own self who had trained hard for tens of years in the Zhongnan Mountain.
Ouyang Si Qi’s residential place was seemingly rather far. Duan Shun Jie following behind Cui Huan for quite a long while before he could see her entering a rather secluded building.
Walking quietly on his tiptoe, he then went up the ridge of the roof of the building to hide. He saw Cui Huan talking with a man dressed up like a guard in front of the building door.
“...nothing. How is Lady?” He couldn’t hear clearly the first line of the conversation, maybe talking about the meeting with him situation.
He listened to the man in guard’s clothing say: “Nothing. The same old thing. Still unwilling to eat.”
That Cui Huan whole face was extremely angry: “This Lady really likes to repeat something over and over again. Already got herself into this wretched situation yet still want to put on her haughty airs. Clearly knew that if something bad happened, Master will surely take our heads away.”
“That’s right. That’s right.” The guard’s whole face was also bitter, “No matter what, she is still the Master’s woman. Master also only ordered us that we must take care of her, didn’t say we could not regard her as our Lady...She ought to vent all of her temper on us.”
Cui Huan shook her head then excused herself to enter the room. Duan Shun Jie certainly wouldn’t take this mediocre martial artist guard into consideration. At will, he put into good use his air-kungfu then following her slipping into the room.
Maybe because Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng saw that Ouyang Si Qi was enduring this kind of belly so she would be unable to flee, inside the room there wasn’t a single guard. Once Duan Shun Jie entered the inner hall, he could hear the voice of Cui Huan.
“Lady, you eat a little alright? You don’t feel hungry, but the child wouldn’t be able to cope with it.”
But there was no voice of reply, it seemed like Ouyang Si Qi resorted to a non-cooperative resisting manner.
“Lady...” Cui Huan naggingly persuaded her for a long while, Ouyang Si Qi was still not uttering a word.
“Then… Your servant will retreat. I placed the dinner for you here. If you need me, just call me to wait on you.”
Seeing Cui Huan about to go out, Duan Shun Jie busily hid behind the curtain. Looking at Cui Huan’s whole face walked out unhappily, waited until she passed by him, he strecthed out his hand to press on her sleeping point on her nape. Cui Huan didn’t even make a groaning sound then just collapse. Duan Shun Jie quickly dragged her body to hide her behind the curtain. He then moved sideways to squeeze himself into inner room.
The sitting on the bedside Ouyang Si Qi, upon the sight of a black shadow opened her mouth to scream. Duan Shun Jie quickly dashed to cover her mouth, seeing Ouyang Si Qi waved her hand to signal that she wouldn’t scream, by then he let go.
“Why is it you!” Ouyang Si Qi now was already completely a sight of pregnant woman. Except for her high-bridged nose, her face was slightly swollen. Although a little thin and pallid, and looks pathetic, but her bearing still was as menacing as before.
Duan Shun Jie of course knew Ouyang Si Qi wouldn’t show him any good face. But he could careless for this situation before his eyes, he only cared to lower his voice as much as possible: “Si Qi. I beg you to trust me this one time. You quickly come with me. I will send you to Zhongnan Mountain, to my Master’s place.”
Ouyang Si Qi’s expression changed. When Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng made her move into this secluded building only told her not to go out before the due time. However, several days ago, when she said she want to go for a stroll on the backyard garden, the guard nervously didn’t let her go, it was as if she was being put under house arrest. Even when she used a hunger strike no one seemed to pay attention. Since earlier she had faintly felt that the situation was not good. And now Duan Shun Jie saying such a thing, more to confirm her heart’s ominious premonition.
But her face would never give the impression of weakness in front of Duan Shun Jie, coldly she said: “Now you are pretending to be what good person? If not because of you, how can I get into this plight?”
Duan Shun Jie’s heart was burning with impatience, but could only count by fives and tens3 in explaining the situation. When he said that Xuan Yuan intended to send her to Dali Temple after she gave birth, Ouyang Si Qi’s face already lost its color and turned to a deathly pale color.
“Si Qi, It is me who had wronged you. You just come with me first, wait until you have arrived to a safer place, until then it still won’t be too late to blame me again.”
Trying to persuade her for more than half a day, Ouyang Si Qi still looked in a trance without responding. Duan Shun Jie almost knelt down to beg her. “Si Qi, just regard it as your Brother begging you this time. You don’t cherish yourself, still you have to consider your child...”
Perhaps the “child” word had encouraged Ouyang Si Qi. Her in trance expression disappeared in an instant. Got the support to help her stand up, said: “Let’s go! But next time, this “brother” word you absolutely don’t ever mention again. Also don’t think that by helping me one time I will help you put in good word to the Lord of Zhongnan.”
Being suspected as wanted to use this as pretext to be forgiven by his Master and Brothers, Duan Shun Jie truly felt a grievance. But the sky color had turned to dark, he was afraid Xuan Yuan had returned to Manor and noticed, so he didn’t dare to argue further with Ouyang Si Qi. He could only help her to leave from the window at the back.
Dragging Ouyang Si Qi with her almost ready to give birth body, abosultely unable to unfold his air-kungfu, Duan Shun Jie could only help her to walk in the secluded area in the Manor. When they ran into people, they hid in the hidden place by the path. If couldn’t hide then just rapidly hit the enemy to make them collapse. With much difficulty, they finally got close to the Royal Manor’s back door.
It was said as a back door, but there were two guards to stand on guard. Duan Shun Jie hid Ouyang Si Qi first then he walked forward to talk to them. Recognizing Duan Shun Jie as their Master’s friend, the guards of course respectfully came to talk, but as sudden as a flash of lightning, they were hit down on the ground by Duan Shun Jie.
Pulling Ouyang Si Qi until they were out of the Royal Manor, Duan Shun Jie immediately bought a carriage at the nearest town and let Ouyang Si Qi to ride on it while he served as the cart’s driver, went to the direction of Tong’an City’s gate.
Due to his title as Pingnan General, they successfully went out of Tong’an. Duan Shun Jie knew, if Xuan Yuan had realized, surely he would lead a pursuer team to catch up to them. He gave up the main road and turned to the secluded little path, desperately dashed toward Mount Zhongnan. Had predicted that Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng could worry about the sensitivity of their status, did not publish them as wanted criminal, that’s why Duan Shun Jie still dared from time to time to go to small towns to buy food and clothes.
This day in the evening, both of them had arrived at an outskirt of a town. Just going for one more day they already could entered Mount Zhongnan’s border. Ouyang Si Qi unexpectedly made an uproar, shouting her stomach was hurt and unwilling to go on. Duan Shun Jie could only find an uninhabited broken shrine for her to settle down, intending to warm the meal for her to eat and rest for a while before continuing to go.
Who could have thought, Ouyang Si Qi couldn’t hold outeven more. Seeing her gasping with an extremely suffering face, Duan Shun Jie, being inexperience also could guess that she was about to give birth. In an instant, in panic he busily rushed into a town and searched for an experience midwife all over the town. With much difficulty he found a midwife, but the midwife said she needed to prescribe some essential medicine before she could go. Under this having no choice situation, Duan Shun Jie could only give the midwife the detailed location then he himself rushed back to look after Ouyang Si Qi.
At the time when he returned, Ouyang Si Qi already pained to the point of having an unclear consciousness. Holding her hand tightly, Duan Shun Jie could only watch as Ouyang Si Qi raged and groaned unceasingly. He wanted to make haste but couldn’t help with anything, anxious and nearly let his tears drop.
Waited for a long time, still couldn’t see the midwife coming, Duan Shun Jie indistinctly felt that something was off. However, Ouyang Si Qi’s pained face had completely disrupted his senses, he could only tightly hold the continuously jolting Ouyang Si Qi, intending to alleviate her pain a little.
“Quick, quick go and boil some water! You... You help me deliver the child...” Most probably aware that she already couldn’t hold out until the midwife came, Ouyang Si Qi struggled to make a causing one to be shocked decision.
“I...” By this time, the situation already didn’t allow him to decline. He could only employ his utmost pace to gather the firewood from all around to heat up water. In accordance to Ouyang Si Qi’s signal, he spread a clean white cloth.
Hadn’t poured the boiled water to fill the jar, in the quiet broken shrine, raised a noise of a loud and clear voice of a wailing infant. Duan Shun Jie already couldn’t describe his mood. Using the burnt on the fire sword to cut off the baby umbilical cord, when he checked on Ouyang Si Qi, she already lost her strength and fainted.
He busily took off his outer garment, tore it into several cloths, after soaked it, he helped to wipe clean and tidy up the baby and Ouyang Si Qi. Also took out from cloth-wrapper, the white middle layer change-cloth to wrap the baby as swaddling clothes. The little baby still didn’t stop the wailing, but this loud and clear noise already couldn’t conceal the sound of the horse’s hoof from all around.
The Duan Shun Jie whose heart since earlier had been in confusion, by this realized that the situation was not right. Hugging the baby and charged out of the broken shrine, he was finally aware that the place actually had been surrounded from all directions. The soldiers in Datong’s army most elite division’s uniform unceasingly urged their horse to move forward to lessen the circle --- he who had been thrown into disorder by Ouyang Si Qi’s giving birth matter unexpectedly thoroughly couldn’t sense the pursuers had come. Duan Shun Jie clearly understood, the him this time, taking an unconscious woman and a newly born baby, no matter what he did, it would still be impossible to escape smoothly.
Things have come to this point, maybe the Heaven has decided that we brother and sister could only die together.
The circumstances was this desperate, Duan Shun Jie’s heart abnormally became calm.
Not to mind the coming closer and closer horse’s hoof sound, he entered the shrine. He put the baby in front of Ouyang Si Qi’s chest, let it found and sucked the mother’s milk by itself.
When Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng entered, before his eyes was this scene --- Duan Shun Jie’s back was carrying a sleeping baby whose whole face satisfied after eating to its heart content, like a Guardian God, blocking the way in front of Ouyang Si Qi.
“You don’t come here.” Seeing Xuan Yuan not at all stopping his step, Duan Shun Jie bent his waist, using his left hand to lift the long sword by his side, the tip of the sword was pointed at Xuan Yuan.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s face became stern at once, stopping his steps, his voice seemingly more freezing than the ten thousand year old black ice: “If I didn’t know better, looking at you like this, roughly will really think that you are the father of this child.”
Breaking off the relationship with Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng under this kind of circumstances, Duan Shun Jie’s heart was as if dripping blood. Yet, getting entangled in this ill-fated relationship, he had committed sin after sin. Since it had come to this, if still not interfered in Xuan Yuan taking Ouyang Si Qi as a mean to get into his Imperial Father’s good side, he himself probably also couldn’t forgive himself.
If it was the former days him, maybe he still had the chance if he put all of him into a fight with Xuan Yuan, but the him who needed to protect a newborn baby, a weak married woman, right hand not agile, perfectly understood, today even if he sacrificed his life he still might not be good enough. But if wanted him to abandon Ouyang Si Qi and escaped by himself, no matter how he didn’t have the heart to do so.
His heart and head was in sharp pain, Duan Shun Jie only could desperately endure the impulse to let the tears flow.
“If you want to take Si Qi, you have to step on my dead body first.” The hand which was holding the sword firmly made a knead, Duan Shun Jie diligently tried to ignore the left hand’s out of sort kind of feeling.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s response was facing upwards and made a haha loud loughter. After the laughter had ended, his face all solemn, his pair of eyes’ murderous look became visible.
“Duan Shun Jie, you are being overly naive! You think with this kind of threat I will take your demand and let you go freely? Just quickly put down your sword and make way, considering the former days’ relationship, I won’t make it difficult for you.”
Before his eyes, this Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng had ripped down his tender and gentle mask, returned to that person in Ping’an who commanded a magnificent army with thousands of men and horses4 Cruel Prince, this kind of him was the real Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng --- Duan Shun Jie upon this realization slightly trembled in fear.
Since long ago had known, that gentle to the extreme Yan Xi Cheng and afterward, that the toward him saying sweet word honeyed speech Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng was no more than a swindle, an illusionary being. At first it was because he wanted to use him to destroy Pingnan, then afterward, because he wanted to buy his support to make him serve Datong. Saying this and that, between the two of them from beginning to end was nothing but his own wishful thinking, down to today this kind of ending.
Just about to open his mouth to tell Xuan Yuan to dream on, beside him, Ouyang Si Qi had let out a weak groan: “Child... My child... Give me my child...” Duan Shun Jie busily turned his body. Si Qi already awoke, she was extending her arm to take the baby from his back.
Duan Shun Jie quickly supported her to sit down, squatted down to let her hold her baby while he was untying the knot in front of his chest. By the corner of his eyes he saw Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng didn’t seem to have any intention to seize the opportunity to attack, he couldn’t help but softened out his tone of speaking: “Xi Cheng, Si Qi, her feelings towards you is deep and absolute. Just now she just gave birth to your child. You just consider your husband and wife part so let them mother and child go...”
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng not in the least bit touched, his eyes became even darker to the point of unfathomable. A long while after he opened his mouth to respond: “Let them go to kindly let you be my child’s appropriate father, isn’t it?”
Once this line said, Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi instantenously lifted their heads in disbelief to look at him.
“Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng, you... You are a beast!” Ouyang Si Qi could no longer bear it and cried out in anguish.
Duan Shun Jie seeing her this heartbroken, wanted to say some comforting line, but his own heart also empty and desolate like being stabbed into a big hole, could only choose to restrain with all his might the agony in his heart.
“Hmph! Who didn’t know the two of you in Pingnan were man and woman in love. Duan Shun Jie, you for the sake of Ouyang Si Qi would go as far as not hesitate to...” The word already on the edge of the mouth, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng stopped his mouth at the right time, looking at his left and right, he said: “All of you out. Without my order, not even one of you are allowed to enter.”
Seeing his subordinates all leaving obediently, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng then sneeringly continued: “Ouyang Si Qi, your beloved Big Brother towards you could be said as having deep and heavy feelings, for you he...”
“Shut up!” Had realized what he wanted to say, Duan Shun Jie unrestrained shouting out. He looked in disbelief at the whole satisfied face of Xuan Yuan, couldn’t believe he actually wanted to tell their secret to Ouyang Si Qi.
Ouyang Si Qi was not a fool. Watching the two’s manner, of course could have guessed that there was a great secret between them which they hid from her.
“Duan Shun Jie, you tell me, you two actually...” Roughly thought Duan Shun Jie had betrayed Pingnan because of her, Ouyang Si Qi’s face turned ghastly pale. “It couldn’t be...”
Could see what Ouyang Si Qi was thinking about, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng burst out a haha loud laughter. “Don’t get it wrong. It was the thing that happened after I crushed Pingnan.”
“Xuan Yuan! If you dare to say it, I ...” Unable to imagine if Ouyang Si Qi found out about the truth of their relationship how heartbroken and desperate she could be, Duan Shun Jie even if had to die at this moment still unwilling to reveal the real relationship between him and Xuan Yuan in front of her.
Right at this moment he finally deeply understood how low and degrading was his affection, how much shameful it was, if other people came to know, he would have no face to see other people again. Such sorrowful and desperate love, he himself was surprisingly delusional with the thought it could bring him happiness. The more he thought about it, the colder his heart became, froze as the the eternal ice. Almost forfeited even the strength to speak, he could only employ his pleading eyes to look at Xuan Yuan, hoping for him to spare the very last bit of his self-esteem.
However, Xuan Yuan’s eyes seemingly had frozen with the ruthless coldness. Without giving him any form of reply, only said with his deepened voice: “Duan Shun Jie, only if you obediently let Ouyang Si Qi go with me, I assure you, our affairs will forever be a secret. If you don’t, I could only tell the fact to Si Qi, let her decide by herself, whether she wants to go with you or not.”
With Si Qi’s temper, if she found out about him and Xuan Yuan’s relationship, how could she still want to accept his protection. But what other choice did Duan Shun Jie have, just said that the very last bit of his self-esteem was about to be snatched away, he still wouldn’t be able to utter the word of abandoning his sister and go by himself.
Looking at Duan Shun Jie’s completely troubled expression, a surge of unspeakable nameless ache gushed through Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s heart. When they were in Jinling, he had known that Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi’s personal relationship was extremely good. Seeing it like now, Duan Shun Jie with his ready to sacrifice everything to protect Ouyang Si Qi’s stance, even more made his heart displeased to the fullest.
Fervently creased and twitched his brows, he made a cold laugh and said: “Duan Shun Jie, you yourself should have known, with your current situation, you basically couldn’t protect anyone. Throwing down your life, all the same, Ouyang Si Qi still must return to Tong’an with me!”
Duan Shun Jie certainly knew what he had said was really as the matter of fact. If his hand hadn’t been wounded prior, he probably still could put all of him into a fight against Xuan Yuan. However, presently, fighting all out with his full strength could only block him for a short while, outside still had Xuan Yuan’s elite personal soldiers who eyed them menacingly. No matter which to be considered, both were to his disadvantages.
“Yet, considering that you had been in the same bed sharing pillow with me, I will also not kill to the last one5, as long as you leave Ouyang Si Qi behind and just go by yourself, I will not make it difficult to you.” Knowing his psychological attack scheme was a success, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng continued with his deepened voice.
“Same bed sharing pillow” These four words instantly were like a lump of enormous stone dropped between Duan Shun Jie and Ouyang Si Qi.
“What?!” Ouyang Si Qi shouted out in disbelief. “Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng, what nonsense are you uttering!”
Didn’t dare to believe Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng actually could expose their secret like such was not his problem at all, Duan Shun Jie could only feel a spell of darkness before his eyes, his ears also heard a buzzing sound, it was as if he had lost his ability to ponder deeply. Towards Ouyang Si Qi’s accusing question’s, not even half a word could he reply.
He could hear Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s word after word deliberate slow and leisure speech: “If not, why do you think such powerful Pingnan could be destroyed by me only within months? If not because Duan Shun Jie, during the war on Mount Panlong and Jinling city, in a row let the water flowing out, how can he help me to establish this great success! Hehe... Too bad, you never see his docile and gentle face when he was under my body, he is thirty percent more charming than you!” The ill and poisonous words were like a knife or arrow stabbed at Duan Shun Jie. The atmosphere seemingly at this moment had turned to become dangerous.
“You... Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng you...” Duan Shun Jie was both ashamed and furious, nearly couldn’t even hold the sword, but didn’t know how should he refute to Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s apparently right but actually wrong speech. Only his face turned green turned white, the blood circulation in his chest flow upside down, it seemed he was angry to the point of vomit blood.
“Me? Me what. You dare to say when on Mount Panlong you didn’t on your own accord throw yourself to my embrace? Dare to say when Jinling was destroyed you didn’t make love with me on the bed? Also, surrendered and turned over to Datong, wasn’t it because you wanted me to continue the intimacy with you?”
Hearing Ouyang Si Qi’s sharp gasped from behind him, Duan Shun Jie himself, by Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng’s word, his consciousness had become a little blurred.
Is that so? So this engraved in heart and carved in bones6 affection, in Xuan Yuan’s heart, from the beginning to end was merely his own carnal desire? Those numerous anguish moment seemingly had become an unbearable to look back memory. Duan Shun Jie’s heart was hurt to the point even not half a word could be said, could only blankly stare at Xuan Yuan’s smiling proudly face.
In a moment, he almost wished he could just turn into dust, could disappear into thin air and need not to face this cruel reality anymore.
“Duan Shun Jie, was he saying the truth?” Didn’t know how long had passed, Ouyang Si Qi opened her mouth at long last. Her voice was as if being twisted with a kind of piercing ears dryness and roughness.
How to face Ouyang Si Qi and explain clearly the details of this complicated affair. Duan Shun Jie knew, no matter how he explained, he would only invite disgrace to himself. He could only keep silent, shifted his eyes to another side.
“I ask you one more time, was he saying the truth? If you don’t say anything I will regard it as the truth?” Ouyang Si Qi’s voice was trembling even more, more heartbreaking. Obviously she couldn’t believe in this world actually could exist such a bizarre matter.
Maybe could sense the adult’s state of mutual hostility atmosphere, the baby on Ouyang Si Qi’s bosom suddenly woke up, made a loud wailing sound.
Ouyang Si Qi’s tears also at the same time flowing out. She was crying while facing upwards and made a laugh haha laughter: “Hahahahaha...What kind of morality that was! This world actually have such bizarre thing! Duan Shun Jie, like this you actually still want to hypocritically show your concern to take me to escape from Tong’an? Heaven, Duan Shun Jie, I truly admire you. If father in the other world knew, know that that prostitue gave birth to what kind of son for him, personally spelled an end to his went through hardship to establish property, still shoved his sister into the pit of hell, don’t know how furious he would be! Indeed, dragons beget dragons, phoenixes beget phoenixes. A prostitute’s son must be an inborn prostitute!” Ouyang Si Qi wildly laughed like an insane woman. From the corner of her eyes, blood was dripping and rolling down unstopping, flowing on that snow white’s face particularly shook one to the core.
From earlier, his heart had been beaten to pulp by Xuan Yuan’s cruel word. Seeing Ouyang Si Qi so much in anguish, Duan Shun Jie still couldn’t say half of the comforting line, he only felt that his consciousness gradually dimmed --- was he actually at fault?
Only loving one person, using all of his life to love him. This feeling was indeed like dirt and mud, could only meet with others’ looked down upon. Until today, being pointed at his nose, verbally cursed as a male prostitute, even half of the refuting word he couldn’t utter.
Unexpectedly found out Duan Shun Jie’s unfortunate life experience, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng was shocked. But he was a man of appearance, right away calming down, with a gentle voice said: “Si Qi, you have known about this, still want to act as if nothing happened and let Duan Shun Jie protect you? Why don’t you return with me to Tong’an. I will beg Imperial Father to be lenient in dealing with you, after all, you are his grandchild’s mother.”
By Xuan Yuan’s word she was up with a start, Ouyang Si Qi immediately looked at the baby in her bosom, the disordered eyes little by little revealed a tender and warm feeling: “Good baby, they are bad people. Baby and mama go together, we go to the place where we can be happy eternally.”
Sensing that something was off, Duan Shun Jie was unable to deal with his agony anymore. Throwing himself, he still had the time to catch the ruthlessly thrown to the floor baby. Ouyang Si Qi had taken out a dagger from her bosom and with all her strength she stabbed her own chest...
“Si Qi!” Witnessing his one and only blood relative died before his eyes, Duan Shun Jie was no longer able to bear the hit, could only feel before his eyes was darkness, losing his consciousness at once.
Didn’t have the time to see the expression of the only man in this world who had an intimate physical relationship with her, Ouyang Si Qi dejectedly tumbled down, finally left this made her felt an immeasurable agony and despair world.
The death of the former Lord of Pingnan’s daughter didn’t raise a great disturbance at all. Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng announced that Ouyang Si Qi died due to difficult labor. Feng Zong’s dismay towards him of course like a bamboo split when it met the knife’s end7, even decreed an Imperial Edict to bestow Ouyang Si Qi a lavish funeral as an Imperial Concubine. The Seventh Prince’s crisis could be said as a bamboo split when it met the knife’s end.
The received the order to attack He Chuan Lin Crown Prince’s army encountered the unexpected heavy lost. Moreover, the Crown Prince when Ping Tian Sect moved their assassin had been stabbed and suffered a severe injury. Not long after returned to Tong’an, he passed away. The court was in great uproar because of this.
The benefit from his death Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng boldly used the Jianghu force, using his surprise attack tactics to destroy Ping Tian Sect and He Chuan Lin coalition. Only needed three months to officially defeat He Chuan Lin’s army, to recover the southwest8 strategic point. Once again established the center of attention among the people his undebatable meritorious achievements.
Under these circumstances, Feng Zong broke a rule to make an exception, making the Seventh Prince Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng as the Crown Prince. Even though the others Princes who were older than him in their heart refused it, but were at a disadvantage since there was none who could surpass his merits and achievements so they were unable to oppose.
Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng holding two post as the Crown Prince and the Regent Prince, double honorable positions, publicly developed an unparalleled power and influence in the court. Even Feng Zong sometimes had to look at his face color when handling matters.
Be busy in propping up his power and influence within the court, Xuan Yuan Xi Cheng naturally would be too busy to attend to him. Upon hearing the news from the reporting attendant that the secretly taken into custody Duan Shun Jie had escaped, he only unhappily twitched his brows. Ordered to depose of the guard who was in charge after investigation and deal with him accordingly, he didn’t make anymore reaction.
End of Fallen Hero Chapter 15
