Chapter 38

“You look haggard and lonely with tears in your eyes

The pale crescent reminds you of the good old times

It’s a long frosty night

You’re leaning against the rail in the attic when despair strikes

Hearing the knock on my red window lattice when the drizzle dropped by

I lamented for having to be apart from you

My dream morphed into a touch of fragrance far behind

And I seemingly see you with it wafting in the wind…”

In the dead of night, the dim candle flame flickered in the bedroom of Princess Liuxu.

Zixiu was still lying on the soft couch with his hair disheveled. Even though there were no snacks around, the fan was gone, and his face was swollen, which made him look much more discomfited than the night before, he was still singing. The more they were reluctant to hear his songs, the louder he persisted in singing!

“Withered blooms clung to the last hours of sunbeam

As the times get tougher, so does our destiny

My heart is frozen with the fear that you’ll cross the river and leave

Without ever coming back to me…”

Zixiu suddenly stopped singing and sat up with his eyes widened.

Holding his breath, he heard a wisp of music coming in along with the warm breeze from the lake which blew the curtain up gently.

As his father had always whistled songs with leaves, Zixiu instantly recognized that the sound was produced with a leaf. What’s more, that person was whistling the melody of the song he was singing!

Zixiu immediately realized that someone was listening to his singing! “Is dad here?” he wondered, dazed by the sudden joy.

Without giving it much thought, Zixiu jumped out of the couch in the thrill of his discovery before he put on his shoes and rushed out. He was in such a hurry that he even forgot to carry a lantern.

Following the faint music, Zixiu groped his way in the dark. As Nangong Du had ordered all the guards and maidservants to wait on in the outer chamber, Zixiu was left alone in the huge inner chamber and as even Xingyi wasn’t here, nobody had lit the candles.

Zixiu arrived at the garden behind the inner palace without even noticing it, but at this point, the melody stopped abruptly.

Looking around in the dim moonlight, he saw nobody except for the trees.

After pausing for a while, Zixiu finally fixed his gaze on the peak of the artificial rock—the pavilion, in which, as he expected, he saw a tall, slim figure.

“Your Highness!” That person walked over to him.

Hearing the way he addressed him, Zixiu felt his heart sink instantly. That man’s voice sounded a little familiar, and when he moved closer, Zixiu found out it was no other than the mysterious guard!

“Who the hell are you?” Thinking of their conversation the night before, Zixiu couldn’t wait to find out the answer.

“Your Highness, have you really forgotten who I am?” the guard asked, sounding a little disappointed. He then lowered his head slowly with his hands covering his face and after a moment when he looked up again, his appearance had totally changed!

Being startled, Zixiu took a few steps back instinctively. “Don’t come over! Who… Who the hell are you?” Waving his fist, he looked at the guard with his nerves on edge, as if it were a ghost in front of him.

“I…” The guard opened his mouth and was about to answer before he suddenly widened his dark, sparkling eyes, staring at Zixiu’s face in shock. “Who did it? Who slapped you? Zixiu, tell your Senior Brother who that bastard is!” he roared while dashing over in the blink of an eye.