[June 19, 2019]
...
Shen Li felt the sudden urge to see the lotus plant and the pond; she wanted to know what happened to Prince Rui and his consort.
She transported there with a twirl of her fingers. The pond had been filled in and a house had been built on top. Ah. It's gone. Shen Li silently studied her surroundings. The décor had changed to suit the new owners and there were no traces of Prince Rui left.
Things and people fade with time, but Shen Li was unwilling to accept it. For her, everything had only happened months ago, yet there was nothing left of what she remembered. It felt like she was being abandoned as the world moved on. What was more, there was no Yun in this world. It made her feel like he was an illusion.
It frightened her so she sought confirmation. She appeared inside the imperial records building with another twirl of her finger. She thumbed through the records.
Prince Rui managed to a.s.sa.s.sinate his brother and take the throne. His princess refused to accept the empress t.i.tle, instead choosing to follow the solitary path of Buddhism. King Rui had known she wouldn't accept the t.i.tle.
There was nothing else written about him. Perhaps because there was nothing distinguis.h.i.+ng about his rule for the scholars to record.
Shen Li stared at the ink strokes on the pages. There was no record of Xiao He. [pond demon] It was like she never existed. Perhaps the king had forgotten about her, after all many people died for him, what was one silly demon girl.
Shen Li slid her fingers across the words until they stopped at the t.i.tle: National Teacher, Xing Yun.
Xing Yun had guided King Rui , becoming his most trusted advisor, and yet he had no official t.i.tle or rank. It was only after his death that Prince Rui conferred the t.i.tle of National Teacher upon him.
The four words were the only traces left of him in the world. Flipping to the next page didn't give her anymore information as it was about those that came after.
Shen Li laughed. What was she even looking for? Even if the whole world forgot, what did it have to do with her?
She only knew him because he was a part of her life, a part of her memories. Whether others remembered him, whether he really existed, didn't matter because he was gone now. It wasn't like she could get the past back.
Shen Li touched her forehead, then shook her head and laughed. How could she have lost her head like that? Such an action was unworthy of the Azure Sky King.
Shen Li left the palace and headed to Gongcheng. After a few steps she paused and did an about face. She walked to the market and picked up two bottles of wine and leisurely walked out of the capital.
She stopped at the outskirts by a river and sat down. "How long does high G.o.d intend on following me?"
A person clad in white billowy robes emerged from behind a tree. In embarra.s.sment he sat down next to Shen Li. "How long have you known?"
"If I wasn't aware of my surroundings I would have been struck down ages ago on the battlefield." Shen Li held the other bottle out to him.
Xing Zhi laughed and took the offered wine.
The silence between was broken when they both spoke.
"Yesterday-" - "High G.o.d-"
Xing Zhi laughed at that. "I wanted to apologize about yesterday but you had already left for the Mortal realm by the time I woke up this morning. So I followed you here."
The river they were sitting by was a rapid one with white bubbles and foam. It twinkled and sparkled under the light of the sun. He looked at it and sighed. In a tone he was unaccustomed to using he said. "I'm sorry." He was not one to apologize so it came out a little rusty.
Shen Li had always been more susceptible to coaxing than coercion so Xing Zhi's apology took her by surprise. After a moment of stunned silence she said, "It is fine. I was bullying Ru Fongjun too much; it was fair he got angry. The Demon Emperor has reprimanded me about it. I know I was also in the wrong."
This time the silence between them wasn't so awkward.
Shen Li suddenly pointed to a spot in front of them. She spoke with renewed determination. "See that spot? Once not long ago I was sprawled over there completely helpless in my demon form. I was exhausted and couldn't move a single muscle. I have never been in a more difficult or embarra.s.sing situation in my life."
Shen Li said this but her eyes s.h.i.+ned with happiness. She turned to Xing Zhi and her heart turned a little sour.
"I never told anyone this but when I was taken back to the Demon realm, I felt like I was renewed, redeemed, like I had met a legendary hero. How about that? The first time I saw a hero and he turned out to be an ordinary mortal that I could have easily choked and killed. It was probably then that I set my heart on him."
It was the first time she had been so calm and clear-headed in front of him. She waited for him to say something, but when he didn't she continued. "High G.o.d, Xing Yun, [the gig is up.] I'm not stupid."
For a while the only sounds between them was the gurgle of the river as it rushed downstream. The stalemate was broken with Xing Zhi's laughter.
"So you saw through it eh?"
