by RWX
Madame Zhuo said, “At that time, we originally thought that you were finished. Even if you could still kill, you would be nothing more than an insane executioner. You were already not worth Gongzi Yu personally dealing with you.”
The only person Gongzi Yu would personally deal with was the strongest person in the martial world.
Madame Zhuo said, “Even if you were already no longer the strongest person in the martial world, we wouldn’t have been happy if you died in a sewer. So at that time, we were planning to find someone else to kill you.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Unfortunately, there aren’t many people who can kill me.”
Madame Zhuo said, “We at least have one person who can.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Who?”
Madame Zhuo said, “Yourself.”
Fu Hongxue suddenly once again thought of that bitter, cold, despairing melody. It was more than enough to make a person totally lose all his will to live. No one could have imagined that when he reached that point, he would still have the courage to keep living. Perhaps it was because he had that sort of courage, that he was able to live until today. If even he himself could defeat himself, why would Gongzi Yu need to personally deal with him?
Gongzi Yu said, “Thus, you should now finally understand that you were able to live until today, not because of luck.”
Fu Hongxue asked again. “Have you done this solely because you must prove you are stronger than me?”
Gongzi Yu said, “Right?”
Once more, that unspeakable sorrow and cynicism was in his eyes. “Because all of this can only be enjoyed by the strongest person. If you can defeat me, all of this is yours.”
Fu Hongxue said, “All of this?”
Madame Zhuo said, “What all of this refers to is everything. It not only includes all of his riches, his honor, and his glory, it also includes me.”
She laughed. Her laughter was very gentle, very warm, very sweet. “So long as you can beat him, even I am yours.”
Open the door and outside you would see a long hallway, so long that it seemed one could never reach the end. Gongzi Yu had already opened the door, walked out, then turned around.
“Please, come with me.”
Madame Zhuo didn’t follow Fu Hongxue out. Now, they had reached the end of this hallway.
At the end of the hallways was another flower-carved wooden door. It was exquisite but solemn. Within was a spacious grand hall. There was an enormous stone platform, with four enormous torches lit in each of the four corners.
Gongzi Yu slowly went onto the platform. Standing in the middle of the platform, he said, “This is where we shall fight.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Excellent.”
A perfectly smooth stone platform. Brilliant torchlight. No matter where you stood, no matter where you faced, everything was the same. There wasn’t even a hint of wind in the room. The preparations you made while striking, or the speed of your strike, definitely wouldn’t be interfered with by any outside factors.
Gongzi Yu clearly didn’t want to gain any unfair advantages from the weather or the terrain. For a person to do this much was already a very rare thing.
There were three large and comfortable chairs on each of the two sides of the stone platform. Every chair was precisely seven feet away from the stone platform.
Gongzi Yu said, “When we fight, only six people can be allowed to watch. They will also be the witnesses to our duel. You may choose any three people you please.”
Fu Hongxue said, “No need.”
Gongzi Yu said, “When experts fight, victory and defeat are often determined in a very brief period of time. With your own friends watching on the side, you would feel a bit more at ease. Why would you give up this right?”
Fu Hongxue said, “Because I have no friends.”
Gongzi Yu stared at him, then said, “It’s best if you keep this right. If the people whom I bring make you feel uncomfortable, you have the right to reject them.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Very good.”
Gongzi Yu said, “You’ve been exhausted, day after day. You can’t help but not be as vigorous, as alert as you normally would be. It’s better if you rest here for some time. Thus, I will allow you to choose the day of our battle as well!”
Fu Hongxue hesitated, then said, “How about tomorrow, at this time?”
Gongzi Yu said, “Very good.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Then tomorrow, I will come again.”
Gongzi Yu said, “No need to leave. I have already prepared a room and a change of clothes for you here. You can rest in peace. There will definitely be no one who will come to disturb you. If you have any needs, we can carry them out for you.
Fu Hongxue said, “It seems this really will be a very fair duel.”
Gongzi Yu said, “It definitely will be.”
Fu Hongxue said, “I imagine you have already prepared my coffin as well.”
Gongzi Yu actually did not deny it. “It’s an excellent coffin made of nanmu wood. I had it specially imported here from Liuzhou. If you want to take a look at it, I can take you there.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Have you seen it?”
Gongzi Yu said, “I’ve seen it.”
Fu Hongxue said, “You are satisfied with it?”
Gongzi Yu said, “Very satisfied.”
Fu Hongxue dully said, “Then that’ll be all.”
Gongzi Yu’s reaction was even more flat. “Right now, perhaps the only thing you wish to see is your bed.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Yes.”
Gaudy, beautiful velvet curtains blocked the rays of the sun. The room as as dark as dusk.
From outside, the dull, monotonous sound of a sword being drawn could once more be heard. Fu Hongxue was totally awake and clear-minded.
Earlier, he had actually fallen asleep. He hadn’t been woken up by the sound of the sword. He suddenly woke up because someone had appeared in the room. A tall and slender human shadow, leaning against the window, back towards him. Beneath her soft silk gown, one could vaguely see her slender waist and limbs, and her perfectly straight legs.
She knew that Fu Hongxue had woken up, but did not turn around. Instead, she lightly let out a sigh, then slowly said, “Another day has passed. Day after day, year after year. When will this sort of life end?”
A noble, graceful voice. A gentle, exquisite posture. And yet, it carried an indescribable sense of weariness.
Fu Hongxue did not react.
Madame Zhuo slowly continued, “Perhaps you feel that I shouldn’t have come at all. After all, I am still his wife, but I truly am too tired of this life, and therefore…”
Fu Hongxue said, “Therefore, you hope that I can defeat him?”
Madame Zhuo said, “Right. I do hope you can defeat him. After all these years, you are the only person who has a chance to defeat him. Only after you defeat him can my life change.”
Fu Hongxue said, “The victor will get everything?”
Madame Zhuo said, “Absolutely everything.”
Fu Hongxue said, “Even his wife is included?”
Madame Zhuo said, “Yes.”
Fu Hongxue suddenly laughed coldly. “Since you aren’t a good wife, there’s no need for him to risk it.”
Madame Zhuo said, “But he still wishes to prove he is stronger than you.”
Fu Hongxue coldly said, “Prove it to who? Can it be that there is another master here who controls his life? Can it be that he is doing this because he simply does not have any room to choose otherwise?”
Madame Zhuo suddenly turned her head and fixed him with her stare. Her beautiful eyes were filled with shock. After a long time, she finally sighed, then said, “Why would you think these sorts of thoughts?”
Fu Hongxue said, “If you were me, what would you think?”
Madame Zhuo said, “At the very least, I wouldn’t think crazy thoughts like you are doing right now. I would focus all of my thoughts on how to defeat him.”
She slowly walked o
ver, her limbs and her waist soft, her eyes like a pool of water. “Although I cannot be considered a good wife, I am still a very good woman. You should be able to see this.”
Fu Hongxue said, “I can’t.”
Madame Zhuo lightly let out a sigh. “Why don’t you take a look now.”
After she finished these words, the soft silk clothes on her body fell down.
Fu Hongxue’s breath stopped. He couldn’t help but admit that this was the most beautiful, flawless body he had ever seen in his life. A tall, noble woman, suddenly baring everything in front of you. This sort of temptation is all the more difficult for people to resist.
She quietly stood at the head of the bed, staring at him. “As long as you can win this battle, everything will be yours. But right now, it isn’t yet.”
Fu Hongxue’s pallid face had already flushed red. He knew the changes which were going on in his body. He also knew that she must have noticed as well.
A beautiful dusk. The room was so quiet, yet filled with the graceful aroma which her body emitted.
He was a man, after all.
But she suddenly lifted up her clothes, gliding out like a swallow. As she walked out the door, she suddenly turned and laughed, “Right now, I’m not yours yet. But if you need it, I can find someone else to accompany you.”
Fu Hongxue tightened his fist. He suddenly asked, “Is Zhuo Yuzhen here?”
Madame Zhuo nodded.
Fu Hongxue said, “Bring her here. Immediately.”
Shocked, Madame Zhuo stared at him. It seemed as though even in her wildest dreams, she had never imagined he would make this request.
Fu Hongxue coldly said, “You just said, if there is anything I need, you can provide it for me.”
Madame Zhuo laughed again. It seemed as though her laughter was filled with an indescribable sort of cunning. “Why do you insist on her? Why don’t you choose Mingyue Xin?”
Fu Hongxue’s body suddenly went stiff.
Madame Zhuo said leisurely, “You didn’t imagine that she would still be alive?”
Fu Hongxue said, “I…”
Madame Zhuo said, “She’s here. Do you want me to bring her here?”
Her face suddenly sunk. She coldly said, “I know you don’t want me to. You want Zhuo Yuzhen. You’ve always liked despicable, diabolical girls like her.”
With a slamming sound, the door closed heavily. This time, when she left, she didn’t look back.
Why did she suddenly turn so impulsive and angry? Just because Fu Hongxue wanted Zhuo Yuzhen?
A beautiful, cunning, yet level-headed woman, usually wouldn’t become angry over something like this.
Fu Hongxue was still quietly lying on his bed. That shrill, abrupt sound was still going on nonstop. The other was paying such a high price for this battle. If he were to become annoyed over a woman, wouldn’t that be silly?
But he couldn’t help but think of Mingyue Xin. If she really still had not died, and had fallen into the hands of these people, she might have met with a fate more miserable than death.
Only when he thought of this did he suddenly realize that it had been a long, long time since he had thought of her.
A person would always try to avoid thinking about things which made him feel guilty.
Suddenly, the night was deep and dark. The room was totally black. From outside, there was a sound of knocking.
“Who is it?”
“It is miss Zhuo, miss Zhuo Yuzhen.”
Two serving girls helped Zhuo Yuzhen walk in.
She had made herself up beautifully. Her beautiful black hair was adorned with pearl ornaments, and a beautiful scarlet red cloak covered her, dragging on the ground. She looked almost like the legendary beauty who was given away for a marriage treaty, Wang Zhaojun.
Right now, she obviously did not need to continue the pretense of being so pitiable. She coldly stared at Fu Hongxue. Her face was expressionless.
The serving girls put down the lantern. They giggled, then quietly crept away.
Zhuo Yuzhen suddenly coldly said, “Did you ask me to come?”
Fu Hongxue nodded.
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “To get revenge on me?”
Fu Hongxue said, “I asked you to come, originally because I had a few questions I wanted to talk to you about.”
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “And now?”
Fu Hongxue said, “And now, I don’t want to ask anymore. So you can go.”
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “You don’t want to get revenge?”
Fu Hongxue said, “No.”
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “You don’t want me to go to your bed either?”
Fu Hongxue closed his mouth. He didn’t actually blame her. For her to say these words wasn’t very surprising either. For women like her, when they were no longer capable of harming others with their actions, they would use poisonous words to harm instead. She hurt others, perhaps only to protect herself.
He didn’t blame her, but he suddenly felt very tired. He only hoped that she would leave quickly, and that they would never meet again. He suddenly realized that nothing else was important. Only tomorrow’s battle was important. He needed to defeat the man who was still practicing drawing his sword at this very moment. Only after defeating this person could he solve all of the mysteries, could he see Mingyue Xin again.
But Zhuo Yuzhen stubbornly stood there, staring at him. Her eyes were filled with grief and hatred. She suddenly said, “Since you don’t care about me at all, why did you insist on me coming?”
Fu Hongxue said, “Even if I shouldn’t have asked you to come, you can still leave now, just the same.”
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “It’s not the same anymore.”
Fu Hongxue said, “How is it not the same?”
Zhuo Yuzhen said, “It’s not the same, it’s not the same…”
It seemed as though she hadn’t even heard Fu Hongxue’s question. From her lips, that phrase simply continued without stopping. Who knows how many times she said it? Suddenly, her tears began to flow down her cheeks. Her body fell down as well. The scarlet red cape fluttered open, revealing a scarlet, blood-like color.
It was real blood. Fresh blood had already dyed her bare torso scarlet. On her entire body, there wasn’t a single part of her body that was whole.
Fu Hongxue jumped up, but his heart had already sunk down.
Zhuo Yuzhen ground her teeth. “By now, you should understand why it’s not the same anymore…”
Fu Hongxue said, “Because I asked you to come, she tortured you like this?”
Zhuo Yuzhen chuckled. “Actually, you should have realized long ago that although she didn’t want you to touch her, she didn’t want you to touch any other women, because…”
Her laughter was even more tragic than crying. She wanted to continue to speak, but could no longer say another word.
Fu Hongxue was still asking. “Why? Why?”
Zhuo Yuzhen chuckled again. Her eyes lifted up. A strong medicinal smell wafted up from her cloak. Her death wasn’t very painful, because her entire body had already been numbed by madame Zhuo’s medicine.
Supposedly, in far away Africa, in the fertile muds of the Nile river, there is a beautiful yet strange flower called the ‘opium’ poppy. Not only could it numb a person’s body, it could also numb a person’s soul.
Some women were just like that flower. The blood flowing within her noble, graceful body, was actually more venomous than the flowers of opium poppies.
Why did she do this? Just because she didn’t want Fu Hongxue to touch another woman?
She had only known Fu Hongxue for less than half a day. Why would she be so wildly jealous of him?
How could there be jealousy without love? How could there be love between people who had only known each other for half a day?
Fu Hongxue slowly stood up. He slowly walked over, then gently opened the door. If the door had been bolted from the outside, if the door had been made of iron, he wouldn’t have been surprised. He was already ment
ally prepared. No matter what happened, no matter what the situation, he was prepared to endure it.
Unexpectedly, with a light push, the door swung open. There was nobody outside the door, and there was nobody in the long hallway. There was only that monotonous, abrupt sound of a sword being drawn, still continuing without pause.
He headed towards the direction of this sound. The hallway was long but winding. There was a long distance between each room. After an unknown number of twists and turns, he finally saw a door. Inside the door, it was quiet. There was no one inside. There also was not the sound of a sword being drawn.
He still pushed the door open and went inside. He had once again arrived at the room he had just left. Zhuo Yuzhen, who had been in a pool of blood, had disappeared.
The room was still peaceful. Although a person was missing from it, a full table of dishes had been added to it.
It was time to eat dinner. Six exquisite dishes, all still warm, and a bamboo plate with small steamed buns on it. A pot of polished white rice, and a vat of not-yet-opened wine.
Right now, he really needed to drink a little wine, but he left again.
The hallway was the same, and as quiet as before. But his walking style had already changed. Originally, he walked very slowly. Now, he walked a bit faster. Originally, he was walking to the right; this time, he walked to the left.
After another unknown number of twists and turns, he once again saw a door. The room inside was still quiet. The carvings on the door were exactly the same as well. Only, when he left earlier, he hadn’t closed the door, while this door was shut.
He pushed the door open and walked in. He had already warned himself three times to be steady and keep calm. But once he entered the room, he couldn’t help but feel very unwell, because he once again saw that table of dishes. He once again had entered the room he had just left. The dishes were still warm. They seemed even warmer than they were earlier.
