boyutpedia Chapter 421 New Love and Old Love
Chapter 421 New Love and Old Love
Murong Yanhui and Lin Zhi walked side by side. It was winter, and most of the flowers and plants in the palace had withered, making it look extremely bleak. None of the three spoke, and the atmosphere seemed a little stiff.
The sky grew increasingly gloomy. Lin Zhi involuntarily gathered her cloak closer, looked up, and murmured, "It looks like it's going to snow."
"Yeah, it's rare to see snow in the Imperial Capital."
Lin Zhi smiled and said, "Speaking of snow scenes, the ones at the border are quite spectacular. Brother Yan, do you still remember? Back then, we loved skiing down from halfway up the mountain."
"How can I not remember? You were always like a tomboy back then. You were obviously very afraid of the cold, but you still went skiing with us. As a result, your feet got frostbitten."
"Yes, you carried me back then. We had so much fun playing that my father even put me in solitary confinement for ten days!"
"You weren't put in solitary confinement. General Lin was afraid that your foot injury wouldn't heal and you would run around again, so he specifically asked you to stay in the tent."
"I remember you laughed at me for a long time."
"At that time, I didn't know you were a girl, so I naturally thought you were too feminine."
The two talked as they walked, as if they were back in their youthful days. Yu Zhenzhen followed behind them with a lonely look on her face. She gradually slowed down her pace and looked at the backs of the two as they left together. Suddenly, a little sadness welled up in her heart. Even if it wasn't Yu Qingli, Prince Yan could still chat with her so well. It seemed that this Lin Zhi was indeed different from other women.
But in just a moment, a lot of snowflakes had accumulated on the ground. Murong Yanhui and Lin Zhi also stopped and looked at the drifting snowflakes across the corridor. Lin Zhi turned to look at him, the man she had loved for many years. She had dreamed of such a scene many times, standing side by side, watching the falling snow together. Although they were not in the frontier, it was finally the fulfillment of her long-cherished wish.
"Brother Yan, are you blaming me?"
Murong Yanhui was stunned for a moment, then turned to meet Lin Zhi's slightly aggrieved and self-blaming gaze, "Why should I blame you?"
Lin Zhi lowered her head. "Perhaps, I shouldn't have gone to the Hundred Flowers Conference, and shouldn't have been so persistent in wanting to stay by your side. But I have no regrets. Even though I know you don't have me in your heart, and even though I know this so-called concubine is just an empty title, I don't regret it. I am already very satisfied to be able to be so close to you."
Murong Yanhui sighed deeply and subconsciously reached out to ruffle Lin Zhi's hair, but then suddenly remembered that she was no longer the little brother Lin from the past. Slightly embarrassed, he withdrew his hand and said soothingly, "Lin Zhi, you think too much. Even if it wasn't you, the Lin family would have sent someone else to participate in this Hundred Flowers Conference. So compared to someone I don't know, I think it's not bad for you to be here."
Lin Zhi's eyes lit up, "So, Brother Yan, you don't blame me?"
"I know you had no choice. Besides, I think your feelings for me might just be a kind of attachment to your brother. It just happened that I appeared by your side at that time and spent so many wonderful days with you."
"No! It's not like that, Brother Yan. I have an older brother myself, and I know the difference between the two. I truly love you, not like a sister loves a brother, but like a woman loves a man!"
Lin Zhi argued anxiously that she had never considered Murong Yanhui as a brother. From the first day they met, she had already kept this stunning young man in her heart.
Murong Yan smiled back, seemingly noncommittal about her words. He thought Lin Zhi might need time to prove herself. So many years had passed, and her original feelings had slowly settled down over time. Perhaps it was just her obsession. One day, when she met someone she truly loved, perhaps, she would understand that her original feelings were just pure brotherly love.
Murong Yan replied sternly, "Linzhi, everything we have now is just a temporary solution. When one day you meet someone who truly makes your heart flutter, remember to tell me and I will marry you off in a grand ceremony."
Lin Zhi's eyes dimmed. After all this talk, he still treated her as his sister. But if that was the case, why was he so gentle to her? Was it just because she saved his life that year?
Just as Lin Zhi was about to say something, he suddenly saw Murong Yanhui, who was standing next to him, rush into the snow like the wind and take away the umbrella that the servants had given him earlier.
Lin Zhi was stunned. Following Murong Yanhui's figure, she saw a simple and cold woman standing there. She was wearing a plain white long dress that dragged on the ground. If it weren't for the red plum blossoms embroidered on the hem of the skirt, it would be almost impossible to tell that there was a person standing there.
From Linzhi's perspective, the woman's face was aloof and beautiful, like an elf in the snow in winter. Her long black hair was tied up in a simple and elegant bun, but her majesty and momentum were not diminished in the slightest. Her eyes were as cold as frost, and her red lips were tightly pursed under her small nose, making her look dull and heartless.
Murong Yanhui, who rushed over, was holding an umbrella for her at this time. There was a bit of doting in his eyes, but also a bit of reproach on his expression. He gently brushed off the snowflakes on the woman's body and head, as if he was treating a fragile porcelain doll, or as if he was treating an invaluable treasure.
Murong Yanhui was delighted at this moment, but also a little dissatisfied, "Lili, why are you here? Where's your umbrella?"
Yu Qingli fluttered her long eyelashes, hiding the complex emotions in her eyes, but her tone was indifferent when she spoke, "What? Did I disturb the young uncle and his beautiful lady while they were enjoying the garden?"
Murong Yanhui raised the umbrella and covered Yu Qingli's head, "Lili, why do you have to mock me like this? You know very well..."
"I know nothing. Whoever the young prince chooses to visit the garden with or watch the snow with is your own business. What does it have to do with me? I just want to talk to you about something important. If you are not free, I will come another day."
"I'm free, I'm free. How can I not be free when Lili is looking for me?"
As Murong Yanhui spoke, his eyes wandered over Yu Qingli's face. Then, an idea came to his mind, making his eyebrows dance with joy. His beautiful peach blossom eyes curved into a smile, and the corners of his lips raised, showing that he was in a good mood at the moment. He lowered the edge of the umbrella, leaned his head close to Yu Qingli's ear and whispered, "Lili, are you jealous?"
Yu Qingli's ears felt hot, but she stood up straight, avoiding Murong Yanhui's harassment, "What nonsense is the little uncle talking about?"
Murong Yan looked back at Yu Qingli's slightly red ears, and the corners of his lips curled up even more. He lowered the brim of the umbrella even lower to block everyone's sight, and quickly leaned over and kissed Yu Qingli on the cheek.
The warm touch made Yu Qingli open her eyes wide all of a sudden. When she came back to her senses, she saw Murong Yanhui with a playful look on her face.
Yu Qingli was immediately annoyed. How could this person be so shameless? She reached out and slapped the umbrella away from Murong Yanhui's hand, saying coldly, "Little uncle, please respect yourself!"
Murong Yanhui smiled like a fox stealing some meat, and her already outstanding face became even more charming and attractive because of her joy.
Lin Zhi was stunned in the corridor. Was this the Murong Yanhui she knew? The man who was always aloof and indifferent, the man who made people feel aloof even when he smiled?
"Envy?"
A soft voice sounded from behind Lin Zhi. She didn't turn around but knew it was the second daughter of the Yu family. She lowered her head slightly to hide the disappointment in her eyes, "Is she the one that Big Brother Yan likes?"
"Yes, she is Yu Qingli, the most talented woman in Jiangnan, the eldest daughter of the Yu family, and now the eldest prince's consort."
"Indeed, he's a wonderful person!"
"How does it compare to you?"
"Oh, she's a scholar, I'm a warrior, how can we compare? Besides, didn't you also say that she is the one that Big Brother Yan likes, but Big Brother Yan only treats me as a younger sister, there's no comparison at all."
Linzhi laughed at herself. Even when she was looking at her from a distance, she felt that the woman's elegant and graceful appearance was very intimidating, not to mention comparing herself with her. It turned out that this was the beauty in the heart of King Yan, who was really worlds apart from herself.
"Sister Lin, why do you have to be so self-deprecating? It is precisely because of your many differences that you have hope. How about we work together?"
"Cooperation?" Lin Zhi turned her head in confusion. What did Yu Zhenzhen mean?
"Yes, Sister Lin, think about it. Although the prince likes Yu Qingli now, she is already someone else's wife after all. It is impossible for her to bring happiness to the prince. What's more, she may not necessarily like the prince."
"Oh? How do you say this?"
"Some things can't be explained in a short time. You just need to know that Yu Qingli is just using the prince, and the prince has been trapped because he can't see the truth. Now, I'm afraid that you, Sister Lin, are the only one who can save the prince."
Lin Zhi was a little confused. "What about you? What's your purpose? Even if the prince falls in love with me, what good will it do you?"
"I..." Yu Zhenzhen said in a low voice, "I just want him to be happy..."
Lin Zhi's heart moved. It seemed that this woman really loved King Yan. She just didn't know if Yu Qingli was really as despicable as she said?
"Let me think about it. It wouldn't be good if Big Brother Yan knew about our cooperation."
Yu Zhenzhen curled her lips, knowing that Lin Zhi's heart was already moved, "Sister, you are right, but we are also doing this for the prince. Do you really want to just watch the prince being toyed with by others?"
Lin Zhi frowned upon hearing this, but her eyes remained firm. "If that's the case! I will definitely not let Yu Qingli go!"
"Then, sister will definitely agree to my proposal..."
Yu Zhenzhen was about to say something when Murong Yanhui arrived and returned to the corridor. "Linzhi, I have something else to do. I won't be accompanying you to visit the garden today. I'll have someone take you back later."
Lin Zhi didn't answer, but looked at Yu Qingli who was not far away. Their eyes met. Yu Qingli nodded slightly as a greeting, and Lin Zhi nodded as well. "Okay!"