Read Novel Full ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 145
ARTTEDSBGT Chapter 145
Luoxia Mountain is located in the northern outskirts of the capital. Li Zhizhi had once visited this place, when Prince Ning, Xiao Wen, held a gathering here. It was still summer then, and the ancient trees on the mountain were lush and green. Now, autumn has deepened, the trees have all turned yellow, and fallen leaves cover the ground. The frost has whitened the sprawling wild grass.
It was just around dusk when a stream like a ribbon flowed gently down the mountain, its cold sound chilling to the bone. Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached, and soon a white horse trotted through the withered grass, carrying two people. The man wore a dark brocade robe, his handsome face framed by the cowl, holding the reins as he embraced the young woman in a frost-colored gown. With a soft command, the white horse leapt over the shallow stream, moving quickly into the mountain.
The higher they climbed, the colder it became, and even the fallen leaves were slightly frosted. Li Zhizhi felt the chill more acutely and instinctively shrank back, trying to absorb more warmth. Xiao Yan immediately noticed her movement and softly asked, “Cold?”
Li Zhizhi tried hard to suppress the urge to shiver and replied, “It’s okay.”
Xiao Yan touched the back of her hand and took off his outer robe, draping it over her. Instantly, the chill was banished, replaced by a warm embrace.
A faint scent of sandalwood wafted in from all directions, slowly filling her lungs with each breath, lingering deeply within her. Li Zhizhi felt as if every breath she took carried Xiao Yan’s fragrance.
Just then, she noticed a flash of golden light darting past and instinctively looked up. The sky was ablaze with red clouds as the sunset lit up the horizon, igniting large patches of clouds in fiery hues. Deep crimson and pale pink blended beautifully, brilliant and captivating, while above them stretched a clear blue sky.
The white horse trotted to a stop, its snowy mane flowing in the wind like a soft white cloud, reflecting the shimmering light of the sunset, resembling a piece of silver silk—bright and radiant. It let out a snort, releasing white vapor that was soon blown away by the mountain breeze.
It was not until Xiao Yan dismounted that Li Zhizhi came back to her senses from the beautiful scenery. Just as she was about to get down, a pair of hands supported her waist, and in an instant, she was lifted into the air, her feet landing on solid ground.
The wind was strong at the mountain top, with withered grass trembling in the cold. While the trees below were lush, this place was barren and open, revealing layers of distant mountains. Only an old pine tree clung to the cliff edge, its twisted branches and needles resembling an elderly figure. Beneath the tree were several large stones covered in moss, which had turned yellow at this time. Xiao Yan walked over and sat on one of the stones, then waved to Li Zhizhi, “Come here.”
The stone was cold and strewn with pine needles, but Xiao Yan didn’t mind as he placed his robe on it for her to sit down. The two sat side by side, admiring the magnificent sea of clouds at sunset—an indescribable beauty.
Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but ask, “Has the Crown Prince been here before?”
“Yeah,” Xiao Yan replied softly, “The first time was when my older brother took me here, also during this season. After that, we would come several times each year.”
At this point, he paused and continued, “I actually didn’t like him very much back then.”
“Why?”
Li Zhizhi was a bit surprised. She recalled how Xiao Yan had spoken about the Crown Prince before, with a tone that did not seem to convey dislike; rather, it was filled with nostalgia and respect.
Xiao Yan turned to look at her, explaining, “My older brother is much older than me. Since I began to remember things, he was already the Crown Prince. Our father has always been strict and dignified, not easy to approach, but he liked my older brother very much and often personally guided his studies.”
After hearing this, Li Zhizhi thought for a moment and said, “If it were me, I would probably dislike him too.”
“Hmm?” Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone rising as if expressing doubt.
“The Emperor is busy with state affairs, and still has to take time to teach him. Naturally, he doesn’t have the time to pay attention to other children. Such favoritism will certainly make others feel uncomfortable,” Li Zhizhi said, propping her chin on her hands in a somewhat childish manner. Her eyes were clear and bright, and her tone was casual as she added, “This is just jealousy, a common human emotion that’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Xiao Yan smiled. As the sunset light flowed into his eyes, there was a gentle sparkle. He agreed, saying, “That’s true. If one is not the favored one, they would likely feel jealousy.”
“Until that time when my older brother took me riding,” Xiao Yan rested his elbow on his knee, gazing at the distant sunset clouds, and continued, “after that, our relationship became much closer. He taught me archery and guided me in my studies… I just never expected he would end up like that.”
Regarding the eldest prince, Li Zhizhi had also heard some rumors. It was said he was poisoned to death, and recalling Xiao Yan’s earlier words made her feel a sense of sorrow. In the past, she thought Emperor Jing Ming appeared imposing but was actually gentle and tolerant. Now, she realized he was an Emperor, who, at times, could be more ruthless and decisive than anyone else. The heart of a ruler is inscrutable; it is what it is. It’s just a pity for that eldest prince; she wondered if Emperor Jing Ming had ever regretted it.
Li Zhizhi wanted to say something to comfort Xiao Yan but didn’t know how to begin. Xiao Yan could see that, so he took the initiative to say, “So many years have passed. Though I can’t let it go, I’m not as sad as I used to be. Regardless, he is first and foremost an Emperor, and then a father. Since I am not in his position, I cannot know his concerns. So, for me, as long as we get along peacefully, that’s enough.”
Li Zhizhi sighed inwardly and was just about to say something when her peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of something on the bluestone, like some carved words. Curious, she picked up a small stick and gently pushed aside the pine needles, revealing the inscriptions. Xiao Yan also saw it, and his expression slightly changed, seemingly wanting to stop her, but in the end, he did not move.
What was carved there turned out to be a line of poetry. After reading it, Li Zhizhi was somewhat surprised and said, “The crown prince brother still has such leisure and elegance.”
The handwriting was somewhat crooked and had a hint of childishness. Li Zhizhi softly read aloud: “With my eyes, I will wash away the autumn waters; in my life, I shall not be deceived by ancient people.”
The inscription was signed by Xiao Yan, and the words conveyed a sense of confidence, almost arrogance. Li Zhizhi couldn’t help but laugh and asked him, “When did you carve this?”
Xiao Yan helplessly replied, “It was carved when I was nine, during the time I came here with my older brother.”
Li Zhizhi, full of interest, brushed aside the pine needles. “Is there more?”
Xiao Yan paused for a moment and then swept away the thick pine needles with his hand, revealing another line of text: “Heart upon heart, love must be deep.”
The calligraphy was distinct, with a style different from Xiao Yan’s, and below it were two names: Xiao Jin and Bai Ruolan. Li Zhizhi thought that Bai Ruolan must have been the eldest prince’s beloved.
At that moment, Xiao Yan suddenly took a finely crafted dagger from his waist and began to carve on the bluestone. Li Zhizhi curiously leaned over to take a look and softly read, “In the center… to hide it, when… shall it be forgotten…”
Her voice suddenly stopped as she watched Xiao Yan carefully carve her name. Then he turned to look at her, and their gazes met. In that instant, even the mountain breeze seemed to freeze, and everything fell silent.
Xiao Yan recalled how his elder brother had once carved a romantic poem, laughing at him for being so consumed by love, feeling that he was more carefree and straightforward. Yet his elder brother didn’t argue back but merely smiled and said, “One day, when you have someone you like, you’ll understand.”
As fate would have it, Xiao Yan truly understood now, wishing he could carve those three words into his heart so that they wouldn’t be eroded by the storms of life.
After a moment, he suddenly said, “Zhizhi, the sunset is about to fall.”
At the sound of this, Li Zhizhi instinctively turned her head, and her gaze was met by the vast sky ablaze with fiery clouds. She was immediately taken aback, momentarily speechless, her eyes transfixed on the setting sun, afraid to miss this breathtaking scene. It wasn’t until she heard Xiao Yan say something—muffled and quickly drowned out by the mountain wind—that she came back to her senses.
Li Zhizhi turned to him, just in time to see his lips moving. Curiously, she asked, “What did you say?”
“I said,” Xiao Yan smiled, his beautiful phoenix-like eyes now extraordinarily gentle, as if the warm sunset had melted into their depths, “don’t look directly at the sun; it’s too bright.”
At his words, Li Zhizhi felt her eyes begin to sting. She couldn’t help but blink vigorously, and the next moment, a hand reached over to shield her eyes. The blinding light was blocked, turning into a soft orange hue.
Xiao Yan’s palm was warm. Li Zhizhi held her breath, her long eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a startled butterfly, lightly brushing against his palm. Then she heard Xiao Yan ask, “Zhizhi, do you know what it means to like someone?”
Li Zhizhi was taken aback. She didn’t answer immediately but instead countered, “What does the Crown Prince think?”
The mountain wind was a bit strong, making Xiao Yan’s voice sound muffled. She couldn’t help but lean in slightly, trying to catch his words more clearly, as if afraid of missing the answer. Then, Xiao Yan’s voice came to her ear, low yet exceptionally clear: “I think liking someone is like this sunset.”
“Sunset?” Li Zhizhi replied, a bit puzzled. “Doesn’t that mean it will disappear soon?”
Xiao Yan’s voice carried a hint of laughter as he said, “Life is fleeting, just like a snap of the fingers, but the sunset always exists, Zhizhi. It simply sets, not disappears. It will rise again tomorrow. Even if the world changes and times shift, it remains unchanged.”
“Zhizhi,” he called her name solemnly, “I like you like this sunset, lasting for thousands of years.”
Li Zhizhi’s breath caught suddenly. At that moment, she didn’t speak, and neither did Xiao Yan. The air was both quiet and a bit noisy, only the mountain wind howling past them, bringing with it the sound of distant pine trees swaying.
Li Zhizhi caught the faint scent of sandalwood, drawing closer. She seemed to sense something, her lips moving, yet she couldn’t articulate anything. After a moment, a cool kiss gently fell upon her lips.
At the moment their lips touched, both of them couldn’t help but shiver lightly, as if a hand had entwined their souls, melding them together, their spirits indistinguishable.
A long hand gently cradled the back of the girl’s head, fingers with distinct knuckles intertwining in her flowing hair. Xiao Yan could no longer resist and kissed her soft lips forcefully yet tenderly, pouring out his emotions without restraint.
With the green mountains and the red sun, the afterglow scattered brilliantly, but no one witnessed the scene atop the mountain. As dusk descended, in this moment, only the golden sunlight spilled over them, outlining two faint shadows that leaned against each other, exuding a tranquil beauty.