by La Mi Tu
“Qi Qi, this is a difficult situation.” Dongfang Lan’s old hands touched Murong Qi Qi’s body. “Why don’t I tell you a story?”
Murong Qi Qi immediately got interested after hearing that Dongfang Lan wanted to tell a story. She sat up, “Grandmother, you want to tell a story, ah! Great, great! I want to hear!”
“That time was a long, long time ago…”
Dongfang Lan’s voice was gentle and sounded with the great changes and profoundness of history. This story had been silent in her heart for a long, long time. Today, after hearing Murong Qi Qi’s words, she suddenly remembered the story and decided to tell Murong Qi Qi.
“This story happened at Qin country. At that time, the three countries hadn’t appeared yet. Qin country was the biggest country on this mainland. Qin country had a general. The general got a daughter when he was forty. He took her as the pearl of his palm. The good friend of the general was also an official of the court. The good friend had a son. The two families’ relationship was good. They arranged a betrothal between the children…”
“One time, a nomadic ethic group caused a war. The general went to the war. The good friend accompanied him. Originally, it was a battle of certain victory, but in the end, the general’s good friend died unfathomably on the battle field. The good friend’s son believed that it was the general who’d caused his father’s death. He endured it till the wedding day. He put poison in the wine for the father-in-law, poisoning the general to death…”
“Then, what had happened?” Dongfang Lan’s story piqued the interest of Murong Qi Qi. She sat up and stared at Dongfang Lan. She wanted to know how this plot would develop.
“The groom became the murderer of the father. The bride cut her hair and broke the feelings on the wedding night. She also seriously wounded the groom. That night, the injured groom fled the capital. Later, the bride married a high ranking military official under the general. After that, the three families split Qin. The bride became Bei Zhou’s empress dowager…”
“Grandmother, it was you!” Murong Qi Qi exclaimed. “This is your story?”
Dongfang Lan nodded. When she mentioned her past lover, Dongfang Lan’s eyes had a thing called ‘love’ in them. Seeing this ‘love’, Murong Qi Qi was a bit surprised. “Grandmother, do you still hate him? He killed your father!”
“In the past, I hated him. Later, I don’t hate him anymore. He had his reasons. I also had my difficulties. The murderer of one’s father cannot live under the same sky. If he didn’t avenge his father, then I would’ve looked down on him! However, if he could’ve said his reasons, we could’ve looked together for the truth of his father’s death. Things wouldn’t have turned to such a bad situation.”
“Then, did great-grandfather really kill his father?”
“No.” Dongfang Lan shook her head. “My father was an honest person and lived openly and candidly his whole life. He wasn’t someone who would’ve used such underhanded means and definitely wouldn’t have used a black hand on his good friend. The one who did it was someone else!”
“Who?”
“Wanyan Zhi. Before Wanyan Zhi passed away, he told me that he did everything that year. Only then, did I realise that we were all wrong.”
After Dongfang Lan said that, Murong Qi Qi was startled. Wanyan Zhi, wasn’t he the late emperor? It was reasonable to say that she should call Wanyan Zhi grandfather.
“Wanyan Zhi was a small soldier under my father. Step by step, he climbed up and was held in very high regard by my father. Only later did I know that in order to get me, Wanyan Zhi didn’t hesitate to incite disharmony in my relationship with my fiancé. Furthermore, he killed his father and manufactured contradiction between us. It was Wanyan Zhi who fanned the wind and ignited the fire at his ears that he ended up believing him…”
“Grandmother…”
Dongfang Lan’s voice revealed a touch of sadness. Although she could hide the sorrow, but that old past still hit her heart.
“Qi Qi, I told you my story so that you can understand that friendship and love are the same. They all need sincerity. If he went to find my father and directly confronted him, we wouldn’t have had such misunderstandings between us. We also wouldn’t have separated because of the instigation of others.”
“Wanyan Kang is the friend you care about the most. On this matter, his identity is indeed very sensitive. However, aren’t you friends? This matter also involves him. He has the right to know the truth. If you hide everything from him and let him stay out of it in the name of for his own good, then it would not be so close.”
The moment Murong Qi Qi heard Dongfang Lan, she knew that she (DL) was telling her what to do in a roundabout way.
“Grandmother, I know how to deal with the relationship between ah Kang and I! Don’t worry, I won’t do anything that I will regret!”
Dongfang Lan was very happy that Murong Qi Qi understood with only one hint. She didn’t want Wanyan Lie’s matter to affect the relationship between Feng Cang, Murong Qi Qi and Wanyan Kang. The hatred of the parents shouldn’t continue on in the children. When will the injustice and hatred end? If it could end with them, then that would be the best.
In the end, Murong Qi Qi asked laughingly, “Grandmother, the person you love the most in this lifetime, was it the him of that year or grandfather?”
“Of course it’s him. The things he brought me, no matter if it was happiness, blessings, sadness or sorrow, all was carved in the bones and engraved in the heart. In my life until death, I won’t forget him!”
Dongfang Lan’s words made Murong Qi Qi’s eyes wet. She said her goodbyes to Dongfang Lan and left Jinxuan palace. Murong Qi Qi walked in the broad palace. The tears couldn’t be blocked any longer and fell.
Godfather, did you hear? Grandmother has always remembered you. Whether she was a lady or someone else’s bride, her heart always had you!
Before sir Mozun passed away, he repeatedly reminded Murong Qi Qi that she needed to go to Bei Zhou and help him find a woman called Dongfang Lan.
Godfather said that the most regrettable thing in his life was that he’d killed Dongfang Lan’s father and let her lose the family who’d loved her the most in this world. And his biggest regret in this life was not being able to be her groom, to care and protect her for life.
He hated himself for being timid and didn’t even have the courage to go see her. He could only hide in the dark world and look at her from afar. Only one glance was enough.
Now, after hearing everything of the past from Dongfang Lan, Murong Qi Qi conveyed Dongfang Lan’s words to Mozun in her heart. She hoped that godfather would know from down there and let go of the knot in his heart. The woman he’d loved for so many years didn’t forget him. To him, presumably this was also a happiness!
Don’t know how much time had passed, but on Murong Qi Qi’s body appeared a layer of warmth. She turned around. It was Feng Cang who’d come with a coat in search of her.
Seeing Murong Qi Qi’s tear-stained face, Feng Cang was startled, “Qing Qing, what had happened? Who bullied you?”
“No one!” Murong Qi Qi shook her head, but her tears fell harder.
“What had happened?” He didn’t care that there was people behind him. Feng Cang pulled Murong Qi Qi in his arms, “You don’t want to say it, then I won’t force you. However, you need to know, no matter what happens, I would stay at your side, trust you unconditionally and never leave you!”
Feng Cang’s promise made Murong Qi Qi feel warm. If in the past, godfather could’ve trusted Dongfang Lan like this, then would they not have separated and so many tragedies would not have occurred?
At this side, Murong Qing Lian acted very carefully every day and tried her best to figure out Misha’s mind. She wanted to ace the role of ‘Lian’ and get Misha’s approval. Only when Misha approves of her and lets her stay, would she then be able to get rid of the past circumstances and begin a new life, step by step.
“Lian, look!” Misha gave Murong Qing Lian
a black item made from iron. “This is my gift to you. Do you like it?”
Murong Qing Lian weighed the black thing Misha had given her in her hands. It was a bit heavy and cold. It was made from iron. However, she didn’t know what use this thing had.
“Big brother, what is this?”
“Lian, this is a gun, ah! Didn’t you like to play with guns the most in the past?” Misha looked innocently at Murong Qing Lian. His beautiful eyes flashed. Inlaid in his white and soft face, they were as bright as the stars in the sky.
“Gun?! Oh, I remembered! Mm, in the past, I did indeed liked guns very much! Big brother, did you make it? So awesome! Big brother is so awesome!”
Murong Qing Lian swore that she had never seen this kind of strange thing. Black with a weird shape. This thing was actually liked by ‘Lian’? How to use it?
Although in her heart she was thinking that, but Murong Qing Lian didn’t reveal it. Instead, she showed an infinite interest in the gun. While she played with it in her hands, she continued to praise how awesome Misha was. This was a move she had been using most often recently, but it was extremely useful. Every time she said this, Misha seemed very happy.
“Lian, do you really like it? Then, try it! I made it according to my hand. I don’t know if it would be suitable for you! Next time, I will make one according to your hand, what do you think?”
“Great! Thank you, big brother! Big brother is the best!” Murong Qing Lian said this, but her hands didn’t know how to fiddle with it. This so-called gun was the strangest thing she had ever seen. How to use this thing?
Chapter 153: Fake Faced Misha (1)
* * *
Murong Qing Lian wanted to find the answer from Misha’s face, but Misha still had a clean and gentle smile. Nothing could be seen from it. It seemed, this time, to drive a duck onto a perch, she had no choice but to stake it all!
To drive a duck onto a perch: to push somebody to do something beyond their ability
Murong Qing Lian grabbed the cylinder of the gun, but her heartbeat was a mess. She had never seen this ‘gun’. Could it be a thing to smash other things? Murong Qing Lian clutched the cylinder of the gun and knocked the table with the butt of the gun. In her heart, she believed that this was something similar to a hammer, but it wasn’t as easy to use as a hammer.
Misha smiled gently. His expression hadn’t changed. Murong Qing Lian saw Misha like this, she was surer that she guessed right! It seemed that god stood on her side and was biased towards her!
“Big brother, look, it’s used like this!” Murong Qing Lian proudly raised the gun in her hand.
“Mm, very well!” Misha took the gun in Murong Qing Lian’s hand. His fingers gently stroked the cylinder of the gun. “If the person who invented the gun saw you like this, he would certainly find it funny…”
“Big brother…”
Even if Murong Qing Lian was very stupid, she heard the unspoken implication of those words. She was startled for a moment, then she laughed embarrassingly. “Big brother, presumably it had been too long. I don’t remember how to use it, so I became unfamiliar with it. Let me think a bit more. Let me try…”
Murong Qing Lian wanted to get the gun back from Misha’s hand, but she was stopped by him. Misha took the gun and pointed it at Murong Qing Lian. The wheelchair came closer in her direction, “Even if you’ve forgotten everything, then, you should at least remember how you died!”
“Big brother…”
Don’t know why, Murong Qing Lian sensed an unprecedented coldness from Misha. Although, his smile was still the same, but that pair of clear eyes was surging.
“Pa…,” Misha narrowed his eyes and aimed at Murong Qing Lian’s heart. He made a gun sound. Seeing that he was like a different person, Murong Qing Lian went blank. She didn’t say anything, afraid that if she made a mistake, Misha would get angry.
Seeing Murong Qing Lian’s timid look, Misha laughed out loudly.
“So funny! Hahahaha!” Misha laughed and even had to bend his body. His tears fell from the corner of his eyes on his disabled legs. He laughed too much that his breath couldn’t keep up. Only after he choked twice did he stop laughing.
“In my past life, I hated people deceiving me the most. To this life, I still hate being lied to.” Misha raised his head. A smile still hung on his mouth, but his face was like it came from an icehouse. It was stiff and cold without any emotion.
“Before finding you, I did a test on Penglai Island. Two female disciples passed, but they were very honest and generously admitted that they aren’t Lian. So, I didn’t make things difficult for them…”
“Do you know how much I wanted to see you when I heard Jia Lan say that you were the first one to arrive at the seventh floor of the pagoda? From Penglai Island to here, it took more than a month on water. The moment I came on shore, without stopping to rest, I rushed to meet Jia Lan. Then, I rushed to Bei Zhou. I just wanted to know if you’re the person I was looking for.”
“In fact, from the first time I lay my eyes on you, I knew you weren’t her. However, I still brought you here; do you know why?”
“I…,” Murong Qing Lian felt air choke in her heart, making it very uncomfortable to breath. She couldn’t swallow it nor spit it out.
She never imagined that from the beginning, Misha already know that she was a fake. However, why didn’t he expose her? Why did he watch her act like a clown? Why?!
Murong Qing Lian’s question soon got the answer from Misha.
“When adoptive father brought Yi Lian, she was only five years old. She was so dirty like a worn out doll. And you, the image of that day was like the first time I saw Yi Lian. So, I got compassion and brought you back. You must thank Yi Lian. It was she who saved you!”
Misha didn’t look at Murong Qing Lian, but he had been staring at the gun in his hand.
Probably, because he stayed long-term in the wheelchair and couldn’t exercise, Misha was very thin. Even his fingers were very slim. He gently stroked the gun in his hand. So focussed, so serious as if this gun was his only treasure. Misha’s voice wasn’t as gentle as before. Instead it had a bit of coldness in it, making Murong Qing Lian frightened. She didn’t know what she would face next.
The gentleness of this young man was all pretense. He compiled a large web and looked at her struggling and bouncing in the web. He applauded and went along, but didn’t expose and didn’t unmask her. Now, he was like this, did it mean that his patience was gone? Then, would he kill her?
Murong Qing Lian grasped the collar of her clothes. Her face was pale.
Don’t know why, but now she felt that Misha was very frightening! To be more exact, Misha had always been frightening. Before, he was like a gentle milk, warming her heart. Now, he let her know that all of this was a pretense. What was it that would make a person pretend so flawlessly? Could it be that those gentleness and warmth in his eyes could also be pretended?
Misha didn’t want to know Murong Qing Lian’s emotions and also had no interest or care in them. He only cared about the person he cares about. As for Murong Qing Lian, she was just a plaything for when he had the interest. Looking at her unceasingly exchanged the four types of human emotions, was nothing more than to let his life be a bit livelier.
Four types of human emotions: happiness, anger, sorrow and joy
“I lived ten years with Yi Lian. When I was twenty, she was fifteen. At that time, we already went our different ways and had different lifestyles. However, we would go every year to adoptive father’s home to spend the Spring festivals (Chinese New Year). I saw how Yi Lian turned from a crying little girl full of snot to a slender and elegant woman who caught many people’s eyes. My heart also began to beat for her!”
Misha reminisced bit by bit about the good times of the past. Murong Qing Lian saw a thing called ‘happiness’ from his face. Now, she knows how stupid she was. She actually wanted to use the identity of ‘Yi Lian’ and continue living in her (YL) disguise. She didn’t know, in Misha
’s eyes, she was just a clown-like character.
Although this young man’s voice turned cold after exposing her, but every time when Misha said ‘Yi Lian’, Murong Qing Lian could hear the deep love from his voice.
At this time, Murong Qing Lian was envious of this woman called ‘Yi Lian’ from the bottom of her heart. Although, she didn’t understand many things from the content Misha told her, but she could feel the deep love Misha had for Yi Lian.
Thinking about her own encounters, Murong Qing Lian laughed bitterly once. Before, she was set up by Murong Xin Lian and had been dirtied by Wanyan Hong. Then, she, the victim was put into prison by Wanyan Lie who didn’t distinguish between right and wrong, making her bear the pain of the flesh daily…Everything she experienced was things ordinary people couldn’t imagine.
Misha searched everywhere for Yi Lian. No matter what kind of ways he used, even if he may kill her (MQL), but the real care he had for Yi Lian still let Murong Qing Lian be touched.
Misha cared so much about that woman called Yi Lian, then what about her (MQL)?! When she was in pain, where was the person she liked?
She liked Longze Jing Tian so much, but he wasn’t a bit concerned about her and paid no attention to her. Now, presumably Longze Jing Tian had already returned to Xi Qi! All her heart thought about and missed was him, but what about him? Who was the person he thought about and missed?
Murong Qing Lian recalled her experiences after coming to Bei Zhou. She didn’t notice that the gun in Misha’s hand was pointing at her head. Until when the coldness from her temple spread to her skin, did Murong Qing Lian wake up. Now, Misha face was already in front of her. So close, that she could count the eyelashes on his beautiful eyes.
“You pretended to be the woman I love to deceive my feelings. Tell me, how should I punish you? Mm…”