Chapter 779: Joys and sorrows in the desert (Part )

"Xunyi, after I leave, will you... miss me?"

By the Crescent Lake, Liu Xunyi and Zhao Xin sat snuggling together. She leaned her soft body gently in Liu Xunyi's arms, letting his arms tightly wrap around her waist. His solid and warm chest made her feel extremely at ease.

Similarly, the faint fragrance from Zhao Xin also made Liu Xunyi intoxicated without drinking, and his mind was peaceful.

Up to this moment, the two had been sitting here quietly for two hours. There was no crying, no life-and-death struggle, no crying, and even no parting. From beginning to end, they just leaned on each other calmly, laughing and talking in low voices without being disturbed by praise or criticism.

From the first time they met, they recalled their past bit by bit, sometimes arguing, sometimes singing in unison, sometimes flirting, sometimes smiling at each other...

Everything seemed just like the secret meeting they had in Lin'an, with the zither and the Chinese harp in tune, the two leaning against each other, carefree, talking and laughing.

At least on the surface, there was no sign of the pain of the impending separation. Even if they were in tears? Even if they suddenly choked up? They didn't want the other person to be deeply in pain and unable to extricate themselves, so they were desperately suppressing it and pretending to be relaxed as much as possible.

Hearing Zhao Xin's question, Liu Xunyi couldn't help but feel sad. For a moment, he was confused and didn't know how to respond.

"I don't want you to keep thinking about me. I hope... you can forget me as soon as possible, or better yet, completely forget me." Zhao Xin suppressed her grief and told Liu Xunyi her sincere yet reluctant expectations.

"I promise you!" Liu Xunyi pretended to be joking, "The day you forget me, I will definitely forget you completely."

Facing Liu Xunyi's teasing, Zhao Xin first frowned slightly, and then burst out laughing.

"why are you laughing?"

"I'm laughing at you. I don't know when you started to learn to be so smooth-talking."

While teasing, Zhao Xin subconsciously reached out and slapped Liu Xunyi on the cheek, as if to teach him a lesson for his silver tongue.

However, when Zhao Xin's fingertips touched Liu Xunyi's cheek, the force of the patting instantly turned into gentle water, lightly stroking along his angular outline, as if wanting to remember his appearance firmly in her heart.

"Xunyi, I was amazed when I saw you dancing with a sword just now. I think your swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle." Zhao Xin stared at Liu Xunyi with her deep eyes, and said faintly, "Is your martial arts... better than before?"

"Hmm?" Liu Xunyi raised his eyebrows and asked with interest, "In the past, you had no interest in wielding swords and guns, but on the way to escort the bride, you repeatedly asked about other people's martial arts. What is your intention? Tell the truth quickly!"

After saying that, Liu Xunyi pretended to be ferocious and ferocious, causing Zhao Xin to giggle.

"I want to know, if your martial arts skills are the best in the world, will you no longer have to worry about being hunted down by your enemies?"

Looking at Zhao Xin's innocent and sincere eyes, Liu Xunyi couldn't help but feel touched. At this moment, he had understood Zhao Xin's hidden meaning and understood her good intentions.

After all, Zhao Xin is still obsessed with the fact that Liu Xunyi is carrying the "Jianghu Killing Order" and is very worried.

Liu Xunyi didn't want Zhao Xin to be frightened, so he nodded and said calmly, "That's right! When I become the best martial artist in the world, no one in the world will be able to hurt me."

"Then how far are you from being the best in the world?" Zhao Xin asked relentlessly, "How many more years do you need to practice?"

"This……"

Seeing Liu Xunyi's embarrassed expression, Zhao Xin couldn't help but feel nervous and asked worriedly, "Is it difficult to become the best in the world?"

"It's not easy..." Liu Xunyi hesitated and spoke vaguely, "But it's not impossible. As long as I practice hard, I will achieve my wish sooner or later."

"Who was the leader at the Weizhou Inn that day? His martial arts skills seemed very powerful."

"This..." Liu Xunyi hesitated for a long time, then suddenly straightened his eyes and explained, "Xin'er, there is a Dragon Elephant List in the martial arts world. The man who chased me in the Weizhou Inn that day was named Lu Tingxiang, and he ranked third on the Dragon Elephant List."

"What's your ranking?"

"The fifth one..." As soon as Liu Xunyi said this, he noticed the disappointment on Zhao Xin's face and quickly added, "But the second one, Su He, and the fourth one, Qin Ku, are both good brothers who have always been with me. They will never embarrass me, so you don't have to worry."

"What about number one?"

"First..." Liu Xunyi's mind flashed with the cynical Wu Shuang, and he answered vaguely, "First and I have some acquaintance, so... we are also friends."

"That's great!" Zhao Xin heaved a sigh of relief and said happily, "Since No. 1 in the world is your friend, remember to ask him for help when you return to Central Plains."

Zhao Xin didn't know much about the Jianghu, and didn't understand the meaning of the Dragon Elephant Ranking, so she thought that the first place on the Dragon Elephant Ranking was the best in the world. Liu Xunyi didn't correct her, but followed her instructions and agreed with her, just to reassure her.

Having said this, Liu Xunyi and Zhao Xin fell silent again.

When you are worried, it is almost impossible to chat and laugh as usual.

The moon was hazy, the breeze was blowing gently, the Crescent Lake was shimmering, and a reflection of the sun was looming, just like the mood of the two people at the moment, worried about gains and losses, happy and sad.

It was already halfway through the third watch and the fourth watch was approaching. The time left for them...was already running out.

Suddenly, Zhao Xin reached out and gently stroked Liu Xunyi's cheek, looked into his eyes, and said slowly and lovingly, "Xunyi, I'm sorry..."

The word "I'm sorry" came without any warning, and immediately touched Liu Xunyi's heartstrings, making it difficult for him to remain calm and composed. Worry arose from him, and the tears that had been hidden deep in his eyes suddenly burst out and flowed slowly along Zhao Xin's fingers.

The complex and entangled feelings are like eyes blurred by tears, which are hazy but can hardly conceal the attachment and reluctance to each other.

"Xin'er, I'm the one who should say sorry, not you." His shaking hands brushed along Zhao Xin's long black hair. Liu Xunyi was filled with guilt, and every word pierced his heart. "It's my incompetence that prevented me from making achievements and convincing the emperor to marry you to me... The survival of the Song Dynasty is like a heavy burden, but you, a weak woman, have to bear it alone. I, Liu Xunyi, as a man... I can't serve the country, I can't protect the people, and I can't even keep the woman I love the most... Even if I become the best in the world, what does it matter? A sharp sword in hand cannot match the power in hand. No matter how high my martial arts skills are... I am ultimately a reckless man who can be manipulated by others." "Xunyi..."

"Xin'er!"

Suddenly, Liu Xunyi tightly grasped Zhao Xin's hand and said excitedly, "Let's go! I'll take you away from here. If the Song-Mongol war is going to happen, then let it happen. What does it have to do with us? Let's find a secluded place and live a quiet life, okay?"

However, facing Liu Xunyi's expectant and eager gaze, Zhao Xin shed tears silently without saying a word.

"Xin'er, as long as you say a word, even just nod, I..."

"Xunyi, stop talking." Zhao Xin struggled to break free from Liu Xunyi's restraints, tears streaming down her face, and she shook her head slowly, "With the country destroyed and the family ruined, where else can there be a paradise on earth? Besides, we already had an agreement, didn't we?"

"Can……"

"The Liu Xunyi I know is a great hero. No matter what difficulties he encounters, he will never run away."

Zhao Xin's pretending to be strong made Liu Xunyi feel guilty and distressed, and he quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears.

This handkerchief was their token of love and Liu Xunyi had always kept it close to his body, not daring to lose it no matter when or where.

"Xunyi, why do you keep it?" Zhao Xin's eyes moved, and she suddenly snatched the handkerchief and said angrily, "If you keep it, how can you forget me? Keeping it will only make you live in the memories of the past, and it will become more painful."

"I know, but..." Liu Xunyi hesitated, feeling extremely conflicted. "But how easy is it to forget you? Xin'er, I'm not as rational as you, nor can I be as carefree as you..."

Liu Xunyi's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Zhao Xin's heart deeply, breaking her heart and choking her several times.

"Xin'er, I don't blame you, I just..."

"Xunyi, there's no need to say more. I... understand your feelings." Zhao Xin interrupted Liu Xunyi's explanation and said with tears in her eyes under his uneasy gaze, "In this life, you and I are not destined to be together. I took the initiative to give up our relationship. I... I'm sorry. If there is an afterlife... I hope I'm not a princess and you're not Lord Liu. Then I will slowly make up for what I owe you in this life."

"Xin'er..."

"In fact, I have already prepared a gift for you, a gift... that belongs only to you. But due to various concerns, I have not been able to fulfill my wish before."

Before she finished her words, Zhao Xin suddenly stood up, holding her handkerchief and walked towards Crescent Lake step by step.

"Xin'er, what are you going to do?" Liu Xunyi was frightened and stood up in a hurry.

"Don't worry, I'm not committing suicide."

Zhao Xin took off her shoes and socks on the shore and stepped barefoot into Crescent Lake step by step. The clear spring water gradually flooded over her calves.

The moonlight poured down, and in the hazy reflection, she looked like a goddess descending from heaven. She had a slender waist, a stunning appearance, a beautiful face like a lotus emerging from water, and her exquisite and graceful figure was even more graceful than a jade tree in the wind.

Every gesture, every frown and smile is so beautiful that it is breathtaking.

"Xunyi, I am responsible for the rise and fall of the Song Dynasty, and the lives and deaths of tens of millions of people. I cannot ignore the happiness of others because of my own feelings..." Zhao Xin stared at the anxious Liu Xunyi with tears in her eyes and smiled, "But I also don't want to leave regrets for the most important relationship in my life."

"Xin'er, what are you doing..."

"I'm about to marry a Mongolian prince. I heard that the Dali Kingdom was conquered by this prince. A prince who made the Mongolian Khan respect him, a prince who made thousands of arrogant soldiers tremble in fear, a prince who held great power and killed countless people... There is no doubt that he must be a treacherous, arrogant, cruel and greedy man." Zhao Xin ignored Liu Xunyi's concerns and said to herself, "Such a powerful Mongolian prince would never tolerate other men getting involved in his things, whether it is soldiers, cattle, sheep, grasslands or... women."

At this point, Zhao Xin couldn't stop her tears from streaming down her face. She sobbed, "For the sake of peace between Song and Mongolia, for the sake of fulfilling my mission, and for the sake of saving thousands of innocent people from the disaster of having their families torn apart and their lives destroyed, I...cannot give myself to the man I love the most, because I must gain Hu Lie's trust, and even...please him."

"Xin'er..." Zhao Xin's heartfelt words made Liu Xunyi feel as if his heart was being cut by a knife.

"But I am not reconciled, nor am I willing to do so." Zhao Xin wiped away the tears from her eyes and gave Liu Xunyi a stubborn but extremely gentle smile. "Liu Xunyi is the man I, Zhao Xin, truly love! Although I cannot leave my innocence to him, at least... I can let him be the first man to be honest with me. In this way, it will not be a waste of our love. After tonight, I will be nothing more than a walking corpse, because my heart... will always stay at this moment."

"Xin'er, you absolutely cannot..."

Before Liu Xunyi could urgently dissuade her, Zhao Xin had already raised her handkerchief high into the night sky.

I don’t know when? The moonlight gradually faded out of the clouds, casting a bright white light, reflecting the beauty in the lake as warm as jade.

The handkerchief fluttered in the wind, dancing gracefully. The charming Zhao Xin even untied her clothes in the Crescent Lake, letting her purple shirt and skirt fall off layer by layer.

In a flash, the handkerchief and the dress fell into the mirror-smooth water, causing rippling waves and creating ripples.

The white jade is as bright as light, dazzling and flawless.

If the heaven had feelings, it would turn the clear spring into tears. If the heaven had no feelings, it would laugh at the common people with its contempt.

At this moment, in this situation...

It is a beautiful fruition of a marriage that has lasted for many years and was destined by heaven. It is also a sad ending of a relationship that has ended and the separation of life and death has been uncertain.

……

(End of this chapter)