Blind and Bereft

Chapter 67 | Beneath the Soil

"Thank goodness, you are fine!" Yuansong yelled as he rushed over to Jingrui who had just exited Prince Zhanying's quarters. His eyes scanned her up and down.

Jingrui almost fell back because of Yuansong's panic. For Yuansong to be worried about her, made beads of sweat trickle down her forehead. "Why wouldn't I be?"

He wiped the residue of tears from his cheeks. "Well, I sent you into the God of War's chamber, and you were in there for, god knows how many hours. It's already the next day, and I really thought. . ." He breathed in as he crossed his arms, trying to toughen up his façade. "I heard you scream in deep pain, and I really thought he had ended your pitiful life."

Jingrui's eyes almost popped out of their sockets, and quickly, she cleared her throat. "P-Perhaps, you are hearing things."

He rolled his eyes. "It was so loud, I can't be hearing things. . ." He skimmed over her again to make sure that she was really a living being standing before him. But then he gasped, loud and hard. His finger raised as he pointed at her collarbone. "W-Why are there so many red marks? Did His Highness try to strangle you?"

Jingrui ran her hand over her collarbone and scoffed. "Come here for a second." Trying her best to keep composed, she wound her arm around Yuansong and dragged him away from the Prince's quarters. When she ascertained that they were far enough from Prince Zhanying's hearing, she let go of him.

Yuansong raised his brows as he placed his hands on his hips. "What is it? Acting so suspicious."

Jingrui crossed her arms. "When I first entered the Inner Courtyard, you told me that His Highness is rid of seven emotions and six desires . . . were you lying to me?"

Yuansong snorted. "Of course not. Well, to be honest, the Prince was a dally, amorous socialite amongst women in his youth. But ever since he lost his sight, he really became rid of seven emotions and six desires. I don't see why you think I'm lying."

Jingrui nodded slowly, taking in his words. "So, now that he has his sight back. . ." Her throat felt dry and she gulped.

Yuansong suddenly gasped, and he held his hand to his mouth. "D-Don't tell me. . ." His face was blanched of colours, and he held the back of his hand to his forehead. His eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he summoned a hand fan to give himself air. "Oh my God! Oh my God of War!"

Jingrui's brows arched at Yuansong's over-dramatic reaction. "What's wrong with you?"

He snapped his gaze at her. "No, absolutely, no! I can't let you hold more authority than me in this inner courtyard. If you and God of War are . . . ugh, screw this!"

"C-Calm down." Jingrui patted Yuansong's shoulder.

"You are just a little clumsy maid. Why, God, why?" Tears brimmed in his eyes as he buried his face in his palms.

Jingrui cleared her throat and gave him a pressed smile. "D-Don't worry, my sir, no matter how things will change, I will still call you, 'sir'. And you'd still be His Highness' most trusted person."

Yuansong crossed his arms. "You don't need to pretend to be nice to me."

Jingrui let out a sigh, and her pat on his back intensified. "I'm not pretending to be nice. You are my best friend and nothing will change that."

Yuansong flinched at her words. "Best friend? W-Who's your best friend, little maid? I-I, certainly, am not!" He turned away from her and crossed his arms. "As Prince Zhanying's elder, I will go and ask him directly. I won't believe you, ever!" With that, he stormed off into the distance.

After that day, Jingrui walked her every step within Yuansong's radar. He was suffocating her to death, and when she moved in with Prince Zhanying, Yuansong seemed to have lost his mind. In order for her to be rid of his penetrating glare, she hid closely behind the Prince; her safest haven.

A fortnight had passed by like that; utterly suffocating. Luckily, when she woke up that morning, Yuansong and Prince Zhanying were out visiting the Third Uncle Yunru. Although she didn't want to part with the Prince, she was glad to be rid of Yuansong.

The only problem was, the Prince had instructed that she would be cleaning weeds. He told her that even though he loved her, he couldn't spoil her to her death. Jingrui knew that his intention in making her dig out weeds was none other than to distract her in a task, so that she wouldn't stir trouble while he was away. He even took precautions and instructed her that if ever trouble were alighted in the Floating Abyss while he was away, she must quickly run to the Third Uncle's place.

She sighed as she sat down by the back garden with a shovel. Sometimes Prince Zhanying really worried too much about her. She poked the shovel into the soil in utter boredom. At least, Xiaobai was by her side to help her. She didn't know what she would do without Xiaobai to keep her company.

Xiaobai, who could find happiness in every task, grinned as she picked up a four-leaf clover from within the weeds. "Look at this, Jingrui." Xiaobai held it up to her. "I heard if you pick up a four-leaf clover, it means you are lucky. I know this is simple and worth nothing compared to gold and silver, but here, I'll give you my luck."

Jingrui smiled and received it from her as she twirled it in her fingers. "I guess I'm going to be lucky today then. Even though it's simple, I will treasure it, thank you, Xiaobai." She grinned and with her cultivation, she preserved the clover so that it would stay fresh forever before placing it under her sleeve.

Xiaobai dug the weeds out with a shovel while holding a bright beam. "I've always liked simple things. All that I wish for in my life is to serve good deities, like the God of War, be a loyal person, and live happily. I don't wish to be like the four-leaf clover, luckily picked from these wildflowers to be saved. I just want a peaceful and free life."

There was something in Xiaobai's words that pulled the strings in her heart. The thing Jingrui had dreamt of the most was to run free within the field of peach blossoms. Although Prince Zhanying had planted a colourful field within her heart, she knew it would be a long time before she could run free. Within the survival field of the Hell Palace, to feel the slightest bit of freedom was almost impossible.

Jingrui sighed, and with her building up thoughts, she violently dug up the weeds, determined to finish her job. As she sped through her labour, her shovel suddenly hit against something hard. Her brows raised. Was she so absorbed in thoughts that she dug into the baserock?

She jabbed the shovel on the hard object and a clunking sound echoed from the hole.

It was definitely not a rock, more like metal. Jingrui tapped Xiaobai's shoulder as she peered down under the hole she had just dug. "Look." She pointed her finger at something shiny below the dirt.

Xiaobai squinted her eyes to see inside the obsidian hole. "It looks like a box. Can you use your Qi energy to get it up?"

Jingrui wiped sweat off her forehead as she nodded. With all her force, she concentrated her energy, and shakily, she brought the box up to the air. Xiaobai caught it and wiped the dirt off the metallic surface.

It was a small metal casket which had gone rusty. Xiaobai handed it to Jingrui. "Should we open it?"

Jingrui gulped and nodded. Her hands trembled slightly as she opened the rusty box. The smell of ink and old parchment paper wafted into her nose. And beneath all the smell was a faint scent of blood—in which Jingrui consoled herself that it was just the smell of rust. Inside, laid a torn paper. She took a deep breath and grabbed it before unrolling it open.

"A letter?" Jingrui skimmed over the runny ink, and her eyes widened. As if the courtyard was suddenly engulfed in winter, her blood ran cold. Her pulse raced, and her voice quivered, "From Empress Dowager Lingyue to . . . Third Prince Yunru."