The Divine Capital was the capital of the Jin Dynasty, the number one city in the world.
The outskirts of the capital were naturally guarded by countless troops. Anyone who wanted to cause trouble here would have to pay a monstrous price.
The nine passes and seventy-two towns protected the capital like stars surrounding the moon. Each town and pass were garrisoned by the Divine Martial Army. Even if one wanted to enter the capital by water, they still had to go through these dangerous passes and towns.
"Squawk!"
In the sky, a flock of geese was flying south in a straight line. Each was as big as a dustpan.
It was a sunny day, but the air was a little chilly. In the Rouge Maple Forest beside the road, fiery leaves fell down one by one in the cold wind.
"Creak!"
Feng Feiyun wore a white daoist robe, looking just like a scholar. He stepped on the leaves and stared at the forest: "Autumn is over, winter is coming soon."
"Winter at the capital is always cold. When the snow falls, many beggars will freeze to death under the eaves. In the morning, they'll be picked up like garbage and loaded onto carriages. Then, they'll be thrown into the Jin River outside the city."
Xiaoxiang had a slender figure and a graceful figure. She wore a purple dress and walked on the red leaves behind Feng Feiyun.
"There are beggars at the capital?" Feng Feiyun didn't know what to say. He thought that the capital only had cultivators, a paradise of extravagance.
"As long as there are people, there will be beggars."
She suddenly stopped and stood in the middle of the falling red leaves, not wanting to leave.
Feng Feiyun also stopped and turned around to look at her. He noticed that her eyes were filled with confusion like two grapes that had just been pulled out of the water. He said: "We're about to enter the first town to the south. Don't worry, I'll make it through and take you back to the capital."
"Back to the Beauty's Smile Pavilion?" She asked.
"Yes!" Feng Feiyun replied.
She gently bit her red lips and slightly opened her mouth: "I don't want to go back."
Suddenly, she added: "Feiyun, if you can take me away from the capital, I don't care where you go, I'll follow you to the ends of the earth …"
She didn't know how much courage she had to muster to say these words. When she said these words, her voice became softer and softer, until only she could hear it.
Feng Feiyun didn't expect this. Even though her words were very subtle, anyone who wasn't a fool could understand the underlying meaning.
However, Feng Feiyun didn't have such thoughts about her. Feng Feiyun didn't care about the consequences when it came to the demonesses from the heretical schools. He would even force himself on them. However, for a kind and pure girl like Xiaoxiang, Feng Feiyun wouldn't touch her if he couldn't give her a future.
Xiaoxiang pursued freedom and love with impartiality. She could live in seclusion in the forest, play her flute by the spring and dance on the treetops. In the morning, she would pick the dew to make tea. At night, she would sit under the eaves and look at the moon. She would leisurely and peacefully pursue her music. She wanted to live a peaceful and free life.
However, Feng Feiyun couldn't do this.
Feng Feiyun was destined not to be able to live such a life. Many people wouldn't let him live a peaceful life either. The Feng Ancestor wouldn't let him do as he wished. The Evil Woman wouldn't let him go either. Those who were afraid of him growing up wouldn't let him live a peaceful life either.
If one day, Feng Feiyun had done everything he needed to do and no one could threaten him or his friends and family, then perhaps he would agree to Xiaoxiang, but not now.
"I'm sorry …" Feng Feiyun wanted to say, "You misunderstood me." However, before he could say it, he noticed that the girl's eyes were moist.
Xiaoxiang's chest was a bit sore as she hurriedly said: "I … I was only saying it. The truth is … I don't know what I'm saying. Just pretend that I didn't say anything … I didn't say anything at all …"
After saying this, she turned around and ran away. Her eyes were blurred, blurring her vision. Her infatuated heart seemed to be ruthlessly trampled on. "Ye Xiaoxiang, you're really too stupid. You're so stupid that you actually hoped that a famous number one genius would give up fame and fortune and live in seclusion with a prostitute like you. Can you be any more wishful thinking?
Boohoo! "
While running away, she was still crying. Her tears fell onto the fallen leaves and issued a pitter-patter like an autumn drizzle.
"Whew!"
Feng Feiyun took a deep breath and felt a bit stifled in his heart. He looked down and found a long purple flute among the fallen leaves.
This was Xiaoxiang's favorite flute. How could she leave it behind? She purposely left it behind here.
"I hope you can find the life you want. Freedom, serenity, and pure love. I can't give you such a life."
Feng Feiyun picked up the flute and put it away before walking towards the capital. Amidst the falling leaves, he hugged a lonely figure.
The leaves of the Rouge Maple Forest were even redder than rouge.
Inside the forest, there was a small creek. Xiaoxiang was sitting next to it with her feet soaking in the cold water. Her hands were hugging her knees as her hair was scattered. Her jade-like face had tears rolling down. She stared at the creek as if she could see the shadow of that damnable man.
"If you can't take me away, then why did you intrude into my life?
Why?
Why? "
She bit her lips so hard that they were about to bleed. Traces of blood leaked out from the corner of her mouth.
"Buzz!"
An exquisite and luxurious carriage passed through the Rouge Maple Forest. The roof of the carriage was covered in leaves while the shaft was covered in dust. Even the nostrils of the snow deer pulling the carriage were emitting two tubes of white smoke. Clearly, it had been on the road for a long time.
However, there was no driver. It was as if the snow deer had a mind of its own and knew the way.
The carriage came from the south and was clearly heading towards the capital.
"Miss, how long is the journey from here to the capital?"
An extremely beautiful voice came from the carriage. It was even more melodious than a nightingale's song and more pleasing to the ears than the flowing water of the mountains.
Xiaoxiang was still sitting next to the creek with teary eyes. It was as if she didn't hear the person asking for directions.
The curtains of the carriage were lifted. These curtains were made from the finest chiffon and ice silk. They were as delicate as the winter snow, but the pair of hands were a hundred times more delicate and a thousand times softer than the curtains.
A peerlessly beautiful woman dressed in white came down from the carriage. She had a fresh fragrance and a black agate bracelet on her wrist. Her long neck made her look as beautiful as a swan.
Her face was covered in a white veil, a silver crystal butterfly hairpin inserted into her hair, forming a stark contrast with the red leaves of the Rouge Maple Forest.
"Miss, I'm from the Grand Southern Prefecture and have an important matter to attend to at the capital. Please tell me how far it is from here." The woman stood behind Xiaoxiang.
Xiaoxiang finally heard someone talking to her so she turned around. After seeing the woman in white, she immediately exclaimed: "Dongfang Jingyue … No, you're not Dongfang Jingyue, you're …"
The woman behind her was too beautiful and was also dressed in white. Xiaoxiang mistook her for someone else, but after a careful look, she found that this woman wasn't Dongfang Jingyue at all. Even though they both wore veils, their auras were completely different. Even their eyes were different.
They were two different women.
"Sister Ye!" The woman in white was ecstatic. She directly jumped forward and hugged Xiaoxiang.
"You are …" Xiaoxiang said.
"Hongyan 'er!"
Tears were about to come out of her eyes: "Ten years ago, in the Grand Southern Prefecture, outside of the Supreme Beauty Pavilion. That little girl was about to starve to death under the eaves."
"Hongyan 'er, Nangong Hongyan!"
Xiaoxiang rubbed her slightly red eyes and wiped them away with a happy expression: "When I left the Supreme Beauty Pavilion, you were only thirteen years old. I didn't expect you to be so tall now.
Not only are you taller, but you're also falling. "
"I'm not as pretty as you, Sister Ye."
One of the most important reasons she came to the capital was to save Xiaoxiang and leave. She didn't expect to see Xiaoxiang right outside of the capital.
She noticed the tears on Xiaoxiang's cheeks and asked with concern: "How did you escape from the Beauty's Smile Pavilion?"
"I …" Xiaoxiang pulled her hand and slowly sat down by the creek. She told her about the recent events.
Of course, she didn't mention Feng Feiyun's name. Who knows if it was because she couldn't bring herself to say it or because she didn't want to.
How intelligent was Hongyan? Her beautiful eyes flashed with a teasing smile as she said: "So you're saying that Big Sister likes the man who saved you?
What is your relationship now? "
Xiaoxiang's eyes were filled with panic. She said with hidden bitterness: "He is a world-renowned genius but he didn't want to leave the capital with me."
"So you came here alone and cried by yourself?"
A murderous aura emanated from Hongyan's body. All the leaves in the Rouge Maple Forest were blown up into the sky. All the trees became barren. Even the birds on the branches fell to the ground with their stomachs torn apart. She coldly uttered: "How preposterous! Big Sister Ye is so beautiful, to be able to take a liking to him is a blessing that he couldn't cultivate in ten lifetimes. How could he be so heartless? Tell me who he is and I'll kill this heartless man for you."
She owed Xiaoxiang a debt of gratitude. Everything she did before was to save her from the Beauty's Smile Pavilion. However, Xiaoxiang was not only her savior, she was also her closest and most respected sister.
Her sister was bullied by a man, so how could she let her sister take revenge for her?
Hongyan had never been soft-hearted when it came to killing.
"It has nothing to do with him, it was all my own wishful thinking." Xiaoxiang quietly said. She no longer cried and had a sweet smile on her face.
"If you like him, then he must be yours. If he doesn't, I'll make him suffer a fate worse than death. At that time, he won't be able to cry even if he wants to."
Hongyan's pretty eyes were filled with murderous intent. It had been a long time since she wanted to kill someone so badly.
She pulled Xiaoxiang towards the ancient carriage.
"Hongyan 'er, where are you taking me?" Xiaoxiang asked.
"The capital." Hongyan answered.
"I'm not going there, the capital." Xiaoxiang said.
"Sister Ye, we can't just run away from men.
If we don't teach him a lesson, he'll think that my sister is easy to bully. "
Hongyan's eyes were as cold as the stars. She directly dragged Xiaoxiang into the carriage. The snow deer galloped towards the capital.