Chapter 61: Kiss (4)
"I really did something very cruel to you, more than once, right?"
"Um."
"If I were not a prince, not a king, would you have already taken action?"
"Um."
"… Well, that's really hard for you. Although it's too late to apologize, I still want to say 'I'm sorry'."
After a chuckle, Zhou Cheng's serious expression relaxed and he apologized to Shan Zhen earnestly.
"Your Majesty, you don't need to apologize to me. Besides, hasn't Your Majesty already expressed it with your actions?"
"Yes, even I didn't expect that I would love her so deeply, to the point where I couldn't extricate myself, to the point where I almost lost my rationality. I also realized how stupid and ridiculous I was before. When it should have been easy to have her, I destroyed it with my own hands. Judging from the current situation, this is the retribution I deserve, right?"
"Maybe. Perhaps it is because of all that has happened that the Emperor has discovered that he loves her. I don't know if it is too late to make amends now. I think at least I can convey this feeling to her. What will happen in the future will be determined by fate."
"God's will?"
Just like the saying goes, "A person's life is already arranged by fate." Zhou Cheng has deeply experienced this in the process of changing his hatred to love for Yin Yin.
"I think I know the reason why you admit that I am both your love rival and the king."
"Your Majesty is wise."
"By the way, don't you plan to get married? Even if it's for the sake of continuing the family line, the Shan family has produced talented people from generation to generation. Since being with Yin Yin is impossible, don't you have any plans for the future?"
"...I don't think it's the emperor's turn to say this."
The outcome of two people who have the same love relationship but treat it in different ways is still unknown. However, Zhou Cheng can use this to ease the atmosphere between the two parties. This is really unlike Zhou Cheng's style, but it is also suitable to use in front of Shan Zhen. If there is a reason, it is of course because of the relationship between the two of them as king and subject, and some kind of bond similar to that of confidants. It doesn't feel bad for the relationship between the two to end in this way.
He left a puzzle behind on purpose to make Shan Zhen come to him. After a conversation, the two of them untied their knots. Whether they were king or subject, or confidant, their relationship was further connected. As Zhou Cheng knew , Shan Zhen was a taciturn person. Apart from silently doing what he should do, he never mentioned his own affairs. As for the current situation, if he hadn't left a puzzle behind on purpose, Shan Zhen would not have come to talk to him, and would not have untied the knot that he had been hiding deep in his heart. After the conversation, he really felt relieved. At that time, he understood Shan Zhen's abilities, and he was afraid that even he himself had not discovered Shan Zhen's talents. Putting this aside, Shan Zhen could be said to have grown up with him. As a confidant, he didn't want any barriers between him and him, especially in the matter of Yin Yin.
Compared with Zhou Cheng, Shan Zhen's thoughts were not so simple. One was the woman he deeply loved, and the other was the person he was loyal to. There was an invisible wall between the two that could not be crossed, and neither side could easily give up. When Zhou Cheng hurt Yin Yin, he could only watch, hate, and blame himself. When Zhou Cheng fell in love with Yin Yin, he could only watch silently, unable to do anything, nothing at all...
Late at night, Shan Zhen rode his horse alone on the way home, looking at the jade pendant in his hand with a thoughtful and melancholy look. This was the only thing he had related to Yin Yin, but he was already satisfied with it. Looking at the jade pendant, he recalled the scenes of Yin Yin, and then thought of his previous conversation with Zhou Cheng. He closed his eyes and thought to himself, 'Is it really difficult to have both love and righteousness?' It is not difficult to imagine the meaning of this sentence for Shan Zhen, a loyal and honest minister. It also shows that he is always alert to himself and under pressure from both sides.
Shan Zhen, who was in deep thought, opened his eyes, put the jade pendant back to his waist , pulled the reins and stopped the horse. His expression, which was full of worries before, was now as calm as before. He was under a small forest some distance away from the general's mansion.
"Come out."
A warning call came from the corner of his eye, as if he already knew who was following him . A white figure jumped down from the tree and landed beside Shan Zhen...
"That's amazing. I thought you were so worried that you wouldn't notice me, so I moved a little closer."
Feng Jingyi's playful voice appeared again, and Dan Zhen was not surprised by her appearance. Although she was still dressed in men's clothes, Dan Zhen did not feel anything about it. No matter whether she was wearing men's clothes or women's clothes, he always kept a certain distance from Feng Jingyi, but he didn't know why Feng Jingyi always seemed to like following him?
"Why do you keep following me?"
"Well, why? It can help pass the time."
"...You have a lot of free time, just like your brother."
"It's fine."
"...What exactly are you planning on following me? Let's not talk about Changcheng for now. You've already reunited with your brother, so why are you still following me?"
"I'm afraid you won't keep your word."
Feng Jingyi's words made Shan Zhen silent. It was something he really couldn't refute.
