SWHCBB 94

Chapter 94: Zhiyu’s Past Life Journey (Part 1)

The scene before them shifted again. Li Qingci was weakly leaning against the bed’s headboard, cradling a swaddled baby in her arms, her face radiant with love and affection. “Xiao Zhiyu, I’ve already picked your courtesy name. Whether your father agrees or not, you’re going to be called Zhiyu. Both your name and courtesy name were chosen by me! If you ever get the chance to come to my world and find me, be my baby again, alright? I’ll definitely recognize you next time! Good child!”

Wen Jue’s eyes stung at the sight. So he really had once been held in his mother’s arms and gently coaxed…

In the present, as he lay unconscious, a tear slid from the corner of Wen Jue’s eye. Meanwhile, Jiang Chuang’s lips curled high with a smile.

Xiao Zhiyu reached up and tugged Li Qingci’s hair, giggling. Li Qingci winced from the pain, pried her hair free from his grasp, and muttered, “Goodness, you’re even rowdier than I was!”

Once her hair was rescued, they returned to a scene of “a loving mother and filial child.” Li Qingci couldn’t help planting a kiss on Xiao Zhiyu’s cheek, only to immediately wipe her mouth with disgust. “How can you be this cute and drool this much? Ptooey, ptooey…”

Wen Jue: …Is Jiang Chuang watching this too?

Suddenly, Li Qingci let out a long sigh. “I won’t get to see you again, Xiao Zhiyu. Don’t blame me for leaving you and your sister. I just can’t take it anymore. This godforsaken world has nothing, no phones, no TV, no refrigerator, no internet! And every day I have to look at that disgusting dog of a man. I want to go home!”

She lowered her voice. “But don’t be scared, I’ve asked a powerful demon to look after you. She’s super strong!”

Wen Jue thought: He didn’t know what kind of things his mother was talking about, but they sounded interesting. What kind of world had she come from? Would they… have a chance to meet again?

But if Mother Consort had been unhappy, how could he ask her to stay just for him? Staying would’ve only made her more miserable, and might not have protected him anyway.

What he saw, Jiang Chuang also saw. At that moment, Jiang Chuang was watching the infant Zhiyu in Li Qingci’s arms, and his heart had melted into mush.

Ah, Xiao, he really wanted to pinch those cheeks. They must be so soft!

Hmph. That “super strong demon” only remembered to shut herself in for cultivation and forgot all about them.

But Wen Jue’s mother really had a healthy mindset. She left when she stopped loving, with no unnecessary entanglements. That way, she wouldn’t be drained and exhausted by it all.

Still, it had left Wen Jue pitiful, growing up amid whispers and rumors in both the palace and among the common people. How could he ignore that?

Suddenly, the world was swallowed in darkness. This time, a voice came by Wen Jue’s ear: “Your Highness… Xiang Tingxuan has been eliminated. Are you not happy?”

It was Changning.

Wen Jue froze. Was he… back in the present? No, something wasn’t right…

A flood of memories suddenly surged into his mind. Wen Jue’s hand trembled, and the jade token of the Xiang family he was holding dropped to the ground and shattered into pieces.

“Your Highness, what’s wrong?” Changning anxiously grabbed his hand. “Is your illness acting up again? Should I call Imperial Physician Li?”

Wen Jue shook his head with difficulty. It was like he remembered something, but also couldn’t recall what he’d just been thinking?

Outside, rapid footsteps sounded. Someone pounded on the door. “Wen Jue! I know you’re in there! Open up!”

It was Jiang Chuang.

“Open the door. Let him in.” Wen Jue’s heart was full of a complex anticipation.

Jiang Chuang burst in like a gust of wind and marched straight to Wen Jue, who sat at the table. Gritting his teeth, he demanded, “You really don’t want to see me that badly? I’ve done my best to stay away, why are you still forcing me to leave?”

Wen Jue was briefly startled but soon regained his composure. “Was it that strategist of yours again?”

Jiang Chuang glared at him, filled with both love and hate, grinding his teeth. “Who cares who said it? At such a critical moment, you all got rid of Xiang Tingxuan, there’s no one left in the Xiang family to compete with me. No matter how unwilling I am, I have no choice but to return to guard the border! Don’t tell me you didn’t plan it this way, timing it just right to send me away before I could ruin your plans. Is that it?”

Of course not! Who was spouting this nonsense?

Wen Jue had eliminated Xiang Tingxuan only because the time was right. The opportunity had to be seized! If they didn’t use this chance to cut off the Xiang family’s wings, who knew how long they’d have to wait for the next?

He knew this would force Jiang Chuang back to the battlefield with no guarantee of return, but he had no other choice. That was why he’d been so gloomy, afraid of something happening to Jiang Chuang… or that Jiang Chuang might never come back.

Wen Jue rose, about to explain and coax him, to speak his true feelings. But his head swam, and he staggered, gripping the table just as Changning rushed to steady him. “Your Highness? Are you alright?”

The words he wanted to say were swallowed back down.

Was there any point in explaining? No.

After all, they were already standing on opposing sides. Jiang Chuang belonged to Prince Yi. Wen Jue had tried again and again to pull him away, to win his loyalty for himself, but he had failed every time. So how could Jiang Chuang betray Prince Yi for him?

The only reason Jiang Chuang hadn’t exposed Wen Jue’s ambitions in front of Prince Yi was likely out of sentiment for all their past physical intimacy.

They were better off becoming bitter enemies. That way, when swords met on the battlefield, neither of them would hesitate.

If one day Jiang Chuang, under Prince Yi’s orders, came to eliminate him and his sister, he wouldn’t hate him.

But if that day really came, Wen Jue would do everything in his power to kill Jiang Chuang first. Then, after his sister’s plans were complete, he’d use his own wretched life to accompany him in death.

Wen Jue didn’t see the flash of worry in Jiang Chuang’s eyes, nor how he sheepishly withdrew his hand. His own face had already turned cold as he issued a harsh warning. “General Jiang is far too naive. Whether I see you or not makes no difference to me. On the battlefield, blades show no mercy. General Jiang, you’d best be careful. Your life is still worth something. If you say you want to oppose Prince Yi, who should you deal with first?”

“You!” Jiang Chuang’s eyes turned red with fury. He grabbed Wen Jue’s hand, forcing him to take a step forward.

Changning was about to rush to protect him when Wen Jue said calmly, “Changning, withdraw.”

Changning reluctantly stepped aside.

Only after Changning left did Jiang Chuang snarl under his breath, “You’re just waiting for me to die, aren’t you? Do you even have a heart? You…”

“No.” Wen Jue replied flatly. “I was just playing along, that’s all. You didn’t take it seriously, did you? But if you want to switch sides and surrender, it’s not impossible. Tell me Prince Yi’s next move, and maybe I’ll reluctantly sleep with you one more time.”

“In your dreams!” Jiang Chuang flung his hand away with force. “You… you’ll never get what you want! You want me dead? I refuse to die! I’ll make you watch as I return in triumph, help Prince Yi ascend the throne, and then, if I want to screw you to death, no one will stop me!”

Wen Jue gave a mocking smile. “Seems like General Jiang is the real dreamer here. Then allow me to… wish you victory in advance.”

Jiang Chuang turned and stormed out. His angry footsteps soon faded into the distance.

Wen Jue rubbed his sore wrist, heart sinking. He was the one who said those cruel words, but he was also the one whose chest now ached from them.

Still… Wen Jue couldn’t help but chuckle. Who threatens someone by saying they’ll screw them to death? Just how pent-up was he?

If you can’t hold it in, then don’t. Playing enemies… might not be such a bad idea after all.

He shook his head in regret and called, “Send word to Wei Xiuzhu. Tell him to meet me at the usual place. I want an intelligence report on Xige.”

But just as the words left his mouth, Wen Jue suddenly felt his entire body go soft, as if he were being swept away by some unseen force.

Unbeknownst to him, Jiang Chuang was being pulled along as well.

For the first time, Jiang Chuang saw himself and Zhiyu from the past, not just from the outside, but he also heard Zhiyu’s innermost thoughts.

It turned out, in all that angry babble… only the final “wish you victory” had come from the heart.