Arc 3 – Chapter 160, Vicious Princess Wants to Reverse Fate (54)
The Vicious Princess Wants to Reverse Fate (54)
Zhou Min could never forget the scene of the nation in ruin, the rivers of blood, and the screams and cries of the struggling and suffering people. She could never forget the sight of her mother, dressed in finery, hanging in the Phoenix Hall, nor her father, still maintaining his majestic dignity even as he chose to end his own life while sitting on his throne. She could never forget the mutilated bodies of her brothers being sent back one after another.
The sword that pierced her father was not only claiming his life but also Zhou Min's lifelong pain and guilt. The fall of the Zhou Kingdom took away Zhou Min's obsession with Shangguan Qi, making her realise that she was not an ordinary woman. When she was enjoying her glory, she was destined to bear more responsibilities - a princess's responsibilities.
And in all of this, there was no place for love.
Tears trickled down her cheeks; Zhou Min gave a bitter smile and nestled herself into Shangguan Qi's embrace.
"Shangguan Qi, in this life, between you and the Zhou Kingdom, I choose not to have you."
"Can you arrange for Yin Mei to be caught by the opposing side?"
"Why?"
"I need a reason to change, an excuse to leave so that Shangguan Qi and Zhou Min can return to their parallel paths, never to intersect again."
Having said this, Zhou Min's heart ached. She knew too well what Shangguan Qi's choice would be. Because she understood him so well, Zhou Min knew that this reason would be lethal.
To leave, to return everything to its original state.
The age-old question: me or her, who do you choose?
Thinking of the scene three days later, Zhou Min's heart trembled slightly. She softly said, "Shangguan Qi, I understand you. I understand you better than you understand yourself. Do you believe me?"
"Little Min, are you sure you want to do this?" Although unsure of what Zhou Min planned, there was a sense of unease.
"There's no other way. Otherwise, if my attitude changes abruptly after we leave, Shangguan Qi will be suspicious of what I said and did in the woods. I don't care about how I will end up in his heart, but I can't gamble with the future of the Zhou Kingdom. After all, he is the younger brother of the neighbouring country's emperor. Though the Zhou Kingdom is not weak now, it cannot withstand intentional aggression from neighbouring countries. If he believes the mistake is not mine, my departure will not harm the Zhou Kingdom."
Zhou Min's words froze the room. It wanted to ask her - what about Shangguan Qi? What about him? But looking at Zhou Min's cold gaze, it feared that if Zhou Min were too ruthless, it would backfire.
"Little Min, I thought about it, and I still want to remind you. Won't it backfire on the male lead if you go too far?"
"No, I will pay attention to the degree. Besides, I guess his feelings for me are not love yet; at most, he just likes me. And with the female lead by his side, I believe that as long as the time is enough, he will fall in love with the female lead again! After all, they are the official couple!" Zhou Min's words seemed right, but it felt that something was wrong. It couldn't figure out what it was for a while.
Zhou Min hugged Shangguan Qi and started a countdown to happiness for herself and Shangguan Qi. The last three days, she hoped, would be peaceful and warm, worth remembering.
After a good night's sleep, Zhou Min woke up to find the stone bed empty, but Shangguan Qi's elegant scent still lingered. Thinking of the lingering night, Zhou Min's lips curled into a happy smile.
She had to admit that her body was the best after the system transformation. She felt like she was about to die last night, but after a night's rest, besides a little soreness, she didn't feel tired at all.
After dressing, she looked around and saw Shangguan Qi studying the sword marks on the wall with a focused expression. Without making a sound, she quietly walked behind him and hugged him from behind.
Leaning against his broad back, Zhou Min felt more at peace than ever. Shangguan Qi had noticed her approaching. Although he had lost all his internal strength, he had not lost his senses. The unique fragrance of Zhou Min had already imprinted in his mind.
Her scent, her warmth, the sound of her footsteps, the frequency of her breathing - even with his eyes closed and without internal strength, he could capture that heart-fluttering sensation.
When Zhou Min hugged Shangguan Qi from behind, his eyes softened. He squeezed the small hand on his waist and said, "Why don't you sleep a little longer? It's still early."
"I don't want to sleep anymore. What are you doing?" Zhou Min asked in a muffled voice from behind him.
Shangguan Qi turned around, pulled Zhou Min into his arms, and rested his head on her. His voice was soft and warm, unlike his cold and indifferent demeanour. "These sword moves incorporate an ancient martial arts mentality. I think a martial arts master once lived here."
"Can you understand it?" Zhou Min asked in surprise. Although she could see that these sword marks seemed to be a martial art, she had not noticed the mentality.
"I can't explain why, but I can understand it. These sword moves contain internal martial arts, and the sword moves are just a cover!" Shangguan Qi did not know why he could understand, but he did.
Hearing Shangguan Qi's words, Zhou Min couldn't help but feel awkward. If you don't understand, I do! Because you are the chosen one of this world, the male lead, all the luck belongs to you. If you can't understand, who can?
She wanted to scorn the so-called fate; it was so whimsical without any reason!
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