Du Xiaoyan, who had been sobbing nonstop, suddenly let out a sharp scream and charged forward, throwing herself between Lianzhu Luo'er and Qin Nier. She began flailing her fists wildly, striking them both and even ripping the veils from their faces.
But in her grief-stricken state, Du Xiaoyan's blows lacked strength. Even though neither Luo'er nor Nier fought back, she couldn't hurt them in the slightest.
Still, her desperate interference stopped them from reaching San Shao. The two women, unable to bring themselves to push her aside, simply stood there, letting her vent her sorrow upon them.
Just then, Qiao Wei had almost carried San Shao completely out of sight. But the boy—bloodied and broken—suddenly turned his head with great effort, and cast a long, lingering glance at Luo'er and Nier. His eyes were filled with an ocean of emotion. His lips moved, mouthing a phrase so faint even Qiao Wei couldn't make it out.
But the two women did.
More accurately, they saw what he said. They read the shape of his lips and felt it pierce straight into their hearts:
"I used to believe that the love I sought was an illusion—just a dog chasing bones it didn't even want. Not love, just instinct. A desire to keep others from having what it couldn't bear to lose.But now I know I was wrong.It turns out, what sinks its teeth into you isn't just instinct—it's love.My Heaven-Shrouding Hand… can never blot out the sky above your heads…"
Lianzhu Luo'er lifted her hand slightly, as if to reach out and hold him back… but she didn't take a single step forward.
Qin Nier stood frozen, tears silently streaming down her cheeks. She didn't even realize they were falling.
Seeing the two women she envied wearing such sorrowful expressions, Du Xiaoyan finally regained her senses. She stopped hitting them, turned around, and watched San Shao being dragged farther and farther away. A fresh wave of despair surged up, and she collapsed to the ground, burying her head in her hands and weeping bitterly.
San Shao's figure receded, his silhouette swallowed by the bustling street.
And in that busy street, only three weeping women remained.
High above the street, in a teahouse facing the commotion, a woman in snowy white robes stood frozen by the window, tears silently falling down her cheeks. A longsword hung at her waist, motionless, much like her expression.
The waiter who had just come to serve her food wisely stepped back without saying a word.
She watched as the boy she had missed day and night—bruised and bloodied—was taken away by servants and disappeared into the crowd. As he vanished from sight, she finally snapped out of her trance.
She tossed a small piece of silver on the table and, without even wiping her tears, rushed down the stairs.
Tears fell like shattered crystal across the floor as she ran. She bit her lip so hard it turned pale, suppressing the wail clawing at her throat.
She burst out of the teahouse, her gaze darting toward the direction San Shao had been taken… and then toward the two women who had been by his side.
Her delicate hand reached for the hilt of her sword. Her knuckles turned white from the force of her grip. The blade slowly slid from its sheath, inch by inch.
The look she gave Luo'er and Nier could chill the marrow—rage and hatred burned in her eyes like poison-tipped flames.
But just as the sword was halfway drawn, she let out a long sigh and shoved it back into its sheath with a clatter, then turned and ran in pursuit of San Shao.
"Brilliant!" came a sudden clap from the shadows of a nearby alley. Uncle Li, who had been watching the entire scene unfold, slapped his thigh in delight and whispered, "San Shao's acting is godlike! He even managed to deceive himself with that performance. If I were acting opposite him, I'd probably help him sell me and then thank him for it afterward! He truly has the makings of a conqueror!"
Beside him, Li Xiaoye scowled. "Godfather, how can you say that? He just broke three women's hearts, and you're happy about it?"
Uncle Li beamed. "Little girl, you don't understand! San Shao didn't just act—he masterfully orchestrated this whole drama. His arrogance hidden, his warmth on display, his cunning shown only through deeds… this trap was more perfect than even Old Qiao and I had anticipated.
"Originally, we were going to have him kill Du Xiaoyan, or at least fake an injury to gain the favor of Qin Nier, the illegitimate daughter of the emperor. But San Shao? He didn't kill anyone. Instead, he pulled off the perfect 'wounded hero' act…
"Now Du Xiaoyan is completely smitten. Even Lianzhu Luo'er and Qin Nier—though they may not love him yet—will surely feel grateful. And gratitude is the first seed of affection.
"And that little line he left them with? Ha! A masterstroke! He planted two seeds in their hearts—seeds that, sooner or later, will grow into mighty trees.
"Worst-case scenario? They never fall for him. Even so, they'll no longer have the heart to oppose him after this. And Qin Nier—don't forget who she is. If San Shao can secure her support, that's like shaving ten years off his climb to the top!
"Thick-skinned, cold-hearted—he's a genius of the dark arts. To fake injuries so convincingly, to cough blood and bleed just to make the story believable... that kind of cruelty toward oneself is the mark of a true king. If San Shao ever decides to seize the throne, who could possibly stop him?"
Li Xiaoye pouted. "He is thick-skinned and heartless. That Du Xiaoyan clearly loves him deeply, and he still lied to her. A man like that—pretending to be so passionate when he's really so cold… Ugh! And you two old devils are teaching him to be even worse? You'll all be cursed for generations!"
Uncle Li's smile faded into something serious. "Watch your tongue, child. Good men die young, while scoundrels leave legacies. That's the way of the world.
"San Shao? He's a brilliant villain. A successful villain. I've long been infamous myself—I don't mind being remembered with a curse or two. But San Shao? He was born to shake the world. You'd better learn to adapt.
"He doesn't care about being remembered fondly—he'll write the history books himself. You think a man like that will allow historians to smear his name?"
Li Xiaoye's face turned pale. "Wait… Godfather, are you saying this whole 'rebellion' thing you and Old Qiao mentioned—wasn't a joke?"
Uncle Li's eyes turned dark, his smile more sinister than ever. "Of course not. The legend of the Asura Devil-Eye was passed down by the great priest Taigong Wang himself. That man was a living god. He could see eight hundred years into the past and the future. You think his words were just jokes?
"Little Xiaoye, I've already offered you to San Shao. Now it's up to you to seize your chance. Men like him—conquerors—are naturally cold-hearted. They see love as nothing more than an accessory. Even less important than a capable general. If you want to survive, if you want power, then don't wait to fall in love. Win him over before he wins the world."
"I refuse!" Li Xiaoye bit her lip angrily. "Why should I be tied to him? I don't like him—I despise him! Like you said, conquerors are heartless, like beasts. He'll never love any woman. How could I ever be happy with someone like that?"
Uncle Li sighed and shook his head. "What is happiness, child? Do you think hiding in the shadows with me, living in constant fear, killing to survive—that's happiness?
"Even if you found someone to love, war is coming. The world will burn. Where would you be then? In such chaos, a warm meal and a roof are luxuries.
"I'm getting old. I'm not like Old Qiao—I can't fight time forever. When I die, who will protect you?
"Look at this world. The emperor replaced the rightful heir with a child, exiled a loyal son to the border, and let the youngest prince grow fangs in the dark. Famine plagues the south, and the court bleeds the people dry. This empire—this dynasty—it's rotting.
"There will be chaos.
"And San Shao? He has the bloodline, the power, and the ruthlessness to carve out a place for himself when the world shatters. If you tie your fate to his, you may not get love, but you will get safety. That's real happiness in times like these."
Li Xiaoye remained silent for a long moment, then muttered, "But… he doesn't seem like someone with ambition. He's lazy. Unmotivated. Can he really conquer the world?"
Uncle Li's smirk returned. "He has no ambition, no drive… yet. But the world won't give him a choice. He may want peace, but fate demands war. The tides of destiny will drag him in, whether he wants it or not.
"And when they do, he'll rise."