"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 61

When Zhao Jin Yu woke up a day had already passed, she was placed in an exquisite room, similar to the one previously in the large Zhao residence, no difference in the least, the early morning sun shone brightly, emitting a spring warmth, little birds chirped on the branch outside the window, the sunshine shone through the half open window, a hazy light, making everything it shone upon dreamlike.

Zhao Jin Yu rubbed her eyes, she couldn’t help think, the previous hell like scenario ought to have only been a dream right? Grandmother was not dead, Zhao Rui Zhi had also not run away in selfishness, but had been captured and dishonoured…, those young and old maids were also fine.

It was extremely quiet all around, the sunshine was beautiful, Zhao Jin Yu closed her eyes feeling the warm sunlight, thinking it was definitely a dream, in a moment Zhen Zhu will come running in asking her what she wanted to eat for breakfast.

Yes, it must be, Zhao Jin Yu laid down again.

At this moment, a sudden unfamiliar voice of a woman came from outside, “Lady, have you woken?”

Zhao Jin Yu’s entire body tensed, she saw a woman around thirty years old come in carrying a tray, a piping hot congee and several kinds of side dishes were placed on top, the plain rice congee was translucent and limpid, in a pastel coloured bowl, it seemed very exquisite, the other side dishes were pickles and greens, white and fair shredded radish, red jujubes, it gave the impression of sating ones appetite.

“Who are you?”

The woman bent in greeting, however the tray in her hands did not move at all, she expressionlessly said, “This servant is Zhuang Lian, you saw this servant yesterday.”

Her memory rushed into her mind like an abrupt tide, Zhao Jin Yu suddenly touched her neck, it was completely empty, it no longer held the stone which had always been with her.

Zhao JIn Yu unexpectedly clutched her head groaning in pain.

She remembered, but her memories were unbelievable, last night after An Wen Yao lifted her onto the horse she had fainted, when she had woken up she discovered it was already very early in the morning, a marble white colour covered the dawn sky, it was damp all around, dense cold air invade all her limbs, all around her where disciples of the Tiangui sect, surrounding them impenetrable, An 

Wen Yao was wrapped up with other people without time to spare, the other people were also coping wearily, these people who had come were clearly different from those Gao Zhen had brought, they were extremely difficult to deal with, and used the number of people as a tactic, in just a while An 

Wen Yao seemed to have been defeated.

The secret guard withdrew walking backwards with Zhao Jin Yu, who could have imagined they would arrive at a cliff, the gale screamed behind them, whipping their clothes about, hair covered their faces, like they had reached the crossing to the underworld, the road in front of them was to live, if they took a step back it would be death.

An Wen Yao spat out a mouthful of blood, he had experienced a lot in his lifetime, but he had never imagined the circumstance now, to speak frankly it was actually because he had been too careless…, and having met with his old rival formerly from the palace, everything coincidentally converged into an irreversible path.

Xu Xiang Zhu showed a smile proud of himself, rubbing the sweat on his head, he said, “If you tactfully come over without delay willing to surrender, considering our previous history I will certainly give you preferential treatment.” Following which he rolled his eyes, again saying, “I heard you have a weird stone, the emperor has been looking for it all this time, give it to me also.”

An Wen Yao heart sunk, he said, “I simply do not know what you’re saying.”

“That’s enough, you know even if we’ve left the palace, we still have people on the inside…, when you came here randomly I was already watching you, otherwise why do you think I came here so promptly? Quickly hand that girl and stone together to me!” Xu Xiang Zhu impatiently said without beating around the bush.

Zhao Jin Yu unconsciously gripped the stone in her hand, her teeth clattered, but she still thought, this stone…, it actually has some sort of relationship with the emperor in the palace?

Before when the stone had said this she did not believe it, now thinking about it…, the things he said about the emperor should be true, Zhao Jin Yu couldn’t help laugh bitterly thinking about this, at such a time she was still thinking about whether the stone had lied to her or not!

It was at this moment when the stone seemed to be on the same wavelength as Zhao Jin Yu he started to talk on his own accord saying, “Jin Yu, hand us over, while they’re attention is diverted get someone to rush out with you.” Immediately he said to the gloomy An Wen Yao, “An Wen Yao, can you do it?”

An Wen Yao said with great alarm, “Then you…” He didn’t dare address him as emperor in front of 

Zhao Jin Yu, because right now the emperor did not indicate he wanted to reveal his identity, even though he felt the gap between the truth was actually just paper window thin.

“Young lady, young lady?” Zhuang Lian’s worried voice came from her side, pulling Zhao Jin Yu back to the present from being immersed in her memories.

When Zhao Jin Yu lifted her head she saw a man who had come in without her knowing, he was tall and lean, wearing a moon white robe, his appearance as handsome as the mountain ranges, peaceful and harmonious.

Zhao Jin Yu looked at him blankly, he however showed an anxious expression, he said, “Jin Yu, Jin Yu…, what’s wrong?” Having spoken he stepped forward holding Zhao Jin Yu in his arms.

Zhao Jin Yu pushed him away coldly.

The doctor nodded his head at the man, indicating that there was nothing wrong with her pulse when he took it just now, the man revealed a relieved expression, nodding his head slightly at the doctor.

“Leave.”

In just a moment, only Zhao Jin Yu and the man were left in the room, the man sat beside Zhao Jin Yu habitually, he raised his hand high wanting to gently caress her head of fine black hair, in the end seeing her indifferent and estranged gaze, he helplessly sighed, putting his hand down, he said, “Are you still angry at older brother?”

Yes, this person was Zhao Jin Yu’s older brother Zhuang Qing.

Zhao Jin Yu turned her face away, saying, “When are you sending me back?”

Zhaung Qing’s gaze held a sad feeling, he said, “Jin Yu, it’s still very chaotic outside, after everything settles down…, I will send you back.”

“You’re lying, you’re basically the same as that Xu Xiang Zhu, you only want to obtain that stone.” Zhao Jin Yu spoke up to here when all of a sudden tears ran across her face, “The stone is already broken! What else do you want? Don’t tell me you want me to die in front of you?”

The memories from that night came rushing to her mind like the tide, the stone wanted to distract Xu Xiang Zhu to allow Zhao Jin Yu to escape first, who knew when Xu Xiang Zhu got the stone he actually changed his mind, he coldly said, “Zhao Jin Yu, I don’t actually want to kill you, but you cannot live, because you will be a burden to others if you do.” After speaking he swung his sleeve, a small arrow tube was hidden inside the sleeve, it was a kind of concealed weapon, from the sleeve a small arrow was fired.

At that moment the situation was extremely critical, that small arrow was very close to Zhao Jin Yu, An Wen Yao and everyone else simply were too late…, it was then that the stone suddenly leapt up without the slightest hesitation blocking that arrow, the arrow was stopped, but it was smashed into pieces.

This was different from the other time, the entire thing shattered, it could not be pieced back together.

When that Xu Xiang Zhu saw the stone leap up his eyes had shone, that’s why when he discovered the stone was smashed to pieces he was simply bitter and hateful, in a towering rage he wanted to immediately push Zhao Jin Yu over the cliff, at that moment if it wasn’t for Zhuang Qing having arrived in a hurry in time, Zhao Jin Yu probably wouldn’t be alive right now.

“Jin Yu!”

“You left me all alone at the house, I was by myself, at night when the wind howled, the windows banging with the wind, I was so scared I was unable to sleep for quite a few nights!” Zhao Jin Yu cried, as she spoke, “Even though it was like this, I still thought you and mother must have been in trouble, who knew you had actually become Tiangui Sect’s Xianjun!”

“I..., Jin Yu, listen to older brother’s explanation.”

“What is there to explain?” Zhao Jin Yu used her sleeves to viciously wipe her tears, rubbing her face red but unable to feel the pain, because her heart was in even greater pain, “If it was a few months before, I would listen to your explanation, even if older brother lied to me, I would still be perfectly happy, but now…, older brother, I am no longer the Jin Yu from before, and am not your younger sister, I am called Zhao Jin Yu, but I am the eldest young lady of Hangzhou’s Zhou family, and has no relationship with you at all.”

“Grandmother has passed, the stone is smashed, it was caused by you Tiangui sect! Zhuang Qing, from now on you and I are irreconcilable enemies!” Zhao Jin Yu’s eyes burned with a raging flame, as bitter as the mountains.

Zhuang Qing only felt like someone had cut a piece of his heart with a knife, he couldn’t help think, he knew a day like this would come, why was it still so difficult to bear?

Zhao Jin Yu continued saying, “I’m only slightly unclear, why did Gao Zhen want to capture me? 

And Xu Xiang Zhu actually wanted to kill me? Could they maybe not belong to the same group?”

Zhuang Qing smiled bitterly, saying, “Xu Xiang Zhu is my person…, I was the one who dragged you in this, Gao Zhen wanted to capture you not just because you ruined the sacrificial ceremony last time, but also because my younger uncle wants to capture you then threaten me, because me and him are already on opposite sides within the sect.”

Very soon Zhao Jin Yu understood, “And Xu Xiang Zhu thinks that you cannot distinguish between private and public interest over a woman who ruined the sacrificial ceremony, that’s why he wanted to give you a helping hand, rather than allow me to be captured for your younger uncle, might as well directly end me?”

Zhuang Qing guiltily nodded, saying, “Just like that.”

Zhao Jin Yu sneered, “Then why are you keeping? Why not just kill me directly, or sacrifice me to your founder, since it can demonstrate your loyalty and devotion, and can intimidate your younger uncle, make him understand you cannot be easily influenced by him, wouldn’t it be killing two birds with one stone?”

“Jin Yu.” Zhuang Qing’s face was filled with pain, unconsciously he clenched his hands into tight fists, he said, “Can you not be like this? Older brother had no alternative.”

“No alternative but to abandon me? No alternative but to use mother’s death to consolidate your position? No alternative but to murder and arson, committing any imaginable misdeed? No alternative but to revolt?” Speaking up to here Zhao Jin Yu’s sight was already hazy from the tears, 

“My grandmother is dead, the stone that I liked so much is broken, I already have nothing to live for, if I have to say I’m worried about something…, then I’m worried for father, everything I did was to rescue him, in the end I still achieved nothing.”

“Jin Yu, stop it, older brother can’t bear it.”