Chapter 2, the enchanting moonlight ultimately becomes emptiness

A trace of murderous intent flashed in his eyes, but it was only for a moment, quickly replaced by a gloom as cold as a thousand years of ice: "You think this way."

"Dongzhu. Go back. I cannot give you anything, not even a promise." He turned around once more, gazing at the pond filled with lotus leaves and a few white lotuses, lost in silence.

Before Dongzhu could speak, a resonant voice echoed at the door: "Who is speaking ill of me behind my back?" A dignified woman in her fifties, dressed in a luxurious brocade qipao adorned with golden phoenix embroidery, stood firmly at the entrance, flanked by her daughter-in-law, Madam Ebilong, and her maidservants.

"So what?" Dongzhu's voice was as clear and melodious as pearls falling on a plate. "The ones you love the most, the ones closest to you, they are no longer here. It does not matter how the world perceives you or how others view you. Just be yourself. There is no need to compromise yourself to prove anything just to change the opinions of others"

He merely cast a glance, and after that, he fixed his gaze elsewhere for a long time, sheathing his sword with a clean and decisive motion, as if the person before him had no connection to him whatsoever

"Who else is there? Apart from you, who in this household can provoke my anger?" Erbilong, seeing her put on an act with such seriousness, could not help but feel genuinely irritated.

"Life is like sharpening a knife under a stone, and fame and fortune are akin to dancing with a sword under the moon." In the past, I did not understand the true meaning of this, but today I do. Niuhulu Dongzhu stood charmingly behind a tree, dressed in a water-blue narrow-sleeved qipao with golden edges. The fabric was adorned with subtle patterns of small orchids, fresh and elegant yet not lacking in charm. A slight smile on her unparalleled and captivating face revealed two shallow dimples, resembling new lotus leaves resting on green waves.

What? Dongzhu was also greatly surprised. Clearly, it was a scheme to feign illness and evade the situation. How could one still be selected when they did not even appear for the final imperial selection? Wasn't Fang'er already decided upon?

The wet nurse girl knelt on the ground, and in the center of the flower hall sat a figure resembling Maitreya Buddha, Ebilong. Upon seeing her return, he simply asked, "Where have you been?"

As Dong Zhu approached him, she realized he was very tall, with her height only reaching his chest. Meeting his gaze, she smiled gently and said, "Dancing and wielding swords under the bright moonlight, this scene is too beautiful; up close, it is naturally a flurry of sword shadows and exquisitely graceful steps. However, from a distance, it is merely a bright spot in the thick darkness of night, just a small glimmer of light. Fame and fortune are indeed like this; they are pursued by the world for their dazzling brilliance, yet in the end, they are nothing more than a small shadow."

Indeed, she wishes for her grandson to enjoy the blessings of a harmonious family. That old man Sony is the chief minister, and she must win him over. The maid from the Tong family is merely a means to vent her resentment, taking away a certain empress dowager from the Tong family and then rewarding them with a royal consort. As for our Dongzhu... she is well aware of what the Four Complete Young Lady and the Mongolian Princess represent; among this batch of talented young women, aside from our Dongzhu, what do the others and the *Tu* *Shu* amount to? She fears repeating the path of Wu Yunzhu, hence she intends to keep the best candidates within the palace. Princess Mukush was filled with indignation, and she rambled on, holding Dongzhu close and expressing a torrent of words.

"Do you really have to do this? Sacrificing your own happiness for the opinions of others?" The smile on Dongzhu's face gradually faded, and she even reached out to touch his face, forcing him to meet her gaze.

"Yes," she smiled, "Feiyangu, I know the pain in your heart; I understand it better than anyone else. Let us go, together to the grasslands and deserts, or perhaps find a quiet little town in the Jiangnan region... a place where no one knows us, to live our own lives."

Mother is unaware that the palace had originally issued a notice, but just now the Imperial Household Department sent someone to convey the decree, stating that our Dongzhu has been appointed as the Imperial Concubine. I am truly anxious!" Ebilong waved his hand, signaling for all the kneeling servants in the room to withdraw.

The moon hangs over the willow tips, and the pitch-black night is rendered somewhat enchanting and dreamlike by the faint glow of the moonlight

No need, I know the way. Dongzhu, with tears in her eyes, hesitated and reluctantly took a step away.

"Mother." Ebilong had never seen his mother so furious, and could only comfort her from the side

At this moment, a rather clever young servant flashed by the moon gate: "Miss Dongzhu, please!"

He furrowed his brows tightly, staring intently at the woman before him, his thoughts swirling like an endless river, and with a determined heart, he turned and left. "Uda, take Dongzhu Gege back."

"And *the* book *is* Mama." Dongzhu quickly nestled into Princess Mukush's arms, "Mama is still the one who loves Dongzhu the most"

Ebilong's face turned ashen, and after exchanging glances with his wife, he did not dare to say another word

"Mother, it is so late, why have I disturbed you?" Ebilong immediately stood up, stepped forward to perform the family greeting, and then ushered his mother into the inner chamber

His gaze seemed to contain a tempest, encompassing too much within. Dongzhu was unable to fully comprehend it all at once; she merely noticed that, at some point, the innocence and brightness she once knew in him had been replaced by a sharpness and determination. What lay beneath was a profound depth that was all too painful.

A sturdy large hand gently pressed on Dongzhu's soft shoulder, he lowered his head, this time not avoiding her gaze, seriously meeting her bright eyes, speaking to her word by word as if to strengthen himself: "It is precisely because they are no longer here that I must prove myself even more. Because this is the only thing I can do for them. Dongzhu, you are a good girl, I cannot let you down"

In the backyard of an old residence in the west of the city, there is a lotus pond, where a few white lotuses, illuminated by the moonlight, exude a hint of enchantment. A man dancing with a sword under the moon wears a long robe of gem blue, his swordplay swirling like a dragon. As he leaps, he soars into the air, riding the wind, as if he intends to lean on his sword to shatter the moon and crush the stars. His heroic spirit is boundless, yet his entire being is permeated with an inexplicable sense of solitude and desolation.

After passing through the Moon Gate and crossing the courtyard, she exited the residence through the back door. She took the horse that the doorkeeper had brought over and slowly walked along the silent street, her heart in turmoil. Why had he become so indifferent? Tears welled up in Dongzhu's eyes; no, she did not want this sorrowful feeling. She mounted the horse and galloped away, letting her tears fall into the wind, the night providing her with the best cover.

"What have I wronged you?" She gazed at him intently, her delicate hand firmly covering his. "Have you thought of her? Why is it that she can disregard the constraints of the world, knowing full well that it is a dead end, yet still rush into the palace like a moth to a flame? Because when you encounter it, you encounter it; it is not a matter of whether you want it or not. Once you encounter it, in this lifetime, it is yours, and there is no escaping it. Perhaps this is the opportunity for encounter that we have prayed for in front of the Buddha for thousands of years, so why should we say who has wronged whom?" Once you encounter it, in this lifetime, it is yours, and there is no escaping it. Perhaps this is the opportunity for encounter that we have prayed for in front of the Buddha for thousands of years, so why should we say who has wronged whom?

"You child..." Ebilong pushed the pastry aside from his mouth, "After such a significant incident, instead of waiting for me to return to discuss it thoroughly, you are solely focused on running outside. It is all your grandmother's fault for spoiling you; you have no sense of propriety!"

The first half of the sentence is self-explanatory, yet the latter half is completely unreasonable. His tone was cold, responding somewhat perfunctorily.

Dongzhu is the treasure in Ama's palm, how could she possibly make Ama angry? Dongzhu picked up a piece of hibiscus cake from the table and sent it into Abilong's mouth

"On what basis is Fang'er considered? My Dongzhu will not become a queen; how can a servant girl from a lowly family be a queen? I think Bumubutai has become senile. Tomorrow morning, I will enter the palace to reason with her; she truly thinks she is the Empress Dowager! If she wants my granddaughter to enter the palace, it must be as a queen. Otherwise, I will take charge and decide on the marriage myself!" Princess Mukush was furious.

Others?" He replied with a cold smile, correcting, "It is the world.

After a short while, I returned to my own residence, stealthily slipping back into the Xiexiu Studio in the rear garden. As soon as I pushed open the door, I was momentarily taken aback.

"How wrong that is." She chuckled, her laughter like celestial music, "The first half of the sentence indeed speaks to the need for life's trials, while the latter half I did not understand before. However, seeing you dance with your sword under the moonlight today, I finally comprehend.

Ebilong's mother is Princess Mukush, the younger sister of Emperor Taizong, Huang Taiji, and the sister-in-law of Empress Xiaozhuang. At this moment, she glared at her son in anger and scolded, "What has Dongzhu done? She has been in the palace for several days and just returned, and you are already scolding her. This child has always been well-behaved, and now that she is getting older and about to be betrothed, I am feeling quite distressed. Yet you, on the other hand, choose to scold her! Don't you think about how many more days she can stay at home?" This child has always been well-behaved, and now that she is getting older and about to be betrothed, I am feeling quite distressed. Yet you, on the other hand, choose to scold her! Don't you think about how many more days she can stay at home?

Father!" Dongzhu approached with a smile and greeted, "It is so late, Father, and you have not yet rested?" Then, pointing at the crowd in the room, she shouted, "Which one of you, bold and reckless, has done something wrong to anger my father? Step forward and accept your punishment!"

"Yes, it is confirmed that Yunfang from the Sony family will be the queen. Moreover, two concubines have also been decided; one is Dongzhu from our family, and the other is Jinzheng from the Tong family," said Erbilong's wife from the side.