Chapter 002: Lotus Leaf Rain, Aster Flower Wind, Autumn Regrets of Several Red Branches (II)

Perhaps it is because of the Second Young Master Xu Zhiyan

Once upon a time

A maid was saying: "What are you looking at? It's been dead for a long time, completely dead!"

On that afternoon, Huan Yan was, as usual, staying in the Wan Juan Building

Huan Yan thought that perhaps it would be better if she were dead

Huan Yan sighed and said: "Perhaps it is simply because I know too much?"

Huan Yan bit down on the cloth in her mouth, glaring at him coldly, yet tears had already begun to fall.

Huan Yan was pulled up from the ground, drenched in blood and water by two old women, gasping for breath as she looked towards Ling Hua, who was turning around.

Why bother with the past?

In excruciating pain, she resembled a tattered piece of cloth, unable to utter a single sound, as she was pulled up and rolled into a torn mat

Linghua looked at her with pity and sighed softly: "Huan Yan, it's not that I am unwilling to show compassion, it is truly... your own doing!"

The Crown Princess lightly remarked: "If it were not for Linghua's attentiveness, your father would not know how long he would have to worry about this matter. What crime has she committed? Everyone, please rise!"

Like a bucket of cold water being poured down

She glanced at Huan Yan and commanded, "As for her, take her out and execute her immediately with the rod. This matter should not be made public; it is best to leave it at this."

He fumbled to take a white piece from the rosewood chess jar, slowly moving it towards the chessboard, and smiled as he asked, "Huan Yan, would you like to come and play a game of chess?"

Xu Zhilan's face turned pale, yet she did not utter a word, watching indifferently as she was taken away, and then... ? ... executed by lethal injection ?

The flowers suddenly changed color

Xu Zhiyan wore a sky-blue wide-sleeved robe, casually tying her long hair at the back of her head with a plain ribbon. She appeared as graceful as jade, exuding an air of elegance and tranquility. Sitting silently in the corner, she played with the chess pieces, as if time itself had slowed down.

It was only a matter of two or three days ago

The old woman had already grown weary of her excessive chatter, hurriedly turned her head away, stuffed a cloth into her mouth, tightened her hands, and dragged her away.

Once again, someone sighed softly in the darkness: "What a pity for such a beautiful girl! The Third Young Master is truly heartless. Do the Second Young Master and the Fifth Young Master also disregard her life and death? Thinking back to the past..."

Mother Yin Gu encouraged her to get close to him, but until Yin Gu's death, she never openly told Huan Yan whether she and Xu Zhi Lan were truly compatible or not

But she could still hear the Crown Princess smiling as she said: "Zhilian, Linghua, now that this matter is resolved, shouldn't we discuss your marriage next?"

Ask a question why

With a light smile, "When I reach the underworld, I will definitely ask my mother properly whether I brought this upon myself!"

The fragrance of ink from the books and the sandalwood scent from the bookshelf filled the air, refreshing the senses and quickly calming her somewhat agitated mood

As the cane fell onto her, she vaguely wondered whether she was truly worthy to stand alongside Xu Zhilan.

Unfortunately, she no longer had the opportunity to question Xu Zhilan

His eyes no longer held the star-like brilliance of vows made by the sea and mountains, but were instead filled with a profound depth, a depth that instilled fear in others

She was like a puppet being dragged over the high golden threshold of the Qilin-patterned bag, pulled away from the resplendent Shangde Hall

The people there are immersed in the bright candlelight, like celestial beings from the Jade Pool radiating a halo, growing increasingly distant from her