In the novel, Zhi Wei suffered a near-fatal wound that scared everyone around her…especially our hero. Resorting to pretending to be asleep in order to get Ning Yi to at least leave her side to get some work done, Zhi Wei is speechless when Ning Yi rushes through his business in order to come right back to her.

A maid shows up with a box of books and tells Zhi Wei “The Prince said if you feel bored then you could start doing some reading. However, it can’t be longer than half of an hour.” Standing to the side, another maid promptly reveals a western pocket watch.

 

Rising an eyebrow in resignation, Zhi Wei wonders what enjoyment one would get from reading while keeping an eye so close on the clock. What if she starts to get into a book but runs out of time? Sigh, a certain someone might look like a gentleman but deep down he is still a bully…

“Forget it.” Throwing aside a book, Zhi Wei turns around and has an idea when she sees her book trunk still in the maid’s hand. “Instead of reading, I am going to put my books out in the sun.”

Taking the book trunk from the maid, Zhi Wei hand pauses when it touches one particular book in the trunk. Rising her head, Zhi Wei smiles at her two maids and tells them that she wishes to eat a particularly hard to make dish. A bit confused by Zhi Wei’s desire to eat something right after she barely finished breakfast, the maids nonetheless obediently leave to do Zhi Wei’s bidding since according to the Prince’s order, Zhi Wei’s every wish must be fulfilled.

Successfully getting rid of the two maids, Zhi Wei pulls out a thin book. Carefully opening the book, the soft golden cover shines so brightly in the sun that she had to close her eyes against it. This book…and the book’s owner, they both shine gloriously. So much so, that even after six hundred years, that radiance still shines on her.

The Empress of Da Cheng, what sort of wondrous woman was she? And how magnificent must’ve been the man she loved with her whole heart as the legend says.

Flipping through the pages, Zhi Wei reads:

“Yao Yao, please allow me to take a peak.”

“Shame to Peeping Toms!”

“Those who inform first before they peek should be held as innocent.”

“Those who have been chastised and continues to peek are even more shameful!”

 

Chuckling softly, Zhi Wei is amazed how such a legendary couple still bickered like ordinary lovers.

Reading over the words again and again, Zhi Wei doesn’t realize the envy and longing in her eyes. She had assumed her life would be devoid of romantic love but after almost dying, a whole new world had opened up before her…scary yet beautiful at the same time. Could she one day have such a blissful love as this? Suddenly catching her self, Zhi Wei blushes and snaps the book shut to cut off her wayward thoughts. Her movement was so abrupt that the book falls out of her hand and reveals a hidden layer within the book cover. Picking up the book, Zhi Wei is surprised to find the inner layer also has writing on it. “The Way to Quickly but Stably Develop a Nation.”

What does that mean? Peering at the small writing underneath, Zhi Wei reads “Elementary, Middle school, High school, College, Masters, Ph.d- Fuyao’s dissertation.”

Masters? Ph.d? Dissertation?

Despite her fame as the most knowledge Official of Tian Sheng, Zhi Wei could only stare at the twisty ugly writing blankly.

“What are you looking at?”

A voice unexpectedly comes from behind her as a hand firmly takes the book off her hands. By the time Zhi Wei snaps out of her daze, a certain someone is already reading the book with much interest.

 

“Ah!” Knowing it is too late to grab the book from Ning Yi and if she really did so it would only make him suspicious, Zhi Wei shrug carelessly and says “You are early today.”

“I heard someone ordered a rather fancy dish this morning so I wanted to know what’s going on.”

“No such thing!” Zhi Wei smiles innocently while giving Ning Yi her best “I am super honest” look.

His fingers quivered to hear the usually very dignified Zhi Wei talk to him with a hint of flirt in it, Ning Yi snaps the book close, leans forward and whispers “Is that right? So how are you going to prove yourself?”

Unable to figure out how such an ordinary question could sound so suggestive, Zhi Wei’s face flashes red as she scoots away. Her eyes catching sight of the book in Ning Yi’s hands, Zhi Wei blurts out “Charlatan!”

“Um…” So surprised by Zhi Wei’s word that he stopped in the middle of leaning forward to steal a kiss from Zhi Wei, Ning Yi mutters “Charlatan?”

Frowning, Ning Yi couldn’t understand the word but instinctively feel that he is getting cursed at. But being so direct is rather unlike Ning Yi’s style. (The Chinese word used here is a modern word so not one Ning Yi would know. Remember, the Fuyao in the novel is from the modern time.)

Turning around to look at Zhi Wei, Ning Yi’s still hasn’t recovered his eyesight completely but after much diligence and medication, his eyes have improved. During the day, Ning Yi could even see the rough outline of Zhi Wei’s face. Thanks to the book’s extra dark ink, Ning Yi could have a fairly accurate guess what’s written on it especially if he could touch the words on the page with his fingers.

Of course, Ning Yi doesn’t see the need to tell any of this to Zhi Wei. After all, she has finally stopped being so distant and would even allow herself to show her girlish side precisely because she thought he was blind. Would he be so foolish and tell her the truth? Of course not.

With one look at Zhi Wei, Ning Yi promptly realizes that she wasn’t looking at him and the word wasn’t directed at him, her eyes had stayed on the book in his hands the whole time.

Turning his attention back to the book he had previously ignored, Ning Yi touched the words on the page and was taken aback by what it said. “Charlatan!”

Looking up in surprise, Ning Yi quickly lowers his head again. Luckily, all of Zhi Wei’s attention was on the book so she didn’t see his stunned expression.

 

Silently, Ning Yi’s finger moves over the ugly twisty words.

“What are you touching for?! That’s right! I was talking about you!”

Ning Yi “…..”

The next line, someone appears to be sighing “Hmm…this guy seems to be kinda slow. Yikes, will he do for her?”

Staring at the line for a long moment, Ning Yi’s expression doesn’t look too good. Scooting back guiltily, Zhi Wei belatedly realizes there is no reason for her to act like that since Ning Yi can’t see anyway. But wait, why is he holding onto the book and his expression looks so strange? Can he read it by touching the words?

Zhi Wei wants to snatch the book back but wasn’t sure how to do so without being obvious. Just then, Ning Yi laughs, rests the book on his knee as he leans forward towards her “What book is this? Read it to me.”

Giving Ning Yi a side look, Zhi Wei laughs “This is just a funny book about a heavenly married couple’s pillow talks. You won’t be interested in it.”

 

“Ahh…pillow talks…” Dragging his words out, Ning Yi replies with laughter in his voice “Just the thing I wanted to learn.”

Blushing again, Zhi Wei has no comeback. What is she suppose to say to that?!

Unable to do anything but keep reading, Zhi Wei sees the next line on the book suddenly changes into a flowy and elegant writing.

“Why are you worrying about something hundreds of years later? Be careful you will get more wrinkles.”

“Mr. Yuan (Wuji’s last name), you are saying I am not worthy of you because I am old?!”

“Ah, Yao Yao, I will forever have one more wrinkle line than you so you will never have to worry about that.”

A line of small paws suddenly appears on the page, the paper looks like something had scratched it then a person seems to be translating it.

“Yuan Bao said he begs you to tire of me soon, he has been waiting forever.”

The twisty ugly words back, as it writes angrily “Tell him to go eat poop!”

Ning Yi started to cough as Zhi Wei quickly buries herself in the chair- The legendary Emperor and Empress of Da Cheng…it is sure a bit overwhelming to listen to their flirtatious bickering.

There is another deeper issue that worries Zhi Wei. Ning Yi can’t see right now but he found out about the book’s existence. He knows her well enough that he is not going to believe she would carry some humorous book around with her. How is she going to explain this if he starts to get suspicious? Thankfully, Ning Yi’s expression seems to only indicate curiosity and nothing else. Letting out a silent breath of relief, Zhi Wei decides that she is going to hide the book better from now on.

The conversation on the page changes again.

“My poor child…” That twisty ugly writing suddenly laments. Ning Yi didn’t think anything of it but Zhi Wei felt an instant tug on her heart. She has no idea who the person is talking about but she can feel the mixture of pity, affection, and helplessness in that short sentence, words that came through six hundred years ago. Her eyes tearing up unconsciously, Zhi Wei continues to read the next line that is added by the elegant writing.

“Why don’t you just worry about the one in your tummy.” With a trace of helplessness in its tone as well, the elegant writing adds “The kitchen made your favorite soup. Be good and eat up?”

The twisty ugly writing gets elongated. Zhi Wei smiles, seemingly able to see a certain someone getting dragged away despite her valiant effort to get back.

“Kid, you better….”

It looks like someone had jumped back and only had time to add this one short phrase before getting dragged away again.

The rest of the page is empty. Zhi Wei felt her heart sinking like she has lost something.

For some strange reason, this legendary couple always gave her a feeling of familiarity. Just reading their bickering words warmed her heart. She had flipped through the book countless times trying to find more from them but had always failed until today. It was such a pleasant surprise but also brought with it a sense of forlornness because she knows this is really the last words from them.

She craved the words from them so much not only because of the vibrancy of their words but because hiding in their writing is their affection towards her. Affection she has never felt in the last ten years, the sort of affection she craved.

Zhi Wei is lost in her own thoughts and Ning Yi didn’t break the silence because he is too busy touching the words with his finger. After an initial shock, a strange expression settles in his eyes. Ning Yi’s finger stops at the underside of the cover as he rubs the pages unconsciously. With one flip of the page, all the secrets concerning her birth would be revealed.

Opening and closing, opening and closing. The pages are made up of time that has passed, time that can no longer be brought back. Staring at Ning Yi’s fingers, Zhi Wei feels her heart thumping. She can tell he is hesitating but she has no idea why and is too scared to speculate the reason.

Jumping at the crisp sound of the book closing, Zhi Wei rises her head to see Ning Yi had already stood up. Unable to move her eyes away from the book, Zhi Wei feels Ning Yi’s hand on her head as he gently says “I am going to check the kitchen and see if they finished your dish.”

“Oh.” Zhi Wei answers. Ning Yi leaves the book on Zhi Wei knee and a line of black writing peak through the cover. Zhi Wei’s hand slowly covers it but Ning Yi had already turned around to leave.

His smile instantly gone the moment his head is turned away from Zhi Wei, Ning Yi recognized the name on the cover instantly. That book belonged to the most honored personage of this world. That person was like a god, a legend that has never faded away even after 600 years. Everything about that person is kept by the royal guards of Da Cheng, only passed down to the royal blood, never to be found by outsiders.

But…he doesn’t care about that.

Standing underneath a tree with hands behind him, Ning Yi thought about the last sentence on that book and the vibrant woman from six hundred years ago whose warning to him traveled across time.

Empress of Da Cheng,

Listen up

For her

I rather, know nothing.

This was probably obvious, but Da Cheng was the nation created by Fuyao and Wuji. The nation of Da Cheng came to its end six hundred years later so Zhi Wei is the last remaining royal bloodline of Fuyao and Wuji. 

 

All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com

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