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Without waiting for Sahada to capture Zhou, Mo Qi died.

When he heard the news, Mo Jing Yu was still a bit stupefied. He knew that this day would eventually come, but did not think it would be this fast. Even though he had already thought of if Zhou were to be captured, how he would torture the other person- but he just died in the next moment. He didn’t even have a direction to go in any more.

Mo Jing Yu was a bit perplexed, just like in the first half of his life when he lived to escape from Mo family; in his second half, he lived for revenge. There was not one thing that he did for himself.

It would seem that there was- for example, it was because he himself liked him, that he would choose Mo Li.

That night, he burned all the papers with his plans on it, and watched the wavering flames in a daze, not knowing if it was for the mother whose face he didn’t even see and died, or if it was for the Mo Li who died for him, or if it was perhaps for the Mo Qi whom he killed.

He was just like a comet[1], making those all around him die one by one.

During the time near the end of the year, Sahada’s troops were already closing in on the capital. Nai Man Jin was just like a hunter teasing their prey inside the net, neither fast nor slowly occupying the closest cities and towns, and leisurely appreciating the people who were trapped inside.

Sahada’s New Year Eve dinners have been held by campfire in the past, but this year’s New Year Eve, Sahada’s people already had their own houses, other than those single men and women outside the city minding the fire pit, forming a small mini campfire party.

Nai Man Jin told Mo Jing Yu that he wanted to experience how Zhou’s New Year Eves were spent once, and forcefully had the two dressed up and hidden within the capital, and went together up the streets to look at the red lanterns together.

Due to the war outside approaching closer, the capital at the time was not as lively as before, but what should be purchased had already been bought- spread across the skies and earth were red lanterns, hung with red satin all about. There were still quite a lot of people coming and going as ever. On their faces were genuine and sincere smiles, but nevertheless, there were also a few with forced smiles.

On both sides of the streets were small peddlers who had a lot of small snacks, shouting out as they made them. The little children bundled into crowds, and in their hands they held windmills, small red lanterns, rattle-drums and other small toys, calling out to their own small friends to follow along as they ran. A child at the front had their head turned and did not notice, and nearly ran into Mo Jing Yu.

The hand gently separated the other party’s small little head, and he knelt down to be at eye-level with the small child, then gently spoke, “Remember to be more careful. With too many people, you can easily trip over.”

“Thank you, big brother.”

Mo Jing Yu’s eyes were filled with admiration, and watched the backs of the children playing. He recalled back when he was small, other than the dry and monotonous lessons, the only entertainment he had was when Mo Li would carry him and fly up to the tree. When he grew up a bit more, it was going to the side of the cliff to enjoy the feeling of wind shuttling by.

In previous New Years Eve dinners, the two would sit in the small courtyard, and eat Mo Li’s handmade dumplings. Back then, he would always end up with a copper[2]. He knew it was because that the other person had secretly made a mark, and then specially put it in his bowl.

He and Nai Man Jin sat in the area of a small stall, and called the boss over for two bowls of boiled dumplings. When he saw the other person’s puzzled look, Mo Jing Yu laughed, “This is Zhou’s tradition. At the time of New Years Eve, one needs to eat dumplings for it (the year? celebration?) to be considered complete.”

Perhaps the sight was quite moving- the features that were normally a bit cold at this moment carried tenderness, that even the corners of his mouth were as though it bathed in the winds of spring.

Nai Man Jin put his hand over the back of his, and said he should smile more like this in the regular day.

Today, his mood was not bad, so he did not brush off the other person.

After the New Year, as to not let blood ruin the atmosphere of just passing the year, Nai Man Jin took initiative to send people over to negotiate with Zhou’s Emperor, and in the very end, the other person lowered his head and came to an agreement. He directly lead troops into the city, and awaited for the day when Nai Man Jin would ascend and become the Emperor.

This was probably history’s most peaceful battle yet.

The previously honourable Emperor and his concubines had become prisoners, and Mo Jing Yu once again saw his eldest sister. The other person was still as elegant as always, compared to those beside her that were discomposed, unwillingly detained. It was as though those soldiers particularly gave her special treatment, and let her retain her honour as the Imperial Concubine.

To be more precise, it was the self-esteem of someone of the Mo family.

When she saw him, the eldest sister stopped for a while, and carefully studied his face. After a while, she suddenly laughed, “I heard Mo Qi died.”

“En.”

“Was it your doing?” Seeing as how Mo Jing Yu did not say anything, the other person laughed like flower branches trembling in chaos[3], and lowly muttered from her mouth, “What a good death, a truly good death.”

Afterwards, he was unable to see this eldest sister ever again. It was said that she secretly slipped away, and when she was found again, the person was already dead in the boudoir from back when she had not yet entered the palace. It was suicide by hanging.

Mo Jing Yu did not recall anything that this eldest sister had experienced, that would make her choose this method where the face would be so horrible to look at.

Even if they were not considered to be very particular on beauty, Mo family’s people would not often permit themselves who had such a wonderful life to bear this kind of face after death.

The winds during the night on the top of tower were very big- Mo Jing Yu made an appointment with Nai Man Jin at this very place. When the other person came, the hour was no longer considered early any more, and the full moon had long waited peacefully for many hours within the curtain of the night. When he heard the other person’s sound of footsteps, he softly asked, “Nai Man Jin. At first when you leaked my whereabouts to Mo Qi, what exactly were you thinking?”

The other person went silent for a while, then pulled him into his arms, and in a soft voice, “A’Yu, I’m sorry, but I don’t regret it.”

He shook his head, “No matter, it’s already in the past.”

“I left a great distance away from this place, and then came back to this place once again.” Mo Jing Yu sent the dagger in his hand into Nai Man Jin’s heart, and intentionally twisted his hand into a turn. He felt his eyes were aching a bit, and shook his head, “But it does not matter, those things are already of the past.”

“Therefore, you and I already have no relationship any more. With this knife, just think of it as me returning it back to you on the behalf of me and a’Li from the beginning.”

Nai Man Jin firmly stared at him, “A’Yu, we have gotten along for so long, did you not like me even just one single bit?”

He trembled as he climbed up the castle wall, and looked down from the top. He recalled the feeling from the beginning when Mo Li used arts to fly with him, and from it, a fear of the unknown, as well as the desire towards freedom. The wind took Mo Jing Yu’s voice and blew it into bits and pieces, all hazy and muddled, but Nai Man Jin could hear it very clearly,

“I only like a’Li. No matter if it was before, or now; no matter if it was genuine and sincere, or if it was only a momentary excitement.”

“From the beginning to the end, in my heart, there was only him alone.”

“Nai Man Jin, if you are able to live on, then you should live properly from now. I already have no other demands.”

When he fell, Mo Jing Yu felt as though Mo Li was still by his own side, tightly holding onto him, and at the time he thought he would hit the ground, he would once again rise up suddenly.

“A’Li, I’m scared.”

“No problem, I will always be with a’Yu.”

“Liars will have to swallow a hundred needles.”

“Alright.”

This time, there was no longer anyone to take that little dumpling and rise up again, and no one to tell him not to worry.

Liar. You promised to protect me forever, but in the end, you were the first to leave. Was it because I was too wilful? Even in my dreams, you were not even willing to come visit me.

But that’s alright, a’Li. This time, it’ll be my turn to come and find you.

And just like the first time, he set his eyes on the other person.

[1] 天煞孤星, or in modern language, the 扫帚星 (sweeping star). Often represents bringing about harm and unluckiness to those around them, making one destined to be alone- a lone star.

[2] In Chinese tradition, when making dumplings there are a few ingredients (or items) people will put for good fortune- if one were to eat the one with a copper (coin), it would predict that you would have a bountiful (or endless) supply (of money).

[3] 花枝乱颤- used to refer to the way a (beautiful) girl would laugh. In a conduct without any dignity, uninhibited.

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