Chapter 80: Say You Love Me

The rain had gradually stopped, Chen Luoqing and a group of imperial guards were scouring every inch of land nonstop. All of them were drenched, and they hadn't eaten since noon. Many were beyond tired at this point and were starting to show signs of collapsing. If Lin Haihai saw this, she wouldn't have indulged in a night with Yang Shaolun.

Zheng Feng looked at the darkening sky. A large number of clouds quickly dissipated, and the air was becoming crisper. With twilight and the incoming chill closing in on them, they were running out of time. The emperor must've been injured, and he had been at the bottom of the cliff drenched by the pouring rain all day. It wasn’t hard to guess how dreadful his situation must be.

Zheng Feng became so anxious he almost jumped down the cliff to continue searching, but then he suddenly remembered Lin Haihai's superb qinggong skills. With her ability, it would be very simple for her to make her way down this cliff.

He smacked his forehead and immediately ran to a horse. He knew that Lin Haihai had already returned to the prince's residence. Right now, he had to hurry back and find her as soon as possible so she could save the emperor. The wind roared in his ears, and the trees quickly disappeared like a sliding curtain. Zheng Feng placed all his hopes on Lin Haihai; she would be the only one who could save the emperor.

The wedding banquet was full of toasts in the night, with an endless stream of servants with expressions of joy coming in and out. Yang Hanlun, who was dressed in red with an expression full of jubilation, kept toasting the guests. The empress dowager had long been escorted to the back to rest. Lihua followed closely behind her. As soon as the empress dowager left the banquet, she turned pale and began trembling. After serving the empress dowager for several years, Lihua knew her temperament. If she didn't suffer a great shock, she wouldn't have looked so lost. Lihua didn't dare ask any question; she could only serve her.

Zheng Feng jumped off his horse and went straight to the inner hall. However, he was stopped by the guards in the corridor. Zheng Feng was about to blow his fuse when the guard said, "Captain Zheng, please don't be angry. His Highness has told us that if someone comes looking for him, we are to send them to the study. Please wait in the study while we report this to our master. His Highness will arrive shortly."

Zheng Feng wiped the sweat off his forehead. He was too careless. All the civil and military officials were here. If this situation got out, things would get much worse. Fortunately, the sixth prince had enough foresight. In a low voice, he whispered, "I'm here to see the sixth princess consort!"

The guard looked at him in surprise, "The princess consort went to the State Protection Temple with the empress this morning and hasn't come back since then. From the reports that came back, Consort Lin was kidnapped!"

Zheng Feng became more anxious. He grabbed the guard's collar and asked, "Do you know who did it?"

The guard struggled to breathe and hurriedly shouted, "I don't know! The empress was trapped at the temple by the heavy rain and hasn't even returned!"

Zheng Feng frowned and released him. He ran towards the entrance just as the guard finished speaking. The guard looked at Zheng Feng's back and decided to report this matter to the sixth prince.

Zheng Feng raced to the State Protection Temple. The empress had stayed in the temple all day. The sixth prince had sent someone over to tell her to stay in the State Protection Temple for a while longer until the guests had left. The empress understood his intentions. She didn't like noisy occasions anyway, and staying at the temple was quite tranquil. However, she didn't know whether Lin Haihai was safe or not. Although Empress Chen guessed that Lin Haihai left on her own, she wasn't completely sure. She wouldn't be at peace until she saw Lin Haihai return.

Guihua came to the door and timidly reported, "Your Majesty, Captain Zheng asks for an audience!"

Empress Chen furrowed her brows, "Send him in immediately!"

Zheng Feng rushed in and knelt, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Empress Chen's heart sank when she saw Zheng Feng's anxious expression. "No need to be so courteous. Quick, rise!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty, was there anything peculiar when Physician Lin was captured?" Zheng Feng didn't believe that Lin Haihai was kidnapped. Her martial arts skill was unprecedented. Even advanced martial artists wouldn’t be able to endure more than a single move from her. The only explanation was that she had left on her own. Could this be related to the assassination attempt on the emperor?

The empress signaled for Guihua to leave the room. Guihua left and closed the door on the way out. Due to the two being familiar after performing The Legend of the White Snake together, they didn't waste time on superfluous etiquettes.

Empress Chen answered, "This morning, we were sitting in the carriage together when she suddenly said ‘he’s in danger’. She left the carriage and immediately disappeared into the forest!"

Zheng Feng sighed in relief. She left on her own, but who is 'he'? Who's in danger? Is it the emperor? Did she leave to save the emperor?

Zheng Feng calmed down and took his leave. He rode back to the search area under the night sky.

Chen Luoqing rushed around like a headless fly. Zheng Feng hesitated before walking up to him and pulling his arm. "General Chen, could we speak in private?" Chen Luoqing looked up with his hair an unkempt mess and his face and body drenched by rainwater. He was a mess of anxiety and distress.

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The rain had completely stopped. Birds and insects were singing, and the sky was covered in stars. Lin Haihai looked at the sky in joy. How long had it been since she had the time to enjoy such a view? She was always busy from dawn to dusk; the work never seemed to end. Except for when she would lay in the grass and look at the stars as a teenager in the modern era, she had almost forgotten what stars looked like. In the modern era, pollution was very serious. The skies were often gray, so she even forgot what color the sky should be. In the ancient era, she seemed to be even busier than when she was in the modern era. Besides the one drunken night with Chen Luoqing on the roof when she stargazed, she didn't even remember the stars existed.

Lying on the big stone by the cave entrance, being with the man she loved, chatting like they had all the time in the world, she had never felt so relaxed and comfortable.

"Elder Brother Yang, do you see the Milky Way [1]?" Lin Haihai pointed with her slender hand. Yang Shaolun followed her finger to the bright stars, it really looked as if there was a silver river running horizontally among the stars.

"So that's called the silver river (milky way)?" Yang Shaolun didn't know this.

"I have a story about the milky way. Do you want to hear it?" Lin Haihai looked at him with shining dark eyes which gave off an attractive allure.

Yang Shaolun dropped a feather-light kiss on her eyelashes and gently stated, "As long as you are the one telling the story, I will listen to it!" His voice was bewitching with tenderness and gentleness in the evening wind. It seemed to intoxicate her.

"Legends says there's a place called the Phoenix Pool. There the water runs clear. There are seven fairies who like to come to the mortal realm to bathe. The youngest of the seven fairies, the seventh fairy, fell in love with a mortal man, Dong Young. This love went against the rules of heaven. The Heavenly Empress became so furious that she sent heavenly soldiers and generals to the mortal realm to capture the seventh fairy. The couple was thus separated. The seventh fairy gave birth to a child when she returned to the heavens. The Heavenly Empress sent the child to Dong Yong.

"Dong Yong missed his wife so much he couldn't think about anything else. Later on, his bull carried the father and son pair up to the heavens to search for the seventh fairy. The Heavenly Empress created the Milky Way to separate the two of them. Their love story moved the magpies. Thus on the seventh day of the seventh month, the magpies will create a bridge cutting through the Milky Way. The family of three can meet once a year on the magpie bridge!”

Her clear voice lingered in his ears like a mountain stream that ran in the distance. Yang Shaolun felt sorrow. Dong Yong and the seventh fairy were so fortunate! They violated the rules of the heavens, yet they could meet once a year. Lin Haihai and he only had one night before everything returned to normal.

Lin Haihai realized the irony of the story, but they only had this one night. They couldn't ruin this night with their sorrows. She should be satisfied. What was there to be unsatisfied with? Even if they didn't have a future together, at least they could see and speak to each other. This was already a great fortune!

She cupped her face and looked at him from the side, smoothing his frown with her delicate fingertips. She felt happy just touching his skin. At least right now, she could see and touch him and was able to count the stars in his embrace. She smiled and touched his face, "Brother Yang, we are very fortunate!"

Lin Haihai was actually very easily satisfied, full of optimism for life. No matter what hardships life gave her, she always faced it with a smile. Yang Shaolun compassionately held her hands. This was the way things would be. They couldn’t ask for more. After all, they had already met. The rest was up to fate. He laughed, "I feel very happy! I really do!"

Lin Haihai smiled. Looking into his eyes, her smile became even brighter, "I want to hear you say you love me!" She was greedy after all, but who could blame her? She had suffered enough.

Yang Shaolun looked at her affectionately, his mouth curved into a charming smile. He stretched out his hand to cover her bright eyes and said, "Lin Haihai, I love you!"

Such a simple confession without any embellishments was enough to turn Lin Haihai into a mess of emotions. He covered her eyes, fearing that she would see the tears in his eyes. She was so easily satisfied that his heart ached for her.

"Yang Shaolun, I love you too!" Lin Haihai pushed his hand aside and saw the sadness and joy in his eyes. She never knew that a pair of eyes could express so many emotions. Right now, she could read all the emotions in his gaze. He pulled her into his arms and embraced her. Yang Shaolun remained speechless. They really couldn't ask for more!

"Why does Li Junyue call you Xiao'hai? Are you guys really close?" Yang Shaolun recalled Li Junyue saying that he was the most important man to Lin Haihai. Yang Shaolun couldn't help becoming jealous.

Lin Haihai smiled, "He's always called me Xiao'hai. Besides Xiao'hai, he's also called me Little Fool and Little Dummy. Yet, I've always called him Stupid Bear. When I was young, he loved to bully me. Later, when I was older, I realized what a jerk he was and thought of ideas to get back at him. So our childhood was very exciting. My grandfather once thought we would be together. How funny!"

Speaking of her childhood, Lin Haihai beamed and became elated, completely oblivious to Yang Shaolun's angry expression. When Yang Shaolun saw her happy expression, he'd forgotten the inconsistencies in her words. A stream of jealousy poured into his mind. He punishingly kissed her chattering mouth. Lin Haihai almost lost consciousness. Her hands came up around his neck. She knew that he was jealous and angry. Watching his anger rise sharply, it felt as if her heart had been dipped in honey.

Yang Shaolun whispered in her ear, "In the future, you aren't allowed to approach him or talk to him!"

Li Haihai chuckled and gently bit his lips until he frowned. She pried open his teeth and took his hand to put it on her chest. "My heart is beating inside here. There's only one person in there. That person is you!"

She poked him in the chest after she said this and accused, "In your heart are the three thousand beauties in your harem. There’s no room for Lin Haihai!"

She turned her back to him like she was hurt. Countless concubines had played such tricks on Yang Shaolun, and he had never fallen for them. This time, however, he was deceived. Not even a wise emperor like him could avoid being a fool and an idiot in the face of love.

He wanted to gently pull Lin Haihai over. Lin Haihai didn't move, but her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. Yang Shaolun became anxious. He forcefully pulled her into his arms and swore, "In my heart, there's only been you. Before you appeared, they never occupied my heart. You have to believe me. They really never did!"

Lin Haihai still didn't move, but her shoulders shook even more. Yang Shaolun became sadder and used his strength to turn her around. She was covering her face with her hands. He took her hands away to see her laughing face. Yang Shaolun laughed, this girl was playing a trick on him.

Lin Haihai looked at him affectionately. Yang Shaolun asked, "You were tricking me?"

"You don't understand romance. This is like the games lovers play to keep their relationship exciting!" Lin Haihai laughed. In truth, she didn't understand romance either and interest either. In her era, she only had been in a relationship once or twice. She was always busy with patients, and her relationships never went anywhere; in fact, they barely counted as romantic relationships, and she was always the one getting dumped. Even now, she still didn’t understand why her relationships had failed, although she didn't feel too sad.

Yang Shaolun widened his eyes, "I understand interest, but what's romance?"

1. In Mandarin, the Milky Way is called yinhe, literally translated as Silver River