Chapter 208: Grand Finale (3)

Chapter 208: Grand Finale (3)

The early autumn sunlight scattered across the river, the water rippling and shimmering like dazzling diamonds.

As the rich aroma of wine spread, Qin Jiao unconsciously glanced at Si Lu.

In just one month, Si Lu had grown much thinner. At this moment, he was pouring a cup of strong liquor onto the ground—solemn and dignified, surrounded by blooming flowers, for this was where the late Shen Fuqing lay buried.

That day, Shen Fuqing and Wu Tuyin had fallen off the cliff together. When the two were later found, their bodies were in a terrible state. Xie Nai had originally wanted to bring Shen Fuqing back to the capital for burial, but his remains were too badly damaged to survive a long journey. In the end, it was Si Lu, once he had awakened, who made the decision to bury his brother in this foreign land.

Shen Fuqing was buried beside Si Lu's late adoptive father. On the day of the burial, Si Lu wept until his eyes were swollen red, his mother holding and comforting him the whole time. The day after Shen Fuqing was laid to rest, Qilan also held a funeral for Wu Tuyin.

After attending Wu Tuyin's funeral rites, Si Lu returned home and fell ill for half a month. Only now had he begun to emerge from the shadow of losing both his lover and his brother.

Qin Jiao looked at Si Lu, so thin he seemed a gust of wind might blow him over, and felt a pang of melancholy. "Si Lu, come back to the capital with me. I've adopted a dog named A Bai—he's very well-behaved. You'd like him, I'm sure."

Qin Jiao had never forgotten Shen Fuqing's dying request to him. Whenever he had free time these days, he would come keep Si Lu company and talk with him. But he couldn't stay in Mengqin indefinitely. Now that the war was over and the internal strife in Mengqin had been quelled, he would soon be returning to the capital with Xie Nai.

Wuliel was a good kid—smart, kind, and benevolent. Xie Xuanran had already issued a decree making him the new king of Mengqin in Wu Tuyin's place, and Xie Nai would also leave trusted confidants behind to assist and keep an eye on Wuliel. As for the former High Priest Wu Fei, Xie Nai had stripped him of his title and exiled him to a bitter, frozen wasteland to mine coal.

"Did you hear that?" Seeing that Si Lu hadn't responded, Qin Jiao asked again. "Si Lu, would you be willing to come to the capital for a visit?"

"Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Qin, but there's no need." Si Lu held his wine cup, his gaze drifting off into the distance. His voice was soft, as if afraid of disturbing Shen Fuqing sleeping here. "My lover, my brother, and my mother are all here. I want to stay and be with them."

Hearing Si Lu say this, Qin Jiao didn't press further. He could only sigh and say, "Alright then. I'll come visit you and Lord Shen whenever I get the chance."

As Qin Jiao finished speaking, Xie Nai handed him a stick of incense.

Qin Jiao understood and took it. Wispy white smoke blurred his face. After he finished paying his respects to Shen Fuqing, he saw Si Lu leaning softly against Shen Fuqing's headstone. The young man had his eyes closed, his long lashes slightly damp...

Qin Jiao's nose suddenly prickled. "Let's go," he said, pulling Xie Nai away without a word. This place should be left for Si Lu.

Qin Jiao led Xie Nai along until they reached a century-old goldenrain tree.

"Let's rest here."

Qin Jiao said to Xie Nai.

"Alright." With that, Xie Nai swept his robes aside and sat down under the tree, then casually pulled Qin Jiao into his arms.

The sunset was gilded with gold, casting a romantic glow all around. Xie Nai gently held Qin Jiao from behind, the two leaning close together as the wild wind blew, gently swaying the clusters of "pink clouds" above their heads.

For a long time, neither spoke. Qin Jiao simply nestled in Xie Nai's arms, watching the distant sunset burn crimson and birds soar through the sky, until a goldenrain fruit suddenly fell with a "thump" onto Qin Jiao's head.

"Hm?"

Qin Jiao didn't know why, but looking at that goldenrain fruit, he suddenly let out a laugh.

Xie Nai was puzzled. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Qin Jiao picked up the goldenrain fruit, examining it curiously as he mused, "I was just thinking—peace in the realm is truly no easy thing."

Xie Nai didn't know where this sudden sentiment came from, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.

"Don't move around so much—careful not to reopen the wound on your hand."

Seeing Qin Jiao about to reach for another goldenrain branch, Xie Nai quickly stopped him.

Back when He Zhao was injured, Qin Jiao had grabbed the blade with his bare hand, and his palm had nearly been sliced clean off by the dagger. Although Xiao Baiyu had stitched the wound back up after he was rescued, a long scar still remained on his palm. Because of this, Cong Shuang had cried nearly every day for half a month, and Qin Jiao had to coax her for a long time before she felt better.

"It's fine." Qin Jiao spread his hand open in Xie Nai's large palm. "The wound healed long ago." The young man smiled, looking at the scar on his hand.

"Still, you should be careful." Xie Nai said, wrapping his hand around Qin Jiao's hand.

Xie Nai still couldn't bear to recall the scene after he'd rescued Qin Jiao that day. His injuries had been so severe—Xie Nai didn't dare imagine what would have happened if he'd arrived even a moment later. Could Qin Jiao have died in Mengqin?

At the thought, Xie Nai couldn't help but lower his head and kiss the top of Qin Jiao's hair. He said nothing, and Qin Jiao turned to look at him, also asking nothing—only smiling and kissing him back.

The young man's gentle kiss landed on Xie Nai's brow, like a falling petal—warm and fleeting.

"I'm fine now, Sixth Brother. Don't worry about me."

Qin Jiao reached up to smooth the worry from Xie Nai's brow. The two exchanged a look, and then the young man broke into a smile first. "Oh, right—I haven't even called you out yet."

"Called out?"

Xie Nai raised an eyebrow with a smile. "What did this king do?"

"You never actually told me you liked me, and yet you're marrying me." Qin Jiao pretended to be angry. "Even if you had your reasons, this still counts as 'marrying me under false pretenses.'"

As he spoke, the young man poked Xie Nai in the chest. The sunset glow made his delicate face radiant and lovely.

Earlier, when He Zhao had asked Qin Jiao when he could drink at his and Xie Nai's wedding banquet, Qin Jiao hadn't answered precisely because of this.

Even though they were technically "married through political alliance," Xie Nai had never told him he liked him.

"Alright, Sixth Brother's in the wrong."

Xie Nai didn't point out that in their "political marriage," he was the one who had "married into" Qin Jiao's family. He caught Qin Jiao's "misbehaving" hand and kissed it, then turned Qin Jiao's body around and looked at him with solemn eyes:

"This king absolutely never intended to 'trick' the young master into marriage. Though I've never said it, my feelings—let the setting sun bear witness."

"You..."

Qin Jiao's eyes were clear and bright. He was about to say something when Xie Nai stopped him.

The man's gaze was deep and profound, his grip on Qin Jiao's hand firm. Qin Jiao felt a scorching warmth in his palm, and then Xie Nai's low, husky voice rang out by his ear:

"Let the setting sun bear witness:

May this king's Qinjiao flower thrive and bloom bright;

May Sixth Brother's little Ajiu be happy in all things;

May Xie Nai's young master love him always."

The Prince of Lingnan—divinely handsome and elegant as jade—now looked at his young master, his face full of smiles. "So, would the young master be willing to marry me?"

The brightest stars looked at me through Xie Nai's eyes. At this moment, the goldenrain tree overhead and the wind across the fields all seemed to proclaim his love.

Qin Jiao thought, a little dazed, his eyes brimming with tears he could barely hold back.

"Xie Nai's young master will love him always."

Finally, Qin Jiao took the initiative and kissed the corner of Xie Nai's lips. The cold tears on his face wet Xie Nai's cheeks. "Xie Nai's young master is also willing to be his." The young man's voice was soft, yet utterly serious.

The wind stirred the clusters of pink clouds in the tree, and with another "thump," another goldenrain fruit dropped onto Qin Jiao's head.

Looking at that "ferocious" little "pink bell," Qin Jiao suddenly laughed through his tears: "Sixth Brother, this tree is picking on me."

"Alright, Sixth Brother will settle the score for you."

Qin Jiao nestled into Xie Nai's arms, "Mm! Sixth Brother is the best."

A faint smile tugged at Xie Nai's lips, his laughter shining deep in his eyes. Qin Jiao smiled back at him, their eyes locked in a tender, lingering gaze, as if time itself had frozen in that moment.

The wind blew in from the distant plains, and in the stillness of the twilight, from that moment, the world was pure, and every sunrise and sunset was yours.

And so the story ends here.

And from this moment, a new tale begins.

...

(The End)

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