Part 4
History always repeated itself. What had happened in 112009 and 112002 didn't have much difference.
It wasn't even June when the Hibiscus would bloom that the frontiers rebelled. The rebels came to the capital in just one month. The neglect of the emperor had long made the national power deficient. The army was fragile. Even when the capital's gates were closed, it wouldn't last for many days. The court was already in chaos. The consorts, eunuchs and palace maids fled everywhere. The once glorious emperor curled up in the dragon chair and trembled.
She was very calm. Every day, she still slept and got up on time. She also enjoyed the flowers on time as if she was waiting for this moment a long time ago.
The day when the gate was broken, he rushed to her and grabbed her hand. "Come with me. I can take you out of the capital!"
She threw off his hand. "I won't leave."
"Why?" He once again grabbed her hand.
"If you take me away, then what about your family? What about Shangguan family's hundred and twenty people? Can you take them with you?"
He was loss for words.
She smiled slightly without any ridicule. "General Shangguan, go surrender. Don't make unnecessary struggle."
"Then, what about you? I don't want to have any more regret!"
She turned and walked to the main hall, walked to the emperor on the dragon chair.
"I'm the empress. I want to stay at his side. I want to see him perish with my own eyes."
Their figure was broken in the sunset.
The road ahead of them was finally coming to an end.
—
When the capital was broken, the first-rank general surrendered to the rebels. Later, many officials and general also surrendered. The rebels occupied the capital quickly. The emperor was executed on spot. And the empress, the woman who had a bad reputation among the folks; The leader of the rebels, the next new emperor decided to execute her on the day he ascended the throne. The post of supervising the execution, the new emperor gave that on spot to the first-rank general of the past dynasty Shangguan Zhao.
The weather was particularly good the day the new emperor ascended the throne. The sun was shining. The hibiscus in the pond were eager to bloom. She walked out of prison. She wore a white prison uniform. Her black hair was scattered behind her. Covering her were the shadows of the years. She was escorted and crossed the streets. Her expression was calm and elegant as if she wasn't going to her death but was attending a banquet. The crowds were in commotion. Some people threw rocks at her. “Look, it was this demoness!” The rock hit her forehead. Some blood came out. She didn't even frown a bit and continued to move forward.
When she came to the execution ground, she saw him. He saw her. The two people's eyes met in the air and intertwined. No one wanted to take their eyes away, fearing that they would lose their last time.
It was at that time that he wanted to rush forward, hug her tightly and took her out of here. Even if he had to pay with the hundred and twenty lives of his family, he wouldn't hesitate. However, she acted faster than him. She suddenly pushed the soldiers at her side away and rushed over to him. In the screams of the crowd, she pulled out a dagger hidden in her arm and slashed it.
A cut off finger that was white and soft. The little finger of the right hand fell in front of him.
The soldiers who caught up captured her. They took her dagger and pressed her on the ground. Blood dripped from her right hand and tainted her white sleeve. She raised her head and looked at him. Suddenly, a big tear fell out of her eyes and slid down her cheek. It blurred that red mole, fell on the ground and mixed with the blood. It couldn't be told whether a drop of tear or a drop of blood fell from her eyes.
Her eyes were still so clear and transparent. When it moved, it glowed with a mischievous light.
He didn't know what had happened later. He had forgotten many things. He only remembered that her eyes kept looking at him. When her beautiful head left her body, she also kept looking at him.
He knew that she was talking to him. She said, "Forget me. Our fate has ended."
The red string was broken.
—
It was recorded like this in the history books. In the year 12009, the twelfth month, the frontier sent an emergency report. The new general Shangguan Zhao took the initiative and asked to go to the frontiers to defend. One year later, he died on the battlefield.
After he died, his subordinates cleaned up his things for him. They found a red parcel on his chest. They were curious and opened the parcel. The texture of red satin. There was a golden phoenix embroidered on it. It looked like the veil bride used. When they opened it layer by layer, what big secret did they see?
A piece of a white bone. A very thin bone. It was the size of a woman's little finger. It lay softly on the red satin as if they had belonged to each other a long time ago.
A long time after, his subordinates still often talked about him. Especially those who fought by his side. They have always remembered the scene of his death.
That day, it snowed a lot. Before death, he was still smiling. His eyes fell on an unknown place as if he saw the most beautiful scenery in this world.
They were still guessing what general Shangguan saw at that time.
What did he see?
What was it?
What else could it be?
It was a demoness. It was the beautiful snow demoness that had been destined to be entangled with him ever since the first time he saw her.
What he saw was a beautiful girl standing in the white snow. The black hair was tied in a luxurious golden knot. She had a pair of clear eyes. Beneath her eyes was a red mole which smiled at him.
At that time, they were still young.
They were both as ignorant and both as innocent.
They thought that if the red string was tied around their fingers, it would be for a lifetime.
TLNote: This is the ending. I cried while translating this. I can’t get over the fact that she killed her child to frame the empress. But, I also can’t hate her. From her point of view, it was the child she had with the man who killed her whole family and who she doesn’t love. I pity her and him. Even if he had taken her away, I don’t think she could ever live happily. She was so miserable from living that she even wished to not have a next life. In the end, she cut off her little finger, which she swore to never do, but still did it to end their fate and set him free.
I’m done with tragedies for a while. My next book will be a happy one. I still haven’t decided which one yet.