Tan Hua - Chapter 64

“Jun Qiyu, what are you trying to do?!”

 

Even Pei Xingxu, usually calm by nature, glared in anger.

 

Jun Qiyu exuded hostility towards everyone, like a lone wolf fighting against the world.

 

“He’s mine.”

 

“You…” Pei Xingxu exclaimed in frustration.

 

“I said, he’s mine!” Jun Qiyu roared, his sharp brows fierce.

 

“You’re being utterly unreasonable!” Pei Xingxu scolded, “Liqing’s blood exhaustion has flared up. The most important thing right now is to find a doctor to stabilize his condition. Stop making trouble!”

 

“I know that ordinary doctors can’t treat blood exhaustion. That’s why I’m taking him away!”

 

Jun Qiyu wasted no more time and turned to leave.

 

Pei Xingxu rushed forward, blocking his path.

 

“Jun Qiyu! Even if you take him back to Jing Kingdom, it’s useless! Apart from blood cistanche, there’s no cure for this blood illness!”

 

“I’m taking him to find blood cistanche,” Jun Qiyu replied coldly, “Step aside.”

 

“You think I haven’t tried? The vast desert—if blood cistanche were that easy to find, why would I have delayed until now?!”

 

Pei Xingxu’s fury was at its peak. Jun Qiyu was exactly the kind of impulsive and headstrong person who wouldn’t listen to reason, no matter what anyone said.

 

Unfazed, Jun Qiyu swung his sword. Pei Xingxu hurriedly dodged, but his martial skills were no match for Jun Qiyu. The sword’s wind grazed Pei Xingxu’s face.

 

This madman could actually kill someone when he lost his mind!

 

Jun Qiyu had already mounted the Akhal-Teke horse with Song Liqing in his arms. With a flick of the reins, the horse galloped away.

 

Pei Xingxu chased after them for a few steps but was quickly left behind.

 

“Jun Qiyu!” Pei Xingxu shouted in anger, “You fool! My Loulan royal family has been plagued by blood exhaustion for generations, unable to escape the curse of early death. Despite generations of effort, we’ve only ever found two blood cistanches! Taking Liqing on this wild goose chase will kill him! Do you hear me? You’re going to kill him…”

 

Jun Qiyu’s figure had already vanished into the blizzard.

 

“Men! Men!” Pei Xingxu called urgently, “Go after him!”

 

…

 

“Jun Qiyu, where are you taking me?”

 

Song Liqing was held tightly in Jun Qiyu’s arms, his body weak and breath short.

 

“I’ll find it, I swear. There’s nothing in this world I can’t accomplish. Trust me.”

 

Jun Qiyu spoke with conviction, though deep down, he was utterly uncertain.

 

Song Liqing knew his overconfident temperament. Even an impossible task, Jun Qiyu would speak of as if it were assured.

 

But in truth, it was impossible.

 

“I’m not going. I want to stay with Xingxu. I promised him we’d marry after the new year.”

 

“Don’t even think about it.”

 

Jun Qiyu muttered darkly.

 

“What does it have to do with you?” Song Liqing retorted, displeased. “Who I choose to be with and whom I love—none of that concerns you! Jun Qiyu, you have no right to control me… *cough, cough*…”

 

Song Liqing started coughing, struggling to breathe with every exertion.

 

“You’re gravely ill. I won’t argue with you.”

 

Jun Qiyu’s lips tightened.

 

“Then let me go back!” Song Liqing demanded, “Even if I die, I’ll die by Pei Xingxu’s side, not in front of you!”

 

“Stop talking about dying…” Jun Qiyu frowned, clearly uncomfortable. “I won’t allow it.”

 

Jun Qiyu’s stubbornness left Song Liqing powerless. Furious, he clenched his teeth and bit down on Jun Qiyu’s chest.

 

Jun Qiyu furrowed his brows slightly but remained silent as he spurred his horse out of the royal city, racing towards the wilderness.

 

Song Liqing bit into his flesh with all his remaining strength, so hard that a bloody imprint soaked through Jun Qiyu’s inner clothes. Yet, Jun Qiyu didn’t flinch.

 

Exhausted, Song Liqing released his bite.

 

“Liqing, your lips are so cold. Are you too cold?”

 

Jun Qiyu wrapped his cloak around Song Liqing, covering him completely from the harsh winds, leaving only his face exposed.

 

Song Liqing’s mind was hazy, too weak to struggle, and he closed his eyes, his consciousness growing fainter.

 

Jun Qiyu knew the horse’s gallop was jarring, so once they left the city, he slowed their pace.

 

But soon, Loulan’s cavalry caught up. Their soldiers were fierce and skilled, their speed nearly matching the burdened Akhal-Teke horse. In no time, they surrounded Jun Qiyu.

 

“Is Pei Xingxu really going to fight me? Has he considered the consequences? Does he still want the alliance between Loulan and Jing Kingdom?”

 

The cavalry leader replied, “The king’s order is to retrieve the future queen. Your Highness, please cooperate. It wouldn’t be good if the crown prince(qiyu) were injured in the process.”

 

“Queen? They haven’t even reached the stage of marriage yet!”

 

Those words provoked Jun Qiyu, and he struck first. Wielding his blade, he attacked the weakest part of their formation. His sword came down swiftly, and a cavalryman raised his spear to block it. A sharp metallic clang rang out, and the tremendous force shattered the soldier’s wrist. He cried out in pain as he fell from his horse.

 

“H-his strength… it’s terrifying!”

 

The cavalry leader finally remembered Jun Qiyu’s fearsome reputation on the Western battlefield and hastily warned, “The crown prince of Jing Kingdom is incredibly strong. Everyone, be cautious!”

 

Jun Qiyu couldn’t afford to linger any longer; the longer they were delayed, the more reinforcements would arrive. 

 

However, the cavalry pursued relentlessly. Although Jun Qiyu initially refrained from killing, when one of them nearly injured Song Liqing, he exploded in rage. He no longer held back, and soon, two cavalrymen lay dead by the roadside, their bodies decapitated.

 

When Pei Xingxu arrived with his troops, seeing the bodies strewn along the road chilled his heart. The only survivor they found was the cavalry leader, who had lost an arm.

 

“The crown prince of Jing Kingdom is incredibly strong. I’ve failed the king’s mission.”

 

“Where did he flee to?” Pei Xingxu asked.

 

“To the west.”

 

Pei Xingxu gazed into the distance.

 

All of Loulan Kingdom was an oasis, nourished by the river fed by the melting snow from the mountains. Beyond that lay nothing but desert, especially to the west where it was sparsely populated—so barren that even camels struggled to return once they ventured in.

 

The horse tracks had already been covered by the wind and sand, making it impossible to track Jun Qiyu.

 

“He didn’t return to Jing Kingdom,” Pei Xingxu murmured, “He really went into the desert…”

 

“Your Majesty, should we continue the pursuit?”

 

Pei Xingxu’s gaze grew sorrowful. 

 

“Withdraw.”

 

…

 

Three days later, amid the endless yellow sands and under the dying light of the setting sun, a lone horse appeared. Though the Akhal-Teke was of superior breed, after three days of nonstop running without food or water, it stepped into a patch of quicksand and collapsed, unable to continue.

 

The man on its back fell to the ground.

 

Jun Qiyu’s tall frame cushioned Song Liqing, protecting him as they fell.

 

Song Liqing, who had been unconscious for most of the past two days, finally stirred from the rough jolt.

 

He sat up, his hands sinking into a handful of sand.

 

Song Liqing couldn’t see clearly; all he could hear was the howling wind, and the sand hitting his face stung painfully.

 

“Liqing, are you alright?”

 

Jun Qiyu got up and brushed the sand off Song Liqing’s body.

 

Song Liqing remained silent.

 

Jun Qiyu glanced at the setting sun. The sun was nearly gone, and once night fell, the desert would become bitterly cold. He found a small sand dune that could block the wind, led the Akhal-Teke horse over, and settled Song Liqing in front of the horse.

 

“I’m going to look for food. Liqing, I’ll be nearby. Don’t be afraid.”

 

Song Liqing still didn’t respond.

 

Jun Qiyu didn’t dare wander too far, making sure Song Liqing remained within his line of sight. Food in the desert was scarce, and Jun Qiyu returned empty-handed. He managed to find some dry grass to feed the horse and gathered some dead poplar wood to start a fire.

 

The fire warded off the freezing cold, and Song Liqing’s numb hands and feet began to warm.

 

Jun Qiyu brought over a water pouch and pressed it to Song Liqing’s lips.

 

Song Liqing still didn’t move.

 

Jun Qiyu sat beside him, his voice soft in a way Song Liqing had never heard before.

 

“I know you’re angry at me for dragging you to this forsaken place. But, Liqing, watching you with Pei Xingxu hurts more than anything. It’s worse than dying.”

 

Jun Qiyu gazed into Song Liqing’s eyes, the firelight dancing in his pupils.

 

“Liqing, I swear I’ll find the blood cistanche. Don’t you believe me?”

 

Jun Qiyu placed his hand on Song Liqing’s shoulder, but Song Liqing twisted away.

 

“Don’t touch me.”

 

Song Liqing’s voice was cold and firm, rejecting any closeness.

 

“You’re cold. I’m warm… Just let me help.” 

 

Jun Qiyu spoke as if coaxing a stubborn child.

 

That tone was the last straw for Song Liqing.

 

“Jun Qiyu, do you think that just by pestering me and saying a few sweet words, I’ll forgive you? That I’ll reconcile with you?”

 

“I didn’t—”

 

Jun Qiyu mumbled, lowering his head.

 

“Liqing, when you left me, you did it so decisively and quickly. You didn’t even give me a chance to say goodbye, not even a moment to regret. If you still hate me now, hit me or curse me. Here, I have a knife. If you hate me so much, kill me. If it makes you feel better.”

 

Jun Qiyu handed his knife to Song Liqing.

 

Song Liqing took the knife, his chest heaving, and then raised his hand.

 

“Fine, since my life is already doomed, if you love me so much, then let’s die together! Let’s head to the underworld, and then you can ask me about forgiveness there!”

 

Song Liqing brought the knife down, and Jun Qiyu watched, unmoving.

 

In the end, the knife fell beside them, sinking into the sand.

 

Jun Qiyu glanced at the half-buried blade.

 

“You couldn’t kill me, Liqing. That proves… you still love me, right?”

 

“Couldn’t kill you? You think too highly of yourself.” Song Liqing sneered, “If you died, I’d just die here in the desert too.”

 

“If I can’t find the blood cistanche, I’ll die with you.”

 

Jun Qiyu spoke resolutely.

 

In this vast, desolate desert, where only the two of them remained, the final barrier in Song Liqing’s heart finally broke.

 

“Jun Qiyu! Why can’t you just leave me alone?! Can’t I live a peaceful life without you? Do you really think I don’t hate you? Do you know how it feels to watch the person you love indulge in endless nights with someone else? Do you know what it was like to bleed, to endure the torture, to watch as you sought to exterminate my entire family, the Song household? Do you know how much it hurt when I carved the branding mark from my hand myself?! It’s not that I don’t hate you; it’s that I can’t. You’re the crown prince, the future of Jing Kingdom. Could I really kill you? I pretend to be indifferent because I don’t have the strength left to hate you…”