Unyielding Spring Mountains - Chapter 71: The Past Life

Wei Zhen’s hand reached toward his waist and abdomen again, feeling around but finding no other wounds. Then her wrist was suddenly held tightly, and Qi Yan opened his eyes. “What’s wrong?”

His dark eyes were deep, his cool aura surrounding her completely.

Wei Zhen withdrew her hand. “Nothing.”

Thankfully, Qi Yan did not have scars all over his body like that man. The boy’s physique was lean, agile, and strong, every inch of his skin as fresh and clean as newly pressed paper. But that man’s body was like an old, battle-worn sword covered in scars.

If they were two unrelated people, having similar wounds at their waists could be seen as a mere coincidence.

Wei Zhen couldn’t bear to think about what those scars would look like on Qi Yan’s body. Her hands slipped under his arms, holding him tightly in her embrace.

Qi Yan looked at her furrowed brows filled with worry and asked, “What’s wrong?”

She raised her head. “Qi Yan, you have to promise me you’ll be fine.”

Qi Yan was about to speak, but she interrupted him, “Listen to me first.”

Wei Zhen propped herself up, clutching his shoulders, her hands cupping his cheeks. “I once had a dream where I saw you encountering danger outside. I know you’ll say dreams can’t be taken seriously. But what I’m about to say, I still hope you will keep it in your heart.”

Her expression was so serious. Qi Yan looked at her and nodded, “What kind of dream did you have?”

In Wei Zhen’s memory, in her past life, it should have been a year and a half after Qi Yan came to the State of Chu when Jin King would die suddenly under mysterious circumstances.

Afterward, the royal family of Jin claimed that Qi Yan had colluded with Ji Wo and secretly plotted to murder Jin King, sending people to hunt down Qi Yan.

But how Jin King died and what happened during that time… Outsiders had no way of knowing. What spread was that Qi Yan had killed the king and fled, triggering the struggle for the throne in Jin.

As for the new king who ascended, it wasn’t Ji Yuan, but another royal family member put forward by the Jin royal family. But what was certain was that Ji Yuan must have remained within the royal family.

Later, Qi Yan and Ji Wo rose to power, causing the Jin State to split and fall into constant internal turmoil. It wasn’t until Qi Yan finally emerged victorious, Ji Wo died along the way, and the throne was passed to Qi Yan, that everything finally came to an end.

Now, there was still nearly a year before Jin King’s death, but Wei Zhen had to warn him in advance.

After all, many things had changed in this lifetime, and there was no guarantee that day wouldn’t come sooner.

Wei Zhen spoke, “You must stay by the King’s side and never let him be alone. If you are ordered by the King to leave his side, make sure to bring twice as many soldiers as usual to prevent any danger.”

She didn’t want the person in front of her to end up covered in scars like Jin Lan.

After she finished, Qi Yan replied softly, “Alright.”

Wei Zhen gazed at him, her silence lingering before she murmured, “Just now, for a moment, you reminded me of someone.”

Wei Zhen laughed and shook her head. In her past life, when she went to the secluded palace at the Jin-Chu border to recuperate, Qi Yan had already become Jin King, busy with warfare. How could he possibly have the time to come looking for her and stay by her side?

Her encounter with Jin Lan in her previous life was nothing but a passing moment.

Wei Zhen stopped thinking about it.

Qi Yan brushed away the stray hair from her face. “When I return, I will marry you.”

His words struck her heart. Wei Zhen felt sweetness wash over her heart and responded, “Alright.”

The rain poured continuously as the boy and girl nestled together, slowly falling asleep in the tranquility.

The army set out the next morning. Wei Zhen got up early, quickly dressed, and went with Qi Yan to meet Jin King.

In the grand hall, palace attendants held up tall mirrors, reflecting the imposing figure before them. The man was burly and majestic, and from his back, one could not tell he was over seventy years old.

The attendants helped him put on his armor. Jin King turned around, his face stern and awe-inspiring, radiating such authority that ordinary people couldn’t help but feel the urge to bow in reverence.

Wei Zhen stepped forward. “Your Majesty, as you are about to depart, may I help you fasten your belt one last time?”

Jin King met her gaze. “You may.”

The attendants stepped aside, and Wei Zhen walked forward, picking up the belt from the tray and wrapping it around his waist.

After fastening the belt, she looked up. “Your Majesty, take care.”

Jin King said, “Stay well within the palace. If anything happens, go to Ji Wo and Ji Yuan. They will look after you.”

He extended his hand and gripped her wrist.

Wei Zhen was startled. Jin King had always been strict with her. Such a gesture and words of concern clearly showed his care for her. After all, after half a year of living together, how could there be no feelings at all?

Jin King was about to leave when Wei Zhen held him back. “Your Majesty, wait. I have something to tell you in private.”

Jin King said, “Say it here.”

Wei Zhen shook her head and pulled him to the inner hall.

“Your Majesty, you must take care of your health. Eunuch Hong Shuo has served you for many years and will accompany you this time. That reassures me greatly. I have prepared a whole box of medicine for treating headaches and handed it over to the eunuch. It should be enough.”

Jin King replied, “There’s no need for so much.”

Wei Zhen stepped closer, looking at the old man before her. He had spent his life in battle, making the Jin State a fierce, wolf-like force that all the Central Plains lords feared. She truly admired this legendary king.

Leading an army personally always carried risks. She feared that the fate of his previous life would repeat itself, with such a hero’s life ending so abruptly.

Wei Zhen said, “Your Majesty, you must be wary of those around you.”

Jin King said, “They are loyal generals who have been by my side for decades. There will be no mistakes.”

Wei Zhen shook her head. “Have you forgotten the incident with the beast attack? The closer the person is to you, the more dangerous their betrayal would be. I have no intention of interfering with military matters. I only wish to remind you to be cautious of those close to you. Please return safely.”

Wei Zhen then lowered her head.

Jin King said, “Speak your mind. I will not blame you.”

Then, he gently pulled her into a hug. “It will be at least half a year before I see you again. During this time, do not neglect your studies. When I return, I want to see how well you have managed the palace. Don’t disappoint me.”

Wei Zhen slowly embraced him, her heart filled with intense reluctance.

“All along, it has been my honor to earn your favor. My grandfather passed away early, and I have regarded you as my own grandfather, with nothing but sincerity toward you.”

Jin King patted her shoulder, “Child.”

Wei Zhen’s eyes suddenly felt a little sore. Jin King, however, couldn’t quite figure her out. Seeing that she was about to cry, he hurriedly called for Qi Yan.

Wei Zhen wiped away her tears and smiled at him.

Jin King held his helmet, his tiger-like strides moving steadily. Crowds followed him outside the hall, his figure blending into the sunlight.

The grand army set off mightily, with dark banners fluttering in the wind atop the war chariots.

Wei Zhen stood on the city tower, her gaze following the procession. The two figures on horseback at the center of the formation gradually faded from sight.

“Princess, it’s time to leave.”

A voice sounded beside her, pulling her thoughts back.

Wei Zhen turned around to see Ji Yuan looking at her with a calm expression. “Let’s go. The King entrusted us with many things.”

Wei Zhen softly replied, “Alright.” She lifted her skirt and, surrounded by the crowd, descended the city tower with him.

When Jin was preparing to go to war, the Prime Minister of Wei happened to be staying in Jin. Jin King once asked the Prime Minister about Wei’s stance on the war between the two countries.

The State of Wei did not wish to participate, but the two countries shared a border, and Jin King could not fully trust Wei.

The Prime Minister swore an oath, repeatedly assuring Jin King that he would not cause trouble for Jin from behind.

After all, the Prime Minister was a high official of a nation and could not stay long in Jin. However, before leaving, he specially met with Wei Zhen.

He left her a small jade pendant and told her he had stationed a group of more than twenty soldiers outside the palace. In the future, if she encountered difficulties and had nowhere else to turn, she could seek their help.

This was something her father had instructed the Prime Minister to do for her.

Wei Zhen expressed her gratitude.

The Prime Minister tentatively asked if Wei Zhen wished to return to Wei with him.

Of course, Wei Zhen wanted to, but thinking of the tasks Jin King had entrusted her with, she said she would visit Wei once the war settled down a bit.

The Prime Minister hesitated but finally smiled and said, “When the court of Wei is peaceful again, we will certainly welcome the princess with great honor.”

Wei Zhen replied, “Alright.”

While the army fought on the front lines, the rear needed proper management. After Jin King left, Ji Yuan and Ji Wo governed the kingdom. Even though Ji Wo had no interest in court matters, Wei Zhen forced him to join her in reviewing official documents.

Besides them, several officials left by Jin King assisted in political affairs, each belonging to different factions, creating a balance of mutual restraint.

The weather gradually turned warmer, and the front lines won several battles.

Wei Zhen handled palace affairs daily, but during her free time, her mind was always occupied with one thing—she couldn’t get the name “Jin Lan” out of her head.

The man, his body covered with scars, had come to the secluded palace as a guard. His accent was a mixture of Jin and Chu, leading Wei Zhen to suspect he was from the Jin-Chu border and had just returned from the front lines.

She had no way of finding the household registry of Chu soldiers, so she ordered her subordinates to sift through the Jin soldiers, selecting only those who took “Jin” as their surname, and presented their records to her.

Yet among those records, none bore the name “Jin Lan.”

The window was half-closed, and raindrops drifted in from outside. Wei Zhen rested her head against the window, staring blankly at the pond outside.

In her previous life, she had asked the maidservants around her about Jin Lan’s appearance.

Their answers were all the same: the man was strikingly handsome, with a beauty unmatched by anything they had ever seen.

These palace maids had been sent to the remote palace by the King of Chu shortly after arriving at the palace.

Most of them were illiterate. When Wei Zhen wanted someone to read to her, none of them could help—until Jin Lan arrived.

He read her elegant poetry and prose, as well as folk tales and stories, and told her daily about interesting things happening in the city outside.

War was a topic they rarely touched upon.

The only time it was mentioned, Wei Zhen vaguely sensed that Jin Lan seemed to have his own understanding of military strategy.

He once asked her what she thought of Jin King.

By then, the King of Jin was already Qi Yan. 

The Queen of Chu had once been captured and sent to the enemy camp of Jin, where she was taken in by Jin King for some time. It was rumored that there was something between her and the King of Jin, a story known throughout the world.

When Wei Zhen heard Qi Yan’s name, she instinctively wanted to avoid it.

So she murmured, “I’m a little afraid of him.”

She remembered that day, being pressed down by enemy soldiers in disheveled clothing before his bed, looking up at him in a humiliating posture that nearly shattered her dignity.

She knew that her survival was nothing but a stroke of luck owed to the act of kindness she once showed him at Zhanghua Palace.

She told Jin Lan about this. After a long silence, he finally said, “There is no need for you to be so afraid, Your Majesty. Since the King of Jin once received your kindness, he surely feels gratitude toward you in his heart.”

He paused, his voice slightly hoarse, “If he knew of Your Majesty’s situation, he surely wouldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

Wei Zhen shook her head and simply said, Jin King was such a cold and hard person, absolutely not someone easy to deal with.

She sighed, “I don’t know when these wars and this chaotic world will finally end…”

“Very soon.” He said softly, “Just wait a little longer.”

“To recover from illness, the heart must be healed first. Your Majesty has a broad mind; you will surely get better. I know a renowned physician. Once the war is over, I can bring him here to treat you.”

“So, Your Majesty, please… wait a little longer.”

Wei Zhen smiled and replied that she also believed the war would end soon and that the young King of Jin would be able to bring peace to the world. But her body could no longer endure.

Wei Zhen could feel the old poison spreading within her, her body rapidly deteriorating.

Jin Lan stayed with her for three months, but by late spring, he had to leave the palace, saying he would come back for her soon.

One month after his departure, Wei Zhen could no longer hold on and closed her eyes amidst the hazy spring light.

Outside the window, raindrops pattered, and a damp mist rose over the pond, drifting toward the window with the breeze.

The bamboo slips on the table rustled gently in the wind. A few raindrops fell on the slips, smudging the characters “Jin Lan.”

Jin Lan—was it meant to refer to someone from Jin, as ethereal and fleeting as the mist…?

Jin Lan, Jin Lan. Wei Zhen always felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with this name.

She murmured it several times, then suddenly stopped.

Jin Lan, Lan Jin… Lan Jing.

Reversing Jin Lan, it was Qi Yan’s courtesy name—Lan Jing, wasn’t it?

Wei Zhen’s blood felt as if it was boiling, and that suppressed thought broke through, surging into her mind.

Thinking carefully, there were too many similarities between Qi Yan and Jin Lan.

The same habits, the same tone of voice, the same scars on his body.

Why did he say farewell to her in the spring? Because Jin had once again gone to war with the surrounding states, and as the king, he had to return.

Once that thought emerged, she could no longer contain it. She was desperate to write him a letter and confirm her suspicions.

In her previous life, she had asked Jin Lan, if someone lost their sight and felt numbness to the point of blindness of the heart, how should they find clarity?

He said, “A person in the vast universe is as insignificant as a mayfly, like a blade of grass compared to towering mountains. When the mind is broad, the world becomes boundless.”

A broad mind brings a boundless world. It was his way of helping her find peace and openness in her heart.

So every morning and evening, he would personally accompany her to watch the sunrise and sunset and ride with her through the vast wilderness.

If the man from her previous life and the man of this life were the same, then his answer should be the same.

Wei Zhen’s eyes grew misty, her hand trembling slightly as she held the brush, carefully writing down her question. Some emotions seemed to have crossed the long years of two lifetimes, pouring from her brush onto the paper.

When she finished writing, she called for a servant.

“What does the Princess wish to instruct?”

“Have someone send this letter to the front lines, to General Qi.”

The servant carefully took the letter, bowed, and left.

Wei Zhen leaned against the window. She had once thought her connection with Qi Yan in her previous life was nothing more than a brief encounter. But it turned out, there was a deeper bond between them…

She opened the letters he had recently sent her, the words slowly appearing before her eyes.

They were all simple greetings, telling her he was well at the border and asking how she was doing at the palace.

Tears filled her eyes as she smiled slightly, hoping he would receive her letter soon and respond as quickly as possible.

The young woman leaned against the window. The wind and rain gently blew in, causing her hair ribbons to flutter and brush against her clean face. The light blue skirt rippled like water, blending seamlessly with the misty moisture in the air. Her figure, dressed in a blue dress, seemed to merge with the pale green flowers outside the window, like a pure lotus blooming from the water.

The sound of raindrops striking an umbrella echoed.

A servant folded up the umbrella, causing rainwater to fall like broken strings. Ji Yuan walked into the hall from the courtyard outside, and what he saw was the young woman’s gentle gaze turning his way.

“I just saw a servant holding a bamboo slip. Did the Princess write another letter to the General?” Ji Yuan asked with a faint smile.

Wei Zhen responded with a gentle hum.

The rain had drenched half of his body. His dark blue robe clung to him, outlining his tall and slender figure.

The man took the handkerchief handed to him by the servant and slowly and elegantly wiped his long eyebrows, high-bridged nose, and cool chin.

Previously, when the three of them worked together in the hall, they would not disturb each other. But today, Ji Wo was not present, and it was improper for Wei Zhen to stay under the same roof as Ji Yuan alone.

Wei Zhen rose to leave, but Ji Yuan had already spoken, “The rain outside is fierce. If the Princess tries to leave now, she may catch a chill from the rain.”

He paused. “And the rain might also smudge the ink on the bamboo slips.”

Mist clung to the lanterns, and the rain roared ceaselessly. The heavy rain showed no sign of stopping. Wei Zhen hugged the bamboo slips in her arms.

After a long while, his clear and gentle voice pierced through the rain, reaching her ears from behind. “Princess, why not stay for a while before leaving?”

Wei Zhen stood by the doorframe and looked at the rain curtain for a moment before finally saying, “Alright.”

BITCH STAY THE FU-CK AWAY FROM MY LITTLE BBG