Water Reflects Peach Blossoms

"Sister, you're back~"

As soon as she returned to Zheng Palace, Gong Yunzheng saw Gong Zishang sitting on the couch and throwing a seductive glance at her.

Gong Yunzheng smiled gently: "Sister Zishang."

"How is it? I just learned the charming moves." Gong Zishang's posture half lying on the chair also became enchanting, with her orchid fingers gently stroking the side of her face, showing an exotic and charming posture.

Even though Gong Zishang's learning was a bit weird, Gong Yunzheng still praised it sincerely, "It looks good."

It's not that she was being insincere, but she really thought Gong Zishang looked very good when she performed this set of movements.

Being praised, Gong Zishang happily took out the golden dancer's costume adorned with crystals from the box and shook it to show Gong Yunzheng: "And my battle robe~ I'm sure Jin Fan will be fascinated to death when I wear this, hahahahahahahahahahaha..."

Realizing that his smile was a little presumptuous, Gong Zishang lightly covered the corners of his lips to restrain his smile.

"Jin Fan went out with Brother Zi Yu?" Gong Yunzheng asked.

Sister Zi Shang would never wear this kind of exotic dancer's clothes inside the palace. One reason is her identity as the eldest daughter, and the other is that her father Gong Liushang does not like it.

If she wanted to wear this dress in front of Jin Fan, she could only do it in the Old Dust Valley outside the palace gate.

"Yeah." Gong Zishang put down the clothes in his hands and sighed when he mentioned this: "Gong Ziyu was scolded by Zhiren for releasing the bride and Baizhi Jincao Tea without permission, and he dragged Jin Fan out to find comfort."

"That's perfect. This also indirectly makes things convenient for me~" Gong Zishang said, smiling happily again.

"Sister Yunzheng, do you want to come with me? I'll take you to Old Dust Valley to see the world."

"I won't go. Sister Zishang is having fun." Gong Yunzheng shook his head and refused.

On the way back to Zheng Palace, Yuan Zheng sent someone to tell her that Brother Shang Jiao had returned and invited her to Jiao Palace later.

"Well, okay then." Gong Zishang's disappointment was exaggerated. She covered her face with a dancer's scarf and blinked, "Looks like I'll have to go find Jin Fan alone."

Gong Yunzheng asked, "Has the young master chosen a bride?"

Gong Zishang laughed teasingly: "I chose a girl named Jiang Lili."

Gong Yunzheng nodded, and the tea she picked up hid the rapid thoughts in her eyes.

Before dinner time, Gong Yuanzheng returned.

Walking over to sit down opposite his sister, the boy couldn't hide the disappointment on his face: "Sister, my brother was sent on a mission by the Blade Master. He asked me to bring you the gift for you."

My brother was sent on a mission by Zhi Ren as soon as he came back, and I didn’t have time to have a good talk with him and my sister.

Gong Yunzheng had a bad feeling: "Do you know what the mission is?"

Gong Yuanzheng shook his head: "Brother didn't say anything. Oh, this is a gift from brother to sister."

The young man raised his hand, and two guards came up carrying two large boxes.

Gong Yunzheng looked at the opened boxes. One of them contained a black fox cloak with extremely fine and shiny fur. The other box contained fashionable hairpins, jade articles, rouge and powder, as well as many small gadgets to relieve boredom.

Seeing Gong Yunzheng's joy at receiving the gift, Gong Yuanzheng also smiled: "Brother also brought back a lot of fabrics. I told the tailor that someone will come tomorrow to take your measurements and make you a few new clothes."

Gong Yunzheng nodded and asked, "Have you had dinner?"

"Not yet," the boy said with a pure smile, "I want to come over and have dinner with me."

After dinner, Gong Yuanzheng still had things to do, so Gong Yunzheng stayed alone in the house reading.

Late in the night, a guard suddenly knocked on the door. After entering, he saluted towards Gong Yunzheng and said, "Second Miss, the young master Zhiren has passed away, and Master Yu has inherited the position of Zhiren. Now, please change into mourning clothes immediately and go to the Zhiren Hall to pay homage to the old Zhiren and the young master!"

This news was like a bolt from the blue. Gong Yunzheng stood up suddenly and asked, "What did you say?!"

Without waiting for the guard to repeat herself, her eyes were already focused on the mourning clothes held by the maid.

The pure white color made her feel confused and unreal, and then she was filled with a feeling of sadness and panic.

That's Zhi Ren and the Young Master, how could it be so sudden...

Could it be Wufeng... No! Wufeng had finally managed to sneak an assassin into the bride's group. It couldn't be that he did it just to kill Zhiren and the young master. If Zhiren died, the young master would succeed him. If the young master died, there would still be other Gong family members. Wufeng... wouldn't be so stupid.

...Who is that?

Gong Yunzheng couldn't figure it out and felt a slight pain in her heart. Before she could think about it, the guard spoke again and urged her to go to the Blade Hall.

Ignoring the guards' urging, Gong Yunzheng asked, "Where's Yuanzheng?"

The guard replied, "We've already sent someone to inform Master Zheng."

After getting the answer he wanted, Gong Yunzheng changed into mourning clothes and went to the Zhiren Hall.

Stepping out of the room, she looked up and saw countless white sky lanterns being released into the night sky, and the lanterns on the lighthouse turned red to indicate an emergency.

When Gong Yunzheng arrived, the mourning hall in the Zhiren Hall had already been set up. The flames in the clay funeral basin used for worship rose with the smoke, and the floating paper ashes fell to the ground.

The bodies of Blade Wielder Gong Hongyu and Young Master Gong Huanyu were lying in the coffins.

The three elders Hua, Xue and Yue stood on both sides respectively, Ming Wuji and Gong Shangzi knelt on the left, and Gong Ziyu knelt on the right. The smell of burning incense, candles and paper was heavy and sorrowful.

Kneeling on the mat, Gong Ziyu, dressed in mourning clothes, looked at the person who came, his eyes red and tears rolling down his cheeks. The sadness, confusion, and grievances that he had accumulated that night all burst out at this moment.

"Sister Ayun!"

Gong Ziyu stood up and ran to Gong Yunzheng, holding her shoulders with both hands, tears streaming down her face: "Father and brother... and me..."

The rest of the words stopped abruptly when he saw Gong Yunzheng's tears falling, and Gong Ziyu didn't dare to say any more.

He wanted to tell her about the grief of his loved ones passing away, and how he was forced to inherit the position of Blade Wielder due to the system of [Inheritance in Absentia]. He could never leave the Old Dust Valley again. He would live and die for the Palace Gate. He was no longer himself, but the Palace Gate.

But he was a human being, he had his own thoughts, he yearned for freedom, he looked up to the unfettered. Before today, he was just a dandy boy in the palace, scolded by his father, loved by his brother, and protected by his sister...

He was at a loss and didn't want to take on such a heavy burden, but was forced into this position.

He had so many things to say, and he felt so wronged and overwhelmed, but when he saw Gong Yunzheng's tears and her sad eyes, he dared not say anything.

He is afraid.

I was afraid that Sister Ayun would blame him. Why was he still so helpless at this time? Why was he selfishly thinking only about himself and not the palace at all?

He fears.

Afraid of disappointing her.

But Gong Yunzheng just looked at him distressedly: "I know, don't be afraid, I'm here."

These few short words made Gong Ziyu's heart tremble, and he stared at her blankly.

She knew his inner confusion, grievance and sadness. She did not blame him for not being able to bear the heavy responsibility or for being selfish. Instead, she told him that she was here.

Sister Ayun has always been by his side.

Everyone wants him to grow up, but she is the only one who feels sorry for him.