Bird Reimu Dance · Returning Night

a year ago.

Xuanwen four years, the third day of the lunar month.

In a trance, she heard a long and melodious bell ringing slowly, as if it passed through the palace gates from a very far away place to her ears.

She woke up suddenly.

Opening her sore eyes, she raised her palm with a dazed expression, staring blankly at the bandage wrapped around it.

"Ma'am...you're awake..."

The palace lady Wen Lian stepped forward nervously and asked, "Your Majesty, is your wound still hurting? I'll ask the imperial doctor to change your dressing..."

But she didn't seem to hear it, and there was an indescribable dreamlike expression on her face. Like a ghost, she slowly covered her eyes with her palm, and did not move for a long time.

"Niang Niang..." Wen Lian couldn't bear to call her.

In the next moment, she sat up suddenly as if being burned by a fire.

"No...it's not a dream...that's not a dream!" She repeated as if she was muttering to herself, then she pushed away the palace maid in front of her, lifted her thin skirt, and walked on with her bare feet Run towards the outside of the hall.

The strong wind outside the hall blew her black hair into knots.

The guards all stared at her dumbfounded, but no one dared to step forward to stop her.

Because they never imagined in their dreams, how could the current empress dowager run in the palace in such an unseemly way?

Everyone was so astonished that they couldn't help themselves, and even forgot that at least they should catch up. They just watched the beautiful and weak figure running wildly with his clothes fluttering.

When she ran to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, she was out of breath and felt

I don't know if it was a hallucination, but she saw that person walking in front of her, she seemed to be injured, blood was dripping all over the ground...

It seems that there is only one step away... Obviously that person walks so slowly... Obviously she has already run so hard that her heart and lungs can hardly bear it... But why can't she keep up with that person?

fool...

is it you?

You are back, right?

You saved me, right?

let me see you...

She stretched out her arms, trying desperately to catch the wobbly figure.

i just want to see you...

Opening her palms, it seemed that she was within walking distance, as if she could grasp that person and see that person as long as she squeezed her fingers together.

As long as she folds her ten fingers together.

Suddenly, the person stood still and turned around, but she couldn't see her face clearly, she could barely see the corner of the person's blood-stained lips, and then she raised her thin lips and smiled at herself .

In the next moment, the bloody figure disappeared out of thin air, and the pure white snowflakes fell, as if they had been falling in the deepest underground.

She didn't close her palms, the cold wind passed through her fingers like this, the shadows of the trees whirled, and a piece of pear petals floated from nowhere and landed on her palm.

Suddenly, an indescribable sadness hit her unexpectedly, as if something had peeled off her heart forever, and when she left, she also cut the bloody mouth, and the blood quickly oozes out and drops to the ground.

All of a sudden, I felt that all the energy in my body was taken away.

She fell down in front of the hall, staring at the petals in her palm for a long time.

When Wen Lian arrived with several palace servants, she just asked calmly, "Who saved me?"

"Yes... the servants found you in a coma, and rescued you with the guards."

"That's right...of course it's like this...otherwise what else..."

She raised her head and laughed lowly, but two lines of tears fell down.

"Ma'am..."

"Strange...why am I crying"

She looked around at the ruined palace and the astonished courtiers, and murmured to herself,

"I think so too... Of course it's just a dream... Just a dream... What a strange dream..."

At the end of the dream, there was a thin patch of blood, leaving behind only the sound of the wind.

Nobody was there, nobody's coming back...

This is how she ends up...

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Xuanwen five years, the third day of the lunar month.

On this day, with the help of Wei Xinyue, Murong Ying and I sneaked into the palace easily.

In the luxurious and spacious carriage, while helping me to change my appearance, she told us some things about herself.

I just found out that not long ago, Empress Dowager Leng actually accepted her as her goddaughter and named her 'Princess Changning'.

People say it was because the Queen Mother felt pity for her losing her father in the 'Rebellion of King Rui'.

But Xinyue showed a look of hesitation, and finally told us with a sigh, "This is the only way my aunt can help me avoid the emperor... She said that she hopes that I can live the life I really want. Life...Never marry someone you don't like for any reason...even if that person is the Ninth Five-Year Supreme. Close your eyes."

When I heard this sentence, I felt a 'click' in my heart, and an inexplicable sadness suddenly hit my heart.

"The empress dowager... is she okay?" I closed my eyes tightly, hesitated for a moment, and still asked with some difficulty.

In fact, this year, the person I dare not think about the most is the Queen Mother Leng.

I don't know if she is clear about what happened a year ago... and what she missed...

I really never dare to think about it.

I always feel...it's too cruel to not even be able to see each other for the last time.

"The queen mother...all of us lied to her...including the emperor and Lingmei...but although my aunt didn't say anything...but I always think she knows...that person is no longer here ..." While speaking, I felt Xinyue sticking something on my cheek, and then she stopped, "Okay... just open your eyes..."

I slowly opened my eyes, and saw Xin Yue and Murong Ying staring at me blankly, with a clear light shining in their eyes.

I casually picked up the bronze mirror on the side, took a deep breath, looked into the mirror, and couldn't help being stunned.

"Lin Mu...can you understand me...can you understand me?"

The face in the mirror that had become stern and scarred suddenly spoke to me.

"I'm running out of time...the words I'm too late to say...can you understand me?"

My hands trembled, and I almost couldn't hold the bronze mirror steady.

"Will this... be a good way?" I shook my head and asked a little uneasily.

"At this point, there is no other way." Xinyue sighed softly, "But I can't make your eyes look like Master's, so after you meet Lingmei, don't let her notice your eyes."

I looked at Murong Ying, who had been silent for a long time, and couldn't distinguish between emotions and anger, so I reached out and tugged at the corner of her clothes, and asked in a low voice, "How...do you think...like your father?"

"Father is not as dishonest as you." She patted my hand away, and suddenly reached out to remove the scar on my cheek, turned her eyes to Xinyue and whispered, "Or Let her be like this, Lingmei must have never seen her father with scars."

She paused, turned her face away, and sighed softly, "It's better not to let her see it... Let her remember Father's best appearance... Otherwise... how sad I would be... "

I stared blankly at her side face which had become cold again, as if I vaguely understood something.

But even if the scar is removed, can I really pretend to be that person's best appearance?

I glanced at the person in the glasses again, sighed and put it down.

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In the middle of the night, Murong Ying and Wei Xinyue watched me step into Zhaolan Hall alone.

The pear tree in the courtyard is still spreading like a year ago, fluttering in the wind.

With a sound of 'chirp—', a yellow finch flying from nowhere stopped on a branch and looked at me with round black eyeballs.

I straightened my robe and slowly stepped into the inner hall.

But the moment I opened the door and walked in, I suddenly felt an inexplicable dizziness, as if someone had pushed me hard.

I was taken aback and looked back hastily.

But there was no one behind him.

Taking a deep breath, I continued to walk in. There were faint candle lights on both sides of the hall, and I walked carefully to the side of the bed, looking at the girl's face in the dark through the doffing veil.

She looked a little thinner than a year ago, and she no longer had the innocent brows and eyes of that time, and even in her sleep she was frowning tightly.It seems that he has been very unhappy and uncomfortable.

My heart suddenly softened, and I involuntarily reached out to rub her frowning brows away.

I didn't want to just touch her, and she grabbed the sleeve robe suddenly, and I was shocked.

"Father..." She didn't open her eyes, she just pouted and murmured in an aggrieved way.

It turned out to be a dream...

My eyes suddenly became sore, I thought what would I do if I were that person?

So I slowly sat on the head of the bed, reached out to stroke her hair, and said softly, "I'm here."

She finally opened her eyes slowly and looked at me in disbelief.

At that moment, I had a very strange feeling.

It seems that I am the master, the father of this girl.

I couldn't help opening my arms towards her, and the girl sat up and hugged me, crying loudly.

She didn't say anything, just hugged me and cried.

I didn't say anything, just patted her on the back.

The movements are extremely gentle and natural, as if they have been done thousands of times.

"Father...no...Uncle Emperor, did I do something wrong? Did I harm you?" After a long time, she curled up in my arms and sobbed softly like a kitten.

I shook my head, and my throat suddenly became extremely hoarse, "How could it be... all along, it's my father who is bad, and it's my father who always says something wrong... In fact, every time you call me father, I feel the same in my heart. I'm very happy...Ling'er...Father wants to watch you grow up..."

After saying this, I froze for a moment.

Strange, how could I say these words?

She was also stunned, as if she couldn't believe what she heard, she raised her head and stared at me blankly.

I was afraid of being spotted by her, so I closed my eyes subconsciously.

In the end, in the obscure darkness, I saw that person...

Strictly speaking, it is the transparent soul of that person.

She said to me, sorry.

Said to me again, thank you.

I was a little confused, and when I was about to ask something, she stretched out her hand and pushed me away.

And then I... saw myself as I am right now.

The master's face, slowly opening his eyes, was actually the master's color.

what happened? !

I lowered my head abruptly, only to find that my body had become transparent and was floating lightly in the air.

"Don't be afraid, just give her a little more time."

An ethereal girl's voice rang in my ears.

I froze for a moment, looked around, but saw no one.

"I am here."

I raised my eyes upon hearing the sound, only to see a little squirrel resting on the beam of the bed.

"You...you are..." I was so shocked that I couldn't speak.

"Quiet, she really doesn't have much time." Xiao Huangque said seriously, "Her soul has been wandering for a year, today is the last day, and she must go to reincarnation after the time passes."

I was stunned for a moment, stopped talking, and silently followed its gaze to look at myself... No, strictly speaking, it was Master.

She was smiling at Murong Ling who was staring blankly at her with incomparable tenderness and doting.

"Is it really you...Father."

"Stupid child." Master took her hand and led her to the prismatic mirror, "Come on, Father hasn't combed your hair for a long time, come and sit down."

Master took out a comb from his bosom. It was the comb I put on my body deliberately, and it was also the only comb I took away from the palace.

The comb that started my wheel of fortune.

I don't know if I hadn't picked up this comb from Agui that night, everything would have been different.

Unfortunately.. no if...

I saw Master combing Lingmei's hair strand by strand slowly as if he was holding a rare treasure, and occasionally chatting with her with a smile.

"Ling'er, did you have a good meal?"

"When it's cold, remember to add extra clothes."

"You have to work hard on your homework, don't be lazy."

"When you grow up, take good care of your mother..."

Speaking of this, Murong Ling's shoulders trembled slightly, she bit her lip and asked, "Father...are you leaving again?"

The master avoided answering, but carefully pasted flowers on her forehead, and stared at her with lowered eyes, "Father Emperor's Ling'er has grown up."

"Father..." Murong Ling stretched out her arms to hug her master, choked up and said, "Please don't leave me and my mother again..."

"I'm sorry...the emperor has a place to go..." The master's eyes were also red.

"Then at least... at least... father, can you go see the queen mother?" Murong Ling said almost pleadingly, "the queen mother treats you..."

"I'm sorry, Ling'er...Father can't go see your mother." The master interrupted her with an unspeakable pain in his eyes.

"Why?!" Murong Ling fiercely pushed the master away, "Don't you love the queen mother?"

The master was silent for a long time before he said in a deep voice, "Ling'er, when I was young, I told your mother that I would not change my feelings. When I hugged her for the first time, I swore to myself that I would cherish her in this life." , let her be happy, and grow old together with her. But now...you can see...we are not together. I failed her, it was my self-righteous naive vow that missed her life, it was my wishful thinking and self-deception Giving her such a grand promise, but forgetting that I have no ability to fulfill this promise at all... This is the greatest tragedy in my life. But I hope you can understand that even if my fate with her ends early, I still keep This love is hidden in the deepest part of my heart, and it will not be diminished in this life or even in the next life. Now I don't go to see your mother because I understand that I still can't bring her real peace and joy. As long as With me here, she is destined to be hurt by the world and even her relatives... I never brought her any happiness in the past, and I only hope that I will never become her misfortune in the future."

"But... luck and misfortune... it's all about you."

Hearing this voice, I was stunned, and quickly turned to look, only to see a woman in white clothes with disordered breathing standing at the entrance of the hall holding the door.

If it wasn't the Queen Mother Leng, who else could it be?

The master didn't look back, and kept his back to her.

The Empress Dowager Leng walked towards her step by step, and said word by word, "In this life, you and I are always far away, even though I always tell myself that I will forget you and let you go, and even did such a terrible thing to you... .but...but...that's what I said to lie to myself..to this day...I don't want to lie any more...I can't forget you at all...I've always been Waiting for you...how I wish you could come back...how I wish you could come and meet me..."

The master still didn't say a word, but slowly clenched his fists, his feet moved slightly, as if he wanted to leave.

The oriole sighed, "It's so awkward at this time...it's almost time...I'm afraid it's really too late..."

"Don't go!" My eyes turned red immediately, and I ran towards her...no, strictly speaking, it was my own body.

In an instant, I felt the temperature on my body and a strong reluctance and forbearance lingering in my heart.

I closed my eyes and cursed secretly: You bastard... you are obviously reluctant...

"Lin Mu...you can't..." Her voice sounded in my head.

Before she could finish speaking, I interrupted firmly, "Master, I don't know if what I did was right or wrong...but even if it was really wrong, I don't want you to miss it again."

After I finished speaking, I turned around, opened my arms without hesitation, and hugged the woman in white tightly.

The tip of my nose was filled with a faint fragrance, and I suddenly felt a large area of ​​burning heat in my chest, and then my consciousness gradually faded away.

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She hugged her quietly.

Everything seems to be back to the past, and everything in the world is quiet.

There is only the sound of each other's heartbeats, beating very heavily.

What should a person do to become a 15-year-old self again?

What should a person do to meet the 15-year-old her again?

What should a person do in order to truly face his own heart bravely?

What should a person do to embrace the deepest armor and weakness in his heart?

Even if the wheel of fate turns everything into a mess beyond recognition, is the last hug the only warmth for the rest of your life?

The evening wind rushed in one after another, blowing past the ears of the two of them, suddenly near and now far, now far and now near.

She lowered her head slowly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

At that moment, perhaps—

One beard, one moment, is also a lifetime.

The sky breaks suddenly, and it is also Mu Xue's white head.

As for the rest, it doesn't matter anymore.

"Sorry, but I have to go."

Zishi's voice seemed to be coming from far away, she said very softly, feeling her body getting lighter and lighter.

"Will it come back...will it come back?"

She tightened her robe at the back inch by inch, raised her upside-down face, and asked with tears in her eyes.

"Yes. But I'm afraid it will be too late, so don't wait any longer."

"No, if it's you...it's never too late to come back."

She always believes that all the partings in the world will come later.

The years don't wait, but this dream has no boundaries.

End.