Chapter 1357 - 1033: How Do I Go Back...?

Lei Yu’s eyes had a slight tremble.

This tremble seemed to disrupt a pool of spring water. Soon, Lei Yu’s gaze was truly stirred. She frowned, subconsciously stepping back as if recalling whether she had said those words—but she had only uttered them a few days ago, so there was no need for doubt.

The words were still ringing in her ears.

As she felt her heartbeat gradually becoming disordered, Shang Ruyi’s deep voice sounded in her ears once more: "Some things, once they happen, they have happened."

"..."

"Whether we want it or not, what has happened will inevitably yield results."

"..."

"Once some roads are taken, you can’t turn back."

These words were merely the simplest truths that everyone understood, yet at that moment, they struck Lei Yu like a thunderbolt, shattering her soul almost to pieces. Her gaze fractured with despair as she looked at Shang Ruyi, wanting to speak but stopping short.

In truth, didn’t she already know?

Ever since she and her father aligned with Liang Shide and betrayed the court, they were on a path that diverged; thereafter, with Liang Shide controlling the Eastern Capital and Yu Wenquan declaring himself emperor in Chang An, even if they still regarded each other as friends, they could no longer be friends by stance.

However, when Shang Ruyi was hijacked to the Turkic region, and she, as the Young Prince’s Princess, went to protect the other party, they faced the greater enemy Turkic Khan Ashina Shali and didn’t need to consider stances. Thus, they never thought their positions were already opposing.

And this time, this attitude toward Xiazhou prematurely exposed their relationship.

If it continues, it will only clarify this relationship further.

They are enemies...

Especially now, with Yu Wenquan leading troops to attack the Eastern Capital, if Wang Shaoqiu is still alive, if he truly convinced Ashina Zhuxie to dispatch troops to aid Liang Shide, then they can’t avoid a life-and-death showdown.

Even without Wang Shaoqiu or convincing Ashina Zhuxie.

They were enemies all along!

This fact stared them in the face, even more insurmountable than the fire kindled by Zuo Tian. But Shang Ruyi stepped forward; she was slightly shorter than Lei Yu, yet looking at her at that moment gave a sense of gentle consoling, her gaze warmly smoothing over Lei Yu’s face and body, though that warmth sent shivers down Lei Yu’s spine, chilling her heart.

Shang Ruyi softly said, "Tomorrow we’ll descend the mountain, you have one night to consider some things."

Lei Yu opened her mouth, a hoarse sound escaping her throat, which struggled before squeezing out a hollow sentence: "What things?"

Shang Ruyi looked at her: "Return."

"..."

"If you want to return... Lei Yu, I can help you."

"..."

"I truly can help you."

"..."

Lei Yu didn’t speak, but her eyes flickered intensely, Shang Ruyi thought she wanted to say something, but regardless of the flickering gaze, the urgent breaths, Lei Yu’s lips slowly pressed into a line.

The two sank into a brief yet suffocating silence.

At this moment, light footsteps sounded from the side, Wo Xue carefully approached; seeing the two silent, she tentatively said, "Princess, the wound on your hand needs rebandaging."

Shang Ruyi nodded: "Oh."

She glanced at Lei Yu, said no more, and silently walked past her. Wo Xue promptly came forward to support her back to the wooden house.

Listening to Shang Ruyi’s footsteps fading behind, Lei Yu still stood there, the mountaintop wind was intrusive and biting, chilling her hands and feet, turning her into an icy statue devoid of warmth. She lowered her head, her voice hoarse and low: "How can you help me? Do you know my father is still in Luoyang?"

"..."

"Do you know my son He Du has just learned to speak?"

"..."

"How can I go back...?"

Night winds rustled but left her question unanswered.

Thus the night quietly passed.

The next day before dawn, Wo Xue had risen to start boiling water and cooking; once her tasks were done, soldiers and guards outside the house also got busy. Shang Ruyi and the others finished eating, tidied up slightly, then prepared to descend the mountain.

Yet, when it came time to depart, none took the lead.

After all, they hadn’t achieved the treasure-hunting goal, nearly lost their lives in the process, and indeed, lost one life, but more importantly, everyone shared a thought, a thought centered on Zuo Tian, seated on the east room’s mat, tapping the wooden fish and chanting scriptures—

How should they deal with him?

Leaving him, the one who nearly cost their lives—none were satisfied; but killing him? Such an act only revealed their incompetence, even Ashina Zhuxie refrained from attacking him after calming his rage.

Time slipped by as Shang Ruyi finally stood, walked behind Zuo Tian, looked at the shrine he worshiped, and said, "Will you continue staying here?"

Zuo Tian didn’t turn, nor did he stop tapping the wooden fish, "Where do you think I should go?"

"..."

"If you plan on seeking me for revenge, have no worries, I’ll remain here, won’t go anywhere. If you want revenge, just come."

"..."

"But if you seek treasure, abandon that thought."

"..."

Shang Ruyi fell silent.

Without the Left General’s Tomb, they indeed had no reason to traverse mountains to find him. As previously stated, he was no longer an enemy, nor part of their circle; to them, Zuo Family, Zuo Tian, meant nothing.

Shang Ruyi sighed deeply, saying: "Then, farewell."

And with that, she turned to leave.

Once she exited, Wo Xue naturally followed; together they led the assembled guards down the mountain along the path they came.

And Ashina Zhuxie rose too, walked behind Zuo Tian, looked at his thin frame, said coldly: "I should have killed you."

Lei Yu’s gaze flickered, just about to speak when Ashina Zhuxie added: "But without the treasures in the Left General’s Tomb, you don’t hold the value for my action."

With that, he waved his sleeve and left.

As everyone left the wooden house and descended the mountain, the last slender figure slowly approached Zuo Tian’s back.

The monotonous sound of the wooden fish finally ceased.

Lu Xiao looked at his back for a long time, but it was thinly deformed, no longer resembling the image in her memory. She softly said: "Are you truly Zuo Tian, or Zuo Heng?"