Chapter 95: Conclusion (Part 1)

Yu Lingxi’s proposal was not made on a whim.

In his previous life, Ning Yin suffered from a leg ailment, an incurable condition that naturally disqualified him from ascending to the throne. But this life was different.

His elder brother had also said, “Ning Yin has reached the position he’s in today, just a step away from the throne. Even if he himself doesn’t aspire to be Emperor, his position and the supporters under him will push for his accession for the sake of future benefits.”

In this world where everyone pursued their own interests, it was better to be a subject of an emperor than a subject of a subject.

The Third Prince, Ning Xuan, could reach the Prince Ning’s mansion before his death, which proved that his brother’s words were not just threats.

Yu Lingxi had pondered deeply for a long time before speaking these words.

Ning Yin looked into her eyes, as if savoring the weight of her six words.

“Are you drunk?” He casually sniffed, only catching a faint scent of her perfume.

Was there anything crazier than letting a madman become Emperor?

“No, I’m very sober.”

Beside the carved railing of the tower, Yu Lingxi’s expression remained calm.

Ning Yin always said he had no mercy, that he was naturally cold-hearted.

At first, Yu Lingxi didn’t pay much attention to it. But as he repeated it, she realized that perhaps, under Ning Yin’s repeated dissections, it was almost self-loathing bordering on masochism.

Moreover, after recent experiences, she gradually realized that the common people didn’t actually care who sat on the throne. As long as they could fill their stomachs and alleviate the suffering of war and famine, a cold but capable Emperor was much stronger than a hypocritical but incompetent ruler.

As clouds passed by, casting shadows over the tower, Yu Lingxi looked up at the warm sun in the sky. “Ning Yin, look at the sun.”

Ning Yin lifted his eyelids, not looking at the sun, but turning to admire Yu Lingxi’s radiant smile in the sunlight.

She leaned over the railing, speaking softly, “People revere the Golden Crow not because it’s beautiful or dazzling, but because it’s powerful enough to dispel the winter and darkness.”

Ning Yin always turned his head slightly, and there was a hint of light in his deep, dark eyes.

“You praise me every year like this, don’t you feel guilty?”

He clicked his tongue lightly. “Unfortunately, I am a demon from the depths of hell, unable to be the sun that everyone looks up to.”

“A demon from the depths of hell is fine too.”

Yu Lingxi naturally picked up the conversation, “Not fearing the small and wicked, cutting down all evil. Even in the great compassion of the Buddhist temple, there are still several fierce and evil-looking Vajras.”

Ning Yin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly.

When she wanted to praise someone, even a stone could be praised into a flower.

“What’s so funny?” 

Yu Lingxi tilted her head slightly, “Do you think I’m too noisy?”

“Just the opposite.”

Ning Yin squinted contentedly, “I actually find the sweet words you say every year more pleasant than the humming of bells that one time.”

Yu Lingxi was speechless.

Even after being together for so long, Ning Yin’s unrestrained speech still made her blush and her heart race.

“Don’t change the subject.”

She hummed and said seriously, “You said you want to retire with me, just the two of us for a lifetime. But Ning Yin, is that really the life you want?”

Yu Lingxi vividly remembered how Ning Yin in the previous life mastered power, trampling the awe and fear of the world underfoot.

He just stood in the wrong position.

Perhaps seeing that Yu Lingxi was not joking, Ning Yin put away his relaxed expression.

His lips parted slightly, but Yu Lingxi gently held his cheek, understanding the disdainful words he was about to blurt out.

“The regent is in the whirlpool of the court, he has to work hard to manage the government and balance the court, but in the end, he is making wedding clothes for others. Not only do your achievements count towards the young Emperor, but you also have to be constantly guarded against by others because of your high status.”

Thinking of Ning Yin’s bloody robe in the past life, Yu Lingxi furrowed her brows, “When the young Emperor grows up, should you hand over power or not? If you don’t, there will inevitably be opposition and criticism. Even if you replace the puppet Emperor, it’s just exchanging opponents. There will still be another Ning Xuan, another Xue Song in the world. They are well-known, advocating justice, using poison, assassination, and even verbal attacks, constantly under attack day and night. And me…”

She fell silent for a moment, sighing softly, “And I can do nothing but feel sorry for you in the mansion.”

Just like in the previous life.

Yu Lingxi said, “I can stand by your side, not behind you.”

Just like when she wanted to protect the general’s mansion, walking side by side with the person she loved most in this life.

After saying so much, Ning Yin just listened quietly, his profile embedded in the shallow sunshine reflected by the lake, like flawless cold jade.

“You’re thinking too highly of me, Sui Sui.”

He squinted his deep dark eyes, reaching out to stroke the corner of Yu Lingxi’s eye, as if wanting to touch the bright light in her almond eyes, “This kingdom doesn’t interest me.”

“What if, I’m in this kingdom?”

Yu Lingxi caught his subtle expression, hesitated for a moment, and finally said softly and gently, “Ning Yin, are you not afraid of ruling the world, but… afraid of disappointing me?”

Ning Yin’s fingertips paused imperceptibly.

“Ridiculous,” he said softly.

Because it was too ridiculous, he couldn’t even laugh.

Yu Lingxi smiled faintly, turning her gaze back to the pear blossom forest on the shore.

The wind blew, snow fell, the beautiful scenery remained, the female general in red military uniform and the little county prince in golden white brocade had walked into the distance.

Because of patrol duties, Ning Zizhuo didn’t dare to get too close, accompanying Yu Xinyi at a distance of few feet, chatting occasionally.

I don’t know what interesting topic they were talking about, but Yu Xinyi slapped Ning Zizhuo’s palm, causing him to stumble. Yu Xinyi turned her palm into a pull, helped Ning Zizhuo up, but unexpectedly, he took the opportunity to put the pear blossom he had hidden long ago on Yu Xinyi’s official hat, giggled, and ran away.

Yu Xinyi ordered her subordinates not to laugh, and reluctantly pulled off the pear blossom on her hat, but hesitated for a long time after turning around, and couldn’t bear to throw away the pear blossom branch.

Outside the imperial city, the picturesque land stretched for thousands of miles.

“Ning Yin.”

Yu Lingxi called him, “Wei Qi.”

Ning Yin twisted a piece of sour plum, meeting her gaze.

“You little lunatic.”

She laughed, listing his nickname as if it were a treasure trove, “Husband… um!”

The ending was cut off, suppressed in her belly.

Yu Lingxi tasted the sourness of the plum, but also tasted the sweetness of silent indulgence.

“Ning Yin, instead of spending a lifetime guarding against those people, why not be upright and make them all shut up.”

Yu Lingxi leaned against Ning Yin, breathing heavily, closed her eyes and said softly but firmly, “I want to stand taller with you. If the court’s order can’t accommodate our arrogance, then we’ll create an order of our own.”

Her soft voice was resolute, and the boiling blood surged like a vast ocean.

She accepted his self-loathing, embraced his coldness and madness, admired his toughness and methods, but never asked him to abandon himself and become a hypocritical “hero” like the old Emperor.

She said she wanted to stand by his side, not behind him.

She said she would make everyone shut up and create an order of their own with their abilities.

Ning Yin lightly pecked her eyelashes.

If Yu Lingxi opened her eyes at this moment, she would see how excited and crazy his eyes were.

He could willingly drown in her tenderness and die on her.

The wind stirred the light curtains of the building, pear blossoms fell with the wind, drifting with the current. The sky was high and the clouds were light, the golden-red of the setting sun dyed the top-quality white jade extraordinarily beautiful.

Ning Yin played with Yu Lingxi’s scattered hair, looked at her deeply for a long time, and said softly, “I remember Sui Sui once praised me for being good-looking.”

Yu Lingxi lifted her eyes weakly, not understanding why he suddenly brought this up.

“What’s your favorite part of me, Sui Sui?”

Ning Yin raised his lips slightly, gently saying, “Would it be good to cut it off to make it beautiful and lasting, and give it to Sui Sui?”

“…”

The way the little lunatic expressed his love was always so unique, willing to use his body and even his soul as tokens of love.

She was accustomed to it, so she deliberately lowered her gaze, stopping at his firm waistline.

Ning Yin was momentarily stunned, then hugged her and burst into laughter, shaking his shoulders uncontrollably, and said heavily, “This thing is not suitable, it’s better to keep it useful while alive.”

His mood was really good, and it was rare for Yu Lingxi to see him laugh so uninhibitedly in two lifetimes.

So she stopped caring about his nonsense and leaned into his arms.

After a long time, so long that her eyelids felt heavy, Yu Lingxi thought Ning Yin had already fallen asleep, but then she heard his low but forceful voice.

“Stay with me,” he said.

“Okay.”

Yu Lingxi understood his meaning, “I will try my best to catch up with you.”

Ning Yin pinched her nape and said hoarsely, “You said it wrong, you should be punished.”

Like shadows chasing light, he chased after her.

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