Chapter 2211: 幽蝶

Lu Ye distinguished himself in the imperial examinations, ranking third overall. During his audience with the emperor, he answered all questions fluently, captivating many influential figures.

He earned the favor of the current Prime Minister Qin and was invited to his residence. There, he met the Prime Minister's second daughter, Qin Yu. Drawn to her talent, he was smitten with her at first sight and made several attempts to court her, all of which were gently rebuffed.

After residing in the capital for several months, he was finally ready to return home in triumph.

However, just as he was preparing for his journey home, a messenger from the Prime Minister's estate summoned him. Lu Ye was puzzled but knew he could not decline an invitation from the Prime Minister.

He entered the estate gracefully and was led by a servant to a courtyard.

He looked up, but instead of Prime Minister Qin, he saw the Prime Minister's second daughter, Qin Yu, seated in a grand armchair, her beautiful eyes gazing at him expectantly.

Lu Ye had been avoiding her for days, and upon seeing this scene, he instantly knew it was the Second Miss who had summoned him, not the Prime Minister.

As he turned to leave, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears: "Husband?"

Lu Ye froze, and as he turned, the face he had missed for so many days came into view.

"Xiao Die?" Lu Ye was utterly astonished, never imagining she would be here in the Prime Minister's residence, standing so close to Qin Yu.

A faint realization caused his expression to subtly change, and he quickly walked towards You Die.

Two figures emerged from the side, blocking his path. They were guards from the Qin residence.

Lu Ye looked at Qin Yu and asked, "Second Miss, what is the meaning of this?"

Qin Yu still smiled, "Nothing much. I kept hearing you mention you were already married, and my curiosity got the better of me. So I simply brought her here for your reunion."

Lu Ye composed himself, cupped his hands, and said, "Thank you for your kind intentions, Second Miss. I am deeply grateful." He then motioned to You Die, who stood beside her, "Xiao Die, come here."

Xiao Die took a step but was immediately stopped by the Qin residence guards.

Her face showed signs of panic. As a countrywoman, she had never witnessed such a scene.

Qin Yu clicked her tongue, "No wonder the Third-Place Scholar can't forget her; she possesses such a beautiful face." As she spoke, she rose and walked towards You Die, lifting a hand to pinch her chin, her gaze assessing, as if she were examining a piece of merchandise.

"Second Miss," Lu Ye's heart sank. During his time in the capital, he had heard many tales of the Second Miss's cunning and cruel nature. Today, she had brought You Die from thousands of miles away without warning, and considering his repeated rejections of her advances, he feared she was now intent on revenge.

"Why are you nervous?" Qin Yu tilted her head to look at her, a coldness seeping from her lovely face. Her fingers gently traced You Die's cheek, and her tone was teasing, "The Third-Place Scholar is indeed a devoted man. It seems I like you even more now."

Lu Ye lowered his head. "Second Miss, please forgive me. I come from humble origins, whereas you are the Prime Minister's daughter. I dare not aspire to such a high status."

Qin Yu blinked. "If I desire it, it's not 'aspiring too high'. How about it? My previous offer still stands: simply marry into the Prime Minister's household, and wealth and glory will be yours for the taking."

Lu Ye remained silent.

Beside Qin Yu, Xiao Die's expression was one of shock, as she finally understood why she was there.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Seeing Lu Ye's unyielding expression, Qin Yu scoffed and drew a dagger from her waist.

Holding the dagger in one hand and pinching You Die's chin with the other, she tilted her head slightly, her expression sinister. "I wonder if the Third-Place Scholar will still like her after her face is disfigured!"

You Die's eyes widened, and she attempted to struggle, but two burly guards on either side held her firmly, preventing any movement.

Lu Ye was also terrified and cried out, "Second Miss, don't!"

"You say don't, but I will!" As the Prime Minister's second daughter, she had never been defied. Yet, this Lu Ye had repeatedly ignored her advances, which had long since infuriated her. While she indeed admired Lu Ye's talent, it was irrelevant. What she could not possess, no one else would either.

Amidst Xiao Die's struggles and Lu Ye's frantic shouts, the sharp dagger pierced her delicate face and slashed downwards viciously.

A scream rang out.

Lu Ye felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

Only Qin Yu laughed maniacally, raising the dagger again to leave deep marks on the other side of the face, utterly defiling its perfect beauty.

"I agree! I agree!" Lu Ye's heart twisted as if pierced by a knife. Blurred images inexplicably surfaced in his mind: one scene was of a familiar body lying on his, slowly growing cold, and his own unwilling helplessness—just like this moment! Another scene showed a dazzling red amidst a field of white.

"I agree, Second Miss, please have mercy!" he cried.

Qin Yu sneered, "It's no longer needed."

Dropping the blood-stained dagger, she told the two guards holding You Die, "She's yours now."

The two burly guards raised their eyebrows and chuckled, "Thank you, Miss!"

With that, they dragged You Die towards a side room.

Lu Ye felt a chilling dread, crying out and begging for mercy, but it was futile. The two guards beside him, at Qin Yu's command, knocked him to the ground and began to beat him relentlessly.

His entire body ached, yet the pain was nothing compared to his shattered heart. From the adjacent room, Xiao Die's cries reached his ears, only to abruptly cease the next moment...

Lu Ye froze, and those two blurred scenes from earlier surged into his mind once more.

He found a surge of unknown strength, scrambling and crawling into the side room. There, he saw the two guards standing by the bed, their faces etched with disappointment.

On the disheveled bed, Xiao Die lay limp, her clothes mostly intact, but blood streamed from the corner of her mouth.

Lu Ye rushed forward, embraced her body, and tremblingly checked for breath at her nose. Moments later, a low sob escaped him.

Qin Yu also entered the room, instantly realizing You Die had bitten her tongue to commit suicide. She let out a cold snort, "You got off easy!"

She turned and walked out, coldly stating, "Cripple him and throw him out!"

What if he was the Third-Place Scholar? If he didn't know his place, she could beat him or kill him as she pleased.

The Third-Place Scholar, perhaps due to some shock, went mad overnight. From that day forward, the bustling capital gained another disheveled, ragged beggar.

By winter, someone found a body buried under heavy snow by the street. He was curled up, his hands loosely embracing, as if protecting something.

It was as if in a cycle of reincarnation; in each new life, Lu Ye could not remember much, only vague images that would involuntarily surface in his mind. Cycle after cycle, life and death, different worlds, different circumstances... the only constant was You Die losing her life because of him.

Another reincarnation began.

Beneath a crescent moon, at the peak of a formidable sword.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, stood side by side. The man in black had sharp eyebrows and piercing eyes, wielding a long saber. The woman in white was of breathtaking beauty, holding a long sword inverted.

From all directions, countless figures gathered around them.

Someone roared in anger, "You Die, you hail from a renowned righteous sect! How dare you conspire with this demon? Are you unaware of all the evil he has committed over the years?"

You Die, holding her long sword, calmly replied, "It is precisely because I know what he has done all these years that I can see through your hypocrisy!"

The so-called 'demon' was merely a slander concocted by insidious villains. As childhood sweethearts, the two knew each other's true nature intimately.

"You Die, don't be stubborn. Today, we, the righteous, have gathered here; this demon is certain to die. Do not bring harm upon yourself."

"You Die, wake up! That demon has poisoned the world and brought endless suffering to the people. Do not further tarnish your sect's reputation."

"Sect's reputation?" You Die cast a cold glance at the speaker, recognizing him as an elder from her own sect—a man who appeared virtuous but was inwardly corrupt. Her face immediately showed disgust. "Such a sect, such a righteous path... I'd rather not be a part of it!"

"You Die, you've disappointed me greatly," the elder sighed, shaking his head. "Since that is your stance, then from today forward, you are no longer a disciple of our sect."

"What are you prattling about?" Lu Ye, who had been standing beside You Die, impatiently snapped. "All this talk, and it still comes down to a fight. So stop wasting words, come at us all at once. Let's see if your hypocritical righteous path is truly formidable, or if I, this chaotic-world demon, am more impressive!"

"Insolent wretch!"

"Charge!"

Figures surged forward, blades flashed, and screams constantly echoed as bodies fell into pools of blood.

The attacking crowd surged and swelled, while the black and white figures moved gracefully amidst them.

In an incredibly fierce battle, eight or nine out of ten attackers were killed or wounded, and the rest fled in disarray.

Holding his blood-stained saber, Lu Ye laughed heartily, "A bunch of clowns. Next time, bring more people, otherwise, it won't be enough for your grandpa to kill."

He turned to You Die beside him. "They're no match at all."

The serene and noble beauty, who usually appeared aloof to others, now looked like a girl next door, her eyes filled with adoration. "Brother Ye is truly amazing!"

"Let's go," Lu Ye said, sheathing his saber.

He stepped forward, but after only a few paces, he suddenly turned back. "What's wrong?"

You Die was still standing there, smiling softly at him. "Brother Ye, you must be more careful from now on."

The spirited confidence on Lu Ye's face vanished, replaced by a grim expression. "Xiao Die?"

You Die slowly shook her head. "Brother Ye, you go first. I'll come find you right away."

As she finished speaking, her body suddenly went limp and she fell backward.

Lu Ye's expression changed instantly, and he quickly stepped forward, raising his hand to support her soft body, only to feel something wet and sticky.

He withdrew his hand, seeing a dazzling, dizzying red.

He quickly leaned forward to look behind You Die, only to see a dagger plunged into the center of her back, a wound he hadn't noticed before.

"Xiao Die!" Lu Ye felt the hot blood in his chest turn to ice. The joy of their recent victory instantly vanished, and his voice trembled.

Though he had only glanced, he could tell it was a fatal wound.

Xiao Die, however, had shown no outward sign, and he cursed himself for not having noticed anything earlier.

Xiao Die's face became deathly pale. She raised a hand, caressing his cheek, her eyes filled with infinite longing and reluctance, her breath barely a whisper. "Brother Ye, Xiao Die cannot accompany you anymore. You must take good care of yourself."