Eternal Love

Recently, she had been feeling rather drowsy. Nainai said, "It's probably because you're carrying the young prince, which makes you especially sleepy. Your Highness, there's no need to worry."

Nainai, the maidservant who took care of her, was the only fairy in the entire Xiwu Palace above the ninth heaven who would smile at her and call her "Your Highness." Most of the other fairies looked down on her. It was because Ye Hua had not given her any title. Also, because she had no immortal register and was just a mortal.

Nainai opened the window, and a breeze passed by, bringing with it the sound of footsteps from outside. Nainai's voice was filled with surprise: "Your Highness, it's Crown Prince Ye Hua coming to see you."

She sat up slowly from the brocade quilt, leaning against the bed railing. She had no idea how long she had been asleep, her mind was not very clear, and even though she had just woken up, she was still extremely sleepy.

The bed sank a bit as the Crown Prince Ye Hua, with black hair and dressed in dark robes, sat down on the edge of the bed.

She moved back, hugging the quilt, and a silence fell. She thought he was probably angry. She felt fear when she saw him, but fear seemed to have become an instinct. She must not let him think she was still in a bad temper, must not offend him too much. She thought vaguely, enduring her shivering and speaking in a low voice: "Is the night sky still bright with stars?" Her voice trembled.

He paused for a long time before answering, "Susu, it's daytime now."

She habitually wanted to rub her eyes but remembered when she touched the white silk bound over her eyes that her eyes were already gone. No matter how much she rubbed, it would still be pitch black, and she could see nothing. In the vast heavenly palace, she was a mortal who did not fit in, and she was blind.

Ye Hua was silent for a long time, but his hand slowly caressed her face: "I will marry you, I will be your eyes."

Susu, I will be your eyes.

His hand on her face was slightly cold, and the movement could even be considered gentle, but it was like a knife that instantly pierced her heart. The nightmare of that night attacked her fiercely again, and she trembled with fear, pushing him away. Then, she panicked about the push and explained forcefully: "I... I didn't mean to push you, please don't be angry with me..."

Ye Hua reached for her hand: "Susu, what's wrong with you?"

The pain in her heart spread like thick ink on white paper, and she lied with chattering teeth: "Suddenly... suddenly feeling a bit sleepy. Go ahead with your business, I want to sleep for a while, don't worry about me."

There was another silence.

She really didn't want him to take care of her anymore.

Once, the embrace and the person she was extremely attached to had now become unbearable. Sometimes she would be curious, since he liked that woman so much, why did he agree to her ridiculous request in the first place. At first, at first, regret the beginning.

After a long time, there was the sound of footsteps. Ye Hua left. Nainai gently closed the door.

She sat alone for a while, hugging the quilt, until her body stopped trembling, then she lay heavily back on the bed. Her mind was a mess for a while, now it was the Junji Mountain of the Eastern Wilderness, now it was Ye Hua's face, now it was the bloody dagger, and her eyes that were gouged out.

She vaguely thought, after giving birth to the child in her belly, she must return to Junji Mountain, that is her place, this sinful love, where it started, it should end there. And it must be quick.

She placed her hand on the white silk bound over her eyes, murmuring in pain, her voice choked, but she did not cry.

After sleeping for a while, Nainai quietly pushed the door in and gently called to her: "Your Highness, Your Highness, are you awake?"

She pressed her throat and coughed: "What's the matter?"

Nainai stopped: "Princess Sujin sent a maid to deliver a note, inviting you to have tea together."

She lifted the quilt in annoyance to cover her face: "Just say I've already retired."

Recently, Sujin has been frequently showing kindness to her. When she was in good spirits, she also speculated that it might be because she had taken her eyes, causing her to become blind, and Princess Sujin might feel a bit guilty. But then she laughed at her own naivety. How could Sujin feel guilty? It was clearly she who made Ye Hua gouge out her own eyes.

She doesn't want to see or deal with these people anymore. She is no longer the little girl who arrived three years ago, nervous and awkward, yet ridiculously wanting to please everyone.

As the sun sets, Nainai wakes her up, saying that the evening glow is just right, slanting into the courtyard, the scenery is moving, and there is a gentle and steady cool breeze, which is just right for sitting in the courtyard to relax and disperse one's worries. She has slept all day, and her body is extremely lazy, so she also feels that she should walk around.

Nainai moved a rocking chair and was about to help her over. She raised her hand to stop her service and tried to move out step by step, holding onto the table and the wall. Walking was a bit strenuous, and she stumbled from time to time, but in her heart, she felt a ray of light. She must adapt as soon as possible; all of this is necessary. Only in this way can she live a good life alone when she returns to Junji Mountain.

She lay in the rocking chair, blowing in the breeze for a while, and felt a bit drowsy again.

In a trance, it seemed that she had a dream, and in the dream, she returned to the time when she first saw Ye Hua on Junji Mountain three years ago.

The handsome young man in black clothes, holding a cold sword, was covered in blood and fell in front of her thatched cottage. She was stunned for a while, hurriedly dragged him into the house, applied medicine to stop the bleeding, and watched his wounds heal on their own. In just two days, the severe injuries that were on the verge of death had already recovered as if they were new. The young man woke up and silently watched her for a long time before speaking in a very steady and good voice. The young man thanked her for saving his life and insisted on repaying her. She felt that it was just a good deed, and she had given the young man two doses of herbs, which was not a big favor, but she couldn't get around his persistence. She asked for a mountain of gold and silver, but the young man only looked at her with a faint gaze: "Miss, you don't seem to value my life." Since ancient times, there has been no savior who has been as helpless as her, and she was annoyed and helpless, so she spread her hands and said, "Then you might as well marry me." The young man was stunned.

But after this absurd remark, the two of them really got married and had a child in her belly.

Since she could remember, she had lived alone in Junji Mountain, only knowing the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and the spirits in the mountain such as birds, beasts, insects, and fish. She had no relatives, so she had no name. The young man called her Susu and said that from then on, this would be her name, and she was secretly happy for several days.

Later, the young man took her to the nine heavens, and she only then knew that the young man was the grandson of the Heavenly Emperor. At that time, he had not yet been established as the Crown Prince.

However, in these nine heavens, no one acknowledged that he was her husband. He had never mentioned to the Heavenly Emperor that he had married a mortal woman in the Eastern Wilderness.

That night, she went to the young man's bedroom to deliver a soup, and there was no one guarding around the bedroom. The voice of Princess Sujin came out mournfully: "You married a mortal, just to retaliate against me for betraying you and marrying the Heavenly Emperor, right? But what can I do? I have no choice. Among the women of the four seas and eight wilds, who can resist the favor of the Heavenly Emperor? Ah, tell me, Ye Hua, you still love me, don't you? You call her Susu, just because there is a character for 'plain' in my name, right?"

The dream that matched reality exactly ended abruptly, and she was startled out of a cold sweat. After being stunned for a long time, she raised her hand and touched her high and protruding belly. She was three years pregnant, and it was probably time to give birth soon.

After nightfall, Nainai had not come to serve her for a long time, and she was unable to wash up by herself, so she had to call out to her. When Nainai came over, she tucked the flower-patterned blanket around her legs and replied, "Your Highness, please wait a bit longer. Perhaps His Highness might come tonight."

She laughed silently. After that incident, Ye Hua had never come to rest again. She knew he would not in the future either. It was nothing, even if he did come, they would only face each other in silence, perhaps even angering him.

She was a complete weakling here. She used to be unaware of this, always thinking she had his protection. But that incident struck her like a bolt from the blue. If the one person you could rely on became the one who harmed you... Her hands began to tremble again, and she quickly clenched them.

Back then, on Junji Mountain in the Eastern Wilderness, if Ye Hua had told her he already had a beloved in his heart, she thought, she would never have absurdly married him.

At that time, she did not fall in love with him. She just lived alone in the lush mountains and forests, feeling very lonely.

But he said nothing, he married her, treated her with courtesy, and brought her to the Nine Heavens.

In the Nine Heavens, it was no longer as pure and simple as on Junji Mountain, with just the two of them. There was always gossip that reached her ears, about him and Princess Sujin. She was naturally good at ………, so even though she heard all about his entanglements with Princess Sujin, she could pretend she had never heard them.

She thought, no matter what, he had married her in the end. They had made vows to each other before the vast expanse of the Eastern Wilderness. She was also carrying his child, and she loved him so much, believing that one day he would be moved by her.

And indeed, he gradually became gentler towards her.

She even thought with relief, even if he did not love her, perhaps he had some affection for her?

Love, sometimes, can make a person very humble.

But that incident happened. When she awoke from her dream, the price was the loss of her eyes and her sight.

On that day, the sky was clear and the wind was gentle. Princess Sujin invited her to the Yao Pool to view the flowers. She thought it was a small banquet for the women and naively accepted the invitation. When she arrived at the Yao Pool, she realized there were only the two of them.

After dismissing the palace maids, Princess Sujin led her all the way to the Execution Terrace of the Immortals.

The Execution Terrace of the Immortals was surrounded by misty clouds. Princess Sujin stood on the platform and said to her with a cool smile, "Do you know? The Heavenly Emperor is going to crown Ye Hua as the Crown Prince and will bestow me upon Ye Hua as his wife."

She never understood the rules and tricks of these immortals. She only felt a surge of anger and confusion in her chest.

The princess in her splendid attire continued to smile: "Ye Hua and I are in love. This place of the Nine Heavens is not meant for a mortal. After giving birth, you should jump down from this platform and return to where you should be."

She didn't know if jumping down from the Execution Terrace of the Immortals could really take her back to Junji Mountain. At that time, she had never thought of leaving. She asked foolishly, "Is it Ye Hua who wants me to go back? As his wife, I should naturally follow him."

Now, thinking back, those words were truly humiliating.

But at that time, she always hoped that Ye Hua liked her a little bit. As long as he liked her a little, she would definitely stay by his side.

Princess Sujin sighed with a hint of amusement, suddenly grabbed her hand, and pulled her towards the edge of the platform.

She thought Princess Sujin was going to push her off the Execution Terrace of the Immortals, so she quickly grabbed the wooden post at the edge of the platform. But it was Princess Sujin who fell off the high platform. Before she could react, a black figure flashed past her and jumped down after.

Ye Hua stood in front of her, holding Princess Sujin, and looked at her coldly. His black eyes were filled with furious anger.

Princess Sujin, weak in his arms, said in a faint voice: "Don't blame Susu. She didn't mean to push me. She just heard the news that the Heavenly Emperor is going to bestow me upon you and was a bit impulsive."

She opened her eyes wide, incredulous. She clearly, clearly had done nothing. "It wasn't me,..."

(Three hundred years later)

The Lord of the Eastern Sea has newly acquired a son and, in preparation for his son's full moon banquet, has been absent from the court meetings at the Lingxiao Hall for several days. The Heavenly Emperor turns a blind eye, letting him be.

Out of curiosity, Duke Duo Bao, after the court session, specifically chased after the Southern Cross True Lord, who has always been on good terms with the Lord of the Eastern Sea, intending to find out the truth.

Life in the Nine Heavens is extremely boring, and the attention of the immortals to the Lord of the Eastern Sea's leave of absence is not a recent development. Seeing Duke Duo Bao take the lead, they all gathered around the Southern Cross True Lord in front of the hall.

The Southern Cross True Lord was very puzzled: "Don't all the immortal friends know that the aunt from Qingqiu will also be attending the Eastern Sea banquet in half a month?"