April 211 BC

There is a delicate and unique kapok forest in the garden of Zhaogong, the terrain is relatively remote, because very few people go there, and no one comes to prune, the kapok in the forest grows very arbitrarily.

In April of the second year after I came to Afang, I finally witnessed the scene of this forest of kapok in full bloom: one by one, like a fire cloud.

I stood quietly in the burning kapok forest, letting the falling petals drench me.

A hand suddenly appeared above my head, long sleeves draped over my back like a cloak.

"The flowers have fallen all over you. Changxi looked down at me and sighed softly: "But tears have been sprinkled on this place." ”

"Brother Chief. I raised my eyes to look at the Changxi beside me, choked up and asked, "If I had been the one who danced in the hall that day, would things not have ended up like this?"

Changxi's eyes shook slightly, he lowered his eyes and looked at me, his voice full of pity: "No, if it were you, things would be worse." ”

His tone was soft, as if he was sighing, but also as if he was rejoicing.

On the night of the family banquet in Xianyang Palace, Xiao Xu did not return to Xianle Fang.

I sat alone in the room where the dancer lived, staring at the faint light of the oil lamp, silent.

I stubbornly waited for Xiao Xu's return under the pity of the other dancing girls, until the lamp oil burned out and the sky released the white belly of the fish, and I realized that I had been sitting here all night.

And I had to know that on this night, my best friend became the woman of the Emperor of the Ages. From then on, like her mother, she will forever bury her youth and love within the palace walls.

Early the next morning, I left Xianyang Palace and went back to Afang alone, in a hurry like a sinner who had fled from the desert.

I didn't have the face to see Qin Yuji, I just locked myself in my room and washed my face with tears every day. But Changxi came to see me every day, and I didn't open the door for him, so he sat down on the verandah outside my door, and described to me in a soft voice the appearance of every flower and plant in the garden. He always said, "Cher, the kapok in the garden is blooming again, come out and have a look." ”

My claustrophobic life didn't change because of Changxi's words, until yesterday, Xiao Xu came back.

Dressed in dazzling costumes and golden jade beads, she came in a gorgeous and exquisite carriage, and then got out of the carriage surrounded by a group of palace people.

The public announcement that came back with her sù me: Yingzheng loves Xiao Xu very much, and he wants to officially marry Xiao Xu back to Xianyang Palace with a wedding ceremony, and the luxurious and huge wedding ceremony is set for tomorrow.

I didn't sleep in the same room with Xiao Xu last night, because now she is Concubine Xu, and she wants to live in the most gorgeous Chu Palace of the Six Palaces, instead of squeezing into a room with me, a little dancing girl.

She came and went in such a hurry, so hurried that she didn't even look at me.

I don't know if she regretted her decision that day, or if she will ever forget me from now on. I only know that I can't go back with her after all. However, even so, I was unwilling after all.

I got up very early on the day of the wedding ceremony, and before dawn, I sneaked out of the gate of Zhao Palace with a lantern.

"Where are you going?" the man's voice sounded on the palace wall, and I looked up to see a dark figure standing in the wind, and then, turning over and landing in front of me.

It's the Qinyu period.

"Qin Guard...... "I was a little timid, and took two steps back slightly, lowering my eyes and not looking at him.

"Are you going to the Chu Palace? do you want to bring her back?" he asked, and when he saw that I didn't answer, he suddenly smiled.

He laughed wildly, tremblingly, and sounded very sad.

"You don't have to go. He suddenly smiled, and with a thick self-deprecation in his tone, he said, "I've already been there." ”

"Did you see her?!" I couldn't help but step forward and ask with anxious eyes, "What did she say?"

She said...... The heart is dead, the fate is over, and now she is the concubine of Emperor Xu of Qin, who favors the sixth palace, and is no longer the lowly dancing girl Xiaoxu back then. He paused ......and said with a wry smile, "She never loved me." ”

My heart seemed to be torn apart by life, and the lantern in my hand fell to the ground, I shook my head in disbelief and said in a trembling voice: "No...... How could she accept her fate? How could she be willing to accept her fate? As soon as she entered the palace gate, she was deep in the four seas, and from then on there were two heavens of ice and fire, such a land of tigers and wolves...... How could she accept her fate?"

"I want to take her away. Qin Yuqi clenched the sword in his hand, with a hint of despair in his voice: "What great achievements and great deeds are just passing clouds, I don't want anything, I just want to leave with her." From now on, whether it is the end of the world or the cape, as long as she wants, I will take her there. But she's not leaving, Snow Maiden," he shook his head and smiled bitterly, "she won't come with me." ”

The sky gradually dawned, and the dazzling light sprinkled through the night and clouds on the tired and haggard faces of Qin Yuqi and me, stabbing our hearts with pain. The music of welcoming relatives was played in the Chu Palace, passing through half of the Imperial Garden of the Six Palaces, echoing in my ears.

I suddenly turned my head and ran wildly towards the Shuangque Gate, ignoring the loose hairband on my head, and ignoring the long obstruction that came later, I just wore my hair loose, and ran like a madman in the Afang Palace in the early morning. The panicked footsteps landed on the dew-soaked stone slabs, leaving only the sound of hurried footsteps echoing in the palace for a long time.

The music was melodious, the red veil was all over the sky, I chased after the team that had already walked through the Shuangque Gate, looked at the big red chariot that was lifted high from a distance, and cried hoarsely: "Xiao Xu! Come back! Please! Don't go to that place!"

Don't go to the place that has carried your nightmare for more than ten years, don't go to the place that took your mother away from you, don't go to that ...... Where you will be imprisoned forever......

I was fascinated and ran behind the greeting team, my shoes had long since fallen somewhere, and my two ** feet stepped on the cold stone slab, and it was cold in my heart in an instant.

Behind me came the sound of horses' hooves, and then Changxi rode his beloved white horse in front of me.

"Cher!" he rolled over and dismounted, reached out to hug me as he was about to fall to the ground, and begged with a trembling voice, "Don't chase it...... Good Cher, don't chase ...... anymore"

"Xiao Xu......" I watched the greeting procession gradually become farther and smaller in front of me, and then turned around the double gate decorated with red yarn, disappeared, and disappeared.

The wind brings the scent of flowers, which is the breath of spring.

"In the spring of last year, I came to Afang with her, it was spring, it was the most beautiful time in Xianyang, pink peach blossoms were everywhere here and there, the wind blew gently, and the petals were brilliant throughout the season......" I looked at the double gate decorated with red yarn with blank eyes, and muttered: "At that time, I thought that we would stay here together, grow up together, and age together......"

"Cher, Cher......" Changxi whispered my name, his face buried in my loose hair. The arms that hugged me trembled slightly.

A piece of kapok petal hidden in his jade crown fell on my face, and I gently lifted it, looking at it and crying and laughing.

"This year's kapok blooms so well, the color of the petals is as red as blood...... "Looking at the kapok petals in my hand, I couldn't cry: "Look at it, it's just the same clothes as Xiao Xu...... Exactly the same ......"