A thousand miles apart

  Gongs and drums shake the sky! The wedding is a hundred times more grand than I imagined! Everything is being done according to the etiquette of a prince. A bright red veil covers my silent face! It hurts so much! Ever since I found out what Long Yunyao did, my heart has been in pain until now! My life as Ye Hanmei has been tumultuous from the day I was born, destined to be entangled with the two princes of Jiang Country! Until this moment! Tomorrow is the day of my demise, and I want to make Long Yunyao remember my hatred for him! Hate him! Until the moment I die! Hate him! I want him to forget this pain in the last second before he dies! It matches my current mood, heart-wrenching!

  The wound in the abdomen, healed and cracked, cracked and healed. It's like the wound in my heart, printed on my heart, and it's been torn apart by pain forever. It was handed over to him by his own hands! I thought I had already become numb from the pain, but who would have thought that when it really came, it was still so painful!

  Long Nuyue and Yan Yan are waiting for me at the Royal Inn! I thought to myself, dazed. That place is where many nobles gather, if we were to get married there, the news would spread throughout the fourteen nations immediately!

  Cold wind, biting! The bright red wedding sedan chair suddenly fell to the ground, and I almost fell over! Stabilizing my body, I slightly lifted the curtain of the sedan chair. At the front of the long welcoming procession, Long Yunya wore a bright red dragon-patterned robe, riding a pure white horse with a white cloth wrapped around his right hand, tightly grasping his Cloud Dragon Sword! His face was pale and haggard, his eyes were bloodshot, shining with an eerie red light, as if he were an evil spirit from the underworld!

  The hair scattered behind his back was mixed with more than half silver threads! In one night, he had become like this!

  Vibrant red lips involuntarily revealed a ruthless smile, "Haha! Hahaha!" The fragmented laughter scattered in the air. It was so desolate and miserable!

  The entire welcoming party, including Tianji Old Man and Guiyue, were all staring at me in shock!

  His whole body shook, and he stared at me with his strange, bloodshot eyes, his gaze fixed on the red-clad figure inside the wedding sedan. "You're smiling! At a time like this, you're actually smiling!" He looked at me incredulously, as if I were some kind of monster.

  I lifted the red veil, stepped down from the sedan chair, and stared at him coldly. "Are you here to drink my wedding wine?"

  He was taken aback, his hand holding the sword began to tremble. Fresh red blood, stained the white gauze, dripping drop by drop onto the yellow earth, slowly spreading out!

  "Apprentice! What are you doing?! Wearing a red robe, you're not the groom! Are you trying to steal the bride?!" Tianji Old Man shouted loudly with his hand cupped around his lips.

  His eyes turned cold and stared at him, saying in a low voice, "If so, Master will help his disciple?"

  I was taken aback. I didn't expect him to speak in such a pitiful tone! Jiang Guo's number one swordsman, heroic and righteous, with a gentle appearance but poisonous methods! Someone as proud as him actually spoke in a humble and almost pleading tone!

  "Disciple! My good disciple! Although your behavior is detestable, since you've spoken up, I'd be too inhumane if I didn't comply! Alright, alright, alright! I'll grant your wish! After all, one should consider the words of a good master!" He then turned around, assuming a fighting stance against Gui Yue. "Disciple! Leave this man to me, you go catch Han Mei!"

  Before the words had fallen, a bright red dragon robe flashed by, swiftly passing through the wedding procession. Drawing out the long sword from my waist, I suddenly leapt back several zhang, but then abruptly froze in place!

  The corners of his mouth curled up into a strange and eerie smile, he quickly jumped to my side, and coldly said in my ear, "You forgot, I'm the Great Thief! As a great thief, using acupoints from afar is simply child's play!"

  "Miss!" Kiyotsugu shouted loudly, but was entwined by Tenji's old man!

  Damn it! I gritted my teeth. He wrapped his arms around my waist, leaped into the air, and the people in the team shouted, holding knives and swords to hack him down, he didn't say a word, and flew away on his own. Just after a while, they entered the forest. The soldiers behind shouted and chased after him. He was running and jumping in the forest, as if he were born to live in the village and forest!

  In just a moment, the pursuing soldiers suddenly disappeared. In the mysterious forest, thick white fog rose rapidly. It's Qimen Bagua! I was taken aback. No wonder he had the guts to come and kidnap the bride alone!

  He put me down, his lips slowly curled up a warm and gentle smile, and said in a low voice, "Hanjun! Let's get married!" His voice was hoarse, but couldn't hide the thick urgency.

  "Really married? Long Yunya, now that it's come to this, you're saying we're really married?" I stared at him in utter disbelief, my eyes fixed on his as if the person I was looking at wasn't him, but an unspeakable monster!

  "You said you love me! You said you'd be with me through life and death! How can I let you marry Niu Ya like this?" He said hastily, his chest heaving visibly. "Ming Ming, it's clear that you have feelings for me!"

  "Haha! Hahaha!" I laughed bitterly, "Don't you understand yet? My love, from yesterday on, has gone with the wind! From now on, between us two, there's only hatred, nothing else!"

  "I don't believe you've stopped loving me!" he said in a low voice. Slowly walking up to me, he tore open my bright red scarf. The fog was getting thicker and thicker, the vibrant red shirt hidden among the white mist had already been dampened by the dew! He hastily tore at my clothes, his lips covering mine, urgent yet gentle. His agile tongue pressed against my teeth. "Ah!" He covered his bleeding lip, a beastly light flashing in his crimson eyes. "You bit me!" he accused urgently.

  In order to prevent me from biting him again, his lips went down from my slender white neck! Across the belly band, holding my pink cherry blossom!

  I stared coldly at him, this beast-like, rude man, was he really my first love?

  "If you truly love me, how can you treat me like this? 'Yehanmei, can't I just be with someone without being bound by marriage? Even if I wear the wedding dress, can't it suppress the lowly taste of the Demon Dragon Clan?' I said coldly."

  He suddenly stopped the movement of his lips, raised his eyes to look at me in a bright red bellyband. I coldly returned his gaze! Let him clearly know that I no longer have feelings for him!

  He suddenly stood up, stretched out his long fingers to loosen my acupoints, and clutched at his own head with both hands, his whole body trembling. In a hoarse voice, he said, "What have I done! What did I do to you! Hanmei, is this all that's left for us in this life?"

  I covered up my bright red wedding dress, staring coldly at his back, and said in a low voice, "No! For the rest of our lives, we are either enemies or friends!"

  His whole body shook violently! In an instant, a palm was slapped out, and the large tree beside him was broken off at the trunk! "This life, having been loved by you, having gone through life and death with you, is my greatest happiness!" Ever! I knew that these two words almost knocked him down! I didn't speak, and stood up straight.

  "So, I designed this strange formation, and brought you in by force. What's the point of that now?" he said loudly.

  "I originally thought that your master had only taught you martial arts, but I didn't expect that you could actually set up a mysterious gate array! This kind of fog array, if it's not done by a high-ranking expert from the Mystic Sect, then no matter how hard one tries, they won't be able to find the entrance. They can only wander around in the forest blindly! This is the best hiding person array! As long as the technique is applied with care, people trapped inside and outside the array, even if they are only a foot apart, still won't be able to find each other! It's also called 'a foot away from heaven'! Looks like I underestimated you!" I said calmly.

  Are you afraid? Now, Nu Yue is right outside, and if not for the formation, she would be standing right behind you! But because of this formation, no matter how hard you two try, you can't find each other. This feeling is just like us, close yet far apart. Do you know that in this world, there's only one person who can break through this formation? And that person, due to my pitiful appearance that appears once every hundred years, definitely won't help Nu Yue break through the formation! Even if Gui Yue were here!

  Even with a thousand troops, he can easily subdue them! Because he is the all-powerful Tianji Old Man! So, your marriage to Nu Jia is off! You are a colorful cloud in the sky, and only by following the sun can you become even more beautiful! Even if you were to die tomorrow, you would still be flawless!"

  He said, flawless! Such me, how can be called flawless? I suddenly sneered, "A foot of sky, is it so hard to break?"

  He curled his lips. "If it's not the most difficult formation, how can it trap you Ye Hanmei! I just don't want to see you fall into the arms of Angry Tide! Was I wrong?"

  I shook my head and said calmly, "You're right! The one who's wrong is me!"

  He furrowed his brow, gazing at me with a suspicious and inquiring look. In the depths of his crimson pupils, an inexplicable glimmer of hope flickered. That hope wove itself into a dense net that slowly unfolded before me!

  "I was wrong, I didn't learn this method from Tianji Old Man that day! Can't break through this formation! However! I, Ye Hanmei, have said it before! Today, I must marry Long Nu Ya as his queen! And I will definitely make it happen! Before the auspicious hour, I will surely break through your Chai Chi Tian Ya!" I shouted loudly. Tore apart the net that was opened for me!

  He stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing, "Exactly! Hanmei! It's exactly you who has deeply moved me! If the mysterious numerology were so easy to learn and understand, then there would be as many people mastering this technique as there are hairs on a cow! I know you're clever! If you said you could break through this formation within three days, I would still believe you. But you said before the auspicious hour! How dare you be so arrogant! My carefully calculated formation, how could it possibly be breached so easily? All I need is to get past today! Furious River can use other methods, and I can too! Even if you're marrying Furious River today, I'll still come up with a move that will prevent him from consummating the marriage!"

  Ah! I see! He had said something similar to Long Liejiao before! So, at that time, he had already made up his mind? Not letting other men have the chance to touch me! Guarding my chastity! How ironic are the things in this world! Clearly, it was he who personally designed my chastity for Long Nuyue, and now he comes to protect my chastity!

  My life is left with only one day! This one day, I can somehow spend it here! I want to tell him, I hate him!

  He reached into his bosom, took out a flint and struck it lightly. He picked up a few dry twigs to start a fire and ignited the grass and wood around him! He looked at me with a furrowed brow.

  Time, a little bit has passed, and the fire is getting bigger! When the raging flames burned through the sky, it also opened up the thick fog in the distant horizon. He stared at me incredulously, as if he had never seen me before! His mouth muttered, "How is this possible? How is this possible?"

  A faint smile appeared on his lips, "The one who designed the 'Chai Chi Tian Ya' is my master! He's a man with no common sense at all! What if the fog gets thicker? I'll just set fire to this forest and burn it down. Your fog will disperse, and your 'Chai Chi Tian Ya' will lose its effectiveness! So, in this round, I win!"

  I raised an eyebrow and stared coldly at his eyes before suddenly turning around and leaving. I had never seen him like this!

  So this is the real him? Clever, but good at calculations! Originally thought that the Red Flame Island affair was designed by others, now it seems that if it wasn't him who wanted my life, then who would it be?!

  At the end of the thin fog, Longnü Ya was standing outside the forest. Their battle had also come to an end! Guī Yuè's hand was slightly injured, and fresh blood stained the light-colored fabric!

  The old man stood on one side, his body unable to move, his mouth unable to speak, only his two eyeballs could still turn left and right!

  As soon as I appeared, Long Nu's body shape changed slightly, and he flew over, grabbing me with one hand, and said urgently, "How is it! What did you talk about with him!"

  Look up at the sky, turn around, and say calmly, "No! Your Highness! The auspicious hour has arrived!"

  He twitched his lip corners, "Then let's make a deal here! It just so happens that you have an elder as witness!" His eyes intentionally or unintentionally looked towards the Tianji old man.

  The latter's eyes suddenly burst open, wanting to speak but unable to say a word, the expression was ridiculously extreme, I didn't have the mood to laugh!

  "Very well!" I turned my head, and behind the thick trunk of a tree in the misty forest, a bright red cloth was hidden. Suddenly kneeling on the ground, I exclaimed loudly, "I! Ye Hanmei! Wish to marry Long Nuyue as his wife!

  Having said that, he took the long sword from his waist, broke it with his palm, and let the blood drip into the yellow sandy land. The sand quickly turned into a dark red blood stain!

  "I swear it on this fresh blood!" I exclaimed loudly.

  Long Nuyue knelt on one side, his lips slightly hooked in a smile, just like me. His sword had broken through the palm of his hand, and he said loudly, "I! Long Nuyue! I am willing to marry Ye Hanmei as my wife, from now on, we will be together until death, and be honest with each other! I swear it on my dragon blood!" After he finished speaking, he deliberately or unintentionally glanced at Lin Zi.

  The bright red corner of the clothes behind the tree quickly retreated! I cracked my lips. He knew it! I just want to make him remember my hatred for him forever, even if only for one day, in front of Long Nuyue!

  "Even if it's just for one day, I'll try to love you! Long Nuyue!" I said loudly. The volume was just right to let the people in the woods hear!

  Long Nu's lips curled slightly, "You won't just have a one-day life! I've said it before, from now on, we'll share life and death together! We'll grow old together, since you're already my wife, even if I had to give up the throne, I couldn't bear to let you die in a foreign land!" He declared loudly but firmly.

  At this moment, I am moved! Such an extraordinary man, at such a time, makes such a vow! With a slight curl of my lips, I smiled calmly, "Together in life and death, hand in hand until our hair turns white!" These eight words are so simple to say! How could such a man possibly be with me till the end? Even if he were a prince, he would still take many concubines, let alone this man who is fighting for the throne! How can an emperor possibly spend his life without taking any consorts?

  In many years to come, whenever I recall today's words, I will be heartbroken, sharing life and death, growing old together!

  Suddenly, his face changed. He stared fixedly at my neck, his complexion turning iron-gray. After a while, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "What's on your neck?"

  I furrowed my brow, suddenly remembering that just now in the woods, he had deliberately sucked on my neck for a long time! My hand involuntarily touched the bright red kiss mark, slightly furrowing my brow. Just as I was about to speak, he picked me up and we flew onto the horse's back. With one squeeze of the horse's belly, the two of us took off in an instant!

  A cold wind lifted the slightly curled ends of our hair, I sat in front of him, clearly feeling the intense ups and downs of his chest, he was angry! Although he didn't say a word, I could clearly feel his emotions!

  "Where are we going! Longnü Bay!" I exclaimed loudly.

  He didn't speak, and after a long while, he said loudly, "Where to go? On the wedding night, what can be done! Of course, it's the bridal chamber!"

  His face turned pale. Thinking of that day, he was so afraid! Lightning tore through the black night sky. The thunder rumbled endlessly in his ears! His whole body trembled involuntarily!

  Suddenly, the horse let out a loud whinny and lifted its front hooves. I lost my grip and was thrown off its back, flying into the air! Just as I was about to fall into the yellow earth pit unique to Fengguo, Long Nujiang flew over to catch me, but his foot got tangled in the horse's reins! He drew his sword to cut the rope, but it only allowed us to fall together into the yellow earth pit.

  Splash! The two of us sank to the bottom of the water, and it took a long time to float up. The water in the well was extremely warm, with a faint scent of lotus flowers, and the two of us broke through the surface together! The bright red clothes were stuck to our bodies, making us look so disheveled!

  How hateful! I cursed with hatred. Lifting my head to look at the sky, I gritted my teeth in anger. "What's the point of digging a well so deep when there's nothing wrong with our country?" I exclaimed loudly, slapping my palm against the wall of the well!

  He stared at me coldly for a long time before saying, "They have a severe shortage of water sources. The well-diggers have to dig very deep wells in order to see water! Out of every hundred wells dug, only one will yield water! That's also why the country has so many deep wells!"

  I frowned, "This well has water! That means someone will come to fetch water! Then we just have to wait for people to come and rescue us!" I soaked in the well water, feeling very helpless.

  Long Nuyue shook her head and said calmly, "No one will come to fetch water! This water is warm and has a sweet fragrance, although it's been fetched, but it has the taste of lotus flowers! Such water can only be used for bathing, drinking too much is not good!"

  That is to say, both of us are equally trapped in a dry well!

  "The flames will send people after us!" He said calmly, seemingly not caring whether they could get out or not!

  "I can jump out!" I snorted!

  "You can! But you can't jump out!" he said calmly.

  I was taken aback for a moment, and I furrowed my brow, saying, "What are you talking about?"

  He brushed away the messy hair by his ear, pulled down the corner of his mouth, and stared at me with a fierce gaze. "Because I don't allow it!" He said, then swiftly pressed my acupoints before I could react.

  "What are you doing! Long Nuyue! Why did you seal my acupoints!" I exclaimed loudly.

  He curled his lips, "On the wedding night, you said what can be done! The wedding night is called the Zhōu Gōng ritual, also known as the bridal chamber. So, let's have a real bridal chamber!"

  He said, his lips pressed down tightly! I trembled all over, feeling very scared! He glared at my eyes with hatred, and tore off my waistband! Tearing open the collar in front of my neck, he loudly asked, "What did you do in the woods?" He said, suppressing his anger.

  "Long Nuyue! What are you doing!" I loudly bellowed.

  He pinned me against the well wall, his lips pressed tightly on my slender white neck! His heart was racing fast, but his lips were cold. His rough big hands tore open my wedding dress, revealing the brightly colored embroidered mandarin duck bellyband underneath! Without hesitation, he buried himself in the undulations of the bellyband, and hastily tore open his own clothes!

  I screamed and closed my eyes. A loud voice said, "Long Nuyue! Don't make me hate you!"

  His movements were slow, and after a long time, he said in a low voice, "Hate me? After that night, can you not hate me? Marrying me is just your way of hating him! Do you know that on that night, you lost your virginity, and I didn't touch you again! Such a stubborn you, made me surrender! So that night, you kept your chastity!"

  I'm shocked! How could I have remained innocent in that situation? It's impossible! "What did you say! Long Nuyue! But you said those things to Long Yunyue that night!"

  He burst out laughing, and suddenly thrust into me, the sharp pain almost made me scream! He stopped moving, shouting loudly, "I'm going to make him suffer! First, let him know that he personally handed you over to me, ruining your innocence! Second, let him regret not taking your true innocence by force! And hand you back to me again!" After saying this, he started thrusting wildly!

  I'm in agony, screaming, wanting to open him up, but he's like a ferocious beast with endless energy. The taste of fresh blood in my mouth, I lift my head and gaze at the sky, this night, the clouds are broken, the moon is shattered. My heart, too, has died!

  The two of us soaked in the warm well water, he was like a satiated beast, dangerous, yet unexpectedly in a good mood.

  I was dazed, my mind a complete blank. Silently, I put on my clothes, and when I slightly raised my head, he stared at me intensely, his lips curled up into a smile. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around my waist, and with a swift motion, we stood firmly at the edge of the well!

  As we came out, I only saw his two personal attendants holding clean clothes standing by the well, as if they had been waiting for a long time! Seeing us come out, they immediately knelt down and said in unison, "Congratulations to Your Highness, congratulations to Your Highness! Please let Your Highness and the princess change into new clothes!"

  I furrowed my brow. Glaring at him! So, falling into the pit was actually his plan? I'm so angry that my whole body is trembling! Am I, Ye Hanmei, only worthy of such treatment? Can I only be with him in this cave? I let out a loud shout, and my pale hand slapped towards their clothes, but was caught by Long Nuyue.

  "This is your glory! Hurry up and put on the imperial consort's clothes! Go with me! Or, are you still reluctant to leave the bridal chamber? Can't bear to part with it?" He narrowed his eyes dangerously.

  My face suddenly turned bright red, and I said loudly, "Who would want to stay behind!" After that, I grabbed the clothes in Long Jiao's hand and walked into the bright red wedding sedan chair. Suddenly, I covered my face, and tears fell from behind my fingers!

  No! Not until yesterday! I only knew then that he hadn't touched me that night! He told me at the same time, but also personally tore my chastity!

  This pain is for a lifetime! I trembled all over, slowly spreading out the clothes in my hands.

  Change into it! From today on, there's no need to think about anything else!

  The sound of horseshoes echoed outside the sedan door, and Yan Yan shouted loudly, "How is it? Is it okay? The Lianhuo City is in a severe drought at this time, so let's just burn you to death as a sacrifice to heaven! Come on! Take her for me!"