2: Underneath A Thousand Skies

289 This Pyschopathic Demon Is Psychic (41)

Xu Jinhai was dreaming again.

In his dream, he was wearing golden robes that shone like the sun. He was the most powerful person in the whole empire, the so-called 'Son of Heaven.'

"Your Majesty, I've already told you this story more than a hundred times..."

"Did Imperial Physician Wen not listen to zhen's imperial decree? Or is it that to Imperial Physician Wen's ears, zhen's words do not hold much weight, therefore treating it as passing wind in his ears?"

Wen Heng Zhi inwardly sighed. There was no use arguing with him today. After all, tomorrow would be her death anniversary...

Wen Heng Zhi's eyes dimmed as he glanced at his former close friend. How did everything come to this point?

Back in that tent in the northern border when Li Jia's letter had arrived, he should have persuaded the third prince more.

If he had done that, maybe the following tragedy would never happen.

Wen Heng Zhi could only guess and speculate on his own. After all, when everything was said and done, to regret at this point, it had already been far too late for the two of them.

One can only forget the past and enjoy the present.

Wen Heng Zhi took a deep breath.

"...this servant was on his way to somewhere else and was passing by the stalls that sold all kinds of food and trinkets when this servant's gaze suddenly caught sight of a familiar figure. At that moment, Her Highness the Empress was lifting up her veil to eat fried sweet rice dumplings, and this servant coincidentally caught sight of Her Highness's face..."

Zhao Cheng laughed, his eyes momentarily becoming bright.

"Jia'er had always liked eating delicious food. Continue, tell zhen more."

And for the umpteenth number of times that Wen Heng Zhi could no longer remember, he opened his mouth to tell his story of that brief moment several years ago, when he accidentally bumped on Empress Li, then Xu Qin Wang Fei Li Jia.

Weeks before Empress Li's death anniversary, Zhao Cheng would become like this. He would invite Li Jia's acquaintances when she was still alive, no matter how small their encounter with her, and have them narrate their stories to him.

After Wen Heng Zhi had finished telling his story, he immediately left. Every time he was forced to recall back these memories, he also couldn't help but feel pain inside his chest. Li Jia was too young, much too young...such a lively and interesting person would never cross paths with him again.

Zhao Cheng was left alone inside the grand hall, since he had already dismissed the servants and the guards. He looked at the small amount of liquid inside his cup. Every year when her death anniversary came near, he would pour himself a small amount of lotus wine that she had brewed for him.

Unfortunately, no matter how much he tried to make it last longer, pouring himself a smaller and smaller amount each time, the lotus wine that she had brewed for him was almost completely depleted.

Zhao Cheng tilted his head and completely drained the contents of his cup. Every year, it became harder and harder for him to continue living.

During the first several years of his rule, because there were wishes from Jia'er that he needed to fulfill, he had completely busied himself from morning to night, sometimes not resting for days. He had supported himself with the hope that maybe if he became a good monarch like she wanted, there would be a miracle and she would come back to him.

The land became prosperous, and the subjects he ruled over had happy smiles on their faces. Only Zhao Cheng's heart felt empty. Perhaps...perhaps this wasn't enough? Maybe Jia'er was not yet satisfied with his governance.

So he conquered lands, expanding his territory. He built schools, and advancement in education exploded. Now, even the poorest of commoners achieved basic literacy.

So Jia'er...why are you not yet coming back to me?

Even her corpse could not stay by his side and had turned into dust.

But Zhao Cheng suddenly entertained a crazy idea. What if she had already reincarnated and was waiting for him to find her? Of course she wouldn't have the memories of her past life!

Zhao Cheng became energized again. He told his ministers that he wanted to fill up the harem. Any resemblance to Li Jia was to be brought to the imperial palace. It didn't matter even if they weren't similar to her appearance, just as long as they had the same smile as her, the same walk as her...all of these didn't matter. The slightest hint of her was enough!

And so, the imperial harem was completely filled up. More than three thousand beauties, all of them reflecting Jia'er one way or another.

Because Zhao Cheng didn't want to completely miss her.

He still remembered that she didn't want to meet him in her next life. So Jia'er, it doesn't matter, I will go and find you. Even if you reveal just the slightest flaw that it was you, even just the tiniest hint, you would be completely sent to my side.

I would not let you escape.

But Zhao Cheng was disappointed once again. No matter how much he visited them one by one, why is it that none of them...none of them made him feel like they were her reincarnation?

He completely fell into despair. He did not want to open the lotus wine, wanting to preserve her gift to him, but that day, he drank several cups. And that was when he encountered Li Ling, Li Jia's distant cousin.

Zhao Cheng was stunned. Her appearance was the most similar to Li Jia's. Even the way she talked, calm and resolute, reminded him of his Jia'er. In his drunk state, he had completely mistaken her for the one he was waiting for.

"Jia'er, you finally decided to show yourself to me?"

Maybe his ecstatic happiness was partly because he wasn't sober, but part of it was also because he had completely deluded himself. She finally came back to him, he was right, she really did reincarnate...

Jia'er did not leave him.

And for the first time, Zhao Cheng finally slept with a woman from his imperial harem.

...

"Jinhai? Jinhai! Wake up!"

Song Jia anxiously shook Xu Jinhai. His eyes were closed, but tears continued to pour down on his cheeks. He was curled up on his side, clutching his heart.

Song Jia was nervous. Did his heart disease come back again? She really shouldn't have made him sleep on the floor!

"Jinhai, wake up!"

Suddenly, her wrists were grabbed and her surroundings became a blur. Song Jia found herself lying flat on her back as she looked up in surprise at Xu Jinhai, who had pinned her down. His intense eyes were staring straight at her.

His lips opened, and with a deliberate slowness that seemed to savor every syllable, he said her name.

"Jia'er."