Ning Dao Covered with Snow

Chapter 380 Moth
Tuk-tuk-tuk!
Suddenly, someone knocked on the door behind me.

Yan Ciwan and Yan Tingyu paused their conversation, and Xiao Wang went over and opened the door.

The person knocking on the door was Si Buping, who spoke to Xiao Wang with a solemn expression.

“I just received news that the Fu residence just caught fire, and the guests who went to pay their respects were trapped in the fire, including your father and brother.”

Xiao Wang was startled and wanted to rush out, but he quickly remembered that Yan Ciwan was still inside the tower. So he turned around and went back inside the tower to tell her about the fire at the Fu residence.

Yan Ciwan urged, "Hurry up and go save them."

Xiao Wang asked worriedly, "Then what will you do?"

"I'll have Si Buping take me back later. You should hurry up and not waste any time."

"I'll be going now. Take care of yourself."

Yan Ciwan whispered, "Fu Hui's body was just taken back when the Fu residence caught fire. I suspect this fire might not be an accident. Once you get to the Fu residence, find an opportunity to investigate this matter."

"Okay, I'll come to Qingping Residence to find you after everything is over."

Xiao Wang turned and left in a hurry.

Only the sisters Yan Ciwan and Yan Tingyu remained inside the tower.

Yan Ciwan's attention was diverted by the events at the Fu residence. At this moment, she sat in her wheelchair, pondering the reason for the fire at the Fu residence.

Yan Tingyu showed no interest in what was happening outside. As if she hadn't noticed that someone was missing from inside the tower, she continued talking to herself.

"That night, everyone drank too much, including the Emperor. He was quite drunk, and because it was dark, and my mother looked somewhat like Ning Qingyang, the Emperor mistook her for Ning Qingyang. When my mother woke up, she was already under the Emperor's weight. By then, it was too late. Although she was terrified and helpless, she could only grit her teeth and endure it without resisting. After it was over, the Emperor fell asleep again, and my mother dressed and quietly left the Zichen Palace. She returned to her quarters, intending to pretend that nothing had happened, but the observant Qinglan noticed her unusual behavior. Qinglan quietly took her to wash and change, and in the end, my mother couldn't hold back her grievances and unease and told Qinglan what had happened."

When Yan Tingyu finished speaking, her face was completely expressionless.

She stood there almost numbly, staring into the void before her, like a soulless puppet.

"Qinglan comforted her mother all night long. Just when her mother's emotions finally calmed down, an imperial edict was suddenly delivered to her. The emperor was bestowing her upon the Prince of Xizhou as a concubine. Both her mother and Qinglan found this absurd. Her mother had clearly lost her virginity to the emperor the night before; how could he give her to another man? But the emperor's word was law, and the edict was final; there was no room for change. Qinglan could only try her best to help her mother conceal the marks on her body and prepare an explanation for the Prince of Xizhou. After her mother and the Prince of Xizhou left Chang'an, Qinglan never saw her again. She had been very worried about her mother's situation all these years, fearing that what happened back then would be exposed. Qinglan said that according to our birth dates and times, I should be the daughter of her mother and the emperor. Qinglan told me that I must keep this secret and never let anyone else know."

Yan Tingyu had forgotten how she left Qinglan's residence. When she returned to the Crown Prince's residence, her mind was completely blank.

Before she could even catch her breath, Crown Prince Li Cunxing appeared in front of her.

Li Cunxing tried to take her hand, but she reacted as if she had been burned, shaking him off and then turning and rushing out.

She ran back to her bedroom in one breath, then closed the door, threw all the bedding and pillows on the floor, and finally raised her hand and slapped herself hard, cursing herself for being disgusting and filthy.

Thinking of that slap, Yan Tingyu raised her hand and touched her cheek. The mark left by the slap had long since disappeared, but the despair of wishing for the world to end lingered. She looked down at Yan Ciwan below, her expression dazed, and said, "I originally thought I was Father's only daughter. As long as I performed well and helped Father conquer the world, Father would see me, and all the good things Father had done for you could be transferred to me. I would get everything I had ever dreamed of. But in fact, everything was wrong from the beginning. Father didn't touch Mother that night. He probably knew from the start that I wasn't his biological daughter, which is why he's been so indifferent to me all these years. No matter how hard I try, I can't replace you in his heart. I mistook my father and got my identity wrong. Everything I did was a farce. I was so ridiculous."

As she spoke, she laughed again, and at the same time, tears fell from her eyes.

“Aye knew I might be the emperor’s daughter, but he still accepted my suggestion. He let me impersonate you and marry the crown prince. Didn’t he ever think about how I would live if I found out the truth one day?”

Yan Ciwan said, "He wants to use you to take revenge on the emperor."

The King of Xizhou hated Ning Qingyang for betraying him, and this hatred was not only directed at Yan Ciwan, but also at the man who had an affair with Ning Qingyang. The King of Xizhou would not let him off the hook either.

He watched Yan Tingyu marry the Crown Prince, and he wanted the Emperor to taste the bitter fruit he had sown years ago.

Yan Tingyu wiped away her tears: "Do you know what I said to him before I left Xizhou? I said I was willing to be a pawn in his hands because he is my most respected father. As long as I can help him accomplish his great cause, I can risk everything, including my own life."

Yan Ciwan said, "No one in this world is worth risking your life for. Your life is your own. If you don't even cherish yourself, others will naturally care even less."

“Yes, if I don’t even love myself, who will love me? It’s a pity I understood this too late.” Yan Tingyu lowered her hand and looked down at Yan Ciwan below. At this moment, tears were still glistening in the corners of her eyes, but her expression was calmer than ever before. “It’s all too late.”

Yan Ciwan saw no trace of lingering attachment to life in her eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to speak, before she could utter a word, she saw Yan Tingyu climb over the wooden railing and leap down.

Dressed in a plain white dress, she flew towards the finish line she had drawn herself, like a moth drawn to a flame, in an extremely resolute manner.

Yan Ciwan was shocked. She got up to catch Yan Tingyu, but she was still seriously injured and her movements were a step too slow.

By the time she stumbled over, Yan Tingyu had already fallen to the ground.

With a bang, blood splattered everywhere.

Hearing the commotion, Si Buping and the supervisor, who were waiting outside, immediately pushed open the door and rushed in.

When they saw what was inside the tower, they were all startled.

Yan Ciwan shouted, "Quickly, go and call the doctor!"

The abbot snapped out of his daze, turned around, and hurriedly ran to find someone.

Yan Ciwan looked at Yan Tingyu, who was so close to her. Yan Tingyu was still alive, but blood was seeping from her eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Her face was facing Yan Ciwan, and her lips were slightly parted, as if she was saying something.

Yan Ciwan tried to bend down to listen, but her body was too weak, and she fell to the ground.

She leaned closer to Yan Tingyu and heard him speak in an extremely faint voice.

"I've paid back what I owed you."