[Zhao Jue's Perspective]
My name is Zhao Jue.
I am the legitimate son of King Chengqing.
When my father was brutally murdered by Lin Qingyao in the street, I was only sixteen years old.
I watched her from the crowd; she wore a red dress and had a sharp gaze.
Since then, she has become my nightmare.
After my father's death, the city was captured by the Rebel Army, and my mother passed away from illness, leaving me an orphan without parents.
My father's former subordinates are loyal to me, but I am not skilled in military affairs and have no desire for warfare; I only have one wish: to kill Lin Qingyao.
I apprenticed for four years to master martial arts, solely to avenge my father with my own hands.
I know that Lin Qingyao is close with Shen Moxuan, so to seek revenge, I must get close to Lin Qingyao.
I deliberately approached Lin Qingyao, chatting about the sights of the capital and recounting the deeds of the Rebel Army.
She grew suspicious of me, but with a little trickery, she let her guard down.
When she was drunk, I led her to talk about her past with Shen Moxuan.
In her drunken state, she became unreserved; I teased her, saying, "Since he treats you so coldly, why not seek a new love?"
She replied, "What do you understand?"
"I naturally don’t understand; I just feel it’s unfair for you," I said.
"Whether it's fair or not has nothing to do with you," she retorted.
"I'm merely concerned for you," I replied.
Upon hearing this, she laughed, "You young man, your words are quite amusing."
"Since you find me amusing, why not talk with me more?" I suggested.
"You have quite a silver tongue," she remarked.
"Would you be willing to converse with me more?" I pressed her.
"Come back tomorrow," she said.
"Alright," I agreed.
The next day when I came to see her again, she was not as wild as the day before.
She said, "Don't waste your efforts."
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her in return.
"You want to get close to Shen Moxuan, but you've chosen the wrong person," she stated.
"You misunderstand," I replied.
"You need not come again," she dismissed me.
"If that's the case, then I'll take my leave," I said before turning to leave.
I knew she was suspicious, but I didn’t expect her to be so straightforward.
I knew she went to the mountains to practice swordsmanship every day, so I waited for her there. When she saw me, she seemed quite surprised.
"What are you doing here?" she asked me.
"I knew you would come," I replied.
"How did you know?" she countered.
"I know you are diligent in your training, and there is an excellent place for practicing swordsmanship in these mountains," I said.
"You even found that out," she remarked.
"Please don't hold it against me," I replied.
"Since you know where I practice, you must have been waiting here for a while," she said.
"You have sharp eyes," I acknowledged.
"What do you want?" she asked me.
"I would like to ask you to spar with me for a few moves," I said.
"You?" She looked me over.
"Yes, it's me," I nodded.
"Then show me a couple of moves first," she said.
"Alright," I agreed.
I drew my sword and casually practiced two moves. She nodded upon seeing this.
"Why do you want to spar with me?" she asked.
"I want to witness your skill," I replied.
"Since you already know my skill, why go through the trouble?" she countered.
"Seeing it with my own eyes is what makes it real," I explained.
"If that's the case, then I'll spar with you for a couple of moves," she said.
"Thank you very much," I replied.
We exchanged three moves; her movements were swift and deadly.
"You took three of my moves without a scratch, which is quite impressive," she said.
"You are extraordinary; I admire your skills," I replied.
"You flatter me," she said.
"Can I come again tomorrow?" I asked her in return.
"If you wish to come, then feel free to do so," she replied.
"Thank you, miss," I said.
From that day on, I practiced martial arts with her every day.
At first, she was wary of me, but later she relaxed her guard. I knew she enjoyed drinking, so I drank with her every day. I had a strong tolerance for alcohol, but she could not handle it well. After she got drunk, she began to talk to me about the past. I understood her inner struggles, so we chatted late into the night. When she was intoxicated, she leaned against my shoulder.
She asked me, "Why are you so good to me?"
"I would like to ask you for something," I replied.
"What is it?" she countered.
"I want to ask you to marry me," I said.
"You?" She looked at me, her eyes filled with surprise.
"Yes, me," I nodded.
"Why?" she asked.
"For no particular reason," I replied.
"Is it because of my appearance that you have feelings for me?" she inquired.
"No," I shook my head.
"Then why?" she pressed.
"I want to get close to the Emperor," I said.
"What do you want to get close to the Emperor for?" she asked.
"You don't need to know that," I replied.
"If that's the case, then I shouldn't agree to you," she said.
"Think about it," I urged.
"Alright," she agreed.
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