But that was all in the past. Since they deemed her a fake, she had lost all her value.
Especially after the news of General Shenwu's death arrived from the frontier, and the Turks specifically requested her for a marriage alliance, she was already a cast-off.
Her most doting father seemed like a different person; his former affection vanished like smoke. Her second brother desperately broke into Fengque Tower, but before he could even speak a word to her, he was apprehended by the Imperial Guards. Then, she never saw him again until she was forcibly placed in the sedan chair for the marriage alliance.
Only Emperor Da Jing, her father, stood on the high city wall with cold indifference, waving his hand as if dismissing a burden, extinguishing the last flicker of light in her eyes.
The Great Shaman did not appear, nor did Brother Wen Tang, nor anyone else who had professed love and affection for her.
She was utterly abandoned.
The only ones by her side were Qing He and the three maids she had grown up with.
On the journey for the marriage alliance, she kept wondering if it was all a dream. When she woke up, she would still be in Fengque Tower, the divine maiden of Jing.
Lofty, revered, yet tragically pitiful, the divine maiden.
"Divine maiden? Heh, you bestowed this title upon me, and in the end, you call me a fake."
The divine maiden's Red Lotus appeared at sixteen, she was to marry the Divine Lord of Da Yao at eighteen, after which her divine status would be restored, benefiting all living beings.
Her Red Lotus had appeared long ago, but it was only for a month that she, out of personal desire, had Qing He conceal it for her.
She had never left the imperial palace. Every time she heard her second brother describe the outside world, she longed for it.
She wanted to see the outside world, to be an ordinary person for a month, and then obediently be her divine maiden.
But they couldn't wait! Because the Red Lotus mark appeared on Ling Xi, she was so ruthlessly cast aside.
Tears soaked the pillow. Xue Niang clutched her chest, weeping with sorrow.
...
Xiao Shan was working but felt an inexplicable unease. He replayed the scene from last night over and over. Xue Niang's strangeness began the moment she sat on him.
Besides disliking him, he couldn't think of any other reason.
But if she disliked him, why did she care for him?
Xiao Shan was lost in thought and didn't notice Yu Tou carrying a round log up onto the roof. Yu Tou lost his grip, the log wobbled, lost its balance, and began to fall.
Hearing the wind, Xiao Shan instinctively dodged. The log heavily struck the ground but still grazed his arm, leaving a gash.
Yu Tou's face turned pale with fright. "Brother Xiao, are, are you alright!"
Zhu Zi scolded, "Yu Tou, get down! What are you trying to show off for? Luckily, it wasn't the main roof beam. If it had hit the beam, it would be a bad omen!"
Xiao Shan waved his hand dismissively. "I don't believe in such things. Yu Tou, you're not strong enough. Listen to your Brother Zhu Zi, don't push yourself. I'll go home and bandage it first."
Yu Tou quickly climbed down from the scaffolding.
Xiao Shan dropped his work and returned home. The courtyard gate was latched, and it was quiet. Xiao Shan went to the bedroom first. She wasn't there, only clothes tossed on the bed. Had she gone to bathe?
Xiao Shan went to the kitchen. The door was indeed bolted from the inside.
With her weakened physique, why not rest properly? Couldn't she bathe at night?
"Xue Niang? Xue Niang?"
Xiao Shan called out twice, but there was no response from inside.
Could she have fainted?
The window was latched from the inside, so he couldn't check. Xiao Shan found a wooden sliver and painstakingly pried open the bolt. When he opened the door, he was stunned by the scene inside.
"Xue Niang!"
Her dark hair floated on the water's surface. Xue Niang had long since sunk to the bottom.
Xiao Shan's heart shattered. He hurriedly pulled her up, his voice filled with pain, "Xue Niang! Wake up! Hurry, wake up!"
Xue Niang opened her eyes, exhaled, and looked at Xiao Shan innocently.
She hadn't fainted. Had she been hiding deliberately?
Xiao Shan was truly angry this time. His face turned pale as he released her. Xue Niang fell back into the water. "Is this very amusing?"
She hadn't been playing.
However, if he misunderstood, it was fine. It saved her the trouble of explaining.
But when she saw Xiao Shan's torn clothes and the bloody gash, her expression suddenly changed. "Xiao Shan, you, what happened to you?"
"It's just a scratch." Xiao Shan frowned, looking at Xue Niang's ashen expression as if the sky had fallen.
She stared at the bloody gash as if it were something terrifying, her lips trembling.
"Your martial arts are so good, how could you get injured? How is it possible to get injured?"
"It was just a small accident. What's wrong?"
"It's not an accident, no, it's not..."
Xue Niang's voice trailed off. Xiao Shan didn't hear the rest of what she said, only feeling that her spirits were truly not good. He took a cloth. "Come out quickly. Soaking for too long will also make you weak."
Except for the Divine Lord of Da Yao, any man who touched the divine maiden would die!
The Great Shaman's words echoed like thunder in her mind, repeatedly. Xue Niang covered her ears and cried out in despair, "Stop talking!"
"Xue Niang?"
"Don't touch me!"
Xue Niang slapped away Xiao Shan's hand and, with utter sorrow and determination, plunged back into the water.
Xiao Shan stared blankly at the rippling water surface, her hair drifting like seaweed. His heart slowly cooled like burning embers.
He knew.
He understood.
She had regained her memory.
She remembered her former lover.
That's why she wanted to cleanse herself, to prevent him from touching her, thinking herself unclean!
She truly regretted it.
It felt like a gaping hole had opened in his heart, and a cold wind whistled through it. Xiao Shan walked, then suddenly clutched his chest. His whole body felt as if his blood was flowing backward, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
His tall frame swayed. He indifferently wiped his mouth and turned back.
Xue Niang, completely wet, clutched the doorframe, watching the scene with terror.
Xiao Shan gave a mocking smile and strode away.
Xue Niang softly slid to the ground, her shattered gaze filled with helplessness and confusion.
What should she do? What should she do?
Xiao Shan cannot die, he cannot die!
That's right, the Great Shaman had said that the divine maiden had divine power after awakening. She didn't understand what awakening meant, but she could try.
Xue Niang wiped away her tears, got up, tidied herself, then picked up scissors and made a cut on her wrist.
She uttered a long string of strange syllables, then clearly and distinctly said, "By my blood, I swear: I exchange half of my lifespan for Xiao Shan's safety this time."
Xue Niang lowered her clasped hands. She didn't know if this would work, but she had no other choice.
If Xiao Shan died, then she would not live either!
Xiao Shan returned only when it was dark, carrying an adult wild boar.
The boar had no wounds. It had been beaten to death by fists. Both his hands were scraped raw, and his expression was frighteningly grim.
He remained silent, not even eating. He sat in the courtyard, butchering the wild boar. The entire courtyard was filled with the smell of blood. He couldn't see anything clearly, nor did he know how he was wielding the knife.
Xue Niang watched blankly for a while, then returned to her room listlessly.
That night, Xiao Shan never entered the room.