flstandardbreds Chapter 111 Tree Spirit
Chapter 111 Tree Spirit
Nan Fei rested his head on her shoulder, laughing happily.
Unconsciously, Yuan Feng wrapped her arms around his neck, pondering the complexities of their relationship. Nan Fei pulled open the fabric around her neck and gently kissed her, disrupting her thoughts.
Yuan Feng covered Nan Fei's mouth, and Nan Fei's tongue swirled slightly in her palm, a tingling sensation spreading from her palm to her head. Yuan Feng released her hand and pretended to choke him: "Explain clearly. Where are Steward Su and the others? Where are the people who died in the manor?"
Nanfei's account was brief: "Those burned to death were death row inmates. The servants were knocked unconscious and taken to the hospital for treatment. Duoyi has returned to the palace."
Yuan Feng frowned: "Why did the Crown Prince burn down the Yuan residence?"
Nanfei, with a greedy look on his face, said, "The Yuan Mansion is in such a dilapidated state that the Crown Prince felt sorry for his brother-in-law and found an excuse to rebuild it. That's a huge sum of money. Ah Feng, we've made a fortune!"
Yuan Feng slapped Nan Fei on the shoulder, causing him to fall backward, and pulled her down with him. Nan Fei wrapped one arm around her neck and the other around her waist, shouting, "You're too ruthless, killing the old with the new! Ah Feng is too cruel!"
Yuan Feng bit Nan Fei's arm, and Nan Fei released his grip in pain. Yuan Feng sat up, supporting herself on his chest, glaring at him angrily, as if she wanted to kill him.
Nanfei, with his hands behind his head, said leisurely, "When you return to Bianjing, you can ask the Crown Prince yourself."
Nan Fei didn't want to talk, so Yuan Feng couldn't get a single word out of him. Not wanting to make things difficult for herself, Yuan Feng changed the subject: "The Crown Prince appointed you as a Grand General?"
“You’re quite well-informed. We’ve been marching in secrecy, planning to catch them off guard.” Nanfei sat up as well. “Ah Feng, I think Ouyang is good, but he’s still a bit behind me.”
What do you mean? Yuan Feng looked at him coldly.
Nanfei grinned and said, "If I live, you'll stay with me; if I die, you'll go to him."
Yuan Feng's gaze was like a sword.
Nanfei jumped up and ran down the mountain. Yuan Feng picked up a stone and threw it at his back. Nanfei couldn't dodge it and fell straight forward, motionless.
Yuan Fengxin was in her throat. She scrambled over to help him and checked his breath with trembling hands.
Nanfei opened his eyes and grinned: "Ah Feng, don't worry, I won't let you be a widow."
Yuan Feng was furious, but she was also very sad, and tears almost fell. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, turned around and walked down the mountain.
The soldiers described Yuan Feng as someone who showed neither joy nor anger. Yet, a single sentence from Nan Fei could send her into a frenzy, a mixture of emotions. She must have been blind to have fallen for such a wicked person.
Nanfei, following behind her, seemed a little flustered and reached out to pull her back: "Afeng, don't cry, I don't know how to comfort girls..."
Yuan Feng dodged with a flick of her wrist and struck his palm hard with her backhand. Nan Fei reached out and grabbed her shoulder. Yuan Feng turned her body, and Nan Fei slightly pushed her back two steps, making her lean against the tree trunk.
A blinding bolt of lightning cleaved the sky and split the earth, followed by a deafening rumble of thunder, and then a torrential downpour that drew nearer from afar…
Yuan Feng stammered involuntarily, and Nan Fei immediately pulled her into his arms: "Ah Feng, don't be afraid, I'm here..."
Seeing that the rain was not going to stop anytime soon, Nanfei simply picked her up and sat her in the hollow of the tree trunk.
Yuan Feng slowly relaxed and snuggled up to him, looking up: "We can't take shelter from the rain under a tree, or we'll get struck by lightning."
Nanfei turned her palm over; it was bright red, and he still felt a burning pain from the blow. Nanfei touched her palm: "This tree is at least several thousand years old, absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. It's an old tree spirit, so what is there to fear from lightning?"
Yuan Feng felt a warmth in her heart as she watched Nan Fei's actions, but retorted, "Why isn't it the old tree spirit grandma?"
Nanfei turned his head and looked: "It's the tree spirit grandpa and grandma. They are two trees growing together, and there's a nest in the middle. They're a pair of star-crossed lovers, and they'll definitely protect us."
Yuan Feng couldn't help but laugh: "They seem perfectly at ease. Aren't you afraid they'll get angry if you call them a pair of star-crossed lovers..."
Nanfei snorted twice: "If they don't protect us, I'll turn around, grab my sword, and chop the tree in half, and let them... waah..."
A bolt of lightning struck in front of him, startling Nanfei so much that he sprang to his feet and immediately fell silent.
Yuan Feng clasped her hands together and said solemnly, "Grandpa and Grandma Tree Spirit, please bless me. I will offer you three sticks of incense later."
The old tree trunk swayed in the wind and rain, and many leaves fell, covering the already thick layer of fallen leaves.
Yuan Feng turned her head and pinched Nan Fei's cheek: "Let you be arrogant."
Nanfei was suddenly overcome with evil thoughts. He lunged forward and pinned Yuan Feng to a leaf: "Will you stay the night with me? Let's listen to the rain and sleep side by side... Ah Feng, it's just the two of us in the world now..."
Yuan Feng, pressing down on her clothes, shouted, "Someone's here..."
Nanfei, as he was untying her sash, asked in confusion, "Who?"
Yuan Feng gasped for breath: "Grandpa and Grandma Tree Spirit..."
Nanfei scoffed, "They've lived for thousands of years, don't they know the importance of not looking at what is improper?"
Yuan Feng lay on the ground and saw water droplets peeking through the gaps in the leaves, like bright eyes. She struggled, and the two rolled around on the ground, stirring up leaves everywhere.
Yuan Feng suddenly shouted, "Snake!"
A snake emerged from under the leaves, its forked tongue flicking as it lunged at Nanfei's back. Yuan Feng held Nanfei tightly, then pulled a small willow-leaf knife from her sleeve and struck the snake squarely on its vital spot.
Nanfei threw the snake far away, walked to the treetop to wash his hands in the rain, and said angrily, "How dare this snake demon ruin my good time!"
No sooner had she finished speaking than a streak of lightning flashed across the sky, and Yuan Feng called out, "Fly south..."
Nan Fei retreated swiftly, and Yuan Fengfei came over and hugged him, the two of them falling into a tree hollow. Lightning struck the spot where Nan Fei had just stood, and withered yellow leaves fluttered down.
Nan Fei's face was slightly pale. He turned over and knelt on the ground, clasped his hands together, and said in a devout manner, "Grandpa and Grandma Tree Immortal, I was very rude just now. Please forgive me. I will offer you three sticks of incense and two pig heads later..."
"You're so flexible!" Yuan Feng sat motionless in the tree hollow and laughed, "You're afraid of dying..."
Nanfei rested his head on her lap and closed his eyes to rest: "If you're going to die, you should die a worthy death. It's not worth being struck by lightning."
Yuan Feng's eyes were full of smiles: "To die beneath the peony blossoms, even as a ghost, is still romantic."
Nan Fei said viciously, "Just wait until I get back and deal with you."
Yuan Feng dared not continue joking, and Nan Fei dared not entertain any thoughts. The two fell silent, with only the sound of the pouring rain in their ears.
The thick canopy of trees provides a warm embrace between heaven and earth, while outside, the wind and rain whisper through the vast expanse. Usually, I'm left alone with a thin quilt and a solitary pillow, dreaming of quietude as the rain falls all night. Suddenly, I find myself stealing a moment of leisure amidst the busyness, where the scenery beneath the trees is beautiful after the rain.
Yuan Feng unconsciously withdrew her gaze from the rain and landed on Nan Fei's face. Nan Fei looked tired, his breathing was long and even, he must have been exhausted from the journey.
Why do I like flying south?
It was probably only in front of Nanfei that she showed true joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. He could make her liver ache with anger over a single word, and light up with joy at the next. Only in front of Nanfei could she freely argue, unconsciously act coquettishly, and express her desire to rely on and trust him…
Everyone praises her for being composed. But she doesn't want to be composed at all; she likes lively people, she likes bright and cheerful people, she likes people who can laugh, cry, and speak freely and unrestrainedly…
Just like Nanfei!