Sheng Li squeezed his eyes tightly. The tears, which stopped for a while, started flowing again. "Why am I even blaming him? It was my fault. I was overconfident, and it happened. I am not even worthy of his friendship," Sheng Li said while sobbing.
Ying Lili also started crying. She was also devastated as she was not able to see her friend for the last time.
"I failed Lili as a friend. I deserve to be hated by the people. Now, I understand why I got curses from people. I do not know how am I going to live with this burden? He stopped breathing right in front of me, and like a stupid fool, I did not do anything," Sheng Li blamed himself.
Ying Lili stepped forward and back hugged him. "You do not deserve anyone's hate. I heard his last words. He said he is in peace now," Ying Lili stated and tightly wrapped her arms around him, giving him warmth; making him realize that he was not alone.
The two stayed in that position for a few minutes when they were interrupted by a maidservant. "Your highness, the bathhouses are ready." Ying Lili pulled herself back. "Let's talk after taking a bath," Ying Lili proclaimed.
Sheng Li lethargically went towards the bathhouse with one maidservant while Ying Lili followed the other. She controlled her tears from falling and went inside the bathhouse.
Undressing, Ying Lili went into the bathtub and took a dip. She flipped her hair back and ran her palm over her face. She laid back, resting herself against the bathtub wall. 'Hu Jingguo, I should have accompanied you both.' They say when a person important to you leaves the world only regret is left behind. Ying Lili had that regret at that moment. Life is unpredictable, and the Crown Princess has learned this in these few months.
The maidservants helped the Crown Princess in washing while she was lost in her thoughts. 'It is not the time to mourn. Tan Gengxin shall be punished for all this. First, his man, Su Feng, threatened me with Sheng Li's life, and now, because of him, my precious friend has to lose his life. But the question is- how did he find out about Sheng Li?!' Ying Lili wondered.
In the adjacent bathhouse, Sheng Li took many dips in the water. The image of Hu Jingguo dying in his arms was flashing. His words, his teasing, everything flashed in front of his eyes. Wan Ju, whom he met after so many years, also died for him. Even if he won this small battle, it was like a loss for him because the two people close to him were no more. Sheng Li stopped taking dips and rested against the bathtub. He ran his hand through his fingers and covered his face with his palms.
The water had turned a little muddy. Sheng Li came out of the bathtub and went into the other, which also had hot water. After contemplating for half an hour, he washed himself properly and came out of it. Wearing a silk bathrobe, he ordered his servant to bring his dress.
The servant brought a white Hanfu dress inside. He took it and went to the adjacent room to the bathhouse, changed into them.
He went out to check the bodies of his two friends. They were put in the casket. Sheng Li looked at Hu Jingguo, and tears formed in his eyes. He touched his hand and caressed it. "The only thing I can hand you which I believe is the most expensive is the pendant which my mother made me wear when I was a kid. It is the only one in this world," Sheng Li murmured and took off the golden chain in which the pendant was hanging. The pendant was flower-shaped.
Ying Lili had also come to the front yard of the residence where Sheng Li was. She stood by him and watched him.
Sheng Li put the chain around Hu Jingguo's neck. "You cannot even see this," Sheng Li chuckled and then looked at Ying Lili. "He asked me to present him with the most expensive gift. This pendant is the only one in the world. I should have given it to him when he was alive." He then looked at Wan Ju.
"I met Wan Ju seven years ago in a military campaign. He ran away from the house of his abusive master and was gravely injured. I thought so much for him, alas! it could not be completed," Sheng Li sighed, feeling accountable for the death of his both friends.
"Your highness, we need to kill Tan Gengxin soon. Wan Ju's and Hu Jingguo's bodies might get rotten if we are late," Xiao Zhan affirmed.
"No. We will not misjudge them this time. I made this mistake. I sent them to their base camp. All of your lives are precious to me. If anything happens to even one person in my army, it will be my defeat," Sheng Li announced. "Commander Yang, send Hu Jingguo back to Luoyang, safely while Wan Ju will be buried in this land. He loved this place," Sheng Li ordered.
Ying Lili wiped the tears from her eyes as the lid of the casket was closed. Eight soldiers carried the casket and took it out of the front yard. Sheng Li held Ying Lili's hand, who tilted her head to look at him. "I will indeed kill him in the most brutal way," Sheng Li assured Ying Lili.
"I know. It is unbelievable that I had my last hug with him, had my last tea with him. He was so happy. I was worried about you, and I asked him to protect you. But I did not know he would leave like this," Ying Lili said and lowered her eyes.
"I would have been dead if he had not come in the middle. He did not think about his life. He gave me a second life," Sheng Li stated and hugged her. His one hand was over her head, caressing it. The Commanders, the village headman, and the servants lowered their heads. Sheng Li saw the casket had been taken out.
Ying Lili rested her forehead on his chest, who sobbed. "Let's go in." Sheng Li pulled away and took Ying Lili inside.
He made Ying Lili sit on the bed and bent on his knees. "What are you doing?" She asked. Sheng Li did not reply to her; instead, he removed the socks from her legs and saw her swollen feet. "Why did you come here? What happened in Luoyang?" Sheng Li queried and called a maidservant inside.
"Bring the lukewarm water in a tub," Sheng Li ordered the maidservant, who bowed and walked out.
"You do not need to do this. How many times did I tell you that a husband shall not do this?" Ying Lili proclaimed.
"I shall do this," Sheng Li replied as he lifted his head to meet her gaze. "Tell me what has happened in the Capital?" Sheng Li again questioned.
"Tan Gengxin spies are caught. He married his daughter to Brother Jian," Ying Lili said. Sheng Li was bewildered to hear that when Ying Lili continued, "It's Zhilao Mi. She was plotting against us." She then narrated to him the entire incident, which shocked Sheng Li.
"And you come here to save my life?" Sheng Li muttered.
"Hmm."
The maidservant brought a tub half-filled with lukewarm water. "Keep it here," Sheng Li gestured towards the ground. She did so, and he put it beneath Ying Lili's feet. The maidservant left before leaving a soft, small towel on the bed.
Sheng Li dipped Ying Lili's feet in the lukewarm water and massaged them.
"I was scared that something could happen. So, after solving everything, I decided to come here," Ying Lili replied to him.
"Do you not regret it?" Sheng Li suddenly asked him and again looked at her.
"What do you mean?" Ying Lili was befuddled.
"Do you not regret loving me?" He repeated his question. However this time with more clarity. "Remember, I told you before accepting your love that loving me will be the most difficult thing. I have made only enemies around me who desperately want me to die. I failed to save the one who was close to me. Doesn't it make you regret it?"
"No, I do not regret it." Immediately, Ying Lili replied. Her eyes turned misty. "Why would I regret it? And how could you even ask this?" Ying Lili hit his shoulder.
Sheng Li smiled. "Forgive me," he apologized and again focussed his gaze on her feet. "You shall not worry about me. I will not die easily," Sheng Li told her. Ying Lili was confused to hear him. He never talked that way.
He heard the growling sound from Ying Lili's stomach, who put her palm over it. Sheng Li heard that and told her to wait for a little. He picked the towel from the bed and wiped her feet. Placing them on the bed, he called in a maidservant and told him to take the tub and towel away. "Send the meals for the Crown Princess."
"Are you not eating?" Ying Lili asked.
"No," replied Sheng Li.
"If you won't eat, then I also-"
"You need to have your meals if you want to fight tomorrow," Sheng Li passed a tiny smile to her. The maidservant walked out of the chamber. "Let me stay hungry for Jingguo and Wan Ju," Sheng Li stated.
"Jingguo was my friend as well," Ying Lili murmured, which Sheng Li heard.
"But, he would be angry if you won't eat," Sheng Li made her understand. "I learned a great lesson after their losses. You do not know when those happy moments turn into sad ones. So, be respectful to the person in front of you no matter what. Cherish the moments with them as if there's no tomorrow. I learned it quite late though," Sheng Li lowered his head. "I never thought I would miss him this way," stated Sheng Li and scornfully laughed.. "Jingguo made this man crazy in just seconds," he added.