Finest Servant

Chapter 592 A Gift of Roses

Pondering any longer would be fruitless. Yujia, being a woman of such intelligence and nobility, must have foreseen the outcome of her failure the moment she approached them. Or perhaps, she was so confident in her own charm that she never considered the possibility of failing.

But in every game, there are winners and losers. Failure comes at a cost; this is an immutable truth. It applied to Yujia, and it applied to Lin Wanrong as well. Just imagine, under the same circumstances, if Yueya'er's schemes had succeeded and Lin San, the renowned hero of Great Hua, had become a subordinate to a Turkic woman. What an unspeakable humiliation that would be for Great Hua. The thought was inconceivable.

In this sense, Yujia, who had initiated the dispute, falling victim to her own meticulously laid trap, seemed almost like a predestined fate. She did not deserve sympathy.

However, matters in this world could never be fully delineated as right or wrong, good or evil. The two were members of opposing nations, and in order to protect the interests of their respective clans and tribes, they had engaged in deception and pretense. They had pitted their wits and courage against one another, and who could say that they were in the wrong?

Ning Yuxi understood his feelings best. Silently nestled by his side, their hearts and hands entwined, only that touch of warmth could make them feel comforted. That night, he had tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep until just before dawn.

"Brother Gao, go and bring Yujia here." Lin Wanrong washed his face with cold water. The icy lake water revitalized him. Although his eyes were still bloodshot, his mind had regained its clarity.

Gao Qiu, his subordinate, gave him a puzzled look. In the past, Brother Lin would approach Yueya'er without needing anyone to relay the message—a few steps and he would be there. He was always up to mischief, frolicsome and joyful. Why was he so somber today? That wasn't like him.

Unable to figure it out, Gao Qiu could only carry out the command.

Soft and unhurried footsteps approached, sounding both cheerful and weighty. Lin Wanrong looked up to see Yueya'er slowly walking toward him. Her hands were bound in front of her, yet her figure was graceful. She smiled even before speaking. Among the tightly wound ropes, she had tucked a bunch of wildflowers that swayed gently as she moved. Red, yellow, white—the colors were dazzlingly beautiful.

"Where did these flowers come from?" Lin Wanrong asked, frowning.

"I picked them when I woke up this morning. Don't they look beautiful?" Yujia replied with a light smile, glancing at him triumphantly. Her eyes were so full of joy, one might have thought that he was the captive.

What on earth? Her hands were tied; how could she have picked the flowers? Using her mouth—just as the thought occurred to him, he quickly scanned Yueya'er’s lips. Tiny specks of dirt stained her bright red lips, with faint traces of blood seeping out in places.

Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned. Yujia smiled sweetly, "You are such a petty man. I've told you before, I would never employ the same trick twice. Why then, have you still bound my hands and feet?"

Lin Wanrong nodded and approached with a smile. "Throughout history, you're the first person I've seen pick flowers with their mouth. I may be renowned as a versatile flower-picker, but I genuinely admire your ingenuity, little sister."

As he spoke, a glint flashed from his hand, and his blade severed the rope. The hemp twine fell to the ground, freeing Yujia.

Yujia stretched her slender waist with relief and snorted, "All thanks to you, look here, and here. My skin was pricked by the thorns. Lin San, what happened to that cherished Great Hua principle of 'loving the fragrance and cherishing the jade'? I see none of it in you."

Yujia spoke, lightly touching up her vivid red lips and moving closer to him. Her delicate fragrance filled the air, a scent he found familiar. She seemed completely unguarded, standing so close to him it was almost as if she was about to cling to him.

Lin Wanrong picked up the fallen bouquet of flowers from the ground, smiling. "Roses are naturally thorny. You chose to pick them. Who else would get pricked?"

"What's wrong with thorns?" Yujia hummed, plucking a white rose leaf and holding it between her lips. "You only see its thorns but overlook its tenderness. See, it has stopped the bleeding, hasn't it?"

The white leaf was lightly stained with blood, but no more fresh blood oozed from the girl's red lips. A small scab had formed, miraculously sealing the wound.

"Roses can stop bleeding?" Lin Wanrong's eyes widened in curiosity. When it came to medicine, he was merely a preschooler compared to Yujia.

"Uh-huh," Yujia handed him the white leaf, "Try it and you'll know."

"No need, I, I'm faint-hearted when it comes to blood," Lin Wanrong chuckled, waving his hands dismissively.

"I may faint because of you!" Yujia huffed, snatching the dew-drenched bouquet from his hands and smelling it deeply. "In our steppes, this flower is called 'Elisha,' which translates to 'Everlasting Love' in Chinese. It only blooms at the end of spring and is very rare. Our Turkic legend says that whoever can gather ten thousand Elishas will find happiness for life. Lin San, do you believe this?"

Lin Wanrong scratched his head. "I suppose I do. Elisha is a symbol of happiness. But in the Great Hua empire, people prefer to call it a rose. This rose carries multiple meanings, and different colors signify different things."

"I know that," Yujia lightly chuckled, "Your esteemed views are already well-known to me. The fragrance I'm wearing now is actually the rose perfume you crafted. Here, take a sniff."

She extended her translucent, jade-like hand towards Lin Wanrong, acting like an eager, show-off little girl, a complete departure from her usually reserved demeanor.

A faint fragrance passed through his nostrils. He had already smelled this smell when he was searching for her in Xingqing that day. Lin Wanrong waved his hand and chuckled, "Thank you for supporting my business. Had we met earlier, I would have given you a 99% discount. And if you bought in bulk, even 98% is negotiable. That's a pure friendship price, don't leak it out; I never offer discounts to anyone else."

"No wonder everyone in Great Hua calls you a cunning merchant!" Yujia giggled, playfully swinging the flowers in her hand. "The rose, such a profound name. I really like it... red roses, white roses, yellow roses. I've picked quite a few today. Lin San, do the women of Great Hua also favor these flowers?"

"I suppose they do. I'm more of an upright person, and I don't have many tricks up my sleeve when it comes to courting women. I'm really not too familiar with these matters," Lin Wanrong said solemnly.

"Is that so?" Yujia stared at him for a moment, shaking her head. "You, everything about you is fake, except your lies. I was moved several times when we were in the Sea of Death. Now it seems all of that was false."

"Likewise," Lin Wanrong chuckled.

"Yes, likewise. I can't really blame you. We're all fakes here," Yujia said, her eyebrows drooping slightly. After a brief silence, her face brightened. She plucked a white rose and tucked it into her flowing hair, revealing her teeth as she smiled at Lin Wanrong. "Lin San, do I look pretty?"

Her face was as beautiful as freshly fallen snow, her eyes gentle like a spring day. She looked completely different from the Yujia he had known before. Lin Wanrong nodded, captivated. "You look beautiful. Truly beautiful."

Yujia slightly nodded. "Thank you for the compliment. I hope you are not being insincere this time."

Lin Wanrong sighed and shook his head, "Maybe you're right; I really am a bad person."

Yujia grinned at him, "Finally, you've spoken the truth. It's understandable. There's an old saying in Great Hua, 'Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me; fool me three times, shame on both of us.' You're called Lin San (Lin Three), so naturally, you'd be the worst of them all!"

‘So that's what my name implies. This girl's imagination is truly something else.’

"You're correct; I am indeed the worst," Lin Wanrong agreed, handing her the golden blade, "Here, this is yours."

Yujia clenched her fists tightly, hesitating for a moment before finally taking the blade with trembling hands. She unsheathed it, staring at her reflection on the blade.

"I heard that the Right Prince of the Turks, Tursun, has a silver blade—" Lin Wanrong began, but Yujia interrupted him with a shake of her head and a smile.

"Lin San, let me give you a rose. Do you prefer red, yellow, or white?" She asked, serious, as she played with the roses in her hand.

Lin Wanrong hastily waved his hands, "No, no. I've always preferred to pick flowers myself. I never accept them from others."

Yujia snorted, "This time, you have no choice!"

"Why?" Lin Wanrong looked at her, puzzled.

"The moon waxes and wanes; people come and go. I don't even know if I will remember you in the future. Consider this little flower a memento," Yujia said calmly.

This woman was too clever! Lin Wanrong was taken aback.

Yujia looked at him and swung the vibrant flowers in front of his face, "So, which one of these beautiful flowers would you like?"

Her tone carried an air of unquestionable command. Lin Wanrong paused for a moment, then extended his hand with a smile, "I'll take the yellow one. Yellow roses suit my personality best, and they have fewer thorns."

"In our grasslands, yellow Elisha flowers are only given to elders," Yujia said, her face expressionless.

Lin Wanrong quickly withdrew his hand. "Is that so? Then I won't take advantage of you. How about a white one? It symbolizes purity, just like my nature."

Yujia shook her head, "White Elishas are for pregnant women expecting a child. Are you sure you want it? If so, I'll give you one."

‘My goodness, the customs of the grassland are so complicated,’ Lin Wanrong awkwardly retracted his hand. "Nevermind then—I've always said that roses have too many thorns! Let's commemorate our time in another way, like autographs or hugs or something—"

Yueya'er gently shook her head. She plucked the most beautiful, most vibrant red rose and slowly pinned it beside Lin Wanrong's ear. Lin Wanrong sprang up, "What is the meaning of this? I'm a man, you know!"

"Last year's drops of yearning turned into tears, falling under a tree to nourish a blooming rose. Whose young man comes with the spring, picking the red roses from the branch?" Yueya'er murmured, gazing at him, and suddenly giggled softly, lowering her head. "It looks terrible!"

‘How could a man wearing a flower look anything but ridiculous?’ Frustrated, Lin Wanrong was about to throw the rose away when Yujia said softly, "The Turks and the Great Hua are two different worlds. Consider this small flower a final memento. You can throw it away, because forgetting is what you people from Great Hua are best at. Even Lin San, who is considered the most intelligent among you, is no exception."

She took off her water bag, gulping down some clear lake water. The liquid spilled from the corner of her mouth, trickling down her swan-like neck, wetting her clothes. She seemed completely unaware.

"I'm really not accustomed to commemorating or being commemorated," Lin Wanrong said with a bitter smile.

"Neither am I," Yujia looked at him tenderly, "Just like I'm not used to calling you Lin San, even though I know your Turkic name is a terrible one."

‘So you've known all along,’ Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, his face reddening for a rare moment.

"Lin San, will we ever see each other again?" Yujia's breath grew ragged, her eyelids heavy as if she realized something dire. She struggled to ask.

Lin Wanrong took a deep breath and remained silent.

A wave of peculiar red flushed Yujia's face. Her eyes widened in terror and helplessness as she looked at him.

"Wo Lao Gong—" She mustered all her strength to scream, but her voice was so faint that even she could barely hear it.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms silently enveloped her. Gazing into the shimmering eye sockets of the bandit from Great Hua, she unexpectedly broke into a smile. Her body went limp, and she slowly collapsed. Her beautiful eyes gently closed as she fell into a soundless slumber...

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