Chapter 171 Heart to Heart
Xiaomei was initially shocked by Zhao Ji's hysterical behavior and stood there for a while.

Zhao Ji kept adjusting his breathing, trying to calm his turbulent emotions.

He didn't dare to look at Xiaomei again. He slowly turned around and turned his gaze to the bright moon in the night sky.

The two fell silent again.

After a long while, Xiaomei bit her lower lip and tried not to let her voice tremble: "I was wrong just now. You have your reasons, but can't you meet us, or even give us a message..."

"You just do your job as a Qianniu Guard steadily. Xiao Qingfang is right under your nose. As long as you want, you will always find a way to find us sisters."

"But what about us sisters? For so many years, Xiaofeng and I didn't know where you were, or even whether you were dead or alive. Do you know how much I missed you?"

At this point, Xiaomei's tears finally burst out. She looked at Zhao Ji with tearful eyes, which showed both grievance and endless affection.

"I thought...I thought I would never see you again in this life."

When Zhao Ji heard this, his heart ached like a knife. He could no longer suppress his inner emotions. He strode forward and hugged Xiaomei tightly in his arms.

Xiaomei also hugged Zhao Ji tightly, her tears flowing like pearls from a broken string, trying to vent all the longing and grievances of the past years.

Facing Xiaomei like this, Zhao Ji's heart was filled with tenderness and guilt. He gently put his hand on Xiaomei's back and let her vent.

Zhao felt the trembling body of the beauty in his arms, thought about what he had done over the years, and then thought of Shangguan Wan'er, and felt that he was a complete loser.

He confessed, "Xiaomei, I was wrong. I am sorry for you. I should have tried to take you sisters away together."

"Eight years ago, I escaped from Yuan Tiangang, broke away from the Snake Spirit, and fled to Youzhou. I was hiding from the Snake Spirit all the way, and I didn't dare to reveal my whereabouts, for fear of being spotted by the Snake Spirit's people."

"Later, I enlisted in the army. By chance, I was admitted to the Qianniu Guard. I was by Wu Zetian's side all day long. At first, I was always afraid that my identity would be exposed. Later, as time went by and I settled down, I began to be optimistic and scheme for my own future."

"I was too selfish and only thought about myself. I always felt that the time was not right, the time was not right, and I would have a chance to see you again in the future. But I didn't expect that this separation would be so long. I let you sisters down."

Xiaomei listened to Zhao Ji's heartfelt words and punched his chest hard.

She looked up at Zhao Ji, her eyes flashing with complex emotions: "Why did you say these words to hurt my heart? You might as well lie to me!"

Zhao Ji gently held Xiaomei's hand and wiped away her tears tenderly, his eyes firm: "I owe you too much, I can't lie to you anymore."

"I have nothing to give you as compensation, except my sincerity and my life. Take whichever you like."

Xiaomei stared into Zhao Ji's eyes for a long time, trying to see something from his eyes.

This time, Zhao Ji did not avoid her gaze and stared straight at Xiaomei.

In the end, it was Xiaomei who couldn't stand Zhao Ji's burning gaze and chuckled. Zhao Ji was also infected by her smile and the corners of his mouth rose slightly.

"You've obviously got me in your hands, so where's that thing?" Xiaomei tried hard to suppress her smile, and stretched out her hand to Zhao Ji, with anticipation flashing in her eyes.

Zhao Ji was slightly startled, then quickly took off the two amulets hanging around his neck and carefully placed them in Xiaomei's palm.

The two amulets were actually just two simple wooden plaques, but the ropes on the amulets were woven by her and Xiaofeng.

Xiaomei's eyes fell gently on the amulet, and she whispered softly: "Do you always carry them with you?"

"Yes." Zhao Ji nodded.

"For its sake, I've decided to forgive you temporarily." Xiaomei said with a hint of coquettishness. Zhao Ji heaved a long sigh of relief, and a relieved smile rose involuntarily at the corner of his mouth.

"Then, can you give it back to me?" Zhao Ji pointed at the amulet with a wink.

Xiaomei rolled her eyes at him unhappily, but her eyes were full of smiles: "Stupid, lower your head a little."

Zhao Ji quickly lowered his head, and Xiaomei personally hung the two amulets around his neck.

Xiaomei straightened Zhao Ji's clothes with satisfaction and said fiercely, "If you dare to lose it, don't even think about seeing me again."

Zhao Ji immediately swore: "Unless I die!"

"Shut up, can't you say something nice?" Xiaomei said with disdain.

"If I can't meet you, I might as well die."

Then, Zhao Ji hugged Xiaomei in his arms without saying a word, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, as if he wanted to take in all the fragrance from her body into his heart.

Xiaomei's cheeks flushed instantly. She was embarrassed and eager to break free: "I'm going to kill you!"

"Don't move, let me hold you a little longer. I miss you so much." Zhao Ji hugged her tightly, as if he wanted to engrave this moment in his heart forever.

Xiaomei stopped struggling after hearing this and snuggled up to Zhao Ji's chest, listening to his strong heartbeat and feeling the warmth and love between them.

Suddenly, Zhao Ji picked up Xiaomei and she exclaimed, "Where are you taking me?"

"Does Snake Spirit have any uninhabited base in Danzhou?" Zhao Ji asked.

Xiaomei suddenly felt something and buried her head in Zhao Ji's arms, her voice as thin as a mosquito: "There is... on the east side of the governor's mansion, there is a place..."

The moonlight filtered through the sparse clouds, scattering mottled light on the ground, paving a silver path for the lovers and leading them into a dream world that belonged only to the two of them.

…………

It was almost dawn when Xiaomei snuggled in Zhao Ji's arms, and Zhao Ji felt lost.

All the anger he had accumulated since the beginning of the war was now exhausted. In the land of gentleness and the tomb of heroes, Zhao Ji felt that his spirit was worn out and he was unable to lift his sword to charge into battle.

"It's almost dawn." There was a barely perceptible sigh in Zhao Ji's voice.

Xiaomei looked up at him, her eyes full of tenderness and reluctance to part: "Are you leaving?"

Zhao Ji stroked her hair gently, his tone filled with helplessness and determination: "Yes, tens of thousands of people are waiting for me, I have to go back."

Xiaomei's heart moved, and at the same time she was worried, she asked softly: "Are you going to Yingzhou this time?"

When Zhao Ji heard this, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, as if he had withdrawn from the gentle countryside in an instant: "What did Xiao Qingfang do? Did she prepare an ambush on the road?"

"How did you know?" Xiaomei was surprised at Zhao Ji's sharpness, with curiosity and admiration flashing in her eyes.

"Analysis." Zhao Ji smiled inexplicably and uttered a strange word.

Xiaomei hit him lightly and said angrily, "You are being mysterious again. You are saying things that are hard for people to understand."

(End of this chapter)