SPRING RIVER FLOWERS AND MOON - CHAPTER 3

SPRING RIVER FLOWERS AND MOON - CHAPTER 3


Translations by: Lily of the Valley

Chapter 3 - The Bridal Chamber

Li Mu didn't make her wait for long.

His arrival was much quicker than she had imagined.

This was the first time they had seen each other in two years, since he had sent her away from Xuan City.

He looked different from her memories.

Back then, perhaps due to the busy preparations for war in the north and the rushed return to rescue the city, Li Mu, in Gao Luoshen's memory, was clad in bloodstained armor, with a disheveled beard that covered half of his face.

A faint, bloody aura surrounded him, and his deep, intense eyes left the most lasting impression on her when he came to rescue the city as the Governor of Yanzhou.

But tonight, the man standing before her was entirely different from the one in Gao Luoshen's memory.

He was dressed in black attire with a large crown, a jade-studded belt around his waist, and his beard, which had hidden his face before, was now gone. His face was clean, with only a faint stubble mark on the sides of his jaw, typical of a grown man after shaving. His jawline was sharp and well-defined, and his eyes were sharp and full of vitality.

He exuded a different aura compared to the temperaments of Lü Jianzhi or the men in Gao Luoshen's family.

When Lü Jianzhi was alive, he was not only one of the most outstanding among the young aristocrats in Jiankang, but also one of the rare military officials from the younger generation.

His hands were skilled with both the brush and the sword.

But despite his military achievements, Lü Jianzhi didn't possess the same aura of ruthlessness as Li Mu.

It had nothing to do with their attire; it was a kind of unsettling and oppressive feeling that could only be acquired after experiencing countless battles and bloodshed.

After he entered, he stood in front of her, watching her. He neither spoke nor approached.

Gao Luoshen knew that she looked exceptionally beautiful tonight, with her youthful appearance and dazzling attire. The silence in the room was eerie, and she could even hear his every breath.

For the first time in her life, she felt incredibly nervous.

Summoning her courage, she raised her head and met his gaze.

After a brief moment of eye contact, she slowly curved her lips into a smile.

He seemed to hesitate for a moment, then his shoulder twitched slightly, and he walked to her side.

In this season, she might feel cold if she dressed lightly, especially when the wind picked up at night.

Perhaps due to alcohol, he seemed a bit warm, with a faint sheen of sweat on his back.

"Do you want to change your clothes?"

She hesitated and asked in a soft voice.

He raised his hand but paused when reaching for the belt at his waist, stopping in mid-air.

A slender hand reached over, with fingertips lightly resting on the buckle, holding it in place.

He looked at her.

She had stood up from the bed and was now shoulder to shoulder with him. Standing there, face to face, she appeared even more petite in his presence.

Her delicate eyelashes quivered slightly. She lowered her gaze, not looking at him.

After a short hesitation, that jade-like hand began to unfasten his belt, gently removing it from his body.

He remained still, just lowering his head slightly, silently watching her undress him, then he turned around, raised his arms, making it easier for her.

The outer garment. The middle garment. As she was about to partially remove the inner shirt that had been dampened with sweat, he felt the hand covering his shoulder pause.

He waited for a moment, and finally, he felt the hand leave his back.

He turned slowly and saw her, her expression somewhat stiff, her gaze fixed on his back as if she had seen the most hideous thing in the world.

"Am I repulsive to you?"

His voice sounded hoarse and stiff.

On his back were several old scars left from battles, deeply etched into his flesh. Especially the scar running from his left shoulder to his waist, which had nearly cost him his life back then. Although it had healed, the scar tissue was still uneven, resembling a grotesque purple centipede crawling on his skin.

Gao Luoshen lifted her eyes and met his dark, penetrating gaze. After a moment, she shook her head slightly.

"I was just wondering if it still hurts there now."

She asked softly, her eyes opening slowly. Her cheeks turned rosy.

He moved closer carefully, attempting to untie her middle garment, and his large hand, which had killed countless people with a general's sword, trembled slightly, causing him to struggle with the buttons several times.

Finally, when he successfully unfastened the belt for the last time, her hand gently pressed his.

"Husband, will you, in the future, do what the Xu family did, moving the tripod?"

She slowly opened her eyes, turned her head, and gazed at the man beside her, overwhelmed by emotions.

Li Mu and she locked eyes for a moment, and he withdrew his hand, sitting up.

Gao Luoshen didn't know why she had asked this question at such a moment, and she immediately regretted it as soon as the words left her mouth.

She closed her eyes and spoke, "I said the wrong thing. Husband, you don't need to worry about it."




"Do you know what my original intention was when I first joined the military?" he suddenly asked.

Gao Luoshen opened her eyes and saw that he had turned his head to look down at her.

She widened her eyes but remained still.

His gaze roamed over her delicate face, and he smiled.

"When I was ten years old, our family's fortress was breached by the northern invaders. My father died in battle, but luckily, loyal household guards fought to protect my mother and me. My mother managed to escape with me. I still remember the scene when my mother and I crossed the river. On the northern bank, the barbarian soldiers were chasing us, shooting arrows indiscriminately. People were getting hit by arrows and falling into the water. The fishing boat was small, overcrowded, and filled with people crying. Nearby, another boat capsized in the middle of the river because too many people climbed on board, and they were lost to the waves."

"During our time in the northern lands, they always hoped that the Emperor of Da Yu would send an army to drive away the barbarians, so they could worship their own emperor, wear their own clothes, and cultivate their own land. They hoped for so many years, and while the Da Yu army did come, it merely made a detour and left, accomplishing nothing! Now, even the last piece of land where they could live has been lost!"

"They just wanted to survive. They hadn't died in battle, escaped from the pursuing northern invaders, and even avoided being hit by the arrows from behind. Now, as long as they could cross this river, they would reach the territory of the Han people. They could see it right in front of them, but then a wave came, and in the end, they couldn't survive..."

He paused for a moment.

"From that moment on, I told myself that if I could make something of myself in the future, I would raise an army to conquer the north, liberate both capitals, and force the barbarians to return to their own lands, allowing the Han family to reclaim their ancestral territory."

"Over twenty years have passed, but my initial intention remains unchanged."

He spoke calmly, as if he were discussing something unrelated to himself.

"Since Da Yu's southward migration, there have been many heroic figures, including those from noble families, and no shortage of outstanding military commanders capable of leading campaigns to restore the Han family's rule. Your father was one of them. But do you know why, despite his repeated northern campaigns, they all ended in failure?"

Gao Luoshen slowly sat up.

"It's not that the people of the south lack courage or that the generals are incapable. It's the internal strife among noble families, each with their own hidden agenda, competing for power, that hindered your father's success in northern campaigns."

"Even the royal family surnamed Xiao might not have wanted your father to succeed in his northern campaigns. Since their southward migration, the Xiao clan has already settled in the southern lands. They have no intention of returning to the old capital. How could they allow their subordinates to achieve great success and overshadow the royal family?"

He glanced at her, furrowing his brows slightly, lost in thought for a moment.

"With your noble status, marrying me today, you must have your own intentions. Since you asked, I don't mind telling you. I don't know what the future holds, but up to now, I have been loyal."

"But," he paused and emphasized his words, "anyone who obstructs my northern campaigns, no matter who they are, will be my enemy, and I will eliminate them!"

Gao Luoshen had been silently listening to his story. She fell into silence for a long time.

"Husband, I haven't paid much attention to court affairs in the past. I only know that my father's greatest wish during his lifetime was to conquer the north. If he were still alive, he would surely support you."

Li Mu stared at her, and a hint of pleasure gradually appeared in his eyes.

"Wife..."

"Call me A Mi, that's what my family calls me."

She smiled sweetly.

"A Mi..."

Li Mu's gaze flickered, and he softly sighed her name.

He held her hand, slowly bringing it closer, and finally, he tightly enveloped her small hand in his large, calloused palm, filled with warmth.

Translations by: Lily of the Valley