crime of heart

Long Ye kept vigil outside Ran Chen's gate that night, until the early morning of the second day before he found a chance to find Ji Ning.When he stepped into the room, Ji Ning was standing in front of the window, looking out of the window in a daze.

"General Ji, here I come."

While talking, Long Ye walked behind Ji Ning and glanced out of the window.But there was nothing there except a vast snow scene and a prison cage in the distance.

Ji Ning nodded, and went back to the table to finish, resting one hand on his forehead and rubbing his temple with his thumb.Long Ye saw that his eye sockets were sunken, his face was haggard, and his eyes were even bloodshot.he asked softly,

"General Ji, could it be that you haven't slept all night?"

"I can't sleep. When I close my eyes, my mind is very messy."

Ji Ning rubbed his temples again, and closed his eyes.Then he took a deep breath and asked,

"Yesterday Ran Chen brought Bai Qingyan, what did he ask?"

……

A quarter of an hour later, Tatsuno had already told Ji Ning the entire conversation yesterday.Ji Ning's face was extremely ugly, and he cursed a few words bitterly.

"General Ji..." Tatsuno hesitated for a moment, but still asked, "Are you really not related to the scout team ten years ago?"

Ji Ning squinted at him, his expression was as cold as a sharp knife.

"What do you mean by that?"

"I... General... No, Brother Ji!"

Tatsuno has always been indifferent to others.But at this moment, he suddenly stood up and knelt down in front of Ji Ning.

"Brother! Ten years ago, you were seriously injured and wandered in my hometown. I was lucky to meet you. You taught me the art of war and brought me to join the army... Although you only let me call you general, in my heart, you are like a father and brother! Ten years ago, Brother Ji, when you passed out at the gate of my house, you didn’t have a piece of good flesh on your body, and your back was full of small holes... At that time, I didn’t know what kind of injury it was..." 13

"I didn't know it back then, so you know it now?" Ji Ning sneered, "Whether it hurts or not, I have long since forgotten everything that happened ten years ago."

"...until yesterday, I searched the prison of Yuyao Palace." 2

Long Ye whispered a word, but Ji Ning was startled.While looking at his face, Tatsuno continued,

"So I learned that one of their punishments is to put some kind of worms with extremely hard shells and sharp beaks on people, and then use candles to smoke them. The worms can't stand the heat, so they will burrow into people's bodies. That kind of pain is piercing to the bone..." 12

"Don't say any more!"

Ji Ning suddenly roared, interrupting Tatsuno.Long Ye looked at him, his lips moved, as if hesitant.But he continued to ask,

"Brother Ji. I still remember a time when we drank. I was young and ignorant, and I asked you, who made you like this? You said that he was the only person in your life who was willing to die for him. But that person was right I don't care about your life or death, and I can even send you to die with my own hands." 3

"..."

"Is that person Prince Yuyao?"

The sound is not loud, but it is very clear in this silent room.Neither of them spoke, Long Ye looked at Ji Ning, and suddenly realized that Brother Ji, who he regarded as resolute, courageous and omnipotent, had such downcast moments.But he knew that Ji Ning would give him an answer in the end.

"……no."

After a long time, Ji Ning said in a low voice

"That person is already dead."

Tatsuno was startled.Except for that time when he got drunk, Ji Ning never mentioned that person.At this time, Ji Ning was stimulated by something, as if there was something in his heart that he couldn't hold back anymore and had to speak out.

"In the beginning, I hoped that everything was a misunderstanding, and it was not his intention to kill me. Later, I hoped to see him again, and asked him face to face whether he had ever had friendship with me. Later... I discovered that maybe I The person I love never existed. It was just a play, he never loved me, never cared about me, and never made any promises. I have always been self-indulgent."

"...Brother Ji..."

"You don't have to comfort me. That's fine, the person I love is just a bubble. Since the bubble was shattered ten years ago, I just think he's dead. Today, it's just a more thorough death. 3

When Ji Ning said this, he actually laughed at himself,

"It's just that I hated myself for ten years, but at the end of my life, I actually hated a dead person. I just feel that half my life is really funny."