Missing Thoughts Literature

Chapter 9 (Page 1/2)

Yu Sui sent a message to Zhongli Que every day.

As the saying goes, taking the initiative leads to stories. Her initiative was met with a response from Zhongli Que. Gradually, Zhongli Que began to chat with her about things other than studies and share her feelings.

"Don't you need to exchange inscriptions before you can send messages with the Listening Wind Ruler?" Zhongli Que asked one day, finally realizing it.

Every Listening Wind Ruler built by the Communication Institute had its own inscription number. To establish a connection between Listening Wind Rulers, both parties had to exchange their inscriptions.

Yu Sui replied, typing on the fill-in interface, "I can bypass the inscription restriction."

Really? Zhongli Que, who knew nothing about the Nine Schools Techniques, thought, That's amazing.

"I can also keep our messages secret. As long as you change the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches to the Mysterious Bird Star Lines, even if someone gets your Listening Wind Ruler, they won't be able to see our conversation. Only you can find it within the Listening Wind Ruler."

Because Zhongli Que was forbidden from learning the Nine Schools Techniques, her knowledge in this area was even less than Yu Sui's, making her Yu Sui's preferred experimental subject.

At this moment, Zhongli Que adjusted her Listening Wind Ruler according to Yu Sui's instructions. Any action that went against what was known to be correct made Zhongli Que feel like she was doing something "bad."

Yet, as she followed Yu Sui's instructions, an indescribable excitement surged within her, her heart beating uncontrollably faster.

Zhongli Que took a deep breath to calm herself.

Her elder brother, Zhongli Shan, came to see her in the afternoon, bringing her favorite candies and pastries from outside.

Zhongli Que caught the candies her brother brought from the window and then timidly handed him her Listening Wind Ruler, saying, "Brother, my Listening Wind Ruler might be broken. I'm receiving messages, but I can't see them."

"Let me see," Zhongli Shan took it and fiddled with it for a moment before asking, "Whose messages are you not seeing?"

Zhongli Que peeked out from behind the window and tapped on the Listening Wind Ruler, "There."

Zhongli Shan used all three schools' esoteric skills related to the Listening Wind Ruler but still couldn't find any messages. He asked doubtfully, "Did the sender really send a message? I can't find anything in the Earthly Branches or the Star Sea."

"Whose message is it? I'll help you ask."

Zhongli Que took back her Listening Wind Ruler and shook her head, "No need, maybe I remembered wrong."

Zhongli Shan seemed uneasy about not being able to help his younger sister and added, "I'll take it to the Communication Institute and have them take a look."

"Really, no need," Zhongli Que put away her Listening Wind Ruler and started changing the subject to talk about other things.

After her brother left, Zhongli Que let out a sigh of relief and closed the window. Although she was alone in the room, she subconsciously lightened her footsteps and breathing as she walked to her bed.

Zhongli Que gazed at the Listening Wind Ruler with sparkling eyes, sending a message to Yu Sui: "They really can't see it."

"You're so amazing!"

People said the Young Princess of the Prince's Mansion had mediocre talent, was dull and foolish. Yet, to Zhongli Que, this kind of Young Princess was a genius.

With Zhongli Que's feedback on the Listening Wind Ruler, Yu Sui's progress in deciphering the Communication Array went smoothly.

Zhongli Que was confined to her courtyard and couldn't leave. Although her mother and brothers visited her every day, it was only for a short while. The long days were made bearable only by chatting with Yu Sui, which kept her from being bored.

Yu Sui truly didn't sleep in class. Instead, she listened to the entire lecture before sending the notes to Zhongli Que. Zhongli Que would chat with Yu Sui after finishing her homework.

The two occasionally chatted about their families.

"I have three elder brothers, and they are all more capable than me."

Zhongli Que replied, "But I think you are the most capable."

Yu Sui added, "I think you're very capable too. You can learn something after hearing and seeing it once, but I have to study for months."

Zhongli Que sat by her bed, knees bent, chin resting on her knees, holding the Listening Wind Ruler with both hands as she replied, "If you put it that way, my brothers are the most capable. My eldest brother has a photographic memory. Some things, even if the teacher doesn't teach them, he learns them himself. He even picks up swordsmanship instantly."

Yu Sui: "The Imperial Academy doesn't teach swordsmanship for a few more years, does it?"

"It's not taught by the Imperial Academy, it's by my father," Zhongli Que scratched her head, hesitated for a moment, then explained, "It's the Zhongli Family's secret swordsmanship, which only my father knows."

"I remember now, my second brother mentioned it. He said this swordsmanship is very powerful," Yu Sui lay down on her bed, fanning herself with one hand while replying with the other, "Why don't you learn it too?"

The light from the Listening Wind Ruler reflected in Zhongli Que's eyes, along with the characters. She blinked, staring at Yu Sui's question, unsure how to answer.

If it weren't for the fact that her messages with Yu Sui wouldn't be discovered, Zhongli Que wouldn't have had such frequent exchanges with her, let alone become so close.

It was precisely because their conversations were undiscoverable that Zhongli Que couldn't keep her inner desire to confide hidden.

Her delicate white fingers hesitated several times on the Listening Wind Ruler before finally slowly typing on the fill-in interface: "I can't learn. Girls from the Zhongli Family are not allowed to practice the Nine Schools Techniques, nor can they touch swords. They are not allowed to possess Supernatural Abilities and Esoteric Skills, nor have the ability to protect themselves."

Yu Sui flipped over and sat up, looking down at the reply.

Zhongli Que regretted it as soon as she sent it. She shouldn't have said that. After a moment of annoyance, she quickly changed the subject, asking Yu Sui about her day at the Imperial Academy.

Yu Sui followed her lead and chatted, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. After a short while, Zhongli Que said she was going to practice calligraphy.

It seemed she regretted saying the wrong thing.

Yu Sui didn't expose her.

Two months later, Zhongli Que's confinement ended, and she could return to the Imperial Academy to continue her studies.

She arrived at the classroom early. Some children who saw her greeted her out of respect for the rules and etiquette. Zhongli Que responded to each of them.

Yu Sui hadn't arrived yet.

Zhongli Que couldn't help but glance outside, wondering what she was waiting for.

When Yu Sui arrived, she still looked half-asleep. She drooped her head, opened her mouth when she saw Zhongli Que in her seat, but her voice was weak.

Zhongli Que whispered, "Didn't you sleep well?"

After sitting down, Yu Sui slumped onto the desk and mumbled sleepily, "Today, I finally don't have to attend class."

She had been tutoring Zhongli Que recently, attending both logic and literature classes during the day, and her sleep time had been cut in half for two consecutive months.

Seeing Yu Sui fall asleep, Zhongli Que instantly understood what was happening. She perked up and, for the first time, didn't let the instructor disturb her.

*

Both children carried the burden of their identities, so they tacitly maintained a distance at the Imperial Academy, not appearing overly close. However, their communication on the Listening Wind Ruler was frequent.

They would share interesting and fun things that happened in their daily lives.

Occasionally, Yu Sui would "complain" to Zhongli Que about how troublesome and difficult it was to learn the Nine Schools Techniques. When Zhongli Que didn't understand, Yu Sui would patiently explain various concepts.

Zhongli Que, who understood, felt scared.

Before she could stop Yu Sui from continuing her "complaints," Yu Sui spoke first, "I just feel too tired and want to complain to someone. My brothers are all busy with their own things, and I can't tell my parents. You're the only friend I can talk to about these things."

"If you find me complaining too annoying, you can just destroy them, and then no one else will know."

"I promise, no one will know you've seen these."

Yu Sui's promise was one hundred percent secure with Zhongli Que.

Zhongli Que convinced herself, I'm just listening to my friend's daily complaints, not learning the Nine Schools Techniques.

After Yu Sui finished complaining, she would also say, "I'm only venting to you, so please don't tell anyone else."

She was reminding Zhongli Que that even if she learned something, she shouldn't let anyone other than her discover any clues.

Zhongli Que nodded solemnly and replied, "I'll keep it a secret."

The girls' secret communication lasted for a very, very long time.

Zhongli Que had made her first friend in life, and the time spent with her friend passed faster than ever before.

In their thirteenth year, some things happened.

For Zhongli Que, it was a turning point that would affect her entire life.

*

In the thirteenth year of the Prince's Mansion Young Princess's life, her Big Brother Han Bing was eighteen, and her Second Brother Su Feng was seventeen. Both had already left the Imperial Academy.

Sheng Fei, who had celebrated his sixteenth birthday in spring, no longer needed to attend the Imperial Academy.

Thus, during the midsummer days, only Yu Sui went to the Imperial Academy alone, occasionally accompanied by Gu Gan.

Fourteen-year-old Gu Gan had suddenly grown much taller. He was tall and well-built. Standing beside him, Yu Sui, still half a head shorter, felt as though she had grown in vain all these years.

As the boys grew older, the gap in their strength also became apparent. There were more things to compare, and their conflicts grew increasingly intense.

Due to the significant age difference, Han Bing could still maintain politeness towards Gu Gan. Su Feng, although only a few years older than Gu Gan, did not hide his dislike for him.

Of course, Sheng Fei disliked Gu Gan the most and found him the most unbearable.

Gu Gan also disliked Sheng Fei the most.

They repelled and detested each other, never giving each other a good look when they met. They had even gotten into fights several times. Sheng Fei had been reprimanded by Nangong Ming for this, which made it even harder for Sheng Fei to accept Gu Gan's existence.

As the boys' relationship deteriorated, Yu Sui, caught in the middle, was inevitably affected.

Sheng Fei couldn't stand them going to the Imperial Academy alone. Even though he no longer needed to study, he would pick up Yu Sui from the Imperial Academy when Gu Gan was there.

Yu Sui could feel that Gu Gan had been acquiring more and more knowledge over the past two years. Because she had to go to Gu Gan's study to read more books, she acted more intimately with Gu Gan.

9 Chapter 9 (Page 2/2)

Sheng Fei had argued with her several times about this, telling her to stay away from Gu Gan and also telling Gu Gan to stay away from Yu Sui.

In autumn, the maple trees planted along the Prince's Mansion driveway turned red. The cool breeze swirled the red leaves, creating small whirlwinds on the ground.

Today, Sheng Fei went to pick up Yu Sui from the Imperial Academy. He didn't see Gu Gan but still had a stern expression.

Yu Sui sat by the side, lifting the carriage curtain to look at the scenery outside.

Sheng Fei suddenly asked Yu Sui, "Do you like that stinky kid, Gu Gan?"

"What?" Yu Sui turned back, bewildered.

Sheng Fei said with a straight face, "You are not allowed to like him. I mean, you cannot choose him as your future husband."

Yu Sui lowered her head to play with the Listening Wind Ruler, responding with a perfunctory "Mm."

Sheng Fei was going through puberty, and his voice sounded a bit hoarse. Coupled with his usual sharp tongue, even when he wasn't being malicious, his words felt fierce.

"He comes from a humble background, is a wild child, and is uneducated. He relies entirely on the support of the Prince's Mansion. If you like him, he will dare to take advantage of your affection and lord over you."

"Look how arrogant he is now!"

"If the Prince's Mansion didn't help him, what would he be? He wouldn't be able to survive in the Imperial Capital at all."

(Some content has been omitted due to content policy conflicts)

Zhongli Que picked up the Listening Wind Ruler, about to send a message to Yu Sui, when her mother's voice suddenly echoed in her mind:

"You must remember, you absolutely cannot be discovered by others, not even your father."

She recalled how she was scrutinized with judgmental eyes by the adults just for picking up a feather arrow, as if she would be cut into a thousand pieces if she misspoke a single word.

The oppressive aura brought by the adults was relentless, like a long rope tied to her neck, hoisting her high up, making it impossible to breathe.

Zhongli Que's hand holding the Listening Wind Ruler trembled. She bit her lip, covered in sweat.

Mother had said not to let anyone know, that it was too dangerous.

Zhongli Que slowly lowered the hands holding the Listening Wind Ruler.

But... but this is different from what I foresaw last time.

Last time, Nangong Sui was only slapped, but this time she was burned by flames. Her physical body melted in a sea of fire, revealing ghastly white bones that were also engulfed in flames. It scared me so much that I had nightmares for a month.

Am I going to watch her die?

Will she die?

Zhongli Que's mind buzzed at this thought. Suddenly, with a surge of courage she didn't know she had, her fingers rapidly tapped the fill-in interface, sending a message to Yu Sui:

"Don't go to Juxian Tower!"

"Go home quickly!"

"You'll be burned to death if you go to Juxian Tower!"

Yu Sui, who usually replied to her messages quickly, remained silent.

Zhongli Que took a deep breath to steady her trembling hands. She hardened her heart, grabbed the Listening Wind Ruler, and ran outside.

*

A little earlier, Yu Sui had been looking at the Listening Wind Ruler in her hand.

Juxian Tower had been booked out by the young men who came today.

Yu Sui sat by the window, which was wide open. From her vantage point, she looked down at the bustling market below. The lights were bright, and the night wind blew gently, reducing the dry heat brought by the strange fire.

Even through several screens, Yu Sui could hear the clinking of cups and the boisterous laughter and noise of the young men. Someone was even calling her name, shouting "Suisui," seemingly wanting to come over, only to be scolded away by her elder brothers.

Yu Sui gazed at the dial on the Listening Wind Ruler, adjusting the positions of the characters. In the next star trail, she would connect to a nearby communication array. As she concentrated, a small black dot appeared in the depths of her consciousness.

A familiar yet strange man's voice echoed in her mind:

"Who the hell is being so careless while wandering the Jianghu that they're about to die again?"