A message sparrow flew in beneath the moonlight, circling once, then twice, before it landed beside Chu Qingqu…
A message sparrow flew in beneath the moonlight, circling once, then twice, before it landed beside Chu Qingquan's hand. He opened the letter and read it over and over, but it was the final line that echoed in his mind:
"This is an act of great righteousness, for the realm, for the people. I pray you do not refuse."
He had always known that one day he would offer his life for the greater good. What he hadn't expected was to come this far with Xiangxun. The thought stirred him. He rose and returned to his room. On a fresh sheet of paper, he wrote:
"A true man gives himself for the world. It is his duty and honor. Yet I carry shame in my heart. As for the matter of the Water Lady, I must reconsider. I ask you to wait."
In this world, nothing is ever perfectly resolved. But at the very least, he didn't want to lie to her.