Chapter 48 May I offer incense?

Jie Ge'an looked at her intently, savoring the fragrance that surrounded him, and closed his eyes, saying, "Do you have any favorite spices?"

Si Niannian: "..."

Si Niannian found the question rather abrupt, paused, and hesitated before asking, "Just this?"

After all that trouble, you're just asking this question?

“Hmm,” Jie Ge’an smiled, lifting his eyes. “Is there?”

Si Niannian looked at him suspiciously and shook her head honestly: "No."

Jie Ge'an breathed softly, which Si Niannian didn't notice. She said to herself, "I don't like spices, I never burn incense, and I don't use anything with a fragrance."

"Is that really the case...?"

"What?"

Si Niannian asked curiously, "What did the Marquis just say?"

"nothing."

Jie Ge'an's expression was strange for a moment, but it disappeared before Si Niannian noticed anything amiss. He said with a sigh, "Then I can only give the few boxes of spices I got a few days ago to Changying."

Thinking of the clothes that Xie Changying always insisted on scenting three times before wearing them, Si Niannian nodded and said, "She'll like them."

Jie Ge'an's work is definitely extraordinary.

If Jie Changying is happy with the new spices, she might not bother with that ugly, graffiti-like drawing anymore.

Speak of the devil and he appears.

After having a blast for half a day, Jie Changying finally decided to come back and started nagging Si Niannian.

Si Niannian was used to her talkativeness. After saying goodbye to Jiege An, she followed the force of Jiege An's pull and went to find a place to change her clothes, preparing to continue strolling around.

This hill not only includes a horse farm, but also various exquisite pavilions, flower corridors, flowing water, and rocks.

You could easily spend several days just browsing around.

Si Niannian had no objection to this. She changed her clothes and came out. When she saw a tall pavilion not far away, her brows furrowed silently.

Si Niannian asked softly, "What kind of place is that?"

Gu Yu answered softly, "That's the Hall of Heroes and Martyrs."

The saying goes, "One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand." People will always remember the heroes who become generals, but few will think of the thousands of bones beneath their feet.

But there will always be someone who remembers.

Gu Yu explained, "When Ninth Master was fighting abroad, he would order that the dead be recorded and a memorial tablet be erected for them. If their belongings could be found and their ancestral home and family members could be located, the memorial tablet would be sent back to their home."

"If the memorial tablet cannot be found, it should be placed in the Hall of Heroes and Martyrs for worship, so that the spirits of the deceased may not be disturbed and the heroes may not be able to sleep."

The Hall of Heroes originally had only one floor.

But as the years went by, the memorial tablets inside piled up one layer after another, and the small building grew taller and taller.

Inside are only names engraved on a plaque, but behind each name lies a living, breathing person.

Jie Ge'an lit incense in the depths of his private residence, so that it would burn eternally.

He was someone who had long been accustomed to countless deaths and comebacks.

Seeing Si Niannian remain silent, Gu Yu mistakenly assumed she was afraid and felt it was bad luck, so she quickly explained gently, "Don't worry, young lady, there are no evil people in the Hall of Heroes, and there are no ghosts or gods under the emperor's nose, it won't happen..."

"I'm not afraid."

Si Niannian chuckled and said, "I just didn't expect that the Marquis would be so thoughtful."

It's just a bit too meticulous, and the arrangement is slightly inappropriate.

Gu Yu was stunned.

Si Niannian said softly, "How could someone who is willing to risk their life to defend their country be an evil person?"

Even if you die, you won't become a demon.

They're a bunch of idiots.

Whether it was an excuse or something else, Jie Ge'an changed his clothes and reappeared, ready to leave.

"Tell Guyu what you would like to eat and she will arrange it. The courtyard has already been prepared, so you can stay here tonight."

The second half of the sentence was clearly addressed to Si Niannian.

It's much quieter here than the Duke's mansion.

With Jie Ge'an's people all around, Si Niannian can live more comfortably.

Taking advantage of Jie Changying's inattention, Si Niannian whispered a thank you, and then suddenly asked, "I heard from Guyu that there are many memorial tablets enshrined at the Hall of Heroes. Do monks often come here to perform rituals for the deceased?"

Jie Ge'an pressed his thin lips together slightly, his voice completely calm: "No."

From the day the Hall of Heroes was built, apart from a few war-crippled people who were responsible for cleaning it, he was the only one who went in and out.

Si Niannian exclaimed in surprise.

Jie Ge'an lowered his lips even further: "I don't believe in ghosts and gods."

Humans have always been the ones who control life and death.

If praying to gods and Buddhas were effective, why would we suffer?

Si Niannian thought to herself, "I knew it would be like this," and murmured as if in sudden realization, "So that's how it is."

No wonder it smells like that there.

Jie Ge'an clearly didn't want to talk about this anymore. He gave a few cold instructions and then hurriedly left with his men.

Si Niannian also had barbecue for dinner as promised.

Taking advantage of Jie Ge'an's absence, Jie Changying even dared to open a jar of fine wine and successfully got herself drunk.

Si Niannian, feeling both amused and exasperated, escorted Xie Changying, who was known for her invincibility, back home. She then sat down at the messy table and silently got up.

Jie Ge'an's arrangements were very thoughtful.

Apart from the necessary people, there was no one else in the way, giving Si Niannian absolute freedom.

Even when Gu Yu learned that Si Niannian wanted to go out for a walk, she only lagged three steps behind and silently followed.

Until Si Niannian reached the entrance of the Hall of Heroes.

Si Niannian asked the person who came to greet her, "Can I go in and take a look?"

Those guarding this place are all remnants of the old army.

Those missing limbs and blind people all turned to look at Gu Yu upon hearing the sound.

Gu Yu asked in astonishment, "These are all memorial tablets here, why, young lady..."

“I have been to the northern frontier,” Si Niannian said slowly. “I have witnessed the scenes of battle.”

Limbs and severed arms, blood everywhere.

In the end, even the yellow sand on the ground was clump together, and if you squeezed it, your hands would be covered in wet blood.

Si Niannian closed her eyes briefly: "I'd like to light incense, is that alright?"

Si Niannian's words brought tears to the eyes of the guards, and Gu Yu fell silent instantly.

One of the men, who was leaning on a cane and blind in one eye, laughed and said, "If you don't mind the bad luck, then please go ahead."

Since the establishment of the Hall of Martyrs, Si Niannian is the first person to say she wants to come and offer incense!

The tightly closed door slowly opened, revealing a mountain of memorial tablets.

The approaching shadows drew a line between light and dark in the candlelight, as if a single beam of light and shadow had separated the many joys and sorrows of life and death.

The one-armed man, holding a lit incense stick, frantically winked at Gu Yu: "Come quickly and offer incense to the girl!"

He only has one hand; offering incense to a distinguished person with only one hand is disrespectful, absolutely not…

“Give it to me,” Si Niannian said, ignoring his anxiety, as she took the three incense sticks with both hands and lowered her eyes. “I know what to do.”

As the fragrant mist rose, Si Niannian saw many faces flash by in the thin fog.

They mistakenly believed they were still alive and lingered there, unwilling to leave.

Si Niannian sighed silently, letting the still-warm ashes roll onto the back of her hand, where three strangely marked copper coins appeared on her fingertips.

Strangely, it seemed that no one present could see the copper coin in her hand.

Si Niannian closed her eyes, raised the rapidly burning incense to her brow, and murmured a few words silently. The candle flame, which had been swaying in the wind, immediately leaped up and became even brighter, illuminating the dark hall as if it were daytime.

The wind grew stronger, howling and sweeping through both inside and outside.

Amidst the flickering light and shadow, the three incense sticks in Si Niannian's hand burned to their base at an astonishing speed.

Gu Yu and the others exchanged a shocked glance, instinctively holding their breath, and all looked at the person surrounded by firelight.

Si Niannian, her face as white as porcelain, inserted the nearly burnt incense sticks into the incense burner, and the sound of the wind suddenly stopped.

"Let's go."

Si Niannian said, "It's time to go."

This world is no longer the place for you.

The flickering candlelight seemed to pave a faint path of light. As Si Niannian turned and stepped out the door, the copper coin, stained with incense ash, rolled off the path.

No one knew what had happened, except for Jie Ge'an, who was not far away.

Jie Ge'an's pupils shrank to pinpoints, and he was so shocked that he forgot to breathe.

He stared intently at the three copper coins that rolled out of Si Niannian's hand, watching them turn into green flames like small lanterns as they rolled, silently disappearing into the distant night, as if they had opened a passage to another world.

Jie Ge'an spoke so softly, as if he didn't want anyone else to hear: "Did you see it?"