Chapter 79 Year After Year the Geese (Part 1) I too have someone I cherish in my heart…

Four months is not enough for peaches and plums to bloom again, for geese to fly away and swallows to return, but for Wei Yuanzhan, it felt like an eternity.

He had not seen Zhirou for four months.

Military life is simple but also mundane. Having traveled from Yunchuan to this place, he has lost much of his sense of time.

Only when he longed for Zhirou did he realize the endlessness of the night, how his desires were growing, all of which were being swallowed up by the night, giving rise to the pain of unfulfilled desires.

He never knew that liking someone could be so painful.

Several months later, when Wei Yuanzhan heard "Fourth Sister" again from Chang Huai's mouth, his hand holding the rough porcelain bowl paused involuntarily, then he put it down and turned his head away.

Where?

Her gaze met Chang Huai's without obstruction, her voice filled with suppressed worry and barely contained anxiety, "Is she... alright?"

Chang Huai shook his head: "Fourth Miss is with the Bei Li Army... If I'm not mistaken, she should be in the city right now."

"What do you mean by this?" Wei Yuanzhan stood up, his expression changed, but he still stared at him.

With the fall of Suyuan City, the Beili army will undoubtedly engage in widespread looting and murder within the city. Is Zhi Rou's association with them due to coercion, or is she feigning compliance? Regardless of the reason, her situation is certainly dangerous.

Changhuai recounted his experiences to Wei Yuanzhan, and finally, he said with concern, "The Fourth Sister most likely infiltrated the army from the grasslands to plan her way south. She protected me several times..."

It seems their identities have been completely exposed.

Everyone says northerners are cruel, but they are united inside and out. Fourth Sister must have killed their people on the battlefield, and now her situation is like walking on a knife's edge, extremely dangerous.

Changhuai felt ashamed and avoided looking at him, but then he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly lifted the thin blanket and tried to get out of bed: "Master, you mustn't!"

Hearing the noise, Wei Yuanzhan turned back to the bedside. Just as he touched Changhuai's arm, he saw him say, "It is I who have wronged Fourth Miss. Master, let me go."

Because of his nervousness, the affected area bled again.

Wei Yuanzhan frowned and pressed the person back against the headboard in a commanding tone: "You should focus on recovering from your injuries and not think about it anymore."

As he straightened up, Chang Huai asked before he could finish speaking, "Are you coming back?"

Wei Yuanzhan gripped his sleeves tightly with both hands, and after a moment he replied, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."

He went out the door, said a few words to the couple who were working outside, and then disappeared into the doorway.

Zhi Rou still managed to escape.

Early in the morning, the person who brought her breakfast put down the food, glared at her fiercely, and then closed the door, but didn't close it completely, as if he was certain she wouldn't leave.

Since Su Du took her jade pendant, his attitude towards her has changed several times. Last night, he even took care of her feelings and had someone bring her a bowl of sweet porridge.

On the grasslands, the diet is mainly meat-based, and she hasn't had rice porridge in a long time.

The salty aroma of dried meat wafted to her nose. Zhi Rou glanced at the door without moving, then her eyes flickered towards the crack in the door, and she began to think.

Shortly after, the man waiting outside the door heard a "thump" from inside the room. He lazily moved and opened the door to enter the small room.

A few pieces of dried meat were scattered near Zhi Rou's hand. She lay on the ground, her chest seemingly not rising or falling.

The man crouched down and reached for her neck, but before he could touch her, his arm was suddenly pulled away, dislocated, and he and his arm fell to the corner of the bed. Before he could call for his companion, a blue teapot smashed down on his head, and he fainted.

Inside the inn, the Northern Li army gathered at the front, with soldiers standing at the foot of the ladder, their voices filling the air.

The man guarding the second floor was the only one. After knocking him unconscious, Zhi Rou quickly slipped into the next room and gently closed the door.

This room has a window.

Although it was only on the second floor, the height was very small. Zhi Rou moved her arms and legs and jumped out of the window.

The atmosphere of war affected the streetscape; there were few pedestrians, and the sun shone through the gaps in the jujube tree leaves, making the land appear desolate.

The Northern Li Army seemed to have done nothing to the common people; the shops were still open, but business was far worse than before. When they encountered foreign soldiers, customers and shopkeepers alike trembled with fear, not daring to breathe.

Zhi Rou didn't know where she could go; it was as if she had been away from the world for a long time, or like a lost soul. Suddenly, she remembered Su Du's mocking words from that day, and she actually thought he was right. Without her mother, she had no home.

With nowhere to go and unable to leave the city, Zhi Rou was afraid of being recognized, so she deliberately took back roads.

Arriving at a pen shop, she stopped, rummaged through her pockets, and found nothing of value. So she simply took off the silver ring from her hair, removed her boots, and stepped across the threshold.

Zhi Rou wrote two letters.

One letter was sent to the capital, and the other to Yuyang, addressed to Wei Yuanzhan.

After walking a few steps, she noticed that the stalls that used to be outside were gone, and the road suddenly became very empty. A light drizzle started to fall on the dreary daytime, and raindrops fell on her eyelashes. Zhi Rou stopped in her tracks.

Turning around, she saw a glint of silver light in the shadows of the trees, a sight she often saw—an ornament on Bei Li's robe.

Someone has come looking for us.

Suzhou.

When Zhi Rou saw the familiar rope, she knew without asking that he had tied her up and was taking her somewhere.

Under the blazing sun, two Beili cavalrymen rode in front of and behind Zhirou. The leader glanced back and saw her straighten up silently, her eyes piercing. He then said, "You're awake. If you promise to behave, I'll untie you."

"Who are you? Where is Su Du?" Zhi Rou didn't see Su Du's shadow.

The soldier didn't answer her. His horse's hooves clattered as he said to himself, "The general ordered us to take you back to Urentuya."

This is to send her back to Beili.

Zhi Rou remained silent. The man glanced at her, assuming she was plotting her escape. The general had specifically instructed that this woman was cunning and that they must not underestimate her; they were to ensure her safe return.

"If you weren't a general, you would have been dead long ago." He snorted and flicked his whip, causing the sparse jujube trees on both sides to billow and fall backward like sails.

Zhi Rou still remembers some things.

At the inn, someone tried to kill her. Seeing their plan fail, they found her again and waited outside the pen shop. Outnumbered, she was indeed somewhat disheartened. Just then, another group of people suddenly arrived.

As for how they clashed, Zhi Rou had no recollection of it; her vision disappeared around that time, and the dull pain in her neck probably started around that time as well.

Ultimately, it was Su who saved her.

Zhi Rou felt dizzy from the sun, so she slowly bent down and lay down on the horse's back. The smooth mane brushed against her cheeks, and she suddenly felt a sense of comfort.

Since leaving home, she seems to have never had a proper rest; she's just too exhausted.

Seeing her like this, the cavalryman said nothing more, chanting something under his breath, and spurred his horse back to the grassland.

On that day, Wei Yuanzhan was found by Xu Rong's personal guards and wanted to enter the city, but the city walls were high and there was no ladder, so entering was like a pipe dream.

He stayed in the Suyuan army for two months and heard someone mention that there was a tunnel outside the west gate. So he shook off Xu Rong's men and secretly entered the city.

The rain fell silently, but the sky remained bright. Wei Yuanzhan wore a clean outer robe, his face washed, and he looked no different from ordinary people. However, upon seeing the Beili army, he did not flinch. Instead, he followed someone outside a teahouse, making his way to their encampment.

The tents were temporary, and the soldiers sat scattered in front of them, muttering to themselves with resentful expressions, as if they were complaining about someone.

Wei Yuanzhan had difficulty understanding their language, but in the army, there were interpreters who had taught him some simple Beili dialect, and he could tell that they were saying "General".

The place was noisy and filled with men; he didn't see Zhirou.

Wei Yuanzhan looked around and saw that the Beili Army's garrison was arranged around an inn. After thinking for a moment, he turned and headed towards the back alley.

Just then, the rain stopped and a sudden gust of wind rose. Passing by the teahouse, the octagonal table by the wall was occupied by new customers.

It was just a casual glance, but the object the man was caressing in his palm made Wei Yuanzhan stop and take another look.

It had also been in his hands for many days.

Wei Yuanzhan's heart was churning with emotions. He restrained himself, looked away, lifted his robe, sat down on the bench behind the man, and ordered a pot of tea.

The sound of hooves approached, and the soldiers stopped abruptly. One soldier dismounted and trotted to Su Du's side: "General, Sai Enji and his men have taken Song Zhirou out of the city. There are many complaints in the army. What... do you plan to do?"

Su did not respond.

It's not surprising that some people in the army are dissatisfied with him. He only stayed in Beili for Boyan's sake. After En finished his intelligence work, he had more important things to do.

With Song Zhirou no longer distracting him, he was finally able to calmly consider the war situation. News of Enhe hadn't arrived yet, but he was starting to feel he couldn't wait any longer.

"Pass down the order: depart tonight for Changxuan."

As soon as the words were spoken, Wei Yuanzhan clenched his hand on his knee. He heard it clearly: the soldier said "Song Zhirou".

The words "general" and "leaving the city"... Wei Yuanzhan felt a little disappointed when he connected them with what he had just seen in the Beili military tent.

She is not in the city.

The rustling of the leaves was bothering me.

Before long, Wei Yuanzhan gradually loosened his five fingers and lifted them onto the teacup.

Fortunately, she was unharmed.

On March 14th, the Beili cavalry breached Changxuan. On the 16th, they replaced Daizhou. For Sudu, this was tantamount to obtaining a direct pass to Lancheng.

After suffering three defeats, the morale of the Yan Dynasty army plummeted. The Beili army, which had become accustomed to victory, advanced rapidly and attacked Lancheng.

Wei Yuanzhan distinguished himself in this battle, and his reputation began to grow. He and the garrison commander of Lancheng devised a plan to lure the enemy into Jinxi County, cut off their supply lines, and within half a month, the Beili army began to slaughter their warhorses.

On April 10th, Enhe led his troops to provide assistance.

On April 14th, Su Du led his troops in a breakout to the west and was victorious.

The Beili cavalry dispersed to border villages and towns, conquered and plundered grain, and then led their elite troops to burn the Xiaoshan granary. They took turns attacking and defending against the Yan army for a year and a half.

Just then, the surrounding tribes took the opportunity to harass the area, so the Khan urgently summoned the army back. Sudu and Enhe had no choice but to retreat north.

...

A gentle breeze blows, and the sun casts a soft, warm shadow.

A fuzzy thing scratched her face, and Zhi Rou shook her head and opened her eyes.

There was a yarrow stalk moving in front of her. The owner holding it lowered his face, his eyebrows were straight and his eyes were as deep as the sea, as deep as if they could hold her image.

"Still sleeping?" Enhe raised one eyebrow.

Their breaths were too close. Zhi Rou reached out and pushed him away, sitting up: "What are you doing?"

She frowned as she looked at him. The setting sun shone on her face, making her beautiful features appear more mature than they had been a few years ago, but her temper remained unchanged—she was not someone to be trifled with.

This is Zhirou's third spring on the grassland.

Not long after returning from Suyuan, she received a letter from the capital. Judging from the date on the letter, it was sent five days after she left the capital.

The paper was short, containing only a few lines, yet she read it many times, almost memorizing it perfectly:

"Since you left the capital, your mother has been deeply worried, but she is now recovered and is fine."

It is a great regret in my heart that I have not been able to see you come of age.

You have been intelligent and insightful since childhood, and have always been opinionated. However, you are going to a foreign country. I hope you will take good care of yourself and wait for the right opportunity.

Everything is going well at home; your mother is safe and sound, and your father is healthy. My son, there is hope for you.”

It was written by Song Congzhao himself.

After receiving the letter, Zhi Rou finally felt relieved. With her family looking forward to her life, she naturally had to live well and wait for the right opportunity, just as her father had said.

Eun-ho straightened up and sat down next to Ji-yoo, still looking at her with those star-studded eyes: "Will you come with me to the gathering tomorrow?"

Every spring, the four tribes of Beili hold a gathering in Silver Dome Valley. Ministers discuss state affairs in their tents, while unmarried young men compete in the arena to win the favor of the girls.

When a man invites a woman to go out together, it usually means he intends to express his feelings.

Zhi Rou got up and brushed away the grass, saying in a flat tone, "No."

"Why?" Enhe looked up.

She walked forward, saying, "There's no reason why."

Zhi Rou's horse was tied up beside her, its tail swishing as it nudged the grass with its head.

Behind him came Enhe's voice, which was somewhat teasing but mostly guessing: "You like Su Du."

That year, she went south with the army, and Enhe was initially unaware of it. Later, when the two armies met, he learned about it from the soldiers. After returning to the grasslands, Sudu treated her very well, to a strange degree. Although he was puzzled, he never said anything.

Zhi Rou stopped at the sound, turned around to look at En He, raised an eyebrow, and then smiled: "Are you serious?"

Su Du did help her in many ways, but that was a transaction; she had also done a lot for Su Du among the noblewomen. Besides, she hadn't gotten her jade pendant back yet; that was her lifeline.

Enhe, feeling troubled: "If you don't like it, why don't you come with me?"

Golden light shone on his face and body. He stood up but did not approach her.

Zhi Rou remained silent for a long while, her tone almost cold, but her brows furrowed slightly: "I don't like you."

Such a straightforward statement did not embarrass him: "I heard it last time."

Eun-ho gazed at Ji-yoo, "Who is the person you love?"

Last winter, Urentuya led Zhirou in a group of women, chatting and laughing. The campfire illuminated their faces, warm and joyful.

They were talking about their sweethearts.

Urentuya teased her, saying that she was young and always dressed in men's clothing, so she probably didn't understand what longing was.

Zhi Rou quietly pondered for a moment. Someone she held dear? Occasionally, she would think of Wei Yuanzhan.

Especially when she sees twelve- or thirteen-year-old boys and girls chasing and playing, she will habitually think of him and the days when she played with him in the capital.

So she opened her mouth and said, "I have one too."

The evening sunlight extended into Lanzhou, and the sounds of soldiers drilling echoed in the air.

In Wei Yuanzhan's barracks, a desk stood by a low window.

More than two years later, he still maintains the habit of writing.

The letter paper bears the marks of being clenched and then smoothed out repeatedly. Its owner had held it tightly in his hand time and time again, as if holding the hand of a beautiful woman far away.

The content she wrote was not much, and the words were ordinary, but every stroke on the paper felt very vivid to Wei Yuanzhan.

At the end of the paper were two words written by him, gently illuminated by the glow of the sunset, the words as beautiful as gold and jade.

Longing for your return.

Longing for your return.