Chapter Forty-Seven

The northern frontier is once again tinged with new green, with vast grasslands lush and verdant, and endless mountain ranges verdant and emerald green. In the vast and distant sky and earth, eagles spread their wings and cry out incessantly.

Huo Pingyuan wore silver armor, his face bearing the unmistakable marks of hardship. He was now a young general in his early twenties, known to the border people as the Little Prince of Dingbei. He was second only to Li Heng in rank. In the past few years on the border, he had repeatedly made meritorious contributions, restoring the former glory of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion. Even the emperor made an exception for him, allowing him to inherit the title again and revive the former glory of the marquis's mansion.

Huo Pingyuan inspected the soldiers, distributed their monthly salaries, and then returned to his main tent with his attendants.

He removed his heavy armor and put on a black robe, making him look like he was in his early twenties.

Huo Pingyuan sat down at the table and picked up the newly arrived memorial from the capital. The memorial stated that he had made military achievements and was eligible to return to the capital to be enfeoffed. The Pingxi Marquis's mansion had been expanded and was waiting for his return.

Huo Pingyuan only needed to write a reply to return to the capital city he longed for, but he hesitated.

In just three years, he achieved unparalleled merit. While his talent was undoubtedly exceptional, it was Huo Pingyuan's dream that helped him overcome difficulties on several crucial occasions.

Those dreams were bizarre and fantastical, but Gu Leyao was always there... In the dreams, she was very quiet. Even when Huo Pingyuan was in dire straits, she never left his side. She was a quiet person, and Huo Pingyuan could only feel her love through her care.

Huo Pingyuan's perspective always follows Gu Leyao. When the man in her dream is gentle to her, Gu Leyao's lips will curl up slightly. When the man in her dream is moody because of setbacks, Gu Leyao will accept his bad temper completely.

But in his dream, he kept moving forward, never looking back at the girl who had always been by his side.

In his dream, Huo Pingyuan, after many years, finally achieved great success and became the most powerful minister in the Great Zhou Dynasty. He had experienced too many dark things and lost the empathy that only a young man has. He only wanted to satisfy his own desires, destroy and possess, and he forgot the path he came from.

The petite girl watched as he was about to marry someone else, and that person was Gu Baozhu, whom she hated the most.

Gu Baozhu practically took everything away from the girl: a bright and promising future, loving parents and brothers...

In the end, the girl left Huo Pingyuan. Huo Pingyuan was once the only ray of sunshine in her dark life, but later, he became the last straw that broke her back.

The girl chose to leave the man of her dreams. She eventually died in a desolate mountain, her life abandoned by others. In the end, she finally gave up on everyone.

She chose her own ending. Her life had been too bitter and too tiring. There were many things that she had no say in. But in the end, she was brave and chose how she would die.

While she was alive, she couldn't choose how she would become famous, but this time she could choose how she would die.

When she finally left, she went peacefully. She remembered that the old man who had raised her was buried in a small, desolate mountain, and she was no longer alone after her death.

Huo Pingyuan always thinks of Gu Leyao. In his dreams, she has left Huo Pingyuan forever, and he has finally found peace of mind.

He thought he should stay away from Gu Leyao. She had now married Prince Dingbei, Li Heng, and she had also established a medical institute with the Empress. The medical conditions in the Great Zhou had visibly improved.

But Huo Pingyuan's dream continued. He dreamed that he had become the Huo Pingyuan in his dream. In the dream, he was used to Gu Leyao's presence. In order to climb up, he had experienced too many hardships and bloodshed, and his heart had become cold and hard. He always thought that as long as he turned around, he would see Gu Leyao.

He loved her without even realizing it himself.

At that time, he made great military achievements, returned to the capital, and became a powerful minister of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He met Gu Baozhu, who was widowed at home. He unexpectedly discovered that Gu Baozhu was secretly in contact with the Liang people, and they seemed to have an unusual relationship.

Liang Ren secretly instructed Gu Baozhu to get close to Huo Pingyuan.

As the investigation deepened, Huo Pingyuan discovered that Gu Baozhu was in contact with the prince of Beiliang. Not wanting to alert him, he tacitly allowed Gu Baozhu to get close to him, and even proposed to marry her as a secondary wife.

He was so used to Gu Leyao's sacrifices that when he brought it up with her, she remained silent for a long time as usual before finally agreeing.

On their wedding day, Huo Pingyuan married Gu Baozhu. His subordinates told him that his wife had left the mansion. At that time, Huo Pingyuan just frowned. He felt that even if Gu Leyao was taciturn and silent, she was actually just like any other girl at heart. Once he resolved this major matter, he would deal with Gu Baozhu. At that time, the two of them would be like before and live a good life together.

Over the years, apart from the first few years when Gu Leyao was pregnant twice, she has not been able to get pregnant again.

At that time, the border region was bitterly cold, and Huo Pingyuan's life was very difficult. Gu Leyao's two children were both miscarried.

Huo Pingyuan thought that they could adopt two children as foster sons, and that she might be happier if they had children.

Huo Pingyuan couldn't remember how long it had been since he had seen Gu Leyao smile. Her smile was faint, with the corners of her mouth slightly curved, like the lingering snow in winter on a spring day.

Huo Pingyuan suddenly felt a little dazed. How long had it been since he had seen Gu Leyao smile? He couldn't seem to remember.

In his dream, Huo Pingyuan suddenly felt a sudden, inexplicable panic. He restrained this emotion and tried to suppress the discomfort in his heart.

He told himself that he must calm himself down so that he could eliminate the traitor in one fell swoop. After he finished this important task, he would go and take her home.

Two months after the wedding, Gu Baozhu and Liang Ren's plot was exposed. Huo Pingyuan led his men to resolve the matter. The court intended to commend Huo Pingyuan for his achievements, but Huo Pingyuan had no interest in such matters. He went to the palace to meet the emperor, distributed the credit to his subordinates, and traveled thousands of miles to Xiaohuangshan.

This is where Gu Leyao grew up. She has mentioned it many times. The old doctor who raised her is buried in the small barren mountain.

But when Huo Pingyuan arrived at Xiaohuangshan, he only saw Chuntao.

Chuntao was dressed in white mourning clothes, as if she were in mourning for someone.

Throughout his life, Huo Pingyuan had faced countless conspiracies and schemes without fear, but this time, for some reason, his legs seemed to be disobeying him, and he hesitated to take a step forward.

Chun Tao saw him, but she didn't react. She just mechanically swept and worked hard, wanting to fill her life with labor.

"Chuntao, where is Leyao? Leyao, where is she...?"

Chun Tao looked up blankly, "As you wish, the girl is gone and will never bother you again."

Huo Pingyuan seemed to have lost all his strength, and almost immediately knelt on the ground. "How could this be? She was perfectly fine two months ago."

Chun Tao gave a bitter laugh, "All right? Ha... You married the girl you loved when you were young, she loved you so much, how could you be all right!"

"Never mind, the girl is already gone, let her go in peace." Chun Tao didn't want to say anything more. She felt sorry for the girl and couldn't understand why she would fall in love with such a man.

"I married Gu Baozhu because I discovered she had a relationship with the Liang people. I only wanted to use her to eliminate the Liang people's spies." Unconsciously, Huo Pingyuan shed tears.

Chun Tao stopped sweeping and looked northwards from the small barren hill. "So it was to eliminate spies, girl. Would you feel any better if you heard this answer?"

"I have to see her. I can't believe she's dead. How could that be? She said she would always be with me. She promised me, she made a vow! She can't break her promise. I have to find her, I have to find her!"

Huo Ping saw two small graves in the distance. He desperately wanted to run over to them. He even considered digging up the graves. He couldn't believe Gu Leyao was dead. She had promised him that she would stay with him forever, and she couldn't break her promise.

"Lord Huo, I know your matter is important, but hurt is hurt. The girl has been ill for a long time. The frontier is harsh and cold, and over the years, her health has deteriorated. Whether your marriage to Gu Baozhu was intentional or unintentional, it has made her lose all attachment to this world. The girl's heart is dead. Ten days after returning to Xiaohuangshan, she died of illness. Before she died, she only wanted to rest peacefully here and did not want to see you again. If you still have any feelings for her, please do not disturb her peace after death."

Chuntao sighed softly, "Lord Huo, the young lady's life has been too bitter. Are you not even willing to fulfill her last wish?"

Huo Pingyuan's movements suddenly slowed down. He knelt on the ground, tears welling up in his eyes and streaming down his face. He was like a fish that had just left the water and was struggling to breathe and about to die. His body convulsed, but he couldn't care less about anything else.

Gu Leyao's grave was within ten feet, but he didn't have the courage to go any further...

With a 'drip', ink dripped down the wolf-hair brush.

Huo Pingyuan snapped out of his reverie, looked at the soiled Xuan paper in front of him, and pulled out another sheet of paper from the desk beside him.

He picked up his pen and wrote with vigorous strokes, the characters under his hand not at all like those of a twenty-year-old youth, yet these characters were indeed written by Huo Pingyuan.

The remarkable military achievements Huo Pingyuan made in the past three years are hardly the kind of achievements a young man in his early twenties could make.

The frontier is renowned for its people; Huo Pingyuan is the second Li Heng, and his future achievements may not be inferior to Li Heng's.

Huo Pingyuan finished writing the memorial. This time, he wanted to return to the capital. He wanted to restore the former glory of the Pingxi Marquis's mansion. He also wanted to see... Gu Leyao.

If she's doing well, then let her live a good life, carefree and without worries. But if she's not doing well...

Huo Pingyuan had no idea what he was going to do.

After all, he was so eager to see her.