Chapter 286 Unrivaled Warrior of Dragon City [The End]

He was holding a pile of sesame cakes wrapped in oil paper.

The heat burned reddened the skin on my chest through my clothes.

Ouyang Rong was completely sober.

He left the sesame seed cake stall and stuffed the pile of sesame seed cakes he had impulsively bought into the hands of passersby.

In the end, only three cakes were left.

He stuffed the two into his pocket.

Ouyang Rong tore open the oil paper and took a big bite.

His mouth, stuffed full of biscuits, suddenly grinned, a smile tinged with sadness.

Because he remembered that Ah Shan bought him sesame cakes for breakfast, and he remembered that every time Ah Shan passed through Penglangdu, he would quietly buy two sesame cakes to take home to his mother and sister.

Amidst the slightly strange looks from passersby on the street, Ouyang Rong quickened his pace and strode towards Penglang Ferry, turning his back to the dock where boats and his junior sister were waiting.

Ouyang Rong felt a surge of impulse to see A Qing and Aunt Liu.

It was only then that he suddenly understood why, despite being promoted to the fifth rank, he hadn't felt much happiness these past few days.

I now understand why my brows furrowed when I packed my bags and studied my sword by lamplight.

He also understood why he had relaxed his self-control today and allowed the villagers to get drunk on his wine.

Ouyang Rong took a deep breath. The two sesame seed cakes in front of his chest were warm, which made his heart burn. Ouyang Rong's pace quickened. After passing through a bustling street, he saw several market officials walking towards him. He immediately turned around and disappeared into an alley.

A moment later, a sharp-tongued, cold-eyed female worker emerged from the alley, merged into the crowd, and silently passed the searching city official.

After leaving Tanlangdu, Ouyang Rong removed his bronze mask, stuffed it into his sleeve, flagged down a carriage, and headed to Ashan's house on the outskirts of the city.

Looking at the familiar houses ahead, Ouyang Rong's pace slowed down, and he finally stopped ten feet outside the courtyard wall.

He touched the warm sesame seed cake he had placed against his chest, and began to pace back and forth in front of the courtyard.

Ouyang Rong would occasionally turn back to look at the low rammed earth wall that he could easily climb over.

"Why is it so quiet inside? What are Aqing and Aunt Liu doing... Is Aqing sitting quietly on her little stool, skillfully knitting clothes, or is she resting, daydreaming, or folding origami, studying the iris folding method I taught her...?"

"What about Aunt Liu? The doctor said she's sometimes awake and sometimes unconscious, but her body is fine. However, she can't be stimulated, and we can't tell her about Ashan... Is Aunt Liu still lying on her sickbed, looking out the door and window, muttering about when Ashan will return...?"

Ouyang Rong's steps seemed to be filled with molten lead, making it difficult to take a single step, and he dared not climb over the low earthen wall in front of him.

Suddenly, he saw the gate in front of him push open from the inside, and someone came out. It wasn't Aqing, but a young woman.

The woman was a complete stranger. She was dressed in white with a scarf around her waist. She carried a basin of muddy water with floating vegetable leaves. She walked to a jujube tree outside the courtyard, splashed the water out, put one hand on her waist, wiped her sweat, and took a breather.

Smoke was rising from the courtyard behind her.

Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback, but then realized that the young woman must be Ashan's fiancée, whom Liu Lang and the others had mentioned before.

“I remember, Ah Shan and she were only engaged... She still stayed at Ah Shan's house, taking good care of her parents-in-law and sister-in-law... She was a kind and honest woman, just like Ah Shan. Ah Shan didn't meet the wrong person.”

Ouyang Rong felt both gratified and saddened, because he remembered how a certain taciturn man had once boldly and sincerely invited the master to the wedding.

The young woman was unaware of the figure gathering wind and concealing energy not far away. Standing under the tree, she looked with slight worry towards an official road outside the village, as if waiting for something.

Ouyang Rong frowned slightly. Had A Qing gone out? Where did she go?

Just then, Ouyang Rong saw the young woman's eyes light up, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he went forward to greet her.

Ouyang Rong followed the young woman's gaze.

As the last rays of the setting sun faded and night slowly descended, a slender, petite figure walked along the dimly lit official road in the distance, meeting up with the young woman.

It was Aqing. Ouyang Rong recognized her immediately, noticing her familiar small frame and the familiar bow tied around her waist in her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). He was the one who taught her how to tie it.

Why does Aqing's dress keep getting bigger and bigger... and she looks even thinner and more haggard... Ouyang Rong's nose tingled slightly, and he opened his mouth to look at the air in front of him, but it was as if someone had sealed his pressure points, and he couldn't call out her name.

He saw the young woman and Aqing turn around and walk back into the courtyard together.

The young woman asked, "Didn't you see him, sir?"

"I saw her." The slender girl shook her head, her eyes slightly blank.

"But there were so many people, so many people were seeing the master off, Ah Qing couldn't squeeze in..."

The young woman thought for a moment, then asked, "Did he see you?"

"I don't think I saw him... but I also think I did. The master drank a lot of wine, and it was very noisy around. I called out a few times, and he seemed to look over. I don't know if he saw me or not. I... I don't know."

Aqing looked down blankly at the floral cloth bag that had been taken away and then returned to her arms:

"Perhaps the master doesn't want to see me either. It's true, it would bring back painful memories."

The young woman raised her hand and patted the girl's dejected head:

"Look on the bright side, aunt. Maybe he just forgot and didn't see you today. It's not that he doesn't want to see you."

"oh."

Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback. Aqing had also gone to see him off? But he had been drinking the farewell wine offered by the villagers and was a little tipsy, so he was slow to react and didn't see her.

The young woman took the floral cloth bag from Aqing's hand, opened it, took out a clean and tidy scholar's robe, touched the fine and meticulous stitching, and said with regret:

"My aunt has been knitting for so long, it would be good to send it over sooner rather than later."

"No...it's okay."

Aqing forced a smile and tugged at her brother and sister-in-law's sleeves to comfort them: "I'll go find Brother Yan later and ask him to help send it over; it'll be the same."

Ouyang Rong could no longer hold back.

"Who said they're the same?"

He stepped out of the shadows, strode forward, and came to Ah Qing and the young woman, taking the scholar's robe directly from them.

Ouyang Rong lowered his head, unfolded his scholar's robe, shook it, tried it on close to his body, and said earnestly to the two women who looked astonished:

"I need to come over and try it on. If the size is too small or too big, I'll have to ask you to help me alter it."

"Master... Master."

Aqing stared wide-eyed at the smiling young man with the box on his back, both surprised and flustered:

"You, didn't you leave by boat?"

Ouyang Rong raised his hand, paused for a moment, then continued to reach forward and rub A Qing's head:

"Silly girl."

He turned to the astonished young woman and gave her an apologetic smile:

"You've had a tough time these past few days."

The young woman shook her head vigorously.

It was already dark outside, so the three of them didn't linger and went into the courtyard.

Ouyang Rong asked, "Where is Aunt Liu?"

The young woman pointed to a quiet west wing room, put her finger to her lips, and shushed it.

Ouyang Rong nodded silently.

The young woman wiped her apron and went to the kitchen with a happy expression to prepare food for her distinguished guest.

Aqing blushed with excitement, as if she had a lot to say.

She led Ouyang Rong to a main room where a dining table was set up, and asked him to sit down. The girl's bright, intelligent eyes sparkled as she ran to pour tea.

"No, there's no need to trouble yourself."

Ouyang Rong reached out to stop Aqing and pulled her to sit down with him.

"I came here because I have something to tell you."

Ah Qing looked at him curiously and whispered, "Master, please tell me."

Ouyang Rong earnestly corrected him: "Remember, from now on, don't call me 'Master'."

Aqing's body stiffened slightly, but Ouyang Rong's next words stunned her:

"Call me brother, or my lover."

"ah……"

Ouyang Rong reached out and pressed down on her thin shoulder:

"From now on, I won't call you Aqing anymore, I'll call you Amei."

“Ah Shan is my comrade-in-arms? His mother and sister are my mother and sister, Ouyang Lianghan’s mother and sister. I will come to fulfill my filial duty and support them!”

Ouyang Rong took a deep breath and couldn't help but say:

"I don't like to say mushy things. I always feel that actions speak louder than words, just like Ah Shan."

"That's why I haven't come to see you before. I've only sent Liulang and the others to greet and take care of you from afar. Apart from feeling a little ashamed to meet you, I just wanted to do it quietly. In fact, I've already treated you as my mother and sisters."

"However, I also feel somewhat guilty, because having a son and an older brother like me may not necessarily be a good thing for you and your daughter."

"Because I still wear many masks and identities, I need to shoulder many responsibilities. The things I have to do will offend many people. The places I have to go will be full of dangers. They may be even more vicious than the Liu family. The situation may even be more severe than in Longcheng."

"Just like Xunyang City, which I am about to go to now, the situation is not much better than Longcheng. It may very well be turned into an even bigger iron cage, trying to trap me and the Li family to death."

"So I dare not get too close to you, too frequently, or even take you to live in Meiluyuan to enjoy great wealth, for fear of being targeted by someone with ulterior motives who will find my weakness."

Ouyang Rong took out the oil paper package from his pocket, bent down and slowly unwrapped it, saying softly:

"This approach of 'ignoring' and silently supporting is indeed calm and rational, but what makes us human is that there are always moments when we abandon reason and act willfully."

“Ah Qing, no, Ah Mei, if I don’t say these things to your face, they will fester in my heart, and I will think about them all day long, and I will never feel at ease.”

Aqing stared blankly at him, while Ouyang Rong handed her a golden sesame seed cake with both hands, his smile exceptionally bright:

"So I came here to say, sister, wait for me, okay?"

"Once I break through this last dangerous shackle, and the world opens up before me, I will come to pick you up, leave Jiangnan, and together we will see the glorious Luoyang!"

Aqing's face flushed red, her pink lips trembling as she said, "Brother... good! I... Mother and I are waiting for you." She was quite excited.

Ouyang Rong smiled broadly.

Aqing lowered her head: "My sworn sister?"

Ouyang Rong nodded vigorously, "She's no different from my own sister."

Aqing hesitated, as if to speak, when Ouyang Rong suddenly took out a sword box and handed it to her.

"Oh right, I almost forgot to mention, it's here."

"it?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Senior, this is the gift I was preparing to give you."

Aqing tilted her head, her little face showing a mixture of understanding and confusion: "It's called... Craftsmanship?"

Ouyang Rong nodded slightly and opened the sword box. "Actually, you are the one who is most impetuous. The old senior originally planned to send you and it together to Yunmeng Sword Marsh."

"Yunmeng Sword Marsh?"

“It’s a really great place, maybe…it might even be perfect for you, little sister.”

Ah Qing asked, "Brother, are you going?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "Why would I go there? Besides, it's full of female cultivators."

The girl with the character "Yue" embroidered on her forehead shook her head: "Then Aqing won't go either."

Helpless, Ouyang Rong pointed to the "glass iris petal" in the sword case and asked:

"You don't want it at all, little sister?"

Aqing didn't even glance at the sword; her nimble little hands closed the sword case, and she handed it back to him.

“Brother, protect us.”

Ouyang Rong frowned, as if about to speak. Aqing looked down at the new Confucian robe, seemingly more interested in it, then stood up and handed it to him.

"Brother, try it on and see if it fits."

Ouyang Rong nodded and changed into his new clothes.

Aqing pointed to his waist, her delicate eyebrows furrowing slightly: "The size seems a bit too wide."

"It's okay, a size up is better than a size down, and I can wear it for a longer time."

Ouyang Rong spoke casually, stood up, took off his clothes, and glanced at the night outside.

Aqing suddenly asked, "Are Miss Xie and the others still waiting for you at the dock, brother?"

"Um."

"Brother, hurry up and go," the pretty young girl said with concern, folding his clothes and stuffing them into his floral cloth bag.

Ouyang Rong took the floral cloth bag, hesitated, and stood up.

Aqing suddenly opened her thin arms and whispered, "Can I have a hug?"

Ouyang Rong was slightly taken aback.

Aqing looked up at him and said, "I just wanted to measure your waist so I can make you a fitted thermal undershirt next time."

"oh oh."

Ouyang Rong and A Qing embraced briefly before parting. Afterward, Ouyang Rong picked up his sword case again, and A Qing bowed her head as she saw him out of the main house.

Hearing footsteps, the young woman came out of the kitchen and asked regretfully, "Master, aren't you staying for dinner?"

Ouyang Rong glanced at the sky, his expression slightly hesitant: "We can eat something..."

Just then, an old woman's voice came from the long-silent west wing:

Who's in the yard?

Ouyang Rong, A Qing, and the young woman immediately fell silent.

Liu's mother woke up.

"Ah Shan? Is it Ah Shan who's back? Ah Shan, my son, have you come back... Ah Qing, Yun Niang, where are you? Quickly call Ah Shan over..."

From the west wing came the excited voice of an old woman, followed by the soft rustling of someone getting out of bed and putting on their shoes.

The three people in front of the courtyard gate immediately tensed up.

Ashan's widow, named Yunniang, rushed to the west wing to comfort Liu's mother.

Aqing gently pushed Ouyang Rong out the door, lowering her voice:

"Sir, you should go first. We can take care of things here."

After saying that, she turned around and ran into the west wing with a worried look on her face to comfort her mother with her brother and sister-in-law, Yunniang.

Standing at the dimly lit courtyard gate, Ouyang Rong took a few steps forward, then suddenly stopped, his hand reaching into his sleeve…

In the west wing, Aqing and Yunniang squatted in front of the bed, pressing down on Liu's mother's thin legs as she was putting on her shoes.

"Mother misheard, it's not my brother, my brother... my brother hasn't come back yet."

"Really? Then, when did Ah Shan say he'd be back?"

Looking at the old woman with hopeful eyes, Aqing felt a pang of sorrow and opened her mouth, uttering, "Brother...he..."

Liu's mother suddenly interrupted her daughter, "Ashan? You, you're back!"

Aqing and Yunniang were stunned for a moment, then turned around and were both surprised.

“Ah…Ah Mother.”

A taciturn man stood at the door, strode to the bedside, knelt on one knee, tightly grasped the old woman's slightly cool and wrinkled hands, and whispered, "I'm back."

Tears streamed down Liu's mother's face as she hugged Liu Ashan: "Ashan, Ashan, you're finally back! Where have you been all this time? Everyone said you went on a long trip. Why didn't you tell your mother?"

Liu's mother wept, and Liu Ashan remained silent, looking somewhat dull. After a while, he took out a sesame seed cake from his pocket and handed it to the old woman.

Overjoyed, Liu's mother wept, wiping away her tears as she scolded, "Ah Shan has wasted money again..." Her tone was anything but fierce.

Liu Ashan stuffed a pancake into her mouth, his eyes full of anticipation, gesturing for her to try it. Liu's mother reluctantly took a bite, saying, "Alright, alright, it's delicious, delicious..."

"Come on, let's go eat. We've been on our way back, and Ah Shan must be hungry."

The old woman, who was originally weak and bedridden, suddenly became nimble and got out of bed, running to the kitchen to cook. Her complexion was rosy and she had recovered completely.

Liu Ashan nodded slightly to Aqing and Yunniang. The two women suddenly understood and quietly went to the kitchen to help.

Fifteen minutes later.

The main house was brightly lit. It hadn't been this bright in a long time.

A square dining table was once again filled with seats.

The whole family gathered together.

During the meal, Liu's mother happily served food to Liu Ashan.

Under the watchful eyes of the three women around him, the taciturn man buried his head in his rice, accepting every bite of food offered to him.

Aqing quietly filled a large bowl with rice for her mother, who had been anorexic for a long time. Surprisingly, the old woman ate it all. Throughout the meal, her eyes never left her returning son, and she frequently served him food.

About half an hour later, after finishing the meal, Liu Ashan put down his chopsticks and bowl, suddenly knelt on one knee, grasped his mother's hand, and said a heartfelt goodbye.

He said that he would be going to Xunyang City with his master tonight to take up his post, where he would stay for a while.

After a night of celebration, Liu's mother's expression gradually returned to calm. She turned her head to look at the night outside the door, gazed quietly for a while, then nodded absently, without stopping them.

Okay. Have a safe journey.

The young man wearing the heavy mask secretly breathed a sigh of relief, nodded to Aqing and Yunniang, and strode out of the main house.

As he walked to the courtyard gate, his back suddenly echoed from the main house behind him in Liu's mother's calm, hoarse voice:

"My son... is he brave?"

Ouyang Rong suddenly stopped, and Aqing and Yunniang trembled and lowered their heads.

The atmosphere inside and outside the room fell silent for a moment.

The young man standing at the gate suddenly turned around. He wore a bronze animal mask on his head, shaped like a fox's head. The corners of his mouth, made of bronze, were sharply curved upwards, displaying an exaggerated, radiant, and joyful smile.

"The bravest in Longcheng".

——

(End of Volume One)

The first volume is titled "The Craftsman's Work," with the inscription: "Return home! Wealth and honor are not my desire, the imperial capital is beyond my reach." I doubt many of you have paid attention to that.

The next volume, "The Poor Scholar," preface:

The strategist personally enters the game, and with a single move, he gains half a victory over fate.

(End of this chapter)