Looking at the Sword by Lamplight (Twenty-Five)

Xi Zhongting returned to the capital alone, leaving the affairs of Zuo Dan's Eighteen Continents to be temporarily handled by the Liang Wang Mansion. Officials from the Eighteen Continents were either dead or imprisoned, their entire army annihilated with the defeat of the Jingxi King. The closest state to the Eighteen Continents, Ming Hunzhou, was run by a young woman who hadn't even reached the age of marriage. Bian Hongqiu forced a smile and thanked her for her efforts in encircling the Jingxi King, unable to find any other instructions. So, he resorted to his old trick and asked Cui Yue for help.

The task of collecting the bodies was entrusted to Song Jingyan.

It is impossible to bring the dead traitor back to Beijing for trial, so it doesn't matter if he is buried in a hasty manner.

She businesslikely held up a list of officials, retrieved from the palace, and counted their names. These officials, supported by the people, were no different after death. With the restoration of livelihood imminent, coffins were too expensive, so Song Jingyan opted for cremation. The leading rebels were even less honorable. Whether it was the Fang brothers, who fell to their deaths in a fight, Wen Chaohua, who died after hitting a wall, or Wen Jiyun, who was shot on Song Jingyan's orders, their ashes were placed in a jar and buried under an unmarked tombstone on a small mound in Chunxiangzhou.

Only the headless King of Jingxi had to be left exposed in the wilderness without any ceremony.

The civilians unfortunate enough to be affected by this battle were treated more respectably than those who had lived a life of luxury. If they had surviving family members, they were taken home. Those who couldn't afford funerals were supported by the Liang Palace; those who were unclaimed were given tombstones by the Liang Palace. Song Jingyan worked nonstop for several days, until, even Hengbo, who followed her closely, was convinced she had long forgotten Wen Jiyun.

She put the paper with the garden design plan deeper into her pocket.

On the day of burying these people, she was going to burn them in front of the nameless tombstone, but in the end she put them in her sleeve and did not touch them.

Ever since Song Jingyan joined the old Prince Liang's army, she'd likely been destined for a life of worry. She hadn't had time to dwell on the complex emotions swirling within her. When she finally had a moment to breathe, she overheard an indignant complaint about the brothels, then heard that Bian Hongqiu was alone in her empty chambers. The emperor wasn't worried, but the eunuchs were.

"What about Ah Shi? Didn't you stay with His Highness?"

Bian Hongqiu, with a beaming face, picked up his pen to report to Qi Ziyu, and drew a big cross on the plan for the reorganization of the Western Border Army.

Song Jingyan took in Qi Ziyu's frantic, rambling handwriting, swallowing back any words she might have thought about Bian Hongqiu's carelessness. She carefully examined Bian Hongqiu, whom she hadn't seen properly in several days, and found him to be in excellent spirits. Her attire revealed the profound impact of his youthful weakness. Despite his strikingly handsome appearance, he didn't like to flaunt it, often wearing his hair tied up casually, though it wasn't uncommon for him to let it down.

Now, he tied his long black hair high on his head, revealing his spirited expression, and wore a crimson round-necked robe. He also had a smile on his face that made people unable to look away.

No wonder she ran into Qi Ziyu when she came here just now. Qi Ziyu winked at her and said, "Your Highness is in a good mood. Please say a few good words for yourself, Miss Song."

This is more than good.

Even the paper with a big cross on it was held in Qi Ziyu's hand by Bian Hongqiu, who looked at it from left to right. Finally, he added arcs at the four corners of the cross and gently annotated "rewrite".

Bian Hongqiu was distracted for a few moments by the words "deeply affectionate" that Qi Ziyu had clearly hurt her eyes, before suddenly coming back to her senses: "What did my sister say?"

Just as he looked up to ask the question, Song Jingyan caught a glimpse of several immoral marks on the side of his neck.

Song Jingyan raised her eyebrows slightly. "I heard from Qiuhe that His Highness was on a hunger strike in his room last night. Has Ah Shi gone to Huangquezhou?"

Song Jingyan pointed out such childish talk, and Bian Hongqiu couldn't help but feel guilty: "I'm busy with things in the Eighteen Continents, and I don't have much appetite... What's with the hunger strike? It's just nonsense."

However, what Qiuhe reported was basically correct.

With the King of Jingxi dead, the surviving rebels offered no resistance, allowing Bian Hongqiu to seamlessly devote himself to the vital task of revitalizing the lives of the people of the Eighteen Continents. Despite his raucous schedule, he still managed to spare a thought for Meng Shizhuang. The final night of the battle, staged before the palace on Chunxiang Continent, was filled with clamor. Meng Shizhuang, feeling insignificant, retreated to her theater, where she remained sleepless all night.

Bian Hongqiu was very sure that he was worried about something.

But Meng Shizhuang kept silent. They had a quick breakfast before parting briefly, and Meng Shizhuang asked him, "Do you still have the sword you wanted to give me?"

Bian Hongqiu was very happy when he heard it at first.

He felt that Meng Shizhuang's cold and hard personality meant she was treating him as one of his own. He was too busy to handle everything else, so he could only tell Meng Shizhuang that he had left the sword at the Huangque Island garrison, the same room where Meng Shizhuang had been recuperating. Before he could nag Meng Shizhuang to wait for him for a few days, he would go back to retrieve it himself, but Meng Shizhuang had already disappeared without a trace.

Bian Hongqiu was busy with his work while waiting for him to get the sword.

For half a month, even Liu Lang, who was in Huangquezhou, was summoned by Song Jingyan to sort out the files of the Eighteen Continents, but Meng Shizhuang didn't even ask Liu Lang to deliver a message. Liu Lang's mind was full of lotus roots, and he spoke half-heartedly: "My brother is anxious to sell Renjitang. He said he wants to return home."

But where did Meng Shizhuang come from?

If he really wanted to return to his roots, he would not have buried his old home in Huangquezhou.

Then, Liu Lang told him with a smile: "Oh, brother has already dug up Uncle Ju's grave and is taking the ashes and the spirit tablet with him."

Bian Hongqiu immediately drove out Liu Lang, who was gloating over his misfortune.

A mountain of work piled up on his desk. He suppressed his anxiety and worked without eating or speaking for a whole day and night. His subordinates changed three times, and the oil in the study lamp was running out like tears. Only when Qiu He knocked repeatedly on the door did Bian Hongqiu return from the study, but he had no appetite at all. After reviewing the remaining tasks, Bian Hongqiu felt he had enough energy for a short break, so he prepared to rush to Huangque Island overnight. No matter what answer Meng Shizhuang gave him, he would not delay and would return early the next morning.

——This was what he thought when he pushed the door open and saw Meng Shizhuang.

Meng Shizhuang was holding a sword and carrying a large bag on his back, revealing half of a tablet that had been smoked by incense for several years.

Bian Hongqiu was unsure whether to question this heartless man who hadn't been heard from in days, or to help him prepare the "old house" for worship. Meng Shizhuang, however, walked into his room with ease, casually set aside the urn and tablet, and stopped Bian Hongqiu from lighting three incense sticks and praying: "He won't care about this."

Despite all the talk, Bian Hongqiu still respectfully moved the urn and tablet to the side room and asked Qiuhe to offer fresh fruits. Then, noticing Meng Shizhuang's cheeks had sunken again after just half a month, she immediately called for the kitchen to warm up the rice soup. Bian Hongqiu's words were on the tip of his tongue, but he still started by asking, "Why have you lost so much weight?"

Meng Shizhuang, busy with closing shops and digging graves, didn't know how he'd managed to get by these days, so he didn't argue with Bian Hongqiu. He unsheathed his sword, seeing the blade as flexible as the ripples on the water. He remembered watching the bright moon all night in the theater. The peace that had left him for years inexplicably returned to him after he saw that Miss Luo.

He personally buried Old Hu on Sujian Mountain, and ever since then, he has been toiling in the mortal world, striving for his own and Old Ju's survival. He always felt that the past on Sujian Mountain was like a lifetime ago, something he had long since let go of. The nightmares haunted him because of his heinous crimes. From the moment he decided to risk his life to open those twelve doors, he was doomed to a life of guilt, resentment, and hatred that would never bring him peace. He never regretted his choice that day.

But when he saw this sword, saw a stranger who was merely similar to him, he felt a surge of anger and panic in his heart that made him lose his mind.

Everything on Sujian Mountain is over.

But he still needs a settled understanding in his heart.

He wants to go back.

Meng Shizhuang did not tell Bian Hongqiu about his past in length, but just held the bowl of soup lightly: "I want to move the grave of my old family. I will go back to Daohai City and find you after I finish my business... Well, wait, Liu Lang said that he wants to go to Beijing to take the imperial examination in the future, so I should..." He frowned in distress and was interrupted by Bian Hongqiu.

"Liu Lang, of course he should study with Mr. Liu in the study first. When he is able to make a living in the future, it won't be too late to accompany him to the capital."

Bian Hongqiu decided to ask Mr. Liu to keep a closer eye on Liu Lang to prevent him from taking advantage of any opportunity to put trouble on Meng Shizhuang.

Meng Shizhuang didn't dwell on it for long. With his own abilities, he could only afford to keep Liu Lang fed, certainly not as good as following him to the Liang Palace. Before, their relationship with the Liang Palace had been at most an employment relationship, but now... anyone who didn't take advantage of the connections was a jerk. He accepted the reality of living off his brother, and with a rare, mellow smile, he said, "Wait until I'm done. I'll come back for you."

Bian Hongqiu was dazzled by his smile and said unconsciously, "I'll go with you. You move the grave, and I'll pay my respects to Uncle Ju properly at least once." After he finished speaking, he saw that Meng Shizhuang showed some hesitation. He put his hands behind his back and quietly extinguished a brightly burning candle with a palm wind, letting his face melt into the hazy ambiguity. He traced Meng Shizhuang's wrist and slowly moved his hand upwards. "Ah Shi, you said you would wear flowers in my hair for the rest of my life. You won't break your promise, right?"

Meng Shizhuang: "I don't mean to break my promise, but you're very busy right now, and I shouldn't ask you to help with my work. Will it disrupt your plans?"

For some reason, Bian Hongqiu felt that the sharpness that was always present in Meng Shizhuang had faded.

Maybe it was the lights he had specially turned on, or maybe Meng Shizhuang had suddenly changed her mind, but in any case, after receiving a soft and gentle word of comfort, the love in his heart instantly expanded like candlelight throughout the room. When he looked up at Meng Shizhuang, he noticed that the lifelessness engraved in Meng Shizhuang's bones disappeared without a trace along with the flesh on her cheeks, so when she lowered her head and cast her gaze at him, there was actually a sense of "tenderness".

Without hesitation, he kissed Meng Shizhuang from bottom to top.

And Meng Shizhuang's "boneless" right hand gently wrapped around him.

They hugged each other and retreated to the bed. Meng Shizhuang was very inconvenient to use one hand. When he was in a state of confusion, he naturally followed his own desires and indulged himself. But when he finally took off Bian Hongqiu's coat with great effort and wanted to push her down, Bian Hongqiu had already gained the upper hand with his flexible hands.

Meng Shizhuang: “…”

Bian Hongqiu pinned him to the bed, his waist and abdomen stiffening into a ball: "Wait..."

Bian Hongqiu's eyes and face flushed red, and she raised her head with a shimmering look: "You regret it?"

Meng Shizhuang: "I didn't..."

No, that's not the same thing at all! Is there a husband down there?

Bian Hongqiu demonstrated to him with his own actions that there was, because while he was doing it, he shamelessly called out in Meng Shizhuang's ear: "Husband..." He was really good at using softness to overcome hardness, and Meng Shizhuang did not forcefully push him under the couch. All his struggles turned into tickling to add to the fun, and he was naturally lifted into Bian Hongqiu's arms.

Seeing the city gate fall, Meng Shizhuang was only able to see the dim candlelight. His mind was no longer clear. When he wanted to make one last effort, he suddenly woke up and stared in amazement at the way Bian Hongqiuzi tied his right hand from elbow to wrist to the head of the bed.

"you……"

Bian Hongqiu had tears in her eyes and said nothing.

Meng Shizhuang: “…”

Never mind. Next time.

He didn't know at that moment that because of his softness, there would be no "next time." But Bian Hongqiu, though inexperienced, was very serious... It was a night of backache and yet a taste of the essence. Bian Hongqiu was no different. He took a moment to recall the past in front of Song Jingyan, his neck immediately flushing. He grabbed a pot of cold tea from the windowsill and drank it, then pushed the urgent report from the capital on the desk to Song Jingyan: "The emperor has passed away."

The envoys in the capital had not yet had time to announce the death to other places, so their spies in the capital rushed to deliver it thousands of miles away.

Bian Hongqiu said, "Those who stayed in the Secretariat said that the new emperor has drafted an edict to allow the Liang Palace to return to the capital to report on their work and receive their rewards, while the Western Border Army remains where it is. It seems that this means that we can return to Shangyang."

This is already a very good result.

When the new emperor was still the regent prince, he had many conflicts with the Liang Palace. Bian Hongqiu thought that he would have to rely on their merits in the western border to deal with them, but he did not expect to be let off so easily.

He instructed Song Jingyan: "Wait for the messenger from the capital to arrive. If we want to return to Daohai City, we can take the water route back to the capital."

Song Jingyan smiled faintly: "Your Highness, you are revisiting the old place. I wonder if your mood is the same as before?"

Bian Hongqiu: "From the beginning to the end, I have relied on my sister."

He looked out the window. Spring was coming to an end and the crabapple blossoms were about to wither.

Before the crabapple blossoms in the capital withered, Emperor Xue received the jade seal escorted from Zuodan's Eighteen Continents.

He had been unconscious on his bed for over a month. Today, his mind cleared and his body full of strength, he asked someone to help him walk around the palace. The jade seal still had the same luster as when it was exchanged from Emperor Ling for a beautiful woman from the King of Jingxi, as if unaware of the profound changes that had taken place in Dayu over the past few decades. A spring breeze blew through the palace. Bian Zixue recalled all his dreams over the past month, then went to his bedroom and had someone search for a wooden box.

Inside is a map of the customs of the people in various states of Dayu that Xi Zhongting had drawn, and there is also a painting he made himself. It was when he was young and was escorted by the old King Liang to Lanling City, the first stop of his secret visit. When they encountered bandits in the Jiangnan area, he protected them with his own body. He secretly drew this painting after his uncle left.

He supported himself with Jiang Zhongyi's hand and stood by the desk. His hand was shaking violently, but he still finished writing the words on the painting.

Jiang Zhongyi read quietly. The words read, "I suddenly dreamt of the blooming flowers of Lanling, and recalled the dangers of Jiangnan during my youth."

As Bian Zixue finished writing the last word, the red sandalwood brush in his hand rolled under the table. He took a few deep breaths and said, "Prince Xuan, Lords Cui, Lord Zhao, and the other eight adults, please come to see me immediately... Also, call Ah Ci back."