Traveling around the world to see Qingming Festival

Chapter Quote:

The lonely boat sails away on the vast river, news from old friends comes one after another;

The regrets of the past are now fulfilled, and I know that God always pities us.

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The small boat left Liangshan Lake and sailed south along the canal. Yan Qing, dressed in plain clothes and a bamboo hat, looked like an ordinary scholar. For the first time in years, he had truly let go of all his burdens, and he felt as if the world had opened up wider.

His first stop was Hangzhou. It was late spring, and West Lake was shrouded in mist and rain. Near the Broken Bridge, he spotted a familiar figure in the distance—Wu Song, sweeping fallen leaves in front of Liuhe Temple. Unlike his previous life, crippled and disheartened, Wu Song in this life, though he had chosen to become a monk, possessed a peaceful expression.

"Donor, are you going to burn incense?" Wu Song looked up and saw Yan Qing. He was stunned at first, then smiled knowingly, "So it's an old friend."

The two of them sat down on a stone bench in front of the temple. Wu Song said, "The temple has given me a vegetable garden. I plant vegetables and sweep the floor every day. It's quite comfortable." He stretched out his healthy hands, "In this life, I can finally take care of myself."

Yan Qing was relieved. In his previous life, Wu Song had lost his arm during the campaign against Fang La, leading to a miserable old age. In this life, he had finally avoided this fate.

Leaving Hangzhou, Yan Qing continued southward. At Mingzhou Port, he happened upon Li Jun, Tong Wei, Tong Meng, and others preparing to set sail. The ship was making final preparations before sailing, and the "Jing Hai" flag fluttered in the wind from the mast.

"Brother Yanqing!" Li Jun saw him from afar and strode to greet him. "You've come just in time. We're leaving for Siam tomorrow!"

Unlike their previous life when they had hastily set out to sea, this time they were officially granted an imperial title by the imperial court, their fleet was several times larger, and was equipped with the latest artillery.

"After this departure, I don't know when I'll see you again." Tong Wei sighed.

Yan Qing smiled and said, "One day when I travel overseas, maybe we can meet again in a foreign land."

That night, everyone drank and admired the moon at the bow of the ship. Li Jun told Yan Qing that they had already established property in Southeast Asia and that this trip was to establish a formal trade route. "With the court's support, we can now conduct business openly."

Yan Qing recalled that in his previous life, although Li Jun and his companions had become kings overseas, they were ultimately adrift in a foreign land. Being able to open up the Maritime Silk Road in an official capacity in this life was truly far superior.

Continuing south, Yan Qing deliberately detoured to Ganzhou. At the foot of Wulong Ridge, he encountered the brothers Jie Zhen and Jie Bao. They were now local garrison commanders, training local militia.

"Brother Yanqing!" Jie Bao called out from afar, "What brings you here?"

It turned out that in this life, when fighting Fang La, Yan Qing warned the enemy of the dangers of Wulong Ridge in advance, and Erjie chose a safer route of advance, which not only saved his life but also made great contributions.

"Thanks to my brother for reminding me back then," Jie Zhen said gratefully, "otherwise, we brothers would have died in Wulong Ridge."

Seeing them surrounded by their wives and children, a happy family, Yan Qing felt a huge weight lifted from his heart. The tragic death of Erjie in his previous life at Wulong Ridge was a constant pain in his heart.

What most moved Yan Qing was his encounter with Zhang Qing in Chuzhou. Zhang Qing, now a local militia commander, was teaching archery to the local students on the training grounds. His wife, Qiongying, stood nearby, holding a swaddled baby.

"Brother Yanqing!" Zhang Qing hurried forward upon seeing his old friend. "Come and see your nephew!"

It turns out that during this life's campaign against Liao, Yan Qing had warned Zhang Qing to be wary of Shi Bao's flying hammer. Zhang Qing, on guard, not only dodged the fatal blow but also turned the tables. After the battle, he married Qiongying and now lives a happy life.

"Have you chosen a name?" Yan Qing teased the baby.

"Zhang Nianqing," Qiongying said with a smile, "It means I'm grateful for Uncle Yanqing's kindness."

A warm current surged in Yan Qing's heart. All the regrets from his previous life were made up in this life.

Along the way, Yan Qing saw many old friends:

In Jizhou, Gongsun Sheng preached at Erxian Mountain, and his disciples were numerous.

In Daming Prefecture, Lu Junyi managed his family business in an orderly manner and also managed the military affairs of the Jing'an Army in the north.

In Qingzhou, Murong Yanda still served as the prefect, but he lived in peace with Liangshan.

Even Wen Huanzhang, an old subordinate of Gao Qiu, bought land in the countryside and spent his old age there...

One day, Yan Qing arrived in Jiangzhou. Standing alone on the Xunyang Tower, he leaned against the railing and gazed into the distance, watching the mighty river flow eastward, with thousands of sails racing. Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out behind him:

"How are you, Xiaoyi?"

Yan Qing turned around and saw that it was Xu Guanzhong. This old friend was still wearing the same blue shirt, and his elegance was as good as before.

"Why is Mr. Xu here?"

"I came here specifically to look for you." Xu Guanzhong sat down opposite him. "I heard you were traveling all over the world, so I waited here specifically."

The two ordered a pot of wine and some side dishes. Xu Guanzhong asked, "Are you satisfied with your journey?"

Yan Qing understood what he was asking and nodded, saying, "Seeing my brothers find their place, I have fulfilled my wish."

"What about your own wish?" Xu Guanzhong asked meaningfully, "Have you found your true home?"

Yan Qing looked out the window at the vast, misty river and suddenly smiled, "Sir, do you know what my greatest realization has been these days?"

"I'd like to hear more about it."

In my previous life, I retreated to the mountains, thinking that being away from the hustle and bustle of society was the essence of freedom. In this life, I understand that true freedom lies not in one's location but in one's state of mind.

He filled Xu Guanzhong's glass with wine and said, "To see my old friend well and to see that tragedy will never happen again is the greatest peace of mind I have."

Xu Guanzhong raised his glass and said, "Congratulations, Xiaoyi, you finally got it."

The two drank until dusk. When they parted, Xu Guanzhong said, "I will stay in Lushan for a while. If you need a quiet place someday, you can come and find me."

After leaving Jiangzhou, Yan Qing continued his journey. He climbed Mount Lu, toured Dongting Lake, visited Mount Emei, and paid a visit to Mount Wudang. Along the way, he sometimes exchanged poems with scholars, sometimes practiced martial arts with chivalrous men, and sometimes chatted with woodcutters.

In this process, he gradually understood many truths that he had never understood in his previous life:

At Mount Lu, he met an old monk who had been planting pine trees on the edge of a cliff for thirty years. When asked why, the monk said, "Not to become a Buddha, but to provide shade for future generations."

In Dongting Lake, he met an old fisherman who would return his daily catch to the lake. "Only by catching fish in a proper way can you achieve long-term success," the old fisherman said.

On Wudang Mountain, a young Taoist boy told him: "Master said that cultivation lies not in the mountains, but in the human world."

These ordinary people and ordinary things gave him a deeper understanding of the word "free and easy".

One day, Yan Qing came to Suzhou. At the foot of Tiger Hill, he unexpectedly met a person - Hu Sanniang.

Unlike the female general in her previous life, who was filled with hatred and ultimately died on the battlefield, Hu Sanniang in this life chose to retire after the Liangshan reorganization. She opened an embroidery shop in Suzhou, specifically taking in homeless women and teaching them embroidery skills.

"Brother Xiaoyi!" Hu Sanniang was surprised and delighted to see him. "Why are you here?"

Yan Qing looked at her, dressed like an ordinary woman, and no longer showing the hostility she once had, and he felt very relieved.

"I was passing through Suzhou and heard there was a 'Hujia Embroidery Shop' here, so I came to take a look."

Hu Sanniang showed him around the embroidery shop. Inside the deep courtyard, dozens of women were engrossed in their embroidery, their voices filled with laughter and joy.

"Some of these women are orphans of war, and some are divorced women," Hu Sanniang said softly. "I'll give them a place to stay and teach them a craft."

She pointed to a large embroidery of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" on the wall and said, "This embroidery is to be presented as a tribute to the imperial court. With this sign, our business can survive."

Yan Qing noticed that there was a statue of Bodhisattva in the main hall of the embroidery shop, and incense was burning constantly.

"You believe in Buddhism too?"

Hu Sanniang smiled and said, "It's not that I believe in Buddhism, but I've found peace of mind. I used to always feel the need for revenge, but now I know that helping more people live a good life is the true liberation."

As they left the embroidery shop, the sun was setting. Hu Sanniang saw him off to the door and suddenly said, "Xiaoyi, thank you."

"Thank me for what?"

"Thank you for changing my fate." Tears glistened in her eyes. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably still be Hu Sanniang, who only cared about revenge."

Yan Qing was silent. He recalled the tragic death of Hu Sanniang in his previous life, and then looked at the gentle woman before him. He felt that all his efforts in this life were worth it.

As he continued on his journey, Yan Qing's mood became more and more peaceful. He finally understood that the meaning of living another life was not in what he could gain, but in what he could leave behind in the world.

As autumn passed and winter arrived, another year drew to a close. Yan Qing settled in a small courtyard at the foot of Mount Huangshan. Not far from Mount Lushan, where Xu Guanzhong had practiced as a clerk, the quiet and peaceful environment made it a perfect place to spend the winter.

One day, he was brewing tea and admiring plum blossoms in the courtyard when he heard the sound of galloping horses outside. He opened the door and saw that it was Dai Zong.

"Brother Xiaoyi! I finally found you!" Dai Zong dismounted from his horse, his face full of anxiety.

"What happened?"

"Brother Gongming...is seriously ill!"

The teacup in Yan Qing's hand fell to the ground with a "bang".

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Chapter 70 End