Chapter 2 Extra 2 Going Home
Chapter 83
Southern Metropolis Daily
Unbeknownst to Ye Xiren, who left Nandu, the Ye family members not only failed to return to normal after she left, but also became increasingly anxious due to their growing, yet directionless, longing.
Another day passed, and Liao Changying, lost in thought, found himself walking into Tingxue Courtyard.
She stood under the eaves, looking at the peach tree bearing green fruit, without saying a word, lost in thought. Behind her, Granny Li looked worried.
This Tingxue Courtyard is where Xuechan and the other maids live. Why does Madam always come here?
She sighed silently.
For quite some time now, the master and mistress have been frequently restless. The master takes his son to work every day, and although he is busy, he still has a moment to catch his breath. The mistress, however, sheds tears every day. They have seen many doctors, but they can only say that she is "depressed in her heart" and cannot find the cause.
Why exactly?
Liao Changying walked to the peach tree, looking at the green fruit. Some fragments seemed to flash through her mind, but she couldn't grasp them, causing her to fall into her own thoughts.
Just then, footsteps sounded.
She looked up and saw Zhao Lanjun walking towards her with a cane. The old lady looked even older, her hair was already gray, and she was unsteady on her feet.
"Mother." Liao Changying stepped forward to help her up, her voice hoarse, "Why are you here?"
Zhao Lanjun shook her head: "I felt uncomfortable staying indoors today, so I thought I'd go for a walk, and before I knew it, I'd wandered into Tingxue Courtyard."
Liao Changying's heart skipped a beat. She suddenly leaned forward and lowered her voice, "Mother, have you also sensed something is wrong?"
Zhao Lanjun suddenly looked at her.
Liao Changying gritted her teeth, her hand trembling as she supported Zhao Shi, and said, word by word, "My husband and I have been feeling like we've forgotten something lately, and we sent someone to ask Changming. He was clutching a picture of a happy family and wouldn't let go of it, but he couldn't explain why..."
Her eyes were sharp, and she spoke each word with deliberation:
“One person is an accident, but if our whole family is suspicious, there must be some hidden reason. Granny Li said that Tingxue Courtyard is a maid's courtyard, but from my observation, every plant and tree here has been carefully arranged. Tingxue Courtyard is better than Changheng Courtyard. If I had a daughter, this would be her boudoir…”
Zhao Lanjun's brow twitched.
The vague guess in my heart was confirmed. No one can stop a mother's longing, nor can anyone tear her flesh and blood out of their memories.
Even God can't help it!
She was about to speak when she suddenly paused.
At this moment, a military intelligence dispatch arrived in Nandu with great urgency, heading straight for the palace with good news!
Some blurry fragments flashed through Liao Changying's and Zhao Lanjun's minds at the same time. Zhao Lanjun closed her eyes and tried desperately to see clearly, but the images were blurry and her memories were chaotic.
“Xixi,” Liao Changying suddenly spoke.
Zhao Lanjun's face instantly filled with tears. She opened her eyes and looked at Liao Changying, only to see her staring at the peach tree not far away, crying and laughing at the same time: "It's Xixi, my daughter Xixi!"
She couldn't remember clearly, couldn't recall, but she knew that it was her precious daughter, the one she had painstakingly given birth to and raised little by little. When they moved into this house, her daughter chose this courtyard first, naming it "Listening to Snow Courtyard," a place to listen to the snow in winter and pick peaches in summer...
She was clearly the Ye family's most beloved youngest daughter, how could they forget her?!
The two stood there, desperately trying to remember.
Royal Palace
"Report! Great victory at the Huai'an Canal! General Yan has won a resounding triumph!"
The news, delivered by fast horse, was exhilarating. Its sound echoed from the city gates of the Southern Capital, rushing towards the palace, eliciting cheers and causing an uproar throughout the capital.
Inside the palace, all the officials who were discussing matters turned around at the same time, and Liang Yue, who was at the head of the table, stood up abruptly, his face full of joy.
"Okay, okay!" Liang Yue called the person in and asked them carefully, over and over again.
Upon learning that the Huai'an Canal had been completely recaptured, Yan Danqing left some men to guard it, while the others pursued the Northern Yan army to Weishui City, determined to drive the Northern Yan army out of Daliang territory and reclaim the lost land!
The entire court was overjoyed.
Very good.
Daliang is saved!
"Quickly, Prime Minister Ye, immediately arrange for the resettlement of the displaced people and the resumption of spring plowing at the Huai'an Canal." Liang Yue looked at Ye Pei, his tone urgent. They also needed to seize the time and not waste the hard-won hope.
Ye Pei immediately cupped his hands in greeting: "Your subject obeys!"
As a result, one imperial edict after another was issued, and batches of people were sent over. The Southern Capital court was like a machine in operation, with everyone busy. General Yan Xiao won a great victory at the Huai'an Canal. How could these officials who were stationed in the rear hold back?
When the imperial court took action, the entire Great Liang Dynasty sprang into action, and everything flourished.
A building on the verge of collapse was saved by a heroic act.
Ye Pei was busy until dark before he had a chance to exchange a glance with Ye Changming, who was equally busy, and they left together. Ye Pei was appointed prime minister, and the emperor gave Ye Changming a minor official position. He was busy working with the people chosen by Jiang You to carry out reforms.
Although his official rank was low, he had the emperor's approval and was trusted by him. He would not stop there and was just waiting for the imperial examination three years later to officially enter the court as an official.
"Father." Ye Changming opened the scroll in his hands, his eyes moist, his voice choked with emotion, "Look at this painting..."
In that family portrait, there was an extra young woman who had come of age, bearing some resemblance to Ye Pei and Liao Changying, and even more so to Ye Changming!
Before, when he held this painting, he always felt that it was missing a person.
For so long, everyone who looked at the painting saw the same thing as him, only four people, no one else. As for the Ye family, they only had the memory of "the only son of the Ye family".
Ye Changming was certain something was wrong, and Ye Pei shared the same suspicion.
Later, they tried to study the painting and found a scroll of notes inside!
Second Miss Ye, Ye Xiren.
They have one most important family member, and they've actually forgotten about her!
Only they knew that the phrase "the sky collapsed and the earth caved in" perfectly described that moment. Their daughter/sister had done so much for them and for the Great Liang Dynasty, only to end up "disappearing"...
After reading the notes, they were heartbroken. The two of them endured the pain and hid the notes away, not daring to tell Zhao Lanjun and Liao Changying.
"Father, how can we save Xixi?" Ye Changming asked, enduring the pain.
Ye Pei remained silent for a long time.
Cycles and disappearances are beyond human control; otherwise, how could they forget their most cherished family members and only be able to glimpse the past through the notes she left behind?
They were just ordinary people, with no means of salvation other than praying to gods and Buddhas. Ye Pei's hair was already gray, and he murmured softly, "I don't know, but we can't do nothing."
“Since Xixi is saving 300,000 people in Nandu and saving Daliang, let’s continue, do our best in what we are doing, help Daliang recover as soon as possible, keep the disaster away, and let more people live... to accumulate good karma for her.”
perhaps……
Will she be able to return one day if she accumulates enough good fortune?
The two dared not think any further, enduring the torment day after day. Not knowing the truth left them feeling empty and extremely distressed, while knowing the truth and being powerless to do anything only brought them more sorrow.
At that moment, Ye Changming unfolded the portrait with trembling hands.
She's back!
Although his memory was still unclear, the faint images in his mind were clearly traces of her return. Ye Changming was in tears. What was his lovely little sister facing?
I only regret that I am powerless to protect her from the wind and rain.
Ye Pei raised his hand to touch the figure in the painting, and took a deep breath:
"The world has forgotten her, but she is trying to come back. There's nothing we can do to help her, so let's remember her and wait for her. When the news of the great victory at Huai'an Canal came, her memory began to resurface. I think... if Daliang wins a few more battles, if there's more good news, if the situation gets better, will she come back on the day we are truly saved?"
If that's the case, they will wait for her return in Nandu.
Ye Changming held the painting and nodded emphatically.
So, during that period, Yan Danqing led the Liang army in battle after battle against the Northern Yan, driving them further and further away. The entire court mobilized, and the Ye family, remembering Ye Xiren, never forgot their daughter...
Ye Xiren, carrying the head of the Northern Yan King, rode alone for thousands of miles to the war zone.
—Everyone on this land is doing their best.
For Daliang, for Ye Xiren, for everyone.
-
"Report! A great victory at Weishui City!"
"Report! Victory at Baiping Plain! Our Great Liang army has driven out the Northern Yan!"
The Huai'an Canal was just the beginning. After that, one piece of good news after another kept coming back. The whole of Daliang was overjoyed. During this most difficult spring, they all survived with hope in their hearts.
When did you remember them all?
Ye Changming couldn't remember clearly, but it seemed that it was shortly after they received news that Prime Minister Jiang had killed the King of Northern Yan and that his head had mysteriously disappeared, that the clear memory surfaced one morning at sunrise—
He has a younger sister, Ye Xiren.
His younger sister was incredibly capable; she was the future wife of the Marquis of Zhongyong, whom he was betrothed to by imperial decree. She had defied fate to save the Ye family, rescued General Yan, and gained Jiang You's trust, accompanying Prime Minister Jiang on a diplomatic mission to Northern Yan.
Ye Changming's eyes widened. Still staying in the palace, he immediately ran back to the Ye residence and entered the house at the same time as Ye Pei, who had just returned.
Apart from Ye Xiren, the Ye family members all gathered.
"This isn't right." Ye Changming unfurled the clear scroll and opened the journal. "Xixi wasn't taken away by Jiang You; she's been forgotten by all of us!"
After his memories of Ye Xiren became clear, his forgetting her became blurry again. But because he was in so much pain at that time, how could he possibly forget her completely?
Moreover, he and Ye Pei were well aware that the manuscript existed.
Ye Pei hurriedly said, "In the past, when I asked them, none of them knew who Ye Xiren was. But today when I asked Liu Duoxi, he replied, 'Who could forget your daughter? Wasn't she accompanying Prime Minister Jiang on his mission to Northern Yan?' But he was not very clear about the specifics and didn't care."
That's absolutely impossible.
Jiang You had no intention of returning from this trip, so how could he possibly let Xixi go with him? Besides, what would she be doing there?
This is unreasonable.
It's more like their missing memories were forcibly connected. Ordinary people wouldn't notice anything wrong, after all, no one doubts their own memories. But they were close to Ye Xiren, and the closer they were, the more they could realize the incongruity!
After reading the letter, Liao Changying clutched her chest and burst into tears, unable to speak. Her Xixi had truly suffered...
"None of that matters anymore, Xixi is back, isn't she?"
Zhao Lanjun's cane trembled on the ground, her eyes welling up with tears: "As long as she comes back, that's all that matters."
"Xixi—" Liao Changying choked up, "Northern Yan is in danger, where is my Xixi? How can we find her?"
The peaches are almost ripe, when will Xixi come back?
Ye Changming put away the notes, rolled up the scroll, and walked away.
"Where are you going?" Ye Pei asked.
"I'm going to find Xixi." Ye Changming ran outside, gritting his teeth. "Whether it's Beiyan or anywhere else, I'm going to bring her back."
Zhao Lanjun swayed slightly, and it was unknown whether she would be able to wait for Xixi to return before she died.
Two days later, Ye Changming was brought back by Yan Shuang.
Because General Yan sent a message by carrier pigeon that Miss Ye was already on her way back and waiting to return to the capital, the entire Ye family burst into tears, leaving Yan Shuang completely bewildered.
"Isn't this a good thing?" Yan Shuang, unaware of the details, scratched her head, unable to understand.
"Tears of joy? What do you know?" Ye Changming cried like a fool. "You don't know how amazing Xixi is. How amazing it is that she was able to come back."
That was not just a journey from Northern Yan to Daliang, but a journey from death to life, defying the will of Heaven.
Yan Shuang: "..."
She handed him the handkerchief with disdain. How could a young talent who was usually so successful in officialdom and praised by everyone be crying like this?
It's so ugly.
Ye Changming pulled her sleeve to wipe her tears, which made Yan Shuang even more disgusted. She held back and didn't kick him away.
-
The day the carriage returned to the southern capital.
At the entrance of the Ye residence, before the car had even come to a complete stop, Ye Xiren jumped out and rushed towards the Ye family members waiting at the door, her face covered in tears: "Grandmother, Father, Mother, Brother!"
The Ye family wept uncontrollably, looking at their daughter standing there alive and well, a thousand words unspoken, ultimately condensing into a single, choked sob—
"It's good to be home."
Yan Shuang watched them escort Ye Xiren inside, her face full of tenderness and a touch of envy.
"Yan Shuang, come in." Ye Xiren and Ye Changming turned around and looked at her.
Yan Shuang was taken aback, then smiled and strode inside.
"Xixi, you're finally back. The peaches in your yard have all been missed."
"It's okay, we can eat it next year."
"Yes, there's also next year."
May there be peace and safety every year, and may the future be long.
-
On the same night Ye Xiren returned, someone from the Ye family came to the door. A person in disguise arrived at the Ye residence. He didn't bring many people with him and remained quiet.
Upon seeing him, Ye Changming exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty, what brings you here?"
It's Liang Yue.
Liang Yue removed his hood and looked at Ye Xiren: "Miss Ye has returned in glory and should rest well before being rewarded. However, there is something I really want to ask Miss Ye..."
He used me; he couldn't even wait one night.
Ye Pei and the others exchanged glances, then left, leaving only the two of them inside.
Seeing that Ye Xiren remained silent, Liang Yue continued, "In my memory, Miss Ye went on a diplomatic mission to Northern Yan with Prime Minister Jiang, but I always feel that something is not right."
He paused, then pointed to his head:
"Your memory is wrong."
Because of his memory problems, he was particularly sensitive. Apart from the Ye family, no one else noticed the inconsistency in Ye Xiren, but Liang Yue keenly sensed that something was wrong.
But this is not right...
It seems to be related to the problem that has been troubling him.
Liang Yue wanted to understand that Yan Danqing's hurried words when she left were not enough. He wanted to know more about "Yan Wan" and didn't want to miss anything related to her.
Upon seeing this, Ye Xiren sighed deeply, recalling the notes Yan Danqing had given her when she left...
She took a military map from her sleeve and handed it to him:
"You'll see when you see it."
During the time she was forgotten, she couldn't find Yan Wan. Apart from this journal, there seemed to be no other words about her in the world. Everyone had forgotten her.
But she existed and changed the world.
She deserves to be remembered.
Liang Yue wiped his hands on his clothes, then carefully and tremblingly accepted the gift. "Thank you."
Ye Xiren stood up and left the room. Both the military map and Yan Wan's notes should be returned to the Emperor.
Yan Wan's husband.
They were my brother-in-law.
Ye Xiren walked out of the front yard. Outside, everyone in the Ye family was waiting for her in the yard, worried about her. When she came out, Madam Liao reached out her hand to her, her eyes full of affection.
She smiled and quickened her pace toward them.
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Author's note: The next chapter is Yan Wan's side story, which may take a while. I will try my best to finish writing it and update it in one go!
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