Chapter 65 Ah Wan's Twenty-Second Time!
Chapter 65
Zhao Lanjun turned around, paused for a moment, then seemed to remember something, forced a smile, and said softly, "Xixi is here."
She reached out her hand.
Ye Xiren hurriedly stepped forward to help her up. Zhao Lanjun leaned most of her body on her and slowly stood up, but she felt lightheaded. She didn't know when her grandmother had aged so much.
Even though she was flustered, when she saw the person in front of her with a full head of white hair, she swallowed all her doubts and replaced them with a word of advice: "Grandmother is getting old, so please don't always kneel in the Buddhist hall chanting scriptures. It's so late and you're still not asleep..."
Her grandmother was once a decisive and ruthless daughter of a military family. How did she suddenly become so devout in her old age?
He refused to sleep in order to chant scriptures.
Zhao Lanjun took her hand, steadied herself, and then stroked her cheek with her other hand, her loving voice dry and hoarse: "I've been waiting for you, Xixi. Ask me anything you want to ask."
Ye Xiren's eyes reddened, and in an instant, a surge of grievance and fear welled up inside her. Unable to suppress it any longer, her voice trembled: "Grandmother, how did you get this dagger? Who is Awan?"
She took the dagger out of her sleeve.
Zhao Lanjun was taken aback.
Then she shook her head: "I don't know, I don't remember where this dagger came from, and I don't know who this Awan you're talking about is."
Ye Xiren looked disappointed and put the dagger away.
But that shouldn't be the case.
This dagger is extremely sharp and a very rare find. Moreover, my grandmother carefully kept it in a box and placed it in the very center of the storeroom. How could she not remember where it came from?
"But I know I've forgotten someone."
Zhao Lanjun spoke again, and in the quiet Buddhist hall, her short sentence sent a shiver down everyone's spine, as if their scalp tingled and their hair stood on end.
Ye Xiren's heart clenched instantly, and her breathing became rapid.
"Forget?" she repeated unconsciously.
Zhao Lanjun held her hand, her eyes fixed on the altar, where the white jade Guanyin statue had once stood. Her gaze was somewhat vacant, and she clutched her chest with one hand, murmuring softly:
"I don't know who I've forgotten, nor do I know if this so-called 'forgetting' is just due to getting old and confusing my memories, but there's a voice in my heart telling me, I can't forget, I absolutely can't forget..."
What is it that we absolutely cannot forget?
Her heart told her not to forget, but she had already forgotten what the "not to forget" was. Whenever she thought of this, she felt a chill run through her body, and a wave of pain and despair spread through her, leaving her restless.
"Do you know who put the military map inside the Guanyin statue?" Zhao Lanjun suddenly looked at her.
Ye Xiren was stunned.
Then, she shuddered, her eyes widening in disbelief, a terrible thought forming in her mind.
"It's me." Zhao Lanjun gave a slight smile, confirming her guess.
Ye Xiren could barely stand, and her body swayed.
The military map that Jiang You and his group almost used to frame the Ye family was actually planted by Grandmother. No wonder Jiang You refused to admit it when they tested him before...
The truth that had been unclear for so long was slowly being revealed at this moment, and Ye Xixin couldn't help but feel a surge of fear in her heart. It was as if there was a huge abyss ahead, dark and bottomless, that would swallow her up completely.
But she couldn't stop, and could only watch helplessly as she slid little by little into the abyss, never to recover.
"I put the 'Map of the Southern Capital' inside the Guanyin statue. I don't know why I have it, nor do I remember who gave it to me, but I know I must hide it well."
Zhao Lanjun's fingers, which were holding Ye Xiren's, were trembling, and her voice was as soft as a feather in the night:
"The thought was so strong that even though I knew what crime it was to possess a military map, I still hid it and didn't dare tell anyone. I wanted to remember who asked me to keep it and who I should hand it over to... but I couldn't remember."
This feeling is terrifying.
I clearly remember that this thing is important, but I just can't remember anything about it. It's as if my memory has been forcibly ripped out, and I've forgotten everything, yet it still hurts me deeply.
Please keep this map safe and do not give it to anyone else. Strictly.
Ye Xiren suddenly remembered that note.
The plum blossom hairpin in her hand was burning hot. There really was such a person who handed the Southern Capital Military Map and a note to her grandmother, entrusting her with safekeeping. If that person's surname was Yan, then the plum blossom hairpin with the character "Wan" engraved on it from the Yan family would be linked to the dagger from the Ye family.
Ye Xiren still clearly remembers that the handwriting on that note was delicate. It seems that it belonged to a woman from the forgotten Yan family, whose name contained the character "Wan".
Who is she? And what is her story?
"Grandmother, have you completely forgotten her?" Ye Xiren asked, trembling.
"Yes, I can't remember anything at all. I once wondered if I was just getting old and my memory was failing me."
Zhao Lanjun blinked, and tears welled up in her eyes. An uncontrollable bitterness and sadness filled her, as if someone had once existed, but she and they had all forgotten.
“I’m old and won’t live much longer. I’ve tried to ask around, but no one knows that such a person ever existed. I can’t remember any of his features, except that I should keep the military map safe.”
Zhao Lanjun closed her eyes:
"So, I hid it inside the Guanyin statue and guarded it in the Buddhist hall every day. Looking at the Guanyin statue, I had a feeling that if I didn't guard it and remind myself every day, I would soon forget the military map completely and not be able to remember anything at all..."
Just by looking at it, she can remind herself not to forget again.
She must always remember that such a person once existed, and that there was something left undone. Although she doesn't remember who or what it was, she must keep it in mind.
If even she has forgotten, who else would remember?
Only by watching over it every day and reminding it every day can this memory remain.
Even though the weather had warmed up, Ye Xiren felt increasingly cold, her bones aching from the cold. She thought of Emperor Liang Yue's unusual behavior, and of the many cycles that started anew, yet still left faint traces in other people's memories...
There was once a person in this world, but she was erased from the world, leaving only faint traces. No one remembers her, which is more terrible than death!
Grandmother guarded the Buddhist shrine and the Guanyin statue, like a doorway. As long as she lived, she would guard it, and by guarding it, she could connect these two worlds. Ye Xiren could also, at this moment, pass through her...
A glimpse of the truth behind the door was shocking.
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, Ye Xiren's pupils contracted, and her voice became strained and hoarse: "Grandmother, what do you mean by 'once suspected'? Why don't you suspect it now?"
They slept yesterday and today, forgetting that Ye Xiren hadn't returned yet, but their grandmother was still waiting.
Zhao Lanjun gripped her hand tighter, her aged, cloudy eyes looking at her, fear and worry no longer concealed on her face, and she choked out:
-
"Prime Minister Jiang, I'm sleepy."
Chi Zhanlan Ce could no longer bear it. If he waited any longer, it would be dawn outside, and he had no idea what his current situation was or how much Yan Danqing had found out.
Despite his exhaustion, Jiang You smiled and said, "Your Highness, if you are sleepy, please go to sleep."
"How can I sleep if you don't leave?" Chi Zhanlan Ce said bluntly, not waiting for Jiang You to continue to dodge the question, and said coldly, "If Jiang Xiangruo really wants to negotiate, he doesn't need to be so wary of me. It's been almost a whole night. Even if Yan Danqing wanted to do something, he probably already did it. You don't need to keep holding on."
His face was full of sarcasm and his eyes were mocking, leaving Jiang You at a loss for words. It was all an unspoken understanding, but now that Chi Zhan Lan Ce was going to tear off the mask, what could he do?
Jiang You held a chess piece in his hand, calculating in his mind.
The door was suddenly kicked open.
Then, Yan Danqing strode into the courtyard, blood still dripping from the knife in his hand. The men behind him all exuded a murderous aura. He casually wiped the blood off his sleeve and walked up to them with icy eyes.
"Yan Danqing, what are you doing?" Jiang You shouted sternly, but his shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly. The fact that Yan Danqing was able to come to see Chizhan Lance meant that he had finished dealing with the matters at hand, which was a good thing.
He no longer needs to force himself to stall for time.
Chi Zhanlan Ce suddenly calmed down, casually tossing the chess pieces onto the board, disrupting the game, and said indifferently, "General Yan, why did you storm into the embassy looking so fierce? Are you trying to imprison me again?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Danqing sheathed his sword. "What's the use of locking up Prince Chizhan? After all, the grain supplies are in Nandu, and the people His Highness cares about are all in my hands."
This statement was made so casually, as if it were not a threat at all.
Chi Zhanlan Ce suddenly looked at him, his body tensing instantly, his eyes becoming sharp.
Then he laughed and said:
"Yan Chunzhou, you're getting better and better at cunning. If you really had someone you wanted to catch, you wouldn't be coming to me now."
Yan Danqing's expression remained calm, but his heart was in turmoil.
Chi Zhanlan Ce's words... do they mean that after they find the person they're looking for and learn certain information, they won't need to come looking for him anymore? What would they do then?
Jiang You was even more shocked. Chi Zhanlan Ce still had people and grain in Nandu. Every piece of news was like a thunderbolt, making his heart surge. He opened his mouth, but did not say anything to interrupt the two people in the standoff.
Yan Danqing sat down imposingly to the side, his dark, unfathomable eyes fixed on Chi Zhanlan Ce. He picked up the tea beside him, calmly took a sip, and his expression grew even more serene.
"What's the difference? Since they're both in Nandu, I can find them. It's just a matter of time. Your Highness, please don't be anxious. We'll wait patiently."
Upon hearing this, Chi Zhanlan Ce's phoenix eyes darkened, and he gave a half-smile: "Do you have time to wait?"
He knew that Daliang was short of food and its days were numbered.
“Your Highness Chizhan can give it a try.” Yan Danqing returned his gaze, his voice indifferent. “Guess where my subordinate Ma Shan went after things calmed down outside the city last night?”
He looked at the moonlight outside and smiled:
It's already the seventh day of the third lunar month.
Chi Zhanlan Ce stared intently at him. The two faced off in silence, the room falling into extreme quiet. Neither spoke, neither yielding an inch, it was a gamble on who could outlast the other.
The Southern Capital is short of food. Should we cut off the food supply first, or find the people and the food first...?
What Ma Shan did was a bargaining chip for Yan Danqing. Because they didn't know what it was about, they didn't know how heavy the chip was. The two of them carried the burden of their respective families and countries, and what they were fighting for was life and death.
Jiang You lowered his eyes, concealing all the doubts surging within them, his wrinkled fingers clenching his sleeve.
After a long pause, he suddenly broke the silence: "The Southern Capital is short of food, but it's not like it can't hold on at all. I'm old and don't care about being infamous for all time."
Southern Capital is short of food. I, Jiang You, am willing to do things that will bring me infamy for the sake of the life and death of the Great Liang, so that this country can survive. So, can Chi Zhan Lan Ce afford to wait?
Light began to appear outside, the morning light was faint, and it was almost dawn.
Chi Zhanlan Ce said, word by word, "I will return the grain to you, and you will let me leave Nandu."
Yan Danqing readily agreed:
"good!"
Jiang You's expression changed, and he said coldly, "Yan Danqing, the two countries are about to hold peace talks, and the Crown Prince of Northern Yan cannot leave Nandu!"
Now that the Great Liang is weak, once Chi Zhan Lan Ce leaves, what will they have left to control the Northern Yan?!
Yan Danqing ignored him completely, simply waving his hand and ordering, "Someone, take Prince Lan Ce away from the embassy."
His attitude softened, and "Prince Chizhan" became "Prince Lance".
People immediately filed in. Jiang You tried to stop them, but he had no one on his side and couldn't stop them at all. He could only watch helplessly as Yan Danqing took Chi Zhanlan Ce away to make their deal.
Jiang You's face was bruised and purple, making it difficult to discern the color.
Then, Ying Changping, who had just arrived, stepped forward, puzzled: "Prime Minister Jiang! What's going on? Why did General Yan take away the Crown Prince of Northern Yan? Should we go after him?"
"Someone, prepare the carriage!" Jiang You flicked his sleeve and said coldly, "Go and bring Zhang Yuanmou out and put him in the carriage."
forage!
That batch of grain had been in Nandu all along; he had to get it as soon as possible to stop Yan Danqing from trading with Chizhan Lance.
at the same time
Inside the carriage, Chi Zhanlan Ce tilted his head: "General Yan actually agreed so readily? He's willing to let me leave?"
Yan Danqing looked back at him, her eyes calm and indifferent:
"Since you're willing to abandon your schemes and leave, what good is it? I should be worried about whether you're truly sincere about returning the supplies to us."
Chi Zhanlan Ce lowered his eyes and sighed softly: "Since I can't kill you with tricks, let's switch the battlefield back to Huai'an Canal. I'll return the grain to you and go back. We'll have a showdown on the battlefield."
He looked at the person in front of him with sincere eyes.
"I will never lose to you," Yan Danqing replied, supporting himself with one hand on his sword, sitting upright in the carriage, his back straight as firm as a mountain or a pine tree.
"In my life, Chi Zhan Lan Ce has never lost." Chi Zhan Lan Ce laughed wildly, his pale face filled with arrogance. "Let's go to the Hushui River Wharf."
The battlefield was moved to the Huai'an Canal.
This is their reason for agreeing to the deal.
-
Ye Xiren leaned on the offering table to barely stand, and suddenly everything went black before her eyes, as if she had fallen into boundless darkness. Coldness enveloped her body, and chill flowed to every part of her body.
How could that be?
So, someone has already looped through it?
The fact that she was forgotten shows that cycles come at a price.
When they can't see her, they'll completely forget about her. There were signs in the last cycle, and they're especially obvious in this one. What about the next cycle?
God gave us chance after chance to be reborn, but in the end, is it all at the cost of being forgotten by everyone?
"Xixi..." Zhao Lanjun hugged her, trembling all over, "I don't know what happened? What happened to you? But you are still young. No matter what happens, you must prioritize your life and live well!"
Seeing her grandmother, at her advanced age, still worrying about her, Ye Xiren's eyes reddened. She took a deep breath, swallowed back the tears, smiled, and gently comforted her:
"What's wrong? I can handle it all, Grandmother. Don't worry, get some sleep. When you wake up tomorrow, Xixi will still be Xixi, she won't forget."
"Really?" Zhao Lanjun murmured.
"Really!" Ye Xiren's voice was firm.
Seeing that she looked normal, even smiling, and relaxed, Zhao Lanjun felt relieved. After all, she was getting old and her body was starting to give out.
Ye Xiren smiled as she escorted her grandmother back to her room, gently coaxing her to sleep. After the grandmother fell asleep, she tucked her in and closed the door.
The moment the door closed, she leaned against it, helplessly covered her mouth, slid down, and wept silently.
how so?
She doesn't even understand how the loop is created or how it ends, so how can she find a way to break free from it? There's simply no chance to restart infinitely!
Will they forget her, just as they forgot "A-Wan," erasing her from this world completely? From then on, will no one remember her existence?
Ye Xiren hugged her knees and cried.
Then, she wiped away her tears, stood up abruptly, and rushed to the study. Her dark eyes were red and swollen, but they had regained their resolve.
We can't give up, there's still hope. They haven't forgotten her. As long as they find a way to break free from this cycle, she can live!
She was trying to save herself.
She had taken the map of Nandu from the Guanyin statue and hidden it. After Lu Qian left, she showed it to Ye Pei. At that time, the pro-peace and pro-war factions were in serious conflict, and even Ye Pei did not dare to take it out easily, for fear of it becoming a weapon for the pro-peace faction to attack.
In other words, the military map left behind by "Awan" is still in the Ye family!
Ye Xiren rushed into the study in a panic, rummaged through the candles, lit them all, and began to examine the important thing that her grandmother had mentioned someone had asked her to keep.
Since it's important, perhaps it contains information?
The military map was drawn on a long parchment scroll, while the wrapped piece of paper was very small, containing only one sentence. It seemed to have been written hastily, but every stroke was written with great care, which shows the writer's caution.
Ye Xiren had a bold guess in her mind.
"A-Wan" is no longer remembered, and it is likely that much about her no longer exists, especially written records. Otherwise, how could people who knew her not have doubts?
One or two items are fine, but with so many, how can you not find it strange at all?
But the note is still here, and the words on it are still there. Does this mean that the note is still here because Grandmother was trying hard to remember "Awan," the military map, and this matter?
That……
Besides, did "A-Wan" leave any other clues related to cycles on the map?
Ye Xiren frowned and held up the military map to the candlelight.
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Author's note: See you tomorrow!
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