People's hearts are moved
In late March, when the grass grows and the birds sing, the city of Mingzhou seems to have fully awakened from the stillness of winter and the bustle of early spring, radiating an unprecedented vitality.
According to ancient rituals, people purify themselves and pray for blessings. It is also a good time for people to go outing, have fun and pray for good health. The main streets in the city are decorated with lights and the banks of the river are crowded with people, becoming the center of the festival.
Many women and children squatted by the river, dipped orchid grass in the clear river water, gently brushed it across their foreheads and arms, and talked and laughed as they performed the purification ceremony. The air was filled with the scent of green grass and sweet cakes wafting from the market. It was not unpleasant, but rather soothing.
Ning Lingyi changed into a light blue cross-collared skirt today, with a moon-white half-sleeve on the outside. She only wore a simple magnolia hairpin in her bun. Although there were no complicated pearls and jade, it made her temperament more elegant, like a new lotus after the rain.
She did not make a big fuss. She was only accompanied by Su Qingfan and a few capable guards. She mingled with the crowd and felt the long-lost joy of the city.
"Sister, look over there! There are sugar figures!" Lingyao excitedly pulled Ning Lingyi's hand, and pointed with her little hand at a stall not far away that was surrounded by children.
The stall owner was an old man with white hair and beard. With the movement of his fingers, lifelike sugar monkeys and sugar dragons appeared on the bamboo sticks, attracting amazement.
Yan He also revealed his childish nature, which was rare: "That dragon! I want that dragon!"
Ning Lingyi smiled and signaled the guard to go and buy it.
When the majestic sugar dragon and a cute sugar rabbit were handed to the two children, these two princes and princesses were no different from the children of ordinary people.
"Eat slowly, don't let it get on your clothes."
Ning Lingyi gave the instructions softly, with a rare look of ease in her eyes.
She used to be a princess pampered by her father, the emperor, and her mother, and now she is also the elder sister of her younger brother and sister-in-law.
"Your Highness, would you like to try this too?" Su Qingfan handed over an oil-paper bag, which contained a few freshly-cooked mugwort balls. They were emerald green and shiny, and exuded a unique fragrance.
Ning Lingyi took one and took a bite. It was soft, sweet and slightly bitter with the taste of mugwort, the taste of spring.
"Yeah, delicious." She nodded and glanced at the bustling crowd.
An old farmer was leading a newly bought calf, looking beaming with joy; young men and women took the opportunity of the festival to quietly pass tokens under the willow trees by the river, their faces blushing; and jugglers were tumbling and jumping in the open space, drawing bursts of applause.
"Master Shen has put so much thought into this," Su Qingfan said, looking at the peaceful scene. "This celebration is both lively and well-organized."
Ning Lingyi gazed at the pleasure boats adorned with flowers and colorful silks on the river and said softly, "It's because the people have hope in their hearts and their lives are full of meaning that they are truly happy during this festival."
She saw several familiar faces who had worked in the fields before. Now they were wearing clean new clothes and were with their families. They had satisfied smiles on their faces and felt relieved.
As they were walking, an old man with white hair and beard recognized Ning Lingyi and tremblingly squeezed over, holding a cup of homemade rice wine. "Your Highness! I offer you a toast. Thanks to you, our family has a new child this year, and the crops in the fields are thriving. I have a bright future ahead of me!"
Ning Lingyi quickly took the coarse porcelain wine cup and said gently, "Old man, you are too kind. It is because of the hard work of you and your fellow villagers that we have such a good life. I offer this wine to you. I wish you good health."
After saying that, she drank the clear rice wine in the cup in one gulp, with a natural posture and without any restraint.
"Good! Long live the princess!" Someone in the crowd shouted first, and immediately attracted a lot of response. The old man was so excited that he burst into tears.
This little episode did not cause much waves. Ning Lingyi continued to move forward with her younger brother and sister-in-law, watching dragon and lion dances and tasting various seasonal snacks.
Yan He and Ling Yao were like two happy little birds, chirping so much that you couldn’t even keep your eyes busy.
"Sister, is this wreath beautiful?" Ling Yao bought a small wreath made of fresh willow branches and wild flowers from somewhere, and stood on tiptoe to put it on Ning Lingyi.
Ning Lingyi bent down cooperatively, allowing her sister to put the simple wreath in her hair.
Yan He clapped his hands and laughed beside him: "It looks good on you, sister!"
Ning Lingyi touched the wreath on her head. At this moment, far away from the bloody storm in the capital, in the hustle and bustle of Mingzhou, she seemed to touch another precious feeling of "home".
The sun was setting in the west, and the gorgeous sunset dyed the sky orange and red.
A high platform had already been built on the open space by the river in preparation for the nighttime fireworks, and more and more people were gathering by the river, looking forward to the grand finale.
Ning Lingyi, along with her unsatisfied brother and sister-in-law, found a relatively quiet stone staircase with a wide view, under the protection of Su Qingfan and others, to sit down and rest, waiting for the night to fall.
Just as the sunset was about to fade and the sky was about to darken, a tall and silent figure appeared quietly beside Ning Lingyi and sat down on the stone steps a few steps away.
Ning Lingyi seemed to sense something and turned her head to look.
When she saw the clearly defined profile of the person coming, she subconsciously pulled Yan and Ling Yao closer to her.
"Tuoba Hong?"
"Why are you here?"
Shouldn't he have left the Southern Dynasty long ago?
Tuoba Hong looked at the river shrouded in twilight and the lights that began to light up on the other side of the river. He was wearing a dark grey casual suit today, but he still couldn't hide his imposing aura.
"I should have returned north." He finally spoke, his voice low, as if blending into the deepening dusk.
"I was passing through Mingzhou on business and remembered you were here."
He paused, as if weighing his words, and said, "Come and see."
This reason is too simple, even a bit far-fetched.
Ning Lingyi's guard was still strong. She frowned and looked at him, "Look at me? Khan, aren't you afraid of being exposed and getting into big trouble?"
Tuoba Hong then turned his head to look at her, lingering for a moment on the slightly childish willow wreath in her hair, his eyes deep and difficult to discern.
"Hong knows his limits." His answer was still brief.
"But there is one thing I think you should know."
Ning Lingyi's heart tightened: "What's the matter?"
"This time when I passed by the border on my way south, I saw that the border garrisons were frequently mobilized, and the food, fodder and equipment were transported in a hurry. The atmosphere was not right." Tuoba Hong showed the keenness unique to military personnel.
"Although they are not targeting Beishuo, this unusual movement may not be an ordinary border rotation. You are in Mingzhou, even though it is located in the southeast, you must be vigilant."
Unusual movements at the border? Ning Lingyi's brows furrowed even tighter.
What was Emperor Guangqi up to? Was he strengthening border defenses? Or was he aiming for something else? Considering his ruthless tactics, this news was definitely not groundless.
Several thoughts flashed through her mind instantly, but she remained calm on the surface.
"Thank you, Khan, for telling me." She nodded slightly. "I will pay attention to this matter. Please rest assured, Khan."
Tuoba Hong didn't seem to mind her alienation. He just nodded and turned his gaze back to the river. A subtle silence fell between the two of them. The only sounds were the faint whispers of Yan He and Ling Yao beside him as they waited for the fireworks, and the noise of the crowd in the distance.
"Bang, bang!"
The first huge golden firework exploded in the dark blue night sky, instantly lighting up the entire river bank and illuminating the countless faces looking up at it on the shore.
“Wow, so beautiful!”
Lingyao jumped up excitedly, and Yanhe also tilted his little face upwards, staring intently.
Immediately afterwards, more fireworks roared into the sky, bursting into life one after another. The fiery red of peonies and the emerald green of peacock feathers shone brightly and dazzlingly, decorating the night sky of Mingzhou City like a dreamland.
Ning Lingyi was also attracted by the magnificent scene. She temporarily forgot her previous thoughts and looked up at this short-lived but ultimate beauty. The peace and joy rising from the land she protected were definitely not the Kobe of the past.
At this moment, someone started shouting from somewhere, perhaps expressing gratitude for this rare good harvest and peace, a voice between the roars of brilliant fireworks shouted, "Long live the princess!"
"Long live the princess!"
More people followed suit and shouted.
"Thank you, Princess!"
"Mingzhou is getting better and better, all thanks to the princess!"
"Long live the princess!"
The sound waves were higher and higher, and at first they were a little chaotic, but later they gathered into a torrent, drowning out the roar of the fireworks, and echoing repeatedly over the river bank, sincere and warm.
Countless people faced the general direction of Ning Lingyi, bowed and saluted, with genuine gratitude in their eyes. Ning Lingyi was shocked by the thunderous applause.
She stood there, still wearing the simple wreath made of willow branches and wild flowers on her head. Under the colorful light of the sky, her figure looked particularly slender and a little helpless.
She didn't seem to do anything, and she was a little nervous, which was rare.
She looked at those blurry but sincere faces under the bright light, listened to the deafening shouts, and an indescribable warmth rushed to her eyes.
She did not come here for the "Long Live the Lord". All she wanted was shelter and love. But when this most simple recognition from thousands of people came to her in such a magnificent way, she felt that something more important was placed on her shoulders.
At the height of everyone's cheers, Tuoba Hong's gaze was fixed on her without a single deviation.
Fireworks exploded above her head, illuminating the corners of her slightly trembling lips and the willow wreath in her hair, which seemed worthless to him.
She stood in the center of the cheering wave, without any condescending majesty, but only a kind of brilliance supported by the people's hearts and fireworks.
It's not that no one knelt before him. He was the Khan of Beishuo, far more noble than her, the Lord of Mingzhou. Only he thought that he could decide the life and death of millions of people, but he seemed to realize that this was different.
The people of Mingzhou cheered and knelt down, but the kneeling of the people under his rule was different.
Ning Lingyi is no longer the princess of the Southern Dynasty who needs his protection, nor is she the orphan struggling to survive in the power struggle. She is the true master of this land.
He had seen the fiercest horses, the most ferocious eagles, the bravest warriors on the grasslands, the most beautiful dancers and the most noble princesses in the palace, but he had never been struck like he was now.
He looked at her quietly, his deep eyes reflecting the colorful sky and the figure that was called by the people.
The hustle and bustle around her seemed to fade away in an instant, and the only thing left in the world was her and the sound of her heartbeat like a drum.
The fireworks gradually became sparse, and the last embers fell into the darkness with a long tail of light. The cheers of the crowd gradually subsided and turned into sighs of satisfaction.
Tuoba Hong withdrew his gaze, and the expression on his face had returned to its usual calmness, as if the surging throbbing just now had never happened.
He stood up, his tall figure casting a long shadow in the fading light.
"The fireworks are over." His voice was flat, no emotion could be heard. "I should go now."
Ning Lingyi recovered from her shock, looked at him, and nodded: "Take care, Khan, and have a safe journey."
Tuoba Hong didn't say anything else, but just looked at her deeply, and that look contained too many unspoken words.
Then, he turned around, and his figure blended silently into the crowd that had not yet completely dispersed, just as he had come, and soon disappeared, as if he had never appeared.
On the river bank, only Ning Lingyi and others were left. The cool night breeze blew, ruffling Ning Lingyi's hair. She looked in the direction where Tuoba Hong disappeared, then looked up at the night sky which had returned to tranquility.
The road ahead is still unknown, but the land beneath her feet and the people around her give her the courage to move forward.
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