Chapter 1: Exiled to the Frontier As a female supporting role, she will fall in love with the male protagonist, because...
The towering earthen walls protected the city from the relentless sandstorms from beyond the Great Wall, yet they were also repeatedly eroded by them. While the city walls offered a respite, they couldn't shield it from the scorching sun hanging high in the sky.
It was noon, the temperature was rising, and there were few pedestrians on the road. Most people stayed at home, inns, and tea stalls.
"I've traveled three thousand miles westward, running for over two months. My feet are festering, bloody and mangled. Despite all this difficulty, I've finally reached Ning'an County, but now I've collapsed." The woman sitting on the earthen bed wore coarse linen, her eyelids wrinkled and bloodshot. Even so exhausted, her former beauty still glimpsed.
Another voice was filled with heaviness: "The officer issued a final notice. If Shu'er still doesn't wake up tomorrow, he will be carried away..."
If you think about it for a moment, you will know what the final result will be.
After the words were spoken, the room fell into a brief silence, with only the sound of sobbing echoing.
The Liu family itself was simply a casualty of the struggle between the old and new emperors. Officialdom was such a state of affairs, and Father Liu was helpless.
Liu Yeshu slowly opened her tired eyelids and immediately noticed the woman sitting next to her. Her eyes lingered on her and then looked around.
The rammed earth house was dark, lit only by a small window. The air was thick with the smell of sand. Her body felt incredibly sore, limp, and heavy. Her feet seemed to be injured, some of which must have scabs, and from beneath them came an intense, unbearable itch. Some of the scabs hadn't healed yet, and the slightest movement caused pain.
Liu Yeshu was a little dazed. Combining the memories she had just received, she must have traveled through time.
It's not just time travel, it's time traveling through a book.
This is a novel set in an ancient frontier. The original character is exiled to the frontier with her family. There, Liu Yeshu meets the male protagonist, a general in the frontier army, and the female protagonist, who is also exiled. As a supporting character, she falls in love with the male protagonist and dies tragically out of jealousy of the female protagonist.
Liu Yeshu's brows furrowed as she thought of this. She had only read the outline of the story and didn't understand the full story. Actually, this wasn't a big deal. After all, she wasn't the original owner, so she could just stay away from the male protagonist!
What made her frown was naturally the current environment. Ning'an County was located on the border, with a harsh climate and scarce resources. Even ordinary people would find it difficult to survive in such weather, not to mention the original body, a delicate and weak young lady. It was not easy for her to survive until here.
"Shu'er, you're finally awake! I scared you to death!" The worried couple finally noticed Liu Yeshu's awakening and were filled with surprise. "Her father, Shu'er is awake!"
Liu Yeshu's thin little hand was held by another large and thin hand. She met the woman's happy and worried eyes, with a hint of relief at surviving the disaster in her eyes.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but her throat was dry. She couldn't utter a single word.
Naturally, her movements were watched closely by the couple. Father Liu had been in officialdom for many years and was very good at reading people's expressions. He immediately stood up and poured a glass of water from the faded wooden table in the room.
"Come on, Shu'er, don't be in a hurry to talk."
The broken enamel bowl was filled with clear water. Liu Yeshu couldn't help but pursed her lips which were chapped due to dryness and lack of water. She wanted to raise her hand to catch the bowl of water, but she hesitated for a long time when she raised her hand and couldn't stop shaking.
This body was really not in good condition, and she couldn't use much strength at all.
Mother Liu felt extremely distressed, and she carefully helped Liu Yeshu up, leaning her against her shoulder. She raised her hand and took the enamel water bowl from Father Liu's hand. She turned the notched side to the outside and pointed the smooth side at Liu Yeshu.
When the water was brought to her lips, Liu Yeshu didn't have the energy to say anything polite. She drank the water "gulp gulp" and only after finishing a bowl did her thirst quench. Liu's mother handed the empty bowl of water to Liu's father who was standing next to Hou. Liu's father refilled the bowl with water and handed it to Liu's mother, who then fed it to Liu Yeshu.
Perhaps because he hadn't had water for a long time, Liu Yeshu drank three large bowls of water before he stopped.
Father and Mother Liu looked at Liu Yeshu worriedly, "Shu'er, how do you feel?"
"Mom, I feel much better. I just need to rest for a while." Perhaps because of her original body, Liu Yeshu felt that the couple was very close. She replied thoughtfully.
"It's okay, it's okay." Tears welled up in Liu's mother's eyes. She stroked Liu Yeshu's dry hair. She was such a good little girl, who should have been at a carefree age, but she suffered with them.
Looking at the haggard figures and faces of his wife and daughter, Father Liu felt bad, but although he had suffered a lot along the way, fortunately, the master's family was not bankrupt. Although he was exiled to this poor place now, he did not have to worry about the lives and whereabouts of his family.
Now that things have come to this, they must cheer up.
They just need to wait for tomorrow's arrangements. Compared with Kyoto, it is always unsatisfactory, but it is not to the point of being unable to survive.
The family of three chatted for a while, and then footsteps were heard outside the open door.
The sound arrives before the person arrives.
"Mom and Dad, I'm back."
Liu Yeling ran in swiftly from outside. He saw Liu Yeshu in the small room at a glance and immediately forgot what he wanted to say. The half-grown boy ran in excitedly.
"Sister, you finally woke up!" Little Brother Liu is only two or three years younger than Liu Yeshu, and is already as tall as Liu Yeshu. Although the relationship between the two siblings is not close, they respect each other.
Liu Yeshu looked at her younger brother. His skin was tanned and bronze, and even though his facial features hadn't fully developed yet, it was obvious that he had inherited good genes. He would definitely be a young man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes in the future.
Liu Yeshu pulled the corner of his mouth, "A Ling, I'm fine."
Little Brother Liu is only an old man this year. His family has suffered such a misfortune and his sister has fallen ill. Even though he is an elite child cultivated by the family since childhood, he cannot stop feeling panic and fear in his heart. Fortunately, his sister is fine.
Little Brother Liu was sitting on the edge of the bed with red eyes. Liu Yeshu felt warm in her heart and raised her hand to gently pat Little Brother Liu's shoulder.
Mother Liu looked at her two children with great relief in her heart.
It was still Father Liu who remembered the important things.
"Shu'er's awakening shows that good fortune will come to those who are lucky. It's a very good thing." Tomorrow they will be dispersed to different places. Father Liu is most worried about this matter. "Hey kid, how's the thing you asked to do going? Have you seen anyone yet?"
"Don't worry, father! I've delivered the letter. Although the master is not at home, there is no housekeeper. I didn't want you to worry, so I came back first."
"That's good, that's good."
What letter?
Liu Yeshu looked at them with confusion, as if waiting for an answer.
Father Liu stroked his dry beard and explained, "The Liu family has some old friends in the army. Although we've been exiled this time, if they're willing to lend a hand, at least their lives will be safe." At least they won't be like other people, where women are made into military prostitutes, men are made into the lowest kind of slaves, or even exiled to the border to repair city walls...
Liu Yeshu thought about it for a moment and understood.
Most exiles in ancient times were miserable, and women were even worse off.
Now that he was no longer worried about his life, the tension in Liu Yeshu's mind relaxed.
Father Liu looked at his children, his deep eyes filled with heavy thoughts. He said sternly, "However, don't be too happy. We are ultimately exiled criminals. Even if they can help us a little, we will have to rely on ourselves for the future. The days of having slaves and having food and clothes provided for us are like yesterday. We must not reminisce or dwell on them. Do you understand?"
The words were spoken to the two children, but the old man's eyes were indeed fixed on Liu Yeshu.
The two children, the older one was sixteen and the younger one was twelve, nodded silently when they heard this.
Liu Yeshu knew what her father hadn't said. Her eyes were firm. "Don't worry, father. I understand. I've been willful these past few months. Now that I've been seriously ill, my mind has become much clearer. Our family has suffered, and times are different now. I will act more cautiously in the future and won't be as willful as before."
During the months of exile, the original body had been unwilling to accept it. She had caused numerous disturbances along the way, resulting in numerous incidents, and even caused a beating for Liu Xiaodi. In Liu Yeshu's eyes, a sixteen-year-old was just a child. Such a drastic change would be difficult for most people to adapt to. So, when she later met the male protagonist who protected her, it was understandable that she threw herself into it.
Seeing Liu Yeshu's realization, Father Liu nodded kindly: "Shu'er, Ling'er, you two siblings must support each other in the future."
"Follow your father's teachings, I understand."
After talking for a while, Liu Yeshu's body was too weak. Not long after waking up, he ate half a piece of coarse flour cake with water, and then he felt a little tired and fell into a deep sleep again.
*
It was getting dark, the scorching sun was setting in the west, and the afterglow painted a gradient orange glow on the horizon.
Lonely smoke in the desert, setting sun on the long river.
The busy people returned home one after another.
A man in armor appeared in front of the mansion on a tall horse. The people at the door immediately opened the wooden door when they saw the visitor. The majestic general dismounted quickly, and an armored soldier came forward to lead the horse.
As soon as I stepped into the mansion, the housekeeper came hurriedly.
"General, this is a letter from the Liu family. It was sent by Liu Shaolang, the youngest brother of the Liu family."
"Liu Yeling?" Qi Yu, who had been at the border for a long time and carried a solemn aura, took the envelope with a question in his mind. "Why is he at the border?"
The Liu family had done him a favor, but he did not want to get involved in court disputes, otherwise he would not have been stationed at the border.
The border is thousands of miles away from the capital, and the news cannot be conveyed in time. The housekeeper does not know the reason behind this matter. The young master of the Liu family only said that something happened at home, but did not tell the details.
Qi Yu opened the letter. Two pages of paper, with just a few words, explained the whole story clearly.
"Sir Liu, your literary talent is well-deserved." He sighed, handed the letter to the butler, and instructed, "Do as the letter requests, and send them more food."
Even though the favor had already been repaid, he was still willing to help because of his character.
"I obey your orders."
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