Jiannan Past
"Ah Wan!"
Amidst the gasps of the crowd, Cui Wan climbed over the window and jumped down. The wind billowed her clothes, but it couldn't lift her up, letting her fall.
Seeing the tears welling up in the Grand Madam's eyes, yet ignoring them, and knowing the tense situation, she suppressed her doubts.
Tears streamed down Cui Wan's cheeks. Ning Yan, standing beside her, gripped her arm tightly, her gaze fixed on Cui Wan as she silently prayed.
At the critical moment, Liu Lü jumped up and hugged Cui Wan, slowly landing from the air. In that instant, a tear fell onto the grass below the pavilion, mingling with the soil and disappearing without a trace.
As soon as Xu finished reciting, Liu Lü came to her with the person in her arms.
Seeing that Cui Wan had her eyes closed, Xu suddenly felt listless and gave his seat to Ning Yan.
Ning Yan hugged Cui Wan and cried, repeatedly saying, "How could you be so foolish?"
Cui Wan's parents were the same; they kept calling her "my darling" and cried so hard they felt like they were going to vomit their lungs out.
Cui Wan closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face like broken beads.
Sui Zhixu saw all this and couldn't understand whether it was worth it for a love that was so ephemeral and unattainable.
Does Cui Wan understand Xi Yushao? Is she aware of his past, his schemes, and his ambitions?
She felt that Cui Wan did not understand. Just as Chao Yang said, the two young masters of the Chu family had spoiled her too much. In her eyes, the previous dynasty was far away, and the Prince of Xuanping was just an insignificant prince in Chang'an.
At most, his talent improved, and his poetry collections would circulate at poetry gatherings.
Of the three, Ning Yan is shrewd and clever, Pei Qinglian is sharp-tongued and aloof, while Cui Wan is frank, charming, and the most innocent.
Xi Yushao was accurate every time he picked someone up.
As Xu sighed, her gaze towards Cui Wan was complex, and she caught a glimpse of the Grand Madam approaching out of the corner of her eye.
"Haven't you always been curious why I look down on the Chu family? I'll tell you today, if you continue to be so stubborn, then don't ever set foot in the Chu family again..."
"Cui Awan!" Chu Shiguan's shout drowned out the last of the Grand Madam's voice. He rushed over from the doorway, followed by a few people.
The Dowager's voice was drawn out: "The princess has arrived."
The group said in unison, "Madam, please don't act rashly."
Seeing the large crowd gathered around, Xu looked anxiously at the person in Liu Lü's arms and said, "Let's find a doctor to take a look at her first!"
"Yes, yes, I almost forgot." Madam Chu hurriedly asked her maid to call the royal physician.
Sui Zhixu sighed, "..."
The group was in complete chaos.
Liu Lü stood among the crowd, following Zhi Xu's instructions to bring the person back to the house.
The physician was hurriedly dragged over by a maid. He carefully examined Cui Wan under everyone's gaze, and tremblingly changed the dressing on her still unhealed leg, which made Lady Chu want to cry again.
"Why did you jump down like that? You injured your leg because of him, are you going to give your life for him? What are you going to do with your mother? You've been my only child all these years. How am I supposed to live if you're gone?"
Lady Chu was covered in tears, her steps were unsteady, and she could barely stand without the support of Minister Cui.
Minister Cui was in no better shape; his hands were trembling again, and if it weren't for the weight of his round belly, he probably would have fainted.
As Xu saw that they also needed to be examined, the calmest person in the room was actually the eldest lady.
Chaoyang waved for the maid to help the two of them sit down in chairs so the royal physician could examine them.
"I prescribed several calming and heat-reducing remedies, but they were all less composed than I was."
"It is a misfortune for my family. I am ashamed to have disturbed the ladies and princesses of various families today."
After the physician left, the Dowager Lady bowed and then turned her back to Xu and the others.
As a princess of the Great Qi, Chaoyang was entitled to the formalities between a ruler and his subjects. She helped the Grand Madam up, saying, "Grand Madam, you are too kind. I will reward the ladies for their great kindness. You do not need to perform such a grand ceremony."
“You are an elder, how can you bow to us? Awan is my close friend, why should we disturb you?”
Cui Wan's lips moved: "Grandma..."
"The opera family that the lady mentioned..."
As soon as Xu started to speak, the old lady's eyes were dark and unfathomable. Her gaze swept across everyone present, and she sighed and said, "That was when I had just married into the Chu family."
The old lady recounted: "When Emperor Taizu had just pacified the country, the area outside of Chang'an was not peaceful, especially the border areas between the two countries. For example, Jiannan had frequent conflicts with small countries to the west. I was your grandfather when I married him."
Madam Cui asked in confusion, "What does this have to do with the opera family?"
"The Chu family is a prominent clan in Jiannan. The Xi family depends on the Chu family for survival. The Xi family intends to marry a woman from the Chu family. Your grandfather's sister also cried, made a scene, and threatened to hang herself, just like you are today, but she eventually married into the family."
Madam Cui: "And then? How come I've never heard of Father having a younger sister?"
"Of course you don't know, hmph, three months after she married into the family, something happened in Jiannan. All the Chu family men, including your father, and every single civilian in the city who still had the strength to fight, rushed to the front lines. The city was in a state of panic. The old woman and the Chu family women took good care of the remaining people, but we couldn't find her. I sent people to inquire, but there was no news."
Three months later, she suddenly appeared at the Chu family's door with a large pregnant belly.
—
Looking back on those days.
The upheaval in Jiannan was a devastating blow to Lady Wang, who had just married into the Chu family. Her husband rushed to the battlefield, leaving her and a group of elderly, weak, sick, and disabled people to struggle desperately in their homeland.
"Sister-in-law, save me! It's me, Stepmother! Save me—"
Wang Niangzi and the others held the children of the Chu family's cousins tightly, and none of them dared to open the door.
"The voice sounds a lot like Second Aunt's. Should I go check it out?"
Wang Niangzi had just gotten up when her sister-in-law pulled her back down. "Are you out of your mind? There's nobody on the streets these days! We couldn't find Second Aunt when we were looking for her a while ago. Now she's suddenly appeared. Are you sure it's her? What if the front lines have fallen?"
As she spoke, she burst into tears. Wang Niangzi collapsed to the ground, and she heard more and more people feeling the oppressive atmosphere and weeping quietly.
Lady Wang still didn't go. The people in this house couldn't withstand even the slightest danger, and she couldn't bear the loss of countless lives.
In the dead of night, unable to sleep, she secretly crawled out through the dog hole and found her pregnant sister-in-law leaning against the door.
She covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes. The person before her was no longer the pampered second daughter of the Chu family; her face was filthy, her clothes disheveled, and she was only covered by a cloak. Her exposed skin was streaked with blue and purple; she was not an inexperienced young lady and naturally understood what it was.
“Sister-in-law…” A hoarse voice escaped from her chapped lips, and Chu Erniang gave a bitter smile, “I was wrong, I shouldn’t have married him. He secretly memorized my brother’s city defense map and handed it over to the enemy general with me. They…”
She couldn't say it, and tears fell little by little onto her neck, mingling with the dust and rolling into her chest.
Lady Wang hugged her, and she gritted her teeth and leaned against her. "It was Daoist Yueling from the Imperial Preceptor's Hall who saved me. With her here, everything will be alright in Jiannan."
Bringing her back to reality, Sui Zhixu asked in confusion, "Where did the month-old figure go?"
When Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, Yueling had not yet taken over the position of Imperial Preceptor, and Prince Xuanping was also young at that time, so it seems that it didn't matter.
"To get to know the current Imperial Advisor through this young lady?"
"Uh." Sui Zhixu felt it was strange that he always emphasized that he was a disciple of the month.
Chaoyang spoke up for her, "The Imperial Preceptor is her teacher, Madam, you don't need to pay attention to her, please continue."
Sui Zhixu silently stepped aside; she was being far too paranoid.
"He was originally a disciple of the Imperial Preceptor. I had heard of him while living a secluded life in the Chu family, but I never expected him to be the person standing before me."
Knowing Xu was being sarcastic, she remained absolutely silent.
Taking them back to the past, Madam Wang led her people back the way they came, making sure to cover the dog hole with something.
The next morning, when the Chu family's sisters-in-law saw Chu Erniang, they sighed and sobbed, "It's good that she came back alive."
Yueling moved into the camp, strategizing and winning battles from afar. In just one month, she and the Chu family, with their years of combat experience, achieved a great victory.
Chu Lang rode his horse and with a single stroke, beheaded the enemy leader, blood splattering for miles around.
On the crimson earth, the soldiers of Jiannan raised their military flags and shouted, "Great Qi! Great Qi!"
The newlyweds, who had been separated for a long time, met again. Chu Lang hugged Wang Niangzi tightly and also saw his pregnant sister behind him.
"Where is he? Where is my brother?!" Chu Erniang cried out, clutching Chu Lang's hand, only to find her left sleeve empty.
“Brother! It’s all my fault, it’s all my fault. If I hadn’t let the wolf into the house, the city defense map wouldn’t have fallen into the enemy’s hands, and you wouldn’t have lost your arm.”
"I've only lost an arm..." he sighed, his gaze towards his stepmother complicated, his only remaining right arm still holding his sobbing sister.
"I haven't found Xi Gou's whereabouts. Perhaps he escaped. Don't worry, brother will definitely bring him back and sacrifice him to the people of Jiannan."
Behind him were countless coffins, and in front of each coffin, relatives wept.
Elderly parents, or wife and children, or perhaps only one lonely child.
Even if they win, they will never come back; they will be buried forever in the earth.
After dealing with a bunch of things, Madam Wang and her husband Chu Lang were finally able to be alone together. "My lord."
"My wife is amazing..."
After the war, Yue Ling disappeared without a trace. Wang Niangzi originally wanted to take Chu Erniang to thank her properly, but she waited for a long time and did not see her return.
According to Chu Lang, she had to deal with the household affairs and wouldn't be back for a while, but Lady Wang kept waiting.
Chu Erniang has gone mad. Wang Niangzi and Yueling also hope that she can see Erniang. The dog-playing game has not been found. The people of Jiannan hate him very much, and they hate Chu Erniang along with him.
On an ordinary night, Wang Niangzi failed to keep an eye on her. She climbed the city wall alone and jumped off without hesitation, her blood mingling with the blood of the Jiannan warriors and merging into the earth.
In the last moment before she closed her eyes, she felt that time had passed exceptionally long. She was born into a very good family. Although she was young, she only had her grandmother and older brother. She had never lacked love. All the bitterness in her life came from the actor.
Grandmother said he looked unlucky and disapproved of their marriage.
She desperately begged her brother for permission, believing that marrying the man she loved would bring her a lifetime of happiness.
But three months ago, he personally tore everything apart. When Jiannan encountered the enemy, the Xi family abandoned their home and headed north. On the way, they met enemy troops, and without hesitation, he gave them the city defense map and her as a gift.
For three months, she felt like she was living a life worse than death. She heard the roars of the Jiannan soldiers, their grief, and the enemy's smugness.
She didn't know how she survived. Meeting Master Yueling was truly an accident. She was brought back to Jiannan in a daze and wandered the streets like a walking corpse until she saw the gate of the Chu family.
She kept knocking and knocking, but no one answered. She almost thought no one was home. When she heard crying, she slowly collapsed to the ground. Well, at least she died at her own doorstep.
Thanks to her sister-in-law's rescue, she was able to see her brother again in her lifetime and see his severed arm. At that moment, I looked at the countless coffins behind me and thought, she is not worthy, she is not worthy to stand in Jiannan.
Now that Jiannan has been rebuilt for a month, the scarlet blood soil outside the city has decreased, so let her offer another blood sacrifice to the people of Jiannan.
Er Niang's masterpiece.
"I never imagined that I would be able to hear anything related to the Jiannan Opera family in my lifetime."
As Xu Zhi was held by Chaoyang, she clearly saw Chaoyang's lips pursed tightly.
Despite his crimes of treason and betrayal, Xi Yushao still dared to come to Chang'an; he was truly audacious and reckless.
The old lady's mention of Yueling handling the household affairs must be Yueling's junior brother, He Miao.
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