Chapter 66 He Wants to Live
My forehead hurts so much...
…The sound of flowing water is like washing your ears; it's perfect white noise to help you sleep.
But she's been working odd jobs all this time and falls asleep as soon as her head hits the pillow, so she doesn't need any sleep aids at all.
Is my phone malfunctioning again? It's been six years; it probably really should be replaced. But a phone that can reply to messages promptly costs at least two thousand yuan…
After her eyelids trembled repeatedly for an unknown amount of time, Qingqing finally opened her eyes groggily. As soon as she saw the lush greenery nearby, she was stunned for a moment.
There are many towering trees nearby, with extremely lush canopies that overlap and cover the ground, allowing only fragmented sunlight to filter through the gaps.
Her hazy consciousness slowly cleared. Qingqing frowned, turning her head to avoid the thin, long weeds that had been teasing her right cheek. Looking up, she saw a mountain range stretching as far as the eye could see. Looking down, she saw several messy marks nearby. Higher sections were clearly collapsed, with a nearby blade of grass rolled out, green sap mixed with yellow soil, as if dragged by a heavy object, extending from its top to her body.
“Mountain…” she murmured, “Hiss!” A sharp pain shot through her arms, and an indescribable feeling of being filled with lead assaulted her brain.
Qingqing looked down; her clothes on both arms were torn in many places, and her arms were covered in scratches.
The stinging sensation comes from the muscles here, but the large and small wounds on the skin do not cause noticeable pain.
Oh, right, after struggling to carry Yan Dibai all the way out of the palace, they encountered Xiao Yuanshu. Xiao Yuanshu kicked them off the carriage, and she and Yan Dibai tumbled down together. On the way, she felt a sharp pain in her forehead—
She cried out in her heart, "Yan Dibai!"
No one responded, but the sound of running water continued.
Qingqing paused for a moment, then suddenly realized: "A stream...?"
She didn't know where the strength came from, but she suddenly used all four limbs to turn around and crawl towards the sound. A stream flowed two or three zhang below, and a thin, wiry boy lay quietly in it, his face half-hidden by his wet, water-wet hair. It was early summer, and his clothes were thin. Including the coat he'd taken from the dead man, Yan Dibai was only wearing two layers. The rough path had left his clothes loose and torn, swaying idly with the water, while his right arm was twisted and bent to the side in a strange way.
"His Majesty??!"
A sudden burst of dry, bloody gas erupted in her throat, both hoarse and itchy. Yang Liuqing's face crumpled, and she couldn't help but cough ten or so times, the bones near her chest throbbing with pain.
Qingqing jumped down almost without hesitation, but her arms didn't hold up strong enough, and she was cut off by a tree in mid-air. Qingqing rolled whole onto the pebbles, and before she could even grimace, she shakily reached out to grab Yan Dibai's body.
When she scooped it up, Qingqing's eyes widened in surprise.
Her clothes opened wider with the ripples, revealing several deep wounds running from her shoulders to her abdomen. The wounds were narrow at the beginning and end, wider in the middle, with some resembling rips. The water was now whitish, and in several places, the raw flesh had been directly scraped, exposing horrifyingly white bones.
These are not the most serious issues.
They gently put the person they had just pulled up back down. Qingqing stared blankly at Yan Dibai's right forearm, which was slightly crooked. She carefully touched the inexplicably protruding section of skin with her fingertip, and the firm touch made her quickly withdraw her hand.
The ground is soft, like a rubber toy.
Yan Dibai's forearm was completely broken. She couldn't move someone so badly injured. Any displacement of internal organs...
Suddenly, Qingqing saw a flurry of stars before her eyes, and her head throbbed with pain.
It's too difficult.
It's really too difficult.
Was Yan Dibai just unlucky, or was she just too lucky?
My arms, back, and waist were already aching terribly, and now even my nose was starting to sting.
She instinctively reached out to check Yan Dibai's breathing as she had done before, but for no apparent reason, she withdrew her hand.
I dare not.
This battered body tumbled down from that high mountain and crashed into the shallow stream. The chest was completely obscured by any visible movement.
Even though she firmly believed that Yan Dibai would continue to overcome setbacks, she didn't dare to face the cruel reality before her immediately.
Is he still alive?
Yang Liuqing stared at Yan Dibai's tattered, doll-like body, and a long-forgotten fear of death crept into her heart.
She didn't want to think about how the mission would proceed after his death; she just wanted to know if Yan Dibai was still alive.
The wind rustled through the trees, as if it had heard her inner cry, and suddenly, voices rose from nearby, perfectly timed with the sound.
As her shoes crunched on fallen leaves and weeds, Qingqing felt a chill run down her spine.
The drooping, lush branches swayed gently in the wind, quietly concealing the girl's prying eyes.
“The location of this imperial tomb is so remote, with so many drooping branches. If you’re not careful, you might get attacked by insects and snakes.” Lu Xi couldn’t walk fast, and kicked away the vines on the ground with a bit of annoyance, pulling at his clothes to cool off. “It’s not bad compared to Jiangdong.”
The man with wide sleeves following behind shook his feather fan and laughed.
"Since you can move freely in Jiangdong, a place teeming with insects and snakes, why should you be afraid of those little creatures from the north?"
Lu Xi stood with his hands behind his back and sighed upon hearing this, "I hate these things the most, why do you laugh at me, sir? If we hadn't arrived a step too late, we wouldn't have had to suffer like this."
The man, whom Lu Xi respectfully addressed as "Sir," simply smiled, his feather fan waving leisurely on the ground.
To be honest, Lu Xi and his party were indeed late.
Upon receiving news of the widespread chaos, the Lu family of Wuxing immediately dispatched Lu Xi, the fifth son of the clan, to investigate the situation. However, Jiangdong was hundreds of miles away from the capital, and the Yangtze River divided the region. Furthermore, there were hundreds of wharves along the waterways where bandits were causing trouble, making it far less convenient for them to establish a foothold than the warlords in the north.
By the time they arrived in disguise, the capital and the surrounding prefectures were already in chaos.
Everyone knew that the deposed emperor had been poisoned by the princess while he was secretly imprisoned. The new emperor was not as tyrannical and stupid as the deposed emperor, and he had already packed up his gold, silver and valuables and fled to Longxi to seek refuge with the Li family.
Naturally, the heroes from all walks of life did not come empty-handed, and they all led their men to divide up the imperial city. Some even took the opportunity to secretly excavate the Yan family's imperial tombs.
How could they possibly hide it now? Overnight, the imperial tombs of the Yan family, spanning over a dozen generations, were all looted. A wagon carrying the treasure was being hauled away every fifteen minutes.
Lu Xi's group of men sent to intercept the treasure at the palace gate were almost completely wiped out. Seeing that everyone was profiting from the Yan family's misfortune, he immediately consulted with his strategist, Mr. Zhang, who was well-versed in the principles of astronomy and geography, and set their sights on the ancient tomb of Yan Chong, the founding emperor of the Yan-Jin dynasty.
The founding ruler of the Yan-Jin state, Yan Chong, was a man of both literary and military prowess, quick-witted and sentimental. Legend has it that this nameless old mountain is the place where he received divine inspiration when he was still a stable boy.
Legend has it that on that night, strange phenomena appeared in the sky: rolling purple thunder, and a celestial being descended from the clouds to deliver a decree. A Xianbei youth, who had once herded livestock for Han nobles, suddenly understood his destiny. He rose up, mounted his horse, and, wielding a whip and spear, unified the scattered Xianbei tribes nearby. He adopted a Han name, compiled a lineage of sages, married the noblewoman he had once herded, recruited many advisors, and embarked on a life of military campaigns. After successfully establishing the Great Jin Dynasty and entering the Central Plains, he did not forget to expand westward. Even though he failed to perform the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai, he still solidified his position as emperor.
The only last words of this valiant founding emperor before his death were neither to instruct his descendants to prolong the dynasty's reign nor to order them to continue their northern and western expeditions. Instead, he ordered that he and his wife be buried in the old mountain where they had once grazed horses, so that they could rest in peace together.
The prince dared not disobey, and out of respect for his father's remaining authority, he obediently chose to have his mausoleum located on Qifeng Mountain, which faces Laoshan Mountain to the west.
The identity of a stable boy was not exactly honorable; whether it was truly a divine decree or a fabrication to cover it up, who knows? Therefore, the legends of the Yan family ancestors have become rare in recent years. Moreover, over the centuries, the existence of this mountain has been intentionally or unintentionally forgotten by the descendants of the Yan family. By the time of Yan Qi, Yan Dibai's father, the matter of worshipping their ancestors had long been forgotten, and they no longer remembered that this mountain actually had a name.
The swallow flapped its wings and soared straight up into the sky, thus becoming known as: Yanxiao Ridge.
...Yanxiao Ridge.
If his strategist hadn't pointed out the existence of this place, they would probably have returned empty-handed, and been looked down upon by their elders.
Lu Xi wiped his sweat, let out a long sigh, and looked around at the mountains and forests that had been desolate for who knows how many years:
"It has been neglected for at least thirty years. Even if there are treasures, it would probably take half a month to dig them up. I'm afraid we'll be a step behind them in other matters as well."
"Moreover, the founding emperor of Yan and Jin conquered the world on horseback and was naturally diligent and frugal. He doesn't know if what we've salvaged this time is enough for a year's military pay."
The strategist showed no sign of haste, calmly fanning himself.
"My lord is too worried. Who says that only gold and silver are treasures? You should know that the founding emperor of Yan and Jin was a brilliant general. If we can find the military books and ancient texts he left behind, it would be a windfall."
Lu Xi was startled: "That's right, why didn't you say so earlier, sir?"
He then suddenly remembered that the ancestors of the Yan clan, which was now like a stinking swamp, had managed to seize seven cities in one night and shock the world.
Indeed. If it weren't for Yan Chong's ruthless methods, how could the four families of Wuxing have been forced to submit to him?
But the dilapidated ground behind the building is crumbling, making people forget its former glory.
Thinking about all this, Lu Xi felt a strange sense of regret.
If the Lu family had been able to assist Yan Chong and gain merit in supporting the emperor, they might have become kings and nobles ruling Jiangdong. They could have also, like the Li family of Longxi, used the pretext of protecting the emperor to legitimately raise troops and enter the capital. Instead, they are now constrained by the Gu family and struggling to continue their family's prosperity.
If this Mr. Zhang, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, hadn't come to lend him a helping hand... not only would the Gu family have succeeded in seizing control of the water source at Fahuapo last year under the guise of the Buddhist Association, but this trip would also have been truly fruitless.
And then there are those northerners who sneak across the Yangtze River to the south...
Lu Xi frowned, and looking at Mr. Zhang, who was standing calmly and composed, his respect for him grew even stronger.
Just then, the gentleman he greatly admired raised his eyebrows slightly and said with considerable confidence:
"Judging from the terrain, it's high on the outside and low on the inside. Listening to the sound, the water is flowing gently. We should already be deep in the Yanxiao Ridge, and the imperial tomb must be nearby. Our lord is still as impatient as ever. After all, we're new here, and it's already quite fast that we've been wandering around all night. Now that we know the way, digging up the tomb won't take long."
After being reprimanded lightly, Lu Xi nodded guiltily: "Should I start a fire to summon someone? Oh no, starting a fire might attract unwanted attention. Perhaps I should go back first, and you can wait for us here?"
The strategist surnamed Zhang was still looking around. Upon hearing this, he pondered for a moment and was about to speak when his eyes suddenly darted to the side, and the feather fan in his hand abruptly stopped waving.
Lu Xi had only taken a few steps when he suddenly realized something was wrong and turned back: "Sir?"
The strategist did not answer, but walked quietly for more than ten meters with his hands behind his back and stood on a blue stone.
Behind the layers of lush vegetation, a pair of figures, seemingly out of place, lay down, perhaps sensing the subtle atmosphere in the air. The person hidden in the bushes leaned forward, blocking the person in the stream.
“Sir, there’s no need to go to such great lengths to find the imperial tombs.” Qingqing paused, staring intently at the Jiangdong strategist who looked surprised.
"I can help." The girl's voice was slightly tense and taut, but firm and resolute.
The strategist's gaze passed over Yang Liuqing and landed on Yan Dibai in the stream, his eyes narrowing even more.
Without flinching, she suddenly stood up straight and gave the newcomers a forced smile: "But, you all need to do me a favor."
Xiao Yuanshu kicked them into a dead end, but unintentionally found a way out.
Opportunity lies hidden within crisis.
Since these people are digging up the grave of Yan Dibai's ancestor, it might be appropriate to reveal Yan Dibai's identity, which could certainly be used as a bargaining chip to obtain rescue.
They must have a physician with them!
Qingqing gripped the hem of her clothes tightly, twisting her fingertips together until the oiled paper formed an inconspicuous little ball, which then fell into the haystack.
The medicine she had placed in her bosom was gone, and the oil paper that slowly floated out from under Yan Dibai during their conversation was the very paper that had been used to wrap the powdered medicine.
In that instant, she suddenly remembered—when she rolled down the cliff, something heavy had caught her from behind.
The force of those thin arms suddenly tightened around her, making it impossible for her to breathe.
Qingqing made a bold guess.
Perhaps Yan Dibai knew he wouldn't be able to hold on, so he took the medicine with him as he rolled down. Because of his light weight, he didn't get stuck halfway down the mountain like Yan Dibai, but was instead carried away by inertia.
As he fell into the stream, he mustered all his strength to swallow all the medicine despite the excruciating pain.
This is completely different from what Yan Dibai said before.
He didn't want to die.
He wanted to live.
I really want to.
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The author's note: The background is intertwined with the period before the southward migration of the elite, roughly around the time of the Yongjia Rebellion in the Wei and Jin Dynasties.
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