Chapter 47
A few rays of sunlight shone into the study, casting a faint bluish tinge on Wei Mingsu's pale face.
Tong Jin looked at him, reported again, and asked in a low voice, "Did I go out and send Lu San Niang away?"
Wei Mingsu slowly raised his eyes and looked towards the doorway.
Tong Jin said, "Lu San Niang didn't come in; she's waiting outside."
Last night, Nie Zijie entered the dormitory as if it were empty. Today, his attendants dare not let their guard down, and outsiders are not allowed to even enter the dormitory.
Wei Mingsu sat up, looked down at his wound, picked up his coat with his uninjured hand and put it on to cover the affected area, saying, "Open the window."
They should have opened the window.
A cold wind blew into the study, diluting the smell of blood and hemostatic medicine somewhat.
As they went out together, the leader said to Lu Sanniang, "Let Lu Sanniang in."
The team leader came out to relay a message.
Lu Huaying breathed a sigh of relief, walked into the courtyard, passed through the corridor, and came to the inner courtyard, quickly walking up the steps.
Tong Jin stood at the door, watched her come in, gestured to her to stand outside the half-rolled-up curtain, and then silently withdrew.
Lu Huaying stopped under the curtain and looked up inside.
A small table was placed on the couch. Wei Mingsu sat in front of the table, looking down at a sheepskin on it. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a shadow in his dark eyes.
His face looked paler than the snow in the yard.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?"
He asked, his tone flat.
Lu Huaying lowered her eyes, looked at the ground, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Prefect Wei... I deceived you four years ago, I am sorry. I wandered to Liucheng, and I thought I would never see you again in this life, but I never thought I would meet you again."
She paused, looked up at Wei Mingsu through the curtain, and a smile appeared on her face.
“Governor Wei, do you know that the happiest and most fortunate thing since we reunited is not that you are willing to lend me a helping hand.”
Wei Mingsu remained silent.
Lu Huaying looked at him and said, word by word, "I am deeply grateful that you don't hold my past willfulness and deception against me. Thank God, it's etched in my heart. But what makes me happiest and most fortunate is that you haven't changed."
Wei Mingsu raised his eyes.
Lu Huaying looked directly at him, tears welling in her eyes: "Four years ago, Fan Hui said, 'I ruined you.'"
When they met four years ago, Wei Mingsu was a penniless young man from a humble background. He came to Chang'an, the capital of the emperor, and made a living by copying scriptures. Like other scholars, he presented his scrolls to high-ranking officials to recommend himself, hoping to gain their appreciation and recommendation so that he could display his talents and ambitions.
Lu Huaying had read the articles written by Wei Mingsu and Xiao E. His articles were better than Xiao E's, but Xiao E was the son of Xiao Jijiu, while he was just a penniless scholar with no background or fame. When their articles were sent to the mansions of high-ranking officials, they didn't even glance at Wei Mingsu's articles and threw them aside. Even if some people read them and appreciated his talent, they wouldn't recommend him.
Although the imperial examination system replaced the nine-rank system of official appointments, which stipulated that "the highest ranks had no poor families, and the lowest ranks had no noble families," people still valued family background and social standing. When Luo Binwang wrote his proclamation denouncing Wu Zetian, the very first line satirized the Wu family as being from humble origins. High-ranking officials in the court remained dominated by powerful and influential families.
Wei Mingsu faced setbacks and ridicule at every turn, but he did not lose heart and continued to work silently towards his ambitions.
A man of ambition should remain steadfast even in poverty, and never be obsequious in hardship.
Wei Mingsu was abandoned by his parents at a young age and lived a life of wandering, almost growing up on the charity of others. Later, he was taken in by a temple. What he saw was the suffering of the masses and the common people. He witnessed the oppression of the people by officials and nobles and the cruel injustice of the world.
He was ordinary, unlike the brilliant Fan Hui. He had no grand ambitions to stand out or make a name for himself for generations. He just wanted to do what he could for the common people.
His goal was simple, ordinary, and unwavering.
But then he met Lu Huaying.
She trampled on his sincerity, threw his mind into disarray, and left a mark on his heart.
A wound that can never be healed.
Fan Hui's reprimands still echoed in my ears.
"Lu Sanniang, you ruined Wei Mingsu!"
Lu Huaying gave a bitter smile and looked at Wei Mingsu: "In the past two years, I have occasionally heard some news about you from merchants passing through Liucheng... They say that you will stop at nothing to gain power, and that you are aiding and abetting evil..."
Wei Mingsu looked away, lowered his eyes, and looked somewhat gloomy.
He chuckled self-deprecatingly, not wanting to defend himself, but an impulse welled up from the bottom of his heart, making him involuntarily ask, "Are you disappointed?"
Lu Huaying shook her head: "No, Governor Wei, I am not disappointed... I feel guilty and heartbroken."
She felt guilty for ruining Wei Mingsu, causing him to change his personality, become cold and extreme, and abandon his principles for power.
“I remember you once memorized a passage from ‘Li Lou I’.”
"Those who give up on themselves, do not..."
Those who can be spoken to are not worth engaging with; those who abandon themselves are not worth helping. To speak against propriety and righteousness is to abandon oneself; to be unable to abide by benevolence and follow righteousness is to abandon oneself. Benevolence is the safe haven of humanity; righteousness is the right path. To abandon the safe haven and not abide by it, to forsake the right path and not follow it—how lamentable!
How tragic it is that they harm themselves, abandon themselves, and forsake the right path!
This article touched a nerve with Lu Huaying, so she remembered it very clearly.
Lu Huaying's eyes darkened slightly: "Prefect Wei, I know how devastating it is for a person to have their ideals and aspirations thwarted. I understand how painful it is for someone to be forced to give up their pursuits and abandon the right path. It can be unbearable. Prefect Wei has abandoned the right path, and I am heartbroken by that."
Wei Mingsu looked up at her.
Lu Huaying stopped, staring at Wei Mingsu, her dark eyes brightening: "But we've met again, and I've discovered that you haven't changed."
Her tone was absolutely firm.
Wei Mingsu paused, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "You have no idea what I've done in the past four years."
Lu Huaying sighed and said, "I really don't know what you did, but I've been asking about you from Afu and Ayu these past few days. They both say you're a good person, and I've seen you working hard on your official duties... I know that your choice to serve the Emperor wasn't out of flattery, nor for personal power, status, or wealth. The Imperial Family possesses supreme power, yet they are filled with suspicion and internal strife. Behind power lies bloodshed and slaughter. You got caught up in it, and you had no choice but to do so. You have your own helplessness."
The victor is king, the loser is villain; each serves their own master.
Xiao E and the others criticized Wei Mingsu, but they didn't put themselves in his shoes and consider that he had too few choices.
Lu Huaying stared intently at Wei Mingsu: "Prefect Wei, you are in the midst of a whirlpool, yet you have not lost your mind."
She knew that Wei Mingsu had done his best.
Lu Huaying smiled gently: "I am very happy and fortunate because you are still working hard for your ambitions and you have not abandoned your ideals and principles."
"Wood, you're still the same person you always were."
She unconsciously uttered the name "Wood".
The study fell silent.
Wei Mingsu looked at Lu Huaying standing outside the curtain, observing the smile on her face.
It was as if something exploded in my hazy consciousness, and a warm current slowly surged out and spread rapidly.
The curtains swayed slightly, letting in bright sunlight that fell on his face. The light merged into the depths of his eyes, slowly dispelling the shadows.
He shifted slightly, his brow furrowed.
The pain in the affected area brought him back to his senses.
Wei Mingsu suddenly regained his senses, lowered his eyes, and his eyelashes obscured the light in them.
Lu Huaying finally mustered up her courage and said what she wanted to say to Wei Mingsu.
She exhaled, looked at Wei Mingsu, and smiled, "Prefect Wei, in life, there are gains and losses. You have your own pursuits and principles, so don't worry about anything else, just keep moving forward!"
Wei Mingsu gripped the sheepskin tightly.
It was as if a strong wind had blown away the dark clouds, and suddenly a large patch of dazzling light fell from above.
He looked at the sheepskin, suppressed the boiling heat in his heart, and said, "Okay."
Lu Huaying's smile became even brighter.
she
He ran over and rambled on incoherently, saying so many silly things to Wei Mingsu.
He responded to her.
very nice.
Suddenly, the sound of bells rang out in the distance.
It was getting late, and Xiao Suniang and the others were still waiting for her.
Lu Huaying raised her head, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Then... I'm leaving."
Wei Mingsu closed his eyes and nodded.
Lu Huaying smiled at him, turned and left. When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, turned back to look at Wei Mingsu, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Prefect Wei, please take care."
He already has gray hair; these past four years must have been incredibly difficult for him.
After she finished speaking, she turned and left.
Behind him, Wei Mingsu's voice rang out.
"The same to you."
Lu Huaying paused for a moment, turned around, smiled and nodded to Wei Mingsu, then walked out with light steps and a graceful figure.
Her figure disappeared through the doorway.
The curtain was still swaying gently.
After she left, Wei Mingsu raised his head and stared in the direction she had left, his gaze lingering for a long time.
...
Lu Huaying rode A Yu's mount out of the city.
She caught up with Xiao Suniang, Wang Yu, and the others, returned the horse to A Yu, boarded the carriage, opened the box, and picked up the Xiliang knife.
The blade was gleaming.
She gently stroked the knife, her fingertips icy cold.
This familiar feeling brought back memories from many years ago.
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