Sima Zhao's ambition
Feelings are like a flood; once they appear, they are unstoppable.
How much of it was genuine is, of course, unknown. But when that floodwaters flowed, they must have been mighty and thunderous.
It roared through the streets and alleys, tearing off ladies' veils, washing away gentlemen's canes, and even staining the sugar figurines of passing children.
When the flood comes, you have nowhere to hide.
If one stands on top of the roof tiles, it will cause the tiles to scatter and collapse;
If you were to venture into a tightly sealed underground cave, it would crack the earth and seep in bit by bit.
When the flood comes, there is nowhere to retreat. Waiting to be submerged is the only wise course of action.
The situation in Lankang escalated to the point that the Japanese were rampaging across the land, their faces beaming with the joy of victory.
Madam Yuan has not been out in the street for a month.
She sat on a wooden chair inside, holding a gray-black hard-shelled fountain pen in her hand, laboriously tracing the characters.
In the past, respectable women were not allowed to learn to write. The most important thing for a woman was to simply be a dutiful husband who would sit upright and wait to carry on the family line.
Embroidering, cooking, and breastfeeding her children.
Being learned is a man's business. They always act as if they have an inescapable duty, as if each of them has a great deal of literature to study. In reality, most of them are just good-for-nothings, their brains spoiled by the rouge and perfume of the pleasure quarters.
Ever since she learned that Third Master Yuan had written a letter to Second Madam, she had been restless and uneasy. On one hand, she was afraid that if Second Madam discovered something, it would cost him his life; on the other hand, she hated her own illiteracy. So she made up her mind and hired a female student to come to her home to teach her to read.
For more than a month, she was so focused on tracing the words in the book that she was completely unaware of what the situation was like outside.
"Madam, please rest." A servant stood by, holding a pot of boiling tea.
She paused for a moment and said, "So the neighbors next door still refuse to sell their grain?"
After a brief silence, the servant said, "He said that from now on, he will not sell to the Third Madam if she comes to buy. That damned thing, he really doesn't know what's good for him and doesn't appreciate kindness."
"That's fine, we can just go to another store."
The owner of the grain store had repeatedly tried to steal from her, and Liao Hai had given him a severe beating. From then on, Liao Hai was furious and refused to sell them a single grain.
The third wife found it amusing, so she waved her hand to send the person away and continued tracing characters.
As the weather turned cooler, the stove in her room was burning brightly, making her face glisten with sweat, and a bead of sweat glistened on her nose.
She wrote until the afternoon, and later that evening, she ate her meal alone at the table. As she put rice grains into her mouth, she was lost in thought, so she ate very slowly.
"What's the situation outside?"
"They say a fight is about to break out. Should we make some preparations in advance?"
She smiled faintly and said, "Let's wait until later, until Third Master's letter arrives, then we'll decide."
After saying that, she thought of his face and couldn't help but worry about his situation, but she couldn't write him a letter herself, so she had to endure it again and again.
A giant spider web became stuck to the giant Lan Kang, and the web grew thinner and thinner. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the day the web would break. At that moment, their lives would hang by a thread, and it would be a sign of certain death.
Therefore, the sky we see every day is actually gray and hazy.
The sun was clearly hanging there as usual, but the people could no longer see it. Their eyes were trapped in spider webs, and their bodies were covered in slime; they had no other choice.
Yet, amidst this haze, some remain carefree. It's not difficult at all; as long as you're willing to sell your soul, you'll receive a hefty reward.
"What are you planning to do to that Miss Yan?" Yi Ling leaned against the door, looking at the bare muddy ground in the yard.
"I have to marry her."
"So you love her?" She turned to look at her, a playful smile on her face.
He couldn't say anything, he just stared blankly at the lace trim on her pajamas.
"Or are you planning to use marrying her as a cover to actually continue harassing me?"
"You know I'm willing to marry you; I truly love you."
"Willing to marry me? Let's not even talk about whether I'm willing. Do you think your parents would allow you to marry a widow so much older than you?" Her sarcasm deepened. She turned and took a few steps inside, stopping as she passed him. "You really are like a child."
Hua Xusheng stood there alone, his expression shifting several times, feeling somewhat defeated.
But he found himself addicted to her, unable to stop thinking about her.
Its chest was overflowing with floodwaters, which surged and pounded, seeking a cathartic release.
...Everything became visibly tense.
"Master Huai, if we successfully take Lan Kang this time, you will be credited with the greatest achievement, and the Imperial Army will certainly not treat you unfairly."
"Mr. Ishio, you're too kind. I only did what I could."
Ishio Sanada was a short man. He was wearing a military uniform and sitting on the sofa opposite him.
He had a deep scar on the side of his nose, said to be from a battle. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed, like a sword poised to strike, ready to pierce the opponent's vitals at any moment.
Huai Xiankun sat up slightly, put his legs down, straightened his back, and said, "Mr. Ishio should know that the port business is my foundation, and I am willing to sell out my country for it. I hope you will not forget this."
"Of course, as long as Mr. Huai continues to cooperate with us, the port business will always be yours, and that will not change."
A flag of the Republic of China was framed in the center of the room. Huai Xiankun glanced at it indifferently and looked away. He stood up to say goodbye to Shiwei, fastening his hat at his side with his right hand.
"Then, I'll be going now."
Ishio watched him walk away, then suddenly kicked the cabinet in front of him. The things inside rattled and fell over, with a few items even falling out with a clatter.
It was a glass jar.
“You pig, you’re just delusional.” With that, he turned his gaze to the glass jar. The jar was shattered into several pieces, and a long, slender finger had fallen out. He knelt down, held the finger in his palm, and kissed it, his expression one of utter infatuation. “…You will soon be completely mine.”
...
If you move a chair to the noisiest street in Lankang and listen carefully, you will hear the repeated sound of waves.
That was the spreading of mountains and rivers about to break through the current, carrying yellow earth, withered grass, and the peaceful souls of the dead who had long since rested on the mountain.
If you suddenly stand up in shock, you'll find that the commotion has vanished without a trace.
Has the storm subsided? Or is a more terrible revenge brewing?
It's making a comeback.
"You'd better not get too close to them."
"If I had a choice, would I choose to be a traitor?"
"Ha, you just can't let go of your business. If you were more open-minded, why can't we go somewhere else?"
"Run? Running away will only lead to a miserable state. It's better to stay here openly. Anyway, the war won't affect us."
Yi Ling smiled and silently took a gun from the drawer and placed it on the table.
"It doesn't matter. At worst, we'll fight to the death. Nobody can have peace."
Huai Xiankun looked at her, his brows gradually furrowing.
"That Hua Xusheng..."
"Him? He's just an immature child who throws tantrums at me all day long, which is a bit of a headache."
"The Hua family is very resistant to Japan. Try to avoid getting involved with them to avoid getting into trouble."
"But I am completely innocent to him. What kind of 'tainting' are you referring to, brother?"
Huai Xiankun tapped her forehead and said, "You are innocent, but his feelings for you are clearly obvious."
Sima Zhao's intentions are obvious to everyone.
"Sima Zhao's intentions?" She laughed loudly.
"What my brother said is quite specific. If that's really the case, then I'll only have more headaches to deal with."
The restless mountain stream meandered from the heights, flowing intermittently yet ever-growing. Finally, at the beginning of the month, it reached the cloud peaks and flowed into a cemetery on the outskirts of the city.
It may not be considered intense, but it is unstoppable.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
