Chapter 402: Chivalrous and Courageous
The field mouse died on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the night of Little New Year.
That day should have been a day for family reunion, but he was tragically killed by Liang State spies and lay alone on the deserted street.
It was not until the next morning that patrol soldiers discovered his body.
Just across the wall from his body was a temporary Tzu Chi Hall, which housed orphans in the city who were homeless for various reasons.
Among them were the brothers Li Cheng and Li Zhi.
He went to the restaurant specifically to buy food to celebrate the fact that the two brothers of the Li family had temporarily found a good home and no longer had to wander around like him.
But not long after he left the restaurant, he saw two people with suspicious behavior.
No one knew what happened that night. When the patrolling officers and soldiers found the body of the field mouse, they also found a map on the bodies of the two Liang spies.
Following the map, they found the kerosene they had buried, which was enough to burn down half of the border town.
"He's quite clever." Song Yanxi bent down to put the tributes away one by one, then looked around and asked, "Why did you choose such a desolate place?"
Neither nestled against a mountain or near a river, nor facing the rising sun, the solitary grave looks particularly desolate.
Chang Jiu squatted beside him, wiping the dust off the tombstone. He pursed his lips and said, "Brother Tian said he was a life saved from a mass grave, and he wanted to be close to it even after his death."
He stretched out his hand and waved his finger, saying, "That's the mass grave."
Recalling what the field mouse had said, Song Yanxi chuckled, "He does know how to choose a spot. He's not afraid of getting too close and being dug out and chewed by those wild dogs."
Chang Jiu shook his head: "I can't dig it out. The fire burned it all."
Without waiting for Song Yanxi to ask, he continued, "Brother Tian said that when he was a killer, he offended too many people. He was afraid that his grave would be dug up and he wouldn't be able to rest in peace after his death. He told me early on that he wanted to burn him to death. He picked a clear day and found a good feng shui location to bury him."
Song Yanxi looked at the small mound in front of her, "Is this a cenotaph?"
Chang Jiu shook his head again and explained, "I still have a little bit of ashes left, hidden at the bottom of my clothes. Even if someone comes to dig up the grave, they won't be so cruel.
Even if you want revenge, you won't go toe-to-toe with a pile of clothes."
Song Yanxi touched his head and said, "Well done! If the field mouse knew about this, he would definitely praise you."
Chang Jiu's eyes suddenly turned red, and he mumbled, "I haven't had time to buy Brother Tian a jar of wine yet, even though I promised him that."
As he spoke, tears began to fall uncontrollably.
Mrs. Luo silently put a jar of wine on the table and said, "This daughter's red wine, which has been around for more than 20 years, was buried by my mother when I was young.
Brother Tian is so lucky! My father died early, and even that dead ghost of ours never got to taste it."
"Mrs. Luo, this is too valuable. If Brother Tian knew, he would definitely not accept it." Chang Jiu didn't dare to accept it and quickly declined.
Mrs. Luo did not allow any refusal. She said, "Take it if I give it to you. If Brother Tian could really hear you and heard that you didn't want to give him some good wine, he would definitely give you a hammer."
Thinking of Tian Shu's violent temper, Chang Jiu scratched his head and said, "Brother Tian will definitely beat me up."
After a few jokes, the atmosphere around them became a lot more relaxed.
Chang Jiu squatted down and poured two glasses of wine. He held up one glass in each hand and clinked them together. He poured one glass in front of the grave and brought the other to his lips.
Mrs. Luo was surprised and asked, "You little kid, you can actually drink?"
Chang Jiu looked at the wine glass, then at Song Yanxi, and his movements were inevitably hesitant.
It seems that he really shouldn't be drinking at his age.
Song Yanxi waved her hand, "Just drink a little, it's okay."
If Vole were here, he would definitely put his arm around Chang Jiu's shoulders and say with a grin, "It's okay to have a small sip. It's just a glass of wine and it won't make you drunk.
Besides, what man doesn't drink? Listen to your brother and drink!"
Just then, a breeze blew by, picking up the ashes of the burning paper in front of the grave, making them swirl in front of a few people.
Mrs. Luo said hurriedly, "Brother Tian, you must be satisfied with this jar of aged daughter's red wine!"
She urged, "Hurry, Xiaojiu, pour him another glass."
Chang Jiu agreed and poured another full cup in front of the grave.
The wind that was originally surrounding the crowd suddenly stopped, and the paper ashes in the air slowly fell down, like fluttering moths.
When all the paper ashes fell to the ground, Song Yanxi said softly, "We should leave now. I'll come see you again if I have time."
Chang Jiu wiped the tombstone and said reluctantly, "Brother Tian, don't be angry. I'm just leaving with the princess for a while and will be back."
The cold tombstone cannot respond to the promise made in the young man's tender but weighty voice.
Song Yanxi patted his head and said softly, "Go back."
Chang Jiu nodded and walked out with her, looking back every few steps.
When he was farther away, he dared to ask, "Princess, Brother Tian has passed away. Will the court still hold those corrupt officials he killed accountable?"
Song Yanxi shook her head, "No."
Meeting his somewhat disbelieving gaze, she asked, "You've already said he was a corrupt official. Even if His Majesty knew, he would only praise him for his chivalry and courage, and for upholding justice for those innocent people who died. How could he hold him accountable?"
"Really?" Chang Jiu was not familiar with the law, but he felt that something seemed wrong.
Isn’t it said that the royal family is ruthless? Can Your Majesty be so easy to talk to?
Song Yanxi glanced back, as if answering him or telling the grave lying quietly there, and said softly: "Of course it's true."
"If you don't believe me, when this man has accomplished something and is qualified to meet His Majesty, then ask him in person."
Upon hearing this, Chang Jiu shook his head repeatedly, his eyes filled with fear as he said, "That's His Majesty, how dare I!"
Song Yanxi chuckled, "If it were your elder brother Tian, he would definitely dare to do it."
Chang Jiu nodded hurriedly, eyes full of admiration as he said, "Your Highness would dare to do that, and General Qiu and General Cheng would probably dare to do that too."
"Does General Cheng know that you miss him so much?"
"Ah, Princess, you're not going to complain to General Cheng, are you?"
"uncertain."
"Ah! Madam Luo, please persuade the princess for me. If General Cheng knew about my temper, he would definitely beat my ass to pieces!"
＊
Post station.
When Song Yanxi returned, she saw Eunuch De sitting in the courtyard with a gloomy face. When he saw her enter, he said in a low voice, "Is the princess back?"
"Well, is the father-in-law still awake?"
When she got closer, Song Yanxi saw that Eunuch De looked unhappy. She greeted him and was about to go in.
As they passed each other, Song Yanxi heard him ask, "Have you opened the things that the General's Mansion sent an hour ago? "
“No.”
Song Yanxi stopped and looked back at Eunuch De, "But what's the problem with the things?"
Eunuch De smiled wryly and said, "There's no problem at all. My Lady, you're worrying too much. I was just asking a question."
He glanced at the full moon that had already risen overhead and said, "It's getting late. Princess, please go back and rest quickly. We have to set off early tomorrow morning."
Song Yanxi nodded and walked in. She caught a glimpse of Eunuch De's face which suddenly turned cold.
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