Chapter Thirty-Five: Northern Melody, Southern Wind, and Distant Directions
Qi Kun stood up, supporting himself on his knees, and smiled as he looked at Yang Xiao, who had run to the railing. "She gets excited as soon as she hears that Tongxi is going north with us, and she can't calm down for days."
Bai Ming watched Yang Xiao's joyful figure disappear into the distance and couldn't help but chuckle with emotion, "To reunite with an old friend without having to say goodbye," he turned back and smiled at Qi Kun, "anyone would be excited for a long time."
Qi Kun smiled without saying a word, glanced at Bai Ming, then looked at Yang Xiao in the distance, and walked towards the railing.
Yang Xiao rested her chin on her hand, gazing at the few fishing boats slowly approaching on the river. She then looked back at Bai Ming, who had come to stand beside her, and couldn't help but point to the small boat at the very front that broke through the ripples in the water.
Bai Ming smiled and nodded at her, then leaned over the railing and gazed at the few small boats swaying on the river.
"The river is wide and the waves are fierce—"
The fisherman's long chants echoed across the water again. Yang Xiao was startled by the sound, but then excitedly patted Cen Xun's shoulder, "Tongxi, listen, isn't this the song I heard when I went north?"
Cen Xun smiled and nodded at her, "Who says otherwise?"
Yang Xiao excitedly gripped the railing and peered down, only to see the fisherman using a pole to push the small boat forward, one stroke at a time.
"The fish's shadow leaps and dives, but has nowhere to rest—"
She immediately put her hands to her mouth, leaned on the railing, and shouted in response, "The world is in chaos, but heroes rise!"
The fisherman's song paused, as if he had become interested in the sudden northern tune. He turned his head and looked up at Yang Xiao on the warship, waving from his small boat as if waiting for her next line.
Seeing this, Yang Xiao became even more excited. She leaned on the railing and waved, "Breaking through the clouds and traversing the seas, bringing peace to the world!"
The soldiers rowing on the lower deck of the warship also became excited and cheered. Some even shouted to the fisherman that they wanted to sing another line.
Bai Ming was stunned by the scene before him. The towering warships and the swaying fishing boats sang folk songs to each other, echoing each other. The southern tunes and northern accents overlapped without any sense of incongruity. The same was true for the singing and dancing of the general and the common people.
Perhaps this is the magnificent scene of military and civilian life that everyone in the world longs for.
"How is it?" Yang Xiao leaned on the railing and looked at Bai Ming and Cen Xun beside her.
Bai Ming looked back at Yang Xiao and couldn't help but exclaim, "How beautiful! I never expected that our General Lingyu could sing a fisherman's song from Jiangnan."
"Having followed Lingyue Pavilion for so long, you should at least know a few lines, right?" Yang Xiao smiled as she looked at Bai Ming's approving eyes, then turned back and poked Cen Xun, "Tongxi, how was it? How was it?"
“You didn’t sing it last time, but you started singing it again this time,” Cen Xun said with a smile, looking at Yang Xiao. “It’s just that accent… it doesn’t sound like a fisherman’s song from Jiangnan, but rather like a mountain song from the North.”
"Honestly," Yang Xiao glanced at Cen Xun with feigned displeasure, "You just can't learn your soft Wu dialect accent, if you're so good, then you do it."
Looking at the green hills and clear waters, Cen Xun felt inexplicably happy. "Okay," she readily agreed, smiling at Yang Xiao, "I'll say a few words too."
The soldiers on the boat couldn't help but get excited upon hearing this, and the whole boat was filled with cheers. The fisherman, not understanding what was going on, leaned out to ask the soldiers, and when he learned that Cen Xun was about to sing, he couldn't help but raise his pole and shout encouragingly.
"Quick, play one." Yang Xiao glanced at Cen Xun with hopeful eyes and waited quietly.
Cen Xun smiled at her and cleared his throat, "You're here."
The river surface immediately quieted down, with only the sound of waves audible.
Cen Xun gazed at the scene before him, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
"Who knows the chirping of the sparrows, their calls echoing in the beautiful canals of Jiangnan. Two carp leap together, stirring up ripples; who waits for my return by the riverbank?"
A few chirps of birds mingled with her soft, Wu dialect singing, each word dancing between her teeth, making one's heart melt.
Cen Xun slowly opened her eyes, gazing at the shifting mountains and flowing water as she watched the boat sail by. Her lips parted slightly, her tone shifting subtly, yet only adding to her sorrow.
"The smoke of war rises lightly, hastening our passing; today, though I have wine, my heart is filled with sorrow. Where on earth can I find my beloved, to hold hands and grow old together?"
The sound of waves surged around them, and the melody echoed through the azure sky. Cen Xun gripped the railing tightly with both hands, took a deep breath without letting it slip, and spoke in a tone that sounded like a sob, or perhaps brimming with indignation.
"Though I possess a wealth of knowledge, how difficult it is to fully express it! I set sail north to Anhe Mountain, leaving behind my loyal heart—"
Cen Xun suddenly stopped, listening intently to the sound of the water, then closed her eyes again, "In, Jiang, Nan."
For a moment, even the river seemed to calm down. Cen Xun had already stopped, but the lingering sound still echoed in everyone's hearts, refusing to dissipate for a long time.
Yang Xiao looked at Cen Xun with eyes full of surprise, but a layer of sadness inexplicably settled in her heart. But when she saw Cen Xun turn his head and smile at her, she couldn't help but clap her hands, "Good! Tongxi, you're really something."
Everyone snapped out of their daze, and the people on the warship and the fishermen on the fishing boat cheered and applauded. Yang Xiao smiled and put her arm around Cen Xun's shoulder, "However, Tongxi, it sounds good, but," she pointed to the vast waves and green mountains in front of her, and then looked back at Bai Ming and Qi Kun, "in the face of such worldly affairs, your song is still a bit lacking."
Upon hearing this, Cen Xun tilted his head and smiled at Yang Xiao, "Looks like I've just thrown out a brick to start a fire?"
Yang Xiao smiled at her, then leaned on the railing and waved to the people on the lower deck of the warship. The crowd immediately waved and shouted, urging her to speak quickly.
Her face was full of confident and carefree pride, and when she spoke, it was as if she had quelled all the flames of war in the world.
"Dragons beat and phoenixes clash, swords point to whom to shatter the heavens? Divine steeds tread far through a thousand snows, a heart full of bravery and freedom!"
This time, Yang Xiao completely shed the charm of Jiangnan and adopted a thoroughly northern accent, his voice full of enthusiasm and passion, which prompted the group of northern soldiers to cheer and echo him.
She leaned against the railing, gazing at the birds soaring in the sky, and stretched out her arms as if to embrace the vast landscape in her heart.
"The fog over the mountains and rivers will eventually be lifted, and wherever the spear goes, no one will be able to stand against it."
With one hand gripping the railing and the other pointing straight to the distant green mountains, Yang Xiao recited, "The tiger that once lurked in Jizhou now roars, its spirit swallowing Chang'an and stabilizing the land!"
"Good!" Yang Xiao's voice stopped abruptly, and everyone burst into cheers. Bai Ming clapped his hands beside her, turning his head to smile at her, "Lingyu, I have to say I look at you in a new light today."
"Right?" Yang Xiao smiled arrogantly, raised her head, and then turned back to put her arm around Cen Xun's shoulder. "Tongxi, what do you think?"
Cen Xun gazed at the green hills and clear waters before him with a relaxed expression, nodded contentedly, and then playfully tapped Yang Xiao's nose with a light laugh, "Truly worthy of being the ever-victorious general of Jizhou."
Qi Kun leaned against the railing, smiling as he looked at Yang Xiao's expectant eyes. He shook his head with a sigh and teased, "Your poem has no problem in terms of momentum and tone, but you didn't rhyme at all."
Yang Xiao was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. "Then..." she pointed at Cen Xun in a defensive manner, "Tong Xi didn't bet all of them either."
“At least Tongxi bet half of it,” Qi Kun joked with a smile, “Don’t tell anyone I taught you to do this when you go out.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao pretended to be angry, crossed her arms, and glanced back at Bai Ming.
“After all, it was a last-minute choice of words, so there are bound to be some oversights,” Bai Ming immediately understood her thoughts, smiled and shook his head, gently reassuring her, “It’s alright, it’s alright, I’ll cover for you.”
“Alright, Lingyu,” Cen Xun patted Yang Xiao’s shoulder and looked down from the railing, “Look quickly.”
The sound of horns could be heard, and banners fluttered in the wind. The northern soldiers on the warships sang folk songs, taking advantage of Yang Xiao's momentum, and the fishermen rowed their boats to join in.
One army, one civilian, one in the south, one in the north, one fighting, one fishing—several boats sailed together, responding to each other. These two seemingly unrelated entities blended together without any sense of incongruity; everything was so peaceful and serene.
Bai Ming stood by the railing, looking with deep emotion at the soldiers and civilians tossing each other with souvenirs. He then looked at Yang Xiao and Cen Xun beside him and let out a long sigh, "If only things could always be like this from now on."
“Yes,” Yang Xiao replied cheerfully, gazing at the magnificent scenery before her, even the sound of the waves seemed to fall silent for a moment.
She couldn't help but turn back to look at Bai Ming. Their eyes met for a moment, and Yang Xiao was slightly taken aback, then smiled with relief. She took a step closer to Bai Ming and leaned on the railing. "Sharing joy with the people, perhaps this is what it means."
"Who says otherwise?" Bai Ming chuckled and leaned against the railing. Besides feeling sentimental, he also felt a touch of excitement. He propped his head up and secretly glanced at Yang Xiao. When their eyes met, he quickly shook his head with a chuckle, pretending to look at the scenery. However, a blush crept onto his face without him realizing it.
If things could stay this way forever, how wonderful that would be.
Cen Xun leaned against the railing, gazing at the rows of small fishing boats beside the warship, bathed in sunlight. She couldn't help but smile with satisfaction. "I've long heard that the people under Lord Zhongli's command are like one big family. Today, it seems that's indeed the case." She smiled and looked at Yang Xiao. "Not only under his command, but you and the common people must be the same, right?"
"Of course," Yang Xiao chuckled, raising her hand to Cen Xun's shoulder and teasingly asked, "It's almost noon, what would our new family member like to eat?"
Cen Xun stared at Yang Xiao's smiling eyes for a moment, then smiled in relief, "We're finally heading north, how about we try some of your local specialties?"
Yang Xiao tilted her head and pondered for a while, then smiled gently, patted Cen Xun's shoulder, and walked towards the stairs.
"Mu Fei!"
"Hey! General, they're here!"
A series of light footsteps echoed along the wooden stairs. A young soldier on the lower level peeked up the stairs, then, holding a fish that a fisherman had thrown to him, ran up the stairs with a smile.
“General, look,” Mu Fei raised the fish in his hand and showed it off with a smile, “It was given to me by the people on the fishing boat.”
Looking at his carefree attitude, Yang Xiao couldn't help but reach out and ruffle his hair. "Have you thanked the people yet?"
“Of course, I’m not a child anymore,” Mu Fei said with a smile, tilting his head back. “But, General, the song you and Miss Cen sang just now was really beautiful.”
Yang Xiao waved her hand, "Alright, alright, stop being silly. Tongxi finally came north with us, so she definitely has to try the specialties of Hebei and Henan. Pack your things and go show off your skills."
"Alright!" Mu Fei nodded, turned and ran, then suddenly stopped and ran back. "General, what would you like to eat?"
Yang Xiao paused for a moment, then nonchalantly tossed her head at him, "We'll eat whatever you make." After Mu Fei ran off happily, she couldn't help but chuckle and sigh, "That child."
"Is this one of your soldiers?" Before she knew it, Cen Xun had walked up behind her. "He doesn't look very old."
“Yes,” Yang Xiao stretched her arms, turned around and smiled at Cen Xun, “He’s only a teenager. His parents used to run a restaurant, but when things got chaotic, he volunteered to join the army.”
Cen Xun watched Mu Fei's lively figure and nodded slightly, "The younger generation is truly formidable."
"He's on my Hawks team now. Do you know how he got selected?"
"By ability? Or by guts?" Cen Xun tilted his head at Yang Xiao. "Or did you feel a deep connection with him and specially recruit him?"
Yang Xiao smiled and shook her head. "No, it's him. He's a good cook. Yu De said before that as long as he's here, the whole army will be able to eat well, so we brought him here."
Cen Xun was taken aback, looked at Yang Xiao in disbelief, and laughed, "This works too?"
"Don't be skeptical," Yang Xiao patted her back, "Just wait and see."
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