Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The finale, let’s enjoy it together…
A few months later.
Ji Yang and Lou Qi met again on the willow bank southeast of Zichuan.
The sun was rising, the water shimmered in golden light, and all was still and silent. The two generals who had once faced death side by side were now kings of their own respective regions.
The two men sat opposite each other on the embankment, with a newly painted landscape painting spread across the desk. The landscape was magnificent, with the power divided into two poles.
Ji Yang spoke first: "Dongyang is stable, Xiliang has surrendered, and now that Beiting has defeated you, it will regroup. The fragmented world is finally over."
Lou Qi nodded, his eyes glancing over the scroll. "Neither you nor I seek fame, but people need it to feel at ease. So, why not just go with the flow?"
So, the two of them made a new covenant:
The state of Jiyang was named Yu State, with its capital at Zichuan. It governed Dongyang and the old Xiliang areas. It inherited the old system but reformed its shortcomings, reorganized its political program with military rituals, and stabilized the country with the will of the people.
Lou abandoned the name of his country and renamed it Yan State, still making Youzhou its capital. He controlled the lands of Hanbei and Beiting, reconciled the rebel army, reopened trade routes, protected the people with soldiers, and established his country on trust.
The two countries did not claim to be vassal states of each other, each was its own king, and did not invade each other.
The covenant was written, the strokes of the pen swaying with a gust of wind. Lou Qi signed his name with a smile, saying, "People say you are cold and unsympathetic, but I think you have a warm heart beneath the cold."
Ji Yang did not answer, but just looked in the direction of Zichuan, but a warm look that had never appeared before appeared on his lips.
Not long after, Dongyang officially moved its capital to Zichuan.
This is Jiang Ci's wish. She once said, "That's where I grew up, and it's where you and I started."
Ji Yang knew what she was thinking, so he ordered the relocation of the capital from Fengdu and the construction of a new palace in Zichuan. He established a new policy, still respecting the old system but not the old name. He reorganized the government, accepted people from humble backgrounds, stopped conscription, comforted the people, and reorganized the five ministries and six departments, which attracted attention from all over the world.
Jiang Ci was the queen and Lu Linchuan was the prime minister.
Not long after, Ji Yang personally drafted an edict to confer the title of Marquis of Dongyang on his nephew Ji Yunfan, who would inherit the title without any interruption and would not be concerned with court affairs.
On the other side, in the backyard of Xie's house, Chu Yao was gently coaxing two babies in swaddling clothes. One of the twins was crying, while the other was quiet. They looked soft and somewhat similar to her.
She gently placed the child in the cradle, lowered her head and kissed their forehead, her eyes gentle and melancholic. Her fingertips slid through the child's soft hair, and she whispered softly, "How adorable."
Suddenly, there was a sound of footsteps outside the door.
The eunuch from the palace walked quickly into the room and presented something.
The white silk, pure and flawless, glowed coldly under the candlelight.
Chu Yao glanced at Bai Ling, then at the two children in the cradle. She didn't say anything, but just raised her head slightly and seemed to smile.
That smile carried a calm determination.
"I see."
The palace maid said nothing, bowed and retreated, closing the door and leaving the room in dead silence.
…
Not long after, Madam Xie and Mr. Xie hurried over. When they heard that someone had come to visit the palace, they were choked by a strange chill that hit them before they could even open their mouths to ask.
"Yao'er?" Mrs. Xie called out anxiously and pushed the door open.
Inside, lights flickered, and two children babbled in their cradles, safe and sound. Only a chair stood by the bed.
Chu Yao was hanging on the beam behind the chair, her eyes tightly closed, but a gentle curve still remained at the corners of her lips.
Mr. and Mrs. Xie stood there in shock, their bodies trembling violently, unable to recover for a long time.
No edict, no charges.
Just one sentence: I am ordered to die.
There was no funeral ceremony, no tombstone was allowed, and he was not allowed to be buried in the Xie family's ancestral land.
Leaving a pair of children who were still young and ignorant of the world to be raised by the Xie family was Ji Yang's ultimate kindness.
In the evening, Yin Shuang rarely changed out of her military uniform. She wore a plain black suit, her long hair tied up high, and the sword at her waist was still unfastened. However, she looked less solemn and more heroic and free and easy.
Today is her day off. The streets are bustling with people, children are chasing each other and shouting, it is a lively scene.
Yin Shuang was halfway along when she suddenly heard someone calling her, "General Yin."
She paused and turned to look.
Across the street, Lu Linchuan was standing with his sleeves folded, his eyes and brows as gentle as ever.
He walked towards her, his tone calm and intimate: "Wangyue Tower has just released a pot of pear blossom white. I wonder if General Yin would be free to enjoy a cup?"
Yin Shuang wanted to refuse, but she saw the sincerity and smile in his eyes. She was silent for a moment, and finally nodded.
…
By the window on the second floor of Wangyue Tower, two people sat opposite each other and drank.
The streets are bustling outside the window, and the aroma of wine is wafting under the curtains.
The waiter brought a pear blossom white cup, and Yin Shuang poured a glass herself and gently pushed it towards him: "Prime Minister Lu, you are too polite. I am not used to socializing. Today, we will not talk about empty formalities."
Lu Linchuan took the wine glass, his eyes slightly curved: "Then treat it with sincerity."
The two men raised their glasses, and after the wine had passed through their throats, they both felt slightly tipsy.
As they sat opposite each other, their words, though light, held hidden meanings. Their eyes occasionally met, then quickly averted.
Yin Shuang said softly, "Now that the war has ended, as a general, I must lead the army to defend the borders and protect peace in the world. I must live up to the armor I wear and the trust the queen has placed in me."
Lu Linchuan looked at her, his tone calm but firm: "A new dynasty has begun, and many things need to be rebuilt. Although I am not capable of fighting on the battlefield, I am willing to write and formulate policies, and make reforms and innovations. A clear government, peace and prosperity for the country and the people, is my lifelong wish."
The two raised their glasses again.
"Then I wish us all," Yin Shuang's eyes sparkled, "that we can all achieve our wishes."
"Everyone can achieve their goals and live a life without regrets." Lu Linchuan continued with a tenderness in his eyes.
The wine is finished, the curtain falls, and the wind rises.
The two walked out of the Moon Watching Tower side by side and stood in front of the stone steps. The street lights were just coming on and there were few pedestrians.
Yin Shuang looked at Lu Linchuan, her eyes clear but not avoiding: "Thank you for the invitation today."
Lu Linchuan also looked at her without saying anything. He knew that some things did not need to be said too clearly.
The two turned and parted.
Three years later, the new Zichuan Palace was finally completed, with majestic corridors and palaces.
That day, Jiang Ci and Ji Yang moved into the new palace together, still living in the same room. Servants came and went, furnishings were carefully arranged, and the room was filled with the aroma of her favorite spices.
Jiang Ci walked to the steps in front of the palace, looked at the towering palace, and suddenly said softly, "This palace is so big... If I want to see you in the future, I will have to walk a long way."
Her tone was not harsh, but it contained a hint of teasing and a sigh.
Ji Yang walked behind her, stretched out his hands to hold her gently, rested his head on her shoulder, and laughed softly: "If you want to see me, tell me, I will come to see you."
Jiang Ci tilted his head slightly, a faint smile playing at the corner of his eyes. He suddenly turned around and looked up at him: "So what now? Shall we go horseback riding?"
Ji Yang was stunned for a moment, then responded readily: "Okay."
The two men changed into casual clothes and left the palace. When the palace gates were wide open, the people of Zichuan looked up and saw them walking side by side, with the sky behind them like a curtain and the sound of horses' hooves.
They led their horses along a familiar road until they reached the east of Zichuan City, where a verdant meadow stretched as far as the eye could see. In the distance, the mountains were lush and verdant, and a spring breeze blew through the grass, bringing with it bursts of fragrance.
The two of them mounted their horses together, Jiang Ci riding ahead, riding briskly in the breeze. She turned around and saw Ji Yang behind her. She smiled and called out to him, "Zisu, do you think my riding skills are better than yours?"
Ji Yang responded loudly: "Then give it a try!"
Before he finished speaking, he squeezed the horse's belly, speeding up suddenly and quickly catching up. Jiang Ci was not to be outdone, squeezing his legs against the horse's belly, his hair flying, and his whole body flashed across the grass like a flash of light.
The two horses chased each other like kites flying in the wind.
Only when the sun set and golden light filled the sky did they slow their horses and stop beneath a tall old tree. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
They jumped off their horses together and sat down in the shade of the tree, breathing softly.
Jiang Ci tucked the sweat-soaked hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushed. Ji Yang turned sideways, looking at her quietly. She noticed his gaze and turned back as well.
When their eyes met, they all smiled.
Ji Yang raised his hand and gently covered her cheek, then slowly leaned down and kissed her lips.
It was a very light and soft kiss, like the wind blowing across the water.
Jiang Ci raised his arms and put them around his neck, pulling him closer.
Ji Yang leaned close to her ear, his voice gentle and hoarse, as if filled with affection:
"Jiang Ci, you don't know...how much I love you."
At this time in the Youzhou Palace, it was the third year after Lou Qi ascended the throne, and he was still alone.
Since the day he ascended the throne, he had rejected all petitions for a queen or concubines. Even when repeatedly advised, he would simply say, "I don't like being controlled by others."
He gave a wry smile, thinking back to the Lantern Festival three years ago when Zichuan was ablaze with lanterns and he and Jiang Ci had been lighting lanterns side by side. He had once teased her, saying that with her magnanimity, she could become a queen in the future.
But she smiled and replied, "I can't do it. Reporting every day, reviewing memorials, dealing with old officials, no matter how big or small, what is there that I don't worry about? I don't want to do such a tiring job."
He just thought she was joking at that time.
But now, sitting on the throne, he finally understood the true meaning of her words.
He hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time. He had an endless supply of memorials to review, the transition from the old system to the new policy, the instability of the frontiers, and the frequent factional strife within the court.
He has to bear every decision alone.
At this moment, he suddenly felt very jealous of Ji Yang.
When all else fails, at least she is by his side, able to help him with advice.
He suddenly stood up, slammed the unfinished memorial on the table, and shouted in a deep voice: "Everyone get out."
All the ministers in the hall were stunned and dared not say anything. They filed out tremblingly. After a while, he was the only one left in the hall.
He leaned back in his chair, looked at the golden dragon lantern above his head, and closed his eyes.
When I opened my eyes again, they were filled with tiredness and emptiness.
At this moment, the palace door was pushed open with a creaking sound.
It was his younger brother, Lou Su.
The young man, dressed in plain blue attire, walked with a steady gait and a gentle expression. Seeing his brother like this, he frowned slightly and said, "My dear Prince, the ministers all say that you've been working too hard lately. Even at night..."
Lou Qi suddenly looked at his younger brother in front of him seriously.
He has been studying since he was young, has a gentle temperament, and is decisive in dealing with things. Although he is not outstanding in martial arts, he is quite scheming. Most importantly, he has what Jiang Ci once said, a heart that loves the people like his own children.
"Lou Su, come up." He said lightly.
Lou Su obeyed the order and walked closer, only to see Lou Qi spread out the paper, picked up the pen and ground the ink, and wrote as fast as the wind.
After a moment, he slapped the written imperial edict in front of Lou Su and threw the pen behind him: "Here you go."
Lou Su was startled. He unfolded it and saw that it was an imperial decree that would pass the throne to him. He could hardly believe it: "Brother?"
Lou Qi stood up from his chair and shook his sleeves. "It's yours. I've guarded the throne for three years, so I've done my best."
"You have talent, a kind heart, and the stability and clarity that the people need."
"You are far better than me to be the king."
Lou Su hurriedly stopped him and asked, "Where are you going, brother?"
Lou Qi turned his head and smiled, the moonlight shining on his shoulders. At that moment, the fatigue in his eyes dissipated a little, replaced by a long-lost ease.
"Let's go and see this beautiful land." He said lightly.
"world."
With that, he walked out of the palace. His figure was tall, yet without the heaviness of a king. He was left alone, walking on the wind.
It is the Lantern Festival again. The streets of Zichuan are decorated with lights and colorful lights, and there are crowds of people and laughter everywhere.
Jiang Ci had changed into a light-colored casual outfit, with a light purple cloak draped over it. Her eyes were clear and bright, and a small plum blossom hairpin was pinned to her temples. She stood in the crowd, looking at the lanterns filling the streets, a smile on her lips.
Ji Yang stood beside her, holding her hand and holding a rabbit lantern in his other hand.
He looked down at her, his eyes full of tenderness and doting: "Walk slowly, don't squeeze us."
Jiang Ci turned his head to look at him and said with a smile: "You are walking too fast."
He immediately slowed down his pace and took her hand as they walked through the crowd, just like an ordinary couple, strolling around the market, watching the lanterns, and chatting and laughing.
Just as they stopped to look at the lantern riddles under a colorful pavilion, someone suddenly reached out and patted Ji Yang's shoulder, and a lazy voice sounded:
"Tsk, as a king, strolling among the crowds holding the queen's hand, aren't you afraid that the people will recognize you?"
Ji Yang was startled and turned around suddenly.
Jiang Ci also turned around, and the two of them said almost in unison: "Lou Qi?!"
The man was dressed in a green shirt, a wine gourd tucked into his waist, his long hair tied up casually. His expression was still as elegant and graceful, though a bit more composed than before. A smile played on his lips as he stood amid the bustling lights, seemingly perfectly attuned to the night's bustling world.
"You're not..." Ji Yang didn't have time to ask.
Lou Qi waved his wine jug towards them, smiling carefreely, "I've come to celebrate the festival with you. By the way, I'd like to have a sip of Wangyue Tower's fine wine."
He said, shaking the half-empty gourd in his hand: "I remember the sweet-scented osmanthus wine there, it tastes good, how about it?"
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