Chapter 93 Character Side Story: Xie Xingzheng
He is a true member of the Xie family, yet also a completely different version of himself.
The Xie family was a military family that made significant contributions to the founding of the Great Xia Dynasty.
Xie Gong had three grandsons: Xingming, Xingzhan, and Xingzheng.
Among them, Xie Xingzheng was the youngest, born in Zhongjing. He learned swordsmanship at the age of four, horseback riding and archery at the age of six, and went to the northern frontier to guard the border with Xie Gong at the age of ten.
At the age of thirteen, he followed his elder brother Xie Xingming to the Northwest to fight against the barbarians.
The Northwest is mostly hilly and desert terrain with rugged landscapes. In addition, the barbarian tribes are fierce and warlike, swift as the wind, and their tribes are scattered.
As a result, the war dragged on for a long time, and the longer it went on, the more difficult it became to obtain food, water and military supplies.
In search of a water source, Commander Xie Xingming led a small team to detour around Jiagu.
The area is characterized by two opposing cliffs, a narrow terrain, and the surrounding area is covered by dead trees.
Due to faulty intelligence, they failed to detect the ambush and were ambushed by the barbarians, who completely cut off their retreat and besieged them in the valley.
The squad was almost completely wiped out, and Xie Xingming was captured alive by the barbarians and taken back to the camp as a trophy.
The barbarians of the Northwest were extremely proud of their ability to capture the Xie family's most outstanding young general.
They wanted him to live so as to humiliate him, but they also feared he might escape. So they broke his legs and severed the tendons in his hands and feet, forcing him to grovel at the feet of the barbarians, begging for mercy.
When Xie's army was in a state of panic due to the lack of generals, Xie Xingzheng took over the command flag in a time of crisis.
While stabilizing the army's formation, they also resisted the barbarians' repeated pursuit.
To save his elder brother, he sent people to seek help from the imperial court and secretly plotted to infiltrate the enemy camp.
Waiting is more painful than being slowly sliced to death.
As night deepened, he stood alone in the desolate Gobi Desert.
The winds in the Northwest are dry and fierce, like knives, making my cheeks sting.
He looked up at the northwest sky, where countless stars seemed within reach.
The air, however, was thick with the stench of decay and blood. So many people had died that he dared not even think about whether his brother would be among them.
The mere thought of such a scene was unbearable for him.
He didn't know what the sword in his hand could actually protect.
At this moment, he could neither recklessly charge into the barbarian lands to rescue his brother, nor could he stop one soldier after another from dying in battle.
Over the course of two years, they achieved more than one resounding victory.
There have been more than a few opportunities to call it quits.
He didn't know why the imperial court still wanted to fight.
The war was to continue, as if it were waiting for more people to die in the Northwest.
Many generals come from military families, and there are no weak soldiers in the army.
Everyone considered it an honor to shed blood on the frontier and die on the battlefield.
But when a person dies, they are truly dead.
Even the most glorious victories are built upon countless lives and sacrifices.
Fortunately, that night...
Chaos suddenly broke out in the barbarian's victory celebration tent.
Xie Xingzheng seized the opportunity and led a surprise attack, winning against overwhelming odds and successfully rescuing Xie Xingming, who was still barely alive.
No one knows what kind of willpower Xie Xingming had that allowed him to live to that moment with his half-crippled body.
With both legs crippled and covered in hideous wounds, he endured the humiliation and crawled to the general's feet amidst the mocking laughter of the entire tent at the banquet.
A sharp shard of porcelain was held in the mouth.
While the barbarians were laughing and joking and letting their guard down, he seized the opportunity, pounced on them with his broken body, bit the general's neck, and slashed the broken porcelain into his flesh.
While taking the other person's life, they also left a hideous scar on their own face.
Xie Xingming, his mouth full of blood, looked at the chaos in the camp and saw countless barbarians rushing in, intending to tear him to pieces.
He burst into laughter.
If A-Wu hadn't already infiltrated the tent and blocked half of the swords for him at the crucial moment...
I fear that by the time the two Xie brothers storm in, only one corpse will remain.
Xie Xingming survived.
However, he became disabled for life and could only spend his days in a wheelchair.
My elder brother has fallen ill.
But the rest of the Xie family cannot fall.
Beside them were tens of thousands of soldiers of the Great Xia; behind them were several cities of the Great Xia.
Because of his merits in the Northwest, Xie Xingzheng was valued by Emperor Wen of Chu at the age of fifteen and was gradually promoted to the position of commander-in-chief, where he truly began to shoulder heavy responsibilities.
He replaced his elder brother Xie Xingming and led troops to Nanyue.
From that moment on, he became famous overnight.
At that time, he was still a child, but he already carried a heavy burden of bloodshed.
Amidst the ruins, he sometimes didn't know whether to be grateful to be alive or to regret being alive.
The people of Daxia were impressed by his youthful spirit and triumphant return.
The song praises the Xie family for their generations of loyalty and dedication to protecting their home and country. It's as if the word "legend" was born to be associated with them.
People sighed: Why don't men carry Wu hooks and seize fifty states beyond the passes?
Xie Xingzheng truly deserves the reputation of being the number one young general of the Great Xia Dynasty.
At the time, no one knew that on the battlefield, he watched one person after another die before his eyes.
He has subordinates, friends, and family.
He used to feel nauseous at the smell of blood and couldn't sleep when he saw blood.
Have you not seen, at the head of Qinghai, where countless bones have remained uncollected since ancient times?
Back in Zhongjing, on those sleepless nights, he seemed to constantly hear the cries of the new and old ghosts from beyond the Great Wall.
He stole his brother's life, which was destined for greatness.
But they could not become dashing, proud, and fearless youths.
In the years that followed, he even waited to return to the battlefield.
When I die in battle, I will be wrapped in a horse's hide.
That way, he might be able to let go completely.
Instead of waiting to collect someone's corpse, build someone's tomb, and then lament for them.
No one in this world is born with a resilient mind; no one's suffering is any less than that of others.
Can……
Everything will pass if you just endure it.
Just like that soft heart.
Once it has been polished enough, it will eventually take shape and become indestructible.
He is a true member of the Xie family, yet he is also a completely different version of himself.
*
Later, in the vast sea of people, he met a little liar who was a complete fraud from beginning to end.
But they discovered that beneath the facade, she possessed a heart more insightful than anyone else's.
Despite the complexities of life, she remained undaunted in facing herself.
Despite wearing a human skin mask, she seemed more like a real person than anyone else.
He always believed that his inner desires were not important.
What's important is one's stance and responsibility, and to upholding the honor of the Xie family.
On that late night at Yunling Mountain, for the first time, he felt a longing to let go of everything and spend the rest of his life with the person in front of him.
It's not strange to fall for someone more vibrant and alive.
But when the blurry light and shadow appeared before him and he saw those emerald eyes, he finally felt fear.
*
He fled back to Zhongjing, but had no choice but to immediately head to Xia Nan.
"Sometimes it's not so bad for people to be a little selfish."
Before leaving Beijing, his elder brother Xie Xingming looked at him and smiled.
"You've done a great job."
At that time, Xie Xingzheng did not understand.
Am I really doing a good job?
Even when the decision was made to leave Tang Yu in Xia Nan and return to the capital alone to face punishment.
He still carried a burden of guilt towards everyone.
Perhaps, all he wanted was for Tang Yu to live.
Both selfish and weak.
*
Fate ultimately made the perfect choice for the two of them.
The night before he left for southern Xinjiang, his elder brother said to him again, "Although the Xie family is a military family, it is also a family that is not very big."
“Look, the Xie family once lost a young general. Now, he has to rely on others to get around him.”
"What difference would it make if one more person who is not a general were to join the army?"
Xie Xingming paused, his tone gentle, his eyes smiling.
"When you return victorious, please give my regards to your younger brother and sister-in-law."
*
He was not interested in bloodshed and killing, nor was he obsessed with fame and achievements.
No matter where the battlefield is, in the end, people will inevitably be displaced and fields will be abandoned.
No matter how many victories were won, countless soldiers died, and there was endless bloodshed.
No matter how hard you try, there will always be an ever-increasing weight of responsibility on your shoulders.
On the frontier, he had brothers who had risked their lives for him, his family, and the greater good of his country.
There is everything there, and any value a young person can realize.
But the one person he loved was not among them.
There is no Tang Yu.
Even amidst the glint of swords and the clash of spears, a soft spot remained in his heart.
He has already done enough.
What's wrong with having fewer in the future?
When the war ended, the Great Xia Dynasty emerged victorious.
Xie Xingzheng removed his black armor, ready to die on the battlefield, and let go of everything.
Though new scars have appeared, the boy is no more.
But a life in a secluded corner of the mountains, with a few simple dishes, the occasional visit of four or five old friends, and the companionship of a loved one, is perfectly acceptable.
Forgiving yourself is a kind of liberation.
He never named his sword.
On the battlefield, weapons are constantly being wielded; as long as one can kill the enemy, that is enough.
Today, that sword remains on the battlefield in the southern borderlands.
From then on, the world was in turmoil.
Ultimately, it has little to do with Xie Xingzheng anymore.
*
"You still haven't told me," Tang Yu tilted her head, her tone light, "what exactly did you see in your dream back then?"
Xie Xingzheng was taken aback, his ears turned slightly red, and he pursed his lips in silence.
"What?" Her smile deepened, and she deliberately leaned closer. "You just can't say it out loud?"
Tang Yu lowered her voice, carrying a subtle allure, and gently brushed against his ear, "Don't you want me to help you turn your dream into reality?"
Whispering sweet nothings, "What kind of dream was it, exactly?"
She paused, then softly called to him, "Hmm, Zheng?"
Xie Xingzheng could no longer bear it.
He couldn't think of a better way to distract her, so he lowered his head and sealed her lips with a kiss.
The kiss was warm, the breath was scalding, just like the person whose arms were wrapped around his neck.
It is passionate and genuine.
The room is filled with the warmth of spring, as the moon sets and the sun rises.
Who knows what to eat tomorrow?
When worldly affairs are over, there may be lonely souls after death.
At least they found a good place to go.
[Author's Note]
Why shouldn't a man carry a Wu hook and seize fifty states beyond the passes? — Li He, "Thirteen Poems of Nanyuan, No. 5"
Have you not seen, at the head of Qinghai Lake, where countless white bones lie unburied since ancient times? New ghosts wail in anguish, old ghosts weep, their cries echoing in the damp, overcast sky. —Du Fu, "The Ballad of the War Chariots"
Random thoughts:
Please, everyone, take a look at my pre-order novel, "Destined for Misfortune." I'll put the synopsis at the end again. There are no more epilogues here. I originally didn't want to write about Xie Xingzheng; I wanted to write about Xie Xingming, but the older brother's life is just too tragic, and I keep wanting to cry (the author's writing is mediocre, but they're good at self-indulgent sentimentality). But finishing the novel makes me truly happy, and I'm so grateful for everyone's support. I hope you are all happy!
Pre-order "Destined for Misfortune":
One-sentence caption:
The female protagonist: The growth story of a legendary doctor.
Male lead: A foolish man regains his memories, becomes a scumbag in his quest for revenge, and ultimately suffers a heartbreaking fall as he tries to win back his wife.
Super short copy:
Some people seem to be born with heavier responsibilities than others.
Like Si Huo, perhaps she owed someone something in her past life. So in this life, she is destined to carry Xu Sangyun's heavy burden.
Wandering the world, traveling far and wide, learning and growing.
Extra-long copy:
The Si family, one of the nine prominent families in the martial arts world, has practiced medicine for generations.
Si Huo was born on the day his mother died in childbirth.
The Taoist master predicted that this girl was born with misfortune and needed to leave her hometown before she came of age, otherwise she would bring disaster to her entire clan.
When she was ten years old, she almost fell off a cliff while digging for medicinal herbs on the mountain. She was rescued by Xu Sangyun, who was brought to the Si family by her family for medical treatment.
Ten years later, Si Huo, who had left home to wander the world and practice medicine to help the needy, met Xu Sangyun again, only to find that he had become a fool.
The God of Calamity was unaware of what had happened to him, but even though it wasn't a matter of saving his life, he should still repay the debt with gratitude.
From then on, a big tail followed her.
Rumor has it that the young healer of the Si family has changed his rules for seeing patients. Those seeking his help must first buy candy and appease that silly, big-tailed fellow!
Later, the silly big tail was cured by her, but he completely forgot about her.
And she became a fox with a severed tail.
It doesn't affect my life, but it does affect my mood.
It's like the candy you couldn't bear to eat; one day, you find it has melted.
After feeling sad, Si Huo thought: Life is the same no matter how you live it.
Later, that big tail, both clever and foolish, came back crying and begging her:
How could they all be the same!
It's different if you live with me!
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