73 Roses
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The night was dark, the river was surging, and a thin mist covered the shore like snowy reeds.
Several swift horses, like sharp blades, broke through the darkness of night and swiftly reached the shore.
Yelu Wang reined in his horse and stood still, gazing at the stars and flames on the opposite bank, his heart surging with emotion.
Since he sent troops from Xijin Prefecture, he crossed the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, landed in Mizhou, and occupied Haizhou and Chuzhou. He was invincible all the way and encountered almost no strong resistance.
On the other hand, the Western Army led by his fourth brother Yelu Jun first fought a fierce battle with Xie Linchuan outside the city of Bianliang, and was later blocked by Zhu Congda in Yingtian Prefecture, and its momentum was already declining.
Although they did not withdraw their troops, they also wanted to preserve their strength.
More news came from Lin'an City: Xie Linchuan supported a ten-year-old boy to fight against the King of Wu, and both sides suffered losses, one was injured and the other died, and the situation became a mess.
What a godsend!
If we don't send troops now, when will we?
He wanted to drink from the Yangtze River and conquer the south of the Yangtze River. Even if he couldn't swallow up the Song Dynasty immediately, he would still encircle Lin'an and achieve lasting achievements!
The commander of Jiangning Prefecture was named Fang Xun. He was a good friend of Zhu Congda and was also considered a talented general.
But Yelu Wang got the news that Lin'an was in disarray and Jiangning had become an isolated city, and there would be no rescue at all.
Even so, he still did not dare to take this battle lightly. He stayed in Majiadu for many days to recuperate and make all the necessary preparations before taking action.
Yelu Wang strode to the riverbank, stepping on the huge pebbles. The river was surging, and his clothes were wet from the incoming waves.
The tide is rising!
He was overjoyed and immediately turned around to mount his horse, ordering: "Send the order, cross the river at three o'clock!"
Tonight is destined to be restless.
Densely packed boats quietly entered the water in the darkness, sailing straight down the river. Only when they reached the center of the river did they hoist their huge sails and hang their fluttering flags.
The Liao soldiers stood on a large ship connected by iron chains, almost as stable as the ground.
Yelu Wang stood at the bow of the boat, full of vigor and confidence.
He was determined to scare the people in Jiangning City, so he ordered all the soldiers to light torches.
In an instant, the dark river surface was brightly lit, as if a ferocious fire dragon was lurking.
On the south bank of the Yangtze River, Fang Xun and Xie Linchuan, both wearing narrow-sleeved military uniforms, stood side by side at Swallow Rock.
He was about thirty years old, a straightforward man, spitting on the ground and rubbing his hands:
"Damn it, this war with the Liao Kingdom is so frustrating. I'm not allowed to do this or that. I'm so angry!"
He was complaining that during the reign of Emperor Xining, he was wavering between peace and war, which led to disadvantageous battles for the generals at the front.
Xie Linchuan lit a firework and watched it explode into blue flames in the night sky before he smiled and said, "Tonight, let General Fang vent his anger!"
On the north bank of the Yangtze River, seeing the fireworks, countless small boats quietly went into the water like ghosts.
Because the small boat was fast and had the wind and current to its advantage, it approached the Liao ship in less than two quarters of an hour.
There were only one or two soldiers on the boat, both of whom were good swimmers. As soon as the two boats met, they immediately ignited the kerosene loaded on them and jumped into the water to escape.
The attack from the small boats was not something to be feared, but there were so many of them, and they were like poison to the tarsal bones, and could not be shaken off.
The waves on the river were high and the wind was strong, and the Liao ships were connected together. If a fire broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Before engaging the Song army, the Liao army was already busy putting out the fire and had lost its composure, lacking the momentum it had when crossing the river.
Yelu Wang was furious when he saw this. He grabbed the deputy general by the collar and asked, "How did the Song army's ships come from behind our army?"
The deputy general was also alarmed. Just as he was about to send someone to investigate, he saw a dense crowd of Mengchong warships on the south bank of the river heading towards him at a high speed.
At the same time, several rocket magazines were fired, causing the people on the boat to flee in panic.
Yelu Wang felt something was wrong and was about to retreat, but he saw another deputy general rushing towards him and said urgently, "Second Prince, Zhu Congda's troops attacked Majiadu, and our camp has been lost!"
"What?" Yelu Wang was horrified and shouted, "Where is Yelu Jun? Isn't he in Yingtian Prefecture holding Zhu Congda back?!"
On the river, the warships of the two countries have mixed together and are fighting in a group.
Countless fireballs exploded, thousands of feathered arrows were fired simultaneously, smoke filled the air, the river was stained with blood, and the sound of shouting and calling was endless.
Amidst the chaos, someone raised his voice and said:
"Yelu Wang, Xixia Yuanhao led an army of 100,000 to attack Datong, and Yelu Jun was ordered by Emperor Xiantian to return to defend the city. What? You didn't know? Or did you know, but didn't return to defend the city, and are planning to rebel against Emperor Xiantian?"
For a moment, the Song army raised their arms and shouted: "Yelü Wang has rebelled! Yelü Wang has rebelled!"
On the Liao army's main ship, several lieutenant generals looked at each other in bewilderment. One of them could no longer bear it and whispered, "Second Prince, do you know Datong?"
Before he could finish his words, the man was stabbed in the chest and fell in a pool of blood in an instant.
Yelu Wang's eyes were bloodshot and he gritted his teeth and said:
"Xie Linchuan is as cunning as a fox, and Yuan Hao is treacherous. Now let's not talk about Datong anymore. Only a fight to the death can save us."
Several deputy generals also realized that it was a life-and-death situation, and they all took orders and retreated.
A night of fierce fighting.
When the red sun rose from the top of Mount Qixia and the morning mist was dispelled, the vast river surface was filled with floating corpses.
On the beach on the south bank of the Yangtze River, Yelu Wang and dozens of his personal soldiers were surrounded.
Fang Xun had fought hard all night and was exhausted, but he was in high spirits. He spat on the pebbles and laughed heartily: "Yelü Wang, you have come to this day?!"
Yelu Wang ignored him and sneered, "Xie Linchuan, what did you do with Yuan Hao? Tell me, my promise may not be inferior to his."
He is surrendering and begging for peace.
Yelu Wang's status was high and he was influential in the Liao Dynasty's political situation. If he stayed, he might be able to exchange a few cities for his own. Thinking of this, Fang Xun was a little tempted.
Blood clots formed in the cracks of Xie Linchuan's black iron armor, and a knife wound ran from his collarbone to his shoulder, leaving a bloody mess. But his eyes were still like quenched blades, blazing and shining.
He walked forward, looking down from above, gazing down at the struggling beast beneath him. He smiled faintly, "Yelü Wang, someone is determined to take your life. Think about it, how have you offended her?"
Yelu Wang was stunned for a moment, then suddenly chuckled and whispered, "Well, that's all."
He suddenly raised his hand and threw something out from his sleeve.
There was a loud bang, and something exploded violently. Instantly, flames and smoke covered the sky.
"Thank you, Prince!" Fang Xun shouted from behind, his heart in his throat!
If Xie Linchuan died, how would he explain to Old Madam Xie? !
…
In Lin'an City, Jiang Qinglan suddenly woke up from his dream, turned over and sat up, with cold sweat on his forehead.
She always liked to light a small lamp before going to bed at night, but with the night pearl, she no longer needed to light a lamp.
At this moment, there was a faint green light at the head of the bed, as if it was the moonlight shining through the green trees.
Jiang Qinglan was stunned for a moment. It was a dream, thank goodness it was a dream!
Tuantuan twisted and turned on the bed like a puppy.
Her Wu Ling blouse was turned up, revealing a round belly button in the middle of her white belly. She murmured, "Cake! I want cake!"
He grabbed the corner of the quilt and put it into his mouth and started sucking.
Jiang Qinglan pulled off her shirt, covered her belly, and then struggled to pull the corner of the quilt out of her mouth.
Seeing that she was talking in her sleep and breathing deeply, and seemed to be fast asleep, he lay down.
However, after tormenting for a long time, I still couldn't fall asleep at all. I had to stay awake all night, staring at the night pearl on the bedside.
The next day, Tuantuan came back happily from outside, holding an oil-paper bag, and rushed into the backyard.
Soon, she came out with a white plate, put it on the table, and pulled Jiang Qinglan out from the counter.
"Sister, come and eat this snow pear tea cake!"
Jiang Qinglan took a look and saw nine small cubes on the white plate.
They are a bit like konjac jelly, translucent in color, but whiter.
Each square is decorated with a petal that looks like a pear blossom. I don’t know what it is made of, but it looks so realistic.
If you get a little closer, you can smell the refreshing aroma of snow pear and a hint of matcha powder.
Tuan Tuan said excitedly, "Last night, I dreamed of an immortal telling me that eating this snow pear tea cake would make all my wishes come true. I just went to Xinjie Ronghefang to check, and they really are selling it!"
If it were in the past, Jiang Qinglan would have thought she was just talking nonsense.
This girl has been in the market for a long time and has learned some tricks. She has done a lot of things like this just to satisfy her greed.
But last night, Jiang Qinglan heard her say "cake" in her sleep with his own mouth, so he no longer suspected anything.
Then Tuantuan said, "Sister, I see you've been frowning a lot lately, and you've lost a lot of weight. If you eat this cake, you'll definitely get what you want."
This child...
Jiang Qinglan felt soft in his heart.
This pastry looks exquisite and must have cost a lot of money. She spent all her pocket money.
Just pick up a piece and eat it.
It is soft, glutinous and delicate when you put it in your mouth, like biting into a juicy pear, with a light tea aroma and a slight astringency, which makes the taste richer.
Tuantuan was so happy to see her sister eating it that she started to talk about the process of making the tea cake that she had seen in the workshop:
Cut the snow pear into small pieces, boil it in water, and then add glutinous rice flour...
Jiang Qinglan listened, but his mind was already wandering.
If you cut a snow pear into small pieces, wouldn't that mean you're separating the pear? Thinking of that taboo, the sweet pear cake in my mouth suddenly turned bitter.
…
A few days later.
The sky was turning pale and roosters were crowing.
Zheng Wang was carrying two baskets of vegetables, his body and the vegetables were covered with morning dew, and he stepped over the threshold.
Behind the counter, Jiang Qinglan was calculating on the abacus.
She hadn't had a good rest these days, and there were two dark circles under her eyelids. The abacus was clattering, but she couldn't remember a single number in her mind.
Seeing Zheng Wang come in, she stopped what she was doing and said, "The dishes look good today."
The cucumber is green and has small white flowers on top; the eggplant is as thick as a child's arm, and with a little dew on it, it is shiny purple; although the bitter melon is small, it is very juicy and looks delicious at first glance.
Zheng Wang frowned and muttered:
"Oh, I've searched all over the market, but I can't find any roses! It's strange, there were so many yesterday, but there are none today!"
He has been researching desserts recently, making some shortbread, glutinous rice balls and the like, and is preparing to make some rose jam as fillings.
Jiang Qinglan said, "If you don't have roses, you can use red bean paste, applesauce, or something like that. Anything is fine."
As for roses, Jiang Qinglan always felt that it was enough to just appreciate them.
She politely declined any food, whether it was flower cakes, rose jam, or rose tea, because she always felt the smell of rotten sweet potatoes.
She thought it was a good thing that she didn't buy roses.
Who would have thought that three days later, Zheng Wang's rose pastry was finally made.
At the dinner table, seeing Tuantuan eating heartily and Zheng Wang's eager eyes, Jiang Qinglan didn't want to refuse their kindness, so he picked up a piece and took a bite.
The buttery crust on the outside is quite good, with a hint of caramel flavor in the rich aroma of oil, which is sweet but not greasy.
But when you bite into the filling, it’s not good. The smell of rotten sweet potatoes comes over you like a tidal wave.
Jiang Qinglan felt a little nauseous. But since everyone was there, it would be indecent to spit it out, so she just swallowed it down, feeling extremely regretful.
Wang Huiniang, who was in charge of purchasing and was concerned about the sales trends in the market, asked curiously, "That's strange. The roses have suddenly run out these past few days. Where did you buy them?"
Zheng Wang laughed and said, "I've been looking for it for a long time but couldn't find any. Who knew there was one in the utility room of our Lukui Courtyard?"
"It's in a wooden bucket filled with clean water, hidden in a corner. Maybe someone bought it sometime ago, but I've forgotten."
Cherry was coming from behind. Upon hearing this, she immediately became anxious: "Brother Zheng, you... turned my roses into stuffing?!"
She was always smiling and cheerful, but suddenly she became so loud and stern that everyone was surprised.
Cherry stretched her neck and continued, "Do you know, I bought that specifically for..."
Before he could finish his words, a man suddenly rushed into the room.
The force was so strong that the door hit the wall with a clang, and then bounced back slowly with a squeak.
Hu Zi was still carrying his schoolbag. He was probably halfway to school when he ran back.
He leaned against the door frame, panting with exhaustion. After taking a breath, he stood up and announced in a voice trembling with excitement:
"Victory! We won in Jiangning! General Zhu, General Fang, and Prince Xie are already outside the gates of Genshan!"
Wang Huiniang and the others were stunned. When they came to their senses, they stood up and cheered.
Only Jiang Qinglan was still confused.
By the time she reached the Imperial Street in a daze, it was already crowded with people.
The needlework stall on the street was overturned, and the young wife didn't bother to pick up the debris. Instead, she used her husband's back as a stool, standing on it and craning her neck to see.
Wang Huiniang looked around and spat, "I was wondering why the roses were gone. Turns out they bought them all!"
On the second floor of the shops facing the street, the windows were all wide open. In countless private rooms, noble ladies were holding large bouquets of roses, looking shy and flirtatious.
They were either wealthy or high-ranking, and had long known about the Jiangning victory through their fathers and brothers in the court. They had actually bought up all the flowers in the city, just waiting for this moment.
Wang Huiniang's eyes turned and she nodded to Yingtao. Together with Hu Zi and Zheng Wang, who were both strong, they worked together to push Jiang Qinglan to the front row.
Jiang Qinglan was feeling dizzy.
As soon as she stood still, she saw soldiers in armor and riding tall horses, three of them in a row, entering from the Genshan Gate.
Because they had won a battle, everyone was in high spirits.
There were so many faces, the same armor, the same horses, her eyes were dazzled.
She didn't know whether she could see him or not, and she felt a little anxious.
…
Zhu Congda, Xie Linchuan and Fang Xun rode on horses and walked side by side.
The streets were crowded with people and the noise was deafening. Zhu Congda was a little surprised: "Why didn't I get this kind of treatment when I won the battle in the past?"
Fang Xun pulled the reins, glanced at Xie Linchuan, and said with a smile: "We two old brothers are blessed by Master Xie."
As soon as you step onto the Imperial Street, countless roses, sachets, and embroidered handkerchiefs fall from the sky, floating like soft waves, layer upon layer.
Soon, Xie Linchuan's head, body, and horse were covered with countless flower petals and powder.
"Thank you, Prince!" "Brother Liuguang!" Various screams filled the road and were endless.
Some were so crazy that they rushed forward to stop the horses, and were dispersed by the government officials who arrived.
Zhu Congda and Fang Xun were close to each other, and their condition was not much better, as they were all covered in fragrance.
Fang Xun brushed the petals off her collar and tutted twice, "The girls in Lin'an City are so bold. How come I heard someone calling me husband?"
He didn't tease Xie Linchuan, but teased Zhu Congda with his sideways face: "Among them, your daughter won't be one, right?"
Zhu Congda's old face immediately turned red.
He was right. Those little darlings in his family did a lot of stupid things for Prince Xie.
Xie Linchuan had originally turned a deaf ear to the flowers and powder, and had been holding back for a long time, but when he heard this, he finally smiled.
There is really no one else who can control the shrewd General Zhu except his pampered daughters.
Everyone was laughing, but the horse was unhappy and shook its head irritably.
It turned out that a rose was also thrown into its ear.
Xie Linchuan wanted to relieve its anxiety, so he picked it up and twisted it between his fingers.
The flowers are delicate, tender, red and bright, with thin green stems and even the thorns removed.
Haha, these little thoughts.
The morning sun broke through the clouds, casting the first ray of golden light full of love. The road ahead was blocked by a dense crowd of people.
When he came to a needlework shop that had been trampled upon, Xie Linchuan seemed to have sensed something in his heart. He suddenly lowered his head and saw her in the surging crowd at a glance.
She was wearing a white dress and a pink skirt, had a plain face, simple hair, and even had a hairpin wrapped around her shoulder.
In an instant, Xie Linchuan's heart was filled with all kinds of emotions.
It was like bursting with joy. It was like melting with happiness. It was like going crazy with excitement.
However, there is also a hint of complaint.
Humph! What a heartless guy! He didn't even dress up to pick him up!
Any girl on the street would be dressed more formally than her.
But her eyes, shrouded in cold mist and frozen in autumn water, were like a deep pool, filled with countless emotions.
This must be stupid.
Xie Linchuan was immediately relieved and proud, smiling brightly, revealing two deep dimples on his lips.
Then, ignoring the severe pain in his legs, he sat upright on the horse.
As the two passed each other, he raised his hand and waved.
The rose quickly broke through the light morning mist and hazy sunlight, and like a heavy golden hairpin, it was firmly inserted into her hair.
Jiang Qinglan was stunned for a moment, then smiled brightly, her eyes and eyebrows filled with intense, unwavering love. No matter how fiery the gazes around her were, she no longer cared.
In the vast wilderness of time, across millions of years, not a step earlier, not a step later. [1] Among millions of people, she got his rose.
This must be fate.
Xie Linchuan looked at her deeply again, wanting to engrave her appearance into his heart.
When the soldiers behind him rushed up and almost caused chaos, he turned back reluctantly, kicked his horse's belly, and caught up with Zhu Congda and others in the front.
…
After reporting to the palace, Xie Linchuan returned to the Prince of Dongping's Mansion and first went to see his grandmother. The two had a secret conversation for a while.
When Liang saw her son, she naturally burst into tears. After Xie Yan persuaded her, she stopped crying and happily went to prepare food and drinks.
When Xie Linchuan returned to Lingquanyuan and calmed down, a crescent moon was already hanging in the sky.
He remembered her smile in the afternoon and felt a little thirsty. Just as he was about to get up, Pinglin led someone in.
A narrow-sleeved blouse in Tianshui green silk, and a lavender folded skirt with a butterfly-patterned pattern. Amidst the plainness, only the lips are stained cherry-red.
This bit of beauty complemented the rose in her hair - and he had pinned that flower on with his own hands.
When Xie Linchuan saw this, his breathing stopped.
Yes, she should be beautiful like this.
He himself immediately sat up straight on the rose chair.
Jiang Qinglan took off his cloak and curtain, and saw him sitting on the chair. Although he had broad shoulders and a handsome and heroic appearance, his face was a little pale, and he did not look as energetic as he did in the afternoon.
Looking down carefully, I saw that his left leg was hanging limply, obviously injured.
She was distracted for a moment: "Your legs..."
Speaking of this, Pinglin got angry and immediately started complaining:
"The Crown Prince was injured by Yelu Wang's fireball, and it was General Zhu who pulled him out from the pile of dead bodies!"
"The doctor told me to take good care of my injuries."
"We took a boat all the way from Jiangning, and then took a sedan chair after landing. We were very careful and meticulous, and finally managed to get it back in better shape."
"As a result, he insisted on riding a horse when entering the city, and no one could persuade him to do so. Now, he's opened his wound again!"
After Pinglin finished speaking, he was still not satisfied and glared with a pair of angry eyes.
Xie Linchuan felt a little uncomfortable. He coughed lightly and curled his lips, saying, "If you don't speak, no one will think you are dumb!"
Seeing that Pinglin was still standing there with his eyes wide open, he pretended to whip her.
"Get out of here now! You're going to make me deaf!"
Pinglin looked at the man and then at the girl, suddenly realized what was going on, and ran out of the door.
Jiang Qinglan walked over.
I saw a roll of bandage on the table, soaked with blood and glaringly red. I guess it was the one Pinglin changed for him before.
She felt a little uncomfortable and slowly squatted down in front of his knees.
Now, he changed into a round-necked, narrow-sleeved shirt. There was a bulge on his left thigh, probably due to the thick bandage.
The hem of her shirt was clearly snow-white, but she felt it had turned red due to the blood.
She raised her eyes to look at him, a little nervous, and asked softly, "Does it hurt?"
The rose-red hair on her temples, the thick rouge on her lips, and her worried look made Xie Linchuan feel very upset.
After being immersed in that tenderness and sweetness for a long time, he tilted his head and grinned, revealing his snow-white teeth.
"It doesn't hurt."
She shook her head.
How could it not hurt? It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone. Before, even twisting her ankle would make her grimace in pain.
He was injured by the explosives and there was no anesthetic. How painful must it be?
She was still staring at the legs, lost in thought.
Seeing her expression, Xie Linchuan put on a playful smile and said, "It's on the thigh. Do you really want to see it?"
"But my left leg is bare and slippery, and I don't have any trouser legs."
Without waiting for her to speak, he pretended to lift up her shirt.
Jiang Qinglan's face flushed crimson, and he stood up in an instant, turning his face away. Instantly, the sadness and discomfort he felt vanished.
Every time I talk to him about serious matters, he talks about these crooked things. This guy is really annoying!
How could Xie Linchuan let her go? He reached out and grabbed her, gently pulling her towards him.
As soon as she came close, he immediately hugged her tightly, buried his head in her waist and took a deep breath.
It has a light, jasmine scent.
After letting out a contented sigh, he muttered, "It hurts."
He himself didn't know why all his arrogance disappeared as soon as he saw her.
He was willing to present his most authentic, sincere, and even vulnerable self to her completely.
He didn't know why, as soon as he got close to her, all the pain in his body disappeared.
It was as if he had never seen the flashing of swords and the fighting on the battlefield, nor had he ever been seriously injured.
Worth it. All worth it.
It has to be her, it has to be her.
Thinking of this, he hugged her even tighter and pressed his face even closer to hers.
In the past, Jiang Qinglan would have struggled.
But now, he was so frank and sincere, revealing his feelings in a somewhat childish way, and her heart trembled instantly, feeling both sour and sweet.
The winter snow is gradually melting and the spring flowers are slowly blooming.
Forget it, just let him stick to it like this.
She couldn't bear to do it.
She had many questions for him:
What were the losses in the Battle of Jiangning? What is the current situation of the Liao Kingdom? Will it make a comeback in the future?
What changes will occur during the Zhaowu reign? Will he stay in Lin'an or garrison the northern border?
But at this moment, she suddenly didn't want to say a word.
Outside the window, the moonlight is like water, its light clear and cool. A gentle breeze blows through, and the green pines in the garden sway and the green bamboos rustle.
When the curtains in the room moved slightly, Jiang Qinglan was a little stunned - she seemed to smell a little fragrance of apricot blossoms.
Xie Linchuan raised his head, chuckled, and waved to her.
When she leaned over in a daze, he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Don't worry, you're not hurt anywhere. I guarantee you can have as many children as you want!"
In an instant, Jiang Qinglan's face flushed red. This guy is really...!
She pushed the man back hard, ignoring his cries of "ouch", and turned and left.
When she got outside, the warm yet chilly night breeze blew on her, and she calmed down a little.
She was so worried that she quickly called Pinglin in.
She stood in the corridor and waited for a while. When she didn't hear any movement inside, she felt relieved and went back to the Xinghua Restaurant.
【Author’s words】
In ancient China, peony, peach, and apricot blossoms were more likely to represent love, and girls were more likely to give these flowers to their lovers. Here, I'm using roses, but please don't dwell on it.
[1] From Eileen Chang’s Love.
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