ending
The next day, Jingwan went to change Lu Chang's dressing. When she saw her leaving, Dongxia asked her where she was going.
Jingwan cleared her throat, trying her best to appear natural: "I'm going to Huaguang Temple to offer incense. It's close by, so nothing will go wrong. You don't need to come with me." After saying that, she picked up her small basket and left, while Dongxia watched her go with a half-smile.
When Jingwan went to Huaguang Temple, she couldn't find anyone in the monks' quarters. The young novice told her that the benefactor staying there was practicing Zen and discussing the Dao with Master Lianchi in the back mountain.
She followed the direction the young novice pointed and indeed saw Lu Chang playing chess with a... master.
He's supposed to be a master, but his attire is just... well, let's just say it's a bit... off. The monk was barefoot, wearing straw sandals. Perhaps he was winning the game, because his big toe was twitching. His robes looked like they'd been worn for ages, with many patches of different colors, covered in shiny black mud. He had a thin, dark chest exposed, and occasionally he'd scratch an itch. If you got closer, you could see a fly buzzing around him.
"Weren't we supposed to stay out of sight? Why are you showing your face again?" she muttered to herself, but didn't disturb the two of them. She turned back to the temple, where she had time to offer incense to Buddha and ask the master to interpret her fortune.
She had just finished offering incense when a monk sitting next to her gave her a peace charm.
One wasn't enough, and when he was about to ask his master for two more, the monk shook his head.
Jingwan was about to take out her money to buy it, but the monk shook his head again.
Looking at the talisman, she decided to embroider a small lotus pouch tonight, put the talisman inside, and then give it to Qin Ziyou.
When she returned to her quarters, Lu Chang had already come back. There was vegetarian food on the table. When she came in, he was setting out the bowls and chopsticks and waved to Jingwan: "Come and have some vegetarian food with me."
The monks of Huaguang Temple are frugal, and their vegetarian meals are not as varied or exquisite as those of Dafosi Temple. They simply have ordinary pickled sauce, a pot of brown rice porridge, a stewed tofu dish, and a dish of five kinds of fresh vegetables.
The wood ear mushrooms and straw mushrooms were picked from the back mountain, so they were incredibly fresh and delicious. Jingwan only intended to take a symbolic bite, but she found them increasingly flavorful. Lu Chang smiled and gave her more.
Jingwan glanced up at him, but didn't say anything, continuing to eat intently.
After he finished eating, Jingwan changed his dressing. She brought new fine gauze. After removing the old one, she carefully examined the wound and found that there was no more bleeding. As long as she left it alone, her body would absorb the mulberry bark in time, and the wound would heal completely.
In my haste yesterday, I only noticed this wound. Now I realize that there are scars of all sizes and lengths in other places as well.
Some are new, some are old; I really don't know if he's been robbing and plundering for the past three years.
When he was dressed, all you could see was his tall stature and the refined elegance of a scholar. But once he took off his clothes, you could tell he was a valiant warrior, lean and muscular, which confirmed that his martial arts skills were definitely not crippled.
How did that rumor start? But I've never seen him practice martial arts at the Gao family's house. According to Bo Jun, his family has never hired a martial arts instructor.
Have you seen enough?
Jingwan looked up and saw Lu Chang leaning against the pillow, smiling as he asked her a question. Her face flushed, and she quickly looked away as she applied the medicine to Lu Chang.
After everything was packed, Jingwan handed all the things to Lu Chang and told him that she wouldn't be coming over tomorrow. She said there was gauze and ointment, and that he looked energetic today and could handle these things himself.
Lu Chang subconsciously looked at Jing Wan's hand; she had already taken off the pair of bracelets, leaving only a simple silver bracelet.
Because it is precious, it is cherished.
His tongue tasted slightly bitter, but he forced a smile and said, "Come with me for a walk in the back mountain."
Jingwan stood still, while Lu Chang said dejectedly, "Didn't you say we'd find some time to talk? Now's perfect, we don't have to wait until we get back to the Gao family."
After saying that, he went out the door, and Jingwan, though hesitant, followed him.
In September, the autumn scenery in the mountains has a beauty that combines abundance and desolation.
Opposite the temple is a tall, unnamed mountain with waterfalls cascading down its slopes. The forest is a riot of colors, with fiery red, tender green, and scattered gold, layer upon layer, creating a secluded and ancient beauty.
There were only two people on the back mountain. Lu Chang stopped when even the rustling sound of the young monk sweeping the floor could no longer be heard. He asked Jingwan, "Do you resent me?"
Jingwan said, "I used to resent it. But now that I think about it, it's nothing."
really.
If she still harbored resentment, he would be even happier, but she simply said it was nothing, and he had long forgotten all his hatred.
He turned away, preventing Jingwan from seeing him.
"Do you know why the Emperor summoned me back to the capital and even bestowed upon me a minor official position of the ninth rank?"
Whether he becomes an official or not, what does it have to do with them? Jingwan was puzzled, but she still told him what the Duchess had been saying these past few days: because His Majesty favored the orphan of the Lu family.
"Favor?" He sneered, his eyes as still as dead water as he stared at the cascading waterfall. Jingwan couldn't see his gloomy face, but she could feel the chill emanating from him.
"The Lu family army of 200,000 guarded the frontier for decades. When the father died, the son took over. When the son died, another generation took over. But what they got in return for their loyalty to the country was being buried alive in Tianqian Valley."
"They didn't die at the hands of the Rong people, but at the hands of their own people. Is this the imperial favor?"
"My father spent his life on the battlefield, never coveting fame or fortune. Even when the court cut off his food and silver supplies, he still stood firm on the battlefield, guarding the gates of the Great Wei. But what he got in return was the plot against him by treacherous people."
"My mother committed suicide in front of my father's coffin to save my life. As for me, to prevent the Lu family army from rising again, I was taken to the Gao family at the age of ten. It was called taking care of them, but it was actually imprisonment."
"Three years ago at the Golden Hook Casino, you asked me why I didn't win the lottery. Ah Wan, this is the reason."
Jingwan wasn't completely unaware of the hidden stories in the Northwest; in fact, she had personally experienced some of them. But now, listening to Lu Chang's account, she understood that those who survived were the ones who suffered the most. Every minute and every second, they faced the cruel truth, had to fight against hatred through time, and had to hear the cries of countless wronged souls in every dream, only to be ashamed and powerless when they woke up.
For example, Lu Chang.
Jingwan was present when Lu Jiajun was massacred.
It was evening, and there were almost no men on the streets. Everyone was cheering and jumping for joy, saying that the imperial court had allocated military pay, and the soldiers were now going to Tianqian Valley to collect it.
The Tianqian Valley is located in Ceqiu in the northwest. It is also known as Zhantianqian. The valley is 100 meters deep and has a wide bottom.
She and Azhiqi rode horses nearby, watching the soldiers go to collect their pay in small groups, all with smiles on their faces.
Since the war was over, not to mention weapons, some of them came from working in the fields and didn't even wear armor. They just put their arms around each other and chatted about how to spend their military pay.
Even though we have experienced the hardships of war, there is hope for the future.
The soldiers who had received their pay were about to leave, but the grain officer kept them there, saying that more food would be distributed in an hour. More and more soldiers gathered, and no one expected that this place would be their final resting place in an hour.
The sound of the valley collapsing startled the horses, throwing Jingwan and Azhiqi to the ground. The two sat on the grass, looking at each other, not knowing what had happened.
The deafening explosions continued, one after another, shaking the very ground beneath our feet. Then, the agonizing screams of the crowd echoed from afar, heartbreaking to hear.
Jingwan thought the Rong people had attacked again and wanted to run home, but Azhiqi refused and ran towards the sound of the explosion.
Ahead, flames raged and thick smoke shrouded the sky above the valley. Even from a distance, they were still choked by the smoke and their eyes watered.
Azhiqi's uncles and elder brothers were all receiving military pay in Tianqian Valley. He was going to see what had happened, and Jingwan had no choice but to follow him.
Later, what came into view was a memory I will never forget.
The Tianqian Valley has long been a living hell.
One side of the valley was bombed, and the soldiers who were receiving their pay on that side were pulled into the valley floor, which was hundreds of meters deep, and died from the fall. Even those who did not die from the fall were buried under the collapsed rocks.
Soldiers at the bottom of the valley were crushed to death by boulders. Rockets flew in from the other side of the valley. It must have been because oil had been poured out early on, and there was still firewood by the valley. A small spark ignited a raging fire. One after another, the burning figures screamed, some running around, some rolling on the ground. Those who managed to escape the fire were hit by a barrage of arrows that never stopped.
The valley was blocked on both sides, and no one could escape.
Jingwan was in tears, unwilling to think about this human tragedy any longer. The court said it was an ambush by the Rong people, but the poor old and weak in the Northwest all knew what had happened, but no one dared to speak out.
Jingwan was unaware that Lu Chang was also there that night. Sixteen-year-old Li Muyun held him tightly, forbidding him from going to the valley. From that moment on, he was nearly killed.
Jingwan wiped away her tears with her sleeve. Although she knew some of the hidden truths, she only learned it today that even the general was killed by the Wei people.
Lu Chang's pain had long since been dried up; his heart was utterly dead. He continued, "The day before the results were announced, my father's subordinates..."
"Alright, stop telling me." Jingwan stopped him. What followed was bound to be some secrets that no one else could know, and she didn't want to hear it. She sniffed and said, "I know you have your difficulties, and I don't blame you. In fact, I shouldn't have blamed you at all, cousin. You don't owe me anything. On the contrary, you've been very good to me. In this family, only you and Bojun treat me like family. I should be thanking you."
She looked up at Lu Chang and earnestly told him, "Do you remember the man I told you about who almost became my stepfather? He was a minor officer in the army, and my mother and I were protected by him, so no one dared to bully us anymore. Later, when the Rong people invaded, the entire army went to the front lines to fight. The army didn't even give him time to say goodbye to his family, but he was afraid of delaying my mother, so he ran to the village to tell her to take care. It's true, it was just a short farewell, and he ran away as soon as he finished speaking."
“I envy my mother. The person she loved loved her and cherished her. Even though he was heading towards an uncertain future, he at least gave my mother an explanation. He didn’t leave without saying goodbye, nor did he let her down. So when my mother passed away, she told me that she had no regrets in this world except for me. Now she was going down to the underworld to find him.”
“Cousin, I liked you, but it was just a fleeting feeling. After you left, I met a friend. At first, I only considered him a friend, but later we got together, and I felt that time flew by. That's when I knew that I liked him now.”
Lu Chang closed his eyes and let two lines of tears flow down his face.
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