native land
After lingering in Ye City for some time, Yuan Cheng still made a special trip to find Jing Wan before leaving, wanting to say goodbye to her. The innkeeper said that she had left early in the morning and it was unknown when she would return.
He smiled helplessly. He always missed meeting this young friend, but then he thought that each time they met, it would be at a moment that neither of them could have imagined. The regret in his heart immediately disappeared. He simply told the waiter to inform him when someone returned that he had left Ye City.
Jingwan, however, was not as melancholy as Yuan Cheng. She had always known that Lord Yuan was busy with official business, traveling back and forth between the north and south, and never stayed in one place for long. When she heard that he was leaving, she only thought that she would definitely be able to see him again when she returned to the Northwest.
Wuxia had been in contact with Lu Chang, and naturally she told her master about her relationship with this Lord Yuan.
Yuan Cheng's only connection with Jing Wan was in the Northwest, but he didn't know how the two of them knew each other, so the task of finding out fell to Wu Xia.
Getting Jingwan to talk was not difficult. She wasn't that cunning, so Wuxia quickly got to the bottom of it in a few words. It turned out that when this Lord Yuan first came to the Northwest to take up his post, he encountered bandits on the road. All his money was stolen, and he was stabbed and thrown into the Blackwater River.
As he drifted downstream, he was picked up by a young girl who came to retrieve jade, and she pulled him out of the water.
The villagers along the Blackwater River invited a doctor to treat him, but the doctor discovered that he was a eunuch. The villagers were disgusted and wanted to throw him back into the river, but the girl persuaded them to stop, and he was spared.
"Later, I delivered a letter to the princess's residence on behalf of Lord Yuan, and a group of people came and took him away. I had forgotten about this matter, but I didn't expect him to find his way back to the village, and that's how we got to know each other."
Wuxia felt that the girl in front of her was really overflowing with sympathy. Eunuchs had no good reputation in the Great Wei. They were all parasites who controlled the court and oppressed the people. The Northwest was even worse off. When General Lu was alive, he was repeatedly reported to the capital by eunuchs, which made the late emperor wary of him. Yet, such a person still saved his life and let him continue to oppress the people.
She voiced her doubts, but Jingwan replied innocently, "Don't worry, with the Princess here, if he were a bad person, the Princess would just kill him without hesitation. She would never let him harm the people."
Wuxia seemed to choke on a mouthful of steamed bun, unable to utter a single word. It seemed that this princess had a "bad reputation" that everyone in the Northwest knew about!
She didn't ask any more questions. For the past two days, she had been taking Jingwan for a stroll around Jinyang. After returning today and having lunch, Jingwan yawned a few times and went back to her room for a short rest. When she woke up again, Wuxia was nowhere to be seen. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and heard voices outside the door.
When she got out of bed and opened the door, she saw that the two people talking in the hallway had stopped talking. Wuxia followed behind Lu Chang, still expressionless.
She didn't recognize Lu Chang at first.
Ye City was not a pleasant place to stay, which caused this noble young man to lose a lot of weight. His once broad and powerful shoulders and back became even more defined, and his nose became even more prominent, making his eye sockets appear deeper. Only his long eyelashes did not diminish his handsome appearance as a young man in the prime of his life.
Lu Chang walked over slowly. He was much taller than Jing Wan, and he always nodded unconsciously when talking to her. Jing Wan was surprised and said, "Cousin has lost weight."
Lu Chang feigned displeasure, gently pinching her little nose as if he were angry: "I just saw my cousin, and you've gotten either darker or thinner. Can't you speak properly?"
Jingwan smiled somewhat embarrassedly, then thought to herself, "My cousin has already returned from Yecheng, but has the plague there disappeared?"
Upon asking Lu Chang, it was indeed confirmed that she could cross Ye City and head north.
Lu Chang said, "I will send you back to Yongye in two days."
Jingwan looked up, a hint of hesitation in her eyes: "Cousin, no need..."
She can go back alone now. If we send her away and people recognize that General Lu's son has returned to the Northwest, he might be in trouble.
Lu Chang didn't give her a chance to refuse: "Alright, I have official business in Jinyang. I'll come pick you up in two days." Before Jingwan could respond, he hurriedly left, his steps showing a slight panic that was not usually seen, clearly not wanting to hear Jingwan say any more.
After he left, the girl lingered in the hallway, lost in thought, and didn't go inside. Her cousin never said anything about liking her again, but she wasn't stupid; of course, she could sense it.
But true sincerity in this world is often betrayed, just like hers...
Lu Chang came to pick her up as promised. He had no time to drive his horse, so he rode alongside her. However, he was recognized by the people of the city on the way.
This year, Yecheng did not experience heavy snowfall, which prevented a more severe disaster. By the time the situation improved, there were already signs of early spring.
Because it was still cold, there were very few people in the city. However, when they saw Lu Chang riding away, the people spread the word, and the originally sparse streets gradually became more crowded.
Children ran around his horse, calling him "Lord Lu" as if they knew him very well. An old man leaned on his cane and asked him if he wanted to return to Ye City.
Upon learning that his mission was complete and he was to return to the capital to report for duty, everyone present covered their faces and wept.
It's unclear who started it, but someone picked a willow branch and threw it on their horse. Others followed suit, breaking off willow branches as gifts.
Lu Chang picked up the willow branch and suddenly remembered that when they were in the Northwest, his father's advisor had said that this boy was sensitive and that if he grew up, he should pursue an official career through literature.
At that moment, his father looked at him, who was holding a bow and arrow, and whose eyes were as fierce as a little wolf's, and laughed loudly.
Even now, he doesn't know if his temperament is truly as the strategist described. However, the bittersweet feeling that surges within him today is something he had experienced before.
The soldiers and civilians of the Northwest fought side by side, and women and children saw them off on the ancient road. He had shed tears for this. On the battlefield, the soldiers fought bravely and died for their country. In the midst of the pain, there was also a shock that could not be calmed for a long time. And today, the people of Yecheng broke off willow branches to see them off. In silence, they showed their true feelings.
Lu Chang waved goodbye to everyone.
Even after seeing you off for a thousand miles, we must eventually part ways.
Jingwan had seen everything. After leaving the city, she said to her cousin, who was riding a horse beside her, "Although the court is incompetent, the people are worth it."
Lu Chang was taken aback, not expecting her to say such a thing. It immediately dispelled the melancholy in his heart. He nodded and affirmed, "That's right, the people deserve it."
Jingwan poked her head out of the window and continued to ask him, "Cousin, you have done a great job in disaster relief this time. The imperial court will surely reward you, right?"
When Lu Chang first arrived in Ye City, he had asked Li Muyun the same question: "If I save the lives of everyone in Ye City, how will the court reward me?"
I remember that woman sneered when she heard that: "The court will think, since you're so capable, then let you do even more!"
Lu Chang then smiled at Jing Wan and said, "The capable are often burdened with more work, and I'm afraid the court won't let me rest anytime soon."
Upon hearing this, Jingwan frowned deeply, her eyebrows and mouth furrowing in dismay: "Huh?"
Lu Chang was indeed right. When his achievements in disaster relief in Ye City were written down and presented to Yang Fujin, Yang threw the report away with a cold expression. However, thinking that he had lost his composure in front of the emperor, he could only give a wink to the eunuch.
Before the young eunuch could even touch the commemorative document on the ground, a slender, fair hand reached out and picked it up before he could.
After Yuan Cheng finished reading it, he placed it neatly on the table, while the emperor sitting in front of the table was playing with the cricket that Yang Fujin had just bought for him, completely absorbed in the task.
Consort Dong, who usually enjoyed spending time with the emperor, was unusually well-behaved today, sitting upright like a student in a school, as if listening to a strict teacher reciting lessons.
Yang Fujin first asked His Majesty, "This Secretary of the Imperial Library has rendered meritorious service in disaster relief. What reward should His Majesty give him?"
The young emperor had no idea who this Secretary of the Imperial Library was. He played with the little cricket and said nonchalantly, "Then let them get promoted and make a fortune. Isn't that what they want?"
Yang Fujin then looked at Yuan Cheng and asked, "What does Lord Yuan think?"
The late emperor once established ten eunuchs, but the struggles among the eunuchs were no less intense than those in the imperial court. After several battles, only Yang Fujin and Yuan Cheng remained, and all the eunuchs in the country looked to them for guidance.
The two men had different responsibilities. Yang Fujin was in charge of the palace, while Yuan Cheng, who also served as the Northwest Military Supervisor, mostly carried out his duties outside the palace. They were evenly matched and addressed each other respectfully as "Sir".
When Yang Fujin asked for his opinion, Yuan Cheng looked at the emperor and said calmly, "Your Majesty is right. Since Lu Chang has such abilities, let him be promoted!"
He said, "Then I'll go to Chaozhou, which is under the jurisdiction of Lingnan, and become a chief administrator!"
The Secretary of the Imperial Library was only a minor seventh-rank official, while the Prefect of a Prefecture was a fifth-rank official. It seemed like a promotion of two ranks, but in reality, it was a demotion in disguise.
Even though the rank of Secretary of the Imperial Library is low, it is still an official position in the capital, and given time, there is a possibility of promotion. But what kind of place is Chaozhou? It is a remote and desolate place, rife with malaria, mountainous and barren, with unruly people. It is a place of exile and banishment for officials of the Great Wei who have committed crimes! If one goes there, there is no chance of advancement, and one can only become a village official in the mountains.
Yang Fujin smiled: "As you wish, Lord Yuan."
He personally wrote the official documents, Yuan Cheng stamped them, and in the midst of laughter and conversation, he easily changed other people's lives.
The further northwest you travel, the fewer people you see. Only birch trees, common in the north, stand straight on both sides. Then, a vast expanse of Gobi Desert stretches before you, with clumps of saxaul growing here and there, seemingly the only life in this desolate land. At the edge of the Gobi Desert rises a series of undulating, snow-capped mountains—the Fengyin Mountains. Their peaks are perpetually covered in snow, and dense forests, glaciers, and grasslands layer upon layer, nurturing countless lives. They are, in another sense, the mother of the people of Northwest China.
If you continue walking for another half month, you will see another famous mountain in the northwest, Hulao Mountain. The Hulao River originates from this mountain, and Jingwan often fishes for jade in the river with her companions.
Before even entering the Gobi Desert, Lu Chang reined in his horse. As he rode, he looked at the vast land before him and felt a sense of bewilderment.
Ten years have passed. When I left, I thought I would come back soon, but I never expected that this separation would last for ten years!
This is the land that gave him birth and nurtured him. His parents met and fell in love on this land, and were finally buried together in Fengyin Mountain. He spent the best years of his life here, and in his dreams, he still sees the wind blowing through the yellow sand and the sound of camel bells...
He was once the master of this land, but now, returning, all that remains is the melancholy of "a traveler's sorrow renewed at dusk."
Jingwan said softly, "Cousin, let's go home."
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