Winter is gone and spring is coming
Under the cover of hidden arrows, Chemu opened several mechanisms in the medicine hall one after another. For a moment, the entire Wanchun Hall was filled with the creaking sounds of mechanisms operating and the overwhelming sound of arrows breaking through the air.
Arrows rained down from inside the medicine hall. Relying on his familiarity with the mechanism lines, Chemu stood in a safe place, looking at the people who were dodging in a panic with a smug smile on his face, "Junior sister, quickly find a place to hide..." Before he could finish his words, a black hole mechanism appeared on a wall brick behind him, and more than a dozen arrows shot out, piercing his body.
Chemu died instantly, and when he fell, there was still a look of disbelief in his eyes.
Everyone was stunned, but Pei Songsheng quickly understood the reason—over twenty years had passed, people and things had changed, and the circuitry had shifted due to age. Chemu thought he understood the Wanchun Hall's mechanisms, but he hadn't expected to become the first soul to be killed by the hidden weapon. His horrific death showed that the poison on the arrowhead was still effective, and he had to leave quickly.
But the rain of arrows was overwhelming, and hidden weapons and traps were everywhere: in the walls, in the trees, and even on the ground, there were traps with hidden weapons tied to them, breaking out of the ground. Forget about finding a way out, even dodging the arrows was difficult, and they were almost grazed by the flashing green arrows several times.
In desperation, Cheng Qiwang shouted to Yue Qiongfang, "Mother, are you going to kill me and A Gu too? You must know how to stop the mechanism. Please don't be so stubborn!"
Yue Qiongfang just stared at Chemu's body in a daze, with a blank expression, as if she had lost her soul, and walked towards the pharmacy.
Cheng Yayin struggled out of Pei Songsheng's arms and shouted, "Brother, mother is going to die, stop her!"
The Cheng brothers were horrified and rushed towards Yue Qiongfang under a hail of arrows. Cheng Qiwang's steps were as fast as rain, and with a leap of faith, he threw his mother to the ground, narrowly avoiding a poisonous arrow that was aimed directly at her face.
At this moment, the whistling sound of arrows stopped in the ears, and all the mechanisms were just black tubes, and no arrows could be shot anymore.
Yue Qiongfang looked at the calming forest, surprise and despair in her eyes. Cheng Qiwang half-hugged her and said, "Mother, this is God's will. Please don't be stubborn anymore."
Yue Qiongfang stared blankly at her son, then suddenly burst into laughter, a laugh that even had a hint of madness. She struggled to her feet and walked towards the pharmacy, tripping over some broken wood and falling to the ground, unable to suppress her tears. Cheng Yayin pushed Pei Songsheng aside, knelt before her, and cried, "Mother, all my mistakes are my fault. Please don't blame yourself, and don't ask for death!"
Yue Qiongfang stared at her blankly, tears streaming down her face. "I can't bring myself to kill you, but can't I even decide my own life? My naivety and stupidity killed my father, and my indecision killed my senior brother. How can I live in this world with dignity?"
"No, this is not your fault..." Cheng Yayin cried, "Mother, please live, even if you have to spend your whole life hating me, please live..."
Pei Songsheng couldn't bear it any longer, so he came over and half-hugged Cheng Yayin in his arms, then said to Yue Qiongfang, "Madam Cheng, to Azheng, you are her mother. Being deeply hated by her mother is a punishment worse than death for her. Perhaps this is a knot that can never be untied in a lifetime, but only by living can we know if there will ever be a day when we can be free. Please forgive yourself, and live well for your own sake."
Yue Qiongfang did not respond and seemed to be in a trance.
Cheng Qigu came over, put his arm around her shoulders and helped her up, whispering, "Mother, let's go home."
Yue Qiongfang remained silent, letting her son take her away like a puppet. Cheng Yayin was also helped up by Pei Songsheng, and walked behind her with a shaky step.
This unsolved case seemed to have to be closed here. Yue Qiongfang took a few steps woodenly, and when everyone relaxed their vigilance, she suddenly broke free from Cheng Qigu's hand, picked up an arrow, and stabbed it fiercely into her own neck!
No one reacted quickly. Cheng Yayin, who was closest to her, lunged forward, knocking the arrow out of her hand. Yue Qiongfang was unharmed. Cheng Yayin breathed a sigh of relief, only to see her staring blankly at her arm. Following her gaze, she discovered a shallow wound on her right arm, slowly oozing dark red blood.
"A Zheng!"
Cheng Yayin heard Pei Songsheng's cry of pain and opened her mouth to say something, but a mouthful of blood suddenly gushed out and splashed onto Yue Qiongfang's clothes. She reached out to wipe it away for her, but her body went limp and she fell into Pei Songsheng's arms.
Cheng Qiwang and Cheng Qigu called out to her as they rushed over. Cheng Yayin could no longer see the scene before her. Her pupils gradually blurred, and her lips trembled as if she were saying something. Pei Songsheng leaned over to listen, and only then did he hear her say, "You must... live."
It was not known whether she was talking about him or Yue Qiongfang. After uttering a few words with difficulty, she lost consciousness.
Pei Songsheng was terrified. The body in his arms was still warm, but no matter how he called out to her and shook her, she would not respond. He held her, tears dripping into her thick black hair.
Cheng Qiwang and Cheng Qigu knelt in front of Yue Qiongfang, tears streaming down their faces. "Mother, you've seen how filial A Zheng is to you. Since this poison was made by Grandpa, you must know the antidote. Please save her!"
The two sons kept kowtowing to her, but Yue Qiongfang seemed unaware of it. She just stared blankly at Cheng Yayin in Pei Songsheng's arms.
Her face was pale and peaceful, as if she was asleep, and she was as well-behaved as when she was a child.
Yue Qiongfang's mind flashed back to her childhood, when she was just learning to speak but grew up to be a graceful young lady. Every scene of the past decade was still vivid in her mind, and her voice calling her "Mother, Mother..." seemed to still echo in her ears.
*
Cheng Yayin felt as if she had walked through the netherworld purgatory, her whole body felt as if it was on fire, but then it was cold.
She walked aimlessly in the darkness. At first, it was pitch black all around her, but then it became brighter and brighter. Pei Songsheng's face appeared in the light. He looked haggard, with an untrimmed stubble on his chin. It seemed that he had not slept for a long time.
He stared at her intently, then suddenly leaned over and hugged her tightly, so tightly that her neck was pricked by his stubble. But she said nothing, nor did she push him away, because she felt a warm liquid soaking her ear, and he collapsed on her, trembling silently.
Cheng Yayin struggled to raise her weak arms and gently hugged him. The two of them snuggled together quietly, feeling the fear and relief of surviving this disaster together.
While holding Pei Songsheng, Cheng Yayin looked over his shoulder to assess the surroundings. When she spoke, her voice was unexpectedly hoarse: "I... am going home?"
"You've been in a coma for half a month. Do you know that if you don't wake up, I'll really go crazy." Pei Songsheng's voice was full of fear. He helped Cheng Yayin sit up, poured her a glass of water, and fed her to drink it slowly, one sip at a time. Then he said, "Are you hungry? There's hot porridge in the kitchen. I'll ask Lan Yue to bring it over."
A glass of water down her throat greatly relieved the dryness and pain in Cheng Yayin's throat. She shook her head and asked the question she most wanted to know: "I must have been poisoned, right? Who saved me?"
Before Pei Songsheng could answer, the door suddenly opened. Cheng Qiwang was standing at the door. Seeing Cheng Yayin awake, he was stunned for a moment. Suddenly, ecstasy flashed in his eyes and he shouted, "A Zheng is awake! That's great!"
Cheng Yayin had just woken up and her head was still dizzy. She was a little confused by his shouting. Before Pei Songsheng could stop them, a large group of people rushed in at the door, including Lanyue Yixing, his second brother Cheng Qigu, his eldest sister-in-law Qi Sheng, and his father who was on crutches.
Seeing her father, Cheng Yayin's heart ached. In just two weeks, he looked as if he'd aged a decade, his usually straight back hunched. She wanted to get out of bed and help him, but her limbs were too weak. Pei Songsheng, knowing what she was thinking, stood up and helped Cheng Hongyi over to the bedside, where they sat down.
"A Zheng." Cheng Hongyi held Cheng Yayin's hand, tears streaming down his face. "You've suffered so much because of me. It was my momentary thought that made me choose to hide the truth from your mother, which led to the backlash today. If I had explained everything earlier, your mother wouldn't have harbored such resentment. A Zheng, don't blame her. She's truly loved you for all these years. Blame me if you want to. All the trouble is my fault."
"How could I blame my father? If it weren't for you, I don't know where I would be now." Cheng Yayin said with tears in her eyes and a wry smile, "But I still have a request. For so many years, I've been accustomed to calling you father. Although I know my life experience now, but... Can I still call you father from now on?"
Cheng Hongyi sighed and said, "Silly child, even now you are still willing to call me father, I couldn't ask for more."
The father and daughter looked at each other and shed tears. Pei Songsheng hugged Cheng Yayin and comforted her softly. The Cheng brothers also comforted their father, saying that the best thing was that A Zheng was safe and there was no need to be sad.
Cheng Yayin gradually stopped crying, wiped her tears, and looked around the room silently, her eyes filled with longing. Qi Sheng sighed and said, "Since returning to Shengjing, mother has locked herself in her room and refused to come out, refusing to see anyone."
Cheng Yayin lowered her eyes sadly and said dejectedly, "She still refuses to forgive me."
"That's not the case." Pei Songsheng said, "When you were poisoned and dying, it was your mother who saved you. We didn't expect her to do that. So it's not that she can't forgive you, she just can't get over the difficulties in her heart for the time being. Give her time, she will think it through."
Cheng Yayin didn't know if things would turn out as Pei Songsheng had said. She was still very weak, and after talking to everyone for a while, she felt a little tired. Everyone tactfully left, letting her rest. Cheng Yayin drank a bowl of medicine, and Pei Songsheng helped her lie down again, covered her with a quilt, and coaxed her to sleep.
Cheng Yayin looked at his haggard face, moved to the side of the bed, and said, "Come and sleep with me."
Pei Songsheng obediently took off his coat, lifted the quilt and lay down beside Cheng Yayin, hugging her tightly, holding her wrist with both hands to check her pulse, and pressing his lips against her neck, using his body to feel every vibrant rhythm of her life.
He didn't say anything, but the feeling of uneasiness and fear still spread to Cheng Yayin in waves from the place where their bodies touched. After a long while, Cheng Yayin said softly, "When I was unconscious, I would occasionally regain some consciousness. At that time, I always thought that maybe I shouldn't have been born. If I weren't there, many people would be better off."
Pei Songsheng suddenly tightened his arms and looked at her sadly.
He opened his mouth to say something, but Cheng Yayin put a finger on his lips. "But then I thought of a fool named Pei Songsheng. He was so smart, but so stubborn. I thought, if I die, how lonely he would be in this world alone. So I came back. I couldn't leave him alone."
Pei Songsheng's eyes gradually turned red, and his trembling lips pressed against Cheng Yayin's forehead. After a long time, he could barely utter a word: "...Thank you for coming back."
Hearing the barely perceptible sob in his voice, Cheng Yayin's voice also became bitter. She hugged him back tightly and whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you before and treated you so badly. I said I would spend the New Year with you, but this happened."
Pei Songsheng shook his head: "It doesn't matter, we still have many years to go and we will never be separated again."
*
Cheng Yayin's health gradually improved, and she returned to the Cheng Mansion many times to ask to see Yue Qiongfang, but was always turned away.
Yue Qiongfang not only refused to see her, but also refused to see anyone in the Cheng family, including her own children. I don't know if she was punishing her family for deceiving her, or punishing herself.
He could only stay in Beijing for two months at most. As the time for his departure approached, he stood outside his mother's door and asked her if she would like to accompany him to the northwest.
I don't know how he persuaded her, but Yue Qiongfang finally agreed.
When the group set out, it was early spring. The green grass outside the city gate was sprouting, and it was excellent weather.
Considering Cheng Yayin's health was not yet fully recovered, Cheng Qiwang and his wife came to Pei's residence to say goodbye the day before departure. On this day, Cheng Yayin could no longer bear the anxiety in her heart and told Pei Songsheng that she wanted to go and see them off in person.
Pei Songsheng knew what she was thinking and naturally couldn't bear to refuse. He arranged for a carriage and accompanied her to the city gate to see her off. Cheng Qiwang was checking the luggage. Seeing the two of them coming, he immediately ran over and said to Cheng Yayin with a hint of reproach: "Didn't I tell you to stay at home and not come out to see you off? You're not well yet, why are you out here to get some fresh air?"
Cheng Yayin looked at her elder brother. She didn't know how many years it would be before they met. Her eyes were a little red, but she still tried her best to give him a faint smile, as if she had done something wrong as a child. It was a smile that was a little uneasy, but also a reassuring smile that she knew would be completely forgiven.
Cheng Qiwang couldn't bring himself to say anything to blame her. He was so soft-hearted that he could only pull his sister's cloak tighter to protect her from the wind.
Cheng Yayin's eyes were always looking behind him. The people accompanying him were surrounding a carriage. The breeze blew the curtains, but there was no movement inside.
She stared longingly for a long time, but there was still no movement inside, as if she hadn't noticed anyone coming to see her off. She couldn't help but feel a little sad. Pei Songsheng silently put his arm around her shoulders, his fingers soothingly stroking her shoulders.
Qi Sheng came over and said to her, "Don't worry, we will take good care of mother. Besides, the Northwest is a vast land with abundant resources and open scenery. Mother will definitely be able to dispel the haze of the past there, and maybe she will soon be able to untie the knot in her heart."
Cheng Yayin nodded, smiling as she watched her brother and sister-in-law turn around and return to the group. In truth, she didn't care whether her mother could resolve her grudge against her. She just hoped that no matter where she was, she could live a more comfortable and happy life.
The carriage rumbled away, and Cheng Yayin watched it go further and further away, her eyes filled with longing and reluctance. The person in the carriage seemed to sense something, and the curtain on the window suddenly opened, revealing a thin hand.
Cheng Yayin felt as if a long drought had finally brought her some joy. She excitedly took a step forward and almost fell over the gravel. Pei Songsheng held her steadily, supporting her body and letting her take a few steps forward to see more clearly.
A face popped out of the car window. It was too far away, and Cheng Yayin couldn't tell whether the expression on her face was sadness or resentment. She could only feel that she was also looking at her for a long time. Suddenly, she raised her hand and made a gesture - she touched her temples.
Cheng Yayin burst into tears in an instant.
Pei Songsheng was bewildered. He only saw his wife's tears welling up, her eyes clearly gleaming with joy. He didn't ask any questions. After the carriage completely disappeared from view, he silently embraced her in his arms, letting her tears flow into his heart.
Cheng Yayin leaned against Pei Songsheng's chest, sobbing uncontrollably, but her heart was filled with a long-lost joy. In her ears, the lullaby her mother sang to her when she was a child echoed -
"Gently stroke my son's temples, and all ghosts will not disturb him.
The nightmare is gone, and my son can sleep well."
*
Since that day when they parted outside the city, Cheng Yayin's body recovered at an extremely fast speed and she was well again in just over a month.
Although she recovered, she was always worried and often stared at the crabapple tree in the yard in a daze, not knowing what she was thinking about.
If she didn't say anything, Pei Songsheng would not rashly disturb her meditation. He just stayed by her side when she was lost in thought. When she came to her senses, he brought her a cup of hot tea at just the right temperature. She smiled and snuggled up to him, feeling warm in body and heart.
One day, Cheng Yayin told Pei Songsheng that she wanted to go to Qingzhou for a visit.
That was the burial place of her biological parents. Although she did not fully approve of what her parents did, she still wanted to visit their final resting place and wonder what their last days were like.
Pei Songsheng had already guessed what she was thinking and happily went with her.
Before leaving, Cheng Yayin consulted her father. According to his memory, after they arrived in Qingzhou, they quickly found their parents' former residence. It was a simple wooden house, but nestled in the mountains and by the water, far from the hustle and bustle of the world, it was indeed a perfect place for seclusion.
The wooden house had been uninhabited for nearly twenty years. Dust and cobwebs covered the hut, and the tiles and walls were damaged in places, all bearing the cruel marks of time. Cheng Yayin and Pei Songsheng spent nearly two weeks renovating it, and in the process, they walked through the traces of their parents' past.
When the wooden house is repaired and habitable, they will live there.
Cheng Yayin thought that her parents must have been just like her and Pei Songsheng, going out together, living in harmony, and having a clean and beautiful time in the years when they were not entangled by hatred.
After living there for a while, one day, a white-haired old woman with a cane came to the door. When she saw Cheng Yayin, her eyes suddenly widened and she seemed in disbelief.
The couple looked at each other, invited the old woman into the house, served her tea, and asked about her identity.
The old woman said her last name was Wang, and she lived nearby. She had some friendship with the previous owners of the house. After the two owners passed away, the house had been empty for many years. Recently, she heard that a couple had moved in, renovated it, and settled down there. She felt something was wrong, so she came to check it out. But when she saw Cheng Yayin, she was shocked because she looked so much like the former owner of the wooden house.
Cheng Yayin then said that she was their daughter.
Aunt Wang was shocked again. She stared at Cheng Yayin's face, tears gradually filling her eyes. She held Cheng Yayin's hand and remained silent for a long time.
After Wang Ai calmed down, she told Cheng Yayin about the old days when Yunque and Cheng Hongye lived here.
"...I've never seen a couple as well-matched as they are. They're both incredibly kind and generous people, especially your mother. Back then, my family was poor, my husband was ill, and my son wasn't very successful. It was all thanks to your parents that we were able to get by.
"It wasn't just me. Your mother helped the poor and the weak, gave away medicine and porridge, and did all sorts of good things. Everyone in this neighborhood praised her highly. Unfortunately, fate was against her, and she died in childbirth. Your father, overwhelmed with grief, passed away with her... Before he left, he asked me to take care of you for a while. Poor child, you were born without parents. I was so worried that you would be adrift and helpless for the rest of your life. Seeing you today, I know you're doing well and have someone who can take care of you. Your parents will be at peace knowing this."
Aunt Wang took Cheng Yayin and Pei Songsheng to the cemetery of Yunque and Cheng Hongye. It was not far from the wooden house. The two tombstones stood side by side, truly inseparable in life and death.
Cheng Yayin sat quietly for a long time before her parents' graves. Although she was their daughter, she had never had the chance to be their children. She thought for a long time, not knowing what to say to them, whom she had never met before. In the end, she just said that she would live a good life.
Before leaving Qingzhou, Cheng Yayin and Pei Songsheng planted a pine tree in front of their graves, hoping that it would stay with them year after year and last forever.
After finishing these things, they will return to Shengjing.
On the day of departure, Cheng Yayin looked back at the wooden house. It was a beautiful spring season, the trees were lush and green, and the wind was gentle, as if someone was silently waving goodbye.
Pei Songsheng held her hand and said, "Let's go."
Cheng Yayin held him tightly, smiled back, left the heavy past behind, and set out on her journey home with Pei Songsheng.
Cheng Yayin felt more relaxed than ever before. She knew that the person next to her would walk with her all the way forward.
She used to think that Pei Songsheng was like a bleak and lonely autumn day, containing everything but silent. Now she knew what kind of unknown feelings he had as he walked alone through the cycle of the four seasons in the fleeting years that she had never noticed.
But he never complained, never gave up, and after so many years, he finally waited for her to come back.
Looking back, spring is coming.
(End of full text)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
