"Ah? Really? Who is so bold as to snatch things from you? That's too much!" Chu Qiao was immediately filled with righteous indignation and acted ignorant.
"Haha, you think so too." Yan Xun laughed, then nodded solemnly, "Yes, it's too much. I have been guarding a iron tree for more than ten years. It is finally blooming. How can it be picked by others? Although the flowers are not very good and the posture is not as graceful as other flowers, it has been with me for so long. Even if it is a toilet, you will develop feelings after using it for a long time. I value friendship. Isn't their behavior too much?"
Chu Qiao blushed and yelled, "Hey! Yan Xun, you're going too far. You're comparing me to a toilet!"
“Haha!” Yan Xun stretched out his arms and picked up Chu Qiao by the waist. With a clever move, he lifted her from her horse and sat her in front of him. He smiled and hugged her waist, muttering in a low voice, “Whoever dares to snatch it from me, I will fight him to the death.”
His voice was very soft, and his breath quietly sprayed on Chu Qiao's fair neck, leaving a layer of fine "sand" on her skin.
"Don't worry, no one will snatch it from you. Your flower always knows where it should bloom."
The wind was howling, and the golden flag was blown up by the wind, fluttering overhead. Chu Qiao leaned in Yan Xun's arms, and all her worries and concerns disappeared in an instant. Li Ce was right. A person only has one pair of legs. Since he had decided to go west, the scenery on the road to the north, whether it was raining or windy, had nothing to do with him.
She was very happy. This time, she saw a different Yan Xun. He was not the frustrated prince in Zhenhuang City, not the man locked in a cage full of hatred, not the madman who was bloodthirsty on the day he rushed out of Zhenhuang City. He was warm and even cheerful, as if the eloquent and lively-eyed boy by the Chishui Lake many years ago was alive again.
After leaving the lifeless cage of Zhenhuang, they were no longer the same as before.
The sunlight was dazzling, a golden color, and two eagles were perched above the team. They were their war eagles, with huge wings, flying with long roars.
"Gee!" Yan Xun suddenly whipped the horse's buttocks, and the warhorse immediately raised its hooves and galloped forward. The army behind him followed suit, and the dim dust swirled and rose high behind them.
"Achu!"
The wind was so strong that even if you were very close, you still had to shout loudly to be heard.
Chu Qiao tried hard to turn around and shouted, "What did you say?"
"I'll take you home!"
The man raised his whip-holding hand, pointed to the northwest horizon, and said sharply: "Go back to our own kingdom!" This is a great land!
The sky is blue and pure, with a free breeze in the air. The sky is high and far away. A snow-white eagle flaps its wings and circles in the sky, screaming loudly. Looking around, the October wormwood covers the sky and extends to the distance. The wind was cold and blew fiercely, causing the soldiers' fur coats to flutter and their heavy armor to hit their scabbards, making crisp sounds. In the far distance is the first important military city of Yanbei - Beishuo Pass, which is the gateway for Donglu to enter Yanbei. The tall city is like a silent dragon, quietly lingering at the end of the horizon.
In front of Beishuo Pass is the famous Fire Thunder Plain. It was on this land that Yan Shicheng, the Lion King of Yanbei, and his sons fought to the death against the Daxia army, and eventually slept forever with the land of Yanbei. The vast Fire Thunder Plain is covered with red Fire Cloud Flowers. According to legend, this flower grows from rotten flesh and can only be seen in cemeteries and mass graves. The more flesh and blood there is, the more gorgeous the flowers bloom. But just after the great war that year, the Fire Cloud Flowers on the Fire Thunder Plain bloomed for nine years, bright red every year, regardless of spring or summer, autumn or winter.
In an instant, Chu Qiao seemed to see the passionate and tragic war that took place many years ago.
Iron cavalry trampled across the land, the earth was desolate, the clouds were red like blood, and the flags were raised. In the boundless sea of grass, in the lush jungle, in the solitary towering snow-capped peaks, in the endless sea of blood, there were soldiers' sabers and bloodthirsty roars everywhere. Warriors wore armor and died in every corner of the Yanbei land. Women and children also took up weapons to defend their own country. Everywhere there were sad songs and the majestic Yanbei long tunes. A generation has died, but their eyes are not closed, their hearts that worship freedom have never stopped beating, their blood is still flowing hotly, they have turned into scarlet flowers, like blood, blooming fiercely on every inch of land, in this way reminding and caring for the next generation of Yanbei children, interpreting the sacredness of this land with their passion and loyalty!
This is a great land! No words are enough to describe it. Every blade of grass, every tree, every stone, and every grain of sand here has witnessed the disasters that have occurred here. At the same time, it has also witnessed how the people here have stood up tenaciously after every disaster!
Yanbei! Yanbei!
In the past nine years, she had silently repeated the word "Yanbei" countless times in her heart. She and Yan Xun endured humiliation and risked life and death several times, just for this day to return to Yanbei. Now, she finally stood on the land of Yanbei, breathing the cold and dry wind here, looking at the herds of cattle, sheep and horses here, but she suddenly cried.
She has always been so strong, no matter what difficulties she is in. But at this moment, tears flowed like an unstoppable flood. Chu Qiao sat on the horse, wearing a snow-white fox fur coat, with her head held high and her back straight. She was not sad, nor disappointed, but there were too many complex emotions stirring in her chest, the excitement of having her wish fulfilled, the tiredness of returning from hundreds of battles, and the excitement of having a variety of emotions. She knew that from now on, they no longer had to live in fear of their own future, no longer had to be cautious at every step, no longer had to worry about losing their heads at any time, no longer had to guess the eyes of everyone around them, and no one could kill them or threaten them at will. They had finally escaped the fate of being manipulated and slaughtered by others, and had truly stood up!
Yanbei, I'm finally here!
The horse's hoof slowly took a step forward. The man was wearing a black fur coat and his eyebrows were raised like two sharp swords.
He didn't say anything the whole time, but just stood quietly behind her, leading the entire army, quietly looking at her, watching her be silent, watching her tremble, watching her quietly shed tears.
In this world, he is the only one who can understand her, and he is the only one who knows how she feels now, because they are the same. On the day when he saw Beishuo Pass, he was also unable to control himself. He did not cry in front of the people and army of Yanbei, but after returning to the tent, as soon as the curtain of the tent was lowered, his tears fell, silently but hot, burning his face that had been tough for many years.
That day was the first time in nine years that he allowed himself to get drunk. In a daze, he seemed to see his father again. His big, broad hand patted his shoulder vigorously and laughed, "You're growing up fast, little brat. You're as tall as your father now!"
"This is Beishuo." The man pointed at the gray city under the setting sun and whispered calmly.
Chu Qiao turned around and looked at Yan Xun with bright eyes.
The setting sun cast a golden glow. A man sat on horseback with a calm look in his eyes and a steady voice. He was wearing a black military uniform and a black fur coat like the soldiers. He looked simple and sharp. He is only twenty years old this year, young, thin, tall and handsome. His black eyes are full of a restrained glow, like a well whose depth cannot be seen.
Time does not make a person old, but experience makes a person mature.
Looking at him, Chu Qiao suddenly remembered the young man who shot an arrow astray in the hunting ground many years ago, the young prince in a light robe and loose belt on the streets of Zhenhuang, and the sparkling Chishui Lake. The young man looked at her with a smile in his eyes, and above his head was a bright full moon, the light was clear and hazy like fog. She thought of the dark prison cell in the imperial city, the cold snowflakes drifting in from outside the courtyard, the north wind blowing, and the two children holding hands tightly together through a thick wall...
At that moment, looking at Yan Xun's tough outline, Chu Qiao seemed to relive the ups and downs of the past eight years once again. A man slowly stood up from the mud and blood, moved his feet with difficulty, and began his long and arduous journey.
The north wind was so cold, the eagle flag above was fluttering, and the Yanbei Plateau welcomed a new master. Chu Qiao's blood gradually began to boil. She could almost foresee that one era had ended and another would begin from here!
She was very glad that she would be the most direct witness of all this, because she always stood by that person and never wavered!
Yan Xun turned around, hurried forward, and smiled faintly at Chu Qiao, "Ah Chu, welcome home."
Suddenly, there was an eagle's cry in the sky, and a lot of neat horse hoof sounds came from the front. The ancient gate of Beishuo City slowly opened. Yan Xun raised his head slightly, and the setting sun shone on his forehead with a light that looked like blood. As soon as he entered the city, someone came to the door. Yan Xun pointed at the person in front of him and said with a smile: "Ah Chu, this is Wan Wan. She is the most unreasonable person in the whole Yanbei."
The girl was wearing a neat riding outfit, with white camel hair surrounding her white chin, and a pair of black eyes were like two grapes, crystal clear and sharp as stars. When she heard Chu Qiao's name, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes. She looked up and down at the tall girl in front of her, and finally exclaimed in surprise: "You are Chu Qiao?"
"My Lady, you are the most beautiful sword on the Yanbei Plateau. It is Chu Qiao's honor to meet you."
The wind from outside blew in, blowing through the girl's hair. Huan Huan looked at Chu Qiao carefully, and her eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Yan Xun's. She was only eighteen or nineteen years old, and inherited the tall figure of the Yan family. Her skin was as white as snow, her features were deep, and she was handsome. She suddenly smiled brightly, "So it's you who came. No wonder, no wonder."
Yan Xun frowned and lightly rebuked, "Wan Wan, don't be so rude."
"Okay, brother," Huan Huan smiled, patted Yan Xun's shoulder, and said with a smile, "That damn place Zhenhuang City really taught you a bad lesson. All you talk about is rules and politeness."
"I've heard of you." Wan Wan turned around, showing a mouthful of white teeth, and said in a friendly manner, "You have been with my brother in the imperial capital for eight years, and you have suffered a lot. A while ago, you even fought a big battle with Da Xia to save the army. You are really great!"
"The princess led the Fire Cloud Army to sweep across Yanbei, and beat the Bato cubs so hard that they fled everywhere. This has long been a legend."
"Haha, I am a descendant of the Yan family. If I don't kill others, others will come to kill me. I can't compare with you. You are a great contributor to our Yanbei." Huan Huan laughed, "I just heard that my brother brought back a woman, and I was worried that he would let you down. Since you are here, I won't meddle in other people's business!" The girl smiled cunningly, made a face at Yan Xun, and ran out in a flash.