In the pouring rain, a green figure stood among the green trees in the mountains.
The rain seemed to pour down from the heavens, accompanied by deafening thunder, bombarding the entire space and causing it to tremble continuously. Luo Jianqing stood in this terrifying thunderstorm, watching silently. The rain was just like forty-one years ago, thunderbolts crashing down continuously, and bean-sized raindrops splashing into the 18,000-li Luo River.
The Luo River was no longer turbid, but became even clearer.
Fish and shrimp swam in the water, and the green mountains on both sides connected, winding and twisting, transforming into ink-splashed green mountains in the hazy rain curtain. The Luo River was too long, and the current was too fast. The green-robed monk stood on the hilltop and looked out at the vast Luo River, but he saw that the water had no end in sight, just like the terrifying way of heaven, majestic and shocking.
In the rain, Luo Jianqing seemed to see a young couple.
Behind them were the villagers' scornful glances and hatred. They wrapped the tiny figure in a thick quilt, padded a wooden barrel with countless things, shielded it from the pouring rain with oilcloth, and, weeping heartbreakingly, they placed the tiny baby in the barrel and pushed it into the turbulent Luo River.
The thunder gradually drifted away as the baby left.
Wherever the wooden barrel passed, the water remained clear. Even the most turbulent waves, once they reached this spot, became incomparably calm. The young couple on the shore embraced each other and wept bitterly. Finally, the young man pulled the pale, tearful woman away, and the sobbing in the barrel gradually subsided.
Luo Jianqing sighed softly, and before the familiar white figure appeared, he wiped out the image with a flick of his sleeve.
Thunder rumbled in the sky, each sound seemed to split the mountain into pieces, but Luo Jianqing slowly closed his eyes.
Forty-one years ago, in the peaceful village of Gujia Village, Gu Qi and his wife, married for twelve years, finally welcomed their first child. The child was incredibly handsome, and they named him Gu Liu, hoping that he would be like the willow tree that sprouted at birth, a happy and evergreen child.
Gu Liu was a gifted child. At the age of six, he entered the village school and learned to read and study with a scholar. When he was twelve, the old scholar was impressed by Gu Liu's diligence and intelligence and wrote a letter recommending Gu Liu to study in the town.
When Gu Liu left that year, Gu Shiliu from the village took a box of candy and stuffed it into his hands, saying in a soft voice, "You can read, and I can cook."
The little girl with pigtails boldly expressed her love, but Gu Liu suddenly blushed.
Gu Liu, carrying his shabby, simple bag, entered the town to study. He placed first in the provincial examination! He also took first place in the metropolitan examination! He reached the throne room, where the current emperor personally selected him as the third place winner and bestowed upon him the name Fengzhang. Gu Liu returned home in glory. When the group reached Gujia Village, they could smell the sweet, sticky aroma of rice before even entering.
The accompanying imperial envoy asked, "Gu Tanhua, there are delicious foods in your hometown."
Gu Liu was slightly stunned. Before she could answer, she saw a young and pretty girl running out of a house at the head of the village. She clasped her hands in her skirt pockets and looked very shy, but her words were extremely bold: "Gu Liu, now that you are back from studying, I can cook too."
Gu Liu blushed, and the two got married a year later.
Though only a third-place finisher in the imperial examination, Gu Liu, within a decade, had brought down several powerful and corrupt officials. In public, he was a ruthless censor, his annual death-defying remonstrations stained the throne room with blood, leaving even the emperor helpless. In private, he was a gentle and considerate husband. They never had children, but he was deeply attentive to Little Sixteen from Gujia Village.
Such a couple became famous all over the world.
When Gu Liu was forty years old, he entered the cabinet and supervised the troops on the battlefield. At sixteen, he cried all day at home.
When Gu Liu was fifty years old, he had many children and grandchildren, but in the huge Gu Mansion, only the couple were walking hand in hand.
When Gu Liu was sixty years old, he became prime minister and took charge of the cabinet. His style was tough and all the corrupt officials in the court were frightened and in a state of panic.
When Gu Liu was seventy years old, a new emperor ascended the throne. The foolish new emperor issued an order to execute the loyal and iron-blooded old prime minister, causing the capital to cry for three days.
Gu Shiliu's hair had already turned white. That day, she held her husband's urn and gently buried it in the ground. She sat in front of the tombstone for three days, watching over it, and finally left suddenly. When she returned, she had a small lunch box. When she opened it, she found it was full of shiny, sweet, and sticky rice.
“You can read…I can cook.”
After finishing the meal mouthful by mouthful, Gu Shiliu hit his head against the stone tablet, causing his head to bleed and die completely.
Everything is frozen into a picture.
Forty-one years ago, Gu Qi and his wife from Gujia Village had a child. That year, the willow trees failed to sprout, having all died due to a severe drought. So they named the child Gu Yuan. They only hoped that their future would be better and that the child would also be better.
Gu Yuan has been naughty since he was young and hates reading the most. He is so naughty every day that it gives his parents a headache.
This time, the sixteenth-ranked girl in Gujia Village died in the womb. Gu Yuan followed his parents to visit his distant cousin who had just lost her child. He hid behind everyone and continued to play with his bamboo toys.
The seven-year-old Gu Yuan was extremely strong. Seeing how much he enjoyed playing, his parents let him learn some moves from the retired veterans in the village.
At the age of twelve, Gu Yuan was drafted into the army. Before leaving, he playfully grabbed several pieces of candy. No one from the village came to see him off except his parents. A few young girls, however, were tempted by his handsome face. Then, their parents ordered them to go back, saying, "Gu's Ayuan is just a gigolo. He's a loser and will die on the battlefield sooner or later."
Gu Yuan suddenly stopped eating candy and stared blankly at the back of his aunt who said this.
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