Looking at the Sword by Lamplight (Twenty-Seven)
On the last day of Zuodan's Eighteen Continents, Bian Hongqiu said goodbye to the Western Border Army that had been with him for ten years.
Among these people were those who had been born and raised in the Western Border, determined to overthrow the King of the Western Border and restore peace to their homeland; there were bandits recruited from various continents of Dayu; there were refugees with nowhere else to turn; and among the junior generals, there were also scions of aristocratic families from the capital. At the farewell banquet, the wine flowed freely, and within three rounds, a large number of people were drunk.
Bian Hongqiu always sat at the top and drank the wine that others offered him with a smile.
The decree regarding the incorporation of the Western Border Army did indeed include the word "wartime." However, it was stronger than the Shangyang Frontier Army, originally brought up by his father. Cui Yue had "accidentally" revealed that the garrison of Zuodan's Eighteen Continents would be overseen by Xi Zhongting, while junior officers with connections in the Western Border Army would be free to decide whether to stay or leave. After receiving the roster, Xi Zhongting had already chosen his preferred candidate—regardless of whether or not to sever ties with Bian Hongqiu, solely based on ability. He then petitioned the new emperor to maintain the existing Western Border Army garrison system.
The new emperor has approved it.
So, despite his reluctance to leave, at least they didn't have to go through with the drama of "the birds are gone and the bows are put away". Everyone went their separate ways. Bian Hongqiu persuaded one and the other, then took a few sips of wine and considered it to quench his thirst. When the banquet was over, Meng Shizhuang came to pick him up. There were a lot of drunks staggering around. He claimed to be a family man, so it was inconvenient for him to compete with these bachelors who needed to be taken care of.
Bian Hongqiu's affair was so unconcealed that she practically flaunted it like a peacock spreading its feathers. The military was known for its uninhibited nature; even though they rarely saw the other party involved, they were already brazen enough to whistle at Bian Hongqiu. Qi Ziyu, blushing, tugged at Bian Hongqiu's desk, slumped over, still craning his neck to look at Meng Shizhuang.
He really didn't think it through.
How could their Highness, a man in his prime, suddenly become disloyal? And he was so in love with Doctor Meng, with whom he had only been together for a few days, that he wore women's clothes every day and flaunted himself before them. Alcohol had overtaken General Qi's mind, which was already not very good at thinking. He saw Bian Hongqiu stumble and fall into Meng Shizhuang's arms, and the two walked away hugging each other. He didn't have time to grab the corner of Bian Hongqiu's clothes, and his eyes darted to grab Shao Zheng, who was not far away from him.
"Shao... General Shao, tell me, when did His Highness start liking men? You... me... we are the two most beautiful women in the army. Your beauty is definitely on par with Doctor Meng. Has His Highness ever... well, uh..."
Shao Zheng smiled and pressed the idiot's face into the fruit bowl. When other subordinates asked, "What is General Qi talking about?", he simply replied, "He's drunk and mad, lamenting that he can't get married at his age."
This topic aroused everyone's sadness, and they immediately started to complain and complain, and the banquet turned into a vegetable market.
Shao Zheng listened as he, unwittingly, carried the unconscious Qi Ziyu out, preventing her from spouting nonsense. He left the restaurant booked by Prince Liang's mansion and saw Bian Hongqiu slumped over Meng Shizhuang's back. The moon was bright in the sky, its light pouring down. In a moment of clarity, he suddenly looked up and saw Qi Ziyu, their partner, dancing and muttering.
He had no choice but to accept his fate and drag the burden back.
Under the moonlight, Bian Hongqiu, who was not drunk enough to lose track of directions, leaned against Meng Shizhuang's neck.
Meng Shizhuang felt half of her body numb from his restless little movements: "...If you keep doing this, I won't be able to walk."
Bian Hongqiu was busy and happy, but when he heard this, he looked up and said, "Really? Do I have this ability now?"
Meng Shizhuang didn't want to reply, otherwise Bian Hongqiu would definitely keep pestering her and acting like a spoiled child. She simply lifted the person on her back upwards and said half-threateningly, "If you're not drunk, get off and walk by yourself!"
Bian Hongqiu immediately pretended to be dead and did not move.
After all, he had been drinking, so he pretended to be dizzy for a while before actually falling asleep. Meng Shizhuang called out softly twice but got no response, thinking Bian Hongqiu was up to something new, until Bian Hongqiu's head drooped uncontrollably, and her even breathing poured into his ears.
Meng Shizhuang walked even slower. The surrounding streets were neither wide nor narrow, the moonlight just enough to cover his eyes. He had a deep connection with the night—when he was young, the dark nights were like a second day. He was either practicing martial arts or taking care of Lao Ju, and it seemed as if he didn't need to sleep at all. After Lao Ju left him, he often lost his mind during the day, wandering into the dead of night, and then suffering in the long, lonely night until dawn.
He had decided to return to Sujian Mountain. Though he hadn't expressed his feelings to anyone, he was deeply uneasy. Sometimes, people feel an inexplicable connection to the parts of themselves that hold so much love and hate. Meng Shizhuang had previously avoided the terror of his nightmares, nor considered resolving them. But recently, after considering ending them, he felt a sense of detachment, as if a mysterious force was pulling him back. It was a tug-of-war, a lingering pain in his heart. If Meng Shizhuang felt the urge to return, he would feel a lingering pain of resistance; but if he suddenly felt the urge to retreat, he would feel a surge of anticipation.
During the night of Shulang, Meng Shizhuang felt a layer of sweat on her body.
The city they are staying in now is the one with a ferry, which makes it convenient for them to board the ship tomorrow.
Because they were so close to the sea, Meng Shizhuang could even hear the waves quietly rising. The sound of the waves faded further and further away from him, until he looked up and saw Song Jingyan, lantern in hand, waiting at the entrance to the post station. With a cursory glance, Song Jingyan saw that Bian Hongqiu had fallen asleep. With a sigh of relief, she whispered to Meng Shizhuang, "Did they ask you to drink? I've had someone make a hangover soup. If you did, drink a bowl."
Meng Shizhuang followed her upstairs and replied in the same low voice, "No, leave one bowl for him."
The door opened, revealing Su Jian lying on the table. Meng Shizhuang walked around the table and placed Bian Hongqiu on the couch. He drew down the curtains and extinguished the two lamps beside the couch. Turning back, he saw Song Jingyan, deep in thought, facing Su Jian. When he stepped outside, Song Jingyan shifted her gaze to his face, and under the light, she became more certain of her thoughts.
So, just like ten years ago, I asked him, "Ah Shi, do you want to know who your parents are?"
Before Meng Shizhuang could reply, she explained the sword's origins: "This sword is forged from black iron. There's only one in the entire country, and it's the only sharp and indestructible weapon. Its first owner was the founding emperor of Dayu. Because of the heavy sins of killing with this sharp weapon, he died before he reached adulthood. The next emperor kept the sword in Dajue Temple for over forty years until a high monk declared the sword's evil spirit had dissipated. Only then was it returned to the emperor's private vault."
Meng Shizhuang didn't rush to interrupt her this time. After listening, she said, "Actually, I have a rough idea."
"In the bandit den where I used to live, there was a nagging old man who loved to tell stories of the past. He told them like he was reciting a sutra. I know whose blood is flowing in my body. But so what? It's not like I haven't been to the capital with you. Dayu has been in chaos for so many years. All my ancestors, whether loyal or treacherous, are now dead."
He fixed his eyes on the urn in Lao Ju's room.
"I wish everyone I had a connection with was dead. This person once told me, 'One doesn't need to ask where one came from, one only needs to look at where one is returning.' I'm taking him back, but there's still one long-cherished wish of his that hasn't been fulfilled."
Song Jingyan had personally gone to Daohai City for this sword. Thinking of what she had encountered and heard, her eyes sparkled with brilliance: "He will get what he wants."
The next day, Meng Shizhuang carried Bian Hongqiu, who kept complaining of a hangover and a headache, onto the boat as usual.
The Liang Palace's own men on board the ship could easily fit a few mahjong tables into a small room. Compared to the tens of thousands of Western Border troops, whose mouths couldn't convey a single straightforward message, they were more forthright in their gossip. Bian Hongqiu didn't particularly want to join in. He had nothing else to worry about right now and simply wanted to hang out with Meng Shizhuang every day. But Meng Shizhuang couldn't stand it after just two days.
Bian Hongqiu wanted to pester her again, but Meng Shizhuang was so seasick that she felt dizzy and her face turned blue from vomiting.
Mr. Zhou was called in in a hurry. As soon as he entered the room, he heard Meng Shizhuang scolding their prince: "...I have never fainted before. I guess you pushed me out."
this……
Why is it different from transverse wave transmission?
He was in a dilemma at the door of the room, but was finally called in by Bian Hongqiu. Without even taking his pulse, he hurriedly gave him some seasickness medicine and ran away with his robe.
As soon as Mr. Zhou ran away, Bian Hongqiu was kicked out. He didn't get a chance to sleep in the gentle land until the boat docked in Daohaicheng. After finally getting off the boat, Meng Shizhuang's face looked better. He wanted to find an excuse to show his affection, but Meng Shizhuang abandoned him with the excuse that she "wanted to be alone."
He stood alone on the dock. When he turned around, even Song Jingyan was standing in the queue on the side of the ship, gloating.
Seeing him turn around, Song Jingyan suppressed her laughter: "Your Highness, even if you are husband and wife, you can't talk about everything. Didn't you say that you would return to the boat for dinner in the evening? Come and discuss with us the important events in General Qi's life." Qi Ziyu's beating had enraged the people and the heavens, and the awkward political status of the Prince of Liang's Mansion was no longer in place. His comrades could not wait to get rid of him.
Daohai City has undergone a major transformation in the past ten years.
As one of the first cities to return to the central government, and situated along the coast, it was a constant stream of merchants. Compared to Ming Hunzhou, which had been under a years-long overhaul, this place was even more rapidly developing than Jiangnan. The wharf where Meng Shizhuang once carried goods had been expanded considerably. The scrawny overseer from before was gone, and those doing manual labor had their own set of rules. Eating was for eating, drinking was for drinking, and there was no longer the casual chaos of the past.
Meng Shizhuang stood for over a quarter of an hour on a street that bore no resemblance to his memory. He recalled the clinic that Lao Ju had mentioned as having given him a night's shelter and had kindly allowed him to buy on credit. The old doctor's clinic was his own business; no matter how it changed, it had its origins. He decided to head down this road to thank the benefactor Lao Ju had mentioned.
He hadn't taken two steps when a plaque of "Ping'an Escort Agency" came into his sight in a grand manner.
Meng Shizhuang observed him for a moment, not taking it seriously. Then, a young man rushed out of the escort agency. He was about the height of Meng Shizhuang's eyebrows, neither fat nor thin, with a face that carried an unshaken sharpness. He seemed to be in a hurry, and in his haste, he accidentally bumped into Meng Shizhuang's right shoulder.
"I'm sorry, I didn't look where I was going..."
The boy had an apologetic look on his face and apologized repeatedly.
Meng Shizhuang backed away just in time, avoiding much of the impact. He subconsciously raised his right hand, his wrist drooping softly in a rather awkward "waving" gesture. He tried to walk away, but the young man who had bumped into him suddenly looked up, startled, and gazed at him for a long moment, so long that Meng Shizhuang frowned and looked back. Suddenly, the young man exclaimed in surprise, "Hero!"
Meng Shizhuang thought a cannon barrel exploded next to his ear.
The next moment, the young man rushed over and carefully grasped his wrist without any hesitation: "It's me, hero! The little beggar Xiao Qi!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
