Youthful Journey
Watching the moon from the rooftop, with fine wine in hand and old friends around, they reminisced about past embarrassments over several rounds of drinks, their conversation flowing freely tonight.
Tang Qi lowered his head and drank the wine in the jar little by little. Although the corners of his mouth were raised, there was little smile in his eyes.
Yun An's noisy chatter seemed to push time back to that night five years ago. Ye Qian quietly looked at Tang Qi, wondering what he was thinking at that moment.
In five years, the moon has only waxed and waned five times, but how can the ever-changing world be preserved in just five years?
What in this world remains unchanged?
Ye Qian recalled what they looked like five years ago.
The boy stood on the roof tiles, the moon hung overhead, and he smiled, pointing to the sky, his eyes reflecting a galaxy of stars.
"Just you wait, Dad. One day I'll take you down! I'll do anything you say is impossible!"
That was Tang Qi's first day officially joining the army.
Ye Qian sat to the side, just as he had back then, listening to their bold yet sincere and unrestrained shouts.
"I want to become a renowned and powerful general of the Great Shuo!"
That day marked the first time Zhou Ziye's dream was laid bare before the world.
"I want to travel the world as a merchant, build ten thousand granaries, and ensure that there are no starving people on earth."
Under the moonlight, Shen Zhiqing planted the first seed in Jingzhou.
"I wish for world peace, so that everyone may live in safety and prosperity."
Yun An clasped her hands together, closed her eyes, and quietly made a wish to the bright moon.
The boy's words illuminated the entire dark night sky.
If we're talking about the bright moon, what can't be erased is their sincere hearts.
Seemingly noticing Ye Qian's gaze, Tang Qi looked up and met his eyes. The two of them raised their wine jars and clinked them together in perfect unison.
"Respect Heaven and Earth, and wish us well."
They smiled at each other, and the unspoken words were swallowed down in their wine.
By nightfall, the wine jars were empty. Yun An, grumbling, was helped by her maid to the princess's residence. She was quite drunk. Tang Qi, on the other hand, still had a lot of wine left in his jar, and he found it hard to swallow his wine.
He wrapped his cloak around himself and waved to Ye Qian: "I'm leaving."
The nights in Jingzhou were very quiet; he could hardly see anyone on the streets. Tang Qi missed the carefree days when he and Lin Jiacuo and the others stayed up until the lights were on in Luocheng.
When he returned to the Tang residence, Tang Yan's room was still lit. He rubbed his hands together, knocked on the door, and went in. The oil lamp had burned down to its last bit. His brother was frowning and writing something at the table. When he saw him, he immediately put down his pen, looked up, and smiled, "You're back?"
"Did you find anything while squatting?"
Tang Qi sat opposite him and asked directly.
"We caught people selling military license plates privately, but they only said they used smuggled iron, and wouldn't answer any questions about the source or the purpose of the counterfeiting. We couldn't get anything out of them."
Tang Yan frowned and continued, "I've already eliminated that scout and spy, and selected a new batch. You can use them if you have any plans."
Tang Qi nodded and said, "I went to the blacksmith shop in Jingzhou. The private iron trade should be done by the Wei family. I'm not sure if the Zhou family is involved. Also, regarding the matter of Hecheng, Ye Qian said he found the soldiers who survived the attack on the city."
Tang Yan looked up at him, but the latter only lowered his head and said in a deep voice: "They were all buried alive a hundred miles away from Hecheng. No one survived. They were all new recruits from my Southern Camp."
Tang Yan was slightly taken aback and was about to pat him on the shoulder to comfort him when there was an unexpected knock on the door. He turned around and saw that it was Li Heyun who came in.
"grandmother?"
Tang Qi was both surprised and delighted. She followed Tang Yan and helped Li Heyun sit down on either side: "You...you can actually get out of bed and walk around?"
Li Heyun pretended to be angry and tapped Tang Qi's head, saying, "Your grandmother is not a sickly person. Not to mention getting out of bed, it's not impossible for her to put on her helmet again and take up a spear to fight."
Tang Qi looked at her older brother: "Is Grandma's illness not serious?"
Tang Yan nodded and replied, "It was just a cold before, and I rested in bed for a while. Now that you've come back, Grandma's illness has improved by more than half."
Tang Qi remembered what Yun Qi had told him before, so Yun Qi was deliberately scaring him back then?
Before he could think of anything, Li Heyun had already taken his hand. The three of them, grandmother and grandson, put their hands together. Tang Qi and his elder brother squatted in front of Li Heyun's knees and listened to her say, "Among the younger generation, besides your second sister, only the two of you can lift a gun."
Li Heyun patted each of their heads: "Your names were chosen by your grandfather."
Her expression was serene, and she continued as if she were telling them stories when they were children: "Boyou and Zhongle are taken from the wise saying of an ancient sage, 'Be the first to worry about the world's troubles and the last to enjoy its pleasures.' This is what your grandfather, and I, expect of you, the younger generation."
Tang Qi's heart skipped a beat; he had never known that his name held such a hidden meaning.
“The Tang family has been generals for generations, but I do not require all of you to learn martial arts and join the army. I think it is good that your sisters study the classics, understand the principles of things, and live peacefully without going to the battlefield. But since you have chosen this path, I have to make things clear.”
Do you know why I gave you that Wolf Strategy military badge?
Tang Qi shook his head.
Li Heyun then spoke slowly, "You've been investigating for a while now, haven't you? How's it going?"
The two of them lowered their heads and remained silent.
Li Heyun chuckled twice, gently patting their heads: "This is what I wanted to tell you. To be a good general, it's not enough to just know how to fight. There are unseen swords everywhere. You've passed the age of just talking about passion, and I believe my grandchildren have the courage to face the darkness. Look far ahead. Even if you're in the whirlpool, I hope you can grow into boats that carry others across the river."
His grandmother's words silenced both of them, and Tang Qi felt that the night was extremely long. He tossed and turned in his room, unable to sleep, Li Heyun's voice still echoing in his ears. All along, he had indeed been like a hot-blooded young man, his mind filled with thoughts of killing enemies and seizing cities.
Tang Qi always only considered how to defeat the enemy and win, but rarely looked back to see whose forehead the sword was aimed at.
He sighed deeply, suddenly regretting not having an extra pair of eyes in the back of his head.
The first snow in Jingzhou arrived late. Tang Qi didn't sleep very well that night. When she got up early, put on her cloak, and went out the door, the courtyard was already bustling with activity. Her grandmother and the rest of the family were standing at the door, as if they were waiting for someone.
Tang Qi, puzzled, leaned closer and asked, "Why are you all waiting here?"
Tang Yan turned and glanced at him, saying, "News has come from the palace that the Wolf Army, which is on a southern expedition, will be returning today."
Tang Qi's heart tightened, but her eyes lit up.
His dad is coming back from the front lines!
Tang Qi's lips unconsciously curved into a smile. He suppressed the pounding of his heart and waited quietly at the door like the others, watching over a certain spot.
The morning sun blew snow in abundance, covering the long streets of Jingzhou in white.
Finally, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar, one after another, followed by cheers that resonated in Tang Qi's heart.
However, he didn't have time to be happy.
The towering flagpole, rising above the heavy snow, mercilessly revealed itself to them, drowning out the cacophony of sounds.
In an instant, all was silent.
Tang Qi remained rooted to the spot.
The military flag was lowered to half-mast, and the commander-in-chief was killed in battle.
Tang Mian is dead.
He has no father.
The half-lowered military flag led the Wolf Army through the snow, and all that stopped at the gate of the Tang residence was a broken wooden coffin.
No one dared to utter a sound; Tang Qi even held her breath.
Li Heyun, leaning on her cane, was about to take a step forward with trembling hands when Tang Qi reached out to stop her: "I...I'll go, Grandmother, I'll go."
He walked down the steps one by one, his voice hoarse. Tang Qi stopped next to the wooden coffin. The coffin had no lid, and he could see Tang Mian lying inside at a glance.
"He had three broken swords stuck in his body, and he was covered in blood; I almost didn't recognize him..."
He remembered his mother's words.
Tang Mian in the coffin was covered in blood, and the arrows in his body were still stuck in his body. The snow fell on him and melted into his blood. Blood was streaming down his face, and he was calm and lifeless.
Tang Qi mustered his strength to pull out the broken arrows stuck in Tang Mian's body, and slowly knelt down in the snow.
He clung to the edge of the coffin, his head bowed, trying to stifle his sobs, but his shoulders trembled uncontrollably.
The aunts behind her turned their heads away and covered their faces, crying. Li Heyun was helped over by Tang Yan, and she stared intently at the person in the coffin.
Her son died in front of her for the second time.
Li Heyun closed his eyes, not daring to look any longer, and said in a trembling voice, "Carry the coffin, enter the mansion, and welcome my son home!"
Tang Yan, his eyes red, touched Tang Mian's coffin, and then another sound of horses' hooves rang out.
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: 'The southern expedition has failed, and the Marquis of Jianbei has died in battle. Considering his great achievements, I hereby grant him a grand funeral befitting a prince, and he shall be buried in Luoyang. His son is hereby ordered to escort the coffin, and the journey shall begin immediately.'"
After the imperial decree was read, Tang Song, who was kneeling, couldn't help but raise his head and speak:
"My third brother was born and raised in Jingzhou, so why should he be buried in Luoyang after his death!"
The official delivering the decree merely smiled at them, his voice laced with coldness: "Has the Tang family forgotten that he was already the Marquis of Jianbei more than a decade ago? His residence is not in Jingzhou."
The meaning behind those words couldn't be clearer.
"Oh, by the way," the messenger revealed the men behind him and said to Li Heyun and the others, "His Majesty specifically instructed that since it is cold in Jingzhou and the road to Luocheng is far, the Tang family does not need to send anyone there. His Majesty is kind-hearted and has prepared people to carry the coffin for the young marquis."
Tang Qi knelt in the snow, her hands and feet numb with cold.
"Young Marquis? It's time to receive the imperial decree."
The messenger coldly urged Tang Qi on.
Fallen leaves return to their roots.
His father can't go home.
Tang Qi lowered his head, and surprisingly, he wanted to laugh.
He kowtowed deeply: "Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty. I accept your command."
The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance. Tang Qi finally raised his head to look at Li Heyun. He wanted to say something, but his throat was choked and he couldn't say anything.
In the end, he simply kowtowed three times to Li Heyun, staining the snow red once more: "My father must have wanted to do this. Grandmother, I will do it on his behalf."
Li Heyun's eyes reddened.
Tang Yan's hand, which was tightly gripping the coffin, was pried open, and he stood there, feeling cold.
Tang Qi mounted his horse. The heavy snow fell aimlessly, clinging to his hair and between his brows, chilling him to the bone.
The people behind him carried Tang Mian's coffin, their footsteps treading lightly as they moved forward.
He didn't know how many people had gathered in front of the mansion, nor did he know if the figures in his peripheral vision were real.
Perhaps someone is seeing him off, perhaps someone is mourning, perhaps someone is crying for him.
But he couldn't see clearly while riding a horse.
All he knew was that the snow in Jingzhou was heavy, and he was all alone in the world, unable to find a place to go.
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