Chapter 119: When the Wind Arrives 6 The Finale
Stepping into Chaozhou City again, Xun Shu felt as if he were in another world.
The last time she left, it was still a scorching summer. Back then, she'd thought she'd find Jiang Zheng and take him back to Chaozhou, back to the coffin shop, to live a peaceful life. But when she returned, spring had already begun to revive, and she didn't return with Jiang Zheng as she'd hoped.
We can still meet again when the seasons change, but some people will never be seen again.
The door of the coffin shop was closed. Xun Shu didn't want to disturb the neighbors, so he quietly entered the coffin shop through the back door.
The coffin shop still looked the same as I remembered, except that the backyard had not been cleaned for a long time and was overgrown with weeds, withered and messy. The wooden boards piled in the corner had been exposed to wind and rain for more than half a year and had become moldy and rotten, covered with cracks, and the dark areas were covered with thick moss.
Xun Shu pushed open the door of the shop in the front yard.
Dust hung in the air, and the smell of stale decay filled the air. Thick cobwebs clung to the corners of the room, and the unsold coffins in the shop were also covered in dust. Xun Shu stood at the doorway, not daring to step inside for a long moment, feeling a slight sense of homesickness.
Li Xuanhe stood behind her and whispered, "Let's sell them these few days. Jiang Shuding also hopes that these coffins can bring peace to the souls of the deceased and fulfill their mission."
"I want to take them back to the capital," Xun Shu refused firmly. "These coffins were all made by Uncle Jiang. I carved the patterns, and maybe you painted them. This is the only connection between Uncle Jiang and me in this world. I don't want to sell it to anyone else. I want to keep it for myself. A hundred years from now, I'll be buried in this coffin."
The coffins in the coffin shop were made of ordinary wood, mostly for common people, but they were exquisitely crafted. Li Xuanhe glanced at the coffins in the room, pointed to one in the corner, and said, "That's perfect. I need a coffin too. This one will be placed next to yours. When I reach the underworld, perhaps I can use the craftsmanship of this coffin to find Uncle Jiang."
"Yes, I will."
It was already afternoon, and the coffin shop hadn't been visited for a while. It was dirty and messy. In addition, the climate in Chaozhou was humid, and the original bedding had become moldy and rotten, making it uninhabitable. Li Xuanhe originally wanted to take Xun Shu to stay temporarily in the inn, but Xun Shu insisted on staying in the coffin shop.
"This is my home. I'm back home, but I'm staying at an inn instead of at home. If Uncle Jiang knew about this, he would definitely be sad."
Xun Shu had made up her mind. She tied her sleeves and began to tidy up the yard. Li Xuanhe wasn't picky about where to live; he was just worried about Xun Shu's health. Now that she insisted on staying, he stopped trying to persuade her. After making all the arrangements, he joined her in the work, just like he had done last year when they lived in the coffin shop and did their daily cleaning.
Li Xuanhe assigned tasks to all the people who came to Chaozhou with them. Some went to buy new bedding, some weeded the yard and removed mushrooms, and some prepared incense, candles, money, wine, and sacrificial offerings for tomorrow's worship of Uncle Jiang.
In the evening, the courtyard was brightly lit. Li Xuanhe bought Xun Shu her favorite food. The two of them sat at a table in the courtyard, surrounding a brazier to dispel the spring chill.
The moonlight was just right today. After having a good meal and a few drinks, the two were making tea and admiring the moon when someone knocked on the back door.
They came back suddenly and didn't tell anyone else. Why would someone come to visit at this time? Xun Shu was stunned and turned to look at the back door. Yu Chang had already opened the door.
Standing behind the door was the owner of the funeral clothing store, Fang Yan's adoptive father, Uncle Fang. He was stunned by Yu Chang's unfamiliar face, and only breathed a sigh of relief when he caught sight of Xun Shu and Li Xuanhe in the courtyard. Xun Shu saw it was him and quickly called out, "Uncle Fang, long time no see!"
Yu Chang made way for Fang Shu at the door.
The courtyard was filled with stern-faced guards. Uncle Fang trembled as he cautiously approached the table, unsure whether to sit down. Xun Shu stood up, pushed Uncle Fang back into her seat, found another stool, and sat down next to Li Xuanhe, casually asking, "Why did Uncle Fang come here so suddenly?"
"When I passed by, I saw a light in the yard and wondered if it was you guys coming back, so I knocked on the door. Xiao Shu looks so different now, I almost didn't recognize him."
Xun Shu smiled and said, "People always have to grow up. No one can remain unchanged and stay a child forever." She poured a cup of tea for Uncle Fang and handed it to him. "Auntie, how are you doing recently?"
"Your aunt has been doing well recently. After Xiao Yan and Madam Zhao Er left for the capital last year, she's been worried about him and has had a few minor illnesses. But Xiao Yan came home a few days ago, and she's been feeling much better and feeling healthier."
Xun Shu and Li Xuanhe exchanged a glance, and Li Xuanhe pretended to ask casually, "Has Fang Yan been back?"
"Yes, he came back before the New Year and spent the New Year with your aunt and me. He stayed for about half a month and then left."
"Did he say anything?"
"He didn't say much, only that Madam Zhao had left and that he'd figured things out. He planned to travel thousands of miles while he was still young. Your aunt and I are worried, but we also think it's a good thing." Uncle Fang paused, wondering, "He said he'd see you often in the capital. How come you didn't know about this? Could it be that Xiao Yan was lying to us?"
Xun Shu was startled and shook his head slightly: "It's not a lie... We have indeed met a few times, but it was in the autumn. In the past few months, except for some unexpected events, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
"That's how it is." Fang sighed, hesitated for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was filled with bitterness: "I heard about Jiang Zheng's situation... Xiaoshu, you have to mourn and don't be too sad. In fact, many years ago, after Brother Jiang's wife passed away, Brother Jiang was depressed and almost couldn't live. Later, he found you and treated you as his only family, taking care of you like his own daughter, and people gradually came back to life." He seemed to be missing his old friend, with a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. "He has been dealing in the dead all his life. He can't see through his wife's life and death, but he is indifferent to his own life and death. I think he must hope that you can live a good life and not be sad about his affairs. Since some things cannot be changed, it is better to look forward."
Xun Shu lowered his eyelashes and stopped talking.
The coffin shop fell silent.
The moonlight was bright, yet it inexplicably conveyed a sense of loneliness. Back when Uncle Jiang was still around, he'd often invite Uncle Fang to his home. Whenever Uncle Fang came, Uncle Jiang would prepare a table full of delicious food and wine, and the two would chat endlessly, making the coffin shop a lively place. Now, good food and wine are easy to find, but the man is gone, and the former bustle is impossible to recapture.
Uncle Fang drank the tea in his cup in one gulp. "How is Xiao Shu now? Are you going to marry Xiao Hexuan—no, he's called Master Li now. Are you two married?"
Li Xuanhe smiled and said, "Uncle Fang, please call me He Xuan. Our wedding date has been set for the beginning of May. I came back this time to tell Uncle Jiang about it. Uncle Fang, do you have time in May? If you are not busy, I would like to invite you to have a drink at the wedding."
Uncle Fang waved his hand. "The capital is too far away. I'm old, so I'd rather not join in the fun. Your aunt and I have never left Chaozhou City in our lives. We were born and raised here, and we love staying here and don't want to go anywhere else. Since we've met today, I'd like to send you my best wishes in advance. If you ever return to Chaozhou in the future, as long as your aunt and I are still here, please come to our place anytime and we'll cook you home-cooked meals."
After a few more words, Uncle Fang stood up to take his leave. After seeing him off, Xun Shu stood in the courtyard, looking at Uncle Jiang's darkened room, and whispered, "Uncle Jiang must be like Uncle Fang. He's never left Chaozhou and doesn't like to go anywhere else. But he still did it for me... I'm truly his doom."
Li Xuanhe didn't know how to comfort her, so he could only say softly, "Don't overthink it. Go to bed early. Go see Uncle Jiang tomorrow. He'll definitely want to see you happy."
-
Perhaps because she was living in a familiar place, Xun Shu slept soundly that night, without a single dream. At dawn, she packed up and, on her way out, happened to see the door of the house across the street open. Li Xuanhe walked out and saw her, a smile spreading across his face. "Did you sleep well, Ah Shu?"
The dim morning light shines on the young man's smile, bright and beautiful, as if traveling through time and space and returning to last year.
Time loses its meaning at this moment. The past and the present overlap and blend, and can no longer be separated.
Xun Shu nodded slowly, averted his eyes, and was the first to walk out of the illusion: "I'm fine. How about you?"
"Me too." Li Xuanhe looked up at the clear sky. "Uncle Jiang must have known we were going to see him. Today is such a rare good day."
After packing up simply, the two of them set off for the mountains outside the city.
Mrs. Jiang Zheng's grave was located near the small cabin where they lived while cutting trees in the mountains. Xun Shu remembered it as a simple, simple mound with a stone headstone. When he visited today, he saw that the humble tomb had been transformed. The raised dome chamber, made of stacked bluestone bricks, was simple yet exquisite, and the size of a whole room. The headstone was the same as before, but the empty space had been inscribed with Jiang Zheng's name, leaving Xun Shu's signature.
Jiang Zheng had no children, so Li Xuanhe buried him together with his deceased wife in the name of Xun Shu.
Offerings were placed in front of the tombstone, leaving behind a residue of black and gray dust, like traces of burned paper money. Xun Shu was stunned when he saw it: "You put it there?"
Li Xuanhe shook his head: "It's not me."
Xun Shu had some guesses in his mind and wanted to throw those things aside, but he was afraid that what if they were not the work of that person, but were done by Jiang Zheng's friends, wouldn't that be a waste of that person's kindness.
Xun Shu knelt on the ground and took out the things he brought one by one. Then he lit a candle and watched the flames devour the paper money. He watched the paper money burn into ashes one by one, as if sending the thoughts of the living to the underworld.
"Uncle Jiang, I miss you so much. You should have been reunited with Aunt by now, right? Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. I'm planning to leave Chaozhou and go to the capital with He Xuan. I'll open a coffin shop there to make a living, and maybe continue to set up a stall to tell fortunes. I don't know what I can do or what I should do, but I want to be like you, using my skills and abilities to help more people and let more people live a good life. A hundred years from now, when I look back on the past without any regrets or regrets, you will surely be proud of me, right?"
Xun Shu spoke softly and slowly. After she finished her own story, she began to ramble on about the past. Li Xuanhe knelt beside Xun Shu and threw paper money into the brazier with her, without a trace of impatience. Only when she stopped talking did he look firm and say solemnly, "Uncle Jiang, don't worry. I will take good care of Ah Shu and will not let you worry. By the way, Ah Shu and I are getting married. When the time comes, we will have someone set up a wedding banquet for you and your aunt. When we have time in the spring of next year, Ah Shu and I will come back to see you."
-
After leaving the cabin, the group went straight to Sitian Pavilion without stopping.
When they arrived at the foot of Yundan Mountain, it was already evening, and the two stayed in the village at the foot of the mountain.
The village contained only a dozen or so households, but two inns, always fully booked. Most of the inns were ordinary people who had believed the rumors spread by the Hall of Eternal Life, believing that the Sitian Pavilion held a treasure. They had come from far away and would stay for days or even days, scouring the Sitian Pavilion ruins and the surrounding mountains and forests, searching for treasure, imagining that finding it would transform their lives and make them the envy of everyone. Xun Shu frowned slightly as he gazed into their gleaming eyes, unsure what to say.
The deeds of the Palace Master of the Hall of Eternal Life were not disclosed to the world with his death. His Majesty's claim that the Palace Master and the late Emperor ascended to heaven together made the story even more mysterious and credible. Although Xun Shu wanted to explain it all, he also knew that it was not feasible.
People only believe what they want to believe. Even if she admitted her identity as a disciple of the Sitian Pavilion in front of everyone, they would only think it was a cover-up. Not only would it not solve her predicament, but it would only bring disaster upon herself. It would be better to let them go and leave everything to time, and let time set things right.
Xun Shu and his group stayed in the inn for one night. Before dawn the next day, they entered the forest and headed towards Sitian Pavilion.
Xun Shu had last visited Sitian Pavilion over half a year ago. Back then, she hadn't returned to the ruins, due to what her master had said when he'd driven her down the mountain gate. Today, climbing the path to the summit again, returning to the place where she grew up, she couldn't help but sigh in sorrow as she saw everything she once knew reduced to ruin.
The exquisite pavilions that had stood for a thousand years were gone, only broken walls and ruins remained. The gray-black marks left by the fire had faded considerably after years of wind and rain. The burned trees had sprouted new leaves, and the dead earth was covered with tangled, lush weeds.
Everything has started a new cycle without us noticing.
Only she was trapped in the pouring rain that year and never really got out.
Xun Shu stood at the gate for a long time without moving. Li Xuanhe beside him said softly, "I've seen the case files of the Sitian Pavilion before. The place where the old Pavilion Master's body was found is in the back hall of Xuanyuan Tower. Do you want to go and take a look?"
Xun Shu took a deep breath, shook his head, and said, "Let me take you to see where I used to live."
I will take you to see my life before I was ten years old, and take you into the most precious memory in my heart, my childhood.
-
Xun Shu came to Sitian Pavilion today, originally wanting to verify whether what Qin Yuan said was true or not, but when she walked into the ruins, she realized that she had actually known the truth for a long time, but she had been obsessed with it for too long and did not dare to believe it.
She took Li Xuanhe to visit every corner of Sitian Pavilion. During this time, people kept entering the ruins to look for treasures, but she pretended not to see them and whispered interesting childhood stories to Li Xuanhe.
"When Master brought me up the mountain, I was still a tiny baby who could only drink milk. Master had never taken care of a baby in his entire life, and it was the help of the old servants in the pavilion that helped to take care of me, so I was able to survive. Later, when I could walk and talk, Master took me with him, but he was so busy that most of the time it was my senior brothers and sisters who accompanied me. I almost became a part of their homework.
"I vaguely remember that in the beginning, I had many brothers and sisters, but they gradually left the mountain, leaving only the three you met in Anle Town. Later, the old servant who took care of me also left, leaving only the four of us brothers and Master on the mountain. In the end, it was just Master and I left.
"Those years, Master seemed very busy, often locked in his room. When he wasn't there, he was teaching me lessons. Thinking about it now, he probably foresaw his own fate, so he wanted to teach me everything in a very short time. But I wasn't even ten then, and I wasn't the brightest kid, so how could I possibly remember everything? Back then, I thought I'd stay in the Sitian Pavilion for a long time. Even if I couldn't learn right away, I still had plenty of time to learn, like my senior brothers and sisters, and then return from the mountain after I'd mastered it... Had I known this would be the outcome, I would have redoubled my efforts. I might not have learned, but perhaps the outcome would have been different."
"No."
Xun Shu was stunned, thinking he had misheard: "What did you say?"
Li Xuanhe plucked a few tender green grass tips, braided them into a cricket, and inserted it into Xun Shu's hair. "Everything has its own predetermined destiny; how can it be so easily changed? Do you remember back in Chaozhou, when the Zhao couple died, you blamed yourself for not warning them? But then, when the Zhao family held a banquet, you saw the general's death date and warned him, but he still died."
"Maybe I said it too casually, so he thought I was joking..."
Li Xuanhe did not refute and continued, "You reminded the guard at the gate of Zhao's house to bring an umbrella when it rained, but he still got caught in the rain for other reasons. Later, you also reminded many people, hoping to help them avoid disasters and save their lives. But were you successful? The astronomical phenomenon of Mars in the heart had long foreshadowed that you and your various parties would plot a confrontation, but in the end, the late emperor still died of illness, Wuweizi still died of power, and a new emperor still ascended the throne.
"Your senior brothers and sisters understood this truth long before you did. How could they not have seen your calamity in Anle Town? Yet, they didn't warn you in advance. Instead, they left a bottle of excellent golden healing medicine in that dilapidated cabin, a rare and hard-to-find elixir in Anle Town, even in the capital. That saved your life.
"Perhaps the Sitian Pavilion could have helped people change their fate a thousand years ago, but a thousand years have passed, and the world has changed dramatically. No matter how difficult it is for mortals to change the order of heaven and earth, you don't need to regret the past. Everyone and everything will reach their destined ending. Ah Shu, no one is an exception."
The wind on the top of the mountain ruffled Xun Shu's hair, freezing her in place, and also brought the sudden voices not far away to the ears of Li Xuanhe and Xun Shu.
"He's right." The man's voice seemed to contain a smile. "Life is often filled with regrets and incompleteness. Don't regret it; it's just a necessary path that cannot be avoided." He walked towards the crowd in the distance, stopping a few steps in front of me. "Ah Shu, we meet again."
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