As soon as he walked into the clouds on the mountainside, Ning Que heard the sound of horse hooves behind him.
The memories of fear that had been buried deep in his heart all these years suddenly awakened with the familiar sound of hooves, and then uncontrollably spread out, instantly occupying his entire body, causing his body to become incomparably stiff.
He bit the tip of his tongue hard and used his extremely strong willpower to break free from the fear. He forced himself to turn his body and look back.
The mountain path that should have been shrouded in the thick twilight had disappeared, and the clouds and mist had also disappeared. When they looked back, they saw a magnificent city standing between heaven and earth, a huge shadow blocking the official road to the north.
On the official road, dozens of black armored cavalries were galloping over. The sound of horse hooves was like thunder, and the surface of the official road slightly shook. Pedestrians hurriedly avoided them.
Ning Que hid behind the table and chair in the tea shop, staring blankly at the cavalries galloping into the distance. Suddenly, he noticed that he was much shorter than the warhorses and the pedestrians on the road.
He looked down and saw only a small shoe on his foot. His left foot had been pricked by a stone on the road and was bleeding.
…
…
After leaving Chang 'an, he followed the travelers all the way to the north. After being asked twice by those curious Tang citizens, he discovered the danger and quietly left the crowd one night.
In the wild, he did not encounter any beasts. He could pick up fruits and fill his stomach, although hunger would always accompany him. When he came out of the forest with a sallow and thin face, he was about to reach the territory of Hebei Province. At that time, he would no longer have to worry about being recognized, because there were sallow and thin faces like him all over the mountains and plains on both sides of the road.
The Tang Empire faced a rare natural disaster in the Wilderness and Hebei Province in the first year of Tianqi era. The new emperor had just ascended the throne when he faced the first big test of his reign. His Majesty, who had rushed back to Chang 'an from the Great Ze, urgently began to arrange disaster relief. The refugees in the Wilderness had already entered Hebei Province, and the victims of the disaster in Hebei Province were heading south. Those who were lucky enough to arrive first received relief from the imperial court, while those who were still within the borders of Hebei Province and around the vast Min Mountain faced a more severe test.
Around the official road, the imperial officials and bailiffs were counting the number of refugees and distributing porridge. More and more refugees were migrating from the north to the south. To the people at that time, the north was the underworld of the human world, the most terrifying world.
While everyone else was heading south, Ning Que continued north and entered the territory of Hebei Province. He trudged along the road at the foot of Min Mountain. On the road, he encountered bandits with bad intentions and hid in the bushes to avoid them. But in the bushes, he saw many cold corpses.
In a forest where the bark was almost peeled clean, he was surrounded by a group of starving people who were as thin as sticks. Judging from their clothes, these starving people should be from the Northern Yan Kingdom. The Yan Royal Family was unable to help them, so these starving people naturally came to the Tang Empire.
"It's a pity that he's just a kid. He doesn't have much meat on him."
The starving people looked at the little boy who was covered in mud. The leader's eyes were glowing with green light, which was very much like the wolf Ning Que would be very familiar with in the future. However, this wolf was also very thin, and its fur was quite festering.
"We don't have any strength left. Take off your clothes and jump into the pot."
The leader of the starving people stuck his fingers into his mouth, as if he wanted to pull out a few shreds of meat. He looked at the little boy and said weakly, "Be careful when you jump in. Don't splash too much water out. These days, no one has extra strength to cut firewood and boil water."
The seven or eight starving people around the little boy nodded slowly, like corpses that could barely move.
Ning Que looked at them and said, "You don't have any strength, but I do."
The leader of the starving people laughed as if he was crying. He stretched out a withered finger and pointed at the little boy's face. He said, "If you still have strength, why don't you run away quickly?"
Ning Que did not say anything more. He took out the hatchet that he had carried all the way from behind his waist, and with all the strength he had accumulated by eating fruits, weeds, and a few handfuls of rice saved by kind-hearted people, he jumped up and fiercely waved the hatchet at the leader's nose.
He was too young, too small, and too weak. Even if he jumped, he couldn't jump very high. However, the starving people in the forest had been starved for too many days and had long lost their strength. They could only watch helplessly as he swung the hatchet.
With a puff, the little boy missed his target. The hatchet that had intended to cut off the leader's nose stabbed into his eye socket. Because of the hunger, the leader's eye socket was very clear. The scene of the hatchet cutting into the eye socket was very clear, and so was the sound. The rusty edge of the hatchet directly penetrated his eyeball and then went deep into his brain.
The leader of the starving people fell straight like a piece of wood without making a sound.
Ning Que panted and walked forward. He stepped on the leader's neck with his little foot and pulled the hatchet out. As he moved, a greenish-yellow liquid flew into the air, but it was not blood.
He stared at the shrunken eyeball hanging on the hatchet for a long time. Then he raised his head and looked at the starving people around like ghosts. He said, "If you want to eat people, eat yourselves. I won't let you."
…
…
The fog around the mountainside behind the Academy was getting thicker and thicker. The last trace of twilight in the outside world had been swallowed up. A strange cry of a night bird came from somewhere in the forest. It might be a crow, or it might be another bird.
Ning Que walked on the sloping mountain path. Every time he stepped on a stone step, his body would stiffen for a long time. He had been in the fog for a long time. He had walked more than a thousand stone steps, but he did not know how far he was from the top of the mountain.
If one looked closely, one could see that his eyes were a little empty and out of focus. It seemed that he was not looking at his feet, but at something farther away, at some time in the past.
…
…
All the way to the north, along the Min Mountain and deep into the Hebei Province, nine out of ten houses were empty. The fields had been completely occupied by the starving people from the Wilderness and the North of Yan Kingdom. However, the drought had lasted for too long. Most of the starving people who traded their children for food had become corpses by the roadside or food in the stomachs of the beasts in the Min Mountain. Correspondingly, Ning Que might encounter a lot less danger.
On this day, the long-awaited rain fell from the sky. Some villagers crawled out of the cellars in the village and knelt in the rain, crying and kowtowing desperately to thank Haotian for her mercy. More people were so hungry that they had no strength to show any expression.
In the heavy rain, Ning Que sat under a small tree beside the mountain. He looked around in a daze and did not know where he should go.
These days, many refugees had ventured into the vast Min Mountain. Although there were many beasts in the mountain, at least they could find food to fill their stomachs. However, he had never entered the mountain because he knew that he was too weak now. Although he could kill the exhausted starving people, he did not have the strength to kill the horrible beasts in the mountain.
He took out some jerky from his arms and bit it. He tore off a few pieces of meat and then looked up to the sky to catch a few mouthfuls of rain. He chewed and swallowed it, but there was no expression of enjoyment on his face. After many days of suffering, the fair and tender little boy in the General's Mansion became extremely dirty and thin. The little boy's lips were full of curled up dry skin, and blood seeped out of his teeth from time to time when he chewed the meat.
The rain gradually lightened. He checked the hatchet behind his waist, picked up the wooden stick beside him, and continued north along the road at the foot of the mountain. He wanted to make sure that he had time to escape into the Min Mountain. He knew that as the rain fell, the adults who came back to life and were healthier than before could become his enemies at any time.
There were many corpses piled up on the side of the road in front of them. The skinny corpses had long rotted and were soaked in the rain, emitting a foul stench. A few similarly skinny wild dogs were squatting beside the corpses and eating. One of the wild dogs had its head tilted and was biting a bony arm that was exposed. It was forcefully dragging it backward, letting out a low growl from time to time. Another wild dog was squatting like a human, its two front paws resting on a skinny, rotten thigh as it gnawed on it.
Hearing Ning Que's footsteps, the few wild dogs stopped eating and raised their heads vigilantly. They stared at the little boy on the road and let out a low and terrifying whimper. Two wild dogs judged that the little boy's body shape could not pose any threat to them. They even gave up on the disgusting rotting corpses in front of them and began to approach Ning Que.
Ning Que used the wooden stick in his hand to stomp on the ground, and then took out the hatchet behind his waist. He lowered his body, revealing his slightly swollen and bleeding teeth, and fiercely barked at the two wild dogs.
Probably because they smelled the stench of blood on the little boy's body and sensed that the other party possessed a level of danger that was different from his size, the few wild dogs retreated with a squeak and scattered around the pile of corpses, no longer eating. They were prepared to continue after he left.
The rotting corpses beside the road and the domestic dogs that were supposed to guard the house had become wild dogs that hunted for rotting corpses. Ning Que had seen many such scenes along the way and had long become numb to it. He did not feel anything at all, so he decided to leave immediately. Otherwise, if he really fought with these wild dogs, he might become one of these rotting corpses in the next moment.
Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard a very faint sound.
He looked back at the rotting corpses that were soaked in the rain and found no movement. He was ready to leave again.
Just as he was about to leave again, the faint sound rang again. This time it was very clear.
It was the sound of crying.
He walked back to the rotting corpses that were soaked in the rain and roared. He waved the wooden stick and hatchet to drive away the wild dogs that felt that their food had been occupied. Then he used the hatchet to chop off a rotten thigh and threw it far away into the dry field that had accumulated rain.
The wild dogs whimpered and ate around the rotten thigh, ignoring his actions for the time being.
Listening to the faint sound of crying coming from below the rotting corpses, Ning Que began to move the corpses on the top. His strength was indeed very weak. Fortunately, these dead people were all skin and bones when they died. At this time, most of their internal organs had rotted into water vapor, so it was not too difficult to move.
Wherever he touched was wet and slippery, like some kind of oily mud that he ate during the New Year in Chang 'an City. Ning Que shook off the rotten flesh on his hand and continued to move. At last, he finally saw the owner of the faint cry.
There was a body lying in the field with its back bent. The body was wearing the clothes of a servant. After flipping the body over, they saw the little baby soaked in the rainwater and corpse fluid. The little baby's face was pale, her lips were black and blue, her eyes were tightly closed, and her breath was very weak. It was hard to imagine how she survived and how she could make such a cry just now.
Ning Que wiped the rotten flesh on his hand on his pants and then carefully picked up the baby. After a long silence, he looked at her and said, "You cried because you don't want me to leave, right?"
He jumped off the rotting corpses with the baby in his arms and walked away along the road. The wild dogs that had been staring at him for a long time with green light in their eyes, seeing that he had finally left, let out a happy whimper and ran back to the rotting corpses. After a while, there was a sound of cooing.
Without a sound, the heavy rain began to fall again.
Ning Que glanced at Min Mountain in the distance and looked down at the pale baby. He thought that if he let her stay in the rain for a while longer, she might not be able to cry anymore. He wanted to find something to shelter himself from the rain, and then he saw a black umbrella by the side of the road.
The black umbrella was big, old, and dirty.
…
…
The mountain road was still foggy.
Ning Que lowered his head slightly and stood between the steep stone steps, unable to move for a long time.
…
…
With a swoosh, an arrow accurately hit a gray rabbit.
Ning Que walked forward like lightning and happily picked up the gray rabbit. He twisted his hands and broke the rabbit's neck neatly. Then he threw it into the bag behind him. The bag behind the lad was heavy. It seemed that there was a lot of game in it.
Crouching at the foot of the tree and smelling it, he plucked the vines behind it, and climbed up the cliff by a steep path. In the meadow near the spring, he saw with satisfaction the best he had done in the last three days.
A rock goat was lying on the ground, crying out in pain. Two young goats were looking at it helplessly, using their heads to poke its nose from time to time. No one knew if they were trying to give it some strength and confidence, or if they were trying to comfort its dying kin.
Ning Que quietly walked forward and picked up the end of a rope in the grass. With a sudden pull, the beast-catching rope hidden in the grass was suddenly tightened. The two lambs screamed and fell down heavily, their hooves tightly tied together.
The big rock goat whose hind legs were caught in the animal trap struggled desperately. It looked at the lambs whose hooves were tied and cried out anxiously.
"You're lucky. At least someone is worried about you."
Ning Que walked to the animal trap and looked at the two lambs in the grass. He shook his head and pulled out a knife from his waist and pierced the big rock goat's neck.
…
…
"I'm back."
Ning Que dragged the carcass of the rock goat, carried the heavy bag and led the two lambs back to the old hunting house in the forest.
A little girl ran out to greet him. She was about four or five years old and wore animal skin. Her skin was dark.
The hunting house was old and dim. The old hunter who sat by the copper brazier put down his pipe and looked at Ning Que expressionlessly. He spat on the ground and said, "How's the harvest today?"
"Not bad." Ning Que said.
The old hunter's face was full of wrinkles. One could never hope to see any kindness on his face. All one could see was greed and coldness.
"Let's eat."
The old hunter grabbed a piece of meat and ate it. He felt that the taste was not right and scolded, "This damn girl! I told you to put less salt! Salt is so expensive! Who gives you money! You wastrel! You only know how to eat and use my things. After I raise you for another two years, I'll sell you to the brothel for money! "
The little girl lowered her head and her eyes were full of fear. Ning Que lowered his head and looked at the bowl of potato porridge that looked like a clear soup. His gaze was reflected in the water, and he could vaguely see the sparks that looked like stars.
He had been reprimanded like this for many years. The old hunter ate meat while he and Sangsang did not even have meat soup to drink. He had endured such treatment for many years. He was used to it, but it seemed that he could not get used to it forever.
Little Sangsang held the bowl of porridge with her two small hands. Her slender arms trembled and she suddenly coughed.
Ning Que reached out and stabilized the bowl for her.
The old hunter drank a mouthful of strong wine and looked at them drunkenly. He said, "At least you are sensible. If the bowl were to break, how would I deal with her?"
Ning Que looked at the bowl of meat in front of the old hunter and stood up to walk over. He said sincerely, "Grandpa, Sangsang's illness acted up again last night. Do you think we should let her eat a piece of meat?"
The old hunter slapped Ning Que's head and scolded him with his eyes wide open, "Is the prey for you to eat? It's used to exchange for money and salt! If you think that I'm not treating you well, then get lost! When you catch a tiger for me and use its bones to pay for my meals all these years, I'll let you get lost! I've spent a lot of money to make a steel clip, but you're useless! "
Ning Que retreated in silence.
The old hunter finished his wine and left the house to check on the prey that Ning Que had brought back today.
After a while, he walked in angrily with a whip in his hand and lashed at Ning Que's face. He scolded, "You wastrel! How many times have I taught you! Drag all the fellows back for me to slaughter! Who asked you to slaughter them outside! "
Ning Que's face was covered in blood, but he did not dodge. He knew that there was no point in dodging. He lowered his head and explained, "That rock goat is too heavy. If I don't kill it first, I won't be able to drag it back. Furthermore, I'm very careful with my attacks. It shouldn't be a problem to skin it."
"What's the use of you if you can't drag it back!"
The old hunter lashed at him angrily and roared, "You only care about the skin. You've forgotten that blood can be sold for money too! You bastard! "
"Bastard!"
The old hunter walked out of the hunting house angrily.
Ning Que looked at Sangsang, who was hugging the bowl of porridge with her head lowered. He wiped the blood off his face and looked at her with a smile. "That's a good girl. Don't try to block the whip for me in the future. Otherwise, that old thing will whip even harder."
Sangsang hugged the big bowl of porridge and nodded her head vigorously.
"Damn girl! Hurry up and boil the bathwater! "
The old hunter's angry and resentful voice could be heard from outside the house. No one knew where his anger and resentment came from.
Sangsang raised her head and looked at Ning Que nervously.
Ning Que was secretly eating the meat that the old hunter had forgotten to hide. After a moment of silence, he nodded his head.
…
…
Inside and outside the vast Min Mountain were two different worlds.
The world outside the mountain had been in the Tang Empire for the fifth year of the Tianqi era. For the people living in the mountain, life was just a monotonous repetition. For the old hunter who took in Ning Que and Sangsang, this monotonous repetition finally had some entertainment, such as whipping and cursing or something else.
This year, Ning Que was ten years old and was already a teenager.
This year, Sangsang was five years old.
…
…
Sangsang poured hot water into the bucket. The steam rose up.
The old hunter, who was naked in the wooden bucket, looked at her and scolded, "Damn girl, you're black and dirty. Hurry up and wash yourself."
Sangsang nodded and walked out of the door. She took the basin of hot water from Ning Que and walked back with difficulty.
The hot water in the basin had just boiled and was very hot.
Sangsang stood on the bench and poured water over the old hunter's body from head to toe.
An extremely shrill scream sounded in the house.
The old hunter ran out naked. His body was covered in blisters from the heat. He squinted his eyes, unable to see what was outside. He held a hunting knife that never left his body, and he waved it around like a madman. He cursed with the most vicious swear words he knew.
With a loud bang, the two pieces of metal collided. The old hunter fell to the ground and let out an even more shrill scream.
His right leg was in a steel trap used to hunt tigers. It was already broken in half.
Ning Que and Sangsang walked over and looked at the old hunter who was lying in a pool of blood.
Even in such a situation, the old hunter still retained the ruthlessness of the mountain people. He stared at Ning Que and scolded, "You bastard! You ungrateful thing! You will die a horrible death! "
"Yes, we have taken revenge these few years. Now is the time for revenge."
Ning Que took out the hunting knife from behind him and looked at the old hunter's drooping flesh and the poor fellow at the base of his thigh that was covered in blood. He said, "I wanted to endure for another two days, but you refused to give us the chance to."
"If you did not want to sell Sangsang to the brothel, we would not have thought of killing you."
"If you did not want to take a bath, we would not have thought of killing you."
Ning Que looked at him and was silent for a long time before continuing, "Actually just now … if you had been willing to let Sangsang eat a piece of meat, perhaps we would not have killed you. We might have even sneaked away."
The old hunter panted and looked at him in confusion.
Ning Que held the hunting knife in his hand tightly and slashed down.
The old hunter's head fell off.
A moment later, Ning Que walked out of the hunting house with the boxwood bow and quiver on his back. The hunting knife at his waist swayed slightly.
Little Sangsang followed him with the big black umbrella in her arms.
"Get on my back if you are tired."
Then the two disappeared into the vast Min Mountain.
…
…
The night had arrived. The thick fog on the back mountain of the Academy was as smooth and fine as milk.
Ning Que stood on the stone steps with his head down. After a long silence, he slowly raised his hands.
He clenched his fists, as if he was holding an invisible knife.
The night wind whistled on the mountain path.
He tilted his body slightly and slashed down with his knife, cutting through the night and the mountain path.
The knife fell and the stone steps went up another level.
There was silence in the thick fog on the mountain top.
A voice full of pity sounded, "I wonder what kind of suffering Ning Que has encountered in his life. I have never heard him talk about it in the old library. Why is this mountain path … so difficult for him?"
"The mountain path is long. The past trials in one's heart have all turned into reality and blocked the way of the climbers. If one can see through it or look down on it, it may be easier. But if one cannot see through it and has the intention to retreat, he will never have the hope of climbing the mountain."
Second Brother's voice sounded slowly. Until then, there was finally a solemn and respectful tone in his voice.
"The two people who climbed the mountain today are very interesting, especially Ning Que."
"Although he doesn't know what those memories and pain in the depths of his heart are, he is not willing to forget them at all. He doesn't have the slightest regret and even thinks it is unnecessary to see through them. Facing the darkest corners of his heart, facing the most painful experiences, the choice he made today is exactly the same as the choice he made in the past. "
"If he can't see through it, how can he stay true to himself and not change after so many years?"
"Since he doesn't want to see through it, he can only kill it."
"He wants to kill his way through this mountain path."
…
…
(For me personally, this chapter is very satisfying. It is about a murder case caused by a piece of meat. I have finally written it. Because it is so satisfying, I want to tell you a piece of good news. I decide to write more after dinner. There is one more chapter before 12 o 'clock in the evening. As for the number of words, I can't guarantee. See you at night.)
。 (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian.Com to vote for me. Your support is my biggest motivation.)
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