Two days later, Liu Buwang was buried.
According to the customs of Jiyang, after a person passed away, they would be sent to the coffin on the wooden boat and buried in the water. The wooden boat was also called the "boat that carried souls". Because Jiyang was close to the water, the people of Jiyang believed that the Water Goddess would use a boat to carry a person's soul to the other side.
He Yan went to send Liu Buwang off for the last time.
Liu Buwang lay in the wooden coffin with a very calm expression. It was unknown what he thought of before he died, but the corners of his mouth were also smiling. He Yan put a handful of flowers in her hand on the wooden boat.
Her master-disciple relationship with Liu Buwang was actually very short. It was Liu Buwang who pulled her out of the pile of corpses and taught her how to use knives, arrows, bows and horses. He Yan's Qimen Dunjia was combined with the military books that He Yan had learned, which changed his life from then on.
If Liu Buwang hadn't stretched out his hand to her back then, she would probably have died in the desert of Mo County. After being reborn and meeting Liu Buwang again, she originally thought that it was a gift from the heavens. However, this fate was like a flash in the pan and disappeared very quickly.
He Yan hated herself for not talking more with Liu Buwang. Now, she had many regrets. She didn't have time to ask Liu Buwang what happened between him and Mu Hongjin back then, nor did she have time to ask him where he had been all these years. She also didn't have the chance to confide in Liu Buwang about her worries and uncertainties. In her life, she didn't seem to have a good relationship with her elders. Her fate with her parents and relatives was even fainter. Liu Buwang was both her master and father. Now, he had also left.
There were always more regrets in the world than satisfactions.
"Your Highness." He Yan heard Cui Yuezhi behind her speak. She turned around and saw Mu Hongjin walking over.
She didn't wear the red robe but a black one. Her long hair was braided and tied up, and she wore a golden crown on her head. She was still as beautiful and powerful as before, but there was a trace of confusion in her expression. It made her look like a child who had lost her way, and was the first to be vulnerable.
He Yan stepped aside, and Mu Hongjin walked up to the front of the wooden boat.
The burial objects of the man on the ship were only a sword and a zither, both of which would be left in the wooden coffin. When he left the mountain, he was just as handsome as he was, and when he left the mortal world, he was still untainted. Even though the white-clothed youth was old, he seemed to still be a youth.
Mu Hongjin stared blankly.
When Xiao Jue said that Liu Buwang wasn't here, she found it unbelievable at first, and then she found it ridiculous. Then, she was struck by a huge sense of loss, which made it hard for her to believe that this had happened.
But what happened was what happened. Many things could not be changed by one's will. She was no longer an ignorant little girl. All she had to do was bury her head in the pillow and lie to herself that she didn't believe it.
That was why she had come.
Liu Buwang died in order to protect Jiyang City. Before he died, he set up a formation on the riverbank in front of the mouth of the calabash. He fought against hundreds and thousands of people alone, but he didn't tell anyone.
As usual, he refused to say anything.
This was the only man she had ever loved in her life. Even though Liu Buwang had someone else in his heart and they had broken up for many years, a concern was still a concern. Mu Hongjin would still be sad if he died.
"Your Highness." He Yan thought for a while, walked forward, and spread out his palm. "Do you recognize this?"
Mu Hongjin slowly turned her head and saw a silver bracelet lying in He Yan's hand. The bracelet was polished until it was smooth and warm, and a circle of tiny daisies could be faintly seen on the edge. In an instant, the images of the past filled her mind, and she seemed to hear the kind voice of an old woman falling into her ears.
"This is called a Happy Bracelet. Buy one and wear it on your sweetheart's hand. You won't be separated from her for the rest of your life."
"Young Hero Liu, did you hear that? Quickly buy one for me!"
"She's not my sweetheart."
Mu Hongjin stared blankly at the bracelet in front of her, as if she was looking at a late gift. She only felt her throat tighten, and she asked in a hoarse voice, "Why do you have this?"
"Before Master died, he had been holding this bracelet tightly in his hand. I think this should be very important to him. "He Yan looked at Mu Hongjin." Is this the bracelet of Your Highness? "
Mu Hongjin took the bracelet from He Yan's hand and murmured, "I don't know."
How could she know? Those jokes from back then had long fallen into the depths of her memory, and she didn't even dare to recall them. She had already confronted Liu Buwang that he didn't like her, but now this bracelet clearly told her that she had once been in Liu Buwang's heart?
How could she believe it?
How could she believe it?
A wave of powerless sorrow also surfaced in He Yan's heart. Liu Buwang had already left, and no one knew what happened back then, but she still wanted to defend Liu Buwang.
"Your Highness, I always feel that there may have been many misunderstandings between you and Master back then," He Yan said. "It's just that he's no longer here. If Your Highness recognizes this bracelet, Your Highness, please take care of it for me. If Your Highness feels embarrassed … please put it back into the wooden coffin. "
"But I think," He Yan said softly, "if Master is still here, he will want you to keep it."
A gift that he didn't give, a belated explanation, and a frank confession were probably the most regretful things in his life.
But what was the use of regretting? When a person died, all the grievances related to him, whether he was willing or not, had disappeared.
The story ended here.
Mu Hongjin looked at the silver bracelet in her palm. After a while, she slowly clenched her palm and whispered, "I see."
He Yan saw that she was going to put away the bracelet, and he was slightly relieved. There was really not much she could do for Liu Buwang, and now, this was the only thing she could do.
The wooden coffin was closed, and all kinds of wild flowers were piled up around the boat. Liu Buwang had gone down the mountain in spring, and now, he was going back to spring again. The clear river water pushed the boat forward, farther and farther, and gradually disappeared in the green waves between the mountains.
"What exactly is Paramita?" He Yan murmured in a low voice.
But who would know? Just like when Liu Buwang went down the mountain and met Mu Hongjin, he sneered at the words "a lifetime" that the woman selling flowers said.
Back then, he only felt that his life was long, but it turned out that he had only met a few people, listened to a few songs, met a few times, and parted a few times. A lifetime passed quickly.
After Liu Buwang's funeral, He Yan and the others were about to set off for the Liangzhou Guards.
Cui Yuezhi came to see them off. He stood at the door of the Cui Mansion and instructed people to keep moving things into the carriage.
"These are all specialties of Jiyang. Take more back. Liangzhou doesn't have these things. "
Lin Shuanghe supported his head with a fan and said, "There's no need to bring the roasted rabbit. It's greasy and inconvenient in the carriage."
"Bring it," Cui Yuezhi insisted. "Take it and eat it on the way. Zhong Fu," he called the butler over. "Are the apricots ready?"
"Yes." Zhong Fu came over with a cloth bag of red apricots. "They've all been washed clean. Governor and Miss, if you're thirsty, eat two apricots. They're thirsty and delicious."
He Yan, "…"
Those who didn't know would think that they were going for an outing.
It was really difficult to refuse such kindness.
"It's really enough, Lord Cui," He Yan said with a smile. "If you pack more things, the Governor and I won't have a place to sit."
Cui Yuezhi looked at the full carriage and finally stopped. He smiled and said, "Alright, then forget it. You've stayed in my Cui Mansion for too short a time. If you stay longer, I'll definitely take you around the entire Jiyang City. " At this point, he solemnly bowed to Xiao Jue and He Yan. "It's all thanks to Military Governor Xiao, Miss He, and Master Liu that the disaster in Jiyang City was resolved. I will never forget this great kindness. The people of Jiyang will also remember your kindness. In this life, if there's anything that I, Jiyang City, and I will go through water and tread on fire without hesitation. "
"Miss He, if you have the chance in the future, you must come visit Jiyang City more often." The person who spoke was Cui Yuezhi's Fourth Concubine. She smiled and said, "Next time, stay longer. We'll make delicious food for you."
Second Concubine looked at Xiao Jue and said with a smile, "Military Governor Xiao as well."
Concubine Wei glared at the two of them. She stepped forward and held He Yan's hand. She reminded him, "Be careful on the road."
He Yan smiled and nodded. As they were talking, someone came in from outside. "Lord Lieutenant, Mu Yi has brought people over. He said that he wants to say goodbye to Miss He."
Xiao Jue raised her eyebrows. He Yan asked, "Say goodbye to me?"
The people that Mu Yi brought were the fifty people who had planned to set fire to the Utuo soldiers' ships with He Yan. Among the fifty people, twenty or so had died in the war. However, at least half of them had survived. At this moment, the remaining twenty or so people heard that He Yan was leaving. They followed Mu Yi to thank He Yan.
"It's all thanks to Miss He." One of the young men scratched his head. "Otherwise, we might not be alive right now. Before Miss He leaves, we decided to come together to thank Miss He. "
Mu Yi took out a wooden frame and handed it to He Yan. "This is a gift from everyone to Miss He."
He Yan took it and looked at it. It was a wooden drawing carved out of a whole piece of wood. It depicted a sea of fire. A young woman in armor stood at the bow of the ship. The woman held a long whip in her hand. Her long hair was tied up high behind her head. She looked valiant and formidable. It was very eye-catching.
He Yan looked at it for a long time. He asked hesitantly, "This is … me?"
"Yes." Another person said, "We pooled some money together and found the best craftsman in Jiyang City to carve it out. However, we still couldn't carve out Miss He's charm. When Miss He used her whip to sink the Wutong warship, it was so exciting. It was much better than the carving in this drawing! "
"That's right. This drawing can also carve out Miss He's appearance. It's not as beautiful as Miss He herself!"
"That's right. Miss He is so beautiful that even the gods can't draw her."
At the end of the speech, all of them were serious praises, which made He Yan blush. Well, she could feel the enthusiasm of the men in Jiyang City.
Cui Yuezhi looked in front of him with a smile.
Mu Yi looked at He Yan and said, "Does Miss He have to go back to Liangzhou?"
He Yan was stunned for a moment. He nodded and answered, "I still have important matters to attend to."
"I see." A trace of regret flashed through the young man's eyes. However, after a moment, he stared into He Yan's eyes and asked seriously, "Then will you come back to Jiyang City in the future?"
Mu Yi was handsome and masculine. When his sincere and slightly shy gaze landed on someone, it was really irresistible. Even though He Yan was slow to realize it, when faced with such a gaze, she understood a little. She was a little embarrassed but also very touched. No one could remain indifferent when faced with sincere feelings.
It was a very honorable thing to be liked and admired by others.
"I like Jiyang City very much." She smiled and looked at Mu Yi. "If there's a chance in the future, I'll definitely come back."
Mu Yi was stunned. He scratched his head and smiled foolishly.
"Oh." Lin Shuanghe waved his fan and leaned close to Xiao Jue's ear. He said, "I already said that my Little Sister He's appearance and temperament will definitely be liked. Look, so many people are eyeing her covetously. Tsk, tsk, tsk. You have to keep an eye on my Little Sister He. "
Xiao Jue sneered, as if she was incredulous. "What kind of taste is that?"
"Of course it's good taste." Lin Shuanghe put away his fan. "You have to know that gold will always shine."
While the two were talking, another person walked out of the fu. This person was dressed in a sky-blue robe. He was thin and gentle. It was Chu Zhao. Beside Chu Zhao, Ying Xiang was carrying a bundle in his hand.
"Fourth Young Master Chu?" Cui Yuezhi was stunned.
Cui Yuezhi had already learned about the relationship between Chu Zhao and Xiao Jue from Mu Hongjin. The two of them were not on good terms and had different standpoints. Mu Hongjin had arranged for them to be in the same place to keep them in check. Speaking of which, they were able to defeat Uto this time because of the defense map and information that Chu Zhao had sent over. However, Cui Yuezhi was a martial arts practitioner. He already felt some sympathy for Xiao Jue. Later on, he had also fought alongside Xiao Jue. The scales in his heart had already tilted towards Xiao Jue. Hence, he treated Chu Zhao with politeness and unfamiliarity.
"Fourth Young Master Chu, where are you going?" Cui Yuezhi asked.
"I came to Jiyang this time because of the Uto incident. Since this matter is over, it's time to bid farewell to everyone. " He smiled slightly. "I didn't tell Master Cui before because I didn't want to trouble Master Cui. These few days, the battlefield near the canal has been cleaned up, so Master Cui must be busy."
"He makes it sound like he's very understanding and we're putting on airs." Lin Shuanghe leaned closer to Xiao Jue and whispered, "He's too good with words."
Cui Yuezhi smiled. "Fourth Young Master Chu, you're too polite. You should've told me in advance. No matter how busy I am, I still have time to bid you farewell." Cui Yuezhi looked at Xiao Jue. "Fourth Young Master Chu, if you depart today, won't you be able to travel together with Military Governor Xiao? This way, you won't be too lonely."
When Xiao Jue heard this, her expression was cold. She didn't even pretend to be happy.
He Yan thought that Cui Yuezhi's politeness was a little stiff. Chu Zhao probably chose today on purpose so that they could depart together.
However, she didn't expect Chu Zhao to hear this and smile. "Yes, our destination is also the Liang Province Guard."
Liang Province Guard?
He Yan was surprised. "Fourth … Fourth Young Master Chu, why are you going to the Liang Province Guard?"
Xiao Jue raised her eyes and looked at him.
"I've already written a letter to inform Prime Minister Xu of the military situation in Jiyang." Chu Zhao smiled. "Before His Majesty's decree is issued, I will remain in the Liang Province Guard. After all, I was present from the beginning to the end of the matter in Jiyang. "
He didn't continue speaking, but everyone understood what he meant.
Cui Yuezhi was secretly speechless. The open and covert struggles in the imperial court had already become so intense? No wonder the Uto had an opportunity to take advantage of them.
When Xiao Jue heard this, she was first surprised. Then, she said with a faint smile, "Fourth Young Master Chu, you can stay in the Liang Province Guard if you want."
"However, I have the final say in the Liang Province Guard."
Chu Zhao responded with a smile.
He didn't pay any more attention to Chu Zhao and turned to board the carriage. He Yan looked at Chu Zhao with a different gaze. This person … seemed to be doing it on purpose.
He was doing it on purpose to the point where he didn't even bother to hide it.
She bowed to Chu Zhao and said, "Then, Brother Chu, I'll board the carriage first."
Without waiting for Chu Zhao to speak, He Yan hurriedly boarded the carriage. Chu Zhao's provocation definitely made Second Young Master Xiao unhappy. At this juncture, he couldn't pull the hair off a tiger's head. If he angered Xiao Jue and she wasn't allowed to enter the Southern Prefecture Army, this trip would be in vain.
Chu Zhao saw her hurriedly boarding the carriage. Chu Zhao was stunned for a moment before he shook his head and smiled. He bid farewell to Cui Yuezhi and the others one by one before he calmly boarded his own carriage with Ying Xiang.
The carriage drove out of the city.
Lin Shuanghe lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out the window. Jiyang City had just experienced the Uto military incident, so it wasn't as lively as before. However, the rivers of various sizes were the same as before, and the boats floated quietly. It wouldn't be long before the city returned to its former lively and lively state.
When they came, they just treated it as playing around. Now that they were about to leave, they actually felt a lot of sadness. Lin Shuanghe sighed as he looked at it.
He Yan was still tightly hugging the wooden carving that Mu Yi and the others had given her. She traced the carving with her fingers. The woman in the drawing actually had some of the charm of a female general from her previous life.
Xiao Jue saw her actions and mocked, "Now you're not afraid of bringing it back and letting the other Liang Province Guards see it?"
Previously, she had been extremely troubled by the masked man. Now, with such a large wooden carving, she felt as if she had received a treasure. She no longer mentioned things like "it's over if someone finds out my identity as a woman". A woman's thoughts really couldn't be taken seriously.
"If it really doesn't work, I can say that it's for my fiancée. Isn't this what you taught me, Governor? "He Yan said," There are so many people and so many good intentions. It's hard to refuse such great kindness. "
She spoke modestly, but her eyes revealed a sense of satisfaction and contentment. Xiao Jue only felt that it was funny. She leaned back slightly and a trace of a smile flashed through her eyes. She said indifferently, "It's quite popular."
The horse carriage gradually disappeared into the distance.
Mu Hongjin stood on the shore. Among the mountains, she could no longer see the Boat of Carrying Souls. The former youth had returned to the mountains, lakes, and seas. She still had to continue sitting here, on the high seat in the cold palace hall.
This was her responsibility.
"The Young Highness is already on the way back," the maid beside her said softly, "Your Highness, let's go back to the residence."
Mu Hongjin nodded. She took one last look at the end of the long river and turned around. She wore a wide-sleeved robe, dignified and beautiful. There seemed to be a dot of silver light on her wrist that quickly disappeared.
A wanderer came out of nowhere. He wore a bamboo hat and held a bamboo stick. He walked along the river bank and sang. His voice drifted with the wind and gradually faded into the distance.
"The returnee still thinks of the imperial court, how can I comfort myself today … The bitter cold thinks of your thin clothes, riding a thin horse under the waning moon … I also know that there must be differences in life, but I'm afraid that time will drift away. The cold lantern opposite to the past, when will the night rain sound bleak … "
The end of the fourth volume.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
