Luzhou-Mond - Kapitel 149
Gan Lin took a piece of silk cloth and carefully wiped the sword's blade, sighing softly, "Even the best sword will become dull if it's not used." With that, he wiped the sword again and put it away.
Gan Lin's words filled me with sorrow, and I didn't know how to respond. The Gan Lin I first met, the carefree, even somewhat roguish one; the Gan Lin outside Qingzhou City, wielding the Blood-Drinking Sword and striking fear into the hearts of all; the Gan Lin now, the considerate, meticulous, and occasionally lonely man at home—none of these are the Gan Lin I truly understand. Or rather, I still don't understand the life he truly desires: the carefree life of wandering the martial world, or the quiet, ordinary life of seclusion. Perhaps even he himself isn't entirely sure. He made this choice simply because I was here, and what can I offer him?
"Once, my greatest wish was to leave the Prince Qing's mansion and ride horses and roam the world with Zinuo, Song Zhixuan, and Lin Zhao." Looking at the red sunset, recalling the bittersweet memories of the past, he could only sigh at how unpredictable the world could be.
Gan Lin stood up and glanced at me sideways: "Do you really think the so-called Jianghu is some kind of free and easy place? It's just a group of people making a living on the edge of a knife."
He shook his head with a smile. Even if he hadn't seen the real martial arts world, hadn't he heard enough about it? "It's just a youthful and impetuous thought, thinking that taking a sword and wandering around outside means you've experienced the martial arts world."
"Holy Maiden, it's time for dinner." Ruosheng came in from outside, interrupting my conversation with Ganlin.
When we arrived at the dining room with Ruosheng, Chuchen was already sitting obediently on a raised stool. Seeing Ganlin and me enter, he quickly gestured for us to sit down beside him, then blinked his big eyes at Ganlin and asked, "Uncle, where's my sword?"
"Everything's ready. You'd better get up early tomorrow and study hard, or you'll embarrass yourself." Gan Lin checked Chu Chen's hands and said with a slightly serious expression. Chu Chen nodded repeatedly.
Looking at the two people in front of me, one big and one small, I just kept smiling.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 130
Chapter word count: 3901 Update time: 09-09-19 15:10
By the end of September, the mountain town was already covered in frost, and the Qiuyang Valley was permeated with layers of chill.
Biqiong set out breakfast, but Ganlin and Chuchen hadn't returned from their breathing practice. Looking outside, she saw sparse red leaves and the morning frost slowly melting into water. She called Biyao and went outside to see when Ganlin and Chuchen would return.
Along the way, early-rising children were playing. By the small lake at the east end, women from various families were squatting on the rocks washing their clothes. Their hands were red from the morning water, but they were still chatting and laughing loudly with the women around them. The men carried hoes up the mountain, preparing to cultivate some land so they could plant something next year.
"Holy Maiden, don't go too far." Guard Liang suddenly stepped in front of me.
Looking back, we realized we had unknowingly left the valley and entered the wild woods outside. "Let's go back. Maybe they've already gone home and we didn't run into them."
Turning back, the shoes and hem of her skirt were wet with dew and clung to a few withered grass clippings.
At home, Biqiong was helping Chuchen wash his face. Chuchen's little nose was bright red and very cute. Ganlin sat at the table with a cup of tea in his hand. His gaze swept over me, and his tone was slightly dissatisfied: "Go and change your shoes."
"Yes, Master Gan!" I curtsied to Gan Lin, whose eyelids twitched. Gan Lin coughed lightly and quickly put the teacup back on the table. Ruosheng shook her head and smiled, then pulled me into the room to change into a new pair of dry shoes.
After breakfast, Chu Chen called over his friends and had the children line up. He then proceeded to demonstrate the moves he had learned from Gan Lin with great practice. The children followed along, albeit somewhat awkwardly. Gan Lin, arms crossed, leaned against a pillar, watching Chu Chen show off with a satisfied smile on his face.
In the clear night, the horn bells jingled and chimed in the wind, the frosty forest sang autumn songs, and a gentle breeze drifted into the dreams of the sleeping. The autumn night was chilly, and I awoke easily from my light sleep. Listening to the sounds outside, I quietly went to the window. In the courtyard, under the soft moonlight, a figure stood alone in the wind, carrying a faint trace of world-weariness.
She picked up the cloak from the shelf, put it on, pushed open the door, and with a creak, Ruosheng turned over and fell into a deep sleep again.
"Sister, why aren't you asleep yet?" Zi Nuo asked, her voice a mixture of surprise and delight as she saw me walk out of my room.
He tightened his cloak and chuckled, "I took a nap and woke up. Why are you here at this hour?"
"I didn't want to spend the night in Qizhou, so I came here. I just wanted to look around outside, but I didn't expect my sister to still be awake." Zi Nuo pulled me to stand under a tree sheltered from the wind.
Seeing that Zi Nuo was covered in dust again, she led him to the hall, where candles had already been lit and Bi Qiong and Bi Yao were serving hot food to the dining table.
"Haven't you even eaten?" He couldn't help but frown slightly.
“We’ve eaten, Ye Han. We’d like to eat some more. They’re tired too.” Zinuo pointed to the guards standing nearby. “You can all go now. There’s nothing else here.”
Several guards withdrew in response, leaving only Zinuo and me in the dining hall, with Biqiong serving us. Biyao went to prepare hot water.
I made Zinuo a cup of hot tea so he could warm himself up first.
Zinuo ate only a few bites before asking Biqiong to take the food away. It seemed he wasn't very hungry, as he had never been a picky eater before. After finishing the meal, the hot water wasn't ready yet, and Zinuo didn't seem inclined to go for a bath or rest right away. Since he couldn't sleep anyway, he chatted idly with Biqiong in the living room.
"Let's not travel like this anymore. Look, you spend more time on the road than in the palace or here." Looking at Zi Nuo's tired face, he must have been traveling for days on end.
A glint of light appeared in Zi Nuo's eyes as she tentatively asked me, "Sister, the mountains in the north are high and the weather is cold. How about coming back to the palace with me? There is no winter in Han Yue City."
"Let's wait a few more days. This place still needs someone to keep things in order." He was willing to return to the palace because he didn't want to see Zinuo having to travel back and forth so much. It seemed unlikely that he would stay away from this place while he was here. But for now, even though he couldn't do anything substantial, the signboard was still there, which could put some pressure on the officials in Qizhou and make them take Qiuyang Valley seriously.
Upon hearing this, Zi Nuo's smile deepened.
Biyao came to tell Zinuo that the hot water was ready. Seeing that Zinuo was sitting still, she urged him to take a bath quickly so he could rest early. Zinuo then followed Biyao back to his room. After watching the two disappear around the corner, he returned to his own courtyard. Zinuo's arrival had caused quite a stir. Apart from my courtyard, which was relatively quiet, and Ruosheng, who was still asleep, I believe everyone already knew he had come. However, Ganlin did not appear. Although Ganlin didn't need to get up in the middle of the night to check on Zinuo, he still felt somewhat uneasy.
Zi Nuo stayed in Qiuyang Valley for six days. Every day, official documents and reports were delivered by express horse from Qizhou City, and after being reviewed, they were sent away by express horse again. Although Zi Nuo was in Qiuyang Valley, he didn't have much free time.
The night before my departure, the sky was studded with stars. Zinuo took a thick cloak and draped it over me, then carried me to sit on the sycamore tree in the courtyard, which had been transplanted just a few months prior. The autumn night was chilly, but Zinuo's embrace was warm. This embrace was familiar; we had leaned on each other so many times before, only then was his embrace thin and frail, while now it was broad and strong. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I didn't refuse. Deep down, I could never say no to him, whether he was Zinuo or Luoyang.
“Sister, I know you don’t like the palace, and neither do I. If I could, I would love to live here with you forever, but right now, we haven’t fulfilled our promise to Father, and you’re not fully recovered yet, so we can’t really leave.” Zi Nuo’s voice rang softly in my ears, then dissipated into the darkness with the gentle breeze.
To save my life, I don't know what kind of agreement Zinuo had with the Golden Sparrow King, and neither does Ganlin. Given the immense effort the Grand Preceptor put in, and the use of the Golden Sparrow Gallbladder—considered a priceless treasure and also extremely poisonous by the Golden Sparrow Kingdom—it must have been something difficult for the Golden Sparrow King to ask Zinuo to do.
He pulled a little distance from Zinuo, looking into his still-bright eyes in the night, and said earnestly, "Zinuo, you've done enough. Don't waste any more time on me. In my heart, you've always been my younger brother. Ten years, twenty years—that's too long. I don't know if I can wait until then to see you as an ordinary man. I'm afraid that after all you've given, I still won't be able to reciprocate, and then I'll hurt you even more."
Zi Nuo rested her chin on my head, her white hair falling in front of her eyes. "Sister, it's never enough until the very end."
Sometimes I wonder if, if I were to pass away, Zinuo and Ganlin would be less obsessed and able to turn their attention to other women. But when I think of their appearance after being poisoned by the Soul-Severing Pill, I suppress this ridiculous thought in my heart.
Zi Nuo has returned to the palace. Gan Lin still takes Chu Chen to practice martial arts every day, but he speaks to me much less. He must be conflicted too. After a few days, when his mind calms down, he'll go back to how he was before. This fruitless entanglement among several people, knowing full well that it will hurt, yet no one is willing to leave. Even watching from the sidelines hurts more.
Zi Nuo might not know that I already have feelings for Shen Haoyu, but Gan Lin does. Now there's Zi Nuo too, yet he still insists on staying here despite his own inner turmoil, calling me his brother—is it just to put my mind at ease? But how could I not see or feel his inner conflict? Even someone like Gan Lin can't control his feelings…
In November, Lord Lu returned to Hanyue City, and all affairs in Qiuyang Valley were suspended. The soldiers also withdrew to Qizhou, leaving only a thousand people outside the valley to carry out daily patrols. With so many people gone, the valley suddenly appeared empty and desolate, further amplifying the bleakness of winter.
Unwilling to rely entirely on government supplies, the able-bodied men in the valley went into the mountains to hunt, hoping to make their first year in the valley more prosperous. As a result, only women, children and the elderly remained in the valley on ordinary days.
Chu Chen is not old, but he has a lot of presence. In just two months in the valley, he has become the king of the kids. It is unclear whether it is his nature or someone taught him. He leads a group of children to run around and jump around all day long without stopping.
The weather grew colder day by day, and finally, one night, the first snow fell, though it came later than in other places. In the northern part of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom, high mountains blocked the way, and the climate south of the Red Ridge was warm, so snow was rarely seen in winter. Several cities, including Qizhou and Qinzhou, were located just north of the Red Ridge, where the north wind raged, allowing Chu Chen, who had grown up in the Golden Sparrow Palace since he could remember, to see what snow looked like.
When Chu Chen woke up early in the morning, he was supposed to go out to practice with Gan Lin as usual. But when he saw the world covered in white, he opened his mouth wide and was full of surprise. After a long while, he said to Gan Lin in a coquettish tone, "Uncle, can I not practice martial arts today? Ah Bin and the others always say how beautiful the snow is in winter. I finally saw it today. Can I go play with them?"