Ein verlorenes Vermögen kann durch

Kapitel 63

She stopped in a nearby town, bought a small jade box from a shop, put the flowers inside, sealed it, and kept it close to her body.

After running for several miles, she suddenly stopped, took out the box again, and examined it closely, murmuring, "Tuosang, is this the last gift you gave me? Is this how you're keeping me company? But I don't like it this way. I hate this way, and I hate you..." She screamed desperately into the deepening night, "Tuosang, I hate you... do you even know that..."

"Tuo Sang, I hate you...do you even know that..."

"...Do you know...?"

The sandy lands, barren mountains, lakes, and vegetation of Northwest China seemed to be infected by this atmosphere of despair, letting that terrible roar echo in the air for a long time.

The ever-blooming flower still lay quietly in the jade box, devoid of any sign of life. Red tears welled in her eyes again, but that crimson red slowly faded into the night.

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Chapter 195: We are now the enemy (1)

The green of the vast grassland gradually turned into shades of yellow, and the sun hung in the late autumn sky like blood.

Every time Junyu returned to Phoenix Village, he would slowly detour back from the Central Plains. This time, however, he let Xiaoshuai roam freely, and the horse galloped onto the vast grassland. He could also return to Phoenix Village from this grassland, so Junyu didn't adjust the horse's direction, and simply strolled leisurely across the grassland.

She traveled intermittently, sometimes staying in a tent or valley for a few days at a time. Months passed like this, filled with wind and frost, trekking, breathtaking scenery, and exhaustion, her mind constantly adrift, unsure of where she should go. In moments of clarity, Phoenix Village seemed close; in moments of confusion, it seemed far away.

After several defeats, the remnants of the Chijin tribe, led by Zhenmutier, retreated to the outer grasslands. Zhenmutier, a man of great talent and ambition, united the scattered tribes of the outer grasslands into an alliance and gradually moved into the inner grasslands. In just one year, he regrouped an army of tens of thousands, and his power was not to be underestimated.

While pursuing the Crimson Gold Clan army, Junyu had thoroughly investigated the terrain. Judging from the wind direction, she estimated that they were less than five days away from Phoenix Village.

By afternoon, a strong wind was blowing, and Xiao Shuai quickened his pace. After running for an hour, they came to a mountain range. Suddenly, a sharp owl's cry rang out. Junyu recognized it as the call of a bird called the "Hydragon Falcon." This bird was the best hunting companion for the nobles of the Crimson Gold Clan.

She reined in her horse and stopped. Sure enough, a fierce falcon flew overhead—the famous gyrfalcon. This bird was small and ugly, the most vicious of the gyrfalcons.

Behind them, the faint sounds of horses' hooves and voices could be heard, indicating that the hunt was quite large. Junyu immediately reined in his horse and tried to detour to avoid the group.

A sharp whistling sound pierced the air as an arrow pierced the sky, followed by cheers from the crowd. Clearly, the archer had used some extraordinary skill to strike down a cunning beast. Judging from their cheers, the archer must have been a warrior from their tribe.

A burst of laughter stood out among the crowd, spoken in fluent Crimson Gold Tribe language, yet the voice was extremely familiar. Jun Yu paused, unable to immediately guess who the voice belonged to. Not wanting to linger, and even less wanting to encounter this group, she mounted her horse. Unexpectedly, the usually alert Little Commander let out a long howl, and the group, hearing the sound, immediately gave chase.

Junyu spurred his horse, and the young general galloped off, leaving the group far behind.

Chapter 196: We are now the enemy (2)

After galloping for a while, the sound of hooves behind them grew clearer and clearer; a man and his horse had caught up alone. Jun Yu turned around and saw a man dressed entirely in the attire of the Crimson Gold Clan riding a pure white Akhal-Teke horse not far behind.

When the man saw her turn around, he reined in his horse and watched her from a distance.

Xiao Shuai seemed to recognize the man, but this time he didn't let out a long howl; he just let out a low whistle.

Junyu glanced indifferently at the man, turned his horse around, and behind him came a surprised whisper: "Junyu!"

Junyu didn't turn around. The sound of horses' hooves was already behind her. Soon, the man was beside her and whispered, "Junyu, are you alright?"

The man was dressed in foreign attire. His family had suffered a great loss and endured many hardships. Although he was in high spirits, there was a trace of undisguised melancholy and sadness in his eyes.

Junyu looked at the man opposite her. She originally thought that no matter what he had done, she could forgive him. However, at this moment, she felt a deep hatred in her heart that she could not let go of no matter what.

She didn't say anything, patted Xiao Shuai's head, and prepared to leave.

The man looked at her haggard face, a side of Junyu he had never seen before, a face filled with a sorrow he never dreamed he would see. And he himself was one of the culprits responsible for this sorrow.

"Junyu, I'm sorry..."

Junyu remained silent.

"Junyu, I'm sorry..."

"You haven't wronged me; you've wronged others and yourself."

“I don’t care about other people’s lives or deaths. If I could turn back time, I would still do the same thing.” He was agitated, his heart surging. Her haggard appearance broke his heart, but when he thought of the past, he turned that heartbreak into endless despair and resentful sadness.

Despite the vicissitudes of life, the man's stubborn madness remained unchanged. Junyu carefully observed his richly dressed foreign garments, his exquisite foreign arrows, and his exceptional mount, recalling the man's fluent foreign language and the cheers of his followers. He was an exceptionally intelligent man with unique skills; even after his family's tragedy and his refuge among foreign tribes, he must have quickly risen to prominence.

She suddenly laughed: "Zhu Yu, congratulations on your wealth and status surpassing what you used to be!"

Like a sharp blade piercing his heart without warning, Zhu Yu's body swayed on the horse, almost falling off.

"From now on, we are enemies!"

Zhu Yu's body swayed even more violently on the horse, and his face looked even more haggard than Jun Yu's.

He stared intently at Junyu, unable to utter a single word. Junyu stared back intently, feeling a tightness in her chest, as if she were about to suffocate.

The two utterly desperate people stared at each other intently. After a long while, Junyu turned and spurred his horse. The young general galloped away, leaving Zhu Yu standing there, almost frozen in place.

Xiao Shuai's last trace was completely gone, and a gust of wind brought a chill.

"You haven't wronged me; you've wronged yourself. From now on, we are enemies!" He looked at his magnificent foreign clothes and felt his heart slowly die.

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Chapter 197: This flower isn't yours

Xiao Shuai ran from nightfall to dawn. Finally, he stopped among the layers of mountains.

There was no sun today, but the sky wasn't particularly gloomy. Little Shuai let out a neigh, gazing at a quiet stream ahead. It was clearly thirsty, looking longingly at the clear water, wanting to taste its sweetness.

Junyu followed its gaze. He had never seen water like that anywhere else: crystal-clear water flowing over velvety green moss, devoid of sunlight or cloud shadows, only the occasional splash of white foam. The view was of such pure green, a green so pristine it evoked no worldly thoughts. But this pure green alone wasn't enough; it was a common mountain stream. The first snow of late autumn had come too early, and in some places, it was already frozen. While other streams had dried up, this one continued to flow gently. Snow, stones, sand, cliffs—nothing could stop its flow or alter its clarity. It simply flowed onward, down the mountain, towards the outside world.

Junyu dismounted, letting the young general wander around, and found a rock to lean against. The surrounding sky was quiet, but she didn't feel lonely; a breeze blew by, but she didn't feel cold. Leaning against the rock, she fell asleep before she even had time to dream.

She opened her eyes to find the stream flowing gently beneath her feet. Instinctively, she reached for the hidden jade box, opened it, and saw dazzling red flowers reflected in the pure green water. Gazing at the flowers, she felt a sense of peace and clarity for the first time in months. She whispered, "Tuosang, I don't like the flowers you gave me. You're not here with me; I won't like anything you give me."

The vibrant red flower still lay quietly in the box, lifeless. She recalled for the first time the astonished voice of the monk Xia'ao: "Could it be that Bokto has turned into a flower?"

She smiled and said, "Tuo Sang, they think you've turned into a flower, but I know this flower isn't you, definitely not you. However, I really can't guess where you went, or where you found this flower to give to me?"

The flowers remained silent, still lying beautifully in the jade box.

"Of course, you flowers can't tell me the answer. One day, I'll find it myself."

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Chapter 198: The Guide of Life

Junyu stood up with a smile, and the tiger skin covering her body slipped off.

She glanced at the woods not far away and said casually, "Sir, we're not far from Phoenix Village."

A person slowly walked over and smiled, "Yes, we're almost at Phoenix Village."

After leaving Qinghai Lake, Junyu traveled at a leisurely pace, oblivious to the outside world and the passage of time. However, she always knew that Mr. Nongying was following behind her, arranging her food and lodging and taking care of Xiaoshuai.

When they first set out, he would occasionally pass by a small shop and instruct the shopkeeper to brew some herbs he had collected along the way to treat her eyes. Later, when they were living a life of hardship on the vast grasslands, he would hunt for game and wild fruits. Since she wanted to be alone, he never showed himself to disturb her, but simply followed her at a distance.

Junyu looked at him; this was the first time she had spoken to him in months. Mr. Nongying carefully examined her smiling eyes, seemingly trying to determine whether those eyes, once filled with endless tears and blood, had fully recovered.

He was looking into Junyu's eyes when Junyu suddenly walked over and bowed deeply to him, her head almost touching the ground.

For many years, Junyu had felt a deep sense of gratitude towards him, but she did not know how to express this gratitude, and had never even said "thank you" to him!

Junyu often thought that people's ability to express themselves is very strange. For example, she can talk fluently with ordinary or unfamiliar people; she can also sincerely appreciate even the smallest kindness from strangers; but for those who have truly given her great care and help, such as the guides on her life's journey, she has never said "thank you" to them!

Young Master Nongying accepted her bow without offering to help her up, until she stood up on her own. He then looked closely at her eyes before smiling and saying, "Junyu, many people will be happy to see you."

Junyu smiled and said, "I would be very happy to see them too."

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Chapter 199: Imprisoning Nine Generations (1)

As dusk fell, the two finally arrived at a simple inn in this remote town. Another day's journey would take them back to Phoenix Village.

The inn was bustling with people. Several men at the next table were quite drunk, talking loudly and speaking with a thick Beijing accent; they seemed to be merchants from the capital. After discussing some strange tales, one of them said, "When they're in office, they're quite powerful, but once they fall from power, life isn't easy. Even Prime Minister Zhu, with his immense power, was ruined overnight. He was incredibly audacious, daring to order the robbery of grain rations..."

Junyu put down her rice bowl and glanced at the people at the next table.

As the group was chatting happily, one of them said, "Prime Minister Zhu has held absolute power for decades; it's time for him to fall... I heard that when the Prime Minister's mansion was raided, the amount of gold and silver treasures was astounding... It was practically a huge treasure trove... It's all the hard-earned money of the people..."

“What do you know? I heard the Prime Minister’s treasury contains far more than this…” another person’s voice lowered, “Although Prime Minister Zhu has fallen from power, he and his two sons all escaped. They probably took a lot of treasure with them when they fled…”

"Didn't they say that the entire Zhu family, including relatives and clansmen, totaling more than 1,000 people, were beheaded and their heads displayed in public, and that more than 3,000 people were exiled or sent to the army?"

"It's a fact that the Zhu family was wiped out. However, Prime Minister Zhu was cunning and shrewd. He knew long ago that the family would be exterminated, so the three of them, father and sons, had already fled. It's said that they sought refuge with the Crimson Gold Clan and were even given some kind of 'King' title. Many people know this..."

The tiny lamplight flickered on and off. Junyu stood by the window, gazing at the pitch-black night outside, and after a long while, he took a deep breath: "Sir, was Prime Minister Zhu's entire family really wiped out?"

Along the way, Mr. Nongying was not as oblivious to outside affairs as Junyu, but the time spent traveling and being stranded on the grasslands had also cut off much of his information. He said, "I only heard some rumors on the road. It is said that Tang Zhen also defected with Prime Minister Zhu and his two sons, and took 50,000 troops with him. So he was offered a high position as soon as he arrived at the Chijin tribe. It seems that Prime Minister Zhu had planned this carefully long ago..."

"Did he really rob the military pay and give it to Zhenmuter as a token?"

"Probably."

Mr. Nongying sighed, “I never imagined Zhu Yu would also choose the path of defection. He was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, and his nature wasn't inherently wicked. What I hate most is the court's inhumane law of punishing nine generations of relatives, where if one person commits a crime, everyone else has to be executed. Let alone Zhu Yu being the son of the Prime Minister's family, even those innocent relatives and distant relatives who knew nothing about it couldn't escape it! Besides the Zhu family father and son, it's said that more than 1,000 people in the Prime Minister's household, from Zhu Yu and Zhu Gang's mother to the servants and relatives below... were executed. Under such circumstances, an individual's power is simply no longer their own. Prime Minister Zhu has controlled the government for over twenty years, corrupt and lawless, with a large following, even colluding with foreign tribes to rob military funds, so his death is not a pity. But Zhu Yu is truly a pity, alas…”

Throughout history, most powerful ministers have met with bad ends, and they are usually the first targets to be purged after a new emperor ascends the throne. The current emperor has been on the throne for two or three years and has tolerated Prime Minister Zhu for a long time. Even without the military pay case, he would still be dealt with on other charges. However, with the military pay case, he is even more unforgivable.

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Chapter 200: Imprisoning Nine Generations (2)

Junyu stood there, thinking of Mr. Zhu and Mei Mei, whose clan had been wiped out, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Zhu Yu is first-rate in both literary and military arts. Before, as the son of the Prime Minister, he naturally had no need to use his talents. Now that he has joined the Crimson Gold Clan, once he leads an army, he will likely become a major mortal enemy of the northern soldiers..." That day, Young Master Nongying also saw Zhu Yu. Although he did not meet Zhu Yu directly, judging from the scale of his hunting, he had already taken command of an army. If so, he would indeed be a great scourge to the northern border.

Junyu stared silently at the dark night sky outside. After a long while, she whispered, "He really is our enemy now!"

The gates of Phoenix Village were wide open, and the two fast horses stopped as soon as they arrived at the gate.

Too many faces were gathered at the entrance: Zhao Manying, Mo Feiyan, Lu Ling, Geng Ke, Bai Ruhui, Dongfang Jiong, and men, women, and children from Phoenix Village.

"Young Master is back..."