Fengcheng Flying General

Chapter 39

“As long as you have time, I will always have time,” Meng Yuanjing said with a smile. “If you don’t come to the capital again, whether you return to Phoenix City or somewhere else, you will be separated from me by thousands of miles. If it’s better to be closer to a friend, then it’s better to be closer. You don’t care about the title of ‘Grand Marshal of the Army and Horses,’ so it’s no big deal for me not to be that so-called Minister.”

Junyu smiled and shook her head, glancing at him: "You and I are different. Sister Shi Lanni needs a stable support system in the palace."

Meng Yuanjing was stunned, then suddenly remembered his cousin's words: "I really wish you and Young Master Jun were both in the court."

Although the Shi sisters are currently favored by the emperor, their conflict with the empress is intensifying. Without a powerful family backing, it's difficult for concubines to maintain their position in such fierce power struggles.

The Empress came from the Qi Xun family, while the Shi Lan Ni sisters came from the martial arts world. With their father gone and no one to rely on, they inevitably regarded their cousin, who had made great military achievements, and Jun Yu as their greatest support in the precarious struggle for power in the harem.

Beauty brings favor, and fades with it; wealth, honor, and disgrace are all determined by one person's whims. Today one may be the most favored among women, and tomorrow one may be relegated to the cold palace. Even if one temporarily enjoys the favor of three thousand people, in the end, it must be returned to those three thousand.

Meng Yuanjing said, "I forgot, the last time I saw Lan Ni, she asked me to remember to give her my regards to you. Actually, the days those sisters spent in the palace were more intense than our days on the battlefield. I really don't understand why my aunt let them into the palace."

Junyu recalled the torment Shi Lanni endured, only to be sent to the palace by her mother and suffer such terrible struggles. She couldn't help but sigh, "Yes, once you go in, you can never come out again."

"Why aren't you two resting? Why are you chatting here? You two are still the same as when you were kids, you can't stop talking as soon as you meet. Why don't you talk as much with other people, like me?"

Qin Xiaolou walked out with a grin. He had been very drunk the night before, but he looked quite energetic at the moment.

Junyu couldn't help but laugh and said, "Xiaolou, you really have a good capacity for alcohol."

Qin Xiaolou said, "Yuan Jing has a better alcohol tolerance; he's not even drunk yet."

Meng Yuanjing laughed loudly: "I have never been so clear-headed before."

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Chapter 113: Identity Exposed (4)

By this time, the sun had fully risen, and in the distance, groups of people were already heading towards the "Zhexilinka" garden. The "Snowland Festival" features several days of theatrical performances, and people from near and far would never miss such a chance for celebration. Therefore, the number of people today was no less than yesterday.

A group of beautiful young women dressed in brightly colored local costumes walked by in the distance, singing lively folk songs.

Qin Xiaolou whistled, and several girls turned around. Upon seeing the three young men, they blushed and ran away laughing.

Qin Xiaolou blinked: "Yuan Jing, Jun Yu, neither of you are married yet. Why don't you find a concubine here first? The girls here may not be as beautiful as those in Jiangnan, but they have their own unique charm."

Qin Xiaolou was already married with children. His wife was from a prominent family in the capital, a woman renowned for her virtue and filial piety. She did not accompany him to his new post, but stayed home with their children to serve her parents-in-law. Fearing her husband would be alone and unattended, she arranged for him to take a concubine with him to his new post before his departure to attend to his needs. Upon arrival, local officials presented him with two more beautiful local women, whom Qin Xiaolou also took as concubines. Thus, although he was alone in a foreign land, he lived quite comfortably.

Meng Yuanjing laughed and said, "You are really lucky to have such a virtuous wife as your sister-in-law. You are surrounded by beautiful women every day and don't have to worry about trouble at home. I can't enjoy the kind of luck you have."

"Don't be too picky. As far as I know, when you returned victorious last year, all the wealthy families in the capital were vying to find out if you were married. Now that you've risen to the position of Minister of War, the number of people proposing marriage must be overwhelming your family. If you're not in a hurry, then your mother is."

Meng Yuanjing glanced at Junyu casually, paused for a moment, and then said, "It's not that I'm picky. Now, my biggest dream is to grow old with the woman I love."

Qin Xiaolou said, "Judging from your tone, do you already have someone in mind? Whose daughter could have offended Yuan Jing like this?"

"No, no. It's just my ideal."

Qin Xiaolou looked at Junyu, who had been smiling silently, and suddenly said, "I know you live in the harsh northwest, where military life is incredibly monotonous. I've thought of sending you some beautiful women several times, but when I think of you and then look at these women, I feel they're like dust. So I dare not be so shameless as to send them. It's better for a commoner like me to enjoy them myself..."

"Haha, Xiao Lou, you're so thoughtful. Thank you so much."

Qin Xiaolou said, "Among us, Zhu Yu has already married a beautiful princess, Yuan Jing still has his mother to take care of him, only you, Junyu, are all alone. Do you want me to keep an eye out for you?"

Before Junyu could answer, Meng Yuanjing laughed first: "Xiaolou, when did you switch careers to become a matchmaker? How could ordinary, common women possibly catch the eye of someone like Junyu?"

"That's true, it seems I don't need to worry about it anymore."

As the three were chatting, a servant from the resident minister's residence approached respectfully: "Please have breakfast, gentlemen. The play will begin soon."

Immediately, another attendant walked over quickly and said, "Lord Qin, the event is about to begin."

Qin Xiaolou said, "Oh, I almost forgot, I have to attend a hada exchange event at the Holy Palace this morning, so I have to leave immediately."

Both of them said, "You go about your business and don't worry about us."

Meng Yuanjing glanced at the crowds surging toward "Zhexilinka" in the distance and couldn't help but recall the fervent look in Tuosang's eyes when he looked at Junyu. His heart ached as if pricked by needles. He suddenly said, "Junyu, this play isn't very interesting. How about we go see the scenery here today?"

“Sure,” Junyu readily agreed. “This is your first time here. Although I’m not a local, I’m more familiar with the area than you are. I’ll be your guide today.”

The two rode their horses slowly all the way, and by noon they had already traveled dozens of miles away from the residence of the minister in charge of the garrison.

Looking into the distance, the highest peak is still an endless expanse of snow-capped mountains. To the left, below the brown mountain range, is a huge arched icefall, while to the right are semi-vertical peaks with exposed brown sand and rocks at the top, and various evergreen broad-leaved trees extending across the slopes.

In this ink-wash landscape painting, a prayer flag stands quietly, moving without wind, coexisting harmoniously with everything around it, forming a unique scenic line.

At the foot of the mountain, a dense patch of small yellow flowers blooms, stretching as far as the eye can see.

Meng Yuanjing sighed, "This must be what they mean by 'one mountain can encompass all four seasons, and every ten miles brings a different weather.'"

Junyu was also seeing the scenery of all four seasons distributed in the same area for the first time. He nodded and said, "The scenery I see in this mysterious land is different every time I visit."

The two found a place to sit. The horse grazed quietly and roamed freely, occasionally letting out a long neigh, which would startle many birds and beasts.

Looking at the vast expanse of small yellow flowers stretching into the distance, Meng Yuanjing casually asked, "Junyu, are you very familiar with the lamas of the Holy Palace?"

"Yes, they have helped me a lot several times." "That Tuosang, I met him twice in Shu, I never expected that he was actually the 'Bokdo' of the Holy Palace."

"Yes, there are always many unexpected things in life."

“Once those lamas enter the monastic life, they have no more worldly desires, and ‘Bokdo’ requires years of practice and isolation from the world. It’s fate that we were able to get to know Tosang.”

"Yes, once they enter the Buddhist order, they are destined to renounce worldly life."

Seeing her smiling and cheerful demeanor, but with a hint of sadness in her eyes, Meng Yuanjing felt the pricking sensation in his heart intensify.

Memories of the past resurfaced in my mind.

Meng Yuanjing clearly remembered their first reunion after they grew up. Despite the perilous situation, they were both overjoyed. Then, when Junyu first came to his home, he was so flustered and lost control that night. Later, when they traveled together in Sichuan, despite many twists and turns, their tacit understanding, like "playing the five strings together," was unparalleled in the world.

He suddenly realized that his encounter with Junyu was destined, and that they had become inseparable from the moment they met.

However, perhaps as early as in "Hanjing Garden," when he watched helplessly as Junyu nearly perished under the spell of the demon of love, he had already begun to squander this intimate bond.

By the time you realize it, is it already too late?

A flock of unidentified, colorful birds flew low among the small yellow flowers, a truly beautiful sight.

Junyu pointed to the flock of birds and said, "Yuanjing, look..."

But there was no reply. Looking at Meng Yuanjing, she saw him staring blankly into the distance, looking very sad. She couldn't help but raise her voice a little: "Yuanjing, what are you thinking about?"

Meng Yuanjing snapped out of his daze and blurted out, "I'm scared. If I go back to the capital, will I never see you again?"

How could Junyu ignore Meng Yuanjing's blunt gaze? He couldn't help but feel secretly alarmed.

Meng Yuanjing was different from Zhu Yu. With Zhu Yu, she only needed to see her less and be more cautious, confident that there wouldn't be any major harm. But Meng Yuanjing was different; he was her most important friend from childhood, and she didn't want their years-long friendship to be ruined by some unnecessary suspicions and misunderstandings. Seeing Meng Yuanjing like this now, her heart tightened, fearing that what she was worried about would finally happen.

A gentle breeze stirred the tall prayer flags in the distance, creating a soft rustling sound. Meng Yuanjing remembered Tuosang's identity as "Bokdo," a noble status that also represented an inescapable shackle. A sense of hope suddenly welled up within him, and his expression gradually relaxed. Looking at the scenery again, he found it refreshingly pleasant, unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

"Junyu, how many more Shangri-Las like this have you seen?"

Seeing that he had changed the subject, Junyu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "Over the years, I have been to many places. Although the beautiful scenery is unique in its own way, it is rare to find a place that is this special."

Meng Yuanjing sighed, “Exactly. After spending time in such a place, one becomes even more disgusted with the affairs of the court.”

"But you've only just begun."

"For a long time, I have been looking forward to making great achievements and becoming a high-ranking official. But when the day actually came and I became a minister, I didn't find it to be anything special."

The distant icefall was white and silent. Junyu nodded. On this point, she and Meng Yuanjing truly shared the same feeling.

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Chapter 114: Identity Exposed (5)

The exchange of blessings with the resident minister had been completed, and all the formalities were finished. Tuosang and the elders sat on the observation deck, enjoying the lively theatrical performance.

Since becoming the head of the church, Tuosang has not enjoyed watching plays much. In the past, during the "Snowy Region Festival," he would usually only perform the "Bokdo" ritual on the first day before going to handle other church affairs. However, this year, he came on time every day and did not leave until the play was completely over.

He looked at that familiar spot again and again, but it was always empty.

Qin Xiaolou had already told him that Junyu was accompanying Meng Yuanjing to see the scenery and wouldn't be coming today. However, Tuosang still glanced at her again and again, sometimes closing his eyes and then opening them again, and she seemed to be sitting there with a smile on her face.

However, he was also somewhat glad that she wasn't there.

Because the angry look in her childhood friend's eyes was so obvious and undisguised. Clearly, Meng Yuanjing had already suspected Junyu's true identity.

He had met Meng Yuanjing twice in Shu, and had also witnessed the power and tacit understanding between Meng Yuanjing and Jun Yu when they combined their swords.

What would Meng Yuanjing feel if he suddenly discovered that his perfectly compatible partner was a girl? If he didn't have deep feelings for her, why would she look at him with such anger and pain during a moment like "touching the head for blessings"?

Tuosang was naturally unaware that Junyu had been secretly slandered in court. However, seeing Meng Yuanjing travel a long distance to "visit a friend," Tuosang knew that something must have happened.

What harm would it bring to Junyu if her identity were suddenly exposed?

What can I do for her?

A deep sense of worry welled up in Tuosang's heart. The noise on the stage grew increasingly louder, but he didn't hear a single word.

A few days felt like years.

It's already the last day of the "Snowy Plateau Festival".

In the morning, Tuosang and a group of monks arrived at the "Zhexilinka" garden on time.

Glancing casually, he saw the boy's smiling face in that familiar spot, as bright as the rising sun. Their eyes met instantly, and Tuosang felt a surge of immense joy. He sat down in his seat and looked out at the stage. Suddenly, he found the colorful figures and varied masks on the stage to be so vivid and interesting, yet also so enigmatic, leaving him completely bewildered as to what they were doing.

She sat with her friend, who was skilled with both swords, and the two of them, like the audience, sometimes laughed, sometimes cheered, and sometimes whispered to each other.

Tuosang kept his eyes fixed on the stage, refusing to glance in the boy's direction again. Although his legitimate excuse to see her was about to end; although parting was imminent—if it would harm her, if it would damage her reputation, then even if they were worlds apart, they would have no choice but to become strangers.

As the sun began to set, the crowd at "Zhexilinka" receded like a tide.

Junyu and Meng Yuanjing bid farewell to the group of believers.

Meng Yuanjing stared at Tuosang's completely meditative gaze. At this moment, there was no longer any fervor or brilliance in those eyes. In the afterglow of the setting sun, his brand-new cassock truly possessed the holiness and solemnity of a "Bokdor".

This calm demeanor shocked Meng Yuanjing even more than the way he looked at Junyu with such fervor, and the anger and pain in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

Meng Yuanjing said loudly, "Your humble servant greets the sacred 'Bokdo,' who bears the faith and expectations of all believers on this land."

Is this a reminder or a warning?

Tuosang smiled faintly and returned the greeting according to customary etiquette.

After Junyu bid farewell to Chiba, Xia'ao, and others, he turned around and saw that Qin Xiaolou had already exchanged greetings with "Bokdo." The group of believers had already opened their umbrellas and were surrounding their "Bokdo" as they departed.