Fengcheng Flying General

Chapter 95

Weiming Island was originally an unnamed island, with beautiful scenery and spring-like weather all year round. Ten years ago, my father Tuosang, my mother Junyu, and more than a thousand people from Phoenix Village, including Nongying Gongzi, Shu Zhenzhen, Mo Feiyan, and Zhao Manqing, came to this place on an enormous ship. My father Zhu Yu also came with them.

I am my parents' second child. Before my older brother, Xiaoxiao Sang, was born, it was agreed that he would be adopted by Zhu Yu. However, Zhu Yu didn't want him because he was a boy; he said he wanted a second child, and if it was a girl, he would take her. I was born, a girl, and three days later, I was adopted by Zhu Yu. From then on, I called Tuosang "father" and Zhu Yu "Dad," and I grew up completely like my father. In the blink of an eye, I am already six years old. My nickname is Zhu Zhu, and my formal name is "Lan Zhu." My mother wanted me to take my father's surname, but my father said his own surname was not good and that my maternal grandmother's surname was very good, so he named me "Lan Zhu."

Over the course of ten years, the island's population grew. Mr. Nongying married Shu Zhenzhen and had a son, the same clumsy boy I mentioned earlier who was pulling beads from his hair, named Hua Xiaoshu. My mother's good friends, Mo Feiyan and Zhao Manying, also married Lu Ling and Bai Ruhui from Phoenix Village respectively, and each had several children.

With the large population living and multiplying on the island, along with some outsiders, the island's population increased over the past 10 years, transforming it into a secluded paradise.

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Chapter 346: Extra Chapter: Zhu Yu and His Daughter 2

My mother had always wanted to build an academy, and this wish finally came true on this unnamed island. She built an academy where all the children on the island studied. After ten years, the academy had grown to over two hundred children of all ages. All the children studied at the academy for free; books, paper, and pens were all provided, as were meals and uniforms. My mother, Junyu, was the principal of the academy, along with several other women from Phoenix Village, such as Luo Luo, Mo Feiyan, and Zhao Manying. My father, Tuosang, and Mr. Nongying would come to teach from time to time.

However, their primary occupation was not teaching; they were merchants. The academy's enormous expenses and the livelihoods of everyone on Weiming Island were all earned by them. For ten years, my father and Mr. Nongying led the organization of the adult men on the island. They established a large caravan, traveling far and wide, earning a great deal of money, and maintaining the peaceful life of everyone on Weiming Island.

Zhu Yu was also a key member of the caravan, but he independently managed a region. Although they cooperated, he was somewhat out of place with the others. During his long rest days on the unnamed island, he never went to the academy to teach like Tuosang and Mr. Nongying. Despite my mother's repeated invitations, he declined, saying he didn't like any children other than Zhu Zhu.

Having discussed the elders' situation, it's time to talk about Xiao Zhu's own.

My older brother, Xiao Xiao Sang, is already 10 years old. He has completely inherited the composure and wisdom of my parents. Needless to say, he's exceptionally intelligent for his age, and he's also incredibly focused and methodical. He's always the top student in the academy, and has long been a leader among the island's children. Mr. and Mrs. Nongying had their son late in life, so they cherish Hua Xiaoshu dearly. Meanwhile, Aunt Mo and Aunt Zhao's daughters, Xiao Fei and Xiao Qing, are all well-behaved and obedient…

In short, these children are all well-behaved, quiet, honest, or clever, and they are all very lovable. Only I, only Zhu Zhu, am disliked by many people.

I like catching chickens and beating dogs, pulling girls' braids, stealing boys' things, and hiding adults' things...

Over time, I bullied almost every child on the island, big and small. Except for that silly boy Hua Xiaoshu, no one else wanted to play with me anymore. Once, I grabbed a red ribbon from Xiao Fei's hair and made her cry uncontrollably. Her mother, Mo Feiyan, said, "This child, why isn't she as well-behaved as Xiao Xiaosang?"

My parents are both upright and serious people. In the eyes of outsiders, their daughter should be like Xiao Xiao Sang, who inherited all of her parents' genes. However, I am completely different. I am always causing trouble and making a ruckus. Therefore, they do not like me, and their children, especially the girls, do not like to play with me.

In Zhao Manqing's words: "This child is as hateful as can be; he's such a pesky little thing. He doesn't resemble Junyu or Tuosang at all!"

My father, Tuosang, was very busy, and I lived with my father, Zhu Yu, so he rarely saw me and always thought I was a well-behaved child like my brother. My mother, as the headmistress of the academy, was also very busy all day. However, although she was sometimes annoyed by me, she would sometimes quietly watch me cause chaos and mischief, sigh, hug me tightly, and kiss me: "Zhu Zhu, why can't you ever be quiet for a moment?"

Therefore, I believe she is the person who loves me the most besides my father.

The person who loves me the most is naturally my father, Zhu Yu.

Chapter 347: Extra Chapter: Zhu Yu and His Daughter 3

My father carried me home.

Our home was a small two-story wooden house built from the island's large timbers in a corner on the eastern side. It was surrounded by peach trees, and it was the season for peach blossoms to bloom; the faint scent of ripening peaches could be smelled. My father's old servant, Zhu Sihuai, always stayed with him, taking care of his daily needs. After that, there was no one else in our little courtyard. Sometimes when my father went out, I would go with my mother; whenever he came home, I would always stay with him.

Zhu Sihuai was pruning the peach trees when he saw my father carrying me home. He immediately cut off a peach branch full of buds and gave it to me: "Zhu Zhu, here you go." I took the peach branch, and my father said, "Fourth Uncle, you go ahead with your work." Then he stepped back and continued pruning the peach trees. His pruning technique was very skillful, like that of a gardener who had worked his whole life. He was also so old, even his back had begun to hunch. No one would have guessed that he was once the powerful and influential First Guard of the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Not only him, but for ten years, my father Zhu Yu also lived in seclusion in this small building with peach trees and green bamboo. Holding his little daughter, his greatest joy was letting her ride on his shoulders to look at the stars or pick peach blossoms. Whenever his little daughter was unhappy, she would fall to the ground, roll around, and cry.

Time flies like water, and the past is gone forever. Of course, I only realized this much later, when I had grown up.

I took a flower branch, climbed down from my father's lap, and ran to catch a huge blue butterfly. The butterfly was very cunning; it kept circling around my head. I would chase it for a few steps, and it would run away for a few steps. It was so close, yet I could never catch it.

"Dad, come help me!" I shouted as I ran, but I tripped over the thick spring grass and fell to the ground. Just as I was about to burst into tears, Dad took a few steps forward, hugged me, rubbed my forehead, and said with heartache, "Zhu Zhu, it doesn't hurt, Zhu Zhu, it doesn't hurt."

It hurt a little at first, but when I saw my dad's concern and heartache, I stopped crying: Dad loves Zhu Zhu the most, Zhu Zhu doesn't feel pain.

Your mother loves Zhu Zhu too; your mother is the person who loves you most in this world.

Every time I say, "Dad loves Zhu Zhu the most," Dad says this. I shake my head and say, "Dad, let's go play in a place that's very, very far away. You said you would take me there."

Father laughed: Zhu Zhu, you'll never see your mother again once you go to a very, very far place. A child without a mother will be bullied.

My dad's so powerful, who would dare bully me? But no matter how powerful a dad is, he's not as good as a mother. Your mother didn't have a mother when she was little, and she was often bullied by bad boys. All children without mothers are bullied.

My mother can be bullied too? I opened my eyes wide. All the children in the academy thought that the most powerful person in the world was my mother, our headmistress. She was the most beautiful and the most knowledgeable. Who would dare to bully her?

Yes, back then there was a bad boy who often bullied her because she was very young and because she didn't have a mother.

Oh, I looked at my dad with a skeptical look, of course I didn't know that the "bad boy" he was talking about was himself.

After talking with my dad for a while, I suddenly remembered, "Dad, what did you bring me back this time?"

Dad laughed and took out a luminous pearl, placing it in my palm. The pearl emitted a faint light under the peach tree. It wasn't very noticeable in the daytime; its beauty would only be apparent at night. However, its soft, beautiful light still attracted me, because it was much prettier than the pearl on Hua Xiaoshu's hat.

From now on, Zhu Zhu, please don't pull the beads off Xiao Shu's head anymore, okay?

"Okay." I answered decisively, stretching out my hand: "Let me look at the other one."

I knew there was another, bigger and better bead. Every time Dad came back from a trip, he would bring back two gifts—clothes, bracelets, earrings, hairpins, all sorts of strange and unusual trinkets—always two identical gifts. The only difference was that one was bigger than the other. Each time, besides my gift, Dad would always put the other one in a very clean room on the second floor. Over time, that room practically became a gift display room. I didn't understand why Dad always brought back a gift for an adult, so I asked him: "Dad, who's this for?"

When I first asked, my father would always remain silent for a long time. Sometimes he would look at the beautiful clothes, sometimes he would pick up the exquisite hairpins, and then he would laugh: "They are all for Zhu Zhu, to be Zhu Zhu's dowry when she grows up."

Since it's all for me, why is this room closed so Zhu Zhu can't go in and play anytime?

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Chapter 348: Extra Chapter: Zhu Yu and His Daughter 4

My bracelet would break, and my beads would always get lost. Whenever something was missing, I would think that there was another one in the house that matched it, so I would always want to go in and take it to play with. But my father locked the little room and just displayed a room full of good things for me to stare at longingly.

Dad laughed and hugged me: "When Zhu Zhu turns 18, she can go in and play freely. Okay?"

18 years old? How long will that take? I pouted, but I didn't throw a tantrum. In this world, I only listen to my dad. If he tells me to wait, I'll obediently wait.

I hugged my dad's neck, blew a breath into his neck, and gently pinched the small birthmark on his neck. Dad laughed and touched the same spot on my neck. Whenever this happened, he was especially happy, and his gaze towards me became even more loving and doting. This was our secret; only Dad and I knew that we both had the same mark in the same spot on our necks.

I asked my dad: Why don't Little Sang, Hua Xiaoshu, Xiao Fei, and Xiao Yan have them?

Dad said: Because none of them are as well-behaved as my Zhu Zhu. Zhu Zhu is the apple of my eye.

The same birthmark on my neck became a secret between my father and me. Actually, the birthmark on my neck is not a secret. I was born with it, and my parents and my brother Xiao Sang all know about it.

However, no one knew about Dad's birthmark, because no one on this nameless island was close to him; all his relatives had long since died. But I knew, I knew that it was something he was born with, exactly the same as mine, and in the same spot.

I asked again and again: Father, Mother, don't you know either?

Dad was silent for a long, long time, then hugged me and said: "Zhu Zhu just loves to ask all sorts of questions."

Why can't we ask questions here and there? Mother said that we should ask questions if we don't understand something. "Among three people walking together, there must be one who can teach me..." Could Mother be wrong?

Dad laughed loudly: My Zhu Zhu is so smart, she can recite the Analects of Confucius. Come here, let Dad give her a kiss, and then recite another passage for Dad.

So I started reciting it, swaying my head:

At fifteen, I set my heart on learning; at thirty, I stood firm; at forty, I had no more doubts; at fifty, I knew the will of Heaven; at sixty, my ear was attuned to the truth; at seventy, I could follow my heart's desire without transgressing the bounds of propriety…

The father was overjoyed: "My Zhu Zhu is truly the smartest child in the world."

However, Aunt Manqing and the others said that Little Sang is the smartest child.

What do they know? I, Zhu Zhu, know. Dad lifted me high above his head: Zhu Zhu, today Dad will personally cook you a delicious meal.

I giggled, my eyes darting around: "Dad, I don't want the good food, I want that bead, the big one."

Dad was probably too happy and blurted out, "Good boy, Zhu Zhu, save this one for Mom."

This was the first time Dad had revealed the whereabouts of those gifts. So, the other gift, identical to Zhu Zhu's, was meant for Mom? Were all those gifts meant for Mom? Then why didn't we give them to her quickly? My mind raced. If I gave these gifts to Mom, she would definitely let me play with them.

Dad, hurry and give these gifts to Mom.

The smile on his father's face disappeared, and after a long while, he whispered: Your mother won't want it.

Even at such a young age, I noticed the profound sorrow on my father's face. I dared not speak again, and after a long while, I gently shook him, clutching his clothes: "Father, Father..."

Dad suddenly came to his senses and looked at me gently: "All those gifts are for Zhu Zhu, as her dowry. But, how about we give them to her when she's older?"

Okay. Then I'll wait to grow up quickly.

I quickly got tired of playing with the beads, and the aroma of sweet and sour fish wafted from the kitchen. I rushed in, and Dad was just putting the cooked sweet and sour fish on the table. This was one of Dad's specialties; every time he came back from a trip, he would cook me a very delicious dish.

Zhu Zhu, wash your hands and eat.

I quickly and obediently went to wash my hands in the basin under the peach tree, when suddenly I saw a woman in a blue dress walking towards me. She walked through the peach grove, where petals were falling, and she was as beautiful as a peach blossom fairy rising slowly.

I ran happily towards her: Mom, what brings you here?

My mother rarely comes to my house. Is she coming to see me?

Hearing my call, Dad immediately came out of the kitchen, looking somewhat flustered, but also happy and surprised. He whispered, "Junyu, you're here!"

My mother said casually, "It's your birthday today, so I brought you something." Then I noticed that she was carrying a basket of pastries.

Oh, it turns out today is Dad's birthday. Dad and I both forgot.

I quickly went to get the pastries from the basket, but Dad looked at Mom and said: Junyu, why don't you stay and have a meal with us?

My father and I have never eaten a meal alone with my mother, so even though my mouth was already stuffed with pastries, I still nodded frantically and mumbled in support: "Mom, eat with us!"

Mother shook her head, put down the basket, looked at Father again, and turned to leave.

Just as I was about to pull at my mother's clothes, my father hugged me: "Zhu Zhu, your mother has something to do."

I watched my mother walk away, then looked at the sadness in my father's eyes, and my lips trembled as I was about to cry: "Father, if you had given that big pearl to Mother, she wouldn't have left..."

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Chapter 349: Tuosang's Discovery

The well-trained camels moved forward slowly.

After drinking the water, the white horse regained its energy and let out a long neigh.

Tosang suddenly noticed a blurry pile of things ahead. He spurred his horse and galloped over. There was the head of a dead horse sticking out. He lifted the sand and found the corpses of Zhenmutier and a guard.

He examined the wounds on the two men; they were indeed inflicted by Junyu's "Chasing Flight." Clearly, Junyu had ultimately killed Zhenmutier. He breathed a sigh of relief.

A man and a horse anxiously caught up from behind. His voice was hoarse. Although there was still more than half a bottle of water in his water bag, he restrained himself and only drank a few sips each day. He didn't know how much longer he could continue the search, fearing that he would die of thirst before finding the person.

Tuosang turned around, and the man quickened his pace to catch up; it was Zhu Sihuai.

Zhu Sihuai had already met Tuosang during the escort mission on the Sichuan-Shaanxi Road. He looked at Tuosang, hesitated for a moment, and disregarded their opposing identities, immediately saying, "My young master has also disappeared in the desert. He went after Marshal Jun..."

Tuosang tossed him a bag of water, and after watching him drink several large gulps, he stopped and asked, "When did Zhu Yu catch up with him?"