The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear - Chapter 155
Like this fire, once it's burned out, only ashes remain.
Suppressed sobs could be heard from inside the hall.
A fierce glint flashed in the man's eyes: "Why are you crying?"
One person said through grief, "So many years of hard work, all gone like this, I... I'm not reconciled..." His voice trembled.
The man was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "The end is not the conclusion. As long as people are still alive, things will never have an ending."
Although the matter was lost, it was Japan that lost, not him.
Even if those Japanese devils are cunning, they probably can't guess that his sharp teeth and claws have always been hidden, and he hasn't had a chance to show them yet. His strength remains, so what does he have to worry about?
A tall man said respectfully, "Your Highness, what do you mean—"
“What I mean is—” the man smiled and said slowly, “You can go and open the window!”
The tall man was taken aback, but obeyed and went over to open the window of the main hall.
As soon as the window was opened, the fog rushed in, and a moist yet refreshing air dispelled the smoke and decadence in the hall, and the gloomy people were unconsciously invigorated.
The man walked to the window, and through the thick fog, he could see a faint line of white appearing on the eastern horizon.
The night has passed, and dawn is about to break.
As the pale light of dawn fell, the skin beneath the morning glow appeared incredibly aged.
He sighed softly, almost imperceptibly, his voice filled with an indescribable sadness:
"This time, Ye is truly dead..."
No matter how much it hurts, if you make a wrong move, you have to sacrifice the piece; you can't just cut off your hand!
The sky over the rivers and lakes is very clear. 222009-08-27 11:01 Maple leaves are dyed in color, reeds are as white as snow, and osmanthus blossoms are fragrant.
It is already autumn, yet the weather in Jiangnan remains gentle and mild. Suzhou, with its small bridges and flowing water, is as tranquil and elegant as ever, like a charming woman who has stepped out of a Song Dynasty poem.
This place is less than three miles from the north gate of Suzhou. On the pipeline, people from north and south come and go in a bustling manner, which is full of prosperity.
A young girl in tattered clothes seemed to have walked a long way; her toes were already showing through her shoes.
Her face was covered in dust, making it impossible to recognize her. Her long hair was combed into a messy bun, with a few chicken feathers and grass clippings stuck to it. Her clothes were stained with oil and looked extremely disheveled. The only thing worth noting in the entire province was her pair of round, dark eyes.
Beside her stood a handsome young man with a face like jade. He was tall and slender, wearing a light yellow square robe, a belt around his waist, and exquisite clothing. He was as beautiful as a painting, and his deep eyes were filled with the gentle beauty of spring.
It was still quite hot, and beads of sweat were already on the girl's forehead. She looked at the city gate ahead, wiped the sweat from her brow, and said happily, "Brother Liuyue, Huahua, that's probably Suzhou City up ahead!"
The young master's smile remained gentle, not even the curve of his lips changed. The one who answered the girl's question was a large, fat pig, its glossy fur speckled with black spots. The pig rubbed its round body against the girl's legs, flicked its tail from side to side, then curled it into a circle and grunted twice, as if replying: "Yes, yes!"
The girl patted her belly and said, "Then let's go into the city!" She then walked towards the city gate.
The young man in yellow followed closely behind her like a shadow, while the large pig came in third.
Suzhou must have been celebrating something joyous today, for everywhere, from the narrow cobblestone alleys to the main streets, people were bustling about. The main street in the city center was especially crowded, with people of all ages standing on both sides, laughing and chatting – a truly lively scene.
Seeing this scene, the girl was puzzled but also excited—there was going to be a show! In her memory, only when she wandered to Anning Prefecture last year, she happened to come across the Ghost Festival on the fifteenth of the seventh month, and there was such a grand spectacle.
I remember that day, during the day the whole city was filled with Taoist priests playing music, chanting sutras and kneeling in worship. At night there were fireworks, burning of the ritual boat and the spirit house, and release of river lanterns. Many rich people also distributed porridge and steamed buns. She even rushed over and grabbed two bowls of porridge and several big steamed buns!
When you're scrambling for steamed buns, you can't queue; you have to cut in line, otherwise you might not get any.
The girl, covered in dirt, pushed her way through the crowd. Those she bumped into were annoyed, and someone yelled, "What are you pushing for? Are you in a hurry to be reborn?"
The girl opened her mouth to curse back, but as soon as she opened her eyes, she saw that the other party was a burly man, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, a steel knife hanging from his hip, and a height almost one and a half times her own. Knowing that she couldn't afford to offend him, she immediately shrank back three points, bowing and scraping, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't see you, sir!" She reached out to pat the man's clothes in a fawning manner.
The burly man felt disgusted when he saw the pair of black claws and shoved her away, saying, "What are you doing?"
Caught off guard, the girl was pushed back several steps and nearly fell.
The young man in yellow beside her stretched out his arm and put it around the girl's waist, helping her to stand up. Without any visible movement, he had already passed through the dense crowd as if it were nothing, and in the blink of an eye, he stood opposite the burly man. His smile remained unchanged, but his eyes were like a dark river, cold and icy, leading to who knows where in the underworld.
The burly man was startled. Even someone as strong as him would find it difficult to squeeze through such a large crowd, and he hadn't seen how this young master had gotten to him at all.
The girl grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the crowd.
From afar, the burly man turned around and saw the young master standing close to the filthy girl. Passersby three feet away from her seemed to be pushed away by an invisible hand. The girl was completely unaware, her mouth curving into a wide smile. Behind her followed a large, fat pig, who strode about with steady, leisurely steps.
Sweat beaded on the burly man's forehead. Luckily, he had dodged quickly and avoided a confrontation. That young master was definitely a master! He reached for a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, but his hand slipped into his pocket—damn, his wallet was gone!
The girl slipped into a side alley, and seeing no one around, she reached into her pocket and pulled out an embroidered cloth bag. She opened the drawer and looked inside, finding several loose pieces of silver and two silver notes, totaling nearly a hundred taels.
This was the first time the girl had ever stolen so much money, and she danced with joy, shouting, "We're rich! We're rich! Brother Liuyue, Huahua, let's not go to mooch steamed buns anymore, let's go to a restaurant later!" Damn it! XX is rich now, let's see if the waiter will still kick us out!
The large pig flapped its big ears happily and swung its tail vigorously, while the young man in the yellow robe stood quietly as usual. Just then, someone in the street shouted, "They're here! They're here! They're entering the city!" The crowd in the street cheered in unison.
What's here? The girl, who loved excitement, immediately rushed outside.
At the end of the street, banners fluttered, and a well-trained army was coming through the street.
The soldiers were all young and strong, their swords and spears gleaming. Even amidst the crowds of onlookers, they remained focused, their military bearing impeccable, appearing calm and composed, yet exuding a palpable aura of menace. Though tens of thousands crossed the border, the sound of footsteps and hooves was utterly silent.
Even though the girl knew nothing, she could tell that this was a highly disciplined elite force.
Suddenly, cheers erupted from the crowd: "General! General! General! General!"
The girl craned her neck to look, and saw two large flags, one red and one white, appearing in the army. On the flags, amidst the brocade of cloud patterns, each was embroidered with a large character. The girl recognized these two characters; the one on the left was pronounced "Qi," and the one on the right was pronounced "Yu."
Beneath the banner, two generals rode side by side.
The man on the left rode a white horse, a silver spear hanging from a bird-shaped wing ring. The spear was engraved with patterns, had a three-edged tip over a foot long, and a red tassel fluttering. The rider wore silver helmet and armor, appeared to be around fifty years old, with long eyebrows and phoenix eyes, and a dignified appearance.