Heaven is the shore of mortal dust - Chapter 17
Seeing that smile, the man in white felt that the money he had given was well worth it.
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As dusk fell, the courtyard of the Lu City Garrison was brightly lit. The doors to the council chamber were tightly shut, and a row of guards stood motionless beside the door.
"Gongzhi, have the remnants of this rebel army been wiped out?" The speaker was the same white-clad man from the daytime.
“I have secretly searched the entire city of Lucheng and cleared out all those who needed to be eliminated. The people have not been disturbed and the security is very stable. This war has not affected the people of Lucheng. However, the food supplies are becoming increasingly tight. There are 80,000 troops stationed here, and the food supplies can only last for 20 days. Moreover, the border defense of Yiwu is already under strain. Once the situation here stabilizes, we will have to move the troops to Yiwu. But as you know, the food supply in Yiwu is already insufficient, and many garrisons are already experiencing food shortages,” General Chen, who was called Gongzhi, replied.
"Why are these grain merchants hoarding grain? It's highly likely that someone is interfering. I had people investigate secretly for over ten days and discovered that these grain merchants have very close ties with Qiu Zaifang, the owner of Danhelou." The man in white took a sip of tea, his lips pursed in a resolute manner.
"Qiu Zaifang? What is he doing hoarding grain and fodder? Could he be plotting something?" General Chen asked nervously.
"It's hard to say, but if we wait until the cause is found out, things will probably get very tense at the border."
"Can't we find a way to transport grain from elsewhere?"
“North of Luling, all the way to the vicinity of Dongdu①, the people are suffering from the ravages of war. Currently, only Lucheng produces the most grain and is the most prosperous. If even Lucheng is having difficulty procuring grain, it will be even more difficult for other places.” The man in white frowned and sighed with great concern.
"How about we arrest Qiu Zaifang and investigate him?" General Chen suggested.
“We don’t have solid evidence, so he won’t say anything. Besides, arresting someone without reason might alert his accomplices and make them more wary.” The man in white changed the subject. “Gongzhi, have any suspicious individuals been seen entering or leaving Lucheng recently? I’m afraid someone is deliberately plotting a rebellion!”
“There’s no one suspicious, but there is one interesting person who is particularly close.” General Chen smiled, a rare sight on his face.
"Oh? Who is so special?" Perhaps this is a suspicious person.
"This man has a face like jade, red lips and white teeth, and skin as white as snow, probably even fairer than the concubines in the palace. Moreover, he is quick-witted and has an extraordinary demeanor. If that old man Zhang saw him, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep for days. Haha." General Chen couldn't help but feel happy when he thought of the person he met during the day. Then he thought of the hand that he had grabbed and left with red marks, and he couldn't help but grin. This delicate skin would surely make old man Zhang ecstatic.
"Was that person thin and frail, and dressed in a long white robe?"
"Indeed, Boyuan has seen him?"
The man in white nodded slightly. It was him...
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①Eastern Capital. Also known as Luoyang. It was the other capital city besides Daxing City, and was called the Eastern Capital.
[Volume 1, Deer City Chapter: Chapter 15 Site Selection]
"Zijun, stop and have some water." Juyun Sou placed the tea on the table made from a rough wooden stump outside. This child was earning his admiration more and more, but also making his heart ache more and more.
Since returning from the valley that day, she sat outside for an hour with her sword in hand, then began practicing martial arts tirelessly, neglecting even meals. Despite being a heavy sleeper, she slept less than her old man. Every day, aside from eating and sleeping, she was always in the open space outside, constantly thrusting and sweeping, leaping and tumbling. She practiced day and night until her back ached, and she couldn't sleep peacefully, often groaning in pain in her sleep. She practiced martial arts during the day and studied the techniques and incantations in bed at night. This unwavering dedication not only pained him but also filled him with admiration.
"Master! You're up." Wei Zijun stopped, picked up the bowl, and gulped down two big mouthfuls of water.
That day, she chose two long gowns for her master and Dieyun, bought two pairs of boots for herself, and also bought some vegetable seeds, a few liters of rice and flour, and two farm tools. Then she gave all the money to her master and never went out again.
Holding her master's sword, she recalled the swordsmanship she had displayed at Danhe Tower. She hadn't expected to execute such fluid and sharp swordsmanship, as if she had wielded this sword like this long ago, until the end of time. In that fight, she had used a swordsmanship she had never learned before; all the movements were performed subconsciously, seemingly without conscious thought. It was a feeling of perfect harmony between man and sword that could only be achieved through countless tedious practices. Yes, that was the feeling of man and sword becoming one, just like the feeling she had when driving a race car—the feeling of man and car becoming one, turning the long curve with a slight sway of her leg, completely without conscious thought, entrusting her safety entirely to that instantaneous moment.
However, due to insufficient internal strength and neglect of practice, she ultimately lost.
Although Dieyun had already taught her everything, she had only learned martial arts midway through her studies and for a short time. As a result, although she had the moves, her internal strength was insufficient. However, she was not ashamed or anxious at that time. After all, she had no enemies and did not need to be very skilled in martial arts.
But ever since that day when Danhelou was humiliated, she vowed to master martial arts, not only to protect herself but also to protect the poor and pitiful. This was the second wish she made upon coming into this world.
Wei Zijun is the kind of person who sees things through to the end and possesses a strong will. She may seem carefree in general, but once she sets her mind on something, she will dedicate herself wholeheartedly to it, never giving up halfway. This is why she achieved so much at such a young age in modern times. She is consistently striving upwards and never gives up. She firmly believes this is the secret to success.
"Zijun, tell your master, where did all that silver come from?"
These past few days, Ju Yunsou has been asking her about it every few days. How could he not ask? This is the salary of an ordinary official for several years, yet that girl went out and brought it back in just one day.
"Hehe... Master, of course it wasn't stolen or robbed. It really was given to me by that person, so you can use it without worry."
"Sigh, your master knows your character and trusts you. Your master is just afraid that you will owe someone something, and what if they make some kind of request... Why don't you return it to them!"
"Haha... Master, I already gave twenty taels to someone else. What's the big deal? I'll go out and get another thousand taels in a couple of days."
Seeing her master's stunned expression, Wei Zijun felt both heartache and amusement: her master, despite his resounding reputation in the martial arts world, was as innocent as a child. Aren't most great heroes rolling in gold and silver? Yet he seemed to have always been so poor.
"Master, don't worry, as long as it's money I brought back, you can use it without worry. Master, believe me, I won't do anything foolish or bad." Wei Zijun looked at her master with firm eyes, her gaze filled not only with unwavering conviction but also with a sense of trustworthiness and reassurance, as if she had spread her tender wings to protect the old man before her.
Ju Yunsou nodded with satisfaction; he hadn't misjudged the child.
While Dieyun was making breakfast, Wei Zijun fetched water and watered the vegetables she had planted.
These days, during breaks from martial arts practice, she cleared a patch of land in front of the house, loosened the soil, and planted vegetable seeds she had bought. She wanted her master to be able to eat a variety of vegetables without having to go out to buy them. These things are easy to grow, require only regular watering, and bring great joy when harvested.
When I was a child, I lived in a bungalow. My mother cultivated a small garden there and planted it with vegetables. Later, I left home, became successful, and then my mother passed away.
The loss of her parents rendered her struggles meaningless, and the pursuit of success no longer brought her happiness; she merely mechanically filled her lonely heart with one achievement after another. Her parents became a permanent source of pain in her heart.
Fortunately, she still has her siblings and other family members, giving her some reason to strive. Success comes too easily to her; without a reason, life would be too dull.
Now, making her master and Dieyun live a better life has become her goal. It seems that she has spent her whole life striving for others. Seeing others find happiness because of her makes her happy too.
"Dinner's ready!" Dieyun called out to Wei Zijun after preparing the meal. She found Wei Zijun sitting on the ridge, deep in thought.
It seems that ever since this woman came into the family, life has become more and more enjoyable and fulfilling. Unexpectedly, she even grew a vegetable garden, which excited him so much that he would run over to water it whenever he had free time.
Wei Zijun was both angry and amused, and every time she tried to persuade him, "Don't water it! It'll drown!"
"Dinner's ready!" Dieyun walked up behind her and called out again.
"Hmm?" Wei Zijun came back to her senses. "Oh! I'm going out today. I'll bring you whatever Dieyun likes."