La vida de la gente del campo en la ciudad durante la dinastía Song

Capítulo 80

I suddenly remembered the phrase "silence," and frowned slightly, asking, "Yihan, who was the person you were just talking to?"

He paused slightly before saying, "She's my junior sister."

I was taken aback: "Mu Shuangshuang? The voice doesn't sound like her."

"Let's go back and apply the medicine." He carefully examined my hand, and only after making sure I was alright did he lean over and scoop me up in his arms, saying, "She's my other junior sister."

I gave a meaningful "oh" and looked at him with a smile: "How many junior sisters do you have? How come you didn't recognize Mu Shuangshuang when you first met her?"

A fleeting smile crossed Yi Han's eyes, followed by a gentle warmth like moonlight. I could imagine my reflection filled in those dark eyes: "I have another senior brother."

I blushed and avoided his gaze, but he continued, "Although we, as fellow disciples, studied under the same master on Mount Wuji, we have never met each other, except for our junior sister."

"Is that the person from just now?" I turned around in surprise, my gaze falling on what was behind him. "Why is it only... Yufei?!"

"Yufei! Where have you been these past few days? I've been looking for you everywhere!" I exclaimed in surprise. The white-clad man, shimmering in the moonlight, was none other than Liu Cenfeng. I struggled to jump down, but Yihan's hand tightened suddenly, his eyes filled with a turbulent undercurrent, all traces of his previous tenderness gone. I was startled, remembering my promise that I would, and my struggles slowly ceased.

Liu Cenfeng's lips curled slightly, his exquisite face possessing a breathtaking allure under the moonlight. His ambiguous smile was like a poppy gradually blooming, alluring yet terrifying. He suddenly opened his palm gently, and the delicate moonlight flowed onto his hand. A red maple leaf spun gently in his fair, jade-like palm, its flowing crimson and iridescent colors brushing against his deep, swirling blue eyes.

"Lanlan," he leaned against the artificial hill, looking at me with a slight smile, but the smile reflected in his eyes was somewhat cold, "Are you dating him?"

My face flushed red, and I felt an intense heat rising from the hands around my waist and the chest pressed against my body. I nodded slightly.

The smile on Liu Cenfeng's face faded slightly, then brightened again. He asked, "Do you love him?"

I was about to say I naturally loved him when he suddenly said in a very seductive low voice, "Even more than loving Xu Lie?"

I don't know what my expression is like at this moment, but I clearly feel that the blood has been drained from my brain, and my forehead, nose, and lips are all ice-cold.

A pair of hands gently stroked my hair. I looked up and saw Liu Cenfeng standing in front of me, tucking a red maple leaf into my hair bun. His voice was soft, like a feather being fluttered: "Silly girl, you've had a crush on him for years. How can you just stop loving him like that?"

No! Yufei, you don't understand at all! I bit my lower lip and shook my head desperately. You don't know what happened between him and me? You don't know how badly I was hurt, or how I managed to hold on until now.

"Young Master." Yi Han's cool, deep voice reached my ears, inexplicably putting me at ease. He looked down at me with gentle, tender eyes, "It's late, go back to sleep."

For some reason, the gloom in her heart was instantly dispelled. She nodded slightly, about to say goodbye to Liu Cenfeng, when she suddenly looked up and found that he was no longer there. In the distance, among the trees, a tall, slender figure in white robes was like a painting, a solitary man walking alone, his white clothes fluttering in the moonlight.

The next morning I went to find Liu Cenfeng, but he wasn't there. Bai Wuchang, who was seven parts ghost and three parts human, handed me a maple leaf and said, "My master said that everything he wanted to say is on this leaf."

I returned to my room somewhat dejectedly. I searched the maple leaf repeatedly, but all I found was a simple map; nothing else. I had originally intended to discuss with him how to return to the modern world. There was no reason why, even though we were both wearing water chains, I could come and go freely while he was trapped in this world! I even thought that since Yang Yi was wary of me anyway, after achieving Zi Mo's goal in three years, could I go live with Yu Fei in Huo Ling, or perhaps we could live in seclusion together?

Thinking of this, I couldn't help but look up at that lonely soul isolated from the world. Why is it that even though he is right beside me, no different than before, I always feel that Zi Mo is getting further and further away from me, as if he is deliberately making me ignore him, or even forget him?

A slight pang of pain shot through me, and I called out softly, "Zimo..." His gaze remained fixed on the window, not turning to look at me, not even shifting an inch. I wondered to myself, 'Zimo, what happened?'

He smiled slightly, but remained silent. A sense of unease settled in my chest, yet I refused to give up, and continued, "Won't you offer me advice anymore? Won't you watch me grow up anymore? Won't you need me to fulfill your dreams anymore?"

Still silent, I gritted my teeth and slammed my fist on the table. My hand was numb with pain. Just as I was about to get up and go out for some fresh air, I saw Zi Mo suddenly turn around. His expression was indifferent and calm, and his brown eyes were deep and serene.

He suddenly gave a cold laugh, looked at me and said, "There are some things that I'm afraid I'll never have the chance to tell you again if I don't tell you now."

I was stunned. Looking into his eyes felt like a bucket of cold water had been poured over my head, or like venomous snakes slithering in and out of my body. He was still smiling, but it was so different from his usual gentle demeanor. He was clearly the lonely ghost Han Fei, the Zi Mo I had once trusted most in this world, yet he felt so unfamiliar to me.

Zi Mo slowly floated in front of me and said, "Galan, have you never been curious? I am clearly from 150 years in the future, so why have you never told me what the future of the Ishu Continent will be like, or what your fate will be?"

I was taken aback, blinking at him: "I...I thought it was because you weren't good at history, or that your records were incomplete...I might not be able to clearly explain the fate of some nobody from 150 years ago!"

=====================================================

Zi Mo's deep expression froze, my face suddenly appearing clearly reflected in his dark brown pupils before quickly disappearing. He didn't respond to my words, but continued, "The Records of Yao Kingdom: In the 765th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the young Prime Minister Qin Luo of the Jin Yao Kingdom died a violent death, causing turmoil in the Jin Yao court, and Huo Ling Feng Yin seized the opportunity to invade; in the 766th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Huo Ling Grand Tutor Liu Cenfeng led troops to attack the Jin Yao border and seize dozens of cities; in the 767th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Emperor Yang Yi of Yao Kingdom appointed the commoner Han Jue as Grand Marshal to rectify the court; in the 768th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, news spread that Liu Cenfeng was terminally ill, and he died suddenly less than half a year later; in the 769th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the Jin Yao Kingdom appointed Grand Marshal Han Jue..." Under the reorganization, it rose to power again, not only reclaiming lost cities but also bringing other nations under its sway once more. In the 773rd year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, news spread that Jun Wuhen had died in the Fire Feather Kingdom, and the eight-year-old Jun Qinglian ascended the throne. Empress Dowager Yuling ruled from behind the curtain, and General Qian Cheng held absolute power. In the 774th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Yang Yi appointed Han Jue as the second prime minister in the history of the Golden Glory Kingdom, concentrating all power in his hands, thus beginning the path to unification for the Golden Glory Kingdom. In the 780th year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Yang Yi, now over forty, finally completed the unification of the Yixiu Continent, establishing the kingdom's name as Yao and beginning the era name as Yi Yuan.

From initial shock and panic to gradual calm, I slowly sat down, gripping the edge of the table: 'If I hadn't traveled through time, this would be history, wouldn't it?' I paused, forgetting that I didn't need to speak, only wanting to vent, and said in a dry voice, 'My time travel changed history and everyone's fate, didn't it?'

Zi Mo looked at me with a complicated expression, smiled slightly, and said, "Jin Yao's historical record is not yet finished. Garan, would you like to continue listening?"

I felt my neck was stiff as if it were filled with molten lead, and I couldn't even nod.

Zi Mo ignored my reaction and continued, "When Han Jue attained power, the entire Han family rose to prominence. However, Han Jue knew that great merit would inevitably threaten the emperor, and centralized power would inevitably arouse jealousy. Therefore, after unifying the world, he wanted to retire gracefully. However, Yang Yi could not bear to let him leave with all the honor and the admiration of the soldiers and generals. He was unwilling to give him real power, and he was also afraid that killing him would chill the hearts of the meritorious officials. In the end, he listened to the suggestion of Han Jue's second brother, Han Ning, and granted him the title of Marquis of Xingyang, which was nominal but not real. It was hereditary, but his sons and grandsons could not participate in politics or power for life, and could not leave Luonan City even half a step."

A chill ran through me, and I frowned, saying, "Jingyuan, I mean, why didn't Han Jue secretly escape or simply rebel?"

Zi Mo sighed almost imperceptibly and said, "That was a long time ago for me. It's just something that's been passed down but can't be verified. I only know that Han Jue was someone who didn't like to be bothered by worldly affairs. He entered officialdom because he couldn't bear to see his country being trampled on by foreign tribes and his people being displaced. He also entered because Yang Yi, under Han Ning's scheme, had found his weakness."

"Han Jue's father, Han Wenyuan, had only four sons: Han Feng, Han Ning, Han Jue, and Han Qin. Among the four, the eldest was the bravest and most valiant. As soon as he came of age, he followed General Lü in his campaigns, serving as an indispensable vanguard under Lü Shaojun. He died in battle against Huo Ling at the young age of thirty-eight. The second son, Han Ning, appeared weak-willed, dull-witted, and unremarkable, but in reality, he was cunning and scheming. After Yang Yi unified the country, the entire Han family was sidelined, but he rose to prominence and became a favorite of the emperor. The fourth son, Han Qin, could read at the age of three and write poetry at the age of four, possessing extraordinary talent. He was Han Wenyuan's most beloved and favored son. Unfortunately, in the imperial examination of the twenty-third year of Jiaying, he lost to the then unknown Qin Luo in military strategy, tactics, and governance, becoming a laughingstock and dying in despair at the young age of twenty."

I couldn't help but ask, "What exactly is Han Jue's weakness that you mentioned?"

Zi Mo smiled knowingly and said, "Han Jue is cold-hearted by nature, but he will never compromise his principles for the greater good. He may be willing to pity the suffering of the people, but he will never be threatened by anything, except for one person. That is his beloved younger brother Han Qin."

“But…” I stared wide-eyed. “Isn’t Han Qin dead? And if he really cared so much about his brother, why would he still befriend me when he knew I was the one who caused Han Qin’s death from depression?”

"Han Qin had an affair with a courtesan and left behind a son, who was found and adopted by Han Ning." Zi Mo suddenly paused and stared at me intently, then sneered, "You value your relationship with Xu Lie the most, and regret the pain Feng Yihan suffered back then the most. Aren't you now intimately involved with Liu Cenfeng? Or perhaps Han Jue has simply found someone else who is more important to him."

Those two short sentences felt like a hammer blow to my temples, my ears ringing. I bit my lower lip, tears welling up, then bit it again, until the taste of blood forced the tears back. My voice was hoarse as I said, "Then what do you want me to do? Kill him to avenge Qin Ye, to satisfy my own hatred? But he saved my life. Or at least I should distance myself from him, become strangers. But Zimo, tell me, what was my purpose in staying in this ancient world? Wasn't it to find him, to bring him back to the modern world? He's not just anyone, he's my best friend, the friend who would give his life to save me!!"

"Lin Jialan, open your eyes and look carefully! What does this Liu Cenfeng have in common with Nie Yufei, besides possessing his memories?!" Zi Mo roared uncontrollably, his brown eyes filled with bloodshot blood. "He is a devil now, a cold-blooded and pathological person you can't even imagine. He will never let you go just because of your childish friendship in the past!"

"Shut up!!" I almost screamed, interrupting him breathlessly. "What right do you have to say that about him? Han Ziming, what are your motives for staying by my side? Do you think I still believe that your goal is merely to unify the world? Don't treat me like a fool. Every step you've taught me, while resolving the crisis, has also deepened the rift between me and Yang Yi. Why should I be so stupid as to be completely fooled by you again?!"

My voice was loud, echoing emptyly in the room. The disbelief, pain, and indignation in Zi Mo's eyes slowly faded, settling into a deep coldness and desolation. He coldly laughed, "Yes! You are no longer the Lin Jialan of the past. You are smart enough to discover the conspiracies and schemes around you. But you are still not mature enough."

He paused, then said, "Do you know why my soul lingered, becoming a wandering spirit for a thousand years, even returning to the fragmented era of the Ishu Continent? One hundred and fifty years later, the Yao Kingdom's government began to corrupt, and the world was on the verge of chaos again. I assisted the newly enthroned crown prince in stabilizing the political situation and suppressing uprisings across the land. The Han family once again distinguished itself, with three members becoming marquises, their glory even surpassing that of Han Jue in his prime. But three months later, one night, a group of highly skilled bandits broke into the Han residence, burning, killing, looting, raping, and plundering. I personally..." I watched as my father's head was chopped off, my mother committed suicide with a knife, my brother's internal organs were trampled to pieces, and my sister was gang-raped to death by more than a dozen burly men. I will never forget that day, the moment I tore off the veil of the leader of the men in black before he strangled me. The face, so familiar it was almost unbearable, belonged to the master I had sworn to serve for life, the former crown prince, now the emperor. It was at that moment that my soul clearly detached from my body and wandered beyond the nine heavens.

My teeth were chattering and trembling. I wanted to say something, but I couldn't even utter a single syllable.

Zi Mo's expression remained cold and sarcastic, carrying a sense of desolation and loneliness born of a world-weary perspective: "Don't make that face. I'm not saying this to gain your sympathy. I just want to tell you that the suffering Nie Yufei endured back then was no less than mine. Every day outside the Nine Heavens, all I thought about was how to take revenge, not just on Yang Wenhan alone, but on the entire Yao Kingdom court. What does Yang Wenhan's death matter? I want to erase his existence, I want their proud empire to vanish completely into the torrent of history."

"Days passed, and my hatred not only didn't lessen, but grew deeper and stronger. Loneliness and solitude couldn't break me, but hatred gnawed at my heart like a venomous snake. Until one day, I suddenly fell from the ninth heaven and was sealed in a Bagua formation. For the first ten years or so, I couldn't hear anything, couldn't see anything, and didn't even know where I was. But strangely, my heart gradually calmed down. Although my desire for revenge remained unbreakable, it slowly dissipated the madness of destroying the world and annihilating everyone. Then, finally one day, I heard a voice."