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☆, Volume One: The Country is Broken, but the Mountains and Rivers Remain

I. The country is destroyed

It was a barren slope at the foot of the dark green rocks, overgrown with weeds. The unnoticed vegetation grew silently, a patchwork of green and yellow. A bleak autumn wind blew, whipping up the withered grass and sand, swirling them as if directing them to drift and take root elsewhere. Scattered across the slope were a few solitary graves, seemingly untouched for years. The yellow earth was loose, some even crumbling away, and the graves were covered in weeds. A few birds perched on them, pecking at the insects. A gust of wind startled them, and they scattered in all directions. One simple, newly built grave stood out. The freshly piled yellow earth indicated a recent death, but the tombstone was empty, leaving one to speculate about the deceased's identity. A little girl knelt before the grave, her clothes suggesting a rural girl, but her appearance would easily disprove the initial assumption.

This wasn't the first time she had knelt before her parents' graves, but Qingluan still clenched her fists. Her coarse cloth clothes fluttered in the wind, and her simple attire couldn't conceal her transcendent temperament. Her small oval face was filled with indifference, with only a glimmer of light in her phoenix eyes betraying her emotions. Her delicate nails, which she had maintained for fourteen years, were already broken. The untrimmed nails pierced deeply into her palms, oozing a few drops of crimson blood, but she didn't feel any pain, because she had already experienced far greater pain.

Since the imperial city was breached by the rebels, the Great Xia Dynasty collapsed overnight. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains unbroken. The entire family of Lin Chaoyuan, the Minister of Personnel, perished in the fall of the city, setting themselves on fire in their residence. Everyone said that the Lin family was a family of loyal martyrs, sacrificing themselves for their country, leaving no bloodline behind. But what no one knew was that before setting himself on fire, Minister Lin couldn't bear to part with his young daughter, Qingluan. He entrusted her wet nurse, Huiniang, to adopt Qingluan as his own daughter, secretly sending them away to live as ordinary people, hoping his beloved daughter would live a peaceful life.

Hui Niang, along with her fourteen-year-old Qing Luan, secretly hid outside the mansion and witnessed the Minister's mansion being consumed by fire. However, even the charred corpses of her parents could not escape the rebel army's wrath. They were dug out of the ruins and whipped to warn other court officials who refused to surrender.

Remembering the tears she held back and the heart-wrenching pain of that day, Qingluan lowered her head and gently touched the bruise on her arm that Huiniang had tightly gripped when she tried to prevent her from running away. Qingluan's eyes changed from clear to deep.

From that day on, Qingluan stopped crying and looking for her parents. Her personality changed from innocent and romantic to quiet and reserved. She obediently listened to Huiniang every day, ate her meals properly, and kept to a regular schedule. However, beneath her calm exterior lay a turbulent undercurrent. An idea had already formed in Qingluan's mind. To realize it, she had to take good care of her health so that she would have the resources to carry it out.

Seeing these changes in Qingluan, Huiniang often sighed to herself.

To escape the rebel army, Huiniang took Qingluan to a small mountain village in a neighboring county. The villagers there were simple and honest, living a peaceful life. In a secluded spot, they secretly erected a cenotaph and a blank tombstone for their family. Qingluan often came here alone, but this time she neither shed tears nor spoke. She would kneel silently before the grave, sometimes for half a day at a time. The cold wind blew across her delicate skin, and a few strands of hair danced in the wind, performing a mournful dance of national ruin and family destruction…

"Qingluan, didn't your master say that your destiny was exceptionally noble? That you would only encounter a great calamity at the age of 20? How come you're facing this hardship now?" Huiniang sighed, wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes.

Hui Niang was an honest woman and Qing Luan's wet nurse. Because she gave birth to a girl who died of a strange illness, her husband's family considered her unlucky and divorced her, kicking her out of the house. When Madam Lin saw that she was honest and dutiful, she made her Qing Luan's wet nurse. Hui Niang raised Qing Luan from a young age and regarded her as her own daughter. That's why Minister Lin felt at ease entrusting his young daughter to her.

"Mother, let's not talk about the past anymore, lest it bring us to our deaths. From now on, you are my own mother. I will live well and take good care of you." Qingluan said calmly, her clear voice filled with coldness, and her eyes shone with a light that was clearly the flame of hatred.

"Don't be sad anymore. The master and mistress's last wish was for you to live a peaceful and happy life. Don't let them down!" Hui Niang looked at Qing Luan, as if she could see through what she was thinking, but she didn't dare to say it directly. She just timidly advised her.

Although the village was far from the capital, news of the capital gradually reached the village.

"I heard that this time it was the Emperor's younger brother, Prince Liang, who led the Qi army. Why isn't he the one who ascends the throne as Emperor?"

"This time, the King of Liang not only failed to make a deal, but also let a wolf into the house. He didn't become emperor, but he handed over the glorious empire inherited from his ancestors to someone else!"

"Who did you give it to?"

"Of course it's the State of Qi. On the surface, they allied with the King of Liang, but on the day they captured the capital, they killed the emperor and the entire royal family, including the King of Liang. It's a pity that the King of Liang died without understanding what was happening, still dreaming of ascending the throne!"

"So now we're considered citizens of Qi? Isn't that a disgrace?"

"Oh dear, why should we ordinary people worry about so much? As long as we have enough to eat and wear, who cares who the emperor is!"

"Yes, let's go, let's go chop firewood! If we don't earn two coins today, Zhu Zi's mother definitely won't let me in the door!"

"Ha ha ha ha……"

The sound faded into the distance. Qingluan, dressed in green, leaned against the window. Her petite and lonely figure was cold and aloof, her face obscured and her body motionless, like a painting of a beauty that could shame the moon and flowers. However, the beauty in the painting smiled coldly. "King Qi, one day I will avenge the destruction of my country and the loss of my family."

The world was in chaos, with four kingdoms vying for supremacy: Xia, Qi, Shu, and Zhou. Xia had now been annexed by Qi, creating a three-way power struggle. The Qi emperor, in his prime, possessed a powerful but ruthless and warlike state, and now, having conquered Xia, he was riding high. However, the Qi king's cruel methods were widely criticized. Shu, on the other hand, had a young emperor who ascended the throne at the tender age of six. The court was managed by the Empress Dowager, a remarkable woman who had fought alongside the late emperor to establish the kingdom. She was over forty when she finally had her son. The late emperor and she were deeply devoted to each other, and the emperor refused to take any concubines, resulting in only this one crown prince. After the late emperor's untimely death, the six-year-old prince was the obvious choice to ascend the throne. The Empress Dowager's regency was widely supported, and she displayed her political acumen, managing the court with remarkable efficiency, making her a force to be reckoned with. After several generations of wise and diligent rulers, the State of Zhou has become the most powerful country. The Zhou emperor has just passed away, and his eldest son has succeeded to the throne. Although he is only seventeen years old, he has managed to stabilize several factions within the country and successfully ascended the throne. It seems that he is not an ordinary person.

Qingluan carefully analyzed the overall situation of the world, pondering how to avenge herself. To achieve revenge, she needed to destroy the State of Qi, making the King of Qi taste the bitterness of national ruin and family destruction. But destroying Qi was easier said than done…

"Qingluan, dinner's ready," Huiniang called from outside.

"I'm here." Qingluan composed herself and quickly replied. Fortunately, Huiniang was there, so she wouldn't be all alone.

“Recently, many refugees have come to the village. They all fled from the capital. In the struggles between countries, it is always the common people who suffer!” Hui Niang rambled on.

Yes, prosperity brings suffering to the people! Ruin brings suffering to the people! The achievements of heroes and the rise and fall of dynasties are all at the cost of the people's bloodshed and sacrifice.

As a child, I suffered from a chronic illness, which was cured by a wise and venerable unnamed Taoist priest. The priest insisted on taking me as his disciple, imparting to me all his martial arts, medical skills, divination techniques, and profound wisdom on governance. My master cast a divination for me, which yielded the Kun hexagram. He said my destiny was incomparably noble, capable of changing the world, but I would face a great calamity at the age of 20. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "If I can overcome it, the fate of the common people will be uncertain." He then gazed at the night sky, as if worried about something. My master always patiently guided me, hoping I would develop a compassionate heart and consider the well-being of all. I deeply admired him and naturally dared not refuse. My father never believed what my master said, but he admired my master's unparalleled talent and respected him greatly. My father would always hold me in his arms, saying, "My Luan'er doesn't have such a noble destiny. I only hope she can live a peaceful and healthy life." However, it's always good to learn more, and practicing martial arts can also improve physical health.

Thinking of this, Qingluan said, "If it is really as Master said, I will definitely end this chaotic world and let the people no longer suffer from this torment of displacement, national ruin, and family destruction!"

Hui Niang was stunned and didn't say anything more.

Author's Note: This is my first time posting on Jinjiang Literature City, please give me your support!

☆、II. Catching a Thief

A few low, tiled houses were surrounded by fruit trees and large elm trees. A wooden gate, painted red, formed the basic structure of a typical farmhouse courtyard. Inside, there were three rooms and a woodshed. In the center of the courtyard sat a wooden table and several bamboo chairs. A few chicks, led by their mother hen, wandered around, pecking at insects on the grass. The three rooms appeared to be the same size, differing only in the pattern of the paper pasted on the window frames—cheap goods from the market, after all. During the day, the window frames were propped open with wooden sticks. Sometimes a busy middle-aged woman could be seen, sometimes a young girl; it seemed only these two lived in the courtyard. The woodshed was neatly stacked with firewood, and next to it was a rice jar, its fullness indicating the family's affluence. Opposite the firewood was a cabinet containing kitchen utensils such as bowls, chopsticks, oil, and salt. Several pieces of cured meat were also hanging on the cabinet, indicating that the owner was thrifty and had prepared enough food for the winter.

These past few days, I've felt there's been a slight decrease in the rice in the rice bin in the woodshed, not obvious, but it's still more than usual. Hui Niang and Qing Luan have no income these days, relying solely on the silver notes and jewelry Lin Shangshu gave them when he left. They have to be frugal. And today, one of Hui Niang's chickens is missing, further convincing Qing Luan that a thief has gone wrong. Qing Luan glanced at the intact piece of cured meat hanging on the woodshed cabinet and smiled. So it's a little thief, but not greedy at all! Interesting! Let me find you. She summoned Hui Niang and whispered something to her…

A conversation between Hui Niang and Qing Luan could be heard from inside the house:

"Qingluan, the steamed buns are outside. Let them cool down so they can be used as provisions when we go into town tomorrow. Remember to bring them in tonight!"

"good."

The bright moon hangs high in the sky, dotted with countless stars, and the chirping of cicadas is melodious and lingering...

A steamer basket of steamed buns was still in the yard, not yet brought inside. Just then, a pair of small, dark hands reached in and secretly grabbed two buns. As the girl turned to run away, a soft voice chuckled, "Why not take a few more?" The light inside came on, and a pretty girl of about thirteen or fourteen, carrying a candlestick, emerged. Years later, when Ye Zhanqing recalled this scene, he still couldn't forget the girl's noble and ethereal气质 (qi zhi - inherent quality/temperament), like a fairy descended from heaven. Although she wore the coarse cloth clothes of an ordinary farm girl, her otherworldly beauty inspired awe and reverence. Yes, he felt a sense of awe looking at a little girl about his own age. And indeed, the girl's later achievements proved his initial feeling true.

"This isn't your first time here, is it?" Qingluan asked, looking at the boy who was covered in dirt and dressed like a little beggar, but whose eyes were unusually bright.

"I...I'll pay you back later!" the boy said, embarrassed.

"Oh? What will you give me in return?" Qingluan chuckled.

"My sister is sick, and I have to take care of her these few days. Once she gets better, I'll find some work, and I'll definitely earn the money to pay her back," the boy said anxiously.

"Then why don't we stop waiting for later? Bring your sister here, and you can stay with me. You can work for me as a way of paying off your debt! I'll even provide you with food and lodging. How about that?" Qingluan looked at him with a questioning gaze.

"Okay." The boy thought for a moment, then agreed, and after saying that, he turned and ran away.

"Qingluan, you just let him go like that? Aren't you afraid he's lying to you? And how can you let strangers live with us? And even pay for their food and lodging?" Huiniang was full of questions.

“Mother, he wouldn’t lie to me. Look at his expression and his polite manners. He doesn’t seem like a bad person. And look at his eyes,” Qingluan recalled his hurt and helpless look earlier. “I feel like I’m seeing myself when I see him. Besides, it’s not safe for us to be out here. Letting them stay would give them company and also save two people. Isn’t that great?”

"Alright, you've always been decisive, I'll do whatever you say!" Hui Niang had no choice but to compromise.

A moment later, with a series of hurried footsteps, a boy of about twelve or thirteen years old ran into t

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