"The cloths covering their faces fell off, and I saw that one of them was Yu Tang from Beijiucheng. He had been hit by several arrows, but his eyes were still fixed on the grain rations. He shouted to the people around him, 'Pour oil on yourselves and set them on fire! Let's charge in!'..."
"He was the first to do it, and then those who followed him all did the same."
A dozen or so people, a dozen or so lunatics, rushed into the supply camp like torches, it gave us the creeps..."
As he narrated, the surrounding sounds gradually quieted down.
The foreign envoys stopped trying to pull him away and instead lowered their heads, remaining silent.
The man's eyes reddened as he said, "So, if I had to say who I admire most in this Xiao Kingdom, it would be Yu Tang. He is the most powerful enemy I have ever encountered."
If he were still alive, in this peaceful era, I think we could have been very good friends.
After these words, the atmosphere at the palace banquet became somber.
Everyone fell silent.
The delicious food was no longer palatable, and the courtiers, with tears in their eyes, silently mourned the deceased general.
In the end, it was Xiao Lin who broke the silence first.
He raised his cup and said, "This cup of wine is dedicated to General Yu and all the soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield!"
As soon as he spoke, all the courtiers realized what was happening and raised their cups.
He shouted, "Respect to General Yu and all the soldiers!"
The palace banquet ended, and the court officials dispersed.
Xiao Lin remained seated in the main seat, without moving.
None of the palace maids or eunuchs dared to come in and tidy up the things.
The eunuch who had served Xiao Lin for over ten years couldn't help but whisper to him, "Your Majesty, it's late. You should go back to your bedchamber to rest."
Xiao Lin then moved, but the porcelain cup he had been holding, which had developed cracks in his hand, finally gave way and shattered, cutting his hand.
Bright red blood stained his palms.
"Your Majesty!" the eunuch called out softly, then instructed the young eunuch beside him, "Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
Xiao Lin was completely unaware of his surroundings.
He tried to get up by supporting himself on the table, but after finally standing up, his legs gave way and he fell back to the ground.
The eunuch panicked and tried to help him up, but his hand was brushed away.
Xiao Lin struggled to his feet, stumbling and bumping into the corners of the table and chair. He staggered out of the palace and looked up to see the dark, starless night sky.
Even though it didn't snow on New Year's Eve, he felt as if he could see snowflakes flying all over the sky.
A woman's mournful chanting, a raging fire, and a wedding dress of dazzling colors.
When you look down at the ground, it's covered in blood.
It spread from his feet, mingling with the snowflakes and covering the entire palace courtyard.
Thud—
Xiao Lin collapsed to his knees, exhausted. He looked at his hands, which were covered in blood.
Some were mothers, some were generals.
"ah……"
He covered his ears, but he couldn't block out the woman's singing, nor could he block out the words Yu Tang had said to him on the day of their wedding ceremony.
Looking around, the snowflakes transformed into towering flames, enveloping him completely.
The pungent smell of burnt human flesh assaulted my nostrils.
Xiao Lin gagged painfully.
He reached out and touched the flames, then moved his knees and crawled into them.
He let out a hoarse voice: "General..."
His mouth tasted metallic and sweet, and he choked on a mouthful of blood, collapsing to the ground. The flames in his vision had not dissipated; he could only vaguely see a bright red corner of his clothing, which was completely consumed.
Xiao Lin's eyes widened, and tears streamed down his face: "General..."
"Don't go..."
"General, I beg you..."
"Look at me, please don't leave me..."
Xiao Lin has gone mad.
He was in a daze all day, and wouldn't let the palace servants touch him. He just held a simple wooden hairpin and a worn-out sachet, and muttered to himself with disheveled hair.
It was a very soft sound; you could only hear it when you got close.
What kind of generals are they? Please, don't go! There's fire and lots of arrows. Don't go in.
It's heartbreaking to hear.
This matter was kept secret by Liu An and others.
They invited Zhao Lin, who was still on duty in the North, and told him what happened at the New Year's Eve palace banquet.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Lin knelt on the ground and wept uncontrollably.
It took a long time for them to finally regain their composure.
Because of the foundation laid by Xiao Lin's diligent governance over the past decade, and because these court officials were all considered capable, Zhao Lin allowed them to temporarily assume power. Then, he secretly returned to Beijiu City with Xiao Lin.
With no war for so many years, North Nine Cities has become much more prosperous. The people live in peace and contentment, no longer living in fear, and smiles are now more common on everyone's faces.
Zhao Lin brought Xiao Lin back to the General's Mansion, where Xiao Si, Li Wen, Chen Mei, and others were already waiting.
They already knew about Yutang from the letter Zhao Lin sent them.
I'm also in pain.
When Yu Tang left, he said that this trip would be a one-way journey.
However, Xiao Lin has not been able to find his remains all these years.
In addition, given what Yu Tang had said to Xiao Lin, they harbored a sliver of hope.
I was thinking, maybe one day, the general will come back like Li Wen?
As a result, after hearing from the Naksh envoy, they learned that their general had chosen such a heroic method to burn the grain.
If they were there, they would all admit they didn't have the courage to make that decision so decisively.
Their general is a true hero.
Without that fire, there would be no peaceful North Nine City as we know it today.
Even if Xiao Lin understood all these principles, this ending was still too cruel for him...
"Your Majesty?" Chen Mei stepped forward and softly called to Xiao Lin, "Do you still remember this place?"
Xiao Lin gripped the thing in his hand tightly, looked up at her, and then looked around.
An old courtyard, a tall locust tree, two stone benches, and a stone table.
His consciousness was somewhat hazy, and he seemed to see the two people standing under the locust tree, dressed in bright red wedding clothes, holding a red silk ribbon.
I bow to Heaven and Earth!
Zhao Lin's voice echoed in my mind, and my memory wavered.
Xiao Lin ran one hand through his hair, trying to breathe.
Second bow to the parents!
Memorial tablets, jade pendants, offering tables, and wine jars.
The red silk in her hand fluttered slightly.
He glanced at the man and smiled.
A glance that lasts a lifetime.
If only time could stop at this moment.
I have no regrets even if I die.
Husband and wife bow to each other!
General, if you don't want to call me husband, then please call me wife.
good.
Xiao Lin squatted on the ground, pounding his head with his hands and groaning in pain, his hand crushing the sachet into a deformed shape.
Tears fell like broken beads onto the cloth, while flames raged all around.
He had nowhere to escape.
"His Majesty!"
His appearance terrified everyone.
In the end, Zhao Lin gritted his teeth and knocked him unconscious to stop his self-harming behavior.
After that, no one dared to provoke him anymore; they simply let him be and tried their best to make him happy.
But Xiao Lin never smiled.
He wandered aimlessly, clutching the two things Yu Tang had given him.
Zhao Lin and Chen Mei were following him at a distance.
The candied hawthorn vendor saw him and offered him a candied hawthorn. Xiao Lin took it and stared blankly at the candied hawthorn.
Tears started falling again.
Chen Mei felt heartbroken watching this, but there was nothing she could do.
Xiao Lin ate the candied hawthorn skewer and came to the riverbank. He looked at the calm river surface and then at the pebbles under his feet.
Then he picked up a pebble, leaned to one side, flicked his wrist, and the pebble flew out.
Five splashes of water.