Le ciel est le rivage de la poussière mortelle

Chapitre 11

The brothers under his command put away their bows and arrows in confusion. Such desertion on the front lines was an unforgivable crime, and if reported to the imperial court, it would result in the execution of nine generations of their family.

As they were about to cross the Western Xia border, the brothers became somewhat impatient.

"kill!!!"

The sound of horses' hooves echoed, and battle cries arose.

A small squad of Western Xia cavalry appeared ahead.

Yi Yun waved to stop her subordinates.

He took the bow and arrow from the person next to him and fired three arrows in quick succession, causing three Western Xia soldiers to fall off their horses.

He glanced one last time at Shen Yu, who was surrounded by the Western Xia people, then turned his horse around and led his men away at breakneck speed. The Western Xia people watched as the iron cavalry disappeared like a whirlwind, but they did not give chase.

“It’s a flying dragon!” Shen Yu said to Princess Nanyuan, who was sitting right next to him.

[Ancient Era: 016 Lust, Caution]

(one)

Constable Fang was the head constable of Sifang City. He was skilled in martial arts and also handsome and dashing. He was highly regarded by the yamen for his repeated captures of bandits. In addition, he had married a beautiful and virtuous wife, which made him even more proud.

In a good mood that day, as soon as he left the yamen, he stepped into Zuixianlou. The waiter hurriedly ran ahead to lead the way to a private room on the second floor, quickly wiping the table and chairs and saying ingratiatingly, "Officer Fang, this room was specially reserved for you by the manager!" As he spoke, Manager Fu had already come up with small steps, clasping his hands in a fist and bowing from afar, "Oh, Officer Fang, what a coincidence! My shop just received a new batch of fine Fenjiu, and I was just about to send someone to deliver some to your residence when you arrived!" "You're too kind, too kind!" Officer Fang clasped his hands in return, his face glowing even brighter.

A gust of wind blew, and willow catkins, like snowflakes, drifted gently in through the window. Two swallows frolicked among the willow branches. Constable Fang, drinking his wine, watched the swallows, a knowing smile gradually spreading across his lips. He saw a maid turn the corner, and his smile deepened. The little maid, dressed in a light red dress, darted up the stairs like a nimble deer, carrying the scent of dew and the warmth of the sun. Seeing Constable Fang sitting there drinking with an air of nonchalance, she approached and curtsied, "Greetings, Master Fang!" "Little Hong? Why aren't you at home serving Miss? What are you doing at the restaurant?" "Master Fang, are you truly unaware, or are you feigning ignorance? Our young lady is missing you so much she can't eat or drink, she's become terribly thin, and yet you still have the mood to drink alone here?" "Oh? Hmm, I've been busy with official duties lately, unable to find the time. I've only just been free." "I'm afraid Master Fang has forgotten his old flame for a new one?"

Watching Master Fang walk away with the girl, Manager Fu shook his head with a smile as he calculated on his abacus. Truly, even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman; with such a beauty's favor, life is certainly worth living.

April is the season of lush greenery and soaring birds, with wildflowers blooming in vibrant reds and pinks, attracting countless scholars and poets. The constable's wife was about to give birth, and her mother-in-law insisted on going to the temple to offer incense, asking the Bodhisattva to bless her with a healthy, chubby baby boy. The constable's wife also insisted on going, fearing that her sincerity might offend the Bodhisattva.

Two sedan chairs came to a stop in front of the temple gate. The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law helped each other to the Bodhisattva, washed their hands, burned incense, and knelt down to pray. The main hall was filled with the sound of Buddhist chants and chimes, creating a solemn and dignified atmosphere.

"Hehehe, come quick, come catch me!" "Don't run, Pan'er, don't run, be careful not to fall!" A man and a woman carrying kites rushed in from outside the hall. The young monk hurriedly went over, "Benefactors, this is a sacred Buddhist place, no noise allowed. You should go play outside!" "Monk, you're being unreasonable! How can others come in but I can't? Even the Bodhisattva treats people differently!" The young woman was sharp-tongued and somewhat unreasonable. The man beside her advised, "Pan'er, good Pan'er, stop making a fuss. This is indeed not a place to play. Look how thick the smoke is, don't let it bother you!" He didn't see that the two people kneeling with their backs to him in the hall were his wife and mother.

(two)

The constable's wife gave birth prematurely. Constable Fang was summoned home by his father and found a crying baby in the room. "Ah, it's a boy!" Constable Fang chuckled, trying to amuse his little son. The little fellow was surprisingly strong, even kicking him. He walked cheerfully to his wife's bedside, "My wife, you've suffered so much!" The constable's wife turned over, secretly wiping away her tears.

"Young Master, the Master is calling you!" The butler stepped into the doorway.

"Alright, I'll go!" Officer Fang straightened his clothes, glanced at his son, and walked out with a smile.

"You unfilial son! Kneel down!" The master's voice, scolding his son, came from the study, and the constable's wife's tears flowed even more fiercely. She heard the sound of the wooden board being struck, and felt a little relieved, but also a little reluctant.

"Father, please spare him!"

"Su'er, why are you out in the ground? Quick, get up, don't catch a cold!" The mother-in-law was surprised and quickly came to help her daughter-in-law.

"If Father won't forgive me, I won't get up!"

"Sigh!" Master Fang sighed and threw the board heavily to the ground.

Constable Fang personally prepared medicine for his wife. As soon as he finished his official duties, he rushed home, where he discussed cases from the yamen with his father. Gradually, the home began to feel like a home again.

In Yihong Courtyard, the most popular courtesan, Liu Pan'er, abandoned several lowly scoundrels, took her harp, and went alone to the pavilion by the green pond to play and sing, pouring her sorrows into the music.

"Flowers fall and water flows, one longing, two places of sorrow. This feeling cannot be dispelled, just as it leaves the brow, it rises to the heart."

"Miss, you miss Master Fang again."

"So what if I want to? I can't give birth to someone else's son." Pan'er put the zither aside, picked up the bird's nest and lotus seed soup that Xiao Hong brought, and slowly took a sip. "Pah, how can it taste so bad!" She frowned and spat a mouthful of bird's nest into the teacup.

Officer Fang came from a family of constables and was the most prestigious and influential man in the area. He was handsome and dashing, yet gentle in nature, which explained why Liu Pan'er only had eyes for him. Officer Fang hadn't visited Yihong Courtyard for over a month. The charming and beautiful Pan'er leaned against the railing, clutching her handkerchief and lost in thought.

"Miss, I have a good idea." Xiao Hong whispered a few words in Liu Pan'er's ear, and Liu Pan'er immediately beamed with joy.

(three)

Since giving birth, the constable's wife had been in poor health. Men, being naturally restless, became increasingly agitated without tenderness. But a handkerchief from the young woman, Pan'er, instantly captivated him again.

"The flowers have faded, leaving only small green apricots. Swallows fly by, and green waters surround the houses. The willow catkins on the branches are blown away, and yet, where on earth are there no fragrant grasses?"

Fang, the constable, was a man who dabbled in culture. When he saw Miss Liu writing a poem full of tender feelings, he completely forgot his father's teachings and followed Xiao Hong straight to Yihong Courtyard.

Master Fang had resolved to settle his son's mind and wouldn't go to Yihong Courtyard again, but to his surprise, he didn't return home all night. Finally, dawn broke, and someone from the yamen came looking for him, saying there was urgent business. A search party was sent, and sure enough, he and Liu Pan'er were still in Yihong Courtyard, not yet awake. Enraged, Master Fang immediately suffered a stroke, vomited a large mouthful of blood, and fell ill in bed.

Constable Fang became even more unscrupulous, and simply moved into the Yihong Courtyard. One day, while he was playing with Pan'er on the bed, a messenger arrived to report a murder in the area. Constable Fang lazily got out of bed, ignoring the messenger's urging, and kissed Pan'er repeatedly before finally leaving with the messenger. The messenger, head bowed, hesitated several times, looking preoccupied.

Officer Fang, still half-asleep, hadn't realized he was on his way home. He followed behind until he reached his own doorstep, where he was startled. His colleagues from the yamen stood at the entrance, giving him a perfunctory nod without saying a word. Officer Fang hurriedly pushed through the crowd of onlookers and rushed into his house.

Beside the flowerbed in the courtyard, a body lay covered with a white sheet. The mother and wife knelt beside it, weeping loudly. Officer Fang's head buzzed; he walked over woodenly, his legs buckled, and he knelt down, his hands trembling as he slowly lifted the white sheet. It was his father! His father's eyes were open; his father had died with his eyes wide open! Upon seeing her son, the mother snatched a wooden staff from a nearby constable and began to beat him mercilessly, yelling, "You unfilial son! You unfilial son! You'll pay for your father's life!"

The crowd stopped Old Lady Fang and took the wooden cane from her hand. After all, the case still needed to be investigated; Master Fang had been murdered in the courtyard that morning. The murder weapon was a thin bamboo needle, but it was poisoned, and the wound was in his neck, so he died instantly. Old Lady Fang hugged her daughter-in-law and just wept sadly, not answering the magistrate's questions. The magistrate wasn't angry, and simply told his clerk, Feng, to gently comfort her.

Constable Fang stared blankly at the bamboo needle on the handkerchief until the candle burned out and dawn broke. Only then did he take the needle, kneel before his father's coffin, and kowtow twice. He then went to his mother's room and asked to see her, but Madam Fang refused to see this unfilial son. Constable Fang kowtowed again and quietly left.

(Four)

Spring has come again, and the youngest son of Constable Fang is already taking his first steps. Constable Fang has been away from home for a full year, during which he has traveled all over the country, searching for his father's killer. Wherever he goes, he works day and night to help the local government capture some of the most heinous criminals, but none of them can kill with a flying needle.

Master Feng had hired a sedan chair early on, accompanying Old Madam Fang and the constable's wife to pay respects at Master Fang's grave. From afar, they saw a disheveled, raggedly dressed, burly man kneeling before the grave. Master Feng stopped the sedan chair and beckoned two of his men from the yamen to quietly approach. The two constables pounced on him, each grabbing one arm. Startled by being suddenly captured, the man used his strength to throw the two constables away. "Impressive strength!" Master Feng thought to himself, and was about to engage him when the man glanced at them and swiftly disappeared. Master Feng realized the man's retreating figure looked familiar and suddenly understood. "Constable Fang!" Master Feng called out in the direction the man had gone.

As darkness fell, Constable Fang, wanting to go home, felt ashamed to face his wife, children, and elderly relatives. He wandered to the back of Yihong Courtyard, and seeing no one around, leaped inside. He found Liu Pan'er's room and gently knocked on the window. Inside, Liu Pan'er was sleeping with a guest. Hearing the noise, she mistook it for Xiao Hong and pushed open the door. As soon as she stepped out, someone covered her mouth, and she was terrified.

“It’s me, Pan’er. Don’t be afraid. I’m Officer Fang.”

Seeing the man in front of her in tattered clothes, Liu Pan'er felt it was bad luck and covered her nose, saying, "Go away, I don't know you!"

"Pan'er, who is it?" A man's voice came from inside the house, clearly Pan'er's new boyfriend.

"A cat, go away! Don't bother people!" With that, he went into the room and closed the door.

Only then did Officer Fang realize that prostitutes were indeed heartless. He regretted that he had caused a rift between father and son over a woman, leading to his father's untimely death before he could even perform his filial duties. Dejected, he wandered the streets, reflecting on his past glory and how he had fallen to such a state, and felt a sense of despair. His family no longer recognized him, his fellow villagers looked down on him, and even his brothers who had shared hardships with him had become insurmountable estranged. "Fine," he thought, "living this miserable life is worse than going to the underworld to join my father."

The steel knife in his hand was passed down from his father, yet today, he would use it to cut off his own head. Officer Fang lightly wiped the knife; in the moonlight, its gleam was chilling. He closed his eyes, about to slit his throat, when suddenly someone shouted, "Stop!" Looking up, he saw a figure emerge from behind the grave—it was none other than Master Feng. "Sigh, I've followed you for so long; it's not too late to realize your mistake!"

"I...sigh!" Upon seeing his father's old friend, Officer Fang was filled with remorse.

"Come with me, I have something to give you."

Upon arriving at Master Feng's residence, Master Feng produced a letter. Officer Fang took it and saw that it was his father's last will and testament. Opening it, he found only two large characters written inside: "Lust, Caution."

"Your father committed suicide in an attempt to wake you up. What a heartbreaking story for parents!"

"Father!" Officer Fang cried out, holding the suicide note.

"Father, Father, which one is my father?" A child toddled in from outside the door, with the constable's wife supporting her elderly mother standing behind him.

[Modern Era: 001 The Last Tea After Holding Hands]

The last flower to bloom in summer is called Tu Mi. It has pale white flowers, no fragrance, and a bitter taste. It belongs to the Rosaceae family.

After the last bloom of the rose, no more flowers will bloom...

I would doubt anyone who gave me the whole world; my heart was filled with joy, yet it withered away...

My weight skyrocketed, like I'd won the lottery, and my blood pressure spiked. Looking at all those beautiful clothes in the shop window, I felt they were too tight here and too tight there. All that beauty was fleeting, leaving only frustration.

But I still couldn't resist buying the red bean shaved ice. The soft, sweet shaved ice actually brought tears to my eyes. At that moment, Lin Shang would say to me in a very gentle voice, "Eat less, it'll upset your stomach."

I know that many of these questions don't even need to be asked to have the answer, but I still can't help asking them.

The world is sinking into depravity and there is no way to save it. Should I laugh and go to hell with you?

The aloof Faye Wong still sings her aloof songs on the street, "What miracle are we waiting for? In the end, we're all alone..."

In the end, I was left all alone. After asking that question, my love life had also come to a standstill. I crammed everything into my stomach – hot, cold, sour, sweet – without Lin Shang. Who would appreciate such a great figure without him?

Walking barefoot on the cold floor, everything was dimly lit without the lights on. The streetlights outside shone through the curtains, casting varying shades of floral patterns onto the large bed, where two indentations were visible; the one on the left was Lin Shang's.

A person lay down in Lin Shang's spot, hugging themselves tightly, letting tears stream down their face. Lin Shang, was it because I asked?

I would doubt anyone who gave me the whole world; my heart was filled with joy, yet it withered away...

Who is listening to this piece of music from afar?

Rain is falling outside the window, its fine patter tapping on the sycamore leaves, shattering my heart as I walk along, sending it flying like dust in the rain. On a night like this, without the embrace of my lover, how cruel must it be?

I tried to curl up, but couldn't fall asleep. I looked out the window at the slanting rain through the dim light. Who was in whose arms? Who was drowning their sorrows alone on the street?

The phone on the bedside table suddenly started ringing, shrill and abrupt, incessantly. I pulled the covers over my head; I didn't want any comfort, nothing. But I couldn't resist its allure; it felt as if Lin Shang's gentle fingers were softly tugging at my nerves through the phone line.

I struggled to lift my heavy, numb arm.

"Mo Mo, something's happened to Lin Shang!"

When they arrived at the hospital, Lin Shang was already in the operating room. Lin Shang's best friend, Zhi Qing, asked him very seriously, "What happened to you two?!"

What's wrong? What's wrong? How should I know what's wrong?

He was drunk and got hit by a car when he came out. It was dark and the road was slippery, plus he suddenly ran out.

When I saw Lin Shang again, his head was covered in glaring bandages. Lin Shang's mother glared at me, pushed my hand away from the stretcher, and pushed Lin Shang away with the nurse.

"You love him, don't you? Then why did you let him wander alone at night? Drowning his sorrows in bars?" Zhiqing looked at me with obvious displeasure. "Zhiqing, don't ask anymore, please," I slowly collapsed, sliding like a fish onto the cold concrete floor, crimson blood slowly seeping from my lower body. Staring blankly at the ceiling with my pale, lifeless eyes, I saw a fly there, a fly gently fluttering its wings with its thin legs.

Zhiqing walked in from outside, carrying a food box. Lin's mother asked me to ask, "Is that child yours, Lin Shang's?"

I suddenly laughed, laughed loudly, and in the laughter a fly fell onto the snow-white sheet, black as a fly.

The child was almost lost, really, almost. Zhiqing's face was ridiculously serious.

If Lin Shang can leave me, what use is a child? Could that be Lin Shang's child? Could it be? I laughed wildly, laughing so hard I couldn't make a sound, laughing until tears streamed down my face.

With my mouth agape, I felt myself swallowing that fly; it had gone into my stomach, spreading germs there that would make me rot.

"Eat something." Zhiqing, so honest, looked at me with sheep-like eyes, her expression full of heartache.

Do you know the pain in my heart? Do you know?!

I closed my eyes, trying to avoid this man who couldn't be contained by thought. I didn't want to wake up, I didn't.

That eventful night, a chaotic birthday celebration, people swaying back and forth, a world of red, white lips, stumbling, embracing, and...

I tried to freeze that fly to death with the coldest ice, and really, nothing ever happened, yet everything did happen...

Lin Shang slapped me awake, and I innocently jumped out of bed, clutching my burning face. What are you doing?!

"What are you doing! Look at what you're doing!" The veins on Lin Shang's neck were about to bulge out. His eyebrows were raised, and his face was ashen. I had never seen Lin Shang so terrifying.

Suddenly sensing something was wrong, he looked down and saw that his clothes were disheveled. Beside him, oh my god, lay a half-naked man! It wasn't Lin Shang, it was Zhi Qing. He was still drunk, drooling and fast asleep.

What happened? Me and Zhiqing?

I remember yesterday was Lin Shang's birthday. A few close friends and I had a great time drinking together. I used all my skills to cook a table full of delicious dishes. I think I drank too much, and then I think I fell into someone's arms. I vaguely remember it was Lin Shang. He kissed me, he gently stroked me, and then carried me to bed. How could it be Zhi Qing?

Zhiqing picked up the bowl, gently blew away the steam, and said, "Let me feed you."