Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое - Глава 114
“If you truly hate someone, killing isn’t the only way; sometimes it’s an easy and convenient way to escape.” The woman said calmly. “Making the other person suffer the torment of time, lose everything, and then be afraid to die, is the truly terrible punishment.” For some reason, he recalled a few words he had overheard.
"The most tragic thing for a person is to live a painful and hopeless existence."
Her cool, dark eyes flickered slightly as she glanced at him, only now realizing the subtle meaning behind her gaze.
After standing still for too long, people around me began to look at me.
The person being watched looked up blankly after being reminded by others. His aged and dim eyes were cloudy and weak as they swept over the black-clad youth with a figure as sharp as a sword. His upright posture was like a taut bowstring, with a hint of sharp and sinister aura. It was clear at a glance that he had undergone rigorous training. His expressionless face seemed familiar, and his aura was frighteningly cold.
Perhaps it's just another curious person who has heard about the Fang family's past.
The man wearily bent down to wipe the table, one hand pressing against his aching back. On cloudy days, his injured back would ache so badly it felt like it was about to break. To survive, he had to do all sorts of rough work. His once powerful past had vanished like fireworks, and he had long since become numb to the cacophony of ridicule and gossip. After begging for years, all he sought was a bowl of cold, coarse food and a thin bed to rest on. He would no longer be stirred by those distant, meaningless memories.
But that gaze was too strange, and the man couldn't help but glance at it again. He saw the boy turn away, his hand that was gripping the sword hilt falling to his sides, and a red mole on his hand awakening some dormant memories.
On a bright afternoon, warm sunlight streamed into the courtyard. A beautiful woman was bathing her one-month-old baby. The shimmering light mingled with the splashing water, and the baby's babbling voice reflected the slight sorrow in the woman's eyes. He unconsciously stopped to watch.
The baby's chubby little hand brushed against the woman's hairline, and a striking red mole next to his tender thumb was exactly the same as hers—his first son.
At first, he was really looking forward to it.
He didn't know when it started, but the scolding from his father, the reproaches from his uncles, and the contemptuous looks from his brothers distorted his hopes. He grew more and more tired each day, and regret grew in his heart, spreading to the point of being overwhelming. Meanwhile, the woman who had attracted so much criticism gradually lost her smile.
He thought he had probably made a mistake, letting love cloud his judgment and bringing back a thorny problem. Perhaps it would be better if she didn't have martial arts skills; then the criticism from his family would be less. And with a harmless, weak woman, any unfounded suspicions and fears would eventually disappear.
He was wrong again. When she lost her power, the bloodthirsty clamor grew stronger day by day, and those who had previously cowered and mocked her all jumped out, almost wanting to devour her alive.
He dared not stand beside her; the overwhelming and terrifying hostility was enough to extinguish any courage he might have.
A crisp shattering sound was followed by the baby's loud cry. He came to his senses and saw his mother angrily smashing the porcelain bowl used for the baby's bath. Her face, twisted with disgust, showed no joy whatsoever at the birth of her eldest grandson.
He turned around and walked away quickly, escaping everything.
The woman held her wet child, seemingly oblivious to her mother-in-law's harsh words, watching her husband's retreating figure with a cold, indifferent gaze.
After that, he always ran away.
As the child grew older, the woman lost all emotional fluctuations. Anyone could openly criticize and ridicule her, and over time he became numb, eventually developing aversion. Why didn't she cry or make a fuss? Why didn't she fawn and beg for affection like the other concubines? Perhaps then he could still retain a shred of tenderness. What was even more detestable was that the child had begun to have the same gaze—large, dark eyes, indifferent and unwavering, unsettling, always revealing his cowardice.
The man was momentarily dazed as blurry, faded memories surfaced, only he could make out their outlines. Gazing at the boy's retreating figure, he suddenly understood why he felt a strange sense of familiarity.
That face looked exactly like my own when I was young.
Unable to discern what impulse drove him, he chased after the young face, staring at it, unable to utter a complete sentence.
"You...are you...I...I..." He wanted to say her name, the name he once loved so deeply, now lost in time, shattered beyond repair. "...Fei...Fei..."
The boy stared coldly at the hunchbacked man, who was nearly fainting from excitement, without uttering a word.
With the sheath, he pushed aside the old, chapped hand.
The grass is lush and green, and the colorful and beautiful flowers in the courtyard sway and bloom, attracting countless butterflies.
A cup of perfectly warm herbal medicine was placed on a low table. The woman was flipping through a book when she unconsciously picked it up and sniffed it. She then raised her hand to splash the medicine onto the nearby flower bushes, but it was caught steadily by a hand halfway through.
"Uncle Lan is watching," the boy whispered, adjusting the jade cup.
The woman glanced at it and a faint smile appeared on her face.
"You're back?"
"Hmm." The boy put down a box of pastries. "The walnut pastries from that area are quite good; they'll go perfectly with the ginseng soup."
The woman frowned slightly, picked up a pastry, and slowly savored it. Not long after, a tall, slender figure entered the garden. Watching the approaching figure, she resignedly picked up her soup bowl and drank it down.
"You're back. Was everything alright?" The man smiled as he saw his lover's brow furrowed with bitterness.
"very good."
Without saying much, the man didn't ask any questions and simply picked up the soft, delicate body.
"I want to go and pay my respects to my mother tomorrow." The boy's voice was low, his gaze fixed on the square bricks on the ground.
Nestled in the man's arms, she reached out and touched him, her words, though seemingly casual, conveying a hint of concern.
"Suit yourself, go and rest first."
"Cang Feng." The man seemed to recall it casually. "The son of the Cang Sect leader will be getting married on the eighth day of next month. Go there for me and deliver some congratulatory gifts."
After a moment of silence, the young man bowed and agreed.
After the two left, he picked up the silk blanket that had fallen on the soft chair and folded it very slowly. He could almost feel the soft, weak fingers pressing on his forehead.
Slightly cool.
But she is very gentle.
"You were right." Inside the bedroom, the man tapped his pert nose.
"Did Moyao say that?"
"I saw that he was in the mood to buy walnut pastries, so the grudge must have been resolved."
She nodded slightly, a hint of curiosity in her eyes.
"Why send him to Diancang?" In the past, such tasks could have been delegated to subordinates.
“Well…” The man’s eyes flashed. “The daughter of the Diancang Sect leader has just turned 18. She is said to be lively and beautiful. I think Cang Feng is also of age.”
He also had a little selfish reason, which he naturally wouldn't go into too much detail about, so she was unaware of it. She yawned softly and let him take off her soft shoes before leaning back on the bed.
A silk quilt was gently laid on her, and there was another person beside her. The warmth lured her to snuggle closer as usual.
"Not busy today?"
"Um."
He pulled her slender arm around his waist and murmured contentedly.
"Go to sleep, I'll stay with you."
The air was filled with the chirping of cicadas, the fragrance of flowers wafted through the air, and the sunlight shone on people.
The gentle breeze of early summer swept over the layers of black tiles, leaving no trace of yesterday's wind and rain.
Possible Fate
Long, long ago, on a certain day in a certain month of a certain year, a staggering person appeared on the streets of Yangzhou, rubbing his rumbling stomach, on the verge of tears, longing for McDonald's, KFC, big plate chicken, and boiled fish, casting a greenish glance at the steaming xiaolongbao on the roadside, regretting his mistake of entering the useless profession of a time traveler, standing there in a daze for a long time, when suddenly his eyes lit up and he stared intently ahead.
A stunningly beautiful woman was picking out fabrics in the Brocade Manor. She smiled and twisted a piece of silk, then pulled out a piece and held it up to the little girl the steward was holding. The little girl, with her delicate features, looked at the sugar figurines on the street and twisted to get down, when she was suddenly startled by a sudden voice.
"Oh my! This young lady is truly beautiful and has an extraordinary bone structure; she is sure to have an extraordinary future."
The beauty put down the brocade and stared in surprise at the dark figure that had appeared out of nowhere.
He wore a dirty white shirt, his face was sallow and thin, and his mustache was sticking to his lips and was about to fall off. He was holding a bamboo pole with the four characters "Cloth-Clad Divine Physician" on it, and his expression was very serious.
"Madam, I observe that your daughter has an exceptionally noble and refined appearance. She is naturally intelligent and quick-witted, and will surely achieve great things in the future. Unfortunately, she is destined to face a calamity that will inevitably lead to a breakdown in her life. Without a wise mentor to resolve this, she will surely suffer hardships, wandering, and serious illness in the future. It is truly a pity." He shook his head with regret, appearing absolutely certain.
The beauty glanced suspiciously at the fortune teller, then turned back to look at her daughter, who was swinging on the swing like a mischievous monkey, grabbing the steward's beard. Before she could speak, the steward put the little girl down and rolled up his wide sleeves.
"You charlatan, stop spouting nonsense! It's one thing to cheat and swindle people all day, but today you actually dare to bully my lady and curse her to fall ill! Take this punch!"
Bang!
He covered his bruised left eye and remained depressed for a long time. He finally managed to escape the pursuit of the servants and was on the other side of Yangzhou City. He squatted at the back door of a wealthy family and pondered whether to steal or rob, silently swallowing his saliva at the imagined hot buns.
The door opened, and two boys peeked out, unable to hide their joy at sneaking out. The younger boy was extremely handsome. He stared blankly at the fortune teller who looked like a beggar by the door, and then nudged his older brother's arm.
"Second brother, look how pitiful that person is."
The older child nodded, took out a few copper coins from the purse at his waist, and was about to throw them when a furious shout rang out in his ear.
"Second brother, third brother, how dare you run away!"
A boy of about ten years old rushed out from inside the door and scolded aggressively, "Jingze, you are outrageous! You actually took Yunshu out without permission, violating the family rules. If Father finds out, he will punish you severely."
The second brother shrank back, good-naturedly accepting the blame, without revealing that the plan to sneak away actually came from the third brother.
"This young master has a full forehead and a square jaw, with an extraordinary physique and bearing. He is destined for great things." The sharp voice startled the eldest brother, who stopped disciplining his younger brother.
A muffled chuckle rang out, and the fortune teller stared intently at the youngest and most handsome boy, as if he had spotted a prime piece of meat.
"What a pity, what a pity..."
Feeling disgusted by the laughter, the eldest boy couldn't help but ask, "What's the pity?"
"Unfortunately, he is born with an inauspicious fate and a slight disfigurement, which will inevitably hinder his marriage prospects."
The strangely intense gaze fixed on him made the child, who was now the center of attention, tremble. "Big brother, what is meant by fate?"
The neglected second son timidly spoke up. "Marriage is about finding a future wife."
“That’s right.” She grabbed the handsome young man’s hand, her gaze intense and piercing. “If no expert intervenes, you’ll definitely marry a shrewish wife in the future, completely dominated by her. Even if she has a terrible reputation and is bedridden, you’ll still be devoted to her. As for a second, third, or fourth wife, that’s hopeless. You’ve got a face like Pan An and Song Yu, but it’s all for nothing. And you, Xie Jingze, are the same. You’ve been so weak since childhood, no wonder you’ll be a henpecked husband in the future…”
"Get out of the way!" The eldest brother shoved his younger brother away, angrily blocking his path. "Don't lie to my brother."
The fortune teller was furious. "What deception? I've calculated it myself, it's absolutely true. If we don't perform a ritual to resolve this ill-fated relationship, this young master will definitely be bewitched by the demoness of the demonic sect, and his life will be filled with worry."
"I'd be a fool to believe you!" The leader's eyebrows shot up, and he drew back his right hand, unleashing a basic, authentic Xie Family Fist. "Get out of my way!"
Bang!
In my dizziness, I heard Xie Da close the back door, and I could faintly hear whispers coming from the crack in the door.
"Big brother, is what that person said true? Is the third brother really cursed?" the second brother asked worriedly.
"Second brother, what does 'henpecked husband' mean..."
"Don't listen to that nonsense. They're just women who are called demons or monsters. Yunshu, don't be afraid. From now on, we won't let anyone with those words near us. Your big brother will protect you..."
The childish words gradually faded away, and the fortune teller covered his right eye and cursed under his breath. That guy has been so dull and unreasonable since he was a child. He really is a fool.
Wandering and wandering, continuing the hungry drift, I finally left the terrible place of Yangzhou and headed north. The bustling capital was indeed different; even the carriages and horses were much more magnificent.
A magnificent carriage stopped in front of the mansion, and a young nobleman stood in front of the carriage, bending down to give his beloved son some instructions.
"Suiyu, remember, after your father is gone, you must take good care of your mother. Your studies and training are essential, and you must not frolic or neglect your studies."
The boy already looked like a little adult, nodding very sensibly.
"Dad tries to come back as soon as possible. Every time he goes on a long journey, Mom always misses him."
The young man silently patted the child's head, sighed, and said no more.