Chapter 68: Moving Emotions

  After a moment of shock, the man guarding the door did not rush up, but instead chose to turn around and escape. The door was already locked, he didn't have time to take out the key to open it, and he wanted to kick it.

  Something flew over and slapped his toes, breaking his toes. The man was about to cry out in pain when another white thing flew over and stuffed his mouth shut.

  Tai Shi Lan immediately kicked him over, and Rong Chu on the couch didn't even look at the outcome of the battle. With a resentful tone, she shook her clothes and said, "Alas, my chest..."

  Tai Shi Lan suddenly reached out and poked both of them, saying without looking up: "If you want to be a great chest, you must first castrate yourself."

  ……

  Tai Shi Lan tied up the man and stuffed him under the bed, then pulled the woman to the back of the door, gave her a light poke with his dagger, "Spit out the truth".

  "Are you from the Western Bureau?"

  "Yes."

  "How many people are in Xī Jú at Xī Líng province now? Who is in charge of you?"

  "The total number is unclear, we are from the Blue Field Regiment of the Third Battalion of Western Lingxi Department, sixty people in one battalion and ten people in one group."

  "What is the rank of Wen Jing?"

  "He is from Nan Yao's side, and doesn't belong to us, I don't know."

  "Why does the Western Bureau want to kill us? Do you know who we are?"

  "I don't know, it's a top-secret order from above, all I can say is that if you encounter a couple like you two, a man and a woman, kill them on the spot."

  "What's today's plan?"

  "Wen Jing wants us to help kill Sun Yu and others, and we also want to take you down at the same time."

  "Do you know what Wen Jing's next plan is?"

  "I don't know, but he has borrowed men from the Third Garrison and is waiting near Baoqing Pass. Perhaps his next move will be to take action against you there."

  ……

  Take a look again, Tai Shi Lan put away his hands, calmly putting the human thorn binding back on his arm, he found that doing so was very good, at least when punching with his elbow, it had more killing power.

  She used the Human Spear without avoiding Rong Chu anymore, and Rong Chu didn't say a word either, smiling as he looked at the weapon that shone with three different lights.

  He had never seen this thing before, but vaguely knew its origin, and even more knew that it was invaluable. He didn't expect it to fall into her hands. It's a treasure that has been passed down for generations, and only those who are destined to have it can get it, which is why it was buried in the Yu family for so many years, but ultimately it was possessed by her, a mere passerby.

  Chu's lips curled up and her mood was very pleasant - not because she saw the treasure, but because Tai Shi Lan finally had an unguarded attitude.

  She is a majestic mountain, solid and intact, with treasures hidden within. Every point of opening requires painstaking effort. Yet every point of opening brings us closer to that radiant inner essence, nearer and nearer.

  The mountain stands in the void, waiting for the floating clouds to pass by.

  She took the key to open the door and window, waited for a while, and then the woman herself came back to her senses. The effect of the human needle's forgetting power was in play, and the woman stood blankly at the door, trying hard but unable to remember what had just happened.

  Her back ached dully, she wanted to go back to her room and take off her clothes to see what was going on, but it was impossible now. In front of her, the intact Tai Shi Lan and Rong Chu made her heart panic again.

  The house door was open, all windows were open, and people in the yard could see the situation inside the house at a glance, and it was too late to make another move.

  Moreover, "Shi Niangzi" leaned against her shoulder and said tenderly: "Thank you sister for your concern, personally sending me out."

  The woman tilted her head, gazing at "Shi Niangzi's" luminous skin like pearls, the elegant lines of her half-profiled face, and her eyes scanned downward without noticing anything unusual, yet feeling that something was off everywhere. Her heart thumped as she swallowed a mouthful of saliva, even her throat felt dry.

  This emotion is called fear.

  But what's even more frightening is that you don't know why you're frightened.

  Just like before when she leaned on Shi Niangzi's shoulder, Shi Niangzi is now leaning on hers, and just like her, speaking softly, with fingers grasping her arm, there was something hard in between.

  Ice-cold, thin, like a piece of unmelting ice, the chilling air was palpable even through her clothes. She couldn't imagine what kind of weapon could create such thinness and sharpness, but undoubtedly, someone who could wield such an extraordinary weapon was no ordinary person.

  This time's top-secret order, who exactly is the one who provoked it?

  A chill ran through her heart, but she didn't dare slow down. She forced a weak smile and was led out by Shi Nuangzi, who appeared to be leaning on her for support.

  As they walked into the courtyard, Rong Chu called out to the young heroes who were eating and drinking merrily, "Young Master Sun, everyone, Sister Shi said she still has something to attend to at home tonight, so let's not bother her anymore?"

  Sun Yu and others ate and drank, Lezi had played enough, and they all felt it was time to leave. They bid farewell one after another. The "Biaoju Master" looked at the "daughter" who had accompanied him out, with a surprised and uncertain expression, not knowing whether he should take action or not. Taishi Lan Rongchu, on the other hand, had already taken the woman out of the door without saying a word.

  As they exited the main gate, Rong Chu smiled and said: "Thank you for seeing me off, sister is too polite." The small knife silently left the woman's waist to harm.

  The woman glared at him with a fierce gaze, while he looked at her with a playful and teasing expression, not letting go. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Next step, should we inform Wen Jing? This couple is not simple, let him be careful?"

  The woman's body shook violently.

  "Or you can just tell him." Rong Chu smiled intimately and hatefully, "Don't set up an ambush at Lantian Pass, you've already leaked the secret to us."

  "Ah......" The woman was so startled that she almost lost her voice and suddenly widened her eyes.

  She's betrayed us! This is a capital offense that the Western Bureau will never forgive!

  "If I were you," Rong Chu said softly, "I would pretend that nothing had happened, whether Wen Jing is dead or alive, and whether he knows the truth or not, what does it have to do with you?" He smiled and patted the woman's face, "Don't worry, as long as you keep quiet and withdraw from this matter, I won't let Wen Jing know that you leaked the secret."

  The woman took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and smiled slightly, "Thank you for your concern, sister." She reached out and gently placed her hand on Tai Shi's shoulder, just like the empress.

  Rong Tai Hou walked away with a complex expression, taking all the people who were originally supposed to stay here with her. The "Biaoju Master" hastily caught up, wanting to complain about something, but was forced to shut his mouth under the woman's cold and gloomy gaze.

  The woman gazed at the back of Cong Chu and Tai Shi Lan, her face dark with a mixture of fear.

  "Be careful with the news, the plan has failed. Sun Yu and others are on guard, let him be cautious."

  Everyone safely returned to the inn, Wen Jing was waiting at the door with a smile on his face and a natural attitude. Ta Shi Lan also looked at him and felt that this person's demeanor was indeed up to standard.

  The inn quickly fell silent, and after Rong Chu finished his business, he pulled Tai Shi Lan to sleep with a painful expression, not worrying at all about Wen Jing and others making a comeback.

  Although Tai Shi Lan may not be taken seriously by many, he has to be acknowledged for his mastery of controlling people's minds and his expertise in psychological tactics. In times of crisis, he skillfully utilized Wen Jing's cautiousness and Sun Yu's arrogance, manipulating both sides with ease, while he himself slept comfortably in the gap, occasionally making a move as if playing mahjong. The abilities of Wen Jing and others were simply not worth mentioning in front of him.

  Early in the morning, Rong Chu got up with a clear and refreshing spirit, his face looking so good that it was dazzling. Ta Shi Lan saw Sun Yu and Wen Jing walk by the window, each with two big dark eye sockets hanging down.

  Rong Chu's waist finally felt a bit better today, so he sat down in front of the dresser.

  Gu Gong's ability to adapt to new environments and identities is very strong. Just a few days ago, he was forced to become the wife of Tai Shi Lan due to some misunderstanding, and he even went on a hunger strike in protest. But now, leaning against the dressing table, with his sleeves hanging down, he smiled slyly and called out: "Husband——"

  The husband leaned against the wall, chewing on a piece of sugar, his eyes were cold and expressionless.

  Ancient costume abuse article, male and female reversal version, without any sense of discord.

  "Husband, I want to change into a purple velvet flower." "Shi Niangzi" coquettishly said.

  Tai Shi Lan listened as if he hadn't heard, raised his chin and said, "My virtuous wife, I want to wash my face."

  "Son, your father wants to wash his face, go and attend to him."

  The poor little blue porcelain figure looked around in all directions, only to find that there was no one to order about. With a bare bottom and climbing up the window, it shouted loudly: "Shopkeeper, my mother wants purple velvet flowers, my father wants to wash his face, I have no one to dress me, come quickly!"

  ……

  "Shi Niangzi" was in a good mood, with a gentle and virtuous demeanor. Her husband, the lord, didn't scold or get angry, but instead let her do as she pleased, applying powder and lipstick, and when she applied lip balm, her eyes sparkled like blue topaz, and she couldn't help but swallow her saliva, clearly tempted by this long-forgotten delight. However, just as she was about to indulge, Tai Shi Lan gave her a warning glance that was not strong but full of caution, which made her stop in her tracks.

  "With cosmetics applied, she asks her husband in a low voice, 'Is the depth of my eyebrows suitable for the occasion?' Shi Nuizi has put on a good makeup look, and with satisfaction, she looks left and right, primping and posing. Taishi Lan lifts his eyelids, giving her a cold glance - symptoms of being addicted to acting."

  "Shi Niangzi" was all dressed up, and Tai Shi Lan strode over, wrapping his cloak around her head and face, and escorted her out. Along the way, Shi Niangzi leaned on her husband's shoulder, swaying gently, trembling slightly, greeting everyone they met, with half of her weight leaning on her not particularly strong "husband".

  The national father is very happy and in a good mood because he suddenly discovers that being a transvestite is very blissful.

  Besides this time, is there any other opportunity for that lump wrapped in delicious filling to let him have his way and lean on the red and green?

  The rich young master Sun Yu, in order to please "Shi Niangzi", specially hired a carriage for Shi Niangzi. However, because of the previous frightening horse incident, he himself finally stopped clinging to also sit in the carriage, and the three members of the family were able to travel together. Taishi Lan took advantage of this rare leisure time to give Jing Tai Lan supplementary lessons.

  Today I have English and History classes.

  "She read: 'Bitches are bitches.'"

  "Bad woman." The blue and white porcelain vase echoed with a milky voice, "Mommy, what does it mean?"

  "Despicable people are just pretending."

  Rong Chu, who was drinking tea, almost spat out a mouthful of tea onto Jing Tai Lan's face.

  "What is pretentiousness?" Today's lesson has some difficulty, Jing Tai Lan blinked her eyes.

  "What's in the heart is not what's said, what's said is not what's done. Murder and theft with a saintly pose, seeing men can't walk but still acting like an innocent flower. Refer to your Aunt Qiao for specifics."

  "Oh." Jingtai Lan was delighted, "Can I scold her like this from now on? qiaoyurun, you bitch!"

  "Wrong, it's your fault, bitch is a bitch!" Ta Shi corrected.

  "Oh." The blue-glazed finger pressed against the wine glass, and he chuckled, "Mom, it's all in English, Aunt Qiao won't understand. Can I say this: Aunt Qiao, you're a bitch, you did a great job, no one is more bitchy than you, next time you're so bitchy, I'll fuck you!"

  "Very good." Taishi Lan praised, "One move reveals three, there's much improvement!"

  Rong Chu coughed so hard that she almost swallowed the tea foam.

  "What language is this?"

  "Britain."

  "Haven't heard of it, is it one of the Southeast Asian countries?"

  "You've heard enough."

  "What does 'fuck you' mean?"

  "Extend warm greetings to the other party."

  "Is it 'get out of here'?"

  "You're too polite."

  "How can you teach children such village slang?" Chong Chu frowned, "Have you forgotten his identity?"

  "What is identity?" Tai Shi Lan flipped open a book, nonchalantly, "Haven't you heard this famous quote before?" She recited in a flat tone, "We are born into this world only to indulge in joy and laughter, to vent our emotions freely, to shed tears unreservedly, and to shout at the top of our lungs. And what this world does is make us gradually forget these things, where crying isn't really crying, and laughing isn't really laughing. Don't forget, before we become slaves to power and reality, we are first and foremost human beings."

  "Whose famous quote is this?" Rong Chu thought, wondering how he hadn't seen it before.

  "Taishi Ran."

  Rong Chu smiled.

  He leaned back comfortably, narrowed his eyes and said lazily: "There's also a famous saying here, let me tell you: A powerful dynasty has always been created by men, there is no place for women. It's not that men are necessarily stronger than women, but in the face of power, they are clearer, colder, and more ruthless in choosing the side that benefits themselves. When women are still crying for slaves, they have already turned people into slaves."

  "Whose words are these?"

  Tai Shi Lan waited for Rong Chu's answer to that sentence, but Rong Chu just smiled lightly.

  "A woman." He glanced at the blue with a profound meaning, "This is the first half of her sentence, and later she supplemented the second half of the sentence with actual actions. So I think some things are very interesting - some people are born enemies, I think you will meet them."

  Jing Tai Lan bit her finger, her eyes rolling around, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, she muttered: "I still like Mom's words..."

  Tai Shi Lan expressionless, conjured up a book out of thin air and said, "History class."

  Rong Chu's eyes, which had been drowsy, suddenly opened wide - did she understand the history of Southern Qi?

  Although he had never asked about her background, he vaguely felt that she was not a person from Nan Qi, nor was she from Da Yan, Da Huang, Dong Tang, Dong Fan, or any other country in this world. Her thoughts and words were sometimes sharp and sometimes broad, but either way, they transcended this era and were an extraordinary indulgence that could not be tolerated by those in power. How could a person from an unknowable elsewhere interpret a history that did not belong to her?

  The book looks ordinary, but Chu Yan's eyes swept over it, and to her surprise, it was a copy of "Da Qi Shan He" that could be found everywhere in the market for three copper coins.

  It's just a local geography notebook.

  Tai Shi Lan seemed to have ignored his suddenly lit-up eyes, flipped open the book and stopped at page four, looking like he had already lectured a few classes.

  "We're about to arrive at Lantian Pass, let's learn about it today." Ta Shi Lan first gave Jing Tai Lan a geography lesson, "Lantian Pass was originally the southern border of Qingdong Province. Later, due to the annual sandstorms and the raids by the Eastern Tribes, half of Qingdong Province turned into a desert city. In the 13th year of Tianxi, the provinces were re-divided, and Lantian Pass was moved south and incorporated into Xiling Province. This place controls the northwest passage, connecting to Chengcheng Pass in the north and the Silk Road in the west..."

  Rong Chu yawned, propped up her cheek, and turned over.

  However, he quickly turned back because the woman's lecture topic suddenly changed.

  "Lantian has gone through dozens of battles, big and small. The most famous one was the Sweet Water Well Battle five years ago, known as the strangest battle in military history. At that time, Nanqi was surrounded, the vanguard broke out to seek help, during the breakout process, they fell into an ambush, fell into the local sweet water well, and were buried alive by the enemy with sand..."

  Rong Chu's face suddenly turned slightly pale.

  In a daze, the snow that year was as white and beautiful as pear blossoms. He wore armor, gazing at the heavy snowfall across from him, those helmets and breastplates faintly visible, long swords shining with cold light, and said calmly: "Tonight we must break through the encirclement, hold back the Eastern Left Route Army, otherwise the Longxiang Gorge, the Marshal's main force will be ambushed."

  "You pretend to be surrounded, holding down the Dongfan army on this road, so that the commander can come around and form a siege." Li Fu Zhou stood beside him, quietly watching the snow. "Unfortunately, heaven is not helping us, this snowfall will probably ruin three-tenths of our plan."

  "What is called a good general, is one who makes good use of Heaven's timing." He smiled faintly, "This snow may be unfavorable to me, but it is favorable to the Commander-in-Chief. At this time, Yongding Lake must have already frozen over; crossing from the lake surface will save two hours of marching. With these two hours, everything will be settled."

  "After all, it's too adventurous."

  "It's impossible to get a tiger cub without entering the tiger's lair." He turned his head, "My mind is made up."

  "Well, I'll go then." Li Fu Zhou stretched out his hand and caught a cold snowflake.

  "No need." He thought of the route for a night raid, which would have to pass by Sweet Water Well, where the terrain was peculiar. If the enemy had an ambush...

  He smiled and said, "I've traveled thousands of miles to see you, it's not easy for us to meet. Don't disappoint the good intentions of this young lady. She is the little princess of the Holy Gate after all, leaving behind a big mess at home, running here to live in a tent and eat dry rations just to deliver clothes to you. How can you not spend more time with her? If word gets out, the four major families of the martial arts world will say that the Li family is unreasonable. Besides, women are not allowed in the military camp, let alone letting her in. I'm taking a risk by doing so. Once Commander Father arrives, she'll have to leave. We only have a few hours together, and you still want to go out of the camp? If she finds out, don't blame me!"

  "What's wrong with you?" A clear and melodious voice suddenly emerged, that delicate and lovely woman, smiling and backing her hands, came out from behind the snow pile, rushed to Li Fu Zhou's face, tiptoed, raised her hand to smooth his furrowed brow, and said: "Don't always frown, smile, be gentle, what's so important in this world that you need to worry about?"

  Li Fu Zhou somewhat uncomfortably withdrew her hand, furrowed her brow and shook her head. But couldn't help but smile, "Such a big snowfall, yet you're still running around."

  "Are you men allowed to go out in the snow, but we women are not allowed to leave the house?" Rouying wrinkled her nose, "What were you just talking about? Breaking through the siege? Fu Zhou, you go."

  "Okay."

  "He won't go."

  He and Li Fu Zhou spoke at the same time, then looked at each other again. He smiled and said, "Wan Xiang, this task is dangerous. Fu Zhou isn't as familiar with the terrain as I am, so it's better if I go."

  "You are the master of this land, you cannot take risks lightly."

  "It doesn't matter, I won't be in trouble."

  ……

  They quarreled again, and didn't notice that Wan Xiang had quietly left. That night, he was originally going to go into battle, but because of the enemy's sudden movement, he temporarily suspended it and re-studied the battle plan with Li Fu Zhou. However, when they came out of the tent, they found that Wan Xiang, Li Fu Zhou's helmet and mask, as well as the three hundred brave warriors under his command, had all disappeared.

  When news came again, it was already bad news.

  ……

  Tai Shi Lan's voice came coldly and quietly, "......That night someone rode alone into the enemy camp..."

  It's okay, it's Fu Zhou.

  When the bad news arrived, he was shocked and his whole body turned cold. In just a moment of stunned silence, Li Fu Zhou had already rushed out wildly and disappeared into the wind and snow.

  When he caught up, he saw the scattered horseshoes near the Sweet Water Well, a field of corpses, and fresh blood splattered on the snowy ground. White, gray, and crimson intertwined, like a simple and pure life that began to become complicated and ended in a tragic finale.

  Three hundred warriors were mostly physically disabled and their faces were distorted, it can be seen that they had experienced a brutal battle.

  There were over a dozen people, heads together, maintaining the posture of crawling in all directions, facing one direction until death.

  That direction is the sweet water well in the middle area.

  Tian Shui Jing is not a well, but a general term for a depression in the ground. Due to land subsidence, there are many large and small pits, one of which originally produced water with a sweet taste, hence the name Tian Shui Jing. Later, due to wind and sand erosion, the water disappeared, the well dried up, but the name has been retained ever since.

  There is now a slight depression, a tiny mound like a child's grave.

  The warriors all stretched out their hands, with blood-stained fingers, in the posture of digging a pit. The one whose fingers were injured the most had already dug open a patch of snow mixed with sand and soil, so those two hands were cut off and stuck upright in the sandy snow, with ten fingernails worn away, dripping with bright red blood, pointing towards the sky.

  Like a desperate cry, like a buried person, a struggle that stopped abruptly halfway.

  He suddenly bent down, his internal organs twisted in pain, unable to breathe.

  Li Fu Zhou surprisingly was still able to move, he walked over step by step.

  He had a sword on his body, sharp and unparalleled, but he didn't use it. Instead, he knelt by the well's edge, just like his subordinates, using his own hands to dig up the sandy soil that had been trampled by horses back into the well.

  After a while, he finally did what the dead people couldn't do, and left his ten fingernails in the hard sandy soil mixed with ice and snow.

  His fingertips were blurred with blood and flesh, but he seemed to be unaware of the pain. A handful of sand was thrown away, each handful was a life.

  A life that has met beauty but cannot be fulfilled.

  No matter how deep the sand is, there will be a time when it's dug up, he suddenly stopped.

  Those who have experienced the battlefield, having seen many people on their deathbeds, twisted, ferocious, desperate, sorrowful... even the calm ones, can't help but leave a deep and eternal sorrow in the last moment of life, with every wrinkle at the corner of their lips etched with a lifetime.

  Never seen such a peaceful face.

  As if asleep.

  If it weren't for the slightly pale face and the faint bloodstains ground out by the sand, perhaps that would be true sleep.

  The pain of being buried alive is hard to bear, and yet she didn't struggle. Was it because she knew he would definitely come, and was afraid that the gruesome death would cause him a lifetime of pain?

  There is a kind of love that speaks through death, a solitary lightning bolt traversing the vast wilderness, illuminating for an instant, then eternally silent in the dark.

  Li Fu Zhou knelt beside the sand dune, motionless and entranced. The wind and snow that had stopped suddenly howled again, sweeping across the girl's pale and beautiful face, a strand of long hair scattered, entwining around his shoulder.

  Maybe unwilling to leave, maybe it's farewell.

  In the enemy camp opposite, a manic laughter spread faintly, filled with mockery and complacency.

  Li Fu Zhou suddenly stood up and rushed out.

  He took one step and mounted his horse, in an instant he had disappeared into the snow. The vast expanse of wind and snow engulfed the solitary and desolate figure.

  But Jiang Chu did not move.

  He retreated back, without even collecting the bodies of the 300 brave warriors, quickly returned to the camp to regroup and reorganize, revising his battle plan.

  That was a night of bloodshed and snow...

  ……

  Ta Shi Lan's voice was sometimes far and sometimes near, "...riding alone in the enemy camp, entering and exiting three times, killing the Western Fan Red Tassel General. Later, he was pursued by the enemy to the Sweet Water Well, exhausted. The Western Fan enemies arrived, and the Southern Qi main general stood with 300 ice corpses at the front of the array. It happened to be a dark night, with cold winds howling, like the sound of ghosts crying. The Western Fan generals were frightened, using knives and swords to chop the corpses, but unexpectedly, the corpses were filled with hidden firecrackers, needles, and poisonous substances. Explosions erupted, and countless people were hit. At this time, the Southern Qi ambush troops emerged, and not a single Western Fan soldier survived. The corpses filled all the wells, and later it was renamed Ghost Crying Well... This battle stabilized the eastern border for nearly ten years, and to this day, the Western Fan dare not cross the Sweet Water Well..."

  Jingtai Lan shivered.

  Tai Shi Lan also shut up.

  Never thought that in modern times, the human bomb, a terrible means often used by terrorist organizations, was actually used early on by an ancient person in another time and space.

  Moreover, this is not a trap set with captured or enemy corpses, but rather with the bodies of our own fallen generals. What kind of unyielding and resolute heart does the person who gave this order have?

  It can be imagined that the Xifan soldiers rushed to the front of the array, and the brutal Xifan people saw that the people they had killed were all frozen into ice corpses, standing upright in front of them - what a frightening feeling is this? In the face of this frightening feeling, people will not help but take action, cutting with knives, chopping with axes, as if clearing roadblocks, to clear away this icy fear.

  Then, the ice corpse exploded, and gunpowder, knives, needles, hidden weapons, and poison shot out in all directions. The barbarians died or were injured in countless numbers, and the Southern Qi army charged out...

  Recalling that night's twists and turns, the tragic scene of human suffering, the icy corpse right in front of me, the sinister plot unfolding... The ruthless and resolute counterattack with my own methods, Taishi Lan also seemed to be amidst the cries and killings, hearing the unusually mournful and bloody wind and snow that night.

  How can I expect others to treat me with kindness when I myself am not kind to them? Even if it means sacrificing my own life, I will not regret it.

  "Who is the master......" Jing Tai Lan's small hand grasped tightly onto Tai Shi Lan's sleeve, shaking as she asked, "Who......"

  Tai Shi Lan raised her head and looked at Rong Chu.

  Looking at the calm and serene, almost beautiful face in front of him, looking at his eyes that seemed to hold three parts smile and seven parts coldness, it was really hard to superimpose the image of the ruthless killer from that snowy night, the cold-blooded general, onto him.

  This pearl-like radiant person, why didn't he leave behind a single scar of war?

  Or perhaps those scars are hidden deep within, like an old oyster that has been wounded, spitting out layer upon layer of mucus to wrap around the wound, and thus forming a smooth and flawless pearl on the outside.

  Rong Chu smiled faintly as he met her gaze.

  That night's wind and snow.

  Those who never returned on that night.

  That night he won a great victory, but gained no merit. His ruthless method of beheading his comrades and arranging their heads in a line to kill the enemy was not accepted by his colleagues. Not only did he receive no reward, but his father's commander also gave him a hundred military sticks to calm down the resentment in the army.

  When he was flogged, only Fu Zhou pleaded for him and volunteered to receive fifty lashes as well. Those generals who had supported him before now looked at him with different eyes, saying that he was heartless and inhumane. Although he would certainly become a famous general, it did not necessarily mean that his subordinates were fortunate. Everyone could accept dying on the battlefield, but no one could accept their corpse being used again for battle after death, leaving no bones behind.

  Father Commander felt that he was already old at that time, and had always been willing to transfer his military power smoothly to him. However, because of this matter, he lost the hearts of the soldiers, Father Commander was disappointed, and it was naturally revealed in his words.

  The imperial court was indeed generous in rewarding him, but this reward may not have been made with good intentions. On the contrary, it further provoked the dissatisfaction of the other generals. Of course, this was exactly what the imperial court wanted. The Rong family had dominated the military power for generations and had long been a threat to the emperor's authority. It was rare to get such an opportunity, so naturally they couldn't let it go.

  Although he also fought on the battlefield for many years after that, his reputation shook both inside and outside the court, but the impact of this matter was not limited to those military sticks and awards. He was gradually excluded, feared, and alienated. Although he laughed as usual, in his heart, he became more and more lonely day by day. In the end, he quit the court because of this and became a carefree Duke.

  Or, the real impact is far from over...

  Rong Chu gently closed her eyes.

  He suddenly didn't want to see Taishi Ran's gaze across from him.

  She must also be shocked, disappointed, and gradually become estranged...

  Like those people.

  That year, the decision was more heart-wrenching for him than anyone else. Those comrades, those three hundred brave warriors who followed Li Fu Chou, were personally trained by him as his bodyguards. He shared food and clothes with them, watching them grow together, but that night's wind and snow buried his sworn brothers forever.

  That night he looked at them, the dead, also with such a resentful and unrelenting gaze, those gazes only let him read two words - "Revenge!"

  No matter what means you use, as long as you get the desired result!

  No matter how much the world scolds him, he always believes - those three hundred brothers, they are willing!

  Willing to sacrifice myself for nothing, in exchange for the enemy's complete defeat, watching those who trample their own fingers, despairing in the muddy quagmire before my eyes.

  Though his body was shattered, his soul remained intact.

  But... nobody understands.

  But... he smiled faintly — no need for anyone to understand anyway.

  Then he saw Tai Shi Lan, calmly stroking down the blue-embracing arm around her, and calmly said: "Jing Tai Blue, do you think this is right or not?"

  "I... " Jing Tai Lan bit his finger, his mind was a blur, the subtle and silent education of Taishi Luan had given him some vague views, but they conflicted with what he had been taught since childhood, and he couldn't give an answer.

  "Let me tell you a story, from where I come from," Tahir said dryly. "There are such cases too, some evil people capture children or brainwash their own people to turn them into human bombs to cause casualties among the enemy. Now I can tell you that this is wrong because it's rooted in evil and causes innocent casualties through extreme means."

  "What about this one..."

  "This is what I want you to understand. You can't just look at the surface of things, looking only at the surface you can only see cruelty, but I see determination and courage - the courage to avenge friends regardless of everything; The courage to bear all the consequences; Even if it is clear that there will be controversy, the courage to do what one must do."

  Chu always leaned sideways, propping up her arm to gaze out the window at the scenery, when suddenly her hand trembled.

  As she glanced at him, she didn't look at him, but instead lowered her head and whispered to the child. Her words weren't intentionally meant for him to hear, yet he suddenly felt satisfied because of it.

  It's been a long and lonely journey for many years, suddenly meeting someone who understands is truly satisfying.

  It's the satisfaction of seeing an oasis in the endless yellow sand.

  In a desolate and lonely place in the snow, I see a plum blossom that is full of beauty and satisfaction.

  This satisfaction, even his old friend Li Fu Zhou didn't give him. For many years, they went through thick and thin together, sharing life and death, but after the death of Ruan Yu, Fu Zhou began to learn how to smile forever, always gentle, yet no one knew where his heart was.

  Never thought of it.

  He had sought understanding for many years and finally got it today.

  He was haunted by that old affair, and the heart that had been desolate for so long finally encountered gentle rain, silently revived.

  This flash of understanding will illuminate the darkness deep within one's heart.

  Feelings are unknowable, yet they arise spontaneously.

  "Don't judge a hero by success or failure, nor should you judge a hero by their methods." Tai Shi Lan continued to speak to Jing Tai Lan, "Light doesn't have to be white, darkness isn't necessarily evil, you'll understand when you grow up. Next lesson..."

  Rong Chu smiled softly, her curved lips fluttering in the May summer breeze.

  The atmosphere in the car was calm and peaceful, but the atmosphere on the road was strange and tense. Wen Jing seemed to be nonchalant, but his eyes were always darting towards Sun Yu and others, while Sun Yu was spirited and energetic, walking with a swagger.

  At noon, Mingming could have arrived at the teahouse early, but Wen Jing said that the mountain pass below was not safe recently and suggested that everyone walk a little further. As a result, they missed the only teahouse on the ten-mile road and had to rest in a slope where there were no villages or shops nearby.

  Not far from that slope is the remains of the old Bluetan Pass, which was once a key pass on the defense line against the Eastern Barbarians but has since been abandoned. After passing through the Bluetan Pass, one enters the territory of Beiyuan.

  The crowd rested in twos and threes, with someone glancing at Tai Shi Lan and Rong Chudao: "Speaking of which, the wanted couple on the Wulin poster is about your age, could it be you two?"

  "If it were us, why wouldn't we say so?" Tai Shi Lan replied in a low voice.

  She doesn't like to talk, but speaking is more painful than listening to Rong Chu's fake tone and learning women's tunes.

  This road if there is no way to speak, generally she will come forward, Rong Chuzhen words - who let you rush to do a man? The head of the family, in charge of external affairs.

  Fortunately, her voice was low and husky, and when she pressed it down a bit lower, it even sounded like a young man's voice.

  "We don't need friends like that." Rong Chuyao leaned her head against Tai Shi Lan's shoulder, a happy expression on her face. "Having husband here is enough."

  Tai Shi swallowed a mouthful of dry rations quickly - if he didn't, he couldn't suppress the surging nausea.

  A middle-aged man took a few bites of dry rations, walked over and said with concern: "The wind is strong here, I'm afraid Miss Shi's body isn't good, she can't take it, why not go to the front house to avoid it for a while."

  This place is close to the north land, and the wind and sand are very big all year round. The nearby broken and abandoned houses have been eroded into a thousand holes, among which several houses, although they were originally wide and square in shape, no longer have roofs, but can barely withstand the wind.

  "That's great." Rong Chuyi covered her face with her sleeve and replied shivering in the howling wind, looking completely carefree.

  The couple walked hand in hand towards those several houses.

  Sun Yu saw the situation and wanted to stand up, but several people suddenly surrounded him.

  "What are you doing?" Sun Yu cautiously took a step back.

  No one spoke, and more and more people slowly approached from all sides, with some unfamiliar faces standing up from the slope in the distance, their eyes cold.

  Sun Yu looked at the number of people over there, then looked around at the people around him, and his expression immediately softened a bit.

  Just as I was about to sit down, I suddenly heard the couple say, "That house doesn't look very safe..."

  "But looking at this situation, it's not possible not to go."

  "It seems we've come to the wrong place, sigh... We shouldn't have listened to Wang Meng's brother in the first place."

  "After getting through this period, returning to Beiyan will be fine. This time I've traveled the Jianghu road, I think I understand how treacherous the martial world is. It seems that I should intensify my practice of the 'Xuantian Skill'."

  "You're just lazy, when Father was on his deathbed, he repeatedly entrusted you with this, but you've forgotten all about it. Now do you know? Instead of running around asking for help everywhere, it's better to have a skill to rely on. You and I are the pillars of our family property, if we can't protect it, what will become of us?"

  Sun Yu'er perked up her ears and listened intently, her eyes gradually brightening.

  The two most tempting lures for people's hearts are the legendary manual of the Pong family and the secret book of Wulin.

  "Isn't Xuantian Gong the legendary internal family treasure? It's been lost in the rivers and lakes for many years, how did it end up in the hands of this couple who only have looks?"

  He looked at the two of them suspiciously, but they didn't seem to be, really didn't seem to be. However, as for this family, although they don't have any martial arts skills, their demeanor is truly extraordinary. Even that child has an air about him that's beyond ordinary people. Especially the way the three of them look at others - although their gazes are different, they all have a deep and calm light in their eyes, without the slightest hint of shallowness or frivolity. It's no wonder people would believe they're not ordinary folk. Wasn't it because Wang Meng saw that this couple didn't seem like ordinary people that he invited them out in the first place?

  Maybe... this is true?

  Sun Yu gazed at their backs, if previously, "Shi Niangzi's" intelligence and beauty were not enough to make him take risks, now the added chips of that conversation were enough to move "Young Master".

  He suddenly stood up. Some of his disciples, who were following him, also unconsciously gathered around, the people from the Western Bureau were stunned, not expecting Sun Yu to have such audacity, their eyes immediately became sharp and cold like a needle.

  "What are you doing?" A tall man in a green robe stepped forward, blocking Sun Yu's path, and asked coldly.

  "What are you doing again?" Sun Yu'er smiled and said, "I'm going to accompany Shi Niangzi, what logic is it for you to block me?"

  "Shi Niangzi has her husband to accompany her, what's the point of you going?" The scouts from the Western Bureau looked at each other and stood up, their tone sharp.

  These days they have been unlucky everywhere, and the accumulated anger can no longer be suppressed. After Wen Jing told him to try not to provoke too many enemies, he temporarily endured Sun Yu. Now that he sees him still wanting to provoke a fight, how can he hold back?

  "That's the woman I've set my eyes on, she isn't mine now, but she must be mine in the future." Sun Yu sneered coldly, "I'm going to see my woman, who dares to stop me? Looking for death!"

  "Then die first!" The man in the green robe shouted angrily, his long gown fluttering as a flash of green light shot out like a snowstorm.

  "Who dies first!" Sun Yu angrily shouted, "Brothers, up!" With a clanging sound, he drew his sword, the long sword meeting the broad knife, the sound of their collision ringing out loud and clear, amidst the sparks flying everywhere, both men retreated one step back.

  "Bastards!" The big man suddenly became furious, "Kill them all! Kill them!"

  Fierce cries and shouts, the melee finally broke out. The people of the Western Bureau were furious and could not hold back, all showing their true forms. Along with Sun Yu's group, they clashed on the yellow sandy ground, forming a chaotic mass. The wind generated by the swords and knives stirred up the yellowish-black sand, which splashed across the sky, crossing over the bright sunlight, and at the end of its fall, it was stained with brilliant red blood. The marks on the ground were complex and muddy, mixed with more and more dense bloody traces.

  The empty and dilapidated house at the foot of the mountain slope showed a gloomy face, with an indignant expression that could not be concealed, "Bastard! Bastard!"

  The people who stayed on the hillside, on the one hand, had to guard against Sun Yu and others from making any unusual moves, and on the other hand, they were also supposed to serve as a backup for when the plan succeeded and it was time to leave. But at this moment, they suddenly took action, not only taking action but also revealing their tracks, which already went against the principle of the Western Bureau that in any operation, not everyone should be exposed. Moreover, people had been exposed, and yet they hadn't gained the upper hand; if they fell into a disadvantageous position, Wen Jing's side would have to send out reinforcements to rescue those ambushing Taishi Lan Rongchu, which made him furious.

  Wen Jing thought for a long time but couldn't figure it out. Sun Yu and those people were clearly selfish and shameless, so why did they show such loyalty to this couple this time?

  He doesn't know, but it's human nature that people die for wealth and birds die for food. The greatest temptation is always human greed.

  "Never mind them." Wen Jing said coldly, turning to the person beside him, "Please trouble Niu to preside!"

  That man with the surname Niu, who had a horse face, was the leader of the reinforcements sent by the third department of Xibu Lantian. He was very impatient with this task assigned by his superiors. Glancing at Rong Chu and Tai Shi Lan, who were stumbling and struggling to keep up, he said coldly: "I really don't understand, Brother Wen, you've had so much time but still haven't taken down these two useless people, and now I have to come and help out. You're getting softer and softer."

  A hint of blue gas flashed across Wen Jing's face, and he barely suppressed it. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and dryly laughed: "These two are indeed useless. On the contrary, they have been pulling those few kids to help, which led to today's situation. So, let's just kill them all together."

  "It's just a small matter, no need to trouble you or him." The horse-faced old cow shook his head, "We've already dug a pit in that house, just wait for them to be buried alive."

  Wen Jing glanced at the dilapidated house, and suddenly his expression changed. "This seems to be the site of the Sweet Water Well Battle many years ago... This is not a house, but a temple built for the warriors who died in battle back then. How did it become so dilapidated?"

  The old cow with a horse face was taken aback, looked back at the house several times, and her complexion also changed slightly.

  The Sweet Water Well Battle was notorious for its eerie horror, and people would shudder at the thought of the vengeful spirits of over 300 people who died in that place, as well as their tragic and desperate deaths.

  But everything has been arranged at this time, and it is impossible to change places again.

  "Stop disrupting the military's morale!" Old Cow said fiercely, "Someone is coming!"

  He looked up and saw that the "Shi family couple" who were walking slowly had already arrived at the edge of the sand house under the guidance of the middle-aged man.

  Digression

  The monthly ticket is tight, fortunately, everyone has worked hard to hold me back, and I haven't fallen completely. I bow my hands in gratitude, thank you.

  I never dared to hope for more, I just want to do my best in what I can do, whether it's writing books or being a person, all kinds of competitions are like this.

  So, thank you everyone for always understanding me, supporting me, and accompanying me.