Chapter 38: Clear Spring Washing Wood Heart (Part 1)

  I smiled lightly and held her tightly, whispering in her ear: "Jinxiu, Liu Yansheng's plan is the best of the best. As long as I go alone, all of you will have a way out. Even if we kill Yuan Feiyan, when we arrive in Luoyang, Master will definitely suspect that we killed Liu Yansheng and Yuan Feiyan, and he will shift the blame to us."

  I gently pushed open the brocade, and a pair of purple pupils gradually revealed infinite fear: "Mumu, you, you, you won't really go to your death for Er, will you?"

  I smiled and shed tears, saying: "We'll be able to climb the Monument to the People's Heroes soon, who knows, we might even make it into the Hall of Fame, why are you crying?"

  "No!" Jingzhuang and Suhui exclaimed in unison. Suhui hobbled over, grabbing my hand: "Muyutou, you can't go, why do you have to go?" Suhui's pale face was streaked with tears and blood, looking even more pitiful, but I felt an extraordinary sense of emotion: "Muyutou, I promised San Ye to protect you, I'll go in your place."

  "Suhui, if you go in my place, who will take care of your mother?" I smiled and patted his head. He had already been crying there for a while, almost unable to understand what he was saying: "I don't care, I'll go with you."

  "No, on the way to Luoyang, you have to stay and take care of Wei Zhuang. He needs treatment immediately. We people from Xifengyuan are all kind-hearted and righteous, no one can abandon anyone." I said firmly, seeing him still shaking his head in tears, so I came up with a plan, took off the Dongling white jade hairpin from my head, stuffed it into his hand, and whispered to him: "This hairpin is very important to San Ye, you must personally hand it over to San Ye's hands. There is a way to save me inside, as long as San Ye gets this hairpin, he will know how to save me."

  Su Hui hesitantly took the hairpin, sobbed a few times, and whispered: "Isn't this the hairpin that Third Master usually uses? How did I not know there was a mechanism inside? Are you deceiving me again?"

  "Alright, there's no time to waste, take this hairpin and protect Weizhu, wait for me to charge down the mountain, then follow Er Fanzhen to Luoyang, you must personally hand this hairpin over to him." I held back my heart-wrenching grief, pretending to be nonchalant as I shook off his hand, no longer looking at him, and took large strides towards Jinzhu's pale face. I gently lifted her delicate cheek and smiled: "Jinzhu, it's useless, the only thing I can do for you is this." I forced myself to take a deep breath, squeezing out a faint smile. Jinzhu tightly grasped my hand, tears gushing forth: "Don't go, Muzhi, you big fool, don't leave me..."

  "Alright, I know that even if you're not here, you can still take good care of yourself. But rest assured, in your heart, we will never be apart," Jing Xiu said frantically shaking her head, tears streaming down her face. I was also crying uncontrollably, looking at Jing Xiu with blurry eyes and saying: "You remember, no matter what, you have to live for your own heart... What I want to see most is your genuine smile, just like when we were kids, you eating sugar people, watching me do hip-hop dance... that smile..."

  I slowly opened the embroidered pouch, grasping my fingers, and said to Yuan Fei: "Second brother, it's almost two hours before midnight. This is a good opportunity to rush down the mountain. I want to take 1,000 young soldiers, tie tree branches to their horses' tails, and head towards the main road to Luoyang. You and the remaining young soldiers will take that small path through the mountains, covering up the enemy's ears and eyes. Within two hours, we can reach Luoyang."

  Yu Fei nodded slightly and praised, "Good plan, Mu Qi is indeed a wonder of the world." She then asked me to ride her lion steed later to cover our tracks, and I could only reluctantly hand over Wula to Su Hui to take care of.

  She took us to the forest to gather the remaining one thousand young soldiers, explaining that the previous movement was because Liu Yansheng wanted to kill Yuan Feiyan in order to gain merit and seek glory by surrendering to Nanzhao, but now he has been punished. Then she explained the next strategic plan, which would have two hundred young soldiers accompanying me, disguised as Yuan Feiyan, to rush down the mountain at dawn, to ask those one thousand young soldiers if anyone is willing to go with us, and invite them to join our ranks.

  Xi'an Yuan's family, with strict military discipline and household rules, what surprised me was that those 8,000 brothers-in-arms didn't show a hint of fear, instead they vied to ask for death, all taking a step forward.

  We were moved, and Yuan Fei only chose a thousand young men without family burdens, and those who were the only sons in their families. They selected war horses, tied branches to the horse tails, and picked out two hundred brave men as Yuan's iron guards. After calmly completing their preparations, they bowed to me and said in unison: "We await Miss Mu's orders."

  I leapt onto my horse, gazing at the dense and oppressive aura of slaughter, a feeling of reverence arose spontaneously. I bowed with clasped fists to everyone and said: "It's an honor for me to be able to go with all of you." The men chorused in unison: "Thank you, Miss Mu."

  Before I left, I went to Song Mingkui alone and smiled at him: "I'm not here, please take good care of Jinxiu, Biying and Big Brother."

  "Also," I pulled out a blood-stained doll: "If you have the chance, please give this to Fourth Master Jue and tell him that Mu Xi says thank you for his kindness, and I'll repay him in the next life."

  Song Mingkui gazed at me, silently accepted the purse and put it in his bosom. I took a deep breath, and another smile that I thought was very beautiful and wooden burst out on my face towards Jin Xiu and Song Mingkui, then turned around to mount the horse.

  "Sorry, Mu Gen, Second Brother can't agree to that." Song Minghui's voice suddenly came from behind me, I turned my head in surprise, and Song Ming was looking at me with a gaze as bright as the Sirius star.

  All I saw was the blood-stained young man sitting on his horse, the wind blowing a corner of his battle robe and ruffling his messy hair, revealing his youthful face. He smiled at me like the wind, as if he were excitedly preparing to attend a grand banquet, saying slowly: "Because Second Brother is going with Fourth."

  "No," this time both Yuan Feiyan and I spoke out at the same time. From the beginning, Liu Yansheng was poisoned, our five heroes joined forces to kill Liu Yansheng, Yuan Feiyan had been hiding without making a move, calmly responding, not inferior to men, worthy of being a tiger in the military gate. However, at this moment, her beautiful phoenix eyes were filled with tears, looking at Song Mingyuan with reluctance, like an ordinary child, bitterly begging her beloved lover. She asked tremulously: "Why is this, Guang Qian? I have already let you five heroes kill Liu Yansheng, why do you still want to go?"

  Song Mingkui bowed slightly on horseback and said, "When we five swore to be brothers, we said that we would share honor and shame together, and wealth and nobility together. We didn't ask to be born in the same year or month, but we asked to die in the same year and month. Please fulfill this for me."

  Then he turned back to look at me, and softly smiled: "Fourth doesn't let Second Brother go with you... Could it be that in Fourth's heart, he has believed the nonsense of Liu Yansheng, thinking that Second Brother is unclean and not worthy of accompanying you?"

  "No, in Mu Ge's heart, Second Brother will always be the brave and wise Second Brother, just...” I said anxiously: “Second Brother, apart from Jin Xiu, Mu Ge doesn't have any other relatives left, I...” I choked back a sob, tears streaming down my face: “I really can't bear to see Xiao Wu Yi in danger again, or else I won't be able to take it.”

  "Muxin's thoughts are exactly the same as Erge's." Song Mingrui laughed so happily, not at all like he was going to his death. "Then please let Sisi closely follow Erge's side, Erge will definitely protect you completely."

  I could no longer hold back the hot tears welling up in my eyes, and after a while I burst into tears saying: "Mukou... how fortunate I am to have Second Brother by my side."

  Song Mingkui's smile was even more joyful, his eyes shining with a divine light I had never seen before. He ignored Yuan Feiyan who was crying behind him, pulled me to ride the horse and came to the outer cave. Facing the thousand-strong Dead Men's Squad, he shouted loudly: "Listen up, everyone! As long as you can rescue Yuan Er and the remaining brothers, Song Mingkui and my family of four will live and die together with you!"

  Among the thousand people, many were his old comrades and friends. Upon hearing this, they all had eyes shining with admiration, excitedly waving their arms and shouting "good". This excitement infected the entire army, everywhere overflowing with heroic men's fearless and proud passion, also deeply infecting me.

  In an instant, Song Minghui's expression turned icy cold, as if surrounded by a ring of terrifying hellfire that merged with the iron armor and twin halberds on his body, making him seem like a born avenging god. This was completely different from the clear and calm youthfulness I had always been familiar with, or the occasionally transcendent aura he sometimes possessed. At that moment, I had a strange thought for the first time - among all the people around me, the one I least understood was actually my sworn brother Song Minghui, who I had spent more time with than even Biying.

  The original non-smoking and remaining children's troops also started making tense preparations, as long as we arrived at the mountain, they would surround us.

  The second watch of the night had struck, and I, Song Minghui, and a thousand brothers-in-arms bid farewell to everyone for the last time, rushing down the mountain. Song Minghui and I turned our heads back one last time, and Yuan Feiyu sat high on her horse, her beautiful eyes gazing at Song Minghui with infinite sorrow, heartbroken. I knew that in that moment when Song Minghui said he wanted to accompany me down the mountain, her heart had shattered. Suddenly, I had a thought: if she hadn't been born into the Yuan family, perhaps she could have been happier.

  I saw Jinxiu crying with tears streaming down her face, and she fell to the ground. Su Hui cried out while chasing after our fast horse, shouting: "Muyutou, you're deceiving me again, why do you always deceive me, even in death you want to deceive me..."

  My heart is like a lingering sorrow, turning back to look, the cold wind in the mountains pierces my bones, quickly drying up my tears and making my face sting as if scalded. However, in everyone's heart, there is only a confused unawareness, with endless darkness shrouding us, the forest keeps retreating, like a dark and sinister evil spirit revealing its huge teeth, gloomily watching us with a cold smile.

  A glimmer of hope appeared ahead, and we arrived at the valley where the Nanzhao army was camped below the mountain. Song Minggui let us open our throats and shouted "Kill!", running around in circles, kicking up snow dust, making Nanzhao think that Yuan Feiyan's large army had started a surprise attack. In fact, Yuan Feiyan himself led more than 6,000 remaining soldiers to cross the mountain and take a detour to Luoyang.

  The front also started to move, and the darkness became even more terrifying, like a wildfire burning within me. My heart was pounding loudly, surpassing everything else. I sweated profusely, involuntarily urging my horse closer to Song Mingyue.

  "Mu Jin, are you scared?" In the darkness, Song Mingyue's voice came from beside my ear, his warm breath sprayed on my earlobe, ticklish, but distracted me from my attention to death. I raised my head, and in the darkness, his shining eyes seemed like a beast's glow, mixed with an excitement I had never seen before. His slender fingers supported my face, gently wiping away useless sweat, then broke into a smile: "Don't be afraid, Second Brother is with you, we won't come to any harm."

  My heart gradually calmed down, and I grasped Song Mingrui's hand tightly. Song Mingrui smiled even more happily: "Do you still remember when we were young, you and big brother went to the outside of Xifeng Garden to pick plums?"

  That was many years ago, what's wrong with Song Mingkui? At the moment of life and death, in the midst of war, he brings up my youthful adventures. I nodded and said: "I remember, that time it was to raise money for Biying's medical expenses."

  "At that time, you strongly opposed it because the seven-star crane of the Mei Qi Xing array was a divine bird, with an attack power equivalent to that of seven masters. But I was naive and thought that cranes were just birds, how could they be compared to humans." I muttered, my thoughts flying back to the winter of my tenth year.

  "As a result, you and your elder brother still deceived me and went. The two of you picked a big bunch of plums back, but they were all bruised. Your elder brother was seriously injured."

  "That's because my brother was hurt by the Seven Star Crane while trying to save me." Memories flooded my mind, back then I and Yu Fei Yan were picking plums on the wall when we startled the Seven Star Crane inside. If it wasn't for Yu Fei Yan using all his strength to protect me, I would have been pecked until I was covered in wounds too. Yu Fei Yan, my brother, will I ever see you again in this lifetime?

  Song Mingkui calmly said: "You cried so much that you became a tearful person, taking care of your brother, your eyes were red from lack of sleep, I couldn't persuade you," his face slowly sank with the past, hiding his face in the shadows: "Do you know what I was thinking at that time?"

  "You must be scolding me in your heart for being reckless and implicating big brother," I said softly, feeling ashamed. Song Minghui slowly raised his head, but still remained hidden in the shadows: "Fourth, I was just thinking at that time."

  The words had barely fallen when a panicked and shrill voice rose from the mountain below: "The Yuan family army has charged down the mountain!"

  Song Mingkui raised his face, his expression was already a piece of frost and snow, his voice changed: "Brothers, today we will avenge the old surname of Xi'an City, let's kill with all our might!"

  As soon as the words fell, among the loud roars of a thousand men, they rushed down the mountain with ferocious faces. Song Mingrui tightly grasped his twin halberds and carried me along, closely following the crowd rushing down the mountain.

  In the deafening cries of killing, the two armies clashed, flaming arrows flew like star rain, and the bloody smell immediately spread out. The sky was lit up by the fire arrows, illuminating the entire bloody world, as if it were daylight. As I looked around, men were staring at each other like beasts, ferociously glaring at each other, desperately hacking and killing, severed limbs flying in the air, set on fire, emitting a pungent smell of charred flesh, accompanied by heart-wrenching cries, stimulating all my senses.

  My stomach churns with agony, several dry heaves, this is a human hell, people for the sake of survival, the simplest and most cruel purpose, slaughter each other, I struggle to hold onto the reins of the lion steed, so as not to fall down, suddenly there is a patch of silence beside my ear, all the screams of killing fade away from me, in my mind only repeatedly floating out the scene of reading "Qing Yu An" with Fei Nai in the cherry blossom forest, but immediately shattered into powder by the blood-soaked sky, where am I?

  Before my eyes, a sea of blood red, a young soldier was cut in half, his intestines spilling out of his body, still clutching the reins, his age similar to Su Hui's, two dead fish-like eyes staring at me, dripping with fresh blood, as if wanting to say something, I stood there frozen, suddenly that young head flew off, his body collapsed like a broken rag doll, behind him stood another young Nanman soldier, holding a large knife, fiercely staring at me, covered in blood, he reached out to grab me, the Lion Stallion let out a loud whinny and kicked the Nanman soldier over, wildly charging forward, I clung tightly to the horse's back, searching everywhere for Song Mingyue, but all around were people with bloody faces killing each other, unable to find Song Mingyue, more and more people fell, yet even more Nanman soldiers rushed towards me, excitedly shouting: "Capture Yuan Feiyan alive, capture Yuan Feiyan alive!"

  Many people came to pull me off the horse, amidst the deafening cries of killing, my eyes were filled with blood, I didn't know who grabbed my foot, I trembled and touched the dagger at my waist, slashed at that hand, a mournful cry, I gained freedom, so I started swinging the dagger in my hand, desperately hacking, many thick **sprayed onto my body, dyeing red the precious white silk.

  Killed to the valley, the sky was already slightly white, and my horse suddenly let out a mournful whinny, and I also fell heavily. In the midst of dizziness, I found that my mount, the lion steed, had almost all its white fur stained with blood, and its body was covered in wounds of various sizes, but none were as fatal as those on its front legs, which had been cut off by someone. The lion steed looked at me with painful eyes, whinnying mournfully.

  Through the scattered hair, I looked at the man who cut off the horse's leg. In front of me stood a tall and proud general of Nanzhao, wearing a crimson black armor, covered in blood, with a terrifying ghost mask under his helmet. The eyes on the mask were hollowed out, and a pair of gleaming purple pupils stared at me, flashing with the greed and excitement of a predator.

  In an instant, my heart contracted and beat rapidly, I couldn't tell whether it was Huashan Snow Valley or the underworld buried deep in memory.

  No, I must still be in the underworld, completely conquered by fear, and hysterically screamed out loud, looking at his hand covered with armor stretching towards me. I knew I should run, use my emotions to chop him down, but I was so frightened that I couldn't move as if I had been cast a petrifying spell.

  Before my sanity collapsed, a pair of strong hands pulled me onto another warhorse, causing the purple-eyed devil to only tear off a piece of my white silk shirt. I looked up and it was Song Mingpei with his hair disheveled, I shivered in his arms, trembling all over.

  I took a glance, and the ghost-faced purple-eyed general was still standing there with his head held high. Those bloodthirsty purple eyes coldly and reluctantly watched us leave. At this moment, a young soldier suddenly attacked from behind, but he didn't even turn his head. With a reverse swing of his left hand, he struck down the young soldier with his crescent moon knife. More blood splattered onto his ghost face, flowing down the icy expression on his black mask.

  And his right hand, covered with armor, tightly grasped a corner of my silk skirt, fluttering in the wind, forming an infinitely desolate yet eerily beautiful picture.