Another night that snow didn’t rest.
The carbon in the fire pot slowly burned, making the room warm.
Lu Hai Kong frowned and slowly opened his eyes. The right eye is muddy, the left eye is clear. There’s always a side that’s dark in his world.
He blinked to disperse the sleepiness. The first hangover in his life. It made the inexperienced him have a splitting headache.
Lu Hai Kong rubbed his forehead and sat up.
“Woken up?”
A woman’s gentle voice sounded in his ears. For a moment Lu Hai Kong was startled. In the past, only Yun Xiang will stay by his side at this time. Lu Hai Kong was lost in his thoughts. Before he looked up and saw who the person is, a pair of soft hands like they didn’t have bones, pressed his temples. Gentle they massage him.
“Next time don’t drink so much. The one who will be suffering is still yourself.”
It’s not Yun Xiang……Yun Xiang will only pat his head and scold him: “Brat, the good things you don’t learn. What, drink wine? You deserve to have a headache.”
Moreover, now it’s impossible for Yun Xiang to be by his side……
With one movement, he shoved away the woman’s hands. Lu Hai Kong looked coldly at her: “Has nobody told you? Not allowed to just enter my room and also don’t touch me.”
The person is Lu Lan’s goddaughter named Lu Xin. She is a gentle woman.
The moment she heard those words from Lu Hai Kong, she froze. She retrieved her hands and with some helplessness and stood by the bed.
“I’m sorry, it’s godfather who lets me come. He said you got drunk last night and to let me take care of you here. Just now…..I just wanted to make you feel more comfortable.”
He didn’t know how to answer.
Lu Hai Kong rubbed his forehead. In his head couldn’t help but pop out a figure. It has a little anger on it and jumped next to his ear: “Don’t let to touch? Will you break if you get touched a little? Come, let me see if you’ll really break.”
He said a sentence. Almost without thinking, in his mind, he will get the answer of that person. It’s like maggots in his bones, making him unable to remove it.
Lu Hai Kong only feels defeated. He lost to the haunting person in his heart. Or maybe in front of her, he has never won.
Lu Hai Kong covered his face and sighed: “You should get out. In the future……don’t freely come in my room. No matter who say it, it’s still forbidden.”
Lu Xin hung her head full of injustice. She was silent for a while before she whispered: “There’s porridge on the table. I made it last night. It has been simmering on the fire. You should eat a little……”
If he eats it, Yun Xiang will probably get angry. Yun Xiang temper has always been bad, besides she gets jealous really easily.
Lu Hai Kong did as if he didn’t hear her words and only coldly said: “Get out.”
Lu Xin bit her lips. In the end, she went out.
Lu Hai Kong got of his bed and wore his shoes. He washed simply, put on armor and went out.
Outside, the snow is flying all over the sky and sprinkled on the ground, making it silver.
Lu Hai Kong frowned invisibly. Yesterday, the snow also sprinkled like this. Last year’s yesterday, the snow also sprinkled like this. The snow took away Yun Xiang and also buried her.
Lu Hai Kong’s footstep went to the training grounds. It’s already been a year since Yun Xiang left the world. There’s emptiness in his heart. He learned to fill it with something else. He listened to Yun Xiang. He will live this lifetime well. He will use all his efforts to stay alive. He doesn’t want to betray Yun Xiang’s last wish.
Time passed away lightly. Three years passed away. Lu Hai Kong finished the hairpin rite. Lu Lan called him to the study: “Hai Kong, you know I trust you, but now the fight with the court turned more intense. When you go to war, you like to take great risk……”
Lu Hai Kong said: “If uncle has something to say, say it directly.”
Lu Lan was silent for a moment and sighed: “I, an old man, it’s not good to say too much. These few years, I also have urged it several times. Now, you already did the hairpin rite, but you don’t even have a concubine. It’s not that I’m forcing you to get married, but you should at least leave a descendant for your parents and also to comfort their spirits.”
Lu Hai Kong looked at the ground and didn’t speak.
“Can you not see that goddaughter of mine Lu Xin’s mind? She waited for you so many years. She’s nearly becoming and old maid!”
Lu Lan sighed.
“I know who you still miss in your heart, but Song Yun Xiang is already gone. So many years has passed, you should also put it down.”
“Uncle.”
Lu Hai Kong looked at Lu Lan and laughed bitterly: “The promise between Song Yun Xiang and Lu Hai Kong is not a thing to hold in the palms of the hands. She is wrapped in my bones. Now, uncle wants me to put it down. Does uncle want me cut out all of my bones and become a crippled person?”
Lu Lan was slightly angry: “You, this kid!”
“Lu Hai Kong has never picked up Song Yun Xiang and is more not qualified to put her down.”
After saying that, he bowed deeply to Lu Lan.
“Uncle, sorry. That Lu Xin lady, you should advise her to marry another.”
After talking to Lu Lan, Lu Hai Kong didn’t return to his room. He turned and went to the little yard where Yun Xiang used to live.
The furnishing here is the same as before. Not even a half point has been moved. Only the breath of that person has disappeared.
Lu Hai Kong quietly lay on the couch. He curled himself. Suddenly he remembered that time when they were on their way to the north; he had nightmares ever night. Yun Xiang patted his back then again and again to comfort him.
In fact Lu Hai Kong knows; every night she didn’t sleep well. He hated the him who couldn’t get out of the nightmare. He also felt sorry for Yun Xiang. After, he couldn’t stop himself from being more dependent on her.
The feelings he has for Yun Xiang are feelings between a man and a woman. There’s also many things mixed beside the feelings of a man and a woman. In this life, there’s no one who can replace those things.
A bunch of frantic footsteps came to the little lard. Lu Hai Kong’s heart tightened. He sat up. His reminscing expression instantly disappeared.
With a “zhi ya” sound, the door was pushed open by someone. Lu Xin stood at the door and looked in the room for a while. Her feet were about to come in, Lu Hai Kong coldly stopped her: “Don’t move.”
He got off the couch and walked to Lu Xin.
“If you have something to say, say it outside.”
He didn’t want to let anything to destroy the quietness in this room.
Lu Xin stared at him with red eyes. The always docile her seemed to not have heard Lu Hai Kong’s words. She hung her head and asked: “Godfather say……you let me to marry another.”
Lu Hai Kong frowned: “Talk outside.”
His heels wanted to head out of the room, but his hand has been grabbed by Lu Xin who stood at the doorway.
“I can not have a title. I just want to be by your side. Hai Kong, don’t drive me away, alright?”
“Don’t quarrel here, Yun Xiang will be angry.”
This sentence is like opening the scar on Lu Xin’s chest. She looked at Lu Hai Kong.
Tears flowed to outside: “Why is it Song Yun Xiang again?! Why up to now, are you still aboding to the rules she left?! Hai Kong, be a little more sober. Look carefully, there’s no Song Yun Xiang by your side anymore. She gone……she’s already gone…..”
After her last words, Lu Xin couldn’t make any sounds. Perhaps, she also knew that that speech simply can’t shake the position of Yun Xiang in Lu Hai Kong’s heart.
Lu Hai Kong shook away Lu Xin’s hand that was holding his hand. He said softly: “Yun Xiang has never left me any rules. I also know she is gone.”
“Why do you have to preserve?!”
Lu Xin wept: “It’s alright if you don’t like me, but why…… do you want me to lose to a dead person? So not willing……”
Actually, there isn’t only Lu Xin who is not willing. Lu Hai Kong dropped his eyes: “In my world, there hasn’t been anyone who has won her.”
Including himself.
Spring comes late beyond the Great Wall. When the weed has turned green, the army is ready to go, intending to launch a full scale attack on the Heaven Dynasty.
Lu Hai Kong put on the general’s armor. Before the time for the army to depart, first he alone went to a small hillside. There is a small courtyard there. No one is in the courtyard. Only solitary grave is there.
Lu Hai Kong took out the wine. He stood quietly for a while in front of the grave. Then he opened the jar of wine. He poured the wine down the grave.
“Yun Xiang, I’m going to war. This time, if I can come back, I’ll definitely bring back that third prince’s head for you as a sacrifice.”
Warm, soft spring air blew over. The loose hairs on Lu Hai Kong’s shoulder have been raised by the wind. Black hair mixed with gray hair. His hair is a mottled gray.
Lu Hai Kong’s mouth lifted. He seemed to have thought of some wonderful things.
“Wait till I come back, I’ll accompany you every day in this small courtyard. Watching the sunrise and sunset together, drinking wine together, talk about the sky and speak about the ground. See, I’ve learned to drink.”
No one answered him. Lu Hai Kong sadly dropped his eyes.
The city’s horn sounded. It’s Lu Lan calling the army together.
Lu Hai Kong touched the stone grave. Then he put down the jar and turned to leave.
This war lasted for two full years. In two years, the Heaven dynasty admitted defeat. The last battle, there was only guards sticking to the capital. What shocked people is that the one who led the troops to block the army of the north turned out to be the third prince, the one who everyone thought was a fool.
In the barrack, Lu Lan frowned while pondering. There is a man sitting on his left. His hair is white. That man is Lu Hai Kong who is actually only twenty two years old. Lu Lan looked up and asked: “Hai Kong, is there a way to quickly capture the capital?”
Lu Hai Kong smiled: “This day, does uncle still have to worry? The army of the north has surrounded the capital. It’s only a dead city now. After the army in the capital is exhausted, we’ll naturally win without fighting.”
No one is more eager for victory than Lu Hai Kong. No one is also more patient than him. The wish of so many years, today it can be settled. He would like to see more panic faces of the other party.
Suddenly, sound of drums came from outside the tent. Lu Hai Kong and Lu Lan exchanged a glance. They have suspicion in their hearts. A battle? With that capital? The third prince must’ve gone crazy.
The third prince laughed: “General Lu, long time no see? Do you still remember me? That time you took away my wife. I thought about it for some time. Now I can finally see my first wife. We should be like that time; waiting for general Lu together, alright?”
See his first wife again……
Lu Hai Kong’s eyes turned darker.
Suddenly the third prince took something from the people behind him. The third prince grinned. He lifted the red cloth covering that thing. In it there’s actually a set of bones! The joints of the bones have been nailed together. No movement can be done. It looked particularly stiff.
Lu Hai Kong’s pupils tightened.
The third prince continued to say: “Bringing Yun Xiang back from beyond the Great Wall is really not easy. The flesh on her body is gone; only leaving such a thing. All these years, she didn’t live well at your north. Ah……that’s right, see her bones are hurt. When my subordinate came back with her, we found this needle in her bones. This silver needle is something I gave her when she went with you. A needle through the bone and took her life.”
Clenched fists are dead tight. Lu Hai Kong glared at the third prince and faced the malevolent words. That bastard dared……he dared!
Seeing Lu Hai Kong like that, the third prince seemed happy. He lifted the hand of the bones and smiled: “General Lu, do you still want to see the look of Yun Xiang greeting you? Is it like this or like this?”
He pulled her hand back and forth. How can the nail that is penetrated in the bones put up with such action? A “ka” sound can be heard. The arm has been snapped down by the third prince.
“Aiya……sorry, I went overboard,” the third prince smiled unapologetically.
Lu Hai Kong couldn’t contain the anger in his heart anymore. He jumped up. He actually intended to rush to them alone.
“General, don’t!”
The soldier behind him wanted to stop him, but Lu Hai Kong is already so angry that he can’t listen to anything.
The third prince grinned: “Launch the arrows.”
The archers at his side has already prepared arrows with poison on them. Hearing the command, arrows poured down on Lu Hai Kong. Even if the martial art of Lu Hai Kong is really good, he also couldn’t avoid receiving two arrows. But he didn’t stop his footsteps. It looked like the injuries on him aren’t painful. The poison spread in his blood. Lu Hai Kong suppressed the smell of fish in his throat.
What does all of these matter…….compared to the dismay when seeing Yun Xiang’s bones, what do all of these matter?
He didn’t protect Yun Xiang. Even her bones, he couldn’t protect…..
“Ah,” Lu Hai Kong shouted loudly. He used his internal energy and leaped on the wall of the capital. Everyone was shocked. The third prince also didn’t expect that this person’s martial art is so sturdy. He took two steps back.
Lu Hai Kong snatched a sword from a soldier behind him. His murderous aura is stirring. The anger and pain in his heart can only be settled with blood.
The north army under the wall has some commotion. Lu Lan armored a horse and shouted: “Attack the capital.”
The battle began.
At this time, half of the soldiers on the wall have already been cleaned by Lu Hai Kong. His whole body was covered in blood, making it difficult to tell if it’s his or someone else’s. He is just peering at the third prince. Anyone who came to block his path have been gotten rid of like cutting melon without feelings.
“Give Yun Xiang back to me.”
Without emotion he attacked the ones protecting the third prince.
From the public’s eyes, seeing this person covered in poisonous arrows and also marching forward with firm steps, he’s like a monster who doesn’t know pain and who isn’t afraid of death. Even with only the murderous aura on his body, he is able to scare people.
Actually, it’s just that Lu Hai Kong couldn’t see anything else. He only had one eye and that one eye is filled with Song Yun Xiang. Nothing can be filled in it anymore.
The third prince looked at Lu Hai Kong. Suddenly he smiled strangely: “You want her? Alright, I’ll give her to you.”
After saying that, he flung Yun Xiang’s bones like a rag and threw it under the wall. And there, there are millions of soldiers fighting. The bones being stamped among soldiers has been turned into dust.
Lu Hai Kong was startled and looked lost for a moment. The moment he looked up, his chill eyes cause people to tremble.
The last battle, Lu Hai Kong cut off the third prince’s head. He killed on the wall and made it a murderous field.
The last battle, Lu Hai Kong received twenty nine arrows. Poison went in the heart. After he has been rescued, he lied in bed for a whole month before he woke up. When he woke up, he saw Lu Lan’s face. He only said one sentence: “What meaning does it have to save me……”
All the things in this world seemed to have no relation with him. He has taken revenge. His enemy is gone. Yun Xiang is gone. What he is facing, is a life with nightmares every night. Again and again, he saw Yun Xiang disappear from his sight.
What meaning does it have to save him……
Lu Lan became the new emperor. The owner of the country. Lu Hai Kong went back alone to the north. He didn’t bring back the third prince’s head, because there, Yun Xiang is already gone.
Five years later.
On a small courtyard outside the city, Lu Hai Kong’s spirit is suddenly good today. He shook a cup of wine and walked to the front of the grave. He fell on the grave. His hair is like snow, making his face appear pale.
He knows that Yun Xiang is no longer here. Five years ago when he returned here, this grave has been dug and was a mess, leaving only a large pit. Lu Hai Kong filled it back as a remembrance.
Yun Xiang is not here, where should he go?
Lu Hai Kong dropped his head. His expression unreadable.
He went back to the house and quietly lay down. Suddenly Lu Hai Kong remembered a long time ago. That time Yun Xiang and he are still little. One of them is the lady of Xiangfu. One of them is the general’s son. Yun Xiang did something wrong and was punished by kneeling in the hall. He went to accompany her and slept the whole night on her knees. The next day, when he woke up, he saw Yun Xiang’s saliva dripping out of her mouth above his head.
While she touched her mouth, she said: “Lu Hai Kong……stupid…..”
She saw him in her dream. So good.
Lu Hai Kong closed his eyes and seemed to hear Yun Xiang scolding him softly above his head again: “Lu Hai Kong, stupid.”
At that time, the sunlight was warm and soft; their childhood sweetness……