Two days later, the crown prince’s entourage slowly approached the east gate of Liucheng.
The city gates were wide open, and soldiers lined up to welcome them. The surrounding civilians also stood in line, waiting quietly.
The whole Liucheng was quiet and solemn!
The crown prince, Murong Zhuo, was lying in the spacious carriage according to his character, and there was a beauty waiting beside him.
The beauty was disheveled and her face was flushed, as if she had experienced something indescribable.
Murong Zhuo had a smile on his face, caressing the beauty like a dandy, and quietly waited for the movement outside.
However, after a long time, there was no movement outside, which made him feel strange.
He glanced at Hongbao who was kneeling beside him. Hongbao understood immediately and opened the curtain and went out to inquire. However, he ran back in shock after a while, knelt, and said to Murong Zhuo: “Your Highness! Outside, outside… ”
Murong Zhuo frowned, becoming more and more curious about what happened outside to make Hongbao panic so much.
He couldn’t care less about maintaining his personality. He stood up and opened the carriage curtain and took a look. He was shocked: (⊙o⊙)! !
…………
Winter in Liucheng, water drops turn into ice. Under the endless snowfall, it’s a vast expanse of whiteness.
However, the entire city was in mourning clothes, the entire city was draped in white cloth, and the neatly arranged wooden coffins in the middle, and the grief on everyone’s faces was so conspicuous and dazzling in the snow-white world!
Murong Zhuo couldn’t feel the biting cold wind. He just stared blankly at the scene in front of him, deeply shocked!
“Erect a monument!”
Suddenly a high and distant voice sounded, just like the fierce battle in the distant past, full of blood and power, hitting everyone’s heart!
“boom!”
A huge stone tablet was suddenly erected at the city gate, with densely packed names engraved on it in bright red cinnabar!
When Murong Zhuo saw it, he felt his scalp numb and his whole body trembled. Are these… all the names of people who have been sacrificed?
He stared blankly at the stone tablet that could be seen even though it was far away.
The bright red names above seem like vivid lives, guarding this desolate and tragic city with their scorching blood!!
“Beat the drum!”
A heavy drum beat slowly rang out, full of sorrow, full of fearlessness to move forward and risk one’s life!
“Lift the coffin!”
“boom!”
The coffins in the middle were lifted one by one, and everyone began to change their formation, protecting these coffins with solemn expressions!
“Send off!”
The procession slowly moved forward, heading straight towards Murong Zhuo and his entourage!
However, everyone was shocked by this scene and stood there motionless. They just watched this special funeral procession slowly bypass them and then kept moving forward.
A chant came from the distance:
“How can you say you don’t have clothes? I’ll share my heavy robe with you. The king is raising troops. I’m preparing my battle-ax and spear to fight our enemies with you.
How can you say you don’t have clothes? I’ll share my undershirt with you. The king is raising troops. I’m preparing my spear and halberd to do it with you.
How can you say you don’t have clothes? I’ll share my underskirt with you. The king is raising troops. I’m preparing my armor and weapons to march forth with you.”
[Wú Yī (無衣) (A Song from the state of Qín 秦 [modern Shǎanxī 陕西 and Gānsù 甘肃]) is a high-spirited battle song. It can be said to be the most “Qin Feng” poem in the entire book of songs. The bravery and fearlessness of one heart and one enemy]
“Lament for my fathers and brothers, fulfill their wishes, defend the country and the home! Lament for my close neighbors, fulfill their wishes, guard the city and the home! Lament for my own heart, fulfill its wishes, tears turn into spears and halberds! Lament for my descendants, fulfill their wishes, forever engraved in memory! ”
The procession went farther and farther, and the chanting seemed to hit people’s hearts directly, making everyone present burst into tears!
Murong Zhuo shed tears silently, looking at the funeral procession in the distance, his heart full of excitement: Lament for my own heart, fulfill its wishes, tears turn into spears and halberds!
What a “tears are used as spears and halberds”!
He suddenly felt that everything he faced was nothing. Compared to these people, his status and everything he owns can be turned into spears and halberds!
No matter how many ups and downs there were in the future, he was not afraid!
Father, take a look, these are the people of Dayan Kingdom!
…………
Murong Zhuo watched the procession getting further and further away. He wiped his face, reached out, and pushed away the guard standing next to him, pulled the reins, got on his horse, and chased after them!
He wanted to go and take a look, to see these heroes who were fighting for their country and homes!
“Your Highness!”
Hongbao shouted in shock, but he could only look at the back of Murong Zhuo’s galloping horse. He quickly found a horse, mounted it, and chased after him.
At this moment, the guards and other members of the imperial envoy team reacted and chased after him on horseback.
In an instant, only the large chariot and the bewildered ladies and beauties, who were helpless but had no horses or could not ride, were left in place.
Of course, some weak officials from the Ministry of Rites and other officials looked at each other in silence.
…………
Liu Fang chanted loudly all the way. Chen Fang looked behind him and said to Liu Fang: “Miss, he was chasing.”
Liu Fang nodded slightly, waited until a verse was finished, and said, “No need to pay attention.”
“Yes.”
Murong Zhuo chased the procession to the tomb hill outside the city and watched them arrange all the coffins neatly one by one, and then lay them with firewood and other items.
“Kowtow! ”
Everyone knelt in order and bowed respectfully to all the coffins!
After bowing, Liu Fang walked forward slowly, turned around, and waved to Liu Zhi, Liu Feng, and Liu Rong standing next to her, “Come here.”
Liu Zhi’s eyes were red and swollen, she was biting her lips and shedding tears. She slowly walked over and stood in front of the coffin.
Liu Feng held Liu Da’s tablet in his hand, Liu Zheng held Liu Kuan’s tablet in his hand, and Liu Rong held Liu Xuan’s tablet. They walked over respectfully.
Liu Ping was also followed behind. He was holding a wooden tray with the tablets of Madam Liu, Eldest sister-in-law, and Second Sister-in-law on it.
“Kneel down, kowtow to your grandfather, grandmother, father, and mother, and tell them that you are proud of them!”
Liu Feng, Liu Zheng, and Liu Rong knelt down respectfully and kowtowed solemnly.
Liu Fang said to Liu Zhi, “Did you see it? This is reality. This is the reality you created!”
This was not a stroke in a novel, nor was it a set of artificial data in a game. These were individual lives, each vibrant and alive!
They have flesh and blood, they can talk and laugh, they have warmth, and they also have souls…
Liu Zhi’s face was pale, tears streaming down her face and she remained silent.
Liu Fang looked at the coffin in front of her and said slowly: “After today’s funeral, I will kill you. In front of the people of the whole city, I will cut you alive.”
Liu Zhi turned to look at Liu Fang with a pale face. Liu Fang turned to look at her, her eyes were calm and her pupils were as dark as an abyss.
“I told you, I will kill you and chop you alive.”
Liu Zhi’s heart trembled. She was trembling all over. She wanted to say something to Liu Fang, but her throat was frozen and she could not make a sound.
“So…” Liu Fang turned back and looked at the coffin in front of her and said, “It’s time to eat and drink, so as not to be hungry on the road.”
Liu Zhi was so frightened by her calm words and expression that she fainted immediately.
Chen Fang: …(ー_ー)!!
Miss, just stop as soon as you feel better, don’t scare people to death.
Liu Fang glanced at Liu Zhi who fell to the ground, lowered her eyelids, and said to Chen Fang, “Go ahead.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Chen Fang leaned over and picked up Liu Zhi, then dragged her back.
Liu Fang looked up at the sky, Father, I will fulfill your wish! Please rest in peace!
“Ignite!”
Liu Fang gave the order, and the executing soldiers immediately stepped forward and set fire to the coffin!
In an instant, the fire shot into the sky, as if tearing apart the entire white world!
Here in Liucheng, there was no such thing as being buried in the ground, only to be turned into dust to be with the earth and sky..——Because of the constant war, if they were buried, it would not only waste land but also cause an even worse epidemic.
Therefore, here in Liucheng, only the remaining spirit tablets serve as a reminder to the people of how their ancestors once resisted invaders and defended their homeland.
Now, Liu Fang not only wanted to leave the spirit tablet, but also left their names. The stone tablet erected at the city gate recorded the names of the soldiers who died in this and previous battles of Liucheng.
Some of the older ones only have the time of the battles without any names, but in the most recent one, many places were personally carved by Liu Fang.
These were the real heroes!
The coffins burned for quite some time, but not too long. There was a kind of natural firewood here in Liucheng. When burned at the extremely high temperature, these coffins can be easily burned to ashes!
There’s no time now, but if possible in the future, Liu Fang will make good use of every plant and tree in Liucheng so that the people here can live a good life.
Tomb Hill has been the burial place for generations in Liucheng, and it was also the place where the souls of the people here finally return.
Therefore, this place was very empty and desolate, with no vegetation. It seems that even God knows that countless heroic souls were buried here. They have become one with this land and should not be disturbed.
After all the sparks were extinguished, Liu Fang waved her hand and ordered everyone to disperse.
Murong Zhuo stood not far away, watching until this moment, only then did he slowly regain his composure.
And he finally discovered Liu Fang.
Dressed in white, with a neat appearance, her black hair was tied up high with only a wooden hairpin. She had a stunning face, her figure was tall and upright, Despite her slender shoulders, they seemed as resilient as jade and as strong as iron, capable of bearing the weight of the world..
Liu Fang’s clothes were made by Chen Fang’s wife so that she could have decent clothes for today’s occasion. After all, Liu Fang couldn’t possibly appear in tattered clothes while leading the whole city’s soldiers and civilians to the funeral, right?
As for finding a few maids to take care of her, forget it.
Liu Fang just wanted to turn these maids into soldiers!
Liucheng was short of people right now!
Murong Zhuo knew Liu Fang.
He had people investigate before leaving the capital:
The daughter of Liu Da, the general in Liucheng, was born from a concubine. She was ranked second in the family and the youngest. Above her was Liu Kuan, her legitimate brother, Liu Xuan, her biological brother, and Liu Zhi, her legitimate elder sister.
Her biological mother died when she was young. She was the daughter of a barbarian slave. She fled back and was arrested by Liu Da. Then she became his concubine. She had a frail constitution and later died after giving birth to a daughter.
And Liu Fang’s life was even more simple:
She grew up in Liucheng since she was a child. She never had a master, but she liked carpentry and ironmaking.
She once received commendation from the Ministry of Works through her father’s recommendation for improving agricultural plows.
Later, due to the peril of Liucheng, she armed herself and went into battle, slaying enemy warriors and capturing four princes of the Tuoba clan, including Tuoba Yaoheng.
As for other efforts to rescue Liangcheng and Huicheng, stop the five hundred thousand barbarian army…
It was so magical that Murong Zhuo thought he was reading a storybook instead of reading a person’s life story.
As for Liu Fang’s appearance, everyone seems to have ignored it and only focused on counting her great achievements.
It turns out that this heroine was so beautiful!
Hongbao saw his master looking at the beauty over there without saying a word, thinking that he had fallen in love with her and quickly said: “Your Highness, she is not like those weaklings in the mansion. Please, don’t act recklessly!”
Murong Zhuo glanced at him, rolled his eyes angrily, and said: “Get lost!”
He was not a lustful ghost who pounced on a beautiful woman. What nonsense is this?
Liu Fang watched the ashes in front of her quietly. After everyone left, she slowly took a step forward and stepped on the land with residual warmth.
The gradually rising heat was starting to scorch her feet, but Liu Fang wanted to firmly remember this feeling: as much as she was hurting, the enemy would hurt just as much!
Murong Zhuo did not come forward to disturb her. He just stayed quietly in the distance and looked at her quietly.
It seemed that there were only two of them left in the world, everything around them no longer existed. Each of them was lost in their own thoughts.
Those who followed Murong Zhuo:…
Hongbao:……
How long does this have to last? It’s very cold!
Until—— “A sneeze!”
A sneeze interrupted Liu Fang’s thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She looked at Murong Zhuo, who was covering his nose..
Murong Zhuo’s face turned red, and he wished he could dig a hole and bury himself. He sneezed so ungracefully in front of a beauty? !
Murong Zhuo: …(ㄒoㄒ) Let him die!
Liu Fang didn’t think as much as he did, but then she remembered that she had something to discuss with this “imperial envoy”.
However, she raised her eyebrows and looked at Murong Zhuo: Is this gentleman, perhaps, a bit too… pretty-faced?
Did today’s imperial envoys care about their appearance?
However, it didn’t matter anymore. As long as he was an imperial envoy sent by the emperor.
Liu Fang thought of this and walked over slowly.
When Murong Zhuo saw Liu Fang walking towards him, he was startled, turned his head, hurriedly got on his horse, and ran away as fast as he could!
Liu Fang:…(ー_ー)!!
So, what’s going on here? Why did he run away when he saw her? Is she really that scary?
Hongbao also had a look on his face: (⊙o⊙)! !
Your Highness, if you’re running, please take me with you!
Seeing that the other party disappeared in a blink of an eye, although Liu Fang could not understand the reason, she was not in a hurry to chase him. Since he was an imperial envoy, he would always have to deal with her. She’s not in a hurry.
Now that this was the case, Liu Fang ignored Murong Zhuo and whistled. When Feng Zhi came running, she got on her horse and returned to the military camp first.
Hongbao:……
Did no one see him? Did no one pay any attention to him? Leaving him there in the cold wind, doesn’t it hurt your conscience?
Others: …They are still here. →_→
