Chapter 266 Grand Finale (6)
A long time had passed.
So long that Shuojing City had seen spring, endured the Mid-Autumn Festival, and now, as the wind grew colder and colder, winter was fast approaching.
The Wutuo People had been utterly defeated in this war, their vitality severely damaged. For the next ten years, they would be incapable of harboring any delusions toward Great Wei. News of victories from Nine Rivers, Ji County, Yunzi, and Bing River reached Shuojing, and countless commoners clapped and celebrated.
Amidst the joyous revelry, sorrowful events also occurred—for instance, the death in battle of Guide Central General Yan Nanguang.
When the news reached Shuojing and arrived at the Yan household, Yan He’s mother fainted on the spot, and Yan He’s wife, Xia Chengxiu, went into premature labor.
Perhaps due to overwhelming grief, the delivery was extremely perilous. Even the midwives were at a loss. At this critical moment of life and death, it was Lin Shuanghe’s father, Lin Mu, who rushed over with his female apprentice. Standing outside the curtain, he instructed his apprentice to personally assist Xia Chengxiu with the delivery.
The entire Yan family gathered outside the delivery room, listening to the woman’s faint, thread-like breaths inside and watching basin after basin of bloody water being carried out. Their hearts pounded with fear. Lord Yan, who had never believed in Buddhism, went to the family ancestral hall, knelt on the ground, and prayed for the safety of both Chengxiu and her child.
Inside the room, Xia Chengxiu’s forehead was covered in sweat, her expression pained. She felt the strength in her entire body gradually fading away.
Even in her dying state, she could still keenly feel the ache in her heart—a pain that surpassed all the physical agony before her, making even breathing feel difficult.
Yan He had died in battle.
As the wife of a military general, from the day she married Yan He, she should have been prepared for this day to come. War is cruel, and the battlefield is ever-changing. No one can guarantee they will be the one to survive. Xia Chengxiu had thought countless times that, having decided to become his wife, when this day truly arrived, she should be composed and dignified. Even if her heart was filled with unbearable pain and reluctance, she should be able to withstand the hardships outwardly.
But when this day actually came, she discovered her own weakness. She was weaker than she had ever imagined.
That man, who in the eyes of others was fierce-tempered, irritable, and quite fond of provocation, had never spoken a harsh word to her. Since their marriage, Xia Chengxiu had been grateful to heaven—this union was truly a happiness she had never imagined. Yet, beautiful things in this world are fragile; colorful clouds scatter easily, and glass shatters quickly. Precisely because it was too perfect, it was so brief.
In her dazed state, a familiar figure seemed to appear before her eyes—it was Yan He in his silver armor, holding his long spear. He looked as if he had just returned from outside, covered in the dust of travel. His eyes fixed on her, a familiar smile on his lips—partly proud, partly boastful, just like in the past when he returned after winning a battle.
Yan He reached out a hand to her.
Xia Chengxiu gazed at him obsessively, instinctively about to place her hand in his palm.
The female doctor beside her, seeing her complexion, was startled and cried out, “Lady Yan, hold on! Don’t fall asleep, don’t lose heart!” She then turned her head toward the curtain and urgently said, “Master, Lady Yan is failing!”
Behind the curtain, Lin Mu’s heart tightened. Without a second thought, he shouted, “Lady Yan, think of the child in your womb! Don’t you want to see what he looks like? Don’t you want to accompany him as he grows up?”
“Even if it’s for your child, Lady Yan, you must stay strong!”
Child?
As if tearing open a clear gap in the chaos—child… Mu Xia… Her eyes snapped open.This was her and Yan He's child. Before Yan He left, he had earnestly apologized to her belly, regretting that he couldn't be by her side. He hoped for a little girl, but if it was a little boy, he would love him just as dearly. Just as he had imagined countless times in his heart what the child would look like in the future, Xia Chengxiu herself had also envisioned this child's features many times.
If it was a little boy, he would look like Yan He—with thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a spirited demeanor. If it was a little girl, she would resemble herself—gentle, delicate, and sweetly adorable.
How could she give up and leave when she hadn't even seen this child yet?
No, she couldn't!
Xia Chengxiu suddenly snapped awake. She couldn't, at least not now, drown herself in sorrow. She was Yan He's wife, and she was also a mother!
"Waaah—"
The cry of a baby echoed in the Yan family courtyard. Old Master Yan, who had been praying with clasped hands in the ancestral hall, froze for a moment before tears streamed down his aged face.
The female physician smiled and said, "Congratulations, Lady Yan, congratulations—it's a little boy—"
Behind the curtain, Lin Mu let out a sigh of relief. When news from Ji County arrived, he too had been saddened by Yan He's fate. Lin Shuanghe hadn't been able to save Yan He, but at least he had saved his child.
Xia Chengxiu was utterly exhausted, her sweat-drenched hair clinging to her cheeks in strands. In her daze, she saw Yan He again.
The man's smile was warm, tinged with a hint of apology as he said to her, "I'm sorry."
Tears welled up in Xia Chengxiu's eyes. She reached out, trying to grasp the person before her, but he only smiled and said, "Chengxiu, I'm leaving."
"Nan'guang..."
The man turned and strode forward, his figure bold and resolute. As he walked, his silhouette gradually faded from her sight.
...
When Xia Chengxiu's child reached its first full month, Xiao Jue returned to the capital with the Southern Garrison Troops.
Emperor Zhaokang was overjoyed and bestowed countless rewards. The court officials privately speculated that, judging by the new emperor's intentions, General Feng Yun was to be heavily relied upon. With each new ruler came new ministers, and now that Xu Jingfu was gone, the Xiao family of Great Wei was poised to rise once more.
While the court officials had their own calculations, the common people didn't think so deeply. To them, General Feng Yun was simply General Feng Yun—even in the perilous Yunzi, he had achieved a great victory.
Not long after Xiao Jue returned to the capital, General Huwei also led his troops back from Bing River.
Thus, only the Pacify Yue Army led by He Yan and the Yan family army had yet to return.
However, though they hadn't returned, everyone knew it was only a matter of time. After all, Nine Rivers and Ji County had already been reclaimed, and by the calculations, they should be on their way back to the capital by now.
He Yun Sheng woke up earlier each day. Aside from attending the academy, he rose before dawn to climb Donghuang Mountain and chop firewood. Their family's livelihood no longer required such hardship, and He Yun Sheng didn't chop firewood out of necessity—he simply wanted to improve his skills, to become even better.
If one day his skills could surpass He Yan's, then when she went to the battlefield, he could accompany her.
Every day after school, he would rush to the Xiao residence. The first question he asked Xiao Jue each time was, "Brother-in-law, is there any news of my sister?"
Xiao Jue would always shake his head and reply calmly, "No."
No—what a disheartening answer.Ji County had won the battle, but He Yunsheng also learned that He Yan had suffered severe injuries during the fighting. Since then, no further letters had come from the front, and even when messages did arrive, they never mentioned He Yan's condition. He Yunsheng kept this from He Sui, fearing that the older man would worry day and night if he knew.
Yet He Yunsheng himself continued to hope for good news every day.
Not long after, Bai Rongwei gave birth to a daughter.
Xiao Jing was overjoyed. Due to the troubles that had befallen the Xiao family years ago, Bai Rongwei’s health had been left with lingering issues, making this pregnancy particularly difficult. Now that both mother and child were safe, it was truly a blessing.
Cheng Lisu and Song Taotao came to visit Bai Rongwei, bringing many congratulatory gifts. Nowadays, the Xiao family was a favorite in the eyes of Emperor Zhaokang, and those distant relatives had suddenly remembered their "old ties."
Cheng Lisu had the servants take the fabrics and tonics his mother had sent, then glanced around but didn’t see Xiao Jue. He asked Xiao Jing, "Uncle, is my other uncle not at home?"
It had been quite some time since he last saw Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jing paused. "At this hour, he should be in the ancestral hall."
Cheng Lisu stood up. "I’ll go find him!" and dashed off.
His close bond with Xiao Jue was nothing new to Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei, but Song Taotao, after Cheng Lisu had run off, asked Bai Rongwei, "Madam Xiao, is there any news of Lord He?"
Bai Rongwei sighed and shook her head.
Song Taotao couldn’t help but feel disappointed.
Meanwhile, Cheng Lisu reached the door of the ancestral hall.
The weather had grown colder, with fallen leaves scattered across the courtyard and a layer of white frost covering the roof tiles. Tiptoeing inside, he saw a young man standing with his hands behind his back before the memorial tablets at the center of the hall.
The deep blue robe made him appear cold and distant, and his gaze toward the tablets was calm and serene. Cheng Lisu suddenly remembered a summer afternoon many years ago, when thunder and rain had poured endlessly. Back then, he had also stumbled into this place while chasing a calico cat and accidentally glimpsed the gentle side of this seemingly ruthless young man—a side rarely seen by the world.
The young man’s voice broke the silence. "What are you hiding there for?"
Startled at being discovered, Cheng Lisu obediently walked in and called out, "Uncle."
Xiao Jue did not look at him.
Since his youth, it had been his habit to come here whenever he felt restless or agitated, lighting three sticks of incense. By the time the incense burned down, everything would return to normal.
His unease and fear could not be seen by others. Just like now, beneath the apparent calm, turbulent emotions churned.
"Uncle, are you worried about Aunt?" Cheng Lisu asked.
Xiao Jue remained silent.
After a long while, so long that Cheng Lisu thought he wouldn’t get an answer, Xiao Jue spoke. "Yes."
Cheng Lisu watched him.
"I only wish for her safety and well-being."
...
After leaving Bai Rongwei’s room, Song Taotao felt a heaviness in her heart.
She had heard about He Yan’s situation and was deeply concerned. Although she had once struggled inwardly over the fact that He Yan was a woman, all that was in the past now.
To be fair, setting aside He Yan’s identity as a woman, she genuinely liked her.
Death is impartial to everyone, which is why the battlefield becomes especially cruel. And it is when one truly recognizes this cruelty that they begin to grow up.The carefree young girl, whose greatest worry in the past was merely that today's hairpin wasn't pretty enough or the newly released lipstick was too dull, now finally understood the taste of helplessness.
Perhaps she was beginning to grow up.
A young man in green robes walked toward her, his features delicate and proud, bearing some resemblance to that cheerful and lively girl. Song Taotao paused in her steps, "He..."
She remembered this youth—He Yan's younger brother. His temperament was completely different from He Yan's, yet the spirit and determination in his eyes were strikingly similar.
He Yun Sheng also noticed her.
She seemed to be the wealthy young lady He Yan had befriended at Liangzhou Guard, likely a guest of the Xiao family. He had come to the Xiao residence today to inquire about He Yan's whereabouts, though he hadn't heard the news he hoped for. He couldn't recall Song Taotao's name, so he simply nodded slightly in greeting before moving to step aside.
"Hey..." Song Taotao instinctively called out to stop him.
He Yun Sheng halted, raising his eyes to look at her. "Is there something else, miss?"
Song Taotao hesitated, her lips trembling slightly. After a moment of thought, she finally spoke, "Don't worry, the Marquis of Wu'an will surely return safely."
He Yun Sheng was taken aback, as if he hadn't expected her to say such a thing. After a brief silence, he replied, "Thank you," before turning and walking away.
Song Taotao watched his retreating figure, murmuring softly, whether to the fading figure or to herself, "She will definitely come back."
...
Overnight frost had settled, and the pomegranates on the tree by the window had turned red at some point, hanging from the branches like specks of lingering crimson in the shadows, their stamens glowing like fire.
The young maid Bai Guo stood beneath the tree, gazing early in the morning at the largest and reddest pomegranate on the branch, her mouth watering. The second young master's courtyard was quiet and desolate, with the liveliest thing being this pomegranate tree. The largest fruit hung like a small lantern, looking irresistibly sweet.
Qingmei passed by and, seeing Bai Guo's entranced expression, couldn't help but gently tap her head. "Glutton."
Bai Guo smacked her lips and was about to speak when she looked up and saw Xiao Jue walking out from inside. She quickly called out, "Young Master!"
Xiao Jue glanced at her. "What is it?"
Bai Guo pointed at the tree. "Look, the pomegranates have turned red!"
Xiao Jue turned to look. The fruit on the tree added a touch of delicate brilliance to the emerald green, like a lantern lit in the night.
"It's so red, it must be very sweet," Bai Guo said, biting her finger.
Qingmei couldn't help but whisper, "The young master is saving the sweetest ones for the young mistress. What are you drooling over?"
Bai Guo defended herself softly, "I know, I just wanted to ask if the smallest one could be left for us..." Her voice gradually faded, too timid to finish her sentence.
Xiao Jue walked to the pomegranate tree, and suddenly, a memory surfaced from sometime last year—a woman had stood beneath this very tree, jumping up and down, trying to pick the pomegranates. Later, affairs in the capital piled up like a mountain, and the largest pomegranate was never picked in time, ripening fully on the branch, much to her regret. Now, the timing was perfect, but the one who should be picking the pomegranates had not returned.
He casually picked up a stone from beneath the tree, his gaze fixed on the farthest branch. With a slight flick of his fingers, the stone flew toward the branch, and the fiery red pomegranate, glowing like a lantern, fell right into his palm.
Heavy and crimson.
He withdrew his hand. Pomegranates at this time of year needed to be placed in the courtyard well, soaked in cool water. That way, when He Yan returned, they would be just right.Xiao Jue was about to leave when Chi Wu rushed in from outside, panting heavily, and exclaimed, "Young Master... Young Master... the Pacify Yue Army has returned to the capital!"
Qingmei and Bai Guo were stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. Just as they were about to speak, they felt a gust of wind sweep past them. When they looked up again, Xiao Jue was no longer in the courtyard.
Only the pomegranate tree, heavy with fruit, stood there, its vibrant color outshining the early winter plum blossoms.
...
At the city gate, crowds of people who had heard the news had already gathered, tightly lining both sides of the street.
Most of those who had come to welcome the soldiers were families with members who had enlisted. Many women held young children in the wind, carefully scanning the crowd for familiar faces. If they spotted a loved one among the survivors, they would rush forward without regard for propriety, embracing them and weeping. Elderly people, trembling with age, leaned on their canes as they searched from beginning to end, their hopeful gazes gradually freezing into disappointment.
A single war had shattered countless households. Partings and reunions, joy and tears—the tragedies and comedies of human life played out one by one, without exception.
By the time Xiao Jue arrived, the troops had already passed through the city gate. The number of soldiers who had marched out had been halved, and every face bore a mix of exhaustion and relief. Yet at the very front, there was no familiar, spirited figure astride a fine horse.
His gaze froze instantly.
When an army returned victorious to the capital to receive honors and rewards, the commanding general, as the hero of the campaign, would always lead the procession without exception. But now, there was none.
There was no sign of He Yan.
Back when He Yan served as the "Flying Goose General," he had never witnessed her triumphant return. Later, she had joked with him, saying, "Xiao Jue, one day, I will definitely make you see my heroic return after a great victory."
But now, from the beginning to the end of the long procession of soldiers, there was no trace of her.
For many years, perhaps since the passing of Xiao Zhongwu and Madam Xiao, he had never felt so lost. For a moment, he didn’t even know where or when he was.
The bustling crowd seemed far away from him. Someone brushed past without noticing that this disheartened young man was the Right Army Commander of Great Wei. In the jostle, the pomegranate he had been clutching tightly slipped from his hand, rolling away into the crowd and disappearing without a trace.
It was as if he had returned to that night in his youth, when all his composure and calm shattered abruptly, leaving him panicked and unsure of what to do.
It felt like a long time had passed, yet also like no time at all.
Only then did he seem to realize what he should do next. He turned around and froze.
Leaning against the wall by the street was a young woman. She wore crimson martial attire, a longsword as green as pine at her waist, and was smiling at him. In her hand, she tossed a red fruit up and down—the very pomegranate he had dropped in the crowd.
"Hey," she called out playfully as he looked her way, "Young Master over there, my leg is injured, and I can’t walk any further. Would you mind taking a few steps forward?"
The young man’s gaze cut through the passing crowd, lingering on her for a long time. Then, he walked toward her.
Step by step, as if crossing all the mountains, seas, and years, he finally found his way home in this long journey of life.
The girl grinned and spread her arms wide, as if asking for an embrace. He quickened his pace and pulled her tightly into his arms.
In that instant, all sound faded away. Only the warmth of each other in their embrace became the most enduring solace.Amidst the crowd beside them, some rejoiced, some wept, some reunited, and some parted. Beneath the bustling world, they leaned on each other, even amidst countless unspoken matters.
The young man in his splendid robes gently patted her head, the warmth of his palm making He Yan’s eyes sting. Unconsciously, tears fell.
“Long time no see, Commander Xiao,” she whispered softly.
Across the vast world, through life’s joys and sorrows, partings and reunions, how fortunate they were to always meet and reunite.
(End of Chapter)
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