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墨書 Inktalez
Ancient Saying It is said that a man should die in the Borderlands, wrapped in Horsehide Wrapping, how can he lie in bed under the hands of his children?
Horsehide Wrapping may be the most helpless yet honorable way for young men to die, but is it really so desirable?
Perhaps not.
The Black Armored Hundred Riders fought their way through, and now only thirty-two remain. The warhorses still number one hundred, but the horses behind are empty, carrying the armor, weapons, and personal belongings of fallen brothers.
Due to time constraints, they cannot bring them back to Chang'an and can only bury them on the spot. After returning to report, they will send someone to escort them back home.
At the start of their journey, in their eyes, Xu Zhen was a general. During the journey, Xu Zhen ceased to be just a general and truly became a Brothers they could trust and rely on with their lives. Upon returning, Xu Zhen became a general again, but this time, it was the true general in their hearts!
Perhaps it was because they could not take Li Chengqian, or perhaps it was because that traveling commander in the Wang residence leaked news, or maybe Li Chengqian had become even more despondent.
In any case, no one wanted to kill Li Chengqian anymore, and neither did Xu Zhen and others encounter any obstacles or ambushes.
In late October of twenty-two years, the weather was cold, and flowers and trees were covered with frost. Xu Zhen finally returned to Chang'an.
He did not inform anyone in advance, but upon reaching the Vermilion Bird Gate, he saw Li Mingda in a white robe standing on the City Wall, gazing in his direction.
It was not that Li Mingda was lucky or had connections to know that Xu Zhen would return today; rather, she had been coming to the City Wall every day since the end of September waiting for him!
The Female Knights had sharp eyes and immediately recognized the Black Armored Hundred Riders, identifying the leading figure as Red Armor Xu Zhen. When they informed Li Mingda that ahead was the team of Xu Zhen, this most dignified county princess began to run down from the city.
Xu Zhen also saw Li Mingda, but he carried both living and deceased Brothers. He could not rest until his brothers were properly laid to rest.
Although wearing a face mask, Li Mingda recognized Xu Zhen at a glance; wasn't that gaze what she had been longing for day and night? However, when she saw the sixty-odd warhorses behind Xu Zhen Riding Team, each carrying saddlebags, she quietly stepped aside.
Xu Zhen exchanged glances with Li Mingda, feeling both comforted and grateful for a moment before leading his Brothers through the city gate.
After returning to their base, Xu Zhen, accompanied by Li Mingda, entered the Martial Virtue Hall with over sixty fish bags and two bamboo tubes.
Beside Li Shimin, there was an additional person—not Qingxiazi, nor Li Chunfeng, but Yuan Tiangang.
The residual toxins from his elixirs had been completely cleared out; using more of the Paradise would be too much for his weakened body. Thus, Yuan Tiangang provided supporting medicine for him, causing Li Shimin to distance himself from both Qingxiazi and Li Chunfeng, keeping Yuan Tiangang close by.
Yuan Tiangang was also someone deeply knowledgeable about the sacred meanings. Upon seeing Xu Zhen, he followed the eunuchs and palace maids outside, leaving space for Li Shimin and Xu Zhen.
" Mr. Xu, you finally returned. Where is Azure Sparrow?" Li Shimin could hardly hide the joy in his eyes. However, when he saw the fish bag and bamboo tube in Xu Zhen's hands, his smile slightly froze.
Xu Zhen pulled out the stopper from the bamboo tube and presented the letter and scroll with both hands.
Li Shimin looked at the letter and scroll on the table, his hands trembling slightly. He opened the letter and silently read his beloved son's handwriting, noticing the tear stains between the lines.
His eyes began to redden. Xu Zhen understood that it was time to give this elderly man, who resembled a flickering candle in the wind, some solitude.
As she stepped out of the room and closed the door, low sobs could be heard behind her.
Li Shimin was well aware that Xu Zhen was afraid of seeing him cry in front of his ministers, fearing it would damage his reputation. However, what Xu Zhen did not know was that perhaps Li Shimin needed someone to accompany him during his tears.
Fortunately, Li Mingda had also arrived. Xu Zhen whispered a few words to her, and Li Mingda's expression softened as she gently pushed the door open.
Li Shimin carefully placed the letter on the table as if it were not just a few sheets of paper but rather Azure Sparrow's still-beating heart.
He held the scroll hesitantly, reluctant to open it. When he saw Li Mingda enter, he hurriedly wiped away his tears and forced a smile.
"Sister Si... Azure Sparrow... he ultimately refuses to forgive me, doesn't he?" Li Shimin's eyes were moist as he looked longingly at his most beloved daughter. At that moment, his heart was filled with guilt.
Li Mingda didn't know what to say to comfort her father. In her memory, he was extremely strong and rarely shed tears. She slowly took the scroll from her father's hands and began to unfold it. Covering her mouth with her hand, her eyes immediately turned red.
Li Shimin cautiously stole a glance at the scroll, fearing he would see something that would make him feel even guiltier. However, his gaze fixated on the images on the scroll, gradually softening as if his soul had collided with memories.
As the scroll slowly unfurled, Li Shimin first saw a chubby child playfully leaning on his father's shoulder, tugging at the tassels of a crown. A little girl sat on her father's lap, pulling at his beard while he pretended to be stern but had love shining in his eyes.
The queen, embodying grace and virtue, stood quietly beside them with her charming slanted eyes filled with a blissful smile as she stroked a shy and reserved child.
A slightly older child was seen whispering and laughing with three younger sisters.
This was their family.
The one pulling the tassel is Li Chengqian, the one tugging the beard is Li Mingda, the shy one is Li Zhi, and the one taking care of his sisters is the eldest brother, Tubo.
Li Chengqian knows his father's intention for him to return to Chang'an, but he is no longer the same Li Chengqian as before. He understands that once he goes back, the Tang Dynasty will inevitably fall into chaos and internal strife again. He does not want his father to witness such turmoil in the country during his later years.
Therefore, he did not follow Xu Zhen back to Chang'an. Instead, he sent a family portrait that he had personally painted, wanting to convey to Li Shimin that this was the most beautiful memory in his heart.
Li Shimin's vision blurred; he held back tears and dismissed Li Mingda, staring blankly at the portrait, sitting there in silence.
After Li Mingda left the room and saw Xu Zhen still waiting outside, she rushed into Xu Zhen's embrace and began to sob softly. Nearby, Court Ladies and eunuchs lowered their heads like stone statues, not daring to look over.
Xu Zhen gently held Li Mingda, allowing her to vent her sorrow.
Li Mingda cried for a long time before calming down. She stayed with Xu Zhen outside the door until midnight when Li Shimin noticed that his daughter was still waiting outside. He quickly instructed Xu Zhen to take Li Mingda back to the palace. Only after seeing Sovereign settled did Li Mingda return to Shuyi Hall under Xu Zhen's escort.
At this time, the palace gates had already closed. As an outsider, Xu Zhen should not have stayed overnight in the forbidden palace. However, since she was publicly recognized as Li Mingda's brother, and everyone in the Inner Palace knew her true identity, they dared not gossip when Sovereign himself spoke.
"Brother Xu, the palace gates are closed; tonight... let's rest here..."
Li Mingda was already a seventeen-year-old young lady, blossoming into a stunning beauty. She had long expressed her affection for Xu Zhen. Having gone through life and death together, their bond ran deep and did not require concealment.
Seeing Li Mingda's shy demeanor while speaking made Xu Zhen's heart flutter. However, knowing this was the Inner Palace where many matters required discretion, she followed the Female Knight to a side room in the guest hall.
The Female Knight had likely admired Xu Zhen for a long time. In this lonely palace, martial women were usually bold and occasionally exchanged flirtatious glances with Xu Zhen, who could only respond awkwardly.
The Female Knight was both beautiful and well-built from years of martial training; her body was flexible and strong like a wild leopard. With Caesar and Zhang Suling away in Tuguhun for quite some time and having just been stirred by Li Mingda's affections, Xu Zhen feared that if the Female Knight slipped into her room at night, she might lose control and cause trouble.
Thus, Xu Zhen left the side room and went to Martial Virtue Hall, standing guard outside Sovereign's chamber until dawn.
He was the Left Tunwei Grand General and leader of Five Hundred Riders, commanding Beitun Camp and a trusted aide of Sovereign; it was only natural for him to stand watch.
It wasn't until daybreak that Xu Zhen left the palace and returned to Xu Manor.
Li Mingda also had a sleepless night; on one hand, she worried about Li Shimin while on the other hand thought about Xu Zhen. Several times she wanted to sneak into the side room to talk with Xu Zhen at night but ultimately restrained herself.
After finally enduring until dawn, she hurried to the side hall, only to find the Female Knight looking sorrowful, saying that General Xu Zhen had gone to keep watch at the Sovereign's chamber.
Li Mingda came to the chamber to pay respects to Li Shimin. He already knew that the Xu Zhen had kept vigil all night, which warmed his heart. However, the handwritten letter and painting scroll from Li Chengqian last night left him feeling too melancholic. Not wanting to dwell on it any longer, he sent Li Mingda away and returned alone to the Imperial Study, staring blankly at the scroll.
Just as Li Mingda was about to leave the palace in search of the Xu Zhen, she ran into her brother, Li Zhi, who had come to pay his respects. Her feelings towards him were complicated because she had always known about his illicit affair with Wu Mei and had long lost any affection for him. Li Zhi felt guilty, and they passed each other without a word.
Li Zhi's guilt was not solely due to Wu Mei; he was also worried about another matter: Murong Hanzhu poisoning Fang Xuanling and sending people to ambush the Xu Zhen and her Five Hundred Riders, obstructing Li Shimin from bringing Li Chengqian back, and even plotting to kill Li Chengqian!
If it hadn't been for the timely arrival of the Xu Zhen's Five Hundred Riders at Puwang Mansion that day, and if Li Chengqian hadn't happened to be out on a trip, Murong Hanzhu's forces might have already eliminated him!
Now that Murong Hanzhu had become a key official in the Eastern Palace and gained Li Zhi's trust, it was easy to believe that once Li Zhi ascended the throne, it would be a time of great favor for Murong Hanzhu.
This also allowed the Cui Clan to see Murong Hanzhu's potential. The forces that ambushed the Xu Zhen included not only elite Death Warriors drawn from the military but also many hired from the Cui Clan family!
The Cui Clan invested significant financial and human resources to hire some figures from the martial world. Unfortunately for them, they did not anticipate how formidable the Xu Zhen's Five Hundred Riders were; in the end, over thirty of them managed to survive!
Li Zhi was unaware that his father had already grasped his weaknesses, but he could sense that despite coming day and night to pay his respects during this time, Li Shimin no longer showed him the warmth he once did.
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