Chapter 134: Return of the Soul (The Finale)

How many winds, frost, rain, and snow do people have to travel to reach the other side of bliss?
The noise of cicadas overlaps like tinnitus, ladybugs crawl over the fingertips, wild kudzu vines spread over the roots of old locust trees, Xia Houyi heard the edged elder grass shaking in the ear, and the tip of the grass rubbed across the ear By the way, itching. There is also the sound of a stream, and the wild ducks squawked in the water.
He opened his eyes blindly and got up from the ground. There is a small stream in front of it. There are several large round stones in the middle. Old locust trees are shadowing. The clear moonlight leaks from the leaf gap, slightly dazzling. The moon is empty, the dome is a faint turquoise gray, and there is a large black shadow of the mountain far away, which is continuous.
He remembers here, this is Old Garland.
He walked through that stream. In summer, he likes to wear only one pair of pants to play with water. The body is tanned, and everyone passing by calls him "big black boy". He remembered that he was only five years old when he crossed the river for the first time. He didn't dare to cross the river. Brother Qiu held him. He followed the chickens raised at home, and everyone swaggered across the river. He also remembers the old locust tree on the river, he often squatted on a tree branch with a slingshot and aimed at the passing assassin. Whoever said bad things about his mother behind him hit him, and the bird feces ejected innocently.
Going further is the sword grave, where he dug the grave of the assassin Tang Lan. Daozuka moved forward through a small bamboo building where his house is located. Master Qiu ’s yard is not far away. From his house, Qiu ’s thatched roof can be seen. Every time there is a mountain breeze, it is messy. Flying, Master Qiu rebuilds thatched roof every year. A few steps from the dirt next to the thatched house, you can see the Garan Mountain Steps. Going up the mountain steps is the broken temples of Garan. He once burned the temple by accidentally setting off firecrackers. Angry at him once, he was hung from the mountain gate and blown all night.
He spent a long time here, chasing cats and dogs, plucking the feathers of other people's hens. Until the age of 20, he killed his heart and defected to Galan.
Is this a dream? He thought, or was he back home?
Xia Houyi stepped on the stone, and swayed across the creek like many years ago. The tender current reflected his immature face. The twelve-year-old child had eyes like stars, and everything had not begun. He crossed the creek, through the knife mound, the rusty swords were densely packed, and the tombstones of the assassins slept quietly in the moonlight. He walked past the small bamboo forest and pushed open the fence of his own small bamboo building, and his past memories rushed towards him.
Here lies his most cruel and fierce years. He grew up here, set out, and walked all the way to his tombstone.
The courtyard under the moonlight was blue and white, and the fireflies were like dots falling from the sky. A large locust tree grows beside the fence, and under his tree is his mother's tombstone. A tall woman in black was standing opposite the tombstone, holding her arms, and a long black sheathed knife leaned on her shoulder in her elbow. Fireflies circled around her, hovering in circles, as if never stopping.
Xia Hou wept like tears.
Is it a dream, or he is dead, dead, so he can reunite with her,
Xia Houyi walked over while crying, but stopped a few steps away from her, looking at her slender back from the hazy vision of tears.
She turned around in the tree shrews, still the stunning face of Tong Li, still a cynical smile, the sharp eyebrows were as sharp as a knife, as if to cut through the long night.
"Why not?" She asked.
"I'm afraid," Xia Houyi sobbed and said, "I'm afraid as soon as I pass, you will become a firefly and fly away."
"My mother is not a fairy, but she flew away." Xia Houyi sighed helplessly, came over, squatted in front of Xia Houyi, nodded his forehead, "Nothing, I cried like this."
The suffocating sorrow deep in his heart couldn't be restrained at last, like a raging tide flooding, Xia Houyu exhausted his whole body to hug Xia Houyu and wept in her arms. The painful scenes of the past appeared before him, and the broken limbs, broken bones, and godless eyes were silently facing him in the streets full of sunset. The ashes poured into the knife furnace, and the flying white ash stained Mars, flying like fireflies.
"Mother-" He wept bitterly, his tears filling his face, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
At this moment he seemed to be back for many years. He was the boy who had never held a sword, and was a helpless child.
"Stupid boy," Xia Houyi touched Xia Houyi's head, "you are doing well, everything is fine."
Xia Houyi took him to the cliff, and the two sat cross-legged and looked at the grass and the mountains.
Xia Houyi opened a pot of wine, Xia Houyi was still sucking his nose, and she punched him on the top of her head. "Don't cry, it's all people with daughters-in-law, so weak. Let's cry."
"You all know I have a daughter-in-law?" Xia Houyi covered her head. "I don't cry in front of my daughter-in-law."
"Both of you are overdone before my spirit, and I'm not blind." Xiahou took a sip of wine. "Forget it, men and women are the same, and I don't expect you to like it after you stay. Just couple. How are you doing, don't you argue? "
"No noise, people are wise, I said he wouldn't dare to go west." Xia Houyi said, "Unfortunately you go early, or else let him bring you tea and water, and listen to your mother-in-law's scripture, you are more comfortable."
Xia Houyi looked at him with a little surprise. "Okay, boy, I thought you were a rake ear. I didn't expect to underestimate you." Xia Houyi patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Xianhui is good, you too Don't let it go. People are the young masters who came out of the door of Shuxiang. If you are willing to follow you, you will have fun. "
Xia Houyi nodded again and again, "Mother, you are saying."
"I've prepared it for you. You can earn two for yourself and hire several servants to serve others. They are young masters, not working materials. Don't let people do rough work, let people embroider at home, It ’s good to chant poems. You also have to read a few more books yourself. You have to talk about your life. Someone else reads a few poems to you. You do n’t understand it.
"He hasn't read poetry very much," Xia Houyi explained. "Relax, we are quite talkative, we can't take it anymore."
Xia Hou nodded and said, "Our family owes a lot to others. You usually have to let them be a little bit more. If you can't help arguing in the future, you can go out and bend yourself and calm down. You don't have to blush with people. "
Xia Houyi said he knew, "Master is good-tempered, gentle and considerate, we never make red faces."
"Okay, then I'm relieved."
The mountain breeze blew under the cliff, the grass and insects swelled, and the long night was vast and vast, and thousands of stars shone quietly above their heads. The two shadows, one tall and one short, stretched out obliquely, and Xia Houyi looked down, for such a tranquility, he had been violating for years.
"Mother," Xia Hou looked at his toes. "I have a lot to say to you, but I don't know how to say it."
"Then stop talking."
Xia Houyi looked at Xia Houyi for a moment, turning her head to look at Xia Houyi, her hair was blown by the mountain wind, Xia Houyi saw her coming, his eyes fell on his body, a smile on his lips. There is no usual bad intentions, and no cynical disrespect, which is the first time Xia Houzhen saw the tenderness of her eyes.
She put her hand on top of his head and said, "Your mother, I used to worry that your kid was invincible, the sword skill was mediocre, and I was afraid that he could not survive in the killing field of Galan. You can go to the sky with a small skin. The dog fights for strength, and with your mother, I am a bit capable, but I ’m just a little bit arrogant. But fortunately, you have grown up now, and you are a man of great standing. Your knife killed the person you want to kill and protects the person you want to protect. From now on, no one can easily hurt you anymore. So Xiaoyu, I can rest assured of all your choices. "
"But mother ..." Xiahou said dumbly, "It's too late, you're dead."
"The newspaper's revenge has already been paid, and the debt to be repaid has been repaid, so there is only one thing left," Xia Houyi rubbed his head and said, "forgive yourself."
Xia Hou looked at her with tears in her eyes, her face full of anger, and only a clean smile remained.
"Okay," Xia Houyi stood up, looked at the mountain with his pergola, "the hour is here, I should go."
Xia Houyi's tears were even more fierce, and he flew into Xia Houyi's arms, "I can't bear you."
Xia Hou scratched his collar and said with a headache, "Tunzi, just bragging about you will not work."
Xia Houyu twitched in her arms, crying out of breath.
"Okay, dream always has a head." Xia Houyi pushed him away.
"Will we see each other again?" Xiahou Yan asked, looking up.
Xia Houyi smiled softly, and said, "Hey son, give you the last lesson for your mother. The name of this lesson is ... Farewell."
Suddenly she lifted her leg and Xia Houyu was kicked off the cliff by her. His body lost his support. When the mountain breeze blew in his ears and his body fell uncontrollably, he saw Xia Hou turned around with a drink Walking towards the long night, raising his left arm and waving.
That was her last farewell, just as it was then.
"mother--"
His body fell quickly, and he looked up at the brilliant stars in the sky. In the past years, two young men from Xiefu in Jinling embraced and warmed in the snow. The static iron in the red wall of the Royal Palace cut through rolled locust leaves. The Galanshan Temple pulled the wire to kill the heart. The Milky Way flows ... Finally, the assassin hordes corpse wilderness on the top of the snow mountain, blood flows into the river.
The wind whistled, and he heard the call of his deceased again, and the wailing soul shouted to pass him by.
"Little sister-"
He closed his eyes and shed tears:
"Goodbye."

The wind duo jingled, a long string of shreds drifting far away. How long had he forgotten, his consciousness was blurred, as if sinking in the water, and all the voices came through in a layer. Sometimes he could hear the wind shaking the bamboo curtains, the rustling of the branches outside the window, the children outside hurriedly chasing, and sometimes he could hear the distant dog barking, and the howling of wild cats came from time to time.
More often, he seemed to become a thousand floating silks, floating in the dark water, unable to condense, but only following the current. At other times, his consciousness was a little clear, and when he heard the words of people outside, he was somewhat familiar and unfamiliar. He was looking for a familiar voice, expecting it to sound. He catches every sound, just to wait for that person to speak.
"I met a Buddhist missionary a few days ago, and he said that their medicine there was very different from ours, and I was thinking maybe they would have a way out."
The silk of consciousness coagulated, and he heard Shen's voice.
"Going to the Buddha's land to go to the west, the sea is difficult, the brothers Xiahou have trouble moving, and it is even more dangerous. I don't think it's appropriate." A woman's voice.
"Well, you're right, I think again."
"I'm going to Miaojiang next month. I have a Miaozhai friend who said he had encountered someone who had eaten it by accident. But he was unconscious all year round. You might as well wait for me to come back and make plans."
As the voice faded away, he fell into an inexplicable haze. The fallen leaves fell in his ears, and the sound of leaves was flying all over the sky. He felt the sun shining warmly on him, and there was a person sitting beside him, silent, but he seemed to be able to feel the sad look of that person, silently The ground caged him, and he never left.
Years passed and I wondered how long it was before he became aware again. A slight wind blew his hair, the sun outside came in, and the back of his hands was warm. He felt a little hot, slightly moved his fingers, his eyelids opened a little, the bed curtain was not closed, and the light shone in unrestrainedly, as if cut on the eyelids with a knife. He covered his eyes with his hands and slowly adjusted to the light. Just sit up on the bed.
Just woke up, my mind was still confused. He paused for a moment before raising his eyes to look at them. Three sapphire photocarpets, an eight immortal table with a few bitches, and a celadon bottle on the short table, with a golden flower in it. The incense burned in the gilt smoker, and the smoke rose. He stood up barefoot, but his legs were soft and he fell off his pedals. He helped his sister-in-law to stand and waited until he was able to move. The bead curtain on the floor hood was opened, and a book case was placed on the outside. Bookshelves on all sides were filled with blue leather books. He looked at the book case, and it was full of brick-like books, some of them spread out and some were co-authored. The spread of the book was densely written, and there were many small notes issued by cinnabar. He glanced over it for a while, and the words crooked together like ants, not knowing what to write.
He turned a few pages and turned to a naked woman, with his belly half open, revealing his colorful intestines.
Xia Houyi: "..."
What Shen Ye is watching is not a cult ...
Xia Houyi closed the book together.
He opened the door, slowly crossing the threshold, and in front of him was a small yard. There were two water tanks in the open space, and there were several maggots floating in it. The yard was familiar, but he was confused and couldn't remember it. A little boy gazed at him on a wooden horse underneath the steps, a stream of snot flowing from his nose.
Xia Houyi squatted down and waved at him, "Little baby, come, uncle asks you ..."
"Mother!" The child yelled and ran out. "Uncle Xiahou woke up! He woke up!"
The child was a little bit embarrassed, certainly not a drowsy breed. Xiahou thought silently.
The child didn't call an adult. Two children were called. A group of people rushed into the courtyard. The oldest one was only twelve or three years old, and burst into tears.
"Uncle Xiahou!"
Xia Houzhen recognized for a long time and shouted hesitantly, "Miaoyu?"
"And me, I'm Situ Tongyu! Uncle Xiahou, do you remember me?" Another girl came over.
"Remember," Xia Houyun touched her head. "Will your mother be good? Have you returned to Miaojiang?"
"What?" Yujie blinked her eyes. "My mother, Miao Jiang, who went last year, came back early."
Xia Hou took a moment to react before he came, and he dared to hear what he heard last year. Xia Houyi asked again, "Where is the Lord?"
"Superintendent?" Sister Yu and Miaoyu looked at each other, and Miaoyu said, "Where is the Supervisor in Beijing."
"Where are we, aren't we in Beijing?"
"Not here!" Yujie said, "This is Jinling."
Xia Houzhen was a bit lost, Shen Hua went to Beijing, and he would not be seen for a while.
"Ah!" Miao Min suddenly said, "Aunt Lianxiang went to buy vegetables. I forgot to send someone to tell the master that Uncle Xiahou was awake."
Sister Yu cried, "Hurry up!"
Miaoyu turned her head and ran. Xiahou looked at Lingding's courtyard, and the two cylinders swayed in the wind, slowly overlapping the dry load in her memory. Xia Houyi suddenly thought of something, called Miaoyu, and asked, "Is the master you said is Shen Yun?"
Miaoyu looked back and said, "That's the old name of the old man. Now the old man is Xie Jinglan."
"So here it is ..." Xia Houyu touched the doorpost, his face painted in black paint, "Jinling Xiefu."
Time went around, as if drawing a circle of bosses, and back to the origin. The wind blew through the courtyard. He seemed to see the boy in the old suit and white clothes sitting under the porch and studying hard, while another boy in sackcloth clothes squatted at his feet and played with grasshoppers. Years flowed endlessly on their side, far away.
Xia Houyi's heart was surging, his eyes were slightly wet, but he laughed again.
"Miaoyu, where is Master, take me to see him."
"it is good!"
Miaoyu and Yujie pulled Xia Houyu out of Jiaomen, and there was a lot of noise outside the alley. Yujie's daughter-in-law talked about the past few years. Three years after the First World War in Snow Mountain, the officials who smoked the bliss fruit had all been dismissed, and the flowers in Shuobei had been burned. Shen Xuan returned to Xie's old house with her unconscious Xia Hou, and the court granted his resignation. He restored Xie Jinglan's original name. Shen Wenxing became the headprint of the Secretary of the Superintendent, the little emperor was still playing with funerals, Zhang Zhao's reform was still advancing, the Liaodong campaign ended two years ago, and the court and the barbarians reached an agreement.
Miao Wei said that Xie Jinglan just finished editing Mr. Dai's manuscript yesterday and took it to Baoyuelou and the bookstore owner to discuss the issue with Zi. It's just noon now and I should still be eating.
They squatted beside the archway of Baoyuelou and waited, and Miaoyu paid for three pancakes, one for each. After waiting for a long time, Xie Jinglan didn't come out. It was about negotiation that encountered a problem. The noon sun moved on the reliefs of the archway and turned into the afternoon sun. Xiahou looked at the bustling crowd, fighting over his eyelids, drowsy.
Yujieer and Miaoyu leaned on the marble seat and fell asleep, Xia Houyu still supported. Later, I felt thirsty. Looking back at the door of Baoyuelou, there was no Xie Jinglan's shadow. Xia Houyi went to a shop across the street and asked for a bowl of water. The boss was nice, and he added mint leaves in it, which was refreshing. Xiebei came out later, and a man stood beside the archway, talking to sister Yu and Miaoyu. The man wore a plain, no python robe with makeup and gold weaving, and no jade embellishment belt, just a plain cloud brocade, unloaded with noble and lonely cold, but still like a person walking down the sky Like the person who came out of his dream.
Sister Yu pointed at him, and the man turned around and looked at him remotely.
He saw the surprise in Xie Jinglan's eyes, like the evening wind swept away the thin ice, and a pool of spring waves melted away.
Xia Hou awkwardly avoided the steady stream of horses and crowds, crowded the vendors carrying rock candy gourd skewers, and bypassed the men and women holding the children. Xie Jinglan stood under the archway and looked at him. Under the sunlight, sweat was dripping from his wheat-colored face, and it was almost transparent. At that moment, all the missed white butterflies came in general, Xie Jinglan handed the manuscript to Miaoyu, and walked forward. Xia Houyi avoided a hawker carrying a shoulder bag, turned around, and suddenly fell into the arms of a man.
The heartbeat stopped suddenly at that instant.
It seemed as if he had waited for ten thousand years before he finally embraced him again.
"Xiahou Hou, you are back."
"Well, come back."
"Are you leaving this time?"
"Not going."
Never leave in a lifetime.
The sun became brilliant, time was infinitely extended at that moment, and the crowds and cars and horses came and went around them, turning into ghosts, as if the years were flowing away. They hugged each other, the vast world and endless time stretched out under their feet, and they were the only ones who remained unchanged.
(End of text)