Chapter 35: Return
The caravan continued for half a day, and seeing more and more disaster victims on the road, some began begging them again. Huang Ling and the others couldn’t help but worry: could it be another incident?
At this moment, dust rose up on the official road ahead, with hundreds of riders charging over.
The disaster victims scattered in all directions, and seeing the cavalry charging toward the caravan, they fled like birds and beasts.
Huang Ling and the others first tensed up, but upon recognizing the opponents’ uniforms, they completely relaxed. The cavalry wore three kinds of uniforms, mostly blue armor, followed by red, then silver-gray.
Anyone with a bit of common sense knew these were retainers from the Cui Clan, Pei Clan, and Lu Clan!
“Is that the family of Ninth Young Master of the Cui Clan up ahead?!” The leading man in blue robes, riding on horseback, shouted loudly.
“Exactly!” One of Madam Cui’s attendants spurred his horse forward to report: “And Lord Lu’s family!”
Only then did the knights relax. The blue robes man and a man in red-trimmed black warrior garb dismounted and came over to pay respects to Madam Cui in the carriage.
From the Lu Clan side, it was a dignified middle-aged man who approached. Upon seeing him, Lu Yun immediately jumped down from the carriage, his voice slightly agitated: “Father!”
The newcomer was none other than Lu Xin. Hearing in Luodu that the waterways were blocked, he worried his wife and children would be troubled by the disaster victims flooding the capital region, so he took leave from the yamen, brought some men and horses to search for them. On the way, he encountered people from the Pei Clan and Cui Clan, and they all joined together…
“Good, good! As long as you’re safe!” Seeing his wife and children unharmed, Lu Xin finally set his mind at ease, patted Lu Yun’s shoulder hard, then brought him over to pay respects to the blue robes man and the black-clad man.
The blue robes man was the youngest son of the Cui Clan Leader, Cui Yingzhi’s younger brother, named Cui Pingzhi, a few years younger than Lu Xin. Rank 4 Court Dispersal Doctor.
As for the burly, arrogant-faced black-clad man, he was a cousin of the Pei Clan Leader, Madam Cui’s older cousin, named Pei Yukou, about the same age as Lu Xin, Third Rank Jianmen General.
This couldn’t help but surprise Lu Yun; both were high imperial officials, so why personally leave the capital to welcome the clan’s womenfolk? Little did he know, these men were first scions of noble clans, then imperial officials. If a clan elder gave an order, they would immediately set aside official duties to handle family matters first…
He suppressed his doubts and respectfully saluted the two. Cui Pingzhi was fairly polite, smiling and nodding at him: “My worthy nephew is truly a fine figure; unfortunately, Uncle came in haste, so I’ll make up the meeting gift later.”
Pei Yukou completely ignored him, merely nodding slightly before turning to Madam Cui in the carriage: “Little sister, our Pei Clan’s carriage is right behind; you and your daughter should prepare to switch over.”
Madam Cui glanced somewhat troubled at Cui Pingzhi. After all, she was the Cui Clan’s daughter-in-law; such an arrangement by her older cousin was really improper.
Cui Pingzhi laughed indifferently: “Sister-in-law, do as you please.” Then he teasingly scolded Pei Yukou: “Is your Pei Clan’s carriage that comfortable?”
Pei Yukou sneered: “Your Cui Clan’s carriage is slow as molasses; who knows how long we’d have to wait.” With that, he directed his retainers to unload Madam Cui’s luggage and pile it all into their own carriage.
Madam Cui and Cui Ninger got down from the merchant family’s carriage; naturally, Madam Lu and Lu Ying also got down to bid farewell. Though Madam Lu’s mother came from the Pei Clan, Pei Yukou merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment, without coming forward to speak.
Seeing Madam Lu snubbed, Madam Cui hurriedly took her hand, thanking her for the care along the way, and arranged to meet again upon returning to the capital, before parting.
Cui Ninger was even more reluctant to part, hugging Lu Ying’s arm tightly until Lu Ying promised to come find her to play as soon as they returned to the capital; only then did she unwillingly follow her mother onto the Pei Clan’s carriage. Before boarding, Cui Ninger turned back to wave at Lu Ying, her gaze intentionally or otherwise falling on Lu Yun.
But Lu Yun wasn’t looking at her at all; Cui Ninger huffed in anger and turned to board the carriage.
.
Once the Pei Clan and Cui Clan people left, only Lu Xin’s family and twenty or thirty Lu Clan retainers remained.
“Let’s go too.” Lu Xin hadn’t brought a carriage, sparing them the hassle. After he and Madam Lu boarded, the caravan continued onward.
With Lu Clan retainers escorting them, no disaster victims dared approach to harass; the caravan’s speed increased greatly, and three days later they reached the Luofeng Mountain area.
In the carriage, Madam Lu, who had been silently facing her husband, finally spoke: “Take the mountain road; I want to pay respects to my son.”
Lu Xin’s heart sank; he frowned tightly: “Don’t stir up more trouble!”
Madam Lu replied coldly: “Rest assured, even if not for your Lu Family, I would consider my own natal family.” Pausing, she looked at Lu Xin with disgust: “It’s you two who shouldn’t ruin our Xie Family.”
“…” Lu Xin was speechless.
In the end, they compromised: the carriage would take the mountain road, pass by Phoenix Temple, but not stop.
Fearing his children would be too overcome with emotion, Lu Xin specially went to the rear carriage to inform them of the arrangement.
With Cui Ninger gone, Lu Yun naturally returned to the carriage; hearing this, he nodded without speaking.
The carriage slowly ascended Luofeng Mountain, jolting badly; inside, Lu Yun and Lu Ying were both silently speechless.
The events of that year were naturally a great trauma for Lu Ying; she had always buried the pain deep in her heart, unwilling to recall it. But as Phoenix Temple drew nearer, the buried pain became increasingly vivid, overwhelming her in an instant; she curled up in the corner, arms hugging her knees, face buried in her legs, sobbing silently.
Lu Yun wanted to comfort his sister but found he couldn’t speak. After all, it was pain he himself had brought her! Moreover, he himself was being drowned by increasingly clear memories…
As the carriage proceeded along the mountain road, Lu Yun clearly heard his mother’s furious curses and screams, clearly felt the scorching blaze of the great fire! Clearly saw that innocent little child perishing in the sea of flames…
Then, he saw himself and his mother fleeing for their lives under pursuit by the Xiahou Clan, the guards escorting them dying one after another under enemy blades…
He saw black smoke rising in the imperial palace, familiar eunuchs and palace maids hacked to death by rioting soldiers who burst in…
He saw his mother, face full of tears, rushing into Changle Hall, scooping up himself who was still playing with the palace maids, and weeping: “Your father emperor… is gone…”
He saw that day when Father Emperor left the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager, holding him high and kissing his face repeatedly, promising to bring back candied hawthorns…
Unknowingly, Lu Yun was tear-streaked, his hands clenching and unclenching repeatedly. His nails dug into his palms, yet he felt nothing…
Finally, Phoenix Temple arrived. The temple had been rebuilt, with no traces of that year left. But the trauma in the survivors’ hearts remained as vivid as ever.
Looking at Phoenix Temple, Madam Lu bit her handkerchief, tears streaming silently; her right fist pounded relentlessly on Lu Xin. Lu Xin too was ashen-faced, motionless, letting Madam Lu vent on him.
Of that year’s events, he had actually suffered the most. These years, in midnight dreams, he had countless times seen that little child, face full of tears, asking why Daddy would do this, why abandon the child?
Lu Xin repeatedly asked himself: if it happened again, would he do the same… The answer was always no. If he could start over, he would abandon that damned loyalty and choose his own son!
But what was done was done, irreparable; these years he had taken no concubine, had no more children, punishing himself. Yet arriving at Phoenix Temple, he realized no punishment could erase even a fraction of his self-blame!
Heart aching to the extreme, he too swung his fists heavily at himself, flesh to flesh, as hard as could be…
.
Looking at Phoenix Temple, Lu Ying’s tearful eyes were dazed; she missed her adorable little brother immensely, wondering if he was well in the other world, and if reincarnated, he should be eight or nine this year… She’d heard there was Meng Po soup at the Naihe Bridge; her little brother must have forgotten this nightmare. How she wished to drink a bowl of Meng Po soup too…
Looking at Phoenix Temple, Lu Yun clenched his fists, swearing silently to his mother: I will make all our enemies die! Avenge you!
The next moment, he swore to the innocent child who sacrificed for him: I will make your name known under heaven, feared by all! I will forever protect your loved ones, your family! Though I know you surely just wanted to live…
The carriage passed Phoenix Temple and entered the descending road, speeding up greatly, soon leaving that heartbreaking place far behind.
Exhausted from her outburst, Madam Lu leaned against the carriage wall in a daze. Lu Xin also stopped, closing his eyes and shedding silent tears. Regretting the past was useless; Lu Yun was his son too, and most importantly, he couldn’t lose him and Lu Ying again…
Lu Ying finally calmed, wiping her tear-streaked cheeks with the back of her hand, saying to Lu Yun: “I’ve already lost one little brother; promise me, don’t let me lose another…”
Lu Yun looked at Lu Ying and nodded slowly.
“Come, pinky promise.” Lu Ying extended her tender little hand, hooking fingers with Lu Yun, then solemnly pressing their thumbs together. Only after this did her emotions truly steady; she said softly to Lu Yun: “Don’t worry, whatever you do, I support you.”
“Mm.” Lu Yun listened to Lu Ying’s contradictory words and nodded solemnly again.
