His father's funeral came as scheduled, and King Jin accompanied Mi Lan at his mother's repeated pleas. I can't figure out how much genuine affection Prince Jin has for her and how much is fake. After all, if he wasn't living in troubled times and sitting on the throne, how could he make a Han woman his wife? For thousands of years, everyone has firmly believed that the hostility of military strategists has been integrated into their blood and has been passed down from generation to generation. From birth, those children are destined to bear the debt of life on the battlefield. Perhaps, I was also hurt by this hostility.
The mournful music outside was long and low, reaching my ears. I held the flute and played it secretly without realizing it. I haven’t played the flute for a long time, and even my breath has become unfamiliar.
General Liao is dead, and although his sister has married into Prince Jin's palace, I am afraid that the Liao family will also decline from now on. He was obviously a general of unparalleled achievements, but he failed to leave a son to inherit his father's legacy after his death. After giving birth to two daughters, I am like this again. Thinking about it, it's very pitiful.
But, in my heart, I wasn't even the least bit sentimental. After all, the deceased old man never paid any attention to me. I don't blame him, but I can't feel any affection for him. If I still had some fantasies about my parents when I was young, now, after sixteen years of darkness, all my imagination has become nothing.
The death of his father shocked the entire Fuqi. After all, his father seemed to have always been regarded as the final savior. The prince came to express his condolences in person, and I heard that if the war on the border had not been tense, the king of the country would also come. So what if I just came? The Liao family, like Fuqi, has reached the end of its rope. The most important pillar was missing. Fu Qi could find another general, but the Liao family did not have a second master.
The little girl in the house suddenly came to me in a panic. I quietly looked at the lock on the door that she jiggled lightly, and my heart was filled with annoyance.
"The emperor has issued an order. The prince said that the young lady must be present."
The person outside the door took the word "Miss" very seriously.
Prince? I sighed and got up. How could I ask His Highness the Crown Prince to condescend and wait for my arrival?
I lazily went over and opened the door. I looked at the panicked girl, picked up the umbrella placed aside, and motioned for her to lead the way for me. It's funny to say that I have lived in Liao Mansion for sixteen years, but I have no idea about the layout of Liao Mansion or what is behind the connected pavilions and pavilions.
That little girl was really strange, always lowering her head to lead the way, but I could vaguely hear her sobbing, as if she was holding back great sorrow. Is it because of my father? Perhaps, even she was aware of the impending decline of the Liao family, so she was lamenting her fate?
I didn't ask any questions and followed her to the mourning hall.
Except for the dead old man in the coffin and the prince holding a piece of yellow silk in his hand, everyone bowed their heads and knelt on the ground, as if they had been waiting for me for a long time.
The prince narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at me, his eyes falling on the ground, as if gesturing for me to kneel down. I walked slowly to the other end of the coffin - there were fewer people there, and although it was far away, it was the most suitable for me. However, when I turned around the spiritual platform and came into view, I suddenly saw a scarlet color.
It was my mother, who had just made so many sacrifices to be friends with the King of Jin and Jimo. At this moment, she was lying lifeless on the cold bricks and stones next to her father's coffin. There was also a shocking red color on her forehead.
Mi Lan was already crying, and Prince Jin just patted her hand slightly to express his comfort.
"Mrs. Liao is loyal and courageous. She has gone with the general since she touched the pillar. I will report to the emperor at the palace meeting and postulate the title for Mrs. Liao." The prince said to himself.
This turned out to be the reason why the little girl lowered her head and sobbed. In the past, Fuqi's most prominent family, now I am the only half-human, half-ghost "master" left. Who knows? I don't want to shed tears. How sad?
"His Majesty has a decree." The prince emphasized with emphasis. Then I turned my head, faced him, and slowly knelt down. After all, I am heartless towards my family. I just saw someone who was still alive just now, and suddenly passed away at this moment, and my heart was a little touched.
"General Liao served his country loyally, had the country at heart, sacrificed his life for the country, and died in battle. He was specially granted the title of Ning Zhonggong, and was given ten thousand taels of gold and a generous burial. In addition, the eldest daughter of the Liao family was intelligent, knowledgeable, sensible, quiet and dignified, and was specially given to marry Jimo. General, when the three years are up, we will be happy." The prince raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at me, and said, "Accept the order."
I didn't have to look at Mi Lan's face to know that her surprised look was so intense that it was almost rude.
Indeed, in the second half of the imperial edict, there is that sentence that sounds true? That I am smart, well-educated, quiet and dignified? Just ridiculous. I am deeply certain that before today, I am afraid that the aloof emperor did not even know of my existence. Now he even announced his marriage at his father's funeral. Thinking about it, the king would never take into account the last wishes of a deceased general. This must be Jimo Dongli's request. Nowadays, everyone knows the answer to what an excellent general means to Fu Qi.
Fuqi is already on his last legs, and a person who can win the battle is the only guarantee that the current royal family can still enjoy all the glory. My father is dead, and Jimo may be the last straw. It’s just that I remember that Jimo Dongli was not very old, and he was no more than 20 years old. How could the royal family rely on him? Thinking about it, he was indeed ill and had to go to the doctor indiscriminately.
But I didn't expect that he would actually do this. Once the imperial edict is promulgated, no matter what happens in three years, whether he is disabled, sick or crazy, I will get married, and he will get married.
No one can disobey the emperor's will. Even if he gives me death, he must accept it with gratitude. I knelt down and went over, holding the gentle silk lettering in my hands. My parents are both dead and my sister is married. From now on, I will be the head of the Liao family.
There were shouts of thanks everywhere, and I slowly stood up and looked at the people around me. Except for the Prince Jin and his wife, except for the Crown Prince, I didn’t recognize anyone here. However, looking at the noble and elegant demeanor of each of them, they were indeed very human. . Placed in the middle of the court, I am afraid that all of them are figures who can turn clouds and rain with their hands. However, this status was only able to be preserved by relying on the father's protection. Now, it can be regarded as a final farewell to this former shared interest. In the future, if Jimo Dongli can really guard the border, then these people will be eager to make friends with him. Just like when I first made friends with the cold corpse in the coffin.
People here all live for profit.
There were no men in the house, and even the night of vigil became deserted. If anyone really misses his father, it is none other than those brothers who fought bloody battles, but now, none of them are in the capital. The female family members had no right to keep vigil, and only a few servants in the mansion watched. From time to time, I pick up the wick of the ever-burning lamp, replace it with a newly lit incense stick, and burn the money spent all night long.
When the day came for the funeral, I pulled up my hair, dressed in mourning clothes, and set out in the early morning because of my eyes that could not see the light. After playing and playing all the way, we arrived at the ancestral grave of the Liao family. Looking at that grave, I squinted my eyes - this was the last tomb in the Liao family's ancestral grave. Neither I nor Mi Lan have the right to be buried here. Women are, after all, just the burial companions of men. A hundred years later, she will follow the King of Jin, and I, perhaps, will follow Jimo.
Mother and father live in the same cave, which is extremely lucky to think about. They live and sleep in the same cave, die in the same cave, and they are two people of the same mind. Come to think of it, Mi Lan and I are not so lucky.
Someone who cares a lot about dying after hitting a pillar should be someone who is reluctant to give up.
The tomb was sealed bit by bit and hidden in the loess. After the last bowing ceremony, it was already dawn and I was a little tired. The girl next to me didn't dare to come to help me. I was dumbfounded holding the umbrella and was at a loss. I sighed and was about to reach out, but the girl took a step back in fear. I shook my head and squinted at the sky. Maybe I could still go back. After all, it was not a long journey.
When King Jin saw that everything was over, he couldn't wait to say goodbye. As a result, the people who were supposed to stay for the meal dispersed one after another. The only ones who returned to the Liao Mansion were me and the servants in the mansion. However, these servants are all afraid of me, and no one dares to come close.
The walk was hard, and the sun was getting stronger and stronger. It was difficult for me to see, and I was almost blind. My mind gradually became trance-like, and my feet felt like stepping on cotton, with varying depths. Passing by the market, everyone who saw me screamed and ran around, shouting about monsters and monsters. I was used to hearing the voices of ghosts and monsters. At this moment, I was just desperately trying to find a shadow, but I couldn't see anything, so what? Stumbling around looking for a place to hide.
Suddenly I heard the sound of hoofbeats, and the screams beside me were even louder. I didn't know why, but suddenly I felt my waist tighten, and my face felt cold.
His body was swaying, as if he were on horseback. The light in front of him suddenly became less dazzling, but the restlessness in his ears was still so irritating.
Someone was holding my waist, and I couldn't help but push him away. I almost fell off the horse, so I sat down honestly. I couldn't hold my left for a moment, so I had to endure it.
After a while, the sound of the galloping horse's hooves gradually slowed down. I was helped off the horse and galloped all the way to somewhere. It was so obscure that there was no light. I calmed down and realized that this was my room.
Taking a step back, the person in front of him was Jimo Dongli.
Shouldn't he be at the border right now? I looked at him doubtfully.
The armor was still on his body, and the cold touch on his face just now was that cold armor. It's obvious that he just came from the battlefield.
He smiled helplessly: "After all, I still couldn't catch up with the general to be buried."
Bian Jiang left his post and returned to the capital without permission. No matter what the reason was, it was an unforgivable crime. Just because of my dead father, I'm afraid he will suffer a lot.
"Has the emperor issued an edict?"
I knew what he was talking about, but I had no intention of answering it.
He smiled softly: "I guess it was done."
I turned around and took off the foot of white cloth tied to my hair. The hair is tied to the back of the head and is very heavy. I waited for him to leave so I could let down my long hair.
