[Short Stories in Troubled Times] National War

Seven,

It's past three o'clock.The candles on the table were flickering, flickering, dyeing the already silent room into a hazy yellow.

There was a heavy snoring sound behind him, and the crumpled white clothes were thrown on the ground. He bit his lower lip, stood up carefully and slowly, and picked up the slightly torn clothes with trembling hands.

Spots of blood mixed with dirty liquid glaringly bloomed on the bed.He gently wrapped his arms around his own shoulders, the bruises on his shoulders were burning like fire, but in early summer, he only felt that his whole body was only bitingly cold.

————————————————————

When Qin Huai found the tower, Chao Feng was not surprised at all.

He stretched out his hand to support Qin Huai who jumped down crookedly, and took the cyan Guqin from the sergeant who was protecting Qin Huai, and put it into Qin Huai's arms: "Why don't you come back later, I'm busy right now."

"I can't wait, I can't wait for a moment." Qin Huai didn't hug the guqin immediately, but rested his forehead on Chao Feng's shoulder to pant for a while, then took out a scroll from his bosom and stuffed it into Chao Feng's hand, "The imperial court There are secret operations inside, I... got information about their cooperation with the rebels inside and outside."

As if struck by lightning in Chao Feng's mind, he supported Qin Huai with one hand, and quickly shook out the scroll. The strength of the army defending the city is exactly the same as the actual situation. He squeezed the scroll tightly and said in a low voice, "Reinforcement has not come for a long time, if more soldiers and horses...we will win!!"

Before the words were finished, the adjutant rushed forward to snatch the scroll, and his subordinates scrambled to pass it around, cheering one after another.Chao Feng also couldn't help showing a smile, he didn't care to pursue the adjutant's rudeness, he heard "Mr. Qin did a beautiful job!"Just as he lowered his head to thank him, he suddenly felt a burst of heat in his hands, and suddenly sensed that something was wrong with Qin Huai, so he quickly grabbed the torch and looked at it carefully——

It was bright red and warm, and there were strands of blood in the palm of his hand. Looking up, the white clothes on Qin Huai's body were bleeding from the shoulders. A bruise on his pale lips is very eye-catching... Chao Feng stretched out his hand in amazement, tried his best to restrain the urge to press Qin Huai's shoulder, grabbed his wrist, and said sharply: "What did you do during the few days you left? ?!"

The force in his hands was getting stronger and stronger, Qin Huai frowned in pain, gritted his teeth and hissed, the torn sleeves slipped off, revealing the bruises on his arms... What the hell did he do? !

"Tell me!! How did you get this thing!!" Chao Feng stared at the bite marks on Qin Huai's lips, his voice almost roaring.

"...Why do you ask so many questions, big fool." Qin Huai was not afraid at all, his whole body was still trembling subconsciously, and instead he smiled softly, with a little choked up, "As long as it is useful, take it away." Alright, let's hold the city, reinforcements...?"

Lowering his head, Qin Huai subconsciously grabbed his skirt with trembling hands, gasped for a moment trembling, then raised his head again.

"I promise . . . will come."

Chao Feng let go of his hand, wrapped his arms around Qin Huai's back, and quietly pulled him into his arms.

"Xiao Huai." He leaned into Qin Huai's ear, "Xiao Huai, why should you?"

"As I said, I'm only your friend." Qin Huai buried his face on his shoulder, gently grabbed the clothes behind his back, and said in a dull voice, "The only thing I cherish in my life is this piano in my arms, and you."

"Chao Feng, if there is anything, we will take care of it together."

It is rumored that Yulong Chao's army is brave and fearless, like a divine soldier descending from heaven.

Rumor has it that Chao Feng, General Chao, has the same name as Xiao Feng, the dragon son who guards the mountain.

Rumor has it that when Chao's army charged into battle, a piece of "National Memorial" resounded on the battlefield, lingering for a long time, summoning the heroic souls of the soldiers in the sky above the battlefield to escort the entire army...

"Sincerity is both courageous and martial, and ultimately strong and unbreakable. The body is dead and the spirit is the spirit, and the soul is resolute and the ghost is the hero!"

There was a lot of fighting, and Qin Huai sat on the tower, singing for the heroic spirits of the soldiers of the Chao family every day.

Sometimes Chao Feng thought of the day when Qin Huai left, when Luluo came over with a bowl for dinner, and popped a piece of vinegar fish into his bowl.

"Big man." She rested her chin and tilted her head, just like Qin Huai's agile childhood, "Why do you like Qin Huai? Is it because he is good-looking?"

Why like?

Thinking about it carefully, at first, it was probably because of a serious promise made by that kid.Two children who are less loved by their parents, in the face of family hatred and national hatred, take a piece of land and make a wish about remembering.

And later, it was probably because of the warmth he brought to me.Such a frail person, for the army, for the country, worked desperately, time and time again.

Now that I think about it, all the praises and compliments I have heard over the years of leading the army seem to be no match for Qin Huai's blurted out "obediently and loudly" back then...

The most important point is that the chaotic world is impermanent and the world has changed, but Qin Huai is still the same Qin Huai.

As always.

Luluo nodded to make it clear, and then asked, what if Qinhuai has changed?

Qin Huai has changed?

Yes, if he gets old, if he is no longer so handsome...do you still like him?

Chao Feng thought of the night when Qin Huai sent the information.In the military tent, he slowed down his movements, slowly unbuttoned Qin Huai's clothes, and helped him apply medicine to the scratches on his shoulders.

Qin Huai grabbed the half-faded skirt to hide the red marks on his body, and suddenly asked: "Chao Feng, am I mean?"

Without waiting for Chao Feng to answer, Qin Huai placed his fingers on the guqin beside his knees, and continued on his own:

"My mother was burned alive by the fire set by the rebels. The last words she yelled at me were: 'Don't lose the face of this Huai River!'

"The business woman doesn't know the hatred of the subjugated country... Yes, I only know that if people can still laugh, the troubled times won't be scary.

"To do something for the land... really, really nice."

Late at night, Qin Huai hugged Qin, curled up, and fell asleep quietly.

Chao Feng got up, and gently brushed away a few strands of long hair that were hanging down to cover his face.

That's right, no matter what happens, Qin Huai is still the same Qin Huai.

Even if he grows old, even if he is no longer handsome... Qin Huai is still Qin Huai.

Never, ever.

Eight,

The rebels were retreating steadily.

However, the Chao family army with 10 horses should have blocked hundreds of thousands of enemy troops outside the city.With a long knife in his hand, Chao Feng took the lead, beheading the heads of the enemy leaders, hanging dangling on the tower, he and Qin Huai took turns rolling their eyes at them.

During the battle, Qin Huai tugged at his sleeves: "You idiot, after the battle, you can take me to various places. I've grown up so much, I haven't been out of Yangzhou much."

His tone was relaxed, as if he had let go of something.Chao Feng smiled and nodded, agreeing.

"The reinforcements are here...the reinforcements are leaving the city gate soon!!" Behind him, the adjutant waved his hands, excitedly running to deliver a message.

Chao Feng stood up abruptly.

"Pass down the order, all the Chao family army, charge!!"

The sound of the horn sounded loud and clear, accompanied by the shouts that sounded successively, piercing the air filled with gunpowder smoke on the battlefield.After a few years, it is for this moment, if you can win, it will be the end of the troubled times——

In the ear, there was a burst of piercing sound——

A few feathered arrows of the enemy army flew in, followed by groups of arrows, and a dense rain curtain struck towards the tower.Chao Feng pushed the adjutant away, no, sneak attack, damn it, can't avoid it! !

There was a sudden buzzing in his brain, Chao Feng watched the feather arrows flying like raindrops and used up the little time left to think about countermeasures quickly and almost uselessly, but he saw a white figure quickly blocking his eyes from the corner of his eyes— —

Boom! !

The Guqin hit the ground, and the strings snapped.

A dazzling red color bloomed in front of Chao Feng's eyes, and it became the most eye-catching peonies in full bloom.

In the distance, the banner of reinforcements floated from afar...

nine,

Blood continuously splashed in front of Chao Feng's eyes.

He swung the knife and roared, completely unaware of the pain.

His mind went blank, he couldn't hear anything, he couldn't feel anything.

There was a sharp pain in his right arm, and he suddenly realized that his right hand holding the knife was falling to the ground.

The darkness gradually hit, forming a thick patch like a tide.Around, the battlefield filled with gunpowder smoke gradually receded, a thin figure turned his head, and the Huaihe River murmured, talking to him with a smile.

——When you are young, you have to be careful about everything.

——The mountain is guarded by dragons, and I firmly believe that the weather will be smooth and unbreakable.

——I was born on the bank of the Huai River, and my name is also Huai.I remember you, this Huaizuo place remembers you.

ten,

"Hey, there's a guqin here!"

"The blue one is so rare, it can be broken."

"Cough...cough..."

"General Chao! What's the matter?"

"Give it back to me."

eleven,

The rebels surrendered.

Chao Feng stood on the high palace city, and under his feet were the mighty people.

Bright sunlight, noisy sea of ​​people.I couldn't see the white figure, and I couldn't hear the song "National Memorial".

It turns out that this song carries so many heavy things, and it turns out that "National Memorial" is a song of sacrifice.

The qin is broken, and the song is over, but no one plays the music of requiem for its master who has gone away.

The sleeve on the right is empty, and a white cloth is clutched in the left hand.

The tip was stained with blood, and was scorched black by the gunpowder smoke.

...The mountain is guarded by dragons, and the weather will be smooth and unbreakable.

Are you coming?where to stand

You see, I did it.

尾、

After finishing the pot of wine, the big man stood up with his piano on his back.

"Let's go, Luluo, thank you for buying me a drink."

"...Yes, I bought you a drink, so why did you pay the money secretly?! Still doing this with me?!"

"Ha, yes, are you still doing this with me?"

I held my forehead, and the big man looked at me with a smile in his eyes.

Smiling and laughing, a gleam of water came out of his eyes.

"Alas...Xiao Huai said he wanted me to take him around..."

The imperial court should have granted the fief, but of course this stupid guy didn't go.

That's right, because a name homonymous to Longzi intends to make his generals disappear without knowing why, and acquiesce in the most dirty and dark transactions of the court, indeed, there is no need to contact it anymore.

I asked him: "Stupid boy, in your heart, who is Qin Huai?"

He replied: "In my heart, Xiao Huai will always be Xiao Huai."

"On the edge of the Huaihe River, the one who said he wanted to remember me with this land."

Got it, big man, let me give you another story.

...I actually knew about the night before Qin Huai was leaving.

In the dim light, I had a brief conversation with him.

That's right, but still those two words: Is it worth it?

He nodded with a smile.

Brother Qinhuai, brother Qinhuai, why are you doing this?

— because I love this land, and him.

In Yangzhou City in the afternoon, a big man with a long knife and a broken guqin on his back drifted away.

The figure gradually disappeared into the crowd, in this peaceful and peaceful world.

The white spot on the head was jumping, turned a corner, and couldn't see it.

——The end——