Biganchun

It's late at night, the clouds are clear, and the horseshoe is sick.

Within a hundred miles of Yanzhou, there are mountains and deep valleys.The northwest has always been arid, and it was late autumn at this time. The vegetation in the valley was withered, and the sand and rocks on the ground glowed slightly under the cold moonlight, but they were immediately scattered by the galloping horseshoes.

Zhan Zhao leaned on the horse's back, lowered his body, and tried his best to avoid the oncoming mountain night wind while galloping.He looked up at the night sky, calculating the time in his heart.

The Big Dipper is like a spoon, and the seven stars are twinkling.It is about sixty or seventy miles away from Yanzhou.Although they walked around the mountain all the way, if they follow this footstep, they will definitely be able to return to Yanzhou City in more than an hour.

He relaxed slightly, and turned to look at the horse twenty steps away.Qingcheng was riding his horse as fast as he did. Although it was a narrow path in the dark night mountain, she was leading the ride without any hesitation.Occasionally, she raised her whip and sent out a crisp sound, urging the galloping horse even faster.

Zhan Zhao sighed softly in his heart, if it wasn't for the fact that these two Dawan Xuanlong horses were chosen as one in a thousand horses, how could they have survived such a starry night?

The bright moon hangs in the sky, the shadow of the mountain is quiet, and in a trance, it seems to have returned to the childhood dream.Only the swift hooves of a pair of healthy horses whirled in the mountains, seemingly chaotic and hasty, but if you listen carefully, they are meticulous and rhythmic.

The mountain road becomes narrower and narrower, only allowing a rider to barely pass by, and the dark valley bottom is on the side.Although Qingcheng was good at riding, he had to slow down the speed of the horse. Zhan Zhao rode the horse to meet her end to end, and he was also more careful.The sound of horseshoes gradually slowed down, and was as calm and melodious as running water for a while.

Suddenly, the rhythm of the hoofbeats seemed to be wrong, just like a slow water flow meeting a drop, suddenly falling down.Zhan Zhao was startled, and when he looked up, he saw Qingcheng's mount's left hind hoof stepped into the air in a depression on the outer edge of the mountain path, slipped hard on the gravel-filled mountain path, and fell towards the valley.

Qingcheng yelled "Jueying!", clamped the horse's belly forcefully, pulled the rein and slammed it to the right, trying to stabilize the horse.But he didn't want Jueying to give up his left front hoof, and he had already slid down into the valley with Qingcheng.

Before Qingcheng fell, Zhan Zhao had already rushed to her side on horseback, and grabbed her right arm like the wind.However, Qingcheng and his horse fell quickly and heavily. Zhan Zhao's horse, Chasing Star, was extremely nimble and powerful, but after running long distances all night, he was inevitably fatigued. They slid down the mountain road together.

Although the valley below the road is not a cliff, it is also very steep.Amidst the neighing of the horse, Qingcheng and Zhanzhao barely stayed on their respective saddles, and slid down the gravel mountain wall for twenty or thirty feet before stopping on a gentle slope.

Qingcheng fought back and tightened the reins of the horse, but Jueying still raised her hooves and couldn't circle around.The hand that had been holding her right arm tightly during the fall just now still didn't relax a bit at this moment, she sighed, let go of Jueying's rein and stirrup, and with a little leverage, jumped onto Zhan Zhao's saddle.

Zhan Zhao stretched out his arms to wrap Qingcheng in front of the saddle, and tightened his grip on Chasing Star.Zhuixing let out a loud snort, struggled back and forth, and finally settled down.

The two waited quietly on the saddle for a while, then jumped off the horse one after the other.Jueying, who was hovering at the side, also gradually stopped and stood still on the gentle slope.

Qingcheng approached Jueying lightly, took off the deerskin gloves, and stroked the mane on the horse's neck.She combed the thick horse mane slowly with her fingertips, like soothing a baby, slowly calming down Juying's emotions.Jueying quietly lowered her head, put on Qingcheng's skirt, her eyes were slightly closed, as if full of guilt.

Under the moonlight, Qingcheng lowered his head to check, frowned and said: "The left front shoe is loose."

Zhan Zhao's eyes also stopped on Jueying's left front hoof.It was originally a semicircle of fine iron, but now there is only a thin edge still embedded in the horse's hoof, occasionally shining like a crescent moon.

He sighed heavily: "It's just that I was too hasty when I left Yanzhou City, and I forgot to ask the horse officer to check. This will not only put you in danger, but also almost hurt Jueying."

Qingcheng picked up Jueying's reins and looked up at the mountain road when he came.The winding path, like a thin gray snake, hangs above the dark mountain.It is only a blink of an eye to slide down from top to bottom, but if you want to ride back to the mountain road along the original road, it is impossible.

Qingcheng and Zhan Zhao looked at each other, and took the reins silently.Zhan Zhao led Zhu Xing to accompany her behind her.The two walked down the valley all the way along the gentle slope, turned around a mountain depression, and a dense pine forest appeared in front of them.

Qingcheng stopped in front of the pine forest and stopped quietly.Although the bottom of the valley is still cold, it is much less windy than on the mountain road.As the breeze passed by, a corner of her military uniform was gently lifted up like a returning bird retracting its wings, and then fell down immediately.

Zhan Zhao led the horse to her side and listened attentively.Among the pines, there was a faint trickling sound, like a silver bell nine days away.

Surprise flashed in his eyes, and he walked into the forest with pine needles and fallen leaves all over the ground. After walking more than a hundred steps, he saw a clear stream meandering down from the valley and converging into a lake in the lower part of the forest.The lake is more than ten feet in diameter, clear and clear, with a faint layer of cold smoke floating on the surface of the water, just like a fairyland under the moon, a fairyland.

Zhan Zhao led Zhuxing all the way to the lake, pinned the rein behind his back, leaned over and scooped up a handful of lake water, sniffed it lightly, then sucked it into his mouth for a little rinse, then let go of the rein, and let Zhuxing Drinking water by the lake.

In this extremely dry northwestern hinterland, there is such a lake hidden in the deep mountains and low valleys. It is unbelievable that it is both real and illusory at first glance.

The sweet taste of the lake water is still on the tip of the tongue, and the sound of footsteps has come behind me.Zhan Zhao didn't look back, and said with a smile, "Master Fan would be very happy if he knew that there is such a water source not far from Yanzhou City."

Qingcheng also let go of the reins, and let Jueying and Chasing Star drink water side by side by the lake: "The terrain here is low-lying, it is difficult to build a fortress, and it is impossible to divert water elsewhere. This lake is born in this Juegu, even if it is clear and sweet, I am afraid it can only I can admire myself alone, and I will die here forever."

Zhan Zhao shook his head, not wanting to argue with her: "I'm going to pick up some branches. Let's rest here tonight and wait until dawn to find the way out of the valley."

After he picked up enough pine branches in the forest and returned to the original spot, Zhuixing and Jueying had already drank enough water and gathered together, brushing each other lightly with their tail manes from time to time, looking very contented.Qingcheng sat alone on the sand by the lake with her knees hugged, her eyebrows lowered, thoughtful.

Zhan Zhao put the pine branches on the ground, walked to Jueying, untied the Chunjun sword from the saddle, and threw it towards Qingcheng: "Even if there is no one here, I don't know if there are any wild animals. It's better to be vigilant."

With a wave of Qingcheng's hand, Chunjun fell into his palm.She held the scabbard backwards, and put the sword on the ground beside her: "In this day and age, even if you are always on guard, it is difficult to be safe..."

She raised her eyebrows lightly, full of self-deprecating meaning: "If I knew that I would travel hundreds of miles every day, instead of living as a human being, it would be better to be reincarnated as a horse. It would be easier to die before the battle, or be killed by the claws of beasts."

Zhan Zhao sat on the ground beside her, and took out the flint and fire knife from his arms.

The flints collided, splashing sparks, shining between his eyebrows: "Listen to you, are you blaming me?"

Qingcheng smiled wryly and said: "Are you wronged? In the past year, you have been Master Fan's messenger in public, but in secret you have been a jailer in Kaifeng Mansion. Although Northwest is big, I am no different from a prisoner in prison, and I have no freedom at all."

Zhan Zhao's face remained unchanged, and he carefully ignited the fire on a pine branch: "So what? If I hadn't been paying attention and being careful all the time this year, you might have traveled all over Xingqing Mansion and leveled Tiandu Mountain. How can I sit here, relax, and gossip?"

Qingcheng shook her head and said: "Gossip is commonplace?... Well said. In troubled times, even the theory of life and death can only be regarded as commonplace gossip..."

She took a deep breath, the rosin in the forest was faint, and her bosom was full of fragrance: "Up until now, you have never had the slightest trust in me...Since that is the case, why did you force me to high five?"

Zhan Zhao lowered his head, his eyes fell on the Zhanlu sword scabbard on his waist: "It was only because I was lucky at the time that I thought you would finally be able to let go of your heart... Who knows that winter has passed and autumn has come, but you have not changed at all! "

Qingcheng was silent for a moment: "That's right, I haven't changed. If the northwest has changed this year, it's probably you."

Zhan Zhao didn't answer, but just raised his hand and threw the pine branches at his feet into the burning fire.There was a crackling sound as the pine branches clashed against each other in the flames.

"Is there?" He seemed to be asking Qingcheng, more like asking himself.

Qingcheng buried her chin between her palms, and frowned her slender eyebrows: "You have changed since you came back from the White Leopard City... I don't understand, in the rivers and lakes, in Kaifeng, you have lost more than a thousand lives? Zhanlu Jianfeng Above, you are already full of blood. Since you have experienced such an experience, why did you come here and become uneasy and hesitant?"

Zhan Zhao's brows were drawn together, revealing a faint Sichuan character.

As if overwhelmed by heavy thoughts, he slowly said: "The souls under my sword back then were all people who deserved to die. Even though I killed their karma, I feel at ease and have reason... But Ever since I came here, I suddenly discovered that a single message I sent could kill thousands of people in an instant."

"In the White Leopard City that night, although I didn't make a move, I saw [-] party members were burned to death in the fort by Mr. Ren Furen in a surprise attack. At that time, the flames in the city shot up into the sky, illuminating the entire night sky. When the ashes cleared, the ground was covered with scorched bones, and the weapons withered...I couldn't help thinking, are all those [-] party members really deserving of death?"

Qingcheng said quietly: "During the battle, you will either kill or be killed. Apart from that, there is no other choice. The reason is so simple, why do you bother to think so much?"

Zhan Zhao shook his head: "Human life is at stake, how can I not want to?"

Qingcheng let out a long sigh: "No wonder you came back from White Leopard City that day. For three days, you just lowered your head and meditated. You didn't say a word except to reply to Mr. Fan... After all, the Battle of White Leopard City has continued to this day. , isn’t your daily running around the same as it was back then?”

Zhan Zhao lowered his eyes sadly: "That's right. I have a burden on my shoulders, and I can't help myself... Every time you and I send a message for Mr. Fan, there will be an open and dark assassination, swords and swords. Whether it is a member of the party or a member of the Song Dynasty , There will always be hundreds of lives affected. The military orders we sent out are only in black and white, but between the strokes and ink marks, thousands of people's blood, tears and wealth are involved.

He looked up at the starry sky: "Every night when people are quiet, I always feel that my armor is full of blood. Ask yourself: Who is really unforgivable? Who should live in this world? One thought, life and death are impermanent, Who should decide all of this?"

Qingcheng sat up straight, took off the silver helmet on her head, and put it on her lap.The moonlight fell on the helmet, reflecting in her hazy eyes.

"Life is alive, and there is no way to keep everything clear. In the Ganzhou Changes, my people were devastated. Who can they complain to? Those who have been slaughtered by knives, Uighur, Xiqiang, Song, and the next And who is it?... If you think about the wolves of the party and others, you won't be so distressed."

Zhan Zhao looked at her silhouette: "Blood debts are repaid with blood, when will it end?"

Qingcheng was silent for a long time, her fingers lightly wrapped around the red tassel on the top of the helmet.Thin red velvet threads wound around her pale fingertips in circles, seemingly endless.

Her voice was soft, not in her current state of mind at all.

"I can't answer this question."

She suddenly put the silver helmet on the ground, took off her boots and socks, and stood up.In the light and darkness of the fire, one could vaguely see an old scar on her right ankle, like a light crimson imprint, deeply engraved into the skin.

Zhan Zhao was surprised by her actions, before he could ask her, he saw that Qing Cheng had already taken off her plain armor uniform.

The iron clothes are like scales, and there is no one to collect them.

The moonlight streamed down, shining on her light silver close-fitting soft armor.Ever since she came to the northwest, Zhan Zhao asked her to protect herself with tencel armor every day, and it was rare that she complied without waiting for him to waste his time.

Zhan Zhao frowned: "You...this is...?"

Qingcheng didn't look back, and said quietly: "You are right. The bloody smell all over the body is indeed unbearable for a moment."

Before Zhan Zhao could answer, Qing Cheng had already walked to the edge of the lake, leaped forward, his figure drew a half arc, and jumped into the lake.

Zhan Zhao was taken aback and quickly stood up.There are only waves of ripples in the lake in front of my eyes, but Qingcheng is gone.

Layers of worry and fear filled my heart like a dense fog.He was only afraid that there would be unknown dangers in the lake, so he shouted loudly: "Qingcheng!"

The night wind was like a whine, but no sound was heard.In the quiet world, it seemed that he was the only one left.

It seems that after a long time, and it seems that it was just a moment, Qingcheng suddenly emerged from the lake, undulating with the waves, as light as a silver fish.During the swim, she raised her head, brushed off the water droplets on her face, her face remained unchanged, as if she had completely forgotten the bitterness and concentration just now.

When the light mirror reunited and the waves cleared away, Qingcheng had already sat back beside the fire.Zhan Zhao had already taken off the two pieces of sable fur that were wrapped in the star-chasing saddle, one was spread on the ground under Qingcheng's body, and the other surrounded her whole body.

Zhan Zhao sat beside Qingcheng, supported five or six pine branches with each other, took out some cold dry food from the package, borrowed the slight flame from the fire, and baked the dry food on the pine branches.

"The water in the lake is cold, you are so willful, it's no wonder you don't get sick."

Qingcheng wrapped the sable fur tightly around her body: "It's worth it even if you're sick to learn one of your secrets by accident."

Zhan Zhao stopped and raised his eyebrows: "My secret?"

Qingcheng said leisurely: "That's right. Unexpectedly, Master Zhan is omnipotent in culture and martial arts, but he can't do water."

Zhan Zhao was stunned suddenly, but the smile on her lips deepened: "Really?"

After a long time, Zhan Zhao lowered his head and laughed at himself: "Not bad."

Qingcheng said strangely: "With your inner breath skill, it should be easy to hold your breath and drink water, why don't you try?"

Zhan Zhao raised his head, looked at the fire in front of him, and said slowly: "I was born in Yujie Village, Baihualing, Wujin County, Changzhou Prefecture. When I was four years old, my hometown was hit by a plague, and my parents died of illness. Although the neighboring villagers were poor, , but donated money to raise me. One day when I was six years old, I played with some children by the river in the village. It was the middle of winter, and a layer of ice formed on the river, so we dug ice holes to fish. Unexpectedly, one of the children slipped and fell into the ice cave while walking. I tried my best to pull him up, but I slipped into the river myself. I felt as cold as needles all over my body, and there seemed to be light on the top of my head, but I couldn’t find the exit. I opened my mouth to call for help, but only the cold river water poured into my mouth.”

Qingcheng had never heard Zhan Zhao mention his childhood experiences, but now he suddenly heard about the past, and was greatly surprised.

"At this moment, there was a loud noise like a thunderbolt, and the sky above my head was so bright that I couldn't open my eyes. Then someone grabbed my right arm, pulled me out of the river, and put me on the river bank I narrowly escaped death and stared blankly at the man. It turned out that he was passing by here, saw me falling into the water, and in a panic broke the ice with the scabbard of his long sword to save me... That was my first The moment I saw my master was also the moment when I met Zhanlujian for the first time..."

The flames rose slowly and smoked slowly, lingering and lingering, just like the old scene.

Zhan Zhao sighed lightly: "Since then, I have been learning art with my master, traveling all over the world, and making five lakes my home. Although I wanted to learn Fushui a few times, I always dreaded being near the water. Maybe it was that scene back then. The experience made me develop a fear of water."

Qingcheng nodded, and the corners of his mouth lightly raised: "I see... I didn't expect that it would be appropriate for the officials to designate you as a royal cat... However, if Bai Yutang knows this secret, I'm afraid that the years of dispute between you will be ruined sooner or later." That's the winner."

Zhan Zhao shook his head and said, "He knew about this earlier."

This answer was really beyond Qingcheng's expectation: "Oh, really?"

Zhan Zhao said indifferently: "If you think that he will use this to gain the upper hand, you are wrong...Although he is proud and arrogant, but his conduct is open and upright. Looking at the world, it is rare to see him."

Qingcheng laughed and said: "Bai Yutang guarded Kaifeng for you, and you praised him so much. Why don't you think about it, with his temperament, in the past few years, I don't know how many disasters he will cause for Mr. Bao? In my opinion, you are so Arrangements, in the end you will regret it."

Zhan Zhao didn't answer, but instead asked, "How do you know that I don't know how to swim?"

Qing Chenglian smiled, and after a moment of silence, said quietly: "Just now I dived into the bottom of the lake, purposely holding my breath in the water. If you know how to swim, you will definitely jump into the lake to find me early in the morning, and you will never stop Stay ashore."

Zhan Zhao's heart was shocked, he felt all kinds of flavors entangled for a moment, and couldn't tell whether it was sweet or bitter.

In his silent feeling, Qingcheng had already turned to his side and leaned against his back.

She raised her head and slowly rested her shoulders on the pillow.

Green ribbons of water, thousands of strands like a waterfall, she let loose at will, brushed over her shoulders, and hung down his whole body.The water droplets on the hair occasionally fell, slid over the armor on his body, landed silently, and melted into the gravel.

She breathed softly and long: "I'll sleep for an hour first, and then you wake me up to replace you."

Zhan Zhao smiled slightly: "Being your companion always has to suffer."

At that time, according to the camping system of the Song Army, when they were on duty at night, they must be in groups of two, sitting with their backs, one guarding the previous night and the other guarding the latter night, which was called "companion".Qingcheng and Zhan Zhao have been here for many years, and they often travel together and sleep in the mountains, which is also following this example.

The starlight fell into her clear eyes, and it was full of melancholy: "These days, you have complained more and more... This war will always end, and when you return to Bianjing, you will return with your clothes. Marrying a wife and having children, and looking back on the situation at this moment, you will definitely feel that all this is just a dream."

Zhan Zhao also raised his head, and saw that the sky was full of stars, blinking and disappearing: "I feel that ten years of Kaifeng, to me now, is like a dream, unreachable, as if it happened in a previous life."

Qingcheng frowned lightly: "For the sake of the two years we have known each other, I have something to ask, would you like to do it for me?"

She looked down at the Chunjun sword on the ground.With the scabbard closed to the hilt, the brilliance is all restrained, and he is lying quietly with Zhanlu.

"After I die, I will entrust Chunjun to you, let him be with Zhanlu."

Zhan Zhao only felt a ray of bitterness filling his heart, and reluctantly said: "The Chunjun sword is the most precious treasure in the world, you are so generous, you gave it to me in just one sentence, I am afraid that everyone in the martial arts will not be angry."

Qingcheng closed her eyes: "What do you say about the peerless magic weapon, but it's just an extremely lonely sword. I can't accomplish anything in this life, let it accompany me, at least I have to do my best to arrange its destination properly .”

Zhan Zhao remained silent for a long time, then slowly replied: "I can't do this."

He picked up a bouquet of Qingcheng's hair, and gently held it in the palm of his hand.The blue silk turns round and round, and the vicissitudes of life are exhausted without words.

"The three promises of high five may be just an expedient measure for you; for me, it is completely different... I said at the time that I would never allow you to die before me, even if the time has passed, it is the same now .”

Qingcheng suddenly opened her eyes: "You...why are you always so stubborn?"

Zhan Zhao smiled and said, "In terms of stubbornness, how can I compare to you?"

He suddenly suppressed the smile on his face, and said deeply: "Qingcheng, when will you be able to completely let go of the burden in your heart?"

Qingcheng shook her head slowly: "You don't understand...you will never understand...only when you see the person you love the most is killed in front of you, you will understand what is hatred and what is hatred ... This hatred and hatred eat up your past and make you no longer you. If one day, you really throw away this hatred, you will only be left with a shell, and there is no meaning to live. The past you, In any case, it will never be found again."

Zhan Zhao was silent.The two leaned on each other quietly like this, and neither of them spoke anymore.

The stars fill the sky, just like the pearls and diamonds in the black jade plate, the rays of light merge into the moonlight, shining brightly on the sea.

Suddenly, a pearl slipped from the plate, fell from the sky, and fell into the world.

A flash of surprise appeared in Zhan Zhao's eyes: "It's a shooting star!"

He turned his head and turned to look at Qingcheng: "Qingcheng, make a wish. Old people often say that if you make a wish before the shooting star falls to the ground, it will come true."

Qingcheng closed her eyes and shook her head: "It's a trick to lie to children, don't fool me."

But Zhan Zhao straightened his back: "I'd rather believe it... Let's make a bet, if it doesn't work, I will lose."

Without him to lean on her back, Qingcheng sighed helplessly, wrapped her sable fur tightly, and stood up.

She walked forward more than ten steps barefoot, looked up, and just saw another shooting star trailing and falling.There was a trace of surprise in her eyes, for a moment, her eyelashes closed slightly, and then opened.

Zhan Zhao still sat where he was, stretched out his arms to remove the baked dry food on the pine branch, and smiled, "How?"

Qingcheng looked into his eyes from a distance, and in the blink of an eye there was a hint of naughtiness: "I just made a wish, I hope that tonight's supper will no longer be this dry and hard corn cake. How, maybe my wish will come true? "

Hearing that she was such a joke, Zhan Zhao was both surprised and amused at the same time, he missed and dropped the dry food in his hand on the ground.

Seeing him like this, Qingcheng couldn't help but burst out laughing.She walked towards where Zhan Zhao was sitting, and suddenly let out a soft cry, as if she had stepped on something sharp, she couldn't stand stably, and fell to the ground.

Zhan Zhao was startled, stood up and rushed over: "What's wrong?"

But she was sitting on the ground in a daze, holding a hard round fruit the size of a pebble in her hand, which was dark green and full of sharp thorns.

Zhan Zhao raised his head and looked up, and he saw that among hundreds of pine trees, there was an old tree that was different, with straight branches and broad leaves, and thousands of fruits hanging densely from it, it was actually a wild chestnut tree.

He couldn't help showing his face and smiling: "I said that I would rather believe it, it really is."

Qingcheng was still sitting on the ground, smiled wryly, shook his head and said, "How can it be fair to ask these mountain spirits and tree monsters to be your helpers?"

Dozens of chestnuts were thrown into the fire, and the calm flames rose high, fluttering and jumping, as unpredictable as life.But at the time of cupping tea, a wisp of sweet fragrance slowly drifted out from the fire.Zhan Zhao drew out the Zhanlu sword, and used the edge of the sword to pull out the roasted chestnuts from the embers of the fire one by one.

He smiled faintly, picked up a chestnut fruit, blew it off slightly, and handed it back to Qingcheng behind him.

Qingcheng raised his hand to take it, and sighed softly: "Taking chestnuts out of the fire is like boiling cranes and burning pianos. If Zhanlu could speak, he would scold you."

She was still sitting leaning against Zhan Zhao, but she was not in a hurry to peel off the chestnut fruit, letting the warmth on the smooth peel iron her fingertips.Clenching your palms tightly, your heart is peaceful and soft at this moment, which you haven't seen for more than ten years.

She closed her eyes again, indulged her deep tiredness, and put her whole body weight on her back.

Her breathing gradually calmed down, and she seemed to fall asleep.

But a tear dripped from the eyelashes, and slipped across his cheek, just like the real wish he made just now, he was not allowed to know.

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