Duan Ling nodded and quickly caught up with the boys.
Sure enough, there was no one along the way, far from the north of the city, and the voice gradually became quieter. I don't know how the war was going, and it was close to Cai's house, so Cai Yan said, "Go to my house and hide."
Tired and hungry, the teenagers nodded and entered Cai Yan's house.
Cai Yan wanted to find something to eat, so he shouted a few servants, but no one came. The house was in a mess, and it was obvious that he had been swept away. Duan Ling went to the backyard to see and saw a Yuan soldier died in the corner, and was shot in the back. One arrow seems to have escaped here after being shot to death, and the body has not yet cooled down.
"There is a dead man." Duan Ling said calmly while drinking water.
"Don't care about him." Cai Yan said, "come to the front hall."
Helianbo turned the Cai's kitchen upside down. There was nothing there. The fire hadn't been lit for several days. It was freezing cold. He had to drink some water from the well. .
"Drink more water." Duan Ling said, "Drinking water can fill you up, and when the bark is plucked, it can also satisfy your hunger."
Everyone was hungry for a long time, and Duan Ling touched Cai Yan's forehead again—still had a fever, so everyone leaned on each other, Helianbo snored and drooling, Duan Ling took a pillow and lay on Helianbo Beside him, he fell asleep with the sword in his hand.
Cai Yan was lying on the table and fell asleep. The hall was all over the place and fell asleep. I don't know how long it took, the sound of horses' hooves sounded again, and everyone had become frightened. Peeping, I saw that it was a soldier wearing a patrol division, coming over with a bloody face.
"Anyone in there?" the soldier shouted.
Helianbo pushed open the door and went out, but Duan Ling didn't show up. He was afraid that deserters would come to rob him. Fortunately, the soldier said, "After the fight, go to the school grounds outside the Patrol Division. You'll have something to eat."
Everyone thanked God, Helian Bo hurriedly chased after him and asked: "Yuan, Yuan, Yuan people go, go..."
The soldier didn't bother to pay attention to him at all, he turned around and left, and the teenagers burst into laughter, each wearing a single shirt and shorts, you look at me, I look at you, like a new life.
Although Duan Ling had a snack last night, he was starving before his eyes. However, with such a large group of people, they had to pass through the small half of Shangjing City, and it had rained.
Outside the Patrol Division lay a lot of wounded soldiers, groaning loudly in pain, and their armor was thrown all over the floor.
The fire in the north gate had been put out, and it was as if going to Beijing had been washed over. Duan Ling looked very sad, and turned to look for Li Jianhong. Among the people who came and went, there seemed to be a wonderful connection. Guiding his sight, he saw his father at a glance.
Li Jianhong's armor was covered with purple-black blood, and he was standing outside the gate of the patrol division, talking to the injured Yelu Dashi.
Duan Ling was about to run out, but Li Jianhong didn't look sideways, his expression was serious, he still faced Yelu Dashi, but his left hand gently shook Duan Ling with his fingers.
Duan Ling understood, Li Jianhong didn't want Yelu Dashi to see him, so he turned around and entered the crowd to find Cai Yan who was running around.
The stretchers were carried into the shed one by one, and Cai Yan asked anxiously, "Where's my brother?"
"Young Master Cai." Someone said to him.
It was a soldier, Duan Ling followed Cai Yan over, and the soldier handed Cai Yan a piece of cake and said, "Eat first."
Cai Yan took it and handed it to Duan Ling. Duan Ling put it in his arms and followed Cai Yan into a greenhouse made of white cloth. The shed was full of wounded soldiers. Cai Yan stopped, but the soldiers were still walking forward. When they reached the end of the shed, there was only one person lying there, covered with a white cloth.
Cai Yan knelt down in front of the corpse in silence, pulled the white cloth, and Cai Wen's blood-stained and dirty face appeared under the cloth. Half of the arrow shaft showed through his chest, and he was holding the other half of the broken arrow in his hand.
"He's not good at kung fu. Yelu Dashi promoted him for my father's sake." Cai Yan said to Duan Ling, "I asked your father to teach me swordsmanship. Originally, I wanted to go back and teach him how to save his life."
After saying this, Cai Yan fell into Duan Ling's arms.
Duan Ling wiped his tears, afraid that Cai Yan would be sad when he woke up and saw his brother's body, so he took him out with great difficulty. After all, he was a family member, and his brother had died for the country, so he ordered the military doctor to see Cai Yan first.
The doctor prescribed some medicine to reduce the fever, Duan Ling went to borrow a crock pot, put it on the stove where the soldiers made the fire, boiled it, fed Cai Yan with a reed tube and drank it. Duan Ling said: "Hey, go to the famous hall, the master of the Biyong hall is waiting there."
The soldiers of the Patrol Division borrowed a scooter and put Duan Ling and Cai Yan on it. It was already late at night when he arrived at the Hall of Fame, and Cai Yan felt better, but he still had a low-grade fever and babbled from time to time. Helianbo, who was scattered outside the school grounds, also came to him. There were also many teenagers from the Biyong Hall. When the Yuan army entered the city, they escaped slowly and died. .
Duan Ling saw the Master, who was telling a story with a group of children in the famous hall.
"Later, Guan Zhong shot Young Master Bai with an arrow." The master said to the children, "Young Master Bai screamed and fell into the car."
Duan Ling knelt down at the end of the children's line, and when he looked up, he saw a lamp beside the Master, according to the "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" hanging in the bookstore, he couldn't help but think of the day he parted from Batu, life and death. , like a big dream.
The next day, Cai Yan finally woke up, but Duan Ling was so tired that he fell asleep.
"Hello." Cai Yan said, "It's time to eat."
On the third day after the departure of the Yuan army, the Shangjing gradually restored order. The gentlemen distributed food, and the rations were even more pitiful. A classmate who called Hu Yanna hurried up and said, "The sacrifice is coming, let everyone go downstairs. ."
Duan Ling helped Cai Yan go downstairs, and another hall was opened in the famous hall for offering sacrifices.
"Rolling." Tang Jishi said, "Go over one, go out one, and the one who goes out is first in the hall, Xiao Rong..."
The called student stepped forward and said "Yes", and Tang Jishi drew a line on the roster.
"... Are you there?" Tang Jishi called his name, but no one answered. Someone said, "Not anymore."
"When was the last time I saw you?" Tang Jishi asked again.
"He was shot to death by the Yuan army," the man replied.
"Well, he's dead." Tang Jishi drew a circle on the list, and after a long period of silence, he began to roll his name.
"Helianbo." Tang Jishi said again.
"Yes." Helianbo took a step forward, Tang Jishi nodded, pointed to the outside, and said, "Your mother is here to pick him up, let's go now, when to resume school, wait for the announcement."
Helianbo glanced at Duan Ling with a questioning look in his eyes, and Duan Ling waved his hand, knowing that Li Jianhong would come.
"Cai Yan." Tang Jishi asked again, "Are you there?"
Cai Yan didn't answer, and Duan Ling said, "He's here."
Tang Jishi noticed Cai Yan and said, "Wait in the garden, the family will come to pick him up later."
"There is no family anymore." Cai Yan replied, "My brother is dead."
Tang Jishi said: "Then go back first, and wait for the announcement to resume school."
Cai Yan turned around and walked out. Duan Ling was about to follow, but Tang Jishi recognized it and said, "Duan Ling?"
"Hey." Duan Ling said.
Tang Ji Shi said, "Let's go together and send Cai Yan back."
Duan Ling nodded, followed Cai Yan out of the hall, and sat together waiting in the early morning sunlight. He had waited for this place many times. At that time, he looked through the autumn water and waited for Lang Junxia. Cai Wen rode a tall horse and blew at them outside the door. whistle. At that time, Batu hadn't left yet, and he always couldn't wait for someone to pick him up. After the crowd had dispersed, he would wander around, go back to hug the quilt, and go to sleep in the bookstore.
It was bustling outside the alley. The parents of Biyong Hall and Mingtang Hospital came to pick up their children. They were all crowded at the door, their faces were all dirty, their clothes were messy, and some were bloodstained.
"Mother-"
"Your father is gone..."
There were endless cries, and some people shouted to get out of the way, hurriedly threw wooden signs at the doorman, and left with their children.
Cai Yan leaned in front of the pillar and fell asleep.
"Cai Yan?" Duan Ling wanted to say you should come to my house, but Cai Yan replied, "Go away and let me sleep for a while."
Duan Ling had to take off his robe and put it on Cai Yan.
When Li Jianhong came, he was still wearing coarse clothes and a top hat, standing outside the fence, bathing in the morning light and smiling at Duan Ling.
Duan Ling got up lightly, ran to the fence, and asked, "Are you done?"
Li Jianhong said to him, "Why don't you wear a robe? What should I do if I'm sick? Let's go now."
Duan Ling said, "There is no sign, so I have to ask the priest to sign a pledge in advance."
Li Jianhong said: "I have to sign someone else to bring my son? What's the point? Wait for me to come in."
Saying that, Li Jianhong was about to climb over the wall, but was stopped by Duan Ling.
"Shh." Duan Ling looked back at Cai Yan, and was about to speak, but Li Jianhong raised his hand to indicate that he understood, beckoned, and motioned to leave together.
Duan Ling went back to look for the sacrifice and wrote a note, shook Cai Yan, Cai Yan opened his eyes, but he looked at Duan Ling as if he didn't know him, Duan Ling tried Cai Yan's forehead, and sent low fever.
"Go to my place." Duan Ling said, "Let's go."
"What?" Cai Yan asked softly.
Duan Ling felt sad when he saw Cai Yan, but he didn't know what to say. Li Jianhong didn't know when he came in. He looked down at Cai Yan, and Cai Yan closed his eyes again. Duan Ling had to pick up the half-dead Cai Yan's arm, Li Jianhong bowed, picked up Cai Yan, and went home with Duan Ling.
That night, there was a lot of food at home. Duan Ling settled Cai Yan and went to fetch water to wash his hair and bathe Li Jianhong. Li Jianhong was naked, sitting on a small bench in front of the well fence. The light shone on his skin, like a leopard that had just returned from hunting.
Duan Ling rubbed his back and chest, the smell of blood came out, and Li Jianhong put his blood-stained purple palm into the bucket to wash.
"Father." Duan Ling lifted the bucket and poured it on Li Jianhong's head.
"Hey, my son." Li Jianhong said, "People always have things, even if they know that they will die, they have to do it. Don't feel sorry for him."
Duan Ling said "um".
He knelt down behind Li Jianhong, turned to hug his waist, leaned his head on his back, and sighed.
"We'll be back soon."
When sleeping that night, Li Jianhong pulled up the quilt and put it over the two of them.
Duan Ling looked at the top of the tent in a trance and said, "It would be great if people in the world stopped fighting."
"Your fourth uncle often said this." Li Jianhong said, "Whenever I come back from victory, I always think of his words."
Duan Ling turned over, leaned against Li Jianhong's arm, closed his eyes and fell asleep.
The next day, Cai Yan woke up again, the fever subsided, but his body was very weak. He wanted to get out of bed and heard the conversation between Duan Ling and Li Jianhong in the courtyard.
"It jumped like this." Li Jianhong said, "From the flowerpot, go up the fence first, then up the wall, come."
Li Jianhong taught Duan Ling to jump over the wall, and he always jumped up easily, but Duan Ling threw himself against the wall every time. Li Jianhong laughed at Duan Ling, and Duan Ling said, "I can't jump up! I'm not you!"
When Duan Ling was about to change his voice, his voice was rustling like a duck. Li Jianhong imitated Duan Ling's speech seriously: "I can't jump up! Dad! Give me a hand!"
Duan Ling was angry and found it funny. He couldn't do anything about Li Jianhong, so Li Jianhong held his rib to save him some effort. When Cai Yan got out of bed, Li Jianhong heard it.
"Is it better?" Li Jianhong asked.
Cai Yan nodded, and Li Jianhong signaled Duan Ling to take care of Cai Yan. The three of them had breakfast at the table. Cai Yan didn't speak the whole time. At the end, he put down his chopsticks and said, "I'm sorry, thank you for taking care of me, I'm leaving."
Duan Ling said, "How about..."
Li Jianhong interrupted: "Go back?"
Cai Yan nodded and said, "My brother is restrained, there is no one at home, so I have to go back and have a look."
Li Jianhong nodded and gestured to Duan Ling with his eyes. Duan Ling remembered his father's order in the morning and said, "Then... you take care of yourself, and I will come to see you in a few days."
Cai Yan said, "Thank you."
Cai Yan bowed to the ground, Duan Ling hurriedly got up to return the salute, Cai Yan quickly walked through the corridor, went home, and did not forget to close the door when he went out.