Thousands of troops cried bitterly, eight hundred battalions of swords and guns roared night after night, and their murderous intent was soaring to the sky!
All the people are mourning, the three thousand miles of Guanlong are all covered with silk, and the mountains and rivers have lost their color!
…
Qin Mubai, kneeling alone in front of the brazier in the mourning hall, threw paper money into the brazier page by page, his face as calm as his father's memorial tablet placed above his head.
For three days, he remained almost unchanged.
No food, no rest, no tears and no sound.
Li Daozong led a group of people to offer condolences in the mourning hall of his front house. Generals from the three armies and officials from various prefectures and counties arrived one by one. Wu Meiniang's family, Princess Gaoyang and others stayed in the back hall wearing linen and mourning, and accompanied Qin Mubai to burn incense and paper on Qin Shubao's memorial tablet.
At this moment, Qin Mubai drove everyone away, leaving only one person serving in front of the spiritual throne. Although Wu Meiniang and Princess Gaoyang were deeply worried and refused to leave, at this moment, they did not dare to make any mistakes.
"Father… "
Qin Mubai gently put down a page of money into the brazier, and just like Pin Ming talked to Qin Shubao when chatting, he softly said: "Sanlang is looking forward to your return, looking through the autumn water. But at this moment, where are you?"
"The eagle flute is beautifully made. I think the eagle or the flute will definitely like it in the future."
"Your Lao Han legs will no longer hurt. In the end, Saburo will never be able to defeat you on horseback with a tiger's head and a golden gun."
"Father, do you know? In Saburo's heart, you are a mountain. I climb to the peaks on your shoulders, look up at the stars and reach out to touch the sky; you are a majestic thousand-mile horse, and Saburo rides on you, galloping Thousands of miles of high spirits; you are an omnipotent god. Whenever Saburo is lost and helpless, as long as he thinks of you, he will always be filled with endless strength and courage. "
"But now, you are no longer here..."
"I regret so much!... I shouldn't have healed your leg, so I would have left you at home to take care of yourself. That way, at least you are still here!... I am a cowardly, unfilial, frivolous, dissolute son with little ambition and talent. I want to bring glory to the Qin family. I have built a career that I think is glorious, but it has cost my old and sick father all the hard work, but I rely on your breath, and I can't do my job properly, and I am still proud of it... "
"Father, I would rather use everything I have now, including my life, in exchange for you still being alive... Did you hear that? Saburo has seen through everything and thought through it all. Hegemony, achievements, fame and fortune are all fleeting. No. What is more worth cherishing than family ties... Father, Saburo's biggest regret in this life is that I didn't let you see my children and let them enjoy themselves in your lap. I know that this is actually what you want most... If I could go back in time, I would rather not pursue my ambition and enter an official career, marry and have children at home, honor you, and provide for you until the end of your life..."
…
A deep whisper, without a second audience. Qin Shubao's spiritual tablet was placed on the beach, surrounded by smoke.
In the adjacent ear room, the window was gently opened a crack, and Princess Gao Yang, with red eyes, secretly peeked at Qin Mubai's side, biting her lips tightly.
"Come back and stop looking." Wu Meiniang pulled her back and closed the window.
"Meiniang, I'm so worried about Mu Bai..." Princess Gaoyang's eyes turned into peaches from crying, and now tears were rolling down her face, and she said softly, "I have known him for so many years, and I have never seen him like this. He doesn't cry or laugh. , silent, sleepless, as if suffering from heart failure... "
"No nonsense!" Wu Meiniang scolded her, blocking her next words, and said, "You have never experienced this kind of pain, so you won't understand. I was still young when my father passed away, and it felt like heaven. It collapsed. What's more, Duke Yi died at the hands of his enemies and his body has not yet returned... Princess, Mu Bai was uncharacteristically hurt, which is understandable."
"I'm worried now that he will go to extremes... Look at him, it's been three days. He has been sitting there burning paper and talking alone, and he doesn't care about anything in the outside world."
"I believe that Mu Bai is not the kind of fragile man who can withstand such a blow. Give him some time! Remember Mu Bai once said before that it is always easy for a girl to become a woman; it is always easy for a boy to become a woman. To become a man, he had to go through a lot of trials and tribulations. For him, the death of Duke Yi was a heartbreaking tragedy and suffering. Now, he was like a snake shedding its skin. It hurts, but you will become more resilient and mature afterward.”
"Mei Niang, why can you always speak so logically and think everything out so clearly..." Princess Gaoyang sighed and said, "I only know that I am worried about Mubai... I don't think about anything else."
"Why am I not worried? In fact, seeing him like this makes us more uncomfortable than him." Wu Meiniang also sighed and said, "I would rather he cry, curse, and yell like Yuwen Hongtai, Vent wantonly...that way, everything will be fine."
"That's a good man, I like him." Su Lian, who was sitting next to him, said coolly, "A man who dares to love, hate, cry and scold is enough. Qin Mubai has endured too much I have so much pressure and so many worries in my heart. It’s quite pitiful that I can’t scold or scold even if I want to cry.”
"What nonsense are you talking about? Believe it or not, this princess has slapped your mouth!" Princess Gao Yang said angrily, "If you like that wild boar-like man, go find him or marry him. Don't comment on my Mu Baipin! You have no qualifications." !”
"If you don't say it, don't say it. Why are you so angry?" Su Lianqing rolled her eyes and snorted, "I didn't say anything bad about him, really!"
"Okay, don't disturb Mu Bai." Wu Meiniang walked between the two of them to persuade them. After pondering for a moment, she said, "Looking at Mu Bai's condition, I'm afraid he won't be able to recover for a while. Even if he is fine, nothing will happen to him. , but this will hurt your body after all, and Duke Yi’s spirit in heaven doesn’t want to see him so sad and depressed... I have an idea, I wonder if it’s feasible?”
"Say it!"
"That's it… "
It's night.
The lights in the Governor's Mansion were still bright, and the undisguised cries of men could be heard from time to time. Many sergeants took turns climbing up to the roof, using soul flags to summon Qin Shubao's soul. The shrill and sad shouts echoed far and wide in the night sky.
Qin Mubai was still sitting in front of the brazier burning paper, with a few cold meals placed beside him without moving at all.
At this moment, a series of gentle bells sounded from the door of the mourning hall. Light, melodious, and unrestrained, it was incompatible with the dull and sad atmosphere, and it was walking towards the house.
Qin Mubai, who had been shutting himself in a confined space, was also attracted by this series of crisp and small ringtones. He couldn't help but stop his movements and turned his head.
He saw a very young child standing at the door of the mourning hall, wearing a fiery red brocade robe with two rows of braided petals, blinking a pair of big black eyes, full of curiosity and a little bit of confusion, looking at he.
"Where's the little girl?" Qin Mubai couldn't help but be surprised.
When he saw this little girl for the first time, Qin Mubai's heart palpitated slightly involuntarily. Just like old friends meeting each other in past and present lives. It seems familiar, but I can't remember where I saw it.
The little girl stood quietly at the door, neither uttering a word nor moving. She patted her tender little hands gently, and the two strings of red string bells on her wrists rang lightly.
The two people, one big and one small, looked at each other strangely. Qin Mubai tried hard to recall where he had seen this little girl. Why did he have such a feeling of déjà vu? The little girl glanced at Qin Mubai, blinked her bright black eyes, suddenly grinned shyly and funny, and ran to the side.
Suddenly her feet staggered and the little girl fell to the ground. Qin Mubai's heart suddenly hurt, and he jumped up to hug her.
The little girl didn't cry. After being picked up by Qin Mubai, she looked at him smiling happily, still patting him gently with his two pink hands, jingle, jingle.
"Whose child are you? Why are you here?" Qin Mubai looked around outside the house and saw no one else, then he carried her into the mourning hall, sat down on a big chair, and finally revealed a few With his first smile in heaven, he teased her and asked, "Where are your parents?"
"My mother asked me to come." The little girl is still very young and can't walk steadily. She is obviously still babbling.
"Then where did your mother go?"
"It's right there!" the little girl pointed outward.
Qin Mubai carried her to the door and looked around, but there was still no one there!
"Perhaps I left for a while. How about you stay here obediently until your mother comes back?" Qin Mubai felt happy and attached to this beautiful and cute little girl, full of childishness and aura, so he sent her to her again. He carried her back to the house and sat down.
The little girl didn't seem to be afraid of strangers at all. She let him hold her and sat on his lap. She kept shaking her wrists and making tinkling sounds, and occasionally she let out innocent, lively and unrestrained laughter. She never tired of it.
"Back then, my father used to hug me and play with me like this..." Qin Mubai glanced at the spiritual tablet, smiled slightly, and said to the little girl, "Tell uncle, what is your name?"
"Xiao Lou'er!"
"What?" Qin Mubai was stunned!
"Xiao Lou'er!" the little girl said with a smile.
Qin Mubai's heart skipped a beat, he held her upright and asked her, "What's your mother's name?"
"Call me mother..."
"What about your dad?"
The little girl seemed a little intimidated. She pouted and looked at Qin Mubai in fear, not daring to speak.
"Okay, be good... Uncle loves you and will buy you some sweets later... Tell uncle, what is your father's name?"
"I have no idea… "
Qin Mubai was suddenly at a loss, thinking that the child was still too young, at most one or two years old, and it was normal to not be able to figure it out—it would be a big mistake to ask her family then!
So, he prepared to pick her up and leave the house to look for her family.
"Mom said, dad is the most handsome man in the world, and a great hero..." the little girl said suddenly.
Qin Mubai hesitated, swallowed dryly, and asked: "Xiaolou'er, be good, tell uncle, are you... surnamed Qin?"
"Yes! How did you know?... My name is Qin Xiaolou!"
Qin Mubai picked her up high, stared into her cute and smart black eyes, and the corners of his mouth curled up uncontrollably.
"Uncle, what's wrong with you? Do you want to cry or laugh?"
"...Call me daddy!"
"What? You are not my father! I have never seen my father since I was born!"
"Xiaolou'er is good, call me daddy..."
"Don't scream! You are not the most handsome man in the world, and you are not a great hero!"
At this time, a figure suddenly appeared at the door, and a calm voice with a touch of tenderness came softly - "Xiao Lou'er, be good and call me daddy!"
Qin Mubai stared at the door with wide eyes in astonishment, "Yan!"
"It's me." Chen Yan's smile was the same as when we first met.
"...Xiao Lou'er, is she really my daughter?!"
"yes."
"Yes!" Qin Mubai nodded heavily, tried his best to smile and looked at Xiao Lou'er, and said softly: "Xiao Lou'er is good, call me daddy..."
"Daddy!!" Xiao Lou'er called out happily and giggled freely.
"Be good! Be good, Xiaolou'er!" Qin Mubai hugged her tightly in his arms, tears finally bursting out of his eyes...
Holding her in his arms, Qin Mubai knelt down in front of the soul and cried like a child -
"Father! Have you seen it in Tianzhiling? What a well-behaved and beautiful child. You can tell at a glance that she is of the blood of my Qin family! She is your granddaughter, Xiao Lou'er!"
Wu Meiniang and Princess Gao Yang quietly appeared at the door, standing beside Chen Yan. The three women burst into tears in unison.
"Mei Niang, you are still smart... As soon as Xiao Lou'er comes, Mu Bai will be fine. Just cry out. I keep suppressing it like this. I'm really afraid that something will happen to him!" Princess Gao Yang said with relief, wiping away her tears.
"At this moment, only flesh and blood love can open Mubai's heart, bring him peace and soothe his pain... Sister Yan, from today on, don't run away or leave anymore. We are a family, and Mubai needs you. We need a small building!" Wu Meiniang sobbed.
"I'm not leaving." Chen Yan smiled with tears in her eyes, looking at the father and daughter hugging each other tightly in the hall with sadness and relief, and said softly, "I can have nothing, but I can't live without Xiaolouer; And my little Louer cannot live without a father!…”