The autumn wind turns the foothills yellow.
The news of the emperor's death had been spread by the county officials in the past few days. Merchants traveling on the road and people setting up stalls on the roadside at the ferry to make a living felt somewhat regretful. It was so difficult to meet a good emperor.
In the roadside teahouse where people were resting, someone was interpreting the official documents issued by the police, and merchants and travelers who were drinking tea and waiting to cross the river or go north were talking in low voices.
"The emperor is dead?"
"Isn't it written above? Why are you still asking? It's just a pity. We finally got an emperor. How long will the world be at peace?"
"The new emperor heard that the second prince is no longer the original crown prince."
"Alas, I have heard some bad things about the former crown prince. He loved poetry, calligraphy and painting too much and often got drunk with scholars. If it were me, I would let the Prince of Jin take over!"
"… Don't talk nonsense. You are such a fool, and you still say 'if it were you'."
…
In those days, news spread entirely through traveling merchants or official documents posted in the government. By the time the news reached the south, it was already late autumn. When the story started to spread in the teahouse, two people at a table paid for their tea, went out to pick up the old donkey that was left at the door, and headed for the ferry.
The Taoist priest who was following beside him stroked his moustache, and with a large bag on his back, he looked forward at the boats on the ferry.
"Old Lu, Yang Jian is really popular."
"Since ancient times, wise kings have been passed down through the ages. Scholars and common people alike will remember them in their hearts."
Lu Liangsheng looked towards the north, said this with a smile, and then led the old donkey to the ferry over there. This time he did not meet the boatman father and son from a few years ago, but got on another small boat that was crossing the river. He performed a mountain and rock technique on the old donkey, then rolled up his sleeves and walked to the side of the boat, facing the river breeze, his black hair gently caressing his ears. He looked at the bustling boats coming and going on the river for a while, and couldn't help but smile.
"Yang Jian was indeed a good emperor. I hope Yang Guang can continue to be so."
Soon, after crossing the river, Lu Liangsheng, pulling the old donkey, and the Taoist priest set foot on their homeland. They did not encounter any accidents on the way, and went all the way south to pass Tianzhi. On the way, he visited the City God Zhou Yu and told him about the evil star's aura, asking him to be on guard and to help capture it if they encountered it.
"Chang'an City God Ji Xin only reported the truth to the underworld of Mount Tai. Even if the evil stars are eliminated, they will slowly breed elsewhere and then attach themselves to people, stimulating the dark side of human nature. I will seal them in my body first, suppress them temporarily with the great spirit, and return to Mount Qixia to stabilize them with the help of the spirit gathering array..."
Lu Liangsheng and Zhou Yu were walking on the official road leading to Fulin Prefecture in the south. At first glance, they looked like scholars traveling together and did not attract much attention from passing merchants.
"Since Master Lu said so, Tianzhi will definitely cooperate."
"Liangsheng thanks the governor."
Lu Liangsheng stopped, turned around and bowed to Zhou Yu who was standing in the boundary of Tianzhi. Then he climbed onto the old donkey's back, called the Taoist priest beside him, and patted the donkey's buttocks: "Let's go!"
Sun Yingxian, who was about to climb onto the donkey's back, saw the old donkey's hooves paddling. His hands and feet paused for a moment, and he quickly shook his head, taking out two magic talismans and hitting his legs with them.
"I'll just have to rely on myself..."
"It's up to you."
Lu Liangsheng didn't care about him. It was impossible for such a big man to get lost, and they were not far from Qixia Mountain. He bowed to Zhou Yu who was standing at Tianzhidijie behind him and said, "Goodbye!" There was no need to shrink the distance. The old donkey excitedly dug its hooves and kicked. Its body instantly turned into a shadow and rushed southward like lightning.
There were many people walking along this official road to Hegu County. Before they could react, a long cloud of dust swept up to the sky from the middle of the road. The strong wind made the horses pulling the goods neigh in panic. A young lady from some wealthy family screamed when the curtain of the carriage was lifted to reveal a big round face.
Tap tap tap~~~
The donkey's four hooves were galloping so wildly that no trace could be seen. Lu Liangsheng, who was lying on the donkey's back, could already see the outline of the city wall of Hegu County in front of him. He patted the donkey's head, and the old donkey grunted and neighed twice, slowly slowing down. The bookshelf on its buttocks, which was shaking violently, also stabilized.
"Since we're passing by, let's stop by and visit Mr. Zhou."
Lu Liang was born on a donkey's back. Seeing that the old donkey was still stamping its hooves a little restlessly, he reached out and patted the donkey on the head twice.
"Are you still trying to be aggressive? When we get back to Qixia Mountain, I'll let you run around everywhere. But we're almost at the city, so don't hurt anyone. Be obedient!"
When they were almost at the foot of the city wall, the common people and merchants passing by saw the scholar talking to the old donkey he was leading, so they kept away from him and waited for him to pass by, then they could not help but sigh.
"It's a pity that this handsome scholar is actually a fool."
"It's none of your business if someone else is talking to a donkey. Just go away."
Over there, Lu Liangsheng led his old donkey into the city gate. The streets were bustling with people shouting and clamoring. A guy with a rag on his shoulder shouted loudly to attract customers. Water poured down from the upper floor on one side of the long street, soaking the vendors. A man ran out of the room holding his head amid the shouting and cursing.
A burly woman poked her head out of the open window in the attic. The shrewish man running down the street yelled, "How dare you keep a mistress? Serve me first!"
There was a sudden burst of laughter on the long street.
Lu Liangsheng felt the unique bustle of this world. He pulled his old donkey past the crowd who were fanning the flames and watching the excitement. He followed the location of Zhou's mansion to the quiet streets. The long blue brick walls were covered with moss, and the old pine trees were still growing lushly inside the courtyard walls.
After walking up the mossy stone steps and knocking on the courtyard gate, an unfamiliar old man opened the door and frowned at the scholar in front of him.
"Sir, who are you looking for?"
"I'm Lu Liangsheng, is Mr. Zhou here?"
Lu Liangsheng bowed to him. The latter looked at the scholar outside the door, let him in, and took him to the gatehouse to wait.
"Yes, sir, please wait here for a moment. I will go and tell the steward."
The doorman went slowly to the front yard and came back soon with an old servant from the mansion beside him. When the old servant saw the scholar standing under the eaves, he raised his sleeves and saluted before he even went over.
"Mr. Lu, please come in quickly. This concierge is new and doesn't know you. Sorry for the rudeness."
Lu Liangsheng had lived in this mansion for almost a year, and he knew all the former maids and servants in the mansion. The old servant in charge quickly invited the scholar to the front yard, but he looked a little anxious.
"You came at the right time, young master. The old master has been ill in bed for three days and has not eaten anything. He just drank some soup."
"Is it sick?"
The scholar who walked over to the eaves of the front yard glanced at the old servant with his head slightly sideways, and suddenly fell silent, remembering that the old man had been disturbed by the rebels' siege on the city, which caused him to have many health problems. He had given him some magic power to nourish his internal organs. From that time on, the old man's body was almost at the end.
The corridor turned to the waterside pavilion and arrived at the backyard. There were still several maids guarding the door. Among them was a young woman in a white dress with flower calyx pattern. She sat under the eaves with her face downcast, wiping her tears with a silk handkerchief. She heard footsteps and turned around. On the path between the flower beds, a scholar in a blue shirt and white robe was walking towards her.
She quickly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and buried her face again. She waited until the scholar approached before she slowly stood up and bowed slightly.
"Mr. Lu."
"Zhou..." Lu Liangsheng originally wanted to reply "Miss Zhou", but he remembered that the other party was married and didn't know her husband's surname, so he quickly stopped the last two words and asked, "How is Mr. Zhou?"
For some reason, Zhou Rong didn't dare to look at him. She just lowered her head and shook her head.
"Dad is still the same as before. He can't eat anything and is getting weaker every day."
"I'll go take a look."
Lu Liangsheng comforted her with a few words, went and knocked on the door. He was then invited in by Old Madam Zhou. He saw the skinny old man leaning against the head of the bed, with sunken cheeks and eye sockets. When he saw Lu Liangsheng come in, Zhou Zhen grinned and smiled silently.
A hoarse and weak squeezed voice.
"Liang Sheng... why are you back?"
"I have to go back to Qixia Mountain for something, and I passed by here, so I wanted to come and talk to you, old man."
Lu Liangsheng sat on the edge of the bed, lifted the quilt, and touched Zhou Zhen's hand. The touch of skin and bones made the scholar feel sad. Just as he was about to pass some more magic power to the old man, a weak voice came intermittently from the other side.
"Don't waste... it."
The old man forced a smile and patted the scholar's hand gently.
"This old man... has passed away naturally. I am finally... leaving... Please don't delay my time in the next life."
Unexpectedly, the old man was still laughing at this time, which disrupted the originally sad atmosphere, and Lu Liangsheng also laughed.
"Yes, a few days ago, I sent off the late Emperor Yang Jian. Before he left, he was still chatting and laughing with his ministers, ruining the atmosphere. I think both Mr. Zhou and the late Emperor are heroes who can see through life and death."
"People are almost dead, and there is still... something that can't be seen through." Zhou Zhen spoke with difficulty. He stopped halfway and rested for a moment before continuing, looking at the scholar sitting in front of him with cloudy eyes.
"In my lifetime... I have trained a national master... but I have also lost a good son-in-law... I don't know if it is worth being proud of."
After saying this, the old man was extremely tired, as if he had used up all his energy in the past few days. He patted the back of Lu Liangsheng's hand and told him to leave and go home.
"Go home first... You don't need to look at me... I have sons and daughters to see me off... I won't be lonely... Liangsheng... remember to walk farther back... Walk higher... Let Uncle Hua and I go down there... Then you can brag to those ghosts and demons... You must be successful..."
After saying a few words intermittently, the old man fell asleep in a daze. Mrs. Zhou also heard what the old man said. She did not want to keep Lu Liangsheng. She glanced at her daughter beside her, sighed, sent Lu Liangsheng to the gate of the courtyard, gave him a few instructions, and closed the door.
Lu Liangsheng walked out of the tall gate of the mansion, bowed and saluted, pursed his lips and looked at the pine branches sticking out of the wall, which had turned yellow.
Alas~~
The scholar sighed, led the old donkey and turned to walk towards the bustling long street, walked out of the city gate, bathed in the slightly slanting sunlight, and in the blink of an eye, became blurry in the light. In a flash, he was several miles away and passed by Fushui County where he once studied. The Taoist was already waiting for him by the roadside. He wanted to say a few words, but seeing the scholar's expression, he swallowed his words back.
The two men and the donkey walked silently along the official road heading south from Fushui County, into the winding mountains. As the sun set, the red glow shone on the withered yellow forests on the mountain. Countless dead leaves fluttered down, some drifting onto the mountain road. Moving back toward the mountain, there were farmlands, and further back.
In the mountain village situated in the rosy glow, wisps of smoke rise from the chimneys.
Lu Liangsheng finally smiled, opened his lips and said, "I'm going home."
On a distant mountain path, a woman in a white dress stood with her hands behind her back, kicking a stone on the road. She stood in the sunset, tilting her head to look at the scholar leading the old donkey. A pair of beautiful dimples appeared on her cheeks, and a playful smile appeared at the corners of her red lips.