Tome of Troubled Times

Chapter 85: The wind blows by the lake

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Zhao Changhe's leisurely days lasted for three days.

At night, I read by lamplight, immersed in history. During the day, I learn horse riding. When I get tired, I hold the little white rabbit under the willow trees by the river, hiding from the riders, and kissing it secretly behind the trees.

Snow-walking Wuzhui and Black Peony were wandering by the tree, watching the couple... I don't know if they sparked any sparks and secretly went to mate. Anyway, the man and woman under the tree were so infatuated that they didn't have time to care about what their horses were doing.

Little White Rabbit was originally very unhappy that his beloved horse was going to be bred, but as long as it was Brother Zhao’s horse, it seemed that everything would be fine…

They are meant to be matched, from people to horses.

Taxue Wuzhui is now very well behaved. If he jumps around, he will be beaten. He has a mare to accompany him and he knows what to do as a horse.

What's more, this master is really amazing. In just three days, he has evolved from a novice who couldn't ride a horse at all to someone who can perform difficult moves such as hiding in the stirrups. He is like a man who has made a living on horses for several years and doesn't look like a newcomer at all.

Cui Yuanyang also discovered that Brother Zhao learned anything related to sports very quickly. In contrast, every time Brother Zhao went to the study to read, his eyes would be blurry and he would feel drowsy.

When he talked about going to read the history of the era, he was very excited. He sat there with dizzy eyes. After three days, I had no idea how much he had read or how many words he remembered.

Well, it looks just like when Yangyang was forced to memorize the internal energy techniques. They really look like a couple.

He was right. A man like him should not even think about serving in the imperial court. He was born to be a hero in the martial arts world.

But Yangyang became more and more reluctant to leave.

In fact, the Great Xia Dragon Bird had been dealt with the day before yesterday, and Zhao Changhe could have left at that time. Learning equestrianism and history was a good reason for him to stay for two more days. But you can never finish studying, and learning equestrianism has standards. The day you learn it, it means you can leave at any time...

Cui Yuanyang even felt that Zhao Changhe's kissing was not as devoted as it was the past two days. He didn't know if it was an illusion...

Of course it was an illusion. Zhao Changhe didn't even have the courage to kiss the little girl's lips. What was the big deal about a kiss on the face? His love for Yangyang had always been far greater than his desire for her. He didn't know if that would change when they met again in the future.

“Brother Zhao…” The wind blew the willows. The little girl leaned on her lover’s shoulder, drew circles, and muttered with a dazed look in her eyes.

"Hmm?" Zhao Changhe reached out to tease her chin: "What's the matter?"

"Tomorrow is Qingming Festival, and our whole family will worship our ancestors. We will also report the incident involving my second uncle to our ancestors and ask for their execution in front of their spirits."

"Well, I haven't seen your father these past two days. I'm sure this matter will be very troublesome afterwards. Your second uncle is so powerful that it will be very complicated to deal with. It was not easy for you to have the time to chat with me that night."

"In front of outsiders, he always needs to be calm and indifferent." Cui Yuanyang whispered: "I used to think that Dad's life was very tiring. He was ranked ninth on the Heavenly Ranking and a famous family in the world. Everyone looks up to him. But I think he is not as good as Brother Zhao, who travels the world with only a sword and a body, free and easy."

"That's why the little fool envied the ups and downs of life in the martial arts world and got cheated by the bandits."

"Hehe..." Cui Yuanyang didn't say, "Luckily I met Brother Zhao, everyone has said enough disgusting things these past two days." What she wanted to say was that, because of this, Yangyang didn't want to be a burden, holding Brother Zhao back from moving forward, and becoming the second Cui Wenjing with a lot of worries.

In a sense, it was a good thing that people in the martial arts world thought that Zhao Changhe was driven away by the Cui family. He was still free of worries and moved forward with big strides.

But the little girl didn't say it out loud after all. She said that everyone would worship their ancestors tomorrow, and her meaning was very clear.

She didn't want to face the farewell and cry, and the sadness in her heart might not fade away for a month; Zhao Changhe probably didn't like being clingy and entangled, so it would be ideal for her to leave while they were paying homage to their ancestors.

So she provided the time, and everyone understood it tacitly.

Yangyang has always been the most sensible.

… …

April 5th, Qingming Festival.

There was a light rain at night, which stopped in the early morning. At this time, the fog was heavy, the sky was dark, and the morning moon was hanging in the sky, looming.

Zhao Changhe in the guest house gently stroked the Great Xia Dragon Bird in his hand, which was painted like an ancient rusty broken knife: "You got stabbed twice, don't worry, I will take you out to kill people."

The sound of the knife buzzed, seeming to express dissatisfaction and joy.

Zhao Changhe slowly hung it on his back and looked at himself in the bronze mirror.

The tall and muscular man was over eight feet tall, with a four-foot-long broadsword on his back. The long handle protruded diagonally from his shoulder, giving off an imposing aura even from a distance. The more Zhao Changhe looked at the sword, the more satisfied he was, as if he was awakened by its handsomeness.

The scholar's brocade robe was replaced by a warrior's outfit, no longer red or purple, but a low-key gray-brown. A tattered wine gourd was hung diagonally at his waist, and his face was deliberately unshaved for the past two days. The cynical and unruly spirit reappeared in the mirror.

"Ding!" A bell rang from the distant hill. It was the Cui family's call for all members to worship their ancestors.

Zhao Changhe turned his head and looked into the distance. The mountains were difficult to see clearly in the mist.

But he knew that there was a little girl walking on the mountain path, looking back in the direction of the guesthouse every step she took.

He stared at it for a while, packed his bag, strode out, and mounted his snow-capped black horse. The horse neighed loudly, and in the morning mist, the sound of horse hooves stepped out of the quiet streets of Qinghe County and headed straight for the long river outside the county.

On the top of the hill, Cui Yuanyang had just reached the top when he seemed to realize something and turned his head to look into the distance.

The mist gradually dissipated, but no one was visible. However, one could vaguely see the willow banks by the river and the waning moon in the morning breeze.

The little girl, who never sought to understand the details of what she read, suddenly recalled some fragments of information handed down from the last era.

After so many years, the good times and beautiful scenery are all gone.

Even if there are thousands of styles, who can I tell them to

It is a famous quote that has been preserved across the ages, because every time you read it again you will know that you are already in the lyrics.

"Dad." She suddenly pulled the corner of Cui Wenjing's clothes in front of her: "After the ancestor worship, Yangyang asked to be confined. Please teach me the Qinghe Purple Qi."

Cui Wenjing was very pleased and stroked his beard and said, "Very good."

Cui Yuanyang looked at the long river outside the county again and whispered to himself: "You must wait for me... Three years later, don't forget Yangyang."

… …

A thousand miles to the southeast is Gujian Lake.

There is a bamboo forest by the lake, a thatched hut in the forest, and a tomb next to the hut.

Han Wubing sat quietly beside the tomb, with his long sword placed horizontally in front of the tombstone. He opened a pot of warm wine and slowly poured it on the sword, occasionally taking a sip himself, as if he was drinking with the sword, or as if it were some kind of memorial.

I don’t know how long it took, but in the mist, the bamboo forest was rustling with wind.

The gourd of wine is empty.

Han Wubing placed the empty gourd upright in front of the tombstone and picked up the long sword soaked in wine.

"Han Wubing, I knew you would come."

There were shadows of people all around, and I didn't know when I was surrounded.

Han Wubing didn't even turn his head and continued to look at the tomb: "I knew you would come."

"Then why are you here to die? What's the point of offering sacrifices and then killing yourself?"

"Because I feel that the worship is missing something, and the wine is not enough."

"Huh? Your bounty is missing? Hahaha... Hahaha..."

"There's wine but no blood, and there's no enemy head. You came at the right time."

"Clang!" A dragon roared, the sword energy was cold, and the mist in the bamboo forest was blown away by the sharp murderous intent.

Zhao Changhe was riding his horse halfway when he suddenly reined in his horse and looked up at the sky.

"April, Qingming Festival. I learned sword skills in front of Han Wubing's tomb, and reached the fifth level of Xuanguan. Within one stick of incense, I killed all 32 enemies of Jianlu, and sacrificed my best friend with blood. Among them was an enemy of the same level, and no one below him could match him. The murderous aura penetrated the sky."

"The Hidden Dragon Ranking has changed."

"Hidden Dragon Sixty-Six, Han Wubing."

"If you are free from disease, your enemy will be free from death."

Zhao Changhe read for a long while, then suddenly smiled: "In the past few months, the profiteers who edit books have been unable to close their mouths. I heard that in the past turbulent times, the changes in books were not so frequent. Is this a sign that the storm is coming and heroes are emerging?"

He touched the horse's head and said with a smile, "Wu Zhui, do you feel impatient?"

Snow-walking Black Horse: “…”

I'm a horse, what are you talking about...

"Let's go." Zhao Changhe spurred his horse and galloped away: "My opponent is waiting for me up ahead, how can I fall behind!"

——

PS: There will be three updates tonight, and it will be quite late, maybe around eleven or twelve o'clock.

Thanks to Jubei, Angel Rhythm, Pigeon丶丶, Ji Youli, Delusion Sauce, reader 1470569097867186176, and Waiting for Death Salted Fish for joining the alliance~ Thank you everyone~

(End of this chapter)