CH 52

Chapter 52 Lu Hai Kong’s special

Another night that snow didn’t rest.

The carbon in the fire pot slowly burned, making the room warm.

Lu Hai Kong frowned and slowly opened his eyes. The right eye was muddy, the left eye was clear. There was always a side that’s dark in his world.

He blinked to disperse the sleepiness. The first hangover in his life. It gave the inexperienced him a splitting headache.

Lu Hai Kong rubbed his forehead and sat up.

“Woken up?”

A woman’s gentle voice sounded in his ears. For a moment Lu Hai Kong was startled. In the past, only Yun Xiang would stay by his side at this time. Lu Hai Kong was lost in his thoughts. Before he looked up and saw who the person was, a pair of soft hands like they didn’t have any bones, pressed his temples. Gentle they massaged him.

“Next time don’t drink so much. The one who will be suffering is still yourself.”

It’s not Yun Xiang……Yun Xiang would only pat his head and scold him: “Brat, you don’t learn the good things. What, drink wine? You deserve to have a headache.”

Moreover, now it was impossible for Yun Xiang to be by his side……

With one movement, he shoved the woman’s hands  away. Lu Hai Kong looked coldly at her: “Has nobody told you? Not allowed to just enter my room and also don’t touch me.”

The person is Lu Lan’s goddaughter named Lu Xin. She was a gentle woman.

The moment she heard those words from Lu Hai Kong, she froze. She retrieved her hands with some helplessness and stood by the bed.

“I’m sorry, it’s godfather who let me come. He said you got drunk last night and to let me take care of you here. Just now…..I just wanted to make you feel more comfortable.”

He didn’t know how to answer.

Lu Hai Kong rubbed his forehead. In his head a figure couldn’t help but pop out. It had a little anger on it and jumped next to his ear: “Don’t let to touch? Will you break if you get touched a little? Come, let me see if you’ll really break.”

He said a sentence. Almost without thinking, in his mind, he would get the answer of that person. It was like maggots in his bones, making him unable to remove it.

Lu Hai Kong only felt defeated. He lost to the haunting person in his heart. Or maybe in front of her, he had never won.

Lu Hai Kong covered his face and sighed: “You should get out. In the future……don’t freely come in my room. No matter who say it, it’s still forbidden.”

Lu Xin hung her head full of injustice. She was silent for a while before she whispered: “There’s porridge on the table. I made it last night. It has been simmering on the fire. You should eat a little……”

If he ate it, Yun Xiang would probably get angry. Yun Xiang temper had always been bad; besides she get jealous really easily.

Lu Hai Kong did as if he didn’t hear her words and only coldly said: “Get out.”

Lu Xin bit her lips. In the end, she went out.

Lu Hai Kong got of his bed and wore his shoes. He washed simply, put on the armor and went out.

Outside, the snow was flying all over the sky and sprinkled on the ground, making it silver.

Lu Hai Kong frowned invisibly. Yesterday, the snow also sprinkled like this. Last year’s yesterday, the snow also sprinkled like this. The snow took away Yun Xiang and also buried her.

Lu Hai Kong’s footstep went to the training grounds. It had already been a year since Yun Xiang left the world. There was an emptiness in his heart. He learned to fill it with something else. He listened to Yun Xiang. He would live this lifetime well. He would use all his efforts to stay alive. He didn’t want to betray Yun Xiang’s last wish.

Time passed away lightly. Three years had passed away. Lu Hai Kong finished the hairpin rite. Lu Lan called him to the study: “Hai Kong, you know I trust you, but now the fight with the court turned more intense. When you go to war, you like to take great risk……”

Lu Hai Kong said: “If uncle has something to say, say it directly.”

Lu Lan was silent for a moment and sighed: “I, an old man, it’s not good to say too much. These few years, I also have urged it several times. Now, you already did the hairpin rite, but you don’t even have a concubine. It’s not that I’m forcing you to get married, but you should at least leave a descendant for your parents and also to comfort their spirits.”

Lu Hai Kong looked at the ground and didn’t speak.

“Can you not see that goddaughter of mine, Lu Xin’s mind? She waited for you for so many years. She’s nearly becoming and old maid!”

Lu Lan sighed.

“I know who you still miss in your heart, but Song Yun Xiang is already gone. So many years had passed, you should also put it down.”

“Uncle.”

Lu Hai Kong looked at Lu Lan and laughed bitterly: “The promise between Song Yun Xiang and Lu Hai Kong is not a thing to hold in the palms of the hands. She is wrapped in my bones. Now, uncle wants me to put it down. Does uncle want me to cut out all of my bones and become a crippled person?”

Lu Lan was slightly angry: “You, this kid!”

“Lu Hai Kong has never picked up Song Yun Xiang and is even more not qualified to put her down.”

After saying that, he bowed deeply to Lu Lan.

“Uncle, sorry. That Lu Xin lady, you should advise her to marry another.”

After talking to Lu Lan, Lu Hai Kong didn’t return to his room. He turned and went to the little yard where Yun Xiang used to live.

The furnishing here was still the same as before. Not even a half point had been moved. Only the breath of that person had disappeared.

Lu Hai Kong quietly lay on the couch. He curled himself. Suddenly he remembered that time when they were on their way to the north; he had nightmares every night. Yun Xiang patted his back then again and again to comfort him.

In fact Lu Hai Kong knew; every night she didn’t sleep well. He hated the him who couldn’t get out of the nightmare. He also felt sorry for Yun Xiang. After that, he couldn’t stop himself from being more dependent on her.

The feelings he had for Yun Xiang were feelings between a man and a woman. There was also many things mixed beside the feelings of a man and a woman. In this life, there was no one who could replace those things.

A bunch of frantic footsteps came to the little lard. Lu Hai Kong’s heart tightened. He sat up. His reminiscing expression instantly disappeared.

With a “zhi ya” sound, the door was pushed open by someone. Lu Xin stood at the door and looked in the room for a while. Her feet were about to come in, Lu Hai Kong coldly stopped her: “Don’t move.”

He got off the couch and walked to Lu Xin.

“If you have something to say, say it outside.”

He didn’t want to let anything destroy the quietness in this room.

Lu Xin stared at him with red eyes. The always docile her seemed to have not heard Lu Hai Kong’s words. She hung her head and asked: “Godfather say……you let me to marry another.”

Lu Hai Kong frowned: “Talk outside.”

His heels wanted to head out of the room, but his hand has been grabbed by Lu Xin who stood at the doorway.

“I cannot have a title. I just want to be by your side. Hai Kong, don’t drive me away, alright?”

“Don’t quarrel here, Yun Xiang will be angry.”

This sentence was like opening the scar on Lu Xin’s heart. She looked at Lu Hai Kong.

Tears flowed to outside: “Why is it Song Yun Xiang again?! Why up to now, are you still aboding to the rules she left?! Hai Kong, be a little soberer. Look carefully, there’s no Song Yun Xiang by your side anymore. She’s gone……she’s already gone…..”

After her last words, Lu Xin couldn’t make any sounds. Perhaps, she also knew that, that speech simply couldn’t shake the position of Yun Xiang in Lu Hai Kong’s heart.

Lu Hai Kong shook away Lu Xin’s hand that was holding his hand. He said softly: “Yun Xiang has never left me any rules. I also know she is gone.”

“Why do you have to preserve?!”

Lu Xin wept: “It’s alright if you don’t like me, but why…… do you want me to lose to a dead person? So not willing……”

Actually, there wasn’t only Lu Xin who was not willing. Lu Hai Kong dropped his eyes: “In my world, there hasn’t been anyone who has won her.”

Including himself.

Spring came late beyond the Great Wall. When the weed had turned green, the army was ready to go, intending to launch a full-scale attack on the Heaven Dynasty.

Lu Hai Kong put on the general’s armor. Before the time for the army to depart, first, he went alone to a small hillside. There was a small courtyard there. No one was in the courtyard. Only solitary grave was there.

Lu Hai Kong took out the wine. He stood quietly for a while in front of the grave. Then he opened the jar of wine. He poured the wine down the grave.

“Yun Xiang, I’m going to war. This time, if I can come back, I’ll definitely bring back that third prince’s head for you as a sacrifice.”

Warm, soft spring air blew over. The loose hairs on Lu Hai Kong’s shoulder had been raised by the wind. Black hair mixed with gray hair. His hair was a mottled gray.

Lu Hai Kong’s mouth lifted. He seemed to have thought of some wonderful things.

“Wait till I come back, I’ll accompany you every day in this small courtyard. Watching the sunrise and sunset together, drinking wine together, talk about the sky and speak about the earth. See, I’ve learned to drink.”

No one answered him. Lu Hai Kong sadly dropped his eyes.

The city’s horn sounded. It was Lu Lan calling the army together.

Lu Hai Kong touched the stone grave. Then he put down the jar and turned to leave.

This war lasted for two full years. In two years, the Heaven dynasty admitted defeat. The last battle, there was only guards sticking to the capital. What shocked people was that the one who led the troops to block the army of the north turned out to be the third prince, the one who everyone thought was a fool.

In the barrack, Lu Lan frowned while pondering. There was a man sitting on his left. His hair was white. That man was Lu Hai Kong who was actually only twenty-two years old. Lu Lan looked up and asked: “Hai Kong, is there a way to quickly capture the capital?”

Lu Hai Kong smiled: “This day, does uncle still have to worry? The army of the north has surrounded the capital. It’s only a dead city now. After the army in the capital is exhausted, we’ll naturally win without fighting.”

No one was more eager for victory than Lu Hai Kong. No one was also more patient than him. Today, the wish of so many years could be settled. He would like to see more panicked face of the other party.

Suddenly, sound of drums came from outside the tent. Lu Hai Kong and Lu Lan exchanged a glance. They had suspicion in their hearts. A battle? With that capital? The third prince must had gone crazy.

The third prince laughed: “General Lu, long time no see? Do you still remember me? That time you took away my wife. I thought about it for some time. Now I can finally see my first wife. We should be like that time; waiting for general Lu together, alright?”

See his first wife again……

Lu Hai Kong’s eyes turned darker.

Suddenly the third prince took something from the people behind him. The third prince grinned. He lifted the red cloth that covered that thing. In it, there was actually a set of bones! The joints of the bones had been nailed together. No movement could be done. It looked particularly stiff.

Lu Hai Kong’s pupils tightened.

The third prince continued to say: “Bringing Yun Xiang back from beyond the Great Wall was really not easy. The flesh on her body is gone; only leaving such a thing. All these years, she didn’t live well at your north. Ah……that’s right, see her bones are hurt. When my subordinate came back with her, we found this needle in her bones. This silver needle is something I gave her when she went with you. A needle through the bone and took her life.”

Clenched fists were dead tight. Lu Hai Kong glared at the third prince and faced the malevolent words. That bastard dared……he dared!

Seeing Lu Hai Kong like that, the third prince seemed happy. He lifted the hand of the bones and smiled: “General Lu, do you still want to see the look of Yun Xiang greeting you? Is it like this or like this?”

He pulled her hand back and forth. How could the nail that was penetrated in the bones put up with such action? A “ka” sound could be heard. The arm had been snapped by the third prince.

“Aiya……sorry, I went overboard,” the third prince smiled unapologetically.

Lu Hai Kong couldn’t contain the anger in his heart anymore. He jumped up. He actually intended to rush to them alone.

“General, don’t!”

The soldier behind him wanted to stop him, but Lu Hai Kong was already so angry that he couldn’t listen to anything.

The third prince grinned: “Launch the arrows.”

The archers at his side had already prepared arrows with poison on them. Hearing the command, arrows poured down on Lu Hai Kong. Even if the martial art of Lu Hai Kong was really good, he also couldn’t avoid receiving two arrows. But he didn’t stop his footsteps. It looked like the injuries on him weren’t painful. The poison spread in his blood. Lu Hai Kong suppressed the smell of fish in his throat.

What did all of these matter…….compared to the dismay when seeing Yun Xiang’s bones, what did all of these matter?

He didn’t protect Yun Xiang. Even her bones, he couldn’t protect…..

“Ah,” Lu Hai Kong shouted loudly. He used his internal energy and leaped on the wall of the capital. Everyone was shocked. The third prince also didn’t expect that this person’s martial art was so sturdy. He took two steps back.

Lu Hai Kong snatched a sword from a soldier behind him. His murderous aura was stirring. The anger and pain in his heart could only be settled with blood.

The north army under the wall had some commotion. Lu Lan armored a horse and shouted: “Attack the capital.”

The battle began.

At this time, half of the soldiers on the wall had already been cleaned by Lu Hai Kong. His whole body was covered in blood, making it difficult to tell if it was his or someone else’s. He just peered at the third prince. Anyone who came to block his path had been gotten rid of like cutting melon without feelings.

“Give Yun Xiang back to me.”

Without emotion he attacked the ones protecting the third prince.

From the public’s eyes, seeing this person covered in poisonous arrows and also marching forward with firm steps, he was like a monster who didn’t know pain and who wasn’t afraid of death. Even with only the murderous aura on his body, he was able to scare people.

Actually, it was just that Lu Hai Kong couldn’t see anything else. He only had one eye and that one eye was filled with Song Yun Xiang. Nothing could be filled in it anymore.

The third prince looked at Lu Hai Kong. Suddenly he smiled strangely: “You want her? Alright, I’ll give her to you.”

After saying that, he flung Yun Xiang’s bones like a rag and threw it from the wall. And there, there are millions of soldiers fighting. The bones being stamped among soldiers had been turned into dust.

Lu Hai Kong was startled and looked lost for a moment. The moment he looked up, his chilly eyes cause people to tremble.

The last battle, Lu Hai Kong cut off the third prince’s head. He killed on the wall and made it a murderous field.

The last battle, Lu Hai Kong received twenty-nine arrows. Poison went in the heart. After he had been rescued, he lied in bed for a whole month before he woke up. When he woke up, he saw Lu Lan’s face. He only said one sentence: “What meaning does it have to save me……”

All the things in this world seemed to have no relation with him. He had taken revenge. His enemy was gone. Yun Xiang was gone. What he had to face was a life with nightmares every night. Again and again, he saw Yun Xiang disappear from his sight.

What meaning did it have to save him……

Lu Lan became the new emperor. The owner of the country. Lu Hai Kong went back alone to the north. He didn’t bring back the third prince’s head, because there, Yun Xiang was already gone.

Five years later.

On a small courtyard outside the city, Lu Hai Kong’s spirit was suddenly good today. He shook a cup of wine and walked to the front of the grave. He fell on the grave. His hair wa like snow, making his face appear pale.

He knew that Yun Xiang was no longer here. Five years ago when he returned here, this grave had been dug and was a mess, leaving only a large pit. Lu Hai Kong filled it back as a remembrance.

Yun Xiang was not here, where should he go?

Lu Hai Kong dropped his head. His expression was unreadable.

He went back to the house and quietly lay down. Suddenly Lu Hai Kong remembered a long time ago. That time Yun Xiang and he were still little. One of them was the lady of the prime minister’s. One of them was the general’s son. Yun Xiang did something wrong and was punished by kneeling in the hall. He went to accompany her and slept the whole night on her knees. The next day, when he woke up, he saw Yun Xiang’s saliva dripping out of her mouth above his head.

While she touched her mouth, she said: “Lu Hai Kong……stupid…..”

She saw him in her dream. So good.

Lu Hai Kong closed his eyes and seemed to hear Yun Xiang scolding him softly above his head again: “Lu Hai Kong, stupid.”

At that time, the sunlight was warm and soft; their childhood sweetness……