Zhan Zhao Adventures - Chapter Seven (Part III)

Chapter Seven: Mulan Flowers Slow (Part III)

The sky color had already darkened. The rain had already stopped.
 
The green mountains in the far distance appeared as if they had already been washed by the fine rain to be as green and crisp as jade.
 
The evening sun after the overcast rain had its own brilliance concealed and blocked by the clouds' edge, setting off the earth to be even darker.
 
Even inside the horse stable beside the courier station, the light neighing of the courier horses and the loud snorting they emitted both appeared as if mixed and loaded with the intent of rain.
 
A pair of butterflies, leisurely and unhurriedly, flew over from the edge of the horse stable, dancing and flying beside the empty and open courier road; their fragile wings, beneath the evening sun, had already been dyed as red as blood.
 
Young Brother Huo sat in front of the window, already possessing an unspeakable exhaustion.
 
——It was only that this exhaustion upon the body, how could it again compare to the pain within his heart, the bitterness within his heart?
 
The wine and dishes upon the table had gradually cooled down, cooling down as if it were his present heart.
 
Coming along this road, how many times, he possessed a kind of suppressless impulse, wanting to turn his body, wanting to turn his head back, wanting to catch up to Zhong Xiong's trace, to risk the sword and fight to the death; but that piece of yellow silk and satin upon his chest, however, several times and repeatedly stopped him, letting him several times and repeatedly hesitate.
 
That was already too heavy of a trust and commission.
 
That was his trust, his life, his bathing in blood, his trust and commission.
 
Once thinking of that anxious gaze of his inside the granary, Young Brother Huo's heart, then pained like a knife cutting.
 
Beside the courier station by the road, connectedly built was a small tea garden, originally precisely a place provided for exhausted passing guests and tourists whose interest was spent to rest their feet and take a quick meal. It was only that amidst the dim and dark sky color, road people were already not many.
 
——At this moment inside this courtyard, apart from an old courier soldier and a helping shop-hand, there were only two people.
 
What Young Brother Huo picked was a seat leaning against the window. Inside the corner on the opposite side, beside the table, there additionally sat a female worker wearing light purple clothes; backing the doorway, upon her head she wore a stream of faint light gauze hat, making it furthermore not possible to see clearly her facial features.
 
At the time when Young Brother Huo stepped into the door, he only saw her back silhouette.
 
But only her back silhouette was already sufficient.
 
Her back silhouette was very beautiful.
 
She just so purely and quietly sat there, only occasionally turning her head back toward the coming road outside the door to give a slight gaze, appearing as if she were waiting for some person.
 
Even though Young Brother Huo's heart at this time was already as tangled as hemp, he also paid heed to her. Even if he could not see her facial features, he also paid heed to her.
 
This purple-clothed female worker's back silhouette was already unspeakably pure and elegant.
 
——This purple-clothed female worker, who after all is she waiting for?
 
The answer very quickly then came.

 
A burst of "ji-gua ji-gua" sound of footsteps came from far to near, transmitting from outside the door. Following a shout of greeting from the waiter, a human shadow flashed at the doorway; a boy, bearing upon his back a bundle, had already rushed into the door, straightly coming toward this table of the purple-clothed female worker to sit down.
 
That child grew a large large head, a appearance of thirteen or fourteen years old; a pair of eyes had essence-light moving nimbly, one glance and then one knew he was a clever and quick character. Upon his naive face, presumably having walked a very long road, there had already slightly surfaced a layer of red flush; but that pair of thief-like rolling large eyes, at this moment was however filled with unsuppressible excitement and cunning, just like the pleasant surprise of a child who had just obtained a beloved toy.
 
The moment he saw that female worker who sat backing toward Young Brother Huo, he then carefully and cautiously said in a light voice: "Sister, let you wait for a long time."
 
Behind Young Brother Huo, a gentle and soft voice had already sounded: "Zhu'er, you again went to play tricks and make trouble."
 
Young Brother Huo's heart gave a stir; this voice unexpectedly was unspeakably pure, elegant, and pleasing to the ear! He involuntarily turned his head back.
 
His front of eyes immediately lit up.
 
The female worker beside the table over there had already turned her head over, looking at this child who had just walked into the door.
 
That light gauze of hers that shrouded upon her head had already been lifted up.
 
For a time, following the hoisting up of this layer of light gauze, this dark and gloomy courier station had also already lit up.
 
That unexpectedly was an extremely clear and beautiful woman, only fifteen or sixteen years of age, yet was possessing clever eyes flowing and glancing, cherry lips like a song. Although the light purple colored clothing was simple and plain, worn upon her body, it was however an elegance out of the dust that was difficult to describe. It was merely that amidst this young girl's occasional turning of her beautiful eyes, there still was a portion of naive air remaining and existing.
 
Such a delicate and handsome girl, if it were in ordinary times, Young Brother Huo no matter what would also have to look a few more glances; at this moment his state of mind was chaotic and disrupted, yet he only secretly shouted a burst of applause, his faint gaze sweeping past.
 
That boy however measured Young Brother Huo up and down for a turn, gave a thief-like "xi-xi" smile, and quietly said toward his sister: "Sister, you didn't see that handsome young master opposite is secretly looking at you."
 
His voice was very light, but Young Brother Huo harbored the internal kung fu of "A Small Building Inside One Night Hears the Flower Language," and still heard it. His brow could not help but give a jump. Next, the dialogue behind between that boy and his sister that was pressed extremely low flowed into his ears without missing a single word.

 
Only to hear that boy say with a "xi-xi" smile: "Sister, how did I again play tricks and make trouble. Along this road, you watched me so tightly; even if I wanted to play tricks and make trouble, I also would not dare to."
 
That young girl said: "Once you went, you went for the greater part of a day, and only returned until now; if it were not going to play tricks and make trouble, then what again did you go to do? According to my view, you saying it was to return to the inn to fetch back the left-behind bundle, I am afraid it is the proper business that you additionally went to find trouble for that bald-headed shopkeeper."
 
Her voice was clear, gentle, and warm; even if within her tone of voice it was filled with displeasure, listening to it, it also was unspeakably pleasing and moving to the ear.
 
The boy appeared as if forcedly enduring complacency and laughter, saying in a serious and solemn manner: "That bald-headed shopkeeper of Sancai Town did not offend me, why should I go to find trouble for him. Furthermore, before we were about to go out the door, how did Uncle Zhong say it; along the road it is better to less provoke right and wrong and cause trouble. I naturally closely record it within my heart."
 
That young girl said: "Deficiently you still dare to lift up Uncle Zhong's words. Since speaking to him, then at the time of about to leave the capital city, how did he entrust and charge you? Was it not the words of 'try your best to less provoke trouble, it is important to earlier arrive at Xiangyang to see the Third Young Master.' Just now if you were not going to provoke right and wrong, to fetch a bundle, how again could you drag for so long? Your lie can deceive others, but cannot deceive sister."
 
Hearing this sentence, Young Brother Huo's heart inside was already gave a start.
 
——This sister and brother two people, could it be they are hurrying from the capital city toward Xiangyang?
 
The boy said: "Sister, I indeed firmly recorded Uncle Zhong's words inside my heart, but the matter during today's daytime in Sancai Town, you also saw it with your own eyes. That owner of the Hero Pavilion is no more than a person who opens a wine tower, on what basis does he bully people too extremely. Those two beggars were no more than begging for one or two mouthfuls of food to eat at his doorway; if not giving then let it be, for what did he burst into a great rage, for no reason beating them so that they were dying and coming back to life, and additionally forcing them to eat down the food grains that dropped upon the ground."
 
He next muttered and said: "If Third Young Master were present, he also would bound to manage it!"

That young girl said: "Therefore you used the excuse of having forgotten the bundle inside the inn, and slipped back to find trouble for him? Did you intentionally leave that bundle behind inside Sancai Town's inn, waiting until we came out for so long, before borrowing an excuse to return back to harm people?"
 
The boy, seeing that he could no longer hide it from her, said with a "xi-xi" smile: "Since sister long since guessed it, why must you speak it out. I know sister bound to not be blaming me. Otherwise as early as today's daytime, at the time when I told you the bundle was left behind, you would not have let me return."
 
This child was essence-clear and crystal-sharp, unexpectedly within one glance cutting through his sister's thoughts.
 
That young girl was without words for a long long time, and finally let out a light sigh, and said: "I sometimes truly do not know how there could be a brother like you."
 
The boy said with a playful skin and smiling face: "I know sister wants to anxiously hurry to arrive at Xiangyang; do I not want to a bit earlier see Third Young Master? It is only that sister clearly examines, along this road, I have already been very restrained. If it were not that this bald dead fat man bullied people too extremely, I absolutely would not for no cause or reason provoke trouble, both delaying sister's itinerary, and letting sister worry."
 
That young girl said: "If you were to let a person save his mind, that truly would be the sun coming out from the west side. Speak honestly; you this macaque who everywhere provokes right and wrong and causes trouble, this time how did you again teach the person a lesson?"
 
The boy's hand sleeved behind his back, upon his face there was already unspeakable complacency, only that he additionally had to put on an appearance of light sketching and faint writing, saying: "In truth it was also nothing. I only after fetching back the bundle from the inn, along the way slipped into the small kitchen behind that bald fat man's Hero Tower, and toward his lunch threw down a portion of croton seeds."
 
His voice, because of intentionally pressing low, had all turned strange, hoarse, and unpracticed; not only was he himself uncomfortable, even Young Brother Huo at the side was listening with an unspeakable discomfort, and furthermore an unspeakable amusement. Within his heart turning thoughts, he thought: "This child and that Zhao Zhi'er beneath Little Zhao's hand truly are a pair born of heaven."
 
Only to hear that young girl unable to bear again sighing a burst and saying: "You this still counts as not harming people? In case your setting hand has no light or heavy weight, hurting a person, does it not again provoke trouble for Third Young Master."
 
The boy said not taking it to be so: "I see his entire body's fat meat; eating some croton seeds to help him leak his belly and clear his intestines, dying is absolutely not able to die. Since he did not know the flavor of not eating full of food, I simply let his wine and food pass through his intestines, also unable to be retained inside his belly."
 
That young girl said: "With your disposition, I am afraid you did not so cheaply forgive him?"
 
Although Young Brother Huo sat backing toward that sister and brother two people, sitting far away inside the corner leaning against the window, his attention and curiosity had already unconsciously been hooked up.
 
——Could this boy additionally possess a method even more high and bright than secretly giving a person croton seeds down?
 
——If possessing, from where did that young girl again know it?
 
Now it turned to the boy to let out a sigh. Upon his face, it was still uncontainable complacency. "From where does sister's words speak from. It was only giving croton seeds down, and already have been scolded to death by sister; where would little brother still dare to add error upon error?"
 
That young girl gave a light "heng" sound, and said: "You and I from childhood grew up, do I still not know you? When you came out, you did not carry much silver; would you still yourself spend money to go buy croton seeds? At what time again did you do a business of losing capital and suffering a loss? Within this there additionally are other changes, is it not?"
 
The boy could not help but give a "xi-xi" smile, and said: "Sister after all is a clever person; little brother howsoever also cannot hide it from you. I in truth was the moment I saw that bald dead fat man bullying people like this, then had unspeakable dislike of him. Therefore after patronizing his small kitchen, I then additionally conspired with others, and performed a show for him to look at, taking the 'Bone-Rotting Muscle-Ruining Paste' that I last year tricked away from Fourth Uncle, treating it as the 'Hundred-Spirits Hair-Growth Powder,' and sold it to that dead fat man. Calculating up and down, anyway this one arena down, the money scraped from that dead fat man's body, apart from relieving those two beggars and paying the medicine money of the medicine shop, still possesses an abundance."
 
Young Brother Huo hearing up to here, already could not bear to begin smiling. This child was small of person but great of ghost, knowing not what method he used; unexpectedly when setting up people to suffer, he quite possessed a turn of means, letting a person be like a mute eating a bitter gourd, possessing bitterness yet unable to speak it out.
 
That young girl gently let out a sigh, and said: "This time bringing you out, I am afraid it truly was wrong."
 
The boy said with a "xi-xi" smile: "Uncle Zhong did not ease his mind about Third Young Master being in Xiangyang, with few people beside his body to serve; my volunteering myself was also what ought to be, how is it wrong? How could I again let sister across a great distance be solitary of body and one person going to Xiangyang? Possessing me accompanying and protecting beside sister's side is furthermore heavenly principles and earthly justice."
 
Speaking up to here, as if for the sake of displaying his own health and strength, his small torso had already straightened up.
 
That young girl said faintly and remotely: "At the time of the Yellow River great flood in past years, compared to this hardship and danger, one knew not how many times greater it was. How much suffering and calamity have already been endured and passed over. At present the world is at peace; this pain of twists and turns along the road, compared to that time, still falls far short."
 
Once lifting up the Yellow River great flood, the boy appeared as if he also could not help but be dejected. He rolled his eyeballs, diverging the topic and saying: "It is just that one knows not what kind of a ghost place Xiangyang is; ten thousand matters after all are not as convenient as Tokyo; sister one person is afraid to be unable to manage it all. Over at Third Young Master's side, if possessing me helping sister, hands and feet then are much lighter and looser."
 
That young girl said: "You still come to help me; I only beg you to not provoke disaster upon your body, and that already is Bodhisattva's protection. Even if inside the capital city, did you not already make a racket that overturned heaven, crashing into disaster and provoking trouble never having broken off. If others were not looking at the face of Third Young Master, could this small life of yours still live until now?"
 
The boy said with a playful skin and smiling face: "Sister's words are so heavy; I am small of person and narrow of shoulders, afraid it will crush me down, truly unable to bear it up."
 
That young girl said: "You have all turned refined up to heaven, what is there that you cannot bear up? A person who can speak out heavy words that crush you down, I am afraid has not yet been born. Every day the moment Third Young Master returns to the manor, the first sentence precisely is to ask where you are."
 
Speaking up to here, her tone of voice had already turned solemn and grave.
 
"Zhu'er, we received Third Young Master's rescue from distress and harboring; originally we owe him this lifetime's favor and kindness; how do you always let him exercise his mind for you?"
 
The boy's expression gradually became heavy and grave; he could not help but droop his head down, and said: "Sister, you——"
 
That young girl said: "I know you are a clever person, and additionally possess those people inside the capital city who favor you and spoil you up to heaven; but we after all are acting as servants; although speaking that Third Young Master never treated us as servants, but even if we cannot help him, we also cannot add trouble to him again."
 
The boy mumbled: "What sister says is right. Little brother also knows it was wrong, but this temper of mine just howsoever also cannot be changed; the moment I see this matter of bullying poor people, I always cannot bear it and then——"
 
That young girl said: "I know inside your heart you admire Third Young Master's heroic style and air, and always also want to learn from him to একইভাবে practice chivalry and clear justice. Your age is still small, anger and fire are exuberant, it is also natural and inherent. It is only that every single matter you do, you must always think a turn on behalf of Third Young Master. Xiangyang City is however not the capital city; if you still do not restrain, and again give Third Young Master trouble provoked upon his body, I will be the first to not forgive you."
 
She spoke up to here; although her voice was still light and soft, inside her tone of voice there already possessed a trace of severity.
 
Young Brother Huo hearing up to here, inside his heart yet again gave a stir.
 
This sister and brother two people, although they did not possess half a portion of martial kung fu, yet their words, talk, behavior, and actions were all different from the crowd. That child was certainly small of person but great of ghost, strange, clever, and essence-clear; that young girl, do not look at her being gentle, clear, and beautiful, a grain of mind unexpectedly was also exquisite and crystal-sharp; that child's absolute trick play unexpectedly could not hide from her, and she additionally possessed one capability—down a few sentences, she then let that strange and difficult-to-deal-with child obediently hear words.
 
——If it were not hearing this turn of words of this young girl, he howsoever also could not look out that this sister and brother two people would be other people's servants.
 
——If servants were already like this, then as for their master, what kind of a powerful character would he again be?
 
Recklessly and foolishly thinking, a thought suddenly popped out.
 
——Inside Tokyo City, apart from that Little Zhao of the Southern Pure Palace, one is afraid only he then is worthy of such servants and followers.
 
It was only that the moment his handsome face appeared before his eyes, his smile that was like clouds faint and wind light, his deep eyes that thoroughly knew everything, his quiet silhouette, upon his body it was then a burst of warmth; but inside his heart, it was however a spine-piercing pain. Pain to the point of letting him be unable to catch his breath.
 
Looking at the rice and dishes before his eyes, his appetite suddenly became very bad.
 
But he must command himself to eat down. Only eating down could he then possess strength to hurry on the road; he must bound to hurry to arrive at the capital city.
 
——It was only for a time, inside his throat, knowing not for what reason, it appeared as if stopped up by something general; even if before his eyes were mountains' treasures and seas' flavors, it was also difficult to swallow down.
 
Gazing at the rice and dishes before his eyes, he again could not help but launch into a blank stare. The "xi-xi" low whispering of that sister and brother two people who sat far away at the side, as if already within the clouds, within the heaven's outside, became blurred and hazy.
 
Knowing not how long passed, amidst the thoughts dividing and profusing, he suddenly realized that the front of his eyes appeared as if it had already darkened down; originally it was a streak of shadow, from outside the door slowly covering over.
 
Outside the door there appeared to be a horse lightly neighing.
 
The earth was already without sound. Even the low whispering of that sister and brother pair inside the corner appeared as if it also stopped.
 
Young Brother Huo abruptly was startled into awareness.
 
At the place of being startled into awareness, it precisely was the front of eyes wind clear, the front of eyes clouds hoisting.
 
Inside the dark shadow there was a person.
 
The person inside the dark shadow, his original outline unavoidably would be blurred; but this person's silhouette, amidst the dark color, was however even more distinct.
 
Slowly, this person finally from inside the shadow paced out.
 
The moment this person walked out, it happened that the evening sun also from the cloud edge exhibited out; the earth lit up for a light, reflecting that inside this small inn, it also lit up for a light.
 
The horse outside the door gave a single whistle.
 
Far away outside the window there was pine wind.
 
This person had already arrived before Young Brother Huo.
 
A black colored cape covered his stout, strong, and enduring silhouette. Raising the looking eyes, it was sword brows, it was star eyes, it was proud air rushing to the sky's sharp air, it was following intent like steel's strength.
 
This young person clad in a cape just so calmly and composedly, yet additionally intensely and forcing-of-people appeared before Young Brother Huo.
——Who is this person?
 
Amidst the trance, Young Brother Huo additionally thought he himself looked wrongly.
——He did not believe. He must bound to have looked wrongly at the person.
 
He used force to blink his eyes for a blink.
 
Then his eyes encountered upon a pair of familiar gazes. Inside this gaze there was the contradiction that he was familiar with to the point of being unable to be any more familiar.
——This was a gaze cut clean apart and different from Zhan Zhao's.
 
Zhan Zhao's gaze was deep, heavy, and tranquil; it both possessed the sharpness of thoroughly knowing everything, and possessed the warmth of understanding and being broad.
 
Inside this person's gaze, it then eternally was the contradiction of deep affection and cold calmness, was the burning of ice and fire.
 
Young Brother Huo was precisely beneath this gaze.
——It was him!
 
The two people's gazes, bearing every single category's complexity, had already intersected, collided, dissolved into each other, passed through each other, penetrated each other, as if both wanting to see into the opposite side's heart's inside.
 
Young Brother Huo unexpectedly appeared as if already unable to stand up, and also did not want to stand up.
 
His lips were already slightly trembling; therefore that pair of rabbit teeth just appeared as if slightly flashing light beneath the evening sun.
 
Within a single instant, he then had already known, what ought to be faced, in the end still must be faced. Just like his responsibility and feelings, no matter what happened, they were all an undertaking that could not be escaped and avoided.
 
Unconsciously, before his eyes, it was suddenly a blurred blank piece. Could it be it was tears, that had already let his heart no longer want to see him?
 
Was it that he already knew, this mind and soul overflowing with thousands of strands and heads, having seen this person before him, then pained even more, was annoyed even more, was sorrowful even more?
——It was only that inside the middle of this pain and sorrow, why would there again possess a kind of unexplainable relaxation?
 
He heard this person before him appear as if slightly letting out a long breath. Then his voice had already sounded.
 
That was a kind of voice inside thickness and heaviness slightly possessing some hoarseness that he was familiar with. It was merely that at present inside this voice, it however carried a kind of joy after a long separation and meeting again that made Young Brother Huo strange, and howsoever also could not be glossed and hidden over.
 
That gaze of his of ice and fire watched his. His lips appeared as if they were also slightly trembling. His voice, to Young Brother Huo's listening, appeared as if it had already become very distant.
——“Linglong, how are you.”
 
With a "da" single sound, that pair of bamboo-wood chopsticks had already from Young Brother Huo's hand slipped and dropped onto the ground, emitting a slightly blunt sound.
 
A grain of crystal tear drop finally from his eye corner rolled and dropped down; with a "pu-xu" single light sound, it dripped onto his lapel.

[Note] Mulan Hua Man has consistently been a tune pattern and pitch modulation that is harmonious, twisting, and turning, writing of lingering and clinging, sorrowful and desperate feelings. Here in truth it cannot attach any relationship with Mulan; it was borrowed to be used to metaphorically hide the story of Hua Mulan, borrowing to refer to Huo Linglong dressing in male attire as a woman inside this text.