twin moon

In the 39th year of Daxin Yaoning, under the collapsed Jie Pagoda outside Mulu City, there were crowds of people and banners flying around.

It was the early spring of the year again, and the salty sea breeze rolled up dark black water from the north, washing the reefs on the shore again and again.The wave is still surging, but it lacks stamina.After being blocked by the breakwater on the shore, the sea water retreated resentfully with white foam, as if full of helplessness.

As the last flood on land was led back to the sea, the long catastrophe caused by the cloudy moon and after decades has finally come to an end.And the terrible tsunami that once shook the mountains and destroyed the city has gradually disappeared with the Cangyu people's casting spells over the years.

Today, the dark black stone tower once towering over the shore has a clear boundary due to the year-round immersion in seawater.The surface of the more than ten feet high masonry below the tower was black, covered with mud and dark green seaweed.And a large number of barnacles that feed on these seaweeds are densely covered on the reefs and tower foundations on the shore, like a series of alien honeycombs connected together, or like the decaying carapace of some unknown ancient giant beast after death.

Right now, on the ruins of Jieta in front of the crowd, stood a figure.The man was wearing a pure black fox fur cloak, the fox fur fluttered in the wind, and the roots were distinct.A crimson ribbon around the waist, in the desolate gray everywhere, is like a ball of dancing flames, flying up and down.

When the man turned around, he saw that he was a middle-aged man with a fair face and a neat short beard.His thick eyebrows were like swords, reaching straight to the temples, but on his supposedly handsome face, there was a long dark red scar, which ran from the corner of the mouth to the roots of the ears, which was a bit ferocious.

Right now, what the man is playing with in his hand is a silver mask that was originally used to cover the long scars on his face.He stood on the top of the pagoda, looking at the vast and misty Chanying Sea under his feet, his face was full of emotion.There is only a pair of amber pupils, shining like gold.The eyes are gentle and clear as water.

Standing behind him is the humerus pillar that has spared no effort to assist him for 30 years.The vast majority of them come from the three states of Wan, Si, and Mian, which are relatively close, but there are also young people who travel far away from the states of Zichang, Mi, and Yi, and even from the distant Shuozhou.

Today, the original young people are past their age.Traveling here and there on land for many years, even though many people got married and had children long ago, few of them really settled down in one place.

Everyone stood in awe, just quietly looking at the leader who led him to repel the flood.Suddenly, the man threw the silver mask far into the sea.It was as if the mask had magical powers. Along with the arc it drew in the air, a ray of golden sunlight shot out from the cloudy sky.

The sun shines on the crowd gathered around Jieta.In their minds, during the more than [-] years that the floods have been raging, it seems that the sky above the suffering land under their feet is clear for the first time.A burst of thunderous cheers suddenly erupted from the crowd, as if they wanted to shake off the sympathy, pain, confusion, regrets, salvation, nostalgia, persistence, and relief that had been suppressed in their hearts for many years. All released.

"... Fortunately, after today, I will repay the spring and autumn..."

Qi Ziyin muttered in his mouth.This was originally a poem he wrote when he was in Guizhou and witnessed the end of the world that was about to destroy the world.Now, the wording has been quietly changed, and the meaning has been changed even more.

But even if he is lucky enough to be able to witness the day when the flood recedes, the land shines brightly, and everything rejuvenates, there are still many companions who walked side by side with him. Now they can only see through the eyes of these living people. Looking forward to, longing for, but out of reach of the future.

Qi Ziyin felt something suddenly flow out of his dry eyes, hot and blazing, as if molten iron had slipped from his cheeks.He raised his hand and rubbed his eyes which had already been blurred by tears, only then did he see the crowd standing behind him, who at some point knelt down to the ground.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to be bold today, and implore Ye Guogong to inherit the throne and govern the country!"

Facing the leader's question, everyone seemed to have reached a consensus in private, and they responded with one voice, like a bell, shaking the sky and the earth.Qi Ziyin was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head again and again, and declined:
"Many years ago, some people tried their best to persuade me to take over the throne of King Ye...but in just a few years after that, many people died tragically because of me... Among those souls who passed away, some of them I didn't know at all. I can’t name it. However, there are also my best friends, my mentors, and my relatives... Besides, because of my incompetence, the world has fallen into a disaster that lasted for decades, causing floods to reverse, mountains and rivers to shatter, People are devastated, everything is dying, and it has not been restored to its original state... And I am just an ordinary person, a weak person who can't even control my own destiny. How about commanding the world in the seat of the son?"

"If it weren't for Lord Ye, this flood might never recede. If it weren't for you, how could the people of the world be united like this?"

But the people under the pagoda refused to obey, "Now that the people of the people are returning to their hearts, there is nothing to be done. Only Qi Gong, who is virtuous, can inherit the great rule and help the world!"

Duke Ye, who was wearing a black cloak, still shook his head, then changed the subject, and asked the other party:

"Then what do you think the world refers to? Is it the land that runs from north to south and across east to west? Or is it the head of Li gangsters who have suffered from wars and famines? Or is it just a name, a title? Or Are those thousands of decisions that should not be led by one person and made by one person?"

"It is the human heart! It is the human heart that is admired and loved by all beings in the world!"

Suddenly, several people in the crowd shouted loudly, and went forward to salute, holding a white imperial robe embroidered with golden dragons that had been prepared in their hands.Upon closer inspection, it turns out that they are the sons and grandsons of princes and kings whose bloodlines have not been cut off:
"We were all born in the family of Zhong Ding, but we have witnessed the collapse of order, the discord between people, the collapse of mansions, and the collapse of prosperity. We thought that a sage who responded to everyone was better than thousands of ordinary people who were unknown. Now, you are the sage in our eyes, please don't refuse!"

Hearing this, Qi Ziyin laughed bitterly:
"However, the history of this world is written by countless unknown ordinary people. It is definitely not one or two so-called sages. If I am worthy of the sages that the princes say, I should write those who are not known to the world. Everyone knows, but where is the hero who gave up his life for the people of the world?"

Speaking of this, Ye Guogong suddenly felt a little melancholy, as if thinking of the time when he was on the ice field in Guizhou, when the cloudy moon fell from the sky and no one could stop him, he stepped forward, the one who saved himself and even the world The appearance of a black-eyed boy murmured to himself,

"... After all, a hero is enough to be remembered by the living forever. Now that I have made up my mind, you don't need to persuade me—"

Speaking of this, he suddenly thought of something, paused suddenly, and then hurriedly ordered someone to fetch a pen and paper.The people under the pagoda who persuaded him to ascend the throne thought that he had changed his mind, and immediately presented the pen and ink that had been prepared and the golden silk brocade used to copy the imperial decree.

Unexpectedly, Qi Ziyin swiped the pen with a big brush, and instead stretched out the brocade in his hands in front of everyone.I saw only two words written on the golden scroll:
Yuan Shu.

"Now that the flood has receded, Yao Ning's reign name, which has been used since the Luqiu Xin Dynasty, really needs to be changed—"

Ye Guogong said this, as if this idea had been lingering in his mind for a long time, "The original is the beginning of all things. Forgive me, the reason for benevolence, righteousness and kindness. We are standing here today, it is by no means mercy , is really self-forgiveness."

His eyes swept over the faces of the people in front of him one by one, and he was able to call out everyone's name:

"Ying Xu, the grandson of Ying Ren of Peng Kingdom, opened up the borders of the country and accepted the disaster victims from all over the world. It can be called great benevolence. Qin Huai, the son of Qin Meng Province in Nanhua, dedicated himself to reclaiming wasteland and crippled his arm. He used one piece of land to support all people in the world, which can be called great kindness. Yin Yin Tu, the younger brother of Cheng Guo Yinqian, personally led more than [-] members of the Yin clan to dig canals and build embankments, and more than half of them were killed or injured. As the saying goes, if you want to establish yourself, first establish others, and let yourself push others, and you can draw an example. Today’s achievement is not due to me alone, but because all the people in the world, including the princes, have redeemed themselves!"

Qi Ziyin's eyes were piercing, and there seemed to be something flickering in his eyes, "Today, Ziyin presumptuously changed his year name to Yuanshu, hoping that you can use this word to encourage yourself, and remind me where I came from. , and where should I go—in the future, even if I am not around, I believe that you can rule the world with virtue, bless your hometown, and benefit all living beings!"

These earnest speeches seem to be admonishing, but also exhorting.After speaking, Duke Ye seemed to have finally lifted the heavy burden from his shoulders, with a relaxed expression on his face.

"Duke Ye is—planning to leave?"

However, one stone stirred up thousands of waves, and the words immediately caused an uproar among the people in front of him.Qi Ziyin didn't seem to care about the uproar he caused, but nodded slightly, in a trance:
"I—do intend to travel—"

"Where does Lord Ye plan to go?"

Amidst all the questions, the man turned his eyes to the distance, to the vast Chanying Sea, and murmured:

"That place is the land that my best friend and I have always wanted to go to when I was a child, and it is also my mentor, and the distant place that countless people have longed for—but the person I am waiting for has not yet arrived..."

"A group of dragons cannot be headless. If Lord Ye leaves here, what will happen to all the people in the world?"

People behind him gathered around and refused to agree.Qi Ziyin pressed his hands hard, signaling to the other party not to worry too much:

"Life in this world is not about glue pillars and zithers, and the sun and menstruation. There are no rules and laws that are not easy to change in the world, and no one can predict what will happen in the future. Just like this time the turbid moon fell to the ground, causing floods. See It seems like a desperate situation, but you can still find a way out of it..."

As the man said, he seemed to see something suddenly in his eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked towards the distant sea.

At the junction of the sea and the sky, there are jagged lights, and there is actually the shadow of a ship, which is gradually approaching from the northwest.The boat seemed to have been at sea for many years, weathered through rain, snow and wind and frost, but with a silver sail inflated, it galloped towards the shore under the golden light cast from the sky.

When they got closer, everyone saw that there was a lifelike skylark embroidered on the sail, and it was flying with flying wings, full of ambition to reach the sky, even if there was thunder and danger in front of it, it couldn't stop it.Just like these people standing on the shore, like the countless people who have multiplied and lived on this continent for thousands of years, but have never succumbed to their fate.

"The person I was waiting for is finally here!"

On Qi Ziyin's face, a smile that could not be concealed gradually appeared.Anyone can see his sincere joy and excitement, his pure and innocent eyebrows and eyes are crooked, like a child who has never experienced anything in the world.

At the same time, the ship in the sea gradually slowed down under the gaze of everyone, and stopped in the west port where the Baisha camp was located outside the city to rest.

Under the amazed eyes of everyone, Lord Ye pushed aside the crowd in front of him, went straight down from the tower, and drove his horse and boat along the coast.When the people under the tower reacted and chased after him one after another, he had already disappeared, as if he had already had a tacit understanding with the boat.

When Qi Ziyin arrived at the pier in the harbor, the big ship with the lark's sails had already anchored.There was no one unloading the cargo on board, but a figure in a cloak stepped down lightly.The man stood still in front of Ye Guogong, raised his hand and lifted the cloak, his silver hair was like a waterfall, like a galaxy falling to the ground, it was Mo Zeming who hadn't seen him for many years.

The silver-haired youth who used to be physically weak is now an inch taller than Ye Guogong, but his figure is still slender, but his skin is tanned bronze, showing the unique robustness of a person who goes to sea from the inside out.

"Brother Zeming, I haven't seen you for many years, don't come here without any problems."

"Brother Qi, you are safe and well. It has been more than seven years since we met last time?"

When the two met each other for the first time, they wanted to bow their hands to salute, but when they raised their hands halfway, they couldn't suppress the joy in their hearts, and they hugged each other tightly.

"Seven years, eleven months and eight days, it will be eight years soon."

Mo Zeming didn't expect that the other party could remember the time when he met him clearly, so he couldn't help showing a surprised expression.But soon, he suddenly realized and laughed, and patted the other person on the back:

"That's right. This time I was entrusted by Brother Qi to go to sea, and Zeming will certainly live up to the entrustment!"

"Did you really—find it?"

Hearing this, Qi Ziyin suddenly felt dizzy.Although he knew that the other party would definitely gain something when he came back, but the sudden good news still made him unable to believe his ears.

Mo Zeming just let the slightly older man in front of him show his inner joy like a child.Immediately nodded, and raised his finger to point to his own boat:

"That man—is waiting for Brother Qi right now."

"So, let's lift the anchor immediately. If I leave here, it may be good news for everyone."

Before the other party could finish speaking, Lord Ye quickly rushed onto the boat, as if he didn't have the slightest nostalgia for this complicated world.

The big ship that had just berthed was heading towards the depths of the Chanying Sea again.The group of people on the shore who came after him could only watch Qi Ziyin drift away with the boat.Just like what he did many years ago, he sailed to the unknown distance.