Shaojun riding the sea

Chapter 260 Death is coming
Hearing the long-lost "Brother Shixi" again, Pei Shixi was stunned, as if he was back in the Qingli Mountains of his childhood. He sat under a tree reading a book, and not far away there was always a timid little girl who secretly poked her head out to look at him, and would give him fruit wine that she had brewed herself.

At that time, the sky was high and the clouds were vast, and the stream was gurgling. He was not the Jade-faced Yama who was feared by everyone in the Zhenfu Division, and she was not the Concubine Rou who was fighting step by step for the emperor's heart in the palace. They were just a pair of children in the mountains who had no idea of ​​the taste of sorrow.

It’s a pity that for the sake of the clan’s cause, they all gave up themselves, and became... beyond recognition over the years.

After she entered the palace, she had always called him "Sir" and had never overstepped the boundaries. Now, hearing this childhood voice of "Brother Shixi" again, Pei Shixi's heartstrings trembled slightly. He looked into those light brown eyes that were sparkling with ripples and contained a thousand words. He wanted to say something, but in the end he just lowered his head and turned everything into a long sigh:
"Girl Ying, you...are so stupid."

When Leng Ying heard this childhood name, her breathing moved and her eyes lit up instantly. She took a step forward, but saw Pei Shixi reaching out and slowly pulling out something that was pressed under the military intelligence file.

Leng Ying had sharp eyes and recognized what it was immediately. Her heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe it. It was... half of a "letter of persuasion to return" that the allied forces had sent!
Yes, the allied forces had sent many so-called "letters of persuasion" to Youzhou one after another, hoping that the Feng family would let go of their hatred and return to their hometown, but Pei Shixi was unmoved and tore up all the letters. Unexpectedly, he secretly kept half of it. No one knew what kind of mood he was in to make this decision, and he even put this half of the letter of persuasion at the bottom of the file.

Perhaps when it was late at night and everyone was asleep, he had also been tossing and turning, looking at this half-written letter of persuasion to return home, with a myriad of thoughts in his mind, unable to make a decision?

Outside, snow was falling, and the house was completely silent. Leng Ying just stood beside Pei Shixi, quietly watching him stroke the half-written letter of persuasion. Every word in the incomplete letter was sincere, especially the last few words at the end, which were clearly reflected in Leng Ying's eyes.

We are connected by blood and it is hard to give up. We cross the sea to return home and fall back to our roots.

Leng Ying's long eyelashes trembled, and suddenly her eyes became moist. The Feng family had been wandering outside for a hundred years and had experienced many hardships. The clansmen had made efforts and sacrifices from generation to generation for the cause of restoring the country, and had worked hard to get to this day. Was it right or wrong? Was it... worth it?
Just as she was losing consciousness, Pei Shixi suddenly whispered to her: "Aying, after everything is over, do you want to return to Yunzhou Island and live a peaceful life?"

It seemed that she had never expected Pei Shixi to say such words. Leng Ying took a breath and could not hide her shock, but at the same time she could see the pain and struggle in Pei Shixi's eyes.

She understood all of his thoughts and knew everything he had been asking for. Everything he did was just for the Feng family. She was so excited that she couldn't help but bend down slightly and get closer to him. She stretched out her hand to cover the back of his cold hand and whispered softly in his ear:
"Brother Shixi, after we get rid of Queen Chinu, if you want to let go of everything and lead your people back to Yunzhou Island in the future, I will follow you. If you are unwilling to stop here and still want to restore the great cause of your people, I will pick up the Wanyue Bow for you, fight with you and continue to protect the Tonglu Kingdom that we built with our own hands."

"A Ying, you..."

Pei Shixi obviously did not expect Leng Ying to say such a thing. She actually saw through him so thoroughly. They looked at each other in silence for a long time. Something flowed between them. His eyes were red, but she raised the corners of her lips, and each word became more gentle and firm:
"Brother Shixi, I know that you have been walking on thin ice in your life, and the road you have taken is full of thorns. Whether you were reading Buddhist scriptures under a tree in the mountains in the past, or you were covered in blood when you entered the Zhenfu Division later, you planned and endured all kinds of things, all for the Feng family. You have done enough, and the ancestors of the Feng family will not blame you. You have a clear conscience in this life. And in the future, no matter what you choose, no matter what decision you make, Aying will stand with you, never betray you, never... leave you."

-

The sky and earth were vast, the north wind was biting, a snowflake fell gently, and was caught by Zuo Chong who was standing under the eaves. He stared at the small snowflake in his palm, muttering to himself while thinking about something:

"Why hasn't Xiaomo come back yet? It shouldn't take so long to get a sword, right? Could this guy have deserted the battlefield?"

Although he joked like this, he knew better than anyone in his heart that Xiao Mo would never run away alone and abandon his people. So where did this guy go?
They had originally agreed that with the war imminent, Xiao Mo wanted to go out to find the world's number one swordsmith and forge a most suitable sword for his left hand. He said that he had saved the swordsmith's life by coincidence, and he also knew where the swordsmith was living in seclusion now, so it wouldn't take long to get the sword. He would definitely come back soon with a new sword to fight to the death with those red slaves!

"Could this guy have been delayed by something on his way back? If he doesn't hurry back, that old monster Xiyuehan will be here soon... Forget it, it's better not to come back. Just don't come back and hide outside. Don't come back to die..." He murmured subconsciously, and Zuo Chong suddenly realized it. He quickly raised his hand and slapped his face: "Ugh! If anyone has to die, it should be that old monster Xiyuehan. It's his death that's approaching, so it's not our turn. God bless my Feng family, this catastrophe will be resolved safely!"

He calmed himself, picked up the tray full of food, turned the mechanism of the stone door behind him, and stepped into the hidden dark room.

"Hey, old man Shi, it's time to eat. I'm in a good mood today, so I brought you some wine brewed from Jieyan flowers. Come and have a taste!"

The candlelight flickered in the dark room, illuminating Zuo Chong's smiling eyes. He sat at the table with his chin propped up, raising the corners of his lips proudly:

"How is it, Old Man Shi? This wine is good, isn't it? But I brewed it myself. The jasmine flowers in the wine are very nourishing and will be of great benefit to your injuries. I think you will be able to recover completely in a few more days. Don't thank me too much, because I am the best doctor in the tribe."

The teasing and smiling words echoed in the secret room, but Shi Zhongqing listened without much reaction. It was obvious that he had long been accustomed to Zuo Chong's "shamelessness".

He just put down his bowl, suddenly raised his head, and asked abruptly: "Xiao Zuo, how long is it until New Year's Eve, until your snow-brushing feast?"

Zuo Chong paused smiling, then he crossed his arms, approached Shi Zhongqing, and said with a smile: "Why, old man Shi, you just recovered from your injury, and you feel itchy again, do you want to kill a few more Red Slave dogs for us?"

Shi Zhongqing ignored Zuo Chong's teasing, only looked at him solemnly, and said seriously: "If Xi Yuehan is not dead, the world will not be at peace, and the people will not be at peace. On this point, I and you... have the same goal."

After a pause, Shi Zhongqing continued, "In fact, I did not expect that your Lord Pei and you so-called Restorationists would risk your lives to save your people and plot to kill Xi Yuehan. You are not what I expected before... Anyway, I am willing to lend a helping hand to you in this Snow Feast."

Zuo Chong looked at Shi Zhongqing's serious expression and listened to his old-fashioned yet sincere words. For some reason, he felt a little touched in his heart, but he quickly concealed it, raised his eyes and returned to his cynical look:

"Tsk tsk, you old man are so sour and literary when you talk. It's because the goddess is in the hands of those red slave dogs. You are also saving your daughter by dealing with the Red Slave King, aren't you?"

"There's no need to tell such a clumsy lie a second time. I know my daughter is not in the hands of the Chinu people. Maybe even you don't know where she is, but I know in my heart that she is the goddess of your Feng family. You won't hurt her. If I help you get rid of the Chinu King, I'm also saving my daughter's people. I'm willing to risk my life and go to the Snowstorm with you."

The deep and powerful words echoed in the dark room for a long time. Zuo Chong was stunned again. He looked at Shi Zhongqing, who had a serious face, for a long time. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he swallowed it all back. He just waved his hand and pretended to be nonchalant:

"Alright, alright, I know you really want to help us get rid of King Chi Nu. You are a good old man who understands the greater good. I admire you. It's not in vain that I brought you wine today. Thank you!"

After he finished speaking, he picked up the tray and wanted to leave, but he didn't expect Shi Zhongqing to speak again. This time, what he said was unexpected. Zuo Chong's face suddenly changed, and he could no longer hold up the mask on his face, because what Shi Zhongqing said was -

"Xiao Zuo, after getting rid of Xi Yuehan, what are your plans for the future? Continue to fight against the Dongmu court, and continue to defend...your Tonglu country?"