Three Kingdoms

Hearing the slightly heavy footsteps on the other side through the door, Fei Qian couldn't help but frown.

What's going on?

You didn't even exchange a few words during the interview, you just slammed the door and left?

Did I say something wrong?

Fei Qian first suppressed his slight dissatisfaction, then reviewed his words and deeds, and found that there was nothing rude about him, which made Fei Qian feel even more confused.

Huang Xianliang had just accepted Fei Qian's promise to seize the Chunqiu Zuo clan on the way. When he saw Fei Qian and his group being thrown out of the courtyard gate, he couldn't help but feel angry and shouted: "My lord came here because of his reputation, but he was so ignored. Is this how the Ma family treats guests?"

There was a muffled groan from behind the courtyard door, and then silence fell.

Fei Qian thought for a while and said in a loud voice: "This visit is very presumptuous. If I disturb you, I hope you will forgive me." Then he motioned to hang the pheasant he brought with him on the side of the courtyard gate, and took Huang Xianliang and others with him. gone.

Etiquette in the Han Dynasty was very important, and pheasant was the first gift for nobles to meet. People in the Han Dynasty believed that once a pheasant is surrounded by people and unable to escape, it will neither be afraid of threats nor eat the bait, but will quickly commit suicide. Therefore, it is difficult for people to catch live wild pheasants. The pheasant is used as a meeting gift not because of its delicious taste, but to show that both parties are "honest and righteous" people.

As Fei Qian and others left, silence fell into silence inside and outside the courtyard, as if everyone in this area had died and remained motionless.

Only the gentle breeze blew the feathers of the hanging pheasant upside down.

Maybe it was a long time, or maybe it was just a short while, the courtyard door was slowly opened with a creak, and the middle-aged man had a heavy look on his face, as if the courtyard door weighed a thousand catties. generally.

When the middle-aged man saw that there was no one outside the courtyard, his expression was very complicated, as if he had finally thrown away the stone that was weighing on his heart, and as if he suddenly discovered that the stone he threw out was actually a precious jade. …

As soon as the middle-aged man stepped out of the courtyard, he noticed something on his side. He turned his head sharply, and even the bones in his neck made a clicking sound, and then his whole body seemed to be restrained. Shu was stunned like that.

After a long time, the middle-aged man seemed to recover from his ice sculpture-like state. He slowly stretched out his hand with some hesitation, and just touched the feathers of the wild pheasant. It was as if he had been burned by a red iron, and he retracted instantly. His eyes were a little scattered, and his expression was a little dazed...

A woman walked out of the yard, walked quietly to the man's side, and gently held the man's trembling hand.

After a long time, the man let out a long sigh, lowered his head, looked at the woman beside him, and whispered: "Mother Yun, throw this away..."

"Dalang..."

The middle-aged man's movement towards the house froze for a moment, "...Throw it away!"

Yun Niang looked at the man who seemed to be running away, and sighed. She walked out of the yard, untied the pheasant, held it in her hand, looked back at the house, and then looked down at the pheasant...

When the curtain on the door was lifted, the man took a quick glance and breathed a sigh of relief when he found that Yun Niang had come in with empty hands.

Yun Niang glanced at the man, said nothing, and quietly went to work in the kitchen.

Inside the house, neither person spoke, as if they had lost the ability to speak.

Yun Niang prepared the evening breasts and served them.

Preserved pork is very simple, just two bowls of mixed porridge and a small plate of salted radish.

Eat in silence.

Eat in silence.

Wash in silence.

Rest silently.

The night in the suburbs was very quiet. There was only one weaving insect lying in the gap, chirping tirelessly.

I don’t know how much time passed, but Yun Niang suddenly said softly: "Da Lang...he's not asleep yet, is he?"

The middle-aged man didn't speak, just hummed softly.

"Actually, I know you haven't forgotten...and can't forget..."

The middle-aged man gritted his teeth, remained silent, and stared straight into his eyes, shining with an unspeakable light in the night.

"...In the past five or six years, you have risen every morning as soon as the rooster crows. No matter whether it is windy or rainy, or even when the farming is busy, you have never stopped... Oh, I know you will never forget it..."

The middle-aged man finally spoke and said in a hoarse voice: "How could I forget? I want to forget, but..."

Yes, how could you forget?

That year, the families in Shangjun lost their homes and fled south in panic like wild dogs.

That month, in front of the Qiang and Hu Xiongnu who surged in like locusts, Shangjun's defense line was riddled with holes, and smoke was everywhere...

That day, the last county town in Shangjun was captured. He had no choice but to protect the Shangjun guard and the remaining soldiers, fight his way out of the siege, and escape...

That night, the Qiang and Hu were in hot pursuit. His comrades and brothers could no longer run or escape, so one by one, they automatically turned around to intercept the pursuers, just to give others a chance. People strive for one more minute and one second...

How could I forget the fire burning at the top of the city and the home that was plundered by the barbarians!

How could I forget the blood flowing in Shangjun and the piles of heads that could not be laid in silence until death!

How could he forget that there was also the person who died in his arms, his child, who had just turned sixteen, the only incense of the Ma family!

The middle-aged man got up from the bed and looked up at the sky. The lonely moon in the sky was miserable and cold.

He once hoped that one day, a messenger from the imperial court would gallop to the door, shout loudly, and order him to return to the team. Then he and his compatriots would gallop back to Shangjun with their war horses!

Ten days have passed, one month has passed, one year has passed, but in the end no one came...

For so many years, he thought he had forgotten, he had forgotten how to arrange troops in the fields, he had forgotten the swords, guns and sticks among the sickles and hoes, he had forgotten the past in the expectation day after day, year after year. The glory of the army dimmed the hope in my heart...

Just when he thought he was going to die here, Fei Qian suddenly appeared!

When he ran out the door, he wished he was the old county guard, and what he saw was a group of familiar old faces...

However, he didn't know any of them.

Moreover, this county magistrate is still so young.

He hesitated...

Yun Niang got up silently, pulled out a large box from the corner of the room, opened the box with the moonlight that slanted into the room, and unexpectedly pulled out two pieces of armor from the box!

The iron pieces on the armor were beating against each other, exuding a murderous aura under the cold moonlight. There were many marks of slashing faintly left on the armor.

Yun Niang closed the box, put one piece on the lid, and put the other piece on herself. She reached to the side of the armor and tied it up. In an instant, she changed from a peasant woman to a heroine. , then holding the other piece of armor, he stood proudly in front of the middle-aged man!

"Ma Yan Ma Cheng Yuan!

"The glory of the Ma family was won on the battlefield, not dug out of the fields!

"Isn't this the day you've been waiting for for so many years?

“If you can’t forget, don’t forget!

"Go back! Go back together!

"Use the swords and guns in our hands to tell the barbarians in Shangjun that the former General Du Liao and our Ma family are back!

"Whether it's a rain of arrows or a forest of guns, whether it's a mountain of swords or a sea of ​​fire, I...I'll always be with you..."

Ma Yan took the armor and stroked the marks of knife and arrow stabbings on it. Unknowingly, his face was covered with tears. His mouth was opened wide, but no sound came out. He was just dumb and stuffy between his chest and abdomen. Tears mixed with snot flowed all over the face, covering the beard, and finally dripped to the ground, splashing little bits of dust...

To the soldiers who have guarded the border from ancient times to the present...