Jinting Han people

Chapter 152 Reunion (4k)

After three years, Luzhu seemed to have changed little. She still had those sad eyes, those red lips like plum blossoms, and that dewy smile. Just like the one Liu Xian occasionally remembered in his dreams, she seemed elusive yet made him want to be close to her.

But when Liu Xian saw her, he didn't have time to feel the joy of reunion. Instead, he became extremely alert and immediately asked, "Miss Luzhu, how did you get here?"

After all, there were many people involved between him and Lu Zhu, including Shi Chong, Li Mi, Liu Cong, Chen Shou... All of this could be traced back to an absurd thing he did when he had just come of age. When he was gaining experience in the Prince of Shiping's Palace, he was bored and went to rob Shi Chong's Jingu Garden with Afule, Liu Cong, Zu Ti and others. Then, he took advantage of the heavy rain and single-handedly snatched Shi Chong's most beloved concubine, Lu Zhu.

Liu Xian often thought about this incident and found it unbelievable. He himself could not quite remember what kind of emotions and feelings he had at the time, and how he could do such a rash thing. After all, he had just gotten married, and if he was not careful, his whole family would be implicated.

But when he was in prison, Liu Xian finally figured it out. In fact, during the three years of mourning, he had accumulated too much resentment. Because of his mother Zhang Ximiao's teachings, he could not be angry with his father Liu Xun. As a result, he endured it again and again. After arriving at the Jingu Garden, this resentment was aroused by Shi Chong's tyranny. Finally, he could not bear it anymore. He used this method to try to vent his hatred and make up for the regrets of his childhood.

Now Liu Xian is able to look at the past with a normal mind, but he also has to face a series of chain reactions caused by his absurd behavior in his youth.

As a member of the Chu King's faction, he could actually afford the risk of offending Jia Mi. After all, it was a matter between one political faction and another. But as for the Jin Gu Garden robbery, it was a matter between a few young people and the imperial law. If it were discovered, it would still be a risk that Liu Xian could not bear.

So, upon reuniting with Lu Zhu, Liu Xian was initially extremely cautious, even a bit heartless. He couldn't understand why Lu Zhu was there. Did she come here on her own? Or was she under orders from someone else? How many people knew about this?

But the one who answered was not Lu Zhu, but a young man holding a bull whip beside him. He looked Liu Xian up and down and said slowly, "Don't worry, my lord. We brothers have discussed this matter before."

He didn't speak, and Liu Xian hadn't noticed him yet, but once he noticed him, Liu Xian couldn't take his eyes off him. This man should be about the same age as Liu Xian, but the lines on his face were very strong, giving Liu Xian a familiar feeling.

Who does he look like? Li Mi! Liu Xian suddenly realized, and he asked, "Are you the teacher's son?"

Sure enough, the young man replied, "Exactly. My name is Li Sheng, courtesy name Binshuo, and I am the sixth child in my family."

Liu Xian's expression softened a bit, and he said to Li Sheng, "Your arrival is quite unfortunate. I happen to be busy right now. Why don't you come to my house and sit for a while?"

After saying this, he immediately went through the back door and brought Li Sheng and Lu Zhu to his own courtyard, then returned to the county government office to preside over the banquet. The banquet continued for about an hour, but Liu Xian was somewhat distracted. No matter what everyone performed or sang, he didn't take it to heart. His mind was only focused on this matter. Unbeknownst to him, the banquet had already ended.

The winter wind was chilly, the moon high in the sky, and by the time Liu Xian returned to the courtyard, the atmosphere had grown quiet. The banquet had been grand, but also tiring, so most people had already retired, preparing to clean up the mess the next morning.

Liu Xian pushed open the bedroom door, his first thought being to have a good chat with Li Sheng. But when he looked up, he noticed that the brazier in the room was emitting sparks, illuminating only Lu Zhu's shadow.

She was rolling up her sleeves, tying her skirt, bending over to tie her hair, and wiping the furniture in the room with a rag. Beside her was a wooden basin, the water in it steaming, reflecting Lu Zhu's graceful figure. When Lu Zhu heard the sound of the door opening, she immediately stood up and looked back. With one hand, she lifted the hair by her ear, revealing her snow-white neck. She smiled and said, "My lord, you're back."

Liu Xian thought he had become normal with Lu Zhu, but when she smiled, he found himself in a state of panic again. He quickly turned his eyes away and asked casually, "Why are you alone? Where's Bin Shuo?"

"Binshuo has been traveling for half a month and has gone to the side compartment to rest."

"Ah, what a pity! I had some questions for him." After hearing Lu Zhu's answer, Liu Xian sighed and continued, "In that case, you must be tired after all this journey. Rest early. I'll go to sleep first."

After saying that, he was about to turn around, close the door and leave.

Unexpectedly, Lu Zhu stopped him and said, "Sir, isn't this your room? Where are you going to rest?"

Liu Xian said, "We have guest rooms in the county government office. I can go there."

"Sir, are you saying that Luzhu is a woman who wants her master to sleep in the guest room?"

This sentence immediately stumped Liu Xian. He said in embarrassment, "Of course not..."

"Then why are you avoiding me, young master? It's like I'm some kind of monster."

"How could that be?" Liu Xian still wanted to cover it up.

But Lu Zhu refused to give in. She knew Liu Xian's thoughts too well, so she had to make it clear: "Young Master, you just wanted to ask Li Binshuo something, and I'm right here. How could I not know what Li Binshuo knows?"

"Ah this..."

Liu Xian was like a dumb man, unable to answer anything. In the end, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. He raised his hands in surrender and said:

"That's right, that's right. I am indeed afraid of Miss Luzhu. When I see her, I think of my own immaturity back then, and I feel very ashamed and embarrassed."

"So, you don't want to see me, sir, and want me to leave as soon as we meet?"

"Of course not. I like Miss Luzhu very much, but I don't want to be treated as an ignorant child."

"But the more you do this, the more childish you become."

As he said this, Liu Xian felt as if he had been struck by a sword. He dropped his disguise and walked over to the brazier to sit down. He looked at Lu Zhu again, just like three years ago. This woman was born in poverty and was extremely beautiful. However, her heart was even more proud and beautiful than her appearance, which repeatedly frustrated Liu Xian.

Luzhu also wrung out the rag in her hand and hung it by the basin. Then she sat down opposite Liu Xian, staring at him quietly in the firelight, and said, "You've grown taller and thinner."

Then she naturally took Liu Xian's right hand, rolled up her sleeves and looked at him. "I heard that you had a fight with someone and broke your right hand. Are you feeling better now?"

Liu Xian couldn't bear it any longer. As soon as Lu Zhu's hand loosened, he quickly withdrew his hand and said, "No need to put on the splint, but the doctor told me that I need to stay in bed for another two years."

He brought the subject back to the topic and asked, "You're living well in Shu, why did you come here?"

When Luzhu heard this question, she looked at him mischievously and said with a smile, "Of course someone wrote to me, worried that you can't take care of yourself, so they asked me to take on this important task."

"Who would write such a letter..." Liu Xian suddenly understood halfway through his words. He widened his eyes and asked, "Could it be written by A'Luo..."

Lu Zhu nodded slightly and sighed, "She told me everything. She said that although you have tempered yourself and matured over the years, your nature has not changed. You are still too aggressive and don't take care of yourself. If no one is watching you, you will definitely let your temper run wild. She is worried that you will do something stupid, so she hopes that I can take her place and at least make you restrain yourself a little."

Hearing his wife's comments about him, Liu Xian instinctively wanted to refute: "Why do I just let my temper run wild and do whatever I want..."

But as soon as he met Luzhu's eyes, his words got stuck in his throat. Indeed, the woman in front of him was the greatest achievement of his misdeeds, and he could not deny this. Liu Xian could only touch his forehead awkwardly, turned his gaze to the side, and asked again: "I'm not a child, why do I need someone to take care of me?"

"Why don't you need care? I can tell at a glance that you've only been in Xiayang for a few days and you already have a cut on your forehead. How did it happen?"

Liu Xian quickly lowered his hand from his forehead and said casually, "It was done by a few thieves. It's just a minor injury and it's almost healed now."

He tried to regain the initiative and said, "Even if someone needs to be taken care of, why do you need to come?"

"Because I love you, and Madam believes that I love you, isn't that okay?"

Faced with this sentence, Liu Xian officially collapsed in this conversation.

He certainly didn't think that Ah Luo was a wife without jealousy. In reality, any woman, once in love, would develop a possessive desire; otherwise, it wouldn't be love. But Ah Luo made this decision, which was a huge sacrifice.

At the same time, Lu Zhu had also made many sacrifices. Now that he was at the lowest point in his life, no one knew what dangers he might encounter, so Liu Xian sometimes preferred to be alone. Even so, this woman came without hesitation.

This was all because of love. When you love someone, you want to possess them exclusively. When you love someone, you are willing to sacrifice for them. Now that both women have expressed this feeling, he can no longer escape it and can only face it.

After three years, the cold feeling on Luzhu's body has dissipated a lot, like a white jade ring that has been covered by ice and snow for a long time, now it has absorbed all the sunlight and seems to contain warm heat, just like a lotus flower, neither distant nor enchanting.

The sensitivity and delicacy she honed in Jingu Garden became an invincible weapon. Every word she said could peel off Liu Xian's outer shell, revealing his true feelings.

Lu Zhu had completely dominated the conversation at this point. She asked, "So, Master, do you still want to kick me out?"

Without waiting for Liu Xian to answer, she spoke first, "But now that I'm here, I've made up my mind. No matter what you say, I won't leave."

Hearing this, Liu Xian also felt that he had gone too far. He thought that this was the debt brought about by his impulsiveness in his youth. He could not escape it, and he should indeed be responsible for Lu Zhu. He could not help but sigh: "Miss Lu Zhu, you are really an amazing woman."

Lu Zhu tilted her head and asked, "Is this a mockery of me, young master?"

"Of course not. I like this side of you." This was Liu Xian's true feelings. When he went to rob the Golden Valley Garden, he hadn't considered what kind of woman Lu Zhu was, and only focused on his own feelings. But now he discovered that she possessed an astonishing wisdom in her emotions, a wisdom that confused him, but also fascinated him.

Ordinary people often expect women to be submissive dolls, and that love is a completely rational impulse, but Liu Xian doesn't see it that way. He believes it's impossible for people to be unthinking, and no one can be a complete plaything. Therefore, he believes that love and impulse that are carefully considered by wisdom but cannot be restrained are the only true and long-lasting harmony.

This was the thought his mother, Zhang Ximiao, had left him. Liu Xian had originally only considered Lu Zhu as a way to make up for his regrets and delusions about what he owed his mother. However, after several conversations, he discovered that, in some ways, Lu Zhu was indeed very similar to his mother.

But Luzhu's identity is sensitive after all, so he must explain many things to her clearly to avoid causing big trouble in the future.

"What identity are you going to use here? You have to explain it clearly to outsiders."

"What do you think of the third daughter of Lord Li Mi of Wuyang?"

"Is this... okay?"

Lu Zhu nodded slightly and said, "I'm not kidding. Thanks to you, the Li family treated me very well after my family was sent to Wuyang. The old lady was willing to adopt me as her daughter and write my name in the family tree."

"After learning that you were going to Xiayang to serve as the county magistrate, the Li family discussed it for a long time and finally decided to let Bin Shuo come. He wanted to protect me along the way and also wanted to assist you."

"You know, the six Li brothers are known as the 'Six Dragons' in Wuyang! They will definitely be of help to you."

Liu Xian knew this, but he was still a little worried. He told Lu Zhu, "Even so, you should show up less often. Although this is unfair, I have to do this to prevent any accidents. Can you do it?"

Lu Zhu chuckled and said, "Sir, you don't think that I can come and go freely while I am in the Golden Valley Garden, do you?"

This was indeed the truth. There was only one question left. Liu Xian asked, "But I can't always call you Luzhu, right? If you want to stay here, I'm afraid you'll have to change your name."

Lu Zhu lowered her head and said, "Then please, sir, please choose one for me! No matter what happens, I am willing to accompany you for the rest of my life."

This was a truly terrifying confession! Liu Xian thought back to his past and realized that his life had been tied to the fate of so many people, leaving him constantly unable to relax. It was exhausting, but this was precisely the essence of love, giving him boundless strength and urging him to move forward.

Liu Xian now found love again, even though the source was this poor woman in front of him, he still felt a heavy burden. So he lowered his head and pondered for a long time. When he looked up, he saw Lu Zhu's star-like eyes and was moved. Recalling the moon after that rainy night, he said, "Since that's the case, from now on, I will call you Zhao Rong!"

Luzhu obviously also thought of that night. It was a night of swords and blood, but it was also a night of bright moonlight and clear weather.

She smiled brightly, and in the light of the fire, she was truly dazzling. She said to Liu Xian, "Sir, I am truly delighted. I learned a song in Shu, and I will sing it to you."

After saying this, she stood up, rolled up her long sleeves, clasped her hands together, and began to sing with a voice as bright as the moon:
"A gentle breeze arrives, blowing the hem of my silk dress.

The green robe is like spring grass, with long strips swaying in the wind.

I climbed the bridge in the morning, lifted my skirt and looked at what I was thinking of.

How can I trust the pillars and wait for the bright sun to arrive?"

This is a ballad about longing, telling the story of a woman who waits for the return of her beloved man, filled with endless yearning. Will the departed prodigal truly return? She believes that the man she loves, like Wei Sheng, will keep his promise and slowly return amidst the waves.

Liu Xian listened quietly. He suddenly felt that the song was very familiar, as if he had heard it somewhere before. His thoughts couldn't help but soar with the song.

He thought about it and suddenly remembered that this was the tune his mother hummed in his ear when he was a child, and he was overwhelmed with emotions.

Is everyone in the world waiting for someone who will never come back?

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(End of this chapter)