About Cao Cao's reincarnation as the emperor's uncle

Chapter 44 Why do we need to know each other before we meet?
"By virtue of his own volition, he perished because he valued sentiment over power..."

As Liu Fang leaned against the carriage shaft and muttered to himself, Xu Feng was whipping his horse and rushing out of Luoyang City.

About half an hour later, the carriage stopped at the foot of a low hill.

The afternoon sun slanted through the sparse branches, weaving a tapestry of flowing gold across the winding mountain path.

Liu Fang raised his hand to shield his eyes from the bright light, gazing at the faintly visible blue stone tomb mound halfway up the mountain.

Suddenly, Xu Feng behind him scratched his head and muttered:
"In this desolate wilderness... how did you know Yuan Shao was here, sir?"

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Feng's gaze was drawn to the winter plum blossoms on both sides of the mountain path.

They seemed to be vying to bloom, with frost still clinging to their branches.

"Today is the anniversary of the death of Yuan Benchu's adoptive mother."

Liu Fang stepped onto the first stone step, his fingertips brushing against the newly sprouted ferns growing in the cracks of the stone:

"Before she died, she wished to be buried here, saying, 'There is no need to rely on the ancestral tombs; it can become a green hill on its own.'"

His voice carried a hint of melancholy; the boy who had grabbed his sleeve and run up the mountain in his past life should now be standing before his grave.

He also remembered that Yuan Shao had said that he had come here with his foster mother to find peace of mind since he was a child, and that he would plant a tree every time.

At first, this was just a small, barren mountain, but later a road was built, and the mountain was covered with winter plum blossoms.

After turning several corners, a figure in pure white indeed stood deep within the plum blossoms.

The man was tall and elegant, with his wide sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and he was pruning the miscellaneous branches beside the grave with scissors.

Although Yuan Shao still retains a youthful innocence in his eyes and brows, he is already a rare and handsome young man.

She looked rather thin, and her temples were slightly damp, suggesting she had been crying.

The tombstone behind him was extremely simple, with only "Tomb of Yuan Cheng's Wife" inscribed on it. Although there was a light moss, it was swept clean.

Seeing this, Xu Feng was about to speak when Liu Fang lightly pressed his fingertip to his lips and glanced at the tombstone.

Xu Feng immediately fell silent, leaned closer to listen to his whispered instructions, and then turned and went into the plum grove.

Liu Fang untied the wine pouch from his waist and waited quietly in place.

The mountain breeze, carrying the fragrance of plum blossoms and the dampness of the earth, was much more comforting than the incense in Luoyang.

Before long, Xu Feng brought three branches of plum blossoms covered in snow.

……

Liu Fang stepped forward slowly and gently placed the plum branch into the stone jar in front of the tomb.

Open the wine sac and pour the wine onto the stone slab.

Plum wine, it's a bit sour and astringent...

Yuan Shao seemed startled and looked up:
"who?"

After all, anyone would be somewhat displeased if an uninvited guest suddenly appeared in this quiet cemetery.

When eyes meet, there is an inherent sense of dislike.

The newcomer was dressed in simple clothes, holding a plum blossom against the snow, which made him appear exceptionally pure and elegant.

Liu Fang bowed slightly and spoke in a gentle voice:

"I was passing through this place and saw the plum branches bare and cold, so I offered my respects."

Yuan Shao gazed at the upright flower branch in the stone jar and suddenly felt that the person in front of him seemed familiar, but he couldn't remember when he had seen such a clear and insightful look.

A sudden thought struck me:
"Sir, have we seen you before?"

Suddenly, a red plum blossom landed on Liu Fang's shoulder, and he was momentarily stunned.

The Primordial Beginning... We have seen far more than just it...

But now, the green hills remain, while old friends will meet again in new guises.

"Never."

"That……"

Yuan Shao was about to say something more when Liu Fang raised his hand to stop him.

A mountain breeze carrying fallen plum blossoms swept by, leaving only a soft murmur in the air:
"The green hills are bathed in the bright moonlight; why must we have known each other before?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao's doubts were dispelled.

He brushed away the fallen petals from the stone table, his tone becoming more relaxed:
"This is where my mother rests. If you do not mind the desolate place, please sit with me."

Looking at the plum blossom embellishments on his plain white robe, Liu Fang suddenly felt the passage of time...

They often sat in front of the tomb at that time, and Yuan Shao always had endless things to say.

He recounted how his foster mother taught him to identify plum branches and how he eagerly awaited the first bloom in the cold winter.

Perhaps it was meant for him, or perhaps it was meant for this mother.

……

Liu Fang sat down at the table as instructed, his fingertips brushing against the stone surface:

"Your mother must be a refined person..."

He looked up at the plum blossoms covering the mountainside and smiled faintly:
"It can even make this barren mountain fragrant and make stubborn rocks feel affection."

Sunlight filtering through the branches shone on the tombstone, making the four characters "Wife of Yuan Cheng" shine. Yuan Shao shook his head and sighed softly.

"She loved plum blossoms most in her life, and always said, 'Plants and trees have no heart, but they have a soul because of people.' And now, I can hear her words echoing that sentiment..."

"It's just a pity... she won't be able to see this magnificent sight of the mountains today."

Liu Fang unsealed the wine sac; the tartness of the green plums had faded, and their sweetness emerged.

He took a sip:
“I noticed that all these plum branches are leaning towards the tombstone, as if they are protecting something.”

"You have a keen eye..."

Yuan Shao's expression suddenly darkened:

My mother once said that a person's life is like a plum blossom blooming once; when it blooms, it does not shy away from the wind and snow, and when it falls, it does not linger on the branch.

"Don't worry about so much... Just like this plum blossom, it can live freely even in the wilderness."

He glanced at the moss on the tombstone:

"Before she died, she said that if one day she was gone, she would turn into a plum tree in this plum grove to accompany someone."

"Now it seems that what she said has come true..."

The mountain wind rustled through the forest, and the last plum blossoms fell in a flurry, staining the still-damp tear stains on Yuan Shao's temples.

"If your mother could know your intentions and see your demeanor today, she would be very pleased."

Yuan Shao looked up, a glint of light in his eyes:
"You are truly a remarkable person. A few words from you have caused me to lose my composure."

Liu Fang waved his hand and handed over the wine pouch:

"A mother has a loving heart, and a ruler has filial piety; how can there be any talk of losing one's composure?"

"If you don't mind, would you like to drink and admire the plum blossoms with me?"

Yuan Shao smiled nonchalantly:
"If you are willing, how could I dare to refuse?"

As they received the wine flask, their fingertips touched.

Yuan Shao touched a thin layer of skin, then observed his demeanor...

This person is unlike ordinary gentry sons.

No problem!

Let's take a big sip first.

"What a carefree young man!"

Seeing this, Liu Fang clapped his hands and laughed, pointing to the winter plum blossoms sticking out at an angle in the stone jar:
"I have often heard that plum blossoms possess three virtues..."

"It is fragrant when it is not in bloom, it defies the frost when it is in bloom, and it turns into mud when it falls."

"I observe you through the lens of plum blossoms; you are like a plum blossom about to bloom."

Yuan Shao immediately sat up straight:

"Appreciate further details."

Liu Fang brushed away the fallen plum blossoms from his knees:

"Hiding the fragrance before it was released signifies your seclusion in Runan, where you are gathering talented individuals."

"The so-called 'opening' is like you, who have been observing six years of mourning, secretly planning and intending to carry out your plans..."

Before he could finish speaking, Yuan Shao shuddered:
"Who exactly are you, my lord?"

As he spoke, Yuan Shao's hand was already on the sword at his waist.

The mountain wind suddenly picked up, and Xu Feng stepped forward upon seeing this.

Liu Fang did not answer, but instead broke off a plum branch that was lying horizontally:

“I once saw a craftsman carving plum blossoms, first removing the side branches to reveal the main trunk.”

He gently placed the branch in front of the grave, the clear liquid seeping from the broken end meandering across the stone surface:
When your mother planted that first plum tree, did she ever imagine it would grow into a forest today?

These words struck Yuan Shao like a heavy hammer blow.

"May I ask, sir..."

Yuan Shao suddenly bowed deeply, his white robes covered in plum blossom petals.
"If you want it to grow into a forest, how many trees should be cut down?"

As he looked up, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the plum branches, stinging his face.

Liu Fang stared intently for a moment, then slowly bent down and helped Yuan Shao up:

"Plum blossoms bloom three times, waiting for snow, and your snow..."

"Today has come."

　Note:

　　【Your Mightiness】:
　　The term "閤下" (hereby you) was commonly used in the letters of scholars and officials to show respect.

　　For example, in the fragment of Cui Shi's "Political Treatise" from the Eastern Han Dynasty, there is a line that reads, "I humbly hope that Your Excellency will consider my foolish words."

　　【Ancestral Tomb】：
　　The ancestral graveyard.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)