During the Qin Dynasty, he was in charge of the net.

"In my entire life, I have worn armor and wielded weapons, fighting battles my whole life."

Now, I've let my horse graze freely in the southern mountains, and I ask for nothing more.

My only wish before I die is to live a quiet life as an old farmer tilling the fields for a few days.

Lian Po calmly expressed his dying wish, which left Li Ji somewhat puzzled.

Before his death, Lian Po, the former general of the Zhao state, had no intention of taking revenge on those who had harmed him, nor did he have any lingering attachments. His only wish was to live as an old farmer.

Seeing Li Ji deep in thought, Lian Po chuckled self-deprecatingly and said:

"Is it hard to believe? I have fought countless battles throughout my life, not for high positions and riches, but simply so that the people of Zhao can have a thatched hut and a few acres of land to live and work in peace in this chaotic world."

I will never be able to do it in my lifetime, but I wish to experience it firsthand before I die to make up for this regret.

If you don't believe me, you can eat and live with me.

Having said that, Li Ji had no reason to refuse.

Considering the need to complete the mission, a Lian Po who was willing to surrender and die was more reassuring.

At the same time, Li Ji expressed his admiration for Lian Po's dedication to the country and his lifelong commitment to public service, admitting that he could not do the same in Lian Po's position.

"Alright, I am willing to stay by the general's side. I hope the general will not find it offensive."

Lian Po understood that the ostensible accompaniment was actually a form of surveillance, but upon hearing Li Ji's affirmative answer, Lian Po still smiled calmly and said, "Thank you for your understanding."

"I won't stand on ceremony with these dishes." Only now did Lian Po finally pick up his chopsticks for the first time.

"please."

Lian Po ate very slowly, sipping his wine one small sip at a time and chewing his food slowly. Generally speaking, speed is of the essence in war, and soldiers eat very quickly during marches and battles. However, Lian Po's eating habits made it hard to believe that he was a general who had been on the battlefield for many years.

While Li Ji was pondering, Lian Po had already finished eating, leaving not a drop of food or wine.

"Are you getting impatient? I often tell my soldiers that in war, speed is the most important thing. It's better to use a seemingly clumsy but solid slow approach than to try to take shortcuts by being clever."

Li Ji was slightly taken aback, nodded and said, "I have learned a lot." In his heart, he sighed, "This General Lian Po is truly unyielding in the face of great adversity and remains calm in times of crisis. It is no wonder that the Zhao state has gradually declined because it cannot use such a pillar of strength."

"In that case, let me give my instructions to my personal guards in a moment, and then we shall set off."

Lian Po and Li Ji discussed it briefly, and then the two went downstairs and left the tavern.

Seeing that Lian Po had finally come out, Chen Chang breathed a sigh of relief. But when he saw Li Ji standing side by side with Lian Po, Chen Chang immediately looked at Li Ji with hostility and vigilance, while also feeling a bit suspicious.

Why did the general and the young man in black robes come out together and seem so "harmonious"?

Yes, it's 'harmonious'. That young man in black robes might be the mastermind behind it all. How come the general seems to be getting along with him at all? Chen Chang can't figure it out.

But what Lian Po said next struck Chen Chang like a thunderbolt.

"Chen Chang, take the second brother's body home. This young man beside me will accompany you on the rest of the journey."

Chen Chang stood there dumbfounded, unable to believe that the general would say such a thing.

The man beside the general is very likely the real culprit who killed the second son! Why doesn't the general take revenge, but instead abandons him and sends that man to Wei?

"Take this money. When you get back, give your second son a proper burial and treat your mother well."

Lian Po looked at Chen Chang with a complicated expression. The money in his hand was naturally borrowed from Li Ji earlier, and he felt guilty towards Chen Chang and Chen Er.

That's why he couldn't tell Chen Chang the truth. He had only gone halfway to Wei when Chen Er died. If he continued on, Chen Chang would probably also be in danger. Even if the two of them safely reached Wei, given Chen Chang's personality, he wouldn't be able to survive in that dangerous and complicated situation.

He didn't want Luo Wang to misunderstand that he had ulterior motives, nor did he want Luo Wang to misunderstand that Chen Chang was still connected with him.

Therefore, concealing his subsequent death at the hands of the Luo Wang organization and allowing Chen Chang to return home safely is the best outcome.

Seeing Chen Chang's dazed expression, Lian Po knew that he would probably have a hard time accepting it, and he sighed.

"Now that this matter is settled, let's go."

Under the setting sun, Lian Po and Li Ji slowly departed.

"General..."

Watching the general's departing figure, Chen Chang could no longer hold back and cried out. His eyes were red and filled with tears.

"General, will I ever see you again?"

Although he didn't know what had happened when the general entered the tavern, Chen Chang felt an overwhelming sadness as he watched the general leave, as if this parting would be the last time they would meet.

Lian Po heard this, but did not turn around...

------------------------------

A day later, Lian Po and Li Ji arrived at an inconspicuous little village in the northern part of the Zhao state.

This place is close to the mountains and far from the county seat. It has a sparse population and doesn't even have an official name. Locals just call it Hewan Village.

Lian Po stopped and looked at the small village not far away, a look of reminiscence on his face. He said:

"This is it, the place Lian chose to be buried."

"This is a remote and impoverished area; I'm afraid it will be tough for you, young man, for a while."

Li Ji smiled faintly and replied, "It's alright. With mountains and water, I think it's quite nice."

Hearing Li Ji's words, Lian Po seemed quite pleased: "Is that so? Although it is isolated from the world, it does have a sense of peace. I hope you don't mind, young brother."

Upon arriving at this small village, the two stopped rushing as before. They would admire the scenery along the way, and Lian Po would occasionally express his feelings, while Li Ji would occasionally chime in.

Interestingly, the two had been together for almost two days, and Lian Po had been calling Li Ji "little brother" the whole time, never asking his name.

It wasn't a lack of respect; on the contrary, it was a tacit understanding. Lian Po understood that those in the Luo Wang organization acted in a mysterious and treacherous manner, and knowing their names and identities was actually a taboo.

Therefore, Lian Po did not ask Li Ji's name, and Li Ji tacitly accompanied him in silence, without hindering his actions.

When they reached a slope at the foot of the mountain, Lian Po suddenly stopped.

Li Ji looked ahead and saw about ten wooden houses built against the mountain. In front of one of the thatched houses, a girl in her early twenties stood in the courtyard. She was slender and youthful, and her appearance was as beautiful as the morning dew in the mountains.

The girl was drying tea with her head down, but as if sensing the gaze from ahead, she couldn't help but look up.

"General Lian, why are you back?" The girl's eyes lit up, and she couldn't hide the surprise on her face.

Lian Po stared at the girl in surprise, then tentatively asked, "Are you Ahe? You've grown so much."

Seeing the girl nod happily, Lian Po was lost in his memories.

The girl's father had followed him in raising an army, but unfortunately he died on the battlefield, leaving behind an orphan and a widow. He hadn't returned to this village for almost ten years, and he never expected that the girl from back then had grown up so much.

"Ahe, how is your mother?"

"Mother is doing well, but her legs are a little weak. General Lian, you don't seem to have changed much from before."

"Oh, by the way, would you like to visit my mother? She often mentions Father and you to me."

"Alright, it's been more than ten years since we last met, it's time to see each other." After Lian Po finished speaking, he immediately realized something and looked at Li Ji.

"A cup of wine amidst peach blossoms and spring breeze, ten years of lamplight in the rainy nights of the rivers and lakes. General, go and see your old friends; I'll just wander around as I please."

In this situation, Li Ji suddenly realized that he had been in this world for more than ten years. However, Lian Po was able to return to his hometown to see his old friends before he died, while he was destined never to return.

Li Ji had no reason to refuse an eighty-year-old man's request to see an old friend.

Upon hearing Li Ji's poem, Lian Po trembled and murmured, "Peach blossoms and plum blossoms in the spring breeze, a cup of wine; rivers and lakes in the night rain, ten years of lamplight... What a fine line, 'rivers and lakes in the night rain, ten years of lamplight.'"

Without inquiring about the origin of the poem, Lian Po simply gave Li Ji a deep look, then said to Ahe, "Ahe, let's go see your mother first."

"Great! My mother is inside right now."

Ahe nodded happily and led Lian Po forward, but after a few steps she couldn't help but glance at Li Ji behind her.

This person is so strange, Ah He thought to herself.