Volume 1 | North Bird Does Not Return
Chang Geng suddenly had a strong desire to immediately grow strong.
Chang Geng blushed until flushed from the top of his head to the tips of his toes, cooked until crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, puffing smoke. He was so angry that he couldn’t make a single sound.
But at the same time, Cao Niangzi really wanted to be considered a house pole like this, he almost drooled as he looked at the figure of Marshal Gu from behind. He said to Ge Pangxiao, “If in this life I can also be carried by the Marquis even if only once, then … I can really die without regret!”
Ge Pangxiao, after hearing this, immediately wiped his nose then adopted a firm stance, tightened his stomach 一 in a position ready to carry a large bag, and tapped his shoulder, “Get on!”
Cao Niangzi looked at him for a moment, then pursed his lips and spat, then ran out of the gate angrily.
•••••
On New Year’s Eve, all prohibiting regulations were revoked.
Outside, Gu Yun still remembers saving some of his son’s pride and finally lowered him again.
Chang Geng’s expression darkened, stepping forward with long strides. His back was straight enough to function as a flagpole, his robe flowing behind. His figure had given birth to a resemblance to a high and strong future figure.
Gu Yun rubbed his nose, quickly caught up with him and asked shamelessly, “Are you angry?”
Chang Geng slapped his hand on his shoulder and then replied coldly, “I don’t dare!”
Gu Yun, “Hiding at home all day like this, won’t you feel tired? Little boy …”
Chang Geng earnestly looked at him, and for a moment Gu Yun understood the situation. He corrected himself, “People at a young age 一 Young people should be a little more energetic. Just lived for a few years, but are you bored with the mortal world?”
Chang Geng had no other response to this lively type of Yifu, his face remained expressionless, once again intending to slap Gu Yun’s hand which was currently pulling him. But unexpectedly, when he happened to touch the tip of Gu Yun’s finger, he was immediately shocked and shivered because of his coldness.
Chang Geng frowned, he grasped Gu Yun’s hand and found that it was completely frozen, cold enough to turn blue as if it belonged to a corpse that had just been lifted from the ground. There is no Ziliujin that burns in the human body. Wandering around wearing only one layer of clothing in this harsh winter, how could someone not feel cold?
Chang Geng felt pain in his heart, hurt enough to inflame the anger in his heart. He sulked while taking off his own robe, then wrapped it around Gu Yun’s body without any explanation. Gu Yun was forced to bow when Chang Geng did it, but he did not dodge, he just kept quiet and let Chang Geng tie the rope for him. Gu Yun smiled, enjoyed the service soaked in anger, and he thought to himself,
‘It is very nice to have a child, wait after Xiao Chang Geng grows up, I have to go find someone to give birth to my own child 一 it would be better to have a girl.’
On New Year’s Eve, after every hour has passed, there will be a long trombone heard in the capital, informing people of the approaching new year.
The city was engulfed by the loud noise of drums and firecrackers, countless red paper flying through the air like butterflies. On the banks of the river, in tall buildings, in the middle of the road, everything was filled with people. Chang Geng felt numb with just one look 一 really felt as if everyone from all over the world was gathering in the small town of Sijiu. Compared to the excitement like this, the crowd of people pushing and pulling each other at the market meeting in Yanhui City was just lonely and lonely.
Either it forced him to come out or Ge Pangxiao and Cao Niangzi were too excited, at this moment, in Chang Geng’s eyes, they were all so absurd. He held Gu Yun’s cold hand, tried to warm him as much as he could, while still paying attention to the two village children who were enthusiastically looking around so they would not get lost. Even though there were already some extraordinary Black Iron Camp guards with them, he was still very busy with worries.
Some people may be born to continue to worry.
At this moment, a long sound resembling a hawk and a crane could be heard in the air, and many people cheered loudly.
“Red Kite!”
“Look, the first Red Kite is leaving this year!”
The capital is the main area just below the emperor, and air travel is usually prohibited. The nine gates are filled with countless Baihong arrows. Even for the Black Eagles, if they dared to approach the capital from the air, they would still be shot down immediately.
New Year’s Eve is the only exception.
On the wide road that leads directly to the outskirts of the capital stands a symbol across the Central Plains 一 “Qi Yuan Tower.”
It is said that when Westerners crossed the seas with their large ships arriving at the Central Plains, there were only two things they knew; one is the Imperial Palace, and the other is the Qi Yuan Tower.
• The character [鸢 yuān] 一 which means ‘Kite’ in the Qi Yuan Tower (起 鸢 楼) is the same as Yuan in Giant Kite and Red Kite.
Qi Tower (lift) Yuan is a building / platform where Kite flies to the sky.
Qi Yuan Tower is not a building. The tower was built by the Former Emperor in the twenty-first year of the Yuan He trusteeship by cutting military costs. It welcomes visitors from all over the world, and is divided into two regions; North and South. The North has many platforms with high-ceilinged domes, called “Yunmeng Grand View”. The South had a tall tower, some people mocked it by calling it “Zhai Xing’s platform”, but of course, no one dared to use the name directly, and the tower. it is usually referred to as the ‘Ting Yuan platform’.
• Zhai Xing [摘星] 一 is translated as ‘star picker’. The tower is so high that people call it that.
• Ting Yuan [停 鸢] 一 again, yuan [鸢] here is the same as the yuan at Kite as mentioned above. Ting [停] 一 means stop. Ting Yuan Platform means a place where Kite can land.
The towers and the Imperial Palace faced each other from opposite directions, taking on the meaning of north and south, heaven and earth.
Every year on New Year’s Eve, the Ting Yuan platform will become the center of the entire capital. Many famous actors and contestants from all over the country all want to come to contribute at least in one song, many people gather to form a large crowd under the platform to watch, and the Yunmeng Grand View observer platform is also packed with various high-class officials and nobles.
At around seven in the evening, twenty “Red Kite” will take off.
The mechanism of action of Red Kite is similar to Giant Kite, the only difference between them is that the name Giant Kite itself is enough to make the barbarians tremble in fear, while the Red Kite is only used for entertainment.
It was a kind of ship, two bright red koi fish at both ends, and could fly to the sky using eighty-one flaming wings. The body of the ship is secured on the platform using a special type of rope that is transparent, resembling a spider’s web.
When the flaming wings were turned on, more than twenty Red Kites that were as bright as red koi would continue to float in the air, looking very beautiful as they swayed a little.
The view from the boat is very nice. There is an elegant set of rooms and a circular terrace. Drinks and food must be brought along the spider-like rope, and people on board can see the countless red palace walls and lighted lanterns from the capital below.
Gu Yun led the three children from a small road next to the platform. The guard was shocked when he immediately recognized him, he wanted to bow to salute when Gu Yun stopped him, “There is no need for such formalities, I only brought the children here to play 一 did you see General Shen?”
A servant ran towards him from afar, “Mr. Marquis, please, this way, General Shen is waiting for you at the Red Kite.”
Gu Yun nodded calmly, but he could not help but feel impressed in his heart 一 he actually only brought Chang Geng here to join in the excitement, he really had no idea that Shen Yi would be so extraordinary to actually order a kite.
Ge Pangxiao looked at the Red Kite in front of him, then followed Gu Yun and asked, “Mr. Marquis, are we going to Heaven?”
Gu Yun, “No need to hurry, we will go there after a few decades. Today we will only show our feet for a while.”
Chang Geng listened to the fortunate dialogue of the two people on New Year’s Eve, really wanting to keep their mouths shut.
In the room inside the Red Kite, the temperature feels warm like spring. When Gu Yun entered, he immediately took off his robe and put it behind the chair.
Shen Yi has presented a table full of wine and many dishes. There were also some beautiful young male and female servants in the room, servants who were very brave to keep glancing at Marquis Gu.
Gu Yun’s eyes widen 一 Shen Yi was an academic nerd who was senile before his age. He was even afraid that seeing Western paintings would dirty his eyes, how could he possibly keep a group of young meat around him like this?
When Gu Yun threw his eyes full of questions, Shen Yi whispered in his ear, “This is a ship that insisted Wei Wei give you after he heard that you needed it.”
Gu Yun momentarily did not know what to say, his expression was unexpected.
The waiter really knew how to read the situation, he immediately advanced to ask, “Mr. Marquis, are we going to start the engine?”
Gu Yun stopped and nodded, “Yes, please 一 and also call the brothers who are guarding on the terrace to go inside for dinner, there are no outsiders today, there is no need to be too polite.”
The servant, after receiving instructions, immediately retreated from the Red Kite, jumped onto the terrace deck, and made a long signal.
Several soldiers from the Black Iron Camp immediately entered, all marching in a trained manner, “Grand Marshal!”
The coldness of their Black Armor immediately pierced through the subtle and gentle aura in the room in the blink of an eye, the unspoken atmosphere that hung in the air suddenly vanished.
Gu Yun glanced at the retreating servants. A young girl who was very pleasant to be seen sneaked a peek at him, flirty cues filled her gaze. Gu Yun smiled at him in response, at the same time he felt rather disappointed, because at this moment he was carrying three small children with him. This evening’s entertainment must also end at this stage of ‘watching forwards and backwards’.
Shen Yi cleared her throat, and Gu Yun pulled his gaze as if nothing had happened. He complained, “Wei Wang has become a man but he can still be very inappropriate.”
Shen Yi burst out laughing, “Ha ha.”
Fortunately, the three young people were attracted by a group of flaming wings that had been turned on around the Red Kite. They all looked out the window and did not pay attention to the business of not doing what the adults were secretly doing inside.
The hissing sound of the flaming wings sounded out and the warm air was swept by the window, Chang Geng almost lost his footing, he could not help but hold the wooden window to stabilize himself. Next to him, Cao Niangzi shouted, the Red Kite’s entire body trembled softly and flew into the sky.
At 7 pm, a group of fireworks was fired from the Ting Yuan platform, shining brightly in the middle of the twenty Red Kite, and the spider ropes connected to each other were dyed in orange.
The platform slowly rose, the iron wheels beneath each other interlocked. A female dancer wearing a red dress appeared, singing with a pipe in her hand.
The most prosperous image in heaven and earth can only be this.
Shen Yi opened a bottle of wine, raised his hand and poured a cup for Gu Yun, “This is the first year of reverence from the Western Region after the rebellion has ended. The best type of wine and a cup of light, delicious wine must pair with the hero, drink it.”
Gu Yun stared at the glowing cup for a moment, his expression slowly becoming serious. He drank one sip and then immediately put it down 一 not because the wine was not enough, but he could not hold the sadness that hung in his heart.
Gu Yun, “Forget it, I’m not quite used to this type of wine, replace it with Shaoxing yellow wine. Looks like I’m not a hero, but coward 一 Come here, gentlemen please sit down, don’t worry about the children, they have eaten at home , let them play. “
While chatting, he began to feel that his vision had become a little blurry. He bent down and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that the medicine he had taken several days ago would soon lose its effectiveness.
The time for the effectiveness of the drug to fade is about half an hour, and generally, before this happens, he will slowly lose his sight and hearing.
When Shen Yi noticed this small gesture, he immediately knew what was happening, “Marshal?”
“It’s nothing,” Gu Yun shook his head, replaced the wine, and raised his cup towards everyone sitting at the table.
“You are all one in a million, great warriors from Great Liang, all of you have gone out to the battlefield by my side, even though there is no glory or wealth, power or influence, there are only harsh living conditions from the border, and very small wages. All of you must bear so much. First of all I offer this cup to all my brothers. “
When Gu Yun finished his speech, he tilted his head downing the cup, then once again poured wine for himself,
“The second cup, I offer to the brothers who have been lying in the Western Region, that year with my lack of experience and inadequacy, I led them forward, but I did not fail to bring them back …”
Shen Yi suggested, “Marshal, the New Year is coming, please don’t say anymore.”
Gu Yun smiled slightly, he actually stopped going further, he lowered his cup then refilled it.
“The third cup,” Gu Yun whispered, “I present to Heaven and Earth, I hope that God up there treats the souls of my colleagues with kindness.”
Chang Geng stood by the window. No one knows since when the beautiful scenery out there no longer interests him. He turned and looked at Gu Yun without blinking.
He had seen Gu Yun to be enthusiastic and energetic, he also saw Gu Yun to be a shameless lazy man.
But he had never seen Gu Yun toast and drink in such loneliness before. To him, this impression from his Yifu was almost unknown.
Thinking about that, Gu Yun was never angry in front of him, and he rarely showed fatigue or aggravation. It seems like he always teases Chang Geng, he is very charming and also annoying 一 except the expression he usually shows, the countless other emotions within him are completely sealed from Chang Geng.
Because he is just a child who can’t do anything.
Chang Geng suddenly had a strong desire to immediately grow strong.
At this moment, Ge Pangxiao turned and shouted, “Mr. Marquis! General Shen! Westerners bring many wild animals out to dance! Come and see!”
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Fragrant Incense 8 