The king of Qin has left with his three personal royal guards.
Gu Nan enters the room, where Bai Qi is still on his knees, a faint smile on his face. To him, this may be the best outcome.
Bai Qi looks at Gu Nan, and Gu Nan at Bai Qi.
“Master, is it really worth it to go that far?”
A ray of light enters the room through the open door, brightening the floor at entrance but leaving the rest of the room dull and dark.
Gu Nan stands under the bright light, whereas Bai Qi in the dark.
Bai Qi squeezes his eyes; in his sight, the figure of Gu Nan turns into silhouette.
He grins, and laughs loudly.
“It’s worth it!”
“A real man is born for a moment like this! How can it not worth my life!”
“Hahaha.”
Bai Qi’s laugher is husky and steady despite his sickness.
After a long while, his laughter quiets down as he mumbles: “I am just not resigned to it.”
A sense of pity barely noticeable to others flows from his eyes as tears fill them. “After all, I cannot see it…”
“…that view of a prosperous world.”
What a deep obsession that elevates Bai Qi out of his own fate.
Gu Nan cannot understand this sentiment. It is only natural since she was never born into an era of chaos.
And therefore, she can never understand the pity that Bai Qi feels when he was so close to his dream but unable to witness its realization with his own eyes.
The Light and dark draw a clear boundary in the room. Under the light upon her, Gu Nan’s figure sparkles.
The next day, the king of Qin delivers a military order that requests Bai Qi to take command of an expedition.
Bai Qi does not refuse this time, as he knows that this is the king of Qin sending him off to his final journey.
As a general who has been battling his whole life, to die on the journey to battle is an adequate ending.
Bai Qi puts on his armor, and the commander robe makes him skinny figure once again tall and strong. The armor pieces slide against each other ringing the sound of battle.
Wei Lan pulls the horse, supports Bai Qi on to it, and gives the horse belly a gentle slap.
“You just go head; I won’t bother to see you off…” Wei Lan speaks softly.
Bai Qi hesitantly brushes his fingers across Wei Lan’s face.
“I, Bai Qi, in my whole life have failed you and my son Zhong’er the most. You never raise your temper toward me and yet I have angered you so many times. In your next life, find yourself someone good to you.”
Saying so, he straightens his back, and takes off on the horse, his hand held up.
“Out to battle; don’t see me off.”
Gu Nan pulls herself up to another horse, and follows Bai Qi by his side.
Just like last time, just like every time, Wei Lan stays motionless in place and sees Bai Qi off.
The first time they met, it was like this, when a young girl saw a handsome and brave general off until he got far.
Only when they are completely out of sight does Wei Lan return to the empty Wu An mansion with Xiao Lu and painting fairy.
Bai Qi and Gu Nan leaves the city and walks along the road util they see thousands of soldiers lined up by the road sides.
Like two rows of stone sculptures, they silently wait in place.
When Bai Qi gets closer, they lift up their spears, tips pointed to the sky.
“FAREWELL TO THE LORD WU AN!”
A soldier comes over and half kneels in front Bai Qi, offering a sword with both hands.
Bai Qi accepts the sword, gets off the horse, and proceeds further on foot.
Gu Nan follows him in silence.
In an open field, Bai Qi slowly drops to his knees, sword in his hand, face to the sky.
Smiling at the horizon, he slowly draws the sword granted to him by the king of Qin, and lifts it up to his neck.
“Nan’er…”
“…”
“Can you promise your master one last thing?”
Gu Nan is taken aback for one second, and then responds with a bitter smile: “I will, if I can do it.”
“Good!”
Bai Qi finally lets something go, maybe the responsibility he has been shouldering his entire life.
Taking a deep breath, he gently speaks: “For your master, take a look at that prosperous world.”
…
Still can’t let it go till you die? What a stubborn old man.
“Then I will take a look for sure.”
Saying so, Gu Nan bows deeply. “Farewell, my master.”
Then she leaves, never turning her head back.
“Hehehe…” Laughter rings behind her.
“sss…” Blood spills.
“Thump.” Lastly, body falls to the ground.
Master, this wish you entrust me with is quite a heavy burden after all…
But Gu Nan steels herself by each step she takes without turning back.
Three days after Bai Qi’s death, the king of Qin drafts a declaration to the world.
All the kingdoms ready for action suddenly loses their excuse, and hence no one is willing to lead the aggression against Qin.
As a result, the alliance cracks.
On the fourth day, Wei Lan passes away in her sleep.
Gu Nan could not manage a proper funeral given her lack in wealth. Thinking it another way, Gu Nan figures that the old couple probably would never like a grand funeral.
Therefore, she finds a quiet place to bury them together.
Honestly speaking, Bai Qi was never popular, since only three people have ever visited his grave to pay their respects — Wang Jian, Meng Ao, and lastly the king of Qin.
Wu An Mansion is now truly empty, as the only ones remaining are Lao Lian, Xiao Lu, painting fairy, and Gu Nan.
Gu Nan in white clothes sits under the old tree and sips tea.
She has decided to be in mourning of Wei Lan and Bai Qi for three years by the Confucian tradition.
To be in mourning of one’s parents is a tradition only legislated in the Han Dynasty. For now, it is not common in the world.
Under the tree, Gu Nan is carefully studying the theory of chi that Bai Qi handed to her.
The book does not have a title but only a few thousand words describing the way to manipulate chi, not long but very complicated.
Gu Nan has spent some days on the book, and yet she still can not fully comprehend it.
“Drive the chi by the circulation period; recover it back to the void.”
Gu Nan faintly mumbles out the words, confused: “ this is indecipherable, how can one understand it?”
Then she shakes her head: “Whatever, I will just ask my master about it.”
And then, as if remembering something, she stares at the empty lobby at a loss.
Ask my master…
A dried-up leaf drifts off from the branch, into her teacup, rippling the surface of water.
The king of Qin has left with his three personal royal guards.
Gu Nan enters the room, where Bai Qi is still on his knees, a faint smile on his face. To him, this may be the best outcome.
Bai Qi looks at Gu Nan, and Gu Nan at Bai Qi.
“Master, is it really worth it to go that far?”
A ray of light enters the room through the open door, brightening the floor at entrance but leaving the rest of the room dull and dark.
Gu Nan stands under the bright light, whereas Bai Qi in the dark.
Bai Qi squeezes his eyes; in his sight, the figure of Gu Nan turns into silhouette.
He grins, and laughs loudly.
“It’s worth it!”
“A real man is born for a moment like this! How can it not worth my life!”
“Hahaha.”
Bai Qi’s laugher is husky and steady despite his sickness.
After a long while, his laughter quiets down as he mumbles: “I am just not resigned to it.”
A sense of pity barely noticeable to others flows from his eyes as tears fill them. “After all, I cannot see it…”
“…that view of a prosperous world.”
What a deep obsession that elevates Bai Qi out of his own fate.
Gu Nan cannot understand this sentiment. It is only natural since she was never born into an era of chaos.
And therefore, she can never understand the pity that Bai Qi feels when he was so close to his dream but unable to witness its realization with his own eyes.
The Light and dark draw a clear boundary in the room. Under the light upon her, Gu Nan’s figure sparkles.
The next day, the king of Qin delivers a military order that requests Bai Qi to take command of an expedition.
Bai Qi does not refuse this time, as he knows that this is the king of Qin sending him off to his final journey.
As a general who has been battling his whole life, to die on the journey to battle is an adequate ending.
Bai Qi puts on his armor, and the commander robe makes him skinny figure once again tall and strong. The armor pieces slide against each other ringing the sound of battle.
Wei Lan pulls the horse, supports Bai Qi on to it, and gives the horse belly a gentle slap.
“You just go head; I won’t bother to see you off…” Wei Lan speaks softly.
Bai Qi hesitantly brushes his fingers across Wei Lan’s face.
“I, Bai Qi, in my whole life have failed you and my son Zhong’er the most. You never raise your temper toward me and yet I have angered you so many times. In your next life, find yourself someone good to you.”
Saying so, he straightens his back, and takes off on the horse, his hand held up.
“Out to battle; don’t see me off.”
Gu Nan pulls herself up to another horse, and follows Bai Qi by his side.
Just like last time, just like every time, Wei Lan stays motionless in place and sees Bai Qi off.
The first time they met, it was like this, when a young girl saw a handsome and brave general off until he got far.
Only when they are completely out of sight does Wei Lan return to the empty Wu An mansion with Xiao Lu and painting fairy.
Bai Qi and Gu Nan leaves the city and walks along the road util they see thousands of soldiers lined up by the road sides.
Like two rows of stone sculptures, they silently wait in place.
When Bai Qi gets closer, they lift up their spears, tips pointed to the sky.
“FAREWELL TO THE LORD WU AN!”
A soldier comes over and half kneels in front Bai Qi, offering a sword with both hands.
Bai Qi accepts the sword, gets off the horse, and proceeds further on foot.
Gu Nan follows him in silence.
In an open field, Bai Qi slowly drops to his knees, sword in his hand, face to the sky.
Smiling at the horizon, he slowly draws the sword granted to him by the king of Qin, and lifts it up to his neck.
“Nan’er…”
“…”
“Can you promise your master one last thing?”
Gu Nan is taken aback for one second, and then responds with a bitter smile: “I will, if I can do it.”
“Good!”
Bai Qi finally lets something go, maybe the responsibility he has been shouldering his entire life.
Taking a deep breath, he gently speaks: “For your master, take a look at that prosperous world.”
…
Still can’t let it go till you die? What a stubborn old man.
“Then I will take a look for sure.”
Saying so, Gu Nan bows deeply. “Farewell, my master.”
Then she leaves, never turning her head back.
“Hehehe…” Laughter rings behind her.
“sss…” Blood spills.
“Thump.” Lastly, body falls to the ground.
Master, this wish you entrust me with is quite a heavy burden after all…
But Gu Nan steels herself by each step she takes without turning back.
Three days after Bai Qi’s death, the king of Qin drafts a declaration to the world.
All the kingdoms ready for action suddenly loses their excuse, and hence no one is willing to lead the aggression against Qin.
As a result, the alliance cracks.
On the fourth day, Wei Lan passes away in her sleep.
Gu Nan could not manage a proper funeral given her lack in wealth. Thinking it another way, Gu Nan figures that the old couple probably would never like a grand funeral.
Therefore, she finds a quiet place to bury them together.
Honestly speaking, Bai Qi was never popular, since only three people have ever visited his grave to pay their respects — Wang Jian, Meng Ao, and lastly the king of Qin.
Wu An Mansion is now truly empty, as the only ones remaining are Lao Lian, Xiao Lu, painting fairy, and Gu Nan.
Gu Nan in white clothes sits under the old tree and sips tea.
She has decided to be in mourning of Wei Lan and Bai Qi for three years by the Confucian tradition.
To be in mourning of one’s parents is a tradition only legislated in the Han Dynasty. For now, it is not common in the world.
Under the tree, Gu Nan is carefully studying the theory of chi that Bai Qi handed to her.
The book does not have a title but only a few thousand words describing the way to manipulate chi, not long but very complicated.
Gu Nan has spent some days on the book, and yet she still can not fully comprehend it.
“Drive the chi by the circulation period; recover it back to the void.”
Gu Nan faintly mumbles out the words, confused: “ this is indecipherable, how can one understand it?”
Then she shakes her head: “Whatever, I will just ask my master about it.”
And then, as if remembering something, she stares at the empty lobby at a loss.
Ask my master…
A dried-up leaf drifts off from the branch, into her teacup, rippling the surface of water.
