Rebirth of a Star General Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Hero Liu and Miss Mu

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Mu Hongjin finished speaking with an expression devoid of emotion, as if she was discussing someone else’s affairs.

However, it left an unpleasant taste in He Yan’s mouth. She thought for a moment and said, “Perhaps… Yunlin Hermit might have had urgent matters that day, which is why he couldn’t come. I, too, have had appointments with people that I had to break due to unforeseen circumstances.”

“No, there was no urgency, and there was no misunderstanding,” Mu Hongjin smiled, “He told me himself.”

He Yan couldn’t say anything more, but she felt that Mu Hongjin’s words were not entirely accurate. If there was someone else in Liu Buwang’s heart, He Yan hadn’t seen him with anyone else in all these years. He had never mentioned anyone’s name. If anything, Mu Xiaolou was the one he had treated differently, and she was Mu Hongjin’s granddaughter.

“Young people always believe that they are the unique ones,” Mu Hongjin smiled, “but uniqueness, or lack thereof, depends on one’s perspective. In that person’s eyes, I was just one of the thousands, not someone worth his consideration.”

“Is this person Your Highness talking about master?” Xiao Jue asked.

“As Xiao Lou mentioned, I can’t think of anyone else,” Mu Hongjin said, “but I never expected him to come to Jiyang…”

He Yan couldn’t help but think that Princess Mengji had guessed wrong. According to the teahouse owner, Liu Buwang hadn’t only come to Jiyang this year; he had come every year without fail. However, did he come to Jiyang to see Mu Hongjin? 

What’s going on here, it’s better not to meet at all? 

Mu Xiaolou pouted, “That person has no taste at all. Grandmother is the most beautiful, powerful, and wonderful person in the world, and he could just walk away? Is he blind? I say we shouldn’t call him Yunlin Hermit; we should call him No Taste Hermit!” 

“You,” Mu Hongjin playfully scolded Mu Xiaolou, tapping her on the head, “At such a young age, what do you know about being abandoned?” 

“He had the favor of my grandmother, but instead of being grateful, he acted like it was no big deal. Isn’t that being abandoned? He deserved not to marry my grandmother. I wouldn’t want my grandfather to be such a person.” Mu Xiaolou said with a huff. Her blunt words were probably due to the fact that she was born after Mu Hongjin’s husband had passed away, and she had never met him or formed any emotional attachment. Therefore, she spoke without reservation about this matter. 

“Of course,” Mu Hongjin hugged Mu Xiaolou with a smile and said, “Any man we find for Xiao Lou in the future must cherish her and never abandon her.” 

“Definitely!” 

The grandmother and granddaughter looked happily united, but He Yan felt a bit uncomfortable. There are countless people in the world, and those who meet but don’t stay together are like grains of sand in the Ganges River, too numerous to count. However, not being able to explain the truth when someone misunderstands is perhaps one of the most regrettable things. 

Even the precious dishes on the table couldn’t lift her spirits. After a heavy meal, Xiao Jue and He Yan stood up to bid farewell to Mu Hongjin. 

Mu Hongjin nodded. 

As they were about to leave, He Yan couldn’t hold back any longer. She looked at Mu Hongjin and asked, “Your Highness, since you already know that an old acquaintance is now living in the Cui Mansion, why not ask about his current situation and experiences over the years?” 

From the beginning to now, ever since Liu Buwang was the one who saved Mu Xiaolou, she had passed over the past with indifference, never mentioning him again. It was as if Liu Buwang had no connection to her. 

Mu Hongjin was momentarily surprised, then she looked at He Yan and said, “That’s all in the past.” 

“As for the present, he and I have no connection at all.” 

… 

After the meal, He Yan and Xiao Jue took their leave from Mu Hongjin. 

As they exited the royal mansion, He Yan couldn’t help but glance back at the crimson gate of the mansion. She hesitated for a moment and then asked, “Princess, is it really the case that you treat my master as a stranger now?” 

Xiao Jue added, “Love runs deep, hatred burns hot. People who have truly let go of something won’t deliberately forget it.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“It means,” he smiled faintly, “Miss He, you really don’t understand how to read between the lines in matters of the heart.”

Was that supposed to be an insult? He Yan thought. Besides, how could she be blamed for that? In her previous life, she didn’t have many opportunities to analyze other people’s thoughts, except for enemy commanders. Moreover, women’s thoughts are inherently delicate, and if a woman wants to hide her feelings, it’s unlikely anyone would be able to tell.

“Sounds like the Commander knows a lot,” she retorted.

“More than you.”

He continued to walk leisurely, and He Yan quickly followed.

…

In the spacious grand hall, a woman in a red robe and a golden crown slowly ascended the steps and took her seat on the high seat.

Mu Xiaolou had finished her meal and was being led back to her chambers by a servant to rest. She had also been through quite a bit of shock the previous day, and the child was exhausted. Fortunately, it seemed that Mu Xiaolou had only been frightened and not physically harmed.

With internal troubles and external threats in Jiyang, and the Wutuo people mixed among them, the lives of tens of thousands of people in the city were in her hands. The current situation was far from reassuring. This was a chaotic mess, but what Mu Hongjin thought of was another name.

Liu Buwang.

She hadn’t expected to hear the name Liu Buwang from someone else’s lips after all these years. Even more surprisingly, Liu Buwang dared to enter Jiyang City again.

If it had been the young Mu Hongjin, she would have undoubtedly stood before him, looked down on him, and ordered him to leave her territory. However, now, she had no such impulse, and she didn’t even entertain the thought of meeting him.

On a small table next to the high seat was an intricately carved bronze mirror. Cui Yuezhi had found it from a merchant for her. The mirror was very thin, beautifully engraved, and it had a vivid green cat’s eye gemstone embedded in its wooden handle. She had always liked ornate and exquisite things, and she kept it by her side every day. Mu Xiaolou would often say that the bronze mirror looked old, but Mu Hongjin didn’t think so. She picked up the bronze mirror and looked at the person in the mirror.

The woman in the mirror was extraordinarily beautiful, and at some point, her makeup had become equally regal and sophisticated. There was a faint touch of red at the corners of her eyes, giving her beauty a cold and enchanting quality. Her lips were also red, slightly pursed, showing restraint and indifference.

She ran her hand through her black hair, and the maids envied her for having a head full of lustrous black hair that didn’t seem to age even at her age. What they didn’t know was that every morning, she would make her personal maids carefully comb her hair in the sunlight to find and pluck out the white hairs that had started to appear.

As long as she sat in the position of the Princess, she had to forever remain young, beautiful, and regal, crushing all restlessness and discord beneath her feet, and accepting the respectful and obedient gazes of the people.

But…

She was still aging.

Mu Hongjin looked at herself in the mirror. At some point, her face used to be clean and she never applied makeup. There was no dominating fierceness in her eyes as there is now. That girl always had a smiling face, revealing her white teeth, confident, cheerful, carefree. 

Her thoughts drifted back many years, so far back that she couldn’t quite remember the exact year. Back then, Mu Hongjin was not the “Princess” in her red robe and golden crown. She was the only daughter of Mengji Wang, the apple of his eye, a seventeen-year-old girl. 

A seventeen-year-old girl full of dreams about love and the future. When she suddenly learned that her marriage had been arranged, that she was to be married to the son of a high-ranking court official, her first reaction was strong resistance. 

Old Mengji Wang, her father, looked at her with some guilt but spoke with unwavering determination: “You must marry him to secure your position as a princess.” 

“I don’t want to be a princess at all,” Mu Hongjin sneered. “I don’t want to exchange my marriage for this position. I’d rather be an ordinary person!” 

Her resistance was not taken to heart. Perhaps it was seen as the stubbornness of a child, or perhaps Mengji Wang himself knew that even if she resisted, it wouldn’t change anything. The position of the Mengji Wang was never secure, and one misstep could be disastrous. 

One night, Mu Hongjin slipped out of the palace. 

She had a playful spirit and had long yearned for the life of an ordinary person. With a whip in hand and disguised, she left the city of Jiyang that very night. 

The Mu Hongjin of that time, a bit older than the current Mu Xiaolou, was also sharper and more intelligent. She managed to avoid trouble on her journey until she reached the foot of Qiyun Mountain. 

The road up the mountain was steep, and people said it was a desolate place. However, at the foot of the mountain, there was a lush peach forest. It was spring, and peach blossoms were in full bloom, creating a romantic scene. Mu Hongjin was not far from the peach forest when she encountered some ruffians. 

Usually, if a young girl was alone, she was at risk of encountering unscrupulous thieves unless she changed her appearance. If the girl happened to be beautiful, the danger was even greater. Many heroic stories of saving damsels in distress in theatrical plays had their origins in such situations. 

Mu Hongjin ran and ran, but when she reached a peach tree, she accidentally sprained her ankle. She had no place left to hide. 

The ruffians approached with wicked grins, thinking they had her cornered. In a theatrical play, this would be the moment when the heroic savior appeared. 

Indeed, the heroic savior did appear. 

“Stop.” 

In the nick of time, a clear, masculine voice rang out. Mu Hongjin turned to see a young man in white clothing walking calmly toward her. He had long hair tied up with white silk, a zither on his back, and a refined, detached air about him, as if he were a Daoist monk uninterested in worldly affairs, standing between her and the ruffians. 

The ruffians were initially stunned but then burst into laughter, thinking the young man looked fragile, just someone who had overstepped and needed to leave. Mu Hongjin also felt a sense of despair. He appeared more like a musician than a hero. 

However, the young man remained calm and unmoving. 

The ruffians, growing increasingly angry and humiliated, were about to teach the young man a lesson when he drew a long sword from his waist. It was only then that Mu Hongjin realized he had a sword as well.

The young man in white was indeed a hero, and a somewhat kind-hearted one at that. His swordsmanship was excellent, but he didn’t take their lives, only incapacitating them and forcing them to flee.

Under the peach tree, only the two of them remained. Amid the petals of the peach blossoms, Mu Hongjin looked at him, and the young hero’s eyes were calm and indifferent, his robe pristine. But she knew he was not just a musician; he was a chivalrous swordsman. He had sprung right out of those thrilling stories from plays, appearing like a godsend to rescue her.

The fear from moments ago faded completely, and she smiled, her eyes sparkling. “Thank you for saving me. I’m Mu Hongjin. What’s your name?”

Seemingly surprised by her sudden cheerfulness, the young hero hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’m Liu Buwang.”

The spirited and audacious girls of Jiyang, Mu Hongjin looked at him, showing a hint of playful cunning. “Hero Liu, my foot is injured, and I can’t walk. You’ve helped me, so how about carrying me?”

In the bronze mirror, the person smiled, and her gaze grew distant as she recalled the year of the peach blossoms, unconsciously bringing a smile to her face.

The bronze mirror in her hand slipped through her fingers and fell to the ground.

The sound caught the attention of the woman on the high seat. She bent down to pick up the bronze mirror, and her expression froze for a moment. The smooth surface of the bronze mirror had a slight crack, almost imperceptible unless one looked closely.

The smile at the corner of her lips faded. After a while, she set the mirror aside.

But in the end… a broken mirror is hard to mend.

…

When they returned to the Cui Mansion, it was already evening, and Cui Yuezhi hadn’t returned yet. He Yan was afraid that Liu Buwang might leave without a word. The first thing she did was to find him, and when she did, she discovered that he was playing chess with Lin Shuanghe. Both of them were dressed in white, and Lin Shuanghe looked like a dashing gentleman, while Liu Buwang appeared to be a transcendent swordsman, detached from worldly affairs.

Seeing He Yan’s return, Lin Shuanghe said, “Young Master, Madam, you’re back! Mr. Liu’s chess skills are exceptional. I can’t even make it past ten moves against him. How about it, Young Master? Would you like to play a game with Mr. Liu and help me win one?”

He Yan rolled her eyes internally. It wasn’t her who had boasted about her master, but Liu Buwang was a master of all trades. He excelled in both literature and martial arts. Lin Shuanghe’s three-legged cat skills might suffice for deceiving young ladies at the Qinlou Chu Guan, but comparing him to Liu Buwang was an insult.

She walked over to Liu Buwang and said to Lin Shuanghe, “Since you’ve lost so many times, Brother Lin, you should go practice before your next match. I have something to discuss with my master. We’ll talk again later.” With that, she pulled Liu Buwang up and went into the room.

Watching He Yan’s retreating figure, Lin Shuanghe approached Xiao Jue and asked, “Why the rush? What’s going on with my Little Sister He?”

Xiao Jue: “Going to listen to a story.” 

“What kind of story?” Lin Shuanghe asked curiously. “Did you meet the princess in the royal palace? Did she give you a hard time?” 

Xiao Jue chuckled but didn’t reply. He hadn’t been given a hard time, but… his gaze rested on the door that He Yan had closed. This trip had been full of surprises for Mu Hongjin, Liu Buwang, and even for He Yan. It is probably a surprise within a surprise.

Cui Jiao, holding a tea tray, tried to enter but was stopped by Xiao Jue. He looked at the teapot on the tray and said, “Bring a bowl of red sugar water. It needs to be hot.” 

Cui Jiao nodded and as Xiao Jue turned his head, he noticed Lin Shuanghe staring at him with a strange look. He furrowed his brows and asked, “What are you looking at?” 

“Xiao Huaijin,” Lin Shuanghe looked at him seriously, shook his fan, and said three words, “You’re done for.” 

“You’re insane,” he replied coldly. 

… 

Inside the room, He Yan pressed Liu Buwang to sit at the table, and she took a seat as well. 

There were many questions she wanted to ask, like the investigation of the Wutuo people mentioned earlier and the current situation in Jiyang. However, what came out of her mouth was, “Master, I just returned from the royal palace and met the princess.” 

Liu Buwang looked at her. 

“It seems that Princess Mengji and Master are acquainted,” He Yan hesitated for a moment before saying.

Liu Buwang: “That’s right.”

He admitted it so quickly? He Yan was momentarily surprised. Did his straightforwardness imply that it wasn’t a big deal? For the first time, He Yan realized she was being quite nosy, prying into someone else’s private matters. But when it came to Liu Buwang, her seemingly emotionless and desireless master, she couldn’t help but wonder about his past. 

Perhaps it was this piece of history that added a bit of complexity to him, making him appear more like an ordinary person. 

“Princess Mengji said she once admired Master, but Master had someone else in your heart,” He Yan blurted out in one breath. “Back then, she wanted to elope with you and made an agreement, but you didn’t show up, so she returned to Jiyang and got married.” 

Liu Buwang, upon hearing this, remained expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts. 

He Yan asked, “Master, is this true?” 

She couldn’t help but feel that with Liu Buwang’s fearless and chivalrous nature, he would have taken her away if Mu Hongjin had genuinely begged him. If he hadn’t intended to take her away from the beginning, there would have been no need for an agreement. 

Why go through the trouble? 

“It’s true,” Liu Buwang replied with a calm tone. 

He Yan was surprised, “Why?” 

“It was the best choice for her,” Liu Buwang explained. “As princess Mengji, she should bear the responsibilities that come with her position, and Jiyang is her duty.” 

“But…” He Yan was still unwilling to accept this, “Did Master not take her with you because of this, or was there another reason? Is there really someone else you love in your heart?” 

Over the years, she had never heard Liu Buwang mention any woman he loved or cared for. Frankly, if that “beloved” person had passed away, they should be commemorated, at least during Qingming and Mid-Autumn festivals. However, there had been nothing. 

Liu Buwang didn’t answer her question. He just smiled and asked, “Is she… doing well?” 

Is she doing well? He Yan couldn’t answer that question. The current situation in Jiyang was far from ideal. However, from a certain perspective, Mu Hongjin had married and had a son and a granddaughter, which made her less lonely than Liu Buwang. 

He Yan finally said, “Xiao Lou is her granddaughter.” 

Liu Buwang smiled but didn’t say anything. 

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became heavy and stagnant. 

Outside, Cui Jiao knocked on the door and said, “Madam, the sweet dumpling soup with red sugar is ready.” 

“Why do you still like sweet things?” Liu Buwang snapped out of his thoughts, chuckled, and said, “You go out and enjoy the sweet soup. Master will like to be alone for a while.” 

After hesitating for a moment, He Yan stood up and said, “Alright, then, Master, I’ll leave.” 

She left the room, and the door was closed behind her.

The night in Jiyang was warm and pleasant, unlike the coldness of the north. The wind blew in through the window, making the tree shadows sway gently, like the mist on the Qiyun Mountain.

Liu Buwang had neither father nor mother and was the youngest disciple of Yunji Daoist on Qiyun Mountain. Yunji Daoist was an extraordinary hermit who lived a reclusive life and adopted a group of orphans as his disciples. Liu Buwang was the seventh in line, and he was known as Little Seven.

The youth practiced martial arts on the mountain and, when they reached the age of eighteen, they were required to leave the mountain to gain experience. When Liu Buwang left the mountain, his senior brothers all came to see him off. He was proud, honest, and had a simple nature. His companions were concerned that he might be taken advantage of down the mountain, so they offered many pieces of advice, making his ears sore from listening.

Every youth believed that they had a bright future ahead of them, that they could right wrongs and help the needy in the world, and nothing could tarnish their spirit or undermine their determination.

Liu Buwang was no different.

Little did he know that just as he descended the mountain, he encountered a group of thugs tormenting a defenseless young woman in a peach blossom forest at the foot of the mountain. Liu Buwang stepped in and drove the thugs away. He intended to leave but found himself stuck like glue to the young woman who wouldn’t let go.

He still remembered the first time he saw Mu Hongjin, the girl’s beauty, charm, and innocence were breathtaking. Her twin braids hung in front of her chest as she blinked her eyes and looked at him. Her voice was pure, “Hero Liu, I’ve twisted my foot and can’t walk. The one who rescues others should see it through, even if it means taking them to the ends of the earth. Will you carry me?”

Her resolute words left him in shock. He took a step back and said, “No.”

“Why not?” Mu Hongjin asked. “Aren’t you a young hero? Young heroes should do this.”

What should young heroes do? At that time, the young Liu Buwang didn’t understand. He had lived on the mountain and had no contact with the world, so he didn’t know whether her words were true or false. But she seemed so adamant that Liu Buwang thought, maybe… all the people down the mountain were like this, and he was overreacting?

As he contemplated this, Mu Hongjin began to whimper, “Ouch, it hurts so much. I’m in pain even when I move.”

Her exaggerated suffering made him uncomfortable. He had a stern nature, and his Junior Sister from Yunji Daoist were not this delicate. However, it was too late to refuse, and he reluctantly surrendered, “Alright, come up.”

Mu Hongjin climbed up happily.

The young girl’s arms were wrapped tightly around his neck, and her warm body pressed close to him, carrying a fragrance from her hair. Liu Buwang felt extremely uncomfortable and wanted to decline, but he was a step too late. He could only resign himself and say, “Miss, where do you live? I’ll take you back.” 

“I have no home,” the girl’s voice was pitiful. “I was abducted by someone. My home is very far, very far away. I’ll follow you from now on. Wherever you go, I’ll go.” 

Liu Buwang was so surprised that he almost dropped her off his back. “What do you mean, wherever I go, you go? Why do you want to follow me?” 

“Since you saved me, you have to take responsibility for me,” Mu Hongjin said confidently. “Otherwise, you can take me back to my home. My home is in Shuojing, very far from here. Can you take me there?” 

Liu Buwang: “…” 

He never expected that by saving someone, he would end up with such a big problem. People from the bottom of the mountain, or perhaps women from the bottom of the mountain in particular, were like this. No wonder his senior brother had said to him before leaving, “Women at the bottom of the mountain are like tigers.” Even tigers could be scared away with a firecracker, but this woman, why couldn’t he shake her off? 

Seemingly aware of his thoughts, the girl whispered in his ear, “Don’t worry, I don’t eat much, and I won’t cost you much money. Having me with you won’t be troublesome.” 

“Please, young hero,” she implored.

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