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墨書 Inktalez
In the summer of 214 BC, within Mangdang Mountain, the leaves seemed to be frozen in time, not a whisper of wind stirring them.
Lu Zhi, wearing a large straw hat and carrying a food box, wiped the sweat from her brow. She glanced at the dilapidated mountain temple that was faintly visible in the distance, gritted her teeth, and continued her ascent.
“ Zhi'er!” Liu Bang spotted her from afar and hurried out of the temple to greet her.
Looking at the woman whose skin had darkened under the sun and whose hands had grown increasingly rough from daily toil, he felt a deep sense of guilt. “Didn’t I say? I was just going to hunt some game with Brother Fan and the others in the mountains…”
“How can that be?”
Lu Zhi shot him a glance and smiled as she brought out the still-warm food from the box. “Others may not know, but I do. In this sweltering heat, what decent game could there possibly be in the mountains? Even if there were, what could you men cook up? Home-cooked meals are always more satisfying; it’s just a matter of walking a few extra steps!”
Liu Bang stood rooted to the spot, gripping her hand as she served the food. “ Zhi'er, I… I’m sorry! If it weren’t for my momentary impulse that day when I released those prisoners, we wouldn’t have to hide in this remote mountain now. You shouldn’t have to bear all this alone while taking care of your parents and our three children…”
Lu Zhi lowered her head, feeling a lump in her throat.
It wasn’t that she didn’t feel wronged or exhausted; it was just that no matter how hard or unfair it was, she was his wife, the mother of his children. She couldn’t simply stand by while he hid away in the mountains without doing anything.
After holding back tears for a long while, she could only softly say, “If you truly care about me, then please think more about me and the children in your future actions.”
“ Zhi'er!” Liu Bang pulled her into his embrace, tightly holding her fingers as he vowed, “I promise you, if one day I achieve something, I will never let you down.”
“Did you really take my father’s words to heart back then?”
She smiled as she opened his hand, her heart fluttering with joy at his serious expression. "Today, while working in the fields, an old man asked me for a drink of water and said that I and the children all have a noble appearance. I wonder how he could see that this humble farmer is anything but wealthy!"
"No, no!" Liu Bang suddenly became unusually agitated. " Zhi'er, I've heard that Chen Sheng and Wu Guang's rebel army has already arrived in Peixian. I've discussed it with Brother Fan and the others; instead of hiding away like a lost dog in the mountains, we might as well join the righteous army..."
As he spoke, he finally noticed Lu Zhi's pale face, and the excitement and fervor on his own face froze in silence.
The sunlight streamed through the window, and Lu Zhi took two steps back, her back lightly pressed against the hard column behind her, cold and unyielding against her waist.
It was a sickle, the one she polished to a bright sheen every night, its blade glowing with a faint blue light.
During the day, she relied on this sharp tool to cut rice faster than anyone else; at night, she used its coldness to soothe her frightened heart. Each day on her way up the mountain, she gripped this sickle tightly, wary of the venomous snakes that might spring out without warning.
She thought that soon enough, once Liu Bang's release of the prisoners was over, she would be able to wait for the day they would be reunited as husband and wife.
She was still waiting for him to protect her and provide her with a stable and peaceful life. But now, at this very moment, he was telling her with hopeful eyes that he wanted to join the rebel army and leave their entire household to her. How could she respond to him?
" Zhi'er!" Liu Bang was startled by her expression and furrowed his brow uncertainly. "Are you angry?"
"Do I look happy like this?" She lifted her head to look at him, almost exhausted. "I'm so tired, my husband. I don't care whether you can achieve greatness in the future or whether we appear noble or not. I just want you by our side all the time. When Le'er is being mischievous, I want you to scold her with a stern face; when Ying'er is crying, I want you to hold him and comfort him for a bit..."
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