Chapter 0009: Secrets
Li Jincheng let out a gentle sigh, unsure of why he suddenly felt an inexplicable joy and tension. It was not merely because he had finally encountered a familiar segment of history, but he quickly reminded himself to remain composed. With Chen Qingzhi's northern expedition, the entire He Luo and Liang Huai regions were indeed in a state of chaos, making it possible for a group of refugees to seek shelter here, which might not necessarily be related to the renowned general in the white robe. Moreover, Li Jincheng clearly remembered that the White Robe Army had to retreat due to being outnumbered, and on the way, they encountered a flash flood, with only Chen Qingzhi managing to return. Therefore, it was even less likely that this village...
"Good!" The two elderly men nodded in agreement at the same time
The year 528 AD was indeed a rare period of tranquility, but the following year, 529 AD, marked the renowned northern expedition of Chen Qingzhi, a famous general of the Southern Liang. He led light cavalry to sweep through the He and Luo regions, achieving victories wherever he went, to the extent that a popular song emerged stating, "No great general dares to confront him, thousands of troops and horses avoid the white robe"
He shook his head vigorously, believing in a nonsensical premonition; was that not too absurd? After all, he was an unequivocal science student.
Moreover, their questions extend beyond this. Why is it that individuals like Li Cheng only have offspring at an older age? And why are there many women and children in the entire village, yet so few men, particularly middle-aged men who could serve as pillars of support? Most are young individuals of the same age as Li Jincheng.
The tablet honors Chen Qingzhi, the General of the Left Guard of the Former Liang and the Cavalry Attendant. Li Cheng's voice echoed in the dimly lit chamber, somewhat muffled, vibrating the walls with a buzzing sound
The old master of the Zheng family nodded. What truly moved him was not the slogans and fervor, but the facts stated by Li Cheng. This village had only experienced sporadic raids by bandits over the decades, making it a rare paradise amidst the chaos of the times. If they were to hastily retreat from the village now, where could they possibly go? Even if they managed to find a place to weather the storm and return, not to mention what those mountain bandits would do to the village, who could guarantee that they wouldn't come back again? Would they have to leave with their families once more at that time?
Fifty years? Zheng Qing and Song Fei had not yet come to terms with what these fifty years represented, while Li Jincheng was already calculating rapidly in his mind. It is now the year 578 AD, and fifty years ago it was precisely 528 AD. In Li Jincheng's memory, there was nothing significant about that year, but then his pupils suddenly constricted.
"Elder brother, have you made your decision?" The voice of the elder of the Song family carried a sense of seriousness, and the way he addressed Li Cheng changed instantly. It was as if, in that moment of realizing what Li Cheng was about to do, the relationship between him and Li Cheng transformed from that of the patriarchs of two families relying on each other to that of two good brothers
Warriors who have survived a hundred battles, warriors who have survived a hundred battles
Li Cheng and the other two elders slowly walked to the side of the wall. The three exchanged glances and simultaneously reached out to press on a brick in the wall. This seemingly ordinary brick immediately began to sink slowly, and the originally narrow wall gradually opened up. No one expected that there would be a secret chamber. Li Cheng turned his head and said in a deep voice: "You are not newcomers to the ancestral hall, so you must know that in addition to the tablets of the three families, there is an unnamed tablet in the center. I can now tell you..." Li Cheng turned his head and said in a deep voice: "You are not newcomers to the ancestral hall, so you must know that in addition to the tablets of the three families, there is an unnamed tablet in the center. I can now tell you..."
For there, on the wall before them, hung a long spear, and a beam of sunlight streamed in through a small hole above the wall, precisely illuminating the blade of the spear, causing it to glimmer coldly. Li Cheng slowly stepped forward and reached out to caress the spear, saying: "This is the long spear used by the general on that day, and we are the general's personal guards, having followed the general from Jiangnan all the way to Luoyang!"
Zheng Qing looked at Li Cheng in surprise, "Hasn't this village always existed?"
Li Cheng turned to look at the somewhat bewildered Li Jincheng and the other three: "You have grown up in this village since childhood, yet no one has ever told you about the origins of this village. Why is there such a village in this desolate mountain bamboo sea"
Li Cheng's gaze swept over the two individuals, and he said in a deep voice: "If this secret is not passed on to the next generation, are we to take it with us to the grave? Moreover, this time the bandits are coming with great force, something we have never encountered before. Even if we manage to escape this calamity by luck, who knows how much longer these old bones of ours can hold out? It is better to let the young people know, as it would fulfill our mission."
Li Jincheng subconsciously glanced at Li Cheng, while Zheng Qing and Song Fei also directed their gazes over, clearly sharing the same question as Li Jincheng
However, if Li Jincheng remembers correctly, it seems that at that time, Chen Qingzhi's White Robe Army was completely annihilated by a flash flood. How could there still be these three old men here claiming to be soldiers of the White Robe Army, while they are holding long guns that they refer to as the weapons used by Chen Qingzhi
How is it that just three individuals developed an entire village over the course of fifty years
The elder Mr. Song and the elder Mr. Zheng are, after all, individuals of advanced age; it would not be an exaggeration to say that they have crossed more bridges than the young people of Zheng Qing's generation have traveled roads. Therefore, it is only natural that they would not be easily flustered by a few grandiose statements. The two exchanged glances, clearly communicating their thoughts.
After a pause, Li Cheng's voice became somewhat low as he murmured, "Having walked through this world, we cannot be forgotten by others."
In his impression, having grown up in the village since childhood, he had never contemplated where the village came from or why such a village existed. Had this question not been posed by Li Cheng, it is likely that Zheng Qing would have directly dismissed it as "nonsense".
At this moment, the minds of Li Jincheng and the others were also buzzing. Zheng Qing and his companions had not read much, but they had heard of this perhaps most renowned general in decades, while Li Jincheng silently marveled at how his earlier intuition was remarkably close to this truth
As Li Cheng's voice fell, it was resonant and powerful, while the old masters of the Zheng and Song families straightened their backs, narrowing their eyes slightly, causing Zheng Qing and Song Fei to feel a chill run down their spines. Li Jincheng could not help but take a gentle breath, as he could clearly sense the killing intent emanating from these three elders.
As they spoke, Li Jincheng and others had already entered the secret chamber, and the opened wall slowly closed.
Li Cheng stated that it has not yet exceeded fifty years, which aligns closely with the year 529 AD
However, this issue is now being voiced by Li Cheng, and even if Zheng Qing had a hundred times the courage, he could only respond with submissive agreement
Li Cheng said in a deep voice: "This village is located in a place that, apart from being near the river, is quite distant from other villages. If it were not to escape this chaotic world, who would be willing to live in such an isolated place? Our village, to be precise, has actually existed for no more than fifty years."
The old master of the Zheng family remained silent, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Li Cheng, clearly wanting to voice the same question.
Some matters, rather than continuously evading, are better resolved in one go. Life and death are fated, wealth and nobility are determined by heaven. In these chaotic times, who among the people does not possess a bit of a fighting spirit?