Yun Shuo would always remember how, before Aunt Chan died, she had clutched her hand and repeated over and over, "Don't go looking for your mother..."
But Yun Shuo was never a particularly obedient child. In the winter of her twelfth year, she shouldered her pack, bid farewell to the clan elder, and set out on a long journey to find her mother.
She entered Kaifeng, traveled to Northern Han, and broke into the imperial palace... She plunged headfirst into a turbulent, treacherous world, charging ahead with almost reckless courage.
Whenever she was battered and bruised, a pair of gentle yet steadfast hands would lift her from the mire.
Looking back at the young man behind her, she asked, "Why do you keep watching over me?"
He grinned carelessly. "Because you're such a fool."
*
Li Jilong first met Yun Shuo in the winter of the fourth year of Qiande, during the Song dynasty.
At the time, he was merely the son of a military family, fallen from the clouds into the mud. Powerless and without influence, he had no choice but to rein in his youthful spirit and struggle through the shadows.
Then one day, a girl with thin, small arms carried him, covered in mud, over the great mountains of Shu. She told him, "Don't be afraid."
Over the long years that followed, he fought bandits and went to war, enduring every hardship as he rose step by step from a low-ranking official appointed through family privilege to a great general who commanded the respect of an entire region.
But when he finally looked back, he no longer knew where the girl who was always smiling had gone...
[Author's note]
* The story's setting and historical figures are based on historical sources. The broad strokes follow history, but some details are fictional.
* Feel free to comment and chat. If you enjoy the story, please add it to your favorites.
* I hope some lovely readers will enjoy this little story :)
[For more stories, visit the author's page]
[Complete] "A Few Lingering Sorrows": See how a delicate young noblewoman survives against all odds in the tumult of the Spring and Autumn period
[Complete] "Years Flow Like the Si River": The beauty Bao Si
Theme: Life is but a dream. Watch the bustle of the world with detachment. Better to follow your heart, roam freely, and smile as you savor the landscapes of your dreams.
I really like the great writing!!! [Like] [Like] [Like] Am I the first reader? Can you please reply to me? Really looking forward to a big reply! It's okay if you don't want to... Thank you very much!!! 🍉
Some words and phrases in the article that are not in line with the background of the Northern Song Dynasty have been partially revised (if fully revised, almost half of the chapters will have to be changed, so some chapters that only revised three or five words will remain as they are for the time being. If there is an opportunity to do a full revision in the future, please forgive me). This revision only changes a few words and sentences, and the plot and characters remain unchanged. Little fairies who have already read it do not need to re-read it.