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墨書 Inktalez
About ten years ago, we first met in Chang'an. Do you remember?
I remember it clearly.
Back then, it was the era of the Sui Dynasty, under the reign of Great Year. But in just ten years, the nation has changed hands, yet the capital remains the capital. I wonder if you recall that time; it was before your birth, when your hometown was reduced to ashes by a great fire.
Time has flown by so quickly, but the colors of memory have not faded at all. When did it start? Hmm, probably from the moment I got lost. I was quite mischievous back then; it was my first time in Chang'an, and I ran away from my father. It felt as if it was destined to happen.
Otherwise, would I have had the chance to meet you?
It was still winter, with a biting cold wind. Although I couldn’t find my father, I didn’t cry. Crying wouldn’t help; only the fittest survive. So I wandered aimlessly, searching for traces of my father.
Then I saw a group of snow-white horses and people dressed in garments as white as snow, even children around eight or nine years old were riding White Horses. I looked up and saw a boy wearing white clothes wrapped in White Fox Fur, looking extremely noble. I thought to myself how handsome this brother was! That was my first glimpse of you; you gave off an aura like softly falling snowflakes.
Originally, the bustling taverns of Chang'an should have been lively, but for some reason, there wasn’t a single person around; the entire street was eerily quiet. I crouched behind a wooden fence at the corner of the street and heard one of your group shout sharply yet powerfully: “Formation!”
The group of white-clad individuals dismounted like butterflies, each wielding knives of varying lengths.
Inside the tavern, someone let out a long howl that sounded like a dragon's roar. I quickly covered my ears with my hands, my heart racing with fear. When I looked up again, there was already someone on the roof of the tavern.
It was a man dressed in dark robes, with his hair tied up in a cloud scarf and holding a long sword. He stood tall and elegant, exuding an air of grace. The white-clad individuals below shouted: “Han Langjun, we do not wish to harm anyone; please come down and talk!”
Han Langjun sneered: “What is there to discuss with Snowfall Villa?”
A white-clad person below whispered: “Then where is Han Lady? Why is she not here?”
Both sides faced off against each other; the atmosphere was extremely tense. I felt frightened and was about to think of a way to escape when suddenly both sides clashed. In an instant, blades flashed and shouts echoed everywhere. Han Langjun displayed remarkable martial skills; despite being surrounded by several people attacking him, they could not take him down. As both sides engaged fiercely, their internal energies shook the corners of the building until a massive stone suddenly fell toward me.
I was so scared that I couldn’t make a sound and just covered my head, thinking I was going to die. But at that moment, there was a loud bang; the stone missed me entirely and flew away instead. Standing before me was a boy in white clothing, looking like an immortal child.
At such a young age, how could one possess such incredible strength to send a massive stone flying with a single strike? You stood before me, slightly surprised as you looked down at me, but suddenly you exchanged a glance and whispered, "Don't talk. Turn around the corner and run!"
In the distance, someone called out, "Amin, what's going on?"
You turned your head and replied, "Over here, there's a cat."
Then I heard someone coldly snort, "When did we have time to worry about those cats and dogs? You're clearly a monster yourself, yet you act so pretentiously!"
I took your advice and quietly turned the corner in the chaos, sprinting away. But just a few steps later, someone grabbed the collar of my clothes from behind and yanked me into an alley.
I was so frightened that I opened my mouth to cry, but someone covered my mouth. It was then I realized that the person who had pulled me in was a young woman, her beautiful face more enchanting than my father's new wife. Beside her was a small girl, around three or four years old, with big eyes looking around in confusion.
Once I calmed down slightly, the beautiful woman removed her hand from my mouth and took us both by the hand, leading us into a nearby grass shed. Her hands were soft, and her voice was gentle as she stroked the girl's hair and instructed her:
"No matter what happens, don't go outside. Wait until things outside calm down before going home. Don't enter your house; go directly to Zhang Bo's place and give him this bag. There’s money and a letter from your mother inside; Zhang Bo will take care of you."
The beautiful woman hugged the girl tightly and called out softly, "Lan'er..." Her voice choked with emotion.
After a moment, she bit her lip and pushed us further into the shed before resolutely turning to leave, disappearing in an instant.
Inside the grass shed, it was just the two of us trembling together. Not long after, the girl pouted her lips and began to call out "Mother," her voice breaking as she fought back tears.
Though I didn't fully understand what was happening, I sensed that it was dangerous outside. This girl seemed so pitiful; like me, she had lost her father. I hugged her close and whispered in her ear, "Don't cry; if you do, a monster will come and eat you!"
She indeed stopped crying. I held her tightly while she wrapped her arms around me as we huddled together in the shed. I lost track of time when suddenly a figure appeared silently at the entrance of the shed.
It was an incredibly beautiful woman dressed in a flowing white gown that billowed like clouds; she looked cold as ice. She stood outside, staring blankly at us with no expression on her face.
Yet for some reason, I suddenly felt an overwhelming sadness emanating from her. Beneath her calm exterior lay an intense sorrow that struck like lightning. At that moment, both the girl and I couldn't help but burst into tears simultaneously.
At that time, I didn't understand; I only felt an extreme discomfort, as if my heart was being squeezed painfully. Looking back now, that must have been the taste of sorrow, just like what I feel every time now.
The woman had yet to move, but suddenly, another white figure appeared in front of me, facing away.
"Aunt, they are just children..."
I recognized that voice, the one that made me run away—your voice.
As I focused again, I realized that the "aunt" was holding a gleaming long knife.
"Amin, step aside!"
The woman's voice was icy, as cold as frost and snow.
Your slender white back trembled slightly but did not move. Then came the woman's furious shout: "Step aside!" With a loud bang, your body flew away like a white bird, crashing against the wall far off.
The woman took two steps forward, her knife pointing at us. No, it was aimed at the guy next to me.
He gripped my sleeve tightly. For some reason, driven by instinct, I pushed her behind me and opened my arms to shield her.
The woman was taken aback. In that moment of hesitation, you suddenly flashed in front of me and hugged the woman's legs.
"Aunt, Grandpa said that one must have principles and not kill innocents indiscriminately. They are just two children!"
Your voice was crisp and youthful, pleasing to hear. I wonder if it was your voice that enchanted me back then?
Three children and one adult faced off for a while until the woman sighed and lowered her knife.
"Amin, what do you want me to do with them?"
The woman pulled the girl out from behind us, examining her from head to toe for a long time. The girl’s tear-sized droplets fell silently, yet she held back her cries. When I looked up, I was surprised to see two streams of tears flowing down the woman's face as well.
“Han Lang, I shouldn’t be here. The reason I am here is to save you. Why don’t you believe me? Why must you seek your own end...”
In the cold air, only the sound of suppressed sobs remained.
After a long while, the woman suddenly lifted her head and said to you, “Amin, take these two away, anywhere will do. Hide for a while. After some time, bring this girl back to Snowfall Villa, and someone will claim that she is my illegitimate daughter. You heard that, so you must bring her back for me to see.”
Your expression changed, and you called out, “Aunt…”
Before you could finish your sentence, the woman crouched down and took out a piece of crystal-clear white jade pendant from her bosom, hanging it around the girl’s neck. She gently stroked the girl’s hair and said softly, “Do you know that I am actually your mother? From now on, when you see me, you must call me ‘mother.’ Remember, your surname is still Han, and it will always be.”
After saying this, she turned to you and said, “Hurry and go. Remember what I told you.”
Then began a journey for you, me, and Han Cousin. You remembered Aunt's words and took us both wandering for a while. You first sent me back to Wanzi Mountain, and then we parted ways at Wanzi Mountain; you took Han Cousin back to Snowfall Villa.
The most beautiful moments are not in breathtaking encounters but in this journey under your protection. This journey lasted forty-two days; many things happened during those forty-two days. However, I think there is no need for me to record everything that occurred in those forty-two days because every moment of those forty-two days is something I will never forget.
I will remember them until death.
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