Chapter 249

Inside Feng Jie's small courtyard, Feng Jie and Qin Keqing shared deep sisterly affection.

After mentioning mutual assistance, Feng Jie glanced at Qin Keqing with her phoenix eyes; her fair face froze for a moment, then she continued with a hint of meaning.

Besides, I might need to ask you for a favor someday; then just don't bother me.

Looking at Qin Keqing's unadorned beauty, her pitiful charm, and her gentle disposition, it's no wonder that someone from Dong Fu wants to have an affair.

Feng Jie suddenly felt that perhaps Third Brother's intentions weren't so simple.

Men are just like gluttonous cats—who doesn't love beauty?

Just like our chain-two, they want to drag anything dirty and smelly into their own bowl.

If... if Third Brother really gets together with Keqing someday, even if just as a concubine, then my favor this time would really be a huge windfall!

Thinking this, Feng Jie couldn't help but hold Qin Keqing tighter, her attitude becoming more intimate.

Qin Keqing, hearing Feng Jie's words, didn't think much, taking it as Feng Jie's polite consolation.

With such a husband and father-in-law, her days ahead hold no hope at all, let alone helping others.

Qin Keqing's apricot eyes beneath her jade-green fine brows dimmed, and she spoke softly:

"I am an unfortunate person... in this life I'm afraid I'll just have to endure this hardship!"

"Auntie, even though you help me like this, I would like to repay you, but I'm afraid I cannot."

Feng Jie's willow brows slightly furrowed, and she spoke softly:

"Who can say what the future holds? People have fortune and misfortune in a moment; I don't think you're someone without fortune... in your physiognomy!"

Keqing didn't respond further.

Outside the window, the moon had quietly shifted a bit.

All was silent, only the whooshing wind and occasional insect chirps and bird calls.

…………

Several days later.

Ten li outside Yu Lin Cheng in the northwest.

There is an open slope, facing north toward the Maowusu Desert and south toward the Wuding River.

On the slope a new cemetery had been erected, its walls of rammed earth, not yet decorated, revealing the yellowish-brown raw color.

The gate is made of pine, the freshly cut wood still exuding a fresh resin scent.

Above the gate hangs a plaque with black characters on a white background, reading the five large characters: Da Han Empire Loyal Martyrs' Tomb.

The plaque was personally written by Jia Jing, the brushstrokes firm and sharp, the left-falling and right-falling strokes like knives.

Inside the cemetery are rows of new graves, twenty-four thousand plus.

They stretch from the hilltop down to the slope's base, dense and numerous, like a silent military camp.

Before each grave stands a wooden tablet inscribed with the deceased's name, native place, and Da Han Empire army unit.

Before the graves stands a huge stone stele.

On the stele are carved more than twenty thousand names, in tiny fly-head script, arranged from top to bottom.

These more than twenty thousand Han Empire army names mainly include two aspects:

First, the Han Empire soldiers who died defending Yu Lin Cheng and Su Zhou at the start of this northwest battle, numbering nearly twenty thousand.

Second, the Han Empire soldiers who fell in the campaign against the grasslands, numbering several thousand.

Before the stele is an altar built of stacked stones.

The altar is over a meter high, its surface covered with white cloth on which are placed the three sacrificial offerings.

Also there are several dozen jars of wine, several dozen plates of fruit, and countless dried rations.

On either side of the altar are inserted two rows of white banners, lightly fluttering in the wind, like beckoning hands summoning souls.

Just after the chen hour, the sun rose in the east.

Within the Heroes' Tomb, bugle calls blared, and over one hundred thousand Da Han Empire soldiers from the northwest gathered from all places.

They gathered in a large open space before the altar, standing in neat rows, people silent, horses quiet, all holding their breath.

Over one hundred thousand soldiers wore various armor: from Gansu Garrison, Ningxia Garrison, Yan'an Garrison, Guyuan Garrison, and also the Black Armor Elite Cavalry of Bashang Daying.

Although their armor varied in color, their banners differed as well.

Yet their stance was the same: waists straight, eyes forward, expressions solemn.

Behind the soldiers came countless northwestern civilians who had heard the news, a dark mass of tens of thousands.

There were elderly women with white hair, women holding infants, elders carrying children and leaning on canes; only young adults were few.

They stood far around the cemetery, many of them being relatives, widows, and children of the soldiers who died in this northwest battle.

This cemetery buries their sons, husbands, fathers, and brothers.

Their expressions were grief-stricken, holding paper money or wiping tears.

Everyone was waiting for the memorial ceremony initiated and presided over by the newly appointed First-Class Duke Jingguo, Grand General Champion, and Northwest War God of the court.

Around the altar were marching drums, over ten bare-chested strong men holding double mallets, beating the drums.

As the drums sounded, over ten helmeted and armored Da Han Empire military officials and northwestern civil officials walked out from the crowd.

They climbed the steps and stood to the sides of the altar and on the steps, facing the army and the populace.

The military officers stood in front; the first on the left was the newly appointed Da Han Empire Weining Marquis Zhu Que, and the first on the right was the newly appointed Da Han Empire Zhenbei Marquis Niu Jizong.

Both wore black armor, with swords at their waists, and had stern expressions.

What differed from before was that, outside their original belts, each had added a wide white sash called a 'plain cord' or 'mourning sash', symbolizing laying down arms to mourn.

Behind them were military officials Han Wu, Feng Tang, Zhou Yingyuan, Ma Guocheng, You Shiyong, etc.

And also several dozen senior commanders, deputy commanders, and assistant commanders from the four northwestern garrisons, arranged in order of rank.

After the military officers came the civil officials: the inspectors of Shaanxi, Yan'an, and Ningxia, as well as each garrison's military preparedness director, grain storage director, and censors, etc.

Most of the civil officials wore blue-green robes; they hardly spoke, just standing silently.

Occasionally they would look at the huge stone tablet with eyes full of dread and suspicion, then quickly lower their heads.

This is the martyrs' tomb that Jia Jing, after seeking permission from Emperor Jing Sheng Di, ordered to be built in the northwest for the Han Army soldiers who fell in this battlefield.

Emperor Jing Sheng Di issued a clear edict that Jia Jing would preside over the first memorial ceremony, and also sent out a court bulletin stating, "Even a lowly soldier is tied to the fate of the state."

At the same time, he ordered the officials in charge of the northwest to hold sacrifices every spring and autumn, to "exalt virtue and repay merit, and make the winds stern in loyalty."

As time passed, the drumming grew increasingly urgent, and the bugles sounded in unison.

The heavy drum and music sounded, as if plucking at the vast ages, making this heaven and earth feel sorrowful.

"Stomp!"

"Stomp!"

"Stomp!"

……

A figure emerged from the crowd, facing the eastward-moving morning sun, slowly appearing before countless eyes.

Jia Jing wore no armor today, but instead a blue-green gauze robe, a white sheer middle layer, and a plain lower garment, paired with black shoes and a plain sash, his head wearing a Liang crown; overall his attire was of a simple, elegant hue.

His expression was solemn, his gaze deep and focused, as he stepped up onto the altar step by step.

Behind him, the pale-faced, long-bearded Ministry of Rites official Tang Bin wore a blue-green court robe, his rank badge embroidered with a golden pheasant, following closely, his demeanor dignified, holding yellow silk and the offerings.

Tang Bin had rushed day and night from Shenjing City to the northwest, arriving only two days ago.

His purpose in coming was, on one hand, to announce the awards bestowed upon Jia Jing and others.

On the other hand, to assist Jia Jing in completing this memorial for the fallen soldiers of the northwest, showing the court's importance.