Chapter 36: Enlightenment and nostalgia

The small gathering in the tent allowed Yun Ye to completely integrate into the large family of feudalism in the Tang Dynasty. Whether it was Chang Sun Chong playing the sword and singing, or Li Huai Ren throwing off his crown and hair and shouting in unison, it all stirred up the blood that had long been dormant in him. The depression that had accumulated in his chest made him want to shout, to roar, and to gallop his horse wildly.

The beef that fell between the chopsticks on his lap was still stuffed into his mouth and chewed with relish. He hated the indifference in his heart.

Once upon a time, he had blood in his veins and was passionate, but now that he hears that the country is in trouble, he can’t even think of dying for it. Does this mean that I am not a pure Tang person, that I don’t have this obligation?

The party ended in an angry fit from Lao Cheng, and the five people, including Li Chengqian, were all locked up in the dungeon. Two days was the punishment for Yun Ye and Li Chengqian. Four days was the punishment for Changsun Chong for drinking and singing, Li Huiren for yelling, and Cheng Chumo for swinging his knife and cutting the tent.

Strangely, Li Chengqian did not argue for a moment, took his punishment with his hands clasped, and followed the military judge to the dungeon. Seeing this, Yun Ye had no choice but to follow suit and be escorted away obediently.

Cheng Chumo and the other two were overjoyed. They didn’t get beaten, and there were no other punishments. They were only locked up for four days. It was as if they had gotten a great deal. They hurriedly urged the jailer to lock them up quickly, afraid that Cheng Yaojin would change his mind. They didn’t see the mocking look in Lao Cheng’s eyes at all.

The dungeon was built exactly according to Yun Ye’s design. It was five steps long, eight steps wide, and no more than one zhang high. There was only a bed, a table, a pot, a cup, a bucket, and a candle no more than three inches high. There was a half-foot-long and half-foot-wide air vent above the wall. Sitting on the bed, you can only hear your own breathing. It is dark but not humid. The thick soil layer unique to the Loess Plateau absorbs all excess water. A ray of light shines through the air hole into the dungeon. Dust dances on it. This is the only thing that moves in the dungeon, except for Yun Ye himself, of course.

The jailer shut the door without a sound, and Yun Ye heard the sound of the chains clanking. This was probably the loudest sound he had heard in the past two days. In the next two days, except for the small amount of food delivered through the door, and the delivery of water to replace the clean bucket, there would be no sound.

Cheng Chumo and the others may not be afraid of physical torture, but the mental torture will be unforgettable for the rest of their lives. Being locked up in a dungeon like this, one day is pleasant, two days are hellish, three days are a collapse, and four days are worse than death. I hope they can survive. Old Cheng is obviously trying to test the power of the dungeon and use the gang as an experiment.

With his hands behind his head and his head resting on a thin blanket, he stared at the ceiling in a daze. This was a claustrophobic environment, with no one but himself present. There was no need to wear a mask or pretend to be a teenager. The relatives in his mind could line up to visit him. His mother’s kindness, his wife’s tenderness, and his son’s liveliness all appeared before his eyes as if they were real. Yun Ye knew that he could only watch, but not touch, because if he reached out to touch them, the beautiful illusion would be shattered. What he touched was always more real than what he saw with his eyes.

It’s good. The heart can fly freely, it can travel through time and space. The body stripped of its disguise is so light, the whole person is so bright and transparent. Yun Ye discovered that he fell in love with this confined space. Old Cheng was so understanding, and he gave him this opportunity when he knew that he needed his own space. Here, dreams become real. His wife’s smile is like a flower, his mother’s words are warm and gentle, and his son, his son, is still so worrying. The heartache is like a knife cutting, and the tears finally drowned the world.

It has been two days. Yun Ye has been immersed in nostalgia for two days. The food has been brought and taken away, but he has not eaten or drunk, and he has not slept or rested. His body’s metabolism seems to have stopped, and only his mind is churning. The past thirty years of events are like a movie playing back, over and over again. The happiness of childhood, the innocence of youth, the beauty of love, the sweetness of the newlyweds, and the joy of the birth of his son. Just as he was about to relive the sweetness of the newlyweds, he heard the angry voice of Lao Cheng: “Kid, what are you doing?”

Mom, how could I have an old man like Cheng in my new marriage? This is a nightmare. I have to get rid of him quickly. He’s ruining the mood. Just as I was about to take action, my neck was grabbed and I was lifted into the air. I sighed and said, “Uncle Cheng, is it time?”

“Nonsense, if I don’t come, you’ll starve to death.” Old Cheng’s eyes were full of worry. Li Chengqian stood behind him with tears in his eyes and his hair in disarray, still sobbing. The boy had been locked up for too long.

“It’s been quiet these past two days, and I can’t help but miss my master. Thinking about the past makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. I’m sorry, Uncle.”

“No wonder you’re crying and laughing. You’re thinking of your master. You’re still filial. I’ll go outside and burn some incense for a few days. If you have something to think about, you won’t think about nonsense. If you keep things in your heart, it will hurt your mind. It’s even more terrible than hurting your body. There is a limit to how much one can think and how many tears one can shed. The more you use it, the less you have later. Cherish it. You are only fifteen. You will have sad times later. It is best to use it sparingly now.

Li Chengqian pointed to the tear stains on his face, meaning that he also needed comfort. This guy is becoming more and more human, which is the state that an eleven-year-old child should have.

Old Cheng pursed his lips: “Yun Boy is sad, you are crying, a man of honor is crying after two days, do I have to wipe your tears for you?” He turned his head and left.

Li Chengqian’s face turned red and he opened his mouth, not knowing what to say. Yun Ye patted him on the shoulder: “You went to General Cheng to find comfort, and you hit your head on a pig’s body?”

Li Chengqian was in a hurry, and he pounced on Yun Ye’s back and squeezed his neck with both hands. Yun Ye didn’t care, and carried him out of the dungeon.

A huge bowl of noodles completely revived Yun Ye. Li Chengqian was holding his stomach and humming, having eaten too much. Provocatively, he raised his eyebrows at him, meaning that he had also eaten a huge bowl. He ignored Li Chengqian’s boring behavior. Didn’t you see Wangcai peeking into the tent all the time? I haven’t seen him for two days. I miss him.

Wangcai is becoming more and more humanized. He spoke to Yunyu in his mouth, without translation. Yunyu understood everything. It was just that he hadn’t seen Yunyu for two days, and thought that Yunyu had run away on his own, to eat and drink spicy food, and that it was not enough to escape from this hell on earth without him.

Yun Ye solemnly explained to him the reason for his absence these two days. It wasn’t that he had escaped, but that he had been locked up.

Wangcai knew the pain of being locked up and felt the same way. He used his head to nudge Yun Ye to mean that he forgave him and let him clean the thick brush he had prepared for the winter, so that he could get through the winter.

The horse and man were communicating happily, and Yun Ye would occasionally tell it about the advantages and disadvantages of the mare, and Wangcai would add to it. They completely ignored the strange looks of the people coming and going.

A fat man in leather armor stood on the side, watching the horse and man exchange with interest, his hands on his huge belly, occasionally tapping it.

Yun Ye was a little embarrassed by the way he was being looked at. He had never seen this fat man before, and he was only in his thirties, the same age as Yun Ye before he traveled through the wormhole. He also had the characteristics of a foreigner’s heritage, deep eye sockets, pale yellow eyes, a straight and straight nose, and a round, fat face with a warm and warm smile.

Seeing that Yun Ye had noticed him, he came over, patted Wangcai’s back, and said, “Good horse.” Yun Ye bowed in respect at the extraordinary bearing of this person: “This is a wild horse that I picked up in the wasteland. I dare not accept your praise, and I don’t know your name.”

“I am the elder Chang Sun Wu Ji.”