Chapter Thirty-Six: Enlightenment and Longing

  The gathering in the tent made Yun Yan thoroughly integrate into this feudal family of the Tang Dynasty. Whether it was Changsun Chong playing the sword and singing, or Li Huai Ren throwing away his crown and letting out a long sigh, they all stirred up the passion that had been dormant within him for so long. The depression accumulated in his chest made him want to shout loudly, to gallop wildly on horseback. The beef dropped from the chopsticks onto his leg, but he still put the empty chopstick into his mouth and chewed with relish. He somewhat hated the indifference in his heart. When had he also been passionate, when had he been generous and enthusiastic? Now that he heard the country was in trouble, he couldn't even muster up a bit of willingness to die for it. Wasn't I a pure Tang Dynasty person? Didn't I have this obligation? This thought itself made him feel shameless.

  The banquet ended in Old Cheng's anger, and the five people including Li Chengqian were all locked up in the dungeon. Two days was the punishment for Yun Yan and Li Chengqian. Four days was the punishment for Chang Sun Gong drinking and singing, Li Huai Ren shouting loudly, and Cheng Chumo waving his knife wildly and slashing through the tent. It's strange that Li Chengqian didn't argue at all, he just accepted the punishment with a bow and followed the military officer to the dungeon. Yun Yan could only follow quietly after seeing this. Cheng Chumo and the other three were overjoyed, they didn't get beaten, and there was no other punishment, it was just four days, as if they had gained a lot of benefits, urging the prison guard to hurry up and lock them in, afraid that Cheng Ya would regret it. There wasn't any hint of playfulness in Old Cheng's eyes at all.

  The dungeon was built exactly as Yun Ye designed, five steps long, eight steps wide, and no more than one zhang high. Inside, there was only a bed, a table, a jug, a cup, and a chamber pot. There was also a candle stump that was no more than three inches tall. On the wall, there was a ventilation hole that was half a foot long and wide. Sitting on the bed, one could only hear their own breathing sound. It was dim but not damp, as the thick soil layer unique to the Loess Plateau had absorbed all the excess moisture. A sliver of bright light shone through the air hole into the dungeon, and dust danced above it - this was the only moving thing inside the dungeon, except for Yun Ye himself. The jailer closed the door without making a sound, and Yun Ye heard the iron chains clanking loudly - this was probably the loudest sound he would hear in the next two days. In the future two days, except for food, water, and exchanging chamber pots through the small opening at the bottom of the door, there would be no other sounds. Cheng Chu and the others might not fear physical torture, but mental torture would make them unforgettable. Being locked in such a dungeon, one day was pleasant, two days were deadly, three days collapsed, and four days were worse than death! Hopefully, they could survive it. Old Cheng was obviously trying to test the power of the dungeon using the few of them as experiments.

  With his hands clasped behind his head on the thin blanket, he stared blankly at the ceiling, lost in thought. This was a secluded environment, where no one else existed except himself; there was no need to wear a mask or pretend to be youthful. The loved ones in his mind could line up to visit him, his mother's kindness, his wife's tenderness, his son's liveliness... everything appeared before his eyes as if it were real. Yun Ye knew he could only look, not touch with his hands, because the moment he reached out to make contact, the beautiful illusion would shatter, and what he touched would be more real than what he saw. Ah, his heart could fly freely, traversing time and space; shedding the disguise of his body made him feel so light, so transparent. Yun Ye found himself falling in love with this secluded space; Old Cheng was so considerate, knowing he needed independent space, giving him such an opportunity. Here, dreams became reality. His wife's smile bloomed like a flower, his mother's warm words and gentle laughter, but his son... his son still worried him. Heartache cut like a knife, tears finally flooded the world.

  Two days had passed, and Yun Ye had been immersed in nostalgia for two whole days. Food was brought to him but he didn't eat or drink, nor did he sleep or rest. His bodily functions seemed to have come to a standstill, with only his mind churning over the past thirty years like a movie on repeat. The happiness of his childhood, the innocence of his youth, the beauty of his first love, the sweetness of his wedding night, and the joy of his son's birth all flashed before his eyes again and again. Just as he was about to relive the sweetness of his wedding night once more, he heard Old Cheng's furious voice: "You little scamp, what are you doing?" Ah no, how could Old Cheng appear in my wedding? This is a nightmare, I have to get rid of him quickly, it's too jarring. Just as he was about to take action, his collar was tightened and he was lifted into the air. He let out a sigh: "Has Uncle Cheng's time arrived?"

  "Nonsense, if I don't come back, you little brat will starve to death." Old Cheng's eyes were filled with worry, Li Chengqian had tear stains on his face and disheveled hair, standing behind Old Cheng still sniffling, this child has been locked up for too long.

  "These two days have been unusually quiet, and I couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic for my master. Thinking of past events, it brings both joy and sorrow, and for a moment, I became lost in thought. Please don't blame me, elder brother."

  "No wonder you're so emotional, it turns out you miss your master and have some filial piety. Later, I'll go outside and carve a wooden plaque, burn some incense, and offer sacrifices for a few days. As long as people have something to think about, they won't be distracted by random thoughts. Whatever is buried in their heart will harm their spirit, which is more terrifying than physical harm. People's worries and tears are limited, the more you use them, the less you'll have left. You're only 15 years old, so it's better to conserve them for now.

  Li Chengqian pointed to his own tear-stained face, implying that he also needed comfort. This guy is becoming more human-like, this is the state an 11-year-old child should be in. Old Cheng snorted: "Yun Xiaozi is heartbroken, but you're just crying. A man like you has been locked up for two days and still hasn't come to his senses, do I need to wipe your tears away?" He turned around and walked away. Li Chengqian's face turned red as he opened his mouth, unsure of what to say.

  Yun Heng patted him on the shoulder: "You want Commander Cheng to comfort you? Have you bumped your head against a pig's body?" Li Chengqian became anxious and threw himself onto Yun Heng's back, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. Yun Heng didn't mind and carried him out of the dungeon."

  A giant bowl of noodles brought Yun Yan back to life, Li Chengqian was hugging his stomach and humming, having eaten too much. Provocatively raising an eyebrow at him, implying that he had also eaten a huge bowl, ignoring Li Chengqian's boring actions, hadn't Wangcai been poking his head into the tent nonstop for two days, missing me?

  Wangcai is becoming more human-like, speaking to Yuner and Tulu without needing translation. Yuner can understand everything they say. It turns out that Wangcai hasn't seen Yuner for two days and thought he had secretly run away to eat and drink without bringing him along, which would be unfair. Yuner seriously explains the reason for his absence over the past two days, saying it wasn't a secret escape but rather being locked up. Wangcai deeply understands the pain of being locked up and sympathizes with Yuner, using his head to nuzzle him as if forgiving him. He lets Yuner brush his thick winter coat clean and tidy so they can spend the winter together. The two exchange happy words, with Yuner occasionally telling Wangcai about the pros and cons of mares, which Wangcai supplements completely. They ignore the strange glances from passersby.

  A fat man wearing leather armor stood on the side, watching people and horses with interest, his hands stroking his large belly, occasionally tapping it a few times. Yun Ye was looked at with some embarrassment, having never seen this fat man before, who was only in his thirties, around the same age as Yun Ye when he crossed through the wormhole. The fat man's face still had the characteristics of his barbarian heritage, with deep eye sockets, eyes with a faint yellow color, an eagle-like nose that was straight and upright, and a round, chubby face with a warm and gentle smile.

  Yun Ye noticed him and walked over, patting Wangcai's back and saying "good horse". Yun Ye: This person had an extraordinary air about him and bowed his head in respect: "This is a wild horse that I picked up on the barren plains, I don't dare to ask for your praise, may I know your esteemed surname and name?"

  "The old man has no worries about his grandson."