Finest Servant

Chapter 568 A Poem of Love

"General, look at this!" Hu Bugui carefully cleared the debris beneath a tree stump after digging through the sand. Suddenly, he found something and shouted excitedly.

Lin Wanrong looked over and saw that beneath the layers of sand, two sets of complete skeletal remains were faintly visible. These skeletons were closely entwined, their fingers tightly interlocked, lying peacefully on the ground. Years of exposure to wind and rain had eroded their flesh, leaving behind only stark white bones.

Yujia stared at the tightly intertwined skeletons for a long time before softly saying, "Judging by their bone structure, they seem to be a man and a woman."

"Perhaps they were lovers. How did they end up dying in this desert?" Lin Wanrong shook his head in sorrow. The Turkic girl had already crouched down and slowly started brushing away the sand next to the remains, revealing fragments of sheepskin. Weathered and brittle, the sheepskin had disintegrated into small pieces. Yujia, ever patient, carefully wiped away the sand and started piecing the fragments back together.

The sheepskin contained text in both Greate Hua and Turkic. Though some characters were missing, the overall meaning was still clear. The Turkic girl examined it closely; her expression gradually turned solemn. She let out a wistful sigh, shook her head, and a look of melancholy appeared on her face.

Seeing that Yujia had no intention of stopping him, Lin Wanrong leaned in and grinned, "What is this? A treasure map or a martial arts manual? Every adventure in stories always leads to some great discovery."

"Is money all you ever think about?" Yujia shot him an irritated glance. "Why do beautiful things always become so vulgar in your eyes?—See for yourself."

She had grown cold and unresponsive, fixing Lin Wanrong with a piercing gaze, saying nothing.

Lin Wanrong leaned closer and scrutinized the sheepskin. His expression turned odd; he wanted to laugh but felt it would be inappropriate.

Seeing Lin Wanrong's odd expression, Gao Qiu couldn't help but interrupt, "Brother Lin, what does it say?"

Lin Wanrong sighed and shook his head, "It's nothing really, just an ancient love letter."

"An ancient love letter?" Hu Bugui chuckled, "That's strange. Why would a love letter be written in two languages? Did they plan on translating their love letters into multiple languages even at the brink of death?" Gao Qiu nodded in agreement, apparently sharing Hu Bugui’s sentiment.

Lin Wanrong stared at the entwined remains and said gravely, "The letter is written in two languages because this pair of lovers belonged to different ethnicities. The man was from our Great Hua nation, and the woman was a Turkic girl."

"A Great Hua man and a Turkic woman?" Hu Bugui and Gao Qiu exchanged puzzled looks. For centuries, the Great Hua and the Turkic people had been enemies. A love affair between youths of these two nations would be highly taboo. Yet here, in this sea of death, lay the remains of such an ill-fated cross-cultural love.

"This young man from Great Hua was born into a family of scholars. Later, his family fell on hard times, and he turned to trading between Great Hua and the Turkic lands. It was during this period that he happened upon this Turkic girl. Over time, their feelings grew, and they secretly vowed to spend their lives together. However, due to the prolonged war and deep-seated resentment between the two nations, their love was opposed by all. This Turkic girl was eventually traded for fifty fine horses and was promised to a warrior from her own tribe."

When Lin Wanrong reached this point, he shook his head and sighed, "It's unfathomable that you don't understand the gravity of this—humans are not merchandise to be traded as if they were commodities. What exactly do you see your own kin as?"

His gaze was fixed on Yujia, and everyone knew his words were directed at her. The Turkic girl lifted her head and defiantly said, "What business is it of you people from Great Hua to meddle in the ways of my tribe?"

"So you don't want us to intervene, and that's how tragedies like this happen! Would they have died if not pushed to the brink by their own people?" Lin Wanrong pointed at the corpses on the ground, his voice rising, frustration apparent in his tone.

Yujia looked at him, clenching her fists and coldly retorted, "Why do you only mention the Turks? What about you people from Great Hua? You're also responsible for opposing this union! If we're talking about who pressured them to their deaths, you're no less guilty!"

Seeing the two engage in a heated debate, Old Gao and Old Hu exchanged glances, somewhat puzzled. The two of them often engaged in intellectual sparring, but today their every sentence was a battle, which was unusual. It seemed Yujia had truly struck a nerve with General Lin.

Old Gao chuckled awkwardly, "Brother Lin, you haven't finished explaining. If that woman was promised to another, how did she end up here with her lover in Lop Nur?"

"They eloped, what else could they do?" Lin Wanrong shook his head, resignedly stating, "They fled on the eve of her wedding but were discovered by the woman's tribe. With no alternative, they took a desperate gamble and ventured into this desolate desert, a veritable sea of death. They happened upon this caravan, dreaming of following them along the Silk Road to find a world of their own. Well, you know the rest; they entered the sea of death and never came out. They became a pile of bones in the desert, forever united—

'Bright as day, the youthful pair, half worldly dust, half heavenly air.

I call upon the skies to see, how could fate sever such unity!'

Ah, what beautiful poetry! This deceased brother not only wrote exceptional love poetry but also embodied a romantic spirit much like mine in my younger days."

So that was the case. Old Hu and Old Gao listened intently and sighed. They had just heard Brother Lin narrate the story of white hair and silvery sands and had not expected a real-life version to unfold before their eyes.

Yujia paused for a moment upon hearing the poem, then slowly shook her head and sighed, "It is a good poem, and he was passionate. No wonder he could win the heart of a Turkic woman. He's a hundred times better than those ignorant, swindling bandits."

‘Is she mocking me? When it comes to poetry and passion, I am far superior to that man.’ Lin Wanrong laughed aloud, pretending not to have heard her comment. Leaning closer to Yujia, he said, "Little sister Yueya’er, what do the Turkic women write in their love letters? Would you mind sharing?"

"Do you even understand?" The Turkic girl gave him a sidelong glance, carefully holding the sheepskin in her hands.

When it came to the Turkic language, Lin Wanrong indeed found himself at a loss. He chuckled awkwardly and said, "Some languages are universal; you don't need to study them to understand. Miss Yujia, would you read the letter? I'm genuinely curious to know what a Turkic woman would write in a love letter."

Seeing his playful smile and curious demeanor, Yujia's cheeks flushed slightly. She stared at the sheepskin in her hands, lowered her head, and softly recited,

"I am a fish in the desert, and the tears I shed when I miss you will forever be the never-ending stream in my life."

Lin Wanrong was momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he sighed, "Little sister Yueya’er, is this really a love poem left by the Turkic woman?"

Without raising her head, Yujia softly hummed in affirmation, "It was indeed written by one of our Turkic women."

"Very good, very good," Lin Wanrong clapped his hands, "Even the Turkic people have talented women. Our fellow from the Great Hua really did well, abducting a Turkic beauty and refusing to surrender. His heroic demeanor is quite comparable to mine."

Seeing his sly smile, Yujia couldn't help but hum in a slightly irritated tone, "Heroic? You despicable men from the Great Hua know nothing but to seduce our Turkic daughters!"

"How can you blame us for that?" Lin Wanrong laughed heartily, spreading his arms, "Little Sister Yueya’er, your theory is rather peculiar. By your logic, can I also say—these wretched Turkic women love to seduce us men from the Great Hua?"

"You—" Yujia couldn't ignore the implication in his words. Her face turned red in anger, and she turned her head away, refusing to engage with him further.

Lin Wanrong nodded thoughtfully, sighing, "Nevertheless, the love poem is beautifully crafted. At the very least, I really like it!"

"I'm not listening!" Yujia covered her ears, pouting. Perhaps because it was too hot, her cheeks became even redder.

Except for this man and woman seemingly in love, the bones of the others had already mingled together, impossible to tell apart.

Lin Wanrong spoke solemnly, "These are the pioneers of the Silk Road. Whether they are from the Great Hua or the Turkic lands, they all possessed incredible courage and a spirit of exploration. They are our ancestors worthy of respect. Brother Hu, please collect their remains and give them a proper burial."

As if empathizing with the loss, Hu Bugui nodded and called over a few soldiers. They dug a large pit and arranged the bleached bones for burial. The romantic couple, inseparable in life and death, were given a separate tomb, filled with flowing sand. Even the sheepskin filled with love poems was buried along with them.

Watching the bones gradually covered by the dust and sand, it seemed unimportant who was from the Great Hua or who was Turkic. Their past glory and riches had all turned into mere dust.

Lin Wanrong was the first to kneel down, bowing his head in respect to the pioneering souls of the Silk Road. Seeing him do this, Yujia hesitated for a long moment before finally biting her lip and kneeling beside him.

Lin Wanrong glanced at her curiously and chuckled, "Whom are you paying respects to?"

"None of your business," Yujia hummed softly, "And who are you paying respects to?"

"To those who paved the Silk Road with their footsteps."

Yujia clenched her teeth and softly said, "Then, I'll pay my respects to them too!"

Lin Wanrong's face suddenly turned serious. "Miss Yujia, you should think carefully. These pioneers include not just your Turkic people, but also us from the Great Hua. Do you also pay respects to them?"

Yujia's face changed. She stammered, "I, I—"

"Forget it, we each have our own beliefs; I won't force you," Lin Wanrong said, lightly waving his hand, a quiet sigh escaping his lips. "Worship whoever you wish."

Yujia fell silent for a long moment, then broke into a small smile. Pointing at a couple's tomb, she spoke softly, "May I pay my respects to them, then? Their faithful devotion to each other moves me."

The girl was indeed clever. To get a proud Turkic young woman to behave like this was already quite an accomplishment. Lin Wanrong chuckled, "I'm also moved. Let's pay our respects together; it's a custom in the Great Hua."

"What custom?" Yujia snorted. Her cheeks flushed, and she ignored him. Looking at the joint tomb of the couple, she respectfully knelt down, murmuring, "To live and die together with one's beloved, isn't that a kind of happiness? May the god of the grasslands bless me, so I never have to witness such a tragedy again! May all lovers in the world find their happiness."

She pressed her palms together and devoutly bowed her head.

Lin Wanrong didn't need to look to know what sort of wish she'd make; he stood aside, silently chuckling to himself.

By the time Yujia stood up, dusk had already begun to fall. She looked at Lin Wanrong and suddenly giggled, "Wo Lao Gong, I'm thirsty. Do you have any water left?"

‘Ah, touching a sore spot! She used clean water to wash her face and still dares to ask me for a drink?’ Lin Wanrong's face changed, he retorted angrily, "If you mention 'water' again, I'll fight you."

Seeing his cracked lips, Yujia shook her head gently, "Sometimes I think you're smart, but other times, you're as foolish as a monkey!"

"Excuse me, monkeys are smart, okay?" Lin Wanrong said, unpleased.

Yujia smiled and nodded, giggling, "Fine, Mr. Smart Monkey, have you had any water?"

Lin Wanrong swallowed dryly, "Mind your own business—I just had over a hundred sips and am too full. There's no time for idle chatter, Brother Hu, it's getting late, let's move the troops!"

Hu Bugui responded and led the way; 5,000 soldiers quietly advanced. When Lin Wanrong turned his head, the Turkic young woman was nowhere to be seen.

Gao Qiu handed him a silk-wrapped bag, winking suggestively, "Brother Lin, Yujia asked me to give this to you."

‘For me? Passed on by Old Gao?’ Lin Wanrong looked around but couldn't find where Yujia had hidden amongst the horsemen.

The silk bag was soft to the touch, and something inside sloshed gently. He untied the bag, took one look inside, and was stunned.

What Yujia had given him was a water skin, filled to the brim. At the mouth of the skin, there was a faint, almost invisible lip mark that emitted a subtle fragrance.

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