There is a happy inn in the capital.

Chapter 242 Making a Cenotaph

Liang Yuying: "He did reply, didn't you see him?"

Li Shuchen shook his head and sat down on the stool: "Yiling and I searched from beginning to end, but we couldn't find it. Could Yuying help me look for it?"

Liang Yuying smiled and said, "Of course, Zizhu, go back to the army and find General Qingche as soon as possible. Once you find him, have him come here to see me immediately."

Zizhu: "Yes, Master Ying."

Li Shuchen watched Zizhu leave, frowning as he said, "Yuying, I have a bad feeling about this."

Liang Yuying pushed the rice bowl on the table towards her: "Don't think about it so much, just eat."

Looking at the delicious-looking food in front of him, Li Shuchen felt a little better. He took a bite of rice, chewing as he thought, "Perhaps I've been overthinking things. With Mr. Jiehuo being so capable, how could Young Master Song possibly encounter any unforeseen circumstances?"

夜晚

Zizhu rushed into the room and said, "Lord Ying, there is no General of Light Chariots among the army returning to the capital."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen hurriedly asked, "Then where is he?"

Zizhu: "I don't know, perhaps we haven't arrived in the capital yet."

Liang Yuying frowned and said, "He returned to the capital with the army, so why hasn't he arrived? What exactly happened?"

Zizhu glanced at Li Shuchen, then at Liang Yuying, and said, "Master Ying, General Qingche has led a troop to pursue the assassin."

Li Shuchen feigned ignorance of the assassin incident and asked in surprise, "Chasing assassins? Yuying, you encountered assassins? What about your injuries?"

Liang Yuying sighed and said, "I was afraid you would worry, so I didn't want to tell you. But now I can't hide it anymore. The injuries on my body were indeed inflicted by an assassin. That assassin was highly skilled in martial arts and treacherous. I was no match for him."

Li Shuchen: "If even you can't beat him, then Young Master Song..."

Liang Yuying: "I did not order anyone to chase the assassin."

After speaking, he looked up at Zizhu, who replied...

"According to sources, after General Qingche spotted the assassin, he immediately led his men in pursuit, but never returned."

Liang Yuying asked, "Why was no one informed of this?"

Zizhu: "At that time, Yingzhu was seriously injured, and I didn't want to disturb her rest, so I didn't report it."

Upon hearing this, Liang Yuying slammed her hand on the table and snapped, "Insolence!"

Zizhu immediately knelt down: "Please forgive me, Master Ying"

Liang Yuying clenched her fist and said, "I'm lenient with you because I want your military life to be easier, not because I want you to keep quiet about what happened."

Zizhu kowtowed and said, "Zizhu knows her crime, Zizhu is willing to accept her punishment."

Liang Yuying took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and said, "Go back to the barracks and receive twenty strokes of the cane."

"Yes, Master Ying."

Zizhu kowtowed again, then got up and left.

Liang Yuying opened her eyes and looked at Zizhu's receding figure, her eyes filled with reluctance and helplessness.

Li Shuchen: "Yuying, you clearly don't want to, so why punish Zizhu? Besides, this matter was definitely not Zizhu's decision alone."

Liang Yuying sighed and said, "Without rules, there can be no order. I know they all conspired to deceive me, but when it comes to punishment, they will only take the blame upon themselves. Zizhu serves me every day, so punishing her will be the best way to warn everyone."

Li Shuchen nodded: "Young Master Song is probably in grave danger."

Liang Yuying: "The light chariot general was indeed no match for the assassin."

……

After waking up, Li Shuchen knocked on Yiling's door with the message.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Yiling's eyes lit up, and she asked happily, "Shuchen, have you heard news of Song Lang? Where is he? I'll go find him."

Li Shuchen lowered his head and stepped into the room, whispering, "Young Master Song has not yet returned to the capital."

Upon hearing this, Yi Ling paused, her eyes beginning to redden: "Why not return to the capital? Has something happened to him?"

Li Shuchen pursed his lips and said, "On the way back to the capital, the army encountered assassins. Young Master Song led men to chase after them, but their whereabouts are still unknown."

Upon hearing this, Yi Ling took a step back in disbelief and said, "Encountered assassins? Missing? How could this be?"

Tears streamed down, each drop landing on the back of my hand.

Li Shuchen said in a flustered manner, "Hey, hey, Yiling, don't cry. Young Master Song will probably be back in the capital in a couple of days."

Yi Ling said in a hoarse voice, "Shu Chen, you don't need to comfort me. I know him. If he were still alive, he would do everything he could to shorten the time it takes to return to the capital and report back. This is the success and fame he has always wanted."

Li Shuchen fell silent upon hearing this, unsure how to comfort him, and could only remain quietly by his side.

Yiling's crying wasn't a loud wail; she sat alone, silently grieving, like a puppet, mechanically shedding tears. Silent weeping is the most heartbreaking, and Li Shuchen also shed tears.

The two of them cried together for a long time.

Yiling suddenly got up, picked up the red veil, and walked out.

Seeing this, Li Shuchen quickly grabbed her: "What are you doing, Yiling?"

Yiling: "Go and build a cenotaph for Song Lang, so he can rest in peace."

Upon hearing this, Li Shuchen said, "I'll go with you."

Yiling didn't turn her head, her attitude resolute: "I can go by myself."

Li Shuchen held Yiling tightly, not daring to let go. She was so heartbroken, almost out of her mind. Was she contemplating suicide? No, no, he couldn't let her go alone. He quickly came up with a good excuse and said...

"Yiling, I know a place in the city with exceptionally beautiful scenery and auspicious feng shui. It would be perfect for burying Young Master Song there. Let me take you there."

Upon hearing this, Yiling turned around and whispered, "Okay."

Hearing the word "good," Li Shuchen breathed a sigh of relief. He held Yiling tightly the whole way, leading her to the vicinity of her grandparents' burial site.

"Yiling, what do you think of the scenery here? Do you like it?"

"I love it. It's surrounded by mountains and rivers, with lush flowers and leaves. Standing here, you can take in the entire city. Let's stay here."

After Yiling finished speaking, she began to dig the soil with a hoe.

Li Shuchen stepped forward and said, "Yiling, let me help you."

Yiling refused, saying, "It's enough for Shuchen to stay with me. I want to build his cenotaph by myself."

Okay, I'll go with you.

Li Shuchen stepped aside and watched Yiling dig. Soon, Yiling had dug a small pit.

She took out the red veil embroidered with a pair of mandarin ducks from her bosom and placed it in the pit, murmuring...

"In that case, it can be considered that I'm marrying you."

With trembling hands, Yiling covered the pit, piled the clods of earth into a small hill, and then lay down on the hill, sobbing uncontrollably.

Li Shuchen squatted beside Yi Ling, never leaving her side.

She didn't know how long she had been squatting; her legs were numb. She looked up at the sky; it was almost dark.

"Yiling, it's dark and the road is difficult to walk on, let's go back."

Upon hearing this, Yi Ling stood up and said, "Okay."

On the way back, Li Shuchen still held onto Yiling tightly, not daring to let go.

Arrived at the entrance of Yaqingxuan

Li Shuchen still didn't dare to let go of Yiling's hand and said, "Yiling, why don't you come and sleep at my house?"

Yi Ling shook her head: "I know Shu Chen is worried that I might take my own life. Don't worry, I won't do that. I made a promise with Song Lang that no matter what happens, we will live well and not take our own lives. I will keep my promise and do what I say."

Li Shuchen nodded in relief upon hearing this: "Okay, I'll go back then."

Yiling: "Thank you for accompanying me today. Take care on the road."

"it is good"

When Li Shuchen returned home, it was already dark.