书斋小说网

第 24 章（第1页）

Chapter24—TheAshesofPrincessShuran

TheroomwasquietafterXieZhengaskedthemtospeak。NannyZhangsatwithherhandsfoldedtightlyinherlap。Ayaostoodbesideher，uostoptrembling。XieZhengwaited，hedidnotrushthem。Finally，NannyZhangliftedhereyes。“General…”Hervoicewassoft。“PrincessShuranisdead。”

XieZhepletelystill。Foramoment，hethoughthehadheardwrong。“。。。Whatdidyousay?”NannyZhangloweredherhead。“PrincessShuranpassedaway。”“Whereisherbody?”XieZhengasked。NannyZhangslipstrembled。Ayaosuddenlycoveredherfadthetearsshehadbeenholdingbackfinallyfell。NannyZhangreachedforthewoodenboxbesideherwithshakinghandsthen，sheope。Shecarefullytookoutthesmallceramicjar，hervoicebroke。“Here。”

XieZhengstaredatit。“Theprincesswascremated。”NannyZhangcouldnolongerholdherselftogether，shewailed。“ShewaoreturntoXian…”Hershouldersshookassheloweredherhead。Ayaokbesideher，gsilently。XieZhengsaidnothing，hisgazeremainedonthejar。PrincessShuranhadspentyearsawayfromherhomelandbutnow，theonlypartofherthathadreturnedwasahandfulofashes。Then，NannyZhangreachedintotheboxagain。“Thereissomethingelse。”Sheplacedafoldedpieceofclothoable，insidewasthemap。

XieZhengunfoldeditandhisexpressiongedalmostimmediately。Hereizedtheroutes，themarkingsandtheborderpositions。Thesewerenotordinaryroads，theyweremilitaryroutes。Somehadbeenmarkedwithsmallnotesandcircles，pointingtoassagesbetweenXianandthenortherories。NannyZhangspokequietly，“PrincessShurahishidden，GeneralSusdeathwasnotanact。”

XieZhengsfingersstoppedmoving，hislateuncle。NannyZhangtinued，“ShebelievedsomeonehadbeelywwiththeYounis。”XieZhengstaredatthemap。Alltheyearssincehisunclesdeathsuddenlyfeltmuchlesssettled。ThenAyaograbbedtheedgeofhissleeve。“General…”Hervoicewasdesperate。“PleasesaveSuyuan。”XieZhenglookedather。“SheisstillinYounis，”NannyZhangsaid。“Shemightdosomethingfoolish”NannyZhangclosedhereyes。XieZhenglookedfromtheashestothemapthen，tothetwowomenkneelingbeforehim。XieZhengfoldedthemapandhisexpressionbecamecoldandfocused。“TellmeeverythingyouknowaboutSuyuanswedding。”Theroomfellsilentagain。Andsomewherebeyondthenorthernborder，ayoungwomanwaswaitingforthemomentwhentherewouldbenothiolose。