Preface
In the ancient novel "Water Margin", the heroic chivalry of the heroes of Liangshan and the spirit of punishing evil and promoting good are certainly a major attraction of the story, but what is more thought-provoking is the appropriate and natural human nature depicted in the novel. Each character presents a colorful, upright and tortuous side.
Looking at the 100 single and eight generals, they have different backgrounds and experiences, but most of them are involved in killings, disputes, or framed by others. However, in this world, a special character, Yan Qing, allows people to see more tortuous human nature.
Yan Qing, who was originally Lu Junyi's servant, had her own place on the list of heroes in Liangshan. All this seems to have upended people's traditional view of good and evil. Among the one hundred and eight generals in Liangshan, most of them were born in mountain bandits and lived in a difficult environment, and there were very few people with clean foundations like Lin Chong and Lu Junyi. However, Yan Qing's identity and experience give people food for thought.
Yan Qing was extremely loyal when he was in Liangshan, his martial arts were strong and he acted steadily. However, when he is about to go into hiding, a puzzling mystery is revealed in the story - why did Yan Qing secretly take a load of jewelry with him when he left?
Serving Lu Junyi, like a brother
Yan Qing's parents died when he was a child, and Lu Junyi rescued him from the hands of death as his own, and later accepted him as his adopted son. Yan Qing has great kindness to Lu Junyi, and she has long been determined to repay this benefactor in her heart. When he was lonely, he received warmth and help, and this friendship was firmly engraved in his heart.
In Lu Fuzhong, Yan Qing diligently served Lu Junyi and regarded him as a real brother. Lu Junyi also admired Yan Qing's shrewdness and bravery, and often asked Yan Qing to assist him in handling affairs. The two have a deep relationship and are inseparable.
After Lu Junyi lost power and was demoted, Yan Qing volunteered to protect him and leave the country. Along the way, he was able to escort him, but Lu Fu was still not protected. Yan Qing witnessed the tragic situation of Lu Junyi's family and was overwhelmed with grief. In the years that followed, Yan Qing served Lu Junyi consistently, and never complained even in times of hardship.
This kind of inseparable brotherhood began a new chapter with their first encounter with the heroes of Liangshan in Jiangzhou.
Defected to Liangshan and made great achievements
Liangshanbo was a place where the heroes gathered, and Yan Qing was soon appreciated by Song Jiang for his excellent martial arts and bravery. He even introduced Lu Junyi to the people of Liangshan, and was accepted by Liangshanbo.
In the early days of Liangshan, Yan Qing led the team to kill the enemy bravely with the courage of one and ten, and made great contributions. He took the lead in charging into battle, fighting the enemy on the front line, and was not afraid of bloodshed and sacrifice. After a bloody battle, he was wounded in the right arm, but he still fought bravely and won the victory.
When the brothers saw him covered in blood but ignored it, they all admired him. In the mountains, there is a beautiful talk of "Yan Qing and Wu Song, one is fierce and the other is brave". Yan Qing, who is righteous and cloudy, has completely become the benchmark of Liangshanbo.
At the same time, Yan Qing also took care of Lu Junyi's daily life in Shanbo. He did not change his true colors of service, as if he was still in the Lufu period. Lu Junyi's gratitude to Yan Qing was overflowing, and he expressed his feelings: "Yan Qing's life, the least regretful thing is to accept you as a righteous son!"
This brave and loyal young man, with blood and military exploits, won the respect of the people of Liangshan; and with the grace of conscientious service, he won the joy of Lu Junyi's acquaintance. For a time, Yan Qing became famous and became a well-deserved number one god of war in Bozhong.
cares about Lu Junyi, and it is difficult to hide his disappointment in the rivers and lakes
Surrounded by this group of heroes and warriors, Liangshan's momentum grew stronger and stronger, and finally completed the heroic dream of 108 stars. Yan Qing has also performed miraculous feats on the battlefield. He, along with Wu Song and Lin Chong, was called the "Double Bear Tiger", which made the court lose face.
However, Yan Qing's heart was not full of excitement. After learning about Zhao'an, Yan Qing couldn't help but fall into deep thought. He was worried that once Liangshan returned to the imperial court, would their group of grass bully really be able to retire safely? What kind of trap would the scheming court set for them? Yan Qing had a hunch that it would not be so simple to come to a happy ending.
He did not say a word about these doubts. Because at present, Lu Junyi is busy and tired for the overall situation and future, and he has no doppelganger to take care of anything else. Yan Qing didn't want to be a stumbling block to Lu Junyi, so she could only bury these troubles deep in her heart. However, this knot, which could not be let go of for a long time, finally suddenly collapsed one day.
It was late at night, and Yan Qing was standing alone on the lookout looking at the starry sky, when she suddenly heard a slight footstep behind her. He turned around and saw Lu Junyi standing there, with a tiredness on his face that he rarely saw.
"I've been so tired lately, I'm so tired!" Lu Junyi said with emotion, "I have to work hard for this great cause, and this is my responsibility to the brothers." ”
Yan Qing nodded, and stopped talking.
Lu Junyi already understood, he sighed: "I know you have a pimple in your heart. But what can we do? I'm very uncomfortable, but it's a corner. ”
"Lord!" Yan Qing finally couldn't help choking, "You'll definitely be fine...... We'll be fine......"
He choked up and hugged his benefactor, but he didn't know whether this comfort was for Lu Junyi or for himself who was anxious in his heart.
faintly painful, as well as his despair and boredom that he finally sprouted from the rivers and lakes that never stopped bleeding in this life.
Sprout leaves, taking a load of jewels with him
This night's conversation became the fuse in Yan Qing's heart. Early the next morning, he came to Lu Junyi with a complicated expression and solemnly asked to retire.
"Lord, let's leave Liangshan and fly away, okay? I really can't stand all this......" Yan Qing's eyes were full of pleading.
But in exchange for the benefactor, he shook his head helplessly.
"Yan Qing, I can't leave my brothers behind...... You and I can't help ourselves. ”
This short sentence punctured Yan Qing's last ray of fantasy. He walked down the path of Jiangzhou in despair and finally made a difficult decision.
That night, Yan Qing quietly packed up some of the jewels he had obtained from the battlefield for many years. These trophies were originally obtained by his hard work, but at this moment, he has achieved his figure hidden in the night. What is unknown is the footsteps of him escaping from Liangshanbo in this darkness, and the sigh that gets farther and farther away, getting softer and softer.
"My lord, I wish you all the best in your life...... Think of me, I won't look back......"
This was his last farewell to his benefactor. Faintly, there was a rumbling bell from the mountain, indicating that the Zhao'an ceremony had begun.
And he will never return in this life.
fell in love, but eventually left
In the ups and downs of Liangshan over the years, Yan Qing not only faced the emotional entanglement between Lu Junyi and the brothers in the rivers and lakes, but also shook her heart.
It was a period of time after I met Master Li. This beautiful and intelligent lady not only gave Song Jiang a lot of help, but also established a special friendship with Yan Qing. Late one night, Yan Qing was sitting alone by the lake by the mountain and suddenly heard a series of crisp footsteps. He looked up in surprise and saw Master Li standing beside him.
"What are you doing here alone?" Master Li asked with a smile.
Yan Qing was a little embarrassed, and couldn't find an answer. Master Li looked at him, and suddenly said softly, "You are such a person, you are also very lonely, right?"
Yan Qing looked at her in surprise, with mixed feelings in her heart. Somehow, for the first time, he dodged a woman's gaze. At that moment, he understood the meaning of Master Li's words, and he couldn't help but be terrified of his sudden feelings.
But more than that, it is a deep helplessness and pain. He didn't dare, and he couldn't accept the olive branch thrown by Master Li. Because it would hurt too many people and betray too many friendships. This feeling is destined to surge in the bud.
So a long, long time later, when Yan Qing finally disappeared in the night and left Liangshanbo, what he took away was not only the heavy load of jewelry, but also this fate that had never blossomed. It eventually became an indelible notch in his heart, as well as the biggest regret of this life.
With regrets, but still insisting on freedom
For a long time after leaving Liangshanbo, Yan Qing wandered on the national highway in the dark night, and the only thing on her body was the heavy burden and the confusion that became clearer.
Where can he go, and what will he face?
Yan Qing knew very well that once the news leaked, he would have no place to live. So he hid from all his relatives, friends and brothers, and chose to remain incognito. Adhering to the last bit of pride and stubbornness, he did not want to be played by fate, and insisted on using his own hands to control life
In the end, Yan Qing came to a remote village and began a life of isolation. It's a beautiful place, with a crystal clear river and a few simple and kind villagers. Yan Qing gave herself a fake name, erasing all her past background. The people in the village only regarded him as a guest from afar from a foreign country, and did not suspect this taciturn middle-aged man.
Day after day, Yan Qing lived a 9-to-5 ordinary life. During the day, he would fish in the river, plough the fields, and help the village elders with menial work. Only in the dead of night, he would sit alone in front of the house, staring at the starry sky for a long time.
His figure was alone, like a stone statue that had been through the vicissitudes of life. The villagers thought that he must have experienced unspeakable things outside, so he was worried. No one asks him about his origins, only that he is the most ordinary villager.
Perhaps it is such a prosaic and indisputable life that has made Yan Qing's dream for many years. He finally stopped bleeding and got out of the battle of the rivers and lakes; He can finally live the life he wants, free and easy. Although his heart was filled with mixed feelings, self-blame and regret at the time of parting, the moment he integrated into this rural life, there was no thought of turning back and wandering.
Because he knows that this is where he will end in this life.