Chapter 85

Throughout thousands of years, many heroines have been recorded in history books, and even more legendary stories have been passed down by word of mouth. However, in the ancient pre-Qin era and the era of divine punishment, there was no one who could be compared to Hua Mulan.

Seeing Yue Heng touching his chin again, looking somewhat reluctant to answer, Su Weiwei couldn't help but feel a bit proud: "Is this question really that hard to answer?"

Yue Heng sighed, hesitating on how to respond. He stammered, "Well..."

Su Weiwei was disappointed again, and her voice turned a bit cold: "Since you're unwilling to answer, I'll ask another question."

Yue Heng sighed and said, "No need to change it. If Miss Su really wants to hear, I can tell you a story. It's the legendary tale of the great general Yang Yeye. The Yang family has been loyal and brave in defending the country against the invasions of the Liao and Xia states. In this story, you will hear about twelve heroic widows going to war, the 100-year-old Lady She leading the troops, and the Yang family's women fighting the enemy..."

Su Weiwei was moved by his words, her beautiful eyes fixed on Yue Heng's face.

As he spoke, Yue Heng's face showed a pained expression, as if he was being forced to reveal a secret he didn't want to. Her heart fluttered, and she felt a twinge of sympathy.

Could this story really bring up some painful memories for Yue Heng? Could it make him relive the buried pain in his heart?

"Mr. Yue~ If you don't want to talk about it, don't force yourself..." Su Weiwei said softly, regretting her insistence. Was she being too demanding?

Yue Heng wasn't hiding any painful secrets. He was actually struggling with how to tell the story of the Yang family's women.

Rebirth didn't mean he knew everything. The divine palace and talent of the Mid-Yuan world had mainly enhanced his memory, allowing him to recall things he had experienced in his past life. But for things he had never known, he was still clueless.

"Fortunately... I've seen the TV series version of 'The Yang Family's Women' and listened to the storytelling every afternoon in college. The storyteller, a woman named Liu Lanfang, I think, made it easier to recall the story. While it's hard to remember the complete version, I can manage about 80-90% of it. It's just that..."

Yue Heng thought for a moment and then said seriously, "Miss Su, this is a significant matter, and I need some time to prepare."

There were many things to prepare. He had to check if the story needed any adjustments, figure out how to combine the TV series and the storytelling, and even consider the Qin opera version he had heard. With so much information in his head, it was a bit chaotic, and he needed to think carefully.

Soon, he had the first episode ready. He walked around the guest room, spotted a wooden paperweight on the dressing table, and asked, "Miss Su, can I borrow this piece of wood?"

Su Weiwei's face turned slightly red. It was a personal item she used to place her eyebrow pencil and long, delicate hairpins. Though not expensive, it had been with her for years and held sentimental value.

But since Yue Heng wanted to borrow it, she blushed and said shyly, "If you like it, you can take it~"

Yue Heng picked up the wooden paperweight, weighed it, and found it suitable for use as a clapper.

*Clap!* He struck the clapper and began.

"In the evening, the cool air brings sorrow,

The withered figure cannot bear the pity.

Three cups of wine to dull the pain,

The cold at the fifth watch of the night stirs the dream.

The phoenix hairpin is askew, tears in her eyes,

The tea plant has bloomed, but I have no share.

The new moon after the rain on the small tower,

Is hard to form a hook..."

*Clap!* The second strike of the clapper, Su Weiwei's spirit was lifted, and she was completely entranced by Yue Heng's voice.

"...hard to form a circle! In the Song Dynasty, the second emperor, Emperor Taizong, named Zhao Guangyi, sat on the throne in Bianliang, with the era name of Taiping Xingguo. One day, the emperor ascended the throne, and all the officials had paid their respects. The prime minister, Wang Bao, submitted a petition: The Liang King of the Liao state, Yelü Shang, had sent a declaration of war, demanding to fight the Song Dynasty..."

The first chapter of "The Yang Family's Women" storytelling began with Wang Bao's petition in the golden hall, describing how the Liao king's army attacked the Song Dynasty, and the ministers were ordered to lead the troops. However, the emperor's father-in-law, Pan Renmei, who harbored ill intentions, managed to secure the position of commander and cunningly arranged for his three sons, Pan Long, Pan Hu, and Pan Bao, to be the generals.

The story's tension depended entirely on the storyteller's skill. In the story, the safety of the nation and the lives of countless people were placed in the hands of the treacherous Pan Renmei.

Pan Renmei's plan was to collude with the enemy and turn against his own country. If this plot were to succeed, it would lead to widespread suffering and bloodshed.

Su Weiwei was deeply moved by the story. When Pan Renmei deceived Emperor Zhao Guangyi and argued with the Eight Virtuous Princes, she covered her mouth and gasped.

When the emperor's nephew, Pan Bao, killed and injured many brave warriors on the arena to secure the position of vanguard, Su Weiwei was so angry that she gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with fury and tears.

"Pan Bao held the position for twenty-nine days. On the last day, everyone was terrified by his cruelty, and no one dared to challenge him. Just as he was gloating, a voice from the crowd shouted, 'Hey! Pan Bao, stop your boasting! I'm here to challenge you!'"

This shout, delivered with full force, startled Su Weiwei, but it also filled her with joy. Finally, at the last moment, a hero had stepped forward to teach Pan Bao a lesson!

"This shout was like a thunderbolt on a clear day, scaring several onlookers to the ground. The crowd parted, revealing a young man, about twenty years old, standing tall, with broom-like eyebrows, large ring eyes, a square mouth, and ears that folded inward. He stood there, exuding a hundred paces of dignity and a thousand feet of awe, like the reborn martial god Zhang Fei and the reincarnated martial god Jingde. Pan Bao was so frightened that he stepped back, stunned. *Clap!*"

Yue Heng slowly concluded the first chapter, striking the clapper to signal the end.

He felt a bit thirsty, took a big sip of tea, and noticed Su Weiwei's surprised expression. He asked, puzzled, "Miss Su, what's wrong?"

Su Weiwei pouted and asked, "That's it?"

Yue Heng nodded, "Yes, that's all for the first chapter. It's finished!"

Su Weiwei put her hand to her forehead and said irritably, "Not finishing the story is just trying to leave people hanging, isn't it?"

Yue Heng chuckled, "That's how storytelling works! Since the ancient Wei and Jin dynasties, storytellers have existed. Later, this task of passing down stories was taken over by traveling poets. But before the divine punishment, many traveling poets were assassinated, so the tradition was broken. My way of telling 'The Yang Family's Women' follows the oldest storytelling method, using only a clapper, a fan, and a white cloth!"

"But... but..." Su Weiwei stammered, hesitantly asking, "What happened next? Who was the person who scared Pan Bao so much that he stepped back, stunned?"

Yue Heng laughed heartily, struck the clapper again, and said, swaying his head, "To find out what happens next, please listen to the next episode!"

"Ah!"

Su Weiwei didn't expect this answer, feeling both annoyed and amused. She looked at the clapper and Yue Heng's smiling face, couldn't help but stomp her foot, and lightly tapped his shoulder, pouting, "How can you do that~"

This sudden intimate gesture made Yue Heng pause. They were so close, and as they looked at each other, they both blushed deeply.

They turned their faces away, looking elsewhere, but still curious about what the other was thinking. They turned back at the same time, and this time, they both burst into laughter.

A special feeling spread between them. Yue Heng smelled the fragrance of the young woman, saw her delicate face and shy expression, and felt his heart soften.

At that moment, words were unnecessary. They could sense each other's feelings, and this silent communication filled them with joy.

After a while, Yue Heng sighed and said, "Miss Su, I can tell you the rest of the story. Pan Bao met..."

"Shh~"

Su Weiwei looked up, bravely meeting Yue Heng's eyes, and whispered, "Can you tell me the rest of the story later, Mr. Yue?"

Seeing the beauty before him, her fair skin blushing pink, her long lashes trembling, and her eyes sparkling like stars, inviting him irresistibly, Yue Heng felt as if he had fallen into a deep pool, willingly sinking deeper.

"Alright... I'll tell you one chapter every day..."

"Really? That's wonderful~" Su Weiwei exclaimed softly, her face lighting up like a little girl who had just received a lollipop. Her pure, genuine smile, beautiful, happy, and sincere, was far more captivating than any professional smile.

Yue Heng nodded with a smile, sighing inwardly.

He had always thought that after leaving Hong County, he would have no more connections to his past.

But Su Weiwei had come to Qi City and secretly given him a luxurious troop and grain transport vehicle. Now, he had agreed to tell her one chapter of "The Yang Family's Women" every day, a story with over a hundred chapters. Lady She's command would take forty chapters, and Mu Guiying's command would take eighty. By the time the story was finished, they might continue to interact.

If this was fate, he hoped to use this opportunity to win her heart!

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(End of the chapter)