"After that, I left that place and wandered elsewhere. Yan Niang, without any regard, followed me.
She was like a clingy sprite, impossible to shake off. She would meticulously prepare breakfast in the morning, though she always mixed up the salt and sugar.
In the afternoon, she would try her hand at embroidery like others, and in the evening, she'd prepare a table full of food and wine.
Yet, back then, I always found fault with her, with her clothes, with her lack of a maiden's gentleness.
But no matter what I said, she wouldn't leave, insisting on clinging to me."
Hei Feng couldn't help but envy, "As expected of Uncle, you're never short of admirers, no matter the time."
"Don't praise me like that."
"Hehehe, then please continue."
"Later, a demon-slaying wave swept through the Four Cities, and the Ghost Clan became demons that everyone wanted to hunt and kill.
Consequently, that period was quite turbulent, with people eagerly leaving the city to slay the Ghost Clan.
It was precisely during this time, as we passed through Nanhai City, that we encountered the Zhao Yu Hai family, who were being escorted to the execution ground.
Zhao Yu Hai was a good friend of my father, your grandfather. It was said that he had harbored members of the Ghost Clan, and after being reported, his home was raided.
He was later accused of being an accomplice of the Ghost Clan, which led to his arrest and execution.
Remembering my father's friendship with him, and not wanting his entire family to die unjustly, I created a diversion and rescued his daughter, Zhao Yu Er.
When I returned home with Yu Er and Yan Niang, my father was greatly surprised. A few days prior, Zhao Yu Hai had written a letter stating that he had encountered great misfortune.
His family had narrowly escaped death, and he wished to send Yu Er to Heishan to be his daughter-in-law or even a maid.
My father agreed and sent someone down the mountain, but it was too late. Fortunately, Yu Er had been rescued, so it wasn't a complete failure to Zhao Yu Hai.
Thus, to fulfill the promise in the letter, my father betrothed Yu Er to me. As for Yan Niang, he never approved of her. Although she also occupied a part of the mountain,
her demeanor was like that of a man, and her speech lacked any elegance. Consequently, my father disliked her more and more, and no amount of my persuasion could change his mind.
So, he proceeded with the wedding against my wishes. Yan Niang knew she could never win my father's approval.
She then asked me out for a final meeting and asked, 'Yun Ge, have you ever loved me?' At that time, I knew it was beyond repair and couldn't bear to see her waiting for me so desperately.
So, I lied to her, saying, 'I have never loved you; it was all your wishful thinking.'
She was heartbroken and wept tears like rain. Then, we struck palms as a vow never to see each other again. I agreed, and she left Heishan. Later, I heard she went to Hanshan."
Hei Feng felt a pang of sadness after hearing the entire story.
"Grandfather doesn't seem like an unreasonable person. Why couldn't he let you marry two aunts at the same time?"
Hei Yun said helplessly, "Have you forgotten our family's ancestral teaching: one person can only love one person in their lifetime, and one person can only marry one wife."
"Thinking about it that way, Grandfather had already agreed to Zhao Yu Hai, so he could only apologize to Aunt. But haven't you been alone all these years?"
Hei Yun explained.
"Yu Er knew that Yan Niang and I liked each other, so she insisted on breaking off the engagement and only referred to me as her elder brother. She even encouraged me to find Yan Niang.
I searched through mountains and rivers but never saw her again. It was only after searching repeatedly that a wise master finally told me that Yan Niang had come to Hanshan."
"Oh, I remember now. When I was young, I met an aunt. Was that Yu Er?"
"Yes. A few years later, she fell ill from melancholy and passed away."
"Then, since Uncle has come to Hanshan, why didn't you explain things clearly to her?"
"I've been here many times, but I've always been afraid to see her, not knowing how to approach her. I could only watch her from afar each time."
"Alas, since you didn't intend to wrong her, and she didn't intentionally avoid you, this is easily resolved. I have a way to make her come out."
"What way?"
"Like this." Hei Feng whispered the plan into Hei Yun's ear. Hei Yun nodded, deeming it feasible.
Soon after, Hei Yun shouted, "Yan Niang, since you refuse to see me, I will have to die to seek your forgiveness."
Saying this, he drew a small knife and stabbed himself in the chest. Hei Feng cried out in terror.
"Uncle! Uncle! What are you doing! You can't die, Uncle. You haven't met Aunt yet, you can't die, Uncle!"
As he shouted, he began to cry uncontrollably.
At this moment, Gui Mu also heard the commotion. Filled with worry, she waved her stone door and emerged.
She was indeed beautiful and charming, dressed in a black sweater, resembling a black swan that had descended from the heavens.
However, strangely, she had a white cloth tied around her forehead; the reason was unknown.
Yan Niang rushed out of the cave and into the snow, looking at the motionless figure on the ground with immense regret.
She immediately knelt down, embraced him, and wept,
"Yun Ge, I've come to see you, I've come to see you."
At this moment, Hei Yun suddenly asked her, "Then will you still hide from me?"
Yan Niang shook her head, "No more hiding, no more hiding." Suddenly, she felt something was amiss. She looked down and saw Hei Yun looking at her with a playful grin.
Angered, she shoved him hard.
Hei Yun got up, disregarding his disheveled state, and ran to her with a smile, saying, "Yan Niang, you've finally agreed to see me."
Yan Niang turned away, annoyed.
"Since you've used such a trick to deceive me, why are you here looking for me instead of staying home with your beloved wife?"
Hei Yun knew she still cared about that matter and explained to her.
"Yu Er passed away from illness long ago. After you left, Yu Er broke off our engagement. I haven't remarried all these years.
I've been looking for you. I searched all four cities but couldn't find you. It was only later that I heard you had come to Hanshan."
Hearing this, Yan Niang's grief intensified as she questioned him.
"Looking for me? To take me back? In what capacity would I return? As a confidante, a friend, or a stranger?"
"This time, as my wife, in the capacity of a wife."
Yan Niang's heart stirred, and tears streamed down her face. She had waited for so many years, and all her resentment and indignation had found a response. She should have been happy.
However, the sting in her heart told her that these things she should have received long ago had been delayed for over a thousand years.
She didn't give an answer, merely weeping and running back into the Ghost Mother's cave, closing the stone door.
Hei Yun rushed after her but was still blocked at the door. He anxiously pounded on the stone door, repeatedly expressing his feelings.
"Yan Niang, it was all my fault before. I didn't treat you well and didn't express my feelings to you in time. Do you know?
The moment you said you liked me, I already liked you. But I was originally a proud and conceited person.
I felt it was embarrassing to tell a girl I liked her, so I kept delaying."
Gui Mu returned to the cave and sat by the ice bed, picking up the sweater she had knitted for him and weeping silently in her heart.
She had thought that by coming to the Ghost Mother's cave, she could forget everything from the past. However, the pain imprinted on her heart constantly reminded her that she still hadn't forgotten that person.
Hei Yun continued to speak outside the door.
"I remember our days in the outer plains. At that time, we were staying in a small mountain village.
You would wake up early to cook for me, in the afternoon you would learn embroidery in the courtyard, and in the evening you would cook again.
You always mixed up the sugar and salt, adding too much salt to the soup and too much sugar to the dishes, resulting in food that was extremely salty and extremely sweet."
At this point, he couldn't help but laugh. He continued,
"You always got your face very dirty, as if you had fought with the stove. But as soon as you left the kitchen, you would stand in the sun and smile foolishly."
He paused, as if recalling that beautiful scene, and exclaimed,
"You were so beautiful then. I had never seen such a beautiful woman."
Yan Niang listened to his every word. She had thought he had forgotten everything, but to her surprise, he remembered it all. Thus, she slowly stood up and walked to the cave entrance, but she didn't open the stone door. She simply sat in front of it, listening to him reminisce about the past.
They continued talking like this, one talking and one listening, until late into the night.
Hei Feng, resting his chin on his hand, was filled with envy and anticipation.
"I envy Uncle and Aunt so much, loving each other even after so long. But I don't even know where my own beloved is now."
He sighed a few times and could only lie down on the snow alone, falling asleep secretly.
Hei Yun also fell asleep by the stone door as he spoke. This time, he had come with the determination to bring Yan Niang home, no matter what.
The next morning, Hei Yun woke up from his sleep to find himself lying on the ice bed, with Yan Niang beside him.
Hei Yun asked her doubtfully, "Yan Niang, where is Feng'er?"
Yan Niang, with eyes full of tenderness, said, "Beside you."
He turned and saw Hei Feng sleeping beside him.
Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief, get up, and take Yan Niang's hand, saying, "Yan Niang, have you forgiven me?"
Yan Niang nodded slightly and said, "Actually, I knew you were here long ago. You wear this attire every time you come. Although your coat is white, your hat is yellow and black. I saw it at a glance."
"So you discovered me long ago."
"I was very angry at first, but then I felt warm. Every time you came, my resentment towards you lessened a little.
And yesterday, hearing you speak so many heartfelt words moved me greatly. I thought you had forgotten everything about the past.
I didn't expect you to remember it all so clearly."
Hei Yun blamed himself.
"It's my fault for not expressing my feelings to you in time. I only regretted it after losing you. Fortunately, I could still find you. Yan Niang, are you willing to come home with me?"
Yan Niang's face blushed, and she shyly replied, "Willing."
At this moment, a burst of applause suddenly sounded. Hei Feng had woken up at some point and exclaimed excitedly,
"Good, good, good! This is truly a happy ending. I finally have an aunt. Aunt, please accept this bow from your nephew."
"Please rise, please rise."
Hei Feng was very adept at handling things, and his few words made Yan Niang smile happily, much to his satisfaction.
Seeing their joy, Hei Feng immediately made his request.
"Aunt, I came here on the orders of the Demon King to request the Ice Silkworm Silk. Aunt, could you lend it to me?"
Yan Niang then remembered something.
"After I came down from Heishan, I wandered around and happened to meet a reclusive master. He saw that I had nowhere to go.
So, he took me as his disciple and asked me to guard this Ghost Mother's cave for him.
Before my master left, he told me to guard this cave for fifteen hundred years. If, after a thousand years, a noble person came seeking the Ice Silkworm Silk, I was to give it to them.
Then I would be free to leave the Ghost Mother's cave. Thinking about it, my master had foreseen everything."
"Then isn't this a coincidence? He truly is a wise master."
"Since you have arrived, I shall fulfill my master's words and offer the Ice Silkworm Silk."
Saying this, she turned and walked into the ice passage. After a short while, she returned.
She was now holding a wooden box. She brought the box to the two of them and opened it in front of them. Inside, there was a plump ice silkworm.
Hei Feng asked doubtfully, "Aunt, what is this?"
"This is an ice silkworm. It spins the ice silkworm silk. Oh, may I ask what you need this for?"
"To be honest, Aunt, the Northern Divine City has declared war on us, setting a decisive battle ten days from now. I've heard that the four city lords are very powerful.
Only by gathering a few treasures can they be restrained. So, the Demon King likely wants me to get the ice silkworm silk to make protective clothing."
"Since that is the case, and I can help a little, please take me and your uncle to the Western Purple Kingdom."
"That's wonderful! Thank you, Aunt."
Hei Feng exclaimed excitedly. With one more person to help, there was one more chance of victory, and defeating the Northern Divine City would no longer be a mere hope.
"However, we first need to go to the fields ahead to collect some fresh mulberry leaves to feed the ice silkworm, otherwise, it won't spin silk."
"Alright, let's go quickly then."
"Let's go."
Thus, the three of them walked out of the Ghost Mother's cave together. Hei Yun flicked out a jade bird, which landed and transformed into a large white bird. The three of them rode on it to the mulberry forest not far away.
However, Hei Yun and Yan Niang's reunion was inevitable, but Yu Er's departure was a regret.
Regarding her story, it was merely a tale of loving the wrong person and a lifetime of unrequited affection. It is also worth mentioning her story.
Ever since Hei Yun rescued her from the heavily guarded area that day, she had fallen in love with him at first sight. Unfortunately, Hei Yun already had Yan Niang by his side then, so she could only bury this affection deep in her heart.
Later, after going to Heishan, Old Master Hei arranged for her to be betrothed to Hei Yun, which caused Yan Niang to leave in a huff.
After Yan Niang left, Hei Yun lost his appetite and became listless every day.
Yu Er felt immense pity and thus proactively proposed to Old Master Hei to break off the engagement, and they began to refer to each other as siblings.
From then on, Hei Yun would often go down the mountain, leaving for ten days to half a month at a time. Old Master Hei also suggested finding a good husband for her several times, but she politely refused.
Every day, she would sit under the ginkgo tree in the courtyard, embroidering over and over again. However, no matter what she embroidered, it always turned out to be Hei Yun's likeness.
His every smile, his every frown, his every joy and sorrow were all etched in her heart. Although he never loved her,
she could only embroider her affection and longing into her stitches, without interruption, through the changing seasons.
Until finally, her longing overwhelmed her, and she fell ill from sorrow. Ultimately, after finishing the last painting of "The Husband Returns," she vomited blood and died, ending her short and regretful life.
A life that was meant for a beautiful union, a lifelong commitment to one person, ended up with regrets for both, turning a potentially perfect marriage into something more broken.
Perhaps this was the best outcome. If he had married both, who knows if he would have neglected one for the other, leading to a lifetime of regret and unrequited love."