The Cicadas' Song Bids Farewell To The Setting Sun.

All things in the world are false, only He remains unchanged. For countless years, we have trod this land as if walking in His divine kingdom—Yaleard. When he opened his eyes, a blinding ray of sunlight shone through. He quickly shielded his eyes with his hand, sat up slightly dazed, and looked around. It was a quiet little bamboo forest, full of life. To his left was a small temple, surrounded by bamboo, appearing even more tranquil. From the depths of the forest came the crisp chirping of birds. He sat on the grass between two clumps of bamboo, recalling what had happened before. Who am I? I am Ning Yu, courtesy name Bufan. This is a secluded village at the foot of Baiyu Immortal Mountain, called Willow Village. My father is the only scholar in the village, Ning Li, courtesy name Mengchang. My mother? Why can't I remember her? That's right… He grew up in Willow Village and had never seen his mother. One day, his father, drunk, unintentionally told him that his mother's name was Jun'er, and that she was in an unknown place. Ning Bufan put his hand to his forehead, his brows furrowed. Immortal Mountain, Willow Village... his memories grew increasingly jumbled. What... what was going on? He continued to recall. This place was located at the border of Tianfeng Kingdom and Beicang Kingdom, at the foot of Baiyu Mountain. Baiyu Mountain was also known as Immortal Mountain, and Willow Village was never outside the secular world, making it seem more like a paradise. His father was the only literate person in Willow Village, and in his youth, he had some literary talent, but in this chaotic world, he failed to achieve fame. However, his father was a man of simple tastes, and after giving birth to him, he disregarded worldly fame, taking him to live in seclusion in Willow Village at the foot of Immortal Mountain. They purchased some land and founded a private school, becoming teachers in this paradise. Until last year, after Ning Yu came of age and was given a courtesy name, his father, Ning Li, hurriedly left the place where he had lived for more than twenty years, leaving only the words, "I'm going to find your mother." Ning Bufan sighed softly. What was going on today? He was unconscious by the bamboo forest, and his long-dormant amnesia had relapsed, with many strange things vaguely appearing in his mind. It was like this from childhood; he was born different from others. While others learned to walk, he was still crawling. While others could recite sages' sayings, he was still learning how to say "father" and "mother." He didn't learn to say even a word until he was eight, and it wasn't until he was seventeen that he could communicate like a normal person. The people of Liu Village always thought he was an i***t, a fool. In fact, he knew that his mind had been exceptionally sharp since birth, as if he were born with knowledge, but he would experience unpredictable, intermittent episodes of mental blankness. Each time he woke up from an episode, his mind was always a complete mess. Today, while cooling off in the bamboo grove, it had relapsed again. He shook his head and smiled bitterly. Oh well, I'll go back first. Ning Bufan had just turned around when he saw a hyena leap out of the bushes and pounce on him. He was terrified and couldn't dodge in time, so he was violently knocked to the ground. " I'm doomed!" The imagined attack by a wild beast did not happen. He saw the hyena wagging its tail, baring its teeth, and sticking out its tongue, licking his face vigorously, just like a single, long-sugar daddy. "Shut up!" Ning Bufan was puzzled. Where was your dignity as a wild beast? How come this dignified hyena with its sharp fangs and claws wasn't as ferocious as the big yellow dog in the village? Willow Village was close to White Jade Mountain, and wild animals and various birds often came to the village. But as far as he knew, he had never seen a hyena as docile as this. Brownish-gray fur, deep-set eyes, head held low—it looked like an extremely brutal wild beast. Although he was a little confused, he put it aside for the time being. Could it be... that this hyena had been domesticated? Otherwise, it probably wouldn't be like this. Ning Bufan tentatively patted the wolf's head, and it growled softly before falling silent. Or was it a pet brought by a visitor to Willow Village? At the north end of the village, in front of the Chen family, a wealthy landowner. Chen Chen, the eldest son of the Chen family, looked at him strangely and blurted out, "What the hell? You're looking for that i***t from the Ning family who only learned to speak at eight?" Chen Chen couldn't understand why this fairy-like woman would specifically ask him about a... born disabled child. Willow Village was isolated from the world, and very few people had ever reached it in decades. Those who left the village could never find their way back. According to the village elders, Ning Li and his son Ning Yu were the only outsiders to enter the village in recent decades. The taciturn schoolteacher had no hobbies other than drinking and reading, and besides teaching, he never discussed the outside world with anyone else. Many years ago, unable to contain his curiosity about the outside world, Chen Chen asked, "Mr. Ning, what's the outside world like?" The respected and fearsome Mr. Ning merely glanced at him with surprise and chuckled, "What, you want to go out and see it?" "No, no, I'm just... just a little curious." "The outside world isn't anything special; it's just a cage." "..." Back to the present. Hearing Chen Chen's words, the woman was filled with doubt and uncertainty. A fool? This was far removed from the prodigious talent Master Ning had described. "The i***t you're talking about is Ning Yu, Ning Bufan? He... how could he be an i***t!" "Yes, everyone in our village knows that Ning Bufan has been mentally challenged since childhood. He didn't learn to walk until he was six, and he couldn't call out his father's name until he was eight. I heard... he suffers from a brain disease and can faint for no reason. Young lady, you don't know, a few years ago, Ning Bufan and I went to Uncle Zhang's field to steal sweet potatoes, and I asked him to keep watch. When Uncle Zhang came to check, that damn Ning Bufan directly told him he was there to steal. Don't you think there's something wrong with his head?" "Oh? This young master Ning is quite a character." The woman paused slightly, then clapped her hands and laughed. Chen Chen scratched his head and coughed lightly, "My name is Chen Chen, courtesy name Ziqi. My father is Chen Fugui, a landlord in Liu Village, and he has quite a bit of prestige here. May I ask your name, young lady?" My father is a landlord, a wealthy man. I am rich. The woman chuckled, "I am from Wanjing City in Tianfeng Kingdom. My ancestors were surnamed Jiang, and my elders named me Ge, with the courtesy name Jinyun. I have come here on someone's behalf to find a remarkable person. My family has encountered some trouble, and my master said that only this person can help me." I could understand finding someone, but finding a fool? Could it be… Chen Chen's expression turned strange, a pang of pity rising within him as he suspiciously examined the aloof woman before him. This girl had a good name, and her appearance was also quite striking. Even compared to the woman in the painting of Qingchi Playing in the Water, the only rare treasure of Willow Village that he kept under his bedding, she was probably no less beautiful. But was this Jinyun girl also mentally unstable? Traveling thousands of miles to Willow Village just to find a fool? "Awooo!" A loud howl rang out, and it was Ning Bufan, leading a wild wolf, returning from the bamboo forest, hurrying home through the north end of the village. "Ning Yu? How did you get captured by a wolf?" Chen Chen smiled smugly, squinting at the hyena that was constantly tearing at Ning Bufan's clothes and dragging him forward. He chuckled to himself. "Little Seven! Come here." Jiang Ge gently beckoned, and the hyena, called Little Seven, wagged its tail happily and came running over. Halfway there, it suddenly turned around, tugging at Ning Bufan's white shirt, trying to pull him over. "Well, so you've become the prey, are you begging for a reward from your master?" Ning Bufan was annoyed, but he didn't say much. He quickly walked towards Chen Chen and the strange woman, and at first glance, he was struck by her beauty. The woman had a beautiful face, wore a long, cloud-colored floral dress, and had emerald tassels hanging from her waist. He guessed she was an unmarried girl from a wealthy family, with an ethereal and stunning air. "Young master, are you the prodigy of the Ning family?" Jiang Ge asked eagerly, silently thinking, "Indeed, he's a jade-like young man with an otherworldly air. Look at his messy hair and white shirt covered in grass clippings—he's truly unruly." Ning Bufan looked at her as if she were an i***t, a little doubtful in his heart. This girl may be beautiful, but her brain... does she have some kind of mental illness? We're complete strangers, why are you calling me a prodigy on our first meeting? My appearance is so strange, I even resemble a qilin, am I... not human? There's a saying that goes, "Maybe I'm not human, but you're definitely a dog." Thinking of this, Ning Bufan couldn't help but feel pity, and he smiled kindly. "As everyone knows, Ning Bufan is an ignorant and foolish person. Miss, you see that I speak clearly and am quick-witted. How could I be that fool Ning Bufan? I am Chen Chen, the eldest son of the Chen family. My father is a landlord, a wealthy household. I am a playboy, with land and grain, a rich man." As he spoke, he pointed at the furious Chen Chen, and said earnestly in a solemn tone, "This Ning Yu, he seems like a normal person, but he is mentally ill. When he has an episode, he drools and becomes extremely ferocious. He not only bites people, but everything in sight is caught in his gaping maw. Miss, you should stay away from him." Chen Chen laughed angrily, pointing at Ning Bufan and cursing, "Well, Ning Yu, you are really no good. How have I treated you? How dare you slander me in front of others! I'll beat you until your nose and mouth bleed and smoke comes out of your seven orifices!" (The last sentence, " Jiang surname? ", appears to be a separate, unrelated comment and is left untranslated.) He had heard his father mention before that Jiang was the surname of the royal family of Tianfeng Kingdom. The rest of Liu Village didn't know this because the area was isolated and they had never left. However, his father had traveled extensively in his youth and knew many strange and wonderful stories, which he often told him in his spare time. So, this woman, couldn't she be...? Ning Bufan casually pushed aside the real fool rushing towards him, raised an eyebrow, and stared intently at the woman surnamed Jiang. Jiang Ge smiled slightly and said earnestly, "Young Master Ning, please don't joke. Jinyun came from Wanjing, and only through Master Ning's introduction did I learn your name. I've been traveling for several months now, and I've finally fulfilled my mission." "Who is your master?" "Your father, the White-Clad Military Advisor Ning Li." "And who are you?" " Jiang Ge, courtesy name Jinyun, daughter of His Majesty the Emperor of Tianfeng Kingdom, bestowed the title Nalan by my father." If Ning Bufan's memory served him correctly… in the Tianfeng Kingdom's royal family, only the legitimate princesses of marriageable age were qualified to be granted titles and fiefdoms. He just didn't know where this Nalan fiefdom was.