Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Journey

Calling the Kingdom of the Mountains a kingdom is tantamount to misunderstood the region and the people there from the start.Likewise, it would be incorrect to refer to that area as "Qiwuda", although the Qiwuda people do make up the majority of the inhabitants.The Kingdom of the Mountains is not a single unified country, but consists of small villages clinging to the sides of the hills, of small river valleys with arable land, of trade-based There are small villages in the village, and many tribes of shepherds and hunters roam the uninhabitable wilderness between the villages.It is difficult to unify so many peoples with very different lifestyles, because their interests often conflict with each other.It is remarkable, however, that although each group maintains its own peculiar customs independently, there is only one force stronger than this, and that is their loyalty to the "King".

According to tradition, the royal lineage begins with a prophet and judge. This woman is not only wise, but also a philosopher. She created a set of ruling theories. The basic principle is that the ruler is the ultimate servant of the people. The people must be served completely selflessly.The transition from judge to king is not a one-time event, but a gradual change over time.As the reputation of the impartiality and wisdom of the holy judge of Jaampai spread, more and more people came to seek arbitration and judgment, and were willing to accept and abide by the judge's decision. Therefore, the laws of the place were naturally respected throughout the mountainous area, and there were A growing number of groups have adopted Jaampe's laws.So the judges became kings, but what is amazing is that they still maintain the law imposed on themselves, which is to serve and sacrifice for the people.The Jhaampe tradition is replete with stories of kings and queens who sacrificed themselves for their people in a variety of ways, from fending off wild beasts that attacked shepherds' children to volunteering as hostages in enemy kingdoms.

It is said that the character of the mountain peoples is harsh, even bordering on barbarism.In fact, the land they live in is harsh, so their laws reflect this.Severely deformed babies were indeed abandoned, or more commonly drowned or drugged to death.Old people often choose to "retire", a form of self-imposed exile, allowing cold and hunger to end their sickly lives.Those who renege on their promises may have to cut a mark on their tongues in addition to paying double the originally agreed price.To those in the more stable parts of the Six Duchies, these customs might seem archaic and barbaric, but they are oddly well suited to the world of the Mountain Kingdom.

In the end, Verity won.I believe the victory was not at all sweet to him, for his own obstinate insistence was supported by the sudden increase in the frequency of robberies.In just one month, two villages were burned, and a total of 32 residents were arrested for smelting, 19 of whom apparently carried the now popular vials of poison with them, so they chose to commit suicide.The third town attacked had a larger population. They successfully defended their homeland, but it was not the king's army that defended them, but mercenary troops hired by the residents themselves.Ironically, many of these mercenaries were out-island immigrants, playing one of their few specialties.The people also grew more and more resentful of the king who seemed to be doing nothing.

It was no use trying to explain to them what Verity and the group were doing, that what the people needed and wanted was to have their own warships to defend the coast.But shipbuilding takes time, and the merchant-to-military ships that are already at sea are too chubby and clumsy to compare with the streamlined red ships that harass us.Farmers and herders are not comforted by the promise of boats for them next spring, since this year's crops and livestock will not be secure.At the same time, the inland duchies became more and more dissatisfied, saying that they paid heavier taxes while protecting the coast above them; as for the leaders of the coastal duchies, they said sarcastically that without their Seaports and merchant ships come to export goods from the inland. I really don't know how the life of the inland people will be easier.In at least one meeting of the "High Council", the Duke of Ram of Tirs suggested that if the raids of the Red Ships could be alleviated, then it would not be too big a deal to cede the neighboring islands and fur cape to them. The Duke of Prondi of Biens responded with fire, threatening to block all merchant shipping on the Bear River, to see if Tiers would think it was all right.King Shrewd managed to get the meeting over before they could fight, but Duke Fallow had made it clear that he was on Tyrs' side.With each passing month and each distribution of taxes, the barriers between the two sides became sharper and sharper. It was clear that something was needed to restore the unity of the kingdom, and Shrewd was convinced that such a thing was a royal marriage.

So Regal danced his diplomatic dance, and finally arranged for Princess Kettricken to swear allegiance to Regal on her brother's behalf, in the presence of her own people, with Verity's oath spoken instead.Of course, there will be another wedding at Buckkeep later, and Kettricken will send appropriate representatives to witness the ceremony.At this moment, Emperor Zun continued to stay in the capital of the Kingdom of the Mountains, Jaampey for the time being, so that there was an endless flow of envoys, gifts, and supplies between Buckkeep and Jaampey. Almost every week, a group of people set off or arrived, making public There is no peace in Deerburgh.

In my opinion, it is clumsy and ugly to arrange a marriage in such a way that the parties do not see each other until nearly a month after marriage.But political expediency is more important than the feelings of the two parties, so the wedding celebrations in both places are planned separately. I had long since recovered from the time Verity drew my power, but it took me more time to fully understand the effects of Garen's clouding my mind with the Mists.Thinking about it now, I believe I probably would have disregarded Verity's advice and went straight to Galen Theory, but he left Buckkeep.He went with a party to Jaampey, to visit relatives in Farrow; and when he came back I was on my way to Jaampey, so I couldn't meet Galen.

Once again I am running out of time.I still take care of Leon.But it only takes me an hour or two a day.I've never found any clues about Burrich's attack, and Burrich's ostracism shows no sign of letting up.I was once in Buckkeep City, but when I happened to pass by the Candle Shop, it was closed and silent.I asked the shop next door and was told that the candle shop had closed at least 10 days ago, so unless I want to buy leather harnesses, get the hell out of my way.I thought of the young man I had seen last time with Molly, wishing with resentment that they were unhappy and unhappy.

I decided to find the Fool simply because I was lonely.I'd never tried to meet him before, and he turned out to be more elusive than I thought. I wandered around the castle for hours trying to meet him, and finally ventured up to his room.I've known where he lived for years, but had never been there before, and not just because it was a more remote part of the castle.The jester does not invite intimacy, but only the intimacy he chooses when he chooses.His room was at the top of a tower that Federen had told me used to be the map room, with an unobstructed view of the terrain around Buckkeep.But the later additions to Buckkeep blocked the view, and other taller towers took its place, and it was completely useless for the Fool's room.

One day near harvest time, I climbed up to the top room of the tower.The weather is already hot and sticky, and this tower is closed, with only a narrow hole for archery, and the sunlight coming in can only illuminate the dust raised by my footsteps.At first, the dark inside of the tower seemed cooler than the stuffy outside, but as I climbed up, the tower seemed to become hotter and more closed. By the time I reached the last stairwell landing, I felt that there was no air to breathe. breathed out.I raised my hand tiredly, and knocked on the solid door with a fist. "It's me, I'm Fitz!" I called, but the still hot air choked my voice, smothering a flame like a wet blanket.

Can I use this as an excuse?Can I say that I thought he might not have heard me, so I went into the room to see if he was there?Or can I just say I'm hot and thirsty, so come in and see if his room is cooler and ventilated, and if there's water to drink?I guess the reason doesn't really matter.I reached out to pull the latch, and it opened, and I entered the room. "The Fool?" I called, but I sensed his absence, not in the way I usually feel other people's presence, but from the silence of the room.Yet I stood inside the door, staring blankly at a man's naked soul. There is plenty of light, there are flowers, and there are all kinds of colorful colors.There was a loom in the corner, and baskets of fine thread of the finest colours.The bedspreads that cover the beds and the curtains that hang by the open windows are all woven. I have never seen such a finished product. Although it is woven with geometric patterns, it can make people feel that it is full of flowers under the blue sky. wilderness.Flowers float in a large pottery basin, the bottom of which is filled with brightly colored small stones, and a thin silver fish swims among the flower stalks.I tried to be like the bloodless, cynical jester in this whole sea of ​​color and art.I took a step toward the room and saw something that made my heart jump in my chest. a baby.I thought it was at first, so without thinking, I took two steps forward, went to the cradle it was lying on and knelt down.But it wasn't a real child, it was a doll, so ingeniously crafted that I almost felt that tiny bosom rising and falling with the breath.I reached out to the pale and delicate face, but dared not touch it.The curvature of the eyebrows, the closed eyes, the faint blush on the little face, and even the little hand placed outside the blanket, are all perfect beyond what I can imagine any handicraft can achieve.I can't guess what kind of delicate glue it is made of, and I can't guess what kind of hands add those tiny and curly eyelashes to the doll's small face.The little throw was embroidered with pansies, and the pillow was satin.I don't know how long I knelt there quietly, as if it were really a sleeping baby, but at last I got up and exited the Fool's room, closing the door quietly.I walked slowly down the innumerable steps, both dreading that I might meet the Fool coming up from below, and feeling heavy at the fact that I found a man in the castle who was at least as lonely as I was. Chade called me that night, but when I got to his room he didn't seem to have anything to say but to see me.We sat in front of the dark fireplace, almost in silence, and I thought he had never looked so old.Verity was swallowed, and Chade was emaciated with it, his bony hands almost looked dehydrated, and the whites of his eyes were bloodshot.He needed to sleep, but he didn't, and called me, yet sat there so still and silent, barely eating the few morsels of food he put in front of us.Finally I decided to ask him to help him. "Are you afraid that I can't do it?" I asked him softly. "What?" he asked absently. "Kill the prince of the Mountain Kingdom, Luresh." Chade turned and looked at me, silent for a long time. "You don't know King Shrewd sent me to do this," I stammered. Slowly he turned back to face the hollow hearth, studying it as if there were flames in it to read. "I'm just a toolmaker," he said quietly at last. "It's someone else who's using the tool." "You think this... task is bad, wrong?" I took a breath. "From what I've heard, he's not going to live long anyway. It might be kinder to let death come quietly in the night instead of—" "Boy," said Chade quietly. "Never pretend we are anything else. We are assassins, not wise emissaries carrying out the king's benevolent will. We are political assassins who kill to extend the kingdom's power, that's all." It was my turn to stare Those non-existent flames looked. "You're making it hard for me to do this. It's hard enough. Why? Why did you make me what I am and try to weaken my resolve...?" My question didn't ask It's over, it's over. "I think . . . forget it. Maybe I'm just jealous, boy. I guess I wonder why Shrewd sent you and not me. Maybe I'm afraid I'm useless to him. Maybe because, Now that I know you, I wish I had never made you into..." Now it was Chade's turn to fall silent, his thoughts wandering where no words could follow. We sat there thinking about my mission.It's not justice for the king, it's not execution for a crime, it's just the removal of a person who stands in the way of greater power for our country.I sat still, wondering if I was going to do it at all, and then I looked up and saw the silver paring knife stuck deep above Chade's mantelpiece, and I thought I knew the answer. "Verity filed the charges for you," Chade said suddenly. "Complaint?" I asked feebly. "To Shrewd. First, he alleged that Galen had mistreated and lied to you. In this he was making a formal complaint that Galen had made it impossible for our kingdom to Using your abilities. He informally suggested that Shrewd better settle this matter with Galen, before you take revenge yourself." Looking at Chade's face, I could see that he already knew what I had done with Verity. Everything discussed.I don't know how I feel about it. "I won't seek revenge on Galen myself, Verity has asked me not to do so." Chade looked at me with silent approval. "That's what I told Shrewd. But he still told me that I must tell you that he will settle the matter. This time the king will personally administer justice, and you must wait and accept his handling." "He How will it be done?" "I don't know that. I don't think Shrewd knows yet. Galen has to be reprimanded, but we have to remember that if we're going to keep training other groups, Galen can't feel Too wronged." Chade cleared his throat, and said more quietly, "Verity made another complaint to the king. He charged Shrewd and me quite directly, saying we would sacrifice you for the kingdom." I It suddenly dawned on me that this was why Chade was looking for me tonight.I am silent.Chade said slowly, "Shrewd claims he didn't even think about it. As for me, I had no idea that such a thing was possible." He sighed again, as if saying the words made him Very laborious. "Shrewd is a king, boy. His first concern will always be his kingdom." There was a long silence between us. "You mean he'll sacrifice me without any qualms." He kept his eyes on the fireplace. "You, me, even Verity can sacrifice if he deems it necessary to keep the kingdom alive." Then—turned to look at me. "Never forget this." Lacy knocked on my door the night before the procession was due to depart from Buckkeep.It was already late at that time, and she said that Patience wanted to see me. I asked stupidly, "Now?" The logic seems to make sense. When I arrived, Patience was sitting in a cushioned chair, in pajamas and a richly embroidered robe.Her hair was loose on her shoulders, I sat down where she indicated, and Leixi continued to comb her hair. "I've been waiting for you to come and apologize to me," Patience said. I immediately opened my mouth to apologize, but she waved me impatiently to shut up. "But I discussed it with Lacy tonight and found that I've forgiven you. I've decided that the boy just had a certain level of rudeness that had to be vented. I've decided that you didn't mean it, so you don't need to apologize." "But I'm really sorry," I protested, "I just don't know how to say—" "It's too late to apologize now, I've forgiven you," she said quickly. "And there's no time now, I think you should have gone to bed long ago. But, since this is your first official entry into court life, I want to give you something before you go." I opened my mouth, and then close.If she thinks this is my first real entry into court life, I will definitely fight her. "Sit here." She said majestically, pointing to her feet. I walked over and sat down obediently, noticing for the first time a small box on her lap.The box was of dark wood, with a stag carved in bas-relief on the lid.She took out an earring and compared it to my ear. "Too small," she murmured. "If no one can see, then what's the point of wearing jewelry?" She picked up several earrings in a row, compared them and threw them away, and the comments were almost the same.Finally she picked up an earring that looked like a blue gemstone stuck into a small piece of silver.She made a strange look at the earrings, then nodded hesitantly. "That man has taste. Even if he lacks everything else, he still has taste." She held it up to my ear again and poked the earring's pin into my earlobe without warning at all. I screamed and raised my hand to cover my ears, but she knocked my hand off. "Don't be like a little doll, it'll be fine if it hurts." There was something like a clasp behind the earring, and she ruthlessly turned my ear over with her fingers, and fastened the earring. "Okay. It fits him well, don't you think, Lacey?" "It does," agreed Lacey, who was always knitting lace.Patience gestured for me to step down, and I got up to leave, and she said, "You have to remember one thing, Fitz, whether you know the Skill or not, whether you inherit your father's name or not, you They are both Junqi's sons, and your behavior must be aboveboard. Go to sleep now!" "How do you sleep with your ears like this?" I asked, showing her the blood on my fingertips. "I didn't think of that. I'm sorry—"' she began, but I cut her off. "It's too late to apologize, I've already forgiven you. And, thank you." Lexi was still giggling when I left. The next day I got up early in the morning to join the procession that was going to get married.In order to celebrate the friendship between the two newlyweds Qin and Jin, a rich dowry must be presented.Some of the presents were for Princess Kettricken herself, including a fine-blooded mare, jewels, fabrics, servants, and rare perfumes.Other gifts were for her family and people.Horses, falcons, forged gold, etc. were given to her father and brother, but most of all those gifts to her kingdom, because according to the tradition of Jaampe, she belonged to the people more than to her family. degree.Therefore, gifts include cattle, sheep, horses, birds, etc. for breeding and reproduction, including strong bows made of yews that are missing in the mountains, blacksmith tools made of fine iron produced in Smelting Town, and There are other gifts that should help improve the lives of people in the mountains.In addition, the gift also included knowledge, including several exquisitely drawn plant illustrations by Federon, several wooden tablets recording medical treatments, and a scroll about raising and taming falcons. The copy written by Ying Mu himself was carefully copied.This last part of the gift is what I'm ostensibly responsible for in the team. In addition to these things, I am responsible for keeping all kinds of herbs and grass roots mentioned in the plant illustrated book, which are abundant. As for the herbs that are not durable, they are replaced by seeds, which can be planted locally.This gift is quite valuable, and I take the duty of maintaining it properly along the way as seriously as I take the other task.Everything was well wrapped and placed in a box carved from fir wood.I checked everything one last time to see that everything was properly packed, and was about to carry the box downstairs into the courtyard, when I heard the Fool speaking behind me. "I'll bring you this." I turned around and saw him standing just a little way in from my door.I didn't even hear the door open.He reached out and held out a small leather pouch tied with string. "What's this?" I asked, trying not to let him hear the flowers or the doll in my voice. "'The Cleansing of the Sea'." I raised my eyebrows. "A laxative for bowel cleansing? As a gift? I think some people might find it suitable, but the herbs I'm going to bring can be grown in mountainous areas. I don't think one by one" "This is not a gift, it's for Yours." I accepted the pouch with mixed emotions.This is an exceptionally powerful laxative. "Thank you for thinking of me. But I don't usually get sick when I travel, and—" "When you travel, there's usually no danger of being poisoned." "Is there anything you want to tell me?" I try to strike a lighthearted, playful tone.I miss the jester's usual quirks and taunts, but both are absent in this dialogue. "I'm just saying that if you don't prepare the food yourself, you'd better eat less or none of it." "Does that include all the banquets and festivities there?" "No, just the ones you don't want poisoned Banquets and events." He turned to leave. "Sorry," I said hastily. "I didn't mean to break in. I wanted to find you. It was so hot and the door wasn't locked, so I went in. I didn't mean to snoop." He turned his back to me and asked , "Do you think it's funny there?" "I..." I couldn't think of what to say, and I couldn't think of a way to assure him that everything I saw there would only stay in my own mind .He took two steps and closed the door.I blurted out, "Looking there, makes me wish I had a place all to myself, just like that place is yours. I wish I could have a secret place of my own, too." The door stopped, almost Hands wide to close. "Take a little advice from me, and you may come back alive. When you think about other people's motives, remember that you can't measure his wheat with your own bushel. He may use a different standard of measurement." Then the door closed. , the jester leaves.But his last sentence was vague and frustrating enough that I thought he might have forgiven me for trespassing on his room. I stuffed the sea cleansing into my vest, I didn't want to take it with me, but now I dare not take it away.I looked around the room, but it was a bare, functional room as usual.Master Ji Jingfeng was responsible for packing my luggage, because she was afraid that I would mess up the new clothes.I noticed that the pattern on my front was no longer the slashed buck, but a buck with its head down ready to attack with the horns of the chair. "It was changed by Verity's orders," was all she said when I asked her. "I like this pattern better than the original lined deer head, don't you think?" "I think so!" I replied, and the conversation was over.With the name, with the ornamentation.I nodded to myself, shouldered the box of herbs and scroll, and went downstairs to join the party. On my way down I met Yui really going upstairs, and at first I could barely recognize him because he came up like a shambling old man.I stepped aside to let him pass, and he glanced at me, and I realized it was him.It was a strange feeling, seeing someone I knew before was like a stranger.I noticed that his clothes seemed to be hanging on him now, and his matted black hair, as I remembered it, was tinged with gray.He smiled at me absently, then stopped me as if suddenly thinking of something. "You're going to the Kingdom of the Mountains? For a wedding?" "Yes." "Do me a favor, kid?" "Of course." I said, startled by his rusty voice. "Say something nice about me in front of her. Of course I want you to tell the truth, not a lie, but please say something nice about me. I always think you have a good opinion of me." "Yes," I said Facing his gradually leaving back, he said. "Indeed it is, my lord." But he did not turn and did not answer, and I felt as I did when the Fool left me. The courtyard is full of people and animals.This time there were no cars in the team, because the road conditions into the mountains are notoriously bad. In order to speed up the progress, it was decided to use pack animals instead of cars.The royal procession is ugly if it's late for the wedding, and it's bad enough if the groom isn't there. The animals that were given as gifts had been on the road several days earlier.The trip was expected to take two weeks, and we had three weeks in the queue, so we had some buffer.I strapped and fastened the cedar box to a pack animal, and stood beside Soot and waited.Although the yard was paved with cobblestones, the hot summer air was still dusty.Despite some detailed planning in advance, the team still looked quite chaotic.I glanced at Sevren, Regal's favorite valet.Regal had sent him back to Buckkeep a month ago, giving him detailed instructions on what kind of clothes to make.Sevren walked behind Ah Shou, admonishing him in a panic, but no matter what his advice was, Ah Shou seemed impatient to listen.The last time Master Ji Jingfeng explained how I took care of my new clothes, he revealed that Sevren had to bring so many clothes, hats and accessories for Regal that it would take 3 pack animals to carry them.I guess it fell to Hands to take care of the three animals, because Sevren, while a very good valet, was not very good with large animals.Regal's men lumbered behind the two of them, looking grumpy and impatient.Another suitcase was carried on his broad shoulders, and perhaps Sevren was nervous about carrying more of such things.They soon disappeared into the crowd out of sight. I was surprised to see Burrich, who was inspecting the reins on the stud horses and the mares that were going to the Princess.I thought to myself, this should be what the person in charge of horses should do!Then I saw him on his horse and realized he was part of the team. I looked around to see who was with him, but I didn't see any stable boys I knew except Shou.Cobb was already in Jaeamp with Regal, so it didn't surprise me that Burrich took on the responsibility himself. Prestige was here, too, waiting on a fine gray mare, almost unhuman in that expressionless, impassive look.He has changed a lot as a member of the group.He had been a little fat young man, quiet but pleasant; he had the same mop of black hair as Verity, and I've heard people say he looked a lot like Verity when he was a child.I thought to myself that as his Skill work became more and more onerous, he might become more like Verity.He would be at the wedding, serving as a kind of window for Verity, witnessing when Regal spoke the vows in his brother's place.Regal's voice, majestic eyes, I thought.So what am I playing?His dagger? I got on Soot, wishing I could get off and get away from these people who were saying their goodbyes and a few last things to say.I pray to God Ada that we can get out and hit the road soon.The crooked lines never seem to be able to make it all together, nor does the luggage that was strapped and strapped at the last minute.Then, almost abruptly, the flag was hoisted, the horn sounded, and a whole procession of men, horses, and pack animals began to move.I looked up once, and saw Verity come out of the room on the top of the tower to watch us go. I waved him, but he probably didn't recognize me among so many people.Then we were out of the gate, leaving Buckkeep along the winding hill path and heading west. This route will take us to the banks of the Buck River, where we will ford wide shallows near the junction of the duchies of Buck and Faro, and then cross the vast plains of Faro, seeing things I have never encountered before. Extremely hot, all the way to the Blue Lagoon.After arriving at the Blue Lake, we will go upstream with a river that originated from the Kingdom of the Mountains and is simply called the Cold River.The trading road starts from the cold beach, passes through the mountains, under the mountains, and then goes all the way up and up to the Storm Pass, and continues to the dense and lush forests of the Rain Fields.But we won't go that far, we'll just end at Aung Phe, which is the closest thing to a so-called city in the Kingdom of the Mountains. Excluding the unavoidable things that happen on such a trip, the trip would be pretty uneventful.By the time the first 3 or 4 days had passed, everything settled into a very monotonous routine, the only thing that changed was where we passed.Residents of every small village along the way ran out to meet us, delay us, and send wishes and congratulations from local officials on the crown prince's wedding. But when we reached the vast plains of Faro, we seldom encountered such small villages.The fertile farmlands and trading cities of Farrow lie far north along the Wine River, well out of our way.We traveled through the plains of Faro, whose inhabitants are mostly nomadic herders who gather into towns only in winter, settling along trade routes for what they call the "green season."We passed herds of sheep, mountains, horses, and occasionally a herd of those dangerous, lanky pigs they called "halaga"; but our contact with the people of that area was usually limited, Only their tepees are seen from a distance, or some shepherd rises from his horse and greets us with his stick held high. Hand and I became familiar again.In the evenings we would cook over a small fire and eat together, and he would tell me how nervous Sevren was, afraid of dust staining his silk robes, moth-eaten fur collars, and velvet after the long journey. The bottom frayed into pieces.As for the problems caused by the nagging, it is more hard to laugh. My own impression of that person is not good. A Shou said that traveling with him is unbearable, because he seems to be always in the Suspected that Ah Shou was going to steal something from Emperor Zun's luggage.He even came to our fire one night, and painstakingly gave a vague and indirect warning against any conspiracy to steal from his master.But apart from such unpleasant scenes, our evening passed peacefully. The fine weather continued, and while we were sweating hot during the day, the nights were mild.I sleep with a blanket under my body and rarely need another cover.Every night I checked the contents of my chest, trying to keep the roots of the plants from drying out completely, and trying to keep the scrolls and tablets from being worn out by moving them around in the chest.I was awakened one night by a loud hissing of soot and thought the cedar box had shifted a bit, but I checked the contents quickly and everything was in order.When I mentioned this to Ah Shou later, he only asked me if I was infected by chatter. The villages and shepherds we passed often provided us with fresh food, and they gave us very generous amounts, so we didn't suffer much along the way.There may not be as many open sources of water as we'd hoped for on the way across the Faroese border, but we did find springs or dusty wells to drink from every day, so it wasn't too bad a thing. I rarely see Burrich.He gets up earlier than all of us and walks ahead of the main procession so the horses under his care get the best grass and cleanest water.I know he's going to want his horses to be in top form when they get to Jaamphe.Weiyi is also almost invisible. Although he is in charge of this trip in name, he handed over the actual management work to the captain of his guard of honor. As for whether he did it out of wisdom or laziness, I don’t know. .He was alone most of the time anyway, but allowed Sevron to serve him, and slept in the same tent and ate with him. For me, this journey is almost like going back to my childhood.I have very few responsibilities, and Shou is a good traveling companion, and he will tell a lot of stories and gossip without asking him specifically.Often I don't think for almost a whole day that I'm going to kill a prince when we get to our destination. This thought usually comes when I wake up in the middle of the night.Faro's night sky seemed more starry than Buckkeep's, and I'd stare at the stars while I mentally rehearsed various ways to kill Ruresh.I have another small wooden box, carefully wrapped in the same bag that holds my clothes and personal effects.给那个小木盒装东西的时候，我煞费思索又充满焦虑，因为这项任务必须达成得非常完美，事情必须做得干净俐落，不可以激起一丝一毫的怀疑。而且时机也很重要，不能让他在我们还在颉昂佩的时候死掉，不可以有任何事情让婚礼染上半点明影；他也不能死在公鹿堡的婚礼举行、婚姻安全确立之前，因为这样可能会被视为不祥的预兆。要安排这样的死，可不容易。 有时候我纳闷，为什么这件事是交给我而不是交给切德。这是不是某种考试，要是我失败了就会被处死？切德是太老了无法面对这项挑战，还是太珍贵了，不能冒这项任务的风险？或者只是因为他照顾惟真的健康必须寸步不离？如果我制止自己去想这些问题，接下来纳闷的内容就变成我是不是该用某种药粉刺激卢睿史已经受过伤的肺'让他活活咳死。或许我可以把药粉洒在他的枕头和床褥上。或者我是不是该给他某种止痛药，让他慢慢上瘾，最后在睡梦中死去？我有种冲淡血液的药，如果他的肺本来就已经慢性出血了，用这种药或许足以送他上路。我还有一种又快又致命又如水般无味的毒药，但我得想出办法，确保他会在某个足够遥远的未来吃下去。想这些事都无助于睡眠，然而新鲜空气和整天骑马的疲累通常都足以对抗这些念头，我一觉醒来多半又热切期待启程了。 我们终于看到了蓝湖，它就像是远方的一个奇迹。我已经好多年没有离开海边这么久了，此时很惊讶地发现见到水让我行多高兴。我们队伍中每一只动物都在我的脑海里填满了清水的干净气息。愈朝那座大湖走，景物就变得愈绿、愈温和，我们很难制止马匹晚上吃太多草。 许多帆船在蓝湖上来来往往做生意，船帆的颜色各异，下仅表示他们卖的是什么，也表示他们是为哪个家族航行。蓝湖旁的住家是建在打入水中的桩基上。我们在那里受到款待，大啖新鲜的淡水鱼，不过以我这个吃惯海水鱼的舌头尝起来觉得味道很奇怪。我觉得自己俨然是个经验丰富的旅人，有一天晚上阿手和我简直对自己太刮目相看了，因为几个绿眼睛的女孩吃吃笑着来到了我们的火堆旁。她们来自当地一个买卖谷物的家族，带着色彩鲜艳的小鼓，每一个鼓的音调都不同，她们打鼓唱歌给我们听，直到她们的母亲边骂边找到这里来，把她们带回家去。这段经历冲昏了我们的头，那天晚上我完全没想到卢睿史王子的事。 我们现在往西北方前进，搭几艘我一点都不信任的平底驳船渡越蓝湖。到了彼岸，我们发现自己突然来到森林地，法洛的炎热天气也只能在记忆里回味了。我们的路线穿越广裔参天的杉木林，之间偶尔夹杂着几棵白桦树，烧过的地方则点缀着赤杨和柳树。马蹄踩在森林小径的黑土上，四周尽是秋天的甜美气息。我们看到许多不熟悉的鸟，有一次我还瞥见一头巨大的雄鹿，那颜色和种类我之前从未、之后也不曾看过。马匹晚上吃不到很多草，幸好我们从湖边的居民那里拿了谷子来。夜里我们生起火堆，阿手和我共用一个帐篷。 如今我们的路线是一直朝山上走，弯弯曲曲穿过陡峭的山坡与山坡之间，但高度确实是在逐渐上升。一天下午我们碰到了一个颉昂佩来的代表团，是派来欢迎我们并替我们带路的。之后我们的行进速度似乎就变快了，每天晚上还有乐手、诗人、杂耍艺人表演助兴，更有当地的佳肴可吃。他们尽一切力量来欢迎我们、款待我们，但我觉得他们非常奇怪，他们迥然的模样几乎让我觉得害怕。我常常要逼自己记住博瑞屈和切德都教过我的礼节，可怜的阿手则几乎是完全躲着这些新同伴。 从外表看来，他们大多数都是齐兀达人，也就是我预期的模样：个子高，肤色苍白，头发和眼睛都是浅色，有些人的头发则是红得像狐狸一样。这个民族的人肌肉都非常结实，男女皆然。他们每个人似乎都带着一把弓或者投石器，走路显然比骑马要自在得多；他们身上穿的是羊毛和皮革，就连最普通、最朴素的人也穿着上好的毛皮，彷佛这只是家常服装。他们步行走在骑马的我们身旁，跟上马匹的速度走一整天，似乎毫不吃力。他们边走边唱歌，那些长长的歌曲是用一种古老语言唱的，听来几乎偏向哀愁，但他们不时会穿插胜利或高兴的呼喊声。后来我得知他们是把他们的历史唱给我们听，好让我们更了解我们借由王子结盟的是什么样的民族。我想他们大多数是吟游歌者和诗人，用他们的语言说来就是”好客“之人，传统上都是派他们来接待客人，让客人还没到达目的地就很高兴自己来了。 接下来两天，我们走的路愈来愈宽，因为我们离颉昂佩愈来愈近，有其他的小径和道路汇集于这条路，变成一条宽广的通商道路，有些地方铺着一层白色岩石的碎片。我们离颉昂佩愈近，队伍就变得愈壮观，因为有许多村庄和部族的代表团也加入了我们的行列，从群山王国的远处前来，观看他们的公主与平地那位有权势的王子缔结婚约。不久后，在狗、马，和他们用来当驮兽的某种山羊包围之中'在一辆辆装匿礼物的运货马车、各行各业各种阶层的人一家家一群群的尾随之下，我们来到了颉昂佩。