Fang Zhao stayed at the retirement facility and accompanied the two elder Fangs as they watched the series. He shared with them some interesting anecdotes that had happened while filming. He also helped take care of the little cultivation plot that they had rented.
After meals, Fang Zhao would be dragged along by Great-Grandfather Fang to go for a walk. They would walk through the garden. Whenever any of the other old veterans of the retirement facility saw Great-Grandfather Fang approaching from far, they avoided him.
Today, after a meal, the two old Fangs were keeping watch in front of the screen. It was finally the episode where Fang Zhao received his bento box. The two old folks staring at the screen seemed to be in an extremely grave mood.
Fang Zhao also maintained his silence.
In this episode, Fang Zhao perished following the chaotic aftermath of an earthquake that caught everyone off guard.
Actually, at that time, given his status, he could have protected himself and safely left the war zone. But he had chosen not to do so.
At that time, he had known that he didn't have long left, and he had also been tired.
Mutual suspicions and deception, bloodied storms, and the cumulative injuries and pains after every battle—every day, his mental state had been strained to the point that it had been as tight as a steel wire. After arranging things, he had chosen to stay behind and meet the enemy head-on. He'd had some regrets about not ever getting to see the beginning of the Founding Era. He had lost to his injuries and lost to time, but a loss was a loss. After thinking and getting over it, he no longer had many complaints.
He had only been able to bring everyone to this point, but he had believed that his successor would lead everyone to their destination. Before he'd died, he had been in a peaceful state of mind. In the series, he had also acted this way.
Many people in the cast and crew felt that he'd been worried about the Wu family and had followed the directorial team and scriptwriter's suggestions and acted this way, but that wasn't the case.
The accompaniment music where he perished in battle had been composed by someone else. It was a mournful tune full of choking sorrow. Although it had a heroic meaning, it was still thick with emotions. Just the tune alone was very good; otherwise, it wouldn't have been selected.
However, from the audience's point of view, the sorrow wasn't that intense. It wasn't that the acting was substandard or that the accompaniment piece wasn't good but rather that everyone had already been prepared. It was all laid out in history. Before filming even started, everyone knew the ending.
From the start of "Founding Era" till now, many important characters had already received their bento boxes. Many accompaniment pieces that were offered as scriptures had appeared. The audience had already seen a lot and listened to a lot. At most, they would only feel emotional for the great people that perished in battle and feel these people's regret.
On a certain film-discussion forum.
"Oh dear, even if I'm unwilling to see it, we have reached this episode."
"Old Commander Fang, you have worked hard!"
"It feels like I have lost an old friend that has accompanied me for so long. Even though I knew what the ending would be, I thought it would be all right as long as we recall him fondly, but now, at this time, I still feel very sad."
"Did Old Fang die with regrets? A pity, what a pity! If he had been able to endure for another year, even if he couldn't have been the governor, the number one spot in Yanzhou's cemetery would not have run away."
Watching the ending of this great person in Yanzhou history, many people called into question his cause of death in historical records.
He had already had such a high rank as being commander of the corps. Not mentioning his individual importance, why hadn't even more people stayed at his side and protected him? Was reality really like what the series portrayed? Had Fang Zhao given the order himself not to let anyone protect him? Had he really made the decision to stay behind and fight to the death?
"Old Fang's ending is really the same as what is recorded in history books, but is the stuff recorded in them really true? Or were there unspeakable things that were deliberately concealed?"
"Does the brother on top mean that Old Fang was actually killed? But because it involves certain secrets, it cannot be revealed in public?"
"A power struggle, aren't all people like this? When hope cannot be seen, anyone would want someone at the front to shield them. When finally people get out of their predicament and see the benefits not too far ahead, their thoughts will no longer be the same."
"I don't think that's the case. Old Fang had already arranged his successor. He knew early on that he would not be able to last till the end, and he did not want many others to trade his life for him. Why not die in battle instead?"
On many film forums discussing topics related to "Founding Era," more and more people were using "Old Fang" for Founding Era's Fang Zhao.
Many people did not believe Fang Zhao's cause of death and did not believe the "ordinary" death he'd had. Thus, they were inclined to make guesses as to whether there had been any hidden conspiracies or assassinations.
Regardless of whether the audiences acknowledged Fang Zhao's cause of death, the "Founding Era" series had been filmed like this, and Fang Zhao himself had willingly acted this way. Although reality hadn't been entirely like what was shown in the show, the two were largely the same. The heroic and profound way he'd died a martyr was a little exaggerated. Compared to others, his death couldn't be considered bitter. At least he still had an entire corpse.
History had drowned out a lot of truths. The truth might be much more complex than everyone thought, or it could be much simpler.
Actually, the truth was just as the historical records said. But it had been simplified to just a few sentences.
Just like other, more important characters that perished, at the end of the episode, a grave number was shown followed by a flashback reel showing images of this character as he journeyed through different times.
However, Fang Zhao's focus wasn't on this. All those before had been acting according to other people's requirements in the script. The three-minute accompaniment piece at the end of this episode was what he really wanted to tell everyone.
Gentle orchestra music carrying a sense of thickset mood, apparently like a gale of wind originating from a high mountain. Flitting across the cold snowlands and desolate wilderness, passing through serene forests, through the quiet, long night, and pushing past the patter of spring rain and penetrating the thorny and rugged undergrowth of life.
The sound of a trumpet was like a fierce breeze streaking across the ears. Within the wind, it seemed like there was someone unhurriedly trying to say something.
Along the gradually forceful bugle cries and layered notes of a zither, that gale of wind seemed to climb hills full of green, break through the murky daybreak, fly past the clouds, and then slowly meet light...
In front of the screen, Fang Zhao had a relieved smile in his eyes.
In "Founding Era," all other music concerning this Fang Zhao had been expressed by other composer's sentiments. What Fang Zhao himself wished to tell everyone was in these last three and a half minutes.
A long, long time ago, when the world was still peaceful, I once thought that when I grew old, with white and grey on my temples, I would be watching flowers bloom in front of my lawn or I would have friends and family by my side making light chat over creative works and watching time pass by.
Unfortunately, what came were hails of bullets, smoke and explosions, and danger and difficulties. What we faced were destruction and ruins, broken limbs, seas of blood, and mountains of corpses.
During that time period, the gods that people believed in never showed mercy. Fate was already fixed, so how could we struggle?
I wasn't born brave.
In this life of mine, I was once bewildered and lost. I once abandoned myself to despair. But finally, in this bloody purgatory, I woke up.
Under the apocalypse, defying the natural order and fighting. Puerile people would ultimately end up as cannon fodder. The world was a battlefield. The battlefield was how us people who existed during the Period of Destruction saw and experienced the world.
Anguished wailing, rallying cries. Exhausted till we became numb, in our eyes, innocence completely faded away. There was no path of retreat, only advancing forward. Attack, counterattack, again and again.
People who existed during the Period of Destruction would always be pushed along by fate.
In our darkness and despair, we found a path. We hoped that the end point we pursued would be bright and warm, hoped that we could endure till the day we could see sunlight break through the clouds and shine down.
Fortunately, the path we walked was the right one.
In this life of mine, I was once ordinary, and I was also once splendid.
I have walked through ruins, grasslands, snow-capped mountains, and forests. My footprints can be found throughout Yanzhou.
I have gone through the cruelest times and experienced the difficulty of fighting against fate. I have gone through the uninhibited ups and downs of life, experienced great joy and sorrow, and arrived at the pinnacle of life.
Ultimately, everything returns to silence.
All the unyielding sorrow, all the extraordinary iron blood has passed. All hardships and difficulty and joy and happiness have been diluted by time. In the end, the complete chaos was dissolved inside history.
All the grand thrills and dangers I have experienced, all these great changes, only I would know about them myself.
However, that is enough.
I never dreamed of striving for merit, and I have never felt unwilling.
The fight has already ended. Souls have already found peace. Soil dyed with blood has already putrefied and sunk into the underground. New life absorbs this nutrition and grows on this land.
I have seen the rising sun, it's expansive rays lighting up the earth!
I have seen countless people in front of graves, swearing oaths and saluting!
I have seen the Founding Era. I have seen sunlight illuminating the new starting point. I have seen the brilliant world outside the battlefields!
Now, I have returned to this place and let go of the heart that is finally tranquil. Together with the old friends I once had, my heart will be content with the setting sun and the afterglow following that, to be within the dust of the graves.
No regrets for this life!
The music wasn't what everyone had imagined. It wasn't bleak sorrow or regretful bewailing for the martyr not being able to achieve his great goal in his declining years.
The tranquil music notes carried a truly magnificent momentum formed over time and experience!
A legendary sound, calming and extensive!
For this episode, at the end was a segment of a real historical scene.
Inside the newly constructed Cemetery of Martyrs, two rows of people adorned with star epaulets on their shoulders were bearing a coffin.
An already aged Wu Yan solemnly draped three flags over the coffin: the flag of the 5th Corps, the continent flag of the newly established Yanzhou, and the new alliance flag.
"Fang Zhao (???-Period of Destruction year 99), first commanding officer of the 5th Corps..."
The words on the grave gradually grew fainter.
In the main hall at the cemetery's public worship area, a tall and looming ash-colored sculptured stood under the setting sun, staring fixedly at a faraway place.
This episode was also the last episode in season nine of the Yanzhou chapter of "Founding Era."
Fang Zhao soundlessly exhaled.
He had written this tune to tell everyone three things: I have seen it all, I don't regret this life, and I'm still here.
What he had let go of was the heart of Fang Zhao that had belonged to the Period of Destruction. The heart that belonged to the Fang Zhao of the New Era was still beating as per usual.
In the musical score, what the latter part expressed was veiled and ambiguous, so much so that when Mo Lang had been examining the scoresheet, even if he had heard a clear sentiment of remembrance, he would only have thought that the music was specifically planned to highlight it.
"Sigh!"
Sitting beside Fang Zhao, Great-Grandfather Fang sighed heavily. He pulled out a piece of tissue paper, wiped his nose, dabbed at his tears, and sighed once more. The old fella did not know what he was feeling now. In the past, he had always felt that this commander that had perished right before the dawn of the Founding Era had been unlucky and pitiful, but knowing his great-grandson had taken on this role, Great-Grandfather Fang had had even more sentiments about this role, this historical character, and had felt that this person was really pitiful. But right now, he had no idea why his past feelings of pity and regret seemed watered down.
Two minutes later.
Great-Grandfather Fang finally returned to his senses and started to browse the internet for comments. This was something he had to do every time he watched the latest episode.
On the official social platform for the Yanzhou chapter of "Founding Era," the comments section below the latest update was extremely lively.
"A legendary founder, a poetic saga of a person!"
"Everyone dies someday, but not everyone can leave behind a legacy. Every person that can start a blaze in the long rivers of time burns their mark in history."
"Originally, I was feeling rather downcast and felt even more gloomy after watching it, but when listening to the blare of the trumpet, I suddenly felt a strength like I just wanted to start running."
"At the scene right at the end at the graves, the accompaniment's snare drums sounded as if they were in sync with the scene's march."
"This accompaniment music is too awesome. Although it was moderate, it was also majestic. I felt incomparable melancholy listening to it, yet I also felt all sorts of weird sentiments."
"It was like watching an old man recalling his entire life's experiences."
"There are also different standards when it comes to epics. The accompaniment piece at the end of this episode will surely be ranked highly even if it is placed in a 'Founding Era' music compilation. It's just too bad that the end credits don't show any information about the composer of this tune."
"I didn't pay attention to the music, I was just feeling deeply rueful. The stormy life of Old Fang came to an end as he left accompanying his comrades. Sigh, the cost of peace is so high!"
"I'm bawling my eyes out. How could he have perished in battle! He even didn't get to see the Founding Era!"
"He was great, and he wouldn't have had any regrets. I'm guessing Old Fang's sentiments were probably like this: What Founding Era, what great generals? Whatever happens, it is just my fate."
"This was a really great person who gave his all to humanity! A hero everyone has to respect!"
"Old Fang might have lost his life, but it was full of glory!"
"I beg to differ. Old Fang's life might be full of glory, but he still died too early!"
"Old Fang really never looked for a wife? And he didn't leave behind any children?"
"Cough, Old Fang looked up, sighed, and said, 'In my life, the more beautiful something is, the more it shouldn't be touched'."
"As the apocalypse descended, Old Fang stared up at the sky and hissed, 'I will not take a wife, have offspring, fight for authority, or become a great general. I will fight whoever there is to fight and will only rest when I die!'"
"Old Fang said, 'Everyone dies in the end. I fight for the common people! Even when my light has dimmed and my gas is running low, even when I have one foot in the coffin, I will offer my blood!'"
"Lying alone in his coffin, Old Fang calmly said, 'Someone asked me what my feelings were, being the only one among the twelve leaders to take my leave. However, what I see is not loneliness or misery but rather the surging momentum of the vast ocean and the glittering sky full of stars!'"
"Old Fang said..."
The hotly discussed comments section was swept with a wave of "Old Fang said."
Fang Zhao, as he saw this bunch of online drama queens: "..."
I never said all this! Stop talking nonsense!