Chapter 7 The knight was already a stunning figure back then.

The next morning, Cong Ying packed the carriage and prepared to take Ah He out of the city to Xuandu Temple.

When he was about to go out, he met his mother, Mrs. Zhao. She was holding his younger brother's hand. In his arms, he was holding a new-style mohele that he had just bought from a peddler, as well as a small deerskin drum with a clear sound.

Ah He was attracted by the sound of drums and lifted the curtain to look outside. When Mrs. Zhao saw that it was the two of them, she stopped.

"Why are you going out again?" asked Mrs. Zhao.

Cong Ying said, "Ah He had a headache last night. I took her to see the Master of the Crimson Cloud Crown."

Mrs. Zhao saw some other things piled in the carriage and couldn't help but sigh. "The court has stopped your grandfather's salary, and the eldest son's family is raising money to buy an official position for Dalang. The money in the mansion is only coming in but not going out. You gave a lot of money to offerings in the past. You should be more careful in the future."

Cong Ying's long eyelashes drooped slightly, and she didn't say anything for a long time.

In fact, there was nothing valuable in it. There was a box of enlightenment books she had copied by hand to give to the little nuns in the temple, and some winter coats made from old clothes that had been washed and made into new ones. If they were piled up, they would be eaten by insects and ants.

I never thought a small deerskin drum would be worth that much.

But Congying did not argue with her mother. She only promised softly, "I won't do that again."

Mrs. Zhao said, "Go early and come back early, and tell the driver to drive carefully."

Cong Ying responded again, and then he urged the carriage to leave the mansion and rush to the city gate.

The mountain road was covered in mist. Ah He saw Cong Ying frowning and ignored him, so he asked her carefully, "Is it because Mom was wrong that you are angry?"

Zong Ying came back to his senses, smiled with relief, and said, "I was just thinking about how to make a small deerskin drum."

Ah He opened his eyes wide when he heard this.

Just now she liked the drum in her brother's hand, but she didn't dare to say it, for fear that her mother would be angry and her sister would be embarrassed.

"Let's go ask Aunt Jiangxia," Ah He shook Cong Ying's sleeve, "She can make roasted chestnuts, so she must be able to make deerskin drums too!"

Cong Ying and the Lord of the Jiangxia Crown met in Xuzhou.

After the old censor Jiang was demoted to Xuzhou, Cong Ying's father, the second master of the Jiang family, resigned from his official position and went to serve him. Later, due to depression, he died of illness in Xuzhou.

The mother was so sad that she could only take care of her newborn brother and accidentally lost her little sister.

The mother did not dare to leave her younger brother behind to look for someone, and the servants she hired were busy with their own careers and could not do their best, so Cong Ying had to go out and look for someone by herself.

The ten-year-old girl was already eye-catching, so Cong Ying deliberately smeared her face with yellow and black patches, burned her hair, changed into the servant's old clothes, and began to look for her younger sister along the narrow alley where she was abducted.

She found out that the gambler Hou San had stayed here more than an hour ago. After thinking for a moment, she resolutely walked towards the black gambling house.

As she walked, she was thinking about how to sneak into the gambling house to find Hou San. Unexpectedly, as soon as she turned into the alley of the gambling house, she saw flames and black smoke rising into the sky. Many people rushed out of the gambling house in panic, and were caught by the soldiers guarding outside like birds in a net.

She heard Hou San yelling, "The gambling house is afraid of being caught, so they set off their gunpowder! Run! Run!"

Cong Ying asked anxiously, "Where is the little girl you just kidnapped?"

Hou San subconsciously turned back to look at the gambling house, then turned back to scold Cong Ying: "Nonsense! I haven't seen any little girls!"

Congying looked around at the officers and soldiers in panic, asking them to go into the gambling house to rescue the people. Naturally, the officers and soldiers refused, thinking she was in the way, and pushed her, causing Congying to fall to the ground.

All her emotions were tightly grasped by her lost little sister. She got up and rushed to the gambling house. The billowing smoke choked her and she simply closed her eyes. As a result, she bumped into someone's arms in two steps.

The fire was golden, the smoke was black and gray, but a corner of scarlet light passed before my eyes.

It turned out to be the third young master Xie who was supposed to be far away in Yunjing.

Congying recognized him, but he did not recognize Congying.

His voice had become very sharp: "Are you using your brain as a gambling chip? Running in when it's on fire?"

Cong Ying said urgently, "I'm looking for my little sister! A three-year-old girl!"

The burnt beam fell down and was kicked away by Xie Xuanlan. Someone nearby shouted, "Third Young Master, please stop meddling in other people's business. This disaster is already serious enough!"

Xie Xuanlan said, "Before the fire started, I actually saw a little girl."

Cong Ying asked: "Where is it?"

Xie Xuanlan grabbed Cong Ying by the back of her collar to prevent her from running inside. He said with a smile, "Little beggar, how about you call me the Blood Blade Shadowless Hero and I'll help you find someone?"

Cong Ying almost knelt down to him: "Master Blood Blade Shadowless Guest, please—"

Before he could finish his words, a scarlet figure flashed past, and he had already turned and rushed into the sea of ​​fire. The attendant cursed softly and turned back. Knowing that he was of noble status, although he wanted to rely on him, he did not dare to do so completely. He gritted his teeth and rushed in.

It was scorching hot and stuffy, and the heat wave almost knocked her out instantly.

Someone suddenly grabbed my wrist and said, "Found it, this way!"

Cong Ying struggled to open her eyes and saw a small light purple ball in Xie Xuanlan's arms. It was the dress she had chosen for her younger sister this morning.

The young man drew his knife and chopped off the bolt of the back door. He threw Ying out like a chicken, then threw his younger sister to her, and she fell into her arms.

The roof beams collapsed with a loud bang, and Zong Ying's heart nearly jumped out of her throat as she shouted, "Thank you... Hero Blood Blade Shadowless Guest!"

It wasn't until he saw the red figure jump out that he breathed a sigh of relief.

Xie Xuanlan put away his knife with a cool and neat motion. He was just laughing at the attendant who had crawled out in a panic and was rolling on the ground to put out the fire when he suddenly heard the little beggar's urgent cry: "Little sister, little sister! Wake up!"

He turned around and saw that the child had his eyes closed, as if he was dead.

The officers and soldiers gathered around to put out the fire and were about to rush to the back door. He grabbed the little beggar and said, "Hurry up, or you'll be arrested as a gambler!"

Congying hugged her younger sister tightly, and hurriedly followed him out of the courtyard and across the streets. Seeing that she could no longer run, Xie Xuanlan threw her younger sister to the servants, picked her up, and ran all the way to the canal at the base of the city wall before stopping.

After bringing back my little sister who had passed away from Ying, I didn't know what to do and could only cry.

Xie Xuanlan washed the dust off his face with the running water from the canal. Seeing the little beggar crying sadly, he just sighed and waved goodbye.

"The Bloody Sword Shadowless Hero!"

Xie Xuanlan's footsteps stopped again.

The attendant was so anxious that he almost jumped up from the spot: "Third Master, you have done your best. That person is hunting you all over the city!"

Cong Ying swallowed back her tears and said, "My little sister is not dead yet, her body is soft!"

Hearing this, Xie Xuanlan turned around and asked Cong Ying, "Someone is chasing me. Do you dare to follow me out of the city to find a doctor?"

Cong Ying nodded hurriedly: "I dare!"

Congying followed the two men, hiding in a hay cart and escaping Xuzhou City. Xie Xuanlan traded a gold-inlaid jade pendant for two horses from a passing caravan, and took Congying all the way to the Taoist temple outside the city.

In the Taoist temple, Cong Ying first met the nun Jiangxia.

She traveled here and met Xie Xuanlan on the way. Now that Xie Xuanlan came to find her, it didn't seem like they had any grudge against each other, but as if they were old friends.

Nun Jiangxia took the little sister from Ying's arms and looked at Xie Xuanlan with a smile: "Didn't you say that I'm a liar and you can't stand being with me for even a moment?"

Xie Xuanlan said, "I can't stand you, but it's better for these two little beggars to follow you as a fortune teller than to beg for food everywhere."

He took two pears from the offering plate, put one in his arms, and threw the other to Congying, calling out to her, "There's water at the wellhead, go wash your face."

Cong Ying didn't move.

She knew that the Jiang and Xie families were already at odds with each other, and she didn't dare let Xie Xuanlan recognize her identity. She just lowered her head and hid behind the female priestess Jiangxia.

"Little ungrateful bastard." Xie Xuanlan scoffed, raised the knife in his hand, and said goodbye gracefully: "I'm leaving. See you later."

Before walking out of the mountain gate, he turned into the kitchen and took away two meat buns.

Cong Ying watched his figure disappear around the corner of the mountain gate, then turned around and waited intently for the Lord of the Crimson Cloud Crown to treat his younger sister's injuries.

The Master of the Crimson Cloud Crown cleaned the dust from the little sister's mouth and nose, laid her flat on the stone platform to breathe, and used talisman water to clean the burns on her body. After about half an hour, the little sister's breathing gradually became normal. Cong Ying cried with joy and knelt down to kowtow to the Master of the Crimson Cloud Crown.

The Lady of the Crimson Cloud Crown helped her up: "Don't be happy yet, she has hit her head and has suffered hardships ahead."

She said, "This little girl's fate is too weak and too dangerous. The misfortune she suffered in her childhood was destined. You have gone to great lengths to save her this time. Although you have temporarily changed her fate, you will face countless difficulties in the future, and it will also affect your own fate. Unless you leave her with me, we will never see each other again in this life."

Cong Ying was stunned: "I feel anxious when I don't see my little sister for a day, how can I not see her for a lifetime?"

The little sister reached out to her hazily, mumbling, "Sister, it hurts, sister, candy string..."

Cong Ying's heart was broken when she heard that.

The younger sister was born smart. As soon as she reached the age of understanding, she remembered that her elder sister liked to eat candy strings. When Jiang's father placed the coffin and opened the door to welcome guests, she heard the peddler's hawking voice and hurried out.

She had no money, and was babbling as she pointed at the candy strings on the peddler's shoulder pole. Hou San, a gambler who had lost a lot of money, saw how cute she was and cheated her out of the candy string he bought for a penny.

Cong Ying held her little sister's flailing hand, took off the candy stuck on the corner of her sleeve and put it in her mouth, tears falling down her face.

She hugged her little sister tightly and said, "Don't be afraid, I won't abandon you."

Seeing this, the Crimson Cloud Crown Lady sighed. She hated to see the little girl suffer, so she counted on her fingers for Cong Ying and said, "Since you'll be returning to Yunjing someday, if you have a headache or a fever, you can find me at the Xuandu Monastery on Qinglu Mountain outside the city."

Her words came true. Half a year ago, the emperor suddenly appointed her grandfather to a new position, and her family returned to Yunjing.

Cong Ying was reciting the past, lost in thought all the way until the carriage stopped in front of the mountain gate and her little sister pulled her sleeve, only then did she wake up.

She hid the gold-inlaid jade pendant that she was stroking in her palm back into her sleeve, lifted the curtain, and saw the owner of the Jiangxia Crown and several young female nuns waiting for her at the mountain gate, as if they had known that she was coming to visit.

Cong Ying couldn't help but laugh and said, "Aunt, thank you for coming here. Have you figured out my whereabouts again?"

Jiangxia looked at her and saw the golden light of the mountain mist floating on her green hair, like a branch of burning osmanthus blown open by the wind. Although there was deep sorrow in her eyes, her face was bright and she couldn't help feeling infinite emotion in her heart.

With the blessing of the Three Pure Ones, the old friends in my dreams remain the same as before.

He jumped out of the car from Ying and greeted the young nuns one by one.

These little nuns were either abandoned babies or orphans, all of whom were adopted by the head of the Jiangxia Nunnery and followed her to cultivate health and practice Taoism. Because Congying often came to Xuandu Temple to accompany her and bring some fun, they all liked Congying very much.

After the meeting, the nuns helped the driver to move the things out. The head of the Jiangxia Nunnery took the hand of the younger sister Ah He and asked her about her recent situation. Then she said to the others, "I am going to take Ah He to the monastery to burn incense and give acupuncture. Please do not disturb me."

Cong Ying and all the female priests responded in unison.

The nuns were to study with their senior sisters in the morning, and after spending half an hour with Congying, they all left reluctantly. Only the older senior sister Yiyun heard the news and came over, holding a copy of the Huainanzi. She said to Congying, "I've been waiting for you. I have some questions about the meaning of the text and would like to ask you. Let's talk while we walk."

Today, the Taoist temple is deserted with pilgrims, which makes the autumn colors even more profound. Walking along the side hall towards the back mountain, the ground is covered with frosted leaves like fire, a different color of deep red and light blue.

Senior Sister Cong Ying and Sister Yiyun walked together, one in a plain jacket and the other in a light purple gauze veil, like celestial fairies untainted by dust among the autumn trees.

"…The character 'wei' in 'shihu ke wei' doesn't mean 'following'. It's a character from the Chu State, with 'wei' on top and 'shao' on the bottom. This character means to trample on. It means that if one's heart is pure and innocent, it is powerful enough to subdue a hungry tiger."

Cong Ying was talking while holding a book, when suddenly her eyes fell on a Chinese tallow tree.

The Chinese tallow tree is planted near the mountain pavilion, and it looks quite majestic. The leaves on the top are as red as a vermilion crown, while the thick branches at the bottom are still lush green. Many wooden plaques for praying are hung on it, and the tassels intertwine and jingle when the breeze blows.

Cong Ying stopped and stared at the tallow tree in a trance, saying, "I feel like I've seen this scene before somewhere. It's strangely familiar."

Senior Sister Yiyun said, "It was originally an ordinary Chinese tallow tree. About half a year ago, a pilgrim hung a poem on the tree. Somehow, word spread, and many people came to join in the fun, so the tree was decorated to its present appearance."

Cong Ying went forward to take a look and soon found the first one hung up among the wooden signs, "Autumn Terrace Crying Orchid".

Orchids cherish their color and are planted on high platforms.

The lingering love arouses jealousy, and insects and ants cling to the fragrance.

The west wind blows, and the lonely shadow sways in the cold.

I regret that I have not yet grown wings to chase the autumn wild geese in the frost.

Senior Sister Yiyun commented: "This poem is well-written. Although it has an ancient charm, it is not outstanding."

Cong Ying said, "Literati and poets who write about orchids always praise their purity and inaccessibility, but this person is different."

She carefully examined the handwriting on the wooden sign, leaned in to sniff the lingering fragrance, and said with certainty, "It's a girl."

As she spoke, she casually flipped through the poems around her, smiled bitterly, and shook her head: "These people don't understand her. She definitely doesn't seek the favor of her lover... She must be in a difficult situation and have nowhere to turn to, so she sighs."

Yiyun asked, "Then what did she ask for?"

Cong Ying said, "I don't know, maybe she is also confused about this."

Yiyun smiled and said, "It's rare to see you so interested. Do you want to write a poem? The charcoal pencils are in the pavilion."

Cong Ying actually walked into the pavilion and picked up the wooden sign and charcoal pencil.

She just wrote:

Since I have created such a beautiful garden, how can I be content to be just like the weeds?

The autumn wind brings blessings, and the high platform adds to the fragrance.

Peaches and plums wither in the dust, and insects and ants die every morning and evening.

The autumn wild geese fly away to avoid the cold, but I also envy the birds' proud demeanor against the frost.

The author has something to say:

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The author's level does not represent the heroine's level. The author's poetry skills are limited. Please use your imagination and pretend to be very powerful [Namaste][Namaste][Namaste]