Yangzhou Three

The steady sound of bells rang out, and the air was faintly filled with the smell of incense. Under the glazed tiles covered with a veil of sunset, monks in plain robes entered the hall in an orderly manner, preparing for the day's evening classes.

After a moment, the sound of chanting slowly enveloped the main hall of Dayin Temple.

Behind the temple, far from the incense and bustle, a young monk diligently swept fallen leaves beneath the shade of a tree. A faint glow of sunset filtered through the worn window lattice, illuminating the gray robes of the man inside.

On the bed in the room, a handsome man with a pale face frowned slightly, with a faint blue between his eyebrows and sweat on his forehead. The quilt was stained slightly red, and through his clothes, one could see the white cloth wrapped around his chest, which was slightly bleeding.

"I knew you were up to no good by coming here on your own initiative. How dare you bring someone like this to this peaceful Buddhist temple?" The handsome monk brushed off the dust he had just collected from bringing someone in, pointing angrily at the girl in a lotus-colored dress standing by the bed. "Qi Ruoyu, you've become so bold out there that you even dare to meddle in the affairs of the imperial court."

Aruo wrung out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off the person on the bed. He turned around and glanced at the monk, "Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda. Even Buddha wouldn't bother with me. What are you yelling about, Yiyuan?"

"Is that the point?" The monk was none other than Master Yiyuan, the acting abbot of Dayin Temple and a renowned Zen master in Yangzhou. Yiyuan, unperturbed by his usual composure, pounded the chipped tabletop with a fierce expression. "This man was stabbed, and the cut was so clean, it must have been done by an expert. The poison was so potent, even I have no idea what was going on. There must be some conspiracy behind this. It's him, and the officials, who are the real killers! You're so lucky, you just casually saved him, and now you've gotten yourself into trouble, and see how you end up!"

Aruo was suffocated by the criticism. Did she like saving people? You know, saving people can be a minor matter for Mr. Fu or a major one for Li Gouzi, but if that person is Su Zirui...

"Lord Su has saved me both in the capital and in Sizhou. I will feel guilty if I don't see him die." Aruo was also in a difficult situation. The person behind the scenes must not be a good person to have hurt Su Zirui like this.

"If you have any conscience, don't put her here." Yiyuan was most annoyed that she had dragged her to his house. Everyone knew that Yangzhou was the Qin family's territory, so why didn't she take her home? Glancing at the man on the bed with a pale face but still handsome, Yiyuan smiled coldly, "You chose a temple full of monks instead of a golden house to hide your lover?"

Speaking of this, Aruo felt guilty and twisted the handkerchief in her hand, "I'm afraid of causing trouble for my senior brother and Shuangshuang."

"Aren't you afraid of causing trouble for me?" Yiyuan said angrily. Is it easy for him to make a living with a group of bachelor brothers?

"If you had told me earlier that it was not advisable to go out today, I wouldn't have come to Dayin Temple to save someone?" Aruo threw the wet handkerchief over and growled back righteously, "Besides, haven't you been secretly communicating with the abbot of the imperial temple in the capital for a long time?"

That person is the imperial tutor that the current emperor highly values. Aruo raised his eyebrows knowingly, "You have a backer too, why don't you go and ask around."

She gasped in anger, and Yiyuan couldn't help but raise his hand and hit her. "After years of wandering around, you can't even speak anymore? You're talking nonsense, how can you call it collusion? It's collusion!"

There was a moment of silence. Aruo raised an eyebrow and looked at him expressionlessly. Yiyuan touched his smooth head awkwardly and said, "Hmm...it doesn't seem quite right."

"The pot calling the kettle black." Aruo sneered, "Are all the believers in Yangzhou City fools? They actually praise an uneducated person to the sky."

"Shut up." He glared at her fiercely and returned to his original question resignedly, "Who is this person?"

The official token was soaked in blood and the name could not be seen clearly, but this person's temperament was not like that of an ordinary minor official, and he was too young. Yiyuan filtered out the new upstarts in the court.

"The Minister of Justice, Lord Su Zirui, one of the Four Masters of the Capital." Aruo threw the handkerchief back into the basin, and without caring that the water in the basin was turning slightly red, she sat down next to him.

"Su Wenyuan, the son of that old fox Su Qing?" Yiyuan was a bit surprised. After all, even if this second-generation official offended someone, he wouldn't be subjected to such a cruel punishment. Moreover, Su Qing was the main force of the civil officials in the court. If they wanted to touch his only son, they would have to consider the consequences. "Are there any major cases recently?"

With blank eyes, Aruo shook her head honestly. She was not as aware of this as Yiyuan. Zhiyi watched Yiyuan frown and mutter the names of some officials, and Aruo's thoughts drifted away.

In just eight years, a swindler had become the second-in-command of the most prestigious temple in Yangzhou. Judging from the abbot's weak appearance when walking, it seemed that his promotion to the top position was not far away.

When it comes to the acquaintance between Aruo and Yiyuan, the word "bad fate" is not enough to describe it, it is simply a disaster.

That year, she had just arrived in this dynasty, desperate to return home. Then, in her naive youth, she met him. Believing all monks to be as omnipotent and insightful as those in novels, Aruo, seeking guidance, was tricked into revealing nearly his entire life story by Yiyuan. Unbeknownst to him, he was a habitual liar. Having learned Aruo's secrets, Yiyuan, still a fake monk, used him to exact his revenge. However, Aruo, educated in modern times, refused to be exploited and turned against him. Trapped in a renowned mountain stronghold in the northwest, the two forged a life-and-death friendship amidst the perils of life and death (incorrectly).

Yiyuan knew the strangeness of Aruo's soul coming to the current dynasty.

Aruo knew that Yiyuan was a cruel person who killed his father and many others.

Each of them has a fatal secret about the other, but coincidentally, neither of them has any evidence. In this way, knowing each other's true nature and mastering the most hidden secrets of each other's lives, without any need for concealment, the two of them actually have the closest connection in the world.

With a bang, he was hit on the forehead. Aruo came to his senses and saw Yiyuan looking unhappy.

"Have you lost your soul? I'm seriously thinking of a solution. You should at least put on a thoughtful expression." Yi Yuan couldn't stand her dull look. "Your ancestors must have been blessed that you didn't get murdered outside."

Touching his forehead, Aruo curled his lips and said, "I don't even know if my ancestor was born yet. I don't even know what you're talking about, so what can I think? There are so many twists and turns here. You might as well wake him up quickly. Lord Su comes from an official family, so he might have a solution."

Yiyuan was choked by her words and his face fell. "Forget it, let's wait for him to wake up and find someone to detoxify him first."

If all else fails, he'll send a letter to the capital today to inquire about the recent events. Su Qing's only son is seriously injured and missing; someone with that temperament wouldn't tolerate this. Yiyuan pondered, silently calculating the time it would take to go back and forth.

"Oh?" Aruo was shocked. "You don't know how to detoxify?"

"Who told you that I can detoxify?" Yiyuan responded with an even more shocked expression.

"Didn't you say that mother was the disciple of the Medical Saint? Didn't you learn something?" Aruo remembered that he had boasted a long time ago. Although the Medical Saint was a legend from decades ago, since he was related to the Medical Saint, he should be able to detoxify.

"That's my mother! Do you think medical skills can be inherited through blood?" Yiyuan looked down on her, "Or will it be possible to learn medical skills from birth without a teacher thousands of years from now?"

"What should I do?" Aruo was dumbfounded. Yiyuan had learned some basic skills from his late mother, and she'd been fooled into thinking he'd met a master. Who knew it was all a lie? Damn it, knowing he was a repeat offender, why did she still have a glimmer of hope for him just because they were friends?

"Go find a doctor." Yiyuan said matter-of-factly, wiping away her silly expression with a palm. "You should change your composure. Oh, and be careful not to reveal the truth. Who knows how many people are out there looking for his whereabouts."

Aruo raised her eyes and glared at him. She was still aware of this.

"Also," Yiyuan said cautiously, remembering something, "don't run around. Several families have come to the temple to listen to Buddhist teachings, and two of them are from official families. I don't know if they are friends or foes. If this matter isn't handled properly, it will affect the entire system. If we really mess with someone we shouldn't mess with, the Qi and Qin families won't be able to escape either."

Aruo understood that he intended to intimidate her, but she also knew the seriousness of the matter. She nodded and watched him open the door and leave with satisfaction.

After leaving the room, Yiyuan heard the sound of chanting coming from the main hall. He sighed and frowned slightly.

That girl is always absent-minded, and she definitely wouldn't care unless it was something serious. How could it be just a life-saving favor that made that cold-hearted guy go through so much trouble to save her?

"What a hassle."

She wrung out the handkerchief again and wiped his hands clean. The purple fingertips made Aruo feel uncomfortable. "They are such beautiful hands. Who hurt you, Su Feng... Please don't let it be that person..."

Sizhou was trapped by Su Zirui and Yanhong was protected by him. That person probably wouldn't let it go. Aruo saved him partly because she was afraid that she was the cause of his injury. This thought made her feel particularly uncomfortable.

Lying beside his bed, Aruo stared at his face in a daze. She couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke his eyebrows. "So handsome... Su Feng, when you're not being sarcastic, your appearance is worthy of the title of the Four Sons of the Capital."

Unfortunately, the man's eyes were either indifferent or sarcastic, cold and unpleasant. It was better to close my eyes, at least I could see.

Her cool fingertips touched his pursed lips, and the corners of his lips lifted slightly. He must be a man who loves to smile. His lips were soft and kissable... His hot breath warmed her fingertips, and inexplicably made her ears feel hot.

Suddenly remembering the first artificial respiration in his life, his fingertips pulled back as if burned. Aruo coughed lightly and turned away. "Wake up, Qi Ruoyu, you have been baptized by countless young men, your mind can't be so unstable."

He is good-looking, but he has a bad personality and a troubled background. He is not someone you can just flirt with and play with, so forget it.

The person on the bed suddenly frowned and uttered confused mumblings with a painful expression. Frightened, Aruo quickly leaned over and said, "Su Feng, what's wrong with you? Your forehead is so hot, do you have a fever?"

As if someone in a nightmare suddenly reached out and grabbed the wrist that was touching his forehead, with such force that Aruo cried out in pain, "It hurts, Su Feng!"

His tightly closed eyes opened slightly, with a blank look in his eyes, his sight wandering without focus. After a moment, he closed them again, but his brows relaxed slightly. His grip on Aruo weakened, but his hand unconsciously pinched her wrist.

"What do you think of my wrist?" Aruo twitched it unhappily, and found that the force had increased again. She didn't move, and the force was reduced again. Aruo looked suspicious, "I have reason to suspect that you are pretending to be unconscious."

Of course this is also a joke. The person is lying right in front of him, and Aruo can still tell whether he is pretending or not.

She resigned herself to her fate by sitting on the footrest beside the bed, lying on the edge of the bed, letting him hold her wrist. After a moment's thought, she placed her other hand on the back of his hand in frustration, determined to pull her wrist, which was already slightly red, back if he tried to force it.

"Cai Xin, I wonder if you've found Qin Zhi? Hurry and find a doctor. Otherwise, what if the fever continues and damages his brain? This dynasty is so backward... Oh, no, Su Feng, I'm not cursing you. I'm just worried. I'll still send you the Rebirth Mantra."

Facing that pleasing face, it was rare that this person had no power to resist. Aruo kept muttering for a long time and successfully made himself sleepy.

The starless and moonless night has a hint of summer's sultry heat. Darkness dominates everything on earth. The occasional croaking of frogs and the chirping of cicadas in the distance are intertwined. There is no noise, but the night seems quiet.

Suddenly waking from a nightmare, Su Zirui opened his eyes to a dim vision. It took him a moment to adjust to the darkness before he regained consciousness. He tilted his head and saw the girl sleeping soundly beside him. The cold moonlight shone into the room through the window lattice. Even with his good night vision, he could clearly see the girl's eyebrows and eyes.

Different from her bright sunshine-like vitality when awake, when she closed her eyes, the girl's relaxed brows were gentle, her facial features were small and delicate, and she was rare in her quietness and gentleness, so fragile that it seemed as if it would break with a little force, which made people feel soft-hearted.

The reason was that once we'd left Sizhou, it would be difficult to see each other again, and I hadn't expected the person before me to appear so suddenly. The void that had arisen when I left Sizhou was suddenly filled. Although my body still ached, the tip of my heart felt like a cat's claws had been cut, leaving a series of light marks, soft and itchy.

Her skin was warm on his fingertips and palms. She wasn't as slender as other women, nor was she plump. Her wrists looked delicate, but they were fleshy enough to be pinched. Her breath tickled his hand, and remembering her anxious expression before she passed out, Su Zirui raised his hand slightly, as if possessed by a ghost, and tapped her brow.

He tried to stand up, but felt a sharp pain in his right abdomen, and his internal energy was running wild in his body. He lowered his eyes and frowned, sighed softly, and lay relaxed on the bed.

When I made the decision, I knew those people would be aware of it, and even getting hurt was part of the plan. But I didn't expect them to be so ruthless. It's obvious that they are desperate this time. I should be angry, but...

His eyes fell on her quiet face, and his fingertips rubbed her cheek, which was red from being pressed by his arm. Su Zirui's eyes dimmed slightly, and he thought of the nagging that still stubbornly rang in his ears when he was unconscious, the voice that pierced through his nightmares. He pulled his lips weakly, and silently said the word "noisy", but his fingers rubbing the soft flesh of her wrist were extremely gentle.

In the darkness, thoughts he normally ignored took root and grew wildly, forcing him to confront them. His cold eyes, blending into the night, flashed a flicker of struggle, then turned to calculation, then relief, and finally to peace.

What woke Aruo wasn't the monks' morning prayers outside, nor the sound of sweeping the floor, but the alarming feeling of being watched. He suddenly opened his eyes and was unexpectedly plunged into a sea of ​​darkness. His still-awake mind was a blur, almost drowning in the inky blackness.

"Su Feng... Lord Su?" Aruo suddenly came back to her senses. She propped herself up and tried to touch his forehead, but half of her body was numb and painful. She almost fell on him, her forehead hitting his shoulder. "Are you awake?"

"Don't move." Su Zirui frowned and pinched her wrist, his voice hoarse with a hint of laziness from just waking up.

"I'm glad you're awake. I was so scared." Aruo moved closer to the bed and touched his forehead. She was relieved when the temperature returned to normal. Rubbing her legs, Aruo broke free from his hand and moved to the table to get a cup of tea. "Drink some water first. Even though it's cold, it will at least moisten your throat. I'll go to the kitchen and get you some porridge later. Speaking of which, I saved you again."

After swallowing hard twice to ease the dryness in his throat, Su Zirui looked at the girl who was wiping the corner of his lips with her sleeve. "I owe you again. How about... I pledge my love to you?"

His expression was serious, but what he said made Aruo feel like she was being teased. She smiled awkwardly and said, "I haven't seen you for a while. You seem to be a lot more humorous."

Su Zirui's face darkened as he remembered something. "We really can't take those who just say goodbye and disappear too seriously."

After the Sky Lantern Festival, she said goodbye and left Sizhou with the young master of the Qi family the next day. She left so quickly that Su Zirui, who had a premonition, was upset.

This tone... is a bit resentful. Ah Ruo felt inexplicably guilty, coughed lightly, and turned away while putting down the cup. "Sir, does your wound still hurt? I've asked Cai Xin to notify Qin Zhi to bring a doctor over. Just bear with it for now."

She started muttering again. Su Zirui snorted coldly and didn't bother with her.

"Ruoruo, are you there? I've called a doctor." There was a sudden knock on the door, and Qin Zhi's voice sounded outside.

"Ruoruo?" Su Zirui glanced at her and called out jokingly.

His eyes and tone made Aruo's hair stand on end for no reason. He opened the door angrily and said, "Shut up! You are not allowed to call me like that!"

"I listened to Qin Shuang and my brother-in-law talking about Ruoruo all night last night, and they didn't even allow me to call out to her?" Qin Zhi ruffled her hair as soon as he entered the room, and said with resentment.

She hadn't come home last night, and Qin Shuang and Qi Shaozhen and his wife had teamed up to nearly drive him away. Qin Zhi was furious. He'd been looking for a doctor since last night, and this heartless girl had the nerve to talk to him about it.

"Where's the doctor?" Aruo was so angry that he smoothed his hair and asked.

"Here." Cai Xin helped Aunt Song in.

"Auntie Song?" Aruo was stunned for a moment, then smiled, "Look how anxious I was, how could I have forgotten Auntie Song?"

Aunt Song is not from Yangzhou, and most people really don't think she would come to save people. Aruo gave them a thumbs up, "Well done~"

"Master Su, are you awake?" Qin Zhi greeted him in a sly manner. "Auntie, come and see him. Not only is he wounded by the sword, he's also been poisoned. Tsk tsk, even his fingernails are purple. Master Su, are you okay? Is your mind still there?"

"It's nothing compared to Young Master Qin's high-spirited and high-spirited demeanor." Su Zirui's cold eyes were devoid of any emotion.

What Qin Zhi couldn't stand the most was this man's cold and aloof appearance. He grinned and said maliciously, "Do you want me to help you up?"

Glancing at him, Su Zirui readily handed him his hand and said, "Thank you, Young Master Qin."

Qin Zhi was choked by his self-righteousness and almost couldn't react. It was only when he was urged by his eyes that he roughly pulled his hand and pulled him up.

"Young Master Qin, don't move too much. You've torn open Lord Su's wound." Aunt Song frowned and gave him a reproachful look.

Qin Zhi could feel the blaming gazes of the two girls without even turning around. He looked down and saw the man leaning against him unceremoniously. His cold eyes flashed with a sneer, "Master Su, you are too weak."

"How can a seriously injured person be compared with a healthy man?" Aunt Song had a natural sympathy for patients and was a little dissatisfied with Qin Zhi's behavior. She slapped his hand away and carefully examined the injuries on Su Zirui's body.

"That's alright, Young Master Qin is just a man of temperament." Su Zirui's face was cold and pale, his brows were a little weak, but he didn't neglect his courtesy at all, "Thank you for your help, Auntie."

"I...him!" Qin Zhi was so angry that he wanted to complain, but Aunt Song's look made him swallow it all. He couldn't help but secretly want to pinch Su Zirui's waist. "I won't bother with a sick person."

Aruo and Caixin watched their childish exchange in silence, and after confirming that Qin Zhi couldn't take advantage, they didn't bother to pay attention. After all, friendships between men can sometimes be as thin as a cicada's wing.

"Well," Aruo quietly approached Caixin, "I remember that Auntie was good at women's medicine..."

Cai Xin pursed her lips and blinked, "We are all doctors, so let's treat it as if it were a dying horse."

Seeing the gentle Su Zirui answering the old lady's questions obediently, Aruo couldn't bear to watch, "As long as he's cured... By the way, I'll go to the kitchen and serve some porridge to everyone."

"I'll go. Master Yiyuan's morning class should be over. You go and tell him that the aunt is here." Rather than communicating with the master who spoke in mysterious ways, Cai Xin preferred to go to the kitchen to serve tea and water.

Seeing her dilemma, Aruo smiled and nodded, and the two of them walked out of the room together.