Mystery of his origin

Although the Wenyuan Gathering was a grand gathering of poets and writers, many people from all over the world also came to join in the fun. Merchants, travelers, knights and swordsmen, all kinds of people from all over the world flocked to the city center of Zhangcheng. Carriages and horses from other places continued to converge in the city from the eight main roads. All the staff of the government offices were dispatched to direct the carriages day and night to barely maintain order.

The first day of the rally was extremely lively. Su Musong fell into the water yesterday and went out in the wind at night, catching a cold. He felt very depressed and had completely lost his former energy. Although he was sick, his desire to go out did not diminish at all.

"Don't go out today. Get well first."

"No, today is the first day, it's the busiest, I want to see you in the spotlight."

"You'd better stay in the inn and don't join in the fun. I just came here to see the world, not to show off."

"If your talents are not displayed at gatherings like these, wouldn't it be like walking in the night in embroidered attire?"

"Alright, Master Su, don't worry about whether you can walk at night or not. Come, take the medicine, and then have a good sleep. Work up a sweat, and maybe the cold will be cured. As for me, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay with you in this inn, okay?"

Su Musong took the medicine obediently and drank it in a few gulps.

"No, I can stay at the inn, but you must go to the rally, or I'll drag you along."

Su Musong pretended to lift the quilt and get up, but Xiao Luochen held him down and sighed helplessly.

"Okay, stay still and I'll go to the rally for you."

"good."

Seeing Xiao Luochen agreed, Su Musong finally lay back down on the bed. However, he did not fall asleep immediately. Instead, he quietly got up and watched Xiao Luochen and his entourage leave for Wenyuan Pavilion. Only then did he feel at ease and return to his bed.

He slept drowsily until noon. When he woke up, his head didn't hurt as much as in the morning, the blockage in his nasopharynx was much less, and he had more strength in his body. Seeing the bright sky outside the window, and because he was worried about Xiao Luochen, Su Musong suddenly wanted to go out and take a look.

The shops around the city center square were crowded with people. In the square, one could see the Wenyuan Pavilion, which was built specially for the gathering. It had a three-meter-high base and eight golden nanmu pillars, each the size of a two-person embrace. It was carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes, decorated with colorful gold, and had corridors winding down, giving it a magnificent and golden look.

The area around the attic was packed with people. The talented scholars were competing with each other in their writings, and those who wanted to watch the fun gathered around the attic, staring at the constantly changing bulletin board - the poems of everyone in the attic were posted on it one by one.

Su Musong, escorted by his entourage, pushed through the crowd and squeezed in front of the notice board. He heard people talking about

"This Mr. Xiao from Xiangping is truly amazing!"

"Yes, it's been two hours, and the arena is firmly defended. None of the talented people from various countries can defeat him."

"This kind of scene has rarely happened in previous years. It seems that he has a good chance of winning this year."

"It's too early to say. Master Wujie hasn't even arrived yet. Although this young master is incredibly talented, he might not be able to rival Master Wujie. Besides, there's also writing and debate involved. It's still unclear who will win."

After hearing this, the people around agreed. It seemed that this Mr. Wujie was the recognized number one talent in Zhangcheng.

Su Musong was completely indifferent after hearing this, and secretly said, "Luo Chen is better at writing and thinking than poetry. He will definitely be the champion of this competition. No matter if you have an aptitude or not, you will never be able to compare to him."

Seeing that Xiao Luochen was obedient and was showing off, Su Musong felt relieved. After pushing and squeezing in the crowd for a while, he was exhausted and had to return to a nearby teahouse to rest.

The teahouse was bustling with people of all kinds. Su Musong listened to the gossip at one table and then chatted at another, feeling quite relaxed. When the atmosphere was lively enough, he found a secluded seat and sat quietly, watching the people coming and going outside in a daze. It was quite leisurely.

A swordsman in black walked by, and the copper bell hanging from the tassel of his sword hit the token on his waist, making a crisp sound. This small collision sounded like a loud "clang" to Su Musong, making his head buzz.

He had heard this voice before, on the night eight years ago when his entire family was slaughtered.

Memories that had been deliberately forgotten came flooding back. Su Musong remembered the raging fire that night, the servants' shrill screams, his father pierced through the chest by a sword, and his mother's dying words, covered in blood: "Don't seek revenge, forget everything, and never come back."

Su Musong felt a chill rising from the soles of his feet. His body was terribly cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. Finally, he could not bear it anymore and fainted on the ground.

When Su Musong woke up again, the moon was already at its highest point in the sky.

"Okay, okay, I finally woke up."

Xiao Luochen breathed a sigh of relief. When he returned to the inn, he saw Su Musong, who was unconscious and seemed to be having nightmares. No matter what he did, he couldn't wake him up. He could only wait quietly by his bedside.

"Luo Chen, I'm scared."

Su Musong's face was pale, but his eyes were bloodshot. With tears in his eyes, he looked at Xiao Luochen pitifully, like a frightened rabbit.

Xiao Luochen had known Su Musong for many years and knew that he was fearless. He had never seen him like this before, and he panicked for a moment. He could only pat his head gently and comfort him, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we are all here. Did you have a nightmare?"

Su Musong glanced at the attendant steward and doctor standing behind him, and Xiao Luochen understood what he meant and sent everyone away.

"Luo Chen, do you still remember the first time we met?"

"I remember. You were alone in the snow, waiting for someone."

"Actually, I wasn't alone originally. My servant who was escorting me died from the cold weather and his injuries. If I hadn't met you, I'm afraid I would have frozen to death there too, never waiting for my father to come and pick me up."

Xiao Luochen knew that there must be a story behind Su Musong's life experience, but for many years, Su Musong never mentioned it, and Xiao Luochen never asked.

"You must be curious about why the son of the wealthy and well-off Anguo family ended up living on the streets like a beggar."

"Yes, I did have doubts."

"I'm not Daddy's biological son. Daddy and my biological father are good friends. Back then, my family suffered a disaster, and the servants risked their lives to protect me so I could escape and seek refuge with Daddy..."

Su Musong fell into memories, slowly talking about his life experience that he had deliberately avoided thinking about over the years, letting the tears flow unrestrainedly on his face.

Xiao Luochen was listening with tears in his eyes. He silently picked up the handkerchief and gently wiped away Su Musong's tears, but did not disturb his memories.

"I heard that sound again today."

"Could I have heard it wrong? After all, so many years have passed.

"It's been so long, and I was still very young then, that I can't remember all the details, but I'll never forget that crisp sound and that token. They were the ones who killed me."

At this point, Su Musong's eyes suddenly became fierce.

After knowing each other for many years, Xiao Luochen saw the murderous intent in Su Musong's eyes for the first time.

"What are your plans?"

"Find them and take revenge."

Xiao Luochen was a little flustered when he heard this. The murderous intent around Su Musong actually made him feel a chill.

"Mu Song, calm down. We are in another country now and don't have enough manpower. Besides, someone who can kill an entire family must be very powerful. At this moment, we should take care of ourselves and make plans later."

Xiao Luochen had never seen Su Musong like this before. He was afraid that Su Musong would do something impulsive without regard for his own safety. If he really went to find the swordsman now, it would undoubtedly be like hitting a rock with an egg.

"Don't worry, I won't act rashly. I still have a blood feud waiting for me to avenge. I will definitely live longer than them."

Su Musong wiped away the remaining tears on his face. The murderous intent in his eyes faded, but he was even more determined. Although he promised Xiao Luochen that he would not act rashly, it did not mean that he would not do anything. Some things, once started, must have a conclusion, no matter if it took ten days or ten years to wait.