Chapter 83 Old Master Weng
Chapter 83 Old Master Weng
After the Eight Treasures Banquet ended, Wang Sumo and Bai Cen washed the dishes in the kitchen.
Zhao Tong tidied up the tables and chairs and put away the stove in the small courtyard on the first floor, with Liu Che helping him.
Liu Zhaoting huddled by the fire, making final confirmations on the knife design. He was returning to Liu Village tomorrow, so he had to finalize it no matter how late it was tonight.
Old Master Weng was lounging on a stool on the second floor, admiring the moon. Looking up, he saw a bright moon, and he hadn't enjoyed the moon around the Mid-Autumn Festival in a long time. A slight smile played on his lips. Looking down, he saw Lao Qu and Zhu Yu together. Lao Qu had gone to the pass after reading a piece of paper from Zhu Weng—no, it should be Liu Zhaoting. There must have been something on that paper that Lao Qu cared about.
Lao Qu is this guy...
Grandpa Weng originally wanted to reach for the wine glass, but then remembered that he had already had two glasses that day.
He has his own principles.
One should drink no more than two glasses of alcohol per day, and no less than two glasses.
Everyone has different life beliefs.
Some are grand, some are delicate...
He recalled the Mid-Autumn Festival many years ago, when Ruan Niang poured him more wine: "A little wine is pleasant, but too much wine is harmful to the body. Two cups are pleasant and won't harm your health."
That Mid-Autumn Festival, the moonlight was just like today.
He always considered himself a refined and noble young master in the capital. Ruan Niang and he had grown up together since childhood, childhood sweethearts, but in the end, she couldn't compete with an unexpected encounter with an old man...
He couldn't understand it at the time either. How could a country bumpkin who had never even been to the capital catch Ruan Niang's eye?
Until he relentlessly harassed Lao Qu every day, he finally came into contact with Lao Qu's shabby and unadorned life...
Thinking of this, Weng He couldn't help but laugh at himself, letting out a soft sneer, but as he gently closed his eyes, his gaze was filled with warmth and tenderness.
The most deadly thing in the world is probably that you hate someone, hate their words and actions, hate their birth, hate their presence in your life, but you also start to secretly envy their broken, worthless, yet independent and unfettered life...
People are just strange sometimes.
He couldn't beat Lao Qu in horseback riding; he couldn't beat Lao Qu in fighting; and finally, he couldn't beat Lao Qu in drinking!
"Did you cheat, you son of a bitch?!" he finally snapped.
But what's most annoying is that it keeps getting all over my face. What's the point of cheating with this piece of junk?
Just when he thought Lao Qu was doing it on purpose, Lao Qu suddenly said, "If you're going to cheat, cheat on writing an article!"
It's so difficult! I can't even fit a single word into my head!
He finally realized that what he found difficult was nothing more than a piece of cake for Lao Qu; and what Lao Qu found difficult was also nothing more than a piece of cake in his mind...
He and Lao Qu are two completely different extremes.
Because of Ruan Niang, their fates became intertwined.
In the vast capital, his clan and elder brothers used him as a pawn, sacrificing him for their own family's interests in exchange for their brothers' career advancement.
He was bitten by a venomous snake in the wilderness and lay under a tree waiting to die. In his dazed state, he vaguely recalled his life. He thought he was smart, but from beginning to end, he was just a clown who failed to see anything clearly.
Just when he thought he was going to die, he vaguely saw Lao Qu's figure.
He was both amused and annoyed that he would think of Lao Qu at a time like this!
Moreover, the old man he hallucinated in his delirium immediately tore open his sleeve and sucked the poisonous blood from his arm, spitting it out the moment he saw him.
He scoffed lightly!
His own father and brother wanted to kill him, so they tricked him into coming here. In the end, the person who came to save him was Lao Qu!
These things he subconsciously hid also allowed him to see himself more clearly...
The snake venom must have started to take effect; his mind became increasingly muddled.
In his dazed state, Lao Qu carried him on his back and told him again and again, "Don't close your eyes. There's a small village ahead, and there's a doctor there. He's not a quack. Even if he's not as good as the doctors in the capital, he can cure this snake venom. Don't close your eyes!"
He chuckled lightly, "Which doctor in the capital dares to treat him?"
I'm afraid that as soon as he makes a name for himself in the capital, his family will come to see him off. Returning to the capital will be a death sentence, and there won't be any doctors there.
He was really hallucinating; Lao Qu would take him to see the village's barefoot doctor.
It's better if he dies from the treatment, but if he does, he chuckled and said, "You've made a pointless trip."
He found that he couldn't even straighten his tongue.
There was obvious worry in Lao Qu's voice, and he could sense that Lao Qu was running at full speed.
"Old Qu, don't save me, I don't want to owe you a favor..." he whispered.
Lao Qu was filled with righteous indignation: "Save your energy, talk less, and stop causing trouble!"
As if remembering something, he suddenly began to mumble incoherently, "Take good care of Ruan Niang for me..."
Old Qu suddenly stopped.
He probably never said such a thing, and Lao Qu really realized that he was preparing to die.
Old Qu calmly said, "No one will take care of anyone else. You have to do what you need to do, live your life seriously, and do it yourself!"
Old Qu is unhappy.
He was really something. In the past, he had tried every trick in the book to find fault with Lao Qu, but Lao Qu was too lazy to pay any attention to him. But this time, he didn't want to find fault with him. He just wanted to give him some advice, but he got angry at him.
A well-intentioned effort can never compare to a willow thriving unintentionally...
"Don't expect me to appreciate your kindness," he said through gritted teeth.
Lao Qu remained calm: "Just think of me as someone who just met a beggar. I saved him not because I wanted anything in return."
"You're comparing me to a beggar?" he said rudely.
"No beggar talks as much as you?" (Unfollower's comment: "You're the most talkative person I know!")
...
That night, he carried Guan on his back and sped through the night. When they finally saw the barefoot doctor, he was already delirious, only vaguely remembering that the barefoot doctor was beyond saving.
The old doctor said that he was his friend!
The money the doctor owed him for medicine will be forgiven as long as the doctor is willing to treat him.
Faced with enormous profits, the barefoot doctor took a risk.
He was also treated as a last resort by Sima.
When he woke up the next day, Lao Qu was in a good mood.
He was unhappy when he saw that Lao Qu was in a good mood, which meant that what he thought was a dream yesterday was actually real. He didn't want to owe Lao Qu any favors. He could owe anyone in the whole capital, but he didn't owe him any favors!
Just as he was about to launch a verbal attack, Ruan Niang appeared: "You're awake?"
He suddenly became reserved, and the words of scolding Lao Qu suddenly came out of his mouth.
Suddenly, Ruan Niang burst into laughter, a very happy laugh.
He didn't understand.
Old Qu handed him a bronze mirror, and he was immediately distressed after just one glance—he was no longer in mortal danger, but the remaining snake venom had swollen his head to the size of a fathead fish!
he:"……"
He finally understood why Lao Qu was in such a good mood, and he also understood why Ruan Niang couldn't help but laugh.
He reached out and pulled up the head that was being leaned against, afraid that the two of them would look at him too much, especially Ruan Niang, and also afraid that Lao Lao would make fun of him.
Ruan Niang said gently, "Hey, why are you hiding? We've been friends since we were kids, you've seen everything. Last time you got stung by a wasp..."
"Alright, alright, see?" He said helplessly, pulling off the last piece of paper.
There was a moment of silence, then the room was filled with soft voices; finally, he himself started laughing.
When his misdeeds were exposed, none of his family members came looking for him; they all hoped he would die.
Only Ruan Niang and Lao Qu were always with him.
I accompanied him back to the capital, stood with him as he confronted his father and brothers, and helped him return to the capital to reclaim what was rightfully his...
He and Lao Qu clearly disliked each other in the past, but in the end, it was Lao Qu who helped him climb out of the trough step by step, back to where he fell, and stood up again.
Although he was unwilling to admit it, Lao Qu's personal charm had won him over.
Even with Ruan Niang in between, they became not-so-"good" "brothers"...
He suddenly realized that this was actually quite good.
Even if the person Ruan Niang likes unfollows her, he will quit.
He and Lao Qu weren't friends before, so he naturally couldn't give it to him; but now Lao Qu is his brother, and he'd go to great lengths for his brother.
Those were the best years of his life, spent with Lao Qu and Ruan Niang. He realized that friendship could truly transcend love...
Lao Qu originally came to the capital to escort Ruan Niang home, but due to a series of unforeseen circumstances, he ended up staying in the capital for a long time.
One day, Lao Qu suddenly said that he had to leave because he had something very important to do.
There is no banquet that doesn't end, but for a moment he even felt that this saying was wrong.
He asked Lao Qu if he really had to leave the capital.
The trio was dismantled.
Lao Qu said that no matter whether he was in Beijing or not, the Iron Triangle was always in his heart.
He was both annoyed and amused.
But he knew that he hadn't truly become magnanimous.
Later, Lao Qu told him that he also had many things he didn't understand, but he thought that by wandering the world, he would eventually find the answers...
When Ruan Niang heard the news that Lao Qu was leaving, she was saddened. As a woman, she mustered up the courage to confess her feelings to Lao Qu, only to find out that he already had someone he loved.
Ruan Niang didn't believe it.
Old Qu said that his beloved was named Jinniang, but she had already passed away, and he could not have room for anyone else in his heart.
Ruan Niang grew up in the capital from a family of high-ranking officials. She was also very beautiful, so princes and noblemen flocked to her.
If she were to ask, even royalty could be befriend her.
However, he politely declined, and did so without any room for negotiation.
Partly out of spite, Ruan Niang married the Third Prince, whom everyone in the capital considered a good-for-nothing.
Lao Qu was originally going to leave, but Ruan Niang got married, so he had to wait until after Ruan Niang's wedding.
Weng He remembered that before the wedding, he asked Ruan Niang, "Do you really think the Third Prince is a good man, or are you just being stubborn?"
Ruan Niang kept her eyes red, but refused to lower her head.
He had a big argument with Lao Qu and they parted on bad terms.
Lao Qu even said that if you don't want her to get married, you should go to her yourself.
He didn't.
He knew that, apart from Lao Qu, it didn't matter to Ruan Niang who she married.
And so, the wedding day arrived quickly. He and Lao Qu both got completely drunk, which was good, as they could stop thinking about anything.
But no one expected that a few months after the marriage, the usually incompetent Third Prince suddenly led troops to force the palace, and the more than one hundred people in the mansion became live targets.
He and Lao Qu led Ruan Niang on a desperate escape.
But there were too many pursuers, and they couldn't escape. Finally, Lao Qu pushed the two of them aside, then looked at him and said in a deep voice, "Take Ruan Niang away..."
He knew that Lao Qu wanted someone to stay behind to hold off the pursuers.
He also knew that no matter how capable Lao Qu was, he couldn't possibly stop so many pursuers by himself.
But he did as he was told, his eyes red-rimmed, and desperately fled the capital with Ruan Niang, who refused to leave...
It feels like it just happened yesterday, yet it also feels like a lifetime ago.
He had been jealous of Lao Qu, admired Lao Qu, and also had a life-or-death friendship with him.
Youth never returns.
When we met again, it was already late in life.
Over the years, they have each experienced their own ups and downs in life. None of them have had a completely smooth journey. And time has quietly slipped away between these successes and setbacks.
He would also think of Ruan Niang, and of the time when Ruan Niang's son was born, and Ruan Niang wept with joy.
At first, he took Ruan Niang and they went into hiding. Later, Ruan Niang passed away and entrusted her son to him.
Later, Ruan Niang's son had his own daughter. In those chaotic times, following the fortune teller's advice, he raised his daughter as if she were his son, hoping only that she would be safe.
No one knew that the later royal offspring, Diaoling, the former third prince who later became the emperor, sent people everywhere to search for Ruan Niang, who was pregnant at the time and might still be alive.
Finally, they found Zhang Min here...
Min was someone he had taught since she was a child. She was well-versed in literature, history, and politics, and also had a deep understanding of court politics. He had passed on all his knowledge to her, and although she was a girl, he wanted her to have someone to rely on when she grew up.
Within the palace, danger lurks everywhere. She possesses royal blood, but she is not the only one with royal blood.
But the students he taught were just as proud and arrogant as he was, and they had their own pride. "Teacher, I want to go back and take back what is rightfully mine. Who says a woman can't be a queen? One day, I will let the whole world know that even though your students are women, they can still rule this country."
He returned to the capital with her, and together they fought their way through the treacherous political landscape, watching her disguise herself as a man and ascend to the throne in the golden palace!
He also became a powerful minister by the emperor's side, helping her secure the throne.
After her rule was secured, he submitted a petition: "This old minister is old and wishes to retire to Zhenhu Division. I humbly request Your Majesty's permission."
It is not easy for a woman to secure the throne; she must be wary of others, as well as her own people who know her identity.
Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; if he doesn't even know this, he can't teach such students.
The Emperor granted his permission.
He took his wine jug to Zhenhu Division, where he stayed for more than ten years.
He was concerned about the affairs of the court and saw that the emperor was taking things one step at a time. Whether he was by the emperor's side or not, the emperor was able to adapt and make decisions little by little.
He was relieved, and also felt it was about time to leave Zhenhu Division...
Leaving Zhenhu Division means leaving the imperial court completely.
But before leaving, the emperor secretly ordered the death of the only surviving relative of the late emperor (the emperor's grandfather) from a collateral bloodline. He knew that she knew that the little girl could not threaten her.
But once one sits on the throne, the concerns are different.
When Zhang Min returned to the capital, that girl protected her at every turn, but during the years he was away, some people stirred things up, and he didn't want Min to regret it later...
And so, he took the little girl south all the way to Shanhe Town.
The emperor was already hesitant, but he had been considerate of him all the way. Finally, in Shanhe Town, when he was sending her away after many twists and turns, he received a letter from the emperor: "Teacher, I am letting her go. Teacher, please do not interfere in court affairs anymore. Rest in peace in the martial world."
To let him live a peaceful life in the martial world meant that he should never appear in the imperial court again.
Otherwise, even if he were a teacher, she wouldn't care about saving face.
The king maintained his royal dignity, but he also considered the bond between teacher and student, allowing someone who knew his secret to leave the court...
The old man asked him what he had done over the years.
He just smiled. He couldn't have a long talk with the old man who was in the martial world, about how he had helped Min'er rise to the throne step by step; the old man probably couldn't tell him either what he had experienced in the martial world over the years, why he was clearly doing well in Kunlun before, but was later expelled from Kunlun and could no longer even use the Kunlun Palm...
People have different experiences, and their understanding and perceptions differ as well.
No one can fully empathize with another person outside of themselves.
So, he and Lao Qu could sit together fishing, awkwardly comparing who caught more fish, but they would no longer talk all night like they used to...
But they remained close friends.
Even someone as magnanimous as Lao Qu hesitated until the very last moment before arriving at the pass.
That kid Zhu Yu has something that Lao Qu wants but doesn't really want...
*
The old man took a deep breath: "Do you have news about the Kunlun thumb ring?"
Old Master Weng's temper was already eccentric enough, but Zhu Yu could clearly sense that Old Master Qu might be even more eccentric.
Zhu Yu nodded without hesitation: "That thumb ring is different from the ordinary sect leader thumb ring. In addition to the two characters 'Kunlun' engraved inside the thumb ring, the material used to make the thumb ring is of just the right quality, just like the shape of the Kunlun Mountains. So, I should not be mistaken."
The old man frowned: "Where did you see it?"
Zhu Yu took a deep breath and said truthfully, "Grandpa, do you remember me saying that I was lured into the tomb by the Su Jin lineage? That's when I saw it."
"The Kunlun thumb ring is in a large tomb?" Old Master Qu asked, puzzled.
Zhu Yu shook his head: "It wasn't a large tomb, old man. It was in the hands of someone who went down into the tomb with you."
In the hands of the tomb raider?
The old man frowned deeply. How could this be...?
[Author's Note]
This one has a weekend red envelope, sent out tomorrow at 12 o'clock. Good night.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com