Chapter 15
It's getting foggy.
There were many carriages and horses in the Ming capital.
The dilapidated houses of the humble people could not withstand the strong winds at all.
No one paid any attention when the fog rose, except that the red light at the back door of the Hong Kong Coliseum quietly turned on and the door opened, facing the messy and dirty alley.
A woman stood at the door and beckoned, "Come in and take shelter from the wind and rain. No money required."
The aroma of porridge wafted from behind the door, and someone shouted, "Don't worry, don't panic. One bowl for each person."
Then people started to come up, expressing their gratitude to the Hong Kong Coliseum for its disaster relief efforts.
After walking through the door and receiving the porridge, someone led them inside. Each person had a tattered quilt, not for its beauty, but it was indeed warm.
I don’t know what was added to the porridge cooked by the Red House, but after eating it, I no longer felt hungry. Some people knelt down to express their gratitude, while others muttered and said words to accumulate virtue.
The wind kept blowing, but the fog in the city did not dissipate, and it was all white.
So a person wrapped in cotton sat under the eaves, listening to the wind, and gradually felt sleepy.
Sleep soundly and peacefully.
The night watchman walked along the alley, beating his gong.
The red light hanging by the door went out again, the door closed quietly, and everything returned to normal.
Those who entered the door were never seen coming out again.
The fog soon dissipated.
·
Nian Qing was just feeling bored when he heard Li Shisan in the room starting to curse again.
Before he could finish his words, he said "Okay, okay" and left.
It turned out that the fire under the stove could not be lit no matter what.
Li Shisan muttered to himself for a long time. Nian Qing squatted down, seemingly fiddling with the firewood, looking nonchalant. His fingertips touched the wood in the dark, and with a scratch, a flame started.
She was too lazy to listen to Li Shisan's chanting and only replied rhetorically, "That's good. I think you're getting old and confused."
The fire crackled as the wood burned. Li Shisan wanted to argue, but was silenced again. Not knowing where to begin, he could only push Nian Qing angrily, "Get out of here, you idler! Go, go, go!"
Suddenly someone came to the courtyard to report that the leader had arrived.
Li Shisan was so frightened that he dropped the fire tongs in his hand. He quickly closed the stove door and hurried to the yard.
I don't know what happened to Nianqing, but she suddenly looked gloomy and ignored the leader. She just hid aside and showed no intention of seeing the leader.
Li Shisan's anger immediately flared up, and he was afraid that he would treat Kuishou badly. He glared at Nian Qing fiercely, then turned to bow to Gu Luoyan and said, "Li Shisan greets Master Kuishou. I hope you won't take it personally because my little chef is a little naive."
Gu Luoyan told Li Shisan not to be so polite. She turned to look at Nianqing, who was standing under the old locust tree. He had his back to her, his fingers scratching at the bark, clearly looking angry. She couldn't help but laugh.
She waved to the maids behind her to prepare the dishes. Qiu Niang directed everyone, and soon a full banquet was set up in the courtyard.
Seeing Li Shisan staring at him in amazement, Gu Luoyan personally walked over and invited Li Shisan to take a seat first. She then said to Li Shisan, "Nianqing and I have agreed on a table of fine food and wine as a thank you gift."
"Ah, when did this happen..." Li Shisan looked at this and then that, and became even more confused.
Unexpectedly, Gu Luoyan put some food into Li Shisan's bowl first: "Uncle Shisan, please do Gu Ji a favor and persuade Nian Qing not to be angry with me anymore."
"When did she become grudge against you... sir?" Li Shisan didn't dare to breathe. He looked at the food in the bowl, not knowing whether to eat it or not. He was in a dilemma.
Gu Luoyan was about to speak when Nian Qing, who was standing in front of the old locust tree, spoke up: "Li Shisan, tell her I'm not eating anymore. She lied to me and didn't tell the truth. From now on, just pretend she's never met me, Nian Qing."
"I..." Li Shisan looked at Gu Luoyan, not knowing how to say it.
"Uncle Thirteen, tell Nianqing that I was wrong. I won't do this again next time. Look, I didn't even put on rouge this time." She looked at Li Shisan and said that. Li Shisan was completely speechless. He turned to Nianqing with eager eyes and couldn't say a word.
"Then why are you still dancing like that?" Nian Qing finally turned around. The grievance was written all over her face. She lowered her head in frustration and continued, "Li Shisan, tell her I hate her the most. I won't forgive her. She's the worst."
"Nianqing, it's my fault. Look, there's your favorite braised pork. Come and eat it quickly. It will get cold soon." Gu Luoyan knocked on a dish on the table with chopsticks.
"Forgive me, please."
At that moment, Gu Luoyan seemed to see Nian Qing's unseen ear droop. She stood under the locust tree, kicking gravel and humming, "Then don't lie to me again. And don't do that dance. You, you pinky promise me."
Nian Qing had seen the younger maids play the hook trick, where they used two fingers together to resemble drawing a bow, with the little finger twisted around like a severed finger, symbolizing eternity and also a promise.
"Okay, let's make a pinky promise."
Then the person who had been making trouble under the tree just now came over skipping and wrapped his little finger around Gu Luoyan's.
She confirmed again and again: "Is it agreed?"
"It's a deal." Gu Luoyan smiled and put her thumb on hers.
"Wow, what a rich meal!" Nian Qing turned around and forgot about it, grabbing a chicken leg and starting to chew it in a good mood.
Li Shisan breathed a sigh of relief, but did not eat. Instead, he turned sideways and saw Gu Luoyan.
The woman in her gorgeous clothes had a smile in her eyes. She didn't eat, just watched, occasionally whispering, "Eat slowly, no one will snatch it from you."
Li Shisan suddenly realized something.
The high walls around them seemed to be gone, and this small courtyard was not located in a red pavilion. But it was just a farm family with some chickens and ducks. He went to the market to buy a table of food, and he and his two daughters ate and drank to their heart's content, carefree.
I……
Did I forget something...
I don't have a daughter.
He was immediately woken up by Nian Qing, who told him to eat more.
Li Shisan finally put down his chopsticks. The dish was a little cold, but the flavor was still there.
He didn't quite understand what Gu Luoyan and Nian Qing had said later, but he remembered Gu Luoyan asking Nian Qing why he hadn't seen Doctor Rongti for so long.
He tried to recall the dish but couldn't remember anything, so he just kept eating.
The girl Nian Qing glanced at him and leaned over to whisper in Gu Luoyan's ear.
What did you say?
He doesn't know.
But then he saw Gu Luoyan's face change, and then he looked up at the sky.
In the gloomy sky, seven stars were vaguely connected in a line, dimming the light.
Li Shisan couldn't eat anymore. For some reason, he felt panicky and confused, and his body was filled with chills.
It must be cold, so he packed up and asked the two of them to go into the house.
·
"Have you heard? That young brat is going to be promoted to the third rank today. I'm afraid he will have to ride on our heads and call us Lord Rong in the future." The older medical officer was chatting with the people next to him, and unfortunately he ran into the young and energetic "Lord Rong" head-on.
Rong Ti, dressed in purple, bowed to several senior medical officers, with the peacock patch on his body eye-catching.
Everyone around was congratulating him.
Rong Ti thanked him calmly and stood up to continue walking forward.
He had seen too much hypocrisy in the court.
But he couldn't blame the others for being dissatisfied. In September, he was promoted to the Imperial Hospital. Within two months, he had gained the emperor's trust and was promoted to the fourth rank, finally becoming a Palace Attendant.
He holds the third rank, and his career has been astonishingly smooth.
He entered the palace today and was summoned by the emperor. On the one hand, he was given the title of third rank, and on the other hand, he was in urgent need of his medicine to prolong his life.
Rong Ti walked into the hall without haste. This pitch-black hall, without a single vent, was the emperor's permanent residence.
No one knew what miraculous medicine the young doctor had, but the dying emperor actually became full of energy again.
He took another concubine and indulged in debauchery. However, he became more and more dependent on Rongti's medicine, and anyone who objected to this was beheaded.
So no one dared to ask, and everyone remained silent.
Rong Ti listened to the sounds echoing in the hall and whispered, "Your Majesty."
The man behind the screen finally stopped teasing, came out in disheveled clothes, wearing only a robe, and sat on the throne.
"My dear, you are here."
"It's me, I'm here to deliver medicine to His Majesty."
"Present it here quickly! I will reward you handsomely!" Jia Yuan smiled excitedly and scratched his body almost madly.
His arms, neck, and face were covered in bloody scratches. The wounds formed blood scabs, then broke open, oozing pus, repeatedly, and emitting a foul odor.
Rong Ti walked up the stone steps step by step, bowed and put the rosewood box in his hand into Jia Yuan's hand.
He smiled and said, "I have noticed that your Majesty's energy has been much weaker these past few days, so I have given you another medicine to help loosen up your blood and essence."
Jia Yuan couldn't wait to open the wooden box, and without any hesitation, he grabbed the teacup and drank it in one gulp. He then licked his lips and licked the remaining soup at the bottom of the teacup clean. Then he nodded vigorously and praised: "My dear, you are very thoughtful... Whatever you want this time, I will give it to you."
"I am deeply grateful for the emperor's grace and kindness." Rong Ti stood in front of the dragon throne and saw the emperor slumped on the throne with his eyes closed, his whole body twitching.
"But there is something I want." The candlelight reflected his stern face, without a trace of smile.
"My dear minister, please feel free to ask." Jia Yuan said.
"Then please allow me, Your Majesty, to perform moxibustion on you."
"well……"
Rongti helped the emperor up and slowly walked behind the screen.
There was also a woman with her hair loose on the bed, she had died tragically.
Rong Ti put Jia Yuan on the bed, reluctantly lifted the cotton wool to cover the female corpse, and closed her eyes.
The sins had stained the quilt red, her tears had dried up, and a huge fear still lingered in her pupils. Rong Ti put her on the ground and turned back to look at Jia Yuan.
The emperor spoke coldly.
He took out a needle scroll from his sleeve. Bone needles of varying lengths and thicknesses were placed side by side on the scroll.
Rongti whispered to the emperor that it would not be cold soon.
He held down Jia Yuan's head, took out the longest bone needle, and stabbed it inward from the corner of his eye.
He saw Jia Yuan open his eyes instantly, but no sound came out of his throat anymore.
The next moment, his eyeballs became bloodshot and muddy with blood.
"Your Majesty, this is the first needle." He suddenly laughed, and his hand was steady as he took out the bone needle.
"Ninety-nine and eighty-one, you must hold on."
He stabbed the emperor's calves, severing the tendons in both legs.
The bone needle in his hand kept piercing the neck, chest, and arms until the blood vessels throughout the body became spasmodic and varicose under the skin.
Rong Ti muttered to himself, "I haven't seen her for fifteen years." His voice suddenly trembled, and the long bone needle in his hand fiercely pierced Jia Yuan's tongue along his jaw. "Do you still remember your Concubine Jue?"
His mouth was soaked with blood, and some of it leaked out and stained the bed mat.
"How does Your Majesty treat her?" Rong asked Jia Yuan, picked up a short needle and stabbed it into his head.
"You are the emperor of mankind, yet you do such disgusting things." Rong Ti held Jia Yuan's hand, and then inserted long needles into each of the nail crevices.
"She's dead," Rongti said, choking with sobs. "I'll never see her again." Rongti picked up the needle again, and with red eyes, he looked at the emperor struggling on the bed. "I originally wanted you to die from the poison, but I can't wait that long."
Rong Ti lifted Jia Yuan's already revealing robe and took a look. Then he leaned close to Jia Yuan's ear and whispered, "Your Majesty, you are worse than an animal."
"I will make you complete."
That's where his bone needle went.
Stab downward along the handle.
Blood burst out from that place all over his body.
Rong Ti smiled. He put away the needle, stood by the bed, bowed to the corpse and said, "Your Majesty, the essence and blood have been drained."
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