Chapter 22
Gu Luoyan's skin began to fester. She gritted her teeth and stared at the red leaf flowers on the table in front of her.
The yellow talisman's light did not diminish, and the bulge in the palm of his hand twisted even more violently.
Her fingers began to turn black and cracks appeared. Gu Luoyan tilted her body, holding her bulging hand high in the air and supporting herself with the other hand.
She frowned in pain, and cold sweat broke out and fell. Qiu Niang, who was standing nearby, was heartbroken.
The red-leafed flowers on the table had completely withered, and a final cry like a baby's cry was heard, making people's ears buzz.
Then, all the talisman papers pasted on the wooden beams were burned together and turned into ashes.
The skin on Gu Luoyan's palm was broken a little, and the insect stretched out two black tentacles, but in a moment, it retracted into Gu Luoyan's flesh and blood and stopped moving.
Gu Luoyan's body softened, and she collapsed into the velvet blanket, breathing deeply, still looking at the remaining red-leafed flowers that looked like human fingers on the corroded half of the wooden table.
Qiu Niang rushed over and helped her up half of her body with concern. She was about to call a doctor to bandage Gu Luoyan's wound.
Gu Luoyan shook her head. She leaned against Qiu Niang's arms and closed her eyes. "No... Auntie. This injury is hard to explain. Once the doctor arrives, the whole Hongguan will know."
"It's just as the Taoist said. If I don't get rid of Zu Qianjiao, the poison in my body will never be cured." Gu Luoyan sighed, and Qiu Niang hugged her tighter.
Qiu Niang whispered, "I'll go get some medicine for the young lady."
Gu Luoyan laughed to herself: "If that's the case, Zu Qianjiao will probably know."
"There are no red leaf flowers in the house anymore. Even if he has any intentions, he can't hurt you at all. Take a good rest, I'll be back soon." Qiu Niang brought a soft pillow and carefully put Gu Luoyan's body down. Then she got up and found a thin blanket to cover Gu Luoyan.
She was about to leave when Gu Luoyan stopped her. Turning back to see Gu Ji, she said, "The madam is treacherous. We must be on our guard. I've already offended her by burning red leaf flowers today. Please, aunt, go get me some medicine."
Qiu Niang's pupils trembled, and then she nodded and said, "Okay." After that, she left in a hurry without even closing the door.
·
A gentle breeze blew across the sun as Dou Shiqiu sat by the covered bridge, tuning his zither.
She paused at the sound and turned to look. Her pale pupils were clouded with dust, seemingly unable to see even the sun's reflection. She listened quietly, and through the timbre of her voice, she recognized Aunt Suqiu's voice.
The accompanying maids were obedient and handed the things in their hands to the concubines after Su Qiu spoke.
Suqiu looked solemn. She looked at the leading Jizi in front of her, but the Jizi didn't dare look directly at her. She only heard Suqiu say, "This is a tribute sachet given to you sisters by Master Kuishou. Master Kuishou, thinking of your friendship, has not forgotten you even when he encountered such a rare gift. Please don't let Master Kuishou down."
The woman lowered her head, took the sachet, and replied yes.
A soothing and calming fragrance emanated from the sachet in her hand. It was obvious that it was a good thing.
Suqiu turned around, and the maids around her also turned around. The concubines behind the door saluted: "Farewell, aunt."
The door over there closed, and footsteps came towards the covered bridge.
Dou Shiqiu was still tuning the strings when Suqiu interrupted her:
"Meet Master Miaoyinfang."
Dou Shiqiu turned around, facing the direction of the voice, and smiled back, "Aunt."
Suqiu's face softened rarely. She waved her hand, and the maid beside her leaned over and handed her a wooden box.
What was presented in the box was a medicinal bath sachet.
Suqiu placed the wooden box next to Dou Shiqiu's zither and said, "This is a gift from Master Kuishou to you all. Please accept it, Miss Shiqiu."
Dou Shiqiu's hand passed over the strings of the zither, then touched the wooden box. She smiled and said to Suqiu, "Aunt, please thank the leader for me."
Suqiu answered yes, and then said goodbye with all the maids.
The fragrance lingering around his nose remained unchanged, but Dou Shiqiu frowned.
My fingertips plucked the strings, and the outermost string suddenly broke. The wind picked up again, bringing with it dark clouds, making it impossible to see the sky beyond.
·
Before the sun sets, suona music accompanied by chords begins to sing joyfully in front of the Hong Kong Coliseum gate.
The Hong Kong Coliseum was decorated with lights and a bouquet of flowers was thrown down from the building, breaking open and revealing the fragrant petals.
The maid at the door was laughing so hard that her body shook with joy. Together with the concubines beside her, their silk scarves danced lightly, and they passed a message to the guests with a flirtatious glance:
"Oh, sir, you're here! Today is a golden day! Our champion has the permission of the owner to offer a special overnight stay starting at ten cents. You must not miss this opportunity!"
"The auction will start at 10:00 pm in the front hall. Sir, please don't have fun and miss the time." After sending one person away, the old woman grabbed the next one and told him the matter with a smile.
Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night. Everyone in and outside the museum knew that the Red Pavilion's top performer, Gu Luoyan, had been sold at a low price.
The auctioneer took the number of men as the middle, with one woman serving fifty men. The owner's intentions can be discerned by those who pay attention.
He wanted Gu Luoyan to die, to die of desire, to die in humiliation and derision.
·
in.
The guests' faces showed excited smiles as if they were determined to win. They crowded together, filling the spacious lobby.
The gentlemen and talented people who were once sneered at now mixed with the "rabble", holding up their winning tickets, determined to win the one in fifty.
The court ladies, charming and charming, served on either side. Occasionally, a woman would glance worriedly toward the inner hall, only to quickly turn back and glance at the hallway piled high with gold and silver. She sighed silently for Gu Luoyan, then could do nothing more. Numbly, she continued down the stairs, pouring wine for the guests, accepting the dirty touches.
The owner's intention was clear, and he warned everyone in the hall to offer Luo Yan's bones as a sacrifice.
The champion? But he held the champion in his hands. As long as he wanted, he could step on him and let others trample on him in a matter of seconds.
The rat woman stood on the top of the pavilion, looking down at the noisy scene in the front hall below. A smile appeared on her ugly face, but then she couldn't help but twist her face. She stretched out her hand to scratch her face and didn't stop until it bled.
A sudden scream came from the side room.
The mouse woman turned her head, narrowed her eyes, and then quickly got into the curtain behind her.
Outside the side room, a servant was already running around. This frightened cry aroused the curiosity of a small number of guests in the front hall.
They looked towards the side room, but could see nothing because of the thick beaded curtain.
When the woodlice rushed over from upstairs, she saw Ji Zi lying on the ground and took a deep breath.
Red rashes covered the woman's face, and boils quickly appeared on her hands and feet. They were red and itchy, and in a short while she became horrible.
Jizi's face was red from tears, and the maids and servants around her didn't dare to step forward to help her. When she saw the rat woman coming, hope came into her eyes. She wanted to stand up, wanted to move closer to the rat woman, and begged loudly: "Aunt, save me! Aunt, save me, what's wrong with me...Aunt, please save me!"
The sow-woman took a step back, covering her face and saying to the stunned servant beside her, "Get rid of her! She might be suffering from some serious illness! Kill her and throw her into the back alley. Don't let her appear in front of the guests!"
She said she didn't want to watch anymore and was about to leave. At this moment, Ji Zi, who was watching from the side, suddenly fell down as if she couldn't stand steadily.
Her entire body began to flush red, and rashes quickly appeared on her skin like raindrops. One sore after another grew, stretching the woman's clothes out of shape.
She fell to the ground, looked at her hands covered with pus, and screamed.
There was a commotion in the front hall. The sound of smashing wine glasses and cursing quickly became a cacophony. When the woodlice was driven out, all they saw was Jizi, covered in rashes and boils. The guests were terrified and fled in all directions.
Someone started shouting, "There's a plague in the Hong Kong Coliseum! Run, run!"
The crowd in the lobby began to panic and pushed their way to the door.
The door was pushed together by the crowd, the people in front were pushed down, and the people behind continued to rush in.
The red-painted and enameled doorpost was pressed down by people, and blood began to seep onto the ground. The men scrambled to escape, but they were unable to do so.
The waves of people were suffocating, and some were swept under the feet and never got up again.
Finally, the heavy door wall gave a dull thud, and cracks appeared on the doorposts. The thousands of people gathered in the hall became a force, breaking the doorposts. The front half of the wall collapsed, and there was a loud noise—
Next is the giant glass lamp and wooden dome on the top.
The shouting guests were silenced and there was a moment of dead silence.
·
There are no lights on in Taohuawu.
Gu Luoyan, dressed in black, stood in the yard looking at the sky full of stars and the moon.
I seemed to hear wailing in the distance, right next to my ears.
Gu Luoyan stood under the peach tree in the yard until Qiu Niang appeared from her hiding place.
Su Qiu saluted towards Gu Luoyan and said calmly, "Miss, everything is done."
Gu Luoyan's hand touched the bark: "How's it going over there?"
"The madam sold the leader for a low price, attracting thousands of followers. I heard that during their escape, the wall collapsed, killing many people. The girl's calculations were correct this time."
"Did many people die?" Gu Luoyan's voice lowered.
"They deserve to die. They are just animals who treat women as trade. Don't blame yourself, young lady."
Gu Luoyan took a deep breath and asked again, "Where are the sisters?"
Qiu Niang was silent for a moment, then said, "I gave them the medicine as you instructed. The rest... depends on their luck."
"But the front hall collapsed, and I think some of Jizi also..."
Qiu Niang changed the subject, walked forward, and continued her own words: "We have done enough, young lady. Some sacrifices are inevitable."
"The madam won't keep them. After they're in a state of suspended animation, they'll be transported out of the Hong Kong Coliseum. This way, we'll be saving their lives." Qiu Niang held back her anger. "No matter what, it's better than dying in this Hong Kong Coliseum."
Gu Luoyan looked up, at the branches of the peach tree, at the high wall that had trapped her for decades. Her eyes sparkled, tears welled up, but she remained silent.
Then she threw the oil can in her left hand towards the peach tree.
Gu Luoyan said softly, "It's time."
Qiu Niang came over with a tinder. She stood in front of the peach tree, squatted down, and lit the fuel on the surface of the bark.
The flames started and quickly spread up the tree trunk.
In the season before the flowers bloom, the raging fire becomes the last falling petals of the peach tree.
Gu Luoyan watched the peach tree burn, the flames reflected in her eyes.
In his pupils, the burning shadow seemed to transform into a sharp sword, the burning tree a striking point in the vast red light. Gu Luoyan knew that he must be able to see it. The autumn rain had fallen, the wind was gradually picking up, and the night was filled with flashes, blurring the distinction between black and white.
"Qiuniang, let's go."
"We must win this battle with Zu Qianjiao."
Gu Luoyan's hair was tied tightly with a red string. She was dressed in black and walked towards the front of the house. The women who had been waiting for a long time were waiting at the corridor. When she approached, they opened the door of the cellar buried in the grass.
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