54 Unknown
◎It is Wen Tingluan who is far away in the capital◎
Chaotic, bewildered, and unbearable.
Tian Guangzong suffered from severe heart pain, but he still remembered his identity as the eldest brother. Two lines of tears fell silently and he sobbed incessantly.
He did not burst into tears, but the yamen runner who brought them here looked reluctant and turned his head to look outside the house.
After thinking for two seconds, Tian Nongxi walked forward and gently patted Tian Guangzong's hunched back, silently comforting him.
Her hand was held tightly. Tian Guangzong looked at her with his cloudy eyes, then looked at the lifeless Tian Yaozu, and his words were unclear and hoarse.
Tian Nongxi: "I'll go ask."
When I stepped over the threshold and found the leading yamen runner, he was giving instructions to his subordinates.
Seeing Tian Nongxi coming, he spoke straight to the point.
Tian Yaozu's body was found in the suburbs. Because it was far away from Ruiyang County and Tianjia Village, and the location was remote, there were many wolves, tigers and leopards around, and no civilians lived there, so the search was done hastily.
Until a hunter passed by, caught a glimpse of it at the bottom of the cliff, and reported the case.
After understanding why the overlapping scratches on Tian Yaozu's face appeared, Tian Nongxi nodded silently.
The yamen runner concluded: "He fell off a cliff."
She paused nodding and narrowed her eyes.
The yamen runner had seen too many people who were unwilling to accept the death of their loved ones, and he stated the coroner's judgment in a firm tone.
Tian Nongxi nodded hesitantly. She really didn't understand how such a gifted person could die, or how he could have died by accident.
The yamen runner finished what he was about to say, then, noticing her confused look, he tried to soothe her, "Your brother is young, and without anyone to look after him, he'll definitely get lost. Summer rains are common, and after the rain there's a lot of fog. If he can't see the road clearly and falls, then... there's nothing we can do."
"Young?"
The yamen runners intended to comfort him, but instead they let Tian Nongxi clear away the clouds and mist to reveal the light.
Yes, he is just an ordinary kid.
His intelligence, his achievements, and his future are all given to him.
Taking over the yamen runner's words, "That person has passed away," Tian Nongxi said, "Brother, please keep an eye out for the old man who has not been found."
"It's natural."
-
Tian Yaozu was not yet seven years old, so his funeral was kept simple.
According to the custom of the Yan Dynasty, the funeral of a young child was a mourning without mourning clothes. Not only did they have to be buried quickly, but they were also not allowed to be buried in the ancestral tomb because they died young.
Out of concern for his younger brother, Tian Guangzong was determined to bury Tian Yaozu next to his grandfather and father, no matter how many elders in the clan tried to dissuade him.
Yanagida, who rushed back, tried to persuade him, but was blocked by the words, "Why not dig out my cenotaph and make room for my young ancestor?"
So Tian Yaozu was buried next to Tian Niu's tomb, in the place where he had knelt devoutly a few months ago.
In just a few months, three people from the Tian family died. The white flags on the two new graves nearby were still waving, and the soft soil of the three graves was mixed together, indistinguishable from each other.
Tian Yaozu sleeps under the land he once stepped on.
The villagers standing by wiped their tears and lamented the impermanence of life. When they passed by the Tian family, they always took the hands of Tian Nongxi and Tian Guangzong and put them together, and earnestly persuaded them to depend on each other.
Although there is still an old man in the Tian family, everyone knows that Huang is in great danger.
Tian Nongxi felt that he was very evil. After he came in, he had killed most of his so-called family members.
I didn't have any relatives before I came here, but it was pretty...
A physically and mentally healthy child should be adopted, but she had been adopted by several families who adopted her only for welfare purposes. They treated her very badly and often beat and scolded her. The director went to several departments and took her back, and she grew up in the orphanage.
She might really be like what the system said, born with no connection to the world.
I lowered my eyes to look at the mud under my feet, and heard the villagers' sighs mixed with their local accents.
Tian Guangzong was distracted, and she could only smile and nod.
The deceased is young and should not be disturbed.
The funeral proceeded quickly, without any firecrackers or a band.
Because of the ominous rumors about his early death, there were few guests when he returned to the Tian family.
Tian Nongxi had just handed a handkerchief to the sobbing Liu Tianshi when he was suddenly patted on the shoulder.
Looking up, I saw a middle-aged man I didn't recognize. He touched his hand and asked, "Is this the Tian family whose elderly man is missing?"
Glancing at the fat aunt standing next to him who brought the man here, Tian Nongxi stood up and nodded.
"I know where the old man is." The man said in a low voice.
As soon as he finished speaking, Tian Guangzong came over from a distance.
His face was as indifferent as death, and no matter who looked at him, he didn't look like a living person with strength. He raised his chin and asked the man to repeat himself.
The man said it again, Tian Guangzong heard it clearly, nodded and said he would go and take a look.
Tian Nongxi opened his mouth, but the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat. He finally caught up with her and said, "I'm going too."
On the way, the man said his name was Cheng Qian and he was a peddler. He usually ran around and rarely went home.
When I returned home this time, I suddenly saw an old man in my house who looked similar to the one in the portrait in the city. I hurried to find the address below the portrait.
Cheng Qian swore that he was not wrong.
But this road is completely opposite to where Tian Yaozu's body was found.
Tian Nongxi had no hope, but was afraid that Tian Guangzong would suffer too much, so he remained silent.
When they were almost out of the border of Ruiyang County, they suddenly saw a thatched cottage in the wilderness. Cheng Qian walked up quickly and said, "It's here."
Tian Nongxi: “…”
A gust of wind was created by her big footsteps, but she didn't move, and glanced around her.
Facing a cliff, there is a deep and endless forest ahead.
The chirping of insects and the singing of birds make the place very lively.
After briefly supporting his waist with his hand and confirming that the knife he took when he went out was still at his waist, Tian Nongxi met Tian Guangzong's gaze and walked forward.
The hut was very small. There was a couch as soon as you entered the door, and a wooden table in the middle. A woman was sitting near the door doing needlework.
Seeing the person coming, she put down the things in her hands, stood up, and smiled shyly.
Cheng Qian's tone was not good: "Where are the people?"
The woman smiled apologetically: "I took Runrun to the toilet." She picked up the sewing basket and put it aside, rubbing her palms and greeting Tian Nongxi.
Cheng Qian cursed something, but it wasn't very clear. Just as he was about to explode, the four people in the room heard footsteps.
Putting down the cup with tea leaves floating on it, Tian Guangzong's eyes moved slightly.
Everyone held their breath for a moment until a little girl of five or six years old came skipping into the room.
She threw herself into the woman's arms and asked in a muffled voice, "Mother, who are they?"
No one answered her because everyone in the room was focused on the person slowly following the girl.
"Grandma—" Tian Guangzong almost broke his voice when he saw the face he had been thinking about for a long time.
Huang, however, acted as if she hadn't heard anything and walked straight towards the woman. "Xiaojuan, your husband is back. I can't stay here with you any longer. I have to go find my grandson."
The woman called Xiaojuan had tears in her eyes. She held her daughter and shook her head in a way that didn't look like a shake, and nodded in a way that didn't look like a nod.
"I have to go find my grandson. I don't know where he ran off to." Huang murmured to herself as she turned to leave. The girl held her back and pinched her face, saying, "Good boy Runrun, grandma can't keep you any longer."
Her words and actions acted as if she couldn't see Tian Guangzong who kept calling her.
Tian Guangzong fell silent and looked at Tian Nongxi who was standing at the door, his eyes almost filled with helplessness.
Seeing that the two were confused, Cheng Qian gestured to his wife to explain.
Ji Juan let go of her daughter, her voice soft and gentle as she fell into memories.
A month ago, she took her daughter to the woods near her home to collect firewood. They met an unconscious old woman. Her daughter was kind-hearted and asked her to take her home.
"He just woke up two days ago. He didn't understand anything I asked him. He just said he wanted to ask his grandson. When I asked him what his grandson's name was or what he looked like, he couldn't tell me. I think there seems to be something wrong here." She nodded her head gently and sighed deeply.
Tian Guangzong stood up suddenly and tried to pull Huang in disbelief. After being pushed away, his expression was blank and frozen.
"Grandma, I'm Guangzong."
"Guangzhong? My dear Guangzhong, did you see my dear grandson? He's so tall." Huang gestured.
"grandmother……"
"Young people nowadays are really sensible. They shout at people as soon as they see them."
Tian Nongxi: “…”
Seeing that Tian Guangzong was still holding Huang, she took out two gold bars, walked closer and put them in the sewing basket on the couch.
"Thank you very much for your care during this time. I will never forget your kindness. Please accept this small amount of money."
The girl bit her finger, looked at her, then looked at her parents, her eyes full of curiosity. Just as she was about to touch the gold, she was stopped by hands stretched out from the left and right.
Two voices sounded one after another.
"Runrun, don't be rude. You don't have to mind this little favor. It's just a small favor. You must not accept it." The second half of the sentence was said to Tian Nongxi.
"Tsk, take your dirty hands away. Is that all?" The second half of the sentence was also said to Tian Nongxi.
"My benefactor, please tell me the number?" Tian Nongxi pondered.
Cheng Qian stood up to block the door, stretched out a finger and looked at her straight.
Tian Nongxi was unsure, "Ten gold ingots?"
"one hundred."
"How much?!" Now it was her turn to break her voice.
"If you are not willing to pay even a little money, how can you prove that you are her relatives?" Cheng Qian said with certainty.
His wife and children wanted to speak, but were frightened by his sidelong glance and dared not move.
This little money?
Tian Nongxi's face was full of black lines, wondering when the inflation in Yan Dynasty occurred but he didn't know it.
She could just pack up and go home, but there were elderly people in the house who had difficulty moving around.
Tian Nongxi was in a dilemma for a moment.
Tian Guangzong, who was listening attentively to the noise, grabbed Cheng Qian who was blocking the door and threw him aside. He then picked up Huang and roared, "Little sister!!!"
Glancing at Cheng Qian who was still struggling to stand, Tian Nongxi followed him out the door in a flustered manner.
The three of them ran all the way to the edge of the cliff. Huang really refused to cooperate, so Tian Guangzong had to put her down. He put his hands on his hips and looked at Cheng Qian who was catching up with him, and snorted heavily.
Cheng Qian was panting and cursing, but Tian Nongxi couldn't understand him because his accent was too strong.
Tian Guangzong grabbed Huang with one hand and pointed at him with the other, cursing, "You're asking for too much! You're not even satisfied with two ingots of gold. You're truly insatiable."
The two men treated the edge of the cliff as a battlefield, cursing at each other in a lively manner.
Tian Nongxi stood aside, and even without saying a word, this small area seemed like a big opera troupe.
She opened her mouth countless times, but was interrupted countless times before she could finish her words.
He was more helpless than Huang, like a person with amnesia.
There is no point in wasting time here. Tian Nongxi glanced at the forest with a deep look in his eyes.
Letting go of Huang's hand, she turned firmly and walked towards the edge of the cliff.
The cliff is extremely steep, and stones will roll down if you move a little. The splashing sound makes people feel creepy.
One centimeter ahead is a bottomless abyss, and Tian Nongxi tentatively raised one foot.
Behind him was Cheng Qian's scream, who noticed something was wrong, and Tian Guangzong, who was attracted by his scream.
Except for Huang, the other two felt a little weak in the knees. After all, no one had expected the current situation.
When Cheng Qian gritted his teeth and forced himself not to say that he didn't want the money, Tian Guangzong had already crawled to the edge of the cliff.
He was powerless and could only shout with all his might: "Brother has money, brother has money! You don't have to commit suicide!"
But the figure on the cliff edge is still straight and firm, as if he cannot hear the hustle and bustle of the world.
Tian Guangzong's heart almost jumped out of his body.
Amidst the flashes of swords and sabers, a black shadow as fast as a startled arrow flew out and cut Tian Nongxi off in the waist, dragging him several steps to the flat ground.
It stopped before anyone could see clearly.
It was moving at a very fast speed but stopped very smoothly.
Tian Nongxi, who was put down, breathed a sigh of relief.
She had already made all the preparations, her hands spread out long ago, waiting to ask for money, but when she saw who it was, she was stunned and muttered, "Fuque?"
Fuque smiled shyly, and because there were other people around, she only called out, "Miss Tian."
Tian Nongxi: “…”
After a while, she sighed, "You work two jobs."
Fuque lowered his eyes and smiled, "Yeah."
Afraid that Tian Nongxi would think too much, she added, "Miss Tian and I are both women, and the master said I can take better care of you." She looked simple and her words were flawless. Even Tian Guangzong, who was frightened just now, nodded repeatedly.
Fuque was very satisfied, but as for the real reason, I'm afraid only that person knows.
Tian Nongxi raised an eyebrow, but didn't point it out. Instead, he asked awkwardly, "Do you have a hundred taels of gold?"
She lowered her voice very low, as if she was embarrassed.
This is not Tian Nongxi's fault. She was just betting that Ting Luan would pretend to obey but actually disobey, but she never thought that he would not only pretend to obey but also replace the person in secret.
If she asked Xun or Wu Xu, it would be easy to deal with. She had talked to them and they were both from wealthy families and could afford it.
But the sparrow...
"No, Miss Tian." Fuque's voice was lower and softer.
Her crying voice startled Tian Nongxi, who quickly waved his hands, "It's okay, it's okay, it's okay."
After leaning close to Fuque's ear and telling her the address, Tian Nongxi clasped his hands together and said, "Please make the trip."
The bird was extremely fast, and before the response could dissipate in the wind, the person had already disappeared.
After about a cup of tea, she returned to the cliff carrying a wooden box.
Cheng Qian's expression went blank at some point. He took the box and turned away without saying a word.
There was less verbal argument. Tian Nongxi glanced at his back with a mixture of laughter and tears, and called out to Fuque who was about to leave.
"Can you help me send them home?" She pointed at Tian Guangzong and Huang, whom he was holding.
Fuque was hesitant, but Tian Nongxi persuaded him to agree with a few words.
Seeing the three people leave, she turned and walked into the woods.
This place is remote and this is Tian Nongxi's first time here, so she didn't know that there was an unowned camphor forest here.
Although this is not a lot of money for her now, it is a considerable income for Bu Qin who refuses to leave Ruiyang County.
She had been helped by Bu Qin so many times, and finally she could help Bu Qin.
Tian Nongxi pursed her lips to suppress her smile, then walked excitedly into the woods.
Although this camphor forest is not as big as the one in Tianjia Village, it has a lot of camphor trees, and it would take a while for Tiannongxi to reach the end.
The more she looked, the happier she felt.
The only downside is that it’s too close to Cheng Qian’s house.
Although his wife's words implied that the forest had no owner, Cheng Qian was a profit-seeking person.
not to mention……
She only agreed to half of his request.
It is one hundred taels, but only one hundred taels of silver.
At this moment, he should be at home, feeling depressed.
Thinking of that scene, Tian Nongxi smiled for a moment.
She wanted to walk to the end to take a look, but suddenly stopped.
The abnormality that he had just noticed became more apparent at this moment. Tian Nongxi stopped by the tree and sniffed carefully.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of blood.
The further she went, the more distinct the smell became.
Walking lightly and holding his breath, Tian Nongxi held a short knife in his right hand and looked forward with his back bent.
Suddenly, her eyes fell on something and her pupils suddenly dilated.
She saw the source of the smell of blood.
The corpses were piled up in groups of three or two, many of their pupils were blasted, and blood was still oozing from the wounds on their bodies.
Amidst the corpses scattered all over the ground, only one man stood with a sword.
The man's white clothes were not stained, only the blade was dripping with blood.
As soon as Tian Nongxi saw it clearly, he shrank behind the tree, covering his mouth anxiously.
It is a familiar back figure.
It was Wen Tingluan who was far away in the capital.
She was extremely at a loss, and slowly squatted down to curl herself up, trying to reduce her presence as much as possible.
There was a loud noise, so loud that you could hear a pin drop in the forest.
Tian Nongxi bit her lip and guessed, and after a while she looked up and back.
He left.
She felt inexplicably relieved.
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