Chapter 70: The jealous jar is so jealous that even the hair on his head is emitting sour smell. ...
Shen Changfeng sensed the wind direction and quickly estimated the distance in his mind: Although the arrow in his hand had no tip, if the crossbow had enough force, it could still easily pierce the opponent's throat...
The old bowstring was slowly pulled, and the taut string made a stagnant "creaking" sound, like a long groan of unbearable pain. The arrow pierced into the flesh and blood. Shen Changfeng's fingertips that were holding the bowstring trembled violently. She somehow remembered the smiling and gentle face of the general in the hall, but this time, the light in her eyes turned into tears, sad and compassionate.
Shen Changfeng's breathing became disordered for a moment, and he heard faint laughter again. He looked up and saw Lin Meiju releasing the second Kongming lantern.
She leaned slightly forward, painting on the spread-out lamplight. A stray strand of hair playfully fell on her eyelashes, but she was oblivious. She meticulously wrote each stroke. The warm yellow light of the candles by the river illuminated her profile, and her rosy cheeks looked even more captivating in the night.
She carefully held up the Kongming lantern, lit the wick, and looked up at the rising paper lantern. Her eyebrows curved into beautiful crescent shapes, and her dark eyes seemed to be filled with stars.
Her smile is brighter than the stars and the moon in the sky.
His gaze fell from her face to the free and unrestrained prayer on the lamp, and he realized that she could write two completely different characters. He had once thought her hairpin-shaped small regular script was elegant and graceful, but now, in comparison, it seemed dull and lifeless.
There were women and children releasing river lanterns by the river, some washing their hands and playing in the shallows, and some singing while stepping on the water. Lin Meizhu was also clapping her hands to keep the rhythm, the water splashing on her shoes and skirt. She smiled with dimples, and simply threw away all her worries, stepping on the water with her feet, splashing water everywhere, and her moon-white skirt swayed between the smooth stones.
He had never seen her so happy before, and a sentence suddenly echoed in his mind: She is alive.
This thought suddenly made him feel lonely and sad. It turned out that she had never been truly happy before.
He suddenly understood why Lin Meizhu was determined to leave him, the palace, and the capital. It wasn't because of him, or because of Chuqi, but because of herself. Only by leaving could she be her true self.
Here, no one would dislike her playing in the water by the river, no one would blame her for showing up in public, and no one would give her any advice on her medical practice.
She is the fish swimming freely in the forest stream, the free wind in the mountains and rivers, the tough grass growing wildly in the wilderness, and the most straightforward and casual Lin Meiju.
Two men, one tall and one short, stood far away by the river and did not come forward to disturb them. After Lin Meiju had gone crazy enough, Chen Huisheng frowned and looked like he was scolding her. Lin Meiju lowered her head and took Chuqi's handkerchief. She exchanged glances with him secretly, and they both lowered their heads and smiled secretly with their lips pursed.
Shen Changfeng's heart ached so bitterly that even his hair was tinged with sourness. He stared blankly back at the bow and arrow in his hand, realizing what he had just planned to do. He couldn't help but feel terrified. He felt like he had gone completely mad! He actually wanted to kill Chu Qi right in front of Lin Meizhu!
It's like he's forgotten the pain after the wound has healed. If he really did that, I'm afraid Lin Meiju will never forgive him in this life!
Looking at the two standing side by side, a thought he had never imagined surfaced in his mind. Why had Lin Meizhu kept it a secret that she knew two different scripts? Was she afraid he'd recognize it was Chu Qi who taught her? Was she afraid of getting Chu Qi into trouble? Or was it because these were secrets and memories that belonged only to her and Chu Qi?
Shen Changfeng was both angry and jealous, and his internal organs were about to be disturbed by these complex emotions. He hated Chu Qi so much that he was not a despicable villain. If that were the case, he could kill the other party without any burden to vent his anger.
During the more than ten years when Lin Meiju called Chuqi her sworn brother, he really grew up with her as a brother, taught her how to read and write, and how to behave in society. He took care of her, comforted her, and protected her before he appeared.
Although she was reluctant to admit it, in Lin Meiju's heart, Chuqi was probably much more important than herself, and, whether she was willing or not, she actually had to say thank you to Chuqi.
There was a commotion at the foot of the temple, as people were heatedly discussing whether the Marquis Wuding and his wife had appeared in spirit. Someone said, "Marquis Wuding, Goddess of the Water Master, are you the ones who have returned? If so, could you please give us some clues?"
Before he had finished speaking, a bowstring and three arrows suddenly fell from the roof. Several people quickly caught them. They all knelt on the ground, weeping with joy and shouting, "It's a miracle! The Marquis and the Navy Lady have returned! We pray that the Marquis and the Navy Lady will protect our descendants, show their divine power, and drive away the bandits! Bring peace to Xiangyang Prefecture!"
Such a big commotion in the temple quickly attracted the attention of others.
A patrolman on patrol near the river looked over from a distance and spotted a dark shadow on the roof. He immediately became alert and shouted, "Who are you?"
Before Shen Changfeng, who was lying behind the eaves, could answer, he saw the patrolmen looking towards the dim shadow of a tree on one side, and then those people rushed over with their swords drawn as if they had received some kind of instructions.
At the same time, the wind suddenly tightened, followed by the sharp, rapid sound of tearing silk, and a dense rain of arrows swarmed in. Shen Changfeng looked at the impatient patrolman and, with a sudden thought, decided not to flee by the shadow of the tree beside him. Instead, he slid half a foot along the tiles, stepped on the upturned eaves with a single toe, and leaped onto the top of the adjacent pavilion. Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the lower half of the purple robe under the tree's shadow. But in a split second, the purple-clad figure quickly retreated into the darkness.
The patrolmen chasing the arrows below the wall were in an uproar when they saw Shen Changfeng deliberately appear. Several torches were lit in the direction of the pavilion. Shen Changfeng had a plan in mind, and he ignored the shouting and curses. He used the hanging beasts from the eaves as a shield to dodge several hastily launched arrows. His figure was as nimble as a cunning rabbit and as fierce as a hawk, causing everyone to marvel. However, his retreat deviated slightly from his plan. There was a bumpy muddy beach next to the temple, and he was splashed with mud when he landed.
Shen Changfeng couldn't help but curse inwardly and reached out to wipe the mud off his face, but he didn't realize that his hands were sweaty, and the sweat stains mixed with the mud made his hands dirtier the more he wiped.
The patrolmen armed with knives and swords rushed over and saw that the suspicious man was not afraid at all. Instead, he raised his claws and rubbed his face like a wild leopard, his movements impatient but fierce. When he saw people coming, the man stopped, slowly raised his head, revealing a pair of cold and majestic eyes.
Although it was an extremely intimidating occasion, several guards couldn't help laughing because of a face painted gray and black.
A short and fat patrol captain pushed aside several of his men and rushed out, scolding: "You little thief..."
Shen Changfeng and his superior, Luo Shanchang, stared at each other for a moment. Luo Shanchang was stunned for a moment, then shouted, "You took leave and didn't go back to the garrison, but you came here to join in the fun! I'll show you how I'll beat you when I get back!" After that, he dismissed his men, looked around and no one said, "Chen Du! What the hell are you doing!"
Luo Shanchang was the superior who had promoted Shen Changfeng. He had been ordered to lead a team to support the Xiangyang Temple Fair, but he had never expected to run into Shen Changfeng, who had not yet returned. Shen Changfeng recognized that the first patrolman to arrive was from the Right Office, which was one of the reasons why he did not continue to flee.
Before he could ask carefully, Luo Shanchang came out holding Shen Changfeng's arm, still muttering: "I saw your horse too. I felt it was strange at first, thinking they were similar... I heard that the King of Chu specially presented it to Master Song. You know, he is in great favor now. Don't worry, don't worry. I will ask you carefully later. Don't be rash and offend the nobleman. Remember? His Royal Highness the King of Chu has always been generous. He was afraid that Master Song would get into trouble on his land, so he ordered the arrows to be shot. Just do as we said. Admit your mistake first... Don't wipe it. No one is watching you. Just listen to me carefully. Don't use force to subdue people like you did in the garrison..."
But the opposite is true, with more and more people watching along the way.
Anyone who saw a clay figure dragging black footprints and walking stiffly and slowly with its arms twisted would be tempted to take a second look. Not to mention, a black horse, its body covered in grass, suddenly appeared behind the leopard. The horse seemed to enjoy the attention, striding with its head held high, its round eyes rolling around. If someone laughed loudly, it would deliberately slow down its pace to give a wink, flicking its long tail.
The man in front had a miserable look on his face, as if he was on his way to the execution ground, while the horse behind him looked as majestic as a top scholar parading through the streets, causing everyone to burst into laughter.
Luo Shanchang led Shen Changfeng to the riverbank and bowed to the canopied sedan chair at the bridgehead. He explained his situation to the captain of the guards and delivered a lengthy apology, but received no response. A quick glance revealed that the guards at the Prince of Chu's mansion had all turned grim, their hands on their scabbards. Startled, Luo Shanchang wondered if he had let something slip and was about to exchange words with Shen Changfeng, only to find he wasn't standing there, his eyes fixed on Master Song, who stood beside the sedan chair, as if he were about to devour him.
Luo Shanchang hurriedly pulled his sleeve and scolded him in a low voice: "Kneel down! What are you doing? Kneel down quickly!"
But Shen Changfeng refused to listen. He looked at Hua Yu with a dark and unclear look in his eyes, and his body became more and more tense. Cold sweat slowly seeped out of Luo Shanchang's back. He apologized, "My subordinate just fell from the eaves and is not fully conscious yet. Your Highness the King of Chu, Lord Song, please forgive me!" He smiled apologetically, his face becoming distorted. He almost gritted his teeth and kicked him in the knee with all his strength, cursing in a low voice, "You bastard, wake up!"
With a "bang", Shen Changfeng's knee hit the gravel alley heavily.
Lin Meiju, who was by the river, also heard the noise. After asking, she found out that the patrolman had caught an assassin. She was worried, so she told Aunt Zhang and others to stay where they were and not move. She went out to look for Chuqi who bought her snacks. She thought it would be better to go home early since there was trouble.
When she walked under the bridge, she saw Chuqi standing beside a colorful sedan chair, surrounded by many guards with swords drawn. She didn't dare to approach rashly. While she was hesitating, Chuqi seemed to sense something, and slightly turned to give her a comforting look.
Lin Meiju knew what he meant and nodded slightly. When she turned around, she caught a glimpse of the black-faced assassin kneeling on the ground who seemed to be looking at her. She felt strange and couldn't help but take another look at him.
Shen Changfeng saw clearly that her eyes widened in surprise, and he also did not miss the slight embarrassment on her face that she tried hard to hide but still revealed a bit. He had seen this expression on Duan Silang's face.
This was even more painful than not recognizing him.
Suddenly, behind me, I heard a few faint, deflated fireworks. A few fireworks rose against the hazy blue sky. Because they were so far away, they looked pitifully small, sparse and scattered. They died in mid-air after only two moments of weakness. Amidst the dazzling starlit sky, those few unnoticed fireworks looked even more petty.
Those were the fireworks he had prepared for Lin Meizhu in Jingzhou Prefecture. They hadn't set them off earlier or later, but those people had chosen to do so at this very moment. But now that she had seen them, he didn't dare to acknowledge them.
Looking at Lin Meiju and Chuqi, who had such a tacit understanding that they knew what the other wanted to say with just a glance, all the words he had prepared were stuck in his throat, and he suddenly felt a sense of powerlessness as if he was drowning.
During the hour he had been at the temple fair, he had often heard visitors sigh, "We are truly blessed by Imperial Tutor Song! If he hadn't stopped here on his way to the capital, if he hadn't persuaded the King of Chu to abandon the idea of holding a welcoming banquet and instead propose a lantern festival, how could we have encountered such a good fortune?"
Shen Changfeng only now realized that this was probably not thanks to Master Song, but to Lin Meizhu. Chuqi must have taken a detour to come here.
On the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Meiju was given endless fireworks to watch all night long, a lantern market that could light up half the sky, and a grand birthday party was quietly held for her.
Then what do you have?
A few faint fireworks, two cobbled-together lanterns, a leader who was about to kick his own legs off, and a ridiculously ugly horse... No, the horse's back was empty, and the lantern was gone too. I don't know who took it away.
Shen Changfeng's shoulders suddenly slumped, as if he had lost the strength to straighten his back.
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