The young nun from Manfang Marsh raised her chin smugly and grinned...
Tao Qingyun suddenly said, "Foolish, foolish! Have you all forgotten our childhood promise?" His clear eyes swept over the four people present, he cleared his throat, and said, "No matter who harms me, you cannot harm me. No matter who abandons me, you cannot abandon me. No matter who spits on me, you cannot spit on me!"
"What do you mean I believe? I don't believe? Isn't that enough? Life goes on, the sky isn't falling, we're still living peacefully, let's look forward!" He closed his folding fan, then "hardly" knocked Qin Weixi and Jiang Yuanfu on the head, and then made Chu Yening and Jiang Yuanjun each take a "heavy" punch.
Jiang Yuanjun remained silent, while Chu Yening's face was calm and composed.
Qin Weixi looked at Jiang Yuanjun and suddenly said, "Fifth Brother, before the late Emperor unified the Central Plains, the previous emperor was incompetent and stagnant, and the people suffered greatly. Officials could use their power to engage in commerce, while merchants, having no business to do, chose to return to their hometowns to farm. That incompetent emperor despised those from poor families, and the imperial examinations were dominated by aristocratic families. It wasn't until the late Emperor ascended the throne that all of this came to an end. Family and country have never been separated. You said back then that true happiness is the happiness of the people from the bottom of their hearts. Being able to eat and dress warmly, have a place to stay, and be able to live through the day with the energy to look forward to tomorrow when the sun rises—this was also what the late Emperor cared about."
"Fifth Brother, do you still remember? What you promised the late Emperor back then. If you don't remember now, I, who was only six years old at the time, remember it very clearly."
Jiang Yuanjun's pupils suddenly contracted, her face full of surprise.
It was as if they had returned to a midsummer of a certain year when they went to Penglai for amusement. On their way down the mountain, they encountered a pack of wolves that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He and Ye Ning shielded her between the two of them, and then he said to the girl in the pale yellow dress with a bright and beautiful face, "Seventh Sister, don't be afraid, I will protect you."
Facing the pack of wolves, a scene of such peril, the girl showed no fear. Upon hearing this, she smiled brightly and said, "Alright, Fifth Brother, when you become emperor in the future, you must protect us all!"
They were childhood sweethearts, sharing everything they knew and could openly discuss anything with each other.
He was the crown prince of a country at the time, but he was still a child. In that chaotic situation, he did not understand the meaning behind it, why he had to become the emperor, the ruler of this world.
But now he realizes that imperial power is supreme!
They can control life and death, placing it in one person's hands.
So much time has passed that he has almost forgotten. He was also afraid that one day he would really be like dust, and he would never be able to hold on to it or remember it again.
In the Eastern Palace, among the many paintings, there is a hidden portrait of a girl standing on a swing under the magnolia tree, gazing at the Kunning Palace.
He once asked her why she always gazed at Kunning, and said that if she were willing, he would be willing too when she came of age...
However, she told him, "Grandmother Zhao is there. The royal family is as deep as the sea, and within its many gates, one's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the ocean. Where my heart finds peace is Kunning."
Jiang Yuanjun stared at the cup of tea in her hand. Suddenly, he remembered when Luo Jiaxiaoxing first returned to the capital and the group reunited on Xiaopenglai Island. Tao Qingyun had jokingly said, "Look, you're still as fond of cool things as when you were a kid."
Because little Xi loved cold food the most when she was young. In the summer, there was watermelon, lychee and peach, and herbal tea. Because of this, her older brother, Ashuo, would always replace her cups of herbal tea with a stern face, like a schoolteacher.
"You?" He came to his senses. However, the girl in front of him had a face that resembled his elder brother, Luo Ling.
As dusk approached, the sky darkened, and twilight was drawing near.
Chu Yening finished the last cup of tea in the porcelain pot, stood up and said, "It's getting late."
"Fourth Brother?" Jiang Yuanfu called out to him.
He lowered his eyes, then suddenly gave a cold laugh: "But behind me are the heroic souls of more than ten thousand soldiers of the Chu clan, some of whom cannot even be found in their homeland."
Qin Weixi's eyelashes trembled upon hearing this.
Tao Qingyun's eyes also flickered. Jiang Yuanfu was about to speak again when Chu Yening suddenly interrupted her, asking the person beside her, "Who did you come with this morning? Since your brother isn't here, and it's on my way, I'll take you home?"
He lowered his eyes, but his words were no longer as heavy as before.
Qin Weixi looked up at him.
He was talking to her.
And those peach blossom eyes, which smiled slightly and revealed their allure to everyone, were now looking at her. Clad in a long, pigeon-blood red robe, with a golden crown high on his head, his posture as upright as a pine tree, he stood with his hands behind his back, slightly bent over, and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Let's go?"
It was as if he were coaxing the neighbor's child.
Just like when she was a teenager, she wore a red dress, her hair was tied up high, and the red ribbon in her hair fluttered in the wind.
He then asked, "Do you want me to help you up? I have something to tell you."
"It's very important!"
She suddenly remembered what happened at Jingyun Temple that day. But at this moment, she didn't really want to talk to him.
Tao Qingyun suddenly urged everyone to leave: "Leave! Leave!"
A thousand thoughts raced through my mind, and his cold words seemed to echo repeatedly in my headphones.
Qin Weixi raised her head and met his eyes. Thinking of Xiaoxing's carefree demeanor back then, she said to him, "Fourth brother, beg me."
Tao Qingyun spat out a mouthful of tea, spraying it all over Jiang Yuanjun. He wiped his face, then his lips twitched. The Jiang siblings were also taken aback. Looking at the guy, he was clearly stunned.
At that moment, it seemed as if even the wind had stopped.
"Okay. I..."
Tao Qingyun held a teacup in one hand and drank tea, then coughed violently.
However, Qin Weixi had already gotten up and left gracefully.
The spacious carriage was filled with a faint, almost imperceptible, aroma of tangerines.
The carriage curtain swayed gently in the wind, and the front of the carriage occasionally made a crisp, clanging sound. Then the curtain blew again, lifting slightly, and she noticed two bronze sculptures hanging from the corners of the curtain. Upon closer inspection, she saw two dog heads with their tongues lolling out, sculpted with remarkable realism.
It was a sudden gust of wind!
Still possessing a youthful spirit, he recalled that in his childhood, his carriage was the most flamboyant, inlaid with gold and jewels, exceptionally magnificent. Uncle Chu once demanded that he return it, his face ashen, a long whip in his hand. But he was as nimble as a monkey, dodging left and right, making a quick escape.
"Father, life is so short, isn't it more enjoyable to indulge in pleasure?"
"You little brat, don't let me catch you!" Uncle Chu's face was as black as the bottom of a pot with anger.
Back then, Uncle Chu was known as the most handsome man in the capital. He was invincible on the battlefield, but few people saw him holding a jar of wine and singing while drinking. Few people also saw him closing the door, scolding his "naughty" son, and then gazing at the flowers and plants in the garden of the Marquis's mansion.
During his childhood in the Qin family, his uncles would often get together during their free time. Uncle Chu would often mutter to the moon after drinking, "The one who loves his wife—soars to great heights!"
The father and Luo's father both shook their heads and laughed.
But her mother told her that it wasn't drunken ramblings, but Uncle Chu's longing for his aunt.
Aunt Chu passed away when she was very young, and her childhood memories are very vague. She only remembers that she was a gentle and beautiful woman.
He had a pointed chin, an oval face, and he held her in his arms, smiling gently. Beyond that, I had no other impression. Then, Aunt Chu passed away, and Chu Yening disappeared for a few days. When I saw him again, the young man was still radiant, his whole being radiant.
Chu Yening stared at her intently.
A melodious, crisp sound, like a copper bell, echoed in her ears. She said coldly, "What do you want?"
Hearing this, he frowned slightly. "It's nothing, just kidding. All this crying and whining is nothing compared to the freedom of the Northwest." He thought for a moment, then his eyebrows twitched, and he said somewhat casually, "Oh, there is indeed something. Recently, Zhoufeng has been tricked by someone's dog, and that dog keeps scratching at my gate every few days, relentlessly chasing him like a ghost. Take it to your house... and hide there for a while."
For some reason, she thought of Liang Lang, who had suddenly become relentlessly pursuing Luo Jiaxiaoxing.
She felt somewhat confused.
At this moment, Chu Yening suddenly started rummaging through the box beside her. The sound of bottles and jars clinking could be heard from inside the carriage. She glanced at it and saw that the box seemed to contain medicine. Remembering that he had spent so many years at the border, he might have some old injuries, so she kept these in case of emergency.
She stared at the bottles and jars, lost in thought, while Chu Yening picked up a small porcelain box, about half the size of her palm, and handed it to her.
"I'll give you the best burn ointment."
She was startled, then quickly wondered how he knew what had happened in the garden. Could it be...?
Before she could even take it, the person shoved it all into her hand.
She thought for a moment, and was about to thank him when the carriage curtain suddenly rolled up in the wind, revealing a corner of it. In front of a stall selling roast chicken, she seemed to see a familiar figure.
The child, wearing a small hat and coarse clothes, held a dry biscuit in his hand, munching on it while staring longingly at the food on the stall.
That little nun.
“Stop for a moment,” she said.
Chu Yening asked, "What's wrong?"
"I want to get off," she replied.
Outside the carriage, a merchant's mocking voice rang out: "Hey kid, want some roast chicken? But you don't have any money? You've been hanging around here all afternoon, and it's getting dark. How about we pack up later? If you still have some left, I'll give you a chicken leg."
Chu Yening lifted the carriage curtain, his pupils shrinking slightly.
Qin Weixi noticed his gaze and realized that he clearly recognized the young nun, but he had just returned to the capital.
She thought for a moment, then asked, "Do you know this young monk?"
He looked at her, and after a moment, nodded. He then gestured to the driver, Jiuqu, to bypass the bustling city and stop the carriage outside a quiet alley.
He said, "Come with me."
The young nun, covered in dust and dirt, wiped away tears as she walked. Suddenly, a small pebble hit the back of her head. She cried out in pain, then covered her head and looked back warily.
"who!"
However, the alley was quiet.
The young nun walked forward without making a sound, and when she reached the crossroads, she hurriedly darted into another secluded alley.
Suddenly someone grabbed her and led her into a dark corner where it was best not to be noticed.
The young nun was terrified, thinking she had encountered a villain. Her master, Mingjing, had specifically told her before she left the mountain that she should return to the nunnery immediately after giving the jade pendant to Master Xu, as there were many bad people in the world. So she began kicking and biting, her right elbow aimed straight for Chu Yening's abdomen, while her left hand casually grabbed the cloth bag at her waist and flung it behind her, sending a cloud of dust flying towards Chu Yening.
"Ha—" However, the moment she reached for the cloth bag, Chu Yening was already a step ahead, letting go of her and stepping aside.
A row of clear teeth marks appeared on his palm. He smiled, crossed his arms, leaned against the wall, and looked at the little nun with amusement.
"It's you!" the young nun exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. Then she secretly inhaled the familiar aroma of meat.
Upon seeing the two of them "fighting" suddenly, Qin Weixi's eyes widened.
Even young nuns can fight?
She ignored him again. Instead, she went to the vendor's stall, threw down her purse full of money, and bought all the remaining roast chickens.
Chu Yening shifted her gaze to the cloth bag tied around the little nun's waist and asked, "What's that?"
The young nun raised her chin smugly and said with a grin, "White flour! In rich families, every household uses white flour to make dumplings and buns. What else could it be!"
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Author's note: Section comments are now open.
I wrote three chapters today, and I have already posted them all.
[Heart emoji] Thank you for reading.
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