Chapter 61: Yunshui River Prequel: Do You Believe Me? ...
There is only one bed in the room, and how to sleep is a problem.
Or I sleep in the bed for the first half of the night and he sleeps in the bed for the second half?
But before I could even suggest this solution, Little Lotus said, "You sleep on the bed, and I'll meditate."
Before I could respond, Little Lotus had already gathered his robes and sat down on the ground, his movements smooth and unhesitating. He sat there casually, yet exuded a sense of peace and tranquility. It was as if he wasn't sitting on the rough ground, but on a lotus throne.
Moonlight shone through the window lattice, falling on half of his body. He seemed much thinner recently, his shoulders smooth and thin, seemingly weak but with a hidden tenacity.
His back stood straight, like a newly grown bamboo, exuding an air of purity and integrity. His neck drooped slightly, revealing a stretch of fair skin that shone like porcelain in the moonlight. His hair was loosely tied up with a headband, a few dark strands cascading down his neck, rising and falling gently with his steady breathing.
I couldn't see his full face, only his profile in the moonlight. His nose was high, yet not out of place, instead outlining a refined and elegant profile. His lashes drooped, casting a small, fan-shaped shadow beneath his eyes, obscuring those golden pupils that would strike fear into demons. His lips were pale, and at that moment, they were slightly pursed, revealing a calmness beyond his years.
The candle flame flickered, making a crackling sound, bringing me back to my dazed expression.
"How can this be..." I muttered softly, feeling guilty.
He opened his eyes slightly at the sound and tilted his head. The moonlight just illuminated his entire face, and his eyes were surprisingly clear in the night.
"It's okay." He just said this, his voice as steady as water, his eyes suddenly shifted and he chuckled, "Or, does Ayu want to sleep with me?
The candlelight flickered in his eyes, and that chuckle carried an inexplicable meaning that made my ears inexplicably warm.
"Who, who wants to sleep with you!" I almost blurted out, my voice rising a little due to panic, and it sounded particularly clear in the silent night.
Little Lotus didn't care about my loss of composure. The smile in her clear golden eyes deepened a little, but she didn't say anything more. She just slowly turned her head and closed her eyes again. It was as if the earth-shattering words just now were just a casual greeting.
I sat on the edge of the bed, not knowing what to do. His words had completely shattered my sleepiness.
Does this mean he wants to develop further?
Although I am very satisfied with the current distance, if he wants... I don't think I can say no.
Oops! This is terrible! This feeling is so embarrassing!
It’s easy on paper, and you might even want more, but when you actually encounter it, you have a disheartening feeling.
The bed was covered with clean, coarse bedding. I lay on it, tossing and turning, but the softness beneath me kept getting a little hot. My eyes couldn't help but glance at the figure on the ground.
He remained seated, his breathing slow and almost inaudible. The moonlight shifted, shrouding him in a hazy glow, and his red robe seemed to glow faintly.
As the night deepened, the chirping of insects could be heard faintly through the cracks in the window.
I finally succumbed to exhaustion, and my consciousness gradually faded. Half asleep and half awake, I seemed to sense a very light covering over my body, with a faint, almost imperceptible fragrance of lotus.
I struggled to open my eyes, and vaguely saw a figure with his back to me, quietly walking towards the door. The moonlight outlined his thin shoulders and tied black hair, his posture still as straight as a bamboo.
"Little Lotus..." I muttered vaguely.
The figure paused slightly at the door, without turning back, but just said "hmm" very lightly, like a feather falling in the silence.
"Keep watch," he whispered, his voice softer than the moonlight. "Go to sleep."
So I completely fell into a deep and sweet dream, and my last thought was - this person's voice seemed quite nice.
…
When I woke up the next day, Xiao Lianhua was no longer in the room. I rubbed my eyes, got out of bed and walked out the door. I saw Xiao Lianhua talking to Yun Qiao outside.
I called him, he looked back at me, said something to Yun Qiao, and turned to walk towards me.
"What are you talking about?"
He naturally pulled off my loose hairband, held it in his mouth, and then combed my hair with his fingers.
After tying his hair with a headband, he said, "Ask if there are any major events happening in Yunshui Village recently."
I was puzzled. “Why do you ask that?”
He said, "Although it's called Lord Plague, what exactly is Lord Plague? During the previous campaign against King Zhou, Lü Yue, a disciple of the Jiejiao sect, set up a plague array, which infected our Xiqi army with smallpox and plague." He glanced at me and said, "Yunshui Village is remote and has a small population. In recent years, there have been no natural disasters like droughts and floods. The climate is relatively stable, and there are no demons causing trouble... How do you think this Lord Plague came about?"
After Xiao Lianhua mentioned this, a thought suddenly flashed through my mind, but it was vague. Xiao Lianhua's fingers were still lingering in my hair, the touch gentle but with a certain unquestionable control, which distracted me for a moment.
"You mean... this plague came in a strange way?" I asked, following his line of thought.
He nodded slightly, his gaze darting towards the mist-shrouded mountains in the distance. "Every disease has its source. Natural disasters, man-made disasters..." He paused, a cold glint flashing in his golden pupils. "But now that there are no natural disasters, the only thing left is..."
Man-made disaster?
Is the plague in Yunshui Village caused by man-made disasters?
I found this answer, but I couldn't believe it. I knew the bad nature of human beings, but I couldn't imagine it could be so bad!
The diary doesn't record how the Plague Lord came to be. Ancient plagues occurred year-round, so after hearing about them so often, they became considered merely background information. It's like telling a story: "Once upon a time, a plague struck a village..." It gives you the background, but the story that follows is what needs to be explored. Most people don't dwell on how the plague started.
I was no exception. From what I'd read in my diary and my own personal experience, the origins of the plague were no longer important. The subsequent human sacrifices were enough to bring the story to its climax.
Now we have come to a time before the plague...
Isn’t this a good opportunity to explore how Lord Plague came about?
Who caused all this suffering?
At this time, Yun Qiao walked over, his face showing a bit of worry. "Immortal Lord, this is the map you asked for. Will those things really happen?"
Little Lotus took the map and said, "It's just that I calculated there would be such a disaster. It's always a good idea to prepare in advance."
Yun Qiao sighed, "But it makes sense..."
I looked at them both suspiciously. How could Yun Qiao's attitude change so much in just one night? It couldn't be that Xiao Lianhua had just assumed the status of an Immortal Lord, could it? Yun Qiao didn't look like someone who would curry favor with others.
I tugged at the little lotus, avoiding Yun Qiao, and whispered, "Why did he call you Immortal Lord? Did you tell him? Why did you tell him?"
Little Lotus smiled and put away the map. "We're new here and aren't familiar with the village. But Yun Qiao is different. With his help, we might be able to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
I glanced at Yun Qiao, pulled his collar, and asked, "Can he be trusted?"
The corners of Little Lotus' lips curled slightly, "Do you believe me?"
I rolled my eyes at him. Why was he asking that out of the blue?
"If I don't trust you, who will you trust?"
He chuckled, "Since you believe me, that's all?"
Yun Qiao looked embarrassed. Seeing us flirting, he couldn't help but say, "Since the Immortal Lord and Fairy Lady have something to discuss, Yun Qiao will leave first."
After saying that, he turned around and left in a hurry without waiting for a response. He seemed to have accidentally tripped over a stone and stumbled forward. Fortunately, he quickly stabilized his body and did not fall in a mess.
"Although we have the same face, I'm not as smart as my brother."
I commented like this.
"But it's strange. Yesterday I saw him, he was so defensive and even had a strange feeling about him. Why is it that today he seems like a completely different person?"
Little Lotus said, "It's very simple. I told him that a plague was about to strike Yunshui Village, and that the plague would lead to the demise of Madam Yunshui."
"He believed it?"
Little Lotus shrugged.
"After you fell asleep last night, I quietly went to Yun Qiao's room. I found a painting on his desk." When Xiao Lianhua mentioned the painting, she glanced at me. I raised an eyebrow, then quickly realized what was happening. "A map of mountains, rivers, and the state?"
When I think of paintings nowadays, this is the only thing that comes to mind. It's just a shame that I still haven't seen the true appearance of the Shanhe Sheji Tu.
Little Lotus chuckled. "That's right. I left the painting before you did that day, so I naturally saw the whole picture. It's exactly the same as the one in Yun Qiao's room."
I stroked my chin and pondered, "So Yun Qiao is my brother? His spirit is in the painting after his death?"
Sure enough, having the same face is not a coincidence...
But this is just my guess after all, and the facts have not yet been determined.
"Then what do you want the map for?" I glanced at the map in his hand.
He raised his hand holding the map and said, "Let's understand the population distribution of Yunshui Village, and...if it's really a man-made disaster, we need to see where this plague started."
I said with a complicated expression: "You know so much."
"Ayu." His beautiful face was covered with a beautiful smile, like a seductive ghost. "I'm very powerful."
I:……
More and more people came to burn incense at Hexian Temple. The curling smoke slowly rose and was blown away by the wind.
Little Lotus and I walked through the crowd and split up into two groups: he went to the village, and I went to Yunshui River. I hadn't forgotten what I promised yesterday: to teach Yunshui Niangniang how to read.
When Lady Yunshui saw that I came alone, she asked about Little Lotus.
I told him to go to the village and see if he could prevent the plague.
Lady Yunshui seemed to be lost in thought, and then she excitedly told me that someone had come to ask for medicine last night.
"I listened to you and didn't agree. Let him go see a doctor if he gets sick."
"Well done!" I gave a thumbs up.
Speaking of which, there is a question that I have never understood.
"How did the people of Yunshui Village know that your scales can be used as medicine?"
I previously thought that after the plague, Goddess Yunshui shed her own scales to save the villagers. But before we even met her yesterday, she asked, "Are you here seeking medicine, too?"
Apparently, before the plague broke out, the villagers knew that Lady Yunshui had a magical medicine.
Lady Yunshui tilted her head in confusion. "You misunderstood. They didn't know the scales could be used as medicine."
I:?
Niangniang Yunshui dived into the water and after a while, she took out a jar. When she opened it, there was a pile of stones or something else inside.
"This is the scale I shed. I don't know why, but after the scale fell off, it became like this."
I took out a piece and put it to the tip of my nose and smelled it, but there was no smell at all.
No, sister, since all the scales have fallen off, why are you still so miserable in the end?
And this thing looks more like your kidney stones than scales...
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