Chapter 158: Qingming Festival Drizzle, "Cicada" is worth a million gold
Two days later, Xiao Qingxu, Xiao Qinggu and other royal family members followed Emperor Chengming to the royal cemetery to pay homage to their ancestors. Ji Suxian, Lu Heying and others watched in secret, guarding against Xiao Tong and Xiao Qingji.
Twelve did not travel with Ji Suxian and others. Instead, he waited until night fell and went to the desolate mountain alone, carrying a large basket of paper money.
After the Shang family was exterminated, the graves of Shang Junhu, Lu Xu, and other members of the Shang family were all placed by Emperor Chengming on a barren mountain outside Kyoto.
The mountain was filled with graves, yet not a single tombstone remained. As long as the Shang family's grievances were not redressed, no tombstone could be erected, and even the offerings could not be discovered.
Twelve walked and stopped, burning paper money in front of every grave.
Finally, she came to the tomb of Shang Junhu and Lu Xu.
“…”
Twelve stood in front of the two graves and gradually began to tremble all over.
The paper money in front of Shang Jun's grave had not yet burned out. Twelve kneeled in front of Lu Xu's grave, and the burning paper money flew in the wind, constantly hitting her face.
"......" The fireworks made her eyes sore, her black hair flew, and bloodshot unknowingly covered her entire pupils.
Twelve clutched the paper money, lowered his head, remained silent for a while, and whispered: "...I'm sorry."
At this time, there was silence in Prince Qi's Mansion. Shang Yuwan stayed quietly in Prince Qi's Mansion and did not go anywhere. She was wearing plain clothes and knelt on her knees facing the direction of the barren mountain.
There were funeral paper money burning in the brazier, and the flickering flames were like the searing pain that day, tearing her heart to pieces.
Twelve could go to the desolate mountain to worship at night, but she could never go.
If she went, she would give someone with ulterior motives a handle. Rumors were terrifying, especially since this was Kyoto. If she disregarded the overall situation, she would directly harm the interests of Xiao Qinggu and Xiao Qingxu, and would also greatly inconvenience her future actions.
Everyone says that it rains a lot during the Qingming Festival. Gradually, a light drizzle began to fall upon the world, landing on Shang Yuwan's body, the drizzle like silk, constantly entwining her heart.
The rain continued to fall, but the fire in the brazier grew bigger and bigger. Shang Yuwan knelt there motionless, letting the flames shoot up and singe a strand of her white hair.
There was not a trace of tears in Shang Yuwan's eyes as she stared blankly at the dazzling light in the brazier.
At this moment, "Xiao Qingxu" was reading quietly in the secret room, and Manager Li came with a lunch box to bring him food.
"Today is Qingming Festival, what is she doing?"
"Xiao Qingxu" looked at Butler Li bringing out the dishes one by one and asked casually.
Manager Li sighed, "I'm really into it, burning paper money towards the barren mountains to the west."
Few people in Prince Qi's Mansion knew Shang Yuwan's true identity. They all thought that she was a substitute that Xiao Qingxu found because he was heartbroken.
It is said that this "stand-in" was really into the role. She burned paper money outside in the rain for half a day. If you didn't know her, you would really think she was the princess.
"Xiao Qingxu" lowered his eyes, "Manager Li, go and give her an umbrella."
Was the strategist the host brought back really just a substitute? He didn't believe it.
Manager Li smiled and said, "Why would I need to go there?"
"Xiao Qingxu" was stunned.
On the other side, the sound of light footsteps made Shang Yuwan's ears twitch. After a moment, the raindrops seemed to disappear around her and no longer fell on her.
Shang Yuwan looked back and saw that it was Ju Gongcheng standing behind her holding an umbrella in his hand, and a second umbrella in his other hand.
"Sir, it's raining. Go back to your room, change your clothes, have dinner, and then go rest for a while."
In order to prevent Xiao Qinggu and Xiao Qingxu from getting into trouble, there were not many guests left in Prince Qi's mansion, and most of them were guards in the mansion, except for Yao Lao who was looking after Yang Qianmo and Ju Gongcheng who was figuring out hidden weapons.
Shang Yuwan was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Sorry to have caused you worry."
Ju Gongcheng shook his head. The boy's face was still a little childish, and his hair was a little messy as usual.
"Don't worry, Master Shang, you're too kind. I've called the servants over, just let them take care of the brazier."
Shang Yuwan asked all the servants to leave before burning the paper money, so there was no servant to hold an umbrella for her.
Shang Yuwan nodded. She couldn't let Ju Gongcheng stand behind her all the time.
Ju Gongcheng handed the umbrella to Shang Yuwan, opened another one for himself, held it above his head, and kept a distance from Shang Yuwan, walking side by side, the two of them, one big and one small, walking side by side.
"Your Excellency is truly affectionate and loyal to me..." Although we are in Prince Qi's mansion, we still have to be careful of people eavesdropping, and it is better not to say certain words openly.
Ju Gongcheng looked at Shang Yuwan, thinking that although the distance was not long, it would be awkward if he didn't speak, so he spoke.
"Master, don't be too sad. If they are still alive, they must hope that you and your twelfth sister... can live well."
In Kyoto, Shang Mingqi's name cannot be mentioned.
"Just like my brother, his last words before he died were for me to live well."
Shang Yuwan smiled softly, "Your brother?"
"Yeah." Ju Gongcheng nodded. "There was a famine that year and I almost died. It was my brother who saved me from being eaten."
One year after Emperor Chengming ascended the throne, there was a severe famine that lasted for two full years. It was so serious that in some places people began to eat their own children, and the elderly, the weak, women and children were the ones who suffered the most.
Shang Yuwan was stunned and stopped talking.
Ju Gongcheng didn't think it was a big deal. "I was very sick at the time, and I was holding on to the Luban lock that my father left us and refused to let go."
"When I woke up, my brother was already dead. Apart from a letter, there was only an urn of bones."
He didn't even see his brother's remains.
"...I'm sorry for bringing up your sad memories."
Ju Gongcheng was stunned for a moment.
"No."
He didn't seem upset at all. "I was too young at the time, I don't remember it clearly."
Ju Gongche "died" too early. Ju Gongcheng was only one or two years old at that time. Now he can't even remember his brother's voice or appearance.
An indescribable light flashed in Shang Yuwan's eyes.
Ju Gongcheng was unaware of it and just smiled faintly.
"Brother will definitely be very happy to know that I am living so well in Baijialou."
They were children of ordinary people, and not many of them survived the successive natural disasters. If they had not been taken in by the former owner of Baijialou, Ju Gongcheng would not have survived until now.
Shang Yuwan remained silent and did not speak.
After Ju Gongcheng sent the person away, he said goodbye and left. As he walked through a moon-shaped door, he saw a man wearing a mask covering his entire face quietly looking at him from the corridor.
What did that look mean? It was too complicated. Ju Gongcheng couldn't understand it, but he knew his identity.
The previous owner of the building raised a [Cicada] for Xiao Qingxu when he was very young. As the next owner of the building [Cicada], this person's body shape, appearance, and even voice must be made exactly like Xiao Qingxu, without any deviation allowed.
Ju Gongcheng blinked, walked forward, took out the honey wrapped in oil paper from the small bag he was carrying, and handed it to "Xiao Qingxu" with both hands.
"Want to eat?"
Cicadas were considered extremely cruel within the Baijialou, not something most people could endure. However, the price someone offered to become a Cicada was also extremely high within the Hundred Family Building. Ju Gongcheng had once inquired with Ji Suxian out of curiosity, and the price was estimated to be over 100,000 taels of gold.
One hundred thousand taels of gold could buy thousands of Ju Gongcheng at that time.
"Xiao Qingxu" lowered his head slightly, and after a moment, he raised his hand, as if to touch Ju Gongcheng's head, but halfway through, he turned around and picked up the honey in Ju Gongcheng's palm.
"Xiao Qingxu" said softly: "You have grown up."
Ju Gongcheng didn't understand this inexplicable sentence, but still replied:
"Yes, I have grown very fast in the past two years."
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