Shangsi (II)
In the mountain courtyard in mid-spring, the remaining snow has melted and everything is bright.
The peach tree in the yard seemed to have received some command, and suddenly layers of flowers like clouds and mist bloomed on its bare brown branches.
The pink and white petals, thin as gauze, piled on the bluestone floor like a light layer of fragrant snow. As the mountain breeze blew, the petals detached from the branches, swirling and falling, landing in the herb garden next to the stone steps, where tender green buds had just sprouted.
A few exceptionally light crimson petals floated quietly into the room along the raised window lattice, and happened to land on the pages of the open medical book next to the low couch by the window.
He Shu sat on a low stool in front of the couch, a hint of worry between his brows. He dipped his fingertips in warm water and gently wiped Jin Wu's dry nose.
The usually lively and active orange ball of fur was now completely listless, curled up listlessly in the cushion, with its emerald green eyes half closed, and even the usual snoring in its throat was almost inaudible.
"I told you to eat and drink without restraint every day. Now you've got a stomachache, right? You deserve to feel sick!"
He scolded her, but his tone was filled with heartache. With one hand, he gently rubbed the orange cat's slightly hardened belly. With the other, he picked up the medical book decorated with flower petals and carefully flipped through it in the bright light from the window.
"Cats don't eat, they're listless, they have stagnation in their stomachs, and their spleens are not functioning well..."
He Shu muttered softly, his eyes sweeping across the lines of ink characters.
"Treatment method... well, three grams of dried tangerine peel and three grams of hawthorn, boil them in clear water, filter the residue and add a small amount of honey to taste..."
Closing the medical book, he nodded at Jin Wu's head, which was drooping limply on the edge of the cushion, and stood up, sighing helplessly:
"Look at your pitiful appearance. You've reaped the fruits of your own labor. I won't bother you with stealing the dried meat today. But, this won't happen again. Remember?"
As he spoke, he walked towards the door, not forgetting to turn back and whisper,
"Stay in the house and don't run around. Be a good boy."
Before he finished speaking, he was about to step over the threshold of the wooden house when a clear and joyful cheer suddenly erupted from the yard, breaking the tranquility of the mountain courtyard:
"Sister Sang, are the flowers blooming? I smell such a sweet fragrance!"
Beyond the bamboo curtain, one could vaguely see a young man in dark-colored tights pulling at Sang Li's plain sleeve, hopping towards her like a cheerful bird.
His movement disturbed the flowers on the tree. In an instant, the pink and white petals were stirred by the wind and fell to the ground, creating a gorgeous flower rain.
Cangjue stood under the flower tree and looked up at his fair and pretty face. Although he couldn't see the dreamlike scene, he still tried to open his eyes wide and took a few deep breaths of the sweet and fragrant floral scent that filled the air. The corners of his mouth couldn't help but rise up, outlining a satisfied smile.
Seeing the guests coming, He Shu temporarily suppressed his worries about Jin Wu, quickened his pace, and walked over to the two of them.
He also raised his head, his eyes lingering on the luxuriant peach blossoms that were in full bloom, with almost no green leaves visible, and sighed in his heart:
It is worthy of being a fairy tree. Even in a place like the mortal world where spiritual power is scarce, it can still have such vitality.
Yesterday, the trees looked like they were covered with dead branches and carried the bleakness of winter. Who would have thought that they would be filled with such vigorous vitality just overnight?
But... this is the first time that the flowers bloomed so late.
Suddenly, his eyes were attracted by a strange color deep in the flowers.
Among the pink and white petals crowded together, a pure white crane feather is gently fluttering in the wind.
The silk rope tied on it was of a new style, with brighter colors and more delicate weaving. It was obvious that it had been replaced not long ago.
Perhaps Qingshan discovered the sudden abundance of flowers on this tree when he woke up this morning, so he carefully tied the crane feather pendant with a brand new silk rope and hung it on the branch again, allowing it to bathe in the mid-spring morning light together with the peach blossoms.
"Qingshan is really thoughtful..."
He Shu whispered to himself, the corners of his lips unconsciously raised, his eyebrows curved, and warmth flowed in his heart.
He walked to the stone bench nearby and sat down. He turned to look at Sang Li and said,
"Sang Li, when did you come back?"
"I just returned yesterday."
Sang Li answered concisely, and at the same time gently patted Cang Jue, who was still flaring his nose, and led him to sit next to He Shu.
Seeing that the young man seemed reluctant to leave the peach tree, she sighed softly, then stretched out her fingertips and gently pointed at the peach branch above her head.
He Shu watched helplessly as a peach blossom in full bloom, with a full shape, seemed to be pulled by an invisible silk thread, and obediently broke away from the branch. It trembled and fell lightly, spinning all the way, and finally stopped in front of Cang Jue.
"Hello!"
He couldn't help but open his eyes wide, and cried out in a mixture of amusement and helplessness:
"If you want to coax the child, then do it. I have no objection, but why are you coaxing my flowers? They are growing well on the tree!"
However, the protests were in vain.
Cangjue carefully held the peach blossom in his hands, put it to his nose and sniffed it, with an extremely pure expression on his face.
Looking at the young man's cherished expression, He Shu's complaint on the tip of his tongue eventually turned into a helpless sigh and waved his hand:
"Never mind. No matter how luxuriantly these flowers bloom, they will eventually wither and fall. It's just one flower. It's up to you."
"Feel sorry."
Sang Li lowered her head slightly and apologized in a calm tone, but her eyes were always gently fixed on Cang Jue who was intoxicated by the fragrance of flowers. She added:
"But I didn't pick it randomly. The flower I chose was already at the very end of the branch, and it was about to fall. Even without me, it would be in danger of falling if the next mountain wind came. I just—"
"Stop, stop!"
He Shu quickly raised his hand to stop her, and had no intention of arguing with her about the "fate" of a flower.
He suddenly thought of Jin Wu, who was still lying listlessly in the bedroom, and his brows furrowed slightly again.
The little guy suddenly started to feel abnormal in the morning. He used his spiritual power to investigate, but did not find any damage caused by external forces or invasion of evil spirits.
Using true Qi to help it didn't seem to make it better, so he flipped through the medical books at home and guessed that it was probably because Jin Wu had been on a diet recently, and the dog had been eating secretly at home and eating outside, which made it upset and its spleen and stomach were congested.
But he wasn't a professional doctor after all, and Jin Wu wasn't an ordinary cat either. She possessed spiritual roots, so ordinary veterinary medicine might not be the right treatment. After much deliberation, he decided to have the knowledgeable old mandrill take a look, only then would he feel completely at ease.
"By the way, Sang Li, did your master come back with you?"
He Shu stopped joking and asked seriously.
Sang Li nodded after hearing this.
She lowered her eyelashes, and her tone seemed lower than usual:
"Master returned to Qingxiao Temple with me yesterday. He... he will soon return to Heaven and resume his position as Emperor Xuanyue. This time, he returned mainly to... take care of the 'aftermath' here."
"Afterwards?"
He Shu frowned in confusion.
"Has any of the old Taoist priests in the temple passed away recently? Why haven't I heard of this?"
"No, that's not the case."
Sang Li raised his head, his gaze passed over the layers of trees, and turned to the misty top of Luzhu Mountain.
The flying eaves and brackets of Qingxiao Temple appear hazy and distant among the lush mountains and forests.
"Master is preparing... to have his mortal body in this world ascend to the Pure Land on an auspicious day, leaving his earthly ties behind."
"……I see."
He Shu was startled at first, then suddenly realized and murmured in a low voice,
"That's true... The Emperor has been in the mortal world for over a hundred years now, assuming the identity of Xuantongzi. While he maintains the guise of cultivating immortality, mortals may not delve into his thoughts. However, if he continues to live much longer, he'll inevitably attract unnecessary trouble. By then, the gossip that 'old and immortal are demons' will likely become unstoppable."
He raised his eyes and saw that although Sang Li's face was still as cold as usual, without any extra expression, her eyes, which were always calm, revealed a deep loneliness and reluctance that was difficult to conceal.
I suddenly understood and silently swallowed back the rest of the words about "this is a wise move" and "conforming to the will of heaven".
Emperor Xuanyue has lived in the world as a mortal and has experienced a hundred years of ups and downs. Although he has the identity of a "cultivator" to cover it up, if he stays any longer, it will indeed be easy for trouble to arise.
Now, taking this opportunity to return to heaven and allow his mortal body to "transmigrate" is a two-pronged strategy, which can not only complete this cause and effect, but also avoid possible subsequent troubles. However...
This move undoubtedly means a heavy farewell for Sang Li, who was rescued by Xuan Tongzi since childhood, brought up by him and educated, and who are nominally his master and disciple but are actually like family members.
Her cultivation has not yet been completed, and it will take time to break through the gap between immortals and mortals. Once the Emperor returns to his position and returns to the Ninth Heaven, the paths of immortals and mortals will be different, and it will be extremely difficult for them to see each other every day like they do now.
Thinking of this, He Shu couldn't help but sigh in embarrassment, feeling a pang of sadness for her.
Although Cang Jue, who was standing by, couldn't see, his mind was extremely sharp. He also noticed Sang Li's low mood, and quickly and obediently moved forward. He groped by feeling, and with a bit of clumsiness, he pinned the peach blossom he had been holding in his palm to Sang Li's temples. He smiled brightly and said:
"Sister Sang, it will look really nice with flowers! Even prettier than this tree full of peach blossoms!"
"Why are you so sweet, kid? It's like you've put honey on your mouth."
He Shu also pretended to be relaxed and joked, trying to dispel the slightly solemn atmosphere.
He bent his fingers, pretending to tap the boy's forehead, but he softened his movements before touching him, just barely touching him. Then, he glanced at Sang Li with some concern.
Seeing her slightly stunned, he raised his hand to gently stroke the peach petals on his temples, and sneered softly from his nose, with a hint of disgust:
"Smooth talk."
Although she said this, the invisible low pressure around her seemed to have quietly dissipated a little.
He Shu then quietly felt relieved and joined in the laughter and scolding.
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