Chapter 41 The Awkward Prince
At this moment, the person who had been frozen for a long time finally moved.
"Old Huang." Li Daoxuan said in a hoarse voice.
"Ah!" Old Huang shuddered.
"Throw it away." He threw the thing to Lao Huang and took the bath towel from his hand to wipe his hair.
Old Huang held the silk ribbon in his hand, but he didn't move for a long time. Under normal circumstances, he would have obeyed orders without hesitation. But today, he saw that his prince was very uncomfortable, and the silk ribbon was a girl's thing, so for the first time in his life, he hesitated.
Sure enough, not long after, Li Daoxuan's eyebrows suddenly knitted together, and his mind was filled with the girl's grinning expression:
"No! This was sewn by my mother for me. If you tear it, I'll be mad at you!"
"etc."
Upon hearing this, Old Huang immediately offered the silk ribbon with both hands, "Your Highness, it's here. I haven't thrown it away yet!"
Li Daoxuan glanced at him and said, "Who asked you that?" He pulled the silk ribbon back into his hand and said, "Get out."
"Yes." Old Huang retreated cautiously.
Li Daoxuan looked at the silk ribbon for a long time, and uttered slowly: "It's so delicate and troublesome." If he threw this thing away, he was afraid that the next time someone came to ask him for it, they would not be able to get it, and he would cry again.
He hates it most when someone cries in front of him.
So Li Daoxuan casually opened a box, threw the belt in, and ignored it, concentrating on looking at the strange prayer flags.
When an official of the third rank or above and his family members drowned, the Dali Temple would generally conduct an investigation. If there was nothing unusual behind the incident, the case would be closed directly.
These documents are often placed in the Dali Temple's document library.
Li Daoxuan lowered his eyes, his gaze pensive.
Perhaps few people have noticed that recently, there have been more and more demons and evil spirits in Chang'an City, and they are becoming more and more powerful.
.
The black smoke seemed to have taken on the temperament of its master, quite clever. As soon as Liu Jiyue drew her Mo Dao, it immediately leaped over the back wall and fled.
Liu Jiuyue was about to chase after him when the boy slipped and fell to the ground with a cry of "ouch". He hesitated and stopped, then gently helped the boy up. "Did that thing hurt you?"
The child, with tears in his eyes, pinched the corner of his sleeve nervously and sobbed, "No, no."
Liu Jiuyue breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "It's dangerous here. Don't go out today. Go home."
"Thank you, thank you, my dear," the little boy said gratefully, wiping away his tears. "I'll be back right away!"
After watching him run out of the alley and go back home, Liu Jiuyue picked up the knife and chased in the direction where the black smoke disappeared.
.
When the carriage arrived at Liu's mansion, the gate was already wide open and people had been waiting there for a long time.
Mrs. Liu was waiting anxiously at the gate of the mansion, looking eagerly. When she saw a carriage with the Shen family logo coming, she was immediately excited and went forward to greet it.
The carriage curtain opened, and the person who walked out was the lady from the Shen family who had disappeared yesterday.
Seeing a living person appear before her, she was stunned at first, then she remembered what the housekeeper had said: "I don't know when the Shen family's wife will return home. She said she would come with Deputy Envoy Liu to help."
She understood again.
Madam Liu said, "Madam Shen, please take the trouble to come here. My husband and I are truly grateful! Please come into the mansion!"
Chen Qing had just bowed to Madam Liu when she interrupted him, "Don't be so polite! Don't be so polite!" But after waiting for a while, no one else showed up. Madam Liu asked again, "I wonder if Deputy Envoy Liu..."
Chen Qing smiled and changed the subject: "Brother, you were a step late when you encountered an evil spirit on the road. It's the same for me."
Seeing that she was truly anxious, Shen Qing chose to get straight to the point. She asked, "Madam, please take me to see Madam Liu. I wonder how Madam Liu is doing right now?"
When Madam Liu mentioned her daughter, she couldn't help but feel heartbroken. Her eyes immediately turned red as she said, "Wanxiu has been unconscious since yesterday. We asked for Prince Gu, but he said he couldn't do anything. I'm truly heartbroken."
She turned around and grabbed Shen Qing's sleeve, saying, "Please, Madam Shen, please help my daughter! Even if it costs me my life, I'm willing to do it!"
The woman's eyes were covered with fine lines and her temples were gray, making her look more aging-infected than ordinary women.
Chen Qing thought of Liu Siqing's weathered face again, and doubts arose in his heart. Madam Liu was only sixteen, why were her parents so old?
Seeing the woman crying uncontrollably, Shen Qing suppressed his doubts and comforted her: "Don't worry, Madam. I will do my best to help Madam Liu wake up."
Logically speaking, the soul cannot leave the body for too long, otherwise even the ghost will not be able to tell whether you are alive or dead. Once the chain is hooked, the soul will be taken away, and then you will really become dead.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before, and Madam Liu only lost one soul, so there was still room for maneuver.
When he arrived at Liu Wanxiu's boudoir and got a glimpse of her face, Chen Qing finally understood why he always felt that she was somewhat familiar.
Recalling that at the last banquet, there was a young lady who had a misunderstanding with Zhao Ranran because of Shen Ling, and after the truth was revealed, she immediately found an opportunity to come and apologize. This straightforward young lady left some impression on her.
Chen Qing set up the soul formation, took a strand of Liu's mother's hair as a guide, wrapped it around Liu Wanxiu's little finger, and tied a red rope on the other end of the hair, holding the end of the red rope in his own hand.
After doing all this, she asked Liu's mother for Liu Wanxiu's favorite thing.
When Prince Gu came, he asked her for his daughter's things in the same way, so Liu's mother quickly found the things.
It was a purple jade hairpin shaped like a lotus. I heard that it was a coming-of-age gift given to her by Liu's mother.
There are many lotus-related items in Liu Wanxiu's house. It can be seen that she really likes lotus. No wonder she touched the lotus on the ground without thinking about the weirdness that day.
Chen Qing placed the lotus hairpin in her hand and chanted a spell. Gradually, white light flickered in front of her eyes, becoming dim and unclear. When she opened her eyes again, she came to a void of black and white world.
This world has no rules, no direction, no time, and there are roads in all directions, but none of them have an end. This is the so-called "chaotic world".
Chen Qing held a red thread in his hand, with the black hair as the guide, and the other end of the red thread was where Liu Wanxiu's soul was.
However, in the eyes of outsiders, Chen Qing just suddenly closed her eyes and fell sideways on the couch, with only the hairpin and red thread tightly grasped in her hands.
Mother Liu was shocked at first when she saw this, but then she remembered what she had said before, "Don't touch her no matter what happens." She barely suppressed her panic and waited anxiously for Shen Qing to bring her daughter back.
Often, a soul that has left the body will become unconscious and confused, not knowing the day or night, so Chen Qing needs to use Liu Wanxiu's favorite thing to try to awaken her weak will and make her follow him.
I walked along the red line into nothingness. I didn't know how long I had walked, but suddenly a white light flashed before my eyes, and my vision suddenly became clear.
She actually reached the so-called "realm".
The world is the world within the soul. If the soul that has left the body has too much obsession, then this obsession will weave a world of memories in his world, causing this soul to indulge in memories and unable to extricate itself.
She finally understood why Gu Yun couldn't call back Liu Wanxiu's soul, because the conditions for forming a "realm" were very harsh, and one could not be formed in a hundred years. There were also few records of it in books. Chen Qing only heard of the existence of such a thing when her soul left her body and was trapped in a "realm".
Trying to find a soul in the world is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
It can be said that the entire "world" is Liu Wanxiu, and Liu Wanxiu is this "world".
Therefore, the red string that served as a traction medium lost its purpose at this moment and disappeared at the entrance to the "boundary". It assumed that this "boundary" was Liu Wanxiu's soul and the boundary was Liu Wanxiu's soul body. If this was the case, what was the need to enter the "boundary"?
Gu Yun must have been wandering around in the "realm" like a headless fly, unable to find Liu Wanxiu, so he had no choice but to turn back.
Inside the boundary, a pavilion stands before your eyes. On top of the pavilion, a huge archway is inscribed with the three characters "Yuanchun Tower". It turns out to be the largest fireworks place in Chang'an City.
When Minister Zhang celebrated his wife's birthday, he booked the same pleasure boat at Yuanchun Tower.
It was now curfew time, and the first rays of the sun had risen. Outside the square, Jinwu Guards would occasionally patrol, their orderly clatter of armor filling the empty night.
Yuanchun Tower is low-key and luxurious. From a distance, one can only see dim lights burning in the tower. The flames are not very bright, and only a few bursts of laughter can be heard occasionally. It looks very low-key.
Once you enter the half-open door, the magnificent and decadent scene becomes fully revealed.
The foreign girl twisted her waist on the stage like a flower swaying in spring. Her graceful dance moves and charming eyes attracted everyone's attention.
In the hall, musicians played melodious music, but their eyes could not help but look at Hu Ji on the stage. The sounds of string music and the cheers of the guests were intertwined. Time stood still in the midst of drunkenness and dreams. People forgot everything and immersed themselves in this luxurious world.
Suspicions welled up in Chen Qing's heart. Lady Liu, lovingly cared for by her parents, lived a life, though not extravagant, at least secure and worry-free. At least she could get what she wanted. Why was she so obsessed, and what troubled her so much was Yuanchun Tower?
She walked in with doubt in her heart. Not far away, the head maid saw her and immediately smiled. She walked in and greeted, "Greetings, young master! Are you here to listen to some music or to see one of the ladies in our building?"
The features of the mother at the head of the group in front of me were blurred, but the enthusiasm that was almost overflowing in her words and the wide range of her voice all showed that she was smiling like a flower at the moment.
Looking elsewhere, everyone's facial features were blurred, as if separated by a layer of fog.
Chen Qing pushed the head mother aside and walked straight to the lobby.
After being pushed away, the mother walked towards the next "guest" and asked the same question in a businesslike manner.
At this moment, the disadvantage of the "realm" came into play. If the owner's memory was vague, the faces of the people inside would also be blurred.
But there is also an advantage. This way, it will be much easier to find Liu Wanxiu because she is the one with the "face".
Chen Qing walked around the lobby and didn't see any familiar faces, so she began to search along the floors. As the doors opened one by one, she saw different people without facial features. She searched every corner but couldn't find Liu Wanxiu.
After searching every corner and still not finding anyone, she couldn't help but start to doubt whether Liu Wanxiu was really here, otherwise why was there no trace of her in the building?
Inside the building!
Chen Qing was surprised to realize that Yuanchun Tower had a backyard, where some servants and maids lived in low houses, and the place connected to the backyard was exactly Huachun Pool.
Thinking of this, she immediately walked away.
When she arrived at the place, she indeed saw a deck. It must be where the maids and servants usually washed the clothes of the ladies in the building.
Along the deck, there was a boat moored in the pool, with many corner lights burning around it, making the courtyard brightly lit.
From afar, there were two people sitting in the small square boat, one big and one small.
The older one couldn't tell her age. She was wearing a red dress and had a double bun that was popular at the time. She had slender hands and a graceful posture.
The younger one looked about five years old, wearing a light yellow skirt and two buns, and was lying comfortably in the arms of the woman in red.
The girl looked up from the woman's arms. Her large, watery eyes could only see the woman's delicate jaw and the tip of her small nose. She asked, "Sister, do red carp really appear at night?" She pointed at the calm water, "But it's been so long, and nothing has appeared."
The woman smiled softly upon hearing this and said, "Don't worry, it will be there soon."
So the girl grabbed a handful of coarse grain powder from her bosom and sprinkled it on the lake surface. However, after waiting for a long time, nothing came out. The girl seemed annoyed and pouted, saying, "Sister, you are lying. There is clearly nothing."
The woman touched her upturned lips with her fingertips, as if she was amused by her frank look. She covered her lips and laughed softly for a long time. Her body, trembling with laughter, swayed slowly with the boat, causing circles of ripples on the water surface.
After a long pause, she finally paused, wagging her fingertips. "As for red carp, there are some, but it's a pity their mouths are damaged by the food. They might not eat ordinary fish."
The girl asked, "What do they like to eat?"
The woman was silent for a moment. After a moment, she smiled and said, "Just watch carefully."
After saying that, he took out a silver hairpin from his bun, and before the girl could react, he slashed the round end of the hairpin across her wrist, forcibly making a cut.
"Tick, tick--" The dripping blood flowed into the water like strings of raindrops.
The woman seemed to feel no pain. She stretched one hand toward the lake, letting the blood flow. With the other hand, she wrapped her arm around the girl and rubbed her chin against her head affectionately. "Watch this."
The girl didn't know whether she was frightened by her or what, but she just stood there motionless.
As more and more blood flowed, a red blush suddenly appeared on the surface of the lake. As the blush gradually expanded, countless tiny bubbles boiled out from the center. Then, a beautiful red carp with a completely red body jumped out of the water, opening its mouth wide to welcome the rain and dew from heaven.
Halfway through the leap, it was pushed down by a red carp coming from behind. One after another, group after group, countless red carps on the water surface scrambled to jump out of the water, wagging their tails, just to welcome a mouthful of the delicious "rain".
With the two of them as the center, the boat was almost surrounded by this group of beautiful little guys. In the reflection of candlelight and moonlight, their scales reflected different colors of light in the water, the water surface was shimmering, and the red carp were spinning in circles.
This scene is like a drop of colored ink suddenly dripping onto a piece of white paper, so beautiful.
The woman looked at this scene and laughed heartily: "Hahahahaha, you see, their appetites have been spoiled. Now they only know how to drink blood and eat meat. Looking at this scene, they must have been hungry for a long time and are starving!"
The more excited she laughed, the louder the girl in her arms cried.
The woman seemed annoyed by her crying. She withdrew her hand, suddenly twisted the girl's shoulder, and asked loudly: "Don't you like it? Didn't you say you wanted to see the red carp? I took you to see it, but you're not happy. Tell me, what else do you want?!"
The girl cried non-stop, her eyes full of tears and she looked extremely pitiful. She suddenly broke free from the woman's hand and ran into the awning.
The woman had no strength left and let go, as if she had expected the girl to flee in panic. She just watched the girl's movements quietly, with an expression on her blurred face.
But the girl did not return to the deck. She just rummaged through the awning, found a few small things and brought them out.
She knelt on the edge of the boat and clumsily threw the things in her arms under the boat. The splashing water scared away a lot of fish. When she had thrown all the things in her arms, the red carp that could not find any blood were also driven away by the things she threw, and the lake returned to tranquility.
The girl then turned and grabbed the woman's hand, sobbing, "I don't want them! I don't want them, they drink my blood, they are bad!" After that, she started crying again.
The woman was silent for a long time, raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and asked, "Isn't this what you wanted to see? You read it for a long time."
Girl: "I don't like them now! I don't want them! I don't want my sister to be in pain! I want my sister to be well, I don't want them!" Her language was awkward and clumsy, but she tried her best to express her wishes.
The woman suddenly seemed to be laughing, crying, and crazy. She pushed the girl away, laughing so hard that she couldn't straighten her back. The girl didn't get angry when she was pushed away. Instead, she took out her handkerchief from her bosom, crawled over to the woman, and gently wiped away her tears of laughter.
"Don't cry, sister."
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