Chapter 11 Cannon Fodder White Moonlight 10 Live a long life, free from illness and disaster
June 15th soon arrived.
There wasn't much going on in the palace that day, so He's father came home early, saying he wanted to cook for himself.
Ali was naturally very happy. He washed his hands and followed He's father to help.
This small courtyard of the He family was originally the residence of a wealthy family before they became rich. Three years ago, the family made a fortune and moved to the south of the Yangtze River, leaving only two old servants in Beijing to manage the remaining property. This small courtyard has never been sold because of its poor location and old house.
It happened that the He family went to Beijing last year. Although this courtyard had many disadvantages, it was cheap, which was rare in the capital where every inch of land was valuable. So He's father decided on it without hesitation.
The yard was only big enough for three people, and the kitchen was even smaller and cramped, but the few dim candles that were lit at this moment instantly dispelled the cold and darkness, and the He family, which had been silent for a long time, finally became lively again.
While washing vegetables, Ali was talking softly to He's father.
The sound of He Zhiyan chopping wood in the yard came one after another, and it also confirmed Ali's uneasy heart that had been in his heart for days.
She looked through the low window and saw a full moon hanging high in the sky outside, with bright moonlight pouring down, which was a beautiful sight.
He Zhiyan bundled the chopped firewood and placed it in front of the window. Ah Li brought it in with a smile and turned to He's father and said, "Father, let's have dinner in the courtyard under the moonlight."
He's father agreed with a smile.
Ali placed the dishes and chopsticks on the stone table in the courtyard. Turning around, he saw He Zhiyan taking out a pot of wine from the house with the words "Peach Blossom Drunk" written on it.
Seeing this, He's father smiled and said, "It seems Yan'er has hidden quite a bit of good wine. Let's have a good drink together tonight, and then go see your mother together tomorrow."
Ah Li sat down next to He's father, took his arm and said sweetly, "Mom must miss us too."
He's father patted A-li's hand with a distressed look on his face: "You've suffered a lot these days. Now the nobles in the palace are all doing well. You won't be so busy anymore."
He Zhiyan filled the glass for He's father, but when it came to A-li, there was only half a glass. She exclaimed, pulled He Zhiyan's sleeve, and said, "Brother, A-li can drink."
He Zhiyan glanced at her lightly, withdrew his hand and sat down calmly: "You are just feeling better, it is better to drink less."
Ah Li's shoulders slumped involuntarily, and suddenly his almond-shaped eyes flickered a few times. He slowly said, "Brother, you've been working hard these days, so you should drink less."
As she spoke, she quickly stood up and stretched out her hand to stop He Zhiyan from pouring wine into her glass.
A slender white hand suddenly stretched out in front of him, with protruding wrist bones above it. He Zhiyan's hand holding the pot trembled unconsciously, and a few drops of wine fell on the back of her hand. The aroma of peach blossom wine burst out instantly, and she was drunk without even drinking.
He Zhiyan was slightly startled, and inappropriately recalled what his brothers in the escort agency often said: his swordsmanship was extremely accurate, and even a fatal killing move would only leave a slight wound.
Bian Ye once joked that He Zhiyan's sword-holding hand was the steadiest among all the knights he had ever seen, and even carving patterns with the sword was no problem. If he no longer helped him in the escort agency in the future, he could use this skill to make a living and would never have to worry about food and clothing.
He Zhiyan didn't know what expression he had on his face at the moment. He stared at his hands for a moment, then looked up and saw Ali looking at him with some pride.
"Oh! Brother also gets humiliated sometimes!" Ali cheered and clapped his hands happily, like a cunning and clever cat.
He Zhiyan calmly withdrew his gaze, but his heart seemed to skip a beat.
Ali had had enough of joking. Seeing that there were drops of wine on the back of his hand, he looked around but couldn't find a handkerchief, so he simply put the back of his hand against his lips. The mellow wine slid into his throat, like a dream.
He Zhiyan's hand, which was handing over the handkerchief, froze in mid-air.
He's father looked at the two of them with satisfaction and laughed heartily: "It's been a long time since I've seen you two brothers and sisters talking and laughing like this. It makes me feel comfortable watching you."
He Zhiyan responded softly, "Yes."
The family reunited after a long absence and sat in the yard until the moon rose above the branches. He's father, who was usually taciturn, became more talkative after drinking. He talked about the interesting things that happened in Ali's childhood and what he had seen and heard in his decades of medical practice.
Ali held his chin with both hands, looked at He's father with a smile, and responded a few words from time to time.
Although He's father had told these things many times, Ali felt that he could never hear enough. He always talked about the past. Ali knew that he missed his mother.
He Zhiyan listened quietly to the father and daughter talking and laughing, but his eyes always unconsciously slid to Ali's face.
Although she had only drunk half a glass of wine, her cheeks were already flushed, which looked even better than the finest rouge escorted by the escort agency.
He Zhiyan subconsciously picked up the wine glass, but drank it all. He could only put the glass back silently and stood up to add more wine for He's father.
The meal ended with He's father getting drunk.
He Zhiyan and A Li each supported He's father on one side and sent him back to the house.
When he came out, A-li called out to He Zhiyan, "Brother, please stay. A-li...I have something to give you."
Seeing A-li's mysterious look, He Zhiyan's expression changed several times. He followed A-li, but she pushed him out of the door: "Brother is waiting outside."
With a "bang", He Zhiyan received a fresh rejection.
He was stunned for a moment, then he curled up the corners of his mouth and smiled, then he leaned against the porch, crossed his arms and looked up at the moonlight above his head, his brows relaxed and peaceful.
Not long after, the door behind him opened again. He Zhiyan turned his head and saw A-li with his hands behind his back. He didn't look at him, and his eyes were erratic. "Brother, don't laugh at A-li after seeing this. If you don't like it, don't say it out loud."
A smile flashed across He Zhiyan's eyes, and he deliberately leaned forward, wanting to see what she was hiding. However, A Li was frightened and stepped back repeatedly, putting a hand between them: "No, no! You have to agree before you can see it!"
He Zhiyan was stopped in place by her hand. Seeing that she looked as if facing a great enemy, he stared at her for a long time before he slowly stepped back with his arms folded and nodded.
Ali then took a deep breath, as if he was finally ready, and took the thing out from behind him.
The medicine bag that Ali had spent several months to make lay quietly in her palm. It was bulging and fat, and its appearance was really unattractive.
Ali knew very well that his technique was really ruining the good material.
He Zhiyan only took a quick look, then returned his gaze to Ali's face: "Did Ali do this himself?"
Ali secretly raised her eyes to observe He Zhiyan's expression. As expected, she showed no emotion. She stared at the tip of her shoes nervously and nodded silently.
His hands were empty, and before Ali could react, He Zhiyan had already tied the medicine bag around his waist.
"I accept it."
Ali looked up in surprise: "Huh?"
Without waiting for her to say anything, He Zhiyan strode away, looking quite casual.
Ali could only quickly catch up: "But this, this--" She didn't know what she wanted to say.
While thinking this, he didn't notice that He Zhiyan in front of him had stopped. Ali couldn't see the road ahead clearly and bumped into him heavily.
She cried out in pain and squatted down, covering her head. He Zhiyan quickly turned around to check on her and frowned, "Are you hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt, it's okay." Ali answered subconsciously.
He Zhiyan took her hand away somewhat awkwardly. Ali's forehead was red and tears welled up in her eyes.
His cold fingertips touched the red and swollen area, and a different emotion was hidden in his usual cold voice: "Is this called no pain?"
The tears that Ali had been holding back finally fell, soaking He Zhiyan's sleeves.
He Zhiyan helped Ali to sit on the stone steps, then lit the candle a little brighter and placed it at her feet.
Ah Li, however, pulled He Zhiyan aside and pointed at the medicine bag on his body: "Ah Li put a lot of herbs in here to dissolve blood stasis and stop bleeding, as well as pills to save lives and detoxify. There was originally some left, but there's no more space."
A-Li withdrew her hand awkwardly: "A-Li's needlework is actually not that bad..."
He Zhiyan slowly touched the medicine bag and felt a heavy weight around his waist.
He sat down in front of Ali and held her shoulders with both hands. Ali looked up and saw that his expression was more serious than ever before: "I will take good care of myself. I will always be by Ali's side and will never leave."
Ali's eyes turned red again, and he nodded heavily: "Brother, you must always remember what I said today."
Seeing He Zhiyan's response, Ali burst into laughter and turned to face the bright moon in the sky: "I heard from the aunt next door that there is a custom in their country that on the fifteenth day of every month when the moon is full, if you make a sincere wish to the Moon Goddess, your wish will be fulfilled quickly."
She excitedly pulled He Zhiyan into the courtyard and said, "Let's make a wish to the Moon Goddess together. She will definitely hear it."
After saying that, Ali closed his eyes and clasped his hands together.
He Zhiyan's heart was in turmoil. He stared at her for a long time. The emotions hidden deep in his eyes surged up at this moment, and he also closed his eyes like her.
After a moment, he opened his eyes and saw Ali looking at him: "What wish did you make, brother?"
He Zhiyan smiled but said nothing.
"What wish did Ali make?"
Ali thought for a moment and looked up at the starry sky above his head.
"I hope my father and brother live a long and healthy life."
*
At the first light of the next morning, Ali packed his things for Puji Temple. He opened the door and saw a man standing in the courtyard. He was tall and straight, like a green pine.
"Brother?"
He Zhiyan turned around and took the thing from A Li's hand: "Does your head still hurt?"
Ah Li subconsciously touched her forehead. He Zhiyan had applied ointment to her last night, and there was still a hint of coolness left: "It doesn't hurt anymore."
Seeing that the lights in the main room were still off, Ali thought that He's father had drunk too much last night and had not gotten up yet, so he planned to wake him up.
He Zhiyan stopped her, "Father got up an hour ago, and then someone from the palace came and called him away. It seemed like there was something urgent."
When someone came from the palace, He Zhiyan was also there. A eunuch and three or four guards knocked on the door of the He family before dawn. After saying a few words, they took He's father to the palace.
He Zhiyan felt something was wrong, but he didn't want to scare Ali.
Ah Li was indeed a little disappointed, his brows drooping: "Father won't go to mother's birthday and memorial day?"
He Zhiyan suppressed his thoughts and lowered his eyes slightly: "There are cases of recurrence of illness in the palace. I will accompany you."
Ali forced a smile and agreed: "Okay."
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