The blood staining the palm of his hand seemed to carry a certain unknown, inexplicably sad feeling.
He didn't have such symptoms before, was it because of the pill Feng Ke gave him? He had to return to the capital within a month after taking the pill, so he still had more than 20 days.
I just coughed up blood, but there was no unbearable pain for the time being.
Lian Shenwei didn't take this matter too seriously. He put the bowl down, took out the handkerchief under the pillow and wiped the bloodstain clean.
After a while, Lian Shenwei felt tired and fell into a deep sleep.
When I woke up again, it was already evening.
The lights were on in the room, and there was a pile of offerings next to the table. They should have been bought by Qiu Che, but the person was not in the room and no one knew where he had gone.
Ming Cang: "Master, I have completed the task you requested."
"Um."
Lian Shenwei put on the ring that Ming Cang had returned to him. He turned it and the ring moved flexibly. It fit perfectly when he wore it a few months ago, but now it seemed a little too big.
"Master, you only had half a bowl of porridge after you woke up. Do you want to eat something?"
"I don't really feel like eating."
"I ordered some food and waited for you to wake up," Qiu Che came in with a tray with four side dishes, two pots of wine and two bowls of sweet soup on it. He placed it on the table, "Would you like to eat something?"
Lian Shenwei raised his lips: "It's okay to accompany you."
Although he didn't eat much, Lian Shenwei felt better than when he just woke up. At least he had the strength to get out of bed.
The clothes were newly prepared, in his usual black style, with thicker fabric and dark red and gold embroidered patterns on the edges.
Without a hair tie or a belt, Lian Shenwei casually sat opposite Qiu Che and ordered, "Ming Cang, open the window."
As the candles lit and the windows opened, the June evening breeze blew in, bringing the swaying river lanterns on the sparkling river, the curved arch bridges, the eaves of the tall buildings, and the bustling crowds of tourists into view.
The prosperity is like a dream, it is Jinling.
Ming Cang still remembered that his master had said he was cold, so he took out a cloak and put it on Lian Shenwei.
Lian Shenwei picked up the wine bottle and took a sniff. "Wine from Phoenix Terrace?"
Qiu Che: "Well, the new wine that came out some time ago, Laurel Night Frost."
"After three years of picking osmanthus under the moon, taking the white frost in late autumn in the north, brewing it and then burying it deep for five years, you will get a jar."
"What an elegant name," Lian Shenwei loved fine wine when he was young. When he was in the mood, he raised his hand and poured a glass. The wine was sweet and refreshing, with a chill wrapped in the fragrance of osmanthus. It was perfect to drink at this time of year.
“The wine from Phoenix Terrace is my favorite.”
Just as he poured it, the wine glass and the wine pot beside him were taken away by Qiu Che, and the cold-faced swordsman moved the wine and food in front of him.
The sweet soup was placed in front of Lian Shenwei, clearly separated.
Qiu Che: "I didn't let you drink it, so this is yours."
Lian Shenwei: “…”
I want to drink more.
"Qiu Che," he considered how to say it.
Qiu Che glanced at him with indifferent eyes, then picked up an unused pair of chopsticks, dipped them in the wine glass, and placed them on Lian Shenwei's bowl of sweet soup.
There was confusion in Lian Shenwei's eyes.
Qiu Che said succinctly: "You can lick it."
Lian Shenwei: “…………”
He was silent for a moment, then smiled politely: "Thank you, Brother Qiu, sweet soup is good."
Qiu Che didn't care, he ate slowly while enjoying the breeze, "You really aren't going tomorrow?"
Lian Shenwei: “Yeah.”
"Jing will go. If he runs into me, it will be hard to explain. He doesn't know what happened in the past, but he has the blood of the Lian family in his body. No matter what, he should go to see Sister. Moreover, it is more legitimate for him to go than for me to go."
Qiu Che: "Outsiders can only pay tribute outside the village."
Lian Shenwei: "So I want you to do me a favor and take him to Neizhuang. There is a ancestral hall in front of the Xueqing Pavilion in Neizhuang. In addition to the ancestral hall, there is a cold hall underground to the north of the pavilion. I think..."
"Didn't you say you wanted to forget about Fudu Villa?" Qiu Che said calmly, "You haven't been there for ten years, but you know the layout inside very well."
Lian Shenwei paused, was silent for a moment, and then laughed and shook his head.
"When did you start to care about these things?"
"You disappeared from the world ten years ago, and only became an official in the court seven years ago. Where have you been in the past three years?"
Qiu Che took a sip of wine and said, "I always feel like you are hiding something from me."
"I have nothing to hide from you. If I want to be an official, I have to prepare for it in those three years. As for the rest, I'm afraid you have already heard it clearly from outside."
Lian Shenwei took a few mouthfuls of the sweet soup and felt his lungs itching. He coughed softly a few times and didn't feel like eating anymore.
He stood up and walked to the window, twirling his cloak, the bright lights reflected in his eyes: "It's really lively."
A peaceful and bustling atmosphere.
"Isn't the capital also bustling?"
“It’s different.”
There were many curses against him in the streets of the capital, and the stories told in teahouses and taverns were not all about love and hatred. He was in contact with many powerful people, which added a layer of restraint and power. He was always reluctant to go out.
"What's the difference?"
"You will understand when you go to the capital one day."
Lian Shen smiled and added: "There are some similarities."
Qiu Che raised his eyes.
Lian Shenwei: "Whether it's the capital or Nanjing, it's all bustling."
After Qiu Che heard this, he stroked the Wuliang Sword in his hand and said, "It's a pity that you can't drink alcohol when you compete with me now."
He lowered his eyes and filled a glass for himself.
Lian Shenwei: "What do you mean?"
Qiu Che drank the whole glass in one gulp, placed the empty glass on the table with a bang, and chuckled.
"Otherwise, I will have a hearty fight with you in the tallest ancient pagoda in Jinling. I will listen to the old monks' angry curses at the bottom of the pagoda, drink with you, and look down at the noisy world you are talking about."
The young man standing by the window was startled for a moment, his cool fingers unconsciously tightened on the windowsill, then he stopped looking at the stern-faced swordsman who rarely smiled, and looked out the window.
His voice was very soft, as if he was speaking to others, but also as if he was speaking to himself.
"Well, when I get better, that day will come."
The second day.
Qiu Che went to Fudu Villa early in the morning.
Lian Shenwei woke up very late.
He had slept for a long time yesterday and thought he wouldn't feel sleepy, but he still felt tired as soon as he fell asleep.
After taking the medicine, he did not wait here for Qiu Che to come back as agreed yesterday, but told Ming Cang to pack up his things and planned to leave directly.
"Master, the cloth you requested."
"Well, you go out and guard outside first."
Ming Candle lowered his head and walked out.
Lian Shenwei lifted up his inner garment and wrapped the cloth that Ming Cang had brought around his waist and abdomen in circles. He measured with his fingers and found that he had wrapped it two more times than before.
After he finished wrapping her, a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. When he tried to take his undershirt, the cloth tightened a little with his movements, squeezing the bottom of his ribs. Even Shen Wei's chest itched slightly, and he couldn't suppress a series of low coughs.
The teacup at hand accidentally broke onto the ground.
Ming Candle knocked on the door immediately: "Master?"
After two or three seconds, the young man's hoarse voice came from the room, "...It's okay."
"I accidentally dropped a cup. You don't have to come in."
Ming Cang was relieved: "Yes."
In the room.
Lian Shenwei frowned for a moment and wiped away the sporadic blood that he coughed out from his palm.
This is the second time. Is it the aftereffect of Feng Ke's medicine, or is it the hidden internal injury left from the previous fight with the killer of the Fallen Moon School?
He had no knowledge of medicine, and his internal energy could not be activated, so he had no idea of his current condition.
After thinking it over to no avail, Lian Shenwei stopped thinking about it, put on his clothes, left a letter for Qiu Che, and left.
Mingdeng bought a carriage and put the Cangshan sword in a newly bought sword box, which was sealed tightly. Lian Shenwei lowered his hat and got on the carriage. The inconspicuous carriage quickly disappeared in the busy streets.
Floating Villa.
Since it is a worship ceremony, you cannot wear anything too bright; black and white are best.
When Ying Jingjue was choosing clothes, he subconsciously thought of Ximian and somehow changed into light white clothes.
The royal guards were all in the dark, and he didn't ask anyone to follow him. He went to Fudu Villa alone. No one had lived here for ten years, and even if people often came to worship, they would not deliberately clean such a large place.
Climbing vines drilled into the cracks in the wall, moss was everywhere, and there were many flowers and trees at the archway that had been withered for who knows how long.
According to the rules of Fudu Villa, the ancestral hall in the inner villa belongs to the owner's family. No one is qualified to enter except direct descendants. Unfortunately, there are no descendants in the villa, and the ancestral hall has been closed for many years.
People like them can only go to the cemetery from other villages.
Ying Jingjue was fascinated by every brick and tile, every blade of grass and every tree in the outer village, and felt that they were inexplicably familiar. But if he thought about it carefully, he couldn't remember where he had seen them before.
Many people came here today, all of them were martial arts heroes, coming and going in a hurry, and were taciturn.
This was Ying Jingjue’s first time here, and he was not familiar with the rules and regulations here, nor did he know how to worship, so he just followed people to the cemetery behind the villa.
So many graves have been silent in the years, and at first glance, they feel desolate.
Ying Jingjue went to the grave of the owner and his wife of Fudu Mountain Villa, and burned incense and a lot of paper money with everyone else.
The gray-white flying fluff from burning paper money is always very light. Even if there is no wind, it will be blown away by the waves of fire and stick to the sleeves and hair of the people paying homage, just like the lingering feelings of a departed soul.
The pungent smell makes people's eyes sore.
Ying Jingjue was startled when his shoulder was suddenly patted.
"Come with me."
After the two of them walked to a deserted place, Ying Jingjue asked, "Mr. Qiu?"
Qiu Che nodded.
He looked Ximian's little nephew up and down. He didn't look at him carefully when they met him by the river that day. Today, the nephew changed into white clothes and looked more like Ximian.
According to generational distribution, he should be the child's second uncle.
Ying Jingjue: "Why are you here?"
"Just like you, worship."
"Mr. Qiu, why are you so sure that I'm here to pay my respects?"
Qiu Che: "Xi Mian told me that he asked you to come here. He has a deep friendship with Fudu Mountain Villa. Since you are here to replace him, you shouldn't hold a memorial ceremony outside the villa."
Ying Jingjue suddenly realized, then hesitated: "Then..."
"I'll take you to Neizhuang."
Qiu Che grabbed his wrist, took a few deep breaths, shook off the royal guards who were following him, and disappeared into the inner manor.
This was also his first time here. Lian Shenwei drew a blueprint for him yesterday, but his sense of direction was not very good and he spent a long time searching.
Ying Jingjue: "What are you looking for?"
"Ancestral hall."
"It's over there. I think we passed by there when we came here just now." Ying Jingjue pointed in a direction based on his intuition.
Qiu Che followed the direction he pointed, turned a few corners, and saw the ancestral hall in front of Xue Qing Pavilion.
He glanced at Ying Jingjue.
He clearly had not passed by here just now, but the child was able to find the direction immediately. Was it really as Ximian said, that he had forgotten everything?
He said nothing, pushed open the door of the ancestral hall, and smoke and dust filled the air instantly.
Ying Jingjue coughed a few times and waved his sleeves.
The ancestral hall related to the savior must be cleaned up.
The two of them spent quite a while cleaning the place up. Ying Jingjue exclaimed and found a few flattened dried lotus leaves under the worn-out futon.
"Why are there lotus leaves here?"
Qiu Che put out the offerings and said, "I don't know."
Ying Jingjue searched again and found a lot of things in the corners, including several small bottles of wine, a small windmill, a wooden sword, a nine-ring chain, a Luban lock, a storybook that was popular ten years ago... and so on.
He even found a thick cushion in the middle of the futon. When he unfolded it, he saw cute little yellow ducks embroidered on it. The stitches were so dense that the color had not faded after all these years.
It seems that someone often kneels in the ancestral hall, so a soft cushion was hidden inside to make kneeling comfortable.
The ancestral hall doesn't look very big, and so many things are crammed into hidden places that you can't even notice them if you don't look carefully.
Ying Jingjue sorted out the categories and sighed, "I don't know who it is, but he is still so playful in the ancestral hall... Really..."
His eyes fell on the tablet above. In addition to the manor owner and his wife, the last generation also included a young manor owner named Lian Youwei and a second son named Lian Yubai.
Qiu Che also saw it.
But he could probably guess who made these things. Back then, apart from Ximian, no one in Fudu Villa would be interested in playing so much as to kneel in the ancestral hall often.
Besides, he is probably the only one in the world who prepares a memorial tablet for himself.
Qiu Che's eyes fell on the tablet with Lian Yubai's name on it.
As expected.
He could probably guess about three or four points of what Ximian was going to do now. If it was related to the imperial court, the people of Fudu Villa would have to die, otherwise there would be more trouble.
After a moment, he handed the perfume to Ying Jingjue and said, "Go ahead."
Ying Jingjue took it and bowed respectfully three times. When he was about to go forward and insert the incense, Qiu Che frowned and stopped him with the hilt of his sword, "Wait."
"What's wrong?"
Qiu Che said coldly: "When worshipping in the ancestral hall, Ximian should kneel down and pay respect. You should do the same for him."
Ying Jingjue: “?”
He said unexpectedly: "Mr. Qiu also knows my identity. The crown prince of the Great Sheng Dynasty only kneels to the current emperor. Master Ximian has a deep relationship with Fudu Mountain Villa, but even if it is a life-saving grace, Fudu Mountain Villa cannot afford the kneeling ceremony of the crown prince of the current dynasty."
The handle of the Infinite Sword was thrust forward and firmly pressed against Ying Jingjue's neck. Qiu Che said coldly, "This is not the capital. We only follow the rules of the martial arts world. You promised Ximian, so you must do your best. Not to mention you, even if the emperor came today, the tablet enshrined here can withstand his kneeling."
“…I’ll do it.”
Ying Jingjue took a deep breath and pushed away the Infinite Sword. He knew that what Qiu Che said made sense, but he was being suppressed like this. He was used to being in a superior position and he always felt suffocated in his heart.
He inserted the original incense sticks, lifted his skirt, knelt on the cushion, kowtowed three times, and offered incense again.
The cold expression on Qiu Che's face eased a little, and when he looked at Ying Jingjue, there was a hint of looking at a younger person in his eyes. "Let's go to another place." He pulled up the young prince who had just been worshipped, closed the ancestral hall, and went to the underground cold palace not far to the north.
It is a place of ice, snow and glass, very small.
The location of the Han Palace is on the eye of a cold lake, but not much water comes out of it. Therefore, Fudu Villa simply turned it into a natural underground ice house.
The ground was covered with ice and the air was cold, making it difficult to walk. There was also a tablet here.
It still belongs to the young master Lian Youwei.
The air was filled with cold air and was filled with plum blossoms, some still in bloom, some dead, and some artificial fake plum blossoms.
There are also quite a few Yutanmei trees planted in the palace. My father loves this variety and he personally grows it every year. Ying Jingjue recognizes it.
"Why is there a tablet here?"
Qiu Che: “Kneel.”
This time, Ying Jingjue didn't wait for him to use his sword. He knelt down and kowtowed three times: "There is no incense burner here."
Qiu Che: "Not necessary here, the young master doesn't like those."
Ying Jingjue stood up and patted his clothes, looking around curiously, "Why do you put a tablet here? Isn't there one in the ancestral hall?"
Qiu Che recalled what Ximian had said to him, and after a moment of silence, he explained, "The young master of the manor liked the ice and snow in winter, but he died in early June and couldn't bear to see the plum blossoms bloom. So someone transplanted plum blossoms here, but was afraid that they wouldn't survive, so he even brought some fake ones."
"Is that man Master Ximian?"
"Yes and no."
Ying Jingjue laughed: "How can you say that? If it's yes, it's yes. If it's no, it's no. Is that how all people in the underworld talk?"
Qiu Che shook his head, not knowing what to say.
Ying Jingjue: "Since Mr. Qiu knew what Master Ximian asked me to do, he must have met him after he left that day. How is the injury on Master Ximian's hand? Have you found the heir of the Feng family?"
Injury on hand?
Qiu Che thought for a moment and remembered the quarrel he and Ming Deng had when they first met. Apart from the bruise on the back of Ximian's hand caused by his bump, he didn't find any other injuries on her hand.
He was very sensitive to something, and he continued to speak calmly, "No matter what, finding the heir of the Feng family is the key. However, there are many famous doctors in the capital, is there any expert among them?"
Ying Jingjue sighed, "There are famous doctors in the capital, but even if Hua Tuo were alive, Master Ximian's right hand tendons that were cut would probably never return to their original intact state."
"A friend of mine's master knows a doctor with a weird personality..."
Qiu Che could no longer hear clearly what he said.
His mind went blank, and when he heard the words 'the tendons of the right hand were severed', his thoughts were frozen by the pervasive cold.
[Qiu Che.]
[I am no longer a swordsman.]
Yesterday, Ximian leaned on the bed with a pale face and said with a smile. These words, which he took as a joke, once again clearly echoed in his ears.
The sword was passed to him, but Ximian's right hand was not steady enough to catch it, and it hit the quilt, while he explained to him as if nothing had happened.
[……Feel sorry.]
[Just woke up, no energy.]
Qiu Che suddenly didn't dare to think about it any further. What kind of mentality did Xi Mian have to say those words to him with a smile?
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