77 Amnesia
◎It captures the soaring kites and leaping fish, and it also captures his figure. ◎
Being possessed is a very strange feeling, like looking at the world through a thin membrane, everything is blurry and everything is unclear. The "soul" is extracted from the body, and Ying Jianhua can only observe "himself" and talk to Du Zhijin from another person's perspective.
He tried calling upon the orchid spirit in his sea of consciousness and indeed received the answer to his question. Afterward, the orchid spirit revealed its true form and offered its demon core. His soul was drawn back into the vortex, and he regained control of his body.
This process took longer than the time required for the soul to leave the body. When he opened his eyes, it was already midday under the blazing sun.
He immediately found Du Zhijin and asked about Twelve's condition: "How is she? Is she still alive?"
Du Zhijin hesitated. Seeing her expression, Ying Jianhua realized that even the demon core was useless, and for a moment she didn't know how to comfort her.
If you buy a newborn dog from the street and tell her it's the twelfth reincarnation, will she believe you?
Before he could come up with a good solution, she said, "The person is alive... but, something unexpected happened."
An unexpected turn of events? The orchid demon has already had its demon core extracted, what unexpected event could possibly happen to Twelve?
Filled with deep confusion, he lifted the curtain and entered the room specially prepared for the patient. As soon as he entered, he saw that Twelve was already awake, sitting half-upright on the couch, with a thick cotton cloth wrapped around his head.
He clearly remembered that he hadn't treated Twelve like that, so the cotton cloth must have been wrapped by Du Zhijin.
Wrapped around its head... Could it be that Twelve has something wrong with its brain?
He stopped at the doorway and asked uncertainly, "How are you feeling? Are you feeling unwell?"
Hearing the voice, Twelve turned around, her face showing deep confusion: "Who are you?"
Ying Jianhua was stunned.
What he is doing is...
Du Zhijin followed behind him and added, "It seems that Twelve has lost his memory."
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Ying Jianhua searched through the entire Jianchang Marquis's library but couldn't find a single word about treating amnesia. Du Zhijin speculated that it might be a side effect of absorbing the demon core, and therefore incurable.
He glanced at her, sensing something else in her tone: "You don't want Twelve to regain her memories?"
Du Zhijin paused for a moment, then admitted, "Yes. It wasn't a good memory after all... It's better to forget it."
Back then, when she first slaughtered demons, causing rivers of blood to flow, she didn't close her eyes for two whole days and nights. Every time she closed her eyes, all she could see were the ferocious expressions of those demons. The twelve she killed were even her former companions, living, breathing people, and she didn't think there was any need to recall those memories.
Perhaps, losing her past memories was Twelve's own choice.
"What do you plan to do next? Have Eleven and Twelve stay at the Marquis of Jianchang's residence?" he asked.
She shook her head: "The closer they get to the dragon vein, the more uncomfortable they become. Besides, staying in Liuli City carries the risk of being exposed at any time. Since he has already forgotten his past, it's better to give him a chance to start over."
With Zhao Zhonggan around, fabricating new identities for the two of them would be a piece of cake. After hearing this, Shiyi agreed without hesitation.
If given a choice, nobody wants to live like a rat in the gutter.
Ying Jianhua said, "While the palace is still too busy to interrogate the rest, you should leave as quickly as possible."
Once any member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard speaks up, neither Eleventh nor Twelfth will be able to leave.
Du Zhijin thought so too. Holding two blank identity documents, she asked Eleven, "Have you decided on a new name yet?"
After thinking for a moment, Shiyi said, "Wei Shiyi."
The code name had been with her for too long. Although it might not have been her own wish, the name had become ingrained in her bones and could no longer be severed.
She used to be the Eleventh Member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; from now on, she will be Wei Shiyi.
Ying Jianhua: "Then he must be Wei Shi'er?"
Du Zhijin felt it necessary to consult the twelve people, even though the person on the bed remembered nothing. She called out to him through the window, "Shi'er?"
He turned around at the sound, surprised: "Why do you recognize me?"
Surprisingly, the Three Character Classic wasn't cured. Ying Jianhua raised an eyebrow, picked up a brush, and wrote "Wei Shi'er" in the blank space of the identity document.
That's good, at least it's still three words, so I don't have to repeat words when introducing myself.
Over there, Shi Er, who had just woken up, finally found someone who seemed to know him and hurriedly asked, "Why? I'm here."
Du Zhijin nudged Shi Yi, signaling her to explain. Shi Yi, quick-witted, came up with an explanation in a moment.
They were twins who traveled to the capital to find their relatives. However, the night before, there was chaos in the palace, and the two were caught in the crossfire. Shi'er was seriously injured and hit his head on a rock, causing him to lose his memory.
"...Now that I think about it, that person who claimed he could help us find our parents might not be reliable. It's best to leave the capital as soon as possible." Shi Er was used to hearing Shi Yi's words. Although he had lost his previous memories, his instincts were still there, and he subconsciously nodded in agreement. But then, his gaze passed over Shi Yi and the window, landing on Du Zhijin across the street.
"I think I know you."
Du Zhijin was taken aback upon hearing this.
She hadn't expected that Shi Er, even though he had forgotten his name, hadn't forgotten her, and she felt a mix of emotions.
After a moment, she said, "Yes, we are friends."
Shi Er stared intently at her, his brows furrowed slightly, as if trying hard to recall. But no matter how hard he tried, his mind remained blank.
Friend...just a friend?
He opened his mouth, and a word escaped his throat: "Sword tassel."
Everyone present was taken aback. After all, apart from Du Zhijin, this was the first time anyone else had heard him give a reply that didn't consist of three words. Ying Jianhua couldn't help but take another look at him.
We must be extremely careful.
Du Zhijin certainly knew which sword tassel he was referring to, but he had left in such a hurry that he had only managed to rescue the blood-covered man, leaving everything else behind in Yacheng. Even if he went back to look for it now, he certainly wouldn't find it.
She felt extremely guilty about this: "I'm sorry."
Shi Er lowered his head, a strange sense of melancholy rising in his heart. It was as if he had always known that the sword tassel would break.
Just like between him and her.
As they were talking, Banzhu ran in and said, "The carriage is ready."
Shi Yi suddenly looked up, clutching her identity document tightly in her sleeve, as if afraid that if she let go, her hard-won ordinary life would vanish.
Ying Jianhua didn't speak. He looked at Du Zhijin, and Du Zhijin looked at Shi Er.
Shi Er was taken aback: "Leave now?"
She said, "You can rest longer if you want, I will make sure you are safe."
He looked at Ying Jianhua beside Du Zhijin, and their eyes met. There was something he still didn't understand.
"No need, Sister Shiyi. Let's go."
If we stay, we can only be friends.
Shi Er had just recovered from a serious illness, and Shi Yi volunteered to drive the carriage. Neither of them had brought any luggage, so Ying Jianhua temporarily provided them with some clothes and food, keeping everything simple.
A simple carriage slowly drove out of the side gate of the Marquis of Jianchang's residence. Every household in the city was dressed in white mourning clothes, and no one noticed them.
Du Zhijin, Ying Jianhua, and Zhao Zhonggan all came to see him off.
Zhao Zhonggan was very curious about these two former Imperial Guards, but he could never find an opportunity to talk to them. Now that he finally met them, it was the last time he would see them.
He couldn't help but sigh, "Today we part, where shall we meet again? Life is like a boat adrift on the waves, how can one find a place to stay afloat?"
Reminded by him, Du Zhijin said, "Oh, by the way, Amo and I will be leaving the capital soon."
Zhao Zhonggan was startled and panicked: "Why so fast? Shouldn't we have had more time?"
She shook her head: "The orchid demon has been eliminated, what's the point of staying in the capital?"
He wanted to say it was for his sake, but when he caught a glimpse of Ying Jianhua, who was standing silently to the side, he swallowed his words.
Yes, my senior sister already has someone she likes.
That person is not him.
He had no intention of trying to persuade them further, only saying that the Marquis of Jianchang's residence would welcome them to come again at any time. Du Zhijin nodded and bid him farewell in advance: "Take care."
Ying Jianhua followed closely behind, saying, "Until we meet again."
Zhao Zhonggan was depressed.
How come the two of them are getting more and more in sync?
After Zhao Zhonggan left, they began packing their belongings to leave. As they packed, Du Zhijin sensed something was wrong.
Amo was unusually quiet today.
Were you moved by the sorrow of parting?
She put down what she was holding and quietly moved closer to him, but before she could get close, Ying Jianhua saw through her act.
She wondered, "Do I make any noise when I walk?"
Ying Jianhua pointed to the shadow on the wall.
Thankfully, she hadn't gotten weaker. But her happiness didn't last long, because she discovered that Amo was genuinely unhappy.
Her lips remained slightly pursed, and her eyelashes were always lowered, obscuring the emotions in her eyes like dense foliage.
Like a window tightly covered by summer vegetation, making it impossible to breathe.
She asked directly, "Amo, are you very sad?"
Ying Jianhua's movements faltered slightly. He hadn't expected her to ask so directly... but her question actually eased his unease considerably.
He gave a soft "hmm," then looked up into her eyes and asked, "Will you forget me?"
Ying Jianhua has no connection to this world anymore. If Du Zhijin loses his memory like Shi Er, he can't imagine what he would become.
He would probably die immediately. Because there was no point in continuing to live; neither humans nor demons would accept him. If even her light were extinguished... his world would be a void of eternal night.
He will drown.
"No," she said, her gaze calm as the sea, encompassing the soaring kites and leaping fish, and also his image.
She said, "I will never forget you."
forever.
I will never forget you.
After saying that, she seemed to suddenly remember something, pushed open the door and ran away, her steps hurried as if there was an extremely urgent matter waiting for her outside.
As she ran, she didn't forget to tell him, "I'll be right back."
However, this journey took several hours.
Ying Jianhua wasn't worried that she would abandon him, but she had been gone for too long, and he couldn't help but have some wild thoughts.
Did they realize he was a demon? Or did they see the bounty poster again and sense something was wrong...?
Although he had made up his mind to be honest with her, he still felt that now was not the right time.
Let's wait a little longer.
That's what he was thinking.
Du Zhijin arrived late, just as dusk was beginning to fall.
Upon hearing the irregular rustling of bamboo leaves, Ying Jianhua knew it was her. Perhaps in her haste, she forgot to use the door and, true to her nature, chose to climb through the window.
Before anyone arrived, the fragrance of flowers filled the air.
He was stunned for a moment.
Where do osmanthus flowers come from at this time of year?
Seeing him looking over, Du Zhijin smiled and handed him the small bunch of osmanthus flowers. As the moon rose above the willow branches, the image of her holding the flowers gradually overlapped with that of the night of the Orchid Bathing Festival.
He heard her say, "By the Goddess of Flowers, Du Zhijin swears that he will never forget Ying Jianhua in this lifetime."
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