crack
The calm after the hustle and bustle is always lonely.
Mingyu sat by the door, feeling a bit bored, leaning against the door frame, recalling the meal and chat they had just had together, avoiding sensitive topics, and listening to Xueliu and Mumian talking about the fashionable fabric patterns, rouge and powder, popular storytelling books, and folk legends.
Mingyu couldn't help but smile. This experience was very new to Mingyu.
Now Muqian and Xueliu have gone to bed, and she is waiting for the time to come alone.
For Mingyu, the Winter Festival has officially arrived.
Mingyu stood up and patted his clothes. He first lit the pile of firewood, arranged the fruits and vegetables and other offerings neatly, made sure the turtle shell was in front of the fire, took a few steps back, and drew his sword out of the scabbard.
She wore a white veil on her face, just enough to cover her eyebrows and nose, and held the sword high in both hands.
His fingers were frozen red, the white breath he exhaled gradually dissipated, and the sword in his hand slowly emitted a faint light.
Finally everything is just right.
"I respectfully pray to Heaven, have pity on my insignificance. With a sincere heart, I pray to Heaven for divine providence and good weather for the world."
The moment the words fell, the wind stopped.
Mingyu held up his sword and walked to the front of the turtle shell. He knelt down and placed the sword flat. He held the turtle shell with both hands and placed it on the charcoal fire. He picked up the sword again, half bent over and retreated to his original place.
The sword dances, and the wind moves with the sword.
The sword lifted up the accumulated snow, and Mingyu's movements were clean and neat, becoming faster and faster as time passed.
“Pah.”
The sound was subtle. Mingyu stopped, put away his sword, and bowed towards the fire, as if expressing gratitude to an invisible person.
Mingyu took off his blindfold, breathing heavily, and ignoring the sword whose fluorescence was gradually fading, he picked up the water that had not yet frozen and poured it on the fire.
Under the stimulation of cold water, the turtle shell cracked deeper.
The turtle shell was still a little hot, and Mingyu just squatted there and watched.
Well, this year has been a good year overall.
Mingyu clapped his hands and was about to clean up everything, but suddenly thought of Kapok.
In just three months, Muqian was all alone.
So, will this be a good year?
The Ming fish doesn’t know.
…
After winter comes, the Spring Festival is not far away.
Everyone was busy except Mingyu, so Yu Tongxin walked around and finally pulled Xiaoya to play with Mingyu.
"Hey, none of you can fly as far as I can." Yu Tongxin's nose was red from the cold, and she tilted her head back, feeling very proud.
Xueliu ran to pick up all the bamboo dragonflies for them.
"Tong Xin is the best."
The only thing Mingyu has learned these days is that you should flatter children of this age just like you flatter your boss, otherwise they will pester you relentlessly.
"Where's Xiaoya? Doesn't she usually follow you?"
"I don't know. She disappeared after her nap. Cuizhu said she would be here soon."
Cuizhu is Yu Tongxin's maid.
"Do you want to take a break? Your nose is red from the cold."
"No, you're trying to escape. You're a deserter! Xueliu, hurry up and give the bamboo dragonfly to the Master. Let's have another one."
"I give up, I give up completely." Mingyu raised his hands in surrender, "Master Tongxin, if you don't go in and warm yourself by the fire, you'll catch a cold."
"Well, since you've admitted defeat, it's not impossible for you to go in first."
"Thank you, Master Tongxin, for your generosity."
As they were talking, Cuizhu and Xueliu immediately hugged Yu Tongxin and walked into the house. Xiaoya also arrived in a hurry.
"Husband, Master, Miss." Xiaoya panted, and the bacon and minced fish in her hand looked a little familiar.
"Xiaoya, why are you so slow?" Yu Tongxin put her hands on her hips and raised her head again, "I have already defeated the Master."
"Miss, you are really amazing." Xiaoya praised sincerely with a little surprise and admiration.
"Hmph!" Yu Tongxin became even more arrogant.
"My mother told me to give the bacon to the teacher as a New Year's greeting."
"This..." Mingyu laughed silently. She had to accept the meat, right?
"Mother said she was worried that the teacher would be busy after the New Year, so she sent the gift in advance." Xiaoya looked at Mingyu with sparkling eyes.
Did Xiaoya's mother deliberately ask Xiaoya to come and send her off?
"Okay, I'll take it. Thank your mother for me."
"Xiaoya, why didn't you take me with you?" Yu Tongan's face wrinkled into a ball, blaming Xiaoya, "Why didn't you tell me you were giving me a gift?"
"Ah? But I just found out..."
"No." Yu Tongxin's eyes rolled around, and no one knew what she was planning.
"Master, do you like beautiful clothes?"
"Ah?" Mingyu was a little unable to keep up with Yu Tongan's thoughts.
"Everyone doesn't like it." The eldest sister and the second sister both like to buy new clothes.
Thinking of this, Yu Tongxin grabbed Xiaoya and ran out.
"Miss!" Cuizhu hurriedly followed and ran out.
The yard became quiet, leaving only Xueliu and Mingyu, who was holding two pieces of bacon, staring at each other.
Mingyu suddenly laughed, and Xueliu couldn't help laughing.
"What's going on?"
Mu Mian came in with some freshly brewed hot tea and saw this scene. She asked curiously, "What's going on?"
Mingyu smiled and shook his head, not knowing what to do with the bacon. He planned to find a place to hang it up first.
…
Later, neither of them came. The courtyard, which had been bustling for a few days, fell silent again.
"Why haven't the young lady and Xiaoya come to play these past two days?"
"The young lady has been taken to visit her husband." Mumian pursed her lips and paused, "Xiaoya's family is sick, and Xiaoya has to go back to help."
"Is it her grandmother's illness? Hasn't her mother always taken care of her?" Xue Liu thought for a moment and added, "Didn't Xiaoya recently say that her father was coming back for the New Year? Since her father is helping out, why does Xiaoya still need to go?"
Kapok is silent.
Mingyu had a bad feeling: "Is it her father who is sick this time?"
"Yes." Muqian nodded.
"I remember her father came back from the capital." Xue Liu mentioned it before.
"Exactly."
The prince fell ill and went to the capital, where the shamanic office was recruiting workers. The prince shed congealed blood.
"Does your young master know about this?" If there really was a problem, Yu Tongan would not just sit there and do nothing.
"I understand. I've sent someone to check it out."
Xue Liu asked in confusion, "Then why hasn't it gotten better yet?"
Kapok shook his head.
Mingyu remained silent and finally made a decision.
"Let's go and see Xiaoya's father." Mingyu was a little uneasy, but he just wanted to go and take a look first.
Xiaoya's family lives outside the city. Once they leave the town, the roads become bumpy.
From a distance, Xiaoya's house was built of stones and covered with loess mud on the outside. There was a chicken coop in the yard, but no chickens were raised there.
Yu Tongan was talking to a man who looked like a doctor outside the door.
"…it doesn't work. I wonder if it's because it's not the same kind…"
Yu Tongan frowned, his face looking a little heavy. He looked up and saw Mingyu with some surprise, but soon became understanding.
"Did you know that Tian Eya's father was ill?"
Mingyu was not surprised that Yu Tongan knew that she was familiar with Xiaoya.
"Well, come and take a look."
As he spoke, Mingyu walked past Yu Tongan and into the house.
"Master!" Xiaoya sat beside the bed where a man was lying. The man was unconscious with blue lips and did not look in good condition.
Mumian put down the gifts, his face looking a little heavy.
Mingyu turned around and went out to ask Yu Tongan: "So what is this disease?"
"I don't know." Yu Tong'an sighed, "As you can see, the doctor is trying to find a solution."
Mingyu was silent for a moment, then asked, "I heard he was working in the capital. What exactly did he do?"
"I don't know, but my colleagues said he participated in the construction of the Wuzhu Hall." Yu Tongan's eyes were openly inquiring. "Mingyu, do you know anything?"
Mingyu remained silent. She felt that Yu Tongan's words were like a whirlpool. If she answered, there would be no possibility of escaping the danger.
At this time, Xiaoya's mother came over with medicine.
"Master?" Xiaoya's mother looked haggard, her eyes were red, and she forced a smile at Mingyu.
"Is your husband okay?"
Xiaoya's mother opened her mouth, but in the end said nothing. She shook her head and went in with the medicine.
The doctor was still adjusting the prescription, and Mingyu walked over to take a look.
These are very conventional medicines, but they all aim to detoxify the body. However, they already have a prototype and are not a prescription developed in a day or two.
Mingyu closed his eyes, with more speculations in his mind.
…
No one spoke on the way back. Mingyu's pace gradually slowed down and finally stopped completely.
"Yu Tongan, why did you save me?"
"Just like you said at the beginning, protect yourself." Yu Tongan also stopped and turned to face Mingyu. "You can see, I have a big family. I can't just sit and wait to die, so I have to find a way."
Yu Tongan took a step closer and said in a gentle voice, "Maybe he just wants everyone's life to be better. After all, only when it's better will people be willing to trade, and I can make money."
"Then why should I get involved?" No matter who wins the struggle for imperial power, it will not benefit Mingyu.
When Emperor Dewen was alive, she was monitored, restricted, and her life was difficult. When the new emperor came to power, she was hunted down and even after being rescued by Yu Tong'an, she was still trapped. What happened next? Would the emperor like someone whose mere words could threaten his throne?
"I don't know." Yu Tongan's face was rarely sincere and gentle, "But you will do it. You obviously don't have to come, but you still come here."
“Once you discover what you can do, the gap will widen, urging you to take action.”
Mingyu didn't say anything.
"That Mingyu." Yu Tongan slowly guided his students like a teacher, "Why did you come today?"
Mingyu knows the answer.
She was afraid that she could not save him, she was afraid that she would regret it, and she was afraid that she had made the wrong choice.
…
Mingyu returned to the yard.
"Girl?" Xueliu was a little worried. "What's wrong? Is Xiaoya's father seriously ill?"
"Yeah." Mingyu pulled the corner of his mouth.
I thought of the mud house again, the haggard wife, the unconscious husband, and the anxious Xiaoya in the room.
The moment she raised her eyes, Mingyu saw the two pieces of bacon that had circled back into her hands.
The Ming fish was deflated.
She should return the favor.
Mingyu picked up a pen and paper, thought for a while, and wrote down the materials used in witchcraft and medicine.
"Kumakum, please pass it to your master for me."
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