Great Sui Guoshi

The woman turned a deaf ear to the movement outside, sat on the edge of the bed and shed tears, watching her husband holding a pen and writing on the paper non-stop. stay.

The sound of rustling footsteps passed, and the woman moved a stool to sit beside her. The writing brush stopped, and Li Yishu forced a smile on his dry lips, and looked at his wife.

"It's time for you to sleep, don't wait for me."

"My concubine is with you, with you..." The woman wiped her tears and leaned closer, knowing in her heart that her husband's time with her was only the last day. Thinking of this, she felt depressed. I couldn't help crying again in a low voice.

"Why is God so unfair? You have done so many good things, why should you die?"

Li Yishu put down his pen, reached out to take the hand that wiped his tears, put it on his lap, clenched it tightly, and pursed his lips into a smile.

"God has to take care of so many people. There are always times when he is negligent. Maybe he dozed off before? Qinglian, it's okay. The last few patients are getting better soon. I will prescribe some medicines for my husband tomorrow." Adjusting and adjusting, it's just that it will be hard for you in the future, and after your husband leaves, you should marry another."

Feeling the coldness from her husband's hands, tears fell from the corners of the woman's eyes and onto her legs, soaking them all up, shaking her loose hair, choked up and unable to speak.

Li Yishu pulled out his hand, took her over, patted the woman's thin back, coaxing her as if he was still alive.

"I can live seven more days for my husband, I can be with you, I can see the rest of the patients, I can see the doctor's writing, I am very satisfied, the law of heaven cannot be changed, since I am a ghost, I have to leave, Qinglian, Be obedient, since your husband will not be by your side in the future, you have to live well, and don't let your husband feel worried about leaving."

"My concubine knows."

The only response was the extremely suppressed voice of the woman.

"Well, this is my good wife, Li Yishu." Li Yishu stroked her hair, and took a deep breath of its fragrance, but unfortunately, he couldn't smell anything.

The wind squeezed into the gaps in the window lattice, and the slightly shaking lights shone on the snuggling couple, turning warm yellow and exuding warmth.

Passing through this piece of warm yellow light, following the dark night sky, the stretch of steep mountains and forests is like a giant beast lying in the darkness, grinning its teeth. Occasionally, there are a few night birds singing, and there are copper bells approaching from far away, passing to the northwest.

jingle--

The bronze bell swayed under the old donkey's neck, and Lu Liangsheng was riding on the donkey's back with Wang Banyan. It has been more than a hundred miles. According to the picture in "The Boundless Mountain and Sea", it is not far from the mountain named Qingcheng Mountain. .

However, before going, he had to go to Yancheng first to do some errands. The sky was bright, and early in the morning, he led the old donkey and Wang Banxia into the city, asked where the government office was, and went straight there.

Chapter 3: Blue Sky and White Sun

The morning sun spreads gold in the streets and alleys of the city, and the peddlers walking around the streets are jumping on their loads and hawking loudly, the window lattices stained with spring dew are pushed open, and the woman on the second floor takes out the quilt that was washed last night and hangs it outside.

On the street below, the steamer was opened, and the hot air rose to reveal the super-premium sugar-filled white flour steamed cakes. Amidst the yelling of the vendors, Lu Liangsheng bought three, and casually asked where the government office was.

"From here, turn left to another street and you'll be there, young master, I think you should take a detour and go straight through this street, then turn left again, there are many people from the rivers and lakes in the city, and the atmosphere is very scary. "

"Thank you brother for reminding."

After paying six coins, Lu Liangsheng handed it to the big apprentice who was nodding his head and listening to the voices around him, walked to the bookshelf and opened the small door, Taoist Toad took a nap under the quilt, rubbed his flippers exposed outside, yawned, wrapped in the quilt Sitting up and seeing the pancakes put in, I was taken aback for a moment.

"Is it time to eat again?"

Immediately, he waved his frog webs: "Hurry up and get busy with your business. After you're done, go to Qingcheng Mountain, and hurry back to Lujiacun!"

"Ah."

After closing the small door for the master, Lu Liangsheng took a bite of the pancake, led the old donkey and turned left along the long street pointed by the vendor. It was still prosperous, with high and low houses on both sides, flags and banners of wine shops and tea shops fluttering, There was a lot of noise inside, and people shouted and cursed from time to time, as if there had been a dispute. Someone threw it outside, rolled around a few times, picked up the weapon left on the ground, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked fiercely at the passers-by looking around. With a roar, he saw the patrolling guards with knives coming, cursed and spit at the wine shop and left.

The scholar leading the old donkey walked through this noisy long street, looked around, but did not see Zuo Zhengyang, he was probably drinking a bar somewhere in the city, the hustle and bustle gradually faded away, and followed the previous peddler's guidance , I saw white walls and black tile courtyard walls, a few camphor trees stretched out their branches and hung down to the street, under the shade of greenery, there were two red lanterns hanging on the gate of the mansion, and two stone lions crouched on both sides of the stone steps, carrying official documents. , or the servants in the Yamen are busy going in and out.

"Cheng En, you will lead the old donkey over later." Lu Liangsheng said softly, handed the reins to the old man behind him, and his figure disappeared into the sky.

.......

There is a "Yanchengfu Yamen" hanging under the gate plaque.

The two guards standing with knives and sticks heard the sound of copper bells approaching, their eyes slanted slightly, and what they saw was a gray old man leading an old donkey, with a flag in his hand, a pair of green eyes slightly raised, looking Going to the sky, he walked slowly here, thinking it was just an old man who was telling fortunes, the two talked for a while, and when they looked again, there was a fortune-telling booth not far away on the street.

"This old man, where did you get the booth chair?"

"Go and have a look?" "Well, drive away, drive away, how can we set up a stall here, won't the master come back, and blame him?"

"I think it's better to forget it. Ordinary people know that stalls are not allowed here. This old man looks a little weird no matter how you look at it. Let's wait for the Fu Zun to come back."

"...Speaking of which, this old man seems to be a bit weird, so let's wait for the Fu Zun to come back before making a decision."

While the guards were talking, there was the sound of trampling horses' hoofs and the sound of carriage shafts. The two guards exchanged glances and quickly stood up straight. A moment later, a carriage slowly stopped at the gate of the mansion, and the curtain was lifted. The figure in a green official uniform, with black soap on his head and shoes, and an official hat got out of the car, with a generous face, a round chin and a beard, kind and majestic.

"Fu Zun!"

A yamen servant at the door spoke to the magistrate who raised his foot and stepped into the gate of the mansion, and when the other party turned his face, he asked, "What's the matter?"

The guard hurriedly pointed to the street not far outside, and reported back: "Just now a strange old man came and set up a fortune-telling stall over there. I waited to see that he was old and not easy to be violent, so... .”

Following the direction pointed by the guard, there was a flag flag standing there, the magistrate frowned, the government office was very important, no one would set up stalls around, why would someone knowingly commit a crime?

Moreover, he had something on his mind, so he was quite suspicious, so he recruited two confidantes and an aide, and walked over. Looking at the flying banners, which read the characters of "Humanity is the best, fortune is all blessings", for some reason, his eyelids twitched. .

Behind the booth, a gray old man with gray hair, his eyes should be blind, as if he heard someone coming, he raised his face slightly with a smile.

"He is full of official spirit, so he should be the magistrate face to face."

Even though he couldn't see with his eyes, he revealed the identity of the person in one word, and the two confidantes who followed behind the magistrate couldn't help but speak out.

"This old man is still a little smart, can he see this?"

"I think I heard the two brothers shouting at the door just now."

The magistrate in front of the booth looked at the old man carefully, raised his hand to silence the two behind him, looked at it with his lips pursed for a moment, and then spoke slowly.

"Since the master is lucky, what is the government doing here today?"

"Ha ha."

Wang Banxia just chuckled, he had learned the technique of observing qi taught by his master, especially in the aspect of observing people, it can be said that he has profound attainments, he can't see with his eyes, but he can feel the ominous aura entangled in the opponent's body.

However, he still picked up the other party's words and replied: "For this reason, the old man secretly set up a stall in the government office to tell fortunes."

"Hmph, since you know it, why did you commit the crime knowingly?"

Come, come, just waiting for your words.

Wang Banyan is best at leading people into the routine of seeking hexagrams. Hearing the other party's question, he raised his face with a smile, and gently stroked his long white beard under his chin.

"Knowingly committing a crime is only to save the magistrate's life."

This made the two guards behind hold the handle of the knife and yell, and even the staff who didn't speak much frowned.

"What are you talking about, old man?!" "My prefect loves the people like a son, and went to the countryside early this morning to observe the people's feelings!"

"One more thing, believe it or not, I will imprison you in the boss!"

Wang Banyan didn't argue with them, just smiled, and waited until the three of them had less to say, half-closed their dull eyes, and then turned to the direction of the magistrate.

"It is because the government respects the people like a son that I don't want to see a good official die."

As he spoke, he suddenly stretched out his hand, grabbed the prefect's wrist, and leaned forward to get close to him: "The prefect has been stained with blood recently."

As soon as these words came out, I obviously felt a slight tremor in the grasped wrist.

Over there, Zhifu squinted his eyes and stared at the fortune-telling old man in front of him for a long time. There were obviously swollen veins on his forehead. After a while, he broke free from the old man's hand, flicked his sleeves, and waved to the two guards behind him.

"This old man occupies the streets of the government office and speaks nonsense. You take him back to the mansion, and the manor will interrogate him himself!"

"Yes!"

The two guards looked at each other, and knowingly picked up the old man behind the hexagram stall, and followed the Fuzun all the way into the mansion, even leading the old donkey outside together.

The shade outside the courtyard wall is mottled with the sun swaying on the ground. Along the white courtyard wall, behind the government office, there is a prison. There are gloomy prison rooms with dim butter lamps. From time to time, there are screams in the darkness in the distance.

At this time, more than a dozen jailers in the prison were leaning on the prison pillars or laying on the table drowsy. In the dark, an oil lamp hanging on the wall suddenly shook. Someone stuck to the wall and looked at the light. Within the range, a scholar in a white cloud-patterned robe, with a scarf on his head, looked handsomely at a prison fence.

"The ability of Li Yishu's soul to return home is the method of blood escape you taught?"

"Yes... I saw that he was an upright person and cared about his patients. He begged me to take the prescriptions for medical treatment to Wanhe County after being in prison for several days, so I told the method of blood escape."

"Then you're here to learn again?"

"Before, I cut down a demon who knew some tricks, and he passed it on to me before he died."

Lu Liangsheng slowed down his tone, let go of his mana, and let the prison head fall to the ground. In fact, he was worried that Li Yishu's matter would have another twist, so he asked Wang Banxia to test the magistrate, and he himself came to the prison to find out the origin of the secret method.

Afterwards, he asked Li Yishu why he was convicted, and the prison chief answered truthfully. After all, he was just a prison leader, not even an official, and he dared not lie in front of this scholar who knew magic.

The reason for this has nothing to do with what Li Yishu said that day. Before the magistrate became an official, he already had a wife. His official career was prosperous all the way to the magistrate, but he was only thirty-two. He also had the ability to govern the local area, and was appreciated by the governor. When he learned that there was still an unmarried daughter in the governor's family, he thought about it, but divorcing his wife would hurt his reputation. One day, he saw that his old wife had suffered from old illnesses in previous years, so he came up with a plan. In a fit of rage, he put Langzhong into prison and beheaded Caishikou.

Out of emotion and reason, the people in the city who didn't know the truth clapped their hands and applauded. For a while, the whole Yancheng complained for the middle-aged magistrate who lost his wife. Naturally, his reputation also rose, and soon spread to the ears of the governor...

"Good idea."

Lu Liangsheng walked out of the prison and stood on the street with his hands behind his back. The soil under the tree on the opposite side of the street broke open. Cicadas slowly climbed up the tree and soaked in the sunlight. white clouds.

Two lives, no more.

Chapter 3 Eleven

The midday sun was pleasant, and through the mottled gaps in the trees, Lu Liangsheng watched the cicadas break through the ground and climb up the tree. In the room, the chubby magistrate poured the tea with his own hands, and carefully carried it to the opposite table.

"Old sir, please have some tea."

"Well, let's put it there." Wang Banma stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Your Majesty doesn't need to be polite, saving people on the way is the business of me and other cultivators. It's a pity that the evil ghost died with resentment. You can't kill him right away, if you delay it for a long time, your morals will increase greatly, and the nobleman's life will also be in danger."

"Mister, this government only recently found out about it."

The magistrate put down the teacup, looked at the closed doors and windows, changed his previous expression, and pressed the desk anxiously.

"Two days ago, I also found a wandering Taoist who knew some Taoist techniques for catching ghosts and eliminating demons. He said it was easy..."

"Oh?"

Wang Banxia's heart skipped a beat, but the expression on his face didn't change, he stretched out his hands and counted, but he said in his heart: "Mother, if there is such a thing, wouldn't Li Yishu be accepted by Taoist You Fang?"

...you have to tell Master.

A hypocritical person, he has seen countless people in Fushui County, this magistrate has almost admitted the murder even if he didn't say it out loud.

After thinking about it half-blindly, he stopped counting fingers, chuckled twice.

"It's easy? The old man watched the sky at night. Yesterday, above the weir city, there were stars that were crumbling. How can that ghost replace the stars? It must be the person who wants them. Then, who does the magistrate think the crumbling stars represent?"

This.....

The magistrate clenched his hands tightly, pressing down on the table, and clenched his teeth. Suddenly, he walked outside the table and bowed to the old man.

"Also ask the old man to save me."

"Hehe, it's easy to talk, easy to talk, bring pen and ink."

Wang Banyan took the pen and ink, stared straight at the wall, and held the brush in his hand to draw a random picture on the paper with an indecipherable imperial character.

"Put it on your body, I will come back later."

After finishing speaking, he got up and walked out. The magistrate looked at the ghost-like paper in his hand, and hurriedly chased after him: "Old man, is this thing useful? Why don't you stay in the mansion? What are you going to prepare for rituals? This mansion wrote it." People go to Zhangluo."

"Humph."

Wang Banyan opened the door and walked outside, his eyes half closed and he turned his face slightly: "You can't find the things used by the old man."

Leaning on crutches, walking briskly as if he was not an old man, he turned around the arched door in the side yard in the blink of an eye, a camphor tree shook, but no sound could be heard.

The magistrate held the piece of 'talisman paper' and sighed: "A master." He restrained his expression, straightened his back and went back to the room with his hands behind his back. Behind him, the camphor tree was still shaking.

Turning around the archway to the left, Wang Banzai squatted on the ground and rubbed his forehead, not daring to make a sound. Feeling that there was no one around, he let out a little 'hiss' in pain. Taking the rein in his hand, he led the old donkey to follow the master's aura, and came to the street, where he felt a figure standing with his hands behind his back.

Hastily stepped forward and cupped his hands: "Master."

"How's it going?"

"The magistrate is guilty of being a thief, and his appearance is inconsistent."

Lu Liangsheng pursed his lips, stopped talking, took the rein from his half-blind hand, and walked aimlessly on the street, looking at the noisy pedestrians around him.

"Master Lu!"

A familiar voice came from above the wine shop on the side of the street, Wang Banzai called softly: "Master, someone is calling for you."

The scholar who was walking ahead and thinking about something stopped, looked up and saw Zuo Zhengyang sitting by the fence on the second floor of the restaurant, holding a flagon and waving at him.

The clerk at the door of the restaurant hurried up to meet the scholar, skillfully took the rein from his hand, and yelled inward.

"The two guest officers, what would you like to drink?"

"There are seats."