Zhu He

It was humid and cold in the south in December, especially when kneeling in the ancestral hall on the bluestone slabs, the wind was blowing from left to right, and within two hours I lost consciousness.

Child, no, it should be a young boy, he was shivering from the cold while hugging his arms tightly, and his upper and lower jaw could not close together.

At this time, I suddenly heard the babbling of the door behind me, and a tall boy pushed the door open and entered, holding a steaming bowl in his hand.

"Lian, Liantang..." The young boy turned his head and stumbled a bit before speaking in surprise.

Lian Tang closed the door, squatted down in front of him, handed over the bowl and said, "Master, hurry up and warm your hands with this hot soup..."

"Why did you just come here...I'm dying of cold..." The young boy covered the wall of the bowl with his red hands from the cold, and covered them with Liantang's warm palms, and finally dispelled a little bit of the chill. I couldn't help but let out a comfortable sigh, and said nervously, "You, you weren't seen by my father and others, right?"

Lian Tang shook his head: "Master and wife are asleep, I just went to the kitchen and saw no one... It's strange, why didn't the cooks go to work? Recently, there are fewer people in the mansion."

The young boy was startled, and bumped him sideways: "This is not nonsense, the Chinese New Year is coming soon, and everyone is going back to the countryside, as long as you don't get seen, it's fine, otherwise my father will punish you too, you have a few days You are about to go to Beijing, and at this moment you will be punished like me and kneel for several hours, to see if you can still walk."

Lian Tang reached out and stroked his pale face: "Why are you fighting with the master, he loves you so much..."

"I don't like to listen to his words, why don't I go to the academy for classes? I just like to stay at home!" The young boy snorted willfully.

"Then what if I leave your homework?" Lian Tang asked him.

"I, I teach myself!" The young boy pouted and raised his head resentfully.

Lian Tang looked at him silently for a while, then suddenly sighed: "If you don't want to go to the academy, then don't go, I'll teach you."

The little boy was startled, and asked confusedly: "What are you talking about, you are leaving."

Lian Tang shook his head: "I know you don't want me to go, I said I would always be with you..."

The little boy was startled, his eyes turned red immediately, but he was not touched but angry, and he slapped Liantang's back with his backhand.

"You are stupid, you, idiot, you promised to accompany me, then you also promised my parents and my sister to be admitted to the first prize, is it not the same as breaking your promise?!"

Lian Tang remained silent, the young boy hit him several times again and again until the tears in his eyes rolled down, Lian Tang grabbed his reddened hand and said helplessly: "I'll go, I'll go, you do not be angry……"

"How can I not be angry! You will definitely be admitted to the first prize, and the family is still waiting for you to feel proud!" The little boy sniffed heavily, "I am also waiting for you to come back..."

Lian Tang gently wiped away the tears on his face, and said with a smile, "Okay, I'll be back soon, and then I'll teach you."

"Hmph, when you come back, I'm already full of resources, so I don't need you, I'm much smarter than you!" The young boy disdainfully.

"Yes, you are the most amazing." Lian Tang replied dotingly.

The two talked for a long time. Lian Tang wanted to stay in the ancestral hall to spend the night with him, but he was kicked out, saying that he fell asleep and his parents found out that the two of them were going to suffer together. Only then reluctantly took the bowl and left again, ignoring the opponent's struggle before leaving, took off the clothes on his body and put them on the young boy's body.

The young boy leaned against the window railing, staring blankly at Lian Tang's leaving back, his eyes seemed sad and comforted.

After a while, the closed door was quietly pushed open again.

The little boy turned his head, and under the moonlight stood a face that was seventy percent like his own, with autumnal brows and delicate eyebrows.

"Sister..." The little boy smiled sweetly at the girl who entered the door.

The girl put down the quilt she was holding in her hand, and touched his head: "Are you hungry?"

The boy shook his head: "Lian Tang just came here and brought me hot soup."

"That's good." The girl also smiled, and the short body spread the quilt on the ground for him.

The young man looked at her back silently: "Sister, do you think Lian Tang will find out?"

The girl shook her head: "I ordered it, but no one dared to tell him."

"But there are fewer and fewer people in the mansion, and the shops in the north will all be closed tomorrow. Sooner or later, he will guess that his parents' business is over, and our Chang mansion... will also lose."

The girl paused, then turned around and sat down next to the boy: "He's going to Beijing in two days, but it's only two days, just keep it from him in the end, if there's anything, we'll talk about it when he comes back."

"Sister... I'm scared." The boy suddenly turned red, and threw himself into the girl's arms, "Did that wandering Taoist come again a few days ago? Is he still trying to take Lian Tang away? Lian Tang is going to test his merits Yes, he didn't fight against me, I was the disaster star, even if our Chang family was in bad luck, it was because of me... Father and mother knew it clearly, why did they believe that man's nonsense, they never believed it before, but now they are starting to believe it Doubt, Lian Tang can't go with that Taoist priest, that Taoist priest is not a good person..."

The girl put her arms around her younger brother, patting him on the back comfortingly.

"I know, don't be afraid... my sister is here, no one can take Lian Tang away, he is not a disaster star, and you are not a disaster star, you are my sister's good brother, we will all live in peace, don't be afraid... ..."

The girl's embrace was obviously so delicate, but it made the boy feel at ease for no reason. Her voice was so warm, dispelling the coldness and fear of the cold night.

The young boy hugged her back, and said in a low voice: "I know that Mr. Liang from the county magistrate's family has come to ask for marriage again. Sister, don't answer him. The man keeps saying that he likes you, but even if we have no money or food, you I can't be a concubine for others, I've grown up, and I can protect you and my parents."

There was a gleam of water in the girl's beautiful eyebrows, but she laughed the next moment, and patted her brother on the back lightly: "I still can't understand your ability, and you will definitely turn the world upside down in the future. Right... But it's still too early, wait a few more years, and in a few years, my sister and parents will all rely on you, little ancestor, okay?"

The little boy knew that his sister was coaxing him, and he wanted to say something uncomfortable, but he didn't know how to speak, so he could only hug her tightly again.

Under the gentle moonlight, my sister's hand stroking the boy's hair was also so gentle, as if wanting to soothe his anxiety and ease his unknown future...

……

Chang Jiaci and Yu Miao just fell asleep at the banquet, it's hard for Dong Qinghe not to blame, instead he asked the servant to help them up, followed them out of the hall, and ordered them to be sent back.

Chang Jiaci slept restlessly, struggled with his hands and feet, and muttered something in his mouth, which made it very difficult for Qing Lang to pull.

Dong Qinghe got closer and found that he had been calling "sister" all the time. He couldn't help but think that Chang Jiaci had also called like this that day when he was poisoned, but this time the voice was still tinged with unconcealable sadness. Dong Qinghe He listened for a while, and asked Qingyi to help send him off.

Hearing this, Qingyi gestured to who would put the net in her arms?

The people from Jiuning Palace hadn't left yet, and the pair of knives were still entrusted to the Qinghe Gate. Seeing this, Dong Qinghe turned his head and glanced at the upper seat in the hall. The next moment, there was a flash of light around him, and Murong Jiaoyang stood there.

Dong Qinghe said: "I know you are uncomfortable sitting in it, so please send this saber to Wanyao Hall for display."

Murong Jiaoyang immediately took the knife readily.

Dong Qinghe took two steps, turned his head and glanced at Chang Jiaci who was supported by the two, then glanced at Yu Miao who was dragged by Qingyue alone, pointing at the latter, and said to Murong Jiaoyang: "By the way, help get him back too."

Murong Jiaoyang raised his eyebrows, and just as he was about to refuse, Dong Qinghe turned around and left.

The master of the east gate sat in the hall for a long while, and seeing that everyone was almost drunk, he waved his hand to end the banquet.

As a show of courtesy, Dong Qinghe personally sent Jiuning Palace and his party outside the palace where they lived temporarily.

On the way, he and Hua Jiandong walked side by side, Hua Jiandong looked at the Chonglou Feige in the distance, and suddenly sighed: "I have been here for many years, and the Qinghe Gate has not changed at all..." As he spoke, he remembered the last time Shen Yuanxiu, who came here by himself and made a big mistake because of the joint trial of all the factions, quickly swallowed the rest of the words.

Looking at Dong Qinghe beside him in a blink of an eye, although his brows were indifferent, Hua Jiandong was afraid that his heart would be uneasy, so he couldn't help but comfort him: "Although you are a teacher, you have never slackened in teaching these years. Don't worry about him. I think this new one is really good, innocent, simple and kind."

Thinking of Chang Jiaci's little absurdity at the banquet just now, Dong Qinghe shook his head helplessly: "I'm letting you see a joke."

"It's a joke...Are you afraid that I'll mind." Her words were supposed to be comforting, but they sounded inexplicably intimate.

But Dong Qinghe didn't say anything, just smiled and stopped in his tracks: "The guest hall is in front, there will be young servants in the hall to guide the way, if the palace master has something to do, he can summon them, it's already late, Qinghe won't see him off. "

Hua Jiandong frowned, watched Dong Qinghe turn around sharply, and finally couldn't help but took a step forward and called him to a halt.

"Sect Master..."

The two of them walked in front, and the other servant girl disciples deliberately kept a distance away, seeing them talking now, they dare not go forward.

Dong Qinghe turned his head and met Shanghua Jiandong's affectionate eyes.

She said: "Do you still mind, do you mind that I completely forgot the days when I practiced with you to defend against the enemy? I don't want to do this either...but I was injured too badly at the time, and I didn't remember it when I woke up." Yes, but you understand, although I don’t remember Jiandong, it doesn’t hinder my heart to know that you saved my life... and it doesn’t hinder my relationship with you. In fact, as long as you are willing to share all the things we experienced together before Tell me, bit by bit, every word, I will never forget again..."

Facing Hua Jiandong's sincerity, Dong Qinghe's brows and eyes were calm, but a wanton and charming face flashed in his heart, he opened his mouth, as if he wanted to explain something, but the words that came out were: "Hundreds of years ago It's old, just forget it, it's not a big deal, you want me to say, there are some places, I actually can't remember clearly..."

Hua Jiandong was startled, and was about to speak again, but Dong Qinghe waved his sleeves lightly, and his figure instantly disappeared in place.