[Rat cat] Mirror City

"Zhan Zhao, are you okay?" Zhan Zhao's sudden silence made Bai Yutang a little uneasy, and he couldn't help asking.The windows of Zhan Zhao's house were not closed, and a gust of evening wind woke up Zhan Zhao who was in deep thought.

When the gust of wind blows, a hint of peach blossom fragrance floats in the nose, which is so refreshing in the quiet night, but it also brings the coolness of night dew.

Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao looked out the window, and it turned out that the peach tree in Zhan Zhao's courtyard was in bloom.Another gust of night wind blew, and the more obvious peach blossom fragrance wafted around, the rustling sound of flowers and leaves was particularly obvious at night.

The bright peach blossoms are blooming on the branches, and the petite body is swaying with life in full bloom. The red blooming in the darkness of Kazuki is calling the light of this room from afar.

Zhan Zhao turned around and blew out the candles in the room, took two wine glasses and left the house, walking to the courtyard.Bai Yutang followed out, and saw Zhan Zhao dug out a jug of wine from under the peach tree, it seemed that it had been buried for some time, presumably Zhan Zhao buried the jug of wine because he wanted to wait for a while.

But now Zhan Zhao took the altar of wine and took a seat by the stone table.There are two glasses, and there is still a wine glass placed on the opposite side of Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao filled both glasses with wine, lifted his own glass to the air and made a toast, waiting for the next crisp sound of clinking glasses, but he didn't wait.

"Fifth Brother, Zhan Zhao should do first to respect." Zhan Zhao showed a bitter smile, raised his head and drank the wine in his glass.Such a mellow peach blossom wine has no flavor as expected, could it be because he unsealed it too early.

Bai Yutang sat across from Zhan Zhao, he couldn't drink that glass of wine, but he could smell its sweet aroma.Bai Yutang is a straightforward person, he doesn't like Zhan Zhao's sad smile now, it's so ugly.

This is not a glass of poisoned wine, it's a jar of good wine, yet Zhan Zhao insisted on showing such a smile.Bai Yutang really wanted to hold his face so that he wouldn't smile like that again.

Zhan Zhao poured himself another glass of wine and brought it to his lips.Another gust of wind swirled past, the grass moved, the leaves moved, the flowers moved, a strong peach blossom fragrance came, and the rustling sound attracted both of them to look up.

The random flowers are becoming more and more charming... The dancing tender red even makes Bai Yutang feel the fragrance of peach on the tip of his tongue, and this peach tree can only bloom just right.

When Zhan Zhao sent the wine into the mouth, a petal just fell into the wine glass, floating on the water surface, creating circles of fine lines.Zhan Zhao looked at the wine in the glass, and his thoughts went back to when Bai Yutang first joined Kaifeng Mansion three years ago.

At that time, Bai Yutang and him arrested criminals together, Zhan Zhao used swords, Bai Yutang mostly used black jade flying locust stones, and occasionally borrowed the knives in the hands of the arresters. steel knife.

Bai Yutang has never found a new knife for himself, he is used to using knives, Zhan Zhao knows this very well.Out of guilt, Zhan Zhao decided to find a good knife for Bai Yutang, but he didn't know Bai Yutang's habit of using a knife.

At that time, although he and Bai Yutang served together, it might be because of their personalities. Although the relationship between Bai Yutang and him was not the same as before, it was neither awkward nor salty.Although they went out together to hunt down criminals and discuss the case together, they didn't talk too much apart from that.What's more, Zhan Zhao was too embarrassed to ask Bai Yutang about the knife he was going to give to Bai Yutang.

However, Zhan Zhao had a good relationship with the other four mice, so at that time, while Bai Yutang was out patrolling the streets, Zhan Zhao went to the fourth Jiang Ping to ask Bai Yutang about his habits of using knives.

As soon as he sat down, took a sip of tea, and started talking, Bai Yutang rushed in, holding a large stone in his hand, and his sleeves were soaked.

Normally, Bai Yutang wouldn't let his white clothes be worn like this, but now he only had excitement on his face, and when he entered the door, he shouted: "Fourth brother, I saw that the stone in your fish pond is not bad, give it to me. I'm going to use it to grind locust stones."

Zhan Zhao stopped drinking tea at that time, and Bai Yutang stopped running in, and just stood there holding the stone in a daze.

Compared to Zhan Zhao's surprise, Jiang Ping was very familiar with Bai Yutang's childishness from time to time, "You ran to toss the fish in my pond again, forget it, take it if you want it. You are not patrolling the streets Why did you come back so soon?"

"Second brother said he went instead of me, and he wants to go shopping." Bai Yutang replied without thinking, and looked at Zhan Zhao by the way, asking Jiang Ping why Zhan Zhao was here.

Thinking about Jiang Ping with his toes, he knew that Bai Yutang was definitely talking nonsense. Bai Yutang talked about chasing down criminals, but he was very enthusiastic, but when he was patrolling the streets, Bai Yutang once told him that he couldn't find the energy, so Han Zhang went instead. Patrolling the streets must have been forced on him by Bai Yutang.

But that's okay, Jiang Ping thought to himself, Bai Yutang and Zhan Zhao have known each other for so long, and the four of them have a good relationship with Zhan Zhao, so we can't just let him have a tepid relationship with his fifth brother.

"That's good. Brother Zhan was asking me about your habit of using a knife just now, and I was still worried that I couldn't tell you why. It just so happened that you came back, so you can tell Brother Zhan yourself." Jiang Ping finished speaking They muttered "go feed the fish" or something and left, leaving Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang staring at each other.

"Fifth Brother, why don't you have a cup of tea first." In the end, Zhan Zhao spoke first. He and Lu Fang had long been considered brothers, and they were four years older than Bai Yutang, so he called him Fifth Brother. nature.

Bai Yutang handed the big rock in his hand to the servant, picked up the teacup and drank it down in one gulp.Seeing that he didn't speak, Zhan Zhao didn't speak either.

Compared to silence, Bai Yutang was inferior to Zhan Zhao, so in the end he spoke first, "Fourth brother said you asked me about my habits with knives, what are you going to do?"

In fact, Bai Yutang was not used to taking the initiative to talk to Zhan Zhao. It wasn't that he was really at odds with Zhan Zhao. The previous "rat-cat battle" was over, and Bai Yutang's arrogance was still there. It's just that I can get along with Zhan Zhao peacefully, but I can't find an opportunity to communicate with Zhan Zhao in depth, so I just keep staggering.

Simply put, there is nothing to talk about.If you don't have anything to talk about, then stop talking, and if you don't talk, you will form a habit, and if you form a habit, you won't know what to say.So today the two of you are not talking about business, and both of you are not used to it.

Zhan Zhao, for example, was stunned for a while before remembering to answer, "I want to find a good knife for the fifth brother." Seeing that Bai Yutang was a little confused, Zhan Zhao explained, "The steel knife of the fifth brother was cut off by me earlier. , Later, fifth brother, you no longer carry a knife with you, I think..."

Before he finished speaking, Bai Yutang laughed so that Zhan Zhao couldn't understand.Bai Yutang smiled and fell back in the chair, "I mean Master Zhan, I figured it out today, you are really stupid... No, I should say you are stupid."

ah?Zhan Zhao didn't understand at all why Bai Yutang called him dumb.But Zhan Zhao's appearance made Bai Yutang laugh even more happily.

"Fifth brother?" Zhan Zhao reminded embarrassingly.Only then did Bai Yutang stop, but the corners of his mouth kept rising, apparently in a good mood, "You see that I've been using the black jade flying locust stone, so you think I didn't use a knife, so it's a pity?"

Zhan Zhao nodded.Bai Yutang patted Zhan Zhao's shoulder, "Master Zhan, you are really innocent and cute. Come, let me show you something."

After saying that, Bai Yutang flew out of Jiang Ping's yard, and Zhan Zhao quickly chased him out, and the two of them soon arrived at Bai Yutang's yard.

Bai Yutang led Zhan Zhao into the room, tapped a few times on the wall, and after the bookcase moved away automatically, a hidden compartment appeared behind, where a slender knife hung.

"Fifth Brother, are you good at using Miao Dao?" Zhan Zhao's tone was full of surprise and joy. Before, he saw Bai Yutang using knives, which were ordinary steel knives. "Then why didn't you use them before?"

Everyone is good at different knives. If you are used to one type of knives, you will not be as smooth as you are specialized in using another knives.If the martial arts cultivation level is high, then these incongruities will be very small, but people who practice martial arts always prefer to use a dedicated weapon, not like Bai Yutang.

Bai Yutang smiled and took out the Miao Dao, "This Miao Dao has been with me for more than ten years, but I seldom use it. Zhan Zhao, you once cut off the steel knife I used with a giant que, you should know that precious swords are rare , but weapons that are evenly matched with treasured swords are even more rare. Fifth Master, I travel the rivers and lakes, once this sword is out of its sheath, there are not many people who can use my moves."

Zhan Zhao did agree with Bai Yutang's words, but then Bai Yutang's tone became higher, and the brow showed even more arrogance, "And there are not many people who are worthy of letting Fifth Lord pull out this Miao Dao!"

Zhan Zhao thinks maybe this is the main reason.But seeing that Bai Yutang wasn't short of sharp weapons, Zhan Zhao felt that he didn't need to go out of his way to give him a knife.

"Then that's the case..." Zhan Zhao was lowering his head and thinking about how to say goodbye when suddenly a cold light flashed in front of his eyes, and the incoming air current made him feel a stabbing pain like a cut. Zhan Zhao took a step back and drew his sword to meet him. As the blades met, Zhan Zhao looked into a pair of bright eyes.

"But Fifth Lord wants to draw the saber today. Zhan Zhao, how about fighting with me?" Bai Yutang asked like this, but the saber in his hand was already close to Zhan Zhao's eyes.

Zhan Zhao Juque moved, dodging Bai Yutang's blow, thinking to himself, "You didn't give me time to answer this question", and landed directly in the courtyard. The wider space allowed them to fight heartily. field.

Zhan Zhao couldn't remember how many tricks he used, how many ups and downs he avoided, how many times the blades collided.He only remembered that in the end he jumped up and swooped down, stabbing at Bai Yutang with his sword, and Bai Yutang also jumped up, aiming the blade at the edge of the sword.

As soon as the swords and swords met, a crisp voice hit his mind, and then the swords and swords clashed. Zhan Zhao could clearly see the enthusiasm and satisfaction in Bai Yutang's eyes, and believed that Bai Yutang also saw the same thing in his eyes.

When the two of them fell to the ground, they tacitly did not speak, but let their breath slowly subside from the ecstasy just now. This competition was the happiest one Zhan Zhao has had in the past few years.

When his feverish head calmed down, Zhan Zhao actually just wiped his face with his sleeve, "Fifth brother, you should go change your clothes." The water from Bai Yutang's sleeve splashed onto his face during the martial arts competition just now.

Bai Yutang didn't expect Zhan Zhao to say that, so he couldn't help laughing, stepped forward and put his arms around Zhan Zhao's shoulders, and helped Zhan Zhao wipe the water off his face, "You are so stupid if you say you are stupid."

Bai Yutang has always been capricious in his speech, and Zhan Zhao can't control him.That is, since then, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang have gotten closer, or too close?

For example, the night after the martial arts competition, Bai Yutang broke into Kaifeng Mansion with a jar of wine in his arms, broke into Zhan Zhao's house, pulled Zhan Zhao up from the bed, and went up to the roof to watch the night sky and drink fine wine together.

Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang can talk about a lot of things, so much that Zhan Zhao felt that before they were tepid and had nothing to say except business, it was all a dream.

While drinking, the two chatted about the past, the rivers and lakes, dreams, the present, everything from the world to the temple.One night after the two finished drinking, Bai Yutang stared at Zhan Zhao's yard for a long time before leaving.

"What's wrong?" Zhan Zhao asked while picking up the wine jar.

"Your yard is really deserted, except for the grass, there are wild flowers." Bai Yutang said seriously, he was very dissatisfied with Zhan Zhao's yard, in fact he was also very dissatisfied with the decoration of Zhan Zhao's house, except what should be there, None of the others.

Zhan Zhao had no idea, "I think it's okay, anyway, I don't need anything special." Of course, his words just made Bai Yutang look at him with hatred, "Master Zhan, you are really heartless. want."

After speaking, Bai Yutang thoughtfully left, but Zhan Zhao always felt that this matter would not end so easily.After that, the white guard in Kaifeng Mansion absented himself from work for a few days for no apparent reason. Fortunately, there was no important matter recently that required the white guard to come out.

And one night when Zhan Zhao returned to his yard, he found the young man in white who had disappeared for a few days, and that young man in white was playing with something in his yard.

Zhan Zhao took a closer look and found that Bai Yutang had transplanted a sapling in his yard. Bai Yutang had done all the digging, transplanting, and burying of the soil himself. There was a lot of dirt, and if he came to his senses, he would definitely be furious.

"You're finally back?" Bai Yutang flattened the soil before taking a breath.Zhan Zhao stepped forward and grabbed Bai Yutang's mud-stained hem of his white clothes as a gesture. Sure enough, Bai Yutang muttered a few words in annoyance, but his good mood prevailed.

Zhan Zhao followed him and asked curiously, "What are you planting in my yard?"

"Peach tree." Bai Yutang was very proud, "I picked the best growing one and brought it back to add some vitality to your deserted yard, so don't thank me." Bai Yutang waved his hand very generously.

Zhan Zhao couldn't laugh or cry, he didn't ask Bai Yutang to do this, but he still had to thank him.Just as he was thinking about it, he heard Bai Yutang say: "This tree is growing well, and it will bloom next year. We can pick peach blossoms to make peach blossom wine. I drank it once a few years ago, and I still read it until now, but I can't mention it." Work hard to make wine, and next year I will rob the peach blossoms in your yard to make wine, and it will taste better if buried for a few years, what do you think?"

The more Bai Yutang talked, the happier he became, while looking at Zhan Zhao.During this period of time, Bai Yutang has one more interest, or a certain interest has developed more and more seriously, and that is - teasing Zhan Zhao.

Zhan Zhao has always had a steady look, and he is calm about everything.Bai Yutang was happiest when he competed with Zhan Zhao, because at that time Zhan Zhao was different from usual, showing his sharpness.

After a long time, Bai Yutang began to think that Zhan Zhao would show a different appearance in other ways, and later he found out that Zhan Zhao was very curious and loved wine.

Zhan Zhao originally wanted Bai Yutang to calm down, but when he heard the peach blossom wine, he became excited. He had never drunk peach blossom wine, let alone brewed it himself, so Zhan Zhao immediately turned his head to look at Bai Yutang, his eyes were extremely bright.

Bai Yutang blinked his eyes, suddenly realized, and he said why every time he saw Zhan Zhao's eyes lit up because of curiosity or interest, he was so familiar. This expression was exactly the same as that cat that sister-in-law Min Xiuxiu used to raise.

Thinking of this, Bai Yutang said directly, "Zhan Mao, Zhan Maoer, take good care of this peach tree, next year we will make peach wine, what do you think?"

Zhan Zhao was so focused on the wine that he ignored Bai Yutang's address and nodded, only to realize something was wrong later.

"Fifth brother, this cat is..." Bai Yutang always called him Zhan Zhao, and sometimes jokingly called Mr. Zhan, but he was really not used to calling him Zhan Zhao.

Bai Yutang didn't care, "I think you just called it like that, anyway, it's easier than Mr. Zhan Zhaozhan."

Just as Zhan Zhao wanted to refute Bai Yutang, he said, "I worked so hard to find such a good seedling for you, and I even planted it for you. I can't even make me call a cat? Don't be so mean."

Zhan Zhao really didn't know how to refute, so he agreed in a daze.It's just that he didn't expect that after this compromise, Bai Yutang would only call him Maoer from now on.

But after a long time, Zhan Zhao doesn't care anymore, just treat Kaifeng Mansion as having an extra cat guard.And the growth of this peach tree is indeed very good, as Bai Yutang said, it will bloom in the coming year.

In that year, Zhan Zhao and Bai Yutang fought under the tree with swords and swords, and they became famous countless times.The two of them had no experience in wine making. They picked a bunch of peach blossoms and finally brewed a jar of wine in a hurry.

Buried the wine jar under the tree, Bai Yutang picked up the petals that fell in Zhan Zhao's hair, "Cat, after two or three years, the tree will bloom more lushly, we will dig it out and enjoy the flowers while drinking." , this time there is less brewing, so we will divide it up, and we will not call Big Brother and the others!"

"Okay!" Zhan Zhao nodded vigorously, looking at the peach tree expectantly.Falling flowers fluttered, flashes of light flashed, countless scenes passed by, Zhan Zhao withdrew from the memory, and in front of him was this glass of fine wine with peach petals floating.

Bai Yutang looked at Zhan Zhao, and then at the peach tree. Zhan Zhao was just absent-minded for a while. During this moment of absent-mindedness, countless emotions flashed across his face, including joy, pain, memories, and...

Bai Yutang guessed that this peach tree and this jug of fine wine had a lot to do with that white guard.In other words, Bai Yutang was very sure of this matter.

"The promise of one knife and one sword, the promise of peach blossom wine in two or three years, hehe, I really asked for too much, too much!" Zhan Zhao laughed at himself.

"Stop drinking, die!" Seeing that Zhan Zhao was about to drink again, Bai Yutang was annoyed at why he didn't know how to cherish his body, and wanted to snatch the wine glass from Zhan Zhao's hand as he crossed the stone table.

But before his hand could touch Zhan Zhao, Bai Yutang felt that his eyes were darkened, and he couldn't see where Zhan Zhao was. Then he felt as if he had fallen into a black vortex, and he heard the sound of "duk, duk, tuk" in his ears. knocking.