lord and beauty

"I... just changed it myself. I don't know what it turned out to be."

Zi Luoping recalled it instantly, and understood Zhou Zhang's implication. She guessed that Zhou Zhang only cared about the original song, and he imitated some tunes at most.

"It's okay, you can hum whatever you want."

Zi Luoping didn't bring a pipa, otherwise he could just play and not sing. After all, most of the songs played and sung in Chunlou are charming ditties, and Zi Luoping didn't dare to mess around at will.

Zi Luoping was still hesitant, but Zhou Zhang suddenly changed his mind, "Forget it, you don't want to sing if you don't want to."

Zi Luoping's heart trembled, and he subconsciously looked at Zhou Zhang's face, trying to figure out if he was angry. Under the moonlight, half of Zhou Zhang's face was hidden in the darkness, and the other half was shrouded in the dark red candlelight, his face was calm, No joy or anger.

Zi Luoping didn't know what to do for a while, afraid that if he said something wrong, people would take his anger on Tan Qiu, thinking about how to reply in his mind, he hesitated for a moment and replied: "The last time I heard someone sing this song, it was already It was several years ago... Now I don't know the situation of that person."

Zhou Zhang hummed, his face was as usual, and his tone was flat.

"He's dead, I know."

"Ah..." Zi Luoping exclaimed subconsciously, and then realized, "Sorry, I didn't mean to mention it."

"He used to come to Sifang City..." Zhou Zhang murmured, his eyes fell on the shadow of a tree in the distance, and he didn't know who he was talking to, "Do you want to know who he is?"

Zi Luoping was a little surprised, and before he could utter the words in his stomach, Zhou Zhang whispered again: "You should know who he is."

"His name is Tian Louyue, oh, that's not his real name, but you should know."

Both Zi Luoping and Tan Qiu who was hiding in the dark were shocked.

Jiang Beimu noticed the momentary stiffness of the person in front of him, and slightly lowered his eyes to look at Tan Qiu, but Tan Qiu seemed to have heard some big secret, holding the vermilion stone pillar with both hands, and looking furtively, Jiang Beimu's brows Wei Yang, still suppressed the uneasiness in his heart, and patiently listened with him.

"I know him." After Zi Luoping was surprised, he quickly came back to his senses and said, "He...well, very famous, the number one oiran in Kyoto back then, he overwhelmed the original oiran in the first year Go down...could it be him back then? But why did he come to Sifang City."

"Because he was no longer an oiran at that time." Zhou Zhang sat leaning on the railing, leaned back against the stone pillar, raised his chin slightly, stared at the red lantern fluttering lightly with the night wind above his head in a daze, Zhou Zhang's eyes were lit by the light. The face flickered with the lights, only the pair of pupils were shining brightly.

"He was an oiran for only two years, and then he married an official of the household department and became a male concubine." Zhou Zhang's tone was flat, but what he said was like a stick hitting Zi Luoping and Tan. Qiu's head, so that the two could not recover for a long time.

Only Jiang Beimu still had a calm expression.

"On the day he got married, I accompanied that sedan chair all the way..."

Zhou Zhang's voice gradually lowered, but his eyes were bent, as if immersed in a memory.Standing aside, Zi Luoping couldn't help but hold his breath and listened quietly.

"I remember very clearly that it was snowing lightly that day, and it was the first snow since the beginning of winter... It was just dark, and I went to Bibo Chunxiao as soon as I lifted the sedan chair. There were only four bearers at the back door. The official did not come to pick him up, nor There was no one to welcome his relatives, but he still got on the sedan chair. He didn't like red, and thought it was gaudy, but that day he obediently changed into a red dress, without a hijab, and no one saw off his relatives, so he went up alone. "

Listening to Zhou Zhang's words, Zi Luoping could vaguely imagine a lonely bridal sedan waiting quietly at the door in a deep back alley, the surroundings were quiet, only the sound of wind could be heard, leaving behind Voice.

"I was on the tree next to the yard and watched him go up. The sedan chair didn't take Suzaku Street, but Yingxue Street. It was still early, but there was no one on the street... I just followed Behind the sedan chair, the bearer was not paying attention, he lifted it casually, as if he was in a hurry, and the sedan chair wobbled a lot, I think he must have been very uncomfortable sitting in it."

When Tan Qiu heard this, he looked up at Jiang Beimu in a little confusion.

Jiang Beimu understood, and answered softly: "Zhuque Street is one of the four major long streets in Kyoto, and there is an endless stream of pedestrians. Many official girls will walk from Zhuque Street when they get married. On the contrary, Yingxue Street is relatively remote. Usually only Only traffickers and pawns go there."

Tan Qiu understood when he heard this, and Zhou Zhang's voice continued to follow the wind that night.

"I followed the sedan chair all the way to the official's mansion."

"I think he knew then that I was following."

Zi Luoping couldn't help asking, "Why?"

"Before entering the door, he called to stop the sedan chair." Zhou Zhang narrowed his eyes slightly, the lights above his head gradually dimmed, and another drop of piercing ice water fell on his forehead. It should be that the snow on the eaves has melted, or it may be that the sky has started to fall again. It's snowing.

Just like that night.

In the quiet long street, two bright red light beams illuminated a cramped and dark small door. The wooden door was wet and had a musty smell. The red light fell on the wooden door erratically, as if someone deliberately It's just like that.

There was a small sedan chair parked in front of the door. The body of the sedan chair was red, with tassels hanging from the roof, and a red Xi character on the window frame. It was only the size of a palm. It might be an old product. The four corners were yellowed and curled up. There is a sense of old-fashioned.

The bearer put down the sedan chair and left. In the empty alley, only the sedan chair was quietly bathed in the wind and snow, as if waiting for someone to lift the curtain.

"You have followed all the way, so you have nothing to say to me?"

The voice from the sedan chair was very pleasant, like an oriole in the valley, clear and youthful.

"I knew it a long time ago. You have been following me since I went out, right?"

The person in the sedan chair seemed to be talking to himself, and no one responded to him, only the humming of the wind in the snowy night was the answer.

The people in the sedan chair waited for a while, but still no one spoke, so they couldn't help reaching out to lift the sedan chair curtain.

The plain white and slender fingertips set off against the dark red curtain, revealing a sense of eerieness under the frightened lights.

The car curtain was lifted, revealing a breath-taking face, with small cheeks and black hair like waterfalls, red marks dotted between the brows, bright eyes, red lips and white teeth, if it weren't for his opening, it would be hard to tell whether it was a man or a woman at first glance .

Tian Louyue laughed, her eyes curved like crescent moons, "What are you following me for?"

Zhou Zhang stood between the sedan chair and the old wooden door, as if blocking the way of the sedan chair, like a stick standing in place, a rare look of helplessness appeared on his slightly youthful handsome face, and he was behind his back Rubbing his fingertips nervously.

"Are you going to snatch a kiss?" Tian Louyue continued to ask.

Zhou Zhang's breathing suddenly became rapid, Tian Louyue's eyes were as bright as water, and he looked at the person in front of him with a smile, not seeing any ups and downs in his emotions, as if he was just asking casually, the night wind suddenly picked up, brushing the hair by his ear, gently blowing it down, embellishing it. in front of you.

This tiny movement was like a basin of ice water poured down on Zhou Zhang's head.

Zhou Zhang's breathing gradually calmed down, but he never responded.

Tian Louyue was still smiling, but what she said made Zhou Zhang fall into an ice cave.

"I won't go with you now." Tian Louyue said, "If you could have come three or four years earlier, before I was an oiran, and you came to me, then maybe I would go with you."

Zhou Zhang finally couldn't hold back, and blurted out: "As my man, he dare not do anything to you."

The boldness of these words made Zhou Zhang's heart beat like a drum, he was just a small soldier now, at most he followed a meritorious general, and behind this wooden door lived court officials.

He is not yet qualified to say that.

Tian Louyue kept smiling, watching Zhou Zhang tenderly, not minding his rebellious words just now, as if she was sure that he could do it, but Tian Louyue shook her head.

"I won't go with you, I've already promised this lord, even a good man can't marry again." Tian Louyue said lightly, and teased, "Perhaps when I'm old and poor, someone will carry my clothes When I was kicked out of the house and wandered on the street, you could pick me up."

"Stop talking." Tian Louyue got out of the sedan chair with a bow, only two punches away from Zhou Zhang, but Zhou Zhang was half a head taller than him, standing so close, Tian Louyue had to raise his head slightly to see Clear the expression on Zhouzhang's face.

"No one saw me off, you have come here, send me in."

Tian Louyue raised her hand towards Zhou Zhang, her white wrist was somewhat transparent under the bright red light, Zhou Zhang couldn't help but stare blankly.

It wasn't until those hands shook in front of his eyes that Zhou Zhang woke up like a dream, and subconsciously held those pale and thin hands.

Like a block of ice.

Zhou Zhang could only feel an endless chill, as if what he was holding was not a hand, but a piece of ice.

Tian Louyue gently held Zhou Zhang's warm and rough palm, and took a step forward. The two stood side by side. Opposite was the wet, musty wooden door. Tian Louyue stretched out her hand and poked gently with her fingertips After one click on the wooden door, the wooden door creaked and opened inward, like the withered cry of a dying person, harsh and unpleasant, as if being strangled by the throat.

Inside the wooden door, it was quiet, and it was also dark, with no light at all.

Just like no one in this mansion knew that someone would marry in tonight.

Tian Louyue looked at the darkness inside the door, and calmly said: "I'm going in, you should go back early."

After saying that, Tian Louyue raised his legs and stepped in, the coquettish and strange candlelight at the door gradually dissipated from his body, and before he had gone far, his hands tightened suddenly.

Zhou Zhang looked at the white wrist tightly held by him, and remained silent.

Tian Louyue was dressed in red, standing inside the door, surrounded by darkness, as if a ferocious monster would roar and rush from it at any moment, Zhou Zhang's breathing gradually became heavy, and the hand holding Tianlouyue tightened and loosened, as if in his heart. Tormented with something.

"Go back." Tian Louyue still had that gentle and gentle appearance, "When I can't get along any longer, I'll go live with you."

Zhou Zhang clenched his teeth, his lips became pale under the force, his eyes flickered and wandered.

Tian Louyue was not in a hurry, she just stood at the door without pulling her hand out.

Until Zhou Zhang's palm gradually broke out in sweat, the weird silence between the two was still maintained.

Tian Louyue tilted her head and pulled her hand lightly. This time, there was no hindrance, and she pulled her hand back from Zhou Zhang's palm.

Tian Louyue smiled, "Let's go."

Zhou Zhang opened his mouth and moved his lips soundlessly, finally only watched the bright red figure being swallowed by the darkness, his nose was filled with the smell of rotten wood, exuding a cold dampness.

A drop of cold water fell on Zhou Zhang's eyebrows, and the water stains slid down his cheeks in an instant, and there was a chill everywhere it passed.

Zhou Zhang slowly opened his eyes, the scene in front of him was no longer the wooden door many years ago, Zi Luoping stood aside, and at some point he also walked to the side of the railing.

"Then did he come to see you?" Zi Luoping asked when Zhou Zhang opened his eyes.

Zhou Zhang was silent for a moment, and slowly spit out two words, "No."

"Maybe he has been here, but I am no longer in the capital." Zhou Zhang was silent for a while, and continued: "The border is in an emergency, and I went with the soldiers. It took half a year to go, and I suffered various injuries during the period. After coming down, after going back and forth like this, he was promoted to an official."

At this point, Zhou Zhang couldn't help but grinned in self-deprecating manner.

Zi Luoping pursed her lips and remained silent.

"Have you never thought about contacting him?" Zi Luoping knew that he shouldn't ask too many questions, but he still couldn't hold back.

"I wrote a letter once in the camp, but I burned it before I sent it." Zhou Zhang said lightly, "Maybe he received this letter."

Tan Qiu, who had been hiding in the dark all this time, was fascinated by it unconsciously, as if through Zhou Zhang’s few words, he could think of the letter that Zhou Zhang was thinking hard in that military tent, writing and writing with so much effort. , before he even went out, he threw him into the fire and turned into a pile of ashes.

Jiang Beimu on the side also looked thoughtful.

"Could it be...?" Zi Luoping was a little surprised, and swallowed it halfway through.

"When I went back, he was already dead." Zhou Zhang's expression was as usual, showing no signs of happiness or anger, "He has been dead for more than a month, and his body was wrapped in a straw curtain and thrown in a small hill not far away. .”

"It's also his luck." Zhou Zhang laughed, "No wild beasts ate him, and his body was always intact. I dug a hole and buried him. But I didn't lift the curtain to see. I knew he must look like that." It's ugly, I'm afraid that if I spit in front of him, he will be angry with me if he is a ghost, he cares about that face the most."

Tan Qiu heard it, but what he could feel was the bitterness in Zhou Zhang's words.

Zhou Zhang has always been unforgiving, but what he said at this moment made Tan Qiu hear a different meaning.

Perhaps Zhou Zhang was afraid that he would lose control when he saw Tian Louyue's corpse.

Tan Qiu's heart was complicated, and she couldn't help sighing. She didn't expect Zhou Zhang to have this past, and for some reason, a sense of guilt surged in her heart, as if he had done something bad, hiding in a corner and eavesdropping on others Is it too much?

Thinking of this, Tan Qiu couldn't help but took a step back and bumped into Jiang Beimu's arms.

Jiang Beimu raised his hand and pressed Tan Qiu's shoulder.

"How could this be..." Zi Luoping couldn't help asking without hiding her surprise.

"Did you die of illness, do you believe it?" Zhou Zhang continued, "The mistress of the family told me, oh, it was the official's eldest wife, saying that he was unwilling to be a male concubine and secretly killed the heir of another concubine. Being punished by the mistress, in winter, she knelt in front of that concubine's room in cold water, knelt like that all night, and died the next day."

"He died at the door of that concubine." Having said that, Zhou Zhang couldn't help showing a smile on his face. "He must have done it on purpose. He died at someone's door. It's so unlucky. He must be taking revenge on that concubine."

Looking at the smile on Zhou Zhang's face, Zi Luoping couldn't help feeling a chill in his heart, and took two steps back, bumping into the stone pillar behind him.

"Accidentally talked too much." Zhou Zhang returned to his usual casual look, "It's getting late, do you want to go back?"

Zi Luoping's breathing was unsteady, and he nodded slowly.

Zhou Zhang murmured, and pointed to the corner, "They're right there, just ask them if they'd like to let you go."

Tan Qiu hid in the dark, and was not afraid of being called out, so she walked out straight away.

Jiang Beimu followed behind him.

The two walked towards Zi Luoping and Zhou Zhang, one behind the other.

Tan Qiu and Zi Luoping looked at each other, and they both saw a hint of shock in each other's eyes.