Looking to the Thirteen Rivers

The night is getting darker, and the courtyard is full of frost and snow. The red camellia can't get the light, and its bright color has faded among the flowers.

Meng Jing came out of the soup room after taking a bath, the clothes she just changed were covered with snow again, her heart was still aching, she didn't dare to move too much when walking, when she passed by the long corridor, she found an indistinct person sitting at the end of the corridor The silhouette seemed to be blowing cold wind.

"It's late at night, what are you doing sitting here?" Meng Jing gathered her robe, her pale face was hidden in the darkness, a little haggard.

"It's nothing to do," Yin Qiu leaned against the fence, and glanced at Meng Jing after hearing this, "Enjoy the flowers for a while."

Meng Jing turned her head and saw that the camellias in the yard were all blurred into a black shadow, and she understood it in her heart. She coughed twice, sat down beside Yin Qiu, and said, "Do you have something on your mind?"

It was cool at night, and Yin Qiu was still wearing a brocade robe full of Jiangxue on her shoulders. The fragrance overwhelmed the fragrance of flowers, as if Man Jiangxue was here to accompany her. I slept in the dungeon during the day, so I'm not very sleepy now."

"Then are you okay in prison?" Meng Jing said, "Fortunately, the case has been clarified, even if the murderer is dead, the government will not worry about not being able to pay the job, otherwise I really don't have the confidence to rescue you this time. "

What she did at Duan's house before, Yin Qiu had already heard Duan Ning talk about it on the way back to the post station, Yin Qiu smiled, folded his hands on the wooden railing, and said: "I don't matter, it's you, You are not in good health, but you are still running around because of me, what should you do if something happens?"

Meng Jing sat upright, she looked refined and elegant, quite bookish, she looked at Yin Qiurou's profile, and said softly, "I know my own body, you don't have to worry about it."

"I heard that Senior Sister Lu fainted." Yin Qiu looked back at her, "You haven't visited her since you came back. Now that there is nothing left and right, why don't you go and see her?"

Meng Jing glanced at the sky, thought for a moment before saying: "Let's go tomorrow, I guess I'm still awake right now, so it's useless to go, I've entrusted Bai Ling to take care of me."

Yin Qiu rolled his eyes and teased her: "If it were a child, you would have stayed by Senior Sister Lu's bedside every step of the way, and would not sleep all night, crying and waiting for her to wake up."

When Meng Jing heard this, she couldn't help showing a bit of calmness on her face. She cleared her throat and said, "You also said that you were a child, but now I have grown up, and no one knows that I am a daughter, so it is inconvenient." If you stick to her like before, you still have to avoid suspicion."

"That's true," Yin Qiu thought it was reasonable, and after saying this, he seemed to think of something, and asked Meng Jing, "Hey, can I ask you something?"

"what's up?"

"If Senior Sister Lu wants to get married in the future, will you go on the wedding day?"

"Naturally."

"What if you are so busy with business that you can't go?"

"No matter how busy you are, you have to go," Meng Jing said, "It's the wedding day, any official duties are not as important as Senior Sister, how can you shirk because of official duties?"

After hearing her words, Yin Qiu was silent for a while, and said in a low voice, "Indeed, it's the same for me."

Meng Jing looked at her: "Why are you asking this? Is it Senior Sister Lu... who has a sweetheart?"

Yin Qiu said: "That's not true, I'll just ask." After she finished speaking, she hesitated for a while, "Then if... if you are unwilling to attend Senior Sister Lu's wedding, what is the reason for your refusal? "

Meng Jing thought for a while, then replied: "If it's to the extent that I don't want to go even if I live... According to my temper, unless Senior Sister Lu entrusts someone to someone else, and she is determined to marry, then I am very likely to marry her." Put your breath away and don't go on purpose."

Yin Qiu raised his eyes slightly.

Man Jiangxue once said that she, Xie Yijun and others had long seen that Yin Xuan was not a good stump, so she tried to persuade Shen Mandong several times, but Shen Mandong was stubborn and determined to marry Yin Xuan, and no one would listen to her advice.

Could it be that Master Uncle, like Meng Jing, refused to participate in the wedding because of anger?

But this is just Meng Jing's personal actions. According to the uncle's temper, she doesn't seem to be the kind of person who will act like this.

"What else?" Yin Qiu asked again, "Except this."

"Others?" Meng Jing saw that she was asking seriously, so she also thought seriously, and finally smiled lightly, and said, "Then there is only one last possibility, which is Senior Sister Lu's sweetheart, and also my sweetheart, The two of them have tied the knot, there is absolutely no way for me to be present to congratulate them in person, I don’t think it’s a pleasure to think about it.”

Yin Qiu raised an eyebrow and couldn't help showing a strange expression.

If so...

— That would be ridiculous.

"No way..." Yin Qiu's eyes were startled, and he murmured subconsciously, "How could uncle like my father...?"

"What?" Fortunately, her voice was too low, and Meng Jing couldn't hear what she said.

Yin Qiu choked, and quickly asked again: "Is there any other reason?"

Meng Jing looked at her for a moment, although she wondered why Yin Qiu was obsessed with this, but she didn't ask too much, but continued to think: "Then... replace my sweetheart with Senior Sister Lu?" Feeling a little embarrassed, she glanced at Yin Qiu quickly, "If the person I like is Senior Sister Lu, if she wants to marry someone else, I might not be there..."

This is even more absurd.

How could uncle like mother? !

But as soon as this question came to mind, Yin Qiu couldn't help but froze again when he recalled Man Jiangxue's various reactions after mentioning Shen Mandong every time.

Wait... If the uncle really likes mother?

Because I like it, because I care about it, so when I learned that my mother was going to marry a man I didn't want to see, I used the excuse of busy work to refuse to participate in the wedding.

It is a certainty that Man Jiangxue hates Yin Xuan, but no one knows whether she likes Shen Mandong or not.

"Then...for the time being, let's pretend that you like Senior Sister Lu." Yin Qiu was a little stunned, and then asked, "One year after marriage, Senior Sister Lu is pregnant. When she gives birth, will you visit her?" ?”

Meng Jing had a keen mind, and she could see that Yin Qiu's expression was different at this moment, but she still didn't ask, she still followed Yin Qiu's words and said: "If I still fell in love with Senior Sister Lu at that time, she wanted to have a child for another man, I would ...Probably won't go either."

Yin Qiu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and after a long silence, he said, "Is that so..."

"Actually, the person you want to ask is not me," Meng Jing said hesitantly, "Why don't you ask the person you really want to ask?"

Yin Qiu was startled, looked sideways at Meng Jing, hesitated for a moment and said, "But that person doesn't seem to want to tell me."

"You want to know who he likes?" Meng Jing said.

"It wasn't originally..." Yin Qiu frowned, "But after hearing what you said, I really want to know."

Meng Jing stared at Yin Qiu's eyes for a moment, and she slightly closed her hand holding the handkerchief, and asked again after a while: "Is it the senior brother in the palace?"

Yin Qiu was slightly stunned, but she quickly realized that she smiled embarrassedly: "No, it's not what you think."

"That's..." Meng Jing didn't want to ask further, but for some reason she finally asked.

"It's nothing," Yin Qiu sighed softly, "I'm just asking casually, I don't have any other intentions."

She lied, and Meng Jing could see it.

A piece of cold snowflakes fell on the fingertips, and soon melted into the temperature there, turning into a negligible wetness. Meng Jing looked away and sat upright facing the dark wall. She was silent for a long time, and finally Qi Sheng said: "Yin Qiu, if one day you have...a sweetheart, remember to let me know."

Yin Qiu's mood was complicated, and he was stunned again when he heard this.

"I'll take care of it for you," Meng Jing looked at the ground, where there were two shadows that were very close together, "I've been among boys since I was a child, and I don't know much about daughters' thoughts, but boys' thoughts do. I kind of understand."

Hearing her words, Yin Qiufu laughed again: "You are so generous, Senior Brother Meng."

Meng Jing still didn't look at her, but showed a faint smile when she lowered her head.

·

Man Jiangxue changed her clothes, walked out of the screen, walked to the table and touched the food box on the table.

Although Yu Wen was there, it was already a bit cold. She was about to open the door to go out when she heard soft footsteps coming from the corridor outside, and finally heard the door of the next door open, and then closed again.

The charcoal brazier under the window had already been drenched by the snowflakes that had leaked in, and the room was filled with cold air. Man Jiangxue stood by the door for a while, and when she heard no movement in the room next door, she stretched out her hand and pushed the door open, and walked slowly to the door. Outside the closed wooden door.

She raised her hand and knocked lightly on the door three times.

Soon, the door opened, and Yin Qiuli stood at the door with a surprised look on his face: "Uncle Master... Are you still awake at this time?"

"Don't you know I'm not asleep?" Man Jiangxue said.

The candles in her room were clearly still on.

Yin Qiu dodged his eyes for a moment, and was about to find an excuse to prevaricate, but Man Jiangxue suddenly grabbed her wrist, and took Yin Qiu back to the next room.

Seeing that there was a food box on the table, and the bowls and chopsticks were clean, Yin Qiu's heart moved, and then he remembered that Man Jiangxue hadn't eaten today, so he quickly opened the food box, and said while laying vegetables: "Uncle Master, it's so late, why don't you know how to eat?"

Man Jiangxue said: "Then I have to ask you, I have been waiting for you in the room for half a day, where have I been?"

I don't know how to say hello to her when I come back.

Hearing that Man Jiangxue's words meant some complaints, Yin Qiu thought it was funny, served Man Jiangxue a meal, and said, "Aren't I here?"

"I invited you here," Man Jiangxue said, "If I didn't look for you just now, are you planning to rest?"

Yin Qiu pretended to be innocent, and said in a soft voice: "Master, please don't wrong me, I was planning to come to see you later, and besides, you didn't ask me just now, you dragged me here."

Man Jiangxue said: "Smart teeth, I can't blame you even more."

Yin Qiu laughed out loud, picked up a bunch of vegetables for Man Jiangxue, and said in a serious manner: "The head of the sect told my uncle before, don't scold me when I want you to eat, and my uncle forgot, every time you are at the dinner table Once I was trained, I lost my appetite once, and my uncle deliberately didn't want me to eat properly."

Man Jiangxue said ruthlessly: "Then I think you are also delicious."

Yin Qiu planed the rice, with his mouth full, and laughed again when he heard this: "It's all thanks to my uncle, I've gotten used to it all these years," she said, pointing her finger at her ear, "I have practiced the good kung fu of entering the left ear and exiting the right ear."

Hearing this, the corners of Man Jiangxue's lips were slightly curved, and she stopped arguing with Yin Qiu. Looking at Yin Qiu's smile, her movements of holding the chopsticks suddenly froze slightly again.

Sensing that Man Jiangxue's eyes had not left her for a long time, Yin Qiu looked up at her with puzzled eyes: "What's wrong?"

Man Jiangxue glanced at her, paused and said, "Eat first."

After hearing this, Yin Qiu knew that Man Jiangxue must have something to say to her, so he also concentrated on eating. The two finished their meal in tacit silence, and then faced each other in a very tacit understanding.

But after looking at each other for a long time, no one spoke actively.

There was a cold wind lingering in the room, and Man Jiangxue sat with her back to the window, blocking most of the cold wind. Seeing that her long hair was slightly disheveled, Yin Qiu got up and closed the small window.

Before Yin Qiu could turn around, he heard Man Jiangxue's voice behind him: "I was outside before, and I haven't finished talking."

Yin Qiu secretly raised his eyelashes, turned around gently, and said quietly: "Then is the uncle still willing to talk now?"

The window has been closed, but there is still a slight breeze lingering in the room, the lamp on the table is blown and shaken gently, the dim yellow halo rubs on Man Jiangxue's face, making her eyes vivid Somewhat uncertain.

Yin Qiu could rarely see a look of hesitation on Man Jiangxue's face.

That kind of hesitating to speak, as if he didn't know how to speak. Over the years of acquaintance, Yin Qiu almost only saw Man Jiangxue behave like this when he mentioned his mother.

If it was in the past, she would not have other ideas, but after talking with Meng Jing earlier about the assumptions, now seeing Man Jiangxue showing hesitation again, Yin Qiu had no choice but to put those ideas in her heart.

After another period of silence, Yin Qiu sighed and said, "Although I don't know why my uncle is a little hard to say, but since my uncle still doesn't know how to speak, why don't you let me ask, and my uncle will answer you honestly, how about it? "

Man Jiangxue poured a cup of tea and held the cup in her hand, but she was not seen drinking it.

Yin Qiu clenched his palms tightly, organized his words, and said, "If it were me, no matter which senior sister in the palace wants to marry someone, as long as they give me an invitation, I will turn down my official duties and go to congratulate you , although the uncle always keeps a distance from others, he is not a cold-hearted person, you didn't go to my mother's wedding and childbirth, is it because...someone is in the way?"

There was a cold and quiet light around the mouth of the cup, and Man Jiangxue's gaze fell there, and he nodded after a while.

Seeing her movements, Yin Qiu curled his fingers slightly, and said to himself: "Even though my uncle has prejudice against my father, you have a deep relationship with my mother, so it shouldn't be because my father refuses to be present. Therefore, my uncle is actually I didn't go because of my mother, right?"

Man Jiangxue frowned slightly, but Shaoqing still nodded.

"Why?" Yin Qiu stared at her, and his voice sank unconsciously.

This time, Man Jiangxue did not give any response.

Yin Qiu waited for a while, but she still didn't wait for Man Jiangxue's answer, so she could only muster up her courage and ask, "I once asked my uncle if he had someone he liked, and my uncle told me at that time, you didn't..."

Hearing the meaning of her words, Man Jiangxue's eyes suddenly filled with surprise.

Yin Qiu immediately said: "Did the uncle treat my mother..."

She only started her words, but Man Jiangxue suddenly interrupted her: "You think too much, there is only fellowship between me and my senior sister, nothing else."

After hearing what she said, Yin Qiu was taken aback for a moment, and then she was overjoyed for no reason. She said in surprise, "I... I have thought about many possibilities, but in the end I just think this is more reasonable."

"Reasonable?" Man Jiangxue seemed a little speechless, but she put down the teacup after all, "Do you think your guess is reasonable?"

Noticing that there was a hint of anger and coldness on that face, Yin Qiu's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly grabbed Man Jiangxue's hand, half complaining and half coaxing her: "Who made the uncle hesitate? The problem has been on my mind for so many years, and I always think about it, if my uncle likes my mother and doesn't want to see her get married, it's not unreasonable."

"Who taught you to think like this?" Man Jiangxue showed helplessness, "You're talking nonsense."

"Then why?" Yin Qiu was discouraged, "I'm really dying of anxiety."

"That's all you want to know?" Man Jiangxue said.

"Of course," Yin Qiu grabbed her hand, "Nangong Min said that the uncle refused to go on purpose, and she also said... that the Ruyimen incident had something to do with the uncle... "

Man Jiangxue looked at her frowningly, and sighed softly: "So, it's because you doubt me?"

Yin Qiu immediately said: "That's not true! How could I doubt Master Uncle?"

"Actually, in a sense, what Nangong Min said is not false," Man Jiangxue said, "If I had agreed to visit my senior sister when she gave birth to you, maybe nothing would happen to Ruyimen."

At least the casualties will not be so heavy, and perhaps Shen Mandong will not disappear.

Yin Qiu bit his lip and fell silent.

"The reason, it's not convenient for me to tell you right now," Man Jiangxue let go of Yin Qiu's hand, and the shadow of the oil lamp was reflected in the snow-white shirt and skirt, "I can only say that I have no unreasonable thoughts about my senior sister, as for other , maybe one day you will know, but I hope that you can figure it out by yourself instead of telling me."

Yin Qiu's expression was in a trance, and he kept silent for a while before saying: "Okay, then I will ask Master Uncle another question."

Man Jiangxue drank the cup of tea on the table and said, "You ask."

Yin Qiu said: "The reason why the uncle can't explain it personally, does it mean that I will be a little bit unacceptable when I find out?"

Man Jiangxue twirled the teacup, paused for a moment: "Maybe."

Yin Qiu asked again: "Will it affect the relationship between me and my uncle?"

Man Jiangxue's eyelashes twitched slightly, but she still replied, "Maybe," after a pause, "but the decision is yours."

Although she understands that Man Jiangxue's refusal to tell the truth must be due to her difficulties, but after the two conversations today, Yin Qiu still did not get any useful information, and even her own conjectures were completely overturned. Could it be that she felt aggrieved, she was bored for a while, but she still couldn't help but said angrily: "Master, I hate it to death!"

Seeing Yin Qiu lost his temper, Man Jiangxue was relieved. She sighed, stretched her arms around Yin Qiu's waist, pulled her onto her lap and sat down, and said softly, "Okay, don't be angry, Master. Uncle will take you to the street to buy candy tomorrow."

As soon as he sat on Man Jiangxue's lap, Yin Qiu froze his hands and feet uncontrollably, and the little temper just now disappeared immediately.

Since she grew up, Man Jiangxue seldom hugged her like this, and Yin Qiu himself learned to be polite and disciplined with the passage of time, and no longer pestered Man Jiangxue anytime and anywhere like he did when he was a child.

The last time Yin Qiu was hugged by her like this was during his birthday last year when Xie Yijun gave Yin Qiu a few chopsticks wine. She just tasted a few sips with the tip of her tongue, but she didn't understand the taste very much. It didn't take long before she fell headlong on the table Go up, ask Man Jiangxue to carry her back to the room.

It's a pity that Yin Qiu didn't remember the process of Man Jiangxue hugging her, she only knew about it after hearing Ye Zhilan talk about it.

The little girl who was able to be completely surrounded by the arms back then can no longer be fully hugged sitting on the lap. At this moment, Yin Qiu suddenly realized that he had indeed grown up, and Man Jiangxue was still coaxing her patiently. Yin Qiu tilted his head cautiously, looking at Man Jiangxue's face close at hand, his heart suddenly missed a beat.

Feeling his cheeks heat up in an instant, Yin Qiu furtively blushed his ears, lowered his eyes and said, "I'm not angry... I won't be angry with my uncle..."

Man Jiangxue smiled slightly, looked at her and said, "Your ears are red with anger, why don't you say you are angry?"

Yin Qiu was ashamed, and got up in a panic: "How can there be..."

She pretended to be calm and cleared the dining table, and then found that Man Jiangxue was still looking at her, so she walked towards the door with the food box and said, "Stop chatting with uncle, I'm so tired today, I want to Go to sleep."

After she finished speaking, regardless of Man Jiangxue's reaction, she opened the door and fled.