Jiang Qing

When Zhou Yue made his confession, it was already the day before the final test of the martial arts competition.

It is the best time for spring to brew, the sun is slightly drunk, and the wind is gentle.The big pear tree in the yard of Bai Bingchen, the patriarch of the Bai family, was also in full bloom as promised.

The pear tree was as thick as a hug, and it had existed when the Bai family bought the house. The fruit it bore was sour and astringent, but the flowers bloomed very well.Seen from a distance, it looks like a fog like a cloud, covering one corner of the eaves, while the other side obliquely covers the outside of the wall, leaning against the white wall to protrude two strings of branches.

The scattered pear blossoms flew into the arms of a man in the corridor under the breeze. He closed his eyes and propped his head up, as if he was resting his mind. Some shaped wood carvings have been chiseled out, and it can be seen from the scattered line drawings that it is a Maitreya Buddha statue.

Bai Bingchen looks very bookish, his complexion is unhealthy pale, and even his lips are thin and pale, which makes people look at it from a distance, like an ink painting, with clear black and white, and there are ravines and edges, but it is clear and light.

"Crack-"

The sound of the branch breaking disturbed the sparrows perched on the pear tree. Bai Bingchen raised his eyes and looked in that direction. Only then did people notice that his eyes were soft, and even his already pale face came alive, adding a few Subtle and moist temperament.

"Patriarch, this is the youngest son of my natal brother. He has been entrusted to me to take care of him for a few days. He is very naughty and has disturbed the cleanliness of the Patriarch. I will take him away."

There was a little boy standing under the pear tree. He was a little shy when he saw Bai Bingchen, but he just lowered his head timidly, and he was still holding on to the pear blossom that he had just cut off.The woman next to him laughed along, seeing Bai Bingchen's eyes on the pear blossom, she hurried to pick the boy's hand.

"It's okay, don't scare him. It's just that there are many plants and trees that my father found in the mansion, so don't let him run around and break them." Bai Bingchen looked away and spoke softly.

The woman didn't walk around the main house very much. She had heard that the owner of the house had a gentle temper and was a good talker, so she didn't believe it.Seeing that Bai Bingchen didn't mean to blame, he was relieved, and he pulled the child to salute.Walking outside the courtyard, she boldly looked back at his legs to see if they were as rumored.

It is rumored that Bai Bingchen sat on the right minister at a young age, relying on these legs.When His Majesty ascended the throne three years ago, King Jing raised his troops to rebel. Bai Bingchen went to King Jing's camp alone to lobby at the risk of his own life.

Fortunately, Ji Pu, the sage of the valley of sorrow, was in Pingdu and saved his life, but his legs were disabled and he could not stand for a long time, and he relied on the support of others and a wheelchair for daily living.

His Majesty was grateful for his loyalty, and he was selected as a current minister by the Fudi Pavilion, so he was appointed as the right minister, and Bai Zijin, the daughter of the Bai family, was the queen, which was extremely honored and favored.

Three years ago, when he came back from the gate of hell, the old Patriarch Bai was worried that he would change his temperament due to the sudden loss of his legs, but he was calmer than anyone else, and quickly adapted to the changes. After a month of training, he was still the same He was still a gentle and courteous son when he handled government affairs, but Zhang Jiudai, his political opponent, sighed: "If you can endure what ordinary people can't bear, it is either a great loyalty or a great traitor."

Footsteps came from behind, Bai Bingchen did not turn his head, he carved the statue of Maitreya Buddha with a flat knife: "Ning Kuan, how is the interrogation going?"

"Patriarch, spit out everything that needs to be vomited, it's just... I can't hold it anymore."

Bai Bingchen was silent for a few seconds, leaning on the railing, and stood up with difficulty.

"I'm going to see him one last time."

Ning Kuan took a few steps forward and supported him: "Patriarch, slow down, if you bump into each other, Big Brother Jiang will scold me again. I'll go get it now..."

"No need." Bai Bingchen's voice was soft but firm, using his arm to stand firm, "You can just help me over there."

Ning Kuan curled his lips, but he didn't dare to say anything, so he could only support him and walked towards the study: "Patriarch, be careful of the steps."

He could feel that Bai Bingchen's hand was only gently resting on his arm, and he didn't borrow much strength from himself, so he walked a little slowly.Because of his leg disease, Bai Bingchen hunched his back slightly. Seen from behind, his robe looked a bit loose, as if it couldn't cover his thin body.

The residence of Baifu is not too big, imitating Jiangnan style.The halls are built randomly, regardless of the level, they are symmetrical and neat.

The towers, pavilions and pavilions are built along the water, and the corridors are winding, and many beautiful and simple trees are planted.Most of the walls are black and white, without multicolored colors, and there are swallows and warblers painted on the corners of the cornices.

The study room was only a dozen steps away from the corridor where he was resting just now, but when he walked to the door, there was still a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

It would be fine if there was no feeling in his legs, but he could still stand up and walk, but he had to endure the pain that drilled his bones every time he moved.

However, he has always been a person who can endure pain. Although he is a little physically weak now, it is still within the range he can bear. He wants to stand up and see his junior brother for the last time.

Long before Mei Shao pretended to be Zhou Yue and entered the mansion, Bai Bingchen's hidden guards had arrested Zhou Yue and detained him in the mansion for examination.Mei Shao would never have imagined that during his three days in the White House, the person he had been brooding over was only a wall away from him.

Pushing open the door of the study room, a cold woody fragrance blows in. There are large and small wood carvings on the desks and bookshelves. The most striking thing is the whole wood carving of "Eighteen Scholars Making Plum Blossoms" on the wall. In the picture, plum blossoms are floating on the wall, the corners of the bachelor's clothes are fluttering, and the eyebrows are fully visible.

Ning Kuan tapped the plum blossom three times with his fingers, and the wood carving separated along the grain of the plum blossom, revealing a secret room inside.

A person was locked in a corner of the secret room. His hands and feet were handcuffed, his head was bowed, and his blood-soaked hair covered his face in a mess.The blood stains on his body were layer upon layer, with different shades, so that the original color could not be seen even on the clothes.

Looking at the man chained in front of him, Bai Bingchen had mixed emotions in his eyes.This younger brother whom I have always trusted and tolerated the most, has accompanied me from Jingzhou to Pingdu, from a white body to the position of the right minister, has walked for 12 years, but it has come to this point.He lowered his eyes a little, and all the emotions were pressed under his eyes again, and disappeared in a flash.

Bai Bingchen stretched out his hand and carefully combed his messy hair hanging on both sides. The blood clotted hair was difficult to tidy up, but he patiently smoothed it out strand by strand, and then helped him pin it behind his ears.

Just like when Zhou Yue was young, every time he came back from playing and playing profusely with sweat, he smiled and tidied his sweat-soaked hair.

"Zhou Yue."

The person in front of him raised his face, and forced a smile on that doll's face. His voice was hoarse and slow: "Brother—what else do you want to ask from me?"

Bai Bingchen didn't answer his words, and still combed his hair on his own, even with a smile in his eyes.

"I remember, you came to Pingdu with me when you were only eight years old, and you were only this tall at that time." He gestured with a smile, "You have an unruly temper, love to laugh and make trouble, and you are always on the go. Get into trouble. But you have a baby face, and if you act coquettishly, no one can do anything about you, but what you say from your heart will always fall into people's hearts."

"But when did you hide your dirty thoughts under that seemingly harmless face? It's been so many years, and I don't know."

Glancing at Bai Bingchen who was very close to him from the corner of the eye, Zhou Yue leaned over and laughed in a low voice: "Then do you know why Mei Shao, who hid well in Lanzhou back then, returned to Pingdu to die?"

His words were very light, but Bai Bingchen was a little stunned.He remembered the night when Mei Shao knelt in front of him with bloodshot eyes on that rainy night.

"It's you..." Bai Bingchen murmured in disbelief, it turned out that Zhou Yue had betrayed him so early.

Before he finished speaking, a cold light flashed across Bai Bingchen's neck, but was cut off by a hand.

"Brother Jiang!" Ning Kuan was stunned by the sudden situation, and when he reacted, a man in black was already standing in front of Bai Bingchen.

In just an instant, the blade that Zhou Yue was biting in his mouth disappeared.Bai Bingchen's eyes darkened, and he suddenly stretched out his hand to strangle Zhou Yue's neck.His hand tightened suddenly, preventing Zhou Yue from swallowing the blade, with disgust in his eyes, but he spoke softly, coaxing: "Hey, spit it out."

He struck hard, although Zhou Yue clenched his teeth, after a while, the blade cut through his mouth and landed on Bai Bingchen's other hand with blood.

Bai Bingchen glanced at his bloody mouth in disgust, let go of his hand, took the handkerchief Jiang Yan handed over and carefully wiped the blood on his hand: "I thought your pure and innocent skin It's been too long, and I have forgotten my ruthless nature. Can we talk properly now?"

Hearing this, Zhou Yue raised his eyebrows. The once innocent expression disappeared from his face. When he opened his mouth, blood flowed down the corner of his mouth, but he didn't seem to feel any pain at all. He sneered: "Like me Isn't this scheming and stupid look the brother's favorite all the time? There has never been room for smart people around the brother, and there have been people who can guess how much you are thinking, what happened to it?"

His eyes were scarlet, he only cared about what he was saying, seeing Bai Bingchen's face suddenly turned cold, he felt even more contented.

"That man, who copied and killed all his families, was all thanks to his brother?" He almost gritted his teeth and said word by word, "He himself saved half of his life, living on his last breath for six years, and in the end Didn't he die in my hands." He wished everyone could see how hypocritical this man's real skin was under his gentle mask.

"Your heart can't be warmed up, brother, so you are still alive. Mei Shao's heart was too hot, thinking of that ridiculous kindness, so he died. This is how this world is. Now I should die too. Who told me to die?" I can't beat you."

"Are you from Father, His Majesty, or Anxiang Pavilion?" Bai Bingchen subconsciously clenched his hands in his cuffs, but his voice was very calm.

Zhou Yue stared straight into his eyes, as if he wanted to see something from his eyes, but Bai Bingchen's eyes remained unmoved, but he smiled clearly, and whispered close to him: "Brother, all this time, I know your dirty thoughts about him, but he is really a wonderful person, and he is an ecstasy character on King Xie En's bed, making people..."

His voice was cut off suddenly, the thin blade cut open his blood vessels, and warm blood splashed out.

Before dying, Zhou Yue saw the person in front of him slowly showing a smile.

Bai Bingchen seemed to be patient to the extreme, but he still suppressed his emotions, and even his voice was a little hoarse, whispering in his ear: "You really think that if he dies, I will let you go So happy?"

Zhou Yue could no longer feel the pain, he only remembered the last face he saw.

Half blood, half clean.