stories that happened on a specific occasion

After returning from Zheng Shangshu's mansion, Xia Zongyi became much more reticent, often shutting himself in the study.

Although everyone was watching, no one dared to ask or disturb.

Seeing this, Xia Chaoqing, the grandfather of the Xia family, also called Qiu Xuan several times for questioning.But when Qiuxuan faltered and talked about other things, Xia Chaoqing knew that he was concealing it on purpose.So, I just shook my head and gave up.

Until this day, Zhou Buling from the Taishi Bureau visited Xia's family again.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw Qiu Xuan in the outer court.

"Erlang seems to have grown taller again." Zhou Buling greeted Qiuxuan.

The Xia family and the Zhou family are family friends, so Qiu Xuan has been very close to Zhou Buling since he was a child, so he ran forward, saluted and asked, "Did Duke Zhou come to find his father?"

Zhou Buling nodded.

"Recently, my father often stays alone in the study, and even I don't see him."

Qiu Xuan said with a lost expression.

"I came here for this purpose." Zhou Buling said, and signaled his followers to hand over a bag of pastries to Qiu Xuan. "Your favorite peach blossom cake from Guanxiangyuan."

Qiu Xuan took the pastry, and joyfully brought Zhou Buling to the front of the study.Seeing that Zhou Buling left his entourage outside the door and went into the study alone, Qiu Xuan became curious again.

After putting the cakes in the room, Qiu Xuan secretly followed the wall to the place between the study and the courtyard wall, hid under the window and quietly listened to the conversation in the study.

It's a pity that this window is opened in the back hall of the study, and father and Zhou Buling are sitting in the front hall talking, no matter how Qiu Xuan tried, it was still difficult to hear what was going on.

After a long time, all of a sudden, Xia Zongyi yelled clearly and angrily: "It's ridiculous. It's simply ridiculous."

He also heard that Zhou Buling hastily comforted him: "Don't get angry, maybe it's just talking."

After a while, I heard Zhou Buling's voice saying, "If that's the case, then it must be as you speculated."

Then Xia Zongyi said: "...you will know."

The two seemed to talk for a while, the voice fluctuated loudly and softly, Qiu Xuan really didn't overhear it because he was hiding outside the window.While his father was sending Zhou Buling out, Qiu Xuan hurried back to his room.

At night, Xia Zongyi took the initiative to call Qiu Xuan into the study.

"Aye is looking for me, but what's the matter?" Qiu Xuan asked.

"I ask you, where are you this afternoon?"

As soon as he entered the door, Xia Zongyi asked Qiu Xuan directly with a serious expression.

"Me?" Qiu Xuan thought for a while and replied, "I'm reading in my room."

"Lie." Xia Zongyi said immediately.

After his father scolded him, Qiu Xuan didn't dare to make another sound.He knew that his words, deeds, and actions could not escape his father's eyes.

"After sending away Zhou Buling today, I went back to the study and opened the back window. What do you think this is?" Xia Zongyi took out a jade pendant and questioned Qiu Xuandao.

Qiu Xuan didn't resist at all, so he had to honestly admit that he had eavesdropped.

"Nonsense." Xia Zongyi said to Qiu Xuan. "How can you, a child, know about the affairs of adults at will?"

Hearing what his father said, Qiu Xuan said unhappily, "I'm already fourteen, why am I still a child?"

Xia Zongyi sighed, and put the jade pendant on Qiu Xuan again.

"I said before that this jade pendant cannot be taken off at any time." Xia Zongyi said.

"I didn't take it off, I accidentally left it behind." Qiu Xuan looked down at the jade pendant and whispered.

"You can't be careless." Xia Zongyi carefully hid the jade pendant under Qiu Xuan's coat, and said, "Remember."

Qiu Xuan nodded.

"I won't pursue today's matter any more." Xia Zongyi turned around and sat back at the desk, picked up a book and flipped through it, and said to Qiu Xuan, "But tomorrow I'm going to the Shangshu Mansion again, and you also Don't tell anyone. Especially your mother, do you hear me?"

Qiu Xuan nodded again.

"Okay, let's go rest." Xia Zongyi waved to Qiuxuan, signaling him to leave.

After leaving his father's study, Qiu Xuan originally wanted to go back to his room, but hesitantly came to the door of Xia Ziqi's room.

"Brother, did you rest?" Qiu Xuan asked in a low voice outside the door.

Xia Ziqi opened the door directly, and seeing Qiu Xuan alone outside the door in the middle of the night, he let him in.

Xia Ziqi is the eldest son in the family, three years older than Qiuxuan.

"What's wrong?" Ziqi asked Qiuxuan.

"Brother, do you recognize what is carved on this jade pendant?" Qiu Xuan asked.

Qiu Xuan took the jade pendant out of his clothes, it was a lost jade the size of a peach pit.Ever since he was sensible, Qiu Xuan has been curious about the unknown animal face on this jade pendant.It's a pity that he was weak and sick since he was a child, so he didn't have many opportunities to go to schools outside, and naturally he rarely went out, and he didn't have many acquaintances of the same age as playmates.Most of the time, Qiu Xuan was taught at home by his father and grandfather.But Qiu Xuan always felt that what his father and grandfather taught him was quite different from what he learned in schools outside.Therefore, Ziqi became Qiuxuan's only playmate and the only channel to the outside world.Since childhood, Qiu Xuan would often pester Ziqi with various inquiries.

Don't look at Ziqi, who is young and born with a childlike face, but has read poetry and books since childhood.If someone asks any questions about the righteousness of the Five Classics, Ziqi will be able to answer Liuliu, and he will speak clearly and logically.At the age of seventeen, he is already an outstanding and outstanding student in the Sibu.

But facing Qiuxuan's question, Ziqi has not given a clear answer for many years.

Qiu Xuan also secretly browsed through the tomb books in his father's study, but the carvings on the jade pendant are still a mystery.

"I don't know." Ziqi always replied like this: "Perhaps when you grow up, you will naturally know."

It was the same today, Qiu Xuan walked out of the Ziqi room again in disappointment.

Back in her room, Qiu Xuan felt a little uneasy for some reason.After the servant left, he got up and lay down by the window of his own room, tightly holding the jade pendant on his chest with one hand, and looking straight at Xia Zongyi's study.

I heard from my father that this piece of jade is a family heirloom of the Xia family.

The so-called relic jade is scorpion jade.Qiuxuan once read in a book, "The pine branch is a thousand-year-old Poria cocos, another thousand-year amber, and another thousand-year-old scorpion. The word book cloud, scorpion, and leftover jade are also the solution."

This piece of relic jade is invaluable in itself.

Since he was a child, his father has been repeatedly telling him that no matter what, this jade pendant must not leave his body.

However, what puzzled Qiu Xuan was, if he was really afraid of losing this precious jade pendant, why did he still wear it every day?Why not just lock it into a brocade box?

What surprised Qiu Xuan the most was why this heirloom was not given to the eldest son, but to himself?

Although Qiu Xuan has just turned fourteen, such questions have troubled him for many years.

It is early spring, and the cold wind at night is still cool.

Qiu Xuan just sat in front of the window with one hand resting on his cheek, thinking of the rising sun in the morning from the branches on the moon.

Just as the morning bell rang for the first round, Qiu Xuan saw his father push open the door of the study and walk out with a wooden box in his sleepy eyes.

Qiu Xuan quickly regained consciousness and chased him out, but was blocked by servants who came to the corridor.

"Where is Erlang going so early?" Seeing Qiu Xuan running out in a hurry, the servants in the room stepped forward and asked.

"Don't worry about it." Qiu Xuan said and pushed the servant away.

But before he ran a few steps, he was bumped into by Mrs. Xia who walked out of the room.

"You've been in a panic so early in the morning, where are you going?" Mrs. Xia stopped Qiu Xuan and asked.

Seeing that his father had long since disappeared, Qiuxuan sighed, turned around and walked straight back to his room.

Seeing Qiu Xuan like this, Mrs. Xia probably guessed it in her heart, so she ordered her personal servant: "Go and see, is the master at home?"

After a while, the servant came back and replied to Mrs. Xia: "Not here. I heard that when the morning bell rounded, I went out."

"So early?" Mrs. Xia thought carefully, and said to herself: "This is going to go out as soon as the gate of the workshop opens, why are you in such a hurry?"

To say anxious, Xia Zongyi was indeed a little anxious.

After he left the house, he walked through the alleys in the early morning. At this time, there were basically no pedestrians except for a few hawkers who had just started to set up their stalls.Only Xia Zongyi was hurrying along this lazy street.

The morning bell struck the second round.

Xia Zongyi had come to the gate of the workshop and was waiting, and someone who recognized him greeted him kindly.

"It's so early, Master Xia Bu."

Xia Zongyi just squeezed out a smile and nodded in response.

Although Xia Zongyi seemed to be as calm as ever on the surface, he was tightly holding the wooden box in his hand, and in this cool Mengchun morning, fine sweat involuntarily oozes from the palm of his hand.

After finally waiting for the morning bell to strike the third round, the door of the workshop finally opened.

The heavy gate had just opened a distance of one person's width, when Xia Zongyi saw a carriage parked outside.There was a person standing beside him, it was Steward Zheng.

Seeing Xia Zongyi, Steward Zheng immediately invited him into the carriage.With a sound of the whip, Xia Zongyi was pulled by the strong horse and galloped on Zhuque Street, and soon arrived at Zheng Shangshu's mansion.

"Today we have Master Lao Xiabu."

After getting off the carriage, Steward Zheng said to Xia Zongyi.

Xia Zongyi nodded, and once again led by the servants of the Zheng family, he went directly into the inner courtyard and came to the door of Zheng Zhiheng, the eldest son of the Zheng family.

And waiting here, not only the servants in Dalang's room, but also Zheng Shangshu and his wife came here early.

"Shangshu Zheng. Mrs. Zheng." Xia Zongyi stepped forward to salute.

"Master Xia Bu, you don't need to be too polite." Zheng Shangshu supported Xia Zongyi and said, "Zhiheng will be entrusted to you."

"It's said that these ghosts come and go at night," Mrs. Zheng stepped forward and asked, "It's daytime now, maybe they can be attracted?"

Xia Zongyi nodded, and replied: "Today Maoshi is cloudy, and a certain society will set up a ghost formation during the period. If there are really ghosts, it should not be difficult to get them to show up."

"Will Zhiheng be in danger?" Madam Zheng asked again.

"Don't worry, ma'am, I will definitely protect Dalang and set up a safety barrier for him, so that ordinary ghosts cannot pass through." Xia Zongyi said.

"Then Master Xia Bu can completely get rid of this ghost?" Zheng Shangshu asked.

"What does Zheng Shangshu mean?"

"killed."

"People turn into ghosts, and the earth turns things into demons." Xia Zongyi replied: "Actually, there is no need to worry too much. As long as you know the reason, you can drive away demons. The origin and extinction are natural, and there is no need to deliberate. Kill them all."

Hearing Xia Zongyi's answer, Zheng Shangshu still frowned.

Seeing that it was getting late, Xia Zongyi asked Zheng Shangshu to order someone to open the door of Dalang's room.

After Xia Zongyi entered alone, he asked everyone to wait in the main hall and not to disturb them.

Zheng Shangshu promised that everything would follow Xia Zongyi's orders, and ordered people to guard outside the door in case of emergency.

Xia Zongyi saw Zheng Zhiheng who was unconscious on the couch again, and found that he was a little thinner than a few days ago.His complexion was dull, his eye sockets sunken, and if it wasn't for his breathing, it would be difficult to recognize that he was still a living person.

Xia Zongyi first checked Zheng Zhiheng's physical condition carefully, and then carefully placed the wooden box in his arms beside his bed.

It was a long wooden box, about one foot long and two inches high, and looked no different from an ordinary incense box from the outside.Xia Zongyi opened the wooden box, and there were indeed some small fragrant pancakes inside.But there is also a dark layer in this wooden box, which is hidden at the bottom.You only need to pull out the layer of wood covering the top to get a glimpse of the mystery.

In this slender dark compartment, there is something similar to a spindle, but the central axis is made of silver plated and engraved with patterns of strange animals, and it is covered with red thread.In addition, there is a pouch, which is almost the same in appearance as a sachet, but much smaller.The main items are these two, and there are some small things such as a few silver needles and a few small pieces of cinnabar on the remaining corners.

Xia Zongyi took the thing wrapped in red thread out of the box, and then slowly pulled out the red thread.At intervals, there are bells tied to the red thread, making small tinkling sounds.Xia Zongyi looped such a red thread around Zheng Zhiheng's couch, and then looped it back to the original place.Finally, the corner of the circle surrounded by the red line was hung on the door frame facing the courtyard, another section of red line was bound to it, and this section of red line was extended to the outside of the main door of the room.

After everything was ready, another white candle was lit and placed above Zheng Zhiheng's bedside.Then he took out the purse from the wooden box, and there were some white, small and granular things in it.It is kosher salt.Xia Zongyi carefully stacked the salt on the four corners of Zheng Zhiheng's couch.After a little arrangement, Xia Zongyi retreated from the room along the red line leading out of the room, and slightly closed the door.

Xia Zongyi handed over the red thread connecting the room to the servant who was waiting outside.

"If you hear a clear and loud bell, follow my order and immediately pull the red line." Xia Zongyi ordered: "Leave the rest to me. Remember, don't open this door alone."

The servant obeyed, took the red thread, sat facing the half-hidden door, and peeked into the room from time to time.The bell on the red line is only a little bigger than soybeans, can it really make a clear and loud sound?The servant could not help but stand outside the room and think to himself.

After arranging everything, Xia Zongyi also sat on the side of the door, leaning against the corridor wall and closing his eyes to rest, just waiting for the ghost to show up.

At this time, in the main hall of the outer courtyard, Mrs. Zheng was full of sadness, and she wanted to go to Zheng Zhiheng's room to find out, but she could only follow Xia Zongyi's order and stop on the stone steps of the main hall.Stretching his neck, he lingered in place while looking forward to it.

Here, Xia Zongyi sat and waited for a long time but did not hear any movement.The servant guarding the door widened his eyes and stared at the red thread in his hand without slackening for a moment, his forehead was covered with fine sweat.

Suddenly a gust of wind hit, only to hear bells ringing in the house.

The servants guarding the door immediately looked at Xia Zongyi.

Xia Zongyi listened carefully, then raised his hand and shouted, "Pull the string."

The servant immediately pulled the red thread vigorously, and then heard the sound of something falling from the inner room.

Xia Zongyi immediately shouted to his servants: "Stop."

Just after this sound, the gust of wind disappeared, but the door that had been left open suddenly closed firmly by itself.

The servant looked at Xia Zongyi with a look of shock on his face, he let go of the red thread in his hand but sat on the ground at a loss.

Xia Zongyi glanced at the door and stood up.

"Just now, when I pulled the red thread just now, the door itself closed heavily from the inside." The servant said to Xia Zongyi.

It seemed that he was really frightened by the scene just now.

Xia Zongyi nodded, and said to the servants: "Please continue to guard the door of this room, no matter if you hear any movement, or anyone outside wants to enter. As long as there is no order from me, no one is allowed to open this room." door. Do you understand?"

The servant nodded hurriedly.

Xia Zongyi stretched out his hand and opened the door, and the room was as dark as night.

Xia Zongyi entered the room, and closed the door tightly with his backhand.

In the dim light, Xia Zongyi could see that the red line surrounding Zheng Zhiheng's bed was still trembling slightly, and the only light source in the room was the white candle standing beside the bed.Looking across the room, the door facing the courtyard was still open, but for some reason no light could come in.

Xia Zongyi bypassed the red line and looked out of the courtyard.It was found that there was a group of black mist like a dark cloud, filling the sky above the courtyard, which was very consistent with the abnormal shape described by Zhou Buling.

Just when Xia Zongyi took out the scriptures from his arms, the black mist turned into a few wisps of black smoke and floated into the room, and then within the range of the red line, his real body appeared.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Xia Zongyi stopped his movements, but the scripture in his hand suddenly unfolded by itself.

"Master Xia Bu, please raise your hand high." The human figure transformed from the cloud of black smoke suddenly said to Xia Zongyi.

Xia Zongyi carefully looked at the person in front of him.It was a woman, wearing a pink and white diamond gauze skirt, her snow-white skin was slightly exposed.Petite in stature, with almond eyes and willow eyebrows on an oval face, she looks pretty.

Such a lovely person, but kneeling in front of Xia Zongyi with tears in his eyes, made people feel unbearable.

Although Xia Zongyi felt sorry for him, he knew that the people in front of him were definitely not of the same kind.

"What are you?" Xia Zongyi asked directly.

"Master Xia Bu," the woman stood up and saluted Xia Zongyi, and then replied, "The little girl's name is Xiang Yin, and she is the tree spirit of the cherry blossoms in this courtyard."

After listening to Xiangyin's introduction, Xia Zongyi also confirmed his guess, and folded up the scriptures.

"Since you are a tree spirit, why do you want to harm your big brother?" Xia Zongyi asked.

"I also ask Master Xia Bushi to enlighten me, Xiangyin didn't intend to harm Zheng Langjun." Speaking of this, Xiangyin suddenly cried like pear blossoms and rain.

"Then why did he fall into this state?" Xia Zongyi asked, pointing to Zheng Zhiheng who was unconscious on the couch.

Xiangyin wiped the tears from his face, turned around and wanted to sit beside Zheng Zhiheng's couch, but bounced back like an electric shock.

It was Xia Zongyi's salt that made her unable to get close to the person in front of her.

Xiang Yin had no choice but to look at the sleeping Zheng Zhiheng, and told Xia Zongyi the story between them.

Things become refined over time.

But Xiangyin has only been in this courtyard for more than twenty years, and it is by no means enough to cultivate into a spirit.

However, in order to celebrate Dalang's birth, Zheng Shangshu cut off a strand of fetal hair, tied it with a red string, and planted it in the courtyard together with the cherry blossom sapling.In order to please a good moral, I hope Dalang can grow up healthy and strong like this cherry tree in the future.

Although I don't know where Zheng Shangshu originally came from, such a custom is not surprising, but Xia Zongyi has never heard of it, because there are plants in the courtyards of people who do this.

Indeed, if that's all it is.

It is impossible for a sapling to produce spiritual energy just because of a few wisps of fetal hair, and the climate in Chang'an is very different from that in Tokyo. It is not easy to take root in this land, let alone become a spirit.

In the first few months of planting, no matter how carefully it was taken care of, the sapling did not move.

But on Zheng Zhiheng's full moon day, it was also a scorching summer night.Zheng Zhiheng kept crying, so the wet nurse had to take him for a walk in the courtyard.At that time, for some reason, Zheng Zhiheng's blood fell in the courtyard.

Xiangyin only knew that she had absorbed Zheng Zhiheng's essence and was nourished by his blood.

Overnight, the sapling quietly stretched out its buds.

But these are just the beginning.

Zheng Zhiheng has been a quiet person since he was a child, and he often reads and reads alone in his room.Tired, he spent most of his time in this small courtyard.But no matter how introverted Zheng Zhiheng is, he is still a boy after all, and his active nature is unavoidable.Thinking about it, in the small courtyard with Zheng Zhiheng, he broke his arm many times because he climbed the wall, and cut his hand because he was curious to pick up the fallen tiles and play.As a result, the blood dripping in the courtyard silently seeped into the slowly growing tree roots.

But in the end, it was an event that happened in the Qiqiao Festival five years ago that caused Xiangyin to transform into a human form.

The author has something to say: Update on Thursday :)