I come to see Bai Yujing today

Chapter 122 Please lead the way for me, Lord Li

The night is falling.

The blue starlight was gradually obscured by clouds.

The night wind swirled and blew across the sky.

The wind blew on Li Zhuqiu who was waiting at the door, making him feel even colder.

He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the wide-open gate of the Li Mansion. Li Haiye and many other descendants of the Li family also stood behind him, looking towards the street intersection in the distance from time to time.

Longmen Street in the south city is where the nobles live. Just like Fusang Street where Chen Zhian lives, there is also a unified gatehouse at the entrance of the street.

This place is not as lively as other streets.

But today is different from the past. There are many sedan chairs of officials and ladies coming and going. From time to time, they will lift the curtain to take a look at the Shangshu waiting in front of the Li Mansion.

So Li Zhuqiu frowned even deeper.

Li Haiye, who was standing by, couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

Li Zhuqiu has seven sons in total. The eldest son, Li Zheng, is the current head of the Yunzhou Li family and Li Qingran's father. He has been managing the family business in his hometown of Yunzhou for the past two years.

Li Bodu, who ranks second, is the current general Xuanzi and is also mostly in the army.

One of the other three died young, and two of them are now serving as officials outside the capital, holding good and lucrative positions.

The seventh brother, Li Zhoubai, was more promising. He joined the famous Yanglong Temple and seldom returned to Xuan Tianjing.

Therefore, the only person who was always with Li Zhuqiu was Li Haiye.

Today, two older brothers and more than twenty younger generations have also arrived.

Li Haiye had no great ambitions and thought that drinking and having fun every day was a very good thing, which often led to Li Zhuqiu's cold stare.

But now that something like this has happened, his two brothers have returned to blame him, complaining about why he didn't persuade their father more.

If we had left some room for maneuver, tonight wouldn't have been so awkward.

Thinking of this, Li Haiye seemed to understand why his father was so obsessed with climbing up the social ladder...

Emperor Zhaofu issued an edict.

If it were the six families of Dayu, the Wei family, the Jiang family, the Chu family, and the Gao family, allowing Chen Zhian to come in would have been considered as complying with the emperor's will.

But his Li family had to do as the imperial edict said, clean the yard and open the door of the Li Mansion.

Li Zhuqiu, a high-ranking official of the second rank, even had to wait on Longmen Street with his son...

It’s because in Dayu, the status of a noble family is not determined by the size of its official position.

Li Zhuqiu had been an official for decades, climbing up the career ladder step by step, and eventually built up such a fortune on Longmen Street. However, his foundation was still not as good as that of the Si family, let alone the six surnames of Dayu.

Li Haiye even felt that no matter it was the six surnames of Dayu or the saints.

I'm afraid my father's title as Minister of Revenue will be taken off in an instant.

But the Li family is a powerful family in Yunzhou after all, and their origin is like this by nature. It would be more difficult for them to join Prime Minister Song.

So they could only maintain a delicate balance and actively move closer to the Si family, hoping to be able to keep each other warm without offending Emperor Zhaofu too much.

Living in South City is not easy.

For the Li family, maintaining such a balance has already taken Li Zhuqiu's full efforts.

But now... Chen Zhian has come from Sunan Mansion, which has made Li Mansion even more anxious. His nephew is still lying half-dead in the mansion...

Thinking of this, Li Haiye couldn't help but raise his head and secretly glance at his father.

The moonlight shone on his father's face. Li Haiye suddenly saw that his father seemed to have many sores on his cheeks, and even pus was oozing out, which made him shudder for a moment.

Li Haiye blinked and looked again, and his father's face was no different from usual, except that his complexion looked a little worse.

“I’m seeing things…”

Li Haiye breathed a sigh of relief.

Just at this moment, Li Bodu came alone on horseback on the streets of Longmen.

During the past two months, he has been on duty in the Songhuai Army, training and practicing battle formations, and has never returned to Xuantian Capital.

Even though the army had relaxed a lot during this court session, they could not afford to be careless, so he waited until last night before leaving the army to return home.

With his cultivation level and the famous horse [Rusong] under his mount, it wouldn't take him long to reach Xuantian Capital at a gallop.

But after entering Xuantianjing, it took two hours to get from the city gate to the South City. There were so many people along the way that the general came alone and could only walk by leading a horse.

Arriving at the intersection of Longmen Street, Li Bodu saw from afar his father, his three brothers, and the younger generations who were still in the Li Mansion waiting in front of the gate.

He couldn't help but feel a little warmer in his heart.

"I came all the way to the door to wait for the reunion, but my father..."

Li Bodu was still lost in thought when he suddenly sensed a surge of vital energy rolling towards him from the sky.

He frowned.

Even for a fourth-rank general like him, Xuan Zi, who wanted to enter the city, he had to lead his horse through more than a dozen streets before he could return to the palace.

But now, no one knows who is in the sky, who is so bold as to dare to control the magic treasure and fly over Xuantianjing.

So Li Bodu looked up at the sky.

The people in Li Mansion in the distance did the same, looking up at the sky.

But the next moment, Li Zhuqiu and his group in front of Li's mansion and Li Bodu at the entrance of Longmen Street saw a moon-white boat coming from the clouds, gradually descending, and landing in front of Li's mansion on Longmen Street.

The person standing on the moon-white spiritual treasure walked down. Even though Li Zhuqiu was already prepared, he still took a deep breath.

Li Bodu frowned even deeper, and he clamped his legs on the famous horse [Rusong]. The sound of horse hooves finally attracted the attention of many people.

"Chen Zhian, what are you doing here in Longmen Street?" Li Bodu said loudly: "Flying into the sky in Xuantianjing with a magic treasure is..."

He hadn't finished speaking.

Li Zhuqiu, who came to the door of Li's mansion, had a cold face. He turned sideways and made a gesture of invitation, as if inviting Chen Zhian to come in.

Chen Zhian turned his head casually and glanced at Li Bodu who was riding a horse, but ignored him and looked at Li Zhuqiu instead.

"Master Li, the Li Mansion is luxurious and large. If I go in alone, I'm afraid I won't be able to find the way to Hongdou Courtyard."

Chen Zhian was wearing a dark brocade robe and looked directly at Li Zhuqiu: "How about you, Lord Li, lead the way?"

Li Zhuqiu's hands, hidden under his long sleeves, trembled slightly. He was silent for a few moments, but finally nodded: "Please."

Li Haiye lowered his head, not daring to look at his father, nor did he dare to look at Chen Zhian, the most outstanding young man attending the court ceremony.

He still remembered that he and his father went to look for Chen Zhian yesterday, and remembered what his father said to Chen Zhian...

"From today on, you will never see me again before you die, let alone your mother!"

But it was only one night.

The Li family even had to clean the gate to welcome Chen Zhian.

His father would personally take Chen Zhian to Hongdouyuan to meet his sister.

"Between bones and blood, why is it so?"

Li Haiye sighed in his heart. He looked up and glanced at Chen Zhian as well, but saw that Chen Zhian had a blank expression on his face and strode into the gate of Li's Mansion with his head held high.

Suddenly, he remembered another sentence Chen Zhian said yesterday, and a bitter smile appeared on his face.

"Given Chen Zhian's temper, it's almost impossible to get him to let go of his past grudges."

-

Tonight, Li Yinxi did not rest early. Instead, she took advantage of the sitting court to write a calligraphy for Chen Shuijun and Chen Zhian.

I went to the yard again and transplanted a few red bean plants.

These red bean plants have already sprouted, and the lavender young flowers are fluttering in the wind.

Logically speaking, the hot summer is not the season for red beans to bloom.

However, the red beans planted by Li Yinxi in the yard blossomed very luxuriantly. These red beans even seemed to emit a unique scent, enveloping the Red Bean Courtyard and even the huge Li Mansion.

Others cannot see this aura clearly.

Li Yinxi transplanted the red beans, then stood up and looked at the moon obscured by clouds.

Ever since that day when Chen Zhian came to draw for her, even other people in the Li Mansion were forbidden by Li Zhuqiu to come to Hongdouyuan.

Li Qingran hasn't been here for a long time.

Li Yinxi never received any news, but her heart became calmer.

Because she knew that the child she had been thinking about day and night had already arrived in Xuantianjing.

Originally there were three places where we missed each other, but now there are only two places, so we are closer to reunion.

Just like tonight, Li Yinxi looked up at the clouds for a long time, and finally waited until the clouds in the sky drifted away, revealing a blue moon.

The moonlight fell on the Hongdou Courtyard and also on Li Yinxi.

"Sharing the same moonlight, how can it not be considered a reunion?"

Li Yinxi smiled and looked carefully at the red beans in the yard.

She hoped that one day all the red beans would bloom. Then, she would be able to leave the Li Mansion and reunite with her husband and children.

Or maybe, not long ago, Chen Shuijun sent her some snacks and made a promise to her through the mouth of the seventh brother.

When he draws his sword and leaves, he will be able to take her away when September returns.

So in Li Yinxi's heart at this moment and tonight, even though the night is fading, the moonlight is shining faintly, and even though the dark night is still shrouded in this Hongdou Courtyard.

Li Yinxi still feels that she is full of hope.

"It's just...it would be nice if I could see Suicune and Ji-an tonight."

Li Yinxi dug the last shovel of loess and suddenly heard footsteps in front of Hongdouyuan.

She turned around and saw the gate of Hongdouyuan suddenly opened.

Chen Zhian was standing in front of the yard, wearing the long gown that she had sewn herself.

For a moment, Li Yinxi was about to cry, but she held it back.

How can I shed tears when we are reunited tonight?

"come on in."

"Zhi'an, have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet? That's great. I made some wontons today. I'll go make some for you right away."

Lights were on in Hongdou Courtyard.

Li Qingran stood in front of Hongdouyuan and listened quietly for a while.

A smile actually appeared on her face because she heard her aunt's laughter.

She had never heard her aunt laugh like this since she could remember.

Li Qingran wanted to turn around and go back.

A gentle breeze blew, bringing with it a whiff of red bean fragrance, ethereal and subtle, wispy as if carrying something different.

Li Qingran thought the fragrance was very pleasant, but she felt a little strange in her heart.

As we approach midsummer in July, are red beans still in bloom?
The fragrance of red beans wafts in the air, traveling thousands of miles all the way to the top of the Tianshan Mountains.

The fierce conquest of Daqian, the struggle of the Yuhu people on the border of Dali for survival, the hundreds of struggles within the Dayu Dynasty, and even the changes of names on the nine monuments under the Tao...

None of this has anything to do with the Taoist priest in black.

He sat cross-legged on the top of Mount Tianshan and listened to the sound of falling snow all day long.

Until a whiff of red bean fragrance wafted over, the Taoist in black finally smiled.

He stretched out his skinny hand and rubbed it casually in the snow, and finally found a small black stone.

The Taoist in black placed the black stone in his palm, closed his palm and then opened it again.

This black stone actually turned into a chess piece.

He casually tossed the chess piece into the sky.

In a moment, the sky was covered with clouds and mist. The thick clouds were like surging waves, rolling wildly in the mountains, just like the first snow on the Tianshan Mountains, pure and soft, and like nectar, flowing in the ravines between the mountains.

Then the clouds separated and turned into a chessboard that almost covered the top of the mountain.

There are already many black and white chess pieces on the chessboard, fighting each other.

The black piece in the Taoist's hand flew up and landed on the chessboard. It landed at one place. Suddenly, the black piece on the board, which was originally in a solitary situation, was killed by that one piece, and then turned into two big dragons in succession!
"The Dao gives birth to the Dao, and only the Dao can be endless. The dying man is alive again, and I have revived two dragons. It is indescribable. What do you think of my trick?"

The Taoist in black asked loudly.

The wind blew, and the clouds in the sky were like a galloping horse with its hooves creating wind, or like a swimming dragon, winding and circling. In an instant, the wind and clouds surged, revealing a figure in white.

The man was dressed in a plain white robe, looming in the clouds and mist, just like the mist itself. The robe moved with the wind, like flowing clouds. There was a moon-white ribbon tied around his waist, dancing in the wind, just like a lively crescent moon.

This man has a gaunt face and a calm expression. His eyes are deep and peaceful, as if they are hiding the vast sky. His black hair is like a waterfall drifting freely in the wind.

Clouds and mist rolled around him, and he lay sideways in the clouds, holding a wine jug in his hand and drinking casually.

He glanced at the chessboard and suddenly shook his head.

"not enough."

-

Chen Zhian had a dinner made by his mother at Li’s house and then returned to Fosang Street.

At the intersection of Fosang Street, Eunuch Liu was waiting with two men in black.

He saw Chen Zhian from afar, a bright smile appeared on his face, he trotted over and saluted Chen Zhian.

"Mr. Chen, I'm here to bring you a treasure."

"Eunuch Liu?" Chen Zhian asked with a smile, "Is it the reward for sitting in the court?"

Eunuch Liu clapped his hands, took out another small bag from his sleeves, and handed it to Chen Zhian: "Mr. Chen has gained a lot of benefits from the aristocratic families this time, and originally these benefits should have gone to the children of the aristocratic families.

But I never expected that Mr. Chen would rush out with extraordinary force and sweep a small part of him back."

Chen Zhian took the bag.

There is no need to think too much, this bag must be a treasure from heaven.

Eunuch Liu had come with great effort to deliver the treasure, so Chen Zhian naturally would not let Eunuch Liu go back empty-handed. He casually took out a gold ingot, covered it with his long sleeves, and handed it to Eunuch Liu.

Eunuch Liu took the gold calmly and left with a smile.

Chen Zhian returned to the yard and looked down at this precious treasure.

He gained a lot from this court ceremony.

There are a lot of good things in the bag.

ps: There will be more updates in the evening if you have monthly tickets
(End of this chapter)