A life of ups and downs is pure joy

"Fourth uncle, how are you? You finally made the decision to come from Bixu Manor to my house for a sip of tea?"

Ning Chengxian said as he looked at the man in front of him who was wearing a mask and a dark robe.

Xiang Quan used his slender, bony fingers to remove the black gilded mask from his face and gently placed it on the wooden table.

"Tell me what you want from me."

Xiang Quan shook the cup in his hand, pushed the standing tea leaves aside, and took a sip.

"If Fourth Uncle wants to win the beauty, just taking her life won't work. He'll be marrying again soon. If the beauty's heart is hurt, Fourth Uncle's timely appearance may be the most effective way."

Ning Chengxian remembered that the spy reported yesterday that many secret guards were injured on the way back to Xiao Yi and Ning Sijue, and he realized that it was his fourth uncle who had done something.

"He's a bit redundant. It's better for him not to go back to Jin Han."

Xiang Quan put down the cup and said with murderous intent in his eyes.

"Fourth Uncle has always been like this. No wonder you were the one I feared the most when I was little. However, he is still useful to me. When his great cause is accomplished in the future, I will not stop Fourth Uncle from doing anything. This is also what my grandfather meant. Can Fourth Uncle grant me this one time?"

Ning Chengxian looked at his uncle who was about the same age as him and said kindly.

Xiang Quan picked up the mask on the table and put it back on his face, then stood up and left Ning Chengxian's study.

"I never thought you would be so vulnerable to beautiful women. It's a pity that from today on, even the cold-faced and ruthless Fourth Uncle has a soft spot."

Ning Chengxian glanced at Xiang Quan's cup of steaming tea and murmured.

Lin Qinghuan lay on her small table, watching the drizzle outside. Dong Yuange sat elsewhere playing the xylophone, with Tong Shu and Tong Hua standing on both sides.

"Master, this xylophone is a bit old and looks shabby. I will give you a new one tomorrow."

After the song ended, Lin Qinghuan lay on the table and spoke to Dong Yuange.

"Although the piano is a bit old, it has feelings for you. You have a heart for it."

Dong Yuange looked at Lin Qinghuan with a kind smile and said, then touched the guqin that had been with him for more than 20 years.

"Seeing how much you cherish it, it must have been given to Master Yu by my mother, right?"

Lin Qinghuan looked at the faded xylophone and asked again.

Dong Yuange smiled and did not reply. Lin Qinghuan also agreed from the bottom of his heart. It is true that in this world, people will never forget what they cannot get. His own father was not as affectionate to his deceased mother as his master.

"Master, why haven't I seen Mr. Aoki these two days?"

Lin Qinghuan thought of the distinguished guest who lived in Bixu Village. It seemed that he hadn't seen him for several days.

"Aoki hates rainy days the most. The rain these past few days has been too humid. He probably went to find a sunny spot to sit and relax."

Dong Yuange said.

"You'd be a strange person to care so much about whether it's raining or sunny."

Lin Qinghuan said casually.

"There is a place in Dasheng where it almost never rains. Do you know where it is?"

Dong Yuange looked at Lin Qinghuan and asked.

"Master, are you talking about Yinan? I've been there before."

Lin Qinghuan said.

"Yinan is so far away, you've actually been there?"

Dong Yuange was a little surprised.

"Well, I was only fifteen at the time. My older brother took me and my sisters to visit my pregnant older sister. It was a very lively trip."

Lin Qinghuan felt a little guilty after saying this, since the return journey would be the same anyway.

"Qingyao is a good child. She has always loved to stick to your mother since she was young. She follows Lan'er wherever she goes. I just didn't expect your father to be willing to marry her so far away."

After Dong Yuange finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan looked at her master. She guessed that because of her mother, she could feel that her master did not like her father.

"Although my eldest sister married far away, she has a good relationship with her eldest brother-in-law, and my second uncle's family is also in Yinan, so she has family around her. But I can't bear to leave her, and it's too difficult to see her."

Since Lin Qinghuan came to this dynasty, although she spent the shortest time with Lin Qingyao among all her brothers and sisters, she will remember the motherly love of her elder sister for the rest of her life.

"It's a good thing that you two have such a deep sisterly bond. There's a long way to go. When you have time, go visit her more often."

Dong Yuange said as he looked at Lin Qinghuan's face, which was exactly the same as Zhang Yulan's in his memory.

"Master, have you traveled to many places?"

Lin Qinghuan remembered that her husband had said that Dong Yuange did not want to be bound by an official position and had always liked to travel around.

"I've been fortunate enough to visit eight of the Nine Kingdoms, and they each have their own unique characteristics. Qinghuan, although you're a woman, Master hopes that you can be like your mother, not be bound by worldly desires, but have a heart that yearns for something."

Dong Yuange said as he looked at Lin Qinghuan who was holding her cheek with her hand and looking at him.

"Master, when I was little, I always thought that after I recovered from my illness, I would travel all over the Nine Kingdoms, Six Seas, and Five Divine Continents. However, since I entered the Golden Sea as a teenager, I lost my freedom. It was not until His Majesty granted me marriage that I was able to regain my freedom. It is precious that I can go to Yinan to see my sister and return to Luofeng to visit my grandmother."

Lin Qinghuan said regretfully.

"When Master has time in the future, I will take you to see the world. If you have any questions, you can ask Qingmu. He has set foot on the Nine Kingdoms and Five Divine Continents."

Lin Qinghuan could tell from Dong Yuange's words that he highly praised this good friend.

"Has he even been to the Alien Continent and the Yama Continent?"

Lin Qinghuan asked with some surprise.

"Well, Qingmu has been traveling around the world since he was ten. Now he's twenty-seven and has been everywhere. Even though I'm a dozen years older than him, my life isn't half as interesting as his."

Dong Yuange said.

"Brother Dong, you are too kind. I just like to wander around. Brother Dong is very knowledgeable. Reading a thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles."

Qingmu Wenjun, dressed in green, came slowly with a white oil-paper umbrella, followed by two young boys who looked like book boys, one holding a long sword and the other holding a book basket. They looked young but mature and serious.

"I thought you were no longer in Jinhan."

When Dong Yuange saw his friend coming, he stood up, and Lin Qinghuan quickly stood up to support his mentor.

Tong Hua stepped forward to take Qingmu Wenjun's oil-paper umbrella and hung it on the corridor to dry. The little book boy holding the book basket stepped forward to bow to Dong Yuange and Lin Qinghuan, and then took out the famous paintings and calligraphy collected by Qingmu Wenjun from the book basket and placed them one by one on the desk.

Lin Qinghuan glanced at Mr. Aoki, who surprised her a little, and then looked curiously at the pile of scrolls on the table.

"Didn't Mr. Aoki go to Yanyangtian these days and collect so many famous paintings and calligraphy?"

Lin Qinghuan said in surprise, and looked at his master again. After getting his consent, he stepped forward and carefully unfolded the scrolls one by one. Tong Shu and Tong Hua stepped forward to help.

"Sunny day?"

Qingmu Wenjun took a look at the sound of rain outside and looked at Dong Yuange with amusement.

"Master, these are all masterpieces. Is this Master Yan from Dayan?"

Lin Qinghuan pointed at the written words and said in surprise.

"Yes, Yan Benmo, the master painter of the Great Yan Kingdom, was also a very powerful official. He was also someone Gong Zheshan trusted very much. He had been sitting firmly on the throne of the Great Yan Grand Master for decades."

Dong Yuange glanced at the place where Lin Qinghuan pointed and nodded.

"The Sixth Prince of Dayan, Gong Zheshan, caused all the misfortunes in Ajue's first half of life."

After Lin Qinghuan finished speaking, he looked at a copy of calligraphy next to him.

"This calligraphy looks very vigorous and powerful, and it also feels like it's expressing dissatisfaction. Is it my imagination?"

Lin Qinghuan looked at the calligraphy, and it seemed as if the person appeared before his eyes, with a defiant look and anger towards reality.

Dong Yuange took a look and put down his pen, then smiled at Qingmu Wenjun.

"Princess Changping's vision is indeed different from that of ordinary people. No wonder Brother Dong took a fancy to her at first sight."

After Qingmu Wenjun finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan tilted his head and looked at him, not knowing whether he was right or not.

"His name is Mr. Liao of the Qing Dynasty, and his original name is Gong Zhesi." Dong Yuange picked up the copybook and looked at it carefully again.

"Gong Zhesi, is he also a member of the Great Yan royal family?"

Lin Qinghuan thought that this person must be related to Gong Zheshan, otherwise how could he dare to choose such a name? He must be asking for his head to be chopped off.

"Gong Zhesi, the second oldest, was demoted to a commoner during the previous dynasty's struggle for the throne, but he managed to survive."

In just one sentence, Aoki Fumi-kun described the life of Mr. Liao from the Qing Dynasty.

"Having fallen from a high position, he could only vent his pent-up resentment through writing. It's not surprising. But now that he's become a commoner, is he still unwilling to resign to his high position?"

Lin Qinghuan sighed.

"It's no use being unwilling. On the fifth day of last month, Mr. Liao passed away in his thatched hut."

After Qingmu Wenjun finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan was still a little dazed. Did this person just die like that?

"Master, you and Mr. Qingmu are both knowledgeable and have a keen eye for talent. So, what do you two think of... the new Emperor Gong Heyu of Dayan?"

After thinking it over, Lin Qinghuan finally opened his mouth and asked.

"Gong Heyu, son of the Sixth Prince of Dayan."

After Dong Yuange finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan looked at him for a long time. Seeing that he hadn't spoken again, he frowned and asked curiously.

"Master, is it gone?"

"Well, this little emperor was very well protected by Gong Zheshan. Anyone who had seen him before he ascended the throne never showed up again, so he was called the Executioner of Tokyo City in Dayan."

Dong Yuange said.

"What does it mean that the people who saw him didn't show up again?"

Lin Qinghuan was confused for a moment, then looked up and asked.

"They're all dead. Gong Zheshan has killed many people over the years, young and old, women and children alike. The most famous of them was the medical immortal Bu Yue."

Qingmu Wenjun saw that Lin Qinghuan seemed very curious about the new emperor, so she explained.

"Bu Yue, Gong Zheshan even killed Bu Yixian, Yu..."

Lin Qinghuan shouted in shock, and then swallowed the words "Brother Yu".

"Huan'er, do you know Bu Yue?"

Dong Yuange asked curiously.

"I've been frail since childhood, and was fortunate enough to receive medical treatment from the Immortal Divine Doctor. Before I could even repay him for saving my life, I received such tragic news. It's truly hard to accept."

Lin Qinghuan sat down with his hands covering his chest in discomfort. That was Brother Yu's mentor. How could the Sixth Prince kill him? Brother Yu must be very sad. Such a kind person was called the Tokyo Executioner. When Lin Qinghuan thought of this, tears flowed down his face unconsciously, and then he couldn't help but lay on the table and cried out loud.

"Huan'er, the dead cannot be resurrected, so don't be sad."

Dong Yuange didn't expect that Lin Qinghuan and Bu Yue had such a relationship, so he sat down and patted her on the back to comfort her.

"The Medical Immortal Bu left behind a peerless medical book. I heard he specifically instructed them to give it to the new emperor of Dayan. Some people claimed that the Medical Immortal was guilty of treason, saving the lives of an entire clan with a medical book. Gong Zheshan stopped his activities at that point."

Seeing that Lin Qinghuan was too sad, Qingmu Wenjun said.

Lin Qinghuan raised her head, her beautiful face now blurred with tears, looking even more pitiful.

"Crime of treason?"

Lin Qinghuan murmured.

"This medical book seems to be very precious. I heard that the young emperor loves medicine, so the medical book was able to save the lives of the Bu people."

Qingmu Wenjun looked at Lin Qinghuan and continued.

Lin Qinghuan nodded with a blank look in her eyes. Perhaps that book was more important to Brother Yu than anything else.

The rain was still drizzling outside. Dong Yuange and Qingmu Wenjun went to the bamboo house to chat and play chess again. Lin Qinghuan looked at the several paintings by famous masters given to him by Qingmu Wenjun, but his thoughts flew far away into the depths of emptiness. It had been a long time since he missed his old friend so much. He had always thought that he must be living a good life as an emperor.