Guanqingzhai

She didn't dare to make a sound, and she stayed by Hu Yue's side like a clay figurine.It was as if she couldn't get enough of this man's appearance in her entire life.One of the two was lying on his side, and the other was sitting upright in a chair. The candlelight illuminated the shadows of the two of them.

Gradually Hu Yue closed his eyes, at first his eyeballs rolled a few times, and then they didn't move at all.He seemed to be asleep, but the heaving of his chest let Hongqiao know that he was not dead.Hongqiao didn't dare to touch him, but just watched worriedly.

After Hu Yue closed his eyes, he just felt dazed. He felt as if he was asleep and then awake. He could perceive everything around him. He knew that Hongqiao was serving tea carefully, and he could feel the warmth brought by the candles. With the temperature and light, he could even smell the familiar incense in Hongqiao's room.But gradually these perceptions were mixed with some other feelings, he felt some wind, and then the temperature became colder and colder, and the original warm, soft and sweet fragrance gradually brought an earthy smell.Although she didn't open her eyes, Hu Yue felt that the space around her was gradually expanding outwards.As it got bigger and bigger, Hongqiao became more and more blurred, as if she could no longer feel her breath.The only thing that fills my ears is the sound of the wind blowing through a large number of leaves, which is very vast.

At this time, Hu Yue slowly opened his eyes. He looked up at the boundless wilderness all around him. He stood alone in the wilderness.Hu Yue was alone, standing here, she couldn't see anything else.He could no longer feel the atmosphere in the boudoir on the boat where he was originally.

He habitually touched the flagon at his waist, but found that even the flagon was gone.He gasped and said: "This is not good, at least let me take the flagon and go on the road. Hey, hey."

He brushed aside the weeds by himself and walked aimlessly, not knowing what was in front of him, nor in which direction he was heading, all relying on his intuition and his own heart.But he didn't panic, as if everything was normal, Hu Yue flatly brushed away the waist-high weeds, although it was very hard, but he felt that the surroundings were empty and the air was very cold.Suddenly, a bird flew across the sky. The bird's body was pitch black and its tail was extremely long. With a strange cry, it passed over Hu Yue's head.

Hu Yue looked up, the sky at this time could not tell whether it was day or night, it seemed to be day and night at the same time.There are no clouds, no sun or stars and moon, but it doesn't feel dark here, and the surrounding scenery is very clear, so it feels like a trance without a trace of life, and there is sadness everywhere.Hu Yue inhaled this feeling like air, and he laughed at himself: "It's too depressed, I thought this time at least it would be a scene of fireworks and willows and greenery."

Hu Yue continued to walk forward for an unknown number of hours without any definite purpose. Finally, when he pushed aside the numb weeds that he had seen for a long time, he found a river.There is a boat moored by the river.

Hu Yue untied the rope, kicked the boat off the river bank, and then jumped onto the boat.At this time, there was a sudden gust of wind, and without Hu Yue paddling, the boat staggered along the river automatically.He stood with his hands behind his back, the surrounding area of ​​the river bank was still barren, and the river water was also bottomless. Even if he didn't touch the water, Hu Yue felt a chill that penetrated his heart and bones.The most bizarre thing is that the river water can't reflect any reflections.

Regardless of these unreasonable things, Hu Yue let the boat drive by itself and drift with the wind.The surrounding scenery has not changed at all, it is still a vast expanse of weeds, and there is no scenery at all.In short, Hu Yue was a little disappointed. He squatted on the boat bored, patted his shoulder, and looked at the sky for a while.Almost fell asleep sitting up.

At this time, he suddenly heard the sound of flute in the distance.Hu Yue was attracted by the sound, and the wind just pushed him in the direction of the sound.He went there as if being drawn.

"The song is full of cold grass, autumn water and sky, and the sky is misty and rainy, and it seems that there is no sunshine. A boat crosses the old bridge, and the reeds are as green as snow."

Hu Yue listened to the poem, and it seemed to have a meaning, but the boat sailed by itself for a few moments, but there was still no one playing the flute and reciting the poem.

Hu Yue's heart moved, and he echoed and said: "Plucking lotus is still carrying the same heart, but the branches are not connected for no reason. The withered lotus can't bear the rain. The cicadas are singing sadly and several times."

I only heard a voice coming from the wild grass: "Your Excellency is also a person who knows autumn."

As soon as the sound fell, a gust of wind blew through a dead leaf and landed on the bow of Hu Yue's boat.

Hu Yue said with a smile: "The mountain monk can't figure out how to count the number of Jiazi, and when a leaf falls, you can know the autumn in the world. This melancholy is just a sentence expressed by the sound of your flute."

The man said silently, "Then why did you come here?"

Hu Yue asked: "I have something to ask, so I came here. May I ask where is this place?"

The man said: "Sorrowful lake."

Hu Yue said: "Then Your Excellency is the owner of this place?"

The man didn't answer again, the flute sounded again, and the bitter sadness pervaded the surroundings again. Hu Yue listened, and suddenly felt his body shake, and he had unknowingly landed on the shore.

Hu Yue lifted the hem of her clothes and boarded the river bank.There was no one on the river bank, Hu Yue just looked back at the boat, the boat was nowhere to be found, and the river was as calm as a mirror, but when Hu Yue turned around, there was already a person standing in front of him, dressed in white, holding a Xiao Guan.He seemed to be welcoming Hu Yue.But before Hu Yue landed, he didn't see anyone, but when he looked up, he found that this person was already in front of him.

Hu Yue cupped his hands and bowed to him: "My surname is Hu, my name is Yue, and my name is Muzhi. This is polite. Dare I ask your surname Gao?"

The man bowed slightly, and said: "The name is just a title. In this situation, you can just call me Qiuchouke."

That person was already standing in front of Hu Yue, and Hu Yue took a closer look and found that this person looked somewhat similar to Chu Jue, but he lacked Chu Jue's preciousness and elegance, and had more depression and sentimentality.

Hu Yue looked at his face, but there seemed to be a ripple in her heart.Inexplicable emotions spread in the heart lake for no reason.

At this time, even the river disappeared behind Hu Yue, and a simple path appeared instead.

Hu Yue pointed to the trail and said, "Can you tell me, where does this trail lead to?"

Qiu Chouke waved Xiao Guan in his hand, he looked at Hu Yue and said, "It can go wherever you want."

Hu Yue smiled wryly and shook her head, "Then it will be difficult for me, because I don't know where I'm going."

Qiuchou Ke didn't care, but comforted him: "Then I'll take you around, maybe you will remember where you are going. Now that you are here, you must have somewhere you want to go."

Qiuchouke had already gone ahead, and he stretched out his hand towards Hu Yue.Hu Yue looked at him, and a sense of familiarity seemed to pass through his mind, as if he had walked side by side with Chu Jue like this in the past.But after getting along for so long, he can't remember where he and Chu Jue have been, as if they didn't care about these little things in the past.But these little things made him feel a subtle nostalgia at the moment.

Now, why do you think of this?

Hu Yue stretched out her hand and took Qiu Chouke's hand.The opponent's hand was not warm, making Hu Yue feel as if he was holding a piece of jade.At the moment when her hands touched, Hu Yue suddenly found that Qiushouke had disappeared.He stretched out his hand to grab an empty space, and there was no one in front of him.And his environment also changed, and a tall tower suddenly appeared in front of him.There are different stone tablets and stone beasts on both sides of the tower. There are many writings on the stone tablets. Hu Yue looked down, and the names and dates of life were engraved on them.

Hu Yue looked over one by one.Suddenly Hu Yue's name appeared on the stele, but the time of death was forcibly scratched off.He didn't see the time of his own death.

Hu Yue was still checking the stele, when a child suddenly appeared beside him, with his eyes hanging down, holding a takraw ball in his hand, Hu Yue took a step back.The child showed a strange smile, and after laughing a few times, he said: "I can't find it, I can't find it, I want to find it more, I can't find it, I don't want to find it, I can find it." After saying these words, he suddenly held his hand The ball in Li hit Hu Yue's body.Hu Yue instinctively moved away.The ball rolled to the ground, and the child laughed again, and then jumped onto the stone tablet.He pointed to the sky, and then to Hu Yue.Then he jumped behind the stele.Hu Yue hurried up, and the child had disappeared.

But the takraw ball on the ground has turned into a half-rotten pomegranate, and half of the pomegranate has been rotten.Hu Yue didn't pick it up, just glanced at it, and then went to observe the stone beast on the other side.The stone beasts looked like all kinds, but all of them had their eyes closed, as if they were asleep.What was supposed to be a guarding role has become a sleepy state of neglect.Connected with the atmosphere here, it seems extremely tired.Finally, he stood under the tower and looked up. The height of the tower soared into the sky, and he couldn't count how many floors there were.People standing under the tower look small, but the tower gives people a sense of instability.

Hu Yue wanted to push open the tower door.Suddenly a voice sounded behind Hu Yue, shouting: "No!"

Hu Yue looked back and saw a person following behind him. This person seemed very familiar to Hu Yue, but he couldn't remember who he was. The person grabbed Hu Yue's arm and said, "There you can't go."

Hu Yue said: "Why? And who is Xiongtai?"

The man froze for a moment, and said, "You don't know me?"

Hu Yue shook his head, the man said loudly, "How dare you forget me?"

Hu Yue took a slight step back, the man pointed at himself and said, "I am..."

Just as the man was about to speak, he disappeared without a trace and was never found again.Hu Yue walked around, but couldn't see who this person was.And the tower door has been opened, and there seems to be lights in the tower, but it is still dim.

Hu Yue hesitated for a moment and still wanted to go upstairs.

Hu Yue raised her leg and stepped into the tower. There was a very high staircase inside, surrounded by candlesticks.There is a window in each of the four directions, and the windows can see the scenery outside.They are spring, summer, autumn and winter, and four different scenes appear on the outside of the tower at the same time.

Hu Yue looked up at the stairs, and suddenly a person's face protruded from the stairs. He grinned at Hu Yue as if he was saying something, his expression was very panicked and painful, but then he shrank back.Hu Yue still felt familiar with that person's appearance, but it was also an indescribable feeling.

Hu Yue began to climb the stairs. The stairs were not very high, but they were narrow enough for only one person to pass.The surrounding candles will only reappear after a certain distance.So some places can be very dark.Suddenly a hand protruded from behind Hu Yue, and a person reached out and passed an oil lamp.

Hu Yue turned around, and Qiushouke, who looked somewhat similar to Chu Jue, appeared behind him again. He smiled slightly and said, "Without lights, you must not be able to see the road clearly."

Hu Yue nodded and said, "Your Excellency will climb the tower with me too."

Qiu Chouke smiled wryly and said, "I said I would take you around."

Hu Yue frowned and said, "But you often disappear. In fact, everyone I meet here will suddenly disappear?"

Qiuchouke stepped forward and said, "Do you want me to be with you all the time?"

Hu Yue looked at the face similar to Chu Jue's, and emphasized such a blunt sentence.Immediately feeling uncomfortable, he curled his lips and said, "It might be easier if I change my face. If it's a beauty, then I can't wait for it."

Qiushouke ignored Hu Yue's sarcasm, and said sadly, "I've always been by your side, but you never really cared."

Hu Yue didn't want to talk about this kind of thing anymore, it seemed like those flirting words in the past.He asked, "Where is this place?"

Qiushouke said, "Are you asking about this place or this tower?"

Hu Yue said, "What's the difference?"

Qiushouke said: "Yes, this is here, because this tower was not here before."

Hu Yue took the oil lamp from Qiuchouke's hand and said, "Then can you please explain it to Brother Qiu?"

Qiushouke said: "Because after entering this tower, you are only inside the tower. The outside world has nothing to do with you."

Hu Yue frowned and thought deeply about what he said. He always felt that every word this person said had hints, but now they couldn't be linked together to give a complete hint.Hu Yue could only continue to probe: "Then I want to know what this tower is?"

Qiu Chouke put Hu Yue's hand to his lips, and said, "This is not a pagoda, but a mirror."

Hu Yue murmured: "Mirror..." Suddenly he understood something, swung his sleeves and said, "Haha, interesting. What's there upstairs?"

Qiuchouke said: "Then you won't know until you go up, and I don't know what you'll see on the upper floor. Because I'm not you."

Suddenly there was a creaking sound from the stairs of the tower, and Hu Yue raised his head up. The stairs seemed to be shaking and not solid.

Hu Yue wanted to ask again, but the people around him had disappeared.Hu Yue said to himself, "As long as someone who looks like that person has such a half-spoken virtue, it's annoying."

Hu Yue frowned and climbed upstairs, but the stairs seemed endless.He didn't know how long he had climbed, but he didn't reach the upper floor, he just kept turning the stairs.But none of the platforms appeared.It seems that this spiral staircase is like a whirlpool that never ends.

The more he walked, the more annoyed he became, and finally he stopped and shouted into the air, "What is Brother Qiu's intention?"

Suddenly something rolled down the stairs, Hu Yue wanted to dodge, but there was nowhere to dodge.Something metal rolled and stopped at his feet.It was a bronze head, and some of it was broken. Hu Yue picked up the animal head.Suddenly the mouth that was originally closed opened suddenly, and its eyes were like real pupils, staring at Hu Yue firmly.Hu Yue didn't leave this weird beast head behind.The tongue protruded from the mouth of the beast head, and a ring slightly larger than a copper plate was attached to the base of the tongue.

But Hu Yue didn't dare to take the ring easily, because the teeth of the animal head were like sharp knives, if Hu Yue put his hand in easily, it would close its mouth suddenly.At least Hu Yue said that he would also have two fingers cut off.

Hu Yue shook her head, still put the animal head on the side, and continued to climb.But it didn't take long to come across a beast head.Either way, it still opened its mouth suddenly, with a ring in its mouth.

Hu Yue thought: If you don't take it out, will you be trapped here forever?

But these sharp blade-like teeth troubled him, and when Hu Yue's heart was shaking, he only felt that his feet were empty.Just his section of stairs suddenly caved in.Hu Yue leaned back and was about to fall down.The animal head in his hand was also thrown out because of the unstable center of gravity.

At that moment, the ring fell out of the beast's head's mouth.Hu Yue took a deep breath, almost twisted her waist, and turned sideways to pick up the ring.

Just as Hu Yue got the ring, he couldn't stabilize his center of gravity here. Just when Hu Yue was about to fall down, a powerful hand stopped Hu Yue who fell sideways.

When Hu Yue looked back, she was still the guest of Qiuchou.Qiu Chouke said, "Why do you take such a risk?"

Hu Yue said with a smile: "Because I don't want to be trapped here forever."

Qiu Chouke said: "Actually, as long as you want to leave, you can leave at any time."

Hu Yue glanced at him and said, "It's just that the time has not come yet."

Qiu Chouke let go of Hu Yue with a chuckle.Hu Yue bowed slightly, and said, "Now I can go on."

Qiuchouke walked downstairs with a smile.But after only two floors, he disappeared like a cloud.

Hu Yue pinched the ring in his hand, and as expected, he found a door without walking a long way.The door was missing a knocker, so Hu Yue hung the ring on it, and then the door opened.