Rui Hegui

"Young master, that's how it happened."

Zhao Liangyue touched Ah Bai's fluffy fur, thought for a while, and said: "It seems that they have a long relationship with Teacher."

"I just don't know if they are friends or foes."

As Youbai said, he suddenly reached out to touch Abai, and Abai just twisted his buttocks to avoid it. Youbai refused to give up and insisted on messing with it, poking the white blanket-like fur from time to time, making the poor cat meow all the time In the end, Zhao Liangyue couldn't understand this man's rivalry with cats, so he asked Uncle Song to take Ah Bai away, and then he survived.

Youbai wiped the fur of the cat on one hand, and asked, "Has the young master guessed their true identities?"

"Wu Zhuangyuan, who is favored by the Holy One, can send people to Maozhou to investigate my affairs in a short time. The only one who meets these conditions in today's capital is Xing Shuo, the commander of Jinluanwei." Zhao Liangyue looked up at the square sky in the courtyard, there was no moon, It was pitch black, and he said, "As for He Yu, since his surname is Chu, and he can get so close to Commander Jin Luanwei, he should be the bandit Chu, Minister of Punishment."

Youbai was taken aback, feeling like he was alive after a catastrophe, and sighed: "Fortunately, I didn't fight with him. I heard that Jin Luanwei didn't even bat an eye when killing people. Then wouldn't their boss be a cruel and inhuman king of hell?"

Zhao Liang laughed more: "Didn't you still say when you entered the door that you were going to beat him up so much that his teeth were all over the place?"

"I didn't know that the officials of the two of them were so big at the time, and those who achieved that position were usually old men." Youbai sighed as he spoke, and began to worry, "Young master, we won't cause trouble, right? Jin Luanwei has come to find us."

"Indeed, I didn't think he was the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, but..."

Youbai hurriedly asked: "But what?"

"But he must have discovered that you were following him, and he didn't intend to hide his identity from you."

"I don't intend to hide it from the young master anymore."

"Oh, I've become smarter. Here, I'll give you a piece of plum cake as a reward." As he said, Zhao Liangyue took a piece from the plate and threw it to Youbai.

Youbai took it, but he was not in the mood to eat, and said with a frowning face, "Why have so many things happened when you came to Beijing? The children of the aristocratic family want to exclude you when they don't like you. The minister of the Ministry of punishment will personally investigate you, and Jin Luanwei will also participate. After this How are you doing?"

"Promise." Zhao Liangyue raised his hand to give Youbai a forehead, and said, "Isn't life more difficult than this back then? Now I have food and drink, and I wear thick and warm clothes in autumn and winter. What are you worried about?"

Youbai covered his forehead, and said sadly: "Of course I'm worried that we may die soon!"

"No, they have to do it long ago." Zhao Liangyue turned the empty cup in his hand, looked at the wall to the west, and then looked at the engraving, and said, "Maybe it's time for us to visit Mr. Xiao gone."

"My son hasn't come back yet."

Zhao Liangyue and Youbai had just arrived at the gate of Xiao Courtyard, before knocking on the door, Dongchan turned over from the wall and landed in front of them.

Youbai looked at the little kid in front of him, remembered how angry he was before, and snorted, "I'm afraid you want to stop me?"

Dong Chan cut her voice, and said: "Can you wait for me to finish speaking, your young master didn't say anything, it's really a worm that insists on hitting a wall."

"What did you say?" Youbai turned his head and asked Zhao Liangyue, "What does he mean?"

Zhao Liangyue said indifferently: "I'm praising you."

Youbai was puzzled: "Praise me?"

Seeing this, Dong Chan couldn't help laughing, cupped his hands to Zhao Liangyue, and said: "My son said, Mr. Zhao is here to visit, please go to the hall to entertain him, he will return quickly when he receives the news."

"That's it, thank you very much." Zhao Liangyue said, followed Dongchan to walk in, and Youbai angrily followed. Unexpectedly, as soon as Zhao Liangyue entered, the courtyard door was closed, and Youbai was so angry that he chose to jump impolitely On the top of the wall, also into the yard.

"Mr. Zhao, this is the hall. You sit down first. My master will be back in less than half an incense stick." Dong Chan said and called the servant girl to bring some refreshments and tea.

Zhao Liangyue nodded slightly, and said: "The young man who followed me just now should have come in too."

Dong Chan said with a smile: "It's okay." After finishing speaking, she backed off.

Zhao Liangyue picked up the tea, looked around, and felt that it was exactly as Youbai said, the structure and furnishings of the courtyard were the same as his own courtyard, except that an extra stage was built in front of the hall, and the stage was a complete big stone, except for the smooth surface treatment, There are no extra carvings and masonry, the moon is in the open air, and the weather is negative. At this moment, under the dim lights, there is a touch of loneliness and desolation, which is incompatible with the prosperity of Kyoto.

Maozhou Dongyuan, from Xuefangyuan in Kyoto, from Huaifeng to Xiaorong, it seems that everything is entangled with the past of the teacher.

In Kyoto many years ago, was there a bloody storm, and the teacher was in the whirlpool, so he had no choice but to leave Beijing to wander, and ended up miserable?

Zhao Liangyue had too many doubts in his heart, restless, and felt that the time passed was extremely tormenting.

After a cup of tea, Xiao Rong came back from outside.

Different from the Xiao Rong seen in Xuefangyuan, this time he doesn't have any pitiful and weak attitude, he walks calmly, walks like a breeze, and his beautiful eyes are actually a bit sharp.

"Young Master Xiao's footsteps are faster than I thought."

Zhao Liangyue got up and bowed to Xiao Rong.

Xiao Rong smiled, sat down with Zhao Liangyue, said: "I'm afraid the one who is really anxious is not me, but Mr. Zhao?"

"It's natural. The teacher treats me with great kindness. If any long-cherished wish is unfulfilled, I will do my best, and I will not be afraid of mountains of swords and seas of fire."

Zhao Liangyue spoke sincerely, but Xiao Rong just shook his head, and said flatly: "Mr. Zhao, I have heard too many words. How many people utterly hated Mr. Wang at the beginning, and how many people later dragged him into the quagmire."

"I do not know."

"But I won't believe it."

Zhao Liangyue frowned tightly, his face showing sullenness.

Seeing this, Xiao Rong smiled and said: "Why, do you want to be angry if you doubt Mr. Zhao so much?"

"No." Zhao Liangyue paused, and said, "I thought of the four characters of betrayal. When the teacher left Beijing, he must have endured unimaginable suffering and was alone and helpless. With his character of being so helpless, he is destined to be in pain."

Seeing the sadness on Zhao Liangyue's face, Xiao Rong was stunned for a while, and asked half doubting, "Is it really different?"

Zhao Liangyue sorted out his thoughts, and asked: "When the teacher was in the capital, he was not a white-clothed man, but a senior member of the court, right?"

“How come you see?”

"Chu Bandit, Shangshu of the Ministry of Justice, he seems to be very interested in my affairs, and the reason is that my style of writing is similar to that of my teacher. It is only because of the style of writing that I get close to it again and again. It is this kind of illusory thread that he refuses to let go, which shows his importance." Zhao Liangyue said, "I think, if it weren't for the cause and effect of the past, it would be impossible for a third-rank official to act like this."

"It turned out to be him." Xiao Rong looked at the ups and downs of the tea in the cup, and smiled, "It seems that his eyesight has not diminished at all."

Zhao Liangyue asked: "Mr. Xiao knows Chu Shangshu?"

"Just do some business." Xiao Rong replied lightly, took a sip of tea, raised her eyes to look at the beautiful white cat on the wall not far away, and asked, "Then you pick it up at the gate of Xuefang Courtyard." the one from

Zhao Liangyue didn't understand why, so he nodded.

Xiao Rong said: "I have said what I wanted to say that day, and what I wanted to say today."

"You mean the play "Looking for Spirits"?"

"Yeah, Mr. Zhao is very smart, he must have guessed something."

Zhao Liangyue said: "If my guess is correct, Sanxianmuhai refers to the teacher, Ah Jiu refers to the people who still follow the teacher, and as for Yuan Xu, it refers to the unsure of the choice like me. people."

Xiao Rong said: "Exactly, then how would you choose?"

Zhao Liangyue didn't answer directly, but asked: "As for the ending of that play, Mr. Xiao must have finished writing it, right?"

"Not really."

"No, it's finished." Zhao Liangyue said, "In your heart, there is an ending that you firmly believe will come true. Although it will be difficult, and it can even be said to be out of reach, you will do whatever it takes, even to pay for it. life."

Xiao Rong laughed a few times when she heard the words, and said: "Zhao Liangyue, people's hearts are unpredictable. Maybe I'm just a messenger for Mr. Wang. Is it too early for you to praise me like this? How much do you know about the capital? How much do you know about me?" How much do you know?"

Zhao Liangyue shook his head, looked towards the stage in front of the court, and said: "No, some things can be felt in the heart without words."

Xiao Rong looked at Zhao Liangyue, and at this moment, seemed to see a vague but familiar shadow.

"But you're right. People's hearts are unpredictable. I believe you, but it doesn't mean you have to believe me." Zhao Liangyue smiled and asked, "So, when you think you can tell the whole story, then tell me me."

"So, Mr. Zhao is not in a hurry to ask me?"

"Will Young Master Xiao tell me?"

Xiao Rong saw the person in front of him recover from the anxiety at the beginning to his usual calmness and composure, and he knew what he meant. He smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth, and said: "I can't tell you now, so you can still make your wish." Do something for me?"

Zhao Liangyue said: "It seems that this is a test."

"nature."

"Please say."

"It's about the iron mines of the Ministry of Industry."

Zhao Liangyue frowned slightly: "It really is Ningzhou."

"It seems that Master Chu has already said something." Xiao Rong asked, "I don't know how much you know now?"

"The natural disaster in Ningzhou is real, and the man-made disaster is probably more serious. The starting point is the sudden recruitment of workers by the Ministry of Industry. This has something to do with the Ningzhou Iron Mine. However, the iron mine incident is only the appearance, and the deeper is the capital. A huge net formed in collusion with local party members, this huge net can be used to deceive the upper and lower, and can cover the sky with one hand in a state's major affairs, but the court cannot detect it, or if it is aware of it, it is powerless. This is the truly terrifying thing. place."

Xiao Rong nodded and said: "Yes, such a big net, it's not easy to tear it apart."

"But, you have been trying." Zhao Liangyue glanced at Dongchan passing by, and said, "Then what is the test for me?"

Xiao Rong took out a note from her sleeve and handed it to Zhao Liangyue, saying: "It says that there are three private courtyard houses in the west of the city, they are quite elegant and exquisite, and there are not many guests, only high-ranking officials and dignitaries are received, but Xiao Er and the others work together. You guys haven’t heard of it, and the people I sent couldn’t get in.”

"It seems that they don't do business in the open, but use this as a cover to cover up their positions."

"I have secretly investigated the owners of these courtyard houses. They are all new faces in Kyoto in recent years. Most of them are merchants from four places. I have no way to find out."

"Young Master Xiao, you want me to investigate?"

"Exactly, Xuefang Institute has been in Beijing for many years, they have to be on guard against me, but they are not so guarded against a seemingly ordinary scholar."

Zhao Liang laughed more: "It sounds like you care about it, but it's actually more difficult."

Xiao Rong looked at Zhao Liangyue and asked, "Then are you willing to help me with this?"

"It's a test, so naturally it can't be done by raising your hand." Zhao Liangyue thought for a while in his heart, and said, "Give me half a month, and when the snow falls in the capital, there will be news."

Xiao Rong said: "Okay, then I will wait."

While the two were talking, Youbai and Dongchan came in from outside the hall, Youbai was holding a bunch of things wrapped in oil paper in his arms, Dongchan kept fighting with his hands and feet to grab them, but Youbai easily dodged them one by one, and rushed Dongchan made a grimace, and the safety lock on Dongchan's neck was crooked in anger.

"Dongchan, don't be unreasonable." Xiao Rong walked over and scolded, Dongchan immediately became honest, and aggrievedly rubbed against Xiao Rong's side to act like a baby.

Zhao Liangyue also came over and asked, "Youbai, what are you holding in your arms?"

"It's pastries, there are so many, they are obviously mine!" Dong Chan shouted angrily, and then was pushed back by Xiao Rong.

Zhao Liangyue raised his hand to lift a corner of the greased paper, and found that they were indeed some high-quality pastries, the ingredients were enough to be seen by the naked eye, and there were so many almonds and longan sticking out of the skin, they were still very fresh.

Zhao Liangyue looked up at Youbai in surprise.

"It was given to me by the old lady, and I said no..." Youbai lowered his head and explained, his voice getting weaker and weaker.

Zhao Liangyue knew that when he saw Youbai, the old lady probably just took out the things, and she started drooling because she didn't live up to it, how could she refuse?

Xiao Rong glanced at those pastries, her eyes moved slightly, and she said to Zhao Liangyue: "They are all children's favorite snacks, just accept them."

Dong Chan felt aggrieved and said: "The old lady still let him come often, if he comes often, the cakes will be sent away."

"Why are you talking so much today?" Xiao Rong pushed Dong Chan down, "Go to the backyard for a horse-strike, two hundred."

"Ah, son, I was wrong."

"Go quickly."

Dongchan had no choice but to run to the backyard sadly, Youbai secretly glanced at it, and couldn't help laughing.

"Still laughing?" Zhao Liangyue said to Youbai, then turned to Xiao Rong and said, "It turned out to be what the old lady meant, so thank you here."

"No thanks." Xiao Rong laughed, "Mother always likes children, as long as there are children at home, she will inevitably give them something to eat and play, not to mention Youbai is so cute."

Hearing such a compliment, Youbai, who had only been scolded by his son, immediately straightened up, with a bit of pride on his face, and he really had good eyesight.

"It's just that the old lady is kind." Zhao Liangyue asked, "I wonder if there is a chance to visit the old lady today?"

"When we came over, the old lady took a rest." Youbai said worriedly, "Maybe it's cold, the old lady kept coughing, and then she clutched her chest uncomfortably, and tears flowed out."

Zhao Liangyue also frowned when he heard the words, and asked Xiao Rong: "The old lady is not feeling well, did you take a good look at the doctor?"

"My mother has been using medicine to recuperate, but the weather has been cold recently, and it is easier to aggravate the condition."

From Youbai and Xiao Rong's words, Zhao Liangyue knew that the old lady was probably in poor health, so he sighed unavoidably, and was about to say something when Dongchan came over with a lacquer box, her little face full of dissatisfaction.

"Didn't I tell you to step forward?" Xiao Rong said.

Dong Chan curled her lips: "The old lady told me to come over, and she said that this is also for Mr. Zhao and someone."

"What is someone?" Youbai raised his chin to Dongchan, and said, "The old lady has already said, you want to call me brother."

Dongchan let out a heck, put the lacquer box in front of Youbai, and ran to the backyard.

Zhao Liangyue glanced at the lacquer box, then looked at Xiao Rong, feeling that the old lady seemed a little too enthusiastic.

Xiao Rong saw Zhao Liangyue's puzzled look at a glance, thought for a moment, then lowered her voice and said, "To tell you the truth, I had a younger brother who unfortunately died early on the way to escape, and my mother has always been hard to let go."

Zhao Liangyue was stunned when he heard the words, understood the meaning of Xiao Rong's words, and said: "My condolences."

"So, can you let Youbai come to accompany mother when you have time? This is my private wish."

"It's the child's blessing that the old lady likes it. I just hope that it won't bother the old lady."

"No." Xiao Rong smiled and asked, "It's not dark yet, do you want to play chess together?"

Zhao Liangyue smiled and said: "I'm afraid I have to say goodbye today, if I stay any longer, the old lady has stuffed so many things that I'm afraid Youbai will have to drag her back with a small cart."

"So, I'll send Mr. Zhao back."

"It's just the distance of a wall, Mr. Xiao should take care of the old lady." After saying goodbye to Xiao Rong, he left Xiao Yuan with a satisfied Youbai face.

After returning to his courtyard, Zhao Liangyue brewed hot tea and read a book. Youbai opened the lacquer box and found that there were some fashionable gadgets in Kyoto, which were very delicately made. Youbai didn't know which one to play with first, so he opened it Eat the pastries while looking inside.

"Don't eat too much at night, so as not to accumulate food." Zhao Liangyue flipped through the scroll and reminded by the way.

"I'll just practice for a while." Youbai said vaguely and perfunctorily.

Zhao Liangyue raised his head and was about to teach Youbai a lesson, but when he saw Youbai was eating snacks, his mouth was full of scum, he curiously rummaged through this and that, his crossed legs were still dangling with the master's happy mood He didn't say anything, just let him go with a smile on the corner of his mouth.

Still a child, why set so many rules?