lotus flower

In the tenth year of Yingli in the Liao Kingdom, in a large compound in Youzhou in the north, an old man was lying on a sickbed, dying of breath, and an only daughter was kneeling in front of the bed.The old man's name was Gu Mingzhi. He looked at his daughter Gu Shuyao and said, "Son, do you know our family's background?"

Gu Shuyao raised her head and said with bright eyes, "Father, aren't you a salt merchant?"

Gu Mingzhi shook his head and said: "Our ancestors were not merchants, but the hereditary General Long Xiang of the Tang Dynasty, who commanded the forbidden army in the palace! Later, Khitan went south and plundered our family into Youzhou, and father became a salt merchant!"

Gu Shuyao was shocked, she bit her red lips, very surprised.

Gu Mingzhi said: "Back then when Zhu Wen usurped the Tang Dynasty and set fire to the Daming Palace. Your great-grandfather stayed in the north and hid a very important treasure at home. Tang is gone, Zhao Kuangyin established the Song Dynasty, and the world is about to be unified, so I want to entrust you with an important task!"

Gu Shuyao hurriedly asked: "What important task?"

Gu Mingzhi took out a red wooden box from the wall beside the bed.He opened the wooden box to show Gu Shuyao, only to see a square jade disc inside.

Gu Shuyao took out the jade bi and looked at it, Gu Mingzhi said: "Look carefully at the following eight characters!"

Gu Shuyao turned over to look, and said in her mouth: "Being ordered by the sky, you will live forever!"

It doesn't matter if you don't look at it, she was startled when she saw it, she looked at her father stammeringly and said: "Is this the jade seal made by Qin Shihuang to pass on the country?"

Gu Mingzhi nodded, and tried to say: "This is the imperial jade seal that has been contested by successive emperors. Only the dynasty that has obtained the imperial jade seal is considered orthodox, otherwise the people will not recognize it! Your task is to bring this jade seal to Kaifeng, Tokyo." Giving it to the emperor of the Song Dynasty must not let the Chuanguo Yuxi fall into the hands of the Khitan people!"

Gu Shuyao cried: "Father, everyone in the world is vying for the Jade Seal of Chuanguo. How can I, a weak woman, bring the Jade Seal to Tokyo? I can't do it!"

"If you can't do it, you have to do it! It's a pity that I don't have a son, only you, a daughter, and it's up to you to be loyal and filial!" Gu Mingzhi put Yuxi into her hands.

Gu Mingzhi grabbed Gu Shuyao and said: "Son, don't cry, you swear, you must send the jade seal to the Song Dynasty! In today's world, only our Han country is the orthodox of China!"

Gu Shuyao cried and said, "I swear, I will do it!"

Gu Mingzhi spat out a mouthful of blood, and then died on the bed.Gu Shuyao cried loudly, and her crying alarmed the servants, who came in immediately, and they were shocked when they saw the Jade Seal of Chuanguo.

After Gu Mingzhi's funeral was arranged that night, Gu Shuyao regained her senses and hurriedly hid Yuxi under the stable at home.

However, the news of passing on the jade seal of the country still spread like wildfire, and the first person to get the news was Yelujing, Emperor Muzong of Liao at that time.Yelujing was the fourth emperor of the Liao Kingdom, and he was brutal and fatuous.After he got the news, he wanted to send someone to arrest Gu Shuyao, but the ministers around him persuaded him to take it out of his wits, not by force, so as not to destroy the Chuanguo Yuxi.

After hearing this, Yelujing sent one of his cronies to seize the jade seal, and this person was Ye Yongning, General of the Daliao Yulin.

Ye Yongning secretly got the mission and started planning. He was thinking hard in the house alone.At this time, the door opened, and a beautiful and lively girl came in. Her name was Ye Ziyan, and she was Ye Yongning's younger sister.

She sat down next to Ye Yongning and said, "Brother, what are you thinking about?"

Ye Yongning said: "The emperor asked me to find the Chuanguo Yuxi. Now this Yuxi is in the home of a girl named Gu Shuyao in Youzhou. If I grab it hard, I'm afraid she won't give it to her. If she dies, the Yuxi will never be found." !"

"Then outsmart it!" Ye Ziyan said.

"But I can't think of a way!" Ye Yongning said.

Ye Ziyan patted the table and said, "I'll help you!"

Ye Yongning smiled and said: "Silly girl, you don't know martial arts!"

Ye Ziyan said: "But I'm very smart! I can use my brain!"

Ye Yongning hesitated, Ye Ziyan said: "Brother, why don't you worry about me going?"

Ye Yongning nodded and said, "Then you have to be careful!"

Ye Ziyan wore a red brocade dress with a ribbon around her waist, and then rode to Youzhou.

At this time of early spring, the flowers are fragrant.Ye Ziyan came to Gu Shuyao's house, and gently knocked on the door of Gu's house.Gu Shuyao was keeping her filial piety at home. She was dressed in white, with teary eyes.

Wang Shun, a servant of the Gu family, opened the door and asked, "What's the matter with this young lady?"

Ye Ziyan said: "I heard that Shi Bo has a new funeral, and I'm here to mourn the funeral by my father's order!"

Wang Shun hurriedly went to report, and Gu Shuyao heard that someone was mourning, so she hurried out to greet her.

Ye Ziyan looked at Gu Shuyao, her heart sank, and she said to herself: "What a beautiful woman!"

I saw Gu Shuyao in white clothes without makeup, with slender hands and jade fingers, with teary eyes and body like willows, red lips and wounded skin like snow.

Common people often say: If you want to be pretty, be filial.Today's Gu Shuyao was dressed in sackcloth and filial piety, heartbroken, her beauty was a little more miserable, and she looked even more gentle, soft and charming.

Ye Ziyan felt a pain in her heart, feeling like she hated seeing each other late.She rushed forward to meet her and bowed down. Gu Shuyao bent her knees and held her hand. Ye Ziyan couldn't help trembling, and a delicate feeling came from her.

Gu Shuyao said: "Sister, please get up!"

Ye Ziyan got up and looked at her and said: "My name is Ye Ziyan. My father and your father were family friends. I am deeply saddened to hear that my uncle passed away. I came to Youzhou today to express my condolences. Please mourn my sister!"

Gu Shuyao wiped her tears and said: "I don't go out on weekdays, I really don't know you relatives and friends, I'm really rude!"

Ye Ziyan said: "How do our girls' families know the relationship between these elders? I am sixteen this year, and my sister seems to be younger than me?"

"I'm 14 years old!" Gu Shuyao said softly.

Ye Ziyan said: "I will go to the mourning hall to pay homage to my uncle!"

Afterwards, Ye Ziyan changed into filial piety clothes, came to the mourning hall, prostrated three times and paid nine obeisances, shedding tears to pay homage.Now that Gu Shuyao has no parents, and the little girl's family has never been in the world, she is not only at a loss.

Ye Ziyan saw it, and hurriedly said: "Have you reported the funeral yet?"

Gu Shuying hummed and said, "The housekeeper reported all of them yesterday!"

Ye Ziyan said: "Then we must hurry up and arrange for the intellectuals to be ready to meet them, and other handymen, cooks, and coachmen must also be arranged."

Gu Shuyao cried even more when she heard that, and she said, "I don't even know how to do it!"

Ye Ziyan hurriedly said: "My good sister, don't cry, I will stay at the house for a few days and help you with the funeral of my uncle!"

Gu Shuyao was very grateful when she heard it, and hurriedly held her hands and said, "Thank you sister!"

Ye Ziyan pursed her lips lightly, then called the servants of the Gu family, and quickly finished the funeral arrangements.Afterwards, those relatives and friends came to express their condolences, and Ye Ziyan entertained them one by one, and was busy until the funeral.

Gu Shuyao's ancestor was the hereditary General Long Xiang of the Tang Dynasty. After the fall of the Tang Dynasty, his father sold salt and iron, and his family had a lot of savings.Gu Shuyao has been able to read and write since she was a child, and she lived a life of a wealthy family.

Ye Ziyan deceived Gu Shuyao by pretending to recognize her relatives. She would not leave after the funeral, and lived in Gu's house with peace of mind.Gu Shuyao was originally pure by nature, and now a sister from a family friend came to help with the housework, so she was naturally very happy.In order to get the whereabouts of Chuan Guo Yuxi, Ye Ziyan got close to Gu Shuyao every day, trying to make her happy.

On this day, the two went to the market together in a carriage, and the streets were crowded with pedestrians.When everyone was walking, several Khitan people roared over and pushed Ye Ziyan away.

Ye Ziyan glanced at them and said: "These barbarians are really rampant!"

Gu Shuyao was too scared to make a sound, Ye Ziyan smiled and said: "Sister, don't be afraid!"

At this time, Ye Yongning also came, and he secretly followed Gu Shuyao.The brothers and sisters have communicated with each other a long time ago, and they are going to perform a bitter trick.

When Gu Shuyao and Ye Ziyan came to a bamboo forest, Ye Yongning covered his face, and jumped out with a group of subordinates, shouting: "Robbery!"

Gu Shuyao was startled, Ye Ziyan protected her and said: "What a bold thief, how dare you rob in broad daylight?"

Ye Yongning laughed and said, "Catch you two chicks and be my Mrs. Yazhai!"

Gu Shuyao suddenly pushed Ye Ziyan and said: "Sister, go!" Then she actually stepped forward and hugged Ye Yongning's leg, Ye Ziyan was taken aback, why did this girl suddenly become so bold.

Ye Yongning kicked Gu Shuyao away, Ye Ziyan panicked, stepped forward and shouted: "Don't kill anyone, we'll go with you!"

Gu Shuyao stood up and said: "You let my sister go, I will go with you!"

Ye Yongning smiled and said, "What is the relationship between this chick and you?"

Gu Shuyao said: "Her father and my father are family friends! Sister Ye is here to mourn and stay at my house temporarily. She has no property with her. Let her go!"

Ye Ziyan was very shocked. She never expected that Gu Shuyao, who was always timid and weak, would be so righteous in this crisis.Ye Ziyan protected Gu Shuyao and said: "Isn't it just to be Mrs. Yazhai? I'll go with you!"

Later, the two of them were taken to the mountain and locked in a cell.Ye Yongning pulled out the knife and said, "First, find a beautiful one to spend the night with me, who will come first?"

Gu Shuyao looked at Ye Ziyan, but Ye Ziyan remained silent.Ye Yongning grabbed Ye Ziyan and said: "I think you are good, come with me!"

Gu Shuyao grabbed Ye Ziyan and shouted: "Let go! I'll go with you!"

Ye Yongning let go of her, and Gu Shuyao raised her head with tears streaming down her face, and said calmly to Ye Ziyan: "Today I will inevitably be insulted by these villains, sister, don't beg them, let's meet in the underworld!"

Ye Yongning was stunned, Ye Ziyan winked at Ye Yongning, Ye Yongning pushed Gu Shuyao away and said: "Go away, come here!" He pulled Ye Ziyan out and closed the cell door.

The two ran out, Ye Ziyan tore off Ye Yongning's veil and said, "Brother, don't scare her!"

Ye Yongning said: "Have you found the Chuan Guo Yuxi?"

Ye Ziyan shook her head and said: "I have searched all over the Gu family's house these days, but I can't find it! But this girl trusts me very much now, let's play a bitter trick next, you have to pretend to bully her, and then I will step forward and kill her!" Save her, so she will appreciate me! Then the two of us are taking the opportunity to escape, and she can't help but give me her heart and soul!"

Ye Yongning bit his lip and thought about it, Ye Ziyan said: "Brother, when Zhou Yu hits Huang Gai, one is willing to beat the other. After a while, you have to be cruel and torture me hard!"

"How can that be? You are my own sister!" Ye Yongning said.

Ye Ziyan said: "I can't bear to let the child not be able to trap the wolf!"

Ye Yongning gritted his teeth and said: "Okay! Then put on a trick, don't blame brother for being ruthless!"

Ye Yongning threw the veil aside and shouted: "Bring them all up!"

Soon, Gu Shuyao was also brought out of the prison, and the two were pushed into the room.Ye Yongning looked stern, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, he drew out his sword and said, "One of you must stay with me tonight!"

Gu Shuyao looked at Ye Yongning, who was one foot tall and had a majestic body, and said, "I'll stay and let my sister go, okay?"

Ye Yongning laughed wildly and said, "Every woman I have slept with will be killed!"

Gu Shuyao was shocked, she looked at Ye Yongning and said, "Aren't you Han?"

Ye Yongning nodded and said, "I'm from Khitan! Today is our Khitan's god-sacrificing festival. For God's sake, I can let you go alone. Which one of you wants to stay? Who wants to leave now?"

Ye Ziyan said: "I will stay!"

Gu Shuyao gritted her teeth and said, "No, I'll stay and let my sister go!"

Ye Ziyan deliberately said: "Sister, uncle is gone, and you have to take care of your family's property, you can't die here!"

Gu Shuyao was startled, remembering that the Chuan Guo Yuxi was still buried under the stable.But she looked at Ye Ziyan, and said righteously: "I would rather be unfilial than sorry for my sister! You came all the way to mourn, if you died in Youzhou because of this matter, would I be worthy of you? My father has always taught I have to be sincere to my friends, I can't leave you for my life!"

Seeing that Gu Shuyao was so righteous, Ye Ziyan winked at Ye Yongning and said, "Sister, these people are very cruel, they will torture you to death!"

"I'm not afraid!" Gu Shuyao said firmly.

Ye Yongning decided to scare Gu Shuyao and play out the bitter trick to the end.He grabbed Ye Ziyan and said, "That's you!"

Gu Shuyao was shocked, she held Ye Ziyan's hand tightly and scolded Ye Yongning: "You bastard, let go of my sister!"

Ye Yongning kicked her away, she screamed and fell to the ground.Ye Yongning grabbed Ye Ziyan's hair and said, "I'll torture you hard today, and I'll skin you when I'm done!"

Ye Ziyan began to curse, and the two of them, brother and sister, began to stage a bitter scene in front of Gu Shuyao.Gu Shuyao was in a hurry, she drew her sword and stabbed Ye Yongning, Ye Yongning grabbed her and punched her far away.

Gu Shuyao struggled, and Ye Ziyan shouted: "Sister, let's go!"

Gu Shuyao said stubbornly: "I won't leave, I want to live and die with you!"

Ye Yongning was stunned for a moment, thinking that if you don't leave my play, you will have to keep acting, so in this case, let you see how cruel I am.

Ye Yongning threatened and said: "If you don't leave, I will eat you both!" After speaking, Ye Yongning looked at Ye Ziyan, who nodded, indicating that his brother had done enough tricks.

Without saying a word, Ye Yongning took off Ye Ziyan's clothes, pressed her on the bed and strangled her neck, saying, "I'll try it out first!"

Ye Ziyan struggled desperately to resist, Ye Yongning slapped her twice across the face, then dragged her off the bed, picked up the whip and whipped it hard at Ye Ziyan's body with snow-white skin.

Gu Shuyao rushed forward, protected Ye Ziyan and cried, "Don't hit her, hit me!"

Ye Yongning also whipped her hard twice, and Gu Shuyao screamed from the beating.

Ye Ziyan hugged Gu Shuyao and said, "Go away!"

Ye Yongning couldn't help it anymore, he grabbed Gu Shuyao's hair and said, "I'll let you go now, get out!"

"No! My sister and I either go together or die together!" Gu Shuyao said firmly, gritting her teeth.

Ye Yongning and Ye Ziyan were both stunned, Gu Shuyao had to continue acting if she didn't follow this bitter plan.

Ye Yongning was very embarrassed, he looked at Ye Ziyan, Ye Ziyan blinked and motioned for him to continue acting.

Ye Yongning grabbed Ye Ziyan and dragged him to the bed, shouting: "I'm going to rape you, and then I'll cut you into pieces!"

Gu Shuyao stepped forward to rescue her, but Ye Yongning slapped her, causing her to vomit blood.Ye Ziyan couldn't bear it, so he slapped his elder brother Ye Yongning and said, "You are not allowed to hit her!"

Ye Yongning looked at Ye Ziyan in a daze, wondering if she was acting or if she really wanted to protect her.