Looking to the Thirteen Rivers

Chapter 191

After the Shangyuan Festival, the lanterns in the city have not been withdrawn. At night, Jinhuai City is full of brilliance, and there are people everywhere.

Mingyue Tower had not been visited by anyone for many days, but today it seemed that a visitor came from afar. Not only was a gorgeous carriage parked at the door, there were also many uniformly dressed guards standing there, both men and women, which attracted frequent glances from passers-by. For novelty.

"You don't deliver goods to your home now, so why do you bring so many people with you?" Fu Xiang was still dressed in mourning clothes, and she didn't see any gorgeous colors from head to toe. The small purse she was wearing was quite eye-catching, but it was also old and rough, and the corners and corners of the material were frayed and almost torn.

There were not many lamps lit in the mourning hall, and the light was dim. Duan Ning took three sticks of incense, put them on the candles and burned them, and said, "Major Master Fu has such a big incident, it would be nice if my father would let me go out. I want to bring two people here at random, isn't he worried about me. Don't look at those guards, but they are all just putting on airs. If something happens, they will run faster than me."

Fu Xiang leaned against the door and said, "You really don't need to come. Recently, there have been many turmoil in the world. It is best to go out as little as possible."

"Of course I have to come, and I only regret that I didn't come sooner. It's all my father's fault. He was hesitant and refused to let me go." Duan Ning inserted the incense stick and bowed to Fu Cen's coffin. Bow, "After I received Yin Qiu's letter, I knew something was going to happen to you here, and I finally persuaded my father to come forward to save you. I didn't expect that Master Fu was killed at this time. If I arrived earlier, Clean up your charges first, and with you watching from the building, maybe Master Fu will not suffer from such a disaster."

Fu Xiang stood expressionlessly, and was silent for a moment when she heard her words, and said, "Thank you, you have made up your mind."

Duan Ning has always dressed carefully, but today she knows how to change into plain clothes. She glanced at Fu Xiang and said, "It's just a small matter, no need to thank you, and I didn't have time to help you. I can't speak, I can only tell you to be sad, and if there is anything that can be of use to our Duan family, just ask, I'm here, so it's okay to stay for two days?"

Fu Xiang said: "No problem, of course. The first seven days have passed, and I have buried my father. I will take you to the cemetery tomorrow. Let's rest tonight and worship in the mourning hall. It will be done when you want it."

Duan Ning originally wanted to go directly to the cemetery after paying homage to the mourning hall while it was not too late. Since Fu Xiang said so, she had no objection.Duan Ning looked at Fu Xiang and said, "Why do I look at you as if you are not sad at all? Recently, you Mingyue Building has a lot of troubles. First you suffered, and then Master Fu passed away unfortunately. This is because someone wants to deal with you. Now you Taking over Mingyue Tower, I should avenge my father, but why don't I see any movement and arrangements from you?"

She is an outsider, and she doesn't know what caused the recent turmoil. Yin Qiu only asked her to rescue Fu Xiang in the letter, but she didn't say anything else, and she couldn't say anything else.Duan Ning just entered the city gate not long ago, after Fu Xiang received her, Duan Ning has been watching her face, afraid that what he said is wrong will hurt her heart.But the strange thing was that Fu Xiang was not as depressed as she expected.

——On the contrary, it seemed like nothing happened, as if it wasn't her father who died.

A lot of flowers bloomed in the courtyard. The last time I met Duan Ning was when the wintersweet was in full bloom. In a blink of an eye, the plum blossoms withered and replaced with peach blossoms.Fu Xiang looked towards the Zhengxin Building not far away. There were bright lights on there, and the patrolling disciples were walking back and forth as usual. If it was normal, Fu Cen would probably be reviewing papers and handling official duties in that building at this time.Fu Xiang will finish practicing the mind method, come out from the secret path to greet Fu Cen, and then go to take a bath and go to bed.

It turns out that things are different and people are different, not only because of the day and night, but also because of changes in the blink of an eye.

"I have my own plans for the family affairs, and I don't need to let outsiders know," Fu Xiang said again, his tone became a little colder, "It's late, the guest room has been packed, and Ms. Duan is going to rest on her own, so I won't see her off."

Duan Ning looked careless, but he was actually a careful person.She saw that Fu Xiang was unhappy, so she didn't say much. The two walked out of the mourning hall together. Duan Ning thought for a while before saying: "My cousin lost her son and husband, and she became a widow in a flash. It's really a hard life. People. Although she left, but I inquired about it, but she didn't want to leave. The Luo family didn't want to be involved in the disputes between the rivers and lakes, so they hurriedly asked my cousin to take her home. Don't blame me. It’s just that this matter is not very moral after all, I will apologize to you for them, you are a mother and daughter, I hope you don’t care about it, you will live your own life from now on, and just stop communicating with each other.”

After Fu Xiang heard this, he just nodded and didn't reply. Duan Ning walked two steps and said puzzledly: "Speaking of which, there is a lot of rumors about Mr. Fu's story, so everyone should know about it. Why hasn't Yin Qiu come to see it?" Look at you? The friendship between the two of you is so good, and she still thinks about asking me to save you from such a distance, why is she not here when something really happened? "

Fu Xiang paused, and the look in his eyes dimmed.She stared at the ground for a moment, then asked, "Does Miss Duan have any friends?" She was silent, and then added, "Just like me and Xiaoqiu."

Duan Ning raised his brows slightly, thought for a moment and said: "I am a weird person, not everyone can get along with me, I know this myself. In the eyes of outsiders, I am domineering and unreasonable. I don’t have a good relationship with me, so I’m not afraid of your jokes if I say it, I’ve never made any friends until now. Why are you asking this?”

Fu Xiang sighed, and it was not true if he did not sigh. After a moment of silence, he said: "Then suppose you have such a good friend. If one day, due to various reasons, you have to confront her with swords and swords, and you may even turn against her. Will you choose to let go and escape for the sake of this friendship, or will you go your own way and run against her?"

Duan Ning thought about what she said, and replied: "It depends on what it is. If you have to do it, then there is nothing you can do about it. But if you don't have to do it, the so-called friendship is rare, so naturally you choose to let it go." After she finished speaking, she looked at Fu Xiang calmly, and said tentatively, "Don't tell me, the person you're talking about is Yin Qiu."

Fu Xiang was stunned for a moment, and didn't answer, but he didn't deny it either.

Duan Ning said with a weird expression: "Although there is a saying that we don't comment on the whole picture of the unknown, but if it is really Yin Qiu, I have to say something about you. Years ago, she kindly mentioned that you might be dangerous, so After the words became true, she specially wrote a book to me and asked me to save you. You must know that she herself has experienced many changes and almost died. It can be seen that she takes you seriously and has a deep heart. You just said If you want to confront her with a sword, if you really want to do this, then forgive me for saying it harshly, but you are not a good person."

Fu Xiang frowned tightly, his face turned blue and red, but finally he sighed and said: "The difficulty is that, the current situation really has to be done. You speak out for her, and I will admit it when you scold me."

Duan Ning couldn't see who looked dejected in front of her, and knowing that Fu Xiang and Yin Qiu might face such a situation in the future, she couldn't help feeling a little disgusted with Fu Xiang, and asked, "So what do you mean, you want to Choose to go against her?"

Fu Xiang didn't comment.

Duan Ning has a straight temper. Seeing that she didn't answer for a long time, he ran out of patience and had nothing to say, so he followed the maid back to the guest room.

Fu Xiang stood in the courtyard feeling lost, took off the purse on her waist and looked at it for a long time, she murmured to herself: "Xiaoqiu, I'm sorry..."

·

The dome of Shangyuan City was overcast for two days without the warm sunlight. Yin Qiu jumped off the horse, and the disciples in the station came to greet her happily and led the horse inside.Yin Qiu turned her head, and Man Jiangxue rode her horse through the bustling crowd, and landed in front of her. The fragrant wind covered the five smells of the market, and swept away the dust and mist floating in the air.

"I came first, I won." Yin Qiu smiled in the wind, looking at Man Jiangxue with a little complacency rarely seen in front of outsiders.

"I'll buy you candy." Man Jiangxue handed the reins to the gatekeeper disciple on one side, and walked up to the edge of the crowd with his arms around Yin Qiu's shoulders.

It was still early, and the post-holiday city was still bustling. Too many pedestrians would inevitably jostle each other's shoulders. Man Jiangxue walked on the inside, slightly sideways to block Yin Qiu.The two passed by a pastry shop and were about to go in when Yin Qiu suddenly turned his head and asked, "It's a strange scent, is it apricot milk tea?"

A burden-carrying peddler came from the other side of the street. He was a young man. His attire did not look much different from that of the people from the Central Plains, but upon closer inspection, he was quite different.

"Miss, would you like a bowl?" Seeing Yin Qiu looking at him, the peddler asked with a smile.

Yin Qiu took out a few copper coins and got a bowl of hot apricot milk tea. He said with some surprise: "Since I tasted it once with my uncle when I was a child, I haven't met it in the past few years. I have never forgotten it."

Man Jiangxue said: "As agreed, you go to the station first and I will buy you candy. How much do you pay for yourself?"

Yin Qiu smiled and said: "Uncle Master let me go on purpose. I dare to say that I have achieved a little success in other aspects, but I am not good at riding. There is no need for Uncle Master to let me. I still lose in this matter." rise."

People were coming and going on the long street, and the wind was starting to warm up. The winter was gone so quickly, Yin Qiu changed into a light spring dress and stood by the street like a bouquet of dewy magnolias.She is so clean and good-looking, she seems a bit out of place with the passers-by all over the street, like a daughter raised in a deep boudoir.No one would have imagined that this girl with a weak and windy appearance is actually good at martial arts, and only Man Jiangxue has seen her draw a sword.

"After drinking this sweet tea, I'll buy you some snacks to bring back to the palace." Man Jiangxue moved slightly to stand in front of Yin Qiu, "Turn around a bit, and finally go to the gouache shop you mentioned."

Now the situation is very clear, even if the disciples of the hidden guards are gone, there must still be other people watching them secretly, so you must be cautious and cautious when doing anything.

The two stood on the side of the street, behind a wall with willow branches hanging down, the peddler squatted on the side and yelled to attract customers, and attracted several young masters and ladies who bought tea.As soon as Yin Qiu raised her head, a few shiny pearl buttons came into her eyes. She raised her face and looked at Man Jiangxue who was suddenly close at hand, and said, "This road is wide, why is Master so close to me? Be careful that I pour tea soup on you."

"You are too eye-catching," Man Jiangxue's downcast eyes were shining beautifully, "Many people are looking at you, don't you know?"

In fact, both of them are very eye-catching, but Man Jiangxue is too powerful, and pedestrians naturally dare not look at her more.On the contrary, Yin Qiu looked at Wenwen Jingjing, she was not very lethal, so naturally more people looked at her.

Yin Qiu smiled slightly, picked up the porcelain bowl in his hand, and asked, "Uncle Master, would you like to have a drink?"

Man Jiangxue shook his head: "No, I don't like sweet things."

Yin Qiu didn't persuade her too much, after drinking the tea, the two of them walked around the market again and bought a lot of sweets that Yin Qiu loved.Man Jiangxue held her in one hand, and carried a few oil-paper bags in the other. After leaving this street, turn right and walk forward. The third street is Lianhua Avenue.

This street does not sell food, but mostly shops selling jewelry. Yin Qiu has been down the mountain to practice in these years, and the most visited are Qingluo City and Yaoding City, but not many people come to Shangyuan City.The two walked along the street for a while, and they saw a shop in front of them specializing in powder and rouge, and they smelled a pleasant fragrance before they approached.

A tea shed was set up outside the shop, and when Yin Qiu was about to pick up the steps to enter, Man Jiangxue turned into the shed and said to Yin Qiu, "I won't go in, I'll just wait for you outside."

Man Jiangxue only likes incense, she doesn't like these things, she will get dizzy if she smells too much.Yin Qiu answered "Yes", and the girls inside came forward and asked, "What do you want to see? There are all kinds of rouge and powder, which flavor do you like?"

Yin Qiu pretended to walk around the store, and finally took out the jade pendant that Shen Wang gave her, and said: "I ordered a gouache in your store a few years ago, and I'm here to pick it up today."

When the girl saw the jade pendant, she smiled knowingly, led Yin Qiu up to the second-floor compartment, and asked, "But Miss Yin from Yunhua Palace? Our Senior Brother Shen has explained that you will come."

Yin Qiu said: "Then has he sent a letter or sent any message?"

The girl said: "Yes." After speaking, she took out a letter from the hidden compartment on the bookshelf, "The words are all in there, girl, take a look."

Yin Qiu said "Thank you", unfolded the letter paper and looked at it. Shen Wang's letter was written very simply, with only a few words.Not long after, Yin Qiu put the letter back, she frowned and pondered for a while, and asked: "In a blink of an eye, the Lantern Festival is over, I want to know how the foster father's body is recovering, is he okay? "

The girl replied: "It's pretty optimistic. I heard from the junior sisters below that my adoptive father has been able to walk around in the past two days, but after walking for a long time, he would become breathless and faint. He is still very weak. Although he has lost his skills, he is still alive. Worry-free, girl, don't worry, there are people in the valley to take care of her, as long as she takes good care of her, her foster father will recover in time."

Yin Qiu sighed, and said in a deep voice, "That's good, thank you very much."

"You're welcome, I'll take the girl downstairs."

The two went downstairs to the hall, Yin Qiu gave the girl a salute, went out to the tea shed, and said to Man Jiangxue: "I thought that Shaoxia Shen might get some useful clues, but he didn't mention it in the letter. And, it only said that he was turned away after he arrived at Mingyue Tower, and Fu Xiang and Meng Wugui refused to see him."

Man Jiangxue asked for a pot of hot tea, but upon hearing this, he paused the hand holding the cup, and said, "No, if he is present, he will definitely explain his origins. How could he not disappear if he never returns?"

Although the current situation of Meng Wugui has improved, if she can get help from more people, she will not refuse.Both she and Young Master Fan are old members of Ruyi Sect. Shen Wang went to her with a mission, and he would definitely show that he was a disciple of Fanxin Valley, and Young Master Fan would also ask him to bring a message. Ruyimen has something to do with it, so she will definitely meet Shen Wangcai.

"So Shen Shaoxia has reservations about me?" Yin Qiu said, "But if they met, why would he keep it from me?"

Man Jiangxue didn't reply, and the subtle changes in expression were hidden between his brows.

Yin Qiu guessed: "If, I mean if, if Shen Shaoxia saw Meng Wugui and found out from her who the real culprit who killed my mother was, what kind of concerns would he not convey in the letter? I?"

Man Jiangxue hesitated for a while, and replied: "There are only two possibilities. One is that if we find out the identity of the real murderer, Meng Wugui will worry that we will attack her first, so she specifically told Shen Wang Keep it secret for the time being. The second is that Meng Wugui may have interviewed Shen Wang, but she did not tell him who the real culprit is. If it were me, I would definitely ask for a face-to-face meeting with Young Master Fan. about telling a younger generation.”

Yin Qiu nodded and felt that what she said was reasonable: "From this point of view, we are still passive and can only wait for Meng Wugui to pre-empt the attack, but the foster father and I promised that he will not help Meng Wugui deal with us Yunhua , I can relax a little bit about this right now."

After hearing this, Man Jiangxue had doubts flashing across his face, and said: "Don't think so, we haven't found out the real identity of Young Master Fan, if he knows who the real culprit is, maybe this guarantee is not counted." gone."

Yin Qiu was puzzled, "Why?"

Man Jiangxue glanced at her, and asked hesitantly: "You have more contacts with him than I do, have you ever thought about who he might be?"

Yin Qiu thought for a while, then shook his head: "If I could have guessed it, I would have told you about it a long time ago. To be honest, I don't know much about my adoptive father, and I haven't been in Ruyimen before. How could I have imagined that he might who is it?"

Man Jiangxue was silent for a moment, and did not continue talking about this topic.Standing up, he said, "Then don't care about this, as long as he has no ill intentions towards you, everything is negotiable."

Yin Qiu gave a "hmm" and followed Man Jiangxue out of the tea shed.The two went back to the post station to pick up the horses. They did not stay in the city, and both rode back to Yunhua Palace.Man Jiangxue said: "I'm going to Mingguang Palace, will you come with me, or go back to Shenxing Palace first?"

Yin Qiu said: "I'll go ask Xinfeng to see Meng Jing, I'll just wait for the master uncle to finish talking with the sect leader."

Man Jiangxue responded, and patted Yin Qiu's head lightly. Seeing no one passing by, Yin Qiu leaned over and quickly kissed Man Jiangxue on the lips.She smiled, took an oiled paper bag from Man Jiangxue, and said, "My Uncle Sugar is about to take it. If Bai Ling and Senior Sister Lu are here, remember to give them some."

Man Jiangxue has been a porter all afternoon, and now she has to help her distribute sweets to others, so she couldn't help laughing: "Okay, okay, obey."

Yin Qiu was amused by her, turned around and stepped on the palace wall and jumped up, using lightness kung fu all the way to Wenxin Peak.Meng Jing's room was in Elder Xu's courtyard. When she arrived, she didn't know what happened there. The disciples were all in a hurry, and they all seemed very anxious.

Yin Qiu entered the courtyard, Gu Pan looked around before stopping a disciple and asked, "What's the matter, is something wrong?"

When the disciple saw Yin Qiu, he choked up twice, and said in a crying voice: "Junior Sister, go in and have a look, Junior Brother Meng just vomited a lot of blood, Master said, Master said..."

Yin Qiu's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly asked, "What did Elder Xu say?"

The disciple's eyes were slightly red, and he wiped his tears with his sleeves and said: "Master said, Junior Brother Meng's heart disease has relapsed, and the onslaught is fierce. If he can't survive this test, he might die."

Yin Qiu's face turned pale, and he froze in disbelief, the oil-paper bag in his hand fell to the ground with a "click".