He looked at me intently without saying anything, I was silent for a moment, "When are you leaving?" A faint smile appeared on his face, "More than a month". I said with a smile "Then, I will see you in a month".
He nodded, then stepped out quickly, under the beautiful spring sunshine, his pine tree-like figure gradually walked away. Behind him, the brilliant sun smiled broadly.
Yuanyang Teng's emerald green leaves cheerfully waved in the gentle breeze. Squinting my eyes looked at the blue sky. One day in the third month, the trees were green, the flowers red, and we were both young and old.
––––––––––––––––––––
I knocked on the door, "Where's Jiu Ye?" Xiao Feng was arranging the pieces, without looking up he said, "In the reading room he's tidying up the books". I stepped into the reading room, Xiao Feng said again, "The reading room is not allowed to be entered by people, even sweeping the floor is done by Jiu Ye himself, you sit first to bask in the sun, wait a moment! There is tea here, invite yourself, I'm busy , can't invite you".
I tapped Xiao Feng's head hard, "You are still a child, but you are already the Grand Lord here". Xiao Feng stroked his head, then glared at me irritably. I snorted and ignored him again, then stepped into the reading room.
Although I had lived in Pondok Bambu for some time, this was the first time I had entered the reading room. The room was extraordinarily large, with absolutely no boundaries, so wide that a horse-drawn carriage could run in it. More than half of the room was filled with bookshelves, Jiu Ye was flipping through a book in front of one of them.
I deliberately walked loudly, as soon as he heard the sound of my footsteps, he turned and smiled, then invited me in. "You sit down, I'll be done soon." My heart overjoyed, I turned and made a funny face at Shi Feng.
Curiously, I scanned the bookshelves, "Have you read all these books?" Jiu Ye's voice came from a few bookshelves in front of me, his voice was not very clear, "I've read most of it."
Shi Jing, Shang Shu, Yi Li, Zhou Yi, Chun Qiu, Zuo Zhuan, Li Jing……this bookshelf contains Confucian scriptures, Shi Jing seems to have read a lot by him, they are placed in the most accessible places.
The Four Books of Huangdi, Huang Ji's Constitution, Dao De Jing, Lao Lai Zi……all the books on this bookshelf are about the teachings of Huang Lao and Lao Zi. Lao Zi's Dao De Jing, Zhuang Zi's Xiaoyao You and Zhuang Zi's Zhi Bei You were obviously often turned over by him, the thread used to bind the bamboo blades of the books had become loose.
Fa Jia......Bing Jia these scriptures have mostly been
I had memorized them by heart since childhood, disinterestedly I swept them briefly with my eyes, then moved on to the other shelves. This shelf is a bit strange, the top only contains a book, while the bottom shelf contains a pile of scrolls.
Hesitantly, I took a scroll, the scroll was the book of Mo Zi, it was said that this book was very complicated, even A Die had a headache reading it. I flipped through it for a moment, there were parts that I could understand, but there were parts that were full of words that were difficult to understand, apparently about making tools such as train axles and ladders, about solar phenomena, about when something is seen through a small holes whose image will be upside down, flat mirrors, images created by concave and convex mirrors, and other things that I don't even know the name of, shaking my head I put the book down, then stepped over to the shelf behind it and took a scroll. . The scroll was written in Jiu Ye's handwriting, for a moment I was stunned, unable to read the contents, I took several other scrolls, all of them were written in Jiu Ye's handwriting. I craned my head to look at Jiu Ye, he was still tidying up the books while looking down, I hesitantly asked, “Can I read the books on this shelf?”
Jiu Ye turned to look at me, thought for a while, then nodded “Nothing good to read, just my favorite in my spare time”.
I picked up the scroll, because it was so long, I didn't have time to read it carefully and just skipped through it. The writings discussed strategies for conquering or defending a city, how Mo Zi lamented that strong nations attack weak ones, how to make weapons and how to warm themselves in winter.
The several scrolls that followed contained detailed drawings of the various weapons that could be used to attack and defend a city, and ways to attack and defend a city.
I read the books at a glance, then put them down and took another scroll, “……love all under heaven…..hate war…….” Broadly speaking, he analyzed Mo Zi's explanation of why he hated war and opposed big countries persecuting small countries. On the one hand, he argued that large countries should not use their power to suppress small countries, while on the other hand, he suggested that small countries actively prepare for war, strengthen their defenses and be prepared to fight big countries at any time, so that the countries The big ones don't dare to carelessly fight them.
I thought silently for a while, slowly put down the scroll in my hand, then came back to take some other scrolls and read through them, they were full of pictures on how to make various tools, each step of manufacture was explained in great detail, including the complicated crossbow for battle. , tools for treating broken bones, and a simple two-layered kettle to keep the water warm in winter, there are even pictures of women's hair ornaments. I scratched my head and put the scrolls back, I wanted to read them one more time, but I was more curious as to what book was on the shelf behind me, I'm afraid that after this I won't have the chance to read them again.
The shelf was full of medical books, I flipped through one of them, namely Pianque Neijing. Although Jiu Ye wrote a lot of detailed notes in that book, I still don't understand it, and I'm also not very interested in it, so I carelessly picked up a book at the end of the shelf, that is Tianxia Zhidao Tan, the book is also full of Jiu Ye's notes, but my face immediately became hot, "Thump!", I threw the book back on the shelf. Hearing that voice, Jiu Ye looked at me, in surprise I jumped in front of another bookshelf, took a scroll and pretended to read it calmly, but my heart was still pounding uncontrollably.
Did Jiu Ye also read this kind of book? However, even though this book describes the art of intercourse with women, it talks about it from a medical point of view, and a lot of it deals with bed, conception and pregnancy, I was preoccupied with thinking about it and for a while I kept my head down without moving.
"Do you understand these kinds of books?" Jiu Ye pushed his wheelchair to my side and asked in surprise. I was shocked and quickly answered, "I just read it briefly, then I burned it."
With confusion Jiu Ye looked at me, I reacted, he pointed at the book that was now in my hand, and it wasn't that annoyed that I almost fainted, no wonder
of so many people under the sky, I was actually caught by him. I immediately flipped through a few pages, in disbelief I opened my eyes wide, everything was covered in small letters like tadpoles, I twirled them, but couldn't recognize a single letter, I didn't want to give up and looked back at him, but I still can't read it.
Woe! It turns out that I've been reading this kind of book for a long time, now I don't want to faint anymore, and instead want to hide in a hole because I'm so embarrassed. I looked down and stammered, "Hmm........hmm......actually I don't understand, but I……I really want to know……therefore. by therefore I read it carefully, here. I just investigating......investigating why I don't understand it".
Jiu Ye's eyes flickered, curiously he asked, "Then what is your conclusion?"
“My conclusion? Eh……My conclusion……uh is
that I can't read those letters." The corners of Jiu Ye's lips seemed to be moving, in my heart I was screaming, what a shame! What am I talking about? I looked down, staring at the tips of my own feet, the more I said the more wrong it was, the more well shut up!
The atmosphere in the room was eerily silent, full of embarrassment, I thought desperately that I should disappear. Jiu Ye suddenly laughed out loud while leaning on his wheelchair, his joyful voice faintly echoed in the room, in the blink of an eye the entire room was filled with joy. I looked down deeper, my face was bright red, but I felt a ray of sweetness, I had never heard the sound of his laughter, as long as he could laugh often like this, I was willing to embarrass myself every day.
He took out a silk handkerchief and gave it to me, "I was just asking, but you are so tense that your face is red, so anxious that you are sweating, not at all like the fangzhu of a famous entertainment house in Chang'an." Reluctantly I put the scroll on the shelf, then took the handkerchief and wiped off the beads of sweat from my forehead and the tip of my nose.
My eyes swept across the bookshelf, "Aren't these books all written in Han?" Jiu Ye nodded. I averted my eyes and said with a smile, "Just now I saw a picture of your hair ornament, it's very beautiful!"
Jiu Ye averted his eyes from the bookshelf and asked while looking at me, “Why don't you ask what these books are?”
After being silent for a moment, I took a deep breath, "You've never asked why I can live with wolves. Why was I born in Xiyu but fluent in Han, and can't even speak Xiyu languages at all. Everyone has something difficult explained, if one day you are willing to tell me, I will sit by your side and listen, but if you are not willing, I will not ask you. There was someone who once told me that he only wanted to know me in front of him, I also want to be like I just want to know you who are in my heart."
Jiu Ye sat without saying anything for a while, then pushed his wheelchair and left the study, while his back was to me he said, "Actually, I myself can't be sure about many things, therefore I can't talk about it." My voice was low but my tone was very firm, "No matter what you do, I will always stand by your side."
His hand which was pushing the wheelchair stopped for a moment, then moved again, "Why are you looking for me?" I said, "There's nothing special, I just happened to have free time and came to visit grandfather, Xiao Feng......and you." After leaving the reading room, suddenly I saw a well-made stick leaning against a corner of the wall. Was that stick used by Jiu Ye? But I've never seen him use a cane to walk.
As soon as we left the reading room, for some reason, the door closed by itself, I tried to push it, but the door didn't move. Previously I thought that he ordered someone to install all the tools in the Bamboo Hut to make his daily life easier, now I realized that all the tools were made by him himself.
He said, "I'll go out in a moment." I quickly said, "Then I won't bother you anymore, I'll go home first." He held me back, thought for a moment, then said blandly, "I'm going to a farm outside the city walls to meet some guests, if you have time you can also go play in the village and taste fresh fruit just picked from the trees." While holding back the excitement in my heart, I nodded.
Holding a shiny black whip, Uncle Shi sat in the carriage driver's seat while nodding off, but Qin Li, who Jiu Ye usually used, was not there, before Jiu Ye could ask, Uncle Shi answered, "Qin Li is currently working and is not can come". Jiu Ye nodded as he said, "Just find another driver to drive the carriage, you don't have to drive this carriage yourself." With a smile, Uncle Shi opened the curtain of the carriage, "We haven't traveled for so long, you could say we were taking a walk."
Uncle Shi asked, "Shall we send Yu Er back to Luoyu Fang first?" Jiu Ye said, "He will go to the farm with me." Uncle Shi hesitated for a moment, as if he was thinking about something, but finally he cracked the whip and started the carriage.
After the carriage exited the city gates, it ran faster and faster, I leaned against the windowsill, looking at the green trees and wildflowers that were quickly left behind, my mood was brighter than this summer day. Jiu Ye smiled faintly, with soft eyes he looked out the window, even though we were both silent, I thought we were both enjoying the breeze on our faces, the beautiful view and our happy mood.
In a low voice Uncle Shi said, “There will be a sharp turn, be careful, Jiu Ye.” While he was still talking, the horse carriage had already entered the forest, its speed immediately reduced, then slowly stopped, Uncle Shi's carriage handling skills were truly first class, while all this was going on, the horses pulling the carriage made absolutely no sound. I hesitantly looked at Jiu Ye, but my hand didn't hesitate in the slightest and immediately grabbed the golden pearl belt wrapped around my waist.
Jiu Ye sat calmly, while smiling he shook his head, gesturing me not to act recklessly. We waited silently in the middle of the forest, two selected horses quickly entered the forest from the side of the road, the horsemen looked at us, didn't seem to be at all worried, they immediately passed beside our carriage.
"Disguised but not at all resembling!" Uncle Shi swung his whip with lightning speed, "Tar, tar!", he had broken the horses' legs, both horses collapsed with a miserable neigh. The riders immediately jumped, they swung their machetes to block the whip cracks that filled the sky, but after all their skill was not as good, the two men's machetes simultaneously fell to the ground, the man with curly sideburns groaned, Uncle Shi's whip had penetrated his palm and nailed him to a tree.
I was shocked and immediately reacted, in Uncle Shi's whip of course there was a secret tool, not an ordinary whip at all. Another black-clothed man looked stunned at the whip in Uncle Shi's hand, in surprise he looked at Uncle Shi, then suddenly knelt in front of him while speaking haltingly, the face of the man with curly sideburns that Uncle Shi nailed to the tree was at first full of hatred, but as soon as he heard his friend's words, the hatred immediately vanished and was replaced with a sense of astonishment.
Uncle Shi pulled back his whip, then asked the man in black who was kneeling in front of him. They both asked and answered each other, but I didn't understand a word. Jiu Ye listened for a while, then the smile on his lips disappeared, he glanced at me dumbfoundedly, then gave an order, “Repeat what you just said in Han.”
The man in black immediately said, "We are not following the Shi House's carriage at all, nor do we intend to harm the Shi House, but were ordered to investigate the daily activities of Luoyu Fang's fangzhu in Chang'an, and secretly kill him if we have the opportunity." . While speaking he repeatedly kowtowed towards Uncle Shi, “We really didn't know that laoyezi was a member of the Shi Corporation, and didn't know that this lady was on good terms with the Shi Corporation, if only we knew, even if we were given all the gold on Mingsha Shan mountain , we will not accept this assignment”.
The incident was like thunder in broad daylight, completely unexpected, making my head spin, after a moment of confusion, I asked, "Who hired you guys?"
Hearing my question, the black-clothed man kowtowed, "What we did was not wrong, but we didn't dare break the rules, if Miss doesn't blame us, we can only apologize."
Uncle Shi swung his whip to ward off the flies from the horse's body, he said lightly, "After all, these two won't tell you the origins of the person who hired them, even if they talk it's not necessarily true, because they were told to kill you, of course this is something dark conspiracy”.
Smiling bitterly I said, “Okay, then let them go!” Uncle Shi looked at the two of them without saying anything, they both immediately said, "We will not reveal anything about what we saw today."
However, Uncle Shi still seemed to want to kill them, but when his hand holding the whip was about to move, Jiu Ye said, "Uncle Shi, let them go." His voice was gentle, yet authoritative, so that people could not resist him, Uncle Shi also resisted the urge to kill him.
Uncle Shi looked at Jiu Ye, sighed softly, then with a cold face waving his hands, with a face full of gratitude, the two people kowtowed repeatedly, “After we go home we will definitely take care of this matter properly. Laoyezi, we swear by Lop Nur Lake not to leak any information about your whereabouts.”
I was surprised, for shepherds wandering in the desert, this oath was much heavier than the oath of being struck by lightning.
The two of them picked up their machetes, then quickly left. The person whose hand was penetrated by Uncle Shi's whip, the man who didn't speak at all, ran while turning his head to look at the horse-drawn carriage, suddenly he seemed to realize something, then ran back, "Bruk!", he knelt in front of our carriage, his face The person who was not afraid of death just now was now full of regret, his eyes were filled with tears, while sobbing he said, "Xiaode didn't know that this lady was a gongzi, had returned breast milk with tubal fluid, and was about to kill her, I'm really more lower than dogs or pigs”. He swung the machete towards his own arm, but an arrow shot from inside the carriage and hit his machete, his friend immediately grabbed the man's hand, then looked at us in confusion and surprise.
Jiu Ye kept his small crossbow in his sleeve, then said with a smile, “I think you have the wrong person, you don't owe me any favors at all, you hurry back to Xiyu!”
I didn't pay any attention to the machetes and arrows flying just now, I just silently repeated the words 'this lady is gongzi', I looked at the two people under the carriage and suddenly felt that their faces were pleasant.
While crying, the big man with curly sideburns said, “Under the sky, who else would let laoyezi drive the chariot, and save people from laoyezi's whip, except gongzi? My entire family, young and old, were able to live because of gongzi's help, my mother prostrated herself day and night to the snow mountain to pray for gongzi to be safe and sound, but I actually did this act that was against my conscience." As soon as she heard her words, the man at her side seemed to just found out who Jiu Ye really was, his expression changed and he immediately knelt by his friend's side, and kept kowtowing until his forehead was bleeding. Although Jiu Ye didn't smile, his face looked helpless. Uncle Shi's face grew colder and crueler, I cried out , "Hey! The actions of the two of you are completely unreasonable, you are sorry and want to make up for your mistakes, but why do you even want to die here? Would you be satisfied if we saw two corpses here? We still have other things to do, don't get in the way."
They both hesitated for a moment, then rose carefully and opened the way for us. I smiled and said, “Good, but I'm sorry, you guys have mistaken people, our young master is a merchant of Chang'an, completely unrelated to Xiyu, your bowing just now was off target, besides…… .", although I smiled, my tone was cold, "Hurry back to Xiyu"
They were both stunned, then respectfully said, "We admit that we are guilty, now we will return to Xiyu." Uncle Shi looked at me, looked at Jiu Ye, then without another word drove the carriage.
The train was still rolling lightly on the road, but my heart seemed to be weighed down by a large rock, very heavy. I have never had any contact with people from various countries in Xiyu, how could they be hostile to me? Was Mudaduo careless and leaked the news that I was still alive? Will my current quiet life in Chang'an change?
Jiu Ye gently asked, "Can you guess who ordered them?" I nodded, then shook my head, "I don't know, I've always lived among a pack of wolves, of course he's someone who has a grudge against me, they came from the northwest, also matches my expectations, currently most of that area is under the influence of them, but why did that person deliberately hire someone to kill me? He could have directly ordered his experts to kill me. Is it because he was reluctant to act in Chang'an, so he ordered the Xiyu people to do it?"
Jiu Ye said "You still don't know who it is, but you shouldn't worry about it". I put my head between my knees, thinking about it. He asked, “Yu er, are you afraid?” I shook my head, "Both of them have very good kung fu, if they fight, I won't necessarily be able to beat them, but they definitely won't be able to kill me, in fact I can kill them."
Outside the carriage, Uncle Shi said, "The kung fu for killing and for fighting are different. Jiu Ye, since that person is trying to kill secretly, of course he is worried that Yu Er knows who he is, as long as the Xiyu people don't want to kill for him, he will be forced to discourage him. Leave this matter to me, you should enjoy the flowers and trees, don't worry for no reason".
With a smile Jiu Ye said, "If he knew you were here, the monkey and the monkey's grandson who was hired from Xiyu wouldn't dare to make trouble." He said to me, "Even though they say they know the rules, there is no ivory under the sky that is not cracked, do you want me to help you investigate this?"
The person I am now is not the person I was when I was a child who could only run away, I felt challenged, while smiling broadly I said, "No need, if it's someone else, I don't care about this kind of development move, but if it's really that person, there's nothing worth investigating. If he wants to pressure me, I'm not afraid of him at all." Jiu Ye nodded and smiled, Uncle Shi chuckled, "That's right, the girl who was raised by the wolf pack when she was cowardly?"
Jiu Ye's resting place was indeed a farm as he said, the fruit and vegetable garden was large, while the houses were just simple houses made of bricks, black tiles, and scattered among fruit and vegetable gardens, not exactly beautiful, but made from black soil that fertile beneath our feet.
On the train, Uncle Shi's expression told me that I shouldn't meet those guests, so when I got off the train, I took the initiative to tell Jiu Ye that I wanted to play in the garden with the farm women on the farm, Jiu Ye's face appeared bland, he just advised the peasant women, Uncle Shi nodded at me with a smile.
Even though an incident occurred on the road that made me worried and annoyed, the brilliant sunshine, fresh green vegetable gardens and farmers working diligently in the fields made my heart gradually calm down. My life is in my own hands, I feel that no one can snatch it away.
When my eyes swept across Uncle Shi's figure, I immediately said to the peasant woman by my side, "Auntie, the sun is really hot, help me look for a straw hat." The farmer woman immediately smiled and said, "I forgot, you guys wait, I'll go look for it right away." As soon as he left, I immediately ran after Uncle Shi, "Uncle Shi, aren't you waiting for Jiu Ye?"
Uncle Shi turned and looked at me without saying anything, I said, "Let them go, you won't be able to hide them from Jiu Ye." Uncle Shi said coldly, "I did it for Jiu Ye's own good, Old Master would also approve of my actions." I said,
"If your actions displease him, you're not doing it for his good, but simply out of self-righteousness! Moreover, your current master is Jiu Ye, not the Old Master."