Among the trees, I saw a house. Although it was not big, it was obviously still standing.
Sui Feng and Tang Zhao were both overjoyed. Sui Feng did not hesitate and urged the donkey forward.
As I got closer, I discovered that it was a ruined temple. There was a fence in front of the temple, but it had collapsed in half, revealing a deserted yard with only weeds and dry wells. It was very desolate.
Tang Zhao asked: "Is it the Zhenyue Platform?"
Nowadays, in various temples, the most common one is the Zhenyue platform, which means to suppress the misfortune of the moon.
Sui Feng said: "No, how can the platform be so small? It doesn't seem to be Grandpa Dongjun's temple."
Tang Zhao snorted: "Then I don't know who Mao Shen is."
Sui Feng shook his head. Tang Zhao had a split attitude towards ghosts and gods. On the one hand, he was timid and afraid of ghosts, but on the other hand, he had no taboos and no respect in his heart or mouth. He was different. Most people in the world were superstitious and sought blessings from gods and Buddhas for everything. He had always been in awe of ghosts and gods. Even though the imperial court had overhauled the town platform in recent years, respected Dongjun, and regarded various gods believed by the people as evil gods and obscene sacrifices, and even the Tutu Temple and the City God Temple were abandoned, he still worshiped at every temple, not daring to offend anyone. gods.
However, he converted to the faith and stayed overnight in the temple without delay. He followed his father to travel around the world and performed as an entertainer. He lived in a dilapidated temple many times. How could he have the money to stay in a hotel every day?
The door of the ruined temple was closed, Sui Feng unloaded the donkey, found a tree in the yard to tie it to, and took out a flower gun from the cart. This was originally used for performing arts, and was not as good as a real sword or gun used in battle. However, the head of the gun was also made of pig iron, so he carried it with him for self-defense on the road.
Push door.
The old wooden door was motionless.
Push again.
The wooden door seemed to move inward a little, and then stopped moving.
Tang Zhao pushed the door open but felt great resistance and said, "Is it locked? There's no lock outside. Is there any debris blocking the door?"
There was silence in the temple.
A gust of wind blew by, and Tang Zhao shivered. At this time, the sky was as dark as ink and the night wind was as cold as a knife.
In the dark night of the wilderness, all the grass and trees are soldiers. The bustle is disturbing, and the silence is heart-stopping.
He patted the door again and asked, "Is anyone here? We were passing by. Please come in and rest for the night, and we hope you will be taken into custody. The wind outside is too cold."
Enduring the discomfort, he asked three times but received no answer. Instead, Tang Zhao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "There's no one around. Let's just open the door and go in."
After the incident just now, he felt a little psychologically shadowed. Although the deserted temple is not big, who knows what evil people are hidden inside?
No one is just right?
Even if there are ghosts, it might be better than people.
Sui Feng shook his head and said: "There is a little light in the crack of the door. It should be the ashes that have just been extinguished. There is someone inside, and they don't want us to come in."
Tang Zhaoxin brought it up again and asked: "Then let's..."
Sui Feng had much more experience in the world of martial arts, and this kind of downfall was what he dealt with the most. He handed the flower gun to Tang Zhao, asked him to hold it towards the door, and said loudly: "Friends inside, we are just passing by. Laohe, with few luggage, is living in a deserted mountain. You just heard the sound. We still have children here. It is not easy for everyone to go out. Although you occupied this temple first, can't you create a corner for us to rest? ?”
There was still no answer inside. Tang Zhao thought that Sui Feng emphasized that he must be cautious when going out. He didn't know the situation inside, so it seemed that he had to miss it again.
Unexpectedly, Sui Feng asked again, and suddenly gritted his teeth and said: "In normal times, we would definitely understand, but tonight we are too tired and can't stand the trouble. I can't say it is rude - Zhaozi, stand back."
Tang Zhao quickly backed away and saw Sui Feng raising his leg——
"boom!"
The dilapidated wooden door was knocked down completely. But it was crooked and didn’t open anyway.
Tang Zhao stared at the door tightly and said, "There's something moving!"
Sure enough, there was a rustling sound inside, and after a while, the door opened.
I saw the door slowly move away, making a squeaking sound.
Tang Zhao felt terrified in his heart. Thinking of the scene just now, it brought back countless stories in his memory.
A temple in the wilderness, a female ghost...
Grudge...
Zombies...
Secret room murder? ?
The door opened, and a young man stood at the door.
The boy was about the same age as Tang Zhao and was extremely thin.
Tang Zhao looks very thin now. First, he has had a hard time recently and is much thinner than before. Second, he is born with a thin frame and his weight fluctuates. He is obviously thinner and fatter. Furthermore, he has a pale complexion and a weak body, which makes him look weak when he loses weight.
And around the group of traffickers just now, there were several children who were thinner than Tang Zhao and were already truly "sallow and skinny."
But this boy actually looked weaker than those children. Still losing weight. The skinny bones and lack of nutrition made his limbs look unusually slender and his head appeared larger. This ratio makes people instinctively uncomfortable.
The clothes on his body were very worn and patched, almost turning into rags.
Seeing his state, Tang Zhao couldn't help but glance at the top of his head.
Fortunately, my hair is still normal.
The boy's hair was slightly yellow, which was just a sign of malnutrition, not abnormal. It was even neater than Tang Zhao imagined.
So, he is no longer a refugee from Huoxiang?
This is just an ordinary poor wandering child.
That's... quite common.
Tang Zhao's family was well off when he was young. He had no worries about food and clothing. He still had enough money to study and read. He lived in a city, but he often saw beggars and poor people on the street corners. If there is a bad year, it will be more.
Even though his father said it was already a peaceful time, it was at least much better than when he was a child. Except for evil, there were no major natural or man-made disasters.
He had forgotten what it was like to see a street child when he was a child. He probably looked at it but seemed not to see it.
Only in the past six months since he stepped out of the house has he gradually seen them clearly and sympathized with them in his heart.
Because his situation is very close to them.
Seeing this young man, Tang Zhao seemed to have seen himself, and he couldn't help but feel sad. He forced out a friendly smile and wanted to explain his reckless behavior just now. Almost at the same time, the other party also smiled, and the corners of his mouth were pulled to both sides, revealing a set of neat teeth, but for some reason, Tang Zhao only felt awkward looking at it.
"You two gentlemen, please come in." The young man leaned forward and opened the door.
Sui Feng stopped and said dullly: "We are either uncles or people passing by. Don't be afraid, I will never harm you. It was my fault for kicking in the door just now..."
"No -" the young man did not straighten up, but still said humbly, "It's the villain's fault. The villain is timid and afraid of the dark. When he heard the sound just now, his legs were so scared that he didn't dare to open the door. I didn't expect the two of them to be so kind. Brother, if I had known earlier, how could I not open the door?"
Tang Zhao said with a smile: "Isn't that right? I was also afraid of some evil spirits in the temple just now! It turns out that we are fighting wolves with straw - we are afraid of both sides."
He thought he had told a joke, but the expression of the boy opposite him remained motionless. He said he was laughing, but he didn't feel at all relaxed about being laughed at. Tang Zhao was a little embarrassed and had to shut up.
Walking into the temple gate, you can see firewood piled in the middle, half of which was burned to ashes, with traces of fire dancing in the ashes.
Sui Feng said: "Can you light a fire?"
The young man bent down and said, "As you please."
Sui Feng took out the fire stick and ignited it easily with the still warm firewood. The flame was slender, beating with warmth and light.
The fire illuminated the small temple. This ruined temple has four walls, even the shrine has fallen to the ground, the incense burner is upside down, incense ashes are scattered everywhere, and there are only rubble and hay.
Sui Feng recited a few words of sin, raised the shrine, placed the statue in it, and worshiped. Of course, Tang Zhao didn't mean to do this. He took a few glances at the image and found that he didn't recognize where he came from. It seemed to be Mao Shen.
The two of them sat by the fire, their bodies immediately felt warm, and Tang Zhao felt relaxed all of a sudden.
This day has been quite stressful.
Tang Zhao was not from a wealthy family, but his family was considered well-off and he had always had enough food and clothing. Later, all his family members died, and his life was indeed getting worse day by day. But even so, he still has some financial resources and can afford to live in a cheap shop, which is not comparable to the hardships of Sui Feng and others wandering around the world. I had encountered several dangerous situations before and was in great embarrassment. Only at this moment, facing a burning bonfire and feeling the warmth of the fire, did I feel a little relieved, as if I had found support.
When he raised his head, he saw that the young man was still standing on one side, with his head half lowered, and he couldn't help but said cautiously: "Come and sit. My friend, is it because we look so scary that we scare you?"
The young man raised his eyelids slightly and met his eyes. By the firelight, their facial features were clearly visible.
Unconsciously, the boy's posture gradually relaxed.
It is true that Tang Zhao is good-looking, not only handsome, but also upright.
In the words of his teacher, "he has the face of a protagonist who serves the country and the people", and he plays the kind of villain that even the bad guys don't believe.
Just don't laugh.
He doesn't look bad when he smiles, just a little silly at most.
And the young man himself is not crooked in appearance. Even though he is thin and withered, even though his smile is awkward and his posture is humble, he is still pleasing to the eye.
Tang Zhao greeted them again and again, and the young man came over with a low eyebrow and sat beside the two of them, with his hands on his knees, motionless.
Sui Feng unpacked the bag, took out the dry food and gave it to Tang Zhao. Tang Zhao took it and gave half of it to the young man.
The young man took it cautiously, showed that smile and thanked him repeatedly.
After taking a bite of the dry food, Tang Zhao felt it was too coarse to swallow, so he kept rubbing it in his hands.
Sui Feng saw it and said, "Eat more, we have to go on a journey tomorrow."
Tang Zhao smiled bitterly and said: "I know. If Liangzi were here, he would definitely laugh at me for not having the life of a young master and for contracting the young master's disease. I... am not a person who cannot endure hardship."
Sui Feng took the dry food in his hand, pierced it with a flower spear, roasted it on the fire, and said: "If you can eat sweet food, who will suffer bitter food? You are not destined to suffer hardship."
Tang Zhaoqiang said with a smile: "Brother Feng's good advice, one day our fortunes will change. Even if we eat dry food, we will also eat eggplants with a dozen chickens."
Sui Feng rarely smiled and said: "That's good. When you settle down, study hard, get the top prize and become a big man. Let me drive you and have a good meal."
Tang Zhao stared at the flames and said: "If I want to be prosperous one day, I must repay those who have been kind to me, and I must also treat the poor well."
Sui Feng was stunned for a moment and said, "I thought you would say that you must repay the humiliation you received today."
Tang Zhao said: "It is natural to repay kindness with kindness and repay grievance with kindness. What is more important is not to become that kind of person." He gently pressed his chest and said, "I hope I can remember how I feel today. Never Never inflict such hardship on innocent people in the future."
Sui Feng took a breath, and even the boy next to him glanced sideways at Tang Zhao, then turned back.
After a while, Sui Feng said: "I don't know if you will still remember today in the future, but if you think so, you should really win the top prize."
Tang Zhao smiled and said: "Winning the first prize? How can I do that? I can't even pass the exam. Besides, I don't want to study in the future."
Sui Feng became anxious all of a sudden and said: "Nonsense! What do you want to do if you don't study? It's so easy to raise a child into a literate family. Now we are in trouble. We all hope to study well and stand out one day. If you don't want to think about your own future, I still I wish there was one more good official in the world who could make decisions for us! Are you afraid that it will be difficult to study if you are dependent on someone else? Let’s think of a way..."
Tang Zhao was stunned for a moment when he heard the word 'to live under someone's roof' and said: "I am just thinking about my future. Is this world still about studying? I didn't understand it before, but I have gradually understood it these days. Brother Feng, you are more knowledgeable than me. Duo, do you think the world has changed?"
Sui Feng stopped talking, and after a while he said: "The world is in chaos. Ever since the evil disaster appeared, it has become more and more difficult to live. Today is fine, but after the evil disaster, everyone is gone. But I don't know if I will die tomorrow. , don’t you want to live today? The imperial court is still there, and there are people who are quelling the chaos. In fact, life is gradually getting better. As long as you can still live, you have to run for it. In the end, if you want to honor your ancestors, you have to be a scholar. "
Tang Zhaodao: "Speaking of honoring the ancestors, isn't the Xue family's lintel glamorous enough? Those who study must have such a lintel, at least they must be seventh-rank officials. Each county canonizes a hero, what about the mansion, the plaque, the lintel and so on? The title is not bad either."
Sui Feng shook his head and said: "Compared to the county magistrate, it is not the case after all. It is a wild road. If there is a shortcut, why take the long way around?"
Tang Zhaodao: "I know, but Xia uses martial arts to break the ban, and promoting warriors in the world like this is clearly a sign of troubled times, just like the training of the brave regiment in Kaixiang."
Sui Feng showed a confused look, and Tang Zhao said: "The so-called honoring one's ancestors is nothing more than learning literary and martial arts and selling them to the emperor's family. In the past, the emperor's family bought a lot of literature, but now they have to buy martial arts. If you can't keep up with the times, you will still cling to the original market. , I have to smash it into my hands. To put it bluntly, I don’t ask for official titles from the court. In troubled times, self-preservation comes first. If I don’t learn some methods of self-preservation, I don’t know if I will die in the hands of humans or ghosts!”
Sui Feng's breathing was rapid and he couldn't even say: "Nonsense!" The thin young man suddenly raised his eyelids and glanced at him, then returned to his expression blankly.
There was silence in the temple. The wind was blowing loudly outside the window, and the cold wind came in through the doors and windows, making the flames flicker.
Sui Feng stood up, stamped his feet, and said, "This won't work. The grass is close to the fire and can easily catch fire at night. You need to move it away."
This was his experience. Tang Zhao didn't listen and got up to help.
As soon as he moved, he heard someone say: "Don't move--" The voice was urgent and fast, and a figure rushed over, rolled up the hay, and blocked him.
Tang Zhao was stunned for a moment, then saw the young man leaning sideways, looking up again with a smile on his face, and said: "How can the two eldest brothers do such rough work? I'll do it." As he said that, he lay on the ground and gathered the hay neatly. .
Tang Zhao was confused and glanced at Sui Feng. Sui Feng had a sullen face and clutched the flower gun tightly.
The young man rolled up the hay and put it on the open space on one side. As he spread it, he said: "Brothers, sleep here, it's clean and warm..."
Tang Zhao felt more and more strange. Suddenly, Sui Feng, who had been silent all this time, turned around and struck with a spear.
It was too late, but soon, the young man arched his body like a cat with its fur and pounced on him.
Seeing him rushing towards him, Tang Zhao instinctively stopped him.
With a bang, the two collided together, and Tang Zhao fell to the ground.
At the same time, a clump of straw was picked up and fell to the ground.
"Wow--"
Crying sounded, the child's sharp voice piercing the eardrums.
Tang Zhao stood up and raised his head.
Behind the straw pile, two thin and pitiful children cried together.
