The next day, an uninvited guest came to the small courtyard. This person was dressed in black and had a serious expression. A closer look revealed that this person was the guard who came to the humble room with the jade pendant and begged Hanmen to take action.
Three years ago, he came for Yingping, and three years later, he still came for Yingping. But today, he is not as smooth as before, because... Yingping is missing.
When Wen Junchen returned to the house last night, he no longer saw Yingping. He thought that the disciple had gone back to his room to rest. However, it was not until the palace guards came that he discovered that there was no trace of Yingping in the room. From the mattress, Judging from the traces, Yingping didn't go back at all after leaving Ye Changshan's house last night.
Wen Junchen asked his junior brothers and sisters and Yiyi to ask, but everyone answered that they were nowhere to be found. At this critical moment, Wen Junchen felt a little dizzy.
Frankly speaking, Yingping has indeed become much calmer in the past few years. He is no longer the naughty kid who just entered the school. At certain times, his thoughts even surprised his master. However, the situation in Chang'an was unclear during this period, and Ye Changshan's life and death were uncertain. At this time, Yingping left the mountain gate without permission. It was definitely not to play. He just ran out in the middle of the night. As a master, he could not explain it to the palace. . So seeing the anxious look on the black-clothed guard's face, Wen Junchen was equally helpless.
"Mr. Wen... my beloved disciple... is really missing?"
The black-clothed guard asked cautiously. Although he was a close associate of Emperor Tang, he still maintained the respect he showed towards his disciples.
Wen Junchen was equally confused. He said, "Yes, he was still in this room last night, but he disappeared this morning."
"Such a big man...how can he just say he doesn't see you and then disappear..."
Wen Junchen patted his forehead. Staying up late was already tiring, but now Yingping was nowhere to be seen, how could he not have a big head?
"Mr. Wen, where might the disciple go? Can you..."
Wen Junchen shook his head and said he didn't know either.
"Mr. Kewen, if you can't find the order, how do you ask Mr. Zhang to return to the palace?"
Zhang is not a modest name, but his real surname is Zhang - and Zhang's acting style is just like his name, simple and low-key. Zhang was not a long-winded person originally. He was decisive, decisive, and efficient in his work. This was also the reason why he gained the trust of Emperor Tang. However, the situation he faced today really put him in a dilemma. On one hand, it was difficult to violate the sacred order, and on the other hand, he was in a dilemma. The whereabouts of the young master are unknown, and at the same time, he does not dare to take action because of his husband's face. At the moment, he could only sigh secretly - the emperor's job... is not easy to take!
Looking at Mr. Zhang who looked embarrassed, Wen Junchen also felt a pain in his head. This was already confusing enough, but he didn't expect Yingping to be here at this time... Although he knew that this apprentice must be doing his best, but At this time... alas! Let’s ignore him for now…
"Master Zhang, please be at ease. There is no need to worry about Yingping's safety." Wen Junchen said helplessly.
"Can--"
"In less than a day, someone will come to report Yingping's whereabouts to you."
"this..."
"Master Zhang, please come back, please——"
Seeing Wenjun and his ministers raising their hands to greet him, it was hard to say anything. Although he didn't know why Wen Junchen was so confident, the young master's master said so, so he couldn't continue to ask further questions and had to retreat uneasily.
After Zhang left, Wen Junchen called Qi Lang and told him: "Qi Lang, go down the mountain quickly and go to Taiyuan University and Mr. Yi's place to see if Ying Ping is there. If not, remember to tell them to tell them when they see Ying Ping." Ping will inform the palace as soon as possible."
Shichiro just nodded, turned around and walked out of the courtyard.
"Wait!" Looking at Qilang's back, Wen Junchen suddenly thought of something and hurriedly shouted to stop.
Qi Lang turned his head and looked at Wen Junchen, quietly waiting for the second senior brother's instructions.
"Jiang family! You should also go to Jiang family."
Wen Junchen didn't know why he wanted Qilang to go to Jiang's house, but his intuition told him... maybe he was right.
...
The old man did not return to his hut. He had been staying on the mountain since he came to the yard yesterday.
That person also lived in this courtyard at the beginning, and the old man often came here at that time, because that person, like the third child, was also addicted to books, and would often pile into books for several days and nights. The old man came here to remind the man to eat and sleep. Since the man was kicked out by him, this courtyard seemed to have become a place that the old man was unwilling to face. He has been here only a handful of times in more than ten years, and every time Everyone will leave early when they come here.
But it was not the case this time. Today, when the old man came here, he was a little reluctant to leave. He kept walking back and forth in the courtyard, sometimes stopping to look up at the brick eaves, sometimes looking down at the stone tables and benches, as if he was looking for something that had been lost for a long time. s things……
Wen Junchen protects his shortcomings, Ji Yang and his shortcomings, Zichun, Qilang, and Yingping all protect their shortcomings. As the founder of Han Clan, the old man also protects his shortcomings - protecting shortcomings seems to be a sign of Han Clan, so from some perspective, Han Clan It is appropriate to choose Qianniu Mountain as the location of the mountain gate.
Back then, when the countries in the Central Plains learned that the old man had accepted a barbarian as his disciple, the monarchs of all the countries expressed their worries in their own ways, but they were all blocked by him with a wave of his sleeve. Qianniu Mountain was like The isolated peach blossom garden completely isolates that person from the disturbance and criticism of the outside world.
This is an extremely simple way, an extremely effective way, and an extremely domineering way, and the effect is very good.
But it is not as good as fate. When the news came that Princess Xinyang had hanged herself, and when the man carried the giant sword to kill the beam, everything was irreversible. When the old man rushed to Wei Palace, it had already become a slaughterhouse. The painful memory caused by the disaster of the Northern Barbarians entering the Central Plains more than a hundred years ago was evoked by another barbarian, and this barbarian was his disciple. Even though he No matter how I protect my shortcomings, I won't give him any reason that time. In desperation, he raised and lowered his palms, and then banished the man outside the Tianmen Pass...
The old man felt that he owed something to that person from beginning to end. Although he did not cause the disaster, that person was his disciple after all. As the saying goes, 'lax teaching means lazy teacher', he was unwilling to face that person. , that night, that disaster, a large part of the reason was that he attributed it to his own fault. Although he pursued the principle of "education without discrimination", he did not appear in time to stop the tragedy at the most critical moment. He regarded 'life' as the supreme creed, but his disciples regarded human life as nothing and slaughtered them wantonly. How could he not regret it?
Recalling the past, the old man couldn't help but turn his eyes to the courtyard. He looked at the flowers, plants and trees in a daze and became fascinated unconsciously, as if these ordinary plants were now so beautiful that he couldn't get enough of them.
Take a few more glances, maybe in a few days, these familiar plants and trees will no longer be seen...
"teacher"
Just when the old man was lost in thought, the voices of Ji Yang and Di came from behind.
The old man came to his senses and turned to look at his other proud disciple. Ji Yangyu has returned to his usual calmness at this time, and is no longer as excited as yesterday. He knew why Ji Yangyu came here at this time, so he asked calmly: "Are you ready?"
Ji Yangyu replied in a low voice: "Everything is ready."
"Okay... okay..." The old man nodded in response, and then added: "As soon as midnight is over tonight, you and Zichun will come to the room to assist me."
"yes!"
Ji Yangyu was indeed much calmer when faced with this matter again. This was not a forced calmness on the surface, but a true inner peace. His principle seems to be very simple. If you can't convince your teacher, then do it according to the teacher's will and devote yourself to it wholeheartedly. Although he still believed that it was too risky, he still chose to respect his husband and his choice, and from the bottom of his heart, he secretly admired this choice - just as he said to Yingping at the time: "Ji Yang and Yingping Just admire people'.
Seeing Ji Yangyu who had returned to his former composure, the old man seemed a little uneasy. He emphasized again: "Third brother, remember what I entrusted you to do."
Ji Yang was stunned for a moment, and then replied in a very low voice: "Disciple remembers."
The conversation in the room yesterday that had the biggest impact on Ji Yang and Ji Yang was not what the teacher said about 'they are coming', nor was it about the 'blood exchange method', nor was it the teacher's dedication to his younger brother, but the last one. A sentence that the teacher repeatedly emphasized——
'Remember to take my ashes back'...
This sentence made Ji Yangyu a little sad and a little emotional. The teacher has traveled all over the world in his life, and what he worries about most when he leaves is the return of fallen leaves to their roots.
Yes, after wandering outside for a lifetime, now you can finally 'go home'. How can you not worry about this?
Thinking that the teacher could "go home", Ji Yangyu, who was depressed, felt a little relieved. This is a big thing entrusted to him by the teacher, and he naturally dare not forget it. Another part of this sentence that made him uncomfortable was the word 'ashes'. The customs in the Central Plains have always been like this. If a person dies outside his hometown, it is inconvenient to transport the coffin, mainly because the body is perishable and difficult to preserve. Even if it is better than the husband in life but only a corpse after death, it is no different from ordinary people. Therefore, it was a pity for Ji Yang and these disciples that they could not bury their teacher in their hometown, although they knew that their teacher would never care about this.
Ji Yang and the teacher no longer bothered each other and quietly retreated, leaving the teacher alone on the pavilion.
The husband stood alone on the pavilion. He looked a little old and lonely. He looked at the courtyard, towards the mountains and forests, and then towards the south... This land he loved, this land he had guarded all his life, now it was finally time to say goodbye. This farewell, Just farewell forever...
The sun was setting in the west, the sky was getting dark, and a bright moon hung high in the sky. The day after tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival, and he was afraid that he would not have the chance to appreciate the full moon this year.
