Chapter 278
Luoyang, Lianzifang.
The elder of the Yu family came back from fooling around outside at dawn. As soon as he came back, he went into the house to sleep. Miao Cui was so angry that she kept cursing outside the house.
"My mother scolded so loudly, I wonder how my brother can sleep?" Xiao Yinzi squatted on the ground, writing with a long willow branch, one stroke at a time, and looked towards the main house: "Neighbors. Neighbors say that grandma is a shrew, I think grandma’s bad reputation is all due to my eldest brother. If eldest brother had listened to grandma, grandma would not have cursed others.”
Xiao Jinzi squatted next to his sister, also writing, absent-mindedly, craning his neck to look in the direction of the kitchen, where the rare smell of meat wafted out. Xiao Jinzi's mouth was watering, and he was looking forward to tonight: "We can eat meat tonight. After the Chinese New Year, I will be one year older."
"Yingniang, do you like eating meat?" Xiao Jinzi looked at the woman sitting on the steps above. After asking, he found that Yingniang seemed to be in a daze, so he asked again.
As a result, Ying Niang still didn't speak.
"Yingniang." Xiao Jinzi sat next to Yingniang and pushed her.
The woman came back to her senses, her eyes were covered with a piece of white coarse cloth two fingers wide, and there was a faint smell of medicine. She lowered her head and "looked" in the direction of Xiao Jinzi, and said softly: "What's wrong?"
"Xiao Jinzi asked you if you like eating meat. I asked you two or three times, but you didn't reply." Xiao Yinzi sat on the left side of Lady Ying, with two children on the left and right beside Lady Ying.
"Sorry, I was thinking about other things just now and didn't pay attention to what you said." Yingniang apologized.
"It's okay, it's okay." Xiao Jinzi shook his head, with a worried tone: "But Yingniang, what are you thinking about? If my mother hadn't reminded you yesterday, you would have even forgotten to drink the medicine. Yingniang, what's wrong with you?"
Ying Niang touched Xiao Jinzi's hair and said nothing.
When the two children went to play in the snow in the yard, Yingniang raised her head and looked at the sky. Just yesterday, she had been restless all day, always feeling that she had forgotten something important. It was so important that it made her feel uncomfortable. Even though she had a splitting headache just thinking about it, she still wanted to remember something.
As if to punish her for forgetting, her heart felt throbbing.
She breathed softly, with cold sweat on her forehead. These days, she had been deliberately inquiring about the place where the Yu family rescued her. The Yu family only said that they rescued her at the crossing of a small river. The ferry was in Sizhou, which was far away from Luoyang. , as to where she came from, they said they didn't know.
The darkness in front of me has turned into misty gray, everything is shrouded in an invisible dark fog, and I still can't see clearly.
Ying Niang went to the kitchen, fumbled to cook, and then prepared to boil medicine. Yu Shitou finally boarded the warship half a month ago, and with the help of Cui Niang's brother, he became a cook. It was considered a formal job, and he was usually very busy. , just eat and live on the boat. Today is the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, and I don’t know if I will come back to celebrate the New Year.
Because she helped find a job, Cuiniang was less resentful towards her eldest brother. Coupled with the Miao family's determination to make peace, the relationship between the two families became better again.
But Ying Niang doesn’t like Miao Erlang from the Miao family.
Therefore, whenever the Miao family comes to visit, she often stays in her room.
That Miao Erlang...
He has bad intentions.
In the kitchen, Ying Niang was cooking medicine. Now she was very skilled at decoction. The bitter smell of Chinese medicine filled the air. Ying Niang took off the white cloth covering her eyes, blinked gently, and then lowered her eyelashes in despair. His spring-like eyes stared blankly in the direction of the medicine jar.
When she heard a gurgling sound coming from the medicine jar and was about to take it, she felt a strong and unwelcome sense of prying eyes. She frowned and looked towards the kitchen door. As expected, she heard the voices of the Miao family. Cui Niang is talking to her sister-in-law.
It’s Chinese New Year, and relatives come over for a walk.
The one at the door should be Miao Erlang.
Ying Niang pretended not to know and continued to wrap the handle of the medicine jar with a damp rag, took it out of the stove, then fumbled for the bowl, and slowly poured the medicine into the bowl.
Miao Erlang walked to the kitchen, looked at the blind woman, and his mind became active. He knew that his uncle and aunt brought a blind man with them when they came to Luoyang. As a gift of fish to my family, I accidentally saw the blind man's face. I was shocked and thought of a way.
"Yingniang, your eyes can't see." Miao Erlang continued to talk about the unfinished business last time: "You are not from the Yu family. Sooner or later, your uncle and aunt will get tired of you. After all, no one wants someone to eat for nothing at home. Live in vain.”
"Moreover, you have to drink medicine every day. Ordinary people can't afford a medicine jar, not to mention that my uncle and aunt have children to raise."
"If you know how to be grateful, you should listen to my advice."
"I still say the same thing, as long as you obey me, you will have enough food and clothing for the rest of your life."
"What's wrong with the Xiang family?" Miao Erlang walked closer: "Although Mr. Xiang is a little older, he is the mayor of Luoyang and the city magistrate. This is a high official, and only his subordinates There are thirty-six officials, and the west and south cities of Luoyang are under his control. You can know how rich the Xiang family is. Even being a concubine for Lord Xiang is a thousand times better than ordinary people. Ten thousand times."
"Yingniang, why don't you listen to my advice?"
"Based on your appearance, as long as Mr. Xiang sees you, he will treat your eyes without saying a word. What do you want when you follow Mr. Xiang in the future...ah!" Halfway through Miao Erlang's words, the back of his hand hurt, and he felt like it was burning. Take two steps back.
Ying Niang carried the medicine jar: "You are blocking the road, I can't see you."
Miao Erlang was so angry that his teeth itched.
"Anyway, I have made an agreement with the housekeeper of the Xiang Mansion. After the New Year, you will follow the housekeeper to make money..."
Before Miao Erlang could finish his words, he was punched by someone. Yu Dalang, smelling of alcohol, rode on him and hit people, as if he was drunk and going crazy. A group of people quickly came to start a fight. The Miao family's wife saw Jingli The blind woman on the side gave her a look of hatred.
After a farce, the Miao family left with their people, and the Yu family became much cleaner.
Miao Cui spoke at the table: "My sister-in-law came over today and told me about the Xiang family. Well, Yingniang, what do you think?"
After Ying Niang drank the medicine, she calmly looked in the direction of Cui Niang: "Ying Niang has taken good care of you. Now she is in good health. It's time to leave. I have nothing to offer, so I can't repay you for the time being. I will repay you if I have the opportunity in the future." .”
"You..." Miao Cui was ashamed and angry: "Where can you go if you are blind and can't see?"
"I know that there is a women's temple built by the Tang family in the city, which can accommodate girls as Taoists. I want to go there." Yingniang thought of her own escape route after meeting Miao Erlang.
Cuiniang's face turned red: "Is the Xiang family so bad? I heard Erlang say that his family..."
"Okay! Stop talking." Yu Dalang glanced at the grieving mother-in-law. The money was very attractive. The Miao family had just given many gifts. He said impatiently: "You just came here not long ago. Do you know what the Xiang family is like? Just If you think the Xiang family is good, then whatever others say will be yours!"
Miao Cui's face turned red and white at the words of her eldest son.
Xiao Yinzi said anxiously: "Why do you let Ying Niang go? Ying Niang can teach us how to read and write, and can also make delicious food. She also..."
"You are not allowed to speak." Miao Cui scolded her little daughter, and little Yinzi had tears in her eyes.
In the afternoon, Yu Dalang knocked on the door of the wing still smelling of alcohol.
"Aniang took Xiao Jinzi and the others out, I'll see you off."
Ying Niang listened to his voice in surprise, and soon she picked up the package she had prepared.
"The Chinese New Year is coming soon, and the ban in the city is not strict. I will send you off in a boat." Yu Dalang said.
Ying Niang put on her curtain hat, carried the parcel on her back, and held a bamboo stick in her hand. She followed Yu Dalang and stepped out of the door for the first time.
When she got on the boat, there was still a sense of unreality that really came out.
"Thank you." Yingniang thanked Yu Dalang softly.
"The Xiang family is not a good thing. Nine out of ten people sent in have disappeared, and no one knows where they have gone. Local people in Luoyang say that the Xiang family is like a man-eating devil's cave." Yu Dalang burped. : "But I'm not a good person either. Maybe I will regret it after I sober up."
In the winter, some literati took a boat to enjoy the winter scenery, surrounded by fire fur, drinking a glass of sake, and singing endlessly.
Luohe River is even more picturesque. Yu Dalang looked at the scenery and continued: "It happens that Mercy Temple is not far from the female temple. Once you get there, it will be convenient for you to go to Mercy Temple."
"I originally thought that after the New Year, when you can see well enough, I would take you to Mercy Temple, but I didn't expect that this incident with the Xiang family would happen."
I can't afford to offend the Xiang family, so I can only hide.
Ying Niang listened quietly.
Yu Dalang turned around and looked at the noble man: "But I suggest you go to the Mercy Temple to hide first. It seems that the Miao family will not give up easily. If Aniang is soft-hearted and tells the Miao family where you live, there is no chance that she will go to the Women's Temple to gamble. You know, villains are difficult to deal with, so wait for a while before you go to the Tang Family Girl Temple."
Ying Niang took out two pieces of silver from the package and put them on the boat: "I still want to thank you. This money will buy you a drink."
"Then let's go to Mercy Temple first." Yu Dalang put away the broken silver: "There have been murders in the temple before, and the atmosphere is very dark. I went in once. It was very desolate, and there were scary sounds echoing at night. It’s really like a demon crying.”
"Even people like me don't dare to stay longer." Yu Dalang did not take the boat, but let the boat go down the river. He lay on the bow of the boat, seemingly awake from last night's hangover: "Aren't you afraid?"
"You have a clear conscience when doing things, and you are an upright person, so what evil spirits are you afraid of?" Ying Niang blew the river breeze, and her voice was blown away softly in the wind.
She "looked" at Yu Dalang, pursed her lips, and expressed the questions in her heart.
"I still don't understand a little bit, why are you helping me?"
Yu Dalang crossed his legs: "Probably, I'm not completely rotten yet."
If the Miao family chose a good family, he might really leave it alone, but the Miao family chose the Xiang family, which was like a devil's cave.
As for him, the good things are not complete, and the bad things are not complete either.
You deserve a bad life.
Chapter 279
Yu Dalang docked the boat at a small bay at the back mountain of Mercy Temple. At this moment, the sky was dark with low clouds, the wind was howling with fine snow, and the back mountain that had not been cared for all year round was eerie. Yu Dalang wrapped himself in a dog skin coat and said: Looking at Lady Ying next to her, she said: "We have now arrived at the back hill of Mercy Temple. The gate is locked and we can't get in. The government sticker is still sealed on the gate."
"I'll get everything done for you first, and then I'll leave the Mercy Temple." Yu Dalang took the lead and walked forward.
Ying Niang held the bamboo stick in her hand and explored the path on the ground. Her vision was damaged, and when she "looked" at Yu Dalang, she could barely see a gray human figure.
It was very quiet in the mountains, which made the occasional howling sounds of unknown beasts even more disturbing.
After walking for about half an hour, Ying Niang felt that the road under her feet finally changed. The bamboo sticks knocked on the stone steps, making a crisp sound, and she felt relieved. She looked back and saw the entrance of Mercy Temple. The area behind the mountain was larger than she had imagined. At first glance, it was a large area of darkness.
When we finally reached the side door of the first apse, the sky was completely dark.
Yu Dalang skillfully took out an iron bar from his body and inserted it through the crack of the door. As it kept moving up and down, the latch behind the wooden door fell to the ground with a dull sound. Yu Dalang pushed it open and entered, and the door shaft made a tooth-ache-inducing sound. sound.
"When I came here last time, I climbed over the wall. When I left, I loosened the door latch, so it was so easy to open." Yu Dalang patted the wood of the door and said, "Actually, this door is quite strong. It is better than ordinary doors. It’s a bit thicker and can’t be pushed easily.”
Ying Niang knocked on the bamboo stick and entered the door, smelling the smell of desolation.
"Follow me." Yu Dalang continued to walk forward: "This is where the monks of Mercy Temple live. I will find you a clean monk's room."
Ying Niang walked among the monks' rooms and felt that the Mercy Temple was very big. There were countless monks' rooms connected together in the corridors.
Yu Dalang found a room: "This room is good. It has a bed and a window. It can also block the wind in winter."
He knew that Ying Niang could not see her, so he said: "Most of the monks' rooms in the temple were destroyed by fire. There seemed to be a fire here."
Ying Niang has already roughly figured out the layout of the room with the help of bamboo sticks. The room is small, but it is just right for Ying Niang. The windows can be closed and the door latch is good. It is already a great blessing.
Yu Dalang took out the candle, waved away the cobwebs from the candlestick on the table, and lit half of the candle.
A little candle light illuminated the darkness.
"I'll go to other rooms to look for bedding or something like that." Yu Dalang said.
"Let me go together." Ying Niang said, she wanted to get familiar with the route of Mercy Temple while someone was leading the way.
"Okay." Yu Dalang picked up the candlestick.
The two of them walked through the ruins.
Yu Dalang was actually a little scared. After all, the Mercy Temple looked like a ghost temple, and everything was eerie. The floating Buddha coils were blown everywhere by the wind, and they seemed to be the white silk used by the dead to hang themselves.
