Xu Chunhua felt that this night was extremely long.
Sometimes when she looked up and saw some subtly changing lights in the night, she felt as if it was almost dawn.
Of course the sky in May is like this. Maybe it was groggy just a moment ago, like a paper soaked with ink and soaked in water. Maybe in the blink of an eye, the dim paper is filled with paintings evenly painted on the sunrise. The color of the morning glow in the sky.
It's a pity that Xu Chunhua thought this way several times, and perhaps also deliberately lowered her head and waited several times.
The world is still very dark.
Just like paper with ink on it cannot be washed clean, like a person who has fallen asleep and cannot wake up.
The small town girl sat down tiredly on the stone steps of a street where a lantern was still hanging somewhere in Huaidu, and put the stick aside.
You also have a friend, and I also have a 'friend'.
It's a pity that Xu Chunhua still didn't find that 'friend' in the end.
This small-town girl was probably like a headless fly, wandering around in the huge Sophora City, until she was exhausted, and then she stopped.
Xu Chunhua sat there quietly, but there were some very slow footsteps on the street.
The small town girl raised her head and realized it was the scholar she had met before.
The scholar stood not far away and stopped hesitantly. When he saw Xu Chunhua looking at him, he turned to look at the long street. After a long time, he said softly: "Have you found it?"
Xu Chunhua thought about it seriously and said, "I don't know if I have found it or if I have missed it."
Zhu Congwen heard this and looked at Xu Chunhua again.
He always felt that there seemed to be some hidden meaning in this sentence, as if it was telling a story for a long time, or it was just talking about tonight.
The scholar stood there quietly, looking at the small town girl and thinking, Mei Xiyu is over there at the Siwu Demon Mansion. You are still far away from there, so how could you have missed it?
The scholar did not say anything, but just stood there silently. After a long time, he said softly: "That is indeed a pity."
Xu Chunhua looked at the scholar for a long time, and finally there was some suspicion in her eyes.
"What about you, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?"
Zhu Congwen sat down on the edge of the street and said slowly: "Well... I probably still can't sleep."
This is naturally true.
The scholars in the Siwu Demon Mansion heard many things that shouldn't be the case.
Perhaps in the following days, it will be difficult for the scholar to sleep comfortably.
Zhu Congwen sat there, turned to look at the small town girl beside him, and opened his mouth, perhaps wanting to find someone to tell some bizarre stories to, but he just looked at the tired woman with her eyes lowered and rubbing her calf. , Zhu Congwen still said nothing.
"A person like Mr. Mei will definitely not live in an ordinary place."
The scholar who turned around suddenly said something like this.
Xu Chunhua was stunned and looked at the scholar.
Zhu Congwen didn't look at Xu Chunhua. He just sat on the roadside and said slowly: "I heard that he is Master Mei's junior brother, the former Minister of War, Liu Sanyue, who died a year ago."
The scholar was talking to himself somewhat incoherently.
"Maybe he'll live there."
Zhu Congwen felt as if he had said something related to two stories in one breath.
But actually nothing was said.
Xu Chunhua suddenly had some clues.
Naturally, she had seen Liu Sanyue.
Such a Taoist who was born in a small town at the foot of Qingtian Dao Mountain is naturally about the same age as Xu Chunhua.
It's just that it's probably too long ago, and this small town girl can't remember whether she was a companion with such a Taoist when she was a child.
But of course I have heard of it.
He is indeed Mei Xiyu's junior brother.
He is indeed the Minister of War in Huaidu.
Xu Chunhua sat there and thought for a long time, then looked at Zhu Congwen, who was also sitting on the street not far away, and asked, "But where did Liu Sanyue live?"
Zhu Congwen turned his head and looked at the small town girl quietly, talking to himself in his heart.
You see, I didn't tell her where the Taoist was.
I just told her something that a lot of people know.
So Zhu Congwen breathed a sigh of relief, lowered his head, looked at the smooth bluestone slabs under his feet, which were not wet but could still bear the color of human lights, and said softly: "Over there at the Siwu Demon Mansion in the east of the city. "
The small town girl didn't speak for a long time.
Perhaps he was also hesitating.
The scholar lowered his head and thought for a long time, and finally plucked up the courage, raised his head, looked over there, and said, "How about I take you there..."
It wasn't until he saw the empty stone steps under the lantern that the scholar realized that he had thought wrong.
Of course the girl didn't hesitate, she just walked too crisply and lightly.
In the distance, on the street, there was a skirt that was sinking into the night.
The scholar sat there quietly, then smiled softly and continued: "Go."
Zhu Congwen stood up and looked south.
He may also have guessed that there will be some stories tonight.
It’s just that the scholar now just wants to take a serious nap.
.......
When Xu Chunhua walked to Siwufang, when the night was really fading away from the sky like the tide on the seashore, she suddenly remembered the friend that the young man had told her about.
It seems that the friend Nan Dao mentioned is also in Siwufang.
Xu Chunhua stood at the entrance of Siwufang, looking at this area of the city that had always been dominated by monsters, but she still stopped hesitantly.
Xu Chunhua vaguely remembered that the young man should have said that the villains in those stories were people from the Siwu Demon Mansion.
After a sleepless night and facing the fear between the world and the demon clan, this small town girl started to have trouble thinking clearly.
Perhaps it was because the sky was really getting brighter this time, and there were gradually some pedestrians walking in the streets and alleys in the gradually brightening sky in the early morning.
Xu Chunhua looked at the people who didn't know whether they were monsters or human beings. She didn't know whether she should put down the stick that made her look weird, or continue to hold it.
If those monsters are willing to expose their long ears and donkey tails.
Xu Chunhua stood on the street, thinking so.
It might be better if they were willing to reveal those characteristics that belong to the demon clan and distinguish themselves from the world.
Just like at the beginning of this year, this small town girl was looking for Mei Xiyu everywhere in Huaidu.
The world was divided. Sometimes when walking on the street, you would see many monsters with distinctive characteristics walking there. At that time, Xu Chunhua did not feel panic when walking through the crowd.
Maybe there is actually a sense of novelty like traveling in a foreign country.
Xu Chunhua thought wildly for a while, and the uneasiness in her heart finally dissipated. She stood at the entrance of the neighborhood and looked around, then continued to hold the stick and walked toward the middle of the neighborhood.
The small town girl who didn't know that some of the stories had come to an end was still there seriously thinking about helping the boy.
Just forget about missing work today.
Xu Chunhua thought while looking up at the number plates on both sides of the street.
The small town girl is looking for her friend from South Island very seriously.
Since Nan Dao's friend is also here, as long as he is found, he will definitely be able to know where a certain Qingtian Daoist is.
The small town girl stood on the street, looked around, and then walked forward.
In the middle of the journey, the courtyard door suddenly opened, startling the small town girl who was using a stick to identify the stains on the number plate.
The man was also startled.
"What are you doing?"
The words were very serious and heavy.
As if she had done something wrong, the small town girl hurriedly took two steps back, pointed to the house number and said softly: "I can't see clearly there, I want to check it out."
That person, or to be more precise, the demon, the demon turned his head and looked aside, his expression calmed down a little, but he still looked at Xu Chunhua with some doubts.
"What are you looking at this for?"
Xu Chunhua said softly: "I'm looking for someone."
The man didn't say anything else, closed the courtyard door, and then walked away into the distance.
Xu Chunhua breathed a sigh of relief and did not go over to take a look. Along the way, the small town girl probably knew where the friend's yard in the South Island was.
Walking all the way holding the stick.
When Xu Chunhua raised her head and saw the Siwu Demon Mansion across the street, she was startled. She checked several times to make sure that she had indeed gone to the right place, but she still felt a little hesitant.
How come my friends from the South Island live so close to the Siwu Demon Mansion?
Wouldn't it be that as soon as you go out, you can see the servant who may do all kinds of evil?
Xu Chunhua looked back at the courtyard, then back at the demon mansion.
But he happened to see a young man dressed in white walking out of the demon mansion accompanied by his servants.
The man seemed to be looking over here.
Although Xu Chunhua was a little panicked, she didn't think much about it. After all, how could there be such a young servant in the world?
This man looks younger than the scholar.
Maybe he is the young master in the house?
Xu Chunhua turned around and didn't care about those things anymore.
Whether she is a servant or a demon clan, such a story is extremely far away from such a small town girl who works as a cook in Huaidu.
If she doesn't go to the restaurant today, the demon clan won't rebel because of it. She works diligently in the restaurant every day, and the Lord Attendant won't praise her by name in the court.
If it weren't for the young man in Chen He's book - Xu Chunhua thought.
If it weren't for the helpless young man under the umbrella.
What stories about the world have anything to do with her?
You don’t have to run away if you are a small mess, but you can’t run if you are a big mess.
Xu Chunhua walked forward, stopped at the door of the courtyard, put the stick in her hand aside, and then smoothed the corners of her skirt that were somewhat ruffled by the morning wind. Xu Chunhua stood on the front steps and knocked on the door very cautiously.
Speaking of which, if you live here, will people from the demon clan often come knocking on your door to find trouble?
The sound of the copper ring hitting the wooden door was very dull.
Compared to the majestic Siwu Demon Mansion across the street, this courtyard is pitifully small.
So those dull sounds should be heard by people in the courtyard.
Anyone who can live in such a place should have servants.
But why didn't anyone come and open the door?
Xu Chunhua knocked on the door for a while, and then waited for a long time, but no one came.
The small-town girl stood there in silence, holding the brass ring on the door again and knocking on the courtyard door that looked quite old.
It's just that this courtyard is as if people have left the building and there is no sound at all.
Could it be that the boy's friend lied to him?
Xu Chunhua stood there with some confusion in her thoughts.
The small town girl waited there for a long time, and there were footsteps behind her.
Or ask someone to ask, maybe you have found the wrong place?
Xu Chunhua thought so and turned around.
"This big..."
The small town girl hadn't finished her words. After seeing clearly the appearance of the person 'passing' behind her, Xu Chunhua stood there in a daze.
The Qingtian Taoist priest's robe was stained with a few drops of blood, and it was swaying uneasily in the morning wind.
...
Early in the morning, Gu Xiaoer found Zhu Congwen, who had gone somewhere yesterday, lying on the noodle shop table and dozing off.
The sky outside has not yet completely lit up, and it is hazy, just like the human world in a painting.
Naturally there won't be many customers in the noodle shop at this time.
Gu Xiaoer didn't go to wake Zhu Congwen, but went straight to the kitchen, intending to get himself a bowl of noodles first.
The scholar was probably a little hungry in his sleep. Gu Xiaoer entered the kitchen and worked for a while, then he saw the curtain in the kitchen was lifted, and the scholar was leaning there listlessly, with his eyes half-lidded and half-opened, not paying attention. The waiter just said: "Brother Gu, give me a bowl too."
Gu Xiaoer agreed, then looked at Zhu Congwen who was about to find a table to lie down on, and stopped him.
"Where were you last night?"
Zhu Congwen was silent for a while, then he opened his eyes, looked at the stoves beside him that were getting hotter, and said softly: "Heavenly Prison, and the Siwu Demon Mansion."
Gu Xiaoer looked at him in astonishment, but the water in front of him had already boiled, so he put the noodles in first, then walked to the door, looked at Zhu Congwen and asked: "Where do you go to make it?" What?"
Zhu Congwen just sighed and said, "It's better than staying in a noodle shop and not knowing anything."
Gu Xiaoer stood there and looked at Zhu Congwen for a long time, and then walked back. Looking at the noodles surging with the boiling water in the pot, he also said with considerable approval: "It is indeed true."
Zhu Congwen continued to lie down in the noodle shop.
I didn't sleep yesterday and experienced some not-so-good things.
It is indeed difficult for this scholar to be excited today.
Gu Xiaoer quickly brought out two bowls of noodles, and the two sat in the corner of the noodle shop, chatting and eating noodles.
Gu Xiaoer wanted to ask Zhu Congwen if he would never come to the noodle shop again, but looking at the scholar's listless look, he still didn't ask.
After all, whether you stay or not, it is always easy to make people sigh.
Gradually other waiters came to the noodle shop.
There are also more customers here.
The heat from those noodle soups warmly dissipated the cold air of the morning.
Perhaps he also noticed that Zhu Congwen was not in good spirits today, so Gu Xiaoer did not dare to ask him to serve noodles, but just asked him to stay in the kitchen to wash vegetables and dishes.
The scholar didn't say much. He was sitting in the backyard riding a small bench, which was rare for him to be quiet.
But not long after, Gu Xiaoer and the others in the back kitchen started talking with frightened expressions.
Perhaps it was because the kitchen was too noisy. Zhu Congwen, who was blowing the wind alone in the backyard, didn't hear what they were saying clearly.
It wasn't until Gu Xiaoer walked towards the backyard with a solemn expression that Zhu Congwen seemed to realize something and looked back at the big brother in Xiaoer.
"What's wrong?"
Gu Xiaoer hesitated for a long time, and then asked hesitantly: "Did you go to Heaven Prison and Siwu Demon Mansion last night?"
Zhu Congwen had said something to Gu Xiaoer from the very beginning. The noodle shop was still very quiet at that time, so there was no chance of him missing something or not hearing it clearly.
But Gu Xiaoer still asked cautiously.
Zhu Congwen also realized that something was wrong, stopped selecting vegetables, looked at Gu Xiaoer and asked, "Yes, what's wrong?"
Gu Xiaoer hesitated for a while and then said softly: "There are noodle diners from the south of the city who are talking about something..."
"What's up?"
"Last night there was a street in the south of the city. Many people from the Siwu Demon Mansion died. It is said that there was blood and corpses everywhere. The people from the Heavenly Prison were busy all night and did not clean up."
Zhu Congwen stood there in a daze, as if he suddenly woke up, and asked nervously: "What else?"
Gu Xiaoer said hesitantly: "I heard that it was some swordsmen who killed him. It seemed to be a young man. Maybe there were others. I don't know... you know..."
Gu Xiaoer did not finish speaking, he just looked at the scholar in front of him for a long time.
Sometimes, even Gu Xiaoer couldn't help but suspect that many things might have something to do with the scholar in front of him.
For example, the scholar went to the Siwu Demon Mansion and told him an obscure story when he came back. The Minister of War died the next day.
But this time, it was said that many high-level demon cultivators died in the south of the city.
It happened that last night, the scholar went to the Siwu Demon Mansion again.
Zhu Congwen was silent for a long time, and then said softly: "I don't know either. Neither Liu Baiyuan nor the servants said anything..."
Perhaps everything was too coincidental. Zhu Congwen might have known something about the death of Minister of the Ministry of War last time, but this time, the scholar did not know anything.
I just think of the several meetings between the Taoist and the boy in the noodle shop.
This scholar may be able to guess many things.
"Where's that boy?"
Zhu Congwen looked at Gu Xiaoer and asked such a question.
Gu Xiaoer thought for a moment and said, "I heard that he was taken away by Heaven Prison."
Zhu Congwen sat there in silence for a long time, then lowered his head again, picked up the dead leaves among the vegetable leaves in front of him, and said softly: "Don't be afraid, it has nothing to do with you."
Gu Xiaoer looked at the scholar in front of him for a long time, probably also surprised that the scholar was talking about you and not us.
"how about you?"
Zhu Congwen threw the dead black leaves he picked out into a corner and said calmly: "I don't know. Maybe it will matter, maybe not."
When Gu Xiaoer heard this, he actually already knew the answer to a question he had not asked before.
After a long time, he said softly: "Secretary of the Ministry of War?"
Zhu Congwen raised his head, looked at the yard quietly for a long time, and said slowly: "Maybe so."
