Gathering together in the wild.
Maybe it's because we're in a deep valley, it's colder here than outside.
Especially on this rainy autumn night.
So, Lin Xueer lit the charcoal sent by Xiao Wu and carried the charcoal basin to the second floor of the main building.
This is Zhongli Ruoshui's boudoir in this other country.
The boudoir is very spacious. Facing the window, there is a tea table carved from pear wood. Two people are sitting in front of the tea table.
One is Zhongli Ruoshui.
The other one turned out to be Fan Taohua!
At this moment, Fan Taohua was looking at Zhongli Ruoshui with a kind face, and asked: "The weather is getting colder, why don't you close the window?"
The windows on three sides of the boudoir are open.
There was autumn rain streaming in through the window and autumn wind blowing through the hall, so it became even colder.
Zhongli Ruoshui poured a cup of tea for her grandma, handed it over, and smiled slightly, "It was closed originally, but I opened it."
Fan Taohua's gray eyebrows raised slightly, "Why?"
Zhongli Ruoshui lowered his head shyly, "Because with the window open, the light outside will be brighter...it can guide him back."
Fan Taohua took a deep breath, looked away, picked up the teacup, pondered for a moment and then looked up at Zhongli Ruoshui, "Didn't you tell him?"
"Grandma thought you would tell him."
Zhongli Ruoshui pursed his lips and raised his eyes to look out the window.
"I wanted to tell him, but, when the words came to my lips, I couldn't say them."
"I, I probably hope that such beautiful days can last a few more days."
Fan Taohua took a sip of tea, stood up, turned around, and looked out the window.
Outside the window is the Yunshui Mountains.
But at this time, the Yunshui Mountains were hidden in the night and could not be seen.
"In that case, why didn't you go to the literary world to see him more?"
Zhongli Ruoshui's heart was shocked. She looked up at Fan Taohua's back in shock. She hesitated for a moment before asking: "So...he really must die tonight?"
Fan Taohua turned around and sat opposite Zhongli Ruoshui again.
Her expression also became serious, and even the kind light in her eyes became sharper.
"If your illness can be cured, grandma will not let him die for your sake no matter what!"
"But... Ruoshui, you already know your situation. Grandma is thinking, since you are going to be a servant in front of the Bodhisattva, why does Li Chenan still live in this world?"
Zhongli Ruoshui looked directly into Fan Taohua's eyes and kept looking at her. After ten breaths, she asked: "So, in your eyes, he is really just a chess piece?"
"Cheng Guogong invited him to his residence and said he would recommend him to become an official in the court. Is this a lie?"
"His Royal Highness met him, invited him to have lunch with him, and said so many words of appreciation for him. Is this also a lie?"
"Even Mr. Chang Sun of the Imperial City Department personally sent him out, is this still a lie?"
Zhongli Ruoshui stood up suddenly, his eyes condensed, "No wonder mother has never caused trouble to him these days. By the way, you called Zhou Huairen to the Hou Mansion. I guess you have obtained the method of making his artifact, so , it has lost the meaning of existence and can be abandoned?"
Zhongli Ruoshui suddenly laughed, but this smile was colder than the autumn rain outside the window.
"I die, I accept my fate!"
"But I love him dearly!"
"So I hope he can live happily!"
"Live for me!"
"Watch the changes of this world for me, watch the beauty of these four seasons."
"I thought you would definitely help him, but I never expected... that you would actually regard him as a chess piece, or an abandoned piece!"
"Since he will die tonight, why should I live until dawn?"
Zhongli Ruoshui turned around and left.
Fan Taohua frowned, "Stop!"
Zhongli Ruoshui stopped, and Fan Taohua's voice came from behind:
"If you really help Li Chenan eliminate the headquarters of the Fish and Dragon Society tonight, do you know what will happen in Kyoto early tomorrow morning?"
"The Zhongli family's move to Shuzhou is only halfway through now. It will take another three to five years!"
"So, the overall situation now is for the stability of Kyoto and for both sides to maintain restraint!"
"Jitai knew about Zhongli's family's layout in Shuzhou, but he never stopped it. Do you know why?"
Of course Zhongli Ruoshui didn't answer, and Fan Taohua didn't expect her to answer either, and said:
"Because in Ji Tai's view, it will be easier for him to support the second prince to ascend the throne as emperor if Zhongli's mansion has gone to Shuzhou!"
"And Shuzhou is remote and bitterly cold. That place is not important to Ji Tai or the second prince."
"So Jitai has been waiting all these years, waiting for everyone in the Dingguo Hou Mansion in Kyoto to leave."
"What he needs is a Ningguo that will be handed over to the second prince smoothly, not a Ningguo that is riddled with holes after years of war!"
"So, this balance cannot be broken now!"
Zhongli Ruoshui suddenly turned around, "So just for what you call the overall situation and the interests of everyone in the Zhongli Mansion, Li Chenan should be allowed to die?"
"Since that's what you think, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"If you had told me earlier, I would not have allowed him to come to Kyoto. He would not have gotten involved in your messy things, and he would have lost his life now!"
"He is going to face the students of Yue alone for you!"
"It was for you that he agreed to stay in Kyoto and even entered the temple!"
"This is my fault!"
"I believe you too much."
"And you... are no longer the grandma who had her own opinions in my heart!"
Zhongli Ruoshui turned around, took a step forward, and did not stop any longer.
She walked out of the room, hurriedly got a lantern and went downstairs.
A gust of wind passed by, her eyes suddenly darkened, and the lantern in her hand slipped from her hand.
But it didn't fall to the ground, but was caught by someone.
This is an old man.
He is Sikong Bao!
He carried Zhongli Ruoshui up to the second floor, placed him on the bed, and carefully covered him with a quilt, and then stood in front of Fan Taohua.
"Li Chenan, is he the son of Princess Yun'an?"
"……no!"
"Since the treasure pavilion in the palace has those two medicines, and since those two medicines can prolong Ruoshui's life for two or three years... With your temperament, you should snatch it back even if you go to rob it. If you really rob it, even if the emperor knows , and he won’t do anything to you.”
"But why didn't you grab it?"
"I'm old. Just like Ruoshui said, I am no longer the Fan Taohua who has my own opinions!"
Fan Taohua seems to be really much older at this moment.
Her body turned out to be a little stooped.
The energy on her face was also a little sluggish.
She slowly walked to the tea table, held the tea table with one hand and sat down slowly.
"Zhongli Mansion... In the current Zhongli Mansion, I have sixty-three descendants, as well as many servants who are still alive and attached to Zhongli Mansion, and there are also 30,000 divine warriors who are loyal to Zhongli Mansion."
"It's not that I cherish my life, but... I hope that everyone can live, including you."
The old man looked at Fan Taohua carefully and suddenly grinned, "You are indeed old!"
"Wen Boiyu is right."
Fan Taohua raised her head and asked, "What did he say?"
"He said... you put down the sword that you are best at, but used the scheming that you are least good at. Therefore, Li Chenan's death... is really unfair!"
"He also said that Li Chenan might not die tonight."
"Why?"
"Because there are still people who don't want him to die, such as... Changsun Jinghong!"
