"It's strange," Hongjun carefully took the aqua regia that Lu Xu handed over and lightly tapped it on a gold ring. The gold surface of the ring slightly caved in, forming a pattern. "How can I occasionally know what he's thinking?"
"So it's not because you're smart." Lu Xu expressionlessly peeled walnuts.
Hongjun's mouth twitched. "Of course it's because I'm smart."
"Besides being smart, there's another reason." Lu Xu said, "The Mind's Lantern."
Hongjun suddenly realized. Lu Xu said, "The power of the Mind's Lantern is in his body, and he sealed a part of it into your heart. Through this magic weapon, the two of you have established some kind of connection."
Hongjun thought to himself, is this the problem? Then it seems that their happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy can't be hidden from each other.
"This is really mysterious." Hongjun said, "How much good karma did I accumulate in my previous life to be able to encounter this once?"
Lu Xu said, "Do you think this is a good thing?"
"Of course." Hongjun said.
"But some people don't think so." Lu Xu said again, "What if all your thoughts are guessed by others? How boring would that be?"
Hongjun said, "That won't happen. If you like someone and your hearts are connected, isn't that a very good thing?"
Lu Xu laughed and said, "That's why you're so likable."
Hongjun: "???"
At this time, Li Jinglong came over. Hongjun hurriedly hid the ring on the table. Although he felt that hiding it wouldn't be of much use, Li Jinglong just smiled and said, "We're almost there. Let's go out and take a look."
The big boat followed the canal south and was about to reach the shore. Hongjun came to Jiangnan for the first time in his life. He saw the city full of weeping willows in summer, and the houses were all white walls and black tiles. In the distance, Nanping Mountain was elegant and picturesque. It had just rained, and the mountain was hazy. It felt like the wind blew and the sun set, and the willows were like smoke.
With the exception of Qiu Yongsi, it was the first time for everybody else to come to Hangzhou. One by one they rushed to the railing to look out, and for a moment they were full of praises.
The sound of bells could be heard from afar. The sunset was especially distant. Hongjun seemed to have a sense of familiarity in this twilight.
Li Jinglong hugged Hongjun from behind. The two of them leaned against the railing and looked into the distance. Qiu Yongsi laughed and said, "I'll take you to Gusu some other day. It's best to listen to the bell at the Cold Mountain Temple. When Zhang Ji went to the capital, he wrote, "When the moon sets, the crows cry and the frost fills the sky. The fishing fire in the river faces the worries of sleeping. In the Cold Mountain Temple outside Gusu City, the bell in the middle of the night reaches the passenger ship." A pot of wine and a fishing lantern are both very beautiful. "
Hongjun said, "I think I've been here before."
Although his memories had long been blurred, Hongjun felt that the air in Hangzhou gave him a sense of familiarity. Li Jinglong said, "It doesn't matter. We should stay in Hangzhou for ten days to half a month. At that time, I'll take you around."
After it rained a few times in Guanzhong, the sound of cicadas gradually rose again, one after another. The caravan swaggered into the city of Chang 'an. The Carp Demon looked out from under the tarpaulin and was instantly shocked. Wasn't this Xi City?
"This, this, this …" The Carp Demon said, "We've arrived at Chang 'an! We've arrived at my home! "
The two golden pheasants were weak from the heat. Compared to the cool Bashu Mountain, Chang 'an was really too hot. The Carp Demon also noticed that his traveling companions seemed to be a bit listless. He was afraid that they might have caught chicken plague. Thus, he said, "Are you two okay? Don't become plague chickens. "
"You're the plague chicken."
Along the way, everyone became more familiar with each other and talked about their lives. The one with the green tail was called Green Fat, and the one with a few strands of red hair on its head was called Red Thin. Green Fat said listlessly, "Why aren't you going home?"
During the journey, the Carp Demon showed off that he was a city demon. He had lived under the foot of the Emperor of Chang 'an for a long time. Seeing that the two golden pheasants were pitiful, he had a Bodhisattva's heart. Although he wouldn't be able to repay the sins he had committed in his next life, he wanted to repay as much as he could.
Thus, when the merchants were selling the cages containing Green Fat and Red Thin at the market, he secretly twisted open the iron wire.
"Let's go." In the bustling Xi City, the Carp Demon said to the cages, "Hurry up and leave. Don't be a demon in your next life."
The two golden pheasants never expected that the Carp Demon would save them. At first, they were stunned. Then, they pushed open the cage door and carefully ran out. However, not long after, they were discovered by the buyer. Someone shouted, "Your pheasants ran away!"
The merchant was instantly alerted. The Carp Demon signaled the two golden pheasants to run away. He jumped on top of the jar and forcefully lifted it. A burst of chaos immediately attracted everyone's attention.
"It's a demon —!"
"A demon!"
Someone immediately shouted. The shop assistant was the first to come back to his senses. He shouted, "The fish monster is alive!"
Momentarily, those holding wooden sticks raised wooden sticks, those holding nets raised nets, all of them were ready to catch the demons. The two golden pheasants escaped from the cage, they immediately flew up to the eaves, running for their lives.
The Carp Demon ran into the alley. The shop assistants chased after it, shouting to beat it and kill it. The Carp Demon relied on its familiarity with Chang 'an to run through the streets and alleys. However, at first, it was too big and alarmed the common people. Everywhere it went, there were people shouting to beat it and catch it. The Carp Demon was dizzy and disoriented. It only subconsciously ran north. Unknowingly, it ran out of the Exorcism Department and was scared out of its wits.
Isn't this the Exorcism Department?
The shop assistant behind it chased after it. The Carp Demon couldn't care less and hurriedly shouted, "Help! Second, Third, Fourth! Help —! "
The alley was very quiet. The Carp Demon wanted to find a place to hide, but the alley was very clean. The door of the Exorcism Department could only be opened with magic. However, the Carp Demon didn't have any magic. Usually, it was either shouting at the door or following the exorcists in and out. It thought that the crowd was deliberately messing with it, so it made up its mind and continued to fight outside the door.
"Open the door!" the Carp Demon shouted. "It's not a joke — I'm going to die — Hongjun!"
"Hongjun, open the door! I know you're at home! "
It was quiet inside, but there was a lot of noise behind it. The shop assistants chased after it. The Carp Demon didn't speak. It just quietly looked at the Exorcism Department, at the seal, and at the door that would open for it every time it came here.
It stood there motionless. Finally, the head shop assistant caught up and hit its fish head with a stick. The Carp Demon instantly collapsed and fainted.
Two hours later, rain began to fall from the sky again, and the carriage swayed on the bumpy road.
In the cage that used to hold two golden pheasants, the Carp Demon knelt alone. Its two hands grabbed the pillars of the small iron cage. Half of its fish head protruded out of the gap. Its fish mouth opened and closed, drinking the rainwater falling from the sky.
"Boss, how much do you want to sell this guy?" the shop assistant asked the merchant.
"It's not easy to sell demons in Chang 'an," the merchant said. "It's really a loss."
"Should we release it?" another shop assistant asked.
"How can we do that?" the merchant said. "Just treat it as money I picked up. And what if this monster goes out and harms people? "
"Hey? Boss, I have an idea. "
The shop assistants and the merchant discussed it. Why don't they take this long-legged and long-armed Carp Demon to an exhibition? They can do acrobatics and charge some money for watching the show. Maybe they can even get their money back.
"Hey." One of the shop assistants poked the Carp Demon in the cage with a wooden stick and said, "Can you talk?"
The Carp Demon just stared blankly and didn't make a sound. The shop assistants took turns to make it talk. Someone said, "I can hear it talk."
Unfortunately, they couldn't make the Carp Demon talk. After teasing it for a long time, they finally gave up.
The carriage gradually left Chang 'an. The world was green, as if it had been washed by water. Along the way to the north, Chang' an became more and more distant in the eyes of the Carp Demon. Finally, it became a landscape on the horizon that gradually disappeared.
On the shore of West Lake, everyone followed behind Qiu Yongsi. It was so hot that their backs were covered in sweat.
"You call this avoiding the heat!" Li Jinglong snatched Qiu Yongsi's fan and fanned Hongjun.
"It's cooler after the sun goes down," Qiu Yongsi explained to everyone.
Lu Xu was so hot that his clothes stuck to his back. He said, "This is even hotter than Chang 'an."
Mo Rigen said, "Young Master Qiu, in any case, you have a big family business. Can you call a sedan chair so that we brothers can sit on it first?"
Qiu Yongsi said, "It's almost the Dragon Boat Festival. There are no sedan chairs on the shore of West Lake."
The afternoon was the hottest time. The shore of West Lake was like a steamer basket. Qiu Yongsi asked a porter to carry the things, and Atay was at the back. He used his hurricane fan to fan the wind in front of him. Wave after wave, he said, "I'm the hottest one, okay! Hurry up! Don't delay! "
Hongjun looked around from time to time as he walked. In his memory, he seemed to have been here before. The willows on the Su Causeway, the pool of clear water, the intertwining light and shadow, vaguely seemed like a dream.
When they reached a tile-roofed house, Qiu Yongsi said, "We're here."
Everyone: "…"
"I'm just kidding." Qiu Yongsi said, "There's still half a li ahead."
Everyone rushed up and beat Qiu Yongsi up. Qiu Yongsi screamed, "I'm just livening up the atmosphere. Why are you beating people up?"
"Stop talking! Hurry up! "His companions urged impatiently.
When they reached Sunset Mountain on the southern shore of West Lake, the sun was blazing in the west. In front of Sunset Mountain was a plaque with the words "A Thousand Li of Fuyun" written on it. Qiu Yongsi said, "We're here. This is Fuyun Mountain Villa." After shouting a few times, someone came out to receive them. Seeing that it was no small matter, he hurriedly shouted, "Young Master is back!"
"Why didn't you send someone to send a message?"
Qiu Yongsi smiled and said, "We're all colleagues from the Exorcism Department. It's fine. We'll take a walk and enjoy the scenery. "
Everyone thought, who wants to enjoy the scenery with you?
The housekeeper was a middle-aged man in his forties. He hurriedly went out to receive them and prepared two palanquins to carry them in. Usually, the villa only prepared two soft palanquins. As the sun set and the mountain became cooler, everyone began to push for who should sit in the palanquins. In the end, Atay and Trandol sat in one palanquin, Ashina Chong sat in the other, and the rest of the people slowly walked up.
Fuyun Mountain Villa was located in an extremely secluded place. Most of it was hidden in the forest. Halfway up the mountain, one couldn't even see the whole thing. There were statues of people holding golden plates every ten steps. At the main entrance, there was a large screen wall. On the screen wall was a carving of a hundred dragons. Everyone couldn't help but click their tongues in amazement. Li Jinglong joked, "Yongsi, your family is really rich."
Qiu Yongsi laughed. Hongjun curiously asked, "Are they very rich?"
Li Jinglong said, "The screen wall was bestowed by the emperor during the Han Dynasty."
Qiu Yongsi said, "Liu Che carved it."
Hongjun stood in front of the screen wall and took a few more glances. He saw a hundred dragons circling a luminous pearl in the middle. It was very lifelike and seemed to be rotating and flowing. This pearl was not as big as the luminous pearls in his fish pond, nor was it as bright as the ones hanging in the cabinet. However, Hongjun didn't say anything. He nodded and agreed, "It's really beautiful."
Li Jinglong gave him a look and smiled. He put his arm around Hongjun's shoulder and entered.
"Grandpa!" Qiu Yongsi shouted as soon as he entered, "I'm back!"
The interior of the villa was antique. The architecture was left behind from the Han Dynasty. There were seven entrances in total. When they entered the hall, an old voice immediately shouted, "Yongsi!"
"Grandpa — —!"
Qiu Yongsi rushed forward and saw an old man in a white robe with an air of immortality rushing over like a gust of wind. The grandfather and grandson were both of the same height. They held each other's hands and looked at each other, both of them overjoyed.
Everyone: "… …"
"Good, good, good!" The old man said, "You're finally back! I have to go out now … … "
"Wait!" Qiu Yongsi hurriedly grabbed the old man and said, "The Chief Historian and my colleagues are all here. Don't make a fool of yourself."
"Ever since you came to the capital, I haven't been to Cui Ming Fang for more than half a year!" The old man said, "How can you be so cruel?! Leaving Grandpa alone at home? "
When everyone heard this, they almost fell down. Hongjun said, "What's Cui Ming Fang?"
"Come, come, come!" The old man said, "Grandpa will take you to have some fun!"
Qiu Yongsi roared, "Stop fooling around!"
Qiu Yongsi roared. The old man could only look at everyone seriously. With an expression of sudden realization, he said, "You're Li Jinglong!"
"I'm not Li Jinglong." Hongjun's mouth twitched. "My name is Hongjun Kong."
Li Jinglong kept pointing at himself, meaning that he was Hongjun Kong, he was Hongjun Kong. The old man chuckled at Hongjun and said, "When I saw you, I felt that we hit it off very well!"
"This, this, this … …" Qiu Yongsi hurriedly made a gesture of apology to everyone and introduced them one by one. Everyone came over to greet them.
"You have friends here, and I was just about to entertain them. Grandson, why don't you … …"
"Grandpa," Qiu Yongsi said seriously, "Ye Ming's skeleton has been found."
When the old man heard this, it was as if he had changed into a different person. He looked at everyone and understood something.
"Good, good, good." The old man stroked his beard and smiled, no longer looking like an old urchin. He said, "This is all thanks to everyone. Come, come, please come in. Let's all have a good chat. Hongjun? My name is Qiu Qiu. "
"Qiu Qiu." Hongjun thought that this name was strange.
"I beg you as in 'I beg you'," the old man said solemnly again.
"Stop fooling around!" Qiu Yongsi was completely convinced. He said, "Grandpa, leave me some face!"
The old man's name was "Qiu Qiu", and he was Qiu Yongsi's biological grandfather. He straightened his white martial attire and bowed to Li Jinglong first.
Li Jinglong was an official and was even the Marquis of Yadan. Although Qiu Qiu was old and was an elder, he was still a commoner. After greeting him as a commoner greeting an official, everyone bowed to him one by one in the manner of greeting an elder. Only then did Qiu Qiu order someone to serve tea. There weren't many people in Fuyun Villa, but the housekeeper, manservant, and servant girls were extremely polite. They didn't make a sound when they walked and served tea. They even held their breaths and walked lightly, not blocking anyone's line of sight.
Qiu Yongsi introduced his colleagues one by one. Qiu Qiu nodded and exchanged a few pleasantries. When he saw Mo Rigen, he said, "Yo, little wolf cub, your archery skills are impressive. You run pretty fast too."
Mo Rigen was speechless.
"It's a pity that he can't run as fast as you." Qiu Qiu winked at Lu Xu and laughed.
Lu Xu laughed. Qiu Qiu said, "When will your horns be fully grown?"
Lu Xu originally thought that Qiu Yongsi would have mentioned it to his family. However, Hongjun noticed that there was a dark gold color in the grandfather's left eye. Perhaps he could see that it wasn't normal. Perhaps he saw it himself.
"Soon." Lu Xu replied.
Qiu Qiu nodded. When he looked at Atay, Ashina Chong, and Trandol, he said, "The disciple of Zoroaster, the little Persian prince, and our Yongsi's companions all have great backgrounds."
Everyone was a little embarrassed. Qiu Qiu looked at Hongjun again. In fact, when everyone was drinking tea and chatting, Qiu Qiu kept glancing at Hongjun from time to time, as if he was thinking. Li Jinglong also noticed this subtle change in expression and frowned slightly.
After Qiu Yongsi drank his tea, he said, "Alright, Grandpa, you go have fun. I'll keep the guests company."
Qiu Qiu said, "Then I'll see you later?"
As he spoke, he quickly walked out of the door. Before he left, he turned back to look at Hongjun.
Even Hongjun felt this glance. Li Jinglong asked Hongjun, "You two know each other?"
Hong Jun said with a perplexed look, "Don't know."
Hongjun really didn't remember that he had been to Fuyun Mountain Villa. That night, Qiu Yongsi first arranged for everyone to rest and then ordered for dinner to be prepared. As expected, when night fell, the mountain became cool. The mountain wind blew through the forest, and it was even a little cold. Everyone from the Exorcism Division played around in the villa. After dinner, Hongjun and Li Jinglong strolled around. As the night deepened, the housekeeper found the two and said, "Marquis Yadan, the Immortal Master invites you."
"He's back already?" Li Jinglong's heart skipped a beat. It was as if he knew that he would be invited, but he didn't expect him to come so quickly. He let Hongjun go back to his room first, and he followed the housekeeper to the tea room.
Qiu Qiu was sitting in the tea room drinking tea. His silver hair was loose, and two servant girls were massaging the old man's legs. When Li Jinglong arrived, Qiu Qiu wanted to stand up to welcome him. Li Jinglong hurriedly bowed first and said, "The Immortal Master is not a person of the mortal world. You can't treat the younger generation like this."
Qiu Qiu chuckled and said, "Just now, I went down the mountain and found my old lover on the pleasure boat. Before I took off my clothes, I remembered something and hurried back."
Li Jinglong sat down in front of Qiu Qiu. The old man pointed to the teacup on the table and motioned for him to drink. Li Jinglong took the cup and heard Qiu Qiu say, "Yongsi's colleague is called Hongjun. Was his previous name Kong Sixing?"
Li Jinglong, "…"