Chapter 26 The Truth
Early the following day, Linghu Xian told the steward uncle that he had a distant relative come to Zongcheng City because the elders had to pay a visit, so he asked for a day of leave to go out of the house to visit his relatives. For so many years, Linghu Xian has never taken a day off. The steward did not say anything and let her out of the house.
Linghu Xian carried the short sword given to her by the Black Wolf, traveled out of the city, finally reached the grove where she first encountered the Black Wolf, took out her peach-core whistle, and gently blew it. Soon, the jungle depths issued a regular rustling sound, as if the wind through the leaves was swinging sound; from far and near, I could only hear the sound but could not see any object movement. Eventually, the sound stilled, and the black wolf stood silently before her.
"You were looking for me?" Blackwolf asked.
"Can you tell me how Ni Zhong and I came here?" Linghu Xian asked bluntly.
Black Wolf shook his head and told her, "Actually, I don't know how you came to earth before."
"Then, who are you? I remember that Ni Zhong is the black dog Pi Dan from my last life."
"I didn't admit that I am Pi Dan. I can't you remember at all?"
Xuan Mo hoped that this life's Linghu Xian could remember him as a teacher, and he was afraid that she would remember everything that had happened before. She had once been determined because of so much disappointment, and he didn't want her to be hurt again. Hu Cangcang, oh no, Linghu Xian, he must get used to her name in this life. He can not interfere with her trajectory in the mortal world, or she will suffer even greater calamity. Thinking about this, Xuan Mo stopped being persistent.
"You can't think of it; don't think of it anymore. The past and all kinds of things may not need to remember all the piles and pieces; after all, people should still live in the present. What else did you come to find me today?"
"I want to. Please accept me as your disciple."
Black Wolf was silent for a moment. How do you say? Receive or not, you were initially my student in your last life, but in this life ... Black Wolf still refused.
He replied, "In this life, you should use the human way to cultivate enlightenment and can no longer want to use immortal magic demonic techniques to achieve the purpose. You were originally a demon and turning into a human form; you should cherish the present moment and learn how to become qualified."
"But I want to recover my spells so that I can be capable enough to protect the weak, my family, and those I care about."
"Trust me, these things can be done just as well, even without spells; your beginnings matter, not your mana. This truth is actually what you taught me."
After Linghu Xian left the room, Ouyang Zhong got up and saw the poem she left for him. He had never seen her write; he didn't expect the calligraphy on the paper to be as bright as everything about her caught his eye, the graceful and vigorous strokes, the neat and dignified structure, as if it was the same as her swordsmanship, the master's name. The lines, "Throw me a papaya, and I'll return it with an agar jelly," and "Throw me a peach, and I'll return it with a peach. "Throw me a wooden peach, and I'll return it with an agar jelly." Ouyang Zhong had even more complicated feelings. He put away the words written by Linghu Xian and put on his clothes to go out, but he found that Linghu Xian was outside the courtyard. So he asked the steward where to go, and he didn't expect that Linghu Xian had gone.
Gone? Out of the city? She wouldn't leave him and never come back. Concerned about the Ouyang Zhong, he hurried to prepare the horse toward the town to chase; he did not see her figure on the official road, at least hanging heart put down most of the way. Then where will she go? He had a hunch that she might have gone to that place, so he spurred his horse to the woods. On the way, he heard a familiar whistle, but no one else was nearby. He steered his horse to follow the sound, and soon, he saw from a distance in the dense forest that Linghu Xian was talking to a wolf, the same giant wolf he had encountered that day. He quietly tethered his horse aside and walked over alone, only to faintly hear part of their conversation. He was shocked to see the black wolf say to Linghu Xian:
"You were originally a demon ... learning to be a human ..."
Ouyang Zhong was stunned! What? A demon? Linghu Xian turned out to be a demon! No wonder, for so many years, she always appeared in their dreams; no wonder she never taught her anything, but she is poetry, calligraphy, painting, horseback riding, and swordsmanship; no wonder she is always obsessed with her, but she does not have half a heart. This is not the magic of the demonic method of psychedelic art! Ouyang Zhong was scared out of his wits and hurriedly stumbled back, turned on his horse, and fled the woods without looking back.
Xuan Mo saw Ouyang Zhong's small actions in his eyes, but he didn't say anything to Linghu Xian or plan to. Before he left, he instructed Linghu Xian, ''Remember to keep this sword away from you at all times, and learn to protect yourself from others in the future. When you need me again, I will naturally appear. That whistle. In short, you are more careful." After saying that, in an instant disappeared without a trace.
By the time Linghu Xian returned to the Ouyang mansion, she had already been blasted out of her original residence. The steward uncle comforted, "The young master will soon be married; it's unseemly to have a personal servant girl in the courtyard; from now on, he'll be served by a few boys and men here. You go to the backyard first, do some heavy work~."
Linghu Xian did not understand how Ouyang Zhong's attitude suddenly changed dramatically. Last night, he was still crying and crying, drunkenly telling her the truth, but today, he kicked her out to the backyard and gave her a girl to do the heavy work.
Linghu Xian said nothing more; the steward's uncle asked for a few coarse clothes. Now, this clothing was too suitable to give up. Steward's uncle also watched Linghu Xian grow up. He knows this child's temperament is excellent and kind, and agreed to down. Although he can not sway the master's decision, some things within his power are happy to help this bitter child. In the Ouyang family as a steward for so many years, he also increasingly puzzled Ouyang's young master's mind, which is a flip-flop faster than a book.
Uncle Steward sighed and said to Linghu Xian: "Xiao Xian ah! You don't feel bad; we are servants and must bow our heads under the roof. Have a mouth to eat, have a place to live as contentment. Come on; I'll get you some clothes to change into, go with an Uncle to the backyard, and settle down."
"Uncle, then can I still go feed the horses?"
"Oh, I forgot to tell you, the eldest young master doesn't allow you to touch Red Flame. Ha ~ what kind of drama is this?"
Linghu Xian smiled bitterly; this is probably Ouyang Zhong's temper tantrum with her again, just punishing her; isn't she the "liar" in his mouth? Just let him be!
After changing her clothes, Linghu Xian's daily routine was to carry water, chop wood, and wash her clothes endlessly. Soon, the 13-year-old girl, initially a pair of youthful and delicate hands, became very rough, and everywhere there were all kinds of sores. She endured the pain and cleaned them every night with a little bit of water, then applied wet compresses with some randomly picked herbs to ease the pain.
She lived alone in the backyard. The older servants had all started their own families and moved out, and the maids and boys of her age lived in separate courtyards with the young masters and ladies of each house, the lords and ladies. The only advantage of living in the backyard is that you can eat first, so when she lived here, Linghu Xian could eat well every day before work. Some aunts and uncles feel sorry for a small child to suffer such a crime and occasionally quietly give her a little stove, supplement some nutrition, and so on, but the so-called "small stove" is also some steamed bread, Hu cake, wild vegetables, and so on.
Linghu Xian often at night when it is quiet, standing alone in the center of the backyard, feel the moon and stars, feel the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, feel the fragrance of flowers and insects, and feel the world of all things endless, this and that inner surge. It was a powerful force from ancient times and the cosmic flood. She could feel the spirit beads in her body, growing stronger and surging under the tremendous pull of nature.
She looked at her hands, still without any mana, but in her chest, she could sense the energy constantly growing; the power was courage, boldness, kindness, justice, wisdom, and perseverance. She began to gradually understand the words of the black wolf: without mana, you can have the ability to protect the weak and the people you love the most.
At the same time when Linghu Xian was unconsciously practicing alone every night, on the other side of Ouyang Mansion, Ouyang Zhong was tossing and turning every night, unable to sleep at night. He could never forget about Linghu Xian. He still kept thinking about her current condition, but every time he remembered what he had personally heard in that grove, that she was a demon, he would break out in a cold sweat again. He wanted to see her very much but didn't dare to see her; he was afraid that she would admit it herself, and even more so, he was worried that she was a monster with a green face and fangs in human skin.
This is too scary! Ouyang Zhong shivered inside the quilt, looking forward to hurrying to the day of marriage, leaving this ghost place, leaving Linghu Xian.
Marriage with Princess Jiao Yang is imminent, and Ouyang's whole house is up and down, busy as a mess. Even Linghu Xian, who can only work in the backyard, is often seconded to various departments to help. Sometimes, they are sent to clean the courtyard, they carry buckets and rags to clean the porch, and sometimes, they have to help the embroiderer work on the new clothes for the ladies, young masters, and young ladies of the house so that everyone will be beautiful and dignified to welcome the big day. Of course, this honor can only be for the masters; the subordinates are always in the same coarse clothes all year round.
Linghu Xian continued to work sullenly with a straight face. Her face could not be seen to show any emotion; she was not happy, but she was not sad either. Of course, not only was she very good at hiding her moods, but more than that, no one cared what this little girl thought. She knew very well that even if she wasn't a demon, she and Ouyang Zhong were not destined to be together in this life. The rules of etiquette set out by that human being had divided people into three, six, and nine classes from birth. She was a lowly enslaved person in the dusty mud, while Ouyang Zhong was a noble son of a worldly family high above the stars, and the distance between them was like heaven and earth.
But put down? Linghu Xian thought of this and surprisingly pondered for a long time. She had already had such a deep bond with Ouyang Zhong a long time ago, before she knew that Ouyang Zhong was Ni Zhong, before she even remembered the name Ni Zhong, ah? When did she start to like this eccentric but talented young man? Probably from the first time she heard him play the zither? At that time, she remembered every flower, every grass, every tree, every stone, every rhythm he played, and the mood behind the music.
She also remembers that every time he got tired of reading, he would go to practice his sword for a while or pluck the two-stringed zither; she also recalled that he preferred reading miscellaneous articles and travelogues to those difficult textbooks; she remembers that he never liked to eat beans, but loved to eat Xian lotus seeds; she recalled that he preferred lighter-colored clothes over darker ones, and she also felt that he looked better in lighter colors.
She knew everything about him like the back of her hand, and it wasn't just because she had been his maid for many years, arranging to serve him in his daily routine. It was more by her usual observation and understanding that she knew his mind. It was only a pity that this time, she didn't understand why, after a month or two had passed, he had never come to look for her and had just kicked her out without giving a statement.
"Ouch!" When she was distracted, Linghu Xian got her finger pierced by an embroidery needle, and blood accidentally dripped on top of an embroidered garment.
"How can this be? I blame my carelessness for dirtying the good clothes." Linghu Xian was chagrined, blaming herself while trying to think of a remedy.
An older embroiderer took a look and said, "It's fine. It's all reddish-red anyway. You can cover it by embroidering a small flower on this blood drop."
"Auntie Zhang, may I ask whose embroidered clothes are these?" Linghu Xian asked in a small voice.
"This is a wedding dress for the eldest young master, it's fine, there are several sets prepared! It's not necessary to wear this one. And it's only for that one day, no one will notice it, don't worry!"
Linghu Xian's heart does not feel good; he is making a wedding dress for the person he likes, but he is marrying someone else. From the first day she entered the Ouyang residence, Linghu Xian had been instructed by the steward's uncle that to survive in such an environment, the first thing she learned and must learn was to hide her emotions. Therefore, even if Linghu Xian is sad and aggrieved, she can't show the slightest bit of it, or else she will suffer more than just herself.
The night before the wedding ceremony, Ouyang Ming called the whole family a large family and set up a table feast, according to the generation ranked to sit. Ouyang Ming, the current Ouyang family patriarch, should sit at the top, but tomorrow, the Ouyang family's eldest son and grandson, Ouyang Zhong, will be the royal princess's extra horse harnessed by the side of a team; from now on be, come a royal relative, the identity of the natural will be very different. Therefore, besides a few older men in the clan, this night's banquet is the highest Ouyang Zhong; even his father, Ouyang Ming, is in a lower position.
Ouyang Ming presided over the banquet, said a big, beautiful word, and then gave everyone a thousand instructions; tomorrow, meeting the bride is a big event; not making the slightest mistake or being offended by the face of the dragon will affect the whole family's life. In short, first a pass to boast, then a receipt to show off, and finally a pass to scare; three paragraphs of passionate speech are over, and we can finally be careful to open chopsticks to sacrifice the five dirty temples.
The subordinates began to get busy serving food to the host family. Today is a big banquet that is different from usual. Usually, each courtyard serves maids and boys alone to prepare to pack; this time, we work together and take turns. A long time does not show up in the Linghu Xian. Also, take this opportunity to appear in everyone's line of sight. Of course, although she is beautiful, this large family will not pay much attention to a petite maid. However, she is still tiny and not as beautiful as the country, wearing rough clothes with clothes followed by other servants busy to and fro.
Those who noticed her beside Ouyang Zhong, who recognized her at a glance, were also Mrs. Xie, the principal mother of the Ouyang family. Ouyang Zhong didn't say anything but just looked at the face he had been thinking about day and night with dead eyes. When Mrs. Xie saw Linghu Xian, she suddenly remembered the day she visited the temple for incense and encountered thugs. Fortunately, Linghu Xian sacrificed his life to save his master.
Mrs. Xie explained to the elders and the master at the banquet. Then she apologized to Linghu Xian: "I promised to reward and thank this child, but I have forgotten about this matter because I have been focusing on the wedding preparations for so many days. Come, Xian, come here."
Linghu Xian shyly walked to Mrs. Xie's side, bowed to all the lords and ladies, young masters and young ladies, and stood quietly with her hands tied at one side. Mrs. Xie looked at Linghu Xian in detail, frowned slightly, then took her hand and said: ''This child of yours hasn't seen you for only a few days. Why are there so many cuts on her hands? Why are you wearing the coarse linen clothes of a servant girl? Aren't you from the young master's courtyard?" Then he turned his head to look at his son strangely.
Not waiting for the young master to open his mouth, the steward came forward and replied: "After all, the young master is going to get married, the Linghu Xian is also a big girl, more or less not appropriate, the day before yesterday, I took the initiative to change some smart and understanding of the boy to serve the young master living. I'm unsure if I can find a suitable job, so I'll let Xian move to the backyard to do some chores. I'm sorry for the delay, but I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
Mrs. Xie thought about it and nodded her head, approving this statement. Then, looking kindly at Linghu Xian, she said, "Originally, I was thinking that you were loyal and protective of your master last time, and it seems that rewarding you with some clothes and jewelry would be a bit too light. How about this? What do you want? I listen; if reasonable, I will agree."
After less than an instant of thought, Linghu Xian knelt before Mrs. Xie and said, "From age six, I came to the Ouyang mansion to work, and I have been serving the young master in his daily life without any detail. I think I'm the only person in the house who understands the young master's habits and can take good care of him. I beg you to be merciful, and let me follow you to the County King's residence tomorrow."
After saying these words, Ouyang Zhong's wine cup immediately fell onto the table, spilling everywhere. But he still didn't say anything. Mrs. Xie and Master Ouyang looked at each other and felt that this child had a point, so they gave permission.