Chapter 68 The caged bird does not know the spring
When the group of people actually stepped into Baimang City, they deeply realized what it means to have locust trees dancing in the wind and falling into the ditch, and the beauty of the Zhongnan Mountains entering the city in autumn.
The weather has just arrived in February, but now it looks green with willows and leaves. People are coming and going on the streets, which is ten miles away from Chang'an. If Yehuang City, where Fatty's family is located, is worthy of the world, then Baimang City is comparable to the Qing Dynasty in the Nine Heavens. night.
Not even a moment after entering the city, a marching team in blue clothes and white smeared foreheads came forward, reined in their horses and stopped. The middle-aged man with a standard military posture at the head dismounted and knelt down: "Little Prince Shen has arrived, but my subordinates are late to pick him up. Why don't you come back?" Please forgive me."
The fat man immediately asked someone to help him up, and he was a little happy: "Uncle Wei, you're welcome, it's the slave who should salute you."
"Uncle Wei, these are all friends of slaves. I would like to help Uncle Wei make it easier for you and give me some horses."
The middle-aged man known as Uncle Wei raised his sword eyebrows, smiled a little, patted the thin fat man with his hand, and said happily: "I'm a little thinner again, but much stronger. Don't worry, I have made arrangements." Already."
Then he looked at everyone, cupped his hands and said, "My lords, please get on your horse. We still have half a day to go to the palace, so please follow me."
Xu Qingmu smacked his lips a little: It’s really big. It takes half a day to travel within the city. Compared with his hometown of Funiu Town, Xu Qingmu sighed:
Hundreds of houses are like a chess game, and twelve streets are like vegetable beds.
The group of people got on their horses and ran towards the palace.
People who meet on the road will take the initiative to retreat. Occasionally, if a horse stumbles and tramples over the stalls of ordinary people on the street, someone will stop, calculate the damage, and compensate ten times. Of course, there are also quick-thinking people who deliberately put rotten things under their hooves, deliberately If you are showing off your hidden agenda, you will often be punished as "fraud" after being investigated. Not only will you be fined, but you will also be slapped with a slap in the face.
One street is ten miles long, and there are twelve main streets in Baimang Town.
A group of people arrived at the Chen Mansion at the beginning of the evening dinner. Before they entered the house, they saw a huge creature lying at the door of the house. It looked like a giant octopus, with nine claws each with a tiger head. It grinned and wanted to do something to Xu Qingmu and the others. Attack state. Xu Qingmu subconsciously wanted to draw his sword, but was stopped by the fat man. He saw the fat man stretched out his hand into a fist, raised his hand towards the monster and said:
"Uncle Jiao, are you so generous?"
The monster instantly retracted its claws and shrank sharply, turning into a tiger-headed and snake-body monster about the size of a dog. It jumped directly from the thirty-foot-high gate and settled on the fat man:
"You guys still come to see me? You've eaten so much of my innate spiritual phlegm and you don't know how to be grateful! You're a heartless guy!"
He seemed to be complaining a little, looking down at the fat man with the tiger's head, but the snake's body kept wagging its tail, instinctively happy.
"Hey, why don't you join the army? Time is tight. Time is tight."
The fat man laughed and whispered into the monster's ear. After a while, the tiger head looked at Xu Luo, his eyes bright.
"Okay, boy, this is quite capable! Ronger knows it, but I want you to be good-looking!" After saying that, she looked at Xu Luo with a strange look in her eyes. Her throat was twitching for a long time, as if she had phlegm stuck in her mouth, and then she made a sound of phlegm brewing. It reaches the throat.
Just when the fat man was about to say something to stop him, the old phlegm spat on Xu Luo's face. It was unusually thick and slightly bloodshot.
Xu Luo screamed, but the thick phlegm was miraculously absorbed into the body. Xu Luo immediately retched, his chest heaved, and the fat man kept beating around him.
"Ignorant little girls, do you know how many people have asked for this spiritual phlegm from me, but they haven't been able to get it?"
The monster looked humane and squinted, not even looking at Xu Luo.
After a while, Xu Luo got slightly better. He looked at the monster, his eyes were burning, and he was about to step forward to take action. The fat man quickly stopped him and persuaded him nicely: "This is Uncle Jiao, a mythical beast that is even more precious than Xu Qingmu's beast king, the thick phlegm."
It took decades to gather this much, which is extremely rare.”
The fat man's words made Xu Luo feel slightly better. When he heard "it has the effect of enlarging breasts", Cao Tong on the side clenched his hands, lowered his head and glanced sideways at Xu Qingmu.
The latter stared at the two green fist-sized gems on the door to study.
Cao Tong stamped his feet, huffing and looking away.
fool!
The group of people entered the gate under the leadership of the fat man. A pavilion dozens of feet wide faced the main entrance and led directly to the backyard. The pavilion was surrounded by green vines, and even if the winter snow had not melted, the green branches could still be seen.
Under the green vines are cages of warblers and sparrows placed dozens of feet apart. Various species of birds and beasts with extremely bright and beautiful colors stand in them. There is not a trace of rot under the cages.
There are lotus ponds on both sides of the hundred-foot-long pavilion. Although there are no lotus leaves in bloom, there are several colorful dragons and carps swimming in it. Their long tails are several feet long. They have two horns on their foreheads and two whiskers on their mouths, which is rare in the world.
Monk Shouyuan clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha."
Xu Qingmu was a little surprised. Did he see Zen when he looked at this fish?
Li Chengru glanced at Shou Yuan, smiled and cursed: "This little bald donkey is greedy and wants to eat."
Sure enough, when no one was paying attention, Shouyuan wiped the corners of his mouth and whispered to Xu Qingmu: "I think braised in braised sauce is better than steamed. It also needs to be paired with some cumin, which is perfect."
To Li Chengru's expectation, Xu Qingmu, who had always been a relatively upright person, actually nodded.
"Yes."
The two of them looked at each other and pointed.
We walked thousands of steps before we passed the long pavilion. There was a pavilion on the water at the top of the pavilion. It was so large that it was staggering. In the middle of the pavilion, there was a dining table that could seat dozens of people. On the table were rare and exotic animals.
There was a lot of delicious food. Before entering the pavilion, a sweet voice that penetrated my heart reached my ears:
"My little sweetheart, come and show your aunt, isn't she a little thinner?"
A luxurious lady with a slightly plump figure pulled Shen Xiuqi over and pushed her into her arms. The fat man's face turned red from being rubbed into her plump breasts, and she shouted repeatedly: "Aunt, I've grown up, can't I?"
Do this to me!"
Unfortunately, the noble lady didn't listen at all. She stretched out her hand to touch the fat man and repeated in her voice: "I have lost weight. I feel sorry for my bad aunt."
It wasn't until the thin but noble-looking middle-aged man next to her coughed that the woman restrained herself, but her care did not diminish at all.
The fat man said respectfully: "Xiu Qi has met my uncle."
There was a smile between the man's brows, and he showed some satisfaction on his usually majestic face. He nodded and said, "Have you entered the fifth realm of sword cultivation?"
The fat man was a little embarrassed and scratched his head: "I am stupid and my uncle is laughing at me."
The man clasped his hands behind his back and smiled chunru: "I'm more capable than your father!"
Perhaps because of being with Li Chengru these days, his thoughts went astray unconsciously, and Xu Luo's face became even more flushed. Fortunately, the floating flowers on the waterside pavilion next to him were in full bloom, covering up his shyness.
"Rong'er, why don't you come over and meet your brother Xiu Qi?"
The man in rich clothes shouted to the side: "The older you get, the shyer you become? When I haven't seen your brother Xiu Qi, I think about it day and night."
Then, a beautiful woman emerged from the flower clusters, with peach blossom eyes, a face like a white goose shining in the water, and half-open cherry lips like pink clouds, which were lightly opened without revealing her teeth:
"Qi...Hello, brother Qi."
The fat man was extremely happy when he saw the visitor. He didn't care about the dignity and cultivation of the big family. He quickly ran over, took the slender hands, and gestured with his hands to the top of the girl's head, which was already up to her neck:
"Sister Ronger has grown a lot taller. Come on, let me hug you!"
Then he held the girl in his arms.
The lady whose breasts had been stared at by Li Chengru lightly covered her smiling lips and giggled, causing Li Chengru's eyes to move up and down with great joy.
But this unintentional hug made Xu Luo feel like she fell into an ice cellar.
She bit her lips lightly with her teeth, holding back her tears. Finally, the girl named Chen Rong puffed out her chest, narrowed her eyes and smiled in response. She couldn't hold back anymore and her eyes became moist.
Only then did Shen Xiuqi realize that he had lost his composure. He quickly let go of the girl in his arms, pulled Luo behind him and introduced:
"Uncle, aunt, Rong'er, let me introduce to you, this is my fiancée, Xu Luo." Then maybe she thought it was too early, so she changed her words: "I haven't met Xu Luo's parents yet, so she can't be considered my fiancée. "
Xu Luo's mood improved a little.
The girl in front of him had tears in her eyes.
The atmosphere was a little awkward for a moment, and even Li Chengru held his breath for a moment, watching the show.
Only Xu Qingmu and Shou Yuan were still staring at the koi in the waterside pavilion as if they were missing a string, wiping their saliva from time to time and making swallowing movements.
After all, he had been involved in officialdom and business for many years. The man in fine clothes said: "You are all hungry. Come and sit down quickly. Let's chat while we eat. Ronger, go call your uncle Jiao and come with us to eat some. In order to complete all these things, Ronger Little friend, please take care of yourself."
The noble lady understood, took Chen Rong's hand and gave her a haha, and avoided the crowd before tears came to her eyes.
Li Chengru smiled evilly, rubbed his hands and said happily:
"The most difficult thing is to lose sight of beauty!"
A group of people sat around the table, and at the invitation of the middle-aged man in fine clothes, they drank with each other and ate with chopsticks.
The fat man introduced everyone: "This is my uncle, my father's close friend in life and death. Next to him is my aunt, who is closer than my own mother."
The fat man's words made the lady want to reach out and pinch her cheeks, but Xu Luo was in the middle. A hint of imperceptible boredom flashed across the lady's face, and she quickly picked up a piece of sour food with a smile. Lemon: "Who made this lemon today? It's really in the wrong place, but it's also worthy of the dragon bird meat on the plate?"
Li Chengru was even happier: Three women in one drama, it was interesting!
The fat man smiled coquettishly and continued to introduce: "Next to me is Uncle Jiao, whom we all have met at the door." When the fat man introduced the next man who was not good at words and was dressed in white, he was obviously a little scared, but he still said: "This is He is the second uncle, the most powerful sorcerer in the family."
After the fat man introduced them one by one, he introduced the accompanying group of people to the Chen family.
When Xu Qingmu was introduced, the second uncle in white who had never raised his eyes raised his head. His eyes seemed to be breathtaking. Looking at Xu Qingmu, the second uncle spoke for the first time:
"Dengxian Bridge, is it broken?"
Xu Qingmu nodded.
The man in white had a rare expression on his face and said something that puzzled Xu Qingmu: "The tree in the shade opens towards the sun."
Then he lowered his head again, and never raised his head again during the entire banquet.
It lasted until the sun set in the west, the moon rose in the east window, and the candles around the waterside pavilion were brightly lit. Everyone ended the dinner and went to the arranged mansion to rest. During this period, Shen Xiuqi was half-dragged and half-carried by the lady and taken to his boudoir. Xu Luoshen Feeling depressed, but unable to break out, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and go to the house with Ye Qingxian and the others.
However, later in the evening, monk Shouyuan took the initiative to say goodbye to everyone and returned to the east chamber. The head of the Chen family tried to persuade him three times to stay. Seeing that Shouyuan insisted on leaving, he sent people to the waterside pavilion to fish out a more mature dragon carp. Donate to Shou Yuan.
Shouyuan was not that coquettish. After thanking him, he took the dragon and the carp, said goodbye to everyone and left.
When leaving, he handed Xu Qingmu a pair of talismans. As for their efficacy and usage, they didn't tell him anything. He only told Xu Qingmu not to use them unless absolutely necessary.
After bidding farewell to Shou Yuan, Xu Qingmu climbed up alone to the mountain behind the Chen family's backyard. The Chen family was so big that a hundred-foot-high mountain rose from the backyard.
"When did the Dengxian Bridge break?"
A sudden voice came, Xu Qingmu subconsciously stroked his sword and turned his head, only to see that the person coming was the silent man in white at the dinner, whom Shen Xiuqi called his second uncle.
Xu Qingmu lowered his head slightly, cupped his hands and said, "Second uncle, Xu Qingmu is polite."
The man put his hands behind his hands, hummed, and waited for Xu Qingmu to continue.
"Four or five years ago, we had a battle with Prince Xu Pei at the frontier, and then the Dengxian Bridge was cut off."
Xu Qingmu didn't lie. It was obvious at a glance that even Li Chengru didn't know about this hidden disease. He was only bringing humiliation to himself by trying to hide it.
The man in white still had his hands behind his back:
"My name is Chen Yehan, and your master Song Zihan is both an enemy and a friend."
The man in white took the initiative to tell the truth, which could be regarded as a reassurance for Xu Qingmu. Xu Qingmu was a little confused. What was the matter with finding him this night?
Seeing this, Chen Yehan in white looked towards the direction of Shengxian Terrace and asked as if he was asking himself:
"Did he really commit suicide at Shengxiandai?"
As the name of Shengxian Terrace suggests, in history, immortals transformed into immortals, shed their mortal bodies, and transformed into immortals.
"Yes."
Chen Yehan sighed, flipping his hands and taking out a small red sandalwood box. The four nails on the box were exposed, and it looked like a coffin, which was extremely weird.
"This object is called the 'Suppressing Immortal Coffin'. It was originally your master's item. It was used by me to suppress some dangers. Now that I have met you, it is time to return it." After that, he reached out and handed over the small red coffin. Then he said: "Once the Dengxian Bridge is broken, do you know that cultivation will be extremely difficult in the future?"
Xu Qingmu nodded: "Li Chengru and Shouyuan have been informed."
The man in white still hummed and said after a while: "What are your plans for the future?"
Xu Qingmu explained the matter of escorting Xu Luo to the dynasty to attend his brother's hereditary death ceremony, and also talked about some not-so-long-term plans in the future.
Chen Yehan looked at Xu Qingmu: "Tell me what I want to hear."
The young man then said: "I don't know."
Xu Qingmu really didn't know that once the Immortal Bridge was broken and his practice was hindered, he was really confused about the future.
The man in white seemed to be very satisfied with this answer, and looked at Xu Qingmu: "If I tell you that your master did not commit suicide, will you not avenge this revenge?"
Xu Qingmu stayed where he was. The letter clearly stated that the Sword Emperor committed suicide after his ten thousand swords pierced his heart!
"The armor puppet next to you, that is, Lin Zhenbei, was also harmed by others, and his soul was trapped under the sea of nine heavens. The person who sacrificed for you, will you not repay this kindness?"
Xu Qingmu's ears were ringing like a bell.
"If the Dengxian Bridge is broken, we will lose our direction?"
The man in white stretched out his hand, and the dark sky instantly lit up a long river of time. In the river, a person was injured and walking forward, with a broken sword dripping with blood. He coughed up blood with every step he took, but he firmly protected the baby in his arms. Then the scene changed.
Turn around, countless giant wolf beasts chase a woodcutter carrying a bundle of firewood, and the blade of an old machete rolls over to protect the five or six-year-old child behind him.
Then the scene changed again. A man in white clothes without a pendant on his waist faced the man in black robes. He put his hands behind his back and just said "Please let that boy go." He allowed the black mist to invade his body and he bled to death from his seven orifices.
, but stood firm and did not fall.
Change again.
On the Immortal Platform, a man swallowed grass roots and smiled at the old man who was floating in the air. His sword shattered into countless pieces and he stepped out. The man exploded in the air like a dead dog, with blood splattering everywhere. But that
But Fangtiandi was isolated and no one could see it.
The picture still changes again...
Until the last scene, countless people cried and sang, and in the thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, figures kept falling down one after another, dying miserably.
From the past to the future, the river changes, the figures are virtual and real, and every scene is desolate...
When the light curtain fell, Baiyi stood still and looked at Xu Qingmu again.
"What are you visualizing?"
Xu Qingmu stood still. He had not calmed down for a long time, and his voice was a little low: "Those, are they the future?"
Chen Yehan opened his mouth and said: "The evolution of heaven and earth has invisible rules. No one can accurately predict the future." Bai Yi stood still and said: "Xu Qingmu, you are playing chess in the world, why is that book reader targeting you?"
Xu Qingmu looked horrified, a chill rising from the bottom of his heart.
After a while, before the man in white came down the mountain, he left a message:
"Xu Qingmu, don't let these people down."
After that, there was complete silence. The wind whimpered on the top of the mountain and the chirping of insects sounded, which made the moonlight night feel a bit lonely. On the Baizhang Mountain in the backyard of Chen's family, there is a stone tablet with the inscription:
The caged bird does not know spring.
That night, people sat in meditation under the moon and never got up. Until the sun rose in the east, Xu Qingmu, who had entered meditation, danced wildly in front of the stele with his sword, and wrote:
Meet the hero in the rain.
...
The next day, the fat man was able to escape back to Xu Luo and others. He felt sorry for the only daughter of the noble lord, who was crying at the empty window. Her beautiful face and eyes were red and swollen from crying, which made the fat man feel heartbroken.
"Why are you coming back? Go and accompany your sister Ronger!"
As if he had made a mistake, the fat man stepped forward and wanted to hold Xu Luo's hand, but the latter forcefully threw him away, sobbing several times.
"She's just my sister..."
The fat man was a little helpless. He also understood his aunt's thoughts. He had threatened since he was a child that the baby's marriage would be decided. When Chen Rong was in her 28th year, he asked Shen's father to re-employ him and come to propose marriage. Chen Rong was four years older.
Of course, many Fatty Shen only regarded this sentence as a joke, but in their hearts, they really cared for Chen Rong as if they were their own sisters.
The noise naturally disturbed Li Chengru.
The literary saint who yawned and stretched out his hand to scratch the crotch slowly walked to the two of them, looked at the fat man and said:
"Let me recall for you, when I hugged your sister yesterday, she laughed so happily."
It's not a big deal to watch the fun.
Sure enough, Xu Luo, who was originally a bit angry and coquettish, had tears streaming down his red and swollen eyes. The fat man bared his teeth and grinned. He neither stepped forward nor stepped back. He was in a dilemma, which made Li Chengru feel very happy.
Well, what's the use of a man who walks around the world with a sword and needs love and affection?
He scratched his crotch again and looked at the person in front of him, feeling very sad at the moment.