There is a horizontal plaque hanging on the door of the dilapidated temple with the word "Red Lotus" written on it.
Ning Que didn't expect that such a remote mountain temple would actually have an official name. It was only when he helped Sang Sang walk into the temple and saw the several autumn maples in the courtyard that were as red as blood that he understood the reason.
The rain was dripping, and the temple was filled with a slightly cold dampness. Ning Que looked for the monks in the temple, took out the banknotes, and said that he wanted to stay here for the night, and that his wife liked to be quiet and did not want to listen to other news.
The two monks didn't understand what it meant at first, and were unwilling to leave the temple in the rain. However, when they saw the amount on the bank note, they suddenly became understanding - Honglian Temple was very run-down and there was nothing valuable.
Even the few Arhat statues in the main hall are all made of mud and painted, and together they are not as important as the banknotes, so there is no need to pay attention to them.
The two monks boiled a pot of water, left some necessities behind, and told Ning Que how many acres of monk land there were under the mountain and where they would live. Then they crowded under a broken umbrella and left the temple.
It was still early at this time, but he didn't eat anything serious during the trip. Ning Que was a little hungry, so he went to the temple kitchen and tasted a few plates of vegetarian dishes prepared by the monks. He felt that the taste was ordinary, so he took out a large bowl from his luggage.
Wrap the dried meat, pinch two handfuls of ginseng whiskers, throw them into the pot and make a large pot of broth.
After the soup cooled down, he carefully fed Sangsang a small bowl, soaked the rice in the broth himself, then fished out the meat pieces with the scent of ginseng from the pot and threw them outside the threshold.
The big black horse smelled the aroma of ginseng and came over curiously. He lowered his head and took a few sniffs at the meat. He found that it was not fresh meat and that the ginseng was made from ginseng fibers rather than whole ginseng. So he walked away disappointedly and went to the maple tree.
Take shelter from the rain and stay in a daze.
Ning Que scolded with some annoyance: "You've almost finished all the ginseng goblins given to you by Senior Brother Eleven. If you idiot like me is still picky about food like an old cow, you may starve to death on the road."
The big black horse ignored him and raised his head to smell the fragrance on the maple tree, thinking proudly. Although he is a fool, he is also a fool in the academy. Not only does he not want to eat the fireworks of the world, but he also wants to pursue the realm of eating wind and drinking dew.
Sang Sang's illness is a bit serious, and the cold air in her body is very annoying, but she doesn't know whether it's because of her successful practice of magic or the long days of soaking in strong wine. Even if she gets sick, it's not as scary as the time in Chang'an City. She's just sick.
He looked languid and lacked energy, and he felt tired easily.
Ning Que fished out another piece of meat and poked it carefully with chopsticks until it became velvety. Then he mixed it into the rice. Sang Sang took the drinking bowl and ate it with great effort. After finishing half the ration of spirits today, she suddenly felt energetic.
It seems much better.
"If you bear with me a little longer, I will be able to reach Lanke Temple in about four days."
Preparing to light a fire for warmth at night, Ning Que brought two large sticks of firewood and sat on the threshold, lowering his head and chopping. He thought that although the black carriage was comfortable, it would still be bumpy after all, and if he met better inns on the road in the next few days.
It's better to let Sangsang lie down for a while.
Sang Sang was lying on the monk's bed, with the quilt covering her lower body. She looked at Ning Que who was busy, and suddenly thought of those days many years ago. At that time, it was not she who cooked and chopped firewood at home, but him.
Feeling her gaze, Ning Que turned back and looked indoors. Looking at the tired look on her dark little face, he said seriously: "I don't know why Master Dao couldn't cure your disease, but I believe what he said.
The elders in Ke Temple can definitely do it, so don’t worry."
Sangsang hummed softly.
After Ning Que was silent for a moment, he said with a solemn expression: "If something happens in Lanke Temple, don't pay attention to it. Especially the magical skills can no longer be used. You just need to take care of your own health."
Sangsang lowered his head and remained silent. After a long time, he did not even utter a single word.
Ning Que knew that this request meant nothing to her. If she really encountered any danger, how could she care about her own body? She couldn't help but shake her head and said nothing.
Just like he had done in the past sixteen years, he could never defeat his little maid, no matter in any aspect.
After resting for a while, Sangsang's spirit improved a little. She looked at the beautiful maple trees in the temple yard through the door, with a happy look in her eyes.
Ever since she fell ill, Ning Que had been paying close attention to the slightest changes in her expression. Looking at her eyes, he felt slightly relieved. He helped her up from the bed and walked to the corridor to look at the trees through the rain.
Honglian Temple was really in a dilapidated state. Several temple walls had collapsed. Even the stone steps at the main entrance had become flat for some time. Ning Que really parked the carriage into the courtyard.
At this time, the autumn rain was clear, the red maples were like fire, and the black carriage was parked under the maple trees. Ning Que naturally thought of a poem and read: "Stop and sit in the maple forest at night, the maple leaves are as red as..."
He was born early, came early, and many of his memories have long been blurred or even disappeared. Only some very basic things are hard to forget. He can't remember the poems, but he can't forget the content of the text. It's just that at this time, he includes the world.
Everyone on the page didn't know that he remembered the frost leaves as maple leaves.
This poem was not finished.
Because he felt that the thin arms of Sangsang he was supporting had become a little stiff. He looked worriedly, but instead of seeing her frowning and uncomfortable look, he saw a shy and slightly red face.
Sangsang lowered his head and murmured in a very small voice: "We are not married yet."
Ning Que knew that the little girl had misunderstood the two words in the poem, and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Then he thought about many years ago, there seemed to be a little boy in the classroom who used the words "sitting and love" in this poem to tease other little girls.
, couldn't help but be slightly startled, feeling as if they were separated from each other in this world, but they never understood that this was really a connection between them.
After a while, he woke up from this rare emotion, reached out and touched Sangsang's face, and said: "It doesn't matter whether we get married or not, you and I can't be separated in this life."
Sangsang raised her head and said softly: "I'm worried about the difference."
Ning Que was slightly surprised and asked, "What difference can there be?"
Sangsang whispered: "They all say...if we really get together, we won't like each other, at least not as much as before."
Ning Que was slightly annoyed and said: "No matter where you come from, you are not that little girl from Xiaocao. She has nothing to do but instill in you these messy world views of three aunts and six women."
Sangsang looked at him and asked stubbornly: "But, will you not like it?"
Ning Que's answer was natural and without thought: "Of course not."
Sangsang said: "But Xiaocao said... many girls in Chang'an City are very pampered by their men before marriage, but after they get married, they will feel tired of it within two or three years."
Ning Que looked at her and smiled and said: "You have to understand that you entered my Ning family as soon as you were born. It has been sixteen years now. Have I ever been tired of it? Have you ever been tired of it? Since we look at each other,
If you haven’t gotten tired of it after so many years, then naturally you won’t be able to get tired of it in this life. Even if you get tired of it, it’s because you are tired of it together.”
Sangsang's face turned slightly red and she said, "Ning Que, you are talking more and more nicely now."
Ning Que smiled and asked, "Why don't you call me Young Master?"
Sangsang said: "When talking about love, you can't be a young master."
Ning Que said: "It makes sense."
Sang Sang suddenly said: "But you still like other women."
Ning Que's body trembled and he said, "Where is it?"
"Your Highness?"
"It's the budding love of a young man. He is about to move without any sense of direction. If you look deeper, you can probably see the fantasy of all the poor people in the world about princesses."
"Sister Shuizhu'er?"
"This is the master's dish, so don't be so disrespectful."
"But you said you really wanted to touch her and rub her."
"It's a feel issue. ** issue."
"...You mean I feel bad?"
"Change it, change it."
"Where's the bookworm?"
"Ah, the wind is a bit strong. Let's go back to the room first."
The big dark horse, who was originally sheltering from the rain and practicing self-cultivation under the maple tree, woke up when Ning Que and Sangsang started talking about certain topics, listened with ears pricked, and stared with wide eyes, for fear of missing something.
One sentence of dialogue, or Ning Que's embarrassment was missed.
Seeing Ning Que preparing to help Sangsang into the room, the big black horse felt bored and scolded Ning Que for being shameless in his heart. Suddenly, it faintly smelled a very faint smell, coming from the autumn rain, and couldn't help but raise its head in confusion.
.
Sangsang looked at the temple gate in the rain and said, "Someone is coming."
Ning Que stood quietly for a moment and suddenly said: "Get in the car."
…
…
The important luggage was all in the carriage, so there was no need for a coachman, and we were soon ready to leave.
The mane of the big black horse was soaked by the autumn rain. However, it was not loose and sticky, and it was stabbed in all directions like a sword.
It was in a very violent mood at this time.
Because it confirmed that the very faint smell that I smelled in the rain before was the smell of blood.
It has never smelled such a strong yet extremely cold smell of blood, not even on the battlefield.
…
…
The rapid sound of horse hooves could be heard in the autumn rain. It should still be under the mountain, very far away. Logically speaking, there is no way to hear it, but Ning Que Sang Sang and the big black horse can hear it very clearly.
The black carriage drove out of Honglian Temple.
Ning Que raised the curtains and looked down the mountain.
There are no trees among the green hills, only wild long grass. It is the thick autumn, and the grass is frosty yellow. They have been toppled by the rain and autumn wind, and the originally excellent field of vision has become more and more clear.
The autumn rain is sad but not dense, and it cannot block people's sight.
I saw more than a dozen black riders, traveling at high speed along three mountain roads.
The people on the dark horses were wearing black Taoist robes, and their bodies were all dark, as if night had come to this world early in the day, full of a chilling and gloomy atmosphere.
These black knights are as fast as lightning.
The horses' hooves crushed the mud on the road, and the priest's robe broke the thin raindrops.
Ning Que looked through the window and remained silent, confirming that it was too late to leave.
The big black horse neighed uneasily and kicked the rainwater accumulated on the ground irritably, as if it wanted to rush in and kill it immediately.
Sangsang lowered her head and coughed lightly, the dark iron bow already taking shape in her little hands.
Ning Que suddenly asked: "What level?"
Sang Sang raised her head, holding the big black umbrella in her right hand, looking at the black knights through the window, frowning slightly, as if she couldn't believe her own perception, and said: "They are all in the Cave Mysterious Realm..."
Then she added: "One of the five Dongxuan higher realms has reached its peak."
Ning Que's face darkened, his eyes remained calm, but he was a little confused.
…
…
(This is the second chapter. The next chapter may be a little later. I will try to write it before 1:30.)