That year, that cicada, that sword

Chapter 182 Meeting Three Young Mistresses

On the third day after Xiao Zhinan left, on the fourth day of June, Xiao Yuanying, who hadn't shown up for many days, returned to Xie Yuan. Although she didn't say anything, Xu Beiyou still noticed something different. When he saw him in the past, he would inevitably raise his eyebrows. The little girl became silent abnormally, as if she had returned to the taciturn Xiao Yuanying when she first met.

She first stayed in Xiao Zhinan's study for half an hour, then came to the back garden, sat in the lake pavilion and stared at the lake in a daze.

Xu Beiyou didn't bother her, and felt some inexplicable feeling in his heart.In my impression, Xiao Yuanying was far from being taciturn, at most she was a little indifferent towards outsiders, but in front of her own people she recognized, she was a little girl who didn't know how to feel sad. But today, Xiao Yuanying seems to be in harmony with carefree and Heartless and heartless, I can't talk about it, after all, he is a nobleman of the Tian family who lives in the highest family in the world, who is ignorant of world affairs?

After being silent for a long time, Xiao Yuanying finally spoke. What he said was reasonable and expected, "Xu Beiyou, I'm going back to the imperial capital too. My sister will go back by herself, I don't worry."

Xu Beiyou glanced at Xiao Yuanying, whose face was full of determination, and asked softly, "Is the situation serious?"

"Serious?" Xiao Yuanying said in a low voice: "Maybe for others, this is just a marriage, it doesn't matter whether it is serious or not, but my sister is different, all these years she has been thinking about this matter, how can she accept it ?The father does not allow others to disobey, how can he give up? The queen mother is cowardly, and she will not dare to protect her sister too much. The elder brother is far away in Qizhou, and he cannot return to Beijing without purpose. It’s about something big going to happen.”

Xu Beiyou looked at her in surprise, as if he couldn't believe that she said these words.

Xiao Yuanying gave Xu Beiyou a blank look, and snorted softly, "Do you think I can only talk with my fists? Actually, that's true. With my sister by my side, I really don't like to use my brain very much, but it doesn't mean I have no brains."

Xu Beiyou sighed. I really don't know how such a big child can see things so thoroughly. Thinking about it, His Majesty's ability to raise a daughter is indeed extraordinary. His own daughter is already extraordinary, and this adopted daughter is not a cheap lamp.

Seeing that Xu Beiyou didn't speak, Xiao Yuanying just sighed, and he seemed to be infected, so he also sighed, and then put on a serious face and said: "After I return to the imperial capital, you should take care of yourself in the south of the Yangtze River. Don't die. Otherwise, no one will collect your body."

Xu Beiyou smiled, took out a seal from his sleeve, handed it to Xiao Yuanying, and said, "You don't have to worry about me, but you two sisters make me very worried. I thought about it for a long time yesterday. It is better for you to use it, even if it is to repay the life-saving grace of Her Royal Highness, we will settle the matter."

Xiao Yuanying took the seal half-believingly, and when she saw the word "Lingbao" engraved under the seal, she couldn't help being shocked, "This...is the private seal of the father, I saw it in his study, where did you get it? Here?!"

Xu Beiyou half-mocked himself and half-bitterly said: "For this seal, my master almost took half his life. If it wasn't for it, Qiuye wouldn't be attracted to go down the mountain early, and there wouldn't be a battle on Biyou Island. Don't ask." How did you get it, all you need to know is that His Majesty the Emperor owes my master a favor, and this seal is the proof, if it is time for something to be done, you can take out this chapter and give it to His Majesty, I believe His Majesty will keep his promise."

Xiao Yuanying was silent for a long time, then nodded solemnly, put away the seal with great care, and said in a deep voice, "Let's go."

Xu Beiyou waved his hand, and said lightly, "Go, take care all the way."

Xiao Yuanying left, only Xu Beiyou was left, and in two days, he would go to the East Lake Courtyard for an appointment.

Xu Beiyou doesn't know the art of fortune-telling, he doesn't have the ability to pinch his fingers to see the secrets of the sky, and he doesn't have the ability to foresight before the autumn wind moves, so he can't guess the good or bad fortune of this appointment. Xiao Zhinan hopes that he can learn from this area. In the chaos, he found a path that belonged to him, but he had no idea about this path.

Xu Beiyou went to the study where Xiao Zhinan stayed in Xie Yuan. Everyone said that the study is a more private place than the bedroom, so this is the first time he has come here, maybe because it is a temporary residence, there are not many books here. When Xiao Zhinan left Nothing important was left behind, only two chairs, a desk, on which there were brush washers, pen holders, and a few washed brushes, as well as a stack of red-checked letterhead paper and a stack of snow-white rice paper. , being held down by a white jade paperweight.

The inkstone and ink sticks were missing, probably taken away by Xiao Zhinan.

Xu Beiyou was not interested in pen and paper, he just picked up the white jade paperweight and looked at it carefully. It was painted with dark cloud patterns, and a small "Thank you" was engraved in an inconspicuous corner.

Xie's family's Xie Yuan, Xie's family's Xie.

Xu Beiyou looked at the word "thank you", and suddenly lost interest in this paperweight. He put it back to its original place, and tapped the table with his fingers, making a crisp sound in the empty study.

After a long silence, Xu Beiyou said with some emotion, "Let's go."

He walked out of the study, came back to the lake, and stood with his hands behind his back looking at the lake.

Zhang Wubing quietly appeared beside Xu Beiyou, and said softly: "I don't understand emotional matters, and I don't think Gongsun Zhongmou and Han Xuan will either. As the princess said, you have to find a way out of the chaos." own way."

Xu Beiyou laughed and said, "Zhang Binghu, this is actually for you. Do you feel that you have no confidence to face Tang Shengyue?"

At this time, Zhang Wubing's hair was as long as his shoulders and could be combed into a bun. Then he changed into a military officer uniform with narrow sleeves.Regarding what Xu Beiyou said, he did not deny it, and said frankly: "After thinking about a woman for nearly 50 years, I can't tell whether it is sincerity or obsession. Maybe it is both. When I was in Buddhism, I used to think about it. I specifically asked the host master, he said that this is a demon, in fact, no matter whether it is a demon, obsession, or it is really that the youthful love is still there, I, a rare person, should end it."

Xu Beiyou suddenly asked: "Actually, I've always been very surprised. Your mentality seems to be very different from your husband's. You are about the same age next year, but even if you don't look at your appearance, you don't look like an ancient old man to me."

Zhang Wubing said flatly: "There are two reasons for people's mentality to grow old. One is because they have experienced ups and downs, just like your master Gongsun Zhongmou. When the country is ruined and the family is destroyed, the heart is ashamed. Naturally, the mentality grows old. The other is because of the aging of the body, just like an old lion, it is difficult to have ambitions and ambitions, the heart is more than enough but the strength is not enough, everywhere is helpless and weak, and the horror of life and death is approaching, so the heart is naturally vicissitudes."

Xu Beiyou asked doubtfully, "Can a high-ranking Earth Immortal stay youthful forever?"

Zhang Wubing shook his head and said: "An ordinary person can live for about 100 years if he is free from disease and disaster, so the life span of the Earth Immortal Realm is about 200 years. You can also understand that the aging speed of the Earth Immortal Realm is half of that of ordinary people. So you can see that I am about 30 years old, and Qiu Ye, the Taoist master, is only middle-aged, of course, Gongsun Zhongmou is an exception."

Xu Beiyou asked again: "Why?"

Zhang Wubing hesitated for a while, and said slowly: "Some treasures of the immortal family do not belong to the mortal world, if you want to control them by force, you will inevitably lose your lifespan. People also hurt themselves, and Gongsun Zhongmou, who wields the Immortal Sword and Executes Immortals, may lose half of his lifespan."

Xu Beiyou suddenly remembered the old face of his master before he died, and murmured: "That is to say, even if Qiu Ye didn't take action, my master would not have many days left?"

Zhang Wubing nodded and sighed: "It's almost the same. In fact, Lan Xiang who is in charge of the list of secrets is also the same. Although his situation is slightly better than that of Gongsun Zhongmou, he seems to be in his sixtieth age now."

Xu Beiyou asked, "The autumn leaves?"

Zhang Wubing said with a wry smile: "Comparing people to others makes people angry. The three most important treasures of the Taoist sect are the Immortal Execution Sword brought to the Sword Sect, the Linglong Pagoda held by the Daoist Master, and the Dutian Seal that suppresses luck. Jade Immortal is the first-class attack treasure, and Linglong Pagoda is the first-class defense treasure. These two treasures of the fairy family are very powerful, but if the real masters of the past generations are allowed to control the two treasures of the fairy family at the same time, the longevity of 200 years is afraid. There are only 60 years left, so the Taoist ancestor passed down the third treasure, the Tianyin, the only effect is to suppress luck, and it will not lose life due to the treasure of the fairy family."

Xu Beiyou let out a groan and stopped talking.

For a while, the two were silent.

Xu Beiyou lowered his head thoughtfully, then suddenly remembered something, raised his head and said to himself: "So, on the sixth day of June, we actually have to face three and a half old ladies."

Zhang Wubing was stunned at first, then couldn't help laughing, the hesitation in his heart disappeared in an instant.

Xu Beiyou smiled without saying a word, in this summer weather, it was like a refreshing spring.

(End of this chapter)