Chang'an: Qinglian Sword Song

Chapter 5
The breakfast is the freshly cooked hot and spicy soup with deep-fried dough sticks on the bench at the entrance of the alley.

The oil and salt are thick, and there are slices of chili floating in the bowl, which can't be called a wonderful taste.Xun Qing was originally worried that Li Bai would not get used to it, but he didn't expect Li Bai to divide his actions into pieces and solve the problem.It doesn't match his own painting style in white clothes like snow.

Xun Qing picked up the bowl and took the first sip. Before he woke up from the hangover headache, he stuck out his hot tongue.

"Don't you think it's hot?"

"It's refreshing for everyone to eat like this. It's not like you, you have to let it cool every time!" The stall owner behind the pot muttered, and added another spoonful for Li Bai and Xun Qing: "What are you up to, and it took you so long to come back? Your aunt thought you had moved away, and kept talking about..."

"Where can I go? I still owe the rent." Xun Qing scratched his head.

"Have you been to Duke Daoxuan?"

"Eat and go."

"Then eat quickly, don't let the old man worry about it, remember to bring us a treat." The stall owner shook his head and added two more pancakes for them.

At the end of the day, when Li Bai wanted to pay the bill, he was kicked out with a wave of his hand.

"Ah Gou has been terribly withdrawn since he was a child. This is the first time I've seen him bring friends back... Hey, it's a pity that he's a man. I'll take this as a treat."

The stall owner shook his head and sighed, his hands kept moving, he was busy: "Remember to take care of the business later, kid."

"Sure, put more chili for me next time!"

Li Bai laughed and waved goodbye.

It wasn't until he got on the rail car in Chang'an that Li Bai finally remembered and asked, "Who is Lord Daoxuan?"

"An elder, after the teacher passed away, it was all thanks to his support that I was admitted to the mechanism division. Without him, our group of survivors without household registration might not even have a chance to succeed..."

Xun Qing sighed: "He is very serious, he may be scolded later, you must remember to be respectful, if anyone in Chang'an can help us, I'm afraid he is the only one. "

"So powerful?" Li Bai wondered.

Xun Qing squinted at him: "Among all the mechanism divisions in Chang'an, he can at least rank in the top ten, what do you think?"

"Sure enough!"

Although Li Bai didn't understand it very well, he still felt that he was very powerful, and finally asked: "But why did they call you a dog?"

"..."

Xun Qing's expression froze, and his expression became more and more frustrated: "It's all caused by those brats, even Mr.'s name can be written wrong, if I knew it, I wouldn't have taught them to read and write... It's messed up everyone Start calling me Ago.

Li Bai thought for a while, suddenly realized, and nodded in agreement:

"One thing to say, it's really doggy."

"Hey……"

If the precipitousness and weirdness of Chang'an City were to be ranked, then Chongrenfang would definitely be at the top.

As a city where mechanism workshops gather, there are the largest number of mechanism engineers in Chang'an City. No matter what time it is, there are fierce competitions and struggles between the nobles and the poor.Whether it's all kinds of new civil institutions or extravagant ingenious creations, there are new types of institutions coming out every day.

And in order to show his outstanding skills, even the mechanism workshop is full of strange things.

Among them, Duke Daoxuan's workshop is definitely the strangest one.

It looks like a huge octagonal sharp cube, but it is divided into countless modules from top to bottom. Driven by the hydraulic power that runs through the underground river, the axis of the entire workshop is in the It rotates all the time, and the huge force pushes countless organs to operate, even the entire workshop is rotating accordingly.

When the hot, high-pressure gas in the pipeline gushes out from the whistle, it emits a long and deep whistle.

It's as if it's not a cold dead thing, but something alive.

Possesses indescribable vitality.

"This is really beautiful."

Standing in front of the door, Li Bai looked up at the countless working structures, and exclaimed, "Is this workshop modeled after Chang'an?"

He thought for a moment, then pointed straight ahead: "That should be Chongren Square. The area below on the right should be where we live. Dali Temple is in the upper right corner. What is the top place? Why is there nothing?"

"That's Weiyang Palace."

An old voice replied: "Ordinary people who dare to spy on the prison will be beheaded, boy, don't you even have a little awe in your heart?"

"It's just a little taller?"

Li Bai didn't take it seriously: "If you ask me, it's strange that there are good things hidden behind closed doors."

"It seems that he is indeed a bold person."

In front of the door, the old man looked coldly at the two uninvited guests.

Xun Qing was stunned for a moment, then pulled Li Bai's clothes subconsciously, telling him not to be presumptuous, and bowed his head respectfully: "Mr. Daoxuan, I didn't expect to meet by chance..."

"It's not a coincidence, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

The old man in black shook his hand and said unhappily.

He was sitting on a mechanical chair with eight legs, his fingers were rough, his hair was gray, his face was full of spots, and there was not enough powder to cover it up.If you ignore the mechanism creations around you, it doesn't look like a high-ranking mechanism engineer at all, but like a woodcutter chopping wood in the mountains.

No one could have imagined that such a vulgar old man would be Lu Daoxuan, a well-known mechanism master in Chang'an City!

"Your friend, you have a good eye... At least you haven't seen it for so long."

The old man glanced critically at the two of them, and waved to them: "Come with me, I have something to tell you."

Xun Qing had a bitter face: "You know everything?"

"Why didn't I know?" Lu Daoxuan asked back: "You were hung at such a high place the day before yesterday, do you think no one in Chang'an has seen you?

When someone told me, I thought I was talking nonsense, but it turned out that you really came back.how?Is it because I think the position I have tried so hard to find for you is not lucrative enough? "

"Where is it?" Xun Qing drooped his head, "I was just thinking about the things in Chang'an, and my heart was uneasy, so I worked overtime to finish all the work, come back quickly, if it is late..."

"I'm afraid that if it's too late, your teacher's workshop will be taken away by Yu Hengsi?" Lu Daoxuan sneered: "You and your teacher are really carved out of the same mold, it looks silly, but you can't learn to let go , do you want to repeat his mistakes!"

Xun Qing lowered his head and did not speak.

"Old man, it's too much for you to talk like that."

Li Bai couldn't stand it any longer, and ignored Xun Qing's blocking gaze, he opened his mouth to argue: "I chose the path myself, you can't arrange him for a lifetime, right?
Besides, isn't his teacher's organ very powerful, I don't think there is anything wrong with it. "

"Hey..." Xun Qing pulled his clothes, but Li Bai didn't turn his head, still looking at the old man on the mechanism chair.

Waiting to hear back.

Until the end of the silence, Lu Daoxuan shook his head, but couldn't help but sigh helplessly.

"To be angry with you brats, the old man is really going back to life..."

He took a deep look at Li Bai, then turned his head and said to his junior, "I haven't had much success since I was a child, but this time I came back, I made a good friend."

"Huh?" Xun Qing was puzzled.

"Praise you, fool."

Lu Daoxuan was too lazy to talk nonsense, he drove the organ to go ahead, and beckoned them to follow.

All the way through the lively workshop full of people and countless complicated institutions, they came to a relatively quiet room.It is said to be a quiet room because it is really only a little quieter than outside, and the voice of talking can barely be heard.

A bed was placed in the corner, and the table was covered with drawings.

It looked like Duke Daoxuan's living place, but it was barely isolated with a few wall panels, and there was a window on one side, facing the inside of the workshop.

There is actually a perfectly circular artificial lake within the numerous traps.

With the operation of the mechanism, a ray of skylight shines down from above and falls on the scale of the huge stone, which is exactly the same as the sundial in Chang'an.

The water is rushing, transported by the mechanism and sent to all directions, intertwined with each other, like blood vessels.

Such a boring scene actually fascinated Li Bai for a while.

On the contrary, it was Xun Qing who didn't keep his house, and didn't notice the essence of the workshop at all. It was no different from before, and he didn't get enlightened.

With other people's children in front of them, the silly children of one's own family became a headache.

Lu Daoxuan shook his head and sighed lightly.

After so many years, why hasn't he made any progress?
"We'll talk about your business later."

The old man glared at Xun Qing, looked in Li Bai's direction, and asked calmly, "Boy, why did you come here?"

In front of the window, Li Bai finally looked away from the lake.

"For justice."

He said seriously: "An innocent child died yesterday, and I want to know who did it."

"Justice has nothing to do with me, it's something unique to Honglu Temple."

The old man shook his head indifferently, "In this world, if you want to live well, sympathy should not be squandered, and it should be reserved for more important people.

You should also be sober, boy, dead people are not a big deal in Chang'an City, they happen every day, every moment... Do you want to take care of everyone? "

"Of course I have to take care of it. Could it be that I cover my eyes as if I can't see it?"

Li Bai replied without hesitation: "A coward wanted to kill me, but he didn't dare to face his opponent, and instead sacrificed an innocent child...

Sir, I just want to know who did this. "

"Then what? To punish the moment?"

Lu Daoxuan sneered disdainfully: "I understand your thoughts, Li Bai, right? You are very young, very courageous and talented, you wear a sword, and maybe your swordsmanship is superb, so you don't care about anything.

You want to get involved in trouble, you think everyone else should be like you... But the old man has a family and a family, and there are so many people begging for life, I can't leave everyone to play with you. "

Li Bai frowned, but he didn't say anything after all.

He sighed, got up and cupped his hands, and was about to turn around to leave when he heard Xun Qing's trembling voice.

"But, human life is at stake, Lord Daoxuan!"

There, the mechanism engineer with his head down mustered up his courage, "Could it be that nothing happened by turning a deaf ear!"

"It's better than getting involved in gossip!"

The old man was furious: "Do you think it took me so much effort to get you out, why can't I just listen to you once, Xun Qing!"

"But I'm already involved, Lord Daoxuan!"

Xun Qing's voice became sharper, lost his tone, and begged hoarsely, "I asked for this, so let's treat it as my own death. This is my mistake... If it wasn't for me, that child... that child ..."

"Even without you, he would die, Xun Qing, isn't there still so much unsatisfactory place in this world?" Lu Daoxuan angrily scolded: "Don't worry about things that have nothing to do with you! Why don't you understand?"

"Then why did Lord Daoxuan save me when the accident happened?"

Xun Qing angrily interrupted him: "Isn't it better for a worthless thing like me to be burned to death with the teacher! I won't have today's trouble!"

The old man froze and fell silent.

It's like, I don't know how to answer.

stunned.

On the contrary, in the silence, Xun Qing gradually felt guilty, and after a moment of anger, he realized what he had said.

"I'm sorry, Lord Daoxuan, I just... I just can't forgive myself..." The immature mechanism master drooped his head, stood up, and apologized in frustration: "Mr. Daoxuan, you have helped me so much, but I, shouldn't Bring trouble here."

"Do you have to be obsessed with obsession, Xun Qing." The old man shook his head in disappointment, "You are already a mechanism master, and you have your own future.

After finally getting up in the mud pond, why go back to the mud pond? "

Xun Qing shook his head and laughed at himself: "Mr. Daoxuan, if a person like me is not lucky, has a teacher, and has your help, how can he be successful?

I'm no different from that kid, we're all nothing in the mud. "

Xun Qing bowed his head deeply and said goodbye, "I'm sorry, Lord Daoxuan, if I can't repay him justice, I won't be able to forgive myself for the rest of my life."

In the silence, he heard the old man's voice.

"Wang Cheer."

On the mechanical chair, the old man sighed tiredly and said a name.

Xun Qing was taken aback for a moment, puzzled.

"Wang Che'er, a child-abductor in Changlefang."

He ignored Xun Qing, but said to the silent Li Bai: "The begging children are all under his control, if you want to find any clues, go to him.

That's all I can help you with. "

Unexpectedly, such a stubborn old man would choose to lend a helping hand, Li Bai respectfully clasped his fists together: "Thank you Daoxuan Gong."

"Ha, don't you call me old man now?"

Lu Daoxuan shook his head, smiled self-deprecatingly, didn't say much, just waved his hand: "You guys go, I want to be quiet."

But when they were leaving, they couldn't help raising their heads and calling Xun Qing.

Xun Qing turned around and saw Lu Daoxuan's old face.

"Ah Qing... It is inevitable that people will be stupid when they are alive, especially young people."

The old man looked at him, full of hope: "There is nothing difficult in this world. If, I mean, if, if you regret it, remember to come back. No matter how shameless this old place is, I will have a meal for you food."

Xun Qing was startled, only felt the tip of his nose warm up, and nodded vigorously.

"Thank you Daoxuan, I can save it."

After finishing speaking, he didn't dare to stay any longer, and left as if running away, for fear that he would cry.

The silent room returned to silence, only the never-ending roar came from the distant workshop.

The old man closed his eyes desolately.

Silent sigh.

After leaving the workshop, Xun Qing kept drooping his head, listless.

Just thinking of the presumptuous words he said to Duke Daoxuan just now, he couldn't help but blame himself, why would he say such embarrassing things without shame.

If it weren't for him, I would have been burned to death in the workshop... Where would I be today?
"You were amazing just now."

Li Bai suddenly said, "I never thought you could say such a thing."

He was holding fried chestnuts in sugar that he didn't know where to buy, and his body was covered with crumbs. He looked very insincere, which made people even more depressed.

"What's so amazing." Xun Qing sighed helplessly, "It's just that I didn't hold back my words. I must have made Duke Daoxuan sad again."

"No, Xun Qing."

Li Bai shook his head with a solemn expression: "Sometimes, it is a great courage for a person to be able to speak out what is in his heart."

"Is there any use for such courage?"

"Of course."

Li Bai, who was walking in front, paused slightly, and turned around slowly, with a solemn expression and sharp eyes: "Xun Qing, do you know why I hate people telling lies?"

Xun Qing looked up in astonishment.

"Because a lie is false, like mold on a painting, like a failure in a poem."

Li Bai said softly: "Only when you can't face your own life, do you go back and cover up your mistakes with clever words. But no matter how good a lie is, it is nothing but self-deception.

It may be able to get temporary comfort, but in the end, it will only harm others and yourself—Xun Qing, if you don’t say anything, others will not know what you want, and in the end, you will start to lie.

If nothing is done, there will be no such thing as the future, and some people will be willing to degenerate, and even make up a lot of things that sound reasonable to deceive themselves.

I have seen people like that countless times in Yunzhong, in Xuanyong, and in many places. "

"I hate people like that," he said.

Xun Qing froze in place.

"Although it is indeed a bit embarrassing, I still think I should congratulate you, Xun Qing."

The young man stretched out his hand, patted Xun Qing's shoulder, and told him seriously: "If there is a way to control your destiny in this world, then you have already taken the first step!

Because you have the courage to make choices. "

"...I believe in you!"

Xun Qing gave him a blank look, only to think that this guy was full of nonsense.But I don't know why, but I feel a little more comfortable in my heart.

Seeing how delicious and sweet he was eating, he suddenly became angry, grabbed half of the bag with his hands, and stuffed two into his mouth viciously.

Anyway, we're all on the thief's boat, so let's eat our fill first!
Then, when it was dinner time, Xun Qing looked at the dazzling array of dishes in front of him, touched his stomach stuffed with sugar-fried chestnuts, and shed tears of grief and indignation.

I can't eat anymore...

When Li Bai cleaned up all the things on a large table, and brought two jugs of good wine, humming songs all the way, when he arrived at the place with Xun Qing, Xun Qing found sadly that he was hungry again.

In the long silent night, his stomach rumbled, attracting Li Bai's attention, that kind of eyes that seemed to be looking at pig spirits made him almost tear up.

But soon, a cold paper bag was handed to him, full of food.

"Eat?" Li Bai said with concern, "I've saved some for you."

When Xun Qing saw it, he couldn't help it, and almost burst into tears.

How come it's sugar-fried chestnuts again!

He had never hated chestnuts so much before, but he stretched out his hand irregularly, and took it with tears in his eyes.

"I eat……"

He wants to eliminate this abominable source of all evil for Chang'an!

(End of this chapter)