Queen Sun

Chapter 58
The night is as cool as water, and the moon is in the sky.

Mingyao stood at the bow of the boat in plain clothes, her gaze was set on the distant river, the sky and river were really the same color, the moon was shining brightly, and the boatman said that she would arrive in Yangzhou early tomorrow morning.

There were soft footsteps behind her, and she turned slightly to one side, and saw a man in a dark long gown slowly walking over, under the moonlight, one could vaguely see his face was elegant, but he didn't have the frailty of a scholar .

"Is the girl admiring the moon too?" The man's voice was warm and clear, very pleasant to hear.

Mingyao didn't want to answer strangers at first, after all, before boarding the boat, she managed to leave those two attendants in Chang'an, and she was alone, so she had to guard against it.But for some reason, when the other party stopped within a few feet away from her, Mingyao unconsciously had a sentence that her mother once said to herself appeared in Mingyao's mind: a gentleman is as gentle as jade.So, she nodded and said, "I'm going to disembark tomorrow, so I want to take another look at the scenery of the lonely moon in the heart of the river."

The man smiled slightly: "Is the girl going to Yangzhou too? That's exactly the same way as Zai Xia."

"Huh?" Ming Yao was slightly surprised, "I'm going to find my old friend, what about you?"

"My surname is Du, and my single name is a lotus. I went to Yangzhou to find tea." The man's eyes were unusually clear.

Duho?Ming Yao frowned and thought about it carefully, she always felt that the name sounded familiar: "Xuncha? Mr. Du is really very elegant."

"Chang'an also has many good places to find tea, but after all, it is not as popular as Jiangnan. I don't know what to call the girl?"

Ming Yao's eyelids drooped slightly, and she said with a smile on the corner of her mouth: "My surname is Gao. I don't know if Mr. Du has been to Yangzhou before?"

Du He smiled and nodded: "Although my family is in Chang'an, I still travel between Luoyang and Yangzhou most of the time. I'm just an idler in the world."

Mingyao's eyes showed a faint envy, and then asked: "Then do you know, is there any family with the surname Gao in Yangzhou?"

"Gao's surname..." Du He thought carefully, "As far as I know, there doesn't seem to be a rich family with the surname Gao in Yangzhou. Which generation of Miss Gao's ancestors lived in Yangzhou?"

Mingyao frowned slightly, then let go and said: "That's already a matter of the previous dynasty. My ancestors used to be officials in Yangzhou, but they were transferred to him not long ago. I just want to see if there are any more It’s just an old friend who stayed in Yangzhou back then.”

Du He took a look at Mingyao: "If the girl has time, it's not impossible to check. I still have some friends in Yangzhou. I can ask them for help when the time comes. It will definitely get twice the result with half the effort."

Ming Yao waved his hand, half-truthfully said: "Don't bother me, my lord, I was just on a whim, my mother's death day is approaching, I don't want to stay long, I will return to Chang'an in a few days."

"Miss is filial and sincere." Du He nodded and said, "It's just that Yangzhou is not as big as Chang'an, but it can be regarded as a big city. The girl is not familiar with the place, so I don't know if I need to guide the way?"

These words hit Mingyao's heart, she raised a smile: "That's really great, I'm just worried that I don't know the direction to Daming Temple, thank you very much, young master, but I wonder if it will delay your trip?"

The corners of Du He's mouth curled up slightly: "I was also going to Daming Temple to fetch water, and I happened to drop by."

Looking at Ming Yao's puzzled expression, he added: "The spring water in Daming Temple is mellow and sweet. What I look for besides tea is the best water in this world."

"Yangzhou..." Ming Yao smiled slightly, "My mother once told us that there was a scholar who once said that three parts of the world are moonlit nights and two parts are rogues, Yangzhou. I don't know if this is true or not?"

Du He smiled quietly: "Whether it's true or not, the girl will know at this time tomorrow."

The next day, Daming Temple.

"So this is Daming Temple." Ming Yao exclaimed.

Du He smiled gently: "There seems to be quite a surprise in Miss Gao's words."

Mingyao was a little embarrassed: "No wonder my mother said that seeing is believing. When I was at home, I read a lot of books, but I never thought that this temple built in the mountains would be so solemn and majestic. There are no less royal temples."

When the words fell to the ground, Mingyao felt a little slipped, but seeing that the other party didn't seem to care, she was relieved, but when she spoke again, she paid more attention.

Du He seemed to be quite familiar with the eminent monks of Daming Temple. They walked around the crowded main hall and entered an inner hall. Seeing that he didn't seem to leave, Ming Yao walked towards the sitting Buddha statue indifferently, piously He knelt down on the ground, clasped his hands together, and muttered in his mouth: "Buddha blesses the mother's spirit in heaven to rest in peace, bless the elder brother and father to reconcile soon, and bless all the little girl's family members to be happy and healthy." After finishing speaking, Gonggong kowtowed three times.

After getting up, the two of them were about to leave when they suddenly heard voices coming from far away, Du He's expression changed, and he said softly to Ming Yao: "Let's go to the side to avoid it, and one of the people who come One is Master Jianyuan, the abbot of Daming Temple, he said three years ago that no one is allowed to enter this inner hall, if he finds out that we are here, then the spring water will never be available again."

Although the inner hall is a bit empty, there is still some sheltered space behind the Buddha statue. Mingyao is a little funny in her heart, but she still quietly hides behind with Du He. Not long after, she only heard the sound of footsteps entering the hall.

"Madam is going on a long journey?" Jian Yuan walked into the inner hall, a strange light suddenly flashed in his eyes, but he immediately asked calmly.

Ruoshui avoided Jianyuan's clear gaze, looked outside the hall and said, "The host is a man of great wisdom, and I'm here to bid farewell to you today."

Jianyuan said with deep meaning: "Lao Na has already said that the wife is the most precious life, and the number of days cannot be limited, let alone a mortal in the world, please do everything according to your heart, and you will be safe."

Kun is thick, virtue is boundless, Ruo Shui recited silently in his heart, and there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice when he spoke: "What the master said, someone said it before."

Jianyuan sighed lightly: "I hope the Buddha will bless your wife for a safe journey." After finishing speaking, he seemed to glance at the Buddha statue inadvertently, and then left the inner hall, leaving Ruoshui standing alone on the cold bluestone bricks superior.

Ruoshui looked up at the solemn Buddha statue, stepped forward for the first time in three years, put his hands together and whispered softly: "If there is really a Buddha to protect the world, I only hope that the three children and two daughters in the family are safe..." Her voice became more and more serious The lighter it was until it became silent, then he sighed and was about to leave, when he was about to step over the threshold, he heard a cry from behind: "...Mother...Mother..."

Ruoshui had an incredulous expression on his face, and he turned around slowly, only to see Mingyao standing a few steps away from her with tears streaming down her face, her hands were trembling uncontrollably, and she was struggling to say something. The sound of breaking.

The mother and daughter faced each other, and they didn't know who took a step first. In an instant, Mingyao fell into Ruoshui's arms and burst into tears. Ruoshui held back her tears and hugged her daughter tightly. He raised his eyes slightly, but was shocked to find that there was a man standing in front of his misty eyes. He saw a slightly unnatural look in his eyes, but still had a peaceful smile on his face.

Seeing her daughter's crying subdued a little, Ruoshui gently straightened Ming Yao's body, and asked softly, "Yao'er, who is..."

Hearing her mother calling her name, Mingyao's heart was sore again, and she choked up and said, "He is a friend my daughter met on the way. Thanks to him, I can see my mother."

Ruoshui stroked Ming Yao's hair lightly, and said politely to the man: "Young master, I made you laugh."

Du He's expression was slightly embarrassed, after all, the scene just now was about Miss Gao's family affairs, but he let himself see it, and he said apologetically: "I'm being rude, I should have avoided it earlier, but Madam is really Gao Is the girl's mother, why I was so surprised when I heard her mention the word "dead mother."

Miss Gao?Ruoshui glanced at Mingyao, saw her eyes flickering slightly, thought for a while, and then said: "A few years ago, I was ill for a long time, so I went out to seek medical treatment, and I was separated from my family on the way. Master rescued me, recuperated until today, and was about to go home, but my family probably thought that I was no longer alive."

Du He smiled in relief: "Madam is a very blessed person. Now that the mother and daughter meet, even the younger generation feels very gratified, so I won't bother you anymore, so I will leave now."

Ruoshui looked at her daughter who was lying on top of her and refused to raise her head, raised her head with a wry smile and said, "Master is kind, if we meet again by fate in the future, we will thank you very much."

Du He humbly bowed to Ruoshui, then turned and left.

Ruoshui patted Mingyao on the head, teasingly said: "Okay, everyone is gone, you can go back with your mother too."

There are really too many shocking questions in Mingyao's heart, she hesitates to look at her mother's face which is no different from before, and she is even more confused: "Mother...you..."

"Mother knows what you want to ask." Ruoshui saw her daughter's thoughts, "So, let's go back to Mother's current home and talk about it. I also have many things to ask you."

Mingyao felt a little guilty, then she held Ruoshui's hand tightly and walked towards the mountain together.

It was still an unpretentious room, but at this moment, it seemed warmer than ever before. The orange candlelight flickered on the table, and Mingyao looked at her mother's busy back without blinking. The hands playing the piano and in charge of the harem are cooking their dinner skillfully and even gracefully at this moment. "Mom, have you suffered a lot?"

Ruoshui couldn't help laughing, and asked, "Why do you say that?"

Mingyao looked around, pointed her fingers and said, "I live in such a shabby house, and I have to cook for myself, and I don't even have a servant, isn't it hard? Mother seems to have never experienced such an experience before. "

How not?Ruoshui lowered his head, took out the dishes, put them on the table, and narrowed his eyes slightly: "At the beginning, when your grandpa passed away, your grandma took me and your uncle to wait outside her door for two days and two nights. God, there is nothing to eat, and it is really hard to pick us up until your uncle arrives, it is like walking on the edge of a cliff, there is no future, and there is no hope."

"Did mother ever hate them?" Mingyao's complexion was a little pale. She lived in a pampered family since she was a child, as if she couldn't imagine the feeling of being hungry and cold.

"Hate?" Ruo Shui sat beside her daughter and said calmly, "How could you not hate at the beginning? But as time goes by, the hatred will fade away, and what is left is just the sadness in my heart."

Ming Yao lowered her eyes and ate in silence for a while, but she couldn't help asking: "Mother, why didn't you..." She didn't finish her last words, but Ruoshui couldn't hear it.

"It's not dead, is it?" She put down the tableware, didn't know where to start, and didn't know how much to say. After thinking for a long time, she just wrote lightly: "I really can't remember what happened that day. It was so big, but later I only vaguely remembered that in the darkness, someone told me that my life span was not over, but the murderous aura in the palace was too strong, so I had no choice but to go back. When I finally woke up, I was already in the inner hall of Daming Temple , You should know all about the next thing, Mother has lived here for three years."

Ming Yao opened her mouth wide in a daze, and the chopsticks fell from her hands: "Mother, no wonder the abbot said you are a noble person, such an adventure, my God, if I wasn't your daughter, how could I believe it! "

Ruoshui looked at Mingyao's bewildered gaze, and patted his hand with a light smile: "Eat quickly, it's no better than in the palace, if it's cold, no one will make it for you again."

Mingyao suddenly thought of something, and shouted: "Ah, mother, wouldn't we all have wronged father in this way!"

Ruoshui still smiled: "What's wrong?"

Ming Yao said eagerly: "Since Mother was brought to Yangzhou by the gods, there will be no Mother in the palace... body... But we all thought it was Father who hid Mother to prevent others from being buried. Just because of this matter, eldest brother and father have already had a falling out, and for three whole years, eldest brother has not called father or father emperor again."

Ruoshui's serious expression is because of this matter, but...

Seeing that Mother didn't speak, Mingyao's heart moved, and she continued: "Mother, there are many things you don't know. Since you left, Dad's temper has become even more unreasonable. It's better in the court. Afterwards, he would apologize to his courtiers, but after a while, if those maids and servants made a mistake, they would be terrified as if the sky was about to collapse. Except for Si Zi and Mo Zi, no one dared to persuade them to let the elder sister-in-law do it for them. It’s rare that people lost a few laps.”

"Weixi?" Ruoshui looked up suspiciously, "What does this have to do with your sister-in-law?"

Ming Yao quickly replied: "Because, after mother is gone, father is the harem that my sister-in-law is in charge of. Even this matter, I don't know how much criticism has been caused, but no one dares to question it in person. Father My current temper is uncertain, so even I had no choice but to escape."

"Don't pretend to be confused for your mother." Ruoshui looked at her angrily, "I've been married for several years, so it's possible that your father can still rush to your uncle's house? To be honest, why did he run out alone? "

(End of this chapter)