Alternative Telling of Dream of Red Mansions: Cherishing Spring

Chapter 9
"Okay, what do you want Daoist books for?" In Nuanxiangwu, Xichun looked at Miaoyu and asked, his hands were separating the chess pieces on the chessboard and putting them into the chess box.

"It's nothing, I just want to see it." Miaoyu said.At this time, the sunlight moved behind the window, and the tea was changed a few times.Under the green window of Nuanxiangwu, the cold fragrance is not exhausted, and the chessboard is chaotic.The game between Xichun and Miaoyu always ends in the late afternoon, like two lonely clouds passing each other but never saying goodbye.Then they return to a quiet place.

"I'm leaving, when will the book be given to me?" Miaoyu got up and asked.She treats people with a clean heart and hits the nail on the head.Many people don't like her fierceness, but Xichun likes it.

With Miaoyu, it is very important not to say anything, or to say anything to please each other. Therefore, their conversations are often as direct as cold springs, quietly reaching the heart, and then in an instant, the cold and clear Huisi Quickly filling every tiny blood vessel is a joy that only intelligent and intelligent people can enjoy.

"The day after tomorrow." Xichun took a sip of tea and said with a smile, "I'll go to Guanli tomorrow to pick it up."

"Tea is fine, water is not good, I will send you a jar of good water in the future." Miaoyu smiled coldly, and walked out without being polite.

Xichun smiled, her face was warm with flowers, she leaned against the door and watched Miaoyu's figure gradually disappear among the red flowers and green willows in the Grand View Garden.She was dressed in black, and she was unbearably quiet, but also because of her sobriety, she looked weak at first glance.

Looking from a distance gives birth to pity, and Zhiqing is also pitiful.

Suddenly, Xichun stopped smiling.Can't laugh anymore.The smile on Xichun's face spread out round and round like the water patterns in Qinfang Pond.With a feeling in her heart, she went to the corridor and looked down. The blue water reflected her youthful and beautiful face and calm eyebrows.

The unresolved melancholy in the eyes of Meishan.

Don't you want to walk the long road in the world alone like her?There is no word, no joy, no anger on this road, and life flows silently like water.The youth in the left hand, the reflection in the right hand, watching my youth fade away, white hair and eyebrows?Xichun, do you think so?

She saw the hesitant eyes of the man in the water, then she shook her head slightly and said clearly, "I don't want to."

In an instant, Xichun was amazed at the blaze of her heart.How cynical I used to feel, thinking about leaving the world, now it seems completely wrong.

"Then why? What do I want?" She saw the road she was going to take from Miaoyu's back, a brand-new fear, strange uneasiness and restlessness gradually took shape.

Xichun closed her eyes and meditated carefully, she could enter a state of meditation without meditating.Slowly, in that void, she saw the chess pieces in her and Miaoyu's hands turned into pens, and the chessboard turned into water.They wrote in the water, and those thoughts disappeared as they wrote.

"What is your heart seeking, and what is the purpose of your existence?"

"Love, hatred, anger, anger, they entangle your mind and lead your thoughts. But have you ever thought about what shape they are, what color they are, where they come from, and where they go? Want to understand these reasons There is no place to come from, and no place to go, reaching the state of 'nothing to gain'."

She and Miaoyu asked each other.But such a confrontation of ideas will inevitably have no clear result in the end.There is no right or wrong, just intertwined, gradual and in-depth.

Miaoyu said: "I can gradually see the void, but that door, Xichun, suddenly disappeared from my eyes. What kind of vision is this?"

She looked into her eyes, walked into the bright and vast interstellar space, as if she was in the clear and cold water, and she replied: "I don't know. I can't understand. I am like a child with a wreath, although I know the flower in my hand It has withered, but I am still reluctant to discard it. I am vaguely dissatisfied, because my life is still damaged, and I am trapped in this damage and cannot see through it. I am willing to let it go, and approach it lightly. Miaoyu, I still can’t see where the void is.”

"Then—this is here." Xichun quietly opened her eyes, her smile was like the first sunshine on the horizon.

Miaoyu's figure has disappeared.The original deep pity for Miaoyu has also been transformed into Xichun's own melancholy - there are still some things I haven't heard of, and some people I haven't seen.How can a heart that has never been satisfied be satisfied and quiet?

Leaving the void of thought, she became calmer and able to re-examine herself carefully.

Thinking of my ten years, I have spent them in this deep house.Xichun apologizes to herself.Fortunately it was only for a moment.Seeing Ru Hua walking towards her, Xi Chun's face immediately recovered the indifferent emotion, turned and walked into Nuanxiangwu.

The sky is getting darker, the light of flying across the water has gone, the candlelight in Nuanxiangwu is dim, Xichun's face is blurred in the candlelight, like a silk painting in an ancient tomb.

Entering the painting, she saw her gradually brighten the candlestick.

Xichun's face looked fresh and delicate in the sudden light, as if she caught a glimpse of the momentary beauty of a white utama blooming at night.

"Girl." Ru Hua said softly, "The old lady passed the meal over there." There was still a moment of amazement in her eyes, and she was forced to breathe a little bit.

"Let's go." Xichun put down the small scissors in his hand and walked into the inner room.Ruhua looked at her from behind, unable to tell what was different about her, but just like the sudden light in front of her eyes just now, she could feel that Xichun was slightly different from before.This feeling is like the moment when the beginning of spring comes. In an instant, there are trees in the garden, under the stove in front of the hall, and even people's eyebrows and eyes have a gentle spring.

Xichun said to Ruhua who helped her tidy her bun: "I'll go back to my ancestors after dinner, and you will accompany me to Xuanzhen Temple tomorrow."

The flying snow in front of my eyes is slim.Xichun wrapped her black clothes tightly and stood up from the shelter of the corner gate, she was already feeling hungry.It is useless here. At sunset, there are few pedestrians on this street, or there should be no one, except Xichun, and there are no residents, and there is no smoke from the kitchen.

In other words, there is no place for fasting here.

Mu Ye Sihe.Walking alone in a desolate place, Xichun's indifferent and thin face did not show any anxiety.The cold wind blew fiercely, she just wrapped her black clothes tightly again and walked towards the street entrance.

I am convinced that I am a person walking alone and wandering in this boundless world, so I even lose all sadness and self-pity, because I have no time and mood.

Xichun stood at the corner of the street, looking back at the street and the mansion that he had just passed.Everything in front of her was as dead as a barren mound in the suburbs, and she was the only one offering sacrifices.Looking out from the damaged archway at the entrance of the street, the city is still feasting, singing and dancing.The Qiang pipe harp accompanied by a woman's delicate voice, sang leisurely: "There are no flowers flying everywhere in the spring city, and the east wind drives the willows in the cold weather. Candles are passed from the Han Palace at dusk, and the light smoke diffuses into the Wuhou's house."

The real world is like a mirage, and the beauty is so fragile that it seems unbearable to touch.Xichun let out a breath to warm her frozen hands.When the Jia family was destroyed, it was destroyed, and the family members were scattered and turned into ashes.Except for those who feel that they have experienced an earth-shaking death, no one will feel pain and anxiety.

The new dynasty still has bright clothes and shoes, and the singing is melodious. It is a peaceful and prosperous night.There are new emperors, there are new ministers, and high-rise buildings are built one after another, so the old high-rise buildings will always be destroyed.The existence and status of powerful officials and the royal family will never be as great and indispensable as they imagined in their hearts.In the annual rings of history, even the entire dynasty is sometimes just a shallow notch.

Personnel replacement, rumbling forward in this endless destruction and reconstruction from generation to generation.

Xichun was thinking about the past, but there was a horse rushing towards her like a gust of wind.Xichun couldn't dodge in time and was brought down to the ground.The cold and hunger made her unable to stand up for a while, and she turned her head to see who came to such a barren place like herself, and what did she do?In a blink of an eye, the horse had stopped at the place where she had just sheltered from the wind. The rider was surrounded by snow blankets, and was dressed in gorgeous and thick clothes.Jumping off the horse, his movements were quick, and it was obvious that he was a young and strong man.

This man...it was dark, Xichun couldn't see his face clearly.At this time, I heard the sound of "咚咚", a carriage passed by, a child stuck his head out of the window, saw her lying on the ground, and called out: "Mother, mother, look quickly, someone has fallen! "

A woman's gentle voice came: "Liang'er, draw your head in, be careful not to freeze." He opened the curtain, looked around, and said to the driver, "Stop, let's go and have a look, don't throw people off. Ruthless!"

The car stopped, and the child couldn't wait to jump down, threw the silver at Xichun's feet, and said with a smile: "Here. My mother said to buy steamed buns for you."

Xichun didn't speak, just quietly looked at the jumping child.

"Mother, she is dumb." The child shouted to the car.He was obviously pleasantly surprised by what he found.

Perhaps it was because of this that the woman in the car lifted the curtain and said: "Liang'er, get in the car quickly, getting sick from the cold is another problem, let's see what your father is doing."

The coachman heard that he had already stretched out his hand to hug the little master into the car.Xichun watched them, the child went in, and the mother hugged him, held his hand, and warmed him.When the car curtain was about to fall, Xichun gently called the woman into the painting.

The woman was stunned, she was just entering the painting.After a while, she came out of the car, helped Xichun up, and called, "Girl, is that you?"

"Yeah." Xichun nodded, there is no need to avoid meeting old friends, since we met, we will meet each other calmly, but there is not so much excitement and pleasantries.Just for a moment, when Ruhua helped her up, she had the idea of ​​reaching out to hold Ruhua's hand, but then gave up.Into the painting is wearing a leather muff, while her hands are muddy, red, swollen and festered.

Don't come to the sea, just talk about the evening bell.What do you say?In fact, it's just such a big gap.

Xichun understood everything, and the person who was setting up the sacrifice not far away knew at a glance that it was their intention.

"Thank you for still having your heart." Xichun once again looked back at the dead long street, feeling as still as water.She turned around and clasped her hands together, with an indifferent smile on her face.

"I should go, I'll take the money." Xichun said, "Thank you benefactor!"

Ru Hua was startled again by her words, looked at her, hesitated to speak.

As a monk, the four elements are all empty, and the stomach cannot be empty.After years of wandering, she is no longer stubborn and picky, and gradually learns to accept kindness and charity.Monks also have to learn and adapt to this world.

"Girl..." Ru Hua called out behind her back. In this life, she owed Xi Chun, but she couldn't repent.Seeing Xichun looking back, Ruhua plucked up his courage and said, "Come home with me, it's only for one night, your clothes are all wet."

"It's okay." Xichun didn't mean to disturb the old man.Seeing a painting is like seeing one's previous life, but now those things are so far away and dilapidated.

And it doesn't matter anymore.Don't miss it.

"Miss, please stop." Lai Yi'er obviously recognized her, and hurried over and called.

"What's the matter?" Xichun asked.Then she looked at them in silence.Her silence has its own strength, and her arrogance has not been lost, although she is very depressed now.

Facing her, Lai Yier's apology was deeper than that of entering the painting.There is no doubt that his marriage with Ru Hua was accepted smoothly because he helped Jia Zhen kill Jia Jing.Although he didn't hold the knife himself, at least he was the one who taught the Taoist priest of Xuanzhen Temple the prescription of the pill.

Killing without blood is also killing.Xichun didn't know about it all the time, but instead helped them a lot, she expelled the painting with an excuse to fulfill them.

In addition to apologizing and eager to repay, there is another thing that he has always buried in his heart.When he met Xichun again, he decided to take the opportunity to explain things to her.

"Miss, please come to the humble house. Ruhua and I have something to give to you." He and Ruhua knelt down and said solemnly, "Please go."

The coachman was taken aback. He didn't expect his noble and rich boss to kneel down to a thin and dirty nun, but the nun was very indifferent, showing no sign of surprise.

"I'll go, you guys get up." Xichun said, climbing onto the carriage independently.She is no longer the delicate and shy lady who needs protection when getting on and off the bus.

The Xichun of the past has died, and has been dead for a long time.

She knows it better than anyone.It was her who crushed her own bones and ashes with her own hands, determined to leave no bones.

In the car, Ruhua wraps her in a fur blanket, and Xichun's body gradually warms up.Suddenly there was a stranger, and Liang'er didn't say much. She curled up in her mother's arms and opened her eyes wide to see the dirty beggar who was lying on the side of the road just now.He obviously still doesn't understand how this man ended up in their beautiful carriage all of a sudden.

After ten years of separation, if there is not nothing to say, there is nothing to talk about for a while.Both Xichun and Ruhua are silent.

Ruhua turned her face out of the window, she had an illusion in her heart, this silent atmosphere brought her back to Nuanxiangwu ten years ago.She remembered that when she served Xichun as a maidservant, the room was filled with the smell of silence all day long.

She stood there barefoot.She knelt down to Xichun.All these are also the memories she avoided.I don't want to mention it again.

Xichun didn't speak, but wrapped the blanket tightly around her body.There was a familiar feeling oozing out of the blanket to make her comfortable, and it was always rare to relive the old days, although it was inevitably sad.

"Is this blanket his?" While wrapping the blanket tightly, Xichun saw the words embroidered on the blanket.

"Whose one?" Ruhua was startled, turned around and asked.

"Feng Ziying." Xichun's eyes were as clear as stars for a certain moment.When she uttered this name, her heart trembled, and Ruyan's figure swayed in an instant in the past.

"Oh, is that so?" Ru Hua blushed and lowered his voice.She had too many such things, how could she remember an old felt that was used to pad her buttocks on the carriage.

"Why... are you here?" Xichun seems to be asking, but also seems to be talking to herself.She couldn't forget that it belonged to Feng Ziying, and it was Feng Ziying's reward for the painting on a whim.

She still remembers how excited and excited she was when she entered the painting, which is vivid in her mind.

Things that were once cherished so much are now discarded like trash.She looked into the painting without making a sound.Into the painting bowed his head.

Liang'er looked at his mother, and his eyes shuttled between the two adults. Although he didn't know clearly, he could feel his mother's uneasiness and embarrassment.Why should you be afraid in front of this beggar?Liang'er's awareness of protecting his mother made him decide to repel the arrogant beggar in front of him.

"What's so unusual about such things, our family has a carload now, you don't know my father..." Liang'er didn't finish his sentence, his words were hurriedly cut off by Ru Hua.

"Lianger, don't be rude." Ruhua smiled at Xichun cautiously.

Xichun also laughed, she already understood all the meaning.Yes, their situation is good enough.Things that were previously considered precious are now within easy reach.It is natural to choose to discard, or no longer cherish, and there is no need to be blamed.And it's not a bad thing to discard the things of the past, bid farewell to the past, and start a new life with a new identity and mood.

For the bad past and pain, everyone has the right to forget and whitewash.She also understands that what she remembers hard, she cannot ask others to do the same, it is so selfish.

"You don't have to worry about entering the painting. I'm not blaming you, I just remembered something from ten years ago, the heavy snowfall." Xichun's tone was as calm as snowflakes.However, the flying snow is vague and prosperous, and it can quickly make people drenched.

Yes, vicissitudes of life can also be seen in the eyes of inadvertently entering the painting.Suddenly, it became apparent that she was no longer the little girl ten years ago, but also a mature woman who had gone through ten years of ups and downs.

There was heavy snow in the eyes of the two people, but they could still see clearly when they tried hard to distinguish.

Those people also gradually showed a clear outline.

Still, this street.Rongning Street.

They came out through the corner door.Xichun begged Jiamu to go to Xuanzhen Temple, but she agreed easily.The reason was that Jia Zhen was already there, and because of Jia Jing's sudden death, all the Taoist priests in the temple were locked up, and there were no outsiders, so they were not afraid of being shocked.

Xichun took Ruhua out of the mansion, just passed the Ning Mansion, and met Feng Ziying at the intersection of Rongning Street.

Xichun was in the car and couldn't show his face, so he couldn't see his face either.He only heard his servants call him General Feng.She suddenly remembered that at Qin Keqing's funeral, when all the families came to pay homage, there was a vague name of a prince and grandson on the hanging banners, and he came for his father.

When she heard him ask about the situation, she immediately said: "In that case, let the young lady pass first." Saying this, she asked his followers to avoid the carriages and horses.

Be polite and respectful.Xichun's affection for him increases.She nodded behind the screen window to salute, when the car was about to pass, she suddenly wanted to enter the painting and asked:
"The general is here to find my brother?"

"That's right, don't delay." Feng Ziying replied.His voice is calm and soft, very comfortable to hear.In the air, there seems to be the fragrance of jasmine.

"That's the case..." She pondered for a while, and then let Ruhua pass on a message, "General, follow me to Xuanzhen Temple. Brother is there."

"That's very good." Feng Ziying agreed happily.

Through the screen window, Xichun saw a heroic figure clasping his fists in salute, and felt inexplicably joyful in his heart.She also nodded slightly.

The car staggered away.She felt uneasy, afraid that he would change his mind, so she hurriedly looked back.Feng Ziying and others followed slowly.

Xichun breathed a sigh of relief, but she didn't feel it.But she had an intuition that this man was different from any one she had come into contact with before.

There is the sound of flowers blooming in the wind, which feels very refreshing.

Slippery road in snowy weather.The car broke down halfway, and the sudden bumps and tilts startled Xichun and Ruhua.Then I heard Lin Zhixiao's family complaining and scolding: "How did you fix the car, let me go back and tell the second grandma..." Then "Ouch", it seems that the fall was not light.

Xichun supported the railing of the car with her hands, stabilized her center of gravity, and then said to Ruhua, "Take off your blanket, go down and see what happened."

Ruhua took off the blanket, she didn't know what Xichun meant by doing this.Don't dare to move too much, move your body carefully and move towards the car door.The car tilted too much, as if it was falling on the edge of a cliff, and an unstable center of gravity would cause the whole car to fall to one side.

"Ms. Lin, please help me." Ru Hua called.No one stretched out their hands, so Ruhua stretched out his head and saw Lin Zhixiao's family sitting on the side of the road, unable to stand up because of the fall.Naturally, he couldn't let the little guy help him, so Ru Hua boldly jumped down, only to hear a bang, and the car was completely tilted.

"Girl..." Ru Hua was so frightened that his legs limp, and fell to the ground with a slap, he struggled to ask without caring about the pain in his leg.

"...Girl, are you hurt?"

This is the life of a slave, and life is three points cheaper than others.

"I'm fine." After a while, Xichun's voice came out when she heard movement in the car.

Ruhua pressed his beating heart, Fang felt leg pain, and sat down on the ground again with an "ouch".

At this time, Feng Ziying, who was following closely behind, caught up. Seeing that the car was no longer usable, he hurriedly tried to find a way. Xichun: "Girl... are you okay?"

"Um……"

"I'll help you out, and you'll be fine if you put this on your hands. And this, you can cover your face with the girl." Feng Ziying said, taking out two silk handkerchiefs from her body.

(End of this chapter)