After Liu Zhuiyi took a bath and changed her clothes, she saw that Yun Yao and Bian Zhener had not returned yet, so she chatted with her grandmother in the courtyard.
Grandma had a son who was an official in the city. He bought her a new house, so this simple courtyard was left empty. But grandma was not used to living in the new house alone, so she moved back to the courtyard without telling her son. Grandma told Liu Zhuiyi that she was lonely, but fortunately Liu Zhuiyi and the other two moved in to live with her, and they could stay as long as they wanted.
Liu Zhuiyi felt warm at heart after hearing this, but he still told the old man that the three of them wanted to go north together.
Grandma didn't try to keep them. She took a basket and went to the street to buy vegetables, saying that she wanted to cook a delicious meal for Liu Zhuiyi and the others.
Liu Zhuiyi was so bored standing alone in the yard that he went back to his room.
Bian Zhener's Jiaoweiqin was lying on the couch, which made Liu Zhuiyi stop involuntarily.
She recalled the day when Bian Zhen'er played the piano under the moon. Yun Yao told her that the piece of music was called "Jinse" and that only those who had experienced love between men and women could play such a moving melody.
Liu Zhuiyi opened the wrapping cloth, sat on the couch holding the Jiaoweiqin, and murmured, "How could the little monk have experienced love between a man and a woman?"
She sat down at the table holding the jiaoweiqin, put it down, and recalled the scene when the sisters in Ruyi Tower taught her to play the qin. She then plucked the strings and played the qin in an imitative manner, but she could not produce a good tune no matter how hard she tried.
The taut strings hurt her fingers, and Liu Zhuiyi wondered, when Bian Zhener played the piano, didn't his fingers hurt? As she thought about this, Liu Zhuiyi plucked the tail string hard, and heard a clear "snap", and the string suddenly broke.
Liu Zhuiyi was so scared that she stood up from the stool. She was flustered and didn't know what to do. She wanted to put the strings back in, but the broken strings could not be put back in.
At this time, Yun Yao's laughter came from outside the house, and Liu Zhuiyi knew that Yun Yao and Bian Zhen'er had returned. She hurriedly put the Jiaoweiqin back to its original place, and then sat on the couch nervously, blocking the Jiaoweiqin.
"Liu'er, Liu'er!" Yun Yao ran into the room and saw Liu Zhuiyi sitting on the couch. He hurried over and said, "Bian Zhen'er and I saw people dancing the dragon outside. Do you want to go and watch the fun together?"
"I won't go..."
Liu Zhuiyi moved his body awkwardly, holding on to the edge of the bed with both hands.
Bian Zhener noticed Liu Zhuiyi's abnormality, but Yun Yao didn't notice it. He sat next to Liu Zhuiyi and continued, "Go, go, it's really beautiful."
"No matter how beautiful it is, it's not as beautiful as Chang'an City. If you want to see it, go by yourselves. I'm not feeling well and want to take a rest." Liu Zhuiyi said with his head buried.
"I'm not feeling well. What's wrong with you?" Yun Yao bent down and saw Liu Zhuiyi pursing her lips and looking away.
Bian Zhener noticed that the Jiaoweiqin behind him had moved, so he walked over to take it out and have a look.
Liu Zhuiyi quickly stood up, stood in front of Bian Zhener, grabbed the corner of his clothes, and said, "Little monk, I... I did something that was not right for you, but I didn't mean it."
Bian Zhen'er understood something in his heart. He walked around Liu Zhuiyi and picked up the Jiaoweiqin on the couch.
His fingers slowly stroked the body of the zither, and Bian Zhener immediately picked up a broken string. His expression suddenly changed slightly, and he turned around and asked, "Did you touch my zither?"
"I didn't mean to do it. I was just curious and accidentally... it broke." Liu Zhuiyi's voice became softer and softer. She looked up at Bian Zhen'er, whose eyes were slowly filled with anger, and subconsciously hid behind Yun Yao.
The muscles at the corners of Bian Zhen'er's eyes trembled slightly, and he said angrily: "Careless? Miss Liu! Don't touch other people's things. Didn't your parents teach you these principles? This Jiaowei Qin was the most beloved thing of Master when he was alive. He valued it more than his own life. How could you..."
"Bian Zhen'er, Bian Zhen'er." Yun Yao said hurriedly, "Amitabha, monks should not get angry. Liu'er didn't mean it. How about I help you change a zither? It's better than this one."
Bian Zhen'er wrapped up the Jiaowei Qin and said, "No matter how good a Qin is, it can't be as good as this one! If this Qin breaks, Master won't be able to rest in peace in his grave!"
Seeing the situation was so serious, Liu Zhuiyi's eyes could not help but turn red. She said softly, "Little monk, I'm sorry..."
"Is saying sorry useful? Can this broken string grow back?" Bian Zhener pressed Liu Zhuiyi. Liu Zhuiyi lowered his head in shame and didn't dare to look at him.
Yun Yao advised: "Bian Zhen'er, we have all been through so much along the way, isn't it worth the value of a zither? Look at you, Liu'er was moved to tears by what you said."
"After Master left, no one in this world can be as precious as this zither." Bian Zhener tied the Jiaowei zither behind her back. The coldness in her voice scared Liu Zhuiyi.
Liu Zhuiyi sniffed and asked worriedly, "Little monk, what do you mean by that..."
Bian Zhener turned his back to Liu Zhuiyi and said, "I'm going to look for herbs to weave the strings of the zither. You two can go the back road." As he said that, he started walking outside.
Liu Zhuiyi was anxious and chased after him to block Bian Zhener. With tears in her eyes, she said sadly, "You can't go alone, little monk. You said you wouldn't leave me alone again!"
Bian Zhener couldn't bear to look at Liu Zhuiyi's pitiful appearance, so he looked away and said calmly, "I am unlucky and cannot go on the journey with you, Mr. Liu."
The unfamiliar word "donor" hollowed out Liu Zhuiyi's heart. She opened her eyes wide and looked at Bian Zhen'er in front of her. After a long time, she wiped the tears from her face and said loudly: "It's just a harp. Do you have to talk to me like this? I have been with you through life and death, and I have been with you all over the world. In your heart, isn't it..."
"Donor Liu!" Bian Zhen'er interrupted Liu Zhuiyi's words, met her gaze, and said with a determined heart, "The little monk has no fate with Donor Liu, and is unworthy of your favor."
As soon as the words fell, Liu Zhuiyi burst into tears in anger. She stamped her feet and said irrationally: "Go away! Go away! If I, Liu Zhuiyi, try to stop you, I will die a miserable death in the future!"
"Liu'er!" Yun Yao exclaimed. He turned to Bian Zhen'er and said, "Bian Zhen'er, stop talking."
Bian Zhen'er's hand tightly grasped the Jiaoweiqin cloth wrapped across his chest. He did not look at Liu Zhuiyi again and passed by her cruelly. Liu Zhuiyi bit her lower lip tightly and tried hard to hold back her tears.
Bian Zhener walked to the door and subconsciously grasped his heart with his hand.
I don't know why, but there was a pain there.
"Liu'er, he's really gone..." Yun Yao watched Bian Zhen'er's figure disappear at the door.
Liu Zhuiyi said angrily: "Don't chase him! Let him go!"
"Liu'er, if you don't chase him, he will really go away. Do you really not regret it?" Yun Yao looked at Liu Zhuiyi worriedly.
Liu Zhuiyi gritted her teeth and said, "What regret or no regret? He is so heartless and ungrateful. I, Liu Zhuiyi, will pretend that I have never known him! If he wants to leave, let him leave. It would be better if he died!" After saying that, she angrily walked into the house and closed the door.
Yun Yao stood alone in the middle of the courtyard, not knowing whether to chase Bian Zhen'er back or go into the house to comfort Liu Zhuiyi. After thinking it over, he felt that neither option was appropriate, so he sighed deeply.
He felt that when these two people became willful, they were even more difficult to serve than him, the second young master.
After a while, the grandmother who went out to buy groceries came back. When she saw that someone was missing, she asked Yun Yao why. Yun Yao tactfully concealed the matter and then accompanied his grandmother to cook.
At dusk, Yun Yao knocked on Liu Zhuiyi's door with a hot meal in his hand and said softly, "Liu'er, it's time to eat."
There was no movement in the room.
Yun Yao added: "If we don't eat, we won't have the energy to go look for the little monk."
"I don't want to go find him!" An angry voice came from the room.
Yun Yao smiled and said, "Okay, let's not look for him. Let's eat our fill and go beat him up, okay?"
After a while, footsteps were heard, Liu Zhuiyi opened the door, and shouted at Yun Yao: "You are not allowed to beat the little monk!"
"Then you go and beat him up. I won't do anything." Yun Yao handed the tray of food to Liu Zhuiyi and looked at her with a smile.
Liu Zhuiyi looked at the delicious food , pursed her lips, raised her head and said, "But I said I would die a miserable death if I went to see him again."
Yun Yao pretended to think, and said, "But Liu Er said that if you stop him, you will die. She didn't say that we can't go find him, right?"
Liu Zhuiyi lowered her head, with a hint of smugness on her lips. She snatched the food and said, "Don't get me wrong, I'm just seeking revenge on him. He was so mean to me. No one has ever been so mean to me before."
Yun Yao leaned against the door, his lips curled up, and the light in his eyes was incomprehensible. In his eyes, Liu Zhuiyi's duplicity was very cute, but it was a pity that he met Liu Zhuiyi one step later than Bian Zhener. Now Liu Zhuiyi's heart is full of Bian Zhener. Even if he yelled at her and left her, she still missed him.
I wonder if there will be anyone in this world who would miss Yun Yao as much as Liu Zhuiyi misses Bian Zhener if he disappears one day.
Yun Yao sat aside and watched Liu Zhuiyi eat. There were tears hanging on her long eyelashes, but she ate voraciously, not like a girl at all.
Yun Yao rested his head on his arm and asked, "Liu'er, are you going to continue wandering in the future? You're not going home."
"I'm homeless, what home should I go back to?" Liu Zhuiyi said nonchalantly.
Yun Yao was startled, and slowly sat up straight, and asked: "You... are homeless?"
Liu Zhuiyi chewed his food and evaded Yun Yao's question vaguely, saying, "After eating, I'll go find the little monk."
She didn't say it on purpose, but Yun Yao could tell.
"Okay," he said.
Yun Yao waited for Liu Zhuiyi to finish her meal and helped her pack her luggage. Liu Zhuiyi stood in front of the carriage and kept wandering around.
The grandmother who owned the yard walked up to her with a cane and watched Yun Yao load the luggage onto the carriage bit by bit.
Liu Zhuiyi walked to grandma's side, gently held her hand, and said guiltily: "Grandma, I'm sorry, I wanted to bother you for a few more days, but I didn't expect to leave today."
Grandma pulled her hand away, patted the back of Liu Zhuiyi's hand, and said kindly: "It's okay, you can still come back after you find the little monk Bian Zhener."
Liu Zhuiyi thought of Bian Zhen'er, and she was still angry. She muttered, "The little monk is too stingy!"
Grandma looked at Liu Zhuiyi's aggrieved face with a smile and said, "The girl is obsessed with the little monk."
Yun Yao, who had just loaded the things onto the carriage, was slightly startled when he heard his grandmother say this. Then, he squatted at the driving position and said, "Liu'er, let's go, grandma. We are leaving now. Please take care of yourself."
"Let's go. I'm an old lady and I'm used to it." Grandma waved at Yun Yao.
"Goodbye, grandma." Liu Zhuiyi climbed onto the carriage and said goodbye to her grandma reluctantly. Grandma waited until the carriage disappeared from the street before she turned around and hobbled into the house.
Previously, Yun Yao and Liu Zhuiyi had agreed to go north, so Yun Yao and Liu Zhuiyi continued to go north. The path was lined with lush vegetation, late spring was leaving, and early summer was approaching.
Macheng, Yuelai Inn.
Bian Zhener unloaded his bag, took out the Jiaowei Qin, and touched the broken strings with heartache. He frowned slightly, and suddenly recalled the scene of Master Mingyang's death.
That was just three years ago. There was a severe drought in Liaozhou. In order to protect Bian Zhener, Master Mingyang left all the food and drink to Bian Zhener and even tricked him into believing that he had already eaten and drunk.
Finally, Master Mingyang could not withstand the bad weather and fell seriously ill on the road.
Thirteen-year-old Bian Zhen'er went everywhere to look for a doctor without the knowledge of his master, but in the drought years, how could there be any doctor who would be brave enough to risk his life to save a monk? Moreover, even if there was, there was no herbal medicine that could save people in that land of burning gold and flowing stones.
Master Mingyang died on a cloudy night; he could not survive the illness.
That night, Master Mingyang gave the Jiaowei Qin he had been carrying on his back to Bian Zhener, saying, "Zhener, this is the most precious thing in my life. It was made by Yaoru himself. Please keep it for me. Yaoru is still alive, so I don't want this Qin to be buried with me after I die. You can burn me and scatter my ashes to the world. From now on... live alone and well."
After the master said this, he fell into Bian Zhener's arms.
At that moment, a thunderbolt suddenly flashed across the sky, and then a heavy rain poured down. The people who had suffered from drought for a long time ran out to celebrate in the rain, but Bian Zhener's crying was drowned out by the heavy rain.
That night, no one paid attention to the crying of a thirteen-year-old boy, and no one cared about the gradually cooling corpse beside the boy.
The memories faded, and the waiter served Bian Zhen'er a bowl of porridge and a few steamed buns: "Little Master, here are the dishes you ordered."
"Thank you, benefactor." Bian Zhener said politely.
"You're welcome." The waiter smiled innocently and turned around to do his own thing.
Bian Zhener put away the Jiaowei Qin and ate some porridge with steamed buns. Liu Zhuiyi's face suddenly appeared in the bowl of watery soup. Liu Zhuiyi put his hands on his hips, turned around and glared at Bian Zhener, saying, "Little monk, you are so heartless! You left me alone and left. I will never talk to you again!"
"Miss Liu..." Bian Zhen'er couldn't help but murmured, and suddenly realized that it was just an illusion.
——Go away! Go away! If I, Liu Zhuiyi, try to stop you, I will die a miserable death!
Liu Zhuiyi's words from a few days ago were still ringing in his ears, and his tearful face was still lingering in Bian Zhen'er's mind. Bian Zhen'er suddenly became upset, and he quickly put down his chopsticks, clasped his hands together, and silently chanted Namo Amitabha.
Why would he miss her? He couldn't help but feel irritated when he thought of her.
He had never felt this way when he was with his master or when he was away from his master. Could it be... Impossible! Impossible! Bian Zhener thought about this and his silent recitation speed increased.
Suddenly, a shrill scream was heard. Bian Zhener looked up and followed the sound. She saw a disheveled woman falling down the stairs on the second floor of the inn. The woman's fall scared many guests. Behind the woman, several rough men ran down the stairs, cursing.
"You bitch! How dare you run? I'll break your legs!" They cursed at her as they came down and roughly grabbed the woman's hand and dragged her upstairs.
The waiter saw this and went up to dissuade them, but was slapped to the ground by one of the men.
"No, please, please let me go, please let me go, okay?" The woman cried and begged the man who was pulling her, staring at the wooden ladder with her feet, refusing to go upstairs with them.
"Let you go? If I let you go, who will pay your father's money? Come with me!" The man pulled the woman roughly.
Bian Zhen'er watched, leaving nail marks on the table. Should he intervene? If he really intervened, he would probably meet another Liu Zhuiyi. If he didn't intervene, this girl would definitely be abused by a man.
"Save me... Everybody save me..." The woman cried helplessly as she was dragged upstairs by the big man.
No one in the room offered a helping hand. Bian Zhen'er's brows were tangled with confusion. As he watched the woman being dragged upstairs, Bian Zhen'er finally stepped forward and said, "Wait a minute!"
Hearing someone trying to stop him, the big man turned his head and glared at Bian Zhener with a fierce look. The woman saw Bian Zhener speak and looked at him expectantly with tears in her eyes.
Everyone thought that Bian Zhen'er was a hermit who could save the woman's life. Unexpectedly, Bian Zhen'er walked to the stairs and said calmly: "Amitabha, benefactor, please let this girl go."
The big man seemed to have heard a big joke, and his men laughed along with him. He let go of the woman's hand, put his hands on his hips, and said in a rough voice: "Little monk, you asked me to let this girl go, do you have the money to buy her? I tell you, I spent a lot of money to buy her back to be my wife!"
Bian Zhen'er said without fear: "This girl doesn't want to, the donor is forcing her to buy, which is against the law."
The woman lying on the ground trembled as she hugged Bian Zhen'er's ankles. She stumbled to her feet and hid behind him, her voice filled with fear: "Little Master, no! No! I was not bought by him. He killed my family and kidnapped me. I refused, so he beat me!"
"What nonsense are you talking about, you bitch?" Seeing the woman betraying herself, the big man became anxious and raised his hand to slap her. Bian Zhen'er tilted her head slightly, and her finger was like a phantom, shooting towards the big man's wrist. The big man was shocked by Bian Zhen'er's strength and couldn't help but take a step back.
Look at this little monk, although he is young, his eyes are fearless. I don't know his origin, I'm afraid he will be difficult to deal with. The big man changed his tactics and shouted, "I said you, a monk, don't care about what you should care about, but you insist on interfering in things you shouldn't. I see you are ragged, alone, and so miserable. Did you make a mistake and be expelled from Buddhism? Oh - you are not close to women, are you? Seeing you defend this woman so much, is it possible that the little master has a love affair with her?"
Bian Zhener's face changed slightly, and he was angry but said nothing.
"Brother, I think this little monk was tempted by love. Seeing that your sister-in-law is pretty, he rescued her and took her for himself!" The big man's men hurriedly echoed his words, saying rude things.
Bian Zhen'er raised his voice and said, "You guys are all bullying the common people who are powerless to dissuade us. Everyone has seen the benefactor's brutal behavior and dirty words just now. This girl has been crying for help. If I don't rescue her, won't I let you hurt her? Monks are compassionate. I don't feel guilty about what I did. How can I be tempted?"
"Bah, now you're so good at talking?" A dissatisfied murmur rose up in the crowd.
No one present heard the murmur, but instead was moved and applauded for what Bian Zhener said.
The big man looked around, unable to bear the mockery, and waved his hands, saying, "I don't care! This woman is my wife, and I'm going to consummate my marriage with her today. Little monk, don't meddle in other people's business. You can't even afford to pay for food. If you want to take this woman away, either kill me or use money to hit me to death! Otherwise..."
Suddenly, before the big man finished speaking, a silver ingot flew over and hit him directly in the center of his forehead. The big man was hit and took a few steps back, falling to the ground.
"Who hit me?" The big man cursed and sat down, and then he saw the silver ingot fell to the ground with a "thump" and kept spinning.
"Grandpa rewarded you with a silver ingot. It didn't kill you, but the next one won't be so gentle." A familiar young man's voice came from downstairs. Bian Zhen'er turned her head in surprise and saw Yun Yao sitting on the table, playing with a silver ingot in his hand.
His heart tightened and he looked quickly into the crowd, but he did not see Liu Zhuiyi.
The big man picked up the silver, climbed up and was about to curse when he saw Yun Yao sit up, tiptoe, fly up the stairs, land lightly next to Bian Zhener, and said, "Monk, I won't pursue the matter of you killing my Wu slave with your own hands last time, as long as you can help me teach this ignorant guy a lesson." Yun Yao pointed at the big man, frowning.
When the big man heard that Bian Zhen'er had killed a Wu Nu with one hand, he immediately shuddered with fear, then pretended to be calm and said: "Just now you said you were merciful, huh, who are you trying to scare?"
Yun Yao pretended to think and said, "But grandpa is not a monk." After that, he moved quickly and kicked the big man in the chest. The big man's body bounced far away and smashed the window pane of the guest room on the second floor.
"Brother!" The big man's men hurried over to help him up, and asked helplessly, "Brother, are you okay? What should we do?"
The big man looked at the two faces protecting the woman and knew that he was not easy to deal with, so he had to tell his men to take the silver and run away. Seeing that the big man had left, Bian Zhener turned around and looked at the frightened woman. Just as he was about to say something, he realized that the woman was naked, so he quickly turned back.
Seeing this, Yun Yao took off his coat and wrapped it around the woman.
The woman grabbed her clothes and whispered, "I would like to thank Master Xiao and Master for saving . I have no way to repay you."
"Miss, you don't have to be polite. The two of us are just helping others when we see injustice." Yun Yao waved his hand generously and said to Bian Zhen'er, "Bian Zhen'er, are you still planning to go alone? Come with me."
Bian Zhen'er looked around, but did not see Liu Zhuiyi. He felt uneasy and said, "Master Yun, please let me go alone."
"If you say such things again, Liu'er will be sad." Yun Yao frowned, "If Liu'er hadn't asked me to help you, I wouldn't have come to help you. It's just a broken string. At most, we can find a way to solve it together. You walk away alone like this. What do you think of the two of us? Bian Zhen'er, you shouldn't have done that!"
Bian Zhen'er had nothing to say. He was also annoyed by his impulsiveness, but he couldn't go back to see Liu Zhuiyi. He had said such harsh words to Liu Zhuiyi, and Liu Zhuiyi would definitely not forgive him.
Suddenly, there was the sound of horse hooves, and a bright female voice called out at the door: "Waiter, help me lead the horse to the stable and feed it well, then help me move the luggage from the carriage upstairs and get two rooms."
"Okay, girl." The waiter hadn't reacted yet and hurriedly did what she said.
Bian Zhener saw Liu Zhuiyi walk into the inn, looked up at him, pretended not to know him and walked upstairs. When she walked to Yun Yao, she turned her head and said fiercely: "Why are you still standing here? Go back to your room." After that, she walked forward again and followed the waiter into her room.
Yun Yao glanced at Liu Zhuiyi's back and said, "Liu'er was so angry that she didn't eat a single bite of food. I asked her to turn around and go back to Chang'an City. She hid in her room and cried for the whole afternoon. She told me that she wanted to go find the little monk. We walked along the northern route for several days before we found you here."
"Yun Yao!" Liu Zhuiyi shouted Yun Yao's name at the door, but his eyes were full of resentment as he stared at Bian Zhener.
Bian Zhen'er didn't dare to look at Liu Zhuiyi, and her eyes dodged slightly.
Liu Zhuiyi set his gaze on the woman next to Bian Zhener again. When the woman saw Liu Zhuiyi's fierce gaze, she was immediately frightened and hid behind Bian Zhener, holding the corner of his clothes tightly with one hand.
"I haven't seen you for a few days. The peach blossoms are so beautiful. Humph!" Liu Zhuiyi muttered to himself and complained, slamming the door shut.
Bian Zhener wanted to say something several times but stopped herself, and finally swallowed her words.
Yun Yao sighed and said, "You little monk are ignorant. Can't you tell who treats you well and who treats you badly?"
Bian Zhen'er lowered his eyes and said, "Master Yun, I was impulsive at the moment and I am sorry to Miss Liu. For many days, I have known how well Miss Liu has treated me, but I hurt her with my words that day and I don't know how to face it. I am stupid and can't speak, and I am afraid that I will make Miss Liu even angrier."
Although Liu Zhuiyi closed the door, she leaned against it and could hear everything the people outside said. When Bian Zhener said this, Liu Zhuiyi pursed her lips and was slightly delighted.
"Liu'er is not angry with you." Yun Yao said, "Bian Zhen'er, you stay. Let's go out into the world together again!" When he said this, the woman behind Bian Zhen'er glanced at him.
Yun Yao couldn't help but ask, "Girl, why are you hiding behind Bian Zhen'er and refusing to go home?"
Bian Zhener turned his head slightly to look at the woman and said softly: "Girl, the evil guy has left, you..."
"Don't chase me away..." The woman shrank behind Bian Zhener in fear and pleaded in a low voice.
Bian Zhen'er suddenly remembered that the girl had just said that her parents were killed and she was probably homeless: "Besides your parents, do you have no other relatives?"
"That group of bullies harmed Xun Yan's parents. Xun Yan has nowhere to go. Little Master, can you take Xun Yan away?" The woman sobbed as she spoke, looking really pitiful.
Yun Yao looked at the embarrassed woman with tears in her eyes, shrugged at Bian Zhener who asked him for help, and seemed to be enjoying a good show, unwilling to help.
Bian Zhen'er didn't know what to say, so he said, "Miss Xun Yan, I've been traveling all over the world, and the journey has been bumpy. I'm afraid you can't bear it."
"I am not afraid of suffering." The woman let go of her hand, stared at Bian Zhen'er, and said sincerely, "Little Master, I have no way to repay you for saving Xun Yan today. I only ask that Xun Yan stay by my side and serve me."
"I'm a monk, why would I need a girl to serve me?" Liu Zhuiyi opened the door and walked out of the room. Xun Yan was naked, with long hair in a messy bun on top of her head. Even under the tear marks, she still had a very beautiful and bright face.
Xun Yan looked worried and said, "I...I know, but this is the only way Xun Yan can think of to repay her."
"Little monk, are you willing to take her with you?" Liu Zhuiyi cast his gaze towards Bian Zhen'er, putting the decision on him. Bian Zhen'er didn't know how to choose for a moment and said, "I... I don't know."
"What is there for a man to hesitate about? If you want to take it, take it. If you don't want to take it, don't take it." Liu Zhuiyi glared at Bian Zhener.
Bian Zhener quickly glanced at Liu Zhuiyi and said, "I was afraid that you would be angry again, and I was afraid that you would be unhappy if I took you with me."
Liu Zhuiyi had a calm expression with a smile on her face. She cleared her throat, walked to Xun Yan, and asked, "Your name is Xun Yan? What can you do? Look, the little monk can play the piano, so we won't be bored on the way. The second young master Yun is thick-skinned and can make money. As for me, I can grill fish and have some medical skills. What about you? What can you do? We can't bring a burden with us on the road, right?"
Xun Yan carefully looked into Liu Zhuiyi's eyes and said, "I can cook and make incense. I don't know... I don't know if these count."
"You can cook?" Liu Zhuiyi approached her and asked, "Then is the food you cook especially delicious?"
Xun Yan blushed and said, "I know how to cook some home-cooked dishes and usually make them for my parents." When she said this, Xun Yan's eyes became wet again.
"Can you cook delicious dishes just by setting up a pot?" Liu Zhuiyi asked with his head tilted and his hands behind his back.
Xun Yan was a little at a loss for words. She looked up at Bian Zhen'er and replied, "Sure."
"Then come with us." Liu Zhuiyi straightened up, turned slightly, and stretched her hand back to Xun Yan. Xun Yan looked at her in confusion and blinked.
"Let me take you to change your clothes." Liu Zhuiyi said softly.
Xun Yan carefully extended her hand and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito: "Thank you, sister."
Liu Zhuiyi brought Xun Yan into his room, asked the waiter to boil some hot water, and then picked out his best clothes for her.
Bian Zhener followed Yun Yao into another room. Yun Yao saw Bian Zhener thinking of his lover while looking at the zither, so he sat down and poured him a cup of tea. He asked, "What kind of herbs are needed to weave the strings of this zither?"
"I don't know. My master didn't tell me. He just said it was a herb. I have tried many times along the way, but failed." Bian Zhener sighed and wrapped the Jiaoweiqin up again.
"Don't worry, we will find a way for you." Yun Yao comforted Bian Zhener.
Bian Zhen'er looked ashamed and said, "Master Yun, I'm sorry for you."
"Don't be so polite. You are someone Liu'er cares about, and you are also my Yun Yao's friend." Yun Yao took a sip of tea and said generously.
Bian Zhener looked back at the door and window of the room and said, "Should I apologize to Miss Liu?"
"She doesn't blame you anymore. If you are willing to apologize for what happened that day, she will definitely be happier." Yun Yao said.
Bian Zhener nodded and said, "I should go and apologize."
He had been holding back his uneasiness all the way, and for some reason, it made Liu Zhuiyi sad, and he couldn't even eat or sleep.
On the other side, Xun Yan finished bathing, put on Liu Zhuiyi's clothes and walked out from behind the screen.
Liu Zhuiyi was sitting at the table, pouring tea from the teapot for fun. When he saw Xun Yan coming out, the tea he had just poured into the cup spilled onto the table.
The girl was prettier than she thought.
"You are so delicate and fragile, are you sure you can cook?" Liu Zhuiyi stood up, took Xun Yan's hand and looked at her, questioning.
Xun Yan was a little reserved and said, "Yes."
Liu Zhuiyi frowned, approached Xun Yan and said, "There are many who look much better than the sisters in Ruyi Tower. I tell you, you can follow us, but don't have any ideas about the little monk. You are so pretty, if the little monk looks at you a few more times, he might like you." As he said that, Liu Zhuiyi couldn't help but complain.
But Bian Zhener is not Yun Yao, how could he fall in love with a woman just because of her appearance?
Suddenly, the door opened and Yun Yao walked in.
"Ah, Miss Xun Yan..." Yun Yao's eyes lit up when he saw the shy Xun Yan, and he looked at Liu Zhuiyi, "She is so pretty."
Liu Zhuiyi rolled her eyes at him, crossed her arms and walked over, saying, "Superficial!"
When Yun Yao saw the pretty girl, his true nature was completely exposed. He walked up to Xun Yan and introduced himself: "Miss Xun Yan, my last name is Yun and my given name is Yao. You can call me Yun Yao or Second Young Master Yun. Miss, you will follow us from now on. I, Yun Yao, promise..."
"What a stinky face. He's like a sticky candy when he sees a good-looking person." Liu Zhuiyi muttered and walked out the door. She didn't want to stay there and be the third party.
As soon as he walked out of the room, Liu Zhuiyi ran into Bian Zhener coming towards him.
The two looked at each other for a moment. Bian Zhener stretched out her hand slightly and was about to call Liu Zhuiyi, but Liu Zhuiyi turned his head away arrogantly, snorted, and walked in another direction.
At this time, it was dark outside, with only a full moon hanging in the sky, emitting a faint white light around it.
Liu Zhuiyi climbed onto the roof of the inn and lay on the tiles to enjoy the moonlight.
After a while, footsteps sounded behind him. Liu Zhuiyi sat up and looked back. Seeing that it was Bian Zhener, he asked unhappily, "What are you doing here?"
Bian Zhener sat down next to Liu Zhuiyi and said, "This humble monk... This humble monk is here to apologize to Miss Liu."
"Apologize? What's wrong with you?" Liu Zhuiyi's tone was still bad.
Bian Zhen'er said shyly, "I shouldn't have gotten angry at Miss Liu that day. Afterwards, I felt really bad about it."
"Then you should blame yourself for not coming back to us." Liu Zhuiyi pouted, his eyes reddening.
Bian Zhen'er pursed his lips, not knowing where to start.
He couldn't even sort out his own thoughts, so how could he tell Liu Zhuiyi about them?
Liu Zhuiyi hugged her knees, the night breeze gently blowing her long hair and clothes. She shed her disguised fierceness and whispered, "Little monk..."
Bian Zhener turned her head slightly and looked at Liu Zhuiyi's profile.
Liu Zhuiyi buried his head even deeper and said, "I know I am willful and have a bad temper. Actually, I was wrong that day, and I was also very proud. When you were mad at me, I became stubborn. I'm sorry, little monk... I won't do that again next time, okay?" As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Zhuiyi buried his head even deeper.
Bian Zhen'er was moved, and slowly raised her hand, which fell on Liu Zhuiyi's back inadvertently. Liu Zhuiyi's pupils gradually dilated, and the warmth of Bian Zhen'er's palm was transmitted to her back through her thin clothes.
Bian Zhener withdrew his hand and murmured, "Miss Liu, do you want to hear the story of Jiaoweiqin and my master?"
Liu Zhuiyi tilted his head and said softly, "You talk, I listen."
Bian Zhener raised his head slightly, and the afterglow of the moonlight fell into his eyes, deep and unfathomable.
"As far back as I can remember, I have followed my master. He is a monk who has returned to secular life. He carries a zither on his back and has someone in his heart..."
Bian Zhener's memory stopped thirteen years ago.
That year, Bian Zhen'er was not yet called Bian Zhen'er, and Master Mingyang had just turned thirty.
In a burned-down village, three-year-old Bian Zhener sat on the ruins, his chubby little face covered with black ashes. He stared with his big copper-bell-like eyes at Master Ming Yang who had come here.
Master Mingyang walked over, stretched out his fingers and gently wiped the ashes off his face, and asked: "Little boy, why are you here alone? Where are your family members?"
Little Bian Zhen'er was not afraid of strangers at all. He pointed at the ruins behind him and said in a clear voice, "Down there!"
Master Mingyang looked at the village submerged in ruins, picked up Bian Zhener, and asked, "Are all your family members down there? How long has it been?"
Bian Zhener put his hands on Master Mingyang's shoulders, sniffed his nose, and said seriously: "The sun rose three times, and the stars came out three times."
Master Mingyang felt a little distressed and asked, "Are you afraid?"
Bian Zhen'er shook her head and said, "My mother told me not to be afraid, so I am not afraid." After that, Bian Zhen'er opened her round eyes and asked carefully, "Do you have anything to eat? I am so hungry."
Master Mingyang gave all his dry food and water to Bian Zhener, who ate them voraciously.
After eating, Bian Zhener patted his belly and said contentedly, "I'm so full!"
At such a young age, he didn't understand the pain of losing a loved one. The only thing he remembered was that before his mother died, she took him to a safe place and told him not to be afraid. He really was not afraid at all.
Master Mingyang smiled dotingly, stood up and wanted to look around. Bian Zhener mistakenly thought he was going to leave, so she quickly grabbed his trouser legs and begged, "Don't go, don't go, please don't go."
Master Mingyang rubbed Bian Zhener's head and said, "I won't leave."
That day, Master Mingyang really did not leave. When he set out on the road again, he was holding a little child by his side.
The child asked, "Daddy, Daddy, can I call you Daddy?"
"I cannot be your father."
"What should I call you then?"
Master Mingyang thought for a long time, and led little Bian Zhener walking farther and farther away in the sunset.
He said, "Master."
From then on, they became master and apprentice.
Master Mingyang gave Bian Zhen'er this Buddhist name, asking him to remember the truth and goodness in the world and distinguish between right and wrong, danger and evil. He imitated his master's words and deeds, and gradually became like a little monk.
But he is not a Buddhist after all.
Master Mingyang always carried a Jiaoweiqin on his back, and on the fifteenth day of every month he would take it out and play a piece of music called "Jinse". Master Mingyang told Bian Zhener that he liked a woman.
This woman has a gentle name, Yaoru.
In fact, Yao Ru is not gentle. She is cunning and cheerful, but she is not unfamiliar with the arts of music, chess, calligraphy and painting that gentle women know. She knows everything.
On the fifteenth day of every month, his father would send Yaoru to Mount Wutai to fast for five days to pray for his sick stepmother. Yaoru and his stepmother did not get along, and he was always reluctant to do so.
Until I met Mingyang.
At that time, Mingyang was just a little monk holding a lamp on Mount Wutai. When Yaoru was fasting, Mingyang would hold the lamp for her. After a while, Yaoru found the shy Mingyang very interesting, so she liked to tease him and asked, "Little monk Mingyang, do you think I am beautiful?"
The seventeen-year-old Mingyang would always hide his face under the candlelight and said shyly: "Donor...donor is good-looking."
"Am I the most beautiful girl you have ever seen?"
You asked again.
Mingyang's face turned even redder, and he said, "It looks good... the best."
Yaoru liked this answer, and she liked Mingyang who answered her like this even more.
"Then can I let you take a closer look?" Yao Ru teased Ming Yang. Ming Yang's cheeks were as red as a delicate girl, and blood was about to bleed.
Mingyang glanced at Yaoru secretly and said, "I am afraid that looking at you for one more second would be disrespectful to you."
But I was afraid that I would miss the girl and would not like her very much.
"Then you should look at me just as much or as little as possible!" Yao Ru looked at Ming Yang with his head buried deep in his eyes, and laughed in a voice as sweet as an oriole.
From then on, Yao Ru simply lived in Mount Wutai and never went back.
During the half year they knew each other, Yaoru gave Mingyang a jiaoweiqin (a Chinese harp) and taught Mingyang how to play a piece of music called "Jinse" on the highest rock in Mount Wutai.
When Mingyang learned the song, Yaoru asked him to play it for her, and then she sat beside him and sang.
Sing: "The brocade harp has fifty strings, each string and each pillar reminds me of my youth. Zhuangzi dreamed of butterflies in the morning, and King Wang placed his spring love on the cuckoo... This feeling can be recalled, but it was already gone at that time."
Later, my father and the abbot of Mount Wutai learned about this. One of them tied Yaoru up and locked her in the boudoir, preparing to marry off this woman who brought disgrace to the family. The other was whipped by the abbot for a day and a night, thrown into the woodshed, and had to carry water from the foot of Mount Wutai every day.
So, they could never meet again.
Yao Ru asked her father to let her go every day, but her father refused. She cried every night, missing the little monk on Mount Wutai.
Every time Mingyang lay down in the woodshed exhausted, he would light a green lamp and place it beside him, because he felt that lighting the green lamp made it seem as if Yaoru was right beside him.
Later, Mingyang heard that Yaoru was going to get married, and he knelt in front of the Buddha for three days and three nights and asked to return to secular life. On the wedding day, Mingyang rushed to the scene and wanted to take Yaoru away, but was beaten half to death by people sent by Yaoru's father.
Yao Ru begged her father to release Ming Yang and said that she would never disobey her father in the future.
His father let Mingyang go. Mingyang stood at the door and watched Yaoru get married with someone else and become someone else's first wife.
He kept calling Yaoru's name at the door, but Yaoru didn't answer him.
Under the red phoenix, the invitation is like a tearful one.
Apart from Hongluan, Mingyang felt hopeless.
On the day of Yaoru's wedding, Mingyang carried the Jiaoweiqin on his back and embarked on a journey of no return for the rest of his life.
He never saw Yao Ru again.