The stream water in the wooden basin swayed slightly.

Rong Shu pursed her lips, is she really the eldest aunt?

That aunt who would make delicious steamed cheese for her in Shenyin Courtyard, let her eldest cousin help her pile snow, never fight over it, and have a smile on her face?

Rong Shu lowered his eyes.

In April of this year, on the day when the officials in Zhuangyuan Hutong rioted, my mother-in-law once said that my eldest aunt's position in the village was very inappropriate. If she didn't know anything about the affairs in the village, she would know it at a glance. Cheating and cheating.

Now think about it, it wasn't that the dealer was cheating, but that person was not the dealer from the beginning to the end.

Grandma is thinking about changing the village head for the eldest aunt, but where is the eldest aunt? In her previous life, the eldest aunt watched my mother-in-law being exiled.

While thinking about it, his hand suddenly felt light.

Gu Changjin held up the wooden basin in her hand with one hand, slowly put his other hand against her cheek, wiped away the water droplets on her cheek with his fingertips, and whispered: "Don't worry, many things have not happened yet. "It's not too late."

His fingers were cold, and the pads of his fingers were thinly calloused. When they brushed against her cheek, they felt a little itchy but also felt indescribably gentle.

The surrounding fields are silent, and the sound of birds chirping deep in the dense forest makes this small valley even more tranquil.

Rong Shu said "hmm", turned away slightly, and stepped back.

The soft black hair gently ran across the back of his hand, and the warm fragrance of nephrite on his fingertips instantly dissipated, and Gu Changjin lowered his hand.

While the two were silent, a cheerful voice suddenly sounded.

"Girl!"

Rong Shu tilted his head, followed the sound, his eyes suddenly lit up, and said: "Sister Luoyan!"

Liu Ping and Chang Ji were followed behind Luoyan. The three of them looked a little embarrassed, and they were all injured. But fortunately it's not serious.

"How did you find us?" Rong Shu stepped forward to support Luo Yan and asked curiously.

Luo Yanzai took a closer look at Rong Shu and saw that she was safe and sound, with not even a hair damaged, and then he breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Master Gu left a code, and we followed those codes to find us. When those cargo ships collided, Chang Ji knocked on Liu Ping and I's door. We were going to find the girl, but Chang Ji said that Master Gu had already gone. , and forced me and Liu Ping to jump off the ship."

When Luo Yan said this, he gave Chang Ji a hard look.

Chang Ji never got a good look from her along the way, and the wound on his neck was caused by Luo Yan. Seeing that she wanted to settle accounts again, he hurriedly avoided her, stepped forward to restore Gu Changjin's life, and said: "Master..."

Halfway through his words, his eyes met Gu Changjin's, and his tongue immediately became knotted. He didn't understand why his master wanted to Look at him with such a look that makes his scalp tingle.

Gu Changjin glanced at the injuries on his body and said, "Is there any other injuries?"

Chang Ji finally realized that his master was concerned about whether he was injured.

He was a little embarrassed for a moment. He was rough-skinned and had suffered countless injuries from accompanying his master since he was a child. Although he was almost knocked unconscious when the turpentine ships exploded last night, these injuries were not the same as those he had suffered before. Compared with the injury, it is a trivial matter.

"Master, don't worry, I'm fine." Chang Ji looked at Gu Changjin for a few times and then said, "Master, where are you injured?"

Gu Changjin's face looked very bad. He was used to being able to endure no matter how severe the pain was. The injuries that fell on him were like drizzle, and he rarely showed signs of pain.

But Changji could tell that this would be very painful for the master.

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Gu Changjin raised his lips and smiled. Yun Danfeng said softly: "It's a small injury, it's not a problem."

Then he asked: "How are the people on the passenger ship?"

Except for them on the passenger ship, The group of people also included the husband of the ferry and three seafarers.

When Gu Changjin sensed the danger last night, he had already ordered Chang Ji to call Luo Yan and Liu Ping and lead those people to escape, while he went to rescue Rong Shu himself.

"Boss Mr. Guan and the two boys are fine. My subordinates have settled them down and just followed the master's sign to find them."

"Where is the other person?" Gu Changjin asked.

Chang Ji was silent for a moment and said: "He's dead. The man was stabbed in the back of the head by an iron nail and couldn't survive."

Gu Changjin was silent, and after a moment he said: "It's a good pension. Give me more money. If there are parents at home, His wife and children, send someone to tell them that he died to save others and was a loyal man."

Chang Ji responded "Yes" and continued: "My subordinate once sneaked back to the riverside when it was dark, and there was water floating above. There are four or five corpses on the body, which must be the people on the cargo ship. In addition, there are also about ten corpses on the river bank. Judging from their clothes, they should be the same as the people on the cargo ship. In all likelihood, they are. They came to chase us, but for some reason, they all died. "

Is there any sign of fighting?"

Gu

Changjin's eyes narrowed, "Someone will come to pick us up soon."

Chang Ji frowned. Who? It can't be someone from Liu Miao Hall, right?"

Gu Changjin said lightly, "I don't know, maybe someone from Liu Miao Hall, maybe someone from the Imperial Palace, or maybe someone from the palace."

People in the palace?

Chang Ji's eyelids twitched and he wanted to ask why someone came from the palace, but Chang Jin didn't give him this chance. After saying that, he turned to look at the girl not far away.

"Miss Rong, can you come into the house with me?"

Rong Shu was listening to Luo Yan's words. Hearing the words, he looked back at him. He hesitated and heard him say again: "Someone will be looking for you soon. I'm still here." I have something to say to you."

Rong Shu no longer hesitated and followed him into the house.

The fire in the room was not out yet, and there were two pieces of clothes neatly placed on one side, propped up on a piece of wood.

These are the outer and inner clothes that Rong Shu changed into for Gu Changjin yesterday. They were baked for more than two hours and are already dry by now.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of the two pieces of clothing, and Rong Shu suddenly remembered that there was a palm-sized compartment inside the middle coat, with a jade pendant inside.

It was obvious at a glance that the jade pendant she carried all the time was very important. She was afraid that something would go wrong, so she took it out.

Thinking of this, she immediately took out the jade pendant from her girdle and explained a few words, "I was afraid it would be damaged last night, so I simply took it out. I hope you can forgive me."

The jade pendant was a very rare piece of Wada with excellent water quality. Jade, with a small unicorn carved on it, and next to the unicorn is a regular "yan" character.

Gu Changjin took the jade pendant and slowly rubbed the word "yan" on it with his fingertips. The green water and green mountains of Fuyu Mountain appeared in front of him again. He was born and raised here, and is familiar with every wind and leaf there.

My father often said that the three brothers and sisters were born in this mountain forest. They are the "trees" here. If they bury their roots deep in the earth, they will be able to grow up facing the sun without fear of wind and rain.

Even if one day you fall into a cliff or an endless abyss, as long as you take root, you can flourish upward.

To be a person like a tree is what their father hopes for them.

"Do you remember the secret I told you? That secret is closely related to this jade pendant." Gu Changjin looked at Rong Shu and slowly said word by word: "Gu Changjin has always been Gu Changjin."

Gu Changjin It has always been Gu Changjin.

A rainy spring night.

On the Babu bed in Songsiyuan, these were the words Gu Ynzhi once said to her——

"Gu Yunzhi, let me tell you a secret."

"Rong Zhaozhao, let me tell you a secret too."

"What secret?"

"I am Gu Changjin, I have always been Gu Changjin."

Rong Shu remembered it and always remembered it.

That night, Gu Yunzhi not only said this to her, but also gently pecked her earlobe.

Those hazy memories after being drunk became clear for a while.

Rong Shu half-closed his eyes, turned around, changed the topic, and said: "My lord, please quickly change into your clothes. I'll tidy up this place first."

As she said this, she put out the fire and dragged the linoleum covering over it . On the pile of straw, he picked up the low table on the ground and put it back to its original place. After the house almost returned to its original appearance, he took out a purse filled with broken silver from his waist and put it in the bamboo basket.

Gu Changjin has already changed his clothes.

He knew that her busyness at this moment was just to avoid those topics about the past.

He didn't force her. He folded the old clothes in his hands and placed them on the bedside. Then he looked at her back and said, "If the person who comes to pick me up today is someone from the palace, then I probably can't accompany you to Wanwan." Ping County."

Rong Shu pushed the bamboo basket under the bed and said, "My lord, go ahead and take care of yourself. I can handle the affairs of the Hou Mansion myself."

After a pause, he added: " I have Sister Luoyan and Liu Ping with me, nothing will happen to me."

Gu Changjin said, "Yes," he said, "I asked Chang Ji to follow you in the dark. The people who ambush us yesterday will most likely continue to set up ambushes in Shangjing. , I have a secret stake in Shangjing, if something happens to you, Chang Ji and them can protect you in time, and can also send me news in time."

Rong Shu paused and turned to look at him.

"As you know, Xu Fu is not my mother. Mother Zhang and your uncle are most likely hers. If Mother Zhang is really hers, she must have her own agenda for keeping her by your side for so many years.

" So, it's not safe for you to go to Beijing."

His adoptive mother?

Rong Shu froze on the spot.

She knew that Gu Changjin was not Xu Fu's son, but that Xu Fu was the wife of an Orion in Jinan Prefecture. How could he have such great abilities that she could use to her uncle and mother Zhang?

Unless...

"Who is Xu Fu?" Rong Shu asked: "Has she... never been the real Xu Fu?"

Gu Changjin nodded slightly: "Her surname is Xiao, she is the cousin of the current emperor, Yunhua County " Princess

Yunhua?" Rong Shu frowned, she had never heard of this person.

"Princess Yunhua was sent to Daci'en Mountain since she was a child because her horoscope conflicted with the late emperor. Few people know about her."

Rong Shu's heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously looked at the wooden door.

Gu Changjin knew what she was worried about and said warmly: "It doesn't matter, Chang Ji will be watching outside."

Rong Shu's heart was still worried.

If Xu Fu was not the real Xu Fu, but the princess of Yunhua, she must have had a big plan by taking Gu Changjin incognito. Rong Shu didn't want to get involved in what they were planning. She just wanted to know who was behind her uncle.

After my uncle went to Beijing for business, he broke off the engagement with my mother-in-law when he came back, on the grounds that he had a sweetheart. And one of the paintings he cherishes like a treasure is of the plum grove at the back of the Daci'en Temple.

Princess Yunhua grew up in Daci'en Temple.

Is this a coincidence?

Rong Shu said quickly: "On the day I returned to Ning, your Excellency sent you a volume of Mr. Chunshan's paintings. My uncle's favorite is this Mr.'s painting. Does your Excellency know what the relationship between this master of painting and Princess Yunhua is?"

Gu Changjin raised his eyes and looked at her, and said, "Just as you guessed, Mr. Chunshan is the Princess of Yunhua."

Rong Shu bit his lip, "So, uncle is indeed the Princess of Yunhua. After saying this

, she suddenly remembered something.

When something happened to the Rong family in her previous life, Lin Qingyue went to Songsiyuan to ridicule her, not wanting to be slapped hard by Zhang's mother.

At that time, Lin Qingyue looked at Zhang's mother with a very strange look, with some surprise, some resentment, and a touch of reluctance.

Lin Qingyue once said that she had taken away other people's things. Rong Shu originally thought she was talking about Gu Changjin, but now that she thought about it, she was clearly talking about Zhang's mother.

"Mother Zhang is probably Lin Qingyue's mother," Rong Shu said with a bitter smile on her face, "When I left Songsi Yuan, Lin Qingyue once said that I took her things away."

Gu. Chang Jin comforted her, "Mother Zhang had ulterior motives for appearing by your side. You didn't steal anyone's things."

"I know, I just don't understand," Rong Shu said in confusion: "Why would any mother choose to give up? Your own child, choose to take care of another child?"

She smiled suddenly at this and said, "Do you know what Zhang's mother put in the secret box of Sanshengtang? Six' paper, I guess this is Lin Qingyue's birthday."

Although Gu Changjin has known Lin Qingyue and Wen Xi since they were children, they have rarely interacted with each other, and he has never paid attention to their birthdays.

I vaguely remember that Lin Qingyue was indeed born in April.

"In Mr. Gu's dream, besides Zhang's mother, second uncle and eldest aunt, among the people in the Rong family who colluded with Shen Zhi, were there others?"

"My dreams are only about you. The last dream It ended on September 8, the 23rd year of Jiayou's reign. In that dream, the only ones I found were your second uncle and eldest aunt." Gu Changjin paused for a moment, then considered. The eldest brother and the second brother made a big mistake, but in the end it was your father who confessed. It must be related to some old things about the Rong family. "

Rong

Shu chewed on the two words, frowned slightly, and said subconsciously. "Could the old events about the first, second and third bedrooms be related to the death of my grandfather and uncle or the title of the Rong family?"

Gu Changjin looked at her and smiled slowly, nodded and said, "I think so too. "

His voice was a little weak, and his expression was not good, but the smile he gave her at this moment, for some reason, made Rong Shu suddenly have the illusion that the two of them were connected.

She gently looked away and said, "Your Excellency, you sent Liu Ping to me and asked Chang Ji to protect me. Rong Shu is very grateful. I will tie a knot of grass in my mouth to repay him in the future."

She accepted him. The arrangement allowed him to place Chang Jian next to her.

He just doesn't need her to tie grass knots in her mouth to repay her kindness, he just wants her to be safe.

"Rong Shu, do you want to know who I am?" Gu Changjin asked.

Rong Shu shook his head: "Sir, I don't want to know."

When he told her these things today, he was probably preparing to tell her all his secrets.

For example, his true identity, why Xu Fu pretended to be his mother, and why he had to be wary of Xu Fu at all times.

He wanted to tell everything about him, but she didn't want to know.

Probably because these secrets are just a burden to her. Once a person has a burden, the steps under his feet are no longer easy and free.

She didn't want to do anything like creating a prison for one person.

Gu Changjin naturally saw her reluctance and understood why she didn't want to know.

She remembered what happened in her previous life, but she also let go of everything that happened between him and her in her previous life.

But he couldn't let it go, couldn't let it go.

Gu Changjin pinched the jade pendant in his hand and moved his lips. He was about to speak when suddenly there was a noise outside.

Chang Ji gently knocked on the door and said, "Master, someone is here."