Zhang's mother injured her waist and could only lie on the bed and couldn't get off the ground, two days later, Qi Xiangsi went to worship in front of Aunt Wei's grave, Zhang's mother wanted to go, but she couldn't even sit in a wheelchair.

Huizhou began to get cold in October, and when I went out early in the morning, the jade made Qi Xiangsi add an extra lining, and when I went up the mountain, the grass was full of morning dew, and it was cool to splash on my face.

Originally, the mountain road was not easy to walk, and the last time she came, she was lifted up from the grass at half height, but this time the field steward cleared the road a few days in advance, and after half an hour they climbed the hillside.

Steward Tian and the courtyard have already set up the table that has been carried up, Lianxin led the basket to put all the tributes inside on the table, Qi Xiangsi walked towards the tomb inside, except for the weeds cut on the ground, here is the same as when she came at the beginning of the year, there is no change.

After she returned to the Qi family, the Qi family should have sent people to Huizhou more than once, but there was no thought of repairing Aunt Wei's tomb.

This is the Qi family, she already knew, even if she had expected it for Ah Ying to go back, but now it has been exhausted.

Tian steward lit candles on incense, Lianxin took a stack of paper money and came over to prepare to burn it, Qi Xiangsi motioned to her to put it down: "You follow Tian steward down, go to the nearby market to see if there are any dolls selling paper ties, and buy a pair." ”

Lianxin handed over the paper money to the jade, followed the steward Tian down the mountain, Qi Xiangsi squatted down, stretched out his hand and gently stroked the dust under the tombstone, and said in a very light tone: "Auntie, I came to see you." ”

More than six years have passed, the wooden stele has been eroded by wind and rain, and the words on it are also a little blurred, Qi Xiangsi can think that after Aunt Wei passed away, Ah Ying tried all her means to bury her here, this barren mountain and wild forest, only a few peach blossom trees next to it as companions.

"Girl." Jade handed over the wine, Qi Xiangsi took it from her hand, slowly poured it in front of the tombstone, took another cup and poured a cup in a place next to the tombstone where the grass was pulled, "Jade, you kneel down and kowtow to the fifth girl." ”

Jade was stunned, Qi Xiangsi looked at her, Jade was panicked in her chest, lifted her skirt and knelt where Qi Xiangsi was pointing, and kowtowed three times.

"Jade, here are the five girls of your Qi Mansion." Qi Xiangsi opened her mouth lightly, handed her the wine, and watched the wine seep into the soil, "She has not been in good health since she was a child, and after Aunt Wei died of illness, she sold everything she could sell before burying Aunt Wei, and then lived on the streets, and was kidnapped up the mountain, almost losing her life." ”

"She and I met in that cottage, and then we were lucky enough to escape and live in Yongzhou for three years." Qi Xiangsi bent down and gently plucked the grass that grew, it was the pit she dug for Ah Ying in this place with her own hands, and buried her here with Aunt Wei as a companion, "How can the life of begging be so wishful, she often eats the last meal but not the next meal, she is not in good health, and she can't withstand such a life at all, so she often gets sick." ”

"We don't have money, it's good to be able to eat a full stomach, most of the time when you are sick, you can only look at the destiny of heaven, God let you live, then live."

Jade's hand holding the cup trembled slightly, and as Qi Xiangsi continued, her breathing became a little heavier.

"God treats her unfairly, she is such a kind person, but he wants her to suffer those things." Qi Xiangsi gently threw away the weeds, "Last winter, there was a goose feather snow in Yongzhou, which had not snowed for many years, and Ah Ying was sick at that time, very sick. ”

Jade couldn't help but turn her head to look at her, Qi Xiangsi hung her head, and couldn't tell her expression: "The snow that day was very heavy, it seemed to scrape through the roof, and Ah Ying, who had a high fever for several days, couldn't survive it, and when she died, no one was by her side except me." ”

"Jade, the five girls of your Qi Mansion are buried here."

Jade Shi moved her mouth, and it was difficult to speak: "Why did the girl sue me about this?" ”

"You've been with me for more than half a year, and I've taken you to do so many things, haven't you ever been suspicious." Qi Xiangsi looked up at her and smiled, "You are so smart, you should be suspicious when I take you to Nanxian." ”

Yushi was not shocked in her heart, why did the girl take her to do these things, and tell her these things, she was not afraid that she would sue Mrs. Sù after she went back.

"Ah Ying asked me to go back to Qi's house, recognize my brother for her and Aunt Wei, and seek justice for them." Qi Xiangsi held the pendant on his chest and asked Jade, "Don't you think it's too lonely here." ”

Jade quickly understood what she meant: "The girl wants to move Aunt Wei's tomb to the ancestral tomb of the Qi family." ”

Of course she wants to do this, Qi Xiangsi smiled on her face and looked back at the tombstone: "They are the Qi family, so they should go back to the Qi family." ”

Jade has been on an errand in the Qi family for so many years, and she still has some understanding of the various houses in the Qi Mansion, especially the old lady, who values the honor and face of the Qi family more than anything else, how could she agree to the girl to move Aunt Wei's grave back to Kyoto.

"Girl sue me these" Jade is not a person of Lianxin's age, she is eighteen years old, in Qi Mansion, she is already an old man for more than ten years, they are waiting for people, and they also deeply understand a truth, talk less and do more.

When she was young, her mother who brought her in told her that she was stupid and stunned to serve her good master, and even if she didn't let go of her master when she was old, she would look at the dignity to find you a good marriage, and she would be scolded at most if she was stupid, but she was easy to be feared, and the more she knew, the faster she died.

"I'm alone in the Qi family, and I need someone who can help me." Qi Xiangsi did not hide her purpose, looking at her with clear eyes, "Being a maid for others, no matter how beautiful it is, is also a job of serving people, you have been away from home for many years, how can you change the status quo of the family by yourself." ”

If her brother wants to marry and the family wants a large sum of money, she cannot prevent her younger sister from being sent away in a place where she is accustomed to sending her daughter to work as a maid for a large family in exchange for a better life.

If there is a choice, who is willing to serve people, if she hadn't been brought to Qi Mansion back then, she would have already married and had children at this time, and it is nothing to live a poor life, at least she can call the shots.

The corners of Jade's mouth moved slightly, and he couldn't speak.

"I'm not afraid of death, but I'm not willing to die like this." Qi Xiangsi picked up a handful of paper money and threw it into the air, looked up to see them fall, and said softly, "So I'm also afraid of death." ”

What backup can she have, and who will she rely on? From the moment she left the Qi family with her younger brother, from the time she couldn't find out about her uncle's house in Wanxian, from the time she escaped from the cottage, from her to the Qi family, which step was not taken by herself.

So she had to gamble every time, betting that she would win.

Jade didn't feel that feeling because she had never experienced it, she hadn't been abandoned, she hadn't been displaced, she hadn't escaped death, but she was panicked, especially when she thought of seeing the girl in the inn that day.

"You can go back and tell the old lady."

Qi Xiangsi got up, patted the grass on her skirt, turned her head to look at her, with a faint smile on her face, as if she was saying something extremely easy: "You follow me, I won't treat you badly." ”

The feeling was blocked from the heart up to the throat, Jade didn't know what to say, and she couldn't describe her feelings clearly, she lowered her head to look at the tombstone, the words on it were blurred, obviously she cut corners when she carved it, and there was not even a monument where the five girls were buried on the side.

The fifth girl is dead, so who is she?

When they were in Nanxian, they hid in the grass, and the person who was called her cousin by the girl called her lovesick, and Jade opened her mouth, that is her real name?

"You don't have to rush, it will take about 20 days on the way back to Kyoto." Qi Xiangsi held the incense and worshipped, squatted down and stuck it on the ground, "What you have is time to think about it slowly." ”

Jade took a deep breath: "Why did the girl choose me?" ”

"Because I believe in you, of course." Qi Xiangsi threw down the rest of the paper money, turned around and smiled at her, she had tried her so many times in the past six months, and knew so many things, and now it was too late to leave.

When the sun rose, the hillside was hot, the wind was blowing in the forest, and the candles on the table had been blown out. ”

Jade took the paper figure from her hand and burned it, and Lianxin took out some folded ingots and silver from the basket and burned them together.

Qi Xiangsi stayed there until the afternoon, she sat next to the tombstone and bowed her head and didn't know what she was saying, there was always a smile on her face, Jade and Lianxin stood not far away to look at her, Lianxin was a little curious: "Sister Jade, did you say that the girl was talking to Aunt Wei about the Qi Mansion." ”

"Maybe." Jade said lightly, maybe the girl wanted to talk to Miss A Ying.

"When we go back, we can move to Siyi Courtyard to live, and those who entered the house with me before still envy me, and they can come to the inner courtyard to serve the five girls." Lianxin's voice lowered, "The fifth girl is much easier to get along with than the other girls. ”

"You can't say that in the house in the future." Jade patted her on the shoulder, "Do you think the fifth girl is good?" ”

"Of course." Lianxin replied without hesitation.

Jade looked at her and was slightly stunned, then smiled: "Then you have to be kind to the girl." ”

Lianxin nodded, and looked over there with her, Qi Xiangsi poured a bag of fried dried almond fruits into the soil: "Ah Ying, don't worry, when I come back to see you next time, I will definitely take you back to Qi Mansion." ”

After the worship, they were about to leave for Kyoto soon, and it had been a month and a half since they had left Kyoto, and it was already autumn in Huizhou City.

All the way to Kyoto, the weather is getting colder and colder, Qi Xiangsi added clothes all the way, and he had already put on a jacket when he was in Tongzhou County.

There are three or four days to go to Kyoto City, in the evening the carriage in the county to rest, Zhang's mother back pain can not stand, but also invited the doctor to come to see.

If you hurt your waist, you should lie down and rest, but the carriage was bumpy all the way, and when you came back, it was faster than when you went, and those who were not sick couldn't sit comfortably, not to mention Zhang's mother, but she refused to leave her in Huizhou City.

When the doctor came to see, Qi Xiangsi went to the street to stroll, Yang County and Nanxian County are about the same size, but because they are close to Kyoto and close to the official road, it is particularly lively, at this time the street is full of people, and there are carriages coming and going.

"Look there, girl." Lianxin pointed to the front, the wide place in the market in front of him is a temple, there are many people in and out, and the incense is also very prosperous, suddenly, Lianxin shouted in surprise, "Girl, look! ”

Qi Xiangsi looked up and smiled, she really met an acquaintance.

There are a lot of stalls at the entrance of the temple, the most people who buy incense and candles, and those who buy peace charms, the strange thing is that there are individual stalls next to a fortune-telling stall, there is a serious teenager sitting, the word free clinic is hung on the stall, the medicine box on the table is readily available, and the little guy at the back also holds an umbrella in his hand, which is used to shade the young man.

But few people came to him, and the fortune-telling booth next door couldn't stand it: "Little brother, if you don't change places, I won't have any business here." ”

Fu Rong raised his hand to wipe his sweat, turned his head to look at him, carefully observed his facial features, and asked him kindly: "This eldest brother, I see that your eyes are blue and your lips are dry and white, why don't I take your pulse for you?" ”

"Go, go, you rob me of my job." The fortune teller urged him to leave quickly in disgust, and this also used his lines, what kind of person, go to the gate of the temple to see a doctor.

Fu Rong was a little wronged by his scolding, and the little guy on the side couldn't stand it anymore: "What do you say, my young master is going to give you a pulse diagnosis for your own good, you see that your eyes are dark." ”

Fu Rong hurriedly stopped the little guy from continuing, and the fortune teller snorted and ignored them.

"Why don't you say that the people's Yin Hall is black, the eyes are blank, the lips are cracked and the tongue is burned, and the spirit is scattered."

Suddenly there was a laughing sentence in front of the stall, Fu Rong raised his head, and one master and two servants stood there, all laughing.

"Miss Qi." Fu Rong felt very embarrassed, wasn't that what the fortune teller said.

"I said, who can set up a stall at the entrance of the temple for free clinic, it turns out to be Dr. Fu." Qi Xiangsi looked at his brand, and then looked at the fortune teller next door, and couldn't help laughing, no wonder people disliked him.

"I think there's a lot of people here." Fu Rong felt even more embarrassed, "I'm going back to prepare for the exam in a few days, and this is not just in Yangxian County." ”

"If you want a free clinic, it's better to go to the tea stall, there are pilgrims coming in and out, who doesn't pray for good luck, who is willing to listen to you say that he is not feeling well and needs to take medicine." Qi Xiangsi pointed to the tea stall where there were many people not far away, where the people were leisurely and had the time to sit down and listen to people slowly.

Fu Rong glanced at the fortune teller next to him, and the fortune teller immediately glared at him: "The old man is not sick!" ”

The little guy hurriedly dismantled the stall for him: "Young master, then let's listen to Miss Qi, go there, don't stay with him here!" ”

The fortune teller glared at them: "Hurry up." ”

Lian Xin stepped forward to help move it, and carried the stall to the edge of the tea stall, Fu Rong invited Qi Xiangsi to sit down at the tea stall: "Miss Qi came back with the caravan?" ”

"I came back from Huizhou." Qi Xiangsi was more curious about where he went, "Where did you walk around?" ”

"I went to Xianyang from Tongzhou, walked a few places in Yongzhou, and came back when the exam was about to be over." Fu Rong walked and stopped all the way, and he changed places every three or four days, and the longest would not exceed six days.

Not long after the stall was erected, someone came to consult, and Fu Rong admired Qi Xiangsi a little: "Miss Qi still has a way." ”

"What kind of solution is this?" Qi Xiangsi smiled a little helplessly, this is common sense, saying that he is really stupid, there are so many people coming and going at the temple gate, who has the heart to sit down and listen to him talk about where there is a disease, the tea stalls are all free, and they can naturally get together.

"Then I'll go first." Fu Rong got up and went over to see someone, and Qi Xiangsi walked out of the tea stall and looked over there, that is, he wouldn't look so stupid when he was treating people

After shopping in the market and passing by the tea stall, the stall of the free clinic was still there, at this time the sky was a little dark, and the little maid was doing his best to help his young master, Qi Xiangsi glanced at a few patients sitting behind, and told Lianxin to buy some food nearby and send them over.

By the time she returned to the inn to wash, it was already dark.

The bustle of Yang County did not last very late, and there was occasionally the sound of passing carriages on the street, and Yu Shi came in with a bowl of boiled sweet soup: "I don't know if Dr. Fu has closed the stall there." ”

"Not necessarily." Qi Xiangsi shook his head with a smile, "His dumbfounded appearance, if the patient doesn't finish, he will definitely not leave first." ”

"Then he won't be hungry." Lian Xin looked out the window, that look amused Qi Xiangxi, raised her hand and patted her forehead gently, "What, are you still thinking about someone?" ”

Lianxin's cheeks flushed: "No, I think Doctor Fu is such a good person, I shouldn't be hungry." ”

"Don't worry." Qi Xiangsi couldn't help laughing, "He is such a good person, he will definitely eat what you sent over." ”

Lianxin's face was flushed, she was only ten years old, where did she really know what love is, she just likes a son like Fu Rong, who is kind and good-looking, Jade rubbed her head helplessly: "Don't go and change the water soon." ”

Seeing Lianxin running out, Qi Xiangsi still had a smile on her face, and Jade came over and put a coat on her: "It's late at night, it's better for the girl not to catch a cold." ”

"I'll be back home in a few days." If she didn't count the time, she didn't feel that more than two months had passed.

"The house must have been arranged, and when the girl left, Mrs. had already sent someone to clean up Siyi Courtyard."

Qi Xiangsi glanced up at her, Jade was turning her back to clean up the bed, she was still treating her as usual these days, as if nothing had changed in Huizhou.

It's just that this trip is too urgent, and she didn't stop in Yongzhou City, otherwise she could still go to see Xiaoliu and them, and she doesn't know how they are doing now, and I really don't know when I will go back next time.

What she didn't expect was that what she had been thinking about, which she couldn't achieve for a while, came true not long after she returned to Kyoto, in a way that surprised her.