Chapter 395: Something Happened
67_67437 "What's wrong?" Ye Manzi looked at her with wide eyes, a little confused, I don't know which pot she is mentioning?
Du Quan bit her lower lip and said, the distress on her face was even worse, "I don't know where I offended Sister Yuan, she now looks at me not with my nose or eyes, as if she is angry with me." You said that everyone is a poetry club, is it really good to make such an awkward scene? β
"You have a conflict with Sister Yuan?" Leaf vine seeds opened their eyes wide.
Du Quan nodded dizzily, "I can't think of where to provoke her now, we used to get along so well, how can we turn our faces and turn our faces?" Anyway, you have to let me know why, right? β
"Then you can ask her for clarification."
"I have looked for her, but she has avoided me, I even went to the original house, and her mother said that she was not there, how can you ask me clearly, if it continues like this, I will quit the company......"
Du Quan thought that quitting the club was the next step, and there were still people she liked in this poetry club, just like leaf vine seeds, so she was still reluctant to quit the club. If Ying said that she had done something wrong, as long as she said it generously, she would apologize again, and everyone would still be friends, but if she was still so yin and yang, the clay figure still had three points of earthiness, why should she get used to her? Using her own hot face to stick to other people's cold butts, she also has her own pride.
Ye Manzi didn't want the poetry club to be torn apart, they were all friends who had been together for some years, and besides, this time it was Du Quan and Yuan Ziying who had a conflict, not the somewhat fake branch, so she was still willing to do her part and held Du Quan with her backhand, "Sister Du, or after we go to the temple to ask for incense, I will ask Sister Yuan to come out and make it clear to you face to face, it's better than you being suspicious like this, what do you say?" β
Du Quan bit her lower lip, Yuan Ziying treated her like this, she was angry, but she had never thought badly of people, but she had been friends before, so she said, "That's what I mean, Sister Ye, then this matter is troublesome to you, if you can't get along with my original sister, then I will quit the poetry club after I go back from the temple......"
"Sister Du, don't make up your mind so quickly, besides, I'll help you now." Leaf vine seed road.
Du Quan smiled, "Sister Ye, you are still the best, just like at the beginning, I don't know how people say that they have changed?" I really can't see through Sister Yuan......"
"By the way, I saw her and Sister Lian sharing a carriage." Ye Manzi said casually.
"They've always been the best ......"
"Then why don't you ask Sister Lian for help? She has a good relationship with Sister Yuan, and what she says is more effective than mine, and my friendship with Sister Yuan is not as deep as hers. β
Ye Manzi was very surprised, if she hadn't asked such a question, she wouldn't have found such a big loophole, there was no need for Du Quan to give up the branches to her, the relationship has always been able to decide many things. I couldn't help but think of what my mother and sister-in-law had said, and it was indispensable to guard against people, and she suddenly struck a spirit, and her eyes stared at Du Quan's face to see how she answered her question.
Du Quan didn't notice Ye Manzi's tense face at the moment and secretly wary, "Why haven't I looked for her?" It's just that I've found it before I think of you, even my sister she actually rejected me, she said she was not good at being this peacemaker, and said that she also felt that the original sister was a little weird recently, and often lost her temper with her, if she persuaded her, she would definitely add fuel to the fire and not be pleased, not only could not help me, but also made the original sister even annoy her, after all, they have been friends for several years, she is reluctant to be the friend of the original sister, please let me understand her difficulties" paused, "She has said everything to this, what else can I say?" You can't drag Sister Lian into the water, right? I'm not that cheeky yet. β
She was a little angry as she spoke, what is this? She is also a dignified princess, and she is guilty of looking at people's faces everywhere, and at this time, she doesn't like Yuan Ziying as much as before, and gradually brings a trace of anger.
Ye Manzi thought about it, Lian Zhi refused to help Duquan make peace with Yuan Ziying, it seems to be a very simple thing on the surface, but there are many doubts inside, such as why did Yuan Ziying suddenly change? This former sister has always been easy-going and arrogant, and she has never had a red face with anyone, but now she has made Du Quan and Lian Zhi complain about her, what is hidden here?
Du Quan saw that she was a little stunned, and hurriedly pushed her gently, "Sister Ye, what's wrong with you?" β
"Nothing." Ye Manzi subconsciously replied, thought about it, and then said casually, "Sister Du, I don't think I'm restless, when we get to the temple, we still have to pay attention, my mother said that it is not very peaceful outside now, and the disaster situation is strict, I am afraid that someone will take risks to do something bad, and it is not bad to pay more attention." β
"My mother also said so when I went out, but I agreed to come out with everyone to make incense, so it's hard to refuse." Du Quan said busily, she still thought something was going on, but she was not a person who did not listen to persuasion if she sailed the ship carefully.
"Sister Du, I don't know if I should talk about it...... or not," Ye Manzi said with some hesitation.
Du Quan said quickly: "You and I are good sisters, what should I not talk about?" You name it, and I'll go through it with you. β
"Okay, I'm not going to hide it." Ye Manzi moved closer to Du Quan, "Sister Du, don't you think it's a bit strange to go to incense this time, it's still the original sister who mentioned yΓ¬, she wasn't so pious before, what's even more abnormal is that Sister Lian, who has always been good friends with her, is opposed, the two of them have always been focused on Meng, Meng is not focused, even if there are any contradictions, they will be resolved in private, how can it be brought to the table?" β
Ye Manzi didn't say it, Du Quan hadn't discovered this yet, but now that she thinks about it, she is full of suspicions, and her little face can't help but be stern, although she has always been heartless, it doesn't mean that she has no brains, but she has never liked to think crookedly, "When you say this, it seems that something is really wrong, but what is their intention in singing a double reed like this?" Is there anything in the poetry club that they are trying to plot? I really can't think of it. β
She originally went to the carriage of the Ye family just to ask Ye Manzi to ask Yuan Ziying if she had an opinion on her, but in this discussion between the two, her original idea seemed a little naΓ―ve and naΓ―ve. The inner courtyard of the capital family is actually not a peaceful world, between the mother-in-law and sister-in-law, between the main room and the concubine, there is a turbulent undercurrent of swords and swords, she doesn't understand the tricks of these women fighting, but she has always disdained to participate.
Her idea is very simple, she is the daughter of a princess, no matter what her background is here, others will be jealous of her background even if they disrespect her, her father and her brother are not vegetarians, and she has always been favored. At this time, I felt that someone seemed to be plotting, and he was still a simple member of the poetry club, and I felt uncomfortable for a while.
Ye Manzi couldn't answer her question, her mother and sister-in-law didn't tell her which one she liked was her third sister-in-law, and besides, was her third brother so good? Can these people fight for their heads? Thinking about it, it seems unlikely, her third brother will not attack the lord, and her eldest brother and sister-in-law already have four children, no matter how the marquis turns, it will not be the turn of the third brother.
The two of them looked at each other with big eyes, after all, they were still fifteen-year-old girls, with limited experience, and now they were out and there was no mother by their side to ask for advice, and in the end the two had to spread their hands to express their helplessness.
Ye Manzi still has some ideas in the end, "Sister Du, let's not think so much, when the time comes, if there is anything wrong, immediately get into the carriage and go home, there are always adults at home, I don't believe that a few yellow-haired girls can turn the sky upside down?" β
"Well, Sister Ye is right, let's do it." Du Quan nodded, "By the way, do you want to remind the others?" β
"How? This is just our conjecture, only to offend people, if there is really a mess at that time, we can help if we can, no matter how much we can. Ye Manzi knows that she is two pounds, she is no longer the reckless and ignorant character she was a few years ago, so she resolutely refuses to do anything that is strong.
Du Quan is warm-hearted, but helplessly, as Ye Manzi said, how to win the trust of people without evidence, it is better to observe first, and then remind others if there is something wrong.
The two of them were worried about their own hearts, but they still arrived at the Pufu Temple on time, and there was no surprise or danger all the way.
The monks in the temple have already received the news to greet them, before the arrival of this group of noble women, the wives of the powerful families such as the Xiangyang Hou Mansion and the Jinyang Hou Mansion have already sent people to say hello, and the abbot and others do not dare to slack off at all, for fear that this group of noble women will encounter danger in their own temple, and they can not afford the consequences.
Du Quan and Ye Manzi got out of the carriage hand in hand, the two of them were still at a fun age, seeing this destination, their little faces also glowed, and then they joined several other nobles of equal status, and a few people stepped forward to greet the abbot first.
Lian Zhi and Yuan Ziying, who followed behind, saw this, and felt slightly uncomfortable, although everyone is a member of the poetry club, but there is still a difference in status, and that group of princesses and daughters have always done their own thing.
Yuan Ziying didn't care about it before, but now that her mentality has changed, she also feels that she is being neglected, and her expression gradually becomes a little gloomy, "Even sister, let's go up too." β
Lian Zhi nodded his head lightly, and stepped into the Pufu Temple with Yuan Ziying.
Even if only this group of noble ladies came to offer incense today, their attendants and followers almost crowded the entrance of this temple, and the little novice was very busy, which was much more tiring than receiving ordinary believers on weekdays.
The chirping female voice almost lifted the roof of the Daxiong Treasure Palace, and the abbot felt a headache, but he couldn't afford to offend these girls with a single one, not to mention a group, so he had to be patient to receive them one by one, of course, the focus was on a few princes such as Ye Manzi and Duquan.
Ye Manzi has begun to understand a little bit of the relationship between men and women since the time, kneeling in front of the Buddha statue, she prayed sincerely, hoping to get a lot, shook it, and finally dropped a stick, the maid next to her immediately held it up, and asked, "Girl? β
"Take it to the master and see what it is?" Ye Manzi commanded.
"I happened to get the lot, let's go together to see if it's signed." Du Quan hurriedly handed the stick holder to the big girl beside her, picked up the bamboo stick in front of her, she got up and grabbed Ye Manzi and raised her eyebrows.
Ye Manzi smiled hurriedly, "Okay." Motioning to the maid to give her the bamboo stick, she happily went with Duquan to untie the sign.
When she got to the signer, she took the lead and handed the bamboo stick in her hand to the monk who was a little fat in front of her, "Master, hurry up and find me the signature." β
The fat monk did not hesitate, took the bamboo stick in Ye Manzi's hand, pressed the number Suowen, and quickly turned the signature out, but opened it and hesitated for a while.
"What did it say?" Du Quan probed curiously.
Ye Manzi's heart rose to his throat, and he also urged eagerly, "Master, you have something to say, show me." β
She was already anxious, and snatched the signature that the fat monk was about to hand over, only to see a line of poetry written on the small signature paper: Thousands of sails on the side of the sinking boat, and ten thousand trees in front of the sick tree.
This verse felt strange to read, and her heart couldn't help but sink, "Master, what kind of sign is this?" β
"Is the donor asking for a house or a marriage......?" asked the fat monk.
"Marriage." Ye Manzi replied with two words seriously.
The fat monk said with a smile, "According to this poem, even if there are tribulations, but in the end, whether it will come to Ji Tai or not, the donor must relax and marry freely, and there is no need to worry too much......"
Ye Manzi listened to the words of this fat monk suspiciously, what does this mean? It means that her marriage is hard to find? Swallowing her saliva, she interrupted the fat monk's words, "Master, what kind of sign is this?" β
The fat monk still smiled, "Sign up." β
Didn't he say that he would come or not? Isn't it still signed?
Only then did Ye Manzi satisfactorily receive the signature into the purse he carried with him embroidered with colorful butterflies, and bumped Du Quan next to him with his elbow, "Sister Du, it's your turn." β
Du Quan was still immersed in the poem signature that Ye Manzi begged for, and now she came back to her senses after being hit like this, and hurriedly handed over the bamboo stick in her hand, and the fat monk took it with a smile, searched for it, and turned out the signature.
"What are you writing about?" She asked.
The smile on the fat monk's face couldn't be maintained, "This, it seems to be a mistake, I'll look for ...... again"
"What's wrong? I can't see it? Du Quan also snatched the signature, unfolded it, and then gasped, only to see the book: Thousands of sails are not there, and the pulse of the slanting sun is long. There was no need to unsign it, and she knew that it wasn't a good poem, so she slapped the table, "What does this mean?" β
"Expression......" The fat monk wanted to round these words and prevent this noble girl from being angry.
Du Quan didn't expect to ask for a signature, it was just to block herself, her daughter of the party hall is not ugly, is it difficult to marry? Thinking of this, Liu Mei raised his eyebrows and glared angrily at the fat monk, to see if his dog's mouth could spit out ivory?
Ye Manzi's heart was still blocked, and when he saw this, he pulled Du Quan away, "Let's go, let's go, this broken temple must not be allowed, whoever believes it is unlucky." β
Du Quan tore up the paper in his hand and threw it to the ground, stepped on his feet hard, and glared at the fat monk again, and then Ye Manzi pulled her away.
On the way, the two met a poet friend who came to unsign the lot, and they couldn't help but angrily say that the temple asked for the sign was not accurate, so they didn't bother to be spiritual.
Some people believe it and throw away the bamboo stick in their hand, but some people don't believe in evil and take the girl over to solve the lot.
The two of them didn't care, they came anyway, so they found a place to sit and rest.
Ye Manzi still sent someone to find Yuan Ziying, no matter what, she always had to help Du Quan ask questions, and she didn't want to see the person she liked leave the poetry club.
As a result, Yuan Ziying's girl came over and replied, saying that her girl was waiting for Miss Du somewhere, and asked Miss Du to come over.
Du Quan took a deep breath and got up, and said to Ye Manzi, "Sister Ye, I'll go over and talk to Sister Yuan first, and then come back to you......"
"Sister Du, I'll go over with you......"
"Sister Yuan is looking for me, and I'm looking for her, if you follow me, I'm afraid she won't know what to say, don't worry, I can handle it, and besides, I'm still following the girl to the side, and I can't get out of the mess."
When Ye Manzi heard this, he didn't force it, so he said, "If there's something wrong, you should leave quickly, you know?" β
Du Quan nodded, and then took the girl to find Yuan Ziying.
Ye Manzi saw that Du Quan had left, and he was quite bored here, so he got up and took the girl to prepare to meet the other nobles, at least find someone to talk to.
After walking a few steps, she saw Lian Zhi coming over, and she subconsciously frowned, "Why did Sister Lian come over?" β
"I begged for a signature, and I just felt that it was a little boring there, so I walked around, but I happened to meet Sister Ye, this dare is good, let's talk together to pass the time."
"What did Sister Lian ask for?"
Ye Manzi was a little curious, her own signature didn't look like a signature in her opinion.
As soon as he mentioned the signature, Lian Zhi's brows were furrowed, and he didn't take it out, but waved the handkerchief in his hand, "No, it's not like that, it's not unusual, but I heard that Sister Ye asked for a signature, can you talk to my sister." β
Seeing that Lian Zhi refused to speak, Ye Manzi would not speak out like a bamboo tube without heart, so he also pushed back, "Mine is the same, what is signed, but to coax us women who are not deeply involved in the world." β
"Exactly, that's what I mean." Lianzhi hurriedly agreed.
Originally, she came in a hurry, she wanted to ask for a good sign, but it turned out to be a bad signature: You sing and I will appear on the stage and make wedding clothes for others. When she saw this signature, her expression tensed, isn't this cursing her? This ghost temple is embarrassed to say that his marriage is the most accurate, just such a quasi-fart? When you turn back, you must sing this broken temple and breathe a good sigh of relief.
Both of them didn't want to mention the broken lot that they had obtained from marriage, so they had to walk together in this quiet corner of the temple.
Ye Manzi thought that after the fasting meal, she would go home, and she would never come to this universal salvation temple again in the future.
Along the way, Lian Zhi said a lot, and Ye and Vine Seeds echoed a few words casually, obviously not very interested, and Lian Zhi pretended not to find it, but he was secretly annoyed in his heart.
At this moment, several men suddenly jumped out, and when they saw them, they raised their swords and pointed at them, "Don't move, or Lao Tzu will kill you......"
Where have the two of them encountered such a battle, and then they both screamed in fright, the master is like this, and the subordinates are not much better.
One of the men with something in his hand glanced at the other, "Stun them and carry them away, so that they don't have to do bad things......
Ye Manzi's body trembled with fright, and when Lian Zhi saw this, he stepped forward to block Ye Manseed behind him, and said in a trembling voice, "You...... Don't come...... My father is a political envoy, and he won't spare you afterwards......"
"Big brother, it's the daughter of an official family, this may extort a lot of money." One of the men was immediately interested.
The man who was called to be the eldest brother pondered for a moment, and immediately instructed his men to catch the two of them and not let them do anything bad.
Lianzhi desperately protected Ye Manzi, and his hands were scratched several times by the dagger in the hand of the man who came to grab them, this wound was not deep, but it quickly bleed.
"Sister Lian, are you injured......" Ye Manzi found that he couldn't care about the estrangement with Lian Quan, and was busy bandaging Lian Zhi with his own handkerchief.
Lian Zhi's face had already turned pale, and he hurriedly stopped Ye Manzi, "Sister Ye, I'll drag them down, you hurry up and call for rescue......"
"No, even sister, I can't leave you alone......"
"Hurry up, listen to me, or we'll both be finished."
At this moment, Lianzhi's tone was quite heavy.
And she really turned around to hug the man who was going to catch them, and said sharply to Ye Manzi, "Sister Ye, run-"
Ye Manzi was also frightened and turned pale, seeing this, she gritted her silver teeth, hurriedly lifted her skirt and turned around and ran lifelessly, but she ran less than twice, and someone blocked her way.
"Want to go? No way. The so-called eldest brother who mentioned the things looked at Ye Manzi coldly.
When Lian Zhi saw this, she was stunned, wasn't the drama she arranged for these robbers like this? She just wants to be Ye Manzi's benefactor, so that Ye Zhong's family can't thank her? Then it would be easy for her to marry into the Ye family again, these people took her money, but they did things like this?
Originally, she thought that they were going to make the play realistic, but how did she know that the so-called boss really caught Ye Manzi, she gasped, turned her head and whispered, "If you accept my money, you have to do things according to the rules, let her go, otherwise I guarantee that you won't receive the final payment......"
"Girl, what are you talking about? I don't understand. The man who was holding her laughed profusely, thinking that this girl's face was really beautiful, but she was a bad brain.
Lian Zhi just deliberately tried him, but this time it made her understand that this was not the person she had arranged before, this time there was really no blood on her face, she tried to struggle for a while, but she couldn't break free from the man's capture, and her heart couldn't help but sink to the bottom.
She still remembered what happened to the daughter of the Qin family not long ago, the annoying Qin Jiaorong met a thief on the way back to her hometown with her husband after getting married, but she was abandoned by her husband, and her mother's family forced her to become a monk with the reputation of the daughter of the Qin family, could such a tragic fate fall on her head?
Her brain has always been active, and thinking of this consequence, she couldn't help but cry out in fright, "You, you let me go, I'll ask my father to give you a lot of silver......"
"Beauty, I want the silver, you too, I want it." The man who was holding her reached out and touched Lianzhi's delicate face.
Lianzhi screamed.
As a result, the boss who was holding the leaf vine seed shouted, "Shut up." β
Lian Zhi didn't dare to be silent on the spot.
Ye Manzi was also so frightened that she couldn't say anything, she regretted Mo Die, she had known that she would have listened to her mother's words and not come to this universal salvation temple, the marriage was destined, what was the point of knowing in advance? Seeing that the subordinates of the two were restrained, her face suddenly turned like ashes.
This time it's over.
Dragged towards the back door of the temple by the men who suddenly appeared, it was clear that these men had already chosen an escape route. Because of the arrival of a group of noble ladies today, the monks of the Pufu Temple are concentrated in the front, so there is not a single monk in the back.
And the little novice guarding the door at the back door has been knocked unconscious.
Ye Manzi refused to go out of this back door, and she was about to be stabbed in the neck to make her faint, who knows, suddenly someone came out again, this time she saw the person clearly, and immediately cried into a flower cat's face with joy, "Quick, come and save me-"
The person who appeared was none other than the guards of her Xiangyang Marquis Mansion.
The guard who was ordered by Ye Zhong to secretly protect Ye Manzi was originally blocked when he entered the temple, but later he successfully entered the temple, and it took a lot of effort to find the location of his girl, where did he know that such a thing happened?
The boss who grabbed the leaf vine seeds looked at these guards who were not easy to mess with, and immediately knew that he was going to hit the iron plate, how could he be enough for others to come? He immediately threw the leaf vine seed to the group of guards, then turned around and ran quickly to the carriage parked at the back door.
"Quick, let those people go."
As soon as she entered, all the people who were arrested were released, but only Lianzhi was knocked unconscious by the man who grabbed her, and she was stuffed into the carriage, and the man was the last to jump into the carriage, and the boss just frowned, didn't say anything, and quickly left the Pufu Temple on horseback.
Ye Manzi, who was just held by her own guards, did not fall to the ground, and she was in shock for the rest of her life, still panting for breath, which was too thrilling.
"Girl, are you alright?" Her maid immediately stepped forward to help her, preventing the guards from touching her own girl again.
Ye Manzi shook her head, now that she was safe, she was also relieved, and grabbed the hand of the maid who was also trembling with both hands, "What about Sister Lian?" β
"My girl has been taken away...... "Lianzhi's maid cried at this moment.
Ye Manzi's eyes widened suddenly, and his eyes wandered again and again, but he really didn't see Lianzhi's figure. After gasping, she said to the guards beside her, "You send two people to chase the carriage quickly, and you must save the girl from the envoy's family." β
Regardless, Lian Zhi was injured in order to save her, and she couldn't sit idly by.
The duty of the Ye family's guards is to protect Ye Manzi, so they didn't catch up before, but now that the master has an order, they reluctantly divided two people to chase the carriage that took away the branches, and the remaining guards did not leave Ye Manzi an inch, and they must not let this master have an accident, otherwise the wife will skin them when they return home.
As for the Lianzhi who was captured, it doesn't matter if you can chase it back or not, as long as you do your best.
After all, when they thought that even the branches had been robbed, whether they could be saved or not, their reputation would be damaged, so they collectively changed color, and the timid ones grabbed the arms of their maids desperately, and they didn't care about eating fasting, so they clamored to go back to the city.
Ye Manzi was also restless and wanted to hurry back home, but when she thought of Duquan, she was busy looking for her again, but she didn't see her figure, and she was suddenly stunned.
She was about to ask someone to look for Du Quan, but when she saw Yuan Ziying standing with someone else talking, she hurriedly rushed over, "Sister Yuan, have you seen Sister Du?" β
"Sister Du?" Yuan Ziying's eyes widened suddenly, "Sister Ye, you came just in time, I just happened to look for you, what are you and Sister Du doing, didn't I want to whisper a few words with Sister Du at your invitation before?" Luckily, I got there, and you didn't come, and I waited there for a long time......"
"Didn't your subordinates come to invite Sister Du over?" Ye Manzi looked like a ghost.
"That's right, didn't I take a break at that time, that's why I asked my subordinates to bring Sister Du over, but my subordinates reported that Sister Du was waiting for me there, so I quickly ended the unsigning, and hurried to go over to meet Sister Du, which Sister Chen and Sister He beside me can testify." Yuan Ziying explained in a long series of words.
Sister Chen and Sister He beside Yuan Ziying said in unison that they were indeed with Yuan Ziying before.
Ye Manzi's face suddenly changed, "Where did Sister Du go?" β
"You won't be caught too, will you?" Yuan Ziying also shouted with a change of face.
This sound frightened the faces of the nobles again and again, and no one could stay any longer, so they all hurried out to find their own carriage and hurried back to the city.
The monks of the Pufu Temple also looked ugly, this time their Pufu Temple is really a good day, and the noble girl is gone, and their temple has not been demolished?
Ye Manzi didn't stop the people who left, but turned around and ordered one of the guards beside him, asking him to hurry back to the city to report to the Lianjia and Dujia, as soon as these two people were robbed and disappeared, this is not a trivial matter.
Yuan Ziying also sighed, "I don't know what happened to Sister Lian and Sister Du?" It's really bad one thing after another. β
She was really worried about Lianzhi, she didn't expect Lianzhi to encounter such an unlucky thing, so the look on her face couldn't see anywhere.
Ye Manzi glanced at her, "Sister Yuan, don't you really know Sister Du's whereabouts?" β
"If I knew I had said it a long time ago, would I still be in a hurry here?" Yuan Ziying hurriedly looked at Ye Manzi, looking insulted, "Sister Ye, are you doubting me?" What reason do I have to hurt my sister......"
"Sister Yuan, don't be nervous, I didn't mean that, I just wanted to make sure again." Ye Manzi didn't want to wronged a good person, although according to what Du Quan said to her before, she and Yuan Ziying seemed to have some contradictions, but she didn't know the inside story, so she couldn't judge at will.
"Sister Ye, please forgive me, it's a big deal, I have to make it clear." Yuan Ziying also said with a relaxed expression-
Off topic -
Sorry for being late, but please forgive me!
There are two shifts tonight.,Update around eleven o'clock.