The closer you get to the ancient Lingtang tree, the more scarce the human tracks become. Most people only like the prosperity of the festival and take advantage of the flowers to have a good look, and few people actually come to the ancient trees. And more reason, perhaps because of the worship of gods here. For the sake of good fortune, people are reluctant to disturb the rest of the gods.

The Ancient Key stood in front of the huge tree roots and saw the two idols enshrined under the tree. In front of the statue of the god, there are already people worshipping fragrant lanterns and fruits. Gu Jian knew who was so diligent, and he had just arrived at the Hou Tian Festival and offered tribute.

"Uncle Nie, the key boy has come to beg you." The Ancient Key stood in front of the idol, his eyebrows glancing around, trying to find the old man's trace.

"Please? I can't stand this old thing! On the other side of the tree, a deep voice came slowly.

Gu Key knew that it was Gu Nie's voice, so he walked over lightly.

The rough roots of the tree seemed to be more than a dozen pillars hugging each other, and the ancient key circled the roots of the tree for a long time before he saw the old man who was squatting on the ground.

"Uncle Nie." The Ancient Key shouted softly.

"Stop shouting, I'm not deaf yet." Gu Nie waved his hand back, "It's going to make a noise for her." ”

Gu Jian didn't speak again, approached Gu Nie, and also squatted beside Gu Nie.

Near the roots of the tree in the Qingyu Pond, the soaked soil has been very soft, and the place where Gu Nie is squatting has also sunk a lot, and it is not difficult to find that he has been squatting here for a long time.

In his hand he held a small boat, on which was a piece of paper that had been folded several times, on which the ink had not yet dried up, and on which was soaked in the other side of the paper, with very small names written on it.

This is directly below the ancient tree of Lingtang, and the chaotic flowers and rain are more and more beautiful than in the distance, but the old man has no heart to enjoy the grand scenery of ten years. He had seen too many ten years of blooming, and he was clearly a merry man who didn't believe in any ghosts and gods, but he foolishly thought that if he buried the woman here, the two would meet again one day underground.

The old man's eyes changed from sadness to relief, and from relief to sadness. Such a woman who has been dead for many years, every time like this, still haunts the old man's dreams.

"How did you find here?" Gu Nie stopped for a moment, not sinking the boat into the pool, as if he was nostalgic for something.

"Uncle Nie is really old," Gu Jian said softly, "You told me about this woman when I was young. It's just that you mistakenly think I'm a fool and won't listen to you talk about those old and pedantic things. ”

"I really shouldn't have drunk so much wine at that time......," Gu Nie muttered, "I told you so much, and I actually wrote it all down." ”

"Do you think it's ridiculous for me to do this, uncle?" He glanced at the Ancient Key.

"Ridiculous, isn't it...... I think I have a deep understanding. Gu Jian looked at the boat in the old man's hand and trembled a little.

"You kid knows something!" Gu Nie stepped forward and slapped Gu Key's head, his gray beard trembling, "It's ridiculous to be young." ”

"Uncle, you beat me again......"

"What? Are you used to being that young general in the martial arts city, and you even have a bad temper? Gu Nie no longer paid attention to the ancient key, squatted down again, and the boat he held in both hands turned into two and a half pinch, and only grabbed the small corner of the boat.

The water on the clear pond is rippling, and the lines that are washed and opened are broken for a round of dawn. The plain boat flowed downstream with the ripples of the waves. This was probably the first sedimentary paper boat to sail downstream. Gu Nie watched the boat from afar, and his eyebrows finally stopped at the end.

"Uncle, it's already ...... How long has it been? ”

"How long? It's just a small thing. The hem of Gu Nie's silk robe was completely soaked, and he wrung out some of the water with his hands, and his hands were constantly shaking. The cold water pierced his senses deeply, after all, people are already in the twilight, and they can't stand this anymore.

Gu Key wanted to help him, but the old man stubbornly squatted there alone, like a few decades ago, and recklessly thought that he could be romantic.

"Key boy, I know you're here to find Ji'er, don't hold on any longer, you're starting to get impatient with me, an old man!" Gu Nie staggered to his feet, and knocked down the hand that had helped Gu Key.

"Yes, I'm here to find Ji'er." Gu Key bowed his head deeply, "I can't watch her being pushed out by the Gu family as an outcast. ”

"Even if I picked her up."

"Bullshit! Give me a head up! Gu Nie was suddenly angry, he didn't slap Gu Key's head again this time, but slapped him in the face fiercely, "You have already added a crown salute!" Still so immature! You are a man, a major general under Lu Wei! And not a coward! What's the use of that meager face, it will kill you! ”

Gu Jian looked at the old man in front of him in a daze, and half of his face was hot and painful. He didn't listen to a word of Gu Nie's words, he just wanted to see Gu Yu again, and time would no longer make him promise when he was a child.

"I'd like to see you, uncle."

"Go back to your martial arts city, you don't deserve it," Gu Nie turned around coldly and looked towards the upper reaches of Qingyu Pond, "At least you are no longer worthy now." ”

The ancient key didn't move, he looked at the old man's back, naively thinking that there would be a chance to maneuver.

"Uncle......" He suddenly knelt down, and buried his whole head in the wet soil overgrown with tender grass.

It was noon, not far from the bell and drum tower, the huge town bell rang loudly, the bell spread far away in the center of the overcrowded city, the water surface on the clear pond was washed open, and the ripples became more and more. At this time, the children of the family have begun the ritual of paying homage to the first emperor's sword. And many residents, the small boats in their hands can't help but scramble to sink into the Qingyu Pond.

For a moment, the empty water surface in the clear pond was driven downstream by countless boats with the ripples in a short time. Gu Nie saw the many boats coming down from the upstream from a distance, and the corners of his mouth raised a little smile, as if he was proud that he was the first to sink the boat.

Gu Nie slowly closed his eyes and lay down on the edge of the pool again, the cold touch coming from the wet earth, but he ignored it. The west wind was blowing around, and the chill was only worse. The old man glanced to his side, but didn't see anyone. It was the recess of the kneeling ancient key, but the man had already left.

He really gave up, and when he left, he was quiet and there was almost no sound.

"Is it really hard to say those two words?" There seemed to be tears in the corners of Gu Nie's eyes, "My child, you are too loyal, but what is the difference between this and foolish loyalty?" In the end, you still hopelessly chose righteousness. ”

"See? He's no longer worthy......" the old man shouted in a low voice to the other side. But he didn't hear any response, but in the air, there was a girl's quiet sobbing, which appeared and disappeared.

……

The strong wind sank a lot of small boats that did not reach the distance, so Sikong Xi picked them up one by one by the pond and wiped the paper boats with a rag he picked up on the street. But the more you wipe it, the more damaged the paper boat becomes. He finally stopped, carefully pinched a corner with two fingers, and peeled the whole boat.

On the way here, he saw that many residents did not stuff their things into the paper boats. This has been going on for some years, and the sinking pond paper boat he hears about is only what it was more than ten years ago. Years of war have forced people to even have enough to eat. Before the inhabitants folded into paper boats, they simply used the cheapest ink on that piece of paper, and wrote a few small words of wish and hope that the war would end as soon as possible.

"Two of the children in the family have starved to death, please leave the last one for us......"

Sikong Xi read down the words and ink that were contained, and they had been seriously defaced by the pool water, but they could still be seen clearly in general. When he had finished reading it, he twisted the piece of paper into a ball, threw it into the pool, and sank.

"Such a god, beg him to do anything!"

Sikong Xi bent down and picked up another boat. Just as he was about to disassemble it, there was a strange sound of footsteps behind him.

This is the vicinity of the ancient Lingtang tree, and the source of the footsteps is the root of the tree farther up. There are few people here, so what comes down from the root of the tree can only be the ancient key.

"Senior brother, what's the matter...... So fast? Sikong Xi turned around and saw the dejected figure clearly.

was knocked down by the ancient key before, and Sikong Xi already knew who it was when he caught up closely. He crouched down on the side of the tree, quietly listening to the conversation between the ancient key and the old man, and after a while quietly left.

He decided to give the downcast youth one last bit of comfort when he returned.

"Why are you here?" Gu Key was stunned, and his dirt-stained hand shrank back.

"What the old man said, why should you avoid it, senior brother?" Sikong Xi stared at the ancient key.

"So you saw it all?" Gu Key sighed softly.

"I saw it all."

"That old man is my uncle, and I just wanted to ask him something."

"Is it about the girl?" Sikong Xi whispered, "It was very strange when you came back from Lu Mansion last night, is it also because of that girl?" ”

"yes...... Clever boy, you see it better than I do. ”

"No, I don't even understand the whole story, it's just that you have too many scruples, senior brother." Sikong Xi approached the ancient key and stuffed the rag in his hand to him, "How your uncle wishes you could say those two words, but you hesitate. And that would miss all. ”

"I can't say that...... I can't promise her. The light in Gu Key's eyes dimmed.

"The Governor never let you do that needless loyalty." Sikong Xi saw some clues.

"Sikong Xi, you will know later......"

"But, that girl ......"

At this time, before Sikong Xi could finish speaking, a petite figure suddenly flashed from behind the two of them.

"Beware!" Sikong Xi yelled violently, but it was too late for the ancient key to hide.

As soon as the words fell, the small figure wrapped around Gu Key's waist and hugged it tightly.