In the third year of Yonghui (652 AD), September 26, August 15 of the Tang calendar, Mid-Autumn Festival, Wu time.

The Mid-Autumn Festival of the Tang Dynasty is not popular, there are no moon cakes to eat, it is a day when literati and call friends and groan against the moon without disease. The common people do not celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, and this year Cui Yixuan is the promoter, because the "Chicken Sharing Conference" is very cool, the curfew is canceled tonight, and the people are allowed to celebrate on the streets.

The bad guards complained, and they had to come out on duty to maintain law and order in Dongming Road. For Wu Kang, there is no difference, even if he is not on duty, he will be taken out by Jiuniang for a date.

The Confucian robe is worn on the body, and the grace does not come. He is 1.83 meters tall, with a tiger's back and a bear's waist, and wheat-colored skin, which looks nondescript. There is still a knife hanging in his waist, and he feels like a monkey, which makes Jiu Niang frequently make fun of him.

There were not many people on the street, and under the bright moonlight, shadows crisscrossed the streets. Walk to the vicinity of Huamanlou, listen to someone singing poetry upstairs, and some people blowing each other's business.

Wu Kang was not interested in this, and hurried to leave. didn't take two steps, the scabbard was caught, and Jiu Niang said with a smile: "What is Erlang running, these scholars' poems are far worse than Queqiao Immortals." Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, they are writing Mid-Autumn Festival poems, and Erlang also chanted a poem. ”

Wu Kang had a headache, turned around and said with a smile: "We have been in contact for so long, Jiu Niang still doesn't know me, how can I compose poetry!" Queqiao Immortal is my dream hometown, made by a named Qin Guan. As for me, I'm just a literary porter, borrowing flowers to offer Buddha! ”

Jiu Niang gave him a roll of his eyes and giggled: "Even if you are honest, with your unsightly words, you can't write Queqiao Immortal, you can only write... Poke the toad. Erlang will carry it again, is there a good Mid-Autumn Festival poem? ”

"I don't like to hear this, my words have improved a lot", Wu Kang laughed again and again, lowered his voice and said: "There is an ugly book association in my hometown, and the masters have created 'ugly books'." The stuff that is written is not as good as the shell Lang crawled. But it's strange that some people boast that the artistic value is as high as three or four floors! ”

Jiu Niang's eyes widened, and she smiled coquettishly for a few breaths, "Those people are blind, either they are really blind or pretend to be blind." Oh, don't change the topic, hurry up and move the Mid-Autumn Festival poems, choose the ones that can be passed down through the ages, I want to scare Yeye. ”

There seem to be a few songs that can be passed down through the ages, especially the one that "Crossing Home" loves to plagiarize. Thinking of these four looks, he pulled her to a place where there were few people, lowered his voice and said: "There is a very good song, called 'When is the bright moon', I forgot what the word card is, it was written by Su Shi, Jiuniang commented." ”

At the beginning of a water-tune song, Jiuniang was stunned for a long time, learning from Wu Kang's appearance, stretching out her hands to praise, and just as she wanted to praise a few words, a few little ladies hurried by. Looking at the direction of the school field, Wu Kang turned around and rushed to Jiang Daniu and Xu Sanjiao not far away, and gestured with the "ask" gesture.

Jiu Niang looked at the bad guy behind her, pulled him by the sleeve and left, and said as she walked: "What are you talking about?" Just check it out. Erlang, you're too bad, let's come out to admire the moon, and let your subordinates follow, what a wood! ”

Wood is wood, and I don't bother to defend it, in short, it's good that you're happy. There were many girls on the school grounds, facing the direction of the moon, clasping their hands together in worship. Wu Kang didn't know why, and asked Jiu Niang: "Who do they worship, Fairy Chang'e?" Wu Gang... You won't worship rabbits! ”

Jiuniang said angrily: "Nonsense, where did the rabbit come from?" Mid-Autumn Festival moon worship is a custom, can bring good luck, don't learn no skills, you! During the Spring and Autumn Period of Qi State, there was a woman named Zhong Lichun in Wuyanyi, who was very ugly and had not married in her forties... Get married. Once, in the Mid-Autumn Festival, she bowed to the moon..."

"And then married?" , Wu Kang said with a smile: "Zhong Lichun should be killed by the back, or by the side face, plus the beauty under the moon is romantic, I don't know which one is blind... Oops, pinch me gaha? ”

Rubbing his painful wrist, he just wanted to express his dissatisfaction, but he was suffocated back by the white eyes. Jiu Niang glared at him twice, and continued to speak: "Zhong Lichun worshiped the moon, was seen by King Qi Xuan, and for some reason, he made her the queen... This is the origin of the Mid-Autumn Festival moon worship, according to legend, she is worshipping the moon at this time, and I want to worship too! ”

Then bye, Wu Kang laughed strangely, turned on the flirting mode again, leaned over and whispered: "I don't think Jiuniang is necessary, first of all, you are a beauty, and secondly, you don't want to be a queen, it's enough to have me..."

The embroidered shoes on the feet are gone, and the feet don't hurt anymore, Jiuniang joined the moon worship army and worshiped the full moon devoutly. Wu Kang had nothing to do and paid attention to the crowd, and in front of him, two women attracted attention, and it seemed that they were the master and servant.

They talked in a low voice, but they couldn't hear what was being said, but unfortunately Wu Kang had the ability to lip-read, guessing what was being said according to the changes in the speaker's population type. Anyway, being idle is also idle, let's review the old and learn the new, concentrate on listening, my head buzzed, and the word that the maid said the most was "Nine Heavens Xuannu".

Nine Heavens Mystery Maiden... Isn't that Chen Shuozhen, this woman is Chen Shuozhen? Immediately excited, if you clean her up, won't the rebellion be gone next year?

Ning didn't let go of his mistakes, Wu Kang made up his mind, quietly came to Jiu Niang's side, leaned over and whispered. Jiuniang was stunned for a moment, nodded obediently and left the crowd, walked to the bad guys, and explained to them. The bad guard Li Xingfeng understood and escorted Jiuniang away.

Jiang Daniu then left, Wu Kang knew that he was going to move troops, so he glanced at Xu Sanjiao and slowly approached the two women. Pretending to be inadvertent, he passed by him, and asked coldly in a questioning tone of reunion after a long absence, shocked and delighted: "Chen Shuozhen?" ”

The woman was stunned for a moment, did not escape Wu Kang's eagle eye, and without saying a word, the long knife came out of the sheath and went straight to the door in front of her. Between the lightning and flint, a cold light flashed, and the maid's dagger collided with the horizontal knife. When there was a roar, Wu Kang took a few steps back, Chen Shuozhen turned around and fled, Xu Sanjiao joined the battle group, and Wu Kang blew the cloud-piercing arrow.

The shrill whistle, the roar full of energy, all the women in the school field screamed and squatted down. Wu Kang saw Sanjiao pestering the maid and pulled his legs to chase Chen Shuozhen. The bad guys gathered one after another, followed him and chased him closely, and for a while, the chickens flew and the dogs jumped.

Chased to the vicinity of the North City Gate, but was chased and lost, and the angry Wu Kang was furious. jumped and scolded his mother, and immediately gave a death order, even if he dug three feet into the ground, he had to catch the rebellion. In about a quarter of an hour, the city gate sounded a cloud-piercing arrow, and everyone was immediately overjoyed, and with Wu Kang's order, they all rushed to the city gate.

Running to the city gate in one breath, everyone was stunned, and the bad guys reacted quickly, and the horizontal knives were unsheathed one after another, joining the encirclement of their colleagues. Chen Shuozhen was surrounded in the middle and took hostage, a boy less than ten years old, with a dagger in his hand.

The hostage's father was frightened, knelt on the ground and kowtowed like pounding garlic, crying and begging: "Please don't hurt him, he's still a child... Please..."

Chen Shuozhen's face was hideous, he broke the boy's right hand, pressed the four fingers and leaked his little finger, ignored the boy's heart-rending crying, put the dagger on the root of his little finger, and yelled hoarsely at Wu Kang: "Rats and dogs, within a quarter of an hour, I want a fast horse, otherwise I will cut off his little finger!" After that, every thirty breaths, cut off a finger until the horses arrived! ”

Wu Kang gritted his steel teeth with hatred, and scolded Chen Shuozhen: "Widow Chen, aren't you the Nine Heavens Xuannu, how can you be so despicable and shameless?" The child is innocent, you let him go, everything is negotiable! ”

"When I'm a yellow-mouthed child?" , Chen Shuozhen laughed fiercely: "Despicable and shameless? Chen is ashamed! Compared to you corrupt officials, what is this means? In the past, Han Liu Bang fled, and he also pushed his children out of the car five times. He did it, why can't he do it? ”

The two sides were at a stalemate, and a figure ran over in the distance, and it turned out to be Jiang Daniu. His face was full of anxiety, with tears on his face, and he was still holding a person in his arms. Wu Kang waited for him to come closer, and when he saw the familiar face, he suddenly stumbled like a lightning strike, and almost fell.

What he was holding in his arms was a bad man, his face was pale, his eyes were round, and his white eyes were turned up. Bad clothes on the chest, large red blood stains. Wu Kang steadied his footing, stepped forward and squatted down, raised his right hand and stopped in mid-air, and after half a minute, he mustered up his courage and approached Wen Ruo to snort.

The hands began to tremble, the body trembled, the throat was sore, and the eyes were blurred... Inhaled sharply, gritted his teeth, blinked his eyelids a few times, and looked at Da Niu suspiciously. Da Niu's lips trembled, but the tiger's eyes were tearful but he couldn't say a word.

Wu Kang stood up with his hands on his knees, turned around suddenly, pointed at Chen Shuozhen, and roared hoarsely: "Chen Shuozhen... You're damned—"

"Give back my brother's life", Jiang Daniu stepped forward with a knife, and Wu Kang saw that the situation was not good, so he hurriedly stopped in front of him. The big bull struggled violently and almost knocked Wu Kang down. Wu Kang stabilized his figure, grabbed his collar with both hands, and used all his strength to lean against him against the wall: "Da Niu calm down... Listen to me... Listen to me! ”

Looking at Da Niu's distorted facial features, Wu Kang's heart was like a knife, forcing himself to calm down, trembling and saying, "Wen Ruo is also my brother, and I am also uncomfortable... But impulse can't solve the problem, Wen Ruo is gone, and he can't die anymore! Three suburbs you, go to the stable... Lead the horse! ”

Jiang Daniu's eyes were blood-red, looking at Xu Sanjiao, who was not moving, he instantly understood, and roared hoarsely: "What are you doing with the horse?" Is Wu Shuai going to let the thief go? Don't agree! You get out of the way, I want to avenge Wen Ruo..."

"Listen to me... Listen to me", Wu Kang pressed him against the wall again, and anxiously persuaded: "I understand your feelings, because I can't wait, I will eat Chen Shuo alive!" Daniel... If we thief she leaves, it is possible to be arrested again. But the child's life is lost, we can't get it back, his life has just begun, and it shouldn't end now. Big bull, please..."

Jiang Daniu's chest rose and fell sharply, his breathing became heavier and heavier, and he cried loudly at the end. The bad guards glared at Chen Shuozhen angrily, the green tendons in their arms burst out, and the horizontal knives trembled. Wu Kang clenched his teeth, slowly loosened the collar of the big cow, slowly smoothed the collar, and turned his head and instructed Xu Sanjiao: "Go and lead the horse!" ”

The two looked at each other, Xu Sanjiao shook his sleeves sharply, and strode away angrily. Wu Kang came to Wen Ruo, raised his right hand and swore: "Wen Ruo, Wu Kang swears here, he will take Chen Shuo's real head and take it to your grave to pay respects." Wu Kang promises that as long as you have a bite to eat, you won't let your family go hungry! ”

Gently brushing Wen Ruo's cheek, Wen Ruo closed his eyes. Wu Kang's face was bloodless, his heart ached faintly, his familiar voice and smile, he was on an errand and handled the case together, and he drank happily together... Everything flashed through my mind quickly.

A taunt sounded behind him: "If you want to take a certain head, you are not qualified enough." You and I are already hostile, life and death have their own destiny, what is there to hold grudges? Half an hour later, the horses were not yet there, and Hugh blamed a certain ruthlessness! Who, if your Xiaolang is crippled, don't hold a grudge against Chen, blame the dogs and rats for being unfavorable! ”

"Don't...", the moans stopped abruptly, and the wails rang out. Tong Lin dragged the man's hair bun, mentioned the corpse, slapped his head and face a few times, and spat blood from his mouth. On the neck of the horizontal knife rack, he scolded: "It's all you, the Tianshe slave, who killed Wen Ruo, and if you dare to make a noise, Nai Weng will send you down to the Yellow Spring!" ”

The man trembled all over, and collapsed to the ground in an instant, not daring to make a sound. At this time, there was the sound of horses' hooves in the distance, Xu Sanjiao let go of the reins, and the white dragon horse came over slowly, stretched out his head to sniff Wu Kang's bun, and stretched out his tongue to rub his neck.

Wu Kang slowly stood up, stroked the white horsemane, and gently scratched her. The white dragon horse was very comfortable, and the horse's head wrapped around his face a few times. There was another reprimand from behind him: "Don't rub the rats and dogs, hurry up and lead the horse over, otherwise the little cub's head will fall to the ground!" ”

Wu Kang handed over the reins to Sanjiao, came to the old man at the city gate, clasped his hands into fists and bowed: "Please also ask the old man to make it convenient, the division is to blame for joining the army, and the commander will bear it." ”

Holding him with dry hands, the old man sighed and said, "Wu Shuai is not a good official, but he is a good person!" Sixty years old, there is nothing to be afraid of. Left and right, according to the orders of the military commander, open the city gate quickly! ”

All the gatekeepers worked together, and the gates slowly opened. Wu Kang looked at Chen Shuozhen, who was already riding on horseback, holding the reins in one hand and a dagger in the other, the blade pressed against the boy's neck, and the boy was lying on the horse's back. The sound of horses' hooves passed by, and Wu Kang said coldly: "I hope you are true to your word, and don't let Ben Shuai look down on you even more!" ”

The white dragon horse galloped past, ran out of the city gate for dozens of steps, and heard a plop, and the boy was thrown into the moat, making countless splashes. His father ran over as if he was dying, and plunged into the river. In about half a minute, the two wet bodies climbed ashore and hugged each other and cried bitterly. Under the bright moonlight, it is particularly spicy and piercing.

The father and son soon came, knelt in front of the bad people, and kept kowtowing in thanks. Wu Kang stared at the white horse in the distance until he could no longer see it, turned around and walked towards Wen Ruo, bent down to pick him up, and walked towards the bad guard step by step.

All the bad people followed, all sad and lonely. Passing by a longevity material store, Wu Kang slowly turned around and looked at the closed door. Jiang Daniu stepped forward and slammed the door, and it didn't take long for the store to shout and curse, and the lights came on, swaying through the window lattice.

As soon as the door opened, the shopkeeper was about to close the door in fright when he saw such a picture, and his neck was stabbed. Wu Kang walked into the store with Wen Ruo in his arms, looked at the three coffins side by side, turned his head and said to the shopkeeper, "Just the middle one!" ”

The boss immediately made a bitter face and stammered to explain: "Wu... Wu Shuai, this coffin was ordered by the shopkeeper of Xingfa grain luggage, and the day after tomorrow, his family went out for funeral, this..."

Wu Kang turned a deaf ear and put Wen Ruo on the counter, staring at Yin Hong's bloodstains in a daze. The scolding resumed, and the shopkeeper trembled to the counter.

"Look at what that woman did to my brother?" , Wu Kang smiled and looked at the boss who was shaking like chaff: "Xingfa grain luggage family, I will give him a condition that he can't refuse." Tired old man, he brought a needle and thread and stitched the wound together, just like sewing clothes. Of course, I will also give you a condition that you can't refuse! ”

When the words fell, Jiang Daniu unsheathed his knife and held it high above his head, aiming at the head of the shopkeeper. The boss collapsed to the ground in an instant, his face turned bitter into pig liver, and he couldn't help nodding in agreement. Da Niu grabbed him by the collar and shouted: "Do as Wu Shuai instructs, otherwise your head will fall to the ground!" ”

Wu Kang turned around, looked at his dejected subordinates, and lightly ordered: "There are people in the ice village who are watching the store, go and drive the ox cart over." ”

Xu Sanjiao took a few people away, and the rest of them worked together, moved the coffin to the door, and opened the coffin lid. Wu Kang untied Wen Ruo's belt, and Tong Lin came over to help and took off all his clothes. On Wen Ruo's heart, there was an inch-long wound, the skin and flesh turned out, and there was still blood.

Footsteps came from the staircase, and the boss led the way, followed by a woman with a wicker basket. When the woman saw the naked corpse, she subconsciously turned her head, and Wu Kang said with a pleasant face: "The lady doesn't have to be restrained, the corpse is not guarded by men and women." According to the operation of sewing clothes, sew up the wound, and try to look as good as possible, thank you! ”

To his surprise, the woman was much bolder than the boss, and quickly overcame her shyness, put the needlework basket on the counter, and skillfully threaded the needle. The tip of the needle rests on the wound for a few breaths, skillfully piercing the flesh. The shopkeeper covered his stomach and retched, and was frightened by Wu Kang's glance and quickly shut up.

In less than five minutes, the wound was stitched up and no longer bleeding. The woman took out the sackcloth and carefully sobered up the blood. Wu Kang took off his bad clothes, and with the help of the woman, changed Wen Ruo's clothes. Looking at the woman, she sincerely thanked her: "Thank you for your help!" Maybe one day, I still need your help, maybe that day will not come, I hope you will continue to help me then. ”

The woman nodded again and again, her eyelids drooping and not daring to look at him. The bad guys joined hands and carried Wen Ruo into the coffin. Wu Kang folded Wen Ruo's uniform neatly, came to the coffin with both hands, put it on Wen Ruo's abdomen, slowly picked up his hands, and folded them on his abdomen.

Wu Kang took off the money bag at his waist, opened the tie rope, and poured it all on the counter. Turned around and left the Shoucai shop, stopped Jiang Da Niu and ordered: "Send Wen Ruo home, I don't dare to face the Wen family, please Brother Da Niu!" ”

Jiang Da's bull's eyes turned red again, and he lowered his head emphatically.

The ox cart disappeared completely, and Wu Kang sighed and said, "Sanjiao, Tong Lin, I want to walk by myself, don't follow me!" ”

"But...", Wu Kang interrupted with a wave of his hand and walked away.

I don't know how long I walked, I don't know where I went, and there was no one around. Slowly squatting on the ground, leaning on the corner with his hands on his knees, his head buried in his knees, his shoulders trembling... I don't know how long it took, I slowly raised my head and looked at the figure in front of me with teary eyes.

Cui Jiuniang squatted in front of him, held his shoulders, and said softly: "Erlang, it's time to go home..."