Shen Ruoyu was released from the palace in this way, not only unscathed, but also rewarded with a sword by King Yan for him to practice. Overnight, the women and children in Beiping City all knew that the hooligan Xiao Er of the Hongjia Hotel was blue-eyed by King Yan, and everyone was polite to him, and the streets and alleys were replaced with smiling faces, and there were many discussions behind him.

The next day, Shen Ruoliao resumed his life of practicing in the grove outside the city. The days when there are no major events are always boring, but they also go fast; In a blink of an eye, after the New Year's pass, it was the thirty-first year of Hongwu. Shen Ruoliao relied on the cold-resistant kung fu trained in Yeyao Mountain for 16 years, persevered for the whole harsh winter, and his internal strength has made great progress; In addition, with the long sword given to him by King Yan, it seems that his martial arts have come back a lot all of a sudden, and his strength has increased inexplicably, which is far from being comparable to when he used tree branches. As the winter passed, his swordsmanship had become quite proficient, and his kung fu on knives, sticks, and so on had improved amazingly.

However, all this is only seen by outsiders; For himself, the road to restoring martial arts is still far away. He still doesn't feel the feeling of being free to do what he once wanted; He persevered for so long, and no matter how hard he tried, nothing improved. When he is in a bad mood, he often even feels that his level is regressing. Shen Ruoyu became more and more agitated, and began to get angry at Ye Laixiang at every turn.

Spring is coming very quickly. The moat was unfrozen, and the woods outside the city turned green overnight. The grass grows thicker and thicker; The sun is getting brighter and warmer. In the blink of an eye, a spring rain poured down, and the wind rose; It's getting a little cold again. At this time a year ago, it was also such a spring rain that made Shen Ruoxiao, who was living on the streets, bond with Lu Jiang, the shopkeeper of the Hongjia Hotel. He had a high fever that day; The third brother carried him on his back and ran to the eaves of the Hongjia Hotel to hide from the rain. Therefore, Hong's sister-in-law accepted a shop guy for the first time to help her take care of her business. A year has passed; Now, Shen Ruoyu was braving the rain and practicing in the grove outside the city. Lu Jiang walked through the muddy woods with an umbrella.

"Auntie? How did you get here on a rainy day? ”

Lu Jiang handed him the lunch box he was carrying. "Xiang'er is sick; The shopkeeper of Huiying Building sent a message from a running hall in the morning, saying that she had a fever. I'd like to see her later. How are you, Xiao'er? It's okay to get drenched like this, but don't get sick. It's like a year ago—"

"Auntie, it's not a year ago." Shen Ruoyu smiled, "Don't worry, I've been practicing like this since I was a child, and I've improved quickly like this." Go back quickly; What are you doing when you come out on a rainy day, I'll go into the city to find something to eat when I'm hungry. ”

Lu Jiang smiled: "I just went to the grave of Jiang'er and his father, didn't I come to see you on the way." You don't have to worry about me. I've brought an umbrella with me, so I'll leave it for you, right? You're going to get drenched. ”

Shen Ruoliao only then remembered that today is the Qingming Festival. A few days after the Qingming Festival, it is March 12; It has been two full years since he escaped from Yeyao Mountain.

"Not really, auntie. I can do it. How are you going to see Xiang'er? The kind of place that Huiying Building ......"

"It's fine; When I enter through the back door, I think I'm going to be a relative, so I can. She also called me Auntie, my little niece. I'll cook something she likes to eat and bring it to her. ”

Shen Ruoyu watched Lu Jiang's back leave in the rain, and stood in a daze for a long time. It's been two years. Immediately, he would be nineteen years old. two birthdays; The death day of two mothers. It passed in a hurry, and he didn't even realize it.

He opened the lunch box, but he had no appetite. For the first time, he practiced and ate alone in this wilderness woods. Xiang'er is sick. He didn't want to see her just now, and he was upset at the thought that she was coming to deliver food. He has been in a bad temper lately, and yesterday he was angry at her again, and he couldn't remember the reason anymore, but he remembered that he started yelling inexplicably.

Xiang'er stayed with him all winter, leaving home at dawn every day, staying in the woods outside the city, by the frozen river, and staying until the sun set. This winter is particularly cold; When he was practicing, she was walking around, rubbing her hands and stomping her feet; When the wind is strong, they curl up under the trunks of trees and hide. He never stopped to think, never cared for her; It had just been warm for two days, and he began to make trouble again, annoying her, and hurting people when he opened his mouth. Now she's finally sick.

Is she seriously ill? Should he go see her? Young Master Zhu may have gone to see her; Since the day of the fight, he caused trouble on the street and asked Young Master Zhu to send Xiang'er home, and Young Master Zhu began to run to the Hongjia Hotel frequently, and fools can see that he likes Xiang'er. He always calls Xiang'er Miss Ye; The person's name is Nightshade, not his real surname Ye. Xiang'er called him casually, and always agreed with a smile. Young Master Zhu should know what medicine to catch, and the Yao family has such a big pharmacy......

Shen Ruoyu thought of Yao Jizhu's soulless appearance on his face every time he saw Ye Laixiang, and an inexplicable awkwardness and loss surged up in his heart. Immediately, he realized that he was feeling strange and began to blame himself.

What's wrong with him? Why is it awkward? Why Lost? Xiang'er is just his iron buddy. Young Master Zhu is a hundred times stronger than him in every aspect. What qualifications does he have—what qualifications does he have?

The drizzle did not stop coldly, drenching him from head to toe. The old wound on his right calf began to ache again, stiff and stiff, cold to the point of pain in the heart.

One morning a few days later, Nightshade jumped up and ran to the Hongjia Hotel. Shen Ruoyu had just gotten up, sitting at the table and eating breakfast.

"Haha, you've overslept sometimes," she sneered, smirkingly.

Shen Ruoyu raised her head, and Nightshade was slightly stunned; She had rarely seen him look like this.

"Are you well? How can you wear it so thin? He asked.

"It's just a minor illness, it's been fine. What's wrong with you? ”

Shen Ruoyu smiled lightly. "I have something else to do, so I'm not practicing this morning."

"Are you going to the dart game?"

"No, it's my own personal matter."

"What's the matter? Shall I go with you? I'm idle anyway. ”

"You're not well, it's still so cold outside; Go home and rest. ”

"I've been at home for days, and I'm suffocating. It's more fun anywhere than Huiying Building. Unless you annoy me and don't want me to follow. ”

He hesitated.

"I want to go to Qingshou Temple and light a stick of incense for my mother. Today is the day of her death. If you don't want to go, go home first, and I'll look for you when I get back. ”

Ye Lai Xiang Mu looked at his plain white clothes, and then understood where his cold autumn came from.

"I'll go with you," she said softly involuntarily.

Shen Ruoyu said softly: "Thank you." ”

Nightshade was stunned, and suddenly didn't know how to answer.

They left the Hongjia Hotel and walked towards Qingshou Temple. The city of Beiping has been wearing red and green for a month, and it is very lively. On the ninth day of the first month of February, Zhu Zhanji, the first son of Zhu Gaochi, the son of Yan, was born together with Sunrise, and Zhu Di, the king of Yan, had a grandson. The people of Beiping raised the city and rejoiced, spontaneously put up lanterns and flowers, and set off firecrackers and fireworks in the streets and alleys to celebrate the birth of the holy grandson, which was much more warm and sincere than the birth of Zhu Wenkui, the eldest son of the imperial grandson, the future crown prince, and the legitimate heir to the throne in the capital city of Tongtian, two years ago.

When he arrived at Qingshou Temple, Shen Ruoliao lit three incense sticks, gave the monk some incense money, knelt down in front of the Buddha statue, put some offerings on the fruit, and kowtowed three times. Nightshade also knelt down and kowtowed with him, looking up at the solemn Buddha statue, and an inexplicable sense of awe rose faintly in his heart. Then, she suddenly remembered something and turned her head to look at Shen Ruoyu. He knelt straight beside her, tilted his head slightly, staring motionlessly at the three long incense sticks in the censer, his dark eyes not blinking; It was so dark that it was a little scary, as if he had seen something from the incense. The half-light and half-dark three-point red light stood quietly on the offering table, as if frozen. The white cigarette rose and lingered above the offering table for a long time, slowly rising up, wrapping around the entire Buddha statue until it reached the roof and hung upside down from the beams. Only one monk was chanting with his eyes closed on the side, and the sound of the empty wooden fish tapping down and down regularly, knocking on her heart was desolate.

Shen Ruoyu knelt in front of the Buddha statue for a long time, and his heart only felt empty, but it was heavy and a little cool. He knelt lonely for a moment and looked beside him; The monks were still there chanting with their eyes closed, as if they didn't exist at all; The Buddhist beads in his hand turned down one by one with the sound of the wooden fish, and turned down.

He looked up blankly, and then looked at the Buddha statue; The quaint sandalwood Buddha statue sits peacefully on it, its eyes slightly open, and it looks into the distance with a smile.

He glanced back at Nightshade.

"Let's go,"

The two men kowtowed again in front of the Buddha statue and stood up. Shen Ruoliao donated another ten cents, thanked the monk, and walked out of the offering hall with Ye Primrose.

It was noon; The two of them, however, were not hungry at all, so they left the place and went out into the noisy and noisy streets, and paced aimlessly in the clean monastery. The temple is very large, with dense pine trees, and there are tender spring grass emerging from the cracks in the stones. A canal runs through the whole temple, unfortunately the water has dried up, only two dilapidated stone bridges remain, there are two stone tablets standing on the side of the bridge, which are engraved with the inscriptions of "Feidu Bridge" and "Feihong Bridge", the pen is beautiful and atmospheric; The handwriting has been blurred and is illegible. Under the west wall of the temple stand two stupas, not very tall, but obviously very ancient, with exquisite octagonal and delicate eaves, and the bricks and tiles have been blackened by wind and rain. The inscription on the side of the tower is still clearly recognizable. The two pagodas stand quietly in the temple, but they seem to be empty and barren all around.

"Are you tired?" Shen Ruoyu stood still and asked Yelai Xiangdao. "Let's sit here for a while."

Nightshade hesitated. "The holy land of Buddhism, you can't just sit around, right?"

Shen Ruoliao smiled. "The Buddha who really has the heart of a Buddha shouldn't care about these pretentious rules."

He sat down by the tower. Night Shade hesitated for a moment and sat down as well.

"If there are few, I ...... I have a question for you. She hesitated for a long time before speaking.

"Huh?"

"Today - it's your birthday, right?"

He was silent for a moment. "Yes; How do you know? ”

"You once told me how your mother died."

Shen Ruoyu didn't speak, lowered his head, and stretched out his hand to pick the weeds on the ground.

Nightshade said softly: "That's why, on your birthday, you're more unhappy than ever, right?" ”

Shen Ruoxiao said casually: "It's okay; There's nothing unhappy about it. I'm used to it. At least, it was already great luck not to have my father to beat and scold on the side. ”

Nightshade sighed softly. "Ruo Xiao, if I were your mother, I would hope that you would forget me, be happy every day, and live happily for a lifetime. You're just hurting yourself like this, it's pointless. ”

Shen Ruoyu said coldly, "Naturally, it is for her." But not for me. If I'm still happy on my mother's death day, then I'm not a wolf. ”

He kept his head down at all times; Nightshade looked at him and felt very sad. She said:

"I've grown so old that I haven't ever been to my mother's grave once; I don't even know where she's buried. Do you also think that I am a wolf? ”

Shen Ruoyu raised her head and looked at her: "Xiang'er, I beg you, don't say such things, okay?" Can we compare? My mother was killed by me. ”

After he said this, he suddenly felt a twitching pain in his heart. He turned his face away, biting his lip, not daring to say anything more. Nightshade said softly:

"Ruo, you shouldn't think so. That's not your fault, it's none of your business at all. ”

Shen Ruoyu was silent for a long time, regained a little self-control, and finally spoke:

"Of course it's my fault - how many mothers in this world can give birth as smoothly as the princess; Only my mother died to give birth to me. If it's not my sin, who else can it be? Silly girl, you are clean, you can't understand a person who was born with sin. You see,—"

He wiped his face vigorously with both hands, and then turned to her: "Look at my eyebrows; Have you ever seen anyone born with this mark? My father told me that this was the mark of sin; I was born a sinner, wearing the imprint of this sin all my life, destined to bring endless calamity to those who love me. ”

Nightshade sighed deeply.

"There's nothing more difficult in the world than trying to make you happy - forget it, let's talk about something else. I haven't practiced with you for a few days, how are you practicing by yourself? Are you lazy or unconscious? ”

Shen Ruoyu didn't answer immediately, just stared blankly at the weeds under his feet. It wasn't until the night came to Shannahan and pushed him that he raised his head and said in disappointment:

"Xiang'er, I want to give up. I wanted to give up for a long time. It's been almost a year. I don't feel the slightest change. In fact, whether there is martial arts or not, what does it matter. I have never had any ambitions and ideals, and I can no longer be satisfied if I can be a shopkeeper and not have to mess around on the streets. Even if my martial arts are now world-famous and the world is peaceful, what can I do? If you really have this energy, you might as well use it to read a few more good books. ”

Nightshade is not discouraged.

"You're here again; Master Yao raised you to practice, and never hindered you from studying. Why do you give up on yourself so easily? How fast you've improved over the past few months is clear to everyone, but you can't. ”

"Xiang'er, I'm not complaining, I'm just talking. I'm serious. He said gloomily, "I am discouraged, yes; If all of this is any meaning, maybe I can find a reason to push myself to persevere. But now I can't find it. My father is the number one master in the world, and in the end, he has not lived in seclusion in the mountains all his life, and has made no contribution to the world. Since I just want to live a quiet and comfortable life and have no quarrel with the world, why should I contradict myself and practice martial arts? If you really want to stand up to the sky and leave a name in history, the first righteous way is always to study and assist the government, in order to keep the peace and prosperity forever, instead of being a puppet with no ink, you can only hope to make a name for martial arts in the troubled times, so as to fear that the world will not be chaotic. ”

"Amitabha-" Suddenly a long sigh sounded behind him. The two of them turned around in surprise, only to see an old monk with a short beard and gray coming out from behind the tower, wearing a dazzling robe and holding a string of Buddhist beads, and walked towards them unhurriedly.