Fang Huo's tone was very calm, "Because of family matters." Since you asked, I'll tell you too. ”

He took a glass of wine from the side and drank it down. Obviously, he may not feel good in his heart.

"I was my father's first child. When I was born, he was only 18 years old, probably because he was not very old and did not have much feeling for parenting. Therefore, he has not been too disciplined by me, which has also caused my personality to be very rebellious for a while. Fortunately, my mother disciplined me strictly, and I was back on the right track. ”

"However, things changed when I was ten years old. The father fell in love with another woman and had a child with her, which was Aqua Shui. Since the rules of the city did not prohibit remarriage, the woman was married into the door, and Fang Shui became my younger brother. ”

"So, Fang Shui and I are not brothers. By the time Aqua was born, my father was almost 30 years old, and his concept and feeling about parenting had changed significantly, and he took great care of Aqueous Aqua when he was born. My mother and I were naturally left out in the cold. ”

"Later, Fang Shui grew up, smart and cute, and compared with my rebellion when I was a child, it was more heaven and earth. So, my father liked him even more. However, after all, I am the eldest in the family, and in many places, my mother supports me, including the governance of Fangzhucheng in the future, and my mother tries her best to help me get some rights from my father. ”

"But it didn't last long. Suddenly, one day, my mother became seriously ill and was bedridden and never got up again. Her illness was so strange that none of the doctors in the city could see why. However, before she fell ill, Fang Shui's mother had visited her once, so my mother and I suspected that she had been poisoned. ”

"The two of us don't have proof. When I explained the situation to my father, I was beaten up by my father, saying that I shouldn't have said that about my mother. I found that the scales at home were completely weightless. After thinking about it carefully, I decided to protect myself first. On the grounds that my mother had no way to discipline me, I began to behave in a bad way to prevent my mother from doing anything to me again. ”

Sure enough, after I acted like a gentleman, Fang Shui and his mother never said anything against me again, let alone anything unfavorable to me. It's been years since I've been so forbearing. ”

"Gradually, my father's attitude towards me became worse and worse. He handed over more and more of the responsibility of city management to Fang Shui, and basically obeyed the mother and son. Of course, Fang Shui's qualifications are good, and if he can really manage the city well, I will not have to forcibly seize power. However, it is no longer possible to make my relationship with them better. ”

Ding Qin heard this and said, "Actually, you are very smart and capable. It's just that you don't want to put yourself and your mother in danger again. If you hadn't pretended to be like this, I guess you and your mother would have met with an accident by now. ”

Fang Huo smiled and said, "Not necessarily. Maybe my mother is really sick herself, and it has nothing to do with others. Because for all these years, I haven't found any evidence. ”

After listening to this, Ding Qin sighed softly. He could imagine the hardships of Fang Huo's life over the years. At that time, his father disappeared, and when he was in the seminary, he was in a situation similar to a house fire.

After a while, Ding Qin asked, "That's right." I still don't understand some questions. There have always been people in this bamboo city?"

Fang Huo nodded, "That's right, it's always been." It's just that people have moved from the ground to the ground. The conditions above ground are too harsh, and the underground is relatively better. We have been living in Fangzhucheng for many years. It must have been more than 1,000 years since it went underground. ”

"So, what about Muromei, how did you come into conflict with them? and, judging by all indications, you seem to have fought more than once. Moreover, Fang Shui used an eagle to observe the situation outside, mistaking us for the enemy, and it is probably related to Muromei. You know they're going to attack lately. Since he talked about some of Fangzhucheng's past, Ding Qin couldn't help but ask again.

"Well, well, that's a long story. Fang Huo pinched his nose with his left hand, "I know, but I don't know everything." Because the contents of the ancient books are not detailed. ”

"A long time ago, when desertification was not so serious, there are four ancient cities in the desert area today. This bamboo city is one of the four ancient cities. The four major cities are Muromei City, Loulan City, Fangzhu City, and Yaju City. These names may sound strange, but they have a point. ”

The second word is taken from the three friends of the year, Mei Lan Zhuju. The first word is just another name for a house, indicating that it is just a residential city. In addition, the first word is also related to the surname room. For example, Fangzhu City is because the city lords of the past dynasties are Fang's. The lord of Yaju Castle turned out to be the Wu clan. ”

"Over time, the cities of Loulan and Yaju may have disappeared in the plague or war. At least until now, there has been no news of these two cities. Fangzhu City and Muromei City have been transferred underground and have been continuing. ”

"According to the records of ancient books, the relationship between the four major cities should be relatively friendly. But in reality, this is not the case at all. Even though we knew that there were people in the two cities, we didn't interact with each other. Until more than ten years ago, a group of people from Mumeicheng got lost in the desert and were rescued by us. And the war between the two cities started because of this. ”

Fang Huo said this, and drank another glass of wine.

Ding Qin said, "It seems that you have done something bad with good intentions?"

Fang Huo shook his head, "No, it's a lack of greed." To tell you the truth, in our Fangzhu City, there is a strange tree, which should be thousands of years old. This tree blooms and bears fruit every year, and is called the black bamboo tree. And the name of this bamboo city is actually related to this black bamboo tree. These are the days when the fruit is ripe. ”

"If it's just the black bamboo fruit on this black bamboo tree, there is nothing peculiar, it's just an ordinary fruit. However, there was a broken stone tablet on the side of the tree that said about something. Every time the black bamboo tree bears fruit, there is a king of fruits. Other fruits are edible, but only the king of fruits is not edible. If the king is plucked from the tree, the black bamboo tree will perish. ”

"For many years, Fangzhucheng has guarded this tree. Since it was impossible to distinguish which was the king of fruits, no one picked the fruit at all. However, when the people of Murome came, they saw this legendary tree in person. And in their books, if the king of black bamboo fruit is found to pick it and eat it, the cultivation of the eater will increase several times. ”

So, after the gang left, the next year, Muromei's people came. Their purpose is very simple, to occupy Fangzhu City and get the Wuzhu Fruit King. ”

"Fangzhucheng and Wuzhushu have coexisted for so many years, and Wuzhushu has actually become a kind of spiritual sustenance and belief of Fangzhucheng people. Therefore, in the face of Muromei's coming battle, we chose confrontation. After the victory of the first confrontation against us, the construction and reinforcement of various fortifications began. Since then, every time of the year, Murome will come to attack, without exception. ”

Fang Huo also smiled bitterly when he said this.

Ding Qin's brows furrowed, "It's always been like this, just for the so-called Wuzhu Fruit King?"

Fang Huo nodded. "Yes, it's for King Guo. We also sent envoys to them to tell them the significance of the Black Bamboo Tree to Fangzhu City, and also told them that they could not tell whether there was a Black Bamboo Fruit King or not. However, they refused to give up. Therefore, the relationship between the two cities became worse and worse. ”

Ding Qin said, "This room in Meicheng seems to be really greedy." ”

"Yes, of course greedy. After ripening, the fruit will rot and fall off naturally within three days. And the specific care and maintenance methods of the black bamboo tree, the people of Muromei do not know. Therefore, they will only choose to attack during the few days of maturity. Once breached, they can pick the fruit. If you can't break it, you'll come back next year. They won't come at any other time because they can't guarantee that the tree will be able to blossom and bear fruit properly. ”

Ding Qin shook his head, "The love of snatching people is also quite desired. It seems that today I led the team to fight the people of Muromei City, and I did nothing wrong. ”

Fang Huo laughed, "Brother, don't worry, our Fang Zhucheng won't do anything hurtful." Today, I lost my brother's shot, come, my brother toasts you. ”

Ding Qin shook his head again, "I don't drink." ”

Fang Huo was stunned, "You don't drink?"

Ding Qin said, "Don't drink." ”

"Okay. Fang Huo drank it all by himself, "Everyone has different habits, and I am not reluctant." ”

Ding Qin smiled. I was about to say something, but I saw someone from below to report, "Eldest Prince, just now the patrol guards found that Mrs. Wei went to the black bamboo tree alone to pick fruits, and she has already picked more than 30 pieces.

After hearing this, Fang Huo's face changed slightly. "Mrs. Wei picks fruit? You mean, Fang Shui's mother?"

"That's right, it's Mrs. Wei." In order to prevent damage to the black bamboo tree, the patrol guards forcibly stopped it, and they have already clashed with it. Please solve this matter quickly!"

Fang Huo's face was cloudy, and he glanced at Ding Qin, "I'll come when I go." ”

Ding Qin also got up, "The black bamboo tree is a thousand-year-old strange tree, and I want to take a look at it too." Why don't I go with you. Don't worry, I will never intervene in your family affairs. ”

Fang Huo thought for a moment, "Well, it's okay." Let's go, then. ”

Leaving the banquet hall, Ding Qin and Feng Lei followed the room fire all the way, walked out of a short distance, and arrived in a large underground hole. In this cave, a group of patrol guards is in an offensive and defensive position, facing a middle-aged woman in her forties.

The woman's figure is well maintained, and her clothes are bright, but probably due to the clash with the guards she has just had, her hair is a little loose and covers part of her face. Judging from the exposed part, she does belong to the kind of wind that can seduce people's hearts.

At her feet were scattered twenty or thirty fruits.

"It turns out that this is the black bamboo tree. Ding Qin only glanced at the cave, and he couldn't help but be surprised.