It's night. The moon was shining in the sky, the stars were clear, and a thick white mist was surging in the mountains. Today is the coldest day.

Qingming leaned on one leg beside the pillar, drinking casually. I sat sideways and poured wine for him all the time, and this was still the official residence of Qingming. However, it was made out of paper by Qingming, and the quality of the house pasted out of paper is not very good, and it is still possible to avoid the cold.

In the distance, the white fog on the riverside was surging, and the cold was pressing. Yuan Boya stared at the river and played the flute vigorously. The sound of the flute is sad, such as crying and complaining, dancing the submarine of the ravine, crying the wife of the lonely boat, and the white mist flowing in the mountains, nature is one. At the foot of the hillside, the river is cold, the white mist flows, and the figure of Yuan Boya disappears and appears, appears and disappears. Standing by the river at the foot of the hillside, a yellow robe hangs down to the ground, standing like a sculpture.

After drinking for a while, Qingming seemed to be drunk and half-closed his eyes to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the night, immersed in the sad and dreamy flute sound of Yuan Boya. The man standing by the river had no intention of stopping, and the sad sound of the flute floated out of the flute like a ribbon and lingered in the mountains for a long time. Gazing at the yellow figure looming in the fog, listening to the heavenly music softening the moonlit night, I really felt the ethereal beauty and charm of Heiankyo thousands of years ago.

Taking a sip of wine, Qingming looked at Yuan Boya and said leisurely: "Why is it so sentimental, Boya?" ”

The man playing the flute stopped, turned around, with an unspeakable sadness in his eyes, hurriedly walked to the front of the sunshine and squatted down and said urgently: "The father killed his daughter, and the daughter wanted to kill her father." Qingming, why the hell is this! ”

Qingming avoided Yuan Boya's direct gaze and looked at the bright moon in the sky, because of the fog, the moon was blurred, and said with a light smile: "Ping'an—it's really an interesting place." ”

"Tomorrow, the right minister will come to us."

Qingming returned her gaze to Yuan Boya.

"Yes...... Will it? ”

"What is Moto Sato doing now?" Qingming paused, his narrow eyes were on Gen Boya, and a free smile on his lips raised with everything under control, "I should send someone to check on Sato's current situation." ”

"Why didn't he go on his own?"

"Because I said that Sato will be disillusioned when he sees him."

Qingming's face once again showed fox-like cunning.

"Haha, Qingming, you are really ......"

"What?"

Qingming leaned forward with a wine glass, smiling and raising her eyebrows.

"But it's nice for father and daughter to see each other."

Yuan Boya showed a relieved look.

"Do you want to drink?"

"Why not?"

Yuan Boya did not hesitate.

I poured a glass of wine for Yuan Boya in time.

"But, then again—" Qingming took a sip of wine, put down his glass, looked at Yuan Boya and smiled lightly, "Boya is really a good person. ”

"Lord Boya is such a good person!"

I smiled and followed Qingming again, agreeing with it in my heart.

"Me?" Yuan Boya showed childlike innocence and said seriously, "If I am a good person, so is Qingming." ”

"Really?"

Qingming hid his face with long sleeves and drank it in one gulp, his long eyebrows were raised, and his eyes were bent into a moon shape, revealing a childish cheerfulness.

Every time as long as Yuan Boya praises Qingming, Qingming will always be very happy and proud from the bottom of his heart. I affirmed, "Qingming is also a good person!" ”

"Hahahaha"

"Hahahaha"

They all laughed, and so did I.

"Qingming—"

Early in the morning, I didn't wake up and was dozing off, and I was yawning when I saw Sato Moto, who hurriedly walked into the house and knelt on the ground with an anxious face.

"Lord Sato"

The yawn was halfway stuck in my throat, and I was frightened by Sato Moto's actions and hurriedly ran over to help him. Anyway, the right minister is also a second-rank official, and it is too inappropriate for the fourth-rank official to be worshiped by Sato Motoichi.

"The old man Qingming has something to ask for."

No matter how much I helped him, he didn't get up, but just lowered his head and stopped talking. Only then did I realize that Qingming was already sitting opposite and waiting for Sato Moto's arrival, and there was no indifference on his face.

Looking at this formation, it is a very important thing to talk about, so I will find a seat and sit down.

"Presumably Qingming already knows, but the old man still can't talk about it."

Sato Yuan buried his head deeply, knelt on the ground and did not move, and only after a long time did he raise his head, his eyes were full of pain, and he was much haggard.

"It was ten years ago, when the emperor was out on an outing, and Sensho Okitaya and I were ordered to accompany him. At that time, we were in a period of open and secret fighting, and each faction wanted to squeeze the other out. As the emperor's favorite minister, Sensho Okiya is slightly better than me in terms of status and manpower, and I, who wanted to be the right minister, and at the same time, in order to protect the whole family, finally seized the opportunity of the emperor's trip and put him to death. ”

Sato Moto's pause, immersed in memories.

"I still remember that it was late autumn, and I took my daughter and asked her to dance in front of everyone, and the wonderful dance quickly won the emperor's affection, and everyone praised her for her cuteness and well-behaved. I knew that the time was ripe, so I tricked her into going to the pool with Chisho Okitani, and then-" Sato Motomoto closed his eyes in pain, "I pressed her into the water with my own hands, pinched her neck, and pressed hard, and hard, and there was no movement in my hands for a long time, and finally shouted desperately, like crazy, telling others that my biological father would not kill his daughter, it was him, it was Chisho Okitani who killed my daughter!" ”

"Back then, Lord Qianshookiya's family was exiled to death, do you feel at ease now?"

"If the old man doesn't do that, that will be the end of the old man."

Sato Yuan looked up to the sky and sighed, old tears.

"I ...... I'm sorry for my daughter," Sato Yuan covered his head and cried, "I've never touched her, I've never hugged her, I'm afraid that I won't be able to give up after hugging her, she is an important chess piece in my hand." She has been my conspiracy since she was born, and I spoiled her in front of everyone to tell the world how important she was, in order to frame the day when Qianzheng Chonggu was framed. The only thing I ever did was to set up a big banquet for her when she was eight years old, and give her the jasper-inlaid pearl Ruyi hairpin she got from the Tang Dynasty. That's my plan, too, but she treasures it. ”

She knew it, but she never resisted. When I took her, she guessed, and she just kept her eyes open and didn't say anything. She didn't struggle when she was drowning in the water, she just let me pinch ......"

Sato Yuan regretted it: "I shouldn't have been!" She shouldn't have been sacrificed for the sake of greed and self-preservation, but it was really a last resort at the time. Either he dies or I die, even if the whole family suffers, she should not be abandoned in exchange for stability. ”

"She often appears in my dreams, still smiling at me, still unguarded. She said, Dad, I don't blame you, I miss you so much. Sato Yuan raised a happy smile, and then pulled out a helpless wry smile for a moment, "This is an endless nightmare, I was afraid that the truth would be revealed, I didn't even set up a sacrificial dance for her, and her body has been thrown in the pool so far." I laugh when I see her in my dream, but when I wake up, my heart aches. ”

"Qingming, take me to her. I'm going to make up for the mistakes I made back then. Sato Moto pleaded, "Also, Harumi please keep this matter for me." The fault is mine alone, I deserve to be punished, and my family is innocent. ”

"Okay, I don't want to repeat the tragedy of the Qianzheng Chonggu family back then."

Qingming promised.

In the afternoon, it was still a slanting warm sun. We return to the hot springs, where daffodils, spring flowers, irises, calla lilies, calendulas, poppies, beauty cherries, morning glories, lilacs, cyclamen and more are in full bloom, shimmering slightly in the sun, and the air is mixed with inexplicable fragrances.

I didn't have the excitement when I came, but a kind of sadness, stepping on the knee-less grass into this sea of flowers, and my heart was even heavier. Spread out his hand, the jasper on the jasper pearl-inlaid ruyi hairpin in the palm of his hand had become dull, but there was no scratch. Although Sato has carefully treasured it, it still can't withstand the passage of time.

"Sato-sama," I held out my hand, "this is Sato's, it's time to give it back to you." ”

Touching the old hairpin without scratches, Sato Moto-chanted, "This kid ......"

"It's here, Boya plays the flute."

Qingming who had not spoken, spoke.

"Will it work?"

Catching up with Yuan Boya's questioning gaze, Qingming smiled: "She will like your flute." ”

The distant flute floats out tactfully, and this sea of flowers is naturally integrated, accompanied by the flute flowers waving in the wind, echoing with the flute sound of Yuan Boya.

"Wow" As soon as Sato Ming came out of the water, he couldn't wait to praise it: "Sister, your flute sound is so good." ”

"Daughter!"

Sato couldn't hold back his excitement.

"Daddy!"

Sato immediately smiled cheerfully.

"Is it really Daddy?"

"Yes"

"You're finally here to see me?"

"Yes"

"Daddy" Sato muttered repeatedly, tears of joy flowing, "It's really Daddy, it's Daddy!" That's right. ”

"Daughter, look at it, this is the wishful hairpin I gave you when you were ten years old."

Sato Moto held up the jasper-encrusted pearl-encrusted wishful hairpin and looked at Sato expectantly.

"Boya, thank you!" Sato smiled sweetly, and then turned to me and Harumi, "Thank you, sister, and Harumi-sama." ”

"Daughter, I'm sorry for you."

Sato Moto lowered his head.

"I don't blame you, Dad."

Sato Ming smiled childishly: "I've always been so lonely, Dad, can you accompany me?" Think of it as making up for what you owe me for ten years, stay with me, okay? ”

"If that makes up for it......"

Looking at Sato Ming's pleading gaze, Sato Yuan stepped off the hot spring and walked towards her step by step, and Sato Ming greeted him with open arms......

"Don't-"

I was about to rush forward to stop Sato Moto, but Harumi reached out to stop him, looked at him, and saw him shake his head.

"Daddy!"

With a crisp child's voice, Sato Ming hugged Sato Yuan's whole body and quickly became white, and said seriously word by word: "You, want, forever, far, accompany, me." ”

And then - the white ossified Sato Mato pulled down the father, and the father and daughter disappeared. The corpses at the bottom of the hot springs disappeared and returned to the clear bottom of the water, as if nothing had happened.

The hot springs are constantly bubbling with hot air, and daffodils, spring flowers, irises, calla lilies, calendulas, poppies, beauty cherries, morning glory, lilacs, cyclamen and more all dance happily and smile at us. This is still the world of flowers, the kingdom of flowers, the fragrance of flowers, and the sultry spring color.

"Gone ......"

I muttered, tears welling up in my eyes.

"It's never going to be haunted again, let's go."

Clear words came from my ears.

At dusk, the sunset fills the sky, and the sky is purple and red. The three of us walked silently on the mountain path, each with our own thoughts on our minds. Seeing the tragedy of the struggle for power and profit in the Heian period again, to be honest, I hate this feeling, as if I was back in the first time I took in Jiuquanzi with Harumi, and my heart was extremely heavy. originally thought that it was just the people who were displaced, but even the princes and nobles had to endure the pain of love in the intriguing officialdom. Seeing the darkness and ruthlessness of the Heian period again, my heart was so heavy that it was like tomorrow was the end of the world, and there was no light and no hope.

"Qingming, you deliberately asked Sato Yuan to accompany Sato Ming, right?"

Lost in thought, I asked nonchalantly.

"Everything is rewarded by cause and effect, and there are gains and losses."

Qingming said indifferently.

"Sure enough, you are punishing Sato Moto's mistakes in disguise."

"I'm just doing my best to get justice in the world."

Even if we did, we wouldn't be able to change the darkness of the Heian period. Sato Moto's death can neither make up for Sato's lonely childhood, nor can it bring the Sensho Okitani family back to life, so what's the point of punishing or not punishing? ”

"There are so many things in the world that we can't grasp."

“……”

"Peace," Qingming sighed, looking up, "It's a chaotic and peaceful time. Behind the elegant and noble aristocratic life is the pain of the life of the people at the bottom, and in such a bad situation, it is the people at the bottom who have the question of 'why I live', and it is also the abyss of the aristocracy lost. At this time, the onmyoji is not only to complete the work of fighting against the evil spirits, but more importantly, to guide people's lives and rekindle the hope of life for them. ”

"What exactly is a mantra? Isn't father's love also a curse, why can Sato Gen kill his daughter? Is it a spell that doesn't work? ”

"A mantra is a bondage, and any bondage can be a mantra. In this sense, fatherly love is also a curse. There are mantras in this world, but mantras are not all-powerful. It's like Gen Boya is bound to the name 'Gen Boya', and the name is the simplest mantra. But even if there is no such mantra as 'Yuan Boya', Yuan Boya will not disappear from the world. ”

"When will the spell work?"

"When I cast a spell on Genboya and I say 'Genboya', and if he answers 'yes,' then he falls under my spell and the spell works. If a person does not approve of it, no matter how many times he curses, he will not fall under the curse. In other words, the spell had no binding effect on him. For example, like the honey worm, you are my helper......"

"Yes!"

I hurriedly replied first, no matter what it was, as long as it was his, I would be happy.

"Hehe, that's how you want to fall under my spell?"

Qingming's smile was dyed with warmth.

"Yes!"

I replied sweetly, turned around and turned to Boya who was walking in front of me:

"Lord Boya, I'm your friend, right?"

"Yes"

Yuan Boya responded with a smile.

"It's not right to dare to cast a curse on an adult, honey worm!"

Qingming pretended to be serious.

"Friends are of no rank, Lord Boya, right?"

I wisely turned to Yuan Boya for help.

"I'm in favor of honey worms, I'm willing...... The curse of the honey worm. ”

Yuan Boya's words are so warm, and my heart is moved: I have friends, and Yuan Boya is my friend!

"Yuan Boya, you are so stupid, let the honey worm curse you."

"Yes," Yuan Boya sighed helplessly, turning to me and saluting back, "Honeyworm, you're also my friend, aren't you?" ”

"Yes!"

I answered sweetly, and my heart was full of joy.

"Hahaha"

"Hahaha"

"Hahaha"

Facing the afterglow of the setting sun and walking into the sunset into the distance, in a trance, I have a feeling that the three of us will go on forever......