Gu Xinyi came to the provincial capital by car for the first time, and at the same time, she escaped from Ji's house. So the mood is a lot brighter, and I feel quite fresh along the way. Gu Xi'er introduced to her the scenery encountered along the road, which place is prosperous, which place has history, and which place has many foreign goods. Han Fuguang did not arrange Gu Xi'er in the mansion in the center of Jinan, and there were already three ladies in the mansion. She was placed in a secluded house on the shore of Daming Lake. Therefore, on the first day of Gu Xinyi's arrival in the provincial capital, Gu Xier accompanied her to swim in Daming Lake; The next day, I visited Ximennei Street and Furong Street, and visited the Pearl Spring Compound, where Han Fuguang worked. This is a harmony they haven't had in a few years, and both of them have a feeling of regaining friendship, so they get along very well.

After dinner on the third night, Gu Xi'er said that the night was good and suitable for going out for a walk, so she asked Cuiying to accompany her, and the three of them chatted and walked by the lake.

In spring, the willows and flowers are red on the shore of Daming Lake, although there are no tourists at night, but the environment is good and the evening breeze blows quite comfortable. It's just that it's still a little cool after walking close to the water for a long time. Walking and walking, Gu Xi'er mentioned that she liked to ski and build snowmen when she was a child, and casually mentioned "Uncle Le" who lived in the Sixth Uncle's Empty Courtyard, and said with a smile: "Sister, where do you guess Uncle Le will be now?" Will you miss us? ”

"It's hard to say, after all these years, you have become an official wife, and I have become like this. He, it's hard to imagine. Gu Xinyi said lightly, and the appearance of "Uncle Le" was blurred.

"That's just as well." Gu Xi'er said and approached Gu Xinyi, "Sister, I made the lock given by Uncle Le into jewelry a few days ago. A pair of bracelets and a chain still have a balance, look. ”

Gu Xinyi looked at Gu Xi'er's wrist, and a pair of bright gold bracelets were presented in front of her, which was very conspicuous in the dark night. Then he felt that she shouldn't be like this, she was already an official wife, so why destroy the lock again, and said faintly: "Well, it's beautiful, although it is always a thought to change her appearance." ”

"But no, I thought about giving the balance of the earrings to my sister, and I was afraid that you would be too cold, so I didn't dare to make the decision. Let's go together, at the West Gate. Gu Xi'er smiled and put down her hands.

"No, no, I don't like to wear jewelry, it's all a burden." Gu Xinyi's tone is very flat, her requirements for jewelry have always been the more elegant and plain she is, the more comfortable she is to wear.

"Uh-that-well." Gu Xi'er said and continued to walk along the path.

Gu Xinyi felt a little cold and wanted to go back, but she was embarrassed to spoil her fun. After taking a few steps and looking back at Cui Ying behind her, she had been behind all night without speaking.

Gu Xi'er was walking and suddenly turned her head and asked, "Sister, is your copper shell still there?" ”

"Yes." Gu Xinyi replied, knowing that she was talking about the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box.

"Let me play with it? I think the flowers on it are interesting. Gu Xi'er stood still and didn't move.

"What's the fun with that?" Gu Xinyi didn't answer positively, after the Ji family's loss and recovery, she didn't dare to completely believe anyone.

"Actually, I just want to take a second look, I don't mean anything else, after all, it's a gift from Uncle Le to the two of us." Gu Xi'er's tone looked a little regretful.

"That's mine, that's the only thought Uncle Le has left." Gu Xinyi said lightly, reminding her that the gift had been replaced with a bracelet.

"Hehehe, that's the same, I don't know if he's still alive?" Gu Xi'er said and took Gu Xinyi's arm, and the two walked forward. After walking a few steps, she didn't speak, and pointed to the bridge in the distance and said, "Sister, let's turn around from that bridge to the lotus pond, and we just happened to go home from there." ”

Gu Xinyi didn't speak, just nodded lightly. Let her walk forward, and talk about the Jule Theater on the east side of the street behind the sixth uncle's house, talking about the danjiao and harlequin in which play, and talking about the quack (1) and horseshoe cake (2) at the entrance of the theater. thought that as long as she didn't mention the box, everything else could follow her.

The three of them walked leisurely, and after a turn they were the garden (3), and further on was the house where she lived. Gu Xi'er has always been smiling and holding Gu Xinyi, and the relationship between the two seems to have returned to their childhood.

When they returned to the house, it was past ten o'clock in the evening, and when they entered the house, they found the floor in shambles. Every room was turned into a mess, and it looked like it had been burglarized. Gu Xinyi's most nervous thing was, of course, the makeup box, and hurriedly beckoned Cui Ying to pick up items together, and quietly touched the things and didn't show off. Let Cuiying fold the scattered clothes neatly, and the items will be neatly organized.

Gu Xi'er yelled and asked the housekeeper to run and report to Han Fuguang. The police station came to investigate and made careful inquiries to make sure that no precious items were lost before leaving.

On the morning of the fourth day, Han Fuguang came to pick them up and go out to eat. The dinner was set up in the private room of the famous Jubin Building, and the guests were accompanied by his secretary Zhu Shaochang and an old man he had never met. After the food was served, Han Fuguang politely toasted them, while Gu Xi'er kept serving dishes for Gu Xinyi, and the three men talked about their topics among themselves.

I don't know who brought up the topic of antiques first, Gu Xier said that Gu Xinyi's "copper shell" is a treasure, and it is the craftsmanship of the famous locksmith Swastika 13 in Liaocheng. The eyes of the three men stopped on Gu Xinyi's face, and she said lightly that it was just a souvenir given by her seniors, and it was nothing. The old man was full of interest and said that there was a seven-trick exquisite brocade box in Liaocheng recently, which was an heirloom of the Ji family, and asked her if she had heard of it. She said that the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box was just an ordinary box, not a treasure at all, let alone an heirloom. The old man insisted that it was impossible, and the people in Liaocheng were spreading the word that there would be a fake, and he was blushing and his neck was thick. Han Fuguang listened carefully at first, and when he saw the two arguing, he suddenly changed his face and slapped the table; stood up and pulled out a gun and shot the old man in the heart, and the old man choked on the spot. also scolded fiercely: "Damn, it's really a nonsense (4) local goods." Come on, grab it and throw it away. ”

Two guards came in and carried the old man's body away, but Han Fuguang continued to drink and eat. No one expected such a thing, and the shopkeeper of the hotel hurriedly ran to the door when he heard the gunshots, and quietly walked away as soon as he asked the guards. Gu Xinyi and Cui Ying were so frightened that they were lying on the edge of the table and shivering, and Gu Xi'er comforted them in a low voice. Han Fuguang didn't lose his temper anymore, nor did he mention anything about the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box, and sent them back to the house by Daming Lake when they were full of wine and food.

Gu Xinyi was so frightened by this incident that she didn't ease up for a long time, and remembered the last time she was snatched away by Han Fuguang, and felt even more that this person was too barbaric, and he was simply murderous without blinking. They didn't go anywhere that afternoon, they stayed in the house, she and Cuiying had been in a trance, but Gu Xi'er was like she was fine.

In the middle of the night, a group of robbers suddenly came to the house. I couldn't help but say that I knocked down the housekeeper, and I tied up the three women and carried them away in a sack, ignoring their cries. They jolted on the carriage for a long time before they stopped, and then they were carried and thrown into a cold, damp house, where they were left unattended for a long time.

When Gu Xinyi was pulled out of the sack it was another dark night, and she saw a small window on the wall with a black hole outside. She was pushed to a table, next to Cui Ying, who was being pulled out. There was also a sack lying next to him, looking at the pants and leather shoes, it was probably Gu Xi'er.

"Say, who can tell Lao Tzu? Where is the seven-trick exquisite brocade box? Behind the table stood a man, his hands pressed against the edge of the table, and his tone was cold.

Gu Xinyi shook her head and shrank back, she would rather die than hand over the brocade box, because it was her most precious thing. Cui Ying crawled up to her crying, shouting "Miss" in a vague voice, their hands and feet tied.

"Boss, why don't we drag that one over too? Let's enjoy the retrial first? The other short man leaned his head and asked the man behind the desk, and the other two men with horsewhips laughed weirdly. They all covered their heads with black cloths, and only their two eyes were exposed.

"Bastard thing! Do whatever you want, less Hu Rilian! "The guy behind the table is a temper tantrum. Suddenly pointed at Cui Ying, "Rip off all her clothes and pump Lao Tzu hard!" ”

One of them, with a horsewhip, threw the whip on the ground and walked towards Cui Ying with his sleeves rolled. The other didn't move and was still laughing, and the little man was pinching his waist around the table and watching.

"Ah...... Miss, help, woo, Miss, woo woo...... "Cui Ying cried even harder, and her voice was already hoarse.

"You, beasts! Don't touch her! Gu Xinyi was also crying, but she was calmer than Cuiying. She has already avenged her mortal heart, and will not let the box fall into their hands.

"Hey." The man behind the table waved his hand. The man stepped aside and stood with his hands behind his back, clearly obedient to the man behind the table. He still looked at Gu Xinyi coldly, "Say, where is the thing?" ”

"You let Cui Ying and Xi'er go first, this has nothing to do with them." Gu Xinyi said with courage.

"Miss, don't, I want to be with Miss." Cui Ying was still crying, and her body was shaking.

"Shut the fuck, or I'll kill you first!" The man behind the table pointed at Cui Ying again. scared her so much that she squeezed straight to Gu Xinyi's side, and her body trembled even more.

"To be honest, you don't have any use for the Seven Tricks Exquisite Box, what is contained there is personal belongings, and it is not worth much." Gu Xinyi tried to explain. She is not afraid of death, but she is afraid that she will not have the opportunity to see Fan Junsheng again.

"What you say doesn't count, I can do whatever I want! Say! Where is it? The man behind the desk continued to ask.

"In, in my hometown, Ji Jiadong is under the bed in my house across the courtyard." Gu Xinyi said.

"Huh? Do you treat Lao Tzu as a three-year-old child? The man behind the table spoke again at the man from before, and the man walked over to them again.

"Wait!" Gu Xinyi shouted. The man looked at the man behind the table and returned to his place.

"Say, little Nizi, don't mess with Lao Tzu anymore." The man behind the table was almost yelling, and it seemed that he was really impatient.

"I'm not lying to you, the box is really under the bed in my hometown." Gu Xinyi stood in front of Cui Ying.

The person behind the table was really anxious, and slapped it on the table with a "snap". The kerosene lamp next to him was so vibrated that it almost collapsed, and the little man hurriedly reached out to hold it. I saw him pointing at them and shouting, "Fuck! Xiao Kou, kill that girl for Lao Tzu! ”

The person who was going to pull Cuiying over directly, pulled her up, and really pulled out a gun from behind and shot Cuiying in the head. Gu Xinyi knelt and crawled a few steps, raised her head, and just shouted "no", she was splashed with blood, so frightened that she forgot to cry, and froze there.

The man behind the table was just trying to scare them, and when he saw this, he came over and kicked the man down. Annoyed and scolded: "Damn, you stupid dick! Lao Tzu asked you to bluff her, and she really died? The man hurriedly begged for mercy, but he was so angry that he pulled out a gun from his waist as he spoke, and fired seven or eight times at the man, "Woo ......!" Let you die! Let ......"

The little man at the table and the other man with a horsewhip were also stunned, and stood motionless.

The man took a few steps over and slapped the gun on the table, and turned his head to point at Gu Xinyi, who was still there. said angrily: "Pump, pump hard, see if she says it!" ”

The little man hurriedly ran over to set up Gu Xinyi, and the other person came over with a horsewhip and beat him. When she was beaten to the pain, she woke up, and she was so frightened that she cried and cried, and without begging for mercy or saying anything else, the man waved his horsewhip and struck her......

On April 15, Han Fuguang's secretary Zhu Shaochang and the driver sent Gu Xinyi back to Ji's house, but her eyes were dull and she didn't respond to anyone's call. Zhu Shaochang told Ji Tang that the second young grandmother and Chairman Han's fourth aunt encountered bandits when they were traveling; The girl Cuiying and the housekeeper have been beaten to death by bandits, the fourth aunt is still in the hospital, and the second young grandmother has been like this since she was rescued. Then he expressed his condolences for Han Fuguang, and after speaking, he asked her to carry her home, hand over her belongings and luggage to the crying Xin Ye'er, and then get in the car and go back to the provincial capital.

Ji Tang hurriedly sent someone to tell Gu Qingyuan, and Mrs. Gu cried and followed, and couldn't help crying when she saw her daughter's appearance. Zhu Qiaozhen and Ji Hanshi also shed tears next to them. There are still people talking and laughing when they leave, but after a few days, they become dementia, how can they not make people feel distressed. Gu Qingyuan discussed with the Ji family and decided to take his daughter back temporarily, and let Qiaozhen and her mother take care of her carefully for a period of time to see the situation. Of course, Ji Wenhua's father and son agreed, and immediately arranged a car, and asked the fat girl to accompany Xin Ye'er to take care of the young grandmother, and pull another car for supplements, food, and clothes. Zhu Qiaozhen heard that her daughter was also hospitalized, so she hurriedly asked Gu Chong to ride a horse to the provincial capital to have a look, and she didn't go if she wanted to take care of the eldest lady.

That night, Zhu Qiaozhen and Xin Ye'er helped Gu Xinyi take a bath. Finding the purple and blue whip marks on her body, she couldn't cry in distress, and she herself was still dumbfounded (5) expressionless. Gu Qingyuan and his wife were also in tears after they found out, one babbling and crying, and the other sighing and blaming themselves.

In the evening of the next day, Gu Chongfeng rushed back. Seeing Zhu Qiaozhen going to the provincial capital, the old couple scolded. Gu Qingyuan was already uncomfortable enough, and he wanted to slap his mouth hard after hearing it. After returning to the room, he didn't say a word, regretting it in his heart, and he couldn't vent it with his character.

It turned out that Gu Chong heard that his daughter had also encountered bandits and was hospitalized, so he estimated that he had suffered a more serious wound than the young lady, and rushed to Jinan in a hurry. When it was late at night at Daming Lake, he patted the door and asked Xi'er if she was really not at home, and hurriedly asked her which hospital she was in. The gatekeeper was stunned, saying that the fourth aunt had accompanied the chairman too much to watch the play, and there was nothing wrong with it. Gu Zhong was annoyed, sitting in the living room and waiting, all kinds of speculations in his heart, but he couldn't figure it out. When Gu Xi'er and Han Fuguang went back, the first half of the night had passed. When she entered the door, she saw Gu Chong first surprised and then complained, thinking that he hadn't greeted him in advance. Gu Chong asked Gu Xinyi what was going on, how did she become like that, and why she was also a bandit but she was fine. Han Fuguang's face was full of displeasure when he heard this, and he shook his hand and left. Gu Xi'er was also annoyed, how could there be a father who looked forward to his daughter's accident. He also asked why his mother didn't come when he heard that she had an accident, and when he heard his father say that Miss Nurse was even more angry. complained to their face that they were partial, and don't expect her to support her when she is old. Although Gu Zhong has been a subordinate person all his life, he is also a person with self-esteem and temper. gave Xi'er a slap in the face and went back to Liaocheng overnight. But because of the anger and the fact that it was dark at night, he figured it out at dawn, and hurried home and the sky was dark.

On the morning of the third day when Gu Xinyi went home, she opened her eyes and spoke, calling Cui Ying to bring her a makeup case. Zhu Qiaozhen was by her side all the time, and she was surprised and happy to see this situation. hurriedly went over and hugged her, and didn't dare to say that Cui Ying was dead, but she was distressed: "Miss, you finally woke up, the old lady is in a hurry, Miss, why are you uncomfortable?" Don't ...... what you want to eat?"

Seeing this, Xin Ye'er and the fat girl turned around happily and ran out. One ran to tell the old lady the good news, and the other ran to the Ji family like a fly.

"Aunt Qiaozhen, I want a box, give me the box quickly." Gu Xinyi's words are clear and elegant, not at all like he has a body ulcer.

"Okay, okay, Miss, sit down and don't move, I'll get it for you." Zhu Qiaozhen cried excitedly, promised to wipe the tears on her face, and turned around to look for her makeup case in the house. Of course he knew the box, it was made by Gu Zhong himself as a New Year's gift to the young lady six years ago, and he made a fuss for a few days for this happy child.

Gu Qingyuan and his wife and Gu Chong rushed to see when they heard the news, and there was not much time, Ji Wenhua and his wife Ji Hanshi and Ji Tang all came over. Everyone was nervous about Gu Xinyi, and they saw her sitting on the edge of the bed with good eyes, holding her beloved seven-trick exquisite brocade box, her expression and spirit were similar to before she left.

Gu Qingyuan asked Gu Zhong to arrange breakfast and leave the three of them to eat together. Ji Wenhua agreed politely after a few words, not to mention his happiness, but also wanted to see his daughter-in-law for a while, hoping that she would be relieved when she really returned to normal.

Just as everyone turned around to go to the front hall, Gu Xinyi suddenly shouted: "No, how did it happen?" Why can't you twist it? When did you rust to death when you were alive? ”

Several people hurriedly came to take a look, only to see Gu Xinyi forcefully buckle a small petal in it, and no matter how hard he tried and changed the angle, he didn't move. She changed her face and then buckled it still didn't work, and the tears of anxiety were still to no avail. Obviously all six sides need a moving petal, but now one can't move one, what should I do? How can you unlock the lock without the keyhole?

Ji Tang leaned in and asked softly, "Madam, don't worry, what's going on?" Can I help you? ”

"Help? You don't understand! Gu Xinyi said that tears were dripping down, and her sad appearance made everyone moved. He was still muttering, "Why is this happening?" It's clear that the petals are moving, why are they rusting? How can you insert a key? ”

"Son, let's not worry, huh? Why don't you let Ji Tang take a look first? Is it rusty for a long time? Mrs. Gu comforted tightly. The brain is also messed up, so I'm afraid that my daughter will have something wrong again.

"That's it, that's it, girl, listen to your mother. Let the chapel try, the designation is not broken, ah? Han hurriedly agreed. The eldest daughter-in-law of her Ji family ran away, and the second daughter-in-law has a good son, so don't let her housemother bear the notoriety.

"Dad, you show me." Gu Xinyi looked at Gu Qingyuan with tears in her eyes.

"Okay, okay, I'll see, I'll see." Gu Qingyuan hurriedly walked a few steps to the bed and caught the Seven Tricks Exquisite Brocade Box. Approaching the candlelight and looking carefully, I couldn't see that there was a gap in that place, and I didn't see any reaction when I buckled them one by one, so I comforted my daughter while turning the direction, "Don't worry?" Daddy will try something else. However, he turned all six sides, and tried every little petal and stamen, but not a single one of them could move. His face became more and more ugly, and he knew that his daughter would not be wrong, and it was probably not her original one.

Ji Tang leaned over and tried it, looked at it carefully, and still shook his head and sighed. Ji Wenhua also eagerly approached to take a closer look, and suddenly his eyes widened, his face instantly turned pale, and he looked at Gu Qingyuan faintly and whispered, "My family, it's over!" This is not our child's original box, I have seen it, the workmanship is thousands of times more detailed than this, and eighty percent of it was dropped by someone! ”

Although the voice was very low, the room was small and quiet, so everyone present heard it. All their faces became surprised but they didn't dare to speak, everyone was afraid that Gu Xinyi wouldn't be able to stand the stimulation when they heard it.

Gu Xinyi saw that they didn't get it right when they turned over and over, and she unconsciously became more anxious. came over and took the box from Ji Tang's hand, still sitting back on the edge of the bed. His mouth began to mutter, "What should I do?" If I can't open it, how can I insert the key? What should Junsheng do when he comes back? Hey, what's the order, why can't I forget? 'The Beijing-Hangzhou Canal connects Beijing and Hangzhou, and the two ends of Gyeonggi and Yuhang are busy, and there is Liaocheng on the bank of the Huitong River-'No, no! Either 'Xinhai rises, the old system dies, and the Three People's Doctrine-' is not right! Could it be that 'Dongchang Lakeside sighed and was full of enthusiasm——? 'No, what's it?' 'The remnant sun sprinkles the ...... of the West City"

For a while, the room was full of people who were confused. Gu Qingyuan looked at Ji Wenhua and Ji Tang, and several people were all dazed, all of them wanted to find affirmative expressions on other people's faces. Mrs. Gu began to wipe her tears again, and Zhu Qiaozhen leaned over to the bed and hugged Gu Xinyi's shoulder, but she continued to talk as if no one was around. No one could hear whether it was a poem or an article, and they didn't understand what it meant, and what it had to do with the seven-trick exquisite brocade box she was holding in her arms.

From this day on, Gu Xinyi repeated the same thing every day - sitting in the garden or under the eaves and saying those words that others couldn't understand, holding her seven-trick exquisite brocade box with no keyhole in her arms. Whether it's dusk or wind or rain, it never stops. No one could understand what she was saying, and the family could only take care of her with all their hearts except sympathy and pity. Gu Qingyuan and his wife also sought medical advice for their daughter everywhere, and since then they have no intention of taking care of their business, and they have not been able to change their daughter's sobriety again after breaking their hearts.

This is only a month before Gu Xinyi's wedding day.

And so people started talking again. Some people say that the Gu family's girl has a hard life; Some people say that the Ji family's house is a crime; Some people also say that because of the seven-trick exquisite brocade box, the husband is not guilty of his crimes. After a long time, people know that there is a fake baby and two female maniacs in Liaocheng. The fake baby is the seven-trick exquisite brocade box, the female madman is the daughter of the Gu family in Nancheng who sings poems all day long, and there is a widow Fan who is looking for her son all day long next to the Wei Temple in Xiguan.

Note: (1) Famous snacks in Shazhen, Liaocheng, Shandong. This is a noodle dish that resembles an oil cake by mixing hot noodles with dead noodles and deep-frying. (2) A northern noodle dish made from water chestnut meat, glutinous rice flour and other ingredients. (3) A garden-style building built on the shore of Daming Lake in Jinan at the end of the Qing Dynasty, which was mainly used to store books. (4) Dialect, which means to speak nonsense. (5) nié, to describe tired, silly.