When I went back, the rain was much lighter.

Yinzheng was waiting for her from afar at the mouth of the forest. Every time like this, Lu Tong always let Yinzheng avoid it, always feeling that some things are good to do alone, and there is no need to pull irrelevant people in.

Although the silver kite has inevitably been caught up in this whirlpool.

When I returned to West Street, there was no one on the street, only the roof tiles and rainwater dripping down the eaves of the house.

Lu Tong and Yin Zheng crossed the courtyard and hurried into the inner room. The silver kite helped Lu Tong take off his cloak.

The silk cloak was mostly soaked by the rain, and the rain mixed with blood dripped to the ground, and a large puff of blood flowers spilled into mottled red flowers on the snow-white, and at a glance, there was a shocking beauty under the lamp.

Yinzheng was also a little frightened when he saw it, and only then did he ask Lu Tong: "He has ......."

Lu Tong let out a "hmm", his eyes swept over the blood-colored cloak in Yinzheng's hand, and lowered his eyelashes: "It's a pity that I have a piece of clothing." ”

There was silence in the room for a long time.

After a while, Yinzheng whispered, "Girl, let's change into clean clothes first." ”

"Okay."

The frost and rain were cold, and the sound of cold frogs outside was bitter, and Yin Zheng was busy helping Lu Tong clean the blood stains on his body, so he didn't notice the shocking gaze in the courtyard outside the window, which was hidden by the night.

After everything was cleaned up, the cloak was also put away, the silver kite went to the next room to rest, Lu Tong blew out a few candles, and went to the bed by himself.

Outside, the rain was dripping and tight.

There was no light in the room, it was dark, and a trace of wind blew in through the crack in the window, blowing people cold, vaguely audible, and there was a hoarse gasp that seemed to be made by a person before he died.

Like Liu Kun dying from the scream of a free warbler.

Lu Tong lay on his back, staring at the tent above his head.

Liu Kun was hit by the free warbler, and the person who was poisoned by the free warbler, after a few hours, the poison will occur, and the throat will feel itchy and painful, like ten thousand ants wriggling and gnawing in the throat.

The poison is not incurable, and even the poison disappears naturally after one night. However, most of the people who can be poisoned by this poison will not survive. It is only because of the deep pain that the poisoned person is crazy and will have the desire to die.

Therefore, most of the people who have been poisoned by the free warbler do not die of poison, but from suicide.

She wiped the free warbler on the letter to Liu Kun, and agreed to meet Liu Kun according to the time of the poison in the letter. In the end, Liu Kun was so poisonous that he pierced his throat and died in front of her.

Everything is seamless.

Thinking of Liu Kun's scratching before he died, Lu Tong couldn't help but reach out to cover his neck, as if he felt a little more itchy in his throat.

She has also learned the power of the free warbler.

At that time, Luomei Peak was in early spring in March, Shaoguang was dyed, and the mountains were full of yellow warblers. Yun Niang's hibiscus-colored cardigan was dyed bright red by the sunset, and her black hair was combed into a bun, and she was sitting in front of the hut making medicine.

She was in a good mood that day, and while making medicine, she told Lu Tong about the recipes one by one. Lu Tong sat on the stool, picking herbs while secretly remembering the recipe in his heart.

At the end, Yun Niang poured the prepared medicine into a white porcelain bowl and handed it to Lu Tong.

When a new drug is first made, someone always needs to try it. Lu Tong finished drinking the new medicine, washed the porcelain bowl, and waited for the effect of the medicine to come at an unknown time.

At this time on weekdays, Yun Niang has already left, and she is used to having little patience, and will only wait for the effect of the medicine to come before walking to her side to observe the record. Today, for the first time, I stayed a little longer.

"I went down the mountain a few days ago and heard an interesting story." She spoke suddenly.

Lu Tong didn't speak, staring quietly at the ant colony on the ground.

Yun Niang glanced at Lu Tong with a smile, and continued: "It is said that there is a flower building at the foot of the mountain, and there is a courtesan with a very good voice, who has a good voice, and she has been beaten by the lark yellow warbler, and the bustard's mother named her 'Free Warbler'." ”

"This Sister Ying is famous, and the prince and grandson compete with each other, and finally arouse the jealousy of their peers, so someone poisoned her tea and poisoned her throat."

"Sister Ying can't make a sound anymore, the drunken guest who held her in the past didn't come to order cards, the bustard mother treated her harshly, the maid was light, Sister Ying was disheartened, and simply hanged herself in the room with a rope."

After she finished speaking, she sighed deeply: "It's really pitiful. ”

However, although he sighed, his expression was completely different from the tone of pleasure, and his beautiful eyes shone with a strange brilliance.

Lu Tong remained silent.

Yun Niang said: "The first time I heard this story, it was very moving, and the name was very beautiful, so I made a new medicine for this reason." After taking this new medicine, there is no abnormality at first, but later, you will feel itchy and sore in the throat. ”

She glanced at Lu Tong's stiff expression and smiled.

"Don't be nervous, Little Seventeen, this medicine is just a little more uncomfortable in the throat, and it can't kill anyone. Even if you take it, you won't have to worry about your life. I just want to know ......"

Yun Niang's slender fingertips brushed the top of Lu Tong's hair, and her tone was filled with innocent curiosity: "Can you survive it?" ”

She smiled and left the hut with the silver can. After she left, Lu Tong crawled into the house, rummaged through the cabinets, and finally found two fist-thick hemp ropes.

She knows that Yun Niang never lies, and every time she "understates", how "painful" it will be in the end. Since she used the word "boil", it shows that the itch of "free warbler" can never be just a little bit.

The sunset sank inch by inch, and the silver moon gradually rose on the mountain. Yun Niang didn't come back, Lu Tong curled up alone in the dark grass house, tying his arms to the head of the pillar in front of the couch with hemp rope.

The method of tying a dead knot with one hand was taught to her by Lu Qian when she was a child. At that time, the two siblings were playing with each other, competing to see who could untie the dead knot in the other's hand.

No matter how tightly she tied it, Lu Qian could always easily break free from it. Lu Tong lost a lot, so he simply changed the rules of the game and let everyone tie themselves up.

Lu Qian said that she was domineering, and on the other hand, he accompanied her to mess around. At the end, the young man scolded with a smile: "This game is the only one in the world who can play it, who will have nothing to do with a rope to tie themselves?" And it can't save lives. ”

I didn't want to say a word.

When the moon rises to the highest point of the mountain, the medicinal effect of the free warbler kicks in.

The itching in her throat could not be described in any words, and her hands were bound tightly by herself, unable to break free from the shackles of the ropes. On the one hand, he was glad and hateful, and his bent fingertips were embedded in his palms, trying in vain to resist the torture in his throat with pain.

She was so uncomfortable that she curled up on the ground, her wrists were purple and red with hemp rope, her eyes were red and bloodshot, and when she was in the most pain, she thought that someone could give her a knife, so uncomfortable, it was better to die.

However, reason told her that she couldn't think like this, only by living could she have a chance to go down the mountain, and her father and brothers and sisters were still waiting for her at home, she couldn't ...... You can't die here in vain.

So she gritted her teeth, thinking about what was written in the book during the day, and memorized it intermittently.

"Don't be shocked by the humiliation, the liver is self-reliant...... Move with respect, and set your heart with fire...... Eat modestly, and the spleen and soil will not leak...... Pranayama is silent, and the lungs are self-sufficient...... Refreshing and lacking desires, the kidneys are self-sufficient......"

The sound of girls reading on a spring night is always windy and snowy.

Only the burnt candle could hear the whimpering and crying.

Until the next day, there was a faint barking of forest dogs outside. She lay on the ground and saw the door being pushed open a crack, and the golden morning sun poured in from the gap, stabbing her eyes for a moment.

Yun Niang walked up to her carefully, and when she saw that she was still reacting, she was quite surprised, grabbed her skirt and squatted beside her, and said approvingly: "Good job, I actually survived." ”

Lu Tong no longer had any strength in his body, and only saw a strange shadow in Yun Niang's pupils, a madman with blood-red eyes, a pale face, and a hideous expression.

It didn't look like a living person.

Yun Niang looked thoughtfully at her hands tied to the head of the bed, as if she understood what was going on, and after a while, she took out a silk handkerchief, gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, and smiled softly at her.

"Little Seventeen, congratulations, you've passed another level."

There seems to be a residual itch in the throat, and the autumn rain outside the house.

Lu Tong rolled over, closed his eyes in the dark, and thought calmly, it's good.

She passed another level.

……

The next day the rain stopped.

As soon as Du Changqing and Ah Cheng arrived at the door of the medical hall, they bumped into Hu Yuanwai, who came to the medical hall to grab medicine.

Lao Ru's old face is blue and swollen, miserable, two black circles are particularly eye-catching, and the corners of his mouth are blue.

Du Changqing let out an "ouch", hurriedly pulled him into the shop, and recited the Buddha on his lips: "Which one killed a thousand knives and beat my uncle into this appearance?" Treat the old man like this, is there any royal law in the world? How unreasonable! ”

Hu Yuanwai had a dispute and a fight with the official who went to Wu's house to search his house, and finally he was taken away, and everyone in Xijie heard about it. Although Lu Tong knew the situation, he didn't expect Hu Yuan's external injuries to be so serious.

When the old man mentioned this, he was not down, but was extremely proud, and hummed while waiting for Lu Tong to prescribe medicine for her: "Don't just watch the old man be beaten, and they don't get any benefits." It's a pity that Changqing was not there that day, and he didn't see the old man's heroic appearance at that time. ”

The corners of Du Changqing's mouth twitched, and he said casually: "Yes, yes, yes, but I heard Sister-in-law Song say, uncle, weren't you taken away by the official?" When will it be released? ”

A group of scholars and ordinary people who participated in the brawl that day were taken away by the officials, and it was because of this incident that the public was angry, and later Wu Xiucai's article "Mountain Seedlings and Pine Streams" would spread to Kyoto.

Hu Yuanwai shook his head and said: "The master who arrested people in the trial court was not upright, he was too busy to take care of himself, and he estimated that something was going on this time, how could he still take care of us?" They were all let go yesterday afternoon. ”

Lu Tong was bowing his head to write a prescription, and his eyes moved slightly when he heard the words: "Really?" ”

"It's true!"

It turned out that after the Gongyuan case came out, a cadre from the Ministry of Rites was investigated, and even the criminal court was implicated. Fan Zhenglian, the official of the detailed judgment, was taken away, and at first the Fan family tried to conceal it, hoping to suppress the matter, but who knew that the matter was getting more and more serious, this case was related to the court, and under the anger of the Son of Heaven, no one dared to touch the head to speak for the people involved, and Fan Zhenglian's head may not be able to be saved.

The trial court itself was covered in sewage, so how could it be bothered to detain the scholars, for fear that these scholars would be angry for a while and go to stop Yushi's carriage, so they would naturally be released early.

Lu Tong asked, "What about Wu Youcai's body?" ”

Du Changqing glanced at Lu Tong, Lu Tong lowered his head to write the prescription, and didn't pay attention to his expression.

Hu Yuanwai said: "I have asked, and now I am still in the criminal court, and I can take it away tomorrow." The old man discussed with a group of young friends, and there were no other relatives in the capital, so our poetry club took the lead and held a funeral for him. He was buried with his mother. ”

After that, he sighed a little melancholy, "If only you were still alive...... Ay! ”

But the dead are gone, and now that these officials who colluded and disrupted the examination room have been arrested, Wu Youcai can only know about it.

After gossiping for most of the day, Hu Yuanwai left with Du Changqing's full care and a basket of plasters satisfied. After he left, Du Changqing took advantage of Ah Cheng's lack of attention, approached Lu Tong, and asked in a low voice, "Wu Xiucai's matter, is it over?" ”

In the case of Wu Youcai's drug administration, the officials involved in the case have been imprisoned, which has also set the truth that Wu Youcai committed suicide by taking poison in desperation.

It doesn't matter where the poison comes from or who sells it.

Lu Tong nodded.

Du Changqing breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good." He turned back to her and instructed, "Forget it this time, next time you don't be kind, do anything to help." The water in Shengjing is very deep, and if you are not careful, you will make a big mess! ”

As he was talking, Xia Rongrong and Vanilla came in from outside the door, and Du Changqing was stunned, "I thought you were in the courtyard, where did you go early in the morning?" ”

Vanilla smiled: "Miss wanted to go for a walk, so she walked around the neighborhood." ”

Du Changqing still wanted to say something, but Xia Rongrong had already turned sideways and raised her hand to hold her forehead: "Cousin, I'm a little tired, I want to go into the house to rest." ”

Du Changqing was stunned and said, "Oh...... All right. ”

The two of them lifted the felt curtain and entered the back room, Du Changqing frowned and looked at Lu Tong, and said suspiciously: "Hey, she doesn't bother to look at you when she talks now, you two haven't reconciled after arguing for so long?" For what, exactly? ”

Xia Rongrong these days, seeing Lu Tong like avoiding snakes and scorpions, she didn't even say hello today, which is really weird.

Lu Tong lowered his eyes, thinking of the flashing mutton fat jade bracelet in the cover of Xia Rongrong's sleeves, the bracelet was shiny and shiny, delicate and moving, and it was worth a lot of money at a glance.

She pursed her lips and said, "I don't know." ”

At the same time, Xia Rongrong, who had entered the back room, closed the door and walked to the couch in two or three steps, her face suddenly pale.

"Miss, you were too nervous just now, be careful of being detected by Dr. Lu."

Xia Rongrong couldn't help but tremble: "No, I'm scared when I see her face now, don't you know what happened last night?" She grabbed the handmaid's arm," she ...... She kills! ”

It rained heavily last night, and Xia Rongrong slept until midnight and woke up from her dream, and she heard that there seemed to be movement in the yard. She was afraid that there would be thieves stealing, after all, although there were officials patrolling, but the hospital was not guarded, and there were young women living there, so it was dangerous.

Vanilla was awakened by her, still in a daze, Xia Rongrong had already gotten up and tiptoed out of the house, but unexpectedly found that Lu Tong's house was actually lit up.

It was late at night, and there was still a slight sound of conversation in their room, and they didn't know what they were discussing.

The ghost sent the gods, Xia Rongrong didn't make a sound, but held her breath, quietly walked to the window, and secretly peeked in through the crack in the window.

The lights flickered, and the woman stood at the small table, her long hair slightly damp from the rain. She was undressing, and the white cloak on her body was mottled with blood like mist.

Xia Rongrong's breath stagnated.

For some reason, at that moment, she intuitively told herself that Lu Tong must have killed someone.

Perhaps, not for the first time.

Thinking of last night's picture, Xia Rongrong only felt that her hair stood on end, and she said in a trembling voice: "Vanilla, I, I'm afraid." ”

"Don't be afraid, miss." The maid was much calmer than her, holding her hand and saying, "Don't forget that we met the white shopkeeper today, and what he told you." ”

Xia Rongrong paused and looked at Vanilla, who nodded at her.

She swallowed her saliva and whispered, "....... stared at Lu Tong and waited for his news." ”。