Chapter 18: Infinite Sunset Approaching Dusk
What is love? Love is like a poisonous dove, drinking doves to quench thirst, and you can't stop it.
Ye Xue, who was once a talented and well-known "holy hand scholar" in the painting world, has become exhausted of talent and inspiration since she fell in love with Tong Jingwen. He was determined to paint a vivid portrait of his beloved, but he painted and destroyed it again and again, and he always felt that it was difficult to achieve his wish without being able to have both form and spirit. It seems that he can only paint this portrait of Tong Jingwen in his life.
What kind of person is Tong Jingwen? She is extremely beautiful, poisonous, mysterious and mysterious, like fog, like rain and wind. He couldn't see through it anymore, but he couldn't help falling in love with her like this, it was fate.
It seems that five years ago, this evil relationship was already doomed.
Ye Xue still remembers the first time she saw Tong Jingwen.
Five years ago, Ye Xue was just a little-known and destitute painter, and her only source of livelihood was to rely on setting up a stall in the market to sell paintings, and live without food. There are many people who are vassals and elegant, and there are a few real collectors who understand art.
The poor can't afford it, the rich can't afford it, and passers-by don't give a damn about his paintings. No one could have imagined that this somewhat down-and-out young man would become a famous court painter two years later, and each of his paintings would become a rare treasure.
It was an ordinary and unusual day. Ye Xue was as lucky as in the past, and she hadn't sold a single painting by noon. Judging from his usual experience, he felt that there would be no more business, and he couldn't help but feel helpless and bitter; even if he was only eight buckets, it would be in vain if no one appreciated him.
When Ye Xue was sad, a father and daughter hesitated in front of the stall, pretending to be fishermen, and there was a fish basket and a few remaining fish in their vegetable baskets.
The girl was particularly beautiful, with a rose-colored face with a charming smile, and her dark and shiny pupils revealing a hint of innocence and mischievousness.
Her voice was also very good, as melodious as a nightingale, "Hey, what's the matter with you? How can there be such a person who sells paintings, and when a wisher takes the bait, he doesn't know how to greet customers, and pictures are not a necessity of life." ”
Ye Xue said casually: "I'm here to sell paintings, not to sell jokes." ”
The girl made an incomprehensible look, and stopped helplessly: "You, you person-"
The girl pondered for a moment, "Then again, the painting is really good, I like it very much, I believe what I say, as long as you persevere, you will definitely become famous one day in the future." ”
Everyone is willing to listen to compliments, not to mention that from the mouth of such a young girl, Ye Xue was relieved in her heart, and asked quietly on the surface: "Could it be that Miss Fei is also an expert in Danqing?"
"That's not really, it's just a hobby, and I just don't know how to say it. ”
"But it doesn't hurt to say that. ”
Before the words came out, the girl's face was already flushed with shyness, and she hesitated for a long time before saying: "My family has been fishermen for generations, and the economy is not well-off, live fish are common things, I want to exchange live fish for your paintings, I don't know what to do?"
The painting is elegant, the fish is fishy, and the two are mixed up, which is really defiled. The scholar has an innate reserve and nobility in his bones, and if other philistines make such a request, Ye Xue will definitely be furious.
Ye Xue faced such a charming and charming girl with such true feelings and intentions, but she had the joy of meeting a soulmate for thousands of miles, and she agreed without thinking, she was really dizzy.
The difference between the value of the fish and the painting is too great, let alone a masterpiece. It turns out that compliments and beauty can also be used as capital.
Fish are easy to exchange for necessities, but painting is not.
Her intentional or unintentional actions are tantamount to sending carbon in the snow to the poor Ye Xue.
The girl exchanged fish for three days and five days in the future, and slowly became familiar with Ye Xue, and later sometimes helped sell works, "The posthumous works of the famous court painter Ye Xue are on sale, and I regret it for a lifetime." "She's really a good businessman, and she sells a lot of money, and her business is actually good.
Ye Xue couldn't help but be ashamed, it was strange that a man was not as good as a daughter, and a living person was not as valuable as a dead man's works.
From the conversation, Ye Xue knew this name Tong Jingwen, which made him unforgettable in his life.
Although this period of poverty and destitude was very difficult, he felt very happy because of the appearance of Tong Jingwen.
Ye Xue inadvertently fell in love with this kind and lively beautiful girl from the bottom of her heart, but he loved cowardly and powerlessly, he had no confidence, no qualifications and no ability to confess this love, loving someone should make her happy.
Some love doesn't necessarily need to be had, and sometimes giving up is a kind of infatuation.
Ye Xue silently swore in her heart that if she was fated to meet again in this life, no matter how she changed, her infatuation would never change.
The crush ended in nothing.
Ye Xue went to the capital to seek development, and finally came to operate.
The capital is prosperous, and the passers-by from the south to the north are bustling, mixed with fish and dragons, and the hidden dragon and crouching tiger.
Three passers-by dressed in broad clothes paused in front of the painting stall and looked at Ye Xue's works intently, sometimes pondering, sometimes groaning, sometimes delighted, sometimes bowing their heads, showing a look of great appreciation.
One of them was in the prime of life, with a square head and big ears, dead fish eyes that were more white than black, and the most meaningful thing was the fat and thick lip beard, from the middle of the kernel to the corner of the mouth like a crescent moon like a sickle, and the beard was like a boat tossed in the stormy waves but not subverted. With a flattering smile on his face, he said to the young man among them: "Ninth Master, if you love it, why don't you hire this painter to paint for yourself?" Ye Xue only learned that he was Ma Shiying after entering the palace.
The young man among them appeared graceful and elegant in manners, his white face revealed a trace of sickly whiteness, his eyes appeared deep and gloomy, and his whole body showed a kind of weakness and emaciation. He showed a rare smile approvingly, "Ma Qing's family is really thoughtful, it is better to teach people to fish than to teach them to fish." After Ye Xue entered the palace, she learned that the young man was actually the emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
The other was noncommittal throughout, and his swarthy face seemed to inadvertently reveal a hint of disdain. This person is burly and magnificent, with bright eyes that say resolute and upright, and a short beard on his chin, which looks energetic. After Ye Xue entered the palace, he learned that he was Shi Kefa, the secretary of the Ministry of War, a famous anti-Qing general.
A girl with no social experience has no intention of telling the trajectory of fate. Ye Xue's fate changed when he met a nobleman, and he was hired by the imperial court as the chief court painter, and the flowers, birds, insects, fish, and landscapes he painted were all lifelike, and he became famous in a short period of time.
During the 60th birthday of the Empress Dowager, Ye Xue painted a portrait of her that was perfect in both form and spirit, and the emperor Longyan Dayue gave the handwritten plaque "Holy Hand Scholar".
Ye Xue's value has increased sharply, and her paintings have become rare treasures. If you can have the works of the "Holy Hand Scholar", it will become a matter of pride for the dignitaries at that time.
The situation was turbulent and the situation was getting worse and worse, and Emperor Zhu Youxiang of Hongguang no longer had the intention of indulging in poetry and painting.
Ye Xue's situation also changed, and he was transferred to Xichang and then to Tianhu Island as an image painter, specializing in painting portraits of wanted criminals in the court on notices.
Tianhu Island, under the jurisdiction of Yu Ziqun, the "Red Bee Ronin", is an exclusive secret base for training killers in the West Factory, and it implements closed management, and personnel are not allowed to enter and leave at will.
After a long time, Ye Xue felt restrained and lonely, but after becoming famous, his soul felt a kind of emptiness and impetuousness, and the wine and painting that he once enjoyed now became a means to pass the time of leisure and boredom.
I can't tell whether it is God's favor or creation to make people, but it is already a time when it should not be emotional, Ye Xue and Tong Jingwen reunited again on Tianhu Island.
After Yu Ziqun, the owner of Tianhu Island, mysteriously disappeared for more than ten days, he unexpectedly brought back a beautiful woman (Tong Jingwen) from outside. They seem to be willing to love each other, and then a lively and grand wedding is held, and the emotional life of the two after marriage is even more entangled.
The moment Ye Xue and Tong Jingwen met unexpectedly, their surprised eyes were almost stunned for a moment, no one expected to meet at such a time and place. The past relationship has passed, and they can only choose to greet each other politely as strangers.
Fate is destined to be irresistible, Ye Xue can only accept it sour and helplessly, and now the only way to love her is to silently wish her a happy and happy life. Her doing well is her greatest gratification, no matter who owns Tong Jingwen.
Isn't giving up and blessing a kind of infatuation?
Her joys and sorrows are his joys and sorrows.
Tong Jingwen's appearance was like a bright and bright sunshine shining into Ye Xue's gloomy heart.
Being able to see her every day is Ye Xue's greatest satisfaction, and he feels that his life has become full and meaningful since then.
However, the good times are not easy to change, and the nature of the Yangtze River Mountain is difficult to change, and about half a year later, Yu Ziqun's romantic character gradually can't help but be revealed.
He has lost his former fiery passion and fanatical addiction to Tong Jingwen.
The experience of the man Jinwu hiding Jiao's cheating outside is almost the same, the lie is exposed, and the cover is exposed.
Tong Jingwen first heard the gossip, then found clues, and finally confirmed that her husband was empathetic.
Women always have a soft spot for their first time.
Tong Jingwen clearly remembers the first time she found the bright red lip prints of other women on her husband's neck, the first time she fought sadly and desperately, and the first time she received a heavy slap from Yu Ziqun......
Yu Ziqun unscrupulously brought the bewitching woman home, and even blatantly flirted and had sex on Tong Jingwen's bed.
The free love affair that abandoned the husband and the child was desperately pursued, but it turned out to be a moth to the fire and a flash in the pan.
I once thought I could be with each other until Baitou, but it turned out to be just a stranger.
Love or hate, prosperity becomes a dream.
How much love and hate can be repeated, and how many paths can be retaken.
There are not a few important choices in life, sometimes a wrong choice is enough to make people regret for life, Tong Jingwen now finally understands her father's good intentions, but she has become nothing and can not turn back. What a painful realization.
Bursts of ** and exciting sounds came into the ear cavity from time to time, Tong Jingwen clearly heard the sound of her heartbreak and crying, love has become empty and love has turned into ashes, and the path she chose without hesitation turned out to be the end of life.
Since you have chosen the path of no return, you can only go on with your mistakes.
Remorse is intertwined, and tears are like streams. Tong Jingwen knew in her heart that it was the first and last time to cry for Hongchen's marriage, and she would not have any more tears in the future. She will no longer believe that there is any unsettling love in the world.
However, Ye Xue believes that there is still an unswerving infatuation in the world, and he can't guarantee that others will have it, at least he guarantees that he is so infatuated.
Tong Jingwen's tears, pains, and tears are his Ye Xue's tears and pain.
He wished he could take her place in the unbearable hurt.
Ye Xue could really feel her heartbreak and despair, he could clearly see the dark purple handprints on her face, and he could see her increasingly haggard expression.
The unbearable scenes were like sharp blades ruthlessly and ruthlessly cutting Ye Xue's heart of pity and cherishing jade.
Secretly paying careful and close attention to her ups and downs, Ye Xue's mood also changed.
Witnessing the injury suffered by her beloved, Ye Xue's heart was angry, painful, and dripping blood.
He was so angry that he almost wanted to kill Yu Ziqun, the hateful man with a negative heart, but his reason calmly reminded him that impulse is no prison, and the consequence will be a moth to the fire.
Yu Ziqun's shadow-like shadows are all very killers, and there is almost no chance of success in the assassination on Tianhu Island.
Ye Xue never did something that he was not sure of, what he had to do now was to wait for the opportunity or try to create an opportunity. Judging from Ye Xue's current mentality, the latter is undoubtedly the best choice.
Ye Xue couldn't bear or have the patience to see the "goddess" Tong Jingwen's body and mind continue to endure endless torture and injury, and he felt that it was time to take action.
The timing of the assassination is inseparable from Tong Jingwen's cooperation. Ye Xue secretly handed her a letter, and the content of the letter probably expressed two meanings: one was forbearance, and the other was trying to get Yu Ziqun to leave Tianhu Island.
Tong Jingwen is no longer the innocent girl who was ignorant of the world five years ago, and when she saw the letter, she immediately understood what she should do.
She has a lot of talent for acting, she should be an actor, and it would be a waste not to be an actor.
Tong Jingwen's temperament seems to have changed, and she has become indisputable, and she even began to knock on the wooden fish every day to recite Buddhist scriptures.
She seems to have become a magnanimous and gentle wife again, and she has become more pleasant to the people around her, and her attitude is even more amiable than before.
The girls accidentally made a mistake, and she just reminded them softly. If Yu Ziqun wants to punish them, she will also intercede.
Tong Jingwen also seems to have accepted her husband's lover Yuan Jiali, and the two appear close and harmonious as sisters, and she has repeatedly urged her husband to give Yuan Jiali a proper name.
Yu Ziqun pushed the boat down the river and accepted her lover as a concubine with joy, and felt that life was like a fish in water, and she regained her favor for Tong Jingwen.
Tong Jingwen has won the hearts of all the people on Tianhu Island.
Yu Ziqun initially felt that her change was a little abnormal, and she explained: "Since you can't beat your opponent, it's better to be friends with her." He couldn't help but be impressed, thinking that she was really a smart woman.
Yu Ziqun felt that God really favored him too much, and he had such a wife and husband in his life, but he didn't know that Tong Jingwen had gradually dug a grave for him.
Since ancient times, there has been a proverb that 'heroes are sad to pass the beauty pass', in fact, any man is sad to pass the beauty pass. Yu Ziqun lost her vigilance against Tong Jingwen as a killer, and he did not hide from his wife as a top-secret correspondence with the Xichang headquarters.
The time came inadvertently, the important thing is to grasp it, Tong Jingwen lost no time in seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The letter from the headquarters of the West Factory said: "In order to plan for a certain important operation, a meeting of the head of the branch is scheduled to be held in the old place of Jinling on the day of the full moon. "Presumably due to the need for secrecy, the specific name and location of the operation were not mentioned.
Enough, enough. Tong Jingwen obtained an important piece of information from the letter: Yu Ziqun was leaving Tianhu Island before the full moon.
He left the base camp like a fish without water, and Tong Jingwen was confident enough to put him to death and take his place herself.
Everything seems to be casual, but it is all in Tong Jingwen's premeditation.
The two women asked to follow Yu Ziqun to Jinling to see the world, and Yu Ziqun agreed with confidence. You can skip three meals a day, but women are indispensable every day, Yu Ziqun is originally a romantic lover with strong desires.
Tong Jingwen suggested that an entourage who was very familiar with Jinling could be used as a guide at that time. Ye Xue was originally a court painter from Jinling, so he naturally became the best choice.
When we arrived in Jinling, there were still three days before the conference, and everyone went about their own activities to visit the local places of interest.
Tong Jingwen's whereabouts seem a little weird, she went to visit Hu Lijuan, the "yin and yang woman" who specializes in reining the dead, at a certain time on one of the days. The two of them have never covered their faces, but they met in Jinling by ghost, and only Tong Jingwen knows the mystery.
"Holy Hand Scholar" Ye Xuelu was indignant when he saw the injustice, and even killed the son of the rich king.
This is a shocking case. Yu Ziqun was afraid that he would be affected, so he ordered Ye Xue to live in a simple house to avoid the limelight. In troubled times, people's lives are like mustard, and the lives of the sons of the world are no better than those of civilians. Many of the more important things were still waiting to be dealt with, and the brocade guards were just pretending to track them down, and then they didn't pay much attention to it.
The meeting of the branch leaders took place during the day in the basement hall of the headquarters of the West Plant. Ma Shiying, the head of Jinyiwei, reported the theft of the "Ming Military Defense Map", and deliberately deployed a tracking plan.
When Yu Ziqun returned to the inn to rest after the meeting, it was already night, and the night sky was as blue as a vast sea, dotted with countless sapphires shining brightly.
The moon is as clean and charming as a silver plate, like a woman's beautiful and charming face. Yu Ziqun thought of the smooth and delicate skin of Tong Jingwen and Yuan Jiali's two wives and concubines, and couldn't help but be a little confused, and he suddenly asked them to sleep with him at the same time.
Tong Jingwen lit a plate of rose-scented incense before going to bed, and the ethereal fragrance spread in the room. I don't know if it was due to tiredness during the day or comfortable at night, Yu Ziqun, who slept among the gentle women, squinted his eyes comfortably and gradually fell asleep groggyly.
The moon is silent, and the moonlight is blurred.
Ye Xue rested in the east wing of the inn, and seemed to hear a faint and turning whistle in a state of not sleeping, probably with a thin object like a leaf between her lips. He thought it was a leisurely gentleman who used it to express his sentimental feelings, and he didn't care very much.
The three people in the west wing room have fallen asleep soundly, each snoring in a different mood, Yu Ziqun's national character face shows a smug smile of spring breeze, and the thick eyebrows are a little sparse, which makes people feel a little frivolous and amorous.
There was a subtle, short "sigh" in the room, and a greenery krait crawled slowly and meanderingly towards the bed...... The cold moonlight sparsely diffused through the panes, and the three of them were drowsy, unaware of the anomaly.
At about five o'clock in the morning, the people of the inn heard a sudden terrifying and tragic scream from the west wing. Everyone didn't know what was going on, so they rushed in the direction of the west wing to see what was going on, and couldn't help but be stunned by the scene presented in front of them.