Abyss: I’m a little late but here we go ://
Liao Hua Tang is not a product of Jiangnan, but rather a specialty of Yongdu.
…In other words, today’s move was not a whim of Xie Bufeng, but was well-prepared.
The sun rises bit by bit, the huge dragon boat goes upstream to the north, and the Luan Feng Yin is scattered by the wind.
Only circles and circles of ripples are still weakly beating the river bank.
Like a final farewell.
The heavy green mist, he didn’t know when it was completely dissipated.
He returned to the world again.
Wen Qingci couldn’t help peeling off the sugar paper bit by bit, standing quietly on the river bank, and put a piece of sugar into his mouth.
The faint sweetness, like ripples, melted on his tongue.
But Wen Qingci’s nose was inexplicably sour.
He once took Xie Bufeng’s words as a fleeting love when he was young, and dependence inadvertently.
Thinking that time can smooth it out.
After Xie Bufeng became emperor, seeing a broader, more gorgeous, and even bizarre world, the little light when he was young was not so rare.
But now this scene is reminding him that Xie Bufeng has not forgotten.
Even he was carried by time, sinking deeper and deeper.
In an instant, Wen Qingci’s heart was also messed up.
“Junior brother, why do you put any dirty things in your mouth?” After scolding someone, Song Junran turned his head and saw that Wen Qingci had put the Liao Hua Tang in his mouth. He was surprised, “That was picked up from the ground!”
Isn’t his junior brother always very clean?
And if he didn’t remember wrong, Wen Qingci didn’t like sweets, let alone sugar.
The little brown horse behind him snorted.
Song Junran was stunned.
Wen Qingci slowly shook his head and did not answer the brother’s words.
Even turned around and took a cloth pocket from the horse’s back, and put all the sugar he picked up in his arms.
Finally, he looked back at the dragon boat and said softly in his heart, “Goodbye.”
Wen Qingci couldn’t help thinking that he might never see Xie Bufeng again.
One of them sits high in the court, and the other is far away in the rivers and lakes. They are people from two worlds.
…Today’s ferry farewell may be a farewell.
Seeing Xie Bufeng’s appearance today, it is false to say that he does not regret it.
At the beginning, he might not have walked so close to him…
But no matter what, “Wen Qingci” has long been a dead person.
People cannot be resurrected from death.
“Let’s go, brother.”
“…Okay.”
Wen Qingci didn’t like to be in the limelight, and he didn’t like grand occasions. In his previous life, he always felt uncomfortable when he was called upon to answer questions.
But today, there is only a sour feeling, lingering at the tip of his heart.
The morning breeze gently blew Wen Qingci’s veil, bringing a few points of fishy smell.
He couldn’t help but sniff, and finally quickened his pace, heading towards the green mountains and forests south of the canal.
…
As the only insider on the river, Song Junran, who recognized the coffin, was on guard against Xie Bufeng, and rushed to the top in an instant.
He simply took Wen Qingci on a shortcut and returned to the valley early.
As soon as he arrived at the destination, the little white snake swam out of Wen Qingci’s sleeve.
The next second, it was pinched by Song Junran and brought to his eyes.
Song Junran glanced at the snake, and then said meaningfully: “Why do I think that this snake has gained a lot of weight?”
After speaking, while Wen Qingci was not paying attention, he pulled up his wrist.
Song Junran saw that the bite marks on Wen Qingci’s wrist had increased by three to four percent in a short time.
He didn’t know when he had bandaged his wrist.
But through the gauze, you can still see that there are still a few blood holes at this moment, bleeding outwards.
All this fell on the pale skin, which was particularly eye-catching.
Wen Qingci accelerated his treatment.
Seeing that the senior brother discovered his secret, Wen Qingci moved his gaze unnaturally.
He pushed Song Junran with his right hand, trying to push the other’s hand off his wrist.
After several unsuccessful attempts, he had to say lightly: “It’s okay if I can’t move before, now that I can move slightly, I’m a little anxious, thinking about recovering as soon as possible, so that daily activities are more convenient.”
His voice was gentle and calm.
Half of Wen Qingci’s words are true and half are false.
He did think about accelerating the treatment recently, but not for his daily life.
With the memory of Shan Yu Jian being awakened, there is also the obsession and desire for “medicine” hidden in this body.
The hand is too important to the physician. At this time, Wen Qingci can’t wait to recover it and wants to hold the silver knife again.
He didn’t know that his words just now irritated Song Junran: “What’s the hurry, isn’t it painful to have so many scars on your hand?”
After he finished speaking, Song Junran muttered as he took the little white snake back: “From now on, I will only give you one hour every day, so that it won’t bite your left hand so badly that you can’t even face others.”
Then he left without looking back.
After returning to the valley, Song Junran repeatedly warned the medicine attendant in charge of purchasing to be cautious and not to let anyone know where the Valley is.
He must not let Xie Bufeng know that Wen Qingci is still alive.
Now, in his eyes, this little emperor is a dangerous person.
Song Junran even couldn’t imagine what terrible things Xie Bufeng would do if he knew that Wen Qingci was alive.
Xie Bufeng’s madness is completely different from his father Xie Zhaolin.
The deposed emperor is muddled and confused.
But Xie Bufeng is more sober than anyone…
*
Where the dragon boat passed, people stopped and looked back at the boat.
But in a blink of an eye, this spectacle on the Yinchuan Grand Canal spread all over the entire Songxiu Prefecture.
Then, other prefectures in Jiangnan.
It started to rain up and down the Yinchuan Grand Canal.
The wooden coffin was finally carefully moved into the cabin temporarily.
Unlike the lively scene just now, there is only Xie Bufeng here.
Without Luan Feng Yin, Xie Bufeng’s ears were only left with the huge noise of the waves constantly hitting the cabin.
His gaze was a bit hollow.
After a long time, Xie Bufeng slowly opened his palm and looked at the sugar in his hand.
Worried that the rain would wet the cloak, he had already taken it off.
At this moment, Xie Bufeng was wearing a black narrow-sleeved robe, with a murderous aura.
He stood by the side of the coffin, slowly unfolded the sugar paper, and put the sugar into his mouth.
Xie Bufeng remembered the day when he first met, Wen Qingci gave him honey… He had never eaten such sweet things.
“Come here–”
There was a light knock on the armor outside the cabin, and the soldier walked in quickly and saluted him.
Xie Bufeng lowered his eyes and folded the sugar paper in his hand, and ordered faintly: “Bring my sword.”
The sword he said was the Xuan Tie heavy sword he brought back from the north.
This sword is not easy to wear, and there are special people in charge of it.
After a while, someone held it in both hands and presented it to Xie Bufeng.
The heavy sword that cuts iron like mud is shining with cold light under the candlelight.
Xie Bufeng took it with one hand.
In an instant, the muscles tightened, and the narrow-sleeved robe hooked out the strong lines.
Before the man reacted, there was a “huh” sound in his ears.
That is the sound of a heavy sword breaking through the air.
The next moment, the heavy sword went straight to the coffin.
“Ah!” The soldiers couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, he almost fell to the ground, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
Throughout, Xie Bufeng never gave him a second glance.
The emperor, clad in black, clutched the heavy sword in his hand, staring intently at the wooden coffin before him.
He was like a beast about to be trapped, having found its prey.
The heavy sword repeatedly smashed into the coffin, wrapped in red silk and long nailed shut, causing wood chips to fly in an instant.
His movements were fierce, but in those shallow amber eyes, there was not a trace of hatred, even the malice had disappeared.
All that was left was indescribable tenderness and anticipation.
Upon hearing this loud noise, all the soldiers guarding outside the cabin rushed in.
But after seeing the scene before them, they all froze in place.
“Crack——”
With another loud noise, a long crack appeared on the coffin lid.
Like a bolt of lightning had struck here.
Another sword fell.
The coffin lid was completely lifted and deformed.
Xie Bufeng’s movements finally stopped.
He slowly let go, dropping the heavy black iron sword on the ground.
Then step by step, he walked to the front of the wooden coffin.
“Leave.”
The emperor’s cold voice echoed over and over in the cabin.
“Yes… Your Majesty.”
In an instant, only Xie Bufeng was left in the cabin.
His breathing was disrupted by the waves outside the window.
His scarred fingers carefully touched the coffin.
Then suddenly exerted force, pushing the hundreds of pounds heavy coffin lid open by a foot in just one push.
Xie Bufeng, trembling, reached out and picked up a candlestick from the side, shining it inside.
The next moment, the bottom of the coffin lit up.
Xie Bufeng’s eyes widened in response.
“Empty…”
The emperor, dressed in black, pupils contracted.
This time he directly stuffed the entire candlestick into the coffin.
The coffin, sealed for a year, was thoroughly illuminated.
The coffin, which should have held Wen Qingci’s old clothes, was empty, with nothing inside.
Xie Bufeng clenched his teeth, even his breathing was trembling…
He slowly reached out his hand, probing towards the bottom of the coffin, patiently feeling the raised grain of the wood with his fingertips.
Xie Bufeng suddenly clenched his palm, and laughed deeply.
The laughter echoed continuously at the bottom of the coffin, like a madman.
The next second, a tear unexpectedly slid from his cheek, falling heavily to the bottom of the coffin, shattering into pieces.
…Where in the world is there a tomb without clothes?
Song Junran could travel thousands of miles to Yongdu, so he must value Wen Qingci and would never carelessly forget to bury him.
Unless all of this was intentional.
Ecstasy, like a wave, swept over in an instant.
At this moment, Xie Bufeng found another piece of the puzzle.
Why would Song Junran do this?
If Wen Qingci really died, why wouldn’t he be willing to bury his junior brother’s clothes here, to receive incense offerings?
Xie Bufeng couldn’t find a reason.
On the contrary… if Wen Qingci didn’t die, then Song Junran’s actions would make sense.
After all, in this world, who really builds a tomb for a living person?
Xie Bufeng slowly squinted his eyes, he put his hand on the coffin lid, suddenly his veins bulged, and he pushed the hundreds of pounds heavy coffin lid to the ground in one go.
“Bang——”
The heavy coffin lid fell to the ground, instantly collapsing a piece of the floor.
The nearby candlelight and incense also toppled over in an instant.
The strong scent of incense filled the entire cabin.
The flickering light made people’s hearts chaotic.
Without the cover of the coffin lid, everything inside the coffin fell into Xie Bufeng’s eyes.
Buried for more than a year, the sealed coffin still had not a speck of dust.
Only in the corner of the coffin, a magnolia petal that had accidentally fallen in, had long since withered, lay quietly.
And inadvertently, it pierced into Xie Bufeng’s eyes.
Xie Bufeng’s fingers trembled slightly.
He held his breath, slowly reached out, and pinched the magnolia petal between his fingertips.
The lingering fragrance, just like that, seeped into his heart and lungs.
Xie Bufeng slowly closed his eyes, and the heart that had been wildly beating just now gradually calmed down.
This early spring, he had been staying in Yuguang Palace, never stepping into the Imperial Medical Bureau, even directly ordering people to lock the gate.
At that time, there were rumors in the palace that he might have forgotten Wen Qingci, no longer as obsessed as last year.
…How could Xie Bufeng forget Wen Qingci?
He just didn’t dare to go to the Imperial Medical Bureau.
He didn’t dare to look at the magnolias in the courtyard anymore.
—Find
Xie Bufeng slowly clenched the petal in his hand.
Even if he had to overturn the entire Wei Dynasty, he had to find Wen Qingci’s whereabouts.
His breathing became chaotic again.
The fire burning under Xie Bufeng’s skin, at this moment, turned into magma, pumped out by the heart, transmitted to the limbs and body through the blood.
His heart had almost confirmed that Wen Qingci was still alive.
But at this point, Xie Bufeng didn’t want any illusory “evidence”, he wanted to thoroughly confirm this matter, to find Wen Qingci’s whereabouts!
Xie Bufeng turned around abruptly, clutching the magnolia flower, and quickly walked towards the outside of the cabin.
The Valley of the Divine Physician is near Songxiu Prefecture, can’t he send troops to search the mountains and find its location?
If a thousand people can’t do it, then ten thousand, if ten thousand can’t do it, then a hundred thousand!
But at the moment when the cabin door was wide open, the moisture rushed in, countless people knelt down on the ground to salute him, Xie Bufeng calmed down again.
…He might not understand what human feelings and worldly wisdom are, but he is a born hunter.
Xie Bufeng’s instinct told him that he couldn’t do this.
If he really dug up the Valley of the Divine Physician, it would definitely upset Wen Qingci…
Moreover, the movement of searching the mountains is too big, maybe before he finds Wen Qingci’s whereabouts, the Valley of the Divine Physician will be empty.
Song Junran dared to play tricks and steal people right under his nose, who knows what else he will do?
…He must be patient.
For more than a year, Xie Bufeng has never been as calm as he is now.
Some clues and memories that he had ignored also became clear at this moment.
The wind and rain on the Yinchuan Grand Canal were a bit heavy, but in a moment, Xie Bufeng’s body was half soaked.
Seeing that he was silent, a soldier couldn’t help but secretly raise his head to look at Xie Bufeng.
The next second, however, he saw that a shallow curve had appeared at the corner of His Majesty’s lips.
As if he had fallen into some beautiful memory.
He slowly opened his mouth and said an address—that was a medical hall located in Songxiu Prefecture.
The soldiers looked at each other, not understanding why His Majesty mentioned this place, but they hurriedly remembered the address.
Just now, Xie Bufeng suddenly remembered something.
When he went south to Songxiu Prefecture, Wen Qingci had once been commissioned by the Imperial Medical Order Yu Guanlin to purchase precious medicinal materials.
At that time, he did not go to the several old medical halls in Songxiu Prefecture, nor did he casually enter one to ask.
Instead, he took him, walked through the long streets, and found a medical hall located in the back street with familiarity and understanding, and successfully bought what Yu Guanlin wanted.
Wen Qingci was obviously very familiar with and understood that medical hall, even knowing what medicinal materials were sold inside.
Although he only followed Wen Qingci once, that place was deeply imprinted in Xie Bufeng’s mind.
The fingerprints of Shan Yu Jian should have been left in the recent period.
If that was really left by Wen Qingci… it means that he was not in the valley recently.
“You few change into plain clothes, go to the vicinity of this medical hall to inquire, see if there have been any strangers visiting recently.”
“If there are, then thoroughly investigate where they went.”
Xie Bufeng lowered his voice and slowly ordered: “Remember, you must not startle the snake.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The soldiers took their orders and left, and in a short while they changed into short-brown clothes, took a small boat and left the dragon boat, and went downstream towards the direction of Songxiu Prefecture.
Xie Bufeng did not hold an umbrella, standing alone at the stern covered in red silk, watching them leave.
Until this moment, he still held the magnolia petal in his hand.
Faster, faster——
When he thought that Wen Qingci might have been in the same land with him not long ago, he felt endless regret and unwillingness.
Forcing Xie Bufeng to the brink of madness.
Abyss: I’ll be out of network starting tomorrow for a week or two. If any of you darlings have access issues to extra chapters (Ko-fi membership), please let me know today.
Thank you for the update~
Thanks for The update!! 🥰