Three years later
—A wisp of green smoke filled the air among the lush green forests.
The green smoke stretched for ten miles and would not dissipate. Anyone who entered it by mistake would surely be poisoned to death.
A figure dressed in white and carrying a bamboo basket on his back walked briskly through the green smoke. From time to time, he bent down to pick some herbs and threw them into the bamboo basket on his back, then jumped and disappeared into the green smoke.
He came to a stream, with a faint steam rising from the water and a small boat parked beside it.
He threw the bamboo basket onto the boat and rowed the small boat shakily towards deeper into the forest.
The mountains on both sides are towering into the clouds, and the valley in between is so deep that you can't see the road ahead. This is the place known as "Ghost Valley" by the world.
For thousands of years, no one has been able to find it, so everyone believes that this place does not exist.
The boat sailed through rugged mountains and finally stopped in front of a waist-high grassland.
The figure put the bamboo basket on his back again and walked inside through the grass.
—Behind a patch of grass, there are a few quiet bamboo houses with smoke rising from them, making it seem like a fairyland.
“Ahh…”
A few screams were heard from the bamboo house, and a dark shadow suddenly rushed out from inside. It seemed that the back of its butt was on fire, and it ran straight towards the stream outside the grass.
“Master!”
The bamboo basket was thrown on the ground, and the man in white hurriedly ran after it.
The grass was burned to create a path, and a dark shadow crawled out of the stream and sat stupidly on the shore.
"Master, are you okay? Are you injured?"
The man in white ran over and squatted aside to carefully check his master's condition.
"Ten, my experiment has failed again, wuwuwuwu, I've done it eighty-one times, and I've even retrieved the scriptures, but why haven't I succeeded yet? Wuwuwuwu, my reputation as a "ghost doctor" is going to be ruined... "
Shi wiped his master's tears and accidentally wiped off the burnt human skin mask on his master's face. He hurriedly tried to stick it back on, but ended up with his nose and eyes all out of place.
Shen Huan simply tore off the human skin mask on his face, revealing the young and beautiful face underneath. She looked well-maintained, and her eyes were full of liveliness and charm.
She no longer used any voice changing techniques and simply returned to her original soft and gentle voice.
"Ten, please help me check if my real face is burnt!"
Ten moved closer and looked her up and down carefully, "No, Master, don't worry, you are still as beautiful as before."
Shen Huan wiped her tears and smiled. She looked at the person squatting in front of her. On that ordinary-looking face, there was only this
His eyes are sparkling and he looks at people with a special sincerity.
Shen Huan touched his disciple's face, along his chin and behind his ear. He was relieved only after confirming that the mask on his face fit very firmly without any gaps.
In order to protect her silly disciple, she worried like a mother.
"Ten, do you know why I always wear a mask and disguise myself every time I go out?"
Shi tilted his head and thought for a while, then answered seriously, "Master always dresses up as an old man, maybe..."
Shen Huan looked at him expectantly.
"… Maybe he wanted to eat the steamed buns at the city entrance for free. The fat boss said that he doesn't charge any money for the elderly or children…"
The light in Shen Huan's eyes dimmed. He sighed, patted his forehead, and then stood up.
"Well, it's because the world outside is too chaotic. Only by being ordinary and not attracting attention can we be safe. Forget it, why did your teacher ask you such a question? It seems that I have to continue the experiment. When can I cure your stupid brain..."
Shen Huan walked towards the bamboo house while talking. Seeing that Shi didn't catch up with him, he turned around and waved at him, "Come here, you little fool."
Shi still stood there without moving, but his eyes were red.
"Master, do you dislike me and don't want me anymore..."
When Shen Huan saw his pure and innocent almond-shaped eyes filled with tears, she felt a little distressed.
"What nonsense are you talking about? If I didn't want you, I wouldn't have saved you and let you drown in the water."
Hearing this, Shi's tears were about to fall, "Master..."
Shen Huan quickly explained, "No, no, I didn't mean to drown you. What I meant was... Well, just remember that I love you the most, my little disciple. Do you understand?"
Ten sobbed twice and nodded.
Shen Huan wiped his tears and looked at the only little disciple he had accepted with eyes full of concern and worry.
She didn't tell him that she first met him in a small town outside the imperial capital, and he was very weak at that time.
Shen Huan was disguised as an old man at the time. When she first saw the beautiful and fragile little person lying on the bed, she felt an inexplicable sense of intimacy with him. She somehow felt as if there was some kind of bond between them, so she helped them.
But unexpectedly, the second time I met him was at a stream in Guigu.
No one can come in here, but he was able to float all the way here along the stream. This made Shen Huan more convinced that there must be some connection between them.
At that time, the little man was covered in blood and was almost out of breath.
Shen Huan brought him back to his bamboo house, and after going through untold hardships, he finally woke him up.
But the little man who woke up had lost all his memories. He didn't know his name, who he was, or how he got hurt.
Shen Huan thought that this might be God's will, to let him forget the past and start over. Shen Huan had lived alone in Ghost Valley for so long, and he still felt a little lonely. With the little guy as a companion, his life finally became more colorful.
Shen Huan taught him how to identify medicines and medical skills. Unexpectedly, he actually had some talent in this area and learned very quickly. Sometimes he could even come up with some recipes that Shen Huan had not thought of.
Shen Huan also named him Shen Nineteen, because the day he was rescued was exactly the tenth.
Although Shen Shijiu is naive and a little stupid, he is extremely filial to his master Shen Huan. He always looks up to Shen Huan and is not stingy with his respect and praise for him.
—The master and his disciple lived a comfortable and carefree life in this isolated mountain.
Time flies and three years have passed.
"Okay, my good disciple, stop crying. Let me go back and change my clothes."
Ten nodded, "Master... change your wet clothes quickly... don't... catch a cold..."
He spoke intermittently and hiccuped continuously, which made Shen Huan want to laugh but didn't dare to, and his face almost turned red.
"Master... your face is so red... did you... catch a cold..."
“Hahahaha…” Shen Huan couldn’t hold it in any longer. He held his stomach and laughed wildly, almost crying.
"My disciple, stop talking. I am almost dying of laughter. Do you know that you are just like a little frog? Hahahaha..."
Shen Huan waved his hand and walked towards the bamboo house with a smile.
Shen Shijiu stood there in a daze, his tears stopped and the hiccups stopped. He looked at Shen Huanxiao's hunched back and followed him with a feeling of grievance.
Master must not love him anymore. Master used to say that he was like a cute little rabbit, but now he has fallen into the state of a little frog.
He feels wronged.
The bamboo house was in a mess. There was a black mass next to the fire and a hole was blown in the bottom of the pot.
Shen Huan had already changed into clean clothes and had a new human skin mask on his face.
The master and his disciple sat beside the stove in a daze.
"Master, how are we going to cook?"
Shen Huan crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows, "Come on, I will take you to the city to eat!"
Shen Shijiu's eyes sparkled with excitement, "Master is the best!"
The two came to the largest city in the Celestial Empire, the Imperial Capital.
This is the emperor's territory, and it is extremely bustling and prosperous.
The streets are filled with a wide variety of goods, and various shops are lined up side by side.
The best restaurant is undoubtedly Pinxiang, where you can taste all the delicacies in the world.
Shen Huan was wearing the mask of an ordinary middle-aged man today, and the man next to him also looked ordinary.
The two stood at the door of Yipinxiang. Shi nervously pulled Shen Huan's sleeve and said, "Master, this place must be very expensive. We don't have money..." Shen Huan glanced at him and said, "Huh, who said that? I can still afford a meal. What are you afraid of? Come in!"
After saying that, he walked in like a big boss, and Shi followed him in obediently.
The waiter was busy greeting the two of them, "Two guests, come and sit in the lobby."
Shen Huan waved his hands and said gruffly, like a nouveau riche, "No, we want to go to the private room on the second floor."
The waiter looked embarrassed and said, "Excuse me, sir. We have no seats left in the private room on the second floor. Would you like to sit in the lobby or find another place?"
Shen Huan touched his chin and thought.
Shen Shijiu quietly tugged at his sleeve, his voice soft and sticky, "Master, I'm hungry."
Shen Huan made a prompt decision, "Okay, the lobby is the lobby, let's just put up with it."
The waiter happily led the two of them to the lobby to sit down.
Shen Huan ordered a lot of food. The dishes were served on the table one by one. Shen Shijiu raised his chopsticks and smacked his lips, looking eagerly at Shen Huan who was sitting still.
Shen Huan looked up and saw his little disciple opposite him with a pitiful look in his eyes, "Eat quickly, you little hungry ghost. You are small but you have a big appetite. Your master can't afford to support you." Shen Shijiu stuffed a chicken leg in his mouth and said incoherently, "Don't be afraid, Master. When I grow up, I can practice medicine and make money. I will support you." There were also many people sitting in the hall, eating and talking. It was noisy and lively.
After the master and disciple had eaten and drunk their fill, Shen Huan stood up and followed the waiter to pay the bill, asking Shi to sit back and wait.
Shi was lying obediently on the table with his chin resting on it and his toes swaying.
Suddenly, the noisy sounds around disappeared, and everyone seemed to fall silent. They all focused on eating with their faces buried in their plates.
Shi was very surprised and stood up and looked around.
Suddenly, a group of guards rushed in from outside the door, lined up at the door, blocking other people and making way for them.
Then a man walked in, wearing a black robe. He had a handsome face, but an unusually cold temperament, which made Shi Qing shiver uncontrollably.
He watched the man walk up to the private room on the second floor, enter a room, and then close the door tightly. He actually felt a strong feeling of sadness surge in his heart.
Then he felt a dull pain in his heart, which made him tearful and he lay on the table, at a loss.
He didn't know what was wrong with him, he just felt extremely uncomfortable.
After that person entered the room, everyone in the lobby seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and began to chat noisily again.
Shi lay on the table silently for a while, and finally felt a little better.
He turned his head and found that the master at the door was chatting happily with the shopkeeper, so he turned back.
The waiter happened to pass by and called him.
"Excuse me, who was that person who just came in? Why does everyone seem to be afraid of him?"
The waiter was startled by his words and looked around before he dared to whisper in his ear, "Sir, you must be from another place, don't you know Prime Minister Pei Zheng?"
Shi blinked, "I don't know..."
"Hey, Prime Minister Pei, he is the most powerful of all the officials in the court..." The waiter gave a thumbs up, "He is second only to the emperor, and his temper has become more and more strange in recent years. No one who offends him will have a good ending, so everyone has to keep their tails between their legs when they see him."
Ten nodded and whispered, "Is he fierce?"
The waiter's mouth twitched, "It's not a question of whether he's fierce or not, he smiles a lot, but if he smiles at you, it means you won't live long.
The waiter shuddered all over, didn't want to say anything more, and turned around to go back to his work.
Shi held his cheek and thought for a while, then continued to sit in his seat waiting for his master.
He suddenly felt something furry at his feet. When he looked down, he found it was a little black cat.
The kitten's fur was all black with a rich sheen, and it was obvious that it was raised by some powerful family.
The kitten curled up at his feet, very obediently, and from time to time rubbed Shi's ankles with its chubby little paws, apparently wanting him to hug it.
Shi looked at the kitten's big round eyes and his heart softened. He bent down and picked up the kitten. The kitten seemed to be smart and licked the back of his hand with its tongue.
Shi smiled, hugged the kitten, and stroked the shiny black fur on its back with his hand. The kitten squinted its eyes comfortably and nestled in his arms obediently without moving.
"Look"
The kitten gave a soft cry.
"Look, look, look"
Shi imitated its voice and barked softly twice.
The kitten became happy and climbed lightly along his clothes to his shoulders and coiled around them. Its furry tail swept across Shi's face, causing Shi to giggle.
—A man and a cat were playing happily when a man hurriedly walked in through the door, looking like a servant. He searched around the lobby of the restaurant and even lay under each table, looking around anxiously.
Suddenly, the servant raised his head and looked in the direction of Shi, then stared at him closely, ready to pounce on him with his fangs and claws bared.
Shi was frightened by his posture. He turned around and ran without thinking in panic. The kitten on his shoulder slid into his clothes with extraordinary agility, leaving only its tiny head exposed.
Ten ran around the lobby, dodging the waiter who was serving the dishes, climbing over the empty tables, and jumping over several stacked benches...
The servant was not as agile as him, and he knocked over the waiter's hot dishes, kicked over the table and chairs, and pushed down the innocent diners...
The whole lobby suddenly became chaotic, and only two figures could be seen running around chasing each other.
Shen Huan bargained with the shopkeeper for a long time but got nothing in return. After paying the money with great reluctance, he saw the scene in the lobby and watched the show from the side with his arms folded.
After seeing clearly that the person being chased was his disciple, Shen Huan was furious, "Disciple! Run faster! Why are you running so slowly? How did your master train you every day? Speed up and get your arms up! Don't let yourself be caught!"
The shopkeeper's face turned pale and blue, "Don't run! Don't chase me! Don't knock over my jade porcelain!"
Shi was looking back while running. When he passed a corner, he bumped into someone's chest with a "bang".
He was hit so hard that he felt dizzy and fell backwards involuntarily, but he still remembered that he was carefully protecting the kitten on his chest with his hands.
Just as he and the cat were about to fall to the ground, Shi suddenly felt a hand on his waist. The hand pulled him gently, and he fell into a warm embrace.
—A faint scent of sandalwood came, Shi’s heart was still beating hard, and his breathing was unstable.
The heat came from the chest that his hand was pressed against, and he could feel the man's strong heartbeat.
He seemed to hear the faint gasps of other people in the hall. His head was buzzing. He raised his head and met a pair of narrow and deep eyes.
The hand around her waist had not been retracted yet. She stared into his eyes. After a moment of shock, she felt the collar of her shirt being gently opened by a pair of slender fingers.
His ears felt hot and he raised his hand in panic to hold the finger.
The little hand was white and slender, the skin was too delicate and the bones were too small, so it looked a whole circle smaller than the hand being held.
The man's eyes suddenly turned cold, and Shi was stunned unconsciously for a moment, allowing himself to be taken advantage of.
The collar of her shirt was completely opened, revealing a small piece of her fair, sunken collarbone. It was smooth and flawless, as beautiful as an unpolished jade, and dazzlingly bright.
Pei Zheng narrowed his eyes, without any hesitation, his hand slightly suspended.
"Come out."
—The little black cat that had been hiding in his arms seemed to understand what people were saying. It poked its head out obediently and looked at Pei Zheng with its round eyes, full of innocence.
"I say it again, come out."
The kitten reluctantly came out of Pei Zheng's arms, jumped onto Pei Zheng's palm, and wrapped its tail around his fingers in a flattering manner.
Shi was suddenly thrown away by someone, and the warmth and sandalwood scent around him disappeared instantly. He staggered twice and held onto the table next to him.
This Lord Pei in front of me is indeed very scary. It seems that this little Miaowu should be his cat. Then what did I just do...
Shi felt a little guilty and lowered his head, "I'm sorry, I didn't know this kitten was yours, I shouldn't have carried it around just now... I'm sorry..."
The figure in front of him flashed, and when Shi looked up again, he found that the man had already left with the cat without even looking at him. He bit his lip and felt very sorry in his heart.
The servant who had been chasing after Shi for a while came over, put his hands on his hips, and shouted loudly, "You, you, you, why are you running? Are you trying to steal our master's cat? You daring cat thief!"
Shi's eyes turned red, "I didn't... I didn't mean to steal... It's just that your appearance just now scared me... I thought you were here to steal Xiao Miaowu..."
The servant was relentless, "You even found out the name of my cat, and you said you didn't want to steal the cat! The master should have arrested you, how could he be so kind as not to bother with you! And you said I scared you, are you so timid? You are just pretending, ugly people are always the cause of trouble!"
Seeing his aggressive look, Shi clenched his fists and raised his voice, "If you had just told me not to chase me, I wouldn't have been scared away! You are the ugly one! You are! You are also a big fool!"
The servant was stunned by his roar, "You, you, you dare to scold me! I will beat you to death!"
As he said this, he wanted to rush over again with his teeth bared, but Shi refused to give in and puffed out his chest, ready to fight him.
"stop!"
A sharp low shout.
The servant's face changed and he immediately shrank back.
A man in black with a sword on his waist came over and said to the servant, "Today's incident is all because of your negligence in your duties. You are shouting and yelling here, bringing shame to the master. Why don't you go back now?"
"yes"
The servant lowered his head and responded. Before leaving, he waved his fist in Shi's direction. Shi raised his head and glared back at him.
The man in black had a blank expression on his face. He glanced at Eleven calmly without saying a word, then turned and walked to the stairwell.
The other people in the hall also gradually dispersed. Those who had watched the whole process thought that Prime Minister Pei would severely punish the cat thief today, because the little black cat in the Prime Minister's Mansion was a well-known cat master, and everyone in the mansion loved it very much.
But the expected good show did not happen. Everyone felt that something was wrong with Prime Minister Pei today.
Shen Huan pushed through the crowd and came to Shi's side, "Disciple, how are you, are you not hurt?"
When Shi saw his master, he felt very wronged again, "Master... I'm fine..."
"Alright, alright, disciple, it's getting late, we have to go back quickly. Be good, I'll teach you a few more moves when we get back, so you can run faster next time.
As Shen Huan spoke, he took Shen Shijiu's hand and walked towards the door.
When passing by the stairwell, a person just happened to walk down from it. She was wearing a brocade dress with intricate patterns, looking elegant and luxurious.
"Guardian Feng, please come all the way to pick me up."
"Second Princess, you are too kind. This is what I should do."
Hearing this name, Qi Bingzhi on the stairs was stunned for a moment, then he smiled again.
She was about to continue walking down the stairs when she saw a white figure flash by the door. It was thin and slender, and looked very much like...
Qi Bingzhi suddenly became flustered and hurried out of the door. He stood on the busy street and looked around, but found nothing.
She smiled self-deprecatingly. There were people with similar body shapes everywhere in this world. What was she so scared of
That man is dead, and this is a fact recognized by everyone.
Except Pei Zheng.