The location of Tongchang Tea House is hidden, hidden in the valley in the shadow of Yunshan Mountain. The road is rough and the carriage is extremely bumpy.
Qi Yan was different from usual today, his whole body exuded a gentle aura, and he didn't even ask Xia Xun, how did he know that there was such a remote teahouse in the deep mountains since he had just arrived in Gyeongju.
It was getting late, and the few guests in the tea room were leaving one after another.
After Xiaoer led them to the private room, they became the only guests here.
The scenery in the private room is excellent. When you open the window, you can see the bamboo forest all over the garden, and there is a lake behind the house.
The area of the lake is quite large, and it is not artificially excavated at first glance, but formed naturally.
Qi Yan couldn't help admiring:
"Being able to set up a tea room here can be said to occupy the best view."
Xia Xun is not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery, and even if the most beautiful scenery in the world is presented to him right now, he has no intention to look at it.
He remained silent, drinking cup after cup of tea non-stop.
He is so nervous.
Qi Yan was so perceptive, Xia Xun understood that if he uttered a wrong word, he would see the clue.
He knew that he should behave as usual.
But he can't.
He didn't know what kind of trouble Fumeng Tancha would cause in order to take him away while taking advantage of the chaos.
He blamed himself in his heart. If he had known this before, he should have asked a few more questions, so he wouldn't have waited here anxiously like a headless chicken.
Qi Yan walked around the elegant room, paced back, and ordered Qi Hui and Zhi Gui to retreat.
Before leaving, Zhigui took a deep look at Xia Xun, and Xia Xun knew that she was going to take the opportunity to leave.
Qi Yan didn't notice anything, and after the two left, he slowly sat across from Xia Xun.
Seeing that Xia Xun drank tea like a cow, he didn't stop him. He rested his chin on his hands and looked at him steadily.
Xia Xun drank a pot of tea, and finally put the teacup on the table. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of the teacup, without even tasting the tea.
Qi Yan's eyes naturally turned to Xia Xun's hand.
After watching for a while, Qi Yan suddenly asked:
"After all these years, your hand still hasn't recovered."
Xia Xun was startled, her fingers curled up unconsciously.
Qi Yan inserted her hand into his palm, gently flattened his entire palm, and gently stroked between Xia Xun's fingers with her thumb.
Xia Xun's left hand was scarred and horribly scarred, and her five fingers were extremely thin, much thinner than those on her right hand.
These are the results of the burns that year.
Xia Xun wanted to pull out her hand, but was held tightly by Qi Yan.
Qi Yan leaned down and pressed his cheek against his palm.
Xia Xun's eyelashes trembled, but she didn't resist.
Qi Yan kept leaning over, and asked in a low voice: "Didn't you ask me how Xia Xing died before? Today, I can tell you the truth."
Xia Xun shook her head:
"No, I don't want to know anymore."
Qi Yan raised his head and said firmly:
"I have to tell you, otherwise, I'm afraid I won't have a chance—"
Xia Xun was shocked: "What do you mean?"
Did Qi Yan notice it
Impossible, if he found out, how could he let Qi Hui leave
Then he...
Qi Yan smiled lowly: "Just take it as my nonsense... At that time, you were seriously injured..."
Xia Xun's burns were severe.
Seven years ago, Qi Yan carried him home, and the doctor he invited said the same thing.
The skin and flesh of Xia Xun's fingers were all peeled off, and when the medicine was applied, the heavy smell of the medicine could not cover up the strange burning smell.
Shaobo didn't dare to look at it, so he collapsed outside the door and wept.
Even Qi Hui frowned when he saw her, and couldn't bear to look at Xia Xun's injury.
Only Qi Yan, from beginning to end, firmly held Xia Xun's wrist, helping the doctor to treat his injury.
There was no ups and downs in his expression, as calm as a stone statue made of white clay.
This stone statue only showed fine cracks for a moment.
That was the moment Xia Xun woke up from the coma.
Burns are excruciatingly painful, and the pain of treating a burn wound is multiplied.
In order to relieve the pain, the doctor inserted silver needles into Xia Xun's big points and sealed these points with the needles, which could paralyze the nerves in Xia Xun's left hand and greatly relieve the pain.
Even so, when the doctor poured the potion on Xia Xun's hand, Xia Xun, who was in a coma, was awakened by the pain.
The severe pain disfigured Xia Xun's face, his body was bowed like a shrimp, his intact right hand was tightly clutching the bed sheet, and his whole body was covered in cold sweat.
He gritted his teeth and pressed the pain deep in his chest.
Qi Yan's seemingly calm expression finally relaxed a little.
He still pressed Xia Xun's wrist hard to prevent Xia Xun from retracting his hand in pain.
At the same time, he gently embraced Xia Xun in his arms, pressed his cheek against his forehead, and gently patted his back with the other hand, coaxing softly:
"Good boy, it's not hurting anymore, it won't be hurting right away, just keep going."
Xia Xun opened his eyes, but his consciousness was not clear. He couldn't hear what Qi Yan was saying, and his body and mind were captured by the excruciating pain.
He felt nothing but pain.
Qi Yan's comfort and coaxing were nothing but useless things.
In the entanglement with pain, Xia Xun has only himself.
But gradually, I don't know if the doctor's medicine has worked, or the most severe pain has passed.
Xia Xun could gradually hear Qi Yan's voice, and he could feel Qi Yan's hand patting his back.
Where Qi Yan was touching his forehead, a burst of warm wetness passed by.
Xia Xun panted heavily, wondering in a daze, is Qi Yan crying
It's so strange, would someone like Qi Yan shed tears
Xia Xun raised her eyelids, wanting to see his face.
A sudden pain surged, Xia Xun's head went dark, and she passed out again.
Qi Yan hugged him and did not move for a long time.
With the help of Qi Yan, the doctor successfully treated Xia Xun's injury, applied a thick layer of light green ointment on his hand, and wrapped it tightly with a bandage. He also told Qi Yan that the bandage would take two hours Change it again.
After the doctor left, Qi Yan carefully put Xia Xun down and let him lie flat on the bed.
The rain-soaked clothes on Qi Yan's body had already been dried by the body temperature, only the rainwater remained on the hair, dripping intermittently.
He stood up on the bed and walked out in a trance. When he stepped over the threshold, his body softened and he suddenly fell to his knees.
It happened to fall beside Shaobo.
Shao Bo stared blankly at him with tears all over his face.
Qi Hui rushed over to help him, Qi Yan shook his head stiffly, put his hands on the threshold, and knelt on the ground like this.
He closed his eyes tightly, and there were tears in his eyes. Once he opened his eyes, they would flow down one after another.
He lowered his head, suppressing the pain in his heart, his Adam's apple bulged up and down, and his chest kept rising and falling.
After a while, in front of Shaobo, he gritted his teeth and said:
"...I'm going to kill Xia Xing."
Qi Hui stopped immediately:
"Young master! Are you confused?! Don't speak nonsense!"
As he spoke, he fixed his eyes on Shao Bo, for fear that she would notice him.
Shao Bo was stupid, still immersed in the emotion of feeling sorry for Xia Xun, and shed tears in a daze.
Qi Yan slowly opened his eyes, looked ahead, and said word by word:
"I'm going to kill Xia Xing."
This was not Qi Yan's original plan.
In his original arrangement, Xia Hongxi was his first target.
He is the chief culprit who caused the ruin of Qi Yan's family. As long as he dies, the Xia family tree will be scattered, and it will be easy for Qi Yan to get rid of anyone at that time.
On the contrary, if Xia Xing is attacked first, Xia Hongxi will definitely be vigilant and revenge. If he finds out that it was Qi Yan who killed Xia Xing, there is no guarantee that he will not guess Qi Yan's true identity.
At that time, Qi Yan could no longer hide in the dark, and waited for the opportunity to collect Xia Hongxi's criminal evidence to avenge his parents.
The risk of this move is huge, and asking Qi to come back to see it is really not worth the loss.
He hurriedly helped Shao Bo up and sent her to Xia Xun's bedside, telling her not to cry anymore and to concentrate on taking care of Xia Xun.
Shao Bo wiped away his tears, sat up on the foot in front of the bed, and stared at Xia Xun without blinking, as if she would not move even if the sky fell.
Qi Hui walked outside the door again, even with his arms, he forcefully pulled Qi Yan up and sent him to the next room.
As soon as the door was closed, Qi Hui said anxiously:
"Young master! How can you be so hasty?! There is only one step left to the goal. If you act arbitrarily, all the painstaking efforts we have made before will be in vain!!"
Qi Yan has made up her mind:
"There's no need to persuade me anymore. I've already thought about it. If Xia Xing is not removed, I won't be able to sleep at night. I don't know how to face Xia Xun."
It was rare for Qi Hui not to obey his order, so he urged him impatiently:
"Young master! The Xia family will fall sooner or later, and Xia Xing will die sooner or later! Why are you in a hurry?! Qi Hui has known you since he was born. You have never been such a person? Why did you suddenly become someone Qi Hui didn't know?!"
Qi Yan got up and went to the chest of drawers to search for something.
Without looking back, he said coldly to Qi Hui:
"That's what you read wrong, I was originally such a person."
After searching for a moment, he took out a small medicine bottle from the depths of the cabinet.
Qi Hui asked in astonishment:
"Young master! You—?! Could it be that you—for Mr. Xia—?!"
Qi Yan didn't even look at him, and put the medicine bottle in his sleeve:
"So what? If I don't kill Xia Xing now, should I do it after he burns Xia Xun's right hand? Qi Hui, if you still recognize me as the master, don't persuade me anymore."
It was rare for Qi Hui to see such a serious expression on Qi Yan's face, and he knew at a glance that Qi Yan had made up his mind.
He lowered his head in frustration, held his breath and turned around three times, forcing himself to make a decision:
"Qi Hui understands... Qi Hui will go with the young master!"
Xia Xing was poisoned to death.
Xia Hongxi took his whole family to hide in the mountain temple, but within three days, news came from the capital that Xia Mansion had been attacked by thieves and Xia Xun had also been robbed.
Now his plans were completely messed up.
He didn't care about chanting sutras and paying respects to the Buddha, he rode with Xia Xing all the way and rushed home in a few hours.
The housekeeper stood outside the mansion gate, greeted them with snot and tears:
"Master... woo woo... Please, master, punish the little one! The little one didn't guard the door, lost a lot of valuable things at home, and asked the thieves to rob the young master!"
Xia Hongxi lifted his collar and asked:
"Xia Xun was robbed? Does anyone else know about this?!"
At this juncture, he was still thinking about his plan to make Xia Xun a scapegoat.
If no one knew about Xia Xun being taken away by the gangsters, he could still declare to the outside world that Xia Xun fled Beijing in fear of crime and his whereabouts are unknown.
In this way, he can also take the blame for the Xia family.
Unexpectedly, the housekeeper cried and said:
"Everyone in the capital knows about it! The Jingzhao Mansion has sent all the yamen servants to search for the whereabouts of the young master with all their might! Sir, you... woo... You don't have to worry, little one—"
Xia Hongxi was so angry that he threw him on the ground, wishing he could kick him twice:
"Useless things! You know bad things!"
After finishing speaking, he left him and rushed into the mansion gate angrily.
Xia Xing followed behind him, with a heartbroken expression on his face, he spat at the housekeeper a few times:
"Trash snacks! What do you want to eat?!"
The butler pretended to be aggrieved:
"Why... why do you blame the little one? Shouldn't the little one report to the government?"
Xia Xing didn't even look at him, stepped over his body, and followed Xia Hongxi's footsteps.
In the study, Xia Hongxi walked around in a hurry:
"What should I do? Not only did Xia Xun not die, she was also taken away?!"
Xia Xing said sadly:
"Anyway, he was robbed by thieves. I guess that group wanted to use his life as a threat to ask us for money. We just beat him to death and refused to pay! Let them tear up the ticket!"
Xia Hongxi slapped the table fiercely:
"What's the use of tearing up the ticket?! If he is killed by a gangster, who will take the blame for me?!"
Xia Xing clenched his chin, thinking for his father.
He racked his brains, but he couldn't come up with an idea. When he was in distress, he heard a loud noise outside the study.
Xia Xing suddenly became furious, rushed out a few steps, and was about to swear, when he saw who was coming, he fell silent instantly.
In the courtyard, a large group of officers and soldiers poured in, and the Shaoqing of Dali Temple held the edict and stood at the head:
"According to His Majesty's order, come to arrest Xia Xing, the second son of the Xia family! Where is the criminal? Bring him to justice quickly!"