Guo Xiao and Song Jianing set off overnight. They took the waterway first, then changed the carriage. During the day, they drove fast, and then changed the waterway at night. It was almost non-stop day and night. In just half a month, they were already thousands of miles away from Beijing. Guo Xiao expected that Zhao Heng would not speak up, and the soldiers who chased northward to search for the Khitan aliens could not find him, and no local officials were ordered to intercept him, so the farther he was from Beijing, the more he felt at ease.
But Guo Xiao felt very guilty, because in the past two weeks, she did not think about food and travel, and she lost weight. Her cheeks used to be plump and tender like tofu, but now she is so thin that there is no trace of roundness anymore. Although delicate, she lost the agility and anger she had when she was in the palace.
On the way, she caught a cold and caught a cold, and now she is cured, but she still seems to be ill. Whether on the boat or in the carriage, she is curled up in the corner, staring out of the window without moving, occasionally teardrops. Rolled out of the corner of the eye. She didn't talk to him either, deliberately ignoring him, Guo Xiao tried to persecute him, but as soon as she raised her head, she just silently wept, and he couldn't be ruthless.
She was unhappy, Guo Xiao knew, but he was in a hurry to hurry and get rid of any hidden dangers of being intercepted by the pursuers. He was running around every day and could not make her happy, and he had no conditions, so he could only buy some words and needles for her. To pass the time, and then try to hide outside during the day, so as not to obstruct her eyes.
Entering Fangzhou, it is better to take the waterway. It was almost noon. Guo Xiao took the food box and walked to the awning of the boat. He knocked three times. There was no sound inside. and enter. It was a little dark inside the canopy, she was wearing the lavender jacket he bought, sitting in front of the window quietly embroidering the sachet, never raising her eyelids from beginning to end.
Guo Xiao approached slowly, his gaze moved from her pale and haggard face to the sachet in her hand. She has been embroidering satin on a white background for several days. The embroidery is pale pink lotus and green lotus leaves. Several red carp swim in the water, from one to two to three to four, two large and two small.
Such as her and Zhao Heng, such as Zhaozhao and Brother You.
When she embroidered the carp, the tenderness in her eyes overflowed like water, and she could see that Guo Xiao was full of jealousy, jealous that the pair of children who were jealous of her was not given by him, and that the man who was embroidered on her purse with all her heart was not him. Guo Xiao really wanted to grab the purse and throw it away in Jiangzhong, but he didn't dare, for fear that she would cry, that she would continue to lose weight.
People are already by his side, as for her heart, she can't be in a hurry.
"Eat first, don't tire your eyes." Guo Xiao sat opposite her and looked at her.
Song Jianing's eyes moved slightly, his eyes swept across the front of his clothes, and then he put away the sachet that was about to be embroidered. Just after putting it away, a pair of chopsticks was handed over.
Song Jianing took it with his eyes down.
It is common to go to restaurants by land, and most of the food eaten by boat and river is fish, and today is no exception. In fact, whether it was fish or delicacies from the mountains and seas, Song Jianing had no appetite, but he forced himself to eat some every day just to survive. If Guo Xiao forced her, Song Jianing would definitely commit suicide. Guo Xiao didn't need to force her, Song Jianing just wanted to live, and only by living could he hope to see his children again.
He couldn't think about it, his eyes became sore just thinking about it, Song Jianing silently suppressed the soreness and lowered his head to eat.
Guo Xiao looked at her. For a bowl of rice, she only ate half a bowl. She only used two or three mouthfuls of carefully cooked braised fish, and the fish was so small that it didn't even have a thorn.
Are you tired of eating
"In another four or five days, we will arrive at Bazhou, and when we enter the land of Shu, we can travel slowly. You have to bear it." Putting down the bowl and chopsticks in his hand, Guo Xiao comforted in a low voice.
He regarded Shu land as his own territory, but Song Jianing regarded Shu land as a tiger's mouth. Hearing this, he just smiled bitterly, then picked up the needle and thread, went to the bed and sat embroidery. Guo Xiao stared at her for a while, shook his head, and continued to eat his own. The quiet boat awning could only hear him chewing lightly and only the rushing water outside the window.
While eating, Guo Xiao looked at her again and saw her tilting her head and biting off the colored thread, her expression was natural and peaceful.
Guo Xiao's eyebrows softened. He knew that her taste was light, and the food was prepared according to her taste in the past half month. He likes spicy food, but as long as she sits where he can see, Guo Xiao eats everything deliciously. , In the past half month, Guo Xiao slept the most peacefully and lived the most comfortable life.
After the meal, Guo Xiao went out with the bowls and chopsticks in his hand.
Song Jianing finally raised his head. The wind was strong above the river, and the boat awning was covered with a curtain. Guo Xiao passed by step by step. Song Jianing's heart beat faster, and he quickly took out a white cloth belt that was hidden close to him. A line and a half of small characters were already written on the tape, and the color was dark red. Song Jianing pursed his lips, and without hesitation, stabbed a finger again. After the blood beads poured out, he wrote the inscription in blood. Needlework can also embroider characters, but the speed is too slow, and there is not much time left for Song Jianing.
While watching out for the movement outside the canopy, he wrote nervously. After writing, Song Jianing was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
After putting back the cloth belt, Song Jianing hung the freshly embroidered sachet around his waist, then lay down, and fell into a light sleep amid the regular turbulence of the hull. She was really tired after several days of nervousness, she had to slow down and build up her strength for the night.
Light sleep is also sleep. When she falls asleep, her ears are not working well. She doesn't know anything about someone coming in.
Guo Xiao didn't want to do anything, he just came in to have a look, walked to the bed, and saw that she was sleeping soundly, not even waking up with a frown, Guo Xiao felt a little relaxed, afraid that she would be cold, so he shook away A layer of quilt, slowly help her cover. Covering her waist and noticing the carp sachet on her body, Guo Xiao paused, but didn't care.
After covering the quilt, she moved gently, as if she would wake up in the next moment. Guo Xiao was inexplicably flustered, and quietly backed out, leaving her to sleep alone.
Song Jianing slept quite deeply this night. The ship was about to dock at dusk, and she was still sleeping. The quilt was warm, and it was easy to catch a cold when she got off the boat as soon as she woke up, so although Guo Xiao couldn't bear to wake her up, he entered the boat awning a quarter of an hour earlier, sat beside the bed, and called her softly. When she was asleep, her cheeks finally covered a light blush, soft and charming, and lovable.
"An An..." Guo Xiao leaned over and called to her, with an unconscious smile on the corner of his mouth.
Song Jianing woke up at once, opened his eyes, the lamp was lit in the awning of the boat, the candlelight flickered in the dim yellow, and there was a familiar and handsome face in front of him. For a while, Song Jianing couldn't tell whether it was a previous life or this life, until Guo Xiao smiled at her. Black eyes stared at her tenderly. Song Jianing then remembered that this was Guo Xiao, her step-brother Guo Xiao, Guo Xiao who would laugh at her, not the dignified and dignified grandfather of the previous life who only regarded her as a prisoner.
"Get up, I'm going to disembark in a while." She was dumbfounded, and Guo Xiao explained in a low voice.
Song Jianing nodded. Just as he was about to prop himself up, Guo Xiao suddenly held her shoulders and helped her sit upright. Song Jianing slept with his clothes. The winter clothes were several layers inside and out. When he woke up, he didn't have to worry about revealing anything. Only one black strand of hair was scattered. Guo Xiao brought her a comb over, Song Jianing turned his back and combed it twice, feeling his persistent gaze, Song Jianing sighed, "Brother, I just had a dream."
This was the first time she took the initiative to speak to Guo Xiao after she was kidnapped, in addition to begging Guo Xiao to let her go.
Guo Xiao clenched his hands excitedly, looked at her blushing profile from just waking up, and asked, "What dream?"
Song Jianing combed her hair lightly, and said without concealing her nostalgia, "I dreamed that when I was a child, I admired lanterns during the Mid-Autumn Festival, and our brothers and sisters gathered around my grandmother, guessing lantern riddles with my grandmother. The second brother and the third brother are the best at playing, so I will draw on paper first. , and then ask us to see the picture and guess the answer, I remember a picture of Chang'e flying to the moon, the second brother painted it very special..."
She bit her lower lip lightly, as if she was considering how to describe it euphemistically, but Guo Xiao didn't give face to his cousin, turned to her, and answered as naturally as possible: "His painting is very ugly, no one guesses it right, and the mystery is revealed. , you little girls are laughing and relying on your grandmother to wipe your tears."
Song Jianing couldn't help but nodded, holding his long hair in one hand and the comb in the other, tilting his head and snickering.
Guo Xiao looked at her greedily.
If Song Jianing felt something, he put away his smile in time, lowered his head, and said in a desolate voice: "Brother, grandmother misses you very much, you can go back with me, just say that you were kidnapped by the Liao soldiers and kept in the cell, we brothers and sisters meet again. , you find a chance to take me to escape, and then I go back to the palace, you go back to the mansion, let's continue to be brothers and sisters, don't make grandma worry about them?"
Having said that, Song Jianing looked at Guo Xiao again pleadingly.
The smile on Guo Xiao's face had long since disappeared, and he stared at her with dark eyes, as if to see if she really had that dream, or if she was just making up nonsense, just to find an excuse to convince him.
He saw Song Jianing put down her hand and comb, motionless, like a poor woman waiting to be punished.
Guo Xiao didn't say anything and walked away.
Song Jianing looked back, and when Guo Xiao was far away from the sound of footsteps, she secretly took out the sachet that was tucked into her waist with a scarlet tape in her arms, fastened the bag, and then brushed her hair unhurriedly, putting on a thick cloak. After a while, the boat stopped, Guo Xiao came in to pick her up, and before Song Jianing went out, Guo Xiao helped her cover her hood.
Not far from the shore is Zhushan County. Tonight, Guo Xiao will stay in the county seat. Starting tomorrow morning, it will be all overland.
After getting on the carriage, Song Jianing sat next to the window and entered the county town. When Guo Xiao saw it, he couldn't help but forget the unhappiness in the canopy, and reached out to help her open the curtains so that she could see.
It is the Shangyuan Festival, and there is no curfew in the county seat. The people bring their families and bring their mouths out to enjoy the lanterns. The colorful lanterns complement the bright moon in the sky. Song Jianing was dazzled and stared blankly at the night scene outside. How many opportunities for a woman who lives in a deep house all year round to visit the capital at night
Since she liked it, Guo Xiao suggested in her ear: "After dinner, I will accompany you to the street to admire the lanterns."
Hearing this, Song Jianing immediately retracted his gaze and refused with a sullen face, "No, I'm tired."
It was obviously a lie, but Guo Xiao didn't believe it. The carriage drove into the yard that he had arranged in advance. After dinner, Guo Xiao once again proposed a night tour. Song Jianing didn't listen, Guo Xiao grabbed her wrist and wanted to pull her away, but Song Jianing reluctantly agreed and went out with him.
On the street, Song Jianing gradually showed his interest in the lamp market. Guo Xiao observed the words and feelings. She glanced at which lamp shop more, and he took her there, trying his best to make her happy. But Song Jianing watched more than ten lanterns in a row, and almost finished walking down one street, and was finally attracted by a carp lantern.
Guo Xiao was a little unhappy, because he knew that the carp in her eyes represented Zhao Heng and Zhao Zhao.
But it was rare that she liked it, so Guo Xiao still paid for the lamp for her.
After shopping enough, the two walked back under the moonlight. Guo Xiao was also taciturn, racking his brains to lure her to speak. She ignored her, and Guo Xiao also shut up and just looked at her quietly. The moonlight on the fifteenth day of the first month was very beautiful. She was carrying a lantern bought for twenty cents, her soft little face was hidden by the edge of the furry hood, looming, like a fairy descending to earth.
Suddenly, Song Jianing stopped.
"What's wrong?" Guo Xiao asked unexpectedly.
Song Jianing patted the cloak around his waist, and his expression changed greatly. He lifted the cloak and saw that the carp sachet inside was indeed gone! Looking at Guo Xiao, Song Jianing turned around and walked back, looking for the lost sachet. Guo Xiao didn't like that sachet in the first place, but it was just right for him to lose it, so he grabbed her arm and explained with a frown, "The night market is running rampant, and someone must have let it go. Where can I find it?"
Song Jianing looked at him coldly, as if looking at an enemy.
Guo Xiao smiled wryly, let go of his hand and said perfunctorily: "Okay, go find it, I'll wait for you here, but don't blame me for not reminding you, I can rob you, others can, I promise not to touch you, others may not Will pity the fragrant and cherish the jade."
Song Jianing didn't listen, lost the carp lantern he bought, and went back to find the sachet, but before she walked out of this alley, she didn't move, standing alone in the narrow street, no matter how she looked, she seemed to be frightened by the endless darkness. arrive. Guo Xiao knew that she did not dare to go far, so he deliberately left her to hang for a while, then strode up to catch up and coax her back.
Taking her to the door of the upper room, seeing her sullen face, Guo Xiao said meaningfully, "An An, maybe, this is God's will."
It was destined by God that she would be separated from Zhao Heng, Zhaozhao, and Brother You. It was destined by God that she belonged to him.
Song Jianing went in without looking back and closed the door with a backhand.
Guo Xiao continued to stand in the corridor for a while before going to the next room.
Song Jianing leaned back against the door, closed his eyes and prayed.
The lantern market was still lively, and the hawkers in the lantern shop shouted loudly to attract passers-by. Gradually, there were fewer pedestrians, and the hawkers began to close their stalls. Deng Liuzi is one of the lamp sellers. He is 20 years old this year. He has no father or mother. He was adopted by a master who made lamps since he was a child.
Almost all the lanterns were sold out, Deng Liuzi bent down to close the stall, propped up the wooden board, and suddenly found a delicate sachet lying on the ground, which at first glance was for a woman. Deng Liuzi didn't have a wife yet. For some reason, when he saw this sachet, he passed the young lady who was looking at the lamp today. Although his face was blocked by the hood, he was only covered by the light when he turned around. A side face that illuminated, hooked his soul away.
But compared with beauty, Deng Liuzi hoped that there was silver in the sachet, excitedly untied the sachet, grabbed it, and pinched out a white cloth tape that seemed to have something written on it. Deng Liuzi knew a few words, walked to his own lantern, raised the cloth belt, and saw two lines of red letters that were not neatly written:
Immediately send the sachet to the King Shou Palace in the capital, and you can get a thousand taels of silver. If you don't send it, you will be executed.