"Today is the fourth day, the medicine is still taken..."
Yu Jinnian hurried in and put his medicine box on the table. I don't know what happened when he came, his eyes were bent and bright, with a smile that couldn't be concealed: "Today, I will use moxibustion to clear the meridians and activate collaterals, and then Then use needles as knives to loosen the knotted muscles." He took out a small bamboo tube as thick as a finger from the box, stuffed moxa into it, and made a moxa stick, then lit the core, and put it in the swallow Chang's painful area slowly burned, "Do you feel better these days?"
Yan Chang turned his head to look over, and answered an unexpected question: "We agreed on the afternoon time every day, why is it so late today?"
Yu Jinnian was embarrassed to say that he was hanging out with someone too much, but he forgot the time, so he gave a random reason. Anyway, Boss Xia didn't tell the truth all day, everyone was just talking to each other.
After talking nonsense, Yan Chang didn't say a word. Ye probably understood that he was making it up. He closed his eyes and remained silent for a while before returning to the subject: "It's really more comfortable. It doesn't hurt so much at night, but you still can't hold the sword. And after writing for a long time, I still feel pain."
This seems to be the case.
Yu Jinnian stuffed some new moxa into the bamboo tube, and said, "This has to be done slowly. Besides, at this time of year, the river is cold and damp. Let me say one more thing... In fact, Boss Xia's illness is not It is not suitable to live on a boat, the humidity on the boat will make the condition worse."
"My illness is nothing more than me suffering alone. It doesn't matter if it's serious or not." Yan Chang held a pair of jade walnuts in his hand, while Yu Jinnian was busy working on the moxa in the bamboo tube without answering, he opened He opened his mouth, then closed it again, and after a long time he said calmly, "I slept soundly in the boat, I'm used to it."
The boat swayed slightly with the waves, Yu Jinnian didn't like the feeling that he couldn't keep his feet on the ground, not to mention he also suffered from mild seasickness, so he couldn't understand why someone could only sleep soundly on the boat. But this man always left a half-sentence, he didn't bother to ask, just happened to run out of the small box of moxa at hand, so he looked up to find his follower, Zhou Xiaosi.
The man stood in the corner with his head bowed, clutching his stomach with a bitter look on his face, and his face was listless.
"Master Zhou, bring me some moxa... What's the matter? Are you uncomfortable?" Yu Jinnian asked.
Yan Chang glanced at him casually, Zhou Feng looked at Yan Chang, then at Yu Jinnian, and said with an embarrassed smile, "It's nothing, I've been greedy for the past two days, I've eaten too much, and my stomach is bloated... I'll go get it for Mr. Xiao." Ai Rong!" Then he slipped away.
Yu Jinnian was a bit surprised, when he came back, when he took the moxa, he looked really sluggish, probably because his stomach was distended, so he couldn't help but said: "It's still early, there's a small pharmacy near the pier that's not closed yet. Master used to buy Jiao Sanxian that weighed a pound and a half taels, and when he came back, he brewed it and drank it as tea, and it would disappear after a few meals."
Zhou Feng said yes, covered his mouth and hiccupped with a sour smell.
Yu Jinnian said with a smile: "It seems that the fresh fish on the river is indeed plump, otherwise Master Zhou wouldn't be able to eat so much."
Wearing a ochre-colored silk dress, Yan Chang said casually: "Since that's the case, why don't you stay here and try the cooking skills of the cook on my boat. This cook was invited by the Louzhou government, and he is very good at cooking fish. No matter what kind of live fish, after his hands, he can keep the fresh fat and get rid of the smell. This kind of method is really rare in the north. A certain banquet was rejected by the husband for four consecutive days. Today, it should be rewarded stop?"
It is well known that Louzhou is good at fresh fish. It is said that some chefs can make fresh fish fillets as transparent and thin as cicada wings, which melt in the mouth.
Yu Jinnian thought about the taste for a while, and was very moved, but he still remembered the pork bone soup cooked in the small kitchen of the inn, so he refused: "I appreciate Boss Xia's kindness, but we will leave tomorrow and go back later I still have to pack my bags, and my family is watching me closely, so it’s really inconvenient to stay here for a long time.” Seeing Yan Chang’s frown suddenly, he continued, “As for the illness, Boss Xia doesn’t need to worry, I’ll take care of it. I will write down all my treatment methods, so as to be a reference for the doctors who treat me in the future.”
The jade walnut in Yan Chang's hand stopped at some point, Zhou Feng's expression changed, and he hurriedly persuaded: "Sir, just stay for a light meal, it won't take much time, and we will send you back in a sedan chair later. .”
Yu Jinnian hesitated for a moment, Yan Chang turned aside a brocade box on the table and threw the jade walnuts in his hand into it. The jade object hit the wall with a loud bang, and before Zhou Feng could persuade him, he had already opened his mouth to order: "If you don't want to keep it, you won't force it. Xiao Si, go make a cup of Zuiluo tea and pair it with some newly arrived snacks. Mr. Xiao has smoked moxibustion for a while, and thinks he should be thirsty."
Zhou Feng didn't seem to react, and said "ah", "... master?"
Yan Chang raised his head and glanced at him, and pulled out a folding fan from his waist: "Why, my words are so difficult to use?"
Zhou Feng looked at Yu Jinnian hesitantly, but didn't dare to say any more, bowed his head and backed out.
When the moxa in the bamboo tube was burned out, Yu Jinnian poured out the embers and packed up the medicine box. A few days ago, the needles entrusted to the gold and silversmiths have arrived, and Ji Hong's people are quite reliable in their work. In such a tight time, they not only made everything very finely, but also engraved the word "Yu" on the handle of the needle and knife. And carved a small bowl. Although the set of medicine boxes that Yixin gave before was expensive, it was a pity that they were all burned in the fire. Now that he has a new handy tool, he naturally cherishes the treasures. Yu Jinnian opened the needle bag and caressed it, and put it back carefully.
Just at this moment, Zhou Feng had brought some refreshments in and put them on the table one by one.
"Assorted fruit soup, Tiaotou cake with sand, strawberry yogurt." Zhou Feng introduced them one by one, and then took two thin cups from the food plate. The handwriting pattern on the inner wall is written backwards, so that you can appreciate it from the outside. He put the tea cup down and said in a low voice, "Master, Zui Luo... tea."
Yan Chang pushed the teacup in front of Yu Jinnian with the handle of his fan: "Taste it, Mr. Xiao. This is a strange tea from Fanguo. It has a strange fragrance, which is rare in the Central Plains. It is said that half an hour after drinking, you will have a wonderful feeling." He spread out his fan and smiled, "It's just a cup of tea, Mr. Xiao will refuse again?"
Yu Jinnian opened the lid of the tea and took a look, a fresh fragrance came with the hot air, some like jasmine or golden osmanthus, and the tea soup was yellow and green, with a few tea needles floating in the leaves, although he didn't know much about tea, but the cup in front of him , It really doesn't look like a rare thing, it's more like the roasted green tea used to make smoked tea.
He sneaked a glance at Boss Xia, thinking, could he have been cheated? But after thinking about it, he is a well-known tea merchant in Yuedi, maybe there is something unique about this tea.
Yan Chang took a sip of the tea soup and motioned him to try the snacks on the table.
Yu Jinnian thought that he had rejected the other party several times, and if he refused this time, it would really be unattractive, so he obediently picked up the small spoon he had prepared, and ate the strawberry yoghurt in front of him. Strawberries are not as luscious as they were when they were in their peak season, but the slightly sour taste blends with the aroma of milk after being made into yogurt, making it taste sweet and sour, refreshing and appetizing.
The assorted fruit soup is a small square of various fruits cut into finger-sized squares. It is boiled in clear water and mixed with special sweet powder. It is more like an ancient fruit salad, but it is slightly different from the salad in terms of taste. More soft as a soup, sweet as honey. As for Tiaotou Gao, it is glutinous rice wrapped with sweet bean paste, rolled with frost powder.
After eating three dishes of desserts, one was sweeter than the other, Yu Jinnian was so tired that he didn't know the taste of sweetness, so he could only drink tea soup to clear his tongue. I heard that in the early dynasties a hundred years ago, when sugar was still a valuable item, the price was more expensive than gold. The high-ranking officials and nobles were proud of eating sweets. In order to show their wealth and power, they often held a tea party, inviting relatives, friends, Merry and elegant, all the meals during the banquet are sweet, and they are only more beautiful than anyone else.
Now it seems that this custom is not out of thin air.
Yan Chang sipped his tea slowly, and when he raised his eyes slightly, Zhou Feng tiptoed out and came in with two servings of strawberry yoghurt. Accompanied by tea, and being chatted by Yan Chang, Yu Jinnian emptied three or two bowls without knowing it, but that bowl was only the size of a palm, even if three bowls went down, it was actually not much, but the assorted fruit The soup was sticky and sticky, so it didn't interest Yu Jinnian much, so he was left out in the cold for no reason, and was soon withdrawn by Zhou Feng.
After eating the third cup of yoghurt, Yan Chang started to move, and sighed with a slight smile: "Mr. Xiao really likes this sour berry. Two days ago, he said that he was not greedy. It seems that he was just lying." It's just some rhetoric."
Yu Jinnian raised his head, only then did he realize his impoliteness, he pursed his lips in embarrassment, and picked up the teacup to cover up his gaffe.
"I have a lot of berries on board, Mr. Guan Xiao can eat as much as he can." Yan Chang stared at a bit of white cheese on the boy's sideburns, and as the boy lowered his head and raised his head, it touched his white porcelain ear again. , He wanted to reach out his hand several times, but finally he couldn't hold back anymore, and when Yu Jinnian turned his head to look at the teacup, he touched his earlobe with his index finger.
Yu Jinnian suddenly felt the warmth in his ears and cheeks, and he almost jumped up. He touched the tea lid next to his hand, but he didn't know whether it was because his hands were trembling or his eyes were dazzled. Obediently dropped on the table. He felt strange, stood up and said: "Brother at home bought a lot of strawberries yesterday, so I won't bother Boss Xia anymore, I..."
Before he finished speaking, he was startled by the hoarse voice coming out of his own mouth. He raised his hand and touched his throat, and tried to say a few more words. He just sat still and didn't feel anything, but once he felt it, It cannot be ignored. His feet were numb, the base of his tongue was numb, as if he was drunk, and he couldn't even walk out with only the distance between the table and the seat.
"Damn..." Yu Jinnian was extremely irritable, kicked the chair behind him away, and only two steps out, he staggered and almost fell to the ground.
When Zhou Feng was about to move, Yan Chang had already made a move. He took the lead in supporting Yu Jinnian's back, and gently pulled him to his side: "Lean on me."
Yu Jinnian was in a trance, as if he heard Ji Hong's voice next to his ear, and he was about to lean over slowly, when he smelled an annoying smell of incense in his breath, which woke him up again in such a moment, and a forcefully pulled Yan Chang Pushing it away, there was a bang, as if it hit the edge of the table. And he himself couldn't stand still, so he leaned back three or four steps, fell to the floor with his buttocks, and was dazed for a while.
But even though he fell down straight, he didn't feel any pain from the fall. It seemed that his reaction and perception were half a beat behind, and he felt a strange numbness all over his body.
"... Xia Yue!"
In Yu Jinnian's eyes, the ochre-colored clothes overlapped, and there were many shadows, and it was hard to tell which one was real and which one was a phantom in his own eyes. Yan Chang stretched out his hand to support him, but was thrown away by the young man with all his strength. He would rather struggle to get up, and finally fell to the ground powerlessly, eyes half-opened and half-closed, looking at the pair of black satin boots in front of him.
"What... something?" Tongue was stiff, and it was not easy to say a few words.
Yan Chang squatted down, and answered patiently: "Drunken Rakshasa powder is just melted in jasmine smoked tea - it is said that it is Hell Rakshasa, drink it and fall asleep after drinking it, and fall asleep. But there is one thing I want to know." I didn't lie to you, this is indeed from Fanguo, and the first one, I asked Mr. Xiao to drink it." He reached out to touch Yu Jinnian, and this time he finally got his wish and was not pushed away, because the boy's hands and feet were already limp, Drowsy, even if he has great resentment, he has no choice but to let him manipulate him.
"You see, if you are obedient early, you won't have to suffer this." Yan Chang lowered her eyes and told Zhou Feng, "Clean up the east cabin, don't be negligent."
—
In the inn, the bone broth boiled on the stove and then boiled again. At first, the foamed oil could lift the lid of the casserole. Later, the sky outside became darker, and the water in the pot was boiled dry. There was no sound of buzzing, but there was not a single drop of water in the pot.
The person watching the fire in front of the stove was resting his mind with his eyes closed. Perhaps it was too comfortable today, and the front of the stove was too warm, so he faintly fell asleep, not even knowing that the pot was dry. Until the sparrows chirped quietly outside the window, he seemed to have a tacit understanding, and suddenly woke up, smelling a burnt smell.
He stared at the muddy casserole, suddenly threw down the cattail fan he was using to fan the fire, strode out, and shouted: "Duan Ming!"
Duan Ming stumbled out of the shadows: "Master?"
Ji Hong looked around: "What time is it? Jinnian hasn't come back yet? Why is it so late today?"
"It's five o'clock right now." Duan Ming said, "Young master went late today, so if you want to go back and forth, it will be later."
Ji Hong: "How many people have you followed today? How is your skill?"
Duan Ming didn't know why his master suddenly became nervous, but he answered honestly: "I have gone to four of them, all of whom are experienced masters. If the young master is in danger, he will be rescued immediately, young master. Don't worry."
Ji Hong was quiet for a while, and for some reason he always felt flustered and flustered, so he went out regardless of Duan Ming's persuasion: "I'll pick it up."
Just after leaving the inn, the moon was rising in the east, and one person galloped back from the mist. Seeing Ji Hong, he was so frightened that he got off his horse, knelt down at his feet and said, "My lord, my lord..."
Ji Hong's heart froze: "What happened, tell me quickly!"
The guard didn't dare to raise his head, and said in a panic: "The four of us kept an eye on the Xia family's boat, but we never saw the young master come down. Then the boat suddenly lifted anchor, and we hurried up to ask for someone, but the other housekeeper said that the young master had already left." , It was half an hour ago that they said they were going to the West Market to buy fruits and vegetables. We searched all over the pier and the market, and also... we didn't find the young master... "
"Stupid, get out!" Ji Hong kicked him away, grabbed the reins and got on his horse, "Go to the river bank immediately, and stop that boat for me no matter what!"
After all, he didn't wait for Duan Ming and others to follow up, and galloped away on his own.
When Ji Hong arrived, the boat had unanchored and left the shore, and was moving steadily in the middle of the wide river, with the setting sun on its back. Duan Ming and others caught up, and saw Ji Hong reach out and pull out the crossbow from the horse's side pocket, filled it with flying arrows, and aimed at the window three times in a row.
"Take a bow!" Duan Ming yelled, and all the people who followed all drew their bows and set their arrows.
It's a pity that the shooting range was far from enough, a dozen or so rounds could hit the board of the ship, and the remaining dozens of rounds rubbed against the ship's wall and fell into the water.
Yan Chang sat by the bed, pulled out the jade hairpin from the sleepy boy's hair on the bed, and played with it for a while. There was a gust of wind outside the window, and a small arrow accidentally fell in through the window and rolled down the floor with a bang. Yan Chang was indifferent to the sound of the arrow, and only looked at the jade hairpin over and over, and saw that there seemed to be a few small characters engraved on the back.
The sound of the arrow didn't shake him, but it was the inscription that made him suddenly angry, and he suddenly raised his hand—Dang! With a sound, the jade hairpin hit the corner of the table and broke into two pieces.
Zhou Feng rushed in after hearing the sound: "Master, are you alright?"
I picked up the insignificant short arrow that fell into the window, and picked up the jade hairpin that Yan Chang smashed into pieces. When I put the two halves of the broken jade together, I saw that the head of the hairpin was carved in the shape of a wild goose and bird. , this half is a "long" character, and the other half is engraved with "Acacia".
On the bank, Min Xuefei heard the news and hurried over with his men and horses. Seeing that Ji Hong was going to chase him further, he rode his horse to intercept him and said, "Shuluan, I can't stop it! The boat has already left the Dongchong River area. It was Qingzhou Mansion..." He frowned, and had to say, "You know, Qingzhou Mansion...is not ours, we can't handle it." Ji Hong clamped his horse's belly before walking forward, Min Xuefei Immediately shouted in desperation, "This place is close to the imperial city, if you go to war for a servant, wouldn't you be giving that Twelfth Lord a handle? What do you want the emperor to think!"
With a whoosh, Min Xuefei's eyes tightened slightly, and a small arrow shot a foot away from his face.
"Min Ji." Ji Hong put down the crossbow, his eyes were as deadly cold as the one Min Xuefei had seen when he was young, as if that young man was the mechanism that suppressed the frost in his heart, "Take back the words just now." go."
He pulled the reins, turned his head and glanced at the direction the boat was heading away, and then ordered without doubt: "Return to Beijing immediately."
Duan Ming, Shi Xing and others followed and left, Shi Qinghua came to Min Xuefei as if shocked, checked him up and down, and then breathed a sigh of relief, muttering in a low voice: "What's the matter with Mr. Ji, why did you do it for an outsider? Point the arrow at the young master..."
Min Xuefei laughed angrily: "To him now, I am an outsider. He thinks that I call that boy a "waiter", but who knows that I am just speaking quickly. After so many years, I still have a little temper." It’s not changed, it’s too cold to touch... Alas, that’s fine, let’s go.”
On the boat, Zhou Feng threw the broken hairpin out of the window, turned around and asked, "Master, where shall we go next?"
Yan Chang put down his pen: "Go back to Beijing."