Qi Surong dragged Yun Youzi onto the road, and the two hired an ox cart and drove bumpily towards the capital.
Along the way, Qi Surong couldn't help but look around, trying to find clues to Jin Yun's disappearance. Although he knew it was in vain, it was better than burying his head in random thoughts.
Yun Youzi leaned on the haystack and closed his eyes to rest, but secretly pinched his fingers in his sleeves a few times. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Qi Surong beside him, and then closed his eyes again. After a moment, he snored slightly. I fell asleep in the cold wind and bumps.
Qi Surong truly envied his master's way of life, and no one in the world was as big-hearted as him. Looking at the sleeping master, Qi Surong slowly calmed down and squatted beside him wrapped in his coat, looking at the way home without saying a word.
The oxcart was very slow. It only took her five or six days to get there, but seven or eight days to get back. Yun Youzi did not follow her into the city, but went to Yunwu Mountain where she had lived in her previous life.
"Master, please don't leave. I have high-quality tea that is unique to Yunwu Mountain. If you miss it, you will regret it."
"Go, go, go, I haven't had any tea before?"
Qi Surong smiled. Yunyouzi stayed in Yunwu Mountain for several years, not only to save her, but also because Yunwu Mountain had the unique Qingwu Tea in the world. Qi Surong believed that as long as the master tasted the clear mist tea brewed in the ice spring, he would be willing to stay at least until the new tea is released next year.
She looked in the direction of the capital with hesitation on her face.
"What? Are you in trouble?" Yun Youzi asked casually while sitting on the stone steps.
Qi Surong squatted next to him and said, "I don't want some people to know that I'm back. My husband doesn't know whether he's alive or dead now. It's just thanks to them."
"Oh? What are your plans?"
Qi Surong thought for a moment, then suddenly his eyes lit up, and then he stared at Yun Youzi intently.
Yun Youzi's hair stood on end at the sight of her, and he knew with his toes that this girl was trying to trick him again.
Sure enough, she said the next moment: "Master, I know you must have a way!"
"What can I do?"
"I used to dress up as a man for convenience, but I was still young at that time and outsiders couldn't see the flaws. After a year or two, my facial features and body shape have opened up. No matter how disguised I am, I'm afraid I can't hide it from others." Qi Surong With a hopeful look on his face, he said, "But now that I have met the master, I believe this problem can be solved."
"You and I just met by chance, why do you seem to know me well?" Yun Youzi was full of doubts.
Qi Surong smiled and said: "The first time I saw the master, God gave me a revelation. He told me that the old man in front of me is a good person, auspicious, and knowledgeable. He is an unparalleled master. I must be filial to him."
"Stop flattering me, I won't do that." Yun Youzi raised his chin slightly and said, "Tell me, how do you want me to help you?"
Qi Surong snickered a few times at first, and then said seriously: "Master, is there any way you can disguise me as a man so that no one can see the flaw?"
Anyway, there are too many debts to worry about. She can spend her whole life repaying the kindness she owes her master.
Yun Youzi looked at Qi Surong carefully, stroking his beard and thinking, "It's not bad."
"Really?" Surprise flashed in Qi Surong's eyes.
"It's just... if you want to be flawless, you have to suffer a little."
"I'm not afraid."
Yun Youzi stared at her for a long time, then finally nodded and said, "Okay, I've fallen in love with this little lady like you, so I'll help you."
Qi Surong stood up and bowed deeply: "Thank you, master."
Five days later, a boy of fifteen or sixteen years old walked out of the wooden house where Yun Youzi temporarily lived. "He" has thick eyebrows, big eyes, sharp eyes, and slightly dark skin. Although his clothes are simple, he has a good temperament. After the disguise, Qi Surong's appearance was only three-thirds the same as before. She was less feminine and more heroic than a man. She is quite tall among women, and although her frame is slightly slender, she looks to be no more than fifteen or sixteen years old, which is normal.
"Zhuo Fan" has not been seen for more than a year, and her appearance has changed slightly, which is not surprising. More importantly, compared to her previous superficial disguise, this time she has completely changed, from skin color to voice, from The outline of her facial features reaches down to her Adam's apple, and unless someone takes off her clothes and discovers her corset, there will be absolutely no abnormality.
For this reason, she took medicinal baths for three days in a row, causing her skin all over her body to turn black. The master's facial appearance was also modified using a unique acupuncture technique. The Adam's apple on his neck protruded and his voice became deeper, but there was a dull pain every time he spoke.
"This disguise can last for a long time, but you just need to remember to take care of your voice every ten days, so that you won't be unable to change it again in the future." Yunyouzi reminded.
"Thank you, Master." Qi Surong hugged him and said nothing.
Bidding farewell to his master, Qi Surong descended from Yunwu Mountain. A few days ago, she had asked someone to bring news to Gu Yufeng, telling him that she would meet him soon and agreed on a meeting place.
When Qi Surong arrived at the agreed place, Gu Yufeng had been waiting here for two days.
When he first saw Qi Surong, he didn't recognize her at all. He just felt that she looked a bit similar to his sister-in-law, so he looked at her a few more times. It wasn't until Qi Surong revealed her identity that he showed a surprised expression and looked her up and down in disbelief.
"That's amazing!" Gu Yufeng walked around Qi Surong and exclaimed.
"Okay, now is not the time to sigh." Qi Surong sat on the chair and asked, "I asked you to pay attention to Feng Zhan's movements before, did you find anything?"
Gu Yufeng lowered his face and replied: "Feng Zhan just returned to the Feng family seven days ago, and he has been claiming to be ill. I suspect that the eldest brother's matter either has nothing to do with him, or he has already..."
"No!" Qi Surong immediately denied, "I believe Jinyun must still be alive!"
Gu Yufeng nodded and said: "I also believe that eldest brother is still alive. Sister-in-law, what are your plans next?"
"I will temporarily stay in the capital as Zhuo Fan and secretly investigate Jinyun's affairs. As long as I don't show up, the Gu family and the Qi family will not be implicated."
"We are all a family. How can we not be implicated?" Gu Yufeng looked at the thin but extremely strong woman in front of him, secretly admiring him.
"By the way, how are things going at home during our absence? Does father-in-law know about this?"
"How dare I tell my father?" Gu Yufeng said helplessly, "With my father's temper, if he knew that my eldest brother was missing, he would have to make it known to everyone. You also know that the family business is all managed by his eldest brother. If The people below know that something happened to Big Brother, so they might cause some trouble."
"Oh? What's the current situation of Gu's store?"
"This...?" Gu Yufeng touched his nose and said tangledly, "I'm really not interested in this. I felt dizzy when I saw those account books, so I didn't care much."
Qi Surong frowned and said, "Well, you can take your account books to Yingshu Pavilion from now on. I will go there on the fifteenth day of every month and I can help you check the accounts."
"That's great!" Gu Yufeng clapped his hands and smiled as if he was relieved.
"I will rent a private house in the city to live temporarily. You should not come to the house to see me at ordinary times. If you need anything, just leave me a message at Yingshu Pavilion."
"Is Xu Chen completely trustworthy?" Gu Yufeng asked, "Does he know your identity?"
Qi Surong nodded: "I knew it a long time ago."
Among the people she has known throughout her life, Yun Youzi and Xu Chen are the two most special ones. The former was kind to her, needless to say. Although the latter was not acquainted with him in his previous life, he has been famous for a long time. Xu Chen knows how to enjoy life best, but he regards money as dirt. He can bargain with vendors for a penny or two, or spend thousands of dollars for the victims. He has a free and generous temperament, and does not care about the eyes of the world. Since he took her into his sect, he will not abandon her.
Qi Surong could not express her gratitude to him in words, she could only treat him sincerely.
Gu Yufeng talked with Qi Surong for a while, then left more than one hundred taels of silver notes and left in a hurry.
Qi Surong first rented a private house according to the plan, and then contacted the people from the digital team and asked them to monitor the Feng family's movements and conduct a large-scale search for Jin Yun's whereabouts.
A few days later, she came to Yingshu Pavilion as Zhuo Fan, and Xu Chen was very relieved to see her return safely.
Qi Surong didn't hide anything from him and told him everything that happened recently. At the end, she said worriedly: "The poison on Jin Yun's body won't last long. Even if he wasn't killed, he might be in trouble now."
Xu Chen touched his chin and thought for a moment, then said, "Don't worry, I'll find someone to help you investigate this matter."
"Who are you looking for?"
"An agent." Xu Chen replied, "This person has been retired for many years and is good at tracking. Let him check around the place where the incident occurred. Maybe he can find Mr. Gu's whereabouts."
"In that case, I'll leave it to you, sir." Qi Surong gave a long salute.
"No need to be polite." Xu Chen waved his hand and said, "By the way, those three guys sent you letters during your absence." As he said that, he took out a few letters from the drawer and handed them to To Qi Surong.
"I didn't expect that you two have known each other for a long time, but your friendship is quite deep. They seem to be quite convinced by you."
Qi Surong counted dozens of seals. The letter briefly introduced their respective current situations, and then asked her vaguely about the situation in the DPRK and China. Nowadays, there is a turbulent undercurrent in the capital. The emperor and the Eighth Prince are on the same side, and they are fighting fiercely. The whole court is also in chaos.
Sun Junxuan and Huang Zheng have both been transferred to external positions, so they will not be greatly affected. However, Ji Yun is still in the cabinet. Although he acts in a low-key manner, he will inevitably be affected. Among these more than ten letters, there was only one letter from Ji Yun. The content was very short. In the middle, she asked whether she had anticipated the current situation because she did not participate in the scientific examination.
Qi Surong smiled bitterly to herself. It seemed that the three of them really regarded her as a fortune teller who could predict the future.
However, when it came to the scientific examination, she had to remind Su Bao that it was best to recuperate at home in the past two years and not take part in the scientific examination for the time being, so as not to harm Chi Yu. The two things she is most concerned about right now are the safety of her family and Jin Yun's whereabouts.
After leaving Yingshu Pavilion, Qi Surong returned to his residence and stayed up all night. On a winter night, it was bitingly cold. She wrapped herself in a quilt and silently prayed for Jinyun.
In the following time, Qi Surong helped Gu Yufeng take care of his business while searching for Jin Yun's whereabouts.
As time passed, the hope in her heart became increasingly dim. The poison in Jin Yun's body has long passed its expiration date...
"Woo..." The sound of firecrackers came from outside the house. The New Year was coming. Every household was decorated with lights and colorful decorations, but Qi Surong was the only one crying.
No, as long as she didn't see Jin Yun's body for a day, she firmly believed that he was still alive and she couldn't give up hope.
Qi Surong wiped away her tears, took a deep breath, straightened her expression, stood up, opened the window, and looked at the street outside the courtyard wall. Snow is falling in the sky, and people are coming and going on the streets, all of whom are busy buying new year's goods.
Suddenly, a familiar figure slowly walked by. Qi Surong opened his eyes wide and leaned out, but could only see the man's back.
She immediately ran out of the house, rushed to the street, and quickly chased in that direction, but she could no longer find the figure.
Is it Jinyun? Was that person Jin Yun just now? Qi Surong stood among the crowd, as if she was alone in the world. If Jin Yun is really back, Gu Yufeng will definitely come to inform her. If not, her chaotic search would be of no use.
Just as she was about to go back, she suddenly heard a "stop" sound, and then she was blocked by someone. When she looked up, she saw that it was Feng Zhan.
"Zhuo Fan?" He hesitantly called out "his" name, "Are you Zhuo Fan?"
When Qi Surong saw him, he couldn't hide his anger. She lowered her eyes and said coldly: "Young Master, you have recognized the wrong person."
"Really?" Feng Zhan looked at her appearance carefully, shook his head and said, "No, I didn't admit my mistake, you are Zhuo Fan." There is no second man in the world who looks so similar to Su Rong. Although his appearance is only Three points, but seven points for temperament.
"So what? Has Zhuo Fan offended Mr. Feng?"
"What's wrong with you? Why are you so alienated from me?" Feng Zhan asked with some confusion.
Qi Surong felt strange. She glanced at him and felt that the Feng Zhan in front of her seemed a little different. He lacked the chilling evil demeanor before.
"Master Feng, if you have nothing else to do, I will take my leave." Qi Surong clasped her fists casually, turned around and left. If she stayed any longer, she was afraid that she could not help but expose her identity and question him about Jin Yun's whereabouts.
Feng Zhan has been recuperating at home during this period and has not gone out, but it seems that he has secretly sent many people around to look for something. Qi Surong guessed that they were looking for her, or she and Jin Yun. If it was the latter, then there might be something fishy about Jin Yun's disappearance. She was not yet completely sure that it was him. After all, he was also seriously injured at the time, so he might not have the energy to set a trap to ambush Jin Yun again. But apart from him, Qi Surong really couldn't think of anyone else who wanted to put Jinyun to death.
No matter what, she must hide her identity and Feng Zhan must not let Feng Zhan know that Zhuo Fan is Qi Surong.
"Where do you live? I'll take you there." Feng Zhan followed.
"No need." Qi Surong quickened his pace.
"Zhuo Fan." Feng Zhan took her arm, "Aren't we friends? Why do you always reject me?"
Qi Surong stopped, looked at him and said, "Friend? Friends don't force others to do anything."
"I just want to see you off. How can I start talking about forcing someone to do something difficult?"
"I said there is no need to give it away because there are reasons why you don't have to give it away. Haven't you ever considered whether others are in trouble?"
Feng Zhan was silent, let go of his hand, and said in a low voice: "Sorry, it's me, Meng Lang. Let's see you another day."
Feng Zhan turned around and walked towards his carriage.
Qi Surong looked at him and found that his walking posture seemed a bit weird. Could it be that the injury he suffered that time hadn't healed yet? After watching for a long time, Qi Surong laughed at himself, why did he care about him
Shaking her head, she turned and left.
At this moment, Feng Zhan turned his head again, watching "him" walking away, his expression condensed, and he said to the guard beside him: "Follow me and find out where he lives."
The guard bowed and immediately took the order and left.
Feng Zhan got on the carriage and pondered to himself. For some reason, he couldn't help but want to get close to Zhuo Fan when he saw him. "He" was so similar to Su Rong that sometimes he couldn't even tell that the throbbing in his heart was because of Su Rong. Or because of "him".
He touched the injured thigh, and the wound still hurt slightly. His mind was filled with the expression of resentment and her fleeing back. Feng Zhan raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows, wondering what was wrong with him? Why would you do such a ridiculous thing? Now Su Rong and Gu Jinyun are both missing, and their lives and deaths are unknown. The guilt in his heart is unspeakable, and he doesn't know who to talk to.
Gu Jinyun once said that he would only live for a month, but it was later discovered that this was just a threat. Gu Jinyun had no intention of killing him, he just wanted to exchange the antidote with him. But he actually gave him a fatal poison. Now that he counts the time, he is probably dead...
Feng Zhan closed his eyes. Emotionally, he had lost. In terms of character, he had completely lost. What qualifications did he have to compete with him
No matter what, he had to find a way to find them and apologize to them personally.
Qi Surong returned to her residence and thought to herself that it was not suitable to stay here for a long time and she had to change her residence. However, as the end of the year approaches, it’s hard to find a house, so I’ll have to wait for a few more days.
On New Year's Eve, relatives are reunited in harmony and beauty.
Qi Surong sat alone on the steps, holding a bottle of warm wine and looking at the falling snow in the sky.
I remember that on New Year's Eve two years ago, Jin Yun quietly came to Qi's house in the middle of the night to enjoy the snow and watch the night with her. The two of them sat on the stone steps, eating sweet pastries, leaning against each other.
He said: "I will accompany you every year from now on."
"You promised me that you would accompany me every year..." Qi Surong put her forehead against the bottle, her vision blurred by tears. She has been relying on that slim hope to hold on, looking forward to Jinyun's safe return.
But Jinyun, where are you? Is it okay? If An An is fine, why is there no news at all? Don't leave me so cruelly...
At this moment, there was a sudden sound of footsteps in his ears. Qi Surong was startled and suddenly raised his head. In his hazy sight, a man walking in the snow appeared.
Qi Surong threw away the wine bottle, rushed over without hesitation, and hugged the person tightly, almost using all his strength.
She leaned into the man's arms, absorbing the warmth from his body, and her tears soaked his clothes.
Jinyun, if this is a dream, don't wake up. Stay with her and don't go anywhere.