At dawn on the second day, Bo Ruoyou rode out in a carriage and went out to the south of the city to join Wu Xiang and his party, then left the city to go to Guzhang Village. After she had walked for less than an hour, Lin Huai and his wife boarded Cheng's house. Door.
Cheng Yunzhi welcomed the two of them into the main hall, Lin Huai looked at the house and said: "This place is clean and small, but there are only two of you, father and daughter, and there are not many servants, so it is enough."
Cheng Yunzhi smiled, "It's not what it used to be, this is already great."
After sitting down and having tea, Lin Huai's expression turned serious, "I saw your letter, and I also told Shuning about it, but why did you suddenly change your mind?"
Cheng Yunzhi's smile faded, and his face showed a sigh of relief, "Yesterday you and I talked like that, Youyou guessed, although I didn't mention the engagement earlier, I told her that I have arrangements for her marriage, so She guessed."
"Now that she knows that Lin Zhao of your family is engaged to the eldest daughter of the Bo family, she doesn't feel anything. She said that we have been away from Beijing for a long time these years. Even if there is no eldest daughter of the Bo family, there will be other girls. Been engaged for many years, in Lin Zhao's heart, the eldest daughter of the Bo family is his good match, so she doesn't want to get back the marriage, so let's make mistakes."
Lin Huai knew that Cheng Yunzhi had been angry for many years, and he had planned to discuss with Chu Shuning how to break off the engagement with Mrs. Bo's family, but he didn't want Cheng Yunzhi to suddenly change his temper, so he guessed that something was wrong.
However, he didn't expect that this was Bo Ruoyou's intention.
The husband and wife looked at each other, and Lin Huai said, "Youyou really thinks that way?"
Cheng Yunzhi nodded, "She also said that they have been engaged for many years, and they have developed a friendship to some extent. Even if they really get their marriage back this time, Lin Zhao is probably not happy in his heart, and her situation is quite embarrassing. Since this is the case, it is better to let them go." .”
After a pause, Cheng Yunzhi said again: "The thing that annoys me, I explained it to Lin Huai yesterday, and I think you understand that Mrs. Bo's heart is cruel to Youyou, and she is also selfish when she is engaged to you. After all these years, you all know a little bit about it, but the marriage was changed by you, and you will be in-laws with Mrs. Bo in the future. Whether it is good or bad is up to you, Youyou and I will never mention the matter of the engagement in the future."
Lin Huai smiled wryly, "I was sincere in answering you yesterday, but have you all made up your mind? If this is the case, then this marriage will not be retired. Not to mention the friendship between the two predecessors, but there is no such thing now. There is no reason to return."
Cheng Yunzhi waved his hand, "You can pretend that this never happened."
Chu Shuning said helplessly: "Yunzhi, why is Youyou so decisive? Could it be that she... doesn't like Lin Zhao?"
The Lin family is a good family in everyone's eyes, but Chu Shuning didn't expect that it was Bo Ruoyou who said she didn't want this marriage. She is also a woman, so she naturally saw the key point at a glance.
Cheng Yunzhi didn't hide it when he heard the words, "It's true." He said with a soft snort, "You Lin Zhao is indeed a young talent, but we Youyou also have an idea. First of all, she and Lin Zhao only met a few times. The above is just ordinary, and secondly, this marriage has been changed to someone else, and it has been changed for so many years, she doesn't bother to talk about someone who doesn't have much friendship, she won't force it if it's not her."
Chu Shuning and Lin Huai couldn't laugh or cry when they heard this. Lin Zhao had always been known as a talented man, but now he was looked down upon by others.
Seeing the expressions of the two of them, Cheng Yunzhi said firmly: "I came to the door yesterday to keep my faith back then, and I will keep my word today. Don't worry, I won't talk about engagement with Youyou, so I won't talk about it." will be capricious."
Lin Huai and Chu Shuning didn't show it on the surface, but they were slightly relieved in their hearts. If they really want to divorce the Bo family, they will have to make a mess. Now that Cheng Yunzhi has changed his mind, they are just a false alarm. Everything is still the same as before.
"Of course I believe you. If that's the case, then the matter is settled." Lin Huai looked at the courtyard again after speaking, "I don't see Youyou, but went to the Yamen?"
Cheng Yunzhi nodded, "Yes, there is a case in the yamen."
Chu Shuning sighed a little, "Youyou is a little girl with a beautiful face, why did you let her do a job? It's really distressing to be with the dead all day long, and to work so hard."
Chu Shuning's words came from the heart, without contempt, and Cheng Yunzhi also sighed: "This is what she has to do by herself. She was seriously ill back then, and she didn't have any hobbies after she recovered. Fangze taught her basic medical skills , I didn’t want to continue to practice medicine because of what happened back then, and by a coincidence, I helped the county government to find out the cause of death of a person who died accidentally, and then I did my job. I am afraid, but I feel that helping the dead to get justice is extremely meritorious."
Chu Shuning frowned, "Is it because of what happened back then—"
Cheng Yunzhi nodded, "There is some reason for this, so don't look at her as a child, she knows it in her heart, but seeing that she finally has a liking, how can I have the heart to stop it? I thought maybe I would not like it after ten and a half months. After all, how can a little girl like to do these things, but she persisted afterwards, and she was quite attentive. After Fangze passed away three years ago, I was not in good health, so she helped the county government to do autopsies. Later, there were many autopsies. He's better than me now."
Chu Shuning sighed, "What about from then on, do you want to keep working?"
Cheng Yunzhi frowned slightly, "Actually... I don't want her to continue doing it, especially last time she was attacked by a murderer and was seriously injured, almost dying. I regretted teaching her how to do it at that time."
Cheng Yunzhi's face showed deep pain, and he breathed a sigh of relief before he said: "It was also at that time, I thought I couldn't delay any longer, so I ordered someone to inquire about you. When the incident happened, the palace first investigated the Cheng family, and some old enemies in the early years had always been there. After staring at the Cheng family, I had to leave Beijing, and it has been more than ten years, if it wasn't for Youyou, I wouldn't bother you."
Lin Huai sighed, "Why do you bother to think like this? There is no right or wrong when the concubine and prince were involved in the incident back then. If people cannot be saved, someone must be responsible for it. Medication is just a name, you and I both understand. Back then, the Lin family couldn't help your father, but they tried their best to speak for the rest of the Cheng family, so now, am I still taboo about anything?"
Cheng Yunzhi responded with a smile, and Chu Shuning asked, "Then Youyou will continue to work for a while? Have you ever thought about Youyou's marriage?"
Cheng Yunzhi's smile faded, "This matter... has to be discussed in the long term."
Cheng Yunzhi was a little worried, but he didn't elaborate, and left him and his wife for lunch. After lunch, Lin Huai and Lin Huai left the house. As soon as they left Cheng's house, Lin Huai caught sight of a person in the distance. He stared at them from the corner of the street, but after he looked over, the man turned around the corner very quickly and disappeared.
Lin Huai frowned, although he just glanced at him, he felt that the man was very sneaky.
Chu Shuning followed him to look over, "What's wrong?"
Lin Huai stared at the street corner for a while, but he didn't see the person coming back. For a moment, he just thought he was suspicious, so he shook his head and got into the carriage. As soon as he got into the carriage, Chu Shuning said: "Youyou is a thoughtful and sensible person, and she is also a Good boy, it's just that we Zhao'er have no fate, and they changed their minds this time, so there will be less trouble." He said with a wry smile, "I didn't expect our Zhao'er to be looked down upon."
Lin Huai somehow thought of Huo Weilou at this moment, and he also laughed, "They have known each other for a short time, and it's normal to have no other thoughts. In the future, they will get along better as brothers and sisters, and the eldest daughter of the Bo family has nothing to choose. This matter is as it is. Don't let Zhao'er know that it bothers him."
Chu Shuning responded with a smile.
After Lin Huai's carriage left for a long time, the sneaky figure appeared at the corner of the street again. This time, he stood there and waited for a while. Seeing that there was no movement from the door of Cheng's house, he turned around and left Changxingfang, passing by. Yujie, went straight to Changlefang, turned around several alleys and got to the side door of the ancestral house of Bo Mansion, called the door, and soon someone let him in.
…
The sun rose into the sky, but Bo Ruoyou and his party hadn't found Guzhang Village yet. Bo Ruoyou couldn't help but lift the curtain of the car and asked Wu Xiang, "Wu Butou, didn't you say that Guzhang Village is in the lower reaches of the Luo River?"
They had already walked twenty miles along the Luohe River, and searched for a section away from the river bank, but they asked seven or eight people along the way, but no one knew where Guzhang Village was.
Wu Xiang also frowned, "It is said that the chief worker of Guzhang Village is not from Guzhang Village, but he just knows where it is, and there are many rumors about Guzhang Village, the altar he mentioned is one of them, and it is still from the listener's family. The older generation mentioned it, and said that Guzhang Village believed in the gods of rivers and waters, and this altar is to worship the gods of rivers and waters."
Bo Ruoyou frowned slightly, "Abandoning the baby by the river, and the strange rock looks like an altar, is indeed in line with the belief in the water god, but he also heard the rumors, Guzhang Village may not be in this direction."
Wu Xiang hurriedly said: "If you can't find it before sunset, let's go back to Beijing."
So Bo Ruoyou didn't notice anything because she had to go on a night trip. Today Cheng Yunzhi prepared snacks and tea for her. She rode in a carriage, at least it was less laborious than Wu Xiang and Yachai.
Wu Xiang said again: "I have taken people to investigate the wrapping cloth. There is only one company selling the same silk and satin in the entire capital, but he said that the embroidery pattern on it is not the type they sell, so it is not at their place. I bought it, and since I couldn’t find any clues on it, I had to come to this village.”
Bo Ruoyou understood, and walked another five or six miles like this, but the land next to the Luohe River was only fertile land, and further on, there were undulating mountain ridges, and a few farmhouses could be seen by chance, but if you go over and ask, But everyone said that this place was not Guzhang Village.
Seeing that the time was getting later and later, Wu Xiang ordered the officials to disperse and search for the mountain village west of the Luohe River. After searching like this for half an hour, the two officials who went west came back.
"Captain, I got the question! It is said that there are no other villages nearby, but to the west, after passing the mountain ridge in front, there is a small village, but it is very small, and it is not called Guzhang Village."
Wu Xiang looked around, and only saw the shadow of a mountain ridge in the distance. The long-time worker said it was twenty miles away, but they had already walked twice as far, and even he was a little tired. Thinking about it this way, he felt that today The suffering cannot be wasted, he gritted his teeth and said, "Go to that village and ask, if they still don't know about Guzhang Village, we will go back."
The group of people went west of the Luohe River, and after walking less than ten miles, a low hill appeared in front of them. As the Yacha said, after passing this place, there was the small village.
The mountain road was a little rough, and Bo Ruoyou's carriage was moving more slowly. She raised the curtain here and looked out, only to feel that this place is far away from the capital, and it deviates from the official road and the scenery along the Luohe River. The territory seems to have come under the jurisdiction of Gyeonggi-administered counties. Now it is the season of spring, the forests in the mountains are verdant, and the wild flowers are blooming. Although the journey is boring, you can see the spring scenery in the mountains, forests and fields, and it is quite interesting to travel in spring.
When the carriage got on the mountain ridge, the field of vision was wider. When looking to the west, you could vaguely see a few houses, and then go down the mountain ridge, you can see clearly that this is a valley, and there are more than ten people in the valley. The peasant family feels a bit like a hermit from the outside world.
The dirt road in the village goes down the hillside, and it is so narrow that a carriage can only pass through it. After walking for a long time, I met two middle-aged men in common clothes carrying hoes. Brother, may I ask if this is Guzhang Village?"
The two frowned, and one of them said with deep eyes, "This is Heishui Village."
Wu Xiang heard this, and asked, "Then, have you ever heard where Guzhang Village is?"
The two shook their heads, "I don't know."
The two of them were obviously going to do farm work, so Wu Xiang didn't ask any more questions, and just went to the nearby farmhouse, "Look at which one has an elderly person, find an elderly person and ask."
While walking, Bo Ruoyou opened the curtain and looked outside. This valley is surrounded by mountain ridges on three sides, and there is only a gap in the northwest. As she was watching, she realized that the bright sky had suddenly dimmed. She hurriedly looked towards the western sky, and saw that the sun that had not yet set into the sky was covered by dark clouds. Although it was not yet dusk, it was already dark black feeling.
Wu Xiang also saw it, and couldn't help but speed up, and soon arrived in front of a farmhouse.
The farmhouses here are all erected with simple fences and courtyard gates, Wu Xiang stepped forward and called the door, a moment later a gray-haired old woman appeared inside the door, she looked out warily, seeing that there were many visitors , and even opened the door a bit smaller, and said in a low voice, "What's the matter?"
The Yacha came forward and asked: "Grandma, we are from the Yamen of Jingzhaoyin Mansion. Have you heard that there is a Guzhang Village nearby?"
The mother-in-law frowned, and closed the door with a "snap", "I've never heard of it, this is Heishui Village."
Yacha turned to look at Wu Xiang, Wu Xiang was helpless, "Go to the next household to see."
Everyone walked along the mountain road, and they arrived at the bottom of the valley in a short time. Most of the houses here were concentrated at the bottom of the valley. In order to make it easier to ask people, Yacha chose a courtyard that looked the most spacious to knock on the door.
The dwelling here is no longer a fence wall, but a solid wall with gray tiles and mud. Among the many simple dwellings, it looks quite grand. After the yamen called the door, a seven or eight-year-old boy appeared inside the door.
The boy was also wearing common clothes, with a double bun on his head and a collar with a safety talisman on his neck. His eyes were black and white, and he was still looking out of the door with a fearful look. The yamen asked, "Little baby , is there an adult in your family?"
The boy blinked, but before he could speak, an old man's voice came from behind him.
"Yu'er, who are you talking to?"
The boy opened the door wider, "Mother-in-law, many people—"
After finishing speaking, an old woman in a gray robe came into everyone's eyes. She was walking with a limp, and there were several scars of different shapes on her face. Her hair was also quite thin. The gray robe drooped on her body, and she looked a little deformed for no reason, but her eyes were quite clear, and she quickly stood behind the boy, looking at Wu Xiang and the others suspiciously.
"Who are you?"
Yachai asked: "Grandmother, have you heard that there is a Guzhang Village somewhere around here?"
Hearing this, the old lady did not shake her head and veto it like those people asked before, she was a little surprised at first, and then asked slowly: "What do you ask Guzhang Village for?"
This remark made Wu Xiang's eyes brighten. He got off his horse and said kindly, "Mother-in-law, do you know? We are from the yamen of the capital. We want to ask some old people from Guzhang Village. Do you know the people from Guzhang Village?" thing?"
The old woman's face turned cold, "You don't need to look for it anymore, everyone in Guzhang Village is dead."
Wu Xiang frowned, "Dead? Why did you die?"
"Plague, about ten years ago, the whole village died of a plague." The old woman's thin and scarred face showed a bit of disgust, and pointed to the gap in the southwest, "From here Walk forward for fifty miles, and you will see several abandoned houses in a ravine, which is Guzhang Village."
Fifty miles! Wu Xiang's eyes darkened, "Then, is there no living person in that village?"
If there are no living people, how can there be dead babies? Or did people from other villages know the altar method of Guzhang Village, and then imitated it
Wu Xiang had a lot of doubts in her heart, and this was the old woman who said: "Basically all are gone, and some have left their homes and gone to other places. There was a plague in their village, and people are afraid to deal with them. I haven't heard of it for many years, old woman." It’s been called Guzhang Village.”
Wu Xiang's heart sank when she heard this, and she asked again: "Does the mother-in-law know that Guzhang Village used to have a powerful method of worshiping gods?"
The old lady became even more suspicious when she heard this, "You are from the yamen, why do you ask this?"
Wu Xiang half-truthfully said: "The people in the yamen also believe this, pray to God so that they can get promoted and get rich, we are here to run errands for the nobles, if mother-in-law knows, she will be very grateful if she doesn't tell us. "
The old lady looked at them, then looked at the carriage behind, and then saw the face of the woman in the carriage, she pointed at Bao Ruoyou, "Is that your nobleman?"
Wu Xiang smiled, "That's right."
The old woman began to hesitate, but at this moment, it rained suddenly from the sky. Although the raindrops were not dense, they were all the size of beans. Wu Xiang and the others were drenched outside, and soon large and small wet marks appeared on their bodies.
The old lady couldn't bear to see it, "It's raining, you guys come in first to shelter from the rain, and the nobles come in too."
It was getting late, and it was raining again. Fortunately, I finally asked someone who knew the matter. Wu Xiang patted the rain on her hair, and was the first to go in. There were seven yamen servants on this trip, including Wu Xiang. Xiang and Bo Ruoyou's master and servant, there were as many as ten people in total. They walked into the courtyard together, and the courtyard, which was originally not spacious, seemed a bit crowded in an instant. After entering the main room, there were no stools for everyone to sit on. not enough.
The rain outside the door was getting heavier, and the ground in the courtyard was filled with compacted soil, which looked a little muddy at the moment. Seeing the rain, Wu Xiang was a little worried, so she asked, "What do you call my mother-in-law? Is she from Heishui Village?" Only the mother-in-law and grandson?"
The old woman and the boy stood by the door leading to the inner room, "The old woman's surname is Zhang. She was born and raised here. She has a son who works outside. The daughter-in-law died of illness two years ago, and the old woman lives with her grandson on weekdays."
The decoration inside the house is quite simple, and the house looks old. Wu Xiang looked around and asked, "Mother-in-law, do you know the method of worshiping gods in Guzhang Village?"
Granny Zhang nodded, "I've heard a little bit that people believe in the god of water or the god of rain, and then they have to hand in offerings every year. If the offerings are not enough, they will be punished. Some people say that the plague back then was to punish them."
Wu Xiang was puzzled and said: "This place is neither near nor far from the capital, the plague... I never remember that there was a plague more than ten years ago."
Granny Zhang smiled, and the corners of her raised lips pulled her haggard face, and even a few scars moved along with it, "Although it is not far or near, but here is near Qinshui County, and it is in the mountains. Mostly it is a place of no concern, and the village is very weird, not to mention intermarriage with foreigners, and it does not like to associate with people from other villages, and because of this, when they get sick, they only die in their own village, other villages people survived.”
After she finished speaking, she smiled again, looking as if she felt that she had escaped a catastrophe, but the smile didn't seem to reach her eyes, instead, her face twitched, making her scalp numb.
Bo Ruoyou has been standing by the window since she entered the door. Although the house is old, the gray tiles on the mud wall outside are all brand new, as if it has just been renovated. She asked: "How long will the mother-in-law's son come back once?"
Granny Zhang said without blinking, "I haven't been back for half a year."
Bo Ruoyou pursed her lips slightly, and asked again: "Why is this place called Heishui Village?"
Granny Zhang pointed to the northwest, "There is a black water pool at the foot of the mountain, so it is called Black Water Village."
The rain was getting heavier and the sky was getting darker. Bo Ruoyou felt a little uneasy for no reason. Fortunately, there were so many servants in the house that she was not too anxious. At this moment, Wu Xiang said: "When we came, we were in the middle of the mountain. I also asked an old woman, but that woman has never heard of Guzhang Village."
"Oh, you said Mrs. Wu, she is old and has a bad memory, she must have heard of it." Granny Zhang replied without thinking, and she glanced at the rain outside, "It's raining too much, don't you hurry up It will be too late to go out of the mountain, the road in the mountain is slippery, and after a while, I am afraid the road will be muddy and unable to walk."
Seeing that the rain was not like a shower, Wu Xiang didn't want to spend the night in the mountains, but when she was about to get up, she heard Bo Ruoyou say, "I'm really thirsty after walking for a day, can I have a bowl of water here, mother-in-law?"
Granny Zhang didn't take it seriously, "Yes, just wait a moment."
After she finished speaking, she wanted to leave by herself, but she was worried about leaving her grandson behind, so she grabbed her grandson and walked with her. The kitchen had to leave the main room to go, and the mother-in-law and grandson quickly disappeared at the door, and no one else She thought that, but Bo Ruoyou quickly walked towards the door of the inner room where the two of them were standing just now.
The inside of the house is simple, and there is no wooden door, only the curtains are hanging down, and Bo Ruoyou lifts the curtain to enter, which immediately makes Wu Xiang and others look surprised, and soon, Bo Ruoyou walks out of the house, the expression is not as good as before. As calm as she was, she met Wu Xiang's gaze, but before she could speak, Granny Zhang came back with a bowl of water.
Seeing that she wasn't standing there just now, Granny Zhang frowned, and Wu Xiang stood up after thinking for a while, "Grandma Zhang, the mountain road is not easy to walk, we may have to stay here for one night, Granny Would you like to keep us overnight?"
Granny Zhang's hand holding the bowl trembled slightly. She looked around at them and nodded, "It's fine, but it's for money."