The night wind blew through the noisy long street, and the old trees swayed slightly in the wind, sweeping their branches and leaves.
Amid the noise coming from outside, the figure who was concentrating on painting put down his brush, stretched his muscles, and looked at the painting in front of him. Lu Liangsheng lifted it up and unfolded it, blew away the ink that had not yet dried on it, and then made a finger gesture with his sleeve to touch the painting. With a whoosh, he lifted it up and threw it into the night sky.
"Start painting!"
The waving painting in the night sky emitted magical light. The houses outlined on the painting were lined up in the corresponding directions, and gradually, human voices were heard.
The scholar pointed out a finger, froze the painting in the night sky, and then disappeared. Then, he looked at the alley entrance and frowned slightly: "What is the master doing outside? Why hasn't he come back yet?"
"He must have seen something delicious on the street and couldn't walk anymore. You know that." The Taoist finished making a paper figurine and put it on the table among the pile of paper figurines. Then he looked over there, "Just like I saw a beauty... Hey, hey, where are you going now?"
Lu Liangsheng put on his paintbrush and walked to the long street. He smiled and waved to the Taoist behind him: "Walk around and see if there is anything else that needs repairing."
"It's up to you!"
The Taoist raised his hand and made a "tsk" sound, his eyes fell on the pile of paper figurines on the table. He felt his scalp tingling, so he picked up the brush, dipped it in cinnabar and wrote down the names he still remembered, forgetting about closing the entrance.
At this time, the two sisters who had accidentally stepped into this place were sitting in the room of the inn, pushing open the window, looking at the antique buildings, which were hung with red lanterns in the dark night, illuminating the figures of friends and relatives coming and going on the streets. For a moment, both of them were shocked.
I can't figure out how big this "ancient town" is, how much money it would cost to build, not to mention there are so many "extras"
"Wenwen, stay in the room for a while. I'll go downstairs and take a look around."
After all, Liu Qingyue was from the Z6 department, so her previous vigilance resurfaced in such an environment. Ignoring the little girl's puffy cheeks, she walked to the suitcase, took out something with a metallic luster from one side, quietly stuffed it into her sleeve, gave her a few more instructions, opened the door, went down the stairs with the creaking sound of wooden boards, glanced at the smiling shopkeeper at the counter over there, frowned, and walked to the street outside.
The people around her seemed to look at her like air, and they passed by each other chatting and laughing. The woman approached someone and asked him something. The passerby smiled, said something to her that was not related to the topic, and then walked away.
"There is a problem..."
"Click~~"
While he was thinking, there was a sudden sound of a shutter, which seemed particularly clear in the noise. Liu Qingyue turned around and saw a slightly plump young man taking pictures with his mobile phone, and then ran away. He came here because he followed the other person. Now that he saw him again, Liu Qingyue naturally wanted to pull him aside to ask him clearly. After chasing him for a while, he avoided several figures coming from the front in the crowd and there was no trace of the man.
'This person must be related to this place...'
The woman, with uncertain thoughts, memorized the roads around her and gradually walked towards other neighborhoods farther away. Strings of lanterns were hung above her head, interweaving above the long street. It was as if she was walking under a galaxy of lanterns.
The city has almost restored the original appearance of Chang'an at that time. The streets are quite lively and crowded. A woman in modern clothes walking in the middle is inconspicuous. There are tall and low buildings, and flags flying on the street, embroidered with the names of wine shops and tea houses. Literati whisper about New Year's words and recite poems. Occasionally, you can see government runners patrolling in teams with weapons on their shoulders, looking at the passers-by. Some people just take snacks from the vendors and put them in their mouths before walking away.
On several adjacent streets, a young man dressed like a scholar, wearing a white robe with a cloud pattern, walked across the long street with his sleeves folded behind his back. His eyes swept across the corners of the street, and when he found any details he had missed, he would pick up a pen and write and draw in the air to fill in the holes.
Walking along the bustling long street, the hustle and bustle gradually faded behind him. The long blue brick walls were covered with moss, and old pine trees stretched their branches out to the street. Lu Liangsheng slowly stopped walking. The tall gate of the mansion in front of him also had two red lanterns hanging on it, filled with the atmosphere of the New Year.
On the lacquered red gate, there was a plaque with the words "Min Mansion" written in gold. Lu Liangsheng, who was about to go over, stopped and looked at the two words, and suddenly fell silent.
Subconsciously, he lifted his foot and walked up the stone steps. He reached out and pressed the door. Amidst the creaking sound, he pushed the door open and walked inside. The old doorman tiptoed with a broom to sweep away the cobwebs in the corner of the eaves. He walked straight to the Feng Shui wall, where the housekeeper was clamoring and scolding the passing maids and servants, ordering them to clean the house and move the potted plants.
Hehehe…
A clear, bell-like chuckle came from the crescent-shaped door on one side. Lu Liangsheng looked over and saw a slim woman in a long skirt, holding a plum branch in her hand. She was sitting in the crescent-shaped door, accompanying an old man with gray hair and beard, and chatting with another old man opposite.
Lu Liangsheng knew both old men.
One is his mentor Uncle Hua Gong, the other is the Minister of State Min Changwen, and as for the woman who was blowing the flowery petals beside him, the scholar pursed his lips with an apologetic look in his eyes.
'Yue Rou...'
He whispered the girl's name, and Min Yuerou, who was sitting on a stone bench inside the crescent-shaped door, waved the plum blossom and smiled sweetly as if she saw him.
The night wind gently caressed the side yard. The old trees in the yard swayed gently. In the flickering lights, the shadows of the trees seemed like people's memories emerging before their eyes.
"My name is Min Yuerou, so of course I recognize you. When my father was the county magistrate, I secretly saw you several times."
"...Mr. Lu, are you really a cultivator?"
"Can a cultivator get married and start a family?!"
Lu Liangsheng looked at the smiling woman, and it was as if he was back in the dimly lit room and smelled the rich scent of herbs.
The woman on the couch had wrinkles all over her face, her gentle voice had become hoarse, and she lay there skinny.
"You are...his son, right?...Those people outside are here to deceive me."
"Mr. Lu... you are still so young... but I... am already old."
"Thank you... Thank you... for sending Lu Yuan to accompany me..."
“… I have never complained… nor have I ever regretted…”
Lu Liangsheng stood at the gate of the courtyard. His feet never walked down the stone steps. He remained motionless. All that echoed in his ears was the weak voice of the woman with gray hair.
"Excuse me...are you alive?"
A soft, tentative voice sounded from outside the courtyard gate. The scholar, who was immersed in thought, slowly opened his eyes, turned his head and looked outside. A woman in a windbreaker and long boots was standing there vigilantly. When she saw the figure turning around and the man's face, she was stunned for a moment.
As if he had seen me somewhere before, he quickly asked, "What are you doing here?"
Lu Liangsheng looked at the woman in modern clothes, and roughly understood that she had come here by mistake, and his face softened.
"Waiting for someone here... I just don't know if she will come."