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墨書 Inktalez
This time, no one showed any signs of urgency; it felt like a vacation. The four of us ordered two dishes of Yellow River Carp at the famous Azure Wind Pavilion in Luoyang, accompanied by Fish Bone Soup with baked noodles, Clear Soup Pipa Shrimp, Jade Duck Tongue, and several mountain delicacies. All the dishes were ordered by Luo Dachun, and each one was delicious. I loved eating, but I needed to maintain my composure and dared not take too much, nibbling lightly while feeling anxious inside.
Suddenly, Nie Qiuyuan, who had been silent, spoke up: "Liuying, you are dressed as a man but eating like a woman; it draws attention. I suggest you try to learn how to eat heartily like a man over the next few days to avoid unnecessary trouble."
I thought about it and agreed. Feeling secretly pleased, I hesitantly replied, "I'll give it a try," and then gradually let go of my restraint, happily digging into my meal.
"Haha, Liuying, you're really something; you learn quickly!" Luo Dachun praised me and casually added a piece of fish to my bowl. "Eat more; you've lost weight!"
For a moment, I felt a bit dazed. These days had been so tense and busy that I often felt exhausted. But at that moment, surrounded by friends at the table, laughing and eating together with the sounds of clinking bowls and chopsticks, someone serving me food while others encouraged me to eat more—it suddenly reminded me of home: my parents and my cat who never listened but always curled up on my lap.
Ah, as long as one is alive, no matter which world they struggle in or whether the path they tread is filled with hardships or uncertainty about the future, there will always be some warm moments to cherish.
I filled my mouth with delicious fish and savored the satisfaction of the present.
In the afternoon at White Horse Temple, the sun shone brightly while the air was cold and eerily quiet. We walked slowly through the temple grounds in silence, each person likely observing in their own way. The event was supposed to happen in the main hall, but as we reached a corner of the side hall, something else caught my eye.
It was a Red Plum tree blooming peacefully beside a stone table and bench. The temple wasn't a garden; it lacked elaborate rock formations or pavilions. This stone table was likely used by worshippers for resting after offering incense—quite crude in appearance. Yet that tree full of plum blossoms was so beautiful that it made one want to linger for a moment.
Just then, I heard voices approaching—it was Lord Su Liche and his pale-faced entourage coming over.
Luo Dachun and Nie Qiuyuan went to greet them while Lin Jiu waited nearby. Seeing them engage in formalities, I walked alone toward the plum tree to admire its flowers.
After all, this ancient Red Plum seemed more majestic than modern ones.
The fragrance could be detected from afar—fresh and delicate, refreshing to the senses. In many ways, plum blossoms are among the most fragrant of flowers; although their scent isn't overpowering, it travels farthest. In winter when everything else withers away and few insects are around to help pollinate them, they must strive to spread their fragrance widely to attract those rare pollinators for reproduction.
They symbolize resilience against harsh conditions—a flower that survives tenaciously. No wonder I felt an affinity for them.
I sat on a stone bench and watched several handsome men in green robes conversing together; each one was quite pleasing to the eye. Behind them stood the grand entrance of the main hall; though distant, I could still see what transpired inside clearly. Thus, last night's speculations played out like a movie before my eyes.
I imagined how people were controlled, losing consciousness and collapsing to the ground. Some monks with deep internal strength remained unaffected at that moment when a group of mysterious individuals rushed out to fight against them.
Reflecting on this deduction seemed quite reasonable. Even I—who usually lacked artistic sensibility—was inspired by this scene and suddenly envisioned myself as the mastermind behind it all: sitting right here inhaling the scent of plum blossoms while admiring this scene I orchestrated from afar.
Petals from the plum blossoms fluttered down as my gaze followed their descent. They blanketed the ground in layers—some already dried out while others had just fallen and were still fresh. When my eyes landed on a cluster of dried petals wedged between stones beneath the table, I felt as if struck by lightning; shock coursed through me. I sprang up in disbelief at what I saw.
I crouched down for a moment, quickly brushing aside the freshly fallen petals around me, gently digging out a handful from between the cracks in the stone. Perhaps they had landed in the gap under the table, which is why, despite having fallen for some time, these petals had not been blown away by the wind. I was surprised at my keen eyesight, as I immediately recognized that this handful of petals was different from those that had naturally fallen.
The roots of these petals were unnaturally severed; although they had dried and curled, it was still evident that the cut edges were smooth and even. They had not fallen off naturally from the flower calyx; they had been sliced off one by one with a sharp blade.
A shiver ran through my heart. Could it be that this person was indeed as I imagined, sitting beneath the Red Plum tree, admiring everything happening in the grand hall while using a delicate scalpel to cut the plum blossoms?
I could almost see him with a cold smile at the corner of his mouth, gazing into the distance.
The only person I could think of who would do such a thing was Ren Pingsheng!
I broke into a cold sweat. If this terrifying person was behind this plot, then perhaps he was connected to that dreadful organization.
The organization that wanted my beloved's life!
I quickly raised my head to look into the distance; Nie Qiuyuan had his back to me. His jet black hair was tied up and hidden beneath a hood, his figure tall and upright, looking refreshingly composed. A wave of panic surged in my heart. I had to tell him about this discovery; I needed to warn him and make him understand that this was not an ordinary case—it could very well threaten his safety.
My fingers trembled slightly as I finally managed to tuck the strange petals into a sachet. Now, I longed to see Ye even more desperately, eager to inform him about this matter so he could find a way to alert Nie Qiuyuan.
This was serious. In my heart, I made a decision: if I couldn't meet Ye tonight, then tomorrow, even if it meant risking exposure, I would find a way to directly tell Nie Qiuyuan and make him aware. Perhaps Ren Pingsheng was not far from us.
Just then, when I looked up again, I noticed a red figure standing in the corridor beside the side hall. The red figure silently stared at me and suddenly raised an arm, waving at me.
I was taken aback; the red figure waved more urgently. I glanced back at Nie Qiuyuan and Luo Dachun; they were engrossed in conversation with Su Liche. After hesitating for a moment, I stood up and walked towards the red figure.
I could see clearly that it was Ruo Chanjuan. Although I disliked her and found her suspicious, I still wanted to understand what she intended to do.
As I approached, I noticed that the usually composed female officer wore an expression of panic. She spoke quickly and quietly, "Come with me right now; Lord Nie and Lord Luo are in danger! If we don't hurry, it will be too late!"
I frowned and replied, "Why don't you just tell them directly?"
"That's not possible!" Ruo Chanjuan insisted urgently. "They are already targets where they are! The only one who can help now is you!"
Seeing my hesitation, she bit her lip and set aside all pretense, speaking firmly: "The day I saw Lord Luo, I fell for him at first sight. Miss Ye, I understand your feelings; therefore, you must understand my desire to save his life!"
So she had seen through everything; she had known all along that I was a woman.
***Tang Chang'an Evening News "Casual Interview"***
Reporter Fungus: Hey, isn't that Author? Since we've run into each other, how about a quick interview? Hello, Author, why do you look so serious? It's not like you!
Author: Oh, it's you! Hello. Well, today is the deadline for subscribing to next year's publications. The subscription fees will be deducted directly from our salaries at the office, so it feels like I'm not spending any money—like it's free. That's why I have to subscribe all at once.
Reporter Fungus: (What the heck~!) Author, do you always live like this, deceiving yourself?
Author: Don't mess around. I've been thinking about this for a long time, and it's given me a headache. I'm still feeling dizzy. I see my colleagues subscribing to various professional journals, and I immediately feel inadequate. But I really can't get through those professional ones, and I don't have the time to read them (I wonder if they actually read what they subscribe to). If I subscribe to a magazine like "Story Club" among my high-achieving colleagues again this year, it just feels too lowbrow. So I'm quite hesitant. I think I should subscribe to "Poetry Journal," which you can't even buy at newsstands, then maybe "Harvest," and also something obscure like "Russian Central Asian Cultural Studies"!
Reporter Fungus: (Sweat~! Are you subscribing to magazines or just trying to show off?) Haven't you thought about subscribing to "Tang Chang'an Evening News"?
Author: Oh dear, look at me, my brain short-circuited; I forgot to subscribe to that.
Reporter Fungus: So what did you end up subscribing to?
Author: "World Fashion Magazine" and "Beita Kitchen."
Reporter Fungus: (Oh my……%￥ Every time I interview Author, I regret it. What kind of logic is this~! Professional ethics…… keep smiling~!) Dear readers, the subscription drive for next year's publications has begun. Don't forget to subscribe to "Tang Chang'an Evening News"!
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