A life of clearness

Chapter 6 Butterfly Wings
Persistence is the key to success. The next day, Rong Qing sorted out the bookcases as usual, and after breakfast, she prepared to go to the library again. Since she didn't have to accompany Master Guo to teach the little princess, she could get there earlier and start working earlier.

This time she planned to spend the whole day there, so before leaving, she made an agreement with Ruier to have lunch in the cafeteria of the academy and have dinner in the palace.

Rui Er said, "I understand." She added, "I forgot to tell you yesterday that the prince has issued a new decree to advance the curfew of the palace by half an hour."

"Oh?" Rong Qing looked at Rui'er and was not in a hurry to leave. "Does everyone have to follow this curfew?"

"Yes, even the masters follow this rule." Rui'er also had doubts in her eyes, but the prince's order was the most important in the palace. Even if there was doubt, she had to obey it obediently. "And I heard from the housekeeper that the whole Suicheng will follow this rule. If anyone dares to knowingly break it, they will have to go directly to the state government to be punished."

Suicheng has a rich nightlife. If the curfew is moved forward by one hour, many shops will have to close early. Rong Qing had only met King Ning a few times and was not familiar with him, so she couldn't figure out what this inexplicable order was about. She only knew that many merchants and people would be dissatisfied. However, in this society with clear class divisions, even if there is dissatisfaction, the lower class can only make efforts to change themselves to adapt.

"I've got it in mind. Anyway, I don't have many friends to hang out with at night, so it doesn't matter if the curfew is moved up." Rong Qing smiled and shook her head. "I'm going to the academy. See you in the evening."

"Goodbye, sir." Rui'er stared at Rong Qing's back and bowed sideways.

Although there were many carriages in the palace for gentlemen to use, Rong Qing was already accustomed to walking, so she did not specifically look for a carriage to ride in.

She walked on a slightly winding alley, seeking some peace and quiet. Although it was not as wide as a main road, a carriage could barely pass through it.

In broad daylight, even though she was a woman, few thieves would dare to do something illegal to her. First, she was no longer a young girl, and she was approaching middle age, with fine lines starting to grow at the corners of her eyes and mouth. Second, the public security in Suicheng was very good, and Rong Qing had never heard of any crimes committed in broad daylight in the past few years. Third... and most importantly, the people of Jingguo respected scholars very much, and her dress as a scholar in the academy also gave her a lot of convenience. The scoundrels would also judge the situation and take the initiative to provoke scholars, and they didn't want to get involved in such trouble.

She herself would not be stupid enough to go into the small alleys that only one person could pass through, so she walked alone in the alley and had the leisure to look at the surrounding scenery. At this time, most of the people in the alley were women and children, so the doors on both sides were tightly closed. Rong Qing's keen ears could still distinguish some leaking sounds of reading and pounding clothes.

Rong Qing walked happily on the stone road. The various branches and leaves sticking out from the walls on both sides formed a shade, providing pedestrians with an unintentional and gentle shade no matter whether it was a scorching summer day or rainy and snowy weather. There were also large patches of creepers growing on the walls. The dry brown branches and leaves were covered with a new layer of green this year, swaying gently in the wind.

Her favorite alley is very close to Huaihua Alley, named Tingyu Alley. A great calligrapher once lived here, so it is very famous. Now most of the people living in this alley are scholars. These people must like flowers and plants, and they have taken good care of the courtyard walls. They even built racks on the two walls opposite the door and planted vines. There are also many green plants in the corners, and even a tree of Albizzia julibrissin that has grown out of the wall. Orchids in broken pottery are hung on the thick trunks.

The flowers, so small that their shapes could not be seen, gave off a fragrant aroma, attracting many small white butterflies to flutter in the alley. Sometimes one or two bees hovered in Rong Qing's field of vision. I still remember that in the beginning of autumn last year, there were even palm-sized butterflies with dark blue-green patterns.

After coming out of the last alley and returning to the main road, I walked along the wall for a while and arrived at the side door of the academy.

The guards at the side door recognized her and let her in without checking her badge.

On the third floor, the old man was still the same, with his head down reading. His myopia was so severe that even presbyopia couldn't save him.

His back was arched into a twisted shape and his wrinkled face was almost pressed against the book.

"How are you, Mr. Woyu?" Rong Qing bowed.

"You come really early today." The old man took his eyes off the book and said slowly.

"I will follow the Master's teachings carefully and will not slack off in my studies for even a day." Rong Qing answered respectfully.

After spending some time in the academy, she even unconsciously adopted their habits in speaking and doing things. This was something she had never thought of before.

"Hmm..." The old man snorted, "Mr. Yu, don't forget the rules of the third floor easily. If you need to look up any ancient books, please let me know."

This is quite impolite indeed.

Rong Qing was a little confused after hearing this. What did I do?
When I think of this entire floor of precious books, I can't bear the blame.

Rong Qing didn't dare to respond, so she asked, "I have always loved books, but I also understand the principle that a gentleman should do what he should do and shouldn't do what he shouldn't do. Since I know the rules, I dare not do anything abrupt. I don't quite understand what Mr. Woyu means, could you please teach me more?"

The old man looked Rong Qing up and down. His memory was always good, but what happened yesterday was really strange. If Rong Qing really did something, he would not believe it. But it was just the two of them at that time.

"This is the book you borrowed yesterday. You should continue reading it today. I left it there. Just leave your name and go to the old place." The old man raised his chin and motioned Rong Qing to turn her head and look to the left. Facing Rong Qing's question, he took a step back.

Sure enough, the two atlases I borrowed yesterday were placed on the wooden pallet.

It seems that the old gentleman also had doubts in his heart, so he deliberately deceived Rong Qing. Now he has to watch Rong Qing's actions to avoid any mistakes like yesterday.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Woyu." Holding the tray, Rong Qing took a step and stopped again. "Can you tell me what happened yesterday that made you so dissatisfied with me?"

Mr. Woyu is a respected senior in the academy. He is not very good at teaching, but he is very knowledgeable, which is enough to make the students in the academy respect him. Before speaking, Rong Qing hesitated for fear of offending the other party. But then she thought it would be better to ask in person, otherwise she would not know what went wrong, and it would be a loss if she got into trouble in the future.

Besides, Master Guo currently trusts her, so she is not without someone to rely on. Thinking of this, Rong Qing asked directly.

"Did you go to those bookshelves behind you yesterday?" The old man moved closer to Rong Qing, as if he wanted to confirm every subtle change in her facial expression.

Rong Qing subconsciously turned her head to look at the bookshelf behind her. There were sets of books arranged in different categories, each in a special book box. There was a special person to clean it on weekdays, and there was not even a speck of dust.

"Never been there." Rong Qing answered bluntly.

The book she wanted to take was an illustrated guide, so why did she end up on the travel notes shelf and touch the books there?

"What's wrong with the books there?" Rong Qing couldn't help but asked another question.

"Why are you asking so many questions? It's not you who did it." The old man replied unhappily. Rong Qing shut up in dismay. This was also related to her early habits... When she was with the Sword Master, she would always find something to talk about. No matter how stupid or boring the question was to the Sword Master, he would answer it. This also led her to subconsciously think that people who were a little familiar with her would tell her everything like the Sword Master.

After a pause, the old gentleman answered Rong Qing's question, "It's Gan Daoren's Journey into the Gods, a rare treasure, the only one of its kind, and it's been rolled up beyond recognition." As he said this, the old gentleman felt sad and angry again.

After hearing this, Rong Qing also felt the same way and thought, what kind of person is this.

Some people have the habit of reading books with them rolled up, but some ancient books are so difficult to read that one has to be very careful when turning a page. If they are kept rolled up for too long, I'm afraid that deep marks will be left on them.

No wonder the old man is so unhappy.

Touched by the old man's trust in her, Rong Qing did not dare to say anything more, and held the tray obediently, not looking sideways all the way. She did not put down the tray until she reached the position she had been in yesterday, and then she opened the bookcase.

Unfold the pen curtain, take out a frequently used pen, and then put the ink stick and inkstone in place. There is a bamboo tube of clean water at the foot of the table, and only a little water is taken up when grinding ink, so as not to accidentally spill the water and wet the books.

All these preparations were extremely ceremonial. When everything was ready, Rong Qing habitually scratched her temples with the end of the pen before she started writing.

Because she had to spend the whole day here, Rong Qing brought fifty pieces of paper with her. With her experience, she was much more efficient in handling them.

It was just that the new paper was written two or three hundred years ago, so I had to change to a corresponding atlas. Of course, this time Rong Qing made sure that all the books were returned and borrowed under the old man's supervision, so that there would be no more unclear things.

Rong Qing was of course suspicious of this inexplicable incident, and like ordinary people, she thought of ghosts and gods. However, compared to the power of ghosts and gods, she was more afraid of the feeling of being spied on. The feeling of a pair of eyes hidden in the cracks of the wall, the table, and the window... Rong Qing felt her back numb.

She took a deep breath, then let out a long exhale. She didn't want to think too much and kept muttering to herself, "If you don't speak, there will be nothing but strange, force, chaos and spirits." At the same time, she was still wondering, could it be that a thief came... ?
A book thief who secretly reads books? That's quite elegant. Rong Qing couldn't help laughing.

The sun had unknowingly changed its angle on the sky.

The stomach also sends hunger reminders from time to time.

Rong Qing was just about to stop writing after finishing the last line when the whole building shook and a drop of ink fell on the paper.

?

She looked up blankly and frowned. Was there an earthquake just now?
As if in response to her thoughts, the entire building began to shake violently from side to side again.

It took only a few breaths for the shaking to stop, and Rong Qing could only hear the thumping of her heart in her chest. She loosened her hand holding the pen, and found that her palm was wet. Her body, which had been frozen and dared not move, suddenly stood up and ran out.

"The earth dragon is turning over." Rong Qing vaguely heard someone shouting loudly outside.

"Sir!" Rong Qing paused.

The old man usually sat at the entrance of the stairs, but at this moment he was leaning on the table.

She quickly pulled the old man up. A quick look showed no signs of bleeding on his body, but she was afraid that he might have bumped into something. She didn't dare to stay any longer, so she half-dragged and half-pulled him downstairs.

The hand holding the stair handle was shaking. She was already a mortal. After more than eight years in the secular world, she realized very clearly at this moment that she would die. This death, in addition to the death of old age that she could accept, also included being crushed to death, which she could not accept.

The library is indeed very solid and has survived the earthquake, but just because it hasn’t collapsed now doesn’t mean it won’t collapse. Maybe in the next second!
Rong Qing dragged the old man down the stairs crookedly. She didn't know where the old man had hit. His eyes were half closed, but he didn't move. She didn't dare to stop for a single step. How could she dare to stop? It seemed like death was following her. How could she dare to stop!
Rong Qing stepped over the threshold. The old man's foot got stuck on the threshold, but she didn't care about it anymore. She ran forward a few steps to the open space before she dared to rest for a while.

"Sir..." Rong Qing panted and swallowed to moisten her dry throat, "What's the matter?"

The old man seemed to come to his senses, but he murmured, "Jing State is in great trouble." He grabbed Rong Qing's arm. She didn't know the old man's hand was so strong. "Here, there hasn't been a dragon here for 500 years. It must be somewhere else, another state." The old man's face showed a painful look. The pain in his body was not a big deal, but looking at the flowers and plants that were shaken to the ground, bricks, and screams and cries coming from afar, he was more heartbroken about the people he couldn't see. "I'm afraid I don't know how many people in the city are gone."

"All gone." The old man kept shaking his head.

Rong Qing saw tears gathering in the old man's eyes, but her dry eyes could not hold back the tears, which flowed down his face and dripped onto the ground.

The body was still sweating after the intense exercise, but Rong Qing, who had temporarily escaped from danger and calmed down, felt her heart slowly calm down as she listened to what the old man said.

"The dragon's rise is a natural disaster, which is beyond our control. Please accept my condolences, sir." She couldn't bear to see the old man like this, so she could only try her best to comfort him. "The palace and the state will help, and the court will not sit idly by. Take care of yourself first, sir..."

Rong Qing had not expected that this was not a natural disaster as she had assumed, but a very loud alarm bell. The alarm bell had rung... If we ignore it lightly, it would be the beginning of an irreparable disaster.

Going north from Suicheng, you will reach Sizhou. There is a small city in the north of Sizhou. Before the earth dragon turned over today, it was unknown. After the earth dragon turned over today, it lost its name.

It only took a few breaths to make the bustling town silent. Even the sounds of birds and animals disappeared. A deep and long crack in the ground ran across the entire town, cutting it in half and even spreading forward.

A woman with a graceful figure and a ghost mask on her hair. Her eyes were ruthless, and the broken limbs and flesh she encountered along the way were like broken bricks, not worth her attention. She was holding a monkey in her hand. The monkey was wearing children's clothes and a tiger-head hat on his head.

The woman led the monkey all the way to the crack in the ground. Although the woman and the monkey were not moving very fast, they passed the ruins in the blink of an eye.

The woman loosened the long blood-red rope and gently kicked the monkey. The little monkey was very smart and jumped into the crack in the ground.

The monkey has a human smiling face, and this smile seems to be frozen forever. Is it a smile, or a mockery?

(End of this chapter)