Zhao Ⅰ·Bu Weiyue

Within a line of sky, Mr. Jiuxiang was curled up in the corner of the wall, holding a wrist-sized wooden ring in his left hand, and a small knife in his right hand. With a little bit of dim candlelight, he was carving very skillfully but carefully.He shut himself in the woodshed. For 30 years, no one cares about Yixiantian, and the boy who was originally cleaning has been sent to other places, or he has been promoted to a formal disciple.Shi Yi didn't care about the mess, cobwebs and dust stuck to his robe, he didn't care, he just focused on processing the wooden bracelet.

"Ka", "Ka", "Ka".Shi Yi suddenly stopped and tilted her head.A strand of black hair fell over the hood at this small movement of his.The 950th eight bracelets are ready.Comparing Shiyi's bracelet on her wrist, um, it's a little smaller, but it should be just right for her.Thinking of this, he stopped moving, and his expression was a little dull.A sinister anger rose suddenly, and he heard a heart-piercing cry, and with force in his hand, he crushed the carefully crafted bracelet to pieces.Opening his skinny and pale claws, the sawdust slipped away and disappeared, but there was nothing but hatred in his eyes.

At this time, there was a sound of footsteps at an appropriate pace outside the house, followed by a clear sound.

"Forget Qingming to visit as scheduled, can Lord Jiuxiang meet?"

Shi Yi put away her hands, stood up quietly, and resumed her sinister and gloomy expression.He giggled and said, "Come in, I have been waiting for a long time."

Wang Qingming pushed the door open and walked in, bringing a large piece of sunshine into it.The sudden light made Shi Yi unable to open her eyes. "Close the door, close the door." He chuckled a few times.Wang Qingming, as he said, keeps the light out of the door.Come near that corner, for there alone is a candle burning with a little light.Shiyi invited him to sit down here.

"Mr. Jiuxiang, about Nishui Forest..." Wang Qingming cut to the chase.

Shi Yi suddenly put her index finger on her pale lips, and gave a "shh", signaling him to be quiet. "The day before yesterday, Shui Yunji sent someone to inform me that I had no wife. I didn't believe it. She also slandered me and said that my Meng'er became a ghost, killed [-] people, and then was killed by you and a Taoist priest." Once—you tell me the truth, is it true?"

Forget Qingming heard the words, tell the truth. "Sovereign Bei didn't slander. Meng Xi's body was buried in the yard. My friend and I took her in."

Shiyi was silent in vain, and after a few breaths, she let out a secretive low laugh: "Is that so? It's okay, it's okay. Don't you just want to know what happened in Nishui Forest? Hehe, you will definitely be surprised."

Wang Qingming frowned slightly, only to hear Lord Jiuxiang suddenly raised his dark eyes, his eyes met each other, and his voice fluctuated up and down slowly telling the past. "Wang Qingming, you will thank me, you will definitely. Because what I told you is definitely the key that you didn't expect, hehe."

Shiyi is a wild child who doesn't learn well.Or maybe he is willing to learn well. At first, he would sneak out of the academy and listen to Yiyi Yaya reading and reciting. Later, the older children found out and threw stones at him.After coming down several times with his head bleeding, he didn't dare to go.Shiyi has no parents, so he doesn't know how he survived—maybe he stole pancakes and steamed buns, and snatched dirty buns from dogs.

Once, he was so hungry that he sneaked into the Temple of the City God.On the Bodhisattva table, there are always fruit and cakes, and if they can’t put them down, those people will squeeze out the original ones and put new ones;In short, it will not be distributed to poor families.He hid under the altar, listening to the hurried and chaotic footsteps outside.

"Auntie, should you go back?"

"it is good."

When Shiyi heard the conversation, she thought she could finally eat, so she lifted a corner of the tablecloth and stretched out her claws to grab it.But I heard the exclamation of several women. "Ah, what kind of thing is taking tribute!" "It's so dirty, it scared me to death." Then Shi Yi was pulled out, and in full view, she was beaten severely.The long and wide wooden plank hit his leg, and it was dripping with blood within a few hits, and it broke.He could clearly see the expressions of disgust, ridicule, disgust, and contempt of the crowd of men, women and children, as if they were watching juggling animals.That year, Shiyi was six years old.

If she gets older, Shiyi will start fighting.A wooden stick is a severe beating to a person's head.Blood would splatter on his face, he would severely wound the person, throw the wooden stick casually, collect the silver taels from the person, wipe off the sticky blood without changing his face, and left.He made a living in this way until the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, when he saw many people eating moon cakes, he wanted to try them too.After the money was spent, he hid in a small alley, holding a thick wooden stick in his hand, waiting for someone who was alone to pass by.

After waiting for a long time, people walked together.Until the night was getting darker, the old carpenter on the street corner came alone.The old carpenter was a good man, with a kind face and kind eyes. Sometimes when Shi Yi was caught stealing, he would take a few copper coins to rescue him.Shiyi knew him.The hand holding the wooden stick was tight, but without much consideration, he rushed out to grab his hand, and was about to drag him into the alley.Shi Yi's leg is almost useless and he is limping, but this does not prevent him from doing what he wants to do.

The old carpenter was surprisingly strong, holding Shi Yi's slender wrist with his backhand, staring at his dirty face with his deep-set eyes motionless.Shi Yi struggled a few times, but to no avail, she raised the stick in her hand and was about to hit him on the head.His "notoriety" had already spread throughout this small town, and many people sought revenge on him, but he dodged, and a group of people couldn't catch him. When the crowd dispersed, they dragged him into the alley and beat him up one by one.

The old carpenter had quick eyesight and quick hands, he grabbed the stick with one hand, and grabbed it with all his strength.

"You. Pay me back." Shiyi said viciously.

The old carpenter looked at the stick, then at Shi Yi, "The stick is good, it's worth the copper money, I'll take it."

Later, Shiyi became the apprentice of the old carpenter.The old carpenter's surname is Xu, and his craftsmanship is very good. He is called "Carpenter Xu".That year, Shiyi was nine years old.

It took another three years to learn art from Master Xu.Craftsman Xu treated him well, or in other words, Craftsman Xu treated everyone well.The aunt who sells sesame seed cakes takes advantage of Shiyi's absence and always advises him to drive him away.But Shiyi heard it all.Once I was having dinner with Mr. Xu, and there was a cry from the opposite door, and the old lady died.

Craftsman Xu really became famous when he carved the "Nine Phoenixes and Phoenix Cups".The cup is the size of a fist, but it is carved like a phoenix, but it is vivid and extremely delicate.As his reputation spread far and wide, big families came to do business with him.That night, Carpenter Xu asked Shiyi to pack her luggage and move to Mr. Meng's house for a few months. "Cub, you'll have a good life soon."

On the second day, there is a carriage to pick you up.Craftsman Xu put the luggage away, grabbed Shi Yi's small hand with his rough hands, and got into the carriage.Shiyi remembered very clearly that although Carpenter Xu was smiling, there was an inexplicable sadness in his eyes.Shiyi doesn't understand, and doesn't bother to understand.

The journey was bumpy and lasted for two days. When the old and the young stood in front of the magnificent Meng Mansion, they still felt a little floating under their feet.In the original town, there were no such big houses.

Master Meng sent someone to lead the two into the mansion and into the hall.When Master Xu saw the master sitting tall, he pulled Shiyi and bowed to salute.

Shiyi hates this humble feeling.He stood behind Carpenter Xu, looking at Master Meng with dark eyes.

Without hearing what the two of them were talking about, Master Meng got up and took Master Xu out, and ordered a servant to take Shi Yi to the residence to rest.The servant saluted Master Meng humbly, then turned to face Shi Yi with another face.After taking him to the hut, he didn't forget to sneer: "It's your blessing to be able to work for the Meng family. Look at your wicked eyebrows, heh, keep your hands and feet clean."

Shi Yi watched the man leave, her face suddenly turned cold.

When Craftsman Xu came back, Shi Yi had already put her face on the table, listless.Seeing this, Craftsman Xu chuckled, and took out a roast chicken wrapped in oil paper.Watching Shi Yi gobble it up, her thoughts drifted away.

After another day, Shi Yi moved some tools for Mr. Xu, and the two asked all the way to work in a small courtyard.Passing the garden, there were bursts of carefree laughter.

Shi Yi couldn't help but stop and look, and saw a pretty girl sitting by the shallow pool, taking off her shoes to reveal her white feet playing in the water.The graceful and gentle lady took a small piece of fruit from the waitress and fed it into the girl's mouth.

Looking from a distance, I am very envious.That year, Shiyi first met Meng Xi when she was 12 years old.