Ruan Shutong

I said to Xu Ning, "I will support you."

Xu Ning said: "What do you support me with? All your food and clothing belong to the Ruan family and Prince Rui. How can I be favored by them?"

I was at a loss for words, and let him break free from my tight grip on his wrist, and left without looking back.I always feel that this time, I will probably never see Xu Ning again.

Heng Rui has become a down and out royal family, bearing the title of King Qin for nothing, without the prestige of a prince. □□It is empty, only veins of dust can be seen.

I sighed and patted him on the shoulder: "There are few cars and horses in front of the door, and the boss is married as Xie's wife..."

With a flick of Heng Rui's eye knife, I disappeared instantly at the speed of a [-]-meter sprint.

That brat Mu Yifei left a letter and disappeared without a trace.I took the letter and looked at it horizontally as mountains and peaks. After pondering for a long time, I finally read the general meaning from the traditional characters and classical Chinese.Probably because he is used to wandering around, this time he stayed in the capital for half a year and got lice all over his body, which caused a rapid decline in his skills.

Heng Rui said, "Aren't you going to keep him?"

How to stay?Why stay?Just such a pitiful feeling, if you say you have it, you have it, but if you say you don't have it, I can only think that I am being sentimental.What's more, such a person is destined to be a wild goose in the mountains, not a sparrow in a cage.

Heng Rui smiled and didn't speak.

It occurred to me that I would probably stay in this Iron Age for a few more years. I couldn’t always be semi-literate, and I still had to practice poetry, songs, and so on.

I looked at Hengrui's beautiful handwriting, flowing in the clouds and flowing water, with a romantic charm implied in it. After all, people who have practiced handwriting since childhood are much better than that kid Mu Yifei.

Heng Rui listened to my thoughts, probably on purpose, and the next day he came to coax me with children's enlightenment poems, which made me very depressed.

Heng Rui said: "Everything can't be done overnight. These poems are neat, smooth, rhyme and rhyme. They are most suitable for beginners like you."

I had to face it every day and practice: "The sky is blue, the fields are vast, and the wind blows the grass and the cattle and sheep are low."

Or it could be: "Guan Guan Jujiu, on the continent of the river, a fair lady, a gentleman likes a good girl."

As if suddenly 20 years younger.

After practicing for more than ten days, I couldn't take it anymore, so I crumpled paper balls and tossed them in the study.When Heng Rui came in, I was playing very well, almost at a professional level, like an acrobat in a circus.Heng Rui looked at me silently and went out.

The next day, Heng Rui threw me a book and said: "I misjudged your ability, you should start practicing with this book first."

I picked up the book and took a look: Three Character Classic.

Heng Rui went on to say: "When you have learned it, we will write a thousand-character prose, and then a hundred surnames."

Teacher Heng is committed to making himself a teacher of children's education, but he wants to play the role of a kindergarten teacher, so there is no need to pull me over to accompany him to act as a child (anti-swallowing) tooth.

Later, Heng Rui often lamented: "Zizi cannot be taught."

I retorted: "It is the father's fault to raise or not teach. If the teaching is not strict, the teacher is lazy, the teacher is lazy, the teacher is lazy, the teacher is lazy, the teacher is lazy..."

Time is a strange thing, it always passes by inadvertently.

Mu Yifei visits me several times a year, and sometimes brings back some rare items.Once, I mentioned casually that I don't know if Xu Ning is doing well these years.Unexpectedly, more than half a year later, Mu Yifei came back with a horse - he insisted on bringing the beast back to the capital from a distant border.He said: "Master Xu lives as well as this horse." I looked at the horse's sparse hair and was speechless.

In the past few years, his reputation has become bigger and bigger. Sometimes, I sit with him on the steps of the door, the moon hangs high, I hug him, and look at his peaceful sleeping face leaning on my shoulder, I always feel that He is still the Feixue who made a big mess with me back then, not the well-known chivalrous and righteous man in the world.

I asked him, "When are you coming back next time?"

Mu Yifei yawned and said, "Who knows, I'll come back if I want to."

Then there was silence again.

When Heng Rui quelled the rebellious party in the capital that year, he was injured by arrow feathers in his chest. Although he recovered, the wound would hurt every time it was wet and cold.

This year's autumn seemed to be particularly rainy, it lasted for more than ten days, and Heng Rui repeated it repeatedly, drank a lot of soup, but it didn't get better.

The doctor said, the lord is suffering from a chronic disease. He was not healed in time when he was first injured, causing the cold air to enter the body and stagnate in the chest, unable to express it. He had to take warming and tonic medicine to slowly release the cold poison from the body. cured.

I was told by the doctor that I had a big head, so I interrupted him directly and asked, "Just tell me how to treat it."

The doctor said: "Now the old man can only prescribe some recuperating medicine, which can make the prince feel better, but if he wants to cure it, he still needs to use medicine."

That medicinal herb is the snow ginseng from Xiliang.

The nourishment of red ginseng is the most suitable for Heng Rui's disease, but that arrow hurts the heart and lungs. If the red ginseng is hit by the false fire, his life will be in danger, and the snow ginseng, because it was born on the snow, has a gentle temperament , just suitable for Heng Rui.

It's a pity that the medicine is hard to find.

I once persuaded Heng Rui: "No matter how you say it, you are also the emperor's uncle. If you go and ask the emperor for mercy, the emperor will not refuse to save you."

However, Heng Rui shook his head: "Back then, the three important ministers almost controlled the entire imperial court, causing the throne to be emptied. Now, Grand Master Zhao has gone to see the late emperor, and General Xu has been dispatched to guard the border. Only me, the nominal prince, is still lingering in the capital. If it weren't for this arrow Ci, the one your majesty wants to behead the most is probably me."

I tucked the quilt up for Heng Rui, feeling mixed feelings in my heart.

The door slammed, and I turned around to see the wooden door swinging a few times before closing.

I know, Mu Yifei left again.

Heng Rui smiled and asked me: "You really don't want to chase him?"

I replied: "If you can't catch up, I won't chase him. When he has had enough fun, he will come back naturally."

I never doubted that Mu Yifei would come back, just like I always firmly believed that he would not leave me.He was there, hovering by my side, whenever I needed him, he was there.

One day later, I heard that an assassin had entered the palace, but the assassin had no sense of direction, so he went to the imperial hospital by mistake and turned upside down the medicinal materials in the hospital. Hit the shoulder and escaped.

In the Lantern Festival in the coming year, the entire moat will be cruising with large and small lanterns, red and yellow, rippling with the ripples in the dim water.There are witty wits, and there are boudoir girls' tender affection.The meandering river composes this immortal legend of gifted scholars and beauties, and even the river water seems to become sentimental.

However, Mu Yifei did not come back.

On the fifth day of May, there is a Duanyang Festival, and the sweet and sweet rice dumpling fragrance permeates the whole alley.The dragon boats lined up in a row, the lake surface reflected the dazzling sunlight in early summer, and the vigorous figure of the young people was hidden in the sparkling lake water.The courtesan in the brothel holds the pipa, and the song "Flowers and Moon" lingers for a long time.

However, Mu Yifei did not come back.

But what does that matter?After the Lantern Festival, there will be Dragon Boat Festival, after Dragon Boat Festival, there will be Double Ninth Festival, after spring, there will be summer, after summer, there will be winter, after this year, there will be next year...

Mu Yifei will always come back.

Finally, on a full moon night in the Mid-Autumn Festival, the cicadas echoed in the autumn night. The wind that day was very soft, softly passing through the mottled leaves of the sycamore tree, and the night rushed over lazily. I gradually fell asleep. In a trance, I saw The door opened, and a familiar figure appeared outside the door.I opened my eyes and murmured, "Yifei, are you back?"

Three years later, Heng Rui completely fell ill.

The whole room is filled with the smell of decoction.I forced him to swallow the black liquid, Heng Rui said at first: "No amount of it is a waste, why bother..."

But seeing the tears that I was about to fall, I still frowned and drank it.

Posting after posting, I knew it was useless, but I still kept running through the large and small medical clinics in the capital to visit Dr. Fang.How I hope that one day these pitch-black potions will work miraculously. After posting them, I will sleep. The next day, Heng Rui leans against the door frame, raises his eyebrows, puts on his slightly sinister smile, and calls Said: "Little Ruan."

This year's winter came very early, and it was very cold.

Heng Rui fell asleep most of the time, sleeping for several days in a row.

I helped Hengrui sit up and gave him medicine.

Heng Rui could barely open his mouth, he took half of the potion and sprinkled the other half.

I wiped the liquid from the corner of his mouth and chin for him.Suddenly a gust of wind blew, and the cold wind drifted in with snow.

I put down the medicine bowl and got up to close the window.

Heng Rui shouted behind him: "Xiao... Ruan..."

I froze and grabbed his hand.The medicine bowl fell to the ground.

Outside the window, white snow flutters.I wrapped him in a quilt and carried him out together with the quilt.A recliner was placed in the middle of the yard, and I put Heng Rui on the recliner.Let the snowflakes fall on his body and hair.

With his head resting on the warm fur, he blurted out again: "Xiao Ruan..."

I hugged him tighter and gave a low reply.

Heng Rui seemed to be smiling, just like the ones I've seen before, bright and handsome.The long eyelashes moved and opened slowly, but there was a pair of shimmering eyes: "Shang Yu chanted Baixue..."

I held him in my arms, kissed his lips lightly, and said: "My Heng Rui likes snow the most. From now on, every year, I will accompany you to watch snow and recite poems, okay?"

The sparkling light faded away, Heng Rui buried himself in my arms, and fell into a deep sleep again.

It was early summer in Xiliang again, and the cold air that had been raging all winter finally receded, replaced by the clear strings of konghou.

I am standing in a vast expanse of white sand. This place called June Snow will shine like snow under the unique sun in Xiliang.

The body hidden in the afterglow of the setting sun is thin and lonely.

The fingers on the harp are no longer what they used to be, but the drooping eyelids are still the same as when they first met in the smoke and cloud of Beijing.

I looked into the distance, where groups of horses roared past, their hooves kicked up the red dust.

Xu Ning......

Xu Ning is no longer the old young master Xu. He has learned to herd herds, build horseshoes, sew fur coats, and brew kumiss. Sit on the ground with your eyes closed, and just sit for a day.

I tugged on Xu Ning's sleeve and asked, "You and I go back to Beijing."

Xu Ning always changed the topic, or simply ignored me, and when I was annoyed by my troubles, he said: "I have sworn a long time ago that I will never go to Beijing."

The tone is irrefutable.

The dry branches and leaves set up a fire, making a beeping sound from time to time.The flames reflected Xu Ning's cheeks, and I found that he had grown a green beard.

I lowered my head, the bitterness spread to the root of my tongue.

Before leaving, I tugged on Xu Ning's sleeve for the last time and asked, "Come back to Beijing with me, okay?"

He gently broke away from my hand, the same as that time: "On the way back, worry about it."

Before I could react, Xu Ning rushed towards me with a muffled snort, and I hugged him quickly.Behind him, General Xu raised his hand in a palm splitting posture, as if he wanted to split my forehead with one palm.

The scene was vaguely familiar. When I tried to recall it, I found that the face in my memory was blurred.

General Xu waved his hands impatiently: "Get out, get out as soon as possible. The two big men have been chattering for so many days, just like a woman."

I was dumbfounded, and quickly thanked Xu Ning for picking him up and putting him in the carriage.

Mrs. Xu rushed over waving a small handkerchief, twitching and holding on to the reins: "You are an unfilial son and have no conscience, woooo~~~~~~~ You really don't want to keep a son, the married son throws it out!" water, woooo~~~~~~~~~ I’ll feed you with shit and piss, and you just leave me and run away with this man, woooo~~~~~~~~”

My jaw was almost dislocated, and when I saw Mrs. Xu dragging my wife into the room, he said, "Prodigal girls, don't embarrass me."

Don't forget to tell me: "Daughter-in-law, take good care of my family, Ning'er."

I pulled my face in embarrassment, smiled and talked five times and four beautiful young people: "Hey!"

But I would like to say: "Actually, you should call me son-in-law more appropriately."

Xiliang's feng shui is extraordinary, and it has harmed the upright General Xu and the dignified and virtuous Mrs. Xu like this.

The carriage set foot on the winding mountain road in silence.

The summer in Xiliang is very short, and it is the snow season again in a blink of an eye.

Facts have proved that ancient mountains will also collapse.Large chunks of soil mixed with huge boulders were smashed down, and the horses showed bursts of compassion on the narrow mountain road.

Xu Ning was holding the frame of the bicycle, frowning, and the veins on the back of his hands were prominent.

I looked back at the layers of fallen rock formations, and the mountain peaks behind me collapsed as if they had lost their supports, much like a disaster movie I had seen before.It's just that such a real feeling is far more shocking than computer stunts.

I pulled Xu Ning into the car.I know that this encounter is inevitable after all, so I might as well be by my side and make up for what I owed over the years.

Xu Ning leaned on my shoulder, and I stretched out my arms to hug him, my body was frozen stiff, and I couldn't hold him tightly.

Xu Ning said: "A few years ago, I met Mu Yifei at the foot of the snow-capped mountains in Xiliang."

I kissed Xu Ning's forehead: "We won't talk about him."

Why bother to say.That Mid-Autumn Festival, the night of the full moon, the sound of cicadas, the soft autumn wind, and the rustling of leaves.As the night fell lazily, I saw the wooden door open, the black wooden sign, and the white ribbon outlined the chilling coldness that burned my eyes severely, and the rain poured down, covering everything in a bleak blur.

Xu Ning smiled and stopped talking.

I said, "Do you want to be reborn?"

Xu Ning didn't answer, just when I thought he was falling asleep, I heard him say softly: "In the next life, I will never be Xu Ning again."

More rocks and soil fell, and the neighing of the horse echoed among the quiet rocks.

No matter what happens in this life or the next life, it is just a floating dream, and with the flick of a finger, it is nothing like dust.I seemed to see that man standing on the snow in front of him and waving to me. The snow fell on his shoulders, and his bright and clear eyes reflected a smile as pure as snow.

As I always call him by that name.

All the past is only in this smile.

I also smiled and looked into those bright and clear eyes.

After leaving Ruan Shutong's body, my wandering soul returns to the underworld, will he still remember it?

All stories have a time when the song ends, like a flower that has withered, it will eventually disappear in the dust, so let's disperse here.

--Finish--