Still pity the grass and trees

On the night Cai Huilu was assassinated, most of the martial arts people staying at the hotel left, including Goutou Wang, Kong Zhuo, Si Jun, Liu Sanniang and others, who slid away like loaches without even saying hello.At dawn on the second day, Ji Tanyin checked out of the room and had breakfast in the lobby, only to feel that the inn was deserted and deserted, without the warmth of the previous few days.

After a while, more than [-] disciples from Zhuyue Pavilion lined up and went down the stairs. Their movements were uniform, they walked quietly, their eyes did not have the slightest warmth, their facial features seemed to be carved by a knife, and the dark red crescent moon embroidered on their chest was very eye-catching.

Ji Tanyin expressed emotion to Xie Wufeng: "Sister Hua faces these ice cubes every day, how can she be happy."

Just as he was talking, he saw a monk in a coarse cassock at the end of the group, with a bald head and a shiny steel knife in his hand, baring his teeth impatiently.Seeing an acquaintance, Ji Tanyin waved excitedly: "Monk Jinlian, you haven't left yet?"

Monk Jinlian knew that he couldn't beat Ji Tanyin, so he gave him a vicious look, and sat at the farthest table.

After a while, Hua Yueying and two maids also came to the lobby.Today, she is still dressed brightly and charmingly, wearing a delicate headgear and a fashionable mask on her face, making her look extraordinarily delicate and cute.Ji Tanyin ordered a hot porridge and a stack of steamed cakes for her, and served her very attentively.Hua Yueying also served him vegetables and poured him tea, taking good care of him, and the two were in harmony.

Xie Wufeng watched coldly, feeling uncomfortable.

After breakfast, Hua Yueying's subordinates left the house, and a few guys led the horses out of the backyard.

"Chasing the wind!" Ji Tanyin seemed to have endless energy, rushed to hug the horse, pressed her cheek against it, and gently combed its mane with her hands.

Xie Wufeng and Hua Yueying stood side by side, both looking at him.After a while, the two looked at each other and tugged at the corners of their mouths.

Hua Yueying said: "Mr. Xie and Xiao Ji don't look quite alike."

Xie Wufeng said: "It's not a brother of the same mother."

Seeing that the sun was gradually rising, everyone hurriedly mounted their horses and hurried on their way, planning to arrive in Henan before dark and rest in Shangqiu County.After walking for a while, Ji Tanyin suddenly exclaimed: "Isn't that Shen's house? Why is the door so wide open?"

Several people approached to check, and saw that the house was in a mess, there were countless broken dishes on the floor, the boxes were overturned, silk and satin were scattered on the ground, it was obvious that there was no time to tidy them up in a hurry, and they only took important gold, silver and soft goods. .

Hua Yueying said: "It should be that he fled with his family, and many things were too late to pack up. The hundreds of disciples under his command may have also been dismissed."

Ji Tanyin stared blankly, unable to recover for a while.Yesterday, there was still a lot of food, silk and bamboo, and it was a scene of prosperity. The building was empty overnight, leaving only swarms of flies buzzing around the leftovers.Although he didn't like Shen Pei's behavior, he couldn't help feeling a little sympathetic at this moment, and asked Hua Yueying: "Sister Hua, when you discussed last night, did Mr. Shen decide to leave this place?"

Hua Yueying said: "Master Ni suggested that he go out to avoid the limelight. Shen Pei said that he had his own countermeasures, so I didn't ask any more. When he had some tricks, it turned out that he didn't want to escape. He didn't say it at the time, because he didn't want to tell us. Leaking whereabouts, you can't trust us."

Ji Tanyin secretly lamented that he was old and cunning.Shen Pei's martial arts are superb, this time he went to light clumps and simple clothes, leaving his family and disciples to flee into the grass, it's like swimming into the sea, where the official sentry can find it.

Hua Yueying said: "Don't blame him. The accident happened so suddenly. If he doesn't leave, the court will definitely condemn him. Now bear with it for a while, hide your strength and bide your time, and there will be a chance to make a comeback in the future."

The two felt emotional for a while, and then they wanted to leave Shen's house and continue on their way.At this time, Ji Tanyin found that Xie Wufeng was not around, so he couldn't help calling "cousin" in a panic.

"Here we come." Xie Wufeng walked through the vertical flower door and returned to the front hall, with his hands in his sleeves, weighing the gold ingot he just touched, very satisfied with today's harvest.

Hua Yueying asked abruptly, "What is Mr. Xie doing in the backyard?"

Xie Wufeng wore a moon-white robe, with a leisurely gait and a calm expression. The belt fluttered up and down in the breeze, rustling, making him look elegant and elegant. "I've never seen such a big house, I really like it," Xie Wufeng smiled at Hua Yueying, "Walk around."

"Mr. Xie's clothes are very elegant, it doesn't look like he has never seen the world." Hua Yueying had already become suspicious, and after the group of people went back on the road, she began to carefully test the relationship between Xie Wufeng and Ji Tanyin.

Ji Tanyin and Ji Heng have the same surname, others don't know that he is an orphan, they only think that he is a junior of Ji Heng's same clan, such as nephew and nephew, who study under Ji Heng's school, so it is not unusual to have relatives.But Hua Yueying is good at observing words and expressions, and also has a photographic memory. When Xie Wufeng was pushed to the ground by Ni Guanming the night before, Ji Tanyin blurted out "Brother Xie". Xie Wufeng became more and more suspicious.Although no internal force can be detected on this person, the calluses on his hands are very thick, it is clearly the hand that has held the sword for a long time.She pretended to ask casually, but Xie Wufeng didn't care, said "Hi", and said: "When I was young, my family was poor, and I cut firewood all the year round to subsidize the family, so I formed a pair of rough palms."

Hua Yueying's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, knowing that this person was slippery, she stopped asking.

Although Ji Tanyin is innocent, she is not dull.He heard that Hua Yueying suspected that Xie Wufeng was a "fake cousin", so he simply wanted to tell her the truth, anyway, we are friends, and we will take care of each other in the future.Unexpectedly, just as he was about to speak, Xie Wufeng suddenly grabbed his sleeve and shook his head slightly.

They didn't arrive at Shangqiu County until it was time to light the lanterns that day.

Xie Wufeng slowly jumped off the horse and handed the reins of Chasing Moon to the innkeeper.Seeing that Zhu Yuege and his party had already entered the store, they turned their heads and scolded Ji Tanyin, "You are so unsuspecting. When you are away from home, don't tell people everything. Didn't your master teach you?"

Of the three brothers, Ji Tanyin was the purest by nature, and Ji Heng loved him the most. He was nagged by his master every day, but how could he remember them all clearly? Do it right, there is nothing to hide."

In the end, he pretended to be used to it for a long time, and added: "You philistine businessmen are cunning, and you don't have a few truths in your mouth. I even believe you. Sister Hua is a good person, and she is famous in the martial arts. Chivalrous woman, why can't you believe it."

Xie Wufeng didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and rubbed the bun on the top of his head hard.

"Really, I know you're hiding something from me, and I can feel it." Ji Tanyin stopped, with no smile or anger on his face, his eyes were extremely pure. "But it's okay, everyone has secrets, as long as your feelings for me are true. Are you right?"

Xie Wufeng has been around the world for 29 years, and for the first time, he felt stagnant in his chest, his tongue was stiff, and he felt uncomfortable all over.He stared at the shop sign floating in the wind not far away, and only a little out of the corner of his eye fell on Ji Tanyin's young and fair face. After a while, he turned his face and raised his eyebrows frivolously: "Then Ayin's secret is what?"

Ji Tanyin opened his mouth to say that he had nothing to hide, but when his eyes met, his heart skipped a beat, and he quickly closed his mouth.

"You're kidding, go in." Xie Wufeng took Ji Tanyin to the inn, teasing him with some witty words.He was tall, and when he tilted his head and laughed with Ji Tan's tone, his side face occasionally brushed against the other's black hair. Every close contact brought an indescribable feeling of wonder.

After entering the gate of the inn, Ji Tanyin looked up and was stunned: "Isn't that Senior Zhai?"

It was Thunderbolt Knife Zhai Yu who greeted Huayueying in the inn.

Zhai Yu was over half a century old, with snow-white hair on the temples, a broad forehead, a hooked nose, thick lips, and a calm and majestic appearance.He is a hero who was born in the same era as Ji Heng. In the past few years, he has enjoyed family life and rarely asked about Jianghu affairs, so his reputation is not as good as Shen Pei and others, but he is also a figure that cannot be underestimated.

Ji Tanyin stepped forward to greet him, obviously feeling that the senior's attitude was much colder.Without exchanging pleasantries, he directly asked him whether he had passed on the letter to Ji Heng.Ji Tanyin said that the master was practicing in seclusion, and the assassins last night made it not the orthodox Yushan swordsmanship. After hearing this, Zhai Yu not only did not suddenly realize his understanding, but indifferently "hummed" and said: "That is clearly the Yushan swordsmanship. , the old man has lived for more than 50 years, and he also sparred with Ji Heng several times when he was young, don't you know Yushan swordsmanship?"

Ji Tanyin was stunned for a moment, and explained: "Senior Zhai, the situation was urgent at that time, you may not have looked carefully..."

Zhai Yu interrupted him sharply: "How do you know that Ji Heng is retreating?"

"My master retreats every year at this time."

"You are not in Yushan now, how do you know whether he is retreating this year?"

Ji Tanyin was very anxious, not only hated him being entangled, but also secretly hated himself for not being able to prove Master's innocence.

Fortunately, Hua Yueying rescued in time, and persuaded with a smile: "Master Zhai, why are you getting angry again? Ji Daxia is in retreat, so there is nothing we can do. When he comes out of retreat, let's invite him to go down the mountain and take the It’s enough to find out about the Assassins. There’s no rush.”

Zhai Yu said impatiently: "When will we wait to investigate? This time it is Shen Pei who is unlucky, who will be next time?"

Hua Yueying's smile froze, her eyes turned cold, and she said, "What does Clan Master Zhai mean? Now Xifan taught and killed officials of the Luning Party. Although we will definitely not stay out of the matter, the target is not Wulin after all. A middleman. Unfortunately, Shen Pei was reduced to the point of fleeing because of being implicated."

Zhai Yu sneered and said, "If you don't kill sooner or later, you will kill at Shenpei Village. Is it a coincidence, or is it an intention to kill two birds with one stone?"

The inn didn't know when it became quiet, the shopkeeper and all the staff had already hid in the kitchen, and the disciples of Xuandaomen and Zhuyuege stood aside, their faces heavy.

After a long time, Hua Yueying said: "If this is the case, you have to take a step forward. Master Zhai, your chaotic sword technique has reached the peak, and there are many talented disciples under your sect. Why are you afraid?"

Zhai Yu sighed and fell heavily into an Dongpo chair.He was about the same age as Ji Heng, and he had been vigorous and resolute all his life and had a great reputation, but now he showed a trace of aging and helplessness.

"I don't care about life or death, it's just that my daughter... has been lost for 20 years, but she was found with great difficulty. We've only been together for a few days..." Zhai Yu's bark-like old face rolled down two lines of turbid tears. look away.Zhai Yu wiped his face dry with his sleeve, and suddenly became mad, he drew out the Thunderbolt Saber and slashed fiercely, only to hear a "click", and the Eight Immortals Table in front of him shattered.He shouted: "Apprentices, listen up!"

The disciples of Xuan Dao Sect who were present knelt down in unison: "Master!"

Zhai Yu said in a deep voice: "If I die in the future, there is no need for you to take revenge. There is only one thing you must promise me. No matter what, you must protect my daughter's safety."

The disciples kowtowed together and said in a loud voice: "The disciples will live up to the trust of the master!"

The inn was shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere, Ji Tanyin stood watching from the sidelines with red eyes.All the disciples of Zhu Yuege were also moved.Even Xie Wufeng, who has never been in good shape, put on a serious expression.

The silence lasted for a moment, and was finally broken by Hua Yueying.Her high-pitched but not shrill voice was very inspiring, sweeping away the slump in the hall.She poured a glass of wine for Zhai Yu with her own hands, and persuaded: "Master Zhai is in his prime, and he will have a long time to accompany Ling Qianjin, why is it hurting the spring and the autumn like this today!"

"You don't know," Zhai Yu took the wine glass and drank it down, with a pensive look on his face, he hesitated for a while before saying, "I've been looking for Shi'er for so many years... My wife and I thought she... We are already dead, so the two of us have always put life and death aside, anyway, we can be reunited as a family there. A few months ago, Shi'er suddenly returned to Xuandaomen, I was extremely happy, but I began to fear death."

Hua Yueying let out a long sigh and said, "Poor parents in the world."

Zhai Yu looked at her carefully, then smiled suddenly, with happy wrinkles appearing in the corners of his eyes: "Speaking of which, my Shi'er is about the same age as Master Huage."

"Really!" Hua Yueying said: "Master Zhai has hidden the poems very carefully. Today is fate, so I have to tell us about it. It is the first time I hear that we can reunite after 20 years of separation."