Zhen Lian of the Red Chamber

Zhen Lian looked at the city gate of Gusu, and her heart was agitated. Eight years ago, she was carried out from here, and now she is finally back!

Tears burst out of my eyes involuntarily, falling like broken pearls, but silently.

There are too many people's joys and sorrows in the ancient city, Zhen Lian's story is just one of them, and it can't stir up any ripples.Only history and years can leave traces on it.

The carriage entered the city all the way. Although the city was very prosperous, it was obviously not as good as Jinling, only half the size of Jinling.The scenery along the way is unfamiliar, but it seems a little familiar.

Zhen Lian didn't remember much, she only knew that the Gourd Temple was next to Zhen's house, and later a fire burned the Gourd Temple and the surrounding houses, and she didn't know which street the others were on.

It would be difficult to inquire about the Calabash Temple and the Zhen family, but it would be easier to inquire about the fire.It's just that Zhen Lian couldn't tell how she knew about the fire, just like she couldn't tell Liu Xianglian that her family was no longer there, her father was a monk, and her mother was at her grandfather's house.

After a day's journey, the two of them were already extremely exhausted, so they found an inn to rest, and agreed to inquire about it tomorrow.

Lying on the bed, Zhen Lian couldn't sleep no matter what, her thoughts were racing.The closer she got to here, the happier and more anxious Zhen Lian became.After living in Jinling for eight years, Zhen Lian didn't have many good memories there.She only stayed here for a short while, but coming here made Zhen Lian feel empty.

This reminded her of her parents, relatives and friends, and everything in her previous life.Zhen Lian was overwhelmed by the beautiful memories of another world, and she missed them crazily.Dad's loving smiling face, mother's delicious meals, everything is so beautiful and so far away.Two worlds, two people, everything is out of reach!

After tossing and turning all night, Zhen Lian's eyes were swollen again when she woke up the next day. When she looked in the mirror, she was red, swollen and unsightly, and her eyes were almost swollen to the point of losing sight.

Fearing that Liu Xianglian would come over soon, Zhen Lian immediately wet a towel with cold water and applied it to her eyes, and it took half a day for it to disappear. If you look carefully, there are still some traces.

At this time, Liu Xianglian knocked on the door, so Zhenlian had to pack up and open the door.Liu Xianglian was surprised to see the door waiting for a while before opening the book, but she could see the clue when she entered the door.Afraid that she would be embarrassed and didn't tell the truth, just talk about other things.When Zhen Lian saw it, she acted like nothing happened and followed him.

"You wait here for a while, I'll order some dishes, and ask the people in the inn first." Liu Xianglian got up and walked a few steps outside, then turned around and said: "I will definitely find it!"

Zhen Lian was stunned, she didn't know why he said this suddenly, but when she thought about his expression just now, she must have realized that her eyes were swollen and she knew that she was crying.Zhen Lian's heart is slightly warm, she is really a careful and considerate person.

Liu Xianglian went out and came to the lobby downstairs.After ordering a few dishes for Xiao Er to deliver to the room, he said to Xiao Er, "Does Xiao Er know where there is a temple called 'Gourd Temple' in Gusu City?"

Xiao Er frowned and thought for a while, but couldn't figure it out, "I don't know where this 'Gourd Temple' is, and I've never heard of it before! Why don't the guest officer ask our shopkeeper, he knows a lot of things. !” After finishing speaking, he left.

Liu Xianglian went to the shopkeeper, knocked on the counter, and asked, "Excuse me, shopkeeper, do you know where there is a 'Gourd Temple' in Gusu City?"

The shopkeeper raised his head when he heard the voice. Seeing that it was a young man asking about Gourd Temple, he thought about it carefully, "Gourd Temple? I seem to have heard it before, but I just can't remember it all at once! Let me think about it carefully."

The shopkeeper frowned and thought about it for a long time, then said excitedly with an "ah": "Gourd Temple! Gourd Temple! I remember it!"

Liu Xianglian hurriedly asked where it was.

The shopkeeper said: "This 'Gourd Temple' was originally located in Renqing Lane, Shili Street, in the east of the city, but now you can't find it if you look for it!"

Liu Xianglian hurriedly asked: "Why?"

The shopkeeper shook his head and sighed, "Eight years ago, when the offerings were fried in the Gourd Temple, the window paper was burned and the water was drained away, completely burned up. Most of the surrounding houses were also made of bamboo fences and wooden walls. They were also implicated by it. They burned one after another, burning a street like a flaming mountain. At that time, there were people putting out the fire, but the fire was already full, so there was no way to save it. The fire burned all night before it was slowly extinguished, and the entire street was burned!"

Liu Xianglian's heart sank, "Are there any casualties?"

"That's not true. They ran out when they saw the fire."

Liu Xianglian breathed a sigh of relief, and asked, "Do you know there is a family named Zhen there?"

The shopkeeper shook his head, "I don't know about that."

Liu Xianglian thought for a while and asked, "How do I get to Shili Street?"

The shopkeeper pointed the way, and Liu Xianglian wrote it down.

Hearing these news, Liu Xianglian couldn't help thinking in her heart, Zhen's house was burned, and no one was there, and she didn't know where to look for it.

I don't know how to tell her, I don't know how sad she will be!He clenched his hands tightly and stood with his fists clenched for a long time, so he had no choice but to go back to the room with his heart full.

Zhen Lian didn't sit down when he came in, but just stood there and kept looking at her, as if hesitating to speak.Looking over by himself, he looked away again, feeling strange in his heart, walked over and walked around him, but still didn't see anything.

I had to ask: "What's the matter with you? Have you heard any news?"

Liu Xianglian gathered herself together, staring at Zhenlian, "I got some information, but..."

When Zhen Lian saw him and knew what he looked like, she must have heard about the Zhen family, but it was just bad news, so she hesitated to tell her.

Knowing what the news was about, he said, "Tell me!"

"I heard the news that the Gourd Temple was flooded and the whole street was burned down. Don't worry, everyone is fine, but now I don't know where your family is going to settle down." As she spoke, she carefully observed Zhen Lian's reaction and saw her Don't worry about it.

After Zhen Lian listened, she said, "Then let's go to my grandfather's house in Daru Prefecture, they must know about my parents."

Liu Xianglian suggested, "Why don't we go to your house to inquire later, maybe there is news, I have already asked the way. If we still can't find it, how about going to Daru Prefecture?"

Zhen Lian thought about it and agreed.

After a while, the two of them went out, followed the route the shopkeeper said, and arrived at Shili Street in half an hour.Walking along the way, the houses on both sides of the street are brand new, and you can tell at a glance that they were built in the past few years.

I searched for people and asked the way to Renqing Lane. The buildings on both sides were also newly built. I searched twice, but there were small courtyards on both sides, but no temples.It is even impossible to find where the original Zhen family was.

Liu Xianglian hurriedly pulled a passerby and asked, "Brother, do you know where the Gourd Temple used to be?"

The man shook his head, "I just moved here in the past few years, I don't know." Pointing to a small shop selling groceries in the distance, "The people in that shop have lived here for decades. You must know, go to him and ask!"

Both Liu Xianglian and Zhenlian looked in the direction he pointed. A middle-aged man in his forties was sitting at the door of the small grocery store on the street. He was carefully counting a pile of goods beside him.

After thanking the man, the two led the carriage and walked over. Liu Xianglian stepped forward and walked in front of the man, "Uncle, can I ask you something?"

The middle-aged man raised his head and stood up quickly when he heard someone talking to him, with a smile on his face and said: "No problem, what do you want to ask?"

Liu Xianglian asked: "Uncle, do you know that there was a Zhen family here a few years ago? The head of the family is Zhen Shiyin, and the mistress' surname is Feng."

When the man heard this, he said: "I know his family, they are a prominent family here, but eight years ago, because of the bombing of the Gourd Temple, our street was burned to the ground. Zhen's family is next to the Gourd Temple. It also burnt and there is nothing left.”

"Then do you know where they are now?" Liu Xianglian asked hurriedly.

"I don't know about that. Back then my house was burned, so I didn't have time to care about it. But then most of us built houses in the original place. I haven't seen the Zhen family come back." said the uncle. The tone of his voice was also full of disappointment, recalling the difficult days before, he couldn't help but be full of sadness and sighs.

Liu Xianglian was also embarrassed when she saw that he was being asked so much that he remembered the past and became sad.I had no choice but to comfort him and said: "It's a blessing that he is fine after such a big accident happened. Seeing that uncle is in good health and is running a business again, his timing is no worse than before."

"You're right. As long as people are fine, what can't be found? It's a pity that the Zhen family lost their daughter not long ago, and then suffered an accident. I don't know what's going on with them now!"

Zhen Lian came out from behind Liu Xianglian and asked, "Then where is the Zhen family? We walked around twice, and new houses have been built here. Since the Zhen family has not come back, it should still be there?"

The middle-aged man turned his head and took a look, only to see that it was a young girl wearing a veiled hat, which was so tightly covered that she couldn't see her face clearly.Seeing her questioning, she replied: "That part of the street is where the Zhen family used to be. His family didn't come back for several years, so it was taken back by the government, and someone bought it and built a house."

Zhen Lian was very sad when she heard that, Gusu no longer has the Zhen family.

The two of them walked to the place where the person said it was Zhen's house, and saw that there were three houses, all of which were closed.Zhen Lian stood and watched for a long time before she said to Liu Xianglian: "Let's go back!"

Seeing her depressed mood, Liu Xianglian didn't know how to comfort her, so she stood silently with her.I blamed myself in my heart for not learning how to coax people from my friends. I used to laugh at them when I saw them, but now I can’t say or do anything!

Seeing her getting better, she was overjoyed and said with a smile: "Tomorrow we will go to Daru Prefecture, and we will be able to find out news about your family. Don't worry."

Knowing that she could find her mother in Daru Prefecture, Zhen Lian was also happy.

After returning to the inn to rest, the two of them got up early the next day and boarded the road to Daruzhou.

The author has something to say:

The previous cover was made by myself, and now it is replaced with a picture made by a professional artist, I like it very much!

Thanks to Tuhua Paradise who helped to make the cover for free,