Lamp Flower Smile

The night was dark, and the fireworks burned out by the Changle Pool. The remaining smoke was blown away by the wind and disappeared into the tide-like darkness.

Qi Yutai, the legitimate son of the Taishi Mansion, died.

He appeared in the Plague God Puppet in the Nuo Ceremony. When he was discovered, he was curled up in the belly of the puppet like a baby hiding its mother's body. His whole body was stabbed in a mess by the long sword of Nuo Dance, and his whole body was almost dyed red with blood.

The corpse's eyes were full of fear and its fists were bruised. It was obvious that it had struggled desperately before death.

Also discovered were the empty wine flask in the puppet's belly and the powder remaining on the clothes of Qi Yutai's corpse.

The servants in the palace saw that Qi Yutai had just taken Hanshi Powder.

After the fire in Fengle Tower, Shengjing strictly prohibited anyone from taking the medicine powder. I don’t know where Qi Yutai got it. He was so bold that he dared to carry it to the ceremony. For fear of being discovered, he hid in the belly of the doll and swallowed it. However, due to the devouring, he became unconscious and was not noticed by anyone. The trap in his belly was closed, and he was stabbed to death by the long sword of the plague god.

During the Nuo ceremony, in full view of everyone, the legitimate son and household official of Taishi Mansion died under the eyes of all the officials.

The Grand Master burst into tears.

The mechanism in the puppet's belly can be tied from the outside. Qi Yutai hid it inside to avoid people's eyes and ears, but who on earth closed the tie so that he could not escape?

No one from the church musicians, Nuo ritual dancers, or palace guards recognized it.

That is the "God of Plague".

Others stayed away and no one wanted to get close. Qi Yutai was willing to get into it, which was quite extraordinary.

Perhaps a musician passed by and fastened the buckle, but no one acknowledged it.

Qi Huaying knelt down in the hall, crying and begging: "My brother must have been harmed. Someone wants to harm him and lock him up among the puppets. Your Majesty, please investigate thoroughly!"

The third prince, Yuan Yao, looked at the beautiful woman below the steps who was crying like a girl, and said with pity, "But Miss Qi, no one forced Mr. Qi to take Hanshi Powder."

He reminded: "It was only a few months since the fire in Fengle Building. Brother Ling really doesn't have a long memory at all, and it even got worse."

The prince's situation was over, and the ceremony was not even in front of people. In the past, Yuan Yao was still a little restrained, but now he has no scruples. He only looked at the pale-haired old man in the palace and sighed in a pretentious manner.

"By some strange combination of circumstances, Mr. Qi died in the hands of his father."

Qi Huaying trembled all over.

Qi Yutai died in the hands of Qi Qing.

Above the Nuo ritual, the first sword to eliminate plague is thrust by "Fang Xiangshi".

"Fang Xiangshi" killed the "God of Plague".

The father kills the son.

The dancers followed with dozens of sword thrusts, aggravating Qi Yutai's death.

Not to mention Hanshi Powder, if you want to blame others, the first person to blame should be Qi Yutai's own father, the imperial master.

The remaining Nuo swordsmen didn't know that there was a living person hiding among the plague gods.

D.

What's more, on the day of the Tianzhangtai ceremony, no killing is allowed.

The grand master bent his old body even lower. He did not argue or plead. He knelt on the ground silently and dejectedly, like a broken branch that would never bloom again.

A white-haired person giving a black-haired person a gift is the most miserable thing in the world, but it is nothing more than this.

The emperor said nothing and looked at the people on the stairs calmly.

After a long time, he said: "Grand Master, my condolences."

…

In the imperial city, all the medical officers were walking towards the Medical Officer's Court.

The joy at the Changle Pond seemed to have happened just a moment ago, but the medical officers were extremely silent, and the team was as quiet as death.

When a person dies in the palace, everyone present will undergo cross-examination. However, during the Nuo ceremony, the Medical Officers' Court had seats outside the Changle Pond, and the high platform was still a long way away. After a whole night of interrogation by the guards, everyone in the Medical Officers' Court was allowed to go back first.

It was already early morning, the sky was slightly bright, and a ray of white light gradually lit up on the horizon. The late autumn morning is already cool, and it looks even more deserted after the party.

After returning to the medical hospital, everyone was a little tired.

Chang Jin asked the medical officers to go back to the hospital to rest first. Lu Yan was about to go back to the house with Lin Danqing when Ji Xun called him from behind.

"Medical Officer Lu," Ji Xun said, "I have something to tell you."

Lu Yan followed Ji Xun to his medicine room.

The medicine room was quiet, and the two of them sat opposite each other. Ji Xun looked at Lu Yu, and after a moment he said, "Qi Yutai is dead."

Lu Zhen looked at him.

"Previously, something happened to the hospital envoy, and you treated Qi Yutai on behalf of the hospital envoy. Now, although Master Qi died under the sword of Nuo Li, traces of his taking Hanshi Powder were found among the Nuo Li puppets. The imperial doctor will definitely check his past medical history when he enters the hospital. case."

Seeing that Lu Chen was silent, he added, "Although this matter has nothing to do with you, the Imperial Master's Office may be angry with you."

Lu Xu lowered his head: "I know."

The Qi family will definitely investigate the people around Qi Yutai, and in the past few months, apart from the servants in Qi Yutai's house, the only person closest to Qi Yutai is Lu Yun.

What's more, Lu Zhen is still an "outsider".

"Don't worry," Ji Xun comforted: "The Medical Academy can testify for you that you are innocent."

Lu Chen smiled, and when he raised his head again, his expression had become calm.

She said: "Actually, if Medical Officer Ji doesn't come to see me today, I will come to see Medical Officer Ji."

Ji Xun was puzzled.

"There is something I would like to ask Medical Officer Ji for help."

"What's the matter?"

Lu Xu was silent for a moment before he spoke: "As Medical Officer Ji said, the Grand Master's Office may be angry with me. I come from an ordinary background and have no parents or brothers alive, so it is not a pity to die alone. However, before I entered the Medical Officer's Hospital, I had Sitting in a small medical clinic on West Street."

"The proprietor, maid, waiter, and doctor are not familiar with me, but we have been together for a while by chance, and they know nothing about me."

Lu Xun looked at Ji Xun and said, "I know that Medical Officer Ji is kind-hearted. If something unfortunate happens to me in the future, please protect the Renxin Medical Center while you and I spend a few days together in our hometown in southern Jiangsu. This is Such kindness and kindness will never be forgotten by Lu Zhu."

After saying this, he stood up and bowed for a long time.

Ji Xun was stunned for a while, then hurriedly stretched out his hand to help her up, frowning and said: "Why do you say this suddenly? Even if the Taishi Mansion is angry, but there is no evidence, how can you arbitrarily convict someone, let alone Qiannu West Street Medical Center? "Medical Officer Lu, please stop saying these unlucky words."

But Lu Chen insisted: "If Medical Officer Ji doesn't agree, I won't get up."

Although she usually insisted, she rarely forced others to do so. After a stalemate for a while, Ji Xun said helplessly: "Okay, I promise you."

The West Street Medical Center is full of ordinary people, and with the Ji family's reputation, it is not difficult to take care of them.

The two talked for a while, and Ji Xun himself looked tired and said goodbye to Lu Zhu. Before leaving, he muttered to himself: "Now that all cold food powders are banned in Shengjing, how will Prince Qi's cold food powders be banned from now on?" Where to get it?”

No one answered beside him. Ji Xun raised his head and saw that Lu Zhu had already walked away.

He didn't seem to hear the question.

…

The sun gradually rises.

The golden-red morning glow was like a burning fire, splashing into the courtyard of the Taishi Mansion.

The servants and servants were wailing and wailing through the door, covered with a layer of stuffy fog. It was strangely like the Nuo songs of the dancers at the Nuo ceremony by the Changle Pond last night, which made people's hearts tremble for no reason.

The hall was very quiet.

Qi Yutai slept quietly in the coffin.

Qi Huaying was heartbroken and fainted after returning home. The housekeeper sent someone to ask a medical officer for a consultation.

Qi Qing sat beside the coffin, holding a silk handkerchief in his hand, wiping Qi Yutai's face little by little.

This coffin was originally prepared for himself.

He was already old, so he had a coffin prepared and placed in his mansion long ago, just to wait for one day to go to the fairyland. Unexpectedly, Qi Yutai slept in this golden nanmu coffin, which cost a lot of money, before he did.

Nature plays tricks on people.

The clothes of the person in the coffin have been changed again, and the whole body has been wiped clean. It no longer looks as scary and ferocious as when it was taken out of the doll's belly. However, Qi Qing continued to wipe the non-existent blood stains on the corpse's face and refused to stop.

He wiped it carefully, once and for all, with a little more force. He wiped the corners of the corpse's mouth slightly upward, as if showing a strange smile.

The old man's movements slowed down, and his cloudy old eyes moved slightly.

When Qi Yutai was a child, his face got dirty after eating. He did the same thing. He held his son on his lap and wiped the residue from the corners of his mouth little by little.

Qi Yutai grabbed his beard and shouted vaguely: "Dad, Daddy!"

Qi Qing was not young when he got Qi Yutai, and he was at the height of his official career. He had a loving wife and young son, and enjoyed unlimited honors and favors.

He likes Qi Yutai very much, just as he likes his young and gentle wife.

But the Yue family hid a big thing from him. His wife suffered from epilepsy and was originally a lunatic.

He can't let others discover that he has a crazy wife. When he climbs the stairs to a high place, there are always many people staring at him, and everyone is looking forward to his fall.

So Shuhui died in the Taishi Mansion.

Hua Ying was already born at that time.

He was looking forward to it, with a hint of lucky hope in his heart, hoping that his two children would not suffer from a terrible illness like their mother. For this reason, he built ashrams extensively, built bridges and roads, and accumulated merit over the years.

Fortune and misfortune befell him at the same time.

Qi Huaying grew up peacefully.

Qi Yutai began to suffer from the disease when he was young.

Originally, Qi Yutai also deserved to die.

But when he saw the children he had placed high hopes in and watched grow up staring at him with admiration, he finally couldn't take action.

Qi Yutai survived.

His momentary compassion did not yield good results. Over the years, expensive incense has been burned in the mansion every day to soothe Qi Yutai's emotions and delay his illness. However, this child, who was bright and smart when he was young, has become mediocre and even dull as he grows up. He is impatient, irritable, and occasionally gloomy and unstable. Qi Qing suspects that this is also a symptom of epilepsy.

Qi Yutai was also unable to give birth to an heir, and the palace arranged for a marriage with no one left. When he learned about this, Qi Qing was both disappointed and relieved.

What if the child is born with epilepsy?

But if an heir cannot be born, who in the Qi family will inherit the family business in the future?

He was too old to have a second son.

Qi Qing wiped his son's face over and over again, and the cold and stiff skin passed over his fingers, and the coldness seemed to seep into the bones.

Over the years, he has been unwilling to give in, but he is not cruel enough. He thought he despised his son, but when Qi Yutai actually died, he seemed to have aged ten years overnight.

The husband who killed his wife, the father who lost his son.

In the empty hall and the gorgeous coffin, he sat with his back bent. A drop of turbid tears fell on the coffin, and was quickly brushed away.

The housekeeper walked in from outside the door and said sadly: "Sir, the young lady was overly sad. The medical officer saw her and she took medicine and fell asleep."

Qi Huaying and Qi Yutai had a deep love for each other. During yesterday's ceremony, Qi Qing specially told Qi Huaying to be optimistic about his brother. In the end, Qi Yutai died in full view of the public, and Qi Huaying was so sad that he did not want to live.

After a long while, Qi Qing said: "Take good care of Miss."

He only has this one daughter.

The butler bowed: "Master, what should we do next?"

Although Qi Yutai died on Nuo Yi, he also discovered Han Shi Powder. The third prince would not miss this opportunity, and now that he was asked to take the body back for burial, Emperor Liang Ming remembered his old love.

Everything seems to be an accident.

But it's no accident.

Qi Yutai has been locked up in the Grand Master's Mansion these days. He cannot leave the gate or take a step forward. The servants in the mansion keep a close eye on him. How can I get Hanshi Powder?

After Fengle Tower, all merchants in Shengjing kept it secret.

No one dares to take risks at this time.

These days, Qi Yutai is peaceful every day, just waiting for Lu Zhuo to come to the house for treatment.

Qi Qing stopped wiping.

Lu Tong.

In the past two months, the only stranger who has come in and out of Taishi Mansion is Lu Zhuo.

Speaking of which, Qi Yutai has indeed become much more at ease since Lu Zhuo came to visit.

The guard in the house didn't notice anything unusual. He thought Qi Yutai's illness was stable.

But if it's something else...

Qi Qing raised his eyes and clenched the silk handkerchief in his hand.

"Where is Lu Yan?"

…

It was already evening when Lu Chen returned to Renxin Medical Center.

Du Changqing and Miao Liangfang had already returned home. Yin Zheng was standing at the door and was about to close the door. Suddenly, he saw Lu Zhu appearing at the door. He was suddenly surprised and asked: "Why is the girl back suddenly?"

Lu Zhuo smiled and said: "Yesterday was a great ceremony in the palace. After that, the Medical Officer's Hospital will be closed for one day. I will go back tomorrow."

Yin Zheng was happy and regretful at the same time: "Girl, why didn't you tell me in advance? There's no food left in the kitchen... Whatever you want to eat, I'll do it."

Lu Zhuo pulled her: "I'm not hungry yet, let's talk inside first."

Yin Zheng praised it.

The door is closed.

The two of them entered the house. Yin Zheng lit a lamp and put it on the table. Seeing Lu Zhu standing in front of the yard looking out the window, she asked, "What is the girl looking at?"

"flower."

Lu Yan said: "When you and I first moved here last year, there were not a single flower."

Three or two chrysanthemums planted under the window bloomed. A gust of autumn wind passed by, and the pistils were cold and fragrant, leaving them pure and pure.

Yin Zheng loves to grow flowers and clean the small courtyard. Ever since they moved into this courtyard, the flowers have bloomed differently throughout the year and are always beautiful.

"The yard belongs to others, but the days are our own. A few flowers are not valuable, but looking at them can make people feel comfortable." Yinzheng said with a smile: "If you like it, girl, we can raise some fish in the yard. Let's go back. Pick some beautiful ones with red tails in Guanxiang, I think those wealthy families are like this."

Lu Chen laughed.

Yin Zheng looked at her and said, "The girl seems to be in a good mood today, but what good things happened?"

"That's right." Lu Zhu turned around and entered the room, "By the way, Yin Zheng, I have an important event tomorrow. Please choose some nice clothes for me."

When Yin Zheng heard this, she was immediately happy. Without saying anything, she quickly walked into the house and took out several dresses from the yellow wooden cabinet.

"I made new clothes for the girl at Tailor Ge's earlier. The girl can't wear them for daily medical treatment. It's just suitable for the cold weather." She spread the dress on the couch, "But girl, it's an important event. If it's You have to dress up, but the material is probably a bit rough. How about making another one? Are you a nobleman from the palace?" Her eyes flashed, "Or is it Mr. Pei?"

Since Pei Yunying's birthday, Yinzheng has never seen her again.

She didn't know what happened between Lu Chen and Pei Yunying, but for a long time after that, Lu Chen looked more silent than before. Sometimes I sit in front of the window and stare into the distance for a long time in a daze.

She vaguely got a clue, and every time she wanted to ask Lu Chen, she was distracted by him without leaving a trace. After several times, she finally understood.

She felt sorry for Lu Zhu, but she didn't know how to persuade him.

Yin Zheng approached Lu Zhuo, "Have you reconciled with Mr. Pei?"

"not him."

Lu Zhuo smiled and picked out a jade-colored embroidered floral skirt from the bed of clothes and skirts, "How do you like this one?"

"It looks good!" Yin Zheng nodded, "A girl looks best in light colors like this!"

After Lu Chen was convinced, he put the dress aside and folded other clothes. He took out a letter from his arms and handed it to Yin Zheng.

Yin Zheng was confused: "What is this?"

"Tonight at Xu's hour, you send this letter to Duan Xiaoyan, the palace commander, and ask him to hand it over to Pei Yunying."

"For Pei Dianshuai?" Yin Zheng hesitated, "Why didn't the girl give it to him herself?"

"There are some things that I can't explain clearly to him face to face. Yin Zheng, can you help me?"

Yin Zheng was stunned for a moment, then hesitantly said: "Girl, you don't want to cut off your relationship with Pei Dianshuai, do you?"

Lu Chen just looked at her without speaking.

Yin Zheng sighed and took the letter from Lu Zhuo's hand: "I understand." After a pause, he asked again: "But why is it Xu Shi?"

Lu Zhuo looked out the window: "I won't go to the Medical Officer's Hospital until later tomorrow. I want to eat duck with lychee and kidney from Renhe Store tonight. You go buy a bowl, and when you come back, can you take the letter to the Commander-in-Chief's Mansion?" "

"Now you want to eat lychee and kidney and duck?" Yin Zheng was confused. "There is always a queue at Renhe store for lychee and duck..." She said and saw Lu Zhu smiling at her. She cheered up and thought for a while: "Girl, today She seems to be in a really good mood." She stood up and said, "In that case, I'm going to line up now and buy some wine to burn some snails."

Lu Zhuo nodded.

Yin Zheng said that she was about to go out, and then she opened the door and heard Lu Zhu calling her from behind: "Yin Zheng."

She turned back: "What?"

Lu Tong looked at her for a while, shook his head and smiled, saying, "Be careful on the road."

Yin Zheng went out and silence returned to the yard.

Lu Zhen stared at the plum tree outside the window for a while, then looked away, picked up the jade-colored skirt next to the couch, put it on, walked to the dressing table and sat down.

The woman in the mirror is in her prime, with white teeth and bright eyes, and a pair of extremely dark eyes with an indifferent tone.

She picked up the wooden comb on the table, carefully combed her black hair, carefully combed her hair into a bun, and finally inserted a hibiscus flower hairpin.

The flower hairpins were lonely and slender. Lu Yan looked at them for a moment, then lowered her head and picked out two butterflies cut from black gold paper from the makeup package. They were bought by Yin Zheng at the lantern market during the lantern festival in Jingdemen. She had never worn them once.

Lu Tong tied butterfly hairpins on both sides of his bun. When he moved slightly, the butterfly wings flapped and spread out to fly.

Beautiful and clean.

After doing all this, she left the dressing table, opened the wooden cabinet, and took out four porcelain jars from the wooden cabinet.

The porcelain jar was cold and small. Lu Zhu put his cheek against it and rubbed it lovingly for a long time.

She took the porcelain jar and walked to the plum tree, poured out the soil in the porcelain jar, buried it in the flower mud, and put the porcelain jar back into the cabinet.

Finally, Lu Yan took one more look at the small courtyard, closed the door, and left the hospital with a lantern.

As night fell, the lanterns swayed under the eaves of West Street, and it was quiet. In the low-rise bungalow, a little dim light showed through the cracks in the window. There was a child lying on the table in front of the window, stumbling and reciting the Three Character Sutra.

"...Dou Yanshan has a righteous approach. He will teach the five sons and they will all be famous..."

"...It is the father's fault if he fails to teach. If he is not strict in teaching, it is the teacher's laziness..."

Lu Zhuo stopped.

It seems that a long time ago, she made a mistake and was punished by her father to copy the Three-Character Sutra like this when she came home.

My mother wanted to protect her, but my father pushed her out of the door. The wooden ruler was wide and long, reflecting my father's angry face.

"It's the father's fault if you don't teach me. Lu Huan, you are so naughty. If I can't teach you well, someone will stab me in the back in the future!"

It's the father's fault if he doesn't teach him.

His son made a mistake, and it is his father's turn to educate him.

It should be so.

That's how it should be.

Lu Zhen looked at the shadow in the window, his eyes were indifferent.

"Creak-" a sound.

The door was pushed open, and dusk filled the floor. Tailor Ge's wife came out of the house carrying a bucket, and paused when she saw Lu Zhuo stopped under the window: "Doctor Lu?"

Lu Zhuo nodded.

The woman poured the remaining water in the bucket on the ground outside the house, smiled and asked, "It's so late, where are you going?"

Lu Yan smiled: "Go home."

"Oh." The woman nodded and went into the house carrying the bucket again.

After taking two steps, he suddenly realized: "No, Renxin Medical Center is behind it. Why is Dr. Lu going south?"

She opened the window and stuck her head out to see. There was a mist in the night and she couldn't see the woman's shadow.

The dim light of the lantern swayed under my feet, and in the thick cold fog, the warm light drove away all the chill.

Lu Chen walked in the night with a smile, his expression calm.

She is going home.

Finally, I can go home.

Happy Children's Day to all the adults and children!