Meng Fuyao squatted in front of Ashina's corpse and cursed while gnawing on her nails, "F * ck, he didn't die earlier or later, but at the worst possible time."
Right now, she seemed to be doing very well as the acting City Lord, but in fact, she was just walking on a tightrope. She had to be very busy before she could stabilize the situation. First, Zong Yue went to King Xinde and explained the matter in detail. After that, King Xinde acquiesced and allowed him to be the new City Lord. Next, she screened out the more dangerous Rong people in the county government and re-recruited Han bailiffs. Then, she started to form militia groups to strengthen the Han people's self-defense ability. She reorganized the household registration and dispersed the Rong people who used to live together. She also killed a few of the fiercest and most active Rong people. Although it was inevitable that there were undercurrents in the city, it was still relatively stable.
She couldn't handle all these things alone, so Zong Yue found people to help her grow from a young age and gain the trust of the Han people who were familiar with the local situation. This was the strategy of using the people to protect the people. Even when Meng Fuyao, the city lord who didn't understand government affairs, was at a loss when she was faced with the documents, Zong Yue mocked her viciously while handling the complicated affairs. He handled them smoothly, like a butcher dissecting an ox. The documents that piled up like a mountain disappeared in an instant. While Meng Fuyao was amazed, she felt that Zong Yue's background was extraordinary. How could a doctor be so good at government affairs? When she asked about it, Zong Yue pretended not to hear and continued to gather herbs the next day, refusing to pay attention to her. She could only shut up from then on, and the two of them worked quite well together.
But all of this effort was about to go down the drain with Ashina's sudden death. The Rong people of Yao Cheng loved this city lord very much. If the news of Ashina's death were to spread, the rebellious sparks that had been suppressed with great difficulty would immediately ignite.
It was obvious that there were spies working for the Rong army in Yao City, specifically fanning the flames so that they could take down Yao City without losing a single soldier.
As the city lord, it was impossible for her to get rid of all the subordinates in the county government. She shook her head and stood up lazily. "Melt it," she said to Zong Yue, who had been looking at Ashina's corpse calmly.
Zong Yue frowned and said, "Do you think that Rong Ren won't find you and the former city lord who's about to disappear after dissolving Ashina's corpse? In a few days, it will be the Rong people's' God Worship Festival ', and the Rong people everywhere will have a celebration. If Ashina doesn't show up, you won't be able to explain yourself. "
Just as she was hesitating, she heard the beating of a drum in the front hall. It was a very strange sound. The beating was neither fast nor slow, and it did not sound like the grief, indignation, or anxiousness of a person crying out for injustice. Instead, it was long and resounding, and it traveled all the way to the dungeon. There were even some faint noises that did not match the drumbeat.
It sounded like something soft beating against a drum.
Meng Fuyao stood up in confusion and murmured, "Eh? Someone's actually beating the drum to complain about injustice? Under my, Meng Qingtian's, rule, isn't it supposed to be peaceful and without any injustice? "
Zong Yue glanced at her and smiled helplessly. Her nerves were basically made of iron, and even such a terrible situation did not make her stop joking around.
Meng Fuyao stomped out of the room, putting aside the unlucky incident and excitedly anticipating the first court hearing in her career as the city lord. After the bailiffs were done standing up, Meng Fuyao shook her specially made robe and stepped onto her seat. When she heard that the drum was still beating, she impatiently turned around and shouted, "What are you still beating for? I'm going to court! "
She turned around and saw who was beating the drum.
She let out an "Ugh" and stumbled from behind the table.
In front of him, through the grille, a man in a light purple robe stood in front of the Grievance Drum. He raised the drumsticks and beat them slowly. His posture was elegant and noble, and he beat the Grievance Drum as if he was playing a musical instrument. A group of young girls and young wives surrounded him and stared at his delicate wrist under the sunlight as his sleeves slid down.
What made them even more speechless was that a snow-white furball was squatting on the drum stand, hitting it with its head. It would hit the drum once every three times its master hit it. Its frequency was precise and its attitude was attentive.
Who else could it be but that unscrupulous pair of master and pet?
Meng Fuyao's mouth was wide open enough to stuff Lord Yuan Bao in. She sat in her seat in a daze, not knowing whether to hit the gavel or run away. Before she could finish her thought, the man had already gracefully put down the drumstick and tidied his sleeves. He even smiled and nodded at the four-faced lady and his wife attentively before strolling over amidst the gasps of amazement.
A certain fat ball was squatting on his shoulder, looking around with a dignified expression.
Upon closer inspection, one could even see a trace of disdain in its eyes. 'This official's robe is so ugly.'
Meng Fuyao was speechless for a long time. Suddenly, she sniffed and raised her head to encourage herself.
'Sigh … Isn't it just someone coming to complain? Even if this person is a little special and his true motive is a little untrustworthy, I can totally treat him as an ordinary person coming to complain.'
'But … why do I feel a little guilty?'
Meng Fuyao couldn't help but look around. Her gaze landed on the beam, the table, and the floor, but she refused to look at the gavel in front of her. She touched her documents, her robe, and her hair, but she refused to touch the gavel.
'I have no conscience, I have a guilty conscience' was clearly written on her face. The man in the light-colored robe couldn't help but smile, while Lord Yuan Bao rolled his eyes.
The crowd outside the hall was filled with people, all wanting to see how the new city lord would try the case. They wanted to know what kind of grievances this peerless man had. Everyone stared at the young and handsome new city lord in the hall, then at the graceful and elegant man below. No matter how they looked at them, they felt that both of them had strange expressions. The new city lord was especially strange. It was as if there was a brazier under his butt, rubbing and twisting incessantly.
After a long silence, the people began to whisper among themselves. Meng Fuyao had no choice but to cover her face with her claws. She slapped the gavel weakly and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you? Why are you complaining? "
She sneakily glanced at Yuan Zhaoxu, not knowing what he was up to. When she saw Yuan Zhaoxu raise his eyes and smile, he said slowly, "Old Sir …"
Meng Fuyao trembled.
Yuan Zhaoxu didn't stop there. He lifted his robe and was about to kneel.
Meng Fuyao jumped up in shock and was about to shout to stop him, but Yuan Zhaoxu just feigned a move. He immediately straightened his knees, slapped his head, and laughed. "Oh, Old Sir, I forgot that I have scholarly honors. I don't need to kneel in front of you."
Meng Fuyao gritted her teeth and glared at him. All of a sudden, he wasn't feeling guilty anymore. What was there to feel guilty about? This guy had never been willing to suffer any losses. He was going to pay her back sooner or later, so why should she feel guilty?
She immediately straightened her back and slapped the gavel fiercely. "Hand over the complaint!"
Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and took out a piece of silk cloth. The temporary advisor, Yao Xun, stepped forward to take it. When he saw what was inside, he immediately put on an expression that made him want to laugh, but he didn't dare. He pursed his lips to hold back his laughter and took small steps to hand over the cloth.
Meng Fuyao took it doubtfully. 'This guy really has a complaint?'
When she opened it, she saw a complete set of fish bones inside.
She stared at the treasure with a black face. She recognized it as the remains of the fish she had eaten on Green Pearl Mountain.
'Hey, didn't I throw it away? When did he pick it up?'
'What an unconventional' complaint '…'
Before she could figure it out, she heard the person speaking unhurriedly. "I, Yuan Zhaoxu, am suing the Meng Family of the Taiyuan Kingdom for abandoning me after taking advantage of me, for being heartless and fickle …"
…
Meng Fuyao almost spat out a mouthful of blood.
'What the hell is this?'
'Student Yuan Zhaoxu, this is a court, the administrative center of Yao City under the rule of Wuji. How can you say such things?'
'I … abandoned you after taking advantage of you, for being heartless and fickle?'
Her fingers trembled. She really wanted to pick up the fish bone and throw it at Yuan Zhaoxu, but this was a court after all. She couldn't afford to lose face like that. When she thought of how Yuan Zhaoxu had abandoned her after taking advantage of her, her face flushed red. She glared at Yuan Zhaoxu resentfully for a long time, but he looked as serious as the white rat on his shoulder.
Meng Fuyao could only lower her voice and say fiercely, "Your complaint doesn't seem to be in line with the rules."
"Is that so?" Yuan Zhaoxu smiled and pointed at the silk cloth. "Why don't you show the complaint to the people? I think it's quite standard. I've even attached a token of love as proof."
Gossip was the nature of all people in any era. Upon hearing the words' token of love ', the people below burst into an uproar and squeezed forward with all their might, wanting to see what it was. Meng Fuyao looked at the fish bone mysteriously, wanting to cry but no tears came out.' Alright … token of love. '
She quickly put away the "token of love" and crushed it. She said solemnly, "What you said makes sense. I've seen it. Since that's the case, I'll accept the complaint. However, this is the Kingdom of Wuji. You're suing the Taiyuan people, which is beyond my jurisdiction. You'd better go to Taiyuan and complain."
She was very pleased with her success. Thinking that Yuan Zhaoxu would have nothing to say, she shifted her butt and prepared to leave. Who knew that the man would laugh again?
Meng Fuyao's hair stood on end at the sight of his smile. Her butt stopped midway, and she heard him say, "My Lord, although this woman is a Taiyuan citizen, she likes to roam around. Recently, she has been lurking in Wuji's territory, right here in Yao City. Moreover, she cheats money and women. It's hard to guarantee that she won't harm others after tormenting me. Please, my Lord, for the sake of the common people, arrest her as soon as possible."
"Cheat, cheat … cheat … cheat … cheat … cheat …" Old Master Meng began to stutter. "Cheat what money … what sex …"
"Cheat a strand of hair from the family pet's buttocks. It's not just any hair, it's taken care of by servants every day. Each strand is worth a thousand pieces of gold." The 'peerless family pet' on Yuan Zhaoxu's shoulder immediately turned around and raised its fat butt to show the 'peerless hair that had been tragically plucked away' to the Old Master. Of course, it was basically impossible to recognize it.
"As for sex …" Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. His long eyelashes drooped down, his eyes overflowing with color and rippling like water. "I'm embarrassed to say it, Boss. Everyone knows."
…
There really was no most shameless, only more shameless. This pair of master and pet, who excelled in the 'Two-people Rotation', had really gone too far. Meng Fuyao struggled for a while before suddenly jumping up and slamming the gavel. "Due to the special nature of this case, which involves peerless hair and personal secrets, the public hearing will now be suspended. Men, close the door and release the dogs!"
The door closed with a rumble, cutting off the curious gazes of the commoners. Some people were still unwilling to give up and tried to peek through the crack of the door, guessing that there must be something going on between the new Old Master and the strange victim. Meng Fuyao ordered someone to splash water through the crack, successfully dousing the gossipy people away.
Then, Old Master Meng kicked away Yao Xun, who had been snickering, and Little Knife, who had been watching the show with bright eyes. He lay paralyzed on his seat and wailed. "Alright … Young Master Yuan, Master Yuan, Grandpa Yuan, I beg for mercy. Please don't play with me, okay?"
Yuan Zhaoxu walked over slowly and bent over to look at Meng Fuyao. He smiled and said, "Lord Mayor, you look good. It seems like you're living a comfortable life."
"I'm not. I'm not comfortable," Meng Fuyao replied weakly. "I repent. I'm guilty."
Yuan Zhaoxu's eyes flashed. He was a little surprised that Meng Fuyao was so easy to talk to. He then smiled. This girl looked cruel and merciless, but deep down, she was too righteous. Otherwise, why would she feel guilty and give in? He thought she would jump up and fight him.
Meng Fuyao was not so easy to talk to in front of others.
Yuan Zhaoxu was in a good mood and patted her shoulder. "Lord Mayor, aren't you going to entertain your old friend from afar?"
"Oh." Meng Fuyao got up like a dead dog. "There's no extra courtyard. Do you mind squeezing in with Zong Yue?"
"Mr. Zong went to Sui River," Yuan Zhaoxu answered casually. "King De fell ill, so he invited him over to treat his illness."
Meng Fuyao turned around and stared at him. "What's your relationship with Zong Yue?"
"Friends with benefits. Who knows when we'll be enemies," Yuan Zhaoxu answered straightforwardly.
"You're very free, aren't you?" Meng Fuyao continued to interrogate him. She stared at him with bright eyes. "Can the Crown Prince's advisor run around as he pleases?"
"The Crown Prince sent me to the Southern Border to supervise the army. This is official business." Yuan Zhaoxu smiled at her. "What else do you want to know?"
"I still want to know how black your heart is, and how many twists and turns you have in your stomach …" Meng Fuyao mumbled.
Yuan Zhaoxu pretended not to hear her and followed her into the back hall. The two of them walked through the small garden. The Southern Border was warm and humid, and the garden was filled with Bougainvillea in winter. Huge, colorful bracts grew in large patches, creating an intense and unrestrained beauty.
Looking from afar, a man in a light purple robe with wide sleeves and a youth in a dark black robe walked side by side. Their postures were elegant, and it was a rare beautiful scene in itself.
Meng Fuyao walked through the flowers, her fingers caressing the silky petals. She suddenly felt a rare sense of tranquility and peace in her heart. The series of events since her arrival in Yao City, the killings and bloodshed, the seizing of the throne, and the bloody assault, had always made her feel energetic. But now, she suddenly felt tired. A kind of fatigue had been awakened in her blood and instantly spread throughout her body.
She tilted her head and looked at the man beside her. Was it because of him? It was as if as long as he was there, she would relax for no reason and release herself from the depths of her soul. This man, this man who could affect her inner emotions and influence her greatly, was it really just a few months ago that she met him?
At this moment, her smiling expression exuded an air of gentleness and elegance that even she herself did not notice. Yuan Zhaoxu sensed it and smiled at her. Suddenly, he bent down to pluck a bougainvillea and took off her official hat, as if he was going to put it on for her.
Meng Fuyao blushed and subconsciously leaned to the side. Suddenly, a white light flashed. A certain love rival had taken advantage of her shyness to jump up and greet the flower excitedly with his teeth bared.
"Big red flower … Master is putting it on … Youth … Ripples …" Lord Yuan Bao was gritting his teeth so hard that his eyes could not be seen. All the white hair on his body was fluttering in excitement.
The hand holding the flower suddenly tilted to the side. Then, everything went black in front of Yuan Bao's eyes. A huge object suddenly covered his head and covered him.
Yuan Zhaoxu did not bat an eyelid at his beloved pet. He scooped it up and hung it on a nearby tree. Then, with a smile, he gently inserted the flower into Meng Fuyao's hair.
Her hair was dark green and the flower was red like fire. It complemented the girl's naturally bright eyes, a beauty that could steal one's soul.
The wind blew gently, carrying a delicate fragrance. Yuan Zhaoxu clasped his hands behind his back and carefully scrutinized the person in front of him. His eyes were deep and dark, as if old memories had passed. After a while, he said, "I still prefer you wearing flowers in women's clothing."
His tone was leisurely and seemed to have a deeper meaning. Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat. Her instincts told her that something was wrong. She forgot her shyness and was about to ask, but Yuan Zhaoxu had already turned and walked away. Behind her, Lord Yuan Bao was holding on to his official hat and crying for help.
Meng Fuyao picked up the hat, tied it on her hand, and shook it until Lord Ingot was sent flying into the merciless embrace of her mistress.
"Since you're the Army Supervisor, you should be at the Sui River. What are you doing here?" Yuan Zhaoxu's steps were not big, but they were fast. Meng Fuyao was struggling to catch up.
"Isn't Yao City a frontier?" Yuan Zhaoxu did not even turn his head. "This is where the Rong and Han tribes live. It's the border between the Rong tribe and the mainland. It's a really important military area …" He suddenly reached out and pulled out a small person from behind a tree. "Hmm? Is the scenery nice? Does it look really pretty? "
The child who had been eavesdropping was suddenly pulled out. Startled, he stared at Yuan Zhaoxu without saying a word. It was Little Knife. He looked into Yuan Zhaoxu's eyes without fear. Meng Fuyao secretly praised him. She knew the power of Yuan Zhaoxu's gaze. It was rare for a child to remain unmoved.
Yuan Zhaoxu looked at the child, deep in thought. He closed his eyes slightly, as if searching for something in his memory. Then, he opened them and smiled.
Meng Fuyao could not help but twitch her mouth. 'Sigh, this person is really good at pretending to be deep!'
She thought that Yuan Zhaoxu would express some opinions about Little Knife's existence, but he did not say anything. He let go of the child and asked Meng Fuyao like a master, "The house by the garden is not bad. Shall I get someone to clean it up?"
Meng Fuyao replied with a blank "Oh". Then, she saw Yuan Zhaoxu casually instruct the servants to clean up and even more casually order, "The City Lord is staying behind? No, the City Lord has moved, so he's staying next door. Yes, change it for her. "
Meng Fuyao's face darkened as she looked at the servants obediently following Yuan Zhao's orders. In the blink of an eye, they had changed their living quarters. "Why?" she asked in astonishment.
"I want to put you where I can see you." Yuan Zhaoxu held her hand and walked over. "Lest you disappear."
His tone was melancholy. Meng Fuyao looked around in embarrassment and mumbled, "He just left once without saying goodbye. He didn't even leave Limitless Nation. So petty."
Yuan Zhaoxu smiled but did not reply. Suddenly, Meng Fuyao remembered the corpse in the dungeon and frowned. She could not help but ask Yuan Zhaoxu how to deal with it. Yuan Zhaoxu followed her to the dungeon and squatted in front of Ashina's corpse. After a moment of silence, he suddenly laughed. "That's easy. Aren't there things like human skin masks in this world?"
Meng Fuyao looked at him speechlessly. 'This is an official of Limitless Nation, your subordinate. How can you be so heartless as to use his face as a mask? I'm not as heartless as you. '
Yuan Zhaoxu understood her gaze and smiled. "Since you have a conscience, then leave Lord Ashina's corpse intact. We don't have to worry about what happens during the God's Worship Festival. Even if the sky falls, you'll be there to support it."
Meng Fuyao glared resentfully at the mind-reading and drastic guy before arranging for Yao Xun to find someone with a similar build to Ashina. Yuan Zhaoxu closed the door and handed her a box an hour later. "Dry it for a few days and it'll be ready to use."
Meng Fuyao opened it and took a look. "Is there anything in this world that you won't do?"
"Yes," Yuan Zhaoxu answered quickly.
"Oh?" Meng Fuyao glanced at him, thinking that he would say something difficult.
"I wouldn't do such a thing." Yuan Zhaoxu stared at her until she started to feel guilty. "I would never abandon someone who cares about me without saying goodbye."
…
Meng Fuyao wailed in her heart.
'Damn it, I'll never offend this man ever again!'
*****
The winter night of the Southern Border was cold and damp. A thin layer of frost formed on the window paper, which was instantly melted by the burning charcoal.
Meng Fuyao bit the corner of her blanket and sat on her bed, not in the mood to practice. She had no choice, because a certain someone was next door. She heard that he was bathing.
Bathing …
The sound of water splashing could be heard as light shone through the cracks in the wall.
Yes, the crack in the wall.
This house was rather special. The structure of Lord Ashina's house was half Han and half Rong. It was made entirely of wood, and the partitions were all made of logs. Some of the wooden cracks were rather large. Basically, if one were to move quickly against a row of wooden cracks on the wall, one would be able to take in all the nudity of the person next door.
Meng Fuyao's bed was directly opposite one of the larger cracks. She sat upright and still, determined to prevent her eyes from drifting in a certain direction.
'I'll get a pinprick if I look … I'm a decent person.'
A decent person would look down and practice while listening to the sound of water splashing.
But before her dantian could leave her, her eyes suddenly slipped and she caught a glimpse of a white shadow in the biggest crack. 'Strange, I didn't see it just now. What is it?'
Filled with curiosity, Meng Fuyao immediately found an honorable reason to peep. 'See what it is?'
She jumped off the bed barefooted and tiptoed over to the crack. As she moved her eyes closer, her eyelids were suddenly pricked by a strand of white hair.
'Hair?'
…
Meng Fuyao stared at the crack in shock. A fat ball in a white robe was blocking the crack with its four paws wide open. It was the white shadow.
When he sensed someone approaching, Lord Ingot, who had been preparing for a rainy day, turned his head. His round, black eyes met the peeper's eyes. His two large eyes widened, and Lord Ingot's gaze immediately conveyed all his contempt.
"I knew you'd peep!"
Lord Ingot tragically used his fat body to block the only crack where he could barely see his master bathing. He was even more righteous and selfless than the person who blew up the bunker with a gun.
'Master can only let me see!'
Meng Fuyao looked at him speechlessly. Her heart was filled with extreme worship for Lord Ingot's perverted possessiveness.
She decided to turn this worship into action and communicate with the idol in her heart.
Grinning at Lord Ingot, Meng Fuyao suddenly reached out, broke the crack, and grabbed Lord Ingot.
The latter screamed and struggled with all his might, trying to protect his own safety as well as his master's pleasure. "It's alright, I'm not going to look at your man. I'm just going to have a heart-to-heart talk with you," Meng Fuyao said with a smile.
Just as she grabbed Ingot and was about to leave, she suddenly heard someone's laughter coming from the crack.
"You said you won't look, but what were you looking for in the crack when you grabbed Ingot?"
Meng Fuyao rubbed her nose and said loudly, "I saw a stink bug sneaking next door. I'll help you look for it."
"Is that so?" Someone was still smiling. Suddenly, he let out a soft cry and said in a seductive voice, "There really is a stink bug. It's so itchy. Fuyao, come scratch my back."
"…"
After a while.
Something that emitted a strange smell shot out from the crack like lightning, heading straight for the bathtub next door.
At the same time, someone shouted with a murderous aura.
"Bug Killing Pill! Buy one get one free! Guaranteed to kill in one shot! A must-have for family gatherings, traveling, and bathing! "
*****
"Hey, Lord Ingot, there's really no need for you to block the crack. Look, your body is so bad and you're so heavy. Aren't you tired of blocking there?"
Lord Ingot slowly turned around, his butt facing Meng Fuyao to show that he wasn't going to cooperate. She immediately reached out and turned him around.
"I think there's a misunderstanding between us, and when it comes to misunderstandings, communication is the way to go. Come on, don't hide it anymore. Vent all the feelings you have for your master, whether it's a secret love, an indecent love, or an interspecies love, on me!"
Lord Ingot painfully covered his face with his claws, feeling ashamed of Meng Fuyao's lack of restraint. 'Ah, ah, ah, why did Master fall for such a clown …'
"Since you're not going to tell me, I'll tell you first." Meng Fuyao was extremely talkative that night. She casually took out a bottle of wine from under the bed and slammed it on the table.
"I'm annoyed. I want to say something, but I don't know who to talk to. We're brothers, and I'm not afraid of you leaking it. Come on, let's have a good relationship …"
Lord Ingot lost control of his anger and almost plucked out a strand of his unique hair. 'Who the hell are you brothers? I only have one in a hundred years, and you've done it in ten months. Are we even comparable?'
"… I'm so depressed …" Meng Fuyao slapped her chest and gulped down the wine. "I'm so conflicted …" She slapped and gulped again. "I don't know what to do …" Bang, bang, bang …
Lord Ingot opened his mouth wide and stared at the drunkard in front of him. 'What's going on?' 'Isn't Meng Fuyao a more indestructible cockroach than a real one?' 'What's wrong with her tonight? Why is she so heartbroken when she didn't see Master bathing?'
The kind-hearted Lord Ingot couldn't bear to see her like this. He started to seriously consider whether he should allow her to take a look at the crack.
'Hmm … just a look … maybe? Master should be done bathing anyway. '
How could Meng Fuyao know that the white rat's train of thought had nothing to do with hers? She was purely depressed for herself. Life had been tense ever since she came to Yao City. Her anger and self-blame over the murder of Old Hu's family had made her feel the responsibility of protecting the city. She was so busy that she didn't have the time to think about such trivial matters. Yuan Zhaoxu's sudden appearance was like a boulder that had been thrown into her heart, which had barely calmed down. At first, she was embarrassed, but then she felt a vague sense of joy and relief.
However, after the joy subsided, she suddenly felt like she was being drowned by a tidal wave of depression. She felt dizzy, her hands and feet burning, and her heart was filled with conflicting emotions of joy and worry. Her cries of indulgence and her sense of reason intertwined with each other.
'Hey, is the poison acting up?' Meng Fuyao muttered to herself as she patted her face. She turned to see Lord Ingot staring at her curiously. His black eyes were moist and sparkling like a pair of high-quality agate beads.
"Hey, I know you can understand human language, but you can't possibly know how to read, can you?" Meng Fuyao smiled slyly and reached out to touch Lord Ingot, who immediately moved away in disgust. She didn't mind. She laid on the table absentmindedly and dipped her finger into the tea water to write on it.
Lord Ingot shook his butt and was about to leave when he lowered his head and saw the words on the table. His claws suddenly paused, and after some thought, he sat down facing Meng Fuyao. He took out a small piece of fruit from his pocket and slowly nibbled on it.
Seeing that Lord Ingot was actually ready to listen to her talk, Meng Fuyao couldn't help but laugh. But then she thought that a rat was just a rat after all. She couldn't think of it as too intelligent. Perhaps it was just coveting the cool air here? But no matter what, even if it was a rat sitting opposite her, Meng Fuyao couldn't hold it in.
Tonight, the moon was cool, the fragrance of flowers floated in the air, the wind was strong, and she was at the end of the world.
It was appropriate to pour out her worries.
"Luckily, you're a rat. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare to say anything."
Lord Ingot continued to chomp on his fruit without lifting his head.
"Your master, sigh …" Meng Fuyao frowned and stared at the faint light coming from the gap next door. She looked as if she had seen a treasure but couldn't go in to take it. She slowly wrote on the table. "I think I'm starting to like him. What should I do?"
With a crunch, Lord Ingot began to chew even more ferociously. With one bite, the core of the fruit could be seen.
"Don't be so angry," Fuyao said with a smile. "Nothing good will come out of a cross-species relationship. Ingot, I advise you to keep your amorous feelings to yourself. Even if your master isn't mine, he won't be yours either. Aren't you tired of keeping him busy all day?" Ingot's eyes widened in disdain.
Lord Ingot immediately raised his claw and shot the core of the fruit accurately into Meng Fuyao's laughing mouth. Meng Fuyao didn't expect Ingot to retaliate so quickly and was almost choked to death. She spat out the core angrily and cursed, "You rat!"
After cursing for a while, Meng Fuyao suddenly became discouraged. She placed her chin on the table and wrote in a half-dead state, "Sigh, he won't be mine … so I can't like him, I can't."
Lord Ingot stared at Meng Fuyao with disdain, as if to say, "You're really a coward."
"What do you know?" Meng Fuyao waved her hand lazily and wrote, "Do you think I'm a hypocritical woman who wants to love but doesn't dare to? I just don't want to hurt him. Since I'm destined to leave, why should I get involved in a bunch of love debts and ruin their lives? "
She stared at the moon in the sky for a while, then suddenly slammed the table, grabbed the wine pot, and gulped it down with all her might.
Thousands of worries and melancholy were things that shouldn't belong to the bold and unrestrained Meng Fuyao. She didn't like them and had to wash them down with strong alcohol.
She tilted her head back and gulped down the wine. The clear liquid flowed down her chin and wet her clothes.
After three pots, she was finally drunk.
"Ingot … Ingot …" She hiccuped and looked for the rat with her drunken eyes. "Listen to me … Eh, where did you go? Eh … "
*****
Yuan Zhaoxu had just finished washing up and was reading a book under the light next door. Suddenly, he heard a sound and something squeezed through the gap. Lord Ingot slowly crawled in.
He ran straight to Yuan Zhaoxu, who could smell the faint smell of alcohol from afar. He put down his book and laughed. "You secretly drank again?"
"Eeek!"
"Not you?" Yuan Zhaoxu raised his eyebrows. "Her?"
Lord Ingot stood up and wagged his tail.
"You have something to tell me?" Yuan Zhaoxu stared at him and stretched out his hand. The fat rat obediently crawled onto his palm. "What do you want to say?"
Lord Ingot scratched his head, feeling that it was a little difficult to convey what Meng Fuyao had drawn to Yuan Zhaoxu. He could recognize the shape of the words, but he couldn't translate them into Ingot's language. The rat anxiously turned around in Yuan Zhaoxu's palm.
Yuan Zhaoxu looked at it thoughtfully. After a while, he laughed. "I remember that we used to play a word game."
He clapped his hands, and a man in black appeared outside the window. "Ingot's toy," Yuan Zhaoxu said.
The man in black took out a box from his sleeve and handed it over before disappearing into the night.
Lord Ingot was overjoyed. He immediately climbed up and flipped through the box. It was filled with small pieces of paper, but upon closer inspection, they weren't pieces of paper. Instead, they were exquisitely made poria pancakes with characters printed on them. This was the toy Yuan Zhaoxu had used to teach Ingot how to read on a whim. In order to pique the gluttonous rat's interest, he'd made it out of food.
Ingot jumped into the box and flipped it around, but he couldn't seem to find the character he wanted. Yuan Zhaoxu smiled. "You don't have to look for it. There's no Meng character here. It's not commonly used, so I didn't plan on letting you learn it."
Lord Ingot turned around sadly. Yuan Zhaoxu chuckled. "You don't even have to look for Meng Fuyao. I know you must be in such a hurry because of her. Something's wrong with her. Did she say something to you?"
"Eeek!" Lord Ingot turned around and flipped through the pages. After a while, he spat out the word 'Li', and then 'Kai'.
The smile in Yuan Zhaoxu's eyes faded. He stared at the two characters in silence.
Lord Ingot continued flipping. This was something he could express, but he just didn't want to. After a while, he spat out the words' Xi 'and' Huan '.
Yuan Zhaoxu's eyes flashed, but Lord Ingot stopped flipping. He hugged the word 'You' with his claws and stared at it angrily for a long time. He didn't want to show it to Yuan Zhaoxu, so after some thought, he gnawed it down.
Yuan Zhaoxu stared at the two characters for a while before leaning back in his chair. He beckoned the awkward Ingot over and gently stroked his smooth white fur.
He leaned back on the chair, his slightly wet hair not tied up, casually draping over his shoulder, adding a bit of poetic elegance. However, under the faint yellow light, his eyes were focused and sparkling, flickering like stars.
After a long while, he stood up with his hands behind his back and strolled to the window, looking in a certain direction. The wind blew his hair, making it flutter like a flag.
The light cast his silhouette on the wooden wall, a slender and steady figure that would never be swallowed up by the world's conspiracies, ups and downs, and changes.
After the light shone on the wooden wall, the woman was finally drunk. She reached out and pushed the wine pot over, rolling on the ground.
The candlelight was extinguished, and the cool moonlight spilled in.
In the silence, the wooden door suddenly creaked, and a slender figure walked in lightly. He stopped in front of the drunken Meng Fuyao and reached out to carry her.
Meng Fuyao, however, was unwilling to give up. She flipped over and tugged at the person. The person's center of gravity was leaning downwards, and he was carelessly pulled down by her. Meng Fuyao immediately wrapped around him like an octopus and hugged him tightly. "This blanket is so warm … so good."
The figure froze, not letting go of her evil hands. The light from the neighboring room spilled in, illuminating his god-like features. The eyes of the peerless Yuan Zhaoxu were gentle at this moment.
He lay down beside Meng Fuyao on the slightly cold wooden floor.
Leaning sideways, Yuan Zhaoxu rested his elbows on his elbows. Against the light, he carefully observed her peaceful sleeping face, listening to her breathing intertwine with his own.
At this moment, in the flowerbed in front of him, dew quietly formed on a flower.
After a long while, Yuan Zhaoxu gently reached out and brushed the messy hair off Meng Fuyao's face.
His low and elegant voice dissipated in the quiet space.
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