Phoenix leans against the sky

  It started with a bang but ended in a whimper.

  There's nothing more powerful than a dying man's words, the truth is still so ridiculously simple - Mo He was pregnant, but it was with Yi family's third son Yi Shi Cheng's child. Yi Shi Cheng wanted her to frame the third young master, and after succeeding, he would secure good positions for her whole family in the mansion; otherwise, he would sell her into a brothel and drive away her entire family.

  This matter came out, and the one who was beaten up was replaced by Yi Shi Cheng. He was immediately stripped of his three shops and sent to a villa in Quanzhou to cultivate his mind and nurture his nature.

  Ermei, the second young lady of the three houses who had returned home to visit her relatives, was also quickly sent back to her husband's family.

  Yi Shi Mei, was the woman with a round face who helped Yi Shi Zhu hold down Yi Shi Lan on the night of her death.

  Tai Shi Lan was too lazy to deal with the specific disposal and didn't let Wei Shi Tao handle it either. She was very disdainful of all so-called disposals.

  Yi Sheng's injury will heal, and the shop still has a chance to take it back. "Cultivating one's mind and nature" will naturally have a day of "turning evil into righteousness". Just like Yi Shi Mei who was sent back to her mother's house, although she was ordered not to come back this second month, next second month, she will still return.

  Wei Shengtao did not express any objection - he now understands that he should never expect others to uphold justice for him, and that he has the ability to settle everything himself in the future.

  Because of this episode, that set of books was never opened, and Wei Shitao didn't even enter the study room again. Instead, he started packing his luggage.

  The next day, February 2nd.

  February 2nd, dragon raises its head, small granary is full, big granary overflows.

  On this day, scatter ashes to guide the dragon, burn incense to avoid scorpions, worship the Dragon King, respect the land, marry off daughters in spring, and have children start writing. Women stop sewing and threading needles, fearing they might hurt the dragon's eyes, and do not wash clothes, fearing they might hurt the dragon's skin.

  This day is for gentlemen and common people to have fun in the suburbs, and also for picking vegetables festival.

  In the morning, every family slaughtered chickens to worship their ancestors and pan-fried millet cakes. The young masters and misses of the Wei Mansion had no appetite for food and drink, so they packed up the dishes, got into their carriages, and set off in a grand procession towards Luming Mountain.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't plan to go, she always thought that the Duke of Jin was a troublesome magnet, this kind of person who is full of eyes all over his body at first glance, most of them are actually rotten to the core despite their elegant appearance, and if you want to live for a hundred years, you have to cut ties with him.

  She took Tai Shi Tao out of the back door, wearing a hooded cloak popular among Southern Qi women to cover her hair. The two wandered around on the street, but it was empty and deserted, with almost all shops closed, as people had gone to Luming Mountain to celebrate the festival and watch the Duke's procession.

  Tai Shi Lan was a bit strange, but celebrating a holiday, but a Jin Guo Gong had to leave, why did so many people gather? She didn't know that today's young masters were competing in poetry, and the ladies were competing in beauty. In fact, it was also an exchange of interests between Anzhou Prefecture and Jin Guo Gong. The young master who won the poetry competition would be supported by Jin Guo Gong, and he would agree to a major request from Anzhou Prefecture. The woman who won the beauty competition would be the "return gift" from Anzhou's official family to Jin Guo Gong.

  This is not just a simple game of fun, it involves personal future and even the entire family's future in Anzhou. Otherwise, there would not be a situation where Yi Shicheng would do everything to harm Yi Shitao. For these officials in Anzhou who are at most fourth-grade officials, having their daughter marry an ordinary official is not as good as being a concubine of the Duke of Jin. Although the Duke seems to have nothing to do with politics, the power of the Rong family in and out of court is something that no one dares to underestimate. Climbing up to the Rong family means having a smooth path for life.

  These things, almost everyone who participated today knows about them. Only Tai Shi Lan and Chui Shi Tao are in the dark.

  "Sister." Yi Shitao looked very bored, frequently glancing in the direction of Luming River, "Today's street is not interesting, it's better to go back to the mansion and take a look at 'Shen Gong Nu'."

  "What is Shen Gong Nu?" Tai Shi Lan asked casually.

  "Didn't you notice?" Tai Shi-tao said excitedly, "This is said to be a new military crossbow developed by the Duke of Jin's appointed person. The spring force is so strong that it's terrifying, but because it's too strong, no arrow can withstand such force, and as soon as the arrow is shot, it will break, causing great waste. The Duke of Jin was in charge of military affairs in Anzhou because his father was a military engineer, and this time he brought one to his father in Anzhou, asking him to find someone to improve it. Ah, the Divine Crossbow is a legendary thing! In the Ministry of War, each one is registered and recorded, and it's not allowed to flow out! Father is very careful, and specially opened a small martial arts arena in the backyard to test it!"

  "It's not something you should think about." Tai Shi Lan frowned as soon as he heard the words "Jin Guo Gong" - it was best to avoid anything related to Rong Chu. He turned around and saw Di Shitao fidgeting like a small dog, so he simply patted him on the head and told him to follow the crowd and have fun. Di Shitao's excited expression as he ran into the crowd reminded Tai Shi Lan of Xiao Bai Dog's mischievous behavior when it would sneak into the dining hall at night to steal food.

  "Miss, can I borrow ten cents?" someone suddenly asked from behind her. The voice was low and pleasant.

  Tai Shi Lan was taken aback and turned her head back.

  The spring light suddenly became more and more beautiful, the wisteria and lilac were fragrant and blooming profusely, the magnolia on the street was in full bloom, its flower holder was as big as a jade, placed beside that person's cheek.

  Like a painting, it was originally beautiful, but was hastily overlooked by the world, and then only a few strokes were added by a famous painter, suddenly becoming vivid and dazzling, unfolding before our eyes.

  He is the bright stroke that stands at this street corner in the spring scene, and spring stays at this moment. What's even more strange is that such a person who adds color wherever he goes, yet doesn't draw attention to himself, has a warm, calm and serene beauty, like ink wash painting, like jade, like a soft cloud just washed by the rain.

  Tai Shi suddenly thought of two words: Cleanliness.

  These two words, in his radiant and introverted face, in his refreshing blue sky-like clothes, in his smiling eyes that looked over.

  Tai Shi suddenly thought of Rong Chu, indeed beautiful, delicate and charming, almost enchanting, but the person in front of him was a completely different type. The former was a deep-sea pearl, while the latter was an unpolished jade on a mountain rock, with a simple and natural beauty.

  "Miss, can I borrow ten cents?" The man saw that she didn't respond and asked again in a gentle voice with a slight smile.

  He took a look at his clothes, simple and clean but not new, the material was good, didn't seem like someone who would beg for ten cents on the street. But still, a grown man asking a woman for money on the street, she felt a slight disdain in her heart, didn't ask much, patted him down, no copper coins, only some loose silver, so she handed over a silver ingot.

  The man smiled and shook his head.

  "Miss, I just want copper coins."

  Tai Shi Lan spread out his hands, indicating that he had nothing. The man still smiled, slightly bowed and turned to leave.

  Tai Shi Lan suddenly became interested, watching from afar. Before long, he saw him asking a woman for copper coins again. The woman was dressed in a seductive manner and seemed to be a prostitute from somewhere. Seeing that he looked good, she agreed without saying much. When giving the money, she even touched his palm, and he still smiled, being simple and humble.

  Tai Shi saw that he not only begged for money from women on the street, but even asked prostitutes for money, and couldn't help but frown, feeling an even greater sense of disgust.

  Just as she was about to turn around and leave, he suddenly heard him laugh and say: "I will be leaving this place soon, so I'm afraid there won't be a chance to return the ten cents to you in the future. So... let's use this thing as compensation first."

  He immediately pulled out something from his sleeve and gently placed it in the woman's palm that was about to wipe the oil.

  The woman lowered her head and took a look, her eyes widened in surprise.

  Tai Shi Lan was also stunned.

  That was a golden leaf.

  Exchange gold leaves for copper coins? Is this person so rich that he's burning money or is there something wrong with his brain?

  That man didn't give people many chances to ask questions, turned around and left. Ta Shi Lan thought for a moment, also followed behind him, watching as he turned a corner and walked into an alleyway.

  This is a slum area, the alleys are dark and cold, outside it's already spring, but here it seems to still be winter. On a stone covered with dirt, a thin and frail young boy is sleeping, the boy seems to have a fever, an unhealthy flush of red showing through the dark mud on his face.

  The man placed ten copper coins beside the young boy and then took out a packet of medicine from his bosom, gently placing it on the ground before silently walking away.

  He walked out of the alley, seemingly melancholic, raised his head and let out a long sigh, sunlight shining on his face, almost translucent.

  Suddenly a voice, cold and calm, rose up, "Why did you give him copper coins?"

  Tai Shi Lan walked out of the dark alley and asked.

  The man looked back, saw her and was not surprised, still with that frank and composed attitude, "He has to hand over five cents to the flower elder every day on this street, but he's sick, can't finish, will be beaten."

  "Why give ten cents?"

  "There are five more pieces for him to buy buns to eat." He smiled, "The buns at the second Wang's on Pear Blossom Street are very delicious, you can try them when you have time."

  "Why don't you just buy him some buns to eat?"

  "Don't think that there's no one there, the rest of the beggars will be back soon." He didn't show any impatience, calmly explaining, "If you see him, don't leave anything for him."

  "So sympathetic, why don't you just take him in?" Tai Shi Lan's sharpness was not reduced by his good attitude.

  He refused to leave, saying he wanted to wait for someone. He sighed, gently rubbing his brow, and his worried demeanor was another kind of charm. Several passing women couldn't help but steal glances at him.

  "You have money, why don't you give it to him?"

  "A single man is innocent, but he bears the guilt of the jade pendant." He had a pure and transparent gaze.

  Tai Shi was silent for a moment, understanding his intention. This was actually a meticulous person who had thought so much about giving alms to a beggar that he knew giving gold might bring trouble to the little beggar, so he didn't mind stopping people on the street to borrow money and exchanging gold leaves for copper coins.

  "You can exchange gold leaves for copper coins in the store first, why must you borrow from a woman." Tai Shi Lan still refused to give up.

  "The shops around here, today... " He looked around awkwardly, "Only Wang's Baozi shop is still open, but even the golden leaves can't be found, let alone finding a woman..." He smiled slightly, "Today there are many women on the street, and women are generally easier to talk to, unless... " He suddenly stopped speaking, his eyes fixed on Taishi Lan with a hint of a smile.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't make a sound.

  Although she knew he meant "unless you're a girl who can't speak well", and although his words carried gentle criticism, tentative teasing, careful ridicule, and all sorts of subtle flavors, which she should be unaccustomed to, should feel disgusted by, and should turn around and leave, somehow, seeing the man's calm and vast smile, her mood suddenly became calm.

  That person, even the sunlight passing by his side is gentle.

  Tai Shi Lan didn't speak, and he didn't either. The two of them stood silently facing each other at the street corner. The February spring breeze passed through the ivy on the wall, rustling up a green glow that cast shadows on his eyes, which also seemed to hold a hint of intoxicating spring charm.

  Tai Shi Lan suddenly raised her head.

  "Go."

  She walked ahead first, and he was stunned for a moment, then followed up, asking, "Miss, where are you going?"

  "Is Wangji's baozi really good?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "Then give it a try."

  "Okay."

  "Is there wine? I want to eat baozi with it."

  "I know there's a place with good wine."

  "Alright."

  "But... I've used up my last bit of money."

  "Please."

  He suddenly stopped, she also stopped, turned around and saw his smile.

  Not the humble and polite, gentle smile that was previously shown to everyone, but a strange and moving smile that slowly curved from the corner of his lips, gradually spreading to his cheeks, and then extending to the bottom of his eyes, which made his eyes shine with a warm light, gradually brightening, magnificent and resplendent, like the moment after the rain, a flash of rainbow, sweeping across the highest mountain peak.

  "He said: 'Good.'"