Chapter 22: Seventh Night, Longing to be Together (Three)

  A shooting star streaked across the sky, and I made a silent wish in my heart, hoping that I could avenge myself smoothly and leave this original family with Jinxiu.

  If I really avenge and leave with Jinxiu, can I still see Feijue again? Thinking of Feijue, my heart aches.

  Originally excitedly watching me demonstrate the pearl crossbow, Lu Yuan suddenly stared at Jinxiu with a fixed gaze, as if he had seen an evil spirit. His burnt face twisted in a distorted manner. He jumped into the middle of the arena, stretched out his hands which were full of scars, and trembled while pointing at Jinxiu, shouting in a shrill voice: "You... you... you are that purple-eyed devil! You're the one who killed 132 people from my village, Lu Jia Cun. It was your order to slaughter all our villagers, including infants still wrapped in swaddling clothes. You evil spirit, come and accept your death!"

  He suddenly rushed towards Jinzhuang, which was beyond everyone's expectation. Qiao Wan had already kicked him down with one foot and swiftly struck thirteen acupoints, sneering: "You filthy boy, are you worthy of touching Miss Jin? Quickly say, who instructed you to come and assassinate?"

  Lu Yuan spat out blood on the ground, his eyes fixed on Jin Xiu: "It's you, you purple-eyed devil, even if I turn to ashes, I won't mistake it."

  Jin Xiu's expression didn't change, he slowly drank his wine, and smiled faintly: "You say I'm the murderer who killed your whole family, then tell me when and where did I go to your house to commit the murder?"

  Lu Yuan's mouth was filled with dust, but his eyes flowed with bloody tears: "An innocent man is not guilty, but because of the jade pendant, we are all skilled craftsmen in Lu's village. Just because you wanted us to help you make a thousand-layered lock, you said that only one person in this world can have the key, and after I handed over the lock and key to you at the end of last year, you killed everyone in my Lu family village."

  "So you can see clearly what the murderer looks like?"

  "You wear a mask, but your purple pupils, I see them as clear as day."

  I was startled in my heart and looked at Jin Xiu, while Jin Xiu just asked Qiao Wan: "Master Qiao, do you remember what we were doing at the end of last year?"

  "Respectfully, Miss, at the end of last year, our 3,000 brothers were charging into Sima Gate to slay the rebel Zhang and save the country from disaster. Where could we have gone to such a remote and barren place as Shizhou?"

  Jin Xiu shrugged his shoulders, downed the fine wine in his cup in one gulp, and sneered: "There are more than just me with purple pupils under heaven, haven't you heard of Dali's Segment Family, one of the four famous young masters known throughout the land? Zi Yue Gongzi is also a natural pair of purple pupils. The Western Regions have many people with purple pupils and blue eyes too. I think you've mistaken me for someone else, ugly freak."

  At this time, Wei Hu ran out and hastily knelt down: "Please, Third Master, spare Lu Yuan. He was also eager for revenge and that's why he rushed at Miss Jin."

  Qiao Wan hummed and said: "By the order of Master Hou, anyone who dares to be disrespectful to Jin'niang will be killed without pardon."

  Jinxiu was there, pouring her own drink, with a faint smile on the corner of her lips, as if everything had nothing to do with her. My heart suddenly hurt so much, my... what have you experienced that makes you so calm and carefree in the face of pain?

  At this time, Yuan Fei Bai, who had been silent all along, coldly spoke up and cut off his tongue.

  I was shocked, I knew this was the lightest punishment for Lu Yuan, he wasn't killed only because he's a skilled craftsman and still has value to be utilized. I walked down, smiling, and poured a cup of wine for Yuan Fei: "Third Master, today is Qixi Festival, we're competing in wit and cleverness, not in killing people or cutting off tongues. How about we spare Lu Zhuang's life on the face of Seventh Fairy? What do you think, Jinxiu?"

  I walked over and poured a cup for Jinxiu. She lifted her head, looked at me deeply, took it and smiled: "Always kind-hearted." She glanced at Qiao Wan: "Don't let this ugly eight go yet!"

  Qiao Wanjun said: "But miss, this man is so violent, if we let him go, how can we guarantee your safety?"

  Jin Xiu said coldly: "You're getting more and more talkative."

  Qiao Wan immediately released Lu Yuan, Wei Hu rushed forward to thank Jin Gu Niang and Bai San Ye, and after casting a grateful glance at me, he secretly pressed Lu Yuan's mute acupoint and dragged him down.

  Jinxiu looked at me and said, "What a disappointment! However, I heard that the city of Xi'an is open tonight on the seventh night. Would Master San allow my sister and Xiao Wu to go with me for a visit? We will return within an hour!"

  I looked at Yuan Feibai with a joyful expression, and he looked at me for a while before nodding and saying: "Then I'll have to trouble Miss Jin and Strongman Qiao. Su Hui, follow the young lady carefully."

  Su Hui nodded with a smile, and I excitedly walked up to her, holding Jin Xiu's hand. She trembled slightly before finally clasping my hand back.

  The city's thousand lanterns shine on the green clouds, and the high buildings have red sleeves of guests coming and going.

  The water gate is bustling with tea merchants in the evening, and the bridge market is crowded with wine customers all night.

  Originally, Xi'an city would close as soon as the sun set, and inside the city, even lighting candles and lanterns were restricted. If anyone violated this rule, they would be punished. However, on Qixi Festival, Xi'an city was radiant and bustling. For me, it was like having a companion with brocade, like a cup of refreshing wine that made my heart feel at ease. Here, I couldn't hear the scolding of the imperial concubine, nor see the angry face of Guo Ren, nor find the lady who wore vermilion and purple. It was just me, Jin Xiu, Bi Ying, Song Mingyuan, Su Hui, and behind us, Qiao Wan with a cold face, strolling freely in the city like fish swimming in water.

  A row of shops, like a string of pearls, all vying to open at the same time, no one willing to fall behind. The bosses and shopkeepers all offer their customers warm smiles, while on one side the peddlers call out like orioles singing songs, and on the other side the sugar vendors bring over sweet treats.

  The empty ground was filled with boys flying kites, riding unicycles and playing diabolos, all looking up at the sky to admire the most magnificent fireworks display in history.

  Flatcars departed from the city, carrying goods and slowly but steadily making their way to the embankment, delivering cargo for tomorrow's departing ships.

  Fresh fruit, competing on the stall, under the candlelight is another scene. We gathered in front of a pile of peaches, picking and choosing, I picked the biggest reddest one for Jinxiu, Jinxiu happily accepted it, as if she had returned to her childhood when she always followed me around asking for food, this time all paid by Song Mingyue.

  Time seems to have suddenly slowed down its pace, and we several people, with a hint of sweetness, gnawing on peaches, strolling while watching, carefully savoring, leisurely appreciating the endless beauty, countless elegance.

  Arriving at Xuanwu Avenue, row after row of pharmacies: Jinzi Pharmacy, Dujin Hook House, Cao Family's Unique Victory Medicine Balls, Bai Langzhong's Pediatrics, Ren Family's Obstetrics...

  These shops all have their own unique signboards, and we were laughing at the Du Jin Hook's household having a strong man holding a black lacquered wooden pig as its logo. Suddenly, I discovered that the store selling throat medicine had decorated its storefront with a copy of Yuan Fei's painting "Lotus Duck Play", with Ailian saying that the signature was my own name, which undoubtedly elevated the status of this pharmacy. As expected, it attracted many citizens to come and watch, but I secretly lamented, didn't Yuan Fei promise me that he would give me this painting? Why did it circulate again? However, Jinxiu's face suddenly fell, she coldly looked at me: "Good one, Ailian said, congratulations, San Ye's name is now famous throughout the land."

  I was about to make excuses when we arrived at the Beishan Tea House, which had a special "Fairy Cave" and "Fairy Bridge" that attracted many officials and their companions to come and drink tea. The embroidered sedan chair suddenly stopped in front of us, and without even acknowledging us, they got out and went inside. Qiao Wan immediately followed them in, busy with arrangements. Biying came over and whispered, "Mugui, don't worry, she's still just a child." I smiled wryly and nodded, following them into the tea house.

  Inside the fairy cave, an old woman "Dian Cha Po" was selling tea and other goods. She wore five golden flowers on her head and deliberately put on a charming appearance, which made people want to laugh. She sang and called out to sell tea while tapping on a bowl with a pair of chopsticks, creating a rhythmic sound that was pleasant to hear. We ordered a pot of green tea from her and took a short rest. The old woman looked at Biying and said: "Miss has a good face, she will definitely marry a nobleman in the future." Biying's face immediately turned red, and her eyes involuntarily glanced at Song Mingpei. I tried to talk to Jinxiu, but she only enthusiastically chatted with Biying and Song Mingpei, ignoring me again, that little girl.

  After a while, we left the tea house and came to the famous Panlou Market. The Panlou sold all kinds of clever gadgets, it was said that there were over a hundred varieties of fake goods, and they filled several streets. However, every time the market opened, the citizens of Xi'an would swarm in, making it impossible for carriages to pass through, and people who went in couldn't come out. I bought a black-faced, flat-nosed Kunlun slave mask for myself, Jinxiu, and Biying to play with. Jinxiu's face was a bit pale.

  Almost half, came to the Wei River bank on Fengyi Building, a painted barge docked ashore, gorgeously dressed noble young master, with more than ten beauties, boarded the building for a wild party, singing and dancing, accompanied by music and dance, for a time, the noisy silk pipes and strings, soft voices and whispers from the painted barge transmitted to the shore, making people forget that this was deep...

  We continued to make our way along Zhuque Street, where I had imagined that the fortune tellers would be dignified and serious. But instead, the signs they put up were things like "West Mountain Spirit", "Three Months of Good Luck", and even some who claimed to be "Five Stars" with names like "Jade Pot Five Stars", "Grass Window Five Stars", "Shen Nan Tian Five Stars", and "Wild Alley Five Stars". Some fortune tellers even went so far as to shout out slogans like "One mu of land, two heads of cattle, wife and kids hot pot" or "Good luck has arrived, buy a house, marry a wife".

  I couldn't help but burst out laughing, Jinzhuang glanced at me and walked straight to a scholar selling poetry, asking him to compose an absolute poem with the theme of "Wild Waves" using red characters as rhymes. The scholar had a very fair and delicate complexion, he looked at Jinzhuang, his eyes flashing with surprise, and then happily picked up his pen and wrote:

  A river of autumn water soaks into the cold sky, a fisherman's flute plays aimlessly with the evening wind.

  Who can break the heart of a wanderer? The setting sun's shadow is fragmented red.

  We were all stunned, never expecting such a master of poetry in this mundane place. He was selling each poem for 30 coins and charging 15 coins for every pause to sharpen his brush.

  At this time, a stout middle-aged man came over, dressed in luxury and looking worried. He said he wanted to make a coffin and asked the scholar to write a poem about it. The scholar didn't even dip his pen in ink and wrote:

  Zi Ren carved and chiseled an elephant-patterned shirt, making a divine immortal's bone-changing box.

  Having faced the bright window for three hundred days, this time I withdraw with a willing heart.

  At this time, a man came over with a white fan as the theme. The scholar was about to take up his pen when the man asked him to use red characters for the rhyme. Without thinking, he wrote:

  Often in the hands of a beautiful person, quietly waiting for the moon to move with the wind.

  Sometimes half-concealing a shy face, faintly revealing a touch of rouge.

  Song Mingkui smiled slightly, took out a piece of lotus paper and handed it to him, without saying a word. The scholar looked at Song Mingkui, hesitated for a moment, and wrote on the paper:

  Six or seven lotus leaves in the autumn water, two or three geese by the sunset.

  The blue sky stretches for thousands of miles without any obstruction, bursting through the cold pond with a stroke of smoke.

  We were amazed, selling poetry requires sharp talent and knowledge, not long-term practice, and this young scholar's poem is refreshing to our ears and eyes. We couldn't help but ask the scholar's name, and he smiled at us with a refined smile, revealing two lovely dimples: "My surname is Qi, my name is Fang, and my courtesy name is Zhongshu."

  What's with this name? Why does it sound so familiar?

  Song Mingkui paid a few more silver coins than the agreed-upon fee, and the scholar was about to decline with a smile when suddenly a pair of dragon dancers appeared on the main street. With the sound of drums, the crowd began to get excited, people rushed towards the dragon dance, and the dragon dance followed by a huge crowd came rushing over. I, Jinzhu, Song Mingkui and others were immediately dispersed.

  I held my Kunlun slave mask in my hand, calling out Jinxiao's name everywhere, but the crowd was too dense, and I kept being squeezed away from her. After a while, it seemed like the dragon dance team had passed by, and fireworks started going off at the riverbank. People rushed towards the riverbank, and I was pushed to the shore again. Under the fireworks, I vaguely saw a tall white figure. As I walked closer, that white figure turned its head towards me, wearing an identical Kunlun slave mask on its face. A pair of purple pupils shone brightly under the dazzling flames. My heart leapt with joy as I walked up to her and tightly grasped her hand, afraid of losing her again: "How did you end up here alone? It's so hard to find you! Where are Erge and the others? Did you get separated from them too?"

  I chattered on, while she just silently let me hold her hand and walk, not responding to me. I reckon she's still mad at me. I sighed inwardly as the crowd surged towards the riverbank, making the streets seem even more desolate. I pulled Jinxiu into a small alleyway, her hand cold as ice. I rubbed her hands for her, saying with concern: "See, I told you to wear more clothes when we came out, but you didn't listen. You're so old now and still don't know how to take care of yourself."

  She gazed at me coldly, not responding. I felt a bit frustrated, but thinking of the hardships she had endured, my heart began to ache again: "I know you hate being helpless, but do you know how hard it is for me to hear about your suffering? I wish I could grow a pair of purple eyes to take your place and suffer instead. Now that I've said this, it's too late, I know you won't believe what I'm saying and won't forgive me."

  Jin Yu has always been taller than me, and under the moonlight, she is wearing a white dress, now she looks even more slender and elegant: "Don't listen to those rumors, what Three Master dotes on me alone, in Three Master's heart I am just his shield, named Chang Xiang Shou, he wants him to be with his beloved soon, living freely..."

  I gazed at her, with a hint of unknown bitterness in my heart, and tears flowed down unknowingly: "Alright, if it's really not possible, you can leave Xian with me, we'll go to the Western Regions together to seek refuge with Big Brother. Let's forget all the unpleasantness of our original home and start anew. Even if one day I'm no longer around, leaving this den of right and wrong behind, with Big Brother's protection, you won't be harmed again."

  I gazed at her with ardent enthusiasm, while she silently stared back at me, her eyes still devoid of any warmth. After a moment, she slowly reached out to wipe away the tears from my eyes. My heart leapt with joy as I tightly grasped the hand that had wiped away my tears: "Good Jinzhu, have you agreed?"

  "Muxin, where are you?" Song Mingwei's voice came over, I let go of Jinxiu's hand and excitedly turned around to shout at Song Mingwei: "Second brother, we're here!"

  Song Mingkui's figure appeared at the corner, I was about to go over, and a man in white clothes slowly walked out from behind Song Mingkui. His purple pupils were shining, and his eyes flowed with a gentle smile. He held a Kunlun slave mask in his hand and said impatiently to me: "I and Second Brother have been looking for you for half a day, where did you sneak off to?"

  In an instant, my hairs stood on end. Was I seeing a ghost just now? Before me was the purple pupil of Brocade, then who was that purple pupil just now?

  When I looked back, the dark alley behind me was already empty, with no one in sight. The only thing that remained was the chill of that person's hand still in mine.