Chapter 8 Chapter 08

North of Bingzhou City, Linhe Inn. Han Bin watched helplessly as Li Yuanfang opened the paper packages on the table one by one, and swallowed.Steaming bean paste pies, tangy beef sauce and roast lamb.When he saw dried persimmons and red dates, he decided not to pretend to be gentle, stretched out his hand, grabbed a piece of dried persimmons and stuffed them into his mouth.The clerk greeted from outside the door: "Guest officer, the bowls and chopsticks you want." Li Yuanfang walked over to open the door, and the clerk came in with two sets of bowls and chopsticks, put them on the table, and looked at the rich food on the table. After looking at it several times, he said with a smile: "Guest officer, it's too dry to eat like this. I'll bring you some hot porridge."

"Thank you." Han Bin swallowed the dried persimmons, picked up the chopsticks and turned to the sauced beef and roast mutton. He ate several mouthfuls one after another, then stopped suddenly, looked at Li Yuanfang and asked, "Hey, where is your medicine? Didn't you buy any medicine?" Li Yuanfang said: "Well, you finally remembered me." Han Bin blushed, and muttered, "I'm hungry after you get here." "I know you are hungry, are these enough for you? Are you satisfied?" "It's okay. Where's your medicine? Why didn't you buy medicine?" Han Bin asked persistently with his mouth full of red bean paste pie.

Li Yuanfang replied: "I ran into Lu Yanran in Baicao Hall, and talked to her for a long time, but I didn't buy any medicine." "Sister Yanran! I miss her so much." Li Yuanfang frowned, and said: "Sister Yanran, you are so affectionate. You said you knew her last time. Can you tell me this time, what is your relationship with her?" Han Bin squinted at him and said, "Sister Yanran is the best person to me and my brother. She is my good sister." After swallowing his pie, he smiled maliciously and said, "You Talked to Sister Yanran? Did she tell you that you look like a person?"

Li Yuanfang was really surprised. He stared at Han Bin and said, "What do you look like? Who do you think I look like?" Han Bin was very proud, stared back at Li Yuanfang, waited for a while, and said: "You are so fierce now, but you don't look like it when you are fierce. When you are not fierce...you actually look like my brother." "Your brother?!" Li Yuanfang tried hard to recall the hideous face of the dead man on the mountain road, and said to himself, "I've seen his appearance before, how is it possible?" Han Bin said bitterly: "You have seen him when he died!" He lowered his head and said softly, "He had changed a lot when he died, and he couldn't see his original appearance at all. Originally, my brother looked like It's beautiful, Sister Yanran said so."

Li Yuanfang let out an "oh" and said, "Then you don't really resemble him." Han Bin grinned: "I know I'm not good-looking. But you really resemble him. The most similar thing is the eyes. Sister Yanran always said that my brother, although he is dumb and can't speak, has long hair. A pair of talking eyes." Li Yuanfang was a little embarrassed, "Mmm" and said: "Are you full? Tell me about you, your brother, and Lu Yanran when you're full." "And Mr. Di!" "Master Di?" "Yes, Mr. Di and Sister Yanran are always together. If you want me to say Sister Yanran, you can't live without Mr. Di."

Li Yuanfang nodded and said, "Very well, these are exactly what I want to hear." Just as he was talking, the clerk came in with a large bowl of steaming hot porridge and placed it on the table.Han Bin looked at it, shook his head and said, "This is tasteless, I don't want to eat it." Li Yuanfang said, "You have eaten enough, so leave these to me." Han Bin wiped his mouth, sat down on the chair contentedly, and said, "Okay, then you can ask." Li Yuanfang asked: "How did you know Lu Yanran and Di Jinghui?" Han Bin rolled his eyes and said, "Actually, I can't remember this clearly. I was too young at that time. Sister Yanran told me later that when my brother took me to beg for food, when winter came, the two of us I was about to freeze to death and starve to death, but Mr. Di looked at us poorly, gave us food and clothing, and brought us to Lanyu Temple."

"Sapphire Temple!" Li Yuanfang was shocked, and said to himself, "Di Jinghui is still related to Lanyu Temple?" "Yeah. But the Sapphire Temple at that time was different from what it is now. At that time, there was only the room where my brother and I lived in the Sapphire Temple." Li Yuanfang nodded: "Yes, my lord and I have already seen that there is only one room in Lanyu Temple that was built many years ago." Han Bin lay on the chair, propped his head up and tried to recall: "The Lanyu Temple is actually the cave behind the hot spring waterfall. There is a real person who practices Taoism in the cave, named Lan Zhenren. He often stays in that cave to practice Taoism. , he is a friend of Mr. Di. Sister Yanran told me that Mr. Di took me and my brother to Lanyu Temple because this real person needs someone to bring him meals every day, but he also likes to be quiet and doesn't want to be disturbed by anyone , and I don’t want others to know his place of cultivation. Mr. Di saw that we two brothers have no relatives or reasons here, my brother is dumb, and I am a little child, so I thought it was just right to send me to serve this real person. Let the two of us have a place to live, a meal to eat, and kill two birds with one stone, that's why they brought us to Lanyu Temple."

Li Yuanfang pondered and said, "So that's how it is." Han Bin said: "Well, that's how he took me and my brother to Lanyu Temple. There is a tunnel in the small house we live in that leads to the cave, and my brother walks that way every day to give food to real people who practice Taoism. .This happened about eight years ago. I was only two years old at the time, so I don’t remember anything. We stayed there all the time. Every once in a while, my brother went to the city to buy some things and came back. The money was from Mr. Di and Yanran. Sister gave it." Han Bin dipped his fingers in some water and began to draw some incomprehensible patterns on the table, and then said: "Because my brother is dumb and can't write a few words, Mr. Di and Sister Yanran want to explain things to him. It was very difficult, and later Mr. Di gave him a pen and paper to draw, but I didn't expect my brother to draw so well that Mr. Di was stunned. Sister Yanran said that Mr. Di kept saying that my brother was very talented. I gave my brother a lot of paper, pens, colors, etc., and brought a lot of picture scrolls to show my brother, and then my brother went crazy. I was five years old at that time, and I can remember what happened clearly. I remember that I My elder brother began to paint day and night, he didn’t care about anything, he couldn’t even remember to send food, he didn’t even remember to eat and sleep, he just painted and painted all day long. So, alas, from the age of five, I was the one who took over for him to deliver meals to that real man Lan, and I even took care of my brother himself. Originally, my brother just couldn’t speak, and other things were fine, but since he started painting, he really has nothing but painting. I don’t know anymore. So I have always felt that although he is my elder brother, I have been supporting him since he was five years old.” At this point, Han Bin had a gentle and happy smile on his face, and he said softly. Said: "Sister Yanran said that my brother is a crazy painter, I think so too. But I really love this crazy brother, you don't know how beautiful his paintings are. But those paintings are of no use, except Mr. Di Sister He Yanran liked it and took it away, and threw away the others after painting. My brother doesn't care, as long as he keeps painting, he doesn't care about anything else."

Li Yuanfang gently stroked Han Bin's head, and asked, "Then what happened next?" Han Bin said: "Two years have passed like this. One day, sister Yanran said that a lady came to Henying Villa and wanted to paint murals, so she asked my brother to help. As a result, my brother went there for three months. When he came back Tired and exhausted, sick for a long time." "Do you know why this happens?" "I know, because the mural is very big and it's very hard to paint. But Mrs. Feng is very strange, she asked my brother to paint it twice!" "Draw it twice? What do you mean?"

Han Bin frowned and said, "I can't figure it out, and my brother can't explain it. It seems that I drew it once, and then painted it again on top of that painting, covering up the previous drawing. Anyway, During that time, Mrs. Feng didn't let anyone into that room, and let my brother eat and sleep in it. As long as he was awake, he kept drawing. When he finished painting, my brother lost a whole circle of weight. Sister Lian Yanran Everyone said that Mrs. Feng was too much, and said that she regretted letting my brother help her." Speaking of this, Han Bin suddenly looked at Li Yuanfang, laughed, and said: "Hey, you two have similar problems. My brother always complained to me that his back hurts when he came back from painting the mural. Because the painting Sometimes the mural has to bow his waist, and sometimes he always has to look up his neck. After three months of being so tired, his back hurts for a long time. Hey, why do you have a backache?"

Li Yuanfang was taken aback, and said, "Me? It's nothing, I'll tell you later." Han Bin nodded and said, "Okay, then remember to tell me in the future. You haven't bought the medicine, and your back still hurts now?" Li Yuanfang said: "Let's talk about me later. What happened after your brother finished painting the mural?" Han Bin thought about it and said: "Well, it seems nothing special. Later, my brother went to Henying Villa several times to paint murals, but the time was not long, and he came back in less than a month. Later, he I kept going to that cave again, saying that I was painting murals in the cave, and I was crazy, and I didn’t show the things I painted, and I couldn’t figure out what he was doing.” "Is that Master Lan still practicing Taoism?" "I haven't seen him for more than half a year. Mr. Di said that he has become a fairy. In fact, this real person Lan is not there every day. It has been intermittent. Mr. Di said that he is a real person and he is going to travel, so he will disappear every once in a while. Then It's coming again. The past few years have been less and less, like this, until half a year ago..." Li Yuanfang asked: "Half a year ago, what happened to Lanyu Temple?" Han Bin suddenly shut his mouth, did not say a word, did not look at Li Yuanfang, and pursed his lips stubbornly.Li Yuanfang was just about to ask, but saw tears in his eyes, as if he was about to cry, Li Yuanfang softened, sighed, and said: "If you don't want to say it, let it go, I'm done asking." Han Bin breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at Li Yuanfang, and asked, "Then you can talk now, does your back still hurt?" Li Yuanfang nodded: "It hurts, but don't worry about it, I'm almost used to it." "That won't work." Han Bin jumped off the chair, ran to Li Yuanfang, and said, "Let me rub your back for you. In the past, when my brother's back hurts, I would rub it for him." Li Yuanfang was stunned, looked at Han Bin for a while, and then said: "Okay, then you can try." He closed his eyes slightly, and let Han Bin's little hand caress his back for a long time before turning his head and smiling Said: "Okay, don't waste your energy in vain, what's the use of being so painless?" Han Bin drooped his head in disappointment, and said in a low voice, "Why? My brother said it would be useful." Li Yuanfang gently took him into his arms, and said, "It's useful, thank you. But I can't let you Too hard." It was raining, and the raindrops were dripping on the river outside the house, and there was a pattering sound in my ears.It was getting colder and colder in their house, and Li Yuanfang felt that Han Bin was shivering from the cold, so he hugged the child tightly in his arms. His own back was sore and icy, and he was completely numb at this moment, but he didn't feel uncomfortable. . After being silent for a while, Li Yuanfang let go of Han Bin suddenly, and said in a low voice, "Someone is here!" He jumped up, opened the door of the cabinet, and winked at Han Bin. Han Bin understood, and immediately jumped in. Li Yuanfang immediately closed the door of the cabinet, looked around, and drew the Youlan Sword from his waist, silently. He walked quickly to the door without a sound, stuck to the door and listened.The footsteps were getting closer and closer, and he listened carefully again. Then he breathed a long sigh of relief, put the sword back into its sheath, opened the door, greeted the person, and called softly: "My lord." Di Renjie leaned the dripping umbrella against the door, and said with a smile, "It's raining a lot. It's raining instead of snowing this season, so it's even colder." He walked into the room and patted his body Sticky to the rain. Li Yuanfang stood there, looked at him in a daze, was stunned, and quickly walked around behind Di Renjie to close the door, asking, "My lord, why are you here? If you have something to do, let Di Chun come to me." , it's still raining heavily outside..." Di Renjie looked at him and smiled, then waved his hands and said, "It's okay, I'll stay at home all afternoon, and I want to go out for a walk. There are cars on the left and right, and Di Chun is watching at the door. It's just that the corridor of your Linhe Inn is very good, and it's raining heavily outside. , it was raining lightly inside, and the water has accumulated an inch high in such a short period of time, I think it should be renamed the Riverside Inn." Li Yuanfang looked down and saw that Di Renjie's boots and trouser legs were wet, and said anxiously, "My lord, what should I do?" "Don't worry, it's not wet inside." Di Renjie said with a smile, but his eyes swept over the food and two sets of bowls and chopsticks on that table, then turned back to look at Li Yuanfang and said, "Yuanfang, don't you want me to sit down? " "My lord, please sit down." "Okay." Di Renjie sat down at the table, saw Li Yuanfang standing in front of him a little awkwardly, and said with a smile: "It's always you who come to my room, but I'm really not used to coming to your room today, you Sit down too." Li Yuanfang did not sit down, but picked up the teapot from the table, poured some water into the bowl, looked at it himself, and muttered: "It's all cold." He raised his head and said to Di Renjie: "My lord, do you want some hot tea?" , I'll go to the front cabinet to get it." He was about to run out, but Di Renjie grabbed his hand: "Okay, it's useless to go. I saw it when I came in, and there was no one on the cabinet." , the lights are all off, and the kitchen next to it is pitch black, even if you go there, you can’t find hot water.” Li Yuanfang ruthlessly put the teapot on the table and said, "What a mess! My lord, if you're not in a hurry, I'll boil water for you myself." Di Renjie laughed loudly: "Okay, okay, don't be so hard. I'm not thirsty, so you don't have to work." He tilted his head towards the table again, and said: "The dinner is quite rich? Yuan Fang, when will you Do you also like bean paste pies? I remember that you don't seem to like this kind of sweet and greasy food." Li Yuanfang lowered his head and said softly, "A friend came..." "Oh? That friend now?" "left already." "Ah. It seems that I came here by accident. You can introduce me when you come earlier." Di Renjie was joking while observing Li Yuanfang's expression, but seeing his embarrassment on his face, he really couldn't bear it in his heart. Sighing lightly, he said, "Yuan Fang, why did you find such a place to live? It's too simple." Li Yuanfang replied: "I didn't take care of that much, besides, I didn't expect you to come...My lord, what do you want from me?" "Nothing special, let's come and see you." There was silence again, only the sound of rain outside the house and the sound of raindrops falling on the river and under the eaves.Li Yuanfang walked across to Di Renjie and sat down at the table, looking ahead, as if she had made up her mind not to speak first.Di Renjie looked at him from the side, knowing that he was resenting him in his heart, and couldn't help but feel bitter and a little irritating. He wanted to have an open and honest talk with him, but he didn't know what to do. What's wrong, I really never knew that I would have such a time of looking forward and backward and being unable to make a decision. After thinking twice, I decided to start with the case first, and said: "Yuan Fang, after investigating the scene of Lanyu Temple this morning, we haven't analyzed it in detail yet. Pass." "Well, my lord, tell me." Li Yuanfang's expression relaxed a little. Di Renjie said: "Yuan Fang, this morning we discovered that there are two types of dead people in the Sapphire Temple. One type was killed, which is very obvious, while the other type was killed after they were already dead. The limbs were mutilated. After I came back, I thought about it carefully. Those corpses that were hacked after death, with their grim and painful expressions, reminded me of another dead person.” Li Yuanfang glanced at the cabinet and said in a low voice, "Han Rui." Di Renjie nodded: "Very correct. I also thought of Han Rui who died after eating cakes. The same distorted facial features and the same skinny body all revealed that Han Rui and the deceased in the Sapphire Temple had experienced a lot of pain before they died. Great physical affliction that looks a lot like some kind of disease." Li Yuanfang was contemplating, and said to himself: "When I died, I changed a lot." "Huh?" Di Renjie listened to what he said, and responded: "So, I thought of the Pengyan cake. Could it be that this disease is related to Pengyan cake?" "My lord, I think it has something to do with it, but it's not related to the normal Pengyan cake, but the Pengyan cake mixed with other things that we found in Lanyu Temple." "That's right! To be more accurate, it has something to do with the stuff mixed in the Pengyan Cake in Lanyu Temple." Di Renjie twitched his beard lightly and said, "If something is related to a disease, then such thing either causes the disease or cures the disease. Am I right?" "It makes sense. My lord, and I think, since Han Rui desperately wanted to eat Pengyan cakes in such pain before his death, could it be that he was insane at the time, thinking that these ordinary Pengyan cakes were mixed with what he needed?" something that would save him, or ease his pain." "Yeah, I think so too. If you think about it this way, then this thing is probably a drug." Li Yuanfang's eyes lit up, and said: "Yes! A kind of medicine! It's most likely mixed in that cake." Di Renjie continued: "Yuan Fang, when we discussed the case last time, we also analyzed the connection between Han Rui, Lan Yuguan and Henying Villa. I once had inferences, one is that Han Rui's gold chain proved his The connection with Islamic Muslims, and the second is that I have analyzed Han Rui’s hand color based on the fact that he is a painter, of course, neither of them can prove that he has a direct relationship with Heanying Villa.” "My lord!" Li Yuanfang yelled, glanced at the cabinet again, and said with determination: "My lord, your analysis is very correct. Han Rui is indeed a painter, and he has painted murals for Henying Villa." Di Renjie was very surprised and asked, "Yuan Fang, how did you know?" Li Yuanfang hesitated for a moment, and said: "My lord, it was Miss Lu Yanran from Henying Villa who told me. I, I saw her at the Herbal Hall medicine shop today." "Miss Lu Yanran?" Di Renjie looked suspiciously at Li Yuanfang, and asked, "Why did she talk to you? What are you doing in Baicaotang?" Li Yuanfang turned her head and said, "Actually, she was there when I was drinking at Jiuchonglou Restaurant last night. Today I saw her again when I passed Baicao Hall, and we talked a lot." Di Renjie thought for a while and said, "Okay, then can you tell me what you and her talked about?" "My lord, I was just about to tell you. Ms. Lu Yanran told me that Han Rui is indeed a painting genius, and she introduced Han Rui to Henying Villa to help Feng Danqing paint murals, so your reasoning is quite correct." "Well, did she say anything else then?" Li Yuanfang said carefully: "She told me that she knew Di Jinghui since she was a child, and her name was given by Di Jinghui. She loved Di Jinghui very much. Although Di Jinghui married Master Chen's daughter, Lu Yanran and Di Jinghui have never broken their relationship." Di Renjie was stunned when he heard it, and said after a while: "There is still such an inside story." "Yeah." Li Yuanfang nodded and said, "She said that you should be careful of Feng Danqing, and that that woman has ulterior motives." "Jing Hui said the same thing." Li Yuanfang glanced at Di Renjie and stopped talking. After a while, Di Renjie recovered from his thoughts and asked, "Did Lu Yanran say anything else?" "Yes, there is another important situation, that is, both brothers Han Rui and Han Bin were arranged by Di Jinghui to Lanyu Temple." Di Renjie was shocked, he looked at Li Yuanfang speechless.Li Yuanfang didn't care about anything else, and told Di Renjie exactly what Han Bin had just told him, under the guise of Lu Yanran. After Li Yuanfang finished speaking, Di Renjie let out a long breath and said, "Brother Han Rui, Lan Yuguan, and Henying Villa are all connected at last. And it is Di Jinghui who connected them together." and Lu Yanran." Li Yuanfang nodded silently.After a while, Di Renjie said again: "These situations are very important, I have to think about it again. One thing is very important now, that is, the accident that happened in Lanyu Temple half a year ago. Once we understand this, I am afraid that we are now facing With this series of questions, we can have the most critical clues. Of course, both Lu Yanran and Di Jinghui should be very clear about this incident." Li Yuanfang said: "But Lu Yanran didn't tell me what happened in Lanyu Temple half a year ago." Di Renjie said: "No, Yuan Fang, in fact, we still have some clues. Some people built some new houses in Lanyu Temple half a year ago, and some homeless people disappeared one after another in the past six months. Sapphire Temple found dozens of dead Taoists. If you look at all these things together, you can still draw an inference. That is: In the past six months, some people have gathered some homeless people together , I got them to serve as Taoists in the newly built house of Lanyu Temple. Some of these Taoists suffered from some kind of strange disease, including Han Rui. Finally, the night before yesterday, their bodies were all in Lanyu Temple were found. Some died of disease, while others were killed outright." "My lord, what you said is very reasonable." Di Renjie let out a long sigh, and said, "Yuan Fang, this reasoning even makes me feel horrified. I feel that what happened in the Sapphire Temple must be a very terrifying thing." Li Yuanfang suddenly blurted out: "Go and ask Di Jinghui, I think he should know something." Di Renjie glanced at him attentively, smiled wryly, and said, "It's natural. This Di Jinghui, what he did has troubled me a lot. Sometimes I really feel that this son seems to be my son from a previous life. A bad debt owed." Li Yuanfang lowered his head and stopped talking. Di Renjie thought about it for a while, and suddenly said: "By the way, Yuan Fang, I found another thing by the hot spring pool of Lanyu Temple this morning, and it is that strange red flower." "safflower?" "Yes. Yuan Fang, do you still remember that we saw a large expanse of strangely blooming red flowers in the Henying Villa?" "Remember. My lord, you also saw this kind of flower in Sapphire Temple?" "That's right. This is another connection. Maybe it can be a breakthrough point. Jing Hui once said to me that Fan Qixin has studied many special medicines from foreign lands, and cultivated some special medicines in Henying Villa... Could it be that this red Flowers too? I'm going to check, check..." After another long silence, Li Yuanfang said softly: "My lord, it's late at night. It's time for you to go back." Di Renjie suddenly raised his head and looked directly at him. Li Yuanfang lowered his eyes involuntarily, but insisted stubbornly: "My lord, it's time for you to go home and rest. If there is anything I need to do, just say it. " Di Renjie calmed down, and said in a gentle tone as much as possible: "Yuan Fang, how long do you plan to live here?" "I, I don't know..." "What if I want you to go back?" Although he tried his best to restrain himself, Di Renjie's voice was still trembling a little. Li Yuanfang lowered his head, but did not speak.Di Renjie gritted his teeth with hatred, and felt helpless against him. Unable to restrain his anger, he blurted out a sentence: "Yuan Fang, you plan to never go back again, right?!" "My lord, where you live will not affect Yuanfang's performance of duties to you." When Li Yuanfang said this, Di Renjie was so angry that his head buzzed, but then he calmed down. Looking at him again, his expression was very bad , his face was very haggard, Di Renjie felt the pain in his heart, and he couldn't help but said softly: "Yuan Fang, is it because of Jing Hui? As I said, please don't argue with him, besides, you have also seen that his current The situation is very troublesome, I think he is probably being used by others." After a pause, Di Renjie forced a smile and said: "Look, these two cases are related to Di Jinghui, in fact, they are also related to me .And I still need your help even though I am unarmed now." Li Yuanfang finally raised his head, looked at Di Renjie, smiled and said: "My lord, I understand. Don't worry, Yuanfang will spare no effort to help you. This is my duty and my selfishness. No one can change it." This intention of mine, Di Jinghui, is nothing at all." Hearing what he said, Di Renjie felt his heart tightening, and hurriedly said: "If that's the case, why are you acting like this..." "Actually, it's nothing, I..." Li Yuanfang frowned, as if she was thinking hard, and her expression seemed to be in a trance: "I just think that with such a little transition, it may be easier for you to accept it in the end." "Accept?! What do you want me to accept?!" Di Renjie asked sharply. "Accept that I go against your wishes, accept the choice I made according to my own will, and accept that I let you down." Li Yuanfang finished this sentence in one breath, his face pale. Di Renjie sat up straight suddenly, then leaned back on the back of the chair slumped.He had never felt so helpless, so weak.These days he has experienced too much and endured too much. At first he thought he had the last support, someone he could always rely on, but would the heaviest blow today really come from him?Di Renjie felt that he was about to collapse, and couldn't remember what to say, just kept silent. Li Yuanfang stood up, walked up to him, and said softly: "My lord, it's all my fault, please don't do this." Di Renjie looked at him and sighed, "Yuan Fang, what are you doing?" Li Yuanfang smiled and said, "My lord, Yuanfang, I'm afraid I can no longer fulfill my promise to you." "May I know why?" "My lord, you should treat Yuan Fang as cowardly." "Cowardly?" Di Renjie sneered, looked at Li Yuanfang closely and said, "I will believe anyone in this world who says he is weak, but you, Li Yuanfang, I can't believe you. Do you want me to believe it? A person who can risk his life for his friends is cowardly? Do you want me to believe that a person who can take risks alone for his duty is weak? Do you want me to believe, Li Yuanfang, that a person who values ​​justice and despises life is cowardly and is ready to die at any time?" "My lord!" Li Yuanfang's eyes flashed sharply, and he stared at Di Renjie unequivocally, "My lord's trust in Yuan Fang, Yuan Fang is extremely grateful, and there is nothing in return. Yes, Yuan Fang has never been afraid of death. Fang only hates that she has only one life, and cannot die a hundred times or a thousand times for love and for the country. However, Yuan Fang has no interest in the struggle for power, and Yuan Fang is even more unwilling to die for the struggle of the clan. My lord, You are kind to me, and you are a good teacher and helpful friend in my life. You know me best and love me the most. Today I beg you to let me be the master. If Yuan Fang really can no longer be by your side, Serve for your lord, then let Yuan Fang go to guard the border and fight on the battlefield, and don't let Yuan Fang stay in this temple, Yuan Fang has endured for too long, and I don't want to continue to endure!" Di Renjie didn't know what to say, he only felt a piercing pain, which pierced his heart and lungs.After a long time, he said slowly, "Yuan Fang, I thought you were a person of faith." Li Yuanfang smiled, with some tears in his eyes, he said softly: "My lord, I am a person of faith. It's just that my beliefs are not exactly the same as yours. In the past ten years, I I think it's nice and easy to take your beliefs as my own. I've avoided thinking about some things over the years, but lately, I can't seem to avoid them. I often can't sleep, thinking It's very bitter, but I have been unable to make up my mind... Until last night, my lord, it was your son who helped me finally make this decision. In fact, I never resented his actions towards me for a moment. Those things were not worth anything to me I mentioned it, on the contrary, I am very grateful to him now, because it was his words yesterday that finally made me see my own heart clearly. I don’t want to hesitate any more, and I will never waver again.” Silence, a silence that could overwhelm people, once again covered this simple and cold inn room.After a long time, Di Renjie made his last effort. He asked in a low voice: "Yuan Fang, if I promise everything you just said, are you still anxious to leave me today?" Li Yuanfang's tears flowed down slowly, and he replied: "My lord, every time I think of being separated from you, I even feel afraid. But there is a deeper fear in my heart. I am afraid that one day I will do something wrong." Things will hurt you, so please let me go." Di Renjie supported the table to stand up. Li Yuanfang stretched out his hand to help him, but hesitated to touch him.Di Renjie didn't look at him anymore, went straight to the door, opened the door and walked out, the rain was overwhelming, the rainwater poured down along the damaged corridor roof, the whole corridor was full of water, Di Renjie stepped on Entering the stagnant water, striding forward, Li Yuanfang picked up the umbrella and opened it to chase after him, almost trotting along with Di Renjie to the front of the inn.Di Chun stuck his head out of the carriage, saw the figures of the two of them, jumped out of the carriage, and held up an umbrella to meet him. Di Renjie got into the carriage without looking back, and shouted sharply: "Di Chun, let's go!" Di Chun Agreeing, he hurriedly glanced at Li Yuanfang, and hurriedly boarded the carriage.Li Yuanfang ran a few steps outside and watched the carriage disappear into the heavy rain. He stood there as if unconscious, letting the pouring rain wash over his body. After standing for an unknown amount of time, Li Yuanfang seemed to wake up suddenly from a dream. He turned around and ran across the corridor in a hurry. As soon as he returned to the room, he went to open the door of the cabinet and called out: "Bin'er, Bin'er!" Son." Han Bin curled up and leaned against a corner of the cabinet, with his eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep.Li Yuanfang hugged him out, only to see that his little face was flushed and his breathing was very short. Li Yuanfang quickly put him on the kang, touched his forehead, it was hot, and Li Yuanfang yelled several times , shaking his body, Han Bin still did not wake up.Li Yuanfang was in a hurry, and looked around. Except for a candle that was faltering on the table, there was no trace of life in the cold room, and even the food on the table had long since lost its heat.He reached out and grabbed the quilt on the kang. The quilt was unbelievably thin and had a damp smell. Li Yuanfang unfolded the quilt to wrap Han Bin's small body tightly, looked at it, and ran out .He rushed to the shopkeeper's room next to the cabinet, kicked the door open, and the shopkeeper, who was sleepy, was lifted out of the bed in a blink of an eye and fell to the ground. Li Yuanfang grabbed the clerk by his collar and yelled hoarsely: "Why sleep! Someone is sick, find a way!" The clerk woke up blindfolded. He was shivering in the cold and afraid of being killed by the King of Hades, and finally figured out what happened. He shook off Li Yuanfang's hand, and while putting on his clothes, he complained: "My guest, you're going to scare the little one to death!" Ah. Don't be in a hurry, take me to have a look." "Let's go!" Li Yuanfang urged the clerk to return to the room. The clerk looked at Han Bin and said, "This child must be suffering from frostbite. Warm it up, and it will recover after sweating. Why don't you burn the kang first?" When it's done, I'll make another bowl of ginger soup and feed him to drink." Li Yuanfang said: "Go and cook ginger soup, and give me some dry firewood, and I'll burn the kang." After a long period of fuss, the kang was finally on fire, and the room became much warmer. Li Yuanfang took the ginger soup brought by the shop assistant and fed it spoonfuls to Han Bin, watching his forehead protrude. There were many beads of sweat, and his breathing became smoother, so he was slightly relieved.It was only at this moment that Li Yuanfang realized that his whole body was still wet, and he couldn't tell whether it was sweat or rain. He got up from the side of the kang, walked two steps, and then fell on the chair. The world was spinning in front of him.The shop clerk came into the room again, carrying a package in one hand and another bowl of ginger soup in the other, put both things on the table, glanced at Li Yuanfang, and said, "Guest officer, the little one just looked at it on the cabinet. I found this package. There are some clothes in it. It looked like it was for you, so I brought it here. You can drink this bowl of ginger soup by yourself. This child is already sick, so you can’t be sick." Li Yuanfang reluctantly thanked After the shop assistant went out, took the ginger soup and drank it in one gulp, and sat for a long time, he felt refreshed a little. He opened the package, and there were indeed some clothes he often wore inside. When Di Renjie came just now, Di Chun brought it for him.He stared blankly at the package, and after a long time, he stood up, slowly took off his soaked clothes, put on a clean plain robe, walked to the kang, leaned against the head of the bed, and He looked at the sleeping Han Bin motionlessly. In the north of Bingzhou City, Difu. Di Renjie's carriage returned to Di's mansion in the pouring rain.家人看到马车停下，赶紧打开大门，狄春叫道：“老爷，到了。”却没有丝毫动静，狄春又等了会儿，撩开车帘探头进去看看，狄仁杰仍然顾自发着呆，狄春提高了声音又喊了一遍，狄仁杰才突然醒过神来。狄春搀着他正要下马车，从门内冒着大雨跑过来一个人，边跑边大声喊着：“狄大人，狄大人。”狄仁杰止住身形，展眼一看，那人正是沈槐。 沈槐三步并作两步来到马车前，站在大雨中向狄仁杰抱拳行礼，大声道：“狄大人，陈长史大人请您过去一趟，有要紧案情发生。” “哦？什么要紧案情？”狄仁杰也大声问道。 “恨英山庄的陆嫣然小姐今天下午到并州大都督府投案自首，说是自己误杀了师父范其信。” 狄仁杰惊诧地重复道：“投案自首？陆嫣然？” “是的。但是她坚称只能对你供述详情，因此陈长史便派末将前来请狄大人过去审问陆嫣然。末将一个多时辰前到您的府上，可合府上下没有人知道您去了哪里。故而一直等到现在。” 狄仁杰略一沉吟，问道：“沈将军，这件事情你有没有对我府中的其他人提起？” 沈槐道：“没有，我想这件事只能对您说。故而狄公子刚才问我为何而来，我也只含糊应过。” 狄仁杰点了点头，厉声道：“很好，沈将军，请你立即上我的马车，详细情况我们路上谈。我这就去大都督府。” “是！”沈槐抹了把脸上的雨水，登上了狄仁杰的马车。狄春“驾儿”一声，马车在疾风骤雨中调了个头，朝并州大都督府衙门飞奔而去。 来到大都督府，狄仁杰率先下了马车，快步走入正堂，沈槐紧随其后，陈松涛面色阴沉地迎上前来，正要开口，狄仁杰道：“情况我已经很清楚了。陆嫣然现在哪里？” “押在后堂，等待讯问。” 狄仁杰点点头，对陈松涛道：“这件事情确实十分蹊跷，老夫要连夜提审陆嫣然。” “当然，松涛就等着国老来到，可以开审。” 狄仁杰突然微微一笑，对陈松涛道：“松涛啊，你是否信任老夫？” 陈松涛被他问得措手不及，忙道：“狄国老这是什么话，松涛对狄国老自然是十分信任。” “那好，既然如此，老夫今夜要单独审问陆嫣然，不知松涛是否应允？” “这……”陈松涛面露难色，犹豫了半晌，终于点头道：“也好，狄国老既然要单独审问，必然有国老的考虑，那松涛照办就是。” “很好。我在后堂审问即可。” 沈槐将狄仁杰领到后堂，自己便关门离开了。陆嫣然身上绑缚着绳索，侧身坐在后堂中间的一把椅子上，双眼空洞地望着前方，连狄仁杰走到她跟前都没有发现。狄仁杰仔细端详着面前这张依然是少女的美丽而忧伤的脸，深深地叹了口气。听到声响，陆嫣然方才醒过神来，她挣扎着想站起身，却因为腿也被绑牢在椅子上而无法动弹，只好轻轻叫了声：“狄大人。”狄仁杰在她的面前坐下，问道：“陆嫣然，你说是你误杀了你的师父范其信，现在就把整个经过对我说一说吧。” 陆嫣然垂下眼睛，低声叙述起来：“狄大人。嫣然一直以来深蒙师父的养育之恩，总想能够学习到师父的医药绝学，以报师恩，并泽众人。师父也从来都是不遗余力地教导着嫣然。然而，自从三年前冯丹青嫁到恨英山庄以后，一切都变了。师父的饮食起居都被她一手掌控，我连见到师父都很困难，更不要说再继续向他学习医术药理了。我曾经多次去和冯丹青理论，也找师父谈过几次，但都没有任何结果。就在出事的那天中午，我趁冯丹青去取午饭给师父的时候，来到十不亭上规劝师父，不要对冯丹青偏听偏信，让她蒙蔽了心智。可是师父他，他根本就对我不加理会。我一气之下，便拿出师父送给我的短刀，本想要威胁师父说如果他再不传授绝学给我，我就要去和冯丹青同归于尽，可哪想到师父过来与我争夺那短刀，我，我，我一失手，便，便……”说到这里，已是泪如雨下。 狄仁杰久久地沉默着，半晌才道：“陆姑娘，即使你想要替人顶罪，帮人消灾，也应该把谎话编得更加圆满些。你这番匪夷所思漏洞百出的供述，不仅帮不了你想帮的人，还会给人以口实，反而害了他啊。” 陆嫣然抬起头，哀哀地道：“狄大人，嫣然所说句句属实，您，您就判定嫣然的罪吧。” 狄仁杰道：“那好，陆嫣然，我来问你，你所用的凶器，那把短刀现在在哪里？” “已被我扔到了郊外的汾河之中。” “那把短刀有多长，刀刃是怎么开的？你当时将短刀插在了范其信的哪个部位？他是当场气绝还是有所挣扎？” “我……”陆嫣然茫然地看着狄仁杰，踌躇着，终于咬了咬嘴唇道：“狄大人，您所问的这些问题，嫣然一个也答不出来。但是狄大人，您是唯一验过我师父尸身的人，这些问题的答案您都知道。所以，狄大人，只要您定了嫣然的罪，您告诉嫣然应该怎么认，嫣然就怎么认。” “胡闹！”狄仁杰站起身来，痛心疾首地望着面前这个美丽的姑娘，怒吼道：“你们这些年轻人啊，什么时候才能明白自己究竟在做什么？！一个个还都以为自己很有道理，称得上有情有义，可你们根本就不知道自己所做的事情有多傻！” 陆嫣然被狄仁杰这冲天的火气有些吓住了，她愣了半晌，方才轻声道：“狄大人，不论您怎么想，嫣然总之都是有罪的。嫣然只想能够帮助，帮助无罪的人洗清嫌疑。” 狄仁杰长叹一声，放缓口气道：“嫣然啊，我知道你想帮助的人是谁。那个人也是我的至亲，我也从心底里面想要帮到他。可是你用的方法是不对的，因为你这样做只会让真正的凶手逍遥法外，而这真正的凶手一旦逃脱，会更加变本加厉地实施其它的罪行，到那时候，恐怕就没有人能够帮到我们共同的朋友了。” 陆嫣然低下头不再说话了。狄仁杰在堂上慢慢踱了几步，转过头来，对着陆嫣然道：“嫣然，我现在有几个至关重要的问题要问你，你一定要如实回答。” 陆嫣然点了点头，狄仁杰道：“范其信最近几年是否服用什么丹药？” “是，师父一直在炼金丹，并常年服用。” “范其信的饮食是否都只经过冯丹青之手？” “是的，全部都由冯丹青侍奉。” “范其信常年静修，一定保养得面白肤细吧？” 陆嫣然听到这个问题，奇怪地看了狄仁杰一眼道：“师父虽然静修，但一直在恨英山庄亲手培植各种特殊的药材，也时常日晒雨淋，故而面容倒有些像个老农，并不面白肤细。” 狄仁杰点点头，沉思片刻，从袖中取出一样物件，递到陆嫣然面前，问道：“嫣然，你见过这个物什吗？” 陆嫣然一看，那正是狄仁杰和李元芳从韩锐身上取到的金链，她疑道：“这是嫣然从未见过的父母留给嫣然的一件信物，但早就送给了人。您是从哪里得来的？” 狄仁杰道：“嫣然小姐是送给了一个叫韩锐的人吗？这人前日死在老夫的面前，这金链就是从他身上取得的。” 陆嫣然惊呼道：“韩锐死了？”她摇着头，泪水扑簌簌地滚落下来，喃喃道：“韩锐还是死了。我怎么不知道……他，他什么都不告诉我。” 狄仁杰叹息道：“是啊，韩锐死了，死的十分凄惨，令人不忍卒睹。嫣然啊，据我所知，韩锐只是个可怜的哑巴，与世无争，与人无害，他不该遭受如此悲惨的命运啊。如今他死了，他的小弟弟韩斌不知去向，生死未卜，这真是一幕人间惨剧啊。” 陆嫣然猛烈地摇着头，突然间声泪俱下：“狄大人，您就定我的罪吧，我有罪，是我害死了韩锐，害苦了韩斌，是我，我该死！”她终于泣不成声了。 狄仁杰看着她，低声道：“嫣然，这才是我想知道的事情，你能够告诉我吗？” 陆嫣然突然恐惧地看着他，连声道：“不，不，我没有什么可以说的。狄大人，您只要知道这一切都是我的罪过就够了。您就让我偿命吧。” 狄仁杰厉声道：“荒唐！你就这么想死吗？如果你的死真的能够救你想救的人还则罢了，怕只怕你就是死了，不仅于事无补，反而会带来更多的不幸！”他看着泪流满面的陆嫣然，长长地吁了口气，道：“嫣然，你就留在这大都督府里面好好的想想吧。我希望你能够尽快地想明白应该怎么做。明天我还会再来。” 说着，他快步走出后堂，沈槐马上迎了过来，狄仁杰道：“陆嫣然的供词尚有诸多疑点，请沈将军先将她收押，容老夫明日再审。” 沈槐答应道：“是，现已过午夜，陈大人也已休息了。请狄大人也快快回府休息吧，末将这就将陆嫣然收监，明日再细审不迟。” 狄仁杰点点头，登上马车离开了大都督府。马车行到半路，他撩起车帘，对狄春道：“狄春，这件事情绝不可对景辉提起，记住了吗？”狄春大声答应着，马车在风雨中继续前行。 并州大都督府，陈松涛密室。 陈松涛焦躁不安地在密室里面走动着。范泰悄悄闪了进来，对他抱拳道：“大人，急召属下来有什么要事吗？” 陈松涛看了他一眼，道：“今天那个陆嫣然跑来自首，说是她杀了范其信。” “啊？还有这等事情？” “是啊，我看这个小女人是想舍身救爱，打算牺牲自己来洗脱狄景辉的嫌疑。” 范泰凑上前道：“大人，干脆就来个屈打成招，定她个和狄景辉共犯不就完了。” 陈松涛摇头道：“事情没那么简单，她一口咬定只要狄仁杰审问，当时沈槐等人也都在场，故而我只好去找了狄仁杰来。” “那狄仁杰可曾审出什么来了？” 陈松涛点头道：“我让人在后堂偷听了，虽然不是很真切完整，但有一点可以断定，狄仁杰这个老狐狸已经基本认定了冯丹青的罪了。” 范泰惊道：“啊，他是怎么知道的？” 陈松涛冷笑一声：“从今天狄仁杰问陆嫣然的几句话里看，冯丹青那招移花接木，多半已经被狄仁杰识破了。他现在很是胸有成竹，不再担心他儿子会牵连在范其信的案子里面。” 范泰问：“那冯丹青那里我还要帮她隐瞒吗？” “不必了，这女人本来就是个麻烦，这次能够借狄仁杰的手除掉她，也是我的计策中的一环，现在咱们就静观其变，等着狄仁杰去收拾她就好了。” “是。”范泰答应着。 陈松涛又在屋中转了个圈，回过身来，自言自语道：“本来我还想借着陆嫣然投案自首这件事情再激一激狄景辉，但现在看来，靠恨英山庄这件案子去陷害狄景辉已经不可能了。就是让他知道了陆嫣然投案的事情，他只要找老狐狸一问，就不会再慌乱。因此，我们必须动用蓝玉观这个方案了。而且，也只有蓝玉观的事情才可以真正的置他于死地，绝无半点回旋余地。” 范泰道：“狄仁杰今天上午不是去探查过蓝玉观了吗？他那里会有什么行动吗？” 陈松涛摇头道：“不清楚这只老狐狸在打什么主意，我的感觉不太好。韩斌一直找不到，狄仁杰又一点点在破解我们给他设下的个个谜团，我们必须要尽快采取主动，不能再被动等待了。” 范泰点点头，问：“可是咱们还能怎么在蓝玉观的事情上加力呢？那个狄景辉现在按兵不动，陆嫣然又跑到您这里来了，韩斌找不到，所有的知情人就剩这几个了啊，他们要是都没有动作，难道我们自己去向狄仁杰揭露案情？” “不，这样不行，这样狄仁杰一眼就会识破我们的意图。”陈松涛皱眉沉思起来，突然，他猛一抬头道：“你刚才说陆嫣然跑到我这里来了，陆嫣然，我们现在只有动她的脑筋了。对啊，狄景辉和陆嫣然是情深意笃，只要陆嫣然出事，他狄景辉就决不可能再沉得住气。既然这样，咱们就干脆在蓝玉观来个一不做二不休，把这两个人一起了结了！到那时候，狄仁杰痛失爱子，恐怕这条老命也就要送掉了吧。” 他朝范泰招了招手，范泰立即凑了过去，陈松涛在他的耳边一阵耳语，范泰听得频频点头。 下了一夜的雨终于慢慢止住了，东方飘出一缕淡淡的微红，将被雨水洗刷得澄净一片的天空点缀出些许暖意，就像在人们的心中，纵然有万千的愁绪和伤痛，也总会因为黎明的到来而重又鼓起勇气，并获得全新的力量，可以去继续面对那似乎永无尽头但其实转瞬即逝的脆弱人生。