Chapter 4 Chapter 3 Sanwei Elder

The last scene in front of me is the appearance of the white cat screaming, and his voice rising faintly like a moon in the darkness... On a summer night, the starry sky that has just experienced a heavy rain is as transparent as black crystal.The starlight is like scattered sand of time and space, shining golden or silver light in the distant light years... The lotus in the pool blooms silently, and the petals that bloom to the extreme fall slowly and return to the black water, completing the cycle of reincarnation. My face was reflected in the broken ripples, except for the occasional flashes of light, the pool water under the lotus leaves was completely dark.Different from the clarity of the night sky, the color of the pool is closer to the thick ink color, and all things that plunge into it will be dyed thick black, and finally blend with this chaos.I looked at the faces that could be seen flickering in the waves, and felt that I was missing something in the cracked reflections.

Very important... something that can't be retrieved. The severe headache hit again, and I had to squat down with my head supported. The picture of Aurora Katayu kept flashing in my mind, accompanied by a voice that was full of sadness and resentment but was indistinct like a condemnation.My eyes are moist, but my throat is hoarse and dry, and the urge to cry is suppressed under the thick time and is difficult to erupt... I know that I have lost something very important, but I still can't remember what it is. In the long darkness of time and space, I once lost a precious thing, a precious thing that I can no longer find now...

Dream Mountain in summer always makes people feel extremely uncomfortable, surrounded by too thick water vapor, covering the whole mountain airtightly.When I walked through the forest and climbed the stone steps in front of the Pagoda Temple, my summer kimono could wring out water.Master Bai He stood waiting for me at the gate of the temple, his smiling fox eyes looked very annoying for some reason. "Xiaofeng, it's hard for you to come here on such a hot day. I prepared cold tofu and fruit tea in the meditation room. Come in and have a rest first." The old fox still looked so hypocritical.Today it is wearing a soap-colored monk robe, a white scarf on its head, and a light gray cassock obliquely. It looks very clean, and its indistinguishable face seems to always have an inscrutable smile.That face was beautiful, white and clean, at first glance it looked like a bright white lotus protruding from an ink pool, but the smile was like a piebald viper hovering under the lotus leaf.

Master Baihe is a rare beauty in the world. Although I don't like its real body—the white-haired female fox, I have to admit that it has superb aesthetics in its incarnation.Whether you change from a man to a woman, there is a unique charm that is breathtaking, and you can't help but look at it differently.This time, even if he turned into a young abbot in a remote monastery, he still has the same demeanor as before.It's no wonder that even though this small temple is located in the deep mountains, there are pilgrims who come from thousands of miles away. However, in such a weather where the asphalt road can be used to fry eggs, the old fox's beauty is still defeated - there are no pilgrims in the monastery today, and the young monks are listlessly leaning against the well fence and dozing Soaking watermelon just brought up from the well.

After the guest of honor sat down in the meditation room, I ignored the etiquette, picked up the teacup and poured it into my mouth.My thirsty throat finally made a sound, and I knocked the cup on the table, not hiding my dissatisfaction: "What happened to call me here in such a horrible weather?" "Oh, you still have such a temper, can't you say a few words to me, an old man who doesn't leave the house first?" Master Baihe continued to serve the tea, and ordered the little monk to cut up the watermelon, "Actually, this matter is not what I care about, but it involves an old account that you have not settled in the past, so I just want to let you know."

"What? Old debts?" I glanced suspiciously at Master Baizang's half-smiling face, and carefully recalled all the affairs I had dealt with when I went down the mountain last time - the answer is yes, I should not owe the old fox anything enough Let it remember thirty years of favor. "It still happened in Edo." Seeing my displeased expression, Master Bai He raised his teacup and reminded, "Do you still remember that Taifu and her 'Ruo Ye'?" The hand holding the teacup suddenly stopped in the air, and I raised my eyes to look directly at Master Bai He's smile: "What did you say?"

"Oh, it seems that I still have an impression, so I won't have to explain it." The old fox gave a disgusting chuckle again, reached out and took out a file bag from his pocket, "All the information is in it, hurry up, That shamisen is alive again." I took the file bag and opened it. After browsing a few pages, I jumped up and shouted, "Why did you tell me now!" "Look carefully, this is the newspaper from this morning." Master Baihe looked at me innocently, "There is no delay at all here, if you think this life can't catch up, it doesn't matter, anyway, it will. Continue to reincarnate."

"Damn it!" The little monk who came in with a watermelon was pushed away by me. I had no time to dissipate the heat. I had to rush into the suffocating heat wave again—I was afraid that if I walked slowly, I would not be able to bear it. Spread the remaining tea and tofu on its delicate face.This was originally a task it entrusted to me, but because of it, I have to feel guilty for more than two hundred years! It was already noon when I returned to the temporary residence. Panting, I slapped the file bag on the table, waking up the civet cat who was still dozing: "Quick, pack up and salute immediately! Simple and light is enough, prepare a few more decent replacement outfits , and then immediately book a ticket to Aomori Airport!"

"What's the matter?" Kangoro sat up rubbing his tousled hair, with a sleepy look on his face, "Earthquake? Aomori? If you evacuate, you should remember to bring more wine and food..." "If you can't reach Aomori before this evening, you will be forced to quit the bar!" The unbearable yell finally woke up Tanuki completely. He jumped up and rushed to the closet, throwing clothes out while muttering: "I said Xiaofeng, what's wrong with you? What kind of crisis happened in Aomori, is it worth your fire?" "That's right, it's indeed a big crisis." I buried myself in sorting out the necessary outfits from the clothes he threw out, and hurriedly wiped away the sweat that flowed into my eyes with the sleeves of my kimono, "If that thing is really there...if we If you can't find it within 24 hours, maybe...you will see the scene of blood flowing into rivers again!"

"What kind of monster is so serious?" Kangoro stopped and looked at me incredulously, "Is there such a species that does things without scruples?" "That's special, a monster made of cat's soul, resentment and obsession, an out-of-control 'Elder Sanwei'." In the hasty action, the papers in the file bag were shaken out, and one of them Today's newspaper—the center of the page is an interview with the family of a young folk music artist, and in the background behind the handsome young man, there is a handful of old shamisen. After getting on the plane in a hurry, Tanuki and I finally stopped to catch our breath.Fell in the comfortable seat of the first-class cabin, Kangoro couldn't help being curious anymore, and turned to me and asked, "Hey, now tell me, what is the origin of this out-of-control guy who can make you jump like a dog?" ?”

I glanced at the not-so-empty cabin, and asked the flight attendant for a glass of fruit juice to moisten my smoky throat, and then I managed to put on an innocent and lovely voice and said, "Hey, brother, I saw a very funny thing in a book yesterday. Scary story, so scary!" "What story?" Kangoro understood, moved his body towards me and said. "The story happened more than 400 years ago in the Warring States Period. A city lord gave birth to a beautiful daughter. When the princess grew up, she was accompanied by a beloved cat. The name of the cat was 'Ruo Ye'. The whole body is white, except for a leaf-shaped spot on the back. The princess loves the white cat very much, and goes in and out with it, almost like sisters. Later, the princess fell in love with the young musician of the city lord, but their love The lord of the city was firmly opposed. In order to dispel her daughter's thoughts, the lord of the city sent the musicians as ordinary soldiers and sent them to the front line. Soon the city was captured by the enemy and the lord was killed. At the same time, the princess got the news that her lover died in battle. Out of desperation, The princess swung her sword and committed suicide after writing the haiku of 'Jade lotus forgets the rivers and rivers in her own life, and the next life will continue the fate of this life'." "The princess's beloved cat, Luo Ye, secretly vowed to protect the princess and the musician in the afterlife because of her gratitude for the princess' kindness. But the lifespan of a cat cannot wait for a long time, so Luo Ye went to the craftsman who made the shamisen and volunteered Out of the leather, a shamisen was made. It is said that because of the cat soul, this violin can make a very agile and pleasant sound, and because of the original spots on the fur, there is also a leaf on the shamisen. The same pattern, so the name of the shamisen is also called 'Wakaba'." "However, this is a sad and beautiful story at best, so what's so scary?" Kangoro opened a can of beer and looked at me puzzled. "If it just becomes a shamisen with a beautiful sound, then there is nothing to be afraid of. The problem is that even Wakaba, who has become a utensil, has not forgotten the vow she made." I pretended to show a scared expression , pulled his sleeve and said, "Later, in the Edo period more than two hundred years ago, Wakaba really waited for the reincarnation of the princess—she became a geisha husband, and Wakaba went back to the In her hands. With his outstanding shamisen playing, the Taifu became a famous oiran at that time, and was valued by a local wealthy businessman. He planned to redeem her body and take her as concubine. The musician was reincarnated—in this life, he became a young ronin. The two fell in love at first sight, and under Ruo Ye's bewitching, the two met and eloped." "During their escape, Taifu and Ronin met a witch. The witch saw that there was a demon spirit attached to the shamisen held by Taifu. She originally planned to expel it, but was blocked by Taifu and Ronin. After the hardships of the two After begging, the witch moved her heart of compassion, and did not subdue the power that might help them fulfill their wishes and pursue happiness. But unexpectedly, the whereabouts of the two were finally discovered by a wealthy businessman, and in order to prevent the vow from being broken, they were controlled by Luo Ye The ronin strangled his lover to death with strings, drew his sword and rushed into the search team brought by the businessman, and died with dozens of people, and the roadside was covered with stumps and blood flowed like a river!" "...That said, it's a bit scary." Kangoro shook the beer in his hand, and couldn't help gasping, "The cat who can't understand the karma of reincarnation turned into a shamisen, and the obsession to repay the master misunderstood the master Its own will can even control human consciousness and make murderous actions... If such an instrument really exists, it would be terrible." "That's right, and after more than two hundred years, even if the witch is still alive, I don't know if she can still subdue the demon spirit on the piano." I opened the curtains, looked out the window through the porthole, and sighed heavily. Tone——At this moment, it is already dusk outside, and the moment of encountering demons haunted by ghosts is about to begin. When I was a child, I was always afraid of shamisen. Whether it’s the scene of a concert flashing on the TV when I’m nestled in the kotatsu in winter, or the wandering artist who occasionally passes by in my hometown in summer, whenever I hear the simple and trembling sound in my ears, I will subconsciously cover my ears run away. Because that kind of voice is the existence that will make me be possessed by the nightmare in my dream. All dreams are similar at the beginning - as if falling into the abyss at the top of the cloud, while floating, being attracted, involved, falling... surrounded by countless luminous star clusters, shimmering like broken gems.There were clouds wrapped around my body, as light as cicada's wings, and they fell together until the end of the darkness. At the moment of enlightenment, there is a Japanese-style paper door painted with complicated family patterns in front of you. When you open the paper door, you will see the courtyard reflected by the setting sun and the dark red wooden corridor covered with wisteria. The sound that swayed my heart came at the right moment. The evening wind swayed grape-purple flowers all over the eyes, and the petals danced lightly, falling under the paws of the white cat, and also falling on the enchanting and gorgeous clothes of the maids in the distance.The young and charming eyebrows and eyes behind the small fan are all looking in one direction - under the shade of wisteria flowers, a young man with red lips and white teeth, wearing a blue safari suit, is holding a shamisen in his arms, playing an unknown tune casually. There seemed to be fog in front of him, and suddenly he was the only figure left in the wide courtyard and narrow corridor... When those deep eyes looked at me, time seemed to stand still... After arriving in Aomori City, I whispered to Kangoro for a while and then split up—I was responsible for collecting information about the operation, and Kan went to meet a well-known music critic named Fukube Akiji.When we met again, what I saw was a gray-haired, slender elderly man with a mean face.I walked forward and subconsciously smelled the smell of alcohol in the air: "Is it done? Will it affect the action?" "Don't worry, I've already been poured down, and I'm sure I won't wake up before tomorrow night." The old man winked and made a face at me, "And the invitation letter and name card have already arrived." "Very good, be careful not to show your tail." I took the civet cat and caught the train to Tsugaru County. From now on, Kangoro and I have a new appearance and identity——Music critic Akiji Fukube and his granddaughter Xiaomei. I took the last train and rushed there overnight, and finally arrived at the destination on the invitation before dawn.On the long horizon of Tsugaru, stands a Gothic church with a classical steeple.In this midsummer season, the lavender fields on both sides of the church are in full bloom.Although it is still dawn and dusk, you can still feel the fragrance of flowers in the air. It is expected that in the daytime, the scenery here will definitely make people enchanted. In a few hours, Mr. Makoto Takahashi, the famous shamisen performer, the owner of the "Wakaba" published in the newspaper, will marry the dancer Ms. Aoki Suiwa here.It would be fine if the two of them were the reincarnation of the princess and the musician, but if not, then this place would very likely become the stage for another frenzied killing by the "Elder Sanwei". Ah Kan and I walked into the church, and it was completely silent inside, so naturally no one came.Kangoro turned to me helplessly, and asked in a low voice, "Hey, isn't there another address on the file?" "Both Takahashi's family and Mr. Makoto's address are not in Tsugaru. In a hurry, there is no time to collect more information, so we can only rush here first." I shook my head and read the information in the file bag again. "I was able to find Akiji Fukube because of his popularity and his close relationship with Mr. Makoto Takahashi... Other than that, there is no other more suitable substitute." Just as he was speaking, lights suddenly lit up in the gatehouse on the other side of the church.Kangoro looked around for a while, then went to the gatehouse and knocked on the brass knocker on the door.Immediately, an old and tough voice came from inside: "Who is it so early in the morning?" "Sorry, we are here to attend Mr. Takahashi's wedding today. Unfortunately, I misremembered the time and it was too early. Can we, grandpa and grandson, come in and rest?" Kangoro replied in a respectful old man's voice , completely different from his usual glib appearance—it is said that civet cats are born masters of camouflage, and it seems to be true. "Oh, did you remember the time wrong? That's a bit wrong." The door opened with a "squeak", and the answer was a shriveled old man with a bald head, but his face was clean and tidy, and he had a good smile. Affinity, "Please come in first, the wedding has to wait for a long time." When we walked into the room, the old man pulled out two stools from under the long pine table and greeted us politely to sit down.I look around, this is a very simple hut, all the furniture is painted mottled, the plastered walls have lost their original color, and are occupied by various stickers, outdated newspapers, stains and mildew.The old porter took out a pot of barley from a sloppy cupboard that separated the antechamber where we were from the master's bedroom, and made us tea humming a tsugaru tune. "Hey, judging from this room, this church and your old man are not too young, right?" Kangoro said to each other while beating his legs, "May I ask what your name is?" "Don't dare to be a gentleman. I'm just an old country man who works here as a janitor. My name is Tanaka Zao. You are the same as a priest. Just call me Azao." The old man who guards the door is also quite talkative. Next, he also sat down at the table and started chatting with us over barley tea, "This gentleman is from the city, what should I call him? Is this your granddaughter? She looks so cute!" "My name is Fukube Akiji, and this is my granddaughter Xiaomei. I'm a second-rate composer and music critic, and I've been friends with Mr. Takahashi. I finally learned that he decided to step into the palace of marriage a few days ago. It makes people feel a lot more at ease." Kangoro patted his knee and talked seriously, God knows he just heard the name Takahashi Makoto last night, "But having said that, the bride, Miss Aoki is really beautiful Beauty!" "Yes, yes, such a gorgeous wedding and such a beautiful bride are really exciting! Mr. Takahashi is really a generous person. In order to hold a wedding here, he had previously funded the refurbishment of the church, including the construction. It’s really a great thing for the Lord and the residents here!” "Oh, is that so?" The civet cat winked at me and asked Azao, "Excuse me, can you take us in for a visit first?" "Of course, come on, let's go." Azao led us out of the concierge with a flashlight, and pushed open the main entrance of the church, "Hey, it's really a design that you can't even imagine in your dreams. You're surprised, right? Thanks to Mr. Takahashi, Such a small place can have such a wonderful building!" "Really, it's really amazing, this is simply a work of art!" I admired sincerely, the cathedral hall in front of me is completely different from the old porter's house just now: the four walls are composed of twelve huge stained glass windows with Glass and metal frames frame various familiar Bible stories.Located on the altar directly in front is the beautiful image of the Virgin Mother embracing the Son. Although it is made of glass, the kindness and tranquility are vivid.At the feet of the Virgin there is a kneeling angel holding a lily.At this moment, the first ray of sunlight is projecting from the feet of the Virgin.In an instant, the solid and full composition, bright and bright colors and solemn patterns shine brilliantly in the slightly dark space, making people feel the urge to worship. In addition to the twelve beautiful stained glass windows, the rest of the church has also been newly decorated - the altar, columns and auditorium are surrounded by white roses and lilies; The carpet extends from the outside of the porch; seven crystal chandeliers hang from the dome, and the one in the middle just above the altar is particularly exquisite and magnificent-it is a huge chandelier composed of three layers of crystal rings and crystal pendants, directly connected to The dome, also covered in stained glass, looks as dazzling as a fragment of a lost star. "What, it can't be described in words at all, right? Mr. Takahashi is really amazing. Only an artist like him and Ms. Aoki can come up with such a beautiful building and wedding." A Zuo tilted his head as if intoxicated, admiring , as one of the people directly involved in this wedding, his tone was not lacking in showing off, "Having such a beautiful church, I think the popularity here will gradually increase in the future." "Azao, is there a visitor so early?" A blunt voice came from the corner door behind the altar. We followed the sound and saw a figure pushing open the door and pacing out from inside.The visitor was about forty years old, with a short stature, and his facial features lacked three-dimensionality, giving him an inconspicuous feeling.But in contrast, there was the meticulously ironed black robe on his body, and the stereotyped voice that lacked inflection, "Who are these two?" "Mr. Priest, are you up yet?" Azao hurriedly stepped forward to introduce each other, "Sir, these two are friends of Mr. Takahashi, and they are here to attend the wedding. Both of you, this one is our The priest here, Mr. Suzuki." "It's a pleasure to meet you, Fukube, I arrived early because I remembered the wrong time. Please forgive me if I disturb your rest, priest." Goro still bowed to the other party in a proper manner-because of the Hakone incident a few months ago, he still has fear of practitioners in the world.Fortunately, this time, the other party didn't seem to be a psychic, and the civet cat was not greeted violently, and the other party returned the salute respectfully. "Where is it? It was our fault for not coming out earlier to greet the guests, please forgive me." Father Suzuki's attitude was quite kind, but since he appeared, Azao, who had been chattering just now, suddenly became quiet.Taking advantage of the gap between Kangoro and the other party, I deliberately looked at this serious priest who seemed to be completely different from his appearance, and suddenly found that the corner of his robe moved slightly, and then, a round head poked out, it was a six-seven year old boy. The boy's expression looked very timid. His facial features resembled the priest's, sniffing his nose from time to time, and staring at me in a gorgeous little dress.Aware of our questioning eyes, Father Suzuki pushed the child behind him forward and introduced to us: "This is my son Tetsuya, who came to help as a member of the choir. Tetsuya, come to say hello to the guests. " Regardless of his father's wishes, the thin and small boy kept holding onto the hem of his clothes tightly.The actions of the two sides were stalemate for a while, and finally Father Suzuki sighed and let go of his son's hand: "Sorry, this child is a little shy." "It's okay, it's just a child, it's a headache if you are too brave." Kangoro changed the subject with a laugh, "But I didn't expect that there would be such a beautiful and unique place far away from the city. This church is really It’s an eye-opener for an old man like me! I’m sure the wedding scene, which will be waiting for a while, will be even more unforgettable for a lifetime!” "Ah, as you said, this will definitely be a grand wedding blessed by God..." "wrong!" Father Suzuki nodded in agreement, but was interrupted by a thin voice: "No, the Lord doesn't like this new house, and this wedding will not be blessed!" "Tetsuya," the priest turned his head and grabbed the child's shoulders, yelling in a stern voice, "You liar child! How can you say such things in front of the Lord!" "I'm not lying!" The child broke away from the shelter of the black robe under his father's rough tug. He struggled to raise his head, his face contorted with pain and fear: "I'm not lying. On the day the new church was built, I I saw the Virgin weeping! I saw it with my own eyes..." "Tetsuya!" Father Suzuki's face suddenly became ferocious and terrifying, and his movements suddenly intensified. The little boy was grabbed by his shoulders, his feet were almost off the ground, and he screamed in pain.Seeing this, A-Zao quickly went up to pull the father and son apart, held Zhe Ye in his arms and said: "Sir, it's just a child. It's understandable that you can't distinguish between dreams and reality occasionally." "Yes, yes, even if you are a god, you shouldn't care about such a small child." The civet cat also hurried out to smooth things over, patted the priest on the shoulder, and opened the distance between him and the boy.Father Suzuki's face flushed, and there were faint veins on his narrow forehead—it took him a long time before he gradually regained his composure.From the vicious eyes he looked at Tetsuya, it was hard to imagine that they were actually a father and son. "I'm really sorry, this child is under supervision, and he has developed a habit of lying since he was a child." After a long time, Father Suzuki turned around and apologized to us, "If there is any offense, please bear with me." "It's nothing, it's just a child." Kangoro quickly glanced at the decorations around the church, then at me, and said with a smile, "By the way, Mr. Priest, the wedding is about to start, there is still some work that needs our help Is it?" "Ah, I almost forgot!" Father Suzuki came back to his senses as if he had just woken up from a dream, and hurried towards the gate, "I'm just going to pick up the children from the town's choir, everyone, forgive me first. Ah Zao, be optimistic about Tetsuya, don't let him talk nonsense!" The heavy wooden door closed slowly behind the priest.After he left, Ah Zuo whispered to us: "I'm sorry, Mr. was not like this. He was a very good person, a little serious, but very kind. Until Madam passed away due to dystocia..." "I see, it's no wonder..." Kangoro showed an expression of embarrassment, and turned his eyes to the sobbing boy in Azao's arms, "So, Tetsuya had a hard childhood too, right?" The boy curled up in the old man's arms, pouted with grievance, and still defended in a low voice stubbornly: "I didn't lie, I really saw it, I didn't lie..." "Hey, Tetsuya," I said softly, stroking the back of the boy's neck where the red mark was caught, "Can you tell me, where is the weeping Virgin?" "It's there." Following the child's finger, we saw the largest stained glass window behind the altar.Against the background of the sun, the beautiful Virgin Mary above is vivid. When the shamisen tune stopped, the scene in front of me also changed: the peaceful and beautiful courtyard in the sunset was gone, replaced by the angry face of a middle-aged man.There were four or five strangers sitting in a ten-tatami-sized room, some were crying, and the middle-aged man at the top seemed to be roaring, but they couldn't make out what they were saying.I looked around in a daze, but there was no sign of the young man anywhere, except for a brocade box at the man's feet—— What was in full bloom inside was his haggard and clean head! I can't describe the feeling at that moment, I only know from now on that in the dream, there will also be a feeling of heartbreak. The man stood up, howled, drew his saber, and charged at the women sitting at the bottom.There was blood everywhere, and the blood covered the gorgeous twelve single patterns. He gasped and looked at me. I saluted him, picked up the dagger that fell on the ground, turned and left the room. Far from the blood and killing, but the despair in my heart became heavier and greater. Jade lotus forgets the water in the river by itself, and the next life should continue the fate of this life. The ink marks on the snow-white silk script are still fresh, just like the pair of deep eyes in memory. In my dream, I drew a knife into my arms, and the moment I fell down, I seemed to hear that simple and melodious tune again. The last scene in front of me is the appearance of the white cat screaming, and his voice rising faintly like a moon in the darkness... Under the guidance of Azao, Kangoro and I went to the Olivia Resort Hotel, two kilometers away from the church.In order to receive relatives and friends gathered here, and to have more space to prepare for the wedding, the Takahashi family, which is quite prestigious in the Tsugaru area, booked this luxury hotel as the venue for the wedding banquet. The layout of the hotel is divided into east and west buildings.The east building is where Takahashi's family and friends of the groom live, while the west building is where the bride and relatives live.Kangoro and I looked at each other and decided to split up - he went to the east building to meet the bridegroom Mr. Makoto first, while I went straight to the west building and stayed with the bride to wait and see what happened. Olivia is indeed the most magnificent luxury hotel within a hundred miles. Even if I just walk in the bright and spacious corridor of the west building, I feel quite dizzy and lost.Under the guidance of the waiter, I finally found the salon room which is the bridal lounge.As soon as the door was pushed open, a gorgeous atmosphere even better than the corridor rushed over. The baroque decoration with sky blue and rose gold as the main tone, the interior is decorated with various fancy and complicated silk fabrics and porcelain; pink roses and lilies compete for beauty, but compared with the female guests of all shapes and sizes, it is still a failure. Come on down—I heard that the work team that Miss Cuiyu originally belonged to was the most popular song and dance troupe in the entire Tsugaru area. From this point of view, it really is a well-deserved reputation as a beautiful bridesmaids group. "Ah, I didn't expect that Cuiyu, who was in love the last, was the first to get married in the group!" A mature woman with a hot figure in a big red evening dress yelled exaggeratedly, shaking the wine glass in her hand, "Such a good man like Chengji was kidnapped so silently, it's no wonder that old women like me are increasingly out of market." "Miss Yuko, look at what you said." Cuiyu, the bride who was getting dressed, turned her head. She was wearing an elegant and simple tube top wedding dress, and she was tying up her hair in a bun with the help of her mother and hair stylist, " It's just that you don't want to bid farewell to the single nobles. Mr. Kimura's sincerity over the years makes us feel pitiful even when we look at it." "That's right, Sister Yuko, at least give him a chance." "Isn't it true that Mr. Kimura is not as handsome as himself, but such an infatuated man is rare nowadays!" Responding to Cuiyu's topic, A round-faced girl in light blue puff sleeves and a slender girl in a light gray dress joked. "Fuck you! Yumi, Jiali, tell you to talk nonsense with Cuiyu!" The woman in red feigned anger, put down her wine glass and chased after the two girls. When she passed the door, she almost bumped into me.The woman in red stopped and looked at me in surprise, "Hey, I don't seem to have seen this child yesterday, Cui Yu, is it your relative's child?" "I haven't seen it before. Who are you here with?" The bride, Ms. Qingshu Cuiyu, turned her head when she heard the words. At this time, the eyes of everyone in the room were focused on me. "...Ah, I came with my grandpa. My grandpa is a music critic named Akiji Fukube, and my name is Xiaomei." Facing the billowing bust bending over my fiery red dress, I tried my best Maybe put on an angelic innocent and harmless smiling face. "Oh, so it's the granddaughter of that old man Fukube." The woman in red straightened up, folded her arms and looked at me: "It's rare for that old man with a mean face to have such a lovely granddaughter. But Cuiyu, isn't that old man Fukube?" Are you my friend? The guests brought by the man should all rest in the east building, right?" "There are noisy uncles there, it's really annoying! And... I want to see the beautiful bride in advance." I pursed my lips, pinched the hat in my hand and continued to play pitifully. "Hehe, since you've come here, it's okay to wait here for the wedding to begin." The hairdresser just finished adorning the last beaded flowers, and the bride, Miss Cuiyu, stood up and walked towards me, "And Mr. It can be regarded as having taken care of him, and it is no big deal to take care of his granddaughter for a while. Now, your name is Xiaomei, right?" "Yeah." I nodded in agreement, but my eyes couldn't be separated from her slim figure like a fairy in the forest - what Azao said was true, Miss Cui Yu is indeed a bride worthy of such a gorgeous wedding.Under the reflection of her graceful figure like a white swan, all the beauties in the room were overshadowed for a moment. "Stay here and wait before lunch, do you want some juice?" Ms. Cui Yu brought a glass of orange juice from the drink table beside her and handed it to me. "Thank you." While taking the orange juice from her hand, I confirmed one thing - she didn't have the smell that disgusted me. For the next few hours, I stayed in the salon, watching everyone around the bride.Through their conversations, I got a rough idea of ​​everyone's identities—among the women present, there were relatives of Ms. Cuiyu and classmates from the girls' school, but most of them were performers from the same dance troupe.The voluptuous woman in red just now is the president of the song and dance troupe, Yuko Nakajima, and the Mr. Kimura that Miss Cuiyu mentioned is the vice president who also serves as a manager. After sipping the juice in the glass, I plan to find an excuse to go out for a walk-after all, it seems that staying here doesn't gain much.But just as I was about to oil the soles of my feet, I suddenly saw a purple figure out of the corner of my eye.That nonchalant gesture that deliberately avoided the center of the conversation caught my attention. It was a beautiful woman in a purple satin dress, tall and slender, with exquisite eyebrows and a little arrogance.In the lively atmosphere where everyone was chatting happily in groups of three or four, she remained silent and looked out the window alone with a wine glass in her hand.After a long time, she suddenly put down the cup, got up and walked towards the door. "Xunzi, where are you going?" Yuko called to stop her, "It's almost lunch time!" "It's too stuffy in the room, go get some air." The woman named Xunzi opened the door without looking back, and quickly disappeared behind the white wooden door. "This child..." Yuko couldn't help but frowned, and looked at Cuiyu who suddenly became embarrassed, "You don't still care about 'that matter', do you?" I made an excuse to go to the bathroom, and hurriedly followed. Before I walked into the bathroom, I could smell the smoke wafting out of it, as well as low sighs. I walked around the washstand and saw Kaoru leaning against the mirror smoking a cigarette.她也是个极美的女子，但不似翠羽那种精灵般的玲珑剔透，而是仿佛古典女神一般，有一种倨傲而华贵的冰冷气质。我忽然想起不久前曾看过的一篇文艺新闻——初下山时，在勘五郎整理给我的旧报纸内，曾经以较大的篇幅介绍过这样一名蜚声海外的现代舞女演员：绯宫薰子。 而我还依稀记得，那张三年前的报纸上还刊登有她的一条花边新闻——据传她在编排新舞时，曾与创作音乐的一名三味线艺人陷入热恋。难道那名艺人会是高桥诚己先生？ 我抬头端详着那张精致却又冷漠的面孔，她也看见了我，却没有动作。我望着她那烟雾后微微泛红的双眼，问道：“您好，请问是绯宫薰子老师吗？” “嗯。”她默然地点点头，在水池中掐灭了烟头。我连忙从随身的口袋中掏出笔和速记本，双手递上道： “请您给我签个名好吗？我是您的舞迷！” “呵呵，骗人吧？我近几年都没有像样地演出过，像你这样的小丫头会是我的舞迷？”话虽如此，但是薰子还是签下了自己的名字，将本子交还给我，“你多大了？” “十五岁了，只是看起来比较小。三年前爷爷有带我去看过您主演的《常磐》，里面的舞蹈和音乐都棒极了！从那以后，我就一直很想见您，没想到居然能在今天达成心愿！”我回忆着报纸上的内容，故作欣喜地说道。 《常磐》是一部现代舞剧，也是绯宫薰子的成名之作。舞剧讲述了源义经之母常磐忍辱负重、跌宕起伏的一生。不同于以往记录那段历史时着重描写英雄事迹的习惯，《常磐》完全以女性视角来解读源平氏之乱的起源，刻画了源义朝之妾——绝世美人常磐坚贞、悲惨而又凄美的形象。剧中由薰子所饰演的“常磐”一角受到了评论界和观众的一致好评，被誉为“复活的义经之母”、“乱世中的女性悲歌”——我以少年追星者的狂热姿态不断赞扬着薰子和她的角色，当然以上这些信息，都来自于那篇报道。 “呵呵，没错，那正是我和他的成名作。”果不其然，在粉丝狂热的追捧下，绯宫薰子终于开了金口，“真怀念啊……当时，我还只是个名不见经传的小演员，第一次获得首席舞者的机会；而他也迫切需要一部成功的作品，去向不支持他的家族证明自己的选择……当时的日子，真是愉快啊……每天都在一起谈论舞剧和音乐，每天都有说不完的话题。说不定……那就是我舞台生涯中最美好的回忆了……” 绯宫薰子的双眼泛起了雾气。我凝视着她变幻莫测的表情，小心询问：“绯宫姐姐……您，爱着诚己先生吗？” “啊，这又不是什么新闻了。不过，都已经过去了。”出乎我的意料，薰子坦然地承认了自己的心事，“我并不后悔，也不会怨恨翠羽。她和诚己的相识是在我们分手之后，而且……从个性上来说，也的确是她比较适合他……所以，我只是感到惆怅而已，别担心。” 薰子用手指轻轻抹了下眼圈，向我苦笑了一下，随后打开化妆包，略微补了补眼妆。末了拍了拍我的肩膀，微笑着说：“走吧，就快到午餐时间了。楼下的大草坪上会举行丰盛的冷餐会，别迟到了哟。” “嗯！”报以同样故作轻松的微笑，我转身朝楼梯跑去。 在草坪上，我和化身为褔部昭司的勘五郎会合。与新娘这边波澜不兴的状况不同，勘五郎少见地一脸严肃，看来在东栋内似乎有所斩获——他将我拉到一个无人的角落，四下张望一番后，递给我一个纸包： “里面的东西，你自己看吧！” 我打开纸袋，里面有一个庆祝用的纸炮筒，一罐喷洒彩纸屑的喷罐，还有一瓶已经启过封的香槟。我打开香槟闻了闻，又晃了晃喷罐，转头问道；“怎么回事？” “香槟里有一股子苦杏仁味儿，应该是氯酸钾；喷罐里面掺了汽油；还有这个——”勘五郎拿过纸炮筒，小心地撕开外面的纸壳——里面倒出的不是彩纸屑，而是无数铁钉、玻璃碎片和细钢丝。 我感到胸中一阵抽紧，忙起身想奔去冷餐会现场，却被勘五郎一把拽住：“别急，我已经仔细搜查过整个会场和后厨了！有异常的东西都在这里，其余没什么问题！” “你确定！”在得到阿勘郑重的答复后，我才稍稍松了口气，重新坐下来，“详细说一下吧，今天这一上午的状况。” 勘五郎将上午所做的调查做了简单汇报：在拜会了新郎高桥诚己及家人后，他便径自溜去宾馆厨房，分身化身为酒店服务员对冷餐会上的所有食品都进行了一次排查，果然发现了这瓶问题香槟。发现异常后的勘五郎忽然心血来潮，转身出了厨房，偷偷潜入储备婚礼用品的杂物间。果然在那里又发现了铁钉纸炮和汽油喷罐。 “……有关报纸上刊登的那张照片，我也向诚己旁敲侧击地询问过了。”勘五郎指的，自然是那张摄有三味线“若叶”的那张照片，“据他所说，那把三味线是决定结婚后不久，忽然从家里的库房内发现的。因为看着是把古董，所以即使无法用于弹奏，还是把它放置到了堂屋内。正巧那几天有记者来做访谈，没想到恰好照了进去……据说就在婚礼前几天，那把三味线就莫名消失了。” “消失？” “是的，不知道是被盗还是佣人收走了，总之就是再也没找到。”勘五郎耸耸肩，表示已经竭尽所能，“按照诚己自己的说法：那把琴虽然年代久远，却不是出自名家之手。况且本来就是忽然出现的，家里人也就没有怎么在意。” “……今天除了发现这些以外，还有没有什么可疑的人物？”看来眼下，要追踪“若叶”的本体已没有希望。我晃了晃手中的纸袋，将话题牵回到婚礼现场。 “没有，这些东西似乎是早就混入食物和杂物中的。高桥家的亲友从前天晚上就陆续入住酒店，现在没法查到是谁动的手脚。”狸猫为难地摇了摇头。 “……那么，有没有什么可疑人选？”我在脑海中一遍遍过滤刚才见过的宾客——这些被动过手脚的疑似“凶器”都没有明确的性别指向。换句话说，不能确定“三味长老”狙击的是新郎还是新娘，就没法确定被附身的究竟是男还是女。 “别乱，虽然从这些东西中没法确定凶手的性别，但是还是有线索可循——既然凶手选择了香槟、纸炮筒和喷罐作为工具，那么他，或者她，一定是能够接触这些东西的人！你想想看，在婚礼上一般哪些人群有可能拿起纸炮筒和喷罐这些玩意儿来袭击新郎新娘？” “……司仪、伴郎伴娘、同辈的亲友团！”我茅塞顿开。没错，纸炮筒等制造气氛的玩意儿一向是年轻人的最爱！可惜被激发的情绪没过几秒就又掉到了谷底——虽然因此排除了部分宾客的嫌疑，但是剩下的人群，仍然是短时间内无法排查的数字。 “别泄气，其实我们还可以从这些方面入手……”狸猫话说到一半忽然站了起来，用脚将地上的铁钉和玻璃屑扫到草丛中，用我的帽子来遮挡手中的纸袋。我顺着他的目光看去，只见一身雪白礼服的新郎诚己正带着几个年轻人向这边走来。 “褔部老师，我正在纳闷您跑到哪里去了，是酒和食物不合胃口吗？”诚己本就是个风度翩翩、充满艺术气质的英俊青年，经由礼服和化妆师的锦上添花，此番看起来更是比访谈照片上的模样更胜几分，“有什么需要的请尽管吩咐。如有照顾不周的地方，还请多多包涵。” “哪里哪里，今天的招待真是太丰盛了！尤其是美酒，1988年的年份香槟可不是到哪儿都能喝到的！”勘五郎态度恭维地打着哈哈，顺便把我拉到面前，“啊，介绍一下，这就是我刚才提到的孙女，梅。” “真是可爱啊！难怪时常听您说起。”诚己俯下身，绅士地握起我的手，“梅小姐，欢迎来参加我的婚礼，一定要过得愉快哟！” “嗯！”我连连点头，眼光却越过诚己，瞟向他身后的三人——两女一男，其中一名女子留着披肩直发，身穿素色直筒裙套装；另一名则梳着可爱的学生式短发，身穿白色小礼服；唯一的男孩则穿着制服式的立领礼服，三人看起来都相当年轻。 “啊，我来介绍一下，这两个就是我刚才向您提到的弟子，楠本和绫瀬；这是舍妹直子，刚才褔部老师已经见过了吧？”察觉到我和勘五郎询问的目光，诚己转身为我们一一引见。学生模样的女孩和男孩连忙向狸猫深深鞠躬，倒是那位直子小姐只是微微颔首，看起来有些拒人于千里之外。 “是啊，听说令妹还是东大毕业的高材生，正打算去德国留学是吗？”勘五郎一脸诚恳地说着恭维话，“真了不起，高桥家不愧是津轻有名的望族，即使是年轻一辈也个个都是时代之花！还有这两个年轻人，就是诚己你刚才提到的徒弟吗？想必技艺也一定不同凡响吧，若有机会，一定要让老朽先睹为快啊！” “哪里，褔部老师太过奖了。事实上，我也正有此意。”诚己端着酒杯，向勘五郎敬酒道，“等蜜月结束后，我会在京都召开一场三味线品赏会，届时我和弟子们都会献曲，希望老师您到时能够出席并指教！” “那是当然，老朽一定会到场的！”诚己和褔部仿佛往年老友般互相拍着肩膀寒暄起来，倒是身后的两名弟子稍显局促，虽然激动地涨红了脸，却不敢出声插话——在能乐界，能得到褔部昭司的赞许则意味着有可能一夜成名！也难怪这两名年轻的奏者会如此紧张了。 趁着双方闲聊的机会，我站在一旁，仔细打量着新郎诚己和随行的三人——诚己仪表不凡，言行举止亲切有礼，与青树小姐可谓珠联璧合；他的妹妹直子却与他截然不同，她的表情刻板而严谨，与诚己相似的皎洁眉目被一副金属框眼镜掩去了光芒，甫一看简直像个任职中的家庭教师；倒是那两名少年弟子，神情活跃而灵动，楠本似乎一直在犹豫着要不要向勘五郎变化的褔部搭话，而绫瀬则更为羞涩，只敢用憧憬的眼神远远看着二人。 “……既然如此，我就在京都恭候老师光临了，当然，欢迎您到时候也带着梅小姐一同前往！”诚己微微躬身，将品赏会的邀请函递给勘五郎后便打算结束谈话。见此情形，我连忙开口叫住他道： “啊，高桥先生，非常感谢您的款待！刚才爷爷说，为了表达谢意和祝福之情，他准备了一份特别的祝贺礼物哟！” “哦？是什么？”诚己来了兴致，俯下身饶有兴趣地看着我。我向勘五郎使了个眼色，甜甜微笑道： “现在还不能告诉您，总之，等一下我们一定会奉上一件令您终生难忘的礼物的！” 奔跑。 无法止步，无从判断，只能不停地向前奔跑。齐腰深的杂草不断刺扎着裸露在外的皮肤，头上是惨白的月亮，面前是他动荡的背影……无法呼吸，手腕被拽得生疼，腿脚的感觉却越来越麻木……终于一个趔趄，跌倒在地。 他停下来，俊美的脸孔上满是汗水，嘴唇蠕动，却听不见声音。 我想爬起来，可手脚已经不听使唤。身体仿佛从水中捞出的海蜇，水分和力量正迅速流失，除了大口呼吸，什么都做不了。 “已经……不行了吗？”一个苍白的影子，从他背后的三味线中隐隐浮现，在耳边说道。 我无法回答，身后传来狗的吠叫声，火把点燃了东方的地平线……月亮也已无力再庇护我们了。 “结束吧，只能等待下一世了。”白色的影子画着优雅的弧线，从三味线上飞出，消失于他的体内。瞬间，他的眼神不再温柔，那双熟悉的眸子变成了金色的猫瞳，他伸出双手，干净利落地环抱住我——不是拥抱，三根琴弦死死地缠住了我的脖子，渐渐收紧。 finished? 为什么，依然是这样悲惨的结局？ 我想开口，却发不出声音。爱人的身躯近在咫尺，可我却感受不到丝毫暖意……脑海中忽然掠过一个娇小的身影——那个身穿巫服的女孩，以矛盾的表情看着我： “如果……这就是你所想要的幸福……带着它，继续逃走吧。” 这是……我想要的幸福吗…… 婚礼预定将在下午两点准时举行，留给我们的时间只剩下不到两个小时。勘五郎虽然顺应我的暗示，拍着胸脯保证会给诚己一个惊喜。但事实上，他心中和我一样，并无多少把握。 “……你已经想到什么了吗？”每当执行那些看似心血来潮的指示时，狸猫总会露出不情不愿的郁闷表情，“拜托，早点告诉我结果就这么为难你么？” “抱歉，不告诉你是因为我自己都还无法预测胜算。”我在一张便条纸上快速写下布置所需的人员名单、材料、制作方式和作用，然后塞进狸猫的衣兜里，“这些都是必备的材料，无论你用什么方法，一定要在一个小时内给我准备妥当！” “这些……”狸猫接过纸条，只瞟了一眼就愣住了。 “现在知道为什么我不浪费时间在解释上了吧。”我拍了拍他微微哆嗦的背脊，催促道，“快去，无论用什么办法都可以！没时间了！” 勘五郎无奈地叹一口气，转身飞也似的跑远了。趁着他行动的这段时间，我得以静下心来，思索这一次事件的林林总总。 古老的三味线；不惜一切代价达成旧主愿望的猫妖；看似幸福的新婚燕尔；以及众多皆有嫌疑的宾客……但倘若刨除灵异与转世的繁文缛节，“三味长老”目前有可能的附身形式，也不外乎以下四种： 其之一：照片上的“三味长老”只是凑巧出现在诚己家中，新郎新娘双方都不是公主和乐师的转世； 其之二：两人即为公主与乐师的转世； 其之三：新娘青树为公主转世，而新郎诚己却并非乐师来生，则附身者针对的是诚己先生，较有可能为男性； 其之四：新郎诚己为乐师转世，而青树不是公主来生，则附身者针对的是青树小姐，较有可能为女性。 以上推论中的一、二两则，已经被勘五郎发现的毒香槟等证物推翻——“若叶”的出现并非巧合，且应该已经附身于会场内的某一名来宾身上，欲对新人中的其中一人不利。但时间仓促，又没有足够的理由叫停婚礼，因而只得放弃排除调查法，直接与“若叶”对弈！ 毕竟，与其在一堆难以分辨的鳝鱼中拼命寻找一条毒蛇，不如引蛇出洞！ 教堂里的钟楼敲响了午后一点的钟声，在勘五郎和蒙在鼓里的田中造以及小哲也的帮助下，所有的布置终于赶得上准时完工。半小时后，宾客们陆续进入教堂，诚己先生和青树小姐也乘坐一辆黑色加长林肯抵达了会场。原本的婚车是辆白色的劳斯莱斯，却不知何故突然故障无法发动——自然，我和狸猫勘五郎是不会告诉他们，这是因为发现婚车的刹车线被人动过手脚的缘故。 “褔部老师，这还真是让人吃惊啊！”面对围绕教堂外一周，凭空多出的一圈波浪形玫瑰色窗帷，诚己瞪大了眼睛，“我记得原本的装饰设计里可没有这个，这倒真是一份出人意料的礼物，多谢了，褔部老师！” “呵呵，不过是份外包装罢了。”勘五郎故作谦虚，神情中却掩饰不住炫耀之色，不时向我抛来一束“怎样赞扬也不为过”的眼神，“如果时间允许，上面装饰的花束还可以更考究一些，天鹅绒布面上的褶皱也可以更华丽……啊，不过真正的'礼物'还没有亮相，所以感谢的话还是稍后再说吧。” “究竟是什么呀？老师，就别卖关子了吧！”青树小姐在一旁好奇地插话道。 “一件独一无二的礼物，非常匹配二位婚礼的东西。”勘五郎看我一眼，挺直腰板信心满满地答道，“如我孙女说的一样，是会让二位和诸位宾客过目难忘的礼物！” 下午两点整，婚礼正式开始。 在唱诗班孩子们庄重而美妙的歌声中，新娘青树在父亲的陪伴下，出现在洒满玫瑰花瓣的红毯此端。而在红毯彼端的神龛旁，新郎诚己正满怀热情地注视着款款走来的新娘。音乐、花香、透过彩色玻璃洒落一地的七彩阳光……使得这一幕仿佛凝固成隽永的画像。在彩画圣母温柔的注视下，这一刻显得既宁静又澎湃。 可就在此时，教堂内的光线忽然暗了下来。 宾客们惊疑地四下张望，连新娘父女也停下了脚步——原本折叠垂挂在十二扇彩色玻璃窗外的窗帷，不知为何全部坠落下来，遮挡了室外的阳光。 “各位，不好意思。为了庆贺高桥先生与青树小姐喜结连理，鄙人特意奉上一样贺礼，以祝愿二人百年好合，并创作出更多精彩的作品！”勘五郎化身的褔部边如是解释着，边从客席起身，向唱诗班的孩子们打了个响指——孩子们随即从袖笼中掏出蜡烛和烛台，纷纷点亮起来，围拢在神龛四周。 原本黯然的教堂内霎时又有了光源，点点烛光虽不比阳光绚烂，但映照着孩子们天真可爱的笑脸，看起来也分外温馨浪漫。 “褔部先生，非常抱歉，您有什么安排可以等一下再说吗？毕竟，现在是婚礼……”身穿黑色长袍，看起来却依然毫不起眼的铃木神父出声制止，却被新郎诚己打断： “等一下，老师……您是要演奏吗？”诚己的眼神忽然闪烁起来，他看见了褔部手中正握着一把三味线。 “是的，一部初具雏形的作品，名叫《忘川》。”勘五郎说着，不顾铃木神父的为难表情，在神坛下的台阶上席地而坐，“请允许我在这里为二位璧人献艺！” 几个熟悉能乐的宾客当即发出欷歔之声——对于封刀多年，已经由顶尖乐师转为音乐评论家的褔部昭司来说，能够听到他的现场演奏简直可以说是奢望！眼下新郎新娘已是满怀期待地停下动作，默许了褔部的行动，但如此唐突的举动还是惹来了更多亲友的诧异和议论。高桥直子在和母亲低声交谈一番后，上来劝道： “老师，您的盛意我们非常感激，可是，表演是否能放到婚礼之后的茶会上进行？” “哎呀，祝福什么的，一定要事前送上才有意义吧？”“没事的，直子，就让老师在这里演奏吧！”褔部固执地赖在台阶上不肯下来，新郎诚己也在一旁附和。直子、铃木和一干长者眼看无法，只得听任褔部开始表演。 可是宾客席中的窃窃私语很快就平静了下来——当褔部拂起琴弦，奏出第一串音符时，在场的人们已然被一种深邃莫名的力量征服了！ 鹤发的老人用修长的手指，有序地撩拨着三根琴弦。五指所及，原本声音单调的三味线发出变幻莫测的音节，古朴悠扬的曲调中又似暗含紧张……伴随曲声渐入佳境，教堂一旁的角门忽然打开，一袭红色舞衣的歌舞团团长裕子和身穿黑色舞衣的副团长木村踩着音符进来，举手投足，加入表演。 随着音乐的深入和舞者的演绎，观众们渐渐明白了褔部所要表达的故事情节：裕子和木村饰演的是一对恋人，在三味线缠绵的曲调中，两人所展现的舞姿极尽柔情，充满了热恋的甜蜜与眷恋。 当全场逐渐被甜蜜的气氛所充斥时，褔部却忽而曲风一变——手中的音符霎时化作金石般的冲击，两名舞者有如惊弓的比翼鸟，在跌宕起伏节奏强烈的旋律中显得手足无措。乐曲越来越紧张，两人的舞步也渐趋凌乱飘摇……终于，在一声猝然的长音后，木村所饰演的男性角色如一根折断的松木一般，垂着头颓然倒下了。 乐曲再次变得舒缓悠扬，只不过这一章节，多了些许惆怅悲戚的颤音。裕子所饰演的女舞者蜕下红色外衣，露出内里洁白轻薄的纱衣，在宁静而哀婉的旋律中，化身为舞台中央的一朵白莲——这时，从她脱下的舞衣中露出一卷帛书，上面有两行仿佛被水濡湿的墨迹：玉莲自生忘川水，今生当续来生缘！ 曲子的尾声部分，褔部又归回到起首时的柔情款款。木村换下古装改良的黑色舞衣，着一袭白色礼服再度回到台上，唤醒了裕子化身的“莲花”。两人再度相拥而舞，在琴弦停止颤动的同时，凝固成一座永不分离的群像。 一曲终了，奏者和舞者一起向观众鞠躬谢幕。宾客席中爆发出经久不衰的掌声，连新娘翠羽也忘了正置身于红毯中央的尴尬，脸颊飞红地使劲儿鼓起掌来。 “真是太精彩了，褔部老师！这首作品正式完成的时候，请务必再让我欣赏一回！”“哪里，打扰了婚礼的进行真是失礼，请继续，继续。”一边应付着激动异常的新郎诚己，一边抽身而出的勘五郎暗中清点着列席的宾客——果然比入场时少了一人！ “看来被惊动了呢。”勘五郎的嘴角露出一抹不易察觉的弧线，“接下来就是你的工作了，小枫！” hand. 小时候，春天里替我折下樱花的手。 盛夏里替我捕捉萤火虫的手。 秋天采摘芦苇，然后拉着我一起去屋顶赏月的手。 冬天温暖的、替我拂去脸上霜花的手…… 多年不见，那双手抚上了三味线，发出了我最害怕的声音。 But why?即使只是在电视上看到他的身影，也会令我热泪盈眶。 儿时的梦魇又回来了，可我却不再害怕三味线的声音，仅仅因为，这声音可能来源于他。 从什么时候开始的呢？是否是……我从仓库里，发现那把陈旧的古董三味线时？抑或……是他的第一部能乐舞剧正式发表？还是……他带着显赫的声名，被父母重新承认，衣锦还乡的时候？ 愚蠢啊！自以为是孤芳自赏，却原来……心缺失的一块一直在这里！ 那个唯一无法去爱的人啊！ “果然是你，直子小姐。”在礼拜堂后的祈祷室门外，我堵住了表情冷冽的高桥直子，“不，在若叶的面前，我还是该称呼您为公主殿下吧？” “为什么……你会在这里？”站在薰衣草盛开的草坪上，一身素衣的直子看起来既萧索又阴森，飘飞的长发掩盖了她的表情，却掩不住她身后正丝丝缕缕渗出的强烈杀气。 “为了终结你的噩梦！”我甩手抽出五张灵符，决定先发制人，向她冲去。不料直