MTL - Denghuaxiao

Chapter 159 Lover's Fragrance

 The carriage drove through the streets of Shengjing.

Lu Zong and Pei Yunying were sitting face to face.

Pei Yunying seemed to have considered that the purpose of their trip today should not be public, so he chose the most ordinary carriage. Therefore, the car is not spacious, and the distance between two people sitting is considered very close.

 As soon as Lu Zhen raised his eyes, he could see the person opposite.

He was taking a bath today. He did not wear the usual vermilion official uniform. He only wore a pear white narrow-sleeved round-neck brocade robe. The waist was gathered up with a sapphire belt, which made him look very clean and tidy. On her shoulders, even though her expression is cold, she can still see the beauty and romance.

Lin Danqing said that when selecting the guards of the Palace Front Division, not only their physical abilities should be selected, but also their appearance and appearance. Lu Chen thought to himself that the reason why Pei Yunying could sit in the position of commander in front of the palace at such a young age was probably not because of Zhaoning Gong Pei Di.

 Maybe it’s because of his face.

She was thinking so badly that Pei Yunying noticed her gaze, looked up and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

 He asked: "Doctor Lu, what do you want me to do?"

Lu Zhen looked away: "I was just wondering how long it will take for the tea garden to arrive."



He smiled: "It's still early and the mountain road is bumpy. Doctor Lu can take a nap in the car first. I'll call you when I wake up."

This is actually for her sake.

Lu Zong thought about it. Although he wouldn't really fall asleep, the journey was long, so it was good to close his eyes and rest in the car, so he closed his eyes.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he closed his eyes, the carriage passed through a narrow alley, the dirt road was uneven, and a child ran towards him. Qing Feng hurriedly reined in his horse to dodge. The movement was too loud, and the carriage was thrown sideways. Lu Zhuo's body tilted, He was caught off guard and fell forward.

 A long shout of "yu—".

Lu Zhen’s head hit a piece of soft clothing.

The clothes are warm and fragrant, but the chest is hard, as if wearing a thin layer of armor, which hurts slightly.

 There is a very light blue musk aroma.

 She raised her eyes and met Pei Yunying's dark eyes.

The young man's hand was holding her arm, which seemed to be a subconscious reaction when she rushed towards him, but he was a little surprised. He looked down at her, frowned and asked: "Are you okay?"

His eyes are very beautiful, but because they are too bright and dark, sometimes it is difficult for people to see the true emotions in them. However, there was no joking, alienation, or indifference at this moment. His eyes looked over with concern, like the sparkling spring water under the Luoyue Bridge, warm, gentle, and compelling.

Qing Feng’s voice sounded outside the window: “Master, someone passed by just now.”

Lu Xu suddenly came to his senses, sat up straight, and heard Pei Yunying say: "It's okay, let's go."

 The carriage resumed its journey.

 The atmosphere in the car is a bit subtle.

 In order to drive away this strange emotion, Lu Zhen took the initiative to speak: "Master Pei."

"how?"

 “Can you let me see your sachet?”

As soon as these words came out, Pei Yunying was startled, as if he did not expect that she would suddenly make this request.

But soon, he smiled, quickly took off the bag from his waist and handed it over.

Lu Zhuo reached out and took it.

This is a white jade lotus-patterned sachet. The carving is very delicate. When you take it close, a faint fragrant medicinal fragrance suddenly emanates from it.

 Lu Zhen's heart moved.

 Ever since that time at Wan'en Temple, Lu Zhen had noticed the fragrance on his body.

At that time, people liked to wear sachets, and so did men. Different from Du Changqing's strong aroma that was like marinating, the aroma on Pei Yunying's body was very light, vague, and refreshing.

She followed Yun Niang in the mountains to make medicine, and Yun Niang also made incense. You can know the ingredients of ordinary incense just by smelling it. However, Pei Yunying's fragrance is different. It seems to be orchid and musk at first smell, but it's different when you think about it carefully. When she fell just now, Pei Yunying reached out to help her, and Lu Meng smelled the faint fragrance again.

It seems that there are some other spices or medicinal materials in it, which are refreshing and calming, better than Qi Yutai's Lingxi Incense.

 Such a sachet must have been specially prepared for Pei Yunying. She couldn't identify every spice in it, so it was better to ask Pei Yunying directly.

Thinking of this, Lu Zhuo asked: "Master Pei, this sachet is different from the incense on the market. It seems to be prepared by a special person. Can you give me a copy of the recipe?"

She has been suffering from insomnia all year round. She felt better when she was in Renxin Medical Center. But since she went to Hanlin Medical Center, she can't fall asleep until late at night.

She prepared a lot of medicines to calm her mind and sleep. However, she used too many medicines in Luomeifeng and it was difficult for ordinary medicines to take effect on her body. However, every time she smelled the fragrance of Pei Yunying's body, she suddenly felt peaceful. If I could get a spice, it might be good for sleeping at night.

Although some fragrances are precious, Pei Yunying has always been generous to things outside of him, so he shouldn't be too embarrassed.

 

Lu Zhuo casually made up a reason: "I saw that the fragrance used by Mr. Pei was quiet and cold, and I liked it very much. I planned to make one myself based on this recipe and wear it on my body."

 “Make one for yourself and wear it?” he asked slowly.

 Lu Zhuo nodded.

Pei Yunying looked strange.

It is true that men and women in Shengjing loved to wear sachets, and all kinds of incense were introduced in the incense bureau. However, there are differences between the incense that everyone can buy in the incense store and the incense that is blended by private individuals. Aristocratic men and women did not want to use ordinary incense that everyone could buy in perfume shops, and often asked perfumers to prepare unique incense for themselves to show their noble status.

Since it is unique, no two people can use the same fragrance. Unless the two people using incense are husband and wife or lovers, use the same incense to show intimacy.

His "Xiao Guang Leng" was specially blended by a special person at that time... The same is true for what Lu Zhuo said just now. She knew that this was a fragrance that could not be bought in the fragrance pharmacy, and it was his own unique fragrance, but she still said that she wanted to make it Wearing an identical pair?

 Does she have no idea what this means?

Lu Zong naturally doesn’t know.

She grew up on Luomei Peak and knew very little about local customs. She didn't have much awareness of the importance of male and female defense. In addition, Changwu County was a small place in the past, and few people were seen wearing sachets on weekdays. I don't know where this "lover's fragrance" comes from, I just wonder in my heart, why is Pei Yunying not looking very happy if it's not just a fragrance recipe.

After a moment of silence, Lu Zhu looked at him inquiringly: "Is it inconvenient for Mr. Pei?"

 It feels like he was not so hesitant last night when he was asked to betray the Grand Master's Mansion.

"It's not convenient." Pei Yunying looked away and said calmly: "I don't know what the specific fragrance recipe is. Let's talk about it later."

These perfunctory words...it seems that I am really unwilling to do so.

Lu Zhen felt regretful. Maybe this prescription was really expensive, but there was no reason to force it on others. Just don’t want to.

 She stopped talking.

 …

 After the Xiangfang incident, the subtlety in the car just now was diluted a lot. The carriage sped along and quickly left the city gate, heading towards Gyro Mountain.

Gyro Mountain is located in the outer city of Shengjing. The mountain shape is narrow at the top and wide at the bottom. The entire mountain peak is like a huge upside down top. It is spring again, and the mountains are full of green. Looking through the carriage window, it is full of green.

I don’t know how long it took, but the bumps on the road gradually subsided, and I could smell the rich fragrance through the flying curtains of the carriage. The sound of Qingfeng reining in his horse was heard outside.

 “Master, Miss Lu, the tea garden has arrived.”

 The tea garden has arrived.

Pei Yunying lifted the curtain and got out of the carriage first, then stretched out his hand to help Lu Zhu down.

 Lu Zhuo stood still and looked around.

 This is a tea garden, or tea mountain.

There are large large tea trees growing in the mountains. The mountains are dense, and the sun's sun is spilled directly from the top of the head, making the peaks and mountains, the peaks and mountains are emerald, and the thousands of hectares of Bitao.

This is Cuiwei Tea Garden, the largest tea garden in Mangming Township on Top Mountain.

It is the season now, and there are many tea farmers picking tea in the tea forest. When they see a carriage passing by, some people stop what they are doing and look at it.

Lu Zong took out a light-colored gauze scarf from his sleeve and put it on. When he raised his head, he met Pei Yunying's strange gaze.

 He asked: “Why wear a hijab?”

 “I’m afraid it will damage Lord Pei’s reputation.” Lu Zhen replied without changing his expression.

 In fact, she was just worried that if there was an informant from the Qi family here, if something happened in the future and someone recognized her face at a glance, there would be endless trouble, so it was better to be safe.

After a pause, Lu Zhuo spoke again: "Master Pei, do you want to wear a silk hat too?" He and Qi Qing were officials in the same dynasty. Although this person has always acted freely, the reason for this today is that she dragged Pei Yunying here.

"No need," Pei Yunying glanced at the white gauze on her face and tugged at the corner of his lips: "I don't have a fiancée."

 Lu Tong: “…”

Qing Feng walked up to the tea farmer who was carrying a load of tea. The tea farmer was an old man. Upon seeing this, he put down his load and started talking to Qing Feng.

They talked very intensely, and Lu Meng vaguely saw Qing Feng showing the tea farmer his waist badge and handing him a thick piece of silver.

 She looked at Pei Yunying.

As if understanding the doubts in Lu Yun's mind, Pei Yunying smiled and said: "The tea gardens on Top Mountain are all planted by tea farmers in Mangming Township. The owner of Cuiwei Tea Garden is a wealthy businessman, and it is difficult for outsiders to enter."

 Lu Huo nodded.

 It is difficult for outsiders to enter, but Pei Yunying can. Qian Quan is really the best pass in the world.

“Could you be scolding me in your heart?” Pei Yunying’s suspicious voice sounded in his ears.

He raised his eyebrows and looked at her, his tone a little incomprehensible: "I never act like this."

Lu Huo smiled: "Master Pei is willing to make an exception for me. I am grateful before it is too late. How can I scold you in my heart? You are worrying too much."

He sneered: "Your compliment is very insincere."

　　Lu Zhu nodded: "My lord is too suspicious."

Pei Yunying: “…”

After a heated exchange of words, Qing Feng finished speaking to the tea farmer, returned to the two of them, and said to Pei Yunying, "Sir, you can go in now."

Pei Yunying nodded.

Qing Feng did not follow, and drove the carriage to the place where the horses were tied. Lu Zhu and Pei Yunying were walking side by side.

Although there are tea gardens on Top Mountain, the road is easy to find. There are clear wild paths between the woods and fields. There are footprints of people and traces of wheels running on them. They spread from the tea garden forest to the inside, which should be towards the villages where people live.

Although this forest path is not as rugged as the mountain road just now, there are also raised rocks and potholes on the road, making it not easy to walk. Pei Yunying walked behind Lu Zhen so that he could help him in case he slipped and fell. However, when he looked up, he saw the woman holding her skirt with both hands and walking very fast on the mountain path without any help.

She usually looks soft and frail, as if she will be out of breath after taking a few more steps. She looks like a pale and sick beauty, but here there is no obstacle, as if she has been walking in the mountains all year round, like an agile deer, in the forest. Lightly shuttle between.

 He suddenly had a strange illusion, as if the person in front of him had been familiar with this environment for many years.

Unable to feel the pace he was following, Lu Zhuo, who was walking in front, turned around, his face covered by a veil showing confusion in his eyes.

 He lowered his head, smiled, and followed.

After walking for about half a stick of incense, the tea garden gradually decreased and the trees were not as dense as before. Passing through the last tea garden, houses gradually appeared.

The forest path turned into a broad dirt road, with red mud houses on both sides. There were several villagers dressed as tea farmers sitting on the roadside, sifting fresh tea leaves with dustpans. When they saw the two of them, their eyes wandered over them.

This is Mangming Township, where almost all the tea farmers who grow tea on Top Luo Mountain live.

It is daytime at the moment, and there are few villagers idle at home. Most of them have gone to work in the tea gardens.

Pei Yunying walked to a house outside. Under the eaves was a middle-aged woman wearing a headscarf who was picking up tea. He stepped forward and asked with a smile: "Auntie, how can I get to Yang Weng's house?" , quietly handed over a piece of silver.

When the woman raised her head and saw that he was an outstanding student and that he was friendly and kind in his speech and behavior, she took the money, looked at him with a smile, and pointed enthusiastically towards the end of the street: "Yang Weng, just walk to the end of this street and go to the end of the street. Go straight to the right and you will see the burned house." At this point, he suddenly became suspicious, staring at Pei Yunying and asked: "Their family members are gone, what are you looking for him for?"

“I once bought tea from Yang Weng Tea Garden. After returning to Beijing, I learned that something happened to his family, so I came here to have a look.” Pei Yunying answered calmly.

Hearing this, the woman said: "That's it." She looked a little bit sad, "Hey, it's also a sin." She also told him: "The area around the house is deserted and gloomy. Young Master, it's better not to stay too long. ...No one is allowed to go there on weekdays.”

Pei Yunying responded with a smile, then stood up and motioned for Lu Zhu and him to continue walking forward.

As early as when he heard the word "burnt" in the woman's mouth, Lu Zhen was confused and moved his lips, but in the end he said nothing.

 It’s finally coming.

If it was as the woman said, when the street reached the end and turned right onto a small road, after walking for about an incense stick, a deserted field appeared in front of them. The field has been deserted for a long time, and is covered with weeds half a person's height on all sides, almost submerging the house behind it. And behind the weeds, a darkened house stands suddenly in front of people.

The sudden appearance of such a charred house in the green mountains was like a wound that suddenly appeared in the crowd. Large pieces of the charred black walls of the house fell off, like a torn scar, dripping with dried dark blood.

 Shocking.

 Lu Zong's eyes froze: "This is..."

“This is the Yang family’s house.” Pei Yunying’s voice came from beside him.

Lu Xu frowned: "The Yang family?"

Pei Yunying took two steps forward.

The messy weeds were behind him, and the pale white robes reflected the greenery together. It was obviously a lush spring day, but he still felt a bit desolate.

He said: "You know, Qi Qing loves birds."

 Lu Yan was silent.

Of course she knows.

The nobles of the Liang Dynasty loved to raise cranes, and most of them were civil servants. Because the white crane dances gracefully and has an refined posture, which is very consistent with the pursuit of a pure and high-spirited state by civil servants, a few of them are always kept in the courtyards of nobles for viewing.

They were also raised in Grand Master Qi’s house.

Not only cranes, he also raised peacocks, mandarin ducks, parrots...

 But Qi Qing’s favorite was thrush.

As the saying goes, "literary Bailing, martial arts thrush", literati love to raise Bailing, military officers love to raise thrush.

 As a civil servant, Qi Qing especially loved thrushes. The mansion once raised several thrushes, each of which was expensive. Someone was hired to repair the birdhouse and take care of these thrushes.

He also liked "fighting birds" and used to like to carry bird cages to catch and fight birds. In the past, officials who wanted to attach themselves to the Taishi Mansion often followed his fancy and spent a lot of money to buy beautiful and beautiful thrushes and send them to the Taishi Mansion in an attempt to make good friends with the Taishi Mansion.

When Lin Danqing talked about these things with Lu Zhen, Lu Zhen was still very confused.

The Taishi Mansion has been raising birds all year round, and Qi Yutai has been used to seeing these songbirds since he was a child. Why did he develop a dislike for thrushes in one night, so that in the next few years there would be no trace of a bird in the entire Taishi Mansion?

 Very abnormal.

“The Yang family are tea farmers, and the four members of the family grow tea in the Cuiwei Tea Garden.” Pei Yunying’s voice interrupted Lu Yan’s thoughts.

“The owner of the house, Yang Weng, passed away five years ago. He was just over sixty years old when he passed away. He had a hobby during his lifetime, and he liked to get up in the morning and walk birds in the tea forest.”

 He walked to a charred dead tree in front of the house.

This tree has been burned beyond recognition by a fire, leaving only the dark branches struggling upwards. From a distance, it looks like a burnt human figure struggling in pain, adding a spooky atmosphere to the desolation.

Pei Yunying looked at the lonely withered branch and said in a calm voice: "Yang Weng once raised a thrush."

The mountain breeze blew past Liao Sa for a moment, and Lu Shu's eyes suddenly widened.

  She suddenly realized something and looked at Pei Yunying.

 He lowered his eyes: "That's a very good thrush."

 At that time, the conditions for selecting songbirds were quite stringent. Yang Weng, this thrush, is famous far and wide for being outstanding. Not only does he have an elegant appearance and a sweet cry, he is also lively, aggressive, lively and interesting.

More importantly, this thrush was Yang Weng’s daughter’s favorite bird during her lifetime.

Ms. Yang died of illness a few years ago. When she was alive, she took care of the thrush herself. After she passed away, Yang Weng took care of the bird even more carefully, as if it was the lingering warmth of his daughter's presence.

Somehow the reputation of this bird spread further and further. After hearing this news, some bird keepers in the teahouse came to Mangming Township to look for Yang Weng. They wanted to pay a lot of money to buy the bird, but Yang Weng rejected them one by one. .

Yang’s family doesn’t want to sell the thrush.

Pei Yunying said: "Five years ago, Qi Qing's sixtieth birthday, Qi Yutai wanted to collect the best thrush in Shengjing as a birthday gift. Hearing that there was a thrush in Mangming Township, he specially brought enough money and people to go there."

Lu Zhen asked: "Yang Weng didn't agree?"

Pei Yunying did not answer.

 After a long silence, he spoke.

"On the day Qi Yutai left, the Yang family caught fire at night. The four members of the family, including the foolish son of the Yang family, were all killed in the flames."