Жениться на государственном служащем династии Северная Сун

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Chapter 36: A Beauty That Could Topple Kingdoms (2)

This corridor is about three miles long, and the walls are not entirely covered with murals; there are large blank spaces in the middle. Reaching the stone wall at the end, there is nothing but murals covering the entire wall, and no exit whatsoever.

The stone wall at this end was slightly different from the one they had just entered through. It was a massive, single slab of marble, polished very neatly, with a street carved into it, bustling with people, and lined with blooming hibiscus on both sides. Shu Zhenzhen, having grown up in Sichuan and accustomed to seeing such endless stretches of red hibiscus flowers since childhood, couldn't make heads or tails of it. After a while, she turned and walked back. Halfway there, she saw the screen again and took it back to the stone chamber.

Shu Zhenzhen lowered the screen and saw that Junyu was still unconscious. She first dipped some water in the water and dripped it into Junyu's mouth. Then she took out a small knife, mashed a pear, dipped it in the juice, and dripped some into Junyu's mouth. After that, she ate some dry food herself, rested for a while, and then went to check the strange corridor.

When Junyu woke up again, she opened her eyes and found Shu Zhenzhen looking at her with genuine concern. She reached out her hand and forced a smile.

Shu Zhenzhen exclaimed in surprise, "Junyu, you can move your hand now!"

Junyu was now fully awake. She noticed that her feet were moving, which meant the anesthetic had worn off.

Shu Zhenzhen touched her wrist and forehead and found that although the anesthetic effect had worn off, Junyu's injuries had become more serious.

She forced a smile and said, "Junyu, let me show you a painting. I wonder who this woman named Fei Yiyi is, and how her portrait ended up in my secret room?"

Junyu looked at the upright screen, where a lifelike image of a woman of unparalleled beauty was depicted. The inscription on the screen read "Fei Yiyi," and at the bottom was a poem:

Her skin was as smooth as ice and her bones as white as jade, naturally cool and free of sweat. A gentle breeze wafted through the water pavilion, filling it with a subtle fragrance. The embroidered curtain was drawn back, and a sliver of moonlight peeked in; she was not yet asleep, her head resting on her pillow, hair disheveled and hairpins askew.

She rises, takes his hand, and they are silent in the courtyard, only a few stars occasionally seen crossing the Milky Way. She asks, "What time is it?" It is already past midnight; the golden waves are pale, and the Jade Rope (a constellation in Chinese mythology) hangs low. But when will the west wind arrive? And she fears that the years will silently slip away.

This poem vividly describes the beauty of Lady Huarui, the favorite concubine of Meng Chang, the ruler of Shu.

The world only knows her as "Lady Huarui," and no one knows her real name. Could this beauty named "Fei Yiyi" be Lady Huarui?

After Later Shu was conquered by Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, Meng Chang and all his concubines were captured. On one occasion, Zhao Kuangyin summoned all his concubines, and among the three thousand beauties, he immediately saw the stunningly beautiful Lady Huarui. Zhao Kuangyin was instantly captivated, and subsequently poisoned Meng Chang, making Lady Huarui his concubine. Zhao Kuangyin had long heard of Lady Huarui's talent and asked her to compose a poem on the spot. Lady Huarui then spontaneously recited the very famous poem: "The king raises the flag of surrender on the city wall, how could I, in the deep palace, know? One hundred and forty thousand men lay down their arms, not one of them a true man."

Junyu blurted out, "Could this be the tomb of the Shu ruler?"

Although her voice was very faint, Shu Zhenzhen could hear it clearly in the quiet room. She shook her head in disbelief: "No way, this Hanjing Garden was built by my ancestors. My ancestors have lived here for more than 100 years. Moreover, besides this Fei Yiyi, there are many strange religious patterns in that corridor."

Junyu thought about it and also felt that something was wrong. Historically, the tomb of the Shu ruler was located quite far from this eastern suburb. Moreover, this secret passage was empty, without any skeletons or offerings. Apart from the murals covering the walls, it was a completely desolate world. Judging from Meng Chang's extravagant lifestyle during his lifetime, this could not possibly be his mausoleum.

Although the portrait was intact, it looked very old and was definitely not a fake. Could it be that the person who made the secret passage went to great lengths to hide the portrait of Lady Huarui here?

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Chapter 37: Tosang and the Buddha's Tooth (1)

Junyu's originally dim eyes suddenly brightened slightly: "Sister Shu, let's go take a look at the murals."

Shu Zhenzhen was about to refuse and tell her to rest and recuperate when she suddenly remembered that about three days had passed, and Junyu could die at any moment. This thought overwhelmed her, and Shu Zhenzhen felt a blank in her mind, unable to utter a word for a long time.

After a moment of hesitation, she helped Junyu up and led her to the mural. The two walked and looked around, and when they reached the huge painting of an ice and snow world, Junyu stopped.

In the dim candlelight, the world of ice and snow was incredibly realistic, clearly created using a special pigment. Amidst the swirling snow, the monk in his single robe sat quietly, his eyes slightly closed, his hands clasped together in a gesture of holding something, resting below his upper abdomen.

Junyu stared at the carving for a long time; the monk was holding a tooth-shaped object in his hand. At this moment, Shu Zhenzhen also noticed it. She leaped up and reached into the monk's hand. The object was as hard as stone; it was merely a protruding decorative element within the overall carving.

Just as the two were about to leave, Junyu could no longer hold on, coughed up blood, and collapsed to the ground with a thud. Shu Zhenzhen picked up Junyu and rushed back to the stone house, placing him on a stone chair. Upon checking, she found that Junyu's breath was becoming increasingly faint.

The specially made little candle slowly burned out. Although there were many other little candles like that around her, Shu Zhenzhen forgot to light them. She sat blankly in the dark world, one hand resting on Junyu's nose, not knowing whether she was asleep or awake.

In the pitch black, the passage of time was imperceptible. After an unknown amount of time, Shu Zhenzhen suddenly heard a strange sound. The sound was very faint, yet remarkably clear in the deathly silence. Shu Zhenzhen's heart tightened. She quietly crept to the ebony door; she had never expected anyone to come in, so she had never closed the door since entering. A thought struck her, and she silently pulled the door shut, hiding herself behind the stone pillar on the left.

Suddenly, she heard the crackling of a torch. Shu Zhenzhen felt a blur before her eyes. She rubbed them and saw a huge torch lit beside the tightly closed stone door. Someone had opened the stone door again and entered. The stone door remained closed, presumably automatically shutting shut as soon as the newcomer entered.

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Chapter 38: Tosang and the Buddha's Tooth (2)

Shu Zhenzhen hid behind the stone pillar, her heart filled with dread. The man wasn't moving fast, carefully examining both sides while holding his torch, making terrifying hissing sounds. As the man drew closer, although she still couldn't see his face clearly, she could see that his clothes were tattered. The man had already passed the stone pavilion and walked about ten feet, almost reaching the stone pillar where Shu Zhenzhen was hiding. At this moment, Shu Zhenzhen could see the man's face clearly. He was haggard, with a terrifying expression. The front of his robe was torn in several places, patchy red and yellow, making it impossible to recognize its original color. His left hand, holding the torch, was bloodstained, dripping blood. Shu Zhenzhen subconsciously glanced at his right hand, which was in even worse condition, a bloody mess.

Shu Zhenzhen looked at him several times before recognizing him as Tuosang. She noticed the hissing sound coming from his mouth; he was calling Junyu's name repeatedly.

Tuosang was almost at the stone house door when he suddenly saw Shu Zhenzhen walking out of the shadows. He froze for a moment, then his eyes lit up with wild joy, and his voice was very hoarse: "Where is Junyu?"

At that moment, he also noticed the stone house on his right. Without waiting for Shu Zhenzhen's reply, he immediately pushed open the door and went inside. Under the bright torchlight, Junyu, lying on the stone chair, was still unconscious. Tuosang rushed forward to help her up, immediately stuffing a purple pill into her mouth, pressing his palm against her back until she swallowed the pill.

Junyu's eyes remained closed; he did not wake up.

At this moment, Tuosang looked much calmer.

Shu Zhenzhen said, "I saw a figure the moment we entered the stone wall. Was it you?"

Tuosang nodded. That day, when he rushed into the secret passage, he saw the stone door open, but in that instant, Junyu's figure was blocked by the thick stone wall. He clearly saw Shu Zhenzhen slap the door open, but no matter how much he slapped it, the door wouldn't open. He even used 18 different weapons, but he couldn't budge the stone wall an inch.

At that time, the group of monks from the Western Regions had temporarily taken control of the situation. They had found various sharp weapons and large axes, but three days had passed and they still couldn't budge the wall an inch. Then, Tuosang discovered the robe that Shu Zhenzhen had changed out of for Junyu in the Demon of Love's secret chamber. The robe was covered in dried bloodstains, a shocking sight.

In despair, Tuosang drove all the monks from the Western Regions away and spent his days banging on the stone door until his hands were bloody and mangled, but the wall remained unmoved. After countless thousands of times, his already bloody and mangled hands suddenly closed on the strange, palm-shaped stone pattern, and the door opened instantly.

Tuosang briefly recounted how he entered the room, and although it was only a few words, Shu Zhenzhen felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow. Looking at Tuosang's hands, she hurriedly said, "Let me bandage you up."

Tuosang shook his head, took out a very small map, placed it on the stone table, and looked at it carefully for a few moments. Shu Zhenzhen immediately recognized that the map was made of the same paper as the one she had, but it was several times larger. The map depicted a long corridor, which was the map of this secret room.

Tuosang stood up, picked up the torch, and Shu Zhenzhen, understanding, immediately lit a small pine candle. Tuosang then took the torch and went outside. Shu Zhenzhen followed him outside.

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Chapter 39: Tosang's Burning Gaze

Tuosang held up the torch and shone it on the murals at both ends of the corridor. Then, he suddenly stopped in front of a portrait, the strange monk portrait that Shu Zhenzhen and Junyu had both seen.

When Tuosang saw the painting, he seemed very happy. He jumped up and, in the same strange posture, reached for the painting. Without any apparent effort, the tooth-shaped stone in the monk's hand was immediately in his grasp.

Tuosang took the things and walked another seven or eight zhang without stopping, then stopped. Shu Zhenzhen and Junyu had both seen the painting. It depicted an old man wearing a yellow hat. The old man's attire was very ordinary, and he was grinning, with nothing unusual about him.

Tuosang, holding the tooth-like object he had just retrieved from the strange monk's portrait, thrust it at the old man's mouth. The old man's mouth opened instantly, as if unlocked with a key. Tuosang reached out and pulled out a yellow box. Taking the box, Tuosang immediately turned back, torch in hand, and strode away. Shu Zhenzhen, though filled with doubt, had no time to ask further and followed him back.

As soon as Tuosang entered the stone house, he immediately placed the box and the tooth-shaped brown spike on the stone table. Tuosang picked up the box and turned it from side to side in a strange way. After a while, the box opened with a snap, revealing a snow-white tooth-shaped object inside.

Tuosang took the object, gently supported Junyu, and with a slight exertion of his strength, the tooth-like object was immediately crushed into powder. He sprinkled the powder evenly on the wound on Junyu's back, placed his palms against Junyu's back, and immediately began to circulate his internal energy.

Shu Zhenzhen watched in astonishment as the tooth-like object turned to dust, and took several steps back.

About an hour later, Jun Yuwei opened her mouth and spat out a large mouthful of black blood. She spat out several mouthfuls in succession. Although she still kept her eyes closed and did not wake up, a trace of rosy color slowly appeared on her paper-thin face.

Shu Zhenzhen was overjoyed, but when she looked at Tuosang again, she saw that he was covered in sweat and white steam was rising from his head.

She couldn't help but glance at the doorway, and although she knew that no one would come in at this time, she was still very nervous.

About an hour later, Junyu suddenly opened her eyes. She looked blankly at Shu Zhenzhen's face full of surprise, then seemed to understand something and wanted to turn around and look.

"Don't move or speak," Tuosang whispered, large beads of sweat rolling down his face.

Junyu had fully regained consciousness and recognized the familiar voice. With her back to Tuosang, she couldn't see his expression, but she was well aware of the harm Tuosang's actions had caused him. Using his internal energy to heal himself in this way would severely deplete Tuosang's vital energy, and in severe cases, it could even be fatal.

Her eyes darted around, but before she could speak, she heard Tuosang say softly, "Don't speak."

Junyu closed her eyes slightly, and Shu Zhenzhen saw that her two long eyelashes were trembling violently, and she herself was also very nervous.

About half an hour later, Tuosang withdrew his palm, slowly stood up, but his legs went numb and he fell to the ground.

Shu Zhenzhen was greatly shocked. She had fought with Tuosang before and knew how skilled he was in martial arts. After falling, she couldn't get up for a while.

Shu Zhenzhen reached out to help him up, but Tuosang shook his head, quickly stood up, and turned to check on Junyu's condition.

Junyu, standing before him, had her jet-black hair hanging down, and was wearing the same moon-white shirt that Shu Zhenzhen had given her. This was the first time he had seen Junyu like this, and he stood there, speechless.

Junyu slowly stood up as well. She stared at Tuosang. Under the bright torchlight, the once handsome young man in white linen clothes now stood opposite her in tattered clothes. His radiance had faded, and he looked exhausted. His hands were no longer recognizable as hands, but just two bloody, swollen lumps.

Only those eyes shone with a fiery light.

The two stared at each other for a long time. Then, a tearing sound made Junyu immediately come back to his senses. He saw Shu Zhenzhen tear two strips from a plain-colored garment next to her and find the bottle of purple medicine in a bundle next to the stone table.

Tuosang seemed completely unaware of anything unusual about his hands. Junyu stared at those hands, which were completely deformed. If not treated properly, they might be ruined.

Seeing him staring blankly at Junyu, Shu Zhenzhen ignored him, wrapped his hands up, breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled, "Alright, your hands are finally saved."

Tuosang snapped out of his daze and remembered that Junyu had called him "Sister Shu," so he said, "Thank you, Sister Shu!"

Junyu was staring at the tooth-shaped stone and the open yellow box on the table. She looked at the stone table, where the remaining specks of white powder stood out conspicuously in the stone house.

When Tuosang saw her extend her finger and dip it in the white powder, his expression suddenly changed.

Junyu raised her head, met his gaze, and after a long while slowly spoke: "Tuosang, they call you 'Bokdo'?"

When Tuosang appeared, the mysterious cult members addressed him with great respect, calling him "Bokdo," and obeyed him completely. At that time, Junyu was already severely injured and nearly unconscious, and didn't react immediately. Now, remembering, she stared at Tuosang: "Did I hear that right?"

The light in Tosang's eyes dimmed suddenly, and after a long while, he said, "You heard me right, I am Bokdo."

Shu Zhenzhen was completely confused by their conversation. Junyu whispered, "Sister Shu, there are two more characters before his name."

When Junyu uttered the more common title, Shu Zhenzhen immediately understood. "Bokdo" was the common title for the leader of that Western Region sect. Legend has it that each "Bokdo" was reincarnated with the skills and memories of their previous life. They were at the pinnacle from a young age and were assisted by the wisest and most skilled elders in their childhood. Therefore, they were all learned and talented in both literature and martial arts, and were considered gods by their followers.

Junyu bent down, dipped his finger into the remaining white powder on the stone table, and stared at Tuosang, "What is this?"

Tuosang's expression was very calm: "Buddha's tooth."

Junyu lowered his head, not daring to meet Tuosang's burning gaze.

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Chapter 40: I am Bokdo

Three years ago, she fought against the nomadic tribes on the border. The stalemate lasted for months, with the two sides chasing each other for thousands of miles to the border of that mysterious land. At that time, she and a small squad of Phoenix Army soldiers strayed deep into the grasslands and lost their way. Later, they somehow arrived at a very secluded temple, where only an old monk was staying. It was this old monk who told them the legend of the Buddha's tooth. The Buddha's tooth was an artifact passed down through generations of Himalayan princes; it was a sacred healing medicine capable of bringing the dead back to life. Carrying it on one's person could ward off cold and poison, and ensure lasting peace. Legend has it that in each generation, the most outstanding Himalayan prince would become a monk in the sect to safeguard the Buddha's tooth. However, starting with one prince, the Buddha's tooth suddenly and mysteriously disappeared. Afterwards, the sect sent out numerous experts to search for it, but all returned empty-handed.