Ark, they don't revolve around you

Yanchang Xi was indeed an accident. Originally, it would have been enough to trick Xi down the mountain and let Yan's officials see his position clearly.

But things are different now... Zhuang Ning stroked the wine cup: "Xi is closely related to the revival of Sui Beast. There is still a remnant of Sui's soul in this wine cup. I must know how to bring this remnant soul to its full potential."

For this reason, it is indeed necessary to let the scholars of the Si Sui Tai conduct in-depth research and try to find effective means to control the years.

How could Xibao die before that? Even if he died, Xibao had to live. He could be resurrected after death. The research could not continue without Xibao.

Scout didn't ask any more questions.

A few minutes later, the shopkeeper walked out of the darkness and said in a low voice: "Doctor?"

Obviously, this shopkeeper is also Zhuang Ning's man, one of his chess pieces under Dayanbu. Kezhai Tavern is an excellent place to obtain intelligence because there are crowds of people there, and when they are drunk, they will more or less reveal intelligence.

"I need a boat ticket, and I need to be discreet enough so that no one can find out where I am." Zhuang Ning paused, "I also need two fake identities."

"When?"

"tomorrow."

The shopkeeper looked bitter: "No, Doctor, how can I get you a fake identity in these two days? I have some influence in Gou Wu, but I don't know everything."

"You can do it. You are related to the Ning family, which is a big family. I only need two identities and a boat ticket." Zhuang Ning's eyes flickered. "As for the reward, your daughter's mineralopathy will probably be cured this month."

"Really?"

"inevitable."

The shopkeeper suddenly became motivated. Before leaving, he heard a faint voice: "Shopkeeper, remember one thing, you don't know me, and you can't know me."

"Okay." The shopkeeper smiled.

Xi was waiting boredly. The waiter was too attentive, which made her suspicious.

Xi hesitated and called him: "Has the doctor been here?"

"This is the guest's privacy, how dare I disclose it?" the waiter asked in fear.

"I'm a guest too." Xi was too lazy to talk nonsense and lowered his voice, "You obviously know the doctor."

Seeing that he couldn't deny it, the waiter told the truth: "I know him. He came here last year. He staggered and collapsed in front of our store. We are a small business. If someone died, it would have a bad impact, so we brought him to the store."

He laughed as he spoke, "But later I found out that this was a distinguished guest, so it was considered lucky."

"The Doctor collapsed here last year?"

"Yes, I remember it very clearly. After all, it is very rare to see someone wearing a black coat and wrapping himself tightly with a hood and mask." The waiter observed Xi's reaction.

Xi was silent for a moment, and then he thought: "Why did he fall down? Why is he dying?"

"Sir, I'm just a waiter." The waiter felt extremely helpless, but he had to deal with it. He was sent by the shopkeeper to look after Xi. Although Xi was not a child, Zhuang Ning was still afraid that she would wander around casually. It would be troublesome if he couldn't find her.

But the customer's question was too tricky, and the waiter had no idea what to say. He could only stammer, "I think the doctor must have gone to the mountain to look for someone, but it was raining and cold that day, so the doctor might not have found the person he was looking for, and he stayed on the mountain for a whole day and night without eating."

He said in a serious tone: "Guest, you don't know, the doctor had a fever for several days at that time, and we were scared several times that he was going to die."

"Fortunately, he is still very strong and recovered quickly. You don't have to worry. We have hired a doctor and the doctor is still in good health!"

But he saw Xi was thinking of something, his face became a little bit ugly, even the hand holding the chopsticks was shaking, and he dropped the chopsticks on the table.

"A year ago, he came here to look for someone... and he almost died while looking for her?" Her voice trembled slightly. "He never told me about this."

Chapter 8 Maybe I like you (k)

"He didn't tell me about it."

Xi's voice trembled slightly. She still remembered clearly what happened a year ago. Zhuang Ning came to Huiqi Mountain to look for her, but Xi was still angry, so she didn't worry too much.

But Zhuang Ning never said that he was seriously ill and almost dying.

Was it worth it? She could have gone down the mountain earlier... Xi pursed her lips. She suddenly felt regretful. She shouldn't have been so stubborn at that time. That person had been waiting for her for so long.

He is still as clumsy as before... Xi raised his eyes suddenly, as if he had made some kind of determination invisibly.

Seeing Xi said nothing, the waiter could only step aside, secretly thinking that this young lady was really difficult to serve.

Zhuang Ning came a few minutes later. When he sat down, he arranged everything: "We will leave tomorrow. For safety reasons, we will not tell anyone."

"……it is good."

Feeling that Xi seemed to be more obedient, Zhuang Ning couldn't help but be curious: "Miss Xi, what happened?"

"Nothing." Xi shook her head. The girl looked quite cute with a tense face.

Zhuang Ning didn't delve into it: "The road ahead may not be as easy as it is now. Miss Xi, can you bear it?"

"What do you think I am? I have traveled all over the world alone to visit the famous mountains and rivers of Dayan."

Zhuang Ning thought about the girl walking alone in Dayan carrying her painting supplies, and for some reason he wanted to laugh.

"Okay." He lowered his eyes, hiding a little strangeness, "I hope we have a smooth journey."

Gouwu has well-developed waterways, with rivers crisscrossed into a network of channels and endless ships on the water.

A large ship painted in a conspicuous color sailed on the river. Many people on the deck looked out into the distance. The sun cast ripples on the river, and there were green mountains and waters on both sides. Zhuang Ning also sighed: "The scenery is really beautiful."

"Is it beautiful? If you see it too much, you will naturally get bored of it." Xi said boringly. She was good at everything, but because of that she was tired of all the beauty.

Zhuang Ning smiled but did not agree.

There were no shortage of wealthy families on the ship they were on, so they had nothing to fear even if pirates came. Having said that, Zhuang Ning had a vague feeling that this trip would not be too peaceful.

In order not to be too conspicuous, Zhuang Ning took some effort to dress like a merchant, as Gou Wu never lacked merchants traveling back and forth.

Xi was dressed in a green dress with long skirt trailing on the ground and a veil hanging down from her hat, making her look like a daughter of an official.

"If you are tired, you can go back to your room and rest."

On the surface, the two of them are husband and wife, so naturally they stay in the same room, but this is not embarrassing for Xi.

Zhuang Ning could see that she didn't like the sun after the rain. He had never heard of a stay-at-home mom liking to bask in the sun. Xi wasn't a spoiled child, but she just didn't like something. An independent person wouldn't compromise herself just to please others.

"Then I'll go first." Xi said in a low voice, walking very slowly, as if urging Zhuang Ning to catch up.

But Zhuang Ning did not move.

Xi looked back several times and saw him gazing into the distance, not knowing what he was thinking, but with worry hidden in his eyes.

She waved her hand slightly, and returned to her room in the cabin, regardless of whether Zhuang Ning saw it or not.

After Xi left, Zhuang Ning stood still for a few minutes, and a woman walked towards him.

Her specialness can be seen just from her race and clothes. She is wearing a red dress with brocade flowers woven on it. She has the gentleness of a girl from a water town and a charming smile on her face.

Zhuang Ning admitted that he was somewhat surprised when he saw her: "I didn't expect it would be you who would contact me, Master Ning."

Ning Ci Qiu was the Minister of Rites, a position of the second rank.

Her family came from a wealthy family in Gouwu, a so-called aristocratic family, with generations of officials. Her father in this generation even held a first-rank official position, the highest position among ministers, and was a well-deserved nobleman in Gouwu.

"This is one of the few films about the year after all." Ning Ci Qiu saluted. Although she was in a high position, she did not make people feel superior. "Long time no see, Doctor."

Zhuang Ning's expression was uncertain: "I specially asked you to come here, which proves that the situation is quite serious this time."

"Yes, this ship looks like a passenger ship, but we have strengthened the guards. Even so, no one knows if there will be any accidents." Ning Ci Qiu's face flashed with a trace of uneasiness. "There were twelve fragments, and now only four are left. Is Miss Xi safe now?"

"Fortunately, I can still eat a few bowls of rice."

"I think she'll be angry if you tell on her behind her back."

Ning Ci Qiu pursed his lips and smiled, "Let's get back to the point. Although the Sui Pian incident has always been a secret of our Great Yan, the Shanhai people acted cunningly and many places were harassed."

"Grandmaster failed to find the second brother?"

Ning Ci Qiu remained silent, which was also a kind of answer.

Zhuang Ning frowned secretly, he never thought that the Great Yan court had become so useless.

"Doctor, although I believe you know this, I still want to remind you." Ning Ci Qiu said solemnly, "The matter of Sui is Yan's secret after all, and it cannot be spread to others."

"Lord Ning, there is no need to waste your words. I understand." Zhuang Ning clasped his fist and bowed. He did not want to have too much communication with official people.

When I got into the room, I saw the canvas hanging in the air and Xi holding a brush and ink, sitting in the sun.

The light shone on her profile, her eyelids were slightly closed, like an old monk in meditation. That little bit of worry and haggardness disappeared, leaving only determination flowing.

Perhaps she really deserves the title of immortal, because immortals should be detached from the material world.

"Starting to paint again?" Zhuang Ning sat down gently beside her.

Xi opened her eyes at this time and blinked at Zhuang Ning: "Yes."

"What do you want to draw?"

"I'm still thinking about it." The girl said calmly, "There are still many things I want to draw."

"That may not be enough time. After all, we will be landing the day after tomorrow." Zhuang Ning reminded her, also hinting that things would not be peaceful in the next few days.

"It won't take too long. I'm not an ordinary person. My paintings are in my heart." She seemed not to understand, but finally started writing, and the ink spread all over the paper.

Zhuang Ning was a little dazed.

He seemed to have returned to a few years ago, when he was in Xi's room and saw her painting. The girl would never be disturbed when she was painting, no matter if it was rainy or cloudy or noisy.

But this time it was different.

Because the person in the painting is him.

Zhuang Ning was stunned and looked at Xi, but the girl did not stop writing. With great vigor and vitality, Rhodes Island was sketched out with just a few strokes. Although it was in ink color, it was particularly cold and lonely.

In the painting, Zhuang Ning is standing on the deck, looking back. His eyes are like a pool of lifeless water, but it seems that they can become lively at any time if they are injected with life.

"I didn't expect you were drawing me?"

"It's not just you, this painting is far from finished." Xi had put down her brush and saw that only a few minutes had passed. Zhuang Ning applauded her and could still feel the throbbing of her soul when he saw her splashing ink and writing again.

But the problem is——

"Xi, you paint, aren't you afraid of the years coming back to life?"

"No," she said, but she didn't say why.

Zhuang Ning did not ask. If Xi didn't want to talk, he couldn't ask her anything.