Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 73: Ten Miles of Magnificent Mountains and Rivers, Thousands of Years of Sharing the River Map

The green mountains are covered with mist, and the ink-black color is long. The mountain scenery is probably different in every place.

Green pines are in front of you on this side, and the sun shines on the golden forest on the other side. After turning thirty or fifty steps, you can see smoke from people's chimneys and temples hidden in the mountains.

The slower mode of transportation is the most suitable for enjoying the scenery, but there are things in mind, even if you are a carefree young person, you can't help but worry. So the surrounding scenery is naturally stained with a touch of "human feelings".

Cheng Heng saw the tangled branches, a dead tree with thousands of green leaves, and a suddenness that carried a bit of sadness.

This was not the first time Cheng Heng had traveled alone. He had gone to high school, college, and worked with a small team... However, such primitive means of transportation, coupled with the variables that could happen at any time, made Cheng Heng feel very uneasy.

So before Cheng Heng had walked out for long, he had already started wondering where the post station was - along the way, before Cheng Heng had walked very far, several groups of strange people came up to him.

"Are you going to Beijing to take the imperial examination?"

"You don't look like you are short of money, buy some hot steamed buns to keep yourself from getting hungry."

Although this place is not in the middle of nowhere, if the store is aimed at travelers who happen to be passing by, this is obviously not a good location.

If it was said that this person was specifically targeting the students traveling on the official road, or that he came specifically for "Mr. Yin Yunshan", it would seem more reasonable.

"That's not necessary." There was no one to protect him along the way, and Cheng Heng didn't want to cause himself any trouble.

He had not yet finished eating the dry food he brought with him. Cheng Heng had no intention of getting involved in this obviously risky situation.

If the target of the visitor is really "Mr. Yin Yunshan", Cheng Heng has no idea how much accurate information the other party has. Now he has important matters to attend to, and he knows that he has no ability to protect himself, so of course he cannot gamble on the risks behind all this.

"The post station ahead is still far away, and you won't have anywhere to eat on the way, so you'd better bring some with you."

"I have some dry food with me, so I don't need to eat."

Cheng Heng knew that no one would specifically keep an eye on Cheng Jianwei. As for the "human meat bun shop" seen on the stage or in novels, it would not be opened in such an area with clear jurisdiction. There was no danger in getting closer.

Just by getting closer, Cheng Heng discovered that there was not even a trace of smoke coming out of the steamer on the stall in front of him, which should have been emitting steam.

It was not midsummer, and the sun had not yet reached the valley in the early morning. In addition, the trees were densely covered, making the dampness and cold even worse. A breeze blew over, and Cheng Heng had to wrap himself up tightly.

"Ah, ha." If Cheng Heng had been a little less lazy, he should have taken out his clothes by now.

"Young Master, you have caught a cold. If you don't eat something hot, you will have to go to the doctor before you even reach the post station... If you are delayed in taking the exam, wouldn't that be a loss?"

"I don't have much money with me." Deep in the mountains, the early morning frost and dew were really heavy. Cheng Heng knew that Cheng Jianwei's body was not as healthy as his own from long-term morning and evening exercises. Coupled with his daily worries, Cheng Heng always felt that when the truth came out, Cheng Jianwei would definitely fall seriously ill.

Cheng Heng did not continue this meaningless conversation. His eyes swept over the old man who was buying vegetables near the steamer. He suddenly felt that the latter looked somewhat like San Heng.

"Let's go faster." Patting the mule in front of him that was walking slowly, Cheng Heng sighed, remembering that he couldn't ride a horse.

When I was holding the whip on the stage, I wanted to go to the grassland to ride a horse many times. Now I am really in a place where there are no restrictions on the use of vehicles and horses, but I can't ride a horse, so I have to tie a mule in front of the car.

Things will be much better once we get out of this area that is still under the control of the Liu family, Cheng Heng advised himself in his heart, but he didn't know that the students who were taking the exam on the road were like "clean and stupid college students" in the eyes of many people. Not only were they stared at by people with intentions, but even the madams in the brothels wanted to suck a mouthful of blood from those with weak wills.

As they turned the corner, they had escaped the shadow of the mountains and the future was smooth and bright. The man selling buns did not catch up with them, so Cheng Heng breathed a sigh of relief.

Where the sun shines, it seems that every breath of air you breathe is so calm and refreshing, and can make people relax directly.

"It's sunny today, why don't we go out for a walk?" Ever since Cheng Heng set out, Guan Yin has been working harder than usual. Seeing the former staying in the room every day, Liu Jiaoan couldn't help but feel a little worried. "It just so happens that the students won't come to the private school today, so let's go back and have a chat with San Heng."

"Go back to find Sanheng..."

"Forget it, let's sit in the yard for a while. I still need to think carefully about what to tell them next."

Guan Yin did not dare to bring his historical knowledge into the classroom. Not to mention how the era he lived in evaluated the major and minor events in history, everything that happened here did not seem to belong to any real dynasty in history.

It's just that this land has the same folk customs as Huizhou Prefecture that I feel so close to it.

Looking at Liu Jiaoan's hesitant eyes, Guan Yin couldn't understand this soft yet strong girl like his original self. He opened his mouth without hesitation, and every word drilled into Liu Jiaoan's heart like a little bug, sour and painful: "If you are worried about that side, then go and take a look. Anyway, there is nothing I need to trouble you with here."

How could Liu Jiaoan be worried about Sanheng not taking good care of the small courtyard? It was clearly for Guan Yin's sake.

"I'm not worried."

"Sanheng is also safe." Guan Yin did not stop what he was doing, and of course did not notice Liu Jiaoan's momentary loss. "Except for your opinion about me, you are always wholeheartedly devoted to Jiaoan."

"With all your heart?"

Guan Yin finally felt the resentment in Liu Jiaoan's words, and realized that he was like a scumbag who didn't cherish what he had. His response was perfunctory. Finally, he put down the pen in his hand and sighed: "His parents are in the Liu family, he has to live...some things just don't say to him."

"If you..."

"Yeah." Liu Jiaoan responded sullenly, turned around to meet Guan Yin's gaze, and said, "Just do your thing, don't worry about me, I'll go out for a walk and see if there's anything delicious to buy back."

"If you have anything you want to eat, I'll bring it back for you."

"Okay." Guan Yin obviously didn't finish listening to Liu Jiaoan's words.

The light and shadow of the two doors opened and closed. When Liu Jiaoan had already walked out, Guan Yin finally remembered what the former said in his last words.

"I..." Guan Yin frowned and hesitated, not knowing whether he should follow.

Liu Jiaoan is very smart, and she won't put herself in any danger even if she is angry with me. Guan Yin thought about it, and slowly sat back in his chair, sorting out the script that Cheng Heng had written in advance, as well as the "questions" raised by the students in the past two days.

After all, the students were young, and unlike today where everyone has a mobile phone to access news and old acquaintances from all over the world, most of the questions they raised were just personal confusions, which Guan Yin could handle.

"That's all fine...these kids' ability to draw inferences from one instance to another is really poor."

By writing and drawing, Guan Yin summarized each student's learning mentality, learning status and basic problems.

The sun set and the sky became gray and blue. The dim room made Guan Yin realize that something seemed to be missing. It was just that his mind was hard to work so fast after a busy day. After sitting in the chair and stretching for a long time, the hard and cold back of the chair hit Guan Yin's shoulder.

The angle was a bit tricky, and Guan Yin had to stand up to rub it properly. Then he found the candles that had not been lit yet - Liu Jiaoan hadn't come back yet? Could something have happened?

Guan Yin panicked now, and stood up and rushed into Liu Jiaoan's room without hesitation - there was no one there, but there were a few words written on the paper on the table: Go find Ling Xiao to ask about the letter, don't look for him, I'll be back soon. He rushed to the door in three or two steps, and after confirming that there was no sign of the door being pried open, Guan Yin was relieved.

It would be good to calm down. I haven't been in a good state recently, and I have been a little cold to my friends. In addition, there is no follow-up to the previous letter. If the Liu family really did it on purpose, it wouldn't be too dangerous for Liu Jiaoan to investigate.

"Go, go..." Returning to Liu Jiaoan's room, Guan Yin put the piece of paper in his hand back to its original place, muttering to himself.

There wasn't even a ray of moonlight filtering into the dark room, not even a hint of breeze.

Walking out, looking up along the four-sided patio, there was not a single cloud, and the starlight was not bright. The whole sky was very clear, and there was a deep black orchid that had no end in sight - the loneliness was a little scary, at least that's what Guan Yin thought when he raised his head.

One person, one sky, and a pile of tiles, everything is so clean.

It was either black or white, the blue sky, the green bamboo, and the light and shadows that came from nowhere, all together, it looked like a deliberately planned purity. If it were any other time, Guan Yin would definitely like it.

But now, Guan Yin was a little scared.

The candle was lit and then extinguished. Although he was used to seeing loneliness in history books, Guan Yin still could not accept the loneliness of a person in silence.

The road ahead was unknown, and Guan Yin was very afraid that a person or several people would jump down from the next wall and tie him up and take him to the Liu family or the government office - it was really too scary, and any slight movement would seem terrifying.

"Guan Yin, there are not so many monsters. What you need to do now is to be a good teacher." There was a voice in his heart encouraging himself, but such an illusory goal seemed so far away, so far that when Guan Yin was alone, he no longer had the energy to hope to leave.

It was so far away that Guan Yin just fell asleep leaning against a chair in the dark night, facing the wind.

"Look, the beautiful mountains and rivers are accompanying you."

The voice in his ear was very familiar, but Guan Yin couldn't open his eyes no matter what.

"You don't have to open your eyes, just listen to what I say."

It was another voice, so familiar that Guan Yin couldn't remember when or where he had heard it.

"You see, these mountains have been here for thousands and tens of thousands of years."

“Look, these trees have been here for decades, hundreds of years.”

Sure enough, a mountain appeared before Guan Yin's eyes. There was no cloud or mist surrounding the mountain, and there was not even sunlight shining through the clouds. There was only green, near and far, deep and shallow, appearing out of thin air before his eyes.

"It's beautiful beyond the mountain. When you look into the mountain, can't you see the beauty?"

"But I..." I can't stay here, I want to climb over this mountain and go back to my own place. Guan Yin was shouting in his heart, but he couldn't open his eyes no matter what, and even his mouth seemed to be sealed, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Guan Yin was very anxious and struggled to open his eyes and mouth.

“These are clearly two mountains.”

"The mountains that block you and weigh you down are the unfair world, not these green mountains and clear waters, nor are they the inspiration these mountains and forests bring to people."

"Inspiration?" Guan Yin realized that even if he didn't say it out loud, the other party seemed to be able to hear it, so he thought silently in his heart, and doubts instantly surged in his heart.

"Inspiration can mean that we should be like mountains when we are human beings, or we can do things like mountains."

"It can be like the freedom of the plants, insects and fish in the mountains, it can be like the pine and bamboo in the mountains with their own integrity, or it can be..."

“Be like a mountain, and provide beauty to others.”

Guan Yin suddenly felt that every word spoken by this voice seemed to be mocking him.

It seemed like she hadn't done anything or every "like".

“Why should people be like mountains?”

"Then do you think that mountains do not have good qualities in people?" The voice heard through Guan Yin's sophistry, and every word in the sentence hit Guan Yin's weakness.

This voice was so familiar to Guan Yin that it was scary.

"who are you?"

"Don't you know who I am?"

It was a female voice, could it be——"Yun Niang?"

"Is it you, Yunniang?"

"Why do you think I am Yun Niang? Yun Niang has seen mountains, but Yun Niang's heart was given by people, Guan Yin, Cheng Heng, and only a small part was given by the real Yun Hai..."

His words were rejected by this voice without hesitation, and Guan Yin felt a little indignant.

"Who are you then? The Guan girl?"

"Or are you this mountain?" Guan Yin asked unwillingly, but the voice just smiled.

"Why are you laughing?"

That voice was still laughing, not arrogantly, not evilly, and even laughing in a somewhat meaningless way.

"there is nothing……"

"Just like you said, you want to go to the other side of the mountain. Since you want to go to the other side of the mountain, you only take a few steps and then stop, hesitant... You can't even see the grandeur and vastness of the mountain top, how can you walk outside the mountain?"

"You..." What the voice said made sense. Guan Yin still wanted to know who she was. "Who are you?"

By the time Guan Yin realized that he had regained control of his voice, he had already been awakened. With his head tilted up, Guan Yin naturally saw a crescent moon.

There is still not a trace of cloud in the sky, but a gentle breeze has arrived.

"Ah, Che." Guan Yin wrapped his clothes tightly around him, stretched out his hand to rub his sore neck, his eyes deep, still thinking about the unreasonable dream just now.