Chapter 1: The forces behind it (1)

I told the elders everything that happened in the Black Rock Miao Village, including why I didn’t notify them. I told them that the situation with the crispy meat and the Qinhuai couldn’t wait, and I also told them about the mysterious letter, telling them that there was a spy in the village, so I didn’t dare to notify them lightly. Who knows who the spy is?

Uncle Li listened to me with a frown. After I finished, he left without saying a word, changing into his formal clothes. I didn’t understand what Uncle Li was doing, but Chengqing told me that everything in the Black Rock Miao Village had already exceeded the control of the relevant departments, and Uncle Li was going to report the situation.

In the face of a village, only the power of the state can be mobilized.

As for the “time bomb” that the Black Rock Miao Village had planted, that was not something I could worry about.

In the end, I stayed in Beijing, living in the courtyard where my master and I used to live, with special protection. The uncles were very mysterious, and I didn’t know what they were busy with. I began to see many people, mostly looking for me to ask about the situation. I sensed that a storm was coming, but I didn’t know what serious things were behind it. Until one day, Yuanxi and Jingyi’s sister-in-law came to the door.

After a few years, Yuanxi had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. In addition to her Taoist studies, she had also kept up with her schoolwork, and was even attending the same school as my eldest sister. Of course, there was some thought given to taking care of Yuanxi, but more of it was that her grades were also acceptable. I had heard from my fellow disciple Chengzhen about Yuanxi’s situation. This girl is very strong and hardworking no matter what she does, but unfortunately, she is only average in the Shanzi lineage, but the other lines are full of talent, especially the medical line. Although she herself most wanted to learn the mountain-character lineage well and be able to inherit her father and grandfather’s skills, as her studies progressed, she also realized that talent was important and could not be forced, so she gradually became more relaxed.

As for Jingyi’s sister-in-law, she has lived a very peaceful life these years. She and Sheng’s child, a boy who is already more than two years old, looks like Sheng six out of ten and Jingyi’s sister-in-law four out of ten. He is very smart and cute, and I love him very much. But when I look at this little guy’s eyebrows and eyes, I will think of Sheng, and I feel inexplicably sad. I don’t know if Sheng is doing well these years. Time is always the most ruthless thing. I often feel a little lost, always thinking that it was during that period of time that we stayed together in the deserted village, that Jingyi and Sheng were so in love, and that I often followed them around eating and drinking… Is it really true that everything can never come back?

Yuanxi and Jingyi’s sister-in-law have a very good relationship. It is normal for them to visit each other on this day. Over the years, through a fixed network of contacts, it is normal for them to know each other. It is only natural that two equally strong women become friends.

But on this day, when they came to visit, the first thing Jingyi’s sister-in-law told me was something that surprised me greatly. She said to me, “Chengyi, I’ve been put under surveillance again. Even when I enrolled my child in kindergarten, someone was watching.”

Cun Nian is the child of Jingyi’s sister-in-law and Sheng. The name “Cun Nian” means “to keep in mind” and “to believe that Sheng will definitely come back.”

I was surprised because it had been so long since the incident with Brother Sheng, and the surveillance should have been getting less and less intense. I didn’t know why all this was happening, so I had to comfort Sister Jingyi softly, and then ask Yuanxi about Yuanyi’s situation. Yuanxi told me with some disappointment that Yuanyi’s situation had not changed at all, and was still much the same as it had been more than two years ago. This meant that Yuanyi’s sense of autonomy had not yet awakened, and his soul was still weak.

I was very upset. I had set myself a five-year deadline. If Yuan Yi’s condition hadn’t improved by then, I was determined to use the secret technique on him, even if it would harm me. The key issue was that they had brought me news ahead of schedule: the authorities had decided to move my family to Beijing. My two sisters and brother-in-law would be transferred to new jobs, and my parents would be sent to Beijing by a special person.

As soon as I heard the news, my mood immediately became heavy. I should have been happy to be able to reunite with my family, but how could I be happy under these circumstances? The reason the authorities did this was for two reasons. First, there was a problem with the safety of my family. Second, they were afraid that I would be blackmailed, as if I were very important.

I wanted to ask more carefully about what had happened, but Jingyi and Yuanxi only heard about it from my brother Chengqing by chance and didn’t know the reason behind it. I asked, but it was all in vain. This incident made me feel very bad, as if I had escaped from the Black Rock Miao Village, but I still hadn’t escaped from this net. This incident also made me feel that I needed to go out once. For a while, I stayed in the courtyard because I was worried and missed Ru Xue. I didn’t want to go out. It seemed that only when I was in the place where I and my master had been together could I feel a little more at peace.

When you like someone, you always have a lot on your mind. I couldn’t help but think about it, but I couldn’t move to personally find Ru Xue in the Yueyan Miao Village. It was very simple. I didn’t have the freedom to move, and I could only move around in Beijing. With a somewhat depressed mood, I decided to go out for a while. When I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, I almost didn’t recognize myself. This person with a full beard, messy hair, and haggard appearance was me?Taoist priest

Qin Huai and Su Rou drove to pick me up. When they saw me in my neat clothes, Qin Huai couldn’t help but whistle and say, “Chengyi, are you ready to let me take you to meet a girl?” There’s nothing to say. Get in the car, we’re leaving now.”

Su Rou was also very excited. After getting out of the car, he grabbed me and said, “Sanwa, you finally figured it out. Don’t give up a forest for a tree. Ling Ruxue is as good as she is, but she’s not your wife. It’s a waste of time to think about it.”

Qin Huai and Su Rou are both the kind of people who are quick-witted and know how to get things done. It’s just that Qin Huai is always a bit slick when it comes to talking, and Su Rou is a bit more direct. When Su Rou talked about Ru Xue, Qin Huai kept giving Su Rou a look, but unfortunately Su Rou didn’t see it and said it directly. Qin Huai jumped out of the car and directly covered Su Rou’s mouth, yelling, “What are you talking about?”

They always care about me and are the people who know me best. They know that I am so pale and don’t want to eat or sleep. They also know about the things that happened between me and Ru Xue in the village. They are also moved by Ru Xue, but in their opinion, the Miao village’s witch can’t be reliable because they have also lived in the village for two years and know that witches have many taboos. In addition, from their understanding of Ru Xue, they also know how much Ru Xue values the entire village. And Ru Xue never once said to me that she liked me and wanted to go with me.

In their eyes, my situation was a hopeless unrequited love, a bitter love. As my best friends, they didn’t approve, and they were worried about my recent depression, so they made the above remarks and gestures. I was touched, but I just pulled away from Qin Huai and Su Rou and said, “It’s not that serious. You don’t have to do this. Qin Huai, take me to Cheng Qing’s place. I have something I want to ask him.”

Qin Huai and Su Rou both breathed a sigh of relief and quickly let me get in the car.

On the car, Qin Huai, who had learned what the matter was, said to me while driving: “Chengyi, don’t worry too much. It’s a good thing to have some protection. Aren’t I and Su Rou also protected and monitored?” Su Rou also said reassuringly: “That’s right, Chengyi, I don’t think it’s a big deal either. I’ve never thought that a country boy like me would one day be protected by the state. It would be a great honor. My parents would be proud if they knew. Hahaha…”

Su Rou’s words made me smile. In terms of my attitude towards life, I consciously feel that I am not as good as my two buddies. They are much more optimistic and cheerful than me. With them by my side, I always feel that no matter how desperate I am, I will never be desperate to the bottom. The car soon arrived at Uncle Li’s residence. As usual, my mysterious uncles were not there. Only Cheng Qing was there. I found him very easily. When he saw me, he smiled and said, “Are you more relaxed? Are you willing to go out with a good spirit?”

I smiled wryly and said, “What do you mean by going out? Is it just wandering around the greater Beijing area? I want to go to Yunnan. Is that okay?”

Chengqing didn’t expect me to say that, and he coughed lightly. He simply stood up and got the tea leaves, and began to concentrate on making tea. To be honest, Chengqing is very good at the tea ceremony, especially the Kung Fu tea, which is especially good.

He brewed the tea quietly, and I could only wait patiently on the side. But to others, Chengqing’s flowing, artistic movements made me impatient. I finally couldn’t stand it anymore and asked directly, “Brother, just say it. Why are you monitoring Sister-in-law Jingyi? Why did you bring my family to Beijing? This is not the kind of treatment that ordinary people can get!”

Chengqing’s hand stopped moving, and the tea in the teapot spilled uncontrollably. This was a stupid mistake, and it showed that his mood was also very unsettled. After a moment of confusion, Chengqing put down the teapot and handed me a cup of tea with a bitter smile, saying, “Since you’re calling me your junior brother, then you’re using your status as the eldest brother to pressure me. Do I have to say it or not?”

“What do you think?” I asked, holding the teacup and raising my eyebrows.

Cheng Qing shook his head with a bitter smile, put down the teapot in his hand, and said, “I didn’t plan to hide it from you, but since you didn’t ask anything, I couldn’t take the initiative to tell you, so as not to worry you too much. The master has already reported this to the state, and we have found some clues, which are very serious.” Hearing Cheng Qing say this, I suddenly clenched my teacup in my hand.