#77 - Leaving Beijing
“... ... That’s about it, did you get it all down?”
The dim candlelight flickered a few times, and after who knows how long, Wei Changtian finally finished telling the story of “Journey to the West”.
According to the original story, the four masters and disciples who sought enlightenment attained enlightenment; those who sought longevity attained longevity; those who sought to be full attained fullness; and those who sought to escape suffering escaped suffering, making it a comedic ending.
Of course, some people think it's a tragedy, but we won't discuss that here.
But anyway, the fact that demons actually became deities is 100% inconsistent with the official Da Ning value orientation of “no pardon for demons”.
Therefore, in order to ensure that this book could be “published” smoothly and not cause any trouble, Wei Changtian simply made a drastic change to the ending—
Sun Wukong and Zhu Bajie, two demons, one was suppressed for another five hundred years, and the other was directly killed with a palm strike.
Tang Sanzang and Sha Wujing were basically the same as in the original story, one became a Buddha and the other became an Arhat with a golden body.
Regardless of whether this ending is reasonable or artistic.
When writing a novel, the first thing to ensure is that it doesn't get 404'd, that's the real deal.
Wei Changtian drank a mouthful of tea, his throat dry, and Lu Jingyao gently put down her pen.
“Yes, I’ve written it all down.”
She didn't have any questions about this ending, and after hesitating for a while, she asked, “After 'Journey to the West', will there be another book?”
“The next one, huh...”
Wei Changtian knew what Lu Jingyao meant, but he wasn't too sure about this matter right now.
“Maybe there will be, maybe there won't be. If there is, I will write it and send it to you.”
“Oh...”
Lu Jingyao lowered her head, and after a long silence, she suddenly asked again in a barely audible voice: “Can... can I go to Shu Province with you?”
Lu Jingyao blurted out a sentence, it seemed she had already thought of a solution.
“Pretend to be a maid...”
Wei Changtian was stunned: “It's doable, but you can't pretend to be a maid for three years, can you?”
“I can!”
Lu Jingyao stated without hesitation: “I... I can endure hardship! And I won't let others see through my identity, I definitely won't cause you any trouble!”
“This...”
Looking at that pretty face full of anticipation, Wei Changtian was a little conflicted for a moment.
To be honest, he still doesn't really know what kind of feelings he has for Lu Jingyao.
To say that he completely treats her as a tool, it seems a little different.
But to say he likes her?
It doesn't quite feel like it.
He initially kept Lu Jingyao just to earn more system points, but later he slowly got used to having a woman in the courtyard who would always be sulking and waiting for him to come back...
After a long time, a voice broke the silence in the room.
“Let's forget about it.”
“...”
Lu Jingyao seemed to have been hit by an invisible giant hammer, and her body swayed violently.
She forced a smile, but before she could speak, she heard Wei Changtian continue:
“But I once said—you only need to stay in the Wei residence for half a year, after half a year I won't care what you want to do anymore.”
“...When the time comes, if you still want to go to Shu Province... then go.”
“...”
Lu Jingyao instantly became pleasantly surprised, so excited that she couldn't even speak, she just kept nodding.
Looking at her so happy, Wei Changtian didn't react much on the surface, but in reality, he sighed inwardly.
Alas, I don't know if doing this is right or wrong.
... ...
... ...
September 27th.
Wei Changtian got up before dawn.
The things he was taking to Shu Province had already been loaded onto the carriage, and looking back at the slightly empty room, he couldn't help but feel a bit sentimental.
All in all, it hasn't even been three months since I transmigrated, and I didn't expect I'd be moving so soon.
In these three months, I've done a lot of things, but I've also left behind a lot of regrets.
There are still ten wins missing from the “Hundred Wins” oath I made in the martial arts hall; I didn't go to the brothel with Kong Changgui as promised; the Freemasons haven't played any role yet; and there are still a few demons in the plot that I haven't had time to kill...
More importantly, there's one person I didn't marry.
Wei Changtian went to find Xu Qingwan, but Kong Changgui said she had gone home sick, so he went to the Xu family, but still didn't see her.
He waited at the Xu family's door for a whole afternoon, until finally a little maid came out and handed him a section of red rope.
Wei Changtian didn't know why Xu Qingwan didn't want to see him, he just assumed she couldn't bear the pain of parting.
It's hard to meet and even harder to part.
Shaking his head, he reached out and grabbed the Dragon's Roar on the table, and walked out of the room.
The red rope tied to the hilt of the knife swayed in the wind, like the red glow leaping between the dark hair.
Turning back to close the door, and looking at Lu Jingyao hiding behind the window and secretly watching him, Wei Changtian smiled and instructed.
“Don't forget to give Qiaoling her things.”
... ...
“Glug, glug...”
The waning moon cast a white light, the wheels rolled over the bluestone pavement, and the post bell on the horse's neck swayed.
Wei Changtian didn't let anyone see him off. Besides himself, the only other people in the carriage were Yuan'er, who was quietly wiping away tears, and a strong man.
Wang Er was left in the capital to manage the affairs of the Freemasons.
This man was the “successor” he had chosen.
His name is also very perfunctory—Zhang San.
The outlaw madman, has he finally arrived?
Casually lifting the curtain of the carriage, watching the somewhat familiar and somewhat unfamiliar scenery flashing past, before long the carriage drove out of the city gate.
At this moment, the sun had not yet risen, the morning mist in late autumn was particularly heavy, and heavy dewdrops hung on the grass leaves on both sides of the official road, crystal clear.
More than a hundred Qingjia soldiers were already waiting ahead, led by a supervisory official sent by the imperial court, as well as a man and a woman.
It was Liang Zhen, who had just finished his duties and was about to return to Shu Province, and Liang Qin, whose expression was a bit complicated.
“Hahaha! Nephew, aren't you going to get out of the car and take another look at the capital?”
Seemingly to ease Wei Changtian's “melancholy”, Liang Zhen laughed very loudly.
However, Wei Changtian had no intention of getting out of the car, and also laughed loudly:
“Uncle Liang, it's not like I'm not coming back! What's there to see?”
“Then shall we leave now?”
“Let's go!”
“...”
More than a hundred riders, plus five or six carriages, slowly moved, and soon disappeared at the end of the official road.
The capital behind them was still asleep, but the sky was gradually turning white.
... ...
... ...
Three days later.
Suspension Mirror Division, Willow Leaf Office.
Zhou Cheng looked at Xu Qingwan, who had “recovered from her illness and returned”, with a bit of surprise on his face.
“Chief Xu, why aren't you wearing a red rope today?”
“...”
Xu Qingwan was stunned for a moment, didn't say anything, and walked away on her own.
Zhou Cheng touched his head in confusion, just assuming that Xu Qingwan had forgotten about it.
The next day, Zhou Cheng saw Xu Qingwan again and asked the same question, but still didn't get an answer.
On the third day, Zhou Cheng asked again.
On the fourth day, he still asked.
After asking for five days in a row, Zhou Cheng vaguely figured out the reason and never asked again.
Another two months passed.
This day, Zhou Cheng was playing Modou with several yamen runners in the office, and it was snowing heavily outside.
Just when he was one step away from victory, Xu Qingwan, with a red rope tied around her head, suddenly appeared.
“Zhou Cheng, I'm leaving the capital.”
“Ah?”
Zhou Cheng instantly turned his head back, not even noticing that the next player had instantly killed him with seventeen cards.
“Leaving the capital? Where are you going? Is there a mission?”
“No.”
Xu Qingwan smiled, very sweetly.
“I've been transferred to Shu Province.”
... ...
Wei Residence.
Lu Jingyao, wearing a thick cloak, pushed open the courtyard door, her cheeks flushed.
Qiuyun shook the paper umbrella beside her and urged with a smile: “Madam, the snow is too heavy, let's go inside and warm up quickly!”
“Yes.”
Lu Jingyao nodded, but after taking two steps, she suddenly stopped, reached out and caught a snowflake.
“Qiuyun, do you think it will snow in Shu Province?”
“Madam, I've never left the capital since I was a child, how would I know such things.”
Qiuyun covered her mouth and smiled: “Are you thinking about writing a letter to the young master again? You've written five letters this month!”
“You're making fun of me again!”
Lu Jingyao pretended to hit Qiuyun: “There's even a letter in there that I wrote for you!”
“Ah! Madam, spare me, I won't dare to do it again!”
“Don't run!”
The two girls, one fleeing and one chasing, the small courtyard was quite lively for a while.
And at this moment, another equally familiar voice floated in from outside the courtyard.
“Big Ghost! Why are you so stupid!”
“Run faster!”
“...”
“Woof! Woof woof woof!”
(Volume 1, End)
