The next time
she went to pray was not a short journey, because there were people watching her, so Qiu Che didn't say much, just walked a few steps away from her, not far or near.
The scenery of Ganyu Temple is quiet and quiet. I often encounter three or two monks on the road, and they all nod.
Looking from a distance, the two people's backs seemed to merge into one place, giving them a sense of tranquility over time.
When passing one of the courtyards, Qiu Che saw a woman wearing coarse linen clothes coming out and subconsciously took two steps away.
Li Qingwu had a bamboo hat on his head and couldn't see the road clearly. When he saw this, he asked softly: "What's wrong?"
Qiu Che pulled her by the sleeve.
She quickly let go and explained softly: "There is someone in front of me."
Although the movement was not big, Li Qingwu was still pulled slightly by her and his veil shook slightly.
She subconsciously raised her hand to hold the bamboo hat, but Qiu Che glanced at her and frowned slightly: "Miss Yue is not feeling well?"
"..."
Li Qingwu pursed his lips and said softly, "No."
She said calmly . He moved the embroidered shoes with hibiscus and gold edges on his feet and said embarrassedly: "The shoes are too big."
Qiu Che followed her gaze and glanced down, then was stunned.
Those shoes are not small, but they are definitely not too big... They are the most commonly worn style by women with three-inch golden lotus feet.
The three-inch golden lotus is sought after by everyone in today's Daxia aristocracy, but only ladies from wealthy families have the capital to compare their beauty with their small feet.
Women from ordinary families, those who have not yet left the government, have to work in the fields to help their parents support the family, and their little feet are inconvenient.
Most of those who left the cabinet followed their husbands as businessmen and farmers, and were criticized as vulgar.
People have always had harsh requirements for women. They want her to be well-educated and sensible, and they also want her to be incompetent. He wants her to be virtuous and considerate, but he also wants her to be devoted.
Unable to trap their hearts, they tried to trap their steps.
Someone even wrote a poem to praise the little feet, saying:
Race Diao Chan. The foot is less than three inches wide, and the walk is staggering.
The little toes are pointed, the flower shoes are bright, and the lotus leaves are still hidden under the skirt. *
But in fact, having such a pair of small feet brings more inconveniences to women in life.
You have to be extra careful even when walking to ensure you don't fall.
Qiu Che looked at the pair of feet that were smaller than her mother's, and felt mixed emotions for a moment.
If she hadn't disguised herself as a man...
would she be one of the women with bound feet today?
The woman on the side glanced at them and suddenly spoke, seeming to be mocking, but also sighing: "Three inches of golden lotus, trapped in the house... The so-called foot binding is just a product to satisfy men's bad habits. It should have been long ago Abandoned."
When Li Qingwu heard the other party's voice, he paused slightly and did not answer. He just lowered his head and said softly: "Madam."
Qiu Che saluted as usual, as if he didn't include himself in the sentence "men". General: "I wonder who your wife is?"
"My surname is Jun, just an unknown woman."
The woman nodded coldly to her, and when her eyes turned to Li Qingwu, her tone immediately softened.
She stretched out her hand to help Li Qingwu and said, "Miss Yue, are you going to pray for blessings?"
Li Qingwu nodded, and seeing Qiu Che alone, he did not forget to introduce: "I and Mr. Qiu are traveling together this time."
Mrs. Jun He was slightly surprised and said: "Mr. Qiu - you mean, this is the Qiu Che Qiu champion?"
Qiu Che didn't understand why she said "just", but he didn't think much about it, nodded and said without being humble or arrogant:
"It's me. "
At this point, Mrs. Jun finally raised her eyelids and looked at her.
When she looked at Qiu Che, Qiu Che was also observing her calmly.
Although she is a woman and wears ordinary clothes, she looks to be in her thirties, and her temperament is gentle and calm, with a sense of independence and stability.
There's probably something wrong with her eyes -
Qiu Che thought.
She thought Miss Yue looked familiar, but to Mrs. Jun, it seemed like she had seen her somewhere before.
â¦â¦Where is it?
While she was thinking, Mrs. Jun had already looked away and said with a smile: "I was about to go pray for blessings. Now that we have met, I wonder if I might go with you?"
Qiu Che naturally agreed, while Li Qingwu remained silent and did not speak.
So what was originally a good couple's trip turned into a threesome.
Qiu Che felt awkward for no reason.
He thought of Mrs. Jun's self-identification and asked casually: "I don't think Mrs. Jun is also at the right age, so why do you call yourself old?"
Mrs. Jun smiled faintly: "You can talk - my husband passed away many years ago. Because there are now more than ten children and grandchildren, what else can you call me if you donât call yourself Lao Shen?â
Qiu Che felt that it was rude as soon as he opened his mouth, so he nodded and did not ask Mrs. Jun why she appeared alone in the house with so many children and grandchildren. in this temple.
Every family has sutras that are difficult to recite.
And Qiu Che doesn't really care about other people's families.
Mrs. Jun glanced at her, and then at Li Qingwu, who had been silent since she appeared, and said with great interest:
"Speaking of which, although I have been in the temple these days, I have also heard about Mr. Qiu's talent and reputation - He was named on the gold list at the age of eighteen. There are really talented people in the country."
Qiu Che paused and said meaningfully: "Mrs. Jun is not bad either."
The two looked at each other unexpectedly, and Mrs. Jun was not expecting it. When she suddenly said such a sentence, she was surprised for a moment, and then she put her hands on her hands and laughed heartily: "You are so interesting as a junior. You are not bad looking. Have you ever said we were married?"
Li Qingwu and Qiu Che paused at the same time.
Qiu Che shook his head, not understanding why the topic suddenly turned here.
She didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Before she could speak, Mrs. Jun grabbed her hand and said with a warm smile: "I have a granddaughter who is about the same age as you. She is also beautiful. She has admired you for a long time... If you don't dislike it... , Do you want to get married with her?"
Qiu Che twitched his hand.
Not drawn out.
She couldn't help laughing and said: "Madam, I haven't thought about getting married yet, so I'm afraid I will let down your good intentions." As
soon as she finished speaking, Li Qingwu suddenly looked up at her.
It was just that it was blocked by gauze, so Qiu Che didn't notice it.
"Really?"
"It's absolutely true."
"People from all over the country praise my granddaughter as a beauty - smart, sweet-tempered, young and beautiful," Mrs. Jun teased, "Do you take it seriously? Don't want to marry?"
Qiu Che just shook his head.
Mrs. Jun let go of her hand with regret: "It's a pity."
She sighed twice, "It's a pity." Qiu Che didn't understand what she was pitying about, but he felt that he vaguely understood.
By chance, they had already arrived in front of the temple hall. The three of them stepped forward to worship Buddha and pray for blessings, but all of them did not speak again.
Mrs. Jun prayed and said she would stay and meditate with the abbot, so she asked them to go back to the house first.
So on the way back, Qiu Che was the only one left again.
But for some reason, the journey was even more silent than when we arrived.
Qiu Che admired the scenery as if there was no one else around, casually grabbing a piece of dogtail grass and thinking about something.
Halfway through his thoughts, he heard Li Qingwu on the side suddenly say: "Does the young master have a sweetheart?"
Qiu Che almost choked on his own saliva.
She coughed twice and looked at the other party in confusion: "Why did Ms. Yue ask that?"
Li Qingwu didn't expect her to have such a big reaction, and said in a low voice: "I know Mrs. Jun, and her granddaughter's family is also in good condition... Isn't it because Mr. Qiu rejected him without even seeing him once? "
Qiu Che said a little funny: "Miss Yue is joking, things in this world are not all black and white, just like I don't want to marry. Because I have a sweetheart - whether I have a sweetheart or not, I will never marry."
Li Qingwu understood the first half of the sentence, but not the second half.
She asked in confusion: "Why?"
Li Qingwu's eyes were obviously not clear under the veil, but Qiu Che felt inexplicably that they should be eyes like autumn water.
Even the tone of her words at this time was very similar to the strange wife in her memory.
Qiu Che smiled slightly: "There is no reason."
You can't say it, because I am a woman, right?
She thought for a while and then said calmly: "If it is true, then it is probably... I have betrayed someone once. Even if things are different now, it is inconvenient for me to marry again."
Li Qingwu frowned slightly and stopped talking: "So, is it true?"
Qiu Che turned his gaze back from a distance and casually changed the subject: "Does Miss Yue care about the answer to this question?"
Li Qingwu hurriedly withdrew his gaze, not daring to look at her.
She said softly: "Just asking, out of curiosity."
Qiu Che nodded without going into details.
Before parting, the two of them slowed down in unison far away from the courtyard gate.
Li Qingwu thanked her first, and Qiu Che waved his hand casually: "No need to thank you - but Miss Yue finally came out and didn't go anywhere. She just asked me a few questions... Don't you feel it's a loss?"
Li Qingwu After a pause, he knew that she was already suspicious, but he still glanced at the two maids who were still far behind, and then calmly said:
"It would be strange if we went out to play together after we got to know each other on the first day, wouldn't it?"
Qiu Che smiled: "That makes sense."
"Oh, by the way," Qiu Che just remembered something, threw away the dogtail grass in his hand, clapped his hands and said, "The question you just asked, I I can give you the answer, but -"
Li Qingwu's eyes lit up and he repeated: "But -?"
Qiu Che said in a long tone, "But in exchange, you have to tell me, who are you? "
Li Qingwu's heartbeat skipped a beat because of these words.
Identity exposed?
No.
probably not.
She thought that Qiu Che had never seen "Princess Lehe" before, and even if he recognized her through her clothes and conversation, she still had to confirm.
Thinking of this, she slowly relaxed her body under Qiu Che's smiling but connotative eyes. After a while, she softly responded:
"Okay."
"Speak first."
Qiu Che narrowed his eyes and said nothing . After hesitating, he replied: "I don't have a sweetheart."
Li Qingwu tilted his head: "But you said you have wronged someone."
"It's a debt, but it's not love."
She knew very well that she had never been in love. other side.
Li Qingwu understood. Hearing this, his heart was finally relieved: "...Okay, I understand."
What do you understand?
Qiu Che raised his eyebrows and raised his lips: "It's your turn to fulfill your promise."
Li Qingwu suddenly raised his hand, covering the edge of the bamboo hat, and said apologetically: "Let's do it another day."
Qiu Che: "?"
Li Qingwu's tone contained a smile. , motioning her to look behind her: "The two girls who were guarding me are back, so why don't we discuss this matter another day?"
Qiu Che: "You say no now?"
Li Qingwu curled his lips: "I just want to tell you. , I didnât say when I would tell you.â
After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the courtyard door. The hem of her clothes lightly touched Qiu Cheâs outstretched hand, and disappeared like a gust of breeze.
After crossing the threshold, Li Qingwu glanced back subconsciously.
He met Qiu Che's slightly depressed gaze.
It's like I feel a little regretful and disappointed after being cheated.
Li Qingwu thought for a while, then stopped and said in a loud voice: "Mr. Qiu, next time."
"Next time we meet, you will know who I am."
"I won't lie to you this time."