The evening clouds have all disappeared, leaving behind the chill, and the Milky Way silently turns like a jade plate.
This night in this life is not always good, where can I see the bright moon next year?
————"Mid-Autumn Moon" by Su Shi
"Master, the cousin is here." In the beautiful corridor, a well-dressed servant reported to the middle-aged and fat Mr. Qiu. Mr. Qiu moved his fat body, a trace of disdain appeared between his brows, and ordered with a disdain: "What cousin! He is just a sour scholar who failed the imperial examination. He is complacent after drinking a few sips of ink. Why is he pretending to be noble! He even doesn't give face to the prime minister! Who does he think he is! He has disgraced the Qiu family! Go, go, go! I just said that I am in a tight spot these days and don't have the spare money to support him!" The servant hesitated for a long time, and said in a dilemma: "Master… this is not good…" "What's wrong with it! Tell me!" Mr. Qiu turned around and asked unhappily. The servant carefully interjected, "Master, Master Yuhong is someone the Prime Minister admires after all, and we are related anyway. Besides, the in-laws of the Madam's family are coming over these days, and it's not a good idea to tell anyone about this." Upon hearing this, Mr. Qiu slowly calmed down. Thinking about it, it made sense, so he asked, "Then… where should he live?" The servant looked around and came up to offer a suggestion in a low voice, "How about the West Garden?" Mr. Qiu's eyes flashed, "You mean… the West Garden where the fox demon is…" "That's right…" Mr. Qiu's mouse-like eyes turned a few times and sneered, "Good idea."
The cries of young crows are scattered behind the jade screen, a pillow brings coolness and a fan brings wind.
When I wake up, I can't find the autumn sound anywhere, and the steps are covered with parasol leaves in the moonlight.
————Liu Han, "Beginning of Autumn"
"Hmph, the world is really fickle." This was the first sentence Qiu Yuhong said after entering the West Garden. The old servant who accompanied him into the garden was unwilling to take another step. He left with a word "take care" and hurriedly left. Qiu Yuhong did not keep him, shrugged his shoulders, found a room that looked habitable, and put down his bag. Sitting down raised a choking dust that spread in the air, forcing Qiu Yuhong, who was coughing non-stop, to slip out first.
"What a beautiful moon…" He looked up, and it was already time to light the lamps outside. No one was in the West Garden, and the lights were few and the candles were dim, but the moonlight was as bright as water, and it was brilliant all over the ground. Qiu Yuhong sighed and smiled, and wandered around the garden. The half-bright night made his autumn clothes appear and disappear, which was indescribably elegant. In addition, Qiu Yuhong was handsome, and standing in the garden, he looked like a jade tree in the wind.
"The moon is still beautiful before the Mid-Autumn Festival…" Qiu Yuhong was inspired and recited it. When he was thinking hard about the next line, he heard a clear and elegant voice chanting, "It does not need the moon to be round by itself." The answer was not neat, but what surprised Qiu Yuhong was the explicit meaning of the poem!
A beautiful young man in white leaned against a dead branch, staring at Qiu Yuhong with a pair of charming phoenix eyes. His thin body seemed to be swept away by the overbearing night wind, and his silky hair blended into the night. What a beautiful person! Can a person really have such an ethereal appearance? Qiu Yuhong sighed and unconsciously approached the boy. The boy's charming eyes flashed with a strange light, and he slowly drew a charming smile at the corners of his beautiful lips, and his body softened into Qiu Yuhong's arms as if he had no bones.
"Is he dead?" a voice asked. Another voice denied: "I didn't absorb his Yang Qi." "…You are crazy! I gave him to you!" "…I…" The voice was obviously angry: "You! You never want to leave this broken garden! You haven't eaten for a long time, so I gave you this reckless guy who finally broke in to eat! But you… Youming!" Youming sighed and looked at his partner indifferently: "Liu Guang! I'm not crazy. I don't have any kind heart, it's just… I… he… didn't fall for my charm at all!"
"What! Impossible! Unless…"
"That's the only one."
"… You invited a wolf into your house! I, I am really inviting a wolf into your house! Why is it him again! That guy has been reincarnated seven times! Why is he always reincarnated as Liu Xiahui who can remain calm even when a woman's sensual beauty appears? And every time he is caught up by you! Did you owe him something in your previous life?"
"yes……"
"That's what I'm saying… Yes! What did you say?!"
You Ming gathered his hair, slowly stood up, and stroked the rough skin of the dead branch. His fair and delicate skin was scratched without him noticing. "Seven lives ago, I was still a little fox who had not yet attained enlightenment. One day, I went to a dilapidated temple with few incense offerings to steal food, and was detained by the door god. I was about to be beaten into a wisp of smoke, but the abbot at that time saved me… Not only did he give me fruit to eat, but he also let me go, and even… enlightened me…"
"Go ahead. All things have Buddha nature. As long as you have good thoughts in your heart, the Buddha will be able to sense it and save you from the sea of suffering…"
The little fox looked at the kind host reluctantly and ran away quickly.
"…But, because of this, he was punished to return to the sea of suffering and reincarnation until all thoughts of worldly life fade away! Alas – evildoers, there is no sympathy…" You Ming sighed, a tear rolled down her cheek. Liu Guang said indignantly: "Humph! So you deserve him? So many times, you have loved him wholeheartedly and without regrets, and he has abandoned you time and time again! It was so hard to hide in the abandoned garden without going out, but who knew he would still find you!"
"I owe him… Even if he hurts me thousands of times… I am willing…" You Ming smiled miserably, and suddenly fell limp in Liu Guang's arms, shaking all over, sweating profusely. "You, your vitality is almost gone! Who told you to refuse to hunt!" Liu Guang exclaimed, You Ming held up the last of his strength, smiled faintly, as if he was reminiscing about it: "If I can't eat… I will disappoint his painstaking efforts to guide me to be good… As long as I can make him happy… I… will… be fine no matter what…"
"Youming!"
The clear stream flows over the green hills, and the sky and water are as clear and fresh as the autumn colors.
Thirty miles away from the red dust, white clouds and red leaves are floating leisurely.
————"Autumn Moon" by Cheng Hao
Qiu Yuhong sat in front of the lamp, the dim yellow halo covering his lost handsome face. It was impossible to tell what happened just now, because when he pushed the beautiful boy away, there was only a pale moon and a wisp of autumn wind passing through the hall. Qiu Yuhong closed the book he hadn't read, and couldn't help but laugh at himself, how could he have such a dream. At this moment, there was a knock on the door, the sound was faster and faster, it seemed very urgent!
Qiu Yuhong didn't think much about it. He stood up and opened the door quickly. Without hesitation, it was so late. How could there be a passerby in such a remote place? He saw a smart boy carrying a girl of the same age on his back outside the door, with tears in his eyes. Upon seeing Qiu Yuhong, he knelt down and begged: "Please! Please! Save my sister! She, she is dying!" Qiu Yuhong was startled and hurriedly helped the boy up: "What, what's going on! Speak slowly!" "It's too late! Whether you save her or not, just say one word!" Qiu Yuhong was amused and helpless by his unreasonableness, but he still understood the principle of saving people like putting out fire, and immediately replied: "Save! What do you want me to do? Just say it!" This time it was Liu Guang who was stunned. He wiped his tears and looked at this person for the first time: "You… don't ask about our identities… are not afraid that we are… not supposed to be saved…" Qiu Yuhong helped the girl up and explained casually: "To save is to save, and not to save is not to save. As you said, it's just a word! Whether good or bad, it's a life!" Liu Guang looked at Qiu Yuhong deeply for a long time, and said lightly: "Then please trouble you to transfer the yang energy into her mouth." Qiu Yuhong was about to ask how to transfer it, but when he looked up, the boy had disappeared like a wisp of smoke passing through the hall. Qiu Yuhong, who had no other choice, had to bite the bullet and kissed him with a "Sorry!" At the same time, a very familiar but indescribable feeling came to her mind, but it was vague…
Liu Guang hid in the tree, watching all this quietly. He murmured, "… Let you gamble again… If you regret it… I will come to pick you up… But before that…" He didn't finish his words, and he disappeared into the wind…
And it was only the next second that Qiu Yuhong realized that the person she was kissing was a man…
"What! You said he's leaving!" Mr. Qiu turned around in disbelief. The servant replied, "Yes, the young master packed his luggage early this morning and said he was leaving. We couldn't stop him…" "Leave…where can he go!"
"This… My cousin didn't say it, but I saw that a beautiful woman who looked like a fairy appeared beside him, and it seemed that…"
"Hmph! That courtesan must have come here on her own initiative. What kind of a relationship between a talented scholar and a beautiful lady are they playing? It's nothing but a disgraceful act! No wonder they are in such a hurry to leave! It's bringing disgrace to the family! Let him go!"
"yes……"
Qiu Yuhong was leading a donkey, and Youming, dressed in white, was sitting on the donkey's back, staring at him silently for a long time with affectionate and complex eyes, with an unconscious smile on the corner of her mouth. As if sensing his gaze, Qiu Yuhong turned around and smiled gently: "Are you tired?" Youming smiled demurely: "Silly, you are the one walking, how can I be tired sitting on the donkey's back?" As she spoke, she took out a silk handkerchief and wiped the sweat off Qiu Yuhong's forehead. The two of them moved so naturally, cooperated so well, and coupled with Youming's superb beauty, passers-by actually thought they were a happy couple that made people envious!
Qiu Yuhong pulled the reins and continued on his way. They were still some distance away from the capital city they were heading to! Youming just stared at him blankly, so happy that it frightened him. This time, could he believe that he…really…got it…or…would this be…the greatest…torture…he could ever endure…?
You Ming suddenly looked away and turned to the sky. The misty sky could not give any answer to anyone…
The silver candle shines on the cold painting screen in autumn frost, and the light silk fan flutters against the fireflies.
The night sky in Tianjie is as cool as water, I lie down and watch the Altair and Vega stars.
—————"Autumn Eve" by Du Mu
"Why is that tavern doing so much business?"
"You don't know? He's from outside! The owner of that shop, Mr. Qiu, is a rare good man. And Mrs. Qiu, who looks like a fairy, often helps the villagers. She is like a fairy! If the villagers want to buy wine, they go to their shop!"
"Oh – then I'll go take a look too…"
"You must be tired, with so many customers." Qiu Yuhong didn't have time to wipe his sweat, and asked Youming who was measuring the wine. Fortunately, Youming had the skill of brewing wine, so they were able to take root in the outer city. Youming wiped the sweat off his face, and a tired but fulfilled smile of happiness appeared on his face: "Not tired, the booming business is taken care of by everyone, we have to work harder!" Qiu Yuhong nodded and went to greet the guests again. Looking at his broad back, Youming casually picked up the peach petals that fell on the window eaves and sighed: "Spring has arrived…"
That night. Youming held up the lamp, Qiu Yuhong held the scroll, and the two talked freely about famous poems. The dim yellow light ignited a paradise for the two in the dark night. The full moon outside the window seemed to be shy of the harmonious scene, and quietly hid behind the swaying trees. Only the frogs, one by one, chirped along with the cicadas, composing a summer night…
Rainwater fell from the sky, quietly washing the autumn colors. The sycamore outside the window was in full bloom, and was being hit by the crisp water drops. Inside the house, Youming bit the silver thread with her red lips, making winter clothes for Qiu Yuhong. Every stitch, every sparse and dense, was his love. A pair of jade arms rose and fell, like a dance, which made Qiu Yuhong calm down and couldn't bear to disturb him.
Qiu Yuhong was reciting poems beside the stove when he saw Youming walk in wearing a white suit. Qiu Yuhong put down his book and hugged Youming's smiling ghost girl Hongye , who put her arm around his neck and said softly, "Qiu Lang, the first plum blossom has bloomed…" Qiu Yuhong stroked Youming's fair and delicate cheeks and smiled with satisfaction, "Let's go! Let's go and see it together…" Youming nodded, and they walked away happily…
If everything stays at the most beautiful season, if time can stop flowing, and I can spend every day with you, no longer asking about the world, spring, summer, autumn and winter? If… If…
"Qiu Lang…" Qiu Yuhong heard the voice and looked up at Youming who was hesitant to speak: "What's wrong?" Youming sighed deeply, and his two bright eyes swept towards Qiu Yuhong: "Are you going to participate in this year's imperial class again?" Qiu Yuhong smiled bitterly and nodded helplessly: "You know, although fame and fortune are like dirt to me, my mother told me before she died that the Qiu family has been a family of scholars for generations, so I have to…" Youming smiled gently, leaned on Qiu Yuhong's shoulder, and said with understanding: "Don't I know your difficulties?" Qiu Yuhong held his soft hand on his shoulder with his backhand, and gazed at the beautiful Youming with emotion: "Thank you…" Youming smiled again to comfort him, and asked in a low voice after a long time: "But… Will the prime minister… let you go? If you don't give him face… he must be jealous…" Qiu Yuhong laughed loudly: "Little fool, the prime minister is very tolerant, he won't be petty with a poor scholar like me!" Youming said nothing, but left quietly, a tear fell on his cheek, he had a premonition. Happiness…will not last long…
Why are you so eager to return to Xiaoxiang? The water is clear and the sand is bright with moss on both sides.
The twenty-five strings play the night moon, but the clear sorrow flies over.
————《Returning Geese》 by Qian Qi
"…Remember to put on more clothes when you study at night, the weather…is getting cold…" Youming accompanied Qiu Yuhong all the way to the posthouse, and did not forget to give him detailed instructions. Her beautiful eyes seemed to be cut into a bay of autumn water, with a faint flash of reluctance. Qiu Yuhong waved his hand and laughed at him for being too suspicious: "Go back, I will be back as soon as I finish the exam." After saying that, he mounted his horse, waved the whip, left Youming with a relieved smile, and left in a cloud of dust.
You Ming bit his red lips, looking sadly at the figure that had been drowned in the wind. An indescribable sadness rose in his heart. He shook his head, denied his thoughts, and forced himself not to think about the bad premonition anymore, then turned around and walked towards their home…
The yellow leaves outside the window have fallen, adding to the autumn colors of the courtyard. The uneasy cries of the lonely geese are heard in the wind from time to time. Youming finished his work in the store and walked into the back garden exhausted. Physical fatigue can be recovered by sleeping, but the endless longing for him in the short few days is piling up and he is powerless to get rid of it. Is he okay? Is he eating on time? Is he getting enough sleep? Is he wearing too few clothes? The things he cares about one by one make him unable to let go of his infatuated heart that was taken away long ago…
In the capital, the Prime Minister’s residence.
"What are you doing!" Qiu Yuhong's handsome face was pale, and he was cornered by a group of strong men, while the prime minister was sipping tea leisurely beside him, as if it was no big deal. Qiu Yuhong looked at the prime minister in shock, with disbelief and contempt in his eyes: "Didn't you say that you admire my article and asked me to come to this discussion? What does this mean?" The prime minister stroked his half-white goatee and replied calmly: "Yes, you are very talented, and I do admire you, but this kind of person can't be used, so it's safer to get rid of him, don't you think?"
“You————” Qiu Yuhong laughed in anger: “Okay, okay! You are really a beast in human form! It’s my fault that I didn’t listen to your advice… and treated you as a human being!” Taking a deep breath, Qiu Yuhong resolutely raised his head, slowly closed his eyes, and whispered softly, and then said nothing: “Youming… I’m sorry… I’m afraid I can’t go back…"
Youming deftly took off her robe, her snow-white, flawless skin perfectly displayed in the afterglow of the setting sun. Her slender hands stirred the steaming bath water in the basin, and just as she was about to go in, she felt a sudden jerk in her head, something was wrong! Without even bothering to grab a piece of clothing to wrap herself, Youming immediately closed her eyes, muttering something, and a faint soft light gathered in her palm…
"Ah!————" Suddenly, the door opened, and at the same time, Xiaojuan, the neighbor, screamed! Ci'er's shrill voice shook Youming's delicate body and she fell against the wall! A trace of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth, staining her red lips…
“You, you, you——!” Xiaojuan couldn’t help screaming and ran away: “Youming! This Youming is a man————!” Youming listened to the noise from the people outside, but was powerless to stand up and stop her. He could only close his eyes exhaustedly and comfort himself softly: “At least… I saved him… This… is enough…”
Outside the window, the roars of men, the noises of women, and the cries of frightened children came like a torrent. You Ming did not open his eyes, but only laughed sarcastically at the corners of his lips: "…what is coming…can't we avoid it…haha…haha…"
Qiu Yuhong stared at the prime minister and the group of strong men, who were bleeding black blood from their seven orifices and fell to the ground one by one, unable to say a word! After a while, he suddenly understood something, rushed out the door, grabbed the reins, mounted his horse and galloped away!
The wind cut against his face, causing pain on Qiu Yuhong's cheeks, but Qiu Yuhong didn't care. He clenched his chest tightly and galloped on his horse again and again!
"Youming…you didn't do this…it couldn't be you…it wasn't…"
Traveling across the five lakes at sunset, the misty waves are filled with sorrow.
Who can ask about the ups and downs of the ages?
————"Autumn on the Lake" by Xue Ying
Qiu Yuhong's shop's business plummeted. Not only did no one want to go there, but people would also point fingers at him when passing by. "What a sin…" When the neighbor saw Qiu Yuhong, he sighed and closed the door. Qiu Yuhong could ignore these sarcasms. He just grabbed Youming's shoulders and shook them wildly: "It's not you! It's not you! Right…" Youming stared at Qiu Yuhong's panic calmly, pursed his lips and said nothing. Qiu Yuhong almost collapsed and hugged Youming, sobbing: "Please tell me… It's not you…"
"It's me." Youming suddenly smiled and answered coldly. Qiu Yuhong raised his head in despair and stared at Youming for a long time… a long time… Finally: "You-you-go-!" Qiu Yuhong lowered his head and said fiercely, his fists under his sleeves were so tight that they bled!
Youming looked at him deeply and dimly… for a long time… for a long time… Finally, she moved her clothes lightly: "…Goodbye…" After that, she rushed out of the door!
As soon as he left, Qiu Yuhong immediately fell to the ground, the cold floor desperately sucking the heat from his body. "Why…why!"
Youming didn't walk far, even though his beautiful face was lifeless, and even though people on the street avoided him with disgust and curiosity. He couldn't leave yet, or rather, he couldn't leave before he finished this last thing…
Youming suddenly laughed, because he saw Xiaojuan walking towards him. When Xiaojuan saw Youming, she panicked and wanted to hide, but Youming blocked her way first. Showing a dazzling bright smile, Youming asked sinisterly: "You know the secret that I am a man, right? But I have another secret do you want to know?" Xiaojuan was frightened by his tone and shook her head desperately, but Youming ignored her and said to himself: "I… am a vixen! I wanted to cheat Qiu Yuhong's yang energy! But you ruined it! I killed a lot of people, I don't mind one more of you! Hahahaha————" Xiaojuan cried out in fear and ran away for her life, but Youming did not intend to chase her, but just sighed self-deprecatingly, looked reluctantly at the home they created together, then turned around and disappeared in the wind…
People's attitudes began to change. They rushed to patronize Qiu Yuhong's shop and gave Qiu Yuhong sympathetic and understanding looks. However, the shop was still closed. It seemed that without one person, it was no longer complete…
Liu Guang stared coldly at You Ming, who stood there frozen like a wooden sculpture.
"Humph! I told you long ago! You didn't listen…" Liu Guang, who was about to launch into a long speech, was suddenly interrupted by You Ming's soliloquy: "Liu Guang… tell me, why do people hate me more? Is it because I'm a fox? Or because I'm a man? Why is it that after they know about it, things that originally didn't matter are exaggerated?…" Liu Guang was silent for a moment, and slowly said: "This is what human beings are like…"
Turning to the ghost girl Hongye , Liu Guang thought of something and asked, "By the way, what should we do now? Do you want to go with me?" Youming smiled miserably and shook his head, "No, I have killed so many people, and soon the gods will come to arrest me… You'd better leave quickly…" Liu Guang turned his head away abruptly, deliberately not looking into Youming's eyes: "You won't be caught… because…" Youming realized something was wrong, stood up and asked, "Because what!" Liu Guang hesitated for a few times, "Because… there was a fool who willingly became a monk, and entered the reincarnation for three lifetimes to atone for your sins…"
"What!… This is impossible… This is impossible…" Youming lost his balance and fell to the ground: "… Why! Why did I hurt you again! I… I… just wanted to do something for you – why…" Liu Guang's hand that wanted to help him was hit back. Youming raised his tearful eyes and asked firmly: "Which temple is he in?" Liu Guang gasped: "Are you crazy! Daxiangguo Temple is the place with the most righteousness! Even if we get close, our true colors will be exposed! If we go in, we will be dead!" Youming lowered his eyes and answered quietly: "I won't go in. I will wait for him at the foot of the mountain, no matter how many lifetimes I will wait for him… I still owe him an 'I'm sorry' to pay back… I still owe him a favor… to repay…" A blush appeared on Youming's face. He turned around gently and walked away slowly. Liu Guang came back to his senses and asked loudly: "You don't have to do so much for him! He hurt you so many times, don't you blame him? Don't you regret it?" You Ming did not stop, but answered with his unique ethereal voice and unchangeable tone: "I blame him, but I don't regret it."
From then on, people who came and went from Xiangguo Temple could always see a little fox at the foot of the mountain. No matter it was windy or rainy, it would always lie there quietly, sometimes forming a small hill with snow, but it had never been seen running away. Whenever someone passed by, it would always raise its head, then lower it in disappointment. No matter how many times it repeated this action, it never gave up… Day after day, year after year… Pilgrims came one after another, the bells rang one after another… Everything had changed, but it was the only one that was still waiting there forever… quietly cherishing every passerby with its dim eyes…
A young monk looked at the fox and asked the master beside him in confusion: "Master! Why can the fox persist for so long, but we can't do it?" His master kindly held his head, looked at the fox, looked up at the sky, and sighed: "Animals are not like humans, always thinking so complicatedly and thinking so much… For them, love is love… Since they love, no matter how much they pay… they are willing to pay…" After a pause, he sighed in self-blame: "Alas – why did Lao Na fall into worldly thoughts again… Yuan Kong, let's go…" The young monk nodded, looked at the fox again, turned around and followed…
The sound of footsteps startled the fox, and it raised its head, tired but expectant…