痕書站

　　一百五十三年後。
　　
　　鼎香樓今夜生意頗旺，跑堂夥計忙的汗流浹背，搭在肩上的抹布也不知是用來抹桌子還是擦汗才好，好不容易送走一撥客人，門外又走進來一群人，衣著鮮豔，絹緞在燭光下泛著一層水光，一望就知不是商賈平民。夥計迎上去，瞄了眼那領頭人的靛藍袍下的官靴，忙抬起臉來笑道：“官爺二樓請。”
　　一行七人不動聲色的上了樓，進了雅室陸續坐下了，才有人取出碎銀賞了夥計，余話不說，打賞不過是誇他眼力。
　　夥計領了賞高高興興退下，一邊在廳中忙碌著一邊瞅著門口，也不知多久，門外才施施然走進來一人，眉目清雋，是含著笑的。那人邁過門檻，也不用人招呼，逕自上了樓。
　　夥計伸長脖子去看，只覺那青年眼熟，那神態風韻似乎在何處見過，卻怎麼也想不起來。
　　
　　雅間內等待的七人聽聞腳步聲靠近房門，陸續都站了起來，頃刻，門便被推開了，門外季玖打量眾人一番後笑道：“請我吃酒，一個個臉色比上戰場還難看是為何？”
　　先前打賞夥計的那人也笑了，一邊請坐一邊道：“總不會是怕小將軍吃完了他們一年薪俸吧？”
　　季玖“嗤”了一聲，道：“無事，薪俸不夠兵餉多得是，就看你們膽子有多大，能拿多少，若是膽大的，莫說這一桌酒席，便是再備個千萬桌也不過九牛一毛。”
　　話一落地，滿室靜了。
　　
　　季玖這才落座，伸手取過桌上酒壺，給自己斟酒，這一番動作，袖口被微微抻起來，露出腕上一片肌膚，比尋常武將稍白些，卻也是緊實的肌理，只是手腕一側的印記仿佛兩個深色小孔，頗有意思。這是季玖的胎記，生來就有，在手腕內側，隨著年歲一起長大，有人說是痣，只是顏色稍淡而已。也有人說，像是被蛇咬過的傷口。季玖無事時盯著它看，也覺得那像是蛇咬出的痕印，只是他從未被咬過，又何談痕印？只是胎記而已，一直不曾褪去。
　　季玖慢悠悠的給自己斟滿酒，又慢悠悠的啜飲，神態愜意而悠閒，仿若那杯中盛的是仙甘蜜露。
　　餘下人再不說話，只看著他飲，一個個有口難言的模樣。
　　其實有什麼難言呢？季玖在內心裡是不以為然的，既然敢克扣軍餉，豈能沒想過會有人贓俱獲的一天。預想過後果，仍是以身犯險，可見是要財不要命的。
　　
　　一壺酒自斟自飲告罄，季玖搖了搖空壺起了身，緩緩道：“酒好得很。各位若還能活到明年這個時節，這個地方，我請酒擺宴。”也不理眾人挽留，終是在各種複雜的目光裡掉頭離去，留下來，本身也無意義。
　　走在街市上，季玖看著兩旁販賣的小貨攤，攤上懸著燈籠，照著下面的貨物，大多都是些手工品，有些粗糙，有些精緻。紅紗蒙著的燈籠讓整條街市都彌漫在一種熱鬧的喧囂裡。身後有人在喊：小將軍，小將軍留步！
　　季玖頓了頓，掃了眼四周本想找個地方溜走了事，卻發現並無空隙可鑽，只好站在原地，讓人逮個正著。
　　季玖說：“又來做什麼？還嫌今日坑我不夠麼？”
　　來人卻是方才席中與他接話的那人，常殷，常殷歎了口氣，道：“我曉得今日不該叫你去。誰讓那軍侯與我相識，找上來了要說情，我說了你定不會容情的，他不信……咳，今日你我都是被坑面子的，你那般甩手一走，叫我怎麼辦？”
　　“怎麼，莫非你還想讓我容了他？”季玖挑起眉，“你可是這意思？”
　　常殷嚅囁著道：“數額又不大，他也知錯了，你就饒他一回如何？”
　　季玖原先還帶了三分笑意的臉突地冷下來，烏黑的眸子直直望著他，似乎都泛著殺氣。
　　
　　常殷知道大事不妙，也低下頭來，再不吭聲。
　　
　　“常殷，”半晌，季玖開口，緩了神態淡淡道：“從今往後，你我再無同窗之誼。最好再不相見。”
　　“什麼？”常殷急忙道：“哪裡有這麼嚴重？”
　　“不嚴重？”季玖冷笑道：“我當你是君子，與你相交與有榮焉。哪知卻是個不明道理的糊塗蟲！一年不見，你就有這些長進，為人說情打理，你從中間得了多少好處？！”
　　“季玖！”常殷也怒了，通紅了臉喊道：“你不要滿口胡言！我哪裡得了好處？我不過是見他可憐上來求我……”
　　“他來求你你就應下，他貪銀萬兩你是不是要替他補上？！”
　　常殷愣了下，張大了嘴，“上萬兩？”
　　“根本不是銀子的問題。”季玖皺起眉，不耐煩地道：“與你說不清，罷了，往後做好你自己的事，別人的閒事莫要插手。”
　　“不行，”常殷跟上他，亦步亦趨，大聲道：“今日之事你必須說明白，如何我就糊塗了？如何我就成小人了？你還要與我斷交。”
　　季玖不理他，筆直朝前走，常殷也不受挫，死死走在他後面，踩著他影子不撒腿。
　　
　　季玖快步走了一段路，甩也甩不開，被纏的不耐煩，轉過身道：“我們是軍人！”
　　“什麼？！”
　　季玖望著他，道：“我和那張郎將，我們都是軍人，是朝廷和百姓養著的，為國家出力。但為國家出力的不僅僅是將軍和軍侯，還有成千上萬，幾十萬的兵士！他們才是沖在最前面的，是他們的血，染紅了河流，滋養了土地，保家中親人城中百姓的太平！怎樣禽獸不如的人，才會克扣這些兵士的軍餉！你還有臉來為他說情？！你回去……”伸手一指他身後，季玖沉聲道：“你去問問他，來日若是惡戰，他被重軍圍困時，護著他的人會是誰？你問問他，他有沒有臉對那些為了護住將領而倒下的兵士們說一句‘我克扣了你們的軍餉’！他若有臉說，我今日也不要臉皮，就容了他！”
　　
　　常殷呆在原地，木木發怔。
　　夜色微涼，有爽風吹過，常殷只覺背後一片透濕。再抬起頭來，季玖早已不知何時離去了。
　　臉上的羞愧是昭然若揭的，抬起巴掌，常殷甩在自己臉上，響亮的擊打聲過後，他重新提起精神，返原路回去。
　　
　　這樣的事情，季玖不放在心上，只是對常殷有些失望，因為他不清醒。一個人可以按照自己心願做任何想做的事，做想做的人，唯獨只有一點，要清醒。不要自以為善心，實則坑害旁人而不自知。做好人也罷壞人也罷，那些都是旁人的評價，而自己，要知道自己究竟在做什麼，自己是誰。
　　季玖很清楚這一點，他知道自己是誰，他是季玖，季大將軍的獨子，年二十又七，從軍八年，少年將軍，前途不可限量，反之，如履薄冰。
　　無聲輕歎，季玖回了府。
　　
　　府中清淨安寧，奴僕們衣著整潔，說話也輕聲細語，回到家裡，季玖心情放鬆了些，在書房剛坐下片刻，夫人端了茶來親手奉上，季玖笑起來，道：“哪裡用你親自倒茶，孩子睡了？”
　　“睡了，丫頭說你回來了。我便過來看看。”女人微微笑了笑，“倒個茶也不折了我的手。”
　　“它要折了，我可是捨不得。”季玖說。
　　“哪裡學來的？”女人臉上紅了一下，“三年不歸家，就學了這些回來。”
　　“我專意學的呢，”季玖壞笑道：“學了攢在肚子裡，回來說給你聽。”
　　女人家臉皮薄，啐他一口就走到一邊去了。季玖笑笑的，走過去將人抱進了懷裡，嗅了嗅那雲鬢發香，低聲道：“可想我？”
　　明知道她不會答，季玖還是問：“想我了？”
　　臉上豔紅成燒雲一樣，夫人低聲道，“不跟你貧嘴，早些歇了吧。”
　　“噯，昨晚歇的滿早的。”季玖在那懸著翡玉耳墜的頸旁輕輕吹了一下，悄聲道：“你去鋪好床，我馬上來。這一個月我都早歇。”
　　夫人“騰”地站起身，掙開了他的臂膀，掩著臉要跑，季玖在後低笑出聲，聲音不無得意，夫人更是羞怒，忍不住旋過身，低斥道：“你可不是我剛嫁來季家的那個人了。”
　　季玖仍是笑：“你嫁我時可是女兒家，而今可是做了娘了。”
　　夫人瞪他一眼，眼波流轉，既羞且媚，季玖看著，心裡只覺暖和舒適，也只有家中這一刻，才有些難得的溫情脈脈來。
　　他十七歲娶的她，少年夫妻至今，算是和如琴瑟。只是他娶了她，卻長年累月離家，將她一人留在家中獨守空房，季玖覺得，再生幾個孩子，她也少些寂寞。
　　
　　是夜，熄了燭臺上的火苗，季玖舉著一盞小燭走向床榻，榻上帷帳已經放下，粉色的簾子上繡著碧荷遊魚，無風自動。撩開帳子，季玖故意問：“睡了？”
　　無人答他。
　　季玖等了等，才道：“既睡了我就不擾你，我去書房睡。”說著轉身要走。剛轉過身，便被人扯了袍擺，再不能走開。
　　低頭看著自己身後那只攥的緊緊的手，季玖忍不住笑出聲來。笑的那攥著衣袍的手換了拳頭，砸在他身上也沒停下，直至笑夠了，才放下燭臺坐在一旁，看著那縮在被子裡羞怯的女子，沉吟了片刻，方道：“那日遊園，你躲在桃花後面看我，也就是這副模樣。”季玖閉上眼，想了想道：“那時我就想，我繞過去看一眼，若是好看，我便娶回家中。若是難看……”
　　“難看又如何？”
　　“我也帶回家去，鎮宅。”季玖說，說完被夫人抓過手，在那蛇吻般的胎記上作勢欲咬，被季玖攔住，將那只手握在自己手心，又道：“後來我想，還是不看了，索性娶回房裡，待日後細看……”
　　說著，語調愈來愈低，捎上了纏綿悱惻的曖昧。
　　
　　帷帳又重新落下，之前坐在床邊談笑的男子已經被掩蓋進去。唯一亮著的一盞小燭也滅了。
　　
　　季玖剛解了衣裳，帷帳忽而飄揚起來，仿佛帶著風聲。心中一驚，季玖翻過身躍下床，抽出佩劍。明晃晃的劍鋒在黑暗中格外耀眼，帶著殺氣的銀白，伴隨著出鞘聲指向了前方空氣。
　　“何人？”季玖眯起眼，光線太暗，之前熄了燭火，此時只能借著透過窗櫺的月光分辨。桌邊影影綽綽的坐了個人。肩背輪廓寬闊，像是個男人。
　　季玖想，不該。他站在這裡時，桌邊還是無人的。空氣並無流動之感，這人像是一直坐在這裡，只是他剛剛才看見一般，可是他剛下床時，分明沒有看見。
　　
　　正在揣測猶疑間，燭火此時突而大亮。重蓮燭臺上十幾盞油燈悉數亮起，如同白晝。
　　季玖讓自己不要往怪異處猜測，只是心中顧忌著床上妻子，有些猶豫，問了一句：“尋仇？”
　　那人背對著他，只留黑袍黑髮，似是無法看他一樣，搖了搖頭。
　　“錢財？”季玖再次問，手中劍鋒仍是筆直的指著，不敢有絲毫懈怠，見他又搖頭，只好繼續問：“為何事？”
　　
　　那人久久不答。
　　“兄台，”季玖的語速緩下來，捎了笑意，道：“可是闖錯屋了？”
　　“沒有。”那人說。
　　“找我？”季玖說，“你轉過來。”
　　那人站起轉身，剛剛轉過，入目便是冰寒劍鋒，沒有一點預兆，直刺而來。
　　眼見著劍鋒要刺入胸膛時，季玖發現自己無法再往前推進分毫，那人明明動都未動，卻仿佛前面隔了一堵看不見摸不著的牆，橫擋住他的攻勢，憑他用了多大的力氣，也盡數枉然。
　　季玖這才抬起臉，目光直視上對方眼眸。那人只是站著，一動不動，目光是沉暗的，季玖覺得自己宛如墮入一汪深潭。
　　對方線條冷峻的臉上，沒有任何情緒，只看了看他，而後低頭，看了看那離胸口咫尺的劍鋒。
　　莫名的，季玖覺得他有些難過。在這一瞬間，季玖甚至想要收起劍來。
　　
　　只是念頭還未轉到終點，季玖便感到身子一輕，整個人被拋了起來，像是被丟擲的瓜果一樣，丟進了身後床榻上。
　　臨落下時他想到了床上的妻子，說不上是敏捷還是本能，他側過了身，險險的撞在了床柱上，壓在妻子的腳畔。
　　眼前黑了一下，季玖掙回神智，大聲道：“你是人是鬼？”
　　“妖。”
　　那人說，緩步靠近，直逼床榻。季玖見妻子無事，只是睡過去，將被子卷起來推到裡側，而後躲也不躲，迎著那人的視線，沉聲道：“我從不信世上妖魔鬼怪之說，看來今日不得不信了。我與你可有淵源？”
　　伊墨在他身前站定，答：“有。”
　　“有？”季玖愣了一下，“什麼？”
　　伊墨看著他，終是沒有再給任何回答，而是俯下身去，將這尋了一百五十多年的人壓在身下。
　　
　　他越湊越近，身子已經完全壓在自己身軀上，彼此呼吸在對方臉頰上噴發，季玖隱約已經感到了什麼，只是不信。雖是在軍中聽聞過男風，也只是聽過而已，並未眼見為實，也未親自試過。然而此時，隨著身上衣物盡褪，不著一縷，季玖終於慌了神，問：“要做什麼？”
　　那人不答，只低頭惡狠狠的吻上去。
　　季玖頭皮發炸，憤怒驚懼，難抑怒火，腦中卻又無聲的叫著讓自己冷靜，不可讓眼前局勢逼亂了陣腳，想出法子脫身才是正事，可肢體被拘，這人也不知使了什麼法子讓自己動彈不得，只能眼睜睜看著那人目光深幽的盯著自己不放。眼前局勢，他根本無能為力。
　　心覺今夜逃不過這一劫，季玖轉開眼，眼角掃到床榻內側棉被包裹的妻子，妻子正閉著眼，安然睡著。即使是睡著不曾看到，她存在這裡也是一項無法更改的事實。這是他們的床，帷帳是妻子親手繡的，被子是她親手縫的，屋子是她細心擺設的……他竟然要當著他妻子的面對他做這事。意識到這點，季玖整個人都在發顫，額上出了汗，終於找到空隙，低聲道：“換個地方。”
　　那人卻猛地攥住了他的手，季玖本是少年習武，彎弓射箭，臂力非凡，此時卻軟綿綿的仿佛動彈不得，被他攥的筋骨都在疼痛，只是這些皮肉之痛，已經比不上他心口之痛，季玖堅持：“換個地方。”
　　
　　“不。”那人說，只說了一個字，卻斬釘截鐵，不容任何商談餘地，一個字出來，季玖腦中像是被悶錘砸過一般，一陣陣發黑。
　　身上有冰涼的東西在游走，季玖知道那是他的手，還有唇，還有牙齒，像是恨極了一樣在他身上揉搓咬齧，又像是渴急了一樣在他身上吸啜。
　　最後那冰涼的手順著他尾椎滑下去，季玖感覺到了痛，甚至產生眩暈感，仿佛轉了上百個圈猛然停頓一樣讓人作嘔欲吐。
　　季玖說：不。
　　下一刻，被人翻過身，撕裂般的疼痛讓他從眩暈感裡激醒過來。
　　季玖睜著眼，看著眼前晃動的床帷，終是失了所有抵抗的掙扎，仿佛看不懂一樣，望著著眼前的晃動，感受著身後一次次的貫穿。
　　那麼屈辱。
　　那麼疼。
　　巨大的覆滅感讓他張開口，無聲無息的咬住了自己的手腕，蛇吻般的胎記上，流下了蜿蜒血跡。

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One hundred and fifty-three years later

Dingxianglou was doing quite a lot of business tonight. The waiter was sweating profusely from his busy work. He didn’t know whether the rag on his shoulder was used to wipe the table or to wipe his sweat. After finally sending off a group of guests, another group of people came in from outside. They were dressed in bright clothes, and the silk satin shone in the candlelight. It was obvious that they were not merchants or ordinary people. The waiter went up to them, glanced at the official boots under the indigo robe of the leader, and raised his face and smiled, “Sir, please come to the second floor."

The group of seven people went upstairs quietly, entered the elegant room and sat down one after another. Then someone took out some silver coins to reward the waiter. Without saying anything else, the reward was just to praise his good eyesight.

The waiter received the reward and happily left. He was busy in the hall while looking at the door. After an unknown amount of time, a man walked in leisurely. He had a handsome face and a smile. He stepped over the threshold and went upstairs without being greeted .

The waiter stretched his neck to look, and felt that the young man looked familiar. He seemed to have seen that demeanor and charm somewhere before, but he could not remember where.

The seven people waiting in the private room heard footsteps approaching the door and stood up one after another. In an instant, the door was pushed open. Ji Jiu looked at everyone outside and said with a smile: “I invited me to have a drink, but why do you all look uglier than on the battlefield?"

The man who had rewarded the waiter earlier also laughed, and as he invited the waiter to sit down, he said, “Are you afraid that the young general will eat up their annual salary?"

Ji Jiu snorted and said, “Nothing. The salary is not enough, but the military pay is plenty. It depends on how brave you are and how much you can take. If you are brave, let alone this banquet, even if you prepare another 10 million tables, it will only be a drop in the bucket."

As soon as the words fell, the room fell silent.

Ji Jiu then sat down, stretched out his hand to take the wine jug on the table and poured himself some wine. With this action, his sleeves were slightly stretched , revealing a piece of skin on his wrist, which was slightly whiter than that of ordinary warriors, but also had a tight texture. However, the marks on one side of his wrist looked like two dark holes, which was quite interesting. This was Ji Jiu’s birthmark, he was born with it, on the inside of his wrist, and it grew with age. Some people said it was a mole, but the color was slightly lighter. Others said it looked like a snake bite. Ji Jiu stared at it when he had nothing to do , and he also thought it looked like a snake bite mark, but he had never been bitten, so how could there be a mark? It was just a birthmark, and it had never faded.

Ji Jiu slowly filled his glass with wine and sipped it slowly, looking comfortable and relaxed, as if the glass was filled with nectar .

The rest of the people stopped talking and just watched him drink, each of them looking speechless.

What’s so hard about it? Ji Jiu didn’t think so in his heart. Since he dared to withhold military pay, how could he not have thought that he would be caught red-handed one day? He had anticipated the consequences, but still took the risk , which showed that he valued money over his life.

After drinking the entire pot of wine by himself, Ji Jiu shook the empty pot, stood up, and said slowly: “The wine is very good. If you can still live to this time next year, I will treat you to a banquet in this place." He ignored everyone’s attempts to keep him, and finally turned around and left amid all kinds of complicated gazes. There was no point in staying.

Walking in the street market, Ji Jiu looked at the small stalls on both sides. Lanterns were hung on the stalls, illuminating the goods below. Most of them were handmade products, some rough, some delicate. The lanterns covered with red gauze filled the whole street with a lively hustle and bustle. Someone behind him shouted: Little General, Little General, please stay!

Ji Jiu paused, looked around and wanted to find a place to slip away, but found no gap to hide, so he had to stand there and be caught.

Ji Jiu said: “What are you doing here again? Don’t you think you haven’t tricked me enough today?"

The person who came was the one who had just spoken to him at the banquet, Chang Yin. Chang Yin sighed and said, “I know I shouldn’t have asked you to go today. That military marquis is my acquaintance, and he came to me to ask for mercy. I told him that you would not show mercy, but he didn’t believe me… Well, today we are both embarrassed, and you just walked away like that, what should I do?"

“Why, do you still want me to tolerate him?" Ji Jiu raised his eyebrows, “Is that what you mean?"

Chang Yin stammered , “The amount is not large, and he knows he’s wrong. How about you forgive him this time?"

Ji Jiu’s face, which originally had a hint of smile on it, suddenly turned cold, and his dark eyes stared straight at him, seemingly filled with murderous intent.

Chang Yin knew that something was wrong, so he lowered his head and said nothing more.

“Chang Yin," Ji Jiu spoke after a while, and said calmly, “From now on, you and I will no longer be classmates. It’s best if we never meet again."

“What?" Chang Yin asked hurriedly, “How can it be so serious?"

“Not serious?" Ji Jiu sneered, “I thought you were a gentleman, and I was honored to be friends with you. But I didn’t know you were such a fool! After not seeing you for a year, you have made such progress. How much benefit did you get from interceding and managing things for others?!"

“Ji Jiu!" Chang Yin was also angry, his face flushed as he shouted, “Don’t talk nonsense! How did I get any benefit? I just felt sorry for him and came to beg me…"

“If he comes to ask you for help , you should agree to it. If he is greedy for money, should you make up for it for him?!"

Chang Yin was stunned for a moment, and opened his mouth wide, “Tens of thousands of taels?"

“It’s not a matter of money at all." Ji Jiu frowned and said impatiently: “I can’t explain it to you clearly, just do your own thing in the future and don’t meddle in other people’s affairs."

“No," Chang Yin followed him closely and said loudly, “You must explain today’s events clearly. How can I be confused? How can I be a villain? You still want to break off relations with me?"

Ji Jiu ignored him and walked straight forward. Chang Yin was not discouraged and walked closely behind him, following his shadow without moving.

Ji Jiu walked quickly for a distance, but couldn’t shake it off. He became impatient and turned around and said, “We are soldiers!"

“What?!"

Ji Jiu looked at him and said, “General Zhang and I are both soldiers, supported by the court and the people, and we work hard for the country. But it is not only the generals and marquises who work hard for the country, there are also tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of soldiers! They are the ones who rush to the front, and it is their blood that dyes the rivers red, nourishes the land, and protects the peace of their families and the people in the city! How can a person worse than an animal withhold the military pay of these soldiers! You still have the nerve to plead for him?! Go back…" Pointing behind him, Ji Jiu said in a deep voice: “Go and ask him, if there is a fierce battle in the future and he is surrounded by heavy troops, who will protect him? Ask him if he has the nerve to say to those soldiers who fell to protect the general, ‘I withheld your military pay’! If he has the nerve to say it, I will also lose my face today and let him go!"

Chang Yin stood there in a daze.

The night was slightly cool, and a refreshing breeze blew past. Chang Yin felt his back was soaked. When he looked up again, Ji Jiu had already left without knowing when.

The shame on his face was obvious. He raised his hand and slapped himself in the face. After the loud slap, he regained his spirit and returned the way he came.

Ji Jiu didn’t take such things to heart, but was a little disappointed with Chang Yin because he was not sober. A person can do whatever he wants and be whoever he wants according to his own wishes, but there is only one thing, that is, to be sober. Don’t think that you are kind, but in fact you are harming others without knowing it. Being a good person or a bad person is the evaluation of others, and you should know what you are doing and who you are.

Ji Jiu was very clear about this. He knew who he was. He was Ji Jiu, the only son of General Ji. He was twenty-seven years old and had been in the army for eight years. As a young general, his future was limitless. Otherwise, he would be treading on thin ice.

With a silent sigh, Ji Jiu returned home.

The mansion was quiet and peaceful. The servants were neatly dressed and spoke softly. After returning home, Ji Jiu felt a little more relaxed. He had just sat down in the study for a while when his wife brought him tea. Ji Jiu smiled and said, “Why do you have to pour the tea yourself? The child is asleep."

cost me a penny to pour tea ."

“It’s going to break, and I can’t bear to let it go," said Ji Jiu.

“Where did you learn this?" The woman blushed. " I haven’t been home for three years, and I learned this."

“I’m learning this on purpose," Ji Jiu said with a wicked smile, “I’ll keep it in my mind and tell you about it when I get back."

Women are thin-skinned, so they spit at him and walked away. Ji Jiu smiled, walked over and hugged her in his arms, sniffed the fragrance of her hair, and whispered, “Do you miss me?"

Knowing that she wouldn’t answer, Ji Jiu still asked: “Miss me?"

With her face as red as a burning cloud , the lady whispered, “I won’t talk nonsense with you anymore. Let’s stop talking early."

“Hey, I went to bed early last night." Ji Jiu blew gently beside the neck where the jade earrings were dangling , and whispered, “Go make the bed, I’ll be right here. I went to bed early this month."

Madam stood up suddenly, broke free from his arms, and tried to run away with her face covered. Ji Jiu laughed softly from behind , his voice not without pride. Madam was even more ashamed and angry. She could not help but turn around and scolded in a low voice : “You are not the person I was when I first married into the Ji family."

Ji Jiu still smiled: “When you married me, you were a girl, but now you are a mother."

The lady glared at him, her eyes moving with shyness and charm . Ji Jiu looked at her and felt warm and comfortable in his heart. Only at this moment at home could he feel such a rare tenderness.

He married her when he was seventeen, and they have been living in harmony ever since then . But after marrying her, he has been away from home for many years, leaving her alone at home. Ji Jiu thinks that if he has a few more children, she will be less lonely.

That night, after extinguishing the flame on the candlestick, Ji Jiu held a small candle and walked towards the bed. The curtains on the bed had been drawn. The pink curtains were embroidered with lotus and fish, moving without wind. After lifting the curtains, Ji Jiu deliberately asked, “Are you asleep?"

No one answered him.

Ji Jiu waited for a while before saying, “Since you are asleep, I won’t disturb you. I’ll go to the study to sleep." Then he turned around to leave. As soon as he turned around, someone pulled the hem of his robe and he could no longer leave.

Looking down at the tightly clenched hand behind him, Ji Jiu couldn’t help laughing. The hand that was clenching his robe changed into a fist and hit him without stopping. When he had laughed enough, he put down the candlestick and sat aside, looking at the shy girl curled up in the quilt. After a moment of silence, he said, “That day when we were in the garden, you hid behind the peach blossoms and looked at me. You looked like this." Ji Jiu closed his eyes, thought for a while and said, “At that time, I thought, I will go around and take a look. If she is pretty, I will marry her home. If she is ugly…"

“So what if it’s ugly?"

“I’ll take it home, too, to protect the house." Ji Jiu said. Then his wife grabbed his hand and tried to bite the snake-like birthmark, but Ji Jiu stopped her. She held the hand in her own and said, “Then I thought, I shouldn’t look at it anymore. I’ll just take it home and take a closer look later…"

As he spoke, his tone became lower and lower, with a lingering and ambiguous tone.

The curtains fell again, covering the man who had been sitting and laughing beside the bed. The only lit candle was also extinguished.

Ji Jiu had just undressed when the curtains suddenly fluttered, as if with the sound of wind. Startled, Ji Jiu turned over and jumped off the bed , drawing his sword. The bright sword edge was particularly dazzling in the darkness, silver-white with murderous intent, and pointed at the air in front of him with the sound of the sword being unsheathed.

“Who is it?" Ji Jiu narrowed his eyes . The light was too dim. He had extinguished the candle before, and could only distinguish it by the moonlight through the window. There was a person sitting at the table. He had a broad shoulder and back, like a man.

Ji Jiu thought, this shouldn’t be the case. When he stood here, there was still no one at the table. The air didn’t feel like it was moving. It was as if this person had always been sitting here, but he just saw him. However, when he just got out of bed, he clearly didn’t see him.

While he was still pondering, the candlelight suddenly lit up. More than a dozen oil lamps on the Chonglian candlestick lit up, making it as bright as day.

Ji Jiu told himself not to speculate anything strange, but he was concerned about his wife in bed, and asked hesitantly, “Revenge?"

The man had his back to him, with only his black robe and black hair visible. He shook his head as if he couldn’t look at him.

“Money?" Ji Jiu asked again, the tip of the sword in his hand still pointed straight, not daring to slack off. Seeing him shake his head again, he had no choice but to continue asking: “Why?"

The man didn’t answer for a long time.

“Brother," Ji Jiu slowed down his speech, smiled, and said, “But did you break into the wrong house?"

“No," the man said.

“Looking for me?" Ji Jiu said, “Turn around."

The man stood up and turned around. As soon as he turned, he saw the icy sword tip coming straight at him without any warning.

When he saw the sword was about to pierce his chest, Ji Jiu found that he could not move forward at all. The man clearly did not move at all, but it was as if there was an invisible and intangible wall in front of him, blocking his attack. No matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain.

Ji Jiu then raised his head and looked directly into the other person’s eyes. The man just stood there, motionless, with a dark look in his eyes. Ji Jiu felt as if he had fallen into a deep pool.

There was no emotion on the other person’s stern face. He just looked at him, then lowered his head and looked at the sword blade that was just inches away from his chest.

Inexplicably, Ji Jiu felt that he was a little sad. At this moment, Ji Jiu even wanted to put away the sword.

But before he could reach the end, Ji Jiu felt his body lighten and he was thrown up like a fruit and dropped onto the bed behind him.

Before he fell, he thought of his wife on the bed. It was hard to tell whether it was due to agility or instinct, but he turned sideways and nearly hit the bedpost, falling at his wife’s feet.

His vision went dark for a moment, and Ji Jiu regained consciousness and asked loudly, “Are you a human or a ghost?"

“Demon."

The man said, slowly approaching, and approaching the bed. Seeing that his wife was fine and just fell asleep, Ji Jiu rolled up the quilt and pushed it to the inside. Then, without hiding, he faced the man’s gaze and said in a deep voice: “I never believed in the sayings of demons and monsters in the world, but it seems that I have to believe it today. Do you and I have any connection?"

Yi Mo stood in front of him and answered, “Yes."

“Yes?" Ji Jiu was stunned for a moment, “What?"

Yi Mo looked at him and finally did not give any answer. Instead, he bent down and pressed the person he had been looking for for more than one hundred and fifty years under him.

He got closer and closer, his body completely pressed against hers, their breaths spraying on each other’s cheeks. Ji Jiu had already vaguely felt something, but he just didn’t believe it. Although he had heard of male homosexuality in the army, he had only heard of it, not seen it with his own eyes, nor had he tried it himself. However, at this moment, as his clothes were completely taken off, leaving him naked, Ji Jiu finally panicked and asked, “What are you going to do?"

The man didn’t answer, but just lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.

Ji Jiu’s scalp was throbbing with anger and fear, and he could hardly suppress his rage. However, his mind silently told him to calm down and not let the current situation throw him off balance. He needed to find a way to escape. However, his body was restrained, and he didn’t know what method the man had used to make him unable to move. He could only watch the man staring at him with deep eyes. He was completely powerless in the current situation.

Feeling that he could not escape this disaster tonight, Ji Jiu turned his eyes and saw his wife wrapped in a quilt on the inside of the bed. His wife was sleeping peacefully with her eyes closed. Even if she was asleep and had never seen him, her existence here was an unchangeable fact. This was their bed, the curtains were embroidered by his wife, the quilt was sewn by her, and the room was carefully decorated by her… He was actually going to do this to him in front of his wife. Realizing this, Ji Jiu was trembling all over, sweat on his forehead, and finally found a gap and whispered: “Change place."

The man suddenly grabbed his hand. Ji Jiu was a young man who practiced martial arts and was good at archery. His arm strength was extraordinary, but at this moment, his hand was limp and he seemed unable to move. His muscles and bones were aching from being grabbed by him, but the pain in his flesh was no match for the pain in his heart. Ji Jiu insisted, “Change place."

“No." The man said, only one word, but it was firm and did not allow any room for negotiation. As soon as this word came out, Ji Jiu’s head felt like it was hit by a hammer , and it went dark.

There was something cold moving around his body, and Ji Jiu knew it was his hands, lips, and teeth. They were rubbing and biting him as if they were extremely hateful, and were sucking on him as if they were extremely thirsty.

Finally, the cold hand slid down along his tailbone. Ji Jiu felt pain and even dizziness, as if he had turned hundreds of circles and suddenly stopped, making him feel nauseous.

Ji Jiu said: No.

The next moment, he was turned over and the tearing pain woke him up from his dizziness.

Ji Jiu opened his eyes, looking at the bed curtains swaying in front of him , and finally lost all struggle to resist, as if he couldn’t understand, looking at the swaying in front of him, feeling the piercing from behind again and again.

So humiliating.

It hurts so much.

The huge sense of destruction made him open his mouth and he bit his wrist silently. A winding trail of blood flowed on the snake-like birthmark.