痕書站

　　還有三日，就該出門了。季玖數著日子，便覺得有些難熬，家中不知何時開始，氣氛裡有一種肅殺的冷意，令人望而生畏。這種冷意不知從哪裡冒出來，僕人們也不知這是何時出現的，然而，這府中上上下下，都謹小慎微起來。連噴嚏都不敢亂打。
　　眼看日子就要到了，季玖也不再閒散的四處亂逛，整日待在書房裡，連膳食都是僕人們送進去。
　　提著食盒進去的僕人發現主子在屋中其實也無事可做。坐在案前的主子手中攥了本書，直到他將食物擺好退下時，那本書也沒有翻動過一頁。主子在發呆。僕人得到這個資訊，小心翼翼的退出去後，連忙跑掉了。
　　雖然發呆並不是什麼大事，每個人都會有發呆遊神的時候，但這種事發生在自己主子身上，總覺得格外詭異。
　　要知道那可是季玖。做事當機立斷從無猶豫的人，就算思考些什麼，也僅限於思考，面上不動，眼中卻有光的。而現在，這個人在發呆，姿勢雖然是在看書，但目光卻呆滯的毫無焦距。
　　連他進來到退出去，都不知道。
　　僕人便想到，近些日子府中氣氛肅殺，許就是讓主子發呆的事引起的。具體是什麼事，他雖好奇，卻不敢多做打探，甚至連剛剛發現的異狀都不敢與人言。官家有官家的規矩，這些規矩不是誰定的，而是自然形成。不論誰試圖破壞，最終的結局必定殘酷。
　　
　　季玖確實在發呆。
　　他捧著那本書，已經在案前坐了三個時辰。書頁沒有翻動過，被他捏在手中，連窗外的風都翻不動它。他的臉呈現出一種平靜，與茫然。
　　這種茫然與呆滯很快被人打破了。
　　沈玨急衝衝跑進來，沒有任何招呼撞進了他的書房，劈頭一句：“爹爹我要離開幾日，去辦點事。”
　　季玖緩過神，目光移到他臉上，夢遊般的神情道：“哦。”
　　沈玨得到同意，就要走，卻又被喚住了。
　　再轉過臉，夢游的季玖已經飛一般不見了，眼前是那個眸中精光乍現的將軍，說：“明日就起程，你卻現在要離開，事情很嚴重嗎？”他沒有問他什麼事，只問他有多嚴重。這人說話，從來是一句到位。
　　沈玨答道：“現在還不知嚴重不嚴重，但我放不下心，要去看看。”
　　季玖還是沒有多問，只說：“幾日能趕回來？”
　　“最少五日吧。”沈玨估量了一下路程，又道：“許是十天半個月也說不準。”
　　季玖計算著部隊的行軍速度，很快道：“不論幾日，都去邊城匯合。你若早到了就等著，若晚到了，我會留人給你傳信，自己來找。”
　　沈玨“嗯”一聲，季玖說：“你去吧。”
　　沈玨走了。
　　
　　這時季玖才看見桌上飯菜，菜食已經涼透，本來就沒有胃口，現在更不想吃，只過去空腹飲了幾杯酒，酒意在饑腸轆轆的身體裡快速遊走蔓延，沒一會，他便覺得身體暖暖的，頭有些暈，反正屋中無人，他解了衣裳，歪倒在榻上，渾身上下透著一股懶散。又閉著眼抽了發簪，滿頭長髮披散下來，隨手將簪子連發冠一起放到一旁，扯了被子搭在身上，就睡了。
　　睡至夢中，驟然想起那沈玨並無親人，也無甚友人，突然要走，唯一的理由便是伊墨出事了。
　　腦中這個念頭一閃，季玖猛地從夢中醒來，騰身坐起，心如擂鼓。
　　
　　待趴在桌上灌了一壺冷茶，季玖才靜下心，坐在凳上想，與我何干？
　　等片刻，又想，那千年的妖，道士和尚都說殺不死，哪裡會出什麼事？
　　這念頭只一轉就消失了，他是世俗中人，對人性瞭解的頗為深刻，想著人與人都還有死去活來的紛爭，妖與妖之間又怎麼會和平？人殺不死它，未必他的同類就殺不死他。萬一他遇上的同是修煉千年的妖怪呢？想到這裡，季玖突然想到，以前怎麼就這麼傻，只想著找道士和尚降他，怎麼不以妖對妖呢？說不定就真的降了他。
　　
　　季玖輕嗤一聲，搖了搖頭。自從遇上這妖，他的世界就被顛覆的徹底，而今這種荒誕的念頭都冒出來了。豈不知一隻妖都這麼難纏，再去尋一隻，他嫌日子過得還不夠亂不成？再說，哪裡還能遇上一隻修行千年的妖物呢？以為那是街上野狗，隨處可見嗎？
　　季玖撐著額頭揉了揉，心裡卻煩亂起來，做什麼不去好好修煉非要來找他，將來得道升仙不是好得很嗎？便是前世情緣又如何？那人死了，死了就是死了，除非死而復生，否則不可能存在。即便是轉世，他又怎麼會同那自幼殘廢孤寂潦倒的人一模一樣？那是不可能的。季玖想。
　　季玖想得很明白，前世是前世，可以不顧駡名，不忌倫理綱常，隨心所欲做自己想做的事。其實與妖相好又怎樣呢？同是男子又怎樣呢？季玖並不在意，站在旁觀的角度去看，反倒是欣賞的很，覺得也算當世豪傑。
　　可是，那並不等同這一世他也要那樣活。他也不能那樣活。
　　他已經沒有選擇的道路了。二十七年，他的道路從原先無數的分岔口，走到今天這條道上，只剩下這一條路可走，少年時那些還存在過的拐角小巷，已經被他遠遠丟在後面，不可能再折回身，去走另外一條路。因為已經沒有退路。他只能往前走，爬山涉水的筆直朝前。走到巔峰，而後跳下。這是他唯一的路。
　　
　　況且，伊墨是沈清軒的未亡人。不是季玖的。
　　他有妻有兒，還有一女，年紀尚幼，天真可愛。來日他死，唯一能以未亡人自居的，便是妻子，季柳氏。
　　那是他明媒正娶的女人。八抬大轎，綴著繡球流蘇迎進家門，他們拜過天地，跪過祖宗，記進族譜，族譜裡季玖的名旁，只有季柳氏，並非空白，也非是那人的名。這是沒有辦法更改的事實。
　　季玖又揉了揉額角，覺得那裡漲痛起來。
　　
　　第二夜，領兵出行，季玖躍上馬背，率先出城。離城門時，回頭看了一眼，胸中長舒一口氣，並無太多離愁。
　　皇城是個遍佈暗探，四處荊棘的地方，這裡的殘酷與毒辣遠遠超出戰場上坦誠的你死我活。而家中事，他則無需擔憂，一切都很好，不論他在或不在。只要皇帝還願意季家存在，即便他死，這個家也會照常運作下去。而傷心，則是另一碼事了。
　　沙場讓他的感性越來越淡薄，稱為無情也不為過，季玖早就發覺了這一點，卻不放在心上。
　　該做的事，他會去做。家是該護佑的地方，他會去護，盡職盡責就已足夠。
　　他的人生，在已經規劃好的方框裡逐漸成形，越是接近尾聲，線條就越來越淩厲，筆墨越來越簡練，呈現出一種凶煞猛厲之氣。而那些柔情脈脈，在他的有心無意裡，已經被深深的藏匿起來。藏到了一個，他並不太願意去尋回的地方。
　　羈絆是一種弱點，沙場上的將軍，或許最不需要的就是弱點。
　　譬如這麼多年，皇帝以他的家人為質，扣在王城，不允家屬隨軍陪伴。
　　季玖就坦然將家人留下了。
　　因為只有割斷一切牽掛，他才能坦然赴死。
　　亦只有他死，他的家人才能真正安全。不論活在哪裡，都是安全的。
　　
　　季玖揚起鞭，輕抽了一下，身下隨他多年的馬兒嘶鳴一聲，立時奔跑起來，帶著終於可以奔跑的歡欣，載著馬上將軍，很快消失在夜幕裡。
　　後面的馬隊，也踢踢踏踏的跟上，策馬奔騰，在夜色的掩護下，這一隊要去異域查探的兒郎們如風一般消失在城門後。
　　
　　出皇城後，奔行至天亮，季玖命部隊停下，在先前準備好的莊子裡換了裝扮，扮作游商，又將馬匹也載上貨物，命五百人分五隊，從不同的路線前往邊城。他不想太過突兀的出現，以免引起暗探們的懷疑。
　　這些事他早有準備，很快將一切打理妥當，命人散開了。
　　
　　又趕路半個月到邊塞。先到的兩隊已經之前已經得到他吩咐，入城之後又四處散開，到處賣貨收貨，與尋常商旅無異。
　　季玖這一隊來時，也同樣散開了，身邊只帶了五個人的季玖在城裡見到了沈玨。
　　沈玨背著一個大木箱，那巨大木箱兩邊用布匹擰成了兩股繩，牢牢的綁住了箱子，捆在他的雙肩上。季玖見到他，挑起眉笑了，道：“公子這裡是什麼貨？可能讓在下看看？”
　　沈玨呆了呆，下意識的反手罩著箱子，本能的露出一個防衛與保護的姿態。顯而易見的拒絕。
　　季玖一愣，這還是沈玨第一次對他露出這種神情，立刻就覺得蹊蹺。
　　臉上卻沒露出什麼，仍是淡淡笑著，道：“看來公子寶貝得很，若是有市無價的貨，在下也買不起，叨擾了。”說著拱拱手，牽著馬兒走了。
　　
　　雖是沒說什麼，沈玨卻覺得他有些不悅了，將背後箱子解開抱到身前來，穩穩抱住後，沈玨喃喃一句：“他不是貨，我怎麼給你估價麼？”因惹得爹爹不高興，沈玨略有些沮喪的跟在季玖商隊後面，慢吞吞地走著。
　　
　　到了晚間，季玖喊他吃飯，見這人又將箱子抱來了，放在一旁的凳子上，吃飯也不鬆懈對箱子的看守，心裡就更好奇了。
　　隨他一起好奇的還有好些人，都是隨著季玖一同出這趟任務的兵士，因為沈玨是季玖的侍衛，官就比他們大一些，也就不好隨意發言，只是一直忍不住拿眼角瞥，眼裡神神秘秘的，偶爾交頭接耳，姿態其實是正常，在沈玨看來卻是鬼鬼祟祟。
　　終於在有人試圖對那箱子伸手摸一把時，沈玨的不悅爆發了，筷子重重往桌上一拍，冷聲道：“碰一下我就剁了你的手，信不信？！”
　　他說的實在兇狠，且有三分蠻橫之氣，惹的那動手動腳的軍士也動了氣，立刻回道：“摸一下怎麼樣？壞了不成？”
　　沈玨沉下臉，“不怕死你就摸。”
　　話激到這裡，已經說不下去，那人伸出手就要摸。沈玨一把擒住他的手，用力勒緊，屋子裡登時響起指節的“劈啪”聲，那人連忙沖季玖喊：“大人！”
　　此時季玖一直低著頭吃飯，仿佛什麼都不曾看見一樣，直到那人呼救了，才抬起臉來，問一句：“喊我嗎？”
　　那人額上流下冷汗了，沈玨也看向他，卻沒放手。餘下軍士也都看著季玖。
　　季玖放下碗箸抹了抹嘴，才輕描淡寫的道：“這裡有大人嗎？”他問。
　　他的語氣輕柔異常，仿佛被捲入事件裡無辜者的低喃，眼神卻是冰冷的，宛如刀片般朝兩人掃去，刀刀見血。
　　沈玨立時就鬆開手，像是演練多遍了似地，屈膝往下一跪，抬頭挺胸很大聲的說：“屬下無禮，請將軍責罰。”
　　他的轉變太快，那腕骨脫臼的軍士呆了一呆，等對上季玖的視線後，打了個寒噤，也跪下了。
　　
　　季玖看了他們一會，重新拾起碗筷，又吃了兩口，才道：“非禮勿動，家中爹娘沒有教過嗎？旁人的東西，擅動就該罰。”又道：“在軍中，不論有多大事，你們都是袍澤兄弟。豈能動不動就廝打起來？來日若是遇敵，唯一能救你的，只有你身邊這些同伴。別以為自己厲害就可傷人，你能傷的只能是自己。”
　　季玖說：“聽明白了？”
　　單膝跪著的那兩人同時應諾：“明白。”
　　季玖說，“接好骨，吃飯。”
　　沈玨又替那人接好脫臼的骨頭，重新坐回去，老老實實的低頭繼續吃飯。餘下人，也都老實起來，再不看那木箱一眼。一頓飯吃的甚是安靜。
　　季玖甚是滿意。
　　
　　晚飯過後，季玖忙完了手邊事，喚沈玨進來，守在門外的沈玨便背著箱子進來了，問：“將軍何事？”
　　季玖說：“把那東西打開。”
　　沈玨想也不想的道：“不行！”
　　季玖道：“不論那是什麼貨，我都能確信目前商隊能護得住它，你這樣天天背在背上，只能招惹視線，惹人覬覦。要麼你打開讓我看，除非我肯定它不能被放在駝背上同貨物一起押運，否則明日你就將它綁到駝隊上去。”
　　沈玨猶豫了很久，才道：“爹，這真不是貨。”
　　季玖“哦”了一聲，道：“總不會是個大活人。”
　　“爹，你一定猜到了的，”沈玨苦著臉，“反正也不是大活人。”
　　季玖卻不知想到什麼，臉上瞬間白了，自言自語道：“我是猜到了，但我猜錯了。”
　　
　　這樣說著，他走過去，親手解了沈玨背上的繩扣，將那大木箱抱到了桌上。他親自動手來取，沈玨即使猶豫，也還是妥協了，乖乖的看著那箱子被放在桌上，又看著自己爹爹深吸一口氣，閉上眼後，猛地一下揭開了……
　　沈玨也同時屏住了呼吸，小心翼翼的望著季玖的臉，季玖緩緩睜開眼，低著頭，看那木箱裡，一條碗口粗的大黑蛇，盤踞在箱內，垂頭搭腦的閉著眼。
　　季玖狠狠地再次閉上眼。
　　沈玨被他這個動作嚇到，連忙要去蓋住箱子，不再讓他看，只道是被驚著了。正在手忙腳亂間，卻聽那人聲音微顫地問他：“他死了？”
　　沈玨一呆，“啊？”
　　季玖說：“怎麼死的？”
　　沈玨反應過來，立即道：“誰說他死了？他喝醉了，他一下子將仙家釀的‘百日醉’喝完了，最少要睡三個月呢！”
　　季玖的表情怪異的扭曲在當場。
　　“……”好一會，他撇開臉，嗅了嗅空氣後聞：“什麼味道，這麼香？”
　　沈玨知道他尷尬，轉移話題，也跟著應上去道：“是那酒的味道。我找到他時，漫山遍野都是這個味道。”
　　
　　“……”沉默了一下，季玖問：“哪裡找到他的？”
　　沈玨也奇異的沉默了，甚至垂下臉去。
　　季玖問：“怎麼了？”
　　好一會，才聽沈玨略微沙啞的聲音道：“我爹的墓裡。”
　　季玖乍聞此聲，只覺像被人一錘砸在心口上似的，又酸又疼又悶。幾乎站不住身。
　　這世上還有這麼呆的妖。人死已作古，卻鑽到人家墓裡去守著，守著就能活過來嗎，以為守著一堆白骨，就能相依偎了嗎？
　　腦中紛亂的想著，季玖許久才歎息般回答一聲：“哦。”
　　
　　那箱子裡的大蛇，異常溫馴的睡在沈玨翻出的一件已經破舊的狐皮大氅上，蜷成了一團，歪著的腦袋靠著狐裘的領口位置，仿佛睡在那人心尖上，從此不理世事。

————————————————

There are still three days left before it’s time to go out. Ji Jiu counted the days and felt a little bit unbearable. He didn’t know when the atmosphere in the house began to have a chilling and cold feeling that made people afraid. He didn’t know where this chill came from, and the servants didn’t know when it appeared. However, everyone in the house became cautious. They didn’t even dare to sneeze.

As the day was approaching, Ji Jiu no longer wandered around idly, but stayed in the study all day, and even the meals were delivered by servants.

The servant who came in with the food box found that the master actually had nothing to do in the room. The master who was sitting at the table was holding a book in his hand. He had not turned a page of the book until he put the food on the table and left. The master was in a daze. The servant got this information, carefully left, and ran away quickly.

Although being in a daze is not a big deal, everyone has times when they are distracted, but it always feels particularly weird when it happens to your master.

You have to know that this is Ji Jiu. He is a person who makes decisions without hesitation. Even if he is thinking about something, it is just thinking. His face is motionless, but there is light in his eyes. But now, this person is in a daze. Although he is reading a book, his eyes are dull and have no focus.

I didn’t even know when he came in or left.

The servant thought that the atmosphere in the mansion in recent days was solemn and murderous, perhaps because of the incident that made the master dazed. Although he was curious about what happened, he did not dare to ask more, and even did not dare to tell anyone about the abnormality he had just discovered. The government has its own rules, which are not set by anyone, but formed naturally. No matter who tries to break them, the final outcome will be cruel.

Ji Jiu was indeed in a daze.

He had been sitting at his desk holding the book for three hours. The pages had not been turned, they were held in his hands, and even the wind outside the window could not turn them. His face showed a calm and blank expression.

This confusion and dullness was soon broken by someone.

Shen Jue rushed in, barged into his study without any greeting, and said, “Dad, I’m going to be away for a few days to do something."

Ji Jiu recovered and moved his gaze to his face, saying in a sleepwalking manner: “Oh."

After getting consent, Shen Jue was about to leave, but was called back.

When he turned around again, the sleepwalking Ji Jiu had already disappeared like a flash. In front of him was the general with a gleam in his eyes, saying, “We are leaving tomorrow, but you want to leave now. Is it serious?" He didn’t ask him what the matter was, but how serious it was. This man always spoke to the point.

Shen Jue replied: “I don’t know how serious it is yet, but I am worried and want to go and have a look."

Ji Jiu still didn’t ask any more questions, only said: “How many days can you come back?"

“At least five days." Shen Jue estimated the journey and said, “Maybe ten days or even half a month."

Ji Jiu calculated the army’s marching speed and said quickly, “No matter how many days it takes, we will meet at the border town. If you arrive early, you can wait. If you arrive late, I will leave someone to pass a message to you and you can come find me yourself."

Shen Jue said “hmm", and Ji Jiu said, “You go."

Shen Jue left.

At this time, Ji Jiu saw the food on the table. The food was already cold. He had no appetite in the first place, and now he didn’t want to eat even more. He just drank a few glasses of wine on an empty stomach. The alcohol quickly spread in his hungry body. After a while, he felt warm and a little dizzy. Since there was no one in the room, he undressed and fell on the couch , with a sense of laziness all over his body. He closed his eyes and took out the hairpin, letting his long hair fall down. He put the hairpin and the crown aside , pulled the quilt over his body, and fell asleep.

While sleeping, I suddenly remembered that Shen Jue had no relatives and few friends, and the only reason he suddenly wanted to leave was that something happened to Yi Mo.

As this thought flashed through his mind, Ji Jiu suddenly woke up from his dream, sat up, his heart beating like a drum.

After lying on the table and drinking a pot of cold tea, Ji Jiu calmed down and sat on the stool and thought, what does it have to do with me?

After waiting for a while, he thought again, that thousand-year-old monster, the Taoists and monks said it cannot be killed, so how could anything happen to it?

This thought disappeared in a flash. He was a secular person and had a deep understanding of human nature. He thought that even humans had life-and-death disputes, so how could there be peace between monsters ? Just because humans couldn’t kill it didn’t mean that its kind could n’t kill it. What if the monster he met was also a monster that had practiced for thousands of years? Thinking of this, Ji Jiu suddenly thought, why was he so stupid before, only thinking of finding Taoist priests and monks to defeat him, why didn’t he fight monsters with monsters ? Maybe he could really defeat him.

Ji Jiu sneered and shook his head. Ever since he met this monster, his world has been completely turned upside down, and now such absurd thoughts have come up. Don’t you know that a monster is so difficult to deal with? If he goes to find another one, does he think his life is not chaotic enough? Besides, where else can you meet a monster that has practiced for thousands of years? Do you think it is a stray dog on the street that can be seen everywhere?

Ji Jiu rubbed his forehead, but he was upset. Why didn’t he practice hard but came to find him? Wouldn’t it be great to become an immortal in the future? Even if it was a love in the previous life, so what? That person is dead, dead is dead, unless he is resurrected, he can’t exist. Even if he is reincarnated, how can he be exactly the same as that person who has been disabled and lonely since childhood? That’s impossible, Ji Jiu thought.

Ji Jiu thought clearly that the past life was the past life, and he could do whatever he wanted without caring about the bad reputation or ethics. In fact, what’s wrong with being in love with a demon? What’s wrong with being a man? Ji Jiu didn’t care. From the perspective of an outsider, he admired her and thought she was a hero of the time.

However, that does not mean that he has to live that way in this life. He cannot live that way.

He no longer had a choice of roads. In the past twenty-seven years, his road had gone through countless forks, but now it was the only road he could take. The corners and alleys that existed when he was young were far behind him. It was impossible for him to turn back and take another road. Because there was no way back. He could only move forward, climbing mountains and wading through water. He would reach the top and then jump off. This was his only way.

Besides, Yi Mo is Shen Qingxuan’s widow, not Ji Jiu’s.

He has a wife, a son, and a daughter who is still young, innocent and lovely. When he dies in the future, the only one who can call himself his widow is his wife, Ji Liu.

That was the woman he married in a formal ceremony. She was brought into the house in a sedan chair with eight bearers and embroidered tassels. They worshipped heaven and earth, knelt before their ancestors, and were recorded in the family tree. Next to Ji Jiu’s name in the family tree, there was only Ji Liushi. It was not blank, and it was not that person’s name. This was a fact that could not be changed.

Ji Jiu rubbed his forehead again and felt a swelling and pain there.

On the second night, Ji Jiu led his troops out, jumped on his horse and was the first to leave the city. When he left the city gate, he looked back and breathed a sigh of relief, without too much sadness.

The imperial city was a place full of spies and thorns. The cruelty and viciousness here far exceeded the frank life-and-death struggle on the battlefield. As for family matters, he didn’t need to worry. Everything was fine, whether he was there or not. As long as the emperor still wanted the Ji family to exist, even if he died, the family would continue to operate as usual. Being sad was another matter.

The battlefield made his emotions less and less sensitive, and it was not an exaggeration to call him ruthless. Ji Jiu had already noticed this, but he did not take it to heart.

He will do what he should do. Home is a place that should be protected, and he will protect it. It is enough to fulfill his duties.

His life gradually took shape in the planned frame. As it got closer to the end, the lines became sharper and the brushwork became more concise, presenting a fierce and fierce aura. And those tender feelings, intentionally or unintentionally, had been deeply hidden. Hidden in a place that he was not very willing to find.

Bonds are a kind of weakness, and perhaps the last thing a general on the battlefield needs is weakness.

For example, for so many years, the emperor held his family as hostages and detained them in the royal city, not allowing them to accompany the army.

Ji Jiu calmly left his family behind.

Because only by cutting off all ties can he face death calmly.

Only when he dies can his family be truly safe. No matter where they live, they are safe.

Ji Jiu raised the whip and gave it a light whip. The horse that had been with him for many years neighed and immediately started to run. With the joy of finally being able to run, the horse carrying the general quickly disappeared into the night.

The horse team behind also caught up with the clattering of their horses , galloping forward. Under the cover of night, this group of men who were going to explore a foreign land disappeared behind the city gate like the wind.

After leaving the imperial city, they ran until dawn. Ji Jiu ordered the troops to stop, changed their clothes in the previously prepared farm, disguised themselves as traveling merchants, loaded the horses with goods, and ordered 500 people to be divided into five teams and go to the border town from different routes. He didn’t want to appear too abruptly to avoid arousing the suspicion of the spies.

He had been prepared for these things, and he quickly got everything in order and ordered his men to disperse.

After another half a month of traveling, they arrived at the border. The first two teams had already received his instructions, and after entering the city, they dispersed everywhere, selling and receiving goods everywhere, just like ordinary merchants.

When Ji Jiu’s team arrived, they also dispersed. Ji Jiu, who only had five people with him, met Shen Jue in the city.

Shen Jue was carrying a large wooden box on his back. The two sides of the huge wooden box were tied up with two ropes made of cloth. The box was tied to his shoulders. When Ji Jiu saw him, he raised his eyebrows and smiled , saying, “Sir, what kind of goods do you have here? Can you let me take a look?"

Shen Jue was stunned, and subconsciously covered the box with his backhand, instinctively showing a defensive and protective posture. It was an obvious rejection.

Ji Jiu was stunned. This was the first time Shen Jue showed this kind of expression to him, and he immediately felt something was wrong.

However, he did not show anything on his face, still smiling faintly, and said, “It seems that the young master treasures it very much. If it is a priceless item, I cannot afford it. Sorry to bother you." After saying this, he bowed and walked away leading the horse.

Although he didn’t say anything, Shen Jue felt that he was a little unhappy. He untied the box on his back and carried it in front of him. After holding it firmly, Shen Jue murmured, “He is not a commodity, how can I give you an estimate of his price?" Because he made his father unhappy, Shen Jue followed the Ji Jiu caravan slowly, feeling a little frustrated.

In the evening, Ji Jiu called him to eat. Seeing that this man brought the box again and put it on the stool beside him, he did not relax his guard over the box even when eating, which made him even more curious.

There were many other people who were as curious as he was. They were all soldiers who went on this mission with Ji Jiu. Since Shen Jue was Ji Jiu’s bodyguard and had a higher rank than them, they could not speak casually. They just couldn’t help but glance at him with mysterious eyes. They occasionally whispered to each other. Their posture was actually normal, but to Shen Jue, it seemed sneaky.

Finally, when someone tried to reach out and touch the box, Shen Jue’s displeasure exploded. He slammed his chopsticks heavily on the table and said coldly: “If you touch it, I will chop off your hand. Do you believe it?!"

What he said was really fierce and a bit arrogant, which made the sergeant who was touching him angry. He immediately replied: “How about touching it? Will it hurt?"

Shen Jue’s face darkened, “If you are not afraid of death, then touch it."

The conversation got so heated that he couldn’t continue. The man stretched out his hand to touch her. Shen Jue grabbed his hand and tightened it. The sound of knuckles “crackling" rang out in the room. The man hurriedly shouted to Ji Jiu, “Sir!"

At this time, Ji Jiu had been eating with his head down, as if he had not seen anything. It was not until the man called for help that he raised his head and asked, “Did you call me?"

Cold sweat ran down the man’s forehead. Shen Jue also looked at him, but did not let go. The remaining soldiers also looked at Ji Jiu.

Ji Jiu put down his bowl and chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and said lightly: “Is there any adult here?" he asked.

His tone was unusually gentle, like the murmur of an innocent person caught up in the incident , but his eyes were ice-cold, and they swept towards the two men like a blade, drawing blood with every stroke.

Shen Jue immediately let go of his hand, as if he had practiced it many times before, he knelt down, raised his head and chest and said loudly: “I am rude, please punish me, General."

His change was so fast that the soldier with a dislocated wrist was stunned for a moment. When he met Ji Jiu’s gaze, he shuddered and knelt down.

Ji Jiu looked at them for a while, picked up his bowl and chopsticks again, ate two more bites, and then said, “Don’t touch things that are not appropriate. Didn’t your parents teach you? If you touch other people’s things without permission, you should be punished." He added, “In the army, no matter how big the situation is, you are all brothers. How can you fight for no reason? If you encounter an enemy in the future, the only ones who can save you are your companions. Don’t think you can hurt others just because you are powerful. You can only hurt yourself."

Ji Jiu said: “Do you understand?"

The two people kneeling on one knee agreed at the same time: “Understood."

Ji Jiu said, “After the bone is fixed, let’s eat."

Shen Jue fixed the man’s dislocated bones, sat back down, and continued to eat. The rest of the people also became quiet and did not look at the wooden box. The meal was very quiet.

Ji Jiu was very satisfied.

After dinner, Ji Jiu finished his work and called Shen Jue in. Shen Jue, who was guarding outside the door, came in with a box on his back and asked, “What’s the matter, General?"

Ji Jiu said, “Open that thing."

Shen Jue said without thinking: “No!"

Ji Jiu said, “Whatever the cargo is, I am sure that the caravan can protect it. If you carry it on your back every day, it will only attract attention and attract people’s covetousness. Either you open it and let me see it, unless I am sure that it cannot be placed on the camel’s back and transported with the other cargo, or you can tie it to the camel tomorrow."

Shen Jue hesitated for a long time before saying, “Dad, this is really not a good product."

Ji Jiu said “Oh" and said, “It can’t be a living person."

“Dad, you must have guessed it," Shen Jue said with a bitter face, “It’s not a living person anyway."

Ji Jiu didn’t know what he was thinking about, his face turned pale instantly, and he said to himself: “I guessed it, but I guessed wrong."

As he said this, he walked over, untied the rope buckle on Shen Jue’s back, and carried the big wooden box to the table. He personally took it, and even though Shen Jue hesitated, he still compromised, and obediently watched the box being placed on the table, and then watched his father take a deep breath, close his eyes, and suddenly open the box…

Shen Jue also held his breath and looked at Ji Jiu’s face carefully. Ji Jiu slowly opened his eyes and lowered his head to look into the wooden box. A huge black snake as thick as a bowl was coiled inside the box with its head down and its eyes closed.

Ji Jiu closed his eyes tightly again.

Shen Jue was frightened by his action and hurriedly tried to cover the box to stop him from looking at it, thinking that he was frightened. While he was in a panic, he heard the man ask him in a trembling voice: “Is he dead?"

Shen Jue was stunned, “Ah?"

Ji Jiu asked: “How did he die?"

Shen Jue reacted and said immediately: “Who said he was dead? He was drunk. He drank the ‘Hundred Days Drunk’ brewed by the immortals in one go. He will have to sleep for at least three months!"

Ji Jiu’s expression was weirdly distorted on the spot.

“…" After a while, he turned his face away, sniffed the air and smelled: “What’s that smell? It smells so good?"

Shen Jue knew he was embarrassed, so he changed the subject and followed suit: “It’s the smell of the wine. When I found him, the whole mountain was filled with this smell."

“…" After a moment of silence, Ji Jiu asked, “Where did you find him?"

Shen Jue also fell strangely silent, and even lowered his head.

Ji Jiu asked: “What’s wrong?"

After a while, Shen Jue said in a slightly hoarse voice, “In my father’s grave."

When Ji Jiu heard this, he felt as if he had been hit in the chest with a hammer, sore, painful, and stuffy. He could hardly stand.

There are still such stupid monsters in this world. The person is dead, but he crawls into someone else’s grave to guard it. Can he come back to life by guarding it? Do you think that guarding a pile of bones will allow you to be together?

With his mind full of confusion, Ji Jiu finally replied with a sigh after a long while: “Oh."

The big snake in the box slept very docilely on a worn fox fur coat that Shen Jue had found. It curled up into a ball with its tilted head resting on the collar of the fox fur coat, as if it was sleeping on the heart of the man, ignoring the world’s affairs from then on.