Liuzhou is still very prosperous in October. It is the only place where talented people from the south of the Yangtze River go to Beijing to take the exam. Ning Caichen is also a person who comes to Beijing to take the exam. His family is not prosperous and he can only live in the cheapest house.
Guest rooms, but in Liuzhou City, all the inns along the way have been filled, and now there is only one inn left.
Ning Caichen walked into this inn, and the waiter ran over quickly, "Sir, do you want to stay in the hotel?"
"Boy, do you have a guest room here?" Ning Caichen asked.
When the waiter saw the business coming, he was very happy, "Yes! Sir, our hotel still has many guest rooms, how about I arrange a large room for you?"
Ning Caichen shook his head quickly. He knew that he didn't have much money left. If he stayed in a Tianzihao guest room, he might not have enough money to take the exam in the end!
"No, no, I just need a more ordinary guest room!" Ning Caichen said politely.
The waiter looked at Ning Caichen and found that he didn't look like a wealthy owner, so his tone of voice immediately changed, "What kind of guest room do you want?"
"Want the cheapest one!" Ning Caichen said.
"The cheapest room here costs ten yuan a day, will you stay?" the waiter said coldly.
"What? Ten bucks? So expensive?" Ning Caichen couldn't believe it. It cost a few pennies to stay in an inn there for one night, but it cost ten bucks to come here! It was indeed a prosperous area, but it was different.
Ning Caichen took out his shy money bag. He only had a few taels of silver left in it. He had to go to Beijing to take the exam. If he spent it now, what would he do next?
"Is there anything cheaper?"
"No, no, if you don't have money, don't disturb my business." The waiter drove Ning Caichen away impatiently, "If you don't have money, why not live in an inn like others do? Why not go to Lanruo Temple in the suburbs? No one goes there.
, I can let you stay one night!”
Lanruo Temple? Ning Caichen remembered this place. It sounded like it should be a temple. The temple was not bad. Not only did it cost nothing, but it also provided free meals. You even saved money on meals. How nice.
Thinking about it, Ning Caichen really left the city and walked to the suburbs.
Along the way, many people were walking towards Liuzhou City, but Ning Caichen was walking in the opposite direction, and everyone looked at Ning Caichen with strange eyes.
"Old man, may I ask how to get to Lanruo Temple?" Ning Caichen saw a kind old man walking towards him carrying a load, so he stepped forward and asked.
The old man's expression immediately changed, "I don't know, I don't know!" After that, he walked away as if he had seen the god of plague!
When the others heard Ning Caichen say the words "Lanruo Temple", they ran away as if they had seen a ghost.
"What's wrong with these people? It's just that they don't want to tell you where they are. Why are they still hiding by themselves?" Ning Caichen didn't understand. He shook his head and continued to walk forward. Then there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road, and it took a long time to walk.
No one was seen, and the sky was getting darker and darker. Ning Caichen still didn't reach Lanruo Temple. Could he have gone to the wrong place?
Just when Ning Caichen was hesitant, a faint sound of the piano sounded. Ning Caichen seemed to hear hope and followed the sound of the piano. He saw a stunning woman in white quietly playing the piano under a pavilion.
The sound of the piano is distant and near, slow and urgent, as if it is telling an unspeakable melancholy.
Ning Caichen was so fascinated by the sound of the piano that he walked over unconsciously. The woman was a little frightened when she saw a stranger coming. Without paying attention, the silk handkerchief in her hand flew up in the wind and floated towards Ning Caichen.
.
"My handkerchief!" the woman shouted, seeing the handkerchief flying further and further away.
The handkerchief fell on Ning Caichen's face, and a refreshing fragrance penetrated into his body, making him feel like he was in a sea of flowers.
Only then did Ning Caichen react, grab the handkerchief and hand it to the woman.
"Girl, how can I get to Lanruo Temple?" Ning Caichen asked.
The woman was a little surprised when she heard this. How could the frail scholar in front of her go back to Lanruo Temple?
"Sir, you have come to the wrong place. This is Shili Pavilion!" The woman pointed to the plaque on the pavilion and said softly.
"Oh, girl, how do we get to Lanruo Temple?"
The woman pointed to the way back, "Turn left at the fork ahead."
Ning Caichen looked at the woman. She looked slender and frail. She was wearing a white silk feather coat on her jade-like skin. A breeze blew by, and the white clothes danced, like a fairy descending to earth.
"It's so late, why is the girl playing the piano here alone?" Ning Caichen looked at the sky and saw that it was already dark.
The woman pointed to a tower in the distance. There was still a faint light inside, as if someone lived in it. "The little lady lives there."
Ning Caichen looked at it and said, "It turns out that the girl lives there. It's getting late, so I'm going to leave. Girls should pay attention to safety when they live in the wilderness. I'm going to leave!" After that, Ning Caichen turned to leave.
"Oh, sir!" the woman suddenly shouted.
"What's wrong?" Ning Caichen, a woman in need of help, stopped.
"I can't move the piano back alone. If you don't mind, sir, can you help me move the piano back?" The woman prayed and looked at Ning Caichen.
"Okay!" Ning Caichen saw that it was not easy for her as a woman, so she readily agreed.
Ning Caichen hugged Qin and followed the woman. The woman suddenly sneered, thinking that this scholar was so good, but he was still as lustful as the men she had seen. The woman did not say anything and continued walking forward.
Finally we arrived at the balcony pointed by the woman.
The tower was built on water, and there were lotus flowers in the water. Although they had withered, there were still many lotus leaves dancing in the water.
Ning Caichen walked into the balcony, and another woman came out.
"Sister, what is this?" the woman asked in surprise.
"This young man will help me bring the piano back!" the woman explained.
"That's it." The woman took the piano and said, "Sir, please sit in the room!" Then, she smiled at the woman playing the piano, not knowing what she meant.
Ning Caichen looked at the sky. The moon had already come out, and there were a few slightly shining stars.
"It's getting late, I'd better leave first!" After saying that, Ning Caichen turned to leave.
"Hey, Young Master!" The woman holding the piano quickly stopped Ning Caichen, "It's so late, where are you going, Young Master?"
"I'm going to Lanruo Temple." Ning Caichen replied.
"It's very dangerous to go to Lanruo Temple so late. Besides, Lanruo Temple is an abandoned temple and quite deserted. Why don't you stay here?" The woman holding the piano turned around and said to the other woman, "Sister, let the young master go."
Stay!"
"Yes, sir, I have asked you to help me move the piano. You can stay here. I have a guest room here!" said the woman in white.
Ning Caichen shook his head, "It's not good enough. The three of us live together. If you don't tell the trouble, it would be bad if the news spread and ruined their reputations!" After all, he is a man who has read the books of sages.
He couldn't do anything to ruin someone's reputation. After saying that, Ning Caichen left the balcony and walked towards Lanruo Temple regardless of the obstruction of the two people.
"Sister, is he the first man to leave here?" The woman holding the piano looked at Ning Caichen's retreating back and said, "He seems to be different from other men."
"He can walk out of here, but he can't walk out of Lanruo Temple. Let's wait and see!" After saying that, the woman showed an evil smile, turned around and went into the house.