This is the fourth time Li Minglou has seen Li Mingyu in ten years.
She arrived in Taiyuan Prefecture when she was thirteen and never left. Li Mingyu was in Jiannan Road. In the past ten years, he was dispatched to fight in the north and west, and he only came to Taiyuan Prefecture to visit her once.
That year, Li Mingyu was seventeen years old. Seven years had passed since the two siblings separated. The child had grown into a young man. He was on his way to the war. It rained heavily that day, and the rain washed away his armor. The young man
Pushing aside the rain and fog, he rushed in front of her.
The first time Li Minglou saw him, he thought not of his father, but of his mother.
Both their siblings look like their mother.
Because he could not stay longer due to military affairs, Li Mingyu came and went in a hurry, and the second time they met was to get married.
Three years have passed and the youthful atmosphere has faded away. The young man came here specifically to see off his bride. He did not wear armor or a knife, but was dressed in rich clothes. His skin tone was like a voice, like a stone polished by wind and sand, rough and tough.
"Sister, dress up nicely and I'll carry you later." He smiled with his white teeth exposed.
She did not wait for him to carry her, but saw his body. That was their third meeting.
She didn't expect that the fourth meeting would be so soon.
Li Minglou reached out to hold Li Mingyu's face and looked carefully at it by the lamp in the corridor.
"Xiaobao." She called him by his nickname.
Everyone in the Li family calls Li Mingyu Brother Yu, but the nickname she gave him is Xiaobao. Li Mingyu had difficulty giving birth for less than a month, and he was born like a big mouse. She watched this big mouse grow up little by little.
During the ten years they were separated by land, although they could not meet each other, they exchanged letters every month. They were the closest people to each other.
She watched him grow up and then watched him die, which was really heartbreaking.
Li Mingyu did not feel her sister's joy and sorrow. After being held in her arms and raising her head, the child showed a surprised expression.
"Sister! What's wrong with you?" he shouted.
He hurried over when he learned that Li Minglou was missing on the way. News continued to be passed along on the way, and before Li Minglou's situation after he stepped into the house could be sent to him, people had already arrived.
He looked up and saw Li Mingyu, whose head and face were wrapped in front of him, and was horrified.
"I'm fine." Li Minglou quickly pressed his shoulders and said softly, "Don't be afraid."
How can you call this okay? You can't even fool a child.
Li Mingyu stared at her, but did not continue to question. He knew that Li Minglou was lying, but he believed that she had a reason for doing so.
What a smart child, such a smart child shouldn't die like that.
Li Minglou held his shoulder: "There is something wrong, but it's okay now. I will find a way to solve it."
Li Mingyu nodded, and Li Minglou took his hand into the house and called for Kumquat.
Jin Jue came in and lit the lamp, took off Li Mingyu's cloak, and brought him warm tea. Li Mingyu drank it in one breath with both hands.
Although he was well taken care of on the road, it was still very difficult for a ten-year-old child to travel day and night. He took off his cloak and sat under the lamp, and you could see his haggard face, with panic remaining in his eyes, like a freshly cut dog.
A lamb escaped from a pack of wolves.
He has already met his relatives, the night is already dark, and tomorrow is coming soon. At this time, he should be allowed to have a peaceful sleep and have anything to say before he wakes up tomorrow.
If the thirteen-year-old Li Minglou would do this, the twenty-three-year-old Li Minglou would not, because tomorrow does not necessarily come.
Jin Jie put the tea on the table, exited, closed the door, and stood guard in the yard.
"Who sent you back?" Li Minglou asked.
Li Mingyu sat up straight in the chair: "Yuanji told me that something happened to my sister, and Uncle Xiang asked me to come back immediately, and my third uncle came back with me."
Yuanji and Li Minglou remember him, but they don't have much contact with him. After all, his father is here and he doesn't need her to do anything.
Li Minglou was silent for a moment and recovered his thoughts. Yuanji was his father's most capable assistant and confidant. Before his death, his father entrusted his siblings to him.
It's a commission rather than an order.
It's a pity that he died very early, at the end of this year or early next year? At that time, Li Mingyu described the incident in detail in his letter, expressing his sadness and uneasiness.
The death of someone familiar always makes people uneasy. In order to comfort him, Li Minglou sent his three cronies back to Jiannan Road.
Then the incident passed. After experiencing the death of his most familiar and dearest father, there was nothing unacceptable for Li Minglou about the departure of others.
But looking at it now, the feeling is different. Yuanji was a different person, and his death was also different.
Li Mingyu answered simply and clearly. Yuan Ji was the first to know the news, not through the Li family. The soldiers and horses escorting her obeyed his orders. Her father had soldiers and horses in his hands.
Yuan Ji told Li Mingyu the news directly without discussing it with his third uncle or anyone. He only recognized Li Mingyu and only followed Li Mingyu's decision.
Moreover, he did this because he believed that Li Minglou was very important. If something happened to an important person, he must tell another important person.
"Yuanji did a good job." Li Minglou nodded.
A smile appeared on Li Mingyu's face: "Yuanji is right, sister really won't blame me."
Li Minglou stroked his head: "You worry about my life and death, regardless of your own life and death. You are so good to me, how can I blame you."
Li Mingyu's behavior is a bit dangerous. As a sister, I have to teach him not to take risks, but if he doesn't take risks, he will die.
The two of them died together, just as they learned of his death. She refused the servants' advice to flee and ran to the front yard without hesitation.
Now, we have to live together.
"Uncle Xiang also said that it was good for me to do this." Li Mingyu said happily, "He asked me to come back after hearing the news, and he also convinced the third uncle."
Li Minglou's face was covered by a black cloth, with only the gaps between her mouth, nose and eyes exposed. Li Mingyu couldn't see her face and didn't know her expression, but she took back the hand on his head.
"Don't call him uncle." Li Minglou said.
Li Mingyu raised his head and looked at her, with surprise in his eyes.
Li Minglou paused: "I want to call you Mr. Xiang."
Li Mingyu blinked and whispered: "Sister, don't you want to marry to Mr. Xiang's family?" Without waiting for Li Minglou to speak, he straightened up and patted the handrail, "If you don't want to marry, don't marry.
.”
The final tone is drawn out, relaxed and interesting.
Li Minglou closed his eyes slightly, and tears fell down and wet the black cloth on his face. Li Mingyu's actions and tone were similar to those of his father.
Of course she doesn't want to get married, and she won't get married, but...
As if using a lot of effort, Li Minglou opened his eyes and looked at Li Mingyu, who was assuming an adult posture.
"I don't want to," she said.
Li Mingyu patted the armrest again: "I won't marry..."
This time, before he raised his tone, Li Minglou, who was sitting next to him, made a hissing sound, leaned to one side, and raised his hands to hold his shoulders.
"Sister." Li Mingyu jumped up, "What's wrong with you?"
With a crashing sound, Li Mingyu jumped up and hit the table. The teacup on it fell to the ground and shattered. Kumquat from outside the door ran in. Seeing Li Mingyu supporting Li Minglou, she also hurriedly supported the other side.
"I'm fine." Li Minglou said, sitting up straight with his hands on his shoulders, and then saw the horrified expressions of the two people standing next to him.
Their eyes fell on her raised arms, the sleeves slipped down to reveal her skin, and the red ulcers on her fair skin under the light were dazzling.