CH 2

Notes:

Ruyao brush washer: One of the five famous porcelain in the Song Dynasty.

Huimo: A type of ink stick produced fron Huangshan City and Xuancheng City , Anhui Province.

Yongning houfu: Marquis Yongning residence. His family probably was demoted from gongfu to houfu.

Jin Yiwei: Royal guards.

Zhuang Sheng: A character in a story. Zhuang Sheng dreamed of becoming a butterfly. He was very happy and content. He didn't know that he was Zhuang Sheng anymore. After waking up after a while, he was surprised that he turned out to be Zhuang Sheng. He really didn't understand whether he was Zhuang Sheng that dreamed of becoming a butterfly, or was he a butterfly that dreamed of becoming Zhuang Sheng?

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The autumn wind carrying the sound of pattering rain blew several fluttering yellowish bamboo leaves through the window and fell on top of a pinewood desk.

The fine drop of cold rain fell on Jun Huailang's face, and he woke up.

What he saw before his eyes was the most familiar place for more than two decades. The carved wooden window in front of him was open, facing the lotus pond in his courtyard. Dozens of bamboo poles stood by the window, which were thick enough to form a scenery of its own.

He was sitting at his desk with his arms propped up and sleeping. There were many books stacked on the table. In front of him was a copy of "Shangsu". At the corner of the table, there was a Ruyao brush washer that was bought by his father from Huzhou a few years ago. A guqin which he had used since he was a child on the table laying alone.

There was also an unsolved jade chessboard game on the couch under the window.

It was the study he had used for more than 20 years, which was familiar and peaceful, but it showed an unreal feeling.

Jun Huailang was stunned for a while, the room was quiet, only the rustle of rain hitting the surface of the lotus pond outside.

I… am I not dead?

His parents died, his second brother was martyred for the city, his family was destroyed, the cold rain and the butcher knife of Xuanwu gate, and his sister was humiliated...

In this silence, it seemed that nothing happened.

He couldn't help looking down at his hand.

It was a pair of slender but immature hands, with thin white skin and weak bone joints. They looked as if they belonged to a ten years old child.

And in his hand, he held a crumpled piece of paper.

Jun Huailang's pupils shrank suddenly and hurriedly unfolded the piece of paper.

It was a corner of a certain book page. The characters on it were very strange. It was clearly Chinese characters, but there were a lot of missing strokes. The piece of paper was obviously torn from its place because he unconsciously grabbed it with a great force. With it, Jun Huailang could feel the cold and dampness caused by rain.

The paper said: Xue Yan's lips formed a cold arc, and he reached out and pinched her chin...

Jun Huailang's eyes were cold.

Not a dream.

Those in his memory all happened in reality. He just didn't know if he was in the underworld or...

At this moment, someone opened the door and walked in.

Jun Huailang moved his finger and hid the piece of paper in his palm again. When he looked up, he saw a 14-year-old boy in short combat dress coming in with a smile.

"Master, here is the Huimo you want!" he said.

"...Fuyi?" Jun Huailang was taken aback.

Fuyi was his book boy. He was only one year younger than him and grew up with him since childhood. On the day when Yongning houfu was raided and Jun huailang was taken away. Fuyi was killed by Jin Yiwei in the mansion in order to protect him.

Why is Fuyi still alive, and still looks like a young boy?

Fuyi did not see the shock and doubt in his eyes at all. He was holding the piece of ink stick to the table and skillfully ground it for him.

"The ink in the yard has already been used up. This minion went to the master's study to fetch it for you. It's different from what you usually use. I don't know if you can get used to it…"

A light flashed in Jun Huailang's mind.

When he finished reading the book, a few immortals came in the void and took him away from there. Listening to the immortal's words, it must be a coincidence that he went to the place he shouldn't go.

But before his consciousness disappeared, he vaguely heard one of the immortals say that the soul was in the wrong place.

Could it be that... I had already reached the end of my life, and I was going to reincarnate in the underworld, but was sent back by mistake a few years ago?

Jun Huailang looked at his hand that was holding the torn corner of the page, and became more sure of his guess.

So, nothing had happened yet. I am still young, my parents are still alive, and my sister is not...

Thinking of this, his eyes went cold.

Xue Yan.

That beast was still a little beast at this time.

Fortunately, a few immortals favored him and gave him a chance to clean up his old enemies.

Thinking of this, Jun Huailang tightened his fingers and clamped the page tightly.

Fuyi on the table is still unaware. He talked a lot, grinding and grinding. His mouth didn't stop.

"Just now, this minion met a servant from the lady's room! The servant said that the bird raised by the lady was bitten to death by a wild cat and cried for a long time! She is still worried because the lady will go to the palace for the Mid Autumn Festival banquet in the evening. What to do if the lady's eyes are swollen…"

Bird.

Jun Huailang paused.

In his previous life, Jun Linghuan raised a little yellow bird for more than a year. It's very precious. In this year, the bird was bitten to death by a wild cat. Jun Linghuan was very sad and he coaxed her for a long time.

From then on, Jun Linghuan never raised birds anymore.

If I remember correctly, this year is the 18th year of Qingping, and I am just 16 years old. Today in his previous life, he fell asleep in front of the window while the cold wind blew. It caused him to develop a high fever and did not go to the Palace Banquet.

Jun Huailang's eyes darkened.

He remembered that in the book, Xue Yan had sent a bird to Jun Linghuan. The bird was locked in a gold cage studded with jewels, with a gold chain on its feet. Jun Linghuan refused in every way possible and annoyed Xue Yan. That beast suddenly had a perverted hobby out of nowhere and locked his sister's ankle up with the same identical chain. 

Thinking of this, Jun Huailang began to itch with anger.

Jun Linghuan hadn't been to the palace much before, and Jun Huailang didn't know when she had become enemies with that beast. In this life, he must take good care of his sister and never make any mistakes again.

Thinking of this, Jun Huailang put away the piece of paper, raised his eyes and said to Fuyi: "You don't need to grind it. How long until we enter the palace? Pack it up first, I'll go and see Linghuan."

Fuyi brushed his clothes and hurriedly asked the servant girl to prepare.

Sitting at the desk alone, Jun Huailang gradually digested the current facts and cleared his thoughts.

The Jun family was a century-old clan and very close to the emperor. He couldn't count the number of large and small banquets he attended in the palace in a year. Therefore, the servant girl in Jun Huailang's courtyard was very proficient and soon prepared the clothes that he would wear to enter the palace.

In the cold autumn morning in Chang'an, Jun Huailang changed into a dark blue silk robe with a shu brocade under the service of two servant girls, and added a dark blue tied up cloak.

He stood in the bronze mirror and glanced. The boy in the mirror had dark hair. He was still thin and hadn't yet grown up. He looked so green and tender. He felt a little strange.

Another sense of unreality flooded Jun Huailang's heart, like Zhuang Sheng who couldn't distinguish dream and reality.

The maid next to me also smiled and said: "The young master looks handsome. Although the slaves see the young master every day, they still can't help but let the young master shake their minds!"

The servant girl around all laughed softly.

She was not exaggerating. The young master of Jun family was well-known in Chang'an. His face was like a crown of jade, his eyebrows were bright and picturesque, and his peach blossom eyes appeared to be romantic and affectionate, but he is particularly cold because of his noble and elegant temperament, which makes his elegant demeanor and exquisite appearance not incompatible.

At this time, he was reborn. The childishness in his eyes had long disappeared. His eyes were quiet and cold. He stood there like an inviolable banished immortal.

Jun Huailang was used to his appearance. He glanced at the bronze mirror and smiled indifferently.

"It's just a skin bag. It's nothing more than a foreign object."

The more important thing was the soul under the skin that had changed.

——

Without much delay, Jun Huailang went to Jun Linghuan's courtyard. The yard was small and exquisite. Many flowers and trees were planted, and flowers bloom all the year round. A small bell hung from the eaves of her main house. When the wind blew, it rang softly.

Fuyi held an umbrella for Jun Huailang, and followed him all the way into Jun Linghuan's room.

There was a maid guarding the door, and she quickly greeted him with a smile: "Miss, the eldest master is here!" The maid in the room talked with a smile on her face, and invited Jun Huailang in.

Jun Huailang walked in and saw Jun Linghuan sitting in front of the dressing table, surrounded by several maids.

A little girl carved with pink and jade, with red eyes and choked in a low voice. She was still sad when he saw her. Although she was spoiled by her family since childhood, she was very well-behaved. At this time, although she couldn't help but to cry, she didn't make trouble, and obediently let the servant girl comb her hair.

Hearing Jun Huailang coming, the little girl's eyes finally lit up by two points. She raised her head, her eyes were red, and she looked at him timidly like a deer.

"Big brother, you here?" She sobbed with a soft and cute voice.

This was Jun Linghuan eight years ago.

At a glance, Jun Huailang's heart melted.

Such a pitiful little girl. How could that beast Xue Yan did it!

Over there, the servant girl who combed Jun Linghuan's hair straightened the hairpin for her. She stopped her hand and said, "The young master is finally here. We can't help it when the young lady cries. We have to count on the young master."

Seeing that she had combed her hair, Jun Linghuan jumped off the chair and ran to Jun Huailang.

Jun Huailang bent over and hugged her.

Very nice. He thought to himself. Nothing had happened yet, and his sister had not yet been attacked by that beast.

Jun Linghuan put her arms around Jun Huailang's neck and whispered in a complaint: "Brother, my little bird was killed by a cat."

Jun Huailang stroked her back and coaxed warmly: "Brother knows. The little bird flew back to the sky. When you come back, brother will find another little animal for you and let it accompany you, okay?"

His voice was as clear as a spring in the mountain. It was good to hear. At this time, he put a soft tone, which made people want to indulge in it.

Jun Linghuan raised her hand. She wiped her eyes, and nodded obediently.

"So the cat won't bite it to death." She added.

Jun Huailang nodded with a smile and asked her if she had eaten. The etiquette at the Palace Banquet was cumbersome. He was afraid that she would be hungry.

Jun Linghuan then went to eat obediently. She generously stuffed Jun Huailang with the sweet-scented osmanthus cake that she was reluctant to eat at noon.

Jun Huailang looked at the little girl who looked at him expectantly and waited for him to taste her favorite pastry. His heart felt a little tight.

In my past life...how could I let her suffer such a crime.

Jun Linghuan lied down in front of him and saw that he held the cake but didn't eat it. For a moment, she even forgot her sadness.

"Brother, why don't you eat?" She asked.

Jun Huailang came back to his senses.

He paused, smiled soothingly at Jun Linghuan. He raised his hand and wiped her soft hair. In a clear voice, there was firmness and seriousness that others could not detect.

"Brother will protect you." He said.

Xue Yan would never have another chance to succeed.

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Author's note:

Jun Linghuan read the question: What kind of experience was it when my brother was forced to bend in order to protect me?

Jun Linghuan: Thank you for your invitation. I'm in Chang'an and just got off the carriage. At first, my brother said he would protect me. I was very happy. But then I watched the "animal", "beast" and "not human" in my brother's mouth become my brother-in-law. Maybe this is my brother's spirit of selfless dedication. I'm really moved!