amaotonovel Chapter 285: Deepwater Night
Chapter 285: Deepwater Night
The night was dark and the streets of Deepwater were shrouded in a thin layer of mist, making it seem particularly quiet.
What happened today was too sudden. As I was sitting there, the sun slowly set.
In the hall of Sima Mansion, the flickering candlelight illuminated Sima Tianxing's slightly tired face.
He stood by the bed, his eyes fixed on his wife Zhao.
Zhao was muttering to herself in a low voice, so soft that it was almost inaudible, but Sima Tianxing could feel her inner anxiety from her trembling shoulders and clenched hands.
Zhao leaned over and gently wiped Sima Xingzhe's face, sobbing softly, her eyes never leaving Sima Xingzhe lying on the couch.
Sima Xingzhe's face was as pale as paper, and his breathing was weak, as if he would disappear in the silent night at any time.
Sima Tianxing sighed, feeling powerless.
He turned to look at Hu Qing and Gu Yang who were standing beside him. They both had serious expressions on their faces.
The two looked at each other, and seemed to read the same doubt in each other's eyes.
Sima Xingzhe was suddenly deposed. This incident was so sudden that both of them didn't know what to do.
"You two, please follow me." Sima Tianxing said in a low voice, with a hint of fatigue in his voice.
He led Hu Qing and Gu Yang through the corridor to the study next door.
The study had been cleaned by the housekeeper, and now the two of them could see the interior clearly.
The furnishings were simple, the bookshelves were filled with various martial arts books, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ink.
All the scattered papers on the floor were taken away, but the scroll Sima Xingzhe was reading was still scattered on the desk.
Sima Tianxing closed the door and slowly walked to the desk, his fingers unconsciously stroking the lines on the table.
He was silent for a moment, and finally spoke: "Xingzhe's return this time is indeed a bit strange."
Hu Qing and Gu Yang looked at each other and did not interrupt him, but just waited quietly for what to say next.
"Xingzhe has always behaved well in the military camp and only returns to Deepwater during holidays.
His sudden return this time surprised his mother and me, but we thought it was good for him to be home, because what parent wouldn't miss their child?
Sima Tianxing's voice was low and filled with helplessness, "But that night, he was brought back by two officers, and he needed help to walk.
After arriving home, he locked himself in his study and hardly spoke to us."
Gu Yang frowned and couldn't help asking, "Did he mention what happened in the barracks?"
Sima Tianxing shook his head: "No. He just looked through the martial arts manuals every day. If he didn't find what he was satisfied with, he would ask the housekeeper to go to the market to buy new ones.
These past few days, he barely ate or drank, and wouldn't let us get close to him.
His mother and I...were really at our wit's end."
Hu Qing clenched his fists. He had actually guessed it, but he couldn't tell ordinary people about the demons, so he said in a deep voice:
"It seems that we can only know the truth after Xingzhe wakes up."
Sima Tianxing nodded, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes:
"You two have come from afar, why don't you rest up here for a night?"
Gu Yang waved his hand and said with a smile: "Thank you for your kindness, Master Sima, but we plan to stroll around Deepwater Town and take a look at the local customs and people."
Hu Qing also agreed: "Yes, we won't bother you anymore."
Seeing this, Sima Tianxing no longer tried to keep them and personally escorted the two to the gate of the mansion.
After watching their backs disappear into the night, he sighed and turned back into the mansion.
He turned back to the study and his eyes fell on the pile of scattered martial arts books on the desk.
These scrolls were read by Sima Xingzhe in the past few days. Every one of them was wrinkled by him, and some pages were even torn to pieces.
Sima Tianxing picked up a book at random, opened it, and found that the pages were full of Sima Xingzhe's scribbled comments. The handwriting was messy, as if the person who wrote these words was full of anxiety and uneasiness.
"What on earth is Zhe'er looking for?" Sima Tianxing muttered to himself, frowning.
He had never seen his son behave so abnormally. Even when he was going through life and death trials in the military camp, Sima Xingzhe had never been as distraught as he was now.
……
As the night deepened, the streets outside Sima Mansion were already empty. The vendors had already packed up their stalls and gone home. Only a few lonely lanterns remained, swaying in the wind, emitting a faint light.
Hu Qing and Gu Yang walked side by side on the bluestone road, and the sound of their footsteps was particularly clear in the silent night.
Hu Qing suddenly stopped, frowned slightly, and glanced at the shadows on both sides of the street.
He lowered his voice and said to Gu Yang: "Those spies haven't left yet, and there are more of them than during the day."
Gu Yang chuckled, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: "We've already discovered it, they're just some low-level spies, nothing to be afraid of."
Hu Qing nodded, but still felt a little uneasy.
When he was at Sima Mansion just now, he actually forgot to ask Sima Tianxing about the origins of these spies.
However, it was obviously not appropriate to turn back now. He could only be alert and think:
"When water comes, we block it with earth; when soldiers come, we fight them with soldiers. These scoundrels really don't need to be taken seriously."
The two continued to move forward. The night in Deepwater seemed exceptionally quiet, with only the occasional barking of dogs in the distance.
After walking for a while, they came to a wide river.
The lanterns hanging high on both sides of the river are reflected on the surface of the river, and the light and shadow are intertwined, like a flowing galaxy.
This is the mother river of Shenshui Town - Shenshui River.
Unlike the deserted area near Sima Mansion, the banks of Shenshui River are extremely lively.
The river banks are lined with small stalls, with stall owners shouting and selling various snacks and handicrafts.
On the river, several small boats were slowly passing by, and bursts of laughter and joy came from the boats.
Hu Qing and Gu Yang walked upstream along the river, intending to find a restaurant to fill their stomachs.
Not long after they walked, a huge flower boat came into their sight.
The flower boat was five stories high, with carved beams and painted buildings, and brightly lit, like a palace floating on the water.
The women on the boat were dressed in light gauze, holding round fans, and talking and laughing, attracting passers-by on the shore to stop and watch.
Gu Yang raised his eyebrows and said with a smile: "A Qing, this flower boat is quite impressive, why don't we go up and take a look?"
Hu Qing also became interested and nodded, saying, "That's exactly what I was thinking. Since we have nothing to do tonight, why not go and experience the charm of Deepwater Town?"
The two smiled at each other and walked towards the flower boat.
There are several small boats parked next to the flower boat dock, which are used to pick up and drop off guests.
Hu Qing and Gu Yang boarded one of the small boats. The boatman skillfully held up the bamboo pole and the boat slowly sailed towards the flower boat.
As they approached the flower boat, the two could feel its luxury even more.
The hull is inlaid with countless gems, which sparkle under the light.
Several women in gorgeous clothes were standing on the deck at the bow of the ship. When they saw Hu Qing and Gu Yang, they immediately came up to greet them.
"Gentlemen, is this your first time visiting our 'Drunk Moon Tower'?"
A woman asked with a smile, her voice as clear as a silver bell.