Chapter 4 Don't Tell You

  "Ziying, are you in the house?"

  "I'm in the house!" Chen Yi, standing in front of the window and looking at the Taoist temple and the continuous peaks of Zhongnan Mountain outside, heard Ning Qing's call from outside and immediately opened the door. Wearing a clean Taoist robe and with her hair tied up in a bun, Ning Qing stood pretty at the door, with a slightly awkward expression on her face.

  "Miss Qing, let's go inside and talk!" Chen Yi smiled and made a welcoming gesture to Ning Qing.

  "Ziying, Master wants you to go over and talk!" Ningqing said, hesitating for a moment before walking into the house.

  "Oh?! Master Sun called me? Then I'll go right away," Chen Yi was slightly surprised, immediately responded and prepared to step out.

  "Hey... don't be in such a hurry, I still have a few words to say to you!"

  "Oh?" Chen Yi was taken aback for a moment, saw Ning Qing's awkward face and immediately reacted, "Okay then!"

  Chen Yi had been in the Zong Sheng Palace for almost ten days. After being treated with some medicine provided by Sun Simiao and some self-treatment of his injuries, his body had basically recovered, and the muscle tissue damage on his body had also healed. However, under Sun Simiao's instructions, he was still resting in the house. In the past ten days, he and Ning Qing, a young Taoist nun, had become very familiar with each other. At his request, Ning Qing no longer called him "Chen Gongzi", but instead addressed him by his courtesy name "Ziying". Chen Yi also called her "Qinger" or "Qinger Niang". The change in address brought the two closer together, and after a few days of contact, there was a subtle feeling between them.

  Ning Qing seems to also quite like Chen Yi's company, and often runs to his residence when there is nothing to do. In the courtyard where Sun Simiao lives, there are no other people, and Sun Simiao's two male disciples, Wang Chong and Liu Hai, have not returned from collecting herbs in the mountains. The young Ning Qing is always timid in front of his master, and does not dare to be naughty or playful in front of his two strict senior brothers, and is always well-behaved! Only when facing Chen Yi, who is similar in age, can he show the naughtiness and romance that should be at this age, without having to worry about anything.

  In daily interactions, Chen Yi wouldn't put on a straight face, his actions weren't stiff, and he spoke with humor and wit. He would often tease her to make her laugh, saying interesting things and joking around, which made Ning Qing feel very refreshed! When Sun Simiao was busy handling important matters and the two senior brothers were not around, no one supervised Ning Qing, so she had a lot of freedom. After finishing her tasks, she would come over to chat with Chen Yi.

  Chen Yi of course very much liked Ning Qing to accompany him, and often with her nonsense, said some fresh things that Ning Qing had never heard before, changing some interesting things from later generations and telling them to her, also telling her some classic stories, often making her laugh.

  Arrived in the ancient times without electricity, entertainment or nightlife, life was quite dull. Fortunately, there was a lovely little girl next door, otherwise this day would be unbearable!

  Seeing this beautiful girl reveal her radiant smile in front of him, Chen Yi was also very happy.

  Every year, Sun Simiao would prepare some medicine in the spring. At that time, several disciples were very busy, but now the required medicinal materials have not been collected yet. Two male disciples are still collecting herbs in the mountains and there is nothing much to do. Ning Qing also has plenty of time to accompany Chen Yi, besides chatting with him, she would also accompany him for a walk outside the observatory.

  Strolling along the forest path filled with fallen leaves, chatting occasionally with the little girl by his side, listening to her crisp laughter, and even enjoying her support when going up and down the stairs - it's an incredibly wonderful feeling! However, despite these "wonderful" days, Chen Yi sometimes feels a sense of unreality. It all seems too much like a fairy tale. He can't understand why Sun Simiao would take him in and instruct a female disciple to care for him - this doesn't seem like the kind of treatment an ordinary person should receive!

  Although Sun Simiao had asked him some things in the past few days, he didn't get much out of his mouth. However, when Chen Yi was in contact with Sun Simiao, he could feel that the young old Daoist's gaze at him was not quite ordinary, with a hint of mystery. This made him think of another point, it was possible that Old Daoist Sun had seen something unusual about him from some aspect, so he treated him this way. This was perceived from Ning Qing's occasional slips of the tongue.

  Chen Yi thought of the jade pendant in his bosom, knowing that Sun Simiao and his disciples must have seen it before. Could this jade pendant be an unusual object? However, Sun Simiao and his disciples didn't mention it, nor did he dare to ask.

  Ning Qing looked up at him, meeting Chen Yi's inquiring gaze, "Ziying, when will you tell me some more interesting stories? I really enjoy listening to the fresh and interesting things you have to say!" These days, Chen Yi had told her many interesting things that she had never heard of before, strongly arousing her curiosity, and from time to time, she would make such requests of him!

  "Great! As long as Qing'er likes to listen, I'll tell you!" Chen Yi smiled and agreed, he liked to see Ning Qing's focused eyes when she listened to his stories. A pure and lovely girl was a rare treasure in the future, too hard to come by, Chen Yi had never met one before, but after crossing over, he immediately met one, what luck! He felt that he had already fallen for her at first sight!

  Of course, it's just a liking, a man's instinctive liking for a beauty, at least not involving too much emotion for now. A pretty and innocent girl like Ning Qing, any man would fall in love with her at first sight.

  "En, that's good, let's go!" Ning Qing took a step forward, but she also asked the doubts in her heart: "Ziying, you... forgot many things before, why do you remember these things?"

  "I don't know, maybe... maybe because I read a lot of books before, these things are deeply remembered, so they haven't been forgotten!" Chen Yi pointed to his own head and said seriously, "I once heard someone say that our brain has several blocks responsible for memory. Maybe the block responsible for remembering daily affairs was damaged when I got hit, so I don't remember anything from before. But the block responsible for reading books wasn't hurt, so I still remember everything I learned from books..."

  "Really? I've never heard Master say that before?" Ning Qing, who had already walked into the courtyard, still looked puzzled and glanced at Chen Yi sideways, "Besides, what you said, I've never heard of it before. Where did you get it from?"

  "I'll just tell you stories that you've never heard before, and I won't bother telling you the ones you already know!" Chen Yi said with a smile.

  "You always deceive me..." Ning Qing curled her lips in disdain.

  "How could I dare cheat a young girl like you!" Chen Yi hastily explained with a smile.

  "Hmph!" Ning Qing rolled her lovely white eyes and stopped asking questions, leading Chen Yi into the Jingyang Building where Sun Simiao lived.

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  "Long time no see, Master Sun!" Chen Yi saw Sun Simiao sitting inside and hastily went forward to pay his respects.

  "Ziying, are you feeling better now?" Sun Simiao stood up and returned the courtesy, gesturing with his hand, "Please sit down and let's talk!"

  "Thanks to Master Sun's rescue and Ning Qing's care, I've fully recovered!" Chen Yi said as he sat down, with Ning Qing standing beside him.

  "Don't be like this, I don't like these tedious formalities!" Sun Simiao frowned and said.

  "The Taoist priest said that great kindness does not require thanks, and I dare not speak such empty words again!" Chen Yi bowed once more, his face full of reverence. "I don't know why the Taoist priest summoned me today, what instructions do you have for me?"

  "Let's sit down and talk!" Sun Simiao chuckled, then turned to Ning Qing on the side and instructed, "Qing'er, you go first, decoct the medicine that I just prepared today, and have Ziying take it later..."

  "Yes, Master!" Ning Qing bowed and cast a glance at Chen Yi, somewhat reluctantly leaving the hall.

  "Ziying, have you remembered your own affairs?"

  "The way back is long, some things I remember, and some things I just can't recall!" Chen Yi replied respectfully.

  These days, there have been some strange hallucinations appearing in his mind. He is convinced that these are memories left behind by his previous life, but they are very fragmented and cannot be connected together. The more he thinks about it, the more confused he becomes.

  Sun Simiao looked at Chen Yi with a deep gaze, stroking his beard and said: "It seems that you have suffered a head injury, and there are still some residual symptoms left behind. You need to take more time to recover, think carefully, slowly think, and some things will come back to mind."

  "Master Dao, these days I've also been thinking, I thought of some things, but... they're a bit mixed up!"

  "Oh?!" Sun Simiao's face changed color, and after a pause, he asked again, "Do you know where you are going on this trip? Is there anyone following you?"

  "Dao Chang, I think our journey should be to Chang'an. There were attendants by my side, but I don't know whether they are alive or dead!" The hallucinations that had appeared in the past few days proved this point, his previous life was bringing several attendants to Chang'an. But what exactly happened, Chen Yi still couldn't figure it out, and could only answer Sun Simiao's question vaguely like this!

  "That's great! You're almost recovered, and I'm going to Chang'an in two days. Why don't you come with me? Sun Simiao stroked his beard and said: "This time I'll be staying in Chang'an for a relatively long period of time, who knows... you might run into the person you're looking for!"

  Sun Simiao said this with a profound gaze that made Chen Yi feel somewhat tense, the kind of tension that couldn't be put into words. Hearing the old Taoist say this, which was exactly in line with his own thoughts, he immediately agreed: "I will follow your instructions, Master!"

  "Alright, you get ready, I'll let you know when it's time for us to set off!"

  "Yes, Master Dao!"

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  Chen Yi and Sun Simiao chatted for a while before they came out. As soon as they walked out of the Jingyang Building, Ning Qing, who was waiting outside, came forward to greet them.

  "Ziying, what did your master say to you?"

  Chen Yi looked at Ning Qing's curious face and smiled, answering in a low voice: "Your master said he would go to Chang'an in two days and take me with him!"

  "Ah! Really?! Master is going to Chang'an again?" Ning Qing was slightly surprised, and under Chen Yi's gaze, her pretty face turned slightly red as she whispered: "I'll go talk to Master and ask him to take me along too! Last time I had to beg him several times before he took me!"

  "What is Sun Simiao going to do in Chang'an? Is he going to be an official?" Chen Yi was a bit curious, and Sun Simiao said that he would be staying in Chang'an for a long time. Was it because he had been summoned by the imperial court to take office?

  "Master doesn't like to be an official, he has repeatedly refused the official positions granted by the imperial court, and is too lazy to manage even the affairs within the Zongsheng Palace..." Ning Qing said in a low voice, "He went to Chang'an probably to diagnose someone's illness... Hmm, Ziying, let's go to your room to talk."

  Ning Qing was somewhat excited and accompanied Chen Yi back to his room, speaking in a low voice about his master.

  After listening to Ning Qing's words, Chen Yi finally understood that Sun Simiao, although called a Taoist priest, was different from the other Taoist priests in the Zongsheng Palace. He did not interfere with the management of the palace's affairs and rarely performed rituals. It can be said that Sun Simiao and his disciples were a distinct group from the other Taoist priests in the palace. The master and his disciples occupied a building, doing their own thing, preparing medicinal materials, refining elixirs, and so on, while the affairs of the Zongsheng Palace were managed by others.

  Chen Yi also came back to his senses. He had been here for several days, but he hadn't had much contact with the other Taoist priests in the palace.

  Chen Yi also learned from Ning Qing's intermittent words that, because the Tang Dynasty imperial family recognized Laozi, the founder of Taoism, as the holy ancestor of the Li family, they strongly revered Taoism, and Taoist temples in various places were renovated. Especially since the Louguan Daoist Qi Hui had assisted Li Yuan in his uprising, after Li Yuan became emperor, he specially favored the Louguan Dao. In the early years of the Wude era, a grand-scale Zongsheng Palace was built, and there were also many Taoist followers inside, numbering in the hundreds.

  Sun Simiao had been at the Zongsheng Palace for a long time, and due to his great reputation, several emperors of the Tang Dynasty, including Li Yuan and Li Shimin, invited him to enter the court as an official, but he refused them all. Sun Simiao had previously refused the requests of Emperor Xuan of Northern Zhou and the two emperors of the Sui Dynasty to enter the court as an official, and even after moving to Mount Zhongnan, the court's request for him to preside over the affairs of the Zongsheng Palace was also rejected by him. After arriving at the Zongsheng Palace, Sun Simiao only focused on medical research, drug research, and alchemy, and rarely dealt with Taoist affairs, and even his few disciples were the same.

  "I see!" Chen Yi listened and felt slightly disappointed. Sun Simiao didn't like to ask about politics and wasn't willing to be an official, so his original hope of using him as a bridge to get to know the thoughts of this era's famous people was likely to be shattered.

  "Ziying, you've recovered from your injury, are you leaving now?" After entering Chen Yi's house and mentioning a few words about going to Chang'an, Ning Qing asked cautiously, "You're going to Chang'an with Master, does that mean you won't be coming back? Not even returning to Tongtai Mountain?"

  "I don't know either," said Dao Chang. "When we arrive in Chang'an, I might run into the person I want to meet!" Chen Yi's heart felt a bit anxious when he heard this.

  Ning Qing also seemed unhappy and stopped talking, the two fell silent for a while.

  "Ziying, Master said that your identity is definitely not ordinary, it can be seen from the jade pendant you wear! That is imperial..." Ningqing raised his eyes and looked at Chen Yi, immediately realizing he had slipped up, feeling a bit anxious, avoiding Chen Yi's gaze, softly saying: "Ziying, I have to go first, Master will look for me later, when I'm free I'll come again to talk with you..."

  "Uh, okay!" Chen Yi nodded, but suddenly thought of something and asked Ning Qing, who was about to leave, "How did you know I had a jade pendant on me? Oh... Miss Qing, who changed my tattered clothes for me that day? Who wiped my body clean?"

  "Don't tell you..." Chen Yi just wanted to tease Ning Qing, but didn't expect Ning Qing to be like being stung by something, his body shook and he quickly ran away like flying.

  Chen Yifeng clearly saw that when Ning Qing escaped from the house, her face was flushed with red...