Chapter 104.3
With Li Wenjian falling ill, Mu Gui became even busier. Besides handling his regular duties, he had to deal with inquiries from various households about the young master's condition, and visitors came to check on his health two or three times a day. The hectic schedule left him feeling overwhelmed.
Just as he saw off the servant from the third uncle who had come to inquire about the young master's condition, he lifted his eyes to see that lively little devil again.
"Brother Mu Gui," the little devil greeted him with a smile, her words sweet.
Mu Gui's heart softened at her greeting, and he replied, "The young master just took his medicine and lay down."
Zhao Heng looked up at him with her bright eyes and said, "I didn't come to see Brother Shulang, I came to see you."
Mu Gui was surprised and looked at her.
Zhao Heng smiled and handed him the food box, saying, "I asked Chef Liu to make you osmanthus rice cakes. Try them."
Mu Gui glanced at the steaming osmanthus rice cakes and then at Zhao Heng.
Although she wasn't good at her studies, she was very likable. The maids from Yanshanju and Qingyuan spoke highly of her.
Mu Gui picked up a piece of the rice cake and tasted it, the sweetness spreading in his mouth.
"Is it good?" Zhao Heng leaned on the table, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Mu Gui nodded, "Not bad."
"Then can you do me a favor?" Zhao Heng blinked at him.
Seeing her mischievous expression, Mu Gui realized a bit too late that he had been tricked. But having already swallowed the cake, he couldn't take it back and just had to acknowledge, "I knew it, you never come without a reason. What is it?"
Zhongxing spoke softly and clearly, "Can you put in a good word for me in front of Brother Shulang? Let me come to Yanshanju as a maid for him."
Mu Gui looked her up and down, puzzled, "Why do you want to be a maid?"
"So I can see him every day," Zhao Heng looked at him with clear eyes, speaking her mind without reservation.
Not thinking much of it, Mu Gui thought she just wanted to be closer to the young master because he treated her well and was kind to her.
"Is it okay?" Zhao Heng asked again.
Without answering her, Mu Gui asked, "What can you do if you come? You can't even write your name properly. You can't help the young master with accounts, don't know which tea goes with what water, and you can't even grind ink or write. Besides, the young master won't need a maid like you."
Zhao Heng felt dejected for a moment, a hint of embarrassment crossing her face, "W-why?"
"Because the young master's maidservants are at least literate. The young master loves reading, and the maids often have to fetch books for him. You can't read, so how would you know which book to pick?" Mu Gui explained.
Zhao Heng shook her head dejectedly and said softly, "I don't know."
"Well, there you go," Mu Gui saw her obedient and adorable demeanor and softened his tone, "The young master has plenty of maidservants. Don't worry. He will get better soon. You just focus on farming, and as long as you're happy, the young master will be reassured."
For some reason, the young master was overly accommodating to her.
*
In the study, Li Wenjian sat down and wrote with his brush and ink.
The morning light shone into the room, illuminating his handsome face as if radiating brilliance.
An Jingliu next to him reported on the situation at the front.
"The remnants of Yang Yuan have been forced to retreat near the river, and Mei Wujiu has cut off Wang Jintang's reinforcements. It is feared that the remnants of Yang Yuan will not hold out for more than half a year before they surrender. At that time, there will be chaos in the capital. The Emperor has been showing signs of restlessness lately, so we plan to leave the capital for a while to avoid the coming storm."
Li Wenjian knew that once the remnants of Yang Yuan were wiped out, the capital would lose its final defense. Shortly before the Li army invaded the capital, the Emperor fled to the south, seeking refuge with the southern clans, causing trouble for the court for four to five years.
In the previous life, before leaving the capital, the Emperor did indeed set fire to the An family mansion before departing. But this time, Li Wenjian had no intention of letting the Emperor leave the capital alive.
He had already written a letter to his father, intending to persuade a few reliable military leaders in the capital to block the Imperial City before they invaded, putting the Emperor in his control.
Li Wenjian nodded and said, "The Emperor is cruel and tyrannical. We don't know what he might do at the last moment of desperation. It's best to temporarily leave the capital to avoid risks."
If it weren't for Grandpa's foresight in sending most of the family away from the capital early, last time that fire could have killed so many people. He didn't want anyone to even face the slightest danger.
An Jingliu sighed in relief.
He turned around to see him bent over, drawing something. He went closer to look and saw that he had drawn many small pictures on the paper, with related words written next to each.
"What is this?" An Jingliu asked.
Li Wenjian lifted the paper and handed it to him, saying, "It's an enlightening book I prepared for Zhao Heng. Thus she can learn words faster by looking at pictures."
"True dedication to studying doesn't need all these fancy things. That girl is not cut out for studying, but everyone has their own aspirations. She's doing well with the farming, and the little vegetable garden is thriving." An Jingliu put the paper down. "I think you should give up on the idea of making her study."
"Well, you may be mistaken." Li Wenjian continued to write on the next page with his head down. "She's just not ready yet. Once she is, she'll be willing to learn."
You even praised her for her unparalleled knowledge and personally taught her last time.
"I don't think so." An Jingliu was not convinced, but seeing the enlightening drawings done by Li Wenjian, he couldn't help but take another look. "You've put in so much effort, don't let it go to waste. Give it to me to take to the bookstore for printing, to be used by the children in the school."
"No." Li Wenjian covered the paper with his hands and hummed softly. "This is for Zhao Heng, so if you want it, draw your own."
An Jingliu's mouth twitched, muttering, "Stingy."
Meanwhile, Zhao Heng had returned to Qingyuan.
She sat gloomily on the steps in the courtyard, staring at the seeds placed at her feet.
Seeing her sitting there alone and unhappy, Xue shi brought out clothes to dry and asked, "Why are you so unhappy today?"
"I'm not." Zhao Heng instinctively denied, but under Xue's kind gaze, she felt a bit helpless and asked, "Do you think studying is useful?"
"It should be useful," Xue shi shook out the clothes in her hands and hung them on the clothesline. "Otherwise, why would so many people spend money to go to school? Look at the girls in the mansion, they all want to go to the family school to study. The An family members are all so bright. If it's useless, why would they let their girls study?"
Zhao Heng had always thought studying was useless. But since she had come out of the family school, she couldn't shake off the feelings deep inside her, unable to explain what they were.
Just now, her grandmother had opened up the inexplicable feelings in her heart, making her feel so much clearer.
Brother Shulang, such a good person, had asked her to go to the family school as his first request. If it was useless, why would he want her to learn?
Mu Gui also said that all the maids around him could read and write. If it was useless, why keep a few to serve him?
She didn't know if it was good or bad, but she remembered how she initially learned to pick mushrooms. She didn't know what mushrooms were edible or not, but she would follow others to pick them, right?
Even though she didn't know if studying was good or bad, following him felt right.
"I understand." Zhao Heng stood up suddenly, embraced Xue shi happily in the morning light.
She rushed into the room to find Ying Que, who was rearranging her clothes. Her meals had been good for the past two months, and the new clothes she had just received in the mansion were now too short. Ying Que kept the clothes she couldn't wear in the old chest, waiting to give them to others on the next day the mansion opened to distribute porridge.
"Ying Que."
Zhao Heng cheered as she entered the room, almost bumping into her embrace.
"Slow down, slow down," Ying Que opened her arms to protect her and lightly tapped her forehead. "How many times have I told you..."
"You should walk lightly, eat slowly, and talk slowly," Zhao Heng smiled, continuing her sentence.
Ying Que gave her a helpless look, "You remember all that, yet you won't listen."
"Ying Que, I want to learn to write. Where are my books?" Zhao Heng blinked at her.
Ying Que was shocked, instinctively touching her forehead and asked in surprise, "Am I hearing correctly?"
"No!" Zhao Heng said loudly, leaning over to her ear. "I want to study and write. Bring me my books."
Ying Que could hardly believe her ears. Zhongxing was asking to read voluntarily. She hurried to the study to fetch the brushes, ink, paper, and ink stones that Zhao Heng had tucked away.
She feared that Zhao Heng's enthusiasm would wane, and she wouldn't want to study again.
But to her surprise, that enthusiasm lasted for several days. Every morning, when Ying Que passed by her door, she found Zhao Heng obediently copying characters at the desk.
That seriousness in her work was just like when she was farming.
Ying Que was delighted to see this.
*
As mid-April approached, the weather began to warm up, with the midday heat becoming oppressive, draining people's energy. Every morning, Zhao Heng would visit the vegetable garden first, then go to Yanshanju to visit Li Wenjian. When she returned, she would sit obediently at the desk and write.
On this day, she visited Li Wenjian. The poison in his body had been completely expelled, and as a young man, his body was recovering rapidly. However, after days of being bedridden, his body was still a bit weak.
Mu Gui moved a recliner to the corridor to let him soak up some sun under the eaves. Zhao Heng stood by, telling him about the garden news, "The potatoes are flowering, and the beans are bearing fruit. Soon, we'll be able to enjoy our potato and bean stew."
At the sound of her words, Li Wenjian put down the book in his hand and looked at Zhao Heng, a smile playing on his lips, "Impressive."
Zhao Heng shyly smiled, "It's not that impressive."
"Last time, Grandpa told me that you are great at farming. Every vegetable in the garden is growing well," Li Wenjian praised her.
Zhao Heng was surprised, "Really? Did the old man really praise me?"
"When have I ever lied to you?"
He lightly touched her cheek with his cold fingertips.
Zhao Heng had an inexplicable fear of An Jingliu, probably because he had hit her in school, leaving a stern impression on her.
People in the family school were proud of getting praised by him.
Zhao Heng's dark pupils brightened as she nodded heavily, "I will work hard!"
Li Wenjian lowered his eyes and lightly pressed her thin eyelids with his fingers. In the moment she looked up at him, she heard his voice as clear and cold as spring water, "Did you sleep well last night?"
Zhao Heng blinked and turned her head slightly to free her eyes from his hand. Seeing him earnestly looking at her with his head down, she seemed a little embarrassed, pursing her lips lightly, and said softly, "I've been really busy lately."
"What have you been busy with?" Li Wenjian couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.
Not having learned her own name very well yet, Zhao Heng was reluctant to tell him she was studying. She saw a book lying nearby in his hands and changed the subject by asking, "What is this book about?"
Li Wenjian played with the two small tufts on top of her head, his eyes pure and serious, "It's a little story. Do you want to hear it?"
Zhao Heng nodded.
"This is a story about a little tiger and a little turtle." Li Wenjian picked up the book, turned to the first page, and began to tell the story slowly and leisurely, "The story takes place in a forest many, many years ago..."
Zhao Heng sat next to him, listening to him tell the story with a clear and engaging tone. His voice was gentle, and he told the story with varying intensity, captivating her unknowingly.
But when he reached the part where "the hunter's arrow was aimed directly at the little tiger," he suddenly stopped.
Zhao Heng looked at him, "And then?"
Li Wenjian seemed to remember something and closed the book with his hands, saying in a flat tone, "I forgot. Grandpa asked me to find him for something."
The young man's eyes sparkled as he leaned in towards her, "Zhao Heng, I can't tell you the story right now."
He patted her head apologetically, "If you knew how to read, you would know the ending of the story immediately, without having to wait for me."
Zhao Heng blinked thoughtfully, feeling his words made sense. She obediently took the book from his hand and nodded lightly.
Li Wenjian knew she couldn't read, so he handed her the book with assurance.
As Zhao Heng flipped through a couple of pages, she finally understood why his tone was so apologetic.
She looked up in surprise, realizing that Shulang was also capable of deception. There weren't any tigers or turtles in the book at all.
He had lied to her about studying.
The scorching sunlight poured in through the open window, casting patches of light and shadows on the brown floor. She saw the young man in the dazzling sunlight, whispering softly, "Deceiver."
Li Wenjian heard her and instinctively turned his face aside, "What did you say?"
Without warning, a dark figure broke through the window, and the glint of a blade suddenly appeared.
Before Zhao Heng could react, Li Wenjian acted swiftly, pulling her shoulder. He grabbed the long sword hanging on the wall, unsheathed it, and clashed with the blade, sparking a few flashes of light.
Zhao Heng was held by the wrist, protected by him all the while, as she witnessed the thin blade in Li Wenjian's hand clashing with the man's spear, creating a series of sparks.
The assailant seemed surprised by his skill and hesitated for a moment before adjusting his movements swiftly, increasing his attack. Li Wenjian noticed the aggressive approach and, holding Zhao Heng, placed her on the desk and engaged in combat with the man.
They fought until he leaped, taking cover on the ceiling beam, and Wei Zhan finally caught his breath.
The room fell silent as the sunlight seeped through the broken window, illuminating the messy scene below.
The pen holder and incense table had been overturned, the inkstone knocked over, and the floor was splattered with ink.
The youth in white stood tall, covered in ink stains, even a few drops on his pale face. He looked up at the youth sitting on the ceiling beam, his bright golden hair shimmering, as if bathed in sunlight.
His long-lost and clear demeanor, in such brilliant sunlight, made Li Wenjian feel a strange mix of relief and unease. He suddenly felt immense pressure, his breath stifling.
"You're back?" he looked at him in a daze.
Wei Zhan looked down at him, seeing his eyes strangely reddened, a guilty and awkward look on his face. The sunlight danced on his face, slightly fluctuating as if covered by a strange veil.
"Separated for three months, you've really impressed people."
Li Wenjian felt something warm spreading in his chest, making his whole body stiffen, his breathing becoming constrained. His deep eyes stared at the figure gazing at him through the light beam.
He looked at his shining hair, his frowning eyebrows, his sharp features.
Li Wenjian's throat tightened, his body completely stiff, unable to move. After a moment, that figure jumped down from the beam, the dazzling sword dancing in his hand, heading straight towards him.
He took a step back, stumbled, and fell to the ground.
The spear pointed directly at his throat.
At that moment, a tiny figure threw herself towards him, shielding him. The figure was so powerful that he suddenly felt empowered, the strength flowing through his chest, like a rescue, releasing the invisible hands strangling his neck, allowing him to finally take in a breath of air.
The figure's owner turned her head and glared fiercely at the young man holding the spear, like a threatened tiger, and fiercely shouted at him in her young voice, "Don't kill him!"
The man's gaze shifted to her, a sly smile playing on his lips. He teasingly pulled Li Wenjian, "You rascal, how did you manage to lure my sister away from studying and get her into farming?"
Li Wenjian finally realized what was happening. He clenched his teeth, held her tightly in his arms, and brushed off the dust on her body.
Wei Zhan approached to look at Zhao Heng, his clear eyes sparkling like stars, "Where did you find such a little tiger cub? Daring to risk your life and dive under my spear."
Zhao Heng met his gaze with a protective stance.
Wei Zhan's laughter echoed through his chest, unable to contain himself, he raised his hand and playfully tugged at the two small hair buns atop her head.
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TNote:
"åå¨å¨" (xÇ wáwá) can also be translated as "wedding doll," "auspicious doll," or "lucky doll."