Chapter 108.1
Zhao Heng looked into Li Wenjian's eyes, meeting his gaze. She saw a radiant smile in his eyes and returned it with a brilliant smile.
She raised her fingers, waving them in front of his eyes. Looking into his eyes, her voice became soft, "If you agree, let's pinky swear."
"Have you really thought this through?" Li Wenjian asked, tilting his head.
Looking up, Zhao Heng stared at him with innocent eyes, "I have."
"Do you know what marrying me entails?" Li Wenjian's lips slightly curled up. The morning sunlight swept down from the tile eaves, highlighting his sharp profile, with dark shadows under his eyes, adding a touch of dazzling beauty.
"I know," Zhao Heng pondered for a moment and replied, "Marrying you means being your wife, cooking, doing laundry, and raising children for you."
In the village, many couples had this arrangement, with men working outside while women took care of the household. Although she saw how hard Li Auntie and the others worked, he was Brother Shulang, and she was willing to endure such hardship for him.
Li Wenjian furrowed his brows upon hearing this.
"That's not it."
Surprised by his response, Zhao Heng asked, "What's not right?"
After a moment of contemplation, she added, "I can farm, write, gather herbs, hunt. When you're too busy, I can help you."
Brother Shulang was so good, and she didn't want him to work as hard as Li Shu and the others did. She was willing to help him. After all, she wanted to treat him well, just like how he treated her, making him the happiest husband in the world.
"What I mean is, marrying me doesn't just mean cooking, doing laundry, and raising children," Li Wenjian raised his index finger and lightly touched her nose, "Marrying me means that for the next few decades, we will be each other's closest and most beloved person. We'll go eat together, watch things together, and we will never be apart for the rest of our lives."
With her lips curving up again and the slight frown on her forehead fading away, Zhao Heng's face lit up with a warm smile. She pursed her lips and affectionately rubbed his hand, saying, "Haven't we already agreed on this? We'll go together wherever you go, you won't leave me behind."
"You can't leave me either." The young man's eyes had a hint of amber color as he gazed steadily at her, coaxing her to make a promise.
The naive little girl nodded easily, saying solemnly, "I will never leave you. We'll go everywhere together and never be separated for life."
Her clear eyes looked determined, as if making a solemn vow to the gods.
"Alright, we have a deal then. Never part, never change our minds." The young man's eyes curved with a hint of joy as he intertwined his pinky finger tightly with hers.
Then, they pressed the tips of their thumbs together, his gentle eyes holding a mischievous smile.
After breakfast, they continued their journey to Yingzhou.
Riding on horseback, Li Wenjian's usually calm expression held a touch of happiness as they traveled far from the city. The smile on his face became more prominent.
Wei Zhan turned to look at him for a long while, "We're going to Yingzhou to escape, not for leisure. Why are you so happy?"
Li Wenjian replied, "Don't think I don't know why you're not happy."
He glanced meaningfully at Wei Zhan, then patted his shoulder, "Yingzhou is in the south, with abundant rainfall. The peaches there are even sweeter than the ones in Xiaotao Village."
Wei Zhan shrugged, saying, "Don't make it seem like I only care about food. You're happy now, but your parents are far from the river. If we can't break through to the capital, who knows if we will ever return."
Li Wenjian chuckled, then turned to see Zhao Heng leaning out of the carriage window, eating pastries. He tightened the reins, slowing down, and took out a silk handkerchief to wipe her mouth. Warm and joyful expressions filled his eyes and smile.
"It's no big deal if we can't go back." Li Wenjian returned to Wei Zhan's side, laughing, "After all, I'm not picky. I can eat peaches from Xiaotao Village or anywhere else."
"Li Shulang!" Wei Zhan gritted his teeth, raising his whip to push Li Wenjian's shoulder.
Li Wenjian dodged, then struck the horse's flank, urging it to gallop away. Wei Zhan followed in anger. The young men behind them, who had woken up early, were nodding off slowly. Hearing their laughter, they thought they had discovered something interesting, perking up and urging their horses to catch up.
The ancient path was quiet, the noise of hooves echoing, mixed with the sounds of joyous laughter from the youth.
An Qingliu also heard their playful laughter and lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, seeing several figures riding horses in the dust.
The young men under the sunlight flew freely, like birds just released from a cage. He glanced to take a few looks and smiled.
âItâs the best time of their life.â
Their journey was filled with stops and pauses, stretching what should have been a ten-day trip into nearly a month. It was the peak of summer, yet when they finally arrived at their destination, Yingzhou, Zhao Heng seemed unfazed by the sweltering heat, brimming with curiosity about everything around her.
Li Wenjian paid little attention to her, entrusting Mu Gui to entertain her and Wei Wanyu all day long. Occasionally, in his moments of leisure, he would personally guide her through the sights and sounds of Yingzhou.
In contrast to the capital, Yingzhou's climate was characterized by intense daytime sunshine and heavy nighttime rainfall, with fluctuating temperatures that oscillated between hot and cold.
One day, Zhao Heng and Wei Wanyu ventured to the theater to enjoy an opera performance. On their way back, they were caught in a sudden downpour. By evening, Zhao Heng began to feel unwell, her voice becoming hoarse â a clear sign of fever.
Back in Xuejia Village, a bowl of piping hot ginger tea would always be Xue's go-to remedy whenever Zhao Heng felt under the weather. This time, she drank two cups of ginger tea without giving it much thought.
Perhaps, Zhao Heng mused, having others to lend support and care can inadvertently make oneself more vulnerable. Where once minor illnesses would quickly pass, now she found herself more susceptible to discomfort, her voice increasingly strained.
Xue shi expressed concern, suggesting, "Why not inform Steward Xie and have a doctor check on you?"
Zhao Heng shook her head, determined to soldier on. Tomorrow, her brother Shulang would be on break and they wouldn't need to visit Elder An's courtyard for their studies. He had already instructed Mu Gui to inform her that they would be heading to Lumen Mountain for a day out.
If her brother Shulang knew she was ill, he would surely not permit her to go outside.
Looping her arm through Xue shi's, Zhao Heng reassured her, "Grandma, I'll be fine. It won't be long before I'm back to my old self."
Understanding her yearning for outdoor adventures, Xue shi prepared a pot of pear candy for Zhao Heng to carry along â a remedy to soothe her throat whenever discomfort arose.
Just as Zhao Heng set down her chopsticks after breakfast, the melodious voice of Ying Que floated in from outside the courtyard, calling out, "Young Master."
Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she hastily dabbed at her mouth with a handkerchief, leaping off the stool and darting outside. The graceful young man encountered the grandmother on his way in, offering a respectful bow before catching sight of the exuberant young girl heading his way.
With a gentle smile, he called out her name, "Ah Heng."
Zhao Heng blinked her bright round eyes, reflecting only the image of Li Wenjian in her black pupil. She ran up to him, holding his fair hand with her soft voice, "Brother Shulang, you're here so early!"
Basking in the sun, Li Wenjian's eyes narrowed slightly from the sunlight as he tousled her hair, "Little lazy one, I got up at the hour of the tiger."
Zhao Heng pursed her lips, pulling out a faint smile.
After bidding farewell to An Qingliu, Li Wenjian held Zhao Heng's hand and walked towards the backyard.
Located in the south, Yingzhou had a developed water system. The courtyard they temporarily stayed in had an inner lake connected to the outside river, which they could directly access by boat from the lake.
The boat docking area in the abandoned courtyard had been overgrown with lush vegetation for a long time. In the tall grass, a red wild fruit tree hung over the riverbank, its heavy, ripe fruit almost falling into the river.
By the time they arrived, Wei Zhan and the others had already reached there. When they heard footsteps, Wei Wanyu pushed through the grass towards Zhao Heng and waved at her. Excited, Zhao Heng quickened her pace and ran towards them.
Li Yicheng had waited patiently for a long time, growing impatient, and complained, "Thank goodness Ah Heng is still young. If she takes too long to get ready when she's older, we might not even get out the door before nightfall."
As soon as the words fell, Li Wenjian playfully tapped his forehead.
Li Wenjian scooped up Zhao Heng and placed her on the boat, then went to the front to adjust the oars.
Li Yicheng's face twisted like an angry cat as he complained to Wei Zhan, "Wei ge, look at Ah Xiong. Did I say something wrong?"
Wei Zhan couldn't help but ruffle his hair and advise, "As a man, you should have a broad mind. What's wrong with waiting for the young ladies? Look, learn from Xiao Silang... look at them."
Li Wenjian, who was testing the oars, glanced over at Zhao Heng, who was leaning on the bow of the boat with Wei Wanyu, flipping through a picture book. An Xuzhi held a bunch of lotus seeds in her arms, sitting beside them. While reading, she peeled the seeds, handing one to Wei Wanyu and one to Zhao Heng.
Li Wenjian remembered how indifferent that person had been in the past, yet she had once fancied marrying Xiao Silang. His head was suddenly buzzing.
"Ah Heng," he pursed his lips and called her.
Zhao Heng immediately set aside the picture book and walked towards Li Wenjian at the oars. Looking up at him with a delicate voice, she asked,
"What's in my pocket?" Li Wenjian turned his sleeve towards her.
Zhao Heng reached into his sleeve and felt a cool iron box, pulling out a box of assorted candies. "Fangjinji's candies?" Zhao Heng exclaimed in surprise. "I saw a store selling them on Huai Shu Street, but they were so expensive."
Li Wenjian couldn't help but stroke her cool, soft hair. "Physician Xu said your teeth aren't good, so you can only eat two pieces a day."
"Is this the only box? I'll eat sparingly!" Zhao Heng picked a pear-flavored candy and popped it into her mouth, sitting next to him like a little cat.
"I'll buy you more when you've finished," Li Wenjian said as he rowed the boat.
"But it's very far from the capital here," Zhao Heng raised her hand, "Each candy costs more than in the capital." What used to be cheap snacks in the capital had become exorbitantly priced here. Unable to earn money by helping others with homework, she was struggling.
Li Wenjian couldn't help but chuckle, "It's okay, I'll buy them for you no matter the cost."
"Really?" she raised her little face, smiling with raised eyebrows. "You mustn't deceive me."
Li Wenjian nodded, "Of course."
She could have as many boxes of candies as she wanted. He hoped she would always have the best things in the world.
Satisfied with his promise, Zhao Heng happily looped her wrist with his, remembering the lotus seeds in her pocket. She peeled two and handed them to Li Wenjian, saying, "Brother Shulang, try the lotus seeds freshly picked by Xiao Silang."
Li Wenjian took a bite of the plump, green fruit, with Zhao Heng watching intently. While his teeth crunched on the fruit, his expression remained faint.
"Is it delicious?" Zhao Heng asked him. Xiao Silang had found these fresh lotus seeds, and they were deliciously crisp.
Li Wenjian furrowed his brow slightly. "Not really."
Surprised, Zhao Heng asked, "Why not?" She picked one for herself and found it sweet. Why did he find it sour?
She peeled another and held it to his lips, anxiously watching him. "How about this one?"
"Still sour," Li Wenjian shook his head, his lips tight, looking too sour to speak.
At that moment, Wei Zhan approached, seeing Zhao Heng feeding Li Wenjian lotus seeds. He glanced at Li Wenjian disdainfully, "Is your hand injured? Need someone to feed you?"
Li Wenjian smiled, ignoring him. Seeing Wei Zhan's wine gourd around his waist, Zhao Heng knew they were about to drink. She tucked the candy back into her pocket and continued to the back of the boat to look at the picture book with Wei Wanyu.
At the back, Wei Wanyu hugged Zhao Heng's arm and complained, "Why does Brother Shulang always stick to you?" It hindered their chance to have fun.
Zhao Heng replied, "He bought me candies."
She generously took out the assorted candies from her pocket, opened the lid, and gave each of them a few pieces.
Li Wenjian leaned against the bow, holding a jug of wine, and caught sight of Zhao Heng gleefully sharing candy with An Xuzhi. His brows furrowed slightly, unintentionally shifting the boat, which splashed water onto An Xuzhi. His candies were soaked.
He glared angrily at Li Wenjian, "Uncle!"
Li Wenjian chuckled, light and airy, "Sorry, didn't see you there."
An Xuzhi was too angry to speak, awkwardly wiping the water from his face and turning away from Li Wenjian. Zhao Heng bit her lip, offering a cloth to help him dry off.
Li Wenjian raised his head, looking at An Xuzhi's smiling face towards Zhao Heng, feeling a lump in his throat. Even if he had a second chance at life, he needed to find a way to bring Ning Wanzhi back from Meizhou as soon as possible.
Unfortunately, the world was in chaos, and with General Ning's deep love for his daughter, who was only six years old, he wouldn't bear to raise her elsewhere. Li Wenjian silently calculated that in the previous life, Ning Wanzhi returned to the capital after eight years.
Eight years, he had to keep an eye on Xiao Silang for eight years.
The large green water caltrop leaves floated on the surface of the water, stretching almost to an invisible distance, obscuring the clear river with green waves. The boat gently swayed, drifting out of the prefecture along the river. Li Yicheng leaned over the side of the boat, reaching out to touch the floating water caltrop.
He grabbed a handful and cracked open the hard thorns underneath, discovering a bounty of fruit inside. He quickly took off his outer shirt and jumped into the water. Zhao Heng widened her eyes, watching him underwater for a long time without surfacing.
Just as she was about to call for help, he suddenly emerged, holding a big catfish and calling out to Li Wenjian, "Ah Xiong!"
Li Wenjian turned his gaze towards him and smiled, "Catch a few more, we'll go ashore later and barbecue them."
Li Yicheng was thrilled and plunged back into the water.
An Xuzhi couldn't help but envy them. He abandoned watching the picture book with Zhao Heng and Wei Wanyu, squatting on the boat's edge, watching Li Yicheng splash around in the water, his eyes shining.
At times, he looked pitifully at Li Wenjian, and other times, he gazed at the water with envy.
Li Yicheng swam to the side of the boat and leaned on the railing, his wet hair sticking to his head like a water fairy. He tempted An Xuzhi, saying, "Xiao Silang, come play."
An Xuzhi glanced at Li Wenjian's expression. Two years ago, he almost drowned while swimming, so Li Wenjian didn't allow him to easily go into the water since then.
Li Wenjian was drinking with Wei Zhan when he saw An Xuzhi looking pitifully at him. He sighed and raised his chin towards the river.
An Xuzhi happily took off his outer shirt, with a splash, and followed Li Yicheng into the water.
White splashes splattered on the boat, getting Wei Wanyu's shoes wet. Her round face puffed up, and she playfully splashed water on him despite Xue Shi's protests.
Li Yicheng, full of mischief, splashed more water, which even caught Zhao Heng off guard. She went to help, but their slender arms were no match for An Xuzhi and Li Yicheng.
Before long, they were soaked.
Wei Zhan couldn't bear to watch anymore. He grabbed an oar and vigorously stirred the water, creating waves that sent the two scrambling around in the river.
Wei Wanyu and Zhao Heng, watching their disheveled antics, couldn't stop giggling.
The two of them swam far away, then returned to the boat, behaving themselves and catching many fish to put in the basket onboard. With the lush water plants and abundant fish, it wasn't long before they had a full basket.
Li Yicheng sat at the bow, wringing out his clothes, muttering, "Wei ge isn't fair, only helping them."
Wei Zhan glanced at the water spirit-like Li Yicheng, his mouth curled in a smile as he handed over the wine jug. Li Yicheng, with drooping lips, didn't take it.
"A man should learn to drink, it's unseemly not to," Wei Zhan commented disdainfully.