From all the noise, he could easily distinguish her voice. Although it was just a few words, for A’Rui they were like thunder, flames, and flood, making it hard for him to think about anything else. Only separated by a horse carriage, the distance between the two of them was actually minimal. He had thought he would never get to see her again and had unexpectedly given up on his life, but it turned out there was still hope, he could finally hear her voice again.
Xie Xiao was full of joy as he spotted Jinxia, but as soon as he saw Lu Yi, standing next to her, his mood quickly changed and he muttered in a low voice, “You guys left way earlier than us, why did you arrive just now?”
“There was heavy rain, then landslides and other stuff…” Jinxia didn’t feel comfortable telling him that because of Chun Yumin, who needed constant attention and care, the trip had been slowed down. “Anyway, it’s a long story. What about you guys? Here to join the crowd?”
“We have no interest in that. When we first came here, we went to Jiaxing, met the pirates and drove them away and only finished everything yesterday, then we stopped by here, wanting to see what these Japanese pirates looked like.” Xie Xiao said proudly.
“Cleaned up all the pirates? Just hearing it, it’s amazing!” Jinxia laughed, “Brother, remember when I called you knight upon our first meeting, it turns out that you do have the attitude of an honorable warrior.”
Xie Xiao, who heard it immediately felt very pleased.
Lu Yi, at the side, turned to look at Jinxia, but didn’t utter a single word. Then, he turned to look at the person wearing the bamboo hat, and suddenly said, “It seems like your wound has healed.”
Upon hearing his words, the person was dumbfounded for a moment, then lowered his bamboo hat, his voice was shaky, “Lu Daren, I see you’ve been well since the last time we met.”
The person turned out to be really Sha Xiuzhu; the past incident of Lu Yi kicking him until his leg was broken was still vivid in his memory. Even though Lu Yi had let him go on purpose, he was still very cautious of Lu Yi.
Lu Yi asked him in a gentle tone, “Are you here to fight the pirates? If so, that means your statement about stealing the presents to help the poor is true, I am amazed.”
Hearing his praise, Sha Xiuzhu felt a little uncomfortable, slowly saying, “Lu Daren’s words are too much.”
“Since we’re all old acquaintances, let’s have lunch together.” Jinxia said warmly.
Shangguan Xi politely refused, “No, the brothers from the temple, which is not far from here… We have to meet them first because we will be leaving Hangzhou soon.”
“Oh, I remember when I left Yangzhou, A’Rui was missing, have you found him yet?” Jinxia deliberately asked.
“Not yet.” Shangguan Xi sighed, “My father said he would continue to search for him. You guys are officers, if you know where he is, please inform me.”
“Of course. If he knew Sister was here, he would instantly rush here.”
“If he were here…” Shangguan Xi was a little stunned. After a moment, she said in a half-sentimental voice, “Then it would be great.”
A’Rui, who was listening from the inside, pressed his fingers hard against the wall of the carriage, painfully shutting his eyes.
Jinxia was a little disappointed, “Oh, are you guys leaving already? How do I find you in the future?”
“Right now the Japanese pirates are running around, we are not permanently settling anymore and just traveling with the brothers from the Temple.” Shangguan Xi smiled, “Maybe, we will meet again someday. Goodbye!”
Xie Xiao and Sha Xiuzhu also bid farewell.
As she watched their shadows disappear among the crowd, they seemed so heroic and free… Jinxia suddenly felt that her life had become a little miserable.
“They had already left, why are you still staring?” Lu Yi said, “Unwilling to part from them?”
Jinxia sighed, “I also want to fight against the Japanese pirates, so exciting!”
Lu Yi nodded in agreement, “Although your kung fu is a bit like a cat’s scratch, being a kitchen servant for the monks wouldn’t be too bad. They definitely wouldn’t mind eating radishes three times a day.”
“……..”
Jinxia remained silent.
***
As soon as they entered the inn, Jinxia opened the window, letting the wind flow in. She stretched her body, and leaned against the window while looking at the small boat sailing on the west lake, trying to remember the snacks they had eaten earlier. She couldn’t help but agree that Hangzhou was like heaven… Then she turned around, looked at the person lying on the bed and said, “Same rule, if you don’t eat, I will call Cen Shou…”
Before she finished her words, she was cut off by A’Rui, “I don’t want to eat rice porridge, I want to eat rice.”
“…You finally opened your mind.” Jinxia laughed, “Now, do you believe I didn’t lie to you, don’t you?”
A’Rui continued his words, “Find me a doctor, I don’t want to be like this anymore.”
“Alright, I will talk to Lu Daren.” Jinxia agreed.
“Tell him, once I regain my health as good as before, I will tell him everything I know.” A’Rui’s gaze was cold, “He kept me in this state until now, wasn’t it because of this information?”
Jinxia was curious, “What do you know? Tell me.”
A’Rui glanced at her, “Aside from Lu Daren, I won’t tell anyone anything.”
“You’re being so distant. This time you disappeared, you don’t even understand how hard the people in Wu’An Gang are looking for you.” Jinxia criticized him for what he said, then shook her head and walked out.
***
Lu Yi had just changed into his official uniform. As soon as she entered the room, Jinxia’s eyes immediately dazzled at the bright red robe. She said nothing, not knowing why he suddenly wanted to change into his JinYiWei uniform.
“Your arrival is perfect, come and help me tie this belt.” Lu Yi called out for her.
“Oh…”
Jinxia took the belt that was hanging on the side, then wrapped it around his waist from behind and tied it up carefully.
As soon as she finished tying it, Lu Yi turned around, his hands wrapped around her waist. He pulled her close, with his eyebrows tightened and said, “On the road, I obviously fed you with good food and vegetables, why does it seem like you’re not gaining weight at all?”
Jinxia broke free from his embrace, pretending to pay respect, “Everyday, Beizhe has to serve Daren. I have to think everyday, it’s draining all my energy.”
“So…” Lu Yi was waiting for her to continue.
“If Daren doesn’t mind, you can increase the portion of night snacks.” Jinxia gave a sincere suggestion.
Lu Yi couldn’t hold back his laughter. He was about to say something but then heard Cen Fu’s greeting at the door, “Young Master, General Hu has sent a carriage to pick you up. I have told them to wait in front of the inn.”
“Alright.”
Jinxia said in surprise, “Hu Zongxian? He knows you’re in Hangzhou?”
“We’ve eaten and rested here. If he still didn’t know, then there would be no need for him to remain as a General of the Province.” commented Lu Yi, straightening his sleeve.
“Oh yes, A’Rui…” Jinxia hurriedly told Lu Yi what A’Rui had said to her.
“The disease in his body is very strange, it should have something to do with the Japanese poison. I’ve told Cen Shou to find out if there is a physician who is specialized in poison, especially Japanese poison.” Lu Yi already knew from the start.
Jinxia also sighed, “Mrs. Shen is an extraordinary physician, it’s a shame that we don’t know where she is.”
“There is no need to rush, I have already asked people to investigate Mrs. Shen’s background, she definitely won’t go back to her old house. Once we find out her identity, we will know where she is right away.” Lu Yi reminded her, “Tonight, I’m afraid I will come home late. Pirates are rampant around here, unlike in Yangzhou, so don’t go around carelessly.”
“I will behave well.”
Remembering that, on their first meeting, she’d secretly gone to investigate the missing birthday presents, despite the cold water, Lu Yi felt that her promise of a good behaviour was a little unbelievable, therefore he said, “Don’t blame me for not reminding you. You, if you sneak out and get in trouble, I will deduct your salary.”
“……”
Seeing the surprised look on Jinxia’s face, Lu Yi felt a bit relieved.
Once Lu Yi had left, Jinxia was pulled to the side by YangYue.
“Tell me honestly, what’s going on between you and Lu Daren?” YangYue looked at her with a serious expression.
“What do you mean? I’m hungry, the food in Hangzhou is extremely good, let’s go have a taste.” Jinxia slightly pushed him while changing the topic.
Even the topic of food didn’t move YangYue one bit. He continued to look at her, “Still not telling me? During our journey, I can feel there’s something unusual between you and Lu Daren. Quick, tell me what’s going on! Before we left, my father instructed me to watch out for you, to make sure not to let you and Lu Daren become too close.”
Jinxia was stunned by his words, “Why is that?”
“Maybe he’s afraid you’ll be disrespectful with Lu Daren. My father had numerous times reminded me, making sure we would pay attention to our behaviour when around Lu Daren; we must be polite and respectful, respectful but with a distance.” YangYue recalled Yang ChengWan’s words that day and said, “Anyway, it’s all about respect, being respectful toward Lu Daren.”
Jinxia didn’t understand him, “I’m not polite enough towards Lu Daren?”
YangYue glared at her, “On our way here, have you ever taken your eyes off him?”
“Ahem, ahem.” At first, Jinxia wanted to hide it a bit longer but since YangYue had already found out and he wasn’t a stranger, she strongly said, “Then, I will tell you but you can’t pass it around.”
“Have I blabber about anything?”
“Alright.” Jinxia took a deep breath, “Lu Daren said he wants to marry me.”
“……”
Jinxia poked him for a long time but YangYue still hadn’t regained his mind yet, “Say something! Don’t stand there with a blank face!”
YangYue slowly regained his mind, his eyebrows tightened. He was feeling a little suspicious, it was hard to accept. “You said, he wants to marry you? Is it true?”
“Of course it’s true! If you don’t believe me, go ask him.”
“Why does he want to marry you, what is he thinking?”
This matter, Jinxia still didn’t understand either. She thought about it, “Maybe, he realized there’s something special about me, so he…”
No matter how hard YangYue tried to think about it, he still found the whole matter a little suspicious and said, “If you had said you want to marry him, then I would have understood; but for him to say it, this is unbelievable…”
Upon listening to his words, Jinxia couldn’t help but become a little irritated, “Da Yang, why do you keep trying to make me sound less valuable. This master is not at all bad, why can’t he want to marry me?”
“Alright, alright, let’s just say that he saw potential in you.” YangYue seriously asked her, “What about you? Do you think he’s good?”
Jinxia didn’t say anything but nodded her head.
“But, his status…” YangYue started to become worried, “I’m afraid his father won’t agree and things won’t go too well.”
Jinxia lowered her head and said, “I want to try.”
Looking at Jinxia, YangYue suddenly remembered how he was with Zhai Lanye and no longer said anything else. He and Jinxia grew up together, the way they cared about each other was to never interfere with each other’s likes and dislikes. For example, he liked to cook and, although his father had yelled at him numerous times, saying that was useless, Jinxia had never said those words to him and she hadn’t looked down on him either. She used to focus on helping him wash the vegetables and the meats. When he’d started to fall for Zhai Lanye, Jinxia had only said ‘this won’t be easy’, she had never stepped on his thoughts and feelings.
With Jinxia, of course he would do the same, counseling her about the bad and the good but everything else was up to her. He was only there to help.
***
“Green mountains stacked rows of towers, dancing and singing in the West Lake, when will they rest…” Chun Yumin leaned on the edge of the window, looking at the beautiful West Lake and recited a poem.
The maid wrapped her body in a coat, “Miss, be careful not to catch a cold.”
The old maid took the blanket that was brought from the house then tidied her bed, replacing the inn’s blanket with hers, then she turned to look at Chun Yumin, “You’ve been on the horse carriage for several days, we finally arrived in Hangzhou, so please rest comfortably. Miss, do you want to take a bath and change yourself? I will call the servants to prepare you some hot water.”
“There’s no rush, you’ve traveled too, just go rest first.” Chun Yumin said softly, “I want to enjoy the view for a moment.”
Seeing the old maid and the other servants retreat, Chun Yumin slowly exhaled. They were servants from her grandmother’s aunt’s house. Although her aunt loved her very much and the people who served her were honest and kind people, her life had become dependable on them. In front of the old maid and the servants, she didn’t dare to order anyone of them. She was sure they hadn’t wanted to come along on this long journey.
She sat back down on the edge of the table, took out a book and read it. After turning a few pages, not a single word had entered her brain. Throughout this trip, although she was separated by a carriage, she was still able to witness her cousin’s actions, his subordinates’ works and especially the lady constable… Even though it was considered inappropriate for women to dance with knives and swords, she was still very curious.
Thinking about the lady constable, she was indeed different from the other ordinary women but today, behind the curtain, she’d seen ‘Sister Shangguan’, so brave and charismatic, a woman but no less than a man. She could really amaze people.
Reaching out her hands, wanting to pour some water but then realizing there was no hot water, she was about to call for a servant but then stopped, not having the heart to order them over a small matter; this was something she could do herself. After thinking about it, she stood up, straightened her clothes, then opened the door and walked out of the room.
Not wanting anyone to notice A’Rui’s existence, Lu Yi had ordered Cen Fu to buy out the entire courtyard to avoid disturbance from other people. When moving in, Chun Yumin did not really pay attention to this part of the building, only lowered her head and followed other people’s steps. Now that she had a chance to leave her room, she was a little hesitant but walked forward, thinking someone was there.
After walking a few steps and checking every corner, it seemed like no one was there. She continued to hesitate for a moment, not knowing whether she should proceed or not. At that time, she heard a groan of pain coming from the window of a room beside her…
‘A man’s voice?’
‘Is someone sick? Who is it?’ She felt uneasy, holding her hands tight, then walked to the window and looked inside.
Nothing could be seen but the man’s moan was clearly audible, as if he was in a lot of pain.
People who lived in that courtyard were people from their trip, so if she’d ignored him, then she would have no heart. Chun Yumin mustered up the courage to walk toward the front door. After knocking on it, she said, “I’m coming in.” Then she slowly pushed the door open.
As she entered the room, A’Rui was struggling to get up and fell down on the floor.
“Argh!”
Chun Yumin was surprised. After being dumbfounded for a moment, she regained her mind, walked over and helped him up.
“You… Are you alright?” She supported him up but because A’Rui’s back was facing her, she could only guess, “You’re not Cen Fu or Cen Shou, are you Constable Yang?”
A’Rui turned around with difficulty, reaching out to hold on the edge of the bed, there were several scars on his hand. Chun Yumin wanted to help him sit down but when she saw the wounds, she was immediately stunned and pulled her hands back. The moment she lifted her head to look at A’Rui’s face, she was shocked to the point she started screaming, and unknowingly took a few steps back, hitting the chair by accident and falling down on the floor.
Jinxia was cooking medicine in the kitchen. She heard a loud sound and, while holding a pair of chopsticks, she quickly ran out.
At the same time, Cen Shou and YangYue both heard the scream and started running to A’Rui’s room.
From all the noise, he could easily distinguish her voice. Although it was just a few words, for A’Rui they were like thunder, flames, and flood, making it hard for him to think about anything else. Only separated by a horse carriage, the distance between the two of them was actually minimal. He had thought he would never get to see her again and had unexpectedly given up on his life, but it turned out there was still hope, he could finally hear her voice again.
Xie Xiao was full of joy as he spotted Jinxia, but as soon as he saw Lu Yi, standing next to her, his mood quickly changed and he muttered in a low voice, “You guys left way earlier than us, why did you arrive just now?”
“There was heavy rain, then landslides and other stuff…” Jinxia didn’t feel comfortable telling him that because of Chun Yumin, who needed constant attention and care, the trip had been slowed down. “Anyway, it’s a long story. What about you guys? Here to join the crowd?”
“We have no interest in that. When we first came here, we went to Jiaxing, met the pirates and drove them away and only finished everything yesterday, then we stopped by here, wanting to see what these Japanese pirates looked like.” Xie Xiao said proudly.
“Cleaned up all the pirates? Just hearing it, it’s amazing!” Jinxia laughed, “Brother, remember when I called you knight upon our first meeting, it turns out that you do have the attitude of an honorable warrior.”
Xie Xiao, who heard it immediately felt very pleased.
Lu Yi, at the side, turned to look at Jinxia, but didn’t utter a single word. Then, he turned to look at the person wearing the bamboo hat, and suddenly said, “It seems like your wound has healed.”
Upon hearing his words, the person was dumbfounded for a moment, then lowered his bamboo hat, his voice was shaky, “Lu Daren, I see you’ve been well since the last time we met.”
The person turned out to be really Sha Xiuzhu; the past incident of Lu Yi kicking him until his leg was broken was still vivid in his memory. Even though Lu Yi had let him go on purpose, he was still very cautious of Lu Yi.
Lu Yi asked him in a gentle tone, “Are you here to fight the pirates? If so, that means your statement about stealing the presents to help the poor is true, I am amazed.”
Hearing his praise, Sha Xiuzhu felt a little uncomfortable, slowly saying, “Lu Daren’s words are too much.”
“Since we’re all old acquaintances, let’s have lunch together.” Jinxia said warmly.
Shangguan Xi politely refused, “No, the brothers from the temple, which is not far from here… We have to meet them first because we will be leaving Hangzhou soon.”
“Oh, I remember when I left Yangzhou, A’Rui was missing, have you found him yet?” Jinxia deliberately asked.
“Not yet.” Shangguan Xi sighed, “My father said he would continue to search for him. You guys are officers, if you know where he is, please inform me.”
“Of course. If he knew Sister was here, he would instantly rush here.”
“If he were here…” Shangguan Xi was a little stunned. After a moment, she said in a half-sentimental voice, “Then it would be great.”
A’Rui, who was listening from the inside, pressed his fingers hard against the wall of the carriage, painfully shutting his eyes.
Jinxia was a little disappointed, “Oh, are you guys leaving already? How do I find you in the future?”
“Right now the Japanese pirates are running around, we are not permanently settling anymore and just traveling with the brothers from the Temple.” Shangguan Xi smiled, “Maybe, we will meet again someday. Goodbye!”
Xie Xiao and Sha Xiuzhu also bid farewell.
As she watched their shadows disappear among the crowd, they seemed so heroic and free… Jinxia suddenly felt that her life had become a little miserable.
“They had already left, why are you still staring?” Lu Yi said, “Unwilling to part from them?”
Jinxia sighed, “I also want to fight against the Japanese pirates, so exciting!”
Lu Yi nodded in agreement, “Although your kung fu is a bit like a cat’s scratch, being a kitchen servant for the monks wouldn’t be too bad. They definitely wouldn’t mind eating radishes three times a day.”
“……..”
Jinxia remained silent.
***
As soon as they entered the inn, Jinxia opened the window, letting the wind flow in. She stretched her body, and leaned against the window while looking at the small boat sailing on the west lake, trying to remember the snacks they had eaten earlier. She couldn’t help but agree that Hangzhou was like heaven… Then she turned around, looked at the person lying on the bed and said, “Same rule, if you don’t eat, I will call Cen Shou…”
Before she finished her words, she was cut off by A’Rui, “I don’t want to eat rice porridge, I want to eat rice.”
“…You finally opened your mind.” Jinxia laughed, “Now, do you believe I didn’t lie to you, don’t you?”
A’Rui continued his words, “Find me a doctor, I don’t want to be like this anymore.”
“Alright, I will talk to Lu Daren.” Jinxia agreed.
“Tell him, once I regain my health as good as before, I will tell him everything I know.” A’Rui’s gaze was cold, “He kept me in this state until now, wasn’t it because of this information?”
Jinxia was curious, “What do you know? Tell me.”
A’Rui glanced at her, “Aside from Lu Daren, I won’t tell anyone anything.”
“You’re being so distant. This time you disappeared, you don’t even understand how hard the people in Wu’An Gang are looking for you.” Jinxia criticized him for what he said, then shook her head and walked out.
***
Lu Yi had just changed into his official uniform. As soon as she entered the room, Jinxia’s eyes immediately dazzled at the bright red robe. She said nothing, not knowing why he suddenly wanted to change into his JinYiWei uniform.
“Your arrival is perfect, come and help me tie this belt.” Lu Yi called out for her.
“Oh…”
Jinxia took the belt that was hanging on the side, then wrapped it around his waist from behind and tied it up carefully.
As soon as she finished tying it, Lu Yi turned around, his hands wrapped around her waist. He pulled her close, with his eyebrows tightened and said, “On the road, I obviously fed you with good food and vegetables, why does it seem like you’re not gaining weight at all?”
Jinxia broke free from his embrace, pretending to pay respect, “Everyday, Beizhe has to serve Daren. I have to think everyday, it’s draining all my energy.”
“So…” Lu Yi was waiting for her to continue.
“If Daren doesn’t mind, you can increase the portion of night snacks.” Jinxia gave a sincere suggestion.
Lu Yi couldn’t hold back his laughter. He was about to say something but then heard Cen Fu’s greeting at the door, “Young Master, General Hu has sent a carriage to pick you up. I have told them to wait in front of the inn.”
“Alright.”
Jinxia said in surprise, “Hu Zongxian? He knows you’re in Hangzhou?”
“We’ve eaten and rested here. If he still didn’t know, then there would be no need for him to remain as a General of the Province.” commented Lu Yi, straightening his sleeve.
“Oh yes, A’Rui…” Jinxia hurriedly told Lu Yi what A’Rui had said to her.
“The disease in his body is very strange, it should have something to do with the Japanese poison. I’ve told Cen Shou to find out if there is a physician who is specialized in poison, especially Japanese poison.” Lu Yi already knew from the start.
Jinxia also sighed, “Mrs. Shen is an extraordinary physician, it’s a shame that we don’t know where she is.”
“There is no need to rush, I have already asked people to investigate Mrs. Shen’s background, she definitely won’t go back to her old house. Once we find out her identity, we will know where she is right away.” Lu Yi reminded her, “Tonight, I’m afraid I will come home late. Pirates are rampant around here, unlike in Yangzhou, so don’t go around carelessly.”
“I will behave well.”
Remembering that, on their first meeting, she’d secretly gone to investigate the missing birthday presents, despite the cold water, Lu Yi felt that her promise of a good behaviour was a little unbelievable, therefore he said, “Don’t blame me for not reminding you. You, if you sneak out and get in trouble, I will deduct your salary.”
“……”
Seeing the surprised look on Jinxia’s face, Lu Yi felt a bit relieved.
Once Lu Yi had left, Jinxia was pulled to the side by YangYue.
“Tell me honestly, what’s going on between you and Lu Daren?” YangYue looked at her with a serious expression.
“What do you mean? I’m hungry, the food in Hangzhou is extremely good, let’s go have a taste.” Jinxia slightly pushed him while changing the topic.
Even the topic of food didn’t move YangYue one bit. He continued to look at her, “Still not telling me? During our journey, I can feel there’s something unusual between you and Lu Daren. Quick, tell me what’s going on! Before we left, my father instructed me to watch out for you, to make sure not to let you and Lu Daren become too close.”
Jinxia was stunned by his words, “Why is that?”
“Maybe he’s afraid you’ll be disrespectful with Lu Daren. My father had numerous times reminded me, making sure we would pay attention to our behaviour when around Lu Daren; we must be polite and respectful, respectful but with a distance.” YangYue recalled Yang ChengWan’s words that day and said, “Anyway, it’s all about respect, being respectful toward Lu Daren.”
Jinxia didn’t understand him, “I’m not polite enough towards Lu Daren?”
YangYue glared at her, “On our way here, have you ever taken your eyes off him?”
“Ahem, ahem.” At first, Jinxia wanted to hide it a bit longer but since YangYue had already found out and he wasn’t a stranger, she strongly said, “Then, I will tell you but you can’t pass it around.”
“Have I blabber about anything?”
“Alright.” Jinxia took a deep breath, “Lu Daren said he wants to marry me.”
“……”
Jinxia poked him for a long time but YangYue still hadn’t regained his mind yet, “Say something! Don’t stand there with a blank face!”
YangYue slowly regained his mind, his eyebrows tightened. He was feeling a little suspicious, it was hard to accept. “You said, he wants to marry you? Is it true?”
“Of course it’s true! If you don’t believe me, go ask him.”
“Why does he want to marry you, what is he thinking?”
This matter, Jinxia still didn’t understand either. She thought about it, “Maybe, he realized there’s something special about me, so he…”
No matter how hard YangYue tried to think about it, he still found the whole matter a little suspicious and said, “If you had said you want to marry him, then I would have understood; but for him to say it, this is unbelievable…”
Upon listening to his words, Jinxia couldn’t help but become a little irritated, “Da Yang, why do you keep trying to make me sound less valuable. This master is not at all bad, why can’t he want to marry me?”
“Alright, alright, let’s just say that he saw potential in you.” YangYue seriously asked her, “What about you? Do you think he’s good?”
Jinxia didn’t say anything but nodded her head.
“But, his status…” YangYue started to become worried, “I’m afraid his father won’t agree and things won’t go too well.”
Jinxia lowered her head and said, “I want to try.”
Looking at Jinxia, YangYue suddenly remembered how he was with Zhai Lanye and no longer said anything else. He and Jinxia grew up together, the way they cared about each other was to never interfere with each other’s likes and dislikes. For example, he liked to cook and, although his father had yelled at him numerous times, saying that was useless, Jinxia had never said those words to him and she hadn’t looked down on him either. She used to focus on helping him wash the vegetables and the meats. When he’d started to fall for Zhai Lanye, Jinxia had only said ‘this won’t be easy’, she had never stepped on his thoughts and feelings.
With Jinxia, of course he would do the same, counseling her about the bad and the good but everything else was up to her. He was only there to help.
***
“Green mountains stacked rows of towers, dancing and singing in the West Lake, when will they rest…” Chun Yumin leaned on the edge of the window, looking at the beautiful West Lake and recited a poem.
The maid wrapped her body in a coat, “Miss, be careful not to catch a cold.”
The old maid took the blanket that was brought from the house then tidied her bed, replacing the inn’s blanket with hers, then she turned to look at Chun Yumin, “You’ve been on the horse carriage for several days, we finally arrived in Hangzhou, so please rest comfortably. Miss, do you want to take a bath and change yourself? I will call the servants to prepare you some hot water.”
“There’s no rush, you’ve traveled too, just go rest first.” Chun Yumin said softly, “I want to enjoy the view for a moment.”
Seeing the old maid and the other servants retreat, Chun Yumin slowly exhaled. They were servants from her grandmother’s aunt’s house. Although her aunt loved her very much and the people who served her were honest and kind people, her life had become dependable on them. In front of the old maid and the servants, she didn’t dare to order anyone of them. She was sure they hadn’t wanted to come along on this long journey.
She sat back down on the edge of the table, took out a book and read it. After turning a few pages, not a single word had entered her brain. Throughout this trip, although she was separated by a carriage, she was still able to witness her cousin’s actions, his subordinates’ works and especially the lady constable… Even though it was considered inappropriate for women to dance with knives and swords, she was still very curious.
Thinking about the lady constable, she was indeed different from the other ordinary women but today, behind the curtain, she’d seen ‘Sister Shangguan’, so brave and charismatic, a woman but no less than a man. She could really amaze people.
Reaching out her hands, wanting to pour some water but then realizing there was no hot water, she was about to call for a servant but then stopped, not having the heart to order them over a small matter; this was something she could do herself. After thinking about it, she stood up, straightened her clothes, then opened the door and walked out of the room.
Not wanting anyone to notice A’Rui’s existence, Lu Yi had ordered Cen Fu to buy out the entire courtyard to avoid disturbance from other people. When moving in, Chun Yumin did not really pay attention to this part of the building, only lowered her head and followed other people’s steps. Now that she had a chance to leave her room, she was a little hesitant but walked forward, thinking someone was there.
After walking a few steps and checking every corner, it seemed like no one was there. She continued to hesitate for a moment, not knowing whether she should proceed or not. At that time, she heard a groan of pain coming from the window of a room beside her…
‘A man’s voice?’
‘Is someone sick? Who is it?’ She felt uneasy, holding her hands tight, then walked to the window and looked inside.
Nothing could be seen but the man’s moan was clearly audible, as if he was in a lot of pain.
People who lived in that courtyard were people from their trip, so if she’d ignored him, then she would have no heart. Chun Yumin mustered up the courage to walk toward the front door. After knocking on it, she said, “I’m coming in.” Then she slowly pushed the door open.
As she entered the room, A’Rui was struggling to get up and fell down on the floor.
“Argh!”
Chun Yumin was surprised. After being dumbfounded for a moment, she regained her mind, walked over and helped him up.
“You… Are you alright?” She supported him up but because A’Rui’s back was facing her, she could only guess, “You’re not Cen Fu or Cen Shou, are you Constable Yang?”
A’Rui turned around with difficulty, reaching out to hold on the edge of the bed, there were several scars on his hand. Chun Yumin wanted to help him sit down but when she saw the wounds, she was immediately stunned and pulled her hands back. The moment she lifted her head to look at A’Rui’s face, she was shocked to the point she started screaming, and unknowingly took a few steps back, hitting the chair by accident and falling down on the floor.
Jinxia was cooking medicine in the kitchen. She heard a loud sound and, while holding a pair of chopsticks, she quickly ran out.
At the same time, Cen Shou and YangYue both heard the scream and started running to A’Rui’s room.
