Chapter 31 The Willow Song: Why does she keep running into him wherever she goes?

His answer was ambiguous and vague.

Lanxi didn't ask any more questions, but turned around and glanced at Yu Niangzi, who was still looking down at the sheet music.

Jiang Ce finished eating before putting down his chopsticks.

Lady Yu put down the sheet music, stood up and walked into the inner room. Her voice came through the painted screen.

"I need to rest for a while. Why don't you go for a walk or go somewhere else?"

Calm and still, neither intimate nor indifferent.

Regardless, Jiang Ce was still quite happy.

Just like when he was a child and sick, his mother, though seemingly indifferent, would sit by his bedside, feed him medicine, and make him jade dew dumplings.

"Then I'll come and join you then..." He paused for a moment before saying the last few words.

"Let's go home together."

Jiang Ce lifted the curtain and went out. His steps were light, and even his back showed that he was very happy.

Lanxi sighed again.

Actually, she wasn't always so distant and cold. She taught him to read, write, and listen to music. She would have people take care of his diet and daily life, and regularly have clothes made for him.

He would also write letters and send things when Jiang Ce went to Liangzhou.

One letter a month, right on time. No more, no less.

That was her responsibility, so it was neither tender nor warm.

Madam Yu said calmly, "I know I'm not the kind of mother he wanted. But I really had no choice. I was too young then, and I felt like I hadn't grown up yet when I suddenly became a mother. Even now, so many years later, I still can't fully accept it."

"He left so suddenly, leaving me all alone."

She felt that she hadn't grown up yet, and was always being forced to accept and then forced to lose.

Knowing he was inherently weak, he simply chose to escape. He lived in Buddhist temples and in the mountains, devoting his heart to music theory.

At least, when she's playing the piano and composing music, she's herself and can enjoy peace.

Lanxi sighed inwardly, her eyes welling up with tears.

"My wife..."

They had been together for decades, since she was a child. They accompanied her from a sheltered girl in a water town to her marriage in Liangzhou.

Watching her transform from an innocent and gentle girl into a wife and a mother.

How could Lanxi not know that she wasn't as resolute as she claimed?

Otherwise, the decree would have just been issued.

Jiang Ceyuan was in Liangzhou. She returned to the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion to ask Old Madam Qi for help, and even wanted to go to the palace to ask the emperor to cancel the marriage.

But Grandma Qi asked her, "So what do you think?"

Her answer at the time was: "This is unfair, neither to the Xue family's child nor to Erlang. Why should the children bear the burden of the elders' grudges? If the two treat each other with respect, that's fortunate. But if they hate each other, wouldn't that be tragic?"

"Either way, it's too unfair."

But Old Madam Qi simply replied, "This is not a grudge between elders, but His Majesty's grace and intention. No one can go against it. We have no choice but to accept it."

Lady Yu lowered her eyes; her expression was devoid of tears, only filled with sorrow.

"Perhaps it would be better if there were no such engagement."

Lanxi: "Is my wife worried that Miss Xue doesn't like Erlang, or that Erlang doesn't like Miss Xue?"

"Is there a difference? Either way, it's painful. If he doesn't like it, he'll probably cause a lot of trouble. If he likes it, but the child doesn't like him, the same thing will happen again."

Lanxi could only comfort her, "There's still some time left, why are you always thinking the worst, my lady?"

Lady Yu did not speak, and Lanxi lowered the curtain for her.

After a long while, a sigh came from deep within the curtains.

"I hope so..."

On the other side, Xue Chan and Cheng Huaizhu walked past the old red wall, where the tall juniper trees were lush and cast shadows of varying shades on the ground.

Cheng Huaizhu kept talking, and her clear, melodious voice was the only sound on the quiet and peaceful road.

“I already asked the monks at the temple. If we follow this bluestone path uphill, there will be a pavilion. There is a stream running down the mountain, and the area is full of apricot blossoms, which are said to be many years old.”

Birds chirped softly in the lush forest, creating a cool and secluded atmosphere.

The two walked across the wooden covered bridge spanning the stream, the gurgling water crashing against the bluestone, the sound and color like the tinkling of jade pendants.

"Look, look, there it is!"

Cheng Huaizhu excitedly shook Xue Chan's arm, pointing to a patch of white hidden in the green mountains not far away.

She ran forward, lifted her skirt, and stepped onto the stone steps, instantly appearing high above.

"You're walking too slowly, hurry up and catch up."

Xue Chan was exhausted from being led along the way. She couldn't help but reach out and lean against a tree, breathing softly.

"Don't walk too fast, these stone steps are very slippery, be careful not to fall."

Cheng Huaizhu stood on the stone steps, bent down to look at Xue Chan, and said nonchalantly, "I wouldn't do that. It's you who should go out more."

After saying that, he went upstairs again.

By the time they caught up with Cheng Huaizhu, they were already close to the mountainside.

Xue Chan was a little tired, so she followed slowly behind the group.

Chu Tao and Yun Sheng walked behind her, picking flowers as they went. The two of them pulled on a few soft branches and discussed how to weave a flower basket.

As the sun began to set in the west, its pale yellow light poured down like water onto the ancient road.

Xue Chan looked up, and the mountain breeze brushed against her cheek.

Gradually, music drifted through the dappled sunlight and into the forest, melodious and clear.

Someone is playing the flute.

The flute music was intermittent, initially cheerful, then gradually turning desolate. It also subtly conveyed a sense of vastness and grandeur, as if it were a melody from the northwestern frontier.

Xue Chan wanted to listen more closely, so she took two steps forward, but the flute music faded away more and more.

She lifted her skirt and stepped onto the stone steps, a few white flowers drifting down to her feet in the wind.

Xue Chan picked it up, glanced at it, and smiled slightly.

It's an apricot blossom.

At the end of the stone steps, to the right are more steps leading uphill, while ahead lies a slightly flat area. Through the gaps in the trees on both sides, one can see the vast sky and the pagoda of Jixiang Temple.

Xue Chan took a few steps forward and heard the sound of flowing water.

She said, "I found it!" and went inside first.

After walking several dozen steps along the bluestone path, a mountain stream suddenly appears before you.

The stream, about two zhang wide, meanders down from the mountain, with blue stones of varying sizes scattered on it. The water is slightly turbulent, and the cool, clear water splashes out pure white.

The surrounding branches intertwine and intertwine, the flowers blooming profusely, some even drooping onto the water's surface.

She sat in the pavilion, waiting for Cheng Huaizhu to come over.

It was getting late, and the evening was fine.

The twilight glow grew stronger, and golden light was poured down.

After waiting for a while, the drooping flower branches beside me were parted, and someone came down.

"Hello"

Xue Chan

When Jiang Ce came down, there was a girl sitting by the water, propping her face up and looking at the stream.

The girl had her head down, and he could see the top of her jet-black hair, with the pearl flowers in her hair bun gleaming in the light.

He recognized Xue Chan at a glance and called out to her.

Xue Chan looked up and saw Jiang Ce standing a few steps away, holding something in his arms.

"......"

She kept running into him no matter where she went.

Yun Sheng stepped forward, looking tense and wary.

Jiang Ce was helpless. With Xue Chan's temper, which she wouldn't even suffer the slightest verbal loss, who could bully her?

"Don't look at me like that. I'm the one who should be worried that if I offend your young lady, I might end up drowning in this stream today."

Xue Chan: "......"

She remained silent, only saying calmly, "If the Second Young Master is safe and sound, why should he worry about his own life? Besides, what can a mere woman like me do to you?"

As Jiang Ce stepped down, Xue Chan noticed a small patch of crimson on his sleeve.

"What are you doing...?"

"Oh, this." He lifted his sleeve slightly and took out the thing in his arms to show Xue Chan. "It belongs to this guy."

It was a rabbit with an injured leg, which had been carefully bandaged and was now lying quietly in his arms.

Jiang Ce said, "I felt sorry for it, but if I abandoned it in the mountains, I was afraid it would be snatched away by wild animals, so I decided to bring it home."

He reached out and handed the rabbit to Xue Chan.

Xue Chan leaned back slightly: "If you're bringing me home, why are you giving me this?"

Jiang Ce sighed, "My hands are covered in blood. I'd like to wash them in this stream. Could you please carry me for a while, young lady?"

Seeing Xue Chan hesitate, Jiang Ce said softly, "Don't worry, I've taken care of everything, it's very clean."

Xue Chan reached out and took it.

Jiang Ce gently placed the rabbit in her arms, then walked to the water's edge, bent down, and washed away the bloodstains with the stream water.

Xue Chan sat in the pavilion, looking down at the rabbit.

It was a tricolor rabbit, probably only a few days old, a tiny little bundle, quietly and obediently being held by her.

Xue Chan gently touched it and examined it closely; the injured right leg had been bandaged up.

Does it hurt?

Hearing the soft question, Jiang Ce turned around. Xue Chan was looking down at the rabbit in her arms, her expression gentle.

The wind blows, like jade snow, covering my head.

A few flowers had fallen into her hair, and Jiang Ce was momentarily lost in thought, unconsciously reaching out to brush them away.

Xue Chan was startled by the outstretched hand: "What?"

Jiang Ce was immediately embarrassed. His outstretched hand stopped in front of Xue Chan's forehead. He didn't know whether to withdraw it or to brush the flower away.

He coughed and said somewhat awkwardly, "You...you have flowers in your hair."

Xue Chan reached out to touch it, but only managed to brush off a few blossoms; some were tangled in her hair and she couldn't get them off no matter what she did.

Seeing that she was busy and even her hair was a little messy, Jiang Ce couldn't help but reach out and quickly remove the tangled flowers, then immediately hide them in his wide sleeves.

The few flowers he held between his fingers were twisted into a small ball under his caresses.

Xue Chan looked up at him, and his gaze startled him, causing him to immediately take a few steps back.

Excuse me.

Yun Sheng and Chu Tao stepped forward to fix the flowers in her hair.

It's gone now.

Thank you.

The mountain wind lifted his wide sleeves, revealing the long flute tucked into his waistband.

Xue Chan: "Just now, was it you who played the flute?"

Jiang Ce took a few steps back and sat down on a nearby bluestone.

"It was just a casual remark."

Xue Chan said, "My lord has such refined tastes."

Jiang Ce looked at the shimmering water and smiled gently, "I didn't play well. The tune was neither melodious nor melody-worthy. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you."

Although he said that, Xue Chan didn't think so and asked him, "What's the name of this piece of music?"

Jiang Ce: ""The Willow Song""

Xue Chan spoke up: "Sending off with a willow branch is a gesture of longing, no wonder it sounds somewhat sorrowful."

Xue Chan asked him, "There are apricot blossoms all here, but no willows. Why is the 'Willow Branch Song' being played?"

Jiang Ce lowered his head, concealing the sorrow that had momentarily appeared on his face. But in an instant, he smiled again and began to explain to Xue Chan.

"This piece was composed by my mother many years ago to send off my father on his campaign against the Western Rong. However, after my father passed away, my mother never played it again. The past is hazy, and I don't remember it very clearly. I can only piece it together from the remnants of my memory."

It came from the wind, light and faint.

Tomorrow is the anniversary of my father's death.

Xue Chan hadn't expected that her casual question would touch on the other person's sore spot, and she felt quite uncomfortable.

"Feel sorry"

Jiang Ce shook his head: "This is not your fault, there is no need to apologize."

He smiled gently at Xue Chan.

Xue Chan: "I have long heard that the General was enfeoffed as a general at the age of seventeen, quelled the rebellion in Xichuan, and forced the Tiannan Kingdom to retreat to the outside of Changping Mountain. He achieved success at a young age and was arrogant and unrestrained, and everyone still praises him to this day."

Jiang Ce smiled and said softly, "These are all the opinions of the world. As a son, I don't remember them and I don't know them."

Xue Chan was slightly taken aback and looked up at him.

“My father passed away very early, and I was too young to have many memories of him. I remember he would teach me archery, teach me to ride horses, and take me fishing.”

Jiang Ce stood by the water's edge, his voice barely audible, part of his presence submerged by the rushing stream.

"That's all we have."

Xue Chan stood up and handed him the rabbit, saying, "It's getting late, I should go."

Jiang Ce nodded: "Farewell."

Xue Chan took a few steps, then turned around.

"If the general were alive today, he would surely be pleased to see the Second Young Master in his current state."

Jiang Ce held the rabbit, looked at her, and smiled gently.

"Is that what Miss Xue thinks?"

"Riding a horse and brandishing a spear, full of heroic spirit, does the Second Young Master lack confidence?"

She smiled, turned and left.