Heading to Western Shu

Chapter 46, Journey to Western Shu

The next morning, while I was still half asleep, Lan Feiyu half-coaxed and half-dragged me awake. I was carried around like a puppet to wash, dress, and change. Although I was extremely unwilling, I knew that now that I was trapped and battered, I had no choice but to do what I was told.

I was immediately crammed into a carriage, and the procession slowly set off.

Fortunately, the carriage was fairly comfortable. Thick, soft cushions covered the interior, making it feel like sinking into a cloud, with no hard spots. Several layers of fine cotton quilts were placed on the backrests, soft and comfortable, making it easy to lean against. Light blue gauze curtains hung around the sides, swaying gently in the breeze, creating a calming atmosphere. A small bronze stove sat in the corner, burning a faint scent of pine resin; the warm aroma dispelled much of the morning chill. Despite my injuries, sitting here didn't feel painful at all; instead, I felt a lazy, comfortable feeling.

I drifted off to sleep without realizing it, and in my hazy state, I heard someone outside the car say, "The master is really attentive to this girl. It's a pity, though, that she seems to have a fiery temper. I'm afraid we can't force her."

Another person said, "If the master were a man, he would have taken her in long ago, instead of making such a fuss."

I felt stifled listening to it, so I turned around and covered my ears with my hands. The voices became faint, fragmented murmurs, no longer clear.

This trip is to Western Shu. According to Yuanzi, the Xie clan who escaped from Eastern Chu are all there. At first, I didn't think much of it, but later, as I pondered it, I couldn't help but think: Aren't those people the traitors of Eastern Chu? Western Shu, on the other hand, took them in without any hesitation and is still safe. My elder brother is right; Western Shu must be backed by Tuoluo. Eastern Chu hasn't pursued Western Shu relentlessly, probably because they are wary of Tuoluo and don't want war to break out in the north and south at the same time.

Thinking that I could actually understand all this, I felt no joy at making progress; instead, I felt even more melancholy and missed my older brother. I really don't know when I'll see him again. He brought me out, but I somehow managed to lose myself. I hope my uncle and mother won't blame him for this; ultimately, it's because I'm too stupid.

Although I was burdened with worries, after a few days of travel, the scenery along the way dispelled much of my gloom. The mountains beside the road stretched endlessly, so high they seemed to pierce the clouds, their slopes shrouded in mist, like a thin veil. The forests were so dense they seemed to extend as far as the eye could see, interspersed with unnamed wildflowers, red and yellow, blooming vibrantly, more eye-catching than the peonies in the palace. Occasionally, I would pass a stream, its water so clear you could see your reflection, gurgling gently, a cool, damp breeze brushing against my face. I lifted the veil, taking in the beautiful scenery, and the gloom of the past few days seemed to have been washed away by the mountains and water, my heart feeling much lighter.

Lan Feiyu and Yuanzi were nowhere to be seen, but the monkey Zhizha remained loyally by my side. I spoke in the dialect of Dongchu, and it chirped back and forth, gesturing as it went, and we actually managed to have a lively conversation. I patted its head and said with a smile, "Zhizha, you're much better than those people; at least you don't use me as a pawn."

We've been traveling for quite some time now, and we're almost at the border of Western Shu. The mountains are becoming increasingly steep, the trees are thinning out, revealing large expanses of rugged cliffs. Occasionally, a few tenacious clumps of grass sprout from the crevices, swaying in the wind as if greeting me. The air carries a damp, earthy scent, mingled with the fragrance of distant flowers, a aroma that soothes the soul.

The procession suddenly slowed down, and someone at the front called for a rest. I lifted the gauze curtain and saw a small river ahead. It wasn't wide, but the current was swift, rushing and gurgling. The water was so clear you could see the colorful pebbles at the bottom. Sunlight shone on it, making it shimmer like scattered silver. Seeing this, I was delighted and immediately jumped off the carriage, calling out, "Come on, let's go play in the water!"

Upon hearing this, Zhizha jumped up with delight and hopped onto my shoulder in a few leaps. I took off my shoes and socks, and stepped barefoot into the water. The cool sensation crept up my feet, making me grin from ear to ear. Zhizha wasn't afraid of the water at all; it splashed right in, its monkey paws spraying water all over me. I giggled and simply squatted down to play in the water with it. Water splashed everywhere, reflecting the sunlight like a miniature rainbow rain.

As I played, a few lines of poetry suddenly popped into my head. Looking at the river and the chirping of birds, I blurted out: "The clear stream reflects the sunshine, playful monkeys laugh and sing. The grass on the cliff dances in the wind, the little stream leisurely chases the waves." After reciting it, I laughed to myself and clapped my hands, saying, "Chirp, what do you think of my poem? 'Little stream' corresponds to 'little dawn,' isn't it a stroke of genius? Haha!"

It chirped twice, as if praising me. I was grinning smugly when I suddenly looked up and saw two people standing not far away—Yuanzi and Lan Feiyu. They were standing by a large rock on the riverbank, only a few feet away from me, silently watching me.

Lan Feiyu smiled radiantly. She was the "Yu Ji" in my heart. Although we had never spoken of each other, we were already of one mind. In time, we would even become the "family" in each other's "righteousness over family ties." However, even Yuanzi seemed to have a faint smile on her face, which surprised me. I stopped playing around and stared blankly at them.

When the two saw me looking over, Lan Feiyu smiled at me, but Yuanzi turned around directly and seemed to say something to Lan Feiyu. Lan Feiyu waved to me and then followed Yuanzi, walking downstream one after the other.

I blinked, a sense of curiosity rising within me. What were Yu'er and Yuanzi up to? Judging from their expressions, it seemed like they had something to say. I patted Zhizha and whispered, "Come on, let's go see!" Zhizha jumped back onto my shoulder, and I quietly crouched down and tiptoed after them.

I hadn't walked far when I heard a few low voices coming from behind a large tree by the river. I hid behind a clump of low bushes, holding my breath to listen. The wind blew across the river, and although their voices were low, they still reached my ears.

"...There's no need to drag Zhao Xi into this." Lan Feiyu's voice was a little urgent, as if she was holding her breath. "Can't you tell that she doesn't know anything?"

Yuanzi sneered, "Lan Feiyu, get this straight. You're the one who came to me, asking for my help to get Bozhou. If we want to succeed, the more helpers the better. Xie Kun has been a general for so many years, and he still has many loyal followers. That sum of money isn't small either; it's a significant amount of timely assistance. Xie Kun wants to use this sister as a bargaining chip. If Zhao Xi doesn't get involved, who will? Don't forget, you're the one who told me about her identity."

Lan Feiyu seemed speechless, as if choked by those words. Behind the tree, all was quiet except for the rustling of the willow branches in the wind; for a long time, there was no movement. I crouched behind the bushes, my heart sinking.

Actually, I had a vague idea. When I first met Yuanzi, although she could see that I was not prey in the hunting ground, she did not know my specific background. Then she suddenly asked me to see Xie Kun. I always wanted to think that Yuanzi was very powerful, after all, she could even take the monkey "Zhizha" as her subordinate. But no matter how I thought about it, it was not as simple and direct as Lan Feiyu telling her.

I just don't really want to guess.

I took a deep breath to stop the tears from welling up in my hot eyes. "Zhi Zha" seemed to understand my sadness and patted my head with its paw. I couldn't help but smile and lowered my voice to the lowest possible level: "Don't worry, Zhi Zha, once I've made up my mind, I won't change it."

"Zhi Zha" opened its round eyes and nodded solemnly.

"Squeak, squeak..." I hugged the monkey tightly, enjoying the warmth of its fur, when suddenly a cold voice came from above: "Have you squatted enough? If you have, get up, we're about to set off. We'll be entering the Western Shu territory today."

I looked up and saw the elusive Iris staring down at me. I sighed and slowly stood up. She frowned slightly, her voice still cold and hard: "Does it still hurt?"

"What do you think!" I replied irritably, and was about to turn and leave when Yuanzi reached out and grabbed me. Her pupils were flashing with a dark green brilliance again: "Zhao Xi, you heard my conversation with Lan Feiyu, didn't you?"

"Hmm." I wanted to lower my head, but I stubbornly raised my chin even higher. "I heard you. You know I heard you, so why are you asking?"

Do you want to leave?

"Huh?" I was completely stunned, staring blankly at Yuanzi. A scrutinizing light flickered in her slightly narrowed eyes, a light that made me want to back away, but her arm was still firmly held by her. I could only bite the bullet and ask, "Go? Go where?"

“Lan Feiyu has no right to let you go, but I can. I’ll only ask you once, Zhao Xi, do you want to leave? If you do, leave now, and Monkey will follow you.” As Yuanzi spoke, her gaze remained fixed on me.

I was speechless for a moment, and a cloud of black fog suddenly appeared in my mind—what was she saying?

"Once you enter Western Shu, even I may not be able to fully control the situation. At that time, your life or death will be uncertain, and no one can protect you."

I bit my lip and didn't say a word.

A hint of impatience crept into Yuanzi's expression. She looked at me, a cold, mocking smile playing on her lips: "You suspect I have ulterior motives? If I did..."

“No.” I shook my head, interrupting her. “I can see that if you let me go, no one will do anything to you. You also won’t get anything from me, and you might even offend Xie Kun.”

Seeing her lips move, I said again, "But I can't leave. If I leave now, it means abandoning Lan Feiyu and severing all ties with you all. I don't want that. Besides, if Xie—is really my biological father, I also want to know what happened back then. I believe my uncle isn't that kind of person, and I also believe..."

This time, it was Iris who interrupted me. She gave a cold laugh: "You believe that a surrendered general who climbed to the position of all-powerful man in Eastern Chu by climbing into the emperor's bed would be a good person?"

A burning pain shot through my chest as my uncle was so slandered: "He was a good man, a good man to me, my mother... the Emperor of Eastern Chu, and the people of Eastern Chu."

Iris's expression changed slightly, but she didn't refute me anymore. She just pulled me towards the carriage and said to me indifferently, "Since you're not leaving, then hurry back."