Chapter 21 Chapter 21 The further south you go, the warmer it gets

A large ship was sailing slowly on the Jiamin River.

The river is vast and boundless. The boat creates thick layers of green and yellow ripples as it moves forward. The shaking is not noticeable, but it makes you dizzy if you watch it for a long time. In the distance, the water is flat and vast, and it is difficult to see the end at a glance.

The further south the boat went, the warmer it became, and the low hills on both sides of the river were a light green.

There were two handsome young men sitting in the cabin.

"Girl, this wound must not get wet." Fang Dian helped Lu Suizhu apply medicine with some heartache, and her movements were very careful.

Looking back now, it was really thrilling. On the old lady's birthday, Fang Dian waited outside for a long time but didn't see Lu Suizhu. When she was panicked, she heard the sound of quarreling and fighting inside.

Not long after, many corpses were pulled out of Pei Mansion. Fang Dian felt uneasy and followed them in her carriage all the way to the outskirts of Beijing.

The desolate mass grave was overgrown with weeds and dead branches. A southeast wind blew, and someone came from nowhere and shot an arrow. The wind blew and the arrow caught fire as soon as it touched the grass, and the entire corpse transport vehicle was engulfed in flames.

In panic, Fang Dian rushed forward and rescued the unconscious Lu Suizhu.

Fortunately, everything is still in time.

"Miss, don't do this next time. What if the arrow you blocked for Master Pei hits a vital point?"

Lu Suizhu had already put on his clothes, but he was still a little slow in his movements. This was thanks to the arrow, which burned his body to ashes, leaving him dead without any evidence.

"It was a helpless act of risking my life. Although I was injured, I finally left Shangjing safely. This is my good fortune." Lu Suizhu smiled and comforted Fang Dian.

After being shot and falling to the ground, she still had a trace of willpower left. While everyone was busy treating the unconscious old lady and Chen, she secretly took the fake death medicine she had with her.

In fact, she was also afraid. This move was a life-threatening situation. But compared to almost losing her life, what she wanted more was to escape from Xiao Mao's constraints day and night, which were like a poisonous snake.

Going south along the Jiamin River, they were getting farther and farther away from the capital city. The hustle and bustle gradually faded away, and they were getting closer to nature and leisure.

Watching the river water receding, she was lost in thought for a long time.

“Miss, are you reluctant to leave Mr. Shen?”

Lu Suizhu raised the corner of her mouth, came back to her senses, and shook her head gently: "Chen Guyan helped me several times. I did have feelings for him before, but after going through so many things, I can confirm that we are only suitable to be friends."

The river breeze blew in, still a little chilly.

Fang Dian closed the cabin, her tone clearly changing: "Miss, are you reluctant to leave Mr. Pei?"

"Don't talk nonsense, it's not true." Lu Suizhu leaned her head left and right, biting her lips lightly, and almost blurted out the words. After she finished speaking, she realized that she seemed a little anxious. She coughed again and pretended to be serious: "Also, don't call me Miss. We are now wearing men's clothes. You should call me Master."

After drifting on the river all night, the two were hungry, so Fangdian went to the front cabin to get some food.

The ship was quite large, and it was traveling from Shangjing all the way to the southeast. It was carrying a variety of people, including merchants, hired workers, and people going to Beijing Academy to study. There were probably several hundred people on the entire ship.

Chen Guyan said, "The more mixed a group of people there are on a ship like this, the less suspicious it will be."

As it approached noon, the wind turned warm and Lu Suizhu had taken off all her clothes except for one single piece of clothing.

There seems to be a fragrance of flowers coming from both sides of the river, which is refreshing.

Standing on the deck, breathing in the breeze, Lu Suizhu could feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity and closeness. Following this direction, there should be nothing wrong.

"The scenery of the southeast is indeed very different from that of Shangjing."

Standing with her hands behind her back and her legs slightly apart, Lu Suizhu sighed in the man's tone.

"From your accent, you seem to be from Shangjing?"

A young man came up to talk to her. He had a handsome face and a thin figure. He bowed as he spoke, and Lu Suizhu also clasped his fists in awkward return of the greeting.

"Yes, he indeed grew up in Shangjing. I wonder where this young man is going?" Lu Suizhu waved a folding fan, deliberately making his voice rougher and pretending to be suave.

Seeing Lu Suizhu alone, Wu Lianjin also felt the boat trip was boring, so he approached her and started chatting. "My surname is Wu, and I'm from Fanxi in the southeast. I usually travel to the capital to make a living in the silk business. I wonder what your name is, young master, and where you are going?"

What a coincidence that I met someone from Fanxi?

"My surname is Lu, and my given name is Sui. To be honest, I'm also going to Fanxi this time. If Brother Wu doesn't mind, you can tell me more about the customs and people of Fanxi."

It was rare for someone to be so interested in such a small place. Wu Lianjin's face showed joy, and he began to talk incessantly as if a floodgate had been opened.

From the officials and gentry in the village to the local characteristics and features, and even what kind of game there is in the mountains, he described everything in detail. Lu Suizhu was fascinated by what he heard and her yearning for it grew even stronger.

The boat was about to dock when suddenly a gust of wind blew up from the shore, and the two men returned to the cabin together.

"I wonder why Brother Lu went to Fanxi?" Wu Lianjin asked.

"To be honest, I went there to look for my relatives." There were a few sighs in his voice.

Suddenly there was a commotion on the boat and people stomped their feet.

It looked like the boat had already docked, and before the passengers had even disembarked, a group of people dressed as officers and soldiers swarmed up, holding a portrait in their hands.

"The Pei Mansion in Shangjing suffered an assassination attempt, resulting in heavy casualties. The higher-ups have ordered that all pedestrians, boats, and even cats and dogs traveling to and from Shangjing be strictly inspected to prevent any unscrupulous individuals from causing unrest."

Hearing the word Pei Mansion, Fang Dian nervously grabbed Lu Suizhu's hand.

The officers and soldiers looked at the faces of all the passengers on the boat.

When the officer saw Lu Suizhu's delicate face, he stroked his chin and unfolded the portrait to compare it carefully.

His heart was beating violently, and when he met the officer's gaze, the small change in Lu Suizhu's hand was covered with sticky stuff.

The official rolled up the portrait and shook his head with a hint of regret: "Tsk, it's still not quite like it. This portrait clearly shows a woman."

The leader waved his hand and all the officers retreated.

Lu Suizhu sat down slowly, her back slightly wet after surviving the ordeal. She held the cup between her fingertips and wondered in her heart, could it be that Xiao Mao was investigating her?

The news of her death must have reached Xiao Mao's ears. Given his calculating, suspicious, and ruthless personality, he would have to turn Shangjing upside down to confirm that she, the person carrying the secret, was really dead before he could feel at ease.

Fortunately, she had escaped. The further south she went, the more lax the inspections would become. She could rest assured for the time being.

"Brother Lu, you must be frightened. Sit down and have a cup of hot tea. I often travel between Shangjing and other places in the southeast, but I have never seen such a situation. How can the assassination of an official family like the Pei family have anything to do with ordinary people like us?"

At this point, Wu Lianjin chuckled almost mockingly.

Lu Suizhu nodded to thank Wu Lianjin for the tea he handed over, took a sip from her lips and put it down, nodding heavily on her face to show her agreement.

"Brother Lu just said that he was going to Fanxi to look for relatives?"

After hearing Lu Suizhu's soft "hmm", Wu Lianjin drank the tea in one gulp and then let out a sigh.

"Well, Brother Lu should also know about the flood in Fanxi twelve years ago. It destroyed countless houses and left countless people starving and separated from their families. My uncle's daughter has been missing and there has been no news of her since."

Lu Suizhu's heart moved, but she didn't know the person in front of her, so she couldn't show too much anxiety. She asked casually, "Does this happen a lot?"

"That year, many children were indeed washed away by the flood. The county archives should have records of the exact number."

As it was getting dark, Wu Lianjin said goodbye to Lu Suizhu and returned to his residence.

After three or four days of traveling on the river, everyone was exhausted. Finally, the boat docked and excited cheers came from the cabin.

Many people left their homes and came to Beijing to work as laborers to support their families. When they finally saved enough money and bought a boat ticket to go home to visit their wives, children and parents, they were naturally very happy.

Lu Suizhu was also infected and felt a little more refreshed.

The pier was bustling with activity and was packed with people, many of whom were holding colorful banners.

"Brother Lu, you have just arrived in Fanxi. Do you have a place to stay? Do you need me to recommend a place for you to live?" Wu Lianjin took the initiative to ask.

Lu Suizhu politely declined, "I have a friend here. I'll go find him shortly. Thank you, Brother Wu, for your kindness."

"If you have any difficulties, you can always come to the Shen residence to find me."

Perhaps seeing her embarrassment, Wu Lianjin bowed to Lu Suizhu and said goodbye after saying this.

Watching him leave, Fang Dian stepped forward and said, "This Mr. Wu is really enthusiastic. We are new here and unfamiliar with the place. Why don't you ask him for help?"

"What if he is a bad guy? We'll both be finished." Lu Suizhu patted Fang Dian's head. After leaving Shangjing, this girl became less and less vigilant.

The two men followed the crowd and after leaving the dock, everyone on the boat went their separate ways. Seeing a lot of people gathered together, Lu Suizhu also joined them.

There was a big red notice posted on the wall with a piece of good news on it: Congratulations to the county magistrate's son Shen Wenjian for winning the first place in the imperial examination.

Seeing this familiar name, Lu Suizhu curled up the corners of her mouth. She didn't expect that she had such a deep connection with this scholar, and she even came all the way from Shangjing to his hometown.

"Fang Dian, let's go. Let's rent a small courtyard and settle down first. It would be best if we could find a way to make a living. Then we can slowly look for our relatives."

This matter cannot be rushed, and Lu Suizhu also knows that since it has come, she should make the best of it. She also wants to forget her identity as Lu Qinshi in the capital and start a new life.

As a zither player for many years, Lu Suizhu had saved a lot of money, but when he rented a house, he was still shocked by the prices. This small place was really cheap.

Living in Beijing is not easy. I was so immersed in it that I was completely unaware of it.

The matchmaker quickly took her to see the yard. As soon as she entered, she was turned down. The yard looked quiet and elegant, and the price was not expensive. After cleaning it up, it could be a good place to live.

Lu Suizhu immediately made up her mind.

The matchmaker always looked her up and down, and when she paid, she smiled and said, "What a pretty girl."

Lu Suizhu, dressed in men's clothing: "..."

Fang Dian was cleaning the house by herself, so Lu Suizhu simply changed into her daughter's clothes.

Anyway, it can't be concealed anymore. This matchmaker has a very powerful mouth. If it gets out that I'm a woman dressed as a man, it will probably arouse suspicion and cause more trouble. Besides, I wear men's clothes for the convenience of traveling.

Even after all the money was paid, the matchmaker still refused to leave. She diligently served tea and water to Lu Suizhu and asked her how old she was, where she lived, and whether she had any relatives here.

Unable to bear it any longer, Lu Suizhu asked the people to leave, slammed the door shut with lightning speed, and said in a firm tone.

"Don't bother yourself. I'm not planning on marriage."