Chapter 98

It's unlikely that he'd forgotten. After all, he's a grown man, and at most, he just couldn't remember it when he was busy. But Ye Jia certainly wouldn't add fuel to the fire at this moment. She said a few vague words and leaned on his shoulder to continue sleeping. It has to be said that the carriage was so uncomfortable when awake that it made me want to vomit, but it felt okay when I was asleep. The swaying movement had a hypnotic effect.

Zhou Jingchen stroked her hair and sighed deeply. How could he have chosen such a heartless person in his two lifetimes? He thought angrily and fell asleep leaning on Ye Jia's shoulder.

He hadn't slept for two consecutive nights, and the only reason he was able to stay awake and come to see Ye Jia was because of his youth and energy.

The two of them slept in each other's arms for who knows how long, and the carriage finally stopped with a sigh from the coachman.

As soon as the car stopped, Zhou Jingchen opened his eyes.

Ye Jia was still sleeping soundly in his arms. He stretched his stiff arms, lifted the curtain, and looked out. The carriage stopped in front of an inn. After two hours of driving, the sky outside the window was already bright.

The driver outside was a stranger. He knocked gently on the door of the carriage and said, "Master, we have arrived at the inn. Come down and rest for a day."

Ye Jia woke up the moment Zhou Jingchen moved. The carriage was jolting, and Ye Jia was held in someone's arms so she didn't wake up. She opened her eyes a little, got off Zhou Jingchen's lap, and followed his example to look out the window. She didn't know where she was. There were trees all around, and the scenery seemed a bit desolate. What place was this?

Ye Jia was curious and was about to get out of the car, so she walked directly to the door and opened it.

"Huh? What's wrong?" Ye Jia put one hand on the carriage door and got out as soon as she said it. The person behind her didn't move. She turned her head and looked at Zhou Jingchen, who was sitting there with a stiff face, in surprise. "Aren't you going to get off?"

Zhou Jingchen raised his eyes and glanced at her quietly.

…For some reason, Ye Jia clearly sensed the resentment lingering in his heart at that moment. Her gaze dropped to his knees and then back to his face. Ye Jia blinked, "Are you numb?"

Zhou Jingchen didn't say anything, just looked at her with resentment.

Ye Jia: "...It's not intentional."

She muttered something to herself, but her body moved obediently over and started massaging his legs.

Zhou Jingchen then curled up the corners of his mouth: "Jia Niang."

"Um."

The morning light from the window shone on his face, and Zhou Jingchen's eyes seemed to be filled with the shimmering water of a lake. He looked thin, with long, slender legs, but when she pinched him, it was all muscle, hard. Ye Jia massaged him for a long time, and when she asked him if he was feeling better, he looked at her with his eyes open: "My shoulder has been leaning on me all night, and it hasn't moved. Now I can't move it..."

Ye Jia: "...I understand."

After massaging his legs, he rubbed his shoulders. After a long time of hard work, Ye Jia finally managed to smooth out his tendons and blood circulation. The man couldn't help but curl his lips, propped up his lips, and cleared his throat, saying, "It's all right now. Let's go."

Then he stood up with light steps, bowed and got out of the carriage, his whole body filled with joy.

Ye Jia: “…”

Ye Jia, who was one step behind him, curled his lips speechlessly, muttered a few words to him in his heart and then got off the car.

The surroundings were truly desolate, with a forest in front and another in the back. The inn wasn't located on a town street; instead, it was completely deserted, a bit like the inns in Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio. Ye Jia felt uneasy and stayed close to Zhou Jingchen the entire time.

There were only two people in the inn lobby, a shopkeeper and a waiter, and there weren't many guests.

Someone beside Zhou Jingchen walked up and asked for three rooms. The innkeeper looked up and took a look. Then the waiter came over with a big smile on his face and led the guests to the back to rest. Although Ye Jia had just woken up after a nap, sleeping in the car would only make him more tired. The waiter led the way in small steps and explained the rules of the inn to everyone in a clear and articulate manner: "The inn only provides two meals. If you need water, you have to go to the kitchen to get it yourself."

As he spoke, he led the person to the door and prepared to leave: "Would you like to eat, sir? If so, I will go and get it."

"Then please bring some food over, my husband and I are already a little hungry after the long journey." Zhou Jingchen took out some small change from his sleeve and handed it to the waiter. "If it's convenient, please bring two buckets of hot water."

When the waiter saw the reward, his eyes lit up immediately. He took it, shook it, and smiled.

"Okay, I'll go right away, you two take a rest!"

The waiter was quick and efficient, bringing the food over quickly. It was still piping hot, fresh from the pot. Ye Jia and Zhou Jingchen ate a simple meal to fill their stomachs. A moment later, a stout woman arrived carrying two buckets of hot water.

After showering and freshening up, they washed together before leaving the house. This wasn't the shower Ye Jia had imagined; they took an hour to finish. The sound of water slamming against the tub's walls shook the figures that fell to the ground. The sound was interwoven with the woman's sweet moans and the man's suppressed breathing, a continuous stream that would have been dizzying if anyone had heard.

At the end of the shower, Ye Jia was carried back to her bed by Zhou Jingchen. Her face flushed, her body trembling, she curled up in someone's arms. The man leaned down and gently pecked her forehead, patted her back, and then the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms.

Ye Jia slept soundly, and didn't open her eyes until the afternoon. The air was filled with the sound of wind and rustling, creating a unique tranquility. With her hair in disarray, Ye Jia poked her head out of Zhou Jingchen's arms, squinting her eyes as she looked out the window. She hadn't known when the window had been opened, and now a light rain was falling from the once sunny sky.

The raindrops were like silk threads, dripping on the leaves and roof, giving me a rare feeling of peace and tranquility.

The inn was deserted, feeling especially quiet. Aside from Zhou Jingchen, Ye Jia, and their group of six, there were only five people from the inn, so it was still quite quiet. Ye Jia wouldn't wear underwear for more than two days, so after changing out of her underwear, she'd try on something else. But when she saw she had only a small bag, she couldn't help but glare at Zhou Jingchen, who was still asleep in bed.

...never mind, he was tired too. It was rare for him to get a good night's sleep, and Ye Jia didn't have the heart to wake him up. She got up quietly. Zhou Jingchen always slept soundly when he was next to her.

Having barely eaten on the way, and having slept until now, and having tossed and turned three times in a row, Ye Jia was already starving. He went to the kitchen to see if there was anything to eat. The backyard looked endless, but it was actually quite wrinkled. It took Ye Jia a quarter of an hour to get to the kitchen, following the wall. A plump cook was dozing in the corner, not even noticing Ye Jia approaching.

She looked at the cook, but saw no reaction. So she opened the pot and took a look. There were only a few steamed buns and some stew.

It's not that you have to be pretentious and eat delicious food, but if you can, you still want to eat better. After taking one look at the stew, Ye Jia really lost her appetite. She looked around the kitchen, which was quite large. There was a table in the open space on the right side by the door. On the table was a dustpan and basket, and underneath were two buckets. Both of them were filled with raw vegetables.

Since I have nothing to do, I might as well make something to eat.

Ye Jiayu walked over and coughed lightly, waking up the dozing cook.

"The food is in the pot, serve yourself."

After saying that, the cook folded his arms and leaned against the wall, as if he was going to continue sleeping.

Ye Jia thought for a moment and took out a small piece of silver from his pocket: "I see some food on the table, can I use it?"

The cook suddenly felt less sleepy when he saw the silver. He took it swiftly, put it to his lips, and took a bite. His face clenched as he smiled and said, "Yes, yes, yes, you can use as much as you want."

"Thank you very much."

Ye Jia hadn't eaten much since last night and was really hungry.

These dishes were all vegetarian. Ye Jia glanced at them: a basket of radishes, some white cabbages, and a large bucket of wild onions. Ye Jia was a very honest carnivore; she found rice without meat bland. Then she glanced at the cook again.

The cook had just given Ye Jia a little over one or two taels of silver. When Ye Jia glanced at him, he immediately came over and asked, "Is there anything else you would like, sir? These dishes are mostly vegetarian. Do you want meat? We have chickens in the backyard."

"If we don't use chickens, I wonder if there are eggs?"

Roasting a chicken is too time-consuming. She just wants to make a quick stir-fry to fill her stomach. "Can I have those three or four eggs?"

"Yes, yes, yes. I'll get it for you right away."

The fat cook turned around and brought over five eggs.

Ye Jia thanked him and cracked all five eggs. She also chopped a handful of wild onions and sprinkled them in. She added a little salt and quickly beat them. She heated the oil in a pan and sizzled the eggs and scallions in, creating a scrambled egg with wild onions. As the oil heated, the aroma of the fried eggs was enough to make anyone salivate.

Ye Jia was frying eggs when she heard a burst of scolding from outside.

The cook stood by and watched, muttering "Here it comes again", then went to the back kitchen door, grabbed a stick and rushed out angrily.

Ye Jia finished preparing the eggs and quickly whipped up a plate of vinegar-fried white cabbage. He took five steamed buns and carried them out. The yard wasn't small; it was probably because the land in the wilderness was cheap, so it was made quite large. It was still raining, and Ye Jia walked along the corridor toward his residence. As he reached the small door, he saw two people surrounding a shadowy figure, hands on their hips, cursing and shouting something like "madman."

It was too far away and the shadow was obscured by the cook's figure and could not be seen clearly.

"...What is that?" Ye Jia didn't bother to meddle in other people's business. He muttered and left with the food.

She didn't go to the lobby, but just took the food back to the guest room.

When I pushed the door open, Zhou Jingchen was already awake. He was sitting by the window, reading some documents, his face a little cold. He raised his eyes when he heard the noise at the door, and saw that it was Ye Jia who came back. The coldness in his brows dissipated like fog. This man always liked to smile when facing Ye Jia, as if he had no temper. Seeing him smile, Ye Jia rolled her eyes at him: "When did you get up? Why don't you sleep a little longer?"

"I woke up as soon as you left." The light from the window shone on half of his shoulder. It was a gloomy rainy day, and his eyes were particularly bright.

"Okay," Ye Jia brought the dishes to the bedside table, "Have you washed up? I made two stir-fries, let's eat together."

"Okay." Zhou Jingchen folded the things in his hand and put them back into the envelope. He put away the paperwork on the table and came over to take the tray. After setting the two dishes on the table, he pulled Ye Jia to sit down with him.

The scallion scrambled eggs were piping hot, fresh from the wok, and the seasonal onions were fragrant. The vinegar-fried white cabbage was also vibrantly colored. After a long journey and a lack of appetite, Ye Jia had deliberately added more vinegar, making the flavor a bit stronger. Of course, it wasn't because Zhou Jingchen liked the sour taste of vinegar. As soon as the dish was put down, the subtle aroma of vinegar made his mouth water.

Zhou Jingchen just picked up a piece of white cabbage with chopsticks, and his eyes lit up when he put it in his mouth.

"Delicious, right?" Ye Jia smiled, narrowing her eyes. "Now is the perfect time to eat wild onions. They'll be delicious if you scramble them with eggs."

"Um."

Zhou Jingchen wasn't a picky eater and was easy to keep. He could eat anything; he simply wanted to fill his stomach. But if the food tasted good, he'd eat a little more, even adding a slice, to show his appreciation for Ye Jia's cooking. Ye Jia had taken five steamed buns, intending to eat one herself and give the remaining four to him. Zhou Jingchen finished all four, still wanting more, leaving Ye Jia speechless.

"Four steamed buns isn't too much." Zhou Jingchen took a handkerchief and slowly wiped the corners of his mouth. "It's only half full."

Ye Jia: "...Where did all the food you ate go? You haven't gained any weight."

As she spoke, she glanced at Zhou Jingchen's belly, which was really flat. Thinking of the touch of her hand, well, flat and hard. Zhou Jingchen was amused by her hesitant look, "If you use your brain more, you will naturally eat more."

Ye Jia, who ate very little, asked: "???"

"...It's not that you don't use your brain enough." Zhou Jingchen shrugged innocently.

Ye Jia: “…”

The rain started to fall suddenly, rustling against the tiles above my head, and the sound made me drowsy.

In the blink of an eye, a year passed, and before he knew it, Ye Jia had been here for two years.

The leaves in the forest had sprouted new buds, and the green was like a splash of ink. It was March again. Perhaps it was Ye Jia's illusion, she always felt that this place was warmer than Dongxiang Town. Ye Jia opened the window and looked at the rain, then remembered to ask Zhou Jingchen: "You haven't told me yet, where are we going this time? Didn't you say we had something important to do?"

"Let's go to Khotan, Anxi Protectorate." Zhou Jingchen got a comb from somewhere, untied Ye Jia's messy hair, and stood behind her to slowly comb her hair. "Come with me to meet my grandparents and uncle."

Ye Jia: “!!!!”

Ye Jia's eyes widened when he heard this: "Who are you meeting?"

"My maternal grandfather and several uncles." When Prince Jing's palace fell on hard times, the Yu family, as in-laws, were naturally implicated, especially Yu's natal family. The Yu family's patriarch had been the late emperor's Grand Tutor, and Yu's eldest brother was a renowned scholar, with numerous students across the country. This was a family of scholars with a rich history spanning four centuries. Once Prince Jing fell on hard times, they were destined to be implicated and exiled.

Ye Jia: "...Just go like this?"

"What else?" Zhou Jingchen imitated Ye Jia's usual manner and said with a smile, "We are in exile now, are you still planning to bring souvenirs?"

Ye Jia: “…”

"It's nothing. Grandpa knows the Zhou family's situation and won't challenge your rules in this regard. Besides, they're not that rigid." The Yu family was indeed a family of scholars, but their family traditions were different from those of other scholarly families. The Yu family was all gifted, and each generation had its own quirky personalities. Just like Yu's father, Old Man Yu, he was known for his mischievous nature.

Because of his family's wealth, the old man's stubborn ways remained unchanged even into his old age. Of course, the Yu family's exile was also due to the old man's insults against the current emperor in court, his own writings, and his poetry gatherings, encouraging scholars to publicly mock the emperor with poems.

The Yu family did not blame the old man for his willful behavior. The Yu brothers used all kinds of tricks to fan the flames... The whole family was exiled with the old man.

Ye Jia: “…” What a ruthless family.

In raising his children, Mr. Yu relied entirely on their natural instincts, never demanding their talents, and certainly not clinging to the reputation of a scholarly family. Because of this approach, each member of the Yu family has their own unique strengths, and the siblings are more united than the children of more aristocratic families.

"My grandfather has a rather mischievous nature and enjoys playing tricks on people. Although my three uncles have very different personalities, they are all very easygoing, so don't worry."

...That actually makes me more worried.

Ye Jia scratched his cheek, feeling that things were definitely not as simple as Zhou Jingchen said. If he wanted to see his grandfather and uncle, why did he bother to disguise himself and go on this trip? Given the current situation, it wouldn't be difficult for him to send someone to take them away without anyone noticing.

She glanced at him suspiciously, and Zhou Jingchen grinned again: "Indeed, there are other things. I didn't say there was only one thing."

"...You're not going to try to incite the Protector General of Anxi Protectorate to rebel, are you?"

Zhou Jingchen's hand holding the comb paused and he looked at her.

"What's wrong? Was my guess wrong?" The Beiting Protectorate bordered the Anxi Protectorate, both located outside the Great Wall. Ye Jia had previously wondered which direction the Yan court would come from if they received word that they were going to deal with Zhou Jingchen.

After much deliberation, the most convenient method was to mobilize the Anxi Protectorate's garrison. While the Anxi Protectorate's forces were not as numerous as those of Beiting, the local environment was far superior, and the grain production was also greater. If a conflict arose, Beiting would have to allocate some of its forces to defend the northeastern, northwest, and western exits, which wouldn't necessarily give it an advantage over the Anxi Protectorate's governor.

In other words, if one wants to gain a firm foothold outside the Great Wall and have the absolute ability to point the sword at the Central Plains, the Anxi Protectorate must be taken.

Zhou Jingchen slowly tied Ye Jia's hair into a bun and smoothed her temples. Ye Jia took the small mirror Zhou Jingchen gave her and looked at herself from side to side. She had to admit that it was done very well.

She was staring at herself in the mirror, admiring her beauty and very satisfied with her new hairstyle. Suddenly, the person next to her leaned down, his face tilted from his shoulder, and moved closer to her. A refreshing breath sprayed on Ye Jia's neck and shoulders, and the person lowered his head and gently pecked her cheek. The warmth on Ye Jia's face faded as soon as she touched it. She turned around, and Zhou Jingchen had already calmed down.

He looked serious, as if it was just Ye Jia's illusion: "..."

While Ye Jia was distracted, a white hand naturally took the small mirror from her hand. In front of Ye Jia, she pulled out a handkerchief and carefully wiped the mirror, then stuffed it into her clothes with confidence.

"...Can't you even take a few more pictures? Stingy!" Some of this guy's behavior is simply outrageous. If Ye Jia hadn't known from personal experience that this guy was not a human being in bed, he would have suspected that he was a homosexual. After all, what normal man would carry a small mirror and a comb with him?

Zhou Jingchen glanced at her and said quietly, "How can you be so careless when eating? What if you accidentally drop it?"

"Who uses a mirror and a comb when eating?"

"Me." Zhou Jingchen was not ashamed at all, and even seemed to be justified: "After all, my teeth are not good, so I can only eat soft rice."

Ye Jia: “…”

"It's just as Jia Niang said. It's all for the military power of the Anxi Protectorate." Zhou Jingchen wasn't deliberately hiding this from Ye Jia. It's just that these things didn't need to be explained clearly at every step. When the action was done, Ye Jia would naturally know.

"Sure enough, I knew it."

Ye Jia brushed up a strand of hair that fell in front of her and twirled it around her finger. "It's been so peaceful along the way. Has the court still not reacted?"

In ancient times, transportation was difficult and carriages were slow. Furthermore, the weather was freezing cold, and the distance between the border regions was vast. The current imperial court was not particularly concerned with the northwest. It's possible that these factors hindered the transmission of information.

Zhou Jingchen sneered upon hearing this, and did not elaborate further: "At least before May, there will not be any major movements in the court."

Ye Jia raised her eyebrows, roughly understanding Zhou Jingchen's mood.

In reality, this novel, how should I put it, is one focused on romance. Although Ye Jia no longer remembers the plot, she still has some recollection of it. The tyrannical emperor's every thought is devoted to pleasing the heroine. Besides constantly vying for the heroine's favor and ostentatiously flaunting her unique status as his favorite, the tyrannical male protagonist seems to have little else to do.

Those outside the story might be moved by the sincerity of the hero and heroine's feelings, and how touching is this unique love in the world? But apart from the romantic relationship, the hero is too idle for an emperor. So much so that Ye Jia found his subsequent murder justified.

...Okay, since he said so, Ye Jia felt relieved.

Ye Jia sat by the window and listened to the rain for a while, while Zhou Jingchen sat opposite her and read documents.

His gaze drifted off into the distance, and Ye Jia fell into a rare trance. She had been on edge ever since she'd arrived, never having a moment of rest. Such moments of quiet reflection were rare. Ye Jia couldn't help but calculate the distance from Dongzhen Town to Khotan. Going straight up and down, it was about three hundred miles. If the carriage ran fast, it would take a day and a night.

They set out last night and should have covered one-sixth of the distance by now.

As he was thinking, he heard vague sounds of beating and scolding from the other side. Ye Jia frowned slightly and stood up.

As soon as he moved, Zhou Jingchen raised his head: "Where are you going?"

"...Let's go outside and take a look." She didn't run away, so Ye Jia felt helpless. "I'll be back soon."

Zhou Jingchen followed her back with his eyes, and only when the door creaked shut from the outside did he turn his head to look outside. In the hazy drizzle, in a corner across the yard, the chubby cook was kicking and beating someone. Zhou Jingchen lowered his head and stared at the line of words on the letter paper, "Gu Mingyi died. The mistress of the Gu family came to the palace late at night to see the imperial concubine."

A soft sneer was heard in the quiet room. Zhou Jingchen lit the lamp on the table with an expressionless face, which ignited the letter.

"Fence-sitter."

Not to mention the fact that the Gu family, a fence-sitter, never stood firm, Ye Jia walked down the corridor to where the fat cook was making a scene. As he got closer, Ye Jia could see clearly that he was kicking a skinny beggar. The beggar had a messy head of hair, his face hidden in it. He was wearing thin, tattered clothes. He was curled up in a ball, his exposed skin covered in stains.

"I told you not to steal! I told you not to steal!" The fat cook kicked and hit hard, the flesh on his face trembling with his movements. "Today, I will either beat you to death or cripple you!"

The beggar curled up in a ball and sobbed, unable to speak clearly.

Ye Jia couldn't bear to watch, so he finally said something nosy: "Stop it, stop kicking!"

When the fat cook heard someone trying to stop him, he was about to curse, "Get lost, you nosy fellow!" But when he saw Ye Jia's face, he froze. He still remembered that Ye Jia could easily get more than one or two taels of silver. The fat on his face trembled, and his sinister expression turned into a flattering one.

He rubbed his hands and stopped.

"Guest, what are you doing here? It's raining and very cold outside. Please don't let the rain get your shoes dirty."

Seeing Ye Jia looking at the trembling beggar on the ground, his expression changed several times before he spoke: "Guest, you don't know. It's not that I'm a mean person who has to kick and pummel homeless people. It's just that this beggar's behavior is disgusting and dirty. He always sneaks into the kitchen to steal things. Even after being taught a lesson several times, he still refuses to change his ways. He will come back to steal again if you're not paying attention. Look at this..."

It was indeed annoying to have thieves constantly stealing things. No one in business liked being robbed. Ye Jia understood, but beating him so hard was unnecessary.

"Don't hit me, I paid for his buns."

The good thing about earning your own money is that Ye Jia can give alms whenever he wants without any psychological burden.

When the fat cook heard that the generous lady wanted to pay the beggar, his attitude suddenly changed.

He rubbed his hands and walked over. Ye Jia's eyes passed over him and fell on the person curled up on the ground. The thin beggar was trembling all over, and it seemed that he was injured somewhere. Ye Jia glanced at him and frowned: "Go from the account."

"Yes, yes." The cook froze for a moment and chuckled.

The cook, who didn't get the reward, left reluctantly.

Ye Jia squatted in front of the beggar. As he got closer, he realized she was an old woman. Her face was covered in dirt, so it was hard to tell what she looked like, but he could tell she was quite old. She was emaciated from hunger, clutching a steamed bun in her hand, digging into it with all five fingers.

"Can you still stand up?" Ye Jia saw her trembling non-stop, her legs curled up on the ground as if unable to move. Not caring about the dirt on her body and the unpleasant stench, he reached out and grabbed her arm, trying to pull her up.

As soon as he reached out his hand, the old woman, who hadn't cried or made a scene, started to cry out. She fiddled with her hands, a gesture of resistance. It was only when she raised her hands that Ye Jia noticed the white porcelain jar in his arms. It looked like high-quality porcelain, about the same size as the clay jar Ye Jia used to store chili sauce. In other words, the size of a six- or seven-pound winter melon.

She had been curled up on the ground, motionless, protecting this white porcelain jar. Ye Jia felt that this ceramic jar looked familiar, resembling an urn. But wasn't burial the norm in the modern dynasty? They said cremation was like scattering bones and ashes...

Ye Jia wasn't a professional student of history or customs, so he didn't know much about it. He thought it was unlikely to be an urn, so he wanted to take it and take a look.

"Don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it! Don't touch it, don't touch it, don't touch it!"

The beggar kept making noises in resistance while holding on to the white porcelain jar tightly.

She had been very quiet, but now she was talking like a madman, her voice rapidly and repeatedly: "One mountain, two mountains, the mountains are far away, the sky is high, the mist and water are cold, I miss you, the maple leaves are red. The chrysanthemums bloom, the chrysanthemums wither, the geese fly high, the person has not returned, a curtain of wind and moon is leisurely. One mountain, two mountains, the mountains are far away, the sky is high, the mist and water are cold, I miss you, the maple leaves are red. The chrysanthemums bloom, the chrysanthemums wither, the geese fly high, the person has not returned..."

Ye Jia felt something was wrong, it was clearly a sentence.

Frowning, she squatted before the grimy old woman, listening to her recite the poem over and over again no less than ten times, feeling increasingly strange. A vague suspicion welled up in her mind, so she went to the lobby and booked another room. She called in the guards, who forcibly carried the old woman back to her room. After ordering some hot water, Ye Jia specifically asked the sturdy maid in the back to come and give the old woman a wash.

He lent the old clothes to the person and after sorting them out, Ye Jia could see the old woman's face clearly.

His face was very old, probably in his sixties or seventies. However, people in ancient times lived a hard life and aged quickly, so it was difficult to tell his exact age. The only thing that was certain was that this old beggar must have been quite good-looking when he was young.

She was curled up in bed, holding the white porcelain jar in her arms. She muttered to herself, "One mountain, two mountains, the mountains are far away, the sky is high, the smoke and water are cold, the maple leaves are red with longing..."

Ye Jia made such a big commotion, so Zhou Jingchen naturally came over to take a look: "What's going on? Who is this person?"

"I don't know." Ye Jia felt a little sorry for her because she was so thinly dressed in such cold weather, so he offered her some sympathy. "She looks like a mental patient, no, I mean, a beggar so hungry she came here to steal food. I saw someone kicking and beating her just now, and I stopped them because I felt sorry for her. Husband, what do you think she's holding in her arms?"

"Um?"

Zhou Jingchen only glanced at the old woman after he came in. Hearing this, he said without even looking at her, "The urn."

"Urn??"

Ye Jia was shocked. "Cremation has been around for so long? Aren't we all buried?"

Zhou Jingchen glanced at Ye Jia meaningfully. Before Ye Jia realized he had spoken out of turn in his surprise, he heard him explain again, "Burial is common in the Central Plains, and the Han people also mostly bury their bodies. But when the Buddha passed away, his body was cremated with fragrant wood, and his spirit was broken into pieces. ② There are also cremations. If he died in Chang'an, his body would be cremated according to foreign customs.③"

Ye Jia: "..." She was ignorant.

"She was holding an urn. Can she take the urn away at will?" Ye Jia tried her best to ignore Zhou Jingchen's eyes on her. Suddenly she realized that she had said something very revealing. Ye Jia's heart began to beat wildly.

"No." Zhou Jingchen looked at the old woman. "What did Jia Niang plan to do by saving her? Or did she discover something?"

"Ah, no," Ye Jia shook his head and said innocently, "There's no village or shop around here. You can't even get food by begging. I'm afraid she'll die here. Aren't we going to Khotan? We can give her a ride and send her to a populated town to make a living. It should be easier. Or we can send her to the government and see if they can lock her up. We have to give her a chance to live..."

Zhou Jingchen said nothing, but instead his eyes fell quietly on the old woman's neck. There was a black object hanging around her neck, which looked a bit like iron and a bit like copper, with a very familiar pattern.

"Can you lead them for a while?" Ye Jia saw how pitiful the old woman looked. "Maybe we could add a character, like a merchant couple taking their sick mother around to seek medical treatment or something. Wouldn't that be more convincing than a traveling merchant?"

Zhou Jingchen: "...Jia Niang said that, it's polite, but mother might be unhappy if she knew."

Ye Jia: “…”