Meeting an old friend
At midnight, the moonlight, like water, wove a soft and beautiful veil over the town, and also fell on Sui Zhixu's window.
Everything in her dream lingered on the street corner where Thirteen Sister and Ah Ning were fighting over a candied hawthorn. She sat up, looking at the moonlight streaming into the room, the laughter and joy from her dream still echoing in her ears.
Her heart was a desolate wasteland, an emptiness that enveloped her and dragged her down into an endless abyss.
She turned to reach for it, but Little Hibiscus was nowhere to be seen.
By the way, this is the Ming family home. Little Hibiscus lives in another room.
Sui Zhixu leaned against the bed railing and took a deep breath, trying to sort out the chaotic dreams in her mind—no, it should be called memories.
She first learned of their deaths, saw their tombstones, deduced their identities from the details in her dreams, and sought revenge for them.
However, the dream pushed time forward once again, and looking back, all the laughter and joy in the dream vanished like a bubble.
What a coincidence! How could she be Cao Chunfeng's girlfriend?
As the moonlight faded outside the window and dawn broke, Mingyi knocked on her door and realized that she had been awake all night.
"Ah Xu, what's wrong? Your eyes are swollen. I'll go get a doctor for you."
Sui Zhixu grasped her hand, her voice weary, "I'm fine, no need to call a doctor."
Mingyi sat on the edge of the bed and asked softly, "Is it because of Wen Ke?"
She didn't speak, which was taken as her tacit agreement.
"Actually, she cares about you a lot. To be honest, she's the only one in Tianque Tower who takes my orders. She once told me that I reminded her of an old friend, which is why she helped me. Otherwise, I only have enough money for the blood vines to hire her. Now I know that the old friend is you. She's cold as ice and looks down on others, but she looks at you differently."
"When she heard the news about you, she was even more excited than I was, and she kept looking towards the door. I don't know what happened between you two, but she really cares about you."
Sui Zhixu silently tugged at the corner of his mouth, "Don't worry about us. I'm just having her come with me to pay respects to two old friends. Because you're caught in the middle, ultimately, it's our fault."
Mingyi shook his head abruptly, took her hand, and looked at her earnestly.
"No, I am very grateful to Ah Xu. If you hadn't recognized me, I might still be suffering at the Wu'an Marquis's mansion. I am a coward and afraid of trouble. If it weren't for Ah Xu's words, I wouldn't have had the courage to escape."
"In short, you all stay here well. Your uncle and brother are both very good people. When I was waiting to be married in Chang'an, I met people from the Ming family. When they learned that I was going to marry into the Marquis's mansion as the wife of the heir, they all wanted me to be respectful and polite. But my uncle and the others, as a branch of the Jianghu, were more concerned about whether I had a good time in the manor for the past ten years."
“After I fled Chang’an, they warmly took me in. My brother ran away to Chang’an alone because he felt sorry for me. My uncle scolded him, but he knew it was because he was standing up for me and never punished my brother. You are my benefactor. Stay here and I will take good care of you.”
Mingyi's eyes were sincere and bright, and Sui Zhixu couldn't help but smile and agree.
In short, she needed to contact Jiang Yun first. That damned Jiang Yun, she'd been away for so long and he hadn't even sent her a message. He just used her and then threw her away.
"Mmm." Mingyi nodded vigorously, smiled with pursed lips, her round almond-shaped eyes filled with excitement, truly resembling a rabbit.
After leaving Chang'an, she seemed to have lost the pitiful and delicate appearance of her mother, Lady Ming, and instead possessed more vitality and energy.
As soon as Xu Anxin settled in, her injuries were greatly healed in less than half a month. Within half a month, she tried every means to contact Jiang Yun, but he ignored her completely. On the contrary, Jiang Li would always come to her dreams in the middle of the night.
She and Wen Ke spoke very little, their relationship as calm as still water, without the slightest ripple.
Unable to contact Jiang Yun, Sui Zhixu had no choice but to go by herself. As she was packing her things, Mingyi rushed in and hugged her, crying.
It wasn't a loud wail, but a soft sob that broke your heart.
"What's wrong?"
"Waaah..."
"He... Waaah—"
Him? Who?
A thought suddenly struck her, and she asked, "Has Cheng Zhijie arrived?"
I heard that the former governor of Qianzhou has been transferred, and the imperial court will arrange for a new person to take up the post in Qianzhou.
The Thirteen Territories is a colloquial term used in the martial arts world to distinguish them from the powerful and influential figures of the Central Plains, but they are still part of the Qi Dynasty's territory.
"Ugh, waaaaah, he came to get me! He even said I've gotten fat, waaaaah—"
Sui Zhixu was completely bewildered; what was all this about?
Could you elaborate on your meaning?
Mingyi lifted her swollen eyes from his embrace and, sobbing, recounted the whole story from beginning to end.
A few days ago, Mingyi received news from the martial arts world that the new governor of Qianzhou would arrive soon.
The previous governor was neither meritorious nor demeritful. They didn't openly talk about their business of selling information in the Jianghu, but they knew it in secret. In the past, the Ming family would only give the governor of Qianzhou a token gift, and he would turn a blind eye and they would keep to themselves.
But the new governor she found out this time was sent from Chang'an. Chang'an, again Chang'an.
Mingyi has been feeling uneasy lately whenever she hears the name Chang'an, and the more she hears the description, the more it seems to resemble Cheng Zhijie.
Born into a wealthy family in Chang'an, he was in his twenties and was once the top scholar in the imperial examination.
"It's over!" Mingyi immediately wanted to run away, but the Ming family's foundation was here, and she was unfamiliar with other places. Where could she run to?
Never mind, let's run first. The night before last, Mingyi didn't tell anyone, and was just about to run out the back door when Sui Chuke discovered him.
He was stupid; she tricked him by pretending to take an evening walk and successfully escaped.
She had planned to write to Mingzhuo after she left Qianzhou and settled down, but she bumped into a young woman who had sold herself to bury her mother and was being harassed by a playboy.
The street was bustling with people, noisy and chaotic. The young woman, dressed in hemp clothes and wearing a plain headscarf, knelt on the side of the street, her expression numb, and kept kowtowing to the passers-by.
With a mournful tone, she pleaded, "I am willing to sell myself to bury my mother. Please, everyone, have mercy and save me."
Mingyi had no intention of joining in the fun; she wanted to run away as quickly as possible. But then a group of young men on horseback rushed out from behind her, blowing off her earrings. The leading gentleman, dressed in a brocade robe and wearing a jade crown, looked at the young woman on the ground with a mocking expression.
His words were flippant: "Oh, this young lady is quite pretty. Instead of selling herself to bury her mother, why not come with me? I guarantee you'll live a life of luxury, and your father will have a grand funeral."
He dismounted and stepped forward, pulling the young woman up despite her refusal. She hurriedly tried to dodge, but because she had been kneeling for too long, her legs were numb, and she stumbled and fell into his arms.
"Hahaha, look at this, it can't resist snuggling into my arms!" He laughed loudly, and his cronies echoed him, while passersby avoided him like the plague.
The young woman looked terrified, and a few strands of messy hair clung to her cheeks as she moved, making her appear even more pitiful.
Mingyi squeezed through the crowd and met the young lady's teary eyes. The playboy at the head of the group seemed even more excited and immediately grabbed the young lady, trying to mount her horse.
"stop!"
Before her brain could process it, her mouth was already speaking. Mingyi realized she had already said it, so she simply called for the thugs beside her to come forward.
"I'll pay for it. Put her down, or don't blame me for being impolite."
"Oh ho! Listen to this, she said she's going to be impolite to me." The leading young man was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Huyan, make your move!" Mingyi's usual style was to first be polite and then resort to force.
"What are you doing?"
The voice behind her was clear and deep, mellow, and very familiar to her.
"What are you standing there for? This is the newly appointed governor. Aren't you going to pay your respects?"
Mingyi lowered his head in a daze and turned around, just about to follow the crowd and kneel down in an attempt to get away with it.
Cheng Zhijie walked up to her, helped her kneeling down, and smiled, his eyes reflecting her image.
With a pleased tone, she said, "You've gained some weight; it seems you've taken good care of yourself."
Mingyi's face darkened, and she slapped his hand away, saying, "You're the fat one, your whole family is fat."
The playboy on the side noticed that Mingyi had a good relationship with the new governor and realized that something big had happened. He hurriedly apologized to Mingyi in a humble tone, and even apologized to the young woman he had bought in servitude.
Mingyi was too lazy to leave them and was about to turn around to give the young lady some silver when he saw her gracefully bow to Cheng Zhijie.
Mingyi: "..."
She turned to meet Cheng Zhijie's indifferent gaze, neither mocking nor moved, as if he were a celestial being descended to earth, just like back then.
Mingyi scoffed, taking back the silver in her hand. "Huyan, let's go!"
She couldn't run away anymore; she'd bumped into him before even leaving the house. She should hurry back to the Ming family; at least there would be someone there to protect her.
"Mingyi" (明意)
He naturally ignored everyone else and stepped forward to gently grasp Mingyi's arm.
His tone was practiced and natural, as if they had never been apart.
"I have nowhere to stay right now, could you please take me in temporarily, madam?"
He had lost a lot of weight, and Mingyi inexplicably thought of what Sui Chuke had said, and was in a daze.
As the third-rank governor of Qianzhou, he was a truly high-ranking local official. Compared to officials in Chang'an, he had a much more leisurely life. Someone like him, who came to the local area to gain experience, could rise even higher with the support of the Marquis's mansion and the Prime Minister. What reason did he have to live a muddled life?
He should be beaming with joy!
Mingyi gave a forced smile, "How could the governor not have a place to stay? Besides, your wife was buried in Chang'an long ago. Don't call other people's wives so casually."
The people around Cheng Zhijie were dispersed by his officials and attendants. The young woman who had sold herself to bury her mother looked at Mingyi with resentment as her men took her away.
She felt even more annoyed and shook off Cheng Zhijie's hand, saying, "If you keep doing this, I'll scream for help."
"Perhaps it is by the mercy of Heaven that my wife and I have been reunited in the mortal world. Mingyi, I have come here to atone for my sins."
"Shut up! I don't care what you think, I don't care what you're going to do, but I don't want anything to do with you whatsoever. The best way for me to atone for your sins is to stay far away from me! We'll never see each other again in this life!"
Mingyi clearly didn't want to talk to him anymore, so she turned and ran away. The thugs beside her glanced cautiously at Cheng Zhijie and quickly followed her.
Mingyi hadn't gone far when she rushed back. The first thing she wanted to see was Sui Zhixu. When she saw her, tears streamed down her face, and she immediately threw herself into Sui Zhixu's arms and sobbed.
"Waaah, he bullied me."
Sui Zhixu wrapped his arms around her waist and sighed softly. How could someone say someone had gained weight as soon as they met?
"He's talking nonsense. Mingyi is very beautiful."
After some coaxing, Mingyi raised her head, her round almond eyes were wet, and her ears were red with embarrassment.
It's not just a matter of gaining weight; it's probably a combination of old and new grudges.
Where is he now?
"have no idea!"
Sui Zhixu pinched her cheek and smiled helplessly.
"You mustn't, you mustn't..."
Mingyi's sobs were incomplete, "You're not allowed to side with him."
Sui Zhixu blinked. "When did I ever say that to him?"
That seems to be true. Mingyi thought for a while, and the tips of her ears turned red again.
"He should have arrived by now, but I don't know if he's sorting out the government affairs left by the previous governor."
The Prefect of Qianzhou, Cheng Zhijie, must have come here not only to express his intentions but also for reasons related to the imperial court.
When Mingyi noticed that Xu had stopped packing, he asked her if she was leaving.
Sui Zhixu nodded and then shook his head, "I need to see him and find out what's going on."
Mingyi knew that she was going to pay respects to her friend with Wenke, but her expression suggested that things were not so simple.
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