Chapter 89
There's an extra patient in the team; it can't be kept secret for long.
Wei Mingsu didn't return to his room all night, which aroused Fan Hui, who shared a room with him. Fan Hui came to look for him and was stunned to find that the person he was taking care of was Lu Huaying. Fan Hui exclaimed, "What is she doing here!"
Xiao Suniang immediately pushed him out.
Fan Hui stared in disbelief, then turned to Wei Mingsu, who had followed them out, and questioned, "Did Lu San Niang leave Chang'an with us?"
Xiao Suniang nodded excitedly and said, "It's definitely true! Third Sister loves Brother Wei and doesn't want to marry Wang Qilang. For Brother Wei, she ran away from home! She wants to elope with Brother Wei!"
Lu Huaying was a noble daughter of one of the five prominent families. In order to be with Wei Mingsu forever, she was willing to give up wealth and honor and travel over mountains and rivers alone to find him.
Xiao Suniang was moved to tears by Lu Huaying's deep affection. She stared at Wei Mingsu and said, "Brother Wei, I never imagined that Third Sister was so devoted to you! She has disregarded everything for you. You must not let her down!"
Fan Hui frowned.
Wei Mingsu did not respond to Xiao Suniang's words.
Xiao Suniang opened her eyes wide and said unhappily, "Brother Wei, Third Sister doesn't care about your background and has done so much for you. Aren't you moved at all?"
Wei Mingsu remained silent for a moment, then said to Fan Hui, "Please keep this a secret, Brother Fan."
Fan Hui nodded with a serious expression.
“Lu San Niang left Chang’an for you; her devotion is truly admirable.” He pondered for a moment, then walked up to Wei Mingsu and whispered, “But this kind of thing can’t be done recklessly! Women can’t travel alone. She abandoned her engagement with Wang Qilang and ran away from home; the Lu family can’t let her do as she pleases… Wei Mingsu, do you know that by taking in Lu San Niang, you’re abducting a female relative of an official, and according to the law, you could be sentenced to exile? You’re a commoner, powerless and without influence. The Lu family doesn’t need to go through the government; they can just find some charge to send you to prison, and you’ll never be able to recover!”
Wei Mingsu remained silent.
"You can't take her in!" Fan Hui said anxiously, worried that Wei Mingsu might waver. "Our teacher took us to Xizhou this time to test and train us. You took care of our teacher's daily life and arranged the trip. Our teacher has high praise for you. With your background, it's not easy for you to get to where you are today. Wei Mingsu, you need to think this through. Don't ruin the bright future you've worked so hard to achieve."
He gave Wei Mingsu an idea: "Write a letter to the Lu family, telling them that Lu San Niang came to find you on her own, that this matter has nothing to do with you, and ask the Lu family to send someone to pick her up. The sooner the better! She's too willful, daring to go out alone. If something happens to her, the Lu family will blame you."
Wei Mingsu did not object.
Xiao Suniang couldn't believe it. Lu Huaying had abandoned her engagement to elope with Wei Mingsu, yet he remained unmoved and even wanted to write a letter to the Lu family to come and take Lu Huaying back.
"Brother Wei, you've disappointed me so much!"
Wei Mingsu turned his head and silently gazed out the window toward Chang'an.
Xiao Suniang returned to her room in a huff. Looking at the haggard Lu Huaying, she became angrier and angrier. After Lu Huaying woke up, she relayed the conversation between Wei Mingsu and Fan Hui to her.
Lu Huaying was not surprised at all and smiled: "Wei Mutou is capable of doing something like this."
Xiao Suniang asked, "Third Sister, don't you hate Brother Wei? He's so heartless."
Lu Huaying shook her head.
Wei Mingsu doesn't like her, that's why he's so cold; he doesn't want to be misunderstood as her lover.
Xiao Suniang sighed and asked, "So, do you have any plans?"
Lu Huaying said, "My second brother is in Liangzhou. He will help me. I'm going to find him."
Xiao Suniang felt sorry for her.
Lu Huaying asked where the caravan was.
Xiao Suniang told her that the merchant had already left.
Lu Huaying was getting anxious.
She secretly ran away, which enraged Lu Yujin, who sent his personal guards to arrest her and bring her back. A woman traveling alone is bound to attract attention, and no matter how well she disguised herself, she would leave traces. She was caught by the guards before she got far, but she escaped when they were off guard. Later, she hid in a caravan and escaped the guards with the help of the merchants.
Now the merchants are in a hurry to make business and have abandoned her; she must think of another way to conceal her identity.
The method of dividing the shares.
She cannot be taken back.
In the afternoon, Wei Mingsu went into the house to bring Lu Huaying meat soup. Before he could persuade her to return to Chang'an, she asked, "Do you want to write a letter to my sister-in-law?"
Just like last time, she got drunk, and he had Wang Yu come and pick her up.
Wei Mingsu did not deny it.
Lu Huaying, disregarding her anger, quickly changed her mind and pleaded, "Mu Tou, please don't send me away. This is my first time traveling alone, and I'm all alone out here. Luckily, I met you all. My second brother is in Liangzhou, and you'll be passing through Liangzhou too. Could you let me come with you? Don't worry, I won't be a burden to you. Once we get to Liangzhou, I'll go find my second brother. I won't stay here."
After saying that, she lowered her head and wiped her eyes.
Wei Mingsu handed her the meat soup.
She was pampered and suffered a lot during this runaway, and her health is very weak.
Lu Huaying refused to raise her hand, secretly glancing at his expression, and said, "Wooden head... can you help me this once?"
Wei Mingsu looked at the meat soup and said calmly, "Okay."
Lu Huaying secretly breathed a sigh of relief before taking the bowl.
Despite Fan Hui's disdain, she stayed and lived with Xiao Suniang. When others asked, Xiao Suniang would say that she was her maid.
&
Xiao Suniang felt she had wronged Lu Huaying, but Lu Huaying didn't care at all. Worried that others would doubt her identity, she really acted like a maid, serving Xiao Suniang tea and water.
Two days later, the group set off for Liangzhou. Lu Huaying followed Xiao Suniang, helping her into the carriage and lifting her skirt.
Wei Mingsu stood in front of the carriage, his brows furrowing slightly.
Lu Huaying was afraid he would change his mind, so she smiled at him, hiding her usual arrogance and willfulness, and looked pitiful.
Wei Mingsu watched her get into the carriage.
Fan Hui was stunned. Avoiding Wei Mingsu, he found Lu Huaying and asked in bewilderment, "You are the daughter of the Duke, how could you... how could you debase yourself like this? What do you like about Wei Mingsu that makes you debase yourself like this? A woman who runs away to become a concubine is despised by her parents and the people of the country. His family is poor, and he is not a handsome man like Pan An who would have his carriage filled with fruit thrown at him. Why do you do this?"
"He doesn't like you. There's no point in you coming here. Give up on him, stop bothering him, and go home."
He kept nagging Lu Huaying to return to Chang'an, even threatening to tell Xiao Jijiu. Lu Huaying was annoyed and deliberately said, "I won't give up, I'm shameless, I'll pester Wei Mingsu for the rest of my life."
Fan Hui was so angry that he couldn't speak, and stormed off.
The next day, Lu Huaying saw Fan Hui again, waiting to argue with him again, but Fan Hui glared at her with a cold smile and took the initiative to apologize: "I was too harsh yesterday, don't take it to heart."
Lu Huaying finally has some peace and quiet.
Upon arriving in Liangzhou, Lu Huaying immediately bid farewell to Xiao Suniang and Wei Mingsu and went to find her second brother, Lu Hongbi.
Xiao Suniang was reluctant to leave.
Wei Mingsu, his face expressionless, picked up Lu Huaying's luggage and said, "I'll take you."
Xiao Suniang caught up with them and said, "Third Sister, I'll see you off too!"
The Lu family had been wealthy for generations, and their descendants had built villas in various places. Lu Huaying found the Lu family's residence in Liangzhou, but did not reveal her identity. She asked if Lu Hongbi was there.
The old servant said that the young master had gone out to visit a friend and would return in the evening. He invited her to wait in the courtyard.
Lu Huaying did not enter the courtyard, but went into a tavern and said to Wei Mingsu and Xiao Suniang, "I will wait for my brother here. You should go back quickly so as not to arouse Xiao Jijiu's suspicion."
Xiao Suniang looked at Wei Mingsu.
Wei Mingsu said, "I'll leave after you see your brother."
As he spoke, he took the wine bowl from in front of Lu Huaying.
"You can't drink alcohol while you're still sick."
He asked the waiter for a bowl of hot water and handed it to Lu Huaying. He then bent down to check Lu Huaying's luggage. She had never experienced hardship and was unfamiliar with the ways of the world. She had only brought a large bag of gold ingots with her when she left home. Her winter clothes were bought on short notice and did not fit properly. She had not prepared anything to keep warm, and her luggage was a mess. He helped her tidy it up.
In the evening, a servant of the Lu family drove a carriage to the tavern, saying that he was Lu Hongbi's personal attendant and had come to take Lu Huaying back.
Lu Huaying recognized him and was happy to talk to Wei Mingsu.
Xiao Suniang said goodbye and left with her attendants.
Wei Mingsu stood in front of the tavern, watching the carriage head towards the Lu family's residence.
Xiao Suniang asked softly, "Brother Wei, are you just going to watch Third Sister leave like this?"
Wei Mingsu said calmly, "She's young, so it's understandable that she might act impulsively."
"The second young master is her brother, and he will take good care of her."
After the snow, Liangzhou was covered in silver. The setting sun shone brightly, and the snow-covered city and the glow of the sunset reflected each other, making the carriages invisible.
Wei Mingsu turned and went back.
Lu Huaying left, and Fan Hui felt relieved.
They didn't stay in Liangzhou for long. After completing the necessary paperwork, they prepared to set off for Ganzhou.
As Wei Mingsu and Fan Hui were moving the book boxes, hurried footsteps came from outside the door, and Xiao Suniang rushed in anxiously, leading a figure wearing a veil.
The newcomer lifted the veil and said, "It was Third Sister who sent me. She has been imprisoned by men sent by the Eldest Young Master. Young Master Wei, do you have official documents? Could you help cover Third Sister's escape from the city?"
Fan Hui's eyelids twitched.
Xiao Suniang asked anxiously what had happened.
The maid told them that Lu Yujin had guessed Lu Huaying would come to Liangzhou to seek refuge with Lu Hongbi, and had sent his trusted confidant on horseback to Liangzhou to wait for her. Lu Hongbi wasn't in Liangzhou, and the people at the villa dared not disobey the eldest young master's orders, so they helped lure Lu Huaying back and imprison her. Lu Huaying was both angry and anxious, and was injured while escaping. She begged the maid who delivered medicine to help her deliver a message. The maid, being one of Lu Hongbi's people, couldn't bear to see her suffer and agreed to pass on the message.
“I made arrangements with the others to get the eldest young master drunk tonight and secretly release Third Sister. However, the governor of Liangzhou knows our eldest young master and has sent his soldiers to watch over the city gates. Third Sister cannot leave Liangzhou.”
Xiao Suniang looked at Wei Mingsu nervously, worried that he would refuse to help.
Wei Mingsu neither agreed to help nor refused. He asked, "Where is she injured? Is it serious?"
Fan Hui paused, staring at him for a few moments.
The maid replied, "Third Sister injured her knee."
Xiao Suniang grew anxious and interrupted, "Go back and tell Third Sister to rest assured that I will definitely help!"
The maidservant discussed the meeting place with them, put on her veil, and went out.
In the early morning, Xiao Suniang's carriage stopped in an alley outside the Lu family's villa. After waiting for half an hour, several maids brought over Lu Huaying, who was pale-faced.
At daybreak, they left Liangzhou. Sure enough, there was a troop of government soldiers in front of the city gate. They had official documents and were able to leave the city smoothly.
Lu Huaying's condition worsened. Lying in the carriage, she trembled violently and mumbled incoherently, "I don't want to go back... I don't want to go back..."
Xiao Suniang's tears fell: "Third Sister, you're so foolish. Brother Wei isn't worth it. He's no good."
The curtain was lifted.
Wei Mingsu stood outside the carriage, handed Xiao Suniang a pill, and said, "Feed her this."
Xiao Suniang angrily took the pills and fed them to Lu Huaying.
The next day, Lu Huaying's fever subsided, and she regained consciousness. Xiao Suniang asked her what her next plan was, and she said, "If I am taken back, I will not be able to step out of the house. My second brother went to Xizhou, and I will go to Xizhou to find him."
Xiao Suniang said, "That's perfect, let's go together."
Fan Hui firmly objected: "If the eldest son of the Lu family finds out that we are helping Lu San Niang, not only us, but even the teacher will be implicated and lose his official position!"
Xiao Suniang muttered, "Then what do you suggest we do? Aren't we going to abandon Third Sister?"
Fan Hui said, "You really care about her; you should persuade her to go home."
During their argument, Wei Mingsu remained silent, prepared the medicine, and had Xiao Suniang deliver it to Lu Huaying.
Before Fan Hui and Xiao Suniang could reach a conclusion to their argument, they heard news that the garrison soldiers had just searched the post station. They were looking for a teenage girl with a Henan accent. The garrison soldiers were conducting a very thorough search, even checking the families of officials.
Lu Huaying smiled bitterly. In order to force her to return, her elder brother did not hesitate to expose the family's shame and contacted the Duke's old subordinates. Her previous residence permit could no longer be used. She didn't know how many people were waiting to arrest her ahead, and behind her, her elder brother's confidants were pressing her step by step.
That morning, Fan Hui went out to buy something and saw a group of soldiers carrying swords, which frightened him.
Startled, he ran back to find Xiao Suniang.
"Tell Lu San Niang to leave quickly! The guards are going to check every place! They came from Liangzhou, they're definitely after San Niang!"
Xiao Suniang held a letter and shook her head.
"Brother Fan, Third Sister has already left."
Not wanting to implicate them, Lu Huaying left a letter and quietly departed.
Wei Mingsu came up with the medicine, and Xiao Suniang slapped Lu Huaying's letter on his face: "Third Sister is gone."
He didn't say anything, put down the medicine, and bent down to pick up the letter.
He was heartless, and Xiao Suniang had nothing to say but silently pray that nothing bad would happen to Lu Huaying.
Wei Mingsu put away the letter left by Lu Huaying and went downstairs to feed the horses.
A short while later, the guards rushed in, inspected the place, and questioned everyone about their travel itinerary. After a chaotic scene, the guards left.
...
Lu Huaying carried a large bundle on her back as she walked along the official road.
She was still sick when a biting north wind blew by, making her dizzy. She stopped, put on her face towel, coughed with her back to the wind, and looked up at the majestic Qilian Mountains in the distance.
Xizhou is still a long way off.
She took a deep breath and continued walking west.
As dawn broke, the occasional sound of camel bells echoed along the official road, and several caravans passed by her.
She wanted to sneak into a caravan, but the governor had ordered that caravans dare not take in strangers and refused to take her along.
A foreign merchant sized her up a few times, a greedy look flashing across his face. Startled, she immediately walked away.
Lu Huaying carried her bundle and walked several miles.
Suddenly, a checkpoint appeared ahead, where a troop of soldiers was inspecting passing pedestrians and caravans. Those whose names did not match their names were taken away.
Lu Huaying wanted to turn back, but her legs were frozen and she couldn't move quickly. Two guards stopped her.
"Why are you traveling alone at such a young age? Are you from Chang'an?"
The guards questioned him.
Lu Huaying's heart sank. Before she could come up with an excuse, she heard the sound of hooves behind her.
A black horse galloped across the snow and stopped beside Lu Huaying. The young man on horseback dismounted, took out a cloak, draped it over her shoulders, and pulled her into his arms.
Lu Huaying stared at him in disbelief.
Wei Mingsu raised his hand, untied the bundle from her chest, and carried it on his shoulder.
The guards looked at them suspiciously and asked Wei Mingsu, "Who is she to you?"
Wei Mingsu took out a document and handed it to the guard.
"She is my wife."
He said softly.
Lu Huaying couldn't believe her ears, but she quickly realized what was happening and punched Wei Mingsu a few times, scolding, "My lord, why are you so slow? I'm freezing!"
Wei Mingsu lowered his head and grasped Lu Huaying's cold hand.
They passed the checkpoint successfully.
Lu Huaying asked, "Where are Mu Tou, Su Niang, and the others?"
Wei Mingsu helped her onto the horse and said, "They are behind us."
He led his horse to a tavern, asked for hot water, and took out some pills for Lu Huaying to take.
Even at this point, he still remembered to make her take her medicine. After Lu Huaying took the medicine, Wei Mingsu brought a basin of hot water into the room, placed it on the floor, and told her to take off her shoes and soak her feet. After saying that, he turned around and left, closing the door behind him.
Lu Huaying soaked her feet, and the warmth rose from the soles of her feet, making her feel warm all over.
She fell asleep without realizing it.
Wei Mingsu went inside to pour water.
Lu Huaying left quietly last night. She didn't sleep all night and was in a daze, not wanting to move.
Wei Mingsu bent down, touched Lu Huaying's forehead, and tucked her hand into his cloak.
After Lu Huaying fell asleep, he went downstairs and waited at the tavern for more than an hour before Fan Hui arrived.
Fan Hui walked over with a stern face and said, "The governor has set up checkpoints everywhere, and the Lu family has also come looking for us. There are many of them, so be careful."
Wei Mingsu nodded and instructed him to take good care of the Xiao family.
Fan Hui frowned: "Are you really determined?"
Wei Mingsu did not hesitate and said, "Yes."
.
Fan Hui said quietly, "Wei Mingsu, you've gone mad."
This morning, after the soldiers searched the post station and left, Wei Mingsu calmly organized Xiao Jijiu's manuscript, handed it to Fan Hui, and then went to see Xiao Jijiu to apologize to his teacher, saying that he had something urgent to attend to and could not accompany his teacher to Xizhou.
Fan Hui and Xiao Suniang didn't need to ask Wei Mingsu to guess that he was going to accompany Lu Huaying to Xizhou.
He gave up everything for Lu Huaying.
Fan Hui asked regretfully, "Are you really not going to reconsider?"
Wei Mingsu lowered his head and said, "When we set off from Chang'an, our teacher reminded us to bring something from our hometown before we travel far away. If we get sick from the change in environment, we can take it out to relieve our homesickness and reduce the symptoms of acclimatization."
Fan Hui was taken aback, not understanding why Wei Mingsu brought up this topic.
Wei Mingsu asked, "Brother Fan, what did you bring?"
Fan Hui said, "The servants at home told me to bring a bag of soil from my hometown."
Wei Mingsu lowered his head, took out an old purse from his sleeve, and untied it.
Fan Hui smelled a sweet aroma. He looked at the purse in Wei Mingsu's hand and saw a piece of cake.
The purse was washed until it turned white and was quite old. The cakes were delicate and small, shaped like pomegranate flowers, and were very pretty.
Fan Hui paused, recalling what happened after the autumn banquet, and asked, "The cakes and pastries under the bookshelf in your room, were they a gift from Lu San Niang?"
Wei Mingsu kept his gaze calm as he put away the old purse and gave a soft "hmm".
Fan Hui understood.
When Wei Mingsu read at night, he often stared blankly at the old purse, thinking it was a gift from someone special. It turned out he wasn't looking at the purse at all, but at the cakes and pastries inside.
Fan Hui shook his head, realizing he didn't need to waste any more words.
Wei Mingsu was not an impulsive person; he was born with self-control and was more rational than them.
However, the most rational person, once they make up their mind, seems to be the most resolute; even if the sky were to fall, they would not change their mind.
Take care.
Wei Mingsu saw Fan Hui off, went upstairs, and walked to the bedside.
Hearing his footsteps, Lu Huaying, half-asleep, suddenly murmured, "I'm not going back..."
Wei Mingsu lowered his eyes, bent down, and touched Lu Huaying's forehead again.
The night after she escaped from the Lu family in Liangzhou, she lay in the carriage with a burning sensation on her forehead. Xiao Suniang felt sorry for her and advised her to return to Chang'an, but she shook her head.
Wei Mingsu sat outside the carriage curtain, listening to her rambling and coughing. He sat there from dusk till dawn without closing his eyes.
He originally thought that her escape from Chang'an was just a momentary impulse, a willful act with her family, and that sending her back would help her calm down.
But she resisted so much.
She suffered greatly, but still refused to go back.
This temper...
In the dim light, Wei Mingsu lowered his head, pulled Lu Huaying's blanket up, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
She is the moon in the sky, who occasionally, when she is happy, looks down from the clouds and shines a ray of moonlight down.
It looks so close.
In reality, they are worlds apart.
He was like mud in the ground, yet he harbored delusions, wanting to grasp this sliver of moonlight.
He shouldn't have coveted it.
But he had already made up his mind.
Even though they are worlds apart, he can try to climb up step by step and get closer to her little by little.
...
"Third Sister".
Lu Huaying woke up.
"Has Su Niang arrived?"
She asked.
"Fourth Sister and Teacher are together."
Wei Mingsu led Lu Huaying downstairs.
Lu Huaying looked around, wondering if Wei Mingsu wanted to persuade her to return to the Lu family.
Wei Mingsu led over a black horse, put the luggage on it, and helped her climb onto the horse's back.
"Third Sister." Wei Mingsu raised his head, looked into Lu Huaying's eyes, and said, word by word, "I will accompany you to Xizhou."
Lu Huaying was taken aback.
Wei Mingsu led his horse out of the tavern and headed towards Xizhou, step by step.
Walk over there.
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