Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Peach Blossom Proposal I will live with you...
In Yuan Mansion's study, the candlelight was dim and the light and shadows flickered.
Yuan Shenji gritted his teeth and slowly untied the blood-stained bandage. Every time he moved, he felt a tearing pain in the wound on his shoulder. Cold sweat slid down his forehead, gathered at his chin, and dripped onto the ground.
The water in the copper basin has been dyed light red. He wrung out the cloth and gently wiped the blood around the wound. In the reflection in the mirror, the wound looked hideous.
"Hiss——" He took a breath and sprinkled the healing medicine on the wound. The moment the powder touched the wound, it felt stinging as if it had been burned by a branding iron. he
Hearing footsteps outside the door, he immediately straightened his back. "Captain, would you like some evening food?" the old butler's voice came through the door.
"No need." He steadied his voice and tried to appear calm so as not to worry the elderly butler.
He heaved a sigh of relief only after the footsteps faded away, and slumped down in his chair. He looked pale in the mirror, his lips turning purple from blood loss. He fumbled for the new bandage, bit one end with his teeth, and used his other hand to wrap it with difficulty.
This process is extremely long. Every time he went around a circle, he had to stop to catch his breath. Sweat soaked through his undershirt, spreading a dark patch on his back.
He leaned back in his chair and looked tiredly at the moon outside the window. Suddenly, there were hurried footsteps outside the door, followed by a knock on the door.
Yuan Shenji was quite impatient and was about to speak when the people outside also lost their patience waiting for him to speak. The door was pushed open and Duan Zhiwei stepped over the threshold with her skirt lifted.
She quickly stepped forward and snatched the bandage from his hand, her eyes full of reproach and worry, "Why didn't you tell me that you were so badly injured? If Su Yu hadn't come to the restaurant, would you have kept it a secret from me?"
The pain on Yuan Shenji's face disappeared the moment she stepped in, and he raised his uninjured left hand and stroked her face.
I guess she came here in a hurry. Her face was cold: "It's just a minor injury, no need to worry."
Duan Zhiwei sighed: "Yuan Shenji, you know what? It's okay to show vulnerability occasionally. This is not your military camp. Showing vulnerability to me will not lower the morale of the soldiers."
She took the opportunity to hold the big hand on her face, then opened her arms and gently pulled him into her arms.
Yuan Shenji was slightly startled and his body stiffened a little, but he quickly relaxed.
He joined the army at a young age and knew that showing vulnerability to the enemy was a taboo, and he had no habit of showing his vulnerable side to anyone.
But today…his forehead rested on the crook of her shoulder, his breath brushing her neck gently, with a hint of warmth.
Her embrace was so soft and warm that it seemed to dispel the cold and pain in his body. He closed his eyes and let himself sink into this moment of peace.
"I'm sorry..." he murmured softly.
"I forgive you." Her voice became cheerful again: "Yuan Shenji, if you really want to spend your life with me, you must first learn to share your pain and sadness with me."
Yuan Shenji hummed softly, the corners of his lips slightly raised, revealing a gentle smile. He slowly raised his arm, wrapped it around her waist, and whispered, "Okay, I'll do whatever you say."
The flickering candlelight made the two people's shadows longer, but it could not blow away the warmth that filled the room. After a long while, Duan Zhiwei asked, "Have you asked the doctor to come and see me?"
Yuan Shenji shook his head: "That medicine was given by the emperor. It is more effective than what a common doctor would prescribe... Besides, I don't want this matter to spread too much."
Duan Zhiwei asked: "Why is this?"
Yuan Shenji hesitated for a moment and said, "The tiger I met in the mountains might be an old friend."
Duan Zhiwei reached out his hand to touch his forehead and asked in confusion: "You don't have a fever. Did you hit your head? It would be better for us to go to the doctor's office tomorrow."
Yuan Shenji was amused by her words, and then he deliberately put on a stern face, pretended to be fierce and approached her, pinching her face: "Do you think I'm lying? I'll take you to visit my good friend tomorrow."
Duan Zhiwei thought he was talking nonsense, and just as he was about to say something, he heard the voice of the old housekeeper coming from outside the door, and he came in carrying a pot of porridge.
Duan Zhiwei took it and immediately forced him to drink two large bowls.
The next day, Yuan Shenji said he had some things to take care of and left early in the morning. Duan Zhiwei returned to the restaurant, and the old housekeeper loaded a large basket of cherries on her donkey cart.
April is the month when cherries are ripe. Cherries hang on the branches like crystal clear red agates. However, cherries today have not been cultivated with high technology. Although the fruit fragrance is rich and mellow, the juice is still slightly sour and astringent.
Therefore, people at that time were more accustomed to pickling cherries with sugar into candied cherries and dried cherries rather than fresh fruits. The most famous one was Cherry Biro. Although Duan Zhiwei had never eaten it, he had seen it once in the West Market Restaurant. Cherry Biro was like a spring roll with openings on both sides and some cherry jam in the middle.
Although the biluoduo in Chang'an was fried in oil, Duan Zhiwei thought that since it was a sweet food, it should be steamed. She had just taken the rice flour out of the jar when Aunt Duan came in with a basket and said to Duan Zhiwei, "It's a disaster."
Duan Zhiwei knew that her aunt liked to exaggerate when something happened, so she was not in a hurry and asked slowly, "What happened again?"
Madam Duan said, "The lady at the butcher shop next door said that she saw Captain Yuan find a woman with a child in Beitianfang this morning, and gave the widow a large bag of silver."
"And then?" Duan Zhiwei asked after washing his hands while taking out the casserole to prepare the cherry jam. It was snatched away by Aunt Duan. She was so anxious that her face turned red and her hands were grabbing in the air.
"Aunt, are you catching mosquitoes?" Duan Zhiwei was afraid that the cherry jam would get burnt, as this thing was really expensive.
"What if Yuan Shenji, he..." Aunt Duan wanted to say something, but was stopped by Duan Zhiwei: "Okay, you have known him for so long, don't you know who he is?"
Having said this, she pushed Aunt Duan out of the fire room and started to get busy again.
Although most of Yuan Shenji's salary is now in his own hands, he often has to take out a portion of it to support the widows of those soldiers who died in the barracks.
In response to this, Duan Zhiwei said that she was not so possessive of other people's money and he could spend it wherever he wanted.
They were busy until noon, when Yuan Shenji came on horseback and said he wanted to go to Zhongnan Mountain again. Duan Zhiwei hurriedly ate lunch and followed him.
It was the beautiful month of April, and the trees in Mount Zhongnan had turned green again. The new buds were shining slightly in the sunlight, and occasionally a few tits flew over the treetops.
The scenery here is very beautiful, Duan Zhiwei is very happy, but Yuan Shenji has a cold face and holds the handle of Mo Dao tightly in his hand.
"How come you have time today to take me to Zhongnan Mountain for an outing?" she asked.
Yuan Shenji looked down at her, his expression slightly softened as he said, "I'm here to take you to see an old friend..."
Suddenly there was some movement in the lush grass. At first it was two hares, and then a group of deer, which stumbled out of the mountain in fear.
Suddenly, a deafening roar was heard coming from the forest. The sound was as thick as thunder exploding, shaking the treetops, startling the birds and flying away, and the whole area was silent.
Duan Zhiwei quickly looked around, and saw the branches and leaves deep in the dense forest shaking, and a golden figure slowly stepped out.
It was a tiger, huge in size, with golden fur dotted with black stripes like ink, and its sharp white fangs could be seen from a distance.
How could a normal person accept that a tiger that was not in a cage was just a few feet away from him? Duan Zhiwei felt his legs tremble and quickly grabbed Yuan Shenji's arm and was about to leave immediately.
Unexpectedly, the tiger suddenly stepped back, stretched out its front paws, made a salute, and then spoke in human language: "Don't worry, sister-in-law, I am an old friend of Captain Yuan, and I don't eat people."
This was more frightening than a simple tiger. Duan Zhiwei's face turned pale, and she didn't know how to respond. Yuan Shenji patted her shoulder and comforted her: "Don't worry, Mr. Li is my old friend."
How can a person become friends with a tiger that speaks human language?
Tiger then explained.
Lao Hu's real name is Li Zhen. He was originally from Longxi. He was quite arrogant and kept company with his fellow disciples. However, he once faced an enemy ambush and was rescued by Yuan Shenji. That was how the two met.
He was later transferred to Lingnan. When he was hunting at night, he encountered a very thick fog. He was looking for a way out in the fog when he suddenly saw two bright lights in front of him. He and his subordinates rushed over, only to find that it was a big tiger with hanging eyes. The tiger opened its bloody mouth and ate his two followers. He should have saved them, but he was so scared that he had to abandon his subordinates and escape alone on horseback.
From then on, Li Zhen's temperament became manic, and he even whipped and punished his servants. Finally one day, on his way back to Chang'an, he suddenly became mad and walked wildly at night.
He hid in Mount Zhongnan and felt that he began to grow hair and became extremely strong. Because he was extremely hungry, he began to hunt animals such as deer and rabbits.
Yesterday, while hunting, he unexpectedly ran into Yuan Shenji who was chasing a pair of wild geese. When Li Zhen met his old friend, he said with tears in his eyes, "I can no longer transform back into a human form. I hope the captain can find my wife and children and tell them that I am no longer alive. If you are willing, please help my weak and helpless young son."
Yuan Shenji naturally agreed.
Duan Zhiwei said, "Why not ask the demon-catching department to come and take a look? Perhaps there is a solution?"
The tiger shook his head and said, "I have become accustomed to wandering in the mountains and forests. I can no longer adapt to human life." After saying that, he bowed again, turned around and left the forest.
Yuan Shenji and Duan Zhiwei were the only ones left on the mountainside. They were silent for a while, and then Duan Zhiwei asked, "Why did you bring me here?"
Yuan Shenji hugged her from behind and said, "This morning I sent some money to Mr. Li's wife and child. There seem to be rumors spreading, and I'm afraid you might think too much."
She laughed: "I didn't think that at all. I know that you have always been a very upright and good person."
Yuan Shenji: "I know... but I think we should be honest about everything. However, the injury on my shoulder was caused by me falling off my horse when I was chasing a pair of wild geese without seeing the road clearly. Su Yu didn't find out the truth and lied about the military intelligence."
Duan Zhiwei looked up and saw that the wild geese only set out to return north in March or April, and now was far from the time for them to return.
"A glimpse of a beautiful lady in the snowy weather of Liangzhou; I have searched for her for a long time in and around Liangzhou, but I have not found her. Fortunately, God has mercy on me because my mother died young and I have lived a lonely life. In May in Chang'an, I was able to meet you again in the alley where the locust flowers are in full bloom."
Yuan Shenji solemnly dismounted, bowed to Duan Zhiwei and said, "Yuan wants to marry Madam Duan with a pair of wild geese and all his wealth. I will stay with you forever."
The month of Sophora japonica has not yet arrived, so it's a pity that I can't see the fragrant snow-white Sophora japonica flowers that filled the streets when I first met Yuan Shenji. However, the peach blossoms floating in the sky today are also very beautiful. The gurgling stream beside me is also very nice.
In fact, what was good was not the fragrant locust flowers, nor the pink peach blossoms, nor the clear stream water, but the words of Yuan Shenji beside her, which made everything seem beautiful.
Whenever there was annoying rain or snow that prevented people from traveling, Duan Zhiwei would just stand at the door of the restaurant and see Yuan Shenji riding towards him on his chestnut horse. Then the annoying rain would turn into precious spring rain and the snow that prevented people from traveling would turn into auspicious snow that heralded a good harvest.
She lowered her head to wipe her tears and took out a small box from the small backpack she was carrying.
Yuan Shenji of the Jinwu Guard went to Mount Zhongnan for spring hunting. He did not look at the rabbits under his feet, nor did he notice the wild deer in the distance. He held his bow and arrow, waiting to capture a pair of wild geese alive.
Most of the wild geese did not return north, the number of wild geese in Zhongnan Mountain was so scarce that many young men from wealthy families who also came to hunt in the spring laughed at him for being stupid, asking why he was only staring at the wild geese when there were so many prey in Zhongnan Mountain.
When Duan Zhiwei heard such comments when she delivered wine, she felt distressed and moved. She melted down the silver she had saved to make a ring and kept it in her bag.
Today the ring finally saw the light of day, and she put it on Yuan Shenji's ring finger.
She said: "I will live with you for my whole life, and I will never let you down."
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