Chapter 109 Heart Touched
After Pei Xingju left, Zhuang Wan lay alone in the rocking chair, looking at the vast sky and suddenly feeling a little depressed.
"I look up at the bright moon... and think of my hometown. It's really like that," she sighed.
Lixia asked, "Miss, are you homesick?"
Zhuang Wan nodded.
"I just miss home. When you finish your business, I will go back to Beijing with you."
"There's no going back." Zhuang Wan murmured and shook her head.
"Why can't I go back? Capital..." Lixia wanted to say something else, but was touched by Jingzhe, so she quickly shut up.
The Zhuang Mansion has been raided, so where else can I stay in the capital?
Zhuang Wan didn't know what Lixia was thinking. After a while, she turned around and asked, "Do you miss home?"
Lixia shook her head: "I have never known where my home is since I was a child."
"Why don't you know?"
"Ever since I was a slave, I've known that I lived a wandering life, following a group of beggars who lived from hand to mouth. I followed them to many places, and every time I tried to settle down, I was driven out of the city and wandered even further. So I never knew where home was."
Zhuang Wan was stunned. This was the first time she heard Lixia talk about the past.
"And what happened next?"
"Then we met the master," Lixia said. "The master was very kind. He provided us with food and shelter, and even hired a teacher to teach us."
"Do you like this kind of life?"
"Of course." Lixia nodded. "I originally thought I would have to beg for the rest of my life, but my Lord said that anyone can live in this world with their own abilities. I don't think this is bad. Compared to the wandering life of my childhood, living an upright life based on my own abilities is much happier."
Zhuang Wan was deeply touched.
Anyone can live by his or her own ability, regardless of status or no matter how high or low, only by being upright can one live freely and happily.
A gust of wind blew, and some golden petals fell from the osmanthus tree, disrupting Zhuang Wan's thoughts.
She smiled and invited, "Please sit down and celebrate the festival together."
Lixia and Jingzhe looked at each other, then moved their stools and sat over.
The three of them sat under the osmanthus tree and chatted for a long time, a rare moment for them, like friends. From Lixia, Zhuang Wan also learned about Qiu Tan's situation in the capital.
Pei Xingju did not make things difficult for her and continued to let her live in the Pei Mansion. Qiu Tan went out to take care of the shop every day, waiting for Zhuang Wan to return.
Later, Princess Wu Jing also came to see Zhuang Wan. When she learned that Zhuang Wan had left, she cried sadly.
At the beginning of the month, Madam Zhuang sent over some clothes she had made for Zhuang Wan herself. She had originally intended to send them for her daughter's birthday, but her poor health delayed the delivery. Pei Xingju, however, accepted them on Zhuang Wan's behalf and placed them in her room in Muxiang Garden.
Pei Xingju in Muxiang Garden was left to Zhuang Wan, and it was not sealed off. The fish in the pond were fed daily, and the roses Zhuang Wan had planted with her own hands grew more and more luxuriantly.
Lixia said that everyone was waiting for her to come back.
After hearing this, Zhuang Wan felt mixed emotions.
She leaned back and closed her eyes: "Lixia, do you have any wine? I want to drink some."
.
Over here, Pei Xing was in his study, attending to chores. After a while, a man stood up, holding a file, and said goodbye: "Sir, it's getting late. I will go back first."
Pei Xingju nodded, and when he heard the door open and close, he rubbed his forehead tiredly.
After a moment, he asked, "What are you doing over there?"
Guard Lu was eating a mooncake. When he heard this, he chewed it quickly and swallowed it.
"Sir," he came in, "I heard that Miss Zhuang had someone bring a pot of wine and is drinking and admiring the moon."
Pei Xingju smiled and said, "She has quite an elegant taste."
After thinking about it, he stood up and said, "I'll go take a look."
The bright moon hung high in the sky, and all was quiet. Pei Xingju walked to Zhuang Wan's door in the cool moonlight.
Just as I was about to knock on the door, I heard a lively atmosphere inside.
"Come, let's have a drink on the beginning of summer. I wish you... let me think... smooth sailing, good fortune, and someone who loves you every day. I wish you to lose weight, get rich, and have a lot of romantic opportunities. I also wish you don't have to stay up late, don't have to work overtime, and don't lose your hair. Cheers!"
“What does it mean to not work overtime?”
"It's a good thing anyway."
"Miss, let me bless you too."
"Bless me with what?"
"Well, I wish the girl good health and a long life."
"Well, what do I need a long life for? Why don't you wish me a fortune?
"Okay, I'll bless this."
Outside the door, Pei Xingju listened for a while and couldn't help laughing.
After a moment, he quietly turned around and went back.
.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Pei Xingju left Lihua Lane, but Lixia said that he was going to investigate a case.
On this day, the breeze was gentle and pleasant. After breakfast, Zhuang Wan took Jingzhe and Lixia out.
Although Luyang County was remote and impoverished, its proximity to the sea offered a unique landscape. Lixia said she had never seen the sea, so Zhuang Wan took them there.
The group walked along the path, feeling the sea breeze, seeing the vast coastline, and listening to many legendary stories about the sea.
Lixia was full of admiration for Zhuang Wan: "How do you know so much, young lady?"
"It's written in the book," Zhuang Wan said.
Finally, they arrived at the East Market of Luyang County and prepared to have lunch there.
The East Market is busier than the West Market. Because it is close to the east gate of the city and the sea is not far from the city, many fishermen pass by here or stop here to rest.
Despite the bustling streets, the streets were sparsely populated. Cloth shops sold mostly inexpensive linen. There were two small restaurants, though they primarily sold quick and easy noodles.
There are several wine shops, connected to a larger restaurant, and some grocery stores selling rice or daily necessities.
After walking around, Zhuang Wan stopped in front of the restaurant. Just as she was about to go in, she heard a commotion coming from not far away.
Turning around, I saw two people dressed as nuns standing in the middle, carrying a cloth bag on their backs. When someone gave them money, they took out a talisman from the bag and handed it over.
Two other people seemed to have an argument over this and rolled on the ground fighting, attracting many onlookers.
She curiously asked the waiter, "What are they doing?"
"Oh, they are trying to snatch the amulet of the goddess of mercy."
"What is a peace charm?"
The waiter said, "Almost every family in Luyang fishes, but the fish they catch are small, shallow-water fish and shrimp that sell for very little. If you want to catch good fish, you have to go deep sea, but deep-sea fishing can be unpredictable, so we can only pray to the Goddess of Mercy for protection."
Zhuang Wan looked at the two men tumbling on the ground. They were about thirty years old, one of them even bleeding from his forehead. Their bodies were covered in sweat and dust, and they looked disheveled and brutal. But none of the onlookers stepped forward to dissuade them; instead, they applauded and cheered.
The waiter also turned his head to watch for a moment and said, "This kind of thing is very common. Fights often break out over a few copper coins worth of amulets. Last year, someone was killed."
Zhuang Wan was puzzled: "The government doesn't care?"
"Why would the government care about this?" The waiter said, "As long as it's related to the Empress Ciguang, the government won't care."
Zhuang Wan asked again, "Why?"
The waiter shook his head and refused to say anything.
.
We went out to play for two consecutive days, and it started raining on the third day, then we heard that Pei Xingju had returned.
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