Chapter 701 This horse has become a spirit!
The eldest brother listened quietly with his head down, only nodding and humming in response.
It wasn't until I became a father that I realized how difficult it is to raise a child.
His mother raised the five of them all by herself, and he often regrets that he only thought of himself back then.
Looking at his own children, he would occasionally think of Sanwa, who used to herd sheep to support their education, and he would feel a pang of sadness.
"Dahong is still pregnant, right? She's young, so you should talk to her nicely. Don't get angry when she doesn't understand. It's not easy being a stepmother."
The eldest brother nodded, "Yes, I remember."
Song Chunxue took out three identical wooden swords from her bosom, and then took out a money pouch.
"No matter what, don't overwork yourself or Da Hong. If she can't take care of herself, she shouldn't go to work in the fields. You can hire someone to help."
“Okay, I also hired someone to harvest the wheat this year, so it’s much easier than in previous years. Da Hong’s belly is also bigger now, so I’ll come back earlier to feed the livestock.” The eldest son stood up. “Then I’ll go to the kitchen to get some food for Mother.”
"No need, no need. Sit down. You're carrying a heavy load on your back. It's not easy for Da Hong to make steamed buns. It must be tiring for her to stand in the kitchen with her belly sticking out." Song Chunxue pressed her palm down. "I'll say a few more words and then I'll leave. I can make them myself when we get to the county. It's easy to buy them on the street."
The eldest brother fell silent, looking down at the ground.
The mother and son seemed to have nothing to say to each other.
In the past, Song Chunxue would have taken the opportunity to ask about the current situation of various families in the village, such as whether they had married daughters-in-law. She would have asked about Mulan's aunt, Xia Ying, and whether she had heard any news about Chen Feng.
But she didn't ask, nor did she want to know.
"By the way, I also cut a lot of cloth to make some clothes and shoes for you. If you have time, remember to send some to Xia Ying's family. Otherwise, they will definitely grumble when they know I came. Their family loves to gossip about these things. You are the only one in our family here on this estate now, so sending some things will make us look good."
The eldest son nodded, looking at the colorful fabrics on the table, knowing they weren't cheap. Then he looked at his mother's plain Taoist robe and felt a pang of unease.
“Mother, you should make yourself some nice clothes. Don’t you love those pretty fabrics with nice patterns? Don’t dress so plainly. You have money now.” The eldest son hesitated, “I feel like you’re not like my mother anymore. This Taoist robe makes me uncomfortable.”
Song Chunxue moved her arms and straightened her sleeves. "Really? I feel quite comfortable. Before, I liked things because I envied others for having them, but I couldn't bear to buy them myself. Now I can afford to buy them but don't wear them because I don't envy others anymore. Your mother has become a Taoist, so naturally she won't be as obsessed with ordinary things as before. She only seeks to be comfortable."
It was only then that she realized she had given advice to many people along the way, including other people's children.
But they rarely have the opportunity to have heart-to-heart talks with their son.
Thinking this, she leaned back in her chair and said, "Why don't you boil some hot water? I'll have a couple of sips, and we can talk for a while longer."
The eldest brother stood up happily, "Okay, I'll burn it right away."
Song Chunxue shook her head slightly and followed him to the kitchen.
While the eldest son tended the fire, she sat on a stool nearby and chatted with him about everyday matters.
She stopped trying to reason with him and just chatted for a while.
However, this was the first time she hadn't acted as his mother in front of him, but instead emphasized her current identity as a Taoist priest.
She mentioned that she hadn't been to Jiangnan for nearly three months, but instead had gone to the capital instead, and that she often stayed at Lord Xie's house, but she didn't go into details about what had happened between her and Lord Xie.
But she knew that the boss would probably notice something.
Tell him in advance, so that he won't be scared if something happens in the future.
"Don't think I became a Taoist priest because I had no other choice. Don't you think I'm much better off now than before, except for this Taoist robe?"
The eldest son looked her over carefully. “You have changed a lot. Your whole face looks different from before, but I know you are my mother. I don’t know if it’s because of the Taoist robe, but you walk lightly. Your back, which used to be bent from carrying things, is now very straight. I can tell that your mother truly loves practicing Taoism.”
Most importantly, Mother is becoming more and more like a proper Taoist priest, with an inexplicable sense of transcendence and detachment from worldly affairs.
It felt very unfamiliar to Jiang Yeming.
"It's good that you understand. In the future, I may travel all over the country, or I may stay at home to cultivate myself, but don't worry about me. I'm doing very well, better than ever before."
“I used to feel resentful whenever I saw you guys. I resented you. My heart was torn apart and tied to you, leaving me physically and mentally exhausted. But now I know that all of this has a cause and effect, and the root cause is that I didn’t know how to teach my children.”
Song Chunxue put down her teacup and stood up. "Alright, I should go now."
As they were talking animatedly, the eldest brother felt reluctant to part with her.
"Why don't you stay one night before you leave? Traveling at night must be tiring."
"I'm not tired. I meditate and rest during the day, and it's peaceful at night. No one will point at me or say anything because I'm wearing a Taoist robe."
The eldest brother was speechless.
Even he, her son, thought her clothes were a bit eye-catching, let alone those who knew her but were not familiar with her and harbored malicious speculations.
Hearing the commotion, Xu Dahong, heavily pregnant and still half-asleep, came out to try and persuade them to stay.
“Mom, why are you leaving in the middle of the night without even having a bite to eat? If others find out, they'll say I'm an inconsiderate daughter-in-law. Stay for a couple more days. You haven't even taken care of the children yet.”
As she spoke, Song Chunxue walked out of the courtyard without stopping and took the reins in her hand.
"Don't worry about what others say. Besides, you're heavily pregnant. If I insist on having a meal with you, it would just be adding to your troubles." Song Chunxue mounted her horse. "Don't overexert yourself while you're pregnant. Go back to sleep. I'm leaving now. I'll be at the city gate by dawn."
The eldest couple couldn't stop her, watching Song Chunxue ride away freely and unrestrainedly on horseback.
Xu Dahong couldn't help but sigh, "I really envy her like this now, able to do whatever she wants, and it seems like nothing can hold her back."
Yes, before, it was their mother who worried about them; now it's them who worry about their mother.
She left so decisively, without even turning her head.
...
On a dark and windy night, a man and a horse walked along the mountain path, exuding righteousness, no different from traveling in broad daylight.
Song Chunxue even lay down on the horse's back and slept for a while.
As they descended the winding road down Dongshan Mountain, the chestnut horse suddenly stopped.
Song Chunxue woke up to bright sunshine in the east, where the outline of the entire city could already be vaguely seen.
The fork in the road in front of us leads to the Taoist temple on the mountain.
This horse had been there twice and actually remembered it.
She gently patted the horse's neck. "Don't go. Go down the mountain and go home. Come back tomorrow."
The chestnut horse stood still, seemingly wanting her to change her mind.
"Then let's clean up and bring some offerings and incense before we come to offer incense to the ancestral master?"
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the chestnut horse started walking down the road and snorted in response.
"Your horse is getting smarter and smarter, could it be turning into a spirit?"
The horse continued walking forward, swishing its tail.
She hadn't originally planned to go today. What if her senior brother was there and avoiding her? Wouldn't it be impolite of her to go?
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