Chapter 78 The Sensible Third Child
Is your mind not at peace?
Zhang Chengxuan looked at Master Han curiously. Why was he so restless?
Didn't he already make things clear with Lan Jin? Why is he still arguing?
Master Han saw the jumbled questions in Zhang Chengxuan's eyes and thought that if he didn't explain soon, Zhang would misunderstand again.
He picked up the chess pieces and said casually, "He went down the mountain with Lan Jin, saying he was going to buy guokui (a type of flatbread).
But Lord Zhao, a man from the capital, how would he know where in Jincheng the best guokui (a type of flatbread) is?
Clearly, his true intention was not what he seemed.
"Master Han, are you worried that Lord Zhao will be deceived?" Zhang Chengxuan asked boldly, "or are you worried that Lan Jin will fall in love with someone else and let you know that you care about Senior Lan Jin?"
Master Han tossed the last white piece into the chess basket, then leaned back as if he had heard a joke.
"You vulgar people, can't you pretend to have something unrelated to love? Zhao Jin took something very important from me, but I dare not go looking for it rashly, for fear of disturbing our fellow humans here."
He looked at Zhang Chengxuan and said, "Why don't you go? While you're at it, borrow your junior brother's Wuyou. He'll definitely know. Anyway, your junior brother's trip down the mountain wasn't for nothing. He has sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren down there."
At this point, he couldn't help but sigh, "Unlike us loners, when we arrive at a place, we can only quietly rack our brains to think if there are any old friends still alive, so that we can ask them for a cup of tea so that we don't feel like outsiders and don't feel so sad."
In fact, he had been to all these places, but things had changed and people were no longer the same.
Master Zhang stood up. "Then I'll call my junior brother and go down the mountain to take a look as soon as possible."
"Oh right, my junior brother made some steamed buns, I had my apprentice bring them over."
Master Han stopped him, saying, "No need."
Third Uncle explained, "Since we're here, we'll have to patrol the mountain together. We might not be back tonight."
Patrolling the mountain?
This was the first time Zhang Chengxuan had ever heard this term.
But he didn't ask any more questions and returned to the Taoist temple in time.
After breakfast, they went down the mountain.
Several disciples did not accompany them; they wanted to stay quietly on the mountain for a few days to recuperate and cultivate their spiritual practice.
Although Song Chunxue didn't think there was much credibility to this, she must want to rest after being busy with all the stops these past few days.
They did not take a carriage, but followed behind the carriage on foot down the mountain.
The weather is nice today, Song Chunxue couldn't help but sigh.
"Do you remember? This time of year used to be our busiest. Spring drowsiness and autumn fatigue, we'd wake up in the morning feeling so lazy our muscles would ache."
Song Chunxue placed her hand on Sanwa's shoulder, looked at the scenery below the mountain, and sighed deeply.
"Looking back, farming is really tiring, especially the days when you're afraid to have any other thoughts in your mind, for fear of starving to death if you don't farm well. It's quite tough."
It's quite hopeless.
But the thought of dying if she didn't farm made her get up no matter how lazy she was, because she wanted to live and wanted her family to live well.
Sanwa needs to herd sheep. The warmer the weather, the earlier he gets up, otherwise the sheep won't eat grass if it's too sunny. He needs to find a place to lie down.
Sanwa nodded. "Thankfully, we made it through. My mother still lets me study." He took a deep breath and smiled, his eyes crinkling. "It's like a dream. Who would have thought a shepherd boy could become an official?"
Song Chunxue smiled and took his arm. "Your bodyguard is quite capable, but he's a bit quiet. I feel more at ease having someone skilled by your side."
Although she had many questions to ask, Song Chunxue stopped asking after her senior brother said that there was nothing wrong with her.
Sanwa has grown up and works for the government; he is more thoughtful in many things than she was.
“Mom, Fourth Brother said he recently ran into some people from our area, including his classmates. Oh, right, Second Uncle came by, but he came to see his son. He just heard about Fourth Brother’s tavern and went to check it out. A few of us even had a meal with him. He insisted on leaving, but we insisted on keeping him for the night.”
Speaking of this, Sanwa had a joyful yet emotional smile on his face, "He knew you were good at swordsmanship, but he just wouldn't believe it."
Did her second brother come to see her?
Song Chunxue felt a surge of warmth in her heart. They hadn't sat down for a proper chat in a long time. Logically speaking, she didn't need to farm anymore and wasn't busy at all.
She had thought about visiting them many times, especially her second sister, whose health wasn't very good. She even wanted to bring her senior brother along.
If the eldest brother also goes...
Forget it, that place is too poor. She's afraid going there at this time will frighten her senior brother.
In places with beautiful mountains and rivers, people don't feel that they are poor no matter how poor they are.
But in their remote mountain valley, the view from the mountaintop is enough to make any outsider weep.
Plus, they had just come back from such a beautiful place, and when they went back to their own home, their poverty was even more obvious.
"When I have some free time in a while, I will make a special trip to see them. If it weren't for my second brother, I don't know what kind of life I would have had back then. Now that I'm doing well, I haven't really had a chance to see them properly."
Especially since she had accumulated so much gold and silver, spending it on herself might feel like a burden, but spending it on her second brother and several older sisters would make her feel incredibly satisfied.
She had initially thought of sharing some with the children, but upon closer reflection, she realized she couldn't do that.
Parents plan far ahead for their children.
They are doing well now, but the children are still young and haven't experienced much hardship. They don't know how to cherish things and can't handle money.
Especially unexpected wealth.
Unexpected wealth can sometimes be a disaster, a death sentence.
They are living a peaceful life now, and as their mother, she cannot disrupt their balance.
Along the way, they chatted a lot, mostly about the past, and the mother and son even wished the journey could be longer.
But Song Chunxue discovered that Sanwa was also very reluctant to part with the Taoist priest.
As the carriage entered the city gate and they were about to part ways, the child did not linger with her. Instead, she held the Taoist priest's arm, asking him all sorts of questions and giving him a series of instructions.
What made Song Chunxue feel a pang of jealousy was that she saw Sanwa solemnly take something out of his bosom and hand it to the Taoist priest.
Song Chunxue curiously leaned closer and saw that they were two calligraphy brushes.
"Isn't there one for me?"
Sanwa smiled and took out a brocade pouch from his bosom. "Of course there's one for you. It's a silver hairpin."
It's a very beautiful silver hairpin, made of bamboo joints, and inlaid with two jade stones as a perfect embellishment.
“This was bought with my salary,” he said, then pulled out a brocade pouch from his pocket. “Oh, and this is for Lord Xie. Mother, when you see him, please give it to him for me.”
Song Chunxue nodded, "I like it very much, but it seems like you're putting more effort into my senior brother."
Master Zhang laughed, "Yours is clearly more expensive. If you like one, just take it. Why be jealous?"
“Who’s jealous? It’s just that you two seem a bit strange. My son seems closer to you.” Song Chunxue raised her hand and touched Sanwa’s shoulder. “But that makes sense. You brought them nice things back then, and Sanwa has known you the longest among all the children.”
During the two years she spent in Zhuanglang County, Sanwa often asked her when the Taoist priest would return.
Master Zhang took out a small box from his storage ring. "Yes, I know who's after me. Third Brother, this is for you. You might find something useful inside. Open it when you get back."
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