Chapter 190
At the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), Ji Wanshu hurriedly took a bath and changed her clothes. As she combed her hair in front of the mirror, Lu Huaiwei knocked on the door and asked, "Is Senior Sister up yet?"
Ji Wanshu responded, "The door isn't locked, come in."
Lu Huaiwei entered the room, took out a letter from her sleeve, and handed it to Ji Wanshu, saying, "The sect leader had a good time last night and drank a few extra cups of wine with Junior Sister Bai Ling. She has a headache and doesn't want to get up now. She asked me to come and tell you that you don't need to go to Mingguang Hall to say goodbye to her later. This is a letter of condolence that the sect leader just wrote. If Junior Sister Fu is willing to see you, you can give this letter to her to read."
Ji Wanshu changed into a light blue, flowing outfit with arrow-sleeved cuffs, and wore dark blue boots. She looked very energetic. She tucked the letter into her bosom, picked up her sword, and the two of them left the room together. Ji Wanshu glanced at the archway on the north side of the courtyard and said, "After I go down the mountain, please tell them for me that my trip to Jinhuai City is an important task assigned by the sect leader, and I don't have time to say goodbye."
Lu Huaiwei hesitated for a moment and said, "It's just a short walk away. Your uncle and aunt should be awake by now. You don't see each other very often throughout the year, so you should go there in person."
Ji Wanshu frowned, her tone tinged with helplessness: "It's not that I'm unfilial, but last night you were enjoying the lanterns in the palace while I was being scolded here. I've been listening to lectures all night, and I even dreamt that my father was cursing me in the middle of the night. This morning, I really don't want to have any more conflicts with them."
Lu Huaiwei sighed and quietly left the courtyard, saying, "Your aunt and uncle are getting old, and you're their only daughter. Please be more understanding. After all, they are elders, and we don't see each other all the time. It's not easy for them to come to the palace as guests, and they must be tired from the journey." As she said this, her eyes darkened for some reason, and she paused for a moment before speaking softly again, "You can't stand their nagging now, but when your aunt and uncle get too old to walk and can't speak properly anymore, you won't even be able to hear them anymore."
Upon hearing this, Ji Wanshu's first reaction was to offer a rebuttal, but as the words were about to come out, she suddenly changed her mind and thought of Lu Huaiwei's background, so she swallowed back what she wanted to say.
Lu Huaiwei had been in the palace for three years longer than Ji Wanshu. While Ji Wanshu was still a young lady in Jincheng, Lu Huaiwei was already practicing martial arts and swordsmanship in the palace. If Ji Wanshu hadn't become Wen Chaoyu's disciple after entering the palace and had a higher seniority, she would actually have had to call Lu Huaiwei "senior sister".
Lu Huaiwei's family was poor. Her parents were farmers who relied on the weather for their livelihood. She had many younger siblings, making a total of seven people in the family, excluding her parents. Because there were so many siblings, Lu's parents couldn't earn much money from farming alone. That year, there was a drought, resulting in a poor harvest, which they couldn't support so many children. After discussing it, the couple decided to send one of their children away to be sold as a servant to a wealthy family, hoping to earn some money to tide them over.
At that time, the eldest brother was already sixteen years old and an indispensable labor force in the family, able to help with farm work. The other children were still young, and several families refused to take them, saying they were too young to serve others and that they themselves still needed their parents' care. After weighing the options, only Lu Huaiwei, the second oldest, was the most suitable.
That day, Mr. Lu took Lu Huaiwei into the city, knocking on doors to ask if anyone needed a maid. Lu Huaiwei was pretty, gentle, and polite; such a girl should have been very suitable. However, after asking all morning, they didn't find anyone looking to buy a maid. Just as the father and daughter were about to head home, they happened to stumble upon the Yunhua Inn in the city recruiting new disciples. Mr. Lu asked how much Lu Huaiwei was worth. The disciple holding the pen smiled and said, "We are a legitimate sect and don't do business with merchants. If you are interested in having this young lady learn martial arts, she will have no worries about food and drink once she joins Yunhua. If she has talent, she can become an inner disciple of a certain peak and receive a monthly stipend. Isn't that better than being a maid?"
Upon hearing this, Lu's father thought to himself that although Yunhua Palace had good conditions and was a place where one could make a future, it couldn't save them from their current poverty. How many years would it take for Lu Huaiwei to become an inner disciple? He feared that the whole family would starve to death before she could even receive a few coins.
Mr. Lu naturally disagreed and took Lu Huaiwei back home. Within two days, their rice jar was empty. Mr. and Mrs. Lu were frantic, almost to the point of begging in the streets. Then, Mrs. Lu suggested finding Lu Huaiwei a husband. Once their daughter was married, she would be able to help the family. They couldn't afford a dowry, so they didn't need any bride price; a few bags of grain would be enough.
Mr. Lu thought it was a good idea and asked an acquaintance to arrange a marriage for Lu Huaiwei. Although Lu Huaiwei was initially unwilling, when she thought about her family's situation and saw her younger siblings crying and making a fuss from hunger, she had no choice but to agree. However, on the night before the groom's family was to come and pick her up, Lu Huaiwei learned that the man she was going to marry was actually a mentally challenged boy who would beat even his own parents when he had an episode.
When Lu Huaiwei asked her parents if they knew about the matter, her mother hid in her room pretending not to hear. Her father, however, forced a smile and said, "If he wants to hit someone, just stay away. Don't let him hit you, right? Although that boy is mentally challenged, his family is genuinely wealthy. So many girls haven't caught their eye. It's only because your mother gave you such good looks that they took a liking to you at first glance. This is a blessing! Once you marry him, our whole family will benefit, and we won't even have to farm anymore. Huaiwei, I know you're wronged, but what do people strive for in this life? Just to have enough to eat. Consider it repaying your mother and me for raising you, and happily marry him."
That night, Lu Huaiwei didn't sleep a wink. The next morning, she made the boldest decision she had ever made in her life—she climbed out of the window and escaped.
Lu Huaiwei ran away from her arranged marriage and wandered aimlessly to Shangyuan City. Passing by Yunhua Post Station, she discovered the platform there was still up, and Yunhua Palace was still recruiting. Fearing being caught and taken back by the mentally challenged boy's family, Lu Huaiwei stepped forward, gave her name, and expressed her desire to join Yunhua Palace. The scribe remembered her somewhat, examined her physique, and said she was suited for martial arts, then asked if her family agreed. Lu Huaiwei lied and said they did, so the scribe arranged for her to enter Yunhua Palace and sent her to Yunhua Mountain that same day to join the new disciple academy.
From then on, Lu Huaiwei entered the palace and endured a year of fear and anxiety. The following year, due to her outstanding performance, she was assigned to Wu Hui Peak and became an elder's disciple, receiving a monthly stipend very early on. Lu Huaiwei thought that she should be able to face her parents with her dignity after her situation, so she took the money she had saved for several months and went home. However, when she arrived home, she learned that her father had passed away, her younger siblings were missing, her grandparents were also gone, and only her eldest brother and mother remained at home.
It turned out that after Lu Huaiwei ran away on her own, the mentally challenged boy's family came knocking on their door in a rage, beating Lu's father severely. His injuries didn't improve after a month, and he died. Lu's mother fell ill and never recovered, and both elderly people passed away one after the other. The eldest brother, with nowhere else to turn, had to take his younger siblings to beg on the streets. Little did they know that beggars also belonged to gangs. They were encroaching on others' territory and didn't understand the rules; how could others allow them to get money on their turf?
The children were driven out of the city, so hungry they were dizzy and unable to walk. The eldest brother had to run to the river to fill two jugs with water for them to drink. But when he returned, he couldn't find his younger siblings. He searched for a long time but couldn't find them. A beggar who chased after them gloated that they had been tied up and taken away on a cart by human traffickers. No one knew if it was true or not, but they were never seen again after that.
Upon learning all this, Lu Huaiwei was filled with remorse and wept bitterly, kneeling before her father's grave for three days and three nights. She gave the silver she had brought to her mother and then took leave to stay home with her for half a month. Even now, Lu Huaiwei hardly keeps any money for herself. Apart from necessary expenses or gifts for her friends in the palace, she always sends anything good home first. If a young disciple arrives in the palace, she takes extra care of them, treating them like her own younger brothers and sisters. For example, with Yin Qiu and Meng Jing, Lu Huaiwei's heart is truly sincere; she only hopes that if she is good to others, they will be good to her lost younger brothers and sisters in return.
Therefore, after becoming acquainted with Ji Wanshu, Lu Huaiwei often advised her not to argue or quarrel with her parents. This is why Ji Wanshu's attitude towards her was different from that of others. She listened to whatever Lu Huaiwei said to her to some extent.
It was still early, and although the sky was brightening, there was no sunlight; it seemed like a cloudy day. Lu Huaiwei was dressed warmly, but her face was still somewhat pale. Ji Wanshu looked at her, silently thinking about Lu Huaiwei's past experiences, and how she had been wrongly accused of being a spy by Ye Zhilan, suffering a lot of injustice and hardship. With a sigh, Ji Wanshu said, "Then wait here for a while, I'll be right back."
Lu Huaiwei looked surprised, wondering why Ji Wanshu had suddenly changed her mind because of her few words. She stood there watching Ji Wanshu's hurried back, recalling how the Ji couple had treated Ji Wanshu. She couldn't help but tear up and shed a few tears.
Not long after, Ji Wanshu came running back. Lu Huaiwei composed herself and asked with a smile, "Have you said goodbye? I bet your aunt and uncle didn't lecture you anymore, but instead asked about your well-being, worried that you weren't eating or sleeping well on the way, right?"
She was absolutely right, but Ji Wanshu deliberately said, "You're overthinking it. My father still didn't give me a kind look, and my mother's words weren't pleasant either. Alright, I've listened to you and fulfilled my filial duty. Now can you let me go?"
Lu Huaiwei could tell from her expression that she was lying, and her heart was not only moved but also a little sore. The two left the courtyard, led their horses out of the palace gates, and Lu Huaiwei said, "Last night I noticed that Aunt Wen wasn't in a hurry to leave. She stayed on the rooftop listening to your parents talking to you, and only left the palace after you went back to your room to sleep. Since you're leaving the city, you might as well go and see her on the way."
Ji Wanshu thought this person was incredibly thoughtful and gentle; she feared she would never make such a good friend again in her life. Ji Wanshu wanted to say a few words to her, but she was too tongue-tied to express herself, so she could only say perfunctorily, "Um... I understand."
"Be careful on the road," Lu Huaiwei cautioned. "Be even more careful when you get to Mingyue Tower. I'm not worried that anyone can hurt you, but you're prone to impulsiveness. I'm afraid that if someone wants to deal with you, they might resort to underhanded tactics. If you get provoked, you'll fall into their trap. It's not easy to have a young sect leader in the palace. Don't let something happen to you after only a couple of days in office."
"Please say something auspicious, I'm about to head out," Ji Wanshu rolled her eyes at her, mounted her horse, but didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stood there quietly for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Huaiwei, do you have someone you like?"
When she suddenly said that, Lu Huaiwei was taken aback and scolded, "What are you saying, Senior Sister? Aren't you ashamed?"
“What’s there to be ashamed of?” Ji Wanshu said. “Just tell me if you’re pregnant, and I’ll check it out for you. Then I’ll have my parents take you in as their goddaughter. Don’t worry, with the Ji family backing you up, no one who marries you will dare to bully you. If your future husband is not honest, I’ll give him a good beating and make him cry for his parents.”
Lu Huaiwei laughed and said, "I appreciate your kindness, Senior Sister. But my skills are not weak either. You don't even need to lift a finger; my sword is already at his neck. Alright, alright, let's not delay any longer and get on our way."
Ji Wanshu responded with an "okay," and a rare smile appeared on her horse. She stretched out the reins, whipped the horse, and rode off amidst the early spring blossoms, quickly descending the mountain along the path.
To get to Jinhuai City, there was no need to cross Yuancheng; one could simply head south through the forest. However, remembering Lu Huaiwei's advice, Ji Wanshu decided to go into the city to see Wen Chaoyu. But just as she rode down Yunhua Mountain and left the forest, she saw a horse with its tail swishing standing in the middle of the road ahead, and a person sitting on the ground to the side.
A woman wearing a straw hat and dark clothes, drinking alcohol early in the morning.
Ji Wanshu immediately tightened the reins and stopped, looking slightly surprised. Wen Chaoyu saw her, grinned, waved the wine jug at her, and said, "Why are you taking so long? I've been waiting for you for ages."
"You knew I was going down the mountain?" Ji Wanshu dismounted, reached out to help Wen Chaoyu up, and smelled a refreshing aroma of wine.
"Sorry, my hearing is too good," Wen Chaoyu said, patting the dust off his clothes. "Yijun's voice is so loud. I was squatting on the roof looking at the scenery, and I heard everything."
Ji Wanshu asked knowingly, "What are you waiting for me for?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "I'll be your bodyguard, and I won't charge you anything."
Ji Wanshu was tall, and with her eyes lowered, she couldn't see Wen Chaoyu's face clearly. She took off the straw hat from Wen Chaoyu's head and, suppressing her joy, said, "It's such a gloomy day, and you're still wearing this."
“You want to see me? Just say so,” Wen Chaoyu leaned closer to her. “Come on, look all you want.”
As they got closer, Ji Wanshu felt a strong urge to kiss her, but he didn't dare to be impulsive. Wen Chaoyu noticed that she looked a little awkward and teased, "Oh, the young sect leader is quite a proper person."
Ji Wanshu knew what she meant. She remained calm on the surface, but her heart was in turmoil. She led Wen Chaoyu's horse over and abruptly changed the subject, saying, "I'm not going sightseeing. I'll be traveling in a hurry. Can you ride a horse?"
Wen Chaoyu said, "Why are you in such a hurry? The person has been dead for several days. It's not like we're rushing to see him one last time. It's just a funeral." She dusted off her right shoulder. "What, do you think I can't run a horse just because I lost an arm? I can run faster than you. Try chasing me!"
Ji Wanshu said, "Can you stop talking nonsense? I didn't mean that."
“That means you care about me and are afraid I’ll get tired,” Wen Chaoyu slapped the horse’s rump. “Fine, you can take me with you and give me a break.”
The horse, after being slapped, cleverly ran off towards Shangyuan City on its own. Wen Chaoyu then mounted Ji Wanshu's horse and, seeing her standing motionless below, urged, "Are you stupid? Let's go."
Ji Wanshu glanced at her, then calmly sat down behind Wen Chaoyu in the stirrups. She reached for the reins, but Wen Chaoyu grabbed them first and placed Ji Wanshu's hand on her waist. Seeing this, Ji Wanshu said, "Didn't you want some peace and quiet?"
Wen Chaoyu chuckled softly from the front and said matter-of-factly, "Women can go back on their word at any time. I'll change my mind as soon as I get on this horse. You wait, I'll show you how to ride."
After she finished speaking, she squeezed the horse's belly with her legs and shouted "Giddy up!" But the horse not only didn't move, it even lowered its head.
Wen Chaoyu frowned, took out her whip and lashed the horse, then repeated the action. But the horse seemed deaf and completely ignored her.
"Hey, why won't this horse obey you?" Wen Chaoyu said angrily, pulling on the reins. "This disobedient thing, might as well just kill it, roast it, and eat it!"
Ji Wanshu pressed against her back, practically encircling Wen Chaoyu in her arms, and couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight.
Wen Chaoyu felt a tingling sensation on the back of her neck, and Ji Wanshu's warm breath and low laughter sent shivers down her spine. She turned around and looked at Ji Wanshu, saying, "What are you laughing at?"
Ji Wanshu stopped laughing and said calmly, "It's nothing, this horse recognizes its owner."
Wen Chaoyu paused for a moment, feeling rather bored and embarrassed. She said with a forced smile, "I knew it. A perfectly good horse has the temper of a donkey. It turns out it takes after its master."
Ji Wanshu pretended not to hear, took the reins from Wen Chaoyu, and without saying a word, the horse started moving. Wen Chaoyu scoffed and said, "Horses rely on their owners' power. These beasts are even more opportunistic than people. I'll feed it a couple of blades of grass later, get to know it a bit, and it'll definitely listen to me."
Ji Wanshu let her talk nonsense and was happy to listen. After thinking for a moment, she stopped the horse and said to Wen Chaoyu, "There's no need to go to so much trouble. I just need to tell it, and it will recognize you as its master after hearing it."
Wen Chaoyu didn't believe it: "Could it be that it has become a spirit?"
Ji Wanshu leaned over her, whispered something in the horse's ear, then sat back down and said, "Okay, try again."
Wen Chaoyu said, "Is it really that intelligent?"
Despite her initial skepticism, she took the reins back. Ji Wanshu secretly squeezed the horse's belly with her legs, and the horse started moving again. Wen Chaoyu's eyes lit up immediately; now she had no choice but to believe it. She exclaimed in amazement, "It really is very intelligent! It's a fine horse!"
Ji Wanshu looked at her smiling profile and silently curved the corners of her lips.
Wen Chaoyu was in a better mood and had played enough, so she handed the reins back to Ji Wanshu and said, "Never mind, you can control it. I got up too early today and didn't get enough sleep. I waited for you and then stood in the cold wind for so long, and I got cold. I need to take a nap. Hold me tight so I don't fall off."
Ji Wanshu said, "Okay." She took off her outer robe and wrapped it around Wen Chaoyu. She held the horse with one hand and wrapped her other arm around Wen Chaoyu. The horse also walked slowly.
Wen Chaoyu yawned and leaned against Ji Wanshu's chest, closing her eyes to rest. Ji Wanshu looked down at her for a while, and seeing that Wen Chaoyu seemed to have really fallen asleep, he gently kissed her cheek.
Unexpectedly, Wen Chaoyu immediately opened her eyes and said, "I just said you were a decent person, and you've already launched a sneak attack!"
Ji Wanshu said without changing his expression, "I have never claimed to be a decent person. I don't want this false title you've given me."
Wen Chaoyu said smugly, "Give me another kiss?"
Ji Wanshu pinched her chin and turned her around, then kissed Wen Chaoyu's lips. Wen Chaoyu was satisfied and said, "Alright, let's focus on getting going. I'm really sleepy."
“Then take a nap,” Ji Wanshu said. “I won’t let you fall.”
Wen Chaoyu hummed in agreement and didn't reply. The two followed the forest onto a southern path. The cool breeze of the spring morning was refreshing, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of flowers. The two people and their horse were like a freehand ink painting, moving through the quiet and secluded mountain forest, parting the dust and mist as they gradually rode into the distance.
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