Chapter Twenty-Four: Reunion with an Old Friend in Jiangnan
A few small boats glided across the river, catching the flight of seagulls. A few willow branches reflected the rising sun over the riverbank, and shimmering light spread across the river like a scroll.
Qi Kun leaned his elbow on Bai Ming's shoulder, yawned, and then looked at Yang Xiao, who hadn't moved all night, and shook his head with a light laugh, "Sleeping like this, and still saying you want to take turns keeping watch with us."
Bai Ming also smiled and looked at Yang Xiao, "General Yang has been busy with the training of the Eagle Team for the past two days, so I'm afraid he hasn't had much rest."
“Speaking of the Eagles team, I’m reminded of Lingyu’s deputy general Zhang Ping,” Qi Kun couldn’t help but laugh. “He’s always sleepy and dozes off, but he’s never made a mistake when it comes to crucial moments. He’s very reliable.”
“Yes,” Bai Ming nodded with a smile, “When I came from Yuzhou to meet Lingyu, it was Zhang Ping who burned down the granary. When I saw Zhang Ping afterward, I couldn’t believe it myself.”
Qi Kun nodded with a smile, gazing at the approaching shore. He then looked down at Yang Xiao, who was still fast asleep, and sighed softly, "We're almost at the shore, we can't get up now." With that, he got up and squatted down beside Yang Xiao, the small boat rocking a few times with his movements.
"Lingyu, it's time," he said, patting Yang Xiao's shoulder lightly. "It's your turn to get up and keep watch."
Yang Xiao mumbled a reply, rolled over, and raised her arm to block the light from her eyes. "Master, please stay a little longer and let me wake up." As she spoke, she turned her head to lie on her side without opening her eyes, and it looked as if her head was about to slide off Bai Ming's folded cloak and hit the deck.
"Hey, watch out!" Bai Ming took two steps forward upon seeing this, but he was still a step too slow, and a crisp sound came from the deck.
"Judging from that voice, we must know each other well," Qi Kun said with a smile, squatting down beside him.
Yang Xiao was wide awake from the bumps in the boat. She slumped back on the deck, pulled the cloak that was under her head off, and yawned. When she looked up, she saw Bai Ming's upside-down smile.
She was stunned for two seconds, raised her hand to rub her eyes, until the outline in front of her gradually became clear. A smiling gaze, like a clear spring, fell into her eyes. She panicked, but for some reason she couldn't move an inch.
She smiled as she looked into Bai Ming's eyes, her fingers unconsciously twirling the cloak she had just pulled off.
"Stop grinning like an idiot," Qi Kun patted Yang Xiao's shoulder and laughed, "We're almost there, aren't you getting up?"
Yang Xiao turned to look at Qi Kun, then seemed to realize something and sat up abruptly. "How come we're almost ashore? Weren't we supposed to take turns keeping watch?" She looked at Qi Kun and Bai Ming in turn, and said reproachfully, "Why didn't anyone call me?"
"You've worked so hard these past two days. The strategist and I didn't want to disturb you, so we thought we'd let you rest a bit more." Bai Ming smiled as he took the cloak from Yang Xiao, folded it simply, and hugged it to his chest.
Yang Xiao rubbed her eyes groggily, then suddenly looked up at Bai Ming as if she remembered something. "General Bai, your cloak..." she scratched her head apologetically, "I'm afraid it's been crumpled up by me. I'll buy you a new one when we get to Jiangnan."
"It's alright, it's alright," Bai Ming smiled and shook his head. "Why worry about such a small wrinkle?"
Qi Kun stood up and smiled at the two of them. "Alright, the boat is about to reach the shore. Lingyu, get up and pack your things so we can leave."
"Okay." Yang Xiao stretched lazily on the deck, then took off her hairband, quickly tied her hair up, and then stood up.
She gazed at the rising tide and the damp willows on the riverbank, taking a deep, carefree breath. In an instant, she felt as if she were back on the riverbank with Cen Xun. She looked up and smiled at the opposite bank. Everything seemed unchanged, yet it also seemed as if the curtain had already been drawn.
A profusion of flowers came into view, and it seemed as if wisps of zither music were carried on the wind. Yang Xiao moved at the sound, unable to hide the joy in her eyes, and ran to the edge of the boat to look. She saw a figure not far away, sitting in a pavilion on the shore with a zither in his arms, his sleeves and hair swaying in the wind, and his figure swaying slightly with the music.
"It's Tongxi!" Yang Xiao turned around and excitedly called out to the two people behind her, then ran to the side of the boat and waved at the figure, "Tongxi! We've arrived!"
The music from the zither on the shore gradually stopped. The graceful figure turned around slightly, slowly rose from the pavilion, and walked gracefully towards the shore.
The sound of the oars stirring the water grew clearer and clearer. The boatman, using the oars, moved the boat to the shore and called out to the three people inside with a smile, "Mr. Qi, Generals, we've reached the shore. Please disembark slowly."
“Okay,” Yang Xiao nodded in agreement, jumped off the small boat, and smiled at the boatman, “Thank you.” Then she naturally turned around and reached out to help Qi Kun down.
She looked up at Bai Ming, who was still on the boat, his arm still outstretched in the air. She hesitated for a second, then couldn't help but smile and reach out her hand to Bai Ming.
Bai Ming was also stunned by what he saw. He had never imagined that Yang Xiao would lead him off the boat. His mind went blank, and he couldn't figure out why.
But now, Yang Xiao's slender hands, covered with thin calluses, were held up right in front of him.
Bai Ming's heart was inexplicably racing, and he felt a pang of anxiety, yet he was also afraid that she would pull her hand back.
He looked up into Yang Xiao's smiling eyes, and without thinking, he gently took her fingertips and led her off the boat.
Cen Xun had already arrived at the riverbank. She gently clasped her hands in a fist salute to the group and said with a smile, "I am Cen Xun and Cen Tongxi. We have been waiting for you all for a long time."
"Tongxi!" Yang Xiao turned around and saw that familiar and dear figure standing in front of her. She smiled happily, let go of Bai Ming's hand, and ran straight to her, raising her arms to hug her. "It's been so long, have you missed me?"
"How could I not want to?" Cen Xun patted Yang Xiao's back with a smile, turned his head to meet her burning gaze, and looked down at Yang Xiao's slightly flushed cheeks. He couldn't help but tease her with a smile, "How about I put a veil on you next time?"
"Huh?" Yang Xiao tilted her head, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
Cen Xun glanced at Bai Ming, who was going back to the ship to get his weapons, then turned back to Yang Xiao with a smile, "You, you always wear your emotions on your sleeve. How come you blushed just because someone held your hand?"
"Hey, Tongxi, you..." Yang Xiao paused, then looked at Cen Xun reproachfully, her cheeks turning even redder.
Cen Xun looked at her tsundere appearance with amusement, sighed with a smile, walked up to Qi Kun, bowed and said, "I have long admired Mr. Qi's name. I have come here to welcome you on the orders of my father and my teacher."
"Thank you for your trouble, Miss," Qi Kun nodded to Cen Xun and clasped his hands in greeting, "I was fortunate enough to hear your music just now; it was truly heavenly."
Cen Xun lowered his eyes and sighed with a smile, "Sir, you flatter me—"
"I told you so!" Before Cen Xun could finish speaking, Yang Xiao smiled and put her arm around her shoulder. "Tong Xi's zither playing is absolutely superb."
“Lingyu, you are like this.” Cen Xun steadied herself, turned around and smiled at Yang Xiao, who was leaning on her shoulder, and gently tapped her nose.
Bai Ming looked at the two of them and stepped forward to bow, saying, "I am Bai Ming, and I greet Miss Cen."
Cen Xun nodded slightly to Bai Ming, then pulled Yang Xiao's hand off her shoulder and bowed to him, saying, "Nice to meet you."
She glanced back at Yang Xiao beside her, then turned back to Bai Ming with a smile, "Could it be that you are the young man who gave me the gun that Lingyu often mentioned before?"
Upon hearing this, Yang Xiao turned and glared at Cen Xun. Cen Xun, however, looked at Bai Ming's slightly surprised expression and smiled, "When Lingyu first arrived in Jiangnan, she told me that there was a young man in Yuzhou who had been kind to her and had given her a gun. Since then, she would use that young man as an inspiration whenever she practiced shooting." She raised her eyes meaningfully to look at Bai Ming, "I had heard Lingyu talk about it for so long before, and today I finally saw your face. It has satisfied my curiosity of the past few years."
“This…” Bai Ming looked at Yang Xiao, who was scratching his head with his face turned away from Cen Xun, his eyes full of expectation and smiles, “I thank General Yang for his kindness.”
"What is all this nonsense?" Yang Xiao said dismissively, but a smile appeared in her eyes. She gently leaned on Cen Xun's shoulder. "Tongxi, that's enough."
“Alright, alright,” Cen Xun nodded with a smile, exchanged a meaningful glance with Qi Kun beside him, then stepped aside and made way for the three of them, leading them forward. “Please come with me to my residence for a chat.”
-
After passing through a series of pavilions and gardens, the Cen residence suddenly came into view. The residence was not large, but everything was arranged in an orderly manner.
Every blade of grass and every tree was arranged neatly, yet it still retained a sense of elegance. In this respect, it was most appropriate to have the Cen family manage the etiquette and customs of Jiangnan.
"Please, everyone." Cen Xun stood at the door, lifted the curtain, and turned to look at the three people behind him.
Upon entering the room, a whiff of sandalwood incense wafts through the air. The room is filled with rustic furnishings, and tiny dust motes dance in the sunlight, making the room feel warm and inviting.
"Mr. Qi and the two generals have arrived?" A gentle voice came from the inner room, and the next second, an old man stepped into the hall.
"Father, we're back." Cen Xun clasped his hands in a fist salute to Cen Fei, then turned to introduce the three people behind him, "These are the three envoys from Ji Province."
He smiled kindly at the group of people before him, bowed, and said, "My name is Cen Fei, and I have been waiting for you all for a long time."
“Mr. Cen, there’s no need for such formalities,” Qi Kun quickly stepped forward to help Cen Fei up, then clasped his hands in a salute. “I am Qi Kun. I have long admired your name and have come here to pay my respects.”
Cen Fei smiled and nodded. He stood there, his back perfectly straight, but his eyes were full of worry. He responded to Yang Xiao and Bai Ming's greetings, sat down in the main seat, and ordered the servants to serve tea.
"Father, Master isn't here?" Cen Xun turned to look at Cen Fei. "Didn't he say he was going to personally welcome Mr. Qi?"
Upon hearing this, Cen Fei smiled and shook his head, "That unreliable guy of his said he was going to try to get some information from other people, and then he ignored Mr. Qi."
“Him,” Qi Kun sighed with a smile, “is busy with official duties, so it doesn’t matter whether he sees me or not.” He looked up at Cen Fei, “Since Che Yan has acted as a bridge, I will get straight to the point. My lord Zhongli An has just established a new foundation, but it is not yet stable. He wants to establish an alliance with Jiangnan to jointly resist the treacherous minister Xiao Yan.”
Qi Kun held his teacup and looked at Cen Fei, "However, we are new here and do not understand the situation very well. We would appreciate it if you could give us some pointers."
Upon hearing this, Cen Fei frowned and shook his head. He took a sip of tea and sighed, "Jiangnan appears peaceful and tranquil on the surface, but it is actually in chaos." He paused, then looked up at everyone seriously, "Lingyu and my daughter have a life-or-death bond, and I have long heard of the names of Mr. Qi and General Bai. In that case, I naturally trust a few of you and will not hide anything from you."
"Please speak freely, sir. We are all ears." Qi Kun also composed himself and leaned forward to look at Cen Fei.
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