Chapter 108 Like Strong Wine (Twenty) Wei Yuanzhan rubbed against the crook of her neck. ...
On February 13th, the weather warmed up, and a gentle breeze carried a hint of warmth.
Before dawn, Song Qiyu packed his belongings and quietly left the courtyard. He had already bid farewell to his father and mother yesterday, and he chose to set off at this time today because he did not want to see his mother shed tears again.
Chang Li followed closely beside Song Qiyu. The lantern illuminated their feet and cast a halo of light on his face, revealing a deep melancholy between his brows.
Chang Li tentatively asked, "Young Master, would you like to wait a little longer?"
The third young lady was sullen yesterday because the young master was going back to Yuyang. Now that she is not allowed to see him off, won't she be even more upset?
Song Qiyu shook her head: "Let's not wait any longer, let's go."
He had been relaxing in the capital for many days. When he mentioned the ever-changing Yuyang, he was no longer as eager as before. But that was the place that suited him best, a place where he could stretch his muscles and do what he wanted.
His sister and mother's attempts to persuade him to stay would make him reluctant to leave, and he would drag it out day by day, unsure when he would be able to set off.
He turned around decisively and strode toward the gate of the mansion.
As he walked into the front yard, behind the flowering trees, he saw several shadowy figures. The darkness was still there, and the dim light of the lanterns shimmered on the bricks. Song Congzhao and his party were waiting under the eaves. When they saw him, they stepped forward slightly.
Song Qiyu was somewhat surprised and hurried over, bowing and calling out, "Father, Mother." Her eyes shifted a few inches to the side, "Sister..."
Song Hanjin and Zhi Rou stood side by side, holding back their tears, and softly hummed in agreement.
Yesterday, he so politely informed everyone of his departure from the capital, and Song Hanjin guessed that he didn't want them to see him off. But she couldn't bear to part with him, and even less did she want to have any regrets, so she didn't sleep well and went to wait for him alone with a lantern.
As soon as she stepped out of Jueyan, she saw Zhirou also coming out of Longyuexuan and asked her if she wanted to call her father and mother.
Song Congzhao had to attend court, so he got up early. Hearing that his daughters wanted to see their brother off, he dressed in his court robes and went to the front courtyard with Xu Yueyuan.
"Once you arrive in Yuyang, have Changli return and inform your mother. Although Governor Zhang values you, I know him somewhat. Do not be arrogant or impatient, and do not be hasty for personal gain..."
As Song Congzhao spoke, his gaze lingered on his son's face for a moment. Knowing that his son was calm and cautious, he felt a little relieved. After a moment's hesitation, he added, "If you don't want to stay in the army anymore, then come back. I won't leave you with nothing to do in the capital."
Song Qiyu nodded in agreement.
Xu Yueyuan's tears, which she had just wiped away, welled up again. Perhaps as an excuse to keep him here, she said, "Even your younger brother Qizhang is married. Are you going to stay in the Northwest all year round and be all alone for the rest of your life?"
A gentle smile appeared on Song Qiyu's lips as she said, "If Mother has a woman she likes, please arrange it for me. However, this would be unfair to her, and I would feel uneasy about it. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep at night."
Before he could even speak, Xu Yueyuan still held onto a sliver of hope. But after hearing what he said next, she wished she could have him tied up and taken back to the courtyard. Her eyes, filled with both resentment and love, glared at him as she sobbed, "You unfilial son!"
Glancing at Song Hanjin out of the corner of my eye, I felt even more furious, "What sins have I committed to give birth to two of you..."
Fortunately, the servants all left, leaving only family members by her side. Song Congzhao was also troubled by her anxiety about her children's marriage, so he held her hand and comforted her, saying, "Don't say such hurtful things. Alright, he still has to get going. Don't cry, the children are watching."
Xu Yueyuan wiped her eyes, making room for the three siblings.
As Song Qiyu was about to leave, Song Hanjin hadn't said a word yet, her gaze fixed on her brother, her eyes already moist.
Zhi Rou, seeing this, spoke up first for her: "Big brother, have a safe journey, and remember to write home often."
Zhi Rou and Song Qi Yu's relationship has always been rather distant. She is seeing them off today for her father and sister.
She held the lamp in her hand, the flame flickering. Song Qiyu glanced at her and nodded: "Okay."
As dawn broke outside, he stepped forward and said to Zhi Rou and Song Hanjin, "Take care of yourselves." He added, "I'll be back next New Year's Eve."
Song Hanjin lowered her chin, unusually quiet.
Song Qiyu smiled helplessly, her voice low: "Why are you crying? I'm not going to war."
Song Hanjin immediately wanted to refute him, saying that the first time he secretly ran away from home, it wasn't for going to war, but the war in the north suddenly broke out, and for four whole months there were no letters from him. They all thought something had happened to him. She never wanted to experience that painful feeling again.
In the end, to avoid the omen, she said nothing, only saying, "Brother, you must be safe. I'll wait for you to bring me peach cakes back."
Song Qiyu smiled and agreed, then kowtowed to her parents before getting up and leaving.
Song Hanjin watched him mount his horse at the gate of the mansion, hang the clothes his mother had given him on the saddle, then take the reins, pause for a moment, and urge the horse toward the street.
Only when his shadow was no longer visible did she turn around, and Zhi Rou took her arm, and together they stepped across the threshold.
The dawn breeze carried a warm feeling. Zhi Rou glanced at Song Han Jin and gave her a bright smile: "Sister, I have a secret to tell you."
Song Hanjin was still listless, and having not slept all night, she was already quite tired. When she heard Zhirou speak, she subconsciously shook her head, but looking at her fourth sister's bright and cheerful smile, she hesitated: "What?"
Zhi Rou lowered her voice: "The ruler of Bei Li is not authoritative, and he has an ambitious younger brother who is competing with him. The internal troubles alone are enough to manage. Moreover, the surrounding tribes and small countries have no unity or loyalty. They are like beasts in the jungle, and they will pounce on the smell of blood. This is an external threat."
Her implication was that there would be no fighting on the border for the time being, and that what happened three years ago would not happen again.
Upon hearing this, Song Hanjin finally showed a knowing smile, very faint. Then she saw Zhirou let go of her hand, slowly walk ahead, turn backward, and face her.
“Big brother has gone, but he will come back safely, just like this time,” Zhi Rou said.
Accompanying Song Hanjin back to Jueyan, the sunlight shone down completely, dazzling like gold.
In the afternoon, she was to attend a banquet at Song Lang's residence. Song Hanjin called in a maid to help her with her makeup. Seeing that Zhi Rou was not wearing any makeup, she had someone bring a stool for the fourth young lady to sit down and then did the same thing.
Zhi Rou had no choice but to obey. When she left Jue Yan, she still felt uncomfortable with the lip rouge and kept rubbing it on her lips with the back of her hand.
The peach blossoms outside the two courtyards were in full bloom. Zhi Rou casually raised her gaze and thought of Wei Yuanzhan.
These past few days, she has been busy navigating between her mother and Su Du, while Wei Yuanzhan has been busy training his troops. The two haven't seen each other often, the most recent time being in the evening.
He sneaked into her room and sat down, this time with the lights on, as if to announce his arrival. Zhi Rou was so angry she wanted to hit him, but then she saw Xing Hui standing outside the door holding a stack of treasures—gifts from Wei Yuanzhan—and she laughed out loud, caught in a dilemma.
With these thoughts lingering, Zhi Rou tugged at the corner of her mouth and strolled down the corridor.
Song Lang's banquet was originally held in the suburbs. As the host, he specially chose a garden by the water, with pavilions scattered about and water shimmering. Half of the capital's dignitaries gathered here. Just as Song Hanjin said, the "Song family" was putting on quite a show today.
Zhi Rou jumped off the carriage before Song Hanjin and reached out to help her.
Although she had cried, it didn't show after applying powder. In an instant, she became the arrogant and domineering Third Miss Song again.
Looking at the garden's layout, Song Hanjin chuckled disdainfully, "It's really 'elegant' enough."
These words were spoken quietly to Zhi Rou, and Xu Yueyuan did not hear them. She only turned around to look at Zhi Rou's appearance and guessed what was going on. She solemnly reminded her, "Sit for a while and then go back. Don't wander around."
As soon as she turned around, Song Hanjin's smile vanished, and she obediently nodded. Zhi Rou stood properly to one side the whole time, next to her sister, her eyes not looking anywhere.
"It's been a few years since I last saw her, and this girl has become much calmer," Xu Yueyuan thought to herself. Besides feeling gratified, she also felt a pang of sadness, and her tone softened again: "Qi Zhang should be on the other side. Send someone to inform me as soon as you see him, understand?"
The two nodded to each other.
Soon, someone with sharp eyes spotted them and came over to greet them warmly. Taking advantage of the break, Song Hanjin turned her head and whispered to Zhirou, "My aunt gets back pain every spring. It's an old problem. She asked my mother to keep an eye on my second brother for her."
Zhi Rou chuckled upon hearing this, "Second brother is very shrewd, aunt is overthinking it."
"Who says otherwise?"
Song Hanjin and Zhirou chatted along the way. When they arrived at the western waterside pavilion, there were few people around, and the two sisters seemed to have found a peaceful place.
Zhi Rou gazed at the railing for a while, then turned to Song Han Jin and said, "I think I see my second brother."
"Where?" Song Hanjin strolled over.
Zhi Rou raised her hand and pointed: "There, a group of people."
Judging from the situation, it seemed like they were arguing about something. Song Qizhang, who had never been fond of martial arts, now showed signs of violence. The pair of eyes opposite him inadvertently flew over the water for a moment, and in that instant, the man froze, his gaze never wavering.
Zhi Rou slowly frowned.
She was too far away to see who those eyes were looking at, but she was quite certain they were directed at the waterside pavilion.
Song Hanjin recognized her immediately, tugged at Zhi Rou's sleeve, and whispered, "Song Peiyu." She then pulled her arm and urged, "Don't stay here."
The garden was winding and confusing, and Song Hanjin, returning here for the first time, was completely disoriented. Zhi Rou, undeterred by the trouble and unwilling to get involved, simply followed her around.
Before long, a dense sound of footsteps came from behind the Begonia Gate. The two stopped and saw four or five figures stepping through the gate, their numbers relative to each other, and leisurely pausing.
Zhi Rou pulled Song Hanjin behind her and stared at the person in the lead at the door.
Having not seen each other for a long time, the wild girl who had fought with him at the family school had grown into a young woman. Her eyes were deep-set, her pupils gleaming coldly in the golden light, and her posture was upright. Song Peiyu had difficulty recognizing her at first glance; he had first seen Song Hanjin and, after a moment's thought, realized her identity.
"Isn't this Miss Song Si?"
He stepped forward, stood closer to examine Zhi Rou, and then instructed a servant to bring her a pot and a wine vessel, which he filled and handed to her.
"When the princess married far away, Miss Song also accompanied her. She must have long been accustomed to the north wind and strong liquor. This cup of 'mare's milk wine' is not easy to obtain in the capital. I sent people to search for it for several days before finally purchasing it. Today, I present it to Miss Song, which should evoke old memories."
The implication was that she had offended the royal family and was forced to flee to a foreign land; now that she had returned, she should behave herself.
Song Hanjin was pulled behind Zhi Rou. Upon hearing this, she gritted her teeth in anger and was about to pry open Zhi Rou's protective barrier when Zhi Rou took the wine from Song Peiyu's hand: "I am quite touched that the Tenth Young Master is so thoughtful."
Her tone was calm and her voice was soft, which was pleasant to hear.
After Zhi Rou finished speaking, she revealed a barely perceptible smile, which Song Peiyu found particularly mocking.
This is a sarcastic remark implying that he couldn't even produce a jar of good wine.
Song Hanjin made a noise behind Zhi Rou, probably overjoyed but needing to restrain herself.
Although the others around were Song Peiyu's friends, they rarely saw a woman like Miss Song, and were all surprised, forgetting to speak up for her for a moment.
The familiar atmosphere rushed over, and Song Peiyu smiled instead of getting angry. He looked down at Zhi Rou and said in a low voice, "You're still as quick-witted as ever."
Zhi Rou said, "Don't say that, it's as if we're very close."
Song Peiyu interjected, "I haven't settled the score with you from back then. Now that your older brother is gone, who will protect you?"
He took a half-step closer, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said with a playful expression, "Speaking of which, are you and him... imitating Nuwa and Fuxi?"
He harbored resentment after being expelled from the family school by Song Qiyu and went to find Song Zhirou. Every time he was about to succeed, a person named Changli would appear to stop him.
Later, when Song Zhirou left the capital, he was still somewhat dissatisfied. Now that she's back and Song Qiyu is not around, he has plenty of time and opportunity to settle accounts with her.
"Fourth Miss, aren't you going to drink?" Song Peiyu straightened his back, smiled at her for a moment, then instructed the servant, "Take this wine to the main tent and say that Fourth Miss Song is generous and has invited all the guests to drink together."
After saying this, he turned around and strode out of the Begonia Gate with the men.
Zhi Rou had no intention of causing trouble for the Song family, so she maintained proper etiquette in public, and no one could criticize her.
"Where did my sister go?"
"I..." Fang Qi uttered one word, but Zhi Rou continued, "Didn't Mother say she would go back after sitting for a while? Sister, let's go."
"Where is Song Peiyu?" she persisted.
The tent was filled with people from high-ranking and noble families. Song Peiyu's recommendation damaged Yu Zhirou's reputation.
But Zhi Rou shrugged indifferently: "What does it matter?" Then she smiled and said, "Let him lose face, I'll go my own way, it doesn't bother either of us."
After listening, Song Hanjin calmed down a bit, feeling the spring breeze on her sleeves, and finally regained her composure.
Song Peiyu's mention of "Nuwa and Fuxi" had been said to her by others when she was young, and it made her feel nauseous. Therefore, hearing it again just now inevitably caused her to lose control.
Zhi Rou reached out and took her hand, slowly turning back the way they came: "I wonder what's holding Second Brother back. Shall we go and look for him?"
As he spoke, his figure gradually disappeared into the distance, as if nothing had ever happened in the courtyard.
Returning home at dusk, the sky was a crimson hue.
Song Hanjin chatted and laughed with Zhirou all the way in the carriage, having long forgotten about the garden.
After getting off the carriage, he hadn't walked far when Lan Ye's figure suddenly appeared before him, stammering that he wanted to see Zhi Rou.
After a moment's hesitation, Song Hanjin and Song Qizhang crossed the threshold, turning back to look at each other every step of the way.
The crimson sunset reflected in the sky. Zhi Rou stared at Lan Ye in confusion and asked, "You're looking for me? Is it Wei Yuanzhan? What happened?"
He touched the clothes at his sides, twisting his knuckles, looking somewhat embarrassed: "My master won't leave, she keeps... keeps murmuring the name of the Fourth Miss..."
His explanation was rather vague, and Zhi Rou didn't quite understand, so she quickly asked him again, "Where is he?"
Upon arriving at Qiyun Garden, the sunlight gradually faded, and exquisite lanterns hung under the eaves. The house had not undergone major renovations, but it had undeniably become much more "expensive."
Zhi Rou stepped into the side hall, where the light was dim and languid. Several horn lamps were lit on the table, their gray light lingering. These were the original items left in the hall by her master, which Sheng Xingyun had not replaced with new ones.
Her gaze swept across the table and she saw a figure in a dark blue robe occupying the desk. Wei Yuanzhan's arm was resting on the table, his face turned to the side, motionless, as if he were asleep.
Zhi Rou pursed her lips, stood there for a while, and finally walked over, her steps still light. She raised her hand and patted him: "Wei Yuanzhan, wake up... Wei Yuanzhan?"
He opened his eyes, and the dim flames danced in the room, like a dream. A voice gently called to him.
In the blur, Wei Yuanzhan saw Zhirou.
He gradually sat up straight and stared at her. She was different from usual, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Seeing that he had woken up, Zhi Rou gently pulled his arm, trying to help him up, but he was too heavy. She didn't want to hug him from behind, so she turned to Lan Ye and called out, "Come and help me up..."
Before she could finish speaking, a burning hot hand grabbed her wrist, pulled her down slightly, and encircled her.
Zhi Rou was forced to sit on Wei Yuanzhan's lap, and he pulled her tightly into his arms.
Upon witnessing this, Lan Ye was so frightened that he immediately lowered his head and stammered, "I...I..." He had no idea what to say. Fortunately, he knew the way and turned around as if fleeing, retreating away.
In an instant, Zhi Rou's heart pounded, her eyelashes trembled rapidly, and her whole body was frozen, not daring to move.
There have been times before when we were close to each other.
They competed on Xiaocang Mountain. She injured her elbow and was in so much pain that she felt dizzy. He carried her down the mountain. Whenever they wrestled and played around, she would take the opportunity to lie on top of Wei Yuanzhan and even "measured" him without restraint.
But now, a mixture of smells wafted up, some of it the rich aroma of alcohol, others a faint hint of his scent. Zhi Rou felt her mind go blank, every nerve in her body stretched to its limit, and she trembled slightly.
Wei Yuanzhan rested his chin on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her supple waist, and rubbed his head against her neck.
"Zhirou..." he murmured, his voice as captivating as his breath.
"They say I'm a child...they all laugh at me."
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