038
Three days later, at dawn.
As Qin Sang and his party prepared to return to Li County, Wang Shizhen personally came to the inn to present them with gifts.
Firstly, to express gratitude for Cuiyunlou's assistance that day, and secondly, to thank them for saving her own father. The capital has already replied, appointing a envoy to handle Wu Fang's case.
"I will soon be going to Kyoto to participate in this year's autumn imperial examination. If we are destined, I hope we can meet again in Kyoto."
Qin Sang then inquired about Sisi's matter, and Wang Shizhen laughed and said, "Please forgive me, young lady. It was just a performance and nothing to mention."
Qin Sang smiled and said, "What a fine 'not worth mentioning' statement. That day, I saw that Young Master Wang and Miss Sisi were exchanging glances and seemed to have deep feelings for each other. I thought I could witness a good marriage, but I never expected... I was just being delusional."
Wang Shizhen chuckled softly, then asked, "Where is Young Master Xie? Didn't he come with the young lady?"
Qin Sang replied indifferently, "He is a busy man and has already returned to the capital ahead of schedule."
“Oh, what a pity,” Wang Shizhen sighed. “I only had a brief glimpse of Young Master Xie at Cuiyun Tower that day and thought he was exceptionally handsome. I came here today to pay my respects, but I never expected to miss him.”
Qin Sang: "Yes. We missed it."
Wang Shizhen wanted to say something more, but seeing Qin Sang's unhappy expression, he stopped talking and hurriedly took his leave.
After the person left, she had someone throw away the Southeast that had been sent.
Ying'er was puzzled and gestured to ask her why she wanted to throw it away. She replied, "The things of a heartless and ungrateful person are an eyesore. Let's go home."
Xie Sui'an was enlightened by Qin Sang's words that day, and before dawn that morning, he quietly set off back to the capital with Jinyun, leaving only a letter for Qin Sang.
The letter contained nothing important; it only said that he had to return to Beijing first to make arrangements and that they would meet again soon.
Ever since Jinyun learned that Qin Sang was the person the Prime Minister was going to pick up, a smile had never left his lips. His young master was indeed true to his word; he had helped Qin Sang along the way and made great contributions, and would surely receive a generous reward upon returning to the capital.
He's even managed to snag a new master, so he'll have someone to protect him when the young master scolds him in the future. How could he not be happy?
The two traveled at full speed for half a day before finally stopping at a tea stall to rest and eat.
Jinyun, parched from running, finished a pot of tea and wiped his mouth with his sleeve: "Young master, why are we in such a hurry? Wouldn't it be better to go back to the capital with Miss Qin Sang and the others? We can travel around together and enjoy ourselves for a while longer."
"Have you gotten so carefree that you've almost forgotten your own name?" Xie Sui'an tore off some dry rations and glanced at him sideways, saying expressionlessly, "Grandpa wants her to be my god-sister, but I don't agree to that. If I go back with her, the family reunion banquet might already be prepared. I have to go back first and make Grandpa give up this idea."
"Huh?" Jinyun's mouth dropped open. "But... how could you possibly get the Prime Minister to change his mind?"
"Why not? Grandpa also wants to be reasonable."
"..." Jinyun swallowed hard, muttering as he ate his dry rations, "The Prime Minister only allowed Miss Qin Sang to enter the family with a proper status because he's reasonable..."
Xie Sui'an: "..."
"Excuse me, sir, are you also heading towards Kyoto?" At this moment, a passing scholar carrying a hairpin approached and asked with clasped hands.
Xie Sui'an didn't bother to answer, and Jinyun nodded: "Yes, what are you doing?"
The scholar bowed respectfully and said, "My name is Li Chaoren, courtesy name Zigu. I am a candidate going to the capital to participate in the autumn imperial examination."
Jinyun's eyes lit up slightly: "Oh, scholar, that's impressive. What do you want? Do you want us to give you a ride?" He shook his head vigorously, "No, we have urgent business to attend to in the capital. Horses won't run fast if they're carrying heavy loads."
"No, no," the scholar hurriedly waved his hand, then placed the bamboo basket on his back on the bench, wiped his sweat and said, "I just want to ask you to do me a favor and help me carry a few books to the capital. It's really heavy carrying them like this, and I'm afraid it will delay my journey."
As he spoke, he took a bag out of the bamboo basket. It was heavy and full of books.
Jinyun glanced at his young master, and seeing that he didn't react, he said, "It's a small matter, but after I send these books to the capital for you, where are you going to look for them? Aren't you afraid that I'll lose them on the peninsula?"
The scholar was stunned.
Jinyun blinked.
Li Zigu smiled awkwardly: "Young masters, you look kind, so I suppose... no, I will arrive in the capital in a month at most. If you can bring the book into the capital, you can leave it at Liuyun Inn. There is a fellow townsman of mine there, surnamed Wang, named Wang Jisheng. Just tell him that this is my book, and he will keep it safe for me."
Before Jinyun could say anything more, Xie Sui'an said impatiently, "If you're going to take it, then take it; if you're not going to take it, then let them go. Why are you talking so much nonsense?"
Jinyun gave an "oh" and held out his hand to the scholar: "Then give it to me. Liuyun Inn, Wang Jisheng, right?"
Li Zigu nodded hurriedly: "Yes, yes, that's right."
After Jinyun put away the book, Li Zigu said again, "Thank you both very much. I... I don't have anything to offer as thanks, so please have a cup of tea with me..."
“No need…” Jinyun hurriedly waved his hand, “You’re already so poor yourself, what good tea can you possibly offer us? Save it for our journey.”
As he said this, he seemed to remember something, reached into his pocket and rummaged around until he pulled out a small piece of silver, which he slapped onto the table with a thud: "Here, take this silver too. Go to the next town and buy a pair of shoes. These shoes definitely won't be enough to walk to the capital."
Li Zigu was shocked and wanted to refuse, but Jinyun said, "You don't need to thank me now. When you pass the imperial examination and are appointed to an official position, I will repay you double. How about that?"
Li Zigu thought for a moment and then accepted the silver.
At that time, there was a strong trend of sponsoring students from all over the country to go to the capital to take the imperial examinations. Everyone was betting on their students' success and hoping to receive some favors in return.
Li Zigu asked, "May I ask how you are addressed, young master, and where you live? Where should I look for you when I arrive in the capital?"
Jinyun waved his hand dismissively: "No need to look for me. If you pass the imperial examination, I will come to find you myself."
Li Zigu bowed and took his leave.
After the scholar left, Xie Sui'an teased Jinyun, saying, "Well done, you've learned how to cultivate patience. It seems my temple is too small to contain you."
“What are you saying, young master? I just thought that scholar was a bit simple-minded, his straw sandals were worn out, and his clothes were full of patches. Helping others can build a seven-story pagoda, right? If he has such good fortune in the future, young master will have a helping hand.” He grinned innocently. “I am yours in life and in death, young master. How could I dare to have the slightest selfish thought!”
Xie Sui'an chuckled and stopped arguing with him.
***
The carriage departed from Quzhou Prefecture and returned to Li County.
Qin Sang was also very worried. This trip back home meant saying goodbye to her family members with whom she had spent seven years, to Renxintang, to her master and Tang Zi'an. She also had many things she was reluctant to leave behind.
That's the downside of being human: having too many strong emotions and desires.
Yang Wenhao woke up the night they came down from the mine. While he was wolfing down his food, Qin Sang gave him a brief account, praising him highly. She said that he had done a great job in delivering the message, saving not only his own life but also his father's. The wicked Wu Fang and her henchmen who ran the wicked teahouse were all wiped out.
The spoiled young master looked on in bewilderment as a group of skilled guards suddenly appeared beside Qin Sang, feeling both confused and impressed. He rode his horse back to Li County in a state of panic, stumbling and trudging home.
The journey from Quzhou Prefecture to Lixian County was not far. As dusk approached, the grand convoy stopped in front of the Qin residence, attracting a crowd of onlookers from the neighbors.
Qin Sang led Shen Que into the house and explained the purpose of their visit. Qin's grandmother sighed, "What's meant to happen will happen."
Although Mrs. Qin was over fifty, she was well-maintained and looked younger than all the other women of similar age on the street. Her back was always straight and her speech was always proper, habits instilled by the upbringing of a wealthy family that she could not change over the years.
Shen Que bowed to her and said, "May the old lady enjoy boundless blessings."
Grandmother Qin looked at him, nodded slightly, and asked, "Is the Prime Minister in good health?"
Shen Que respectfully said, "Your Excellency is in good health. Please convey my regards to the Old Madam."
Grandmother Qin: "You're too kind to me, Prime Minister."
Shen Que then had the gifts he brought from Kyoto presented to them, and then respectfully withdrew, letting them take their leave.
Qin's parents stood on the side for a while before being sent away.
Qin Sang had been raised by her grandmother since childhood, and she was quite emotional at this moment. She leaned on the old lady's lap and choked out, "Grandmother, I can't bear to part with you."
Grandmother smiled slightly, her eyes also a little red: "Silly child."
“Grandmother,” Qin Sang stared at the swarms of ants on the ground and suddenly said, “Prince Su is not dead. He is in Li County, isn’t he?”
Suddenly, a raindrop pattered onto the stone slab, gently sinking into the cracks and leaving a deep mark.
Grandma Qin's wrinkled, gentle hand paused.
Qin Sang remained silent, continuing to watch the ants moving their nest, and said, "Grandmother, you were the wet nurse of Prince Su and the Crown Prince. Although you settled here with Grandfather a long time ago, Quzhou is so close to here. It's rumored that Prince Su was burned to death, but that's not true. He fled south and was hidden by you, wasn't he?"
The old woman didn't deny it, she just asked, "Who did you meet?"
Qin Sang: "I encountered Prince Su's guard in Quzhou Prefecture, surnamed Chen, who has gone mad. I brought him back with me this time," she said, straightening up. "Grandmother, will this cause you any trouble?"
After a moment of contemplation, Old Madam Qin repeated, "Guard Chen...where did you take him?"
Qin Sang pursed her lips: "I wanted to take him to see Doctor Tang, but I was afraid of implicating them... He's currently on an estate under my name. He's mentally unstable, and no one on the estate will care. I'm planning to ask them to examine him. Grandmother, would you like to go and see him?"
Grandma patted her head: "Just tell me the address, and you don't need to worry about it anymore. I'll take care of her, don't worry."
Qin Sang stopped talking about the matter and only recounted the interesting things she had seen and heard in Quzhou over the past few days. In the evening, accompanied by Ying'er, she went to the Tang residence to visit Old Master Tang and Tang Zi'an, to apologize and say goodbye.
After several days of rest, the bruises on Tang Zi'an's face had faded considerably, but he still needed to wear a veil to cover them when he went out to see patients.
Old Master Tang, who had been ill from anger, had recovered considerably and was able to get up. Upon seeing Qin Sang, he was overjoyed and immediately ordered food to be prepared.
Qin Sang felt extremely guilty for unjustly implicating the elderly person in the tea garden incident. Moreover, Li County was a small county town, and any news from any household would spread quickly. The news that Qin Sang was about to return to the capital to reunite with her relatives had spread throughout Li County from the day she was escorted back to the city by her guards.
Old Master Tang and Tang Zi'an couldn't have been unaware of this.
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