Accounting
Jiang Yan led Huang Ying through the Lost Forest like headless flies, running east and west until they finally emerged from the dense forest in the middle of the night.
Even so, looking around, the world was vast, yet for the two of them, it was still like being lost in a forest.
Jiang Yan and Huang Ying huddled together and hid outside a house's courtyard, spending the night there. Then, as soon as it was slightly light, they continued their journey along the winding path.
Jiang Yan felt that only by going far enough and for a long enough time could they completely get rid of all their troubles and be completely safe.
Thus, they walked for three more days before they finally dared to truly breathe a sigh of relief.
On this day, they rested by a field where wheat had been harvested. The autumn air was crisp and clear, and as far as the eye could see, the green and yellow hues of the earth under the clear sky were so fresh and pristine, like a meticulously painted landscape painting.
Jiang Yan couldn't help but drift into a daydream, and said peacefully, "The earth is so beautiful, how wonderful it would be to become one with it!"
Huang Ying still couldn't understand the strange things she said every now and then, and asked, "Why do you say that, Master? We live on the earth!"
Looking at the distant, layered mountains, Jiang Yan couldn't help but laugh again: "You don't understand! This is a stream of consciousness! A feeling that our spirits are freely flowing in the energy of the earth, living and dying together with the earth."
Huang Ying was even more confused by what she said.
Jiang Yan didn't linger in her fantasy for long before stepping back into the world before her.
She stood up, casually patted the dry grass off her backside, and said, "Which direction should we go? North? South? East? Or perhaps west?"
"Master, how about we go back to my hometown?"
"Your hometown? Do you still have relatives?"
"This servant doesn't know. Since I came to the Liu family, I haven't contacted my family at all," Huang Ying said, lowering her eyes sadly.
Jiang Yan looked at her with heartache, then glanced around, pondered for a moment, and said, "I'll listen to you, let's go back to your hometown."
"Really?" Huang Ying seemed surprised that Jiang Yan would agree.
Jiang Yan smiled and nodded at her: "Really! We don't know anyone here, so what difference does it make where we go? In that case, why not go to a place we're familiar with? What do you think?"
The oriole grinned excitedly.
For safety, the two women, mistress and servant, did not dare to walk on the main road, but instead followed the side paths.
Some of the paths were existing and were relatively quick to walk on, but those without paths meant they had to forge their own way, which was much more difficult. Therefore, they traveled extremely slowly on their journey.
After walking for about ten days, they finally saw a house. From the people there, they learned that they had gone the wrong way. So they turned back. This cycle of going one way and going the wrong way continued for more than three months before they finally arrived at Huang Ying's hometown.
At that time, it was the coldest time of the year.
Huang Ying's hometown is not in the city, but in the mountains. The mountains are very high and very deep, so only about ten households live in the village. However, Huang Ying said that when she was a child, there were more than seventy households in the village. She guessed that they had all moved out of the village to make a living.
There are about ten households, each several hundred meters apart, and they seem to rarely interact.
When Jiang Yan and Huang Ying returned to Luanxiang Village, they didn't see anyone. They wondered if it was because it was too cold and everyone was at home. They only saw smoke billowing from the chimneys.
Based on her childhood memories, Huang Ying led Jiang Yan to a low, earthen-walled house halfway up the mountain that looked very old.
Although all they saw along the way into the mountains were earthen houses, compared to these earthen houses, the others' earthen houses looked newer, bigger, and more lived-in.
Therefore, Huang Ying's family members are probably all gone, or they have all moved away from here.
Jiang Yan felt the sadness and sorrow of Huang Ying deeply, so he didn't say anything and silently hugged Huang Ying.
They had originally planned to spend the night in this mud house, but once they entered the room, they completely abandoned the idea.
The house was dilapidated and decaying, covered in dust and cobwebs, with inexplicable dry leaves and dying weeds, making it impossible to find a place to stand. So they discussed it and decided to find someone to stay the night.
But when they set off, they hesitated. After all, their clothes and appearance were really out of place with the environment. What if they became suspicious and their whereabouts were exposed?
Jiang Yan wasn't worried that the bandits would come after them. After all, at this moment, she didn't know that the bandits were actually doing evil for her in the Chen residence.
What she was worried about was Chen Run, and also that person she had a vague feeling about!
So, the two women, mistress and servant, finally decided to return to their original dilapidated mud house and make do for the night.
Jiang Yan gathered some dry branches, and Huang Ying found a tinderbox from somewhere. The two of them worked together to light a fire and sat down to rest by the fire.
The flames were blown out by the drafty window, and soon the flames were raging.
Jiang Yan sat cross-legged on the weeds, arms crossed, watching the occasional hissing flames, and said, "I wonder how the Chen family is doing? Chen Run should be alright, right?"
Huang Ying rested her head on her propped-up legs, staring blankly at the flames, and asked, "Why did those people do this? Do they have a grudge against Young Master Chen?"
Jiang Yan sighed: "I don't know!"
Huang Ying: "Those bad guys are soldiers, could they be Prince Su's men?"
"I don't think so, do you? Isn't Chen Run in league with Prince Su? This marriage was even bestowed by Prince Su!"
"Who could it be? Could it be that the Emperor has been saved?" Huang Ying looked at Jiang Yan in surprise, but Jiang Yan was still staring blankly at the flickering flames. "Who knows! Sigh, what's going on here!" Then, she gradually came to her senses.
Huang Ying was still looking at her when she asked, "Master, what are your plans next?"
Jiang Yan glanced at her with worry, casually picked up a wooden stick, and poked at the fire as he said, "I have no plans." He added, "It's freezing cold, let's just get through this winter first!"
Huang Ying didn't say anything more, and stared intently at the blazing flames again.
Before Chen Run could even send someone to find Jiang Yan, he was captured by Shangguan Zeyu. He was placed under house arrest by Shangguan Zeyu in his residence, with only three or five essential people left to take care of him.
Chen Run remained calm, as if he had long anticipated this day, or perhaps his character simply prevented him from crying out to heaven and earth in despair.
Shangguan Zeyu did not intend to interrogate him immediately, but instead went to the Xiao residence.
When Shangguan Zeyu arrived at the Xiao residence, Xiao Yiqing was admiring chrysanthemums in her garden. It was only after her maid told her about it that she was overjoyed and rushed to the main hall to see him.
Xiao Yiqing's father did not expect Shangguan Zeyu to come to him so quickly. When the servants reported to him, he was so shocked that he dropped the book in his hand to the ground.
Shangguan Zeyu sat leisurely on a chair to the side, legs crossed, sipping the tea served to him by a maid. When Xiao Yiqing rushed into the hall, she was immediately stunned by his composed and self-satisfied demeanor, and stood frozen in place.
She liked Shangguan Zeyu just the way he was, liked that he seemed carefree and untroubled, liked his confident and composed demeanor.
"Your Highness!" Xiao Yiqing called softly, lifting her long skirt as she slowly walked over.
Shangguan Zeyu looked at her upon hearing the sound. His eyes held no surprise, no delight, only a stagnant, calm surface.
"You've arrived."
"Your Highness, you are finally alright. I was so worried about you." Xiao Yiqing was not lying. She was indeed very worried about Shangguan Zeyu. Even now, when she saw the real Shangguan Zeyu, her unease did not dissipate at all.
But Shangguan Zeyu showed no emotional fluctuation, remaining as calm as before, and said, "Thank you for your trouble."
"Your Highness, you've come to the Xiao residence..." As she spoke, Xiao Yiqing's face flushed slightly, and her eyes darted around shyly.
Shangguan Zeyu didn't look at her, but instead gazed at the person in front of him with a meaningful smile, and said, "Naturally, I've come to see Lord Xiao!"
Xiao Yiqing's shy smile vanished instantly, and she looked at him with disappointment: "Your Highness, is there... anything else?"
But Shangguan Zeyu seemed not to hear, lost in his own thoughts.
At this moment, Xiao Yiqing's father, his heart pounding with fear, walked in from outside.
Xiao Yiqing looked over upon hearing the sound: "Father." She stepped forward and helped him up.
Shangguan Zeyu also looked at him at this moment, but did not get up. Instead, she looked at him with a cold smile.
Xiao Yiqing's father was terribly frightened; his legs seemed to float as he walked. With Xiao Yiqing's tender support, he walked for a long time before finally reaching Shangguan Zeyu's side.
Shangguan Zeyu raised an eyebrow and looked up at him: "Lord Xiao, are you... feeling unwell?"
Xiao Yiqing's father wanted to smile at Shangguan Zeyu, but his lips were too stiff, and he couldn't manage a smile.
"Your Highness, what brings you to my humble abode?"
Shangguan Zeyu did not answer him immediately. Instead, she picked up the teacup beside her, took a small sip, and then looked at him with a cold smile: "Lord Xiao doesn't know?"
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