Azhiqi
The twelve passes in the northwest, after passing Linggu Pass, lead to Yongye.
Lu Chang only allowed Wuxia to continue escorting her back, but did not accompany her any further. Jingwan knew that he could not stay in the Northwest. She felt reluctant, but only a little. She had finally found such a good relative in Pingdu, but the ending was still separation.
Jingwan deeply understood the principle that although people interact, they must eventually go their separate ways. She felt relieved and watched him leave.
Yellow sand, galloping horses, sunset, departing travelers—the Northwest is also a good place to see you off.
She had not returned for twelve years. Unlike Lu Chang's trepidation upon returning home, Jing Wan only felt a deep longing and yearning for her homeland.
Wuxia escorted her all the way to Xiaoxing Village. Following the dirt road in the village, past an apricot grove, was where she lived.
After her mother passed away, she stayed at her uncle's house, leaving the house empty. She had expected it to be filled with cobwebs and dust, but to her surprise, there were chicks pecking at food in the small courtyard fence, and a big yellow dog lazily lying on the ground watching them. When it saw the cat wrapped in a cloth in Jingwan's arms, it suddenly perked up, sat up, and started meowing at her.
Smoke rose from the chimney, and one could faintly hear people talking inside the house.
The wooden door was slightly ajar, but could be easily pushed open. Jingwan stood outside the fence, somewhat puzzled. How could anyone be living in the house?
A child of about seven or eight years old came out, his voice young and lively, and asked her, "Who are you? What are you doing standing at my door?"
She shouldn't have been angry with a child, but she was just a little upset. She pushed open the door and said, "This is my home. And who are you?"
The little boy immediately ran into the house, shouting as he ran, "Dad! Mom! Someone's here!"
The first person to come out was a kind-looking middle-aged man. When he saw Jingwan and her group, he looked them over carefully but couldn't recall when his family had become relatives with such wealthy people.
Wuxia glanced at Jingwan and knew that she didn't know this family either, so she went up to her and briefly explained where the house came from.
Upon hearing this, the man suddenly realized what was happening, but then looked at Jingwan and said, "When Feng Laosan sold the house and land to my family, he didn't say that it wasn't his!" He called to Jingwan, "Wait a moment." He then went inside and came out with two deeds, one for the house and one for the property. The seller's signature was Feng San, who was Jingwan's uncle.
The man was kind-hearted and roughly guessed what kind of good deed Feng Laosan had done this time. He couldn't bear to bully an orphan girl, but the house and land were bought with real money. So he said to her, "Feng Laosan is a rich man in Yongye now. Why don't you go and find him?"
If twelve-year-old Jingwan knew that her uncle had sold her family without her consent, she would only weep and wail. But sixteen-year-old Jingwan was different. She immediately returned the deed and stormed off to the city.
She was the one who rushed ahead first, but Wuxia caught up in a few steps, picked up the little girl and put her on the carriage, sitting outside with her. She cracked her whip and said, "Show me the way, go find your uncle."
Jingwan's uncle lived in the city, unlike his sister who made a living by collecting jade. He often did small businesses, buying and selling tea, jade, and all sorts of things.
After the war in the Northwest was quelled, many Hu people came to Yongye to do business, and Feng San's tea business also improved. However, what truly made him rich was Gao Yun's support for him.
To make life better for Jingwan and her mother in the Northwest, Gao Yun gave Feng San a large sum of capital to start a business and contacted local officials to provide him with business conveniences. Feng San became well-connected from then on.
It's not a big deal for a wealthy man to help his poor sister out. Feng San even took his sister in to live with him for a while. However, this sister was a troublemaker. She seduced her brother-in-law and did such a filthy thing. After being caught by his wife and a group of servants, he had no choice but to kick her out of the mansion.
Later, her younger sister died, leaving behind a daughter with no one to take care of her. When the village chief of Xiaoxing Village came looking for her, Feng San had no choice but to take her to live in his home. However, after only a few months, the Gao family sent a letter saying they were coming to take her away.
His younger sister was already dead. If Jingwan were to leave too, wouldn't the marriage be over? How could he continue doing business with Gao Yun's help then?
But that ungrateful brat actually agreed, and asked in front of the messenger when they could leave. As soon as he said that, Feng San didn't even have a chance to refuse, and watched helplessly as Jing Wan got into the carriage and left.
When Jingwan came looking for him again, Feng San was still a little incredulous, thinking that she was living the life of a wealthy young lady in Pingdu and had forgotten that he had this poor relative in the Northwest.
He had just finished speaking when a man rushed angrily towards him, shouting, "You sold my house and land? You dared to sell my house and land! Who gave you permission to do so?"
Feng San didn't react for a moment and almost choked on his tea. He patted his chest and looked closely, recognizing his niece whom he hadn't seen for four years.
He's growing more and more handsome, but he hasn't settled down yet. If not, he has a few good candidates in mind...
Seeing Jingwan glaring at him angrily, Feng San didn't take it seriously. He calmly sat back down, pretending to be an elder, and said, "I haven't seen my uncle for years, and you dare to yell at him like that the first time we meet? What, who taught you manners!"
In his youth, Feng San was a notorious rogue in Xiaoxing Village. He idled away his days, wandering from village to village. Later, he got together with a few other village hooligans to start a small business. They were all cunning and treacherous, and were not liked by the villagers. Unexpectedly, after he became rich, he was able to put on the airs of a wealthy old man and even talk about rules with the younger generation.
Jingwan pulled the teapot from his hand and slammed it on the table. She was getting a little anxious and was about to ask Feng San again when a woman walked out of the hall. She was dressed in a rich but tacky style. The large gold chain alone was so vulgar that it was hard to look at. Only bandits would like that kind of neck. Coupled with her mean face, the contrast between the heavy and light styles was really unsettling.
"You little whore, you dare to come back!" The woman strode over, raising her right palm high as before, intending to slap Jingwan. Wuxia tried to stop her, but Jingwan was too fast. She took a step back, causing the woman to miss her target and fall onto Feng San.
Jingwan used to be very afraid of this aunt, but now, looking at the woman clumsily getting up, she actually felt a little resentful of her former weak self.
How could we be bullied by someone like that?
Liu became even angrier, pointing at her and cursing, "There's no such thing as a free lunch! You've been eating and drinking for free in my house for so long, even selling the house wouldn't be enough to make up for it!"
It was indeed done by him and his wife!
Jingwan said, "I'm going to report this to the authorities!"
Liu sneered: "Go ahead and report it. That house was transferred to your uncle by your father through the land official. What, you didn't know?"
Jingwan truly didn't know. No sooner had she left Yongye than Liu had instigated Feng San to write a letter to Gao Yun, demanding the house and land back. It was just a few simple thatched huts in the village, so Gao Yun didn't take it seriously. Furthermore, because Feng San praised himself excessively in the letter, describing how he had taken such good care of his niece, the house and land were transferred to Feng San.
Jingwan wished she could run back to Pingdu right now and ask Gao Yun why he did this!
Unable to get her house back immediately, she could only leave dejectedly. Unexpectedly, she encountered a young man as soon as she stepped out of the Feng family's gate.
Despite his young age, he had a lewd and dissolute appearance, spending his days and nights indulging in pleasure. As a result, his eyes were swollen and purplish, and there was a sinister glint in them. When he saw Jingwan, his small eyes would dart over her body, looking utterly lewd.
Upon recognizing Jingwan, the man even reached out and grabbed her, saying, "Isn't this my cousin? Why are you back?" His voice was filled with surprise, but also with the joy of prey entering its cage.
As soon as Jingwan heard the voice, she dodged the hand, goosebumps rising all over her body. She felt a chill and looked up, and sure enough, it was Liu's son!
If it weren't for this cousin, she might still have stayed in the Northwest. But having to be with this cousin who liked to touch her inappropriately and even sneak into her room in the middle of the night was unbearable for Jingwan, which is why she agreed to go south back to Pingdu.
Seeing him lunge at her again, trying to grab her, Jingwan quickly hid in front of Wuxia. Wuxia grabbed her cousin's hand and asked, "Where are you touching?"
While speaking casually, the strength in his hands grew heavier and heavier. The cousin's eyebrows and eyes creased together as he cried out in pain, but Wuxia did not loosen her grip. Instead, she tightened her grip even more. The man broke out in a cold sweat. When she finally let go, he collapsed to the ground like a lump of mud, without even a chance to cry out in pain. His hand bones had been crushed, and he had long since fainted from the pain.
Taking advantage of his unconsciousness, Jingwan kicked him hard, feeling an indescribable sense of satisfaction. Then she pulled Wuxia away, wanting to find Azhiqi for help; he was sure he would have a solution.
“Azhiqi was my best friend in Yongye. His family owned a horse farm. Beyond Yongye, at the foot of Fengyin Mountain, lies the Kangju Grassland, where Azhiqi’s horse farm was located.”
Without a second thought, Wu Xia said, "That sounds a bit far off."
Jingwan nodded: "Let's go to the city where he lives and ask. If he's home, that's fine. If he's gone to the horse farm, we'll wait for him in the city for a few days."
Wuxia followed, until they reached the front of a house. The Azhiqi she mentioned must also be a wealthy family, owning a horse farm and living in such a large place. It was funny to think that all her property in Yongye consisted of only a few thatched cottages in the countryside, yet she was able to befriend people like Yuancheng who were rich and powerful.
The gatekeeper was no longer the same one and didn't recognize her. After she went in to announce her arrival, he simply invited her in. Jingwan said to Wuxia, "His family is very kind, not like those monsters. Wait for me a moment. If he's home, I'll bring him out immediately."
She truly trusted this friend and seemed never to have considered whether the person would help her.
One childhood sweetheart, whom he had grown fond of over time, had just left, and now a wealthy and kind one had arrived. It's not that the master can handle all these "floods and beasts."
Wuxia didn't stand outside for long. A moment later, Jingwan came out alone, looking lost and disoriented. She didn't even notice the threshold under her feet and fell. Wuxia quickly caught her as she did so.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
