farewell
Chunlai did not ask Jingwan to see her off.
The night the people from Ningzhou arrived, Jingwan knew she was unwilling, so she forbade anyone to take her away. Although Chunlai promised her she wouldn't leave, she still left with them that very night.
Now that the situation is becoming clearer, she doesn't want to cause trouble between Cui and Lu because of herself. She also knows Cui Dongchi's personality well; he will definitely take her away. Since there is no room for negotiation, why drag it out any longer?
After much contemplation, I still couldn't bring myself to say goodbye quietly.
Lu Chang loved her very much, and even in this mansion in Xinli City, there was a small building reserved just for her. Chunlai stood under the small building and looked up, but she still hardened her heart and turned away.
The next morning, Lu Chang personally informed Jing Wan of her departure. Sure enough, she beat him again; these days, whenever she felt upset, she would resort to violence. Lu Chang, helpless, could only tightly hold her fists and gently comfort her: "It's not like we'll never see each other again. As soon as the war is over, I'll take you to..."
"See her, huh?"
Jingwan stopped what she was doing and said listlessly, "At least let me see her off. These days, if we're separated, who knows when we'll see each other again."
Lu Chang knew why she was upset.
After returning from the Water Dragon Desert, Jingwan went to Tianyi Temple and asked the master there to recite scriptures for Bojun, so that he could rest in peace underground.
Even now, she still thinks of Bo Jun.
Jingwan probably already guessed why he chose that path. She didn't tell Lu Chang. She was in pain, but she also knew that the world was ever-changing and old friends were hard to find again. Lu Chang still held back and said, "Then I'll have someone take you to chase after them. Maybe we can still catch up?"
Jingwan smiled immediately, grabbed his clothes, and asked expectantly, "Is it really true?" But when she thought of being drugged and kidnapped last time, she hesitated and asked tentatively, "This time, cousin, you should send some reliable people to escort me, right?"
Lu Chang was amused by her, pinched her soft cheek, and said, "Don't worry, it won't be like last time. But let me make it clear first, you can't go south with her."
Jingwan readily agreed. Finding the carriage too slow, she rode off on horseback with dozens of people. Lu Chang escorted her to Yangpu Post Station before watching her leave.
Even though he was on his own turf, he was still unsettled by what happened in Shanxi Village. He regretted letting her leave, but he couldn't bear to see her sad if he took back his promise.
The only option was to send assassins to follow behind, and write a letter to Wuxia heading north, instructing her to take a detour along the official road and escort Jingwan after she met her.
Chunlai rode in a carriage, and even though she had traveled the night before, she still couldn't keep up with the speed of a galloping horse. Jingwan caught up with her the following evening.
Chunlai patted his chest, still shaken: "I thought bandits had come! I was terrified!"
Jingwan chuckled, "There aren't any bandits as handsome as me." She climbed into the carriage and sat down next to Chunlai, opening only her own baggage.
She said, "You left in such a hurry, without taking anything with you. How are you going to get through the journey? My dear Chunlai, please take better care of yourself!"
Her luggage was large and bulging, enough for two adults. One bag contained clothes, mostly light summer wear, with skirts made of water-cloud yarn that rippled like water in the sunlight. The other bag contained food, such as a small jar of sour cherry pickles, which she would pick up and taste when she lost her appetite on the road. There were also dried meat, apricots, candied fruit... a whole bunch of miscellaneous items.
Chunlai picked up a dried apricot and put it in her mouth, smiling gently, "There are so many, enough to eat on the road." She touched the food, feeling a little sad, "How can I bear to eat them?"
Jingwan quickly wrapped the pouch tightly and tied a knot. Every moment spent with Chunlai was precious, so she asked her what her plans were for the future.
Later... a hint of confusion appeared in Chunlai's eyes.
If she hadn't gone through all this, she would have obediently stayed by Cui Dongchi's side and died in the gilded cage he had carefully crafted. But now, how could she be willing to accept that?
Chunlai smiled and said, "Take it one step at a time, it won't be any worse than the future."
Jingwan looked at her and said, "You..." Actually, she wanted to ask Chunlai who the boy who was with her when she was selling breakfast in Lingnan was.
Chunlai smiled and waited for her to speak: "What's wrong with me?"
Jingwan quickly shook her head and swallowed her words. Forget it, what's the point of asking?
It was late at night, and it wasn't suitable to continue traveling. There were no hotels nearby, only a small village.
Jingwan accompanied Chunlai to a farmhouse where only a mother and daughter lived. The farm girl was about the same age as them. Seeing that the two were kind and dressed differently from ordinary people, she agreed to stay.
Although the thatched hut is simple, it is clean.
She wanted to stay and spend the night with Chunlai, but the soldiers with her wouldn't allow it. Lu Chang had given orders that Jingwan was not allowed to stay overnight.
They were all assassins, highly skilled in martial arts, and only obeyed their master's orders. They were utterly ruthless and had fierce expressions on their faces. Jingwan thought her cousin was treacherous, but seeing these men standing in front of her with their imposing manners, she gave up on the idea of throwing a tantrum. Instead, she took Chunlai's hand and said a few more words to her.
Chunlai chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, it's not like we'll never see each other again. You should go back now, or Young Master Lu will get worried if you linger any longer."
I've seen you off for a thousand miles, but we must part ways eventually.
Jingwan also felt strange. Why was she so reluctant to part today? Shouldn't it be as the two of them said, that they would have a chance to meet again in the future?
She rode away from the small village, looking back several times, but the person she longed for was nowhere to be seen.
After walking along the mountain path for a while, the village became farther and farther away from her, and the light of that solitary lamp could no longer be seen.
After traveling a while longer, she suddenly heard a commotion. She thought she had misheard, but she still tightened the reins, stopped the horse, and listened carefully. Looking in the direction of the sound, good heavens! The small village was on fire!
It wasn't just one house on fire; the entire small village was ablaze! Standing on the mountain path and looking down, the village was surrounded by rings of fire, with sparks flying inside. Even in the dead of night, one could vaguely discern the billowing smoke and the thick darkness.
The villagers scurried about like ants, wailing and crying. Jingwan no longer hesitated, turned her horse around, and galloped towards the village.
The leader of the assassins, named Shen Xie, stopped her, saying, "Miss, you mustn't go. There must be bandits attacking the village."
Jingwan had no choice but to go.
Cui Dongchi only sent seven or eight men to pick up Chunlai. With such a big fire, it's clear that there are many bandits. Dealing with those seven or eight men would be a piece of cake. If Chunlai really was kidnapped by them...
Jingwan immediately recalled the conversation she had overheard among the noblewomen of Pingdu when she was offering incense at the Dafosi Temple about the young lady who had been kidnapped by thieves. She felt a pang of panic and the nausea rose in her throat again, but she ignored the assassins' advice and rode away.
Shen Xie was unwilling to let her take such a risk, so he left some people to guard her before leading the other group down the mountain to rescue her.
She was still anxious, so she rode after him on horseback, but promised not to enter the village.
Fearing there might be bandits in the mountains, and that she was too far away to be of any help if something happened, Shen Xie allowed her to come along, but told her to stop at the entrance to the mountain path.
Hearing the cries of the villagers, Jingwan was extremely anxious. Her horse, sensing its master's unease, dared not move and remained still.
She was so anxious that she dismounted and paced back and forth by the roadside. Time seemed to drag on endlessly, and her palms turned red from clenching them so tightly. In fact, not even half an incense stick's time had passed.
Bandits, fire... which one isn't easily fatal? Chunlai is just a young girl, how could she possibly handle it?
Jingwan regretted not giving Chunlai the poison-stained hairpin, instead taking only useless things.
She desperately wanted to go into the village to find her, and unconsciously took two steps forward. Of course, the remaining assassins stopped her. Jingwan knew that going in would only cause trouble, so she stopped and craned her neck to look at the situation down the mountain.
It was the assassins who first heard the commotion in the grass cave.
They initially mistook him for a bandit roaming the mountains, but with a quick reach, they grabbed him and threw him onto the muddy path.
Before she could draw her sword and strike, Jingwan exclaimed in surprise, "Spring is coming!"
The assassin saw that the sword was still in its sheath.
Chunlai's face was blackened by the smoke. Jingwan was still immersed in the joy of Chunlai's escape and was about to help her up when she saw Chunlai kneeling straight in front of her.
Jingwan was stunned by this action, and her outstretched hands froze in mid-air: "Chunlai..."
With tears in her eyes and her eyes red, Chunlai kowtowed heavily to Jingwan, crying, "Jingwan, I beg you... I beg you to pretend you never saw me, I beg you to pretend I died in this village!"
Jingwan was stunned and didn't react for a moment: "What do you mean?" But as soon as she finished speaking, she understood.
She didn't know how Chunlai escaped, but she knew that she wanted to use this opportunity to escape from Cui Dongchi.
"But...how will you manage all by yourself..."
Chunlai interrupted Jingwan and said hurriedly, "I have a way, don't worry, just pretend you've never seen me."
Jingwan stared at her intently, without saying a word.
Chunlai knelt on the ground and refused to get up. Looking up at her, her eyes were wide open, filled with boundless expectation.
What the rest of my life will be like seems to depend on how the person in front of me decides it.
This wasn't the first time Jingwan had felt sorry for Chunlai, but she had never felt this way.
In the past, her life was controlled by Cui Dongchi, like a kite. As long as it flew too far, that big hand would pull the string back hard. Now, her future seems to be closely related to her. Jingwan feels that in Chunlai's eyes, she is another Cui Dongchi who controls her destiny.
Jingwan felt guilty. She had always treated Chunlai equally, but today, she was still forced to become the matchmaker.
She hurried forward to help Chunlai up, but Chunlai refused, still looking at her expectantly.
His gaze was focused into a clear light, as if even a small pebble could shatter it.
"You can ride my horse, and I'll have two men escort you away." This means he has agreed.
Spring came and tears flowed like a spring. He kowtowed deeply to Jingwan once more.
She asked for a horse, but not for an escort.
Jingwan watched her leave.
The horse galloped forward a few steps and then stopped. Chunlai looked back and saw Jingwan again.
Jingwan waved her hand, and Chunlai, without further hesitation, rode away with the sound of hooves.
Jingwan looked at the baggage on her back and said, "Good spring, your life, from now on, is your life."
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