Chapter 54 Something seemed off, yet he could clearly hear his own rapid heartbeat…
The winds of late spring swept over the branches, and the withered crimson blossoms, unable to cling, fell with a rustling sound, turning to dust amidst the chirping of crickets. The scarlet fragrance had faded without a trace, leaving only a few withered patches on the branches, never again to display the vibrant beauty of their former glory.
Two fine horses, one in front of the other, traveled along the path lined with willows.
The young man on the lead horse wore a black, narrow-sleeved robe, covered with a straw raincoat. His sword-like eyebrows slanted upwards into his temples, his eyes were like cold stars, his profile was sharp and smooth, his appearance was cold and hard, and his tall and agile figure was slightly lazy.
Guang Sheng sighed, "When I left Chang'an, this peach grove was still in full bloom, but now it is in a state of desolation. I wonder if everything is alright in Chang'an."
"Before leaving home, my wife said she wanted to rent a shop in Xifang Market to sell dried fruit and pastries. My wife makes the best pastries. I wonder if the business is doing well now."
Qin Jin gently flicked his whip, and his horse galloped a few steps. Hearing this, he glanced at the peach grove and said thoughtfully, "...It has indeed been some time since I left."
Guang Sheng spurred his horse forward with a grin: "Your Highness has such sentiments; is there someone you cherish in your heart?"
"Of course."
With a slight twitch of his brow, Qin Jin met Guang Sheng's curious and excited gaze, and curled his lips into a smile: "Want to know?"
Guang Sheng nodded vigorously: "Yes, yes! I'm all ears!"
"You've found out everything so you can tell your wife back home?" Qin Jin's expression immediately changed, the smile on his lips not reaching his eyes. He snorted coldly, "Don't think I don't know. You're here every day to find out the scandals of various families so you can tell your wife about them to amuse her."
Large beads of cold sweat slid down his forehead. Guang Sheng lowered his head guiltily and hurriedly explained, "I know what I'm doing. I was only talking about trivial matters and would never reveal any of the young master's secrets."
"Besides, besides, how can it be considered a scandal if the young master has someone he cares about? This servant will definitely not tell the lady, this servant swears!" Guang Sheng held up three fingers, his face serious.
"I'd be a fool to believe you." Qin Jin scoffed, cracking his whip and lashing at Guang Sheng's horse.
With a neigh, the horse reared up and galloped forward. Guang Sheng nearly fell backward, quickly grabbing the reins. His panicked voice faded into the distance: "Young Master, Young Master... Oh, oh, oh, we can't go into the woods! Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear, my new clothes!"
Qin Jin curled his lips, and after Guang Sheng had gone far away, he took out the little wolf doll from his pocket, rubbed his brow, and sighed softly.
During the fight on the mountain, Wolf's belly was accidentally pierced by a sword. I wonder how Xue Rongyue has been doing lately, and whether she has had time to repair it.
How should he bring up this request when they meet?
Qin Jin hesitated for a moment, unsure whether Xue Rongyue was willing.
All the way to the walls of Chang'an, Qin Jin still hadn't come up with an explanation. Guang Sheng, clutching his left sleeve torn by a tree branch, waited under the Fangcao Pavilion, on the verge of tears: "Young Master, this is a new dress I specially bought to see my wife on my way back to the city. Today is the first time I'm wearing it!"
"Why are you dressed so smartly when you go back to see your wife?" Qin Jin glanced at him. "I grant you two days off. Take your wife to Qionglin Pavilion and pick something out. If you see something you like, just put it on my tab."
"really?!"
Guang Sheng's eyes lit up, and he perked up, no longer feeling resentful or sad.
Qin Jin asked, "How much travel money do you have left?"
Guang Sheng took off the purse from his waist to check: "There are about fifty taels of loose silver left."
"It's all yours. Spend some time with your wife. Also," Qin Jin warned, "remember to shut up about things you shouldn't say."
Guang Sheng held the purse with great joy, nodding vigorously, his mouth practically stretched to his ears: "Your Highness, rest assured, this servant will keep silent about the matter of you having someone in Chang'an who is on your mind."
"...Is this what I meant?"
Before Qin Jin could even kick him, Guang Sheng had already grabbed his horse and fled.
As Guang Sheng fled, he suddenly heard the sound of galloping hooves behind him. Turning around, he was taken aback: "Your Highness, aren't you going back to Chang'an?"
Qin Jin turned his horse around: "I'm going to Qingheng Mountain. You go back to the city first. Remember what I told you and the task I gave you."
"ah?"
Guang Sheng hurriedly chased after him: "What is Your Highness going to Qingheng Mountain for? How many days will you be gone? Do you wish to accompany me? Please don't forget the grand banquet at the palace the day after tomorrow—"
Before he could finish speaking, Qin Jin had already cracked his whip, and the steed galloped away like an arrow released from a bow, leaving behind only a cloud of dust and the receding sound of hooves.
......
Qingheng Mountain, in the East and West Taoist temples.
"Cough cough cough, where did this clod of dirt come from?"
Jingnu coughed incessantly from the falling yellow dust. He quickly stepped out from under the eaves and looked up, where he saw a wild cat nimbly leap down from the roof tiles.
She resigned herself to her bad luck, dusted herself off, and peered through the crack in the open window.
Today is the anniversary of Xue Langjun's death. After paying respects to her brother, the wife, as usual, hid in this Taoist temple.
Due to a wildfire, few people have set foot on Qingheng Mountain. This Taoist temple has long been abandoned due to disrepair. Before his death, Xue Langjun left a will, wanting his wife to enshrine his memorial tablet and light an ever-burning lamp in this Taoist temple after his death, so that it could be repaired.
Every year on the anniversary of her death, the woman would first go to her grave to pay respects, offering incense and food, before heading to the Taoist temple, where she would stay until dusk.
Inside the hall, Xue Rongyue sat beneath her brother's memorial tablet, the dim candlelight reflecting off her dark pupils.
She bent her knees, rested her chin on her knees, and fidgeted with the candlelight with her fingertips: "Brother, you must be mad at me. I've been using you as an excuse to get close to Qin Jin all this time. You must be angry, right?"
"You have no idea how annoying Qin Jin is now. He's not as interesting as he was when he was a kid. A few years ago, he was always going against me. Remember to scare him for me... But I didn't listen to you and we ended up arguing."
“This family has been completely torn apart since you left. He has never liked me, and now it's even worse.”
With a vicious poke at the flickering candlelight, Xue Rongyue continued, "You said he was my father, my elder, and told me to try my best not to talk back to him, but I just can't stand him anymore."
"After you left, I became an unwanted burden again. He always wished I would die quickly. Now he has brought back an adopted daughter, but I feel that she is his biological daughter who was left behind... It turns out that he is not a sexist. He just doesn't like me."
With a soft hum, Xue Rongyue revealed a hint of smugness in her words: "I don't care whether he likes it or not. I had a huge fight with him the other day. He couldn't argue with me at all. I made him furious with just a few words. He'll definitely be jumping up and down after I leave! I don't care about him. After I finished speaking, I turned around and left."
As she spoke, her voice suddenly lowered: "Look, I'm so disobedient to you, why don't you come to my dreams to teach me a lesson? Or have you already been reincarnated and forgotten your sister... You can't do that."
Crystalline tears welled up in her eyes. Xue Rongyue lowered her head, sniffed, and her fluttering eyelashes were like a butterfly about to take flight: "What should I do if I miss you? Why don't you ever take the initiative to come and see me?"
A string of tears rolled down her cheeks, Xue Rongyue’s voice choked with sobs. Just as she was about to raise her hand to wipe her tears, she suddenly heard a sharp cracking sound from the roof tiles above her.
Xue Rongyue abruptly stood up, quickly wiped away her tears, and shouted, "Who?!"
Jingnu, who was guarding outside, was startled by the commotion and quickly came in: "Madam, what's wrong?"
There are people on the eaves.
Xue Rongyue hurried out, and Luo Zhen, who had obviously heard the faint noise, had already jumped onto the roof to investigate. He knelt on the ridge and was looking down at a spot.
Jingnu brought over a ladder, and Xue Rongyue climbed up: "Is there anything unusual?"
Luo Zhen pointed to a gray tile in front of him that had been stepped on and half of it was gone, and said, "The person has left, but this shoe print looks familiar."
Xue Rongyue asked again, "Did you see the person's face clearly?"
Luo Zhen shook his head: "When I came up here, the person had already jumped off the roof and fled to the woods in front. I only saw a back view, but judging from the clothes and figure, it should be a man."
Xue Rongyue's face darkened as she looked down at the half-gray tile. Suddenly, her brow furrowed, and she squatted down to pick up one of the broken gray tiles, carefully examining the remaining dirt on it.
At this moment, Luo Zhen suddenly spoke up: "Wife, look, isn't that...?"
This Taoist temple is built high up, perched on the eaves, offering a panoramic view of most of Qingheng Mountain.
Xue Rongyue looked in the direction Luo Zhen was pointing and saw a familiar figure step into the Taoist temple. Her eyelashes trembled violently, and she couldn't help but stand up, staring intently at the figure slowly approaching.
Luo Zhen said in a low voice, "It really is Prince Qin. Didn't they say it would take at least two months? How come he's already back?"
Her cherry lips pressed into an unnatural curve. Xue Rongyue withdrew her gaze, wrapped the gray tile in her handkerchief, and put it into the purse tied to her waist: "Who knows? He never tells the truth."
Luo Zhen spoke his mind: "Your Highness has come today, surely to find your wife?"
Xue Rongyue kept her head down, tying her purse, and remained silent.
Luo Zhen sighed, "I saw that Prince Qin was carrying a bag of Shufangzhai pastries that my wife likes. He must have come to see my wife. My wife and Prince Qin are really getting along well now."
"Why are you being as long-winded as Jingnu now?"
Xue Rongyue glared at him, but couldn't help glancing at Qin Jin not far away again.
...It does seem to be a pastry from Shufangzhai.
Qin Jin knew Xue Rongyue's habits and knew that she didn't want to see anyone today. He originally intended to give the pastries to Jingnu, but as soon as he stepped into the courtyard of the side hall, he was caught off guard and his eyes met Xue Rongyue, who was sitting on the ridge of the roof.
The magnificent sunset faded behind her as she rested her chin on her hand, gazing intently at him: "When did you get back?"
The mighty mountain wind rushed to his ears, making the wind chimes under the eaves tinkle. At this moment, witnessed by the twilight, Qin Jin's breath hitched, and he could clearly hear his own rapid heartbeat.
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Author's Note: I'm back! I'm back! We meet! [Sets off firecrackers] [Dragon and lion dance] [Yangko dance] [Music plays]
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