Chapter 26 Border Town [New] You're the one who's dizzy from being a beast, your whole family is dizzy from being a beast...
Eastern Inner Mongolia.
As dusk approached, the setting sun hung low on the edge of the desert, its half-orange, half-golden glow enveloping the entire desert.
A man and a horse approached from afar.
A woman in a white robe and straw hat rode a glossy mule across the undulating sand dunes, her black gauze draped over the brim of her hat fluttering in the wind.
You Mingjiang gently pulled on the reins.
The mule snorted and slowed its pace.
Ostensibly, her trip to eastern Inner Mongolia was to collect medicinal herbs and conduct trade, but in reality, she was there to investigate. Wanmatang had blocked the roads and imposed a curfew; none of the porters or traders who used to carry medicinal herbs dared to associate with them now. However, several of her commonly used herbs—Saposhnikovia divaricata, Paeonia lactiflora, and ginseng—all originated from this area. She had no choice but to come personally to see if these herbs could still be transported out.
There was also Lu Xiaojia's matter. He had said he was going to Mengdong to handle family matters, but coincidentally, trouble broke out at Wanmatang. She tried to convince herself not to overthink it; the world was so big, how could everything be related to him? But lately, she hadn't been sleeping well at night, her heart racing as soon as she closed her eyes. Since they were friends, and seeing him about to get into trouble, she couldn't just ignore it.
You Mingjiang took a deep breath and patted the mule's neck: "Good buddy, you've worked hard. When we get to the oasis, I'll reward you with some tender alfalfa."
The mule understood her words and shook its ears.
As they spoke, the scenery in the distance suddenly changed. In the distance, one could vaguely see a vast lake with shimmering blue waves, lush reed beds, and yellow-green sand willow forests. It was a vibrant oasis. You Mingjiang pulled on the reins, gave a whistle, and gently squeezed his legs. The mule neighed twice and started running off happily.
.
Ye Kai lay on the sand at the edge of the oasis.
Dressed in tattered clothes, with filthy hair matted into a messy bird's nest and a few greasy strands hanging down its cheeks, the brown-spotted tiger weasel carried a gerbil in its beak, intending to take it back to its nest to feed its young.
As it passed by him, it nuzzled him with its snout, then with a whoosh, it raised its tail and disappeared in a flash.
After days of trekking through the desert, the thick soles of his boots had worn through to a large hole, and his feet were covered in blisters as big as soybeans. The oasis was only a shot's throw away; if he got up and walked a little further, he could reach the border town by nightfall.
But he refused.
With his hands behind his head, Ye Kai crossed his legs and dangled a dried daisy in his mouth. He swung his legs back and forth, muttering, "...The world is always fair. My legs deserve to suffer a little more."
After saying that, he hummed a little tune, took out a handful of warm fine sand, and pressed it with a smile onto the blood blisters on the soles of his feet, rubbing it vigorously a few times.
"Ding-a-ling—" The crisp sound of bells, accompanied by the rustling of hooves, came from afar.
Um? !
Ye Kai froze, not finding Ding Linglin, and then patted his chest in relief.
God knows, he trembled at the sound of "ding-a-ling," and wanted to run away whenever he heard "ding-a-ling."
Why ring a bell for no reason?
Ye Kai turned his head away and looked at the source of the sound with annoyance.
To be precise, it wasn't a bell that rang, but a tiger-shaped handle hanging beside the saddle; the sound was a "clattering clattering" rather than a "jingling." The newcomer rode a mule, wearing a black gauze hat that covered most of his face; he wore a wide-sleeved robe of snow-white silk, and thick-soled suede boots, his feet firmly planted in stirrups; a bamboo medicine basket swayed beside the saddle. From head to toe, he was completely covered up.
Although the desert environment is unique, with the sand scorching hot during the day and poisonous insects hiding in the soft sand, but the night air is cold and poisonous insects come out in droves, it is necessary to wear a set of breathable and sun-protective clothing to avoid suffering too much; but such clothing is more precious to one's own skin than that of a pampered young lady in a secluded mansion.
Anyone who sees him would wonder: Good heavens, is this person made of ice? He'd be afraid of melting if he got even a tiny bit of sun on him.
·
Seeing that this person was dressed so "formally," Ye Kai opened his eyes wide and couldn't help but stare intently.
Ye Kai looked her up and down, and when his gaze swept over her bamboo medicine basket, You Mingjiang immediately raised her eyes warily.
The veil of her hat swayed gently, and her cool gaze fell squarely on Ye Kai.
Like Ye Kai, You Mingjiang was also carefully observing him: This young man had delicate features, was tall and thin, with eyes that shone like stars, and his whole body was like a silver fir tree, with curved eyes and curved lips. However, his clothes were too sloppy, and he exuded a sour smell. He could hardly be described as neat.
Where did this disheveled man come from? His attire is barely better than the refugees I saw on my journey north; he's truly pitiful. Perhaps he's lost in the desert and is about to collapse?
Yu Mingjiang softened his heart, tightened the reins, and patiently asked, "Why are you staring at me like that?"
Seeing that the man wasn't angry, Ye Kai became amused and retorted in a lazy tone, "How do you know I'm looking at you if you're not looking at me? If you hadn't looked at me first, how would you have caught me looking at you?"
You Mingjiang asked with slight surprise, "Why are you looking at me?"
Ye Kai laughed heartily, his eyes curving into crescents. He put his worn-out boots back on; although they rubbed his feet, they were better than going barefoot. "Maybe he's trying to strike up a conversation because I'm handsome? He should have said so earlier. It's not like I didn't give him a chance."
Well! He still has the energy for these empty words; it seems her earlier assumption that he was in trouble was completely unnecessary. However, this man is quite interesting. Seeing his lips were as dry as cracked farmland, bleeding from the cracks, clearly he hadn't had a drop of water, You Mingjiang tugged at the reins, making the mule move forward a little, and softly asked, "Are you thirsty?"
The water bag was already empty, but Ye Kai said in a hoarse voice, seemingly unconcerned, "No, great talents have always faced many hardships. I'm just tempering my body and refining my character."
You Mingjiang was taken aback, then laughed and teased, "So you want to emulate Duke Huan of Qi?"
"Oh?" Ye Kai's eyes widened.
You Mingjiang said, "A once mighty overlord, yet he died of thirst and starvation, his rotting corpse crawling with maggots. However..."
"However?" Ye Kai pressed on.
“You are much luckier than him. If you died of thirst here, you wouldn’t even have a chance to be infested with maggots. At most, you would be a dried-up corpse, perfectly clean.”
Ye Kai was taken aback for a moment, then laughed loudly, "Well said, it seems that men who laugh a lot are lucky."
"All I know is that unlucky men who are down on their luck usually can't smile." You Mingjiang bent down, took out two bamboo tubes from the bamboo medicine basket, and casually tossed one to Ye Kai, "Here, quench your thirst."
"Thanks." Ye Kai replied with a smile, but his body didn't move at all. He watched as the bamboo tube fell in front of him, but he didn't reach out to catch it.
·
You Mingjiang tilted her head slightly, not forcing herself, and with a "pop," she opened her bamboo tube, releasing a fragrant aroma of wine. She lifted her veil slightly, tilted her head back, and took a large gulp.
Ye Kai's eyes lit up, and he sat up straight with a "whoosh": "I smell the aroma of wine! Jimo Laojiu, made from pure millet."
You Mingjiang glanced at him and laughed, "Oh ho, you have a sharp nose, you're quite the connoisseur."
Ye Kai was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening. He quickly picked up the bamboo tube that had fallen not far away, took a big gulp with relish, but spat out most of it: "Eek! Why is it lightly salted water?"
“I never said this was alcohol.” You Mingjiang shrugged. “In this vast desert, salt water is more effective than alcohol.”
The bamboo tube did indeed contain Jimo Laojiu (a type of rice wine), but the desert was too hot, and travelers were all drenched in sweat. She felt that drinking wine could not quench her thirst, so she specially filled the empty bamboo tube with lightly salted water.
Drinking lightly salted water can replenish energy and prevent exhaustion; this is a practical method she, a traveling healer, summarized.
Upon hearing this, Ye Kai lowered his head and took a few more sips. The cool liquid slid down his throat, and he couldn't help but swallow it in large gulps. Water droplets slid down his chin, soaking his clothes.
You Mingjiang breathed a long sigh of relief.
She simply couldn't bear to see someone tormenting her like this.
At any time, based on the cherishing and respect for life, we should treat our unique selves with a gentleness that is unmatched by others.
Because although there are countless people in this world, the only one who can truly share your life and death, and who regards your joys and sorrows as the most important thing in life, is yourself.
So don't be too harsh on them.
Being gentler with yourself, and even gentler still, is the key to living a meaningful life.
·
At this moment, the sunset on the horizon became even more magnificent, and waves of orange-red spread across the horizon, completely dyeing the desert into a shimmering crimson-gold color.
"What a beautiful sunset!" Gazing at the magnificent sunset, You Mingjiang was lost in thought.
"It's getting dark," Ye Kai reminded him. "The nights in the desert are no joke."
The desert nights are exceptionally cold, and venomous insects and snakes are common, so even the strongest body can't withstand it.
Realizing that time was of the essence, she mounted her horse, pulled on the reins, urged the mule to go a few steps, and called back to Ye Kai: "Hey, little brother, give me a ride."
Ye Kai looked around, then pointed to himself: "Are you talking about me?"
"Besides you, is there anyone else?"
Where are you going?
“Border Town,” You Mingjiang answered quickly.
Ye Kai refused: "No, my useless feet deserve to walk more."
“Alright.” You Mingjiang didn’t force the issue. With a slight sway of her waist, the mule trotted forward.
With a dried daisy in his mouth, Ye Kai turned around, waved to her with his back to her, and slowly walked to the side.
However, she hadn't gone far when she suddenly turned back.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed Ye Kai's belt. Startled, he dropped the daisy from his mouth to the ground.
"Varied……"
What's going on? Ye Kai was completely bewildered. Suddenly, he felt dizzy and, in the blink of an eye, he was lying sideways on the back of a mule. You Mingjiang laughed loudly and cracked the whip.
The mule's ears perked up, and with a grunt, it finally unleashed all the energy it had been holding back and started running off with a trot.
Ye Kai was nearly thrown into the air by the jolting. He clung tightly to the saddle, his body swaying left and right with the mule.
"Wait—wait—put—me—down!"
·
When we arrived at the border town, the last rays of sunset had already faded.
"Ugh—" Ye Kai squatted down next to the stone tablet, vomiting violently. He vowed that he would never want to ride this man's mule again in his life.
That's insane.
When a person is mad, even a mule will be mad.
Seeing him vomit violently, You Mingjiang frowned, both surprised and amused: "So you're dizzy from being a beast?"
You're the one who's dizzy from being a beast! Your whole family is dizzy from being a beast!
Ye Kai glared angrily, about to retort, when his stomach churned again, and he quickly lowered his head to vomit violently.
Seeing this, You Mingjiang squatted down, placed her hand on his back, and gently rubbed it to help him catch his breath.
"I'm so sorry, I was in such a hurry just now. I was just too worried. The desert night is no joke. How could I really leave you alone? You stubbornly refused to leave. What if something really happened?"
As she spoke, she took out a bamboo tube filled with lightly salted water, handed it to Ye Kai, and said, "Here, have some water and calm down."
Ye Kai caught his breath, straightened up while leaning on the stone tablet, took the bamboo tube, and sipped the warm water slowly.
Seeing that he had caught his breath, You Mingjiang stretched out her thumb and pressed it against his tiger's mouth. Suddenly, a strong soreness came, and Ye Kai couldn't help but hiss.
After a while, the churning in his stomach gradually subsided. Ye Kai raised an eyebrow. Although he was still a little weak, he was still sharp-tongued. "Well, so you're holding a grudge against me for not being appreciative and are deliberately torturing me? If you press down any further, my hand won't even belong to me anymore."
"You still won't let it go even at a time like this. Can't you say a few less witty things?" You Mingjiang finally stopped, stood up, and dusted herself off. "It's good that you're not feeling unwell."
She looked down again and saw that the soles of his boots were worn through, with sand leaking out. She guessed he must have developed a lot of blisters. She sighed and said, "Take them off quickly and empty the sand out first."
Ye Kai was taken aback when she noticed his worn-out boots. He was momentarily stunned and didn't know how to respond, so he could only awkwardly bend down and take off his two worn-out boots.
On the soles of his feet were several ruptured blisters, the largest being on the arch of his foot, where sand mixed with blood had scabbed over; the other blisters, which hadn't ruptured, were worn smooth and shiny, bulging on the skin, and would tremble with the slightest movement, looking painful.
You Mingjiang frowned, quickly squatted down, took out Ziyun ointment and gauze from the bamboo medicine basket, and used the leftover salt water to wash away the bloodstains. Then, she dipped the gauze in Ziyun ointment and gently applied it to his broken wound.
As the purple ointment slowly melted, Ye Kai felt a cool sensation on his wound, and the burning pain gradually subsided.
"How dirty..." Ye Kai said softly, looking down at her as she deftly wrapped bandages around her dirty feet.
"What's the big deal? If you really feel bad about it, then don't stuff sand into your boots anymore, or you'll just be asking for trouble."
After bandaging him up, You Mingjiang hesitated for a moment, then took out a few coins and stuffed them into his hand: "Take this and buy a pair of shoes that fit. You only live once, don't always make things difficult for yourself."
Ye Kai was somewhat surprised and didn't immediately take the few coins. His gaze subconsciously fell on the hand she was offering the silver to. Her nails were short and rounded, and her palm was covered with a thin layer of calluses. It wasn't too rough, but it wasn't a pampered hand either. His gaze gradually moved to the few coins. They weren't shiny, pale white, but rather an old, dull white. They were of different sizes, with rough edges, and had been squeezed flat, lying quietly in her palm.
He had been carrying a bag of gold and pearls he had won, but he had spent them all along the way, and it didn't matter if he lost all his money; but now, looking at these few coins, they seemed so heavy. He thought to himself, if only he had known, he should have given her that bag of gold and pearls.
Ye Kai waved his hand and smiled, his usual laziness gone, replaced by a hint of self-deprecation: "I looked like a beggar. It was kind of you to bandage my wounds and give me travel expenses."
Yu Mingjiang helped Ye Kai slowly put on his boots and stand up. Her grip wasn't strong, but it was steady. She said calmly, "Even if it wasn't you lying here today, but someone else, I would still apply medicine and pay the bills. There's nothing to take to heart."
Upon hearing this, Ye Kai's heart stirred slightly.
This doctor is open-minded and straightforward, and his personality is somewhat like his master's.
It got dark quickly, and a few scattered lights came on.
“It’s getting late, we should go.” You Mingjiang looked at the mule beside him. “If you don’t mind, you can come with me.”
Ye Kai grinned: "No need. Your mule is making my bones ache, and I don't want to suffer anymore. Besides, my useless feet are too lazy to walk far."
You Mingjiang glanced at his mule and didn't insist. He simply said, "Then find a safe place to rest. Don't just make do with whatever you can find. You have to learn to treat yourself better."
Ye Kai used the leverage to stand up straight, reached out and took the silver, his fingers touching her palm and lightly brushing it.
"I've taken the money," Ye Kai said, holding the loose silver in his palm. He looked up and said seriously, "I'll definitely pay you back another day."
You Mingjiang nodded slightly upon hearing this.
She didn't help out in the first place, not expecting anything in return.
"Take care." She said, nimbly mounting the saddle and waving to Ye Kai.
The mule strode steadily, carrying her further and further away, until she disappeared into the dim, yellowish dust.
Watching her receding figure, Ye Kai's lips curled up slightly. He bent down, picked up the dried daisy from his clothes, and gently pinned it into the hole in his garment.
Suddenly, Ye Kai raised his hand and patted his forehead. He gazed at the vast emptiness in the twilight, shook his head and smiled, and whispered:
"That's good, I didn't even ask what their name was... Oh well, if we meet again by chance, I'll definitely ask them."
The wind swept sand past my clothes, and the little daisy pinned to the hole trembled slightly.
·
.
This is a small town with rammed earth walls.
The main roads in the city are paved with gravel, and a few tall poplar trees can be seen here and there.
The houses here are mostly made of mud bricks, with small windows and thick layers of clay plastered on the walls. The swirling yellow sand finally calms down a bit when it gets here.
She decisively dismounted from the mule's back, preferring to expend more effort on her feet rather than have the horse's hooves scratched by pebbles.
Leading the mule around, I saw that there were hardly any people on the street, except for a few dirty teenagers who were reluctant to go home and were playing a game of cockfighting together.
They were just about to ask someone for directions, but as soon as they saw her approaching, the children all ran away.
They huddled under the eaves of their house, their faces dirty and their hair disheveled, biting their fingers as they curiously eyed her.
You Mingjiang took out a handful of soft, chewy candy and half-coaxed, half-pulled a bold child into her arms.
This time, she stuffed her bamboo medicine basket with plenty of longan, red dates, melon seeds, peanuts, maltose, and peach crisps. Especially the dry-roasted peanuts. Not too raw, not too cooked, each one was plump.
Yu Mingjiang stuffed a piece of candy into his mouth and hugged him affectionately, saying, "I want to find the smartest child."
Having tasted the sweetness of success, the child nodded eagerly, "Yes, I am! I am the smartest!"
You Mingjiang handed him another longan: "Then help your sister think, have you seen any brothers these past two days?"
"Very young, very good-looking, tall, and wields a sword. He looks cold, but he has a kind heart and is very generous." She thought for a moment and then added more details to the child.
The child tilted his head, thought for a moment, and then suddenly his eyes lit up.
Indeed, a group of men in purple robes came to the border town. The young master of this group, Murong Mingzhu, fits the criteria of "very young, very good-looking, tall, uses a sword, looks cold, and generous in his actions".
So the child nodded vigorously.
Yu Mingjiang was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Then where did he go?"
The maltose clumped together on his teeth. The child licked his teeth, then pointed to a spot: "Old Xiao... Boss Xiao..."
You Mingjiang quickly looked up and followed the direction the child was pointing.
An old building with red lanterns hanging from its eaves stands quietly amidst the yellow sand...
·
An unnamed residence.
Holding a pipa horizontally in her arms, her cascading dark blue hair was tied back with a ribbon. She wore a gold tassel headdress and a pea-green robe, as beautiful as a green plum blossom quietly blooming in the morning mist. Her eyes were gentle and affectionate.
She is the legendary most beautiful woman in the border town—Cui Nong.
If we're talking about the most famous person in Wumingju, it has to be Miss Cui Nong. She is exceptionally talented and stunningly beautiful. She doesn't just care about money and is very picky about the guests she entertains.
This time, it was thanks to the grace of Murong Mingzhu and Xiao Bieli that Cui Nong was able to play the strings and sing for everyone.
Xiao Bieli was hosting a banquet on the second floor and was talking with Murong Mingzhu.
Murong Mingzhu's men gathered in the hall to listen to her play the pipa.
·
A group of men dressed in purple and carrying swords sat in small groups around a carved sandalwood table, which was laden with delicacies and fine wines, the aroma of wine, cosmetics and incense mingling and permeating the air.
Murong Mingzhu has booked the entire Wumingju residence tonight, and the entire hall is only occupied by members of the Murong family.
With slender, jade-like fingers, she lightly plucked the strings of the pipa, playing and singing Xin Qiji's "Green Jade Table": "①The east wind releases a thousand trees of flowers at night, and blows down stars like rain..."
A burly man in purple robes, reeking of alcohol, staggered forward, holding a full cup of wine.
He put his arm around Cui Nong's slender shoulder, let out a burp, and said, "Miss Cui Nong, stop singing these cheesy, mosquito-whispering lyrics. Let me treat you to a glass of fine wine, come on!"
·
Suddenly harassed by a drunkard, Cui Nong was terrified and turned pale. She picked up her pipa and tried to leave. But then the burly man in purple grabbed her, pulling her so hard she almost fell to the ground.
The remaining men in purple all turned to look at the two, their lips curling into a malicious smile, and they began to jeer and laugh:
"Brother, you should always speak more politely when talking to a beautiful woman. Don't frighten Miss Cui Nong."
"Hey, you tore that girl's sleeve. What are you going to do about it? You have to buy her a new one and apologize properly, right?" The man licked his lips, his eyes lingering on the girl's arm, his tone sultry.
"Hahahaha..." A series of lewd jeers erupted.
"Get out of here!" Despite her repeated refusal, the glass of wine was still forced into her mouth. Cui Nong had no way to avoid it, and in desperation, she accidentally slapped him hard across the face.
"Slap!" The slap landed quickly and hard. The purple-clad man felt a burning pain on his face. The force wasn't strong, but it froze him in place, his eyes staring blankly, as if his soul had been taken away.
Cui Nong looked at her reddened palms, her heart pounding wildly. She belatedly realized what was happening and broke out in a cold sweat. She staggered back two steps, her eyes filled with panic.
It wasn't until the laughter pierced his ears that the big man snapped back to his senses, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and his malice surged straight to the top of his head!
"You filthy bitch!" he shouted angrily, grabbing her wrist and roughly pulling Cui Nong in front of him.
Before she could escape, iron palms, like palm leaves, slapped her face repeatedly, one after the other.
Cui Nong felt dizzy and lightheaded. A trickle of blood flowed down the corner of her mouth. She stumbled and was knocked to the ground.
Fearing that the fall would break the pipa, Cui Nong instinctively braced herself with her arms, using herself as a human cushion. She was thrown around and saw stars, but the pipa was not seriously damaged.
Immediately afterwards, she felt a sharp pain in her scalp!
The burly man in purple had a ferocious expression. He grabbed her hair with his large hand, forcing her to tilt her head back in pain.
·
The thought of being slapped in public by a prostitute and losing face in front of his brothers made the burly man in purple furious, and he lost all sense of pity for her.
His eyes widened, and he cursed, "I call you Miss Cui Nong, what are you pretending to be, a pure and innocent maid! If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll really think you're a virgin?!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the burly man in purple raised his hand, his palm accompanied by a whooshing sound, and slapped Cui Nong hard!
Cui Nong closed her eyes in despair.
In order to gather intelligence and win over various forces, she was sent to Wumingju by Ma Kongqun at a young age. She was forced to become Ma Kongqun's informant, forcing a smile and navigating the complexities of relationships with all sorts of men.
Like a bird trapped in a gilded cage, it may appear glamorous, but it is actually sinking deeper and deeper into the mud.
Indeed, fate is stingy.
They were so stingy that they wouldn't even give her the last shred of dignity.
·
However, before that brutal slap could even touch Cui Nong's face, it was abruptly intercepted in mid-air.
Cui Nong looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.
The newcomer gripped the purple-clad man's wrist tightly and said coldly:
"Who do you think you are, bullying a weak woman like me?!"
"Kneel down and kowtow!"
.
.
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Good Luck Lotus] Poetry Quotation ①: From Xin Qiji's "Green Jade Table - Lantern Festival"
[Good Luck Lianlian] Cui Nong: A victim and tool of the "evil father" Ma Kongqun.
[Green Heart] 25.8.24 Modification: Minor plot adjustments | The chestnut horse mount has been changed to a mule.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com