Chapter 83 I Can't Be Apart From You
Pei Wu's hand froze in mid-air, his eyes flashing for a moment before he withdrew it: "I was being presumptuous."
Perhaps out of concern, he made a very inappropriate move, actually touching Jiang Ru's face with his hand.
Jiang Ru lowered her head. The room was so stuffy that her cheeks were slightly flushed, her face as beautiful as a peach blossom, as if she could be squeezed for moisture with the slightest touch.
Pei Wu said, "If you get a fever, I'll go get you some medicine." He then asked Jiang Ru, "What do you think, cousin?"
Because Jiang Ru wouldn't let him touch her, he could only ask her if she was feeling unwell, as she might have caught a chill from the wind that night.
Jiang Ru finally managed to lift her head and stammered, "I... I don't have a fever, it's just that the room is too stuffy."
Pei Wu looked at her. Jiang Ru's face was no longer as red as before, but he still reminded her with concern, "If things don't go well, remember to call the guards."
Jiang Ru nodded, placed her hand on Pei Wu's back, her palm resting on Pei Wu's well-defined shoulders and back. She had no time to daydream, and pushed him out the door, slamming it shut behind her.
Poor Pei Wu was pushed out the door completely bewildered. He stood at the door, pondered for a moment, and his gaze fell on his newly changed leather belt.
Before he changed his belt, Jiang Ru was perfectly normal. It was only after he changed it that Jiang Ru seemed to be acting strangely.
Pei Wu stared at the closed door, wondering if he wasn't proper enough, which made Jiang Ru think he was frivolous. But in reality, he had no intention of unbuckling his belt in front of Jiang Ru; he had no such intention.
Pei Wu had already walked away, but he turned back and gently knocked on Jiang Ru's door, admitting his mistake: "Cousin, I won't do it again."
After a long while, a muffled, seemingly angry voice came from inside the room: "I didn't say anything bad about you."
Jiang Ru realized that her reaction was a bit too much, but it was just a conditioned reflex. She was still feeling embarrassed because of Pei Wu's behavior, but the next moment he was about to touch her face. She was so nervous that she quickly dodged away.
Only after she hid did she realize how obviously she had tried to hide. She was usually unable to conceal her true intentions, and she wondered if Pei Wu had noticed anything amiss this time.
Once Pei Wu was gone and there was no sound outside, Jiang Ru buried herself in the blankets, closed her eyes in despair. Before realizing her own feelings, her interactions with Pei Wu were never awkward. She could care for him openly and honestly. But now, even just glancing at him felt wrong.
Especially now that the timing isn't right, Jiang Ru doesn't want to rashly express her feelings to Pei Wu. Even though she knows that Pei Wu is a very calm person and won't be influenced by her, she still thinks she should find a suitable opportunity to tell Pei Wu.
It was too difficult to keep her true feelings to herself, Jiang Ru thought. She probably would have to keep her distance from Pei Wu for a long time to come, otherwise she was afraid she would force herself on him.
Before she could think too much, there was another knock on the door. It was the servant bringing her hot water, along with a bowl of soup to warm her up.
It was said that Pei Wu had instructed him to specially prepare this for Jiang Ru, fearing that she might catch a cold from being exposed to too much wind tonight. In fact, Jiang Ru knew that it was because Pei Wu had noticed her blushing earlier and was worried that she might actually be sick.
Jiang Ru swallowed the bitter medicine in one gulp, took a bath, and then lay back down on the bed. Perhaps because of the medicine, she slept very well that night. When she woke up the next day, it was already dawn outside, and the people were celebrating joyfully again.
In Jinglong, the lanterns are not extinguished during the New Year. The prayer lantern festival lasts until midnight for the past few days. Every household hangs lanterns, and with the sky full of lights, time becomes blurred at this moment, as if three days of polar day have passed.
On the day that it truly ended, night finally fell in Jinglong. The streets were no longer as brightly lit as they used to be. After nightfall, the people turned off their lights, and Jinglong fell into a deep sleep.
That same night, the people of Jinglong's prayers for rain were answered, and after many sweltering days, Jinglong was greeted with a heavy rain.
Almost as soon as night fell, raindrops began to fall from the eaves. At first, they were small drops, but they quickly turned into a downpour, pattering against the tiles and falling into the dust.
Outside, there was a banana tree. The raindrops made the banana leaves look as fresh as new leaves. The smell of dust drifted into the room through the slightly ajar window. A cold wind blew in, and Jiang Ru woke up from her dream, feeling cold, and got out of bed.
The first thing I felt was the coolness on my body, followed by the crisp sound of rain, as if it were exploding on the roof. The raindrops hit the bluestone, making a continuous, incessant dripping sound.
Jiang Ru put on her outer robe, got up and went to close the window. It was very hot in Jinglong at night, and she always had to keep the window open to get a good night's sleep. She did not expect that a heavy rain would come that night.
As she walked to the window, a cold wind carrying rain blew into the room. Her outer robe was slightly damp from the rain, and the back of her bare hands was wet with the cool raindrops. Jiang Ru raised her hand and touched the windowsill.
When Jiang Ru looked out at the scene, she couldn't help but be stunned. Just a few days ago, Jinglong was lit up at night, but now that the New Year was over and the noise had subsided, the houses outside were no longer visible, swallowed up by the thick darkness of the night.
The rain scattered the countless prayer lanterns across the sky, leaving only a few stars faintly shining in the heavens.
Where did their prayer lanterns drift to?
According to the weather forecast, it was not supposed to rain in Jinglong at this time, but after the rain-seeking ceremony, the heavens gave Jinglong a heavy rain, as if the rain-seeking ceremony was really effective.
Since the rain-making ritual is so effective, her wish should also come true, right? Actually, Jiang Ru didn't have many wishes; her only wish was for Pei Wu.
Jiang Ru leaned against the window, listening to the pattering rain, letting the raindrops fall on her. The raindrops felt cool on her cheeks. Even though she couldn't see anything, she couldn't help but peer out the window, thinking to herself, "Since I can be reborn, I'll let Pei Wu live a good life in this one. He should have lived a long life instead of dying young."
Just then, Jiang Ru heard the sound of a window closing next door. The creaking sound was particularly noticeable in the quiet night, and it came from Pei Wu's room.
Jiang Ru subconsciously turned her head to look. Pei Wu probably didn't see her, so he closed the window without hesitation. After that sound, there was no sound from next door.
Even though she knew she couldn't see Pei Wu, Jiang Ru couldn't help but stare at the window on the other side. She couldn't look for long before there was another soft sound, and Pei Wu opened the window again.
He was dressed in a plain white undergarment. After opening the window, he looked at Jiang Ru purposefully. His eyes were still tired, because he was still immersed in sleepiness and had not noticed Jiang Ru earlier.
As for why he opened the window a second time, that remains unknown.
Jiang Ru was caught sneaking a peek at Pei Wu while staying up late in the cold wind, and she was already feeling guilty. When she met Pei Wu's dark eyes in the night, she couldn't help but purse her lips awkwardly, raise her hand, and wave to Pei Wu in a small gesture.
Pei Wu ignored her in silence and gestured for her to close the window.
Unfortunately, the night was too dark, and Jiang Ru could only see that his hand seemed to be gesturing something, but she couldn't make out what exactly he was gesturing.
To get a better look at Pei Wu's movements, she leaned forward, a very dangerous move that nearly made Pei Wu gasp for breath.
After doing this, Pei Wu next door suddenly closed the window, making an even louder creaking sound. Jiang Ru, confused, shrank back a little and moved further into the room.
The window next door wasn't completely closed and swayed slightly in the wind. Jiang Ru had just shivered when there was a sudden knock outside.
Perhaps afraid of disturbing others, she knocked very softly. Jiang Ru immediately left the window and ran to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, a gust of steam rose towards them. There were only a few candles on the corridor. Pei Wu, dressed in plain white clothes, had hastily put on a light blue outer robe. He hadn't even had time to tie his hair up and stood in a disheveled state at Jiang Ru's door.
The person she couldn't touch just now was now standing right in front of Jiang Ru. Jiang Ru looked at him, as if to confirm it, and reached out to touch Pei Wu.
Pei Wu lowered his gaze, not reacting to her sudden touch, but looking at Jiang Ru with a hint of accusation on his face, which made his expression look somewhat cold. However, his tone was not cold at all, but rather gentle, asking, "Why aren't you sleeping?"
As if disciplining her own disobedient child, Jiang Ru said awkwardly, "I'll close the window."
Pei Wu nodded and said, "In that case, close it quickly. Don't sit by the window anymore, it'll be cold."
Jiang Ru could only nod. Under Pei Wu's urging gaze, she ran to close the window, blocking out all the moisture and cold. After closing the window, even the sound of the rain, which was getting louder, became much quieter.
Jiang Ru turned around and saw that Pei Wu was still standing outside. He saw that she had closed the window, so he closed the door for her and left.
Jiang Ru heard a very soft sound of a door opening and closing next door. Pei Wu returned to his room, and soon the window next door, which hadn't been closed properly, was shut. Pei Wu then fell asleep.
Jiang Ru also took off her outer robe. Fortunately, the rain that had blown in was just a few fine raindrops, which only wet Jiang Ru's outer robe and did not stain her inner clothes.
It was indeed a bit chilly from the wind, so Jiang Ru lay back in her warm bedding and fell asleep listening to the sound of rain.
The rain finally stopped in the middle of the night. The next morning, Jiang Ru opened the window, and raindrops flowed down the windowsill, condensing into puddles at the edges. Even though it had rained all night, the sky in Jinglong was still stuffy today, only the air was more humid and not as hot as it had been a few days before.
The banana trees outside looked brand new. Because the temperature hadn't risen yet and the moisture hadn't completely evaporated, the banana leaves were covered in a layer of new green, full of the feeling of spring.
These past few days have already been an extra rest. After another day of rest, they should leave Jinglong. Northern Yan will also withdraw its troops in the next few days, and Pei Wu will still have to do some follow-up work. If Northern Yan and Qi clash later, he will have to send troops to support them. He will be busy with all of this.
So on this day, Jiang Ru packed her bags and didn't go out again.
By evening, an urgent imperial edict from the capital arrived in Jinglong.
The Empress Dowager passed away a month ago, and the Emperor was deeply saddened and fell ill in bed. Now the court is in chaos, and he urgently summoned Pei Wu to return to the capital immediately.
Jiang Ru could sense a conspiracy from this edict alone. The emperor and empress dowager did not have a deep relationship, so why would the emperor cry so much and fall ill in bed after the empress dowager's death? There was a lot of acting involved.
According to the imperial edict, the Empress Dowager had passed away a month ago, but the news had only just reached Nanzhao. Chen Ling had probably only just been brought to the capital. Well, he hadn't even been able to see his sister one last time.
Jiang Ru felt a mix of emotions. Logically speaking, even if Pei Wu returned to the capital, he couldn't do anything at this time. Instead, staying in Nanzhao would allow him to do more for the emperor.
Now that the Chen family has fallen and the emperor has no military power, this is clearly a good opportunity. Regardless of whether Pei Wu can conquer Qi, at least the emperor has someone in the army, which will further solidify his position. So why summon Pei Wu back to the capital?
Not only that, the court also sent someone to take over Pei Wu's command. This person was named Shen Guan, who had served as the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. He was later ostracized by the Chen family and resigned in anger. Now he has been recalled to the court and sent to Nanzhao. He arrived in Nanzhao the day before yesterday.
Pei Wu was in Jinglong and couldn't meet him, but Shen Guan had already become a commander, so even if he went back now, there would be no place for him to stay.
After all, Shen Guan is now the new commander of Nanzhao, so Pei Wu has been put in a very awkward position. Moreover, it was an imperial edict issued by the emperor himself. If Pei Wu does not reply, it is disobeying the imperial decree. Even if he is unwilling, he has no choice but to reply.
The imperial edict ordered Pei Wu to arrive within a month, meaning that Pei Wu needed to hurry back to Bianjing as soon as possible.
Jiang Ru hesitated: "Is this Lord Song's intention?"
Song Pingzhang and the emperor were of one mind; the emperor's intentions were Song Pingzhang's intentions. Moreover, Song Pingzhang was his teacher, so it must have been Song Pingzhang's suggestion.
If it was indeed Song Pingzhang's doing, then perhaps he was summoned back because there was something he needed to do, which is why he was called back in such a hurry.
As for this newcomer Shen Guan, he should also be one of the emperor's men, since he had a grudge against the Chen family. He was only able to be appointed after the Chen family fell from power.
Pei Wu waited a while before replying, "I don't know if it's Lord Song."
There was no point in dwelling on these things. Pei Wu couldn't afford any delays on his journey, so he made a quick decision: "I will take a group of men back to the capital first, and you can come later. That way, the journey will be less stressful."
He'll be in a rush this way, and Jiang Ru might not be able to keep up. If they continue later, they can slow down and have more freedom.
Upon hearing his words, Jiang Ru immediately became unhappy: "I want to go back with you."
Pei Wu was at a loss for words at this moment, and without thinking, he said, "We will be riding horses back to the capital. You can't ride a horse, so it's not convenient for you to come along."
“I can, of course I can!” During the journey to Nanzhao, Jiang Ru would sometimes try riding, and she didn’t hold anyone back at all.
Later, when she came to Nanzhao, she would occasionally try to learn. Now she is very skilled at it, and she can even ride a horse. She had ridden the horse around many times before and had mastered the skill.
What she described as horseback riding probably didn't even qualify as horseback riding in Pei Wu's eyes, so Pei Wu quickly refused: "No."
This was a rare instance of him refusing Jiang Ru, but it was all for her own good. They needed to get going, and he absolutely could not accept Jiang Ru, a young woman, accompanying him through wind and rain.
Pei Wu said gently, "You can sit in the carriage and take your time. You'll arrive in Bianjing a few days later than me. Riding a horse is tiring."
He gently persuaded Jiang Ru, but Jiang Ru was annoyed by his repeated rejections: "I will go with you tomorrow. If I can't manage, I will turn back on my own and won't hold you back."
Perhaps because Jiang Ru spoke with such certainty, and because Pei Wu had no reason to stop her, Pei Wu finally agreed and told her that if Jiang Ru really couldn't keep up, he would not hesitate to send her back.
Jiang Ru nodded, with a hint of defiance, and gave him a cold snort.
Jiang Ru had packed everything she needed to. Since she couldn't carry too much with her if she wasn't traveling by carriage, she only brought a few essentials. After packing her bundle, she prepared to leave with Pei Wu.
There were only a dozen or so people on their trip. Pei Wu had brought only trustworthy subordinates. Jiang Ru hadn't ridden a horse for several days, so she suppressed her nervousness and mounted the horse naturally.
Pei Wu chose the gentlest horse for Jiang Ru. Before this, Jiang Ru had ridden horses and traveled far, but she had never traveled such a long distance.
However, in order not to be looked down upon by Pei Wu, she could only pretend that she was very skilled. She had also thought it through. If she couldn't keep up, she would go back by herself. She wouldn't pretend to be good when she clearly couldn't keep up. She just wanted to be with Pei Wu.
Starting from outside the city, the journey was smooth and unobstructed. Apart from the initial unfamiliarity and a few minor mistakes, Jiang Ru was able to keep up.
When she noticed Pei Wu's surprised gaze, she raised her chin at him and gave a haughty "humph".
Pei Wu learned to ride horses only a few years earlier than her, and then he neglected his skills for a while. If Pei Wu can do it, why can't she?
Jiang Ru was unaware that Pei Wu had initially gone easy on her, making their journey slower than expected, but Jiang Ru surprised him so much that he didn't need to go easy on her at all.
However, Jiang Ru did find it a bit difficult to keep up as they traveled, but she gritted her teeth and managed to keep up.
Pei Wu did not head directly to Bianjing, but instead took a detour to the Nanzhao camp. He was worried about the new commander, and although he knew that going to check on the situation wouldn't change anything, he still decided to go and see for himself.
It took two days to get from here to the camp. When they arrived at the camp, it was evening. Upon learning that Pei Wu had returned, Xue Zhong and the others hurriedly came out to greet him.
After dismounting, Jiang Ru grimaced and leaned to the side. She had managed to catch up, but her inner thighs were still chafed red and painfully pricking with needles.
She had just swayed and fallen, when Pei Wu, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, turned around and glanced at her. Jiang Ru immediately stood up straight, put away her distorted expression, and blinked innocently at Pei Wu.
Pei Wu looked away from her. Jiang Ru's reaction just now was somewhat funny, but Pei Wu didn't laugh. His only thought was heartache. He felt sorry that Jiang Ru was still willing to ride horses with him and suffer with him even in this state.
Before they could stand for long, Jiang Ru and the others were arranged to rest. They were only going to rest for one night and not waste any time. After understanding the situation, Pei Wu would immediately take them away.
Pei Wu's sudden visit was a delicate matter for the newly arrived commander, Shen Guan. As a new official in an old post, Pei Wu's arrival seemed like he was there to cause trouble. If it were someone with a narrow mind, they might even hold a grudge against Pei Wu.
Shen Guan was different. When Pei Wu came, he immediately came to greet him. The Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel was a proper second-rank official. Although he had resigned later, he was reinstated and his official rank was still higher than Pei Wu's.
Logically, it should have been Pei Wu who went to pay him a visit, but he didn't care about such things and instead took the initiative to come and see Pei Wu.
Pei Wu bowed, but Shen Guan didn't let him finish before pulling him into a hug and praising him with genuine compliments. It seemed that Shen Guan had come to understand Pei Wu's actions and had developed a liking for him.
Afterwards, Shen Guan took Pei Wu back to his camp. He knew the purpose of Pei Wu's trip and did not hide anything. He told Pei Wu directly about the things he had done since arriving in Nanzhao, including his future plans.
Shen Guan was an honest man; he had no ulterior motives and was quite open about Pei Wu.
From the moment Pei Wu first met Shen Guan, he knew that this man was indeed ambitious. He felt a little relieved, and his doubts about the court summoning him back temporarily subsided.
Both parties were satisfied with the conversation that night. When it was time to leave, Shen Guan politely saw Pei Wu off, knowing that he had to travel the next day, so he did not try to keep him any longer.
After returning, Pei Wu took the ointment and the horse trousers he had requested, and knocked on Jiang Ru's tent.
Jiang Ru had just applied the medicine, and the wiping of the bedding caused a stinging sensation. Lying in bed, she couldn't help but tear up several times.
She was a woman who could endure pain, but this kind of pain was a conditioned reflex; even if she didn't want to cry, her eyes would still redden. When Pei Wu knocked on the door, she also wanted to get up, but because of the pain in her legs, she didn't get up and instead told Pei Wu to come in by himself.
When Pei Wu entered, Jiang Ru was lying on the bed, staring at the top of the tent with slightly red eyes. It might have been Pei Wu's imagination, but he felt that Jiang Ru seemed to be crying. However, upon closer inspection, apart from her slightly red eyes, there was nothing else.
Pei Wu stepped forward, placed the ointment in his hand aside, and said in a clear and gentle voice, like a breeze rustling a willow branch, "I brought you medicine."
Jiang Ru shook her head: "I've already wiped it."
Pei Wu gave her the medicine on the first day, and Jiang Ru had been applying it for a day. Although it still caused some chafing, she could sleep better at night after applying it.
Pei Wu held the ointment in his hand and handed it to Jiang Ru: "Take it."
He looked at Jiang Ru's eyes, which were clearly red with pain but she was pretending to be fine, and sighed softly: "If it really hurts, I will have someone send you back tomorrow. We are still in Nanzhao, so someone can meet you. Once you go far away, it will be inconvenient for me to send you back."
He meant to send Jiang Ru back the way she came, but Jiang Ru got angry: "Did I say I couldn't?"
Despite the pain, Jiang Ru didn't utter a sound of complaint. Pei Wu even wanted to take her back, which was really wicked.
Pei Wu did not back down because of her seemingly fierce tone. Instead, he squatted down by Jiang Ru's bedside, as if he had no choice but to coax her, like a child: "Cousin, we're going to be gone for a month."
A month means Jiang Ru's legs will be worn raw for a month. If it gets worse... Jiang Ru doesn't dare to think about it.
But... she looked at Pei Wu with a puzzled expression: "Why don't you feel any pain?" As she spoke, her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Pei Wu's lower body.
This was a very presumptuous gaze, and Pei Wu didn't know whether to cover it up or not. He could only lower his voice and say, "Don't look around."
Jiang Ru gave a dry "Oh," forcibly averting her gaze, and asked again, "Why?"
Pei Wu changed the subject: "I had someone add padding to your stirrups. Also, I asked for a few pairs of riding trousers. Wearing them might make things better."
The people of Jinglong have no use for these things. Pei Wu had sent someone to buy them two days ago, but unfortunately, he couldn't find any. In the end, he could only use something else as a substitute. But it was only for temporary use. Now that he has arrived at the military camp, he can finally exchange them for something useful.
Jiang Ru realized that he had given in, and said from under the covers, "Thank you, cousin."
Pei Wu then handed over the riding trousers he had prepared long ago to Jiang Ru. The material was leather, and because only men wore them, the trousers were rather large. Pei Wu only glanced at them and felt that they could fit Jiang Ru's entire body inside.
But this is the only size he could find now. He specifically asked for a small size, but when he looked at it, it was still quite a bit too big.
Jiang Ru reached out from under the covers, took the item, put it aside, and deliberately said nice things to Pei Wu: "You're so kind."
Pei Wu gave her face and smiled. Jiang Ru remained motionless under the covers, probably afraid he wouldn't take her, pretending to be very obedient. However, she quickly gave herself away, still unwilling to give up and continuing to ask, "So why aren't you in pain?"
Pei Wu felt the veins on his forehead throb. He took a deep breath and said, "The more you ride, the less it will hurt in the future."
Jiang Ru nodded, seemingly understanding, but perhaps annoyed by her, Pei Wu paused and said, "Do you want to continue following me, or do you want to take the carriage?"
Jiang Ru should have taken a carriage, as that would have prevented her legs from getting chafed, but she gave the same answer. She looked up, as if Pei Wu had gone back on his word: "I said I can't be separated from you."
To soften Pei Wu's heart, she didn't say she wanted to follow him. Instead, she used another phrase, saying, "I can't be separated from you." This made it impossible for anyone to refuse her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com