Upon seeing who it was, Shen Jintang's originally bright eyes dimmed slightly, as if shrouded in a thin mist.
Why are you here?
Her voice remained calm, but there was a hint of surprise in her tone.
Shen Jintang quickly composed himself, turned around and stepped off the carriage, his gaze falling on Shen Youyi.
Shen Youyi arrived with her maid, both carrying large and small bags, clearly having rushed over.
They rushed toward Shen Jintang, their footsteps kicking up a light dust.
"I finally made it."
Seeing that Shen Jintang had not yet left, Shen Youyi finally breathed a sigh of relief. The anxiety on her face gradually faded, replaced by a sense of relief.
She instructed the maid to place the packages on the carriage one by one, then held Shen Jintang's hand tightly, her tone filled with tension and concern: "I have been to Yanzhou before. It is a poor and remote place with a fierce local culture. This is your first time going to such a barren place, so you must prepare everything you need."
"This is the food, clothes, and daily necessities I prepared for you. Keep them safe; you'll definitely need them over there," Shen Youyi said, stuffing the package into Shen Jintang's arms with a look of earnest advice in her eyes.
Then, she took out a stack of silver notes from her sleeve and stuffed them into Shen Jintang's hand, saying solemnly, "When you're traveling, you must bring enough money. I don't have much money in my account. I gave some to my elder brother, and the rest is for you. Keep it safe. If you need anything, just write to me, and I'll prepare it for you in Kyoto."
She paused, a hint of worry in her eyes: "The journey from Kyoto to Yanzhou is not short. If anything happens to you, please remember to tell me."
"besides……"
Shen Youyi held Shen Jintang's hand and kept talking, as if she had endless instructions to give.
A warm feeling washed over Shen Jintang, but she didn't show it. She simply raised an eyebrow slightly and asked in a calm tone, "Why are you telling me all this?"
Shen Youyi paused for a moment, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes, as if she felt a little wronged and a little helpless.
She released Shen Jintang's hand, lowered her head slightly, and said in a softer voice, "Because you are my sister, one of the few people in this world I can truly be kind to."
Although she was asked to come by someone, she couldn't attribute it all to this. After all, she also wanted to see Shen Jintang off. Even without that person's request, she would have come anyway.
Shen Youyi raised her head, looking directly at Shen Jintang, her eyes filled with determination: "I know you have something on your mind. This trip to Yanzhou may not be as simple as disaster relief. But I hope you can remember that no matter what you face, I will support you from behind, even if I can't help you much."
Shen Jintang remained silent for a moment. She had never imagined that Shen Youyi would come to see her off, let alone that she would say such a thing.
She pursed her lips slightly, and finally nodded gently: "I understand, I will be careful."
Seeing that she agreed, Shen Youyi smiled with relief, but couldn't help but admonish her, "You're too headstrong. Don't always shoulder things alone. Sometimes, taking a step back might just open up a whole new world."
Shen Jintang nodded and smiled slightly, this time with a touch of warmth: "Mm."
"That's good." Shen Youyi turned around and instructed the maid to put away the remaining things one by one before looking at Shen Jintang, "Alright, get in the carriage quickly, don't delay the journey."
Shen Jintang turned and walked toward the carriage, her steps steady and firm.
Liu Huo was already waiting by the car. When he saw her coming, he immediately reached out to help her into the car.
Shen Jintang turned and glanced at Shen Youyi, her gaze carrying a subtle, complex emotion.
Have a safe journey.
Shen Youyi stood still, watching the carriage slowly drive out of the East Gate.
Shen Jintang sat in the car, watching Shen Youyi gradually disappear into the distance through the car window, then turned around and closed her eyes.
Inside the East Gate, the warm spring sun shone on the bluestone pavement, but it could not dispel the gloom in Gu Zhixing's heart.
He rode a tall, strong horse, his posture upright like a pine tree, but his eyes held a complex expression.
He watched Shen Jintang's departing figure in the carriage, his eyes filled with both longing and helplessness. He could only watch helplessly as the carriage took away the most important part of his heart.
"Master, if you're so worried, why don't you go and see them off?"
Seeing his master's expression, Chongyang couldn't help but offer some advice.
He had followed Gu Zhixing for many years and had never seen him so conflicted.
Even though they care deeply, they dare not take a step forward. Even though they have prepared the things, they have others deliver them, leaving them alone here watching in misery.
This was nothing like the master he knew.
Gu Zhixing smiled softly, a smile tinged with self-deprecation and bitterness.
He lowered his eyes slightly, his voice low and slow: "What good would it do to go? It would only add to the sorrow."
He raised his head, his gaze piercing through the crowd, as if he could see Shen Jintang's face through the carriage curtain.
She was heading to Yanzhou, her future uncertain, and he was unable to provide her with the protection she deserved.
This feeling of powerlessness was like a fishbone stuck in his throat.
"Am I supposed to go and tell her that I'm useless, incompetent, and unable to let her stay safely in Kyoto?" he murmured, his voice filled with self-blame and resentment.
His fingers unconsciously rubbed the reins, as if searching for a sliver of comfort.
Chongyang remained silent for a moment, knowing what his master was thinking.
The master loathed his own powerlessness, hated himself for not being able to protect the people he wanted to protect, and could not convince himself to face Shen Jintang, or rather, dared not look at her.
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