Chapter 96 Lian Si… Lian Si…
The world is so vast, and Li Xiang didn't know if he could find Shan Lai, but he had to find her. He needed to find this medicine to save his good friend's life, even though he also loved Shan Lai.
But compared to his best friend's life, his love was insignificant, and Shanlai didn't even care about him.
Just as Liu Min only loved Shan Lai, Shan Lai also only loved Liu Min. The two of them were true lovers, and it seemed that she had no other choice but to offer her blessings.
He was willing to wish them well, as long as they were both happy.
After calming down, he sent someone to Liu's residence to inquire, and they indeed found something.
It turns out that Shanlai was bought by the old lady of the Liu family for Liansi before she passed away. At that time, Shanlai's father was seriously ill and she had no other choice but to sell herself to save her father.
Such a filial person, even after leaving the capital, would surely return home to pay respects to his deceased father, if he could make it in time…
He didn't know many people in Pingcheng, but fortunately, he had a cousin in Suyang, which is near Pingcheng. He wrote a letter and had his family send it over as soon as possible. He also packed his things and set off immediately.
It was also a stroke of luck.
Upon receiving the letter, Li Xiang's cousin from Suyang did not delay for a moment and immediately rushed to Pingcheng to ask his friend for help.
And this friend of his happened to be He Jing's friend.
Even more coincidentally, when his cousin rushed to his door with the letter, He Jing was right next to his friend.
Shanlai tried her best, but He Jing just wouldn't leave. Shanlai ignored him and pretended that he didn't exist.
Young Master He comes from a good family, is very capable, and is handsome. He is the dream man of countless girls in Heshan. Even in Pingcheng, a place he has only visited two or three times, there have been several instances where young ladies have been unable to forget him and have been jealous of him, which has made his friends tease him incessantly, which is quite annoying.
My friend is annoying, and I also hate those noisy ladies.
I don't dislike Yao Shanlai.
But Yao Shanlai didn't like him; he liked someone else.
She wouldn't even glance at him.
He had never experienced such a setback before, and he felt a bit annoyed and very sad...
He couldn't take it anymore, so he went to find a friend and told him about his troubles.
"Am I such a bad person? Why did she treat me like this?"
His friend sat beside him, watching him with his brows furrowed, looking gloomy, wanting to laugh but not daring to, making his expression very strange.
At this moment, a servant came over and said that Young Master Wu from Taixing had arrived and was on his way.
When his friend heard about it, he was puzzled and stood up to ask, "Why is he here?"
The servant said he didn't know, but seemed to be in a hurry.
Sure enough, he was in a great hurry. The servant had barely finished speaking when the person appeared before them, calling out from afar, "I need your help with something, so don't refuse."
"What's wrong? Is it something urgent?"
"My great-uncle, Grand Secretary Li in the capital, his grandson wrote to me, asking me to help find a man named Yao Shanlai..."
"Yao Shanlai?"
He Jing couldn't sit still any longer. "What do you want with her?"
He asked this question, and Young Master Wu, sensing something amiss, quickly asked, "Do you know this person?"
He Jing remained silent.
Young Master Wu was certain he knew, so he pressed on: "Do you know where she is now? Or do you know her hometown?"
He Jing refused to say.
Caught in the middle, his friend felt awkward and asked Mr. Wu, "You haven't told him what you want to see her about yet. Maybe if you do, he'll be willing to tell you."
Young Master Wu was also somewhat troubled, saying, "I don't know what it's about either. The letter only mentioned someone who used to be a maid in the household of Minister Liu of the Ministry of Works. She's from Pingcheng and may have already returned home. They asked me to do my best to help find her, and she herself is on her way to Pingcheng..."
He Jing still didn't say anything.
When Li Xiang arrived in Pingcheng the next day, Young Master Wu told him this, which angered him so much that he cursed, "If he doesn't tell you, why don't you go to the Liu residence to ask? Why bother with him!" Young Master Wu was so angry that he dared not say anything.
Li Xiang wanted to visit Liu's residence, posing as Liu Min's friend, and asked the steward to reveal Shan Lai's place of origin.
The housekeeper didn't know either, and when they asked around, no one knew either. Fortunately, someone remembered that Chunyan, who was kicked out for burning down the kitchen, was Shanlai's fellow villager.
Chunyan had been staying at the Liu residence for a long time and knew quite a few people, so Li Xiang also learned that Shanlai was from Huixian Town in Qingshui County. Regardless of how late it was, he immediately spurred his horse and rode towards Huixian Town.
I didn't expect to meet him on the way. If it had been a little later, or if he had been too careless to see me, I would have lost him.
It made one feel a chill run down their spine.
He wasn't worried that Shanlai wouldn't want to go with him.
Sure enough, as soon as he said that, Shanlai started trembling, clenching his fists, his face turning red and white in turns, and finally, he burst into tears, tears streaming down his face.
"...How could they do this to him?"
Shanlai was unable to suppress his anger.
Lian Si, the man she loves, she even sacrificed her own happiness for his sake, yet they treat him like this...
Her heart was torn apart.
Of course she had to go back, no matter what it took to save him; if she couldn't, she would die with him...
She was prepared to die.
On the way, they received news that Liu Min had been sentenced to exile for 2,500 li.
Shanlai had read books and knew what Wuyunwei was like; it was a barren land that was covered in snow for six months of the year...
How could Lian Si endure such hardship? He's the kind of person whose fingers itch just from making a few snowballs on a snowy day...
At that moment, she hated everyone.
Li Xiang had heard of Wuyunwei before, but he had forgotten where it was or who told him. However, he clearly remembered that the person said, "It's so cold!" He thought he had just lost feeling and didn't take it seriously. But when he took off his shoes at night, he just touched his toe and it fell off. "What are you laughing at? Come and see for yourself! See if I'm just kidding you!"
It was terrifying, so I've remembered it ever since.
If you get to a place like that, do you think you'll survive?
Even if it costs her her life, Shanlai is going. She's not afraid. In short, they'll die together.
Her face showed no hesitation or fear, not even any expression; she was simply very calm.
But Li knew that she had made a great decision, and he was encouraged, and his mind calmed down in an instant.
“I’m not afraid. So what if I die? I will definitely send you there and get you to his side.”
However, the trip did not take place.
His family came looking for him; his grandmother was in critical condition, and if he didn't go back, he feared he would regret it for the rest of his life.
He was caught in a dilemma.
It's not really a dilemma. Of course, the situation with my grandmother is more urgent, but he just said those things, so I really don't know how to bring it up.
Fortunately, Shanlai is very understanding.
"You should go home. I can manage on my own."
"How can I send you alone? These two people in my family are quite capable; let them protect you."
Li Xiang was also in a great hurry. He only had time to say this one sentence before he hurriedly mounted his horse and left, while the two people he mentioned were left behind.
Shanlai is a rather calm person, and his mind is quite deep.
She felt that these two people from the Li family couldn't be kept around; the distance was too far, and they weren't people she knew well enough to trust.
She was unwilling to take the risk.
So they asked the person to leave, using very tactful language.
“Young Master Li is impatient, especially with such an urgent matter. I’m afraid something might happen to him. You two should go after him. Please keep a close eye on him and make sure he doesn’t get hurt, otherwise I won’t be able to eat or sleep in peace.”
The two people were quite tempted by what they heard.
Their duty was to protect Li Xiang's safety. If anything happened to Li Xiang, even if they had listened to Li Xiang and not followed him, they would probably not fare well.
"You two need not worry. Just say it was my intention, and Young Master Li will certainly not make things difficult for you." She sighed. "I'm afraid he might act rashly in his haste. The Old Madam is already unwell; if something were to happen to him as well, the entire household would be in turmoil..."
If anything really goes wrong, the old man will tear them both apart.
Without any further ado, they hurriedly mounted their horses and rushed off in pursuit.
After seeing the two off, Shanlai took out the map and looked at it. After reading it, he said to Minghai, "We will part ways at Jinqiu. You will go north from Jinqiu to Xingdu, while I will continue east."
Upon hearing this, Minghai's heart skipped a beat.
"Uncle-Master, what does this mean?"
Shanlai has no intention of implicating anyone.
"This journey is fraught with danger. You cannot come with me. If anything happens to you because of this, my conscience will not be at peace."
This is indeed a very practical question, but the Buddha taught people not to seek happiness for themselves, but to wish that all beings be free from suffering. "Knowing the danger, how can I leave alone? Uncle, there is no need to say more."
It seems like there's no way to persuade them otherwise.
Shanlai then went to persuade another person.
He Jing hasn't left yet.
I didn't care about him before, but now that my future is decided, I have no choice but to get rid of him.
Aren't you going home yet?
He Jing remained silent.
He hadn't spoken to anyone in a long time, and he always looked sullen, as if someone had offended him.
He had no connections with anyone else, so it must have been Shan Lai who offended him.
Shanlai loved another person without any reservations, right in front of him.
It made him jealous.
He was filled with malice towards the person he had never met before.
But he just wouldn't leave.
Perhaps that person is already dead? That's what he thought.
Shanlai sold herself to save her father, and when he heard about it, he thought, "She's the one."
She is beautiful, intelligent, calm, composed in the face of danger, and also so kind and loyal.
Of course, we can't let her get away with it.
He was determined to marry her.
Even though she loved someone else deeply, and even though she had to go to that place for that person.
He just wouldn't let go.
If that person dies.
She will definitely need him.
So he didn't leave.
Although he didn't say anything, Shanlai already knew his attitude, and she couldn't help but try to persuade him.
She couldn't let him continue following her; it wouldn't be fair to him.
"You know what I'm going to do, right? Why aren't you leaving? Do you remember what I told you before? I said I met someone who treated me very well, and that he was the only one in my heart, and there would be no one else. I didn't lie to you. Now you know who he is. I'd be willing to die for him."
"Go back now."
Her words didn't make him back down, but they made him feel sad, his chest tightened, and his eyes and nose stung. So he turned his head and said in a harsh voice, "What do I need you to tell me what to do?"
He was so stubborn that Shanlai had no intention of wasting any more time on him.
The three of them still walked together.
However, Minghai fell ill as soon as he entered the pass and could not walk. The sores on his head were so severe that they were no longer just a problem on his scalp. Shanlai entrusted him to a local temple and sent a letter to Huguo Temple, asking them to send someone over.
After making arrangements for Minghai, Shanlai continued on his journey.
It's really cold.
Winters in Pingcheng are cold, but not as cold as in Xingdu. In Xingdu, however, she was warmly dressed and well-fed, and charcoal fires burned everywhere, so she didn't feel the cold much. Pingcheng was different. Because of poverty, the cold was acutely felt. Even with a quilt made of rabbit skins, she was still incredibly cold; her hands and feet were icy from morning till night, and the blankets never warmed up. It felt as if she weren't made of flesh and blood, but of porcelain—devoid of warmth. She had thought she would never suffer from the cold again, so the cold of Pingcheng was the extreme she could ever experience.
There's always something beyond the sky.
It's so cold. Recalling the past makes me laugh, and then I think of Lian Si.
How is Lian Si doing now?
It was so cold that she got sick; her health wasn't very good to begin with.
She had a severe case of fever and chills; her whole body was burning hot, and she fainted from the heat, lying there, talking incoherently.
He Jing said that she called for her mother in the middle of the night, crying and shouting. At that time, he really thought she was going to die. He stood there, very flustered, not knowing what to do.
But she did not die in the end.
He Jing wasn't very good at taking care of patients, but they were lucky to run into a caravan, which was very skilled at handling such matters.
This caravan was also heading to Wuyunwei. They were carrying cloth, tea, medicinal herbs, and some ironware to exchange for local products such as ginseng and furs, and they could even trade for gems with foreign merchants.
He Jing was skilled in martial arts and was willing to serve as a guard for the caravan. He didn't want money; he just wanted the leader to find a woman to take care of Shan Lai.
That's how Shanlai survived.
After recovering from her illness, she was very weak. Sitting in the car, her hair was disheveled, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, her long eyelashes were drooping, and her face looked pale and pitiful.
He Jing had originally intended to take her to Wuyunwei. He thought that if he didn't let her go and see it with her own eyes, she would never give up. She was a very loyal and affectionate person. But seeing her like this, he couldn't help but ask her, "Isn't it better to go back? What if you die on the way?"
She was just as silent as he was back then.
It got colder and colder, and the weather became increasingly strange. A bright sunny day would suddenly turn cloudy, the sky would become pitch black, and the dark clouds would almost press down on people's heads. A strong wind would rise, blowing up stones, not to mention dust, which would blind people. Horses would be startled, raising their necks and neighing loudly, and some would even throw off their cargo and run away. They couldn't be stopped or seen. Finally, the wind would stop, and then it would snow, with heavy snowflakes, some as big as eggs. I had never seen anything like it in my life.
Fortunately, they quickly found a sheltered spot and settled down for the time being.
As soon as they stopped, He Jing went to find Shan Lai. He recognized the carriage she was in, but when he opened it, there was no one inside.
Where did she go?
This situation was so alarming that it took him a while to regain his composure.
Shout, run.
Shanlai naturally heard this, and carrying the newly found hand warmer in his arms, he ran towards him while responding.
He grabbed her arm and questioned her about why she had run off.
She knew he meant well, but the gesture was too intimate for her to accept, so she frowned and turned her head, where she saw someone standing not far away.
It's strange, everyone else is moving, but he's standing still, so I can't help but take a second look at him.
It was this second glance that stunned her. She broke out in a cold sweat, which kept dripping down her body. She moved her lips but couldn't make a sound. She knew it herself and immediately burst into tears.
“…Lian, Lian Si…Lian Si…”
She ran towards him, running without regard for anything else. She tripped and fell, but immediately got up and continued running towards him, carrying with her the longing, grievances, and fear she had carried along the way. She ran towards him, threw herself into his arms, and hugged him tightly. They were both dressed in thick clothes, making the embrace feel unreal. Realizing this, she unconsciously tightened her grip on his arms even more, as if afraid that he would disappear at any moment.
There was no other sound in the world except her crying.
It really was her.
She actually came to find him.
It wasn't until he saw her with his own eyes that his heart finally started beating again, making him feel alive once more.
She hugged him and cried in his arms.
He should definitely hug her too, holding her tightly with even more strength than she did...
But he didn't.
He is no longer Young Master Liu.
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