Chapter 102: Was it always in Pingcheng?
It's so cold.
The snow didn't melt when it fell to the ground.
It's so cold.
Liu Min, however, went out early and returned late for several days in a row.
We're not going to the hay yard.
Shanlai couldn't help but ask him, "Is something the matter?"
There was nothing going on at the hay storage area. The military family of five never went out. When she went there that day, the whole family was there. The woman was doing needlework on the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed), and the man was sitting around the stove with the children, eating cabbage and tofu, chatting and laughing.
Why does he have to go out every day?
In just four days, my hands were covered in chilblains and swollen.
It really breaks my heart.
I applied snake oil to his wound several times a day, but it didn't help. I heard that badger oil was better, so I switched to badger oil, but it still didn't work.
I don't want him to go out.
"I have a lot of money, take some and give it to Shangguan... Don't go out, I want you to stay home with me..."
Liu Min, of course, didn't want to go out either. It was freezing cold outside, noisy, with an endless wind that felt like it carried knives, and those knives were dipped in salt; a single blow would hurt to the bone... Home was different; it was warm, quiet, and filled with a fragrant, lingering aroma...
It's not the smell of meat, nor the fragrance of flowers, fruits, herbs, or medicine. It's a fragrance that's hard to describe in words. It's so enchanting and tender that it makes your bones feel weak and your body go limp.
It's the scent of your lover.
Both of them were young and beautiful, and their hearts were overflowing with love, so it was inevitable that they would indulge in pleasure.
Whispering sweet nothings, indulging in unrestrained pleasure... wishing they could stay together forever.
Why would he want to go out?
I don't want to leave her, I don't want to leave the happiness she gives me.
But he really couldn't stay indoors; he was already a man.
"I don't want to see grass..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a louder voice:
"If you don't want to see the hay storage area, what do you want to do?"
The tone of voice was not good.
Of course it's bad; he's just asking for trouble!
"I see no future in the hay storage area, so I'm planning to..."
He was interrupted again: "I don't need you to be successful!"
If you still can't tell something's wrong, you're really stupid.
Why are you angry?
Shan Lai was filled with anger.
"You went outside and got yourself into this state, of course I'm angry!"
How could she not know him?
“I don’t need you to achieve great things. I just want you to stay safe and sound by my side. How long is a mortal’s life? Just a few decades. Even if you spend all of that time together day and night, it’s not enough. Yet you’re asking for trouble! Swords are merciless. I can’t bear the risk. If anything happens to you, I don’t want to live anymore! So why do you still want to go?”
"But……"
"What 'but'? But what!"
Liu Min felt that he couldn't let her words disturb his peace of mind.
“But I can’t go on like this forever. What will you do? Do you want me to live like this forever? I have to do right by you.”
"How could I?" He quickly grasped her hand, trying to comfort her. "Of course I want you to stay happy, but..."
After saying all that, you still won't change anything.
She would compromise on anything else, but on this one thing, she would never agree.
I don't believe we can't control him.
She shook off his hand, wiped away her tears, and went to the heated brick bed. She lay down with her back to him and didn't say another word.
He saw the tears on her face.
How could he let her cry?
He rushed up to her and hugged her tightly from behind, pleading in a weak, pitiful voice, "I'll do whatever you say, please stop crying. I'm yours, of course I'll do whatever you want, I don't want to go out... You don't know, every time I let go of you, I feel like I'm going to hell... Why aren't you saying anything? Please, talk to me." As he spoke, he pressed himself against her and gently swayed her body.
Young people are most susceptible to being teased, and this kind of contact alone caused changes in both of their bodies.
He's a man, which puts him at a disadvantage because he can't hide it.
This gave her leverage over him, which she then used to control him.
Despite what he said, and despite knowing he was definitely not lying to her, she was still angry with him and wanted to teach him a lesson.
She turned her neck slightly and glanced at him sideways, "Are you one of my people?"
He laughed and asked her in return, "If it's not yours, whose is it?"
She stirred, as if she wanted to get up. He quickly moved away a little, helped her up, and still held her close, but she pulled her hand away, looking unhappy.
"Since you're now mine, go and write a contract of indenture, just like I did back then."
Upon hearing this, he asked, "So how much are you planning to pay me for selling myself?"
"You won't write it if I don't pay you?"
"I'll still write, but I'll write it at the top..." He whispered something in her ear, and then saw her face turn bright red, more beautiful than peach blossoms.
"You've really gone astray."
She said in a low voice.
So, will you agree or not?
She nudged him. "If it's really like you say, even if you wrote it, it's useless for me to have it. I can't let anyone see it, so you can simply deny it."
"Am I that kind of person? If I write it down, I'll definitely admit it. But what about you? Will you admit it or not? Hurry up and tell me, why aren't you saying anything?" He shook her, urging her on.
"Why wouldn't you admit it..." Her face turned even redder. "I've always listened to you, haven't I always been the one to do whatever you wanted..."
"Who said that? Yesterday I wanted to do that, but you wouldn't listen to me and refused no matter what."
"Oh dear!" She quickly covered her face. "You're not allowed to say that anymore, you bad thing! I don't want you to write anymore! I'm ignoring you."
"You really won't talk to me? What are you going to do then?" He placed his hand over her. "Are you really going to ignore me?"
Overwhelmed with emotion, she suddenly cupped his face in her hands, panting and sweating, and asked him, "Leaving me is like going to hell, so what is it now?"
"Yes... the land of ultimate bliss in old age."
It is intoxicating and soul-stirring; it is indeed the ultimate bliss.
But he kept frowning after it was over.
"Why are you unhappy?"
This has never happened before.
“It’s nothing…” He gently stroked her arm, but finally said, “I don’t know how to tell Lord Gao… He wasn’t willing at first, but I said I wanted to write a letter to the Governor, and that’s when he agreed. Now I’m going back on my word…”
Shanlai didn't find this difficult at all.
"He didn't want to get involved in this trouble with you in the first place. Your refusal is exactly what he wanted; he's overjoyed."
These words did not reassure Liu Min, mainly because he felt ashamed that he had started something but not finished it, making it seem as if he had intentionally tormented people.
Shanlai wasn't unaware of the possibility, but she simply didn't want him to go out and suffer, nor did she want him to get hurt in any way.
Feeling guilty won't cost him anything, and he won't feel guilty for long anyway; she'll make him happy.
Hold him close, press your face against his chest, listen to his heartbeat, and say, "I'm so tired, I want to sleep. Hold me, and don't think about anything else, just think about me."
"Mmm." He smiled and agreed, hugged her tightly, and closed his eyes.
The snow stopped, but it got even colder. I excitedly said I was going to go into the woods to see the snow, but after walking a dozen steps, I was so cold that I ran back.
"I'm not going! I'm never going again! It's killing me!"
Of course, it's up to her to decide.
They closed the door and didn't go out, so the two of them just went about their business recklessly.
The fire outside was always burning, and there was always something boiling in the pot—sometimes it was boiled tofu, sometimes it was sweet porridge, and sometimes it was meat broth…
Shanlai never got off the heated kang (a traditional heated brick bed), and Liu Min served her everything. That day, after finishing her sweet porridge, she suddenly said, "Sometimes it really feels like a dream. Although it's cruel to you, I truly feel happy. The two of us, doing whatever we want, we'll have children, just like Uncle Lin's family—husband, wife, children, a family together, laughing and talking… It's too cold here, and Pingcheng isn't good enough either, there's too much rain… Once things are over here, we'll go south, find a nice place we like, work, have children… Okay? I'll do a lot, I'll definitely take good care of you, and our home…"
He lowered his head and kissed her, saying yes.
What she said was exactly what he wanted. He had already repaid his debt of gratitude. He was willing to do anything, whether as a farmer or a merchant, as long as she could feel happy.
The snow stopped for only three days before it started falling again, and it seemed to be even heavier than before.
We still have enough supplies, but the snow is so heavy that we don't know when it will stop or what kind of fields it will reach.
Shanlai felt that it was better to take precautions, so he discussed it with Liu Min. Liu Min also agreed, so the two of them wrapped themselves in their clothes and went out to the hay yard to catch a horse-drawn cart and go into the city to buy things.
Fate plays tricks on people.
The road was difficult to travel, and the two of them suffered quite a bit. However, after entering the city, a gust of wind blew by, the snow suddenly stopped, and there was even a bright sun.
That's really unlucky.
But the two of them were really happy together, so I wasn't disappointed at all, I just found it funny.
On the way back, we hugged each other, chattering about the snow. We said this place was beautiful, with jade trees and branches, while that place was not good, just a vast expanse of white, too desolate. But then a wild goose suddenly flew by, and everything became beautiful again.
After getting off the bus, Shanlai wanted to help Liu Min move things, but Liu Min wouldn't let her do it and told her to go inside and boil water for him.
Shanlai thought he was thirsty, so he hurriedly went in to boil water. When it was ready, he ladled out half a bowl and rushed to bring it to him outside the door. Before he even got there, he called out, "Come and drink some water!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Min quickly went up to receive it, and the people around him also looked over.
There were three strangers, all of them tall, strong, and imposing.
Shanlai stopped in her tracks. Liu Min took the bowl, poured out the water, and shoved it back into her hands. Then he pushed her towards the door, saying, "Go back quickly, don't come out yet."
Shanlai remained relatively calm, grabbed his wrist, and asked in a low voice, "Who is it?"
"It's Governor Gu, who was passing by and took the opportunity to visit Xueqing."
Governor Gu was a relative of the young master, and it was through him that the young master entrusted Liu Min with his care.
Shanlai was relieved, nodded, and without saying anything more, quickly went back into the house.
Liu Min returned to the door and apologized to the governor, saying, "My wife was unaware of our arrival and was therefore impolite. Please forgive her, Your Excellency."
The Governor-General of Guandong, Grand Tutor and Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, Duke Jingguo, Gu Xun, smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, "So my nephew has gotten married. I didn't know that. If I had known, I wouldn't have come empty-handed... May I ask how old your bride is this year and where she is from?"
These words were somewhat offensive, but since he was his benefactor, Liu Min couldn't say anything.
“She is from Pingcheng, a year younger than me. My grandmother arranged our marriage when she was still alive.”
Gu Xun smiled and asked again, "Have you been in Pingcheng the whole time? Or..."
"Why do you say that, my lord?"
Gu Xun smiled and shook his head, then remained silent.
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