Chapter 98 Parting (Part 3) I thought about making you my son-in-law...
The little incident of mistaken identity made both of them a little embarrassed. Li Yunru smiled and continued walking forward with the flower in her hair.
Songji paid the bill and silently followed, just like many years ago.
He was always like this. No matter when, wherever the two of them appeared, he would always silently follow behind her, like an old shadow.
She had grown accustomed to this old shadow, but then she thought, perhaps it shouldn't be like this.
After passing through the bustling streets, we arrived at the East Ferry. It was the spring season, and the river level was high. As far as the eye could see, there was a misty expanse of willows and boats, some tall warships and others small boats, moored at an angle.
An old man wearing a straw raincoat stood at the ferry landing, soliciting customers with a heavy Jiangnan accent.
A woman, anxious to visit her relatives, pulled a child along and haggled with him. After some pushing and shoving and chatting, the two boarded the boat. The small boat was full of people, and the old man happily sang a cheerful little tune as he left, disappearing from their sight.
The scene was peaceful and harmonious, as if it were a completely different world from the outside.
"How wonderful!" Li Yunru exclaimed. Song Ji, looking in the direction of her gaze, continued, "Jiangzuo is indeed doing well under the leadership of the Governor, showing a thriving and prosperous state."
Many migrants from both the south and the north flocked here and eventually settled down.
"And what about you?"
Li Yunru looked at him and asked, "Have you ever thought about finding a place and someone to settle down?"
Song Ji paused for a moment, then smiled and said casually, "I've looked. Jiangzuo is my root."
He cracked jokes, but Li Yunru didn't joke with him. She ordered two jugs of wine, poured herself a bowl, drank it down, and looked up at him with a serious expression.
"Songji, some obsessions will never lead to anything. When it's time to let go, let go. Only then will you be able to live a good life."
In fact, Li Yunru was not entirely unaware of his thoughts.
On the day he was to leave, she did the same thing as now, bringing two jars of wine to drink with him and begging him to stay.
She's used to it.
She couldn't bear to see him leave.
But he didn't respond. His eyes, tinged with the smell of alcohol, kept staring at her, making her blush and her heart race. For the first time, she felt a sense of panic.
She was young then and had never thought about it, unsure if this was what liking someone or being attracted to them was.
But she knew she didn't dislike it.
At that moment, she thought that if he kissed her, she wouldn't refuse.
If that would allow her to keep people, she could.
Then she will go and tell her father that she wants him to be her son-in-law!
He treated her very well, and she was willing to let him be her husband. She thought she would always be happy.
But there was nothing there; he just stared at her, then looked away.
He coaxed her to sleep, then left without a word.
When she woke up again, the person had already disappeared from her palace.
"Actually, that day, I thought, if you were bolder and really came closer, I would go to my father and ask him to make you my son-in-law."
Song Ji listened, his eyes brightened for a moment, then dimmed again. He gave a bitter smile and said, "I'm too timid."
But if he had the chance to do it all over again, he would still make the same choice.
Because he knew very well that the princess did not have the same feelings for him as he did for her; she was simply used to his presence and his kindness towards her.
She's young and naive, unable to distinguish between liking and habit. She might misunderstand, thinking it's fine as it is, as long as she stays. But one day, once she understands matters of love between men and women, she will definitely regret it.
He could accept it without having had her, watching her walk towards a handsome young man, their love deep and their marriage harmonious. But once that situation changed, and he truly had her, even if only for a moment, as fleeting as smoke, he would still have designs on her.
That's just how people are; they're never satisfied. Once they get something, they want more and more. He can't bear to let go, and she'll be trapped in her own obsession. The two of them are nothing more than a resentful couple.
His princess was so bright and beautiful, how could he have become like that because of his own selfish desires?
He won't allow it!
Songji said, "I have thought about killing Yan Sanlang."
Li Yunru took it as a joke and didn't take it seriously. She took a swig of her wine and asked with a smile, "Then why don't you make a move?"
Song Ji said, "The first time was because I knew that the princess had feelings for him and couldn't bear to part with him. The second time was because I knew that he truly cared for the princess."
He wasn't joking; he had genuinely considered it.
When I returned to the temple in the mountains, I saw Li Yunru. She was so thin that she looked like a ghost, and her eyes were filled with unbearable sorrow. She used to love to laugh and be lively, and the talkative person had become someone who could only cry. She was like a snail, keeping herself in that thick shell, unwilling to come out no matter what.
At that time, he had considered killing Yan San.
He was all alone, without any relatives or friends, and he wasn't afraid of being implicated. He was concerned about the consequences of killing a noble family's eldest son, but he knew that she had someone in her heart.
She pretends not to care, but in her dreams she calls his name.
Only when he heard something related to him would his sorrowful eyes light up.
She would cry because of him, but she would also have more emotions because of him.
She has grown up.
I have already tasted the flavor of love.
So he didn't do that.
The second time was after learning of her "death," when he rushed back to Jiankang without hesitation.
He wanted to kill him back then.
He wanted someone to be buried with her!
He clearly promised to take good care of people, but he turned out like this. He deserves to die!
However, he stood there blankly, staring at the blooming peonies outside, always clutching his chest.
There is a wound there, left by her.
He remembers nothing, but subconsciously everything she left behind still exists.
"Yan San is a true gentleman and a very good husband. A princess like her is a perfect match for a handsome and refined man like Yan San."
"And what about you?"
People who have been together since childhood.
In her heart, Song Ji was no worse than Yan San; if anything, he was inferior in terms of family background.
This family's social standing is an insurmountable obstacle.
But she didn't care; she cared more about that person.
Young people are naive about matters of the heart, but that has never changed.
In her heart, Ren and Yan San, Shu Yun, and her elder sister were all equally important. She hoped that he could let go of his youthful ignorance and start a new life.
Otherwise, she could continue to pretend to be confused and accept his kindness and companionship.
What does it matter?
For her, it was just another person loving her; there was no loss at all.
"Songji, sir."
She looked at him intently and said seriously, "I'm not as good as you think, and neither is Yan San. We have our flaws too. We are just ordinary people in this mundane world, no different from you or anyone else. Forget that shadow in your heart, let go of the past, and stop clinging to it."
A sudden gust of wind arose, and the tavern fell silent.
After a long while, Songji spoke up: "Why doesn't the princess pretend she doesn't know?"
As long as she doesn't understand, he can continue to follow her around in any capacity, just like he does now.
But he also knew that, given the princess's personality, how could she possibly pretend not to know?
Princess Liyang has always been open and honest in everything she does.
The man took a sip of wine and said, "I will keep your words to heart, Princess."
"Um."
The two clinked glasses, smiled, and drank.
...
After chatting with Song Ji, Li Yunru stayed at the tavern for a while longer. Seeing that it was about to rain, she finally went back.
As soon as the person stepped into the official residence, the rain began to fall in a pattering sound, instantly turning the entire world into a rainy color.
Song Ji said, "It's fortunate that the princess is here, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to come back."
"certainly."
Li Yunru was particularly proud of this. Although she had no interest in poetry, books and classics when she was young, and even left her homework to Songji to do, she was interested in the Imperial Observatory.
This is much more useful than those intimidating and supernatural things in temples.
It's fascinating that you can tell the time of day just by looking at the stars in the sky, observing the clouds on the horizon, and watching the insects and ants on the ground.
Empress Zhenyuan and Emperor Xuan did not try to stop her from this interest. When they first learned of her interest, they held her in their arms and laughed heartily, saying, "This is my daughter!"
The Li family was originally a family that valued both farming and scholarship. By the time of her mother's generation, they were, needless to say, a farming family that toiled in the fields for a living.
For these farming families, land is the most important thing.
They depend on the weather for their livelihood.
Li Yunru was fond of this art, and it was a perfect match for her interests. They were extremely happy and even specially arranged for someone from the Imperial Observatory to teach her.
So, while Li Yunru may not have been able to learn anything else over the years, she has certainly done considerable research on this point.
When she traveled with Du San Niang for business, she also took advantage of this opportunity to help a lot.
At first, some people in the team were not convinced by her. They thought she was a burden, a waste of money and effort to support, and completely useless. Some even gave bad advice, saying that she was good-looking and had good teeth, and that if she were sold, they would definitely make a fortune.
The good intentions and malice of those at the bottom are so clearly and bluntly expressed that they are useless and destined to be abandoned.
She looked at the sky and said, "This rain probably won't stop anytime soon. Have someone pass down the order that all trade at the river mouth be suspended today. Also, take a closer look at the riverbanks and dikes. I remember you mentioned earlier that you could take people to check out the area about ten miles to the east. It's in the middle reaches of the river and seems insignificant, often overlooked, but with this heavy rain, if flood prevention isn't done properly, the consequences of a collapse would be unimaginable."
As Li Yunru spoke, she remembered the mine again and said, "Tell the families in the vicinity to evacuate, just to..."
After a moment's thought, he made a decisive decision to move the houses on West Street No. 3 that had been vacant for a long time and were awaiting reconstruction.
Swift, decisive, and thoughtful...
Songji looked at her.
It turns out that during the three years he was away, his princess had changed a lot. She was no longer the same as before, who only thought about eating, drinking, and having fun.
She remembered everything he said, even if it was just a brief mention.
The rain was getting heavier and heavier.
Seeing that he was still in a daze, Li Yunru frowned slightly and said in a rather stern tone, "What are you still standing there for? Hurry up and go!"
This is no joke.
The southern region is prone to floods, especially during the spring floods. The area south of the Yangtze River is the lifeblood of the region, and if something goes wrong, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"Um."
Songji instructed the servants to take care of the person and then made the arrangements.
Actually, he wasn't too worried about this. Under Yan Changjun's leadership, these were the most important things in recent years. Flood prevention was carried out every year. Although some incidents had occurred, the overall situation was not serious.
He thought this way, and many others thought the same way, so they neglected to carry out their instructions and failed to communicate them in a timely manner.
A day later, soldiers from the mine rushed in to report that a serious collapse had occurred, burying all the houses below the mountain...
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