Chapter 87 Encountering a Heavy Rain
Several miles from Xiaoyang Village, the carriage moved slowly along the official road, but the sky suddenly changed color. The once azure sky was now filled with large, dark clouds, layer upon layer, rapidly obscuring the sunlight like splashed ink. A cool breeze carrying the earthy scent swept through, swirling up the roadside grass. Then, thousands upon thousands of raindrops drifted down from the gray clouds, beginning slowly, in fine, continuous strands, like a hazy veil hanging between heaven and earth.
However, the gentle drizzle suddenly changed its expression. The thin curtain of rain in the sky transformed into a white mist, which quickly spread between heaven and earth, enveloping the distant mountains and nearby trees in this white haze.
As Li Yue was rushing to catch his train, he noticed the rain intensifying. The raindrops pelted his face and clothes, soaking him instantly. He quickly gave Bai Yu, who was sitting on the other side of the carriage, a wink and gestured towards the carriage with his chin slightly raised.
The carriage needs to move faster, but if it moves too fast, it will inevitably be bumpy on the muddy road. This is why Bai Yu went in ahead of time to tell Jiu Ya and Rong Jiang so that they could be mentally prepared and hold on tight.
Bai Yu understood immediately and nimbly turned around, lifted the heavy curtain of the carriage, and slipped inside to avoid letting in too much wind and rain. She reported to Jiu Ya, who was leaning against the soft pillows, "Miss, the rain is getting heavier and heavier. Judging from the gloomy sky and the rain, it's very likely to pour down. Li Yue said we need to hurry, so we have to find a safe place to take shelter as soon as possible." A few strands of her hair were already wet from the rain and clung to her cheeks.
“Okay.” Jiu Ya sat up straight, nodded in reply, and looked at the gap in the car window curtain that was being blown slightly by the wind. Outside, the air was already misty.
Now, the idea of finding a place to rest anywhere outside could be completely abandoned. A downpour was imminent, and they needed to find a sturdy roof to take shelter. What if these two precious horses got sick from the rain? In this desolate place, who could treat them? She or Rong Jiang couldn't very well use their spiritual power to dry and heal the horses, could they? That would be too conspicuous.
Sure enough, a shout came from outside the carriage, along with the light crack of a whip. The two nimble horses were instantly roused by the gentle tug of the whip. The carriage accelerated sharply, and the carriage inevitably swayed and rocked.
The carriage sped along the ground, while the rain in the sky showed no signs of abating, instead intensifying. Large raindrops pounded against the carriage roof, making a dense and loud "thump-thump" sound.
Finally, just before they were completely soaked, the carriage arrived at the entrance of the nearest village, Xiaoyang, before the real downpour fully intensified.
At this moment, the village was shrouded in a white curtain of rain and mist, appearing blurry and quiet. Most villagers were huddled at home, boiling water, drinking scalding ginger soup, and watching the rain pouring down like a waterfall outside their windows, exclaiming to their families how heavy and urgent the rain was! They hoped it would stop soon so as not to flood the crops in the fields.
Li Yue stopped the carriage under a large, leafy locust tree at the village entrance, catching his breath for a moment. He wiped the rain off his face and said to the people in the carriage, "Miss, I'll go into the village and ask which family would be so kind as to let us take shelter from the rain."
"I'll go ask around and see if anyone can help me." With that, he jumped off the carriage, ready to brave the rain.
Bai Yu quickly pulled out an oil-paper umbrella. "Use this umbrella so you don't get wet," she said with concern.
"It's alright." Li Yue, whose hair was completely soaked, casually shook off the water droplets. However, he still took the umbrella, opened it with a "snap," and the oily yellow canopy at least covered him. "I'll be right back." As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yue opened the umbrella and walked away on the increasingly muddy village path. From the village entrance, he selected several relatively spacious and sturdy-looking brick and tile houses, preparing to knock on the doors one by one to inquire.
Jiu Ya heard the heavy sound of raindrops hitting the carriage roof from inside, and knew how heavy the rain was. She slightly lifted a corner of the curtain on the side of the carriage to see what was happening outside, but was immediately drenched in water by the rain swept in by the wind. She calmly wiped the water droplets from her face and then called out, "Bai Yu, come in quickly!"
Not only is it pouring rain, but there's also a strong wind blowing, so strong that the carriage canopy is flapping loudly. With such a storm, Bai Yu sitting outside is bound to get completely soaked.
Seeing Jiu Ya calling urgently, Bai Yu quickly responded, lifted the curtain a little more, and nimbly slipped inside. "Miss, what are your orders?" she asked, the hem of her pale yellow skirt already soaked through, the color stained darker.
Of course, she still held the reins, because they were specially made long so that she could slightly control the horse from inside the carriage and keep it quiet under the tree.
"I'm fine, I just wanted you to come in and sit down." Jiu Ya was wiping her wet hair and cheeks with a soft cotton handkerchief. "It's raining too hard outside, and it's uncomfortable to sit here."
Rong Jiang, sitting to the side, remained elegant. She noticed that Bai Yu's pale yellow dress was mostly soaked by the rain and clung to her body. The stray hairs on her forehead were also wet and stuck tightly to her smooth forehead and face, making her look somewhat disheveled.
Rong Jiang took out a clean, plain-colored handkerchief from her sleeve and handed it over. She then took a moon-white coat with delicate orchid patterns that she had prepared and helped Bai Yu put it on. "Wipe yourself off. You're all wet. Be careful not to catch a cold."
"Thank you, Miss Rong." Bai Yu was flattered and hurriedly thanked her, taking the handkerchief to wipe the water from her face. Her outer garment still carried Rong Jiang's unique cool and sweet fragrance.
Rong Jiang smiled faintly, "No need for thanks. It was just a small favor."
Jiuya, who had just finished drying her hair, stared wide-eyed at the scene before her. A little voice inside her cried, biting her handkerchief, "Waaah, my daughter is so gentle! So gentle to everyone! Why wasn't I the one who got the coat draped over my head!"
Jiu Ya's slender fingers touched the cool purple clay teapot on the small table. A glint of light flashed from her fingertips, and the tea inside instantly steamed and bubbled, becoming piping hot. She then took out a teacup, poured more than half a cup of hot tea, and handed it to Bai Yu. "It's raining really hard today. Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up and drive away the chill."
"Thank you, Miss!" Bai Yu excitedly accepted the cup, the warmth spreading from her palm to her heart. Oh my, His Majesty personally poured me hot tea! What a wonderful day!
The one who truly reached the pinnacle of life was Ms. Bai Yu. Who else in the world could receive such treatment? The Underworld Emperor personally draped her robes, and the Demon Lord personally brewed her tea. This was something she could boast about… no, something she would remember for a lifetime.
"Judging from this downpour, it looks like it won't stop anytime soon," Rong Jiang said slowly. She looked out the car window at the endless rain. Summer was approaching, and thunderstorms always came so suddenly and thoroughly.
Jiuya sighed and tossed the handkerchief she was using to dry her hair aside. "Then we'll just have to wait until tomorrow to set off again. We only have these two horses. If they get sick along the way and we don't reach a town where we can buy horses, our carriage will probably be ruined."
Rong Jiang nodded in agreement. She didn't care about the speed of the trip; she would just let things take their natural course.
After drinking a cup of hot tea, Bai Yu felt much warmer and said she needed to go out and watch the horses. Although her master had been considerate of his subordinates and allowed her to sit inside, there were still two horses outside. The weather was bad, with thunder and lightning, and horses were easily startled and agitated. Bai Yu felt she needed to keep an eye on them; what if something startled them?
Jiu Ya thought, "Is this even a big deal? How could their divine senses not know the horse's condition through a carriage curtain?" But seeing Bai Yu's serious and responsible look, she waved her hand and said, "Go on, go on, put on that coat, don't get wet again." She pointed to the coat that Rong Jiang had draped over her shoulders.
Bai Yu smiled gratefully, wrapped her coat tighter, and carefully lifted the curtain to go out.
Meanwhile, Li Yue went to knock on the doors of the several households he had selected, one by one.
On a rainy day, everyone kept their doors and windows closed. Suddenly, they heard a slow, deliberate knocking at the door. Some of the more wary people peeked through the crack in their doors, but when they saw a cold-looking stranger, they didn't dare open them. Li Yue wasn't annoyed. He knocked for a while, but no one answered, so he turned and went to the next house.
Finally, on the third knock, the door creaked open a crack. A man in his early thirties, wearing an old straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, peeked out. His complexion was dark, and he possessed the simple honesty typical of a farmer. Seeing Li Yue soaked to the bone, yet still standing upright despite his disheveled appearance, he almost burst out laughing. However, being a stranger, not someone he knew, he suppressed his laughter and asked in a slightly accented tone, "Young man, you look unfamiliar. Is there anything I can help you with?"
Following proper etiquette, Li Yue clasped his hands in a respectful bow, trying to make his tone as gentle as possible. "I apologize for disturbing you. It's like this: My young lady came from Changshao and was passing through your esteemed place when a sudden downpour made the roads difficult to travel. We couldn't continue our journey, so we wished to trouble you for a moment at your home to rest, avoid the rain, and also feed the horses some fodder. We'll leave once the rain stops."
Seeing the man in the raincoat hesitate and scrutinize Li Yue, Li Yue quickly added, "The rain is really too heavy, and it looks like it's getting heavier now. I'm afraid it won't stop for a long time, so we can't continue our journey. Please do us a favor, brother. We will pay the lodging fee according to the rules, and we will not bother you for nothing." As he spoke, he took out a small piece of silver from his soaked pocket, weighing about two qian.
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