Chapter 14.14 What He Really Wanted
Even though he's grown up, he still occasionally acts like he did when they were little, telling her to rest less, eat more, and... to get married later.
Everyone advised her to consider marriage soon, but he did the opposite. Because of his unusual request, the "life's most important matter" weighing on Yuezhi's heart suddenly became less heavy.
She smiled gently and raised her hand to lightly rub the top of his head.
She replied jokingly, "The best man in the world is hard to find. If you really want me to marry him, you'd better have a bright future. Otherwise, why would he marry me?"
"I will definitely keep my promise to you."
The boy spoke earnestly, and Yuezhi nodded with a smile, but she didn't take this overly beautiful promise to heart.
In any case, she hasn't met a good man yet, so it's not difficult for her to get married later.
Little did she know that after she nodded in agreement, Pei Heng spent the entire night thinking about his future.
On a quiet summer night, bright moonlight streamed into the east wing. The boy sat by the window, glancing at the bookshelves that had been constantly expanded over the years and were now overflowing with books, and at the wooden sword that had been hanging on the wall for a long time and had gathered dust.
A crown prince needs to be benevolent, kind, knowledgeable, and courteous in order to be loved by the people, receive the support of officials, and inherit the throne in a smooth transition.
A sinner who can never be redeemed must be well-versed in the law and be meek and unassuming in order to find a little peace in the cracks.
But those were the thoughts of his father and mother, the best expectations Yuezhi had for him, not what he truly wanted.
What he wants is...
The same moonlight shone on Yuezhi's windowsill at this moment. Since they started sleeping in separate beds, Pei Heng had come to understand the difference between men and women and had never entered her room at night again.
He could only vaguely imagine her sleeping face in the moonlight, a face that must be rosy and chubby.
He is still terrified. If he hadn't arrived in time, Yuezhi might have lost her life. Now that her eyes are injured, it's his fault for letting his guard down. He had lived a peaceful life under Yuezhi's protection for too long and forgot that the North was a chaotic place of exile.
He wanted her to no longer suffer, to be free from worries, and to give her the best of everything in the world, whether it be gold and silver treasures, beautiful flowers, or a perfect husband...
To achieve these goals, simply studying and becoming a minor official is not enough.
The boy's expression gradually hardened, his hesitant gaze landing on the worn wooden sword, before he finally made up his mind.
*
Early in the morning, Yuezhi woke up, got up, and took the bedding to the yard to air it out.
She heard familiar sounds of busy activity coming from the kitchen. She casually watered the vegetables in the garden, swept up the fallen leaves that had blown in from the yard, and went into the kitchen. She thought she had entered the back kitchen of a restaurant.
Scallion-flavored steamed buns, braised pork belly with preserved mustard greens, glutinous rice ribs... The boy stood by the stove, where cured pork that had been dried in the winter last year was being stir-fried in thin, translucent slices with wild mushrooms. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of oil.
Yuezhi asked in confusion, "Are we having guests coming over today? Why are we cooking so many dishes?"
Upon hearing her voice, Pei Heng turned around and gestured for her to step back so that the smell of cooking oil wouldn't irritate her eyes.
"I'm going on a long trip, which could last three to five days or up to ten days. I've prepared this food for you. You can cook a small meal, pick some greens, steam them, and eat them without having to use a knife, which will save you a lot of trouble."
"You're going on a long trip?" Yuezhi asked, a little flustered. "Where are you going? When did you decide to go? Why didn't you tell me?"
Pei Heng has always been well-behaved. In the past, when Yue Zhi tried to tell him where she hid her money, he refused to listen. Apart from reading and practicing martial arts every day, he never seemed to have any contact with outsiders. Why is he suddenly going on a long trip?
The boy served the vegetables, then used the oil in the pot to stir-fry the shredded meat until it was separated, and added the chopped water bamboo shoots to simmer.
He fanned himself to remove the smell of cooking oil, walked out of the kitchen, and said in a normal tone, "I want to go to Yanjing City to take a look. There must be a lot of people taking the civil service exam this year. I want to familiarize myself with the environment so that I won't look scared during the interview."
Hearing the answer, Yuezhi breathed a sigh of relief, as long as it wasn't a dangerous place.
She raised her hand to smooth his sideburns and murmured, "You're still young. Yanjing is a mixed bag of people, so it's better to have someone with you when you travel. I'm not busy these days, so why don't I go with you?"
Pei Heng shook his head. "I'm not young anymore."
In this desolate border region, a fifteen-year-old was already capable of supporting a family. When he was teaching in Yuxi Village, matchmakers were already trying to arrange marriages for him.
Only Yuezhi, who watched him grow up and always remembered how he was when he was little, would continue to treat him like a child.
Seeing his resolute attitude, Yuezhi did not insist any further.
After eating breakfast quietly, she went into the inner room and came back to slip several silver ingots into his hand.
"Take more silver with you when you go out." He said, handing him a money bag full of loose silver. "I should have made you a weapon for self-defense a long time ago, but it's too late to do it now. When you get to Yanjing, remember to go to the blacksmith's shop and buy a suitable weapon so that you don't get targeted by bandits and thieves and lose your life."
Pei Heng felt a pang of sadness as he accepted the silver she offered.
“You only think about my safety outside, but you don’t worry about whether you’re safe at home.”
“I know everyone in the village. Even if another man with ill intentions tries to provoke me, my neighbors will help me. I’m not afraid.”
Yuezhi sighed softly, looking at the increasingly tall and handsome young man. Even after all these years in the countryside, he didn't resemble the villagers at all; he looked more and more like his father...
She had never seen the emperor's face, but she knew that those who held high positions and were not confined to one place were born with the ambition to spread their wings, and had the aura and ability to make people submit and look up to them. The gap between them and ordinary people like her would only grow wider and wider.
How could a small courtyard possibly contain him?
His trip to Yanjing revealed a completely different world, and his return brought a completely different state of mind.
“I know you are knowledgeable and know how to act, but no matter what you do, you must protect yourself first. Don’t get hurt, and don’t skimp on food and drink to save money. The family has plenty of money, so feel free to spend it.”
Yuezhi had no parents, but she still remembered the caring words of her godmother and sworn brother when they parted. Now it was her turn to be an elder and see Pei Heng off on his journey.
She took out a gold lock from her bosom, braided a red string with silk thread, and put it on his head.
"This was the year I left Beijing, the one you gave me. I haven't been able to bear wearing it all these years, but now I'll let it accompany you and keep you safe while you're away."
The farewell gift he thought he would never see again as a child was now worn back around his neck.
He had received countless congratulatory gifts since birth, and now he could no longer remember which official or royal relative made this small gold lock.
At this moment, he could clearly see that it was the pair of slender, soft hands in front of him that had put the hair on for him. Her clear eyes were full of concern and expectation for him, and her eyes were glistening with tears, as if she was about to cry at any moment.
He tucked the gold lock into the innermost layer of his clothes, lowered his head and rested his fluffy head on her shoulder, gently comforting her, "It's not like I'm not coming back."
"I've promised you that I'll be successful, give you a good life, and marry into a great family. Don't worry, I'll take good care of myself until I fulfill my promise."
It's as if she's after his promises.
Yuezhi smiled through her tears, hugged his back and patted him gently, "It's good that you can listen to me. Get up quickly, I'll go pack your luggage."
The sun is high in the sky, and there are no clouds in the sky. It is the hottest time of the year, and you can't see a single person in the fields under the blazing sun.
Yuezhi stood under a tree at the village entrance, watching the blue figure carrying a bundle walk away into the distance. She saw him turn back several times to wave in her direction, urging her to go home soon, but she couldn't move her feet.
The person who was once so far away from her, with whom she spent six years day and night, is now about to leave her again.
Someone as intelligent as him could easily establish himself in Yanjing City if he seized the opportunity.
But she was just an embroiderer and couldn't help him much.
Yuezhi was depressed for several days. She couldn't tell the Wang siblings about her worries and anxieties, so she could only keep them to herself. It wasn't until the He family's car picked her up and took her to the city, and she met Miss He, that she finally had a chance to vent.
Master He was a wealthy merchant. His house was not large, but it was decorated like a poem or a painting. Miss He's boudoir was even more exquisite and elegant. The incense burning in the incense burner even had a hint of the scent of agarwood from the Eastern Palace.
“What man doesn’t go out and make his way in the world? You’re the same. Over the years, you’ve been both an older sister and a mother. He’s your only family member, so it’s no wonder you worry about him.”
He Zhiyan was a well-bred young lady raised in seclusion. She was two years younger than Yuezhi, but she was more composed and dignified in her speech and actions.
Yuezhi sat in front of her, dressed simply, but her appearance and demeanor were not like that of an embroiderer; she seemed more like a young lady who had come to visit.
“I only know how to embroider and make clothes. Even when I’m in my thirties or fifties, that’s all I know. But he knows everything and can do everything. He’ll be promoted sooner or later, and who knows where he’ll go to get a high position. I’ll be the only one left at home.”
The maidservant brewed tea and poured it for the two of them. Yuezhi thanked her and took a couple of sips to moisten her throat.
"Isn't it a good thing that he's capable? Once he's established himself in the city, we can bring you over."
“How can that be? He still has to get married.” Yuezhi lowered her head. “Don’t laugh at me, but before our family fell apart, they arranged a fiancée for him. That girl has a terrible temper. Even at such a young age, she wanted to monopolize Aheng and wished she could kick me out of the house.”
He Zhiyan shook her head, "Your parents must be confused to arrange such a fiancée for their own child."
Yuezhi sighed, "Although the engagement fell through, I still feel that no matter how close the relationship is, it's not right to be caught in the middle between a married couple. Even if it's Aheng's house, I'd still be living under someone else's roof if I stayed there..."
"Why don't you buy a house and live there yourself?"
The maid casually mentioned it, and He Zhiyan readily agreed.
“You’re worried about being too far away from him and having no one to look after you, and you’re also concerned about feeling uncomfortable living in his house. Why don’t you just buy a house in Yanjing City and live there by yourself? That way, it will be easier to visit your brother, and you can come and talk to me when you’re free.”
After thinking it over carefully, Yuezhi felt that the idea was quite good, and immediately inquired about the prices of private residences in Yanjing City from He Zhiyan.
“A house like mine would cost over a thousand taels. If you live alone, a small house with one entrance and one exit would be enough. You can buy a very nice one for two hundred taels.”
Even after saving money for so many years, Yuezhi could still come up with two hundred taels.
"Miss He, could you please keep an eye out for houses for sale in the city? When I come back next time, I'll bring you a pomegranate-colored skirt that I embroidered myself."
“Okay,” He Zhiyan happily agreed.
Yuezhi returned to Wangshan Village, embroidering a pomegranate skirt while pondering what to do with their belongings if she and Pei Heng moved to Yanjing City.
With something on my mind, ten days passed quickly.
The clatter of hooves came from outside the wall, and the horse came to a steady stop in front of the house.
Yuezhi put down her embroidery basket and ran out. Through the crack in the door, she saw a familiar blue hem. She couldn't wait to open the door and saw Pei Heng returning safely. She smiled knowingly.
He was riding a horse, with a girl of similar age in front of him.
The girl's clothes were tattered, her face was injured, and she leaned against Pei Heng, sobbing. Her thin face seemed familiar...
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