Chapter 61 61 Meeting an Old Friend in a Foreign Land
In the snow-covered courtyard, the guards settled the horses and squeezed into the east wing with two subordinates to avoid the snow.
Su Jingyun first brought a charcoal brazier and a pot of hot water to the east wing, then carried another pot of hot water into the main room, saying warmly, "Please wait a moment, I will make you some tea."
Pei Yao and Liang Zhang had only met Su Jingyun once or twice, and their impression of him was still that of a cautious and careful physician.
It had been more than a year and a half since they last met. Su Jingyun had gotten quite tanned, his complexion had become much healthier, and he looked more energetic. He warmly welcomed the guests like an ordinary head of household, without even bothering to find out who the two were.
Su Jingyun, being of lower status, rarely had the opportunity to look up and see the face of an important person. Now that they were in the same room, he didn't react.
Yuezhi, who was holding the child beside him, echoed him, "My eldest brother is very good at brewing tea. Although it is coarse tea, please don't mind it."
Pei Yao didn't know how to respond. She suppressed the turmoil in her heart, raised her voice, and said apologetically, "We were just passing by and came to borrow this place to take shelter from the wind and snow. We've already disturbed you. We're only able to have some hot tea because of you, Madam and Brother."
As she spoke, she quietly tugged at Pei Heng, who was still in a daze, his eyes fixed on Yue Zhi.
Liang Zhang remained unmoved, tears glistening in his eyes.
Look at Yuezhi, dressed simply, her jet-black hair loosely tied back with an ordinary wooden hairpin. The simple and rough style did not diminish her beauty in the slightest. On the contrary, it made her skin appear even whiter and more translucent, with a warm, jade-like luster.
Not receiving a response from either of them, Yuezhi was neither embarrassed nor annoyed. She simply lowered her head slightly, gently pressing her cheek against the child's face, a soft smile playing on her lips.
She seemed much thinner than before, but the melancholy and aloofness between her brows had diminished, replaced by a warm and peaceful aura amidst the everyday life. The maternal glow emanating from her made her seem to be enveloped in a tranquil halo.
Liang Zhang stared at her intently, his thoughts drifting back to two years ago when he first met Yue Zhi in the Duke of Dingguo's mansion. He had only been able to admire her from afar, not daring to approach or speak.
His heart ached with a bittersweet pain, and the love and longing that had settled deep within him roared forth, almost overwhelming him.
Even with a white cloth covering her face, Yuezhi could still sense an unusual gaze coming from the other side. Her movements gradually became more restrained, and she instinctively tightened her arms around the child, already trying to find an excuse to retreat.
Seeing that she was frightened by Liang Zhang's staring gaze, Pei Yao reacted quickly, stepped forward to block Liang Zhang, and gently smoothed things over.
“My lady, do not be afraid. We are officials on our way to Qingzhou to take up our posts. This is the prefect. The people outside and I are his subordinates and guards.”
Yuezhi had met many officials and knew their manners and speech, which ordinary people couldn't imitate, so she felt a little relieved.
Then, with delight, she exclaimed, "Are you also an official, young lady?"
"Of course." Having not spoken to Yuezhi for a long time, Pei Yao missed the time they spent eating roast chicken and chatting casually together. She deliberately pushed Liang Zhang back and went to greet Yuezhi herself.
“I am not some young lady. I am already thirty years old. My wife calls me Lord Liang, and I am naturally honored.”
"Lord Liang?" Yuezhi responded blankly.
Pei Yao glanced at Liang Zhang behind her with a serious expression. But Liang Zhang snapped out of his daze at the address "Lord Liang," and looked at Pei Yao with a guilty look. He was met with a disdainful glare and shook his head.
—And he's a man, so shocked to see his ex-wife, whom he's already divorced from, "come back to life"? He can't even say a word, what a waste of today's chance encounter.
Pei Yao didn't look at him again. She casually hung the sword at her waist on the wall, placing it next to her oily leather raincoat, which looked quite matching.
"Yes, this gentleman beside me is Lord Zhang. I know that you may not know about court affairs, but this Lord Zhang was once the Salt Inspector personally appointed by the Emperor. He values the people's livelihood and the country above all else. His appointment to Qingzhou is also for the sake of the country and the people."
She wanted to test something, but didn't want to directly reveal each other's identities, so she could only hint at it.
Unexpectedly, after she finished speaking, Yue Zhi's eyes showed appreciation, while Su Jingyun, who was making tea, froze and slowly looked in the direction of the three of them.
The situation became somewhat awkward.
Liang Zhang's throat tightened, his heart pounded, and countless questions and emotions welled up in his chest. In the brief silence, he looked away and mumbled, "Sorry to bother you..."
None of them revealed the truth to Yuezhi, and they pretended to be polite as they sat around the table drinking tea.
Pei Yao chatted with Yue Zhi as if they were old friends. Looking at the little girl in Yue Zhi's arms, who looked so cute, she took off her gold bracelet and put it on the little girl's arm. The bright gold made the child look even more delicate.
Yuezhi couldn't see clearly, and Su Jingyun reached out to stop her, saying, "This is too precious."
"It is fate that we have met. I am pleased, and I do not care about the value of the item." Pei Yao gradually raised her voice, and her scrutinizing gaze swept over Su Jingyun, who immediately fell silent.
Yuezhi noticed the extra accessories on the child and found Pei Yao to be straightforward and approachable, so she didn't refuse, saying, "Thank you, Lord Liang."
As soon as the words were spoken, Su Jingyun and Liang Zhang panicked, but Pei Yao remained calm and composed, having a clear conscience.
Why is your eye covered with a white cloth?
“I have an old eye condition that I just recovered from two months ago. In winter, there is a lot of snow, and my older brother said that my eyes should not be exposed to the light of snow for the time being, so as not to irritate and affect my eyes.”
"I see." Pei Yao glanced at the child again and murmured, "Why are you living with your older brother? Does this child... not have a father?"
Yuezhi shook her head and remained silent.
Pei Yao realized she had asked something she shouldn't have, and quickly changed the subject, "My lady just asked if we were going to take up our posts in the provinces. Is something wrong?"
Yuezhi nodded hurriedly, "I have a friend in Qingzhou. We were corresponding a few months ago. Perhaps because of the cold weather these past two months, she hasn't sent any messages. I was worried about her, so I wanted to ask someone to send a message to Qingzhou to inquire about her well-being."
"If you trust me, my wife, I will deliver this letter to you."
"Thank you, Lord Liang." Yuezhi was overjoyed and was about to get up to retrieve the letter when Su Jingyun stopped her.
"You sit here, I'll go get it." After saying that, he went to the inner room, walked around for a while, and came out with the letter.
Pei Yao accepted the letter and then talked to her for a long time.
Su Jingyun did not reveal the identities of the two. He took some roasted sweet potatoes from the brazier and the four of them shared them. Watching the little girl in Yuezhi's arms babbling and waving her arm with the gold bracelet on it, full of energy, warmed people's hearts.
Liang Zhang remained silent, his gaze shifting back and forth between Yuezhi and the child. He felt a mix of sorrow, pity, and a thrill of having regained what he had lost.
As if sensing his lingering affection, the wind and snow outside intensified. The lively little girl, seemingly tempted by the sweet aroma of sweet potatoes in the air, sniffed and nuzzled against her mother's chest, making Yuezhi blush.
"Didn't you just eat? Why are you hungry again?" she scolded, gently pulling her daughter's little bottom along.
Upon hearing this, Pei Yao took the initiative to help her, saying, "Let's go to the inner room, so we don't have to sit with these stinky men."
Yuezhi thanked her for relieving her embarrassment, smiled and agreed, then got up to go to the inner room to breastfeed her child.
Only two men remained at the table, and they remained silent for a moment.
Su Jingyun asked, "Are you really heading to Qingzhou, sir? Or was the Emperor sent to capture us?"
Liang Zhang, still reeling from what he had just heard and seen, coughed awkwardly twice and replied, "His Majesty has already granted me a divorce from the princess. My trip to Qingzhou was indeed on official business; I never expected to run into the princess..."
“She’s not a princess,” Su Jingyun corrected in a low voice. “Princess Ning’an is dead. She preferred to be herself. I also think that living in the countryside is much better than staying in the palace in fear.”
With just a few words, Liang Zhang could guess what had happened between Yue Zhi and the Emperor. He felt both regret and secret delight.
"Didn't she remarry?"
“Many men came to propose to her this year, but she wasn’t interested, and we didn’t want to force her.”
"How long have you lived here? Is it convenient for you on weekdays? How do you make a living?"
"Yuezhi can brew wine and make tea. I practice medicine in the surrounding area and grow some medicinal herbs in my spare time. Although it is hard work, I have no worries about food and clothing. Moreover, the climate here is comfortable and the people are kind. After her mood improved, her eyes gradually recovered as well."
"That's good..." Liang Zhang's turbulent emotions calmed down. He knew she was doing well, but he still wanted to do something for her.
It wasn't that he still harbored feelings for her; he simply felt that their marriage was not meant to be. It was because he had talent but lacked backbone, dared not defy the emperor's will, and never even asked her if she liked him or was willing. They ended their relationship hastily and under duress.
I felt guilty for not being able to fulfill my responsibilities as a husband and for not fighting for our relationship.
A short while later, the two came out from the inner room.
Seeing that she wasn't holding the baby, Su Jingyun asked with concern, "You fell asleep so quickly?"
Yuezhi smiled shyly, "Don't you know her? She makes a fuss as soon as she wakes up, and gets sleepy as soon as she's full. She'll probably only take a short nap, and then she'll get up and make a fuss again after she's had enough sleep."
"Come and warm up. While the baby is asleep, you can relax a bit." Su Jingyun invited her to sit down, and deliberately pulled the chair she had been sitting on closer to him, creating some distance between him and the two guests.
Liang Zhang noticed his subtle movements and lowered his eyes guiltily.
Pei Yao, who had helped Yue Zhi out, tried to wink at Liang Zhang, wanting to share what she had seen in the inner room with him. However, the man kept his head down and didn't look up for a long time, and it was unclear what he was thinking.
Yuezhi was unaware of the undercurrents between the three of them. She quietly sat back down on the stool, accepted the hot tea that Su Jingyun handed her, and sipped it slowly, feeling quite content.
"May I ask, madam..."
Suddenly, “Lord Zhang” sitting opposite him spoke, his voice hoarse with nervousness.
Yuezhi couldn't help but straighten her back, holding the teacup in both hands and placing it on her knees. "Please speak, my lord."
This Lord Zhang seemed very reserved. He had been sitting for so long, and it was rare to hear him speak. Yuezhi was very curious about what he would say, so she listened with extra focus.
"I just spoke with your eldest brother and learned that your wife has excellent skills in brewing and making tea, and your eldest brother is also skilled in medicine. With such abilities, isn't it a waste of talent for him to live in seclusion in a small rural area?"
Upon hearing this, Yuezhi's eyes flickered.
She had considered going to a larger place, but she was worried that Pei Heng might still be secretly pursuing her. Although she had learned of Princess Ning'an's death, she was still uneasy, afraid that she might be caught and put back in the cage if she wasn't careful.
Choosing his words carefully, he murmured, "My family owes money to someone. They say they're no longer pursuing the matter, but they're a large and powerful family. What if they change their minds and come after us? It could bring trouble to our children..."
"Since your family is so large and powerful, your words are bound to be law, so my wife really doesn't need to worry about this."
Liang Zhang knew what she was talking about and tried his best to calm her down.
"Furthermore, as the local official in charge, I naturally have to protect the people of this area. If that person really goes back on his word and comes knocking on my door, I will definitely stand up for you."
Yuezhi smiled gratefully, and then, hearing his tone change from intense to calm, she changed the subject.
"Not to mention that my wife's skills need to be put to use, the children in the family will eventually grow up and need to learn to read and write and find a way out. Being confined to the countryside is not a long-term solution."
This touched on Yuezhi's hidden worries. Her two children were almost a year old, and as a mother, she had to make plans in advance for their food, clothing, daily necessities, and future prospects.
He nodded slightly, "What you say is very true, sir."
Su Jingyun listened from the side, frowning inwardly. He sensed that Liang Zhang had ulterior motives in his words and tried to stop him, but was stared at by Pei Yao sitting opposite him and could not speak.
Liang Zhang spoke earnestly, persuading her, "Qingzhou City is not as prosperous as the capital, but it is still a place where many industries are waiting to be developed. If you are interested, once you arrive in Qingzhou, you may be able to find a stable job in the city. It would be better than toiling away here and relying on the weather for your livelihood. If you encounter any difficulties, you can also... you can also come to the prefectural government office for assistance. As an official, I should naturally consider the needs of the people."
That was a very persuasive argument.
Yuezhi had previously planned to move to Qingzhou City, since her old friend lived there, and she had to take care of two children on weekdays, so she didn't have much energy to make money. It wouldn't be good to just stay there and live off her savings.
He also praised Lord Zhang in his heart, for he was indeed a capable and honest official who was trusted by the emperor and who cleaned up the salt trade. It was rare for him to see the suffering of ordinary people.
She was fortunate to meet them today.
She stood up, curtsied slightly to the two men, and said, "In that case... thank you for your kindness, sir. I am deeply grateful."
Liang Zhang wanted to help her up, but Pei Yao beat him to it, saying, "My lady, you don't need to be so polite. This is what he should do."
The wind and snow outside gradually subsided.
Fearing that staying too long might cause unforeseen complications, Pei Yao seized the opportunity to say, "The snow seems to have lessened. We still need to continue our journey, so it's not convenient to disturb you any longer."
As he spoke, he secretly urged Liang Zhang, his hand already gripping Liang Zhang's shoulder, as if he wanted to pull him up immediately.
Liang Zhang slowly rose, his gaze lingering on Yue Zhi with reluctance. He held back the tears welling in his eyes and said in a hoarse voice, "Take care, my lady. When we meet again in Qingzhou City, I will treat you to a feast to thank you for taking me in today."
"You two are too kind," Yuezhi replied politely.
After saying goodbye, Liang Zhang and his group left the hospital, mounted their horses, and trudged through the ankle-deep snow into the gradually calming snowstorm to continue their journey.
Pei Yao slightly distanced herself from the person behind her, suppressing her excitement, and spoke to him alone: "Do you know what I saw inside?"
"What?" Liang Zhang, riding on his horse, looked back and saw wisps of smoke rising from the small courtyard, warm and peaceful.
Pei Yao rode closer to him, grabbed his arm, and forced him to turn around. Her expression was serious. "She's holding a daughter in her arms, and a maid and a boy are sleeping on the bed in the inner room. Yue Zhi gave birth to twins! A boy and a girl! Aren't you happy for her?"
Liang Zhang's face was solemn, and his eyes were filled with sorrow.
Pei Yao quickly realized that the last time she saw Liang Zhang in the capital did not match the time when Yue Zhi became pregnant.
In fact, during her salt inspection tour, she never knew Liang Zhang's true identity, only thinking of him as a minor prefect in Anzhou. It wasn't until she returned to the capital before the new year that she learned he was the second young master of the Liang family and Yuezhi's former husband.
"I'm sorry... I didn't know you..." she stammered.
Judging from his expression, Liang Zhang seemed to have known all along that the child wasn't his, but his expression when he saw Yuezhi clearly showed that he still couldn't forget his past love, so all I could do was comfort him.
"Let bygones be bygones. The fact that we can meet again is a sign of divine mercy, indicating that your fate is not over and there will always be another chance."
Upon hearing this, a faint blush appeared on Liang Zhang's disappointed face, and he nodded affirmatively.
As for whose child it was, Pei Yao didn't ask any further questions.
Why worry about so much? They're all Yuezhi's children anyway, cute and well-behaved. Whether their father is around or not, they're all lovable children.
The horse's hooves left a trail of marks on the snow as it galloped away into the distance.
*
After that, Yuezhi thought about it seriously for two days.
She thought to herself: She shouldn't be trapped by the past. The children are growing up day by day, and she will grow old. Instead of worrying about the emperor's unfulfilled obsession, she should think about how to live her life in the future.
Go for it and do it; time will tell.
So, after spending the New Year in the village, she discussed with Huachun and Su Jingyun about moving to Qingzhou: firstly, she had friends there, and secondly, the newly appointed prefect of Qingzhou was a good person, and she could get his protection and many benefits there.
"Furthermore, I promised Huachun that I would find her a good family. There are many people in the city, and there are plenty of good young men. I can't let such a fine girl waste her time in the countryside."
Hua Chun blushed with embarrassment, while Su Jingyun remained noncommittal.
The three of them were homeless and jobless, but they relied on and trusted each other to form a family. Yuezhi was the head of the family, and the other two naturally listened to her.
After the snow melted in the first month of the lunar calendar, Su Jingyun removed the cloth strips from her face. The family packed their luggage, returned the keys to the rented house to the village chief, and boarded a carriage to travel from Pizhou to Qingzhou.
Yuezhi wanted to save more money to buy a good shop. After entering the city, she took ten jars of wine that she had stored for a year to a restaurant and sold them for twenty taels of silver.
Because he was unfamiliar with the location of shops in the city, he first rented a spacious house, slowly explored and selected a shop, and then moved to a larger house after he started doing business and made money.
Having regained her sight, she was full of energy and vitality. She brewed fruit wine and stir-fried flower tea at home, and made pastries with Huachun, planning to open a pastry shop.
A pleasant fragrance wafts through the courtyard every day.
The children cried, laughed, and played; the two women spoke softly; the man who went out to practice medicine looked tired, but when he returned home to find the courtyard lit up, he felt deeply comforted.
The harsh winter chill dissipates in the warm sunshine of early spring, and a spring scene unfolds under the azure sky.
As nature awakens, the spring breeze sweeps across the vast Yu residence, shaking the tightly closed doors and windows, and seeping into the woman's melancholy heart.
Cui Xianglan stared blankly at the table of food, unable to eat.
Her husband had not returned home for three days. She had tacitly allowed him to take six concubines, but she still couldn't win his heart.
Seeing that she couldn't eat, the maid who had accompanied her to the dowry became anxious and opened the sweet wine she had bought from the restaurant, pouring a bowl for her.
"Madam, please have some. This is a new sweet wine from Zuixianlou, ten jars in total. Everyone says it's delicious. I specially went to buy one jar. Would you like to try it?"
Cui Xianglan had no appetite, but reluctantly accepted the wine glass.
The moment the wine touched her throat, she stopped abruptly, her eyes instantly reddening. The sweet taste was so similar to the fruit wine she had drunk with the princess in her palace before she was married.
"This wine...this wine was brewed by the princess!"
The maid looked at the inconspicuous wine jar in her hand with a puzzled expression.
Cui Xianglan hurriedly got up, "Quickly go to Zuixianlou and ask where this wine came from!"
Today, the weather was warm, so Yuezhi spread an old cloth and a quilt on the sunny ground in the yard, put the two children on it, and gave them the cloth dolls she had sewn. The two children then started playing by themselves.
She was sitting beside the children, calculating how big a shop she could rent with the remaining silver in her hand, when she suddenly heard the sound of carriages and horses stopping outside the door, followed by a knock on the door.
She went to open the door, and there stood a woman in brocade robes, her hair slightly disheveled, panting, staring at her with wide eyes.
The two stared at each other for a moment, then cried out almost simultaneously.
"Yuezhi!"
"Xianglan!"
The next moment, the two hugged each other tightly, tears streaming down their faces. Neither of them could utter a complete sentence; they just held each other, crying and laughing at the same time.
Once inside the courtyard, Yuezhi brewed some flower tea she had made herself, pulled her to sit down at the table, and watched the two children playing on the mattresses. Their gazes then returned to each other.
“When I received your letter, I couldn’t muster the energy to reply. I never expected you to come to Qingzhou! After we parted in the capital, I thought I would never have the chance to see you again. But I never imagined that you would be the one who cares about me the most, even more than my relatives in the capital or my husband at home.”
Cui Xianglan's voice choked with emotion, and she didn't continue.
Yuezhi took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "It's quite a coincidence. I originally planned to hide in that village for three to five years, but by chance, I ended up here. Although I'm unfamiliar with the place, I have two children with me, so I won't be too lonely."
Cui Xianglan glanced at the two little children, whose features resembled those of the person she had unexpectedly encountered on her wedding night at the princess's residence.
"Is it...his?"
Yuezhi nodded calmly: "I've let it all go. Now all I want to do is raise my child and open a pastry shop. We can make a living."
Warm sunlight streamed down from the eaves, and the sky was clear and bright, with occasional birds flying by. The freedom was boundless, and every breath brought a sense of comfort and peace.
She looked at her friend, whose elegant attire couldn't hide her haggard appearance. "Don't talk about me, what about you? You said in your letter that your husband treats you badly, what exactly happened?"
Upon hearing this question, Cui Xianglan's tears fell like beads from a broken string as she wiped them away and began to speak.
When she first married into the family, Yu Shao saw that she had the support of a princess and the gifts she received, so he didn't dare to neglect her. Even if he had feelings for other women, he didn't make a scene in front of her, and she pretended not to know.
When news of Princess Ning'an's death arrived, Yu Shao seemed to change completely. He started taking concubines into his household in a very open and blatant manner, taking in six in less than a year.
It was one thing for him to dote on his concubine, but six months ago, when Yu Shao’s business partner died of illness, she went to help with the funeral arrangements and stumbled upon Yu Shao and the man’s widow having an inappropriate encounter in front of the coffin, openly scheming to take her place as the legal wife and her dowry.
She assumed they were just playing tricks behind her back, but she never expected that the woman would brazenly move into the courtyard next to the Yu family's house. She repeatedly used the excuse of visiting to show off in front of her, clearly trying to drive her away.
“They’ve really gone too far. If I hadn’t received your letter a few months ago, I would have taken a knife, killed that despicable couple, and then committed suicide.”
Yuezhi felt heartbroken upon hearing this and reached out to hug her.
Cui Xianglan leaned on her shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably: "Yuezhi, sometimes I really envy you. You have the courage to just leave whenever you want. I also want to escape from the Yu family, but where can I go?"
A perfectly good young woman, without any support from her family, married into a wealthy but immoral family and has been bullied like this.
Yuezhi was filled with righteous indignation, "You're just going to leave like this? Wouldn't that be letting them off too easily?"
Cui Xianglan sniffed, "Those dowries are all recorded in the official register. As long as I don't give my consent, no one can take them away."
"With your husband's temper like that, do his concubines truly care for him?"
Cui Xianglan shook her head and wiped away her tears. "I'm not afraid to tell you, but he's used to philandering and his health has been failing for a long time. He not only takes medicine at night, but also has some embarrassing fetishes. His concubines are all annoyed by him. On the other hand, that widow is very daring and flirtatious. She and he are a perfect match."
She laughed in anger as she spoke, "How did I end up associating with such a jerk?"
Yuezhi gently comforted him, "What you wrote in your letter was not detailed enough. I didn't know you had suffered so much. Now that you're here, how can I leave you alone? Take a break from your grief. We can discuss your family's affairs in a more thorough way."
"Mm." Cui Xianglan nodded.
The spring sunshine was bright and cheerful. The two drank flower tea, gradually calming their minds. Looking at the child in the sunlight, they felt a warmth in their hearts.
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