The official road connecting the Great Qi to the State of Chu was repaired and made smooth and wide.
The wedding procession stretched for dozens of miles, its beginning and end nowhere in sight.
Heading south, the red was almost blinding...
Mid-June.
The further south you go, the hotter it gets.
Fortunately, the rainy season came late this year, and apart from a couple of occasional rain showers, we did not encounter any torrential rains or floods along the way.
On a sweltering day, Yuan Yao took off her shoes and sat in the carriage with Aruo, Jing'er, Yun Tan, and Po Yue, eating watermelon around an ice chest.
The carriage suddenly stopped.
Outside the carriage, there was a sudden commotion, with many exclamations.
Yuan Yao, holding a watermelon, looked up and asked, "What's going on?"
Jing'er covered her mouth: "Could it be that we've encountered robbers?"
robbers?
Everyone in the car: "..."
"impossible!"
Yun Tan threw away the watermelon rind, clapped his hands, and said in a very serious little voice, "Brother Yun Chan has already sent people to clear out all the bandits along the way!"
There is absolutely no chance of encountering danger on the road!
Sister Yaoyao, you must believe in Brother Yunchan!
Yuan Yao smiled and said, "Of course I believe Yun Chan!"
The Great Qi has not seen any robbers for many years!
Besides, who wouldn't dare to rob her?
This wedding procession, along with the dowry processions from several countries, numbered a staggering tens of thousands of people!
Unless, of course, they don't want to live anymore and are looking for death.
Just as I was wondering, the carriage swayed again.
The carriage curtain was lifted from the outside.
"Aww..."
A familiar voice came from the doorway.
Yuan Yao looked up in surprise: "Tangyuan!"
It's glutinous rice balls!
The 700-pound, snowball-sized glutinous rice ball, joyfully pounced on Yuan Yao, yelling, "Aww..."
"Little Tangyuan!"
Yuan Yao was so happy she almost cried. She threw away the watermelon, pounced on Tangyuan, and hugged Tangyuan's fluffy head.
With a gentle pat from its chubby front paw, Tangyuan sank into its fluffy, soft fur.
Yuan Yao took a deep breath.
Wow!
Her big cat smells so good!
It smells like it's been showered!
That taste... it's so familiar!
Many years ago, she left Beijing to find her father and provide disaster relief along the Huai River. When she left, she entrusted Tangyuan to Yunchan's care. At that time, Tangyuan had this smell.
Smelling that familiar scent, Yuan Yao felt a surge of excitement.
If Tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) are here, can Yunchan (a type of rice dumpling) be far behind?
Clearly, Yunchan isn't far away either!
After crossing the borders of Qi and entering the territory of Chu, and traveling for several more days, a vast river stretched across the plains.
The river was filled with large boats.
A large ship, as tall as a two-story building, was surrounded by other ships and moored in the middle.
The ship was decorated with red silk and red lanterns.
At dusk, red silk fluttered in the wind, and strings of lanterns swayed gently in the breeze.
From the boat, the sounds of festive string and wind instruments could be heard.
Yuan Yao leaned closer to the car window, about to exclaim in amazement, when she heard Yun Tan beside her cheer, "Sister Yao Yao, it's Brother Yun Chan!"
Yun Chan?
Yuan Yao followed Yun Tan's hand and looked over.
The afterglow of the setting sun spread across the large ship. On the deck, a person in red robes fluttered in the wind, with skin as white as snow and hair as black as ink.
Despite being a vibrant red, he wore it with an air of aloofness and detachment.
Seemingly sensing Yuan Yao's gaze, Yun Chan raised her eyes, her gaze accurately locking onto the carriage window.
In that instant, the world seemed to fall silent.
Yuan Yao could clearly hear her heartbeat—
"Thump, thump..."
On the ship, festive drum music rang out.
After the official bowed and said something to Yun Chan, he lifted his robe and, with his long legs, slowly stepped off the ship.
Yun Tan happily said to Yuan Yao, "Sister Yao Yao, Tan'er will go downstairs to pay her respects to Brother Yun Chan now!"
Yuan Yao nodded: "Go ahead."
Yun Tan lifted the carriage curtain, jumped off, and ran off in the blink of an eye...
Soon, the sounds of bowing and talking could be heard outside the carriage.
It sounded like a nanny's voice, saying something nervously.
Yuan Yao only vaguely heard the phrase "It is against etiquette".
Then, the voices became quieter.
Yun Chan's cold voice came intermittently: "...What I'm talking about is the law of propriety..."
As the sound drew closer, Yuan Yao became increasingly nervous.
"Aww..."
Tangyuan, who was sleeping on the car, lazily opened her icy blue eyes and let out a soothing cry.
"It's okay, go to sleep." Yuan Yao gently scratched Tangyuan's chin.
Tangyuan lazily closed her eyes again.
A steady, powerful footstep sounded outside the carriage.
Aruo called to Jing'er, "Princess, shall I get off the carriage and get some fresh air?"
Breathable?
Yuan Yao squinted.
Aruo's expression was calm and composed, while Jing'er's eyes sparkled with excitement.
These two...
Clearly, they wanted to make room for her and Yun Chan in the carriage!
Yuan Yao's face flushed, and she waved casually, "Go on, go on! The river is deep, be careful!"
Aruo smiled and said, "This servant will keep a close eye on Jing'er and make sure she doesn't fall."
Jing'er immediately retorted, "I'm not stupid, why would I fall into the water?"
The two talked as they got out of the carriage together.
The two had only been gone a short while when the carriage swayed slightly.
Immediately afterwards, the carriage curtain was lifted.
Yuan Yao looked up and was met with a cold and aloof face.
The man's eyes sparkled, brighter than the stars: "Yuan Yao, I've come to pick you up."
As soon as the curtain fell, the carriage door was closed by the people outside.
Yun Chan strode over, stretched out his long arm, and pulled Yuan Yao into his embrace.
His embrace was hot and firm.
Yuan Yao, struggling to breathe from the choking, involuntarily looked up and said, "Yun Chan..."
All sound was drowned out by the passionate kiss...
The carriage swayed gently in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Tangyuan lazily opened its eyes and glanced at them, then rolled over and turned its chubby, furry back towards the two of them.
It's unbearable to look at.
About the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, someone knocked on the door of the carriage: "Your Majesty, it's time to get the carriage onto the ship."
Yun Chan then released Yuan Yao, who was nearly suffocating, and replied unhappily, "Hmm!"
Immediately afterwards, the carriage wheels began to roll.
Yuan Yao slumped in Yun Chan's arms, her face flushed a delicate red, as if painted with rouge.
A thin layer of mist still clung to her eyes.
Yun Chan was increasingly pleased with her and lowered his head to kiss her again.
"No!" Yuan Yao reached out to stop him.
Yun Chan's voice was hoarse: "Yuan Yao..."
Yuan Yao stretched out her slender, fair fingers and lightly touched Yun Chan's lips with her fingertips.
She held up her bright red fingertips to Yun Chan's eyes and said irritably, "Look, you've eaten all of my beautiful lipstick!"
Yun Chan's Adam's apple bobbed: "You know perfectly well that what I want to eat is not your lip rouge."
Yuan Yao: "..."
Oh no!
My legs... feel so weak.
Her waist... is so flexible.
no!
She's practically melting...
Yuan Yao thought vaguely, "She's so useless!"
It's all Yun Chan's fault!
If it weren't for that night at the hot spring in Nanxi Town, would she be in this state?
angry!
Yuan Yao nudged Yun Chan: "Do you remember what you said in your letter back then?"
In the letter?
Yun Chan's eyes flickered.
He once said that he would carry thorns on his back to apologize and let her punish him as she pleased.
Yun Chan pursed his thin lips and looked at Yuan Yao: "How... do you want to punish me?"
Yuan Yao raised an eyebrow, lifted Yun Chan's chin, and blinked, saying, "What do you think is the most effective way to punish a hungry wolf?"
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