Chapter 38 An old friend already has a son
Ten days have passed since we departed from Qingjun Prefecture.
Except for the first two days, Song Jin and Niu Tielan stayed in Qi Zheng's carriage the rest of the way.
However, although the royal carriage was much smoother and more spacious than a regular one, Niu Tielan's health was simply too poor. He could only barely manage to stay awake each day, lacking the strength to speak, and spent most of his time lying on his side with his eyes closed.
Qi Zheng was a man of few words and strictly adhered to the distinction between men and women, rarely speaking on his own initiative. He spent his days either practicing martial arts cross-legged or sitting upright reading a book.
Song Jin observed him closely to make sure he wasn't reading anything serious before she breathed a sigh of relief.
Of course, the "serious books" here refer to historical records and policy essays; he was reading ordinary travelogues, which were somewhat different from the miscellaneous books like those by Song Jin.
With her mother here, Song Jin couldn't take out those "unseemly" books, and with no other entertainment, it was impossible for her to stay in the carriage all day. She only stayed in the carriage during the hottest part of the day, midday, and at nightfall; the rest of the time she was outside.
She was either chatting and gossiping with the guards, trying to gather information, or taking Huang Huang out for some fresh air, or riding the galloping horses—Xiao Hei had been giving her the cold shoulder for days because of this.
Overall, the three of them were still doing their own thing, but along the way, they had developed a better understanding and less awkwardness than at the beginning. Just as they were about to reach the capital, the situation began to change.
The carriage remained quiet, but the tranquility was gone; it was a deathly silence, like the calm before a storm. Seemingly still, yet moisture had condensed, hanging heavily, invisible and intangible, making one worry that it might strike at any moment.
Qi Zheng sat cross-legged in the corner of the carriage, resting with his eyes closed. But if you looked closely, you would notice his thick, long eyelashes, which were now trembling like caterpillar fungus even without wind.
Song Jin, who usually occupies most of the space by herself, sat hunched over in the corner, her long legs bent, chin resting on her knees, her narrow phoenix eyes fixed on her toes, down to the very edge.
Looking left and right, it seems there's a hole here.
As the saying goes, men and women should not touch each other; one should be able to see one's own feet.
Song Jin reached out and pinched the tiny hole, which instantly turned into a gaping wound. She quickly released her foot and crawled out, muttering incoherently.
"My socks have a hole in them, I'm going to find a new pair to wear."
She moved quickly, and in no time she had darted from the couch to the carriage door, about to lift the curtain.
Niu Tielan's indifferent voice came: "Sit still."
Song Jin instantly deflated, waving her hand at the scenery outside through the gap in the carriage curtain, then listlessly walked back and sat down next to Niu Tielan. Her narrow phoenix eyes flickered slightly, glancing at his expression out of the corner of her eye, then at the person sitting opposite her, feeling a stinging ache in her heart.
She cleared her throat: "Mother, are you feeling unwell?"
Niu Tielan said calmly, "You're making my eyes hurt."
That's what you mean. If your eyes hurt, at least give her a look before you complain.
Song Jin pouted, then glanced over again out of the corner of her eye. Sure enough, her mother's gaze was still fixed on Qu Maoze across the table.
After watching all this, how could my eyes not hurt?
After the mother and daughter finished speaking, the carriage returned to its previous quiet, but my heart couldn't find peace.
Song Jin sat there, itching to do something, her hands, feet, and mind all at once. She turned her phoenix eyes, glancing at this person and then at that person, her expression shifting between gloom, curiosity, irritation, and a strange look...
Qi Zheng, who was taking a nap in the corner, opened his eyes. Looking at Song Jin's changing face, he felt that Niu Tielan was right. Even if this person didn't say a word, he could still give you a headache from all the noise.
Qi Zheng silently shifted his position, his gaze falling on the eerily quiet Niu Tielan.
Compared to Song Jin, who was rosy-cheeked and full of energy like a tiger, she was pale and frail, like an orchid transplanted from the deep mountains to a flowerbed, delicate and sensitive.
But Qi Zheng knew that she was not as weak as she appeared.
Niu Tielan was able to endure the effects of the Red Thread Gu for so many years, changing her name and identity without being detected. She even left her hometown alone with her young daughter to settle down in Linxi Town. And she still managed to raise her child to have such a character. Her inner strength is definitely greater than most people's.
Her past was far more complicated than she had originally thought.
When Qi Zheng first saw Song Jin, he noticed her resemblance to Song Shang. Coupled with Niu Tielan's striking appearance, he was convinced that Niu Tielan and Song Shang had once been involved. However, due to the hardships of those years, perhaps by a twist of fate, or perhaps by destiny's cruel hand, the two did not end up together.
Even if the two were to meet again, it probably wouldn't be a pleasant encounter.
But because of Song Jin's face, and because of the Gu poison in Niu Tielan's body, returning to the Song family was the best option for the mother and daughter, even though Song Shang's fate was unknown, and even though they had no relation whatsoever.
While Song Shang was alive, there were schemes lurking outside, but only a few dared to act; the rest were more afraid than daring. Once Song Shang is gone, the five sons of the Song family, though talented, are still young. The malice from the outside world will fall like rain and snow, without any restraint.
Song Jin, who looks remarkably like Song Shang, rarely encounters anyone in town. But whenever she does, she's treated like a rare and precious beast, coveted and played with by everyone.
Rather than facing unspeakable schemes alone, it's better to stand with the Song family in the storm, under everyone's watchful eyes, and work together—there's still a way to resolve it.
Thinking of all this, Qi Zheng sighed softly in his heart.
This world is both brilliant and gloomy.
He broke the silence in the car, saying, "Although Young Master Qu's identity is unknown, your frankness suggests you have a clear record even at the yamen. The only question is whether your identity can be confirmed. If you can find relatives or friends, that would be good; if not, what are your plans?"
Qu Maoze looked away, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I have some silver on me, enough to settle down easily. I can set up a small stall to copy letters and make a living."
Song Jin, who had previously suggested that the person go lay bricks, curled her lip.
Oh, I forgot that scholars have different ways of making money.
Qi Zheng continued, "Young Master Qu has excellent handwriting, so he can certainly do it. However, the capital is a vast city, and Young Master Qu is still recovering from serious injuries, has no memories of the past, and is all alone. If you don't mind, I need an accountant. Would Young Master Qu be willing?"
Qu Maoze was taken aback for a moment, then his face lit up with surprise: "I will certainly not let Lord Qi down."
...
Niu Tielan sat there, her clear, bright eyes quietly watching Qu Maoze. Those memories, faded and blurred by the passage of time, seemed to be repainted with new colors by a paintbrush.
Eyes, nose, lips
Her eyes were lowered, her mind a jumble of thoughts, but her face remained expressionless, coldly indifferent. Only the slight tremor of her fingers resting on her abdomen was barely noticeable. But even without close observation, compared to her usual gentle and demure demeanor, her expression was so unusual that further scrutiny was unnecessary.
Song Jin sat quietly to the side, her mind racing the whole way, but she still couldn't figure it out.
Qu Maoze, her father's name
But this man in front of her, Qu Maoze, who wasn't much older than her, was definitely not the same person. However, they must be connected, otherwise her mother wouldn't be behaving so strangely.
So after thinking it over, this Qu Maoze must look very similar to that Qu Maoze, and they share the same name, so there's a high probability they're relatives, or perhaps brothers or nephews, or even...
son?
Although it's rare for children to share the same name as their parents here, it's not entirely unheard of, and who knows, maybe the person in the first place used a pseudonym...
But the Dayan Dynasty isn't some remote, insignificant place; it's even bigger than the country she lived in. How could it be such a coincidence?
Song Jin sat down and started pulling at her hair, staring with a bitter and resentful expression at the amnesiac Qu Maoze opposite her. Her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly involuntarily, making her look like a ferocious beast scouting in the forest.
Qu Maoze smiled wryly and waved his hand: "Why is Miss Song looking at me like that?"
Song Jin bit her hair and said in a deep voice, "I can't look at you just because you're good-looking?"
Qu Maoze: "...Your eyes don't quite tell me that."
Don't treat people with amnesia as fools.
Song Jin bit her hair, the more she looked at this person, the more she felt something was off. She narrowed her eyes again, seemingly casually, when a silver needle suddenly appeared at her fingertips. Just as it was extended, she was suddenly slapped on the head.
Niu Tielan's cool voice came through: "Are you a dog? You bite everything."
Song Jin: "...Mother, please give me some face in front of outsiders!"
She was about to interrogate someone.
Intrigues and schemes, genuine amnesia and feigned amnesia—she could tell the difference in a single interrogation—she was extremely experienced in this area; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to find the Liang family's secret passage and know their plans so quickly.
Doomsday boss Song Jin is confident
Niu Tielan slapped him again, warning, "You want face from me?"
Song Jin slumped down, covered her head, and subtly shifted her position to the other side to avoid another slap from her mother, who was in a bad mood.
Niu Tielan noticed her little actions but said nothing. She simply turned her gaze back to Qu Maoze across from her and asked in a calm voice, "Your name is Qu Maoze?"
This was the first thing she said to Qu Maoze. She pursed her lips, her expression indifferent, her light-colored almond-shaped eyes brimming with autumn water and radiating a chilling aura.
Anyone with a brain could sense her displeasure.
Qu Maoze smiled wryly: "Yes, Madam."
Niu Tielan: "Which one is 'Mao' and which one is 'Ze'?"
Qu Maoze hesitated for a moment, then apologized to Qi Zheng. He picked up the brush and ink from the couch, and with a flick of his wrist, the three characters of Qu Maoze's calligraphy leaped off the page. Even someone like Song Jin, who knew nothing about calligraphy and painting, could tell that the writing had clearly taken a lot of effort.
The brushstrokes are vigorous, flowing, and majestic, revealing the unrestrained and bold spirit beneath the calm exterior of the brush's owner.
Unlike that person
Both were in their early twenties, but the other was calm and reserved, and his handwriting was as solemn as he was. He preferred to keep everything bottled up inside, like a thick, unyielding cloud, making it impossible for anyone to understand him.
The person before me had a handsome face and a refined demeanor, like a gentleman. His handwriting also carried the ease of youth, like clear clouds in the sky, easily understood at a glance.
Looking at that identical face and that identical name, Niu Tielan felt a mixture of bitterness, resentment, and guilt. She forced a smile and asked, "How old are you?"
Qu Maoze said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Madam, I have amnesia. I only remember my name."
Niu Tielan smiled wryly: "Really? That's really unfortunate."
Qu Maoze bowed, his phoenix eyes calmly looking at her: "Judging from your expression, Madam, could it be that I knew you before?"
Niu Tielan could look directly into his face; that face, so much like it had been ten years ago, made her clearly see the chasm of time and guess at the absurdity of the past. But she couldn't meet his gaze.
Those familiar phoenix eyes, those dark pupils, made her feel as if she had returned to a dream.
The man stood in the courtyard, silently watching her leave. Whether it was a sudden downpour, a bitter snowfall, or a flickering fire, he always watched her like that, year after year, month after month. She could no longer remember his face, but she could never escape those eyes.
She abruptly looked away, her eyes lowered, her breathing becoming erratic, but she forced herself to remain calm: "I don't recognize her, but she looks somewhat like someone I knew."
Qu Maoze raised the corners of his mouth and chuckled: "An old friend? Madam is so young, she's probably the same age as me. Perhaps she is an old friend?"
His reaction startled Niu Tielan, who suddenly found it somewhat amusing—amusing himself, and also amusing the man in front of him.
She suddenly laughed: "Young Master Qu, you jest. My daughter is already so grown up, how could she be the same age as you? As for my old friend, he would never joke like that with a woman. It's just a coincidence."
Qu Maoze's eyes were deep as his gaze swept from Niu Tielan's face to Song Jin's. After a long while, he smiled and said, "Madam is joking. You and Miss Song look like sisters; you don't look like mother and daughter at all."
Song Jin suddenly looked up, her eyes wide: "You're blind, fine, but you're deaf too! I've been calling her 'Mother, Mother' the whole way here, and you're saying she's my sister?"
Something's not right, these people are all acting strangely.
She admitted that her mother was young, beautiful, and stunning, but this was her mother, her own mother. Did these people think she was dead? Why were they making advances on her mother right in front of her?
Song Jin glared at the two men, her eyes fierce: "This is my mother!"
Qu Maoze was speechless for a moment: "...I had no other intention, Miss Song, please don't take offense."
Song Jin chuckled: "That would be best."
Niu Tielan looked at the two of them, but seemed somewhat dazed.
She had always thought her daughter didn't resemble that man, but upon closer inspection, aside from the eyes, the eyebrows were similar, as were the ears and the color of the lips...
Niu Tielan abruptly looked away, down at her hands tightly gripping her clothes, suppressing the turmoil in her heart.
The world is vast, and there are countless people who are similar to each other.
Her daughter can look so much like a complete stranger, so what's so strange about people resembling each other? It's not strange at all.
Niu Tielan closed her eyes and gently leaned against the back of the carriage. The lingering scent of euonymus made her feel both dazed and more awake than ever before.
The man only said he had never had a wife, but he never mentioned that he had never had children.
Sixteen years have passed; if my old friend had children by now, they would likely look just like this.
**
Shangyang Village is less than two hundred li from the capital, and they are almost at the foot of the capital. The carriages and horses quickened their pace.
The group set off at dawn and arrived in the capital before dusk.
This was Song Jin's first time in the capital. From afar, she was stunned by the height of the city gate. She craned her neck, staring blankly ahead, swallowed hard, and turned to Qi Zheng, saying...
"The city gates of the capital are so tall!"
That's over thirty meters high! It's teeming with fully equipped guards and large guns. Frankly, most people couldn't fly up there, and even those who did would be riddled with bullets.
That's a bit dangerous.
Hearing Song Jin's words, Qi Zheng's coldness intensified. He nodded heavily, "The capital is heavily guarded, with patrols day and night. You must not try to force your way in."
It's unclear whether these words were meant for the other person or for oneself.
Song Jin's lips twitched: "...Do I look that unreliable?"
Well, before she came, she had thought that if something happened, she would take her mother and run away over the wall. If all else failed, she could go to the palace and cause trouble.
In hindsight, I was just overthinking it.
Her mother was right; the capital was not as simple as she thought.
But no matter how difficult it is, we've already come this far.
Song Jin took a deep breath, grabbed Niu Tielan's hand, and solemnly said, "Mother, there are many bad people in the capital. You must take me with you wherever you go. Please, please don't run around alone."
Niu Tielan, who was initially a little nervous, said, "...This is what I should be saying to you. The capital is not like a town. You better behave yourself. Your mother has lived all these years. If she can cure it, great; if not, it's alright."
Song Jin was displeased and emphasized, "What do you mean 'it's nothing'? Look how pale you are! Can't you think of something positive? It's all or nothing! Your illness will definitely get better. I'm still looking forward to going on adventures with you in the future."
Niu Tielan's tension eased considerably. He squeezed Song Jin's hand and smiled, "Alright, alright, let's venture into the world."
Qu Maoze, sitting on the other side, watched the mother and daughter being affectionate, and suddenly asked, "Is Madam not feeling well?"
Song Jin turned around, disdainfully saying, "Can't I tell? Your amnesia has really damaged your head."
Qu Maoze smiled wryly: "Madam is very lucky, she will definitely recover quickly from the illness, unlike me, I don't know if I will ever have a chance to recover in this lifetime."
Song Jin muttered, "It's just amnesia, but they're making it sound like I'm dying. How dramatic."
Qi Zheng hadn't been able to resist glancing over the moment he heard the words "jianghu" (江湖, the martial arts world). He watched them quietly as they imagined the joys of the jianghu, his heart as calm as still water. He could only say that the difference between reality and imagination was greater than the difference between a person and a dog.
When Qu Maoze finally spoke, he thought for a moment and said, "It's the Red Thread Gu."
Qu Maoze's pupils contracted: "Red Thread Gu?"
After speaking, he met the gazes of the three men, noticing their suspicion. He remained calm, offering only a wry smile: "I overheard some guests mentioning this during my stay at the inn. I never imagined such a vicious thing would be used on Madam. The person who cast this curse deserves to die."
Song Jin still doubted him, but she agreed with his words. She sneered and cursed, "That's right, that damned thing, I'll chop him up and feed him to the dogs one day."
Qu Maoze agreed: "That's how it should be."
Song Jin found him more agreeable and raised her chin at him, saying, "Just for that statement, if you ever run out of money for food in the capital, I'll treat you."
Qu Maoze's lips twitched: "...I thank Miss Song in advance."
That day will never come, don't even think about it.
Song Jin raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on her lips, and said arrogantly, "You're welcome. As long as you don't get any funny ideas, dinner is no problem."
However, if he really has any wicked ideas, he shouldn't blame her for sending him to feed the tigers.
Qu Maoze smiled gently: "Miss Song, please put it down. I am not an ungrateful person."
Song Jin smiled enigmatically, not answering the question. Turning to Qi Zheng, her expression unusually solemn, she gave a standard bow: "Prince Qi, we'll be at the city gate soon. My mother and I should return to our carriage. Thank you for your help along the way, Prince Qi. If you need anything in the future, Song Jin will be there without hesitation."
Qi Zheng, with a solemn expression, nodded: "Miss Song, there's no need for such formality. I did nothing wrong; on the contrary, I have offended you greatly before. I hope you and Madam will forgive me. Miss Song has rendered meritorious service in saving the city, and I will certainly report this truthfully to my father, the Emperor."
Song Jin stood up and smiled, "I won't say any more pleasantries, goodbye."
...
The carriage stopped, and Qi Zheng watched quietly as the mother and daughter returned to their original carriage. He then looked away, glancing at the remaining people in the carriage, and said coldly, "You don't seem surprised that I am the Prince of Qi."
Qu Maoze smiled and bowed: "Your Highness, please forgive me. I had already guessed that your carriage and horses were so impressive, but since you didn't say anything, I pretended not to know."
Qi Zheng chuckled and said, "So you're planning to ride back to the capital in my car?"
"I will alight from the carriage now. Thank you, Prince Qi," Qu Maoze bowed, his smile meaningful, drawing out each word.
"grown ups"
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