Chapter 20 The Twenty Flows East, Never to Return West
The group of nine rode at full gallop. Apart from Xu Heng and his guards, Qingfu was also present. At such a fast pace, it was impossible to sit on the horse. He had to stand and grip the horse's body the entire time, relying entirely on the strength of his legs and waist. It was a bit too much for him.
He did it willingly without complaint, but his eyebrows were still deeply furrowed in discomfort.
Xu Heng caught a glimpse of this out of the corner of his eye and thought to himself that he wouldn't let Qingfu serve him tomorrow, so that he could rest for a few more days.
"Help! Help!"
A faint cry for help came from afar, and Xu Heng instinctively pulled on the reins to slow down.
But in this weather, you can't light a tinderbox while riding a horse, and you have no way of knowing what's happening in the distance, separated by forests and rain.
"Someone, please save my husband and son! Someone! Heaven, please open your eyes, Heaven—" The plea for help was clearly tearful and desperate.
A moment later, Xu Heng took a deep breath, tightened the reins, turned the horse around, and galloped towards the direction of the cries for help.
Although the most urgent task was to get to Yuqing Temple before the Qixi Festival ended to avoid angering Wang Yuying, one cannot stand idly by and watch someone die. As the emperor, he should be even more obligated to protect his people.
"Giddy up—" Xu Heng spurred his horse on without hesitation.
Qingfu and his guards obeyed the emperor's orders perfectly. They turned around, and the nine horses stepped into the low-lying area, splashing water droplets. Raindrops dripped from their raincoats, mingling and crisscrossing. The sounds of the rain, the howling night wind, and the rapid hoofbeats clattered and clattered in their ears.
Passing through the dense pine forest, Xu Heng saw a man clinging tightly to a large rock in the middle of the river, resisting the rain and the rushing water. Upon closer inspection, he realized that the man was also protecting a six or seven-year-old child in his arms!
The father and son clung desperately to the rocks, but their lower bodies were still lifted up by the waves, bobbing up and down.
The woman who had cried out for help saw Xu Heng and his group, and knelt down, wailing, "Benefactor, save them, save them!"
Seeing that the father and son were about to give up, Xu Heng was also anxious and, without considering that he was not a very good swimmer, was about to go into the water. Qingfu and the guards hurriedly stopped him: "My lord, you must not take the risk!"
Xu Heng frowned: "You must save them quickly!"
Two of the best swimmers immediately jumped into the water. Upon seeing this, Xu Heng instructed those around him, "Two people might not be enough. Go and get some more reinforcements."
The remaining guards on the shore, who originally intended to protect the emperor, had no choice but to send two more into the water upon hearing this. One of the guards, who had been standing to Xu Heng's right rear, had his position vacated after going into the water. The kneeling woman, worried about her loved one, unconsciously stood up and walked to Xu Heng's side, also watching from the shore. Her eyes never left the father and son, and she nervously rubbed her hands together.
Qingfu feared the woman harbored ill intentions, so he stayed close to the emperor, taking several steps around her and silently separating himself from her.
Xu Heng glanced at Qingfu, then turned to the woman and comforted her, "Madam, do not worry, we will surely save your husband and son."
After speaking, he focused intently on the water's surface, ready to go into the river at any time if there weren't enough people.
The four guards swam quickly towards the reef, but the return journey was against the current, with high waves and heavy rain. Adding to the difficulty was the burden of carrying both a large man and a small child, which significantly slowed them down. However, the guards, thinking of the Emperor's order to go into the water if they didn't hurry, and unwilling to let the Emperor risk his life, worked together with all their might, finally managing to bring the father and son back to shore.
The woman, embracing her son, tearfully recounted to Xu Heng that his family of three had settled in Shanxi, and for the past six months they had sent their young son to his parents' home in Beijing. Today, they were bringing him back in a handcart. The man and woman took turns pulling the cart, with the child in the back. At first, everything was fine, but then a torrential downpour began, and the cart became stuck in the mud. The rushing river had originally been a stream, and the child, following his grandfather, had waded through it several times during the summer, thinking himself familiar with it. While his parents were pushing the cart to get out of the mud, he sneaked off to play in the water. However, the torrential rain triggered a flash flood, and in an instant, the stream swelled as if by magic, transforming from docile little fish into ferocious dragons. The child cried for help in the river, and the father, in his haste, jumped in without thinking to check the situation. Unable to overcome the force of nature, he too was trapped in the river.
Xu Heng looked on with pity and glanced down. Not only were the father and son pale-lipped and limp in the mud, but even the guard who was the worst swimmer among them was exhausted.
On the way, they passed a foot inn, which was not far away. He immediately ordered the innkeeper to stay there, and then ordered the remaining people who still had energy to come with him to push the cart.
Qingfu urgently stopped him: "My lord, you mustn't—"
Xu Heng wouldn't listen, and Qingfu, his throat practically steaming, repeated in a hoarse voice, "My lord, you mustn't!"
Xu Heng turned to Qingfu: "One nose and two hands, what's wrong with that!"
Qingfu was about to stomp his feet when Xu Heng turned around, found the cart, and took the lead, stepping into the mud and pulling forward with both poles, while the guards and Qingfu pushed from behind. Once the cart was free, Xu Heng and the others carried the men and children onto it, and even told the woman to get on as well, and they all used the horses.
Another exhausted guard collapsed onto his companion's horse.
Xu Heng knew that everyone was exhausted and couldn't withstand any more jolting, so he deliberately slowed down the horses. The sound of the carriage wheels behind them continued. He recalled the scene he had just witnessed in the river: a father and son trapped in the water, clinging to each other for survival. The father had disregarded his own safety, holding his son tightly. He had never felt such deep paternal love, but if he had children, he would surely feel the same way as the father in the river.
Xu Heng suddenly thought of Wang Yuying, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he turned his head with difficulty.
He thought back to how he hadn't been as good a swimmer as Wang Yuying. She used to swim in the sand at Yumen Pass every day, and he wondered where she'd gotten her skills. When he fell into an icy hole in the northern frontier, it was she who rescued him.
Because of this, her body suffered great damage, and in order to prevent such a thing from happening again, he worked hard to improve his swimming skills.
He longed to see Wang Yuying even more.
However, he still took the family of three to a foot inn, first asking the innkeeper to fetch a doctor to treat the father and son who had fallen into the water, and then ordered the exhausted guard to stay behind: "You also rest here, you don't need to come with me, get some sleep, and return to the palace tomorrow."
The guard struggled to get up, but Xu Heng had already turned around and left with another guard: "You stay and look after the four of them."
Both guards offered to escort the emperor up Fuyou Mountain, but Xu Heng shook his head, insisting on his decision, and instructed the guards who remained behind: "Tonight you will have to take care of four people by yourself. It's a heavy responsibility, so please take good care of yourself."
This guard had served in the Imperial Guard for ten years, rising through the ranks, and no superior had ever spoken to him like this before. Only the emperor had shown him such empathy and compassion, making him realize that the emperor was not a high and mighty golden figure, but rather a close family member.
The guard's eyes welled up with tears.
Xu Heng turned back again, as he had many concerns and wanted to explain them one by one: "Qingfu, you must return to the capital immediately and inform Prime Minister Zheng and Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Works that a flash flood has occurred in the suburbs of the capital. We should raise flags and sound gongs as soon as possible, evacuate the people, conduct inspections and rescue operations, and repair the damaged river channels. We must not allow any more chain disasters to occur."
He could have sent a guard back to relay this message, but Xu Heng was worried that the guard might make a mistake due to unfamiliarity with the situation, so he decided to send Qingfu instead.
Qingfu thought to himself that if he left, only six guards would remain, far too few to protect the emperor! Last time, when the emperor and Prime Minister Zheng went on their incognito tour, there were more guards than this. Although the emperor had gone to the lantern festival alone yesterday, the torrential rain in the outskirts of the capital was nothing compared to the clear skies of Zhuque Avenue. He couldn't let His Majesty be put in danger!
Xu Heng knew what Qingfu was worried about, but still said firmly in a deep voice: "Listen to my decree, the matter is urgent, and there must be no delay!"
"Then Your Majesty is left with only—" Qingfu finally blurted out, even calling out "Your Majesty" in his haste.
Xu Heng smiled slightly to reassure Qingfu: "We're going on an incognito trip anyway, so the fewer people traveling with us, the better."
Qingfu couldn't refuse: "Then this servant will go. My lord, please be careful and thorough!"
Qingfu rushed back to the capital, and time was of the essence. Xu Heng also quickly led the remaining guards and headed back to Fuyou Mountain.
On a cold, rainy night, he actually worked up a sweat while riding his horse.
As they drew closer to Mount Fuyou, Xu Heng fixed his gaze on its foot. He remembered that the original report from the undercover agents indicated there was only a general store at the entrance to the mountain, but in just two years, a blacksmith shop had opened.
The general store was closed, but the blacksmith shop next door was still open, its metalwork clanging and banging, a stark contrast to the cold, damp rain outside.
As Xu Heng rode past the shop entrance, he was suddenly struck by a wave of heat, followed by a sudden chill. He glanced inside and wondered to himself: Had Wang Yuying come here to forge her seven-foot sword?
The blacksmith in the shop seemed not to see Xu Heng. He swung his sledgehammer shirtless and struck as usual, sparks flying everywhere.
Xu Heng withdrew his gaze. Once the group of horses had gone far away and the sound of hooves had completely disappeared, the blacksmith coldly raised his eyes, put away his hammer, went to the inner room, quickly wrote a letter with a charcoal pencil, rolled it up, and tied it to the hind leg of the carrier pigeon in the cage. As he tied it, he said, "Although the rain is heavy, you must make a trip."
After the blacksmith finished speaking, he opened the pigeon cage and released the carrier pigeons.
The gray pigeons flapped their wings and flew smoothly into the capital, heading west into Chongwen Lane, which was right next to the Forbidden City. Several powerful families in the capital lived there, their gates bustling with activity and their officials gathering in droves. Among them, the Zheng family was the most illustrious. Their family had followed the founding of the country by Emperor Gaozu, and for over a hundred years, their descendants had continuously entered officialdom, becoming famous officials and high-ranking ministers, with a long and distinguished lineage.
The current crown prince is Prime Minister Zheng, who died in battle and in remonstrance. Two years ago, in order to prevent the deposed empress from being reinstated, he smashed his head against a dragon pillar, his blood splattering in the golden palace. As a result, he became famous and was regarded as a model for scholars all over the world.
At this hour of Hai (9-11 PM), the rain is still pouring down. The homing pigeons are clearly trained; they fly high to avoid people, then fly low to sneak into the backyard of the Zheng residence, fluttering their wings under the eaves and on the windowsill.
Soon a servant in black opened the window, caught a pigeon, and untied the hidden stake tied to the pigeon's leg to deliver a message.
At the front gate of the Zheng residence, the young Prime Minister Zheng had just returned from the yamen. The main house was still occupied by the old Zheng Guolao, while the young Prime Minister Zheng lived in the east wing, requiring him to walk through the main hall and the central hall to reach it. He entered the house and spread his arms; servants immediately helped him change out of his official robes, which had been soaked by the slanting rain. After changing into his everyday clothes, he sat down, stretched out his legs, and a servant knelt to remove his boots.
A moment later, the servant in black appeared silently at the door, glanced at Zheng Yangzhi, lowered his head, glanced again, and hesitated to speak.
Zheng Yangzhi glanced at him sideways, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
The servant in black stopped looking around, stepped into the room, lowered his head, and stood quietly against the wall.
The servants inside helped Zheng Yangzhi change into clean boots and socks. The next moment, the young Zheng Xiang lightly raised his hand and dismissed everyone around him. Even his personal attendant left without a word, leaving only the black-clad servant standing by the wall.
The long-serving attendant closed the door tightly.
After a long pause, Zheng Yangzhi lowered his voice, his face gloomy: "Didn't I say I wasn't going today?"
The servant bowed deeply, thinking to himself that if his master had the chance, he would be urging him to drive the carriage on Qixi Festival.
“It’s not about whether you go tonight or not, Young Master,” the servant in black said in a low voice, “it’s about that person… who just went up Mount Fuyou.”
Bang!
Zheng Yangzhi suddenly stood up, and even fell down the lamp and chair.
His skin was fair, androgynous, with soft eyebrows slightly furrowed at the ends and phoenix eyes slightly narrowed. As he pondered, he unconsciously raised his right arm, and under the candlelight, he seemed to possess the dignified air of Xi Shi admiring her.
Suddenly, footsteps were heard.
Zheng Yangzhi immediately raised his hand, signaling the black-clad servants to retreat through the back door.
"My lord," the visitor called softly as he reached the door.
The servant in black had already left, but Zheng Yangzhi paused for a moment before agreeing, "Come in."
The steward of the Zheng family arrived and hurriedly announced, "My lord, Eunuch Qingfu has arrived." The steward paused, "He seems to be in a rather urgent situation."
Zheng Yangzhi blinked: "Please come in quickly."
Qingfu, panting heavily, barely touched the ground with his right foot and hadn't even crossed the threshold with his left, relayed Xu Heng's instructions.
After listening, Zheng Yangzhi asked in return, "How does Your Majesty know about this Shi Hong?"
Qingfu grinned and took a deep breath—it was a bit embarrassing for the emperor to go up the mountain to actively seek out the deposed empress, so he had to keep a low profile to avoid damaging his imperial authority.
Qingfu replied vaguely, "I only heard about it."
Zheng Yangzhi's face remained expressionless for a moment before he adopted a stern expression: "This matter cannot be delayed."
He said that in urgent situations, one should act expediently, and without even changing out of his official robes, he went straight to the yamen (government office).
Qingfu witnessed everything and secretly breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had gotten away with it.
*
Xu Heng had already arrived at the mountain gate.
The three stone-paved gates ahead bore plaques reading "Xuanjing," "Yuqing Temple," and "Miaomen," symbolizing the Three Realms, beyond which one transcends. However, all three vermilion gates were now tightly shut. Xu Heng and his guards dismounted, carrying gifts for Wang Yuying, and ascended the steps one by one.
Just inches from the red gate, the sound of rain hitting the door studs changed, like coral being thrown into the sea.
A guard knocked on the door three times as required by etiquette, and waited quietly for a long time, but no one answered or spoke. The guard then wondered if the heavy rain had prevented them from hearing him, so he stopped knocking, opened his palm and slapped it heavily, calling out, "Is anyone home?"
The door rattled, and Xu Heng frowned: "Keep it down."
It's late at night, so try not to disturb anyone; he doesn't want the historians to record him as arrogant and domineering.
Xu Heng, still worried, instructed, "Don't make any noise when you go inside."
The guards responded softly, forbidding shouts or pats, and continued to knock lightly. The knocking was muffled by the sound of rain. The drowsy Taoist nun guarding the door finally heard it after a long time, rubbing her eyes as she opened the door: "Who is it? So late at night."
The door opened a crack, and the Taoist nun used the dim light to examine Xu Heng and his group of guards.
As Xu Heng's bodyguard walked up the mountain, the emperor instructed him to say, "I am truly sorry to disturb you so late at night, Daoist Master. My master would like to ask to stay the night."
The nun's face changed upon hearing this. The temple was full of female Taoist priests; how could there be any reason to let a man live there!
"This is Kun Guan—" the nun said, about to close the door, but the guard reached out to stop her: "The rain is too heavy, there is nowhere to stay, please be lenient, young nun."
He took out a gold ingot and forcefully stuffed it into the Taoist nun's hand: "Taoist Master, please make an exception."
The nun usually accepted small favors, but this was the first time she had seen such a large one. She was quite taken aback and hesitated to accept it. Finally, she said, "How about this, you all come in and wait. I will go and inform the abbot."
After saying this, she opened the door and led Xu Heng and his group into the doorway to take shelter from the rain. She opened an umbrella for herself, hurriedly ran across the bridge, and entered the Lingguan Temple.
The guard watched the Taoist nun's retreating figure for a while, then looked back at Xu Heng—the emperor was incredibly insightful, calculating every step perfectly.
Xu Heng met the guard's gaze and then looked away. He knew, of course, that no man had ever lived in the temple, but if he wanted to meet the abbot discreetly in the middle of the night, this was the only option he could take.
After a while, the young nun returned with an umbrella, panting and bowing: "Our abbot invites all believers into the hall to speak."
Xu Heng nodded and strode into the Lingguan Hall with his guards. Inside the hall, a row of incense oils was burning. The abbot intended to keep the gold ingot for himself, so he only woke up Fu Yi and Bao Yi, planning to extort another sum from the visitor before agreeing to let him stay overnight.
The abbot was sitting gracefully on his chair, with one person on each side serving him, when he discovered that the person who had entered the hall was none other than the emperor!
The abbot's knees buckled, and he slid to his knees on the ground.
Xu Heng ordered the guards to close the door, then gestured for him to rise. The abbot looked around and had his two disciples help him up, apologizing profusely, "I was unaware of His Majesty's visit and have failed to greet you properly, causing Your Majesty to wait in the rain for so long. I would gladly die for this!"
Only after helping and supporting them did the abbot realize, belatedly, that the visitor was the emperor. Startled, they both let go of each other's hands, and without support, the abbot fell to his knees again.
When she got up again, she said she was going to the temple to light the lamps and prepare a vegetarian meal, but Xu Heng quickly stopped her, saying, "There's no need to make a fuss and disturb the nuns."
He lifted his robe and sat down on the chair next to him: "We can go and invite the Jade Capital Wonderful Serenity Immortal Master alone."
After saying that, his heart skipped a beat again.
The abbot gave Fu Yi a wink, and Fu Yi stepped back. He then glanced at Bao Yi, who not only stepped back but also lowered his head, completely daring not to meet his master's gaze. Both disciples cowered like turtles; who wanted to go to the backyard to get a beating?
With the emperor present, the abbot could only grit his teeth and say, "You two go together."
He reluctantly helped one up and carried the other, while Xu Heng, oblivious, watched them leave with a gentle smile. He sat for a while, thinking that, given Wang Yuying's temper, she would definitely make him suffer and vent his anger; either she wouldn't be able to persuade him the first time, or she would deliberately make him wait a long time.
He took the opportunity while waiting to go and pay his respects at the Sanqing Hall. Xu Heng did not believe in gods or monsters, but if he came to the Taoist temple and did not pay his respects, he was afraid that if the weather was not good next year, the historians and the remonstrators would blame him for blaspheming the gods.
Xu Heng informed the abbot, who quickly opened the door of the Sanqing Hall. Xu Heng bowed respectfully to the statues of the three Heavenly Venerables, Yuanshi, Lingbao, and Daode, but did not kneel on the prayer mat.
After finishing their prayers and returning home, they sat for a while before cautiously returning, one in each arm. The backyard was locked, so the two of them could only inform the other side of the wall. No matter how politely they invited them or how loudly they shouted, there was no response from inside the courtyard.
After much effort, they failed to accomplish anything and ended up getting soaked to the bone in the slanting rain.
Fu Yi leaned back and hugged Yi's back, then whispered hesitantly, "The Immortal Master is asleep, and with the heavy rain, he probably won't be able to hear you."
Thump! Bao Yi knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly: "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
Seeing this, Fu Yi also knelt down, and loud kowtowing sounds rose and fell.
Xu Heng had no choice but to quickly help them up, indicating that he didn't blame them.
Once his two disciples had completely calmed down, he turned slightly to the side and asked the abbot beside him, "Where does the Immortal Master reside now?"
“The Immortal Master resides in the back courtyard.” The abbot thought for a moment and added, “My father-in-law came by just a few days ago.”
After a moment, Xu Heng stood up: "I'll go take a look."
"This humble Taoist will lead the way for Your Majesty." The abbot quickly accompanied him, carrying a lantern, and then ordered one person to be helped and another to be carried to hold an umbrella for the emperor.
Xu Heng nodded: "I will hold the umbrella myself and lead the way."
The abbot repeatedly agreed, then led Xu Heng to the back of the path, carrying a lantern. The lantern and umbrella swayed together in the wind and rain. The abbot kept reminding the emperor that the road was slippery and the rain was heavy, and to watch his step. Xu Heng actually thanked the abbot.
The abbot was filled with trepidation and grew increasingly timid. As the group passed the Hall of the God of Wealth and the Hall of the Medicine King, Xu Heng paid little attention until they reached the Precept Hall, where a thought began to stir within him: Was Yingniang practicing her morning and evening prayers in this hall? What scriptures did she read? The Tao Te Ching? The Zhuangzi?
He pictured her sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, chanting sutras.
Passing by the dining hall, Xu Heng couldn't help but ask the abbot, "What do you usually eat?"
"Your Majesty, today's breakfast was vegetarian duck noodles, lunch was a vegetarian platter of five blessings, bean sprouts, and vegetarian beef, and dinner was fragrant glutinous rice cakes."
Xu Heng pondered. The meat in the temple was made from bean flour, and the taste was different from real meat. Wang Yuying loved to eat meat so much, he wondered if she would get used to it.
"What are the five blessings in the Five Blessings Vegetarian Platter?" he asked again.
"They are all vegetarian chickens." The abbot's voice was very soft, and it dissipated in the wind and rain.
Xu Heng pondered that the vegetarian chicken had been prepared in five different shapes and methods, and he estimated that at least one of them involved deep-frying.
"Don't fry it too oily," he instructed the abbot, lest Wang Yuying have indigestion.
He learned what she did and what she ate, and he felt a strange sense of joy and wonder as if he were living and eating with her. He realized that he still loved Wang Yuying deeply and that he was determined to bring her back to the palace this time.
Along the way, Xu Heng thought of many ways to phrase things.
"Your Majesty, this is it." The abbot's reminder brought Xu Heng back to his senses. He hummed in response and looked up to examine the white walls and brown doors, which resembled the small courtyard they lived in in the northern frontier.
The paint on the base of the wall is peeling, and a small piece of the door panel has been eaten away by termites. Is it because it's too damp up in the mountains?
Xu Heng knocked on the door, but no one answered.
"Perhaps the Immortal Master is asleep," the abbot said cautiously, trying to reassure the emperor, fearing his wrath.
Xu Heng smiled and nodded: "At this hour, we should be asleep."
He arrived too late.
The rain was torrential, so heavy it seemed to have no sign of abating. The abbot asked again, "It's raining so hard outside, Your Majesty... why don't you go to the guest room to rest for the night, and wait for the Immortal Master to wake up tomorrow morning so you can meet with His Majesty?"
Xu Heng shook his head. There was less than half an hour left until Qixi Festival, and he couldn't miss it again. Even if Wang Yuying wouldn't let him in, standing outside would still count as spending Qixi with her. If he left, it would be breaking his promise again.
Xu Heng gently pushed the door, and it locked from the inside.
So they knocked again, but there was still no response.
"You may all step back," Xu Heng said calmly.
The abbot and his two disciples accepted the order and took their leave.
Xu Heng continued knocking on the door, struggling with his conscience, and managed to utter two difficult words, "Yingniang, it's me," but no one answered.
"Your Majesty," the guard asked, "shall we break down the door?"
Xu Heng calmly observed the guard: Break down the door? Wang Yuying will be furious.
Perhaps I was too modest, for the guard dared to ask such a question.
He was displeased, but his face remained warm and smiling, and no one could tell that he was unhappy: "Let's wait a little longer."
He won't be attending court tomorrow morning; we have plenty of time to wait.
The guards stood at attention, obeying orders. They were all handpicked from the Imperial Guards, each with a dignified bearing, yet Xu Heng, standing before them, still stood out like a crane among chickens. He wore a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, standing in the rain, a wisp of hair fluttering wildly in the wind, his trousers and boots soaked in mud, yet he showed no sign of dishevelment. Instead, he resembled a hermit returning to the mountains with his fishing rod—what was he fishing for? A river of snow, a solitary star and moon.
Raindrops formed a curtain of beads, and the rising mist swirled around Xu Heng, as if he were surrounded by celestial clouds.
The next day arrived.
As dawn approached, Xu Heng could no longer contain himself and instructed the guards, "You wait here." Fearing that Wang Yuying might ask for gifts after they reconciled, he added, "When I call you later, you can bring the gifts inside."
The guards responded, and Xu Heng lightly leaped over the wall with his toes. The guards thought to themselves that the emperor was indeed the emperor, even his wall-climbing was so elegant, but duty called on them to remind him, "Your Majesty, please be careful."
Xu Heng already considered climbing over walls to be a petty and despicable act, and feeling ashamed, he lowered his head and shrank his shoulders upon hearing this, confirming his furtive behavior.
As he approached the door, he rubbed his hands together and silently comforted himself: Don't be too ashamed, it's all for seeing Yingniang again, I can't wait any longer.
He noticed some chairs and tables that hadn't been put away yet in the courtyard, as well as a pot of wine. It had been soaked by rain, completely ruining the taste, and he couldn't smell it anymore, but he guessed it was strong liquor, which she loved to drink.
There was also a dish of stir-fried loach with pickled tofu, which Wang Yuying enjoyed all by herself. Xu Heng smiled and looked up at the sky. The rain had soaked through, making it brighter, just like him and Yingniang, who had endured three years of utter darkness and gloom, and were finally seeing some relief.
Xu Heng smiled and raised his hand, knocking lightly as if to test the waters. If there was no response, he would call her and coax her. Unexpectedly, the door was not locked and opened with a single knock.
*
Three hours ago.
After Wang Yuying finished practicing her swordplay and reviewing her inner cultivation techniques, she ate a simple dinner. It was still light, but the clouds were heavy, obscuring the golden sunlight. She thought that summer sunsets were much prettier, with their pink and blue hues or fiery clouds.
She opened the chicken coop cupboard, took out a pot of strong liquor and a wine cup placed side by side. She hadn't drunk any for several days, so she first washed the cup. Just as she was about to take it back to her room, she suddenly sighed, squatted down, and rummaged through the rarely used cabinet at the bottom. Today was a festival, so she prepared an extra cup so that Jingye could also have a sip.
She had just placed the two cups and the pot back on the table in the room when the door was pushed open. Jing Ye smiled at her as he approached, thinking to himself with delight: The door wasn't locked today!
Wang Yuying glanced out the window, then looked back at Jing Ye: "Why are you here so early today?"
Jing Ye smiled, then couldn't help but widen the smile: "They broke up early."
On the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, a proper festival, those in the camp with families had already been released.
As she got closer, Wang Yuying noticed the spots on his clothes. She looked out the window again: "Is it raining?"
"It didn't rain down on the mountain, but it rained for a little while on the road and then stopped." Jing Ye remembered looking up and seeing that the layers of dark clouds were all moving westward, probably all of them had gone into the city.
Never mind, since it wasn't raining on the mountain anyway, he happily pulled out a bag from his pocket: "I brought you some food."
Wang Yuying watched quietly, thinking that he didn't mind the oil stains on the paper being stuffed into his clothes. Jing Ye, however, was concerned that this shop didn't have special oiled paper like Wang's, which could keep the paper warm when stuffed into one's clothes, and it was still warm when he brought it to her.
He placed the food on the table, quickly unpacked it, and found stir-fried small loaches inside. He knew Wang Yuying didn't eat spicy food, so he used chives to mask the fishy smell. The loaches were first pan-fried and then stir-fried, seasoned with a little cooking wine, salt, and sugar, until they were golden brown inside and out, and smelled delicious.
Wang Yuying tilted her head slightly and smiled at Jing Ye, saying, "Try one."
Jingye immediately obeyed the order and ate one.
Wang Yuying ate it a while later; it was very delicious, stir-fried until crispy, and could be chewed directly.
She sat at the table eating, and Jingye ate another one too. Then he thought that there wasn't much loach in the bag, so he left some for her... He lowered his arm and looked around. He noticed that there was not only strong liquor on the table, but also two wine glasses—two, unlike usual, when there was only one!
Then, considering that it was Qixi Festival today, he felt a bittersweet joy, like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.
Seeing that Wang Yuying's hands were oily, Jing Ye found a clean handkerchief and placed it beside her. Then, unable to contain his excitement, he tentatively asked, "Is there wine today?"
"You've brought snacks to go with your drinks, how can you not drink?" Wang Yuying brushed it off lightly.
Jing Ye's eyes dimmed for a moment, then brightened again. He didn't blame her; what she said was right. He had been too impatient.
He was actually really looking forward to the gift and couldn't wait to know what it was, but he was too timid to ask, afraid that she would think he was begging or being pushy.
Instead, Wang Yuying wiped her hands, stood up, opened the cabinet, and took out the knee pads she had bought yesterday for Jing Ye: "Try them."
She remained calm and composed, her eyes unwavering, leaving Jing Ye with no doubt that she had embroidered it herself.
He glanced at the brown knee pads, which had patterns on them. Although he didn't know what the patterns were, he felt a surge of tenderness and warmth in his heart, and was deeply moved.
After a while, worried that Wang Yuying might hurt herself while doing needlework, he silently observed her hands and was slightly relieved to see that there were no needle marks.
Jing Ye had thick legs, and the knee pads were a little too tight, but he was still very satisfied: "Just right, a perfect fit!"
Jing Ye put on his knee pads, took a couple of steps, and sat down again, seemingly with no intention of removing them. Wang Yuying covered her mouth and laughed, "You're going to wear them like this?"
Jing Ye paused for a moment, then smiled at her, carefully took off his knee pads, and prepared to put them in his pocket as well.
The knee pads are so big, there's nowhere to put them. Wang Yuying shook her head helplessly: "Just put them on the table for now, and take them back with you when you leave."
Jing Ye stared at Wang Yuying and nodded, doing exactly as she said.
Wang Yuying's heart softened, and she took the initiative to pour him a drink.
Jingye raised his wine glass: "Yingniang—thank you."
The cup is held high in the air, and the fingertips are used to rub the surface of the cup.
"Drink up." Wang Yuying poured herself a drink and clinked glasses with him across the glass.
Jingye echoed, downing his drink in one gulp, head bowed, his throat bobbing—who knows when, in what year or month, this clinking of glasses could turn into a toast?
Wang Yuying picked up her wine cup and took another sip. Jing Ye picked up the wine pot and filled his own cup, glancing out the window. Wang Yuying chuckled, "What are you looking at? Thinking of leaving?"
Jing Ye looked back at Wang Yuying, his tone extremely gentle: "How could I possibly leave tonight... I was just wondering if the Cowherd and Weaver Girl stars really exist on the night of Qixi Festival?"
There's also the Magpie Bridge.
Wang Yuying took a sip of her drink: "You haven't seen it?"
Jing Ye shook his head. The next moment, he realized that Wang Yuying must have seen it before, and he felt extremely uncomfortable. His face instantly turned from sunny to gloomy.
Don't think about it too much.
He tried to keep a straight face and take a deep breath. Wang Yuying, however, gestured with her chin towards the table: "If you want to stargaze, let's move our things outside and sit in the yard."
Jing Ye immediately got up, first moved a side table to put the wine and dishes, then moved out the only recliner in the room for Wang Yuying, and kept a round stool for himself next to the recliner.
Wang Yuying didn't have to lift a finger the whole time. She just stood in the courtyard looking up. Although it wasn't raining on Fuyou Mountain, the sky was overcast and the stars were nowhere to be seen.
"The clouds are so thick tonight," she said as she lay down on the chair.
A flash of light revealed a glimpse of something hidden behind the clouds—perhaps it was the Weaver Girl…
She raised her hand and pointed: "That one..."
"Never mind, I'm not sure," she said abruptly, her words trailing off.
Jing Ye looked up with Wang Yuying and saw the faint, distant star as she pointed.
After a long pause, he murmured, "The stars in Yumen are low, but here they are too high."
He felt an urge to invite Wang Yuying back to Yumen, but dared not speak. As he hesitated, he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder; it was Wang Yuying who had snuggled into his arms. Her head slid off his shoulder and rested against his chest. Jing Ye moved his arms and embraced her.
He was tall and could see her face when he looked down. He gazed at her intently, and then placed a gentle kiss on Wang Yuying's forehead.
She didn't know that he felt dizzy every time he kissed her.
A cool breeze stirred, swirling up a fallen leaf. Both of them saw it, and Jing Ye tried to get up, but Wang Yuying pressed him down. She guessed he was going to help sweep the yard and stopped him, saying, "Just let it fly away, it's just a leaf."
A sycamore leaf fell from outside the courtyard, swirling upwards like a butterfly. Wang Yuying watched for a while, and the effects of the strong liquor began to kick in. First, a small flame appeared in her lower abdomen, then it grew into a raging fire, burning her chest. She felt she needed to do something to express herself.
She usually practices sword dancing.
Jing Ye was there and wanted to fight him, but he came to Wang Yuying's place without a sword. She was bullying him by fighting him with a blade against his bare hands.
Wang Yuying was about to get up when Jing Ye grabbed her. She smiled, took his hand, and gently stroked it in her own palm: "Let's spar a few times. We've had some drinks, so let's have some fun."
Jing Ye then slowly released Wang Yuying.
She stood up, took another sip of wine, and then spread her legs and raised her hands in a gesture.
Jingye remained seated on the round stool. She winked at him, as if to say, "Please enlighten me."
Jing Ye stood up and asked, "Where is your sword?"
Wang Yuying's lips remained upturned: "Let's just use our bare hands to demonstrate."
Jing Ye thought for a moment, then curled his fingers and said, "Then I'll throw a punch."
"Throw a punch."
Jing Ye focused his gaze, throwing a punch with his right arm, using only ten percent of his strength. Wang Yuying hooked her arm back, using her elbow as a shield to catch it. He was willing to suffer this setback, smiling as he twirled around her arm. The two of them weren't really trying to win, and with the alcohol taking effect, their four hands and two fists swirled together, the paulownia leaves still flying, circling around Jing Ye's ankle and then around Wang Yuying's calf. Their eyes were also locked in a passionate, lingering gaze.
What kind of boxing is this? It's a tender, affectionate boxing style, full of tender feelings, like a dance but not quite. In the end, Wang Yuying's drunkenness outweighed her reason. Her arms drooped, her left foot tripped over her right foot, and she leaned over. Jing Ye quickly caught her and pulled her into his arms.
She looked up, her face flushed, and gave him a flirtatious look: "I want to drink more—"
Jing Ye was also drunk, and instead of advising her not to drink too much, he lowered his head and said with a burning gaze, "I'll feed you."
His chest heaved, his voice seductive, and he held her tightly, unwilling to look away.
He grabbed the wine pot with his other hand.
Wang Yuying, feeling dizzy, pushed Jing Ye away: "You didn't bring a cup—"
The drunken voice was so affected, and with that push, Jingye felt weak all over and staggered.
Steady, firm, eyes narrowed and lips raised: "There are ways to drink without a cup."
He took a large gulp from the spout and sealed Wang Yuying's lips with it, as if transferring air to her. Soon, Wang Yuying began to suckle, Jing Ye's throat bobbed, and veins bulged on his neck and the back of his hands. The two of them sucked harder and harder, intoxicated by the wine, as if immersed in the Milky Way on the Double Seventh Festival, drifting and swaying, their eyes sparkling with starlight.
A spot on the ground was quietly wet.
Two o'clock, three o'clock, more and more, and suddenly it started to rain.
Wang Yuying still had a grin on her face. She raised her hand to cover her head and tried to escape into the bedroom, but Jing Ye grabbed her wrist.
Wang Yuying turned around: "What—"
Before he could finish speaking, Jing Ye had already scooped her up in his arms and kicked open the door. The door wobbled twice before closing in the night wind. Both Jing Ye and Wang Yuying glanced at the doorway, their minds solely focused on closing it, completely forgetting to lock it.
The curtains hadn't been drawn, and they fell onto the couch in each other's arms. Jingye kissed them for a while, then reached down with his hand.
Wang Yuying pressed him down—he had become addicted and came almost every night. It was already frequent, and last night's outburst had been too intense. To be honest, she didn't really want to go now.
"Yingniang, I want to." Jingye stared intently at Wang Yuying, his eyes like two mirrors reflecting her alone.
Wang Yuying lowered her eyes, her gaze falling from his face to his chest: "Sometimes when two people are together, they don't necessarily have to do 'that' every day."
“But tonight is Qixi Festival.” Jing Ye’s smile faded, his expression becoming serious, even somewhat solemn. “They say that on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, there is something called ‘Golden Dew’…”
Wang Yuying smiled and said, "A single meeting of golden wind and jade dew surpasses countless encounters in the mortal world." It turned out that he wanted to request a ceremony.
She raised her upper arm and hooked it around Jingye's neck, agreeing to his request.
But after a while, whispers began to circulate on the couch.
Why is it so limp?
"I don't know..."
"Are you tired of me?"
Upon hearing this, Jing Ye struggled to regain some sobriety from his drunken state and said, word by word, "How could I possibly be tired of it..." He lowered his head and said, "Let me think about what's going on."
The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier. Wang Yuying could no longer hear what Jing Ye was saying and could only infer from his lip movements. She thought, if it doesn't work, it doesn't matter if it doesn't work. She wanted to rest anyway.
"I might really be drunk," Jingye told him, sounding dejected.
Wang Yuying put her arm around Jing Ye's back: "Forget it, I'm sleepy too, let's go to sleep."
Jing Ye looked at her, nodded, looked again, nodded again. Wang Yuying was so drowsy from his shaking that her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep as soon as she closed her eyes. Jing Ye lifted her head and placed it on his arm, lay down, and soon he too fell asleep.
The rain fell like a woven curtain, as if someone had ripped a hole in the sky, pouring down its downpour. Trees swayed and branches shook, and leaves fell across the yard in an instant. The water rose rapidly, and those half-green, half-yellow fallen leaves resembled small boats on the sea, battling against the surging waves.
The base of the walls inside the room gradually became damp.
Jing Ye woke up first in bed. He opened his eyes and saw that the rain was still falling outside, but much lighter than last night. It was already bright outside. He hadn't slept so soundly in a long time, and he hadn't even heard the rooster crow.
Jing Ye remained still, only turning his neck outwards, as if someone were standing at the doorway.
He didn't fully wake up, so he closed his eyes again and continued to doze off, as if in a dream.
Wait, no, this isn't a dream! There really is someone at the door!
Jing Ye forced his eyelids open again, and when he saw who it was, he was so shocked that his soul almost left his body.
He sat up abruptly and blurted out, "Your Majesty!"
"What's all the noise about—" Wang Yuying muttered, trying to turn over and face away from Jing Ye to go back to sleep. Jing Ye nudged her twice with his elbow, and Wang Yuying turned her head and opened her eyes, catching sight of Xu Heng. Her heart jumped, but only for a moment before returning to calm.
She saw Xu Heng staring intently at Jing Ye, his gaze cold and icy, as if he wanted to tear Jing Ye apart with his eyes, to slowly dismember him.
Xu Heng slowly shifted his gaze, meeting Wang Yuying's eyes and locking onto them. His expression vanished completely, becoming almost blank.
Wang Yuying withdrew her gaze and got up to get out of bed. She could feel Xu Heng's gaze fixed on her face, but she didn't look at him again.
As Wang Yuying passed by Jing Ye, he hurriedly stepped aside to let her pass. Wang Yuying glanced at Jing Ye and could see the panic in his eyes. She looked away, not looking at any other man, slipped on her shoes, stood up, picked up her Taoist robe from the ground, and slowly put on her sleeves.
Jingye gazed at her profile and gradually calmed down.
Xu Heng's hands, hidden under her sleeve, trembled more and more violently: she was actually, actually not flustered at all!
He recalled how he pushed open the door, filled with longing, joy, and anticipation, only to be greeted by two pale, naked bodies; his woman was nestled in another man's arms!
She actually did that with the man next to her!
He always thought this was his private boudoir!
He stood at the door for an unknown amount of time, looking at the person on the bed and the clothes scattered on the floor. When he caught sight of a pair of pomegranate earrings on her ears, the corners of his mouth stretched to their widest point—a deep self-mockery.
Yingniang slept so peacefully with another man, so intimately and relaxed, that she didn't even know how long he, this "outsider," had been standing at the door.
He waited for the two of them to wake up, and for Wang Yuying to see his expression, but what he got in return was her composure and calmness!
He felt as if he had been slapped hard across the face, so hard that he saw stars, his ears rang, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. He felt that Wang Yuying's previous slaps were nothing compared to this; this was a real slap.
Xu Heng suddenly panicked, looking around frantically, his gaze like a footless bird flitting about in the air.
No, no, he murmured to himself. It's not here, it's not there either.
The bed, the floor, the dressing table, and even her body were all empty. He couldn't find her half of the white jade pendant; she had thrown it away!
Xu Heng's mind exploded with a sudden thought, recalling how, years ago, he and she knelt down, and he said, "If I ever betray Yingniang in this life, have three wives and four concubines, or divorce my wife and remarry, I will surely die a violent death!"
She also said, "If I were to marry another man, I would not have a good end."
They then separated a pair of white jade pendants, each keeping half as a token of their oath.
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