Chapter 62 First Arrival in Wan County, the Song Clan...
Pei Yu had just stepped into the corridor when he was stopped by Madam Pei, who had rushed over upon hearing the news. "You've just woken up, where are you going?"
Pei Yu, still angry about his mother letting Liu Tan into the mansion, walked past Madam Pei without stopping, his face expressionless, and said, "I have important business to attend to."
Madam Pei raised her hand to stop him, angrily saying, "What could you possibly have to do? You're just rushing to see Song Huiyin, aren't you? Why are you still thinking about such a heartless and ungrateful woman!"
“She’s not that kind of person.” Pei Yu gave Madam Pei a cold look for the first time.
Madam Pei was furious, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Qiao, who was behind her, quickly stepped forward to pat her chest and soothe her, looking at Pei Yu with a pleading expression, "Young General, Madam, you mustn't be angry anymore."
Pei Yu clenched his fists, forcibly suppressing his anger. His expression softened somewhat. "Mother, go back first. I'll be right back."
After he finished speaking, he pulled down Madam Pei's arm and strode forward. He heard Madam Pei angrily say behind him, "After Song Huiyin left the Pei residence, she moved into Wang Huan's villa. Why are you still looking for such a fickle and treacherous woman? There are other women in the world besides her."
Pei Yu stopped in his tracks without turning around. "There are millions of women in the world, but I only want her. What does it matter if there's Wang Huan? I'll take her back."
"You..." Madam Pei was so angry that she couldn't speak.
The wind and rain gradually intensified, the downpour becoming so heavy that it was impossible to open one's eyes.
Madam Pei watched Pei Yu's figure gradually disappear, sighed helplessly, and ordered someone to quickly grab rain gear and chase after him. Pei Yu was still recovering from serious injuries, and if he were to get caught in the rain in early autumn, it would only worsen his condition.
Pei Yu left the Pei residence and rode his horse straight to the Wang residence. He didn't know where Wang Huan's villa was, so he could only go to the Wang family to find Wang Huan first.
The raindrops hit his face, and his body gradually grew cold. Pei Yu could clearly feel the wound on his back starting to reopen, and blood dripped down his shoulders and back onto the street, only to be immediately washed away by the rain.
He waited patiently in front of the Prince's mansion for half an hour, but Wang Huan did not come out to see him. Instead, he sent someone out to inform him that "Huiyin has left Chang'an and returned to Jingzhou. She will not be coming back."
He stood outside the gate of the Prince's mansion, feeling as if a bloody hole had been ripped out of his heart, and all his passion had cooled down.
Pei Yu led the horse back. She was gone. She just left like that, without saying goodbye or leaving a single word. She was so heartless.
She really doesn't want him anymore.
My eyes welled up with tears, as if something mixed with the rainwater was flowing down my face, making my mouth taste bitter.
Pei Yu led his horse aimlessly, his steps unconsciously stopping in front of the former Song residence. The plaque above the gate still read "Fan Residence." Huiyin didn't even want the Song residence anymore; she really didn't plan to come back.
Unable to tell whether it was due to excessive physical pain or something else, he could barely stand and knelt at the entrance of the Fan residence, soaked to the bone and utterly disheveled.
Pei Yu's vision was blurry. He looked down and saw a figure slowly emerge from a small puddle on the ground. She had beautiful features, her lips curved as she looked at him, and her pretty, glassy eyes were full of sparkling light. She reached out and cupped his face, saying helplessly, "Pei Yu, what happened to you?"
Pei Yu stared unblinkingly at Huiyin, tears welling in his eyes. He choked out his hand, "Huiyin... I was wrong... Please come back... Please."
The instant she touched the water, Huiyin vanished completely from his sight, leaving no trace. Pei Yu buried his head in the ground and wept bitterly.
Chi Yan and Fang Mu, who had rushed over, stopped in their tracks. They had never seen Pei Yu like this before. No matter the danger or peril, Pei Yu was always strong and calm, as if nothing could defeat him. This was the first time they had ever seen Pei Yu's tears.
After an unknown amount of time, Pei Yu finally collapsed in the rain, unable to hold on any longer. Chi Yan and Fang immediately rushed forward, helped him onto his horse, and returned to the mansion.
Pei Yu was carried back to the mansion by two people. Liu Tan had already left. When Madam Pei saw that he was in a daze and his face was pale, she immediately started crying and scolding him, saying that he was a troublemaker and didn't take his health seriously.
The physician prescribed medicine, and Madam Pei ordered someone to force-feed it to him. However, he clenched his teeth and refused to open his mouth or lie still, insisting on getting up to find something. When asked what he was looking for, he couldn't explain, and just kept walking barefoot outside. Three people couldn't stop him.
When Tao Ao and Pei Yan entered, Chi Yan and Fang Mu were twisting Pei Yu's arms and pinning him to the ground, while Madam Pei was anxiously waiting on the side like an ant on a hot pan.
"Be careful not to hurt him."
Pei Yan stared intently. Pei Yu's eyes were red, and his inner garment was completely soaked in blood, his wounds reopened. He kept muttering, calling Huiyin's name.
Pei Yan felt a lump in his throat and helped the two men lift Pei Yu onto the bed. His once arrogant elder brother lowered his noble head, and his pleading voice was heartbreaking.
Madam Pei rushed to the bedside, tears streaming down her face, and said, "Don't cause yourself any more trouble. Once you're better, just go find her. Your mother will never stop you again."
Pei Yu kept his eyes tightly closed and his jaw clenched so tightly that he refused to take the medicine no matter how much they tried to persuade him.
Having no other choice, Madam Pei had to quickly order someone to prepare a carriage and go to the Prince's villa to bring Huiyin over.
He Jiaying, who arrived a step behind, quickly squeezed in upon hearing this, "Huiyin left Chang'an yesterday and returned to Jingzhou."
"What?" Madam Pei was shocked, her heart aching as she looked at Pei Yu's pale face.
Upon hearing the name Huiyin, Pei Yu on the bed slowly relaxed his furrowed brows, opened his eyes, and gazed at the sky without uttering a word.
Madam Pei hurriedly leaned over to comfort him, "Son, are you awake?"
Pei Yu sat up, ignoring the group of people in the room, and beckoned to Hou Li's old woman, Qiao, to bring over the medicine bowl. He stared at the bowl of medicine and drank it all in one gulp, his voice hoarse, "I'm fine, you can all leave, the physician stays."
Madam Pei was unwilling to leave, but Aunt Tao noticed that Pei Yu was in a clear-headed state and dragged and coaxed him out.
After clearing the room, Pei Yu expressionlessly unbuttoned his clothes, revealing his bloodied and mangled back, and said to the physician, "Use the best and strongest medicine. I need to be able to leave the city tomorrow."
The physician looked troubled. "Young General, your injuries are too severe. You need to rest. The wound has already reopened after it had just healed. It won't be healed for more than half a month."
Pei Yu stared at him, "You just focus on applying the medicine; the rest is none of your business."
"But..." Seeing that he was determined, the physician dared not persuade him any further and wrung out a clean cloth to wipe the bloodstains off Pei Yu's body.
The wound that had just healed reopened, and then it got soaked in the rain. The person made a scene while wearing soaked clothes, and now the flesh and blood of the wound are turning white and swollen, making it a horrifying sight.
The physician carefully treated Pei Yu's back wound, but couldn't help but remind him, "This wound must not be torn open again within half a month."
He didn't hear Pei Yu respond, so he looked up and saw that the man was sitting steadily with white cloth wrapped around his back, his mouth turned down, and his eyes staring intently to the south.
The physician shook his head, picked up his medicine box, and left.
Pei Yu sat alone for a while, then opened the door and had someone set out the meal. He needed to recover quickly so he could bring Huiyin back and keep her by his side forever, never letting her leave again.
——
After the caravan left Chang'an, Huiyin's mood gradually improved. They left Chang'an, crossed the Qinling Mountains, headed south from the Han River, and took the ancient Jingxiang Road, where the scenery became increasingly beautiful.
The rugged mountains have transformed into gentle, undulating hills, and shallow lakes have become increasingly frequent. Occasionally, one can see women washing clothes by the water, the sound of their pounding feet clear and melodious.
Upon reaching the Jingzhou ferry crossing, the group switched to waterway and boarded a ferry. After crossing the Han River, the ancestral home of the Song family, Wan County, lay on the other side.
When Huiyin left Chang'an, she sent someone to deliver a message to the Song clan, telling them to prepare to welcome their parents' coffins into the ancestral grave.
She stood at the bow of the boat, the river breeze carrying the fishy smell of water, gentler and more damp than the mountain breeze. Many awning boats floated on the river, boatmen poling with long poles, while fishermen sat steadily at the stern.
Huiyin closed her eyes and felt the river breeze. She liked it here; everything here made her feel warm and gentle.
Someone draped a crimson cloak over her shoulders. Huiyin turned around and saw Yanniang standing behind her with a gentle expression.
Around noon, there weren't many people along the riverbank, just a few scattered black dots, which looked like busy restaurants at the ferry crossing.
A quarter of an hour later, the ferry came to a stop on the shore. Huiyin looked at the bare open space on the shore and frowned. Why couldn't she see a single member of the Song clan?
Yan Niang also looked puzzled, "Why is no one here to greet us?"
Huiyin frowned, and roughly understood that the Song family wanted to give her a warning.
After disembarking, Huiyin instructed the caravan to rest for a while. This time, she only brought Yanniang and a few guards given by Wang Huan with her when she returned to her hometown, along with three cartloads of gifts from His Majesty and old items that she was returning.
When their father was still alive, the Song clan treated their branch with exceptional respect, and during festivals, uncles would visit with gifts.
After her father's accident, the Song family immediately changed their tune. Not only did they not send anyone to Chang'an to help, they also refused her request to bury her father in the ancestral tomb. They even pretended to be deaf and dumb when Huiyin wrote to ask for some money to help.
Only my uncle's family sent a lot of gold and silver, but it was of no use in making up for it.
After resting, she inquired at the ferry crossing about the location of the Song family, and then led her people there in a grand manner, spreading the news along the way that she was returning home with a coffin.
The people of Wan County are simple and honest, and they are very hospitable. They surrounded us, asking questions one after another.
"You're from the Song family? Who's your father?"
Huiyin, with Muli by her side, sat at the car door. "My father is Song Wei."
"Song Wei? Isn't that the high-ranking official from the Song family? I heard he died before the new year because of corruption and bribery."
Huiyin shook her head. "My father was wronged, and His Majesty has already announced to the world that he has been exonerated."
"I see. So what brought you back this time?"
Huiyin patiently explained, "Fallen leaves return to their roots; naturally, we should bury our father and mother in the ancestral graveyard, but..."
Her voice trailed off, and the curtain was lifted by a corner in the wind, revealing her beautiful chin.
The onlookers hurriedly asked, "What is it? What's wrong? Tell us and see if we can help."
Huiyin lowered her head and said sadly, "I am the only one left in my lineage. I am worried that as an orphan, I will not be able to let my father return to his roots."
"Don't worry, the Song family got rich because of your father, they would never dare to bully an orphan like you."
"That's right, that's right! If they dare to act disrespectfully towards their elders, the people of Wan County could drown them with their spit!"
Huiyin stood up and gracefully bowed to the crowd. "Then Huiyin thanks all of you, fellow villagers."
Before long, the convoy arrived in front of the Song family's ancestral home. The Song family's ancestral home was not a large mansion like those in Chang'an, but rather composed of many small courtyards, with an outer ring of one courtyard and two inner courtyards.
The houses are clustered together, and this area is where the Song family lived, hence the name Song Alley.
At this moment, many members of the Song family who had heard the commotion poked their heads out and looked at Huiyin and the others.
Huiyin whispered instructions to the caravan to split up, leaving the gold, silver and other valuables outside the alley, and also leaving most of the manpower behind.
She brought only Yan Niang and two Wang family guards with her, carrying her parents' coffins to the middle of Song Lane, followed by a group of villagers who came to watch the spectacle.
Their entourage was enormous; it was impossible for the Song clan chief not to have heard about it. The courtyard inside remained completely quiet, with only clan members on the periphery watching the spectacle.
After a while, there was still no movement, and the villagers began to whisper among themselves.
Huiyin, with Mu Li by her side, secretly pinched her waist and threw herself onto the coffin, weeping bitterly, "Father, you have worked hard for the country and the people all your life. Our clan has benefited from you so much. Now that your body is not even cold, they are turning us away and not giving me, an orphan, a way to live."
Upon receiving Huiyin's signal, Yanniang immediately knelt at the villagers' feet, wailing with tears streaming down her face, "Fellow villagers, my daughter is suffering so much!"
Huiyin secretly gave Yan Niang a thumbs up in her heart. As expected of her mother, she knew what she was going to do with just a glance.
The Song family members who had been watching the commotion from the sidelines couldn't sit still any longer and rushed over to comfort her, saying, "Don't cry, little girl, we didn't say we wouldn't take care of you."
Among the villagers who had come along, one who was filled with righteous indignation immediately spat, "Bah! What a mess you've made! This girl is carrying a coffin back to her hometown, and you won't even let her in the door. What is this if not bullying an orphan!"
"That's right! Don't forget, this whole area was earned by Lord Song. You've already forgotten your roots!"
Among the Song clan members was a rather clever woman. Upon hearing this, she immediately came out and shouted, "What nonsense are you spouting! You're ruining our family's reputation! This child ran back without saying goodbye. How were we supposed to know she was coming back today?"
Huiyin pretended to wipe away her tears a couple of times. She didn't need to lift a finger; Yan Niang could kill her.
Sure enough, upon hearing this, Yan Niang scrambled to her feet and pointed at the woman, her voice echoing even outside the alley, "We sent letters to our clan as soon as we left Chang'an, one letter for each place we visited. How could we not receive any letters? I think it's clearly you heartless people who bullied my young lady because she was all alone!"
"When my lord met with this accident, my wife wrote to request that the clan send someone to Chang'an to bring his body back to the clan for a proper burial. What did you do then? You refused to allow my lord to be buried in the ancestral grave, forcing him to be hastily buried in a desolate place. Now you want him to suffer the pain of relocating the grave!"
"What a bunch of ingrates! Not a single one of them is any good!"
The woman was silenced by Yan Niang's rapid-fire rebuke and couldn't utter a word for a long time.
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold. Huiyin lay on the coffin, listening to Yanniang's accusations, her heart filled with even more hatred. How dare they treat her father like this? Everything she had now was given to her by her father.
The Song family was originally just a small clan in Wan County. If it weren't for her father, how could they have become a prominent clan in Wan County, adorned with gold and silver, with abundant fertile land, and even the county magistrate had to give them some face and avoid their sharp edge?
"That's because Song Wei is a corrupt official and a parasite. Letting him be buried in the ancestral grave would tarnish the Song family's century-old reputation!"
Upon hearing this, Huiyin couldn't help but curl the corners of her mouth. A century of good reputation, indeed, she knew how to embellish her own image.
She looked up and saw a group of men in long robes walking out of the small courtyard in the middle. The one who spoke was the one in the middle. He was about fifty years old, with silver strands in his hair, a long beard that reached his chest, long eyebrows, a pale face, and cloudy, gloomy eyes. He was leaning on a yellow wooden cane.
It's obviously something I don't know is good.
Huiyin saw the group of Song clan members bowing to him and calling him clan leader.
The villagers who came with her also respectfully called him "Old Song".
The person in question appeared. Yan Niang glared at the man fiercely and retreated behind Hui Yin.
Huiyin straightened up and slightly bent her knees. "Song Huiyin, daughter of Song Wei, greets the clan chief."
Song Xiuwu snorted coldly, completely ignoring Huiyin, and said to the villagers, "Fellow villagers, why didn't you inform me of your arrival? I would have welcomed you properly."
His words were rather awkward, as if he were blaming others for coming uninvited. For a moment, no one responded, only a thin old man stepped out from the crowd and said with a smile, "Old Song, this little girl is pitiful, we're here to help her."
Song Xiuwu squinted, turning the wrench on his thumb as he pondered. This old man was different from the other villagers who were easy to fool. He was the father of County Magistrate Zhang, who loved to drink a little wine and meddle in other people's business. He was extremely annoying.
He composed himself and said with a smile, "Master Zhang, please don't joke. This is my daughter. How could I possibly need your help?"
Old Zhang gave a light hum, his small, upturned mustache twitched slightly, and he glanced sideways at Old Song.
Huiyin interrupted the two, saying, "The clan chief just said something wrong. My father was not a corrupt official. His Majesty has issued an edict to exonerate my father and posthumously confer upon him the title of Marquis Yi."
Song Xiuwu turned to scrutinize Huiyin, whose face he couldn't see clearly. His eyes were as venomous as a coiled snake. He slammed his cane down hard and roared, "You little brat, you have no manners at all! How dare you interrupt your elders!"
Huiyin clutched the hem of her clothes, listening to Song Xiuwu's angry rebuke. She thought casually, "Why are all these people the same? Just because she's a woman, do they think they can scare her away with a few words and let her be manipulated by them?"
She replied calmly, "The clan leader misspoke first, and as his son, I naturally cannot stand by and watch my father be humiliated. Just now, the clan members said that they refused to let our branch of the family out today because they had not received any news. Can you explain this?"
Song Xiuwu tilted his head back, stroked his beard, and remained silent.
A middle-aged man behind him chimed in, "You're too impatient, kid. We'll need some time to get the news and leave. You can't even wait this long, and you're troubling the villagers. You're really inconsiderate."
This man is Song Xiuwu's eldest son, named Song Qiao. He usually handles all the affairs of the clan.
Hearing the whispers around her, Huiyin raised her hand and placed it on the coffin. "It's not that I'm being unreasonable. I just want my parents to be laid to rest as soon as possible. My father was an elder among our clansmen, and he has already passed away. It's only right that you wait for them. There's absolutely no reason for me to leave my father's body here to wait for you."
Song Xiuwu snorted coldly, finally raising his eyes to look Huiyin directly in the eye and said, "You are quite sharp-tongued, not at all like your father."
Huiyin remained neither humble nor arrogant, saying, "You are my elder, so whatever you say goes. It's getting late, so please personally escort my parents to the ancestral grave."
The middle-aged man said again, "The clan leader is getting old. How about this, I'll have a young man take you there."
After he finished speaking, he glanced at the crowd behind him, grabbed a pale-clothed, honest-looking man and walked out, saying with a smile, "This kid is called Song Ping, let him take you there."
Huiyin looked over and saw that the person who had been pulled out looked completely bewildered, scratching the back of his head and stammering, "This lady, please...please come with me."
Huiyin curtsied slightly and asked, "May I ask how you are addressed?"
Song Ping quickly wiped his hands on the hem of his robe, then clasped his hands together in front of his chest in a gesture of respect. "My name is Song Ping, courtesy name Zizhen."
He hesitated for a moment, then said, “I am from the same lineage as you, and we are not more than five degrees of kinship. You can also call me Seventh Cousin.”
“Seventh cousin, I have just returned to Jingzhou and have nowhere to stay. I wonder if it would be convenient for you to take me in temporarily?” Huiyin gently helped him up.
Song Ping nodded quickly, "Yes, but it's rather simple..."
“It’s alright,” Huiyin waved her hand and beckoned to the people waiting behind her, telling them to bring forward the three carts of gold and silver coins. “His Majesty has exonerated my father and not only returned my family’s old belongings, but also bestowed additional rewards and compensation. You can put my belongings at your home first, and then take me to the ancestral graves.”
Song Ping stared blankly at the three carts of gold and silver, swallowed hard, and pointed tremblingly to the east, "This...this way."
Huiyin had only taken three steps when Song Qiao and her men stopped her. Song Qiao changed her attitude from before and came to Huiyin with bows and scrapes. "You child, the Song family is so big, how could there not be a place for you to live? We have specially prepared a courtyard for you and found a few maids to serve you. Come in with us quickly."
As he said this, his eyes gleamed as he stared at the three cars behind him, as if they were already his.
Song Xiuwu's cold and hard expression softened considerably, though he still maintained his arrogant demeanor, waiting for Huiyin to beg him.
Huiyin sneered for a moment, "No need, I can stay at my seventh cousin's house. Uncle, please make way."
The Wang family guards behind them stepped forward to pull aside the Song family members blocking their way and escorted the three carriages inside. Song Qiao hurriedly tugged at Song Xiuwu's clothes and gave him a look, signaling him to stop the people immediately.
Song Xiuwu glared at Song Qiao for a long time, watching Huiyin walk past him with her luggage. Finally, he couldn't hold back any longer and said, "Wait, I've been thinking about it. It's not easy for an orphan like you. I'll personally take you to the ancestral graves."
Huiyin stopped and turned back to Song Xiuwu with a smile, saying, "Clan leader, you're too kind. Please, then."
Old Zhang, always eager for a good show, chimed in, "Third Brother Song, it would have been so much better if you had done this earlier. This Lord Song is a loyal minister of the country; you must treat his descendants well."
Other villagers chimed in, each offering their own opinion.
Suppressing his anger, Song Xiuwu glared at the group of hot-headed troublemakers and strode forward to lead the way. After a few steps, he realized Huiyin hadn't followed, and Song Xiuwu said unhappily, "What are you waiting for? Aren't you in a hurry to go?"
Huiyin smiled and said, "Clan leader, please wait a moment."
Song Xiuwu's impatience became even more apparent. If it weren't for the three cartloads of treasure, he would have already ordered Huiyin to be thrown out.
"What's wrong now?"
“Since the clan leader has gone, the other clan members should go with him,” Huiyin said calmly.
Song Xiuwu glanced sideways. Historically, only the clan head and highly respected members of the clan received this honor, and only then could the entire clan attend their funeral. This Song Huiyin actually had this idea—to have the clan's members bury Song Wei and his wife. What wishful thinking!
He beckoned a few people out and told them to pull the cart carrying the coffin and follow him. "The members of the clan all have important matters to attend to and can't leave. It's getting late, so go and come back soon."
Huiyin stood still, and the guards of the Prince's Mansion surrounded the coffin, preventing anyone from getting close. At the same time, they stopped the three carts of treasure heading to the Song family. For a moment, the scene was at a standstill.
Huiyin slowly lifted the curtain, revealing her beautiful face beneath the white veil. She smiled and said, "If you have something to do, a little longer won't make a difference. Go ahead."
Song Xiuwu stopped and silently met Huiyin's gaze. Huiyin didn't want to see his annoying face, so she covered the curtain again.
In this world, whether men or women, everyone is always tolerant and compassionate towards beautiful things, and Huiyin is well aware of this.
Hidden behind the curtain, she listened to the growing murmurs and the Song clan members slowly approaching her, and a smile curled her lips.
Old Zhang squeezed forward, stroked his chin, clicked his tongue twice at Huiyin, and exclaimed in amazement, "What a pretty little girl! What a pity!"
Huiyin bowed to Elder Zhang, her voice gentle, "You flatter me, sir."
The Song clan members had already gathered around, and several of them couldn't help but speak up, "Clan leader, why don't we go together?"
"That's right, clan chief. We should go to the funeral of Lord Song... no, Marquis Yi."
The villagers echoed, "That's right, Old Song! Marquis Yi is the only marquis in our Wan County this year. This is an immense honor!"
"We should go."
Song Xiuwu's face was ashen, and he couldn't bring himself to refuse. Song Qiao quickly leaned close to him and whispered a few words. Song Xiuwu glanced at the three carts of treasure and finally relented, "Fine, let's go together then."
As dusk approached, Song Wei and his wife were finally laid to rest peacefully. Huiyin knelt before the newly erected stone tablet, kowtowing and offering incense.
Behind her, apart from Song Xiuwu who was still standing, all the other clansmen were kneeling on the ground, respectfully kowtowing.
Huiyin withdrew her gaze and stared silently at the brazier. As long as Song Xiuwu remained in the position of clan leader, her life in Jingzhou would not be easy.
Besides her immense wealth, she had something even more attractive: His Majesty posthumously conferred upon her father the title of Marquis Yi, a title that could be passed down to the next generation.
The original intention was compensation; if Song Jingchuan could be found, the title would naturally be inherited by him. If he did not return, Song Xiuwu, coveting the title, would surely try every means to make her adopt a son for her parents and seize the title and family fortune.
Huiyin lit an incense stick and placed it in front of the incense burner without expression. Wealth and power are tempting, but it depends on whether one has the fate to possess them.
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