Chapter 68 Reunion
Two months later, the snow covered the earth with a new coat, and the heavy snow covered this small courtyard in Jiangnan. The red stove in the courtyard was bubbling, and dozens of strings of freshly made sausages were hanging on the wooden rack in the corner, their aroma carried into the house by the cold wind.
Huiyin, all wrapped up in a round blanket, lifted the curtain and went outside. She sat in a rocking chair, drinking tea and watching the snow scene. Several fragrant roasted chestnuts were placed on the iron mesh next to the stove.
Famous for leisure and wealth, idle for a minor deity.
Yan Niang carried over a bowl of steaming hot medicinal soup. Huiyin felt nauseous at the smell of the strange aroma. This was a medicinal soup that Yan Niang had specially found from an ancient recipe to nourish her body.
It does have some effect; you can clearly feel your body getting warmer after winter arrives, and you can sleep without needing to put in a charcoal brazier at night. However, the smell is really hard to swallow.
Huiyin wrinkled her nose, pretending not to see, and lay down on the recliner, feigning sleep. Yan Niang glanced at her still trembling eyelashes with amusement, and slammed down the medicine soup. "You can't go out if you don't drink the soup. Stay in the house and avoid catching a cold."
Huiyin resignedly opened her eyes, pinched her nose, and drank it all in one gulp. The strange medicinal taste exploded in her mouth, and she frowned. She stuffed a piece of candied fruit into her mouth to suppress the strange taste.
Yan Niang handed over a clean handkerchief and coaxed, "Just finish this month's supply; there aren't many days left. What would you like to eat? I'll have the cook make it."
Huiyin shrank back onto the recliner, tucked her hands into the warm cloak, opened her mouth to take the chestnut meat that Yanniang fed her, chewed it, and mumbled, "I want to drink fresh fish soup."
Yan Niang continued peeling chestnuts, and nodded upon hearing this, saying, "A basket of fresh fish was caught at the riverside this morning. I'll go buy two later and then instruct the cook to make fish soup."
Huiyin smiled and said, "Then Madam Fu, could you please go to the shop on South Street to pick up the newly ordered jewelry for me?"
Yan Niang happily agreed, picked up her bamboo basket, and went out. Over the past two months, she said she had seen Huiyin's condition getting better and better, even somewhat recovering to the state it was before the Song family was destroyed.
She has a great appetite every day, and her body, which had become thin, has gradually recovered. Her complexion is rosy, and she smiles more often.
More importantly, she no longer stayed alone in a daze. She would often take Yan Niang out to visit other people's homes, running between the Yan family and the Song family, and often sitting with the storyteller at the street corner.
Looking at the lively, fresh fish in the bamboo basket, Yan Niang couldn't help but smile. These past two months had been the most relaxing time of the year for them.
Huiyin lay on the rocking chair, inhaling the delicious aroma emanating from the kitchen, and nestled comfortably into the soft quilt. She loved eating fish, especially the soup made from fresh fish, which was incredibly delicious. It was just a pity that she never got to drink that bowl of soup in the end.
People from the palace have arrived; more accurately, they are the eunuchs of Princess Suiyang. In just three months, two important figures have come to this small county town of Wanxian.
The eunuch said that the princess's marriage date had been set, and she wanted to see her old friends before leaving the Southern Dynasty.
Huiyin held the handwritten letter from Suiyang, which contained only three characters: Hangu Pass.
News from Wan County was scarce, and coupled with her deliberate avoidance of news from Chang'an, she was unaware that the wedding date in Suiyang had been set and that she was about to leave the pass for a political marriage.
She smiled at the eunuch and said, "Please wait a moment."
The carriages moved quickly. The procession would stay at Hangu Pass for three days before escorting the princess all the way to Dai County.
Yan Niang held Hui Yin's feet in her arms; Hui Yin's feet were icy cold, making Yan Niang shiver.
Huiyin curled up in the blanket. The carriage was a makeshift one, with no windproof or warm fabric sewn inside. It was bumpy and drafty all the way.
Yan Niang looked at Huiyin swaying and staggering in the blanket, feeling both amused and distressed. "Should I go and talk to them and tell them to slow down?"
Huiyin suppressed the nausea in her chest and sighed helplessly, "No need, I'm also worried about not making it in time."
They finally arrived at the official post station at night, avoiding the miserable fate of sleeping in the wild in the cold winter. However, this post station was really just a courtyard house surrounded by a few rooms, without even floor heating.
Huiyin's face was red from the charcoal fire. She was eating a hard, dry flatbread in her hand, but her eyes were fixed on the kettle on the charcoal stove.
The biscuit was so hard that she felt a tightness in her throat. It was tasteless and a pity to throw it away. At that moment, she missed the delicious fish soup terribly.
Yan Niang rummaged through a pile of chipped bowls and found an intact one, placing it in front of Huiyin. She then sprinkled some salt into the bowl, added hot water, and rinsed it. It was better than the tasteless hot water.
Huiyin picked up the salt water and took small sips, keeping an eye on the activity outside the door. It was still two days' journey to Hangu Pass, and the weather was freezing cold. The escorts were replenishing their supplies at the post station.
For some reason, there was a lot of noise outside. At Huiyin's prompting, Yanniang went to the door, put her hands in her sleeves and peeked out to see what was going on. Snowflakes were blowing in her face, making it hard for her to open her eyes.
The guards escorting the two women stood in the courtyard of the post station. In front of them was a man wrapped in thick clothes, speaking with a local accent. He pointed to the north and gestured something, looking excited.
She went back inside and whispered something to Huiyin. The man spoke in his local accent, and she could only make out a few words: that there had been an avalanche and the mountains were blocked by heavy snow.
A short while later, the lead guard walked in, looking tired and distressed. "Miss Song, the villagers say that the mountains ahead are blocked by heavy snow, making it difficult for carriages and horses to travel."
Huiyin: "Is there any other way to get around this?"
The man shook his head. The closest road to this place, even going around to Hangu Pass, would take five days. Not to mention, in this extremely cold weather with wind and snow, the roads were blocked by heavy snow, and some sections were impassable.
Huiyin asked Yanniang to pour him a cup of hot tea to warm him up. Along the way, she and Yanniang were able to sit in the carriage to avoid the wind and rain, while the people who escorted them could only wear raincoats, and their faces and hands were covered with frostbite.
She got up and went to the door to look at the sky. The wind and snow were howling and pouring into her collar. Huiyin tucked her clothes in tightly and frowned.
Judging from the stars, this heavy snow will not stop for at least three days. If she waits until the snow stops before setting off, the marriage procession will surely have already left Hangu Pass, and she will not be able to see Suiyang.
She turned around and asked, "If we abandon the car and continue on our way, is that feasible?"
The guard nodded. "We can escort the young lady across. Once we're past this mountain, we can find a carriage in town."
Huiyin made the decision: "Then you should go and prepare. We'll set off as normal tomorrow."
After he left, Yan Niang stepped forward with a disapproving look, "It's freezing cold inside the carriage on this snowy day, let alone abandoning it and traveling. How can your body withstand that?"
"Mother Fu, I'm not a porcelain doll, I can do it." Huiyin hugged Yan Niang's arm and acted coquettishly.
She was determined to see Suiyang. Suiyang had been close to her since childhood and treated Huiyin like a sister. Besides, this might be the last time she and Suiyang would ever see each other. The princess had sacrificed herself for the country, and Huiyin admired her greatly. If she didn't see her this time, she would regret it for the rest of her life.
Yan Niang understood this principle, and opened her mouth, but didn't know how to comfort her.
Huiyin pulled Yanniang down to sit, rubbing her hands together and breathing on them to warm them. "You wait for me here. I'll come back to find you."
Yan Niang turned her face away angrily, picked up an iron fork and stirred the charcoal brazier, sparks flying everywhere. "I won't stop you from going, but you can't go without me."
Huiyin hugged Yanniang's arm, leaned in and blinked her bright eyes, "It's too cold, you can't suffer like this."
Yan Niang tightly closed her eyes, covered her ears with her hands, and shook her head vigorously, showing no sign of giving in. Huiyin had no choice but to agree to her request to follow.
The next morning, the group wore thick, windproof cotton clothes, and even wrapped the horses' legs and backs in cotton cloth to prevent them from freezing to death on the road.
Huiyin was completely wrapped up, even her head was covered by a thick scarf wrapped around her neck by Yanniang, and she could bury her face completely in the scarf if she lowered her head slightly.
She rode on her horse, the reins held by a guard. Fortunately, the snow was much lighter than at night, making it easier to walk, though one should be careful to avoid slipping and falling.
The accompanying guards all carried several jugs of extremely strong liquor; in the freezing cold, a single sip would set them ablaze.
Huiyin couldn't resist taking a sip. The pungent taste of the liquor hit her lips, both spicy and astringent. She frowned and swallowed it, her face showing an expression of pain she had never seen before, which made everyone burst into laughter for a long time.
Although the journey was long, it was not difficult to endure. Along the way, several guards told him about their deeds and customs at the border.
Huiyin then realized that these people were all veterans who had retired from Dai County and had previously served in the Pei family's army. And the person who was ordered to escort Princess Suiyang to her marriage was none other than Pei Yu.
Hearing news of him again after two months, Huiyin's heart still trembled. She really didn't want to see him again because she didn't know how to treat Pei Yu.
What I fear even more is hearing news that someone else has already taken his place.
In the afternoon, the group finally crossed the snow-capped mountain and arrived in town. Because they had been delayed by walking, they didn't have time to replenish their supplies, so they bought a horse-drawn carriage and began their journey.
After getting into the carriage, Huiyin leaned against the side without saying a word. Yan Niang thought she had caught a cold, but after checking her forehead, she realized that she was fine and was just in a bad mood, looking listless.
Yan Niang had a pretty good idea of what was going on. She had raised Huiyin from a young age, so to put it bluntly, she could guess what Huiyin was thinking.
She opened the car window and chatted with the guards outside, "I just heard you say that you used to serve in the Pei family army. Have you ever met General Pei?"
The man was around thirty years old, with a thick beard and a scar near his eye, making him look somewhat eerie. However, his voice was quite different from his appearance, sounding as clear and crisp as a jade bead compass.
"Are you asking about Grand Marshal Pei or General Pei, the Junior Guard?"
Yan Niang muttered to herself, confused by all this talk of generals and officials. She was just a servant girl who did all the household chores; how could she possibly know about these official titles?
Huiyin's eyelashes trembled slightly as she replied, "General Pei, also known as your young general."
Yan Niang turned to look at Hui Yin and saw that she looked guilty and dared not look at her. Her hands unconsciously touched the hem of her clothes, as if she was just chatting casually.
However, her bright red ear tips betrayed what she was thinking.
The man outside the car laughed heartily, “Of course I’ve met the young general. He was in the same battalion as me when he first went to the battlefield. He slept next to me back then.”
Huiyin couldn't keep up the act any longer. She moved closer to the bedside, the cold wind stinging her smooth face. Ignoring the pain, she quickly asked, "Isn't he a general? How come he's sharing a camp with you?"
The man tilted his head back and took a sip of liquor, squinting his eyes as he sighed, "He didn't start out as a general. Although he is the young master of the Pei family army, many people in the army are not convinced by him. How could those veteran generals tolerate a kid who hasn't even grown up yet jumping over their heads? Who doesn't want power?"
“He also had guts. Without saying a word, he went down to the bottom and started from the bottom, mingling with us and always being at the forefront.”
He turned around, pointed to the scar at the corner of his eye, and said with a grin, "If he hadn't been quick-witted and pulled me back then, my head would have been ripped off long ago."
“In the years since I returned to Chang’an, I’ve always heard those people who have nothing to worry about complain about how hard their lives are. Every time I hear this, I scoff at them. These people who live a life of luxury in Chang’an have never seen real hell.”
"The sandstorms of Dai County, the wild horses of the grasslands, and the cruel Huns—if you're not careful, their scimitars can easily slit your throat. After a battle, the entire stream will be stained red with blood, and the limbs and broken legs on the ground will be indistinguishable as yours or your brothers'."
Huiyin gripped the car window with her fingertips, which gradually turned white. She had always believed that he was born with everything: status, power, and wealth. These things had shaped his arrogant and domineering personality.
She asked, "Has he experienced these things too?"
"Of course, which soldier in Dai County hasn't experienced these things? Pei Yu is no exception. I still remember his eyes, which gleamed like a wolf's. The first time we were stationed on the outskirts, we were attacked by the Xiongnu at night. Everyone panicked, but he stepped forward to take charge, arranging the troops and leading us to repel the Xiongnu."
"After the battle, everyone realized that he had endured the knife wound to his shoulder and hadn't fallen. It was in that battle that he made a name for himself and began to slowly establish himself in the army."
Huiyin's fingers were numb from the cold, and her lips were pale. She retreated into the carriage. Pei Yu rarely mentioned the five years in Dai County to her. Only once, when they were descending the mountain from Ganquan Palace, had Huiyin glimpsed a bit of it.
She sighed, shaking off the jumbled thoughts in her mind. Whatever Pei Yu's past was, it had nothing to do with her anymore. She would leave after seeing Suiyang, trying her best to avoid running into him.
After several days of travel, Huiyin felt as if her entire skeleton was about to fall apart. Just when she could no longer hold on, they finally arrived at Hangu Pass.
Yan Niang helped Huiyin down from the carriage. The wind at Hangu Pass was stronger than elsewhere, so she took out a scarf and wrapped Huiyin up tightly from head to toe, leaving no gaps.
Huiyin looked down at herself with difficulty. At this moment, she looked like a bloated ball, with only her eyes showing. She was sure that acquaintances would not recognize her.
Thinking this, she hurriedly followed the eunuch towards Hangu Pass. As luck would have it, a group of people suddenly appeared in front of her, led by Pei Yu, whom she desperately wanted to avoid.
Huiyin silently lowered her head and covered her face; she would rather die than let Pei Yu see her like this.
She tugged at the sleeve of the eunuch leading the way and instructed him, "Take me directly to His Highness, and don't cause any unforeseen complications."
The eunuch had intended to go forward to pay his respects to Pei Yu, but upon hearing the instructions from the person behind him, he turned back to the main road.
The eunuch couldn't help but feel a little regretful. He thought he had subtly glanced at Pei Yu several times, as he had originally wanted to see what it would be like for former lovers to meet.
After all, the story of the two people behind them is still widely circulated in Chang'an. More importantly, it is said that Miss Song dumped General Pei, and General Pei, injured, chased after her all the way to Wan County, only to be harshly rejected by Miss Song. In the end, he returned to the capital heartbroken.
Who wouldn't be curious about the twists and turns involved?
The moment Pei Yu looked over there, he noticed the three people walking with their heads down. The person leading the way was looking at him strangely, with a strange sense of regret in his eyes.
He glanced at it casually, then his gaze suddenly stopped, staring at the round figure for a long time without saying a word. Fang Mu, who was beside him, was reporting the route to Pei Yu with a map. He waited for a long time but did not receive a reply from Pei Yu, so he couldn't help but look up.
Fang Mu saw his young general staring blankly in that direction, not even blinking. Fang Mu followed his gaze and saw nothing unusual, just three figures, one of whom was dressed strangely, as if he wanted to wrap himself in a blanket.
He muttered with amusement, "Who is this person? Why is he all wrapped up like that? Why doesn't he just throw on a blanket and go out?"
Nobody paid him any attention.
Fang Mu scratched his head and followed Pei Yu's gaze again, suddenly noticing a familiar-looking person following behind the round figure.
It's Yan Niang! Fang Mu opened his mouth in surprise. Yan Niang is Song Nulang's mother. Her presence here means that the person in front of him is Song Nulang!
He looked away, studying Pei Yu's expression. No wonder the young general had been leading them out of the pass to patrol these past two days. The area around Hangu Pass had been thoroughly searched; there was no threat whatsoever.
He didn't want to stay in the warm house; it turned out his real intention wasn't what he was looking for. Fang Mu rubbed his hands together with a sly look on his face. Last time he went to Wan County, Chi Yan accompanied the young general. Chi Yan was such a blockhead; he was nowhere near as skilled at dealing with women as Fang Mu.
Thinking of how the young general would often stare blankly southwards, his lips curled into a wide smile. He raised his hand and waved it forcefully, shouting from his diaphragm, "Miss Song! We're here!"
The wind carried the affectionate call to Huiyin's ears, but she tried to ignore it, pretending not to hear it, and urged the eunuch to leave quickly.
"Song! Girl! Song! Hui! Yin!"
Huiyin: "..."
She stopped abruptly, suddenly feeling as if everyone in Hangu Pass was staring at her, as if it were a physical presence.
With her name called out on the spot, no matter how thick-skinned Huiyin was, she couldn't sneak away in front of so many people.
She gave an awkward laugh and turned to walk towards Pei Yu.
Fang Mu was still waving his arms, grinning at her, and shouting, "It really is you, Miss Song! Why are you dressed like this?"
Huiyin pulled off her scarf, strode forward, glared at Fang Mu, and then casually bowed to Pei Yu, saying, "General Pei."
Pei Yu's gaze fell on her face, then quickly returned to his own. He gave a curt reply and said nothing more.
Huiyin felt a slight sense of relief and was about to say something to take her leave when Fang Mu said again, "Miss Song, are you sick? Why are you dressed like this?"
Pei Yu's gaze fell on Huiyin again, but this time he didn't look at her face, but at the large, thick, patched cotton coat she was wearing.
Huiyin closed her eyes in despair. Her cotton-padded coat had been accidentally torn in several places on the way, and she couldn't find a suitable needle and thread for the time being. Yan Niang gathered a few other scraps of cloth and sewed them up a bit.
The cotton coat was warm and comfortable, and since she hadn't met anyone she knew along the way, she wrapped it around herself. Huiyin replied with a forced smile, "I'm not sick, I'm just afraid of the cold."
"Afraid of the cold? The young general has just acquired a fine new cloak, both beautiful and comfortable, isn't that right, young general?" Fang Mu gently nudged Pei Yu with his shoulder, winking at him.
Pei Yu nodded slightly and gestured for someone to fetch it.
Huiyin quickly waved her hand, "No need, I don't need it."
Fang Mu sighed, "Miss Song, it's windy at Hangu Pass, so you'll have to take it. This big floral jacket is really a bit... you know."
Huiyin paused for a moment, then suddenly heard soft laughter beside her. She turned her head slightly and saw that Yanniang's eyes were already squinting with laughter. When she saw Huiyin looking at her, she raised her hand to cover her lips, but the smile in her eyes was clearly visible.
She nodded helplessly. Pei Yu then walked to her side and said softly, "I'll take you to His Highness."
Huiyin looked up and saw the smile in his eyes. She had just received a cloak; she couldn't just turn her back on him immediately. She angrily tugged at her cotton coat, thinking she would definitely throw it away when she got back.
The two walked one after the other towards the gate tower of Hangu Pass, with an arm's width between them, like strangers on the road.
Upon reaching the second floor, someone carried a lacquered tray upon which rested a dark black cloak. It wasn't pure black, but rather a deep, almost inky blue-gray. The edges were trimmed with fine sable fur, a dark purple-black, fluffy and warm.
Pei Yu took off his cloak, unfolded it in front of Huiyin, and slightly raised his hand as if to drape it over her shoulders.
Huiyin took two steps back and calmly refused, "Thank you, General Pei, I can do it myself."
Pei Yu's expression remained unchanged. He placed the cloak back on the lacquer tray and turned away with his hands behind his back. Huiyin watched his retreating figure and breathed a slight sigh of relief. For some reason, she felt a little afraid of Pei Yu now.
He didn't even say a word, and his expression was very calm. He just stood there and glanced at her, which made her feel uneasy and want to avoid him. This sense of aggression was much more obvious than before.
Huiyin untied the ties on her cotton coat, revealing her graceful and slender figure. Underneath, she wore a fitted blouse in the color of rosy clouds, instantly transporting one from the chilly autumn to the gentle warmth of the season.
The cold wind blowing from the tower made Huiyin gasp softly. She took the cloak and wrapped it around herself; the thick, warm fabric instantly enveloped her body, and the soft mink fur around her neck was exceptionally plush. She loved this cloak.
"I'm all better now, let's go."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yu turned around, stared at Huiyin greedily for a moment, and changed his previous cold and aloof demeanor, approaching Huiyin step by step.
Huiyin frowned, slowly backing away until she leaned against the wall, finding herself with nowhere to go. She stared at Pei Yu, her eyes filled with anger, "What do you want?"
"If you dare to do anything reckless, be careful, I won't be polite to you."
Pei Yu remained silent, raising his hand to touch Huiyin's face.
"Snap—" The force wasn't great, but the sound was very loud.
Huiyin looked at Pei Yu's face, which had been slapped askew, and her lowered hand trembled slightly.
Pei Yu's face was slightly turned to the side by the slap. Instead of feeling a burning sensation on his face, Huiyin's hand was ice-cold, so he didn't feel any pain at all.
He touched his face, then suddenly smiled, his tongue pressed against his lower jaw.
Huiyin saw the faint smile between his brows, and a feeling of anger welled up in her chest. Unable to stay any longer, she turned and left.
Her arm was grabbed, and an undeniable force pressed her back to her original position. Pei Yu leaned down again and reached out to pull her hair out of the cloak, carefully tidying it up.
Pei Yu withdrew his hand, his expression indifferent. "Alright, let's go."
Huiyin's face flushed instantly. She didn't even dare to look up at Pei Yu, keeping her head down and following behind him, her right hand unconsciously curling up.
It's not her fault; he was the one who laid a hand on her. He deserved to be slapped.
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