The weather was getting colder day by day, and the day we set out was even colder than three days ago, especially at sunrise. The withered and sparse trees in the courtyard rustled in the wind, and a thin layer of frost covered the roof tiles.
However, none of this could dampen people's enthusiasm for winter hunting. Pan Wenjun came to the Wei family early in the morning to find Wei Shuwan. Wei Shuwan had been waiting for her in front of the carriage gate. As soon as her carriage entered, she quickly stepped forward to greet her.
Pan Wenjun reached out and lifted the carriage curtain, peeking out her head. Her delicate face was slightly red from the cold, but her eyes were still full of anticipation for the hunting grounds: "Shuwan, I've already spoken to the driver. I'll be following behind your carriage in a bit!"
Wei Shuwan smiled at her and said gently, "Sister Pan, why don't you take my carriage? I've already set up a censer and a hand warmer inside. I've also asked Miaoxiang to prepare lots of fruit and hot drinks. It'll be several hours on the road, so let's eat, drink, and chat along the way to make the time pass faster."
Hearing what she said, Pan Wenjun didn't refuse and quickly got off her own carriage, following Wei Shuwan to the Wei family's carriage.
In fact, Wei Shuwan had a bit of a plan. After all, neither Pan Wenjun nor her uncle knew that the other would be going. Pan Wenjun would be fine with that, only surprised and delighted, but her uncle would probably be less willing. Although it wouldn't change his mind and prevent her from going, it would still cause some trouble on the way.
Therefore, Wei Shuwan asked Pan Wenjun to ride with him, so that when they met up with his uncle later, he wouldn't have to think too much about it.
The two climbed the steps into the carriage, and the coachman slowly drove it away. Pan Wenjun looked at the table of snacks in front of her and couldn't help but show a look of surprise. In addition, there was a censer in the carriage, and Wei Shuwan even handed her a hand warmer, making it warm and cozy, a world apart from her own carriage.
"Shuwan, you really know how to enjoy yourself!" Pan Wenjun said without any ceremony, picking up a piece of scallion pastry and putting it to her mouth. After swallowing, she smiled and said, "I just happened to be in a hurry today, so I didn't have breakfast."
Wei Shuwan smiled, worried that she might be bored eating alone, so she picked up a piece and ate with her.
"Sister Pan is making fun of me. You are stationed on the frontier with your father, so it must be tough for you. We enjoy the peace brought by Protector Pan, yet we are so arrogant and extravagant. I am truly ashamed."
"That's not what I thought. Besides, isn't there someone in your family who suffered on the frontier and served the Great Ye loyally?"
Upon hearing this, Wei Shuwan lightly pressed the back of her hand to her lips and chuckled.
"What are you laughing at?" Pan Wenjun stopped eating the fruit and looked at Wei Shuwan with a puzzled expression.
"Sister Pan really can't stop talking about my uncle," Wei Shuwan teased with a sweet smile.
Pan Wenjun, however, didn't care at all, and even had a bit of pride: "Sun Xingjian can be considered a true hero."
Just then, the carriage, which had only just left the gate, suddenly stopped again. Pan Wenjun was about to lift the curtain to see what was happening when she heard Wei Shuwan say, "Sister Pan's true hero has arrived."
Pan Wenjun's heart skipped a beat, and her originally carefree action of lifting the curtain suddenly became gentle. She only lifted a small corner of the curtain to peek into the streets and alleys outside the carriage.
Sun Xingjian sat atop a tall, chestnut-red horse, a powerful and robust steed, his master equally imposing. His imposing figure and jet-black cloak, flowing down to the horse's tail, exuded an aura of extraordinary elegance.
Pan Wenjun stared intently for a long time, her eyes never wavering, while Wei Shuwan smiled faintly. To be so admired by such a woman, her uncle was truly blessed.
"Sister Pan, have you seen enough?" Wei Shuwan tilted her head and leaned closer, raising an eyebrow at Pan Wenjun.
Pan Wenjun's eyes then changed slightly. She blinked twice, lowered the corner of the curtain, and looked at Wei Shuwan with feigned reproach: "Well, you secretly made an appointment with your uncle without even telling me first."
Wei Shuwan knew that Pan Wenjun was already overjoyed, so she was not flustered. She simply looked Pan Wenjun up and down and asked, "What, if Sister Pan knows that my uncle is coming, do you want to dress up even more beautifully?"
Pan Wenjun pursed her lips and sat up straight, looking as if she didn't want to pay any more attention to the sharp-tongued girl next to her, but a smile was about to spill from the corner of her mouth.
Wei Shuwan smiled and didn't tease her anymore. She lifted the corner of the curtain again, revealing her head, and sweetly called out, "Uncle."
Sun Xingjian spurred his horse slightly and walked towards her, his face as serious as ever. When he spoke, it was as if he were assigning official business in the camp: "You will ride behind me in the carriage. Make sure you stay close and don't lose me."
Having said that, he turned his horse around, spurred it twice, and galloped off. The Wei family's groom also cracked his whip and immediately followed.
An hour later, after leaving the city gate, the bustling streets were gone, leaving only villages with smoke rising from their chimneys and rolling hills on both sides of the main road. The rest was a wide and smooth road with few pedestrians, and the carriage traveled much more steadily.
Wei Shuwan and Pan Wenjun ate and drank in the carriage, occasionally chatting about Sun Xingjian and Li Qingchen, and the time didn't seem to drag on. As they spent more time together, Pan Wenjun became more shrewd. Whenever Wei Shuwan teased her about her uncle, she would retaliate by bringing up the young Prince Qiaochuan. The two would go back and forth, occasionally even playfully punching each other, making quite a scene.
About an hour later, the carriage began to slow down, clearly indicating that they were approaching their destination. Wei Shuwan then lifted the curtain to look outside.
Not far away, the mountains stretched out, their peaks towering and rugged. The carriage turned a corner along the post road and the view suddenly opened up. Here, the forests were lush and the rivers abundant. In the distance, the vast, boundless land was undulating and verdant.
As expected of the royal hunting grounds most beloved by the previous emperors, the valley is bright and beautiful, as if it were in the depths of spring, thanks to the warm springs and the surrounding mountains.
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