Chapter 176: Picking Up a Beauty
After a moment's hesitation, he gave a stern order: "Men! Quickly detour down the cliff and search! Find them alive or dead! If you don't find them, none of you need to come back!"
"Yes, sir!" the subordinates replied in unison, turned their horses around, and galloped away.
Chen Qingyun looked up at the sky, heartbroken: "Qingxue, Qingxue, why did you have to be so foolish..."
The woodcutter carried Yi Qingxue back to his thatched hut. Outside, an elderly woman in her fifties was washing clothes. Seeing this, she stood up in surprise and asked, "Second Brother, who is this you're carrying?" Seeing that her son had returned empty-handed and instead carried a woman, and was ignoring her, she quickly wiped her hands on her waist and hurriedly followed him into the hut.
"Erlang, who did you bring back?" The old woman leaned closer to the wooden bed and her eyebrows shot up. "Erlang! Our family is clean and honest, we would never do anything that would offend heaven and reason! This girl looks like she comes from a noble family, how did you get her?"
Erlang was annoyed by this and said gruffly, "Mother! I didn't get this! I picked it up in the mountains!" He said it with a straight face.
The old woman frowned, half believing and half doubting: "Found in the mountains?!" She looked Yi Qingxue up and down, "How could such a delicate and beautiful young lady run off alone in the deep mountains? You mustn't lie to your mother!" The old woman's eyes were burning as she stared intently at her son.
Erlang stamped his foot helplessly: "Mother! How could I dare lie to you! I really found her!" After saying that, he glanced at the unconscious Yi Qingxue, "Oh right, I haven't brought back the firewood yet! Mother, you must keep a close eye on her!" Before he finished speaking, he rushed out the door, but suddenly stopped abruptly, grabbed the door frame and shouted: "Mother! You must keep a close eye on her! I want her to be my wife!"
"Daughter-in-law?!" The old lady was stunned, speechless. Before she could ask any more questions, Erlang's figure had already disappeared outside the door. She approached Yi Qingxue with a worried expression: her light green dress exuded elegance, and the pink shawl on her arm added to her dignified bearing. A string of red sandalwood beads adorned her right wrist with a calm and warm luster, while a touch of bright, translucent chicken-fat agate adorned her left wrist. And her slender fingers revealed skin as white as snow. Such beauty could not possibly be cultivated by an ordinary family!
The old lady sighed softly, gently removing Yi Qingxue's jade-like hand from her abdomen. Her gaze shifted upwards, revealing an oval face as white as jade, with exquisitely beautiful features. Slender, willow-leaf eyebrows, as if drawn with an ink brush, framed her eyes slightly lowered, revealing faint traces of double eyelids; thick eyelashes hung down like two small fans. Her nose was delicate and refined, and most striking were her lips—clearly defined, with slightly upturned peaks, their color a rosy pink like newly blossoming peach petals. She was so beautiful she seemed otherworldly! Truly breathtaking.
The old woman's mind raced: This girl is so beautiful she's arousing envy; she's clearly a pampered young lady raised in luxury. How could my rough son possibly be worthy of her? Whether she found her or robbed her, we absolutely cannot let her live! A common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure is a crime; she will only bring immense disaster upon us, mother and son!
"Cough cough...cough..." Yi Qingxue coughed a few times and slowly woke up.
The old lady rushed forward: "Child! You're finally awake!"
Yi Qingxue slowly opened her eyes. Her eyes were pure and clear, as if they could cleanse the soul, making her stunningly beautiful and captivating. "Where is this? Who... are you?" Her voice was gentle as water, with a magnetic quality that seemed to possess the power to bewitch.
The old woman helped her sit up: "This is my home. My son told me you fainted in the mountains, and he rescued you when he was passing by. Are you a wealthy family's daughter? I'll have Erlang take you home." Her words were tinged with a hint of probing.
Yi Qingxue raised her hand and gently rubbed her temples, as if trying her best to recall, muttering to herself, "In the mountains? Passing by?... A thousand gold?... Who am I? Who am I really?... " She frowned, closed her eyes and pondered deeply, her expression gradually showing pain and unease.
"This..." The old lady was caught off guard. "Child, could it be that you... can't remember anything? What should we do?" Her face was full of worry, but also mixed with concern.
"Can't remember anything? Amnesia?" Yi Qingxue shook her head blankly, then calmed down a bit and pursed her dry lips. "Grandpa, I'm a little thirsty, could I... have a bowl of water?"
"Water! Yes, yes, yes!" The old lady turned and quickly went out, returning a moment later with a gourd ladle filled with water. "Child, drink up!" She carefully brought the ladle to Yi Qingxue's lips.
Yi Qingxue opened her mouth slightly and gulped down a few mouthfuls. "Thank you so much, I feel much better now." She smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling, her expression captivating.
"Mother! I'm back!" Erlang rushed in, panting, his steps quick. When his eyes met those of the awakened Yi Qingxue, he froze, as if struck by a scare, his eyes fixed on her, his rough right hand unconsciously rubbing back and forth on his hip.
Yi Qingxue looked up. The newcomer was around thirty years old, a little over six feet tall, and quite robust. He wore a coarse linen outfit, his hair was disheveled, and while his features were reasonably regular, he had very narrow, almost heart-shaped eyes, giving him an air of dishonesty. Being stared at so blatantly, a chill ran through Yi Qingxue, but she remained outwardly calm: "Old lady, this must be your son?" Her voice was still gentle, yet it possessed a penetrating power.
Seeing her son's foolish appearance, the old lady was furious: "What are you staring at! Have you lost your soul?!" With a shout, she swung the gourd ladle in her hand, and the remaining water at the bottom of the ladle splashed all over Erlang's head.
The cold water jolted Erlang back to his senses. He shook his head and shivered, patting the water off his chest haphazardly. He grinned, a slightly foolish smile on his face, and leaned forward: "You're awake! Are you hungry? I'll get you something to eat!" Without waiting for Yi Qingxue's reply, he turned and hurried away with a grin.
The old lady rolled her eyes at him, then turned to Yi Qingxue and said, "My son is a bit simple-minded, but he's not a bad person. Please don't take offense, young lady."
Yi Qingxue smiled gently, without saying a word. In the blink of an eye, Erlang returned carrying a gray-black ceramic bowl containing two palm-sized bean cakes, which he eagerly handed to Yi Qingxue: "You must be starving, eat up!" He was panting heavily, his face showing undisguised eagerness.
"Child, if you're hungry, have something to eat. We're poor and don't have much good food, but this bean cake is the best we can get," the old woman said gently.
Yi Qingxue looked at the dark, dry, and rough bean cake in the bowl, finding it hard to swallow. She raised her clear eyes and said, "Thank you for your kindness. I... am not hungry." She had indeed not eaten for many days, but the strange warmth generated by the soul of the guqin within her body had strangely dispelled the feeling of hunger.
Erlang awkwardly put the bowl back: "I'm not hungry... I'll eat when I'm hungry!" After saying that, his gaze lingered on Yi Qingxue again.
The old lady saw this and sighed inwardly, thinking that this pampered young lady was simply disgusted by the coarse food. She grabbed Erlang's arm and said, "Erlang, come with me." Without waiting for a reply, she dragged him outside.
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