Chapter Ninety-Five: Encounter on the Road

  Before I knew it, it was late afternoon again.

  Geng general and his troops camped two thousand steps away from the convoy, just like last night. And this evening was naturally peaceful.

  By the time they arrived, they were close to Chengdu. The next morning, thirty knights came riding in on the dew, and after nodding to everyone, General Geng nodded towards Lu Yue, then shouted loudly, and the knights sped up.

  Looking at the rolling dust, Wang Shang also shouted: "We will hurry up and try to arrive in Chengdu within three days."

  "Yes."

  The convoy accelerates.

  As the convoy got closer to Chengdu, more and more students and travelers appeared at the intersections leading to various parts of Chengdu. Some young scholars sang loudly on the back of donkeys, while others had only four or five donkey carts loaded with goods, and on one of the cargo, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar was lying high.

  After walking for a while, Wen Qing got out of the carriage and rode his horse to Lu Yue's side, looking at her with a complex expression. He suddenly asked, "When we arrive in Chengdu, do you have a place to stay, Ah Yue?"

  Lu Xuan turned back.

  Looking at her dark eyes like a moonless night, Wen Qing said as politely as possible: "If not, I can help Ah Yue find one."

  As he spoke, his eyes gazed at Lu Yue's, with a kind of focus that was almost palpable, and in this focus, there was a hint of indescribable bitterness and loss, mixed with expectation and longing.

  Lu Xuan, a spinster, how could she inexplicably accept a man's kindness?

  She shook her head and smiled: "Thank you for your kindness, Wen Lang. If Ah Yue needs help, she will ask for it."

  Her response was already within Wen Qing's expectations, and he didn't say anything else, only nodding silently for a moment before saying: "A Xuan has something to say, go ahead."

  At this moment, a shout came from the rear, and then the convoy stopped.

  Wen Qing turned his head and asked, "What happened?"

  Before long, a guard rode up on horseback and said with a smile: "Nothing's wrong now. Just now, a runaway donkey cart came rushing from the left fork in the road and collided with Young Master Zhao's horse. We took a look and saw that although the young nun in the cart was injured, her injuries were not severe, she was just badly frightened."

  As soon as the guard's voice fell, Lu Xuan heard Ati's laughter. "Lu Xuan, this family from Jiangdu is very similar to yours. They are also a sister and brother, and the younger brother is also studying in Chengdu."

  "Oh." Upon hearing this, Lu Xuan smiled and nodded, "This is normal. I heard that His Majesty issued a decree at the beginning of the year, saying that the number of talents to be recruited this year should be more than half of last year's. Now all the major academies in Chengdu are busy recruiting people."

  While chatting, Lu Xuan still became interested, and she and A Ti came to that place. At this time, the chaos had subsided, and the donkey cart that had crashed into the ditch was also lifted up by the crowd.

  Lu Yu stretched her head and saw a girl standing by the ditch, pale-faced, forcing a smile to thank everyone, as well as a 14-year-old boy standing beside the girl.

  Unlike her tall and sturdy brother, the girl looked particularly delicate and lovely. The 16- or 17-year-old girl had a clear and beautiful face with a hint of pale sickness, a pair of bright big eyes, small lips, really like a pear flower that touches people's hearts. Although so, this girl was obviously also a strong-minded person, with a hint of stubbornness and strength in her delicate appearance.

  The donkey cart was lifted up, but the carriage itself was originally old and worn out. After this collision, not only was it covered in mud, but it also collapsed by half. It's completely impossible for people to sit on it now.

  The girl bit her lip and wore a strong smile on her face, she rummaged through her own luggage for a long time before taking out a small package of iron coins to give to the coachman.

  The tall and sturdy boy standing behind her was unhappy, he shouted: "Sister, it's obviously his own careless driving." With a red face, the boy said indignantly: "We only have so little money, you're compensating him with all of it, what will we do when we get to Chengdu?"

  As soon as he finished speaking, the girl turned her head and glared at her younger brother, scolding him: "Shut up." With a pale face, she stubbornly said: "No matter what, Uncle was hired by us to drive this carriage, after all." However, the iron coins in her bag probably wouldn't be enough to compensate for the loss of this donkey cart.

  Just as Lu Xuan was thinking this, the driver yelled with his yellow teeth: "Miss Qian's family, Master Dalang, it can't be calculated like this. My cart is crashed like this, what's the use of your little iron money?"

  As soon as the words came out, the young man was so angry that he almost jumped up, while the girl's face turned even paler. She rummaged through her bundle again, but as she touched and touched, she was already on the verge of tears.

  At this time, a tall and majestic figure, Zhao Jialang, who was already eighteen years old, walked over from the side. He stood in front of his two younger siblings and asked with a slanted gaze: "How much iron money is still owed?"

  He thought for a moment and said: "Five hundred pieces."

  Five hundred yuan? The price is almost what Lu Xuan thought.

  This little money was clearly not in Zhao Jialang's eyes, he casually took a purse from the servant and threw it to the coachman, "Here, you can roll."

  After saying that, he turned his head to look at the sister and brother, and said gently: "We are also going to Chengdu, do you want to go together?"

  The sister and brother showed a hint of joy, and the girl bowed to Zhao's young master and said gratefully: "Thank you, sir."

  "It's unnecessary." Zhao Jialang turned around and walked back.

  "Come on, let's get going!" Wen Qing called out from ahead.

  The crowd responded with a confused murmur, and after adjusting their formation, the procession set off again.

  As she walked, a cow cart drove up to Lu Xuan's side. The girl stuck her head out and smiled sweetly at Lu Xuan: "Sister Lu, I heard you're also going to Chengdu for your brother's studies?"

  Lu Xuan slowly put down the bamboo slips and turned around.

  Under the sunlight, the girl's smile was very sweet. Unlike her attitude towards others, when she faced Lu Yue, there was a sense of closeness, apparently, in her heart, Lu Yue and she were people of the same status.

  Lu Yu glanced at her and nodded, "En".

  The girl was stunned by her indifference, but she immediately smiled and said: "Sister Lu, which school is your brother attending?" Before Lu Yue could answer, she smiled again: "Sister's clothes are really beautiful, much more beautiful than mine. Sister is so good, with a lot of money left behind by her parents, and even made many friends on the road... unlike me, who only has an uncle in Chengdu, and my brother is busy with his studies..."

  As she said this, she lowered her eyelashes pitifully and smiled faintly, like a pear blossom. This smile was even more heartbreaking than tears.

  Lu Xuan raised his head and glanced at her again, nodded once more, then lowered his head.

  Lu Xuan was a person who always seemed cold when he wasn't speaking, and even when he did speak, his words were so concise that they came across as indifferent. The girl had come over with a smile to ask him something, but was met with a cold face, and couldn't help but be taken aback.

  She slowly lowered her head, biting her lip, and a hint of embarrassment after being ignored appeared on her face.

  The girl finally stopped talking to Lu Xuan.

  She just didn't speak to Luoyue, the soft and delicate laughter of the girl still echoed, and she heard her say vaguely: "Zhao's brother, I really don't know how to thank you."

  After Zhao Jialang said something, the girl's voice was choked with sobs. "My parents passed away a few months ago, and my husband's family took advantage of the situation to cancel our engagement. If it weren't for my younger brother still being in school, I wouldn't have had to rely on my uncle's family." After a pause, the girl's weak voice came again, "We women are like this, our lives as fragile as willow catkins, without meeting a good man, we're like having no roots, drifting wherever the wind takes us." The voice was truly pitiful.

  After listening for a while, Ati came to Luoyue's side and hummed: "I don't like her."

  Lu Xuan raised her head and looked at this straightforward and impulsive girl who acted solely on her feelings, and couldn't help but smile: "Why?"

  After Atai's mouth flattened, she leaned in close to Lu Xuan and said discontentedly: "Those people also say that Zhao Langjun is a man of great affection and righteousness, and he grew up with his wife. He is usually gentle and considerate towards her too. Hmph, in my opinion, this time when he returns, he will soon be giving his wife, who has been married to him for less than a year, a younger sister."

  Is this true?

  Lu Xuan also became curious and turned her head back to glance over.

  The girl with the surname Qian's ox cart, since it was provided by Zhao Jia Lang Jun, had been following closely behind him. At this moment, the girl poured out her miserable life story while silently shedding tears, and Zhao Jia Lang Jun looked at her gently, occasionally comforting her with a few words.

  In the distance, Lu Xuan heard the girl say: "Being able to meet Brother Zhao is truly a blessing for my brother and me. A young master from such a wealthy family like Brother Zhao's being so kind to people, even more so than someone with the same humble background as mine, I...I'm really happy." When she said the last two words, the girl lifted her head, took a stealthy glance at the young master of the Zhao family, and then quickly lowered her head again.

  It was just one glance, yet I felt an endless sense of gratitude, with tenderness overflowing.

  Lu Xuan tilted her head slightly and thought to herself: That person who is clearly from the same background as me but isn't kind, seems to be me.

  At this moment, Wen Qing Wang and others turned their heads to glance at Zhao Jia Lang Jun, playfully squeezed their eyes, and then all turned their heads sideways.

  For these children who grew up in wealthy and noble families, some things are seen too much and experienced too often.

  In Qian's girl's confession, Zhao Jialang smiled and said gently: "You are so good, worthy of being treated well."

  As soon as she spoke, a flush of red instantly swept across the girl's originally pale face.

  After watching for a while, Lu Xuan withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes to meditate.

  The day passed quickly.

  After a peaceful night, the convoy set off again. As soon as they started, Ati called out to Lu Yue to get on her carriage.

  Compared to others, Atai's carriage was particularly spacious. After Lu Xuan went up, Xiao Yan and other girls also came over. The women ate pastries while chatting and laughing together.

  As they were talking, Ati suddenly stuck her head out and said in a low voice: "I'm telling you guys, last night Zhao Jiang went into Qian Shi's little sister's tent."

  As soon as the words came out, Xiao Yan immediately laughed and said: "So fast? I thought this little girl could at least mix with a concubine. She let someone get her hands so quickly, doesn't she want a reputation?"

  "Who said that?" Ati gave her a white eye, and then smiled slyly: "My maid said that at the time she was saying she wasn't feeling well, so Zhao Jiang went to see her. At the time, Zhao Jiang just held her foot and rubbed it for a while, and except for hugging each other uncontrollably, they didn't do anything else."

  As soon as Atai said this, all the girls wanted to roll their eyes. Listening to her tone, she actually had her own maid specifically tailing someone else, otherwise where would such first-hand news come from?