Chapter 64: Afternoon at the Manor

  When they met Ge Lao, Song Kai told Ge Lao about the things that had happened in the city and also informed him that Ah Shi Na Wan Lang and others would be staying at the manor for a while.

  Ge Shou said it was no problem, only the room was not big enough. However, there were many bamboo and wood in the mountains, so building a house was simple. As for quilts and other things, they didn't have any.

  Song Kai said these Turks have thick skin and won't freeze to death.

  Ge Shou just smiled and then had someone build a house.

  With Ashina Wanlang around, building a house became like piling up blocks. Some people were cutting down trees near the manor, while Ashina Wanlang shouldered huge logs and trudged towards the manor with loud thuds. His strength alone was enough to match that of four grown men.

  Wan Lang and others pointed at Ashina Wanlang and discussed him in a flurry.

  "It's true that those barbarians are incredibly powerful. I've heard that our Great Tang army has been defeated by them every time they've met, and aren't even a match for them."

  "Yes, I heard they eat human flesh raw."

  "Alas, I really don't know how Song Lang brought these people here."

  "Let's not ask more questions, Song Lang is definitely a good person."

  Ashina Wanru was sulking and building a house on the side, he could only pretend not to hear. "Hu people, Hu people refer to those Tubo people, aren't they? We Turks are the highest-ranking ethnic group, just like the Han ethnicity. The ones who defeated your army weren't us Turks either, but those Arabs wearing white clothes and small round hats!"

  Ge Shou's son Ge Da Zhong directed the Turkic warriors to build houses, Nie Ling Tong accompanied Ji Rufeng to visit the beautiful scenery of Taihu Lake, while Song Kai was surrounded by several children who insisted that he tell them a story.

  "Go and play, I'll talk to you when I have time."

  The children scattered in all directions.

  Before long, the young man carried a pot of tea and walked to Song Kai's side.

  "Lang Jun, have a drink of water," Qingniang sat down beside Song Kai.

  Song Kai turned his head and took a look at Qingniang. Not having seen her for half a month, Qingniang seemed to have become even more beautiful, only her clothes and adornments were somewhat rustic.

  "Qingniang, these days, is everything still peaceful in the tea garden?" Song Kai asked as he took over the teapot.

  "Hmm, every day stir-frying tea, picking silk, it's quite stable, just...just..." Qingniang didn't continue.

  "What is it?"

  "It's just... kinda boring, heh..." The young woman smiled out softly with a hint of embarrassment.

  Song Kai was taken aback, then realized that the woman beside him, no matter how diligent and mature she was, was still just a child after all. A 15-year-old girl, in her previous life, had only just started junior high school...

  "It's boring, let's go into town to have some fun," Song Kai rubbed his hands together, he found that today's tea had a slightly light and refreshing fragrance, "This tea is quite good, it's not from our tea garden, is it?"

  "No," the young woman saw Song Kai had actually brought out the unique flavor of this tea, and was somewhat surprised, with a few hints of pride on her round face, "I picked it from that tea tree."

  As she spoke, Qingniang pointed with her small hand to a distant place. On the distant mountain cliff, there was indeed a tea tree growing among the rocks.

  "It's too dangerous there, don't go picking again," Song Kai laughed. "Have you been to Suzhou City?"

  The young woman nodded and then shook her head. "When I was very small, I went with my mother to sell eggs, but at that time I was too small and don't remember many things."

  "This time just follow me into town," Song said casually as he poured tea.

  "Really!" Qingniang exclaimed in surprise.

  Song Kai just smiled and didn't take it seriously. He stood up, stretched his body and asked, "Hasn't there been any mountain bandits disturbing the tea garden these days?"

  "No, we set traps outside, it was Grandfather Ge's order, and they were useful. Not only did the wild boars not dare to come in, but even those mountain bandits didn't dare to come either." Qingniang replied.

  The afternoon sun is very lazy, in the distance is the sound of Ah Shi Na Wan Lang's noise, there are also the sounds of chopping wood, and from time to time, Nie Ling Tong's laughter can be heard.

  Song Kai lay on the grass, gazing up at the blue sky. The autumn air was crisp and refreshing, with warm sunshine. If time could be frozen in this moment, it would be utterly wonderful.

  Closed her eyes and soon fell asleep.

  The green girl stared blankly at Song Kai.

  The first time Qingniang met Song Kai, she thought he was an unorthodox scholar, but with just a few words, he revived the tea garden. He also used dead silkworms to cure Wang Shu's crooked mouth.

  From then on, Qingniang felt very curious and wanted to know what Song Kai did.

  The second time she saw Song Kai, Qingniang decided to ask him questions. She followed Song Kai up the mountain and listened to him talk about medicine and herbs. The feeling made Qingniang feel that she admired Song Kai very much, just like how she admired Grandpa Ge.

  When they encountered the wild boar, Song Kai stood in front of her with his arms open wide. At that moment, Qingniang was deeply moved. As they sat together on a tree branch listening to Song Kai's endless stories, despite the wild boar lurking below, Qingniang felt it was the happiest time of her life, even more so than when she was with her parents.

  During the time Song Kai was away, Qingniang had been looking forward to seeing him again. She always deceived herself into thinking that she wanted to hear stories, but... was it really just for the sake of hearing stories? Those stories were fun, but they were only things to coax children with, and she was no longer a child.

  Qingniang was thinking deeply, and the time she spent with Song Kai was only these two times, but why did she feel that Song Kai was like a family member?

  An ant crawled up Song Kai's face and reached the corner of his mouth.

  Song opened his mouth slightly.

  The ants were moving quickly and erratically, unable to find a way out.

  The young woman woke up and saw ants crawling into Song Kai's mouth, she quickly stretched out her right hand to press them away.

  Ants struggle free.

  The green girl pressed again.

  Then, in a moment of carelessness, Qingniang's finger pressed onto Songkai's mouth, and the ant was also pressed inside.

  Song Kai stuck out his tongue and licked it, then suddenly woke up with a start.

  The green girl still maintained her previous posture, with her fingers inserted into Song Kai's mouth, and Song Kai's tongue was still rolling on her fingers.

  The young woman's face turned bright red.

  Song Kai quickly opened his mouth.

  The young woman pulled out her fingers, looking at Song Kai with concern. Earlier, Song Kai had eaten an ant, and she worried that the ant might crawl into his stomach and poison him.

  Song opened his mouth and spat out saliva, staring at Qingniang, "What are you playing with? Didn't it hurt earlier?"

  The young woman shook her head, her face red with worry, and asked: "Young master, you just... uh, ate something strange, are you feeling unwell?"

  "It's so comfortable," Song Kai smiled and said, "Do you want me to do it again?" Song Kai thought Qingniang was referring to her fingers.

  "Don't eat anymore," Qingniang waved her hand, "that...ant is poisonous."

  "Ants?" Song Kai was taken aback.

  "Ah, don't worry, Lang Jun. It's just an ant. I pressed on it a bit earlier and it should be half dead by now. It won't poison you," Qingniang said with some concern, trying to reassure Songkai.

  Song Kai curled his lip, "It was an ant after all, I thought... never mind, let's go see if the house is built yet?"

  Get up and walk away. Song secretly warned himself that Qingniang was only 15 years old, in this era without hormones, he didn't even know if she had started developing...

  Only three houses were built and they are quite simple.

  Fortunately, there is plenty of firewood on this mountain, and we can make a bonfire at night.

  Nie Ling Tong was covered in mud all over his body, and ran back with a satisfied look on his face. "Song Kai, your house belongs to me now."

  Song Kai shook his head, "That's not going to work."

  "It has to be done no matter what."

  "What right?"

  "I am the county princess!"

  "This is Datang, you are just my partner, at most a high-level employee."

  "Are you looking for death..."

  "I'd rather die than move, but if you're willing to live with me, I won't object."

  "I'll strangle you..."

  Two people bickered as they walked towards the tea garden.

  "Niangzi, you can stay in my house, my house is warm," Qingniang suddenly said as she followed behind.

  Nie Lingdang glared at Song Kai, but facing Qingniang, she couldn't bear to lose her temper, let alone bully the little girl. "Good sister, then I'll sleep with you."

  "Uh-huh."

  The young girl nodded her head.

  Nie Lingdang and Qingniang walked together towards a nearby house.

  Song Kai entered his own room, lay on the bed, felt a bit cold, and also got a brazier, hugged a pile of firewood, and lit it up.

  Flint is difficult to use and requires some technique.

  Song Kai remembered that there was still some white phosphorus and red phosphorus left, so he found it out. He made a simple match with the thin bamboo strip.

  "Song Lang," a voice sounded from the doorway, and then Ji Rufeng walked in with an iron flute in his hand.

  Song Kai nodded at Ji Rufeng, and with a swift stroke of the match on the ground, it ignited with a "hiss", and Song Kai carefully lit the fire basin.

  Ji was startled and asked, "What is this?"

  "Matches," Song Kai explained while fiddling with the fire basin, "it's just that some phosphorus was used."

  Ji furrowed her brow and then let out a soft sigh, "Song Lang is indeed clever, no wonder Miss...".

  Just as Ji Rufeng was halfway through speaking, he suddenly stopped.

  Song Kai blew a sigh and asked, "What's wrong with Nie Lingdang again?"

  "What's wrong? Actually, our Turkic holy city is not bad either. You know, the East and West Turks are divided, but the location of the holy city is still good. Except for being a bit cold in winter, there are also oases and whatnot, very beautiful," Ji Rufeng muttered to himself.

  Song Kai looked at Ji Rufeng strangely, "Old Ji, why are you telling me these things? I don't want to go traveling for now."

  "Travel?" Ji Rufeng found himself a bit confused, why did he keep not understanding Song Kai's words?

  Two people were talking nonsense, when suddenly a shout came from afar, followed by Nie Lingdang's voice: "Where did you little thieves come from? I'll kill you, young lady!"

  Ji Ru Feng heard Nie Ling Tong's danger and his body "whooshed" out of the house door in an instant.

  Song Kai also picked up the curved knife beside him and rushed towards the source of the sound.

  When Song Kai arrived, he saw that two figures were already fighting together, and on the ground, there were two corpses, who were exactly the two people in tattered clothes with hatchets in their hands seen during the day.