Chapter 2 The Cold of Xiāngwǔ County
The next morning, feeling a chill different from that of Jiangnan, Zhan Feiyu rubbed her cold hands and quickly got into the carriage. The thick curtains blocked the biting cold air.
"Miss, hold your hand warmer," He Nuan handed over the red copper hand warmer adorned with peony and flourishing branch patterns. "There's a copper slider underneath. If it gets cold, you can stir the charcoal."
Holding the warm hand warmer, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but sigh, "A Nuan, half of my success in the Three Yuan exams is thanks to you!"
He Nuan chuckled, "I'll go check on the other things."
This time, they were going to Shitou Village. Xiāngwǔ County itself was poor, so the village likely had even fewer provisions. He Nuan had bought ingredients early in the morning, planning to borrow a kitchen once they arrived in the village to prepare a meal.
Yin Wuyan got into the carriage and saw Zhan Feiyu, who was bundled up like a ball, holding her hand warmer. Her fair little face was hidden within the white fur collar of her cloak, clearly showing how much she feared the cold.
"Big Brother, aren't you cold?" Zhan Feiyu looked at Yin Wuyan, who was only wearing a black brocade robe with silver trim. Even in Jiangnan, he looked thin dressed like that at this season, let alone in Xiāngwǔ County, where the temperature difference between morning and evening was significant, and it would soon freeze.
She reached out her small hand and placed it on Yin Wuyan's hand. A wave of warmth spread, and Zhan Feiyu's eyes widened in surprise, followed by envy. Her big brother's hands were as warm as a hand warmer.
"Those who practice martial arts do not fear the cold," Yin Wuyan replied, gently squeezing Zhan Feiyu's plump, soft little paw. He couldn't help but worry about her future imperial examinations. The provincial examinations were in August, and the metropolitan examinations in February. Taking three consecutive exams in freezing weather would be difficult for the young girl.
With a pout, Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but lament, "I'm considered half a martial artist, so why am I so afraid of the cold?"
A fleeting smile crossed Yin Wuyan's phoenix-like eyes. The young girl knew a bit of boxing, but she had no internal energy at all. In this regard, she was only slightly better than those sheltered young ladies who rarely left their chambers.
The sound of horses' hooves echoed as they headed west. Xiāngwǔ County was in the westernmost part of Wèizhōu, and Shitou Village was even further west, bordering the ancient Qiang tribes.
...
Because of the cold winter, the villagers had been going to the mountains to chop wood for their winter fuel. Zhan Feiyu felt the cold outside, but it was only late October. For the villagers of Shitou Village, this was nothing. It wouldn't be truly cold until December, when they would need axes to break the ice on the river to get water.
"Madam, I've already asked the village head. Young Master Xu and the others live at the foot of the mountain at the end of the village. The road there is too narrow for the carriage to pass," Lian'er said, rubbing her hands incessantly while standing outside the carriage. It was colder here than in the prefectural city, and a gust of wind was blowing, feeling like it was scraping the skin off their faces.
Zhang Yiyi, also holding a hand warmer inside the carriage, looked even more displeased. However, considering the purpose of their trip, she had to make this journey. After a while, she alighted from the carriage. Zhang Yiyi was wearing a luxurious fox fur cloak, and her hood was up, but even so, the chill seemed to penetrate to her bones.
"Madam, be careful of your footing," Lian'er quickly supported Zhang Yiyi's arm. Aside from the coachman who stayed behind to guard the carriage, four guards, a wet nurse, and another maid followed behind them. The eight of them walked towards the foot of the mountain.
On the mountainside, hidden by rocks and wild grass, a child wearing a drab cotton jacket watched the approaching group from afar. On his rough, chapped face, a pair of dark eyes shone with joy, but also with a hint of unease.
"Who goes there?" Guard Jia shouted, his figure flashing as he pulled the little boy hiding in the grass out.
"Let go of me!" The boy's voice was hoarse, likely from being out in the cold for too long. He struggled desperately, but his collar was firmly held by the guard, making his struggles futile.
Confirming there was no danger, Guard Jia disdainfully flung the little boy away. As the boy fell to the ground, he stepped on his back, ensuring he couldn't move.
"What beggar is this!" Lian'er frowned, looking at the child covered in dust. She quickly pulled Zhang Yiyi back a few steps. "Madam, let's go this way. Don't get your clothes dirty."
With his back pinned down, the child could only lift his head. His hair was full of grass clippings, and his face was covered in dirt. Only his eyes, like a little wolf's, stared intently at Zhang Yiyi not far away.
Zhang Yiyi was already annoyed. She had lived a life of luxury for eight years, and after only walking for fifteen minutes, she was tired and cold. Seeing the dirty, wild child before her, especially those dark, deep, and cold eyes, Zhang Yiyi let out a frightened cry and accidentally stepped on a clod of earth, twisting her ankle.
"Madam!" Not only Lian'er exclaimed, but the guards also looked concerned. This madam, though lacking formal status, was effectively the mistress of the Marquis's inner court and deeply favored by the Marquis. If she were to get injured in this impoverished place, they, the guards, would surely be punished.
"You little bastard!" Guard Jia cursed, applying more force with his foot, stomping twice before kicking the child away again, this time towards a nearby rock about waist-high. Fortunately, the child seemed to know some martial arts. The moment he was thrown, he quickly adjusted his posture, twisting his direction and landing in the grass. If he had hit the rock, he would have surely been bleeding from his head.
"Huh?" Guard Jia's expression darkened, looking displeased at the child who had dodged him. Coughing painfully, the child endured the pain and quickly got up from the yellow grass, glaring angrily at Guard Jia. His rough little hands were clenched into fists, and his posture clearly indicated he had practiced martial arts.
"Don't worry, it's just a sprain." Zhang Yiyi moved her ankle. It didn't hurt, so she figured she was fine. Hearing the soft, melodious voice, the child looked at the richly dressed Zhang Yiyi again. In the sunlight, her face was as white as if it were glowing. Her delicate features and slender figure, her every smile and gesture, exuded a nobility and elegance that did not belong to the village women.
The child's hands clenched tighter, his dark, deep eyes still fixed on Zhang Yiyi, but the surprise and excitement from his earlier peeking were gone. Perhaps it was the intensity of the child's gaze, but Zhang Yiyi looked up, her brow furrowing in disdain. He was too dirty, and his cotton jacket looked unwashed. Just looking at him was unpleasant. Moreover, although the child stood straight, his face was covered in dirt and grass clippings, and coupled with his wolf-like gaze, Zhang Yiyi disliked him even more. How dare a dirty village child look at her like that.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time," Zhang Yiyi said softly. At first glance, it sounded magnanimous, as if she wouldn't bother with a child. But Lian'er, who was supporting her, knew that Zhang Yiyi simply didn't want to stand in the cold wind. Guard Jia cast a warning glance at the child nearby but didn't make another move, though his eyes held intense malice. His earlier throw and kick had already caused internal injuries. If he didn't see a doctor and delayed treatment for a few days, even if it didn't kill the child, he would be sickly for the rest of his life.
After Zhang Yiyi and her entourage had walked a little further away, the child's tense body suddenly hunched over, and he began to cough violently, covering his stomach. Blood even appeared at the corner of his mouth. After a while, he slumped to the ground. The child looked up at the receding figures, and the last trace of fondness and joy in his eyes completely vanished.
...
Half an hour later, although Zhan Feiyu was afraid of the cold, her body had warmed up after walking for a while.
"Big Brother, has that child gone silly from the cold?" From a distance, she saw the child sitting on a rock. The wind was blowing fiercely, and the wild grass was dancing, yet the child sat facing the wind.
Hearing the sound, the child suddenly stood up, warily staring at Zhan Feiyu and the others. Seeing Zhan Feiyu also wrapped in a fox fur cloak, the child's eyes suddenly flashed with intense hostility.
"Oh, he can still glare. He's not silly," Chong Guang said with a laugh, walking over in a few strides. Seeing the dried bloodstains on the child's lips, as well as the scratches and bruises on his face, his brow furrowed. "Did he fall and get傻了 (shǎ le - gone silly)?"
Giving Chong Guang a fierce glare, the child took a step back, clenching his fists. His stance clearly indicated he had practiced martial arts.
"He wasn't very smart to begin with, and now he looks even sillier. Fatty girl, you're the clever one," Chong Guang teased Zhan Feiyu, who was bundled up like a ball. He recalled how the fatty girl had met Seventh Master in Jinlin Village back then. She was so sensible, sweet-mouthed, and would even run back with her little legs pedaling furiously. In contrast, the child before them had backbone, but alas, the rigid often break!
"Uncle Chong Guang, you're getting more and more talkative. You're not cold, but I am," Zhan Feiyu said disdainfully, looking at the garrulous Chong Guang. She had been timid back then, but that was only natural.
Urged on, Chong Guang took out a porcelain bottle from his怀里 (huái lǐ - embrace/bosom) and poured a pill into his palm. Seeing the child obviously trying to run, he quickly grabbed his arm, pinched his jaw with his right hand, and directly popped the pill into his mouth. Watching the child spit twice, Chong Guang tutted, "Heirloom secret medicine, melts upon contact, honest and fair to all."
Zhan Feiyu rolled her eyes and took the lead, walking forward. "Big Brother, let's go."
"Slow down." A discernible concern could be felt in the clear, cold voice. Yin Wuyan followed behind Zhan Feiyu, his tall figure blocking the cold wind. Shitou Village was large, and the villagers' houses were built close together. Following this path would lead them to General Yang's family.
A faint medicinal smell spread in his mouth. After a while, the child felt a warmth spread through his abdomen. He glanced at Zhan Feiyu and the others ahead, then quickly turned onto a small path to the side. Unlike Zhang Yiyi's disdain for the stone and mud houses, Zhan Feiyu was used to them. In Jinlin Village, apart from a few people who had built houses with blue bricks and tiles, most families built their homes using stones from the mountain, mixed with yellow earth and grass clippings.
"Fatty girl, enemies meet on a narrow road," Chong Guang winked at Zhan Feiyu. The guards from the Zhenbian Marquis's mansion, along with the wet nurse and maids, were standing in the courtyard. The door to the main house was closed, and without looking, one could tell who was inside.
He Nuan glanced at Chong Guang. He was so unreliable every day; wasn't he afraid that Seventh Master would beat him? Since the Marquis's mansion people had arrived first, Zhan Feiyu found a sheltered corner to stand. She adjusted the silver silk charcoal under the hand warmer, and the temperature of the hand warmer instantly increased.
Yin Wuyan glanced at He Nuan. Seeing her take out her green jade bracelet, he said to Chong Guang, "Return the item to its owner."
"Yes," Chong Guang said without hesitation, picked up the bracelet, and walked towards the courtyard entrance. He still had the demeanor of a dissolute young master from a wealthy family, but his eyes held a hint of mockery. Seventh Master had already sent someone to investigate last night. Although the news hadn't returned yet, Chong Guang could guess with his toes that Zhang Yiyi's talk of matchmaking was merely an attempt to marry the fatty girl to her son, whom she had sent away the day he was born. He was a year younger than the fatty girl, and as the son of a convicted official, he naturally had no good marriage prospects. Zhang Yiyi's move, at first glance, seemed to be for her son's consideration, but it was also driven by the fatty girl's money. In the Zhenbian Marquis's mansion, Zhang Yiyi had some authority, but that was because the old Marquis was still in charge. When the heir took over the Marquis's mansion, Zhang Yiyi would not be able to take a single blade of grass or a single tree from the mansion, except for her clothes. However, with a "merchant" daughter-in-law, it would be different. At least she would have a secure livelihood and plenty of money to spend. Moreover, having followed the old Marquis for so long, people generally wouldn't dare to make things difficult for her out of respect.
"Unnecessary personnel, withdraw!" Guard Jia raised his hand to block Chong Guang, his eyes showing a hint of wariness. The person injured by Yin Wuyan with a branch in the dilapidated temple that day was a personal guard of the Marquis, who was also secretly protecting the old Marquis. Guard Jia and the others were ordinary guards and had no idea that the other party was injured. They only knew that Chong Guang was a skilled practitioner, but they didn't know how strong his martial arts were.
Stopping, Chong Guang crossed his arms and said with a smile, "Alright, as you wish. Your master is the wife of General Yang, so she is also the mistress of this house."
"How dare you speak nonsense and slander my madam!" Guard Jia's expression suddenly changed. They had heard some rumors, but no one dared to say them openly. Offending the madam was one thing, but offending the Marquis would surely result in military punishment.
"Did I say something wrong?" Chong Guang asked in surprise. Seeing the furious guards, wet nurse, and maids, he smiled again. "Since she's not the mistress of the house, then on what grounds are you blocking me from entering?" Guard Jia was speechless and couldn't find a retort. Seeing the arrogant Chong Guang, in a fit of anger, he drew his sword. However, his movements were fast, but Chong Guang's were faster. He slapped Guard Jia's arm with his right hand. The sword, which had been drawn only an inch, fell back into its sheath. Chong Guang then grabbed his arm, twisted it, and kicked him in the backside. After a series of smooth movements, Guard Jia was kicked flying, landing with a thud in front of the main hall door.
Not to mention that General Yang and Yang Shoucheng were both military officers, even Zhang Yiyi heard the commotion outside. She was so angry that she clenched her fists, but her expression remained unchanged. However, with outsiders present, the conversation could not continue. Zhang Yiyi suppressed her anger and choked out, "I know you don't believe me, but I have a clear conscience. I just want to see Xu'er. For the past eight years, whenever I think of Xu'er, my heart is like a knife..." A beautiful woman's tears are most pitiable, and even the Zhenbian Marquis couldn't help but soften. However, the middle-aged man standing beside her had a blank expression, showing neither pity nor anger, as calm as if Zhang Yiyi were a wooden stake. Why had he been blind enough to scheme against Yang Shoucheng back then? Zhang Yiyi lowered her head, concealing the anger and disdain in her eyes, and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "I ask for nothing else, I just want to see Xu'er."