Cliffhanger warning!! Originally, I wanted to post this chapter as a bonus chapter on Friday but since the chapter has a cliffhanger, I decided to post this today so you don’t have to wait too long for the next chapter.
This chapter was translated by Sian for only and edited by Din2.
By Qian Lu
Chapter 30
The Journey
At dawn, the sunshine was already very bright and beautiful, it went through the wooden window and shined the inside of the small inn"s hall. It was carrying an unsophisticated warmth, and glittering one"s vision, it could make people"s mood to be indescribably happy. Huo Zhi Qing stretched her waist, and left the inn. The family servants for the Huo"s family and Murong"s family had already arranged their horses. Huo Zhi Qing looked at Murong Shu Qing"s carriage, and cried out in a hurry and ran to go there, she cheered out excitedly. Looking at her crazy actions, Huo Zi Qi went out to look at what this crazy girl was shouting at.
Once he was out of the entrance, Huo Zi Qi was also startled, his firm and tranquil eyes were rather heated, it was not that Murong Shu Qing"s carriage had a lot of luxurious things, on the contrary, it was only decorated with a simple black carriage. It looked very s.p.a.cious, but it was low-key and not dazzling. The cause of Huo Zhi Qing"s shriek was four strong and muscular horses that were in front of the carriage, each of their four limbs was well proportioned, their colors were black and they were really fine horses. Huo Zi Qi walked over, and stroke one of the horse"s backs, the black horse was somewhat agitated and stamped on its front hoofs. These horses were not the fastest horses to go for long distance journey, but what so precious about these four horses were they should come from the same female horse. Their feet were basically identical, moreover, because of the bloodline, managing these four horses to run would have more tacit understanding, so the carriage would be very smooth and speedy.
Murong Shu Qing walked out of the inn, only to see the Huo family"s brother and sister were staring at her horses, she could not help but to laugh, this family really loved horses until they were completely foolish ah! Behind Shu Qing was Li You Yu, her whole body was wearing a pink skirt that looked in contrast with her flowery and lovable appearance. At this fresh and early morning, she really looked so beautiful. The two people nodded their heads to say h.e.l.lo afterwards, and each of them went out.
Raising her head to see Murong Shu Qing walked out, Huo Zhi Qing welcomed her, she straightforwardly smiled and greeted (MSQ): "Murong jiejie, good morning!"
Murong Shu Qing"s whole body that was in a white scholar dress, was really beautiful, she was simple and did not look like the other woman"s clothing that had many complicated things. Her head had a wooden hairpin, and just made her even more elegant and graceful.
Looking at her (HZQ) who was so energetic at dawn, Murong Shu Qing also felt that her mood was even better, and she also smilingly answered: "Good morning!"
"Murong jiejie, your horses are very beautiful oh, oh right, where is that horse that you were riding when we first saw you? It was very impressive oh!" Not only her, eldest brother also thought that horse seemed like a deity, rebellious and one would not forget that fine horse.
Murong Shu Qing faintly smiled and said: "It is at home, I do not bring it out this time." Bing Po"s feet were too fast for this journey, the other horses would not be able to keep up with it, besides, it would not like to use a rein on it.
Unable to see the horse that she was yearning for days and nights, Huo Zhi Qing was somewhat disappointed, but very quickly, she lifted up her lovely smiling face again. She was shaking Murong Shu Qing"s sleeve, and she asked: "Oh, then I want to sit in your carriage, can I?" She did not want to sit in the same carriage with Li You Yu, the fragrance that was on her body could a.s.sail a dead person, but Murong jiejie"s faint and fresh smell was very good.
Murong Shu Qing smiled and nodded her head, then she said: "Alright!"
Happily climbing inside the carriage, the inside was very s.p.a.cious, the carriage ran up afterwards, Huo Zhi Qing surprisingly called out: "Murong jiejie, your carriage is very comfortable, it does not shake at all."
After looking to the left and right, Huo Zhi Qing suddenly crawled to the front of Murong Shu Qing, her alert and big eyes were staring at Murong Shu Qing, and she asked with extreme seriousness: "Murong jiejie, how do you feel about my eldest brother?"
Looking at the unfathomable mystery, but Murong Shu Qing still pondered on how to use the words to answer the question, smilingly answered: "Huo Gongzi"s conduct is upright, he is very good."
Huo Zhi Qing"s pair of eyes were laughing, happily sat down side by side with Murong Shu Qing, and she said with a somewhat proud look: "You also think that my eldest brother is not that bad, not only that eldest brother"s conduct is upright, but he is also handsome, bright and out of the ordinary!" Finished speaking, but she thought that it was not enough, so she moved closer to Shu Qing"s ear, and whispered slowly: "Moreover, he has not taken any wife oh!"
Heavens, did this young girl want to be a matchmaker for her? Looking at Huo Zhi Qing whose smile resembled a kitten that just stole something, Murong Shu Qing secretly kneaded her temple. She did not know what she should answer, and had no alternative but to conveniently say: "Huo Gongzi is an attractive person, he will surely have a flowery beautiful wife by his side."
Huo Zhi Qing smilingly said: "But he does not have anybody now ah! Not only my eldest brother looks handsome, but the person is also very good, he is considerate and capable."
Huo Zi Qi certainly did not know that his own sister was trying to sell him with great effort, so she shook her head funnily, then Murong Shu Qing said: "Miss Li is very good ah, a girl from a wealthy family, who is highly cultured and steeped in propriety."
"Li You Yu?" Huo Zhi Qing"s mouth was deflated, with a look of disgust, she recklessly said: "She is putting an artificial airs, pretending to be n.o.ble, my eldest brother will definitely not like her. She is not like you, Murong jiejie ~~"
Looking at her who wanted to speak about this more and more, but Murong Shu Qing did not want to carry on with this conversation, so she promptly changed the subject and asked: "Zhi Qing, you seem to have some knowledge about horses?"
Hearing Murong Shu Qing mentioned a horse, Huo Zhi Qing"s interest came out, she abandoned the words that she was saying before, and then proudly said: "Yes ah, our family"s primary business is in breading horses, I am indeed very good at raising a horse, eldest brother always praises me."
Murong Shu Qing secretly breathed leisurely, she asked about the topics about breeding the horses from time to time and did not let Huo Zhi Qing to chat about the topics of Huo Zi Qi again. Sometimes, this young girl"s clinginess could really make people to have a headache.
Lu Yi slightly pulled up the bamboo curtain, the morning ray shined through the curtain, but it was not too shining, the patterns of the sunshine were interesting. Murong Shu Qing leaned on the side of the window, she was listening to the young sparrow"s chirping sounds about the interesting story at the ranch, while appreciating the beautiful early autumn scenery through the outside of the bamboo curtain, it was actually a pleasing thing.
The sunshine in the afternoon was gradually stronger, Huo Zhi Qing said that she was tired so she leaned her body on the corner of the carriage. Lu Yi was examining the delicate brocade handkerchief that had a bluish-green bamboo pattern, it was exquisite.
Huo Zi Xi wiped the thin sweat that was on his forehead, even though it was already early autumn, but this afternoon sunshine was glittering so it was very hot. Looking that there was a small tea place not too far away up front, he impatiently said to Huo Qi Zi who was riding a horse in front of him: "Eldest brother, let"s rest at that tea place upfront before we go again!"
Today’s sun was really fierce, he thought that Huo Zhi Qing and the others who were inside, would also be hungry, Huo Zi Qi nodded and said: "Alright! Rest for a while."
A delegation of people just stopped by the side of the tea place, the carriage also stopped, Huo Zhi Qing already impatiently jumped out of the carriage, she entered the tea place, while she said to the one person with a white hair inside: "Uncle, give us some teas and cakes."
The old man took several teacups, and went up to give the tea to them, while he said embarra.s.singly: "Young lady, this is my tea shop on this mountain, I can only give the guests to quench their thirsts when they pa.s.s through here and rest, I do not have any cakes, only have some tea and steamed bun."
Huo Zhi Qing dispiritedly rested her body on the table, and lazily said: "Steamed bun? They are fine too, I am really starving to death."
"These gentlemen and Miss, please enjoy the steamed bun." The old man put several steamed buns on a big plate, and put the plate on the table, then he crouched by the side of the tea place to smoke his cigarette. These kind of misses and young masters, he had seen many times, they would only waste the food in the end.
Although this black and yellow steamed buns were not the same as the ones at home, but Huo Zhi Qing still grabbed one piece and stuffed it in her mouth.
"Heavens ah, how can this steamed bun so hard ah?!" Just barely biting one bite, Huo Zhi Qing"s shout already came out, what kind of steamed bun was this, t was totally different than the steamed buns at home!
Yan Hao Yu laughingly comforted her and said: "Qing-er, you just casually eat some to fill your stomach, in the evening, if we arrive in Jiahe town, I will take you to eat delicious food again." These steamed buns were eaten by the mountain woodcutters and some pa.s.serby and they were made from coa.r.s.e grains. This girl still thought that these were the fine and steamed bun snacks from home.
Huo Zhi Qing pouted her mouth, and muttered in a low voice: "It can only be like this!"
The Huo family’s brothers and Yan Hao Yu frequently went on a journey, so they were rather used to eat these kind of coa.r.s.e food. Picking up the steamed buns, they could still eat them down. But eating these hard steamed buns was difficult for these several misses. Li You Yu wrinkled her eyebrows all along, but looking that everyone was taking the steamed buns, she also took one reluctantly. Carefully biting it afterwards, she swallowed it down with difficulty, so she did not eat the second bite. Huo Zhi Qing reluctantly ate for several bites, but she was unable to eat it anymore and put down the steamed bun, then she poured down several mouthful of tea to swallow the steamed bun down.
After Lu Yi ate half of the bun, she could not eat it down either, although she was not any miss, but she had already been working as a servant at the Murong’s family for five years, and following by Miss" side. Even if the dishes that she ate were not extravagant, but they were also fine dishes, this steamed bun was really hard to swallow. Just about to put it down, Murong Shu Qing handed over a tea in front of her, and she said gently and in a low voice: "Lu Yi, eat some more, otherwise you will be hungry later."
"En." Taking the tea, and seeing that miss already ate half of the steamed bun that was on her hand, Lu Yi nodded her head, and with the tea, she continued to eat it.
It was not that Murong Shu Qing did not see Lu Yi"s difficult expression, this was also the first time that she ate this coa.r.s.e grain steamed bun. It was really hard to swallow, but since they were on a journey, they could not pay attention too much of it. She already asked Yan Yu last night, he was not sure that they could definitely arrive in Jaihe town, if they could arrive there, it would be very late, if they did not eat now, they would not be eating for a day. Although the steamed buns were not delicious, but they could still full their bellies.
Yan Hao Yu had been paying attention to Murong Shu Qing for the whole journey, last time when they were at the Ying Ke Lou restaurant/inn, he knew that she was not an ordinary person, it looked like these two days, she was really worthy to be a master of the family even more. Her bodyguard was calm and reserved, and her servant girl was meticulous and gentle. Even entering this simple and crude tea place, she still acted the same, and was ready to adapt. As if she felt the same ways whether she entered a magnificent palace and a low and simple house.
Huo Zi Qi was watching attentively and secretly at Murong Shu Qing all along, they were not used to eat these steamed buns, she should also be pampered and spoiled since a child, and was used with delicacy and fine food that were being served for the wealthy young lady. But she could pay no attention and was able to continue eating it, and was not disgusted by it. Huo Zi Qi interestingly hooked the corner of his mouth, she was the most peculiar woman whom he had seen. Murong Shu Qing, it seemed necessary for him to get acquainted with her again.
Looking that they almost finished eating, actually only Murong Shu Qing and her servant girl who were eating one steamed bun, Huo Zhi Qing and Li You Yu did not even eat, Li You Yu"s servant girl who was by her side, did not eat either. Huo Zi Qi stood up and said: "Alright, let"s leave!" They would be quickly feel hungry again like this, he did not know whether or not they could arrive in Jiahe town in the evening.
Huo Zhi Qing acted like a spoiled child and said: "Eldest brother, rest for a little more!" Even though Murong jiejie"s carriage was very big, and very comfortable, but being inside for the whole day, she was really boring.
Patting her head, Huo Zi Qi gently said: "Be obedient, otherwise we will spend the night in the countryside tonight." When they usually rode horses, they could arrive in Jiahe town in the evening, but they had two carriages now, so the speed was slower by a lot.
"Alright!" Stroking her flat stomach, Huo Zhi Qing unwillingly got on to the carriage.
Maybe because her stomach was hungry, that young sparrow actually closed her mouth, and did not say anything for the whole journey, she finally was unable to resist anymore and lied down to fall asleep. Murong Shu Qing used a shawl to lightly cover her, the sun was gradually setting, the weather would slowly cool down. Conveniently taking out a book that was on the low table, she leaned on the side of the window to browse it over.
The sky was already completely dark, the road seemed to be very difficult to travel, after several time of shaking, Huo Zhi Qing unhurriedly woke up, slowly crawled up and lifted open the cloth curtain, and she shouted towards the front: "Eldest brother, how much longer ah?! I am tired and hungry!"
Huo Zi Qi pulled the reigns, approached the carriage, and said: "Just two more shichen (4 hours), then we will arrive."
Once Huo Zhi Qing heard it, she was anxious, and sat her body down, then she shouted: "Two shichen? It will not do, I want to get off the carriage and move around, my bone is quickly stiff."
Being inside the carriage for the whole day, and looking at her tired face, Huo Zi Qi felt sorry for her, lowly sighed and said: "Alright, then we will rest for a while before we go again."
The carriage just barely stopped, the bossy"s Miss Huo just jumped off the chariot, she stooped and stretched her legs, while crying out that she was tired and hungry. Murong Shu Qing and Li You Yu also got down from the carriage, sitting inside the carriage for a whole day, Murong Shu Qing was also tired. Once she was out of the carriage, she slightly extended her muscles and bones near the curbside of the forest.
Lu Yi was holding some water, and she gave it to Murong Shu Qing: "Miss, drink some water." Looking at Miss Huo and Miss Li who had dispirited appearances, Lu Yi secretly sighed, fortunately, miss made her to finish eating that steamed bun, she was not really that hungry now.
Shu Qing took the water and drank a mouthful, and lazily leaned on a tree trunk, the cool breeze raised her hair up. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the rare night scene on the mountain forest. Lu Yi was calmly standing by her side. The night wind shrouded the moonlight, the forest was even more peaceful.
She was still not used sitting on the carriage for several days, she really missed the matchless speed of the airplane at this time. Murong Shu Qing turned her rigid neck, and just about to move her arms, Yan Yu"s low cry made her to recover. She only felt a black shadow pa.s.sing in front of her eyes, Yan Yu quickly moved in front of her, and fought with the black shadow. But not waiting until she left, an ice-cold blade of a long swords was already on her neck.