Eine eisige Aura

Kapitel 105

“Absolutely true.” The scout replied respectfully, “The branch sect members saw the young master come out of the tavern with their own eyes. Even if he was disguised, the Flying Eagle Sword is definitely not fake.”

Pang Wan almost wanted to shout three times that Heaven has eyes! She quickly wrote a letter and sent it to Zuo Huai'an by carrier pigeon, while instructing her maid to pack her luggage.

"You're willing to come with me to the main family?" He Qinglu entered the room and saw Pang Wan packing, a rare look of joy on her face.

"I'm going to the capital." Pang Wan took out her thick cotton robe, which she had kept at the bottom of her trunk, and dusted it off with a feather duster. The Southern Frontier was a warm place, and she would never have needed this in eight lifetimes. She had finally managed to find it.

He Qinglu's handsome face immediately fell.

"Don't be angry." Pang Wan saw his displeasure and quickly stepped forward to comfort him. "We finally have information about Senior Brother, but Father isn't by my side. I have to persuade him to come back myself."

When He Qinglu heard that she was going to find the Southern Barbarians, her expression darkened even more.

"Is it that as long as your senior brother comes back, you'll ignore everything I say?" he said angrily.

“Of course…” Pang Wan was about to blurt out “Of course it is” when she saw the dark red face of the person in front of her and quickly tried to salvage the situation, “Of course, what you say is most important, young master!”

He Qinglu gave her a cold look: "If I say you're not allowed to go to the capital, will you listen?"

Having sparred with him countless times, Pang Wan had long since mastered the ultimate technique to deal with this person, so she didn't answer anything but nestled sweetly into his arms.

"Didn't you say you'd give me a month?" She looked up at him expectantly. "Oh dear, if I can find my senior brother, Father will be willing to let me marry. Isn't that killing two birds with one stone?"

"Lies!" He Qinglu frowned and glared at her, his expression softening slightly. In his heart, Zuo Huai'an's permission was utterly insignificant; he would take Pang Wan away as long as she was willing—no, now that things had come to this, he couldn't refuse even if she didn't want to.

"Then should you or not?" Pang Wan looked at him with a smile.

He Qinglu stared at her soft, delicate skin and her bright, star-like eyes, momentarily lost in thought.

"Give me a kiss, and I'll agree." He said this with an air of righteous indignation.

Although Pang Wan was usually bold, she couldn't help but blush and punch him when she heard this: "You lecher!"

"We've already hit her, we've already scolded her, so should we be close or not?" He Qinglu frowned as she looked at her, clearly unyielding to her power.

Pang Wan had no choice but to yield to the temptation and tiptoe to give him a kiss on the cheek.

He Qinglu's lips finally curled up.

"I'll go pack my bags now." He looked at Pang Wan with infinite tenderness. "Let's go together."

*******

Like a magician, Azhuo took out a snow-white mink cloak and spread it on the carriage bed, then snatched the cotton robe from the dumbfounded Pang Wan and threw it to the maid behind her.

After doing all this, she raised her face and gave He Qinglu a sweet smile, as if she wanted to claim credit.

"Wow, are you wearing a spatial ring?" Pang Wan couldn't help but try to pry He Qinglu's fingers open. "How come you even have women's clothes?"

He Qinglu, being rather naive, glanced at her and said, "This is a gift from my aunt, which Jin Dilu specially brought over."

Pang Wan touched the mink coat, feeling its smooth, water-like texture. It was a top-quality item she had never seen before, and she couldn't help but gasp: "I've never met her before, how could I let her spend so much? I'm so sorry."

It's not fair to blame her for being unsophisticated. She grew up in the southern border region and had never been associated with fur. Upon seeing this rare golden-tailed sable, she couldn't help but exclaim from the bottom of her heart.

He Qinglu smiled lazily, not telling her that the coat was just the most ordinary item among the gifts from her family.

—The group of curious, gossipy women, upon hearing his announcement of his marriage, all seemed to have suffered a stroke. His aunt even hugged him and cried, spouting nonsense like "Heaven has eyes, the He family line will not die out." Later, after finding out the truth, they learned that he had not been intimate with women for twenty years, and everyone assumed he preferred men, almost giving up on his marriage.

“Since you’re going to the capital, where it’s snowing right now, I’ll have Ah Zhuo take it out and use it first.” He lifted his eyelids to look at her. “Our family sent a lot of gifts, such as that pile of medicinal herbs, including that ginseng you said you wanted to become a spirit.”

"Your family is so wealthy, what kind of gift should I give them?" Pang Wan touched the mink coat and subconsciously began to worry.

Seeing the worried look on her face, like a new bride about to meet her in-laws, He Qinglu was overjoyed. She lowered her head and kissed her before saying, "If you come back with me obediently, they will be overjoyed."

Pang Wan was rarely coaxed like this, and felt a sweet warmth in her heart, so she leaned against him obediently.

As the carriage traveled along the mountainside and passed a bend, He Qinglu suddenly waved and shouted for it to stop.

“Come with me to a place.” He took Pang Wan’s hand.

The two walked hand in hand to the edge of a small earthen slope. He Qinglu straightened his back and solemnly said to the slope, "I've brought her to see you."

Pang Wan curiously examined the earthen slope, where a large marble stele stood with five large characters inscribed on it: "Tomb of the Nine-Flower Dragon".

Both the stone tablet and the inscription are quite new.

"Who is buried here?" Pang Wan asked cautiously after He Qinglu finished pondering.

“My horse,” He Qinglu answered softly, unusually not looking at her.

"How could it have died here?" Pang Wan asked, puzzled.

He Qinglu didn't speak, but Jin Diluo, who was standing next to him, quickly glanced at her upon hearing this, and there was a hint of resentment in his eyes.

Pang Wan suddenly realized—upon hearing the news of her marriage, He Qinglu had completed in seven days the distance that usually took two months to cover. Such an incredible task could only be accomplished at the cost of exhausting even the most powerful steed.

Although He Qinglu didn't say it, Pang Wan could guess from his slightly lonely expression that he had a deep affection for the horse.

"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this." She bowed deeply to the earthen mound. "When I come back, I'll build you a better tomb, invite a master to chant sutras for you, and burn a few pretty little paper horses down to keep you company, so you won't be lonely down there."

Jin Dilu couldn't help but look surprised, while He Qinglu sighed softly, took Pang Wan's hand, and held it even tighter.

After returning to the carriage, He Qinglu closed her eyes and rested for a long time, clearly feeling down.

Pang Wan knew perfectly well that he was grieving for his beloved horse, and that his guilt and heartache had made her obedient to Young Master He the whole way. She sincerely hoped that he could recover his emotions, so that her heart could be at peace and she wouldn't feel that strange sourness anymore; she couldn't bear to see him unhappy.

*****