Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 3

With an extra man around, things became much more difficult, so Youtong told Qingdai to prepare to return to the manor as soon as possible. Bailing finally remembered the purpose of her trip to the city and hurriedly went to the shops to buy rouge, face powder, clothes, and jewelry, jumping up and down in her haste.

Fortunately, they managed to pack their luggage and hire a carriage by the end of the Shenshi hour (3-5 PM) before leaving the city.

Although the carriage was spacious, Youtong still had Shitou bring a cushion to sit next to the driver. Shitou was obedient, not saying a word and sitting quietly outside, never peeking into the carriage. When they were about to leave the city, a small problem arose. It was said that a high-ranking official had arrived from the capital, and the soldiers had temporarily closed the west gate of the city, prohibiting ordinary people from entering or leaving. The carriage had to stop by the roadside.

Because of the large number of people waiting, some friction was inevitable. One family's horse blocked another's road, or another family's carriage bumped into someone from that family. At first, there were a few buzzing curses from the crowd, but the voices grew louder and louder, and soon turned into shouts. Finally, some people started punching and kicking each other and fighting without any regard for the consequences.

Bai Ling loves watching excitement. Hearing the noise outside, she couldn't sit still. Several times she tried to peek out from behind the carriage curtain to see what was going on, but she didn't dare to do so because You Tong was there.

The shouts of soldiers came from outside again, as if someone had finally intervened. Bai Ling's face immediately showed disappointment. Just as she was about to speak, there was another commotion outside, with the sound of horses' hooves. You Tong frowned, and before she could react, her body jolted violently, and the carriage beneath her shook violently a few times before slowly tilting to the right.

All of this happened so suddenly. Bai Ling opened her mouth to scream, but You Tong quickly covered her mouth and grabbed her arm, nimbly jumping down from the carriage. Qing Dai followed closely behind. The three of them had barely stood up when the carriage completely overturned to the ground. The horses pulling the carriage were pulled by their reins and bridles, kicking and turning in pain. Luckily, the three of them dodged quickly, or they would have been kicked.

However, a horse pulling a cart nearby had somehow become frightened and was running wildly in all directions, knocking people and horses over everywhere. Now, it was galloping towards the city gate. Seeing this, You Tong didn't want to find out whose fault it was, so she could only accept her bad luck and turn around to think about how to turn the cart over.

Just as she was about to take out some silver to ask the onlookers for help, she suddenly heard a collective gasp from everyone around her. Looking up, she saw that everyone, including Bai Ling and Qing Dai, was craning their necks towards the city gate, their eyes wide and unblinking. Finally, unable to contain her curiosity, she turned around and saw a fierce battle between men and horses unfolding at the city gate.

The out-of-control carriage was abruptly stopped at the city gate by a tall, strong young man, about eight feet tall, with dark skin, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He wore a crimson robe with gold trim and carried a Mongolian knife at his waist, the hilt of which was inlaid with three blood-red gemstones.

The young man was incredibly strong. He gripped the reins tightly and pulled hard, causing the horse, which was taller than a man, to rear up and neigh loudly. Although the horse stopped, the carriage continued to rush forward uncontrollably, and it looked like it was about to hit the young man. Everyone gasped and closed their eyes, unable to bear watching the man being hit and sent flying.

You Tong, being an expert, naturally had no such worries. He simply stared intently, watching as the young man raised his foot and kicked the carriage back several steps. The carriage wobbled a few times, and both wheels rolled off. With a "thud," the carriage fell over.

An eerie silence fell for a moment before the crowd erupted in applause, as if suddenly waking from a daze. The official, who had been hiding behind the constables, pale with fear, stepped forward with a smile, adjusting his hat and showering them with praise. The young man whispered something, and the official's face immediately changed color. He abruptly turned to look outside the city, then led a large group of people out.

A moment later, another young man entered through the city gate. He was dressed as a scholar in plain clothes, wearing a dark blue long gown with a matching belt and black cloth shoes. He was tall and handsome, but looked slightly haggard, with his eyes drooping as if he were not in good spirits.

You Tong felt he looked somewhat familiar, and a thought flashed through her mind, but she couldn't quite grasp it. She couldn't help but look up at him again. Just then, the young man raised his head, glanced indifferently at the crowd, and his eyes met You Tong's.

You Tong stumbled, her body tilting to the side, almost falling to the ground. Fortunately, Shi Tou was standing beside her and quickly caught her, allowing her to regain her balance. Qing Dai, sensing something was wrong, rushed forward to support her and asked in a low voice, "Young Master, what's wrong?"

You Tong slowly shook her head, lowered her head, and took a few steps back, disappearing into the crowd. The young man seemed not to notice her. He glanced in her direction, his brows furrowing slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he said nothing. He bowed and spoke a few words to the official, who immediately showed an expression of great honor. He bowed and led the way, and the group walked away together.

The city gate was quickly restored to its original state, and the crowd gradually dispersed. Qingdai asked someone to help fix the carriage, and after the driver checked it, the group continued to ride back to the manor.

Bai Ling, being a carefree person, didn't notice You Tong's strange behavior earlier and started to doze off as soon as she got into the carriage. However, Qing Dai, who was always attentive, would glance at You Tong from time to time along the way, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

You Tong didn't hide anything from her and whispered, "The person I bumped into at the city gate just now was Xu Wei."

Qingdai was so shocked that she covered her mouth and couldn't speak for a long time. After a while, she asked in a low voice, "You still recognize him?"

You Tong closed her eyes, her face full of fatigue. "You don't know, I saw him once in the temple three years ago. Although it was only a brief encounter, but..." She paused, then sighed with a hint of relief, "Fortunately, I've changed my appearance in the past few years, and today I'm dressed as a man, so he didn't recognize me."

Qingdai stared blankly at her slightly pale smiling face, her heart aching. She opened her mouth, but remained silent.

They arrived at the manor around dark. Naturally, the stone was left with Steward Lin. She and her two maids went back to their room to wash up, had a quick meal, and finally managed to go to sleep around 9 PM.

The next day, she slept until the sun was high in the sky before getting up. Qingdai and Bailing helped her wash and comb her hair, and she drank a bowl of porridge. A little while later, Steward Lin came outside to inquire about how to place Shi Tou. You Tong thought for a moment and said, "He was originally a scholar and doesn't know how to do farm work. Now his mind is impaired, and he can't even do accounting. Why don't we let him help tend to the flowers and plants in the yard? Qingdai and the others used to do it, but they are young women, and carrying things in and out every day is really tiring."

The forest ranger readily agreed and went back to arrange for Shi Tou to get to work.

When Bai Ling heard that Shi Tou was going to tend to the flowers and plants, she happily insisted on going with him, and You Tong didn't stop her, letting her go. But after she left, You Tong frowned and said, "It's a pity that we can't keep Bai Ling here. It's just a shame that Shi Tou is an idiot—" She stopped there, looking troubled.

Qingdai was startled and quickly said, "Bai Ling only felt sorry for him and had sympathy for him. There was no romantic feeling between them. As you know, Miss, that girl is always heartless and only thinks about serving you. She has no ulterior motives whatsoever."

You Tong chuckled, turned to look at her, and said, "I'm not in a hurry to marry her off right away, so you don't need to panic. I'm just thinking that even if I've decided not to get married in the future, I can't hold you two back. If I meet someone suitable, I'll naturally make plans for you. Do you expect the two of you to serve me for the rest of your lives?"

Although she appeared to be joking, Qingdai knew her best. Since she had said such a thing, she must have already made up her mind. Qingdai was momentarily confused and didn't know what to say.

You Tong stopped her from saying anything more, waved her off to go and rest, and then laid out a sheet of drawing paper, ground ink and paint, and began to paint the scenery outside the window.

Shi Tou was much smarter than You Tong had imagined. In fact, when he didn't speak, he looked just like an ordinary person. But as soon as he opened his mouth, he revealed his true abilities. His language was childish, like that of a seven or eight-year-old child. When he was happy, he would laugh foolishly. He learned things faster than Bai Ling. Even the usually picky Steward Lin praised him highly, saying that he had found a treasure.

Relying on her medical background, You Tong prescribed him several doses of medicine, but they were ineffective, so she gave up.

Privately, You Tong also sent Steward Lin to Huzhou again, asking someone at the City God Temple to keep an eye out for anyone coming back looking for him. After all, he was a rich young master; she couldn't let him spend his whole life as a gardener on the estate. Of course, she didn't tell Bai Ling about this. As for Qing Dai, ever since she hinted that she was going to marry them off, the girl had been preoccupied. You Tong didn't say anything, just waiting for her to come and talk to her herself.

Days passed by like this, and as autumn deepened and the mornings and evenings grew cooler, You Tong asked Bai Ling to send two more sets of lined clothes to Shi Tou.

Not long after, Bai Ling came back to say that Shi Tou wanted to come and thank her in person.

You Tong asked in surprise, "Was it you who egged him on again? Otherwise, how would he know all this?"

Bai Ling pouted and said, "It's not me. It's all because Manager Lin keeps praising you, Miss, to him all day long, telling him to remember it and to repay you in the future. A few days ago, some tenants from the manor came to kowtow to us, and he saw it. He's quick to learn."

You Tong pondered for a moment before replying, "If he wants to thank us, just bring him over. But he's not a servant in our household, so there's no need for him to kowtow."

Bai Ling smiled and agreed. A moment later, Shi Tou followed her into the house with his head down. Perhaps Bai Ling had given him some pointers, because after entering the house, he simply bowed properly. Then, when he looked up and met You Tong dressed in women's clothing, he was immediately dumbfounded.

Author's Note: Just finished typing, brand new...

I skimmed through it quickly, and I don't know if there are any typos.

Before the change

six

After Bai Ling and Qing Dai returned to the manor, they changed back into women's clothing, just as Shi Tou had been surprised when they first met. However, You Tong had always loved the freedom and unrestrained feeling of men's clothing, and often dressed as a boy at home. Besides, since Shi Tou entered the manor, he had only seen You Tong twice, both times dressed as a man. With Shi Tou's limited understanding, he naturally couldn't tell the difference. So, it's no wonder he was so surprised to suddenly see her in different attire.

After a long pause, Shi Tou cautiously glanced at Bai Ling, seemingly trying to confirm whether the person in front of him was indeed the legitimate young master. Bai Ling clutched her stomach and laughed, saying to You Tong, "Miss, look, Shi Tou is almost speechless."

You Tong smiled at him and asked a few more polite questions, but didn't want to talk to Shi Tou any more. Just as she was about to tell him to go and rest, she noticed that his eyes looked a little strange. Looking closely, she saw that he was staring intently at the painting on the wall, his eyes unblinking, and his expression was serious and focused. There was no trace of his usual foolishness.

Bai Ling was afraid that Shi Tou's rudeness would anger You Tong, so she hurriedly reached out to pull him away. Shi Tou ignored her and stubbornly insisted on staring at her with wide eyes. You Tong was slightly surprised when she saw this, and quickly stopped Bai Ling, saying, "Let him take a closer look. Judging from his expression, he seems to know how to paint."

Bai Ling pouted and said, "Isn't he stupid? How could he remember these things?"

You Tong didn't reply, but carefully observed Shi Tou's expression. Shi Tou stared at the snow-covered mountains on the wall for a while, his brows furrowed slightly, then he quickly walked to another spring landscape painting and looked at it for a long time before finally muttering softly, "This is fake."

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Bai Ling was so anxious that she almost rushed forward to cover his mouth. Others might not know, but she and Qing Dai did. The paintings on the wall were bought by You Tong at a high price from the most famous calligraphy and painting shop in Qiantang County. They were said to be works by Liuyuan Jushi, and each one was worth a thousand gold pieces. This Shi Tou was talking nonsense, and he was afraid he would anger You Tong.

Upon hearing this, You Tong didn't get angry, but instead frowned slightly and asked, "How did you know?"

Stone thought for a moment, then stammered, "Lines... lines... wrong... seal... wrong too..."

"You idiot, don't talk nonsense, get down here right now." Seeing that he was going too far, Bai Ling finally couldn't help but come forward and grab his arm. You Tong shook his head and smiled, gesturing for her to let go, and said, "I originally thought he was probably beyond cure, but judging from today's situation, he hasn't forgotten everything. If we can find a famous doctor, there is still hope for a cure."

Bai Ling lowered her head and said, "It's better if he can't be cured." After a pause, she suddenly raised her head and asked You Tong in surprise, "Miss, aren't you angry? Is this painting really fake? Then we've been deceived."

“These two paintings are indeed fake,” You Tong chuckled, “but it wasn’t the shopkeeper at the calligraphy and painting store who sold them forgeries; I switched them myself. Before coming to the estate, I had already put away all the calligraphy, paintings, land deeds, and the like. What’s hanging on the wall now are my own paintings, naturally not masterpieces by Liuyuan Jushi. But even my master didn’t notice before, so I suppose the imitation is quite similar. Although Shi Tou is a bit eccentric, his eye is quite good.” After saying that, she sighed softly, lamenting, “Such talent, what a pity. I wonder if he can still do well in the future.”

Bai Ling did not reply upon hearing this.

From then on, Youtong treated Shitou differently. Perhaps thinking that since he remembered these things, if they were to keep in touch, he might remember something else. So she would occasionally call him over to appreciate calligraphy and paintings. Shitou lived up to her expectations. Although he didn't talk much, he could get to the point. However, whenever Youtong casually asked him where he learned these things, he would be completely confused and could no longer give a clear answer.

A month passed in a flash, and Shi Tou still remembered nothing, but he was doing quite well at the farm. At first, You Tong suspected he was a fraud, but now she had no doubts whatsoever. Such talent was beyond the reach of ordinary people.

As a result, the affairs of the estate were no longer restricted to him. Sometimes, Steward Lin would even take him for a walk outside the woods, and he would even be taken along when collecting rent.

To the west of the estate lies a large hill, also owned by the Yu family, rented out to nearby tenants to grow fruit trees. It's currently apple season, and the fragrance of ripe fruit fills the air as you walk along the nearby field ridges. That day, after collecting rent, Shi Tou chatted incessantly with Bai Ling about the apples. Bai Ling, always lively, couldn't resist telling You Tong that she wanted to go to the mountains to see them.

Thinking that the three of them hadn't been out for a while, Youtong agreed. Early that morning, she had Qingdai prepare food, and the three of them, along with Shitou, went to the mountains to look at apples.

The orchard wasn't far from the courtyard, and none of them were delicate young ladies. Even Shi Tou, who had stayed at the farm for a while, seemed much more energetic. They chatted and laughed all the way, and soon arrived at their destination. The tenant farmers on the orchard side had previously come to the farm to kowtow to You Tong, so they recognized them and came out to greet them from afar, quickly having their wives pick fresh fruit to serve them.

When the tenant learned that You Tong and the others were just visiting, he looked puzzled and said, "This garden is a mess, there's nothing beautiful about it. Please don't get your shoes dirty."

You Tong smiled but didn't explain. She just said she came to take a look and told him to go about his business and not to worry about them.

It was the time when the fruit was ripe, and the courtyard was bustling with activity. The tenant farmer saw that You Tong and his group had friendly faces, and he was too busy to stand on ceremony, so he stopped being polite, muttered "Please let me know if you need anything," and then went off to work with his wife and children.

After walking around the orchard for a while, Bai Ling finally couldn't take it anymore and suggested that they take a break. They found a flat and open spot nearby to sit down and rest. Qing Dai quickly brought out some snacks and tea from the basket. The group ate some and rested for a while. Just as they were about to get up, Shi Tou, who had been sitting silently to the side, suddenly stood up.

You Tong and the others were stunned. Before they could react, he dashed out like an arrow and quickly entered the orchard, but they had no idea what had happened. The three of them looked at each other and waited for a while, but Shi Tou did not return. Bai Ling began to look absentmindedly, glancing every now and then at the place where Shi Tou had disappeared.

Seeing this, You Tong was also puzzled. After thinking for a while, she simply got up, dusted herself off, and said, "This orchard connects to the woods outside our courtyard to the south. If he accidentally wanders in, without us to guide him, he will most likely get stuck. Let's split up and search. Qing Dai, go and tell Old Li that if Shi Tou comes back, he should wait here and not wander off."

Qingdai responded and hurriedly left. Youtong and Bailing went their separate ways, heading deeper into the forest.

Leaves have begun to fall in the woods, rustling softly in the wind. Before, most people didn't notice, but now, walking alone on the road, You Tong suddenly felt a sense of autumnal desolation.

After walking for a while, they did not see any stone or people. Before long, they passed through the orchard and entered the woods outside the courtyard.

This is the south side of the forest. Usually, people enter and exit from the east side, so this side is less frequented. However, the formation is meticulously arranged. Following the incantation, You Tong carefully navigated around the various mechanisms and formations, looking around and calling out Stone's name loudly.

After calling for a while without getting a response, You Tong figured he might not be there. Just as she was about to turn around, she suddenly heard a rustling sound not far away. Frowning, she followed the sound and saw Shi Tou sitting under a big tree, looking disheveled. His hair was all over his head, and his face was scratched by branches in the forest. He was biting his lips tightly, not uttering a sound.

Seeing this, You Tong was a little annoyed. The three women had been searching for him everywhere, but he, despite clearly hearing their voices, didn't respond. Wasn't he deliberately making things difficult for them? As she thought this, her steps became heavier. Shi Tou, with his sharp ears, immediately turned his head to look. Upon seeing You Tong, he immediately lowered his head in a look of fear.

"Why are you running around like that?" You Tong said angrily. "Didn't I tell you before that you can't wander around in this forest? Luckily we found it today. If we hadn't, you would have been spending the winter in here. You clearly heard me calling you, why didn't you respond?"

Stone lowered his head, refusing to look at her or reply. His timid appearance made it impossible for anyone to get angry at him.

"Follow me." You Tong was too lazy to scold him anymore. She glared at him and said fiercely.

Stone was also clever; knowing he had caused trouble, he quickly followed behind her, not daring to leave her side for even a moment.

After walking only a few steps, You Tong suddenly heard a scream from outside the woods. The voice was none other than Qing Dai's. You Tong's heart skipped a beat. She no longer cared about slowly leading the stone out of the woods. After turning back and telling him, "Go left on the third day, and go forward on the fifth day," she took two steps at a time and ran quickly towards the edge of the woods.

She was agile and quickly rushed out. Upon seeing the scene outside, she couldn't help but gasp. Qingdai was clinging to a small tree, her face ashen. Beneath the tree, there was a white-browed tiger with glaring eyes.

Although there are some mountains near the manor, they are not deep. Woodcutters and hunters often live in the area, and no one has ever heard of a tiger causing trouble. No one knows where this tiger came from. Although You Tong is skilled in martial arts, she is still a girl. She is good at agility and lightness, but she is not good at head-on confrontation. Moreover, she does not have a suitable weapon. How can she defeat this tiger?

Just as she was pondering how to strike, the tiger suddenly acted strangely, circling the tree twice before reluctantly retreating. Only after the tiger had completely disappeared did Youtong come to her senses, leaping forward to lift Qingdai onto the tree. Qingdai was already terrified, her body trembling, and as soon as her feet touched the ground, she collapsed, unable to support herself.

Because of this unexpected turn of events, no one had any desire to enjoy themselves anymore, and they quickly packed their things and headed back to the manor. On the way, Bai Ling couldn't help but nag and scold Shi Tou for running around, but Shi Tou remained silent, only occasionally stealing a glance at You Tong.

Upon returning to the estate, everyone was exhausted. Youtong refused to let the two maids serve her, telling them to go and rest first. Shitou naturally wanted to leave as well, but when he reached the courtyard gate, he hesitated and turned back, slowly walking over to Youtong and whispering, "Rabbit...you...like to eat...I saw it..."

You Tong suddenly remembered praising the smoked rabbit that the tenant farmer had brought over a couple of days ago, but somehow that had reached the ears of this fool. She realized that he had been running so fast just now to catch the rabbit for her. She couldn't quite describe the feeling in her heart.

The author has something to say: It seems everyone is more interested in who the male lead is.

╮(╯▽╰)╭ All the main characters have been introduced. When I was writing the outline, I originally planned to make Stone the male lead, but the more I wrote, the more I fell in love with another character.

Note: A major event will occur tomorrow.

Turned into ruins

seven

There was no news from Huzhou about Shi Tou searching for his relatives, but rumors spread that bandits had robbed a wealthy family outside the city. Similar reports continued to arrive, causing widespread panic in Huzhou. Meanwhile, You Tong Village was unusually peaceful, presumably because the bandits, having suffered a loss last time, dared not attack again.

To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, You Tong instructed Steward Lin to strengthen the defenses of the estate. The tenants, aware of the current situation, did not need Steward Lin's prompting and actively participated.

By the end of the month, the crops in the village had all been harvested, and everyone could finally breathe a sigh of relief. They also heard that the bandits had gone to the north of Huzhou to wreak havoc, and were now appearing less frequently here, so everyone became somewhat relaxed. Because the weather had been favorable this year, the crops had grown exceptionally well, and according to local custom, a celebration was to be held at the end of the month. Manager Lin reported this to You Tong, who was indifferent, as she didn't usually enjoy crowds. However, Bai Ling kept clamoring to go and watch.

Since You Tong already had plenty of servants, she suggested that Bai Ling take Shi Tou along to join in the fun, while Qing Dai stayed home to keep her company. Bai Ling happily went to tell Shi Tou. But a little while later, Shi Tou rushed in, begging her to let them all go together.

Youtong, annoyed by his nagging, casually agreed. Upon hearing this, Shitou's face lit up with joy, and he cheerfully took his leave. That night, however, Youtong suddenly had a nightmare, waking up with a scream, drenched in cold sweat. This terrified Qingdai, who was keeping watch nearby. But when she tried to recall what she had dreamt of, she couldn't remember.

Lying down again made me feel disoriented and I couldn't sleep soundly. When I got up at dawn, my face looked rather haggard.

We had planned to go to the farm with everyone to celebrate the harvest today, but just before we left, it started to rain outside. It wasn't heavy, but the drizzle was quite annoying. You Tong hadn't slept well to begin with, and now she felt listless and had no energy to muster, let alone go out for a stroll.

She knew Shi Tou's temperament well; he seemed gentle but was actually quite stubborn. If he knew she didn't want to go out, he would definitely bother her again. So she made an excuse that she needed to change her clothes and let Bai Ling and the others go first. Shi Tou didn't suspect anything and obediently followed Bai Ling out of the courtyard. After they had gone far away, You Tong yawned, took off her outer robe, had Qing Dai make the bed, and went back to bed for a nap.

Manager Lin also went to help at the venue, leaving only Youtong and Qingdai in the large courtyard. Both of them were quiet by nature, so they didn't feel lonely. At noon, Qingdai cooked two dishes in the kitchen to accompany the rice. In the afternoon, Youtong moved a chaise lounge under the window and dozed off while reading, while Qingdai did her embroidery nearby, occasionally saying a few words, creating a rare moment of peace and quiet.