Looking forward to the spring breeze

Chapter 39

"I knew you'd changed your name again to swindle people, otherwise how come I couldn't find you anywhere!" You Tong jumped up and smacked Xu Wei on the back a few more times, cursing, "Li Changgui is still Li Changgui, even if you changed your name you're still a woodcutter's son, not much more refined. Luckily I knew your character beforehand, I asked under different names, otherwise, how would I have found you, you heartless bastard?"

Xu Wei looked embarrassed, head bowed, forcing a smile. His timid, little man demeanor, combined with his burly frame, was truly laughable. The Chanyu, who had been somewhat suspicious of him a few days ago, was relieved after witnessing this farce.

You Tong moved into the mansion without any problem, arrogantly ordering Xu Wei around, tidying the rooms, moving things, and even fetching water for washing his face. Xu Wei followed her around happily, without uttering a single complaint. The servants in the mansion couldn't help but chuckle at how the usually aloof painter Li had completely turned into a lamb in her presence, and they often gossiped about this tigress behind her back.

But at most, they would only gossip in secret; no one dared to gossip in front of "Madam Li." Such a shrewish woman was someone no one dared to provoke.

That evening, the young couple closed the door, and everyone tactfully refrained from disturbing them; as the saying goes in the Central Plains, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder." The servants, now idle, made bets on whether "Master Painter Li" would have to balance a bowl on his head or kneel on a washboard that night. Even the maids who had previously harbored some feelings for Xu Wei were too frightened to have any further thoughts.

Once things quieted down outside, Xu Wei carefully checked his surroundings to make sure no one was listening. Only then did he relax, grab You Tong, and happily spun her around the room several times. You Tong, however, kept a straight face. As soon as he let go, she pinched his waist and twisted it hard, making him break out in a cold sweat from the pain.

Xu Wei naturally knew that his actions this time were not very thorough. He had not only gone deep into the tiger's den, but also caused his relatives in the capital to worry about him, and even made You Tong leave her daughter and travel thousands of miles to find him. He felt really guilty, so he had already made up his mind to let her beat and scold him without fighting back.

But You Tong ultimately held back, stopping short of punishment. However, she couldn't help but scold him, giving him a few stern words before bursting into tears herself. Once the tears fell, she lost control, unable to speak, just tears streaming down her face.

Seeing her like this, Xu Wei felt both distressed and guilty. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a single word. In the end, he could only hold her tightly in his arms and sit down together.

Exhausted from the day, You Tong's heart had been racing. Finally seeing Xu Wei brought her some relief, and she fell into a deep sleep in his arms, soon emitting soft snores. Xu Wei gazed lovingly at her face, gently kissed her cheek, and then carefully removed her outer garments and shoes, laying her down on the bed. He then went to the kitchen to fetch more hot water and helped her wash her face.

After she fell asleep, Xu Wei carefully tucked her in, then took out his night clothes from the closet, quickly changed into them, opened the window, and disappeared into the night.

Xu Wei didn't return until midnight, his clothes still damp from the dew. A cool breeze blew into the room when he opened the window, and You Tong immediately woke up. Opening her eyes, she saw Xu Wei changing clothes and immediately guessed what had happened. She couldn't help but ask, "I see this mansion is heavily guarded. Aren't you afraid of danger walking around so late at night?"

While changing his clothes, Xu Wei replied, "There are certainly dangers, but I've been here for so long that I know the patrol patterns inside and out, so avoiding them isn't difficult. The only place that's hard to approach is the Chanyu's study. It's watched 24/7; I've tried several times without success and almost got discovered."

"What should we do then?"

"Let's wait and see," Xu Wei said, stripping down to only his underpants, shirtless, too lazy to even put on shoes. He ran barefoot to the bed, slid into the covers, grabbed You Tong, and kissed her neck twice before mumbling, "We'll find an opportunity eventually." With that, his hand slipped inside You Tong's clothes…

The next day, the two slept until late morning. The servants who came to serve them all had strange expressions, as if they wanted to laugh but were holding it in. But when Xu Wei asked the maid for a bottle of liniment with a stern face, the girl stumbled and almost spilled the tea in her hand.

Regardless of Li the Great Painter's private character, the Xiongnu chieftain was quite satisfied with his painting skills, and thus treated his wife with great courtesy, even assigning a maid to serve her. Xu Wei personally went to thank him for this.

The renowned painter Li was usually aloof and unsociable, but this lady was a natural at making friends. Within a few days, she had become quite familiar with all the maids and nannies in the household, and they were practically inseparable. At first, everyone was a little afraid of her, but they soon discovered that Madam Li was only domineering in front of her husband; in front of others, she wasn't too outrageous—though she could be a bit nagging and talkative.

Now that everyone was familiar with each other, there were naturally fewer reservations in their conversation. Moreover, Madam Li even recounted how she and the great painter Li fell in love at first sight and how they secretly pledged their lives to each other at the mountain pavilion. At first, they only chatted casually for a few moments, but then the conversation gradually became more in-depth. Finally, they even dug up the story of how the aunt who helped in the kitchen and the coachman had taken a liking to each other. Naturally, it was inevitable that the conversation would sometimes touch upon the Chanyu (ruler of the Xiongnu), his children, concubines, who was the most favored, who had the worst temper, and who held the highest status…

After returning to the room, You Tong sorted out the news she had heard during the day. At first, Xu Wei did not take it seriously and said with a smile, "They are just second- or third-class servants. What could they know? They are just gossiping about others. The Chanyu's confidants are all tight-lipped, and we will definitely not be able to get any information out of them."

You Tong shook her head and said, "Don't underestimate them. Although those maids don't have access to confidential documents, they are meticulous, have sharp eyes, and are very good at reading people. Sometimes they can discover things that others can't. Everything in this world is connected. If we collect all kinds of information and study it carefully, we can always find some clues. Anyway, I'm already here, and you won't let me go with you to gather information. I can't just stay at home all day doing nothing."

Xu Wei knew her temperament and knew he couldn't stop her, so he simply let her be, only reminding her to be careful. Unexpectedly, within two days, she actually found some clues.

That day, she was chatting with someone in the kitchen when they suddenly started talking mysteriously about the rivalry between the Chanyu's two concubines. They said that the two almost got into a fight over a porcelain Guanyin statue, which angered the Chanyu so much that he kicked both of them out.

You Tong was used to seeing wives and concubines fighting over each other in wealthy families, so she didn't take it too seriously. She just smiled and replied, "These two beauties are the Chanyu's favorite concubines. Why are you being so petty? It's just a statue of Guanyin. Even if it were made of jade, let alone porcelain, there's no need to make such a fuss."

“How could Madam Li know?” someone shouted back. “I’ve heard that in the Central Plains, in some places, porcelain sells for more than jade. When the two beauties were fighting, I was on my way to deliver tea. I secretly glanced at that Guanyin statue, and wow, it was truly as white as jade, with a dignified and solemn appearance. It’s said to be produced in some town or region. In the Central Plains, only the emperor can use such things.”

You Tong's heart skipped a beat. It was a Guanyin statue from Jingdezhen? Since the reign of Emperor Taizu of this dynasty, Jingdezhen had been the imperial kiln, producing an extremely limited amount of porcelain each year. Besides tribute items, only a very small number of pieces circulated among nobles and officials, mostly tea sets and vases; Guanyin statues were extremely rare. She wondered where the Chanyu had obtained this item.

With this thought in mind, she hurried back to her room to find Xu Wei and told him everything. Xu Wei listened, his face also solemn. After a long while, he said, "As far as I know, in the third year of the Wude era, Jingdezhen presented a batch of porcelain Guanyin statues as tribute, only ten in total. Apart from the three Guanyin statues that remain in the palace, the rest were bestowed by the late emperor. I don't remember exactly who they were given to. However, if we simply have someone investigate the whereabouts of the remaining Guanyin statues, we should be able to find out where the Chanyu's statue came from." At that time, the traitor will surely be exposed.

85 escaped

The next day, Xu Wei relayed the message back, but You Tong didn't inquire further about how it was relayed. Given that the Xiongnu were able to plant spies within the Northwest army, Xu Wei must have had quite a few spies in the area as well. However, these were all classified information, and since You Tong wasn't part of the military, she naturally couldn't ask too many questions.

Since the investigation would take time and there was no guarantee that a spy would be found, the two did not place all their hopes on this matter.

You Tong continued to get along well with the maids in the manor, and even became acquainted with several of the Chanyu's concubines. They would exchange tips on how to manage a husband every day, having a great time. Xu Wei, on the other hand, continued his life as a painter. Apart from occasionally discussing painting techniques with the Chanyu, he spent most of his time painting in his room. He still maintained his aloof demeanor all day long, but now, no one in the manor thought he was arrogant anymore.

Towards the end of the month, the Northwest Army fought two more battles with the Xiongnu, resulting in heavy losses on both sides, including General Liu. Xu Wei was uneasy upon receiving the news. General Liu was his confidant, handling most of the affairs of the army. Because of his high prestige within the army and his close relationship with Xu Wei, the troops generally respected him. Now that he was wounded, and Xu Wei himself was in the enemy camp, it seemed there was no one left in the army capable of leading independently.

“We need to get back as soon as possible.” That evening, Xu Wei said to You Tong with a stern face, “We probably won’t get any news from the capital. In any case, before we leave, I must go and check out his study.”

Youtong knew his temperament. Judging from the expression on his face, he had clearly made up his mind, and there was no point in trying to persuade him any further. So she decided not to think about it anymore. After pondering for a while, she said seriously, "Since we're leaving anyway, we don't have many concerns. Let's just do something drastic."

Xu Wei's eyes lit up, and he looked up at her, his eyes full of surprise. "Could it be that we've thought of the same thing again?"

You Tong smiled without saying a word, dipped her finger in the tea, and touched the table. Xu Wei understood and followed suit, dipping his finger in the tea as well. The two of them lowered their heads and each wrote a character. Then they looked up at the same time and saw that the other had pointed to the same character. They couldn't help but smile knowingly.

That afternoon, the great painter Li and his wife started arguing again for some unknown reason. There were loud cracking noises, and when the door opened again, the great painter Li was seen running out of the house with a bruised and swollen face, looking extremely disheveled. Following closely behind him was a teapot that flew through the air and narrowly missed his head before crashing onto the corridor floor with a "smash" and shattering into pieces.

“Shrew…shrew…” the great painter Li muttered under his breath, but dared not turn around, covering his head as he ran out of the courtyard. The servants peeked out, only vaguely seeing the mess inside the house, and faint sobs and curses coming from within. No one dared to go inside.

Even as night fell, the great painter Li dared not wander outside, not even daring to return to the courtyard. The servants in the mansion could only chuckle to themselves.

Around midnight, everyone in the mansion was suddenly awakened by a commotion. Someone outside was shouting "Fire!" Everyone was startled, hurriedly put on their clothes, and rushed out to put out the fire.

The Chanyu was also awakened by the noise and put on his cloak to go out and see what was going on. Upon seeing the direction from which the thick smoke was coming, his expression changed drastically, and he roared, "What...what's going on? How did the study catch fire? What are you standing there for? Go put out the fire!"

The mansion where the Chanyu resided was specially built a few years ago in imitation of the Han style, with exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters, but it too could not withstand a fire. In the thick smoke, the servants in the mansion dared not approach the courtyard, but only carried wooden buckets outside to pour water.

Madam Li, disheveled and feigning madness, rushed out, grabbing anyone she saw and demanding to know if they had seen her husband. The mansion was in chaos, everyone busy putting out the fire; no one had time to care about her. They all claimed they hadn't seen him and hurriedly dodged away, unaware that she had vanished.

After everyone finally managed to put out the fire, they discovered that the fire had started in a very strange way; it had actually burned from outside the courtyard into the study.

Because everyone was exhausted that night, no one reported the matter to the Chanyu. It wasn't until the next day when the Chanyu personally came to the study to investigate that he discovered the anomaly. He immediately changed his expression and ordered people to check the whereabouts of everyone in the mansion. Only then did he discover that the great painter Li and his wife had disappeared.

The Chanyu summoned his servants and questioned them, but apart from someone recalling that Lady Li had searched the courtyard for the painter, no one else had seen him. Some also mentioned the argument between the two the previous afternoon, speculating that the painter might have left in anger. These speculations did not dispel the Chanyu's suspicions; he immediately ordered the city gates sealed and the entire city searched.

But by this time, Xu Wei and You Tong had already changed their clothes and left the city.

The two rode at breakneck speed, fearing they would be overtaken by the pursuers sent by the Xiongnu chieftain. But man proposes, God disposes; after only half a day's journey, they were stopped by a storm. The Northwest is usually arid, but this time the rain was frighteningly heavy, as if someone in the sky was pouring water down from a basin. In less than half an hour, the road was flooded.

Fortunately, there happened to be a tea stall by the roadside, so the two rested there for the time being, while thinking about their next trip.

They had thought the rain would only last for a while, but it didn't stop at all after a whole afternoon. The road had already turned into a river, and the people in the teahouse had to move to higher ground. Two men dressed as merchants, who were also stuck there, were talking loudly: "This is terrible. If the rain keeps going like this, the bridge over the Nanshui River ahead will definitely be washed away. How are we going to get to Qizhen?"

"That's right. Last year's rains weren't even this heavy. The bridge was washed away, and it took almost half a month to repair. What were we going to do with our business?"

"..."

Xu Wei and You Tong exchanged a glance, both seeing the unease in each other's eyes. They had planned everything meticulously, but they hadn't anticipated that fate would play such a cruel joke at this crucial moment. Now, stuck on the road, it seemed unlikely they would be able to return anytime soon. Not to mention anything else, the pursuers behind them alone would drive them crazy.

The rain finally subsided a bit as darkness fell, but the floodwaters on the road had not receded. Xu Wei and You Tong could not stay in the teahouse for long, so they had to find a farmer's house nearby to stay overnight.

Both men were dressed in worn-out men's clothing, disguised as merchants, and claimed to be brothers. The farmer, a kind and simple man, didn't suspect anything and warmly invited them into his house, even preparing a room for them. Xu Wei then slipped a silver ingot to the host, asking him to prepare some food in the kitchen.

The host refused to accept the money, saying that he didn't have anything good to eat at home. He fussed around in the kitchen for a while before bringing out two bowls of porridge and a bowl of steamed buns. Xu Wei was fine with it, having led troops in battle for many years and endured all kinds of hardships, even eating grass roots and tree bark. But You Tong had been raised in luxury since childhood and had never eaten such coarse food before. He frowned immediately after taking just one bite.

But she knew this wasn't the time to be coy. Although the steamed buns were hard to swallow, she forced herself to eat two, then finished her porridge with pickled vegetables until her stomach was full before putting down her bowl. Xu Wei watched from the side, feeling uneasy.

Because they got wet from the rain on the way, the two of them were in a hurry and had no other luggage except for a large bag of documents and letters that Xu Wei had stolen from the Chanyu's study. They had to borrow two sets of clothes from the host to change into and make do for the night.

Neither of them slept well that night, as the rain continued to drizzle outside without any sign of stopping. The next morning, Xu Wei got up early, ignoring the heavy rain, and led his horse out to scout the way. He insisted that You Tong stay where she was, and asked the farmer to make her some ginger tea to ward off the cold.

Half an hour later, Xu Wei returned, soaked to the bone, bringing a dampness with him as he entered the room. You Tong quickly helped him take off his straw hat and raincoat, wanting to ask him something, but seeing his pale face, she knew what was going on. Xu Wei forced a smile and comforted her, "I asked around, and they said we can go around through Wugang County to the north. Although it's a long way, it's better than waiting here like an idiot. The South River is flooded right now, and the water won't recede for at least ten days or half a month."

You Tong was unfamiliar with the area, so he naturally followed Xu Wei's lead. Once they agreed, they quickly packed their things, planning to set off as soon as the rain outside subsided. The farmer was a kind-hearted man; seeing their insistence on going out, he secretly slipped You Tong some dry rations and even brought out another set of straw hats and raincoats from his home. Given how poor the family was, You Tong felt embarrassed to take their things. After some initial hesitation, he finally gave in and slipped some silver under their pillows.

The road was muddy and flooded, and the horses moved slowly. It wasn't until it was completely dark that the two of them reached Wugang County.

Since the city gates were already closed and there were no residents nearby, the two of them had no choice but to find a dilapidated temple to rest for the time being.

The dilapidated temple was deserted. On a table against the wall sat a Buddha statue, its paint long since peeled off, leaving only a yellowish-brown residue. The offering tray on the table was empty and lay crookedly over, suggesting that no one had lived here for a long time.

“Someone’s here.” Xu Wei held You Tong’s hand tightly, whispered in her ear, and pointed to her nose. You Tong immediately understood. If no one had lived here for a long time, the temple would definitely smell musty, but although the room was dilapidated, it didn’t have that smell.

The two tiptoed to the back of the dilapidated temple. There was still no one inside, but a fire had burned out in the corner. No one had added firewood, leaving only glowing embers. Beside it lay a chipped, broken bowl with half a bowl of water remaining. Youtong squatted down and touched it; it was lukewarm.

“There were people there just now, they were probably scared away by us,” You Tong said. Just as she finished speaking, a low cough was heard, followed by immediate silence. The two exchanged a glance and immediately looked in the direction of the sound. The sound was coming from the corner of the wall. However, the place was empty, and the corner was only covered by a thin layer of straw; there was nowhere for anyone to hide.

While You Tong was still in a daze, Xu Wei had already walked quickly to the corner of the wall. He groped around on the ground with both hands and finally found something unusual in the pile of straw. There was a small protrusion on the floor. He exerted force with his hands, and with a gurgling sound, the wall in the corner suddenly rose up, revealing a square hole. Two half-grown children were hiding inside, clinging tightly to each other, trembling with fear.

86. Withdraw troops

The two children were dressed in rags, their faces covered in filth, making it impossible to discern their features, but their eyes were bright and intelligent. They stared warily at Xu Wei and You Tong, their fists clenched tightly, as if they might pounce at any moment, or like two little leopards.

Xu Wei was about to speak when You Tong gently pulled him back, stopping him. She then slowly stepped forward and said softly, "Don't be afraid, we're not bad people. Let's get out first, it's so uncomfortable inside. Hmm, I have some steamed buns here, would you like some?" With that, she quickly rummaged through her bundle and took out two steamed buns, handing them to the two of them.

The younger child was clearly starving; his eyes were glued to the steamed bun, he kept a close eye on it, swallowing nervously, but ultimately didn't reach out to take it. The older child was more wary, staring blankly at You Tong for a long while before blinking and asking in a hoarse voice, "Are you a woman?"

They spoke fluent and standard Mandarin, their pronunciation even more accurate than You Tong's. You Tong glanced back at Xu Wei and saw a hint of surprise on his face. Their faces were so dirty that their features were obscured; they had initially been mistaken for Xiongnu, but now they appeared to be genuine Han Chinese.

While the two were pondering, the older child suddenly snatched the steamed bun from You Tong's hand and handed it to his younger brother. The younger child quickly took it, immediately put it in his mouth and took a bite, but did not wolf it down. After taking a small bite, he held it to his older brother's mouth and whispered, "Brother, you eat." His voice was soft, so he was also a little girl.

For some reason, seeing the deep affection between the two siblings, You Tong felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but reach out and pat the little girl's head. The little girl instinctively tried to dodge, but the hole was too small, and she bumped her head against the wall, which hurt. The little girl's lips trembled, and tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Come out quickly, it's very crowded inside, you might bump your head again." You Tong said with a smile, while secretly tugging at Xu Wei to make him stop looking so stern, lest he scare the young girl.

Helpless, Xu Wei could only force a smile, squat down next to You Tong, and try his best to look at the two children with the gentlest eyes.

The older brother glanced at the two of them warily, his eyes darting around as if pondering her words. After a while, he nodded slightly, carried the little girl out of the cave first, and then came out himself.

Just as You Tong was about to speak, Xu Wei suddenly looked alertly towards the door. You Tong's heart skipped a beat, and she held her breath and listened intently. Sure enough, she heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching from afar, seemingly heading in their direction.

"You protect them, I'll go out and check." Xu Wei gently squeezed her hand, reassuring her, and then got up and walked quickly towards the temple gate. Their horses were tied up at the temple gate; if the pursuers behind them were indeed coming, they wouldn't be able to hide it. The only way to ensure their temporary safety was to strike first and wipe them all out.

You Tong knew perfectly well that Xu Wei's departure would inevitably lead to a fierce battle, but she didn't know how many pursuers were coming, or whether he could defeat them alone. Whether it was her obvious anxiety or the two children's oversensitivity, the little boy looked at her with his large, clear eyes, then at the night outside the window. Amidst the pattering rain, the sound of horses' hooves could already be clearly heard.

"Are you being chased?" the little boy asked.

"Hmm." You Tong found the mechanism from before, pressed it hard, and opened the hole. "You guys go in and hide first. If we can't handle it, we'll drag you down with us."

The little boy looked at her carefully, then at his little sister in his arms, nodded with a pursed mouth, and hugged the little girl before shrinking back into the hole.

After settling the two children, Youtong took out the dagger from her bosom and hurried to find Xu Wei. She had only reached the door when she saw Xu Wei enter the house with a grim face; the dagger was already sheathed, and he smelled faintly of blood. The sounds outside had already ceased.

"Is everything cleaned up?" You Tong glanced outside; in the pitch-black night, only the sound of wind and rain could be heard.

"Hmm," Xu Wei responded casually, then reached out and hugged her tightly for a while before letting go. He glanced behind him and asked in a low voice, "Where are the two of them? Hidden again?"

You Tong nodded, turned around and opened the mechanism, releasing the two children again.

When the boy saw Xu Wei again, his expression changed. His eyes lit up with eagerness. "You...you know martial arts?"

Xu Wei glanced at him indifferently, responded with a single word, and said, "So what?"

The boy's voice trembled with excitement as he said, "Could you...could you teach me?"

Xu Wei and You Tong exchanged a glance and sighed in unison. Without needing to ask, they could almost guess what had happened. But Xu Wei still asked seriously, "Why are you learning martial arts?"

A flash of resentment and hatred crossed the boy's eyes. Gritting his teeth, he replied sharply, "I will avenge those Huns! I will kill them!" As he spoke, his eyes reddened, and tears fell like beads from a broken string. The little boy wiped his face hard, choked back a sob, and said stubbornly, "They killed my parents, and I will avenge them."

This was something Xu Wei had long anticipated; there were countless orphans like them on the frontier.

"You?" Xu Wei glanced at him indifferently, his eyes cold, perhaps with disdain, perhaps with contempt. The boy was immediately enraged, jumping to his feet and urgently saying, "I...I'm not afraid of hardship, I'll do anything as long as I can kill those Xiongnu pigs!"

"How many people can you kill?" Xu Wei sneered, continuing, "At your age, your bones have hardened. Even if you were willing to put in the hard work to practice martial arts, you'd hardly achieve great success. At most, you could only handle three to five people. What good would killing those three to five people do? Would it avenge your great grudge? What if you lost your life fighting those Xiongnu? What do you plan to do with your sister? Who will continue your family line?"

Xu Wei's words were like knives stabbing into his heart. The boy was still young and couldn't bear it. He gritted his teeth, wanting to retort, but he couldn't utter a word. His mind was in turmoil, and tears streamed down his face. The little girl looked at him timidly, very frightened. Seeing him cry, she couldn't help but burst into tears herself.

You Tong understood Xu Wei's intention, so he didn't interrupt. He just sat quietly to the side, occasionally throwing firewood into the fire. The fire was burning brightly, illuminating the room. The boy's expression was clearly visible: his brows were furrowed, his eyes were wide open, he was biting his lip tightly, his body was trembling slightly, and his face was pale one moment and ashen the next, looking terribly ugly.

Xu Wei looked at him for a while, pondering that the time was right, before sighing and continuing, "As a man, it's not unreasonable for you to want revenge for this injustice. However, even if you want revenge, you can't act recklessly, risking your life and harming others. The Xiongnu are cruel and bloodthirsty; every person on this frontier hates them to the bone. Even if you kill one or two, they still have ten or a hundred. Even if you kill ten or a hundred, they still have tens of thousands of troops. Only by driving them out of the Northwest can we protect the peace of this region, and only then can the people of the Northwest live in peace."

The boy was clearly intelligent; he immediately understood the implication in Xu Wei's words. After a long pause, he hesitantly asked, "Are you telling me to join the army?"