Luzhou Moon - Chapter 26
She followed Tang Yanchu to the valley where they usually gathered herbs. Surrounded by mountains, with drifting white clouds and clear streams, the valley was nourished by the previous night's rain, which had moistened the earth and the various herbs among the rocks and trees. Following Tang Yanchu's directions, Yue Ruzheng carefully dug under the trees and behind the rocks, her hands soon covered in mud. Afraid of soiling her only clean garment, she ran to the stream to wash her hands. Tang Yanchu walked over, sat on a rock by the stream, and looked at her retreating figure, saying, "I haven't asked you yet, why did you come back?"
As Yue Ruzheng washed her hands, she said, "Didn't I say I didn't thank you for bothering you for so long last time? That's why I came all this way to visit you?"
"That's it?" Tang Yanchu's voice was slightly deep.
She looked up at his profile, smiled, and said, "So what else do you want?"
"Aren't you afraid of running into Bliss Valley or some other enemy again?" He looked down at the stream at his feet, which was flowing gently.
Yue Ruzheng stood up, sat down next to him, and said, "I wasn't injured this time, and besides, you're here, aren't you?"
Tang Yanchu glanced at her sideways, then turned back and said, "Your face is dirty."
"Huh?" Yue Ruzheng was taken aback, then reached up to wipe her cheek and asked, "Is it done?"
Tang Yanchu frowned slightly and subconsciously moved closer to her. Yue Ruzheng could almost feel his breath and involuntarily paused, staring at him without speaking. Tang Yanchu then stepped back, lowering his eyes, and said, "The left side of my face."
Yue Ruzheng wiped her left cheek with her sleeve and saw some stains on the cuff. She frowned and said, "This is the only clean dress I had left, and now it's dirty too."
"Didn't I hang out all those clothes that got wet yesterday to dry this morning?" Tang Yanchu said.
Yue Ruzheng smiled and said, "Little Tang, how can you be so thoughtful?"
Tang Yanchu said calmly, "I rely on myself to live. Do you think I'm as confused as you?"
"What do you mean?!" Yue Ruzheng turned and glared at him fiercely, but as soon as she saw his gaze, she couldn't help but suppress her feigned anger.
Just then, a woodcutter passed by on the mountain path not far away, singing local folk songs as he walked. The tune was melodious and lingering. Although the woodcutter's voice was hoarse, it had a unique charm when accompanied by the sound of the babbling brook.
As the mountain song faded into the distance, Yue Ruzheng turned back and asked Tang Yanchu, "Little Tang, what was he singing?"
Tang Yanchu, who seemed lost in thought, replied somewhat awkwardly after being asked, "They're just ordinary folk songs, nothing much to say."
"Are you taking advantage of me because I can't understand the local dialect?" She turned and looked at the woodcutter's retreating figure, saying, "If you don't tell me, I'll ask him myself."
"You wouldn't understand even if he told you." Tang Yanchu glanced at her, still refusing to budge.
Yue Ruzheng gave him a shove, a little annoyed, but didn't actually catch up with the woodcutter. She simply rested her chin on her hand in disappointment, gazing at the white clouds on the horizon. Suddenly, she said, "Then tell me, why is your accent different from theirs? I heard Miss Lian speak last time, and her speech seemed similar to the local dialect..."
Tang Yanchu was silent for a moment, then said, "Didn't I tell you before that I'm not from Pingyang..."
"But you didn't say anything more!" Yue Ruzheng hugged her knees, turned to face him, and said earnestly, "Xiao Tang, why is it that I always have to ask before you vaguely say anything? You never open up to me. If you want to know about my past, I'll tell you everything I can."
He looked up at her, his eyes filled with a hint of melancholy. After a moment, he said in a low voice, "You think my accent is different from the locals, probably because I grew up with my mother... she's from Chengdu in Sichuan."
"Shu?" Yue Ruzheng frowned, immediately thinking of that renowned clan in the martial arts world, and blurted out, "Little Tang, you wouldn't happen to be connected to the Tang Clan of Shu, would you?"
Tang Yanchu gazed at her quietly and said, "My mother is the youngest daughter of Tang Zhongyan, the former patriarch of the Tang Clan."
Yue Ruzheng stared in disbelief. She had heard many legendary tales of the Tang Clan from her master. This ancient clan had stood the test of time in the martial world not only because of their renowned hidden weapons and poisons, but also because of their almost draconian clan rules and laws. Everyone in the Tang Clan, even those from the esteemed patriarch's lineage, had to strictly adhere to all the rules and were forbidden from any act of disobedience or rebellion. Of course, like other large and powerful clans, the Tang Clan had a complex web of branches and intricate relationships, making it difficult for outsiders to discern the closeness and dislikes among its members.
However, Tang Zhongyan's lineage has always been the most direct blood relatives within the Tang Clan. He has two sons and three daughters. His eldest son, Tang Xugan, married Murong Yi, the seventh daughter of the Murong family of Jiangnan. The two were a perfect match, envied by many. Unfortunately, less than a year after their marriage, Tang Xugan died in a duel with his enemies. Murong Yi has been a widow for many years and has now become a pillar of the Tang Clan, assisting the Tang matriarch in managing the production and antidote of poisons. His second son, Tang Xukun, married Zhou, the daughter of the leader of the Kongtong Sect, and is currently in charge of the research and development of Tang Clan's hidden weapon techniques. His third daughter, Tang Yunsu, married Yang Zhanhong, a disciple of Mount Hua, and they are a harmonious couple. All three are of stable character, adhere to the rules of the Tang Clan, and nothing unusual has ever happened to them. The fourth daughter, Tang Yunxin, was unconventional. She refused to obey her father's wishes and marry her betrothed, instead insisting on marrying Lan Baichen, a penniless young swordsman from Hengshan who was just starting out in the martial arts world. They eventually eloped. This story became widely known and talked about in the martial arts world at the time. However, unexpectedly, several years later, Tang Zhongyan's youngest daughter, Tang Yunlan, also mysteriously disappeared. She was always gentle and reserved, rarely interacting with people in the martial arts world, but after her disappearance, the Tang Clan remained silent about her, as if she had never existed.
However, now that Tang Yanchu has revealed that her birth mother is the long-lost fifth young lady of the Tang Clan, how could Yue Ruzheng not be extremely shocked?
"So you really are from the Tang Clan?!" Yue Ruzheng's eyes widened in surprise. Then, after a moment's thought, she asked in astonishment, "Could it be that... could it be that the Fifth Miss of the Tang Clan was married to Lian Haichao, the Lord of Seven Star Island, and that you were born?! But why have I never heard of this before?"
Tang Yanchu pursed his lips and remained silent. Yue Ruzheng cautiously approached him, observed his expression, and whispered, "If you don't want to talk about it, I won't force you..." Seeing that he wasn't angry, she probed further, "No wonder you said your surname is Tang. Have you ever been back to the Tang Clan?"
"No." He answered briefly, his eyes lowered, "I will neither go to Seven Star Island nor am I qualified to join the Tang Clan. Yue Ruzheng, I am just someone who is nothing."
Yue Ruzheng remained silent for a while. The two of them sat quietly by the babbling brook. The surroundings were extremely quiet, with clouds floating in the sky and sunlight reflecting off the water.
"Let's go." After a moment, he seemed to regain some composure, stood up, and walked to the tree to carry the bamboo basket. Yue Ruzheng ran over, grabbed the basket before he could, and said with a smile, "Please let me do more for you."
Yue Ruzheng followed Tang Yanchu further into the mountains. Although she wore a smile, her heart was filled with even more confusion. The fact that Xiao Tang was Lian Haichao's son had already surprised her greatly, but now, to learn that he also had an unbreakable blood relationship with the Tang Clan of Sichuan was even more unexpected. She thought of the instructions her master had given her before they set off, and of the past grievances she had with her master and Shao Yang's father on Seven Star Island. These intertwined matters left her feeling utterly confused, and her pace gradually slowed.
Tang Yanchu turned around and looked at her, then stopped and asked, "Are you tired?"
"No, no..." She hurriedly caught up with him and stood beside him.
"You didn't eat anything this morning," Tang Yanchu said, glancing up at the sky. "It's almost noon now."
Yue Ruzheng untied the cloth bag in her hand, took a bite of her steamed bun, and said, "Little Tang, why do I feel like time is passing by so quickly?"
He paused for a moment, then smiled slightly, saying nothing, and simply walked aside to check for any newly sprouted herbs. Yue Ruzheng followed behind him, eating as she watched his retreating figure, and couldn't help but call out, "Little Tang..."
"What?" he asked without turning his head.
"The day I left last time, did you deliberately avoid me? Why didn't you even say goodbye?" She mustered up her courage and finally asked the question that had been bothering her for so long.
Tang Yanchu, who had been squatting down examining the herbs on the ground, straightened up upon hearing her question. However, he didn't stand up; instead, he remained silent for a moment with his back to her before saying, "I don't care about these things. If they're gone, they're gone; there's no need for farewells."
His tone remained flat, so flat that it revealed no emotion. Yue Ruzheng walked behind him and said, "Have you ever thought that I might not come again?"
Tang Yanchu then stood up, turned around to look at her, and said, "I didn't think that much about it." He paused, then added, "We were just strangers who met by chance. I'm quite surprised you're back."
Yue Ruzheng didn't speak, only sighed, and walked away. Tang Yanchu paused, followed behind her, and asked, "Was I wrong?"
"Do you find me annoying?" she said sullenly. "Sometimes I have a bad temper, and I snapped at you the moment we met yesterday..."
Tang Yanchu hesitated for a moment, then said, "No, it's not that... I was the one who lost my temper yesterday..." He stopped abruptly, not continuing. Yue Ruzheng waited a while, but didn't hear him speak, so she turned around. His face was somewhat pale, and his usually calm eyes seemed to hide a hidden pain. Yue Ruzheng's mind flashed back to his furious outburst upon seeing the brocade box yesterday, and a wave of fear washed over her. She stammered, "Are you... are you alright?"
Seeing her still terrified expression, Tang Yanchu slowly lowered her head, her voice slightly hoarse: "It's alright. Ruzheng, I'm sorry."
"Xiao Tang..." Yue Ruzheng felt a pang of pain in her heart and whispered, "Why do you always have to say sorry? Actually, sometimes, you haven't done anything wrong."
He stared blankly at his shadow in the sunlight, then suddenly said, "I don't know, I always feel like I'm not good enough." He forced a smile and said, "I scared you yesterday. I didn't want to, I didn't want to frighten anyone, but that's just how I am. Ruzheng, sometimes I can't control my emotions. I really wish I could never have any feelings, so I wouldn't be sad, and you wouldn't be afraid of me because of it."