Heaven is the shore of mortal dust - Chapter 9
A quick glance revealed that Dieyun had returned to the east room and was writing something there.
Master had always lived in the east room. After Wei Zijun arrived, she took over the west room where Dieyun lived, so Dieyun came to live here with Master.
She tiptoed over, but Dieyun had already sensed her presence and stood up to slip a piece of paper into her hand.
When Wei Zijun unfolded it, she found it was a hand-drawn map.
Dieyun pointed to the map, giving him countless instructions, afraid of missing anything. Wei Zijun wrote them down one by one, then put the map that Dieyun had drawn for him into his bosom.
Seeing Dieyun's lonely appearance, Wei Zijun felt a pang of sadness and wanted to cheer him up, so she stepped forward and put her arm around Dieyun's shoulder. "Dieyun, what do you want to eat? I'll bring it back for you."
The sudden closeness made Dieyun's heart skip a beat. Looking at the face so close to hers that had made her heart race countless times, and feeling the body pressed against her that had once stirred her heart, she gradually lost her senses.
The warmth of that body made Dieyun feel, in a daze, that the embrace must be very, very warm, a warmth she had never felt before.
So, without thinking, he opened his arms and hugged the person tightly.
Wei Zijun was surprised that someone so easily embarrassed could make such a bold move. Understanding that he was sad, lonely, and disappointed, she gently patted Dieyun's back to comfort him.
Dieyun was like a small boat adrift in a storm, drifting into a gentle harbor, reluctant to leave. The faint fragrance of the person in his arms wafted into his nostrils, making Dieyun dizzy. That warm embrace, filled with a subtle fragrance, was as addictive as poppy, making him increasingly trapped in this tenderness, unable to extricate himself.
Wei Zijun patted Dieyun's back again, indicating that she was leaving, but the person was like an octopus clinging to her and she couldn't push her away.
"Dieyun?" Wei Zijun called softly.
When Dieyun was awakened by the person in her arms, she was shocked to realize that she had done such a thing, and her face turned red to her neck.
But deep down, he was overjoyed, feeling incredibly happy.
Looking at the man's flushed face, Wei Zijun's teasing mood flared up again. "Dieyun, when I come back, I'll bring you a beautiful young lady to be your wife. From now on, your wife will play with you and sleep with you, okay?"
"You...you...woman!" He opened his mouth for a long time, but the word "stinky" just wouldn't come out. Was it because their embrace had changed something? Or was it because she didn't smell bad at all, but actually smelled really good?
"Hahahaha..." Wei Zijun burst into laughter at the sight of Dieyun's embarrassed state.
[Volume 1, Deer City Chapter: Chapter 8 Entering the City (Part 1)]
Unexpectedly, Deer Ridge Valley is not far from Deer City①, no wonder Master felt at ease letting her come out. This Deer City is shaped like a giant deer kneeling down to rest, and Deer Ridge Mountain is located at the neck of the giant deer, hence the name "Deer Ridge".
Beyond that grove lay the vast outskirts of Lucheng. Wei Zijun, still lacking in skill, flew erratically, nearly losing control and crashing into a large tree.
Calming herself, she continued flying, panting. Although she resembled a fledgling bird with barely any feathers, it was still much faster than walking. Fortunately, there was no one along the way; if she had been seen, someone as proud as Wei Zijun would probably have been mortified.
Heaven helps those who help themselves; finally, the city walls came into view in the distance, though I was so exhausted I felt like I was about to vomit blood. I couldn't help but think to myself, "This lightness skill is quite useful; I must practice it properly when I get back."
Wei Zijun straightened her clothes, for there were already many people coming and going from the city.
If she had to say how much she had seen of the world, she had never seen anything like it in ancient times. Wei Zijun opened her bright, clear eyes wide, staring intently at the diverse crowd of people coming and going, truly a country bumpkin visiting the city.
Most of the people going out were men, but there were also many women mixed in, which showed that society was still relatively open-minded. The men generally wore short-sleeved shirts with cross-collars, while the women generally wore short jackets and skirts, though some wore similar short outfits as the men. They all seemed to be ordinary people. The few people riding horses with attendants wore long robes and appeared to be from wealthy families.
By the time we reached the city gate, the sun was already high in the sky, probably close to 9 AM.
Looking up, the city gate tower, built of gray bricks, stood majestic and solemn, and the imposing city wall was at least ten meters high, heavily guarded by soldiers. A large dark blue flag with white trim was planted on the city gate tower, bearing the traditional Chinese character "Chen," indicating that the person guarding the city was a general surnamed Chen.
"Halt! Does the young master have any documents to show?" Wei Zijun was about to enter the city when he was stopped and questioned by the guards.
"Why do I need to show documents, but others don't?" She clearly saw that everyone else came and went freely.
"Where do you come from, young master?" the guard continued to ask.
“Countryside!” Wei Zijun was angry.
"Countryside!? Country folk work the land every day, who would have a pale face like yours? I think you're a spy."
"You say so, so it is?" Wei Zijun's eyes flashed coldly; she was starting to get impatient.
"If I say you are, there's an 80% chance you are. I think you should come with me." Before the guard finished speaking, he grabbed Wei Zijun's arm.
"I cannot comply!" With that, he pushed the guard away with his left hand and strode into the city.
Always stubborn, she never yielded to force or gentle persuasion. How could she swallow such rudeness from a mere gatekeeper? Once her stubborn temper flared up, no one could stop her.
"Guards, catch the spy!" the guard shouted to his companion.
In an instant, four or five people rushed over and surrounded Wei Zijun.
Seeing the soldiers surrounding her, Wei Zijun was secretly annoyed. If she were captured, wouldn't she be suspected? The best thing to do right now was to escape.
Although I haven't mastered all of Dieyun's skills, they should be more than enough to deal with these soldiers.
Seeing the soldiers approaching with weapons, Wei Zijun leaped into the air, her long legs sweeping across in a beautiful arc. Before she could even finish, she was several meters away, groaning in pain. Looking at the soldiers groaning on the ground, it was no wonder they were in so much pain; due to her lack of self-confidence, Wei Zijun had exerted all her strength, almost to the point of exhaustion.
A crowd of onlookers instantly gathered around. If they didn't escape now, when would they?
Wei Zijun turned and ran, but bumped into a hard object as soon as she turned. When she looked up, she was met with a handsome and resolute face with a dark expression.
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Note: ①Lucheng. A major grain-producing county, now part of Kunshan City, Suzhou. King Wu once raised deer and hunted here, hence the name Lucheng (Deer City).
Regarding this place name, the author originally made up a random name, Lucheng. However, after deciding to place the female protagonist in Wu County (present-day Suzhou), which belonged to the ancient Sanwu region, the author wanted to change it to an ancient place name that truly belonged to Suzhou in order to be responsible to the readers. Unexpectedly, when I checked, oh my god, Lucheng is indeed in Suzhou, and it really is the largest grain-producing county in the area! I never thought that a word I made up would perfectly match my story... Oh my god, heaven is helping me.
There's just one thing: Kunshan doesn't have a Luling Mountain. But let's just consider it a mysterious place in Lucheng, where mountains have been moved and seas filled over a thousand years. Please forgive us.