The incident happened so suddenly that even He Caiqiong didn't have time to react, let alone Wushuang.
Chu Wan was the first to speak up: "You...you let go, Shuangshuang belongs to my brother, you are not allowed to touch her, let go, let go!" She scolded repeatedly, and even reached out to pry the hand on Wushuang's shoulder.
The large red lanterns hanging in front of the pavilion swayed gently in the wind. As the light flickered, Chu Wan seemed to see the person's slender fingers with a faint red tinge on their nails.
The young girl was dumbfounded. Why would a perfectly normal grown man dye his nails...?
In that brief moment of distraction, the man had already changed his target, moving closer to Chu Wan: "Little Wanwan, you are so heartless. We used to share a bed and bathe together. You always said in your letters that you missed me, but when you saw me, you didn't recognize me. Sigh, it's really heartbreaking..." As he spoke, he raised the feather fan in his hand, the tip of the fan lightly brushing against Chu Wan's pointed chin.
Chu Wan was completely at a loss. Although she was usually close to Wang Hongbo and seemed not to care about the custom of men and women not touching each other, she could not possibly violate common sense such as men and women not being able to share a bed or bath.
This person is talking nonsense, it's inexplicable!
"You big liar!" Chu Wan shouted, dodging the man's outstretched hand and hiding behind He Caiqiong. He Caiqiong was Jun Heng's stepmother and aunt, and the man was brought by Jun Heng. It was far more effective to have He Caiqiong back her up than for her to speak up herself. Chu Wan understood this logic.
"Qiao Sheng, stop messing around." Jun Heng shouted as soon as he met He Caiqiong's disapproving gaze.
Qiao Sheng?
Chu Wan's little head, styled in a bun, peeked out again.
This name sounds familiar.
She often corresponded with her uncle Qiao Gang's daughter, and her cousin's name... ah, it's Qiao Sheng!
However, they had only met when she was three years old, and so much time had passed that Chu Wan could not remember her cousin's appearance at all.
She looked at Qiao Sheng, who was dressed as a man, over and over again, half believing and half doubting.
When Qiao Sheng heard Jun Heng call her name, she put away her playful smile, adopted a womanly demeanor, and quickly greeted He Caiqiong.
However, her dignified demeanor lasted less than half an incense stick before she revealed her true nature, reaching out to Chu Wan across He Caiqiong: "That's so unfair! You heard my name but didn't even come out to say hello."
Chu Wan didn't mince words and said directly, "It's true that my cousin's name is Qiao Sheng, but she's a woman. How could she possibly travel all the way from Ningxia to Datong alone with dozens of men?"
These words also raised doubts in the minds of Wushuang and He Caiqiong.
They had all met Madam Song, the young mistress of the Qiao family, and knew that she had the same forthright and bold spirit as the people of the Northwest. However, no matter how forthright she was, she would never agree to let her young daughter participate in military affairs and travel alone with a man.
So, what exactly is the purpose of this group of people, and why is Qiao Sheng traveling with Jun Heng?
Chapter Index 104 | 02.103
Chapter 103:
The post station was located on the outskirts of the city, with no houses nearby. After dark, the surrounding area was completely silent, and the few lanterns only illuminated an area of about ten steps—definitely not a good place to talk. (txt novel download 80)
He Caiqiong sent someone to find Wu Hui and the others, and then led everyone back so that Junheng could pay his respects to his grandmother and father.
The old lady hadn't seen her eldest grandson for many years, and she couldn't help but shed tears of emotion.
As a man, Jun Nian was not one to readily express his emotions. Seeing his son become exceptionally mature and composed, he was naturally pleased, but simply asked Jun Heng the purpose of his return to the capital.
Just as He Caiqiong had guessed, he was indeed escorting goods to the capital.
“Originally, I didn’t necessarily have to come in person, but the letter from home said that Wuyou was getting married in the autumn, and I thought the timing was perfect so I could attend my sister’s wedding,” Junheng said.
As for what exactly they were transporting, it was a military matter and we couldn't ask.
As she spoke, Wu Hui lifted her skirt, ran into the house, and buried herself in Jun Heng's arms.
In the past, when she felt wronged, she would always resent her eldest brother in her heart, thinking that if he stayed at home, he could stand up for her. Now that she and her sisters have reconciled, she no longer needs that kind of support, but as siblings from the same mother, her longing for him is absolutely genuine. She threw herself against her brother's chest and cried loudly, sobbing uncontrollably.
If she were still a baby, Junheng might have been able to pick her up and rock her and soothe her as before. However, she had grown into a young woman, and he could only pat her shoulder and rub her head to comfort her.
To everyone's surprise, the more they tried to comfort him, the louder he cried, making everyone both amused and saddened.
That night, Junheng and the soldiers who accompanied him to the carriage settled in the courtyard they had booked in advance, while Qiao Sheng was arranged to sleep in the backyard of the Jun family, sharing a room with Wushuang and Chuwan.
When Wushuang finally emerged from her bath, Chu Wan was already asleep in bed, while Qiao Sheng sat by the window, leisurely waving the white feather fan that had once teased Chu Wan. She had changed into a traditional Chinese dress, her long hair cascading down her back, making her appear more feminine than when she was dressed as a man. However, her eyebrows, resembling distant mountains, were much thicker than those of most women, slanting upwards towards her temples, exuding a heroic air.
Wushuang climbed onto the couch and sat opposite Qiao Sheng.
"Sister Sheng, aren't you going to rest yet? You must have had a very tiring journey riding all the way from Ningxia to Datong."
"Hey, it's nothing," Qiao Sheng waved her hand. "I grew up in a military camp!"
Wushuang tilted her head and said, "So, Sister Sheng, you've joined the army too?" She wasn't some naive, traditional young lady, but women serving in the military was unheard of. Even the historically renowned Mulan had to disguise herself as a man to take her father's place in the army, so Qiao Sheng... obviously everyone knew she was a woman.
Qiao Sheng chuckled: "Hey, it's not what you think. My dad doesn't know I came along. I told my family I was going to visit Crescent Lake and then wait for Jun Heng and the others on the road they would definitely take. It's a hundred miles away from Ningxia Guard. I'm all alone, and they can't just move their men around without my permission, so they had no choice but to take me with them."
She readily revealed the secret, leaving Wushuang speechless.
This is yet another girl who ran away from home. The Qiao family bloodline is truly formidable.
"Sister Sheng wants to go back to the capital to visit General Qiao?" Wushuang didn't think so. If it was just to visit her grandparents, she could have openly told her parents. There was no need to go through all this trouble to sneak out. However, the two had only met once and were not very familiar with each other, so she didn't want to ask so obviously.
Qiao Sheng's answer wasn't as crisp as before. After a slight hesitation, she said, "Yes, that's right. I've wanted to go back to the capital for a long time, but Father can't leave his post without permission, and Mother has to take care of my younger brother. They also don't want me to come back by myself, saying that the journey is long and dangerous, and that relying solely on the family guards or hiring bodyguards might not be enough. But they all think Jun Heng is very capable, and even... they trust him to escort the goods, so I'm sure I'll be fine going with him, right?"
Wu Shuang was somewhat disappointed, having thought the future sister-in-law was a likely candidate. (WWW.qiushu.CC Good Novels It turns out she was just using her older brother as a bodyguard, making the best use of him.)
Because they had the same destination, the Jun family traveled together with Junheng's convoy when they set off the next day.
Having spent many years gaining experience and broad knowledge, Junheng was calm and decisive in handling matters. Within a few days, he replaced his father, Jun Nian, as the backbone of the Jun family's women. Under his arrangement, even the journey was much faster than originally planned, and they arrived in the capital smoothly without any obstacles.
Yang and Wuxia came to the second gate to greet them. Everyone was wondering why Junshu was nowhere to be seen when Yang asked, "Where is the Marquis? Isn't he with you?"
When the Jun family entered the city, they heard that Emperor Deqing had arrived half a month earlier than them. Jun Shu, who had accompanied the emperor, should naturally have returned home as well. However, things turned out to be completely different from what they had imagined.