Le voyage d'un mendiant à travers le monde

Chapitre 94

(End of Volume 5)

Volume Six: Lesser Mountains

Chapter Sixty-Three: The Misty Waves of Chaohu Lake Sever Past Events

In the early hours of the morning, Yue Ruzheng was awakened by the chill that rushed in through the car window. She opened her eyes slightly and saw that she was still wrapped in the blue robe left by Lian Junchu, but he was no longer in the car. Her heart tightened, and she sat up with difficulty. Although the stinging pain in her back had temporarily subsided, her whole body felt like it had fallen apart.

She peered out the window and saw Yinglong and two young men resting against a tree. The campfire from the previous night had long since died down, and the first rays of dawn broke through the trees. Occasionally, birds chirped softly in the woods, and the surroundings were very quiet. Yue Ruzheng didn't want to wake Yinglong and the others, so she silently leaned against the carriage and waited for a long time, but Lian Junchu still didn't return. She didn't know where he had gone, and her heart was filled with unease. She lowered her head and clutched the blue robe covering her legs.

Just then, she felt something poking her fingertips. Yue Ruzheng searched carefully and found that there was something hidden in the sleeve of his robe. Somewhat surprised, she reached into the pocket of the sleeve and touched the object, feeling a slight coolness.

Yue Ruzheng's heart skipped a beat, and she carefully took out the thing hidden in his sleeve.

--It was the seashell that had been tied to the necklace.

She had assumed Lian Junchu had taken the seashell and discarded it, never expecting him to have secretly kept it in his sleeve. But she didn't understand; if he didn't want to throw the seashell away either, why had he said those things in front of her, and why had he taken it while she was unconscious…

Holding the seashell, Yue Ruzheng felt a mix of sorrow and tenderness swirling within her, an overwhelming and unsettling emotion. Looking down, she noticed the lower part of the robe was almost worn through, stained with mud. She brushed away some of the dust and draped it over herself. The fabric was cool, smooth, and resilient. She suddenly remembered how, years ago, Xiao Tang had jumped off a cliff to pick a bunch of February orchids for her. At that time, he had a strange rope tied around his waist; now she realized it was made from the same material as this robe.

Thinking this, Yue Ruzheng suddenly felt a strange sensation—how much did she really know about Xiao Tang? Every time she came and went, she brushed past him like a gentle breeze, sometimes afraid of touching his sore spots, and rarely inquired about his private affairs. She didn't even know how Xiao Tang lived alone after she left Nan Yandang each time.

He always wore a calm expression, concentrating intently on everything he did, as if absorbed in his work and undisturbed by others. Yue Ruzheng had always thought he seemed omnipotent, capable of overcoming all kinds of difficulties, but the worn and tattered marks on his clothes clearly told her that there were some things he ultimately could not accomplish, no matter how hard he tried.

As the light gradually brightened, Yinglong and the others woke up one after another. Yue Ruzheng was about to ask them some questions when she heard the sound of horses' hooves approaching. Full of anticipation, she tried her best to get up and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

Dressed in dark, close-fitting clothes, Bi Fang leaped off his horse before it had even come to a complete stop, galloping to the group and urgently speaking to Ying Long. The group looked astonished, and after a brief exchange of whispers, Ying Long strode towards the carriage.

Yue Ruzheng's unease grew stronger. Before Yinglong could speak, she leaned against the window railing and asked, "What happened?"

Yinglong hesitated for a moment, not directly answering her question, but simply said, "Miss Yue, please rest for a while, and we will set off for another place."

Yue Ruzheng suddenly remembered that Lian Junchu had said last night that she would send people to search for Mo Li's whereabouts. Her breathing quickened, and she gripped the wooden railing tightly, anxiously asking, "What happened? Where did he go?"

"You mean the young master?" Yinglong paused, then said in a low voice, "He's fine, just had some other problems." With that, he sat in the front of the carriage, flicked the reins, and slowly drove the carriage forward, with Bifang and the others also mounting their horses and following closely behind.

Hearing Ying Long's reply, Yue Ruzheng was temporarily relieved, but she was still uneasy. Along the way, Ying Long, mindful of her injuries, dared not speed up. Yue Ruzheng, leaning against him, had to endure the throbbing pain in her joints and meridians while worrying about Lian Junchu's safety, making the journey feel exceptionally long.

She looked out the window and saw that they were heading towards Chaohu Lake. She finally heard the sound of the lake water flowing and the carriage slowly came to a stop by the roadside.

Ying Long jumped off the carriage and hurried forward with the others. Yue Ruzheng was extremely anxious. She leaned against the carriage wall and struggled to lift the curtain, staring blankly at their departing figures.

She sat alone in the carriage for a long time, but no one returned, let alone Lian Junchu. A cold wind blew across the clear water, and the tall reeds swayed gently, making her feel dizzy. After a moment's thought, she resolutely got off the carriage.

Yue Ruzheng stumbled and walked in the direction Ying Long and the others had left. She had to stop every few steps, leaning against the roadside grass and trees to catch her breath. She continued like this, stopping and starting, until her legs were weak. Only then did Yue Ruzheng approach the shore of Chaohu Lake. Fortunately, through the large patch of reeds, she could vaguely see the group. Although they were all gathered there, they were very quiet; almost no one could be heard speaking.

Yue Ruzheng wanted to take a few more steps, but she had no strength left in her legs. She clung tightly to the reeds beside her, trying to find something to lean on, but the reeds were already swaying in the wind. Her body swayed, she staggered a few steps, and involuntarily rushed forward.

When Yue Ruzheng fell out of the reeds, Ying Long was standing in front of her. Hearing a sound behind him, he quickly turned around and caught her just in time to prevent her from falling.

"Miss Yue, why did you follow me here?!" Ying Long was startled. Yue Ruzheng barely managed to steady herself, but at that moment she saw Lian Junchu and Lian Junqiu lying next to her.

On the shore of the boundless lake, Lian Junchu sat alone on a white stone. Ever since Bi Fang left, he had been sitting facing the wind. Before him was the vast lake surface as clear as jade, and wisps of white clouds drifted quietly across the sky, but he remained sitting there, motionless.

In Yue Ruzheng's memory, Lian Junqiu had always been cold and capable since their first meeting. But now, she lay on the water with her eyes closed, her white dress stained with blood, and there were several dried bloodstains on her cheeks, which made her pale face even more shocking.

Bi Fang and the others stood silently. Even Lian Junchu slowly raised her head and looked at Yue Ruzheng in a very slow and indifferent manner.

There was no trace of tears in his eyes, they were like lifeless ashes devoid of any warmth.

Yinglong helped Yue Ruzheng take a few steps forward. Yue Ruzheng gently broke free from his support and went to Lian Junchu's side.

"How could this happen?" She pursed her slightly chapped lips and asked as gently as she could.

Lian Junchu's eyes were vacant, and Yue Ruzheng felt as if her heart was being clenched. She looked down at him and whispered, "Little Tang..."

Lian Junchu, who had been in a daze from the beginning, was startled. He looked at Yue Ruzheng with a sorrowful gaze, and after a long while, he finally spoke: "I'm sorry, I can't take you back to Luzhou."

Yue Ruzheng had never heard his voice so deep before. Using her sword sheath for support, she slowly crouched down and looked him straight in the eye. In the cold wind, Lian Junchu's face was very pale, and his body trembled slightly as he was not wearing a long robe.

Yue Ruzheng mustered her courage and reached out to touch his face, only to find it icy cold to the touch. She suppressed a sob and forced a smile: "It doesn't matter whether I go back to Luzhou or not, but it's so cold here. Don't just sit there."

Lian Junchu lowered his eyes, his gaze falling on her hands. He seemed to want to smile too, but his breathing became rapid.

"I will send someone to inform your master..." he said, each word uttered with great difficulty, his voice low and strained. "This is all I can do."

Yue Ruzheng was about to burst into tears, but she didn't want to do it now, and she especially didn't want to shed tears in front of Lian Junchu.

Yinglong and Bifang whispered a few words to each other, then Yinglong stepped forward and said softly, "Young Master, let's settle the eldest young lady in the carriage for now. Bifang estimates that the second young lady should arrive soon, and we can discuss the funeral arrangements then."

Lian Junchu looked down at Lian Junqiu. Ying Long stepped forward, picked up Lian Junqiu's body, gave the others a wink, and then quietly left.

Even with her sword sheath supporting her, Yue Ruzheng was swaying unsteadily. She simply leaned on Bai Shi and sat down next to Lian Junchu.

She slightly raised her face, and the morning sunlight streamed in. The person beside her remained silent, for because he wasn't wearing a robe, the iron weapons on his arms were exposed. This was the first time Yue Ruzheng had seen this strange weapon so closely and clearly. She held her breath and stared at it for a long time before slowly raising her hand to touch the cold tip of the iron spike.

Lian Junchu remained silent, her gaze vacantly fixed on the vast expanse of shimmering water, as if she were an empty shell.

"Would you like to come back to the carriage with me?" Yue Ruzheng said softly.

He gazed intently into the distance and said, "I told you, I would have them come to pick you up..."

"But I don't want to go back now." Yue Ruzheng took a deep breath and gently leaned against his leg. Lian Junchu seemed to want to avoid her, but in the end, he let her lean on him.

Yue Ruzheng had countless questions about Lian Junqiu's death, but facing the haggard Lian Junchu, she couldn't utter a single word. She looked down at his knees, remembering what Lian Junqiu had told her before: that while she was unconscious, Lian Junchu had dragged her out of the woods on his knees. Yue Ruzheng tentatively reached out and gently placed her hand on his knees. His brows furrowed instinctively, and Yue Ruzheng pursed her lips, not daring to touch them again.

For some reason, at this moment, a feeling welled up from the depths of her heart, a desire to be as close to him as possible, to feel his warmth. Unfortunately, she could neither hug his shoulders as before, nor rest her head on his lap, but even so, Yue Ruzheng felt that being able to sit quietly with him like this was the most peaceful moment.

The sound of water was distant and chilly. Yue Ruzheng sat down beside Lian Junchu, hugging her knees. After an unknown amount of time, she heard him ask in a low voice, "When you left the thatched hut, did your elder sister say anything to you?"