Цзянху место, где не причинят вреда

Глава 40

Spring has passed and summer has gone; in the blink of an eye, it is already late autumn.

The carriage rumbled along the official road, the curtains fluttering... A delicate hand lifted the banner and leaped down from the carriage.

Pan Yuerong, dressed in pure white, gazed at Dongting Lake in the autumn, a faint smile on her face.

Six months have passed, and she still hasn't seen Liang Ning again. Whenever she gets any news about him, she rushes over without stopping.

No matter how eagerly she wanted to see Liang Ning, no matter how clever and resourceful she was, and how many friends she had by her side... she always fell short.

Most recently, she only saw half a cup of tea left by him on the table at the inn.

Everyone in the martial arts world knew of Liang Ning's flirtatious and passionate nature; he never lingered wherever the peach blossoms fell. Pan Yuerong knew this too, but she never believed it. Even she herself didn't understand why she had fallen for that man who never seemed close to her.

Ye Junshan followed her closely, arranging everything from clothing, food, lodging, and travel routes meticulously. He never asked himself who he was looking for, nor did he ever intend to leave.

Days passed by

Just when Pan Yuerong thought she would continue searching like this, someone unexpectedly appeared in front of her—her third brother, Pan Weiqing.

At this moment, he was riding a tall horse, dressed in brocade robes, holding a riding whip, coldly looking at Pan Yuerong, and said in a low voice: "Yuerong, do you still remember who I am?"

Pan Yuerong closed her eyes, then opened them, revealing a bright and cheerful scene. She smiled radiantly, pulled back Ye Junshan who was about to rush forward, and coughed lightly, saying, "Third Brother..."

Pan Weiqing stared at her for a long time, then sighed helplessly and said slowly, "Yuerong, come home with me."

Pan Yuerong nodded, her smile somewhat wan. Before leaving, she glanced up at Ye Junshan and said gently, "Thank you for your care over the past few days, Young Master Ye. Now I must go home. Green hills and clear waters, may we meet again someday..."

Ye Junshan's face froze instantly. He moved with lightning speed, grabbing Pan Yuerong's hand. He glanced at Pan Weiqing with a cold smile and lowered his voice, saying, "If you don't want to go with him, then no one can take you away..."

“Perhaps…” Pan Yuerong withdrew her hand and said with a smile, “It’s time for me to go back…”

She turned around and walked backwards, finally reaching the sedan chair surrounded by the crowd, and climbed in without looking back.

Pan Weiqing waved his hand, gave Ye Junshan one last look, a barely perceptible hint of hostility flashing in his eyes, then whipped his horse and rode away.

Pan Weiqing was acting on his father's orders to send a letter from afar—to bring Pan Yuerong home.

This young lady of the Grand Tutor, who had suddenly left home for more than half a year, was chasing after men all over the country in an unseemly manner, which completely disgraced the Pan family. A month ago, some clues about her were obtained, so on the one hand, people were secretly investigated, and on the other hand, Pan Weiqing was sent south to find her.

Whether Pan Yuerong knew about the imperial decree to grant the marriage was none of his concern; Pan Zhongxun only wanted to bring his unworthy daughter home.

In fact, once Pan Weiqing appeared before her, Pan Yuerong had no choice but to leave, whether she wanted to or not...

Half a year is neither a long nor a short time. Pan Yuerong did not give up, but in fact she was powerless to say a word of protest to her brother. She turned back for one last look at the autumn scenery of Dongting Lake... and finally left the Jiangnan region where she had lingered for so long.

The ground was covered with fallen sycamore leaves, and the wisteria and kudzu had withered. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, seemingly capable of burying the earth; deep winter had arrived. Pan Yuerong sat under her usual grape trellis, still clutching the book of poetry in her arms, gazing somewhat forlornly at the equally withered lotus pond not far away.

“Miss, your wedding day is in three days. Shouldn’t you be making some preparations? If Master sees you like this, he’ll scold you again…” Yunxing said cautiously, holding a bowl of wood ear fungus soup and looking at Pan Yuerong.

After a long while, Pan Yuerong slowly raised her head, looked at Yunxing with a puzzled expression, and murmured, "Three days... only three days left, it really goes by quickly..."

She suddenly stood up, took the soup from Yunxing's hand, drank it all in one gulp, handed the empty bowl back to Yunxing, picked up the poetry collection, and turned to leave.

Yunxing stared at Pan Yuerong's back, her smile suddenly vanishing... She knew this young lady all too well. When faced with such a situation, she didn't cry or make a fuss, and even obediently drank the soup that Yunxing handed her—the time before last, she dyed Mr. Gu's white beard, and the time before that, she ran away from home and went to Jiangnan to find Liang Ning.

She stood there for a while before awkwardly carrying the plate away. As she turned the corner of the corridor, she suddenly bumped into someone. Yunxing looked closely, startled, and stammered, "Master... Master... I was careless..."

Pan Zhongxun waved his hand, signaling her to leave.

Yunxing breathed a sigh of relief, but before she could take a few steps, she was called back. Pan Zhongxun turned back, looked at the empty bowl in her hand, and asked thoughtfully, "Miss is willing to eat?"

Yunxing was stunned for a moment, then nodded repeatedly when she came to her senses.

Pan Zhongxun's face showed a slight smile as he said gently, "You and Yue Rong grew up together, you know best what she's thinking. This marriage was arranged long ago. The Ninth Prince is a good boy. You should persuade Yue Rong not to let her overthink things..."

Yunxing never expected that the Grand Tutor would talk to her so kindly about her young lady. Looking at the wrinkles on his brows and the gray hair at his temples, she felt more strongly than ever before that the man in front of her was not the Grand Tutor of the court, but rather an ordinary father...

Pan Zhongxun glanced at the tray and asked, "What's in the bowl?"

“It’s wood ear and lotus seed soup,” Yunxing replied.

Pan Zhongxun took a step forward, then suddenly turned back, "Yuerong hates bitterness the most, remember to remove the heart from the lotus seeds..."

Yunxing replied, "Yes, sir."

Pan Zhongxun nodded and turned to leave.

Meanwhile, Pan Yuerong leaned against the window in the distance, gazing at the sky outside, a faint light flickering in her eyes.

On the eve of the wedding, at dusk, the warm sunset melted into the vast sky above Bianliang...

A thin, dusty-faced man slipped out of the hanging flower corridor, a blue cloth bundle slung over his back, and quietly headed towards the exit. The servants in the mansion were all busy with the wedding preparations for the next day, coming and going amidst the lanterns and red silks, and no one paid any special attention to this inconspicuous servant.

Just as he was about to step out of the mansion gate, a slightly deep and hoarse voice sounded behind her: "Where are you going..."

The boy in gray trembled, and after a long while, he slowly turned around and said, "Father..."

Pan Zhongxun stared straight at her and said coldly, "Haven't you been shameless enough after half a year of fooling around outside? You're willing to abandon the Pan family for a man from the underworld. If you leave this house today... you don't need to come back. I, Pan Zhongxun, will no longer have you as my daughter..."

The young man in gray was none other than Pan Yuerong, who was planning to escape. Her eyes were slightly red, and she clutched the bundle on her shoulder tightly. After a long while, she lowered her head and bowed deeply to Pan Zhongxun from afar: "Father... I was born into a wealthy and powerful family, and everything I've ever wanted has always been my way. But now I have something I want to pursue my whole life. I don't want to live a life of hardship in the palace like my second sister, dying in despair. Father, take care. It is my unfilial piety that I cannot serve you... I... am leaving..."

Pan Yuerong straightened up and walked towards the door, her resolute demeanor suggesting she was no longer the delicate young lady of the Pan family…

Her figure disappeared step by step into the setting sun over Bianliang—at that time, she still believed in the beautiful future she had constructed over countless days and nights.

Pan Yuerong left the Pan residence and wandered alone through the narrow streets and alleys of Bianliang. To her bewilderment, her father really didn't send anyone to tie her up and take her back, but instead let her leave the Pan residence openly and honestly...

She just wandered aimlessly, not knowing where she was going or what she was going to do.

From this moment on, she was all alone, truly all alone...

She was walking along in a daze when a muffled clap of thunder suddenly boomed overhead, followed by a torrential downpour that started without warning. She looked up and squinted at the sky. This terrible rain had come at just the right time; she must look just like a homeless vagrant now.

Clearly, she had no interest in appreciating the spectacular sight of thunder and rain in winter. She simply wiped the rain off her face and continued walking forward.

Because of the rain, there were few pedestrians in the alley. Along with Pan Yuerong, a lame old beggar was also getting soaked in the rain. Just as Pan Yuerong was wondering if the few pieces of silver in her bag would last her until she reached her maternal grandmother's house in Xiangzhou, the smelly, lame old beggar suddenly turned around, stretched out his withered, yellowed hand, and stared at her blankly: "Give me your bundle!"

"What did you say?" Pan Yuerong was stunned, unsure of who the other person was talking to.

The old beggar was clearly impatient; he tapped his rotten wooden cane and pointed to the bundle on her shoulder.

Pan Yuerong took a step back, frowning, and said, "No."

The old beggar suddenly chuckled, and without a word, he opened his five claws and lunged forward to snatch the garment. His movements were surprisingly agile, unlike those of a frail old beggar. Pan Yuerong was so frightened that she retreated repeatedly, but the other man grabbed her collar. With a tearing sound, most of Pan Yuerong's already soaked outer garment was pulled off, revealing half of her fair shoulder.

The old beggar's eyes lit up instantly, and he murmured, "Woman, woman..."

Feeling utterly disgusted by the old beggar's lewd gaze, Pan Yuerong threw her bundle forward and staggered away, not even bothering to pull up her clothes.

After the old beggar turned back to pick up the package that Pan Yuerong had dropped, he immediately turned back and chased after Pan Yuerong.

The torrential rain poured down, and everything ahead was shrouded in mist. Rainwater dripped from her forehead into her eyes, stinging them. She couldn't see the road ahead, but she could hear the increasingly heavy breathing behind her. She ran as fast as she could, but just as she was about to escape the alley, she suddenly slipped and fell heavily forward.

Just as Pan Yuerong felt a trembling hand brush against her back, she closed her eyes tightly in fear.

After a long time, there was no further movement from the person behind them, not even the heavy breathing.

It seemed—even the rain that was falling on her had stopped…

Pan Yuerong straightened up, supporting herself on the ground, and looked back—

In the sudden rain, amidst the misty fields, she suddenly saw a tall young man standing there. On the bluestone path, he stood alone against the wind, his long eyebrows like a painting, and she could still feel the leisurely and lazy air emanating from him.

Liang Ning, holding a red silk umbrella in one hand and dressed in a moon-white long robe, suddenly appeared before her. Raindrops pattered on the bluestone pavement, splashing in twos and threes onto his matching boots. He gazed at her silently, his eyes calm and undisturbed.

Pan Yuerong stared blankly at the old beggar who had fainted to the side, then raised her head and stared intently at Liang Ning in front of her. She gripped his belt tightly and tried to stand up.

Liang Ning sighed, bent down, and took Pan Yuerong's arm, as if questioning, or perhaps talking to herself: "You're so eager to find me..."

Pan Yuerong, half-supported by the ground, looked at the person in front of her and suddenly smiled...

Gradually, the smile turned into a loud laugh... She was laughing so hard that tears and snot streamed down her face. She grabbed Liang Ning's neck and buried her face in his neck, wailing loudly.

Liang Ning paused, looking at the young lady who was wet and dirty, wiping her face with tears and snot, and hesitated for a moment before patting her on the shoulder.

The rain was still the same torrential downpour as before, and it was still this alleyway paved with bluestone slabs. But all the gloom and coldness of the past seemed to have been swept away. The scent of sandalwood wafted from the person in front of me, and the rain pattered softly, like the tinkling of jade pendants.

Pan Yuerong was led by Liang Ning to a deserted courtyard. Liang Ning opened the door as if she knew the way well and took her to change her clothes.

The fire crackled in the stove. Pan Yuerong, having changed into clean clothes, sat nervously in the empty room. Just as she got up to go find Liang Ning, the door opened with a whoosh, and Liang Ning walked in carrying a box. He glanced at Pan Yuerong, placed the box beside her, and said slowly, "I can't cook, and there's no one to serve you here. Just make do with this."

Pan Yuerong's lips curled slightly as she took the box with both hands and gently opened it. Inside were all sorts of exquisite little pastries. She picked one up and put it in her mouth. Although it tasted delicious, tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. She quickly raised her sleeve to wipe them away, but she couldn't stop them...

Liang Ning sighed and stared at the ceiling. He didn't know what was wrong with the young lady. In fact, he knocked out the old beggar who had ill intentions because he was blocking his way, but he didn't expect to run into an acquaintance.

He glanced down at Pan Yuerong, who was secretly weeping, and was about to turn and leave when a hoarse voice rang out behind him: "I... I've been kicked out of my home..."

Liang Ning paused, turned around, and nodded: "Mm."

Pan Yuerong looked at the man in front of her and smiled, "I have nowhere to go, so you will take me in, right?"

Liang Ning exclaimed "Ah!" and answered without hesitation, "No."

"I just need a place to stay, it won't be a hassle."

"The future empress fled her home the day before her wedding. I don't agree that you're not a problem."

Pan Yuerong was taken aback: "You knew? You knew I was betrothed, then you knew I'd been looking for you for half a year..." So he really had been deliberately avoiding her...

"Don't misunderstand," Liang Ning coughed lightly, "The whole of Bianjing is filled with news of your upcoming wedding with the Ninth Prince, it's not easy for me not to hear it."

Pan Yuerong put down the box in her hand, stood up and smiled faintly: "Thank you for saving me, young master. The rain has stopped, I should go now."

Liang Ning glanced at her, raised her long eyebrows, and leaned against the door to make way for her.

Pan Yuerong took a deep breath and walked out the door, brushing past him without looking back once more.

She left the small villa and walked along the passageway. As she opened the gate, she found a person leaning against a poplar tree, already waiting there. The purple figure seemed to be—

"Young Master Ye?" Pan Yuerong exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Ye Junshan's eyes lit up when he saw the person who came. He walked over in a few steps, touched her hair, and said with a smile, "I heard that you are getting married. Actually, I have been watching over your house all along... but..." He had originally planned to help her when she was in complete despair, but someone else beat him to it.

Pan Yuerong was taken aback, nodded, then shook her head after a long while. Ye Junshan affectionately patted her hair and said, "So, did you find the person you were looking for?"

“Hmm…” Pan Yuerong said softly.

"Why did you run away from the wedding?" Ye Junshan looked at Pan Yuerong, his bright black eyes gleaming with a strange light.

“Right now, I don’t know… I just don’t want to marry just anyone…” Pan Yuerong murmured, her gaze shifting elsewhere.

Ye Junshan smiled: "Then are you willing...?"

“Hey—” A voice came from behind her. Pan Yuerong was startled and turned around after a while.

As Liang Ning walked over, she slapped her forehead helplessly and said to herself, "I'm really scared of you. Although I have no fixed abode, I won't let you starve. If you're willing, and if your Grand Tutor father doesn't come to take you back, then come with me..."

Pan Yuerong stared at him for a long time with wide eyes, then asked blankly, "Are you telling the truth?"