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On the muddy ground to one side, there was a line of writing: "I'm going to gather herbs in the deep mountains. I won't be back today. Don't wait for me. Take care."
Yue Ruzheng stared blankly at the neat and beautiful handwriting. She didn't know why Tang Yanchu would do this, and why he wouldn't even face a final farewell.
That day, it wasn't until evening that Tang Yanchu returned from the deep mountains carrying yet another basket of herbs. Pushing aside the bamboo fence, there was no light or sound in the courtyard. As if nothing had happened, he followed his long-standing habit, unloading the bamboo basket and sitting in the moonlight, using his nimble feet to sort the large bunch of herbs.
There was no need to finish the work in one night, but he patiently worked on it until very late.
After returning to the main house, he went to the door of the room that had originally been his, but which had later been given to Yue Ruzheng, and pushed the door open with his shoulder. The room was dark, but he could vaguely see that the bed had been made neatly. Everything had been put away exactly as it had been.
He stood there for a while, then turned around and went back to another room.
The second day, the third day, the fourth day, the fifth day... he returned to his old life, getting up very early, eating a little something, and then carrying a bamboo basket into the mountains. Herbs weren't available every day, so sometimes he would go out with an empty bamboo basket, climb up the hillside, and sit for half a day gazing at the floating clouds in the sky.
He would also insist on his daily practice, pressing his legs forcefully against the straight cliff face, trying to keep them in a straight line for extended periods. While doing these things, he would occasionally wonder why he practiced, and what the point was. But he himself had no answer; perhaps it was just to pass the time.
As dusk fell, he set off on his way home, carrying a bamboo basket. The courtyard remained silent; with no one to eat with, he ate the leftovers from the previous day, just as he always had.
For him, life was nothing more than passing the days one by one. There was no joy, no hope.
Aside from going to the herbal medicine shop in town to buy some daily necessities, he didn't speak to anyone.
Sometimes, he wondered if, during the time Yue Ruzheng was around, he had already said everything he should and shouldn't have said for the rest of his life.
As he walked past the peach trees, past the cold pond, and past the foot of the mountain where he had discovered Yue Ruzheng, he kept his head down as always, focusing only on the path beneath his feet, without pausing for a moment.
Spring's touch is sparse plum blossoms on branches after the rain. A lamp is trimmed, thoughts linger in the chilly air. Hand in hand, we stroll slowly across the city bridge.
When the honeyed torch arrives, people are even more delighted; the jade flute plays all night long. The east wind brings sorrow, preventing her from returning home.
--Jiang Kui, "Huanxi Sha"
(End of Volume 1)
Volume Two: A Young Man's Journey
Chapter Thirteen: Green Leaves Fade and Red Petals Fall by the Stream
When Yue Ruzheng left Pingyang, the sky was clear and the clouds were soft. Looking back at Nan Yandang, which had been left behind, only the graceful silhouettes of a few peaks remained in her eyes.
She sat atop the white horse, with Shao Yang holding the reins. As they rode, he said, "Ruzheng, once we reach Wenzhou Prefecture, I'll buy another horse. That way, we can return to Luzhou quickly."
Yue Ruzheng nodded without speaking. Shao Yang glanced back at her with some surprise. She didn't seem particularly happy; instead, her expression was indifferent, as if she were deep in thought.
Shao Yang stopped and looked at Yue Ruzheng, saying, "Junior Sister, why do you seem to be in no hurry to go back and pay your respects to Master and Senior Uncle?"
Yue Ruzheng was taken aback, and frowned, saying, "Senior brother, what nonsense are you talking about? Do you think I'm such a heartless person?"
Shao Yang sighed silently. Yue Ruzheng looked at him and said, "I just feel a little guilty leaving like this without even saying goodbye and thanking Xiao Tang in person."
Shao Yang thought for a moment and said, "You did stay at his place for quite a few days... How about this, after we pay our respects to our master, we'll ask him to bring some money and valuables for Tang Yanchu when he returns to Yandang, as a token of our gratitude."
Yue Ruzheng felt a little displeased and said with her eyes lowered, "He won't want it." She paused, then added, "Besides, he did more than just take me in temporarily. If it weren't for him, Mo Li would probably have already joined forces with Seven Star Island to attack Yinxi Xiaozhu."
Shao Yang was taken aback, looked up at her, and asked in surprise, "What does this have to do with him?"
Yue Ruzheng was heavy-hearted. She turned her horse around and glanced in the direction of Nan Yandang, but could only vaguely see the outline of the peaks.
"He is Lian Haichao's son," she said dejectedly, then slowly turned around and spurred her horse forward.
Shao Yang was stunned and stood there for a long time before he came to his senses and hurriedly chased after her, calling her name.
On the way back to Luzhou, Yue Ruzheng learned what had happened after she left.
It turned out that after Su Muchen and the others couldn't find her near Qujiang, they immediately contacted the others sent by the Bliss Valley. While reporting back to Valley Master Mo Li, they also rushed to Bei Yandang to intercept Yu Hezhi and Shao Yang. Coincidentally, it was raining heavily that day, and Yu Hezhi and Shao Yang noticed someone lurking when they came down the mountain, so they chose another route to leave secretly.
It seems that Su Muchen and the others were extremely frustrated after their failed attempt and had no choice but to turn back. After Yu Hezhi and Shao Yang returned to Luzhou, Mo Li indeed went to Yinxi Xiaozhu.
"Did he fight with Master?" Although Yue Ruzheng knew that Master was out of danger, she was still shaken.
Shao Yang had already bought another horse, and he rode alongside her. Both were exquisitely dressed and rode fine steeds, attracting the attention of many villagers along the way. He smiled faintly, but his smile carried a hint of heaviness: "Yes."
Yue Ruzheng carefully observed his expression and couldn't help but frown, asking, "Senior brother, could it be that Master and Uncle-Master failed to defeat Mo Li?"
"That's not it," Shao Yang sighed. "If Mo Li hadn't returned defeated, he wouldn't have gone to find Lian Haichao."
"Then why do you look so preoccupied?" Yue Ruzheng pressed on.
Shao Yang shook his head and said, "I'm just worried that Mo Li won't let this go easily."
Yue Ruzheng was about to press him for more information, but he flicked his whip and said, "Junior sister, don't ask any more questions. We need to hurry on our way." With that, he spurred his horse into the stirrups and galloped forward.
The two rode swiftly, not daring to linger on the road, and returned to Luzhou in less than seven days. The peaks of Mount Dashu rose and fell, and when they left, the plum blossoms that covered the mountains and fields had already passed their blooming season, leaving only a faint fragrance floating around Yinxi Xiaozhu.
Yinxi Xiaozhu is built against the mountain with white walls and black tiles. There is a natural stone by the path in front of the door. It is exquisite and clear, as clean as jade. The stone is engraved with two lines of poetry: "The fragrance of the moon is still reluctant to be sparing, and the sparse shadows of Yinxi are freely slanted." The strokes are vigorous, like dragons playing with phoenixes.
Yue Ruzheng dismounted and was about to greet the guards at the gate when she noticed that the trees on both sides of the gate were withered and yellow, not at all like the growth of spring. She was slightly taken aback. Shao Yang had already stepped forward and asked the guards to open the gate. Yue Ruzheng followed him into the main gate and saw faint black scars on the bluestone path leading to the front yard.
Yue Ruzheng grew increasingly alarmed as she walked, and couldn't help but turn back to stare at Shao Yang, asking, "Senior Brother, why has it turned out like this?"
Before Shao Yang could speak, a loud voice came from behind the moon gate: "Ru Zheng, you're finally back."
"Senior Uncle!" Yue Ruzheng turned around upon hearing the voice, her eyes flashing with joy, and hurried towards that direction. A middle-aged man emerged from behind the moon gate, dressed in a long black robe with a plain crane cloak, elegant and handsome. Although there were fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, they did not diminish his demeanor. It was Jiang Shuying's senior brother, Longqiu Sanren Yu Hezhi.
Yu Hezhi stood with his hands behind his back in the shade of a tree, smiling at her, "Ruzheng, I've been here many times. How come you can't even distinguish between the North and South Yandang Mountains, and went straight to Pingyang?"
Yue Ruzheng blushed and said, "I only heard you mention Yandang often, how would I know there were actually two other places?"
Yu Hezhi stroked his beard, patted her shoulder, and said, "You were lucky this time. Never be so careless again."