Чистое сердце в нефритовом сосуде - Глава 122
As we climbed the small hill and saw the neatly arranged houses on the other side, the golden rice paddies scattered in the distance, the villagers returning home with hoes, and the shepherd boys riding on the backs of oxen, I finally burst into tears of joy and unconsciously gripped Shen Haoyu's hand tightly. After months of living like a wild man, the feeling of being reborn had never been so strong, not even when I was reincarnated into the body of this little girl named Mu Huaien.
Shen Haoyu looked at me and slightly moved the corner of his mouth: "Go down."
I hummed in response, only then realizing that I was holding Shen Haoyu's hand tightly. I awkwardly let go and started walking downhill. Shen Haoyu chuckled and followed.
I walked to the roadside and asked an uncle who was passing by, "Uncle, could you tell me where this is?"
The uncle stopped and looked at Shen Haoyu and me in surprise. We were wearing linen clothes that Xiaotian's mother had given us. They had become a bit tattered over the past few days, but fortunately they weren't very dirty.
"Wangjia Village," the uncle said. Hearing him speak a language I understood, I knew this wasn't another paradise, and I was very happy. But what exactly was Wangjia Village?
He put on what he thought was a harmless smile and said, "Uncle, could you tell us the name of a larger place? We've never heard of Wangjia Village, I'm so sorry."
"Liu'an Town." The uncle really did say a name that was a level higher.
I couldn't help but smile wryly. The two of us went back and forth, like trying to figure out an address on an English envelope, going from small to large, until finally we realized we were in the Kingdom of Jinque. The uncle looked at me like I was a monster: "Where did you two come from?"
"We grew up in the mountains to the north and have never left the mountains. We don't know what the outside world is like." Just pretend you're from that little valley, and don't let anyone mistake you for a spy and take you to the authorities.
The uncle shook his head with pity, showing great compassion for our complete ignorance. Later, when we asked him for directions to town, he sighed and shook his head as he headed home.
They exchanged a glance with Shen Haoyu. Neither of them had any money on them, and they were too embarrassed to ask others for food and lodging. So they went up the mountain again, hunted some wild game, roasted it, and ate it. The next day, at dawn, they headed to the town.
Liu'an Town is a small town in the northern part of Jinque Kingdom. The large river outside the town is called the Youchun River, which, along with the Zuochun River that separates Youjing Dynasty and Jinque Kingdom, is a famous river in Jinque Kingdom. To return to Youjing Dynasty and reach the East Sea, the distance is not just a thousand miles, but several thousand miles. Furthermore, the two are penniless, making their journey even more difficult. Even if they were going in opposite directions, the distance shouldn't be this far.
The town wasn't bustling, but it was still a human settlement. Even though I was penniless, I was in a good mood. To gather more information, I kept heading towards crowded places. Actually, going to restaurants and teahouses would have been the best option, but unfortunately, I was broke and dressed in rags, so I was sure I'd be kicked out before I even got inside.
The most talked-about topic on the road was their regent prince, who was said to have just returned from a travels abroad. He was young, and had three golden peacock feather marks on his forehead, signifying his divinely ordained next ruler. It was said that three rulers in the history of the Golden Sparrow Kingdom had possessed this mark, all of whom were very accomplished monarchs, so everyone had high expectations for this regent prince.
After listening for a long time without hearing any news about You Jingchao, he retreated to the roadside in disappointment. The aroma of food wafting from the restaurants on both sides of the road made him feel even more uncomfortable.
"Young Prince, we need to find a way to get some silver to buy food," I said, while thinking about how to make money.
Shen Haoyu glanced at me: "How do we do it?"
What to do? When he was kicked out of the Marquis of Qiyun's mansion, he still had some things he could pawn for money. Shen Haoyu originally had a few valuables on him, which he left at Xiaotian's house without bringing them with him. Who would have thought that he would never be able to return...
What method could they use to get money? They were both grown men, with hands and feet, and some skills. Should they work for others? Do manual labor? Or perform on the street, showing off their martial arts? Or perhaps they should simply steal or rob?
Many plans popped into my mind, and I told Shen Haoyu about them one by one. Shen Haoyu's expression grew increasingly grim, and he didn't nod at a single one of my ideas.
I've racked my brains, I'm at my wit's end: "Your Highness, why don't you tell me what we should do?"
Shen Haoyu glared, but couldn't say anything. Expecting someone like him, who never had to worry about food or clothing, to find a way to make a living was really wishful thinking. He was fine in the deep mountains and forests, doing everything himself perfectly well. But once he returned to the embrace of the people, he couldn't let go of his princely airs again.
I sighed: "Alright, I'll go get some money. Let's find a cheap place to stay, like a run-down temple. You can wait there, okay?"
Shen Haoyu reluctantly nodded in agreement. We actually found a dilapidated house that was almost half collapsed on the south side of the town. After tidying it up a bit, we left Shen Haoyu there and went out to find money.
As I walked, my mind raced. Finding legitimate work to earn money would be slow and yield less pay. I should take the shortcut. It was a last resort, something I did occasionally to survive. It doesn't mean I'm a bad person.
Having made up his mind, he began to keep an eye out for wealthy people along the way.
Although Liuan Town is small, it has a fairly complete range of industries. There are two brothels in the town, facing each other. People who come to patronize prostitutes are definitely not short of money, nor are they good people. It's much easier to target them at night than to steal from their homes.
I endured hunger and thirst until night fell. The town's houses lit up, and the brothels began to bustle with activity. Hidden in the shadows, I watched as well-dressed men, some with large bellies, others with slicked-back hair, entered the brothels in groups of three or five. I patiently waited for anyone who was alone.
After waiting for a while, a young man in his twenties finally walked over, waving a folding fan. Seeing that no one was paying attention, he moved swiftly, covering the man's mouth and nose and pulling him to a quiet corner. He drew his sword and held it to the man's throat, saying in a deep voice, "Don't move. Hand over all your valuables and I'll spare your life."
With my hand covering his mouth, the man trembled as he pulled a money pouch from his person and held it out to me. I took it with the hand that held my sword, weighed it in my hand, and it was quite heavy. Just as I was about to leave, the man suddenly ran off, shouting loudly. Startled, I quickly chased after him and, without thinking, smashed his head with the hilt of my sword. He collapsed limply to the ground.
She dragged him aside, checked his breathing—he was still alive—and felt relieved. Noticing a jade pendant hanging from his belt, she snatched it without a second thought, regardless of its value. She then checked the rest of his body; a gold chain around his neck—she took that too without hesitation. As she left, she said to him, "I never intended to rob you of everything, but consider this the price for your dishonesty."
With the money, he bought two sets of clothes, some wine and food, packed them up, and returned to his dilapidated house.
Inside the room, Shen Haoyu found a candle somewhere and lit it. The pale yellow candlelight flickered, making his face indistinct. Hearing the sound, Shen Haoyu came over. When he saw what I was holding, his face showed both joy and confusion.
"Let's fill our stomachs first." He opened the cloth bag containing the food and wine. Inside were two small dishes wrapped in oil paper, a few steamed buns, and two small jars of wine. He hadn't bought any meat; he was already tired of it.
Shen Haoyu grabbed the cloth bag and leaped onto the roof: "There are mosquitoes down there." I chuckled and followed him, and the two of us sat down side by side on the roof.
He opened the wine jar, handed one jar to Shen Haoyu, and then held up another jar to Shen Haoyu, saying, "Young Prince, let's celebrate our rebirth."
Shen Haoyu smiled slightly, clinked the wine jar against mine, and took a big gulp. The two of us ate and drank back and forth, and before we knew it, we were slightly drunk.
There is no moon tonight, only a sky full of twinkling stars.
Unable to resist the effects of the alcohol, I lay back and collapsed onto the roof. I turned over, trying to fall asleep comfortably, when I heard Shen Haoyu whisper in my ear, "When we go back, will you be my queen?"
I waved my hand and mumbled, "Don't make a sound," before falling into a deep sleep.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 106
Chapter word count: 3573 Update time: 09-09-07 09:46
When I woke up in the morning, I was already inside the house, lying on a flat wooden board.
I rubbed my eyes and watched as Shen Haoyu handed me several steaming hot buns: "Just bought them." I nodded, gesturing for him to take them first. I went to the well behind the house to fetch water to wash up before having breakfast with Shen Haoyu.
Shen Haoyu had already changed into the clothes I bought yesterday, looking refreshed. I had no choice but to fetch a bucket of water and go into a better-maintained room to wash myself and change into new clothes.
Heading east towards the small town, you'll eventually reach the banks of the Zuochun River. Once across the river, you'll be in the land of Youjing Dynasty.
On the way, Shen Haoyu finally asked me, "You didn't really steal or rob those silver coins you had yesterday, did you?"
I nodded, and seeing Shen Haoyu's expression change slightly, I laughed and said, "We snatched a customer who was visiting a brothel."
I didn't have much money and couldn't afford a horse, so I had to walk. Several times I thought about committing another crime to raise more money, which would be much faster with a horse, but Shen Haoyu always stopped me, saying it was too dangerous and I would get caught.