Chapter 8

The wind rose suddenly, and masses of dark clouds rolled in from the horizon.

In no time, the sky that had been bright just a moment ago grew overcast.

On the official road heading north from the south toward Liu Cheng, a young man led an old servant who was guiding an old horse, walking slowly toward Liu Cheng.

"Uncle Lu, is Liu Cheng just ahead?"

"Yes, young master!"

Faced with the young man's question, the old servant replied somewhat impatiently.

All this was because he had already asked eighteen times along the way.

"Uncle Lu, what do you think the ancestors were thinking?"

"My niece is getting married; shouldn't we rush back to Jingcheng day and night?"

The young man picked a wildflower from the roadside, smelled it, and then tossed it away.

"Young master, we don't know about this either!"

How would the old servant know why?

If he knew why, he wouldn't need to accompany his young master wandering all over the world.

Think of Xie Lu—he used to be the most capable little attendant by the ancestors' side, but in his old age he followed this young master, and his good days are gone for good.

Fortunately, these days of hardship and toil will soon be over.

He was thinking of the feast at Sifang Lou.

Of course, he was even more thinking of the lovely ladies at Baihua Lou.

"Uncle Lu, the sky ahead has darkened; it looks like it's going to rain over there!"

The young man suddenly looked ahead, stopped walking, and said, "Why don't we rest a bit before continuing?"

"If we happen to run into the rain, we'll get soaked!"

"We'll do as the young master says!"

Xie Lu agreed without hesitation.

That's just experience!

Since three years ago, when he accompanied his young master out of Jingcheng, on this journey the young master's mouth has shown him what it truly means to have a jinxed tongue.

"Exactly, his young master is a jinx."

Many things, as soon as he says them, soon become reality.

Because of that, they have often been chased and beaten along the way.

The two quickly sat down under a roadside tree and began to eat the dry rations they carried.

"These rations are truly dry rations!"

"Hard as rock wheat cakes—without good teeth, you can't even eat them."

"At least, the old horse beside them can't chew this dry food."

"Once we return to Jingcheng, the young master will stay at Sifang Lou for a full month!"

Chewing the rock-hard dry rations, Xie Zian spoke through clenched teeth.

"Young master, take me with you!"

Xie Lu's eyes lit up instantly.

Sifang Lou, as the premier restaurant in Jingcheng, also has guest rooms.

"Of course, those without means cannot afford to stay at Sifang Lou's inn."

"In Jingcheng, a typical inn costs at most five hundred copper coins for a night, but staying one night at Sifang Lou requires ten taels of silver."

"Because staying at Sifang Lou, the meals are supplied directly by the establishment."

"Of course, this meal also incurs an extra charge."

"Even so, people still choose to lodge at Sifang Lou."

"Only because Sifang Lou can accommodate a limited number of guests each day; if exceeded, they simply refuse more."

The two immediately began discussing what they would do upon returning to Jingcheng, when a flash of lightning illuminated the sky ahead, followed by rolling thunder.

After several flashes of lightning and claps of thunder, a torrential downpour poured forth.

The rain was heavy and fierce.

Yet beneath the tree where Xie Zian and Xie Lu rested, not a drop of rain fell.

"The boundary of the torrential rain lay just one zhang ahead of them."

"Sunshine behind, rain ahead—what a marvel, never tiresome to behold!"

Xie Zian bathed in sunlight, watching the rain fall, and his mood was quite good.

"Young master, how long will this rain last?"

"If it doesn't stop before nightfall, we'll have to camp out in the wild again!"

Xie Lu did not share the young master's sunny disposition; he only knew his old arms and legs needed proper care.

"Uncle Lu, just relax!"

"Such a sudden downpour comes quickly and goes quickly."

"At most the time it takes to finish a cup of tea!"

Xie Zian remained very calm.

"Uncle Lu, what do you think about me taking a position at the Imperial Observatory when we return to Jingcheng?"

"Never mind anything else—just this skill of observing the heavens, the Imperial Observatory would have to support me!"

Hearing this, Xie Lu chuckled: "Young master, if the Empress consents, we'll surely approve."

"Uncle Lu, can't you avoid being such a killjoy?"

Xie Zian instantly went listless, head drooping.

【61】 Xie Zian instantly went listless, head drooping.

He's basically the sort who fears neither heaven nor earth.

But in this world, there happens to be someone who can completely subdue him.

This person is his maternal twin sister, Xie Zixian.

They are dragon-and-phoenix twins; Xie Zixian was born fifteen minutes earlier and has bullied him since childhood.

He single-mindedly thought that once Xie Zixian married, he would be free.

But who would have thought Xie Zixian would marry an imperial prince, and now she has even become Empress.

Three years ago, when his brother-in-law had just ascended the throne, he was sent away from Jingcheng under the arrangements of the ancestors.

And the reason he is so obedient is simply because the ancestors told him that his mischievous sister is currently looking for a match for him.

It is precisely to avoid those pretentious young ladies of Jingcheng's elite families that the ancestors coaxed him into hastily leaving the capital.

Although the journey was arduous, having seen the customs and sentiments of Dayong, Xie Zian feels this trip was still worthwhile.

Not long after, the rain indeed stopped, and the two continued on their way.

……

A midsummer thunderstorm made the air much fresher.

Shen Yunyao found her paternal uncle Shen Shen and told him she was preparing to go to the Three Purities Temple outside the city to fulfill a vow.

What vow?

Naturally, it is the wish for a free life she made at the Three Purities Temple when she first arrived.

"I'll have a carriage prepared!"

Hearing what Shen Yunyao wanted to do, Shen Shen pondered briefly and then agreed.

The engagement with the Zheng Family was called off; no matter how Shen Shen tried to spin it, to many people his niece was simply the one who had been jilted.

There is certainly sympathy.

Of course, many also take pleasure in his misfortune.

Most people in this world do not wish for those around them to fare better.

This is humanity's base nature!

If those around you are doing well, does it not in fact indicate that you yourself are doing poorly?

Soon Shen Yunyao boarded the carriage, accompanied by Cuiyu and two maidservants, with a detachment of household guards also in attendance, and they slowly set off toward the Three Purities Temple.

But when their party had just left Liu Cheng, not long after they encountered Xie Zian and his attendant Xie Lu coming from the south.

Seated in the carriage, Shen Yunyao had just lifted the side curtain to look at the scenery when, by coincidence, her eyes met Xie Zian's.

At a single glance, Xie Zian's expression changed.

"This young lady is truly fairylike!"

Having traveled throughout Dayong, south and north, and seen many beauties, only this fleeting glimpse of Shen Yunyao made his heart skip.

"What a graceful young man!"

Shen Yunyao also saw Xie Zian, and her eyes lit up as well.

Unlike the pale-faced scholar look of Zheng Si Que, Xie Zian's features are more striking.

To be precise, Xie Zian's handsome, angular features are the sort that are easy to remember at a glance.

Even dressed in ordinary clothes, that innate steadfastness is still evident.

(End of chapter)