When he climbed ashore, drenched, and came face to face with me, I was shocked. This man was Yue. He hugged Yan desperately, calling her name anxiously, "Yan, Yan, don't have an accident, don't have an accident." He kept repeating these two sentences, patting Yan's back, and his expression was a bit out of control. I saw Yan's eyelids move slightly, and I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She should be fine. As expected, she slowly opened her eyes, vomited a few mouthfuls of water, and Yue was ecstatic. He hugged her tightly again and murmured, "Fortunately, you are fine, fortunately you are fine..."
The onlookers began to whisper, and Mrs. Ming's face seemed a bit strange. She was about to say something. I ran over and pulled Yan over without a trace, separating the two with my back, and asked urgently, "Miss, are you okay, are you alright?" Yan seemed to have not fully reacted yet and looked at me in a daze.
"Thank you very much today, Mr. Yue." Mrs. Ming came gracefully.
"Madam, Mr. Yue's action is really a kind act. General Xin asked him to take care of Miss Ming, and they are indeed brothers with deep affection. Today's act of bravely saving his sister-in-law will definitely become a good story." I quickly interjected. Mrs. Ming's face eased a bit, she nodded to me slightly, and said to Yan, "Yan, thank your future uncle."
"You don't have to," Yue's expression was strange, and a bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
I looked at him, but my heart was full of doubts. How could he be here and appear so timely? Could he have been following Yan all along?
Yan fell ill after returning to the mansion. The body of the ancient noblewoman is indeed delicate. During this period, Yue suddenly came frequently and blamed himself every time for not taking good care of his sister-in-law.
"Miss, let's go out to the garden for a walk. It's not good to always lie in bed." I have been getting along with Yan for a while, and our relationship is quite good. Sometimes I speak casually, and she doesn't mind.
"Go to the garden?"
"Yes, look at the red leaves and chrysanthemums, and the spirit will be more relaxed."
"Okay," she nodded, got out of bed, put on a green coat, and I helped her walk slowly to the garden. It's early autumn, the maple leaves are red, and the chrysanthemums are just blooming. The fallen leaves on the ground are like a yellow brocade carpet, making a crunching sound when stepped on, which is quite interesting. There is a faint fragrance everywhere. I helped her sit down in the pavilion and sat for a while, saying, "Why don't I make a pot of tea for you, you can enjoy the scenery while drinking, isn't it more elegant?" Just as the British afternoon tea.
She smiled and nodded.
When I made the tea and carried it to the garden, I suddenly found a person standing quietly behind a red maple. It was Yue. He was staring at the front, staring at the woman in the pavilion without blinking, his expression was complex and hard to recognize, and his eyes showed an uncontrollable love.
My heart suddenly felt a little uneasy. After the last drowning incident, Yue seemed to have become a bit strange. Could the last incident be a catalyst that stimulated the emotions that had been accumulating in Yue's heart?
Thinking of this, I couldn't help but be shocked. I have to be more careful these days, maybe that incident, it will really happen...
With my constant vigilance, another half a month has passed peacefully, and Yan's illness has almost recovered. Today, Yue came to the Ming mansion again and said something that made Yan very happy. The rebels have been eliminated, and Xin will return triumphantly soon. If there is no accident, he will arrive in Xianyang in ten days.
It's not only Yan who is delighted, but I also let out a sigh of relief. In another ten days, the mission will be completed, and I can go back. If Abaoji is right, will so many things happen in these ten short days?
"Brother Yue, can I go to the city to welcome Brother Xin when the time comes?" She said with a smile.
Yue nodded slightly and said, "Okay, we'll go together."
"Brother Yue, after I marry Brother Xin, can I still call you Brother Yue?" She asked suddenly.
Yue's face changed slightly, and there was a trace of indecipherable color in his eyes, saying, "Of course you can."
He paused and said, "Tomorrow I'm going to Yong city, maybe I'll come back in a few days."
"Okay, be careful on the road." Yan said while standing up, suddenly swaying. Yue quickly held her shoulder, "Are you okay, Yan?" Yan shook her head, and Yue's hand reluctantly left her shoulder and suddenly slid down, grabbing her hand.
Yan looked at him in surprise and couldn't react for a while.
"It's time for the young lady to go back to her room," I quickly interrupted when I saw the situation was not good. Yue saw me coming and immediately let go, whispering, "I'm sorry, Yan."
Yan looked at him and suddenly said clearly, "I like your elder brother, I like everywhere, I like everything."
Yue's face suddenly became very ugly, he forced a smile and said, "That's good, that's good, I'll take my leave." After that, he left without looking back.
Yue is going to Yongcheng, so he is not in Xianyang for the time being, and I am a little relieved in my heart. The farther this big bomb is from Yan, the better.
It seems that I haven't seen little Zheng for a long time, and I don't know how he is doing. I hope he didn't get angry? If there is a chance, I would like to say goodbye to him. After all, he is the first person I met here, and he can barely be considered a friend.
"Yvonne, are you ready? Can you leave?" Lan suddenly appeared in front of me like a ghost.
"Okay, okay." I said while straightening my skirt. Aunt Lin just found us and asked us to follow her out of the mansion to buy a gift for Yan. A few days later, when Xin comes back, by Qin State custom, when the groom's family sends a dowry to the Ming family, the bride's family is expected to provide a gift in return.The gift is usually tea, fruits, flat cypress, ginger, tea fried piles, pine cakes, and the most important thing is a pair of new shoes, symbolizing a white head and harmony.
Having never witnessed the traditional matrimonial customs of ancient people, I was naturally quite intrigued by it all. Upon hearing what Aunt Lin had to say, I thought to myself, since Yue was not in Xianyang and my Sparrow Spirit was always by Yan's side, there was no need to make excuses to refuse.
The city layout of Xianyang, the capital of Qin, was standardized and rigorous, with comprehensive urban functions and clear regional divisions. It was divided into three main parts: the northern part for palaces and official offices, the southern part for commerce and residential areas, and the northwestern part for tombs. The Grand Diviner's residence was conveniently located at the junction of the northern and southern parts, so from a modern perspective, shopping was quite convenient.
It was a pity that after arriving for so long, I had not yet had the chance to properly admire the famous Xianyang Palace, let alone the infamous Emperor Qin King.
Aunt Lin's taste was indeed very selective. We visited more than a dozen shops just to buy a pair of new shoes, which started to make me feel a bit frustrated. Glancing at Lan, I could see a hint of impatience on her face as well. Taking advantage of the time Aunt Lin spent carefully selecting and inquiring inside the shop, I pulled Lan to the entrance where a few scattered vendors were selling rouge, jade, hairpins, and other trinkets. With a smile, Lan immediately picked up a box of light red rouge with great interest, and I casually picked up a jade pendant carved into the shape of a Pixiu. It was clearly a counterfeit, but the exquisite craftsmanship was still quite astonishing.
"I'll take it," Lan declared, readily taking out her coins and opening the box. "Sister Yvonne, this color is beautiful, isn't it?" she asked. Looking at her, a mischievous thought suddenly crossed my mind. "It's lovely, but we have a special technique back in my hometown. If you apply it on your eyelids, your eyes will look more spirited and even more beautiful," I said.
"Really?" she replied skeptically.
"Absolutely, remember the gray color I made by mixing stone daisies and pearl powder? It made our eyebrows look so much better," I explained. Ever since I created that natural gray color, everyone, including Yan, had stopped using black. It made sense, after all, back then things like copper daisies, bluebird head daisies, and spiral shell daisies had not yet been introduced.
Especially after I shared all the fruit and flour facial masks I used to make without reservation, they all liked to hear my advice whenever they were getting ready.
"But this is red," she hesitated.
"On the eyelids, this color will make a whole different impact," I assured her.
"Alright," she closed her eyes as if she were a lamb waiting to be slaughtered, and I couldn't help but chuckle. Dipping my finger in the rouge, I gently applied it to her eyelids, blending it slowly. I wondered if ancient women would accept this kind of eyeshadow.
"Done!" she slowly opened her eyes, her face tense as she quickly borrowed the vendor's bronze mirror to check. After scrutinizing her reflection for a while, she uncertainly asked, "Does it really look good?" I nodded vigorously, "Of course, a glance back with a smile full of charm, it will surely make many men fall at your feet, haha!"
Seeing her face suddenly turn red, I quickly stopped myself. Oops, I got carried away and forgot that I was in the year 2000 BCE.
Suddenly, a soft laugh sounded from beside me. That laughter was so familiar; could it be... heavens, not every time, right? I quickly turned my head and, sure enough, it was him again!
"Little Zheng? What are you doing here?" I looked at him, always dressed in black, always accompanied by his black horse. How come every time he sneaks out, he bumps into me? Strange!
There was a faint trace of amusement in his eyes. I glanced at Lan, whose face was flushed red.
"Get on the horse," he said to me abruptly.
There it was again, that irritating commanding tone...
"I'm about to head back to the mansion, so maybe next..." Before I could finish, I felt a lightness in my body and found myself being lifted onto the horse like a chick.
"Ah!" Lan exclaimed. Hearing the commotion, Aunt Lin rushed out, greatly alarmed, "Put her down at once, or I'll call the authorities!"
"No need, no need, I'll be right back, I... know him," I waved my hands quickly. Little Zheng might have a bad temper, but he's not a bad person, not someone to call the authorities on.
He snorted softly, cracked the whip, and immediately galloped away, leaving Aunt Lin and Lan there in a daze.
"Hey, can you stop being so domineering?" Once the horse stopped outside the city, I jumped off and sat down on a rock.
"What kind of talk is that for a young lady, aren't you embarrassed?" He tied up the horse while glancing at me.
"What's there to be embarrassed about? A woman dresses up for her own pleasure. If she looks beautiful and other men like her, what's wrong with that?" I spoke with conviction.
He shook his head and said, "Is it really about a whole crowd?"
"A crowd is even better, that's how you can pick a satisfying one."
"Pick? A woman doesn't seem to have that right, does she?"
"That's true, but it seems like men here don't have much choice either, isn't it all matchmakers' words and parents' orders? Oh, except for Ying Zheng, he's the great king, he can pick whoever he wants. Not just him, but any man with a bit of status, right?" I shrugged.
He stared at me, raised an eyebrow, and said, "Ying Zheng, you sure call out his name easily."
"Ah, sorry, I forgot again, Your Majesty, Your Majesty."
"No sincerity at all," he turned his head, gazing into the distance and said, "Even Ying Zheng doesn't have that right."
"Why do you call him by his name too?"
"Since it's only you here," he smiled faintly and continued, "But for him, the great cause of Qin is the most important. As for women...
"They are nothing more than tools for warming the bed and continuing the family line," I quickly finished his sentence.
He was slightly taken aback, his expression darkened, and he said, "You, a woman, speak so indecently."
"Eh, am I a woman? Haven't I been called a stone?" I couldn't help but laugh.
His face immediately eased, a trace of a smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
Seeing his smile, I relaxed even more and said, "But I do sympathize with those emperors high above. Even if they have three thousand beauties, it's rare to find a sincere person. It's like that for ordinary people, and even harder for emperors."
He didn't speak, just looked at me, a trace of an unfathomable expression flashing through his eyes.
"By the way, how is your family, and that uncle?" It suddenly occurred to me again.
He thoughtfully gazed at the ground and said, "Next year, I will go to Yong city for the coming-of-age ceremony. Now my wings are gradually growing, and I am deploying around me. When the time is right, I will naturally eliminate him." He raised his head and said, "I'm afraid I won't be able to sneak out in the future, but after I've settled everything, I will naturally go to the Grand Diviner's residence to pick you up."
"Pick me up?" I was so surprised that I almost jumped.
"No need, no need," I shook my head vigorously until I felt dizzy.
His face changed slightly and he said, "Do you want to stay in the Grand Diviner's residence for a lifetime?"
"Of course not."
"Then..."
"Actually, I have something to tell you. I will be going back to my hometown in a while, so I'm saying goodbye to you today as well." I quickly interrupted him.
"What!" His usually calm eyes seemed to tear a small hole, and he said, "Going back to your hometown, why?"
"I'm not from here, of course, I have to go back." I'm just here to complete the mission, just a passer-by here, and of course, I have to go back after the mission is completed. I don't want to stay here. The terrible consequences are just thinking about them make people panic.
"Can't you stay no matter what?"
"No way."
A trace of loneliness flashed across his face, and I think that trace of loneliness was because no one could talk nonsense with him like this in the future. He was silent for a while, then nodded and said, "Since that's the case, then let it be."
I stood up, brushed the dust off my clothes, and a hint of faint melancholy of parting welled up in my heart. Seeing that it was getting late, if I didn't go back, Lan and the others would really report to the officials. Just as I was about to say something, I suddenly heard the flapping of wings. My heart sank, and I quickly looked up, and sure enough, the sparrow spirit flew straight into my hand. I calmed down, placed my index and middle fingers on its head to communicate with it, and clearly sensed a piece of information that struck me like a thunderbolt—Yue had taken away Yan!
I was shocked and asked, "Do you know where he went?" The sparrow spirit nodded. I couldn't care about littile Zheng's surprised look and shouted, "Quick, take me into the city now!"
"Where to?" he asked while untying the horse's reins.
"Follow this sparrow!" I shouted. Damn it, how could I be so careless, how could Yue not go to Yongcheng, and he actually took Yan away, which is too bold! If I had known, I would have stayed by Yan's side all the time. God, please let me get there in time, and don't let the tragedy happen...