Chapter 109: Twists and Turns (Part 3)
That day, Fragrant Melody Pavillion only opened for half a day.
In the afternoon, back in the village, Aunt Li and Qiuniang were busy steaming steamed buns, frying pancakes, and making sauce. Hunter Liu fixed Xiaozao’s horse hooves, and Sanyao and Liu Fa tidied up the carriage, oiling where needed and repairing what was broken.
Liu Fa’s wife helped Qingyan pack the clothes he needed for the journey, while Qi Yinglan helped arrange the bedding. Chen Yu held his child and watched for a while from behind the fence, then came over to help outside.
Before long, Xiao Zhuang and his mother hurried over to lend a hand as well. With so many people working together, the preparations were completed before nightfall, even including preparing dinner.
After dinner, they exchanged a few words and gave instructions. It was getting late, and most of them had left. Finally, only Qiuniang and Sanyao, along with Aunt Li, remained.
Qingyan entrusted Ah Miao and the chicks to Aunt Li’s care, along with the house keys.
Aunt Li wiped her tears and said, “You are alone, and with child, traveling such a long distance. How can we not worry?”
Qingyan gently wiped her tears with a cloth and said, “It’s alright. Fortunately, it’s not too late in the pregnancy, and I can move around without much trouble. If everything goes smoothly, I might be back in less than ten days.”
“Besides, Feng Lao San will look after me, and it’s all official roads to the capital. The journey shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Qiuniang hugged Qingyan, tears streaming down her face.
She choked out, “You must have a safe journey.”
Qingyan patted her back and nodded, “I will.”
…
Early the next morning, while it was still dim, the person sent by Feng Lao San to pick them up arrived. He was a young man in his early twenties, named Feng Yin, a relative of Feng Lao San’s family. He was very reliable and Qingyan knew him from their visits to Xiangyun Fang.
Sanyao loaded Qingyan’s luggage onto the carriage and secured it. Qiuniang placed the prepared soft cushions and blankets in their places, ready for Qingyan to rest.
Aunt Li held Qingyan’s hand and repeatedly gave him instructions and advice. Qingyan listened and nodded from time to time.
Once everything was ready, Qingyan got onto the carriage. With a worried expression, he waved to the few people left, smiling slightly, “I’m leaving, you all go back.”
Feng Yin glanced back, seeing that everything had been said, waved his hand lightly, and said, “Drive!”
The carriage left amidst the worried gazes of the few.
Xiaozao’s four hooves made clear sounds, especially noticeable on the quiet road early in the morning.
As they were about to leave the village, Feng Yin suddenly exclaimed, “Hm?”
He pulled on the reins, stopping Xiaozao.
Qingyan looked up and saw a slim figure with a large bundle standing not far ahead, looking towards them.
Qingyan opened his mouth in surprise and called out the person’s name, “Shen Min?”
Shen Min walked over, placed the bundle on the carriage, and said, “I’ll accompany you.”
…
The carriage set off again with the rhythmic sound of hooves, now with Feng Yin, Qingyan, and Shen Min inside.
Qingyan naturally did not agree to let him accompany him. He knew that Shen Min wanted to take care of him, but although the road to the capital was an official one, he had told Aunt Li and the others that it wouldn’t be difficult, just to set their minds at ease.
On this journey, roughing it was inevitable, not to mention possible unexpected incidents along the way. However, Shen Min insisted on coming along, no matter how Qingyan tried to dissuade him.
Feng Yin occasionally looked at the sky and said it was almost time, urging them to hurry, or else it would delay the caravan’s schedule.
Shen Min pursed his lips and insisted, “Qingyan, if you don’t let me on the carriage, I’ll just follow behind. I must go.”
Qingyan had no choice but to let him onto the carriage.
During the journey, Qingyan continued to try to persuade him to go back, but Shen Min took out a hot water bag he had heated during lunch and placed it under the blanket covering Qingyan’s legs.
In a short while, he took an apple out of his bag and handed it to Qingyan.
When they reached the county town, the caravan had already gathered at the city gate, ready to depart. Feng Lao San came over and exchanged a few words with Qingyan. Seeing an extra person on the carriage, he didn’t mind.
He said, “The caravan is full of big guys. Sometimes it might not be convenient. With this young man here to look after you, it will be much better.”
After everything was set, and they had completed the procedures at the city gate, the caravan set off.
This time, Feng Lao San brought twelve to thirteen people in total. Including Qingyan’s carriage, there were five in total, a modest but sizable group.
The first day on the road went smoothly, with only a minor issue with one carriage wheel that required some time to repair.
The weather was good today, with bright sunshine. It was comfortable in the carriage during the day.
Since they didn’t depart very early, they stopped for rest only after lunch was over.
They had hot noodle soup and the like bought from a town along the road, squatting on the side of the road, finishing quickly.
They would be camping tonight, so Qingyan didn’t eat any of the food he had brought and bought noodle soup for himself and Shen Min, sitting together at the edge of the carriage to eat.
Once the horses had rested, Feng Lao San whistled, and the caravan set off again.
They traveled longer in the afternoon. Qingyan felt drowsy in the carriage, so Shen Min let him lie down on his lap, covering him with a blanket.
Qingyan stirred and remembered, Shen Min said, “You’re not tired, but the little one inside you is. Get some good rest.”
Qingyan closed his eyes.
After just an incense stick’s worth of time, although it was an official road, there were places long neglected. Because they were near the mountains, many small pits had been formed from fallen rocks, causing the carriage to bump.
Qingyan couldn’t sleep anymore and felt a bit nauseous. Shen Min took out a hot water bag filled with warm water from lunch, keeping it inside the blanket. It was still warm.
He helped Qingyan up to drink a few sips, calming down the discomfort.
As they traveled further, the road became increasingly desolate. There were no people ahead or behind, only the sound of the caravan’s horses, the rumbling of the wheels, and the drivers’ shouts.
As dusk approached, the caravan finally arrived at the designated campsite.
The carriages were unloaded, and the horses were left to graze and rest in a nearby barren land. Feng Lao San organized the setting up of tents, gathering firewood, and cooking.
Dinner that evening consisted of a pot of vegetable soup, with each person having a large bowl. They heated up their own biscuits and ate together. After finishing, they gathered by the fire, chatting and playing cards, and then settled down for the night outdoors.
Feng Lao San arranged for night watches, with himself and another taking the first shift. When Qingyan wanted to take over, Feng Lao San shook his head and said, “If I need you, I’ll arrange it. Tonight, you and little brother Shen Min rest well. Tomorrow’s road won’t be easy.”
Feng Lao San had Qingyan and Shen Min sleep furthest inside the camp, with himself and Feng Yin nearby, and the others further out.
That night, lying down under the open sky, there was none of the anticipated ease and romance. Although the ground was dry, it was still chilly and damp. Despite the campfire burning, Qingyan and Shen Min, tightly huddled together under their blankets, couldn’t help but shiver.
After finally managing to fall asleep, they were occasionally awakened by someone getting up to relieve themselves or snoring and spitting.
It wasn’t until the latter half of the night that they finally managed to sleep soundly.
—
The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the caravan set off again. The previous night, Feng Lao San had observed the sky and predicted that it would likely rain today.
Before departing in the morning, they covered all the carts with tarps. Sure enough, within less than an hour of setting off, the rain began to patter down.
Everyone in the caravan wore raincoats, but the rain still managed to splash onto their faces, hands, and clothes. They felt damp, not cold enough to be unbearable, but the damp and chilliness were uncomfortable.
Qingyan looked weary, his body swaying gently with the motion of the carriage. Shen Min, beside him, also looked pale.
Feng Yin, who was driving the cart, glanced back at them, furrowing his brow.
At the next brief rest stop, Feng Yin went to talk to Feng Lao San for a while.
After a while, Feng Lao San came to find Qingyan, scrutinizing his condition and saying, “I told you earlier that you wouldn’t be able to withstand the hardships of the road while pregnant. Since we’ve barely covered half the distance, I’ll have Feng Yin take you back now. I’ll handle whatever you need to do.”
Qingyan shook his head.
“I’m fine. You don’t need to worry.”
Shen Min added, “I’ll take care of him.”
Feng Lao San sighed.
“Alright, if anything happens, you can also ask the caravan to stop midway. Don’t push yourself too hard.”
Qingyan agreed.
The rain persisted throughout the entire day. They couldn’t make a fire at noon, so they had to satisfy their hunger with cold water and hard, dry biscuits.
The situation didn’t improve in the evening. Feng Lao San had people prop up a raincloth with branches to shelter under. However, the space was limited, so they could only sit and doze off.
The blankets taken down from the carts were damp. Covering themselves with them, their legs felt wet and heavy, and their knees began to ache uncomfortably.
To make matters worse, in the latter half of the night, the rain suddenly intensified. Thunder and lightning struck, and it poured heavily, causing the makeshift shelter to collapse.
“Quick, prop it up again!”
Feng Lao San’s voice seemed to pierce through the canopy of the sky as they hurried to erect the collapsed shelter once more. However, many were already soaked through by the rain. Despite Feng Yin and Shen Min’s efforts to shield Qingyan, he was still half-soaked, and even his blanket was wet.
The heavy rain continued throughout the latter half of the night. Even Feng Lao San, who was accustomed to being outdoors, felt overwhelmed.
His complexion was grim, prompting everyone to change their clothes immediately. If anyone fell ill within this remote and desolate area, with no village or shop nearby, it would be difficult to manage.
—
Qingyan and Shen Min were also under the shelter, and they reluctantly changed their clothes, though the new ones were still damp, they were better than before. Shen Min was afraid that Qingyan would catch a cold, so he repeatedly wiped his hair for him, and Qingyan helped him in return.
By noon, the rain finally stopped. The sun peeked out from beneath the dark clouds, bringing a sense of relief to everyone. Even the sound of the horses’ hooves seemed lighter.
During a brief rest in the afternoon, Shen Min pointed to a spot on the roadside and said, “Qingyan, look!”
Following his gaze, Qingyan saw a solitary purple wildflower blooming amidst the grass by the roadside. The slanting afternoon sun cast its rays on the flower, with sparkling dewdrops still clinging to its petals.
The hardships of the day’s journey seemed to melt away in that moment. Qingyan smiled as he looked at the little flower.
—
That night, they finally saw inhabited places along the road and arrived at a town.
The caravan rested well at the inn in town for one night.
In the afternoon, Shen Min had been worried about Qingyan falling ill, but Qingyan only looked pale and didn’t seem uncomfortable, without even a slight fever. Despite being pregnant, his health had been well taken care of, allowing him to endure the hardships of the day and night.
In contrast, a strong man in the caravan fell ill, and Feng Lao San had to find a doctor to administer medicine, uncertain whether he would be able to continue with the caravan tomorrow.
That night, they had hot meals to eat, warm water for bathing, and soft, dry beds to sleep in.
As soon as Qingyan lay down, he fell asleep immediately.
Shen Min gently tucked his exposed hand back under the blanket, sighing as he sat beside him.
It was supposed to be a time to recuperate, yet they were enduring such suffering.
—
The following day, the sick strong man slowly recovered. Although he looked haggard, he managed to muster enough strength to continue the journey.
The caravan set off once again.
Including today, there are still two days of travel remaining.
As they approached the capital city, the road became easier. Though they still camped out that evening, more people gathered at the campsite, making it lively. They exchanged food and fine wine, which alleviated the hardships of the journey to some extent.
The caravan entered the capital city in the late afternoon of the fourth day. They went to the lodging that Feng Lao San was familiar with.
Due to the high prices in the capital, they didn’t stay at an inn but at a large hostel for carriages and horses, where Qingyan and Shen Min had a separate room.
Early the next morning, Feng Lao San informed Qingyan and then went about his own business. Qingyan and Shen Min headed straight for a mansion in the capital.
Years ago, Qiu Yan, was the former county magistrate of Nansheng County. Now a high-ranking official in the capital. The letter that Qiu Henian had intended to write but hadn’t gotten around to, was intended for him.
Arriving at the front gate of the mansion, they looked up to see a plaque that read “Qiu Mansion.”
Qingyan called out at the gate, and a person in an old gray robe stepped out, likely a gatekeeper. He gave Qingyan a respectful bow before looking up at him.
Seeing them as strangers, the gatekeeper politely asked, “Gentlemen, what brings you to the Qiu Mansion?”
Qingyan studied his face for a moment, then bowed to him and said, “My name is Yu Qingyan, the husband of Qiu Henian from Liuxi Village, Muling County.”
He gestured to Shen Min beside him.
“He is accompanying me. Could you please inform Lord Qiu? Once he hears the name, he will understand.”
The gatekeeper hesitated, “Sir Yu, it’s not that I refuse to announce you, but my master left early this morning for official business outside the city and won’t be back for three to five days.”
Furrowing his brow, Qingyan asked, “Do you know where Lord Qiu went outside the city? If it’s convenient, I can go find him there.”
The gatekeeper shook his head, “He’s on official business for the Emperor. Even the household members may not know. How could we servants possibly know?”
Qingyan pursed his lips and pulled out a silver ingot from his pocket, trying to hand it to him. “This matter is urgent. Please help me think of a solution.”
The gatekeeper quickly pushed the silver ingot back, saying, “I cannot accept this. I cannot!”
Refusing to take back the silver, Qingyan turned and walked away, saying before leaving, “I’ll come back tomorrow to disturb you again.”
Hurriedly following behind him, Shen Min whispered, “Are we just leaving like this?”
Qingyan shook his head. When they reached a corner, he turned into it, pulling Shen Min along. They hid there, peeking towards the gate of the Qiu Mansion.
After standing at the gate for a while, watching the silver in his hand and sighing, the gatekeeper turned and went inside.
Seeing his figure disappear behind the gate, Qingyan whispered, “He is Qiu Yan.”
Shen Min was stunned.
“How do you know? Why would he pretend to be a gatekeeper?”
Ignoring the first question, Qingyan said, “Qiu Yan received the letter but doesn’t want to deal with this matter. He wants to avoid me.”
Shen Min asked, “What do we do now?”
Qingyan said, “Wait.”
They waited for several hours until the sun started to set.
Shen Min thought nothing would come of it, but just then, the closed gate creaked open.
A sedan chair was slowly carried out from inside.
Qingyan’s eyes lit up. He hurried out of the alley and rushed towards the sedan chair.
After realizing what was going on, Shen Min followed him.
When they reached the sedan chair, Qingyan knelt down with a thud and loudly said, “I am Yu Qingyan, seeking justice from Lord Qiu.”
Shen Min looked around and knelt beside him.
The sedan chair stopped, and behind the curtain, a voice said, “If you seek justice, go to the local officials.”
Qingyan said, “What if the injustice was caused by that official?”
Behind the curtain, the voice became stern, “Do you know the punishment for falsely accusing an official of this dynasty?”
Qingyan said, “Then let me ask you, would an official who made a big mistake due to a moment of selfishness, want to make another mistake?”
This was exactly what Qingyan had written on the blank piece of paper.
With Qiu Yan’s position, he likely knew everything about where Qiu Henian was, how he was living, and what had happened.
The sedan chair fell silent for a while, then came a deep sigh. When the voice spoke again, it was softer, “Have you been waiting here all this time?”
Qingyan answered, “Yes.”
The person sighed again, “Forget it, get up. Don’t kneel to speak.”
At these words, Qingyan tried to stand up, but his body suddenly jerked as his belly twitched, staggering him. Shen Min quickly held him, looking at his belly with concern.
At this moment, the person inside the sedan suddenly exclaimed, “Are you pregnant?”
Qingyan nodded.
“Yes,” he looked up at the curtain of the sedan, almost stuttering, “In the future, this child will bear the surname Qiu.”
Hearing this, the person inside the sedan sighed deeply. After a while, the curtain of the sedan was lifted, and a man in his forties or fifties stepped out from inside. He was the gatekeeper from earlier, now dressed in official attire, exuding an air of authority and dignity.
This person was Qiu Yan.
He took a few steps forward, stopping about five or six steps away from Qingyan, gazing at him for a long while. His expression darkened, and he suddenly seemed to age several years, as if he had finally given up something.
He said, “The Emperor has summoned me for a discussion. I will intercede on your behalf.”
“Tomorrow, I will personally make a trip to Muling County.”
Qingyan, with tears in his eyes, looked at Qiu Yan.
As the man turned back towards the sedan, he said, “Go back. There are people watching over him. He’ll be fine.”
Spoiler for the Next Chapter:
Yang Huai paced a few more times and abruptly stopped, asking, “Can’t you torture him? If Qiu Henian is stubborn, use the methods available in your yamen. He’ll have to confess sooner or later!”
