After the Awakening of Insects, the weather gradually warmed.

In the southern lands of West Liang, the spring river waters were warm and the grasslands abundant. Literati and refined guests loved to plant flowers and plants. In the small mountain courtyards, mountain orchids and jasmine could be seen everywhere in scattered arrangements, with large clusters of corn poppies blooming magnificently in layers of brocade splendor.

At noon, with the sun directly overhead, the carriage traveled swiftly, passing through the mountain forests. Inside the carriage, a woman wearing a blue vest lifted the carriage curtain and asked the driver outside: “Big Brother Wang, how much longer until we reach Changwu County?”

The driver laughed cheerfully and replied: “Not far now! Just over half a mountain ridge, and we’ll definitely arrive in an hour!”

Yin Zheng then lowered the carriage curtain again and turned to look at the person beside her.

This was a young girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with very delicate features and porcelain-white skin that made her dark pupils appear even more bright and clear. Though she wore only a somewhat worn deep blue dress with algae patterns, her temperament was especially tranquil and aloof. Upon hearing the driver’s words, the girl’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and her gaze seemed momentarily moved.

Yin Zheng sighed inwardly.

Having followed Lu Tong for more than half a year, she had never seen her young mistress display any excess emotion—her expression was always indifferent. It seemed as if even the greatest matters in this world were not worth mentioning in her eyes. Only as they drew closer to Changwu County did she see some vitality in Lu Tong’s eyes, like a clay figure gradually receiving offerings of incense and fire, gaining some of the vibrancy of ordinary people.

Indeed, no matter how indifferent a person usually was, approaching their hometown was always exciting.

Inside the carriage, Lu Tong sat quietly.

The mountain road was rugged, and the jolting scattered the apricots that Yin Zheng had brought all over the carriage floor. She lowered her eyes to look at the apricots on the ground, her thoughts gradually drifting far away.

Seven years ago, she had left Changwu County by carriage as well. At that time, she always felt the carriage moved very quickly—in the blink of an eye, they would reach unfamiliar towns. Now the journey home had become distant, seemingly endless no matter how long they traveled.

She had spent seven years on the mountain with Yunniang. Only after Yunniang’s death, when she had buried her, did she gain her freedom and was able to return to her hometown.

During those seven years, she had also written letters to her father and the others, though she didn’t know if her family had received them. When she left that year, it was in such haste—perhaps they thought she had already died…

As Lu Tong pondered these thoughts, without realizing it, the sun gradually moved westward. The carriage stopped at the city gate, and the driver’s voice rang out from outside: “Miss, we’ve arrived at Changwu County!”

Changwu County had been reached.

Yin Zheng helped Lu Tong down from the carriage, paid the driver, and walked into the city with Lu Tong.

Lu Tong looked up and felt somewhat dazed for a moment.

It was spring, and there were quite a few visitors and carriages on the streets. Many tea shops had been added along both sides of the street, with stalls set up selling tea and water, tables displaying orange cakes and sesame candy. There were also fortune-tellers offering character readings. Many new pavilions had been built by the lake in the city, with spring willows reflected in the river, dyeing the water various shades of green.

At a glance, there was an endless stream of people coming and going—it was very lively.

Yin Zheng’s eyes showed some delight: “Miss, Changwu County is so bustling!”

But Lu Tong seemed somewhat lost in thought.

When she left home, it was during the epidemic and the depths of winter. The streets were desolate and cold, completely barren. Now returning home, the small county town that once was had become much more prosperous than before. The thriving scenes and numerous visitors instead gave rise to a trace of unease in her heart.

After a pause, she said: “Let’s go first.”

The streets of Changwu County had been widened considerably. What used to be muddy ground that became full of mire during summer rains was now entirely paved with fine stones, making even carriage travel smooth.

The cloth shops and rice stores that used to line both sides of the street were nowhere to be found, replaced by unfamiliar wine houses and tea houses, completely different from the street scenes of the past.

Lu Tong walked slowly following the memories in her mind, occasionally still able to find some traces of old times. For instance, the well at the temple entrance in the east of the city, or the bronze-cast iron ox in front of the ancestral platform in the city center.

Passing through a secluded alley and walking forward a few hundred steps, Lu Tong’s footsteps stopped.

Yin Zheng looked ahead and couldn’t help but gasp in shock: “Miss…”

Before them stood a collapsed and ruined dwelling.

The earthen wall at the entrance had also been blackened by fire, and the building bore no resemblance to its former self. Only a few sections of charred lacquered wood could be seen, vaguely maintaining the shape of a door frame. Drawing closer, there still seemed to be a pungent smell of smoke.

Yin Zheng looked at Lu Tong with unease. Since Lu Tong had stopped here, this should be Lu Tong’s home. But here there were only traces left by a great fire… Where were the occupants of the house?

Lu Tong stared fixedly at the charred door frame, her face growing increasingly pale. She felt as if her legs were filled with lead, making it difficult to take even a single step.

Just then, someone’s voice came from behind them: “Who are you? What are you doing standing here?”

The two turned around and saw an old woman standing not far away, carrying a shoulder pole with tuckahoe cakes, looking at them both with some suspicion.

Yin Zheng was quick-witted and immediately put on a smile, walking to the old woman’s side. She reached out and offered some coins to buy tuckahoe cakes from her basket while asking: “Auntie, my mistress is a distant relative of this Lu family. She was passing through and came to seek refuge with the master’s family. How is it that… it looks like there was a fire here? Do you know where the master’s family has gone now?”

The old woman selling tuckahoe cakes, hearing Yin Zheng mention “the Lu family” and accepting her money, became much more amiable in her expression. She said: “Come to seek refuge with the Lu family?” She glanced at Lu Tong standing behind Yin Zheng and shook her head: “Tell your mistress to go back early. There’s no one here anymore.”

“No one anymore?” Yin Zheng glanced back at Lu Tong and asked with a smile: “What do you mean by that?”

The old woman sighed: “Don’t you know? The entire Lu household died out a year ago.”