Shu Tian reported from outside, “Young Master, Luo Yang insisted on coming along. I…” couldn’t stop him.
Before he could say those last three words, Wen Che said through the carriage curtain, “It’s fine. Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
Shu Tian mounted his horse and gave the order to depart for Ning’an Manor.
Inside the carriage, Wen Che looked at Ji Yunshu, whose complexion had gradually improved, and asked with concern, “Miss Ji, these past two days, have you been well?”
Ji Yunshu replied, “Thank you for Young Master Wen’s arrangements. Everything has been fine.”
“That night I had urgent matters to attend to, so I could only have Shu Tian arrange for you to come here. If there were any discourtesies, I hope you can forgive them.” Though Wen Che was a military general, he was ultimately someone accomplished in both civil and martial arts.
A true gentleman!
Ji Yunshu replied politely with a slight bow, “Young Master Wen has been very thoughtful. I’m the one who should feel embarrassed.”
“You are a benefactor to the Wen family.”
This statement became the complete reason for the Wen family treating Ji Yunshu well.
At this, Wen Yu looked at Luo Yang and asked, “Why didn’t you stay properly in that courtyard? What are you doing here?”
Luo Yang leaned against the carriage wall with a lazy manner, “Wherever you go, I go!”
“We’re taking Miss Ji to see my uncle.”
“Well, one more person isn’t too many, and one less isn’t too few, right?” Luo Yang said.
Wen Yu was about to say something more when Wen Che stopped him, saying, “Since Young Master Luo wants to come along, let’s go together. After all, we’re also going to Ning’an Manor to offer birthday congratulations. More people makes it livelier.”
Luo Yang straightened up, “Birthday congratulations? I thought we were going to treat Miss Ji’s illness?”
“My uncle is someone who likes to travel everywhere. Right now he’s at Ning’an Manor, so there’s no choice—we have to take Miss Ji along for this trip. Otherwise, after my uncle leaves, finding him again might take some time.” That divine physician known as “Holy Hands” was called Wen Cong. He was one of Qujiang’s most renowned physicians, over forty years old, unmarried and childless—an extremely carefree person who could be said to make his home everywhere. So if you wanted him to treat an illness, you first had to find where he was. Otherwise, even if the Emperor needed medical attention, it might not make him appear immediately. Now that Minister Li of Ning’an Manor was finally having his birthday and Wen Cong had also come to join the festivities, Wen Che could only take advantage of this opportunity to bring Ji Yunshu along, lest his uncle take a sudden notion and disappear again.
Ning’an Manor was located on Piaomiao Peak. To reach it, one first had to travel a mountain path, then cross a suspension bridge on foot to arrive.
It was said the manor was filled with mechanical traps everywhere. If someone entered without guidance from the manor’s people and mistakenly wandered into certain areas, they could very likely be injured by the mechanisms.
Many people were going to celebrate Minister Li’s birthday this time. They encountered many carriages on the mountain road. Because there were so many people, they could only queue up to ascend the mountain, making progress extremely slow.
Just reaching the mountainside, Wen Che’s carriage suddenly stopped.
“What’s happening?”
Shu Tian reported from outside, “Young Master, a horse pulling a carriage up ahead seems unwilling to move, so it’s blocking the way.”
Hearing this, Wen Che stuck his head out to look and saw a plain carriage stopped in place ahead. The horse pulling it absolutely refused to move forward no matter what.
“Whose carriage is it?”
Shu Tian looked and discovered a chess piece banner on the front carriage. Startled, he quickly replied, “Young Master, it appears to be… the Su family’s carriage.”
Wen Che’s gaze flickered, “General Su?”
“Yes!”
General Su?
Sitting in the carriage, Ji Yunshu’s heart couldn’t help but skip a beat when she heard those three words. She also lifted the curtain in front of her to look ahead.
Was it… Ji Pei?
No, it should be Su Ziluo.
She couldn’t see the person inside the front carriage, but in her heart she had a feeling—that sensation of being so close yet unable to grasp it—extremely strong.
She immediately lowered the curtain, allowing her emotions to settle.
Right now, she couldn’t see Su Ziluo, nor could she let him see her!
Wen Che noticed something seemed off with her expression and asked, “Miss Ji, are you alright?”
She quickly suppressed the emotions surging up in her heart with all her might, shaking her head, “It’s nothing.”
Wen Che didn’t suspect anything about this. At this time, inside the front carriage, Su Ziluo sat within, draped in a cloak. Though it was July and the weather was terribly hot, he felt extremely cold. Especially now in these deep mountains, surrounded by towering trees blocking out the scorching sun, the mountain road was very cold and shady. Someone with Su Ziluo’s constitution naturally couldn’t endure it.
Qi’er sat beside him, saying, “Young Master, the horse has stopped.”
He acknowledged with a sound, as if this was intentional. Then he sat calmly and asked, “Is that the Wen family’s carriage behind us?”
Qi’er pulled back the curtain to look behind. The carriage behind indeed bore the Wen family’s chess piece banner. She replied, “It’s the Wen family.”
“Good. Tell the coachman to stop here for the time it takes to brew two pots of tea before continuing.”
“Young Master, weren’t we in a hurry to reach Ning’an Manor? Why stop the carriage here?”
“Just follow my instructions.”
Qi’er asked no more questions. She went out and spoke with the coachman, so the Su family’s carriage remained stopped in place. Those behind who didn’t know the situation all thought the horse was being disobedient and refusing to work!
Many people were going to Ning’an Manor this time. Because the Su family’s carriage stopped, many carriages behind were forced to halt in place. When everyone saw it was General Su’s carriage, they didn’t dare come forward to urge him on and could only let things remain blocked like this.
No one knew what medicine Su Ziluo was selling in his gourd.
Seeing no movement ahead for quite a while, Wen Che looked forward again.
That horse ahead didn’t look like it was refusing to move. But if it was willing to move, why wasn’t it moving? What was the point of blocking the road like this?
“Shu Tian, go ask what exactly is happening.”
“Yes!” Just as Shu Tian was about to go, Wen Che called him back, “Wait!”
“Young Master?”
“Never mind, don’t go ask. After all, Minister Li’s birthday isn’t until tomorrow. There’s no rush.”
“Yes!”
Minister Li of Ning’an Manor’s birthday wasn’t until tomorrow, but those coming to offer congratulations would all arrive the day before to avoid missing the occasion.
Wen Che seemed to understand Su Ziluo’s intention, which was why he didn’t send Shu Tian.
If they were going to wait each other out, then they’d see who could wait longer!
Among the long line of carriages, in one luxurious large carriage, Li Shiyan sat somewhat awkwardly inside. Beside him was Zhu Yao, whose health had gradually improved.
After what happened last time, the two of them always felt something stood between them.
Extremely awkward.
Zhu Yao hadn’t spoken the entire journey.
Li Shiyan also didn’t know what to say. Seeing the carriage had stopped, he licked his lips, then poured a cup of tea for Zhu Yao, saying, “Have something to drink.”
“Alright.” Zhu Yao’s tone was gentle and soft.
She took the cup of tea but didn’t drink it right away. Then she said, “Shiyan, my father couldn’t come this time, so he had me travel with you instead. I hope I won’t cause you trouble.”
He smiled, “You won’t.” “This is my first time going to Ning’an Manor. If there’s anything I don’t understand later, I hope you can remind me.”