Due to Madam Zeng’s illness, Lu Chang and his group stayed in Pei County for three days.
Aside from her memory, Ming Shu recovered well, both physically and mentally. After changing into new clothes, the condition of her back indeed improved. She was able to sleep soundly for a few hours, and her spirits gradually lifted. The anxiety she felt upon waking from her injury slowly calmed, and she gradually regained her former vitality, smiling more often.
Though the emptiness of her past was disconcerting, it didn’t bring her pain. Ming Shu didn’t feel distressed, but while her outward appearance was fine, doubts still lingered in her heart. From her physical condition to her incompatible lifestyle habits, everything reminded her of the differences between herself and them.
For instance, Madam Zeng and Lu Chang came from poor backgrounds and were skilled in all household chores, but Ming Shu’s hands had never touched dishwater, and she couldn’t even perform simple tasks like lighting a stove or boiling water. One day, when she wanted to wash clothes, she stood bewildered at the well—this skill that should have been as natural as eating or dressing was completely absent from her body’s memory as if she had never done it before. In the end, Lu Chang came out and skillfully drew water and washed clothes, doing the work she should have been able to do.
Another example was their eating habits. Madam Zeng and Lu Chang were frugal, often eating dry rations for their three daily meals, mostly flatbread or steamed buns, accompanied by pickled vegetables that Madam Zeng had prepared in Jiangning. Ming Shu couldn’t get used to these foods; cold flatbread and steamed buns were difficult to swallow, and she would often give up after just a couple of bites. Eventually, Madam Zeng noticed and would stop to cook some chestnut rice porridge for her during their journey. Lu Chang would catch a bird or wild chicken to supplement her meals, and at inns, they would order a couple of local snacks to satisfy her cravings. Although the food remained coarse, it still accommodated her tastes.
For these differences, Lu Chang gave her only one explanation: she had been pampered since childhood, had never done these things before, and wouldn’t need to do them in the future.
From this perspective, she did indeed seem like the beloved youngest daughter cherished by Madam Zeng and Lu Chang. There were families in town who doted on their daughters in such a way, that the background Lu Chang told her seemed plausible.
However… she still had doubts. The missing memories made her past a blank canvas for anyone to paint on. She couldn’t be certain that Lu Chang and Madam Zeng weren’t ill-intentioned people, like kidnappers perhaps? But would kidnappers care for her preferences and protect her life as Madam Zeng and Lu Chang did? That didn’t make sense either. Moreover, after spending time with them these days, she could see that Madam Zeng and Lu Chang were familiar with her. At the very least, they must have been acquaintances before.
Maybe she was overthinking, and Madam Zeng was her mother, while Lu Chang was her elder brother.
Knock knock—
Two knocks on the door. She sat up, hugging her blanket, and mumbled sleepily, “Come in.”
The door was pushed open, and Lu Chang walked in from the bright light outside. He stopped two steps from the bed and frowned, saying, “Not up yet?”
The person on the bed rubbed her eyes and looked at him. Her body was still hidden under the covers, all puffy and round. Her cheeks were flushed from sleep, and she had messy hair and a bewildered expression on her face.
Ming Shu replied, “Right away.” She had been awake for a while, just lying there lost in thought with her eyes open.
“Did you sleep well last night?” Lu Chang placed a small earthen pot he was holding on her bedside table.
Ming Shu nodded.
Lu Chang had rented two rooms in total. Because Madam Zeng was ill and needed care during the night, Ming Shu had initially volunteered, but Lu Chang sent her to rest in this room instead. He took care of Madam Zeng alone at night, and Ming Shu would take over during the day. With an entire room to herself and no one to disturb her, she naturally slept soundly.
“Do you still need to drink?” She glanced at the earthen pot and made a bitter face.
The pot contained a medicinal drink that Lu Chang had bought early in the morning. Madam Zeng was suffering from a common cold, and she didn’t want to see a doctor. So Lu Chang bought appropriate medicinal drinks from a shop in town. Worried that Ming Shu might catch the illness, he always brought an extra portion for her to drink.
Although called a “fragrant drink,” the medicine was quite bitter to Ming Shu.
“Better safe than sorry. Drink up quickly!” Lu Chang stared at her.
With the Mountain Guardian Deity standing before the bed, Ming Shu knew there was no escape. She picked up the earthen pot and tilted her head back to drink it all in one go. Her entire face wrinkled up, and she opened her mouth wide, crying out about the bitterness. She was on the verge of sticking out her tongue.
“Hold this.” Lu Chang flicked his finger, and something flew accurately into Ming Shu’s mouth.
Ming Shu quickly closed her mouth, and her tongue tasted sweetness—it was a piece of candy.
“So troublesome. Hurry and get up, we’re setting off today. If we’re too late, it might snow,” Lu Chang scolded her once before turning and leaving the room.
Ming Shu hugged her blanket, slowly savoring the candy, and thought to herself—
Is this what having a brother is like?
His face shows annoyance, but his heart still cares for her.
————
On the third day in Pei County, Lu Chang set out again with Madam Zeng and Ming Shu.
The sky was gloomy, and the wind was strong, whipping up dust from the road and obscuring people’s vision—a sign of impending snow. Lu Chang put on a wind hat and a conical hat, covering his face and neck tightly as he drove the carriage against the cold wind. Ming Shu and Madam Zeng huddled in the carriage, and even through the thin walls, they could hear the howling wind outside.
Due to Ming Shu’s injury and Madam Zeng’s illness, they had been delayed on the road for many days. If they arrived in the capital too late, they might run into the end of the year, making it difficult to rent a place. So Lu Chang increased the speed of the carriage, hoping to reach Bianjing earlier. However, the weather was truly uncooperative. Just one day after leaving Pei County, snow indeed began to fall.
Normally, it would take three days by carriage to reach the next city, but according to Lu Chang’s plan, if they rushed, they could arrive in two days and find a place to stay before the heavy snow hit.
He had planned well, but unfortunately, this snowfall was extraordinary.
The sky was so dark it seemed about to press down, and the wind grew increasingly fierce. At first, it was just snow flurries mixed with dust swirling in the air, creating a gray mist that made it difficult to see the road ahead, forcing the carriage to slow down. Half a day later, the wind showed no signs of abating and became even more violent. The snow flurries turned into snowflakes, falling like a blanket covering the sky and earth, further reducing visibility. The carriage’s speed was reduced to a crawl.
Even though the carriage was moving at its slowest speed, Ming Shu, hidden inside, couldn’t see the scene outside. Still, she realized something was wrong.
The temperature inside the carriage seemed to drop dramatically within half a day. Even though she was sheltered inside, her hands and feet were already ice-cold. The howling of the wind that penetrated through the carriage walls sounded like the prolonged cry of a giant beast, whimpering past her ears, making her heart uneasy.
If she was this cold inside, what about Lu Chang driving the carriage outside?
After some thought, Ming Shu rushed to the carriage door and opened it a crack—the wind suddenly gushed in, and she couldn’t hold it steady at first. The door was blown open wider, and it took all her strength to push it back.
Outside was dark and gloomy, with the road ahead and to both sides barely visible. Lu Chang would be at the front of the carriage, with snow covering his head and body. Hearing the commotion behind him, he turned his head and shouted, “What are you doing out here? Get back inside!”
His voice was half-swallowed by the wind, and only a faint sound reached Ming Shu’s ears. She couldn’t see his face clearly but held onto the door and shouted back, “What’s going on with this weather?”
“Blizzard!” He was still shouting. “Get back inside quickly!”
Ming Shu was startled. She turned and ducked back into the carriage, her heart pounding.
Recalling the scene she had just witnessed, Ming Shu felt increasingly uneasy. The road was winding through the mountains, with a cliff on one side. Now, the snow and wind made it impossible to see in any direction. If they weren’t careful, the carriage could plunge down the mountainside. Moreover, in such cold weather, how could Lu Chang endure facing the wind and snow alone?
She wanted to help but had no way to do so, which was an extremely unpleasant feeling.
“What happened?” Madam Zeng, who had been drowsily napping, woke up and asked, “I thought I heard A-Chang’s voice.”
She had heard the voice but couldn’t make out the content.
“It’s nothing, the road isn’t very good out there. He said he’ll drive more slowly,” Ming Shu forced herself to calm down and reassured Madam Zeng.
She knew Lu Chang was very filial and wouldn’t want his mother to worry. Since she couldn’t help him outside, at least she could comfort Madam Zeng here and ease his concerns.
“Why has it gotten so much colder?” Madam Zeng shivered and rubbed her arms.
“Maybe it’s because we’re up in the mountains now,” Ming Shu said as she unfolded the thick blanket she was wrapped in to cover Madam Zeng.
Madam Zeng quickly grasped her hands and said with a gentle smile, “Good child, I’m not cold. You keep yourself wrapped up tightly, don’t catch a chill.”
Ming Shu then opened the blanket wide and hugged Madam Zeng, wrapping both of them together in the blanket. She rested her head lightly on Madam Zeng’s shoulder and said, “This is warmer.”
Madam Zeng felt even more affectionate towards her and stroked her head, saying, “Silly child.”
Ming Shu smiled without saying anything.
With her mother by her side and her brother outside, she felt she had nothing to fear.
————
The carriage stopped when it hit a rock, jolting Ming Shu awake. She realized she had dozily fallen asleep while hugging Madam Zeng. The sound of wind and snow outside showed no signs of stopping. Now that the carriage had stopped, had something happened?
She laid the sleeping Madam Zeng down flat and was about to get up when the door was pushed open from the outside. Lu Chang, wrapped up with only his eyes visible, appeared at the door.
“I’ve found an inn where we can stay. We’ll wait out this storm before making further plans. I’ll go check it out first,” Lu Chang said in a hoarse voice.
“Wait, I’ll come with you,” Ming Shu said, glancing at the sleeping Madam Zeng before crouching down to walk to the door.
Lu Chang thought for a moment and said, “Alright, but wrap yourself up tightly. It’s extremely cold outside.”
Ming Shu casually threw a thin blanket over her head and was about to jump down from the carriage when Lu Chang stopped her.
He was already standing on the ground, and with her in the carriage, they were at eye level. Lu Chang grabbed her thin blanket and wrapped it tightly around her face, tucking it in without leaving any gaps before he was satisfied. He only said, “Didn’t I tell you to wrap up tightly before coming down?”
Ming Shu guessed she looked just like him now, with only her eyes visible on her face. Their four eyes met, and she couldn’t help but laugh. She pressed on his arm as she jumped down from the carriage, shivering, “It’s so cold.”
“Maybe you should go back to the carriage and wait for me,” Lu Chang said.
Ming Shu turned back and stuffed a small charcoal stove into his hands, then held his hands and rubbed them continuously. Although he was wearing gloves, his hands were still stiff from the cold. Lu Chang was momentarily stunned as he heard her say, “Warm up quickly.” She then raised her hand to brush the snow off his head and shoulders. Her hand swept past his eyes, shaking off the snow clinging to his eyelashes. He came back to his senses and quickly grabbed her hand, letting go as he said, “Let’s go inside and take a look first.” As he spoke, he had already turned and strode towards the inn.
The wind was blowing fiercely, bending grass and trees. Anyone slightly weaker would have been blown over. Lu Chang walked on his own at first, but after two steps, he turned back and tightly grasped Ming Shu’s hand as they moved forward. The surroundings were hazy, and it was impossible to tell the time. If not for the faint lamplight ahead, no one would have known there was a building there.
In the wilderness, it couldn’t be a private residence; it must be a small inn for travelers to rest.
After walking a few steps, they saw a square courtyard with a wooden sign swaying in the wind at the entrance. Indeed, it was a small inn called “Penglai.”
The inn’s courtyard wasn’t empty; several carriages were parked there. These were cargo carriages, but now there were no horses or goods to be seen, only the shells of the carriages remaining. Lu Chang slowed his pace and looked around for a few moments. Then he heard Ming Shu’s voice, “Oh? Are there others like us seeking shelter from the snow? They seem to have arrived just a bit earlier than us.”
“Oh?” Lu Chang seemed to intentionally let her explain.
“It’s been snowing for a while, but there isn’t much snow on these carriages, and the wheel tracks in the courtyard aren’t completely covered. They probably haven’t been here long,” Ming Shu explained, then added, “Judging by the number of carriages, it looks like a merchant caravan seeking shelter here.”
“It’s not a merchant caravan,” Lu Chang said. He didn’t rush to enter the inn but instead circled these carriage shells and took a look at the stable beside the inn. As expected, he saw several horses eating grass and drinking water.
“This is an escort team from a security bureau,” Lu Chang added.
“Ah?” Ming Shu was slightly surprised but quickly asked, “An escort team? How did you figure that out?”
Lu Chang replied, “There are hidden emblems of the security bureau on the carriages.”
“How does a scholar like you know about these things?” Ming Shu asked curiously.
Lu Chang didn’t answer—in his impoverished youth, with a widowed mother unable to protect him, he had spent several years mingling in Jiangning County, associating with all sorts of people. He was quite familiar with these matters of the underworld.
Ming Shu didn’t press the issue and murmured to herself, “Escorts can be overt or covert. Is this team escorting overtly or covertly?”
She asked herself and then analyzed, “Security bureaus have rules for escorting. In theory, they should have people on guard outside, but since we entered here, we haven’t encountered anyone. With so many carriages, this escort team must be quite large, but there’s no sound coming from the inn. Could it be that…” She had a bad feeling but thought she might be overreacting, so she carefully said, “If that’s the case, the goods they’re transporting must be quite valuable. It should be…”
“A covert escort,” Lu Chang and she said in unison.
Ming Shu stared at him with wide eyes.
Lu Chang was also curious—her analysis was spot-on and matched his thoughts exactly, but she was supposed to be a sheltered young lady. How did she have such knowledge?
He didn’t ask this question, because he knew there would be no answer; she had lost her memory. What he didn’t know was that the Jian family dealt in gold wares, and their goods were always valuable, often requiring escort services for transportation. Jian Ming Shu had long been helping with the family business, and although she hadn’t directly handled these matters, she was familiar with them. This knowledge, like her skills in mathematics and poetry, remained in her mind and hadn’t been forgotten.
This curiosity was quickly suppressed as both of them felt a deep sense of unease.
If this inn was a trap, should they stay or not? If they didn’t stay, an even bigger blizzard was approaching, and they had nowhere else to take shelter.
It was a dilemma either way. The two looked at each other, neither saying a word.