Chapter 86

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I pull him to the side, giving him a cold eye as I whispered, “Why are you coming around here again?”

Yuan Qingyun went along with glee. “I came because I missed you!”

I snort. “When are you actually going after Shao Qing?”

He laughed. “There’s no rush, no rush. Shao Qing is at just the right age, he can’t die for a little while.”

I snorted again, sweeping a conscientious gaze out, and saw Guo Zhengtong looking at us in bewilderment, Hong Feng wrinkling her brow, Xiao Lu tilting his head curiously to see, and Jinfeng accordingly on high guard.

I realized that starting at some point, I wasn’t afraid of Yuan Qingyun despite his being recovered from his internal injuries, holding superior martial power, not yet knowing his reason for coming, and status as an enemy, not friend.

“Is Proprietor Lan alright? Why didn’t he come with? Did you leave him behind?”

He responded like a whiny girlfriend. “Ah, Sir Zhang really likes Xiao Lan. Is he actually your type? How about I give him to you?”

I gave him a once-over. “And you’d be willing?”

He bust out laugh. “I am, I am! What would I not be willing to do for my precious Qingqing?”

He’s saying this damned stuff so loud. Would it be too much to not let others know about my sexual orientation? I resentfully distance myself a bit from him, but the guy very inconsiderately followed me.

I suddenly recalled the three cakes from last time. “Hey! Did you bring any dry foods?”

He stared at me. “No, why?”

My last hope is gone! The look I give him isn’t happy. “Then what are you doing here?”

He promptly acted like a wronged little wife. “Because I was helping someone lure a tiger out of its mountain last time, I mucked up my darling Qinglian’s mission, yet you repaid my evil with kindness and gave me spiritual cinnabar to treat my injuries. You really are generous and loyal. That’s why my heart wasn’t at ease, and I decided to follow and protect you in the dark.”

Hearing that, I sweat and shudder with chills. “Thanks, I don’t need it. You still have your own business to attend to.”

He smiled in a purposefully mystifying fashion. “Qinglian, you’re going to want to thank me properly now.” There’s a sense that he’s 100% pleased with himself between his words.

I frown as I look at him, uncomprehending.

Yuan Qingyun toyed with the horsewhip in his hand while he explained with exasperating slowness. “I came over in the morning and happened to catch sight of a group delivering food with only a dozen or so weak trained servants escorting it. The people have no way to survive in this area right now, so they’ve naturally become bandit-like and not very peaceful. I then thought that it wouldn’t be possible that these folks wouldn’t have an accident and followed them for a few steps without realizing. Sure enough, a group of masked bandits jumped out…”

Just as that had entered my ears, Guo Zhengtong had already shouted in alarm. “Good patriot, were they robbed?” Then he stamped his foot. “It can’t be, Xiao Hei and the others promised me they wouldn’t do this unlawful stuff, and they wouldn’t steal life-saving food rations no matter what…”

I gesture for him to keep calm and be quiet, then look at Yuan Qingyun, who is extremely self-proud and really wanting to show off, but my pressing gaze makes him obediently explain it all. “I’ve never been fond of that idiocy like seeing stuff happening on the road and stepping in, but I felt that snatching someone’s emergency rations was really too much, so I taught them a bit of a lesson. The guards were grateful, and only when I asked did I know they weren’t foreigners, but commissioned by my darling Qinglian–“

Saying that much, Guo Zhengtong is unable to contain his joy and rushed to take his hand and shake, a certain Yuan person jumping in fright. “Many thanks, patriot, you have been a tremendous help…”

Pah, when did he become a patriot? If it’s not a random whim of his, it’s a scheme.

I wave Guo Zhengtong away, then ask Yuan Qingyun, “Did you not capture any survivors?”

He laughed. “I caught two, of course, they’re with the group with the food. You’ll see when you get there. Though, after I saved them I had them go to the mouth of the river. You’re rather likely to get there at about the same time.” He gets up even closer to me. “Qinglian, I’ve helped you so much. How will you thank me?”

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry when I look at him. When did my method of interacting with this person change into this?

“Then, thank you very much, Young Master… Bao.”

He watched me expectantly.

“The time when I saved you, healed you, and took care of you all journey long, is now all written off in one stroke.”

He’s very disappointed, and thought to pester me when Jinfeng spoke up impatiently. “The heat is killing me, can we go?”

Having someone help me out of this predicament gives me deep satisfaction. “Yes, let’s go,” I say gladly, and get on top of my horse.

Yuan Qingyun also boldly gets onto his horse with the intention to stick close to me the whole way. “Young Master Bao,” I say, “don’t you have anything else to do?”

His tone was unflinching. “I do, but I have priorities, and following you is important right now.”

“Why?”

He hesitated, then played it down. “Don’t you not have someone to protect you?”

I understood his not entirely hidden meaning: he knew Jinzi was apart from me. That he even knows means he might also know why.

So… Prince Liang truly is Lan Guan’s so-called Lord?

Yuan Qingyun must have learned so from Prince Liang, or maybe it’s exactly because of Yuan Qingyun that Jinzi had no choice but to find me to put on a play and convince them easier.

Regarding Yuan Qingyun’s perception of Jinzi, the latter’s pretense is pretty convincing.

Even so, Jinzi infiltrating them like this is way too dangerous.

That bastard, not talking this over with me, being so willful, and doing whatever comes to mind!

He never tells me anything, like I don’t have the authority to know.

I ride on in silence, not even noticing when Jinfeng approached me.

Everyone seemed to notice that my mood was down, and the atmosphere sank down as well. Guo Zhengtong spoke up, “Sir Zhang, my meager home is very close ahead. If you’re willing to go to this lowly official’s house to rest, my mother can still handle a stove and make some weak refreshments?”

I’m just about to lose it from hunger, and aside from the tagalong old pal Yuan Qingyun who just joined, it’s likely the rest are in the same condition. With a unanimous vote, we detoured from the main road to the Guo household.

Riding for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, a few poplars came into view in the distance, and after that came three-ish straw, unbearably shabby houses among them.

I’m stunned. Guo Zhengtong’s family really lives here?

This person can’t honestly be as clear as water. He might be that sort like , building false reputation and being an errant, scheming follower.

However, not only has Zhou Zizhu made good friends with him, but he’s not too bright, so he might actually be the former sort.

Guo Zhengtong saw that I didn’t look too glad and smiled apologetically. “Sir, we’re appointed here as my mother is aged. Lingyang has many floods and she can’t bear the scare of it. This official had surveyed many places, and only this area didn’t flood no matter how much water there was, so his home is here. It’s just far away, and I often can’t come for ten days and half a night, so the buildings are in some disrepair.”

“Since you’re aware there’s many floods,” I say coldly, “and you thoroughly understand water management, why have you not taken proper precautions?”

He stares, then lowers his head, neck stiff and eyes red around the rims, the pained look on his unsightly face vigorously pushed down. “Sir, since the first day of the year this lowly official was appointed, I’ve used every kind of means to build and repair dams and redirect water flow, but when calculating the cost of water management for a hundred years, it’s enormous. I’ve run here and there but it’s difficult to raise the funds, and I can only make sure not a piece of the daily expenses here are wasted. Now I’ve made an unjust name for myself of being utterly stingy…” After saying so, he choked up and couldn’t finish, two rows of muddy tears snaking down his face.

At this moment, the worn-out slab of a door on a thatched cottage opened, and a 60-something elderly woman with completely white hair felt about while leaning on a cane, her senses seemingly dulled and voice hoarse, “Is that you, Tenth Son?”

Guo Zhengtong quickly raised his sleeve, wiped his tears, came down from the horse, and supported the old woman. “Mom, it’s just your child.”

She’s unkempt-looking and wears plain clothes with a chasteberry hairpin; for the mother of a majestic provincial governor who the dynasty would have granted favors, with the way she’s dressed, she may as well be a typical peasant woman. Her bark-like hands tremble as they feel about for her long-since fully grown son’s face, and she gives a faint, shaky sigh. “Ah, my son, I haven’t seen you for some time. You’ve gotten so thin! …I finished drinking the water from the last time, and mom wasn’t willing to drink these few days… just tell me when you’re coming…”

Guo Zhengtong went stiff and choked up. “Mom, this child is extremely unfilial!”

I’m not a very easily-incited person, but even I feel bursts of cold and warmth at the same time, my blood boiling and bones chilling.

To the side, Hong Feng, Xiao Lu, Jinfeng, and even Yuan Qingyun are quietly watching this mother-son pair, no one making a sound for a moment. In one aspect of this whole journey, Guo Zhengtong’s been particularly suspicious, and in another, all of his behaviors are unlike everyone else’s, being a little trite and ridiculous without fail. With the addition of his poorly looks, we all found him hard to look at.

Now, everyone seems to be stunned. Even Xiao Lu snorted loudly.

It’s not that I didn’t think of the possibility of him faking it all, but his mother’s rough, callused hands and hardship-weathered face, the scent of people living in this cottage, and he naturally expressing his guilt and filialness to her… it’s impossible for such a performance to not have a single flaw. The so-called sixth sense is only rationality that looks for anything amiss, where instinct will subconsciously perceive a gap in logic.

I can judge with a lot of certainty: this is real. Guo Zhengtong is really a clean official.

Everyone went inside the house. It couldn’t be said to be barren, and isn’t too bad. There were some goods for everyday life, like earthenware pottery and wooden utensils, more than half of which I don’t recognize or know the use for. The old lady seems to be someone very accustomed to getting through hard times.

Upon hearing that I was a senior official, she shakily went to go inside and change into formal wear, which I stopped. It’s so hot today, she’d get heatstroke in a second!

“Mom,” Guo Zhengtong said gently and politely, “Sir and his folk haven’t eaten. Is there still anything to eat at home?”

The old woman nodded. “I’ll go make it.” She then headed to the kitchen. “Mom, your son will help you make a fire and fetch water!” He then followed her.

Not waiting for my signal, Hong Feng said, “Old Madam, I will come with.” She then went with, too. Xiao Lu paused, then followed as well.

Jinfeng glanced at them, then hesitated, then didn’t move, likely feeling that there’d be too many people.

I stand up and walk all over the place, even strolling out the door to take a look at the surroundings. Yuan Qingyun and Jinfeng might not be used to staying in that sort of room, as they came out a moment later too. Jinfeng roved around, apparently very interested in the poplar by the door.

There’s clouds on the distant horizon. I can’t tell whether it’ll rain or not. My feelings are complicated, and I’m not wanting to say anything.

“You don’t need to mind too much.” Yuan Qingyun abruptly started talking after observing my expression.

Startled, I look at him.

“Really, he’s been arrogant since he was a kid, so of course he wouldn’t be willing to be second best.” He continued to observe my reaction, then continued on, “I can see that he hates you, but he might not be merciless. With his brand of hatred, how could he not kill you otherwise?”

Only then do I understand that he’s talking about Jinzi, thinking I was worried about him. Me being worried isn’t wrong, but it’s very different from what he thinks.

I put on my guard. I can’t make an error right now, can’t let Yuan Qingyun catch a slip-up.

Therefore, I just grow quiet.

Yuan Qingyun goes on to act as a romantic advisor straightening someone out. “On that matter, there’s nothing wrong with a man seeking to move up in life… furthermore, that’s just the kind of person he is! And on that matter…” He was then in a joking mood, grinning as he said, “Sir Zhang and I are the same kind, liking a bit of deviancy.”

Just as I wanted to sneer at him, Jinfeng suddenly turned around, body rigid and glaring at us. “Who are you talking about?” He said, word by word.

I’m speechless for a moment, then he asks straight out, “Is it my brother?”

I shut up.

“You saw my brother? You heard from him and didn’t tell me?” He was in disbelief, raising his voice. “He actually went to look for you? — He actually looked for you and not me?”

I’m struck mute. Could I say that when he came back you were long asleep, being a child and all, so he had no choice but to look for me?

“Where’s my brother?” He’s quickly getting to the verge of hysteria.

“Your brother is working for His Highness Prince Liang,” Yuan Qingyun says. “As you’re both still followers of a criminal official and registered in the book as an official’s slaves, it wouldn’t be suitable to spread this around.”

“Prince Liang?” Jinfeng asks skeptically. “Why would my brother meet with him? He wasn’t friends with my family… well, fine, that’s a lot better than following this not-man, not-woman! But, big brother having a plan is a good thing, so why didn’t he say anything to me? Why didn’t he come get me? Why is he making me follow this person?!” He points at me with quite a bit of intention of wanting to tear me apart. I can see that if he goes on, he’s going to start crying, and can’t help but feel this is a thorny issue.

Yuan Qingyun had a thoughtful look on his face, also likely thinking that it was very strange that Jinzi left Jinfeng with me.

My mind is in a big rush. There’s no good way out of this, so I’ll have to muddle things on purpose and try to fish in troubled waters. I give a distressed smile. “Jinfeng, when has your brother ever carelessly abandoned you? He has his own reason for this, he’ll come pick you up later on…”

Jinfeng looked at me doubtfully for a long time, then suddenly had an epiphany. “I understand. Rest assured, big brother, before you come back, I’ll definitely keep an eye on our enemy, and won’t let him escape.”

His face is one of unshakeable determination.

Your brother isn’t dead and wanting Heaven’s blessing for you to fulfill his dying wish!

Amused and annoyed, all I do on the surface is huff, assuming a completely distraught and unwell appearance, turning around to go back into the house. Fortunately, I’m already so jittery that I didn’t have to pretend much.

Yuan Qingyun smiled, walking past my side.

The meal was made very quickly and is already done. Altogether, it’s three sweet potatoes and two cakes made of various grains. The old woman leans on her cane and strolls over hunched at the waist, her hoarse voice offering an apology. “How laughable, this is the only food in the house… please put up with eating this, Sir…”

I felt like I was stabbed, withdrawing my hand that was taking a pancake, and Jinfeng reacted about the same as me. Hong Feng looked sad and Xiao Lu’s eyes were red, which he rubbed at.

I look at Guo Zhengtong, and he smiles with difficulty. “It’s no matter, I’ll send rations over tonight…”