As November rolled in, the journey south became increasingly arduous.
There was less snow in the south, but after several bouts of freezing rain, the weather turned cold and gloomy. A gust of cold wind would pierce one's bones.
"Master, Madam's maternal grandfather's family is in Huzhou," Zhou Sheng reported. "I've found a small path. It's faster than taking the official road."
Liang Yuzhou gave a light cough. His pale face made his eyes look even darker, like deep pools of ink.
"Don't go to Huzhou. Go to Yunzhou."
"Yunzhou?" Zhou Sheng was taken aback.
"Madam's maternal grandfather's family is the wealthiest in the south of the Yangtze River. Everyone in Huzhou knows about it. If you were Shi Luohan, would you arrange for Madam to stay in a place that can be easily found out?"
Zhou Sheng admitted that his mind couldn't make so many twists and turns.
He would just follow whatever the master commanded.
Liang Yuzhou coughed quite violently. There was blood on his handkerchief.
Zhou Sheng's heart tightened. He rummaged through the bag and took out some pills, then handed them to Liang Yuzhou. "Master, take your medicine."
Although Madam's sword hadn't hit the master's heart, the master had rushed south before his wound had healed. The wound got infected, which endangered his lungs.
The doctor said it would be best to find a warm place to recuperate for half a year. Otherwise, he would develop a lung disease that would be hard to cure for the rest of his life.
Yunzhou was very warm in winter. Maybe the master had taken the doctor's advice to heart. He needed to take good care of his body first so that he would have the energy to look for Madam.
Yaoguang was sleeping on the other side of the carriage. She let out soft sobs in her dream.
Zhou Sheng felt her forehead and tucked the blanket more tightly around her.
This girl had caught a cold and was running a fever. She had just taken the medicine and fallen asleep.
She probably missed home.
But she had no home anymore.
Come to think of it, she was a great contributor to the master.
If they hadn't picked her up on the way back from Hengzhou two years ago, the master wouldn't have found out so quickly that the old duke had been deceived by the paid commoners and wrongly accused Song Hengyi.
Yaoguang woke up groggily. Her nose was stuffy and it was very uncomfortable. She sat up, met Liang Yuzhou's gaze, and lowered her head guiltily.
"Master, I'm slowing you down."
Liang Yuzhou took the pills. The bitter taste still lingered in his mouth. His dark eyes stared at Yaoguang. "I once promised to help you achieve your revenge. But as you can see, I don't have the ability to help you now. But I know someone. He's in Yunzhou. When we get there, I'll introduce you to him. He can help you—"
"Master, you don't need to say anymore." Yaoguang interrupted him crisply. "National and family hatred can't be avenged overnight. Although I'm shallow and stupid, I know that you Central Plains people pay the most attention to the principle that a loyal subject doesn't serve two masters. Since I've followed you, you're the only master I recognize."
As she spoke, her eyes welled up with tears. She thought it was embarrassing to cry, so she turned her head away. "None of you can drive me away!"
Zhou Sheng stuffed a hot water bag into her arms. "Silly girl, who said we're going to drive you away?"
The carriage jolted. Liang Yuzhou coughed lightly again.
He stroked the sachet on his waist with one hand and pressed his other hand on his chest.
His body was cold. The nightgown on his body and the sachet in his hand were among the few things that could bring him warmth.
There were too few mementos left by Wan Chu.
...
One year later.
Winter came especially early in the south of the Yangtze River.
It snowed heavily in Huzhou in November.
The small courtyard that Shi Luohan had arranged for Song Wanchu was close to the mountains and beside the water. It was a pleasant place in spring, summer, and autumn, but in winter, the cold wind and rain made it bone-chillingly cold.
Last winter, Song Wanchu had been ill several times.
On the other side of the mountain, Yunzhou was warm and pleasant in winter.
Song Wanchu's aunt had married the largest merchant in Yunzhou. Her uncle had written a letter to her aunt, asking her to go to Yunzhou for the winter and take good care of her body.
Her aunt hadn't seen Song Wanchu for several years and missed her very much.
She sent dozens of people to pick her up.
Song Wanchu only brought two maids, Nan Zhi and Su Yue.
Shi Luohan escorted her all the way.
The Chu family that her aunt had married into was the only imperial merchant in Yunzhou. Their mansion was magnificent.
Her aunt, Ning Shi, her uncle, Chu Shangxu, and her cousin, Chu Yueying, were waiting at the door.
As soon as Song Wanchu got off the carriage, Ning Shi hugged her tightly and tears rolled down her face.
Wanchu looked seven-tenths like her sister. When Ning Shi saw Wanchu, she thought of her late sister, and the tears couldn't stop flowing.
Her sister had died young. And unfortunately, the niece who had been raised delicately by the whole family had also had a bad marriage. She had been tortured for three years and had lost a lot of weight. It was really heart-wrenching.
After entering the house, Ning Shi hugged Wanchu and cried again.
Chu Shangxu comforted her with a smile. "Our niece is here. You should be happy! The doctor told you that you shouldn't get too excited because you're pregnant. Stop crying."
Song Wanchu was overjoyed. "Aunt, you're pregnant again?"
Her aunt was already thirty-five years old. It was really hard for her to be pregnant at such an advanced age.
She had had a massive hemorrhage when giving birth to her cousin and had taken several years to recuperate. She had been pregnant five years ago, but she had miscarried a fully formed male fetus at seven months. The whole family had been heartbroken.
Grandma Chu had eaten a vegetarian diet for a year to pray for the soul of her grandson.
Chu Shangxu was the eldest son in the family and would inherit the family business, but he didn't have a legitimate son yet, and he refused to take concubines.
This pregnancy of her aunt was the hope of the whole family.
Ning Shi stroked her abdomen. "It's only four months. It's not showing yet."
Song Wanchu hadn't been very happy in the south of the Yangtze River this year.
When she came to her aunt's house and heard the good news of a new addition to the family, she felt that the haze in her heart had been dispelled a lot.
Her aunt took her and Shi Luohan to pay respects to Grandma Chu.
Grandma Chu came from a scholarly family. Song Wanchu presented some paintings and calligraphy works from famous southern families.
The old lady was fifty-six years old this year. She was in good health and looked radiant.
She held Song Wanchu's hand and talked to her warmly for a while.
"Wanchu, you're twenty this year, right? Girls grow up quickly. Time waits for no one. When are you going to marry your elder brother?"
Song Wanchu's smile froze on her face.
The long-suppressed bitterness in Shi Luohan's heart rippled. He hid the disappointment in his eyes and said with a smile, "Wanchu isn't used to the climate in the south of the Yangtze River. She's been ill all year. Let's focus on taking good care of her body first."
Her cousin, Chu Yueying, blinked her curious eyes. "I heard that sister and Brother Luohan were engaged a long time ago. If it weren't for that old lady from the Duke's Mansion coming to propose marriage..."
Ning Shi's face tightened. She gave Chu Yueying a warning look with her eyes. "You talk too much!"
The Duke's Mansion and Liang Yuzhou were taboo topics that everyone knew well.
No one wanted to mention them in front of Wanchu for fear of bringing back her sad memories.
Chu Yueying stuck out her tongue sheepishly.
After everyone had some refreshments, Chu Shangxu stood up and said, "Mother, the Taoist priest Qiu from Wuyin Mountain recommended a Taoist priest the other day. He said that this priest has great spiritual power and is also proficient in medicine. Since Mian Xin (Ning Shi's boudoir name) got pregnant, she hasn't been sleeping well and often has nightmares. Priest Qiu said that there are evil spirits causing trouble, so he specially sent this priest to perform a ritual to drive away the evil spirits and also take Mian Xin's pulse. He should be arriving around this time. I'll go to the door to greet him."
Grandma Chu nodded. "Go ahead. Mian Xin, your niece has had a long journey. Take her to rest."
After bidding farewell to Grandma Chu, Song Wanchu and the others left Cihuiyuan.
Song Wanchu said, "Aunt, the maids can lead me and elder brother to our accommodation. The Taoist priest will be here soon and will take your pulse. You should go back."
Chu Yueying volunteered. "Mother, I'll take sister there!"
Ning Shi smiled. "That's good."
They were a family, so there was no need to be so polite.
Shi Luohan said, "I'll take aunt back."
Chu Yueying held Song Wanchu's arm and chattered all the way.
She was four years younger than Song Wanchu, but she was far more energetic than her.
"Brother Luohan is so nice. He's so attentive and considerate to you. He's good at martial arts and also very filial. He runs such a big escort agency by himself. He's really capable, sister. You'll definitely be happy if you marry him."
As they were talking, they met Chu Shangxu head-on.
There was a man in a grayish-blue Taoist robe beside him.
The man was tall and slender, with a straight and graceful figure. His ink-colored eyes were deep. He glanced at her casually.
Just one glance made Song Wanchu freeze. Her blood seemed to flow backward.