Chongfei Manual

Chapter: 040.2 out of 171

Their travel went smoothly without any obstructions on the flat official road and the carriage’s speed increased after leaving the capital. In a moment, she saw pure white snow on both sides of the road. The snow was sparkling and clear. However, watching the snow for a long time would tire the eyes and Wei Luo stopped looking. She lowered her head to rub her eyes. Her mood became increasingly serious.

When she opened her eyes, Zhao Jie had already put down his book and was looking at her curiously.

Ah Luo put down her hands and said, “Big brother, when will we get there?”

Zhao Jie considered and said, “We should get there before nighttime.”

Too slow! It wasn’t even noon yet. She calculated the time. It would still take another six hours of sitting. Ah Luo impatiently asked, “Could we get there a little faster?”

He wasn’t in a hurry. He thought she had wanted to come out here to relieve her boredom. “Why are you in a rush? What are you planning on doing there?”

She was only a seven or eight year old girl who rarely left her home. She shouldn’t know such a distant place. Zhao Jie wanted to know what she was she was planning. But, this little girl guarded her mouth like a closed bottle. Even if he asked, she would only tightly seal her lips and wouldn’t reveal her thoughts.

Zhao Jie smiled, “If you don’t tell me, then we’ll get there even later.”

Wei Luo froze, then she looked at him. Her small form was somewhat vexed. Even thought she was pushed to this point, she still didn’t say anything.

As a result, he was even more curious.

The sun gradually rose up. The carriage didn’t take any breaks as it continued to move forward.

Wei Luo ate a few pastries to fill her stomach. By the time it was noon, she had fallen asleep on a blanket. When she woke up again, it was dusk. The afterglow of the sunset spilled over the poplar trees that were on the side of the road and the trees wore a layer of rosy, red clouds. The snow reflected the glowing orange red light.

She promptly sat up as she somewhat sleepily said, “Are we there?”

Zhao Jie was still reading. He seemed as if he had been in this posture the entire time, “There’s still one more hour.”

Wei Luo could only sit back and restrain her emotions.

——–

Longshou village was between two mountains and surrounded by woods. Its narrow paths and remote distance made it an inconvenient and difficult to find place.

After an hour, Zhu Geng finally stopped the carriage at the entrance of the village and said, “Prince, we’re here.”

Wei Luo impatiently lifted up the carriage’s golden embroidered curtain, then she stepped down the carriage using the steps. She turned around in a circle to look at this place. It truly was her familiar Longshou village. At the entrance to the village, there was a large stone. On the right side, there was an irrigation canal. On the left side, there was empty land. She looked inside the village. The land was vast and the houses were in the same places as she remembered.

She had lived here for ten years and her memory of this place was deeply entrenched. Even if she wanted to forget, she wouldn’t be able to.

She walked forward without needing anyone to guide her. She cleared remembered where Lin Huilian’s house was located. The sun was setting and there weren’t many people walking around. Every household was coming back from the fields to prepare and eat dinner. Smoke rose up in spirals from the cooking fires.

She picked a small path and meandered forwarded. She turned back to look and saw that Zhao Jie was leisurely following her. She let out a relieved sigh, and continued walking. In a short time, she stopped in front of a shabby house.

In her previous life, she had resided in this home with Lin Huilian couple. The walls were made of compressed dirt, the path was muddy, the door was wooden, and the courtyard was so small it was pitiful. But, it had once been her only home.

By this time, it was dusk. The moon had slowly risen up and was suspended in a remote place.

Wei Luo looked inside. The central room was pitched-black and there wasn’t smoke coming from the kitchen. No sound was coming from inside.

Her heart had a faint feeling of bad premonition. She gently pushed the front door, but the door was locked and she couldn’t push it open.

Her heart thumped. She had confirmed that no one was home, but right now was dinnertime. If they weren’t home, where did they go?

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Wei Luo thought of the worst possibility. Her pink lips were tightly clenched and her eyes were gloomy in the darkness. Her small face was stretched taut. A thousand things were hidden in her heart that she had never said to anyone else.

Zhao Jie was silently watching her from a few steps away. He didn’t step forward to disturb her or ask her any questions.

She finally unfroze and raised her head. Then, she walked towards the neighbor’s house. The next-door neighbor had just come outside to pour out water.

Wei Luo walked to her and hesitantly asked with a soft, milky voice, “Madam… Do you know where this family went?”

This woman’s last name was Wang. She had been a neighbor with Lin Huilian for several years. Ah Luo was familiar with her and knew that she was an honest woman, so she decided to ask her.

After the woman had finished pouring out water, she held the wooden bowl as she dazedly looked at Wei Luo. Longshou village was a remote and desolate place. It was rare for outsiders to pass-through. It was even less likely that someone from the capital would come here to look for someone. Wan-shi had never seen a little girl dressed like her. In the twilight, she looked like someone who had stepped out a painting. Her body had a noble aura and was completely incompatible with the villagers.

“Madam?” Wei Luo called out again.

Wang-shi returned to her senses. She thought about what Wei Luo had just said and the expression on her face changed slightly. She looked at her left and right as she said, “Little girl, why are you looking for them? They’re not home.”

Wei Luo stubbornly continued to ask, “Where did they go?”

Wang-shi thought about what Lin Huilian and Bai Yang were doing, and then looked at how Wei Luo was dressed. She guessed that Wei Luo was someone from the capital and was afraid of being involved in this. She retreated into her home, closed the door, and said, “Their daughter is getting married today and they went with her!”

Wei Luo’s face paled. She started at the closed door in front of her without moving.

Hearing that woman’s words, she thought of her past life. On the day she had turned fifteen, she had worn a red wedding dress. It was the first time she had worn makeup and put up her hair. She had been dressed up beautifully. Lin Huilian and Bai Yang had helped her walk outside their home.

From a distance, the familiar villagers watched them with complicated expressions. There was sympathy and pity in their eyes… but no one stepped forward to stop them. The boys that had previously asked for her hand in marriage were being held back by their parents and could only look at her sorrowfully. They couldn’t do anything for her.

Then, she was brought to halfway up the mountain. Lin Huilian and Bai Yang dug out their son’s coffin and forced her to kneel and pressed her head down towards the coffin.

The villagers clearly knew that she wasn’t getting married. She was going to be killed. But, why was Ah Dai the only person that helped her?

The more she thought about it, the more scared Wei Luo became. Her heart trembled from icy fear. She didn’t feel any warmth from her hand warmer.

Wei Luo thought of the plight that Ah Dai was facing. She quickly flung down the little cloisonné enamel hand warmer and ran off in the direction of the mountain.

She moved too quickly. Zhao Jie called out, “Ah Luo!”

She couldn’t hear him. The warmth in her eyes had been blown away by the cold wind, only the coldness remained.