Chapter 3 - Sansheng is the only one for me (1/2)

I was no stranger to the capital.

Having once been chased around the city by the old monk for more than three months, I’d gone to all the places I needed to go and been to all the places I needed to be; there wasn’t a thing left for me to be curious about.

I was anxious to find Moxi, but since I didn’t want him to know I was so attached to him, I didn’t dare to look for him in the open. It hadn’t been long since he was recommended to be an official. As it was still the beginning, he must be having a hard time with little fame to speak of. I took to the streets to ask around, but no one had any information to offer. There were times when I thought to go to the palace to find him, but the imperial family was surrounded by such resplendent royal air that it suffocated me, and so I could only give up the idea in the end.

After debating back and forth, I decided that during the day I would wait for luck to smile on me, and then at night, go to high-ranking officials’ homes to search for Moxi’s whereabouts.

I had thought at first that looking for Moxi in person would yield better odds than trying to wait around for luck, but my luck ended up surprising me with its remarkable felicity.

That day, the capital was filled with sunshine. I was idly walking down the streets as I tapped a stalk of scallion onto my romance novel. Suddenly, I heard a commotion ahead where groups of people were beginning to amass. In a moment of curiosity, I stuffed the book away, flung the scallion to the side, and walked over to catch the show.

This show turned out to be a rather interesting one. It was a very dramatic “the water flows on with no regards for the flower’s feelings” story that was unfolding.

The ‘indifferent water’ was precisely my husband Moxi, and the ‘falling flower’, if I wasn’t wrong, should be the general’s beloved daughter, Shi Qianqian.

How did I know? Well, largely because her boudoir ornaments weren’t too shabby.

I’d been selling a lot of jewelry these days, and hers fetched in the most money.

Shi Qianqian was lying dejectedly on the ground. Her ankle seemed to be hurt. She was looking at Moxi with a pair of peach eyes streaming in tears, but Moxi’s gaze just indifferently swept past her before he turned away. Then, Shi Qianqian rushed forward to catch his hem. Unfortunately, Moxi avoided her quick as a flash, landing her on the ground and causing her face to be smeared in dirt.

The crowd of onlookers sighed pityingly at Shi Qianqian who lay sprawling on the ground in embarrassment, stubbornly biting her lips with reddened eyes. She looked so fragile that it made me feel sorry for her.

Yet Moxi was altogether unmoving. Without giving her one single glance out of the corner of his eyes, he quickly walked away.

Hmm, I rubbed my chin thinking. Moxi had never given me such a look since the day I fostered him since he was nine. I hadn’t thought he’d be such a cold-hearted man away from home.

The young lady was very stubborn. After Moxi left, the others tried to help her but she would not let them, instead choosing to stand up herself. Thinking that she who liked Moxi must certainly be a good-hearted girl who knew right from wrong, I conjured a small spell and treated her injured ankle. Paying little attention to the surprise on her face, I turned around and chased after my Moxi.

Moxi was entering a small tavern. I stopped under a weeping willow next to the building, unable to take another step for the tavern had become different today. It was exuding the same intense royal air as did the imperial palace. I stared up to the second floor where a man dressed in blue was leaning against the window and drinking by himself.

The emperor.

The emperor of this particular world was a fairly wise ruler. Peace and prosperity reigned the land in this good era. Unfortunately, his general wielded so much power that the young emperor was having sleepless nights, and was now thinking of ways to strip the general of his military control.

It hadn’t been long since Moxi arrived in the capital yet he could already meet the emperor in private. It seemed he must’ve thought of an excellent way to help the monarch eliminate his major concern.

While I was appreciating how smart Moxi was, a man dressed in Daoist robes suddenly emerged from the alley next to the tavern.

The Imperial Reverend. This was the most powerful priest in the world, and I instantly recognized him. In the past, the old monk who hunted me down had also entreated this man to help him catch me.

I could already foresee another struggle seeing that I was running into him again.

As I was lamenting how shitty life was, he unexpectedly shot me a look, then turned around and left. While I was left in puzzlement, I suddenly heard a soft voice calling from the second floor of the tavern: “Sansheng!”

It was Moxi who saw me from the window.

Having nowhere to hide, I smiled at him in answer. “I’ve come because I miss you every second of the day and the nights are far too long without you. Let’s haste our wedding along, Moxi.”

As soon as I finished, the streets went dead silent for a long stretch of time. Moxi blushed at this long silence.

“Hahaha.” Behind him came the emperor’s hearty laughter. “What a bold beauty. Moxi, you have quite the luck!”

Moxi bowed to the emperor and made a rush downstairs. I beamed at him. Moxi walked over, looking as though he was doing everything he could to rein back his joy. He knitted his brow and asked, “Why have you come to find me so soon? I had thought I’d have to wait another six months. Since you came all alone, did you have a hard journey? Did you encounter any trouble on the way? Are you hungry? Do you want to rest?”

I just looked at him with a smile.

Moxi gave me a good look and said, “I’ve worried for nothing. Sansheng would never let herself suffer. How did you find me?”

“I saw you on the street just now.”

Moxi’s smiling face slightly stiffened. He hurried to explain: “Sansheng, that’s…”

“I know, the girl who likes you.”

He carefully observed my face. “Her looks aren’t bad,” I said, “but she’s a bit short, so she’s not the one for you.”

“But of course,” Moxi laughed at my words. “Sansheng’s the only one for me.”

I patted his shoulder in high spirits. “I’m glad you know.”

“I’ll go say goodbye to His Majesty, and then I’ll take you back to rest.”

“Alright.”

It turned out Moxi did not live in the palace, nor did he lodge at some minister’s home. Instead, he bought a quiet cabin, the layout of which was very similar to the plum compound he and I had lived in.

After supper, I pulled Moxi out for a walk in the small garden.

“The capital is very different from the small town we used to live in. You must not have been accustomed to living here by yourself?”