Chapter 222 (2/2)

The sudden introduction of the element of simplicity into her life had caused her to forget about many things. However, from time to time, she recalled the story that she had told the young man in that dilapidated courtyard many years ago.

”The king built a paradise for the woman he loved. There were many wonderful things there. Streams of water flowed upwards; colorful gardens floated in the air, along with rivers made of wine, whose aroma spread far and wide. Golden statues and silver walls, which glowed as bright as the sun, enhanced the splendor of the palace. That paradise ultimately became a wonder of the world, recognized by many, as it signaled the undying love between the king and his lover.”

Half of her life had passed. Some people stayed; some people left. Some people lost their way, while some people were unable to find their way. Even if she remembered some of these memories, how would she be able to salvage the relationships that had been lost? After all, everything had passed.

Her group arrived at Xiu Ridge the next day. The streams flowed down from above; the trees and flowers were dense, their leaves appearing a lush green. If not for the hurried state they were in, it would have been a great place to relax. However, on the evening of the third day, a torrential downpour delayed their journey. The mountain roads were muddy and treacherous. On the afternoon of the fourth day, they arrived at Qingheng River with great effort, only to discover that the only bridge there had been destroyed due to the rain. Another group of people who seemingly wanted to cross the river were giving their best efforts to repair the bridge, but were limited in their progress due to manpower constraints.

There were only two options to choose from. They could either turn back and travel towards Song, which would add over ten days to their journey. The second option was to wait for the bridge to be repaired before they crossed the river.

Chu Qiao gave her hired bodyguards and horsemen ten taels of silver each. The honest men, who could not hide their elation, instantly sought to join in the reconstruction efforts of the bridge. A short while later, Pingan walked to the side of the horse carriage and said, ”Sister, someone from the opposite side was sent here to thank us.”

Chu Qiao, seeing that the other party had no intention to speak to her personally, answered in reply, ”Go and tell them that since we're on the same way, there's no need to thank us.”

The sky swiftly darkened; the thunder rumbled on by the horizon. The weather was unusually humid. Chu Qiao raised the curtains of the carriage slightly. Seeing the dark clouds at the west, she anticipated another downpour in a short while.

Meixiang, along with a few servants, prepared some porridge with meat. Chu Qiao saw that the people near the river crossing were quiet in their movements. The servants were busy repairing the bridge, while a simple horse carriage, covered in green cloth, stood under a tree. Under the evening light, the horse carriage glowed a bright red. As the winds blew against the carriage, raising the curtains slightly, a golden-white pair of boots could be seen. Evidently, the person in the carriage was a noble of high status.

Meixiang brought along some guards and called out to each porridge together. Seeing that, Chu Qiao instructed her to give the extra porridge to the other party. Yet, when Mei Xiang returned, she was holding on a paper package. After opening up, one could see that it was filled with luxurious snacks and even two big pieces of beef jerky.

”That person knows how to repay favors,” Meixiang smiled as she picked up a piece of pastry. As she sniffed it, she said, ”It smells like the millefeuille from Yufu Place at Baishui Pass. Miss, smell this. Does it resemble the goods that we imported from Baishui?”

Chu Qiao frowned as she grabbed the piece of pastry. She looked at it for a while before she replied quietly, ”It's not the same. The pastries we buy is of a middle grade. It's not so crispy. These pastries will not be able to last a long journey. I think the other party bought it to eat along the way.”

Meixiang was slightly awed. Although she did not have to worry about life's basic necessities all these years, she had been born into an impoverished family after all. She muttered, ”It's such an expensive snack. How generous of them.”

Jingjing had been ill the past few days, as she drifted in and out of her sleep. As she smelt the fragrance of the pastry, without even looking at it, she called out towards Meixiang and pleaded, ”Sister Mei, I want to eat.”

”It's better to be cautious. We don't know who these people are. Meixiang, find a place to dispose of this thing. Don't eat it.”

Meixiang nodded in agreement as she replied, ”Miss, you are right.”

After a long period where the thunder rumbled and the wind howled, the night descended back into silence. As the sky completely darkened, the bridge was finally repaired. The group of people seemed to be rushing off. They sent someone over to greet Pingan, as they packed up and left. Chu Qiao was not willing to waste any more time. As the group of people crossed the river, she followed behind them. However, as they approached the river crossing, she saw the porcelain basin, which Meixiang had used to prepare the porridge, standing amongst a patch of weeds. The porridge inside was untouched, as a few wild rats enjoyed their slice of good fortune.

Chu Qiao let the curtains of the carriage down. She leaned quietly against a soft cushion as she started to frown.

Who were these people? Were they related to that matter?

As Chu Qiao thought of the recent unusual movements along the imperial mausoleum at Mei Mountain, she started to worry for Li Ce.

Hopefully, I'm just thinking too much.