Heading South
“I’m sorry…” Ye Youqing instinctively said.
“You’re apologizing again.” Ci Ke sighed, shaking her head in exasperation as if she couldn’t believe it.
Ye Youqing’s arms were empty now. She shook her head, knowing she couldn’t think of a solution, and grabbed Ci Ke’s wrist. Bending down, she said, “Then teach me.”
“Teach you what?” Ci Ke frowned.
“Teach me how to coax you.” Ye Youqing’s lips curved into a smile, watching with interest as Ci Ke’s face turned red, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.
Ci Ke was torn between laughter and tears. Her delicate features scrunched up, “You want me to teach you how to coax me? I have ever seen anyone as stupid as you.”
“Stupid?” Ye Youqing held back her laughter, “But I think it’s good. If you teach me, I won’t be stupid anymore.”
Ci Ke couldn’t bring herself to say it. She couldn’t possibly tell her to hold her; it was too embarrassing. Her elegant brows furrowed, and she turned to leave, only to be pulled back by Ye Youqing, who dragged her over to the table.
“Let go.” Ci Ke said in annoyance.
Ye Youqing struggled to suppress her laughter. She pulled out a chair and sat down. Then, with a tug, she pulled Ci Ke onto her lap.
The position was too embarrassing. Ci Ke instinctively tried to get up, but to her surprise, Ye Youqing wrapped an arm around her waist, not only preventing Ci Ke from standing but also lifting her by the knees, pulling her closer.
Now, her legs were dangling in mid-air.
“Ye Youqing!” Ci Ke struggled in embarrassment until a snow-white sugar fox was placed into her hand. She stopped moving, casting her eyes downward to avoid looking at Ye Youqing.
But no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t deny that she liked being held by Ye Youqing like this. Surrounded by her warmth, it felt more secure than standing on solid ground.
Ye Youqing pressed her forehead against Ci Ke’s shoulder, laughing heartily.
“Have I coaxed you yet?” Ye Youqing’s phoenix eyes curved into crescents as she rested her chin on Ci Ke’s shoulder, asking softly.
Ci Ke gave a barely perceptible nod before relaxing into Ye Youqing’s embrace.
“This is quite nice,” Ci Ke said.
“What’s quite nice?”
“Us, like this, it’s quite nice,” Ci Ke replied. She brought the sugar fox to her mouth, biting off one of its ears with a crunch. The sweet taste melted in her mouth.
Ye Youqing pinched her hand and bit off the other ear.
“I always thought you wouldn’t like me, so being close to you now is enough,” Ci Ke began, her voice smooth and soft.
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Ye Youqing opened her mouth, but the sugar on her tongue tasted unexpectedly bitter.
She reached out and turned Ci Ke’s face towards her, speaking gently, “What do you mean?”
“Nothing,” Ci Ke replied.
“Ci Ke, do you think that after kissing you that day, I could just act like nothing happened?” Ye Youqing asked patiently.
“But we…”
“I like you, Ci Ke,” Ye Youqing said softly. Her hand slowly moved up to touch Ci Ke’s neck, smoothing down the fine strands of hair. Seeing Ci Ke shiver at the touch, she couldn’t help but hold her tighter.
“Do you think after kissing you, I would go back to the capital and find a man to marry?” Ye Youqing laughed.
Ci Ke’s eyes reddened, her back supported by Ye Youqing’s arm. She clutched Ye Youqing’s clothing with her left hand, her gaze lowered in silence.
“You want to hear it, don’t you? You want to hear me say I like you,” Ye Youqing bluntly revealed Ci Ke’s intention, watching as Ci Ke grew increasingly uncomfortable and turned her face away.
“You’re the most awkward person I’ve ever met,” Ye Youqing sighed, flicking the sugar figurine in her hand, “Just like this thing.”
“Well, you never said anything,” Ci Ke muttered guiltily.
“Fine, my fault,” Ye Youqing replied.
Seeing Ci Ke purse her red lips again, Ye Youqing quickly raised her hand, “Okay, I won’t apologize. What do I have to do to coax you this time?”
The beauty before her rolled her eyes, suddenly biting the sugar figurine in half and holding it in her mouth. She then leaned in close, supporting herself on Ye Youqing’s shoulder.
That delicate, alluring face suddenly magnified in front of her, stirring Ye Youqing’s previously calm heart into ripples. Her breath hitched, and she bit down.
Just as their lips were about to touch, the beauty in her arms transformed into a slippery catfish, slipping out of her embrace and running out the door with her skirt flapping.
Left alone on the chair, Ye Youqing sat there biting half of the sugar figurine, stunned for a moment before shaking her head in exasperation and removing the sweet from her mouth.
She looked up at the open door, at the darkening rooftops and the shadows of the trees. Touching her lips with her fingertips, she couldn’t help but chuckle softly, her heart tingling.
Undeniably, ever since Ye Youqing arrived in ancient times, her days in Weizhou have been the most leisurely and free. Every day, she would lazily get out of bed, practice martial arts with Shi Li and Zhou Hong, and after lunch, she would go out for a stroll. Sometimes she would go shopping with Shi Li, and other times she would go on excursions with Ci Ke.
In the evenings, she would follow the fragrant aroma of meals wafting through the streets back to their courtyard. The neighbors had grown accustomed to their presence and would occasionally exchange gifts of fruits, eggs, and other treats, making the place lively and bustling.
All the men who had been taken from Weizhou had been returned, and the dark cloud that once hung over the city had dissipated completely. Harmony and simplicity had reemerged, and Ye Youqing would occasionally hear neighborhood gossip on the streets—who had a baby, who got married. Though the topics were mundane, she found them delightfully interesting.
The woman from across the street, Ah Xian, had returned to the city with her son and a flock of chickens, ducks, fish, and geese. She thanked Ye Youqing profusely, even though she had taken Mian’er away. Yet, the little girl still sneaked into the courtyard from time to time, adding even more warmth to the already bustling place.
Just a few days later, Ma Xiao brought good news: the first batch of iron from the trial smelting had successfully produced iron. Although the quality wasn’t high and the iron was brittle, with some adjustments, it could match the quality produced by wealthy merchants and be suitable for everyday use.
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Ye Youqing then wrote down the “steel casting method” she knew from her past life and had Ma Xiao take it to use for experiments with raw and cooked iron. If they could produce a batch of good steel, they could make fine weapons like knives and axes, which would undoubtedly be useful in the future.
Even though Ye Youqing had not yet started full-scale operations, the ironware produced was quickly sold out in Lincheng. Compared to selling iron ore to wealthy merchants as they had done before, they earned much more silver. Additionally, since the wealthy merchants lost their primary source of ore, their production quickly declined, giving the Iron Cavalry an excellent opportunity.
Old Liu was overjoyed. If it weren’t for Ding Cheng stopping him, he would have dragged his sick body to see Ye Youqing in person. Even though he was stopped, he still wrote several letters, expressing his gratitude profusely.
And so, a month passed quickly. The height of summer transitioned into late summer, and finally, autumn arrived.
Autumn came earlier to Weizhou than to the south. It felt as if, overnight, an autumn breeze swept through. The next morning, when she opened the window, the once green leaves had turned yellow.
The sky was clear and vast, the mountains towering high, piercing the clouds.
After autumn set in, things became more unsettled.
First, there were more and more merchants passing through Weizhou, fleeing from something. It was said that the friction at the border had become severe, with Western Xia troops frequently crossing the boundary to burn, kill, and loot, almost as if they were provoking. Rumor had it that the Western Xia army had already gathered at the border, training their forces, with dark clouds of turmoil making everyone at the borderlands uneasy.
However, Weizhou was remote, and for Western Xia to reach Weizhou, they would have to traverse numerous mountains and cities. The troubled border was far to the northeast, so while the people of Weizhou gossiped endlessly, no one was overly panicked. Life carried on in an orderly fashion.
One morning, the cry of autumn birds startled Ye Youqing awake from her dreams. She threw off her covers and got up. The mornings and evenings were already starting to get chilly, and the thin silk robes were no longer sufficient. Ye Youqing put on a deep blue, thick satin dress that hugged her figure, making her look quite spirited.
When she opened the door, Ci Ke was already outside. She was dressed lightly, her swan-like neck exposed to the brisk wind as she walked, holding a bowl of noodle soup.
“Did you make this?” Ye Youqing quickly reached out to take the bowl and pulled her inside.
“Yes, try it,” Ci Ke said, handing her the chopsticks. Ye Youqing picked up a bite and put it in her mouth. The noodles were smooth and chewy, the broth fresh and delicious.
“What brings you here so early?” Ye Youqing asked, blowing on the hot soup to cool it.
“I had a dream last night, dreamt that you were hungry. So I woke up and made noodles,” Ci Ke replied with a smile.
Ye Youqing cast a suspicious glance at her, about to say something when she suddenly heard a knock at the main door. She quickly stuffed the remaining noodles into her mouth and, cheeks puffed out, went to answer the door.
Standing at the entrance was a tall man with a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. His clothes were still damp with morning dew. Seeing Ye Youqing, he visibly relaxed. “I finally found you, miss!”
“Ma Er?” Ye Youqing was taken aback for a moment and quickly pulled him into the courtyard. Behind him followed a red-maned horse, clopping its hooves as it entered.
Ci Ke heard the commotion and came running. She paused when she saw Ma Er, then jogged over to Ye Youqing and took her hand.
Ma Er nodded at Ci Ke and then urgently handed a letter to Ye Youqing. “This is from Miss Pei Ning. All the shops are bustling as you predicted.”
“That’s good to hear,” Ye Youqing said, smiling as she took the envelope and opened it.
“But Miss Pei Ning also said you should leave Weizhou and head south as soon as possible. Just a few days ago, the Emperor suddenly withdrew most of the Imperial Guards from the south and ordered them to march north overnight to Niangziguan. We all suspect there might be another outbreak of war,” Ma Er sighed.
Mobilizing the army? Ye Youqing’s eyes narrowed, her expression growing more serious. Just as she had expected, the current events had deviated from the original storyline.
“Though Niangziguan is quite far from Weizhou, and the chaos shouldn’t reach here immediately, it’s better to be safe than sorry. That’s why I came urgently to inform you,” Ma Er continued.
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“Moreover, because of this, those who were hunting you have all been withdrawn. It’s now safe for you to head south,” Ma Er added.
Ye Youqing’s expression shifted multiple times before she asked, “Is there any unusual activity in the capital?”
“None. The capital is just as it always is. Only the border areas are tense,” Ma Er replied.
Ye Youqing nodded, pursed her lips, and called for Ma Da to come out and take care of his brother.
Watching Ma Da excitedly drag Ma Er into the kitchen, Ye Youqing’s smile finally faded. She turned around, meeting Ci Ke’s ambiguous gaze.
They locked eyes for a moment before Ye Youqing led Ci Ke into the house, holding her hand. She wrote several notes in succession, carefully folding them and setting them aside.
Ci Ke silently observed her as she meticulously planned everything. Then she noticed a rare moment of hesitation on Ye Youqing’s usually calm face.
“What’s wrong?” Ci Ke asked softly, reaching out to touch Ye Youqing’s hair, then trailing down her smooth cheek to her chin.
Ye Youqing allowed her to touch her, then suddenly asked in a gentle voice, “Ci Ke, will you go back to the capital?”