Returning Home

Returning Home

Outside Jingzhou City, a carriage raced along at full speed.

Zheng Fa lifted the carriage curtain and praised Gao Yuan, who was driving, "I never expected you to know how to drive a carriage too!"

Gao Yuan flicked the whip and urged the horses onward, smiling as well. "The Six Arts of a gentleman: rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. While everyone else studied calligraphy or archery, my father had me learn charioteering."

Zheng Fa admired him even more. "Your honored father truly possesses the air of antiquity. There are not many scholars who learn to drive carriages these days."

The Six Arts of a gentleman were already something of an ancient concept. As for charioteering, very few scholars truly cared about it.

"Uh, my father probably did not see it that way." Gao Yuan grinned. "This was what my father said: learning other things costs too much money. If I fail at studying, at least I will still have a skill to put food on the table!"

"Your honored father possesses quite the... wisdom for survival."

A surge of respect for the unseen Steward Gao rose naturally within Zheng Fa.

Inside the carriage, Seventh Young Master raised a fist to his mouth to hide the curl of his lips, then frowned. "Pull down the curtain. There's dust everywhere."

Most roads in this world were dirt roads. As the horses' hooves passed over them, they kicked up clouds of dust.

Zheng Fa lowered the curtain and turned to look inside the carriage.

This was the carriage Seventh Young Master used when traveling. Like the Red Pearl Ox from before, the horses pulling it also possessed spiritual beast bloodlines.

The furnishings inside were worlds apart from the ox cart Zheng Fa had ridden in.

There was a main seat in the carriage, covered in thick fur rugs, and Seventh Young Master was sprawled lazily upon it.

Zheng Fa sat down. The cushion beneath him was soft and springy, seemingly even able to absorb shocks. Despite the carriage speeding along, he felt not the slightest bump.

Seventh Young Master pulled out a small drawer from beneath the armrest of the main seat.

Several jade boxes were stacked inside the drawer.

Seventh Young Master moved very gently. With his personality, this cautious appearance was something Zheng Fa had never seen before.

He opened one jade box. Inside lay a palm-sized sheet of yellow paper.

Before Zheng Fa could make out what the paper looked like, it spontaneously ignited without wind, turning in an instant into wisps of green smoke.

The next moment, a breeze—a cool, fresh breeze—appeared out of nowhere within the carriage.

The dust that had entered the carriage earlier was swept away by the wind, leaving only a faint fragrance of grass and trees. It seeped into their lungs and refreshed their hearts.

Zheng Fa felt as though even his breathing had become clearer.

"What is this?"

"Mm, talisman paper." Seventh Young Master put the jade box away. "This is the cheapest kind, the Clear Wind Talisman. Oh, one Clear Wind Talisman alone could support your family for ten years."

Zheng Fa bared his teeth.

Gao Yuan curiously stuck his head into the carriage as well. "Talisman paper? Let me see, let me see!"

"Watch the road!" Seventh Young Master nearly jumped up.

"I've just never seen a real immortal talisman before!" Gao Yuan pulled his neck back.

"When we get back, I'll send you straight home!" Seventh Young Master continued to grumble.

Neither Zheng Fa nor Gao Yuan cared much about it.

After spending more time with him these past few days, even Gao Yuan had to admit that aside from not knowing how to speak properly, having a foul mouth, irritating people the moment he opened it, and being likely to get beaten to death outside—

He did not have many other faults.

As for sending him home, this fellow had said it no fewer than a hundred times over the past two days.

Instead, Gao Yuan said enviously, "Zheng Fa, you're really going home this time. You can even bring your mother and sister into the city. Madam treats you so well!"

At those words, Seventh Young Master's expression grew uncomfortable instead.

He recalled the instruction his mother had given him two days ago and always felt that there was some other intention behind this favor.

He had actually come along this time because his mother had mentioned it.

His mother's reasoning was that if they were going to bestow a favor, they should lower themselves and leave no room for others to find fault.

Still a youth, Seventh Young Master could not help feeling as if this trip of his carried ulterior motives.

While he was still tangled in his thoughts, Zheng Fa's voice sounded. "Mm, Madam treats me very well. Seventh Young Master came too, and that is very good as well."

Seventh Young Master raised his head and saw Zheng Fa smiling at him, as though he could understand his faint guilt. Zheng Fa said heavily, "Truly very good."

Zheng Fa had indeed seen through some of Madam's intentions.

As Gao Yuan had said, in everyone else's eyes, this was Madam's favor and esteem toward his family. So long as he retained even a little concern for his reputation and conscience in the future, no matter what he achieved, he would have to remember this kindness and surely repay it.

If he thought more poorly of Madam, perhaps she also intended to keep his mother and sister under the Zhao Family's control...

But honestly, Zheng Fa did not think much of it. In the end, Madam could let him reunite with his mother and sister, and she could let them live better lives.

That was enough.

As for everything else, judge deeds, not hearts.

Seventh Young Master froze, looking somewhat embarrassed. He pressed his lips together and did not look at Zheng Fa.

He turned and lifted the curtain to look outside, muttering, "I've never visited the estate before. This time, I want to take a proper look!"

At the estate.

The sun was nearly setting, yet Zheng Fa's mother still stood at the doorway, anxiously peering outside.

Only when the sky gradually darkened—

Did a small figure appear, carrying a bamboo basket three times the size of her head as she slowly skipped toward the Zheng family's door.

"Shan'er!" Mother Zheng hurried forward, took the basket from her daughter's hands, and looked her over from head to toe.

Zheng Shan's trouser cuffs were stained with mud, and sweat beaded on her forehead.

Only after seeing that her daughter was whole and unhurt did Mother Zheng let out a long breath. Angrily, she reached out and pinched Zheng Shan's ear. "Why are you back so late? Do you know your mother was worried sick!"

"Mother! It hurts!" Zheng Shan cried, tilting her head as she explained, "I wasn't playing! I took the long way..."

"You took a detour?" Mother Zheng released her and asked.

"Yes. Wang Gui has been blocking the road and picking on me these past few days. I was scared, so I took the long way around." Zheng Shan nodded.

"Wang Gui... he's getting more and more outrageous!"

Mother Zheng frowned.

"His father doesn't even discipline him!" Zheng Shan muttered angrily as well.

Mother Zheng sighed. Ever since her son had refused Steward Wang's family's silver, Wang Gui's bullying of Zheng Shan had only grown worse.

Because of Zheng Fa, he did not dare truly hurt Zheng Shan, but he could still make her miserable enough.

As for Steward Wang?

Now that he knew Zheng Fa's attitude toward his family, he was likely unwilling to restrain Wang Gui either.

Since Zheng Fa was still serving as a bookboy at Zhao Residence, he naturally would not act personally.

But over such trivial matters, afterward they could simply say that children did not know any better.

"Don't tell your brother about this when he comes back," Mother Zheng suddenly said. "Tomorrow, Mother will go gather pigweed leaves."

"I'll go! Ever since Brother left, Mother has done all the work at home. I can go—I just need to avoid Wang Gui. Brother used to do even more work than I do!" Zheng Shan clutched the basket and refused.

"Don't tell your brother."

Mother Zheng lovingly wiped the sweat from her daughter's forehead with her sleeve, then reminded her once more.

"I won't tell him. Mother said that Brother must have it hard too, serving as a bookboy at Zhao Residence." Zheng Shan nodded firmly. "We can't make Brother worry about us."

Mother Zheng drew her sensible daughter into her arms.

Zheng Shan rubbed herself affectionately against her mother's embrace, then suddenly complained in a tattling tone:

"Wang Gui even said Brother was living it up at Zhao Residence, eating rich food and drinking fine wine. He told me to beg Brother to take me into the city so I could enjoy the good life too!"

"That won't do! Your brother has no one to rely on at Zhao Residence. He is already treading on thin ice himself—how could he have that kind of standing? Saying such things would make people think he is frivolous!"

"I know. He just wants Brother to end up like him, get beaten with the board, and be driven back!" Zheng Shan lifted her head, her face full of proud certainty that she understood everything. "Whenever Brother gets something delicious, he always brings some back for me!"

As she spoke, she licked her lips, as though recalling the delicacies from that food box before.