Ding Feiyong stepped down from the carriage and strolled to the edge of the ancient road. Gazing at the setting sun on the distant horizon, he stood with his hands behind his back. The evening wind stirred the hem of his plain robe, revealing an old padded cotton jacket washed almost white beneath it.
Ding Wenruo followed silently behind him. Taking a neatly folded Old Cotton Cloak from her bundle, she gently draped it over his shoulders.
Gu Qingzhou stood nearby. After a long silence, he finally asked softly, "Uncle... why not seek refuge at the Knowledge and Practice Institute?"
Ding Feiyong did not turn around. He merely drew the cotton cloak closer about his shoulders and gazed at the last glow of sunset. "Academy Head Wei's righteousness reaches beyond the clouds. To save me, he stood in the snow outside the palace gates for three days and broke with the emperor. Given the emperor's temperament, I fear the Knowledge and Practice Institute will face endless trouble from now on. I will remember this kindness in the depths of my heart, but I cannot impose on him again."
He turned toward Gu Qingzhou, his gaze warm. "But you, Qingzhou-you came all this way to bid me farewell. What plans do you have?"
Gu Qingzhou smiled faintly, his smile light as the breeze, with a touch of carefree ease in the gathering dusk. "Like you, Uncle, I am now a commoner. I only wish to roam the martial world with a sword, travel among mountains and rivers, and see what finer sights this world has to offer beyond the imperial court."
"Why not return to Langzhong with me?"
Ding Feiyong's gaze moved meaningfully between Gu Qingzhou and his daughter. "We can live in seclusion in Langzhong, and you and Wenruo can