Xue Niang hadn't expected that Xu Da Niu would get married.
The wedding procession was quite substantial, far more impressive than the girl she had seen on the road with only a red ribbon tied around her hair. Two trumpeters flanked the carriage, and villagers and children followed behind, eager to watch the spectacle.
Xu Da Fu beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear, while the groom in front carried himself with an air of arrogance.
As they reached the foot of the mountain, Xu Da Niu, on an impulse, lifted the curtain of the carriage to look outside. Beneath the willow trees, Xue Niang stood gracefully.
Xu Da Niu's lips curved into a smile, and she lifted her chin high.
She, Xu Da Niu, was highly sought after. Ten taels of silver! In the entire Bozi Village, no other girl commanded such a price.
Those bought for half a tael of silver were simply incomparable.
She didn't need to be a stepmother, nor did she have to share a man with other women. Who cared about Xiao Shan anymore?
Just then, a tall man approached Xue Niang. Xu Da Niu couldn't help but shiver and lowered the curtain.
Xiao Shan cast a contemptuous glance at the wedding procession.
Let the nightmare begin for Xu Da Niu.
"I'll prepare the wedding necessities. Perhaps not many will attend, but—"
"No need, it's not necessary," Xue Niang interrupted Xiao Shan urgently, her demeanor suggesting she couldn't wait to get away.
"It is necessary!" Xiao Shan's expression turned cold.
"Xiao Shan, I really—"
"You have no right to refuse!"
Xue Niang fell silent. She had seen Xiao Shan angry before, but that was directed at others. His anger wasn't displayed on his face; it was hidden deep within his eyes.
Xue Niang knew he was truly angry, angry with her.
I'm sorry, I have to break my promise to you.
A few days later, the new house was completed. Xiao Shan headed into the mountains, planning to hunt more game to treat everyone.
When he returned in the evening, Yu Tou was anxiously pacing in front of the fenced yard.
"Brother Xiao, why did you take so long to return!"
"What's wrong?"
"Sister Xue, she's left the city!"
Yu Tou recounted what he had seen in a few words. Fortunately, he had nothing to do that day. He had followed Brother Xiao's advice, taken the one tael of silver, and gone to the city to buy some decent clothes, intending to find some work.
Wandering around, he spotted Sister Xue. She had boarded a carriage, and he heard the driver say they were heading out of the city. A lone woman leaving the city, how dangerous!
But he couldn't catch up to the carriage; it was moving too fast. He could only run back to report. On the way, he happened to meet Scholar Ge. Scholar Ge was also in a carriage, with another woman inside.
"Brother Xiao, I didn't want to tell anyone, but I was truly afraid Sister Xue might be in trouble, so I told Scholar Ge. Scholar Ge immediately went to chase after them, and I came back to report."
Xiao Shan listened with bated breath. When Yu Tou finished, Xiao Shan's fists clenched with a cracking sound, and his face turned as dark as ink. He ran into the house. On the floor of the bedroom, several large characters were written: Do not seek me! Consider me dead!
"Liar!"
Xiao Shan gnashed his teeth in hatred. The rage could no longer be suppressed. He punched the door, and the wooden panel immediately cracked, creating a large hole.
"Brother Xiao..." Yu Tou stammered, alarmed. "Did you two argue?"
"No!" Xiao Shan was furious and exasperated, wishing he could drag that woman out immediately and slap her a few times. He had never felt so humiliated, being abandoned by a woman again and again!
Had he given her too much leeway?
He should have registered her at the yamen the moment he bought her, making her a slave for life!
While Yu Tou trembled and his mind raced, Xiao Shan had already rushed out like a whirlwind.
He ran all the way to the mountains and put two fingers into his mouth, letting out a series of whistles.
About fifteen minutes later, a strong and sturdy steed galloped through the obstructing trees.
"Qian Hang! Come with me!"
Xiao Shan mounted the horse. The steed raised its front hooves, let out a loud neigh, and galloped away.
...
"Miss, you must be careful. Outside is not like our Lin'an; it's very chaotic. If you don't find your relatives, it's best to return as soon as possible."
The old coachman kindly reminded her before turning the carriage around and heading back towards Lin'an.
Xue Niang adjusted her veil, revealing only her eyes. Ahead lay Xinyu City. It was still four cities away from Yingzhou, her destination being the Xiangshan Water Pavilion hidden in Yingzhou, a place prepared by Qing He for their old age.
That place had been built bit by bit in their daily daydreams.
They had originally planned that after she completed the Goddess Ascension Ceremony and married Brother Wen Tang, Qing He would leave the palace and reside in the Xiangshan Water Pavilion, occasionally traveling. Perhaps one day, she too could shed the burden of being a goddess and live in seclusion in the Water Pavilion, idly watching the peach blossoms.
Alas, life was unpredictable.
Now, it was her turn to guard the Water Pavilion, waiting for Qing He's return.
"Miss Xiao! Get in the carriage!"
Liu Dong Huai leaned out of the carriage, his face more serious than ever.
Xue Niang was somewhat surprised. She hadn't expected to encounter someone from Bozi Village after leaving the city. She was determined to leave, and being discovered was not a happy event.
"Liu Dong Huai, I have things to do. You should leave."
"There have been bandits appearing outside Xinyu City recently. It's very dangerous for a woman alone. Get in the carriage first!"
As dusk fell, Liu Dong Huai cautiously lowered his voice, "Besides, the city gates are already closed. You won't be able to get in at this hour."
The curtain of the carriage was lifted, revealing a round-faced girl with large eyes. "He's telling the truth. Several scholars were robbed here and lost even their clothes."
As Xue Niang hesitated, she heard movement ahead. The coachman exclaimed, "Oh no, it's bandits! Seven or eight of them, hurry into the carriage!"
Liu Dong Huai extended his hand from the carriage, and Xue Niang, with his help, boarded. The coachman quickly turned the carriage around and whipped the horses, speeding towards Lin'an County.
"The city gates are closed!"
The coachman saw the slowly closing gates from a distance and felt a surge of despair. Although they had outrun the bandits behind them, who knew if they would catch up!
Liu Dong Huai made a decisive move. "Run that way!"
They ran along the city wall for an unknown duration until they entered the forest. It was pitch black, startling a flock of roosting birds. With no further path, they finally stopped.
"Brother Dong Huai, I'm scared," the girl in the carriage clutched Liu Dong Huai's arm.
Liu Dong Huai quickly pushed her away and glanced in Xue Niang's direction, though he couldn't see anything clearly.
The coachman called out from outside, "Miss, it looks like there's a house ahead."
"You wait in the carriage. I'll go check," Liu Dong Huai said, alighting from the carriage.
The girl in the carriage also got out, saying fearfully, "Brother Dong Huai, I'll go too. It's too dark here."
The coachman said decisively, "Forget it, let's go together. It's better to have someone to look out for us."
Since he said so, Xue Niang had no choice but to get out of the carriage. She was actually afraid of the dark too, but without Xiao Shan here, she had no right to be afraid.
She hadn't even left yet, and she was already thinking of him.
There was indeed a fire ahead, but it wasn't a house; it was a dilapidated temple.
As the few of them entered, Xue Niang immediately saw those faces that filled her with disgust and fear.