Chapter 4, Meng Tinghui (Part 1)
Her mind was unable to think quickly, yet her legs instinctively took a few steps forward, her heels feeling weak.
She never expected that fate would be so kind to her, granting her the opportunity to speak with him so much
The day before, in the Bo Feng Building, she clearly observed that the elegantly dressed man in the blue robe was still able to heed his commands, suggesting that he was certainly not an ordinary individual
She silently noted in her heart and pretended to be surprised, saying: "What is your surname, young master? I had a friend with the surname He when I was young, but we lost contact many years ago. I see that you bear some resemblance to my old friend. May I ask your name, young master?"
She stood still, her hands clasped in front of her, and then softly asked him: "May I ask, what is your esteemed surname, young sir?"
She came to her senses, her mind seemingly tangled with countless threads. The cleverness she usually displayed was nowhere to be found at this moment. After a long pause, she finally replied, "... let me take a look."
He did not turn around, merely nodding slightly.
She watched his silhouette, her heart pounding.
If one must think carefully even about their own name, how can that name be considered trustworthy
The man loosened the reins and said succinctly, "What."
She squinted her eyes and looked for a long time, suddenly startled by the picture book, and stood up abruptly
The man turned around and said, "Miss, is there anything else?"
With a long arm, the whip is raised high, and the heavy fall strikes the horse's rear
She ran forward quickly for a few steps and called out to him
"Miss?" The man's voice became somewhat hesitant
He intended to whip the reins, but his hand paused, and he turned the horse's head back, lowering his gaze towards her: "Miss, you seem somewhat familiar."
Before she could react, the horse had already stopped in front of her. In the next moment, the person dismounted and stood firmly before her
The winding path outside the city is covered in dust, with a gentle breeze bringing a coolness in the early morning
At that moment, the person turned around and looked this way. Upon seeing her, he hesitated for a moment, then kicked the horse's belly and galloped over.
Meng Tinghui stopped in front of an abandoned old temple, bent down to sweep away the thick dust on the steps, then sat down, took out a book from his chest, leaned his body against the dirty wooden pillar, and began to read.
He ... ...
Moreover, ten years ago
She looked up at him and spoke word by word
He repeated it once more, then turned to the side, "I remember the young lady is a student from the Chongzhou Women's Academy. I hope you will not disappoint the Emperor's efforts in establishing education. Study diligently for the examinations, and perhaps in the future, we may have the chance to meet again."
The rising sun, resplendent in its red glory, ascended from the east, casting a sprinkle of warm light upon her head, a comfort that made her involuntarily let out a soft sigh
How could it be him
He is truly a person who values words as precious
The horse's black mane is long and shiny, reflecting a metallic luster under the sunlight, which dazzles her eyes.
The man shook his head, his expression still distant: "That is not necessary. I visited the area around Chao'an North Road many years ago, so I still recognize the roads. However, ten years have passed, and there are quite a few new official roads outside the North City of Chongzhou. I just saw them and couldn't confirm right away, which is why I wanted to ask you, miss."
He Du
The gaps on the pages were hastily filled in by her. The tiny characters now appeared drowsy, and she casually adjusted her clothing, closing her eyes to rest.
She then said: "Since you are not from Chongzhou, you must know that the road to Qingzhou is winding and easy to get lost. It would be better to find someone to accompany you on your journey to Qingzhou"
Since heaven has been so kind to her, how could she miss the opportunity again
She pressed her lips together, her gaze never leaving his face: "Although the road on the left is a shortcut, it is narrow and perilous; the road on the right, while wide and flat, requires a significant detour around the mountain. Since you, young master, are visiting distant relatives, I assume you are not in a hurry, so I suggest you take the road on the right."
But she did not want him to carry her away like this again, leaving not even a name behind
She looked at him, nodded slightly, but for a moment could not think of anything to say to keep him a little longer, only watching him express his gratitude and turn away, taking the reins to mount the horse
Suddenly, the sound of hooves echoed from a distance, gradually growing louder, then slowly coming to a stop
She silently recited it once, but a glimmer of cunning flashed in her eyes
Dozens of zhang away, on the side of the official road, light dust swirls in the air. A person is guiding a horse, lingering at the intersection, hesitating to proceed, holding the reins loosely, seemingly unsure of which path to take
The man did not expect her to respond with a question. His gaze lingered on her face for a moment before he replied: "I am visiting a distant relative."
A coarse neigh shattered the surrounding gentle breeze, and yellow dust rose with the hooves, heading straight towards the distant official road
Does he remember https://www.hetushu.com? ... That rainy night from ten years ago ...
She looked at him, fully aware that he was likely deceiving her, yet she still smiled and said, "Since we are visiting distant relatives, let us take the road on the right."
She could not help but open her eyes, curiously looking ahead. She wondered who would ride out of the city so early and come to such a place
Just a moment ago, she was still thinking about him, and now he has truly appeared before her!
She trembled all over
Had it not been for that governmental decree from years ago, she might never have encountered that person in her lifetime
But as a man of noble status, why does he wish to travel alone to Qingzhou?
Meng Tinghui
The sound of bells ringing in worship seemed to echo in her ears, reminiscent of those countless mornings from many years ago... Had it not been for the sudden political orders that year, perhaps she would have spent her entire life in the nunnery
This place is desolate, yet my heart remains at peace
"Miss," his eyes sparkled, and his voice was deep, "May I ask, is the road to Qingzhou on the left side?"
Young Master
Meng Tinghui
He intends to conceal his identity from her
The man looked up towards the distant mountains, his brow slightly furrowed. After a moment, he softly said, "Thank you, Miss." He then led his horse down the path to the left.
She stared blankly at the face before her, this face—
The man raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "From the tone of the young lady, both paths can lead to Qingzhou?" Upon seeing her nod, he asked again, "Why is it that when visiting distant relatives, one takes the right path? What is the difference between these two roads?"
The man complied and stepped aside.
Seeing that he was truly about to leave this time, she hurriedly said, "Since Master He has said so, I presume your home is in the capital?"
She lowered her eyelashes, sighed deeply, yet still nodded her head.
She stepped forward and passed by him, taking a deep breath with her back turned, feeling a bit cooler in her heart and clearer in her mind. Then, she pretended to look towards the distant intersection before turning back to him and smiling, saying: "May I ask what brings you to Qingzhou, young sir?"
He looked at her again and said, "We met yesterday at the Bo Feng Building, didn't we?"
He stood upright on his horse and looked her over seriously, "Since we are so fated, may I ask for your name, miss?"
The man lowered his eyes, thought for a moment, and then said: "Just a single character, 'Du' (meaning 'alone')." He then pulled the reins again and added: "However, my family is not originally from Chongzhou, so it seems that I am not an old friend of the young lady."