Chapter Six: What kind of person will one become on the journey to Chang'an?

Inside the carriage, a small boy dressed in luxurious light fur clothing is clinging to her calf, gazing up with longing, mumbling a few words in the Central Plains dialect, as if he wishes to go out and play

The nobleman had initially looked down upon the more than ten barbarian bandits he had subdued on the grasslands, but now all that remained was admiration for the young soldier's skill in serving as a guide.

The corner of the curtain of the most exquisitely decorated carriage at the back was lifted, and a proud and aloof maid peeked out, her delicate brows involuntarily furrowing.

Sang Sang was much more tired than him during the day, and soon fell into a deep sleep.

"It is better to have you, this wicked scoundrel, than my distant nephew, who is so good. You refuse to let Sang Sang marry him. Now, look at this situation, with such a girl following you to those places that devour people without leaving a bone! I tell you, you must take good care of my Sang Sang!"

After saying this, he spread his arms wide in the rain, clenched his fists and raised them upwards, revealing his not-so-mighty chest and arms, striking a rather foolish pose, and shouted loudly: "If I can't make something of myself in Chang'an, I won't come back!"

The maid turned her head and sternly reprimanded the little boy for a few moments, then her expression softened as she embraced him, affectionately ruffling his hair

As the sun was about to set, Sang Sang returned holding a large pile of snacks like milk candies. Ning Que was lost in thought, painfully holding a bowl of burnt meat porridge. Upon seeing her, he unceremoniously took the snacks from her and began to stuff them into his mouth, mumbling a question.

Walking not far from the little maid Sang Sang, the servant smiled gently at her, signaling her to put down the heavy firewood and have a conversation.

Ning Que, sitting on the cart, had a very grim expression and replied, "Aunt, you started proposing when Sang Sang was only eight years old; this matter is simply not feasible."

This disdain is, of course, directed towards Ning Que

... ...

At that moment, the convoy rolled over a very shallow grassy creek, and Ning Que was jolted awake by the vibrations. He rubbed his eyes, glanced at the sky, and realized that he had just slept until dusk. He then raised his hand to signal the team to stop and prepare to set up camp

Sang Sang extinguished the stove fire with stream water, carefully confirmed it, and then dragged the hot water bucket towards the small tent. The people on the slope by the stream watched this scene, knowing that the little maid was preparing foot-washing water for Ning Que, and many of them simultaneously displayed expressions of disdain.

... ...

With a tone devoid of emotion and a slightly raised chin, there was no deliberate sense of distance, yet it naturally exuded an air of superiority and nobility. As a personal maidservant serving the princess of the Tang Dynasty, she could command most officials of the empire with ease, let alone someone of Ning Que's insignificant stature.

By the stream, people silently dug the earth, built stoves, and gathered firewood to boil water. A maid disembarked from the precious carriage under special protection, observing Ning Que, who lay comfortably on the grass not far away, rubbing his belly in preparation for a hot pot meal. She also watched the thin, dark-skinned maid who was laboriously fetching water, setting up the pot, and gathering firewood, her brows furrowing increasingly.

After washing his feet, Ning Que burrowed into the woolen blanket, then pulled the icy little feet that reached over from the opposite side into his embrace, letting out a sound that was uncertain whether it was one of enjoyment or pain. After yawning twice, he said: "Let's sleep"

At the front, the relatively simple cart was occupied by a young soldier named Ning Que. Observing his constant nodding and swaying, it seemed as if he was about to fall asleep. As a guide, he was supposed to lead the entire team in the right direction, yet most of the time he was dozing off, which could hardly be considered competent.

Sang Sang cast a glance at Ning Que, and only after he nodded did she walk over. The delicate maid took out a handkerchief from her waist, but Sang Sang shook her head—despite having done so much hard work, not a single bead of sweat had emerged on the maid's forehead

The young man, with three old swords strapped to his back, stood in the rain and saluted with a fist and palm, unexpectedly exuding a sense of grandeur.

It has been several days since leaving Weicheng, and every decision made by the young man along the way has proven to be correct in hindsight. Whether it is from the perspectives of route selection, campsite location, security defense, water and food usage, or ease of escape, no flaws can be found. What is even more impressive is that the speed of the caravan's journey is quite fast.

Ning Que, though lacking, was unaware of when he reopened his eyes. His gaze seemed to penetrate the tent, which bore many scars, resting upon the starry sky and then upon a handkerchief.

A strong and powerful guard standing nearby rose and glanced at her. She shook her head, signaling that he need not follow, and walked along the creek bank, passing through the cooking smoke.

Night falls

As one moves further away from Weicheng, one naturally distances oneself from the grasslands. The spring drought troubling the barbarian tribes and the newly appointed Chanyu has not affected this place. The spring breeze has turned the branches and grass green, then stained the wheels and hooves, occasionally attracting a few butterflies that chase each other endlessly

The ironwood wheels rolled over the damp, soft mud as the noble's carriage slowly set off, heading towards the outskirts of Weicheng. Five soft-rope carts followed closely behind, drawing attention at any time of the year along the border. Today, indeed, many people had come to bid farewell, but their focus was not on the noble's horse team; rather, it was on the young boy and the little maid sitting in the first cart. Occasionally, boiled eggs were handed up, and now and then, a plump aunt with a flushed face wiped her eyes with a dirty handkerchief, crying and saying something.

Ning Que spent half a day digging on the earthen wall outside, eventually unearthing a long bag. He carefully examined the bow and arrows inside for a long time, confirming there were no issues before handing them over. Sang Sang took them and stuffed them into a large bundle made of cotton cloth. She then retrieved three slightly rusted straight swords from under the fence. Ning Que took them, wiped them carefully a few times, looked at the blade edge against the morning sun, nodded slightly, and then tightly secured them to his back with a cord made of hare fur.

The steed gallops between the meadows and hills, its soft reins sometimes taut like iron and at other times gently drooping like leaves. The luxurious carriage, layered with several blankets and quilts, gently sways and bounces in response. The young maid, with her delicate features, gazes blankly out the window at the swiftly retreating scenery. Perhaps she is reminded of the northern lands where the yellow sand dances with the wind, her facial expression appearing somewhat stiff, yet her eyes are filled with a sense of anticipation and eagerness for the unknown future

"Why does she enjoy chatting with you so much? Doesn't she realize I haven't had a proper meal in days... This kind of cheap sympathy from the privileged is sometimes misplaced. Look at her smile, like a wolf grandmother wanting to eat little girls, thinking she is gentle and appropriate, more fake than the watered-down wine sold in the tavern of Weicheng"

Just as the convoy was about to leave this small border town, Ning Que stood up from the carriage and bowed to the surroundings.

The maid did not turn to look at him and said淡淡地: "I do not like you, so there is no need for you to try to get close to me. People like you may appear youthful and pleasant on the surface, treating others with warmth and kindness, but in reality, you are filled with a sense of decay and obsolescence, which is quite repulsive."

"No more locking it up." Ning Que paused for a moment and said, "In the future... perhaps it will be very difficult for us to return."

Please provide the text you would like to have translated from Traditional Chinese to English.

What have you all been discussing these past few days? Ning Que asked

Sang Sang furrowed her delicate brows, struggling to recall for a long time, and replied: "It seems... you know I don't really like to talk... Most of the time, it was her talking about things on the grassland, but I also forgot what exactly she said."

"She is a good person." Sang Sang picked up the porridge beside him, lifted the curtain, and prepared to leave to make it again, but he called her back.

After a few teasing shouts filled with laughter, a light drizzle suddenly began to fall from the sky, as if threads finer than silk were sprinkling down upon the people, bringing a slight chill. However, none of the farewell attendees chose to leave; the families of the soldiers from Weicheng were busy bidding farewell to Ning Que and settling the final debt issues with him, while the crowd remained in a state of endless commotion.

In the only decent tavern in Weicheng, Ma Shixiang and several trusted lieutenants were drinking. The nobles did not require them to see them off, and they were too lazy to send off that kid Ning Que. However, they clearly observed the scene before them. One lieutenant, recalling Ning Que's words while standing on the carriage, couldn't help but sigh, "If he can't make something of himself, he won't come back? Then it seems this utterly unremarkable kid really finds it hard to return."

Perhaps it is due to the strong winds and sands of the frontier that have thickened his skin, for there is not a trace of embarrassment in his smile.

Upon hearing these words, Ning Que's mood instantly improved significantly. He hummed a little tune softly, savoring the delicious milk candy, and said: "Next time I talk to you, remember to charge her, or it would be nice to bring back more of this milk candy."

Ning Que dozed off on the yoke, appearing as if he might fall from the swiftly galloping carriage at any moment. Thus, the young maid Sang Sang remained vigilant by his side, striving to support him with her frail and petite frame. Her dark little face obscured her expression, yet it was evident that she was enduring great hardship.

He has only one small maid, while the noblewoman has countless maidservants. The only small maid was taken away by one of the noblewoman's numerous maidservants to gossip. The noblewoman has other servants to attend to her, yet he has no choice but to gather firewood, boil water, and cook for himself.

... ...

The reason for the maid's indifferent expression is not because of this, but rather due to a detail she observed in the scene.

As soon as these words were spoken, it was akin to the storyteller striking the wooden clapper to signal the beginning of the performance, and also reminiscent of a bloodied human head falling to the ground, prompting the crowd by the roadside to collectively cheer.

Recalling the gold-edged handkerchief that the maid had pulled out, he realized that his suspicions were indeed correct, yet he did not know what good it would do him even if he had guessed it.

Ning Que smiled and shook his head, then turned and walked towards the earthen stove by the stream

... ...

To all gentlemen and ladies, I will not elaborate on my words of gratitude and the illustrations.

She acknowledged that this boy named Ning Que indeed possessed some abilities, far surpassing those self-proclaimed talents among the young men of the capital, Chang'an. If he were truly a noble son of Chang'an, such behavior might have elicited a degree of admiration from her. However, he was ultimately just a coarse and lowly youth, yet he exploited a young girl who should have shared both joys and hardships with him. Unbeknownst to him, he touched upon a certain aspect of her inner feelings, which made her extremely displeased. Thus, such behavior might have elicited a degree of admiration from her, yet he was ultimately just a coarse and lowly youth, exploiting a young girl who should have shared both joys and hardships with him, unknowingly touching upon a certain aspect of her inner feelings, which made her extremely displeased.

Having completed their preparations for the journey, Ning Que and Sang Sang stepped over the dilapidated fence one after the other. Both turned back to glance at the small bluestone courtyard and the little broken grass hut. Sang Sang looked up at his chin and asked, "Young Master, should we lock the door?"

Setting up camp right after waking up may seem somewhat irresponsible and frivolous, yet no one in the team raised any objections to his arrangements

In the early morning, the master and servant awoke, beginning to pack their belongings in the dim, hazy light of dawn. Occasionally, there were disputes, but more often, there was silence

Beside the table filled with wine, Master Xiang reflected on the three brief sentences that Ning Que had said to him late last night. Unable to resist, he gently stroked his floral beard, feeling a deep sense of comfort in his old heart. Watching the carriage gradually drive out of the city gate, he smiled and softly said: "It's just as well you don't come back, you scoundrel. Go and wreak havoc on the outside world."

The curtain was lifted at one corner by the wind, and the spring breeze brushed against a face that was no longer as tender as it had been in previous years. The maid squinted slightly as she gazed toward the front of the procession, her expression not looking particularly pleasant.

He took a black umbrella from behind the door and used the last remaining piece of plush grass rope to tie it securely to Sang Sang's back. The material of this black umbrella is unknown, but it always seems to be covered with a layer of dark grease, lacking any shine and appearing somewhat heavy. Moreover, it is evident that this umbrella is quite large; even when folded and secured, it nearly drags on the ground when strapped to Sang Sang's thin and petite frame.

... ...

At this moment, Ning Que finally got up from the meadow, brushed off the grass clippings from his body, wiped away the green grass juice from his cotton shirt, and smiled while performing a respectful bow.