Chapter 28: My Heart is Yours

Though trying to save money, comfort was also important, so the four of them rented two double rooms, each with two narrow beds. Hemu and Heshangxiang shared one room, while Heshun stayed with Ah Xun in the other.

After settling in, it was already late. After a day of traveling and encountering thieves, everyone was exhausted and tired. They agreed on the plan for the next day and rested early.

That night, Ah Xun’s heart was anxious and conflicted, and she had a restless sleep. Her thoughts were consumed with being with Hemu, continuing the peaceful life in the small village. But when she thought of her family, she couldn’t help but wonder if they were in distress because of her disappearance.

Ah Xun wasn’t particularly curious about her own background, but she couldn’t help wanting to know more about her past, who she was, and what kind of family she came from. Like Heshun said, without knowing her true identity, how could Hemu’s marriage to her be accepted? 

So this journey was inevitable, whether for Hemu’s sake or her own. She just hoped that whatever the outcome, it wouldn’t obstruct her relationship with Hemu.

The next morning, Heshun woke up the earliest. Hearing some noise, Ah Xun got up as well. After freshening up, she waited in front of Hemu’s room for her to wake up.

The two girls had been exhausted the day before and were still sleeping soundly. At the end of the rooster’s crowing, they were still asleep.

Heshun didn’t have the heart to wake them, so she wandered around the courtyard of the inn. 

The inn was almost full, and Heshun observed the comings and goings of merchants checking in and out. The elderly couple who ran the inn were kind-hearted, so she thought she might strike up a conversation with them while they were busy.

Mr. Ding, the innkeeper, had just taken someone to their room and was returning to the lobby. Heshun, with hands behind her back, leisurely approached and said, “Brother, your business is really flourishing.”

“Ah, my friend, this is just the busy season. Normally, we don’t get so many guests. Taxes are heavy, but we’re just getting by,” Mr. Ding replied with a warm smile. “How was your rest last night?”

“Haha, it was really good, your prices are reasonable. I slept soundly,” Heshun said. After a few casual exchanges, she saw that Mr. Ding was very friendly and decided to ask, “Brother Ding, do you happen to know if any wealthy family around Pingzhou has lost a young master?”

She then called Ah Xun over and briefly explained the incident of finding her a month ago.

“Never heard of it,” Mr. Ding said, glancing at the young man in front of him, who was in his twenties, handsome, and imposing. If he were from Pingzhou, he would definitely be known for his looks.

Mr. Ding continued to list some prominent families in Pingzhou, but after considering them all, he shook his head. “I don’t think so. If a young master from one of those families went missing, it would have caused quite a stir.”

Though this wasn’t the most urgent matter to investigate, it wasn’t bad to ask. They decided to inquire at the yamen (government office) later.

Ah Xun had noticed that many of the travelers and merchants who came to the inn were leading horses, so she casually asked where she could find a market for selling horses. She wanted to sell the horse they had bought the previous day to exchange it for some silver.

As luck would have it, a group of merchants staying at the inn was looking to buy horses, as their previous two couldn’t handle the load. They planned to purchase more.

Hemu and Heshangxiang had already woken up by then and joined Ah Xun to talk to the merchants about selling the horse. Thanks to Mr. Ding’s introduction, the merchants realized the horse was healthy, well-fed, and in its prime years. Although the horse had a bit of a fiery temperament, it would become gentler once tamed.

With Hemu and Heshangxiang assisting in the sale, the merchant was a practical man and offered a price of 40 taels of silver for the horse.

To Hemu, this amount was a small fortune. In Shixi Village, where most people were self-sufficient and didn’t rely on money much, it would take several years to earn that much.

After the horse was sold, the group split the silver into two portions. One portion was given to Heshun, and the other was for Hemu.

Hemu was overjoyed at seeing the silver. “Wow, Ah Xun, I’ve never seen so much silver!”

Heshangxiang also smiled brightly, imagining all the delicious food they could buy.

However, Heshun hesitated when Ah Xun offered him the 20 taels. He felt the horse had been caught by Ah Xun, and he hadn’t really contributed to the effort, so he didn’t feel comfortable accepting the full amount. He insisted on returning 15 taels and keeping only 5.

They discussed it for a while, and eventually, Heshun accepted 10 taels, which was still a significant amount for a village doctor like him, enough to support him for two to three years.

After selling the horse and having breakfast, the group followed their plan and decided to head to the yamen.

At the yamen, they learned that Heshun’s friend, Iron Pillar, was off duty today but would be working tomorrow. Heshun didn’t want to disturb him while he was resting, so they decided to come back tomorrow.

With the rest of the day free, the group decided to explore Pingzhou city, which was bustling with activity. They wandered through the busy marketplace, where various shops and vendors lined both sides of the river. The sounds of haggling filled the air, and the streets were crowded with people.

Hemu and Heshangxiang, excited by the sights, decided to enjoy their rare visit to the lively city, leaving behind the fear from the previous day.