Chapter 37

“Ah Qiao, are you thirsty?”

“Ah Qiao, are you hungry?”

“Ah Qiao, are you tired?”

“Ah Qiao…”

Halfway through their journey, Ning Yuan started to express his concerns.

“Brother Ning, I’m fine, really.”

Xu Lianqiao waved her hand to stop him while riding her horse, finally interrupting his endless questions. She couldn’t deny that it felt nice to be cared for this much.

As she thought about it, she couldn’t stop herself from smiling even when trying to remain composed. She reminded herself not to rely too much on others’ kindness, yet she truly appreciated how much Ning Yuan cared for her.

Throughout the journey, Xu Lianqiao couldn’t help but wonder—could Brother Ning… possibly like her?

“Brother Ning…”

“Ah Qiao…”

After a moment of silence, they both spoke at once.

Riding side by side, their eyes met suddenly. Feeling shy, Xu Lianqiao quickly looked away and spoke earnestly to Ning Yuan: “Brother Ning, you don’t need to take care of me like this. I’m not a fragile porcelain doll.”

After she spoke, she grinned at him.

Her smile made Ning Yuan feel a bit flustered, and his ears burned slightly.

“Charming and lively, with a beauty that captivates.” The phrase popped into his mind, though Ning Yuan wasn’t one for poetry.

Before he could respond, Xu Lianqiao continued:

“When I was little, I would often sit on the mountaintop, staring out into the distance, wondering what lay beyond. Who might be there?”

“Later, I stumbled across the playbook Wandering to the End of the World, and I always found myself thinking about it.”

At this point, her expression dimmed slightly. When she was young, there had been no one to share these thoughts with. Her grandmother only talked about her grandfather or her absent father.

Her second uncle, second aunt, and Xu Jiawei had never been fond of her.

Apart from her brief stay at the Reclining Buddha Temple, she had mostly lived in the Xu Mansion, helping with chores. Lighting the kitchen fire earned her twenty pence a day. Doing laundry earned her thirty pence a day. Yet no one was willing to befriend her.

She often wondered: was she truly so unlovable that even her parents abandoned her?

That changed when she met Ning Yuan.

He wasn’t just a childhood friend; he taught her that there were people willing to approach her and stay close.

“Brother Ning, you won that battle, didn’t you?”

When their eyes met again, Xu Lianqiao’s gaze sparkled with curiosity and admiration.

“Yes, I won,” Ning Yuan nodded. The battle had been long and grueling, but he’d emerged victorious.

“That’s wonderful!”

“Brother Ning, tell me about your war. I’ve always admired Mulan.”

“There aren’t any women in my camp…” Ning Yuan quickly clarified, afraid she might misunderstand.

“Maybe you don’t know, Brother Ning,” Xu Lianqiao teased, winking at him playfully. “When Mulan joined the army, no one noticed.”

“Who knows if those stories are even true…” Ning Yuan muttered, though his voice was low.

Xu Lianqiao still caught his words and retorted, “Why not? Women can be amazing too!”

Her favorite stories were always about legendary heroines.

“I wish I could be like that.”

Her voice was filled with longing.

“Hmm… Ah Qiao, do you want to join the army too?”

“No way,” Ning Yuan thought immediately. It would be too dangerous. She wasn’t physically suited for such hardship.

“Hey, I’m sure I could do it!” Xu Lianqiao said confidently. “No one is born knowing everything. Soldiers learn as they go.”

“No, absolutely not,” Ning Yuan insisted.

_

Xu Lianqiao’s voice grew louder with emotion. “You are already incredible for just stepping onto the battlefield. You are already very brave for standing your ground and not fleeing.”

“The peace in the borderlands and even in the entire court is because of you, Brother Ning, who risked your life.”

It was too much…

Ning Yuan felt as though his heartbeat had stopped.

The emperor feared the soldiers’ self-respect and independence with their troops, while the scholars scorned them for their lack of manners and refinement.

But in Ah Qiao’s words, they were both brave and powerful.

The autumn sun shone brightly overhead.

Moved by her words, Ning Yuan began to share stories of the march and the war with Xu Lianqiao. He told her about their training, how they drove away the enemy, and much more. Of course, he omitted parts he thought unsuitable for her to hear.

_

During their journey to Yangzhou, the two of them enjoyed the scenic mountains, rivers, and streams, chatting about other people’s lives and playing leisurely.

Xu Lianqiao was happiest when they visited a town and discovered its local specialties.

For the first time, she understood what it felt like to have wealth.

After ten days of travel, the two finally arrived in Yangzhou.

“Brother Ning, is there anything delicious in Yangzhou?”

“Yangzhou…” Ning Yuan paused, thinking for a moment. He had never been there before but didn’t want to disappoint Ah Qiao’s enthusiasm.

“Crab Meat Lion Head^[1]a meatball dish. and Pingqiao Tofu^[2]a soft tofu dish..” He sounded uncertain.

Hearing this, Xu Lianqiao felt her appetite grow.

But it was still afternoon, not yet time for dinner.

“I’ll make sure you won’t go hungry, Ah Qiao,” Ning Yuan said with a smile. He loved seeing her excitement over food.

Before they explored Yangzhou’s delicacies, they followed an address and arrived at a house.

The house was unassuming, tucked away in an ordinary alley. The courtyard gate was worn and gave the place a secluded air.

“Is this the place?” Xu Lianqiao asked.

Ning Yuan nodded. “Yes.”

“Ah Qiao, stay here for now.”

“Alright.”

Xu Lianqiao leapt up and hid behind a corner a few feet away.

Ning Yuan knocked on the door, and Xu Lianqiao nervously watched through the door’s narrow gap.

Finally, with a creak, the door opened.

Ning Yuan whistled and quickly stepped inside, blocking the door behind him. With a swift motion, he kicked someone out of his path.

There was a loud “ah!”

Suddenly, several figures appeared, climbing over the wall and entering the courtyard.

After a few sounds of fighting, the yard returned to silence.

Xu Lianqiao hesitated, unsure if she should gather her courage to enter. Before she decided, Ning Yuan emerged from the courtyard, one foot already outside the gate.

Behind him stood a man in black, holding a baby in his arms.

“Ah Qiao, it’s safe now,” Ning Yuan called.

Hearing this, Xu Lianqiao felt reassured and approached.

“Brother Ning, is it over?” she asked uncertainly.

“Yes,” Ning Yuan replied confidently.

Xu Lianqiao still didn’t fully understand why they had rushed to Yangzhou. She wasn’t naïve and noticed the people who had helped Ning Yuan earlier—it seemed their presence had been unnecessary.

Ning Yuan smiled, gently pushing Xu Lianqiao forward.

“Let’s go find you something delicious to eat.”

Meanwhile, the man in black, holding the baby, looked confused. Was the playful and smiling man just now truly their general?

_

Yangzhou in autumn felt a bit desolate, with a hint of humidity lingering from Slender West Lake ^[3]a famous scenic area in Yangzhou known for its natural beauty..

At dinner time, they went to an inn and ordered the specialty dish of Yangzhou that Xu Lianqiao was obsessed with.

Even though the food was served first, Xu Lianqiao felt that eating while listening to the truth was more satisfying. Unable to resist Xu Lianqiao’s curious gaze, Ning Yuan finally shared everything he knew.

In fact, it was not complicated at all.

When Lin Rou first appeared, Ning Yuan felt suspicious. He secretly sent a letter, asking someone to investigate her in Yangzhou. As expected, the investigation revealed that Lin Rou had already married another man. After her marriage, she and her husband had a son and a daughter. Based on the timeline, Jiang Huai had already returned to the capital by the time Lin Rou became pregnant.

“No wonder Jiang Huai told me he wasn’t sure whether the child was his,” Ning Yuan said.

“So it wasn’t,” Xu Lianqiao sighed softly and continued listening as Ning Yuan recounted what happened next.

Ning Yuan’s men tried to locate Lin Rou’s husband but found their house empty. When they asked the neighbors, they were told that it seemed like the family had encountered some kind of misfortune. The family had been living well, but they disappeared overnight without anyone seeing them leave.

Further investigation revealed that someone had kidnapped Lin Rou’s husband and their daughter to threaten Lin Rou and take her child to the capital.

“This must be related to Jiang Lian,” Ning Yuan remarked.

“Why do you say that?” Xu Lianqiao asked.

Ning Yuan, feeling a bit smug, poured himself a glass of water. “Do you really want to know? Call me ‘good brother,’ and I’ll tell you, Ah Qiao.”

Xu Lianqiao rolled her eyes internally at his sudden shamelessness. Pretending to be angry, she turned away and said, “I’m not interested. Who cares about the Jiang family’s dirty secrets?”

These words unexpectedly pleased Ning Yuan, who then willingly spilled everything.

“Mrs. Jiang Lian’s maternal grandmother is the cousin of the mother of the current magistrate of Yangzhou.”

“…”

Xu Lianqiao was speechless. She didn’t fully understand the connection.

Ning Yuan served her a bowl of soup, carefully removing the ginger slices, and continued, “Also, the magistrate of Yangzhou took a concubine last year, who happens to be a distant niece of the Zhou family’s housekeeper.”

“…”

Xu Lianqiao suddenly doubted her own intelligence. “How can they all be related with such distant connections?”

Unlike Ning Yuan, she didn’t have many close relatives. Even her second uncle and second aunt weren’t close to her, let alone any distant family members.

In fact, she didn’t even know anyone from her biological mother’s side of the family.

Ning Yuan smiled. “Ah Qiao, you don’t understand. Sometimes, interests are tied together through in-laws. Even distant relations can become useful connections.”

“Well, what about you?” Xu Lianqiao asked unexpectedly, locking eyes with Ning Yuan.

He paused. “So…Brother Ning, what about you? Don’t you need in-laws?”

“I don’t need them,” he said lightly, as if his words were as fragile as a falling hair yet as solid as an unshakable mountain.

“Why not?” she pressed.

“Because I only want to marry the girl I like.”