Font Size:
Due to the urgency of their journey, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun did not have the leisure to sightsee or wander around while traveling. Apart from resting and lodging at night, most of their time was spent on the road.
With the onset of spring, the weather had been exceptionally fine. The sun shone brightly, casting a warm feeling inside the carriage.
However, Jiang Mixia and Song Jingyun did not have the luxury to bask in the sun. Instead, they felt a sense of urgency.
Setting off early in the morning from a town, they had consulted maps and asked for directions. They were told to follow the official road northward, expecting to reach another town after half a day’s journey. After another half day, they should have arrived at the county town to spend the night.
Yet, after traveling for most of the day, they hadn’t come across a town, not even a village in sight. Both sides of the road were desolate, and they hadn’t encountered anyone on the way.
Even the coachmen murmured, “Could it be that we’ve taken the wrong road?”
“This shouldn’t be happening. We haven’t come across any forks in the road along the way. We’ve been on this single road; we shouldn’t have gone astray,” Jiang Mixia said. “Let’s continue a bit further.”
“We have no choice,” the coachman said, cracking his whip.
After another few hours of travel, with the sun gradually setting towards the west, the coachman grew impatient. He decided to have Jiang Mixia, who was lighter, climb onto the carriage roof to survey the surroundings and search for a place to stay.
Once Jiang Mixia climbed onto the roof and looked around, things took a chilling turn.
The desolate landscape, with winter-dried grass and bare trees devoid of leaves, left her feeling cold. No matter how hard she strained to see, there was no sign of any town or village as far as her eyes could reach.
“It seems like that person misled us. It looks like we won’t find a place to stay tonight,” Jiang Mixia said as she hopped down from the carriage, dusting off her hands.
“Let’s try to push ahead a bit more. Once it gets dark, we’ll find a nearby spot to make do for the night.”
Pushing forward was essential to ensure they found a place to rest for the next day’s journey. In the wilderness, with the chilling winds, enduring one night would be manageable, but staying for two nights might lead to catching a cold.
The coachman, accustomed to roughing it out in the open during his years of carriage driving, nodded in agreement. “There are blankets in the carriage. We can light a fire. It should be sufficient.”
Once Song Jingyun and Jiang Mixia were back in the carriage, the coachman cracked his whip.
The carriage continued onward until it was pitch dark. The coachman then tightened the reins, signaling the horses to stop.
“This spot is decent. Parking the carriage by this hill can shield us from the wind, and there are plenty of trees for firewood,” the coachman suggested.
Jiang Mixia also found the spot suitable, especially with the sandy soil that looked perfect for roasting sweet potatoes over a fire, providing a delightful aroma.
However, Song Jingyun didn’t even glance at it, gazing ahead instead. “How about we go a bit further?”
“My young master, going further means downhill. It might be windy on the flat ground, and we could end up with no shelter,” the coachman warned.
Moreover, being in the wilderness, one couldn’t be certain about wild animals. The untouched cleanliness of this area indicated it was not a usual spot for wildlife.
“Let’s push on a bit,” Song Jingyun insisted.
Seeing his determination, Jiang Mixia agreed, “Let’s move forward; there might be a better spot ahead.”
After all, her husband had always been quite lucky.