Chapter 4

The next day, as usual, Huo Shu got up early, opened half of the window, and a damp osmanthus fragrance blew in with the wind.

He peeked outside, where the fog was thick, making it difficult to see the scenery in the courtyard clearly.

At this time, there was already a hint of cold in the air, but accustomed to the large temperature difference between morning and evening in the northern region, this slight chill was nothing to worry about.

After a simple breakfast, Huo Shu took the horse out, and there was already a well-harnessed donkey cart parked at the door.

A chubby figure grabbed the handle of the cart, barely reaching with short legs trying to climb into the cart. After struggling for a while, the person finally managed to climb in, panting from the effort.

They didn’t bother to bring a small stool to prop themselves up.

Compared to the night before, they were wrapped in another layer of clothing, making them look even bulkier.

Truly unique in the autumn.

Huo Shu rarely smiled, but he couldn’t help but tilt his head and touch his high, cold nose.

“Huo Yishi, let’s go.”

Huang Yinsheng, who was in front, finished checking the reins, then turned to Huo Shu.

Huo Shu nodded slightly, then mounted the horse.

The autumn morning breeze gently blew, rustling the curtains of the carriage, occasionally flipping them open.

This donkey cart from the Huang family had seen some years, patched up, it was never as good as when it was first made.

Ji Taoyu, who was nestled in the cart, was still a little warm, but after a few gusts of wind, she felt cold again. She reached out to try to hold down the curtain to keep the wind from blowing in.

She leaned closer to the window, but then saw a round and sturdy horse butt outside the half-open window, its long tail swinging with a relaxed curve as it walked.

Ji Taoyu was taken aback. He rarely saw horses. Even though there were livestock to help with farming in rural areas, they were mostly cows and donkeys. Purebred horses were only owned by the wealthy in the city.

Because of his poor health, when she went to the city, she usually stayed in the clinic to help Azu gather medicinal herbs. Even if she saw a horse, it was only from a distance, with very few opportunities for such close contact.

This black horse was agile and handsome, truly beautiful. She felt as if the horse, which seemed so close, exuded a warmth, causing her heart to beat a little faster.

“Do you want to ride the horse?”

Ji Taoyu heard the voice and suddenly looked up. Her savior was standing tall on the horse, and those eerie three white eyes seemed to have looked over at some point.

Taoyu quickly shook her head, shrinking her neck.

She didn’t dare to ride even the donkey or the cow at home. When she was a child, his father scared her by putting him on the back of a cow, which made him cry and earned her a scolding from his mother. How could she dare to ride a horse that looked so fierce?

Huo Shu saw that the young man’s cheeks, hidden in the cloak, had returned to their normal color, but he didn’t look too well, somewhat resembling a pear blossom petal that had been faded by rain and was now semi-transparent.

With eyes that didn’t yet understand the ways of the world, he kept shaking his head, his triangular cloak moving like a dumpling.

He didn’t say anything, just turned his head back and continued to leisurely lead the horse. However, the reins in his hand tightened slightly, causing the black horse’s steps to slow down.

The horse’s rear end in front of the carriage suddenly became as stiff as iron. Seeing this, Ji Taoyu pursed her lips, withdrew his impolite gaze, and then silently lowered the curtain.

Huo Shu noticed the tightly closed curtain that separated the two of them, his eyebrows moving imperceptibly.

Ji Taoyu leaned against the cart, holding a small pillow stuffed with pieces of cloth in her arms, pressing down the curtain that was about to flip up.

The cart swayed, and she thought about taking a nap. The temperature was low last night, and she had a slight fever, making it difficult to sleep well. Huang Qige took care of him all night.

She closed her left eye for a while, then her right eye, but still couldn’t fall asleep.

The cart was airtight, and the longer she stayed inside, the stuffier it became. Eventually, she decided to open the curtain a bit again.

But the person riding the horse was still there outside the window.

Ji Taoyu thought about encountering this person on the official road and felt curious. She murmured to himself, “Is Yishi from the North?”

Huo Shu was admiring the scenery of Tongzhou city while riding, amidst the noisy shouts of the breakfast vendors. He heard a clear voice beside him, distinct from the rough noises around him.

But he didn’t turn his head or even glance sideways.

“Yeah.”

Ji Taoyu raised her eyebrows, surprised that her voice was so small, yet it could be heard clearly amidst the noise. It was indeed quite chilly.

“I heard from Azu that Yishi is looking for someone. Is this trip to the south specifically to find someone?”

“I’ve never been to the south, just passing by.”

“Tongzhou has plenty of food and fun. After Yishi finds the person, you can take a good stroll around.”

“Yeah.”

Here it comes again.

Ji Taoyu blinked, looking at the man who didn’t even turn her head. She was curious about who she was looking for. Since it might be someone from their village, she might have some information.

But seeing that she didn’t seem to like talking to people much, she decided not to say more.

But she wasn’t sure if she had angered someone yesterday, as she still seemed upset now.

After hesitating for a moment, Ji Taoyu whispered, “My name is Ji Taoyu.”

Huo Shu suddenly turned his head at the words, their eyes meeting. Ji Taoyu’s heart skipped a beat, and she quickly covered her face with the small pillow and leaned back into the cart.

But this time, she didn’t pull the curtain.

Huo Shu lightly touched his lips with his teeth, noticing that the carriage had already left the city, and the noise of the city was no longer audible.

He glanced at Huang Yinsheng driving the cart in front and decided not to speak again.

Although the cart was slower than riding a horse, it would only take a little over an hour to reach Mingxun Village on foot, and even faster by carriage, about half an hour.

Soon, they descended from the official road and entered the village. At this time of the year, the village was still busy with the late autumn harvest. As the cart entered the village road, the morning mist had already dispersed, and the visibility improved significantly.

However, the speed of the cart slowed down after entering the village road. It wasn’t because the village roads were narrow and steep; in fact, the village roads were quite spacious and well-made, not inferior to the official road.

It was because there were many villagers coming to greet them.

“Doctor Huang, you’ve come to the village so early.”

“The medicine you prescribed for me last time really worked. After taking it, my legs and feet became much more agile.”

“Doctor Huang, do you still want wolfberries…”

The warmth of the villagers gradually dissipated in Huo Shu’s eyes. Although he didn’t show any reaction, no one dared to stare directly at him.

Instead, after exchanging pleasantries with Huang Yinsheng, people only straightened up and stared at Huo Shu’s figure after the cart had gone far, keeping their gaze on him until he was several meters away before retracting their eyes.

When they arrived at the Ji family’s residence, it was already midday.

Huo Shu waited for the cart to enter through the tall gate opened by Zhong, then dismounted and waited behind.

He glanced around at the Ji family’s residence.

The Ji family’s house was a typical layout with a front courtyard and rear rooms, but the courtyard was enclosed by stone walls, which looked more grand and sturdy than usual wooden or mud walls.

After entering the courtyard, there was a spacious farmhouse courtyard. In the courtyard, there were two tall camphor trees standing in the west, with branches as thick as an adult’s waist, indicating that they had been there for quite some time.

Underneath the camphor trees, a shade canopy made of coarse linen was set up, with a square table and chairs arranged, creating a cool resting area.

On the eastern side, where there was no shade from the camphor trees, the autumn sun shone directly on the ground, perfect for drying grains, vegetables, and herbs.

A gravel path ran straight through the middle, leading directly to the eaves of the house, where the black tiled roof could be seen at a glance.

The houses in the Jiangnan region were different from the northern courtyard houses. The Ji family’s house resembled the courtyard houses found in the city.

Upon entering the main gate, one would first enter a square courtyard. Houses might not be present in all four directions (east, south, west, north), but there would always be a courtyard enclosed by the buildings in all four directions.

On rainy days, rainwater would flow down from the eaves of the four sides, forming a column of water flowing into the courtyard, creating a scene of “four waters returning to the hall.”

As the southern region receives abundant rainfall, this type of construction is common for residential houses. However, only prominent families with status and reputation have the conditions to build such a courtyard, as not every household can afford it.

Mingxun Village was not a small village, and it was bustling with people.

As Huo Shu rode his horse with his head held high, he saw many farmhouses along the way. Although he didn’t enter to take a closer look, judging from the size and construction of the fences and houses alone, few could surpass the Ji family’s.

However, this was expected. Huang Yinsheng’s clinic in the precious land of Tongzhou city was well-established, and judging from the handsome appearance of the young man, his mother was likely not an ordinary-looking person.

In this area, there were many literate scholars and scholars famous throughout the country. The rules and customs were much stricter than in the northern region.

To be able to hold a respectable position in this village, one must be from a prominent family with a long history. Otherwise, it would be difficult to mobilize the local farmers, and there would be no one with enough education to liaise with the government officials.

“Father’s here.”

The woman busy in the kitchen heard the sound of the cart wheels and quickly put down what she was doing, coming out to greet him upon seeing him.

Huang Manjing wiped her hands on her apron and approached the donkey cart. “Where’s Xiaotao?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Ji Taoyu stuck her head out from the cart. “Mom.”

Huang Manjing glanced at Taoyu and immediately furrowed her brows. “What’s wrong? Did you catch a cold yesterday?”

As she spoke, her hand was already on Taoyu’s forehead.

“He was in the clinic, how could he catch a cold?”

Hearing the voices in the yard, a middle-aged man came out of the house. Ji Taoyu’s facial features resembled her, so there was no need to say who he was.

“Your father went out of his way to personally bring him back.”

Ji Yangzong greeted Huang Yinsheng and was about to approach Taoyu when he noticed Huo Shu standing behind the cart with a stern expression.

She walked over a few steps, politely greeted him first, then turned to Huang Yinsheng and asked, “Who is this?”

“He’s our son’s lifesaver. Manjing, go brew some tea and invite our guest to sit.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Yangzong and Huang Manjing’s expressions changed slightly. They exchanged a glance, and then Huang Manjing agreed with Huang Yinsheng’s words, quickly pulling Taoyu to the kitchen.

Although they didn’t know the full story, after hearing Huang Yinsheng’s words, Ji Yangzong became even more polite towards Huo Shu, quickly leading him into the house.

Huo Shu didn’t say much, but Huang Yinsheng roughly explained the situation to the couple.

“It’s just that I was afraid you would be worried, so sending someone to deliver a message wasn’t quite appropriate. That’s why I brought him back today.”

Huang Manjing’s heart was pounding as she listened. “How did he end up falling into the water? He’s usually not so impulsive.”

“I shouldn’t have let him go to the city to see the list. It’s always the busiest when the autumn examination results are announced.”

Ji Yangzong regretted it, slapping his thigh. Their son was weak, and they couldn’t bear to think about how he managed to survive after falling into the water.

Their son was their only child. If anything happened to him, it would be unbearable for them.

After venting their frustrations for a bit, Ji Yangzong quickly stood up from the table. He pulled Huang Manjing and Huo Shu up and bowed deeply. “Thank you, sir, for saving our son. We don’t know how to express our gratitude for your noble act.”

Huo Shu waved his hand, sticking to the same story of rescuing out of convenience.

Seeing that Huo Shu was not one for smooth-talking, Ji Yangzong didn’t bother with any more grandiloquent words. He turned to his wife and said:

“Prepare two poultry for lunch. I’ll call back the ox early to help you. We must entertain Mr. Huo properly.”

Although Huo Shu appreciated the taste of Jiangnan home-cooked meals, he didn’t forget his main purpose. Since he was already in the village, the timing of the meal was flexible, but finding information about the person he was searching for was his priority.

“I didn’t come to the village for formal gratitude but for a matter to attend to.”

“May I ask if there is someone named Zhao Changsui in the village, around twenty years old? Where can I find his family?”