16, That Year (1st Update)
Xie Zhinuan smiled, thought for a moment, and asked, “Do you know how much a bun or steamed bun sells for in the county town?”
“The county town? Two wen for a bun, and one wen for a steamed bun!” the maid answered earnestly.
Xie Zhinuan pursed her lips, “Then how many can you buy with one tael of silver?”
“A thousand steamed buns, ah! If you buy steamed buns worth a tael of silver, you can haggle and probably get a few dozen more!”
“…”
Xie Zhinuan remained silent.
She calculated in her heart that one tael of silver was probably about a thousand wen, perhaps even more, and that could buy quite a few things.
Fengping County, posthouse.
For the officials of the posthouse, today was an extraordinarily big day, not only because a Great General had arrived, but also a royal prince was going to stay.
This prince was no ordinary one; he was the legitimate son of the Empress, the Queen’s own son. He had fought bravely in battle, achieved numerous remarkable feats, but had injured himself on the battlefield, seeking treatment everywhere.
The Emperor doted on this son and had conferred upon him the title of King of Han.
Han, meaning to pacify rebellion.
Xie Qian sat by the window, his thoughts drifting to some unknown place, his tea long since grown cold, alone and desolate.
It wasn’t until he heard the sound of horseshoes that Xie Qian suddenly stood up, a warmth coming to his eyes as they gradually reddened.
It wasn’t until he saw that man with clothes as fine as jade approach that Xie Qian immediately went forward and knelt on one knee, “Your subordinate Xie Qian, greets Your Highness!”
Li Hengyi pursed his lips, suppressed the myriad thoughts in his heart, and said in a deep voice, “Rise!”
There seemed to be something repressed within his indifference…
Xie Qian’s eyes reddened, “Yes!”
He respectfully ushered Li Hengyi into the small hall, and the two sat opposite each other, wanting to say something, yet not knowing where to start.
“Your Highness, have you been well in recent years?”
Separated for three years, Li Hengyi had been roaming about, not returning to the capital for three years. He wanted to seek out someone, but as the Princely Heir of the Marquis House, he bore no light burden. His second brother was ill and couldn’t support the family, and his third brother, overwhelmed with guilt for carelessly losing their younger sister, hardly ever left the yard.
His mother, germinating sickness from longing, and with his father’s numerous concubines and many illegitimate children, each with their own ambitious designs, he was all the more reluctant to leave his frail mother and younger brother alone at home.
“Hmm, and you?” Li Hengyi asked softly.
“Your subordinate, your subordinate is well!”
A thousand words, in the end, were reduced to a mere statement of wellness.
Li Hengyi nodded.
The two men sat in silence.
Yet they both recalled the time when they were young and had countless things to discuss, decked in fine clothes on spirited horses, swaggering through the town. Looking back now, everything had become irretrievable.
“…” Xie Qian started to speak then stopped, his eyes already welling up with tears.
Seeing this, Li Hengyi felt a pain in his heart.
After a while, he finally spoke faintly, “It’s all in the past!”
While comforting Xie Qian, he couldn’t help but question himself.
Is it really all in the past?
Over a hundred lives lost, apart from the two of them, buried in that desolate expanse, how could it ever be put behind them!
It could never be overcome, as long as they still breathed, it could never be overcome!
“But, but…” Xie Qian raised his eyes, tears already falling.
Li Hengyi, eyes reddening, turned his head away.
Not looking at Xie Qian.
After a while, Xie Qian choked up, “I have overstepped, my lord!”
“Not at all!” Almost right after Xie Qian’s words fell, Li Hengyi opened his mouth to speak.
Years of friendship, having shared life and death, even if it was presumptuous, he would not blame him.
Fengping County’s magistrate sought audience outside, and Li Hengyi was silent for a moment before saying, “Do not admit him!”
A mere county magistrate was not worth him condescending to meet.
“My lord, he says that he is Liu Hai’s uncle!” Yuanbao said softly.
Li Hengyi, upon hearing this, suddenly stood up, and even Xie Qian was taken aback and surprised beyond measure.
“He, he…” He stuttered, unable to utter a complete sentence.
Liu Hai, Liu Hai, among those hundred plus people, he was one of them.
Chapter 18