A Thousand Miles of Wind - Chapter 2

When the day of the break arrived, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle. Gu Siyuan donned a water-green gauze dress and set out in a carriage. The carriage carried her along the Great East Road, heading straight for Plum Blossom Villa at the eastern edge of the city.

Yuanzhou City sat against the mountains to the north and faced the water to the south. The vast Taibai Mountain Range stretched across from east to west, making the area rich in hot springs. Plum Blossom Villa, located in the east of the city, was the largest hot spring estate in Yuanzhou. Plum trees were planted all around the villa. Every winter, when the white snow flew, the forest of pink and white blossoms shimmering in the misty steam was the only beautiful scenery in the biting cold.

When spring arrived and the plum blossoms fell, the villa became a lush green forest at the first brush of a breeze. Beneath the vibrant canopy, spring grass sprouted and wildflowers bloomed, creating a different but equally lively scene.

Whether in winter or spring, Plum Blossom Villa was a favorite destination for the young men and women of the capital.

Gu Siyuan, of course, was not going there to soak in the hot springs. It was only because her mother said the person she was to meet would be at Plum Blossom Villa that she was forced to take a carriage there early in the morning.

The carriage traveled for over an hour before coming to a long halt at the foot of the distant mountains near the villa. Gu Siyuan, sitting inside the carriage, waited for a long time without seeing the vehicle move an inch. Finally, she spoke through the curtain to the female guard driving the carriage, “Why have we been stopped here for so long?”

Since Chu had female Emperors, there were naturally women in the bureaucracy, as well as female scholars and female guards among the common folk. Gu Siyuan appeared as though she couldn’t even lift a trussed chicken, so the Gu family had assigned her female guards who were more meticulous in nature.

The guard replied, “Second Miss, today is a day off, so there are many people heading to Taiyi Temple to offer incense. Furthermore, there was a minor dispute up ahead, so we are blocked for the time being.”

Gu Siyuan thought for a moment, stood up, and took a few steps to lift the curtain. The brilliant sunlight struck her face directly; she squinted for a good while before the stinging sensation of the strong light faded and she could see clearly.

A long line of carriages stretched out in front, winding smoothly up the distant mountain path before disappearing into the deep green forest. Many young men and women dressed in light gauze clothing had stepped out of their carriages and were walking along the right side of the road, forming a winding ribbon of color heading deep into the mountain path.

Gu Siyuan looked up at the distant peaks, where several towering Taoist temples sat nestled among the summits. After a moment’s consideration, she said, “Just drop me here. I’ll get out and walk to Plum Blossom Villa myself.”

The guard knit her brows, clearly disapproving of the idea. “Second Miss, the Master told me to stay with you to ensure your safety. We should wait a bit longer…”

Gu Siyuan shook her head, lifted the curtain, and hopped nimbly down from the carriage. Only then did she speak to the guard: “Listen to me. Today is a holiday, and there’s no telling how many people are coming to Taiyi Temple to offer incense. We might be stuck here for ages. I have an appointment, and it wouldn’t be right to keep them waiting. You take the carriage to the nearby parking station. Once you’ve parked, you can do whatever you like, as long as you’re back by 3:00 PM.”

“I will return to the parking station by 4:00 PM, so don’t worry. This is the foot of Taiyi Temple. There are guards and Taoist priests on watch, so no villains can harm me. Go on, now. Be good.”

She spoke so reasonably, yet sounded like she was coaxing a child. The guard knew she couldn’t win, so she sighed and said, “Then please be careful, Second Miss, and come back early.”

“Mm.” Gu Siyuan nodded. With that, she set off, disappearing into the crowd heading toward the mountain.

Gu Siyuan had great physical stamina, and her pace was faster than the young people around her. In less than fifteen minutes, she had left the harsh sunlight behind and entered the deep plum forest.

In the height of spring, the plum fruits hung heavy on the branches. Beneath the dense canopy, shade-loving mountain flowers bloomed everywhere in a riot of purples and reds. Seeing such beauty, Gu Siyuan couldn’t help but slow her pace, walking through the dappled shadows to admire the spring scenery.

Soon, she reached the end of the line of carriages and saw a group of guards dressed in green. They had unfurled a row of straw mats, blocking the view of the surrounding passersby. Pedestrians were forced to divert from the paved stone mountain path and walk through the woods on either side.

Gu Siyuan headed toward the left side of the plum forest. She cast an occasional glance at the section of the path—about twenty meters long—that had been cordoned off, and strolled slowly to the end of it. At the far end, a group of green-clad guards stood in a circle, their hands resting on the sabers at their waists, seemingly guarding someone.

Gu Siyuan glanced at them and continued walking for about a dozen meters. Hurried footsteps sounded behind her, and she heard someone call out, “Teacher Gu, Teacher Gu…”

Gu Siyuan stopped and turned around, looking with surprise at the green-clad female guard running toward her. She turned to face her and asked, “Were you calling for me? Is there something urgent?”

The guard stopped before her and bowed. “Teacher Gu, my master requests your presence.” Saying this, she gestured with her palm, “Right this way, please.”

Though she said “please,” the guard’s attitude was quite firm. Gu Siyuan followed the direction of her hand and saw the area where the dozen guards were standing in a circle. After a moment of thought, she nodded and followed the guard over.

As she arrived, the circle of guards opened a gap to let her in. Once inside, she saw the young Emperor sitting on a prayer mat on the ground.

The little Emperor was just as before, face stern, clutching her beloved deerskin ball. However, she looked a bit disheveled today. Her jade crown was loose, and several strands of hair fell over her face, lightly grazing her bruised and purple left forehead. There was also a wound at the corner of her mouth that seemed to have split, showing traces of dark reddish-purple blood.

At this sight, Gu Siyuan’s heart skipped a beat, and she actually forgot to perform her formal greeting.

She stood before Zhongli Ran, scrutinizing her face with a look of deep concern. “Your Majesty…”

Zhongli Ran, still holding the ball, looked up at her and patted the prayer mat beside her without saying a word. Gu Siyuan understood the gesture and immediately sat down beside her, turning to examine the injuries on her face. “What… happened?”

Gu Siyuan reached out, intending to lightly touch her face. Zhongli Ran looked back at her concerned gaze, her star-like eyes brilliant. After a long moment, she said somewhat unclearly, “A crazed horse. It struck the imperial carriage.”

Someone had been riding a crazed horse that nearly slammed into the side of Zhongli Ran’s carriage. Fortunately, the guards were fast enough to stop the horse in time, so the carriage was only overturned. Otherwise, Zhongli Ran would have suffered far more than just a bruised forehead.

Hearing this, Gu Siyuan felt a pang of heartache. Her hand trembled as she touched the girl’s face, asking softly, “Does it hurt? Are you injured anywhere else?”

Zhongli Ran did not dislike her touch. Since she was three years old, Gu Siyuan was the one who applied medicine whenever she fell or bumped into something. Zhongli Ran reached out and pointed toward her knee.

Gu Siyuan wanted to check the injury, but this wasn’t the right place, so she restrained herself. She reached out to touch the corner of Zhongli Ran’s mouth and asked, “And here? Where is the injury?”

Zhongli Ran said, “A tooth fell out.”

Gu Siyuan held out her hand, gesturing for her to open her mouth. “Let me see.”

“Ah,” Zhongli Ran opened her mouth, revealing a row of snowy white, delicate teeth. Gu Siyuan scanned them and saw two empty spots at the lower left canine area.

She knit her brows, feeling a bit worried.

After Gu Siyuan let go, Zhongli Ran spoke: “It was going to fall out anyway, it wasn’t knocked out by the impact.”

Perhaps because of the missing teeth, Zhongli Ran’s speech was a bit slurred with pain, yet Gu Siyuan could still hear a hint of coldness in her voice that had replaced her childhood softness. She remembered that when she last saw Zhongli Ran, her front teeth hadn’t fully grown in; now, in the blink of an eye, she was already at the age to lose her canines. A sudden sense of melancholy washed over her.

She reached out, cupping half of Zhongli Ran’s face, and asked, “Did Your Majesty not bring a physician on this trip?”

“No.”

“There are traveling Taoist doctors in Taiyi Temple. Your Majesty should take the carriage there first to let them treat the wounds before returning to the palace.”

“Mm.”

Zhongli Ran was a person of few words, but Gu Siyuan understood her meaning. Seeing the young girl clutching the small ball in her arms, Gu Siyuan’s heart softened. “Does it hurt very much? Why don’t we go to Taiyi Temple right now?”

Zhongli Ran replied, “My carriage is broken. It needs repairs, it will be ready in a moment.”

Gu Siyuan nodded, then looked at her and asked, “Can I rub the painful areas for you?”

Zhongli Ran shook her head. After a moment of thought, she asked, “Why have you come here?”

Hearing the question, Gu Siyuan replied, “I had an appointment to meet someone at Plum Blossom Villa today. I originally came by carriage, but the road was blocked the whole way, so I decided to walk into the mountains.”

Zhongli Ran nodded and didn’t ask anything else. Seeing this, Gu Siyuan asked carefully, “Is Your Majesty out today to offer incense for the Consort at Taiyi Temple?”

If Gu Siyuan remembered correctly, today should be the death anniversary of Zhongli Ran’s biological mother, the Consort of the King of Zhongzhou. When the Consort passed away, Zhongli Ran was barely over two years old. By the time she was seven and her second front tooth fell out, her father, the King of Zhongzhou, had also passed away from illness.

From then on, Zhongli Ran was taken into the palace by the late Emperor to be raised. For the following four years, Gu Siyuan had not seen her again. Gu Siyuan had thought that this separation meant the end of their childhood bond. She never expected that Zhongli Ran would ascend the throne as Emperor and she would become her subject.

That brief encounter at Shengyuan Palace the other day had filled Gu Siyuan with joy. However, Zhongli Ran had seemed not to recognize her and left immediately, which had left Gu Siyuan feeling melancholy for a while. But seeing her today, it was clear that Zhongli Ran hadn’t forgotten her. She was simply being awkward again.

Zhongli Ran had been a very awkward person since she was small, and Gu Siyuan knew this well. Now that she was willing to speak to her, it seemed that small bit of awkwardness had passed.

Zhongli Ran nodded but didn’t give much of a response. After a while, she said, “If it is not official business, come with me to Taiyi Temple.”

She was in a lot of pain, yet she insisted on maintaining her imperial dignity and couldn’t show any sign of grievance. Gu Siyuan saw right through her. She immediately put the person she was supposed to meet out of her mind and replied with a “Yes.”

Zhongli Ran was considerate, adding, “When you get to Plum Blossom Villa in a moment, just give that person a casual greeting, then follow me.”

Gu Siyuan nodded. Just then, a guard came to report that the carriage had been repaired. Zhongli Ran reached out and grabbed Gu Siyuan’s hand, saying coolly, “Ride in the carriage with me.”

She stood up and pulled Gu Siyuan forward. Following behind her, Gu Siyuan looked at the young youth who now reached her shoulder, overlapping her slender figure with the memory of the stumbling toddler from years ago.