My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 47.1

This was already the third day that Du Yunge had no choice but to follow Qin Shanshan on their journey toward the frontier.

Since that day, Qin Shanshan had indeed refrained from any further improper behavior toward her. Apart from her unwavering refusal to let Du Yunge leave, she attended to her every need with meticulous care, so much so that even if it were someone from the Miaoyin Sect itself taking care of Du Yunge, they likely couldn’t have done better.

Over these past few days, Qin Shanshan had grown increasingly fond of Du Yunge, cherishing her more with each passing moment. In this world, those with genuinely good hearts were few and far between. Qin Shanshan herself was no saint anyone capable of leading a clan could hardly be considered kind-hearted. Even her long-unseen cousin was no easy mark; back when the Wuzaka tribe was still powerless and could only endure hardships, she had managed to make a gang of boys who took pleasure in bullying mixed-blood individuals avoid her at all costs. By comparison, Du Yunge seemed like a pitiful soul struggling to survive in the cracks.

Moreover, aside from her striking beauty, Du Yunge carried herself with grace and elegance, every gesture and word seemingly molded by the most refined standards of Central Plains noblewomen. No wonder, despite the abundance of beauties in the world, only Du Yunge, the leader of the Miaoyin Sect, had achieved such widespread renown.

Even though Qin Shanshan only had a superficial understanding of Central Plains poetry and music barely enough to muddle through a few tunes conversing with Du Yunge felt like a gentle spring breeze, each word spoken by the young woman resonating deeply and comfortingly. It was utterly endearing.

To evade Xue Shuyan’s pursuit, Qin Shanshan had gone to great lengths. Whether day or night, they traveled at a moment’s notice, with no discernible pattern to their movements. Sleeping curled up in the carriage had become the norm. In just a few days, even Du Yunge, who had been forced to endure the relentless journey, looked noticeably haggard. Qin Shanshan, who wished to treat all the world’s beauties as her confidantes, felt a pang of heartache at the sight. That evening, she finally decided they would stop to rest.

However, her vigilance remained high. Even though three whole days had passed without any sign of Xue Shuyan suggesting they had shaken her off Qin Shanshan did not let her guard down. She still took Du Yunge to an inn run by the Hu people to rest.

The Miaoyin Sect’s influence stretched far and wide, reaching all corners of the land and people from all walks of life. Even the most remote inns at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains in the far north or the traveling merchants in the southern barbarian lands likely had Miaoyin Sect connections. Staying at an inn run by the Hu people, while perhaps slightly uncomfortable for Du Yunge as a traditional Han Chinese in terms of food and lodging, at least ensured the utmost secrecy of their whereabouts. No other inn could offer better information control.

The Hu people valued loyalty deeply. Aside from their harsh and indifferent attitude toward mixed-blood individuals, they treated their own with genuine kindness. If Xue Shuyan were to catch up, even if she threatened them with a blade, they would never disclose the whereabouts of their own to a mixed-blood like her. They would face life or death on their own terms.

So what if she was Xue Shuyan of the Miaoyin Sect? The reputation that reached the frontier was that of “Xue Shuyan of the Miaoyin Sect,” not this half-Hu, half-Han mixed-blood.

Fortunately, the Miaoyin Sect had kept this matter tightly under wraps. When Xue Shuyan went down the mountain, she always made her trips quick and wore a bamboo hat to conceal her identity. The Han merchants, not being part of the martial world, were poorly informed and unaware that Xue Shuyan was of mixed heritage. Even the few who had heard whispers of the news would instinctively side with their own people when facing the Hu tribesmen, keeping it to themselves. As a result, very few Hu tribesmen knew that Xue Shuyan was of mixed blood.

Had they known, they would have disregarded the Miaoyin Sect’s rule that “once one ascends Mount Wangyou, all worldly affairs are left behind.” When had the Hu tribesmen ever followed rules? They would have undoubtedly forced Xue Shuyan to return and serve their people. In matters concerning mixed-blood individuals, the Hu had their own principles:

Even if such a person lived a life worse than death among their own tribe, tormented to the point of seeking death, they absolutely could not fall into the hands of outsiders.

Du Yunge had never been accustomed to Hu utensils and food, let alone after eating them for several days. A listless weariness had begun to show in her expression. When the hand-grabbed mutton and flatbread, prepared entirely in the Hu style, were served, her distaste became even more apparent. In the Han tradition, such heavy, greasy foods were utterly unsuitable for an evening meal.

She sighed at the sight of the oily dishes and turned to Qin Shanshan, asking cautiously, “Is there nothing else to eat?”

When such a pleading, pitiful expression appeared on the face of a beauty like her, no one with a sound aesthetic sense and a heart of flesh could refuse. Qin Shanshan promptly asked, “What would you like to eat?”

After a moment’s thought, Du Yunge replied, “When I came in, I saw someone eating almond tofu by the window in the neighboring inn. Suddenly, I feel like having something sweet. Could you send someone to ask if they offer takeaway?”

It was no trouble at all. Qin Shanshan gave the order, and before long, a bowl of almond tofu in a celadon bowl was brought over. Another smaller bowl was placed upside down on top as a lid. When the lid was removed, the sweet almond dessert within was revealed.

The server who brought the almond tofu was also a Hu tribesman. The further one traveled toward the borderlands, the more common it became to find establishments where even the servants were Hu. He chattered obsequiously to Qin Shanshan in their tongue, completely ignoring Du Yunge, who was Han. Du Yunge knew only a little of the Hu language, and even though she strained to listen, she could only vaguely make out words like “personally” and “inspect.”

It didn’t take much to understand: a shop run entirely by Hu tribesmen would never allow food from a Han establishment to enter unchecked. Someone must have gone over to personally supervise, ensuring nothing was added, before bringing it into their own shop.

Qin Shanshan leaned her head on one hand, tilting her body as she watched Du Yunge eat, a smile playing on her lips. She found every movement of the girl as exquisite as a painting, and even the way she ate was exceptionally graceful.

Du Yunge was currently savoring the almond tofu that had undergone multiple inspections before finally making its way to her. This was a dessert the Han people excelled at, known for promoting salivation, quenching thirst, replenishing qi, and calming the mind. The pure white, sweet syrup was topped on one side with dark red hawthorn jelly cubes and on the other with golden honeyed osmanthus flowers. Served in a pale cyan porcelain bowl, its visual appeal alone was delightful, even before tasting.

Not to mention, Du Yunge’s hand holding the spoon was as smooth and fair as fine jade, appearing even more delicate against the high-quality celadon. For a moment, just gazing at her wrist could evoke a hint of sweetness in one’s mouth.

Qin Shanshan’s thoughts had initially been quite proper, but as she watched, her mind began to wander. She thought to herself: If such an exquisitely refined girl, as rare and priceless as a piece of porcelain, hadn’t been born into the Miaoyin Sect or lived on Mount Wangyou, given the state of the world today, she would surely be targeted by countless people the moment she appeared in public. Like a pack of hungry wolves tearing apart a soft, tender little lamb, they would devour her in no time, leaving not even a trace of bone behind.

And she herself might very well be one of the more presentable wolves among them.

Being stared at so intently, anyone who wasn’t blind would surely react. At first, Du Yunge tried to endure it, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore. She lifted her eyes to Qin Shanshan and let out a soft sigh before even speaking.

Thinking that Du Yunge was upset by her staring, Qin Shanshan was about to apologize when she saw Du Yunge turn the side of the almond tofu with the honeyed osmanthus toward her. Using the untouched spoon on the table, she scooped a portion into Qin Shanshan’s bowl. For a moment, her gaze toward the esteemed saintess of the Wuzhaka tribe even held a subtle hint of pity:

“This is almond tofu. It’s made by grinding almonds into a paste, then adding a bit of agar, milk, and sugar before steaming it into a dessert. The recipe originally came from the capital, but after it spread here, everyone loved it, so we made some adjustments. The red layer on top is also from there, it’s hawthorn jelly cubes. The golden bits are honeyed osmanthus flowers, something we often add when eating it here.”

“I haven’t touched this side, and there’s a layer of agar separating it, so it hasn’t been contaminated. Would you like to try it?”

What an abrupt way to start a conversation! Even with her sharp wit, Qin Shanshan was stunned for a few moments before realizing the enormous misunderstanding that had just occurred between her and Du Yunge:

While she had been lost in wild and inappropriate thoughts, Du Yunge had mistaken her overly intense gaze for envy over being served a bowl of sweet syrup and curiosity about this unfamiliar snack. Without hesitation, she had shared half of her own portion.

It had been a long time since Qin Shanshan had experienced such pure, simple kindness. She felt both amused and deeply moved, thinking that she must not let this goodwill go to waste. She took a spoonful of the almond tofu and tasted it. Beneath the refreshing sweetness and smooth texture, there was a faint hint of bitterness, but the rich creaminess and sweetness overpowered it, leaving no unpleasant aftertaste.

When she was beyond the Great Wall, she had never tasted such elaborately made pastries. At most, she had only had a bowl of sweet steamed cheese curds. Suddenly encountering such a delicacy so refreshingly sweet and smooth she couldn’t resist taking a few extra bites. Only after finishing her entire half of the almond tofu did she set down her spoon and say to Du Yunge with a smile, “It really is delicious.”

Du Yunge was still slowly savoring her half, sprinkled with diced candied hawthorn. Against the dark red of the hawthorn, her crimson lips and snow-white skin appeared even more striking and elegant. Hearing this, she merely gave a slight nod. Adhering to the principle of “no talking while eating or resting,” she waited until she had swallowed every last morsel before dabbing the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief, lowering her gaze, and murmuring softly, “I’m glad you like it.”

Qin Shanshan found herself growing fonder of the girl the more she looked at her. Initially, her interest had been driven by a sense of rivalry whatever Xue Shuyan had, she felt she must have too, and there were few things she desired that she couldn’t obtain. Thus, the more Xue Shuyan had protected Du Yunge in their youth, and the more Du Yunge avoided her as an adult, the more determined Qin Shanshan became to take Du Yunge back beyond the Great Wall. It had been a matter of pride, not genuine, heartfelt affection.

Fueled by this stubbornness, she had held onto her obsession with Du Yunge for so many years. Had Du Yunge easily given in and agreed to return with her, Qin Shanshan’s fixation might have faded within months. But after these past few days together, Qin Shanshan found herself growing genuinely fond of Du Yunge, truly placing her in her heart.

To cheer Du Yunge up, she racked her brains for conversation topics. Back when she had disguised herself as an Emei disciple, she had overheard the Emei sect leader discussing the qin with Du Yunge. Hoping to engage her, Qin Shanshan finally recalled something related to the qin and spoke up, almost as if seeking praise: “If the young sect master is fond of the qin, we have one back home too, a treasure passed down through many years.”

Du Yunge had been resting with her eyes closed, showing no intention of responding. But suddenly, she thought of the legendary qin, the “Nine Heavens Circling Jade,” which had been lost beyond the Great Wall. She paid a bit more attention to Qin Shanshan’s words though not too seriously.

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