mtl008 Chapter 73 She said she couldn't read?
Chapter 73 She said she couldn't read?
"Miss, are you alright?" The coachman opened the carriage door for Shen Yanchu and asked with concern.
Shi Wanxia waved her hand, indicating that she was fine. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. After a while, she felt a little better, so she sat up and took the teacup from the table.
"Brother Shen, I'm fine, don't worry. I just get carsick. I didn't expect I'd get carsick!" Shi Wanxia poured him a cup of tea, but Shen Yanchu didn't drink it. He just placed it on the table. Since everyone here is a woman, it wasn't appropriate for an outsider like me to stay any longer. So he put the orange in his hand on the table.
"It's good that you're alright. These oranges are just the right amount of sweet and sour; you can eat some to help relieve the symptoms." With that, he turned and left the carriage.
"Let's keep going," Shi Wanxia said.
The coachman nodded, cracked his whip, and the carriage set off again. Shi Wanxia leaned against the window, gazing at the scenery outside, silently praying that they would reach their destination as soon as possible.
"These oranges are so sour, they really make me feel much better. Thinking about how far we still have to go, Shi Wanxia couldn't stay idle. Shen Yanchu has some books, so I'll go to his place to borrow a couple to pass the time."
Inside the carriage, Li Qinglan and Li Shuying sat quietly, while the younger Li Qinghuan, also feeling sleepy, rested to the side. She couldn't sit still, looking at the monotonous scenery outside.
At midday, the scorching sun beat down on the earth, yet the caravan continued its journey without stopping. Those inside the carriages didn't complain much, simply eating a few bites of flatbread to replenish their energy.
The driver urged the horses on while cautiously observing the surroundings. He knew this stretch of road was not safe, and to ensure everyone's safety, he decided to speed up the journey and try to find a safe place to rest before nightfall.
The atmosphere inside the carriage was somewhat somber, with everyone silently lost in their own thoughts. The driver had mentioned that the journey hadn't been very safe. However, everyone understood that the most important thing at this moment was to remain calm and vigilant, and to follow the driver's instructions.
As time passed, the sun gradually slanted westward, and the sky grew darker. A look of weariness appeared on the driver's face; if he could just persevere a little longer, they would reach their lodging for the night.
Finally, before nightfall, the caravan arrived at a dilapidated temple, long neglected and in ruins. The drivers silently ate the food they had brought, keeping their distance from us. Perhaps they were used to traveling alone, or perhaps they were wary of strangers. Shi Wanxia was also suffering from back pain from sitting too long, but she could only let Li Changyu and the others prepare dinner.
An air of antiquity permeated the dilapidated temple; the murals on the walls were long since faded and worn, seemingly telling tales of the vicissitudes of time. Moonlight streamed through the broken roof, forming beams of light, in which dust swirled. Watching the backs of the cart drivers, a sense of helplessness welled up within me.
Li Changyu and the others were busy nearby, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings, focused solely on their own tasks. Feeling somewhat weary, I stood up and paced around the dilapidated temple. The stone slabs beneath my feet creaked and groaned, as if protesting my intrusion.
Li Changyu chopped up the marinated chicken that Miss Shi had prepared and put it into a pot, adding some dried mushrooms to stew. Soon, the aroma of meat wafted through the dilapidated temple, making everyone's mouths water.
"It smells so good! Brother Li, your cooking skills are really good." Shi Wanxia sat by the fire, smelling the aroma, and waited for the food to cook.
The aroma of broth filled the simple, dilapidated temple. Li Changyu stood before the pot, his spatula constantly stirring the food inside. A hint of unease crossed his face, as the people around him showered him with praise for his cooking, making him feel somewhat embarrassed.
After simmering for a while, Li Changyu determined that the broth was ready to eat. He called to everyone, and they all gathered around, holding steamed buns, ready to enjoy this simple yet delicious dinner.
Under the dim light, everyone ate steamed buns and drank heartily from the meat broth. The steaming broth warmed their bodies and relieved the fatigue of the day. They ate and chatted, their laughter and conversation echoing in the night air.
After dinner, everyone returned to their vehicles to rest. Li Changyu also cleaned up the pots and pans and returned to his own vehicle. He lay down in the passenger compartment, closed his eyes, and reflected on the day's experiences. Although they hadn't traveled very far in the past few days, they had already left the territory of Qingyun Town. The more than 300 li journey from Qingyun Town to Licheng was through the Cangyan Mountains, where banditry was quite serious. Li Changyu was somewhat worried, especially since he was with several vulnerable women. Lost in thought, he eventually fell asleep.
The soft morning sunlight bathed the earth, casting a pale golden hue over everything. After a quick breakfast, the group hurried on their way. Shi Wanxia sat in the swaying carriage, holding a copy of the Book of Songs she had borrowed from Shen Yanchu.
The pages of this book were slightly yellowed, exuding an old and worn smell. Shi Wanxia gently turned the pages, and all she saw were traditional Chinese characters. She could only guess and make out the meaning. How did the ancients manage to read it? There weren't even any punctuation marks or breaks.
As the carriage swayed, Shi Wanxia's thoughts drifted away. She couldn't concentrate on the book; there were so many characters she didn't recognize. But she had to admit, she was learning simplified characters, though recognizing traditional characters was common for her.
After an unknown amount of time, the carriage suddenly stopped. Shi Wanxia snapped out of her reverie. She gently closed her book, placed it aside, and then alighted from the carriage. She saw Shen Yanchu and the others also alighting, whispering amongst themselves. She pulled Li Qinglan and the others over.
"Brother Shen, why did you stop the car? What happened up ahead?" Shi Wanxia looked worriedly into the dense forest ahead.
In the towering maple forest, the autumn wind whistles, and maple leaves flutter down like fallen petals. Another autumn scene, breathtakingly beautiful.
Suddenly, a commotion arose from the woods ahead, and it was unclear what had happened. Shen Yanchu reassured her that the driver had gone to investigate. She stood there, somewhat worried, but seeing Shen Yanchu's calm expression, she gradually calmed down.
The driver returned quickly and told Shen Yanchu and her that there was a group of people arguing in the woods ahead, seemingly fighting over something. There were many on both sides, along with several armed guards. Shen Yanchu frowned. It wasn't advisable to reveal their identities here; they should wait until they left to avoid causing trouble.
"It's noon now, so let's not rush. Let's have lunch first and wait until those people leave before we go. Let's not provoke them." Shen Yanchu felt it was better to be safe. Wenzhu and I haven't recovered our skills yet, and the journey is bound to be turbulent. It's better to avoid trouble.
The afternoon sun shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground. After the group finished lunch, two of the drivers quietly went to keep an eye on the group, while the rest remained in the carriage, waiting for news.
A tense atmosphere filled the carriage; everyone sat silently, no one speaking. Wanxia sat in the corner, holding a copy of the Book of Songs, her eyes revealing hesitation and unease. After much deliberation, she finally decided to go to Shen Yanchu's carriage.
She walked up to Shen Yanchu and handed him the Book of Poetry. Shen Yanchu took the book, a puzzled look on his face. He didn't understand why Wanxia was returning the Book of Poetry to him at this time. "You finished reading it so quickly? I don't have any more books here."
Wanxia sighed softly and said, "Here's the book back. I don't recognize many of the words in it."
Shen Yanchu and the others were stunned by Wanxia's words. How could she be illiterate? They remembered that this girl had said she had studied for more than ten years. How could she be illiterate? What books had she studied?
"Miss Shi is not joking. How could you be illiterate? Didn't you say you studied for more than ten years?"
"Yes! Miss Shi, it was you who won the poem contest against the village scholar and saved the three Li Qinglan sisters."
Cui Yu'an and Li Changyu asked with great confusion.