Jun Jiuling

Chapter 161: Freedom of Travel

There really were people with talent bestowed by Heaven.

Lei Zhonglian soon realized this on this journey.

He was a man of the roads, with over ten years of experience. It was obvious to him whether or not someone could travel, and whether they were faking it or not.

This delicate young miss from a bureaucratic family really could do it.

She could identify the correct direction, read the weather, know when the snakes and insects and tigers and panthers would come and go. She knew where to find water and forage for food in the wilderness, just like an expert who had traveled on the road for many years. Not only did she do it without struggling, she did it with ease.

Lei Zhonglian had no way of explaining such a phenomenon. He could only believe in Heaven-bestowed talent. As Young Lady said, she had learned this on her way to Yangcheng from Funing.

He didn’t think too much about the fact that on the journey to Yangcheng from Funing, a bureaucratic family, as well as the rich and powerful Fang Family, would send an escort to travel with her. There would be no need for her to camp or forage for her own food and travel through the mountains.

Didn’t Manager Gao say something to him? Stop asking ‘why?’ so much.

Lei Zhonglian cracked his whip; the horses neighed but increased their pace.

Miss Jun sat back in the carriage.

Fang Chengyu was looking out the window. The youth’s complexion was much better, and his eyes glittered brightly. But traveling was hard for him, and he could not hide his exhaustion.

Because riding a carriage was not good for his body. This was no short excursion, so they hadn’t brought volumes of books or tea service or other elegant things.

The only amusement there was to look at the scenery passing by.

He had already looked at scenery for nearly half a month.

"Traveling must be dull and uninteresting," commented Miss Jun.

She was not someone who was good at talking. When she and Fang Chengyu had been staying in the same room, they had not interacted beyond treatment time. On top of that, during treatment Fang Chengyu would be sent into unconsciousness. So the times they had to talk face-to-face were limited.

But now they were riding in the same carriage, facing each other. Fang Chengyu was also awake and alert. Talking could not be avoided.

It was good that if Fang Chengyu wanted, he could be a very chatty person. He could turn this stiff and dry topic into one that was pleasing.

For example now, his response to the boring topic was not obviously perfunctory.

"Perhaps for people who often travel that is so, but for me, who has never been out, it is very interesting," said Fang Chengyu with a smile. "Every blade of grass and every tree may look the same, but I can never look my fill."

Miss Jun smiled.

The first time she had gone out she was also that way. She had left the capital, having shaken off the palace maids and eunuchs that always chased her. She had ridden her horse freely and felt that the trees, the grass, the rocks were different from the ones in the palace and the capital. Everything looked so new.

But afterwards, she had been constantly on the move with Master everywhere. And every year she would return to the palace, so she felt like her life was spent always on the move.

After that, she had not gone anywhere, and her life ended.

Now she lived again and was starting her journey. It was clear to see that she would need to travel in the future, until she reached her Elder Sister and Little Brother’s sides, until she reached her justice.

But to be able to travel again, she didn’t think it was dull and uninteresting. She could only feel full of gratitude.

"When we go back, you can try riding a horse. It is a different feeling from riding the carriage," said Miss Jun thoughtfully.

Fang Chengyu smiled, his eyes bright.

"That means that when we arrive where we’re going, I can learn to ride a horse," he said.

Miss Jun nodded and smiled.

"I heard that learning to ride a horse is difficult," commented Fang Chengyu.

"You’re bright, so you can learn quickly," said Miss Jun.

Fang Chengyu shook his head.

"That’s not for sure. Being smart in the mind and thoughts is different from being smart physically," he said seriously. "My mind is bright, but my body definitely is not."

Really, he was making up some nonsense excuses. Miss Jun laughed out loud.

"You are definitely smart in mind and body," Fang Chengyu added.

"Because I’m good at pitch-pot?" said Miss Jun with a smile.

Fang Chengyu nodded seriously.

"I don’t know whether you’re praising, or mocking me." Miss Jun’s lips curled back in a smile.

He was talking about what happened in the past.

While they were on the road, or should she say, since before the day Head Shopkeeper Song had brought the doctors and she used acupuncture needles to let blood from his meridians, they had not spoken about what had happened in the past.

Those suspicions, guesses, conjectures, untrustworthy, humiliating things had all been seemingly forgotten.

Choosing to forget all those bad or embarrassing things.

This child chose to forget, obviously, because he knew that he was wrong, the so-called innocence of the ignorant. What’s more, she had deliberately provoked his mistrust, so that outsiders would be even more fooled and not suspect.

Since that response, he had not said any disrespectful things, and cooperated intelligently.

This thing should not be mentioned, like she was a fussy person. Although she mentioned this not because she was discontented with him.

She had just spoken as she wished, and forgotten to think about the other’s feelings.

After all, she was not familiar with thinking about other people’s feelings.

So she said, she was not someone used to making small talk.

Not waiting for the atmosphere to grow heavy in the carriage, Fang Chengyu spoke again.

"Of course it’s praise," he said, looking at Miss Jun seriously. "If it were mockery, I would say it for others to hear."

Miss Jun gave him a look.

"What sort of mockery is said for no one to hear," added Fang Chengyu.

This child.

Miss Jun laughed out loud again.

Even Lei Zhonglian heard this laugh. He cracked the horsewhip lightly.

Who said that Young Master and Young Lady’s relationship was no good? It looked like the two people were perfectly happy.

Come noon, the carriage made its way onto a smooth, broad main road. Miss Jun lowered her head to look at her map. The markings were a just a hairsbreadth off.

Old Lady Fang had given her such a detailed map in so short of a time. There weren’t many people who could do this to this extent in the world.

Even in the government office, not just any rank of official could obtain such a meticulous map.

This ability was befitting of the Fang Family as a large and powerful family, but how could someone be able to harm this powerful family to such an extent? That was more inconceivable.

"Young Lady, there is a small town ahead. Would you like to eat and rest?" asked Lei Zhonglian.

Miss Jun responded in affirmative. She lifted up the curtains. There were many people passing by, and there was evidently a town ahead.

"There’s no need to rest. We just need to buy some food and medicinal ingredients," she said.

Fang Chengyu needed to take medicine while on the road. The medicine was tailored to his body’s condition, so the stuff they had brought with them had either been used up or was useless. They needed to buy on the road. When they couldn’t buy something, Miss Jun would find it in the wilderness.

Unfortunately, this time the town’s simple apothecary did not have the ingredients she needed.

"There is a mountain not far ahead, we will go there," declared Miss Jun. "When we get to the base of the mountain, you will go down to eat. I will go search for medicinal ingredients, and you can rest."

‘The one’s resting will be us, and you will not have time to rest while you harvest herbs,’ thought Fang Chengyu.

He did not say anything though, just smiled and nodded.