"Chapter 26"
"Yu Ying took the small arrows he handed her, holding them in her hand. Glancing again at the arrow stuck in the wall, she still found it thrilling, her heart racing."
"A few moments later, Fuyan's deep voice came from behind: 'It's normal to be nervous the first time you use it.'"
"Yu Ying exhaled, turned to him, and thanked him. She lifted the small repeating crossbow but suddenly remembered its power and hastily set it down, her expression changing."
"Fuyan reminded her, 'There are no arrows in the box, don't panic.'"
"Yu Ying then remembered he had only loaded two arrows and breathed a sigh of relief."
"'Anyway, I want to thank you for making this for me...' She paused, then continued, '...the repeating crossbow.'"
"Saying the name of the small crossbow, Yu Ying smiled at him."
"A faint dimple appeared on her cheek when she smiled, which became visible."
"Her charming smile and bright eyes made even the faint 'stains' on her face seem to fade away."
"In that moment, Fuyan felt his mouth go dry, his throat tight. He swallowed and averted his gaze, looking out the window where the grass curtain was not drawn."
"After a brief pause, he calmly said, 'You don't need to thank me. What you've done for the Fuyan family, for me, is far more significant than this crossbow.'"
"Yu Ying just smiled silently. Their current situation was one of mutual benefit, so there was no need for further words."
"'Today is the last morning, I need to make the most of it and gather more herbs. I should be going now.'"
"After informing Fuyan, Yu Ying turned to leave with the crossbow. At the door, as if remembering something, she returned to pull out the two arrows from the wall."
"Once outside, she saw Fuyan and Funing watering the newly planted seeds."
"As Yu Ying was busy, under Luo Shi's guidance, the two children had personally dug and planted the vegetable seeds."
"Every day, besides caring for the drying herbs, they meticulously tended to the seeds they had sown."
"Their first task every morning was to water the plants, eagerly urging them to sprout as they crouched beside them."
"Noticing they weren't looking her way, Yu Ying discreetly placed the crossbow in her backpack, covering it with cloth."
"After covering it, Fuyan looked up and asked, 'What did uncle say?'"
"Yu Ying, with her backpack on, replied, 'He told me to be careful in the mountains.'"
"Hearing this, Fuyan pouted, 'I went into the mountains earlier, why didn't uncle remind me?'"
"Yu Ying chuckled lightly, shouldering her pack, and instructed him, 'I’ll be back by noon. Remember to turn over the herbs and if the weather changes, bring them into my room.'"
"Not only did Fuyan nod, but little Funing beside him also nodded vigorously, both obedient and adorable."
"She wasn't sure if it was her perception or if she had grown fond of them."
"Although the siblings still wore the same ill-fitting clothes patched with wear and frayed cuffs, Yu Ying felt they both looked a bit plumper and fairer."
"Before, Fuyan and Funing were both dark and thin, their eyes lifeless and hollow."
"But now their eyes sparkled with life, filled with aspirations for the future."
"Entering the mountains, Yu Ying noticed the absence of villagers gathering herbs."
"She guessed it was because they had spent the whole previous day working only to find it might cover the cost of the ox cart, or perhaps not even that, so they stopped wasting time."
"Their presence or absence in the mountains didn’t affect Yu Ying much, so she didn't dwell on it."
"Having nearly exhausted the herbs in the outskirts, Yu Ying ventured to another area."
"In the unfamiliar terrain of another mountain, even just at its outskirts, Yu Ying took out the small crossbow Fuyan had given her, loaded it with five short arrows, and remained vigilant while gathering herbs."
"Unbeknownst to her, it was nearing midday. Yu Ying looked at the less than full basket of herbs in her backpack and fell silent for a moment before deciding to head back."
"Even if she gathered more, it wouldn't make a significant difference, and it would only exhaust her."
"As she was digging up the last herb, a cold and sinister presence suddenly swept through the trees and settled behind her."
"Yu Ying sensed something was amiss."
"The next instant, a faint rustling came from the bushes behind her. Yu Ying, ever vigilant, tensed up. Despite her racing heart, she forced herself to stay calm, held her breath, abandoned the herb she was about to pick, and slowly reached for the crossbow on the ground."
"The moment her hand grasped the crossbow, the beastly noise behind her became distinct. Yu Ying swiftly turned around and, without hesitation, shot at the massive black figure that was pouncing towards her."
"She fired continuously, and it wasn't until the second arrow that Yu Ying realized she was facing a wild boar with tusks!"
"Her face turned pale with fear, but she overcame her terror with reason. Suppressing the urge to retreat or run immediately, she fired the remaining three arrows."
"The boar was only three or four yards away; running now would only expose her to greater danger and she certainly couldn't outrun it."
"The boar, with its thick hide, was barely penetrated by the short arrows. Though they only grazed its skin, the pain made it hesitant to charge and instead try to avoid the arrows."
"When she shot the fifth arrow, Yu Ying didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately turned to run."
"The very next instant, the boar's wails echoed behind her."
"Yu Ying didn't know where the last arrow had hit; she only knew she couldn't stop running."
Her clothes were torn by branches, and her cheeks had fine scratches.
She kept running until there was no longer any noise behind her, and when she could run no more, she finally stopped.
Yú Yíng hid under the slope of the forest, leaning against a tree trunk, gasping for breath, her sleeveless shirt completely soaked with sweat from the scare and the running.
After catching her breath, she cautiously looked back to see that the wild boar had not followed, and she relaxed, feeling drained.
The branches and thorns had torn many holes in her clothes, and she also felt a burning pain on her face, damp with sweat.
Without needing a mirror, she knew how disheveled she must look.
But compared to being attacked and injured by a wild boar, her current dishevelment seemed trivial.
As she caught her breath, she remembered Fú Wēi's words.
He had said that walking often by the riverbank would inevitably lead to wet shoes, let alone in these unpredictable and dangerous mountains.
It seemed she really couldn't be too careless and shouldn't place all her hopes of earning money solely on these mountains.
The mountain was a treasure trove, but the fear was not having the life to exploit it.
After catching her breath for a while and thinking of leaving, she realized something was amiss in her surroundings.
Observing her surroundings, she discovered she had strayed off course; this was no longer the periphery of the mountain.
The outskirts of the mountain were dangerous enough, let alone deeper within.
She dared not linger any longer and knew she had to leave quickly.
"Yu Ying straightened up to leave, but due to her exhaustion from running, the small repeating crossbow slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground. She quickly bent over to pick it up."
"Picking up the crossbow and about to check if it was damaged, she suddenly paused, realizing something. She stepped back, examining the vines growing on the slope, pulling one closer for a closer inspection."
"The vines were entwined, with leaves that were slender and heart-shaped, tapering to a fine point, and without any fuzz."
"A tremor of excitement ran through Yu Ying; if she was not mistaken, these were the vines of Polygonum multiflorum — the Night Blooming Vine."
"She knew well that although Polygonum multiflorum was a common medicinal herb in later times, in this ancient era, it was considered quite precious."
"The older it was, the more valuable, and even these vines could be worth more than some herbs sold by weight."
"Yu Ying carefully pulled down the vine while searching for its root."
"She found the root nestled between rocks and soil. To extract it intact, which would make it valuable, she had to be extremely careful."
"Anticipating it would take some time, Yu Ying first loaded the remaining five arrows into the crossbow’s quiver and set it aside before starting to dig."
"As the sun began to set, Fuyan had already finished cooking the porridge, but there was still no sign of Yu Ying."
"Earlier, Fuyan had asked Fuyan to lift all the window curtains, and he had been watching outside ever since."
"Glancing outside at the sky, unable to see the sun, he called Fuyan over."
"Thinking his uncle needed help, Fuyan hurried over, reaching the window and asking, 'What’s wrong, uncle?'"
"Fuyan asked, 'What time is it now?'"
"Fuyan, having watched the time while cooking the porridge, replied without hesitation, 'It’s exactly the hour of Wei (1-3 pm).'"
"Hearing that it was already this late, Fuyan’s gaze swiftly passed over Fuyan, peering through the fence outside. There was still no one in sight, causing his brow to furrow deeply."
Fú Ān, following his uncle's gaze, muttered, "Why hasn't Auntie come back yet? When she left, she said she would return by noon, but now it's already past that time. Why isn't she back?"
Luó Shì and Fú Níng, who were picking wild vegetables under the eaves, stopped their work upon hearing this.
Fú Níng didn't know how to tell time or how long an hour was, but she understood that her auntie should have been back by now, yet she hadn't returned.
She stood up and ran to the bamboo gate, looking expectantly in the direction Yú Yíng had left that morning.
Luó Shì, feeling uneasy, picked up a bamboo pole resting nearby and stood up. She said to her son, "Sixth Lady is a sensible person. She would return when she said she would. Now that she's not back yet, could it be..." She didn't finish her sentence, only adding, "I'll go to the Hé family now and ask Uncle Hé to help search for her."
Fú Ān hurriedly went to support his grandmother, saying, "Grandma, I'll accompany you."
Watching the grandmother and grandson leave the courtyard, Fú Wēi withdrew his gaze, looking at his legs with disgust. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists, knuckles whitening slightly.
A look of restlessness appeared in his eyes.
"When will these useless legs heal..."
"When will I no longer be like a useless person, unable to do anything..."
Suddenly, Fú Wēi heard a noise from outside the courtyard. He looked up sharply, seeing Fú Níng, who seemed to have spotted something, running hurriedly forward.
Fú Wēi guessed what might be happening and let out a sigh, slowly unclenching his fists.
From a distance, Yú Yíng saw a small figure staggering toward her. Even as a tiny speck, she could tell who it was.
Worried the little girl might fall, she quickened her pace.
The little girl was wearing straw sandals, and with the ground being uneven and strewn with stones, it was easy for her to trip and fall.
As they neared each other, Yú Yíng called out urgently, "Stop running, stand still, I'm coming to you."
Hearing her voice, the little girl hesitated, then gradually stopped and stood in place.
"Yu Ying let out a breath of relief."
"As she approached, still seven or eight steps away, the little girl, seeing the disheveled state of Yu Ying, turned pale. Instead of obediently waiting as she was told, she stumbled and ran towards Yu Ying."
"She threw herself at Yu Ying, hugging her legs tightly."
"Yu Ying looked down at the little girl, noticing her shoulders trembling and her breaths sounding like sobs."
"Yu Ying's heart quivered slightly."
"After the possibility of never seeing friends and family again, encountering someone who cared for her so deeply was profoundly moving."
"A moment later, Yu Ying squatted down and spoke softly to her, 'Auntie is fine, just...'"
"She thought for a moment, then made up an excuse, 'I just tripped and fell, that's all.'"
"Upon hearing this, the little girl lifted her tearful eyes to look at Yu Ying."
"Yu Ying smiled warmly at her, 'Auntie really is fine. Let’s go home, grandma must be worried sick.'"
"The little girl nodded, then reached out her small hand to hold Yu Ying's."
"Hand in hand, they walked back together."
"Fuyan watched the outside of the courtyard with an eager gaze."
"After a while, when he saw Yu Ying, her clothes torn and her cheeks marked with several fine cuts, looking utterly disheveled, his usually cold expression changed."
"Chapter 26"
"Yu Ying took the small arrows he handed her, holding them in her hand. Glancing again at the arrow stuck in the wall, she still found it thrilling, her heart racing."
"A few moments later, Fuyan's deep voice came from behind: 'It's normal to be nervous the first time you use it.'"
"Yu Ying exhaled, turned to him, and thanked him. She lifted the small repeating crossbow but suddenly remembered its power and hastily set it down, her expression changing."
"Fuyan reminded her, 'There are no arrows in the box, don't panic.'"
"Yu Ying then remembered he had only loaded two arrows and breathed a sigh of relief."
"'Anyway, I want to thank you for making this for me...' She paused, then continued, '...the repeating crossbow.'"
"Saying the name of the small crossbow, Yu Ying smiled at him."
"A faint dimple appeared on her cheek when she smiled, which became visible."
"Her charming smile and bright eyes made even the faint 'stains' on her face seem to fade away."
"In that moment, Fuyan felt his mouth go dry, his throat tight. He swallowed and averted his gaze, looking out the window where the grass curtain was not drawn."
"After a brief pause, he calmly said, 'You don't need to thank me. What you've done for the Fuyan family, for me, is far more significant than this crossbow.'"
"Yu Ying just smiled silently. Their current situation was one of mutual benefit, so there was no need for further words."
"'Today is the last morning, I need to make the most of it and gather more herbs. I should be going now.'"
"After informing Fuyan, Yu Ying turned to leave with the crossbow. At the door, as if remembering something, she returned to pull out the two arrows from the wall."
"Once outside, she saw Fuyan and Funing watering the newly planted seeds."
"As Yu Ying was busy, under Luo Shi's guidance, the two children had personally dug and planted the vegetable seeds."
"Every day, besides caring for the drying herbs, they meticulously tended to the seeds they had sown."
"Their first task every morning was to water the plants, eagerly urging them to sprout as they crouched beside them."
"Noticing they weren't looking her way, Yu Ying discreetly placed the crossbow in her backpack, covering it with cloth."
"After covering it, Fuyan looked up and asked, 'What did uncle say?'"
"Yu Ying, with her backpack on, replied, 'He told me to be careful in the mountains.'"
"Hearing this, Fuyan pouted, 'I went into the mountains earlier, why didn't uncle remind me?'"
"Yu Ying chuckled lightly, shouldering her pack, and instructed him, 'I’ll be back by noon. Remember to turn over the herbs and if the weather changes, bring them into my room.'"
"Not only did Fuyan nod, but little Funing beside him also nodded vigorously, both obedient and adorable."
"She wasn't sure if it was her perception or if she had grown fond of them."
"Although the siblings still wore the same ill-fitting clothes patched with wear and frayed cuffs, Yu Ying felt they both looked a bit plumper and fairer."
"Before, Fuyan and Funing were both dark and thin, their eyes lifeless and hollow."
"But now their eyes sparkled with life, filled with aspirations for the future."
"Entering the mountains, Yu Ying noticed the absence of villagers gathering herbs."
"She guessed it was because they had spent the whole previous day working only to find it might cover the cost of the ox cart, or perhaps not even that, so they stopped wasting time."
"Their presence or absence in the mountains didn’t affect Yu Ying much, so she didn't dwell on it."
"Having nearly exhausted the herbs in the outskirts, Yu Ying ventured to another area."
"In the unfamiliar terrain of another mountain, even just at its outskirts, Yu Ying took out the small crossbow Fuyan had given her, loaded it with five short arrows, and remained vigilant while gathering herbs."
"Unbeknownst to her, it was nearing midday. Yu Ying looked at the less than full basket of herbs in her backpack and fell silent for a moment before deciding to head back."
"Even if she gathered more, it wouldn't make a significant difference, and it would only exhaust her."
"As she was digging up the last herb, a cold and sinister presence suddenly swept through the trees and settled behind her."
"Yu Ying sensed something was amiss."
"The next instant, a faint rustling came from the bushes behind her. Yu Ying, ever vigilant, tensed up. Despite her racing heart, she forced herself to stay calm, held her breath, abandoned the herb she was about to pick, and slowly reached for the crossbow on the ground."
"The moment her hand grasped the crossbow, the beastly noise behind her became distinct. Yu Ying swiftly turned around and, without hesitation, shot at the massive black figure that was pouncing towards her."
"She fired continuously, and it wasn't until the second arrow that Yu Ying realized she was facing a wild boar with tusks!"
"Her face turned pale with fear, but she overcame her terror with reason. Suppressing the urge to retreat or run immediately, she fired the remaining three arrows."
"The boar was only three or four yards away; running now would only expose her to greater danger and she certainly couldn't outrun it."
"The boar, with its thick hide, was barely penetrated by the short arrows. Though they only grazed its skin, the pain made it hesitant to charge and instead try to avoid the arrows."
"When she shot the fifth arrow, Yu Ying didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately turned to run."
"The very next instant, the boar's wails echoed behind her."
"Yu Ying didn't know where the last arrow had hit; she only knew she couldn't stop running."
Her clothes were torn by branches, and her cheeks had fine scratches.
She kept running until there was no longer any noise behind her, and when she could run no more, she finally stopped.
Yú Yíng hid under the slope of the forest, leaning against a tree trunk, gasping for breath, her sleeveless shirt completely soaked with sweat from the scare and the running.
After catching her breath, she cautiously looked back to see that the wild boar had not followed, and she relaxed, feeling drained.
The branches and thorns had torn many holes in her clothes, and she also felt a burning pain on her face, damp with sweat.
Without needing a mirror, she knew how disheveled she must look.
But compared to being attacked and injured by a wild boar, her current dishevelment seemed trivial.
As she caught her breath, she remembered Fú Wēi's words.
He had said that walking often by the riverbank would inevitably lead to wet shoes, let alone in these unpredictable and dangerous mountains.
It seemed she really couldn't be too careless and shouldn't place all her hopes of earning money solely on these mountains.
The mountain was a treasure trove, but the fear was not having the life to exploit it.
After catching her breath for a while and thinking of leaving, she realized something was amiss in her surroundings.
Observing her surroundings, she discovered she had strayed off course; this was no longer the periphery of the mountain.
The outskirts of the mountain were dangerous enough, let alone deeper within.
She dared not linger any longer and knew she had to leave quickly.
"Yu Ying straightened up to leave, but due to her exhaustion from running, the small repeating crossbow slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground. She quickly bent over to pick it up."
"Picking up the crossbow and about to check if it was damaged, she suddenly paused, realizing something. She stepped back, examining the vines growing on the slope, pulling one closer for a closer inspection."
"The vines were entwined, with leaves that were slender and heart-shaped, tapering to a fine point, and without any fuzz."
"A tremor of excitement ran through Yu Ying; if she was not mistaken, these were the vines of Polygonum multiflorum — the Night Blooming Vine."
"She knew well that although Polygonum multiflorum was a common medicinal herb in later times, in this ancient era, it was considered quite precious."
"The older it was, the more valuable, and even these vines could be worth more than some herbs sold by weight."
"Yu Ying carefully pulled down the vine while searching for its root."
"She found the root nestled between rocks and soil. To extract it intact, which would make it valuable, she had to be extremely careful."
"Anticipating it would take some time, Yu Ying first loaded the remaining five arrows into the crossbow’s quiver and set it aside before starting to dig."
"As the sun began to set, Fuyan had already finished cooking the porridge, but there was still no sign of Yu Ying."
"Earlier, Fuyan had asked Fuyan to lift all the window curtains, and he had been watching outside ever since."
"Glancing outside at the sky, unable to see the sun, he called Fuyan over."
"Thinking his uncle needed help, Fuyan hurried over, reaching the window and asking, 'What’s wrong, uncle?'"
"Fuyan asked, 'What time is it now?'"
"Fuyan, having watched the time while cooking the porridge, replied without hesitation, 'It’s exactly the hour of Wei (1-3 pm).'"
"Hearing that it was already this late, Fuyan’s gaze swiftly passed over Fuyan, peering through the fence outside. There was still no one in sight, causing his brow to furrow deeply."
Fú Ān, following his uncle's gaze, muttered, "Why hasn't Auntie come back yet? When she left, she said she would return by noon, but now it's already past that time. Why isn't she back?"
Luó Shì and Fú Níng, who were picking wild vegetables under the eaves, stopped their work upon hearing this.
Fú Níng didn't know how to tell time or how long an hour was, but she understood that her auntie should have been back by now, yet she hadn't returned.
She stood up and ran to the bamboo gate, looking expectantly in the direction Yú Yíng had left that morning.
Luó Shì, feeling uneasy, picked up a bamboo pole resting nearby and stood up. She said to her son, "Sixth Lady is a sensible person. She would return when she said she would. Now that she's not back yet, could it be..." She didn't finish her sentence, only adding, "I'll go to the Hé family now and ask Uncle Hé to help search for her."
Fú Ān hurriedly went to support his grandmother, saying, "Grandma, I'll accompany you."
Watching the grandmother and grandson leave the courtyard, Fú Wēi withdrew his gaze, looking at his legs with disgust. His hands involuntarily clenched into fists, knuckles whitening slightly.
A look of restlessness appeared in his eyes.
"When will these useless legs heal..."
"When will I no longer be like a useless person, unable to do anything..."
Suddenly, Fú Wēi heard a noise from outside the courtyard. He looked up sharply, seeing Fú Níng, who seemed to have spotted something, running hurriedly forward.
Fú Wēi guessed what might be happening and let out a sigh, slowly unclenching his fists.
From a distance, Yú Yíng saw a small figure staggering toward her. Even as a tiny speck, she could tell who it was.
Worried the little girl might fall, she quickened her pace.
The little girl was wearing straw sandals, and with the ground being uneven and strewn with stones, it was easy for her to trip and fall.
As they neared each other, Yú Yíng called out urgently, "Stop running, stand still, I'm coming to you."
Hearing her voice, the little girl hesitated, then gradually stopped and stood in place.
"Yu Ying let out a breath of relief."
"As she approached, still seven or eight steps away, the little girl, seeing the disheveled state of Yu Ying, turned pale. Instead of obediently waiting as she was told, she stumbled and ran towards Yu Ying."
"She threw herself at Yu Ying, hugging her legs tightly."
"Yu Ying looked down at the little girl, noticing her shoulders trembling and her breaths sounding like sobs."
"Yu Ying's heart quivered slightly."
"After the possibility of never seeing friends and family again, encountering someone who cared for her so deeply was profoundly moving."
"A moment later, Yu Ying squatted down and spoke softly to her, 'Auntie is fine, just...'"
"She thought for a moment, then made up an excuse, 'I just tripped and fell, that's all.'"
"Upon hearing this, the little girl lifted her tearful eyes to look at Yu Ying."
"Yu Ying smiled warmly at her, 'Auntie really is fine. Let’s go home, grandma must be worried sick.'"
"The little girl nodded, then reached out her small hand to hold Yu Ying's."
"Hand in hand, they walked back together."
"Fuyan watched the outside of the courtyard with an eager gaze."
"After a while, when he saw Yu Ying, her clothes torn and her cheeks marked with several fine cuts, looking utterly disheveled, his usually cold expression changed."
