Chapter 2
The yamen runners posted the festive crimson imperial examinations list. The crowd clamored, surging forward to view the rankings, their noise drowning out the cries for help from the people in the river. Even if some noticed, they were pushed forward by the crowd behind them.
However, on a teahouse across the river, a man sitting alone had already spotted someone falling into the water, but he paid no mind. He sat with his legs spread in a kneeling posture, a position by the railing that overlooked the small bridge and flowing water. He took off his black plain robe and draped it over one end, picked up the teapot painted with blue flowers, poured a cup of autumn tea, and brought it to his lips to taste. Tong Zhou’s food and drink were refined; even drinking tea was elegant. Compared to the bitter tea gulped down from large ceramic bowls in the northwest to quench thirst, the delicate cup in his hand, which could not hold much tea, was truly a leisurely affair.
The northern battles ceased in May, and the army returned to the capital in June. Huo Shu’s army marched south in July. They traveled at a leisurely pace, transitioning from the scorching heat to autumn. In a blink of an eye, nearly two months had passed, and they finally arrived in Tong Zhou, known to the world for its white walls, black tiles, clear mountains, and beautiful waters. The gentle streams of Jiangnan flowed through the city’s wide streets and narrow alleys. Lined with dragon-towered and phoenix-roofed buildings, and magnificent palaces, commercial buildings, and post houses were clustered together, with merchants and traders as numerous as fish in a river. The man was dressed in rich attire and wore fine jade at his waist. The women’s hairstyles were adorned with lustrous and precious ornaments. Both the scenery and the people were enough to dazzle any foreign visitor. His comrades had not lied to him; Jiangnan was prosperous and wealthy, the best place.
Huo Shu drank three cups of tea. The faint aroma of the tea lingered in his mouth, finally quenching some of his thirst. Although it quenched thirst slowly, it had a refreshing fragrance. He was not unfazed by the beautiful scenery of the Jiangnan prefecture city. As an outsider, it was truly difficult to move his buttocks to get wet in the water.
However, as Huo Shu put down his teacup, his peripheral vision caught the people in the river still struggling. They had not managed to get out of the water, and no one was offering help. He couldn’t help but furrow his brows. The people of Jiangnan were born in water towns and should be familiar with swimming. He hadn’t expected there to be such a landlubber. In broad daylight, if someone drowned in the river at the bustling entrance of the prefecture, it would truly be a joke.
Seeing that the person was already sinking, Huo Shu’s eyes moved slightly. Suddenly, ripples appeared on the river surface where flowers floated on the green water, and a dark figure leaped into the water. In the end, he couldn’t just sit and watch the joke. The person in the river was like a drifting, rootless water weed, pushed wherever the water went. Huo Shu grabbed the “water weed” with one hand and surfaced again in a moment. The water flowed like a torrent. Huo Shu glanced at his trouser legs and frowned. He loosened his grip slightly, intending to let the person go. However, when his hand loosened, the person he held at his waist not only didn’t sink but instead tightened his grip on his sleeve. Ji Taoyu, who had been struggling in the water for a long time, was already exhausted and frightened. Being rescued like this, he instinctively moved closer to the person, not yet having recovered from the fear of falling into the water.
Huo Shu couldn’t help but lower his head to look at the person who seemed to be clinging to him. Only then did he realize that the person he had pulled up was actually a young man. The wet sleeve of this young man clung to his wrist, and the exposed part of his wrist seemed to have never seen the sun, as white as smooth jade. Seeing the person turned sideways, burying his face in his chest, his hair dripping water, and his body trembling uncontrollably, he looked like a small cat hiding in a corner in the freezing cold, afraid of people. His chest heaved. Ultimately, he didn’t directly release the person and drop him on the ground. Instead, he supported the person and walked towards the steps.
As he walked, their limbs brushed against each other. He realized that the person leaning on him was not only light but also as soft as dough that had been kneaded for too long. Huo Shu’s eyes flickered. His comrades had not lied to him; Tong Zhou truly had such soft and boneless young men! But when he touched something so soft, his back stiffened a little. He was used to being ruthless with his hands, and he was afraid that if he wasn’t careful, he might make the person gasp for breath. Huo Shu concentrated and brought the person up. When they reached the end of the stairs, he stood at the corner of the teahouse and said, “Get down?”
These words were a bit blunt and lacked warmth when heard. Ji Taoyu had just begun to recover from his fear. He still had water in his mouth and nose. His senses were already more sensitive than ordinary people. In this state, his throat felt so uncomfortable that he could hardly control himself. His chest rose and fell rapidly, and he gasped for breath. Trembling, he raised his head and met a pair of eyes with white spaces on three sides and black pupils smaller than ordinary people. Such eyes commanded respect without anger, even appearing somewhat fierce. Tao Yu’s vision immediately went black, and he almost couldn’t breathe, instantly becoming much more alert.
Huo Shu saw the young man in his arms with fair cheeks, as if a light touch would leave a red mark. The corners of his eyes were red, and his almond-shaped eyes were filled with tears. He was immediately stunned. Was he… crying? Over the years, he had encountered many who begged for mercy, or who urinated themselves in fear and couldn’t take care of themselves, but these reactions only occurred when a knife that could split bone and flesh was at their throats. This was the first time he had made someone cry with just a few words. His arms were stiff, and he was somewhat at a loss.
Huo Shu watched the person in his arms expressionlessly. The young man seemed even more flustered. He quickly supported himself and, in his panic, pushed his arm away to create distance between them. However, when his feet landed steadily, his legs trembled noticeably, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
“…” Huo Shu pursed his lips tightly. How could someone be so weak? Could he be trying to extort him? But Huo Shu quickly dismissed the thought. This young man looked like bright jade, with delicate skin and complexion, raised as if not even a cold wind had ever blown on him. If it were an ordinary family, even with affection, they wouldn’t have the means to raise him like this. Therefore, there was no need to extort him, a dejected old man who looked like he was in his thirties, weathered by wind and sun in the northwestern frontier.
The market was bustling with people coming and going, and the imperial examinations list was posted. Quick-footed individuals had already seen the list and were celebrating. Seeing two soaked people standing by the river, many onlookers cast their gazes over. Huo Shu saw a young man rushing towards them and said, “Your companion is here.” Ji Taoyu was already having trouble breathing, feeling as if his body was filled with water, blocking his normal breathing. His body was also cold, causing him to tremble uncontrollably. Despite his discomfort, he clearly knew that the Yu family’s young man had intentionally pushed him into the water. Whether he wanted to embarrass him in the market or kill him, or what other intentions he had, it was best to avoid him for now.
“He, he’s not my companion. He’s the one who pushed me into the water.” Ji Taoyu said breathlessly, clenching his fists and lowering his head. He wanted to support himself, but his body was like dough with too much water, sticking to the ground. He knew how pathetic he looked right now, and he had never felt so helpless in his own body. Just as he was feeling extremely flustered, something was suddenly placed over his seemingly weak body. He saw a black plain robe fall to the ground. Tao Yu looked up at the expressionless man, and his heart felt a little better. His eyes were tearful, and he trembled as he said, “Th-thank you, benefactor.”
Huo Shu had intended to leave, but upon hearing his words, he changed his mind. He watched as the plain robe, barely enough to cover the young man’s upper body, almost wrapped him entirely. He frowned, reached out, and scooped up the wrapped person again. “Where do you live?”
Compared to being sent home by a stranger or dying miserably in the market, being watched by onlookers while soaked, Ji Taoyu chose the former. “Xiao Xijie, Zhenglu Lane, Huangji Medical Clinic.” Huo Shu said no more. Carrying the person, he swung his long legs onto his horse, asked the teahouse staff for directions, and then rode off.
Yu Xia, who had been running to catch up, saw that Ji Taoyu had been rescued as expected and felt a sense of relief. He only wanted Tao Yu to be embarrassed in the market; he didn’t want him to have any serious accidents. But he didn’t expect the person who rescued him to take him away! Yu Xia had chased a few steps, but the man on the horse glanced at him with a condescending look. Cold sweat silently broke out on his back, and his steps unconsciously stopped. That person… that person seemed to be the fierce-looking man he had encountered on the official road today. Even if he didn’t remember the face, he remembered the black horse. Yu Xia’s heart pounded, and he suddenly felt at a loss.
Tao Yu lowered his head to cover his face, hiding himself in the plain robe. Although some people were curiously watching, they couldn’t see his person or his face. He felt drowsy and only felt the jolting for a while. When he heard a familiar voice, he propped himself up and loosened the plain robe that was covering him, revealing his pale cheeks. “What’s wrong!”
Huo Shu saw the place with the Huangji Medical Clinic sign from a distance. There were many people coming and going. He slowly stopped his horse, startling a few elderly and weak patients. The horse’s neigh drew the attention of the old doctor at the counter. Huang Yinsheng heard the sound of the horse snorting and shaking its head, thinking it was another fop causing trouble on the street. As he looked up in displeasure, he saw a tall and imposing figure holding a person wrapped in a plain robe. He quickly put down his pen and went over, only to see the young man revealing his face, and his heart immediately leaped into his throat.
“Quickly, come in.” Huang Yinsheng quickly helped Ji Taoyu from the man’s embrace. Upon touching his icy cold hands and soaked sleeves, he didn’t ask any further questions and first helped the person to the back room. “Huangqi, quickly go get a set of clean clothes.” The young medicine boy heard the voice and quickly responded, soothed the patients in the shop for a moment, and hurried to the backyard.
Huo Shu seemed to hear the young boy weakly call out “Azhu” before entering the room. He withdrew his gaze and scanned the clinic. It was filled with medical supplies. Seeing that the old doctor was very concerned about the young man, he presumed he was his own cherished family member. Since his family member was a doctor, he thought there wouldn’t be any major issues. With this thought, Huo Shu turned to leave.
“Benefactor!” A voice came from behind. “Wait a moment.” Huang Yinsheng came out and quickly called out to Huo Shu, “Thank you, benefactor, for saving my grandson’s life. You’ve gotten your clothes wet. Why don’t you change into a set in the backyard?” Huo Shu glanced at his clothes and pants. The weather in Jiangnan was humid, unlike the dry northwest with sand and wind. The clothes would dry quickly. It was indeed inconvenient to walk around the market dressed like this, so he agreed and took his bundle with the man to the backyard.
The front of the clinic was plainly decorated, and the shop didn’t seem very large. However, upon entering behind the shop door, it opened up surprisingly to reveal a large courtyard. In the courtyard, many winnowing baskets were placed, drying medicinal herbs on tiered wooden shelves, totaling no less than forty to fifty baskets. Further ahead were the kitchen stove and rooms on the side. This was a typical layout of a shop in the front and living quarters in the back, very convenient for merchants. Huo Shu thought that the young man’s family truly had some wealth, but according to the doctor, this seemed to be his maternal grandfather’s home. He had no intention of prying into the family matters of a chance encounter. Without further questions, he changed his clothes in the room and came out.
At the entrance, a person who looked like a medicine boy was waiting. “Benefactor, please sit for a moment and have some tea. The young boy has stoked the fire to dry your clothes, so you can pack them.” Huo Shu thought this was reasonable and handed his changed clothes to the medicine boy. He strode out, and Huang Yinsheng was personally brewing tea in the courtyard. “Benefactor, please sit.” Huo Shu cupped his hands. Seeing that the young man had not yet come out, he still asked, “How is the young man?”
“My little grandson has been unwell since childhood, and is weaker than ordinary people. I heard the details of what happened just now. If it weren’t for your selfless rescue today, he would have been in grave danger. I have already given him medicine and put him to sleep. He cannot come out to thank you personally, so I hope you won’t mind.”
“It’s nothing, just a small matter.” Huang Yinsheng was extremely grateful and said, “Thank you, benefactor. May I know your esteemed name? Please stay for a while longer. The clinic has some simple refreshments for you to have a meal, as a token of my gratitude.”
“My name is Huo Shu. Doctor, there’s no need for such formalities. I have other matters to attend to and cannot stay long.” Huo Shu took the opportunity to ask, “Does the doctor know where Mingxun Village is?” Huang Yinsheng raised his eyebrows upon hearing this. “Go along the official road for twenty li, then turn into a small path and it’s another two or three li.” Seeing Huo Shu’s demeanor as an outsider, he had encountered many people from the north and south during his travels in his younger years, so he guessed Huo Shu was from the north. Since the person had kindly offered help with a warm heart, he had no reason not to be thorough. He said, “I don’t know the reason for Mr. Huo’s visit, but if you can reveal it, my grandson is from Mingxun Village. My son-in-law happens to be the village head, so perhaps he can help Mr. Huo.”
Huo Shu’s brows moved. “I’m here to find someone.”
“What a coincidence. If you are not in a hurry, Mr. Huo, perhaps you can rest here for the night. Tomorrow, I will send my grandson back to the village, and you can travel together. I can also explain your matter of searching for someone to my son-in-law.” Huo Shu paused. It was not easy to find someone in an unfamiliar place. He had the appearance of an outsider and a stern demeanor. Many villages and rural areas were xenophobic and wary, so it might be even harder to find someone. After a moment, he said, “Alright. I’ll trouble you then.”
