Meiyi patted her brown horse and galloped all the way. She slowed down when she felt that they would not be caught up by the young man's convoy. After careful consideration, she asked the innkeeper at the inn last night and knew that the Grand Canal wharf was ahead. She could take a boat southwards to save most of the journey, and along the way she would pass several legendary prosperous and bustling cities in the south of the Yangtze River. If she wanted to have some fun before leaving, it would only take her a moment. She wanted to go to the wharf to see if there were any large passenger ships that could go long distances. She didn't want to abandon her brown horse and wanted to take it on board. She wondered if it was possible.
Finally arriving at the Dajiang Wharf, Meiyi saw from afar a man in military uniform walking around with many soldiers on the wharf. She thought to herself, "Oh no! I almost forgot that I ran away secretly!" She couldn't help but let Xiaohei report that she was safe. Her father must be worried and still asked people to search around. If they found her, they would definitely send her back to the capital. What should she do? She had already disobeyed the emperor's order and refused to be the prince's concubine and ran away. Why did she go back? Would she cause trouble for others
Meiyi hid behind the bushes, observing the dock. There were countless passenger and cargo ships on the river, and they all needed to be checked before leaving the shore. What should she do? Should she not take a boat? But there would be checkpoints and inspections if she took the land route. She didn't know how much effort it took to get to this place. It was a headache to think about it. Taking the water route should be smoother and more convenient than taking the land route, with many advantages, but she also had to be able to get on the boat, right
After thinking for a long time, she was at a loss. She didn't dare to approach until the soldiers on the dock withdrew. They had portraits in their hands, so they must know that she was wearing a mask. The two portraits were compared and carefully examined by young people passing by, regardless of gender. Is it necessary to be so serious? I am so honest and let you find me based on the portraits? Meiyi gritted her teeth and thought to herself.
After a while, the horse team transporting the medicinal herbs arrived and passed by her. The curtains on the side windows of one carriage were not drawn. A young man in white was leaning against the window, tilting his head slightly, with a thoughtful expression, his eyes focused, as if looking into the boundless distance. He didn't even notice the person in front of him. Meiyi turned around curiously, wanting to see what he was looking at. Behind him, there was nothing but a row of dark mountains. But her turning around attracted the attention of the person in the window. His handsome face suddenly became lively, and he smiled brightly. He leaned on the window and shouted to her attentively:
"Brother..."
When Meiyi, as a member of the Xia family cavalry, lay in Xia Lin's carriage and was personally bandaged by him as if she were a seriously injured person and taken to the merchant ship, she began to think about a question: Did the young man who was guarding the trapped truck on the roadside in the morning really need her help
The merchant ship left the dock smoothly. Meiyi wanted to run out of the hold, but Xia Lin persuaded her: "Brother Qin, wait a little longer. After we pass the town ahead, if no one at the dock asks the fleet to dock for inspection, it won't be too late to leave then!"
Meiyi looked at him and knew that if she wanted his help, she had to show sincerity and exchange names with him. Knowing that his name was Xia Lin, she randomly gave herself a name called Qin Li. Xia Lin then called him Brother Qin, which sounded even more awkward than calling him Brother.
"My horse didn't get on the boat. What shall I do? You won't let anyone sell it?"
Xia Lin smiled: "How could that be? Brother Qin's horse... is a rare BMW. I asked someone to take it on a dry road and wait for an opportunity to dye its body with a different color. It travels very quickly and will be waiting at the downstream dock. You will see it then!"
"Thank you, Mr. Xia...Mr. Xia!"
After hesitating for a moment, he still couldn't call him Brother Xia or something like that, as that would seem too intimate.
Xia Lin smiled harmlessly: "Brother Qin, you don't have to be polite to me. I feel like I've known you for a long time. I'm grateful to you for not abandoning me and helping me. I should do something for you!"
Meiyi couldn't stand it any longer: "Can you please stop calling me that? I think there's not much difference in age between us. Please call me by my name, and I'll call you by your name too!"
Xia Lin happily said: "Okay... Then I will call you Qin Li from now on!"
"Yeah! Xia Lin!"
More than a dozen large merchant ships fully loaded with cargo rushed eastward along the river, finally leaving the city and town and entering the sparsely populated wilderness and mountains. Only then was Meiyi allowed to walk out of the hold and onto the deck. Looking into the distance, she was amazed and intoxicated by the beautiful or bizarre natural scenery.
Although Xia Lin had difficulty moving around, he always stayed by her side. He never asked any questions, but he would answer her seriously as long as she wanted to know.
He pointed to a boat a little further back and said, "Your little red horse was on board yesterday. It's over there."
"Thank you!"
Xia Lin smiled and said, "You are being polite to me again!"
Meiyi looked at the huge merchant ships in front and behind and sighed slightly. She grew up in Kyoto and could only see such large ships when she passed by the river outside the city. Now she actually sat on one and felt both fresh and curious:
"Xia Lin, are all these merchant ships carrying your family's goods?"
"No, my family's goods only occupied five ships, and the rest belonged to other businesses. Did you see the word 'Yang' hanging on the mast of that merchant ship? The Yang family fleet in Jiangnan is a century-old brand, famous all over the world, and the goods it transported have never been lost. The current head is my uncle. I led people to the deep mountains of Maoxian to transport medicinal materials. On the way, we encountered bandits. Fortunately, the master and servant worked together to escape from danger, which delayed the journey for two days. The Yang family manager who led the fleet this time received my aunt's instructions and insisted on waiting for me to return before setting off for home, regardless of the objections of other businesses. Otherwise, we would have to find another merchant ship, but it would be very troublesome - along the way, as long as the officials saw the name of the Yang family, they usually would not stop us."
Meiyi lowered her eyes: Is this, for her sake
"I'm very curious, why did you ask me to help you yesterday? I was obviously struggling, and if I couldn't help, wouldn't you and your friends laugh at me? Your butler wasn't lost either, he was waiting on the boat..."
Xia Lin hurriedly explained: "You saw it too, I really couldn't move, and all the family members in the car were injured... But the housekeeper thought nothing was wrong, so he ran back to the dock to get the boat ready. Who would have thought that would happen? I saw that you were confident, and if I hadn't said it pitifully, you wouldn't have helped, and it would have really delayed me for a long time!"
Meiyi blinked her eyes and said, "You don't look like a bad person, but why do I not believe it?"
Xia Lin looked at her blankly: "Then what do you want me to believe?"
Meiyi smiled and said, "Why do you want to get on a merchant ship if you don't ask me what I do?"
"Why are you asking? You came to the dock, so you must want to go south. This ship is bound for Jiangnan!"
Xia Lin looked at her and said, "I don't believe you are a servant. Although you are wearing rough clothes, you are too clean. Your behavior and temperament are not like those of a servant. And your horse is not an ordinary good horse. It is a good horse from the northwest... There are two portraits of young men on the dock. One of them is you. I have seen you somewhere else. My memory is not bad. I recognized you at the first sight!"
"Since you know I'm the one being pursued, are you still willing to help me? Do you have any ideas? Just tell me, I can't get away now!"
Xia Lin waved his hands hurriedly: "Brother Qin, please don't misunderstand! Just as you don't think I'm a bad person, I don't think you're a bad person either. A person on the run can't be as calm and relaxed as you are, and have the leisure to share other people's worries. In my opinion, you must be a prince who ran away from home in anger!"
Meiyi was stunned: "You think so?"
Xia Lin nodded seriously: "Yes!"
Meiyi was leaning on the side of the boat. Now she stood up and bowed to Xia Lin sincerely: "Brother Xia is very accurate in judging people. It can be said that the real person never shows his true face. I admire him! I do have a rift with my family. I want to go out and travel alone. The world is so big that I don't believe there is no place for me! Today, I have received great help from Brother Xia. I am very grateful! I will borrow Brother Xia's boat to go to Jinling City in the south of the Yangtze River. I will go to another relative and will not bring trouble to Brother Xia!"
Xia Lin smiled, "What do you mean by burden? You are too kind! When you are in the Jianghu, what matters is friendship and opportunity. Just like you said, everyone has times when they encounter difficulties. If you are willing to help others, you will always get help from others! To be honest, I felt that we were compatible as soon as I saw you. I wanted to make friends. I know that you want to find a way out, but it is easy to get into trouble if you are alone. Why don't you invite me to my home in Jiangnan? I can guarantee your safety. You can stay as long as you want!"
"Thank you, Brother Xia! But I still have to go to a place first. I have wanted to go there for a long time. If I have the chance, I will come to visit Brother Xia again!"
Meiyi looked at the surging river, then looked at Xia Lin, and smiled thoughtfully: "It is said that businessmen value profit, but that is not always the case. I have seen many businessmen who value integrity, and Brother Xia is the youngest one!"
Xia Lin was a little embarrassed: "I... I'm not actually a businessman!"
"Oh? Isn't Brother Xia a herbal medicine dealer?"
"… "
Suddenly, the boatman who was watching the wind shouted, "It just rained heavily ahead, and the rainbow just appeared. I'm afraid the rain has not stopped yet. Is there any cargo on the boat that is not covered? Pay attention!"
Meiyi turned around and saw a bright and beautiful rainbow in the sky. She clapped her hands and shouted with joy:
"Ah! Rainbow! That's wonderful!"
Xia Lin broke out in a sweat: Is it that serious? It's just a rainbow. After all, he is a boy who was raised in a deep house. He is surprised by the rare things!
The fleet went down the river, stopping and starting according to weather conditions and water levels, and it took more than a month to reach the large dock in Jinling City.
Meiyi felt that she was really lucky to meet Xia Lin, and with him protecting her, she had a smooth journey. The two of them lived in a rather spacious warehouse, with a carved wooden screen between the two beds. Meiyi knew that she couldn't be too particular when she was out, so she didn't care. Besides, Xia Lin was gentle, modest and polite, and very worthy of reliance. Although Meiyi didn't trust him wholeheartedly, she also sincerely regarded him as a brother. He had injured legs and feet and was unable to move, so when Wangcai didn't come at night, she also helped a little, passing water and medicine, etc. Xia Lin was self-disciplined and never washed or changed clothes in front of others, and even avoided Meiyi when applying medicine. Meiyi thought that he had discovered her identity as a girl and felt a little uneasy, but Wangcai said that the eldest master was always like this, and there was nothing strange about it.
Meiyi likes to play. Every time the boat stops at the shore, she always wants to go ashore and walk around the market. Xia Lin doesn't restrain her. He thinks of ways with her to change her clothes, paint on her face, and go off the boat to play. Meiyi wears a mask anyway, and paints casually. She just wants to go ashore to broaden her horizons and learn about the customs of foreign places. Xia Lin usually rides in a sedan chair with her, and they can also have a good time. They go on a whim and return with a full load. Meiyi has too many things she wants to buy, and she has silver bills on her. She feels uncomfortable if she doesn't spend them. She hasn't thought of one thing yet: when she arrives in Jinling, she will go to Lingnan. What should she do with these things? (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)