A raincoat wind and snow to the small garden

Chapter 2: Going to the Capital (Part )

Before my aunt could react, the eunuch in a round-necked brocade robe with a grass beast pattern came charging at her with the imperial edict in hand, his orchid finger raised, and cursed, "If we hadn't arrived in time, Miss Xiang would have been beaten to death by you! You're truly a vicious woman!"

After saying this, the eunuch jumped up and said to the county magistrate, "It seems that your rule is not very strict. Such a heartless thing has happened! To enter the Xuanlin Division, the family history of three generations of ancestors must be investigated. The whole family must be thoroughly investigated before you can serve in the Kyoto government office. I heard that Miss Xiang is an orphan who came to her aunt to beg for food. Just because she wanted an extra pair of chopsticks, she was forced to go out and kill pigs to feed the whole family at such a young age. God have mercy on her! If we hadn't arrived in time, she would have been buried in the ground long ago!"

The eunuch deliberately exaggerated the situation, causing the county magistrate to sweat profusely and constantly bow and smile.

Xiang Xiaoyuan, who was standing by, had no intention of listening to this. There was a big swelling on her face, which hurt, burned and numb. She knew that she was selected for the Xuanlin Division, and she could go to the capital and get rid of her aunt.

Xiang Xiaoyuan suddenly felt a lingering bitterness in her heart, and her nose felt sore, as if being pricked by needles. Her almond-shaped eyes flushed for a moment, and she bit back a sob. She bent down to pick up the knife she had dropped on the curb, but she felt dizzy and fell to the ground.

She caught a cold last night after wiping herself with cold water, and today she was exposed to the wind in the snow. She had a fever and didn't realize it, so it was natural that she would fall ill.

Xiang Xiaoyuan was lying on the bed, sleeping. She opened her eyes in a daze, drank some porridge and a bowl of medicine.

She had a dream about her childhood.

Ten years ago, the Wei Kingdom was divided among various prefectures by warlords, who recruited armies and established themselves as kings. Wars raged across the land, and disasters continued year after year, leaving the people destitute and devastated. Beyond the civil strife, the Xiongnu (Hsiung Huns) from the north of the desert threatened the Central Plains, repeatedly invading the south in an attempt to seize this fertile land. Imperial power, hollowed out by aristocratic families, had long since lost its former glory. To survive, Emperor Xie Zhen and Crown Prince Xie Yunxue undertook several hasty moves of the capital, seeking refuge with the remaining loyal military commanders and governors of the Xie clan.

To avoid exposing their whereabouts, Emperor Xie Zhen abandoned the open, flat mountain roads and took his seven-year-old eldest son, Xie Yunxue, on the less-traveled mountain roads. They endured hardships along the way, sleeping in the open air. It was a bitterly cold winter, and heavy snow had blocked the mountains. The troops escorting the emperor lost their way, marching through the vast snow for a day and a night, breaking several horses' hooves and frostbiting countless officers' legs. Finally, they found a house with curling smoke rising from a chimney. It was Xiang Xiaoyuan's childhood home.

Xiang Xiaoyuan's father is a hunter in the mountains. In recent years, there have been chaos and war, and the world has been destitute. Fortunately, he has a good hunting skill. He lives in seclusion in the mountains with his wife and daughter, and does not care about worldly affairs. Although their life is not rich, at least they are not starving to death.

Xiang Xiaoyuan remembered that every spring and summer they plowed a few acres of land and planted winter melons, radishes, and celery. In autumn and winter, they went into the mountains to hunt deer, foxes, and rabbits. The leftover meat was made into jerky and dried meat, and the furs were brought back down the mountain to sell for a little extra cash to buy medicinal plants and grass seeds. Her father loved her so much that when he came down the mountain, he would not only bring her a plum blossom hairpin but also buy her candied haws wrapped in oil paper.

That day, so many majestic figures came to their barren little land.

When Daddy saw the emperor, wearing a fox fur cloak with a dragon pattern on it, getting out of the carriage, he was so frightened that his whole body trembled with fear and he shouted, "Long live the emperor!"

He hugged his daughter Xiang Xiaoyuan tightly in his arms, not daring to look up, for fear of being accused of disrespecting God.

Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't understand the rules of hierarchy and the conspiracies and intrigues in the adult world. She opened her eyes and secretly looked out through her father's fingers.

Behind the majestic emperor stood a thin little boy.

He was thin, with handsome features: narrow, almond-shaped eyes with slightly upturned corners, a high nose, thin lips, and skin as white as snow. He was wrapped in a thick fox fur cloak, the protruding white fur covering his face, which had been reddened by the wind and snow.

The young man seemed to see Xiang Xiaoyuan. He glanced at her indifferently without any special expression.

He looks cold, like a little adult.

The emperor amiably helped my father to his feet. My mother, terrified, ran to the woodshed and took out all the meats that had been prepared for the New Year, slicing and cooking them to serve to the distinguished guest. Furthermore, my father even slaughtered Chunhua, the hen that laid an egg for Xiang Xiaoyuan every day, and gave it to the distinguished guest.

Chunhua was beheaded. Xiang Xiaoyuan cried heartbreakingly, as if she wanted to share her life and death with Chunhua. Daddy tried to comfort her, saying again and again: "We have a distinguished guest at home, we must treat them well. When spring comes, Daddy will go down the mountain to buy you a chicken, okay?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan's almond-shaped eyes were watery with tears in them. She sobbed and finally managed to hold back her tears after her mother handed her some black candy beans.

Her cheeks puffed out as she said, "It's a deal then. Not only do I want Chunhua, I'm also going to find a husband for Baixue."

Bai Xue is a small mountain rabbit raised by Xiang Xiaoyuan. It is so small that its meat is not enough for one person to eat, so it was able to escape this time.

Dad laughed after hearing this. He stroked Xiaoyuan's head lovingly and ruffled the two strands of hair she had just combed this morning.

"Okay, whatever Xiaoyuan wants, Daddy will buy it."

The army set up camp outside the house. Xiang Xiaoyuan and her parents lived in the same room, and the rest of the rooms were given to the royal relatives for rest.

In the kitchen, the firewood was burning brightly, and the heat penetrated through the thick jacket and skirt, making Xiang Xiaoyuan's face flushed.

Mother poured a bowl of chicken soup with a chicken drumstick in it. The golden broth was dotted with oil and, besides wild mushrooms, also with dried day lilies. Xiang Xiaoyuan loved the chicken soup made with day lilies; it had a distinct sour flavor that made her mouth water.

She thought this bowl of chicken soup was reserved for her, but she never expected her mother to gently say, "My dear little Yuan, our chicken soup is for the young man in the next room. There are no chicken legs left for you this time. Next time, I will stew a pot just for you and give you both big chicken legs. Okay?"

Even though she was reluctant, Xiang Xiaoyuan knew that everyone who came from afar was a guest, so she had no choice but to pretend to be generous and give up the soup.

Her mother gently instructed Xiang Xiaoyuan, and she nodded obediently, hopping down onto the ground with her short legs. She carefully carried the soup and knocked on the Crown Prince's door. Soon, a eunuch hurried over. He stopped Xiang Xiaoyuan, took a clean wooden spoon, and tasted the soup. After confirming it was poisonous, he allowed Xiang Xiaoyuan inside to serve her the food.

He walked into the house and looked around the small garden.

The room was filled with many luxurious furnishings that Xiang Xiaoyuan had never seen before, including Persian carpets with Baoxiang patterns and fragrant southern fruit smoked cakes. On the table was a small square box with a few pieces of sesame candies and red bean cakes in it, which smelled sweet.

The young man sat by the window. Even though there was no one in the room to serve him, he didn't mess up his appearance. He leaned against the felt rug with his back hunched. He seemed different from all the boys Xiang Xiaoyuan had seen.

Xiang Xiaoyuan looked at the boy who looked like a fairy, and thought to herself that the crown prince, sitting upright, looked like a Buddha statue enshrined high in an ancient temple.

Xiang Xiaoyuan placed the chicken soup respectfully on the table and whispered, "This is the chicken soup my mother made for you."

The little girl who grew up in the countryside didn't know any etiquette. She called herself "I" in front of the crown prince. Xie Yunxue couldn't help but frown.

Xie Yunxue continued to read, ignoring Xiang Xiaoyuan. She had assumed the girl would leave after delivering the soup, but she insisted on staying. Xie Yunxue, a sullen girl who disliked conversation, ignored her.

Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't know how to retreat when faced with difficulties. She felt sorry for Xie Yunxue, seeing him alone. She was worried that he might be lonely, so she eagerly went to accompany him.

"The chicken my mother killed was one I raised. It was called Chunhua." She thought of every moment she had with Chunhua, tears welling in her eyes. Her nose ached as she sobbed, "Chunhua was so sweet. I raised her from a chick to a big one. She lays an egg for me every day. My mother would make egg custard with goat's milk and a spoonful of mountain honey. It's delicious... If you don't eat Chunhua, I can give you some of my egg custard tomorrow."

She kept on talking about her chicken-raising history, a little complaining, a little sad, and a little aggrieved... The little girl's voice was soft, and sometimes confusing and difficult to understand, which annoyed Xie Yunxue.

Xie Yunxue closed the book and glanced at the little girl with red almond eyes.

Xiang Xiaoyuan fell silent and glanced at the chicken soup awkwardly: "Usually, mother always leaves the chicken legs for me to eat alone, so I'm sharing them with you."

"Eat whatever you want. No need to share." Xie Yunxue usually didn't care about food, but she kept nagging him, so he could only give up the chicken soup in a childish voice.

The porcelain doll suddenly spoke, which scared Xiang Xiaoyuan.

She stopped crying and asked curiously, "What is gu?"

Xie Yunxue took a deep breath: "It's me."

"Oh..." Xiang Xiaoyuan approached the table and took a sip of the chicken soup. The fragrant soup was indeed delicious. She was in a good mood and saw the snack box on the corner of the table. She asked softly, "Are those your pastries? They look delicious..."

Xie Yunxue pursed her lips: "If you want to eat, take it all."

"Thank you." Xiang Xiaoyuan smiled sweetly.

She only dared to take a bite or two of the chicken leg and drink half a bowl of chicken soup, leaving the rest of the soup and meat for Xie Yunxue. She was only five years old, just a baby, and she had always shared food with her friends like this, and she didn't think it was inappropriate. That evening, to repay Xie Yunxue for sending her cakes, Xiang Xiaoyuan made him a katydid and brought Bai Xue to show her.

"You gave me chicken soup, and I'll let you touch my snow-white."

Xie Yunxue stood in front of the window, staring at Xiang Xiaoyuan in the snow, without saying a word.

Xie Yunxue, the crown prince, grew up under the longing of the court's most important officials. Gifted with intelligence, he had already mastered the Four Books and Five Classics by the age of seven, and possessed a smattering of poetry and Confucian classics. In the eyes of the elder officials, he was the undisputed heir apparent. Born with the dynastic mission, Xie Yunxue, alongside his father, defended the country, protected the people, and safeguarded the people through the turbulent times. The burden had worn him beyond recognition, leaving him without a trace of childish innocence.

He was careful with his words and actions, not wanting to indulge in pleasure and disappoint anyone.

Now, Xiang Xiaoyuan presented Xie Yunxue with a bamboo-woven katydid. While crafting the katydid, her fingers had been cut by broad leaves, leaving tiny scars stained with blood. The girl's eyes sparkled like stars, and she waited with anticipation for Xie Yunxue to accept her gift.

Xie Yunxue took the katydid and gently stroked Bai Xue's rabbit head. The soft touch and the warm body temperature of the rabbit were very comfortable.

He couldn't help but loosen his tightly pursed lips and whispered, "Your rabbit is obviously gray, it's not white at all, how can it be called Snow White?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan pouted, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you... Bai Xue is Bai Xue. My dad said that in the spring, he would take me down the mountain and go to the market to pick a husband for Bai Xue. I want to find a big, strong rabbit as a husband for her, so that he can protect our Bai Xue."

We? Xie Yunxue was stunned. He didn't understand. He and Xiang Xiaoyuan had only had such a hasty and awkward encounter, so how could he end up in her camp?

Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't care. She smiled again and asked, "What's your name?"

If there were eunuchs around, they would definitely scold Xiang Xiaoyuan for being disrespectful.

Xie Yunxue's finger bones moved in her sleeves, and she said with a cold face: "Xie Yunxue, what about you?"

Xiang Xiaoyuan touched the tip of his nose and said, "My name is Xiang Xiaoyuan. Xiaohu said that my name is not nice at all."

Xie Yunxue blinked her long eyelashes and said, "All the flowers have fallen, but only the blooming one remains, taking all the charm and alluring possession of the small garden. It's like a poem. Your name... is very good."

Xiang Xiaoyuan was filled with joy when the young man praised her nice name.

She suddenly felt that the taciturn crown prince was not so difficult to approach.

Later, as Xiang Xiaoyuan and Xie Yunxue became familiar with each other, she would occasionally give him oddities from her treasure box: feathers from mountain kingfishers, brightly colored dried mushrooms, and wild boar tusks and needle hairs. But most of the time, while Xiang Xiaoyuan chattered on, Xie Yunxue didn't necessarily listen. He would simply bury his head in a book, only glancing at her with a hint of confusion when she stopped talking.

Xiang Xiaoyuan himself didn't know whether this could be considered making friends or friendship.

Until the day of separation arrived, she cried heart-wrenchingly and earth-shakingly, but this time she was not crying for Chunhua, but for Xie Yunxue.

Xie Yunxue was given a headache by her noise, and her face turned pale again.

No matter how reluctant she was, Xie Yunxue left.

After seeing off these distinguished guests, my parents felt relieved. They counted the remaining food at home and decided to go into the mountains to see if they could hunt some hungry rabbits. All their meat had been given to the distinguished guests, and there was no extra meat at home to prepare for the winter.

Xiang Xiaoyuan stayed at home and waited as usual.

However, this time, it was dusk and the sky was gloomy, and my parents did not return with a full load as usual.

Xiang Xiaoyuan couldn't help but feel fear. She carried a lighted lantern and braved the snow into the mountains. Baixue was a mountain rabbit. Unable to find food in the mountains, it willingly followed Xiang Xiaoyuan, a very humane creature. It memorized the scent of Xiang Xiaoyuan's parents, sniffing them out and guiding them forward.

It was cold in the mountains. A girl was chasing a jumping rabbit towards the small garden. The night wind blew on her face, and her skirt was blown by the incoming snow and wind, like a fragile butterfly.

She didn't know how long she had been running and was sweating profusely.

Finally, hard work paid off. In the gray snow in the distance, Xiang Xiaoyuan saw familiar clothes.

She found her parents, cheered towards the garden, and ran closer impatiently. But a strong, fishy wind blew in, and the snow was covered with winding red.

Xiang Xiaoyuan's parents were lying on the ground, motionless. They were dead, and had become two bloody, cold corpses.

Xiang Xiaoyuan opened her eyes wide in fear. She couldn't cry out and didn't even have the strength to drag her parents away.

"Father! Mother!"

Xiang Xiaoyuan saw the arrow feathers stuck in her father's back. They struck her as familiar, piercing. These arrows belonged to the emperor's army, and Xiang Xiaoyuan had seen them secretly. Back then, she was curious about mountain birds and had even researched which falcon the feathers on the arrows came from.

At this moment, dozens of arrows broke through the air, the sound piercing the clouds and splitting the rocks, shaking people's hearts.

He retreated hurriedly towards Xiaoyuan and ran towards the valley in panic.

She heard the sound of horse hooves approaching, the thuds on the snow, pounding on her heart.

Goose bumps spread across Xiang Xiaoyuan's back. Her hair was tangled, her cape was gone, her shoes had fallen off. She was in a state of disarray. There was no road ahead, only a cliff shrouded in snow and fog.

The soldiers behind him were still chasing him aggressively, and Xiang Xiaoyuan had no choice but to jump down.

In front of the cliff, the two Yulin guards who were riding their horses immediately stopped and looked at each other, hesitant.

"His Majesty has ordered the elimination of all hunters who know his whereabouts to prevent him from being found by the military governor. The little girl's parents are dead, and she also fell off a cliff and died. The matter should be over." The most important thing is that they are not completely sure that they can catch up with the emperor's carriage after rushing down the mountain to verify.

"That's right. A cliff this high would kill a young girl, let alone a girl. I don't think we need to chase them."

The two men exchanged a few words, then turned their horses and left.

At the foot of the cliff, Xiang Xiaoyuan held on for dear life, her hands tightly grasping the withered old vine. She didn't dare move or make a sound, fearing that the suspicious Yulin Guards would return.

Xiang Xiaoyuan was so cold that she almost fainted, and her palms were full of throbbing pain from being cut by the vines.

She thought of the beastly emperor and the cold-blooded Crown Prince Xie Yunxue, and her heart was chilled with fear.

Xiang Xiaoyuan remembered the poem again - All the flowers have fallen, only the warm and beautiful remains, occupying all the charm in the small garden.

It was clearly, it was clearly a gust of wind and snow blowing towards the small garden.

Xiang Xiaoyuan clenched her teeth, widened her round almond-shaped eyes, and her eye sockets gradually became moist. She sniffed and didn't cry.

When Xiang Xiaoyuan was five years old, she learned to hold back the tears that were about to burst out.

(End of this chapter)