Chapter 132: Returning to Jing County

After finishing their lessons at Xuanlu, Liu Qin followed Jiang Li into the Mo Xiang Courtyard. She had expected Fang Nuo to be waiting there, eager to rush over and excitedly report how much silver the "Celestial Nectar" shop had earned and how prosperous business had been.

However, it was strangely quiet today; there was not a soul in the courtyard. Had Fang Nuo not returned yet?

She entered the main room and poured a glass of water, but before she could even take a sip, Chang'an walked in.

"Oh? Where is Nuo? Didn't you go to the shop with him? Why have you returned first?"

"The Third Young Master returned early. He should be in his room." Chang'an pointed toward the east wing, where Fang Nuo resided.

"What is going on? He didn't even say hello, just slipped into his room and fell asleep. Could something be wrong?"

Chang'an hesitated for a moment before saying, "A group of guests from the north came to the shop today. The Third Young Master went up to exchange pleasantries and even sat down for a couple of drinks with them. They spoke in a regional dialect, so I didn't understand them. On the way back, the Third Young Master was in a very bad mood. I asked him, but he wouldn't say anything. I don't know if it had something to do with those guests."

Guests from the north? Liu Qin remembered Fang Nuo mentioning that his home was north of the Han River. Could they have been people from his hometown? Liu Qin and Jiang Li exchanged a glance, and Jiang Li nodded at her. "Sister, sit for a while. I will go and ask."

Entering Fang Nuo’s room, they found him lying flat on his back, staring blankly at the bed curtains, lost in thought. He didn't even notice them walk in.

"Nuo."

Only then did his soul seem to return to his body. He sat up abruptly and, seeing who it was, stammered, "Brother... why are you here?"

"Nuo, you have something on your mind." Jiang Li sat down beside him, staring straight at him.

Fang Nuo lowered his head, his hands unconsciously tugging at the quilt. When he looked up again, his face was resolute. "Brother, I want to go home."

"Go home?"

"Yes. Back to Jing County."

"Is there news of your father?"

Fang Nuo shook his head. Disappointment and hope flickered alternately across his face. "I want to go back and see. Perhaps my father is there waiting for me..." His voice grew smaller. He knew the hope was slim, yet he could not help but crave it.

Jiang Li patted his shoulder. "Fine. If you want to go, then go. If your father is home, bring him back with you. If your father is... you must remember to return."

"That’s right, Nuo. No matter what, this is your home, and we will all be waiting for you."

Liu Qin had walked in at some point and added her voice. Fang Nuo’s lips trembled; he suddenly felt like crying, but he forced himself to hold it back. He bowed his head and softly murmured, "Yes."

Liu Qin was very worried about Fang Nuo returning home. This was not like her previous life, where a flight or train ride would take only a few hours. From Wucheng to Jing County was nearly three thousand li. The journey would take about a month. What if he encountered bad people, kidnappers, or robbers?

Thinking of how Fang Nuo had wandered all the way to Wucheng, she felt a pang of heartache. He was such a young child, at an age when he should be enjoying the care of his parents, yet he was wandering in search of his only kin, whose fate remained unknown. But since Fang Nuo wanted to go, she could not, and would not, stop him. This was his obsession.

The only thing she could do was help him pack and send people to protect him so he could return safely. Chang'an volunteered to go, and after some thought, Liu Qin also sent Changsheng. Changsheng was clever and Chang'an was steady; with the two of them, she felt much more at ease. Furthermore, all three had spent a year learning martial arts from Master Mu and had a good foundation; as long as they didn't encounter top-tier martial artists, they could handle a few local thugs.

Three days later, a carriage quietly slipped out of the side gate of the Liu estate, heading toward the South City Gate. They passed through Kun Prefecture, crossed Feng City, and ferried over the Han River. After a journey of sleeping in the open and eating in the wind, they finally arrived in Jing County at the end of the month.

All three were covered in the dust of travel. Without stopping to wash, they went straight to Fang Nuo's home. His house was in a small alley in the northwest of Jing County. The alley was too narrow for the carriage, so they left it at a nearby stable and walked the rest of the way with their bundles.

The closer one gets to home, the more trepidation one feels. Perhaps because he was getting closer, Fang Nuo felt his heart beating out of control, thumping faster and faster. When his hands touched the two dilapidated courtyard doors, his heart felt as if it were in his throat, ready to jump out. He felt dizzy, and his hands trembled so violently that he lacked the strength to push the door open.

"Young Master." Changsheng and Chang'an reached out to steady him.

Fang Nuo forced a smile, regained a sliver of strength, and pushed. The door creaked open.

The courtyard had not changed at all. The crooked jujube tree, struck by lightning when he was small, remained half-charred and half-vigorous. Under the tree, a hoe, a splitting axe, and some firewood leaned against the corner of the wall, exactly as they had been when he left. Only the firewood, perhaps due to exposure to wind and rain, had begun to rot. Beside it was a vegetable patch with several cabbages sprawling on the ground, bringing a touch of vitality to the yard.

Is there someone home? Fang Nuo’s eyes lit up. The rush of wild joy in his chest almost caused him to lose his breath. Without waiting to steady himself, he took off running toward the house.

"Father!"

He pushed the door open with force. Hearing the sound, someone in the room slowly turned around. Fang Nuo was so excited he nearly collapsed. The room was dark, and he could not make out the person's features, but he did not care to look closely; he lunged forward, just as he used to throw himself into his father's arms as a child.

"Father, you’ve finally returned! Nuo has missed you so bitterly."

"Nuo?"

Fang Nuo’s forward momentum came to a sudden halt. This voice was clearly not his father's deep tone. It was the raspy, aged voice of an old woman. As the light from outside spilled in, illuminating the speaker, Fang Nuo finally saw that it was Mother Hu, who lived next door. She was over sixty, with hair like frost and skin like a chicken’s, her eyes clouded as she squinted to look at him.

"Mother Hu..." Fang Nuo recognized her immediately.

Following the shock of the change, a wave of immense disappointment surged through his heart. The depth of his disappointment was even greater than the height of his previous joy. The emotional toll, combined with the fatigue of the long journey, caused Fang Nuo to collapse onto the floor. Still, he asked urgently, "Mother Hu, is my father home?"

Mother Hu shook her head, though her face held a look of joy. "Is it really you, Nuo? I didn't expect... it really is you. Where have you been these past two years? Did you find your father..."

Before she could finish, she saw the boy’s expression shift. He closed his eyes and fell backward, fainting on the ground.

"Young Master!" Changsheng and Chang'an rushed in, lifted Fang Nuo onto the bed, and began a frantic scramble for water and a doctor.

It was not until two days later that Fang Nuo slowly drifted back to consciousness. When he opened his eyes, he saw Changsheng sitting by the bed with bloodshot eyes, watching him with concern, while Chang'an walked in carrying a bowl of medicinal soup.

"The Young Master is awake? Thank goodness."

A few tears slid quietly down his cheeks, caught by the cold breeze Chang'an brought in, and rolled onto the pillow, soaking into the hand-embroidered pond of lotus leaves. The vibrant green leaves and pink blossoms had long since been eroded by time, losing their original colors.