Yecheng (Part 2)
Wu Kun asked Wei An to build a carriage, and he really wanted to build it.
Just as the house was tidied up, the soldiers carried in a pile of wood, and the leading sergeant placed several carpentry tools in front of Wei An, saying, "These are bestowed by Zhugong. He orders that Si Gongzi must complete the carriage within half a month."
Wei An remained silent.
"What if it cannot be completed within half a month?" Gongyang Gui asked from the side.
"Cannot be completed?" The sergeant glanced at Gongyang Gui and smirked arrogantly. "The envoys sent by ChengXiang for negotiations have arrived in Yangzhou. If Zhugong doesn't have the carriage made by Si Gongzi, then you cannot return."
Upon hearing these words, everyone was taken aback.
The people from Yongdu are already in Yangzhou? I was both surprised and delighted, exchanging a glance with Ah Yuan. But if it's true, doesn't this seem like an intentional delay since Wu Kun and we are all in Yecheng? My heart raced as I pondered. I had no idea how far their negotiations had gone; I only hoped it would happen quickly. Otherwise, as my belly grew, concealing my pregnancy would become increasingly impossible
"No rope or ink." Wei An suddenly said.
The sergeant looked at him. '"What?"
"No rope or ink, and also no ruler, compass," Wei An said, "and no glue paint or gold fittings either."
"Why is making a carriage so troublesome?" The sergeant said impatiently. "There are none of these."
"If there are none of them, then it can't be proceed," Wei An said calmly, not hurried or annoyed. "Whether your Zhugong can go to Yangzhou or not is irrelevant to me. If things don't work out, the blame will fall on you." With that, he turned and walked back into the house, closing the door behind him.
The sergeant's face turned half red and half white. He stared for a while, then left in a huff, brushing his sleeves.
I had to admit that Wei An had his own ways of handling things. Not long after, the rope, ink, ruler, and compass he needed were all delivered. The soldiers who brought them also mentioned that the glue dries quickly and the gold fittings need to be crafted separately, so they would be sent when needed.
Wei An didn't say anything. He took a piece of charcoal and began to write and draw on the prepared wooden board.
I looked at the thick logs in the courtyard and felt extremely worried. Although Wei An was skilled in craftsmanship, he usually had servants to handle the heavier tasks at home. After all, he was just a thirteen-year-old child. How could he possibly build a carriage all on his own?
With no other choice, I had to rally the others to lend a hand and assist Wei An.
"I can help with measurements and pitch in," Ah Yuan offered.
Gongyang Gui added, "I've learned how to use a saw before."
"Saws work well, and splitting wood isn't that difficult," Uncle Huang stroked his beard and chuckled. "As for building a carriage, back in my village, our neighbor was a carpenter. I even helped them repair ox carts."
Only Wei Jiao rubbed his hands together and said, "Mou can certainly help, although One has never done woodworking before. But if this carriage needs some scented sachets or herbal powders, Mou would be quite useful."
The group of people discussed animatedly, while Wei An remained silent, sitting quietly on the steps with his head down, engrossed in his writing and drawing.
As evening fell and the sky darkened, candles were lit in the courtyard. The courtyard gate opened, and I thought the soldiers were bringing dinner, but the person who arrived was Pei Qian.
He seemed to have a bit of alcohol on him, and in the dim evening light mingling with the candle glow, his face carried a faint flush.
"You had some drinks?" I asked, motioning for Ah Yuan to bring a bowl of water, which I then handed to him.
"En," Pei Qian took the bowl, tilting his head back to drink.
I glanced behind him, noticing the guarding soldiers standing in the courtyard, their eyes fixed on our direction.
"How are things here?" Pei Qian asked me after drinking the water.
"It's manageable," I replied with a light smile.
Pei Qian looked at me, his eyes appearing deep and uncertain in the shifting light.
"How is Furen's health?" he turned to Wei Jiao.
Wei Jiao glanced at the monitoring soldiers and said, "When Furen left Wancheng, her health hadn't fully recovered. These past couple of days of rushing around and enduring hardships, along with being scolded by the soldiers, have led to stagnation of liver qi, irregular menstrual cycles, and abnormal vaginal discharge…"
"I'll send some medicine over; Bian Que can provide me with the prescription," Pei Qian coughed and interrupted his words.
Wei Jiao's expression turned slightly awkward as he smiled and replied, "Mou inherited Bian Que's tradition, and for sharing prescriptions, One will need to use paper and ink."
Pei Qian glanced at him, then turned to instruct one of his attendants to fetch paper and ink.
Wei Jiao smiled and raised an eyebrow in the direction of Wei An down the corridor.
"If there is anything else, do tell me," Pei Qian looked at me.
I glanced at Ah Yuan and then shook my head at Pei Qian.
Pei Qian then turned his gaze to Gongyang Gui.
"Are you leaving?" Gongyang Gui leaned against a pillar, arms crossed. "Your Zhugong hasn't finished his drink yet?"
Pei Qian didn't respond with words. Instead, he walked up and patted Gongyang Gui's shoulder, saying, "I'll leave Zhong Ping to take care of things here."
A flicker crossed Gongyang Gui's eyes, and he smiled as he pressed his hand lightly on Pei Qian's, nodding. "Rest assured."
Pei Qian withdrew his hand, and I noticed that Gongyang Gui was clutching something in the palm of his hand.
"I'll head back now; you should rest," Pei Qian said to me.
I nodded and looked at him. "Take care not to exhaust yourself too much either."
Pei Qian gazed deeply at me, and after a moment, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, as if in response, but also seemed to be laughing at himself.
Not long after he left, someone sent over the writing supplies. The soldiers at the door carefully inspected each piece of paper, examining them thoroughly before allowing the attendant to hand them over to Wei Jiao.
Wei Jiao finished writing the prescription, and the soldiers examined it carefully once again before allowing the attendant to take it away.
"Wu Kun is also worry of Jiyuan," Gongyang Gui came out of the room and looked in that direction, speaking softly.
I nodded slightly, and after a moment, a bundle of paper suddenly slipped into my hand.
I turned my head and Gongyang Gui looked at me with a faint smile in his eyes.
A thought struck me, and I said to Ah Yuan, "Let's go back to the room." After speaking, I hurriedly went inside.
The oil lamp cast a dim yellow light, revealing the crumpled paper bundle. The handwriting was Pei Qian's, as exquisite and strong as before. The words on it were brief, consisting of just a few words and numbers: "Ma Kui has arrived. Meng Jing is in Luoyang."
During the night, Ah Yuan and I lay on the pallet. The wooden boards were not very sturdy, creaking and groaning with every turn, and the constant buzzing of mosquitoes around our ears made it impossible to fall asleep.
Ah Yuan and I decided to talk to pass the time, discussing the events of the day.
"Furen, will Jiyuan Gongzi keep you here all along?" Ah Yuan asked.
"He will listen to Wu Kun," I said. "Besides, if not here, where else can I go? Who am I to him?"
Ah Yuan sighed, "I used to be glad that Furen married Da Gongzi, but now I feel bad about it."
I smiled and reassured, "If I hadn't married Da Gongzi, how would I have met you siblings and Li Zhangshi?"
"Though you say that..." Ah Yuan muttered.
"He has his reasons too," I said softly after a while.
In truth, I'm not completely immune to overthinking various matters, but when it comes to Pei Qian, my inner conflict isn't as pronounced. I suppose it all stems from my understanding of him.
Apart from my own family, there are very few people I can truly claim to understand, and Pei Qian is one of the rare few.
From a young age, he had a renowned reputation, with everyone saying that his conduct and behavior were exemplary, making him quite the gentleman. However, very few people know that he's someone who enjoys a carefree disposition. He has ambitions, aspiring to wield power in the court like the famous ministers of the past, so he diligently studies history and political strategy. He also desires to command the battlefield like the renowned generals of his time, which is why he has been training in swordsmanship since childhood.
In poetry, calligraphy, chess, and discussions, in the eyes of people, Young Master Jiyuan is like an untouchable deity. Therefore, he has many duties to fulfill. If his father disapproves of him joining the military, then he should engage in scholarly pursuits. If his marriage with me jeopardizes his family, then he should dissolve it and marry someone else. And now, with the Pei and Wu families forming an alliance, and his parents' family situated in Yangzhou, it's only fitting for him to serve under their banner.
Of course, this is just my speculation. But seeing Wu Kun's behavior today, even as a woman, I can sense his lack of sincerity. He tries to win over Pei Qian while remaining wary, a subtlety that Pei Qian understands better than I do... Reflecting on all this, I can't help but laugh at myself. I used to be so confident in understanding Pei Qian, so when I heard about him wanting to annul our marriage, I couldn't bring myself to believe it no matter what. Our bond seemed unbreakable, but when the wind and rain blew, it proved fragile like a flower that had been sheltered indoors for too long, its delicate stem and leaves snapping in an instant.
"Today, the sergeant mentioned that people from the capital have arrived. When do you think Wu Kun will go for negotiations?" Ah Yuan asked.
I sighed and shook my head. "I don't know."
I missed Yongdu immensely. There, even though I had to listen to Guo Furen's endless chatter every day and worry about whether it was Wei Jue or some other old man who had sent concubines to Wei Tan, there were other things that could uplift me. Like business, like Wei Tan... The moment I thought of that name, I found myself lost in thought. He was in Luoyang. But what was he doing in Luoyang?
And then there was that "Ma Kui has arrived", arrived where? In Luoyang? Suddenly, I remembered the person I saw when I got off the carriage, and a thought crossed my mind – could it be…?
"If only we could return sooner..." Ah Yuan's voice had already grown faint.
I responded with a soft acknowledgment and slowly closed my eyes.
With my hand resting beside my abdomen, my shoulder pressed against Ah Yuan's arm. The gentle warmth urged me to conjure up the person beside me to match the image in my memories... At this very moment, was he also thinking of me?
*****
No matter what Wei An does, drawing is always a necessity.
Wei Jiao got the paper for Wei An. A day passed, then another, and Wei An continued drawing, seemingly oblivious to the wood in the courtyard. Uncle Huang couldn't help but suggest they should start sawing the logs, but Wei An said there was no need.
"Why rush? Sharpening the knife doesn't hinder the chopping of wood," Wei Jiao said leisurely.
Apart from Pei Qian, Cui Ting also came to visit us.
Judging by the fact, it seems that if he hadn't praised Wei An's carriage in front of Wu Kun that day, Wei An wouldn't have been subjected to Wu Kun's humiliation using the carriage.
So when he arrived, Ah Yuan, Uncle Huang, and Wei Jiao didn't exactly welcome him warmly.
But Cui Ting clearly didn't mind, and Wei An seemed to be equally indifferent.
Wei An arranged his drawings in front of Cui Ting, and the two of them engaged in a discussion, exchanging glances and words.
"Si Gongzi is really.." Ah Yuan said disapprovingly. "What's there to discuss with that schemer? Now it seems like he's genuinely focused on building a carriage for Wu Kun."
Wei Jiao pounded the herbs with a stone pestle, creating a rhythmic sound as he worked. He spoke in a leisurely tone, "Perhaps Si Gongzi is thinking that if the carriage turns out well, Wu Kun might be pleased and release us."
Those words were spoken loudly enough, but those two seemed to completely ignore them. Ah Yuan and Wei Jiao wore displeased expressions.
After seven days, Wei An's drawings were finally complete. He handed over a few pieces of wood to the soldiers and instructed them to shape the metal parts according to the drawings. Then, he began to measure and sketch on a pair of wooden pieces in the courtyard. Once the measurements were set, they began sawing and planing, earnestly working on building the carriage.
With nothing else to do, I could only watch from the sidelines, holding onto the water bowl and passing it to whoever was thirsty.
Wei An's design work proved to be quite effective. Three days later, the wooden pieces, intricately put together, had taken the shape of a rough frame.
The joy of labor doesn't always lie in the end result. As the sun started to set, everyone wiped off their sweat, their faces reflecting a certain pride. When evening brought a cooler breeze, we few didn't fuss much and sat in the courtyard, having our meal with the wooden pieces. After we finished eating, a soldier came to collect the bowls and utensils. Just as Ah Yuan was about to hand over the dishes, she suddenly looked up and let out a low exclamation of surprise.
"Hush!" The person quickly gestured to keep quiet and after a moment, he smiled at Gongyang Gui, saying, "Gongyang Xiongdi."