Sunset (Part 1)
I don't know whether it's Wei Tan who soothed me well or due to today's exhaustion, but after I lay down again, I fell into a deep sleep.
The dream was also swaying. At times, I dreamt of Wei Tan holding me, and at times, I dreamt of Pei Qian taking me away. The night was deep and the firelight was fierce. The boat couldn't move, and Wu Kun chased after me with a fierce expression, holding a dagger. I ran in fear, feeling a cold sensation on my back, accompanied by the sound of a blade piercing flesh. Astonished, I turned around, but it wasn't me who had been struck — a glint of light shone through Pei Qian's chest, staining his garment red with blood.
"...I'd rather owe you," his face still carried a smile, as he murmured softly.
I opened my eyes, the light shining somewhat harshly. I was still lying inside the cabin of the ship. The gentle, continuous sound of water gurgling lingered on.
On my body, there was only a thin blanket, and beside me, there was no one.
I got up and opened the door to go outside.
Ah Yuan was inside the cabin, sewing and mending. When she saw me, she quickly stood up.
"Furen is awake," she said as she came forward, her smile bright and cheerful.
The four walls were pitch-dark, so I asked, "What time is it now?"
"It's almost sunset," Ah Yuan said. "Furen has slept for quite a long time."
I calculated the time and indeed, it had been quite a while.
"Where is my husband?" I asked again.
"Da Gongzi went to another ship," Ah Yuan said. "I'll go fetch some water for Furen."
After freshening up, I changed into a different set of clothes.
Despite Wei Tan's rough exterior, there are moments when he shows surprising attentiveness that leaves me amazed. For instance, when he came to rescue us, he even thought to bring me clothes. Although the combination of top and bottom doesn't quite match, I'm already content. At this time yesterday, I was worried about my life. Not that the nightmare is gone, what could bring me greater joy than this?
I walked onto the deck and saw the setting sun slanting in the sky. Four large ships were lined up in a row on the river, their sails unfurled. The lush hills and undulating landscape surrounding us still held the appearance of the southern region.
"Da Gongzi is on the ship right ahead," Ah Yuan pointed out to me.
I looked over, but the sails stood tall and the distance was too great to discern which figure is whose. At that moment, I noticed Gongyang Gui and Wei An sitting in the cabin of this ship. I walked over.
Upon seeing me approach, Gongyang Gui nodded in greeting, while Wei An stood up and bowed.
"Where are we now?" I asked.
"Xin'an," Gongyang Gui said. "It has been a smooth sail. By tomorrow, we'll have reached Runan."
I don't know where these place names are, so I nodded and looked at Wei An.
"Si Shu, did you sleep well last night?" I asked.
Wei An nodded, "En."
I looked at him; over these days, he had been under the sun's rays every day, and had become noticeably tanned.
"The ship can be dull at times. It would've been nice if Si Shu had those hammers with you," I said with a smile.
Wei An pursed his lips and said, "Cui Gongzi hasn't returned them to me yet."
As I suspected, borrowing but not returning. I thought to myself. Speaking of which, Cui Ting and Wei An seemed like kindred spirits. Whenever they met, they could talk endlessly. Unfortunately, after Cui Ting visited two or three times, he never appeared again, and it is said that he had returned to Jingzhou.
Seeing Wei An gazing silently out the window, I didn't have the heart to bring up any more distressing matters and let it go at that.
Even though we had managed to evade the pursuers, we were still in the southern region. Even when the ship occasionally came to a halt, it wouldn't dock ashore. With not much to do on the ship, after having meals, I sat on a pile of hemp ropes at the stern, gazing at the sinking sun and the sky ablaze with red hues.
Suddenly, there was an additional piece of clothing on me. I turned around, and Wei Tan stood behind me.
He was dressed in coarse clothing, his face tinted with the colors of the evening glow. His eyes were bright yet gentle, "Why are you sitting here? The wind is strong on the river."
I smiled, "It's too stuffy in the cabin, so I came out to sit here."
Wei Tan's lips curled slightly as he sat down beside me. While sitting, he untied the cloth from around his waist and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
I watched him, my gaze shifting slightly downward. Beneath the open collar of his shirt, sweat glistened on his strong skin, resembling a golden-hued sheen.
"Fujun wants to change clothes?" I asked.
"I'll do it later," Wei Tan tossed the damp cloth aside and turned to me with a smile. "Let Weifu keep Furen company for a while." With that, he reached over and pulled me close by the shoulder.
"The soldiers are watching..." I quickly moved his hand away.
Wei Tan, however, seemed unconcerned and held me even tighter. "What's there to be afraid of? They've all seen me hugging you last night," he remarked nonchalantly.
A warm feeling flowed through my heart, gentle and sweet like honey. I didn't insist further. Perhaps due to the setting sun not yet having fully set, my ears felt warm.
Wei Tan's arm was strong, and I leaned against it, looking ahead. The river surface was vast, and the wind carried the water ripples like the scales of fish, shimmering with golden light. Where water met sky, the shadow of the setting sun stretched long across the water's surface.
"How much longer do we have to travel on the river?" After a moment, I asked contentedly.
"Tomorrow, we'll reach Runan, and we can rest," Wei Tan replied.
I nodded, "And then we'll return to Yongdu?"
Wei Tan looked at me and smiled, "Let's not go back for now. There are some matters to attend to in Runan."
His demeanor seemed to indicate that he didn't intend to elaborate further. Matters of state and the military were subjects I wasn't well-versed in. After a moment of contemplation, I asked Wei Tan, "Qie hasn't yet asked Fujun, is everything well at home?"
A shadow seemed to darken Wei Tan's brow.
"Wei Xian and Wei Lang, they have passed away," he said.
I was taken aback. Wei Xian and Wei Lang?
My eyes felt a bit dry, and I whispered, "How could this happen?" They had always treated me with great respect. Wei Xian and Zhu Shi were fond of children, while Wei Lang, like Wei Ci, enjoyed joking around. Thinking about their smiling faces, my eyes welled up with a touch of bitterness.
"When Fuqin fled from Qiling, they stayed behind to cover our retreat," Wei Tan took a deep breath and said slowly.
I fell silent. The situation at that time, though I only glimpsed it briefly before leaving in a hurry, was clearly devastating. After boarding the ship last night, I hadn't asked Wei Tan about the events in Qiling, and this was one of the reasons why.
"Fujun," after a moment, I looked at him, "How did Fujun happen to arrive in Yecheng at just the right time?"
The wind blew gently from the river as a flock of seagulls flew by in the distance. The sun was nestled within purple clouds, emitting a hint of orange light through the gaps.
"Furen would like to know?" Wei Tan looked at me mysteriously.
"En," I nodded.
Wei Tan gazed at the horizon and said, "After the Battle of Qiling, Liang and Wu divided Jiangnan between them. Wu Kun acquired Furen and Si Di. From Furen's perspective, if Wu Kun were to use Furen and Si Di to pressure Fuqin into concessions, who would be the most displeased?"
"Liǎng Wén." I responded without hesitation, but then paused after saying it.
"Is it Cuī Tíng?" My eyes lit up.
Wei Tan smiled gently without denying it.
My thoughts raced. Another question arose: Only Pei Qian knew about my escape plan. How did Cuī Tíng... Then, in that instant, I thought of Wei An. Everything aligned. Counting the days, it was indeed the night before Cuī Tíng's final visit to Wei An that we had set our escape date.
Wei Tan spoke slowly, "When I arrived in Luoyang, I communicated with Jìyuān through messages. However, he was indisposed at the time. Coincidentally, Cuī Tíng sent an envoy at that moment."
I understood, thinking about last night. If not for Wu Kun's sudden appearance, with Pei Qian's covert assistance, perhaps we could have escaped the city smoothly. But then, the situation took a dangerous turn, and it was fortunate that Wei Tan arrived in time.
"Did Liǎng Wén assist us merely to disadvantage Jiangdong?" I asked in confusion. "Do they know that my Fujun came to Jiangdong? What if they set an ambush for us?"
"Furen underestimates Liǎng Wén," Wei Tan said. "Fuqin exchanged Xin'an's three Counties for Furen and Si Di. If anything went wrong midway, they would lose their leverage."
"Xin'an Three Counties?" I was surprised, it was quite the exchange. But upon reflection, Xin'an was a prosperous region. For Liǎng Wén, obtaining three commanderies in exchange for his assistance wasn't a bad deal.
"Furen has also underestimated Weifu," Wei Tan continued, "Only the people on this ship were aware of our arrival in Jiangdong, before the encounter with Wu Kun last night. When we left Jiangdong, the ship's sails were fully spread, and news won't travel faster than we do." He finished with a sly smile, ruffling my hair. "But once we reach Runan tomorrow, they will come to know."
I quickly caught on, "Tomorrow? Is Fujun going to Runan to discuss the matter of the Three Counties?"
"En," Wei Tan answered.
I looked at him skeptically, "And the person coming to discuss is..."
"Cui Ting," Wei Tan's lips curved into a faint smile.