40: Chapter 40: Leaving Peach Blossom Island

Before dawn, Yang Yuan was already up.

He did not wake Cheng Ying or Lu Wushuang, walking into the courtyard alone to sheath the blade he had sharpened the night before and check his pack once more.

The dry rations were enough for three days, the waterskin was full, and he had brought the golden sore medicine as well.

He stood in the courtyard, taking one last look around the small yard where they had lived for nearly a year.

The peach trees were still there, as were the stone table and chairs, and the bamboo flute little Xue Jian had finished playing with still hung on the wall.

He withdrew his gaze and pushed open the courtyard gate.

Cheng Ying was already awake, helping little Xue Jian get dressed. Lu Wushuang had also risen and was carrying the packed luggage out into the courtyard.

"Is everything ready?" Yang Yuan asked.

"It is," Cheng Ying said.

"Then let's go."

Yang Yuan shouldered the largest pack and picked up little Xue Jian. Cheng Ying followed behind him, while Lu Wushuang walked at the end, gripping a single-edged blade—the one Yang Yuan had pulled from the weapon rack for her the night before.

The four of them walked out of the courtyard gate and followed the small path toward the sea.

Morning light spilled over from the sea, illuminating the Peach Forest in a pale pink glow. Petals were blown down by the wind, drifting onto their shoulders.

No one spoke.

Upon reaching the seaside, the small boat was still tied to the reef from the night before. Yang Yuan placed the luggage on the boat and turned back to help Cheng Ying board—her belly was already quite large, making her movements somewhat difficult.

Lu Wushuang jumped onto the boat herself and sat at the stern.

Yang Yuan untied the mooring rope, jumped onto the bow, and pushed off with a pole.

The small boat slowly left the shore.

Peach Blossom Island grew further and further away. The Peach Forest on the shore gradually blurred into a pink mist.

Yang Yuan stood at the stern, watching the island shrink. Huang Yaoshi had not come to see them off, but he could sense a gaze from deep within the Peach Forest, watching them leave.

He said to himself, "Island Master Huang, take care."

Then he turned his head and looked ahead.

The sea was vast, calm, and tranquil.

They had set off.

After the boat had been traveling for more than half an hour, Lu Wushuang's face began to turn pale.

She leaned over the gunwale and dry-heaved a few times, but nothing came up.

"Are you seasick?" Yang Yuan asked.

"I'm fine," Lu Wushuang said stubbornly. "It's just a bit shaky."

Cheng Ying fished a piece of dried ginger from her pack and handed it to her. "Keep this in your mouth; it will help settle your stomach."

Lu Wushuang took the dried ginger, put it in her mouth, and after holding it for a while, her complexion improved slightly.

Yang Yuan was steering the rudder and did not turn to look at her, but he remarked, "I told you not to eat so much last night, but you wouldn't listen."

Lu Wushuang glared at him. "Is now really the time to be lecturing me?"

Cheng Ying laughed softly from the side.

Although the atmosphere was tense, it was not oppressive.

At noon, Yang Yuan moored the boat near an uninhabited island and let everyone go ashore to rest for a while.

He carried little Xue Jian off the boat. The little one stood on the beach for a moment, then suddenly squatted down, grabbed a handful of sand, and stuffed it into her mouth.

Cheng Ying was quick-witted and stopped her immediately. "You can't eat that!"

Little Xue Jian's mouth puckered, and she burst into tears.

Yang Yuan squatted down, fished a steamed bun from his robes, and handed it to her. "Eat this instead."

Little Xue Jian took the bun, took a bite, and stopped crying.

Lu Wushuang sat on a nearby rock, watching this family of three with a faint smile on her lips.

After resting for an hour, Yang Yuan stood up. "Let's go. We should try to cover some distance before dark."

The group boarded the boat again and continued sailing north.

The sea in the afternoon was very calm, and the sunlight made everyone feel drowsy.

Little Xue Jian fell asleep in Cheng Ying's arms, her small hands clutching Cheng Ying's lapel. Cheng Ying also closed her eyes, dozing off against the gunwale.

Lu Wushuang sat at the bow, holding her blade, staring at the distant sea.

"You don't have to keep staring," Yang Yuan said. "I'll call you if anything happens."

"I know," Lu Wushuang said without turning around. "But I can't sleep."

Yang Yuan did not try to persuade her further.

The boat traveled for another two hours, and the sky began to darken. Yang Yuan moored the boat in a sheltered shallow bay, preparing to spend the night there.

At night, the three of them built a fire on the beach.

Cheng Ying cooked a pot of fish soup. Little Xue Jian sat by the fire, holding a wooden stick Yang Yuan had whittled for her, poking at the ground.

"If we travel for one more day tomorrow, we should be able to reach Jiaxing," Lu Wushuang said.

"Yes," Yang Yuan nodded. "Once we reach Jiaxing, we'll rest for two days, and then travel by land to Xiangyang."

Cheng Ying held her bowl without responding.

Yang Yuan glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing," Cheng Ying said. "I just feel... the road ahead is still very long."

Yang Yuan did not answer. He reached out and took Cheng Ying's hand, holding it for a moment before letting go. "No matter how long it is, we must walk it."

After eating, Yang Yuan told Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang to rest first while he kept watch.

He sat by the fire and added a few dry branches to it. The flames crackled, reflecting on his face.

The moonlight turned the sea silvery white, and the sound of the waves came one after another in a rhythmic fashion. Little Xue Jian was sleeping soundly. The crackling sound of the fire sounded like something shattering in the distance.

He sat for a long time until sleepiness washed over him, then he leaned against a reef behind him and closed his eyes.

Three days later, the small boat arrived safely in Jiaxing.

Yang Yuan did not enter the city, but instead took Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang to an inn outside the city walls. He gave the innkeeper an extra fraction of silver, requested a large room in the back courtyard, and had the innkeeper bring dinner to their room.

Closing the door, Cheng Ying placed little Xue Jian on the bed and tucked her in.

Lu Wushuang sat by the window, peeking out through a crack.

"Is it safe?" she asked.

"Temporarily safe," Yang Yuan said, placing his single-edged blade on the table. "Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, I'll go into the city to buy a carriage. From here on, we'll be traveling by land, so we won't be able to move as quickly."

Lu Wushuang nodded.

As night fell, Yang Yuan stood in the inn's courtyard, glancing at the distant city walls.

The last time he came to Jiaxing, he had been with a newly pregnant Cheng Ying, hiding and dodging, nearly dying at the hands of Li Mochou. This time, returning, he already had two partners, a daughter, and the cultivation of the fifth level of the Nine Yang Manual.

But he knew clearly—those enemies had grown stronger as well.

That mysterious presence on Zhongnan Mountain, the pursuit of the Mongols, the hatred of Li Mochou.

All of these were waiting for him ahead.

He took a deep breath, turned, and walked back to the room.

Cheng Ying and Lu Wushuang were already lying down. Little Xue Jian was sleeping between them, her small hands clenched into fists.

Yang Yuan gently closed the door and sat down by the bedside.

The moonlight from outside the window spilled in, falling upon the faces of the three sleeping figures.

He did not lie down, but just sat there, watching them for a long time.

(End of Chapter 40)