Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 23 Heart Stone Can Be Turned
Everyone built a high bonfire with dried millet stalks, and sang and danced hand in hand.

The firelight illuminated everyone's face, making their smiles even brighter. They sang for the fullness of the grains and a greater harvest in the coming year, praying for peace in their homes and for their children to be healthy and long-lived.

The aroma of roasted lamb wafted everywhere, making the children's mouths water. They anxiously asked their grandparents when they could eat.

Tan Huaike held the hands of Mrs. Zhong and Pei'er, and danced like the locals, circling around and around, singing unknown songs with everyone, and the bells on his wrists made crisp sounds as he swayed.

She laughed freely and happily, gradually throwing away all constraints and dancing on her own.

Shentu Zhuo did not join in at first, but just watched from a distance.

He saw the gorgeous and lively woman standing on tiptoe, her hair flying, bringing a sweet breeze as she passed by him, her eyes warm and lively, her whole body shining like a gem burning in the fire.

So dazzling, yet so unique.

In an instant, the lyrics of the Xianghe song that he had not been able to compose when he went to Dunhuang County suddenly appeared in his mind.

Jingle Bell.

The sound of bells rang out beside him, and Shen Tu Zhuo was caught off guard by Tan Huaike and pulled into the dancing crowd. He did not refuse, but responded to the cheers of the crowd for the whirling dance, humming:
There was a girl as beautiful as pearls and jade, dancing in the millet fields.

The brilliance comes from the sky, and the clouds are thousands of miles away.

The shuttle feathers secretly smoke the clothes, and the silver bells drop like flower arrows.

The stone of the heart can still be turned, and it will be broken without feeling resentment.

As he danced, Shentu Zhuo lowered his head slightly, looked at the two people's fluttering sleeves, and smiled bitterly.

Regardless of whether she was a princess who came to marry, she was already his sister-in-law.

only--

The stone of the heart can still be turned, and it will be broken without feeling resentment.
-
Tired of dancing, Tan Huaike played with Xiao Jizi and the others for a while before sitting down to rest. Pei'er was still playing and spinning in the crowd, and she didn't restrain the girl, letting her have her fun.

Shentu Zhuo also stepped back and tore off a piece of roasted lamb leg for her.

Eating the crispy-on-the-outside-and-tender-on-the-inside lamb, Tan Huaike couldn't help but exclaim, "It's so delicious."

Shentu Zhuo said, "I see you don't seem to want to go back home."

"I don't want to, but I will go back. There are still many things waiting for me to do." After swallowing a big mouthful of meat, Tan Huaike asked, "What ballad were you singing just now? It's too noisy over there, I can't hear clearly."

"There is a girl as radiant as pearls and jade, whirling and dancing in the millet fields. Her brilliance traces back from the heavens, drifting through the mists and clouds a thousand miles away. The shuttle feathers darkly smoke her clothes, while silver bells drop flower arrows. Her heart is as hard as a stone, yet it can still turn, broken without a trace of resentment." Shentu Zhuo sang to her in a low voice, telling her, "This is a new Yuefu song I wrote."

"Yeah, it sounds nice." Still not quite understanding the words, Tan Huaike asked with a smile, "What's your name?"

"Madam, do you want to eat roast lamb?" Xiao Jizi's voice came from the other side.

"No need, I'm already eating!" Tan Huaike raised the roasted lamb leg in his hand towards him.

At this time, Shentu Zhuo muttered: "Abdu Yilsalani..."

Tan Huaike didn't hear: "What?"

Shen Tu Zhuo quickly tore half of the lamb leg from her hand and smiled uninhibitedly: "This song is called 'Jade in the Sand'. I'll ask Chi Fanyu to rehearse it properly when we get back."

There was a lot of noise around the campfire, but things gradually became quiet here.

Tan Huaike didn't care about the lamb shank. She looked at Shen Tu Zhuo's uncertain expression and asked, "Are you just going to let your brother's matter go? Are you going to let the Shen Tu family be manipulated, bullied, and abandoned, and watch it decline?"

"Is it not possible?" Shentu Zhuo said with a smile, "You care so much about the Shentu family, do you want to take advantage of the situation and get a bigger share of my brother's property? I don't mind."

"Yeah, is that not possible?" Tan Huaike replied in the same tone.

Shen Tuzhuo finished his mutton slowly, then turned and approached her, saying, "So what do you want me to do, sister-in-law?"

Looking at this unparalleled handsome face up close, Tan Huaike was stunned for a moment.

"I guess... you're already doing it." She took a step back. "They all misjudged you, uncle. Your ability and ambition are in no way inferior to your brother's."

"Really? How do you know you're not mistaken about me?"
-
Despite their reluctance, the time had finally come to leave Hongsha Village. Pei'er packed her and Tan Huaike's bags and loaded them onto the carriage Shentu Zhuo had brought from home. Thanks to the Second Young Master, they no longer had to ride the tenant farmers' oxcart back to the city, although she now found riding in an oxcart quite comfortable.

Tan Huaike was discussing the rent arrangements with Uncle Ge. The land deeds were hers, and the Shentu family had promised that the rent for her five acres would be paid directly to her. So she assigned Uncle Ge to count and deliver the grain to the side courtyard of the Shentu mansion, not to other servants in the mansion, but only to those in her courtyard.

After everything was done, Tan Huaike and Pei'er got on the carriage.

Shentu Zhuo had been away for a long time, but he had already put his bag in the carriage. Since no one was there to take care of it, his belongings were in a mess, his clothes were bulging, and his accessories were scattered all over the place.

Pei'er couldn't bear to see this, and was afraid that the second young master would lose something, so she quickly picked up the things.

As he turned over the paper, Tan Huaike smelled a fragrance.

This was the scent of the vanilla she had picked and blended herself, and there was no mistaking it. But hadn't Shen Tu Zhuo said that the fumigated dress had been burned?
She raised her hand to stop Pei'er's movements: "Wait."

Pei'er stopped and asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"

Tan Huaike rummaged through the luggage that had just been neatly put away and soon found the familiar clothes.

She was startled at first, then smiled and said to Pei'er, "Don't worry about it. The Second Young Master wouldn't want us to help him clean up."

Under Pei'er's puzzled gaze, Tan Huaike tidied the pile of clothes again, roughly restoring it to its original chaotic state. Since his master had given the order, Pei'er naturally obeyed and stopped touching Shentu Zhuo's bag.

After a while, Shentu Heng got on the carriage.

He saw that his clothes were about to fall off and was a little panicked for a moment, but when he saw Tan Huaike and Pei'er peeling peanuts and chatting on the other side, he calmed down again.

He calmly stuffed all his belongings into his bag and said to them, "Did you forget anything? Let's go now."

Tan Huaike nodded: "Thank you for your help, uncle."

Shentu Zhuo sat in the front. He didn't bring a coachman with him, so he had to drive the carriage himself.

Across the car curtain, Tan Huaike asked casually, "What did my uncle do just now?"

Shentu Zhuo said, "I'm going to look for Xiao Jizi. Doesn't my sister-in-law owe that boy a set of clothes? I picked out a piece of strong and durable cloth from the house and gave it to his family so that you don't have to worry about it all the time."

Tan Huaike said "Oh" meaningfully: "Thank you, uncle, for repaying the favor for me."

A faint fragrance lingered in the carriage, seeming to be there and not there, and becoming more obvious as it tried to be concealed.

She smelled it clearly but didn't reveal it.

Perhaps these young masters from aristocratic families all like to be tough and care very much about their reputation.
-
When he returned to Shentu Mansion, the first thing that greeted Tan Huaike was the sarcastic attitude of Old Lady Liao.

Because of her secret criticism before leaving, she was scolded by Old Lady Shentu, and then she ran away to the countryside to hide for half a month. Old Lady Liao had been holding this grudge for too long.

Old Lady Liao said sharply, "Oh, the Madam is back from collecting rent? She went in the tenant farmer's ox cart, and she even asked the Second Young Master to personally drive a horse-drawn carriage to pick her up. The Madam is really putting on a grand show."

Tan Huaike smiled confidently: "That's right, the harvest this year is not bad, and the rent is in my hands. I can finally have a full meal, and it's more than enough to support my small yard."

Old Lady Liao gritted her teeth: "You...you really think you are the master..."

Tan Huaike said innocently, "What are you talking about, Old Lady Liao? I am the newlywed bride of the eldest son of Shentu, and we have gone through the formal ceremony of the Qinglu. Am I not considered his mistress?"

Before leaving, Old Lady Liao uttered a harsh remark: "Do you think you can start your own business? If you have the ability, you will never rely on the Shentu Mansion again!"

Tan Huaike would not argue with her. He thought to himself, I have a good reputation and status, why shouldn't I rely on her.

Old Madam Shentu didn't say anything, so is it your turn as a servant to make a fuss?

However, when she returned home this time, she clearly felt that everyone's prejudice and vigilance against her had deepened.

It looks like we have to speed up.
-
　Next chapter: Self-sufficiency.

　　【Double update in progress, scroll back.】

　　
　
(End of this chapter)