Binding Spring Love

After Shen Qianyu and Song Wan passed away, Wan Xiao and Ji Rong sat in the small courtyard every day, drinking silently together. Because the late emperor had left an edict that the mourning period should be simplified, the sound of weeping could no longer be heard in the palace after the twenty-first day.

Wan Xiao lay back in the chair, still wearing his plain white clothes, which were a little wrinkled but still clean.

It seemed that after Shen Qianyu left, he and Ji Rong didn't know how to live anymore.

With Liu Yao looking after the emperor and Cui Xing taking over the Eastern Depot, he and Ji Rong, these two old bones, are now useless.

"The sun is so strong today, it's making my bones feel like they're melting."

Ji Rong sat under the eaves, murmuring softly.

Wan Xiao scoffed upon hearing this: "How can you say you've gotten sunburnt? You're clearly just too old and useless."

He held the wine jug in his hand and leisurely swayed it.

"We...should find a place to retire."

With difficulty, Ji Rong walked to Wan Xiao's side and said calmly, "This courtyard is no longer suitable for us. Knowing His Majesty as I do, he will probably seal it off. Let's not waste His Majesty's time here."

Upon hearing this, Wan Xiao unconsciously twitched his fingers.

They shouldn’t stay here any longer, but where else can they go?

Although there are separate residences in the palace, the two of them have retired from their high positions. If they were sensible, they should no longer stay in the palace, but should give way to Liu Yao and Cui Xing.

And leaving the palace...

Both he and Ji Rong had residences outside the palace, but the huge houses were empty, and neither of them liked to go there.

Wan Xiao glanced back at the house where Shen Qianyu and Song Wan had once lived, and sighed deeply.

The doors and windows of the house were tightly closed, but he could almost hear Shen Qianyu's voice. It was as if Shen Qianyu was about to stagger out of the house and hurl a few more insults at him.

Thinking of this, Wan Xiao chuckled.

"Tell me, where shall we two stay?"

"I don't know, I was just about to ask you."

With hesitant movements, Ji Rong squatted down and sat on the white jade steps, looking up at the clear sky with a slight smile on her lips.

With their status, they have nowhere to go.

Unlike ordinary men, the eunuchs' health deteriorated with age. He thought that he and Wanxiao could keep each other company, so he wouldn't die alone.

"We have no relatives or friends, no siblings, so we two brothers can only rely on each other for survival."

Ji Rong rubbed the grass seeds he had picked from the ground with one hand, muttering unconsciously to himself.

Years ago, Hengwu left the palace to marry outside, and now she has a house full of children and grandchildren. After the mourning period for the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emeritus ended, Hengwu asked someone to bring Hengzhi back to her home.

Some time ago, Hengzhi brought them a message saying that she was doing well and that they didn't need to worry.

Is there anywhere you'd like to go?

Ji Rong shook his head, unsure of what lay ahead for him.

From the time he was seven or eight years old and could remember, he had been a palace attendant. He knew nothing about his own name, where he lived, or who was in his family.

There's naturally nowhere I want to go these days.

Knowing his situation, Wan Xiao didn't say much, but simply asked Ji Rong if he was willing to return to Baoding Prefecture with him.

He was born in Baoding Prefecture, and now, decades later, he wants to go back and see if the old sites of the Zhang and Li residences are still there.

As the two were talking, Cui Xing walked in from outside the courtyard.

Cui Xing's appearance was unremarkable, and he was quite ordinary-looking, but his temperament was very much to Wan Xiao's liking.

This person does not complain or blame others when facing hardship, nor does he flaunt or show off when he becomes rich and successful. No matter what situation he is in, he can remain calm and composed.

"Godfather, your son has come to see you."

He carried wine and meat in his hands, and naturally placed them on the table after entering the courtyard.

Ji Rong laughed and said, "The three of us can have a drink. I'll go get some bowls and plates."

After giving the space to the father and son, Ji Rong turned and went into the house.

"Have you not changed your outer garment these past few days?"

As they spoke, Cui Xing took a thin blanket from a bamboo basket placed under the eaves and covered Wan Xiao's legs with it.

"Why change it? Keep it clean."

"What brings you here today?"

"Nothing happened, I just came to see my godfather."

Cui Xing's family was poor, and he had many brothers. When he was a few years old, his father sent him to the palace to be castrated. He had never eaten a full meal at home. Although he could eat his fill in the palace, someone of his low status could not avoid being bullied even if he remained well-behaved.

It wasn't until Wan Xiao brought him to his side that Cui Xing finally had a few years of peace.

Although Wan Xiao treated him harshly, Cui Xing also regarded him as his biological father.

Although I did not give birth to him, giving him life is like a second birth, and it is not a loss for me to call him father.

Seeing that Wan Xiao had his eyes closed and wasn't even looking at him, Cui Xing smiled faintly and said, "I bought a house outside the palace and would like to invite you and Master Ji Rong to retire there together."

"With children by your side to serve you, you two won't feel bored."

Upon hearing this, Wan Xiao slowly raised his head, thought for a moment, and then said he wouldn't go.

"We don't want to trouble you, but if you rest for a day or two and then complain that we're a burden, what should we do?"

"If you two are too much of a burden, I will simply buy another house and move out."

Cui Xing smiled, realizing that Wan Xiao had inexplicably started throwing a tantrum again.

People often develop eccentricities as they get older, and his godfather's temperament became increasingly eccentric as he aged. But even so, Cui Xing was not annoyed and spoke in a gentle tone.

"The house is located on Qianjin Street, a quiet place far from the city center, and there are only four houses on the street. The house across from this one belongs to the governor Li Chengzhu."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wan Xiao opened his eyes and stared straight at Cui Xing.

"Years ago, because the family had a large number of people, the Li family moved here. It just so happened that a family on Qianjin Street had been transferred away from the capital, so I bought that house."

"There's not much to replace in the house, and the house has been repaired. I've already mentioned to His Majesty the matter of bringing my godfather out of the palace to live in comfort. If you agree, I can bring you and Master Ji Rong to live there today."

Wan Xiao frowned: "Why did you suddenly decide to buy a house here?"

Cui Xing said, "Over the years, my godfather has been secretly helping the Li family, which must be because of your old friendship. Now that you have left the palace to enjoy your retirement, they will feel more at ease having you by their side."

He had been unable to find any trace of his adoptive father's relationship with the Li family. Given that he controlled the Eastern Depot, he shouldn't have been unable to uncover even the slightest clue in such a trivial matter. Since he had found nothing, it was most likely that his adoptive father had either ordered or erased any connection between himself and the Li family.

His adoptive father must have had some unusual relationship with the people in the Li family, but he had no intention of getting involved.

"Even though I can't go up and recognize my old friends whom I haven't seen for decades, it's good to see them nearby."

"That's right, you should listen to Cui Xing."

Ji Rong brought over the wine and meat, arranged the items, and said, "Go and see, they probably don't remember who you are anymore."

"I'm already so old. If I die, I'll have nothing left. I'm not afraid to go and see."

"The Li family has many descendants, and living next door allows us to enjoy some of the liveliness."

"I'm going to pack my godfather's things."

Regardless of whether Wan Xiao agreed or not, Ji Rong and Cui Xing finalized the matter.

The two quickly packed their things and moved into the house on Qianjin Street within a few days.

Qianjin Street is located outside the bustling areas of the capital, making it a suitable place for a quiet retirement. Moreover, the gates of the Cui and Li families face each other directly. Although both houses have three courtyards, they do not feel spacious. If both gates are open, one can see into the other's courtyard.

When Wan Xiao and Ji Rong moved in, there was a young eunuch who was running errands living in the courtyard.

"My dear ancestors, my name is Ankang. I wish you both good health and peace."

Ji Rong laughed and said, "Just call me Master, why bother calling me Ancestor?"

He asked An Kang to pack his bundle into the house, and then stood next to Wan Xiao and looked at the Li residence with him.

"In Baoding Prefecture, there was a bustling area called Wangchun Street. There were only two households on the entire street, one surnamed Li and the other surnamed Zhang."

Do you know why that street is called Wangchun (meaning "Looking Forward to Spring")?

Ji Rong smiled and shook his head. Wan Xiao said, "When the spring flowers bloom on the mountain in spring, you can see spring coming from Wangchun Street. That's why the locals call that place Wangchun Street."

"Both the Zhang and Li families were well-known Confucian merchants in the area, and also the leaders of the merchant guilds. Over the years, they donated money and goods to help countless people in need. At that time, when people in Baoding mentioned the Zhang and Li families, everyone would say that they were kind."

Wan Xiao pointed to a banyan tree planted outside the street and said with a smile, "This tree looks familiar to me. I think we had one in my family when I was a child."

Ji Rong looked at the banyan tree that had withered beyond recognition and sighed inwardly.

"This place... is quite nice."

Turning around, Wan Xiao slowly walked into the courtyard, casually found a room, and went inside to rest.

The next day, when he came out of the house, he saw a rocking chair carved from huanghuali wood with begonia flowers in the courtyard. The chair was placed in the middle of the courtyard, facing the banyan tree in front of the Li family's door. Wan Xiao smiled faintly when he saw this and sat down.

There wasn't much work to do serving the two of them. The old women took care of the washing and cleaning. Ankang's job was simply to keep them company and amuse them.

If Wanxiao happens to be in a good mood, he can sit quietly beside Wanxiao and keep him company.

I don't know what day it is today, but the Li family next door has been making a lot of noise since this morning. A group of children are chattering and chasing each other, it's quite a lively scene.

An Kang was about to close the courtyard gate, afraid of disturbing Wan Xiao, but he stopped him.

"You should go back inside. I'll stay here alone and calm myself down."

After An Kang left, Wan Xiao lay on the rocking chair, gazing absently at a group of little children running around in front of the Li family's house.

Among them was a little girl wearing a red and blue embroidered "Fu" (福, meaning good fortune) patterned jacket, who looked no more than three or four years old. But no matter which child saw her, they would rush past her, causing the little girl to burst into tears.

Her voice was loud and clear, and Wan Xiao felt that the little girl had been crying non-stop all morning.

"Stay with me, stay with me..."

The little girl, in a fit of anger, tried to grab her companion, but when she couldn't catch her, she angrily picked up a large stone from the doorway and smashed it on the ground with a thud.

Upon seeing this scene, Wan Xiao suddenly stood up.

The boulder was quite large; it crashed into the ground, leaving a shallow crater. A group of children were startled and scattered in all directions.

Wan Xiao chuckled when he saw this.

Hearing his laughter, the little girl trotted over to him with her tiny steps.

"You're laughing at me..."

"no."

The little girl pouted and was about to cry again, which prompted Wan Xiao to squat down and say, "I didn't laugh at you. It's good for a girl to be strong; she can protect herself in the future."

Tears the size of beans clung to her face. The little girl sobbed twice, wiped her face, and then laughed again.

It turned out that she had noticed the rocking chair behind Wan Xiao.

"I……"

"Oh my god..."

The little girl stretched out her short, white finger and tried to pull on Wan Xiao's trouser leg by pointing at the chair. Wan Xiao picked her up and put her on the rocking chair, smiling to himself.

This little girl is all brawn and no brains, just like Tao Qian.

"Ankang, get the girl a plate of candy."

A dish of candy was placed in front of the little girl, and Wan Xiao handed it to her. The little girl then began to eat it with gusto.

Children are easily sleepy; one moment they have candy in their mouth, and the next their eyelids are heavy as they drift off to sleep in their chairs. Wan Xiao watched quietly for a while before sending An Kang to the Li family to look for the person.

A short while later, a man hurriedly came out of the Li family's house. As soon as he saw Wan Xiao, he bowed and apologized.

"My little granddaughter is quite mischievous; I never expected her to run off to your place. Has she caused you any trouble?"

"No."

Li Rui stepped forward, picked up the little girl, and apologized to Wan Xiao for the inconvenience.

As he was about to leave, Wan Xiao suddenly said, "This girl is quite endearing. I think she's incredibly strong; it's really surprising."

"What's so special about it?"

Li Rui smiled and said, "This little girl takes after her great-grandmother; she has possessed extraordinary strength since childhood."

Speaking of his divine power, Li Rui smiled with pride. However, with just a simple sentence and a slightly smiling look in his eyes, Wan Xiao knew that Tao Qian was a filial child.

He smiled, a slight smirk playing on his lips. "Has she chosen a name yet?"

"Take it, and call Yunxiang."

Wan Xiao nodded slowly after hearing this.

Seeing his amiable demeanor, Li Rui chatted with him for a few more minutes. As she left, Xiao Yunxiang blinked her sleepy eyes, looking at Wan Xiao with a tearful expression, which suddenly reminded Wan Xiao of many old memories.

His father and Taoqian's father were childhood friends. Zhang's father passed away early, leaving behind an orphan and his widow who often worried about making a living. The Li family was wealthier than the Zhang family from a young age, so his father often helped Zhang's mother and son when he was young, and this help lasted for many years.

Later, after the old lady of the Zhang family passed away, Zhang Bo said he wanted to go out and make a living after the mourning period. His father couldn't bear to see Zhang Bo penniless, so he found a local thug who lent money at exorbitant interest rates and gave Zhang Bo thirty taels of silver.

Wan Xiao still remembers that his father would often mention this matter when he had a drink with Uncle Zhang.

"You don't know, the day I returned from Jiangnan, I saw your father beaten black and blue. It turned out that he had borrowed money at exorbitant interest rates and couldn't pay it back. He was being chased and had to hide for years without a moment's peace."

When he gets excited, Uncle Zhang will pat his father on the shoulder and shed a few tears.

Later, Zhang Bo made his fortune outside and returned to Baoding. He not only repaid the exorbitant interest rates that the Li family had imposed, but also divided the business he had built up over the years in two.

In this way, both families were able to stand out from Baoding Prefecture in just over a decade.

His marriage to Tao Qian was arranged at the height of both families' prosperity.

Upon seeing Xiao Yunxiang today, Wan Xiao felt as if he were seeing Tao Qian from his childhood.

He was five or six years older than Tao Qian. Uncle Zhang had always had difficulty having children, and by the time Tao Qian was born, he already had four older brothers and sisters.

Since no one was suitable, the marriage fell to him.

When Tao Qian was born, she was exquisitely beautiful, and even at a very young age, her hands were surprisingly strong. When he played with her, he would often find himself unable to break free from her soft little hands.

When she reached the age of Xiao Yunxiang, she was already able to carry a copper basin and walk around on the ground by herself.

She was strong but didn't know her own strength, and often scratched her peers. In order to keep an eye on her, he would carry little Taoqian on his back and take her with him wherever he went.

But this peaceful period didn't last long. The Li family encountered trouble that year, and it happened very suddenly.

Years have passed, and he can no longer remember much about what happened back then. But Wan Xiao vaguely knows that the two families had some kind of business deal in the capital. The deal should have been registered under both families' names, but Uncle Zhang said that it would be used as Tao Qian's dowry and sent to the Li family ahead of time. So only his father's handprint was left on this document.

Wan Xiao still remembers that it was late at night, with a bright moon and few stars, and he couldn't fall asleep no matter what he did. It was because during the day, Tao Qian had snapped the pearl necklace she was wearing, and it had scattered all over the kitchen floor with a crackling sound.

It wasn't anything particularly valuable, but that night he felt a strong urge to retrieve it and went to the kitchen alone.

He was crouching in the kitchen, searching around, when he heard a low sobbing sound coming from outside.

Wan Xiao no longer remembered what happened at the time; he only knew that when he came to his senses, the entire Li family had been slaughtered.

He watched as those people threw the bodies of his parents and siblings into a car and transported them away overnight.

He and several of his younger cousins ​​were strangled by the neck and passed out.

In just one night, their family was destroyed and their lives were lost.

Later, he was taken to the palace to be castrated and become a eunuch. Several of his cousins ​​who entered the palace with him, due to their young age or other reasons, could not withstand the knife and died one after another in the castration room.

With a flick of his eyelids, Wan Xiao gave a mocking smile.

The palace was truly a place that devoured people.

He was not yet ten years old when he arrived, but he almost lost his life several times. Later, he realized that to survive in the palace, he could only regard himself as an animal, not as a human being.

In order to survive, he became an apprentice to a chief eunuch in the palace. From that day on, he abandoned his identity as a member of the Li family and became a low-ranking eunuch in the palace, changing his name to Wan Xiao.

After many years of searching, he finally learned the reason for the extermination of his clan and found out who had ruined his family, making it impossible to distinguish between humans and ghosts.

Ironically, the Li family was wiped out simply because the Zhang and Li families owned a restaurant in the capital, which was later seized by Duan Yiting and eventually ended up in Shen Qianyu's hands.

Back then, Duan Yiting wanted to buy it at a low price, but his father disagreed, so overnight, all of Li's hundred-member family perished.

Wan Xiao rubbed his fingertips together, his eyes narrowed, and his face darkened.

He was quite surprised when he saw Tao Qian again in the palace that year.

It was simply because he had imagined what would happen to Uncle Zhang's family.

He thought that Uncle Zhang would probably look for them for a few days, and that after three, five, seven, eight, or even ten years, they would forget about the Li family and the marriage they had made with them.

Tao Qian will find a good husband again and live an ordinary life.

After all, the Zhang and Li families had many connections in Baoding Prefecture at that time. He thought that the goodwill accumulated over the years would surely protect the Zhang family. Even if the Li family no longer existed, those who had received favors from both families would still protect Uncle Zhang for a while.

But when Tao Qian entered the palace, he knew that those who had received favors not only failed to lend a helping hand, but had also taken advantage of her misfortune.

Hearing Tao Qian recount the fate of Uncle Zhang's family, he felt even more heartbroken.

That little girl with superhuman strength, who should have lived a life of luxury and been pampered by her parents, ended up as a slave to others.

This truly made him feel unbearable and unwilling.

He owes Zhang Bo's family a debt, and protecting Tao Qian's life is the debt he must repay.

Tao Qian lived a good life, and with his protection, she never suffered any grievances.

Now she has a house full of children and grandchildren. Although she has other troubles, she is still the little girl who grew up on his back and has never suffered any hardships.

That was enough for him.