Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 238

Chapter 238 Parting
Qin Mubai arrived outside the small building in the southern suburbs, only to find a horse parked outside the courtyard. Looking at the exquisite carved saddle with a red sash hanging on its neck, it was obvious that it was a style only used by wealthy and noble families, and it looked quite familiar.

“Isn’t that a special saddle for mounts in King Wu’s Mansion? Why is it here?” Qin Mubai walked in and saw that it was Su Lianqing who was chatting with Chen Yan in the hall.

“Why are you here?” Qin Mubai walked over and asked, “Don’t you need to serve the princess in the manor?”

The two women stood up to welcome her. Su Lianqing smiled and said, “I knew you would definitely come, so I came to whistle first and greet my sister.”

“What’s there to greet?” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Could it be that she still needs time to hide something?”

“Then I’m not sure!” Su Lianqing smiled wickedly. “Perhaps if you don’t come to visit for a long time, she won’t be able to endure the lonely little man she secretly raised.”

“Beg for a fight!” Chen Yan scolded coldly. Su Lianqing hurriedly jumped a few steps away and smiled. “Sister, forgive me. My mouth is a bit cheap. I can’t change it for now.”

Qin Mubai smiled nonchalantly and sat down. “You haven’t said anything yet. Why did you run out of the palace?” He said.

“It’s almost the Dragon Boat Festival. The princess instructed me to go out and buy some leishs to reward the maids and servants in the manor.” Su Lianqing said, “So I came by to visit my sister. I haven’t seen her for many days. I miss her so much!”

“Oh, you’ve done well.” Qin Mubai said, “If it weren’t for the trustworthy servants and maidservants, the host wouldn’t have let her go shopping alone.”

“Then there’s no need to say?” Su Lianqing twirled her hair with her fingers and smiled proudly, “With my old Jianghu background, aren’t you going to coax her into obedience?-Well, I won’t disturb you two anymore. I’ll take my leave now. Sister, there’s no one sleeping next door. Will you still scream so loudly this time? Hehe!”

“Die!” Chen Yan shouted angrily. Su Lianqing laughed loudly as she jumped on the horse and ran away in a flash.

Qin Mubai shook her head and smiled. “Yan, what is she doing here?” She asked.

“Nothing much, just chatting.” Chen Yan said indifferently.

“Just chatting?” Qin Mubai looked at her suspiciously and laughed strangely, “Don’t think that you can fool me by pretending to be calm. Your eyes have already betrayed you! Quickly tell me, she must be here because of something.”

Chen Yan chuckled twice but did not reply. Instead, she said, “Mubai, I’m ready to leave.”

“Again?” Qin Mubai knitted her brows. “Didn’t she say that she wouldn’t leave?”

Chen Yan smiled and said, “I only seem to agree. I won’t leave you secretly, right? Right now, I just want to go back to my hometown. There are some things I have to do.”

“How long?”

“At least I have to spend the New Year at home. There are still some aunts and relatives over there.”

“It’s been so long” Qin Mubai curled his lips in displeasure. “It was Su Lianqing who told you something that made you decide to leave, right?”

Chen Yan paused for a moment and said, “Not all of them. Originally, I was a little homesick.”

Qin Mubai understood. It must be Su Lianqing who talked too much and told her that Wu Meiniang and Princess Gaoyang might come to Xiang Zhou. Chen Yan has always had such a temperament. She never asks me for anything, nor does she want to cause me any trouble.

“You said you missed home, I don’t know how to keep you.” Qin Mubai thought for a reason and said, “But, have you recovered well?”

“Alright. It’s been months.” As Chen Yan spoke, her face turned slightly red.

“Come, let me check.” As Qin Mubai spoke, he was about to embrace her in his arms.

“No.” Chen Yan quickly dodged, her face revealing a trace of shyness.

“Eh? What’s wrong with you?” Qin Mubai couldn’t help but laugh, “Are you still shy?”

“No.” Chen Yan smiled awkwardly, “It’s just … I’m afraid that you’ll laugh at me.”

“What’s the joke?” Qin Mubai’s curiosity rose.

“Go upstairs and come into the room.” After saying that, Chen Yan stood up and walked upstairs. Qin Mubai quickly followed behind her and asked, “What the hell is going on? Why is it so mysterious?”

“Don’t you know when you’re here?”

After entering the room, Chen Yan closed the window door, turned her back to Qin Mubai, and began to undress.

Chen Yan hesitated a little when her shoulders revealed a little bit of her clean skin. She turned around to look at Qin Mubai and chuckled.

“I’ve already said it. Don’t laugh at me.”

“Take off your clothes and let me see.” Qin Mubai couldn’t wait.

The soft satin slowly slid down from her elastic and seductive skin. Qin Mubai stared with wide eyes and was surprised to see a trace of red and green patterns.

“Tattoo?” He couldn’t help but be shocked.

“En …”

His clothes continued to slide down, slowly reaching his waist. Qin Mubai couldn’t help but be stunned!

It turned out that Chen Yan’s entire back was stabbed with an open-screen peacock. It was colorful and lifelike. She skillfully concealed some of the old wounds on her back, and two bird plumes craftily extended along her shoulders to her round collarbone. The two dazzling scars left behind earlier had turned into gorgeous peacock plumes!

“Heavens! How many needles do I have to stab!” Qin Mubai couldn’t help but be shocked, “Doesn’t that mean you don’t love people to death?”

“Just say, do you like it?” Chen Yan turned her head and said with a charming smile.

“I like it … But, it hurts too much, and there’s still a lot of blood to be lost.” Qin Mubai shook her head and clicked her tongue in pain.

“No problem. I asked Su Lianqing to help me with it. She is a friend in Jianghu. She has such a unique skill and specializes in tattooing people. Using some anesthetics won’t hurt anymore, and there won’t be much bleeding.” Chen Yan said.

“Oh, I dare say that you two meet often. No wonder she’s here today.” Only then did Qin Mubai come to a sudden realization.

“It took me ten days to finish stabbing.” As Chen Yan spoke, she was about to pull up her clothes and put them on.

“Don’t worry, let me take a look.” As Qin Mubai spoke, she walked forward with a wicked smile and hugged her soft waist from behind. She kissed the Peacock Plume on her shoulder, causing Chen Yan’s delicate body to tremble as she twisted and struggled.

“Don’t come!” Chen Yan earned it, pulled up her clothes and put them on, and said, “Wait a moment, I have something for you.”

“What is it?” Qin Mubai smiled and asked. She licked her lips evilly and acted like she was thirsty.

Chen Yan was amused. She walked to the side and opened the cabinet door. She took out the golden crown that she had bought for Qin Mubai. The difference was that there were now two long peacock feathers on the golden crown.

Qin Mubai felt that this feather looked extremely familiar. Wasn’t the Three Kingdoms’ Lyu3 bu4 like this in movies, TV shows, and operas? The two feathers were nearly two meters long, and they landed side by side on the golden crown in an arc and fell backwards, their colors gorgeous and lifelike.

Although such things usually only appeared in works of art, it was true that there were occasional people in the army who would use such things. Normally, they were only used by noble and young generals. It’s just extremely rare. This is like the so-called “performance art” of some other kind of people in the 21st century.

“Do you like it?” Chen Yan shook her golden crown, and the two feathers twisted left and right like living creatures.

“Of course I like it. But, you don’t want me to wear it and flaunt it around the market, do you?” Qin Mubai took it over and sized it up carefully. It was indeed exceptionally beautiful.

“Keep it as a souvenir!” Chen Yan smiled and said, “I’m leaving. Perhaps, you’ll think of me when you see it.”

“Silly.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “It’s impossible to forget you. You have to promise me that you will come back after the New Year. Otherwise, I will go over mountains and seas to look for you.”

“I know.” Chen Yan smiled and nodded gently. There was a trace of emotion and reluctance in his eyes.

“Yan, can’t we not leave?” Qin Mubai gently placed the golden crown aside and walked forward to embrace her. She kissed her forehead and whispered, “I know, Su Lianqing must have told you that Wu Meiniang and Princess Gaoyang might come, so you decided to leave, right? Actually, what does that have to do with it?”

“No, I still decided to go home.” Chen Yan said softly, but her attitude was more resolute.

Qin Mubai also understood her temperament, but once she made her decision, it would not be so easy to change. So he sighed and nodded, “Alright, but you have to give me a return date.”

Chen Yan whispered, “Let’s talk about it …”

“No.” Qin Mubai used both of his arms to hug her tightly and said, “We have to give her a return date.”

“I can only agree. We will meet again.” Chen Yan helplessly smiled and said, “Why are you acting childish again?”

“Ha, then you can treat me like a child. Even if it’s a coax, you can coax me.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Tell me, when are you coming back?”

“Mm … next year’s Dragon Boat Festival, I will definitely accompany you, how about it?” Chen Yan said.

“I only said half a year ago, but now it’s going to be a year?” Qin Mubai curled her lips and said, “It’s just a trip home. It took so long? Hey, you’re not going home to get married, are you?”

“Nonsense! Who can I marry? Other than you, who else can I like?” Chen Yan glared at him angrily and reached out to scratch his nose. “Good girl, it’s settled. Anyway, I’ll give you Zongzi for the Dragon Boat Festival next year.”

“Hehe!” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “Alright, that’s it! However, a year is too long. I might not be in a hurry anymore and come to Tanzhou to find you.”

“Alright, it’s best to bring Wu Meiniang and Princess Gaoyang with you.” Chen Yan smiled warmly.

“Oh, are you provoking me?” Qin Mubai curled her lips and said carelessly, “Don’t tell me, I don’t care how capable the two of them are. I say east, they won’t go west!”

“Keke, judging from your character, you should know that you are often bullied by them!” Chen Yan suddenly burst into laughter.

“You’re still laughing!” Qin Mubai was so angry that she hugged her waist and kissed her red lips tightly. Chen Yan did not struggle anymore. She put her hands around Qin Mubai’s neck and closed her eyes to kiss back eagerly.

The two fell onto the couch. Qin Mubai gently took off her clothes and kissed her entire body, especially the lifelike peacock. “Mubai, you are my last man!” Chen Yan’s entire body trembled with sweat as she panted out of breath, feeling confused as she murmured, “Mubai, you are my last man!”

…

In the evening, Chen Yan was cooking in the kitchen. Qin Mubai was sitting by the window of the bedroom, blowing a breeze as she pondered over the fragments of the blueprints in her hand. The paper was thick and opaque. It was soaked in oil to prevent moisture. It was slippery and greasy, a little like the brown paper of today.

After pondering for a while, he didn’t have a clue. The meal was almost cooked, and Chen Yan came into the room to call him. Seeing the thing in his hand, she asked, “What is this thing?”

“Zhao Chong gave it to me.” Qin Mubai said, “Tell me about the treasure map left behind by our ancestors.”

“It’s strange that he should give it to you.” Chen Yan didn’t care after saying that. “The food is cooked, come and eat!” She said.

“Alright.” Qin Mubai was about to stand up when a flash of spiritual light suddenly flashed through his mind and he was stunned.

“What’s the matter?” Chen Yan asked.

“I suddenly had an inspiration. It was you who prompted me.” Qin Mubai looked at Chen Yan in surprise.

“Since when did I remind you of something?” Chen Yan was puzzled.

“No. It was your tattoo that inspired me!” Qin Mubai rubbed his hands excitedly and anxiously. “Let’s not talk anymore. Let’s eat first. You’ll know in a while!”

Chen Yan could only shake her head in confusion. “What are you doing so mysterious?”

After finishing her meal quickly, Qin Mubai did not let Chen Yan tidy up the tableware and pulled her into the room. He spread out the four treasures of the study and began to gesture.

“Are you going to expand these drawings?” Chen Yan asked.

“That’s right. You’ll immediately know why I did it.” Qin Mu said as she sketched.

Chen Yan watched quietly. He carefully used transparent white paper to carve out every drawing, including the handwriting on the paper. After a long time, Qin Mubai heaved a sigh of relief after all five blueprints had been completed.

“Finished? Nothing.” Chen Yan said.

“You will know soon.” Qin Mubai smiled mysteriously and ran to the kitchen to get the vegetable oil jar. Afterwards, he cut the blueprints of the five pieces of paper to the size of the original blueprints, then neatly stacked them together and pressed them together.

Seeing this, Chen Yan understood, “You’re so smart! Look, these five drawings are arranged vertically together. The originally scattered patterns have formed a complete picture. Furthermore, those words are just adjacent to each other, forming a complete sentence!”

“This way, I can see more clearly.” After saying that, Qin Mubai dipped her brush in the vegetable oil and brushed a layer on the paper. The vegetable oil soaked in the thin paper seeped into the next layer, making the graphics clearer. After doing all this, he smiled at Chen Yan and said, “It was the peacock on your back that gave me the inspiration. The secretariat and the scar cleverly merged to form a perfect picture.”

“Amazing.” Chen Yan smiled and nodded in praise.

Qin Mubai lifted the corners of his mouth in delight and read the words on the psalm blueprint, “West Mountain Phoenix, River Well Dragon, Looking at the Evening Sun, Tears Three Elements.”

“What does this mean? It seems to be a narrative of love between a man and a woman?” Chen Yan was puzzled.

“No.” Qin Mubai shook his head and smiled confidently. “These few words just show where the treasure is.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s a Hidden Head Poem.” Qin Mubai said, “West Mountain Phoenix River Well Dragon, take the word West River. Tears of the dawn are actually not pronounced like this. The word Chao is homonym for West River Cao. Tears are also homonym for inside and outside.”

“Within the West River Cao?”

“You’re right. You’re so smart.”

“Stop!” Chen Yan was amused and said, “But the West River Channel is so big. It is a puddle of water that is dozens of kilometers in radius. Moreover, the harbor passageway is covered with dense reeds. Normally, people will get lost when they enter, let alone find treasures. Look at this drawing, it looks like a maze. Those rivers are the branches, right?”

“It should be.” Qin Mubai nodded and said, “However, how can this dragon and phoenix be mentioned casually by ordinary families? Since he mentioned it, he must have some deep meaning. Also, normally, whoever says that tears flow into three lines, or tears flow into two lines. There must be something strange about it.”

“If there is a deeper meaning, then someone must understand.”

“Zhao Chong!” The two of them said in unison.

Qin Mubai nodded with certainty, “Looks like I have to go to prison and ask him again before he leaves Xiangyang.”

“Go.” Chen Yan smiled.

“At least not today.” Qin Mubai gently massaged her hand and said, “I have to go now. I need to accompany you.”

“No need. I’m not a little girl. If I want to part, I’ll be crying.” Chen Yan smiled.

“It’s precisely because you don’t know how to do it that I want to accompany you. What if you hide and cry?” Qin Mubai also smiled.

“Idiot. I won’t.” Chen Yan smiled and snuggled into his embrace. She closed her eyes and a charming smile appeared on her face.

A night of lingering, several degrees of madness.

The night wind from the east was very tight, causing the Thousand Paper Crane on the edge of the window to fly in a mess. In the middle of the night, Chen Yan stood up naked and listened to Qin Mubai’s snoring. She took off the Thousand Paper Crane and carefully put it into her bag.

Qing Si sat on the edge of the couch and stared at Qin Mubai. Her face was filled with intoxication, warmth, satisfaction, and a trace of sadness. She whispered, “Silly man.”

Early in the morning, the two of them only had breakfast, and Chen Yan cleaned up the small building.

Going out, locking.

Chen Yan handed the key to Qin Mubai. Qin Mubai shook her head and pushed the key back. She held her hand and said, “This place belongs to you only. If you don’t come back, it will never open.”

“What if one day you want to rest here?” Chen Yan smiled.

“Without you here, I would panic, so I would only watch from the outside, not wanting to come in.” Qin Mubai said, “Take it. When you come back one day, the door here will open again.”

Chen Yan shook her head and smiled, “There are two keys. Isn’t one for each person? Really!”

“Haha!” Qin Mubai laughed loudly, “I managed to show some sadness. You are too damaging.”

“Stop.” Chen Yan laughed angrily, “It’s not a farewell. What’s the sadness? Let’s go, send me to the ferry to catch the boat.”

“Alright!” Qin Mubai let out a wicked laugh and suddenly picked her up and walked to the Fire Cloud Horse, placing her on the saddle. Chen Yan only smiled, letting him do as he pleased.

The two of them rode their horses and slowly left the courtyard. They walked out of the valley and headed for the Eight Ghosts Crossing.

Although they were trying their best to conceal it, the two of them still felt a faint sadness in their hearts.

The feeling of parting was not so good.

Along the way, neither of them spoke. However, as he leaned against the horse, he allowed the horse to trot slowly until it reached the Eight Ghosts Crossing.

“Alright, let’s go back!” Chen Yan got off the horse and waved at Qin Mubai.

Qin Mubai stared at her, and the two of them smiled in silence.

“Take care.” Qin Mubai nodded, “When you get to your hometown, you can write to me.”

“Take care, too.” Chen Yan nodded and smiled. She leisurely turned around and walked onto the passenger ship that was heading south without turning back.

“Yan!” Qin Mubai called out from behind.

“What is it?” Chen Yan stopped at the side of the deck and turned around to ask.

“Nothing.” Qin Mubai smiled and said, “When I woke up this morning, I looked everywhere for that Thousand Paper Crane, but I couldn’t find it. I originally wanted to give it to you as a souvenir, but it was probably blown away last night. What a pity.”

Chen Yan smiled faintly and took out the Thousand Paper Crane from the bag. She shook it in her hand and said, “Is this one?”

Qin Mubai nodded and smiled. After a moment of silence, he said, “Have a good trip.”

“Mm” Chen Yan nodded and smiled, “I will miss you, Sanlang.”

With a sweet smile, she turned around and walked into the cabin.

The boatman untied the elm rope and pulled out the bridge deck, shouting loudly. The large passenger ship pulled up the sails and poles to support the riverbank, allowing the ship to slowly leave the riverbank and slowly follow the eastward flow of the Hanjiang River.

At the ferry crossing, there were many people who came to see Qin Mubai off, all of them waving their hands at the ship. There were a few stupid males and females who were secretly wiping away their tears, and there were also children who were crying loudly.

Qin Mubai stood by the ferry with her horse in hand. She watched the passenger ship sail out of Xu Yuan and felt that Chen Yan was also watching her from afar.

“Eh? Isn’t that General Qin?” Someone suddenly said this. Immediately, many people gathered around him.

“Yes, it must be!” Hearing the excited voices of several women, they immediately let out screams.

“Wow!-General Qin! I saw General Qin!”

“Is it General Qin Mubai, the great hero rumored to be in the streets and alleys?”

“Yes, it’s him!”

“So handsome!”

Qin Mubai looked at the crowd and couldn’t help but be shocked.

The crowd quickly gathered around. Qin Mubai hurriedly got on his horse and clasped his fists at the crowd. “Fellow villagers, I have something important to do, so I’ll take my leave first. Please move aside.”

“General Qin! Don’t leave in such a hurry. Do you have time to talk to me?” The women were also bold as they stood in front of the horse’s head and said in a tongue-tied manner.

Qin Mubai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Just now, he clearly saw that two of these women had just sent their lovers away, and the tears on their faces had not yet dried up.

“I’m sorry. I have important matters to attend to. I really can’t accompany you. Let’s do it another day!” Qin Mubai pulled up the reins and turned the horse around, preparing to leave.

“Wait! Another day, when is it? Shall I go to the military manor to find you? Or can you tell me your official?” The women were still unwilling to give up. Many human rights experts beside him watched the liveliness and laughed as they watched.

Qin Mubai smiled bitterly and said, “I don’t have an official. No women are allowed in the barracks. Alright, I’ll see you later. I really have to go. Please step aside.”

“Alright then” The women dodged in a sullen manner and whispered to each other. They then surrounded Qin Mubai and prevented him from leaving. “Since we are destined to meet here, General Qin should at least leave some keepsakes for us to remember, right?”

“This” Qin Mu’s head was already big. In broad daylight, would this be robbery? He could not reprimand these women. They and the people beside them were all local people of Xiangyang.

“I’m in a hurry. I don’t have any tokens with me.” Qin Mubai could only say this.

“Hehe, then I have to offend you!” The woman exchanged a few words and suddenly rushed forward, grabbing the Fire Cloud Horse’s tail. The Fire Cloud Horse hissed angrily in pain. If Qin Mubai hadn’t restrained it, it would have kicked someone with its fierce temper.

“Wow! I got it, I got it!”

“I also fed him!”

The corners of Qin Mubai’s mouth twitched. Taking advantage of their infatuation, he raised his whip and fled.

“Haha, General Qin’s hair!-You guys aren’t!”

When Qin Mubai heard this from afar, his heart almost fell from his horse.