Chapter 225

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Zhang Xiaohua felt utterly bewildered, unable to understand why his mother was acting this way.

Moreover, he had a strange feeling in his heart, but he couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was odd about it.

Guo Sufei hugged her youngest son tightly with one arm while firmly gripping the hand of her second son with the other, as if afraid they might suddenly vanish. She walked briskly toward the village.

It was dinnertime in the countryside, so the village entrance was deserted. As they entered the village, people began to appear gradually. However, dusk had already settled, and if not for Zhang Xiaohu leading two tall, imposing horses that caught everyone’s attention, no one might have noticed the return of these two villagers.

Guo Village was a relatively remote and isolated place. Although a main road lay not far from the village entrance, the villagers were mostly impoverished. Tall and majestic horses were a rare sight. For the locals, even a donkey cart was considered a luxury. When Zhang Xiaolong had married back then, the best they could afford was a less-than-sturdy horse. Even so, the horse managed to pull four people home on that occasion, a feat that seemed extraordinary in hindsight.

Now, Zhang Xiaohu was leading two impressive horses by himself. The villagers, familiar with livestock for plowing fields, immediately recognized the extraordinary quality of the animals. A crowd quickly gathered to take a closer look. Among them were some village children who eagerly ran up to play around the horses, darting back and forth in front and behind them. Fortunately, these chestnut-red horses had been well-trained by the Piaomiao Sect. They were premium steeds, handpicked and highly disciplined, capable of facing both chaos and bloodshed without flinching. Such trivial disturbances from rural children didn’t bother them in the slightest. They merely swayed their heads lazily and flicked their tails casually, almost as if indulging the children. Seeing that the horses were as docile as the oxen at home, the children felt reassured and became bolder. Some even reached out to stroke the horses’ smooth manes, their laughter ringing out amidst the tranquil village dusk.

The older villagers with sharper eyes soon recognized the brothers, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua. In the dim light, they noticed that the two were dressed neatly, far more refined than the usual attire of the villagers. This stirred a sense of surprise in their hearts. After a quick assessment, they concluded that the brothers had done well for themselves while away. The simplicity of rural folk meant that even if Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua had returned in tattered clothes, no one would have mocked them. But seeing them dressed so brightly sparked admiration rather than envy. Many came forward to greet them warmly, inviting them to their homes for dinner. Guo Sufei, understanding these gestures were more out of politeness than genuine intent, felt both happy and cautious. She instructed her sons to return the greetings one by one, expressing their thanks.

Having been away for so long, Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua were delighted to see so many familiar faces. Over the past two years of their experiences outside, their demeanor and outlook had matured significantly. They responded to the villagers with grace and politeness, exuding an attitude that was markedly different from before. Guo Sufei watched and listened with pride, her heart brimming with joy.

As they walked along, a voice called out from ahead: “Xiaohu? Xiaohua?”

Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua looked up and saw that the person hurrying toward them from the distance was none other than their father, Zhang Cai!

Zhang Xiaohua joyfully cried out: “Father!”

He immediately let go of his mother’s hand and ran forward to greet him.

The reunion between father and sons was filled with emotion. Zhang Cai held his son’s hand, looking him over repeatedly while saying, “Good, good,” over and over again.

Zhang Xiaohua, leaning close to his father, felt an overwhelming warmth in his heart. However, that strange, almost unsettling feeling emerged once more. But at this moment, he had no time to dwell on it. He clung tightly to his father’s large hand, unwilling to let go.

When Zhang Xiaohu approached, he respectfully bowed and said: “Father, I’m back.”

Seeing Zhang Xiaohu, Zhang Cai was overjoyed. He beamed and instinctively reached out to pull his son closer for a conversation. However, Zhang Xiaohu’s formal gesture left Zhang Cai momentarily at a loss for how to respond. Guo Sufei, observing this from the side, chuckled and said: “This child! You’ve come home, yet you’re still bowing to your own father. Isn’t that being overly formal?”

Zhang Xiaohu scratched the back of his head awkwardly, letting out an embarrassed chuckle.

Guo Sufei laughed and said to Zhang Cai: “Look at our Xiaohu. After being away for so long, he’s learned proper manners. He’s more refined than those scholars from the city!”

Zhang Cai’s earlier awkwardness vanished, and he smiled warmly, repeating: “Good, good.”

He then grabbed hold of Zhang Xiaohu’s hand, reluctant to let go.

Seeing this, Guo Sufei said: “Alright, let’s not stand around chatting in the village. We can talk more once we’re home.”

Zhang Cai snapped out of his daze and replied, “Yes, let’s head home. Your elder brother and sister-in-law are waiting for dinner.” Then, turning to Guo Sufei, he added, “And you blame me! I only came looking for you because you were taking so long. If you’d headed back earlier, I wouldn’t have needed to come out to find you!”

With that, the couple each took one son by the hand, happily making their way home, leaving the villagers behind, gazing at them with envy.

In the fading light, Zhang Xiaohua spotted the home he had dreamed of countless times. However, it looked somewhat different now. The walls were no longer short enough to see the main hall at a glance, and the gate was no longer a simple fence.

When they pushed the gate open, a pleasant floral fragrance greeted them. Looking around, they saw that the courtyard seemed much larger than before. It had been neatly divided into several small sections, each planted with various kinds of vegetation. However, with the dusk settling in, it was difficult to make out the details.

Upon closer inspection, the main hall and the small room that had belonged to their grandmother hadn’t changed much. The stove, however, had been renovated and was no longer outdoors. Just then, a figure emerged from the kitchen and called out: “Father, has Mother returned yet? The dishes have been reheated again.”

Zhang Xiaohua cheerfully replied: “Sister-in-law! We’re back! How have you and Elder Brother been?”

The person stepping out was Liu Qian. Hearing Zhang Xiaohua’s voice, she couldn’t contain her joy and exclaimed: “Xiaohua, why are you back so late? Oh, Xiaohu is here too! Come on in, quickly! No wonder Mother has been muttering about you two these past few days. Turns out a mother’s intuition is spot on!”

She then turned toward the main hall and shouted: “Xiaolong! Come out quickly! Xiaohu and Xiaohua are back!”

Zhang Xiaolong came running out from the main hall, his face lighting up with joy at the sight of his two younger brothers. Zhang Xiaohua skipped over to his elder brother, affectionately tugging at his sleeve. Zhang Xiaohu, more cautious this time, didn’t dare to bow and instead walked up to Zhang Xiaolong and called out: “Big Brother.”

Looking at Zhang Xiaohu, now taller than himself, Zhang Xiaolong smiled and said, “Xiaohu, not bad! You’ve grown taller.” He reached out and ruffled Zhang Xiaohu’s hair. Zhang Xiaohu chuckled awkwardly, feeling a warmth in his heart, a familial bond far more comforting than any formal greeting.

Liu Qian, meanwhile, called everyone into the house, setting down the dishes she had been holding. She said: “With Xiaohu and Xiaohua back, there won’t be enough food for dinner. I’ll head to the village entrance to buy some ready-made dishes. But at this hour, I’m afraid there might not be anything left.”

Zhang Xiaohu quickly interjected: “Sister-in-law, there’s no need. We’ve brought some food with us. Let’s just make do for tonight.”

However, Guo Sufei wouldn’t have it. “How can you eat dry rations on your first night home? Let me see what I can find. Qianqian, you prepare another vegetable dish.”

With that, she prepared to leave. Zhang Xiaohu and Zhang Xiaohua immediately jumped up, offering to go with her, but Guo Sufei adamantly refused. “You’ve been on the road, tired and dusty. Just stay home and rest.”

Unable to argue with her, the two brothers had no choice but to sit back down.

After Guo Sufei and Liu Qian left to prepare the meal, Zhang Cai said: “Let your mother and sister-in-law handle it. You two just sit and rest for a while. Coming back from Pingyang City must have taken you five or six days. You must be exhausted.”

Zhang Xiaolong agreed, pulling out a few teacups from the table and pouring tea. Smiling, he said: “Have some tea first. You must be thirsty after such a long journey. It’ll refresh your throat before dinner.”

Zhang Xiaohu grinned and said to Zhang Cai: “Father, Pingyang City isn’t that far from our Guo Village. It’s only two or three days away. We rode horses on the way back, so it only took two days. When we went there, we took a carriage, which took about three days.”

Zhang Xiaolong added: “By the way, Xiaohu, those horses you tied to the tree in the courtyard, don’t they need feeding tonight? What do they eat?”

Zhang Xiaohu replied: “Big Brother, there’s no need to worry. Regular fodder will do just fine. I’ll take care of it after dinner.”

Zhang Xiaolong said: “Better to prepare it sooner rather than later. We wouldn’t want those two horses to starve. They look quite valuable.”

Seeing that Zhang Xiaolong was about to head out, Zhang Xiaohua quickly grabbed his sleeve and said: “Big Brother, it’s fine. They were fed fodder at noon. Even if they’re a little hungry now, it’s no big deal. It’s been two years since the three of us have seen each other. Let’s sit and chat first. Feeding them can wait until bedtime.”

Zhang Xiaolong paused for a moment but ultimately decided to step outside. “These horses must be from the escort agency, right? They must be worth a hefty sum of silver. We can’t afford to let them go hungry, or we won’t be able to explain it when we return. I’ll just grab some fodder; it’ll only take a moment.”

Zhang Xiaohu drained his teacup in one gulp and stood up. “Big Brother, I’ll come with you.”

Zhang Cai didn’t stop them, smiling as he watched the two brothers leave. Turning to Zhang Xiaohua, he said: “Xiaohua, drink some tea. You’ve been traveling for two days—you must be parched.”

Zhang Xiaohua looked at his father under the soft glow of the oil lamp and said: “It’s alright, Dad. I’m not tired at all. Riding horses is fun.”

Saying this, he picked up his teacup and drank deeply.

In truth, he hadn’t had a sip of water since noon. Earlier, at the tea stall near Lu Town, he had been too busy arranging matters with the carriage driver to think about his own thirst. Now that he was home, he realized how dry his throat was.

However, the moment the tea touched his lips, Zhang Xiaohua froze in shock, almost leaping to his feet.

The tea was sweet and refreshing, instantly quenching his thirst and invigorating his body. As it traveled down his throat to his stomach, he felt a gentle warmth spreading through him, soothing and pleasant. But what came next was astonishing—a stream of Yuan Qi arose within his chest, flowing through his meridians and into his lower dantian, seamlessly merging with his true qi without any need for refinement.

This tea contained the Yuan Qi of Heaven and Earth! How could Zhang Xiaohua not be stunned?

He instinctively reached for the teapot. Seeing this, Zhang Cai assumed he was still thirsty. Hurriedly, he poured another cup and said: “Xiaohua, you’re really thirsty, aren’t you? Drink slowly. Don’t choke.”

Zhang Xiaohua smiled and said; “Don’t worry, Dad. I’m not a kid anymore.”

Looking at the kind and loving expression on his father’s face, Zhang Xiaohua felt a deep warmth in his heart. He was about to drink the tea, eager to confirm his earlier discovery, when a sudden flash of insight struck him like a bolt of lightning. In that instant, he understood why he had felt something different, something unusual, when he first saw his father and mother!
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