Pingjiang Fu Is So Lively
Wei Jinyun’s hand holding the porcelain bowl paused as she met those tear-filled eyes.
“My hands have no strength, and I… I don’t know how to do these things either.”
Wei Fuqu looked at the porcelain bowl in Wei Jinyun’s hands, her vision blurred by tears. Her face was flushed with fever, yet her mind was unusually clear. She whispered her accusation, “What laws, what government offices—where is my sister? Where has my sister gone?”
Afraid of upsetting her grandmother and younger sister, she usually didn’t dare to ask too much.
The Wei sisters were twins, yet they had different temperaments. Though both were clever, the elder sister, Wei Fuqu, was more meticulous than others her age.
Wei Jinyun had long noticed her wariness these past few days.
Faced with such cautious questioning, Wei Jinyun no longer wanted to deceive her. She glanced at the other two, who were fast asleep, and led Wei Fuqu out of the cabin.
“Yes, I am not your sister.”
Wei Jinyun patted Wei Fuqu’s back gently, thought for a moment, and then said, “Your original sister, Qujie’er, has left. She’s become an immortal now.”
She felt the figure in her arms tremble suddenly, and the low sobbing grew more intense.
“But Grandmother is here, and Lingjie’er is here too. No matter what happens, my desire to protect you all is genuine. Just like now, I only want Qujie’er to get better. I only want you to eat this bowl of lotus ginger steamed cake, sweat a little, and break the fever.”
To Wei Fuqu, she was like an uninvited guest.
Wei Jinyun herself was an orphan, and her grandparents had just passed away. She understood the pain of losing loved ones.
Wei Fuqu remained silent.
Rain tapped on the oilcloth above their heads, making the atmosphere around them feel somewhat stifling.
Wei Jinyun picked up a spoon, scooped a small piece of warm lotus ginger steamed cake, and held it out to Wei Fuqu. Her gaze was gentle. “Qujie’er, trust me just this once, okay? First, get well.”
Children needed coaxing.
When she was little, her own grandmother had coaxed her like this to take the extremely bitter medicine her grandfather had prescribed.
Now, the bowl in her hands wasn’t bitter at all.
The lotus ginger steamed cake before her was warm, moist, and fragrant. The person who looked exactly like her sister had only concern in her eyes, not a trace of evasion.
Her sister’s health had always been poor. For over a decade, she had taken bitter medicine and remained bedridden. During the recent bout of cold, Wei Fuqu could feel her sister’s pain and helplessness.
Overwhelming grief and resentment, coupled with the warmth of the “sister” before her, finally made her burst into loud sobs. She curled up in Wei Jinyun’s arms. “I miss my sister…”
She was an imposter, but her concern for her grandmother and younger sister was real. Driving away those bad people was real too.
Deep down, she had already understood that her sister would never return.
Wei Fuqu thought to herself, hoping that her sister, now an immortal, would never feel pain again.
She cried in Wei Jinyun’s arms for a long time before carefully taking the bowl of lotus ginger steamed cake and slowly bringing it to her mouth.
After eating half the bowl, she finally looked up. “It’s sweet.”
Wei Fuqu had eaten very little today, not even finishing half of her grandmother’s red bean paste steamed bun.
The steamed cake in the bowl was soft, sticky, and delicate, requiring little chewing. The lotus seeds were subtly sweet, with a hint of ginger that wasn’t spicy at all.
She sniffled, feeling much more clear-headed.
“Of course it’s sweet.”
Wei Jinyun couldn’t help but pinch her cheek. “Tomorrow, I’ll make ginger milk curd for Qujie’er. That’s sweet too.”
Wei Fuqu lowered her head and continued eating, her fever-flushed face growing even redder.
“Thank you.”
Wei Jinyun was very pleased to see her finally willing to eat.
Children, just coax them a bit more and they'll be fine.
She would be a good elder sister to them.
After finishing a whole bowl of lotus ginger steamed cake, Wei Jinyun used a towel to apply a compress to Wei Fuqu's forehead, changing the water several times. Her high fever gradually subsided, and she fell into a deep sleep, yet her small hand still tightly clutched Wei Jinyun's sleeve.
The boat traveled on the canal for several days, finally slowly sailing into the territory of Pingjiang Fu. The rainy season was long, and even here it was still drizzling, no different from Jiangning Prefecture.
In the thin mist, the outline of a city gradually appeared before them.
The bluish-gray city walls meandered, seemingly endless. Among the many merchant and passenger ships, Wei Jinyun's small black-canopied boat was completely inconspicuous.
The sound of the boat moving through the water came gently, mixed with the clamor of shouts.
"Pingjiang Fu is here, entering the Changmen gate!"
The boat woman shouted at the top of her lungs.
Wei Fuling leaned over the side of the boat, supported by Wang Qiulan, her little mouth agape in awe. Wei Fuqu was also stunned by the sight before her, curiously looking around.
Wei Jinyun stared intently at the city before her, her heart pounding like a drum—this was the appearance of her hometown a thousand years ago.
The boat woman pointed out nearby, "This is Changmen, the throat of the waterways, meant to connect the vital energy of the heavens and earth. It's so lively!"
Wei Jinyun looked into the distance; boats were lined up in a long queue toward Changmen, being inspected under the shouts of soldiers.
There was also the symbolic landmark of Gusu visible from here—the Bao'en Temple Pagoda. In the past, her grandmother had loved going to the temple for Buddha's birthday celebrations, and occasionally she would accompany her grandmother there for walks and rest.
She only wished she had a camera in her hand.
Nearby, it was bustling, with various shops clinging to life, crowded together.
Next to a grain transport boat being unloaded, there was a straw rope shop with its doors wide open, where a young clerk was busy selling newly arrived bundles of straw rope to boat owners urgently needing repairs. Foot inns, specifically providing mule and horse rentals and fodder supplies for traveling merchants, were countless.
There were many vendors selling live fish, with fresh fish and shrimp leaping and tumbling in wooden basins.
"Such a big fish, even bigger than Wei Fuling."
Wei Fuling stared at the river fish being carried by two vendors, still flapping about, and couldn't help but exclaim.
People in the Wu region mostly ate rice, and in front of rice shops, sacks were piled up like small mountains, with clerks carrying rice bags in and out.
Going further inside, there were many small food stalls catering to foot porters and boatmen, their business incredibly booming, with tables and stools even set up by the roadside. Large bowls were filled with noodle soup, and people drank coarse wine, the noise unceasing.
Taking advantage of the rainy season, vendors selling straw sandals, bamboo hats, and raincoats squeezed into every available space, their shouts rising and falling.
"Give me your hand."
While admiring the prosperity of Pingjiang Fu, Wei Fuqu tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "For you."
Several candied lotus seeds were placed in her palm.
"They're sweet."
Wei Fuqu ate one herself, seeming to choke a little, coughed softly, and turned her face away.
Was this… acceptance? After being in the Great Song for over a month, she had finally won over her aloof younger sister.
Wei Jinyun smiled and stuffed all the candied lotus seeds into her mouth, chewing heartily.
The candied lotus seeds had no lotus seed hearts and were coated layer upon layer with powdered sugar.
Anything given by her younger sister was sweet.
Overwhelmingly sweet.
There was a long queue ahead, and Wei Jinyun's eyes were nearly dazzled. Finally, it was their small boat's turn to dock.
Having been on the boat for so many days, the passengers had long since grown sore from sitting and, like her, had been eagerly watching since entering Changmen.
Now that the boat had stopped, everyone pushed forward.
"Move aside, you blind fools!"
A sturdy foot porter charged through the crowd, carrying a heavy sack on his shoulder.
"Ah, my bundle! Don’t push, don’t push!"
Those behind were shoved and stumbled, letting out startled cries.
Wei Jinyun’s attention was entirely focused on protecting her two younger sisters and steadying her grandmother, leaving her breathless from the jostling.
Pushed from both front and back, she stumbled, stepping on a patch of slippery moss on the deck. Her foot slipped, and she lost her balance, falling uncontrollably backward.
Of all the people in the crowd, she alone was the chosen one for that patch of moss!
Fortunately, she didn’t fall into the water. Instead, her back collided with something cold and firm, which pushed her decisively and forcefully back onto the deck.
Instinctively, she turned to look, but through the hazy mist, she could only catch a glimpse of a tall, slender figure clad in tight-fitting crimson attire, with a neat high ponytail.
The figure moved without hesitation, not even turning back to check if she was safe. With agile movements, he swiftly zeroed in on a shifty figure nearby attempting to pickpocket a passerby amid the chaos.
"Xunjian Si apprehending suspects—halt!"
A clear, icy voice rang out, carrying a chilling edge that instantly cut through the surrounding clamor.
Wherever the dazzling crimson figure passed, the chaotic crowd instinctively parted, creating a narrow path.
Wei Jinyun now understood what had pushed her back.
A broadsword was held in that figure’s hand.
A chill ran down her spine, and cold sweat broke out all over her body. Thankfully, the blade was sheathed.
Otherwise, compared to being sliced in two, she would have preferred falling into the water.
"Oh heavens, that scared me to death!"
A woman nearby, who had nearly been knocked over by Wei Jinyun, patted her chest, her face pale. "Thanks to Lord Lu, otherwise this young lady would have fallen in and become a drowned rat."