Perhaps he simply hoped Jiang He would marry into a good family.
Or perhaps he wanted to encourage his friend.
On impulse, Xie Zhao tore off a piece of cloth from his clothing, picked up a piece of charcoal, and wrote down a promise.
“I, Xie Ziming, hereby make this vow:
If my worthy younger brother succeeds in this year’s imperial examination, I shall personally act as matchmaker and betroth my younger sister to him, uniting our two families in marriage.
If his name does not appear on the list of successful candidates, then let this matter be forgotten and never mentioned again.
Words alone carry no proof, so I write this as evidence.”
After writing it, he stuffed the cloth into Lu Changgeng’s hands.
After reading it, Lu Changgeng froze.
Brother Ziming… actually had such bold, powerful handwriting?
Then again…
His family had once been wealthy.
He had even mentioned that his younger sister had studied and possessed beautiful handwriting.
In that case, it made sense.
Brother Ziming must have received an education as well.
At that moment, even Xie Zhao himself was stunned.
Did… I write this?
Could it be…
Could it be that I’m actually a literate bandit?
…
When Xie Zhao returned home after work, his world collapsed.
Holding the letter Jiang He had left behind, he rushed straight to the neighboring house.
“Auntie Zhang! Did… did you know Jiang He went to Linjiang Commandery?”
“I did.”
“Don’t tell me you didn’t know.”
The expression on Xie Zhao’s face answered the question.
Auntie Zhang was dumbfounded.
That girl…
How could she leave without telling him something this important?
“Oh dear.”
“I had no idea she hadn’t told you.”
“I thought the two of you had gone together.”
“If I’d known, I definitely would’ve tried to stop her.”
Xie Zhao was furious.
Even the neighbor knew about such an important matter.
Yet he, of all people, had been kept completely in the dark.
Something this serious…
And she hadn’t discussed it with him at all.
Linjiang was so far away.
How could she dare travel there alone?
How could she be so bold?
Seething with anger, Xie Zhao stuffed the letter back into his clothes and sprinted straight toward the city gates.
The next day, he didn’t show up for work.
He skipped work without saying a single word.
The foreman was annoyed and went to ask Lu Changgeng.
“Xie Ziming didn’t come today. Do you know what happened?”
Lu Changgeng shook his head.
“He didn’t come? I had no idea.”
Seeing that he genuinely knew nothing, the foreman muttered a few complaints before leaving.
Once Lu Changgeng finished his own work, he went looking for Xie Zhao.
After asking several acquaintances without success, he went to Jiang He’s house after work.
Finding the door tightly shut, he questioned the neighbors instead.
Only then did he learn that Jiang He had gone to Linjiang Commandery alone, and that Xie Zhao had immediately chased after her.
“You’re their friend, right?”
“Yes.”
“Brother Ziming didn’t come to work today, so I was worried something had happened and came to check.”
“That girl really is something.”
“I never imagined she’d leave without discussing it with her brother.”
“But don’t worry.”
“The road to Linjiang Commandery is an official highway. It’s quite safe.”
“Thank you, Auntie.”
…
Xie Zhao traveled through the entire night without resting for even a moment.
By around the chen hour the following morning—roughly eight o’clock—he had arrived.
Now that he knew where she was headed, finding her was simple.
He went straight to the Manufacturing Bureau and waited nearby.
As soon as she arrived, he would see her.
Meanwhile, Jiang He had set out that morning and only reached Linjiang by evening.
The officials at the Manufacturing Bureau had already gone home for the day.
She had no choice but to find an inn nearby for the night.
Early the next morning, she carried the bolts of cloth on her back and headed to the bureau.
The moment she reached the entrance, someone stopped her.
“Jiang He.”
She looked up.
Standing before her without warning was Xie Zhao.
His expression was fierce.
And in his hand…
He was gripping a stick.
Jiang He’s heart skipped a beat.
Wait…
Is he actually going to hit me?
There are so many people here.
If we start fighting, how embarrassing would that be?
She hurriedly grabbed his arm and dragged him into a nearby alley.
The alley was quiet, shutting out the noisy streets outside.
“W-Why are you here?”
Her momentum had completely disappeared.
It wasn’t cowardice.
It was simply following her instincts.
After all…
He was holding a weapon.
“Oh?”
“And why do you think I’m here?”
Xie Zhao’s eyes were bloodshot.
During the entire journey, he’d done nothing but imagine how he would punish her once he found her.
No matter what…
He had to give her a beating.
Otherwise, she would never learn.
He had revised the words he’d use to scold her over and over again in his head.
He’d rehearsed countless times how she’d end up kneeling and begging for forgiveness after being thoroughly berated.
He had even carried that tree branch with him the entire way just to scare her.
He had snapped it off in a field outside Anyue City while still burning with anger.
Yet…
The moment he finally saw her…
Not a single word came out.
Everything he’d planned to say vanished from his mind.
He was so angry that he trembled.
The branch in his hand was nearly crushed.
“I really am surprised…”
“You… didn’t happen to travel all night without resting, did you?”
As she spoke, Jiang He quietly tried to snatch the stick from his hand.
“Come on.”
“I’ll treat you to a bowl of wontons.”
“The stall is just over there.”
“I ate there earlier. They’re really delicious.”
She tugged several times.
The stick didn’t budge in the slightest.
Jiang He: “…”
“Wontons?”
“You think I’m in the mood for wontons?”
Xie Zhao forcefully shook off her hand.
Both angry and aggrieved, he said,
“You’ve really grown bold.”
“You ran all the way out here by yourself.”
“And you didn’t even tell me beforehand.”
As he spoke, he threw away the branch he’d carried the whole journey.
Then he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.
Very tightly.
She slammed straight into his firm chest, and the impact made her cheek ache.
“If something had happened to you…”
“Wouldn’t Father climb out of his coffin just to strangle me?”
“Why are you so disobedient?”
“Why can’t you give me even a little peace of mind?”
“How could you do something like this?”
“You have no idea…”
“You scared me to death.”
A grown man…
Complaining to her like a resentful housewife.
Jiang He’s mind went completely blank.
She pushed weakly against his chest.
It wouldn’t move.
Her face turned bright red as she struggled to gasp out,
“Y-You’re… going… to… squeeze… me… to death…”
Xie Zhao stiffened.
He immediately let go.
Jiang He bent over, gulping down mouthfuls of air.
Xie Zhao anxiously patted her back to help her catch her breath.
“Feeling better?”
Only after breathing for a while did Jiang He nod.
“Yes…”
Only then did Xie Zhao finally relax.
But he immediately looked at her again with that deeply aggrieved expression.
Jiang He couldn’t bear meeting those eyes.
She quickly looked away.
Then…
Xie Zhao started complaining again.
“Do you know how dangerous it is for a teenage girl to travel alone?”
“There are kidnappers everywhere.”
“If someone abducted you, where was I supposed to look for you?”
“I traveled on the official road.”
“And I dressed like a young man.”
She gestured toward her clothes.
Then she cleared her throat and deliberately lowered her voice.
“Look at me.”
“Do I still look like a young lady?”
Xie Zhao replied without hesitation,
“There are plenty of men who like other men.”
Jiang He: “…”
“They especially like people who look neither completely male nor female.”
“Just like you.”
Jiang He was speechless.
After a moment, she defended herself.
“But I did tell you.”
“I even left you a letter.”
“That’s called acting first and reporting later.”
“Leaving a note doesn’t make you any safer.”
“Then what was I supposed to do?”
“You should’ve discussed it with me.”
“I would’ve come with you.”
Jiang He smiled awkwardly.
“I was worried it would interfere with your work.”
“You were the one who said missing a day’s work would cost twenty copper coins.”
“If something had happened to you…”
“What the hell would I still be going to work for?”
“Tell me.”
“What’s more important?”
“Those twenty copper coins…”
“Or you?”