Late Bloomer Brings The Light

Chapter 9

Together, side by side, they walk across the meadow in the middle of the woods, where evening light filters through the trees, casting a golden hue on the ground. The air is filled with the sweet scent of wildflowers and the sound of the birds chirping. Thin veins of ivy grow across the trees in intricate patterns, resembling delicate curtains swaying in the gentle breeze. However, there is no one to appreciate it except for a lonely mountain far in the distance, casting a shadow over the land.

Xie Yun leads Jiang Ying around a large boulder, where a small cave reveals itself. Inside, the cave is dimly lit by a flickering torch on the wall. Xie Yun gestures for Jiang Ying to enter, and as they step inside, Jiang Ying sees that it is obviously lived in, but there aren't a whole lot of personal belongings. It isn't surprising that Xie Yun doesn't own many possessions, considering his occupation in life.

Xie Yun rummages through a basket and pulls out some simple blue and gray robes, tossing them at Jiang Ying, who almost drops them in surprise. "There is a river to the right a little ways. Go and clean up. You look like crap."

Jiang Ying wants to point out that Xie Yun looks almost just as bad, but he doesn't want to have to clean up with a near stranger right there with him. "Thank you," he says before heading down to find the river. It isn't difficult since he can hear the sound of the running water from the mouth of the cave.

He peels off the dust-covered clothing from his aching body and sets the purple robes aside on top of a rock. He steps into the river's cold water and jumps slightly at the frigid temperature. He hasn't bathed in such cold water ever since his birth, so he isn't used to it.

He makes his way deeper into the river to cover more of his body. He wades in up to his waist before looking down at his stomach. The spot Wen Ruohan kicked him at earlier in the day is now forming a dark bruise. He gives an experimental poke at the dark spot and immediately regrets it when the pain shoots through his abdomen.

He looks at his reflection on the water's surface and is pleasantly surprised to see that his face still looks okay, just a little dirty. Turning around, he falls back first into the water, covering his entire body with the now bearable water. Spending a long while scrubbing the dirt and grime off of his body, he is happy to finally have some semblance of cleanliness before putting on the robes Xie Yun has given him and heading back to the cave.

Xie Yun has already started a fire and is preparing some sort of soup in a pot above the flames. When he feels a presence beside him, he looks up to see the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. Like a diamond in mud, Jiang Ying shines with an inner light that seems to dispel the darkness of the cave. His eyes are bright and full of hope, his smile warm and inviting.

Xie Yun smiles warmly, "One thing I agree with you. You have a face that everyone admires as 'beautiful!'"

Jiang Ying rolls his eyes and sits down beside the glowing blaze, welcoming the source of heat after the cold river. He holds his hands out closer to the flame before asking, "So in order to get to Yunmeng, I just go east, right?"

Xie Yun stops slicing the carrot in his hands and looks at Jiang Ying with a dumbfounded expression. "You are going to die out there, you know."

Jiang Ying scowls. "I'm not helpless. I'll find my way back sooner or later." He knows his pathfinding skills leave a lot to be desired, but he doesn't know what else to do. He is outside Qishan, so anyone he talks to might snitch on him. The only people he can trust at this point are Wen Ning and a thief on the wrong side of the law. Oh, how low he has fallen in the span of a day.

Xie Yun chuckles and resumes slicing the carrot into the steaming pot. "Yes, you need to go east, but it'll take you at least two weeks to get to Yunmeng on foot."

Jiang Ying freezes, realizing he hasn't considered the time it will take. He had heard stories of his friends' fathers making the journey from Yunmeng to Qishan in just a day, but they had swords to ride on. Now, without a sword and facing a major time crunch, Jiang Ying curses his luck.

"Perhaps I can send a letter to Lotus Pier to inform my family of my predicament. That way Mother won't think I fled the marriage and will come to my aid," Jiang Ying suggests.

Xie Yun shakes his head. "You'd be better off walking there; you and the letter would arrive at Lotus Pier around the same time. Any mail leaving Qishan is considered second class, so it takes a long time to even leave from here," he explains. "Plus, you don't have any money to send a letter anyway."

"He is right about that, but it's not like I know this is going to happen. How can anyone expect me to have money? Do you have any?" Jiang Ying asks sheepishly.

Xie Yun lets out a laugh. "It's not like I'll give any to you; I'm doing you enough of a favor just by letting you stay here."

Jiang Ying pouts. "Come on, I'll repay you when I get back home."

"You and I both don't know what your family's condition will be when you go there. Also, I have a doubt that you're really the one the prince is going to marry." Xie Yun arches an eyebrow, his expression skeptical.

"Believe me. I'm the one that the prince is engaged to. In the future, you all people will call me the prince's mate and worship wherever I walk to." Jiang Ying cringes at the words that have just left his mouth. It sounds like he is enjoying marrying the prince, which is far from the truth and not his choice.

"Only if you don't annoy the prince to death," Xie Yun remarks.

Jiang Ying glares at the man sitting across from him. "Just who does he think he is? What gives him the right to make fun of me like this, besides the fact that I'm the equivalent of a freeloader in this case? Ha ha, very funny, but for your information, I'm a very pleasant person to be around, so there's no way the prince will get annoyed with me."

Xie Yun snorts. "Pleasant? Are we talking about the same person?"

"You know what?" Jiang Ying folds his arms across his chest. "If you're going to continue being so mean, I won't talk to you anymore." With that, he shifts away from Xie Yun.

"That's the best thing you've said all day," Xie Yun replies, handing Jiang Ying a steaming bowl and a spoon.

Jiang Ying clenches his fist around the spoon after he has grabbed it. He knows from Xie Yun's tone that the man is only teasing him, but he still doesn't appreciate being mocked by a near stranger, even if he is mooching off said stranger.

They sit in silence all the way through the meal; only the sounds of spoons clinking against bowls can be heard. After the meal, Xie Yun goes to the river to clean himself up, leaving Jiang Ying alone with heavy eyelids. By the time the sun is close to sinking below the horizon, Jiang Ying falls into a deep sleep where he has been sitting, the fatigue from the day's excitement finally crashing upon him.