Chapter Eleven: Long Hair Streaming in the Wind

As the saying goes, "An elder in the house is like a treasure."

Zhang Ruoxu’s analysis, while perhaps not one hundred percent accurate, at least lifted the heavy burden from Zhang Qian’s heart. The news that Bi Gou had been recalled from his path of exile by the imperial court further lifted his spirits.

"In the end, I did influence history," Zhang Qian thought to himself with a touch of pride as he walked home. "Even if it is only a tiny, localized ripple that will never be recorded in any chronicle."

In the official history of the other timeline, Zhang Qian was not certain of Bi Gou’s ultimate fate. But in the current reality he inhabited, Bi Gou had been spared the destiny of being banished a thousand miles away to Liuzhou to keep company with the white-spotted snakes.

As for the fact that upon his return he would not be allowed to enter the court to participate in state affairs, but instead volunteered to go to the Directorate of Waterways to set up windmills and water-lifting machines across the land—in Zhang Qian’s view, this was truly not a bad thing for the old man. At the very least, it would allow a man of such upright and unyielding character to temporarily avoid the whirlpools of the court, lest he be sent off to Qiongzhou before his chair at the Directorate of Waterways had even warmed up. (Note: In the Tang Dynasty, officials sent to Hainan Island rarely returned.)

When one is in good spirits, everything seems pleasing to the eye. Although winter had arrived, the snow-capped peaks in the distance and the bare branches at the edge of the path suddenly appeared picturesque and poetic. Even the sunlight in the mid-air felt brighter than it had in days; it warmed his back, making him long to burst into song.

"I want to sing my songs to you, while we are still young and blossoming. Let the flowers bloom quietly, to adorn your years and my branches..." He looked around to confirm he was alone and that his singing wouldn't attract any wolves. Zhang Qian stretched his arms, performed a few chest-expanding exercises, and began to hum softly. (Note: A classic song by Lao Lang, popular for over two decades.)

The clouds paused, the wind stilled, and the sunlight filtered through the branches onto the damp earth, dappled and shimmering like gilded gold.

He grinned softly at a puddle formed by melting snow. His voice rose, tinged with a vague sense of longing: "Who could ever replace you? Let us love to our heart's content while we are young..."

It was a great pity that he hadn't seen the "Ruby Girl" at Zhang Ruoxu’s house today. When he had been walking along the dirt road earlier, he had held a faint flicker of hope in his heart, even though he knew full well that the probability of encountering her was about as likely as being struck by lightning in the dead of winter. Yet, other than Zhang Ruoxu’s home, he had no idea where else he might have a chance to meet her.

Princess Jincheng was said to reside within the palace, and with his current skills, sneaking in was impossible. As for the residence of the Chancellor, Yang Lin, it was heavily guarded, and there was no guarantee that a granddaughter would live in the same compound as her grandfather.

"I sing my songs to you, so give me your innocent and guileless smile! We should have happy, joyful, and sunny times..." He threw his head back, an intense sense of yearning driving him to shout the lyrics toward the sky like a battle cry, confident that at this moment, no one but himself could hear.

Did she know he had met her grandfather?
Did she know he was striving to change her fate?
Did she know that from the very first glance, he had carved her image into his heart, never to be forgotten?
Did she know…

The answers were likely all negative. But what of it? He was working hard to make it happen, and in the future, he would change more than just her fate alone.

What he sought was not for her to know or to be moved. He only sought to feel joy and to be filled with passion as he worked to do these things for her.

"Caw, caw, caw..." A few winter crows, startled by his singing, took flight from the treetops, screeching as they swept over his head.

The singing came to an abrupt halt. Zhang Qian shook his head, caught between laughter and tears. Was his singing really that bad? He had practiced it dozens of times with his phone, even if he was tone-deaf...

*Clop, clop, clop...* A chaotic rhythm of hoofbeats followed the crows' cries, reaching his ears. He focused his gaze into the distance and saw, under the azure sky, a group of vigorous figures rapidly approaching.

Red, green, blue, white, rose... they moved like spring flowers in full bloom, swaying gently on horseback.

"Is it her?" Zhang Qian instinctively stopped and rubbed his eyes, needing to confirm he wasn't hallucinating. When he lowered his hand, the figures on horseback were already close.

It was her, without a doubt! Red boots, white fur, long hair dancing in the wind—among the cluster of flower-like young women, she was dazzling.

He blinked hard several times, finally certain it was no illusion. The ruby hair ornament was still pinned in her hair just as it had been the day they first met, bobbing with the rhythm of the horse like a dancing flame!

He instinctively raised his hand, intending to greet her. However, he hesitated halfway and lowered it.

She was surrounded by at least ten people. Judging by their attire, they were either daughters of noble families or her trusted attendants. Whether it was the former or the latter, the act of waving would be clearly seen by all of them. To her, such a gesture would not only be abrupt and rude, but it could invite a string of troubles, perhaps even pushing her into an abyss from which there was no return!

He retreated two steps into the mud at the side of the road, pulling his arms in, trying his best to become a stranger.

He forced himself not to look at her, not to look at any of the young women, not to look at the long hair fluttering in the wind or the dancing flame. Even though that flame burned deep within his heart, making it ache with heat and pain.

"Ahead is my uncle’s estate. Let’s go in, have the servants feed our mounts, and drink some tea to refresh ourselves!" A familiar voice drifted through the gaps in the hoofbeats, every word exceptionally clear.

"Good idea, sister!"
"Splendid! My horse has long been tired!"
"Young lady, we shall go on ahead..."

A chorus of crisp replies rang out on the mountain path, like orioles emerging from a valley.

*She didn't see me. Even if she had, she couldn't have stopped.* Lowering his head, Zhang Qian let out a soft sigh, turned his body, and walked slowly toward his own estate, leaving the sound of hoofbeats and the oriole-like voices behind him.

This was the eighth-century Tang Dynasty, not the twenty-first century. His songs and his wishes were destined to remain unvoiced, unable to be sung to her in the presence of others. Even though, at this very moment, they were both as young as flowers.

The hoofbeats behind him grew fainter and fainter, until they vanished entirely. The oriole-like chatter also lingered and swirled before fading into silence.

"Hoo—" He lifted his head to the blue sky and clouds, exhaling a long plume of white mist. Then, gritting his teeth, he turned back with determination!

There was only one chance. If he missed this, who knew how long he would have to wait for the next?

She had said she was taking the girls to her uncle’s house to water their horses. If he went to see Zhang Ruoxu now, he would have a high chance of running into her.

Once they arrived at the uncle’s estate, surely she, as the niece, would have to greet her uncle? And if he, the uncle’s friend, happened to be there and exchanged a few words with her, it wouldn't be considered a breach of etiquette.

Even if they didn't speak, just seeing her once more would be enough. At the very least, it would make the shadow in his heart even clearer!

Even if...

A surge of scalding heat flooded his limbs. He took long strides, racing toward Zhang Ruoxu’s house like a gust of wind, terrified that if he were a moment too slow, he would miss the girl with the ruby ornament once again.

*Clop, clop, clop...* As he ran, the sound of horse hooves clearly rang out from the opposite direction.

"I was a step too late after all!" The strength in his body vanished in an instant. Zhang Qian stopped in despair, staring blankly ahead.

But then, he saw a cyan mount approaching rapidly from the other side.

On its back sat a young woman—red boots, white fur, and long hair dancing in the wind.