The room fell into silence once again.
"Sister-in-law," Xia Yong called out.
He was about to step forward to follow her, but Yang Jing stopped him with a shake of his head.
"But, that is big brother..." Xia Yong said excitedly, pointing at the handwritten notes Miss Jun was holding.
"Big brother is big brother, sister-in-law has it tough too," Yang Jing said in a low voice, patting Xia Yong on the shoulder.
Hearing the words "has it tough," Xia Yong's expression turned complex, and he stopped to sigh as he looked towards the house.
Miss Jun had already stepped forward to catch up.
"Shi's mother," she called out, standing at the door.
It wasn't clear whether the door was open or locked, but it was inappropriate to barge in uninvited.
"Miss Jun, you've really mistaken me for someone else," came the soft voice of the woman inside, "I don't know your master; it's improper to use the title Shi's mother."
"Shi's mother, please don't be angry; just take a look at the notes first," Miss Jun said.
"Miss Jun, we are very grateful for your protection, keeping us from clashing with the government soldiers. If you wish to stay for a few days, you are very welcome," said the woman inside, while slightly raising her voice, "Brother Yang, Brother Xia, please take good care of Miss Jun."
Miss Jun wanted to say more, but Yang Jing stepped forward to stop her.
"Miss Jun, don't say anything now," he said in a low voice.
"Yes, this news is just too sudden, let sister-in-law calm down first," Xia Yong also said quietly.
Miss Jun looked at the house, then back at them.
Yes, it was indeed too sudden.
"Miss Jun, please come with us to rest for a while," suggested Xia Yong, gesturing with an outstretched hand.
There was no other choice for now; Miss Jun sighed internally, nodded her head, and followed Xia Yong and Yang Jing away.
Hearing the retreating footsteps outside, the young girl inside the house glanced at the woman sitting on the bed sewing, who was focused on her needlework. The young girl hesitated for a moment before slowly moving to the window and peering out through the crack.
There were no figures to be seen on the mountain path anymore.
"What exactly is going on between my master and you?"
"Who is my master?"
"When did he leave this place?"
"He..."
The sound of Miss Jun's voice echoed through the woods. Yang Jing and Xia Yong trudged on ahead; hearing this, Xia Yong stopped and turned around.
Miss Jun looked at him with a mix of excitement and anticipation.
Seeing the girl's eyes, Xia Yong sighed.
"Miss Jun, please don't ask anymore," he said, glancing up the mountain, "Until our sister-in-law speaks up..."
He said, shaking his head.
"We don't know your master."
Although these people held no hatred towards her master, they surely held a grudge; Miss Jun sighed as well, unclear of the full story.
"You can take a look at this first," she suggested, taking out the handwritten notes again.
Xia Yong and Yang Jing immediately backed away.
"Miss Jun, we dare not and cannot look at your master's belongings," they said.
These people, ah, Miss Jun could only helplessly put it away again.
Down the mountain, the gathered villagers had dispersed, resuming their earlier work as if nothing had happened. Xia Yong's wife also tidied up the living space; they moved elsewhere, leaving the place for Miss Jun and her company.
Visiting Shi's mother again today was not an option; it had to be taken slowly.
"Go and bring Liu'er here," Miss Jun told Lei Zhonglian.
Although Liu'er was also supposed to come, considering the danger in a fight, Lei Zhonglian and Eighteenth Jin persuaded Liu'er to stay in the city at De Sheng Chang.
Lei Zhonglian agreed with a yes.
"And the matter with the Jinyiwei..." he said in a low voice.
When Miss Jun asked everyone to lay down their weapons, the Jinyiwei from Hebei's western roads led by Eighteenth Jin were no exception. Also, when Miss Jun asked the government soldiers to leave, Eighteenth Jin directed them to leave with the guards of De Sheng Chang.
It was uncertain whether these men would ask for Eighteenth Jin's whereabouts.
"Not for the time being, Eighteenth Jin will surely have told them to not come looking if they're not summoned. He won't let them inquire," Miss Jun said.
As for what may happen in the future...
Miss Jun glanced around, where villagers were walking about, and children herding cattle were singing in the distance. She sat down on the rickety wooden rocking chair, which creaked as it swayed back and forth.
"I'm not alone," she murmured with her head resting on her arms, half-closed eyes reflecting her thoughts, "Now, it's not just us anymore."
Of course, she was never truly alone; in the Fang Family, she was truly regarded as the head of the family and a relative, but to be precise, it was Jun Zhenzhen's family and relatives. As Chu Jiuling, the idea of her master's family felt different.
Her master's family, it was also her home.
Although the people here haven't accepted her for the time being, they still protect her, otherwise, they wouldn't have arrested Eighteenth Jin and the others without hesitation at her single request just now.
This must be what people often refer to as "blood is thicker than water."
She and they had common acquaintances, learned the same skills, and their every move was familiar to each other, feeling a mutual closeness.
Miss Jun closed her eyes, smiling, swaying gently to and fro.
Lei Zhonglian waved his hand at the guards, who then quietly backed away.
"Lord Lei, when did Miss Jun get a teacher?" a guard who had followed them up the mountain couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
"Of course, it was before," Lei Zhonglian replied. "Miss Jun used to be in the northern lands, and as Lord Jun, being a busy county magistrate, it's only natural to hire a tutor for his daughter."
So that's how it is, the guards nodded in understanding.
"It's always Lord Lei who knows more," they said.
He knew nothing; just that he had seen Miss Jun effortlessly lie so frequently that she could now easily fabricate them.
Otherwise, what? Should they question why she previously claimed it was a family heritage of medical skills and now says it was taught by a master whose name she doesn't even know?
What's there to ask? In this world there are not so many whys; anyway, following Miss Jun's lead is never wrong.
Lei Zhonglian solemnly waved his hand at the guards.
"Go fetch Miss Liu'er," he commanded.
........................…..
As the first light of dawn illuminated the sky, there were already quite a few people moving around in the mountain village.
"Are you taking the cows to the mountain?" Miss Jun asked several children herding cows with a smile.
The children were carrying baskets on their backs and scythes at their waists, and they appeared somewhat timid upon seeing her.
"No, we're heading that way, not up the mountain," one of the older children said.
Without waiting for Miss Jun to speak again, they all hustled past with their heads down.
Miss Jun watched them with a smile and even reached out to pat the last child's head.
The child, startled like a rabbit, hopped and scampered off.
Miss Jun laughed heartily, and made her way up the mountain.
The woman and a young girl were dyeing cloth in the courtyard. When they saw her coming, the girl immediately turned and went inside, but the woman smiled at Miss Jun.
"Miss Jun, you're up early too," she said.
"Yes," Miss Jun replied. "When I was with my teacher, he had a very regular routine, early to bed, early to rise..."
The smile vanished from the woman's face as she gathered the cloth and headed into the house.
"Teach..." Miss Jun hastily called out, and realizing the aunt's displeasure, swallowed the word "teacher's wife" and quickly said, "Auntie, may I know your esteemed surname?"
The woman paused in her steps.
"My surname," she turned around, paused for a moment, "is Xiao."
Xiao, Miss Jun smiled.
"A fine surname," she said.
The woman looked at her with a half-smile.
"Is it a fine surname?" she said. "Miss Jun, are you not used to chatting with people?"
Indeed, worthy of the teacher's wife, Miss Jun laughed awkwardly, for she truly wasn't good at chatting with people.
"The teacher wasn't talkative either..." she said.
"Miss Jun," the woman interrupted her, "I'm not inclined to chat with people either, so if you want to talk, you should look for Sister-in-law Xia; she loves to chat."
It's not about disliking chatting, it's about not wanting to hear her mention the teacher, Miss Jun sighed.
Alright, if she's not accustomed to chatting, then she preferred to go straight to the point.
"I don't know what happened to you in the past, but I still want you to take a look at these handwritten notes," she said, taking out the notes again.
"I've already told you, I don't know your teacher, nor will I look at your teacher's things," the woman replied.
"Auntie." Miss Jun took a step forward. "Regardless, the teacher always cared about you, he never forgot you, otherwise he wouldn't have taken the name 'Zhangqing Mountain'."
Zhang Qingshan, Zhangqing Mountain.
The woman's figure paused for a moment, but the next moment she still stepped towards the house.
"I will wait here until you are willing to look at them," Miss Jun stated.
The woman said nothing, did not look back, and closed the house door.
.....................…..
As the daylight grew brighter and shifted its angle, the girl inside the house stood by the window, quietly peering through a gap to look at Miss Jun standing in the courtyard.
Almost a whole day had passed; she had been standing there the entire time, watching the woman come and go, spinning and airing out clothing, not approaching again, just quietly holding that book of handwritten notes.