143. A Lifetime Embraced in Mist and Rain

After arranging everything, Lu Jin and his wife arrived at Qingfeng Villa as dusk was settling in.

Qingfeng Villa is located on Qingfeng Plain on the northern bank of the Lan River, still within Jiangzhou. Qingfeng Plain serves as the Shen family's horse ranch and hunting ground.

Departing from Jianglin by boat, stopping by Yunmeng Marsh for some leisure, and returning in the evening to Qingfeng Plain downstream was a natural and reasonable plan. Even without this, it wouldn’t have caused much trouble, but avoiding obvious complications was always better.

The Qingfeng Villa was vast, featuring not only several courtyards reserved for the owners but also warehouses, stables, workshops, and other areas.

“Second Miss, son-in-law!” As Lu Jin and Shen Yanxi stepped down from the carriage, they saw a middle-aged man in his forties accompanied by a group of attendants waiting nearby.

“Uncle Shiwu, thank you for your hard work!” Shen Yanxi greeted warmly after disembarking.

“Greetings, Uncle Shiwu!”

“Alright, alright, Second Miss and son-in-law, come inside quickly. It’s cold outside now,” Uncle Shiwu said. Perhaps from long exposure to the winds and sun of Qingfeng Plain, his skin was weathered and dark, resembling an experienced farmer.

“Second Miss, son-in-law, this courtyard is the most elegant and peaceful; the rooms have already been prepared,” Uncle Shiwu guided them to a courtyard and introduced it.

“Thank you, Uncle Shiwu. Uncle Shiwu, have the horses arrived?” Shen Yanxi asked.

“They arrived this afternoon.”

“Good. Uncle Shiwu, you don’t need to trouble yourself for us at home,” Shen Yanxi said politely. As the steward of Qingfeng Plain and an elder, Uncle Shiwu had plenty on his plate, so Shen Yanxi didn’t want to impose.

“If you need anything, just send someone to find me,” Uncle Shiwu replied before withdrawing.

“Uncle Shiwu seems unfamiliar to me,” Lu Jin remarked as they walked inside.

“He’s named Shen Jiang, from the Feng branch of the Shen family, and the steward of Qingfeng Villa. He rarely returns to Shen Garden,” Shen Yanxi explained.

As they spoke, their attendants busied themselves around the courtyard, swiftly organizing everything under the direction of Shu Qing and Si Qi. Order was quickly restored.

Once inside the house, they settled on the couch and sipped hot tea, finally allowing themselves to relax. Although the journey had been leisurely, there was no comparison to being on the riverboat or at home.

---

The next day, nearing the late afternoon, the rain that had begun last night briefly cleared.

Lu Jin was eager to mount his horse and whip it into a gallop, especially since his wife had promised to gift him a fine horse last night. A good man deserves a fine steed, after all. How could he wait?

Dressed in riding gear, Lu Jin and Shen Yanxi, along with their companions, cut a striking figure. Lu Jin was fully equipped with riding boots, knee and elbow guards—only lacking a helmet, or else he’d have been fully armored.

At the stables, over a dozen tall, majestic horses were tied at the trough. Upon seeing Lu Jin and the others, the horses, previously contentedly feeding, grew restless.

“Miss, son-in-law,” the stable master hurried over, surprised they had come today.

“These horses look fine,” Shen Yanxi remarked.

“Indeed, Miss has a keen eye. These horses were bought at a great price from Bairong. Their quality is excellent,” the stable master said with a smile.

“Wu Ci and Yuan Fang, each of you pick a horse you like; from now on, they’ll be your mounts,” Shen Yanxi instructed.

“Thank you, Miss!” Yuan Fang and the others were pleasantly surprised. Usually, they just grabbed any horse available from the estate, used it, then returned it. Having a dedicated mount was a new experience.

Su Nian and Shu Qing already had their own horses, which were tied alongside these.

“Miss and son-in-law, follow me. Your horses are in here,” the stable master bowed and led the way.

They arrived at a separate stable containing only two horses: one was Shen Yanxi’s chestnut-white horse, as pure as snow. The chestnut-white snorted softly and approached as soon as Shen Yanxi entered.

The other horse was jet black, glossy like silk, without a single blemish. So dark that even its eyes were hard to distinguish. Upon sensing strangers, the black horse became wild and restless, pawing the ground as if trying to break free.

Lu Jin, initially excited, felt uneasy. Normally, an unfamiliar person approaching would cause a horse to retreat, not become agitated.

He calmed himself and approached the chestnut-white, stroking its head and bonding.

“Husband, this one beside it is the horse I chose for you. Go take a look,” Shen Yanxi encouraged.

“No rush. Haven’t seen chestnut-white for a few days? Let me say a few words to it first,” Lu Jin said, gently smoothing its coat, as if rekindling a long-lost friendship.

Shen Yanxi smiled silently, knowing her husband dared not approach the black horse.

“This horse has been trained for some time. You just need to get familiar with it,” she said softly.

---

Seeing the black horse’s agitation, the stable master quickly unfastened its reins and led it out.

Attendants helped replace the halter and fitted the saddle and other riding gear. They even tied up its mane and tail. The once wild horse was transformed into a magnificent steed, resplendent in golden harness and jade fittings. As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and tack makes the horse.

“Son-in-law…” The stable master looked at Lu Jin with anticipation. Such a fine horse had not been seen at Qingfeng Plain for a long time, let alone ridden.

As Lu Jin approached, the black horse, which had calmed down earlier, suddenly became restless again. Lu Jin sighed—living creatures were truly unpredictable.

Luckily, the stable master held the reins firmly. Lu Jin reached out to stroke the horse’s head, and the black steed gradually settled.

“Husband, how about giving it a name?” Shen Yanxi suggested.

“How about Crow?” Lu Jin said casually, noting its deep black color.

“Pfft! Don’t spoil it. Look, it doesn’t like that name at all.”

“Then how about Black Charger?” If you can copy, why bother thinking up a new name?

After some time getting acquainted, the black horse truly became docile. After all, one is not a chosen hero—there’s no need to make a fuss.

---

The vast Qingfeng Plain is a rare natural pasture in Jiangnan. Apart from scattered groves of trees, the land was mostly uneven grassland. The yellowing dry grass conveyed a sense of desolation and melancholy.

Lu Jin rode slowly forward atop his horse, careful to break in the new steed. Naturally, he dared not rush.

The others followed behind patiently, enjoying the slow ride. Nie Wuci frowned as he watched Lu Jin ahead, feeling that riding a horse like that was like riding a monkey—clinging on tightly, lacking any grace.

They started walking slowly, then trotted gently. Gradually, man and horse harmonized. Lu Jin was also slowly finding his rhythm.

With a flick of the whip, he shouted, “Giddy up!” The Black Charger shot forward like an arrow released from a bow. Lu Jin nearly twisted his waist and fell.

“Damn!” Lu Jin had no time to complain as he lowered his body, lying flat on the horse’s back. The horse galloped like the wind, splashing water with its hooves.

“Husband!” Shen Yanxi was stunned, unthinking, and spurred her horse to follow. The others were shocked and hurried after them.

But Lu Jin? He was left behind with only shouts, vanishing from view.

Clutching the reins, lying prone on the horse’s back, Lu Jin felt as if he were about to be torn apart. Dizzy and disoriented, raindrops blown by the wind splattered his face, making it harder to keep his eyes open.

He knew in his heart he had only lightly struck the horse, so why was it so wild? Pulling the reins was useless. Damn it, was this how it was going to end?

Uncertain how long had passed, Lu Jin heard the thunderous pounding of hooves. He braced himself and looked forward, only to see the raging Lan River crashing below a cliff.

Lu Jin broke into a cold sweat, terrified. “You’re not going to jump, are you? Are you kidding me? This isn’t the Wu River; don’t you dare leap!”

In desperate moments, people can unleash incredible strength. Lu Jin gripped the reins with all his might. The horse cried out in pain and leapt high with its hooves.

Lu Jin could no longer hold on and fell off, landing directly into a shallow puddle.

Lying in the water, Lu Jin sighed in relief. He had just narrowly escaped death—almost gone home to his ancestors.

Without even looking in a mirror, Lu Jin knew how disheveled he was.

The Black Charger stopped at the cliff’s edge, panting heavily, gazing at the turbulent Lan River below with apparent reluctance.

Lu Jin, wincing from pain, stood up and finally relaxed. If you want to jump, jump yourself! Who indulges a horse that acts so melodramatic?

He found a higher spot to sit, removed his shoes and socks, noticing his ankle was slightly red but probably not serious.

“Husband!” Shen Yanxi’s voice called out.

Looking up, Lu Jin saw her rein in her horse, the chestnut-white lifting its front leg high—a true lady rider. In the same pose, his wife was heroic and elegant, while he looked utterly bedraggled.

Before Lu Jin could comment, Shen Yanxi hastily dismounted and rushed over.

“Husband, are you hurt anywhere? Let me see.” She examined him anxiously.

“Oh…” Shen Yanxi’s eyes reddened with concern as she looked at his ankle.

“Don’t worry. I just twisted it when I fell. The Black Charger and I were just reflecting on life,” Lu Jin replied lightly, refusing to admit how disheveled he had been.

---

Shen Yanxi’s clothes were damp, yet her beauty shone with a lonely grace in the post-rain sunlight.

“Really?” Shen Yanxi didn’t believe him. With all that dirt, it was no normal dismount. But she wouldn’t embarrass her husband.

“Really, I’m fine. You can check tonight if you don’t trust me,” Lu Jin smiled.

Shen Yanxi shot him a glance but relaxed when she saw his calm expression. That fall had been truly frightening.

“What were you two reflecting on?” Shen Yanxi asked with a smile. Reflecting on life? You nearly scared me to death.

“We were reflecting… Wait, you two…” Lu Jin was dumbfounded. Moments ago, the Black Charger seemed ready to jump into the river; now it grazed peacefully, head to head with the chestnut-white. How disappointing.

Shen Yanxi chuckled. She adored these two horses.

Lu Jin was speechless. He had been considering whether to exchange the horse. After all this, how could he?

“Wife, make a little red tassel to hang on the horse’s head,” Lu Jin requested. They couldn’t change the horse now, but this one was troubled—who lets a horse nearly jump into a river? Maybe a red ornament would calm it.

“A red tassel?” Shen Yanxi asked curiously. “You’re soaked, and you’re still thinking about the horse?”

“Yes. This horse is too black; hanging a red lantern in front will keep it from losing its way.”

“Got it,” Shen Yanxi laughed. It would indeed look nice.

“Son-in-law, Miss!” Yuan Fang called out from afar, riding up with the others.

“Are you alright?” Nie Wuci jumped off his horse, barely noticing anything else as he crouched to inspect Lu Jin’s foot, nearly in tears.

Lu Jin felt embarrassed. Shen Yanxi was helpless. She had known from the start what kind of thoughts Liang Muxue and Nie Wuci harbored.

“It’s just a slight sprain. Yuan Fang, go find me a stick,” Lu Jin said.

“Wait a moment, son-in-law.” Before he finished, Yuan Fang mounted his horse and rode off. Lu Jin was annoyed—they all rode around so effortlessly.

“Son-in-law, Miss, I’ll go back and fetch clothes,” Shu Qing offered, seeing that Lu Jin’s clothes and shoes were soaked.

“No need. The sun is out now; a little drying will do,” Lu Jin stopped her.

With Shen Yanxi and Nie Wuci’s help, Lu Jin removed his outer garments, revealing the inner clothes were still decent. A breeze passed, making him shiver.

Several wanted to help him with a cloak, but Lu Jin frowned and refused. It wasn’t about looking good in women’s clothes—it was that he didn’t want to make things awkward.

“Shu Qing, bring the wine,” Shen Yanxi ordered.

Lu Jin took the wine skin and drank deeply, finally feeling better.

“You all have some too. Don’t catch a cold from the chill,” Lu Jin passed the wine to Shen Yanxi.

Before long, Yuan Fang and Xiao Bai returned on horseback, each holding several bamboo sticks.

Lu Jin tested a few, selected a thicker one, and used it to help himself stand.

“Be careful,” the others said anxiously.

Lu Jin smiled, “It’s nothing. You’re all so worried, making me feel like a delicate lady.”

“That’s because you don’t make things easy,” Nie Wuci grumbled.

How am I not making things easy? Can I help it?

After the autumn wind and rain, sunlight poured over both banks of the Lan River—the green mountains to the south, the plains to the north. Amidst the desolation, life seemed to stir anew.

Lu Jin, dressed in a white inner robe, leaning on his cane with his pant cuffs rolled high, feet clad in thick socks, stood tall on the northern bank of the Lan River, exuding a natural elegance.

“My wife asked what reflections I had just now. Since you are all close to us, I compose a poem for myself and for you all,” Lu Jin said, smiling at those around.

“Do not heed the sound of leaves rattling through the forest; why not whistle and stroll at your leisure? With a bamboo staff and straw sandals, lighter than a horse—who fears? A raincoat lets life flow as it will.

The sharp autumn wind sobers the drink, slightly cold, yet the slanting sun atop the hill welcomes me. Looking back at the desolate places I’ve been, returning, there is neither storm nor sunshine.”