The Marquis Is Innocent - 163.2

Chapter 163.2

On this windy and sunny day, several carriages from Qiao Mansion fishtailed out of the south city gate and headed for the Flower God Temple.

It had been many years since East County’s people saw the sight of the two beauties appearing together at the Flower God Temple. Today they could see them again, and the two beauties were stunningly beautiful.

One of them was the wife of the Green-Eyed General adored by East County’s people. The other was even more remarkable; rumor had been circulating in the community that the Marquis of Yan, Wei Shao, soon unify the world, and Xiao Qiao would be the mother of the country.

Today Qiao’s family beauties participate in the spring festival of the Flower God Temple. The news spread throughout the city, and people flocked to this place and blocked the road.

Bi Zhi rode in front while Mr. Jia was in the back, and together they escorted the carriage. When they arrived at the spring brook encircled the Flower God Temple, the Priest waited at the temple with the deacon and rushed to meet the entourage.

Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao helped Mrs. Ding out of the carriage, carried smiles on their faces, and the group went inside with joyful voices.

After worshipping the Flower God, the sisters took Li’er and Fei Fei to the bank of the Spring Stream behind the Flower God Temple.

Today there are too many people. Besides this stream’s section, many others may be used for the festival. Thus, for caution, Mr. Jia sealed this place beforehand and only let a few women and young girls who had undergone a body check come in. Therefore, it was quiet.

Xiao Qiao came to the bank of the stream, dipped the orchids in the water, and lightly sprinkled a few drops on Fei Fei’s hair.

Da Qiao did the same thing, sprinkling the water on Li’er’s head. After the wetnurses brought the siblings to play in the pavilion nearby, Xiao Qiao saw Bi Zhi come this way and stand at the side of the pavilion. She turned her head to look at them, smiling and gently pushing Da Qiao while saying, “Hurry up and go!”

Da Qiao had seen her husband come over but didn’t want to leave Xiao Qiao behind, so she pretended not to see him. Seeing Xiao Qiao urging herself, her cheeks slightly warmed up, and she said, “I’d rather be here with you …….”

Xiao Qiao laughed, and she said, “Brother-in-law will leave again in a few days. Today is rarely a good day. It’s not like I don’t have anyone to keep me company. Who cares if you’re here with me?” Saying this, she pushed her to Bi Zhi’s side.

Bi Zhi said to Da Qiao, “There is a peach blossom forest in front. The peach blossoms are blooming nicely. Let’s go for a walk?”

Da Qiao looked at Xiao Qiao and saw Xiao Qiao smiling at her, seemingly urging, and finally hummed.

Bi Zhi smiled faintly, picked up Li’er, and nodded respectfully to Xiao Qiao. He took his beloved wife, and the three of them slowly headed toward the Peach Blossom Forest.

Xiao Qiao, with a smile on her lips, watched his family of three fade away. Chun Niang hugged Fei Fei, facing the stream, and sat on a stone bench padded with handkerchiefs on the bank.

Yesterday there was a spring rain, causing the water of the spring creek to rise, unhurriedly flowing from the west to east. The stream is clear, unable to cover the pebbles and swaying clusters of water plants at the bottom. The peach blossom tree on both sides is in full bloom. With a gust of wind, peach blossoms rustle and fall, and their petals float at the stream. The water flowed slowly, causing small wild fishes to gather and constantly leap out of the water. It was interesting.

Xiao Qiao smiled as she watched Chun Niang and the wet nurse take Fei Fei and point out to her the playful fish, gradually walking along the bank of the stream towards the front, leaving her alone, lost in thought. She wondered where he was now and how he was doing.

Another gust of wind passed, and peach blossom rain drifted overhead.

Half of it fell into the stream while the other half drifted down on Xiao Qiao’s skirt.

She picked up a petal of peach blossom that fell on the hem of her skirt, held it in her palm, sent it under her nose, lowered her head, and gently sniffed it. When she raised her head, she was stunned.

.

Right on the opposite bank, ten or so feet away, with the spring breeze blowing and the colorful fallen flowers, there stood a person.

She was at one end of the Peach Blossom Stream, and he was at the other end, looking at each other from afar.

He was dressed in wanderer’s clothes, dusty, but his eyes were shining brightly.

It was as if he had just come here.

It was as if he had already been standing on the other side of the river, looking at her for a long time, but she hadn’t been aware of it.

When she finally raised her eyes and cast them toward him, his feet suddenly flowed into the stream, wading toward her.

The stream murmured, wetting the corners of his robes, and the faster he walked, the greater his pace became, and wherever he passed, gusts of white foamy waves rose from the water.

Not far away, a few young girls holding a peach branch playing under the peach blossom tree stopped chatting and surprisedly looked at a handsome man that seemed to fall from the sky walking toward them. The young girls’ hearts could not help but “boing boing” jumped up.

Xiao Qiao slowly stood up from the stone bench. The peach blossoms petals in her skirt fell and scattered with the wind. She stood under the peach blossom tree on the bank, her eyes unblinking as she watched the man wade step by step towards her, finally coming ashore and pausing.

“I’m back.” He said as he gazed at her.

Xiao Qiao ran wildly toward him.

He opened his arms without hesitation, picked her up, and held her tightly.

Xiao Qiao’s arms, too, tightened around his waist. She pressed her face to his broad chest, closed her eyes, and felt the powerful beating of his heart.

Neither of them spoke, only embraced each other like this. Peach blossom showers rushed, drifting with the wind, and the petals fell on his shoulders and her hair.

After a long time.

“Husband–” Xiao Qiao finally lifted her face from his arms. In a tone that carried cries and petulant, she gently called him.

Wei Shao lowered his head, and his fingers gently wiped down her eyes which flushed with the color of peach blossoms.

“Man Man, the war is over. I’ve come to fetch you and Fei Fei, and we’re going to Luoyang together. From now on, I will never part with you again!”

He gazed at her and said word by word.

Xiao Qiao’s eyes flooded with misty tears, nodded, and slowly held one of his hands.

Wei Shao held her hand back. Their ten fingers clasped together.

“I’ll take you to find Fei Fei. She can already call Mother. Do you want to hear her call you father?”

She turned back and smiled at him, a bright smile daintier than the peach blossoms that filled the trees above her head.