roccoschili Chapter 441 Accompanying the Bus on the Way
Chapter 441 Accompanying the Bus on the Way
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly tightened his arms, picked her up steadily, and spun around lightly.
"Mengli, it really is you!!"
The wind whipped their clothes into a fluttering motion.
Gao Mengli exclaimed in surprise, instinctively hugging his neck, pressing her cheek against his warm shoulder, and her nose tingled with emotion. "It's me, I've come to take you home!"
Lin Xi turned quickly and steadily, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest.
His voice, trembling with tears, mingled with laughter as he called her name again and again: "Mengli, Mengli, I knew you'd come looking for me as soon as you finished your work!"
He spun around several times before gradually stopping, but he still wouldn't let go, holding Gao Mengli's hand and lingeringly staring at her face.
This shock terrified the people of the small mountain village.
"Who is this person? Why is Lord Lin being so intimate with him?"
The villagers nearby couldn't help but mutter something under their breath.
The village chief of the small mountain village immediately realized what was happening and slapped his thigh: "Oh my, isn't this the first female marquis of the current dynasty, Marquis Gao, the wife of Marquis Lin!"
Yes!
It is said that Lord Lin and his wife Gao Mengli were deeply in love. Who else could be more devoted to such a couple than her?
These words immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers.
The villagers all took a half step back, hurriedly curtsied, and bowed, their expressions a mixture of respect and timidity: "Greetings, Lord Gao!"
The child who had been peeking around was now pinned down by his elders, who made him stand quietly with his little hands hanging down.
Upon hearing this, Gao Mengli raised her hand and gently waved it away, saying, "You don't need to be so polite, please get up!"
"My fellow villagers, there's no need for such formalities. I'm the one who's bothering you today."
The village chief hurriedly stepped forward with a smile, rubbing his hands together as he approached: "Your Excellency, what are you saying! It's our good fortune that you two have come to our little mountain village!"
The village chief wanted to lead the two men into his courtyard. As soon as the idea came to mind, he quickly and loudly instructed his wife beside him: "Quick! Take out the new rice we've been hiding and cook it. Also, cut up the cured meats we've prepared. We must properly entertain these two noblemen today!"
Gao Mengli smiled and shook her head: "There's no need for you all to spend money. Our army has just won a great victory, and His Majesty will be returning to the village to pay respects to his ancestors soon, so it's not convenient for him to stay any longer!"
Upon hearing the words "great victory," the village chief immediately beamed with joy.
Their small mountain village was isolated from news and had no idea of this earth-shattering joy!
He hurriedly bowed and said, "So it is Your Majesty's great victory that has brought you back! What a joyous occasion!"
"Your Majesty's ancestral worship is a momentous event and should have been carried out first; it was my oversight that led to this!"
The villagers nearby echoed their sentiments, their faces beaming with pride and joy, praising the two marquises for their meritorious service in protecting the country.
Lin Xi held Gao Mengli's hand tightly and bowed to everyone, saying, "We are deeply grateful for the care and support from our fellow villagers over the past few days. My husband and I will remember this kindness and will definitely come to bother you again after the ancestral worship ceremony is over."
Gao Mengli nodded and smiled slightly, her tone gentle yet spirited: "Today is rushed, we will prepare a small gift to express our gratitude another day. Right now, the two of us need to rush back to Wangyue Village to prepare for His Majesty's ancestral worship ceremony."
The village chief quickly waved his hand: "Customs and rituals are minor matters; His Majesty's ancestral worship is of utmost importance!"
Lin Xi nodded, helped Gao Mengli into the carriage, bowed to the crowd, then whipped the horse and the carriage slowly drove away.
The villagers behind me stood on both sides of the road, waving goodbye and sending their blessings.
"My lord, these are pumpkins from my garden. Please take them back and have a taste!"
Suddenly, a delicate shout rang out.
A woman carrying a large pumpkin chased after the carriage. With a flick of her wrist, she tossed the pumpkin steadily into the carriage.
Gao Mengli was startled when she saw the pumpkin rolling to her feet, and lifted the curtain to let everyone know that they didn't need to do that.
To everyone's surprise, as soon as the curtain was lifted, the villagers standing by the roadside froze for a moment, then turned around and ran away!
Gao Mengli shouted anxiously, "No need, you don't need to send us gifts..."
Before she could finish speaking, the villagers ran even faster upon hearing her words!
The villagers who had just run away turned back, each carrying their own "local specialties" in their hands, and their steps were very light.
The old lady in front was carrying a bamboo basket filled with fresh green vegetables and free-range eggs.
Panting from running, he still laughed and shouted, "Lord Gao, Lord Lin, these are worthless things, take them with you to eat on the way!"
The men carried sacks filled with newly harvested millet, dried mushrooms, and homemade smoked meat, and approached the carriage directly: "Our village doesn't have anything good, it's all grown in the fields and cured at home, please don't mind, gentlemen!"
The old men, leaning on their canes, clutched dried herbs and sewn cloth shoes in their hands, and handed them over with trembling hands: "You two lords must have had a long journey back. These herbs will help you relax when steeped in water, and these cloth shoes will be comfortable to wear!"
Even the children, barely grown up, held up the dates and persimmons they had grown themselves and tiptoed to offer them to Gao Mengli.
In no time, the area around the carriage was piled high with pumpkins, mushrooms, grains, and dried goods.
Lin Xi tried to stop her, but she couldn't.
He was both amused and helpless, saying, "Please stop, everyone! There's just too much! We can't possibly carry it all!"
The villagers refused to take it back, and hurriedly stuffed things into the bag, saying, "Lord, if it weren't for the advanced farming techniques you brought, our village wouldn't have had such a bountiful harvest! What we've given you is nothing to mention!"
"That's right, after such a bumpy journey back to Ling'an Prefecture, it's only right that we eat and drink well along the way!"
"You won't accept it because you think our country folk's things are too crude!"
Seeing this, Gao Mengli said gently, "Thank you all for your kindness. We will accept it. My husband and I will remember this kindness."
However, your village has only just begun to show signs of improvement; we can't just take it for free.
He then ordered his guards to fetch some silver as a gift, but the villagers all waved it away.
The village chief put on a stern face: "Lord Gao, you're being too polite. If you give us any more money, we'll get angry!"
Looking at the villagers' sincere smiles, Gao Mengli smiled helplessly and nodded, cupping her hands in thanks: "Then thank you very much, fellow villagers. We will accept this token of our gratitude!"
The carriages came empty and left fully loaded!
Indeed, the simple and honest folk customs are the same everywhere.
The carriage was so cramped that there were almost no gaps left, which was a good thing for Lin Xi, as she could sit close to Gao Mengli and even rest her head on Gao Mengli's shoulder.
Before long, his breathing became even.
Gao Mengli turned her head slightly, looking at the faint dark circles under his eyes, her fingertips gently brushing his slightly rough jaw, her eyes full of heartache.
After a year and a half of traveling and moving around to promote agricultural planting in various places, Xixi must not have had many good nights of sleep.
Gao Mengli leaned quietly against the car wall, listening to the breathing of the person next to her.
The faint scent of his sweat lingered around my nose, and I felt incredibly at peace.
Xi Xi, the peaceful and prosperous world we've been longing for has finally arrived.
In this lifetime, we will surely die peacefully in our old age and live out the rest of our lives in peace and without worry!
Gao Mengli lifted the curtain of the carriage window and looked at the busy and bountiful harvest scenes along the way, and couldn't help but smile.