novelhk Chapter 180 Team Hunting
Chapter 180 Team Hunting
Having returned to the northern desert for some time now, Su Yuning has adapted to the environment, but as time goes by, her longing for her homeland, the Great Song Dynasty, grows ever stronger. Whenever the night is still and quiet, memories of the Great Song Dynasty involuntarily surface in her mind, making it difficult for her to fall asleep.
Finally, on a bright and sunny morning, Su Yuning mustered her courage and found Ye Beichen practicing his sword in the courtyard. She gently approached him and softly said, "My husband, the New Year is now over, and I truly miss my family. Would you be so kind as to accompany me back to the Song Dynasty to visit them?" Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen stopped what he was doing, turned to look at his expectant wife, and nodded without hesitation, replying, "Of course! Since my wife is so eager to return home, I will certainly accompany you." Overjoyed at the affirmative answer, Su Yuning immediately began preparations for their journey home.
Without lingering, the two packed only the necessary belongings and embarked on their journey home. Along the way, they traversed mountains and rivers, the journey arduous, but Su Yuning remained in high spirits. She would sometimes stop to admire the wildflowers blooming by the roadside, sometimes marvel at the majestic grandeur of the distant mountains, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her heart filled with anticipation and joy at the prospect of seeing her family again.
However, just as they reached the halfway point, a sudden gust of wind howled past, raising a cloud of dust. When the dust settled, a band of vicious mountain bandits appeared in the middle of the road ahead. These bandits, each with a ferocious face, wielded gleaming blades and blocked Ye Beichen and Su Yuning's path. The bandit leader was a burly man with a face full of scars, his triangular eyes gleaming with ruthlessness and greed. He opened his blood-red mouth and arrogantly shouted, "This road is mine, these trees are mine! If you want to pass, leave your toll!"
Seeing this, Ye Beichen rushed forward without hesitation, quickly shielding Su Yuning behind him. His deep, cold eyes gleamed like icy stars as he stared intently at the uninvited guests. With a swift movement, he flashed past like a ghost, instantly appearing before the bandit leader.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Beichen unleashed a powerful palm strike, the wind whistling as it hurtled towards the bandit leader's face. The bandit leader, terrified, frantically raised his broadsword to defend. But Ye Beichen's speed was too great, and his attacks were incredibly fierce. With a crisp crack, the bandit leader's broadsword snapped in two. Immediately following, Ye Beichen delivered a side kick, striking the bandit leader squarely in the chest. The bandit leader screamed, spitting blood, and flew several meters backward, crashing heavily to the ground, unable to rise again.
Seeing their leader so easily defeated by Ye Beichen, the remaining bandits turned pale with fright, utterly terrified. All traces of their earlier arrogance vanished. They wished they had more legs, and turned to flee in all directions, disappearing into the forest like a flock of frightened birds and beasts in a disheveled state.
After this minor incident, Ye Beichen and Su Yuning regrouped and continued their journey. Along the way, they encountered no major dangers and finally entered the territory of the Great Song Dynasty.
As soon as she stepped into the Great Song City, a familiar scent enveloped her. It was the earthy fragrance unique to her hometown, mingled with the aroma of fresh grass, refreshing and invigorating; it was the bustling, noisy sounds of the streets, the cries of vendors and the sounds of bargaining intertwined, creating a symphony full of life; and it was the warm and friendly atmosphere among neighbors, making her feel incredibly at ease and at peace. Gazing at the familiar scene before her, Su Yuning was overwhelmed with emotion, tears welling up in her eyes, her reddened eyes revealing the joy and emotion deep within her heart.
After a short rest, they hurried towards Su Yuning's home to pay their respects to her parents. Their excitement grew with each step, and they quickened their pace.
Before long, they arrived at the Su family's door. Before they could even knock, hurried footsteps sounded from inside, followed by the two doors being flung open. Two sprightly elderly people rushed out to greet them, their faces beaming with undisguised joy. These were Su Yuning's parents, who had been waiting anxiously for their daughter and son-in-law ever since they heard the news of their return home that day.
When the elderly couple finally saw their long-awaited daughter, their eyes instantly welled up with tears. They rushed forward and embraced Su Yuning tightly, their hands gripping her arms like iron clamps, as if afraid that if they let go, their daughter would disappear again. Feeling the warmth of her parents' embrace, Su Yuning was overwhelmed with emotion, and tears streamed down her face like a burst dam.
Seeing this, Ye Beichen quickly stepped forward, respectfully bowed to his father-in-law and mother-in-law, and said softly, "Your son-in-law, Ye Beichen, greets you, Father-in-law and Mother-in-law! I apologize for the inconvenience caused by this visit." He then took out several precious gifts carefully selected from the distant northern desert from his bag and gently handed them to the elderly couple. These gifts were all local specialties, quite valuable, demonstrating the importance Ye Beichen placed on this visit.
The house was filled with laughter and joy as the family sat together, savoring this precious moment of reunion. They chatted amongst themselves, sharing their longing and concern since their separation, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.
Just then, Su Yuning suddenly started acting like a child, clinging to her mother's arm and asking sweetly, "Mother, we were so sorry we couldn't come back to be with you and Father for the New Year this year! I really want to eat your dumplings now, could you make some for me?" Hearing her daughter's request, the woman smiled lovingly, gently patted Su Yuning's hand, and replied tenderly, "Silly girl, why are you being so polite with your mother! Don't worry about just dumplings, I'll make anything my daughter wants to eat, no matter how much trouble it is!" After saying that, she turned to Ye Beichen and asked affectionately, "Son-in-law, is there anything you'd like to eat? Tell me, and I'll make it for you both."
Hearing this, Ye Beichen scratched his head somewhat embarrassedly, smiled shyly, and then said in a low voice, "Mother-in-law, I'm not a picky eater. However, if possible, I really miss your cold aspic and your sweet and delicious black sesame-filled glutinous rice balls." The woman laughed heartily and nodded, readily agreeing, "Alright, alright, no problem! You two sit here and rest for a while, I'll go to the kitchen to cook for you." With that, the woman got up and went into the kitchen to begin her work.
Then, the old man of the house also went into the kitchen and busied himself with the woman. Su Yuning pulled Ye Beichen around the house, telling him funny stories from her childhood. Before long, a fragrant aroma wafted from the kitchen.
Before long, the table was laden with a variety of delicious dishes. The steaming, fragrant dumplings resembled tiny, exquisite gold ingots; the crystal-clear aspic glistened with an enticing sheen; and the round, adorable glutinous rice balls lay quietly in the bowls like flawless white pearls, waiting to be savored.
Seeing the table laden with delicious food, Su Yuning could no longer contain her excitement and joy. She eagerly reached for her chopsticks, quickly picking up a plump dumpling and popping it into her mouth. Instantly, the familiar flavor spread like a warm current across her taste buds, the rich aroma of meat mingling with the unique fragrance of scallions, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings filling her entire mouth. This wonderful taste filled Su Yuning with immense satisfaction; she couldn't help but squint her eyes, a smile playing on her lips, revealing a look of pure bliss.
At the same time, Ye Beichen picked up his chopsticks and gently placed a piece of the tangy and spicy aspic into his mouth. The moment he bit into it, the smooth, chewy texture and perfectly balanced tangy and spicy flavor immediately won over his taste buds. Ye Beichen couldn't help but praise his mother-in-law's superb cooking skills: "Mother-in-law, your aspic is absolutely delicious!" Hearing her son-in-law praise her cooking so highly, his mother-in-law's face lit up with a smile.
After dinner, Su Yuning enthusiastically dragged Ye Beichen to the market. The market was bustling with activity at this time of day, teeming with people. The streets were lined with all sorts of stalls selling a dazzling array of goods: handicrafts, local snacks, novel toys… a truly overwhelming sight.
Like a cheerful, lively little bird, Su Yuning held tightly to Ye Beichen's hand as they weaved through the crowd. Suddenly, she stopped in front of a sugar painting stall, her gaze captivated by the exquisite sugar paintings. The stall displayed various lifelike animal-shaped sugar paintings: majestic tigers, adorable pandas, graceful butterflies, and more—each one meticulously crafted, making them irresistible.
Looking into Su Yuning's eager eyes, Ye Beichen understood immediately. He smiled and bought a uniquely shaped butterfly sugar painting from the stall owner, handing it to Su Yuning. The moment she received the sugar painting, Su Yuning was as happy as a child. She held it carefully, as if afraid of accidentally breaking it.
As night fell, a bright, clear moon hung high in the sky. The family sat together in their courtyard, leisurely chatting and admiring the moon. Ye Beichen vividly described the unique customs and culture of the northern desert region, bringing the vast deserts, majestic mountains, and hospitable people to life before their eyes through his descriptions.
Su Yuning nestled quietly beside Ye Beichen, resting her head gently on his broad, sturdy shoulder, listening to his story. Moonlight, like water, bathed them, illuminating their happy, sweet smiles. At this moment, everything around them seemed so peaceful and beautiful, as if time itself had stopped flowing. This trip home not only soothed Su Yuning's homesickness but also allowed Ye Beichen to experience the unique charm of the Song Dynasty. They decided to stay longer to fully enjoy this precious time together.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through thin clouds, dappling the earth. Zhou Xi and Yang Yuxuan packed their bags and embarked on their journey home with anticipation. With few things to do recently and plenty of time, Zhou Xi had an idea: once back in his hometown, he would visit the familiar mountains, perhaps hunt some game, or gather some rare fruits from the mountains.
Just then, the sunlight shone brightly on the earth. Su Yuning, on the other side, wore a light pink dress, the hem of which swayed gently in the breeze. Ye Beichen, dressed in black brocade, stood tall and straight like a pine tree. The two stood side by side, like a perfect couple.
They were preparing to set off on their unknown journey. A beautifully decorated carriage had been waiting for some time, the driver skillfully cracking the whip, the sound of hooves echoing throughout the street. As the carriage slowly approached the village entrance, it unexpectedly encountered another equally magnificent carriage.
"Hello, hello! Zhou Xi! It's been so long!" Before the carriage had even come to a complete stop, the impatient Su Yuning eagerly leaned out of the window, her beautiful face beaming with a delighted smile, as radiant as a peach blossom in spring. She waved her arms cheerfully and greeted Zhou Xi loudly from the carriage opposite.
Hearing the familiar and enthusiastic call, Zhou Xi, who was sitting in the carriage, was slightly taken aback at first, then her face instantly blossomed into a smile brighter than the sun. She lightly stood up, and with the agility of a lively little deer, jumped off the carriage, then quickly ran to Su Yuning and the others' carriage.
Zhou Xi stretched out her hand, blocking their path without hesitation, afraid that Su Yuning and the others would leave in such a hurry. Her bright eyes sparkled with excitement as she looked directly at Su Yuning and said, "Haha, what a coincidence! It's really rare for us to meet! I was just thinking about whether to go hunting in the mountains today. Why don't we form a team and go together? It'll be more fun with more people, and we can look out for each other!" As she spoke, her eyes were filled with anticipation, as if she could already see the joyful scene of everyone running through the mountains and forests, chasing their prey.