After leaving that day, mother Meng never appeared again, and Meng Xiangbei's family lived a peaceful life for a while.
But their lives were soon disrupted. Mother Meng showed no mercy and began to suppress them, as if she wanted to drive them out of the capital.
What Meng Xiangbei found most unacceptable was that mother Meng actually had her men call in human traffickers, attempting to abduct An ge'er. If the child hadn't been quick-witted and Qiao Qingjun hadn't been focused on him, An ge'er might have really been kidnapped.
When Qiao Qingjun goes out, he is ridiculed and harassed by thugs.
Meng Xiangbei's mother didn't suppress him, but what she did to Qiao Qingjun and An Ge'er really disgusted and angered him.
"Qing, let's leave the capital." That evening, after much deliberation, Meng Xiangbei shared his thoughts with Qiao Qingjun.
After leaving the Marquis's mansion, he was no longer the high and mighty young marquis. He had no reliable friends or connections, and no official position. Apart from the Qiao family's property he had previously obtained from Qiao Qingjun, he could be said to have nothing.
He could start over and build a bright future, but he had to admit that he couldn't fight against mother Meng , who had considerable influence. If it were just him alone, it would be fine, but he had Qiao Qingjun and An Ge'er behind him. He was afraid that while he was working hard, the father and son would be persecuted, which made him unable to feel at ease.
After much deliberation, he decided to lay low for the time being and leave the capital. With the emperor far away, mother Meng's influence couldn't reach that far.
Qiao Qingjun gently covered the sleeping An Ge'er with a small blanket, and the soft candlelight illuminated his clean profile.
Afraid of waking An ge'er, he softened his already soft voice even more, grasped Meng Xiangbei's hand, and said firmly, "Aqing will listen to her husband."
His eyes were bright and beautiful, filled with trust in Meng Xiangbei.
Meng Xiangbei smiled and touched his forehead to Qiao Qingjun's.
"I will definitely give you and An ge'er a stable and happy life."
Before leaving, the two went to see the old imperial physician again. An ge'er was a premature baby, and he was gradually getting better recently under the care of the medicinal diet prescribed by the old imperial physician. Meng Xiangbei trusted his medical skills.
Meng Xiangbei wasn't sure when they would go after leaving the capital, so he planned to ask again before leaving to see how to further treat the condition.
"Why did you leave so suddenly?" The old imperial physician was somewhat surprised.
"It's not something that can be cured overnight, especially since he was seriously ill recently. He needs to be cared for even more carefully, otherwise he could easily develop chronic illnesses." The old imperial physician was planning to slowly treat the little guy in the future, but he didn't expect them to leave.
Meng Xiangbei briefly explained the reason why he had to leave, and the old imperial physician was relieved.
"Alright, you all wait here while I write out some detailed prescriptions."
The old imperial physician was indeed a responsible and caring doctor who loved children.
It took quite a long time to write the prescription, and then to carefully consider and revise it before finally settling on the final prescription.
After deciding on the prescription, he explained it to the two of them in detail, covering every aspect.
"Grandpa, how about adding this one more ingredient to this prescription?" After the old imperial physician finished speaking, Qiao Qingjun looked at the prescription thoughtfully and couldn't help but ask.
"Oh, let me see." The old imperial physician was neither angry nor ignoring the younger generation. Instead, he pondered for a moment based on what the younger generation had said.
In fact, when he was teaching his apprentices, they would often ask: Why is this herb added to this prescription? Why can't we add another herb? Or what will happen if we put several other herbs together?
Over time, the old imperial physician got used to it and didn't hesitate to answer the younger generation's questions, even though Qiao Qingjun wasn't his apprentice.
However, after a moment's thought, his expression changed slightly. He murmured the prescription for a while and then sighed, "...If this ingredient is really added, the medicine will be even more effective."
Qiao Qingjun's eyes lit up, and he smiled.
"How did you come up with the idea of adding this ingredient?" the old imperial physician asked, very curious. Even he had pondered and revised it for a long time, but couldn't think of it for a while.
"It was my own idea."
The old imperial physician was still somewhat puzzled, so Meng Xiangbei quickly explained it to him.
Tell him that Qiao Qingjun started reading medical books after that incident, and probably figured it out on his own.
"Oh, what medical books have you been reading?"
Qiao Qingjun recited the book titles, which were actually all books that Meng Xiangbei had bought for him.
To satisfy Qiao Qingjun's reading needs, Meng Xiangbei bought a lot of medical books of all kinds. Qiao Qingjun read them with great interest, and apart from taking care of An Ge'er, he spent most of his time reading medical books.
"You've read so many books during this time," the old imperial physician said in a nonchalant tone, his hands behind his back as he sized up Qiao Qingjun, his expression unreadable.
“In that case, I’ll test you.” The old imperial physician pondered for a moment, “I’ll test your knowledge of the Compendium of Materia Medica.”
"Okay." Qiao Qingjun showed no fear or panic.
So the old imperial physician began to test Qiao Qingjun on the contents of the "Compendium of Materia Medica". Qiao Qingjun answered fluently and even had a meticulous mind and could draw inferences from one instance.
The old imperial physician narrowed his eyes, his gaze sharpening, and his admiration for Qiao Qingjun grew stronger. In fact, Meng Xiangbei noticed that the old imperial physician was quite excited.
You should know that the original imperial physicians only reprimanded them severely when they felt that they had not taken good care of An ge'er; they could not have any other emotions.
Now, he seems to have a newfound respect for Qiao Qingjun.
Meng Xiangbei watched the two people exchanging words, his surprise growing. He had originally bought the medical book for Qiao Qingjun just to fulfill one of his requests and to help him pass the time, but he never expected that Qiao Qingjun would take it so seriously and be so talented. No, this can no longer be described simply as talent.
In fact, most people look down on people with intellectual disabilities, and even believe that they are useless fools.
Little did they know, there's a saying: When God closes a door, he opens a window.
They can even see a more beautiful view through this window.
Qiao Qingjun is exactly in this situation.
Heaven deprived him of some of his intelligence, but gave him pure goodness and extraordinary talent in medicine.
Meng Xiangbei couldn't help but feel happy for Qiao Qingjun, and also secretly sighed that as Aqing's husband, he had failed to discover his talent and almost buried it.
The old imperial physician was getting more and more excited. Half an hour had already passed, and if Meng Xiangbei hadn't interrupted, the two of them probably would have continued.
For this, the old imperial physician glared at Meng Xiangbei several times in dissatisfaction.
Even Qiao Qingjun puffed out his cheeks and gave a coquettish hum.
Meng Xiangbei was both amused and exasperated.
"Ah Qing, is it? According to medical books, your talent surpasses that of this old man." The old imperial physician looked at Qiao Qingjun as if he were looking at a shining treasure.
Hearing that the old imperial physician was praising him, Qiao Qingjun gave a shy smile.
"Ah Qing, you like studying medicine, would you like to become my apprentice?"
Qiao Qingjun was stunned and turned to look at Meng Xiangbei. Meng Xiangbei was also somewhat surprised, not expecting that the old imperial physician would actually have the idea of taking Qiao Qingjun as his apprentice.
Then, the old imperial physician began to incessantly promote himself, such as which prestigious family he was apprenticed to, how his medical skills were the best in the palace, how he had cured so-and-so's illness, and how he had solved some difficult and complicated diseases. In short, he said, "My medical skills are excellent, you can't go wrong by becoming my apprentice."
Qiao Qingjun was also tempted, but...
Meng Xiangbei also made the situation clear: "Imperial Physician Liu, we need to leave the capital." He and An ge'er couldn't leave and left Qiao Qingjun behind.
After seeing Qiao Qingjun's high medical talent, Meng Xiangbei was determined to let him study medicine, and Physician Liu was very suitable to be Qiao Qingjun's master, both in terms of character and medical skills.
The old imperial physician's initial excitement gradually subsided.
He paced back and forth for a moment with his hands behind his back and said, "You all stay here for half a day, let me think about it carefully."
Meng Xiangbei nodded, and they didn't rush to leave.
In fact, Meng Xiangbei didn't expect the old imperial physician to have any good ideas until half a day later when he saw the old imperial physician in a light outfit, and the servant carrying a bundle behind him.
Physician Liu waved his hand and said, "Let's go."
Meng Xiangbei/Qiao Qingjun: !?
It turned out that after much deliberation, Physician Liu was unwilling to give up such a talented apprentice as Qiao Qingjun, but he couldn't force them to stay in the capital. So, there was only one solution: to leave with them.
"Doctor Liu, is this a good idea?" Meng Xiangbei asked hesitantly.
Physician Liu glared at him: "What's wrong with it? Do you think this old geezer will hold you back?"
Meng Xiangbei immediately shook his head.
Physician Liu understood what he meant and sighed, "I have spent almost my entire life in the capital and the palace. Now that I am old, it is time for me to see the mountains and rivers outside. Don't worry, I have already spoken to my children, and they agree."
With Physician Liu saying so, Meng Xiangbei and Qiao Qingjun naturally had no more hesitation.
Thus, the journey that originally belonged to the family of three was now accompanied by an old imperial physician and a servant who took care of his daily meals and living arrangements.
After offering tea to the master, Qiao Qingjun became Liu Taiyi's apprentice.
-
"You're saying they've left the capital?"
Mother Meng slumped into her chair, stunned, her expression a mixture of anger and something else.
“Yes, they left two days ago,” the old woman beside her said.
Mother Meng tightened her grip on the chair: "Where did they go?"
Seeing her gloomy expression, the old woman became somewhat timid and shook her head: "I don't know. Their traces seem to have been deliberately erased."
The nanny left, leaving Mother Meng alone.
In a daze, she recalled his cold gaze that day, and the resolute words he spoke when he kowtowed.
Now, he is truly gone.
He really doesn' want her as a mother.
She sat in the chair, one hand supporting her forehead, utterly exhausted. For a moment, it seemed as if all her strength had been drained away.
The setting sun stretched her shadow infinitely long, distorted and lonely.
Before leaving, Meng Xiangbei wrote a letter to Marquis Zhongyuan, saying half the truth and half the lie, with only two meanings in his words.
Firstly, he left the capital and would no longer serve as a young marquis in the Marquis's mansion.
Secondly, it is hoped that Marquis Zhongyuan will not do anything to anger Mother Meng.
When Marquis Zhongyuan looked at the letter, his expression changed for only a moment before he quickly calmed down.
He was the Marquis of Zhongyuan, but he had no feelings for the Marquis's mansion, and even less for the legitimate son whom the principal wife had schemed to obtain. In fact, Meng Xiangbei had never received a single praise from the Marquis of Zhongyuan or a hug from his father in all his years.
Marquis Zhongyuan only provided him with the living environment befitting a legitimate son of a marquis's household; that was all.
Marquis Zhongyuan put down the letter, looked up at the sky, and for the first time, his brows were clear with a clarity he didn't usually have. He seemed to be thinking about something, or perhaps he was in pain over something.
Finally, Marquis Zhongyuan withdrew his gaze, raised his eyes again, and returned to his usual carefree and muddled demeanor expression.
He let Meng Xiangbei leave without doing or saying anything, continuing to live for the moment and enjoy his absurd and carefree life.
Meanwhile, Qian Jiaojiao also learned that Meng Xiangbei and his family of three had left Beijing.
"I heard that Madam Meng strongly opposed the young marquis being with that father and son, and it seems she even severed ties with them."
Qian Jiaojiao sat in the pavilion in the garden of the General's Mansion, listening to the news that her maid had accidentally learned.
Qian Jiaojiao held a plum blossom in her hand, twirling it absentmindedly, her face revealing no emotion.
After the maid finished speaking, she secretly glanced at Qian Jiaojiao's expression and couldn't help but sigh.
The maid knew about her mistress's affair with the young master of the Zhongyuan Marquis's mansion, and she also knew that her mistress liked the young master. However, the young master, despite her mistress's affections, refused to marry her, which made the maid quite indignant. Now, hearing about Meng Xiangbei's miserable state, she felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction.
He shouldn't have let her down.
You see, after returning that day, our young lady had been sullen and hadn't smiled for many days.
"Don't mention his affairs in front of me again." Qian Jiaojiao continued to tug at the flowers in her hand, her tone indifferent.
For a moment, her gaze went blank.
After spending the past year together, she had to admit that she liked Meng Xiangbei. However, what she thought was mutual affection turned out to be wishful thinking on her part.
When she learned of Meng Xiangbei's rejection at the restaurant that day and saw his cold indifference, she was both angry and heartbroken.
As the daughter of a general's family, the apple of her parents' eye, her pride would not allow her to do things like pestering or breaking up other people's marriages.
But letting go of a relationship is easier said than done.
These past few days, she has been trying her best to adjust her mindset and avoid paying attention to Meng Xiangbei's affairs. Now, when she hears news about him, her heart is still stirred, but she is also quickly letting go of it.
It seems that Meng Xiangbei loved that father and son so much that he gave up his status as a young marquis and the riches and honors in the capital to leave resolutely.
She also longs for that kind of relationship.
Actually, rather than saying she couldn't let go of Meng Xiangbei, it's more accurate to say she couldn't let go of the beautiful image he had once painted for her. He had said that if she truly loved someone, she would only wish to spend her life with that person, and no one else.
However, living in the capital, at the center of imperial power, Qian Jiaojiao had seen many wives and concubines. Even her beloved father had both a wife and concubines.
When she was little, she saw her aunt looking out the window with a sad expression, and she was puzzled.
Because, whether it was the general's wife or the other concubines, they all envied the aunt for being favored by her father, so what complaints could she possibly have?
She used to think the same way, but later she realized that what her aunt actually wanted was a complete person, a husband she wouldn't have to share with others.
Later, she learned that her aunt's window faced the direction of her father's courtyard.
Qian Jiaojiao thought that she would probably never meet such a person in her life.
With this in mind, Qian Jiaojiao completely let go of her last bit of obsession with Meng Xiangbei. If it wasn't hers, why should she force it?
Qian Jiaojiao curled her lips, finally revealing her first smile in many days.
The maid saw her smile and was happy too, thinking that she was pleased to hear about Meng Xiangbei's downfall.
“Miss, Miss…” another maid rushed in from outside.
Qian Jiaojiao raised her eyes and said calmly, "Slow down, what's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"
The maid stopped, calmed her chest heaving from running, and then said, "The Third Prince has come to see you again."
Qian Jiaojiao paused for a moment, her fingers holding the plum blossom froze.
"Miss, why don't we invite the Third Prince in? He has requested an audience with you several times already," the maid suggested.
Qian Jiaojiao was silent for a moment, then shook her head, her emotions not fluctuating much: "No need, just tell him I'm not here, and in the future, if he wants to see me, just tell him I'm not here or it's inconvenient."
The maidservant did not immediately agree, but whispered, "Miss, we can see that the Third Prince likes you. Moreover, the Third Prince is handsome and talented, and is the husband that many young ladies in the capital dream of. Why don't you try to be with him? Can't you still forget that young Marquis Meng?"
The maid felt wronged on behalf of her young mistress, saying that even the young master Meng had let her down, so what was so good about him?
Qian Jiaojiao glared at her, but did not blame her. Instead, she said, "The Third Prince and I are not suitable for each other."
Actually, before she fell in love with Meng Xiangbei, she had feelings for the Third Prince. Her father had also expressed similar feelings, but she rejected him and personally cut off any possibility of a relationship.
As members of the royal family, regardless of whether the third prince ultimately ascends to the throne, he is bound to have multiple wives and concubines.
She had once tried to test the waters with her words. It was true that the Third Prince liked her, but he did not object to men having multiple wives and concubines.
On the contrary, as a prince, he was taught from a young age that it was normal for a man to have multiple wives and concubines. Even if he did not love them, it was not a big deal to take concubines in order to consolidate his power and gain support.
At that time, Qian Jiaojiao knew that the Third Prince was not the right man for her.
Moreover, everyone in the capital knows about the recent matchmaking event where the Imperial Concubine was looking for a consort or concubine for the Third Prince.
-
"I'm sorry, Third Prince, our young lady is not here. If you have anything to say, you can tell me first, and I will have someone pass it on to her. Or you can come another time."
In front of the general's mansion stood a handsome young man in a brocade robe, with a servant behind him.
Upon receiving the answer that no one was there again, the young man's expectant face fell. He did not leave, but stared at the general's mansion, which had already closed its doors, for a long time.
The servant felt a pang of heartache seeing his master's dejected expression once again. How many times had this happened? Every time his master came looking for her, she was nowhere to be found.
He refused to believe that the General's daughter was never there every time he came; she just didn't want to see their master.
"Master, let's go back." Actually, he wanted to tell his master not to come again, since he was being treated so coldly, but he didn't dare.
The third prince returned to his residence dejectedly and threw away the album containing the portraits of young ladies from humble families that his mother had sent him.
He slumped into the chair, his face full of sorrow: "Jiaojiao, why don't you like me?"
He didn't understand why Jiaojiao, who used to have feelings for him, had distanced herself from him later.
Later, she got together with Meng Xiangbei from the Zhongyuan Marquis's mansion, but now that she has broken off her relationship with Meng Xiangbei, she won't even give him a chance.
What is wrong with him?
-
The events in the capital were no longer relevant to Meng Xiangbei and his family of three; at that time, they were heading towards the Sui Dynasty's northwest.
Before setting off, Meng Xiangbei already had a direction for his future life: he wanted to join the army.
The Sui Dynasty will soon be at war with its neighboring country. Becoming a military general was a choice Meng Xiangbei made after much deliberation; it was the fastest path to advancement for him. He felt it was worth it to exchange a few years of wandering for a peaceful life with his family of three, a life where no one could bully them.
However, he still consulted with Qiao Qingjun and Imperial Physician Liu first.
The Northwest, though not exactly bitterly cold, was not as pleasant as the Jiangnan region. He hesitated between letting Qiao Qingjun, An ge'er, and Imperial Physician Liu stay in Jiangnan and live comfortably, or going to the Northwest with him.
"Husband, Aqing wants to be with you and never be separated from you, and so does An ge'er." Qiao Qingjun did not interfere with Meng Xiangbei's plans for the future. He supported all of Meng Xiangbei's decisions, but he did not want to be separated from his husband.
He held Meng Xiangbei's hand anxiously, as if afraid that Meng Xiangbei would abandon them and leave if they weren't careful.
Although the little boy in his arms couldn't understand what they were saying, he sensed his father's unease and nodded, agreeing that his father was right.
Meng Xiangbei hesitated as he looked at the slender Qiao Qingjun and the delicate, beautiful An ge'er, who had just gained some weight.
Qiao Qingjun gripped his hand, gradually tightening his grip.
In the end, it was Imperial Physician Liu who made the final decision: "Since we are family, we should not be separated. One of us is in the south and the other in the north. That's not good, not good.
I'm not incapable of enduring hardship. Your wife and children, with me here, will also help them take care of their health. Compared to a life of luxury, they would much rather spend more time by your side."
Qiao Qingjun nodded immediately. He was tongue-tied and couldn't express himself well, but Physician Liu just happened to say what he meant.
Meng Xiangbei glanced at the three of them, smiled, and nodded, "Alright, since that's the case, let's go together. It's just that I'm afraid it will make you suffer with me." He had just misunderstood; he had promised them and their son that he would never be separated, so how could he make a decision for them on his own now?
“Yes, we won’t separate.” Qiao Qingjun immediately beamed with joy, and An Ge’er waved his little arms and giggled.
Thinking back to the last time he brought the pregnant Qiao Qingjun from Jiangnan to Beijing in a hurry, this time Meng Xiangbei deliberately slowed down the journey, enjoying the scenery along the way while traveling.
Qiao Qingjun and An Ge'er were very happy. Their eyes lit up wherever they went, and even Physician Liu stroked his beard with satisfaction.
Two months later, the group of five arrived in a city in the northwest called Shuilu City, which was named after its proximity to Shuilu Pass.
Shuilu Pass was a key military location during the Sui Dynasty, with a military camp there. Shuilu City was mostly inhabited by the families of the soldiers.
When there is no war, soldiers have a monthly leave to return to Shuilu City and reunite with their families.
This was Qiao Qingjun's first time in the Northwest, and along the way he saw many desolate places.
However, Shuilu City is quite lively, with merchants from other countries coming to do business.
Compared to the gentle and mild-mannered people of Jiangnan, northerners seem rather rugged.
However, the climate here is not very good; it is often unpredictable, and people are prone to getting sick.
Qiao Qingjun curiously lifted the carriage curtain, and together with An Ge'er, the two little heads peeked out, their slightly round peach blossom eyes looking in amazement at everything along the street.
On the street, shouts, conversations, and all sorts of sounds rose and fell.
Meng Xiangbei bought a house of moderate size in Shuilu City, and his family moved in.
After two months of continuous travel, everyone was exhausted. After washing up, they fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the bed.
With several months to go before the next round of military recruitment, Meng Xiangbei wasn't in a hurry. After settling in, he worked with them to adapt to life in Shuilu City.
In addition to adapting to the local soil and climate, you also need to adapt to the local customs and traditions.
Because of the significant differences between the north and south, Qiao Qingjun experienced symptoms of acclimatization sickness the day after arriving in Shuilu City. He suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, and by the end of the day, he was feeling weak and listless.
Meng Xiangbei held his face, feeling very distressed.
Before he could say anything, Qiao Qingjun got up and hugged him, comforting him, "Don't be sad, AQing be fine soon. Don't be sad, AQing and An ge'er wants to be with you."
Yes, even though he was feeling unwell, Qiao Qingjun was still unwilling to separate. He stared nervously at Meng Xiangbei, afraid that he would say something about making them leave.
Meng Xiangbei chuckled and ruffled his hair, then planted a kiss on his forehead: "Don't worry, we won't separate, but you need to get better soon."
"Yes, Aqing will get better soon." Qiao Qingjun clenched his small fist to encourage himself.
Perhaps because Qiao Qingjun was so unwilling to separate, or perhaps because the prescription given by Physician Liu was effective, Qiao Qingjun recovered well the next day, and by the third day, he was completely healthy.
Qiao Qingjun was overjoyed.
However, An ge'er, who was born prematurely and whom the group had initially thought might experience health problems, did not.
The group had already made arrangements for the rest of the time.
The old imperial physician couldn't stay idle, so he opened a clinic, where he treated patients and taught Qiao Qingjun medical skills.
Originally, Imperial Physician Liu wanted him to learn the knowledge in medical books first, but Qiao Qingjun not only had a photographic memory when it came to reading medical books, but also had an exceptionally high talent for it.
In just two months, he had digested a lot of medical books.
As Qiao Qingjun continued to study medical books, he gradually became Liu Taiyi's assistant and participated in practice.
Because of Liu's superb medical skills and miraculous healing abilities, his pharmacy was extremely popular.
Meanwhile, Meng Xiangbei, in addition to traveling with Qiao Qingjun and An Ge'er, began practicing martial arts and studying military books.
His ambition was not just to be a soldier, but a general, so he had to study military strategy books.
Choosing to join the army requires excellent martial arts skills, and Meng Xiangbei's current martial arts skills are only average, so he must improve them.
Author's Note: [In any story, supporting characters can enrich the main character's personality and image, but they shouldn't overshadow the main character with too much attention. I will improve my writing style. In the first story, most of the supporting characters met tragic ends. In the second story, besides the two male leads, there's one more character with a happy ending, while the other supporting characters will likely have tragic endings. As for whether An Ge'er, who died first, was reincarnated, we'll find out in the ending. PS: Please don't mention other authors' works in the comments.]
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 17:43:58 on March 2, 2020 and 17:55:45 on March 3, 2020!
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