"Ahh! It's so cold!" Xue Meng shouts as he rub his shoulders.
Mo Ran rolls his eyes because his cousin has been complaining about the same thing for hours now. He's making it seem like Mo Ran is not also cold. He's not but that's because he always naturally ran warm but he can still feel the chill.
Here they are at the town Si Ge Jianting, at least the road leading to it. Qing Su forgot to mention that it's snowing here. The whole area is cold. Freezing cold. Xue Meng and Mo Ran had to scramble to buy coats and gloves. It was a bit embarrassing as the townspeople stare them down like they were crazy. They just didn't know it is snowing already in the area. They were unprepared which is their fault but also Qing Su who didn't notify anyone that their winters come way earlier than anyone else.
"Are we close?" Xue Meng wonders, looking around the road. He doesn't spot any travelers setting up camp on the side of the road like they were told. But who knows if they do during winter.
"Should get there at noon. We're almost there." Mo Ran answers, eyes forward as he and Xue Meng walk shoulder to shoulder. He was a little worried about shizun. He was always so sensitive to the cold, he can't help but wonder how he's dealing with this whether? He hopes Wanning hasn't gotten sick. The two would have gotten here at least two days before they are. That's enough time for Wanning to get sick.
"Oh." Mengmeng voices, surprised by a tent set up in the snow. A man in warm clothes sat in front of a fire with a couple others, waiting for the soup being cooked in the middle to finish. Both men bow in greeting then continue walking on their way. As the city gate gets in view they can spot more and more people setting up camp along the road. They are all peaceful.
"Oh my! What are a pair of fine men like you two doing around here?" An older woman voices at them. Mo Ran turns to see a woman by a food stall. She must be a farmer selling her goods to these people. Curious Mo Ran goes to her, smiling his smile he knows will help them get information. Xue Meng makes a noise in the back of his throat in protest.
"We are just some travelers passing through. We were wondering if you can recommend us a good inn?" He asks, his smile bright. She looks at him with wide eyes. The pink of her cheeks getting darker. Xue Meng rolls his eyes.
"Oh my, you really are a looker. There are plenty of inns to stay at. Though the best one is called the Blue Dragon. It's close enough to the main house of the Qing family. They run the town. And the others." She tells them.
"Thank you for that." Mo Ran smiles. He steps to leave but a thought occurs to him. "Oh, You wouldn't happen to have seen a woman with a woman named Qing Su would you?" He asks. The woman blinks a couple times before they widen.
"Oh you must mean the princess that came with young lady Qing." Mo Ran steps back, with Xue Meng, both giving each other a glance.
"Princess?" Mo Ran wonders.
The woman gives a giggle waving her hand. "We all thought she is a princess from her beauty but she firmly told us she is not. She came by two days ago into the city. I believe she's staying with the lady. How do you two know her?" the woman asks eyeing them from head to toe.
"We come from the same town, we know her. The last we saw her she said she was heading in this area." Mo Ran smiles.
"Oh, then is she really not a princess? With her beauty she must be, if not a noble lady. I can see why she's getting married so late in the year, with her looks men must be at her feet begging to be chosen." She says with a hand cupping her cheek in thought.
"She is not a princess." Mo Ran smiles.
"That's a shame. Though I'm not jealous, it must be tiring being that beautiful. Oh before I forget..." she goes to one of the boxes rummaging through it. "I was going to give her this when she leaves but if you are both going to see her I might as well give this to you." She says. She holds her hand out. Mo Ran reaching first, holding his hand out. She drops a very small hair pin, decorated with the smallest blue flower. Two of them. Mengmeng gets closer, leaning against Mo Ran to see it.
"A cheep pin?" Xue Meng asks out loud. A gasp is heard. The three turn to see a young boy bundled up with a thick furred headband and coat looking at them in horror. Well at Xue Meng as if he kicked his puppy. His large eyes get watery. Without another word he runs off, crying. Both the seller and Mo Ran look at Xue Meng. "S-sorry." He says looking guilty but not sure for what.
"Oh my. The pin is from that child and his younger brother. Earlier this year when it was much warmer they traveled with a bunch of grown ups here. The princess saw them getting cold and bought them some food and some warm clothes. So him and the younger one worked to buy her something as pay back."
"Ah, this was the only thing they could afford." Mo Ran finishes.
The woman lets out a sigh. "Yes. They asked if I could give it to her. The children are most likely use to grown adults ignoring them so gave it to me to help. I have been watching just in case she comes this way, but I know with her looks she must want to take the back road."
"I'll be sure to give it to her when I see her." Mo Ran promises hoping the child is still around to have heard. He must have been hanging around hoping to see Wanning again. "Thank you again." Mo Ran says. Turning to leave. He puts the pins in his robe, keeping them safe. Xue Meng follows him back onto the road. Heading to the city gates. Mo Ran takes a look to see his cousin giving him a smirk. Mo Ran frowns at him. "What?" He asks frustrated.
"Nothing. Just..." Xue Meng starts, raising his hands to rest on the back of his head, walking less stiff and now with a bit of swagger, "told you. Shizun is amazing." He grins happily.
Mo Ran stays silent. He knew shizun is kind. He knows that. He's seen it many times. But for some reason he forgot. Only someone kind and selfless would die for someone else.