Chapter 90: C90. Jujube.

Chapter 90

In mid-August, Yunzhu had joined Cao Xun on a border patrol trip to Weizhou, the air thick with anticipation as they completed half of their journey.

It was one of those sweltering autumn days, the kind that made you feel like you were wrapped in the heat itself. After hours of being cooped up in the carriage, Yunzhu was ready to stretch her legs, craving the sharp rush of fresh air. She tossed aside any hesitation and opted for horseback riding, the open space calling to her.

Cao Xun, ever the leader, motioned for Ah Jiu and the guards to keep a steady pace while he joined her, riding side by side with the alluring figure of Yunzhu as they moved ahead.

After a few miles, they reached a wide canyon, its towering peaks flanking either side like nature's grand embrace. A crystalline stream meandered through the valley, its waters shimmering in the sun, while a rocky beach, dotted with wildflowers and thick with weeds and shrubs, lay between the stream and the foot of the mountain. The sky above stretched endlessly, a deep blue canvas with lazy clouds drifting by.

Yunzhu inhaled the heavy, sultry wind, letting it sweep through her, and with a knowing glance at Cao Xun, she spoke, her voice sultry, "This is the second most stunning spot I've seen on this patrol."

Cao Xun, his eyes glinting with a hint of a smirk, replied, "The first, of course, is the sea of Shanhaiguan."

Yunzhu chuckled softly but dismissed it, "Let's not rank beauty, shall we? The further west we go, the more breathtaking this journey will get."

Her horse trotted leisurely, her body moving in perfect rhythm with the smooth sway of the mount. Cao Xun followed close, watching her with a careful, appreciative gaze, knowing that she savored every last bit of the surrounding beauty.

Reaching the heart of the valley, Cao Xun suggested, "It's time for lunch. Let's pause here for a bit."

Yunzhu glanced at the sun—still a long way from its peak. She could tell he simply wanted to indulge her, perhaps stretch the moment a bit longer. She gave him a knowing smile.

Without hesitation, Cao Xun dismounted.

Patrolling the border was serious work, yet whenever they came across a scene so stunning, Cao Xun was always willing to slow down, just a little longer, to let Yunzhu drink in the landscape.

As they let the horses graze, Yunzhu made her way to the stream first. The water, crystal-clear and shallow, just barely covered her feet as she dipped them into the cool flow. She caught a glimpse of herself in the water—her hair, tousled by the breeze—taking a moment to smooth it down, fingers combing through the strands.

When she straightened up, she turned to find Cao Xun standing nearby, his back turned to her, holding an elegant wildflower. He was still, lost in thought, but the flower was clearly meant for her. He seemed to be waiting for something.

Yunzhu walked towards him.

The moment he heard her footsteps, he turned his head slightly, giving a faint nod towards the opposite mountain wall. His eyes locked on hers, intense and commanding.

Following his gaze, she searched the mountainside and spotted the bright red clusters—small berries nestled against the rugged rock. "Wild jujubes," Cao Xun said, his voice low. "Thin-skinned, small-fleshed, and full of a sweet and sour taste. Perfect for a snack on the road."

With a teasing smirk, he offered her the flower, then tucked it into his waistband, close to his body.

Yunzhu, her gaze lingering on the distant fruit, instinctively caught his wrist, measuring the perilous climb between the mountain and the jujubes. "Forget it," she said coolly. "The climb’s too steep. They’re just wild fruit, not a treasure worth the effort."

Cao Xun’s smile deepened, amused by her hesitation. "But I like them," he teased, his tone low and persistent.

Yunzhu let out an exaggerated sigh, resigned to his stubbornness.

Without a second thought, Cao Xun led her closer to the base of the mountain. "Don't worry, if it gets too difficult, I won't push it. I’m not as young as I once was."

His enthusiasm made it clear he was hardly feeling old. Maybe those wild jujubes really were worth the effort after all.

The mountain walls loomed deceptively close, teasing the eye, yet they were far more distant than they appeared. The beach beneath their feet wasn’t much better—uneven and rough, each step a jolt against the sore soles of Yunzhu’s feet. When they finally reached the base of the mountain, she felt the burn.

Looking up, she spotted the wild jujubes, hanging just a few feet above her reach, enticingly out of grasp. The rocky cliff face was a challenging climb, only a small stretch of it truly frustrating. But under the sun's hot gaze and the cool caress of the breeze, those bright red fruits swayed like temptations in the wind, begging to be plucked.

Cao Xun gave Yunzhu a sharp glance and ordered her to wait below.

She grabbed him by the arm, her voice steady but thick with warning. "If you really want to climb for those damn fruits, go ahead. But if you get yourself into trouble, don’t expect me to bail you out. And when we return to Beijing, I’ll walk away from you for good, never to come back." Her words hung in the air, a promise laced with danger.

Cao Xun chuckled, a knowing smirk curling his lips. "Don’t worry, darling. As long as I’m breathing, you won’t ever get the chance to leave me."

She shot him a sharp look, her patience thinning, but she said nothing more.

As he began to climb, her pulse quickened. His every movement was calculated, but there was something about the danger of it all that made her heart flutter. Small rocks tumbled from his feet, and at first, she couldn’t help but call out for him to be careful. But when he reached the steepest section, her voice fell silent. She couldn’t bear the thought of distracting him, not when he was so close to the edge.

With the grace of someone who had scaled mountains before, Cao Xun reached the bush without a scratch, the wild jujubes hanging almost tauntingly close now. His hands deftly adjusted his clothes, turning his waistband into a makeshift pouch for the precious fruit.

The vibrant red of the jujubes made him look like a boy again, hungry for the fruits of the wild. And yet, the greedy way he plucked them, his eyes scanning for more, made it clear he was taking every last one for himself.

Yunzhu’s neck craned up as she watched, the ache from her feet spreading. "That’s enough, Cao Xun. Why did you pick so many?" Her voice was sharp, but there was a trace of amusement in it.

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I climbed all this way, didn’t I? Might as well make it worth my while."

A smirk tugged at her lips as she raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you worried Xie Lang and the others will tease you when they show up?"

Cao Xun glanced around, seeing no sign of anyone else, and with a devil-may-care grin, continued his harvest. "Let them come," he said. "They’re not the ones up here picking these beauties."

Yunzhu rolled her eyes and gestured for him to toss the fruits down to her.

Instead, he sent one flying, the small red jujube hitting her square on the head.

She glared up at him, narrowing her eyes. "You did that on purpose!"

Cao Xun only laughed, glancing up at the sky with feigned innocence. "The heavens will testify I meant no harm."

Fuming, Yunzhu turned away, heading toward the stream.

"Watch out for snakes in the weeds," Cao Xun called after her, his voice thick with amusement.

But Yunzhu didn’t respond. She squatted by the stream, her hands delicate as she washed the fruit he’d tossed at her. Polishing it slowly in the cool water, she was far from upset. If anything, she enjoyed the moment.

The wild dates, freshly rinsed, were now more vibrant—deep red and practically glowing, releasing a sweet, tangy fragrance that was impossible to ignore. Though small, barely the size of a fingernail, they were perfect for popping into the mouth whole. And just like Cao Xun had said, the skin was thin, yielding to a burst of flavor that was both sweet and sour. It was more satisfying than some of the fancy jujubes Yunzhu had tasted before, probably because these felt so fresh, so full of life.

Half an hour later, Cao Xun returned, his arms heavy with a bundle of the wild dates. He found a flat stone, set them out carefully, and waited for Lian Qiao to come by so they could load them onto the carriage.

Squatting next to Yunzhu, Cao Xun grabbed a handful of dates, his fingers skilled as he cleaned them one by one. Offering her the first one, he watched her closely. Yunzhu took it, playing coy and pretending not to like it. But as her gaze flicked to the speck of dirt on Cao Xun's shoulder, she swallowed her words, spitting the fruit into her hand and reaching out for another, the subtle play of her movements showing her true desire for more.

Cao Xun, a knowing smile on his lips, understood all too well. He knew she loved these sweet and sour delights.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Yunzhu asked, raising an eyebrow as she caught him watching her. “Is it that rare?”

Cao Xun’s gaze lingered on her, a smirk curling his lips. “I picked these for you. I don’t really go for snacks.”

Yunzhu, ever the one to tease, pushed a little harder, trying to tempt him to try one.

Cao Xun spat out the seed with a sigh. “Really, it’s the kind of thing only children would enjoy,” he said, unimpressed by the simplicity of the fruit.

But Yunzhu didn’t seem to mind, popping one after another into her mouth as they took a break. The sun warmed them, the sweet fruit adding a pleasant touch to the moment.

With a few nearby branches, Cao Xun fashioned a shallow trench in the dirt, planting a seed with a playful grin. “I’ll bring you back here in a few years. This tree will be tall by then, and you can pick the fruit yourself.”

Yunzhu’s finger traced the pile of dates on the stone as she pointed. “Why not keep some and plant them in the garden back in the capital? Then you can have them whenever you want.”

Cao Xun raised an eyebrow. “Which garden?”

Yunzhu’s eyes flickered as she hesitated, then her lips curled into a sly smile. “The garden of the Ningguo Duke’s estate. Where else?”

Cao Xun’s smile deepened as he leaned in. “I find it amusing that you’d want to plant the fruit I gave you back at your family’s place.”

Yunzhu’s face flushed, and she shot him a teasing look. “Well, maybe I won’t plant any more then.”

“Oh, you won’t?” Cao Xun chuckled darkly, standing tall. “Then I will. And next autumn, I’ll have my mother-in-law try these sweet fruits.”

“Thank you for the gift,” Yunzhu said with a mock curtsy, her voice laced with a playful edge.

Cao Xun’s eyes gleamed. “It may not be fancy, but it’s full of affection.”

Before she could say anything else, Yunzhu tossed a whole jujube at him, the fruit landing squarely on his face. He didn’t flinch, and she grinned at the unexpected, bold move.

As the jujube fell, he stopped it midair and smirked at the young lady, saying, "I’ll let you throw one at me, then we’re even. No point in holding onto old grudges."

Yunzhu could only blink.

By the time Xie Lang and his men arrived, Yunzhu's mouth was practically sore from the constant barrage of wild jujubes.

Choosing a spot as far from Cao Xun and his wife as possible, Xie Lang and his hundred guards settled down. The mountain of jujubes caught Yunzhu’s eye, and she gave Cao Xun a pointed look, signaling him to offer some to Xie Lang and the rest.

Cao Xun stayed seated, coolly replying, "I picked these for you."

Yunzhu had barely handed a handful to Lian Qiao before giving him an exasperated look.

"There’s so many—how the hell am I supposed to eat all this?" she snapped.

Cao Xun grinned, "If you can’t finish them, just take them home and save the seeds."

Yunzhu rolled her eyes, clearly done with his teasing. Seeing Lian Qiao hesitate, she barked, "Go ahead and eat, don’t listen to him. He’s just messing with you. He’s not that stingy."

Lian Qiao gave a sidelong glance at Cao Xun before asking in a sultry tone, "Madam, where did he pick these from?"

Yunzhu lazily pointed to the opposite mountain wall.

Once Lian Qiao realized where the jujubes came from, she flashed a knowing smile and slid the fruit back into Yunzhu’s hand, teasing, "These aren’t just any jujubes, Madam. Each one’s soaked in the Duke’s affection for you. Keep them and savor them with him."

Forget the jujubes, forget the rare Lingnan lychees—Lian Qiao wasn’t bothered by any of them. She preferred watching the couple enjoy their sweet moments together.

Meanwhile, Xie Lang had noticed the pile of fruit near the river rocks. As the eldest son of the Hou family, he’d sampled all kinds of luxury food, so wild fruit wasn’t likely to impress him. But the Xie who traveled with Cao Xun was a different story. He was intrigued by the pile of vibrant red jujubes.

Relying on his long-standing friendship with Cao Xun and his familiarity with Yunzhu, Xie Lang approached with a sly grin, asking, "Where did the Duke find such an impressive stash of jujubes?"

Yunzhu smiled indulgently, enjoying the banter.

Cao Xun, unruffled, casually pointed across the way to the mountain wall.

Xie Lang’s eyes widened slightly as he followed the direction and discovered the source of the wild jujubes.

Cao Xun then added with a playful smirk, "The ones near you are for your sister-in-law to snack on. If you want some, you’ll have to pick your own. Pick extra and share them around."

Yunzhu blinked.

Xie Lang sighed. "Fine, I’ll go get some right now."

Without missing a beat, Cao Xun added, "Bring a couple of people with you, just in case."

Xie Lang rolled his eyes. "Even if you won’t give me the jujubes, you still think I need help?"

———TN:

I'm done with all this re-translating for today. My mind is fried, and it's begging for some rest. I'm out of here for now, but I'll catch you soon.