Chapter 36: Si Youji, Xue Chan was kidnapped by human traffickers...
Jiang Ce followed her closely: "Then how about I apologize to you?"
Xue Chan didn't want to pay attention, but he followed her closely and she couldn't shake him off.
"I understand," she replied perfunctorily, then added, "Second Young Master, you don't need to worry about this matter."
After speaking, he regained his previous calm and indifference.
Jiang Ce sensed she was still unhappy, but he hadn't said anything wrong. Besides, she had targeted him like that, and he had apologized to her, so he wasn't happy either.
No matter what he said or did, Xue Chan remained calm and indifferent. She neither spoke nor reacted.
Jiang Ce felt as if he had been scratched a few times, but he couldn't scratch it; the itch in his heart only grew stronger.
They arrived at the Gao Mei Temple.
Inside the temple stands an old peach tree, now in full bloom, its branches adorned with numerous wooden plaques and red ribbons. The main hall houses a statue of Nuwa, flanked by Yu the Great on the left and Houji on the right.
The temple was small, but it was crowded and lively, mostly with young men and women. Some were drawing fortune sticks under the peach trees, while others were standing on tiptoe to tie red ribbons to the peach trees.
Xue Chan was a little left behind as she walked at the back. Someone approached her and said with a smile, "Today is the Shangsi Festival, why don't you draw a flower fortune stick, young lady?"
She had no intention of getting involved, but she was blocked from leaving. Jiang Ce turned around and, seeing no one, immediately approached, bringing the others with him.
Fang Youxi first drew a flower fortune stick, and then stood to the side to watch.
There was nothing on top, but when she flipped it over, she found a few lines of poetry written on the back.
It is from the Book of Songs.
"The ospreys cry 'guan guan' on the river's islet; a fair maiden is the gentleman's ideal."
Xue Chan leaned over and asked her, "What are you smoking?"
Fang Youxi smiled and said, "It's just an ordinary fortune slip, nothing special."
She put away the flower tokens and urged Xue Chan, "It's your turn."
Xue Chan stepped back, somewhat reluctantly saying, "I'll pass."
Fang Youxi said, "It's just for fun. If you don't like a cigarette, you can just throw it away."
After much persuasion, Xue Chan finally picked up a flower-shaped fortune stick. She took the stick, stepped aside, turned it over, and seemed somewhat dazed.
Fang Youxi was also dizzy from reading it: "Why is this fortune slip so obscure and strange?"
Li Wu: "Strange?"
Xue Chan generously handed over the flower slip, Zheng Shaoyu also came over to take a look, and Jiang Ce stood aside with his arms crossed and glanced at it.
It says on it...
"This person has this illness; this person has this illness."
"This is from the *Analects*, Yong Ye chapter," Zheng Shaoyu explained, stroking his chin. "Confucius' student Bo Niu fell ill, and Confucius was heartbroken. He stood outside the window, holding Bo Niu's hand, and lamented, 'He is gone! It is fate! Such a man, yet he has such an illness! Such a man, yet he has such an illness!'"
"It's a bit difficult to understand as a fortune telling."
Li Wu's smile faded, and she couldn't help but look at Xue Chan, but Xue Chan lowered her eyes and remained silent.
Jiang Ce leaned over at some point and said, "Are you crazy?"
Xue Chan raised her face, met his eyes and smiled, "Yes, I am sick, and it is a serious and incurable disease."
She spoke slowly and deliberately, drawing out her words.
"Second Young Master, you'd better be careful."
Jiang Ce scoffed, arms crossed, looking at her dismissively. "You're making it sound so real, who are you trying to fool?"
Zheng Shaoyu rolled up his sleeves, eagerly reaching for the flower slip. But as soon as he put his hand in, he glanced at Jiang Ce standing to the side, immediately pulled it out, and gave a fawning smile.
"Erlang, why don't you pick one and let me see?"
Jiang Ce refused: "I won't smoke."
He didn't want to be laughed at if he drew a strange fortune slip that he couldn't decipher immediately.
Jiang Ce stood aside with a resistant expression, clearly indicating that he didn't want it, and remained unmoved no matter what Zheng Shaoyu said.
Zheng Shaoyu half-pleaded and half-persuaded: "I'll trade you my newly acquired 'Qing Le Zhi'. This travelogue is a unique copy, very precious. You'll really hit the jackpot."
Jiang Ce raised an eyebrow: "Did you say that?"
Zheng Shaoyu had only said it casually, but Jiang Ce actually started bargaining with him. Fine, he'd just have to reluctantly give it up again.
"Alright, alright, I said it, go ahead and smoke."
Jiang Ce coughed and started acting coy. Only after Zheng Shaoyu urged him repeatedly did he slowly pick up a flower slip.
He had just taken it out, and before he could even look at it, it was snatched away. But Jiang Ce didn't care; what was written on it didn't really matter.
As for marriage...
He doesn't believe in destiny; he only believes that things can be accomplished by human effort.
Zheng Shaoyu flipped over the flower slips, and after only seeing a few words, he knew the inscription was from the Book of Songs. But before he could see it clearly, two hands pressed down on his shoulders.
He turned around and his face immediately fell.
Several strong servants seized the opportunity to grab him, their faces beaming with smiles.
"Sixth Brother, we've been running around all day, but we've finally found you. Come back with us, the old man is waiting to hear you recite your lessons."
Zheng Shaoyu immediately stood up straight and bowed to the group: "Friends, I'm going home now. Goodbye."
Jiang Ce was about to say something when someone said, "Madam said she would like to invite Erlang to dinner at the Zheng residence tomorrow. Please remember that."
After he finished speaking, Jiang Ce shut his mouth, looked at Zheng Shaoyu and shook his head helplessly: "Zheng Shaoyu, accept your fate, you can't beat Uncle Zheng."
Zheng Shaoyu pouted, on the verge of tears, thinking, "This guy is so greedy and ungrateful."
Oh no, a treacherous fellow who forgets his principles for a meal.
He looked like he was about to cry, and as he was being held by several people, he said resentfully, "I hate you."
Jiang Ce shrugged.
"Please, Rokuro."
Zheng Shaoyu turned around, shook his hand, and stomped his foot: "I can walk by myself!"
Upon hearing this, the others released him, letting him shuffle out. Zheng Shaoyu was dejected; as soon as he stepped out the door, he jumped up and ran wildly outside.
"You're too optimistic, old man!"
He disappeared into the crowd like a nimble fish.
The servants, used to this kind of thing, exchanged glances and silently went off to chase after them.
Li Wu asked with some concern, "Won't something bad happen?"
Jiang Ce: "Oh, it's nothing, you've seen it all before."
That was the joy between the father and son.
Jiang Ce crossed his arms and turned around, but he didn't see Xue Chan. Only Fang Youxi was still there. He immediately searched for her in the crowd.
Li Wu asked, "Where did Junior Sister go?"
Fang Youxi pointed to the main hall: "She led people into the hall, probably to pay her respects."
Xue Chan looked at Nuwa in the hall. The goddess statue was serene and calm, with a slight smile on its face, and its lowered eyes were quietly watching her.
She is the mother of all things, so even though she is made of wood and clay, she seems to possess endless compassion and gentleness.
Mother.....
Xue Chan gathered her skirts, knelt on the prayer mat, and kowtowed. When her forehead touched the mat, it felt as if she were being embraced by the Mother of All Things.
She knelt for a while, calming herself down. As she prepared to get up, she heard several sounds, like something falling and breaking, mixed with the faint sound of footsteps.
She listened carefully, and the sound disappeared in an instant, and then it became quiet.
She asked Yunsheng and Chutao beside her, "Did you hear anything?"
Chu Tao listened intently and smiled, "It's the Shangsi Festival today, so it must be the sound of people at the temple preparing to worship the gods. And there are a lot of people here."
Xue Chan was about to leave the hall when she heard voices again after taking only a few steps. She went back into the hall, circled around a little, and smelled a citrus scent.
"Crack!"
Something broke.
Xue Chan lifted her foot, squatted down, picked up a small piece, and placed it in her palm.
Those were fragments of a broken jade flower pouch, the jade itself was warm and lustrous, and the carved patterns were exquisite.
Xue Chan dipped her fingertip into the powder on top; it smelled of citrus but wasn't cloying, and it was made with the finest ingredients.
This is not an ordinary thing.
She wasn't good at making incense, but Cheng Huaizhu liked to tinker with these things, and she was familiar with this scent. Cheng Huaizhu had given her a box before to calm her nerves, and it smelled exactly like this.
What did Cheng Huaizhu say back then?
Unfortunately, she doesn't remember.
"Miss Xue"
She turned around, and the others came in as well.
Fang Youxi said, "We're about to perform the sacrificial ceremony. Let's go to the Xinxin Pavilion next door. It's a spacious place with a good view."
The procession for the worship ceremony will circle around Fantai Mountain, praying for blessings and warding off disasters along the way before returning to Gaomei Temple.
Xue Chan temporarily set aside her hesitation: "Okay."
The pavilion next to the Gaomei Temple has a wide view, so many people who are going to watch the worship ceremony have gathered there. Some vendors even took up a spot early and started selling food and drinks.
Xue Chan and Fang Youxi stood together, while Jiang Ce stood a few steps away from them. He would stare at Xue Chan for a while, then look down and scratch his head.
Fang Youxi smiled and moved aside to make room for them. Jiang Ce, seizing the opportunity, immediately moved over as well.
Xue Chan silently moved aside, keeping her distance. Jiang Ce immediately felt annoyed and, as if in a huff, moved closer to her again.
Annoyed by him, she couldn't help but glance at him and ask, "Second Young Master, how old are you this year?"
"I'm still a child at heart, is that not allowed?" Jiang Ce crossed his arms and raised his chin to reply to her.
Xue Chan: "......"
She was too lazy to pay attention to him, so she didn't say anything.
Jiang Ce: "Isn't what you're upset about just now? I've already apologized to you, why are you still angry?"
Xue Chan said calmly, "It's your business to apologize, what does it have to do with me?"
Jiang Ce had a headache.
This guy, when he's unhappy, his mouth is like it has thorns, it's really sharp.
Silence fell again for a moment. Xue Chan didn't really want to pay attention to him, so she simply walked coldly to the other side.
Jiang Ce couldn't help but wonder, was he really going to marry such an unapproachable person?
He was somewhat agitated.
Seeing his expression, Li Wu smiled and asked, "Is Jiang Erlang troubled by his junior sister?"
Jiang Ce didn't want to involve others in his relationship with Xue Chan. After all, whether they had a fight or argued, it was their business. But he was extremely frustrated now and couldn't help but complain.
"How can someone be so petty and nitpicky? It's just a fried dough stick, I've already apologized, why is she still holding onto it?"
"Jiang Erlang, do you really think it's Hua Jian's fault?" Li Wu's smile deepened. He said, "Actually, Junior Sister is a very tolerant person by nature."
She? Tolerance?
"You..." Jiang Ce looked at Li Wu with a hesitant expression, "Are you sure?"
Li Wu nodded seriously: "Of course."
Jiang Ce pursed his lips and looked at Li Wu. He thought, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and the same principle applies to those close to us; we always find their flaws harmless and even endearing.
Jiang Ce nodded with a smile: "Mhm."
Seeing his bright but perfunctory smile, Li Wu did not strongly refute him.
Fang Youxi, who had arrived unnoticed, suddenly interjected, "Second Brother Jiang, one day you'll understand that someone like Miss Xue..."
She looked at Jiang Ce with a gentle yet earnest expression.
"Rare in the world, hard to find even once in a hundred years."
Jiang Ce was somewhat dissatisfied and muttered under his breath, "Why are you even speaking up for her, and so solemnly at that? You don't even know her well."
Fang Youxi replied, "Second brother isn't even familiar with her. If that's the case, why would he think she's bad?"
"Me and her—"
He instinctively blurted out the story of how he almost lost his life at her hands when they first met at the Bitter Bamboo Temple. But before he could finish, he quickly changed the subject and said something else entirely.
"They'll ripen eventually."
Li Wu smiled gently and changed the subject: "When I came here just now, I saw someone selling flower cakes under that tree, which contained magnolia flowers."
Jiang Ce didn't care much: "Why are you telling me all this? I already apologized, and I even went out of my way to buy her some flower tea to coax her. Is she the only one with pride? Don't I have any?"
"Bang! Bang!"
Someone set off fireworks, which instantly illuminated the daytime, and exclamations of amazement and joy filled the air as the fireworks burst forth.
However, with more people, there is a risk of accidents.
Li Wu kept a close eye on Xue Chan and the others through the crowd. He wanted to speak to Jiang Ce beside him and ask him to go with them to Xue Chan, but when he turned around, Jiang Ce was no longer there.
A young man in a light blue robe was standing in front of the stall, accepting a fried flower cake from the vendor.
The glittering stars slipped away, and in an instant, darkness returned.
Suddenly someone screamed loudly. The stacked lamp stands had caught fire at some point, and the leaping flames quickly engulfed the wooden sheds on both sides of the stalls.
Panic erupted in the crowd, and Li Wu quickly pushed his way through to Fang Youxi and Xue Chan. However, the chaotic crowd and the scorching orange-red flames prevented him from moving forward.
Xue Chan was pushed and shoved to one side by the crowd. Despite the chaos, the people around her seemed to have a purpose, surrounding her and leading her out of the Xixin Pavilion.
What lies behind that is the forest of Fantai Mountain.
Xue Chan remained silent, covering her face with her sleeve, and took off the hair ornament from her hair bun, clutching it in her sleeve.
She looked up and saw Jiang Ce in the crowd, anxiously pushing his way towards her. Just as she was about to speak, she was silenced.
Xue Chan immediately pretended to be unconscious, letting them carry her westward. When the two passed the low slope, she estimated the position of her shoulder and neck, and immediately pulled out her long hairpin and swiftly stabbed it in.
Hot blood splattered out and splashed onto her hands.
"ah!"
The person carrying her screamed and quickly threw Xue Chan away.
The moment she landed, Xue Chan scrambled to her feet and jumped down the slope.
What's down the slope?
She didn't know.
All she knew was that even if she fell to her death or drowned in the water, it would be better than being taken away by them.
The other person was walking ahead. Hearing the sound, he turned around and whispered a rebuke.
"What are you yelling about!"
As the lantern's light drew closer, the man clutched his neck, which was covered in blood, and cursed angrily, "That damned woman ran away!"
He clutched his neck, got up, and chased after them.
Another person was closely following behind them.
However, such commotion was drowned out by the noise of the crowd. In order to prevent fires on such days, the government had already prepared water tanks and manpower nearby so that they could put out fires at any time.
After the fire was completely extinguished, Li Wu and Fang Youxi met up with the others.
Xue Chan had long since disappeared.
They searched the Xixin Pavilion but couldn't find him; even Jiang Ce was missing.
Where is Second Brother Jiang?
Yun Sheng said, "He jumped into the forest with them."
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Author's Note:
1. "The ospreys cry 'guan guan' on the river's islet; a fair maiden, a gentleman's ideal." -- The Book of Songs
2. "This man, yet he suffers from this ailment; this man, yet he suffers from this ailment." -- This is from the Analects, Yong Ye chapter.
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