Chapter 16: The caged bird returns to the forest to catch the moon, and the pearl is covered in dust.
The eldest master of the Jiang family came back home angrily from the Prime Minister's Mansion. Without even having a sip of tea, he started shouting that he wanted to be punished according to the family rules.
Cong Ying was teaching her younger sister to trace characters. When she heard about her uncle's demeanor when he returned home, she lowered her head and asked her younger sister, "Ah He, if your sister was going to be beaten, would you dare to watch?"
Ah He instantly became nervous: "Whoever wants to hit me, Ah He will protect me!"
Cong Ying held her hand, speaking in a gentle but serious tone: "No matter what happens later, you are the only one allowed to watch and remember it carefully. You are not allowed to cry or push others."
Ah He was so anxious that she was about to cry: "Don't hit me, let's go, go!"
Cong Ying stroked her cheek and sighed softly.
In reality, she couldn't bear to make Ah He sad, but hiding things from her was easy, but teaching her to understand right from wrong and closeness was difficult. Cong Ying hoped she would see clearly, remember clearly, even if it meant being more vigilant from now on.
She stood up and walked out of the green gauze cabinet, and ran into Zhao who hurried in with a worried look on her face.
"Your uncle said you got into trouble at the Xie family and he wants to spank you, Ah Ying. What's going on?"
Cong Ying said, "I broke off the engagement with Xie."
"What?" Zhao was shocked. "What nonsense! Why would you cancel such a good marriage?"
Cong Ying said, "Because even if I don't withdraw, this marriage will not fall on me. Instead of waiting for the eldest son to exploit me, it's better for me to withdraw the engagement myself and get some benefits in return."
When she said this, her expression was cold, as if she was discussing a business matter.
Zhao was furious and anxious: "But by doing this, you've deeply offended your uncle and aunt, and I'm afraid it will also implicate your brother. Mother only hopes that you will not be stubborn later, accept the punishment, and go with your uncle to the Xie Mansion to apologize."
"Mother." Cong Ying smiled, but her eyes were calm and there was no trace of a smile.
She said, "I don't want to be beaten either. Later, I hope that mother can show her strength as the mistress of the second house and fight against my uncle and aunt to protect me in front of them."
Zhao couldn't believe it: "How could I offend them——"
Cong Ying said, "I have chosen Xie Xiang as my brother's teacher. If I am beaten to death or disabled today, this matter will not be accomplished."
Zhao was silent for a moment: "Who are you talking about, Prime Minister Xie?"
No matter in status, family background or talent, Qian Jijiu is far inferior to Xie Xiang. If he can become Xie Xiang's student, no matter his talent or knowledge, he will be able to stay in Yunjing and serve as an official in the future.
However, Prime Minister Xie was very busy with government affairs and rarely accepted students from outside the family except for his own children. This was something that even the eldest son of the eldest son of the first house did not dare to seek. He did not expect that it would fall upon his own son.
Zhao was a little dazed for a moment: "Is this true?"
As the noise got closer, Uncle Jiang and Mrs. Cai rushed into the yard with several maids holding sticks. Ah He was so scared that he wanted to close the door of the main room, but was stopped by a maid and pushed so hard that he staggered.
Cong Ying quickly supported Ah He and looked up at Zhao. She saw that she looked hesitant, perhaps thinking about how to benefit her son better. She didn't even look at Ah He.
Cong Ying protected Ah He behind him and said in a slightly cold voice, "This is the courtyard of the second house."
Cai sneered, "The second house's courtyard? If my master hadn't been away serving as an official, how could you, mother and daughter, of such lowly status, be worthy of living in Yunjing Yongdefang? My wife and I have treated you, an orphan and a widow, well, yet you dare to stab us in the back. You are truly a bunch of useless people!"
Cai's scolding was so harsh that Zhao felt a buzzing in her chest just by hearing her voice. Her habit of avoiding others for so many years made her subconsciously take a step back.
The eldest uncle of the Jiang family also stepped forward to teach Cong Ying a lesson: "Since you live in my Jiang family's courtyard, you must be bound by the Jiang family's rules. How can you cancel the engagement without the permission of the elders? You have brought shame to the Jiang family. If I don't ask the family to discipline you today, I will not be able to explain myself to the ancestors of the Jiang family!"
The Jiang family mansion was purchased when the old censor Jiang was still alive. That year, Congying's father, the second master of the Jiang family, had just won the top spot in the imperial examination. The current emperor valued his talent and rewarded him with 10,000 taels of silver to help buy a house for his family.
On the first day of moving into the new mansion, the old censor Jiang said that this house would be left to the second wife.
Now, in the mouth of the eldest son, it has become "his" yard.
Congying brought up this old incident, which only made the eldest wife and her husband even more angry. Cai shouted "rebellion" and "rebellion" while ordering the maids to cover Congying's mouth and drag her to the bench for beating.
How could Congying, a girl in the boudoir, fight against so many people? Seeing that the wooden stick was about to be raised high, Zhao finally stepped forward to block Congying: "You can't hit Ah Ying!"
Cai raised an eyebrow: "You?"
Zhao's face flushed red as she stumbled, "Aying is my daughter. It was the second wife's marriage that was called off. Even if she made any mistakes, it's my responsibility to discipline her. Even if my brother and sister-in-law are right, they can't hit her. What if she gets hurt..."
"It was your leniency that caused her to get into such a disaster!"
Cai went forward to pull Zhao away, but Zhao clung to Cong Ying and refused to give in. Cai was so angry that she said, "Do you believe I will drag your son out and beat him up too?"
Zhao's hands loosened subconsciously, and the two maids took the opportunity to pull them away. The wooden stick then fell and hit Cong Ying's back with a "pa" sound.
It hurts... Cong Ying's face turned pale in an instant and she frowned deeply. She clenched her teeth tightly because she heard Ah He's heart-wrenching cry.
Zhao pleaded desperately, "Be gentler, don't hurt me, don't hurt me!"
Listening to it from Ying, I just felt that the pain was ridiculous and absurd.
Just as another blow was about to fall, the steward of the mansion came over and said to the eldest master of the Jiang family, "Master, Censor Du came to see you, saying that he came to pay his respects to the old master."
The Jiang family's uncle was stunned: "Imperial Censor Du?"
I immediately remembered that not long after the death of the old Censor Jiang, a Censor Du wrote to me from Luzhou, saying that he had received a transfer order from the court to be promoted to the position of Assistant Censor, and that he would definitely visit his teacher after returning to Beijing.
At that time, he thought that his teacher had been promoted and the position of Imperial Censor was vacant. After arriving in Beijing, he found out that it was because his teacher had died of illness.
"Although this Censor Du is young, he's ruthless. In his three years in Luzhou, he overthrew two governors from aristocratic families. Despite such a bloody situation, the Emperor ignored the opposition and transferred him back. This man has a promising future and is very popular."
Uncle Jiang thought for a moment and said, "I have to go meet a guest. Let's stop making trouble here. Lock him up and wait until the guest leaves."
After the eldest couple left, Cong Ying was locked in the house and even Ah He was not allowed to visit her.
She lay on the bed, enduring the numbness and pain in her back, and gently persuaded Ah He through the window: "Be good, go to your mother's yard."
Zhao also tried to persuade her to leave, but Ah He clung to the doorpost and refused to let go, crying and shouting, "Sister, it hurts. I want to stay with you and blow on you..."
Cong Ying sighed, feeling both sad and soft in the heart.
Fortunately, she has her younger sister, who makes her feel that she is still loved and everything she does is worth it.
Cong Ying was in so much pain that she almost fell asleep. In a daze, she recalled the scene when her grandfather was still alive.
That day, my grandfather's condition improved and he came back from visiting friends. He suddenly felt like playing chess with her.
Cong Ying was just pondering his move when he heard his grandfather say with a smile, "Your chess style is very similar to that of one of my students. You're gentle and reserved, and you don't fight for the top spot. If you two had the chance to spar with each other, you'd definitely become close friends."
Cong Ying said: "The chess styles are similar. Watching others is like watching yourself. Playing chess is like playing by yourself. It is actually boring."
Grandfather asked her, "What kind of opponent do you like?"
Cong Ying thought of the chess manual that he had asked Ji Caibing to get, and a bright red color emerged in his heart.
She said: "I like to...win at the risk of losing, and never give up."
Upon hearing this, Grandfather stroked his beard and shook his head, "This is not the conduct of a gentleman. Lately, many mediocre people in Yunjing have been following this trend. It's all because of the third son of the Xie family who loves to be in the spotlight... Congying, with your attainments, you shouldn't be deceived by him."
Cong Ying smiled but did not answer, pondering the chess manual in her mind. She made a risky move, a cunning tactic that was completely different from her usual style of play.
Success or failure depends on these few steps. It is novel and interesting to walk on the edge of a knife occasionally.
"You, you," he said with a helpless smile, tossing the chess piece he was holding back into the basket. "You win."
From the firefly's eyes curved like two pools of water and moonlight: "Thank you, Grandfather, for letting me."
As she was collecting her pieces, she heard her grandfather say, "Even though you're not interested in his style of play, you should still meet this disciple of mine."
After saying that, he took out a scroll from behind him and handed it to Congying.
Unfolding the scroll from Ying, he saw a young man in the painting. He had a handsome face and a gentle and resolute gaze.
"He was a Jinshi in the 29th year of Fengqi. His name is Du Rupan, and his courtesy name is Buyi."
"Last year, he was demoted to Luzhou as a chief official for impeaching a member of the Xie clan. He came from a poor family, and his success to this day was entirely due to his own hard work. This exile has ruined his career as an official. Fortunately, he can now enjoy a peaceful and peaceful life, free from disputes, and dedicate himself to studying."
Cong Ying nodded. "It's that little Imperial Censor Du, who was known for his 'pure character and elegant prose'. I've read his poems."
"He's also read your poems," Grandfather coughed, his tone rather unnatural, "He admires you...your poems very much."
Cong Ying finally caught the hidden meaning in his words and couldn't help laughing, "Grandfather is interested. Are you planning to be a matchmaker?"
Old Censor Jiang pretended to be stern and said, "Don't tease me. Marriage is the lifeblood of a woman's well-being. You're old enough to consider marriage."
Cong Ying picked up a chess piece and pondered for a long time without saying a word.
Old Censor Jiang said slowly, "Given your temperament, marrying him would be like letting a caged bird return to the forest, but given your talent, marrying him would be like letting a pearl be covered in dust."
"Whether to go or not is up to you to choose. I won't force you, I will only help you."
Cong Ying was silent, looking at the endgame on the chessboard. His mood fluctuated several times, but he finally shook his head, rolled up the scroll again and returned it to his grandfather.
Old Censor Jiang said, "No rush, you can think about it for a few more days."
Cong Ying's tone was gentle but firm: "Don't think about it."
Grandfather asked her the reason, Cong Ying thought for a moment and said: "Once you have seen the sea, all other waters are but puddles; except for Mount Wushan, all other clouds are but mounds."
She didn't say who was the vast sea water or the Wushan clouds that held her captive. But Old Censor Jiang, thinking of the unexpected and risky move she had just used to defeat him, suddenly had an answer.
After all, although Yunjing is big, there is only one bright moon.
Old Censor Jiang sighed and said, "But that person—"
"The moon in the water cannot be fished out. Don't worry, Grandfather. I understand."
Cong Ying looked out the window, the breeze caressing her temples, her eyes were melancholy yet peaceful.
"I will not be a greedy monkey, nor a reed that moves with the rock. I would rather be a freely falling osmanthus flower, or a firefly at night, illuminating a small space."
*
I took a nap from Ying and when I woke up everything was dark and it was time to light the lamps.
The blows on her back no longer hurt, only numbness. She pushed herself to her feet and heard the hall door open. She thought it was her uncle sending off the distinguished guests and coming out to cane her, but she saw it was her mother, Zhao.
Zhao asked the maid to light the lamp and placed the freshly prepared ointment on the small table in front of Congying.
She said, "Mom will apply some medicine on you. It would be bad if it leaves a scar."
Cong Ying looked at her and said, "Aren't you afraid that your uncle will find out and get angry at you and your brother?"
Zhao paused slightly and lowered her eyes: "Your uncle has agreed. Don't worry, everything is fine now. Today you told Ah Qian to take Xie Xiang as your master -"
"My uncle is willing to let this go, is it because of what Censor Du said?"
Zhao had no choice but to answer her question first: "Censor Du came to the ancestral hall to pay homage to your grandfather and said he wanted to see you. Your uncle said you were not feeling well and it was inconvenient for you to see a man other than you, so he declined. After Censor Du left, they wanted to come back and teach you a lesson. I begged and persuaded you many times."
"I'm sorry to bother you mother." Cong Ying pulled the corner of her mouth: "I'm afraid there is more than this?"
Zhao nodded awkwardly, "Yes... Just as Censor Du left, Prime Minister Xie's advisor arrived and delivered a message from Prime Minister Xie, saying that the Third Young Master had been the first to offend with his irresponsible words. He told your uncle not to punish you, and that the marriage would be discussed after you had finished your mourning period."
It turned out to be the Third Young Master.
Ying felt a sudden realization and a moment of melancholy in her heart.
She came to his house to break off the engagement, which offended him, but he took the blame and came to help her out.
He was so thoughtful that it made Cong Ying feel uncomfortable. Although she knew that canceling the engagement on her own initiative was the only correct choice, she still couldn't help feeling upset and sad, as if she had lost a priceless treasure.
Cong Ying stared blankly at the dim light, thinking that she had failed to catch the moon and had broken the moon in the water with her own hands.
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