The past is lost to the winds, but the future is bright; blessings and good fortune abound, and prosperity fills every field.
Snap!
In her panic, a maidservant broke a teacup. She then knocked over several people, scattering plates, fruits, and other items on the ground.
Hearing the noise, the second steward Jiang Yuan rushed over and scolded the maid who had her head down: "On such a joyous day, why are you being so clumsy? Look up, I'll remember who you are. I'll definitely deduct your reward money."
The maid refused to look up and tried to leave.
Jiang Yuan snorted coldly and had the maid beside him hold her down. When he saw her face, he was stunned.
Before long, the groom, Jiang Jinghong, received the news and rushed over.
Jiang Yuan cleared out the others, and the small garden became quiet.
Jiang Jinghong was tall and strong, and when his face darkened, he appeared even more imposing without anger. When he saw Yu Yue, who was dressed as a maid in front of him, his displeasure was as if he had seen a few flies in a pot of broth. He turned around and left, only saying, "After the wedding, send her far away."
Yu Yue rushed over, knelt on the ground, and stopped Jiang Jinghong: "Brother Jinghong! I was just too thirsty and secretly drank some tea. Please don't chase me away. Please."
"You snuck in here just for a cup of tea?" Jiang Jinghong sneered.
"I..." Yu Yue's eyes darted around, then she caught sight of a red apple that had just fallen into the grass, and she couldn't help but swallow hard. She was not only thirsty, but also very hungry.
Jiang Yuan followed her gaze, walked over, and picked up the fruit. He squatted down and waved the fruit in front of Yu Yue: "Speak, tell me everything you know."
The bright red fruit looked delicious. Yu Yue's eyes followed the apple as it swayed, turning left and right: "My brother sent me."
Isn't that obvious? Jiang Jinghong frowned.
Jiang Yuan wiped the apple with his sleeve, made a "smack" sound, and took a big bite: "So sweet."
With the apple already in his mouth gone, Jiang Jinghong was about to leave again when Yu Yue waved her hands wildly, shouting, "Don't go! I'll talk! I'll talk! Brother bumped into Sister-in-law the day before yesterday and wanted to rekindle their relationship, but she scolded him. Brother was furious and wanted to cause a big scene today when you two get married."
Beep crackle! Crackling crackle!
Several firecrackers went off in unison, and the person in charge shouted, "The newlyweds are in place! Let's pay our respects to Heaven and Earth!"
Jiang Jinghong turned to leave, then turned back, took out a handful of loose silver from her sleeve, and threw it to Yu Yue: "Go away! Never let Qingzhou and me see you again."
Yu Yue picked up the loose silver coins and kept agreeing.
Jiang Jinghong walked towards the front hall, while Jiang Yuan led Yu Yue towards the back door.
Jiang Jinghong ran incredibly fast, not daring to even catch his breath. He didn't even have time to greet old acquaintances he saw along the way. Just as his foot touched the threshold of the front hall, he heard someone say, "A pregnant bride like this is quite a sight. Ye Qingzhou has been with countless men; she's just a slut. A dirty slut. A filthy whore."
The one speaking was Yu Xi's mother.
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Sister-in-law Zeng immediately stood up: "Where did this crazy woman come from? Steward, throw her out."
“She’s not a crazy woman, she’s Ye Qingzhou’s mother-in-law.” Yu Xi chuckled. “Ye Qingzhou, I’ve already given you face, but you don’t appreciate it.”
"Yu Xi! You're asking for it!" Jiang Jinghong rushed over in a few steps and grabbed Yu Xi by the collar.
"Jinghong!" Ye Qingzhou lifted her red veil and stopped Jiang Jinghong. Today, Ye Qingzhou was dressed in red makeup and a wedding gown, with red lips and white teeth, and her eyes were sparkling. She was extremely beautiful, which attracted the guests in the hall to praise her beauty.
Jiang Jinghong released her grip and used both hands to protect Ye Qingzhou.
Ye Qingzhou took two steps back, distancing himself from Yu Xi: "Yu Xi, I've given you face before, but you didn't appreciate it. Today, I'll be blunt with you in front of everyone. Do you know why your limbs are weak and your injuries are difficult to heal? It's because you've contracted a sexually transmitted disease. Venereal disease."
"Impossible!" Yu Xi shook her head repeatedly.
Ye Qingzhou smiled slightly: "Among today's guests, there are some from Fengcheng. Ask them if your Yan'er's untimely death is due to this?"
Several people present agreed. Someone else described the horrific state of Yan'er, how her body was left exposed in the wilderness. Finally, that person added, "Her cousin and her advisor were terrified and have been taking medicine all the time."
"How do you know? Did you see them eat?" someone asked.
"I'm a doctor. What a question! Hey, Ye Laosan, don't be afraid to seek medical help. If you and that Yan'er have had physical intimacy, I'll take your pulse and prescribe some medicine. If it's too late, your life might be in danger!"
Ye Laosan shook his head repeatedly, and everyone burst into laughter.
Yu Xi panicked a little. He rolled up his sleeves and looked at his arm. Sure enough, he saw patches of red spots. He asked his mother, "Mom, didn't you say that the doctor said it was nothing serious?"
Yu's mother hesitated, but finally, pressed by Yu Xi, she admitted that she hadn't consulted a doctor.
Yu Xi and her mother got into an argument, and were persuaded to leave by the housekeeper, Pumpkin.
Seeing the hall filled with auspicious characters and the guests in a chaotic state, while Ye Qingzhou was busy chatting with Jiang Jinghong, Senior Brother Zeng pulled his wife over to the couple and said, "Junior Brother Jiang, after the wedding ceremony and entering the bridal chamber, we can have some private conversations."
Jiang Jinghong smiled and agreed, glancing around the room. Everyone was chatting and laughing, except for Sima Mo, who was staring intently at Ye Qingzhou in red. Jiang Jinghong glanced at Jiang Yuan and gave him a meaningful look.
Jiang Yuan's eyes darted around, and he pulled the man who had just treated someone for venereal disease from among the guests to Sima Mo. After saying something, he took Sima Mo away.
"The banquet is about to start, where are they going?" Ye Laosan asked.
"Hey, I heard that Yu Xi instructed his Yan'er to sleep with Sima Mo?" Li Qi chimed in.
In no time, the news that Sima Mo had contracted the same disease as Yu Xi spread.
"Even food can't shut you up!" Lü Xiaocao tossed a handful of melon seeds at Li Qi.
Li Qi lifted his robe, caught the handful of melon seeds, and responded with a grin. When he saw the newlyweds bowing to each other, he continued to crack melon seeds and cheer.
I wish my fellow students Zeng and his wife, and also Jiang and Ye, a harmonious marriage, a long and happy life together, and a lifelong bond of love.
The head butler of the Liu family spoke on behalf of Miss Liu, shouting out a congratulatory message.
The guests chatted amongst themselves, offering blessings and cheers, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere in the hall.
After the wedding ceremony, they entered the bridal chamber. With so many guests today, according to custom, Jiang Jinghong had to offer toasts at each table.
"Are you done changing?" Jiang Yuan asked, hiding in the corridor next to the front hall.
"Alright, alright. I'll have another dumpling to tide me over." Li Qi squatted on the ground, pointing to a pile of wine jugs: "I've replaced them all, so it won't delay Boss Jiang from getting down to business tonight. Hehe."
Jiang Yuan took a separate wine pot from the side, placed it on a tray, and hurried towards the front hall. Jiang Jinghong poured a glass of wine and first toasted Ye's uncle. After drinking the first glass, Jiang Jinghong was a little stunned, savoring the taste. After the second glass, Jiang Jinghong frowned slightly. After finishing the third glass, Jiang Jinghong grimaced.
Jiang Yuan looked on suspiciously. While Jiang Jinghong was speaking, he put down the tray, smelled the wine glass, and exclaimed: "Oh no! Why is it vinegar? Wasn't it supposed to be plain water? Change it again!"
Guests came and went, and the Jiang residence was filled with laughter and chatter until night fell. Li, the constable, arrived late and first offered his congratulations to Jiang Jinghong. Jiang Jinghong had a new table of food prepared and invited Li to take his seat.
“Brother Jiang, this time it was all thanks to your servant who reported the case, saying he saw it when he got home, that we were able to catch the perpetrator red-handed. Everything else in this case is easy to explain, but the body was hard to find; it was at the bottom of the cliff. It took more than ten of us to pull it up with ropes. You know the deceased, it’s Yu Xi.”
"Him?" Jiang Jinghong pinched the bridge of her nose. "What happened?"
"Sima Mo said he jumped himself. He couldn't pay his debts, his girlfriend ran away, and he couldn't think straight. How could that be true?" Li, the constable, smiled helplessly and shook his head with some disapproval: "The case is still under investigation. Sooner or later we'll make him tell the truth."
"Where is his mother?" Jiang Jinghong asked.
Li, the constable, took a sip of wine and a bite of food: "He got beaten too. He injured his head. He knows nothing when questioned, and if you ask him again, he starts yelling. Lock him up for now."
Jiang Jinghong nodded, then raised his glass again and drank with his friend.
As night deepened, in the warm embrace of the bedchamber, the couple once again shared their deepest affection.
A month later, chrysanthemums bloomed in the garden, and leaves fell in the wind, like withered butterflies.
Ye Qingzhou played with her two daughters for a while, stepping on fallen leaves, when she received a letter written by someone on behalf of Yu Xiaohong. The letter said:
Sister Ye, I won't be back for a few days. My father and I took Yu Xi's mother home, only to find out that the heavy rains this year had washed away Yu Xi's father's grave. The clansmen said that Yu Xi's father's bones were black, indicating he had been murdered. The clansmen accused Yu Xi's mother and sent her to the authorities, saying she would pay with her life. The day Yu Xi's mother was arrested, she cried out Sister Ye's name, saying she had wronged Sister Ye and begged Sister Ye to save her. But she had committed a capital crime; who could save her? My mother said, "Yu Xi's mother only realized her mistake when she was about to die; where was she before?" My mother also said, "Yu Xi and the others don't know how lucky they are; I should follow Sister Ye and work hard." Yu Yue has disappeared, and Yu Xi's family's belongings have been taken by his third uncle.
At the end of the letter, Yu Xiaohong said that she would come back as soon as possible.
After reading the letter, Ye Qingzhou felt a bit cold from the wind, so she took the child back to her room and lay down for a short rest. She had barely lain down when she fell asleep. In her dream, there were no members of the Yu family, no old acquaintances or new friends, only her young self, sitting alone in an empty schoolroom. The schoolroom was brightly lit, and she bathed in that light, feeling joyful and happy.
Soon, the dream ended.
Ye Qingzhou wanted to turn over, but she had to support her pregnant belly with both hands to face the inside of the bed.
Footsteps sounded behind me, getting closer and softer.
Finally, the man stopped in front of the bed and sat down. After sitting down, he became restless, his fingers moving back and forth on Ye Qingzhou's rosy lips.
Ye Qingzhou didn't open her eyes, but smiled and took his hand, holding him in her arms.
Jiang Jinghong smiled broadly and readily lay down, embracing Ye Qingzhou from behind. Before they could exchange more than a few words, Ye Qingzhou began to feel sleepy again. Jiang Jinghong gently patted her shoulder, as if comforting a newborn child. In his heart, he silently blessed her: May his Qingzhou be free from worry from now on, her past uncertain, her future bright, and may she enjoy both good fortune and abundant blessings.
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