Chapter 40 Seeking Marriage from a Young Girl
.
Lin Zhaoheng, a civil official, was already panting and exhausted after the fierce battle, his ears ringing so badly that he could barely hear clearly: "What does the Second Young Master mean?"
"The message was sent by carrier pigeon to your daughter. As for the claim of digging a tunnel," Wen Zhixu paused almost imperceptibly, and only Lin Xihe understood his intention. He was probably saving face for her, since Lin Xihe had once considered widening a dog hole. "That's utter nonsense. How could the legitimate daughter of the Censor-in-Chief possibly do something like crawling through a dog hole? What do you think, Lord Lin?"
Although Wen Zhixu was clearly a generation younger than Lin Zhaoheng, Lin Zhaoheng had to look up at him when Wen Zhixu stood in front of him. The air of authority that he usually had when he was in charge of supervising the officials in the court was completely gone at this moment.
Wen Zhixu, who was usually sharp-tongued, was about to speak again when he suddenly felt his sleeve tighten, and his neatly arranged clothes were slightly tugged at an angle by an external force. He looked down, but the words he was about to say were all swallowed back down by the girl's gaze.
Fine, he'll just go along with her. Saying less won't kill him.
Lin Xihe was terrified that the next sentence in the preface would describe her as a dog, or as someone who happily crawled through dog holes—such vile descriptions. He never had a kind word to say.
This action was interpreted by Lin Zhaoheng and Wen Hongyuan as a signal of intimacy.
Wen Hongyuan was deeply shocked. Had his grandson changed his ways? Just a few days ago, he had sworn that he would rather feign madness than marry a fool, and now, how could he be so attached to the fool he had always disliked?
Could it be that dementia is contagious, and my grandson has become stupid too?
"As for the talk of a secret rendezvous..." Wen Zhixu clarified, "If walking the dog together or having breakfast together counts as a secret rendezvous, then so be it."
He admitted it readily and decisively.
Wen Hongyuan: "..."
Lin Xihe was confused.
Break off the engagement? Isn't this exactly what he wanted? Why wait to sever ties now?
She has been cleared of suspicion of seducing another man, and with both sets of parents present, it is the perfect time to end things.
Lin Zhaoheng's gaze towards Wen Zhixu gradually turned cold: This boy's temperament is truly unpredictable.
He was diligent in court affairs, rising earlier than the rooster and working harder than an ox. Wen Zhixu, on the other hand, was carefree, refusing both the imperial examinations and official positions. He turned down every opportunity given to him by the emperor, spending his days idly—it seems he used all his free time to seduce his beautiful young wife!
He, as the father, hasn't even settled accounts with his brat yet!
Lin Zhaoheng secretly glanced at his increasingly large belly, then looked at Wen Zhixu's strong and tall figure. After struggling for three seconds, he gave up the urge to fight this kid.
The atmosphere was tense.
Just then, Lin Xihe yawned.
Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes turned away simultaneously.
"?" Lin Xihe, who was sleepier than a dog and hungrier than a pig, instantly became the focus of attention. "Yawning is a cardinal sin?"
"..."
These ancient people were truly vulgar. Does pure friendship between opposite sexes always have to turn into mere lip-to-lip friendship?
She led her dog through a side door in full view of everyone.
Wen Hongyuan: "That dog seems to belong to the Wen family."
Lin Zhaoheng: "Why is your dog visiting my house? Has the Wen family fallen so low that they can't even support a dog?"
The two then got into an argument over the ownership of the dog.
.
The sound of dogs barking came from the border area between the two prefectures.
With the dog hole blocked, Mo Hu couldn't go home through his "private tunnel." Just now, the heads of the Wen and Lin mansions had a physical altercation outside, so Wen Zhixu couldn't very well arrogantly erect a ladder and order Mo Hu home. He could only send his personal servant to discreetly fetch the dog.
Unexpectedly, Wen Qi returned empty-handed and was standing under the eaves waiting for his master to punish him.
Suddenly, a girl's energetic voice rang out from the backyard: "Little Black, catch!"
Wen Zhixu overheard Lin Xihe playing with Mo Hu in the backyard. The object they were playing with seemed to be called a "frisbee"?
Wen Qi imposed the neighbor's young master's will on the innocent little dog: "Second Young Master, it's Mo Hu who doesn't want to return to the manor."
"Little Black, let's play hide-and-seek!"
"Woof woof!"
What does "hide-and-seek" mean? I've never heard of it before.
With his excellent hearing, Wen Zhixu heard Lin Xihe's head maid speak again: "Miss, Wen Qi just came to pick up the dog, and I told him what you asked."
"Hmm." The girl was engrossed in playing with the dog, her cheerful voice drifting over, "If Wen Zhixu comes to ask for it back tomorrow, just say the same thing. You'll say that Xiao Hei doesn't want to go home, right, Xiao Hei?"
Preface: "Cough..." Lin Xihe seemed to think he was dead.
The laughter in the courtyard subsided slightly, and Lin Xihe's voice drifted over even more cheerfully, with a confident tone: "That's right, I just don't want to pay it back. Can I borrow Xiao Hei for a few days? I'll stay home and have a good time with Xiao Hei these next few days."
"You want to have fun, huh?" Wen Zhixu sighed deliberately, "That's a pity. Tonight is the birthday of the City God, and Shengjing will have the grandest temple fair. I heard there will be sugar figurines, shadow puppet shows, acrobatic troupes, and all sorts of things. But Miss Lin wants to stay at home, so she'll have to miss out on this excitement."
"What?! A temple fair!!!" Lin Xihe exclaimed excitedly, tossing her frisbee high into the air, where it traced a long arc.
As the bright moon rose into the sky, people flocked to the long street.
Suddenly, a fiery spectacle began ahead, with flashes of light. Lin Xihe's eyes lit up, and she urged repeatedly, "Hurry, hurry! I want to see the fire-breathing dragon!"
The young lady, who was walking ahead, ran out of patience. Seeing him walking unhurriedly in the shadows, she suddenly turned around to the young man behind her, and the swirling skirt of her dress bloomed like a flower in the shimmering light.
"Hey, you're the one who called me out, and you're the one dawdling."
Lin Xihe pulled on his sleeve and tugged forward, so Wen Zhixu had no choice but to stand in front of the crowd.
"Sizzle—!" The performer spat out a long tongue of fire. The firelight suddenly illuminated Wen Zhixu's forehead, and Lin Xihe could then see that there was a clear bruise there, which was particularly conspicuous in the flickering light.
"...By the frisbee?" The frisbee was made by the carpenter in the manor, so it was naturally made of wood.
Wen Zhixu let out a soft hum, which could be considered an admission.
"Does it hurt?"
There was at least a hint of concern in her eyes—though it was as faint as air—but Wen Zhixu still said, "It's alright."
She stood on tiptoe to watch the fire-breathing trick, while frequently glancing back at his forehead. His eyelashes drooped slightly, his gaze falling on her waist, where the squirrel pom-pom he had given her swayed gently with her movements, soft and lovely.
The dull pain in my forehead disappeared completely.
After the fire-breathing performance, it's time for the traditional daring act: swallowing a sword.
Those young ladies who had finally managed to go out for some fresh air all showed subtle changes in their expressions. The few who were bolder all covered their eyes with their sleeves.
The performer opened his mouth wide and plunged the gleaming longsword straight into his throat. A young lady standing beside Lin Xihe immediately went weak in the knees, fainted from fright, and was carried away by servants.
Wen Zhixu felt a slight unease, worried that Lin Xihe was having nightmares.
But the other person remained as still as a mountain, watching with complete concentration.
Amid the noise, Lin Xihe saw the young man beside her suddenly lower his head, and heard his voice in her ear: "Aren't you afraid?"
With a hint of cunning that seemed to know the secret, she said, "The scabbard is made of a special soft metal that can be rolled up in your mouth and held there. It's all part of the routine."
Preface: Well, his worries were completely unnecessary.
Xianqing Tower was the most luxurious place in Shengjing. The five pavilions were all more than three stories high, soaring into the sky, and connected by flying bridges, creating a magnificent atmosphere.
Downstairs, a group of onlookers who can't afford to spend money are always squatting, mainly to take a picture of themselves as tourists.
Amidst the gasps of amazement, Lin Xihe didn't even glance at the building, heading straight for the sugar-blowing vendor.
Wen Zhixu remained silent, though he had clearly consulted Xie Qi: Where would be a good place to invite a young lady?
Xie Qi declared emphatically: "A young lady will surely be delighted to enjoy the moon from the top floor of Xianqing Tower!"
Lin Xihe held up the sugar figurine and handed it over: "Here, for you."
Wen Zhixu took it in his hand and examined it closely. It resembled a crane, with an elegant posture and a crimson body. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows slightly and cast an inquiring glance.
"A relative of the crane, the flamingo."
"?"
"Don't you like raising birds?" Lin Xihe said, "Your brother's pigeons, and Bubu... I specially asked the shop owner to make them exactly as I said, just to give him some face?"
The implication was that he wanted to see birds he had never seen before.
As the text slowly turned the bamboo stick, wherever the sugar bird's beak pointed, Lin Xihe's dark eyes followed, unblinking. Her posture resembled that of a stubborn foreman.
If he doesn't give some response, Foreman Lin won't give up.
Unable to resist this silent pressure, he reluctantly extended his tongue and lightly touched the sugar bird's wing.
Lin Xihe: "Is it delicious?"
Preface to the text: "Sweet".
Her smile melted in his heart like candy.
Someone called out "Moon".
Lin Xihe looked up at the sky, where a silver moon was surrounded by a thin veil of clouds. She pointed to the flying bridge connecting Xianqing Tower: "Go there to admire the moon; the view is unbeatable."
Having said that, as if afraid the moon would slip away, the girl lifted her skirt and stepped into the bustling Xianqing Tower.
He threw a single sentence at the young man: "You're the one paying for those expensive places!"
Wen Zhixu gave a wink to the servant beside him, then, holding the sugar bird, followed her into the building.
Lin Xihe caught sight of Miss Zhao's familiar face at the corner of the stairs and gave her a cold look.
Just as Miss Zhao was about to lash out, she saw the young man slowly following her up the stairs, and her imposing aura instantly vanished.
The waiter leading the way said, "Young Master Wen, it would be best to reserve a private room for you."
Wen Zhixu raised his wrist to let the sugar bird avoid Miss Zhao's overpowering perfume scent, and asked the waiter, "Have the candied fruit and flower tea that the young lady likes been prepared?"
"It has already been prepared as you instructed."
"What about cocktails?" Wen Zhixu recalled that Lin Xihe had asked about this item in front of the tavern.
"this……?"
"Prepare it now and send it over quickly."
"Yes." The waiter dared not offend this distinguished guest, secretly lamenting his predicament, but dared not show it on his face.
When Miss Zhao returned to the private room, her expression suddenly turned cold.
The ladies present were all from noble families.
They were unaware of the explosive news that Lin Zhaoheng and Wen Hongyuan had fought in front of the mansion today. They kept repeating the outdated gossip: Lin Xihe was having an affair with a man by carrier pigeon.
From the direction of their private room, they could clearly see the flybridge not far away.
On the bridge, young men and women stood side by side. The light of the lanterns stretched their shadows long, extending them, along with the carved birds and beasts on the railings, into the night.
Even Miss Zhao, in that one glance, was inexplicably lost in thought.
The shouts from the people downstairs rose again: "Look, pigeons!"
Upon hearing the sound, Miss Zhao looked up again.
Hundreds of pigeons came fluttering down from all directions, landing in unison. The bridge railings, eaves... were instantly covered in white, like a cloud carpet cut from the sky.
Lin Xihe was clearly caught off guard and was startled by the sudden commotion, causing her to tremble slightly.
The next moment, the second young master of the Wen family on the bridge calmly took out a purse from his sleeve.
Inside the private room, all the elegant ladies lost their composure, practically pressed themselves against the window, their eyes fixed on the two of them.
Someone said it first: "Could it be that Young Master Wen's actions... are he asking for my hand in marriage?"
-----------------------
Author's note: Xianqinglou is a reference to Fanlou in the Northern Song Dynasty.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com