Chapter 3 It Must Be Ridiculous It’s late at night, the candlelight flickers, and…
It was late at night and the place was quiet. The candlelight flickered dimly. Rows of neatly arranged maids, holding trays, hurried in and out of the upper room of the Xue Mansion.
The room was filled with the scent of agarwood, and a bitter and faint aroma rose in the air.
The elegant young man lying on the couch closed his eyes slightly and stretched out his hands, while the maids carefully undressed him.
The collar of his linen undergarment was slightly open. Having just bathed, his handsome face had a cleanness that was unique to washing. The water droplets on his black hair slid down his jaw to his delicate Adam's apple and collarbone, and then disappeared into his clothes.
The maids took a look and hurriedly lowered their heads.
I don’t know what the young master went through on this trip. He looked much thinner. His former brilliant elegance was replaced by a cool and elegant look, which had a different kind of charm.
Aristocratic families value legitimate sons and eldest sons, and the eldest branch of the Xue family has only one son, Xue Yu. Since Master Xue retired, he handed over the Xue family to Xue Yu, and the whole family relies on him.
Now that he had returned from being poisoned and blinded, the whole house was busy. First, he was treated by the court physician, and then the inner court sent the imperial physician. It was almost midnight when the treatment was completed.
Xue Yu likes cleanliness. After taking a bath, she felt like she was reborn. Her expression became visibly relaxed.
He straightened his clothes and glanced at the servant standing beside him.
Without further ado, the servant Si Qing immediately understood and stepped forward to report, "According to the young master's instructions, Miss Yun has been placed in the house in Shuiyue Hutong in the south of the city. As for the young master, she has also been brought to Lord Chu as he instructed."
Young masters from aristocratic families pay attention to cultivating their energy, and their concentration is unmatched by others. Seeing that the young master looked normal just now, Si Qing thought that he had forgotten about the girl from the Yun family.
Xue Yu hummed, rubbed the rim of the cup with his fingers, and glanced out the window.
The night was hazy, and all I could hear was the rustling sound of rain hitting the window paper. The south of the city was mostly inhabited by wealthy families, so the second daughter of the Yun family would surely be safe there temporarily.
The ice basin in the room was emitting a slight cool breeze, which dispelled a lot of the July heat. Xue Yu loosened his clothes and asked, "Miss Yun, do you have any ice?"
"Reporting to the young master, yes, there is." said Su Qing.
Xue Yu could have allowed Yun Yang to come to the Xue Mansion, but she had many misunderstandings about him, and he couldn't explain them. He concealed his identity and accompanied her all the way to the capital, which was another heavy stroke of misunderstanding. Therefore, he could not go to see her.
After all, she is his nominal sister-in-law. It would be unreasonable to avoid her. It would be better to find someone to meet her on his behalf so that she can feel at ease and return to Youzhou early.
Chu Qin was his best friend and the top scholar in the same imperial examination in the seventh year of Zhenyou. They later served in the same dynasty.
According to common sense, the top three in the Golden Palace are: the number one is a great talent, the second is the second, and the third is someone with good looks and decent literary talent.
But the top scholar in the seventh year of Zhenyou was more handsome than the third place.
Chu Tanhua was angry for a long time.
Later, in the turbulent court, their political views often coincided with each other, and they developed a deep appreciation for each other. After court, they supported each other when tired, drank wine and wrote poetry, which was also the most relaxing and happy time of those years.
Three short years later, he was promoted to the position of Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince, while Chu Qin joined the Ministry of Rites. Although they didn't see each other as often as they had in the Hanlin Academy, their personal relationship had become even closer.
Chu Qin is a very versatile person who is well versed in the ways of the world. It would be most appropriate to ask him to impersonate me.
Thinking so, Xue Yu put down the teacup, raised his hand to press his solar plexus, and looked calm and composed, as if he didn't care about his blindness at all.
When Xue Yu first entered the imperial court as a Hanlin official, he often consulted with the emperor. At that time, night duty was boring, and as a young man with spare energy, he read many medical books that were only available in the palace. When he was first poisoned, he used bloodletting therapy in time. He knew that with the medicinal properties of the poison, there was a 90% chance that he could regain his sight, it was just a matter of time.
On the other side, the moonlight danced. It was late at night. Warm yellow candlelight enveloped the room. A faint fragrance lingered in the air from the Boshan stove. Yun Yang lay on the soft bed, as if he was trapped in a cloud.
She should have fallen into a deep sleep, but she was unusually awake. The brocade that her fingertips touched was shining with colorful colors. It was extremely luxurious yet extremely soft. She was afraid that the burrs on her fingers would scratch the precious brocade.
Unable to fall asleep, Yun Yang jumped up. Her long hair, after washing, hung on one side of her shoulder like silk. She lifted the low curtains and looked up at the overly luxurious room, feeling vaguely uneasy.
This blind young man's move is too impressive!
She was so lucky. She had met a good person. But when someone gives you a gift, you have to return it. Tomorrow, when she sees the blind man again, she will definitely ask him if there is anything he longs for.
*
The next day.
"Hurry up, hurry up, I'm indecisive." The man's voice came from outside. His voice was tinged with laughter, as clear as the sound of jade colliding, and it exuded a natural familiarity. "Why did Sister Yunyang come here by herself?"
Yun Yang raised her hand to adjust her dress, unable to hide her nervousness. She wondered if her brother-in-law, who came from a prominent family, would find her impetuous. She didn't know whether to go and meet him or just wait.
A man walked out from behind a screen decorated with flowers and birds. He was dressed very elegantly, with a jade crown to hold his hair up, and a cloud satin brocade robe embroidered all over with exquisitely crafted patterns of mountains, rivers, and pavilions. He wore a leather belt around his waist, and his sleeves fluttered as he walked. There was a smile between his eyebrows and in his eyes, and he was indescribably elegant and graceful.
"Um, um, I, I'm Yun Yang." Yun Yang bowed and saluted, "Yun Yang greets brother-in-law."
The voice became smaller and smaller, especially the word "brother-in-law" which was almost inaudible.
The man smiled, bowed in return, and said gently, "No need, no need. I've heard your sister say that sister Yunyang is very sensible. Seeing her today, it's true. It's me who neglected sister Yunyang and made her travel thousands of miles to Shangjing. It's my fault."
After saying that, Chu Qin looked at her carefully. The young woman had no makeup on her face, and if you looked closely, you could see some fine hairs on her face.
Her eyebrows and eyes are as delicate and beautiful as those in a painting, and her drooping neck is slender and white. She does not have a beautiful and charming appearance, but more like a graceful and thin water lily, about to bloom, with its own elegance.
But the beauty held a flaming spear in her hand...
"My brother-in-law was inconsiderate. Please forgive me." Chu Qin said sincerely, "I heard that sister Yunyang was coming to the capital early this morning. I was worried that the people in the mansion would neglect her, so I asked for leave from my superiors and came here personally to pick her up and have a chat."
This person very naturally called himself brother-in-law, and his words were so comforting that Yun Yang's uneasiness was completely dispelled. A smile spread across her face, and she bowed her head. "Brother-in-law, you are too kind. I came here uninvited and bothered you and your husband. It's just that the letters I wrote to you and your sister have not received a reply, and I am really worried..."
Chu Qin secretly complained in his heart, leading this little girl to the Xue Mansion, but not letting her see her sister. I wonder how Xue Yu will end up?
He shook his head imperceptibly, turned around and led the way, "Let's go, let's take my sister back home. We're all family, so what's the big deal about living outside? If it were you, my sister should have knocked on the door of the Xue Mansion when she came here last night. We're all family, why send a visiting card? Why be so formal!"
Yun Yang didn't bring anything with her. The dry food and silver in her bag were almost used up, and she only had a weapon. She raised her leg and followed her brother-in-law out. When she was about to leave the house, she suddenly stopped.
"Brother-in-law, I met a blind young man on my way to the capital. He helped me get here so smoothly, but I don't know how to thank him..." Yun Yang whispered, "Brother-in-law, could you please thank him in person for me? Or, or... I really don't have anything valuable with me. This Fire Spear was forged from silver by my father as a coming-of-age gift for me. Could you please give it to him for me?"
Chu Qin was stunned and looked at the weapon in the girl's hand. The red tasseled spear head was sharp, emitting a captivating cold light. It looked quite heavy and did not fit the girl's slender figure. He wondered how she had picked it up.
He smiled gently, "This gift from my sister is quite unique. Do you like swordplay and club-wielding?"
"I was weak when I was little, and my family's martial artist was very skilled in spearmanship, so my father asked me to learn from him to strengthen my body." Yun Yang lowered his eyes to hide his guilty conscience. "Later, my martial artist said that I learned well, so I persisted in practicing."
It was obvious that she wanted to learn and loved to learn, so she pestered the warrior to teach her.
"This gift is precious. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Sister, you can personally give it to the blind young man." Chu Qin smiled. "The people of Shangjing are open-minded. Unlike other places where men and women cannot meet privately, sister, stay here and walk around the streets more often. You will find that women don't need to wear veils when going out."
After Yun Yang went out, he got on the carriage. From the outside, the carriage looked no different except that it was slightly larger than an ordinary carriage. But when he got inside, he felt it was elegant and luxurious. There were hollow gilded incense balls hanging on the four corners. The invisible smoke was elegant and light, refreshing the heart, and soothing a lot of the dryness of midsummer.
The Xue Mansion is located at the southernmost end of Luodu City. Turning in from the bustling and bustling market, the place becomes quieter and quieter as you walk. Yun Yang lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked around, all he could see was a stretch of green tiles and white walls.
"The various branches of the Xue family live in this area in a row. My sister can walk around the mansion more often in the future. The mansion was expanded not long ago. The new garden was built by the craftsmen who built the royal gardens. The pavilions, towers, and jade buildings are very beautiful." Chu Qin said.
Yun Yangxu nodded in response.
My sister actually married into such a family. No wonder my parents were afraid that Master Xue would not keep his word, so they hurriedly married my sister to this family.
"Is my brother-in-law an official in the court?" Yun Yang asked.
"Yes," Chu Qin replied, taking a deep look at the increasingly clear entrance to the Xue Mansion outside the car window. He smiled faintly and said, "I was originally a sixth-rank editor in the Hanlin Academy. At the end of last year, I was commended by the Emperor and appointed to the Ministry of Justice, concurrently serving as the Crown Prince's Junior Tutor."
"The Crown Prince's Junior Tutor? That means the Crown Prince's teacher? It must be a very high official, right?" Yun Yang continued to ask.
When I was at home, I only heard that my brother-in-law was very capable. He won the top spot in the imperial examination at the age of twenty and served as an official in the court.
But she didn't know what official position he held or how high his rank was.
I just vaguely feel that since the whole family worships him like this, and even when my father mentions the Xue family and my brother-in-law in daily conversations, he looks very nervous, so he must be a high-ranking official.
Chu Qin smiled modestly, "I just assist the Crown Prince in handling government affairs, but I don't have any real power."
Having said that, he knew clearly in his heart that the promotion path for civil officials was slow, and that could not limit Xue Yu from becoming the Prince's Junior Tutor at such a young age.
In the more than 200 years of history of the Ming Dynasty, there were only two people who won the top three places in the imperial examination, and there were only 18 people who won the top three places in the imperial examination, and Xue Yu was one of them.
Xue Yu won the top spot in the imperial examination at the age of twenty, becoming the pillar of the Xue family, a wealthy family that had lasted for hundreds of years, and accompanied the emperor in the palace.
It should have taken him more than ten years, but he stood out only during the selection of the Hanlin Academy held every three years and was assigned by the emperor to the Eastern Palace, becoming one of the important ministers prepared in advance for the crown prince. It was only a matter of time before he would enter the cabinet and rise to the position of prime minister.
Although it is still unclear who will sit in that high position given the current situation in the court, Xue Yu will definitely have a place among the future key civil officials.
Now, among the civil and military officials in the court, there are countless people who want to win over and curry favor with him. Such a favored child of heaven, with such a prosperous career, is really enviable...
*
"Your sister-in-law keeps saying she wants to thank you, saying that it's thanks to you that she was able to arrive in Beijing safely and that you arranged such a good place for her to live. That's not enough, she also wants to give you her Fire Spear as a thank you gift. That Fire Spear was her coming-of-age gift." Chu Qin told Xue Yu everything that happened during the day.
It had just rained, and a cool breeze blew by, causing a layer of white mist to rise from the Lotus Pond. Xue Yu stood at the railing, staring blankly at the hanging flower gate not far away. He thought of the Yun family girl's sincere gratitude when he parted with her, and the fire-tipped spear that he always kept in his hand, making a clanging sound. He couldn't help but feel complicated.
"When your sister-in-law came with me to the Xue Residence and didn't see her sister, she burst into tears. It was only after the old lady intervened, coaxing and persuading her, and telling her the truth, that her tears finally stopped." Chu Qin finished recounting the entire matter and sighed. "Your wife is truly unlucky. How could her horoscope clash with yours? To overcome this, she had to travel so far to Mount Jiuyi to cultivate for three years before returning. Three years! Who could endure that?"
Xue Yu's expression grew grim, and he spoke as he had prepared, "The Yun family and I aren't incompatible, but we're incompatible. Forcing a reconciliation wouldn't be good for either of us. Going to Mount Jiuyi was a helpless move to resolve this matter, as the monk said. Does she understand?"
"She was confused at first, but the old lady spoke sincerely and mentioned the assertion of the abbot of the Huguo Temple, and then she stopped crying. This is also for her sister's good. The reason why she didn't tell the Yun family is because this matter is confidential and it won't work if she tells it out." Chu Qin said.
"Does she have anything else to say?" Xue Yu asked.
"Oh, she also praised me for being suave and handsome, and said that my sister found a good man." Chu Qin smiled proudly.
"...Yeah." Xue Yu was speechless.
"Hey, Brother Lingjun, when will your eyes be healed? How many more times do you need me to pretend to be you?" Chu Qin asked again.
Xue Yu shifted his blurred vision and said calmly, "After applying the medicine daily, she can now see clearly. She will be able to see clearly soon. Jieran, thank you very much for this. Now that we have made it clear, I don't think she will stay in the Xue Mansion for much longer. From now on, I will use my busy schedule at court as an excuse to not meet. There is no need to trouble you, Brother Jieran."
The Xue Mansion had a large garden, and she lived there. If he didn't want to see her, he wouldn't be able to. In a few days, when she returned to Youzhou, his eyes would probably be well again, and everything would be back to normal.
After visiting the Xue Mansion and meeting the old lady, she should be able to rest assured.
In Yu Xueyu's eyes, Yun Yang was just a little girl, and she would not doubt the lies that even her grandmother could deceive.
This was the most appropriate excuse he could think of. As for three years later... let's talk about it later.
I hope that in these three years, Yunjia can think of a compromise and come back to cancel the engagement with him.
Yun Yang stayed in Xue's house for a few days. One could tell at a glance that the pavilions, towers and landscape in the house were designed by a master, with cascading water and springs everywhere.
But she had no intention of looking at it any longer. She couldn't see her sister anyway. Living here, although the maids treated her with courtesy, she felt uncomfortable all over. It would be better for her to return to Youzhou as soon as possible.
After all, she is a young girl who has just come of age. She has been away from home for these days and she misses home.
She hadn't thought too much about it when she ran away. Now she had met her brother-in-law and was living in the Xue Mansion. The whole family was much more respectful and polite than she had imagined, especially Old Lady Xue, who was kind and warm to everyone. Her sister went to Jiuyi Mountain to practice and pray for blessings, which was the assertion of the abbot of Huguo Temple, and it was not something that a little girl from the countryside like her could question.
After she calmed down and put her worries to rest, she felt a little scared. If she ran away, her parents would be so angry that they would die. After thinking about it, she decided to buy some food and toys to bring back to apologize to them.
Before leaving, Yun Yang, accompanied by the maid of Xue Mansion, went to Fengqiao Street, the most lively market in Shangjing.
Shangjing at night is very different from the grandeur and solemnity during the day, and is more like the gentle countryside described by poets.
The woman leaning on the railing had a rosy face, the sound of unknown stringed instruments was melodious, and there was everything sold in the market. Yun Yang was dazzled. Thinking that he would be locked up by his parents to learn the rules after returning to Youzhou, he kept walking around with a vengeful mentality.
As there were fewer and fewer people and it was getting later, I reluctantly walked back.
When passing by the arch bridge, I glanced down casually and saw a man on the black-sailed boat with his eyebrows lowered, his hair loose, his brocade clothes messy and loose, and a glaring kiss mark on his exposed neck.
A slender white hand reached out from the black-sailed boat, the scarlet nail polish on its nails extremely alluring. That hand hooked onto the drunken man's belt and gently pulled it in...
The moonlight poured down, and the black-sailed boat swayed faintly, bringing up swaying silver waves. The entangled figures of the two were reflected on the cabin window paper, accompanied by the erotic lyrics and music coming from afar, which was indescribably romantic and fragrant.
The girl on the arch bridge frowned, her heart sank, and the ice drink in her hand fell to the ground. She squeezed out four words from between her teeth: "Xue Yu, you old thief!"
The author has something to say:
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The male protagonist is 23 years old, 8 years younger than the female protagonist.
I know that a second-rank official in ancient times couldn't be so young, but after all, a man would be 60 after 25... so... well, please be more tolerant.
Sometimes typos and word order will be corrected, but the plot settings will not be changed significantly.
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