Chapter 15 An Unexpected Incident... The Green Blossom Has Turned into a Red Blossom
Qingduo's interest in the Zeng family courtyard is gradually waning.
What is the beauty of "winding paths leading to secluded spots" or "carved beams and painted rafters"? No matter how amazing it may seem at first glance, after a while, it's nothing special.
It may be elegant, but it's really boring.
She wanted to dig bamboo shoots in the bamboo forest behind the mountain, catch shrimp by the babbling brook, wander through the streets and alleys, watch the carpenter plane out the rolling wood shavings, listen to the tinkling of the goldsmith's hammer, play with the intricate nine-linked rings in the peddler's basket, and identify the exotic fragrances newly arrived at the spice shop...
Qingduo sighed, picked up her brush, dipped it in crimson, and dotted the petals of the weeping crabapple on the paper. She bit the brush handle as she examined her painting, then threw the brush down, scattering red specks across the paper.
When the artist is not in the mood, even the flowers they paint appear lifeless.
Feeling stifled, she lay down on the bed, covered her face with a handkerchief, and grew angrier the more she thought about it.
She was originally free and independent, but after Zeng Zhengqing married her, she not only had to serve him every day but also take care of her brother-in-law, and she couldn't go out freely. He was only concerned with running his bookstore, leaving her pitifully alone at home. Moreover, not long after their marriage, he was going on a long trip in just a few days!
The old man was right, "Merchants value profit over parting!"
She won't cry and whine like the pipa player; she wants judgment!
"Whoosh—" The little green figure in her mind put one hand on her hip and swung a whip arrogantly in the other, questioning the man kneeling in front of her.
"Zeng Xiaoqing, you've confined me at home, depriving me of my freedom. Do you know your crime?"
"Your Majesty Qingduo, I admit my guilt." Zeng Xiaoqing's attitude was good in his mind.
"Hmph!" Qingduo let out a smug hum, crossed her legs, and shook them as she thought about how to deal with Zeng Xiaoqing. She was so excited that her breathing became rapid, and the handkerchief at her lips rose and fell with her movements.
Before she could even make up her mind, the door creaked open, interrupting her reverie. Qingduo jumped in fright, immediately sitting up, her handkerchief falling onto her skirt. She glanced guiltily at the door, and relieved to find it wasn't Zeng Zhengqing.
She patted her chest: "Fangqing, you scared me to death."
Fang Qing said awkwardly, "This servant didn't know that Madam was resting, and I woke her up."
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I wasn't sleeping, I just didn't expect anyone to come in," she continued in her mind, not expecting someone to come in and interrupt her "judgment."
"Young Madam," Fang Qing approached mysteriously, "I have something good for you."
Qingduo then noticed the square cloth bag in Fangqing's hand, which piqued her curiosity. She stared intently as Fangqing opened the bag, her eyes lighting up: "Storybooks!"
Seeing that Qingduo was pleased, Fangqing smiled and said, "I noticed that the young mistress has been listless these past few days, so I thought I'd cheer you up. I asked someone to buy you some popular storybooks."
"Ah! Fangqing!" Qingduo jumped off the bed excitedly and hugged her tightly. "Fangqing is the best!"
Qingduo ate the perilla plum that Fangqing had brought her, and held the storybook that Fangqing had bought in her hand. At this moment, she decided to forgive Zeng Xiaoqing.
If it weren't for him, how would I have met the kind-hearted Fangqing?
The book in my hand is called "Thoughts in the Painting Hall". It tells the story of Shen Siyao, the eldest daughter of the Shen family of the Changrong Earl's Mansion. She marries Xie Jingming, a newly appointed scholar who has passed the imperial examination. She originally wanted to live a harmonious life together, but she found that Xie Jingming's true love was someone else, his cousin.
"Poor sister." Qingduo slurped up the ice cream quickly, her eyes never leaving the storybook, and exclaimed, "Fangqing, give me another bowl."
Shen Siyao had hoped to win him over by catering to his desires. She managed the household affairs meticulously and treated Xie Jingming with utmost care. He gradually wavered, though he didn't show it outwardly. Shen Siyao was utterly disappointed. During a chase targeting Xie Jingming, she accidentally fell off a cliff...
Having read to the last page of the book in her hand, Qingduo was anxious to know whether Shen Siyao had been rescued after falling off the cliff. She searched through the remaining storybooks but found that there was only one book, "Huatang Chun".
"Huh? It's a serialized story? I knew I shouldn't have followed it!" Not seeing the ending made her incredibly anxious. She picked up another book and started reading, but her mind was filled with the ending: Xie Jingming learning of his wife's fall off a cliff, his eyes red-rimmed and bloodshot.
Qingduo had read similar stories before, but the author of this book, Zi Pian, meticulously described the lives of aristocratic families, which broadened her horizons considerably. In particular, Shen Siyao's demeanor and speech perfectly matched her imagination of what a well-bred young lady should be.
A thought suddenly occurred to her: she had never known how to behave in a way that could be considered "dignified," so why not just follow Chen Siyao's example?
Confucian scholars regard the "Four Books and Five Classics" as their guide, and Tang Qingduo today regards "Huatang Chun" as essential reading for cultivating a virtuous lady.
So she opened *Huatang Chun* again and read it carefully. When Zeng Zhengqing returned, she imitated him perfectly, demonstrating everything she had learned that afternoon: walking with her feet concealed, pacing no more than an inch, eyes lowered, sitting upright. Even when Zeng Zhengqing tried to talk to her during the meal, she politely said:
“My lord, ‘Do not speak while eating, do not speak while sleeping.’” And then she truly remained silent.
Seeing Zeng Zhengqing's surprised expression, she thought she had learned something and won him over with her elegance. Qingduo couldn't help but feel smug and proud, straightening her back.
I need to ask Fangqing to buy the second volume of "Huatangchun" someday.
The author of this book, Zi Pian, is her second parent!
＊
In the middle of the night, Zeng Zhengqing was awakened by a groan coming from his right side. He quickly got up and asked Qingduo, "Where do you feel unwell?"
"I...I have a stomachache," Qingduo whimpered.
It hurt so much that she couldn't follow the "rule of not speaking in bed."
Zeng Zhengqing got out of bed and lit a candle. He saw her curled up, rolling around in her stomach. He called Fangqing to ask someone to fetch a doctor.
"No, no," Qingduo quickly stopped her, "I must have eaten too much ice cream this afternoon..."
Fangqing said, "This servant will go and fetch a hot water bottle, wrap it in a cloth, and bring it to the young mistress to warm her stomach." After saying that, she went out.
Zeng Zhengqing then ordered ginger soup to be brewed. He rubbed his hands together until they were warm before slipping them under Qingduo's blanket and placing them on her lower abdomen. The area he touched was icy cold; no wonder she had a stomachache. He waited until his palms warmed her abdomen before gently massaging it.
Qingduo felt a surge of warmth flowing into her abdomen, relieving the stabbing pain. Her curled-up body gradually stretched out and relaxed.
"puff--"
Zeng Zhengqing's hand immediately stopped.
The sudden, loud noise plunged the room into a deathly silence.
For her body, this was a triumphant salute, but of course, this "salute" also shattered her face.
Gain or loss can happen in an instant.
Qingduo's face flushed crimson, and her voice was barely audible: "Don't...smell it..."
Zeng Zhengqing couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. Seeing Qingduo's embarrassment, he immediately stopped laughing and comforted her, saying, "Humans eat grains and other foods, so it's only natural for the body's internal organs to function smoothly. You and I are husband and wife, the closest people to each other. This is nothing, so my wife doesn't need to worry about it."
Then he asked, "Are you feeling any better now?"
Qingduo responded softly, "Mmm..."
Zeng Zhengqing continued to massage, but Qingduo pressed his hand down, almost crying out, "Stop massaging..."
Zeng Zhengqing said solemnly, "Madam's health is of utmost importance. If this harms her health, wouldn't it be a case of losing more than you gain?"
Hehehe, yes, she has very little face left, so naturally it's small.
Qingduo let go of his hand, letting him massage her stomach. When Fangqing returned with the hot water bottle, she held it in her arms and drank some ginger soup to dispel the cold in her stomach, finally feeling better.
The two lay down to rest again, and Qingduo sighed inwardly: all the good impression she had worked so hard to build today had been blown away in one fell swoop.
Sigh! All that hard work has come to nothing!
＊
Before he knew it, it was time for Zeng Zhengqing to leave. Qingduo saw him to the door. It was his first time going out since their marriage, and he was worried about Qingduo, repeatedly giving her instructions:
"If you feel scared while you rest at night, ask Fangqing to come in and keep you company."
"If you feel bored at home, take people to the theater to watch a play and go boating. There's also a temple fair in a few days. You've lived in Wuzhou City for so long, you know better than me where the excitement is. Just make sure you bring people to serve you when you go out."
Seeing the joy shining in Qingduo's eyes, he smiled and said, "Although the weather is hot, don't eat ice cream or drink anything cold."
Qingduo immediately recalled the embarrassing incident from the night before. Her face flushed red, and she twisted her handkerchief, muttering, "That was an accident."
She ate too much and that's why she had a stomachache that night. She'll be fine if she just eats one less bowl.
Qingduo secretly made this plan, only remembering the parts of Zeng Zhengqing's instructions that she wanted to hear, and letting the rest go in one ear and out the other. But her attitude was excellent. She nodded vigorously and said, "I remember, go with peace of mind, my husband."
Zeng Zhengqing paused for a moment, then said, "And, what about Zhengji..."
Qingduo quickly replied, "I know, I will take care of your brother and visit him often."
“No, no, that’s not what I meant,” Zeng Zhengqing said hesitantly. “You don’t need to go there.
Seeing Qingduo's puzzled look, he said simply, "He...he can take care of himself. You don't need to bother him."
Qingduo blinked and met Zeng Zhengqing's meaningful gaze. She suddenly realized that she and Zeng Zhengji were about the same age and should avoid suspicion.
Hey! That'll put her at ease! With that thought, she nodded emphatically: "Yes... I understand."
As soon as Zeng Zhengqing disappeared, everyone saw that Qingduo was still standing there. They assumed that the newlyweds were reluctant to part and wisely left, leaving only Qingduo and Fangqing behind.
Once everyone had left, Qingduo jumped up on the spot: "Fangqing, let's go out now! Let's go buy 'Huatangchun'!"
With Zeng Zhengqing gone, no one can control her anymore! She can do whatever she wants!
She needs to learn the wisdom of a lady from the second volume of "Huatangchun" and regain the face she has lost!
Fang Qing felt this was inappropriate and said, "Young Madam, if you want to read 'Hua Tang Chun,' I'll have someone buy it for you."
"No, I have so much to do! Buying storybooks is just one of them. Oh dear, my husband just said he agrees to let me go out. Come with me!"
Fang Qing thought to herself: Your "going out" and the young master's "going out" are not the same thing. Just as she was about to persuade him again, she saw a woman staggering over. Upon seeing them, she hurriedly called out, "Ah Zhao!"
When Qingduo heard someone calling her, she turned around and saw that it was Aunt Zhu. She was walking hurriedly, with a few strands of hair falling down. She didn't even bother to comb it and looked panicked.
Qingduo was surprised and went up to her, asking, "Aunt Zhu, what happened?"
"Ah Zhao!" Zhu Niang grabbed her, stammering, "Tang Li, Father, your father, something happened to him!"
A note from the author:
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