Chapter 85 Chapter 85 "Let me take a sneak peek at you."...
As Master Zhang finished speaking, the guard raised his staff, and the wooden board made a sharp sound of breaking through the air and landed heavily on his back.
Severe and excruciating pain came to Zhang Jingxuan at the same time as the board fell. He supported himself on the ground with his arms and a muffled groan escaped from his throat.
After he had endured it, the second and third blows followed, and the pain that almost broke his flesh spread across his back. Without giving him time to catch his breath, the next few blows of the cane fell mercilessly on his back, making cold sweat drench his forehead.
In the blink of an eye, fifteen strokes of the cane were delivered, but no one stopped him. The board was returned to another guard, and the next fifteen strokes of the cane fell one after another.
Zhang Jingxuan clenched his teeth, allowing the pain from the swinging wooden board to erode his skin and flesh bit by bit.
So this was what the whipping she'd once experienced felt like: excruciating pain that pierced her bones, leaving her forehead covered in sweat. Women's bodies were naturally delicate, so it was unknown how she'd endured it, and she'd never once complained or cried to him.
The caning fell in a very regular and steady manner, yet it made people feel that the time was very long.
The pain in his back was almost unbearable, a dull ache mixed with a stinging pain. Zhang Jingxuan could taste the rusty taste in his mouth. Finally, with only five boards left, he swayed slightly before finally finding his balance.
Summer clothing was no match for the old scars from the battle, and already fresh wounds were visible superimposed on the old ones from the battle.
The guard hesitated for a moment, but finally struck down without hesitation, swiftly and quickly. Finally, the thirty strokes of the cane were completed. Bright red blood was faintly seeping out of the jade-green clothing, and it was likely that the injury was serious.
Zhang Jingxuan's arms were shaking slightly. The guards behind him wanted to come forward to help him, but he shook his head slightly and slowly stood up by himself, but his face had turned pale.
He did not immediately go back to apply medicine to the wound, but turned to look at Master Zhang and asked in a hoarse voice, "Does what Grandfather said just now still count?"
Master Zhang nodded slowly: "Now that I have said this, it is as firm as a rock falling to the ground. I will not regret it."
Zhang Jingxuan then gently raised the corner of his lip. The wound on his back caused him to feel a sharp pain, but he still bowed and said slowly:
"good."
-
Xue Yuanyin regretted it after she asked the servants to return the jade pendant and key to Zhang Jingxuan at Zhang's house. She curled up on the couch in the room, covering her face with her hands in annoyance, then moved her hands away with despair, staring at the ceiling with empty eyes.
In fact, she had wanted to return it to him a long time ago, but he left in a hurry and she didn't have time. Why return it to him now? It felt like she was throwing a tantrum. Xue Yuanyin deeply regretted it. She didn't want to deliberately upset Zhang Jingxuan in this way.
But she had already returned them, but she was afraid that Zhang Jingxuan had misunderstood. Xue Yuanyin thought about it and felt that if she asked for them back or chased him to explain, it would seem that she was too obsessed with this matter. The little girl was showing her pretentious attitude. Zhang Jingxuan was so smart that he would definitely be able to see her dilemma and inner torment.
Xue Yuanyin didn't want to be looked down upon by Zhang Jingxuan, nor did she want to be seen through by him again.
She has always lost to him over the years, she can't lose to him in spirit now!
But soon, Xue Yuanyin had no time to worry about such trivial matters, because her small, shabby house once again welcomed two familiar guests - Princess Ning Yan and Su Mian.
They always came to look for her these days, but they didn't expect to run into each other today.
Xue Yuanyin sat at the stone table in the courtyard and treated them to tea sent by the old man from the neighboring house.
It’s not a good tea, but these two people seem unable to taste it and always come over to ask for tea.
Princess Ning Yan sat on the left and Su Mian sat on the right.
Xue Yuanyin brewed some tea and gave each of them a cup. She felt a little headache and asked, "Why are you here again?"
Princess Ning Yan took the teacup, puffed up her face, and said angrily, "I have found many young talents in the capital and wanted to introduce them to you. Why are you rejecting me again?"
Su Mian didn't really want to come, but he had done something wrong and was afraid of ghosts knocking on his door, so he said, "Xue Yuanyin, I asked the elders of the Su family to find a suitable marriage for you, but you haven't responded to me for several days."
Xue Yuanyin felt even more headache when she heard this, and said helplessly: "Why do you insist on introducing a marriage to me?"
Princess Ning Yan became even more angry when she heard this: "Haven't you heard the rumors in the capital? The Prime Minister's Mansion just visited the Zhang family not long ago, and today they're saying that their wedding is coming soon!"
After all, the princess was thinking about her, so Xue Yuanyin could only be grateful for her kindness. After thinking about it, she compromised: "How about this, Ning Yan, make a list of your young talents for me, and I'll go meet them when I'm free."
Princess Ning Yan finally nodded, muttering, "That's more like it. He's already found a new love, so why bother hanging yourself on a tree?" Then, she raised an eyebrow and said, "Though my young talents may not be as outstanding as him, they are still quite capable and will definitely not disappoint you."
Xue Yuanyin looked at Su Mian and saw that he was drinking tea. She reached out and snatched the teacup from his hand and said, "Su Mian, tell me honestly, what have you done to offend me?"
Su Mian remained silent. He didn't want to admit that he, Guan Bo, and Zhang Zimo had gossiped behind each other's backs, and that Zhang Jingxuan had overheard them. Later, he and Zhang Zimo secretly gathered together to reason that all their sins stemmed from that rumor.
Su Mian said seriously, "I am a chivalrous man."
In the end, Xue Yuanyin declined politely.
She knew that her friends were kind to her and did not want her 19 years of youth to be wasted, but she really had no time to spare - the eunuchs were urging her to leave, and Xue Chang was about to set off.
Although she would eventually return to the capital, the round trip would take at least a month.
Xue Yuanyin pondered in the room for a long time, sent away two waves of matchmakers who were trying to introduce marriages, and finally took some persimmon cakes and went out, telling the driver:
"Go to Zhang Mansion."
It would take her at least a month to come back, but he had just arrived in Beijing and was at the peak of his career.
They haven't had a good conversation since he returned to Beijing. She wants to see him, at least to say goodbye before leaving.
But she didn't know that someone who was paying attention to her house witnessed the matchmaker's frequent visits and seemed to have misunderstood something, so he immediately went back to report it early.
-
Xue Yuanyin went out in a carriage and stopped at the alley behind Zhang's house. She asked Fuzhu to carry the persimmon cakes to Huaizhou and said:
"Remember to tell Huaizhou that I came with you."
Fuzhu brought the persimmon cake and knocked on the door. Huaizhou came out soon. The two of them talked about something. Fuzhu came back alone and said:
"Miss, I brought the message, but Master Zhang...didn't come out."
Xue Yuanyin was slightly stunned: "He... doesn't want to see me?"
Fuzhu lowered her head and said, "I don't know either."
Xue Yuanyin hadn't expected this to happen. She couldn't see him, but she couldn't figure out the reason. She had to admit that she felt a little disappointed. The carriage was about to turn around when Huaizhou suddenly ran out of the mansion, ran to the carriage with an anxious look on his face, and said:
"Miss Xue, don't leave yet... My master asked me to hand you a letter. He's currently busy and can't see you, but he wrote this letter carefully, so please be sure to open it and read it."
Huaizhou handed the letter over while panting. Xue Yuanyin took the letter and couldn't help but think more in her heart -
It was written seriously. Was it good news or bad news? The Prime Minister had just arrived. Was what was written in the letter really what she wanted to see?
Xue Yuanyin put away the letter in a confused mood. At this time, Huaizhou hesitated and whispered:
"Miss Xue, the young master repeatedly warned me not to tell you, but I still feel you should know...Miss Xue, did you know that the young master knelt in the ancestral hall yesterday and was punished with a cane according to clan rules?"
Xue Yuanyin was stunned and said, "I don't know... why he was punished?" She had experienced the feeling of being beaten, and it was not pleasant at all. Thinking of Zhang Jingxuan's body without martial arts training, her heart tightened and she said:
"Huaizhou, was he punished severely?"
Huaizhou said honestly: "It's very heavy."
After a pause, he seemed to muster up his courage and said, "Miss, the master and his wife are visiting friends and are not at home now. The master usually does not leave the courtyard and does not take care of things. There are not many elders in the mansion now... Would you like to come in and see the young master?"
Xue Yuanyin was silent for a few moments. She could vaguely guess why Zhang Jingxuan was punished. It was probably because he knelt down to plead for her before going to the battle, which violated the Zhang family's rules.
She changed her mind and made up her mind, and asked, "Is there a secluded corner gate in the Zhang Mansion?"
Huaizhou's eyes lit up and he said, "Yes! It's on the back wall. There's a corner gate where servants usually go in and out to buy things."
Xue Yuanyin took out a veiled hat from the carriage, put it on his head, got out of the carriage, slowly exhaled, and said:
"Huaizhou, please take me in secretly."
…
Zhanyun Courtyard is not located in the center of the Zhang Mansion, but is next to a quiet courtyard. On weekdays, there are few servants coming in and out, so it is very quiet.
Huaizhou pushed the door open and walked in. He approached the person on the bed and whispered, "Sir, I'll change your dressing."
Zhang Jingxuan closed his eyes and nodded casually.
When the collar of his shirt was lifted, he looked up at the clepsydra, and suddenly froze for a moment. This was not the time to change the dressing...
He suddenly turned around, his voice slightly cold, and said, "Huaizhou, what did you just say?"
Huaizhou accidentally knocked over the ointment in his hand and subconsciously wanted to kneel down and kowtow to apologize.
Xue Yuanyin walked out of the corridor where she was hiding, pushed open the main door, walked in slowly, and took off the veil.
This bedroom was very different from the one she remembered from her childhood. The desk, bed, table, and even the window frames had changed. The calligraphy and paintings on the walls were also in styles she had never seen before. At first glance, it felt a bit unfamiliar.
She looked at him and whispered, "It's me."
Zhang Jingxuan raised his eyes in surprise, then supported himself on the bed with his arms and sat up with a normal expression.
"Xue Yuanyin? Why are you here?"
"Let me take a sneak peek at you."
Xue Yuanyin said this softly, then stopped at the bedside. Seeing his forearms slightly tense, as if trying hard, he pursed his lips and said,
"Don't get up. I saw your wound...it's bleeding."
She looked at the faint bloodstains on the white nightgown, a trace of heartache flashed through her heart, and said:
"You just returned to Beijing recently, why were you punished?"
Zhang Jingxuan looked at her quietly without answering for a moment.
Xue Yuanyin was silent for a while, then whispered, "You told Huaizhou to say that you couldn't see me because you were bedridden and couldn't move, so you couldn't see me?"
She didn't wait for Zhang Jingxuan to speak, and looked up in confusion. She met the deep and gloomy look in his eyes. Her heart suddenly jumped and she said:
"What's wrong?"
Zhang Jingxuan suddenly smiled and said:
"Didn't I hand you a letter? Why don't you open it and take a look?"
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