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The yard was a mess. Jingwan picked up some usable items and piled the rest together to make firewood.
Dongxia managed to put the small table back together, stood up, patted her hands which were covered in bamboo ash, and said to Jingwan, "I heard that Second Master went out last night and hasn't returned this morning. Since you can't find Second Master to help you, why don't you go and find the Duchess and the Old Madam? We can't let the Eldest Miss bully you like this."
Jingwan looked embarrassed and sat on the ground holding the only two small bowls left.
When she first arrived at the Gao family, she thought the men were in charge. Later, she learned that they now relied on their stepmother, Wang Shi. The Gao family used Wang Shi's money and enjoyed the power she brought. Such a powerful person was someone even the eldest daughter, Gao Shijun, had to be mindful of. Going to the old lady would only cause them more trouble.
Ultimately, although we live under the same roof, we are not family.
Dongxia was not one to talk much. Seeing her troubled, she was only thinking about what she should do. Just then, footsteps came from outside the courtyard. Listening carefully, she realized that there was more than one person.
Thinking it was that crazy girl who had brought people to cause trouble, Dongxia hurried outside, only to see five or six servants carrying in tables, chairs, and other utensils. Following behind was a young master. Judging from his clothes and appearance, she quickly guessed his identity and simply bowed, saying, "Greetings, young master."
Bo Jun had never seen such a tall maid before, and couldn't help but glance at her a few times. He quickly looked away and strode inside. The mess in the courtyard had already been cleaned up, and now the house was truly "bare-bones".
Jingwan was still holding the bowl, staring blankly at him.
Bo Jun first ordered the servants to clean the courtyard and then had them arrange the furniture they had brought. He walked up to Jing Wan, snatched the bowl from her hand—a bowl with a chipped rim that would break if used any longer—and immediately threw it on the ground. When he spoke again, his tone was more reproachful: "If it weren't for the servants' meddling, I wouldn't have known what was going on here. Gao Yun came to make trouble, and you just let her do as she pleased, let her bully you?"
It had been a while since I'd seen him, and Bo Jun had grown much taller, a full head taller than Jing Wan. He had gained more of a masculine air and lost his youthful naiveté. His speech was also not as gentle as before.
Jingwan didn't want to cry, but Bojun's few words made her nose tingle and tears streamed down her face. She was too embarrassed to let Bojun see her cry, so she covered her face with her hands and turned away.
Bo Jun came here not to upset her, but to comfort her. His hand hovered in mid-air, but never landed on her shoulder.
He sighed and dragged a chair over to sit down next to him.
After a while, Jingwan stopped crying and slowly turned around, but she kept her head down.
Bo Jun handed her a handkerchief. She took it, but because she had been crying so hard, her voice was still nasal and she could not speak clearly when she thanked him. After wiping away her tears and snot, she was too embarrassed to return the soiled handkerchief. She just clutched it in her hand and said that she would find a good handkerchief to return to her later.
Bo Jun joked, "This handkerchief of mine is made of ice silkworm silk. Silkworm silk is precious, and each tael is worth the price of gold. Look at what's in your yard. All these things together might add up to ten taels of silver."
Jing Wanzhen followed his words and looked around her courtyard. She pouted and looked aggrieved. Seeing that her eyes were about to redden again, Bo Jun quickly said, "Alright, I was just joking with you. Ice silkworm silk is only supplied to the palace. I don't have any of that. This is just an ordinary handkerchief."
Jingwan finally looked up at him: "Cousin is teasing me again."
Seeing that her mood had improved, Bo Jun finally became serious and said to her, "I already taught Gao Yun a lesson before coming here, and she doesn't dare to cause trouble anymore, so you can stay here without worry. As for these furniture pieces, use them for now, and I'll have someone bring you some more tomorrow."
She was crying because she felt wronged, but now, after hearing her cousin's words, she's crying because she's moved.
Bo Jun was preparing for the imperial examination and studied diligently every day, but he never forgot about him. Every few days, he would have his servant send him some snacks and jade materials, always choosing the best ones.
In this family, he was the only one who treated her like family.
Crying is such an unlucky thing, Jingwan sniffed and said, "I have no way to repay my cousin's great kindness."
Bo Jun sighed: "I don't need you to repay me. Just remember to come to me if you need anything. Jing Wan, just don't treat your cousin like an outsider."
His mother was watching over him closely, and his teacher was still waiting in the study, so he couldn't stay any longer. He stood up and saw Jingwan's soft hair. He couldn't help but pat it gently before turning to leave.
After taking only two steps, Jingwan remembered something and quickly caught up, her voice urgent: "Cousin, don't go looking for Gao Yun anymore, don't anger her."
Gao Yun is backed by the Wang family, and even the Duchess of the State is wary of her. Why should Bo Jun create trouble for himself?
Bo Jun immediately understood Jing Wan's meaning. He did not turn around, but recalled everything that had happened in his family since he could remember: his mother's mournful voice, his sister's patient expression, the kneeling in the bustling market, and even today's events. All of this was because the woman in his family had a eunuch who had lost his lineage.
After studying the classics for over ten years, am I really going to be subservient to a eunuch?
He gave a mocking smile, but his voice was genuinely gentle: "Jingwan, don't worry, I know what I'm doing." After saying that, he left in a hurry.
After he left, Dongxia came in. She didn't want to eavesdrop on their conversation, but she had excellent hearing since childhood and could understand the gist of it. Looking at the tables, chairs, and furniture in the yard, she finally saw that it was taking shape. She no longer worried about whether she would be eating her meal on the steps with a bowl in her hand today.
Now, only Dongxia is left in the courtyard. Jingwan couldn't bear to see her tidying up alone, so she wiped the table as well.
After wiping for a while, she felt that the small round table looked very familiar. Then she realized, isn't this the one from Bo Junyuan? He actually brought his own things here.
Jingwan felt even more guilty because her cousin treated her so sincerely.
When Bo Jun returned to his courtyard, sure enough, there wasn't much furniture left. He was frugal, and his mother forbade him to be corrupted by gold and jade, so he didn't live a life of luxury. Now that most of the furniture had been given to Jing Wan, his place was much emptier.
Before Bojun could even pick up the book, his mother came over.
He wasn't surprised; how could he keep such a commotion from his mother? He immediately got up to greet her.
The Duchess immediately criticized her son for interfering in the affairs of the second branch of the family and complained that he shouldn't have provoked Gao Yun. She feared that Madam Wang would soon make trouble for him.
“You’re destined to become an official. If you offend the Yang family, even if you pass the imperial examination with top honors, you’ll likely be demoted to a remote place as a minor official, unable to rise above your station. Even your father’s title might fall to the second branch of the family. Bo Jun, can’t you stop worrying your mother?”
The Duchess wiped away her tears with a handkerchief. The harsh words of her earlier years were no longer effective. Her son had grown up and was no longer the child she used to control. Now she had changed her tactics, showing weakness and crying in front of her children to make them feel guilty for letting their parents down.
Bo Jun knew exactly what his mother was thinking. In the past, he would have apologized to his mother first and admitted his mistakes.
But today, he was a little annoyed.
Seeing his mother sitting to the side, covering her face and weeping, Bo Jun suddenly thought of his cousin who had been away from home for three years.
Even if he didn't make the top rank, how could that exceptionally talented young man not even have the chance to be on the list?
Lu Chang's failure to pass the exam must have been disheartening for Gao Bojun. If even someone as talented as his cousin could fail, then someone like himself, whose talent was only slightly above average, was even less hopeful.
The number of talented people in the world was like carp crossing a river, far exceeding his expectations.
I remember in my first year, I was studying late into the night. When I was tired and resting, I saw moths flying into the flame, recklessly. I felt that even though I was putting in so much effort, I was just like the moth, and in the end, I ended up burning myself in the flames and gaining nothing.
Today, upon hearing his mother's words about "standing out from the crowd," he suddenly recalled that year on his grandmother's birthday, he and his cousin were walking in the family garden. He was jokingly talking about how his cousin had easily passed the imperial examination with top honors, but unexpectedly, his cousin asked him in return, "Do you think I can pass the examination?"
Of course he thinks so!
But thinking about it today, I realized something was wrong. Back then, my cousin had already foreseen that he would fail the exam.
He was no longer just a child who could only recite the classics. His classmates often discussed politics, and although he didn't say much, he listened attentively during their conversations. The court was treacherous, with many sordid affairs mixed in. Eunuchs held power, and the court was dark. Even if one passed the imperial examination, if one wanted a good future, one still had to send one's name card to the Yang family. Many scholars who were full of love for the world and upheld justice were indignant and resentful about this.
During their conversation, some classmates subtly hinted that the Gao family and the Yang family were related by marriage, and that Gao Bojun's career was bound to be very successful.
At that moment, Bo Jun felt only shame and anger, as if he had been greatly insulted.
He had a vague feeling that he had long been isolated and ostracized among this group of talented and upright officials who disdained to bow to eunuchs.
Because he had an aunt who recognized the most powerful eunuch in the entire Wei Dynasty as her adoptive father, his entire family and relatives rose to prominence.
That's why my cousin didn't want to stay in Pingdu.
Bo Jun gave a mocking smile, but had no intention of comforting his mother. He simply walked to his desk, turned his back to his mother, and said, "I need to study now. If you have nothing else to say, please leave!"
The Duchess noticed her son's coldness, but was even happier that Bo Jun was willing to focus on his studies. She wiped away her tears and went out to buy some new furniture for Bo Jun.
As for Wang's side, Gao Yun's behavior was not simply a matter of being angry. He hadn't returned home once in a month and even ordered his servant to pack up all his clothes and send them to the government office, where he stayed.
In the past, when there were conflicts, they would be resolved in a few days, and Gao Yun would usually lower himself to coax her. This time, after a month of being left alone in her room, Wang Shi finally panicked.
A few days ago, Lady Wang accompanied the Duchess to the Prime Minister's residence for a tea banquet. There, she overheard a gossipy woman saying that some foreign beauties had come to the Red Sleeve Brothel. They were so alluring that the men in the household were lingering there every night.
The women revealed what little information they knew, and through the screen, Wang even heard her husband's name from their mouths.
They said that it turned out that Second Master Gao had gone there too!
Several women covered their mouths, smiling but saying nothing.
Wang was startled, and a sudden panic gripped her. Had Gao Yunzhen gone to find those shameless women?
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