Chapter 47: Those who do not regret use their pens as swords, and those who enjoy music use their zithers as halberds.
Zhu Hao almost didn't sleep the whole night. As soon as she closed her eyes, all kinds of memories from the past would flash through her mind, some sad, some happy. After a night, her pillowcase was wet. The mountains outside the window were cast in warm yellow shadows by the rising red sun. Two or three birds were perched on the branches and singing. The door was pushed open, and the person who came was Miao Li.
She tiptoed to the couch carrying a small bowl of Tremella fuciformis porridge, only to find that the person on the couch had already woken up. Zhu Hao had a pair of lifeless eyes open, and his temples were wet.
Last night, Song Xieqing left the inner room as instructed. Miao Li, who was decocting medicine outside, heard that Zhu Hao had woken up, so she rushed over in a hurry. However, what she saw was a lifeless Zhu Hao who no longer had the lively energy of the past.
Her voice was calm and hoarse, and her face showed no expression, but her words were powerful, and every word fell clearly on Miaoli's heart. In the second half of the night, Zhu Hao no longer cried, but asked Miaoli to check several things in an orderly manner, most of which were about the so-called Mrs. Zhu "Duan Meiyin".
Miaoli carefully helped Zhuhao up and found that her pillowcase was soaked. She immediately replaced it with a new one and then took a face towel to wipe her sweaty hair.
After Miaoli had finished everything, she checked the temperature of the Tremella fuciformis porridge and saw that it was still hot, so she hurriedly scooped a spoonful and handed it to Zhuhao's lips.
Zhu Hao had no appetite at all, and even felt her stomach churning. Seeing the girl in front of her with her tense brows and slightly trembling fingers, Zhu Hao could only reluctantly take a small sip.
"Sister, how are you feeling today? Besides feeling weak, are you feeling any pain? The doctor sent by Young Master Lu Jue will be home later to see you. If you're still feeling unbearable, Miaoli will go and call him immediately."
Zhu Hao shook her head. She had no idea when her relationship with Lu Jue had reached this point; they had only met once. She forced herself to swallow the half spoonful of porridge that was stuck in her throat. "I'm fine... The doctor the young master hired must pay more for medicine and consultations, not less. Do you understand?"
She asked softly, "Miao Li, what's going on?"
Miao Li nodded at first, as if she understood Lu Jue's request for a doctor. She naturally understood what the second half of Zhu Hao's words meant, so she hurriedly said, "Sister, I have spread the news of your awakening."
"As for Miss Duan, her mother died young, and her father remarried. She lived with her aunt since she was young. Later, her aunt passed away, and she lived with her cousin, Chu Zhijian, outside the capital. Life was quite difficult. Later, Miss Duan married Master Zhu Qi, but... she was not his wife as others said. She was just his concubine."
"I've also hired someone to inquire with the tailoring shops in the city. The silk brocade dress Miss Duan wore at Qiongyi Tower was made by Qiu Tailoring Bureau, just as Sister suspected. Miss Duan pressed for time, and the dress was indeed newly made. She even specifically requested that the latest delivery date be the day before Sister fell into the water. She truly was going there for Sister! Furthermore, the scholar who died on the merchant ship was Miss Duan's cousin, Chu Zhijian, and the man engaged to the Lady Xie was Young Master Zhu Qi! It's quite a coincidence that the two families met..."
The strange thing is that, apart from the fact that Miss Duan hired the Qiucai Bureau to make clothes, Miaoli had been trying to figure out the rest of the matter for a long time, but could not find any clues. Fang Lian's life experience was also a mystery. She was originally planning to apologize to Zhu Hao, but she met Song Xieqing outside, and it was he who told her everything.
The wonderful truth is puzzling, how could he know this?
Miaoli had finished speaking and was about to feed Zhuhao the second spoonful, but before she could scoop it up, Zhuhao had already lowered his head and started retching. Miaoli quickly took out a handkerchief and a spittoon, and Zhuhao vomited out the small mouthful of porridge he had just fed her. A closer look revealed blood on the porridge. Miaoli was shocked and frightened. She put down the spittoon and wanted to pass it to the medical staff beside Lu Jue, but someone pulled her sleeve.
"Miao Li...please make me some tea. We might have a visitor soon." Zhu Hao knew Miao Li was worried, so he held his breath and said, "Make some tea and call the doctor. Don't worry, I'll take the medicine carefully."
Miaoli turned her back and wiped her tears, and she sobbed softly in response.
The doctors in Huaicheng all said that Sister Zhu didn't have much time left, so they started preparing for her funeral. Most doctors were unwilling to treat her anymore. Only the medical family member brought with him by Young Master Lu Jue was willing to give it a try. She could see that Sister Zhu was in real pain and even had difficulty eating a bowl of porridge.
Miaoli quickly brewed tea. After a few breaths, there was a sound of answering the door outside the courtyard. Miaoli welcomed the guest in and took a quick glance at him. She was a little surprised. She turned around and realized that this matter was not as simple as she had thought.
Miaoli hurried out of the inner room, presumably to go out to seek medical treatment. Only Zhu Hao and Xie Shangqing were left in the room. Outside, someone was sitting on the steps with his eyes closed. Zhu Hao could vaguely see his shadow, which was sometimes light and sometimes dark.
Xie Shangqing glanced at the small table in front of the bed, where fresh tea was placed. Patients naturally weren't allowed to drink tea. Did this woman know someone would come to visit her when she regained consciousness? Xie Shangqing looked at Zhu Hao, who lay pale on the soft couch. She lowered her voice and said, "Madam Zhu, I am the heroine who 'eloped' with that poor scholar."
The person lying on the couch showed no expression at all and his eyes were closed.
Xie Shangqing found a chair and sat down. "Madam Zhu, you seem a little surprised to see me, but not too surprised either."
I wish you a good eye-catching sight. The person who came was wearing a lilac cloud skirt, a high bun decorated with pearls, and powdered cheeks. Her clothes and makeup made her look like a lady from a noble family, but her behavior and speech were completely different.
She suppressed the cough deep in her throat and said calmly, "I originally thought it would be my cousin Duan's wife who would come to visit, but I didn't expect that you two were actually allies. Duan Meiyin wanted to teach me how to distinguish silk and brocade. Are you two trying to test my knowledge of the Yuequan Wharf incident? Are the young ladies gathered at Qiongyi Tower talking about this also your work?"
"Madam Zhu, we two still don't know your attitude towards Zhu Qi and the brocade that was robbed last year. We can't afford to gamble, so we have to test you this way. However, I don't get along with Duan Meiyin, so Madam Zhu and I should be considered 'allies.'" Xie Shangqing stared at the curling smoke from the teacup. "I won't let Zhu Qi and Duan Meiyin go easily, and I think Madam Zhu should do the same."
The tea in the cup seemed to be getting cold, and the rising white smoke suddenly stopped in mid-air. Xie Shangqing's mind was also blown away by the dying cigarette and moved to the moon.
A month ago was the day her mother arranged a marriage between her and Zhu Qi. Since then, she had often run into a scholar named Chu Zhijian. This man was eloquent and elegant, and coincidentally, he was the soft-hearted scholar that Xie Shangqing hated the most.
However, this person seemed to be interested in chatting with her, and he usually chose to hang out in crowded places. After a few visits, the two of them became more and more familiar with each other.
According to Chu Zhijian, he had taken the exam no less than six times, but failed every time, and each time, he was only slightly off. Xie Shangqing felt sorry when he heard this. On the one hand, he felt that Chu Zhijian was suffering, but more importantly, he saw the shadow of his father in Chu Zhijian.
My father has been studying for exams since he was seventeen. Now he is forty and has failed many times. At most, he passed the provincial exam and was called "Xie Xiucai". As for the academy exam, it was even more difficult for him to get a chance. Except for Xie Ju, who is already very old, everyone in the family advised him to give up this path and seek other ways. Even being a private school teacher would be better than living a life of idleness now.
My great-grandfather is dying, how long can he protect them? But my father is very stubborn...
She and Zhu Qi were supposed to get married at the end of the month, but half a month earlier, Chu Zhijian had sent her away on the pretext of playing Cuju. How could a delicate scholar like her play Cuju? Confused, Xie Shangqing went to Chu Zhijian's invitation.
Chu Zhijian arranged to meet at Chunshe, intending for the two of them to gather together for the occasion. However, as soon as Xie Shangqing opened the door of the private room, she was knocked unconscious by the spices overflowing from the inner room. When she woke up, she was already on the merchant ship that was about to encounter "pirates".
She was in a small, dark room, but Chu Zhijian had never abused her. Instead, he provided her with good food and drink. This showed that although he had not stated the reason for kidnapping her, at least he did not intend to take her life. If he was after money, it was even more impossible. After all, the Xie family only relied on her great-grandfather's retirement money to survive. How much money could they have left? So, what was Chu Zhijian trying to gain?
In the small house, Xie Shangqing could vaguely hear the noises outside. Except for the servant who brought her and her meals every day, she never saw anyone else enter the house.
Except for eating, Chu Zhijian always blocked her mouth so that she could not make a sound. Every time he ate or took her out of the house to relieve herself, Chu Zhijian would choose to do it outside when it was quiet or in the middle of the night. Gradually, Xie Shangqing suddenly had a bold idea. Except for the people who delivered meals every day, the rest of the people on the boat did not know that the two of them were hiding here.
He didn't want her life, but she threatened him with it.
Xie Shangqing began to deliberately go on a hunger strike and no longer paid any attention to Chu Zhijian. She was depressed all day long, as if she had given up on life and death. Xie Shangqing saw panic on his face. This must be the first time Chu Zhijian had done such a crime. Xie Shangqing was so hungry that his eyes were dizzy. One night, when there was no one outside, he finally spoke to her and told her everything.
He said he would never take her life, nor would he do anything to her.
However, he had a cousin who admired Master Zhu Qi very much. Zhu Qi had originally promised to help her become his principal wife, but he changed his mind at the last minute. Zhu Qi got engaged to the Xie family without telling her, but his good cousin was unwilling to be just a concubine.
Xie Shangqing realized that because she was unwilling to give in, and because he loved his cousin, the two of them pretended that she had eloped with someone to destroy her reputation and make Zhu Qi break off the engagement with her? What a joke! What good was Zhu Qi? If his good cousin had just spoken to her face to face, she would have willingly broken off the engagement! If it weren't for his great-grandfather's desire to see her marry before his death, she wouldn't have agreed to the marriage so quickly.
Xie Shangqing found this reason ridiculous. He also felt that the person before him and his beloved sister both had brain diseases. Without her, wouldn't Zhu Qi marry someone else? Or did his beloved sister naively believe that without her, the title of legal wife would be easily within her grasp? Or was there something else going on?
Chu Zhijian said that after some time, when the storm had subsided, he would send her back to Huaicheng. By then, he would voluntarily surrender himself to the authorities and confess his crimes. However, all the faults had nothing to do with his cousin.
Xie Shangqing just smiled and said nothing.
She didn't know how many days she had been drifting on the boat. Another day and night had passed, and her hands and feet were still tied, with her tongue against the gag. Chu Zhijian untied the hemp rope around her ankles and led her out of the dim hut. The night wind blew on the sails, and there was a whistling sound in her ears. There were one or two people on the deck who were guarding the night, but they were all fast asleep. The boat moored at the shore, and Chu Zhijian was about to take her away, but unexpectedly, the sound of several people chatting was carried into her and Chu Zhijian's ears by the night wind.
The two had no intention of eavesdropping, so in order not to be exposed, Chu Zhijian had to hide quietly with her on the other side. Xie Shangqing glanced at her "fiancé" Zhu Qi. It was not until today that she realized that the boat they were on was from Yuequan Wharf. Seeing Chu Zhijian hiding here and there, the people on the boat really did not know of their existence.
Xie Shangqing and Chu Zhijian heard about what the few people were discussing and learned a lot of secrets from it. They also knew what they were planning - on the surface, the ship was about to be robbed by pirates, but in fact it was a big show staged by the ship owner and the pirates. After the incident, the two parties would divide the goods equally.
Since they were planning a robbery, they would have swept through every corner of the house. Returning to the general's cabin would have been like walking into a trap. Although Chu Zhijian's cousin was Zhu Qi's concubine, Zhu Qi was clearly unaware of his "cousin" being a guest on the ship. Chu Zhijian's cousin and the food delivery boy were also probably unaware of Zhu Qi's collusion with the pirates to carry out such a secret operation. Otherwise, how could they have dared to bring them both aboard such a pirate ship?
Why did they borrow Zhu Qi's boat? The reason was simple. The Xie family would definitely send someone to look for Xie Shangqing after they realized she was missing. No matter how hard they tried, even if they turned Huaicheng upside down, they wouldn't have the guts to search for her under Zhu Qi's nose because Xie Shangqing had "eloped" with a poor scholar. They would delay the matter of her "eloping" with a man as much as possible and conceal it as much as possible.
The few people who were standing at the junction of the shore and the deck to discuss were finally about to go ashore. Xie Shangqing and Chu Zhijian were able to take a breath, but at this moment, four or five people suddenly ran over from the other side of the shore, and their direction just met her and Chu Zhijian's eyes.
In an instant, torches lit up, and all those on the deck who were carrying knives pointed their blades at the two of them. Chu Zhi saw that the situation was bad and immediately untied her.
The air condensed for a moment, and the flame reflected the sharp blade, and the battle began. Zhu Qi was determined to kill her and silence her.
Xie Shangqing had some martial arts skills, but Chu Zhijian fed her some muscle softening powder every day, which made it difficult for her to use this skill. Seeing the machete approaching, she had to dodge sideways. While she was gasping for breath, another blade swung at her from the side. Xie Shangqing couldn't dodge in time. After just a few breaths, the sound of hard iron cutting into flesh sounded like thunder in her ears. She didn't feel any pain. Chu Zhijian used his body to block the knife for her, and blood flowed like a channel on the deck. Xie Shangqing took the opportunity to push him into the water of Cangze.
She stepped back and leaped into the rolling swamp.
…
Zhu Hao opened his eyes weakly, "So, Miss Xie wants me to help you and Duan Meiyin?"
Xie Shangqing nodded and tucked Zhu Hao away to avoid being insulted.
"Miss Xie, please go back." Zhu Hao's voice seemed frozen with years of lingering snow. "I will not ally with you or Duan Meiyin. Have you two reported this to the authorities? I reported this matter to the government last year, but the lost brocade was never found. I suspected Zhu Qi, but I had no concrete evidence. Therefore, the government couldn't search the homes of innocent people and had to rule it out as 'water robbery.'"
"Now that someone has died on a ship under his command, if you two jointly report Zhu Qi, the government will undoubtedly search his residence. Once the officers find my lost brocade, they will certainly send someone to confirm it with me, the owner. However... no matter how foolish Zhu Qi is, he must have already cleaned up his warehouse. If we rely solely on your one-sided statement, we won't be able to convict him, and it will only bring trouble upon ourselves. It's not too late for you two to gather solid evidence before reporting to the authorities."
"What do you mean by actual evidence?" Xie Shangqing raised an eyebrow. "I remember that when Madam Zhu sued that maggot You Yan, she didn't care about anything and just fought tooth and nail, even suffering the consequences of being beaten and injured. Madam Zhu, I really admire you."
"This involves my friends and my father, so how can I not fight for my life?"
"Madam Zhu, do you regret it?"
He deeply regretted that the old case had caused his chronic illness to worsen.
After a long silence, Xie Shangqing heard her aloud the words: "No regrets."
Zhu Hao turned aside and said, "Thank you, Miss. Go back. You don't need to come here again. As for this case, if someone comes from the government office, I will tell them the truth, but I will not do anything else."
Xie Shangqing wanted to say something else, but the door was already open, and a young man walked in. His expression was stern, but when he looked at the woman on the couch, his brows moved slightly. "Miss Xie, my wife is tired, so I'm sorry I can't entertain guests."
Having said this, she had no choice but to stand up and say goodbye. Before leaving, Xie Shangqing bowed deeply to Zhu Hao. As she passed by Song Xieqing, her eyes fell on him. After taking a closer look, Xie Shangqing couldn't help but look shocked and muttered subconsciously, "My Lord, they are exactly the same..."
After Xie Shangqing left, Song Xieqing was about to leave the inner room when the person on the couch called out to him, "Song Xieqing."
There was hope in his eyes, "You say."
"Thanks."
…
A blooming peony was placed in the private room by the window of Chunshe. Lu Jue had specially ordered his servant to buy it from the best flower shop in the city. It is said that women love flowers, and beauties are even more so.
As he said, Qiao Mei lowered her eyebrows and stared at the peony in the porcelain vase. The flowers were gorgeous, but they made her look dull and dim in an instant. Compared with the peony, the beauty could be described as "a beauty of national beauty and heavenly fragrance".
Qiao Mei raised her head, the pearl hanging from her earrings swaying slightly. She pursed her lips and said, "Mr. Lu, thank you."
"Hey, you women are always using words of thanks to put men off. You keep saying thank yous. Aren't you tired of it? Why not show some real meaning?" Lu Jue propped up his chin with one hand. "Madam Qiao, please know that I asked you out today not to hear your thanks, but to get a firm answer from Miss Qiao."
Today was not the first time the two of them met in private. I still remember the first time they met in private was when Zhu Hao fell into the flower pond and was beyond help.
The doctors in Huaicheng all advised the Zhu family to prepare for the funeral. Madam Zhu was still young and so kind, how could the King of Hell take her away so easily?
So, she handed a visiting card to Lu Jue, and Lu Jue generously sent his medical family to Zhu's house, which barely saved Zhu Hao's life.
The medical staff in aristocratic families are vastly different from those in ordinary families.
As for Lu Jue's so-called accurate letter...
Qiao Mei heard the sound of someone tapping on a wooden table in front of her. "Madam Qiao, the day after tomorrow, I must leave for Qizhou. I'll rest for a while before heading to the capital."
"Next spring, the centennial of the founding of the nation will be celebrated. His Majesty and the Empress Dowager place great importance on the national birthday ceremonies. Besides offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and to the founding emperor, the female officials of the Music Bureau are also planning the grand ceremony. As for me, I'm truly untalented, and unlike other high-ranking officials, I don't aspire to enter the court. Instead, I plan to seek an idle position in the Music Bureau. Today, the country is safe and the people are at peace, and the world is at peace. Isn't dancing for the national celebration another way for me to repay my country?"
"When it comes to finding pleasure, I pride myself on being the best. Well, my eyes can only discern pearls, and you are the very one I have chosen. If Madam Qiao can celebrate the country's centenary at the National Birthday Ceremony next year, I will enter the Music Bureau, and Madam Qiao will become a music official. What a pleasure!"
Baihua Tower, a gathering of exquisite music, was renowned far and wide. This was Lu Jue's purpose in personally visiting Huaicheng. For the sons of aristocratic families, the Music Bureau was not a high-ranking official position; it merely prepared music and dance for various palace ceremonies and celebrated joy. A nobleman like him would have been scornful and disdainful, and his family would have disapproved of him. Therefore, Lu Jue had no choice but to make his own plans.
Qiao Mei's calm demeanor and her guzheng skills, which outshone all the other prostitutes in the brothel, impressed him greatly. Lu Jue had originally intended to use money to recruit Qiao Mei directly from the brothel owner, but he didn't expect that Lady Zhu's cousin would show up...
The term "music official" was a position created by the founding emperor specifically for women skilled in musical instruments, singing, and dancing. Yet, nearly a century later, public opinion on this position remains mixed. To put it bluntly, how could a woman who entertained men with her artistry deserve the title of "official"? You must know that before the Great Cheng was established, women who entertained men with their beauty and talent were considered lowly.
Hundreds of years ago, warriors built the country with their flesh and blood, writers used pens and ink as swords, and musicians used strings of the zither as spears. Today's peaceful years are thanks to the efforts of the women and men of our ancestors.
"Mr. Lu." Qiao Mei's expression could not hide her sorrow. "My hands can no longer play the konghou."
Lu Jue said with a smile, "Of all the musical instruments, is the guzheng the only one that can be played? Besides, what is the capital city? It's the capital of Dacheng, where many talented people gather. Madam Qiao's hand injury may not be incurable. Could it be that Madam Qiao has decided not to associate with music in this life?"
Qiao Mei said no, she liked singing, dancing and musical instruments, and had liked them since she was a child. She didn't practice hard just because she was the top musician in Baihua Tower, and she would not give up this path because of the fate of Baihua Tower.
"Okay, Master Lu, I've decided to go to the capital." Qiao Mei fiddled with the petals of a peony. "I'll have a good talk with my mother tonight. Tomorrow I'll start packing my bags and leave with you the day after tomorrow. However, I still have something to ask..."
Lu Jue understood and continued, "Although I rely on my family background and sometimes act absurdly, Madam Qiao, please don't look down on me. Even if you refuse to go to the capital, Madam Qiao, I will still ask my doctors to see you. I will leave soon, and they will not have any doctors. They will stay in this city for the time being. I wish you all the best... I have heard of this woman from friends. She is someone worthy of respect."
Qiao Mei's eyes were filled with tears as she bowed slightly to him.
Lu Jue had arranged a time to go to Baihua Tower to listen to Yu Sha playing music, so he didn't bother to say anything else and just sent someone to send Qiao Mei back safely.
When Qiao Mei returned to Qiongyi Tower, Liu Rutang was waiting outside the door, holding a shiny lantern. Seeing her, Qiao Mei stepped forward and called out, "Mother."
Liu Rutang looked worried. "Qiao Qiao is determined to leave? No matter what mother says, it's useless."
Qiao Mei knelt down suddenly, and no matter how Liu Rutang tried to help her, she refused to get up. "Mother, I've thought about this for a long time. I want to give it a try. This is not for Madam Zhu, but for myself."
Liu Rutang recalled the morning when Zhu Hao caused trouble. She went downstairs upon hearing the noise and happened to see Zhu Hao fall into the flower pond. Duan Meiyin jumped in. She had just run a few steps forward when another young lady in brocade clothes fell into the flower pond. It was said that she was the daughter of the Xie family. The pond immediately became a mess.
This is not over yet, the next thing is that the man who wishes you good luck jumps in...
Wow, that scene is like dumplings in a hot pot...
She had no recollection of how the four of them got up there, or what happened next. When she came to her senses, Zhu Hao had already been carried away by her husband, and the two people in the pool were inexplicably wrestling with each other, and were sure to drown each other. Liu Rutang asked others for details, but the ladies were also confused and found it very strange.
Qiao Mei bowed on the spot. "My daughter knows that mother searched for me for years before finally finding me. I haven't fulfilled my filial duty yet, and now I have to leave you again. I'm unfilial, and I know you can't let me go, but mother." She raised her head, her eyes determined. "I want to continue to make a living through singing, dancing, and playing musical instruments. Not to win the affection of men, but to play music that brings joy to the people and expresses the majestic spirit of our great nation. I want to teach the world to stop looking down on female musicians. I want to teach them that 'music' is not about pleasing men with your beauty."
"Qiao Qiao." Liu Rutang knelt and took her daughter into her arms. "I wish you good health. You still need your mother to carry you, so I can't accompany you to the capital. If Lu Jue does anything inappropriate to you, I will cut his flesh into pieces..."
Over the years, she was not by her daughter's side, and no one protected Qiao Mei from the wind and rain. Despite this, her daughter still grew up to be the best lady in the world. As a mother, how could she stop her daughter from pursuing her dreams?
She could no longer hold back her tears, and her thousands of words merged into one sentence, "Qiao Qiao, don't forget the way home, and remember to visit your mother often."
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The author has something to say: Xiao Duan jumps, Xiao Duan jumps, Xiao Xie jumps, Xiao Xie jumps, Xiao Song jumps after Xiao Xie jumps...
6k is two chapters combined to go through the plot in one breath
The next chapter should be about love
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