Chapter 49: Half an hour left.
It had been snowing heavily for the past few days, and it only stopped this evening. I thought that was the end of the snowfall, but then snowflakes started falling again after nightfall.
Even though there is no curfew in this dynasty, few people go out at night in this kind of weather.
The carriage moved slowly along the road covered with fresh snow. The night was quiet, and the wheels made a "creaking" sound as they rolled over the snow.
Dansha sat with his mistress in the carriage, occasionally peeking out through a crack in the curtain.
Once inside Chang Le Lane, where the Ming family mother and daughter lived, Dan Sha saw white lanterns hanging on the doors on both sides of the alley, and realized they were almost there.
She had walked this road during the day before, so she should have a memory of it. However, the sky was now completely white, as if everything was blurred by snow, making it easy for her, who has the best memory, to lose her way at night.
The funeral was to be held in the courtyard, so it shouldn't be too quiet. Dansha had made ample preparations for the presence of people in the courtyard. However, she realized that she hadn't prepared enough when the carriage couldn't get close due to the large number of people.
The courtyard was more than just crowded; it was bustling and festive.
If it weren't for the white cloths hanging everywhere and the wreaths on the wall, an unsuspecting person would have thought there was a happy occasion of a wedding in the Ming family's courtyard.
Dansha glanced at the mistress, bent down, lifted the carriage curtain, and got out to inquire, "Didn't they say that Scholar Li had passed away? This..."
Where did this lion dance troupe and suona band come from?
The old man hunched his shoulders in the cold, his hands tucked into his sleeves, and refused to leave.
Hearing the outsider's question, he turned his head to answer, but his eyes were reluctant to leave the commotion in front of him. "Yes, I don't know when Scholar Li became acquainted with Master Zheng. Now that Master Zheng has learned that he has left, he sent over the lions that were just finished celebrating in the mansion, saying that he wants to give Scholar Li a proper send-off."
The old man was very excited. "We don't usually get to see these things. It's all thanks to Li Juren. I heard that the music will be played for three days until the burial."
Zheng Er was really annoyed by Li Juren today. First, he came uninvited in the morning, and Zheng Er just flattered and subtly mocked him and let it go. But then Li Juren clung to him like a leech, and Zheng Er died in the afternoon right after they met in the morning.
Today is his birthday, a day he should be happy about. But thanks to Li Juren, he was "invited" to the yamen for questioning when his house was full of guests.
Although the suspicion was temporarily cleared and the yamen ruled Li's death as an accident caused by drinking, the matter still affected Zheng Er.
Especially after he returned, he heard rumors that his plot to hire someone to murder his sister and brother-in-law had been exposed.
Zheng Er instinctively felt that someone was setting him up and trying to dredge up the past, but when he couldn't find any other evidence, he could only temporarily vent his anger on Li Juren.
Wasn't he arrogant and looked down on them merchants on the surface? Then he would spread the word that Li Juren was secretly on good terms with the merchants so that everyone would know!
Let all of Li Juren's friends know that he has been currying favor with merchants, so that he will lose all face and dignity in death and will not be able to rest in peace!
For a scholar, such humiliation on his face after death is worse than being skinned alive, but since he is already dead, he cannot even stand up and say a few words in defense.
Zheng Er waved his hand and sent over the lion dance troupe.
Everyone knew that Zheng Er wanted to annoy Li Juren, but that didn't stop them from listening to the suona and watching the lion dance.
Thanks to the abundant snow, the sky was still slightly bright after nightfall, making it possible to see the lion dance clearly and even witness the lions breathing fire to the beat of the drums.
Suddenly, a burst of firelight blazed up in the gray sky, the flames engulfing the snowflakes like a fire dragon, and everyone who saw it couldn't help but clap and cheer.
After learning the whole story, Dansha returned to the carriage and recounted it to his mistress.
That's something Zheng Er would do.
Zheng Er was not a magnanimous person. He didn't think about "respect for the dead." Instead, he thought, "If you make me unlucky, then I'll make sure you don't have peace even after you're dead."
Qu Rong saw that there were quite a few people ahead, so she didn't plan to get off the carriage.
Actually, her trip was a spur-of-the-moment decision. She didn't intend for Li Yue'er to come and see her. She was sitting in the carriage, just like now, and would just catch a glimpse of her from afar.
Just as Qu Rong lifted the carriage curtain, Li Yue'er, along with Teng Huang and several aunties who had come to help, brought out several trays of hot tea.
Li Yue'er had changed out of her morning clothes and was dressed in mourning attire, all in white. Her hair was simply tied up in a bun with a white cloth flower tucked into the right side.
In the dim light of the snowy night, Li Yue'er lowered her head and eyes, lifted her mourning robe at her waist, and stepped out of the courtyard gate. The moment she did so, her delicate beauty was so captivating that it was impossible to look away.
The hemp rope mourning clothes did not diminish Li Yue'er's beauty and gentleness; on the contrary, they added a touch of fragility and compassion to her gentleness. Even the snowflakes falling on her hair and shoulders seemed to weigh down her thin, frail waist.
In the crowd, just the sight of her standing there makes people feel so sorry for her that they want to hold her in their arms, smooth her furrowed brows, and shield her from the wind and snow.
Dansha looked up at the mistress, whose gaze was fixed on Yue'er, following her every move.
When the suona band arrived, they found out that a funeral was being held in the courtyard. However, when Master Zheng paid them, he instructed them to play a festive tune. He would have someone listen in, and if they didn't play with enough effort, he would take the money back and kick them out of Chenhe County.
Seeing Li Yue'er dressed in mourning clothes and personally serving them hot tea, the boss felt very guilty and repeatedly bowed and explained his difficulties to her.
They don't want to do anything immoral, but they have no other choice.
If Li Juren had been a good father, and he had been treated this way after his death, Li Yue'er would have fought the Zheng family with a knife and taken them to the yamen to drive the suona band away!
Unfortunately, he wasn't.
Therefore, Li Yue'er will not only not drive them away, but will also use this incident to gain sympathy and build a good reputation for the mother and daughter.
That way, when the headmaster comes tomorrow, she can take the opportunity to explain the conflict between her father and Zheng Er, and ask him to protect and take in her mother and younger sister to the academy.
Compared to the outside world, the academy is still more pure and beautiful, making it a suitable place for my younger sister to grow up.
Li Yue'er had thought more than once about sending her younger sister to school, not for the sake of passing the imperial examinations or to improve her status and marry into a better family, but simply so that she could see the scenery outside the courtyard and broaden her horizons.
For the first six years of her life, my younger sister was confined to this small courtyard, living in fear and uncertainty, which fostered her sensitive and insecure personality. When she saw so many people, she wanted to come out and see the excitement, but she was also so afraid that she trembled and hid herself.
She had already been sold into the Qu family, and there might not be many possibilities for the rest of her life, but she wanted her younger sister to live a different life.
Upon hearing what the boss said, Li Yue'er immediately put on a brave front, forcing a smile:
"It's alright, my mother and I know how hard you've worked. My father loved lively gatherings when he was alive, and he would be happy to see this scene after his death. ... In the dead of winter, you've all worked hard, please have some hot tea."
She was beautiful and so understanding. When the owner of the suona band accepted the hot tea, he assured her, "We'll only play for a few days. On the day of the burial, we'll give Li a proper send-off."
Master Zheng only asked them to come over to vent his anger.
They'll let Master Zheng's anger dissipate after a few days of this, and they won't actually let them continue to celebrate so joyously at the burial, lest things go too far and make things awkward for everyone.
Li Yue'er gave a slight curtsy.
The boss nodded and returned the gift to her.
He only heard about the dead scholar Li after he arrived. Li was a terrible person. As a scholar, he sold his own daughter into a merchant's family. Now his daughter has returned home to mourn and keep vigil, and she is crying with red eyes. It is clear that she still considers him her father.
The child is a good child, but the father is not a good father.
He knew that Li Yue'er had been married off as a concubine, and when he looked up at the young girl, he only glanced at her briefly and dared not look closely. However, the apprentice beside him was not so sensible and polite.
After all, they were doing business in the marketplace. If they were in the homes of gentry or merchants, where the social status was high and there were many rules, apprentices wouldn't dare to look up and see what the master's daughter looked like. But this was in a back alley, where there wasn't such strict separation between men and women.
In addition, the apprentice was eighteen years old this year, the age when he was full of vigor and wanted to get married. So when he looked up and saw Li Yue'er, his face turned red. Now that he saw her coming over, his eyes were even more fixed on her.
Seeing that Li Yue'er was about to leave, he quickly finished his hot tea in a few gulps, hesitated for two steps forward, and handed the bowl forward with both hands, "Miss Li, is there any more?"
Teng Huang strode up to Li Yue'er, picked up the kettle to refill his tea, and smiled as he separated him from the girl behind him, Yue'er, saying, "Yes, yes, there's plenty for everyone, I'll pour you some."
The apprentice gave an awkward smile. "Thank you."
The boss took the opportunity to push the apprentice back, and scolded him with a cold face, "Look at how much you brag! You still have the nerve to ask for tea!"
He grabbed the man by the arm and pulled him behind him, preventing him from moving forward.
Having grown up in the marketplace, Li Yue'er knew exactly what an apprentice was thinking.
She turned back with the gamboge on her back, her resolve only growing stronger.
We need to find a new place for my mother and younger sister to live.
Although Li Juren was a beast in character, he was good-looking. His mother, Ming, was even more outstanding in appearance and gentle in temperament. Therefore, she and her younger sister were both very good-looking. If the widowed mother and her orphaned daughter stayed in the courtyard, it would not be safe for the younger sister to grow up day by day.
Even with the protection of the government, the yamen runners couldn't guard her courtyard gate for twelve hours a day.
Putting aside her appearance, her mother received rice, flour, and oil from the government office every month, and during festivals she could also receive some meat and copper coins. In addition to the things she sent home herself, her family was practically a piece of fat meat.
If the world were to descend into chaos in Chenhe County, the neighbors would be too preoccupied to even look after themselves, and the mother and sister would have no way to protect themselves even while guarding their belongings.
Li Yue'er dared not gamble with the hearts of men in this chaotic world.
The academy is different; no matter how chaotic the world becomes, it won't reach the academy.
Moreover, the front and back courtyards of the academy were clearly separated, and the women in the back courtyard were mostly acquainted with the mother, so they could take care of each other.
Especially since the headmaster of the academy is a very upright elder, and his wife is also a teacher at the academy, if they could get his approval to let their mother and sister enter the academy, Li Yue'er would feel much more at ease staying in the Qu family.
She wanted to tell her mistress about this plan, not because she needed her help, but simply to chat with her. Just like when her maternal grandparents were alive, they would share any new things or ideas they had with each other.
Just as Li Yue'er was about to step over the threshold, she saw Dan Sha standing by the door.
Li Yue'er froze, instinctively looking left and right, but there were people everywhere, and she couldn't see the mistress at all, nor did she know if the other party had arrived.
Like a small butterfly, Gamboge flew from behind Li Yue'er to Dansha's side and landed, tilting her head with a smile and asking, "Why are you here?"
Dansha glanced at her, saw that she was also dressed in mourning clothes, and smiled, "Guess."
Teng Huang glared at her, his face puffed out, and reached out to pinch Dan Sha's waist. "Speak!"
Dansha skillfully grabbed Teng Huang's outstretched claws with her backhand, then released them, took half a step forward, curtsied to Li Yue'er, and whispered, "Miss Yue'er, the mistress has arrived."
Li Yue'er instantly perked up and even stood on tiptoe to look around.
Dansha led her and Tenghuang through the crowd and toward a dark corner by the alley.
Originally, the mistress did not intend to call Miss Yue'er over, but when she discovered that someone who did not know any better had come forward to talk to Miss Yue'er, the mistress changed her mind with a cold face.
The carriage stopped in a place unaffected by the commotion, and the driver got off to watch the lion dance, leaving only a horse and a carriage shrouded in dim light.
Li Yue'er turned her head to look behind her. She could hear the lively sounds over there, but the noise on this side was drowned out by the sound of the suona horn.
Her eyes brightened slightly, she bit her lower lip lightly, and raised her hand to knock on the carriage.
The curtains were lifted by a slender, pale finger, and the mistress sat by the window, looking down at her.
Her expression was indifferent; it was unclear who had offended her again.
Feeling a strange sensation, Li Yue'er skillfully lifted her skirt and boarded the carriage, bending down to squeeze into the compartment and unceremoniously sitting in her mistress's lap.
She came in shrouded in cold air. Qu Rong wanted to speak, but before she could open her mouth, her lips were covered by someone's.
Li Yue'er pursed her lower lip and whispered to her, "The lion dance will end in half an hour."
So, we need to hurry.
Qu Rong, "..."
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Mistress: Is this why I came?
Half an hour later
Moon: Huh? What did you just say?
Mistress: ...
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