Chapter 58 The Immortal in the Hermitage (Part 1) She closed the door, refusing to let him leave...
After walking for a short while, he turned into a narrow alley with three houses on either side. Zhang Da knocked on the gate of the house on the left. Just then, an old man pushing a wheelbarrow turned into the alley, greeted Zhang Da with a smile, and Zhang Da turned and joked with him for a couple of minutes before watching him turn back out of the alley. "That's Old Xu who lives in the alley across the street. He collects swill and is always busy this late."
Jiuli thought to herself that one should not judge a book by its cover. Zhang Da always carried a knife and looked fierce, but he was actually an extremely amiable person. He did not put on airs with ordinary people and could even joke and laugh with the neighbors who collected swill. If it were any other official, they would probably feel that it was beneath their status to joke and laugh with such a person.
Her fondness for Zhang Da grew, and she smiled, beckoning to Yu Qi before whispering in his ear, "I wonder what kind of wife Brother Zhang will marry. Do you guess she'll be tall or short, fat or thin?"
Yu Qi thought she was about to say something important, so he leaned closer to her, but unexpectedly, she said this. He gave her a warning look and said, "That's their business. What's it to you?"
Having been rebuffed, Jiu Li went to Du Zhong's side and started whispering and gossiping with him.
A short while later, the woman opened the door. Her name was Suizi, and she was a large-framed woman. Although she didn't have much fat on her body, she appeared quite strong and robust. Standing next to Zhang Da, they looked like a married couple. She was also very forthright. As soon as Zhang Da introduced the three of them, she grabbed Jiuli and pulled her into the house. Jiuli almost fell to the ground and hurriedly followed, full of questions, wondering what she wanted.
Sui Zi pulled Jiu Li into the house, held up the oil lamp on the kang table and shone it from her face to her waist, clicking her tongue and shaking her head, "This deadbeat wasn't lying to me after all, there really is such a beautiful girl, like a fairy. You're so slim, what do you usually eat?"
Jiuli opened his mouth for a moment, then laughed and said, "My spleen and stomach aren't very good. No matter how much I eat, I don't gain much weight. I do take medicine often, though."
Sui Zi's face immediately showed a hint of pity. "That's not good. Being good-looking is not as important as being healthy."
Jiuli chuckled to himself, "Of course, I wish my sister-in-law were healthier. It's no fun if she can't withstand the wind and rain."
Sui Zi pressed her down to sit on the couch, and before she could finish her sentence, Zhang Da led Yu Qi and the others in from behind, saying, "Don't talk too much. It's our first time meeting them and you're already going on and on. Hurry up, we're hungry, get us some food."
She could only smile at Jiuli, turn her head and glare at Zhang Da, then stepped over his foot and walked out with her head held high.
Zhang Da exclaimed "Ouch!" twice, muttered a few curses while holding his foot, and then hurriedly invited Yu Qi and Du Zhong to sit down at the octagonal table in front of the bed, and told them to light more lamps. He turned to Jiu Li and said with a smile, "Your sister-in-law is good in every way, except that she has a bad temper, is illiterate, and is rough around the edges. She's not like a woman, but she loves to look pretty. She just wants to ask you for some tips on dressing up. Don't pay any attention to her."
"I think you and your sister-in-law are quite a good match, and you're not much better at it either." Jiuli knew that he had two teenagers at home, who should be asleep by now, so she didn't dare to speak loudly. She covered her mouth with her hands, but still let out a soft giggle through her fingers.
The group chatted and laughed, and when they came up with Liang Zuyue, Zhang Da sighed, "They say that every wrong has its perpetrator and every debt its debtor. Liang Zuyue hates and hates but doesn't seek revenge on Lord Wang. Instead, he wants to kill two unrelated people. You can tell that Tang Chengguan and Lu Yan'er are unlucky to have run into this plague god."
Yu Qi said, "Since ancient times, it has been said that the common people cannot fight against officials, and the poor cannot fight against the rich. Liang Zuyue is just a commoner, and he comes from a rural background. He has always been bound by this kind of thinking. No matter how much he hates Lord Wang, he is always afraid to be his enemy. In addition, he knows very well that he betrayed Cuiying, but he is afraid to admit it. If these two emotions are suppressed in his heart for a long time, anyone would go crazy. When he met Tang Chengguan, who was the fuse, he naturally exploded. Moreover, Tang Chengguan and Lu Yan'er are of much lower status than him, so his attitude towards them is naturally different."
Du Zhong scoffed disdainfully, “Isn’t this just bullying the weak and fearing the strong? Outsiders say he’s sentimental, but I think he’s selfish, only thinking about himself in everything. He admitted to killing but didn’t reveal the reasons behind it, probably because he was afraid that Cuiying’s death would be brought up again. He was afraid that outsiders would see that he had given Cuiying away. Even when he was about to die, he was still concerned about his reputation.”
Unlike him, Yu Qi remained calm and composed, saying, "He's not concerned about his reputation; he can't even face himself."
Jiuli scoffed, "So, he does have some conscience after all?"
Yu Qi didn't know how to answer her, so he just smiled and looked at her. She tilted her head slightly towards the oil lamp on the kang table and pouted, making her face look like she had clear likes and dislikes, pure and lovely.
Zhang Da chimed in, "That depends on who it is and what it's about. In any case, people's hearts are hard to fathom."
Yu Qi, using Zhang Da's words, cautioned Jiu Li, "Did you hear that? Even Chief Constable Zhang said that people's hearts are unpredictable."
Jiuli mumbled "uh-huh" in agreement, but in her heart she felt that he was trying to give her some pointers on Xu Bai's matter. There was no need for that at all. How could she be so stupid as to think that she could outsmart Xu Bai?
Or was there another reason behind his strong opposition to her marriage to Xu Bai? She couldn't help but consider this possibility. She pulled a horseshoe-shaped stool from under the table and sat down, propping her chin on her hand to look at his profile. The candlelight couldn't warm his face; it remained cold, but she knew his heart was warm.
Yu Qi was being stared at by her, and he quickly glanced at Zhang Da. Fortunately, Zhang Da heard Sui Zi call and got up to leave. Du Zhongxian then asked, "Why are you looking at Master? Is there something written on Master's face? Or did Master say something wrong?"
Jiuli then realized that he had been staring at Du Zhong intently, so he lowered his hand, adjusted his gaze, and gave him a sharp look.
A moment later, Zhang Da and Sui Zi brought over a late-night snack: a large bowl of meatball noodles and a bowl of ice-cold plum juice for each person. Jiu Li was surprised when she saw the bowls. They were not bowls at all, but rather like the soup bowls used by the Yu family! Did the Zhang family eat from these bowls? After secretly observing the couple's stature, it made sense.
Sui Zi had already eaten in the kitchen. She moved the lamp from the kang table to the octagonal table and sat alone on the couch, peeling dried beans. Her eyes, full of smiles, were fixed on Jiu Li, urging her to eat more. Seeing Jiu Li chewing slowly, she wished she could eat it for her. Under her supervision, Jiu Li ate much faster without realizing it. Sui Zi turned her gaze with satisfaction to Yu Qi. "I heard Mr. Yu is almost thirty and still not married?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Da choked on a mouthful of hot soup and coughed violently. Even so, he couldn't stop Sui Zi from asking, "Why? Mr. Yu is handsome, good at making money, and has a good reputation. Why don't you take a wife? I heard Zhang Da say that the eldest daughter of the Guan family has some feelings for you. Is that true?"
Well, even Yu Qi started coughing.
Zhang Da, having recovered, hurriedly gave an awkward laugh, "I think Mr. Yu is quite content not to marry. Sometimes I envy you, sir, for you don't have to be controlled or restrained by women."
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Suizi glared at him. "What kind of man doesn't get a wife?"
Zhang Dachao winked at her, "Don't talk nonsense here!"
"What I'm saying is hardly nonsense. You always say you admire Mr. Yu's character and talent, and you're always praising him at home. I met him today and I also think he's a good person. Since he's a good person, what's wrong with me showing some concern? I wouldn't bother asking about such trivial matters for most people." As she spoke, she leaned forward, tilting her head towards Yu Qi. "Mr. Yu, you won't be angry, will you?"
Before Yu Qi could say anything, Jiu Li waved her hand, "No, no, Uncle is very magnanimous."
Jiuli Duzhong also stared intently at Yu Qi, trying to figure out what he was thinking and whether he planned to never get married. He usually didn't dare to ask him, not even the old lady. Now, someone was asking for him, but Yu Qi was eating their food and couldn't very well turn his back on them.
Jiuli smiled at Yu Qi, "Uncle doesn't want to get married because he's afraid of being controlled, right?"
Yu Qi was annoyed by the stares of several eyes and his expression changed. The three people at the table dared not make a sound, but Sui Zi, who was sitting in the back and couldn't see, asked, "There must be a reason, right? Could it be that Mr. Yu doesn't love women?"
Zhang Da coughed again, choking on his saliva. Sui Zi glared at him and said, "If you cough again, the roof beams will collapse! Cough cough cough! You're like a tuberculosis demon, can't you just say what you mean?!"
Even Yu Qi couldn't help but laugh at this point, and Zhang Da, seeing his expression, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Mr. Yu, I’m a straightforward person, please don’t take offense. I’ve heard of men like that. The third son of the family across the street doesn’t like women. He married a wife, but she’s just a decoration at home. She only likes to hang out with those male opera singers. Mr. Yu, you also like watching opera, right?”
Jiuli gave a wry smile. Yu Qi glanced at her and finally spoke up helplessly, "I never watch plays, I find them too noisy."
Sui Zi nodded, then suddenly seemed to remember something, tilting her face forward to look at half of his face, as if she had something to say but couldn't. Sheng waited for them to finish eating and say goodbye. She and Zhang Da saw them to the door, and only after closing it did she ask Zhang Da, "Mr. Yu, do you perhaps have some kind of male ailment?"
Zhang Da glared at her fiercely, "Can you please stop talking nonsense all the time?!" However, he couldn't help but have his own doubts.
As soon as the courtyard gate closed, Jiu Li couldn't help but giggle in the alley. This was what they called a scholar meeting a soldier. Yu Qi was used to showing his temper, but he met Sui Zi, who didn't know how to read people's expressions and said what she meant. She was just a simple and honest woman with no bad intentions. It turned out that he couldn't get angry at such a person.
However, upon closer reflection, Sui Zi's words made some sense. Could it be that Yu Qi's refusal to marry was due to some unspeakable hardship? Over the years, his entire family had only assumed that he was too busy to think about such matters. But after Sui Zi's reminder, she also began to have doubts. Could being busy be just an excuse?
"Why are you looking me up and down?" Yu Qi noticed her eyes glistening in the moonlight as she glanced at him, and his face hardened.
Jiuli quickly looked away, but as soon as she turned out of the alley, she said she couldn't walk anymore. "Sister-in-law Zhang kept staring at me while we were eating. I'm so full that my stomach hurts when I walk."
This didn't seem like a lie; it was the first time Yu Qi had ever seen her eat so much. He had no choice but to half-squat down in front of her, bending over, "I'll carry you back."
Du Zhong hurriedly took the lantern, laughing at Jiu Li, "Just eat your food, why are they staring at you?"
Jiuli glared at him. "What do you know? She just doesn't like me being too thin."
After saying this, she rested her head comfortably on Yu Qi's back. After walking a short distance, she couldn't help but whisper in his ear, "Uncle, do you really not like women?"
Yu Qi wanted nothing more than to throw her onto the street, and said coldly, "If you say another word, get off and walk by yourself."
She quickly shut her mouth, holding back until they got home. Yu Qi asked Xiu Zhi to brew a bowl of Pu'er tea. He watched her eat it, and just as he was about to go back to his room, she couldn't help but grab him and ask, "So what kind of woman do you like? Tall or short? Thin or fat? Young or older?"
He turned around. "Is this something you should be asking?"
In the past, Jiu Li would have simply said "Oh" and let him go. But things were different now. She wanted to know no matter what, especially since it was late at night and only heaven, earth, and the two of them knew. What was there to be afraid of? She quickly moved behind him, closed the door, put her hands behind her back, and braced herself against the door. "I'm going to ask."
Yu Qi never expected her to suddenly close the door. It was as if she wasn't planning to let him leave easily, yet she didn't dare look him in the eye, turning her face to the side, her eyes drooping on the couch, her face flushed like a flower battered by rain. He could have pulled her away and walked out, but whether she wanted to or not, he knew she had mustered all her courage to stop him. Perhaps influenced by Sui Zi's words, she was finally going to ask him about his private affairs. He knew he shouldn't discuss this topic with her, as there was a risk of crossing the line, but he couldn't bear to damage her courage.
He could only pretend not to understand, saying, "Don't worry, I won't just marry any woman to discipline you. You're all grown up now, you can manage many things on your own, you don't need anyone else to tell you what to do, right?"
Jiuli sensed a hidden meaning in his words, as if he were implying that she should follow the rules. She felt a little ashamed, glanced at him, but stubbornly remained pressed against the door. "What does it mean to not marry casually? Does it mean I'm going to marry someone serious eventually?"
Yu Qi casually sat down on the couch and joked, "I didn't intend to have three wives and four concubines."
She glared at him anxiously, then belatedly realized he was probably a little flustered; otherwise, he wouldn't have suddenly made such a joke. A lone lamp on the table illuminated half of his face, and she noticed his lips seemed to tremble slightly, his smile unnatural. Perhaps he had sensed her feelings even before she had? She thought that was a plausible explanation.
"Then why didn't you marry someone sooner?"
He didn't look at her, his eyes leisurely and deliberately scanning the room, as if he were considering adding something to her room, acting like a completely loving elder. "When you were little, you would get angry whenever someone mentioned this, how could I dare to marry you? Neither you nor Du Zhong are of the Yu family bloodline, and I'm afraid that if I marry a woman, she won't treat you well. Alright, I promise you, if I'm going to marry, I'll marry someone you like."
Hearing this only made her angrier. He had so casually made her act like a child again, as if asking these questions stemmed from a child's instinctive unease. She insisted on reminding him that she was all grown up, "You and I both like that? That makes things difficult. You're a man, and I'm a woman. Our standards for women are different. When a man looks at a woman, he always looks at her face and figure first. Men all like shapely figures, right?"
Yu Qi smiled calmly, "Perhaps."
She tilted her head back, looking into the void ahead, and asked, "I wonder if I count?"
He couldn't help but glance at her and coughed, "Probably."
He remembered her posture even from just a glance; it seemed she was deliberately puffing out her chest and raising her head, trying to make sure no one could ignore the signs of her growing maturity. That's how women are; even the thinnest of them have some flesh. She wore a thin, dark purple long gown, and you could vaguely see her slender arms. That patch of pink flesh seemed to tremble in his heart, and he immediately felt a sense of guilt, unable to look at her any longer.
But sitting still wasn't an option, so he had no choice but to stand up, put on a stern expression, and walk up to her. "Go to sleep now."
Jiuli remained stubbornly at the door, refusing to leave. "No, I can't sleep."
"You'll fall asleep as soon as you lie down."
She raised her eyes, a hint of threat in them, "I won't feel at ease until you explain yourself clearly. I won't be able to sleep even if I lie here until dawn!"
He saw a hint of tears in her eyes and smiled helplessly, but he had to harden his heart. "Look, what else is there to ask? No matter what I say, you'll get angry. You've been spoiled since you were little, and we've spoiled you too. You only want everyone in this family to revolve around you. If I really get married, and suddenly someone more powerful than you comes to the house, won't you cause a huge uproar?"
Jiuli paused for a moment, "So you mean you want to marry me, but you haven't because you're afraid I'll make a fuss?"
He glanced at her for a long time without saying a word, which made her even angrier. She ran back to bed, burrowed under the covers, and waited for a while, but there was still no sound. She lifted the covers and saw that he was long gone. Only the wind was gently fanning the door, as if everything was just her childish, futile indulgence and willfulness. She felt a sense of powerlessness.
She cried half the night and slept the other half, only waking up around noon. When she opened her eyes, she saw the old lady sitting by the bed, looking at her. She vaguely remembered what had happened and was startled. Had the old lady overheard her conversation with Yu Qi last night?
Fortunately, the old lady only asked, "What did you and your uncle argue about last night? Did he catch you reading those frivolous books again and not going to sleep? Look at your red eyes, did he scold you and make you cry?"
Jiuli's eyes darted around, and she nodded instantly. "Yeah, all he knows is lecturing people."
The old lady patted the quilt and smiled. "You're all grown up now, so you should be more understanding of his difficulties. Sometimes when he scolds you, it's not without reason. So just listen to him more and stop staying up late watching those things. You're a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl now. If you're still so immature, people will laugh at you."
Hearing this, Jiu Li felt a little uneasy, sensing that she was implying something. She pretended to be nonchalant and laughed, then threw off the covers, got out of bed, walked to her desk, and opened the window to look at the sun. "It's already noon? Where's Uncle?"
"He was just summoned away by the officials, in such a hurry, he didn't even have lunch. They said some prince wanted to see him. How does your uncle know such an important person?"
"Your Highness? Which Your Highness?" Jiu Li came to her senses and looked puzzled as well.
It was only noon when Zhang Da rushed to the pharmacy. Seeing Yu Qi sitting in a private room drinking tea, he excitedly scurried in and exclaimed, "Sir, great news! Incredible good news!"
Yu Qi was still troubled by the events of the previous night, so he waved a hand dismissively, inviting him to sit. He couldn't even sit down, and went straight to his side. "This morning, Liang Zuyue's case file was submitted to the Ministry of Justice. Just then, the Censorate and Prince Zhao were investigating Lord Wang. Upon seeing this case file, they immediately ordered the arrest of Lord Wang and Sun Kuan. Sun Kuan not only identified the events involving Cuiying from years ago, but also revealed many instances of Lord Wang abusing his power for personal gain. Tomorrow, Prince Zhao will take all of Lord Wang's crimes back to the capital for the Emperor to decide."
This was nothing surprising; Yu Qi had expected it. He glanced at him indifferently and said, "This is all thanks to you, Officer Zhang."
Zhang Da chuckled several times. "How dare I take credit? This morning, when Prince Zhao heard about it, he specially summoned me and Lord Qi to the Censorate for questioning. Lord Qi and I both said that we were fortunate to have your help. When Prince Zhao heard this, he said he wanted to see you, so he sent me to invite you to the Censorate."
Yu Qi was slightly surprised. He put down his teacup and thought about it carefully. He realized that King Zhao probably wanted to see him not because of his great merit, but because he had some other motive. What is meant to be will be. He had deliberately avoided officialdom for so many years, but Qi Xubai still got some painting, and King Zhao still got to see Jiu Li.
Those who are meant to be seen will eventually be seen; those who cower and hesitate will only appear to have something to hide.
Thinking of this, he stood up and straightened his clothes. "You lead the way."
Zhang Da brought two horses, and the two soon arrived at the Censorate. They went into the inner hall and finally met Prince Zhao, Zhou Yu. In addition to the three officials of the Censorate, Zhao Liang was also sitting in the hall.
Zhou Yu, though only three or four years younger than Yu Qi, possessed an air of imperial majesty, a bearing unmatched by ordinary people. Yu Qi immediately knelt in obeisance, but Zhou Yu adopted an approachable demeanor, slowly raising a table to gently help him to his feet. He then turned to Zhao Liang, praising Yu Qi, before beckoning for someone to bring out fifty taels of gold, saying it was a reward from the imperial court.
Yu Qi quickly cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "This humble subject dares not accept such an undeserved gift."
Zhou Yu smiled and said, "One cannot accept a reward without merit. Mr. Yu first helped the government to eliminate the plague, and then twice assisted the yamen in investigating murder cases. Naturally, he deserves it."
As he spoke, he sized up Yu Qi, then turned to Zhao Liang and said, "This Mr. Yu looks somewhat familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"
Yu Qi immediately realized there was a trick to this, but fortunately Zhao Liang was alert and said with a smile, "Your Highness resides in the capital, while I am but a country bumpkin. How could I have ever had the honor of seeing Your Highness's face before?"
Zhou Yu twisted her hands behind her back and turned her smiling face to Yu Qi, "I heard that you travel around practicing medicine and taking pulses. Haven't you ever been to the capital?"
Yu Qi smiled and replied with his head down, "I used to only travel around Suzhou and had never been to the capital."
"I suppose I've mistaken you for someone else." Zhou Yu nodded with a smile. "Sir, your medical skills are excellent. May I ask who your teacher was?"
"My master was Tai Zhiyou, a famous doctor in Suzhou, who passed away six years ago."
Zhou Yu had heard of the name Tai Zhiyou before. He then asked, "Sometimes, you folk doctors are better than the imperial physicians. I once heard of a doctor named Bai Qian, who was also a folk miracle doctor. I wonder if Mr. Yu knows him?"
Yu Qi smiled and shook his head, "This humble subject is ignorant and has never heard of such a person."
Seeing that he was completely discreet and clearly had come prepared, Zhou Yu realized that he couldn't get anything out of him, so he waved his hand and let him go.
As soon as they stepped out of the Censorate, Zhang Da said, "That's strange, Your Highness, why does the gentleman look familiar?"
Yu Qi simply said, "Didn't the prince say that he mistook someone for someone else?"
"And what about that Bai Qian? Why would His Highness ask about him? Who is he?"
"It's probably a famous doctor that the prince met somewhere, and he just asked casually."
Zhang Da was about to ask more questions when Yu Qi had already walked ahead on his own. Zhang Da pondered for a moment, but since he couldn't figure out these cunning people anyway, he simply ignored them. However, he still had something else he wanted to ask Yu Qi, but he hesitated for days because he couldn't bring himself to ask.
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Author's note: Thank you for reading.
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