Chapter 16 The Bet
Meng Yutong knelt upright, gripping the jade gourd even tighter in her hand. "The selection process for this medical clinic will last for one year. I made a one-year agreement with my grandmother: if I am successfully selected by then, I will be free to decide my own marriage. If I fail to do so, I will marry whomever my grandmother decides for me, without any objection."
Looking into her granddaughter's stubborn eyes, Jiang Yunshang's heart involuntarily clenched.
Liu was right; that girl's stubbornness was similar to hers.
But this is not a fortunate thing.
She spent nearly ten years gradually changing those traits that were not accepted by the world and were even called 'unorthodox'.
Under her guidance, Meng Yutong has grown up very well.
Everyone who has met her praises her, saying that she is gentle, quiet, generous, and skillful, which is the kind of lady that people admire.
Such a woman as Meng Yutong should marry into the Ji family, be a good wife and mother, and live a peaceful life.
This was the path Jiang Yunshang had arranged for her, and also the most stable and dignified place she could find within her own capabilities.
Everything was clearly on track...
Why? Why did the meticulously constructed and exquisite pavilion suddenly collapse?
The docile lamb revealed its sharp teeth and horns?
She should be stopped immediately with a stern rebuke!
He rebuked her for her delusional thinking!
They vehemently condemned her for defying social norms!
How could a lady from a distinguished family be allowed to show her face and practice medicine like a quack doctor in the marketplace?
What kind of behavior is this!
However... why is the heart that has been dormant in my chest for many years now beating wildly like a war drum?
Why does the blood that has been dormant in the limbs and bones suddenly surge and boil?
She clenched her right hand tighter, but a slight tremor still seeped through her fingers, and she felt the old wound on her hand throb with pain...
Meng Yutong crawled forward on her knees, her knees moving on the cold, hard blue brick floor, making a faint but alarming scraping sound, until she reached Jiang Yunshang's knees.
She stretched out her slightly cool hands and gently placed them on Jiang Yunshang's right hand.
She looked up, her eyes shining brightly. "Grandmother, I have my own selfish reasons. I don't want to be a parasitic plant in the inner quarters, only able to depend on my husband. I want to be a tall tree, able to support myself and, in the future, become Grandmother's support."
Jiang Yunshang's right hand finally calmed down and stopped trembling.
...
Midnight has passed, and all is quiet.
Inside the main hall, the incense burner had long since extinguished its last embers, leaving only a wisp of cool fragrance slowly drifting in the stagnant air.
Jiang Yunshang gazed at the empty hall before her, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the cold armrests, a sense of disorientation washing over her.
She didn't know how she had become so bewitched that she agreed to it.
“Old…Madam,” Granny Wu carefully held the jade double fish pendant left by Meng Yutong, as if it were a hot potato, “This…this engagement token from the Ji family…what should we do with it?”
Jiang Yunshang did not answer immediately, but slowly shifted her entire body weight onto the back of the chair, sinking deeply into it.
She closed her eyes, her voice seeming to drift from afar, tinged with deep weariness: "Prepare several generous gifts, selecting the best items from the storeroom's treasure chests. In a couple of days, I will personally go to the Ji residence and return this token to you as is."
"Madam!" Granny Wu rushed forward anxiously, her voice filled with sorrow, "Is this...is this marriage really going to be called off like this? A young master from the Ji family, with such looks and family background, is hard to find even with a lantern in Lin'an! The eldest daughter is young and impetuous, how could you also..."
Jiang Yunshang slowly opened her eyes, but her gaze was unfocused and fell on the flickering candlelight.
Inside the glass lampshade, a tiny spark crackled and popped, sending up tiny sparks that vanished in an instant.
“Last night at the estate,” she began, her voice low and muffled, “I had a dream.”
Granny Wu held her breath.
"I dreamt that Tong was wearing a bright red wedding dress, marrying into the deep courtyard of the Ji family..." Jiang Yunshang's gaze seemed to pierce through the candlelight before her, seeing an extremely distant and heart-wrenching scene. A rare, deep-seated pity appeared in her eyes. "She was not doing well. Like a flower that had lost its soil and water, she withered away day by day, until finally only a cold coffin remained..."
Granny Wu gasped, regaining her composure, and quickly reassured her, "Madam! That...that was just a dream! Dreams are illusory, how can they be taken seriously? The eldest young lady is blessed with good fortune, she will surely..."
"Really?" Jiang Yunshang interrupted her, a faint smile curving her lips. Her gaze finally focused, sharp and clear. "It's a dream, but it may not be an illusion."
"Tong girl said something very true today. No matter how trustworthy and upright the Ji family is, the human heart is ultimately the most fickle and unpredictable thing in this world."
“Even the deepest affection can dry up, let alone this marriage that began with gratitude and is now troubled by gossip?” She paused. “Over time, even the deepest affection will eventually be worn away.”
"If that day really comes, the Ji family's grand mansion might become a quagmire that swallows her up. They won't be able to protect her."
She recalled Meng Yutong's actions that night: her forbearance and sharpness when confronting Aunt Qin, her calmness and insight when analyzing the pros and cons in front of her, and her resolute courage when making the bet...
“Today,” Jiang Yunshang tapped the armrest lightly with her fingertips, a faint smile appearing on her lips, tinged with a hint of interest, “she has truly impressed me. She acts with method, sees things clearly, and has considerable courage.”
She gazed out the window at the impenetrable darkness of night, her voice barely audible:
"I'm genuinely curious to see if she'll be able to win this bet after the year is up."
*
Two days later, the sky was clear and the breeze was gentle.
The midday sun shone directly on the green eaves and flying tiles of Xingtao Courtyard, and a stuffy heat rose from the courtyard.
Meng Yutong leaned lazily against a bamboo rocking chair under the eaves of the corridor, gently waving a plain gauze fan in her delicate hand.
She smiled as she watched the servants file in, carefully carrying boxes and chests of items with red seals into the courtyard, where they were neatly stacked in the shaded area in front of the porch.
Every now and then, her clear voice would ring out, carrying a hint of leisurely concern: "Slow down, watch your step, don't bump into the corners."
Bai Zhi moved a small stool and sat down next to Meng Yutong's feet, leaning closer and lowering her voice with a hint of caution:
"Miss, are we really not going to keep an eye on things in the storeroom? That Aunt Qin is always trying to be clever. What if she takes advantage of the chaos to steal a few important items, or fills in some inferior ones? What would we do then?"
Meng Yutong picked up the round fan and gently tapped Bai Zhi's forehead with the handle, a confident smile playing on her lips: "Silly girl, Grandmother has spoken. If she still wanted to keep the keys to the mansion securely, she would be eager to return everything intact and carefully. How could she dare to have such a self-destructive thought?"
Bai Zhi touched her head. "She had better be that smart."
They were busy until the sun was setting in the west before they finally finished counting all the boxes and chests piled up in the yard.
A thin layer of sweat glistened on Aunt Qin's forehead, and her temples were slightly disheveled. Suppressing her reluctance, she handed Meng Yutong a neatly copied dowry list, her tone stern: "Tong'er, everything is here. Keep the list safe. If anything is missing or incomplete later, don't try to blame it on your aunt again!"
Meng Yutong then gracefully rose from the rocking chair, took the list, and examined it intently, her fingertips comparing each item line by line with focused attention.
After confirming that everything was correct, she handed the list to Granny Gui, who was standing to the side: "Granny, please keep it safe."
"Auntie, you must be tired. Why don't you stay for a cup of tea and rest before you go?" Meng Yutong turned to Auntie Qin and smiled.
Her bright smile made the pink and white flowers on the trees in the courtyard pale in comparison.
Aunt Qin felt a lump in her throat from that smile. She tugged at the corners of her mouth and said sarcastically, "Oh, you wouldn't dare disturb Tong'er's fine tea! If you're not careful, you might end up being accused of coveting the late Madam's belongings. I'd have no way of explaining myself then!"
“Since you don’t wish to stay for tea, then I, Tong’er, will not linger.” Meng Yutong’s smile remained unchanged, but her gaze suddenly fell on Aunt Qin’s wrist, which she subconsciously tried to cover with her wide sleeve. She raised her hand and pointed lightly, saying, “But Aunt, please don’t forget that you should also put the bracelet on your wrist into the storeroom.”
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