Chapter 2 Two More
Xue Xiyang sat at the back door of the palace and played the piano for two and a half hours, until the skin on his fingers was broken. Then he heard a creaking sound, and the back door opened, and Qiandeng walked out of the palace holding an umbrella.
After sitting on the steps for such a long time, Xue Xiyang was still charming and affectionate, with a charming posture.
He stood up, holding the zither, brushed the hem of his zither and saluted Qiandeng: "Xiyang was under the eaves in the rain, thinking of the county lady. For a moment, I couldn't help but play the zither to express my thoughts. If I have disturbed you, I hope you will forgive me."
Qian Deng thought to himself, you've been playing the piano at the back door of my house for so long, and the servants couldn't even drive you away, so how could they disturb you?
Of course, she still had to be polite and said, "Chang'an is so big, there are many quiet places. I wonder why Mr. Xue wants to play the piano here?"
"You don't know, County Lady, but since Xiyang returned from the farm, he has been restless day and night, unable to sleep. No medicine has helped..." Xue Xiyang stared at her with his peach blossom eyes, which seemed to contain a ripple of water. "It's really hard to endure insomnia every night. The doctor said that it's probably because I encountered the chaotic army before, and the tension and confusion are difficult to relieve. And the only person who can help me..."
His exceptionally pleasant voice was drawn out gracefully, like a sigh and a plea, as he leaned closer to her: "County Lady, when we were in turmoil before, it was you who protected me and everyone in the village. Now that I need to relieve my insomnia, I can only place my hope on you who protected me back then."
Qiandeng raised her eyes and saw his beautiful, almost charming eyes.
Being enveloped by such a gentle gaze, even though she had no feelings for him, her heart couldn't help but skip a beat. Her voice paused slightly: "Me?"
"Yes... Xiyang tossed and turned every night, and I just wanted to be closer to the county lady so that I could have peace of mind and a good night's sleep."
"Is that so?" Qian Deng, a fellow insomniac, looked at him closely. Seeing a faint haze under his eyes, indicating a certain sleepiness, he said, "I know a palace physician who has given me a few doses of sleeping pills, and they're indeed effective. Young Master Xue, why don't you go see him..."
"He's the doctor I went to see, Doctor Chen. He said that heart disease needs a heart medicine. Without the County Master, I'm afraid medicine wouldn't be able to cure my illness. That's why I came here." Xue Xiyang's expression became even more pitiful when he heard the doctor's name. "The County Master is so compassionate and can't bear to see us suffer. Since she took in the six siblings of the Shi family and protected me, Shangluo, I feel ashamed... I also want to be closer to the County Master and see if what Doctor Chen said is effective..."
Her breath was weak, her voice trembling slightly, her eyes flushed... The beauty's expression was so mournful, but Qian Deng flatly refused. "Young Master Shi's family suffered a misfortune, so he came here to stay. And Young Master Shang was ill after being criticized, so he took refuge here temporarily. They were both helpless, and I don't think Young Master Xue's matter is urgent. Now that the rebel army has retreated, perhaps after three or five days of fatigue, he will naturally be able to sleep well."
"But I can't sleep all night, let alone three or five days. I've been tortured to death these past few days... You are the only medicine that can cure me now, County Lady, can't you be merciful?"
Thinking about the nightmares he had every night after his relatives passed away, Qian Deng couldn't sleep. It wasn't that she didn't sympathize with him, but how could she agree to something that was not right just because she was soft-hearted?
"Mr. Xue, please go back. It's really inconvenient to stay at my house..."
Before he finished speaking, a sudden commotion came from the alley behind him, followed by several hearty and heroic voices.
"County Lady, you must take this silly boy of mine in!"
Qian Deng was stunned. Looking back, he saw Ji Linyou, the man with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, full of vigor and ambition, now with a look of both laughter and tears on his face, being pushed over by his family members.
"Greetings to the County Lady!" All the men in the Ji family are strong and muscular, with long beards. They are definitely a group of chivalrous men with great righteousness.
They marched in military steps up to the county lady, stopped together, and bowed together.
Immediately, Grandfather Ji stepped forward. As a powerful general, he was still strong and sturdy. He patted Ji Linyou on the back and said in a loud voice, "County Lady, Hedong is in turmoil right now. My whole family are soldiers, so naturally we must be mobilized. This useless child has no one to supervise him in the capital. We believe that only the strict rules of the palace can properly discipline him. I hope that the County Lady will not abandon him and take him in temporarily. Then my entire Ji family can rest assured that they can fight for the country at the border!"
Qian Deng was at a loss for what to do in front of this group of passionate men bowing to him: "Old General, this matter... I need to discuss it with the lady in the palace."
"Why bother discussing such a trivial matter? We heard that the Shi family and the Shang family have moved into your backyard. The county lady is kind-hearted and supports the weak, so one more person won't hurt!" The old general waved his hand and said proudly, "Just find a doghouse for this good-for-nothing fellow! Everything is up to you, the county lady!"
Qian Deng hadn't expected someone to actually deliver a child to her doorstep. Since the other party was an elderly veteran, she naturally showed respect and smiled, saying, "Old General, I think it would be better for Young Master Ji to go to the military camp. I have no weapons or training grounds in my mansion, so I can't even practice martial arts..."
Grandfather Ji said firmly, "That's not a big deal. My entire Ji family respects Prince Changhua the most. It's his good fortune to be able to step into the palace!"
Father Ji clenched his fists and said, "Those rotten soldiers in the barracks, they spend their days eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. If the county lady refuses to take him in and lets him hang out with that bunch, how can we not be worried outside?"
Uncle Ji spoke from the bottom of his heart: "County Lady, Erlang is the root of our Ji family. Do you want us uncles to worry about him at the border and never be at ease?"
Second Uncle Ji said generously: "I hope the county magistrate will sympathize with the loyalty of our Ji family and agree to our unreasonable request. If so, even if we die on the battlefield, we will be happy!"
Qian Deng, who was surrounded by a group of armored men, felt his ears buzzing and was surrounded by an overwhelming pressure that made him breathless.
Amidst the heroic words spoken for the country and the court, she, as a descendant of King Changhua, looked at this group of soldiers who were similar to her father and grandfather. The passion for the battlefield deep in her chest seemed to be aroused, and she nodded uncontrollably.
When they saw her nod, everyone cheered and lined up to bow to her and thank her, shouting, "Thank you, County Lady, for your understanding!"
The group of people came and went quickly. Before Qiandeng could react, the Ji family had already trotted away in military steps, leaving the children behind and retreating.
Only Qian Deng, Ji Linyou and Xue Xiyang were left standing at the door, staring at each other in bewilderment.
After a long while, Qian Deng came back to his senses and asked Ji Linyou with difficulty: "Your family members..."
Ji Linyou coughed lightly and said, "Back then, when Prince Changhua single-handedly killed Liu Longxian and repelled a vast army, my father-in-law was one of the soldiers who supported the prince."
Qian Deng thought of his grandfather's energetic appearance and exclaimed in admiration, "He is indeed a loyal old general who served his country wholeheartedly."
If her grandfather were still alive, he would definitely look like this...
"Later, my father followed the Prince of Changhua and fought throughout the country, accumulating military merit and becoming a general himself. However, he never forgot the Prince's kindness in cultivating him. Every time he drank, he would pull me aside to tell me about the Prince's heroic deeds. So when he learned that the county lord was looking for a son-in-law, he immediately asked someone to submit my name and said to me..."
Ji Linyou looked at Qian Deng in front of him, knowing that she was waiting for his next words, but his face unconsciously became hot and he found it difficult to speak for a moment.
Because his grandfather said: "Even if the county lady is a she-devil, with half her face destroyed, and beats and scolds you every day, you must marry her, love her, and be loyal to her for the rest of your life!"
Therefore, knowing that several candidates had squeezed into the county lord's backyard, the family was anxious to discuss it overnight, fearing that others would preempt them. They even took the opportunity of transfer to throw him alone into the county lord's backyard, so as not to lose to other scheming men.
Qian Deng had no idea about the inside story, so he just asked, "What did you say?"
Ji Linyou didn't dare to meet her gaze directly, and embarrassedly turned his head away: "Nothing, just... He said that the granddaughter of Prince Changhua must be a very good... very good girl."
Hearing this, Qian Deng couldn't help but lower his head and smile, even though someone was inexplicably stuffed into the backyard.
Xue Xiyang held the guqin in his arms and asked sourly, "So, Brother Ji is planning to move in?"
Ji Linyou touched his nose embarrassedly and said, "I'll leave it to the county lady to arrange."
Qiandeng looked at Xue Xiyang, and felt a little embarrassed when she thought about how she had just firmly rejected him and then accepted someone else into her house.
Xue Xiyang smiled at her, holding his zither and standing under the eaves, letting the wind and rain hit him, soaking his clothes and hair. "Okay, the county lady, take him in, and I'll stay here. I just hope to be closer to the county lady... Maybe this will give me a little sleep."
Qian Deng heard the grievance and anger in his words, and then saw that he looked like he was going to stand in the rain for days and nights. He thought that if he really squatted at the back door day and night, there might be more rumors in Chang'an.
Looking at Ji Linyou beside her, she reluctantly raised her chin towards Xue Xiyang: "Alright, you try living in the backyard for two days first - let me tell you in advance, my backyard will only accept you, and you are not allowed to bring any attendants in."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com