Silver bracelet
Xi Chun spent her days chatting and laughing with Aunt Feng at the Miao family's house, feeling as if she had returned to her days in Fuping Town. Miao Wendao had inquired around for her, but no one in the city was looking for her.
Hearing the news, she felt a mix of joy and disappointment. He didn't even care that she was gone. In his heart, she truly wasn't important.
Since that's the case, she can now set off to return home. She originally planned to stay for ten days or half a month before leaving, but she couldn't resist Aunt Feng's warm invitation to stay. Before she knew it, it was early October, and she had been living with the Miao family for almost a month.
After dinner that day, the three of them admired the moon in the courtyard. Xichun, feeling the evening breeze, finally spoke the farewell words she had been holding back for a long time: "Brother Miao, Aunt Feng, I've stayed at your house for so long, I think it's time to go back to my hometown."
“Xichun, you said that back then it was because your enemy colluded with the local magistrate that you were forced to leave your hometown alone. Now you don’t know what the situation is like there. If that villain is still an official or a local tyrant, wouldn’t you be walking into a trap if you went back?”
Aunt Feng's words made a lot of sense; she hadn't even considered this before. Shi Hai was indeed dead, but she knew nothing about Li Gao. Xi Chun wrung her hands tightly in worry, unable to think of anything to do.
Seeing Xichun's anxious expression, Miao Wendao said, "There's something I haven't had a chance to tell you yet. I've been transferred to Lantai County as its magistrate. Lantai County isn't far from Fuping County; they're both within the same prefecture. Why don't you come with us to Lantai, Xichun?"
Xi Chun couldn't think of any good ideas at the moment, so she said, "Alright, I'll go to the Imperial Library with everyone."
Before going to bed, Aunt Feng came to Miao Wendao's bedroom. "Suqing, I didn't ask you earlier, but didn't you say a few days ago that you were going to be promoted to the position of Physician? Why were you suddenly transferred to that remote Lantai County to be the magistrate?"
Miao Wendao pulled Aunt Feng to sit down and explained, "Mother, the Emperor went out of the palace some time ago to celebrate Consort Jing's birthday. On his way back to the palace, he encountered a beautiful flower girl. Upon learning that she was destitute, he took her back to the palace, made her Consort Shu, and showered her with favor. Today, I refuted the Emperor's idea of building a separate palace for Consort Shu in the imperial court. The Emperor was furious and demoted his son to Lantai County."
Aunt Feng patted Miao Wendao on the shoulder and said with relief, "Suqing, you did nothing wrong. It is the duty of a subject to advise the emperor. Being sent to the Imperial Library is not entirely a bad thing. Being a local official will give you a good opportunity to gain experience."
“Mother is right, that’s what I think too.” He chose to enter officialdom not only because his father wanted him to change his family’s status, but also because he himself wanted to become a good official. As an assistant minister in the Ministry of Rites, he did a lot of clerical work. Now that he’s the head of Lantai County, he can use his power to do some practical things for the people, which will not be in vain for his hard work studying the classics late into the night.
"When shall we set off? Mother, so you can pack your things in advance," Aunt Feng asked.
"Not so soon. The Minister of State asked me to finish the documents I've compiled before setting off, and the Emperor has agreed. I estimate I'll be there around the beginning of the twelfth lunar month."
The next day, Xi Chun learned from Aunt Feng that they wouldn't be leaving the capital until early December, which made her somewhat disappointed. However, there was only a little over a month left until December, and Wei Qiao wouldn't be looking for her again, so she didn't need to be anxious.
In her spare time, Aunt Feng would embroider handkerchiefs at home and sell them at the Jinxiu Cloth Shop on Yongding Street on the first and fifteenth of each lunar month.
"I don't care how much money I make, as long as I have something to do every day."
When she was young, Aunt Feng worked as an embroiderer in an embroidery workshop. Her embroidery skills were excellent, and she could earn twenty coins for each handkerchief. Xi Chun, having nothing to do, would also embroider handkerchiefs with Aunt Feng every day to pass the time.
That day, Aunt Feng returned from grocery shopping and told Xichun that there would be a Persian acrobatic performance that evening at the entrance of the City God Temple in the north of the city. Xichun remembered that the last time she had seen a Persian acrobatic performance was many years ago when she first came to the capital.
Aunt Feng noticed the longing in her eyes. Since she really liked Xichun and wanted to pair her up with Miao Wendao, she said to Miao Wendao at the dinner table, "Suqing, after dinner, take Xichun to the City God Temple to see the Persian acrobatic performance."
Miao Wendao looked at Xichun, who was eating her food, and asked, "Xichun, do you want to go see?"
Xi Chun nodded and said affirmatively, "Yes!"
The City God Temple was three streets away from their home in Shuangliu Lane, a half-hour walk away. Xichun was filled with anticipation for watching the acrobatics, and her steps were light and quick as she walked.
Miao Wendao turned to look at Xichun, who was beaming with smiles beside him. Fate had brought her to his side. When he heard about the fire at Chuyun Temple, he thought she had perished in the flames and was heartbroken for a long time. But it turned out that someone had secretly hidden her away. Now that she had left that person and come to his side, this was his chance. He would never let such a good girl go to anyone else.
Touching the silver bracelet in his sleeve pocket, Miao Wendao secretly made up his mind.
Xi Chun was eager to see the acrobatic performance, so she quickened her pace. She crossed the street corner, intending to speak to Miao Wendao, but when she turned around, she realized he was far behind. She quickly stopped and waited for him.
Seeing Xichun waiting for him at the street corner, Miao Wendao quickly walked a few steps to catch up. "Xichun, I'm so sorry, Brother Miao left his fan on the ground just now and went back to look for it."
Xi Chun waved her hand, "It's alright, I just walked too fast."
Miao Wendao twirled the purple bamboo-handled folding fan in his hand with a flourish, then slowly began to fan himself.
The evening air was already a bit chilly, and before Xichun went out tonight, Aunt Feng had specifically told her to wear an extra layer of clothing to keep her warm. Watching Miao Wendao leisurely fanning himself, Xichun stared at his fan and sincerely asked, "Brother Miao, are you hot?"
"Hahaha, not at all."
He had been given a folding fan at his birthday banquet when he was ten years old, and ever since then, he had carried it with him every day, regardless of the season or weather. The folding fan had become an essential item for him when he went out. He awkwardly closed the folding fan in his hand and saw that Xichun was still looking at him. "Let's go, the acrobatics performance is probably about to start."
The acrobatic performances in Persia were truly spectacular. This time, the troupe consisted of over fifty people and included a tiger and an elephant. Xichun had only heard of these two animals before but had never seen them in person. Tonight, seeing the tiger jump through hoops of fire and the elephant roll around logs, Xichun watched with rapt attention, her hands aching from clapping. After the performance, Xichun dropped ten coins into the performers' money box and then set off home with Miao Wendao.
Having just finished watching the performance, Xichun was still in high spirits and pulled Miao Wendao aside to share her feelings: "Brother Miao, that little girl who rode on the elephant was amazing. The elephant actually submitted to her and easily let her sit on its back."
“They are all trained from a young age. I read in a book that people in the Baiyue region used elephants to help with work. Trained elephants are actually very docile animals, just like the cattle we see in the fields.”
"Brother Miao, you know so much!" Xichun praised. She had never known any of this before. No wonder people say that scholars are amazing; a scholar can know everything without leaving home. It seems that this is really true.
Miao Wendao gently shook the folding fan in his hand and smiled warmly, "I haven't seen it with my own eyes either, I only read about it in books. If Xichun were to study, she would know it too."
"Does she even read?" Xi Chun sighed. Back at the Wei residence, Wei Qiao had said she probably wasn't cut out for studying. Wei Qiao taught her to write, but she couldn't write her own name clearly even after dozens of attempts. Later, Wei Qiao stopped letting her write and only had her grind ink for him.
Seeing that Xichun looked a little disappointed, Miao Wendao encouraged her, "Learning to read isn't difficult, as long as you have perseverance. My mother only started studying when Yusheng was taking the imperial examination, and she was older than you then. Now she can read letters and storybooks. If Xichun wants to learn to read, I can teach you."
Thinking back to the books she'd seen in Aunt Feng's room, she'd initially assumed Brother Miao had placed them there. She'd found it strange that Brother Miao, who clearly had a study, would leave books in Aunt Feng's room. Now that Brother Miao had explained, she understood—Aunt Feng herself read those books. Since Aunt Feng, older than her, could learn to read, she could try too.
"Brother Miao, I want to learn to read," Xi Chun said to Miao Wendao beside her, mustering her courage.
Looking into Xichun's bright eyes, Miao Wendao nodded affirmatively at her, "I'll make a study plan for you when we get back. I happen to have three hundred thousand coins for beginners, and I also have extra writing materials. You can start learning tomorrow."
Xi Chun was surprised by how thoughtful Brother Miao was and thanked him earnestly, "Brother Miao, thank you!"
Miao Wendao waved his hand, "It's a good thing to be eager to learn. My books are just sitting there unread and lifeless. If you can learn something from them, then they've fulfilled their purpose."
Filled with joy, Xichun walked happily toward Shuangliu Lane. This time, afraid of leaving Miao Wendao behind again, she deliberately slowed down and walked side by side with him.
Miao Wendao waved a purple bamboo fan in his hand, but his mind was on the silver bracelet in his sleeve pocket, wondering if now was a good time to confess his feelings.
Xi Chun felt very relaxed in front of Miao Wendao. He spoke and acted freely, treating her like a younger sister. When Xi Chun was little, she envied Lan Xiang for having an older brother. Although Lan Xiang complained that having an older brother wasn't all that great, she didn't have any siblings and sometimes wished she had one. Now, Brother Miao had fulfilled that wish of hers.
As he approached the entrance to Shuangliu Lane, Miao Wendao knew that if he didn't speak up now, he would miss this opportunity tonight, so he stopped and didn't go any further.
"Brother Miao, what's wrong? Did you drop something again?"
Miao Wendao suppressed his turbulent emotions, turned around to face Xichun who was looking up at him, and said, "Xichun, I know that what I'm saying may be a little sudden for you, but please believe me, every word I say is from the bottom of my heart."
After saying that, he took out the silver bracelet from his sleeve and handed it to Xichun.
Xi Chun recognized it immediately as her own bracelet.
Upon seeing her lost item again, Xichun was overjoyed. "Brother Miao, how did this bracelet end up with you?"
Miao Wendao took Xichun's hand and put the silver bracelet on her wrist. "I pawned it to save Yusheng back then, and later my servant brought me money and I redeemed it. It's been with me all these years. Now I think it's time to return it to its rightful owner. You always carried this bracelet with you back then, so it must have been very meaningful to you."
Looking at the koi fish pattern on the silver bracelet, Xichun recalled many past events.
“This silver bracelet was a gift from my grandfather when I came of age. It was originally a pair, but when my good friend Lanxiang was leaving, I gave her one. When I was in Xinjiang, I gave this bracelet to you to save someone. I never thought that one day it would come back to me.”
Xi Chun wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, held up the silver bracelet and smiled at Miao Wendao, "Brother Miao, thank you so much!"
Seeing Xichun in tears, Miao Wendao couldn't bring himself to say the words of confession he wanted to say. He coughed lightly twice, stepped forward, and patted Xichun's shoulder. "Don't cry. Come on, let's go home with Brother Miao!"
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