Chapter 46: Redemption
Seeing Gong Cheng's strong reaction, the young man bent down to pick up the scroll and commented earnestly: "The painting skills of these few works are quite remarkable. One is Cao Yi Chu Shui, with vigorous brushstrokes, depicting figures draped in thin gauze, flowing gracefully, inspiring the imagination; the other is Wu Dai Dang Feng, with flowing and rounded brushstrokes, depicting figures with fluttering robes, serene and divine, making one dare not profane them. Given time, the painter will surely become a master!"
The servant smiled and said, "These paintings are excellent."
The young man followed up with a sarcastic remark about Gong Cheng: "Tsk, it's a pity that some people not only don't appreciate it, but also see it as a monstrous threat."
The servant feigned surprise: "How could that be? Yun Chi is renowned for his calligraphy and painting skills. If even he can't appreciate them, then what about us...?"
The two teased and taunted him back and forth, leaving Gong Cheng in an awkward position, caught between fear and amusement.
Left with no other option, he begged for mercy, pleading with the two men to let him go: "Mr. Gu, Mr. Weng, please stop making fun of me..."
No matter how well it is drawn—
Those are erotic paintings too!
The erotic illustrations still feature old friends as the main characters.
Although it was only a fleeting glance, it was clear that the artist had captured the character's expression perfectly. While the form was not quite the same, the spirit was remarkably similar, and the artist had even amplified that resemblance. Even though he knew the people of the Northern Desert were known for their fierce nature and his old friend was always unconventional, he was still taken aback.
It truly shocked him for a whole year!
Looking at those paintings is like looking at a raging flood or a ferocious beast.
The waiter said, "At least it's starting to attract some attention."
After being rescued, Gong Cheng was completely numb and dejected; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was emaciated and heartbroken.
Thinking back to Gong Yunchi back then—well, not that long ago, at most a year or two ago—this guy had an extremely strong competitive spirit and often invited a group of people to race horses, play ball, and compete in swordplay and Cuju (ancient Chinese football).
If he wins, he sings and drinks; if he loses, he pesters him relentlessly. If things don't go his way, he might even climb through a window in the middle of the night, brandishing a knife and threatening to challenge him to another match.
Gong Cheng paused for a moment, then said, "I'm sorry to have worried you."
"Worrying is secondary; the most important thing is that you can pull yourself together."
Youth: "If the time is too late, then prosperity will follow."
Gong Cheng pursed his lips and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your kind words, sir."
Once it was confirmed that Gong Cheng had recovered, the young man steered the conversation back on track—Gong Cheng's "brother-in-law" was a variable, like a pawn that appeared out of nowhere, seemingly detached from the situation, but no one could guarantee that "he" wouldn't interfere at a crucial moment.
The timing of this person's appearance was far too coincidental. He just happened to take on the job of creating erotic paintings, just happened to run into Gong Cheng, who was hiding in the Moonlit Pavilion recovering from his injuries, and just happened to be Gong Cheng's former "brother-in-law." No, whether this "brother-in-law" is genuine or not is still questionable.
What a coincidence!
The coincidences seem too numerous to be indicative of a deliberate act.
The young man tapped the chessboard lightly with his fingers.
"How much do you know about your marriage to Madam Shen? And how much do you know about this 'brother-in-law'?"
Gong Cheng raised his gaze, pondered for a moment, and then shook his head.
He said with shame, "I don't understand."
youth:"……"
male prostitute: "..."
If it weren't for the accident, the two of them would have been legally married after bowing three times. How could he say he "didn't understand"?
Gong Cheng also felt that he had gone a bit too far.
But--
He was extremely sincere: "I really don't know."
In fact, his wedding clothes were all made at the last minute.
He hadn't seen the betrothal letter, the gift certificate, or the wedding invitation. The six rites of betrothal, name inquiry, auspicious date selection, gift presentation, wedding date setting, and wedding ceremony were all cut short and rushed. He only found out he was getting married in a few days when his father urgently summoned him home. What could he possibly know?
He was only told his bride's surname, birth order, and age to prepare him mentally; nothing else. He only saw her briefly on the wedding day, and she was heavily made up. It was truly remarkable that he could recognize his fiancée's brother as bearing such a striking resemblance to his bride!
Upon hearing this, the servant patted him on the shoulder with admiration.
It is well known that arranged marriages are common in the Central Plains, with the emphasis on "parents' orders and matchmaker's words." However, it is rare to see someone like Brother Yunchi who is both blind and mute. The young man's eyes are also hard to describe.
Gong Cheng could only stammer awkwardly, "This wedding wasn't originally intended to unite two families, but rather to avoid disaster and preserve the family line. It's bound to be a bit rushed..."
As he was talking, he couldn't continue and wanted to cover his face.
This is by no means "a little rushed"...
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it playing house.
"Madam Shen died young, but her brother-in-law Shen Tang is still alive, so at least the Shen family still has some survivors." Gong Cheng composed himself, a few traces of forbearance and sympathy flashing across his face, for his fiancée whom he had only met briefly before being separated by death forever, "It is a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."
Seeing that Gong Cheng was completely convinced, the young man frowned and secretly exchanged glances with the servant.
The two, who understood each other implicitly, reached a consensus.
Meanwhile, the innkeeper, who had been waiting anxiously, finally brought Shen Tang out, grabbed her wrist, and led her to a corner: "Have you offended any of those people?"
Shen Tang shook his head: "I have not offended you."
The shopkeeper then asked, "Do you know them?"
He vaguely heard something about "brother-in-law"...
Shen Tang said, "I know one of them, but I don't have much contact with him. You can rest assured, shopkeeper, he won't cause any trouble."
The bookstore owner pondered this to himself, and realized that made sense.
He put Shen Tang's reward in a money bag and handed it to her, instructing her, "Check it carefully, or do you want me to lend you my steelyard to weigh it?"
Shen Tang weighed the weight in her hands and knew what to expect.
"No need for a steelyard."
Even if you give it to her, she won't know how to use it.
Shen Tang lowered her head and counted the money one by one. Just as she was sighing that the money she had just received was about to be spent, the shopkeeper said, "I am quite familiar with everyone at Yuehua Tower. If I put in a good word for you, you can save some money."
"ah?"
The shopkeeper countered, "Aren't you trying to redeem your younger brother or sister? They're just young servants, and as long as they're not as good-looking as you, the money you have should be enough. You might even be able to negotiate a lower price."
Shen Tang: "???"
When did she ever say that her younger siblings were trapped in Yuehua Tower?
"It wasn't a child who needed to be redeemed, but an old man."
The shopkeeper blurted out what he was thinking: "The elderly? The elderly are even cheaper; the older they are, the less valuable they become."
This is harsh, but it's the truth. Older laborers aren't as strong or energetic as younger people, so they don't do as much work. Their overall value is indeed lower than that of able-bodied men, and they certainly don't have the potential of children. Therefore, they are the cheapest. If you're looking to buy them back, this amount of money should be enough.
Unfortunately, the head of Yuehua Tower was still asleep.
The shopkeeper went straight to the manager of Yuehua Tower, tapped the table with his fingers, and got straight to the point: "Hey, business's here, I want to buy someone from you."
The manager looked up at the newcomer and recognized him as the owner of Zhengguang Bookstore, with whom he had cooperated many times. His expression softened and he smiled broadly.
"Oh, who are you buying?"
"It's this young lady who wants to buy it."
The shopkeeper turned to the side, revealing Shen Tang.
When the person in charge saw Shen Tang's face, his eyes lit up. If she were to fully grow up, she would definitely be a money tree!
Shen Tang said, "I want to buy a kitchen helper. His surname is Chu, his hair is gray, and he looks to be in his forties or fifties."
The person in charge regained his composure and, after a moment's thought, knew who Shen Tang was looking for: "You mean that old geezer, Old Chu? You want to buy him?"
Shen Tang nodded: "Mm."
The shopkeeper advised from the side, "It's just an elderly servant. Sell it cheaper. You won't lose anything, and it will fulfill this young lady's filial piety. It's a good deed."
Shen Tang: "..."
While others are blessed with a childhood sweetheart, she was blessed with a grandfather?!
戥děngzi: A type of precision small scale used for making change.
"Cao Yi Chu Shui" and "Wu Dai Dang Feng": two methods for depicting the folds of clothing.
When things reach their worst point, good fortune will follow: when things are at their lowest point, good luck will come.
Qi Shan, the guiding NPC, hasn't even been fired yet, and we haven't even finished crossing the river, but Tang Mei has already figured out how to dismantle the bridge...
(End of this chapter)
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