Chapter 66: You Should Get Out of Rongshu Village
The midday sun was very strong and every household stayed at home to rest. There were few people going out in the village.
Song Yuntang pulled Xu Qingye and walked a long way before letting go of his arm.
She rubbed her hands and said, "I'm sorry, if it wasn't for me, my father wouldn't have treated Brother Xu like this."
Xu Qingye shook his head and said gently, "It's okay. It's normal for them to worry."
Song Yuntang lowered his eyes.
"Brother Xu, do you think the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words are important?"
Xu Qingye smiled.
“It’s both important and unimportant.”
She turned her head to look at him, "What do you mean?"
Xu Qingye said objectively, "Although marriage is the union of two people, it ultimately involves their respective families. If you can get the blessing of your family, that would naturally be the best."
"What if you can't get it?" Song Yuntang asked again.
"If you can't get it, then you have to weigh it yourself and see if it's worth it." Xu Qingye looked at her, "Before Miss Song quits, I will still keep my promise and persist. If you want to quit, just tell me, you can do it at any time."
His words made Song Yuntang feel at ease.
It felt like no matter how she struggled, there was always someone backing her up.
"When will the Xu family come to propose marriage?"
"In the past few days, my family has found a matchmaker and is preparing the things needed for proposing marriage." Xu Qingye replied.
"It doesn't need to be too grand, just a token of appreciation is enough." Song Yuntang said half-jokingly, "My family is financially limited, and my relationship with my family is strained now, so I'm afraid I don't have much dowry."
Xu Qingye smiled.
"The girl cured my illness and is willing to marry me. I have already taken advantage of her. It doesn't matter if she has a dowry or not. Although I am not rich, I will at least provide her with food and clothing in the future."
Song Yuntang pursed his lips and smiled. The more he interacted with Xu Qingye, the more he felt that the decision he made on a whim was not wrong.
At least being with him made her feel very comfortable, without any feeling of being restrained or suffocated.
"You haven't told me yet who wants to see me." she asked with a smile.
"The adult is already waiting at the private school. You will know when you get there." After Xu Qingye said this, he led Song Yuntang to quicken their pace.
When Xu Qingye opened the courtyard door, Song Yuntang immediately saw a middle-aged man sitting under the eaves drinking tea. He was about thirty or forty years old, with a beard, his hair tied high on his head, and a dark blue gown with dark patterns. His temperament looked completely different from that of the farmers in the village.
Xu Qingye smiled and led Song Yuntang into the yard.
"This is Mr. Zhu Deming, the magistrate of Anyang County. He has come to Rongshu Village to inquire about the waterwheel."
After hearing this, Song Yuntang hurriedly bowed to Zhu Deming.
"Meet Master Zhu."
Zhu Deming quickly stood up and helped her up.
"Brother Xu told me in his letter that a girl in Rongshu Village came up with an amazing idea that solved many farmland water problems. How did the girl come up with this idea that benefits the country and the people?"
Before coming to find Xu Qingye, he took a detour to see the waterwheel. The design was truly ingenious. He never expected that it was created by a young girl.
If this was a boy, he would definitely take him to the county town and keep him by his side as an aide.
Song Yuntang chose his words carefully.
"My father and brothers work in the fields every day, and I just had an idea, so I drew a blueprint and asked the village carpenter to make it. I didn't expect it to really work. It was an accidental achievement."
Seeing that she looked frank and was not timid in front of him like ordinary women, Zhu Deming's eyes showed a hint of admiration.
"You have such courage before you know whether it can be used. You are really capable of great things." He looked at Song Yuntang, "I wonder if Miss Song can draw another blueprint for me? I will copy a copy and send it to the capital. If it can be implemented among the people, it will be a good deed."
After thinking for a while, he said, "As for what kind of reward the capital will give to the young lady, I will not promise that."
He couldn't promise either.
Although Song Yuntang was short of money, he also knew that not all money could be earned. "Since this is a project that benefits the country and the people, it is not that important whether there is a reward or not. I will draw another blueprint of the waterwheel for you."
Xu Qingye immediately walked towards the study.
"I'll go prepare the pens and ink. Miss Song, please follow me to the study."
Song Yuntang bowed to Zhu Deming and followed Xu Qingye into the study.
His study is also simple and elegant. The entire structure of the room is made of wood. There is a table, a chair and a bookshelf with more than ten books in the room.
There was also an oil lamp on the desk, and all the necessary supplies, including writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone.
The study door and the bedroom door next to it were side by side facing the yard. She sat down behind the desk, and in front of her was the lotus pot in the yard.
Xu Qingye stood beside the table, dripped some water into the inkstone, and then held the ink stick in his hand to grind ink for Song Yuntang. His movements were neither fast nor slow, and extremely graceful. His tall body, slightly bent over, blocked most of the light on the desk.
Looking at the calm man in front of him, Song Yuntang's eyes seemed to flash with surprise.
But it soon disappeared again.
Soon, Xu Qingye placed the ink stick on the inkstone and said in a gentle voice, "The ink is ready."
Song Yuntang nodded, picked up the brush, dipped it in ink and began to paint on the paper seriously.
Zhu Deming sat back in his previous seat and continued to drink tea. After Xu Qingye ground the ink, he did not leave the study. Instead, he stood beside the desk and watched Song Yuntang draw the image of the waterwheel bit by bit.
Notes are added next to some key parts.
Her painting skills seem to be very good. Although her handwriting is not as good as others, it is also elegant and fluent, and has its own style.
"Miss Song, have you ever practiced painting before?" Xu Qingye couldn't help but ask.
Song Yuntang hummed.
"I liked it when I was young, and I did study it for a while."
In her previous life, she started learning to paint at the age of four or five. Although she did not end up pursuing this path, it has always been a hobby she has maintained.
Xu Qingye nodded and said nothing more.
Just as I was about to go out to Zhu Deming, I saw that the courtyard door that was originally ajar was suddenly pushed open and several figures rushed in.
The leader was Song Yuntang's cousin, Song Zhimei.
She stood in the courtyard and looked around, then pointed in the direction of the study, "Uncle Lizheng, look, Song Yuntang is hanging out with an unmarried man before she gets married. Such an unruly woman should be driven out of Rongshu Village! Lest she tarnish the reputation of the girls in our Rongshu Village!"
A woman's reputation has always been important.
She was broken off from engagement because of Song Yuntang. After learning today that Song Yuntang had come to the private school with Xu Qingye, she immediately went to the village to find the head of the village and spread the news of Song Yuntang's secret meeting with his lover throughout the village.
Many villagers along the way followed here. Originally, after Song Yuntang did several good things in the village, everyone's impression of her had changed. Now, when everyone looked at Song Yuntang who was painting in the study, there was inquiry and contempt in their eyes.
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