Chapter 44 Xiao Lang is a stranger
Wang Yuying noticed that Jing Ye had clearly dressed up and even wore half a head of dogwood.
“Too many.” Wang Yuying said, standing on tiptoe and reaching out to pluck several branches of dogwood from Jing Ye’s head and insert them into her own. This way, the elegant and refined manners he wanted to emulate would be just right.
Jing Ye lowered his head. Wang Yuying was wearing a gold-embroidered red dress and a matching strapless top today, and she was also wearing light makeup. His face flushed slightly: "The flowers are the same color as your dress."
Wang Yuying looked up and smiled at him. Yes, so it fit her hair perfectly.
"We need to go to the kitchen to prepare the ingredients, do you want to come with us?"
"Yingniang, this is a housewarming gift for you."
Wang Yuying and Jing Ye opened their mouths at the same time, their voices clashing, and they were both stunned for a moment before exchanging a smile.
"I'll go to the kitchen. Just let me know if you can help!" Jing Yexian spoke again, agreeing to Wang Yuying's request. She slowly looked at the gifts in his hands: Double Ninth cake, Guanghan cake, chestnuts, chrysanthemum wine... and of course, a large portion of Wang's fried meatballs.
Wang Yuying accepted the gift with a smile. She originally wanted to thank Jing Ye, but then she remembered that every time she thanked him before, he would say that he felt bad. So she decided not to say anything.
When Jing Ye arrived at the kitchen, he discovered that Wang Yuying had also bought Wangji fried meatballs, and Chongyang cakes were also prepared.
A dark glint flashed across Jing Ye's eyes.
Upon seeing this, Wang Yuying smiled and said, "This is for your dinner tonight."
None of his gifts go to waste.
The weather in Jingye immediately changed from overcast to sunny.
Wang Yuying didn't hire any outside helpers; it was just the five of them. They divided the work and each did their own thing, preparing a table of Northwestern home-style dishes: braised lamb with flatbread, crispy chicken, braised beef, cold alfalfa salad, and a large pot of stewed lamb spine.
They didn't hire any musicians or opera troupes, but instead brought a group of soldiers from the Western Army and their families for a private banquet. Since there wasn't enough room in the main hall, they simply set up three outdoor tables in the second courtyard, inviting Juanxue, Shuangtian, and Chuying to sit at the tables.
Everyone had a hearty appetite and drank heartily around the table.
After drinking their fill of strong liquor, the stools became too hot to sit on. Zhu Zi and Ding Man each grabbed a wine jug, spun around, and then sat down on the ground, trying to pull Jing Ye along.
Jingye refused: "No, you must sit like a corpse, sitting back completely and eating completely in front."
"What are you saying?" Zhu Zi and Ding Man couldn't understand. "You've become a high-ranking official, and now you've become so sour?"
"No," Jing Ye stammered, offering only two words of explanation. Wang Yuying, however, chuckled to herself. The time before last, when she visited him, he was still studying military strategy; now he's already reading the Book of Rites.
She couldn't help but feel gratified by his diligence and eagerness to learn.
As everyone was drinking in the courtyard, they suddenly heard a knock on the door.
The people at the table looked around and saw that everyone was present.
Wang Yuying pursed her lips and ordered, "Juanxue, go open the door."
"Okay." Juanxue put down her chopsticks and got up. When she opened the gate, she saw five or six potted plants in front of the gate, as well as two unfamiliar men, all dressed as servants, which is the most common sight in the city.
The two men bowed inwards and said, "Congratulations on your new home, Immortal Master. My master knows that you dislike him, so he dares not add to your joy on this auspicious day. We have sent this small gift, but we cannot come in person. We hope you will accept it with a smile."
Upon hearing this, Wang Yuying slowly walked to the door and looked around—she had specifically chosen this residence where there were no tall buildings around and no one could spy on her, wondering where Zheng Yangzhi was hiding at this moment.
She looked at the gifts again: two plain white bowls of banana trees, a red-glazed pot of calamus, a deep-bellied pot of camellia, a pot of roses with ice-crack patterns, and an octagonal blue-and-white pot of nandina, a total of six bonsai.
Wang Yuying couldn't help but glance back at the flower stand. She couldn't find the same chrysanthemum pots as the ones she bought herself, but the flower pots and flowers that Zheng Yangzhi sent over corresponded exactly to those in the General's Mansion back then. The flower pots were restored to their original appearance in terms of color, shape and material.
The out-of-season roses are exceptionally beautiful; I wonder where they came from, perhaps from some greenhouse, and cost a fortune.
She remembered that Zheng Yangzhi had indeed come to the General's Mansion with Xu Heng once before, but she couldn't recall what they had argued about. Anyway, he didn't stay long before she made him leave.
"Master said these flowers are not only to celebrate your housewarming, but also to express our gratitude to the Immortal Master for saving our lives in the past." The two servants bowed and said again, "Immortal Master, please accept them. There is no need to repay any favors, and we owe you nothing. We are still even."
The men of the Western Expeditionary Army were all quite drunk. Seeing that Wang Yuying hadn't returned, they staggered out of the hanging flower gate to see what was going on. Juan Xue Shuang Tian guessed who had delivered the flowers but dared not utter a sound. The veterans, along with Zhu Zi and Ding Man, were so drunk they blurted out, "Aren't these the same potted plants from the General's old residence?"
During the meal earlier, everyone had mentioned that the second courtyard resembled the General's Mansion. Now, seeing the similar flowers again, they couldn't help but shed tears.
Suddenly, a drunken veteran sat down on the ground and cried out, "This isn't that flowerpot! This isn't it!"
The other two veterans nudged him with their arms, saying, "These are the flowers in the manor, Miss! This...this pot of Nandina domestica is the old general's favorite; he takes care of it every day!"
"Huh? Do we still have people in the capital? Otherwise, how could we know so much about this?"
...
The group was rambling incoherently. Chu Ying, also carefree and somewhat drunk, interjected, "These flowers are so beautiful."
Uncle Wang brought three generations of his family to the banquet today, and his five-year-old granddaughter immediately chimed in, "Yes, they're so beautiful, I love every single one of them."
Many people were amused by the child, turning their sorrow into joy.
"Take it," Wang Yuying said. She had already accepted Xu Heng's bow and horse, so she didn't care about the flowers, saving herself the trouble of searching for them again.
"Thank you, Immortal Master." The two servants carried the potted plants themselves without asking anyone else to help, requiring three trips back and forth. After arranging them and taking their leave, Wang Yuying looked at the positions of the potted plants on the flower stand and realized that they were exactly the same as they had been years ago. She couldn't help but shrug her shoulders.
The drunkards had already moved aside to the wall during the first trip carrying the goods. Jing Ye, who was no less drunk than the others, walked over to Wang Yuying and asked softly, "Who sent the gift?"
Jingye stared at the flowers on the flower stand. He was drunk and his head was spinning, but his heart felt inexplicably cold. He had a feeling that the person who gave him the gift was a man, a young man.
A moment later, Wang Yuying replied, "You don't recognize me."
Jing Ye lowered his eyes. The young lady was like a bright pearl, naturally attracting all sorts of people. He had indeed harbored the idea of keeping her by his side before, but after his chambers were disturbed and he witnessed the emperor's series of actions, Jing Ye suddenly realized that keeping her by his side would mean locking her up and keeping her hidden away.
What if the bead falls into the hands of someone who doesn't know its value?
A pearl covered in dust.
He didn't want the young lady to be tarnished; he wanted to see her always radiant.
So let them shine their light if they want; after all, their young lady is so attractive.
Jingye's only wish was that a sliver of light would always remain for him in that vast expanse of light.
After thinking for a while, he finally found all the flowers on the flower stand to his liking. He heard Wang Yuying instructing Juan Xue Shuangtian to bring out the hangover soup, so he quickly went to help.
Only Wang Yuying remained in front of the gate. She took matters into her own hands, closed the two gates tightly again, and just as she locked them, the knocking sounded again. She frowned and opened the door, her eyes meeting Xu Heng's.
Xu Heng looked down at Wang Yuying. She had a dogwood in her hair and lightly applied rouge and lipstick—actually, she didn't need any; she was as beautiful as a lotus emerging from the water, even without makeup.
Xu Heng stared at the peony flower decoration on Wang Yuying's forehead, his heart racing.
Wang Yuying curtsied and then immediately stood up, performing a very perfunctory bow before stepping aside. Xu Heng crossed the threshold, and the dogwood on Jing Ye's head immediately came into view.
His temples throbbed violently. He took another step forward, but before he even passed through the hanging flower gate, he smelled a strong, lingering stench of alcohol.
Xu Heng frowned and looked at the banquet—thankfully, there was hangover soup on the table.
The crowd sobered up considerably in an instant. Regardless of their location, they all knelt down to welcome the emperor, and then fell silent. The once bustling second courtyard instantly became as cold as an ice cellar and as silent as a cold night.
The two rows of eunuchs following behind the emperor carried the congratulatory gifts into the courtyard one by one, all of them keeping silent and composed, without even making a sound.
Xu Heng glanced around and a faint smile appeared on his face—she had put a lot of effort into this courtyard. When he entered the alley earlier, he saw two servants pushing an empty cart out; they were probably florists. With the flower stand arranged, it looked even more like a general's mansion.
He recalled the first time he visited his father-in-law's home. There was a common saying that an ugly daughter-in-law is afraid to meet her parents-in-law. As a son of the dragon, he was also uneasy, worried that he would not be favored by his father-in-law and would not be able to become the son-in-law of the general's family.
Unexpectedly, his parents-in-law were extremely friendly, especially his mother-in-law, who prepared a table full of delicious dishes. He politely praised the general's mansion's pickled garlic for its deliciousness, and his mother-in-law immediately gave him two jars. After that, she would prepare a portion for him every year when she pickled garlic. The general's mansion also had its own set of clothes, fox fur and cicada-feather garments, warm in winter and cool in summer, which felt even more comfortable than the clothes from the Imperial Wardrobe.
Xu Heng still quite liked the atmosphere of the General's Mansion. His smile deepened, and he raised his right hand in a gesture of respect: "Rise, all of you. Today is a family banquet, not a court gathering. I am merely here to join in the fun. If my presence causes you all to become restrained and stop laughing and joking, then that is my fault. Just as before, there is no need to change anything, so that I may feel at ease."
After saying this, he sat down in the main seat, and Juanxue quickly came over to replace the emperor's bowls, plates, cups and chopsticks with a whole new set.
Upon hearing this, everyone stood up one after another and sat back down at the table. However, they were still reserved, yet afraid that being too reserved would make them seem like emperors. So they chatted awkwardly, laughed awkwardly, and walked on thin ice with trepidation.
Wang Yuying's expression remained unchanged, but inwardly she thought that this person's timing was really bad; he wasn't as perceptive as Zheng Yangzhi, who only brought a congratulatory gift.
Xu Heng naturally noticed everyone's unease. He gently set down his wine glass, and the subtle sound instantly silenced the room.
Xu Heng lowered his eyes, looking somewhat listless.
After a moment of silence, an old soldier and his family stood up, explaining that they had to leave early due to family matters, and apologized to Wang Yuying. The remaining guests then gradually realized what was happening and took their leave one after another.
Juanxue and Shuangtian quietly ushered Chu Ying back to her room with them. Wang Yuying also stood up, and Jing Ye, who had been sitting motionless at the table, also stood up. Xu Heng's temples twitched again, and he finally spoke: "Immortal Master, please wait."
Wang Yuying did not respond immediately, but instead turned to Jing Ye and instructed him: "Go inside and wait for me."
Jing Ye entered the main room, turning back every few steps, without closing the door, and just stood inside watching.
Xu Heng lowered his head, his hand reaching for his wine glass as if to refill it, and said casually, "With other men present, it's not convenient to speak privately."
Wang Yuying hadn't provoked him in a long time, and now she couldn't help but reply lightly, "He's not exactly an outsider."
A moment later, Xu Heng slowly put down his wine cup. Wang Yuying glanced at the few drops of strong liquor that had spilled, then smiled and turned her head to one side.
After a long pause, Wang Yuying asked, "His Majesty has dismissed the imperial concubines. I wonder what will happen to them after they leave the palace?"
Xu Heng misunderstood her intentions. He was overjoyed, but then became nervous and quickly explained, "The Imperial Concubine entered the palace according to the old system, not by my own will. After several years in the palace, there has been no real affection. Rather than wasting her youth and being confined in the deep palace, it is better to let her out of the palace. I have already announced to the world that all those who leave the palace have exhausted their fate and need not dwell on the past. They may marry on their own."
Wang Yuying smiled and lowered her chin slightly: "I am also one of them. According to His Majesty's wishes, I can remarry."
A moment later, Xu Heng raised his right palm and slammed it heavily onto the table. Then he twisted his wrist, pinning it under the table as if to overturn it. The porcelain dishes and utensils were all carefully selected by Wang Yuying; she wouldn't allow him to damage them. She immediately pressed down on the opposite side of the table, both of them channeling their inner strength. The half-jade pendant swayed at Xu Heng's waist due to the force of his palm strike.
Wang Yuying frowned, her gaze sharp: "Your Majesty once said that I was spoiled by my father, which spoiled my temperament. I have a bad temper, cannot tolerate others, and get angry at the drop of a hat. Your Majesty should be the most tolerant and calm. How come you are doing something like flipping the table?" She glanced at him, her red lips parting slightly, "It's really just jealousy that makes you furious and lose your mind."
Xu Heng no longer cared whether Jing Ye had heard him or not, and replied, "Fine, fine. The first few sentences were what I said to you back then, return them to me. But the last few words were too harsh, I never said those things to you."
"Didn't you say that?" Wang Yuying sneered.
Xu Heng frowned, then suddenly a thought struck him, and he had an epiphany: "Did Jiang tell you about this?"
He then connected this to Wang Yuying's strange words in Linxian Pavilion, his voice trembling slightly: "Did she also fabricate the words about establishing an heir?"
Wang Yuying's big eyes gradually widened to their maximum size as she realized what was happening.
Xu Hengkong placed his hand on his chest: "Although I often rebuke you to your face, I have never said a bad word about you in front of her, let alone said that I would make the child in her womb the crown prince."
How could the Jiang family possibly have imperial blood?
That day, he forced Jiang to have an abortion. Jiang said that it was rare for the emperor to have a son, and she wept and begged to keep the child. She even offered to give up her own life to save the baby in her womb.
Xu Heng did not budge, but instead replied, "Yingniang will not raise your child. She has a grudge against you, and I do not want to upset her any further."
Jiang suddenly burst into tears and laughter. At one moment she cried, saying that her two lives were not worth as much as Wang Yuying's anger. At the next moment she laughed, "Why does Your Majesty say that Wang raised her? You have already deposed her!"
From then on, he rarely entered the Jiang family palace again.
Xu Heng pressed his left hand, through his brocade robe, to his chest. After a long while, the candle on the small stove on the table burned out, and a pot of steaming mutton spine cooled to ice. Only then did Xu Heng sigh as if in smoke: "I always thought I was in the right middle way, but now... I realize it."
After a long pause, Wang Yuying let go: "Too late."
It was all too late. Between her and him, there was more than just a trivial misunderstanding.
Wang Yuying got up and went into the main room.
Xu Heng didn't look at Wang Yuying. He stared at the table and slowly let go of her hand, sighing silently: Yes, it's too late.
The misunderstanding was cleared up too late.
It felt like my heart weighed a thousand pounds, pulling me down heavily.
Wang Yuying didn't keep track of how long Xu Heng sat before leaving. Anyway, after the emperor returned to the palace, Juanxue and the others dared to come out and clean. Wang Yuying also came to the courtyard, intending to clear the dishes—she was no longer too upset. Although the misunderstanding was insignificant, she still suspected it wasn't a misunderstanding. After all, the bones under the yellow earth couldn't speak, and there was no way to verify the truth.
Jing Ye followed Wang Yuying. Heaven knows how excited he was when he heard her say she wanted to remarry!
If he marries into the Wang family, will he be able to secure his future?
But at least there's another man who delivers bonsai trees to compete with him. The enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, so we can't let our guard down.
The opening of the "Marriage Ceremony" in the Book of Rites states: "The marriage ceremony is to unite the two surnames, to serve the ancestral temple above, and to continue the lineage below."
The Book of Rites, in its chapter "The Great Learning," states: "Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world."
This shows that if a man wants to get married and become a qualified husband, he must first be recognized and accepted by her family. Jingye feels that she has the advantage in this regard. Then, the man must constantly improve his self-cultivation.
He, Jingye, still needs to work even harder.
At the same time, through Wang Yuying's brief conversation with the emperor, he could sense that she had been in a difficult situation in the past, which made him feel distressed and suffocated.
If he were to treat the young lady even better, could it alleviate her pain a little?
Jing Ye grabbed Wang Yuying's hand, preventing her from tidying up: "Let me do it."
She sat and rested, and he wouldn't allow anyone else to help. He washed all the dishes on the three tables by himself, carried the tables back to the hall, swept the yard clean, and even mopped it with water.
After finishing all the housework, she didn't want to leave, but she couldn't find anything else to say. She raised her hand to touch the back of her neck and remained silent.
Jing Ye's face flushed at the thought of shamelessly refusing to leave.
Wang Yuying had already sensed his reluctance and helped him find an excuse, pointing to the tree: "The persimmons are a bit ripe, let's pick them together."
Jing Ye looked up and immediately said, "I'll go up."
Climbing and sitting among the gnarled branches, he was afraid that Wang Yuying would get tired catching them below, so he lifted his robe with one hand to make a bag, and with the other hand he picked five or six ripe ones without stopping, and handed them to Wang Yuying after they landed.
The persimmons, still attached to their stems, looked like little red lanterns. Jingye said, "Yingniang, have a taste."
He remembered that when she was a girl, she liked to eat persimmons with a runny center; he wondered if these were the same ones.
Wang Yuying said softly, "It hasn't been washed yet."
"Then I'll go wash!" Jing Ye immediately replied, looking ashamed, having forgotten that the young lady was a person of refined taste.
"Let's leave them there for now," Wang Yuying instructed Jing Ye to put the persimmons on the table. "Pick a few more and wash them together."
She had barely uttered the first four words when Jing Ye leaped back up the persimmon tree. Wang Yuying breathed a sigh of relief; that silly boy! She lightly touched the ground with her toes and jumped up the tree as well. Jing Ye immediately became anxious: "I'll pick them! I can manage by myself!"
“I won’t pick the persimmons.” Wang Yuying turned her head to look at Jing Ye, her eyes sparkling.
Jingye frowned. "What are you doing?"
She gently pulled over a branch: "Look, haven't these two persimmons been pecked by birds?"
Jingye was increasingly puzzled. They had just said they wouldn't pick persimmons, so why were they talking about picking persimmons now?
It wasn't until Wang Yuying's lips were almost touching his cheek that he suddenly realized what was happening. He immediately turned and hugged Wang Yuying tightly, using his other hand to grab some dense foliage to shield her from view. He started kissing her from the corner of her lips, pecking along the way, occasionally biting her lips with his teeth.
"Yingniang, come up here." He panted heavily, and with a swift movement, he pulled her onto his lap. Wang Yuying tilted her head back and continued kissing him, her figure appearing petite and delicate in his arms. Wang Yuying truly loved this robust and masculine body, touching his bulging chest muscles through his clothes. The strong liquor didn't make her drunk, but she was almost intoxicated by his deep, rich breath.
The wind was still, the birds were silent, and the leaves rustled.
The sun has set, and the Jade Rabbit has risen.
In a private room of a teahouse across the street from Yongjia Lane, Zheng's servant glanced at the bright moon outside the window, wondering how long he would have to keep his young master company in this silent solitude. He regretted not having thought to include some of the lion's chrysanthemums cultivated by the immortal master when he was moving the flowers earlier—just two petals at most, as stealing more would be discovered. The young master held a chrysanthemum petal to his nose and smelled it, which was better than sitting there listlessly.
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