Chapter 132: It’s been three years since we met, and you’ve shown me some compassion for once…
Cheng Xianzhi was passing through Jiangling, just as Lu Tingwan had dreamed, inspecting salt and taxation. The dream had been incredibly real; seeing Cheng Xianzhi standing before him, everything about his past in Kyoto seemed to resurface in his mind.
The reunion that seemed like a lifetime ago washed away the complicated emotions that had been surging in her since dusk.
Cheng Xianzhi didn't enter the village. After meeting Lu Tingwan and exchanging pleasantries, he returned to the city to stay. Lu Tingwan didn't think he had come specifically for her. At night, she lay on the bamboo couch, staring at the green gauze curtains, thinking of the tea mountains in her dreams, and before she knew it, she fell asleep again.
The next day, she went to the city to meet some colleagues, hoping to contract tea plantations in Jiangling and expand her overseas business. She spent half a day exhausted. Passing by the Jiyue Pavilion, she heard the lingering sound of music. Lu Tingwan remembered the news that some attractive men had arrived at the pavilion. She waved her carriage to a halt and entered the small inn, teeming with handsome men. Shopkeeper Yun noticed Lu Tingwan's attentiveness and knew she was a regular.
She walked through the lobby on the first floor and headed straight up the stairs, glancing at the scene inside. "Manager Yun, where's Chu Yun?"
"He is taking a break today and will not see any guests." Shopkeeper Yun followed attentively from behind. Lu Tingwan had been to Jiyue Pavilion many times over the years to support Chu Yun. The two of them had a pleasant conversation like soulmates. Lu Tingwan could get along well with him, and every time he was in Jiyue Pavilion listening to Chu Yun's piano, he would stay for half an hour.
"They are just a few small officials, and we are in the old place." Lu Tingwan said calmly. The shopkeeper arranged a good private room for her with good sound insulation.
As early as when Lu Tingwan's carriage stopped at Jiyue Pavilion, Chu Yun saw her entering the pavilion from the upstairs window.
Lu Tingwan was lying on a low couch. On the low table were exquisite Jiangling desserts and several pots of fruit wine. She drank two pots, her cheeks were slightly rosy from being tipsy. The sound of the piano was soothing, but her brows were slightly furrowed, and she seemed not very satisfied.
Suddenly, the door was gently pushed open, and the wind rushed in, blowing up the gauze behind the screen. She slowly raised her eyes, and her clothes fluttered outside the screen. She recognized the figure at a glance.
Lu Tingwan smiled, turned over, and propped himself up on the edge of the carved couch behind him. "Didn't Manager Yun say you'd rest today?"
"Now that Manager Jiang is here, how dare Chu Yun neglect him." Chu Yun's profile came into view. It was a face as gentle as jade, and his gestures unconsciously showed some charm, but not as delicate as a woman's.
He is the top zither player in Jiyue Pavilion. Whenever wealthy businessmen from Jiangling come to discuss business, or whenever there are banquets in the mansions of powerful people, Chu Yun, the top zither player in Jiangling, can be seen.
The first time Lu Tingwan listened to his piano, she didn't know how to appreciate it. She just felt that his piano music could soothe a missing piece deep in her heart. She couldn't put it into words, but she felt that everything was fine in Jiangling.
She was happy after doing everything she had ever wanted to do. This was the path she wanted to take. She dealt with all kinds of businessmen and gradually hid the indelible memories of those years in Kyoto in the deepest, most unknown place.
But his piano music seemed to evoke a faint sense of separation. She should cut off all ties with the past. Although she didn't want to set foot in that place again, every experience she had had was her true life journey. Therefore, she no longer avoided it and gradually became accustomed to Chu Yun's piano music, using it to soothe her separation.
"I was passing by and came in to see you, but Shopkeeper Yun said you were resting."
"It's boring to drink too much." Chu Yun took the wine glass in her hand, filled it up for her, and poured himself another glass, clinking it against Lu Tingwan's glass. She raised her eyebrows and smiled.
"I still prefer listening to you play the piano."
Chu Yun drank the wine in the glass and looked at her with his eyes filled with endless emotions. Lu Tingwan once told him that if she could help him redeem himself, he could become a free and easy musician and not have to deal with the constant coming and going of guests.
Chu Yun just said thank you lightly and declined her kindness.
Lu Tingwan didn't mention it again. She didn't like others forcing her, so she never liked to force others.
"Manager Jiang, are you interested in music?" Chu Yun put down his wine glass and saw that there was a different kind of emotion in her eyes than before, but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"listen."
"Are you worried about something?" Chu Yun walked to the piano platform. The pianist who was originally playing the piano gave up his seat, and he raised his sleeves and sat down.
Li Muwan looked at him through a thin veil. There were many things on her mind, business and other things.
"As a human being, how can I not have worries?" She took another sip of wine and called a few minor officials to drink with her. "Today I just want to listen to Chu Yun playing the piano. Come and have a few drinks with me."
Lu Tingwan never restrained herself after returning to Jiangling. She did whatever she wanted, no one could influence her decisions. She expertly lifted the chin of one of the handsome men, who looked to be just over seventeen. His cheeks were rosy and fair, and when Lu Tingwan stared at him, they became even more rosy. She looked like a seasoned veteran of the entertainment establishments. "Brother, you've grown taller. I like you."
"Manager Jiang is in a good mood." The man put his arm around her shoulders. The small officials in Jiyue Pavilion all had distinctive looks, some of them sold their bodies and some sold their art.
"Manager Jiang, you haven't come here for a long time. Is business busy recently?"
"It's spring, and flowers are in full bloom. I'm very busy." The flowers in her field are blooming well, and she can make a lot of money this year, so she is naturally busy.
"I thought the flowers that Manager Jiang was talking about were other people." The man held the bottom of her glass and slowly poured the last half of the wine in her hand.
A few drops of milk flowed from the corners of Lu Tingwan's lips. She laughed heartily, feeling extremely happy in the sound of the piano and the spicy taste.
Cheng Xianzhi met with Lu Tingwan yesterday, then returned to the city to meet with the Jiangling prefect. This morning, he met with several local officials to inquire about Jiangling's customs duties. After finishing his business, he finally had time to visit Baihua Village.
But when they arrived at the village, Cang Shu asked a few people, and they only said that if Lu Tingwan was not in the village, then she had gone to the city. People in the village who knew her knew that Lu Tingwan often went to Jiyue Pavilion to listen to the piano, and also invited Chu Yun to Baihua Village.
Maybe I can find her there! Cheng Xianzhi only heard this sentence. He had been speculating about what Jiyue Pavilion was doing all the way. An unknown emotion surged in his heart, but he suppressed it.
Cang Zhu saw that he was gritting his teeth all the way, not saying a word, with a very ugly face, and his horse was galloping very fast.
"Master, what is the Jiyue Pavilion?"
As soon as they entered the city gate, the crowds of people were so dense that the horses had no choice but to slow down. Cheng Xianzhi suddenly had a second thought, a sly flicker of thought in his mind, "A place for pleasure."
In the private room where Lu Tingwan was, she was dancing with a sword again. There were two young officials sitting on each side of her. She leaned on one of them's left shoulder. The wine was fed to her by someone else. As soon as the young official who was dancing with the sword handed her a glass of wine with the tip of his sword, Lu Tingwan's drunkenness became more obvious.
A harsh sound of the door being pushed open interrupted the cheerful scene inside. Chu Yun's piano music had not stopped. Lu Tingwan, holding a wine glass in his hand, looked around distractedly. The figure at the door was getting closer and closer through the screen.
Lu Tingwan saw the figure clearly in his drunken state, and an unknown emotion flashed through his heart. He took a sip of wine first, and when he swallowed it, he saw Cheng Xianzhi appearing behind the screen.
The brows that had been furrowed by the spicy taste of the wine relaxed again after seeing the cool figure. However, she simply said calmly, "You? Are you here to drink too?"
Cheng Xianzhi glared unkindly at the petty official beside her, a frown so intense that it could have killed several flies. Then, two petty officials leaned against her side and said like goblins, "Manager Jiang, who is this person? He's such a bummer."
Lu Tingwan poured the wine slowly and when he met Cheng Xianzhi's gaze, he looked at him calmly and said, "He's from quite a prominent family. Don't scare my beauty."
"Sister, are you scaring me?"
"Scare me?" Lu Tingwan raised the man's chin, looking like a seasoned lover, and showed him nakedly to Cheng Xianzhi standing in front of the screen, "That's the current imperial tutor, the Grand Tutor, the Minister of the Six Ministries, and the Governor-General of the Marching Army."
"The current imperial tutor? Why would he come to a small place like Jiangling?" The official thought she was just drunk and talking nonsense.
Cheng Xianzhi's figure was as graceful as a pine tree, as cold as the moon. He looked away, no longer wanting to see Lu Tingwan lingering on the man. Has this been the way she sought entertainment in the three years since she left Kyoto?
How had she lived such a thrilling life during the three years he had been missing? Was this the life she wanted after leaving Kyoto?
The room fell silent for a moment. Cang Zhu drew his sword. Seeing the blade, the small official felt that something serious was going on and fled in fear. Lu Tingwan felt disappointed and bored. He sat up straight and sighed softly.
Chu Yun's piano playing in the room did not stop.
"Sir Cheng, there is another person." Lu Tingwan raised her eyes to remind him, more like a provocation.
"Get out." Cheng Xianzhi said coldly.
Chu Yun was also calm. "I am the zither player hired by Shopkeeper Jiang. In this Jiyue Pavilion, no matter who you are, I only listen to your orders."
A cold glint flashed across Cheng Xianzhi's eyes as he glanced at Chu Yun beside him. Cang Shu's sword was already pointed at him. Lu Tingwan knew Cheng Xianzhi could do this, so he said to ease the atmosphere, "Chu Yun, please leave first. I have something to discuss with my distinguished guest."
Chu Yun stopped plucking the strings upon hearing this and left the private room. Cang Shu also left. The two of them were left in the room, still reeking of alcohol after their pleasure.
Lu Tingwan waved his sleeves and motioned him to sit down. "You're looking for me? What's going on?"
"Do you like playing the piano?" Cheng Xianzhi remained motionless, his eyes looking as if he had been bullied, his expression cold and with a hint of grievance.
When Lu Tingwan heard him ask this, she chuckled and said, "I like both. They are good-looking and can make people happy. I like those who are sweet-talking."
"You say I'm a woman with a lot of money, and I can only have fun when I'm free. Why, is this also under the jurisdiction of the Grand Tutor? But I'm not your disciple."
Lu Tingwan poured the wine and drank it himself. After a long while, he said, "I am not yours anymore."
Cheng Xianzhi leaned over and took her unfinished wine glass, tasted it, and put it down. He then took a few steps closer and pressed down in front of Lu Tingwan. He pinched her jaw with his fingertips and said in a low voice, "Looking for fun? What does Shopkeeper Jiang think of me like this?"
The two looked at each other for a long time. Lu Tingwan was afraid of the expression contained in that look after looking at it for a long time. It was comparable to the expression on Yan Shengtang's face when he hugged her and begged her to stay.
"I don't dare touch it," Lu Tingwan turned her face away, avoiding his eyes, "There are too many thorns, I don't like it."
She really didn't like prickly beards. She once lay on his chest, touched his stubble and said it was prickly. Cheng Xianzhi was dazed for a moment, then came back to his senses and said in a hoarse voice, "Is this how you got here after returning to Jiangling?"
"Not entirely. If you want to play everything, why are you here?" Lu Tingwan pressed her fingertips against his chest, trying to push him away.
"I told you I wanted to see you." Cheng Xianzhi didn't want to move, but his eyes lingered on her chest, deliberately letting Lu Tingwan see. "Instead of drinking and having fun with them, why not come with me? What do you think of me?"
Lu Tingwan felt a little uneasy, but she said calmly: "It's fine. What's the Cheng Shangshu like? We're husband and wife, and I've tried it before."
Cheng Xianzhi leaned forward slightly, creating a slight distance between them. Was she so nonchalant now when she talked about romantic matters? He felt pent up and uncomfortable, but he couldn't bear to vent it on her. His tone was gentle and contained a hint of negotiation, "Do you want to have it again?"
He asked so bluntly that Lu Tingwan felt a little overwhelmed and pushed him harder, "Minister Cheng, please let me go."
"Am I not serving you well? Manager Jiang is not satisfied. Does he think that this young official from Jiyue Pavilion is more understanding? Or is he better at making you happy?" Cheng Xianzhi begged again as before.
Lu Tingwan couldn't hold it in any longer, so he drank from his wine, and said, trying to hide his feelings, "Cheng Xianzhi, this is not the same thing."
"What is that?"
"Do you really want to seek dignity in this kind of thing?" Lu Tingwan's face was flushed and he had drunk quite a bit of wine.
Cheng Xianzhi held her wrist, "Is it not possible?"
"Are you still the bright and aloof Grand Tutor?" Lu Tingwan felt relieved. The wind blowing in from the window blew away the smell of alcohol from her, and she seemed to be a little sober.
"It's been a long time since I last knew you," Cheng Xianzhi forced her to look him in the eye, his eyes gradually turning red. "I stopped being you the moment I fell in love with you. After my Ah Wan left Kyoto and never came back, I no longer knew who I was. I was just a walking corpse, someone who protected the imperial power for Da Lan."
The hot air hit her cheeks, and the heart-wrenching words reminded Lu Tingwan of what Jiang Yanli had said. Cheng Xianzhi was also trapped in the capital, and she had her reasons for this.
Her vision gradually blurred, and she was no longer so unkind. Cheng Xianzhi said, "Ah Wan, it's been three years, and this is the last time you've cared for me."
"I will serve you better than they do."
Lu Tingwan laughed so hard that she was at a loss as these words sounded strange.
"Manager Jiang, will you do me the honor?" Cheng Xianzhi straightened her cheek and made her look at him.
Lu Tingwan looked at the man with broken eyes. Was he still Cheng Xianzhi? She was a little dazed and didn't answer him, but her arms were already hooked around his neck. Lu Tingwan slowly leaned over to his lips, the smell of alcohol on his cheek, "If I say that I agree to your request and it has nothing to do with love, will you still want it?"
"Yes!" Cheng Xianzhi held her tightly without thinking, not wanting to let her go at all. He didn't believe that Lu Tingwan had no feelings for him. Those eyes seemed fearless, but they still retained feelings that had not been fully seen.
Over the years, Lu Tingwan has put away the past, started a new life, and taken things as they come. She never expects love from others. She loves herself more than she loves others and wants others to love her.
But she does not reject the love of others.
Two figures pressed down on the low couch, sucking each other like dry firewood and raging fire. The feeling of being pressed under them was so real.
Cheng Xianzhi hurriedly untied her waist belt and was about to pull at his own belt when the sound of the door being pushed open interrupted his movements and also covered up the heavy breathing of both of them. Chu Yun only glanced at the affectionate figure behind the screen, and went straight and calmly to pick up the zither he had dropped, as if such scenes were already commonplace in Jiyue Pavilion.
Cheng Xianzhi and Lu Tingwan were also very calm. Lu Tingwan hid under him and was about to kiss him. When Cheng Xianzhi touched her lips, he took a breath without stopping and warned the people outside, "No one is allowed to come in without my order."
"Yes, my lord."
He quickly finished his words and kissed Lu Tingwan again, fearing that she would regret it the next moment.
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