Chapter 58: Explanation (Bonus Chapter for 440 Pink Tickets)
The Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunions, might just be an annual celebration for others. But for Yang Yucheng and the others who had experienced life-and-death separations and profound sorrow, being able to gather safely like this was truly precious. Everyone's faces were lit with happy smiles as they admired the moon, ate mooncakes, and drank Jinhua wine, the lively chatter filled with warmth and joy.
Zhao Ling and Master Lu drank while discussing plans: "Tomorrow, we'll visit Tang Daishan to return the sword and invite him for lunch at Thirteen Mountains. In the afternoon, we'll go over the accounts from these years. The day after, we'll tour the city to see if we can acquire a few more shops that have closed due to the poor harvest. In a few days, we'll visit the local bailiffs you're familiar with outside the city. If anyone is selling land, we'll ask them to pass the word and help mediate. Since we've decided to stay, we need to plan carefully."
Yang Yucheng and the others, all from Shaanxi, were naturally delighted not to have to leave their homeland. Sanfu even said, "Ninth Master gave me a lot of money, but I don’t know what to do with it. Master Lu, maybe I could give it to you to help me buy some land." Then he muttered quietly, "Now that we don’t have to live with our heads on the line every day, I... I want to marry and continue the family line... My whole family starved to death!"
The group fell silent.
"Of course!" Zhao Ling said with forced cheerfulness, trying to lighten the mood. "Anyone who wants to buy property, land, or get married, bring out your money and let Master Lu help you plan." He added, "Back in the day, Master Lu was a great manager, very resourceful with money."
"I dare not accept such praise," Master Lu hurriedly replied. "This 'Master Lu' is just what outsiders call me. If Ninth Master addresses me like that, it’s too much. Just call me Ping'an."
"Ninth Master can call you that, but we wouldn’t dare," Yang Yucheng chimed in with a laugh. "You're older than us—how about we call you 'Uncle Ping'an'?" He continued, "And don’t stand on ceremony with us, calling me 'Young Master Yang.' You know my background—it’s embarrassing! If you truly see me as one of your own, just call me Yucheng."
The group burst into laughter, and the atmosphere grew lively again.
Master Lu, well-versed in social graces, smiled and said, "Alright, since you’ve acknowledged me as your uncle, I can’t very well refuse to acknowledge you as my nephew."
Everyone laughed again, feeling an instant sense of closeness.
Seizing the moment, Master Lu suggested visiting Guangren Temple to see the lanterns: "...You rarely spend Mid-Autumn Festival in Xi'an. It’s a pity the harvest was poor this year, otherwise you could have witnessed the spectacular sight of Chang'an Street ablaze with lights." He seemed reluctant to let the joyous occasion end, eager to prolong the festivities.
A Sen was the first to clap and shout, "Yes! I want to go too!"
"Great!" Zhao Ling was equally enthusiastic. "Let’s all go see the lanterns together!"
A Sen cheered with delight.
Even Zheng Sanniang, sitting on the steps cradling her sleeping son, looked on with anticipation.
But Fu Tingyun felt disheartened.
By this calculation, Zhao Ling wouldn’t have any free time until the 25th of August.
What about her matter?She stood up with a smile. "Then I'll stay home to keep watch!"
"How can that be?" Madam Lu laughed. "If anyone should stay behind, it ought to be me! You all rarely visit, while I get to see the sights every year."
Zheng Sanniang also suppressed her own desires and quickly added, "I should be the one staying home! It'll be a good chance to look after Linchun."
The courtyard fell silent, as if silently urging Fu Tingyun to join them.
Fu Tingyun knew she was dampening the mood, but she truly wasn’t in the right spirits.
So she smiled at Madam Lu and said, "I'm too tired today. Another time, I’ll go out with everyone."
Madam Lu was about to say more when Sanfu chuckled warmly, "Since Miss Fu is tired and staying home, I’ll keep watch at the house. That way, no one can take advantage and steal anything while we're gone."
"Then it's settled," Zhao Ling said before anyone else could speak, making the decision. "We’ll go out and let Miss Fu rest." His tone was indifferent, the earlier overflowing joy suddenly diminished.
Seeing Zhao Ling had spoken, Yang Yucheng and the others didn’t press further.
Madam Lu shot Master Lu a glare.
Master Lu widened his eyes in confusion.
Madam Lu ignored her husband but didn’t say anything more, instead cheerfully calling to Zheng Sanniang, "Then let’s quickly tidy up the house so we can all go see the lanterns."
Zheng Sanniang and Luwei brightened up. Madam Lu led Zheng Sanniang to help Fu Tingyun freshen up, while Luwei swept the courtyard. Sanfu and Shizhu moved the tables and chairs back into the side rooms. Soon, everything was in order. Leaving Sanfu to guard the house, they all set off for the lantern festival at Guangren Temple.
The courtyard grew quiet, but Fu Tingyun tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
She got up and propped open the window.
The moon in the night sky was round and bright, its pure light spilling in like flowing water, soft and serene.
How was her mother doing now?
Counting the days, Seventh Sister would be married in another month.
She hoped her own troubles hadn’t delayed her.
At this thought, her mood darkened.
If she hadn’t encountered misfortune, she would have been on her way to her own wedding by now.
But then again, if she hadn’t encountered misfortune, she wouldn’t have met Zhao Ling either.
This thought immediately lifted her spirits.
Yet in the next moment, Fu Tingyun’s mood soured again.
This Zhao Ling—wasn’t he usually cold and indifferent, as if nothing interested him? Why did he rush off so eagerly at the mention of a lantern festival? Never mind that he was still injured, or that he had to meet that Tang Daishan early the next day...
She let out a long sigh, feeling somewhat despondent.
Seeing the moonlight was just right, she turned and fetched some incense and candles to worship the Moon Goddess in the courtyard.
"Goddess, please bless my mother with good health, my father with smooth endeavors, my brother with success in the provincial exams, and my sister-in-law and nephew with freedom from illness and calamity," she murmured, hands clasped and eyes closed. Then, thinking of that person whose health still hadn’t recovered, she paused, her voice softening further. "Please bless Zhao Ling... keep him safe from harm... guide him to walk the righteous path... and grant him smooth sailing..."
Suddenly, she sensed an unfamiliar presence behind her, as if someone had intruded.She was instantly terrified and secretly regretted her actions. Quietly opening her eyes, she grabbed the lit incense candle... thinking she might be able to throw it at the person's face unexpectedly and seize the chance to run back inside... Then she turned abruptly, only to see someone she never expected to appear here at this moment... and was startled out of her wits.
"You—what are you doing here?" Her almond-shaped eyes widened. "Didn't you go to the lantern festival?"
Zhao Ling hadn't expected Fu Tingyun, who had been quietly worshipping the moon goddess, to suddenly turn around, holding an incense candle and looking at him with such wariness as if he were her enemy. He was dumbfounded and only managed to reply after a long pause, "I've seen plenty of lantern festivals. I was just accompanying them for a look. After seeing it, I naturally came back."
"You scared me to death!" Fu Tingyun couldn't help complaining. "Why do you walk without making a sound?" She reinserted the incense candle, dusted off her hands, and asked, "What about the others? Have they all returned? I thought you wouldn't be back until after the Hour of the Ox at the earliest."
"They're still watching the lanterns," Zhao Ling said. "I came back first." He added, "It's a good chance for Sanfu to go out and have fun."
So that meant they were the only two at home now!
For some reason, Fu Tingyun's heart began to race.
"Would—would you like a cup of tea? I'm quite good at brewing tea... My grandmother always drank the tea I brewed..." she stammered.
"Sure!" Zhao Ling said. "Then—then I'll bring out a chair? The moonlight is lovely tonight." His voice carried a hint of hesitation.
He had agreed to let her brew tea and even offered to bring out chairs...
Fu Tingyun's heart swelled like a billowing sail, too full to notice Zhao Ling's odd behavior. Happily, she went to boil water, found the Longjing tea Master Lu had sent last time, and brought out her own famille rose teacup with floral patterns. Meanwhile, Zhao Ling had already placed two chairs and a small table in the center of the courtyard. Fu Tingyun warmed the teacup, poured the first infusion, and brought it over: "Longjing tea after Grain Rain—Ninth Master will have to make do with it."
Pre-Qingming Longjing is the best, pre-rain Longjing comes second, and Longjing after Grain Rain is no longer considered top-grade.
The two sat on either side of the small table.
Zhao Ling inhaled the tea's fragrance and took small sips. "Thinking of how many people don't even have water to drink, anything tastes good!"
Fu Tingyun laughed.
Seeing he had drunk half, she stood to refill his cup.
But Zhao Ling was examining the teacup in his hand. "I thought you'd prefer doucai."
Both doucai and famille rose are brightly colored, though famille rose is comparatively softer.
Fu Tingyun said, "Actually, I prefer blue-and-white porcelain."
Zhao Ling looked surprised.
Fu Tingyun recalled the teasing among her sisters in the past and lowered her head in embarrassment.
Realizing he had asked something inappropriate, Zhao Ling quickly said, "This was bought by Master Lu, right? Tomorrow I'll bring you a set of blue-and-white porcelain."
Fu Tingyun's nose tingled with emotion.
He was always like this... finding a way to ease her discomfort..."No," she hesitated, "I like famille rose too," her words somewhat disjointed, "Among my dozen or so sisters... they all have delicate brows and eyes, gentle and graceful, only I... as you can see... they say... if we were flowers, I'd be the peony... if we were silks, I'd be Shu brocade... if we were porcelain, I'd be doucai..." Her voice grew softer, her tone increasingly dejected, "Grandmother says only things that withstand the test of time are truly good... but even when I wear slightly worn clothes, I still... still stand out too much..."
Zhao Ling looked at Fu Tingyun with astonishment.
Having shed her silks and satins, removed her jewels and gems, Fu Tingyun wore only an ordinary white cotton blouse. Under the moonlight, she resembled a jade figurine, her striking beauty impossible to conceal.
He thought of the sapphire earrings swaying by her ears... and felt a warmth in his heart.
"This is quite nice too!" he said softly, an inexplicable emotion flowing through him.
"Ah!" Fu Tingyun looked up in surprise, her face full of disbelief as she stared at Zhao Ling.
"I've heard Shu brocade now sells for fifteen taels per bolt," he said somewhat awkwardly, "and blue-and-white porcelain has long gone out of fashion in the capital."
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O(∩_∩)O haha~
(End of chapter)
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