Chapter 101: The Story of LiangZhu
Early in the morning on the 4th day of the new year, Tong Zijing ordered Tong Zhan to drive the carriage to the Wang village.
The carriage drove out of Tong mansion and slowly went through the vacant valley. Tong Zijing smiled at the sculpture in his hand. But for it and but for the carving knife, he couldn’t bear staying in Tong mansion for a second.
This was the place that he hated most. There were people that he hated most. He used to suffer slight autism, but he wasn’t a fool. The titter was merely a mask he had worn to deceive those evil servants.
He concealed his hatred.
Now the old man wanted to be nice to him?
However, where had he been when he needed his care most?
How much had he longed for a warm embrace? But what he had gotten was rough pushing-away and violent shaking, “Talk! Are you dumb? Talk! Are you deaf? Say something…”
Then…
Then, he was locked up.
What he had gotten from that old man was only disgust. What he had heard most from that old man was a loud-into-sky shout, “Take care of your lord, or your heads will be off your shoulders…”
In this way, he became the poorest prisoner in the world, being watched by countless people at every second, either when he ate or slept or used bathroom.
The person who loved him most in the world was killed. He couldn’t forget that horrible scene and those evil bitches. Therefore, he didn’t want to talk to others or have any contact with them.
The old man would only come to take a look at him when he occasionally thought of him. That old man never knew the contempt and disgust that the servants had displayed towards him. That old man should even occasionally shed some cocktail’s tears and intimately call him Jing. How ridiculous!
He didn’t want to hear his voice, so he made all kinds of noise to conceal that of his.
He had thought that his life would pass away like this. He had believed that he would never see the sun again.
That day, she came, with colorful auspicious clouds, with soft warm brilliance on her smiling face, telling him stories with the expression like his mother. Therefore, he couldn’t help moving to her…
On the height of Tong mansion stood two old figures.
Watching the carriage gradually becoming a small black dot, old Mr. Tong sighed, “Jing has left.”
Since the frightening New Year’s Eve, he hadn’t showed up before Tong Zijing again.
When Tong Zijing appreciated snow in the garden, he watched him in the shade.
When Tong Zijing carved in the pavilion that he had stayed with Mo Qianxue, he watched him in a distance.
In light of his mater’s sorrowful voice, butler Tong comforted him, “Lord is a child who loves to play. He’ll go back to his home anyway.”
“I know he hates me. You don’t have to comfort me.” Mr. Tong shifted his tone, “but even if he hates me, I’m still his father. Even if he’ll hate me again, I still have to make plans for him.”
The butler certainly knew what kind of plans his master meant.
With a sigh, he said no more.
He had been a close servant to master since he was a little child. Of course he knew what his master was thinking.
Master had been an outstanding person since he was a child, excelling both at learnings and martial arts. Wherever he was, men would envy him and women would love him. The biggest pain in his life was his children. The eldest young lady was dumb, and young lord like this.
How could his lord, a man with a strong ego, accept this fact? He even didn’t dare to visit or spend intimate time with them.
The eldest lady would marry someone after all. Though she was dumb, she had a clear mind, so nobody dared to laugh at her. However, the only son, the only heir of the family, in whom all the master’s hope lied, was a retard.
This was why the master wanted to hide him from the public and had locked him up.
The master feared to let others know that he had a stupid son. He feared to let other know that Tong family didn’t have an heir. He feared more of the kind of look he would have to face after others knew the truth.
Such pressure and his strong ego had compelled him out of the political arena of the capital to live in seclusion here at this valley.
He had been a clever man for his life, but whenever it came to the business about young lord, he would go out of his mind. Just like the saying went, haste makes waste.
The master regretted every time he treated lord tough, but the next time he met him, as long as lord slightly let him down again, his stubborn temper took the better of him and he became totally out of control.
“Butler, that day he threw bowls at me. I know that.” Mr. Tong murmured. Finally, his son knew manipulation, but the first one his used manipulation was on him. He didn’t know whether to be gratified or sad.
“Master, don’t think too much. Isn’t it a good thing that lord gets better and better. At last, he will understand your good intention.”
“I hope so.” Mr. Tong depressed. Before others, he was the master of Tong family, a man of enormous power. But in private, he was an ordinary old man, a poor lonely man.
*
Mo Qianxue wasn’t surprised and yet surprised that Tong Zijing came back so soon.
She thought that when he got back to Tong mansion, old Mr. Tong would detain him to stay there until at least the 15th.
Yaya was having fun with Xixi in the yard. Seeing Tong Zijing, she pouted and pulled Xixi to her place. She didn’t want to see this bad strange uncle at all.
Tong Zijing ignored the angry gaze from the two little girls. In his eyes, there was only Mo Qianxue. As long as Mo Qianxue didn’t hate him, other people’s opinion had nothing to do with him.
Of course, he didn’t want another person to hate him. That was Ning Shaoqing.
Hence, after getting in the door, he followed Mo Qianxue inside, and when meeting Ning Shaoqing, called him “brother” in a sweet voice and seriously greeted him in New Year formality.
At that time, Ning Shaoqing was reading in the room. On hearing Tong Zijing’s voice from outside, his eyebrows leaped again and again, nameless fire of anger sneaked out more and more.
At the moment, how he wished that Asan and Awu drove Tong Zijing, the uninvited guest, out of his house. However, he was defeated by the sweet brother as well as Mo Qianxue’s smiling face. He had no choice but to succumb.
Yet, he must talk with Ji Xuyao about Tong Zijing’s education.
*
On the fifth day, Mo Qianxue got on the carriage heading for Jian mansion.
Since old madam Jian had sent people, two foolish women though, to pay a New Year call to her, she, as a junior, must follow the formality to pay a visit back.
Therefore, the visit was a must.
Moreover, she brought with her a serious task.
Jian Qingyou was turning eighteen years of age. Her marriage was imminent.
Mo Qianxue needed to reverse at least partly the situation today. Even if she couldn’t fulfill Jian Qingyou’s wish at once, she must manage to delay the casually decided marriage for her.
Mo Qianxue greeted old madam Jian and then sat down to chat with her.
The first time she came here, old madam Jian passed out; and the second time, when she tried to get onto the topic of the weird doctor, old madam deflected it.
Therefore, it could be said that Mo Qianxue had never had a good chat with her.
Old madam Jian was also of an origin of a noble family. Although she had walked out of the door when she was young, she had brought with her a group of servant girls and guards.
To put it bluntly, it was travelling. In real terms, she had never suffered because of money or any other similar hardships, let alone to understand what ordinary folks could suffer.
Now hearing that when Mo Qianxue woke up, her husband was in poor health and she was almost sold out to be a slave, and that then she planted vegetables and made tofu and so on, old madam couldn’t help feeling compassion for her.
Then, when Mo Qianxue mentioned starting a restaurant, building houses and hiring workers, old madam felt so fresh to the ear and admired her increasingly.
Not only was this girl knowledge and eloquent, she was also independent, perseverant and proud. There was a self-made spirit on her, which was rare to see on other women.
Seeing that appreciation in old madam Jian’s eyes, Mo Qianxue woohooed to herself. In order for others to accept one’s opinion, the person must let them accept this person first. Once this succeeded, then the person could yield twice the result with half the effort.
Old madam Jian kept praising Mo Qianxue extraordinary, but Mo Qianxue only took out the food box she had brought.
“Grandma Jian, this is the cake that I specially made for you. Have a taste.”
Mo Qianxue smiled and opened the food box, taking a glance at Jian Qingyou, “After the spring festival when it’s get warmer, let Qingdao go to my restaurant to learn how to make it, I promise then grandma Jian could eat it whenever you want.”
Looking at the three-colored cakes, old madam Jian was very satisfied, “It’s very kind of you!”
“But my girl Qingyou will get married one day. Even if she learned how to make it, the lucky one to eat the cake would be her mother-in-law instead of me. In the future, I’ll bother you to make me more cakes.”
Old madam Jian ate the cake and joked about Jian Qingyou.
“Grandma, I don’t want to get married.” In shyness, Jian Qingyou played cute.
“The old saying goes, as a daughter gets older, she either gets married or hated her elders. Don’t worry, Qingyou. The Wan family isn’t a first-class noble family in the capital, but it’s a good match of our family. I heard that the young lord Wan is a good man, handsome, knowledge and also upright.”
Jian Qingyou couldn’t be more annoyed hearing her grandma praising another man other than the one in her heart, “Grandma…”
Old madam Jian thought she was only playing cute from shyness and smiled, “Alright, alright, I don’t mention him again.”
On a whim, Jian Qingyou made a decision and kneeled down, “Grandma, in fact, I already…”
Seeing it, Mo Qianxue hurriedly stepped in, “In fact, Qingyou wants to learn how to make the cake right now.” Obviously, the lord Wan had left a good impression on old madam Jian, who was also satisfied with the Wan family.
If they told the truth at this moment, old madam Jian would hit the ceiling and very likely demanded that Jian Qingyou held wedding with lord Wan at once.
After all, the most unpleasant and indecent thing for nobilities of ancient time was private relationship.
In order to cut out Jian Qingyou’s immature idea, it made senses that old madam Jian would use a wild card.
By then, it would be impossible to change the situation.
Jian Qingyou received Mo Qianxue’s eye message and confused. Didn’t they make up a plan that Mo Qianxue coaxed grandma with sweet words and then she told the truth while Mo Qianxue helped her make the point?
Mo Qianxue shook her head. Jian Qingyou had excellent learnings as a clever woman, but a woman in a relationship was most foolish. She had overlooked human nature.
Mo Qianxue ignored the confusion in her eyes and turned to old madam Jian with a smile, “How auspicious you are to have such a filial granddaughter.”
Then, she turned to Jian Qingyou and gave her a look, “Qingyou, don’t be anxious to show your filial piety. Today it’s still spring festival and my restaurant hasn’t open for business now. How to teach you?”
“Yes, Qingyou, I know you’re a filial good girl. Don’t be anxious about learning to make the cake. Get up.”
Old madam Jian reached out to help Jian Qingyou get up. She didn’t dare to bother her grandma, hurriedly stood up and held grandma to sit down. At this scene, Mo Qianxue also stood up to give a hand.
After old madam Jian took her seat, Mo Qianxue resumed the talk, “Why not I tell you stories to help Qingyou carry out her filial piety?” This story had long been prepared.
“You can tell stories?” Hearing that Mo Qianxue was going to tell stories, old madam Jian instantly opened her drooping eyelids with excitement, “You’re such a clever monkey. Don’t you know everything? Speaking of it, I’ve been to Baiyunju a few times after they hired story-tellers. Excellent, indeed.”
In this age, the operas hadn’t come into being, and there were only folk song singers. Therefore, the noble madams and ladies had little entertainment living in their deep mansion.
Mo Qianxue replied modestly, “This story is made up by me. If I didn’t make it interesting, please forgive me, grandma.”
Old madam Jian couldn’t wait hearing the story and said with a smile, “I’ll judge you not guilty. Okay? Hurry to tell the story.”
Then Mo Qianxue cleared the throat and began to tell the story, “It’s said that long long ago, there was a place called the Zhu village. By the Jade River at the Zhu village lived a scholar Zhu who had a daughter Zhu Yingtai. She was beautiful and clever and learned poetry and prose along with her elder brother. She envied the great learnings of Mu Banzhao and Cai Wenji (renowned female scholar in ancient times) and regretted that there wasn’t good teachers in the village, so she longed for visiting famous teachers in Hangzhou…”
Mo Qianxue told how the girl met with Liang Shanbo, a male classmate, and how they spent almost everyday together studying… Both old madam Jian and Jian Qingyou displayed demeanor of deep longing.
Jian Qingyou was reminded of her own experience of meeting Xin Yiming, of that hug and of the beautiful shower of peach blossom.
Old madam Jian’s thought travelled back to decades ago when she had first met the strange doctor…
At that time, she was at the bloom of youth. At that time, he was in his prime, fearing nothing. She acted willfully and he was stubborn.
It was the first time she went out of home, without any experience as to how to survive in a society. Although she dressed as a man, she was recognized and almost hurt by a group of villains. Luckily, he appeared and escorted her back home safe and sound.
The two audience was immersed in the story as well as their own memories. Then Mo Qianxue talked about how Liang Shanbo walked Zhu Yingtai home. They were so unwilling to be forced separate that Liang Shanbo accompanied Zhu Yingtai for 18 miles on the way…
Then, Mo Qianxue paused for a while. To tell a story in an artistic way, it required the creation of suspense and leaving space for imagination.
“What happened next?”
“Did Liang Shanbo go to find Zhu Yingtai? Did they get married?”
Old madam Jian and Jian Qingyou felt their heart burning with anxiety to know the ending, when Mo Qianxue unhurriedly took up her teacup and began to enjoy tea, gently blowing and sipping in small mouthfuls.
“Of course Liang Shanbo went to find her, but they didn’t end up with a happy marriage.”
“Why?”
“Because Liang Shanbo didn’t have a good family background. Mr. Zhu wanted to marry his daughter to lord Ma, who was of similar background with Zhu family.”
“It shouldn’t be!”
“Damn Mr. Zhu. What happened then? Was Zhu Yingtai willing to marry lord Ma? Didn’t Liang Shanbo try?”
“He did. Patience. Grandma Jian.”
Mo Qianxue put down the teacup, cleared the throat and continued, “… A happy marriage became a dream. The two met at the pavilion, tearful, bidding farewell in sorrow. Before departure, they made an oath: If they couldn’t live in the same house, they’d rather die in the same tomb!”
There were tears in the eyes of old madam Jian and Jian Qingyou. The audience weren’t only them. There were nanny Liang, Hongyu and other servant girls, whose faces were also full of tears.
“Shanbo fell ill from missing her and died soon after. Hearing the grievous news, Yingtai was determined to die with him. She went to his tomb for mourning when the sky seemed to sense her will, and then there was rain and gust and thunder and lightning. Suddenly, the tomb cracked open…”
Hearing this, old madam Jian and Jian Qingyou, though tearful, became more concentrated with hanging hearts. Nanny Liang and other servant girls reacted in the same way.
“Yingtai jumped into the grave which then shut up. The weather resumed clear with rainbows in the sky. Two butterflies flied out of the grave and stayed with each other forever.”
The story of LiangZhu was finished, leaving the whole room extremely quiet. Everyone was still immersed in the story.
Nanny Liang broke the silence, pouring tea for them for sighing, “Alas… A loving couple, but ended up like this.”
“It’s all Mr. Zhu’s fault. Why did he only value family background to force the loving couple separate?” Old madam Jian thumped on the table out of anger.
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