Beautiful Shadow III

Beautiful Shadow III

"May I ask, Brother Chen, this thing was probably dug out of a tomb, wasn't it?" Lu Sheng asked casually.

Chen Jiaorong nodded. "It was taken from a tomb. You still haven't answered me—just as my sister said, what level of understanding counts as truly knowing each other?" He shifted the subject back to his sister's marriage.

Lu Sheng had already dodged the question once. Now that he was asked again, he immediately sighed.

"This sort of thing can't be rushed. Brother Chen will see the answer in time. Besides, I've only known Yun Xi for such a short while. Is your family really that at ease with me?"

"Before you said that, I wasn't at ease. Now, I truly am." Chen Jiaorong smiled. "If you agree, we can double the dowry!"

Lu Sheng gave a bitter smile.

He knew that, on one hand, Chen Yunxi truly liked him. On the other, the Chen Family had long been troubled by their inability to marry off their daughter. Now that they had finally found someone suitable, they simply refused to let go.

"Let's speak of this later. At the very least, wait until my scholarly rank is settled before we discuss it." Lu Sheng used the Yearly Examination and Imperial Examination as a shield.

At his words, Chen Jiaorong's eyes immediately showed even greater admiration. This was the temptation of becoming fabulously wealthy the moment he agreed. If Chen Jiaorong were in the same position and encountered such a situation, he would definitely agree without a second thought. After all, once married, he could still take concubines—take a third wife, a fourth wife, a fifth wife. Though his sister Chen Yunxi's legs were a little too long, practically the same as those with disfigured faces—both physical defects—she still had other qualities to make up for it.

"Then it's settled. Brother Lu can make your decision after the Yearly Examination. Yunxi isn't getting any younger; she's reached the age to marry. I only hope Brother Lu won't delay."

Lu Sheng felt helpless, but could only nod. The two parted ways after leaving the tavern. Seeing that it was getting late, Lu Sheng turned and headed home.

After resting for the night, he went to the academy again the next day. He had barely taken his seat when a burst of commotion came from outside.

"What's going on out there?" Lu Sheng looked at Song Zhenguo, who was sorting through scrolls beside him.

Song Zhenguo's face was overcast as he replied in a low voice, "Wang Ziquan's family has come."

Lu Sheng saw quite a few people in the School Hall rise and head to the windows and doorway to look outside. The faint sound of women and children crying drifted in as well.

He stood up and heard several classmates sighing.

"It seems Ziquan has gone missing. A young woman came with two children barely one or two years old. I heard his old father went to report it and ask the Government Office to find him, but was beaten so badly there that he suffered grave injuries. When he got home, he fell ill and never recovered. Sigh."

"Why would the Government Office beat people?"

"Because his old father refused to believe his son had drowned. He knelt outside the Government Office and wouldn't get up. The newly appointed Prefect hates such troublesome commoners most."

"That mother and her children are pitiful."

"Yes. What a shame. And it looks like his old father won't last much longer either..."

The more Lu Sheng heard, the worse he felt. Wang Ziquan's family had once been merchants too. Their business had not been large, but they had possessed some wealth. Now, though, they had been driven to the ruin of their family.

Song Zhenguo had also heard the talk around them. He squeezed through the crowd and came over to stand beside Lu Sheng.

"It was my fault. If I hadn't called him out that day..."

"Don't overthink it. It has nothing to do with you." Lu Sheng patted his shoulder. Yet Song Zhenguo's face remained dark, and he did not answer.

The two left the School Hall one after the other. They saw a pretty young woman of eighteen or nineteen, accompanied by two small children only one or two years old, kneeling on the main road everyone had to pass through to reach the academy. Her head was lowered, and she wore coarse mourning hemp and plain white garments.

No fewer than several dozen people had gathered to watch, and the crowd was still growing livelier by the moment.

"Come on. Let's go take a look." Lu Sheng tugged Song Zhenguo and stepped out first.

"No! I'll go alone. This was my fault! I'll handle it!" Song Zhenguo grabbed him and spoke in a deep voice.

Lu Sheng was startled. Before he could react, Song Zhenguo had already taken three steps as two and reached the young woman, where he began speaking to her quietly.

Two academy teachers also squeezed in from among the students and went forward to ask about the situation. Before long, Song Zhenguo helped the young woman and the children away from the academy.

Lu Sheng followed closely behind and left the academy with them.

Before he had taken more than a few steps to catch up, he saw Government Office runners arrive. They spoke with Song Zhenguo and the young woman for a while, then several of them quickly boarded a carriage and left.

Before departing, Song Zhenguo gestured for Lu Sheng not to follow and told him to return to class.

"Don't delay your Yearly Examination. Go back! I'll handle this!" Song Zhenguo shouted to Lu Sheng from afar, then got into the carriage and left as well.

Lu Sheng watched the black carriage with red patterns depart. He recognized it as the official carriage style used by the Government Office.

He stood outside the academy gates for a while before finally turning around and returning to class.

The matter of Wang Ziquan's family circulated through the academy for a time, but was soon suppressed. Lu Sheng saw people from the Government Office come several times to speak with several academy School Officials. Perhaps they were the reason the rumors had been silenced. Wang Ziquan's family also never came to make trouble again.

After Song Zhenguo went there that day, his face carried a little more ease and relief. He had likely offered Wang Ziquan's family some compensation.

After causing a great stir for some time, the disappearance case quickly died down. Once the disturbance had passed, the academy gradually returned to normal, as though nothing had ever happened.

Song Family.

Song Zhenguo silently ate the meal the maid had just brought him. Chicken, duck, fish, and goose filled the table, yet he had no appetite. Something weighed heavily on his mind.

The faint sounds of his old father's footsteps and voice passing outside drifted in. He did not go out to pay his respects, merely sat in his bedroom and let out a long sigh.

Their entire family had moved to Yan Mountain City from elsewhere. His old father had only just opened up their business here and was extraordinarily busy. His mood had already been poor, and with this matter added on top, his heart had become even more burdened.

But why does Father refuse to understand Ruler's virtues? If I marry her into the family, our household will surely be harmonious and my career successful. With Ruler helping me, the household will be stable, and I will definitely achieve something in the Yearly Examination. Song Zhenguo sighed inwardly.

Flap, flap.

As he ate, a black pigeon suddenly flew in through the window again, staring at him with a pair of pink eyes.

Coo, coo.

The pigeon called twice.

At the sight of it, joy immediately appeared on Song Zhenguo's face.

He rushed over in a few steps, seized the pigeon, pulled a rolled-up slip of paper from its leg, and quickly unrolled it.

'There is no longer any need to worry about what Ruler said before. Ruler threatened to die, and Boat Head finally agreed. Tomorrow night, taking advantage of the festival, as long as Brother Song can produce ten thousand taels of silver, he can redeem Ruler. Brother Song need not worry. Though ten thousand taels is a great deal, Ruler has accumulated quite a bit of savings over the years and can cover at least the greater half.

Tomorrow night, Brother Song must come alone. Ruler will give her body, whole and untouched, to Brother Song. Ruler hopes Brother Song will cherish her.'

After reading it, Song Zhenguo felt a surge of irrepressible joy rise from the depths of his heart and rush straight to his head. He straightened up, his face swiftly flushing red, and clutched the paper as he paced back and forth through the room.

"Ruler... Ruler, you're mine! I'll definitely take you out of the pleasure boat, take you away from that cursed place. I'll give you a proper name!" He clenched his fists and muttered in a low voice. He had completely forgotten Xiao Tong's warning that he was not to go to the pleasure boat during the Scented Silk Festival.

After being overwhelmed with excitement in the room for a while, Song Zhenguo gradually calmed down.

"But Ruler said before that I shouldn't go to the pleasure boat during the Scented Silk Festival? Was she afraid I'd be deceived?"

He thought for a moment. His expression slowly settled, and after hesitating where he stood for a while—

"Once I see Ruler, I'll ask why she wouldn't let me go to the pleasure boat during the Scented Silk Festival. Perhaps there's some special reason."

Filled with joy, Song Zhenguo began preparing banknotes. Ten thousand taels of silver was a considerable sum even to him. The savings he had accumulated over the years had all been spent on Ruler during this period. Gathering ten thousand taels on such short notice would be difficult. Though Ruler had said she would cover the greater half herself, what kind of man would let his own woman bear such a burden? "Never mind. I'll first borrow some money from my elder sister to tide me over." He did not even finish his meal. He hurried to the door, about to leave, when he suddenly remembered something and stopped.

"Such wonderful news—though Ruler is too embarrassed and said I should come alone, such a joyous occasion should still be shared and celebrated with my two good friends."

Song Zhenguo swiftly sat back down at his desk, ground ink, poured water, and began preparing to write letters to his only two friends.

But just as he had prepared the brush and ink, he hesitated and put down the brush.

"Forget it. I'd better go alone. No need to invite trouble and create needless complications. Once it's settled, I can tell the others."

He quickly went to find his elder sister and borrowed banknotes worth fifteen thousand taels from her, telling her he needed them to invest in a business. Before long, he had everything prepared.

As the Yearly Examination drew closer and closer, Lu Sheng's family also sent Qiao'er over, along with one thousand taels in banknotes to supplement his recent expenses.

But Lu Sheng knew that his family was already selling off all kinds of land and shops in preparation for moving. Because of the massive explosion in Nine Links City, many people were relocating, causing the prices of shops and land to depreciate sharply. When his family purchased new property in the future, they would also need to retain a large sum of money.

Thus, being able to give him another thousand taels was already an expense squeezed from between their teeth. After all, the Lu Family was now in a precarious state, battered by wind and rain.

As the disturbance gradually subsided, Lu Sheng slowly put Wang Ziquan's matter behind him and began focusing on improving himself, while also looking for ways to earn money.

"Shanbei Zhongli has clear springs! Red Gully holds yellow silk! Outside White Sand Town, sparrows cover the ground! New Zhao River flows yellow with ginger!"

"Yan Mountain City! My hometown~~~~ Yan Mountain City! My homeland~~~ La la la la~~ La la la la la~~~~"

"La la la!~~~ La la la la~~~~!"

"La la la~~~! La la la la!!"

Lu Sheng stood expressionlessly by the window, listening to the unbearably shrill male singing.

He had been woken shortly after three in the morning—during the hour of the tiger—and driven from bed by the racket. Then he saw one procession after another passing continuously outside. Some voices were piercing, others rough and booming, all filing through the streets without end.

At that moment, a long procession playing suonas and singing loudly moved down the street. Dressed in red and blue, they were mostly middle-aged men and women, beating drums, smashing gongs, and shouting chants. It was folk-song revelry before the Scented Silk Festival, and they were slowly making their way toward the city center.

What left Lu Sheng even more speechless was that the townspeople who had come out along the streets to watch did not find it noisy at all. Instead, they happily followed the procession, some even singing along. Government Office runners had specifically come to maintain order as well.