......
Normal people, upon seeing the protagonist, would bow their heads in reverence.
They wish to follow him from his humble beginnings.
Waiting to reap the greatest benefits later.
It's like buying stocks - I know it will soar, it will rise, it will go from one cent to millions. If I buy when it's one cent, I'll be rich. Even though it's ten dollars now, if I buy, I'll still be wealthy.
But abnormal people think differently.
Take the born antagonist, Comrade Jiang Changtian, for example.
When Jiang Changtian sees Chu Xi at ten dollars a share, his first thought is how to drive the price down~~~~
It's a bit difficult for him to do it alone, and in the end, he doesn't know who will benefit.
Fortunately, there's Inspector He, who should be quite enthusiastic.
After beating Jiang Wan and then himself, Jiang Huaisheng began silently reciting Buddhist scriptures, constantly repenting.
He had always wanted to become a monk, but was worried about his mother and Wan'er.
Now, this scene further strengthened his resolve to enter monastic life.
He clasped his hands and said to his mother: "Mother, you've always loved Buddhist rituals. I remember when you were young, you would copy sutras daily. Why don't you join me in becoming a monk? We'll devote ourselves to Buddha. As long as we have true faith, Buddha will surely forgive the mistakes we've made."
Old Lady Jiang thought her eldest son was just chanting sutras to escape reality.
But she never imagined he had gone completely mad, actually wanting his elderly mother to become a nun with him.
Old Lady Jiang picked up her cane and started hitting him.
Jiang Huaisheng didn't even try to dodge.
He took one blow, then another.
"Thud!"
"Bang!"
The cane hit flesh, hit bone, producing dull thuds.
On the third strike, Old Lady Jiang didn't swing. She dropped the cane in shock, her face flushed with anger and distress.
"Why didn't you dodge? Accept small punishments, avoid big ones - are you trying to anger your mother to death?"
Old Lady Jiang clutched her chest, her breathing becoming rapid.
Jiang Huaisheng, after taking two blows, swayed on his feet, his face swollen. He had hit himself hard earlier. He smiled and said: "Mother once told my younger brother not to dodge. When he did, you said he was unfilial. I don't want to become a monk while still bearing the name of an unfilial son."
Jiang Huaisheng stumbled, turning in a circle before managing to locate his daughter's position with difficulty. He turned to Wan'er and said:
"Wan'er, come join your father in becoming a monk. Really, this young master is clearly unreliable. He's still wet behind the ears, how can he be trusted? He may make promises now, but who knows if he can fulfill them later? You've always had a talent for Buddhism. Come with your father to become a nun, serve our Buddha. Buddha won't deceive you. Wealth and power are all just fleeting dreams. Wan'er, trust your father, I won't harm you. Following me to become a nun is the only way to ensure a good end."
Jiang Huaisheng saw his daughter's face, still red from where he had hit her. He hadn't used much force when striking, and immediately regretted it afterward. Fortunately, it wasn't badly injured, and seemed to be recovering quite quickly, with just a slight redness remaining.
Jiang Wan shook her head in disbelief.
She was still young, how could she think of becoming a nun?
She wasn't crazy.
Had her father gone mad?
She thought he was just devoted to Buddhism, escaping reality.
But now he actually wanted her and her grandmother to become nuns too.
She thought of her dream, where Jiang Changtian eventually became a monk.
Everything was reversed, as if Jiang Changtian's family's fate had befallen her own. She was terrified.
She wanted to shake her father awake, tell him that becoming a monk was useless, that Buddha was useless, that Jiang Changtian had even razed the Shangqiu Convent in the Provincial Capital, that power was the only useful thing.
But in front of Young Master Liu and Chu Xi, she couldn't say such things.
She could only cry, looking at her father with a heartbroken expression, speechless.
The sight made Young Master Liu's heart ache.
He felt that Miss Wan had been through so much hardship.
Jiang Huaisheng looked at his daughter's face, tearful and pitiful, sighed deeply, then turned to look at Jiang Changtian. Without saying goodbye, he laughed loudly three times, tears in his eyes, as if he had gone mad: "Ha ha ha!" Then he stumbled away.
Old Lady Jiang, tears in her eyes, watched her eldest son's fleeing figure. She picked up her cane and jabbed it into the ground forcefully. Her mouth opened to curse again, "Unfilial son! Unfilial son!" But her throat felt hoarse, and no matter how hard she tried to shout, it seemed no sound would come out.
Jiang Changtian silently watched his elder brother's stumbling, fleeing figure.
The Buddhist path is not a pure land, turning back is not the shore.
Put down the butcher's knife, and you'll immediately be slaughtered.
......
Young Master Liu didn't understand what was wrong with Miss Wan's father.
To say he was unreliable right in front of him - sure, he had been a bit frivolous, but he truly loved Wan'er and was determined to marry her.
For this uncle to urge his daughter and mother to become nuns - was there something seriously wrong with him?
Chu Xi was completely bewildered. Had his nominal uncle-in-law just run off like that? Was he really leaving the old lady to him?
This family didn't have a single normal person. His cousin wanted to elope, the old lady was sickly yet hit with surprising strength - those two blows she'd struck had made Uncle Jiang sway, and when he ran out at the end he was stumbling, clearly badly hurt.
Chu Xi felt that this Jiang the Judicial Commissioner was looking at him very strangely, making him uncomfortable.
He stood up, preparing to take his leave.
But he was enthusiastically asked to stay.
"Although you may not want to acknowledge me as your uncle, since Young Master Chu has come, please stay for a meal. Inspector He will be here shortly, as well as my good-for-nothing son-in-law. I believe you've all met before."
Young Master Liu had also intended to leave, but hearing the Judicial Commissioner mention these people, he suddenly became nervous again.
General Meng wasn't his friend - his social circle was a bit lower, not yet able to associate with General Meng. But that didn't stop him from joining his friends in mocking Meng Shaoxia.
They mocked the Meng family for having only one heir, mocked him for marrying a country girl, mocked that he probably couldn't change their single-heir fate, saying the line might even end with him.
And who in the Capital City didn't know of Inspector He's reputation? He had heard his father mention him many times at home, always saying: "Don't ever, if that He catches us, our whole family is finished."
Now, to dine with Inspector He and General Meng, along with the imperial grandson Chu Xi, the eldest son of the Seventh Prince, Young Master Chu - this ordinary second-generation official felt very nervous and excited.
He didn't know where to put his hands and feet.
He wanted to leave but didn't dare to speak up.
Jiang Wan was very anxious. She desperately wanted to leave the Jiang residence, but Young Master Liu didn't even dare to say goodbye.
She looked at him pleadingly, even tugging at his sleeve secretly, but he didn't understand.
So they were forced to stay for the meal.
In the evening, Inspector He and Meng Shaoxia indeed arrived.
Meng Shaoxia wore a black robe, with white flour on his sleeves and in his hair, looking somewhat comical.
Seeing Chu Xi and Young Master Liu, he greeted them warmly.
"Welcome, Young Master Chu and Young Master Liu, to our humble home. My wife is pregnant, so I was just taking care of her, making her some food. I accidentally got some on my clothes. I kneaded the dough for tonight's noodles myself, you must try them later."
Chu Xi had almost forgotten what Meng Shaoxia looked like, remembering only a small square face. He was surprised to see that he now had a round face.
Young Master Liu was a bit nervous and quickly responded: "Brother Meng is so skilled, even able to knead dough."
Chu Xi cupped his hands: "Brother Meng, congratulations. We're in for a treat tonight, thanks to your wife."
Inspector He had also finished work, looking very tired and a bit fierce.
But his words were unexpectedly quite friendly, especially towards Young Master Chu, seeming particularly warm. Seeing this made Young Master Liu a bit envious - indeed, different status, different treatment.
Chu Xi also found it puzzling. Wasn't this Inspector He famous for being difficult to get along with? Why was he so friendly towards him?
Meanwhile, among the women.
Jiang Wan, upon arriving at the Jiang residence, met the Jiang family women for the first time.
Qin was graceful and dignified. Jiang Yu, reportedly pregnant, had a face more beautiful than flowers, looking utterly happy. Jiang Mianmian's appearance was striking; one could imagine that when she grew up, her beauty would surpass even Jiang Wan's.
Seeing Jiang Mianmian's appearance, Jiang Wan thought of the tear from Buddha's eye, making her very uncomfortable.
Old Lady Jiang was even more uncomfortable.
Seeing that the former country woman now lived more nobly than her, with maids and servants attending to her.
She showed them no warmth at all, constantly boasting.
Even though she was very hungry, the boasting had filled her with anger instead.
Jiang Wan, however, cherished the food, eating in large mouthfuls.
The noodles weren't good, not chewy, but they were said to be kneaded by Meng Shaoxia himself.
She would take a bite, and hear Jiang Yu retch beside her.
She ate with big mouthfuls, head down.
......
