...
In the afternoon, after waking up from a nap.
She heard from the servants that her two brothers-in-law had gone to visit Jiang Feng in the countryside.
Jiang Wan felt slightly uneasy.
She had just had a very long dream, as vivid as reality.
Yet now, some things didn't seem to add up.
However, her father would soon recover and have a smooth official career, and in the later years of the sage ruler, the various princes struggled, but no one expected that the eventual victor would be the little-known Seventh Prince, and her aunt, the Seventh Prince's consort, became the empress.
The turbulent chapter of her life was slowly unfolding in the capital.
For now, she just needed to wait.
In her dream, her uncle's family was nowhere to be seen.
The servants had mentioned that her uncle's family stayed here and met an unfortunate end, as they were too extreme in their actions and received the retribution they deserved.
Only Jiang Yu, who went to be a maid in the provincial city, inadvertently got rescued and later met Jiang Wan in the capital.
But at that time, Jiang Yu had actually become the concubine of her potential betrothed, which was so awkward that it made Jiang Wan the laughingstock of the capital.
In the dream world, one's fate was not in one's control, and emotions were beyond one's command.
Upon waking up, Jiang Wan continued to copy Buddhist scriptures.
In the afternoon, she learned that the peddler couple had died.
In order to earn money to buy medicine for their sick child, they had no choice but to commit a wrongdoing. Pitiful and tragic.
Though not blessed with good looks, their love for each other was true. After the husband died, the wife took her own life, following him in death. A lamentable yet praiseworthy act.
Jiang Wan solemnly copied two copies of the Buddhist scripture for rebirth.
Her maid Maizi sat in the corner, fanning herself vigorously in front of an ice basin, trying to cool down the room. Sweat dripped from her forehead.
She was grateful to her mistress for allowing her to sit and fan herself, feeling more comfortable.
...
Following her brother's instructions, Jiang Yu managed to borrow some grain from Landlord Liu.
It was the kind of grain with an interest-free period.
As long as she could repay it within a month, there would be no interest. But if she went beyond a month, she would have to pay interest.
Jiang Yu carried the grain, feeling like she could smell its fragrance, and hurried home.
When she arrived home, her forehead was covered in sweat, and her eyes were sparkling.
She grabbed a large palm-leaf fan and vigorously fanned herself.
She even fanned the two honored guests on the side.
Because her brother had actually set out the desserts brought by the guests.
They were yellow and green in color, looking sweet.
Jiang Feng looked at Little Jiang Yu speechlessly. He didn't want to set out the desserts either.
But earlier, when he saw his two brothers taste the desserts she had set out, one turned sour and almost lost a tooth, and the other nearly chipped a tooth, he quickly set out the guests' desserts.
Jiang Yu vigorously fanned the guests while also helping herself to a piece of dessert, first placing it in front of the two guests, then giving one to her brother, and finally taking one for herself.
Her expressions were extremely candid and unrestrained.
Both Meng Shaoxia and He Chen understood.
Meng Shaoxia realized that he might have misunderstood her earlier.
She just wanted to eat, not... something else.
Her greediness when eating made one feel a little sympathetic, but her upbringing was still quite decent, as she showed courtesy to others and to her elder brother.
Little Jiang Mianmian was also curious about the desserts, but she wasn't particularly interested. She wanted to drink milk instead.
She missed her mother.
Last night, her mother had promised her father that she wouldn't go out.
But as soon as her father left, her mother left too.
Waaah o(╥﹏╥)o, and she didn't even take Jiang Mianmian with her.
Jiang Feng noticed that He Chen kept curiously looking at the little bundle in his arms.
"Brother He, would you like to hold her?" Jiang Feng asked.
He Chen looked bewildered.
Huh?
Hold her?
He hadn't even held a little lady before, even though this little lady was really, really tiny.
"Okay, sure."
He clumsily reached out and took the baby, alive, warm, and squirming.
At the moment of contact, he was so startled that he almost threw the swaddling cloth away.
It felt like touching a soft, big white worm.
Fortunately, he restrained himself.
He carefully held the infant, and following Jiang Feng's guidance, sat down, holding the baby with one hand supporting the little head, letting the baby's bottom and body rest on his lap.
"A baby's neck is very soft, so you need to support the head to avoid breaking it," Jiang Feng explained earnestly.
He Chen felt even more flustered. Why did he agree to hold the baby? He was so scared.
Even though this infant was beautiful, unlike the rest of the family, he was still very afraid.
In a large family, infants were extremely precious, and the closest he had come to one this small was a brief glance, never touching them, as they were always surrounded by a group of wet nurses.
Yet Jiang Feng was so trusting as to let him hold the baby.
Jiang Feng really trusted him greatly.
Fortunately, as he sat there supporting the baby's head with his hand, the little one didn't cry like the babies he had seen in his family, who either cried or cried like little kittens.
This baby was very well-behaved, looking at him with big, deep black eyes, then opening her mouth in a smile and drooling. With one hand supporting the baby's head and cradling her, he could use his other hand to wipe her drool.
As he wiped the drool, he couldn't help but smile.
How could he have thought that this tiny baby would grow up to be an absolute beauty?
Wouldn't that mean he was wiping drool off an absolute beauty?
Well, this absolute beauty's drool was quite plentiful. After wiping it, more drool flowed out.
He gently wiped the soft, tender flesh of the baby, afraid of rubbing too hard.
As he held the infant like this, the mantra-like "Waner, Waner" in his mind seemed to gradually fade away.
Jiang Mianmian leaned against this man's embrace, feeling indifferent. In fact, the coarse cotton fabric seemed more breathable than the fine clothes he was wearing. But he smelled of fragrance, a faint scent of perfume.
Seeing how he had brought so many delicious treats, making her sister so happy and her brother seemingly happy too, she made an effort to smile at him out of courtesy.
Deep down, there was a tinge of sadness, as a child from a poor family had to force a smile at such a young age.
Then she drooled even more...
He Chen: I can't wipe it all... I just can't wipe it all...
Meng Shaoxia didn't dare to look at Jiang Feng's sister eating anymore, because he realized how adorable she looked while eating, chewing away like a little squirrel, watching the food disappear into her mouth. He couldn't resist and handed her another piece of dessert.
But after doing so, he realized his action was abrupt.
To his surprise, the little girl opened her mouth and took it.
Meng Shaoxia turned red and quickly changed the subject.
He was worried that he might not be able to resist feeding her another piece.
"Brother Jiang, would you like to spar with me?" he asked.
Jiang Feng had also been thinking about how to ask the other party to teach him some sword techniques. One cannot receive without giving, and he felt uncomfortable asking for something without offering help in return.
Upon hearing Meng's invitation to spar, his eyes lit up.
This was a perfect opportunity to witness Meng's swordsmanship, and perhaps if Meng won and was in a good mood, he might be willing to teach Jiang Feng.
"I don't have a sword. Can we use a staff instead?" Jiang Feng found a relatively smooth wooden staff from the family's woodpile.
Meng Shaoxia hadn't expected such a question. Earlier that morning, he had practiced with Uncle Jiang at the Jiang family's martial arts grounds, where there were plenty of weapons for them to choose from. So he had asked without thinking, not realizing that Jiang Feng didn't even have a sword.
"Okay," he agreed, treating his sword as a staff to make it fair.
The two young men, one dressed in fine clothes and riding a horse, the other in coarse cotton garments, one wielding a dragon-patterned sword, the other holding a staff from the backyard woodpile, one wearing fine boots, the other wearing straw sandals, faced each other and took their stances.
"Ready."
"Ready."
Meng Shaoxia gave a warning first: "I have been practicing the sword since childhood, never missing a day regardless of the weather. My sword is very fast."
Jiang Feng nodded solemnly, filled with admiration.
It was said that the poor focused on literary pursuits while the rich practiced martial arts. To practice martial arts, one must eat meat every day to build strength.
If he had meat to eat at every meal in the past, he probably wouldn't have wanted to practice martial arts.
He gripped the staff tightly.
Without further thought.
He would respond with sincerity, for sincerity was the ultimate technique.
The young masters were willing to play with him because he was sincere and rarely told lies.
Since Brother Meng wanted to spar, he would have to respond sincerely with his full abilities.
This way, Brother Meng will be happy to win.
He took a deep breath, no longer thinking about random things.
His eyes were only on the little squarish face in front of him and his sword.
Little Jiang Yu took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention to her, and quietly swept up the crumbs that had just fallen onto the table surface with her hand and ate them.
The pastries were too crumbly.
He Chen was on high alert, holding the infant in his arms, his hands never stopping, like a perpetual motion machine wiping drool.
Jiang Mianmian cried "Ah, ah, ah!" cheering for her brother.
Two horses, wagging their tails, were watching the village below, occasionally lowering their heads to take a drink of water.
One of the white horses felt its ears itching.
There was no wind.
Meng Shaoxia drew his sword.
The sword didn't leave its scabbard, but his speed was extremely fast, without any delay or wasted movement, slashing towards Jiang Feng.
Jiang Feng drew his staff to block.
"Bang!" The staff broke.
The sword fell to the ground.
Meng Shaoxia clutched his wrist in pain.
Jiang Feng felt a bit embarrassed, "Brother Meng, I'm sorry, this firewood is too brittle. It got dried out and just snapped with one hit."
He Chen wanted to laugh, his abdomen heaving up and down, but he didn't dare laugh out loud. Brother Meng was having a rough day.
Jiang Mianmian clenched her fists and waved them, "Ah ah ah ah!" (Brother is the best!)
Little Jiang Yu saw the little squarish face looking bewildered, mouth agape, with a very frustrated expression, so she stuffed a pastry into his mouth.
"Don't be sad. My brother's strength is just average. My mother's strength is great. When my mother wants to beat up my brother, he can never run away." Little Jiang Yu hurried to console him, worried that this rich little squarish face would take it out on her brother.
Meng Shaoxia's pale face gradually reddened again, and his wrist didn't hurt as much.
She cares about me!
The pastry is so stuffy... *burp* *burp*...
