Chapter 189: Joyous Moments Are Hard to Describe
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
In the Cloud Pavilion, the lively atmosphere of the past was gone. Smiling, Cailian explained that after the passing of Ding Mama, many girls in the Cloud Pavilion had left. Some got married, some returned home. Cailian did not bring in any new girls, and with the decline in business after Youhua Fairy went to Yangzhou, the Cloud Pavilion was not as flourishing as before. With the departure of the girls, the place was almost deserted.
“It’s not bad, though. Usually, everyone would engage in other small businesses with cosmetics and powders to earn some money, just enough to get by,” Cailian laughed. “But these sisters have nowhere else to go. The Cloud Pavilion was built by Mama, and it’s the home of the sisters.”
People should have a content heart, and the current situation of the sisters was also good.
Youhua Fairy invited everyone to sit in the banquet hall, instructing people to prepare food and wine, and then asked Yan He and others, “What are you little young masters up to now?”
Several years had passed, and the boys had grown into young men, no longer displaying the greenness of the past, but it was apparent that each had undergone unique experiences.
“I’ve become a doctor now,” Lin Shuanghe lightly shook his folding fan, solemnly saying, “But I only treat women. Thanks to the love and support of people worldwide, I gained the illustrious title ‘White-Clothed Divine Physician,’ I am quite humbled by it.”
He Yan felt surprised as she looked at Lin Shuanghe. Although Lin Shuanghe was usually outspoken, this was the first time he had seen him show off on his own since their reunion.
Generally, in front of the person one admired in their youth, there is always a desire to present oneself in a more favorable light.
“This one is even more impressive,” he pointed his fan at Yan He, “Gui De Zhonglang General, General Yan.”
Cailian was extremely surprised, “Little masters are so impressive now!”
Yan He felt a bit uncomfortable for some reason, touched his ponytail, and snorted, “Not as formidable as General Fengyun.”
“General Fengyun?” Youhua Fairy was taken aback and followed Yan He’s gaze to see Xiao Jue drinking tea calmly. “Young Master Xiao… is now General Fengyun?”
“That’s right.”
Both Youhua Fairy and Cailian gasped in cold air. Back then, when that group of young men introduced themselves, only this white-robed youth and another masked youth did not speak. At that time, everyone thought it was either because their identities were too precious to reveal or because their identities were ordinary and not worth mentioning. However, Youhua Fairy felt that, judging by the outstanding appearance and demeanor of the white-robed youth, he was the former.
Now, after so many years, who would have expected that he would be the famous commander of the Right Army in Great Wei?
“This one is even more interesting,” Lin Shuanghe pointed at Yang Mingzhi, joking with some unknown mood, “Now, he’s the governor of Jinling in your city.”
Yang Mingzhi moved his lips but ultimately didn’t say anything.
Youhua Fairy and Cailian didn’t know the background, but they were extremely happy and said, “It seems that Young Master Yang and Jinling City are truly destined, it’s really a coincidence!”
“Indeed,” Lin Shuanghe snorted, “How coincidental.”
“These two young gentlemen look a bit unfamiliar,” Youhua Fairy looked at He Yan and Chu Zhao, puzzled.
“They are visiting Jinling for the first time,” Lin Shuanghe explained, “This one is surnamed Chu, you can call him Young Master Chu. This one is my good friend, already bestowed with the title Wuan Lang by His Majesty, and he is He Yan.”
“Young Master Chu, Young Master He,” Youhua Fairy smiled and bowed, “Since it’s your first time in Jinling, you must try the dishes at Cloud Pavilion.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Shuanghe’s eyes lit up, “Miss Youhua, are the chefs at Cloud Pavilion still the same as before?”
Youhua Fairy nodded with a smile, “The dishes are prepared by the sisters in the tower, and they are exactly the same as before. If the young masters like them, we will be very happy.”
He Yan still remembered that the dishes at Cloud Pavilion were indeed exceptional, completely different from those at Shuojing, with a sweet and mellow taste that was unforgettable. After returning to Shuojing, the He family took care of her well, but she never tasted such delicious food as she did in Cloud Pavilion.
During the greetings, the dishes were soon brought to the long table. They were all home-cooked dishes, such as duck oil crispy pancakes, plum blossom cakes, small wontons, red bean dumplings, and pork dumplings, all golden and aromatic. Since arriving in Jinling in the afternoon, He Yan had not eaten. Seeing everyone engrossed in conversation, she endured for a while, then couldn’t help herself and quietly picked up her chopsticks, taking small bites of the smoked fish and silver thread noodles in front of her.
The silver-threaded noodles were thin and soft, melting in the mouth, and the hot and steamy sensation warmed the stomach, bringing out all the appetites. He Yan, seeing that no one was paying attention, endured for a while but couldn’t resist any longer. He silently picked up a piece of crystal steamed bun.
Lin Shuanghe was talking with Youhua Fairy about the interesting things that had happened over the years, where the young men from Xianchang Academy had gone. He Yan listened while eating, not slowing down. She grabbed a piece of flowering steamed bun.
The dishes were naturally delicious, especially after going through days in the capital where even dry cakes were scarce, and tofu pudding was considered more precious than imperial meals. He Yan saw a plate of sticky rice lotus roots at the other end of the long table, and she couldn’t help but be tempted.
The sticky rice lotus roots at Cloud Pavilion were sweet and delicious, and with one bite, it felt like biting into a small bridge over flowing water, reminiscent of the picturesque water towns of Jiangnan. She had loved this snack when she first came to Cloud Pavilion, and she remembered eating a whole plate of sticky rice lotus roots the first time she came to Cloud Pavilion. So, while everyone was talking, she wanted to secretly grab a piece and taste whether it still had the same flavor as before.
Unfortunately, it was quite unfortunate that this plate of sticky rice lotus roots happened to be placed at the far end of the long table, furthest from her.
He Yan raised her chopsticks with all her strength, trying to reach it, but unfortunately, it was too far away. If she stood up to grab the dish, it would be too impolite. After trying a few times, she could only helplessly give up. Just as she sighed, the next moment, she suddenly saw a piece of sticky rice lotus root in her bowl.
He Yan was stunned, only to see Xiao Jue put down his chopsticks as if he had done it casually, not bothering to look at He Yan.
He Yan’s ears turned slightly red, and before she could figure out what to do next, she suddenly saw another piece of sticky rice lotus root in her bowl. She was surprised, subconsciously looked up, and met Chu Zhao’s smiling eyes.
The conversation on the table had stopped at some point without He Yan noticing. Suddenly, two pieces of sticky rice lotus roots appeared abruptly in He Yan’s bowl, and everyone else at the table was staring at her with inexplicable expressions.
He Yan’s vision darkened. What was going on? She just wanted to quietly grab food, how did she become the center of everyone’s attention?
On one side, Chu Zhao smiled warmly as usual, while on the other, Xiao Jue calmly looked at her, making people uneasy.
Yan He frowned and looked at her for a moment, tapped the edge of the bowl with his chopsticks, and asked, “I want to ask, Wuan Lang, are you a royal relative?”
He Yan: “…No.”
“Since you’re not,” Yan He asked incredulously, “why would these two,” he pointed with his chopsticks at Xiao Jue and then at Chu Zhao, “act like they are competing for favor?”
The phrase “competing for favor” made He Yan shudder.
Before she could figure out how to respond, Lin Shuanghe laughed and reached out with his chopsticks to take the piece of sticky rice lotus root that Chu Zhao had picked up for He Yan, saying, “Hey, my favorite is sticky rice lotus root, and Fourth Young Master Chu understands me. It’s really good,” he took a bite, “so sweet! Thanks Fourth Young Master Chu.”
Chu Zhao was slightly surprised, then smiled and shook his head, saying nothing.
He Yan breathed a sigh of relief. Lin Shuanghe was a clever person; fortunately, he smoothly handled the situation. Otherwise, Xiao Jue might have had some strange thoughts about her. But Chu Zhao was also puzzling. He was fine before, so why did he suddenly pick up food for her? If others saw this behavior, they would find it strange.
However, Youhua Fairy seemed to have sensed something. She smiled and clapped her hands, and a girl with a horse bun came forward, carrying a small jar of wine.
“Little Young masters haven’t had the Bifang wine from Cloud Pavilion for a long time, have you?” She placed the wine jar on the table. “This jar of Bifang wine is the last one left this year.”
The serving girl brought several glass cups, and as soon as the Bifang wine was poured into the cups, it appeared translucent green and exuded a fragrant aroma. He Yan still remembered the sweet and refreshing taste of Cloud Pavilion’s wine during her youth. It was neither intoxicating nor too strong. She looked forward to it, and when the girl was about to pour wine into He Yan’s cup, Xiao Jue glanced at her and suddenly said, “Give her a bowl of milk.”
He Yan: “…”
The girl pouring the wine was also stunned, looking at Xiao Jue in confusion. He Yan was bewildered and asked, “Commander, why do I have to drink milk?”
This person was very calm and said, “Milk helps with growth.”
Yan He rubbed his chin, scrutinized He Yan for a moment, nodded and said, “Indeed, this kid is a bit short.”
Youhua Fairy smiled, “Young Master Xiao, we don’t have milk at Cloud Pavilion. Bifang wine is a bit strong; perhaps this young master cannot handle it. Dingxiang, please fetch some rose dew.”
Soon, a girl brought rose dew. When poured into the cup, it was a completely different light red color from Bifang wine, and He Yan took a sip, feeling inexplicably stunned.
This wine, unexpectedly, tasted exactly like the sweet wine she had tried at Cloud Pavilion in her youth.
Yan He, next to her, also grabbed a cup, took a sip, and frowned, “What is this? It’s sweet, like fruit dew.”
“This is rose dew, usually drunk by the young ladies themselves.”
Yan He was oblivious, mocking He Yan, “Wuan Lang, do you hear this? This is for the young ladies to drink! Are you still a man?”
Unintentional words, but with a hint of intention in the listeners’ ears, He Yan was truly at a loss for words. Just as she was thinking about how to reply without being rude, Lin Shuanghe, on the side, relieved her. He shook his fan and said leisurely, “Yan Nanguang, you visited Cloud Pavilion when you were young, and now you’re here again. Does your wife know about this?”
Yan He’s face changed drastically.
“Miss Chengxiu is very focused on etiquette, and Lord Xia is also very upright. It’s feared that no one from the Xia family has ever been to a flower house, yet you’ve made an exception here. I wonder how Miss Chengxiu would view this if she knew.”
“You… stop talking nonsense.” Yan He stammered in retort, but his retort lacked conviction.
He Yan heard this and wondered, “Miss Chengxiu? Is she General Yan’s wife?”
“The eldest daughter of Lord Xia, the Prefect of the Imperial College, Miss Xia Chengxiu, gentle and courteous. How many families in Shuojing city want to engage their young masters to a beautiful lady, but were beaten by Yan Nanguang to it.” Lin Shuanghe teased with a smile, “They say heroes struggle to pass the beauty’s threshold. I heard that General Yan listens to his wife very much. If the wife says don’t go east, he won’t go west. If the wife says don’t drink, he only drinks tea during social gatherings. He is truly a model of a virtuous husband.”
Yan He’s face turned red, “Lin Shuanghe, you… don’t talk nonsense here!”
“Oh? Isn’t that the case? When I return to Shuojing, I must inquire about it from the Madam.” He said.
Yan He dared not say anything more. If Lin Shuanghe really confronted Xia Chengxiu, he might get slapped immediately. His gaze swept across everyone on the table, and he chose a different path. With a toss of his ponytail, he slammed the wine cup in front of him onto the table and loudly said, “What’s wrong with listening to my wife? A real man can bend and stretch! Moreover, this general at least has a wife. Do you have one? Do you? Please, everyone present, which one of you currently has a wife?”
He Yan: “…”
There was really no way to respond to this. Yan He became even more enthusiastic. He looked at Lin Shuanghe and said, “You’re always with women every day, and all the women in the world are your sisters. Do you have a wife?”
Lin Shuanghe: “…No.”
Then, as if he had won a battle, satisfied, he turned to Yang Mingzhi, “You are gentle and talented. They say a talented man is never lacking in beautiful women. Do you have a wife?”
Yang Mingzhi: “…No.”
Yan He became even more spirited and turned to Chu Zhao, “Do you have…” He suddenly paused, muttered to himself, “Your wife is already decided, forget it, the next one.”
He then asked He Yan, “Shorty, do you have a wife?”
He Yan: “…”
She really couldn’t handle this.
Yan He turned to Xiao Jue again, looking at him with a sense of superiority. “You are the top talent in Xianchang Academy, handsome, outstanding in both civil and military matters. Over the years, the threshold outside Xianchang Academy has almost been trampled by the girls. But… may I ask, do you have a wife?”
Xiao Jue looked at him calmly.
“Clearly, you don’t!” Yan He, one person, swept the entire table, probably thinking that having a wife was a great honor. He became more and more happy and proud, slapped the table, stood up, and shouted, “So it seems, none of you are up to par. Do you know how amazing it is to have a wife? Haven’t you had someone waiting for you under the lamp late at night? Have you ever drunk the hot soup cooked by your wife when you had a headache or fever? Not to mention the clothes and shoes made by your wife. Ha, ” he sneered, sweeping a glance at everyone, as if he were looking down on the ruler of the world, “Let alone having a wife, I’m afraid none of you have even held a girl’s hand, let alone your first kiss.”
The more he spoke, the more outrageous he became. He Yan covered her face with her hand, unable to watch any longer. Yang Mingzhi couldn’t help but pull Yan He’s robe, “Brother Nanguang, that’s enough.”
The girls who were pouring wine and playing the zither on the side couldn’t help but laugh when they saw this. They felt that this seemingly arrogant and conceited young man now had a kind of reckless cuteness.
Cailian smiled and said, “Young Master Yan’s words are not right. This is Cloud Pavilion. If you talk about girls, we have no shortage. All you young masters are outstanding. If you really want to choose a sister in the pavillion, everyone will be willing.”
He Yan was shocked and almost dropped her cup. What was this? They were starting to volunteer to share a bed? No way! Absolutely not! Although it was Cloud Pavilion, she had always considered it a proper tavern.
Just as she was thinking about it, she saw two charming girls on the side sticking to Xiao Jue, really having a good eye. They picked the most outstanding one here at a glance. Acting faster than her thoughts, He Yan subconsciously shouted, “No!”
The two girls who were about to persuade Xiao Jue to drink paused, and everyone at the table looked at her.
Facing Xiao Jue’s thoughtful gaze, He Yan calmly said, “We came here just to drink, not to discuss matters of the heart.”
At this, Youhua Fairy laughed even more heartily. She poured a cup of rose dew for herself and gestured to He Yan, “Little master, you are really cute. Let me toast you.”
He Yan felt like a simple and honest scholar who had mistakenly entered a demon’s den. At this moment, she truly felt weak, helpless, and pitiful.
After finishing a cup of rose dew, Cailian said with a smile, “Young masters, do you still remember many years ago when we were here, singing and dancing together?” She looked at Yan He, “Young Master Yan was even dancing with a knife on the table at that time.”
Yan He was stunned, “Why don’t I remember?”
He didn’t say anything, but with this sentence, He Yan also remembered. At that time, after driving away Tong Qiushi for Youhua Fairy and scaring away Liu Rui, everyone celebrated at Cloud Pavilion. The girls of Cloud Pavilion played the zither and danced, making it lively. Ding Mama brought out the best rose dew to entertain them, and Yan He drank the most, getting drunk the fastest. When he was drunk, he pulled out a long knife and chopped the lotus flower in the vase in half.
Everyone was shocked, and before they could stop him, the exceptionally bright and eye-catching young man stepped onto the table and began to dance with his knife, singing, “In the east, there is a tree, with a dragon holding a candle underneath. I will cut off the dragon’s feet, chew its meat, making it unable to turn back in the morning, nor hide at night!”
His friends hurriedly tried to pull him away, dragging him down from the table. Lin Shuanghe covered his mouth while smiling at the nearby girls, “This guy is drunk, talking nonsense. Don’t take it seriously, sisters, forget about this, don’t let it bother you.” Then, he scolded Yan He, “Talking about slaughtering dragons and such, these are rebellious words. If your father knew, he would break your legs tomorrow.”
Unfortunately, by then, Yan He was already completely drunk.
“At that time, everyone was drunk,” Lin Shuanghe recalled the past with emotion, “The rose dew is strong, and thinking about it now, besides Huaijin, surprisingly, it was He Rufei, that little guy, who had the best alcohol tolerance and remained the most sober.”
“He Rufei?” Yan He frowned upon hearing He Rufei’s name and snorted, “I think he secretly poured out the wine. I don’t believe he has a good alcohol tolerance! He must have done something.”
He Yan lowered her gaze, looking at the deep red wine in front of her, thinking, that time, she indeed didn’t get drunk. Even when everyone else was unconscious, she returned to her room sober and dressed. The reason was simple; they were drinking bifang wine, but she, alone, was drinking the present-day rose dew.
Rose dew, as Yan He said, was sweet like fruit dew, although it was considered wine, its alcohol content was far less than the rose dew. Moreover, she was particularly cautious at that time, so she drank very little. That’s why, when everyone collapsed, she could still stand upright.
However… why was she the only one who got rose dew back then?
He Yan couldn’t figure it out.
A girl started playing the pipa, her voice light and cheerful, bringing joy to the atmosphere. When she was young, she always liked to watch tragedies on the stage and listen to sorrowful songs, feeling that worldly joys were not as deep as bone-chilling sorrows. As she grew older, she strived for completeness in everything, but realized that perfection was difficult.
What was sought after was just a moment.
Cailian covered her mouth and laughed, “Not only that, at that time, all you young masters left various ink treasures in Cloud Pavilion. But as time passed, those ink treasures were lost. Otherwise, today would still be a pleasure to take them out for a look.”
“Ink treasures are nothing special,” Yan He dismissed, “Just write another one. Our talented Yang here, what can’t he write?”
Yang Mingzhi was stunned and remained silent.
Youhua Fairy seemed to be touched by his words and said, “Wait a moment,” standing up and leaving the table. Everyone was puzzled about what she was going to do. After a while, the girl returned, holding a long scroll, and walked to everyone.
“Miss Youhua, what is this?” Lin Shuanghe asked.
Youhua Fairy looked at the scroll in her arms, gently stroking it a few times, her eyes filled with affection and memories. She spoke softly, “I don’t know if you young masters still remember, but when we celebrated at Cloud Pavilion back then, Young Master Wang was also present.”
Everyone fell silent.
This person referred to as “Young Master Wang” was the beginning and the end of everything back then. Since the reunion, everyone intentionally avoided discussing this person, fearing that Youhua Fairy would be saddened. Although the exact reasons were unknown, it was likely that the girl who was willing to sacrifice herself for her loved one and travel a thousand miles away ended up decisively breaking up with him, surely due to encountering something deeply heartbreaking.
“When you young masters were discussing drinking and high-sounding theories, Young Master Wang was painting on the side, depicting all you young masters.” As she spoke, she had the girl beside her help unfurl the scroll. “Later, when I left the mansion with Young Master Wang, we didn’t bring much luggage, only this.”
As she finished speaking, the long scroll in her hand unfolded gradually, falling into everyone’s view.
As for Wang Sheng’s character, there was no need for further evaluation. His talent was indeed exceptional. His strokes vividly captured everyone’s characteristics, lifelike. On the long scroll, lights and shadows intertwined, and the music of stringed instruments and flutes never ceased. The beautiful girls with charming features had their skirts fluttering like opened lotus flowers, and the long table was tilted with wine jugs and cups.
The young man with a high ponytail stepped on the table, full of spirit while dancing with his knife. Under the table, another young man held a folding fan, busy trying to pull him. Yang Mingzhi, beside him, was not as stable as he is now, but his expression remained as gentle as ever. He was being advised to drink by the girls beside him, waving his hands in a flustered manner.
He Yan also saw herself.
A masked girl sat in the corner, amidst all the laughter and joy, seemingly forgotten by others. She tilted her head slightly, as if following something. Her gaze fell on a white-robed young man sitting in the middle, casually lowering his head for a sip.
－－－－－Side Note－－－－－－
Regarding the competition for favor, the all-seeing Dr. Lin expressed: “D*mn! This man’s insatiable desire for victory!”
He Yan: Although I’m a bumpkin, I only order milk in the bar~~
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! Want to get early access to at least 5 chapters in advance? Go to my Patreon to join now! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
