BSI Chapter 77 0075 [Token of Love]
Chapter 77 0075 [Token of Love]
Chapter 77 0075 [Token of Love]
The rear residence of the magistrate's office.
Having been confined at home for over a month, Shi Dalang immediately asked upon seeing Shi Xun return, "Father, was there any work for me in the delegation that congratulated the new emperor on his ascension to the throne?"
Shi Xun said with a gloomy expression, "No."
"How could this be?" Shi Guoting was both surprised and disappointed.
Shi Xun said, "Master Yu has completely forgotten our past friendship. These days, I can only see him on official business; he refuses to see me privately. Even your sister can't get a chance to see the young lady of the Yu family."
"What should we do? This is a great opportunity to gain an official position through hereditary privilege!" Shi Guoting had always wanted to become an official.
Even those who hold positions of honor but have no real power can still receive a salary, and it sounds better to others. With time and experience, they might even have the opportunity to obtain a real position.
Shi Xun said, "If he's unwilling to take me along, surely I can send someone to the capital myself?"
The prefectural magistrate was indeed qualified to lead a separate delegation to the capital to congratulate the new emperor.
But doing so would mean openly breaking ties with the prefect and making it clear that they were establishing their own independent faction in Guangzhou.
Normally, the prefect would be responsible for organizing the delegation to go to the capital, leaving a quota for the vice-prefect to fill in, and everyone would go together to offer their congratulations in a harmonious manner.
Shi Xun's thinking was simple: since Yu Jing was suppressing him anyway, it didn't matter whether he confronted him directly or not. It was more worthwhile to take the opportunity to get his son a hereditary official position.
After all, it is now forbidden to send envoys to congratulate the emperor on his birthday, and a new emperor only ascends the throne once every few decades.
If you miss this opportunity, who knows how many years you'll have to wait?
The Guangzhou Prefectural Office was located within the territory of the Guangdong Provincial Military Commissioner's Office.
How could Shi Xun's little scheme of secretly organizing a group to go to Beijing escape Yu Jing's watchful eye? Especially in the last two months, Yu Jing has been keeping a close eye on Shi Xun!
Yu Jing made no comment, let alone intervene, because it was Shi Xun's power as a prefect to congratulate the new emperor, and neither the prefect nor the military commissioner had the right to stop it.
I estimate that Shi Xun will be transferred out of Guangzhou in another month or two. We'll just have to wait and see.
"My lord, the gifts have been prepared and counted correctly. We can set off once the flood season is over." Chu Cheng led Xu Lai to the Military Commission to report back.
Yu Jing nodded and said, "Alright. You go and take care of your business. Xingzhi, you can stay here."
Chu Cheng bowed and took his leave.
He's been riding high these days; his wasted life is about to have a bright future.
Normally, if a staff member is sent by a local official to present a memorial to the new emperor, he can at most obtain a minor ninth-rank position.
But Chu Cheng was different. Not only did he pass the imperial examination and become a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination), but after failing the examination multiple times, Yu Jing helped him obtain a lifetime exemption from the provincial examination.
In other words, his status as a successful candidate in the imperial examinations will not expire.
Unlike Yu Shanyuan, who kept claiming to be a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations) but whose title had long expired.
Those who had not yet passed the imperial examinations and went to pay homage to the new emperor had the opportunity to be granted "direct civil service positions," which were equivalent to an admission ticket to the civil service.
After passing the examination, one can serve as the county clerk or county lieutenant.
This approach is more widely accepted and offers slightly better career prospects than Yu Jing's direct recommendation.
Chu Cheng left happily, leaving Xu Lai standing there alone.
Yu Jing asked, "Can you say goodbye to your classmates?"
"I originally planned to discuss this before I left, but somehow it's spread throughout the state school these past two days," Xu said. "However, the national mourning period is not over yet, so we can't hold a farewell banquet. Therefore, my classmates have decided to hold a farewell dinner for me in the cafeteria tonight."
The 100-day national mourning period has just ended, but Guangdong announced the news relatively late, so the mourning ban was also extended accordingly.
"Keeping your mouth shut is a good thing. If the ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if the ministers are not discreet, they will lose their lives; if matters are not kept secret, they will lead to disaster. During the Qingli era, many of us couldn't stop our big mouths. Alas, the new policies failed because of this." Yu Jing first praised, then sighed.
Xu Laizhen didn't go around telling everyone; he only told Yang Shu, and he also warned Yang Shu to keep it a secret.
Xu Lai absolutely trusts Yang Shu's character.
The news may have leaked from the Military Commissioner's Office, or it may have spread from the Supervisor of the Imperial Guard. Alternatively, it's possible that Xu Lai accompanied Chu Cheng to count the congratulatory gifts, and the message was relayed by the clerks or servants.
Somehow it got to the school.
Xu Lai took out two folding fans: "Sir, these were made by someone I asked. You can write poems or paint on them. One is for you, and the other is for Sixth Sister."
"Japanese fan?"
Yu Jing took it and examined it carefully: "It's much more impressive than a Japanese fan. It can be inscribed with poems and paintings, so it can be considered an elegant item."
Xu Lai said, "We can shake them off."
"Shake it off?" Yu Jing asked, puzzled.
He had never played with Japanese fans, and very few people in the capital did either. They were only sent to the palace as tribute from Japan and Korea, and occasionally one or two would circulate outside the palace.
Xu Lai asked to take one back, turned around and took two steps, then casually flicked the fan open.
"Haha," Yu Jing laughed, "Young scholars will probably like it very much."
Xu Lai returned the fan.
Yu Jing did not accept it: "Since this is for Pianpian, you should give it to her yourself. There's no need for me to pass it on."
In the past, Xu Lai would not have given the fan to Pianpian, as it would have been too abrupt and impolite.
But Yu Jing's actions were too obvious. He had Xu Lai play with his daughter and then sent him to the capital to study at the Imperial Academy. It was clear he wanted to find a son-in-law, and Xu Lai wasn't stupid.
By gifting Pianpian the folding fan and having Yu Jing pass it on, Xu Lai was also expressing his gratitude to Yu Jing and his willingness to marry Pianpian.
There's no need to say it directly; everyone can understand it implicitly.
But Yu Jing bluntly stated: "During the national mourning period, many people take advantage of loopholes, performing the first three of the six rites of marriage first. As long as the fourth rite is not performed, it is not considered an engagement and does not violate the national mourning prohibition. We cannot interfere with what the common people do, but we ourselves should not do it."
Xu Lai said, "What you say is absolutely right, sir."
Yu Jing added, "When I return to the capital next year to report on my duties, I will pass through Shaozhou. I will ask Pianpian to stay in her hometown with her mother. At that time, your parents can go to Shaozhou to propose marriage."
"Yes, sir!" Xu Laixi replied.
Yu Jing picked up his fan, sat back down at his desk and continued working. He casually said to Xu, "Wait a while, come to my house for lunch."
This is an opportunity for Xu to deliver the fan.
Xu Lai looked at the blank fan and felt he should inscribe a poem or lyric to express his feelings. But after thinking it over, he couldn't find a suitable work to copy.
He and Pianpian were not officially engaged yet, so most of his famous works expressing their love seemed too frivolous or inappropriate.
Damn, I studied poetry before I transmigrated, and I often flip through rhyme books after I transmigrated. I can't just keep copying poems to get by, can I?
Moreover, such love poems, which are plagiarized from other people's works, really seem insincere.
Xu Lai sat there racking his brains, but couldn't come up with any good sentences. Seeing a pen and inkstone on the table next to him, he decided to grind the ink first.
Who cares? If it's not well-written, it's not well-written. As long as the feelings are clearly expressed, that's enough.
Xu Lai wrote an original love poem, and after their separation in Guangzhou, he estimated that he and Pianpian would have to wait two or three years to meet again.
According to the standard procedure of the Song Dynasty, the engagement should be finalized next year, and the marriage can be arranged after he finishes the Ministry of Rites examination.
He quite liked Pianpian; she was lively, cute, and a little cunning.
After Yu Jing finished his official business, the ink on the fan had dried, and the master and apprentice chatted all the way back to the inner residence.
This time, Madam Lin was even more enthusiastic, probably because she already knew about Yu Jing's arrangements, and thus treated Xu Lai as a prospective son-in-law.
Pianpian's conversation with him became more natural, and she casually asked, "Why haven't you come to visit this month?"
"I'm busy reading," Xu Lai replied.
Pianpian said, "I'm busy studying too. Dad told me to study those new arithmetic methods you wrote down very carefully. I've already learned most of them."
Xu Lai laughed and said, "My wife is incredibly intelligent; she learns everything very quickly."
"My dad often says I'm stupid," Pianpian said, pouting.
"Hahaha!"
Yu Jing laughed when he heard this.
Except for his second son, all his sons were useless, while his daughters were much smarter.
Yu Jing sometimes felt very guilty, realizing that he had been too busy with his official duties to properly educate his children and grandchildren, allowing them to develop bad habits. They also disliked studying and often played with dissolute young men.
After lunch, Yu Jing went to his office to work.
Madam Lin also went back to her room, giving the young people time to say goodbye. Since Pianpian couldn't go to see them off, today was their last meeting in Guangzhou.
Only Pianpian was unaware of this, thinking it was just ordinary play.
They strolled together to the West Garden, with Yu'er carrying a backgammon set, intending to find a stone table under the shade of a tree to cool off and play chess.
"Look, Ali has grown so much in just one month!" Pianpian asked, holding up the kitten. "Do you want to hold it?"
Xu Lai stretched out his hands and gracefully handed the kitten over.
It was a very ordinary tabby cat, with no distinguishing features whatsoever, and it even stretched out its claws at Xu Lai.
Xu Lai forcibly held the kitten in his arms, but the kitten seemed very unhappy, meowing incessantly.
Yu'er quickened her pace and placed the backgammon on the stone table.
Xu Lai continued to play chess based on instinct, without thinking about how to move his pieces, and gradually the situation became unfavorable.
Yu'er was used to it and understood that it was intentional.
Of course, after falling into a disadvantageous position, one still has to struggle. Xu Lai began to think seriously again, trying his best to turn the tide, but ultimately he still lost.
Pianpian asked, "Aren't you going easy on me?"
"No," Xu Lai said innocently.
"snort!"
Pianpian was a little unhappy: "Let's play again, no handicap allowed."
As a result, Xu Lai played a little more seriously, and the second game became evenly matched.
Pianpian was finally happy and felt she had a great time playing.
Seeing that Yu'er was rather bored, Xu Lai said, "I was just unlucky. Yu'er, can you lend me your luck and roll the dice for me?"
"I'm so lucky!" Yu'er was also happy, and when she rolled the dice, she even ran over to Xu Lai's side.
The two dice were thrown, and together they only came up with a pitiful three.
Seeing this, Pianpian laughed and said, "Haha, your luck isn't good either."
Xu Lai couldn't help but smile.
Yu'er realized she had messed up and quickly said to Xu, "Sanlang, I—I made a mistake just now, but I'll definitely be able to draw a pair next time."
"Then you can continue," Xu said.
After Pianpian finished walking, Yu'er rolled the dice again, this time rolling a nine.
With Yu'er joining, the atmosphere became much more cheerful, and they could even crack jokes from time to time.
Around mid-afternoon, Xu said, "I'm leaving Guangzhou."
"Huh?" Pianpian looked up at him.
Xu Lai gave a general account of what happened.
Pianpian listened without saying a word; she already understood her father's intention.
If it weren't for the purpose of finding a son-in-law, it would have been impossible to send Xu to the capital to offer tribute, and he even helped secure a place at the Imperial Academy.
The atmosphere, which was just cheerful, has now become a bit strange.
The main issue is that Pianpian's mindset has changed. She always feels like the person sitting opposite her is her fiancé. She's a little shy, but more than that, she's reserved and doesn't know how to interact with her fiancé.
She didn't have much resistance to it. After playing together a few times, she thought Xu Lai was quite nice, and she had a lot of fun every time they played together.
After finishing the last game in silence, Xu Lai stood up and said, "My classmates are going to give me a farewell dinner tonight, so I'm taking my leave of my wife."
"You—" Pianpian didn't know what she wanted to say, and for some reason felt a little reluctant to part.
Xu Lai took out a folding fan from his bosom; the waste paper wrapped around it was already soaked with sweat. "I apologize for this presumptuous gift, madam."
This was a token of their betrothal, and Pianpian understood it perfectly well.
She was a little nervous, took off the sachet from her waist and handed it out, keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact with Xu Lai.
After exchanging gifts, Xu Lai bowed and left the West Garden.
When she unfolded the folding fan, her pretty face immediately flushed red, but the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.
Yu'er leaned closer and looked at the love poem on the fan with envy, thinking that Sanlang should write one for her someday.
"It's very well written," Yu'er said.
"Um.
""
Pianpian closed the folding fan, but after a while she couldn't resist opening it again.
The fan was inscribed with the words "A Gift to Pianpian".
Ice is the standard, snow is the spirit; a glimpse of the West Garden reveals a predestined connection. Before the double sashes of the Albizia julibrissin are tied, the spirit of the zither already resides for a hundred years.
enjoy