Volume 1 Chapter 115: Xiao San, the Talented Scholar (2)

  Chapter 115: The Talented Xiao San (Part 2)

  In the Jingfang Garden, there are many separate courtyards. Apart from the residences of Old Master Wang and his wife, as well as those of Master Jing and his wife, the three largest ones are Tingcaoyuan, Weifengju, and Yongguzhai, which were respectively inhabited by the eldest son Xiao Ting, the second son Xiao Wei, and the third son Xiao Yong. Each of the three courtyards has its own characteristics. Among them, the Jingshui Pavilion in Yongguzhai is a place that scholars from all over the capital would love to visit. The reason is simple: this pavilion houses more than 10,000 volumes of books, including many rare and precious editions that are hundreds of years old and cannot be bought with money.

  Xiao Yong did not love to dance with guns or wield rods since childhood, and as soon as he grew up, he loved reading books. He was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. The Xiao family's sons mostly followed the military path, and there were no mediocre ones among them, at least they could hold knives, guns, clubs, and rods. But then there was Xiao Sanlang, who would fall asleep as soon as he touched military books, and his legs would go soft when holding a weapon, yet he wrote exquisite articles. If it weren't for the fact that he had divorced two wives in succession, which displeased the emperor, and was punished to become a compiler of the imperial library, he might have been promoted to be a Grand Scholar.

  Xiao Yangxi Wen, who did not love the lively scene of his father and brothers dancing with swords and knives at home, demarcated a quiet corner in Jingfang Garden's northwest corner with bamboo. Among all the houses, he loved to stay in the Jingshui Pavilion the most. Next was the residence of his concubine Jin Si - Si Si House. He should have lived in the Mochen Residence with his first wife, but it was too close to Si Si House, so after divorcing his second wife, he moved to the farthest corner of Yangxi Wen's study.

  Listening to the faint joy, the whistling book boy Qing Que is anxious and turns around in circles outside the Jingquan Pavilion.

  "Master, my good master, please come out quickly. The sedan chair must have arrived at our garden gate by now." No matter whether the new daughter-in-law can gain favor or not, the wedding ceremony is not something that can be taken lightly, with all the elder relatives watching closely. If anything goes wrong, these personal attendants will be the first to suffer misfortune.

  The wooden door of Jingquan Pavilion is motionless.

  The blue sparrow was anxious to the point of frustration, but he also understood the temperament of his own young master. Once the gate of Jingquan Pavilion was closed, it meant that outsiders were not allowed to enter.

  "Green sparrow." Another book boy Bai Yu came back.

  The blue sparrow only looked back at the white goose's body, saw that plump figure, and shouted "good" in her heart. She hurried over, "Silk Maiden, please come quickly. Hurry up and persuade Young Master to go and receive the sedan chair. If he doesn't, no one will be able to have a peaceful time at Chonggu Zhai."

  Golden threads, purple wisteria entwined with vines, a hundred-pleated skirt of cyan smoke-colored cloud gauze, hair not yet coiled, secured with a single copper pin at the back of her neck. Looking up again at her face, a pair of eyebrows like green willows, soft eyes like spring leaves, smiling as if floating clouds, elegant as an orchid.

  She wasn't a stunning beauty, but from head to toe, she made people feel comfortable at heart.

  "It's useless to invite me in, I won't be able to enter the Pure Spring Pavilion anyway. I'll just stand outside with you all." Jin Si stopped in front of the wooden door, neither pushing it open nor calling out loudly like Qing Que did.

  "Silk maiden, although you can't enter, the young master loves to hear you sing a little tune. Once you sing, the young master will definitely come out." Qing Que had already thought of a plan.

  "Jin Si's eyes lightly turned, her voice still soft and calm. 'You're talking about how long ago? Now I'm a mother of two children, can't do things like when I was a little girl anymore?'"

  "Good silk maiden, if the young master doesn't come out soon, he'll miss the auspicious hour and the king and queen will blame us. It's not worth dragging you into this trouble for nothing. Whoever that new bride is, just hurry up and get the ceremony over with. From now on, whether they match or not is between the young master and his new wife, even we elders can't interfere. If you ask me, it's better to suffer a short pain than a long one. Let's just close our courtyard gate and deal with this later." Qing Que has been following Xiao Yong for many years and knows the ins and outs of the Xiao Gu Zhai.

  The white swan has come to the new peak, still young in age, everything listens to the green sparrow.

  "If your new grandmother hears what you just said, she'll skin you alive!" Jin Si glared at him, "I don't know, I thought something was going to happen in our yard again."

  "Never mind if something happens or not, at least it can't happen now. Silken Maid, if you won't sing a tune, then think of another way?" Qing Que suddenly stopped hearing the joyful sounds, her face changed, "It's going to be a disaster, it's going to be a disaster! The joyful music has stopped, the bride must be angry because the groom hasn't arrived."

  Jin Si glanced lazily in the direction of Jing Fang Garden's main gate, then slowly shifted her gaze back and raised her voice, "Yong Lang, don't miss the auspicious hour, come out quickly!"

  Inside the door is quiet and still.

  "Look, it's useless for me to come anyway." The Xiao Yong in the Jingquan Pavilion was never the gentle and affectionate husband she could be coquettish with, but rather someone who would remain unmoved even if the sky were to fall.

  So, Jin Si doesn't like to come to Qingquan Pavilion. And Xiao Yong also doesn't like her to come, or rather, he doesn't like anyone in the courtyard to come here and disturb him.

  Xiao Yong said that only those who truly love books and can share the wonderful interest in them with him can enter the Jingquan Pavilion. Therefore, he invited talented scholars he admired to come, as well as his close friends, to appreciate the moon, drink wine, and listen to the wind and the moon here, but there were never any women, nor was she among them.

  Jin Si knew that it was because none of Xiao Yong's legitimate wives had the talent he appreciated. She, on the other hand, was just lucky to have met him early on. The skills she possessed in music, chess, calligraphy and painting were all taught to her by him personally. She didn't have any natural talent, but made up for it with hard work. And he, perhaps because of the effort he put into teaching her, gained a sense of accomplishment, and thus doted on her and indulged her.

  She had always been content, as long as her life with her loving husband and filial son was not threatened. The gate of Jingquan Pavilion was closed to any woman, so she could ignore the unpleasant feeling of being excluded from it.

  "I don't care, whether he goes or not to pick up his bride, what's it got to do with me?" Jin Si turned her head and was about to leave.

  Just then, the wooden door creaked and a hand reached out to grab Jin Si.

  "Your new grandmother is coming, what does it have to do with you?"

  Jin Si heard the familiar voice and couldn't help but feel a surge of joy, leaning back in response. However, she didn't manage to enter the library as she had hoped, instead being pushed back to her original position by an unseen force.

  "Jinsi, be careful, stand steady." The owner of the hand had already walked out and removed his hands from Jinsi's shoulders, turned around to close the wooden door and instructed Qingque to lock it.

  Jin Si turned back to see him still wearing a scholar's gray robe, and smiled with tender affection like water. "Yong Lang, why don't you quickly change into your wedding attire and take the new bride to the door to bow and become husband and wife? Tomorrow morning, I'll pour tea and serve you two, taking good care of you."

  "One mouth, the vinegar's sourness is too obvious, this doesn't look like what I taught." A big hand gently pinched Jin Si's small mouth, "Hold back a bit, don't let the new mother-in-law feel uncomfortable."

  "Green sparrow, hold the festive robe well, Third Master will change into it while walking." The hand suddenly left the golden silk, and the person had already taken big strides down the stone steps.

  The blue sparrow was busy and couldn't wait to pick up the clothes box under the corridor, calling out to Bai Yu, and running out of the arched gate outside the Jingquan Pavilion.

  Jin Si stared blankly at the green shadow, and after a moment of distraction, her eyes suddenly snapped into focus. Right, she had unknowingly weakened earlier, not like how he had taught her. She couldn't be so useless; if he didn't like her anymore, what would happen to her and the children?

  "Third Master, Third Master, slow down." Qing Que wasn't tall, and in front of him, Xiao Yong took one step, he had to take two.

  "You're the one who's urging me to hurry, and you're also the one who's telling me to speed up. If we miss the auspicious time, don't blame me for pushing you out to block the curses." Xiao Yong seemed to be in a great mood, walking briskly with quick steps.

  "Third Master, I think Silken Maid is in some distress." White Goose was still young and spoke without thinking.

  The green sparrow almost didn't slap his head, scolding in her heart, "What's it to you? He just made light of the new madam in front of Jin Si, that was to curry favor with her. Among all the people in this mansion, he is the quickest and most perceptive when it comes to human relationships."

  "I have three taboos in the Qingquan Pavilion, that is, my mother and grandmother are the same. Green sparrow, tell White Goose, so as not to worry about others next time." Xiao Yong's back became a deep red color, and he had already put on his festive robe.

  "Bai Yu, listen up. When Third Master is reading in the Qingquan Pavilion, first, no one is allowed to enter, regardless of who it is. Second, after finishing a book on sages and virtuous people, he absolutely does not speak lies. Third, as long as he doesn't leave the garden of the Qingquan Pavilion, he absolutely won't flirt with women." Qing Que counts off on her fingers for Bai Yu.

  The white goose listened, its beak wide open.

  "What's the point of having such a big mouth, just speak plainly." Qing Que shook her head, thinking that this child still had much to learn.

  "Yes, yes, Third Master." It's really strange. Usually, following the young master in Si Si's house, they seem like a loving couple, envied by others. Thinking again, Si Niang probably also knew this point, so she hesitated and didn't want to come with him from the beginning.

  "You taught him, but I'd like to ask you instead." The figure didn't turn around and walked even faster, "Since you know the rules, why did you still look for Si Niang?"

  The blue sparrow's throat was choked, and it stuttered, "I... I... have no choice either? Thinking about it... thinking about it, who knows if Silkmother can sing Third Master out with one song?"

  "Are you calling me a bird? With one song of Golden Silk, I'll fly out?" If it weren't for the auspicious timing, I'd really like to turn back and applaud.

  "Third Master, you are not a bird, I am a bird." The azure sparrow had no way to retort and could only acknowledge it herself.

  "Isn't it? A goldfinch and a green branch sparrow, singing so loudly outside, I wanted to finish reading my book, but since you two started singing, I couldn't focus on a single word." Xiao Yong's voice was filled with laughter.

  "Third Master has read a good book?" Qing Que flew up at the sound and didn't mention Jin Si again.

  "Not bad. Organized the books bought at Yuling a few years ago, and found a book "Yuling Flower God Legend", which is very interesting to read. Unfortunately, it's almost finished, just a few pages left." Already walked out of the bamboo forest, saw my second brother coming over, must be here to catch me, so I started running, trying not to look like I'm intentionally avoiding the sedan chair.

  "What's so good about 'The Legend of the Flower God'? Qing Que followed Xiao Yong and could read quite a few books. 'Third Master doesn't dislike reading about gods, ghosts and monsters, does he?'"

  "It's not a legend of gods and ghosts." Xiao Yong's breathing was a bit urgent, seeing that he had already approached Xiao Wei, so he didn't continue speaking. Instead, he explained to Xiao Wei, who had a cold expression, "Second brother, I forgot what I read in the book, it's not that I'm unwilling to get married. Although I originally didn't want to marry again, since Grandfather and Grandmother, as well as Father and Mother, are forcing me to get married, I also can't bear the name of being unfilial."

  Xiao family's two sons, if nothing else, are at least filial.

  Today's first update.

  Chapter 115: The Talented Xiao San (Part 2)

  Chapter 115: The Talented Xiao San (2)