Just as Marquis Ningyuan’s household was discussing how to deal with Jiang Yu’e, in the Jiang household’s Third Branch courtyard, Yang Shi was also arguing endlessly with Jiang Yuanxing over Jiang Yu’e’s matter.
“Yu’e is already together with Zhou Yanbang now. She can only marry into Marquis Ningyuan’s household!” Yang Shi’s eyes widened. Perhaps because of Jiang Yu’e’s situation, overnight she appeared to have lost considerable weight, making her face look even more pointed and thin, her cheekbones prominent, appearing even more shrewish than usual.
“I absolutely will not allow my daughter to become a concubine!” Jiang Yuanxing, in a change from his usual weak nature, argued with Yang Shi until both their faces were red and necks thick. He said, “If she becomes a concubine to Marquis Ningyuan, in the future her son will be just like me, able to be nothing but a concubine-born son!”
This left even Yang Shi speechless. She looked at her husband. When she had first married Jiang Yuanxing, it wasn’t that she didn’t like him. Although Jiang Yuanxing was only a concubine-born son of the Third Branch, she too was only the concubine-born daughter of an Assistant Magistrate. Wanting to marry into a wealthier family was impossible. Moreover, Jiang Yuanxing appeared refined and gentle, not disagreeable.
But living day to day always involved necessities like firewood, rice, oil, and salt. People’s hearts always loved to compare. Compared to the wealth of the First and Second Branches, the Third Branch lived so poorly that Yang Shi was extremely vexed. With discontent and resentment in her heart, Yang Shi often quarreled with Jiang Yuanxing. Jiang Yuanxing never argued back, only meekly accepted it. Only then did Yang Shi see clearly that this man wasn’t gentle but naturally weak by nature, and would only ever be a Collator.
Now, after many years of marriage, this was the first time Jiang Yuanxing had argued with her. And for him to say something like “like me, only able to be a concubine-born son,” clearly Jiang Yuanxing was furious.
Jiang Yuanxing was indeed furious.
Only he himself knew how humble it was to be a concubine-born son. Although on ordinary days he seemed not to care about these things, before his two elder brothers, he always felt inferior and couldn’t hold his head up. When he was small, he had also fantasized that if only his birth mother were Old Madam Jiang, then everything his brothers possessed he could also possess, and wherever he went he would receive respect. After growing up, he came to understand—everything was fate. Heaven had him born from a concubine’s belly, so his entire life was destined to be trampled beneath his two brothers’ feet.
His fate could not be changed, but his daughter’s could. Jiang Yu’e didn’t have to take this path. She could choose not to marry Zhou Yanbang. This way, her children would not have to suffer the tragic fate of being concubine-born.
“Then what do you say we should do?” Yang Shi suddenly calmed down. She didn’t argue endlessly and relentlessly with Jiang Yuanxing as before, but said almost despairingly, “With Yu’e’s status, she can only marry Young Lord Zhou of Marquis Ningyuan as a concubine. Would they marry Yu’e as the principal wife? Right now, everyone in the capital knows Yu’e was together with Zhou Yanbang. No one will marry Yu’e. Do you want her to stay in the household her whole life as an old maid? Or have her simply cut her hair and go to a temple, spending her life with temple lamps and Buddha?” Yang Shi murmured, “I failed to properly teach my daughter, but if you weren’t just a Collator, if the one who had the incident wasn’t Yu’e but the First Branch’s daughter, the outcome definitely wouldn’t be like this.”
Jiang Yuanxing was thunderstruck, staggering back two steps.
At this moment, Jiang Yu’e ran in from outside. As soon as she entered, she fell to her knees, crying to Jiang Yuanxing, “Father, I don’t want to become a nun, and I don’t want to stay in the household my whole life. Things are already like this now. If I don’t marry Zhou Yanbang, I have no other path to take. Father, do you want to force your daughter to her death?”
Seeing his wife and daughter like this, and thinking of his current status, Jiang Yuanxing’s face turned ashen. He had no strength left to resist. His lips trembled, and finally, after closing his eyes and a long while, he uttered a single word: “Fine.”
And so the matter was settled.
…
Time passed neither quickly nor slowly. Summer finally passed, and autumn arrived with the fragrance of osmanthus flowers from the distant sky.
This summer had been extraordinarily long. Many remarkable things seemed to have happened in the capital. Thinking carefully, unless they involved life and death, they were all trivial matters. But even among trivial matters, there were those that people talked about endlessly for months.
Young Lord Zhou Yanbang of Marquis Ningyuan’s romantic fortune was one such matter.
Speaking of it, ever since the palace banquet where Young Lord Zhou of Marquis Ningyuan had been entangled with two women in front of all the guests, men all envied Zhou Yanbang for enjoying such blessings, while women unanimously sympathized with Zhou Yanbang’s original fiancée, Jiang Youyao.
It was truly a disaster from nowhere. Third Miss Jiang had only needed to wait one more year to marry Zhou Yanbang, but who knew such a thing would happen midway? She had clearly done nothing wrong, yet her fiancé was snatched away. There were also those who envied Jiang Youyao who clapped their hands in satisfaction, saying it was all karma—hadn’t Third Miss Jiang’s engagement been snatched from Second Miss Jiang? This showed that what was truly yours couldn’t be stolen, no matter how hard one tried.
Regardless of what people said, ultimately this romantic affair was resolved through Young Lord Zhou Yanbang of Marquis Ningyuan’s marriage arrangements.
Zhou Yanbang would marry Miss Shen Ruyun of the Shen family as his wife, while simultaneously taking Third Miss Jiang of the Jiang family as his concubine.
Shen Ruyun had been “taken advantage of” by Zhou Yanbang and was also the Assistant Director’s sister. A young lady’s chaste reputation was most important, so they had no choice but to marry Shen Ruyun into the household. As for Jiang Yu’e, the rumors in the capital mostly said that Fifth Miss Jiang and her prospective brother-in-law had long been having a secret affair. They were only taking her in reluctantly to cover up this scandal. Since the Jiang family’s Third Branch had low status, making her a concubine was sufficient. Of course, the Third Branch had also agreed, which invisibly further confirmed the matter of Jiang Yu’e’s prior affair with Zhou Yanbang.
In outsiders’ eyes, Zhou Yanbang had a beautiful wife and lovely concubine in his arms, and had also become someone favored by the current Emperor—the Assistant Director’s brother-in-law. It seemed everyone was happy. But the true flavor of it all was known only to Zhou Yanbang himself.
In Fangfei Courtyard, Tong’er sat on a small stool in front of the room, making tassels together with Baixue.
“Without Third Miss around, the weather has been much better these days.” Tong’er stretched out her nose and took a deep breath. The fragrance of osmanthus in the air was especially strong.
Baixue nodded seriously, “Right.”
“We just don’t know how long Third Miss will be confined,” Mingyue and Qingfeng said with a smile after sweeping the ground. “It would be best to confine her for another three to five days.”
Jiang Li smiled as she watched the maids in the courtyard. During this period, they too had relaxed considerably, perhaps because Ji Shuran and her daughter had no time to bother with Fangfei Courtyard.
Jiang Youyao had been confined.
That day in Wanfeng Hall, Jiang Youyao and Jiang Yu’e had fought. It was said that Jiang Youyao had scratched Jiang Yu’e’s face. Jiang Li hadn’t seen it, but maids who had witnessed it said Jiang Yu’e’s blood had flowed profusely at the time. With Jiang Yuanxing’s status, he naturally couldn’t demand anything of Jiang Yuanbai or do anything to Jiang Youyao. But Old Madam became angry and ordered Jiang Youyao to be confined.
Jiang Li thought that Old Madam Jiang’s confinement of Jiang Youyao wasn’t really to punish her for injuring Jiang Yu’e, but rather she feared Jiang Youyao still wouldn’t give up on Zhou Yanbang. Upon learning that Zhou Yanbang would marry Shen Ruyun and Jiang Yu’e, she might do something foolish, so she simply cut off that path for her.
Old Madam Jiang doing this really saved Jiang Li considerable effort. Without Jiang Youyao causing annoyance in the Jiang household, Ji Shuran was probably too overwhelmed to spare energy to deal with her. These days, the Jiang household had been deadly quiet.
Jiang Yu’e was said to have been sent to a manor to recuperate from her injuries, and her engagement with Marquis Ningyuan’s household had also been finalized. Jiang Li still quite admired Marquis Ningyuan household’s boldness—Zhou Yanbang’s marriage had been decided so easily. Counting it up, Zhou Yanbang had now experienced three engagements. Only this last one was probably the one Zhou Yanbang was most dissatisfied with.
However, while Zhou Yanbang was dissatisfied, Shen Ruyun and Jiang Yu’e were certainly satisfied.
Shen Ruyun had finally gotten what she wished for, marrying the long-admired Zhou Yanbang. Jiang Li believed Shen Ruyun’s future days would not be easy. Shen Ruyun was narrow-minded and domineering in temperament, yet had Jiang Yu’e—who was skilled at scheming and good at flattery—to contend with. And Zhou Yanbang himself had no love for Shen Ruyun. Over time, he would surely grow resentful of her. With these few people together, Marquis Ningyuan’s household would certainly be in chaos.
Evil people have their own evil grinders. Putting Shen Ruyun and Jiang Yu’e together was truly perfect.
Thinking of the future farce at Marquis Ningyuan’s household, Jiang Li couldn’t help but want to laugh. Just as she was thinking about it, she heard a young man’s voice by her ear, “Are you pining for someone? Or are you pining for someone?”
Jiang Li looked up to see Jiang Jingrui looking at her with a mischievous expression, as if he’d caught Jiang Li’s little secret. As if that weren’t enough, he leaned closer and said, “Tell me, which young master has our household’s Second Miss taken a liking to? I’ll help you go test the waters.”
“What nonsense are you saying?” Tong’er stood up with a “whoosh” and said, “My Miss is pure and innocent. She hasn’t even seen many men. What pining? Second Young Master, if you keep talking nonsense, watch out for Second Madam to discipline you!”
“You’re even threatening to tell on me to my mother,” Jiang Jingrui’s mouth fell open. “Jiang Li, your maid is too fierce.”
Jiang Li was truly too lazy to bother with him. Jiang Jingrui acted as if he had nothing to do all day, wandering over here in the blink of an eye. Lu Shi was also strange—she managed Jiang Jingyou so well, so why was she so indulgent with Jiang Jingrui? Did crying children really get more sweets? The more lawless Jiang Jingrui became, the less anyone dared to control him? But this didn’t make sense either. If Xue Zhao dared to act like this, Xue Huaiyuan would have long ago punished him until he cried out in misery.
“What exactly do you want?” Jiang Li asked.
“Three days from now is Mid-Autumn night. There will be a lantern festival in the evening. Are you going to see it or not?”
Jiang Li: “Not going.”
“Not going?” Jiang Jingrui’s eyes widened, as if looking at a monster. “Why aren’t you going? There’s so much good food and fun at the Mid-Autumn lantern festival, and you haven’t been before… cough, even if you went before, it was many years ago. Now it’s even livelier than before. Why not go?”
Jiang Li said, “Don’t want to go.” She stood up and was about to walk into the room. Unexpectedly, Jiang Jingrui acted like a scoundrel, immediately standing up and pestering her, following her in and out asking, “Jiang Li, there’s something wrong with you! Other young ladies all look forward to the annual Mid-Autumn lantern festival being lively, but you won’t go. What’s the matter? Everyone in our household will go out that day. If you don’t go, what will you do staying in the household? Play leaf cards with the confined Jiang Youyao? Or accompany Grandmother copying Buddhist scriptures?”
Even Jiang Li with her good temper was getting a bit impatient with him. She said, “There’s no reason why. I just don’t want to go.”
Jiang Jingrui stood in place. Tong’er, Baixue, and the others also looked toward Jiang Li.
Only then did Jiang Li realize her tone had been a bit harsh. She eased her emotions and said gently to Jiang Jingrui, “I don’t like excitement. With too many people, there’s bound to be jostling and bumping. I’m truly afraid. If you want to go, go by yourself. It’s nothing for me not to go alone.” Though her tone was gentle, it was decisively firm.
Jiang Jingrui dawdled for a while, but finally helplessly discovered that Jiang Li seemed to have no intention of changing her mind. He could only leave dejectedly.
After Jiang Jingrui left, Jiang Li stopped sunbathing in the courtyard and went into her room by herself.
After Jiang Li entered the room, Baixue asked Tong’er puzzledly, “Why is Miss unhappy?”
Tong’er shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe Second Young Master was too annoying.”
Inside the room, Jiang Li sat facing the window.
Among the emerald green leaves of the osmanthus tree bloomed tiny pale yellow flower buds. Though they didn’t look remarkable, they were more fragrant than any other flowers. Many withered flowers had also fallen beneath the tree, changing from pale yellow to golden yellow, finally becoming fragrant soil—dust to dust, earth to earth.
It was Mid-Autumn again, Jiang Li thought silently.
She recalled when she first came to the capital with Shen Yurun, her first Mid-Autumn in the capital. Mid-Autumn was a time for reunion. She missed her father and Xue Zhao far away in her hometown and always felt especially melancholy. Shen Yurun would hold her hand and say to her, “From now on, this is your home. You haven’t seen the capital’s Mid-Autumn lantern festival yet, have you? It’s no worse than Tongxiang. I’ll take you to see it, and I’ll take you every year from now on. You’ll come to love this place.”
Shen Yurun had taken her to see the lantern festival.
Unlike a small place like Tongxiang—if Tongxiang was simple, natural, warm, and lovely, then the capital was prosperous, magnificent, lively, and crowded. She saw so many lanterns for the first time. The riddles written on the lanterns by those lantern riddle vendors were always extraordinarily simple. She and Shen Yurun always guessed correctly, winning so many lanterns they couldn’t hold them all in their hands, then turned to give them to children they encountered on the roadside.
She still remembered one lantern riddle that said “Searching for him thousands of times in the crowd.” She guessed the answer was “hope/expectation,” and Shen Yurun whispered in her ear, “This character is like me toward you.”
He “hoped for” her. At that time, she thought it was true and truly believed it, not knowing that after the character for “hope” came the character for “death.”
He hoped for her death, so no one could block his path.
Jiang Li clenched her hand into a fist, took a deep breath, then slowly released her palm.
She didn’t wish to indulge in memories of the past, but the crueler later events became, the clearer past memories appeared. Jiang Jingrui had asked her to go out and see the Mid-Autumn lantern festival too, but Jiang Li was afraid—afraid that once she walked out, everywhere would be memories, everywhere would be the past.
That would be too cruel. She’d rather not look, to only remember the other party’s ugly face. This way, those tender and beautiful feelings wouldn’t be broken either—they’d be sealed underground, as if they had never existed from the beginning.
She wouldn’t seek suffering for herself.
…
In a capital inn, one room had its lamp burning particularly bright.
Ye Shijie sat in the room, carefully adjusting the wick in the lamp. Just as he was doing so, there was suddenly a sound from the door behind him—someone pushed the door open and entered.
Ye Shijie stood up and turned to look, his face showing some excitement. “Second Uncle!”
The newcomer was a lean middle-aged man who looked quite refined and scholarly, wearing a feathered cap and white clothes with two silver ribbons hanging down. He looked like a scholar, though his eyes held a trace of clever cunning. He closed the door and quickly stepped forward, calling out, “Shijie, you’ve really made something of yourself!”
He walked up to Ye Shijie and forcefully patted his shoulder. “I’ve heard all about your affairs. Along the way, I heard many people praising you. Excellent—you’ve brought honor to our old Ye family!”
This man was none other than Ye Shijie’s second uncle, the Second Master of the Xiangyang Ye family—Ye Mingxuan.
Ye Shijie looked behind Ye Mingxuan and, not seeing anyone else, asked puzzledly, “Second Uncle, why are you alone? Where’s Father?”
At this, Ye Mingxuan’s brow furrowed slightly, and his earlier joy dimmed somewhat. He said, “Your grandmother’s health isn’t good. She fainted at home a few months ago. Right now she needs someone by her side constantly. There are also some troubles with the Xiangyang business. Not just your father—even your third uncle has returned to Xiangyang.”
“What?” Ye Shijie was startled. “What happened?”
“It’s not a particularly big matter.” Ye Mingxuan came back to himself and patted Ye Shijie’s head. “This time I came to give you some banknotes and also to wrap up the capital’s business. Now that you’re an official, you’ll need silver to manage relationships up and down. Though they say wealth shouldn’t be flaunted, where it should be used, it must be used. Our family doesn’t lack this bit of silver.”
Ye Shijie was still a bit worried and asked, “Second Uncle, is there really nothing wrong? I want to go back to see Grandmother.”
“You’ve only just taken up your post not long ago. Where would you get so much time to return to Xiangyang? It’s fine. Your grandmother doesn’t have any serious illness. Just stay in the capital with peace of mind. Once you’ve established a firm foothold here, moving the whole family to the capital won’t be difficult. Look, I estimate that would be when you’re promoted to third rank—actually, three to five years would do it.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Ye Shijie was somewhat speechless. After thinking, he said to Ye Mingxuan, “Second Uncle, do you still remember Aunt?”
Ye Mingxuan was slightly startled and looked at Ye Shijie.
Their Ye family had three sons and one daughter. The only daughter was Ye Zhenzhen, also his younger sister. But this sister had a bitter fate and died too early. Mentioning her also made one sigh.
Ye Shijie observed Ye Mingxuan’s expression and said carefully, “Some time ago, I met Aunt’s daughter… my cousin.”
“Jiang Li?” Ye Mingxuan reacted extremely quickly, immediately saying Jiang Li’s name.
Ye Shijie’s heart finally relaxed. Good—Ye Mingxuan hadn’t forgotten there was someone like Jiang Li. Since he still remembered, things would be much easier to discuss. Ye Shijie then told Ye Mingxuan about encountering Jiang Li during this time, what Jiang Li had said to him, and the rumors about Jiang Li in the capital—every detail, large and small. He also had many puzzling questions about Jiang Li. Now that he finally had someone to consult with, speaking about it allowed for discussion.
After finishing with difficulty, Ye Shijie’s mouth was already dry. He picked up the tea on the table and gulped it down, saying, “Second Uncle, what do you think Jiang Li means by this? Is she trying to reconcile with our Ye family? But she also said before that she disdained associating with merchants. I’m increasingly unable to understand.”
Ye Mingxuan was after all somewhat older than Ye Shijie. After hearing Ye Shijie’s words, he didn’t immediately answer but thought carefully before saying, “I understand what you’ve told me. Naturally, one cannot believe only one side of any story. It’s not that I don’t trust Jiang Li, but rather I can’t trust the Jiang family. Though the Jiang family are officials, sometimes official households are even less straightforward than merchant households. I’m afraid this may not be Jiang Li’s true intention, but rather the Jiang family directing things from behind. Though our Ye family has nothing worth plotting for, one must still guard against others.” Ye Mingxuan tapped the table and said, “How about this—find an opportunity for me to meet Jiang Li face to face. Then whether it’s sincere or false, one test will tell.”
“Second Uncle,” Ye Shijie asked hesitantly, “Jiang Li said those words humiliating merchants weren’t said of her own volition. Do you think this is true?”
Ye Mingxuan smiled. When he smiled, that merchant shrewdness faded considerably and he looked more like a scholar again. He said, “It’s not impossible. However, even if someone directed her to say those things from behind, as long as she had been willing to trust us then and tell us the truth to our faces, we could have found a way to take her with us. But she didn’t trust the Ye family.”
“Maybe she was too young at the time. Being too young, it’s easy to be frightened by others.” Ye Shijie couldn’t help but say.
Ye Mingxuan said nothing, only looked at Ye Shijie with a smile, making Ye Shijie feel uncomfortable. He asked, “Wh-what?”
“Nothing.” Ye Mingxuan said, “That’s right, children are indeed easily deceived. So if it’s truly like that, we won’t blame her but will instead feel remorse that we didn’t discover it then. However, she’s not a child now. From your words, she’s a girl with her own mind and considerable courage. This time, she can speak her true thoughts and can choose for herself whether to trust us.”
“We’ll know everything once we meet,” he said.
…
Duke Su’s Estate.
On this chilling autumn day, the garden of the Duke’s Estate was still a riot of blooming flowers.
The Duke’s Estate seemed never to have autumn or winter’s desolate scenes. Duke Su raised an estate full of flowers, naturally having ones that could bloom in spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Peach blossoms wouldn’t bloom in autumn, but autumn had chrysanthemums. Lotus flowers wouldn’t last until winter, but winter also had red plum blossoms.
Of course, ordinary peaches, plums, chrysanthemums, and plums couldn’t catch Duke Su’s eye. The flowers raised in Duke Su’s Estate were more pampered than most people in the capital. They couldn’t be frozen, nor could they be too hot. Too much water wouldn’t do, nor would shallow soil. They needed constant pruning and pest removal, and a comfortable location had to be found for them—not too cramped, nor too spacious. They couldn’t be damaged by cats or pecked by birds.
Everyone in the Duke’s Estate, from the stewards and guards down to those who emptied chamber pots, were all expert flower cultivators. If an ordinary person couldn’t raise a flower well, they could squat at Duke Su’s gate and randomly grab any servant who came out in the morning to ask. The servant would surely explain everything clearly and logically.
Therefore, when people asked where the most beautiful scenery in the capital was, it wasn’t White Cloud Mountain, not Green Dao Temple, not the palace, not the painted boats, but the Duke’s Estate. It gathered the most beautiful colors in the world in one place, a gorgeousness that clashed with the outside world. Some said that if Duke Su weren’t so temperamental and no one dared provoke him, the people coming daily to peek at the Duke’s Estate garden would probably push down the outer walls.
It was truly too beautiful.
And somehow, whether the more beautiful the place, the more beautiful the people raised there. Every servant, attendant, guard, and enforcer in the entire Duke’s Estate was as beautiful as flowers. Though they couldn’t compare to Duke Su’s devastating beauty, if taken outside, they could probably captivate masses.
It was truly puzzling.
At this moment, in Duke Su’s Estate study, someone was speaking.
Kong Liu slammed his fist on the table and said in a rough voice, “Are you going to tomorrow’s Mid-Autumn lantern festival or not?”
“Not going.” Ji Heng answered him with two crisp words.
“Why?” Kong Liu asked. “Don’t you want to see what schemes Prince Cheng is up to?”
“It’s not time for him to make his move yet. Going would be useless.” Ji Heng said carelessly, “It’s the same every year. No point.”
“This year there’s Jin Mantang.” Lu Ji, sitting on the other side, spoke in a refined manner while stroking his pointed goatee. “Doesn’t Your Grace quite enjoy watching opera?”
“Right, right,” Kong Liu also said. “Jin Mantang—I heard it’s much better than that what’s-it-called Xiangsi Troupe that was all the rage before.”
Ji Heng glanced at him. One should know that the previously famous Xiangsi Troupe of the capital had produced a popular performer named Liu Sheng, except that actor who always played female roles had improper thoughts. He actually tried to climb into Ji Heng’s bed when he came to the Duke’s Estate to celebrate the Old General’s birthday. This disgusted Ji Heng terribly. Ji Heng broke his legs and threw him out, and even the Xiangsi Troupe fled the capital overnight.
Offending Duke Su—losing one’s life would be getting off lightly.
The Xiangsi Troupe thus disappeared from the capital, and no other troupe rose up. Recently a Jin Mantang troupe had arrived, said to be quite good.
Seeing Ji Heng still not answering, Kong Liu shouted, “If you don’t go out, Little Goatee Lu and I will both have to stay at the Duke’s Estate with you processing official business all evening. Tomorrow is Mid-Autumn Festival—Mid-Autumn Festival! Ji Heng, Duke, Your Grace! Can you have a bit of humanity? Even beggars get to celebrate the holiday!”
Lu Ji said nothing, but his smiling expression also very much agreed with Kong Liu’s words. Ji Heng looked up at them both, and after a long while said, “No.”
Kong Liu immediately deflated. Just as he was about to object, the door suddenly opened and Ji Heng’s grandfather, the Old General, walked in.
Despite it being late September, the Old General was still bare-chested. He should have just returned from practicing swordplay in the courtyard, with glistening beads of sweat still on his forehead. However, his sword energy should have ruined quite a few of Ji Heng’s flowers as usual. Seeing several withered petals still floating on the Old General’s head, Lu Ji’s eyelids couldn’t help but twitch. He recognized those petals—they seemed to be from the “Fragrant Snow Sea” that Ji Heng had previously bought from foreign merchants for a thousand taels of silver. Those few petals were probably worth about a hundred taels.
No wonder the Duke’s Estate servants always said the most extravagant one wasn’t Ji Heng, but the Old General. Such a grandfather who showed no tender care for flowers—who knew how he and Ji Heng managed to get along.
“You’re going to the Mid-Autumn lantern festival tomorrow?” The Old General’s voice was full of vigor and resonant. Looking at Ji Heng, his eyes held some regret. “I originally wanted you to stay in the estate to practice swordplay with me. Just now I heard you in the room talking about some lantern festival. What a pity.”
Kong Liu was just about to say “It’s not a pity since Ji Heng isn’t going anyway” when he heard Ji Heng’s regretful voice sound out: “Indeed, quite a pity.”
Kong Liu looked at Ji Heng in shock. Ji Heng smiled, his expression composed as he said, “Grandfather can practice alone in the estate—best to practice in the open space. We’ll be out very late before returning.”