Chapter 22: Li Jun
This was exactly the effect Yu Tang wanted.
She made her way over at an unhurried pace, choosing to disregard the gazes that fell on her. She then feigned curiosity as she lifted a corner of her veil.
Then she saw many awe-struck faces.
Bamboo green robe …… two silk pouches…… one aqua green, one ……
Yu Tang quickly found Li Jun, who was sitting in the west of the crowd.
He was young, not yet at the age of adulthood(TL: not yet 20 years old), pale-skinned, strikingly handsome features with beautiful brows. He was currently having a conversation with the people round him.
Sensing some abnormality, he turned his head back and saw Yutang immediately.
Yu Tang saw his mouth opening in shock, eyes widening like a fool to stare at her unblinkingly, eyes full of amazement.
Was this Li Jun?
Yutang blinked her eyes.
Hypothetically, if Li Jun knew her, then he should be surprised with her sudden appearance here. If he didn’t recognize her, then it would be as if meeting a stranger, giving her a passing glance just like Third Master Pei did when he first met her or examining her curiously for a few moments.
But now …… she did not expect Li Jun’s reaction to be like this.
It left her unable to clearly judge if he had recognized her or not.
However, she could not return without obtaining any results – things had already come to this point, and it would be difficult for her to find such an opportunity again. Most importantly, she was afraid that her parents would think it was a good marriage and quietly agree to the Li family’s proposal.
Yu Tang thought about it further as she showed a gentle smile towards Li Jun.
Li Jun’s face immediately turned red, but he also came back to his senses.
He lowered his head in embarrassment, and pretended to take a sip of tea. He couldn’t help but sneak a look at her again, as if he was really curious about her.
Yu Tang took a few steps forward and stood under Wu Do Pine. She looked at Li Jun and said, “May I ask these gentlemen for directions?”
As Li Jun’s face showed some hesitancy, a person sitting nearest to Yu Tang stood up and said in a loud voice. “This young lady, you can ask me.” Saying that, he bowed towards Yu Tang. His face turned red as he continued nervously “My surname is Chen, I am from Banqiao village, Lin’an Province, and my family lives in the Chen family residence west of Banqiao village ……”
Before he could finish speaking, Student Chen was suddenly pushed aside, as another person came up to Yu Tang and said, “Miss, don’t listen to him. He is from Banqiao, so he isn’t as familiar with this place like me, who grew up in Zujimituo village. What do you want to ask? “
“Hey! Fu XiaoWan, you’re too much!” Student Chen angrily pointed at the person who was speaking to Yu Tang, “How can you not understand the concept of ‘first come first serve’? Moreover, you’re a student studying Confucius and a follower of Mencius teachings.”
“What does this have to do with education?” Someone else came over and patted the shoulder of the person named Fu XiaoWan. He smiled and said to Student Chen, “Chen Yao, we’re just helping the young lady out as an act of kindness. A benevolent person will act with benevolence and the wise acts with wisdom – don’t think that everyone is like you.” This wasn’t said very politely, as if he was vaguely hinting at something.
The person who was called Chen Yao was very angry.
At this moment, someone came over to settle the situation. “Okay, Shen Fang, Chen Yao, Fu XiaoWan, that’s enough. Look at how frightened you’re making her..”
Yu Tong look over and it was Li Jun.
Li Jun smile amicably and bowed politely, “Miss, these are a few of my fellow students. They are good people, but sometimes they can go a bit overboard with their jokes. I hope they didn’t scare you.”
Fu Xiaowan snorted and said derisively, “Li Jun, don’t just say empty words. I don’t see how much more polite you are from the rest of us!”
“XiaoWan!” Shen Fang cautioned Fu Xiaowan, and it was obvious that the two of them had a good relationship.
Fu Xiaoyan kept silent.
Yu Tang was glad that she hadn’t mistaken Li Jun, and even struck up a conversation with him.
Yu Tang continued to smile and said to Li Jun. “This gentleman, thank you so much! I want to go to the Brush-Cleaning Spring, but I don’t know the way.”
Li Jun quickly showed her the directions. “From this place, you walk straight, until you see a red door at the corner, then you head left ……”
The people around him erupted with whistling and shouts.
That Fu Xiaoyan remarked mischievously. “So this young lady was trying to ask gentleman Li to show the way! No wonder he didn’t bother about us!”
Just after he finished speaking, he was hit on the shoulder by Shen Fang as he scolded him. “What nonsense are you saying?”
Fu Xiaoyan smiled cheekily.
Someone else added. “He is the second son of the Li family in the south of Lin’an, called Li Jun. He loves to go outside the city to ride horses. Hope you can remember that Miss. Next time if you get lost again, you might want to look there.”
Li Jun looked embarrassed, but he did not object to his words.
Yu Tang was caught by surprise.
What did Li Jun mean by this?
He didn’t really think that she had taken a liking to him, did he?
Yu Tang was thinking about how to clear up this misunderstanding with Li Jun, when Chen Yao said suggestively. “Gentleman Li is still a bit obtuse when it comes to these sorts of things. You should ask her quickly which family she belongs to. Don’t forsake another person’s deep feelings for you.”
These words were a little much.
Yu Tang frowned.
Li Jun turned and glared at Chen Yao warningly.
Shen Fang also glared at Chen Yao and said snidely. “If you don’t have anything pleasant to say, don’t speak. No one thinks that you’re mute.”
Chen Yao scoffed, “Gentleman Shen is from a noble and big family in Hangzhou province, so it’s easy for him to look down on us people in the poor ‘countryside’.”
“Who are you talking about?” Fu Xiaowan retorted as he helped Shen Fang out and said angrily. “You should wash your mouth in soap.”
“I was saying about Shen Fang, and not about you. What are you butting in for?”
Chen Yao and Fu Xiaowan started to quarrel.
Li Jun didn’t go over to appease them, but rather, he stood in front of Yu Tang for a while as if pondering something, before making a polite bow towards her and saying, “Can I know which family, this young lady is from? Is there a maid or an attendant following you? There is a stone bench over there, if you don’t mind, why don’t you go over there and rest for a while. I will send an attendant to find your family members to come over.”
Yu Tang instantly froze as if her heart was dipped in an ice bucket.
The truth came so unexpectedly and without warning.
She thought that she still had to spend a little more effort to pry it out of him, but who knew that Li Jun would reveal the truth after just a few words.
Li Jun did not recognize her at all. He didn’t even know who she was.
Madam Lin had lied!
But why would she lie?
Just to get her to marry Li Jun?
What was Madam Lin plotting?
In her previous life, she had lost her parents and was living in dire straits. Even if all her dowry was sold, there wasn’t much silver to be gained either.
Why did Madam Lin want her to marry Li Jun?
Was it because Madam Lin knew that Li Jun would die soon?
Yu Tang immediately denied this possibility.
Even if Li Jun died prematurely, it was not impossible for the Li family to find a suitable wife for Li Jun. Why go through all these trouble just to get her?
Yu Tang couldn’t figure it out.
On the second floor in a hidden pavilion, the entire thing was seen by Pei Yan. His face was tense which made his usual expressionless face appear even colder and harsher.
It wasn’t even winter, but people could already feel the bone-chilling coldness.
Huikong, the abbot of Zhaoming Temple just arrived. He looked at Pei Yan’s hand that was tightly gripping the large red railing. It was a hand that was as pale as white jade and as slender as a bamboo branch, yet it firmly held the unshakeable power of the Pei Family. He could not help but sigh slightly in his heart and said, “What is esteemed patron looking at?”
Pei Yan retracted his gaze and gave Huikong a silent, indifferent look.
Huikong didn’t feel that his behavior was impolite. He walked to his side, and peered at the people under Wudao Pine, and smiled, “If esteemed patron doesn’t mind, I would like to invite esteemed patron to observe the scene below.”
Pei Yan did not speak, but the faint green-blue veins in his hands became more visible as he tightened his grip on the railing.
Hui Kong pointed to Yu Tang and Li Jun and the others below and said, “Have a look, esteemed Patron.”
He did not expect Pei Yan to reply him as he continued, “As we stood at a distance on the second floor and observe below, it seems like the capable gentleman and the beautiful young lady were a perfect pair of sweethearts. The gentleman seems to be very attentive to that young lady and spoke to her with great care. But in actuality, the gentleman and the young lady have never met before – and it was the young lady who took the initiative to speak to the gentleman. From this we can see how big the gap is between perception and reality.”
“Your father and I were close friends , and he previously spoke to me about calling you to return from the capital.”
“At that time, I also felt that your father had done the right thing.
“But who knew that your father would die of illness because of it?
“So, please control your grief and don’t use your imagination to replace facts. Don’t torture yourself now to fight for a better future.
“You should focus your attention on the present.
“Otherwise, what is the point of Grand Elder Pei calling you back?”
Pei Yan lowered his eyes.
His long eyelashes were like a neatly brushed fan, forming a shadow at the eyelids.
Huikong looked at him for a while and then chanted a Buddhist mantra. He changed the subject, saying. “Esteemed Patron wanted to borrow a Buddhist text from Zhaoming Temple’s scripture collection – this temple is deeply honored. I don’t know which sutra you are interested in? Grand Elder Pei usually recites the Diamond Sutra, I wonder if Esteemed Patron has any particular request?”
Pei Yan suddenly opened his eyes and coldly interrupted Huikong. “The Heart Sutra.”
Huikong was stunned for a moment, “What?”
“I said The Heart Sutra.” Pei Yan’s gaze remained unchanged as he repeated, “You asked me what I liked, and I said I liked the Heart Sutra.”
Huikong let out a long sigh of relief.
It was good that Pei Yan was willing to talk to him.
After the death of the Pei family’s grand elder, Pei Yan stopped communication with others. If he spoke, his words were often like barbed wires, – sharp, hurtful, with killing intent, which made everyone around him uncomfortable, and caused many bad rumors about him to circulate like wildfire.
As a close friend of Grand Elder Pei, Huikong do not want to see this happening.
“You’ve always been talented at reading something once and memorizing it completely ever since you were a child. The Heart Sutra is a short text of just around a hundred words, I’m sure it’s been memorized by you already ……” while Huikong was talking to Pei Yan , he noticed the corners of Pei Yan’s mouth just slightly curling up, and couldn’t help but follow his line of sight to look over. He saw that the young lady who was originally standing at Wudao Pine had already disappeared, leaving only the second son of the Li Family, Li Jun, standing there alone.
The young men behind him were still arguing about something, but Li Jun looked bewildered, as if he had been abandoned.
That should be another story, I’m afraid. He thought wryly.
Hui Kong dismissed his thoughts and continued to speak to Pei Yan about the Heart Sutra, trying to reach Pei Yan’s heart in this way.
Yu Tang was pulled away by Ma Xiuniang.
Ma Xiuniang was afraid that Yutang would be in trouble when she heard the group of people making a commotion, so she ran over quickly and hurriedly said to Li Jun, “Sorry, my sister got separated from me,” before forcibly pulling Yutang away from Wudao Pine.
Yutang was dragged along awkwardly until they climbed up to reach Brush cleaning spring and she managed to catch her breath again.
She couldn’t wait to rush home at once and tell Madam Chen what she had just discovered and then investigate why Madam Lin wanted her as a daughter-in-law for two lifetimes.
However it wasn’t easy for Ma Xiuniang to come out on a trip together with Zhang Hui, so she couldn’t pursue her own benefits and neglect them.
Chapter 22: Li Jun
This was exactly the effect Yu Tang wanted.
She made her way over at an unhurried pace, choosing to disregard the gazes that fell on her. She then feigned curiosity as she lifted a corner of her veil.
Then she saw many awe-struck faces.
Bamboo green robe …… two silk pouches…… one aqua green, one ……
Yu Tang quickly found Li Jun, who was sitting in the west of the crowd.
He was young, not yet at the age of adulthood(TL: not yet 20 years old), pale-skinned, strikingly handsome features with beautiful brows. He was currently having a conversation with the people round him.
Sensing some abnormality, he turned his head back and saw Yutang immediately.
Yu Tang saw his mouth opening in shock, eyes widening like a fool to stare at her unblinkingly, eyes full of amazement.
Was this Li Jun?
Yutang blinked her eyes.
Hypothetically, if Li Jun knew her, then he should be surprised with her sudden appearance here. If he didn’t recognize her, then it would be as if meeting a stranger, giving her a passing glance just like Third Master Pei did when he first met her or examining her curiously for a few moments.
But now …… she did not expect Li Jun’s reaction to be like this.
It left her unable to clearly judge if he had recognized her or not.
However, she could not return without obtaining any results – things had already come to this point, and it would be difficult for her to find such an opportunity again. Most importantly, she was afraid that her parents would think it was a good marriage and quietly agree to the Li family’s proposal.
Yu Tang thought about it further as she showed a gentle smile towards Li Jun.
Li Jun’s face immediately turned red, but he also came back to his senses.
He lowered his head in embarrassment, and pretended to take a sip of tea. He couldn’t help but sneak a look at her again, as if he was really curious about her.
Yu Tang took a few steps forward and stood under Wu Do Pine. She looked at Li Jun and said, “May I ask these gentlemen for directions?”
As Li Jun’s face showed some hesitancy, a person sitting nearest to Yu Tang stood up and said in a loud voice. “This young lady, you can ask me.” Saying that, he bowed towards Yu Tang. His face turned red as he continued nervously “My surname is Chen, I am from Banqiao village, Lin’an Province, and my family lives in the Chen family residence west of Banqiao village ……”
Before he could finish speaking, Student Chen was suddenly pushed aside, as another person came up to Yu Tang and said, “Miss, don’t listen to him. He is from Banqiao, so he isn’t as familiar with this place like me, who grew up in Zujimituo village. What do you want to ask? “
“Hey! Fu XiaoWan, you’re too much!” Student Chen angrily pointed at the person who was speaking to Yu Tang, “How can you not understand the concept of ‘first come first serve’? Moreover, you’re a student studying Confucius and a follower of Mencius teachings.”
“What does this have to do with education?” Someone else came over and patted the shoulder of the person named Fu XiaoWan. He smiled and said to Student Chen, “Chen Yao, we’re just helping the young lady out as an act of kindness. A benevolent person will act with benevolence and the wise acts with wisdom – don’t think that everyone is like you.” This wasn’t said very politely, as if he was vaguely hinting at something.
The person who was called Chen Yao was very angry.
At this moment, someone came over to settle the situation. “Okay, Shen Fang, Chen Yao, Fu XiaoWan, that’s enough. Look at how frightened you’re making her..”
Yu Tong look over and it was Li Jun.
Li Jun smile amicably and bowed politely, “Miss, these are a few of my fellow students. They are good people, but sometimes they can go a bit overboard with their jokes. I hope they didn’t scare you.”
Fu Xiaowan snorted and said derisively, “Li Jun, don’t just say empty words. I don’t see how much more polite you are from the rest of us!”
“XiaoWan!” Shen Fang cautioned Fu Xiaowan, and it was obvious that the two of them had a good relationship.
Fu Xiaoyan kept silent.
Yu Tang was glad that she hadn’t mistaken Li Jun, and even struck up a conversation with him.
Yu Tang continued to smile and said to Li Jun. “This gentleman, thank you so much! I want to go to the Brush-Cleaning Spring, but I don’t know the way.”
Li Jun quickly showed her the directions. “From this place, you walk straight, until you see a red door at the corner, then you head left ……”
The people around him erupted with whistling and shouts.
That Fu Xiaoyan remarked mischievously. “So this young lady was trying to ask gentleman Li to show the way! No wonder he didn’t bother about us!”
Just after he finished speaking, he was hit on the shoulder by Shen Fang as he scolded him. “What nonsense are you saying?”
Fu Xiaoyan smiled cheekily.
Someone else added. “He is the second son of the Li family in the south of Lin’an, called Li Jun. He loves to go outside the city to ride horses. Hope you can remember that Miss. Next time if you get lost again, you might want to look there.”
Li Jun looked embarrassed, but he did not object to his words.
Yu Tang was caught by surprise.
What did Li Jun mean by this?
He didn’t really think that she had taken a liking to him, did he?
Yu Tang was thinking about how to clear up this misunderstanding with Li Jun, when Chen Yao said suggestively. “Gentleman Li is still a bit obtuse when it comes to these sorts of things. You should ask her quickly which family she belongs to. Don’t forsake another person’s deep feelings for you.”
These words were a little much.
Yu Tang frowned.
Li Jun turned and glared at Chen Yao warningly.
Shen Fang also glared at Chen Yao and said snidely. “If you don’t have anything pleasant to say, don’t speak. No one thinks that you’re mute.”
Chen Yao scoffed, “Gentleman Shen is from a noble and big family in Hangzhou province, so it’s easy for him to look down on us people in the poor ‘countryside’.”
“Who are you talking about?” Fu Xiaowan retorted as he helped Shen Fang out and said angrily. “You should wash your mouth in soap.”
“I was saying about Shen Fang, and not about you. What are you butting in for?”
Chen Yao and Fu Xiaowan started to quarrel.
Li Jun didn’t go over to appease them, but rather, he stood in front of Yu Tang for a while as if pondering something, before making a polite bow towards her and saying, “Can I know which family, this young lady is from? Is there a maid or an attendant following you? There is a stone bench over there, if you don’t mind, why don’t you go over there and rest for a while. I will send an attendant to find your family members to come over.”
Yu Tang instantly froze as if her heart was dipped in an ice bucket.
The truth came so unexpectedly and without warning.
She thought that she still had to spend a little more effort to pry it out of him, but who knew that Li Jun would reveal the truth after just a few words.
Li Jun did not recognize her at all. He didn’t even know who she was.
Madam Lin had lied!
But why would she lie?
Just to get her to marry Li Jun?
What was Madam Lin plotting?
In her previous life, she had lost her parents and was living in dire straits. Even if all her dowry was sold, there wasn’t much silver to be gained either.
Why did Madam Lin want her to marry Li Jun?
Was it because Madam Lin knew that Li Jun would die soon?
Yu Tang immediately denied this possibility.
Even if Li Jun died prematurely, it was not impossible for the Li family to find a suitable wife for Li Jun. Why go through all these trouble just to get her?
Yu Tang couldn’t figure it out.
On the second floor in a hidden pavilion, the entire thing was seen by Pei Yan. His face was tense which made his usual expressionless face appear even colder and harsher.
It wasn’t even winter, but people could already feel the bone-chilling coldness.
Huikong, the abbot of Zhaoming Temple just arrived. He looked at Pei Yan’s hand that was tightly gripping the large red railing. It was a hand that was as pale as white jade and as slender as a bamboo branch, yet it firmly held the unshakeable power of the Pei Family. He could not help but sigh slightly in his heart and said, “What is esteemed patron looking at?”
Pei Yan retracted his gaze and gave Huikong a silent, indifferent look.
Huikong didn’t feel that his behavior was impolite. He walked to his side, and peered at the people under Wudao Pine, and smiled, “If esteemed patron doesn’t mind, I would like to invite esteemed patron to observe the scene below.”
Pei Yan did not speak, but the faint green-blue veins in his hands became more visible as he tightened his grip on the railing.
Hui Kong pointed to Yu Tang and Li Jun and the others below and said, “Have a look, esteemed Patron.”
He did not expect Pei Yan to reply him as he continued, “As we stood at a distance on the second floor and observe below, it seems like the capable gentleman and the beautiful young lady were a perfect pair of sweethearts. The gentleman seems to be very attentive to that young lady and spoke to her with great care. But in actuality, the gentleman and the young lady have never met before – and it was the young lady who took the initiative to speak to the gentleman. From this we can see how big the gap is between perception and reality.”
“Your father and I were close friends , and he previously spoke to me about calling you to return from the capital.”
“At that time, I also felt that your father had done the right thing.
“But who knew that your father would die of illness because of it?
“So, please control your grief and don’t use your imagination to replace facts. Don’t torture yourself now to fight for a better future.
“You should focus your attention on the present.
“Otherwise, what is the point of Grand Elder Pei calling you back?”
Pei Yan lowered his eyes.
His long eyelashes were like a neatly brushed fan, forming a shadow at the eyelids.
Huikong looked at him for a while and then chanted a Buddhist mantra. He changed the subject, saying. “Esteemed Patron wanted to borrow a Buddhist text from Zhaoming Temple’s scripture collection – this temple is deeply honored. I don’t know which sutra you are interested in? Grand Elder Pei usually recites the Diamond Sutra, I wonder if Esteemed Patron has any particular request?”
Pei Yan suddenly opened his eyes and coldly interrupted Huikong. “The Heart Sutra.”
Huikong was stunned for a moment, “What?”
“I said The Heart Sutra.” Pei Yan’s gaze remained unchanged as he repeated, “You asked me what I liked, and I said I liked the Heart Sutra.”
Huikong let out a long sigh of relief.
It was good that Pei Yan was willing to talk to him.
After the death of the Pei family’s grand elder, Pei Yan stopped communication with others. If he spoke, his words were often like barbed wires, – sharp, hurtful, with killing intent, which made everyone around him uncomfortable, and caused many bad rumors about him to circulate like wildfire.
As a close friend of Grand Elder Pei, Huikong do not want to see this happening.
“You’ve always been talented at reading something once and memorizing it completely ever since you were a child. The Heart Sutra is a short text of just around a hundred words, I’m sure it’s been memorized by you already ……” while Huikong was talking to Pei Yan , he noticed the corners of Pei Yan’s mouth just slightly curling up, and couldn’t help but follow his line of sight to look over. He saw that the young lady who was originally standing at Wudao Pine had already disappeared, leaving only the second son of the Li Family, Li Jun, standing there alone.
The young men behind him were still arguing about something, but Li Jun looked bewildered, as if he had been abandoned.
That should be another story, I’m afraid. He thought wryly.
Hui Kong dismissed his thoughts and continued to speak to Pei Yan about the Heart Sutra, trying to reach Pei Yan’s heart in this way.
Yu Tang was pulled away by Ma Xiuniang.
Ma Xiuniang was afraid that Yutang would be in trouble when she heard the group of people making a commotion, so she ran over quickly and hurriedly said to Li Jun, “Sorry, my sister got separated from me,” before forcibly pulling Yutang away from Wudao Pine.
Yutang was dragged along awkwardly until they climbed up to reach Brush cleaning spring and she managed to catch her breath again.
She couldn’t wait to rush home at once and tell Madam Chen what she had just discovered and then investigate why Madam Lin wanted her as a daughter-in-law for two lifetimes.
However it wasn’t easy for Ma Xiuniang to come out on a trip together with Zhang Hui, so she couldn’t pursue her own benefits and neglect them.
