Azure Heart Horror-Kurzgeschichte

Kapitel 5

"Get away! Get away! Get away! Can't you see I'm bothered here?" Zhu Chengyu pushed the dancer away with a look of disgust. The dancer lost her balance and sat down on the ground with a cry of "Ouch!"

Shang Minglun wouldn't miss the chance to enjoy the beauty's favor. He drank the wine offered by the dancer and casually touched her chin. The dancer pretended to be shy, which made Shang Minglun laugh out loud.

"Tell me," Zhu Chengyu paused, then asked thoughtfully, "was what that old man Nan said true?"

"I believe it's the truth. Someone with his official rank wouldn't dare lie to my father!"

This Shang Minglun is the son of Lord Shang, who is the maternal uncle of Prince Suning, Zhu Chengyu.

"I'm just not reconciled!" Zhu Chengyu said.

"What's there to be unwilling about?" Shang Minglun asked, puzzled.

"I've lived for twenty-seven years, and this is the first time I've proposed marriage, and that old man from the south has rejected me. This matter has almost become a laughing stock among all the officials. Where am I supposed to put my face?" Zhu Chengyu said indignantly.

"What can you do? It's just that you were born at the wrong time and weren't meant to be with that girl!"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [15]: I don't believe it! If we were truly not meant to be, why did I run into her on the street that day? And why did I find her hairpin?

"Good! Good! Good! It's fate! It's fate! It's done! It's just that we're destined to meet but not to stay together!"

"Shut up! Believe me or not, I'll gouge your eyes out and use them as cannon fodder." Zhu Chengyu wanted nothing more than to go over and slap him twice.

"Forget it, cousin." Shang Minglun knew he was in a bad mood and didn't want to tease him. "There are plenty of fish in the sea, and the willow catkins on the branches are blown away and few remain. How many girls in the world are eager to marry you? Why bother arguing with that old man Nan!"

"I'm going to settle this score with him," Zhu Chengyu said, growing angrier with each thought. He slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "No way! There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

"What do you want?"

"Me?" Zhu Chengyu already had a plan in mind. He rubbed his hands together with a smile: "How can I find a way to meet that girl and make her take a liking to me!"

"And then?" Shang Minglun was most interested in this kind of thing.

"Make her fall for me, become inseparable from me, and unable to resist me, then I'll dump her!"

"You're really mean!"

"Then spread the word, and that old man Nan will definitely come begging me to marry his daughter!" Zhu Chengyu sneered. "I'll refuse at first, making that old man Nan lose face in front of the entire court, and then you can just wait and see the show!"

Zhu Chengyu spoke to himself as if everything was under his control.

"Are you sure you can handle it?" Shang Minglun asked skeptically. "What if they don't take the bait? Do you want me to teach you a couple of moves?"

"No way! Don't underestimate me!" Zhu Chengyu said defiantly, "When it comes to pursuing girls, I'm no less skilled than you! With my skills, no girl will resist."

"Alright! I'll be waiting for your good news!"

Zhu Chengyu gritted his teeth and said, "I'll make sure she seduce me to death!"

"What? Make her seduce you?" Shang Minglun thought he had misheard.

"Ah! No, it's me who's obsessed with her!" Zhu Chengyu quickly corrected himself, then realized it wasn't quite right and muttered to himself, "This sounds so awkward! Oh well, whatever, that's the gist of it!"

What if they absolutely refuse to be with you?

"Dare! I'll get her pregnant secretly! I'll make her beg to marry me!"

After listening to Zhu Chengyu's absurd argument, Shang Minglun said, "Cousin, why bother? Is it worth going to such lengths for a woman?"

"I don't care!" Zhu Chengyu raised an eyebrow. "Who am I? Zhu Chengyu, the Grand General, countless girls in the world want to marry me. Having a few more beautiful wives and concubines is nothing!"

"I've heard that girl is the most beautiful woman in the capital and also a great talent. You don't want to fail before you even get started and get tricked! Do you want me to lend you a hand?"

"No need!" Zhu Chengyu said confidently, "If I can't even handle a woman, then I'm utterly useless!"

"Good!" Shang Minglun raised his glass. "I wish you every success!"

"Definitely! Definitely!" The two drank the wine.

A bewitchingly beautiful songstress approached, her face beaming with a seductive smile and her voice sweet and alluring, "Oh! Your Highness seems so pleased, what is it? Come, let me offer you a toast." She raised the wine cup to Zhu Chengyu's lips. Zhu Chengyu stared at the songstress, not taking the cup, but simply opening his mouth to wait. The songstress smiled, brought the cup to his lips, slowly tilted it, and poured the wine into his mouth.

After toasting, the songstress actually plopped down on Zhu Chengyu's lap. Zhu Chengyu, of course, didn't refuse. He put his arm around the songstress's waist, and his hands moved nimbly, groping around her waist and abdomen. The songstress smiled radiantly, hooked her arms around his neck affectionately, and gave him a flirtatious wink, which made Zhu Chengyu laugh heartily.

Suddenly, the songstress screamed, abruptly leaving Zhu Chengyu's embrace. She ran to the side, stamping her feet and weeping, while Zhu Chengyu burst into laughter. Shang Minglun, bewildered, looked at Zhu Chengyu and then at the songstress. He noticed numerous oil stains on the songstress's abdomen and waist, and immediately understood that this was Zhu Chengyu's doing. He too joined in the laughter.

It turned out that Zhu Chengyu hadn't washed his hands after eating the roast chicken, and he had smeared every last drop of oil from his hands onto the singer's clothes. The dancer cried, "Your Highness, this is the finest Suzhou fabric! It's the only one I've ever worn, and it hasn't even been in the water once!"

"Alright! Alright! Stop crying. Is a tattered piece of clothing worth crying about? Go to the accounting office and get ten taels of silver to make a few more sets. Consider it compensation from me." The courtesan then stopped crying and smiled.

This Zhu Chengyu was the drunkard Ling'er had encountered outside Ruyi Tower years ago. Indeed! He wanted to play "The Phoenix Seeks Its Mate," but he couldn't figure out which phoenix he was asking for.

As the weather gradually warms up, the forsythia is the first to sprout and bloom, announcing the arrival of spring.

Ling'er arranged for Ximei to deliver a letter to Sun Chenlin. When Ximei successfully brought back Sun Chenlin's reply, a new problem arose.

"Ling'er, come here! Come here!" Ningyue held the letter Sun Chenlin had given her, her brows furrowed with a mixture of joy and worry.

Ling'er walked over, and Ningyue handed her the letter: "Take a look!" Ling'er took the letter and quickly glanced at it. "He asked you to meet him at Guangji Temple in Xishan during the 'Han Shijie' season?"

The Cold Season is the day before the Qingming Festival, which is about ten days away.

“How can that be?” Ling’er said, “Don’t even mention that Xishan is so far away, even now, you can’t even walk out of the gate.”

Ningyue knew that Ling'er was right. How could the young lady be allowed to go out so freely in such a large mansion as the Southern Mansion?

"What should we do?" Ningyue said with a mournful face, "You have to help me! You promised me!"

Ling'er agreed to Ningyue's request partly to help her recover quickly, and partly to comfort her.

"Ling'er, why aren't you saying anything?" Ningyue was so anxious that she was on the verge of tears. "Please think of something!"

Ling'er frowned and pondered, determined to come up with a proper plan for Ningyue's sake.

“Ningyue, listen to me, now is not the time to rush,” Ling’er comforted her. “Give me some time, and don’t worry, I will definitely be able to think of a way, okay?”

Since Ling'er had already said so, Ningyue had no choice but to remain silent.

Just then, Mingmei arrived. "Sister Ling, Miss, Madam requests your presence!"

Ling'er and Ningyue exchanged bewildered glances. What? Had their "secret" been discovered by the Madam? Ningyue was at a loss for words. Just as she was stunned, she heard Ling'er say, "I know, you go ahead, we'll be right there."

After Mingmei left, Ningyue immediately asked worriedly, "What happened? Did Mother find out?"

Ling'er shook her head, looking equally confused: "I don't know either, let's go and talk about it first." In any case, they had to see Madam Nan now.

Ningyue, after all, is a young lady from a prominent family, and she has some of the temperament of a young lady.

"Hmph!" Ningyue's face was full of hostility: "I'm not afraid at all! If Mother finds out, there's nothing I can do. If Mother doesn't allow me to see him, I'll die!" After saying that, she turned and walked out of Wangyue Residence.

Ling'er quickly chased after her, repeatedly reminding her, "Good Ningyue, you mustn't do anything rash. When you get there, don't speak yet, listen carefully before you speak!"

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [16]: The two young ladies came to the flower hall with trepidation. Everyone was there. Did Madam really know their "secret"? It seemed not. Ling'er carefully examined everyone's facial expressions. The master and the eldest young master's expressions were no different from usual, neither angry nor happy. The second young master had his usual frown when he saw the master, but Madam had some joy on her face. Calling the whole family here so early in the morning, there must be something going on! And it must be something big! What is it? Ling'er couldn't see a clue at all. "Ningyue, come here and sit with your mother." Madam Nan beckoned to Ningyue. Ningyue walked over with a frown and sat down next to Madam Nan.

"What's wrong? You look so tired. Didn't you sleep well last night?" Madam Nan asked with concern.

“No!” Ningyue replied with a stern face.

"What happened?"

"It's nothing." Ningyue turned around and asked Madam Nan, "Mother, why did you call us all here so early in the morning?"

"Oh!" Madam Nan smiled slightly and looked at everyone, saying, "There is indeed something I heard your father say."

Everyone remained silent, listening attentively and waiting for Master Nan's instructions.

Master Nan coughed and said, "It's almost Qingming Festival. I plan to go back to my hometown of Linyi to sweep the tombs and visit the graves this year. Bin'er has official business to attend to and can't leave. I originally wanted you all to go." Master Nan pointed to Nan Shan, Ning Yue, and Ling'er, "but your mother said that Ning Yue is not fully recovered yet, so it's better if she doesn't go. Shan'er can accompany us."

After Mr. Nan finished speaking, he exchanged a glance with Madam Nan. Madam Nan said, "What worries me most are Ningyue and Ling'er. Bin'er is not going with us, but he is working in the palace and will not be back for several days. I am not at ease with you two girls living in such a big house. I think you should stay at Jicui Villa for a while. It is quieter there and it will be good for Ningyue to recuperate."

After hearing Madam Nan's words, everyone was preoccupied. No wonder Nan Shan had such a bitter face; it turned out she was going to travel with the master. They wondered when their relationship would improve. Ling'er and Ning Yue, on the other hand, exchanged pleasant glances, their faces lighting up with joy.

"Ling'er! I'm going away and I'm afraid I won't be back for a month or two. While I'm gone, you must take good care of Ningyue. I'm entrusting her to you! Also, you and Steward Xu must keep a close eye on the business. Don't be allowed to play around!" Madam Nan earnestly instructed.

Ling'er understood what the lady meant. This was no longer just about letting her manage the accounts, but about letting her learn to manage the household.

"Yes! Ling'er will do her best!"

"Bin'er!" Madam Nan called to Nan Bin again, "You must take good care of yourself, and remember! You must personally escort Ningyue and Ling'er to Jicui Villa!"

"Yes! Mother, please rest assured!" Nan Bin replied respectfully. He looked up at Ling'er, a beautiful smile curving his lips. Ling'er quickly lowered her head, pretending not to see it.

Five days later, Master Nan, Madam Nan, and Nan Shan departed for Linyi, Shandong. On the sixth day, Ling'er and Ningyue also set off for Jicui Villa. Ningyue had been immersed in joy throughout these days.

Jicui Villa is located near Xishan, so this time we left the city through Heyi Gate.

Ling'er, Ningyue, and Ximei rode in one carriage, while the other maids rode in another. Nanbin rode at the front on horseback. Along the way, Ningyue and Ximei chattered incessantly. Ningyue was a young lady from a noble family who rarely left her quarters, and this was her first time out, so everything was new and exciting to her. She pointed at this and asked about that, and Ximei answered all her questions without Ling'er having to.

"Ximei, what does this shop do? Why is there a 'pawnshop' sign on the door? Does the owner's surname mean 'pawnshop'?" Ningyue asked.

"This is a pawnshop!"

"A pawnshop? What do pawnshops do?"

"If you urgently need money but don't have any on hand, bring some valuables here as collateral for a while, and you can take them back when you have the money later."

"Oh! And this one?" Ningyue asked, pointing to a money exchange. "This one?" Ximei was about to explain when she suddenly exclaimed, "Sister Ling, come and see! It's Ruyi Tower!"

"What Ruyi Tower? What happened?" Ningyue looked out the window curiously. She saw a very grand restaurant with its large red doors tightly shut, bearing an official seal. It seemed to be in trouble with the authorities. The black lacquered plaque with gold decorations that had hung on the second floor was now upside down, giving it a deliberately insulting appearance. Ling'er also came over to look, asking in surprise, "Ruyi Tower is sealed off! What did they do wrong? When did this happen?"

"Who knows?" Xi Mei replied gloatingly.

"Huh? What's wrong? Is there something wrong with Ruyi Tower? Why is even the plaque upside down?" Ningyue found this situation novel and amusing.

"I don't know!" Ling'er said, "The owner of this restaurant must have put a lot of effort into it, and it's in such a good location. How much money will they lose now that this is a loss?" Speaking from a business perspective, she couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

"He deserved it!" Xi Mei is still indignant when she thinks about what happened last year.

"What's wrong? Did he offend you?" Ningyue asked.

“Of course,” Xi Mei then recounted how the owner of Ruyilou had raised prices before the Lunar New Year.

Ningyue advised, "Don't be angry. He's a wicked man who got his just deserts. Now that he's been punished, let's see what he's got to be so arrogant about."

“Yes!” Xi Mei praised, “Miss, you speak so eloquently.”

"What are you talking about, so happy?" Nan Bin rode over from the front and, seeing the three girls talking so enthusiastically, came over to join the conversation.

"Brother, we were talking about Ruyi Tower. Why was it suddenly sealed off?" Ningyue told Nanbin the news she had just received.

"What's wrong with this place?" Nan Bin said, "Sigh! It's just bad luck for this shop. I don't know how it offended Prince Suning. It was shut down, which is considered a light punishment."

"What if it's heavy?" Ningyue asked.

"Serious offenses?" Nan Bin's expression changed. "Confiscation of property and extermination of the entire family!"