Namenloser Attentäter - Kapitel 6
"Cousin, cousin-in-law, I just happened to stop by to see Xiaoxiao today. Seeing that she looks alright, I'm relieved. I'll take my leave now!"
Liu Yu asked, "Cousin, aren't you staying for dinner?" "Thank you, cousin, but the bank needs to do its accounting these next few days, so I won't bother you any longer!" Cheng Zhuri grabbed my hand. "Let me see you off a little. Xiao He, go get some snacks from the carriage. I brought some homemade snacks for everyone to try." "In that case, we won't keep you any longer. Cousin, come visit often when you have time." Liu Yu and his wife got up to see us off in the garden.
He led me all the way to the gate. Seeing the carriage parked outside, I felt a pang of reluctance. We had only met for a short while, and now we had to part again. "Xiao He, where did you go just now! Why did you leave Miss Biao alone in the garden?!" Cheng Zhu Ri's gentle demeanor vanished. He narrowed his phoenix eyes, his brows furrowed, his voice was cold, and his expression was serious. I knew he was angry. I was about to explain when my hand tightened.
Xiaohe was so frightened that she immediately knelt down, her eyes brimming with tears. She dared not cry out in front of Cheng Zhuri, and sobbed as she replied, "Just now, I was looking at embroidery patterns with Xiaolu! This servant knows she was wrong, and will never dare to do it again!" "Although it's your maternal grandmother's house, Miss Biao is still a young lady. There will always be times when she needs a maid to serve her. Originally, Madam chose you to serve Miss Biao because you were intelligent and reliable. If something like this happens again, you won't need to serve her anymore!" The voice wasn't loud, but it was incredibly oppressive. "This servant understands!" "Get up! Cheng Shun, take the snacks inside first. The three square food boxes are for Grandma, Aunt, and Cousin-in-law, and the round ones are for Miss!" "Yes, Young Master!" "Xiao Xiao, I know you don't want to go home yet, I won't force you, but you can't sing that poem to any other man except me, remember that!" Cheng Zhu Ri raised his hand and tucked a stray hair behind my ear, his voice so gentle it seemed like it could be squeezed for water. I felt as if I were bewitched, and I nodded unconsciously. Only afterward did I realize that ancient times are different from modern times. The poem had a specific meaning and was not like modern pop music; it couldn't be sung casually. I couldn't make that mistake again. I don't know how long I stood at the door until Xiao He spoke, and I came back to my senses. "Miss, the Young Master has already left, let's go inside." I nodded. Seeing my dejected mood, Xiaohe said, "I just saw the pastries that the eldest young master gave to Miss. They are all your favorites. The eldest young master is so thoughtful. He knew that the Liu family's pastries were too sweet for you, so he made almond cookies and walnut shortbread according to your taste. I can smell the aroma even through the box. Why don't you go back to your room and try them first? Dinner won't be for a while." "Alright, let's go back first."
First Edition: Falling in Love is Easy, Staying Together is Hard; Chapter Twenty-Three: Woman Disguised as Man
"Miss, why are you wearing men's clothes? These clothes look familiar to me." "I'm going out for a bit. Come quickly and help me tidy up. I'm not very good with men's clothes. Oh, and that one on the bed is yours, you can wear it later..."
"Change into yours too, let's go together!" He had long planned to meet Liu Yong, but had never had the chance. Sneaking out of the house under the noses of Cheng's large family was practically impossible.
It's still difficult, which is one of the reasons I'm sticking with the Liu family. Today, apart from my grandfather, no one else is home. My cousin-in-law led her family back...
Her family was celebrating her father's 70th birthday. In ancient times, living to 70 was considered very long, a rare feat. I heard the birthday celebration was...
It was a lively affair; all the relatives were invited. My cousin's wife also invited me to join in the fun, but worried I'd overthink things if I stayed home alone, I pretended to...
My friend came over, but I politely declined her invitation, citing illness. Grandpa, who always prefers quiet, didn't go either; now he's the only adult at home.
He usually doesn't pay much attention to me. If I sneak out the back door and come back, no one will notice. It's so rare to run into this guy!
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; if we don't seize it now, when will we? "Miss, how can this be? Please spare me! If the young master finds out, will I even survive?" Xiaohe cried out in terror.
Ma knelt on the ground and begged me. "No one will find out. I've planned everything. Go tell Steward Zheng not to prepare lunch for me. I'll eat the snacks my cousin sent."
"That's fine. I need to practice calligraphy and do needlework this afternoon. I want to be alone for a while. No one is allowed to enter the garden to disturb me without my permission."
Butler Zheng should understand that although Grandpa didn't speak harshly to me, he wasn't exactly warm either; we were usually quite cold towards each other.
It was awkward to eat alone with him, so it was understandable that they ate in the room. "Miss, this is absolutely unacceptable! Please forgive me!" Xiaohe knelt on the spot, wiping away tears, repeatedly pleading.
Her clothes were askew, and she didn't know what was wrong with them. "Stop crying! Come here and help me fix my clothes!" A loud shout finally calmed her down.
I had to calm her down. Seeing her crying and pale, it seemed she had been quite frightened by Cheng Zhuri last time, so I had no choice but to patiently explain to her: "Xiao He, you..."
Get up, don't cry. I'm not doing this for fun; I'm going out to take care of something very important. If this isn't done, it will be a tragedy for my entire life.
You wouldn't want me to live with regrets, would you? You're the person closest to me, you understand my current situation best. My cousin is now...
Um... well, let's not talk about that. I just want to do something that makes me happy. Just consider it a favor, okay? Here, take this...
One tael of silver will be enough to hire a carriage to take us to the city. The rest of the money is for you. I know your family is poor, which is why my brother hasn't been able to hire a tutor yet.
I'll have enough money left over from teaching to hire a good tutor, but if you don't do as I say, I'll tell my cousin you've left me all alone again.
Leave him in the garden and see if he believes you or me! As long as you listen to me, my wish will be fulfilled, and your younger brother will be able to go to school too.
The book will be kept secret, and no third person will ever know about it—it's a win-win situation! The carrot and stick approach is far more effective.
"What important matter is Miss Biao planning to attend to?" After all, she was just a naive young girl, and she was easily intimidated.
He gave her a sly smile: "You'll find out soon enough." Money talks, a truth that holds true everywhere. In no time, we were in the carriage, transformed into two...
The handsome young man, with his elegant demeanor, had made ample preparations for this day, so his departure went smoothly, and no one sent him any messages.
Now, he was wearing the two sets of clothes and shoes he had borrowed from Zhu Yue before leaving home. His eyebrows were drawn with a heroic air by Xiao He, and his head was adorned with a scholar's hairstyle.
A hat covered her bangs, she held a paper fan, and a jade pendant given to her by her uncle hung at her waist. She tried waving the fan in front of the mirror—not bad, not bad at all!
He had the air of a refined scholar, though his only slight flaws were his pale skin and short stature. Fortunately, many men at that time were fair-skinned and handsome.
"I'm not surprised to be walking in the crowd." "Uncle Zhang, when we get to the city, find a man named Liu Yong, courtesy name Sanbian, and give him the visiting card and this letter. He says someone is very..."
Admiring his talent, I've prepared a banquet at Fulonglou Restaurant, hoping to discuss songwriting with him. I sincerely hope he'll grace us with his presence!
I wasn't sure Liu Yong would keep my appointment, so in addition to sending a visiting card, I also wrote a letter, in which I was very earnest.
The letter clearly expressed the appreciation for his talent and the resonance with his work, expressing a desire to consult and exchange ideas in person, and also mentioned at the end of the letter...
For someone willing to spend five taels of silver to buy a poem personally inscribed by him, money was very attractive to Liu Yong, who lived a life of poverty and frustration.
Gravity is at play; even a penny can drive a hero to his death. How many people can live a life where they don't have to bow down for five pecks of rice?
The original plan was to hold a banquet at Daoxiangju to show respect for him, after all, Daoxiangju was one of the best restaurants in Bianjing.
That was a place Cheng Zhu frequented. To ensure nothing went wrong, he asked Uncle Zhang to recommend another, better restaurant, and the price was...
Money was also much cheaper. I have a lot of jewelry and ornaments, but I don't even have 10 taels of silver. It's all my monthly savings. I don't know...
Is this enough? "Young master, Bianjing City is so big, where am I supposed to find it?" Uncle Zhang hesitated before taking the bag.
"Judging by your experience, just take a stroll around the famous brothels in Bianjing and ask the courtesans. For example..."
"If it's done well, I'll give you an extra string of cash." "No…" Xiaohe exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Don't get excited." I grabbed her hand, quickly interrupting her, "I know you've always wanted to meet this exceptionally talented person…"
"Don't worry, sir! You'll see him soon." Uncle Zhang replied with a smile, "Don't worry, I'll definitely get it done for you. I've been driving for over 40 years, and I know Bianjing like the back of my hand."
Turn inside!
First Version: Falling in Love is Easy, Staying Together is Hard - Chapter Twenty-Four: Spark
Sitting anxiously in a private room at Fulonglou Restaurant, I waited for Liu Yong, clutching a small note of questions I had written down beforehand, afraid of being too nervous to see my idol.
Zhang had completely forgotten all of this, so he had written it down beforehand. After the tea was changed seven times, Liu Yong finally appeared after much anticipation and is now standing before me.
This ordinary-looking man, dressed in gray and with a thin face, was the one who had finally passed the imperial examinations but offended the court with his insolent words.