Schlimme Dinge passieren oft

Kapitel 7

Upon entering the mansion, Pang Di noticed a stark difference in the scene before her. The courtyard had clearly been meticulously maintained, gleaming with tidiness. The garden and halls were adorned with numerous seasonal flowers in full bloom, a vibrant and lively display of life. The servants all rushed forward to greet her, offering their respects and saying, "Happy birthday, Young Madam!"

Pang Di knew it was her birthday, but she was pleasantly surprised that her husband's family still remembered it after she got married. Turning to Wang Pang, he smiled and said, "To let them pack quietly, I tricked you into going out all day. Go to your room and change into some new clothes; I had Xuanji prepare them for you. Then come to the hall; your uncle and sister are here to celebrate with you."

"How did you know it was my birthday today?" Pang Di asked.

Wang Pang lightly tapped her pretty nose and said, "Silly Di, do you think I didn't ask about your birth date when I sent the matchmaker to arrange the marriage?"

"

Back in the room, a new set of clothes was indeed prepared on the table. The color was a delicate pink, not gaudy, and the cut was fashionable. Wearing it, she felt light and airy, and it fit her perfectly, as if it had been tailor-made. Pang Di asked her personal maid, Lüxiu, if the young master had asked her for her measurements. Lüxiu shook her head, saying no. Xuanji, standing nearby, said calmly, "The young master cherishes his young mistress so much; naturally, he is very observant and knows her measurements without needing to ask."

Upon entering the hall, she found many people already waiting inside. Besides her husband and parents-in-law, Wang Pang's two uncles, Wang Anguo and Wang Anli, each sat with their wives. Wang Pang's eldest sister, Wang Yu, had brought her husband, Wu Anchi, to her parents' home for a visit. Wang Pang's younger sister, Wen'er, still quite young, also emerged from her room and greeted Pang Di with a smile.

Pang Di felt slightly uneasy seeing her husband's seriousness in inviting the whole family to celebrate her birthday. After all, she was just a young woman who had recently married into the Wang family, and it seemed inappropriate to make such a fuss about her birthday and disturb so many elders. Wang Pang, however, seemed completely oblivious to this. Upon seeing Pang Di, he immediately beamed and got up to pull her to sit down beside him.

Seeing this, Wang Anshi and his wife exchanged smiles, recalling their own wedding day. Now, seeing their son settled down and so loving with his wife, they felt immense joy. They had always doted on their son, and although they felt his actions were somewhat impulsive, they were genuine and forgivable.

Wang Yu's husband, Wu Anchi, was the son of Wu Chong, a scholar of the court. He was only in his early twenties at the time. Seeing Pang Di, with her bright eyes and charming smile, dressed in a gauze dress like a begonia in bloom, sitting gently beside Wang Yu, he was immediately captivated. He instantly understood why Wang Yu had gone to such lengths to celebrate her birthday, and thought to himself, "If I could marry such a beauty, no amount of pampering would be too much!" He then rose and toasted Pang Di, saying, "May your beauty last forever, and may you enjoy every year as you do today!"

Pang Di stood up to respond, raised her wine cup and took a small sip before Wang Pang took it from her, saying softly, "Drink less, I'll drink the rest for you."

The others either toasted Pang Di or offered words of congratulations, which Pang Di thanked them all. Wang Pang drank every last drop of wine for her. Later, Wang Pang noticed her uncle, Wang Anguo, sitting alone to one side without saying a word, and asked, "Uncle, why are you so silent?"

Wang Anguo had always disagreed with his elder brother's reform theories and was known for his arrogant and aloof personality. He disapproved of his nephew's overbearing character and attitude. He had expected to be invited to discuss something important, but it turned out to be just a birthday celebration for his wife. Furious, he sat alone, ignoring him. When Wang Pang asked, he glanced sideways and inquired, "Is there anything else to discuss today?"

Wang Pang said, "Nothing much, Uncle, why don't you say a few words of congratulations to Adi?"

Wang Anguo coldly replied, "I'm not in a good mood, and I'm afraid what I say might be unpleasant to hear."

Wang Pang laughed heartily and said, "Uncle, don't you think we should host this banquet for Adi today? But I invited you all here so you can see what a beautiful, virtuous, and intelligent woman my wife is, how proud I am of her, and how fortunate I am to have married her!"

Wang Anguo's expression grew increasingly grim. He said, "In that case, I will offer an old poem as a congratulatory gift: 'Spring cannot be held back, the warbling of orioles is exhausted. Fallen petals stain the palace brocade, last night's wind and rain in the southern garden. Little Lian first plays the pipa, at dawn her thoughts wander to the ends of the earth. Refusing to stay in the painted halls and vermilion doors, the spring breeze freely caresses the pear blossoms.'"

The melody was clearly inappropriate, and upon closer listening, one could even discern a hidden meaning. Wang Pang was furious, throwing down his wine cup as he was about to erupt in anger, when Pang Di quickly stood up and said to him, "You've already drunk your wine, I'll go back to my room first. Don't drink too much, I'll have someone prepare some hangover soup for you." He took Wang Pang's hand and subtly signaled to him not to lose his temper.

Wang Pang looked at her, his gaze gradually softening.

She turned to leave, but he grabbed her sleeve.

Emboldened by the wine, he recited a poem, "Drunken Makeup," to her: "Moon, do not go; do not leave; let us drink the wine in our cups. We wish to grow old together, we vow to grow old together, to stay together for eternity!"

Upon hearing his ardent declaration of love, Pang Di was somewhat surprised and bewildered, as if struck by a warm current. After a moment of dizziness, a warm feeling spread from the bottom of her heart.

Looking back at him, I saw tears welling up in his eyes.

Why did he shed tears? For whom did he weep? If it was sorrow, he was clearly holding the hand of the person he intended to grow old with; where did the sorrow come from? If it was joy, why was there such endless grief in his eyes?

"Pang'er, you're drunk."

Pang Di only came to her senses after hearing her father-in-law's words. She pulled her sleeve out of his hand and quickly walked out.

A person sat quietly in the room for a long time when suddenly he heard someone approaching outside the door. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was Xuanji.

She entered carrying a long object wrapped in brocade. After placing it on the table, she said to Pang Di, "This is a gift from the young master to the young mistress."

Upon opening it, I found a Jiao Wei Qin (a type of zither), its body elegant and slightly cracked, clearly an antique. A closer look revealed that his poem "Tired of Seeking Fragrance" had been newly engraved on the underside, presumably as a token of their love.

She played the zither and smiled.

Suddenly, Xuanji said, "If the young mistress has no further instructions, then I shall take my leave."

Suddenly reminded of the woman playing the pipa at Fuxiang Pavilion and Xiao Yanran, he stopped Xuanji and asked, "Does the young master often go to Fuxiang Pavilion to see Xiao Yanran?"

Xuanji answered, "Yes." After a slight pause, she continued, "It's not just Xiao Yanran, but also Feng Yinu of Zuihua Tower, Qiu Yaxian of Yaoyue Pavilion, Liu Yuemei of Hanyun Courtyard, and others."

She remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "You may leave."

Xuanji turned and went out, but stopped abruptly at the door. She turned back and slowly added, "But he never lets anyone stay overnight."

"

Unexpectedly, Wang Pang had already returned under the moonlight. Upon hearing Xuanji's words at the door, he immediately laughed and asked, "Is someone trying to find out about me behind my back?"

Xuanji smiled slightly, gave a curtsy, and left.

He strode in, tall and elegant, showing no signs of drunkenness. Pang Di glanced at him, neither denying it nor denying it, and said, "Instead of keeping it bottled up and overthinking, it's better to just ask directly."

Wang Pang sat down, put his arm around her waist, and asked, "Is it clear now?"

Pang Di nodded.

Wang Pang asked again, "Aren't you afraid I'll go out and have affairs again?"

Pang Di laughed and said he wasn't afraid.

Wang Pang deliberately shook his head and said, "My wife is wrong! Do you think there won't be any problems if I don't stay overnight? You should know that transgressions in relationships are even more hurtful. Aren't you afraid I'll develop feelings for them?"

"Don't be afraid!" Pang Di suddenly reached out and hugged him, looking up into his eyes, and said, word by word, "Pang, I've already locked you in my heart, so you have nowhere to go, nowhere to send your message!"

Then she hugged him tightly, pressed her head against his chest, smelled the fragrance on his clothes, and listened to his increasingly rapid heartbeat. She felt helplessly moved by this man once again.

Wang Pang sat there blankly, gazing at the clear moonlight before him, speechless.

After a long while, Wang Pang suddenly pulled her up, pointed to the zither on the table, and softly asked her, "Does my wife like it?"

"I like it," Pang Di replied with a smile, but then said to him, "You've said that the Emperor is extravagant in rewarding his officials. If you're so extravagant and frequently buy antiques, people might use this to say that you're a beneficiary of the Emperor's extravagant rewards."