Une jeunesse errante

Chapitre 11

Cai Bo'an frowned. "I already know about this. How about this, I'll trouble Steward Zhou to show me around today."

Chief Steward Zhou said happily, "I am willing to serve the Great Law Enforcement Officer. Please."

"Great Enforcer!" Kiyomi Tsuki exclaimed urgently, "I want to see Feiyun!"

“Go ahead,” however, before Cai Bo’an could finish speaking, Qing Jian Yue cheered and, with the white fox, dashed out of the living room like a wild colt. Cai Bo’an felt a headache coming on. “That kid, I hadn’t even finished speaking and he was already gone. Now I finally understand why he’s still not married at twenty-three. If he stays like a child forever, I really don’t know which family would be willing to marry their daughter to him.”

Cai Zhonghe burst into laughter, and Steward Zhou and Zhou Jie laughed along with him.

It took them a whole day to quickly survey the pasture. When they returned in the evening, the Cai brothers and the Zhou father and son were surprised to find that Qing Jianyue had not only tamed the unruly white horse, but was also riding on its back with pride, playing and frolicking with the white fox running on the grassland.

Cai Zhonghe laughed and said, "This kid, he really did tame that wild horse."

Zhou Jie smiled and said, "He's really amazing. Fei Yun is stubborn and arrogant, and he won't obey anyone's orders. I never expected that he would be so obedient to him."

Zhou Peng stroked his beard and pondered, "Young Master Jianyue possesses an alluring charm that makes people, whether human or animal, want to get close to him. I think that's why Feiyun is willing to be close to him."

Everyone gazed at the laughing figure of a man, a horse, and a fox in the distance, bathed in the glow of the setting sun on the vast grassland. In that instant, that scene became an eternally beautiful landscape in their hearts. Just then, Kiyomizuki saw them and generously gave them his brightest smile, waving and cheering. Overjoyed, everyone spurred their horses towards him.

Back at the guest house, Cai Bo'an took a bath to wash away the day's fatigue and sweat, then changed into clean clothes. Entering the living room, he saw Cai Zhonghe carrying a box of pastries, making Qing Jianyue chase after him like a puppy. Cai Bo'an couldn't help but smile, temporarily putting his worries aside. Just as he was preparing dinner, Grandma Cai returned and told him about Yang Xueli's situation, which was quite dire.

Cai Bo'an remained silent, his gaze shifting to Qing Jianyue, who was clutching a box of pastries in both hands, smiling as if she had found a treasure. He thought to himself: I really don't understand why the Lord of the Fortress sent him along. He's like a child who never grew up; what help can he possibly be? Does the Lord of the Fortress not trust me and has ordered him to monitor me? Thinking of this, Cai Bo'an felt both sad and disheartened. After pondering for a long time, he said, "Jianyue, come and sit here for a while."

Kiyomi Tsuki walked over, looking rather silly, carrying a box of snacks. "Great Enforcer, what are your orders?"

"I dare not give orders, please sit down and let's talk." Cai Bo'an beckoned him to sit down. "This time, we are acting on the orders of the fortress lord to invite Yongxiang to take over the position of the third lord. Alas, as you have seen, now that Miss Yang is ill, it's like adding insult to injury. I'm afraid it will be difficult to persuade Yongxiang again."

Kiyomi Tsuki nodded. "There's nothing we can do about it."

Cai Bo'an said with concern, "I have failed the lord's high expectations."

"You mean we can't get Lei Yongxiang to come?" Qingjian Yue asked.

Cai Bo'an nodded with a worried expression.

Cai Zhonghe could no longer hold back, "I've advised you before, but you just wouldn't listen."

"Uncle, please stop talking." Grandma Cai looked at her husband with heartache but also helplessness.

Qingjian Yue gazed thoughtfully at the Cai family, who were shrouded in gloom. Suddenly, he realized a crucial problem and couldn't help but shout, startling the Cai family. "This is terrible! Terrible! Terrible!" he cried out three times in a row, then circled around the Cai family.

Cai Zhonghe angrily said, "What's wrong with you, kid? Explain yourself!"

"Before I came, the lord said that if I couldn't get Lei Yongxiang to come, my entire month's salary would be docked." Qing Jianyue cried out, "Eight thousand taels! And not silver, but gold. Ouch! Ouch!"

Cai Zhonghe asked suspiciously, "Eight thousand taels of gold? Jianyue, is your monthly salary really that high?"

"It's embarrassing to tell you, but I'm not afraid to tell you," Qing Jian Yue sighed. The little white fox jumped onto his lap and opened its sharp little snout to bite. Qing Jian Yue pushed it away, still clutching the snack box tightly, "Go away, go away, Master hasn't eaten yet."

"Kiyoshi." Cai Zhonghe gritted his teeth, looking ready to punch him.

Kiyomi Tsuki swayed her head and began to sing, "On a crisp and bright morning, I took my beloved little fox to enjoy the beautiful summer scenery."

Accompanied by its owner's song, the little fox wagged its tail, looking so happy.

"Qing Jianyue, pick out the important points for me to talk about," Cai Zhonghe said irritably. "Otherwise, I'll beat you up."

"One hundred thousand taels of gold!" Kiyomi Tsuki immediately said.

Yes, 100,000 taels of gold—for a poor person, possessing such a large sum of money is undoubtedly like entering paradise. Qing Jianyue gambled with Lu Qingcheng for these 100,000 taels of gold.

A wealthy man was marrying off his daughter, and the lavish dowry caused a sensation throughout Fengcheng. Qing Jianyue made a bet with Lu Qingcheng: if he could steal the bride from Lu Qingcheng first, he would win. If he won, he would keep 100,000 taels of gold; if he lost, he would have to serve as Lu Qingcheng's personal bodyguard for a year to repay the bet. Of course, after the year, he could leave Lu Family Manor, return to his freedom, and still receive the 100,000 taels of gold. However, if his salary was deducted in the meantime, his time as a bodyguard would be extended until he had paid off his gambling debt.

Grandma Cai asked in surprise, "You really went to steal the bride?"

Cai Zhonghe shrugged and said, "If I hadn't gone, why would I be sitting here today?"

“The handsome older brother is still the smartest.” Qingjian Yue recounted vividly, “That night, I sneaked up into the boudoir of a wealthy young lady in the dark. As soon as I entered the room, I bumped my head with a thud, and my eyes lit up. A cute little crow flew around my head and cawed.”

Cai Zhonghe teased him, "Brother, take good care of yourself and your health."

Kiyoshi said angrily, "The house is pitch black. Even a habitual thief like you would bump into the roof beams, let alone me."

Cai Zhonghe stared wide-eyed.

"It was too dark, so I could only wave my hands wildly." Qingjian Yue gestured. "Just when I was getting anxious, I suddenly saw a golden light not far away. I was overjoyed, ran over, hoisted my bride onto my back, and then dashed downstairs. I happily carried my bride on my back, singing a little tune, and ran through street after street until I got back to my place. I lit the lamp, ready to take a good look at how much gold my bride was carrying. But when I saw it, I was terrified."

Cai Zhonghe teased him, "What's wrong? Don't you think the bride isn't wearing enough gold?"

Kiyoshi Tsuki said with a worried look, "No, it's not that. There's plenty of gold, but the person isn't the bride."

Grandma Cai asked urgently, "Who is that?"

Cai Bo'an also looked very interested.

Kiyoshi said with a mournful face, "It was that eighty-year-old grandmother from the bride's family, with white hair and a face full of goosebumps, who grinned at me with a terrifyingly cold smile."

The Cai family stared wide-eyed at first, but quickly came to their senses. Cai Zhonghe burst into laughter that almost lifted the roof off, rubbing his stomach when it hurt from laughing so much, but he still laughed. Cai's eldest wife laughed so hard she fell onto her husband. Cai Bo'an didn't even bother to wipe away the tears from the corners of his eyes as he helped his wife sit down, and then he laughed again.

Laughter is the most contagious sound. The Cai family laughed, forgetting all their worries. Only Qing Jianyue didn't laugh. Her eyes were clear and bright, her two black-blue pupils like stars in the distant night sky, shimmering with a mysterious and beautiful light.

Just as the laughter was reaching its peak in the living room, Fang Runmin entered. Seeing the scene, he was bewildered; what had made them so happy? The laughter gradually subsided, and Cai Bo'an straightened his makeup, composed himself, and then asked the question.

"What is it, Runmin?"

"Huh?" Fang Runmin snapped out of his daze and hurriedly said, "I heard from Da Fang that Master Lei is heading this way in a rage for some reason. Judging from the situation, he'll be here soon."

Before he finished speaking, Lei Yongxiang strode in. He bowed and said, "Brother Bo'an, sister-in-law, please forgive my rudeness. Oh, Zhonghe."