Chapter 65: Something That Must Be Done

  Good things come to those who wait

  The young servant saw that although they didn't have a famous family crest, the carriage was only an ordinary black lacquer one, but their attendants were dressed in luxurious attire and had an air of superiority unique to wealthy families. He didn't dare be slow, smiled and said "Please wait a moment", hastily went in to announce them.

  Soon, Pong Baobao, wearing a light purple velvet cheongsam, led out a young man of about twenty years old, wearing an olive green changshan.

  He saw Ying Fen, and didn't show a surprised expression, but instead very respectfully bowed towards the carriage: "I don't know if it's Miss Shen who has arrived, I apologize for not welcoming you from afar, I apologize for not welcoming you from afar!" As he spoke, he turned his head to scold the little servant beside him: "Quickly open the door."

  Shen Mu Qing couldn't help but smile bitterly.

  It seems like everyone in Xiao's family knows about this matter!

  That proud Xiao, also didn't know how to face the curious and guessing gazes of those people, as well as their whispered discussions...

  The young men who came with Pongde Bao went to hold up the threshold. The carriage then rolled in with a rumble.

  After getting down from the wall, the old woman who came with the car took a stool and helped Shen Muqing get off the carriage.

  "Is your young master at home?" Shen Muqing asked as she followed Pang Debao through the second gate.

  Pang Debao accompanied with a smile: "Young master read books until dawn yesterday and just fell asleep. I have already asked Bao Liang to invite him."

  It was reading until dawn. Or it was with Tou Xiaoque's madness that lasted till daybreak... Shen Mu Qing smiled faintly and went to the main room.

  "Miss, why don't you go to the east room to serve tea? That's the young master's study. It's very elegant."

  Shen Mu Qing didn't even give him a glance, and walked straight forward.

  Yesterday had just snowed. The branches of the high catalpa tree in the courtyard still had a few remaining snowflakes. A gust of wind blew over, and they fell down like scattered flowers.

  Shen Mu Qing raised her head and puffed out her chest, exuding an air of confidence as she strode through the courtyard.

  Pang Debo wiped the sweat from his forehead and followed, making gestures to a little maid standing beside the crimson soft curtain of the main house.

  Shen Muqing saw it in her eyes, without changing her expression or tone, and quickened her pace, taking two steps up onto the platform.

  The little maid hastily rolled up the curtain.

  Yingfen had already pulled aside the curtain and personally lifted it high.

  Shen Mu Qing entered the house.

  The main hall of the five-room house was divided into one bright and two dark areas by a screen made of celadon-colored silk. In the central hall, there was a painting of Zhong Kui, the king of ghosts, hanging on the wall. On the black-lacquered long table, there were a potted landscape made of Yunying stone and a vase from Ru kiln. The black-lacquered square table had two armchairs placed on either side, with half-new, half-old blue silk cushions embroidered with five bats holding longevity peaches, arranged in a simple yet elegant manner.

  Shen Muqing looked at Pang Debao with a smile that was not quite a smile.

  Pang Debao smiled wryly and said, "Miss Shen, please sit for a while? I'll go see if the young master is awake." After finishing speaking, he didn't even bother to greet Shen Muqing, and lifted the soft curtain of the eastern room before slipping inside.

  Someone brought her tea with a red lacquer tray.

  Her ten fingers were slender and green like scallions.

  Shen Mu's heart skipped a beat as he saw a face as white and pure as a lotus.

  Fifteen or sixteen years old, with curved willow-leaf eyebrows, clear and quiet eyes, wearing a moon-white chrysanthemum-buttoned jacket with a mandarin collar, a lake-green embroidered skirt, slender and delicate in figure, with a somewhat weak and gentle demeanor.

  She gently placed the tea cup in front of Shen Muqing: "Miss, please have some tea."

  Is it Lingzhi or Yunzhi? Or neither...

  Shen Muqing smiled and took over the tea cup, lightly sipping a mouthful, but her eyes inadvertently swept across the lake-colored cheongsam with a hint of curiosity.

  A pair of emerald green cloud-head shoes with pointed toes poked out.

  "Three-inch golden lotus just half open..."

  That sentence full of charm suddenly flashed through Shen Muqing's mind, and she was suddenly stunned.

  The woman had already put away the tea tray and walked over to one side with a gentle swaying of her body.

  The house was quiet, with occasional indistinct whispers coming from the east room.

  The people in the main house were even more silent and holding their breath.

  "What's wrong with saying it!" A cold voice suddenly rang out, "Just tell her I don't want to see her!"

  Apart from Shen Muqing, everyone else in the house had a drastic change in expression.

  The woman who handed Shen Muqing tea was even more surprised on her face, and she looked up to measure Shen Muqing's expression.

  Just then, Shen Muqing had a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, one hand on his knee and the other on the square table, slowly standing up.

  The voice was clear and calm, not as vague as she had imagined after experiencing life and death...

  Just don't want to see her again.

  It was just that I was too self-righteous... everyone has their own life and doesn't need her interference.

  She thought of that proud red-clothed young man who had once opened his heart to her, and those words that were stuck in her throat still couldn't help but be spoken.

  "Shhh!" Her voice echoed in the room, neither high nor low, with an unusual calmness. "Life is yours. Even if I have a thousand mistakes and ten thousand faults, whether it's enjoying the temple or being written into history, it's all yours. Being mediocre and useless is also yours..."

  They say the weather in June is like a child's temper, and today's weather is also like a child's temper. The sun that just peeked out its head is now hiding somewhere, the sky is rolling with dark clouds like overturned ink, and the whole world has darkened.

  It's going to snow!

  Shen Muqing stood on the steps of the main hall of Chaoxitang.

  Spaced out for a while.

  That's it!

  Life's bitterness is like the first meeting, what autumn wind sorrowfully draws on a fan?

  Some things, once lost, are lost forever...

  She has more important things to do.

  Li's illness, the Liang family wedding... and what she worried about most was still the sword of Town An Wang hanging over everyone's head.

  If Shen's plan fails, then his life won't be long either!

  Shen Mu Qing took a deep breath and quietly entered the house.

  Mr. Li held a thick account book in his hand and was concentrating on it.

  Upon hearing the noise, she merely glanced up and swept her eyes over them before calmly flipping to the next page of the ledger, asking in a casual tone, "Is there anything else that hasn't been taken care of?"

  He was stunned and silent for a long time, without making a sound.

  Li looked at the account book in his hand with a smile.

  Looking at Mrs. Li's haggard face, Shen Muqing lost his smile: "Madam, is there anything else you don't know?"

  Li smiled with a chuckle.

  Shen Mu Qing sat down beside Li Shi, embracing her arm and leaning on her shoulder: "Will there be a day when I'll become as wise as you?"

  Mrs. Li gently patted her daughter's head: "Foolish child, gaining such wisdom comes at a cost - all mothers hope their children don't gain such wisdom."

  "But then you wouldn't have such wisdom!" Shen Muqing laughed, "Madam, was I a headache for you when I was young?"

  "Hmm." Li burst out laughing, "Very stubborn, always having many strange and peculiar ideas..." Li's face showed a sweet smile as he reminisced about the past.

  Outside, it started snowing sparsely.

  Qin Tianjian said Shen Muqing and Liang Jimin's eight characters and five elements are compatible, a match made in heaven.

  The next day, Wang Shi, the aunt of Liang Jiemin and the lady of Qinghou Mansion, brought back a red couplet with Shen Muqing's eight characters written in gold on mud, which was pasted on the door. The Liang family asked the astrologer to choose a good day and on November 16th at Chen time, according to Jiangnan customs, they sent a silver ingot with snowflake pattern and a red golden ruyi to Shen's house, symbolizing "everything goes as desired". They also brought twenty-four trays of eight-colored fruits and tea.

  Liang's family received the gift of tea from Teadefu and entertained Mrs. Liu and Madame Feng with wine.

  The banquet was set up in the east wing, with four hot dishes, four cold dishes, four paired dishes, four large bowls, four medium bowls, and four small bowls. Then, four barbecue dishes, four cold vegetarian dishes, eight savory pastries, and eight sweet pastries were also served.

  Mrs. Liu pointed with a ebony chopstick at the butter lamp and smiled: "Madam Shen is going to treat us to a royal feast."

  Mr. Li personally poured a glass of Golden Radius Dew for Mrs. Liu Jin: "You two have worked hard, just to show some gratitude with food and drink!"

  When it was time for Feng Wang to pour wine, Feng Wang insisted on not accepting and instead took the wine pot from Li's hand and poured a cup for Li: "I know Madam has taken medicine and can't drink. I'm pouring this cup also to show my respect - speaking of which, if we were one family now!"

  Li was taken aback, and Madame Liu slapped her forehead, saying: "Yes, yes, this wine must be respected, it must be respected!"

  Li smiled and said: "Since that's the case, I'll accept this cup." As she spoke, she picked up her teacup and took a small sip.

  Mrs. Feng was slightly taken aback and said with emotion: "Madam is too kind to me!"

  Li smiled and pulled Feng Wang's hand: "A family doesn't speak two languages."

  Madam Feng nodded repeatedly and handed a piece of crab meat to Madam Li, saying: "Since you see through me, I won't say those polite words. I think, while you're still in good spirits, why not set the date early?"

  Li was taken aback.

  Madam Liu also nodded on the side: "Yes, yes. With the New Year approaching, there are many things to do in the imperial court. The emperor also said that he wants to send a university scholar from the cabinet to comfort the troops in the northwest... At that time, Lord Shen will probably be busy running around. It's better to settle it down early."

  Li said slowly: "Mu Qing is still young... and also Ji Min will participate in the imperial examination, I originally planned to wait a few more years."

  Madam Liu and Madame Feng exchanged a swift glance.

  Feng Wang didn't say a word, picked up a steamed dumpling with shrimp filling and took a light bite.

  Liu Jin's wife smiled and said, "It's precisely because Ji Min is going to take the imperial examination that we should settle down earlier. As the saying goes, 'Establish a family before establishing a career.' If you can't even establish a family, how can you establish a career?"

  Mr. Li's expression still had several hesitant looks.

  Mrs. Liu smiled and said, "As the matchmaker for the bride's family, I naturally understand the feelings of a mother. To say something that might not be pleasant to hear, Mu Qing is indeed a bit young."

  "Feng Wang smiled and said: 'Who says it's not? It's just that this was entrusted to me by the old lady, and I must get a word from Shen Tai for her sake.'"

  Li smiled and said: "Since it's the old lady who said it, let me think about it."

  Mrs. Feng was about to say something, when Mrs. Liu placed a piece of seven-color frozen fragrant rice cake in Mrs. Feng's small dish: "Try some, this is learned from the Imperial Kitchen. It is said that every time the Imperial Kitchen makes this dish, the Empress Dowager always adds an extra bowl of porridge."

  The topic was dropped and never brought up again.

  Vagabond reprinted: lkmp

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  Chapter 65: What Must Be Done