Chapter 104: New Jade Candle (I)
It was a golden lotus root hairpin.
The lotus flowers are in clusters, and the lotus pods and leaves are lifelike.
Almost the moment Ni Su saw it, she immediately remembered that her mother seemed to have a similar gold hairpin.
She remembered that she often saw her mother wearing it when she was a child, but as she and her brother grew up, and with the unexpected death of her father, her mother's clothes became more plain, and her gold and silver jewelry became less exquisite.
The snow falls on the golden hairpin, as crystal clear as grains of salt.
Ni Su came back to his senses and looked up at the well-dressed Deputy Envoy Zhou in front of him. "Even if the emperor's order has not yet been issued, what you are doing, Lord Zhou, is tantamount to opposing the Huang family."
"You don't have to worry about this,"
Zhou Ting looked at her. He was used to being silent, but today he wanted to say more to her. "Miss Ni, my mother has been to your clinic before, and you two have already met. I asked my mother to hastily prepare these betrothal gifts. She said that if it weren't for an emergency, she wouldn't want to interrupt you. We will discuss the etiquette tomorrow."
Ni Su still vaguely remembered that lady.
But after a moment, she took a step back. Under Zhou Ting's dim gaze, she put her hands on her waist and bent her knees slightly, "I'm sorry, Master Zhou."
Zhou Ting tightened and unclenched his knuckles around the golden hairpin.
He should have stopped there, but he couldn't help but blurt out, "Why?"
Ni Su thought for a moment and asked him, "Master Xiao Zhou, do you still remember that I found two silver needles at the gate of Wu's mansion and gave them to you?"
"Remember."
"If I ask you again now, can I cure Wu Dai's epilepsy, will your answer still be the same?"
The cold fog was thick, snow fell on his shoulders, Zhou Ting stood up straight, and said, "Yes."
"But Miss Ni, I don't look down on your medical skills. I just don't want you to get involved in those disputes, and I don't want you to have a hard time. I don't want to restrict you based on the difference between men and women. My original intention is to protect you."
The torrent is strong, and those who go against the current will definitely have a hard time.
But she didn't have to work so hard.
Ni Su put her hands in her sleeves, but they were still very stiff and cold. Snowflakes were all over her temples. She looked at the young man in front of her and smiled, "Then, your answer is also my answer."
"Thank you, Master Xiao Zhou."
She said seriously.
He was someone who was willing to protect her from the wind and rain, but he was not someone who would share the wind and rain with her.
Zhou Ting was silent for a moment, then took back the hairpin. The wind filled his sleeves, and he said calmly, "The emperor's order should come down soon. You and I can only pretend to get married first and then divorce after a year. This is the only way to escape this disaster."
“No need.”
Zhou Ting's eyes showed a hint of surprise, "Then what are you going to do? Are you really going to marry Huang Li? Miss Ni, he..."
"no."
Ni Su shook her head. "Mr. Huang is the Mr. of the West Mansion. Besides, there is also a noble concubine in the palace. If I marry you, Mr. Zhou, even if it is fake, I will definitely make you upset with the concubine and Mr. Huang. You come to help me to be prepared and withstand pressure from all sides, but I cannot put you in danger because of my selfishness."
"I won't marry anyone."
The red silk was removed from the boxes and crates that were moved into the back corridor, and they were moved out again. The matchmaker did not show up again. Zhou Ting turned around and was about to go out of the main hall, but suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at the woman who was wrapped in a thick fur cloak but still had a slender figure. He could not help but ask with concern, "Can you do it yourself?"
If she refuses his help and relies solely on herself, can she escape from the marriage that the Empress in the Palace wants to force on her?
"I can."
Ni Su said.
Zhou Ting hummed, and swallowed down any more words he wanted to say. Finally, he only said, "If you have any difficulties, you must come to the Night Office to find me."
After Zhou Ting and the others left, Qing Qiong came over from the stable and said, "Miss Ni, if you don't pretend to marry Deputy Envoy Zhou, how are you going to reject the Huang family's marriage proposal?"
"Are you going to cut off your hair and become a nun?!"
Qingqiong was very frightened.
"What nun?" Ni Su smiled and shook her head. "Qingqiong, go and pick up some of our oranges. I remember there is a ginseng I need to find."
"Where are you going?"
Qingqiong was confused.
As Ni Su walked into the room, she said, "The plaque sent by Mr. Huang is so useful. If I don't pay him a visit, wouldn't it be rude?"
There were candles lit in the room, and offerings were piled on the incense table. Ni Su looked at the empty medicine basket for a moment, then she took the beast bead with her and went to look for ginseng.
This winter was exceptionally cold. Huang Zongyu returned home in his own sedan chair after court. At his age, he was often tired. Even if he sat in the room and the servants added charcoal several times, the cold air would penetrate into his bones.
"My Lord, is this really what the Emperor meant?"
Huang Zongyu's wife, Lin, was serving beside him. "I heard that Miss Ni is just an orphan from Que County, from a humble family. How can she be a good match for our Erlang?"
"You only think Erlang is a treasure. He is so old, but he still makes trouble for me every day." Huang Zongyu half-closed his eyes and took a sip of tea. "That young lady Ni is a weak woman, and she dares to treat illnesses and save lives in a place like Yongzhou. If it weren't for the doctors like us, the soldiers and civilians in Yongzhou would have been infected by the plague cattle used by Yelu Zhen and died of the disease! Moreover, you still use words like "small family" and "unworthy" to belittle the young lady who is praised so highly by Shen Tongchuan. It's really not right."
"It was my fault."
Lin lowered his head.
Huang Zongyu raised his eyelids and glanced at her, "Listen to my advice. Her marriage to our family will only bring us benefits and no harm. First, it will be a favor to the emperor and the queen. Second, I didn't express my position on the Yongzhou matter before. If Erlang marries her, the Censorate will have fewer memorials to impeach me."
"My Lord is right. It is I who have not considered your difficulties," Lin's eyebrows were gentle. She raised her hand to signal the maid who was massaging Huang Zongyu's legs to leave. She stepped forward and massaged his legs herself. "Think carefully, if Erlang's five concubines were not suppressed by his wife, they would not be a problem. They are all troublesome. Now that Miss Ni has entered the house, I will feel more relaxed."
The old couple was talking when they heard the insider report: "Master, there is a young lady named Ni who wants to see you. She is the young lady Ni for whom you personally wrote the inscription and presented the plaque."
"Talk about Cao Cao,"
Huang Zongyu stood up and laughed, "Cao Cao is really here? Please invite her in!"
Ni Su came alone. It was a cold day, so she did not bring Qingqiong with her. She only carried a basket of oranges and a box of ginseng, and followed the eunuch of the Huang Mansion, passing through the spacious and elegant courtyard. On the way, servants were sweeping snow at the end of the swaying green pine branches.
Huang Zongyu was warming himself by the fire in the main hall. When he saw the eunuch bringing the woman wrapped in a rabbit fur cloak up the stairs, he immediately said, "Quick, let Miss Ni come in to warm herself by the fire, don't let her catch a cold."
Ni Su bowed and saluted as she entered, "Ni Su, meet Mr. Huang."
Lin was sitting on one side, looking at the woman calmly. She was polite, not shy, had a graceful demeanor, and looked unexpectedly good.
However, her dress was snow-white, and she had only pearls in her black hair.
"Meet the madam."
When Ni Su saw her, although no one had reminded her, he knew what was going on when he saw the maids surrounding the woman.
"Miss Ni, please sit down. Someone, bring the tea."
Lin gave her a faint smile and then gave instructions to the maid beside her.
Ni Su handed the oranges and ginseng to the Neizhi, and sat down in front of the charcoal brazier. "I came here today to thank Mr. Huang for the plaque and inscription."
"Why thank you, young lady?"
Huang Zongyu rested her hands on her knees with a smile on her face, "To be praised by Shen Zhizhou, I know you are not an ordinary woman. Everything you have done for the soldiers and civilians in Yongzhou has been seen by the emperor and I have seen it too."
"Mr. Huang, you may not know that my clinic was very deserted before," Ni Su took the tea bowl from the maid and held it in both hands, "It was the plaque you gave me that made my clinic what it is today."
"How can this be my credit? Now the people of Yunjing all know about your righteous deed in Yongzhou, Miss Ni." Huang Zongyu's beard was gray and trembled slightly as he spoke.
Mrs. Lin was standing by, staring at Ni Su's clothes. "Miss Ni, are you still in mourning?"
She was too plainly dressed.
"My mother passed away, and I have been in mourning for her for a year and a half."
Ni Su said.
Lin's expression eased a little. In Da Qi, women had to observe mourning for one to three years, but in fact, they could get married after one year.
“But it wasn’t just for my mother.”
Ni Su lowered her eyes and stared at her snow-white sleeves.
Huang Zongyu paused while drinking his tea and raised his eyes. "What do you mean?"
"Have you, Mr. Huang, heard about Mr. Ni's story?"
Ni Su held the tea bowl all the time but did not drink.
Huang Zongyu nodded when he heard the name "Master Ni". "Of course. The military report from Yongzhou and the memorial of Prefect Shen clearly stated that the reason why Yongzhou City was able to be defended was thanks to Master Ni. It's just that he..."
"He's dead."
Ni Su took over his words.
Huang Zongyu immediately sensed something unusual in her words and stared at the woman.
Despite being stared at with such a sharp gaze by the Western Palace minister, Ni Su still appeared very calm, "I am observing mourning and also maintaining my chastity."
"Be filial to your mother and guard her."
The gentle smile on Huang Zongyu's face had disappeared, "You will keep your loyalty for Master Ni?"
"I followed Master Ni to Yongzhou. Although we are not married, we are engaged."
"Who can prove it?"
"General Qin of Yongzhou, Commander Yang, Commander Wei, and even every Yongzhou person who has met Master Ni and me can testify to this."
Ni Su stated calmly, "They all know that Master Ni and I are inseparable. When Master Ni was General Qin's staff member and lived in the military camp, I was also by his side."
"He died for his country and his people. Although he and I are only engaged, I think it is my duty to remain faithful to him for three years."
Lin was so shocked that she couldn't speak.
The main hall was almost dead silent, with only the occasional crackling sound from the charcoal basin. Outside, the wind and snow were getting stronger. Huang Zongyu looked at the young woman intently for a while, and said, "Indeed, she should."
"Thanks to Mr. Huang for writing the inscription for me. Now I often have patients in my clinic , so I won't bother you for now."
Ni Su smiled slightly, put the tea bowl aside, stood up, and bowed to Huang Zongyu and Lin, "Ni Su will take his leave now."
Huang Zongyu watched her turn around and walk out the door. He suddenly said, "Wait."
Ni Su stopped and turned around.
"The Hanlin Academy is discussing the posthumous title for Master Ni, but we don't know where Master Ni came from, nor do we know his real name. Miss Ni, can you tell us?"
Huang Zongyu sat in a folding chair and looked at her.
"I met Master Ni in Yunjing. I didn't ask about his past, but I do know his real name." The cold wind blew in the courtyard, and Ni Su's snow-white skirt fluttered slightly. She met Huang Zongyu's gaze, "His name is Xu Jing'an."
Jing'an, Jing'an.
As soon as Ni Su was led out by the inner court, Lin stood up and walked to Huang Zongyu's side, "Master, is she crazy? She has been keeping a chastity for three years for an unmarried man. I think she is only sixteen or seventeen years old, but how old will she be in three years? By then, will it be easy for her to find someone else?"
Ni Su left the Huang Mansion. Although the snowflakes brushing against her cheeks were cold, they made her feel refreshed. She wrapped her cloak tightly and walked back to Nanhuai Street. From a distance, she saw a burly man carrying a woman into her clinic. Following behind was Miss Zhang in a red dress.
Ni Su hurried back and as soon as she entered the main hall, she heard Miss Zhang crying.
"Miss Ni, please save my mother!"
When Miss Zhang saw her, she cried out with sobs.
Ni Su immediately asked the man to help Zhang Xiaoniangzi's mother to the bamboo bed behind the screen. The woman's face was pale, but she was still conscious.
After some trouble, Ni Su was sure that her mother was just angry for a moment. She wrote a prescription and gave it to Miss Zhang to get the medicine. She also used the medicine to treat the scratch on her mother's forehead.
"My marriage is not going to work out."
Zhang Xiaoniang's neighbor went to get the medicine, while Zhang Xiaoniang sat with Ni Su, looking sad. "We had originally agreed that his family would allow me to bring my mother with me, but I didn't expect that today when I was trying on wedding dresses at home, his mother came to my house and ridiculed my mother for a long time. She also complained that my family was poor and I didn't have much dowry... My mother got angry and started arguing with her. Then I realized that he lied to me and he didn't tell his parents about this at all!"
Miss Zhang cried, "He just wants to marry me first! If he says he doesn't want my mother to go, I can't regret it even if I want to!"
"I originally thought that since my mother and I couldn't make ends meet , marrying into his family would also make my mother's life easier. But if he wants me to abandon my mother, I might as well not marry!"
Ni Su reached out and gently stroked her back. "If you don't want to get married, then don't get married. If you feel that life is hard, Qingqiong is the only one busy here. If you come to help, I will pay you."
Miss Zhang moved her hands away from her face, raised her tearful eyes and looked at the woman in front of her, "Miss Ni...thank you."
"Miss Ni, come and have dinner!"
Qingqiong came running from behind with a bowl of hot noodle soup, "You haven't eaten much all day."
Ni Su responded and stood up, but she felt the beast bead on her waist suddenly became very hot, and then her eyes went dark. She staggered and vaguely heard Qingqiong and Miss Zhang shouting, and then she knew nothing.
Qingqiong and Miss Zhang hurriedly helped her to the back, and asked Afang's father, who ran the drugstore opposite, to come and take a look. Although Afang's father ran a drugstore, he was not unfamiliar with medicine. He knew that Ni Su was just tired, so Qingqiong and Miss Zhang both breathed a sigh of relief.
Miss Zhang did not dare to leave. She placed her mother on the bamboo bed in the main hall at the front and ran back and forth, sometimes taking care of her mother and sometimes coming to see Ni Su.
The young man named Qingqiong looked a little strange. Miss Zhang didn't dare to talk to him at first, but when she saw him carrying out a wooden box covered with wet mud from somewhere, she couldn't help but ask, "Brother Qingqiong, what is that?"
"have no idea."
Qingqiong stared at the box.
After Ni Su went to the Huang Mansion, he found the box when he was at home. However, Miss Zhang brought her mother here, and Ni Su was busy, so he forgot about it.
Until the moon was at its zenith, Qingqiong brought many candles and quickly lit the candle that Ni Su had lit, but he didn't know whether this would be of any use to Xu Hexue.
Ni Su sat up suddenly.
Qingqiong, who was lighting the candle, and Miss Zhang, who was dozing off beside the bed, were both startled.
"Miss Ni?"
Miss Zhang called out tentatively.
Ni Su seemed to have suddenly recovered. Her shoulders slumped and she gasped for breath. Qing Qiong saw that something was wrong with her and asked with concern, "What's wrong with you? Where do you feel uncomfortable?"
Ni Su shook her head.
She pinched her swollen forehead and her eyes fell on Miss Zhang's scarlet sleeves, "Miss Zhang."
She suddenly raised her head, her eyelids slightly red, soaked with tears. Miss Zhang was stunned for a moment, but she heard her hoarse voice, "Can I borrow your clothes?"
The cold moonlight spread all over the ground, illuminating the crystal snow and the swaying shadows of the trees.
Xu Hexue didn't know where he was. The sky was as dark as ink and he could no longer see anything. He sat in the shade of a tree covered with ice and snow.
It was quiet all around, with only the sound of wind and snow.
He half-closed his eyes, and everything in front of him was dark, but in his mind he saw a box tied with red silk, and a man in a crimson official uniform with an upright posture standing in the corridor, handing a golden hairpin to the woman.
He saw her, wrapped in a fluffy cloak, looking up at the person in front of her, and staring at the golden hairpin in his hand for a long time.
Xu Hexue suddenly closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it anymore.
The flying dust showed that he was always restless and he could not suppress his thoughts.
The snow on the dead branches was blown into his lapels and cuffs by the wind. He was completely unaware that his temperature was actually colder than this bleak winter.
Ghosts do not need sleep like humans.
But at this moment, Xu Hexue really hoped that he could fall asleep for a moment, even just for a moment.
There should be nothing in the dream, so he won’t think of anything.
The rustling sound of footsteps on the snow came from far away and became closer, just like the dream he expected. However, as the sound of footsteps got closer, a blurry light appeared before his eyes.
He suddenly opened his eyes.
A warm yellow light was cast, and the light and shadow made the snow crystal clear. It was a glass lamp, and the tassels collided with each other and made a crisp sound. The woman holding the lantern was dressed in a bright red dress. She ran in a hurry, and the shawl on her body was blown away by the wind, but she didn't care and just held the lantern. When Xu Hexue saw her approaching, he saw that she was holding an armful of incense and candles.
He was in the shade of the tree, staring at her closely.
Ghosts, maybe they really do dream.
The beast bead hanging in the air stopped moving. Ni Su had sweat on her temples. She raised her head and found Yingchen jumping around in the dark shade of the trees.
They float like fireflies.
Ni Su walked closer step by step, and found his blood-stained clothes in the shade of the tree, and met his eyes.
Xu Hexue looked at her. It seemed that she had used some makeup powder and even her eyebrows were carefully drawn. Such a carefully made outfit made her look even more radiant and dazzling than usual.
She was wearing a wedding dress, but she appeared here.
"Not getting married?"
He suddenly spoke.
Ni Su was startled, and then she remembered the box covered in dirt, "Yes."
She said.
Xu Hexue tightened his jaw, turned his face away and didn't want to talk to her anymore.
However, the girl under the tree looked up at him and said, "If I don't come to find you, will you leave alone?"
"no."
He pursed his lips, but after a moment, he couldn't help but answer her, "I said that if this day comes, I will not leave without saying goodbye."
He was talking about this day.
Ni Su's nose felt sore, but she smiled, "Then what are you hiding here for?"
Xu Hexue still didn't look at her, "I just want to wait until it's a little brighter before I go see you."
Ni Su didn't say anything, but watched the sparkling moonlight fall on his body, washing away the blood stains on his body bit by bit. If she waited until dawn, the clothes she made for him would become very clean.
The snow-water dripped down the ends of Ni Su's hair, "Xu Hexue, I have a lot of incense and candles. I can take care of you for a long time, and I am not afraid of the difference between humans and ghosts..."
She looked up at the person in the shade, her eyelids moist, "Let's live like this for the rest of our lives, okay?"
