Yang ChengWan was showily limping. Xie Baili looked towards his house, then he furrowed his eyebrows and said: “This time you came and you must stay at my place for a few days. I will call the physician to examine your feet carefully. “
Yang ChengWan laughed softly, “Ah, my legs… This is my life and it is not a mortal disease, so why bother?”
“You…” Xie Baili sighed, “I have given orders to prepare a banquet in the Nuan Pavilion. I’m just afraid your legs won’t be able to withstand the cold, so I will get them to prepare you a unit heating basket.”
Because his legs were exposed to the cold that afternoon, they were already starting to ache, therefore Yang ChengWan did not refuse his offer.
“Both of us are old.” Xie Baili sighed. Judging from his tone, his heart was uncomfortable.
Yang ChengWan patted him, smiling: “We are still alive.”
Xie Baili laughed bitterly and nodded his head, he turned towards Xie Xiao and, with a rude tone, he gave him orders: “Uncle Yang’s son and also this lady, you must serve them well on my behalf, don’t neglect them.”
“This kid already knows.” Xie Xiao declared with sincerity.
Xie Baili, because he was still worried, looked at Shangguan Xi and repeated his words: “Watch him well…” The intention was understood: with difficulty, this child had finally returned, Xie Baili wanted to make sure he didn’t run off again.
Shangguan Xi nodded her head with a smile.
***
In the Nuan Pavilion, the two old men were talking about the old days.
In the flower hall, Shangguan Xi ordered the servants to prepare a similar banquet for YangYue and Jinxia.
Xie Xiao leaned on the round wooden chair of Huanghuali*, his eyes constantly observing Jinxia.
*[Huanghuali = rose fragrant wood, TN]
Cold dishes arrived at the table first. Jinxia took some nuts and pickled plums then threw them into her mouth, chewing sweetly. For a moment, Xie Xiao could see the red scar on her neck with clarity.
“You…” Xie Xiao was about to say something but hesitated, “You…That’s…”
Now he realized how dangerous that night was. If he had miscalculated a few seconds, she would’ve become a corpse in front of him.
“Hm?” Jinxia tilted her head and looked at him.
“You, you’re a lady, why did you become a constable?” Xie Xiao quickly changed his question, “You’re even working with JinYiWei now.”
“Why can’t I be? Even Shangguan Xi Jiejie is the leader of the Red Birds Gang, how great is that!” Jinxia turned her head and looked at Shangguan Xi, then she warmly said: “Jiejie, I heard three years ago you fought with Dong Shui Zhai’s family alone.”
At this time, warm vegetables arrived at the table. Shangguan Xi helped the servants place down the dishes, then she sat down and smiled with tenderness.
“At that time, Dong Shui Zhai’s family was having an internal conflict. I just found a great opportunity to come in.”
Jinxia continues to praise her, “Jie, you’re beautiful, hard working, and so humble… I really admire you.”
Xie Xiao, who was listening beside her, sighed and said: “Sure enough, anyone in the government officials family will have a sweet mouth, filling the soul with water. Jie, you must be consumed by her words.”
Shangguan Xi laughed softly and didn’t pay attention to him, then she called the waiter to pour the wine.
“There’s no need to pour wine, my father won’t let us drink outside.” YangYue raised his hand to cover the glass, laughing and saying, “Please forgive me.”
Jinxia glared at Xie Xiao. While staring at him she said: “What is ‘filled the soul with water’? Every word I said is sincere.”
Xie Xiao looked at her, making a strange face. Not answering her remark, he turned to Shangguan Xi and asked, “Didn’t you say my father was ill? I saw his spirit is quite good.”
Hearing his words, Shangguan Xi slightly raised her eyebrows, indicating him to stop, and for a moment, she did not answer.
“I know everything was just to trick me to come home.”
Seeing she was not answering, Xie Xiao thought it was because she felt guilty. He waved his hand and said, “Nevermind, I’m also rather relieved to see the old man still in good health as usual, I won’t blame you.”
Shangguan Xi looked at him for a while, speechless. She did not know what he was thinking.
“Old Man Bangzhu shouldn’t be this worried, in order for his heart condition not to worsen.” Jinxia shaked her head, while eating the vegetables. She interrupted them, “Such a big gang, he must think about it a lot, it’s really not easy.”
“What nonsense are you saying?”
Xie Xiao resentfully glared at Jinxia.
“I say what I see.” Jinxia said with seriousness. “Judging from your father’s face, the vertical lines from his forehead, between his eyebrows, are deep. This is due to him being constantly worried. The colour of his skin is dark yellow and he was wearing a hemp cloth robe, meaning he can’t stand the spring breeze. People who practice martial arts have long and slow breaths but they are short and occasionally a whistle can be heard in his chest when he breathes: that means there’s a serious problem with his lungs.”
Xie Xiao was speechless, and Shangguan Xi too. She was also stunned, not expecting Jinxia to be this observant.
“Why are you talking nonsense?” Xie Xiao was still in disbelief of her explanation.
“She didn’t talk nonsense, the doctor said he is being treated slowly, in fact the old master has been taking medicine for several months.” Shangguan Xi sighed and quietly said: “Would I deceive you with this kind of thing?”
Xie Xiao was confused, not knowing what to say.
“I’m saying, brother, your own father is sick and you don’t take care of him. Instead you’re trying to go eight hundred miles to help a sworn-brother. This matter is a bit unreasonable.”
“You…”
“You, what? Do you think everything is fine just because you covered your face?” Jinxia faced him and gritted her teeth. “If it wasn’t for Lu Yi pulling back his strength just in time, because of you I would’ve died!”
Indeed, when this matter was brought up, Xie Xiao felt a little guilty and laughed dryly for a few seconds. “If you’re not a bad person, you will live for a thousand years, a long life. By the way, you guys are Liu Shanmen, why are you working with JinYiWei?”
“This time we and the Left Assistant Minister of the Judicial Review Department, Liu Daren, came to Jiangnan to investigate a case. JinYiWei’s Lu Daren is also helping.” YangYue looked at Xie Xiao seriously. “This Lu Daren is the son of the supreme leader of JinYiWei in the Capital, Lu Bing. His martial arts are exceptional, his thinking is deep and unpredictable. Since we’re family, I advise you not to disturb him.”
Xie Xiao also looked at them seriously: “You don’t need to worry, I will not involve you. I just want to ask one more thing: where is Brother Sha being detained?”
“What kind of person is this sworn-brother of yours that you must so desperately save him?” Jinxia was surprised. “You have to think clearly, this time Wu’An Gang helped Zhou Xian transfer the silver and Lu Yi is already suspicious. If you cause another problem again, aren’t you just adding more fuel to the fire?”
Xie Xiao nervously waved his hand: “I can’t tell you.”
“Brother, listen to my reasons.” Jinxia tilted her head and looked at him, slowly pulling out her index finger: “One, Sha Xiuzhu’s problem this time involved him breaking the law and he should be locked up in prison.”
Xie Xiao was just about to open his mouth, but Jinxia raised a second finger.
“Two, tonight, we came here because of the relationship between your father and my master. He was afraid that you guys were struggling, so he decided to take a risk and come here to inform you. If Lu Yi decides to investigate this matter, there will be no good results. We work as constables, just like you out in the field, we all are just trying to make a living for some food. Of course, nobody wants to create problems.”
Immediately after that, she raised her third finger.
“Three, Lu Yi is JinYiWei’s Jingli but we are just small constables in Liu Shanmen. Why would he even inform us where he locked up the prisoner?”
YangYue also added: “We really don’t know. As soon as I got off the ship, the Yangzhou provincial court judge immediately picked Sha Xiuzhu up and took the birthday chests away.”
“Provincial court judge?”
Xie Xiao looked at Shangguan Xi.
Shangguan Xi frowned slightly: “Provincial court judges are in the area of JinYiWei’s territory, their prisons are different from Yangzhou’s regular prisons. They arrest people for torturing them and never pass through the government court offices.”
After hearing that, Xie Xiao’s eyebrows furrowed.
At that moment, a servant approached.
“Young Master Bangzhu, the great master is calling you.” Xie Xiao was startled, then without hesitation he stood up and walked toward the heating room.
Inside the heating room.
As soon as Xie Xiao entered, he saw Xie Baili sitting on the warm couch with a sullen face.
“Kneel!” Xie Xiao knelt down quickly.
“Your uncle Yang said you went to the ship to help a criminal and fought with Lu Yi, correct?”
Xie Xiao glanced at Yang ChengWan who was next to him and nodded his head.
Xie Baili’s face showed no expression, but he walked straight toward him and slapped his cheek hard. Half of Xie Xiao’s face swelled up but his body remained upright and he kept kneeling, not moving or trying to avoid the beating at all.
“Do you know who Lu Yi is? You dare to fight with him!” Xie Xiao was silent.
I haven’t seen him for three years. This child is still as stubborn as before, doing wrong things or being wronged. He’d always hit and scolded him without saying a word. Xie Baili wanted to give him another slap, but then he looked at his red and swollen face.
“Hurt?” He asked in a harsh voice and tone.
Hearing the sound of his father’s voice, Xie Xiao was startled and raised his eyes to look at him, shaking his head: “It’s just a scar, it’s okay.”
“Your uncle intentionally came here because of you and your problems.” Xie Baili sat down again, “Lu Yi is the biological son of Lu Bing, the Supreme Leader of JinYiWei, he cannot be carelessly disturbed. Since he’s in Yangzhou, tonight, I will arrange for you to go by boat, hide first, in the White Tiger Gang in Suzhou. Wait until this passes, then I will tell people to go and pick you up.”
Yang ChengWan nodded his head: “This plan seems like the only way right now.”
“I can’t leave!” Xie Xiao covered his neck, “Brother Sha is still being held in the Provincial Court, this is all because of me, I…”
“You… Are you still thinking about breaking into the prison?” Xie Baili, who had suppressed his anger, exploded again and glared at Xie Xiao.
Yang ChengWan also shook his head: “The Provincial Courts are different from ordinary courts. They’re mostly underground, not to mention heavily guarded. I advise you, nephew, not to take the risk.”
“Did you hear it? Don’t go causing me trouble!” Xiao Xiao just kept silent.
“Did you hear me?!” Xie Baili was panicking.
“Father!” Xie Xiao also panicked, “Brother Sha robbed the birthday gifts because of me, it was my idea! Now he’s in prison, how can I sit and do nothing?”
The answer to his question was another slap.
“Calm down, Brother Xie.” Yang ChengWan quickly detained him and tried to persuade Xie Xiao again, “Right now, Lu Yi is investigating the missing funds. Sha Xiuzhu is now in a safe condition, there’s still time to make a decision.”
Xie Baili shook his head in anger, “Thank you brother for coming here to deliver this information, otherwise, I wouldn’t have known what this evil-wicked son could cause.”
“We are both brothers, no need for these words.” Yang ChengWan said, “Even though Lu Yi is still young, he’s intelligent and very profound, but also unpredictable, his abilities cannot be compared to Lu Bing but still you must never act rashly without thinking carefully.”
Xie Baili nodded his head.
“I shouldn’t be here for too long, I must leave first. Later, if there are any further developments, I will think of a way to deliver this information to you.” Afterwards Yang ChengWan stood up and left. Xie Baili also knew that being there for too long could make it difficult for him, so he didn’t hold him back either.
After they returned to the government post, looking at the front station, it seemed that both Lu Yi and Liu Xiangzuo had not returned. YangYue’s face immediately looked relieved and relaxed.
“I knew it.” Jinxia shook her head, “Like in a poem, in Yangzhou City, ‘Every night there is a song everywhere.’ Yangzhou prefecture is having a party to entertain them tonight, surely they are surrounded by beautiful women, the fragrance must be amazing. Not to mention, Lu Daren has been holding strong all these years. He is a JinYiWei, not a Dongchang person, surely his heart will sway and he might forget where he is…”
Dongchang people were all eunuchs, so their views on men and women were different from ordinary people.
“Xia’er, you’re a fine lady, don’t speak carelessly.”
Yang ChengWan warned her.
Jinxia quickly put on a serious face, “Master, I’m just making a speculation based on known facts, not nonsense.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Yang ChengWan poked her head and Jinxia obeyed him, not daring to talk back.
“Father, you should go back to your room and rest. I will go to heat up some water to wash your feet.” YangYue interrupted their conversation.
Yang ChengWan nodded his head, limping toward his room. YangYue followed the path to the kitchen to heat up the water. As lowly constables, of course, they couldn’t have any servants to help them, everything had to be done on their own.
Jinxia stayed back, it was not late and she also did not want to sleep yet, so she wasn’t in a rush to go back to her room.
She walked casually, not noticing the post past the edge of the pond. In the middle of the pond the shadow of the moon was reflected, the bright moonlight made the lake water shine. Above the lake, there were beautiful water lilies, with flower petals that looked like expensive jade carvings.
She held her hands while talking to herself, “No matter what people say, ‘For three minutes, the world is under the bright moonlight, two minutes are in the place of the naughty Yangzhou’, this moon in Yangzhou is indeed more radiant than the moon in the Capital.
Just as she finished her words, she heard all of a sudden a voice behind her saying: “With a moon like this, wouldn’t it be a pity to waste it?”
Yang ChengWan was showily limping. Xie Baili looked towards his house, then he furrowed his eyebrows and said: “This time you came and you must stay at my place for a few days. I will call the physician to examine your feet carefully. “
Yang ChengWan laughed softly, “Ah, my legs… This is my life and it is not a mortal disease, so why bother?”
“You…” Xie Baili sighed, “I have given orders to prepare a banquet in the Nuan Pavilion. I’m just afraid your legs won’t be able to withstand the cold, so I will get them to prepare you a unit heating basket.”
Because his legs were exposed to the cold that afternoon, they were already starting to ache, therefore Yang ChengWan did not refuse his offer.
“Both of us are old.” Xie Baili sighed. Judging from his tone, his heart was uncomfortable.
Yang ChengWan patted him, smiling: “We are still alive.”
Xie Baili laughed bitterly and nodded his head, he turned towards Xie Xiao and, with a rude tone, he gave him orders: “Uncle Yang’s son and also this lady, you must serve them well on my behalf, don’t neglect them.”
“This kid already knows.” Xie Xiao declared with sincerity.
Xie Baili, because he was still worried, looked at Shangguan Xi and repeated his words: “Watch him well…” The intention was understood: with difficulty, this child had finally returned, Xie Baili wanted to make sure he didn’t run off again.
Shangguan Xi nodded her head with a smile.
***
In the Nuan Pavilion, the two old men were talking about the old days.
In the flower hall, Shangguan Xi ordered the servants to prepare a similar banquet for YangYue and Jinxia.
Xie Xiao leaned on the round wooden chair of Huanghuali*, his eyes constantly observing Jinxia.
*[Huanghuali = rose fragrant wood, TN]
Cold dishes arrived at the table first. Jinxia took some nuts and pickled plums then threw them into her mouth, chewing sweetly. For a moment, Xie Xiao could see the red scar on her neck with clarity.
“You…” Xie Xiao was about to say something but hesitated, “You…That’s…”
Now he realized how dangerous that night was. If he had miscalculated a few seconds, she would’ve become a corpse in front of him.
“Hm?” Jinxia tilted her head and looked at him.
“You, you’re a lady, why did you become a constable?” Xie Xiao quickly changed his question, “You’re even working with JinYiWei now.”
“Why can’t I be? Even Shangguan Xi Jiejie is the leader of the Red Birds Gang, how great is that!” Jinxia turned her head and looked at Shangguan Xi, then she warmly said: “Jiejie, I heard three years ago you fought with Dong Shui Zhai’s family alone.”
At this time, warm vegetables arrived at the table. Shangguan Xi helped the servants place down the dishes, then she sat down and smiled with tenderness.
“At that time, Dong Shui Zhai’s family was having an internal conflict. I just found a great opportunity to come in.”
Jinxia continues to praise her, “Jie, you’re beautiful, hard working, and so humble… I really admire you.”
Xie Xiao, who was listening beside her, sighed and said: “Sure enough, anyone in the government officials family will have a sweet mouth, filling the soul with water. Jie, you must be consumed by her words.”
Shangguan Xi laughed softly and didn’t pay attention to him, then she called the waiter to pour the wine.
“There’s no need to pour wine, my father won’t let us drink outside.” YangYue raised his hand to cover the glass, laughing and saying, “Please forgive me.”
Jinxia glared at Xie Xiao. While staring at him she said: “What is ‘filled the soul with water’? Every word I said is sincere.”
Xie Xiao looked at her, making a strange face. Not answering her remark, he turned to Shangguan Xi and asked, “Didn’t you say my father was ill? I saw his spirit is quite good.”
Hearing his words, Shangguan Xi slightly raised her eyebrows, indicating him to stop, and for a moment, she did not answer.
“I know everything was just to trick me to come home.”
Seeing she was not answering, Xie Xiao thought it was because she felt guilty. He waved his hand and said, “Nevermind, I’m also rather relieved to see the old man still in good health as usual, I won’t blame you.”
Shangguan Xi looked at him for a while, speechless. She did not know what he was thinking.
“Old Man Bangzhu shouldn’t be this worried, in order for his heart condition not to worsen.” Jinxia shaked her head, while eating the vegetables. She interrupted them, “Such a big gang, he must think about it a lot, it’s really not easy.”
“What nonsense are you saying?”
Xie Xiao resentfully glared at Jinxia.
“I say what I see.” Jinxia said with seriousness. “Judging from your father’s face, the vertical lines from his forehead, between his eyebrows, are deep. This is due to him being constantly worried. The colour of his skin is dark yellow and he was wearing a hemp cloth robe, meaning he can’t stand the spring breeze. People who practice martial arts have long and slow breaths but they are short and occasionally a whistle can be heard in his chest when he breathes: that means there’s a serious problem with his lungs.”
Xie Xiao was speechless, and Shangguan Xi too. She was also stunned, not expecting Jinxia to be this observant.
“Why are you talking nonsense?” Xie Xiao was still in disbelief of her explanation.
“She didn’t talk nonsense, the doctor said he is being treated slowly, in fact the old master has been taking medicine for several months.” Shangguan Xi sighed and quietly said: “Would I deceive you with this kind of thing?”
Xie Xiao was confused, not knowing what to say.
“I’m saying, brother, your own father is sick and you don’t take care of him. Instead you’re trying to go eight hundred miles to help a sworn-brother. This matter is a bit unreasonable.”
“You…”
“You, what? Do you think everything is fine just because you covered your face?” Jinxia faced him and gritted her teeth. “If it wasn’t for Lu Yi pulling back his strength just in time, because of you I would’ve died!”
Indeed, when this matter was brought up, Xie Xiao felt a little guilty and laughed dryly for a few seconds. “If you’re not a bad person, you will live for a thousand years, a long life. By the way, you guys are Liu Shanmen, why are you working with JinYiWei?”
“This time we and the Left Assistant Minister of the Judicial Review Department, Liu Daren, came to Jiangnan to investigate a case. JinYiWei’s Lu Daren is also helping.” YangYue looked at Xie Xiao seriously. “This Lu Daren is the son of the supreme leader of JinYiWei in the Capital, Lu Bing. His martial arts are exceptional, his thinking is deep and unpredictable. Since we’re family, I advise you not to disturb him.”
Xie Xiao also looked at them seriously: “You don’t need to worry, I will not involve you. I just want to ask one more thing: where is Brother Sha being detained?”
“What kind of person is this sworn-brother of yours that you must so desperately save him?” Jinxia was surprised. “You have to think clearly, this time Wu’An Gang helped Zhou Xian transfer the silver and Lu Yi is already suspicious. If you cause another problem again, aren’t you just adding more fuel to the fire?”
Xie Xiao nervously waved his hand: “I can’t tell you.”
“Brother, listen to my reasons.” Jinxia tilted her head and looked at him, slowly pulling out her index finger: “One, Sha Xiuzhu’s problem this time involved him breaking the law and he should be locked up in prison.”
Xie Xiao was just about to open his mouth, but Jinxia raised a second finger.
“Two, tonight, we came here because of the relationship between your father and my master. He was afraid that you guys were struggling, so he decided to take a risk and come here to inform you. If Lu Yi decides to investigate this matter, there will be no good results. We work as constables, just like you out in the field, we all are just trying to make a living for some food. Of course, nobody wants to create problems.”
Immediately after that, she raised her third finger.
“Three, Lu Yi is JinYiWei’s Jingli but we are just small constables in Liu Shanmen. Why would he even inform us where he locked up the prisoner?”
YangYue also added: “We really don’t know. As soon as I got off the ship, the Yangzhou provincial court judge immediately picked Sha Xiuzhu up and took the birthday chests away.”
“Provincial court judge?”
Xie Xiao looked at Shangguan Xi.
Shangguan Xi frowned slightly: “Provincial court judges are in the area of JinYiWei’s territory, their prisons are different from Yangzhou’s regular prisons. They arrest people for torturing them and never pass through the government court offices.”
After hearing that, Xie Xiao’s eyebrows furrowed.
At that moment, a servant approached.
“Young Master Bangzhu, the great master is calling you.” Xie Xiao was startled, then without hesitation he stood up and walked toward the heating room.
Inside the heating room.
As soon as Xie Xiao entered, he saw Xie Baili sitting on the warm couch with a sullen face.
“Kneel!” Xie Xiao knelt down quickly.
“Your uncle Yang said you went to the ship to help a criminal and fought with Lu Yi, correct?”
Xie Xiao glanced at Yang ChengWan who was next to him and nodded his head.
Xie Baili’s face showed no expression, but he walked straight toward him and slapped his cheek hard. Half of Xie Xiao’s face swelled up but his body remained upright and he kept kneeling, not moving or trying to avoid the beating at all.
“Do you know who Lu Yi is? You dare to fight with him!” Xie Xiao was silent.
I haven’t seen him for three years. This child is still as stubborn as before, doing wrong things or being wronged. He’d always hit and scolded him without saying a word. Xie Baili wanted to give him another slap, but then he looked at his red and swollen face.
“Hurt?” He asked in a harsh voice and tone.
Hearing the sound of his father’s voice, Xie Xiao was startled and raised his eyes to look at him, shaking his head: “It’s just a scar, it’s okay.”
“Your uncle intentionally came here because of you and your problems.” Xie Baili sat down again, “Lu Yi is the biological son of Lu Bing, the Supreme Leader of JinYiWei, he cannot be carelessly disturbed. Since he’s in Yangzhou, tonight, I will arrange for you to go by boat, hide first, in the White Tiger Gang in Suzhou. Wait until this passes, then I will tell people to go and pick you up.”
Yang ChengWan nodded his head: “This plan seems like the only way right now.”
“I can’t leave!” Xie Xiao covered his neck, “Brother Sha is still being held in the Provincial Court, this is all because of me, I…”
“You… Are you still thinking about breaking into the prison?” Xie Baili, who had suppressed his anger, exploded again and glared at Xie Xiao.
Yang ChengWan also shook his head: “The Provincial Courts are different from ordinary courts. They’re mostly underground, not to mention heavily guarded. I advise you, nephew, not to take the risk.”
“Did you hear it? Don’t go causing me trouble!” Xiao Xiao just kept silent.
“Did you hear me?!” Xie Baili was panicking.
“Father!” Xie Xiao also panicked, “Brother Sha robbed the birthday gifts because of me, it was my idea! Now he’s in prison, how can I sit and do nothing?”
The answer to his question was another slap.
“Calm down, Brother Xie.” Yang ChengWan quickly detained him and tried to persuade Xie Xiao again, “Right now, Lu Yi is investigating the missing funds. Sha Xiuzhu is now in a safe condition, there’s still time to make a decision.”
Xie Baili shook his head in anger, “Thank you brother for coming here to deliver this information, otherwise, I wouldn’t have known what this evil-wicked son could cause.”
“We are both brothers, no need for these words.” Yang ChengWan said, “Even though Lu Yi is still young, he’s intelligent and very profound, but also unpredictable, his abilities cannot be compared to Lu Bing but still you must never act rashly without thinking carefully.”
Xie Baili nodded his head.
“I shouldn’t be here for too long, I must leave first. Later, if there are any further developments, I will think of a way to deliver this information to you.” Afterwards Yang ChengWan stood up and left. Xie Baili also knew that being there for too long could make it difficult for him, so he didn’t hold him back either.
After they returned to the government post, looking at the front station, it seemed that both Lu Yi and Liu Xiangzuo had not returned. YangYue’s face immediately looked relieved and relaxed.
“I knew it.” Jinxia shook her head, “Like in a poem, in Yangzhou City, ‘Every night there is a song everywhere.’ Yangzhou prefecture is having a party to entertain them tonight, surely they are surrounded by beautiful women, the fragrance must be amazing. Not to mention, Lu Daren has been holding strong all these years. He is a JinYiWei, not a Dongchang person, surely his heart will sway and he might forget where he is…”
Dongchang people were all eunuchs, so their views on men and women were different from ordinary people.
“Xia’er, you’re a fine lady, don’t speak carelessly.”
Yang ChengWan warned her.
Jinxia quickly put on a serious face, “Master, I’m just making a speculation based on known facts, not nonsense.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Yang ChengWan poked her head and Jinxia obeyed him, not daring to talk back.
“Father, you should go back to your room and rest. I will go to heat up some water to wash your feet.” YangYue interrupted their conversation.
Yang ChengWan nodded his head, limping toward his room. YangYue followed the path to the kitchen to heat up the water. As lowly constables, of course, they couldn’t have any servants to help them, everything had to be done on their own.
Jinxia stayed back, it was not late and she also did not want to sleep yet, so she wasn’t in a rush to go back to her room.
She walked casually, not noticing the post past the edge of the pond. In the middle of the pond the shadow of the moon was reflected, the bright moonlight made the lake water shine. Above the lake, there were beautiful water lilies, with flower petals that looked like expensive jade carvings.
She held her hands while talking to herself, “No matter what people say, ‘For three minutes, the world is under the bright moonlight, two minutes are in the place of the naughty Yangzhou’, this moon in Yangzhou is indeed more radiant than the moon in the Capital.
Just as she finished her words, she heard all of a sudden a voice behind her saying: “With a moon like this, wouldn’t it be a pity to waste it?”
