Chapter 39: Old Ginger Is Spicier
Old Master Hong was in the manor watching the plowing, watering, and tending of the fields when he suddenly received an urgent dispatch from his grandson, Hong Zhenye.
Old Wang, the attendant who arrived sweating profusely, only reported that the Xiucai Scholar Li was being bullied and asked what to do. The second young master knew nothing else.
When Old Master Hong questioned him further, Old Wang knew that the second young master had invited the Xiucai Scholar Li for drinks, and the second young master got drunk. By the time they returned home, the second young master was already fast asleep. It was Qing Feng who relayed the second young master’s instructions, saying that the second young master had repeatedly urged him to hurry, so he had ridden non-stop, rushing back overnight to report the news.
Old Master Hong knitted his brows.
His eldest grandson was a bit lacking in cunning, but he was steady. However, he got drunk!
It wasn’t impossible for the Xiucai Scholar Li to be bullied by neighbors; it was common for newcomers to be taken advantage of.
Hmm, it would be best to go and see. If there was no bullying, it would just be a wasted trip, nothing significant.
But if the Xiucai Scholar Li’s family was indeed being bullied by another family, and A Ye saw it but they didn’t intervene or offer help, then a smart person like the Xiucai Scholar Li, while he wouldn’t blame them, would miss out on such a great opportunity for closeness.
Old Master Hong made up his mind in a moment. He called over a seasoned steward and instructed him to go to Li Family Market and tell the Li Clan Elder, Li Shikuan, this: “I heard that your Xiucai Scholar is not living very smoothly in Pingjiang City.” Just this sentence, and nothing more.
After hearing about the false accusation farce in the Li Clan, Old Master Hong had been paying attention to the movements of the Li Clan. After Li Wenliang sent Li Xuedong and his four siblings to Pingjiang City, he personally visited Li Shikuan at Li Family Market. He also arranged a banquet, under the guise of celebrating the only Xiucai Scholar produced by their Kunshan County, to elevate Li Shikuan and the Li family, introducing them to several prominent families in Kunshan County.
After Old Master Hong sent someone to Li Family Market with the message, he immediately had his luggage packed and set off for Pingjiang City.
The next morning, Old Master Hong arrived at his home in Pingjiang City. Hong Zhenye had gone to the Prefectural School for class. Old Master Hong drank a cup of tea, changed his clothes, and went out with his old servant towards Academy Street.
The Hong family’s house in Pingjiang City was also near the Prefectural School, just on the other side, not far from Academy Street. Old Master Hong, tired from the carriage ride, decided to walk.
As Old Master Hong turned into Academy Street, he soon saw more than a dozen horses and about ten attendants ahead. The horses were all rare steeds, and the attendants were all dressed in brocade, with bright, sharp, and capable eyes.
Both the people and the horses stood quietly and orderly on the side of the street, out of the way.
Old Master Hong paused for a moment, then crossed to the other side of the street. A few steps forward, he saw Gu Yan, Li Xiaonan, and Li Yin Zhu talking at the alley entrance.
Old Master Hong tightly pursed his lips and held his expression, his whole body stiff. He stopped abruptly, pretending to examine the shop signboards in front of him.
Old Master Hong stroked his beard, his expression serious as he looked at the black signboard, his entire attention, through his peripheral vision, fixed on Gu Yan opposite him.
Gu Yan would occasionally bow, speaking to Li Xiaonan with a charming smile and a very good attitude.
He watched until Gu Yan bowed to Li Xiaonan, waved goodbye to her, and then watched Li Xiaonan and Li Yin Zhu turn and run into the alley. Gu Yan put away his folding fan, turned, walked a few steps, mounted his horse, and rode away directly. Old Master Hong slowly let out a sigh of relief.
“Old Master, whose young master is that? He’s so handsome and noble!” the old servant exclaimed to Old Master Hong.
“A very unusual family. Let’s go back,” Old Master Hong said, hands behind his back, turning to head back.
When his eldest grandson was born, his destiny was said to be extremely fortunate. He never expected that his good fortune would not only be excellent but also immense!
Old Master Hong stroked his beard, walking and carefully recalling and calculating.
Although the dozen or so attendants accompanying that gentleman were rare, there were still ten or eight families in Pingjiang City that could afford such retainers.
What was unusual were the dozen or so horses. He clearly saw the brand on their legs.
He had seen that brand a few times in the past when he delivered grain supplies to the north.
A certain elite unit of the Northwest Army used horses branded with this mark.
In Pingjiang City, who else would dare to use military horses, and elite military horses at that, and use more than a dozen of them?
I heard that the Young Lord is currently staying at that Villa.
That Young Lord, who is above thousands and tens of thousands of people!
………………………………
When Hong Zhenye came out of the Prefectural School and saw the steward by his grandfather approaching him, his heart immediately became uneasy.
He had drunk too much that day and, before sobering up, had sent someone back to report that the Xiucai Scholar Li was being bullied.
By the time he sobered up, Old Wang, who had delivered the message, had already been gone for three or four hours.
When he met Li Xuedong at the Academy and inquired about the courtyard full of eggs, although Li Xuedong stubbornly refused to reveal the origin of the eggs, it was certain that no one had bullied them with eggs. This was a foregone conclusion.
Now, his rash words had caused his grandfather to come all the way here. Alas, his grandfather’s lecture would last at least an hour. Fortunately, he had worn a pair of comfortable old shoes today, so standing for a long time wouldn’t be tiring.
Hong Zhenye returned home, head and hands lowered, looking obedient and respectful. He paid his respects to his grandfather and secretly glanced at him, unexpectedly forgetting to lower his head.
Grandfather was smiling and very happy.
“Grandfather, you seem? Is there good news?” Hong Zhenye’s curiosity overcame his apprehension.
“Come here, sit here,” Old Master Hong smiled and gestured to Hong Zhenye.
“What good news?” Hong Zhenye quickly sat down and leaned forward.
“You said that Xiucai Scholar Li was bullied, just because someone sent a courtyard full of eggs to his home?” Old Master Hong took a sip of tea. “Did you ask the Xiucai Scholar Li? What happened?”
“I asked, but he stubbornly refused to say. This person is a stubborn mule when he’s being stubborn!” Seeing his grandfather’s demeanor, Hong Zhenye’s heart completely settled, and he relaxed, speaking his mind.
“Hmm, good. He’s someone who can achieve great things. A Ye, your grandfather has just found an excellent marriage prospect for you.” Old Master Hong looked at his grandson.
“Oh? No wonder Grandfather is so happy! Whose family is it? Have I met them?” Hong Zhenye asked eagerly, leaning on the couch.
“You have met her, it’s the Li family girl.” Old Master Hong held his breath slightly, watching his grandson.
“The Li family? Which Li family?” Hong Zhenye was bewildered.
“What other Li family? The Xiucai Scholar Li’s family,” Old Master Hong glared at his grandson, both speechless and disdainful.
His little grandson had immense good fortune, but this lack of sense…
Alas!
“Ah? Xiucai Scholar Li? His sister?” Hong Zhenye was stunned.
“You are not worthy of his sister,” Old Master Hong said, patting his grandson on the head. “As for Xiucai Scholar Li’s three elder sisters, the eldest vowed not to marry, and the other two, you see… Forget it, don’t look. Tomorrow, Grandfather will accompany Teacher Zuo to meet them.”
“These children from the Li family probably can’t even remember their birthdays, let alone their birth dates. We’ll just look at their faces.”
“Ah?” Hong Zhenye was so confused he didn’t know what was happening. “What happened? Grandfather, what’s wrong with you? When did you take a liking to the Xiucai Scholar Li’s family? How come I didn’t know? The Li family…”
“I like them now! What’s wrong with the Li family? How are they not good enough for you? That Xiucai Scholar Li is only seventeen years old, and this year’s exam was so difficult, yet he placed Sixteenth Place! How far behind is he compared to you?” Old Master Hong lectured him unceremoniously.
Hong Zhenye shrank his neck and head downwards. “You keep mentioning Xiucai Scholar Li, but I’m not marrying Xiucai Scholar Li…”
“I’ve arranged with Teacher Zuo to go tomorrow for an arranged meeting. If it goes well, we’ll find someone to mediate, and you’ll have an arranged meeting. Grandfather is afraid they won’t think highly of you,” Old Master Hong interrupted Hong Zhenye and patted him on the head.
