Beginning with the Ubume Bird-Chapter 376 - 13 Water Corpse (Part 2)
Chapter 376: Chapter 13: Water Corpse (Part 2)
Chapter 376: Chapter 13: Water Corpse (Part 2)
“`
“What an odd thing to say, my dear.”
After exchanging a few more courtesies with Madam Zhen, both Li Yan and the old lady eventually sat down.
The attendants of the Zhen Residence served with extreme dedication. Maids and servants bustled in and out without rest, carrying newly heated spirits, fresh steamed pastries, and large chunks of soy-sauce-glazed pork ribs… The table was quickly filled with food.
The old lady was a woman of learning and reasoning and refrained from asking Li Yan about the ins and outs of his official duties. She only engaged in small talk about the local customs or shared experiences from her past accompanying her husband on his official appointments.
Cha Xiaodao occasionally chimed in, whereas Cao Yongchang focused on eating and, once full, dozed off with his head resting against the corner of the chair. At the doorway, although he had managed to snipe a few verbal advantages, he was genuinely exhausted.
Li Yan found Madam Zhen’s company very agreeable, and the atmosphere at the banquet was harmonious. Unintentionally, Li Yan mentioned Official Zhen’s wife.
The old lady immediately responded, “Yu Jie’er caught a cold a few days ago and is unfit to meet guests. Please don’t take offense, General.”
The Yu Jie’er mentioned by Madam Zhen was her daughter-in-law, and Yu Jie’er was her childhood nickname.
Upon hearing this, Li Yan dropped the subject.
Before they knew it, the night had deepened, and Madam Zhen had the maids prepare two tiled rooms early on. A slightly larger one was reserved for Li Yan, and the smaller was for Cha Xiaodao and Cao Yongchang, the uncle and nephew duo.
Cao Yongchang, who had not spoken up until now, stood and bowed deeply to Madam Zhen, “Madam Zhen, peace be with you. I am Yongchang, from Nantong, and I have something I don’t understand and would like to ask you about.”
With his strikingly clear eyes and agreeable speech, Cao Yongchang, looking a bit frail, appeared all the more pitiable. Madam Zhen answered with a smile, “Speak freely, young master.”
Cao Yongchang pointed to the calligraphy in the hall, “What does this mean?”
Madam Zhen glanced back and saw that the calligraphy in regular script read “If there is capability, it should be lifted; if there is none, it should be put down,” which were words written by her late husband. The old lady then explained, “This sentence comes from ‘Mozi’. The full passage is ‘No official should perpetually be honored, no citizen should perpetually be despised. If there is capability, lift it; if there is none, put it down.'”
“That’s exactly it.”
Cao Yongchang spread his hands, looking pitifully at Madam Zhen, “No official should perpetually be honored, and no citizen should perpetually be despised. How can you favor one over the other, letting General Li sleep in the big room while squeezing us, uncle and nephew, into that tiny room?”
Li Yan arched an eyebrow, unable to suppress a chuckle inside.
In front of Li Yan, even Madam Zhen showed a trace of embarrassment, but she quickly chuckled, “You’re quite the sharp one, young man, but you’re too pointed. Alright, alright, I’ll have another room of equal size prepared for you. Will that suffice?”
Cha Xiaodao firmly rubbed Cao Yongchang’s head, “Please don’t take it to heart, Madam. My nephew has been spoiled since childhood. He doesn’t know any better.” With that, he sternly said to Cao Yongchang, “Apologize to the lady right now.”
With a tug at the back of his collar by Cha Xiaodao, Cao Yongchang lost his assertiveness and continuously bowed to Madam Zhen, “I’m naturally brash and crude; please don’t take offense, Madam, and don’t stoop to the level of a child like me.”
“It’s no trouble at all~”
Madam Zhen, still smiling, said, “It’s not much trouble, and moreover, it was my lack of preparation.”
True to her words, the old lady didn’t make a fuss and had the servants re-clean another room. Noticing Cao Yongchang’s paleness, she even ordered the maids to prepare a bowl of ginger sugar water for him and bring it to his room.
When the maid brought the ginger sugar water, saying that Madam Zhen specially ordered it due to the young master’s pallor, Cao Yongchang finally felt somewhat embarrassed.
“It’s already a favor that they are letting us stay for the night. If they didn’t, it would be within their rights. How can you be so picky?”
Cha Xiaodao took on the role of an elder and said this from atop the heated brick bed to Cao Yongchang.
Sipping the hot ginger sugar water in small sips, Cao Yongchang just grinned at Cha Xiaodao without talking back.
“Besides, if it weren’t for Li Yan’s official token, they wouldn’t have been so courteous. It’s only right that he gets a bigger room.”
While Cha Xiaodao mentioned this casually, Cao Yongchang pouted, “Uncle, you possess skills that reach the heavens and pierce the earth, unlike ordinary mortals who fail to recognize the true Buddha.”
“`
He was halfway through speaking when he suddenly felt that such words might sow discord between Cha and Li Yan, so he quickly changed his tone and said, “Moreover, even though I, Cao Yongchang, am young, I am determined to undertake a monumental career that treats everyone equally. I can sleep just as well in a cowshed or a horse stable, and if you look down on me, even a bed of gold and jade holds no appeal to me.”
His words were bold, but he did not put down the hot sweet water that he held in his hands, sipping it with a contented smack of his lips.
Cha Xiaodao shook his head and did not scold him. Cao Yongchang had traveled alone for thousands of miles, and many of his notions could not be clarified overnight. What’s more, Cha Xiaodao did not dislike such a temperament.
In fact, even though Cao Yongchang addressed Cha as uncle and did not feel close to Li Yan, Cha Xiaodao understood that compared with himself, Li Yan liked Cao Yongchang more. Perhaps, there were similarities in their characters.
…
“Achoo!”
Li Yan dipped his hands into the copper basin filled with hot water but sneezed without reason.
“Has the general caught a cold? I will ask the kitchen to send a bowl of ginger sugar water.”
The girl who had heated the water for Li Yan was a delicate and pretty maid dressed in white, with large, expressive eyes as if they could speak.
Out of the dozens of maids in the residence, including the one dressed in green during the day, she was one of the two most beautiful and favored ones, usually sharing the room with Madam Zhen.
“No need, no need. You go and rest,” Li Yan said, removing his armor and wearing only his sweatshirt, shaking his head at the maid in white.
“This case…”
The maid reached out with her tender hand, intending to move the vermilion Sword Box that was on the chair.
“Young lady, please don’t,” Li Yan said sharply, stopping her. His voice was soft but had a penetrating power that startled the maid.
“This is military correspondence. Do not touch it carelessly.”
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The maid nodded cautiously, “Then, have a good rest, general. If there’s anything you need, just let me know.”
“Thank you, young lady,” Li Yan responded.
Li Yan watched the young girl leave with the basin of hot water and then took the vermilion Sword Box and placed it on the bed, removed his boots, put the Sword Box as a pillow behind his head, and fell into a deep sleep.
From outside the door came the faint sounds of maidens teasing and playing with each other.
“You sly girl, refusing to come out earlier, could it be that you’ve taken a fancy to Governor Li and are dreaming of becoming the governor’s wife?”
“Stop talking nonsense, you mischievous girl,” another rebuked.
“I’m talking nonsense? Just look at how you were acting just now; you’d probably throw yourself at Governor Li if he merely beckoned with a finger. Hahaha, don’t—stop pinching me—let go—let go, I said…”
Li Yan, who had been using the Sword Box as a pillow, turned over and continued to sleep.
The next morning came early.
The sounds of the servants’ footsteps were in disarray, followed by voices and shouting, all in a chaotic mess.
Awakened by the noise, Li Yan got up and went out. The people in the residence were panic-stricken, like headless flies. Li Yan randomly grabbed someone to find out what had happened.
This morning, there had been no sound from Madam Zhen’s room. When someone finally pushed the door open, they discovered Madam Zhen and two maids who served her, all lying dead by the window, their bodies already cold…
