Chapter 724: June, Last Days [Thank You! Again! 41k Chapters Owed]

It was afternoon.

And after the rain had stopped on a overcast day.

Outside was much brighter than inside.

The light from outside streamed into the building, making the pale face of Chai Zhengzheng, seated by the window in her summer attire, even more striking.

On the wall more than a zhang away from Chai Zhengzheng hung a painted scroll.

Beneath it lay a dark brown table with faint crimson stains.

At its center stood a solemn incense burner, its body exquisitely carved.

A faint blue smoke drifted from the burner, floating past a precious porcelain vase at one end, filled with fresh flowers.

The rain had ceased.

The summer cicadas, silent during the rain, now joined the croaking of frogs around the courtyard, deepening the summer atmosphere in Chai Zhengzheng’s eyes.

Suddenly,

Chai Zhengzheng frowned.

The speed of her round fan quickened.

“Yunmu.”

Chai Zhengzheng called softly.

“Miss, what is it?”

Yunmu stepped around the screen and walked toward Chai Zhengzheng.

“I heard a mosquito buzzing,” Chai Zhengzheng said, frowning.

Yunmu hurriedly waved her hand near Chai Zhengzheng and said, “Miss, this is dusk, right after rain—perfect time for mosquitoes.”

“The gauze on the window was removed. Even with insect-repelling incense burning, some bugs still get in.”

“If you wish to keep enjoying the view, shall I move the incense burner closer to you?”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded: “That would be good.”

“Yes! Miss, wait a moment.”

Saying this, Yunmu turned and brought a small table, placing it near Chai Zhengzheng, then set the incense burner upon it.

As Yunmu did this, Chai Zhengzheng did not look at the view; instead, she turned slightly, lost in thought, watching Yunmu’s figure.

When finished, Yunmu looked at Chai Zhengzheng seated on the chair and smiled: “Miss, are the mosquitoes still buzzing?”

Chai Zhengzheng shook her head gently.

Observing the faint sadness in her mistress’s eyes, Yunmu stepped forward and whispered, “Miss, what’s wrong?”

Chai Zhengzheng forced a smile: “Nothing. I was just remembering old things.”

Yunmu paused, then said gently: “Miss, are you thinking of what happened before?”

Chai Zhengzheng took a deep breath and nodded.

As if overcast days always stirred melancholy, Chai Zhengzheng gazed out the window and said softly: “Before you know it, you’ve been by my side for three years.”

Yunmu, following Chai Zhengzheng’s gaze outside, agreed: “Miss is right—time really flies.”

Silence fell in the room.

Amid the cicadas and frogs outside, footsteps climbed the wooden stairs behind the screen.

“Miss, Yunmu-jie, Madam has sent someone to call you.”

Zi Teng said as she came upstairs.

Looking at the sky outside, Chai Zhengzheng rose and said: “Let’s go back.”

Descending the wooden stairs,

They boarded the carriage at the courtyard gate.

After Chai Zhengzheng rode out of the estate, the party headed toward the Chai household.

Back home,

Chai Zhengzheng arrived at Madam Chai’s courtyard with her maid.

“Miss has come.”

At the maid’s announcement, Chai Zhengzheng passed through the curtain into the main chamber.

“Mother, Sister-in-law.”

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and bowed to the two women inside.

Then her gaze swept over the two seated women.

Seeing Madam Chai’s smiling face and her shy elder sister-in-law, Chai Zhengzheng paused and said: “Mother, Sister-in-law—what’s going on? Is there good news in the family?”

Madam Chai laughed and patted Chai Zhengzheng: “Your eyes are sharp.”

Chai Zhengzheng’s face brightened. She walked to her sister-in-law Lu Shi, knelt beside her, and smiled: “Sister-in-law, am I going to have a nephew?”

Lu Shi nodded shyly.

Chai Zhengzheng looked up at Madam Chai and said: “Mother, Brother has been married for months now—his words didn’t seem so effective after all!”

Madam Chai sighed, exasperated, and scolded: “You’re too young to understand! Wu Da Niangzi says there are countless married couples in the capital who still have no children!”

“Your sister-in-law conceived in months—that’s a blessing! Why do you turn it into ‘not so effective’?”

Chai Zhengzheng pursed her lips and glanced sideways: “I heard the Rong family’s daughter say her sister-in-law conceived quickly too.”

Madam Chai waved her hand: “Go, go, sit back down! You little thing! Never heard of anyone comparing like this!”

Chai Zhengzheng smiled at Lu Shi: “Sister-in-law, from today on, I’ll start preparing gifts for the one in your belly.”

Saying this, she stood and returned to her chair.

Lu Shi laughed: “Sister, no need to be so early.”

After her daughter and daughter-in-law finished speaking, Madam Chai said: “By the way, today the Daoist from Shengbao Temple visited our home and asked if we’d go to burn the first incense next month.”

Chai Zhengzheng smiled and asked: “What did you and Sister-in-law say?”

“Of course we’ll go! We must pray to the gods for your safety,” Madam Chai said, patting Lu Shi’s hand.

“Oh!” Chai Zhengzheng nodded, then took the warm drink offered by the maid and sipped twice.

As she drank, her eyes held a thoughtful expression.

Madam Chai slightly pursed her lips: “I asked Wu Da Niangzi—on the god’s birthday at Shengbao Temple, the Xu family—”

Chai Zhengzheng, still sipping, looked up and met Madam Chai’s gaze, then quickly returned her eyes to her teacup.

“Xu family’s Lady Sun is too far along to go.”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded slightly: “Mother, what about the two elder Misses of the Xu family?”

“Hmm, they will go.”

Chai Zhengzheng raised an eyebrow, her bright eyes flickering twice.

“But Wu Da Niangzi says Xu family’s Fifth Young Master has always had trouble on those two days—this year, like before, he won’t go.”

“Oh,” Chai Zhengzheng replied: “Whether he goes or not has nothing to do with me! Why are you telling me this?”

Saying this, she glanced shyly at her sister-in-law Lu Shi.

Meeting Lu Shi’s smiling eyes, Chai Zhengzheng didn’t know where to look.

“Oh my, did I say too much?”

“Mm.”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded.

Later that evening,

The head of the Chai household and Chai Zhengzheng’s two elder brothers returned home.

Summer days were long, and the weather unpredictable.

When the Chai family finished dinner, the western horizon had cleared from overcast to bright.

As the clouds dispersed, a sliver of sunlight fell upon Bianjing.

With the sky still bright,

The Chai family strolled in the garden to aid digestion.

Walking ahead were the head of the household and Chai Bo; in the middle, Chai Jin and his wife; Madam Chai and Chai Zhengzheng walked last, arms linked.

Watching Chai Jin and his wife stroll beneath the setting sun, Madam Chai whispered: “I heard Yunmu say you were thinking of old things again today?”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded, lips pressed: “Yes. The maids’ dresses were similar in cut and color. When Yunmu moved the incense burner, her posture reminded me of Qingxue—I drifted off for a moment.”

“And some thoughts crossed my mind.”

Seeing Madam Chai’s questioning gaze, Chai Zhengzheng smiled: “Mother, just idle musings.”

Madam Chai gently patted Chai Zhengzheng’s hand and whispered: “Zhengzheng, are you wondering what would’ve happened if Xu family’s Fifth Young Master hadn’t gone to Jin Yang Mountain?”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded.

Madam Chai shook her head, speaking earnestly: “Thinking too much about those things is useless. Since it’s past, we must look forward.”

“I know.”

Before they knew it,

The days reached late June.

On the twenty-fourth, it was the god’s birthday at Shengbao Temple.

Outside Shengbao Temple in the west city, it was as bustling as ever.

But none of this concerned Xu Zaijing.

That morning, he went to the Sheng family, studied all day, then returned to Yongyi Marquis Mansion.

Today, the Sheng family wasn’t many—Zaizhang, Changfeng, and the three Lan had all taken leave to go out of town for a stroll.

Only Xu Zaijing and three others remained in the academy.

When Xu Zaijing returned to the Yongyi Marquis House,

he saw the carriages parked beside the riding field and knew that Xie Hualan, Zaizhang, and the others had already come back.

After playing a while with his mount, Xu Zaijing went to the back courtyard.

“The Fifth Young Master has arrived.”

Amid the maid’s announcement, Xu Zaijing, freshly bathed and dressed in new clothes, bowed his head as he entered the hall.

“Mother, Elder Sister-in-Law.”

As Xu Zaijing bowed to his mother and elder brother and sister-in-law, he saw his eldest nephew, Xingdai, happily carrying a long silk pouch toward him.

As he walked, he said: “Little Uncle, Little Uncle, this is a gift from a cousin-sister.”

Hearing this, Xu Zaijing looked curiously at Zaizhang and the others.

“What is this thing?”

Speaking, Xu Zaijing smiled and crouched down, taking the silk pouch from his nephew’s hands.

Xie Shi, sitting nearby holding her daughter, gave a wry smile and said: “Little Five, today outside the Shenbao Temple, while we were strolling, we happened to meet the Chai family.”

“While the two families were talking, Dage and Zhengzheng somehow started chatting.”

“Then Dage—he,” Xie Shi pointed angrily at her son in the air, “Zhengzheng was just being polite, and he actually asked for a toy!”

“When we asked why he wanted it, the boy stubbornly refused to answer—so aggravating!”

Xu Zaijing looked at his eldest nephew and asked gently: “Oh? Dage, what toy did you ask for?”

Xu Xingdai grinned sheepishly: “Little Uncle, I didn’t ask for anything—just something like the one in your hand, only smaller.”

At that moment, Xu Zaijing opened the long silk pouch and pulled out its contents.

It was a slingshot, shaped very much like a powerful bow.

Unlike a bow and arrow, this slingshot had an extra leather pouch on the string to hold the projectile, launching not arrows but pellets of metal, stone, or clay.

Legend says the deity of Shenbao Temple—Erlang Shen—used just such a slingshot as his weapon.

So on the deity’s birthday today, there were naturally many stalls selling these outside the temple.

As Xu Zaijing examined the item in his hand, Xu Xingdai rushed excitedly to Sun Shi’s side, pulled out a much smaller slingshot from the Luo Han chair, and said: “Little Uncle, this is the toy Auntie Chai gave me.”

He then pointed to the slingshot in Xu Zaijing’s hand: “Auntie Chai’s maid even said yours was a bonus gift with mine. How powerful is this thing?”

Xu Zaijing looked at the finely crafted slingshot in his hand—the leather pouch exquisitely made, the bow arms glossy and smooth, clearly possessing tremendous tension—and smiled: “If it hits, its power is not to be underestimated! Dage, I must thank you first.”

Xu Xingdai puffed out his chest proudly: “Little Uncle, you’ve given me so many toys—this is my way of returning the favor.”

Xu Zaijing smiled and shook his head, then glanced questioningly at his elder brother Zaizhang.

Understanding Xu Zaijing’s unspoken question, Zaizhang shook his head and said: “We never intended to take this in the first place, but just as we were leaving, Chai’s maid personally brought it to us.”

“Chai’s maid was so insistent, and Dage clung to it so tightly we couldn’t refuse—we brought it back.”

Looking at Xu Xingdai, who clutched the slingshot tightly before him, Xu Zaijing remained crouched and gently stroked his nephew’s head: “Dage, how did you come to want this thing?”

Xu Xingdai shyly rubbed his head against Xu Zaijing’s palm, smiled up at him, then looked down at the slingshot: “Little Uncle, before Father went to the army, he mentioned this thing to me once or twice.”

Hearing this,

Xu Zaijing’s smile froze. He looked at his nephew clutching the slingshot, his heart ached, and he reached out to pull the boy into his arms.

Xu Zai Duan, Xu Zaijing’s elder brother, was the heir of the Yongyi Marquis House—being the eldest son and a soldier, he naturally spent little time with his son, Xu Xingdai.

Xu Xingdai was already six years old and had begun to miss his father.

Others in the hall also showed signs of emotional change.

Zaizhang, seated on the chair, clenched his teeth and tightly gripped his fists, his expression filled with guilt.

Hualan, holding her son, quickly covered Zaizhang’s hand with hers, her gaze toward her eldest nephew brimming with pity.

Xie Shi took a deep breath, suppressing the ache in her nose and the warmth in her eyes, and said: “Dage, why didn’t you tell Mother when you asked for it outside the city?”

Hearing this,

Xu Xingdai squirmed in Xu Zaijing’s arms, looked shyly at Xie Shi, and said: “Mother, before Father went to the army, he told me you were still looking after your sister, and to be more grown-up.”

“I knew wanting this slingshot was childish, so I didn’t dare say anything.”

Xu Zaijing took a deep breath too, smiled, lifted Xu Xingdai up, and stroked his head: “Good nephew! Do you know how to use this slingshot?”

Xu Xingdai shook his head.

Xu Zaijing smiled: “Then Little Uncle will teach you.”

“Mm.” Xu Xingdai nodded vigorously, smiling.

Watching the uncle and nephew leave the hall, Xie Shi’s tears flowed at once.

Hualan quickly handed her son to Zaizhang and sat beside Xie Shi to comfort her.

Xie Shi wiped her tears with a handkerchief, about to speak to Sun Shi, but Sun Shi waved her off: “Don’t say it, Daughter-in-Law. These days, I haven’t paid enough attention to Dage.”

Then Sun Shi looked at Zaizhang, who sat beside her, filled with guilt: “Sanlang, don’t blame yourself! You all went through the same when you were young.”

Zaizhang shook his head: “Mother, precisely because we did, I feel even more guilty. When I saw Dage clutching this so tightly, I should have realized.”

Sun Shi took a deep breath, gently stroking her swollen belly: “The fact that you realized it today is good—just pay more attention from now on.”

Hualan squeezed Xie Shi’s hand: “Sister-in-Law, don’t cry. When Dage comes back and sees you crying, he’ll feel even worse.”

“Yes, yes, Hualan’s right,” Xie Shi quickly took a deep breath to compose herself.

After calming down, hearing Xu Xingdai’s laughter from outside the hall, Xie Shi looked at her mother-in-law and said: “Mother, thank heaven Dage has always been close to Little Five—otherwise, I might never have noticed his feelings.”

Sun Shi nodded with a smile.

East of the Imperial City,

the Chai household,

Qiusheng Garden,

in the main chamber,

after being out in the heat and sweating, Chai Zhengzheng bathed immediately upon returning home, preparing to change into fresh clothes.

As the maid Yunmu dried her hair with a towel,

“Madam has arrived.”

came the maid’s announcement from outside.

Seeing Chai Madam enter, Chai Zhengzheng smiled: “Mother, why are you here?”

Chai Madam looked at her daughter with a touch of exasperation: “Just now, the maid said that when the Xu family returned to the city, you gave them gifts?”

Chai Zhengzheng nodded: “Yes, Mother.”

Chai Madam gave her daughter a reproachful look: “Zhengzheng, you—there were so many people outside Shenbao Temple. How could you do such a thing without worrying about your reputation?”

“That’s why I had your maid deliver it,” Chai Zhengzheng smiled.

Chai Madam shook her head: “The Xu family’s third son and both elder daughters refused outright, yet you insisted on giving it.”

Chai Zhengzheng sighed with quiet understanding: “Mother, let me explain—I insisted on giving it because Dage said—”

After hearing Chai Zhengzheng’s words, Chai Madam sighed with deep emotion, then firmly said: “Zhengzheng, you did the right thing.”

As she spoke, something seemed to occur to her, and a faint smile touched her lips as she murmured: “If the Xu family’s Fifth Young Master knew about this—”

“Whether he knows or not has nothing to do with what I did,” Chai Zhengzheng said firmly.

(End of Chapter)