Chapter 361: This year's flowers surpass last year's red

No wonder everyone likes to talk to smart people.

Du Shanü indeed hadn't expected it either; after not seeing each other for a long time, the young man before her seemed even more clever.

Ouyang Yan concealed his clumsiness until it became true clumsiness, but Ouyang An seemingly......

He indeed grasped some of the true essence of 'hiding clumsiness'.

Du Shanü gestured, indicating he should follow her to the front hall; as they walked, she asked with interest:

Since you say you're praying for blessings for your homeland, is your homeland An Nan, where you were born, or the great Dayin before the winds and rains began to tremble?

This remark is difficult to fathom, full of hidden implications.

At the moment of landing, even the usually silent Chen Weifang gave a half-smile, glancing at Ouyang An whose posture suddenly tightened.

From ancient times to the present, those in power most dread their subordinates being of two minds, like snakes and rats.

But it's unavoidable; Ouyang An indeed comes from a vassal state, his blood carries non-Central Plains lineage.

Du Shanü's remark today—if Ouyang An considers his homeland a vassal state, then it shows he harbors different intentions and lacks respect for superiors.

But if he answers Dayin......

How can one who can twist even his homeland, forcefully link it, and call it another country, speak of loyalty or of the future?

Ouyang An probably also realized he had made things worse through cleverness; he frowned, thought long, then hoarsely pleaded:

My lord, earlier I misspoke; please, considering my youth, spare me such harsh treatment......

He actually directly begged for mercy!

Du Shanü laughed heartily; this time she truly felt some interest.

She helped Chinu over the threshold, strode straight to the main seat in the hall and sat down, then laughed:

I heard people say you insisted on seeing me before?

Du Shanü's words were vague; everything seemed half-true, and she didn't even explicitly tell the young man before her to sit down.

However, Ouyang An was also quite perceptive; after Du Shanü sat down, he immediately knelt half a foot from her feet, his posture respectful, showing no emotion:

In reply to my lord, that is exactly so.

I have lived in seclusion for long; one day seeing fallen flowers in a quiet garden, I finally realized I did not wish to grow old studying the Grand Mystery Classic in a small study; thus I earnestly ask Lord Chunri to report to my lord, also seeking a way out for myself.

After speaking, he bowed his head and kowtowed.

He is still young, observant of propriety; when he kowtowed at Du Shanü's feet, his ill-fitting clothes tightly bound his thin, bony back......

Merely submission, obedience, docility.

It's a pity that, over hundreds of days and nights, many people with the same gaze as his have come before her.

He might be outstanding enough, but she has already seen far too many.

If one wants her to remember, one indeed needs to give her something different.

Du Shanü neither answered nor told anyone to rise; she simply turned her head absentmindedly and said to her obedient slave:

Is there still cow's milk at home? Surely it's not only the ones you just knocked over?

Chinu was sizing up Ouyang An; upon hearing this, he said:

Ah Nu will go get it again.

Du Shanü meant the same, so she nodded and said:

Fine, a bowl of cow's milk, and meanwhile fetch the large box that Leitie sent earlier, which is on the third shelf down in the inner chamber of the study.

Chen Weifang obviously felt some pity, watching his retreating back, then sat in Chinu's former spot, not forgetting to nag:

... constantly sending our Saner back and forth.

Du Shanü directly protested:

The study is an important place; only we three have ever been allowed in; I have limited mobility, you have greater use—who else would go if not the obedient slave?

Afang, I know you play favorites, but don't be too biased; I now wish Chinu would do some easy tasks, and I don't want him running around fighting.

This explanation is passable; Chen Weifang also somewhat relaxed.

He also didn't say anything about letting Ouyang An rise; the two seemed to simultaneously ignore that there was still someone kneeling long in the room, and Chen Weifang brought up another matter:

The doctor said a few days ago that the Wise Lord's due date is in mid-to-late October; now the day is approaching, yet the midwives and wet nurses have only prepared three each according to Saner's say, and it's unknown if that will be enough.

Upon hearing this, Du Shanü got a headache, wanting to speak but stopping herself:

You mustn't panic like Chinu does......

If these two don't go out to inquire, which household could use three midwives and wet nurses?

Moreover——

Most importantly, does she look like a wealthy person at all!

If it weren't for her big belly, she would really beg the two not to waste money anymore!

Chen Weifang disagreed with this, but perhaps seeing Du Shanü's truly bad complexion, he had no choice but to change the subject:

October 28 is also Chinu's birthday, and it's not certain whether the child will come before or after this date......

If it's after, there's still time to celebrate his birthday; if it's before, as soon as the child is born, there's likely to be chaos, and we won't be able to attend to him.

Chinu's temperament has always been stubborn.

The scars from years of torment he can easily tear open, ravage, until they bleed profusely, as if he doesn't care.

But as soon as the present is mentioned, he refuses to speak no matter what.

For example, his birthday, or his mother's memorial day......

Furthermore, regarding his father who has never shown his face, whether these years he has inquired about anything......

Chinu has always been unwilling to speak.

It seems, it seems, he has always been trapped by the word 'past', never daring to hope for any 'future'.

Therefore, however we treat him now, he is willing.

Perhaps he feared that speaking up would bring no kindness, so he simply stayed silent, thereby avoiding many worries.

Whether he's alive or dead, we definitely have to celebrate Chinu's birthday.

Du Shanü regained her composure, and her words unconsciously gained a hint of firmness:

In the past, no one gave him a birthday; now that we're all here, how could he suffer injustice?

Injustice.

For so many years, Chinu has been like duckweed, drifting without a fixed abode.

And yet now, someone actually knows that he, too, can feel wronged.

Chen Weifang silently breathed a sigh of relief in her heart, and when she spoke again, her tone had lightened a bit:

Then I'll draw another five hundred taels of silver from the treasury; when the time comes, I'll distribute porridge in the city to bless the world, in order to bless Saner and the children.

As for what the Wise Lord wishes to give, that's up to you to decide.

Money again!

Du Shanü instinctively clutched her chest for a moment, then realized the money couldn't be saved:

Cough, cough, cough—then let's allocate it!

Anyway, money—when the cart reaches the mountain, there will be a way; when the boat reaches the bridge, it will go straight... Huh? Ahjian is back?

Speak of the devil—talking about money summons the God of Wealth.

Du Shanü didn't expect Chunri Jian to actually return; she exclaimed:

You didn't send the person back?

The first thing Chunri Jian saw upon entering was Ouyang An, prostrate and unable to bow; however, everyone in the room are sharp people, so his entrance merely added another person pretending to be blind.

Chunri Jian bowed, lowering his gaze until it could only rest vaguely on Chen Weifang's boot, then said:

Reporting to my lord, when I left I happened to encounter an envoy from Guangzhou Prefecture, so it was inconvenient to leave; I have sent a trusted aide to escort the person back, please rest assured, my lord.

What 'inconvenient to leave'!

Clearly, his heart is wholly fixed on Afang, just wanting to see more of Afang!

Du Shanü muttered several complaints in her heart, but only voiced her puzzlement:

What Guangzhou Prefecture envoy?

Chunri Jian remained respectful, recounting his experiences after parting:

He is an envoy sent by the Guangzhou Prefecture prefectural judge. When I went out, I happened to meet him entering the city to rectify affairs; he had seen me before, so he specially called out to me.

After a few words of conversation, I learned he was sent to visit you on orders... He said he was coming to extort bribes on behalf of his master.

?? White-headed Tai Xuan Classic: excerpted from Li Bai's 'Xiake Xing', original line: 'Who can write beneath your lofty pavilion, the White-headed Tai Xuan Classic?', translated as '【Who could be like Yang Xiong, with white hair still studying the Tai Xuan Classic in the lofty pavilion?】' Used here to express unwillingness to be ordinary.

? This year's flowers surpass last year's red: excerpted from Ouyang Xiu's 'Lang Tao Sha', original line: 'This year's flowers surpass last year's red, alas next year's flowers will be even better, who can share in knowing?'. Used here, one expresses hope that Chinu will be better in the future, two reflects on the fickleness of fate, evoking sentiment.