General’s Gown

Chapter 84 Feng Qi Yun Yong* Part 9

Helian Rongchuan was a wealth dispersing boy all the way, and scattered countless golden ingots. One boat became two boats, and then two boats became four boats. By the time they landed, they had become a small fleet. The newly hired servants were beaming with gifts that Helian Rongchuan had bought for Yan Changqing, large baskets and small boxes, lined up in long rows, with bright colored silk and red cloth tied on them. When they landed, the fishermen and people on the pier all looked over.

“Look, which high-ranking official is marrying a daughter-in-law, with such a big battle formation!” 

“Yo, there are so many dowry gifts, this groom must really know how to spoil people!” 

Yan Changqing heard it and turned from to white. Helian Rongchuan was in a good mood, and with a wink, Jiujin wisely held the broken silver, and called the people on the shore to give out “happy money” (money given on happy occasions). Then there was another cry of surprise, and the blessings of “growing old together” and “giving birth to a precious son early” were endless. 

Yan Changqing couldn’t bear it any longer: “Have you caused enough trouble?” 

Helian Rongchuan dangled his arms and laughed heartlessly: “I know you are not satisfied. Don’t worry, when we get married, I will definitely surpass all our predecessors in marrying you over-”

Yan Changqing hurriedly interrupted him, and said angrily: “Who wants to marry to you?!” 

“Okay, I won’t take in a wife. You take in a wife, I will marry in, okay? Anyway, we are both men, and whoever marries in is the same, as long as you are willing to let me in the bridal chamber—” 

Before he finished speaking, Yan Changqing struck out a flying kick and Helian Rongchuan avoided it. He ran away, while continuing to spout out: “Let’s take a walk, let’s take a look, someone is bullying the patient here…” 

The surrounding servants covered their mouths and snickered while watching the excitement. Yan Changqing chased after a few steps, then stopped. He looked at Helian Rongchuan’s fleeing back, and shook his head helplessly. His pale thin lips also slightly raised into a nice arc. This man was so thick-skinned, he’s really helpless. 

They got off the boat, got on a carriage, and entered the deep mountains for most of the day. On both sides of the trail, there were lush green forests and bamboo, ancient trees holding up the sky, and the chirping of birds and cicadas could be heard incessantly. They could faintly hear the gurgling of streams and the noise of waterfalls in the distance. At sunset, there was no darkness in the deep mountains, and two rows of delicate red lanterns were lit up on both sides of the path, emitting a soft and bright light.

Helian Rongchuan jumped off the carriage and said with a smile, “Welcome home.” 

Yan Changqing lifted the curtain and couldn’t help being shocked by the sight in front of him. He has been raised in the palace since he was a child, and it was not that he had not seen the luxury of white jade and gold structured frames, but he never thought that there would be such a gorgeous villa in this inaccessible green bamboo mountain. 

He saw six vermilion gates with gilded animal heads, and in front of the gates stood four rows of dozens of lavishly dressed and smiling little servant girls. Entering the door was exquisite rockery that were several feet high. The spring water flowed down the rock, and there were exotic flowers and plants like Qiulan Pizhi, Xili Duheng. Bypassing the flower barrier, he could see a carved beam and painted building, a very stylish building. The houses were connected by verandas, surrounded by pink walls, green willows like ribbons, and flowers clustered together.     

Among the pavilions, there was also a huge mirror-clear blue lake with pink lotus flowers and white green lotuses blooming in it. The mandarin ducks and swans were in pairs among the fluffy green leaves.     

The white jade stone railings on the shore and the winding verandas were all lit, a row of red lanterns hung on them.     

Yan Changqing said helplessly: “This is the ‘small’ courtyard in the mountain you mentioned?”     

Helian Rongchuan said: “You think it’s too small, don’t you? I can only apologise and have you put up with it. The hilltop in the backyard has been leveled, and is being dug. A bigger lake will be made, so we can go on a boat to enjoy the moon and see the mountains. Fortunately, the polo field has been repaired, and I will show you tomorrow.”     

Yan Changqing: “…” 

The two walked while talking. Two clever little servants led the way, and welcomed them to the small pavilion in the center of the lake. Surrounded by water, the pavilion was breezy at night, quite refreshing. As soon as Yan Changqing was seated, several maids brought steaming dishes in turn.

Helian Rongchuan diligently lifted the lid and offered: “I remember that you like tofu. Here, this is tofu oyster, this is golden tofu balls, this is fresh leech tofu pot, this is shark’s fin crab tofu soup…” 

It turned out to be a table full of tofu feast. 

Yan Changqing couldn’t help but ask: “The two of us, why do we need so many dishes?” 

“Isn’t this what you thought of in that Tanhua dream? If you like it, I will give it to you.” Helian Rongchuan raised his mouth and looked at Yan Changqing, and said slowly: “If you don’t feel comfortable, just help me make my dream come true…” 

The chopsticks that Yan Changqing had just picked up paused into the air: “Cough, eat. ” 

When he tasted it in his mouth, it really tasted excellent, tender, delicious, each with its own characteristic. The two chatted while eating. They talked about what they had seen and heard along the way. Helian Rongchuan explained to him some customs that Yan Changqing did not know. Yan Changqing discovered that although Helian Rongchuan looked condescending and flirtatious on the outside, he was actually not only full of poetry and books, but was also familiar with the history of officials from all over the world, and was proficient in all kinds of schools of opinion. No matter what topic Yan Changqing talked about, Helian Rongchuan can talk about it freely, and was full of wit and fun. In addition, the two were of the same age, so when they talked, they were extremely agreeable. The night went on like this.

The two were chatting and laughing happily, but suddenly they heard a gentle and clear song from the lake, accompanied by a melodious pipa curling into the pavilion. 

Yan Changqing asked strangely, “How come there is a woman’s singing voice? Is this an entertainment program you prepared?” 

Helian Rongchuan shook his head. He listened carefully and frowned. In order to welcome Yan Changqing’s arrival, he did send someone to spread the word, and to have everything arranged in this villa early. But he knew Yan Changqing’s temperament. He liked things clean and not troublesome. He didn’t like female performers singing and dancing, so he didn’t arrange any at all. 

As he was thinking, the song came close to his ears. He saw the boat parked on the lake beside the pavilion, with a young woman holding a pipa sitting on the bow. The long, ink-like hair was pulled into a cloud-chasing bun, and the light scallion-colored soft gauze wide sleeves lined her slender waist. In the sparkling moonlight, there was a bit of the beauty of Fairy Lingbo.

Helian Rongchuan looked at the woman for a while inexplicably, and suddenly shouted “Not good!” in his heart. However, before he could speak, the woman disembarked and walked into the pavilion like a weak willow supporting the wind, and saluted Helian Rongchuan gracefully: “Little girl Su Wumei greets His Royal Highness.” 

After speaking, she raised her head, her eyes dripping with moisture, half ashamed and half happy. She looked at Helian Rongchuan expectantly. Although her name was “Wu Mei” (no charm), she was an extremely pretty and charming beauty. Seemingly nervous, Su Wumei pursed her small cherry mouth, and the arm holding the pipa was also trembling slightly, making her very attractive. 

And Helian Rongchuan was even more nervous than Su Wumei at the moment. His forehead was sweating, and he supported his forehead, like a henpecked male who was caught cheating by his wife in bed. 

Yan Changqing looked at Su Wumei’s demeanor and Helian Rongchuan’s expression, put down his chopsticks, and said, “You guys, know each other?” 

Helian Rongchuan opened his mouth and was thinking about how to explain it. Then the villa’s housekeeper stepped forward and smiled: “Your Highness, this Miss Su came to this villa a few days ago and lingered at the door for a long time, saying that she wanted to wait for you. This old slave knows about the relationship between Miss Su and you in the past, and did not chase her away. Thinking that she is just a lady and it was not easy to find this place, I decided to allow her to stay. As soon as Miss Su heard that you were coming back, she prepared early, waiting to give you a surprise.” 

Housekeeper Liu finished speaking, but did not step back, still hunched over with a smile. He knew that Helian Rongchuan was in a good mood when he came back this time, and wasn’t Su Wumei the icing on the cake? Thus, he waited for his reward.