Chapter Six: Yue Kang's New Home

  The Bai family is the Tai Shan Bei Dou of Xiang Le County. If you haven't heard of the eight great talents of Yangzhou, it doesn't matter; if you don't know how to eat mountain delicacies and seafood, it doesn't matter; if you don't know how much silver a noblewoman's hairpin costs, it doesn't matter. But if you're in Xiang Le County and don't know the Bai family, then you must be a laughing stock, the kind that makes people laugh so hard their teeth fall out.

  The Bai family mainly produced ceramics, "Mei Ci" was just a product name, and they were all over the country, also involved in other industries such as wine houses, post stations, wine workshops, cloth workshops, etc.

  The Bai family's estate covers hundreds of acres, with luxurious houses that showcase their grandeur and majesty. The household has over a hundred servants and guards, making it a large and influential family. The estate has countless buildings, pavilions, towers, and serene gardens, complete with all the amenities one could desire.

  It's a great honor to be able to find a job at the White House, and in the words of the villagers, that's what they call a talented person. Except for being the top scorer in the imperial examination, I think it's already the most glorious thing to be able to enter the White House as a servant. The salary and benefits of the White House are not only more generous than those of other families, but also treat people with warmth and kindness, which is much more comfortable than being looked down upon by the dogs of other wealthy families.

  The servants of the Bai family worked extra hard and in less than three days, the new house belonging to Yue Kang and Bai Miao Xi was completed.

  The courtyard on the right hand of the main hall was where Yue Kang and Bai Miao got married. The Bai family did not hold a grand wedding banquet, only inviting a few tables of close relatives and business associates who were on good terms with them. Although the Bai family did not want to make a big show of it, those who had not received invitations still sent gifts. Although Old Lady Bai concealed what happened that night, people with discerning eyes could see through it. Good news doesn't spread far, but bad news travels a thousand miles. Even though the Bai family's wedding was low-key, at least half of the people in Xiang Le County knew about it. The streets and alleys, teahouses, and wine shops were all abuzz with discussions about the unknown White Family's son-in-law.

  Many rumors and gossip say that Bai Jia's maternal uncle is a great thief who steals women's hearts, while others claim he is a fallen noble son who was infatuated with the second young lady's beauty and willingly became a subordinate husband. Some even say that Bai Jia's maternal uncle is just a poor scholar who only knows how to read books and has no other skills. All sorts of rumors and gossip flooded out at once, making it impossible for people to distinguish what was true and what was false.

  It's naturally certain that the White family's uncle is not a flower thief, with their brains thinking that even if they were flower thieves, it would be impossible for them to get only Second Miss's wilted flower. In this case, there must be some hidden trick of Old Lady's to deceive people.

  On the eighteenth day of the third month of the lunar calendar, it was a "great joy" for Yue Kang.

  The courtyard is not very large, but it's about three or four mu in size. The main house has five rooms: one living room, two bedrooms, and the remaining two are study rooms, one for each person. The side house is where the maids live or store miscellaneous items. One corner of the yard is filled with all sorts of flowers, filling the air with fragrance.

  Every door has a red paper cutout of the character for "happiness" pasted on it, and the eaves of the houses are hung with large red lanterns. Red ribbons hang down in thousands between the lanterns, dyeing the whole courtyard red.

  The complicated wedding procedures made Yue Kang dizzy, and he didn't know what to do with the "acceptance of gifts", "asking for names" and "accepting auspiciousness". Fortunately, a maid had told him about the wedding program beforehand, so he had some impression in his mind and wouldn't make a big fool of himself.

  In ancient times, people would pat their buttocks and leave after finishing a meal, not forgetting to say "early birth of noble sons". Yue Kang had to respond everywhere, one table at a time, still the same as modern times. Although he drank a lot of wine, the alcohol content was low in ancient times, so Yue Kang only felt a bit dizzy besides that. After sending off all the guests,

  Yue Kang, wearing a big red flower on his chest and a double-leaf hat on his head, was summoned to the study by Old Lady.

  In the study, the old lady said: "My Bai family is a big household name in Hangzhou, and my son disappeared at the age of 48 without any news. He left behind three daughters, Miao Xiao is the second child, people say she is smart and capable, gentle and virtuous. Since her father's death, she has been shouldering all the family businesses alone, running around all year round, biting her teeth to hold on. She appears glorious and impressive in front of outsiders, but only in front of me will she drop her strong facade, she will be sad, encounter setbacks, cry, she is just a child, I know how much she has suffered." The old lady's voice was trembling slightly.

  "Three years ago, a sudden change completely ruined her happiness. Her face was burned and became ugly in the eyes of most people. From then on, she never went out again, hiding in the house every day, not wanting to see anyone, nor me. She was afraid that I would be sad when I saw the scars on her face. In a flash, it has been three years, and she has been living in pain all this time, with no one able to understand."

  Yue Kang stood quietly beside, feeling a bit desolate in his heart. In these three days, he had already extracted from the maid that Second Miss's reputation was ruined. At that time, Yue Kang wanted to escape, but later repeatedly thought that if it weren't for that night's incident, although Second Miss was fallen and had a dazzling family background, it wouldn't be difficult to find someone to marry her off. However, he had thoroughly tarnished Second Miss's innocence. Even if nothing happened that night, the fact that they were alone together as a man and woman couldn't be explained away. Perhaps men should take responsibility for their actions. Yue Kang sometimes asked himself: If his body wasn't poisoned, would he have married Second Miss and become an absurd couple?

  "Please be assured, madam," said Yue Kang, "I won't harm Second Miss."

  The candlelight flickered, casting a warm glow over the red silk and green gauze bed curtains. A delicate fragrance wafted through the air, subtle yet alluring. The Second Miss, dressed in a majestic crimson phoenix wedding gown, wore a white jade pendant carved with a pair of mandarin ducks at her waist. Her slender feet, adorned in red embroidered shoes, were tucked under her as she sat serenely on the bed. Her hands, delicate as lotus petals and smooth as cream, were clasped together in her lap. They were so beautiful they took one's breath away, leaving one to wonder how lovely the Second Miss must have looked before her beauty was marred.

  On the table were four dishes of food, a jug of wine and two white cups. Yue Kang sat beside the table, his expression unclear as he gazed at Bai Miao Xi who was veiled with a red cover on her head.

  Yue Kang admitted that Bai Miao's face had indeed brought him negative factors, and said that there was no aversion in his heart, which was a lie. It was difficult to be calm and see through everything.

  The wine had been drunk for five cups, and the two of them sat quietly there without anyone breaking the silence.

  The candlelight cast a long shadow of Yue Kang on the wall, which jumped and danced. Yue Kang walked to the bedside, picked up the quilt, and was in a state of trepidation, fearing that when he lifted it, a face that made him want to turn away would be revealed before him.

  Gently, gently, the red veil was lifted, and the first thing that entered Yue Kang's eyes was a slender neck as white as jade, with a red cord hanging from it, making her skin even more delicate and smooth. Unbeknownst to him, Bai Miao Xi's body trembled slightly, or so he thought.

  As the red hood was slowly lifted, Bai Miao's eyes were covered with a pink gauze below, and above it, a pair of shiny black eyes sparkled like stars. Her high eyelashes fluttered like mischievous butterflies, and her eyebrows were fine and long, resembling a willow leaf.

  Her eyes, like the dark pupils reflecting the flickering candlelight, are extremely beautiful and captivating. Her eyes surpass a shining night pearl, soft and elegant, crystal clear without a hint of distraction. A pair of eyes that can mesmerize people's souls, making one eager to lift her veil and take in the entire cityscape.

  She didn't lift her head, but only gazed at the candlelight with her eyes, her heart as calm as water, and no joy or sorrow showed on her face.

  Everyone takes their own share of the world's suffering.

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