Volume 2 Chapter 71 Farewell

  Today and tomorrow are tomb-sweeping days, updates may be irregular, please forgive me, there should be another update later.

  Outside the long pavilion, by the ancient road, wild grass stretches as far as the eye can see...

  After Mid-Autumn Festival, the full moon is gone, and deep autumn has arrived. The west wind is rustling, I suppose the maple leaves on Maple Mountain are ablaze again.

  Due to a secret imperial decree, the news of Nie Zhiyuan's resignation as governor was not immediately made public, and only a few officials knew about it.

  Knowing is knowing, but none of those who said they would see me off have come.

  Nie Zhiyuan was not completely ruined, and he could still go to Jinhua as a county magistrate, preserving his official status. However, everyone knew that it would be very difficult for him to make a comeback in this life.

  When people leave, tea becomes cold. Human relationships are often referred to as "thin as paper". What's more, so-called colleague ties?

  Nie Zhiyuan was an upright official in normal times, and he had cut off the financial paths of countless people. To think that they would come to see him off is simply a fool's dream; since he has been dismissed from office and demoted, there is no need to even bother with superficial pleasantries. With this effort, it would be better to just flatter the new prefect instead.

  The newly appointed governor is the former Zhang Tongpan, who has climbed up the Wu family's road and has risen to become the new governor. As for the Wu family, they have recently received even more favor, with rumors circulating that within three years, Mr. Wu Yongbiao will enter the Imperial Cabinet as a Grand Scholar.

  One man ascends to heaven, and chickens and dogs follow him; how much more will his own son?

  Wu Wenzai's current status in Jiangzhou has reached an unprecedented height, with countless people coming to curry favor with him every day, his power and influence unmatched.

  He didn't even come to see Nie family father and daughter off, he was busy, now Wu Wenchang has been hired as a special envoy for the Jiangzhou welcoming team of Dharma, surrounded by a crowd of people every day, extremely glorious.

  As for feelings with Nie Xiaoqian...

  There was no emotional connection between them from the start anyway.

  In Wu Wenzai's view, Nie Xiaoqian is beautiful, but her personality is too wild and she is not suitable to be a wife; previously, he pursued her eagerly, mainly because of the old master's intention, with strong political marriage color in it. However, now that Nie Zhongyuan has fallen - others become governor and get promoted to Beijing, he was removed from being governor and became a small county magistrate, his future is ruined, so there is no need for further marriage alliance.

  Playing around is fine...

  Wu Wenzai occasionally thought so.

  For now, the most important thing is to do a good job as an envoy, other things can be considered slowly; this time and that time, let Nie's father and daughter go to Jinhua County to relax for a while, and they will not be afraid of them not bowing their heads.

  ……

  Autumn is deep and frost is thick. The grass by the roadside has already shown signs of withering yellow, looking desolate and bleak.

  Nie Zhiyuan was an honest official, with very few personal belongings: a horse-drawn carriage, one maid and four servants.

  Nie Xiaoqian was not sitting in the carriage, but standing on the shaft, looking towards the direction of Jiangzhou city gate.

  Nie Zhiyuan stood in the pavilion, also gazing at Jiangzhou City - vaguely, he recalled that two years ago, he had come from the capital with great ambitions and entered Jiangzhou through this very city gate to take office.

  At that time, all the officials of Jiangzhou came out to welcome him, and the streets were crowded with people cheering on both sides. What was he like at that time, with his ambitions and ideals so high?

  At first glance, they were in their prime, but in an instant, yesterday's flowers have withered away, all gone, yet I do not regret...

  Nie Zhiyuan let out a long sigh and walked out of the pavilion. He said to his daughter, "Qian'er, it's getting late, we should set off."

  Upon hearing this, Niece Xiaoqian bit her lip and said: "Father, wait for the time it takes to burn one incense stick."

  Nie Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow: "Are you waiting for someone?"

  Nie Xiaoqian nodded.

  Nie Zhiyuan said again: "Is it that scholar Chen Jianchen?"

  Nie Xiaoqian nodded again.

  Nie Zhiyuan sighed: "I'm afraid he won't come either..."

  "No, Xiao Cui brought him a message last night, and since he said he would come, he will definitely come."

  Nie Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are there many people in this world who speak without keeping their promises?"

  Nie Xiaoqian resolutely said: "Father, I think he is not."

  Nie Zhiyuan asked: "You and he are just acquaintances, how can you trust him so much and affirm his character?"

  "Intuition!"

  Nie Zhiyuan was speechless, but he didn't say anything else either. He didn't want to dampen his daughter's mood, or if Chen Jianchen really came, he also wanted to see what this scholar looked like, who had won his daughter's favor.

  "He's here!"

  Nie Xiaoqian's eyes sparkled with surprise as she exclaimed, in her line of sight, Chen Jianchen appeared at the turning corner of the road, carrying a book bag on his back, looking elegant and carefree, walking towards this direction with big strides.

  "The student pays respects to Lord Nie."

  Chen Jianchen arrived quickly, looked up and smiled at Nie Xiaoqian in the car, without saying a word, but first bowed to Nie Zhongyuan - this greeting ritual could not be taken lightly.

  Nie Zhiyuan looked at him, sizing him up, and revealed a look of admiration.

  Chen Jianchen was in his youth, with a handsome face and an elegant demeanor that gave people a refined impression; coupled with his rare tall stature, full of spirit and vitality, he exuded a vibrant youthful energy, distinctly different from those pale-faced, dull-eyed bookworms. This alone was enough to possess a great deal of charm.

  Moreover, this young man has a reputation, and he was the first to pass the imperial examination as a child prodigy. He also has poetic talent. Even from Nie Zhiyuan's perspective, he thinks that the other person is a talented individual who would be hard to find even with a lantern.

  At this time Lang Xiao asked: "Are you Liu Xian?"

  Chen Jianchen replied respectfully: "Yes, student."

  Nie Zhiyuan sighed with a wrist grip: "What a pity, what a pity that I didn't see Liuxian's face on the Mid-Autumn Night."

  In short, if Chen Jianchen could have gone upstairs that night and made some achievements, at least he would still be able to give Chen Jianchen some help and support; a thousand-mile horse is often found, but a Bole who can appreciate it is hard to find. The current court needs to dig up talents like Chen Jianchen, and if they grow well, they may become pillars of the court in the future. However, now that things have changed and people are gone, the situation has turned upside down, and I will be leaving for Jinhua to serve as a county magistrate, unable to take care of matters on this side of Jiangzhou.

  Chen Jianchen smiled calmly: "As for the events of that evening, I was also quite disappointed. But as the saying goes, 'the loss of a horse may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.' Perhaps this is just a necessary twist and turn that I needed to experience."

  Nie Zhiyuan burst out laughing: "You can be so open-minded, it's really rare. Also, the sage's book says 'learn and excel then serve', but the path of serving is treacherous, far from ordinary, without twists and turns, it's hard to achieve great things in the future."

  The two of them spoke again, and Nie Zhiyuan tactfully stepped aside to let his daughter talk to Chen Jianchen. However, when Chen Jianchen and Nie Xiaoqian stood together, they were unexpectedly speechless, with a thousand thoughts and feelings, but couldn't find an opening to start talking.

  Halfway, Chen Jianchen spoke up first, saying somewhat abruptly: "Niece Nie, on your way to Jinhua, be sure to take care of yourself. I heard that there's an abandoned temple over there called 'Lanruo Temple', you mustn't go near it."

  Nie Xiaoqian was perplexed, and didn't know what to make of it. Without time to ask more questions, she said: "Chen Gongzi, now that we're parting ways, I don't know when we'll have the chance to meet again. Can you give me another poem?"

  For some reason, when I heard her call herself Chen Gongzi, I always felt a bit awkward, and it's not as intimate as calling "Chen Jianchen" directly. Smiling, she said, "What's wrong with that?"

  Today I see you off on your journey, the wild geese honk loudly; within the four seas, there are those who know me, and at the ends of the earth, we are like neighbors.

  Nie Xiaoqian picked it up and read it softly, repeating the last two sentences several times, and couldn't help but feel a little dazed.

  "Qian'er, it's getting late, we should set off."

  Upon hearing her father's reminder, Niece Xiaoqian suddenly came to herself and politely bid farewell to Chen Jianchen, then boarded the carriage. With a crack of the whip from the coachman, the carriage rattled and began speeding away into the distance.

  Chen Jianchen watched the car disappear into the distance, feeling a sense of loss. But he quickly regained his composure and turned northward, heading in the direction of his hometown, Jingyang Village.

  He wants to go back to Maple Mountain and find Yining.