Chapter 42 Sleeping Mandarin Ducks

  "Damn it! Damn it!" Huang Lushi cursed, "Don't you kneel down and thank Xiao Zhiyi for his magnanimity?"

  Huang Shi Yun hastily knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you, young master..."

  Xiao Jiading hastily reached out and took her arm, pulling her up, saying: "Miss Huang, please don't be so polite, get up quickly!"

  At this moment, everyone in the house was stunned.

  The segregation of men and women was very strict in ancient times, especially in some big families with a high social status. Even when a doctor examined the pulse of a young lady, it had to be done behind a curtain, and sometimes even with a thin silk cloth covering his hand. Who has ever seen someone directly hold the arm of another man's daughter? This action may not seem unusual to Xiao Jiading from modern times, but for people in the Tang Dynasty, it was too shocking.

  Huang Shi Yun's face lost its color, she let out a cry and stood up involuntarily. It wasn't until Xiao Jia Ding withdrew his hand that she hid behind her mother's back, her face bright red with shame and embarrassment.

  Huang Lushi and his wife were stunned. However, a smile immediately appeared on Huang Lushi's face as he thought to himself that it seemed Xiang Jia Ding actually had feelings for his own daughter, which meant the previous misunderstanding must have originated from this. Since Xiang Jia Ding had feelings for his own daughter, things would be easier to handle in the future. Smiling, he glanced at his wife, Zeng Shi.

  Zeng immediately understood what her husband was thinking and pulled out her daughter from behind, saying: "Rong'er doesn't understand things, let Xiao Zhīyī laugh at her."

  Huang Lu Shi Dao: "Is the wine banquet ready?"

  "It's all ready," said Mr. Zeng hastily.

  "Alright then, please take a seat. A family dinner, no outsiders."

  Xiao Jiading nodded: "I've troubled you."

  Upon entering the dining hall, there was a heated alcove in the back with a table set up on it. On top of the table were exquisite dishes and wine. Since it was still early spring, after nightfall, the weather was quite chilly, so on both sides of the heated alcove, two charcoal braziers had been placed to keep warm.

  The two men sat down as host and guest. In fact, there were only Xiao Jiading and Huang Lushi, his wife and daughter did not come to the table. After Huang Lushi waved his hand for the servants and maids to leave and closed the door, he toasted a few cups of wine and then spoke in a low voice to Xiao Jiading: "Since Xiao Zhiren intends to buy this land, I'll take care of it. You don't need to worry."

  "So many people have registered to buy, it's not easy to handle, right?"

  Huang Luoshi smiled slightly and said: "Although many people have signed up, as long as only one can be guaranteed to go up, that's enough."

  "You mean you're only reporting one to me?"

  "Uh-huh."

  "What if others ask?"

  "Leave it to me, I'll take care of everything. I've already thought of a reason and they won't be able to say anything against it. You are the one recommended by Tang Sima to County Magistrate Kang, and he knows you want this land, so he won't dare to refuse you."

  "What about the price...?"

  "This entire piece of land, for just two hundred taels, this is the original price when the county government first bought it, and selling it to you now at the same price, the county government won't make a profit from it, so it's still being sold at the original price." He said up to here, then lowered his voice and said: "But to be honest with you, this piece of land is actually worth no less than five hundred taels!"

  Xiao Jiading's eyes widened, oh my god, that's more than a tenfold profit. This is too cost-effective. The county government bought it through the collection method, and the price must be very cheap. In modern society, this situation is very common. Government land acquisition is also at a very low price, after giving it to the developer, building houses and selling them out, that's an unknown number of times more profitable. Ancient officialdom might be even more ruthless in this regard.

  Xiao Jiadeng thought for a moment, this deal should be clean and won't make Tang Lin unhappy. Because this is an open sale by the county government, the selling price is clear, no matter who buys it, it's the same, not because it was sold to himself at a reduced price, so there's no issue of corruption or bribery, even if Tang Lin finds out, he won't have any ideas about it.

  However, since Huang has given himself such a good opportunity, will he not let himself be greedy and lawless? This must be said beforehand, so he said straightforwardly: "We are all our own people now, I don't know what Huang needs me to do?"

  Huang Luoshi waved his hand and said, "No need to say anything, it's just a favor for the sake of harmony. Who wouldn't want to benefit from it? Why not benefit ourselves instead of others? Right, heh heh?"

  Xiao Jiading couldn't help but laugh when he heard him include himself among his own people. After thinking for a moment, he still made it clear: "You know, I'm the county magistrate's attendant, and I must be careful with my words and actions. Moreover, I'm originally a timid person who fears trouble, so I absolutely won't do those unconventional things. We're our own people, you can't make things difficult for me."

  "Xiao brothers don't worry, I understand these things, absolutely won't make it difficult for brothers. Hehe."

  "That's good," said Xiao Jiading, "but I don't have that much money for now."

  "No need to rush, the year-end settlement is not until the end of the year. It's not late to give it then. If Xiao brother is having a tight spot at that time, I can think of ways to delay it again. Anyway, this piece of land, I'll help you with it, and it won't run away."

  "Good!"

  With this matter settled, Xiao Jia Ding was in a good mood and frequently raised his cup.

  After drinking for a while, Xiao Jia Ding said: "Tomorrow I still have to accompany the County Magistrate of Kang to ascend the hall and ask about the case. I can't get drunk, lest I make mistakes. So, I'll take my leave." After speaking, he stood up, but Huang Lu Shi stopped him, saying: "It's just getting dark now, we've only had a few cups of wine, and you're already leaving? It's rare for you to come to my humble abode, can't you just sit for a while longer? Don't worry, I won't force you to drink more. Let's chat until the second watch, and then you can go rest. There won't be any impact on tomorrow."

  Xiao Jiading said: "Okay!" and sat back down again.

  Huang Lushi gazed at him, seeing that he was not in high spirits. He thought of the incident earlier when he had helped his daughter and a plan formed in his mind. "The two of us drinking alone is quite dull," he said. "Why don't we call for my little girl to come and perform a dance to toast you? Her flute playing isn't bad. Let her play a tune for you."

  "Alright! Xiao Mou is all ears!"

  In a moment, Huang Shiyun came in with several maids and some musicians.

  She had changed into a pink skirt, and lightly made up, deliberately dressing herself up. Her eyebrows were curved, her face was rosy, her eyes were expressive, and her figure was slender. The entire outfit looked exceptionally bright and beautiful. If it weren't for Xiao Jia Ding having seen her rude and unreasonable side before, just looking at her current appearance would have been enough to attract him with his self-proclaimed high standards of beauty. However, he had already understood her, and it was like seeing an apple that had been eaten by insects - no matter how beautiful the outside looked, thinking about the inside made him feel disgusted.

  But his face didn't reveal anything, smiling as he looked at her.

  Xiao Jiading's smile relaxed Huang Shiyun's tense expression, she thought Xiao Jiading had already forgiven her and even liked her, so she came over with a gift, then picked up the wine cup and poured wine for Xiao Jiading and her father. Each of them took a sip of wine.

  Huang Lu Shi smiled and said: "Xiao Zhixin is our family's honored guest, we should show off what we've learned, please instruct us."

  "Alright, then I'll sing one of my own compositions, please give me your guidance, Elder Xiao."

  After finishing speaking, she turned her head to glance at the musicians, who nodded. The sound of silk and bamboo instruments rose up, accompanied by the dance of several maidservants. Huang Shiyu danced lightly, her singing voice turning and twisting as she sang:

  He De merged with Fei Yan that year.

  Drooling with no one around.

  A spirit lost in the peach blossoms.

  I suppose it's cold in heaven too, and wear a green silk gown.

  A jade pendant in the shape of interlocking rings.

  Green clouds adorn her coiffed hair.

  Who taught the red plum blossoms to pair up naturally?

  Just like new lotus leaves, sleeping mandarin ducks.

  Xiao Jiading laughed after hearing this. Is this sly fox thinking of spring? He thought so in his heart, but kept calling out "good" without end.

  Huang Shi Yun walked over, raised her wine cup and said: "Since it's good, Brother Xiao please drink another cup, and compose a poem for me, how about that? I've heard that Brother Xiao can compose a poem in seven steps in front of the Emerald Jade Building, using poetry to make friends, even surpassing the number one talented scholar of Yi State, Zhong Wenbo. But is it not my good fortune?"

  Xiao Jiading said: "Miss Huang is the number one talented woman in Yizhou, I wouldn't dare to show off my skills in front of you."

  "Brother Xiao, please don't laugh at me. Those people are just flattering me out of boredom. I wouldn't dare to claim the title of number one in Yi state. If we're talking about being number one, apart from you, Brother Xiao, who can achieve this honor? What I'm afraid of is that you'll look down on me and not be willing to teach me."

  "Huang's daughter is too modest!"

  "My little sister's name is Xiao Yue. If big brother isn't being polite, you can call me by my nickname." By the time she finished speaking, her face was already flushed bright red.

  Xiao Jia Ding looked at her sideways, thinking that in ancient times, a woman's maiden name was not something to be easily told to others, especially men. This little girl told me her maiden name, could she have some ulterior motive?

  He pretended not to hear, turned his head to Huang Lu and said: "I'm already a bit drunk, originally I couldn't think of any good poems, but since you insist on making me lose face, then I can only offer my ugliness."

  Huang Lushi repeatedly said he didn't dare. Huang Shiyun also hurriedly said that Xiao Dage was too modest.

  Xiao Jia Ding shook his head and said to Huang Shi Yun, "Miss Huang, let's get the ugly words out of the way first. If I'm wrong, you're not allowed to be unhappy!"

  Huang Shi Yun listened to him still not calling her by her name, and didn't know if he was intentionally pretending not to hear or deliberately not wanting to use that title. She felt slightly embarrassed, so she hurriedly bowed and said: "Little sister doesn't dare. I listen with reverence."

  Xiao Jiading held the cup of wine, making a thoughtful expression, and slowly walked towards the door. He took seven steps, stopped, turned around, looked at Huang Shiyun, and slowly recited Zhou Bangyan's "Yu Mei Ren" :

  Before the lamp, wanting to leave yet still reluctant to part.

  The intestines are broken, and the vermilion gate is far away.

  No need for red rain to wash away the fragrance of her cheeks

  When the lilac flowers have bloomed and withered, I will return.

  Dance waist song board idle time press

  Let others judge for themselves.

  The golden furnace should see the old residual coal,

  Don't let kindness and love turn into cold ashes.

  After finishing the recitation, he secretly smiled to himself, tilted his head back and drained the wine in his cup. He turned around to face Huang Shi Yun and her father, but was stunned on the spot. All he saw was Huang Lu Shi smiling at him with a smile that seemed to be looking at his own son-in-law. And Huang Shi Yun had a rosy complexion, blushing and lowering her head, looking like a young woman in love.

  How did this happen?