"What sort of person is that boy?"
"He's very calm. Although he's been sitting for an hour, his posture has never changed. He only drank a mouthful of tea at the beginning, most likely out of courtesy. Afterwards, he never touched it again...in fact, his first mouthful of tea was only to wet his lips. He's not reserved, but prudent. He thinks deeply and his mind is very vigilant, so much so that there's a faint sense of hostility."
"He seems to be a smart person, at least in some small ways…how old is he?"
"Fourteen."
"I remember that he should be around that age."
"It's just that his expression is too calm, so he always looks like he's somewhat older."
"He's just a normal person?"
"Yes…his Qi is ordinary, and it's obvious that he hasn't even undergone Purification. Although we can't judge his potential, he's already fourteen. Even if he were to cultivate the Dao anew, his future prospects would still not be too good."
"Even if he had future prospects, could they possibly compare to the final disciple of the Longevity Sect's Sect Master?"
"Madam, could it be that the marriage contract is real?"
"The authenticating object is real, so the marriage contract is naturally also real."
"Back then, how could the Old Master have actually...agreed to such a marriage for the young lady?"
"If the Old Master were not dead, perhaps he could give us an answer...open the door, I will go see him."
With a creak, the door to the house slowly opened. The clear and beautiful sunshine spilled into the room, illuminating every corner, illuminating the Madam's beautiful complexion and the half of a jade pendant that she tightly gripped in her hands. The elderly nanny that had just been talking to her stood in the corner, her entire body cloaked in the shadows. If one did not pay careful attention, it would be very difficult to notice her.
Supported by the old nanny, the Madam walked out of the room. She ambled forward like a young willow buffeted by the wind. Strangely enough, the precious golden hairpin in her hair and the jade rings and ornaments on her body did not make a single sound.
The courtyard was covered in the mottled shade of the trees. On the lawn, there were ten-odd trees with thick trunks that would take several people to surround. No servants or maids could be seen on either side of the stone path, but far off in the distance, one could see many people kneeling. The silent atmosphere was permeated with a sense of austerity, like those trees that stretched ramrod-straight to the sky, or like the cold weapons displayed all around the reception pavilion.
The owner of this estate was someone who had performed outstanding military service to the Great Zhou Dynasty, the Divine General of the East, Xu Shiji. The Divine General ruled his home like he commanded his troops. His estate had always been austere and quiet. Because of the matter that had occurred today, the servants and maids had all been forced into a side garden. The atmosphere in this place had naturally grown even more oppressive. Even the spring wind that blew over the walls of the courtyard seemed to freeze.
Madam Xu crossed the courtyard and came to a side reception hall. She halted her steps and looked at the youth within, her two eyebrows slightly raised.
That youth was dressed in old Daoist clothes that had been washed until they were white. His complexion was soft and immature, his appearance right and proper. His eyes were bright, possessing an indescribable flavor, as if he could see the truth concealed in many matters. They were just like mirrors.
The youth had placed his luggage by his feet. The luggage seemed very ordinary, but had been organized in an extremely tidy fashion. Moreover, not a single speck of dust from his journey could be seen. Even the bamboo hat tied to the top of the luggage had been wiped sparkling clean.
What made Madam Xu raise her brows was not these things, but rather that even though not a single strand of steam arose from the cup of tea on the table, this youth was still as calm as ever. Not a single hint of boredom could be seen. It was very difficult for a person at this age to possess such calm and patience.
This was a person that was very difficult to deal with.
Fortunately, this sort of person was often very proud.
...
...
After he had entered the estate of the Divine General and spoken a few words to that nanny, not a single person paid him any attention. He had already been sitting in the side reception hall for an hour, so it was natural for him to be somewhat bored. However, Chen Changsheng had grown accustomed to loneliness as a child, so he did not find this boredom difficult to bear.
While waiting for someone to hurry over, he was silently reciting to himself the commentary on the sixth scroll of the Flower Court Classic. He wanted to return this marriage contract, as he had many things he needed to do after resolving this matter.
It was true that he had only taken a mouthful of the tea upon the table, and had only done so to wet his slightly dry lips, but it was not out of any reservation or prudence like that nanny had guessed. Rather, it was because he felt that if one was a guest at another's house, if one drank too much tea and wanted go to the restroom, it would inevitably seem like one was somewhat lacking in manners. Moreover, even if the teacups in the Divine General's estate were all made from extremely precious Ruyao porcelain, he was still not used to drinking water from the cups of others.
(TN: Ruyao is a rare type of porcelain produced in the Song Dynasty for the imperial court.)
On this aspect, he was somewhat of a clean freak.
He stood up and gave the bow of a junior to that elegantly and splendidly dressed Madam. He guessed that she was Madam Xu of the Divine General's estate. He thought to himself that he would finally be able to resolve this matter. He stuck his hand in his bosom, preparing to take out the marriage contract.
Madam Xu raised her hand to indicate that there was no rush. She leisurely seated herself in the owner's seat and took the tea the stewardess had brought. Gazing at his calm expression, she asked, "Have you visited the Mausoleum of Books? Or the Bridge of Helplessness? Or perhaps you can go to the Li Palace and see the Vines of Eternal Spring, it's very beautiful."
Chen Changsheng thought to himself that these were just pleasantries. He never thought that pleasantries were necessary, but since these were the words of a senior, he could naturally not be lacking in etiquette. He simply and briefly gave a respectful answer. "I still have not, but I will in the coming days."
Madam Xu's hand that was carrying the lid of the cup stopped in mid-air as she asked, "So what you're saying is that as soon as you arrived in the capital, you came to the general's estate?"
Chen Changsheng sincerely answered, "I didn't dare to delay in the slightest."
"So it was like that."
The Madam raised her head and coldly glanced at him. She thought to herself, some impoverished youth from the middle of nowhere was actually not attracted by the magnificent sights of the capital but directly came here to discuss the engagement. For his thoughts to be so earnest is truly laughable.
Chen Changsheng did not understand what the words 'So it was like that' were about. He stood up and once again stuck his arm into his bosom, preparing to return the marriage contract to the Madam. Since he had already resolved himself to this, he was not prepared to use any more time to think about it.
Yet his actions once more caused a misunderstanding. The Madam looked at him and her expression grew even more cold. "I will not agree to this engagement. Even if you take out the marriage contract, it will be meaningless."
Chen Changsheng had not anticipated that he would hear these words, and stared blankly for a moment.
"The Old Master was saved by your master many years ago, and then he set up this engagement…this seems like a fantastical tale?"
Madam Xu looked at him with a cold expression and said, "...but in reality, it is a fantastical tale that can only be found in plays and operas. It's impossible for such a thing to occur in the real world. Besides those imbecilic gentlewomen, who would believe it?"
Chen Changsheng wanted to explain, to say that the purpose of his coming was to end the engagement, but when heard these arrogant words and saw the unconcealed disdain and indifference on Madam Xu's face, he found it very hard to open his mouth. At the moment, his hand was still in his bosom, already touching the edges of those somewhat stiff pieces of paper. One sheet of paper was the marriage contract personally written by the Grand Minister. The other sheet of paper contained the girl's date of birth and horoscope.
"The Old Master departed from this mortal coil four years ago, and so this marriage no longer exists."
Madam Xu looked at the youth in front of her and continued, "I know you are a smart person, so we should speak like smart people. The matter you want to ponder at this moment is not continuing this marriage, but rather to carefully consider what sort of compensation you can obtain. What do you think about my suggestion?"
Chen Changsheng took his hand out of his bosom. Instead of producing the marriage contract, he let his hand hang by his waist. He asked, "May I ask why?"
"Why? This is not a question a smart person would ask."
Madam Xu looked at him expressionlessly and said, "Because your teacher's medical skills are not bad, but he is still just a normal Daoist, while this is the Divine General's estate; because you are just a youth from the countryside wearing old Daoist clothes, while my daughter is the young lady of the Divine General's estate; because you are a normal person, while the Divine General's estate is not a place a normal person should be able to enter. Was my explanation clear enough?"
Chen Changsheng slightly clenched his hand, but his voice did not tremble. "It was very clear."
Madam Xu looked at his face which still had a childish air about it and decided to exert a little more pressure. She had a clear understanding of what a smart and proud person could bear the least. In a short while, he would definitely end the engagement on his own initiative.
She placed the tea cup on the table and stood up. "The tea on the table before you is Butterfly Tea picked before Qingming. Five taels of silver can only buy one tael of tea. This tea cup came from Ruyao and is even more expensive than gold. The tea is cold and you don't drink it. Perhaps this means that it is not your fate to drink this tea. You are just a blade of grass mired in the mud. You are not porcelain, just rubble. You want to use my Divine General's estate to change your life? My deepest apologies, although it might make you very happy, it will make me very displeased."
(TN: The Qingming Festival is a festival that is held on the first day of the fifth month as according to the Chinese lunar calendar. During this festival, people visit the graves of their families. Tea leaves picked before the Qingming festival are regarded as having a lighter and subtler flavor compared to tea leaves picked after Qingming, so they command a higher price.)
The Madam's voice was very calm. It was not deliberately overbearing, and yet it pushed one down to the ground. She had not deliberately placed herself on high and looked down, yet it made one feel like an ant on the ground being peered at from the sky.
All these emotions were accurately conveyed to Chen Changsheng.
This was an unconcealed humiliation, especially that line about using the Divine General's estate to change his life. To any arrogant youth, these were all unbearable criticisms. In order to raise their head high and proudly take their leave, many people would choose to angrily retort, then take out the marriage contract and tear it in two. Then they would throw it at the feet of the Madam and maybe even spit on it once or twice.
This was also the scene that Madam Xu wanted to see—if that marriage contract were not so special, if she had any better way, was there any need to act like this today, to consume her mind on these words?
The side reception hall was silent, without a single sound.
She coldly watched Chen Changsheng, waiting for the youth's anger.
And yet, the situation developed in a way that completely surpassed her expectations.
Chen Changsheng looked at Madam Xu and calmly said, "In truth, Madam has misunderstood. I came to the Divine General's estate so that I could return the marriage contract to the estate. I had originally come to end the engagement."
The entire hall was filled with silence.
Wind blew in from the garden, brushing against the old bamboo under the gallery and making it swish.
The Madam was a little astounded. She asked, "Can you repeat it again?"
She did not realize that her voice had become somewhat anxious, and also somewhat relieved, out of surprise and disbelief. Regardless of whether this youth was not willing to lose face and said this on purpose or if he really had come to end the engagement, they were all things that she wanted to see.
Chen Changsheng looked at her and sincerely said, "In fact…I came to end the engagement."
In a corner of the side reception hall, the face of that nanny who had seemingly vanished for a long time changed.
Madam Xu's expression did not change, but her palms lightly rested on her chest.
In this instant, the entire Divine General's estate seemed to have become much more relaxed.
But Chen Changsheng's expression suddenly grew solemn.
He said, "But now…I've changed my mind."
The spring wind in the estate once again grew cold, the atmosphere once again oppressive. In the gloomy corner of the reception hall, the wrinkles on the nanny's face which were countless deep ravines were suddenly deluged in water.
Madam Xu suddenly felt like she had done something wrong.
She forcefully suppressed the unease in her heart that had sprung out of nowhere and made her voice as warm as possible. "Since you've already come around to the idea, is there any need to so rashly say those words? Wouldn't it be better…"
But she was amazed to discover that the youth had no intention of continuing to listen to her words.
Chen Changsheng took up his luggage from the ground and put it over his shoulder, then walked right out of the reception hall.