Horse-head Wall Reflects the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 83 Limited Mountain Rain Speaks of Endless Intent, Azure Clouds Fall on the Painting

"You're back?"

"What do you want with me?" The words were addressed to Guan Yin, but the madam's gaze was fixed on Ling Xiao. "What? Your sweetheart doesn't want you anymore, so you've come back to find some peace?"

Whether she was mocking Guan Yin or speaking to Ling Xiao in a meaningful way, the words of the foot massage parlor madam struck a chord with both of them.

"I've shown you the person, so I'll be leaving now." Ling Xiao clearly had no interest in listening to what the madam of the music academy wanted to say. After instructing Guan Yin, he turned and left, not even giving the madam a chance to speak.

Guan Yin followed Ling Xiao for three or five steps before looking at the woman standing in front of him again. To say she was "still charming" would be an understatement of her appearance and temperament. Rather than being pretty, she looked more like a pampered young lady who had married the man she loved and had always been treated well.

Upon closer inspection, the madams of the music academy were no different from such people. The only difference was the shrewdness in their eyes. It was hard to tell whether they were scheming against someone or simply the mark of hard work and struggle that had been left on the beauty.

"She's always been like this; it's not like you're meeting her for the first time."

The madam saw amazement in Guan Yin's eyes, but she didn't know that this amazement was directed at her. Looking at the wooden staircase not far behind Guan Yin, she smiled like a spring flower that had just unfolded, just the right amount of endearing.

After a few heartfelt jokes, the madam finally steered the conversation back to the main topic: "I heard your husband and I got divorced?"

“Mom knows I’m a woman, and Jiao’an is a woman too.” Guan Yin didn’t keep the brothel madam in suspense.

So far, Guan Yin has never encountered a foolish woman. Especially the one before him, who is intelligent, clear-headed, and shrewd, someone even Guan Yin cannot fathom.

The spring flowers that were originally about to bloom burst into bloom in a flurry, but the madam of the music academy did not respond directly to Guan Yin's words.

Now Guan Yin was even more certain that the person in front of him already knew the original owner's identity. He dared to leave Guan Tongtong, who had such a background, here, and as a man. Guan Yin did not believe that the madam of the music academy had no backing.

"That letter was also given to me by my mother, wasn't it?"

"But I didn't go to the capital to take the exams. I haven't even taken the provincial exams yet. How can I go to the capital?" Guan Yin said, suddenly realizing this problem. Since the original owner of this body hadn't taken the exams, why would the madam of the music academy bother to send him that letter?

"The one who came to Beijing was the real Mr. Cheng, Cheng Jianwei."

Having told the person before him all the truths and speculations he could, Guan Yineng had shown the utmost sincerity.

Sure enough, the madam of the music academy pushed open the door of the room next door, kicked the round stool placed to the side with her embroidered shoes, indicating that Guan Yin should sit down first, and then turned around to make a cup of tea for him.

During this time, the madam of the music academy did not say a word, and Guan Yin certainly did not take the initiative to urge her.

If you're told to sit down, then sit down; if you're told to drink tea, then drink tea.

When the two sat face to face, the madam leaned against the table rather ungracefully, picked up her cup, and took a sip: "I'm not doing this for you, I just don't like some people!"

"I'd like to see how much of what they say is actually true."

Guan Yin felt that the woman from the music academy must be talking about Ling Xiao's sweetheart—Zhang Shuwen.

"Mom, haven't you ever thought about finding someone to marry and having descendants of your own?" Guan Yin didn't say anything more directly, but instead asked a question that seemed to have nothing to do with the main topic, quietly waiting for the woman in front of him to answer.

"Descendants?" The madam of the music academy nearly spat out the tea she had just drunk. Hearing Guan Yin's words, she thought it was something utterly ridiculous. "Can people like us even have descendants?"

Staring at Guan Yin's blank, puzzled eyes, the madam of the music academy simply put down her cup, tapped the table to bring him back to attention, and then continued speaking.

“Good men look down on people like us, and they don’t have enough money to redeem us.”

"The amorous young master is already amorous, so how could he possibly fall in love with us people from the brothel?"

"Ling Xiao..."

"Lingxiao." The madam finally paused briefly, her mouth uttering words that were far from pleasant, because of this name. She turned her gaze to the person in front of her, as if she wanted to get to know this young girl again.

"Yes, now Ling Xiao and the others only perform."

Remembering what Ling Xiao had done, and the person in front of her was the one who had fueled the flames and aided and abetted evil, the madam of the music academy no longer lingered on Guan Yin, turning her head toward the window: "But even if there is such a kind-hearted person in the future, he will have his wife, his official position, and his family. Even if she marries into that family, she will not be treated as a human being."

"But Mom..."

"Why are there so many 'buts'?"

Guan Yin wasn't there to argue with the madam about these matters. He opened his mouth, but ultimately kept quiet.

"People say that once you enter the palace, it's like entering a deep sea, and the same goes for our line of work. Even if her sweetheart were to redeem her and have her give birth to a child that could change her future, would the wife in the household really tolerate her?"

"These kinds of things are best left to daydream about at this age!"

Knowing full well that what the madam of the music academy said was very likely the truth, Guan Yin was still willing to admit it—or rather, she didn't want Ling Xiao to really experience such a thing.

"But Mom, you haven't experienced it yourself, so what gives you the right to say that?" Guan Yin knew in her heart that her words weren't just for Ling Xiao, and the person sitting opposite her obviously knew it too.

"You're more talkative than you used to be..."

With just this one sentence, Guan Yin's heart was pounding wildly. He had already begun to think about how to cover up his changes if they were exposed, and what kind of way he should extricate himself from the situation.

But the madam from the music academy only gave Guan Yin a smile tinged with indulgence. It was as if she were telling him that she already knew his purpose, but was still willing to tell him the truth he wanted to know: "How do you know I didn't experience that back then?"

"My lord, that man from Huizhou sent us a letter, warning us to be wary of two people who have come to take the exam this time."

In the capital, the carved beams and painted rafters, the pair of mirrored vases in the main hall, and the flower window in the small garden modeled after the style of Huizhou, all indicate that the owner of this courtyard must have a significant connection with Huizhou.

"Hmm." The person who was called nodded, gesturing for the woman to place the letter in her hand on the table. Then, after sizing up the person in front of her, she slowly spoke, asking a question that seemed completely unrelated to the previous topic, "When will my father-in-law arrive in the capital?"

"The caravan set off not long ago, and it should have traveled less than halfway by now," the woman who had just brought in the letter replied. "Does my husband have something to tell my father?" "With the imperial examinations approaching, I think if there's still time, my father-in-law should send more writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones to the capital... I'm sure they'll sell."

"And the quality..."

Clearly, the wife's family was quite wealthy, but the woman didn't know how to run the business and relied heavily on her husband.

The husband did not look down on the woman in the slightest because of this. On the contrary, he patiently explained to her: "Of course, everyone should have some. Not every candidate who comes to take the exam is wealthy."

"Oh, okay." The woman nodded, her gaze returning to the letter, clearly quite curious about its contents.

"Well, since you want to know, just wait here and I'll open it so we can look at it together." The man's words were full of affection, but also a bit helpless, which showed that the couple had a very good relationship.

As for why this person came from Huizhou, it is quite obvious.

"You should know that there's really nothing between us. When I went back to Huizhou to visit my family, I invited her to meet you... Did you see any affection from her for me?" When the man mentioned the person on the other end of the letter, his doting affection had diminished, replaced by a sense of helplessness and defeat.

His status and his unwavering devotion couldn't win the favor of a courtesan. Years ago, perhaps the man still harbored love for the woman he trusted, but now only self-interest remained, along with the resentment of a man who, despite being described by many as having "everything going his way" and possessing the talent of a prime minister second only to the emperor, had fallen for an ordinary, pretty woman.

However, self-interest ultimately triumphed over resentment, which is why they have lived in peace for so many years.

“Look, Zhang Shuwen and Cheng Jianwei.”

"Besides a greeting and a wish that I might help Zhang Shuwen if he ever takes a fancy to one of his girls, there's not a single word about me."

The man shrugged, not wanting to offer any advice, as his wife remained silent.

The two people had love, but not much. Their relationship was mostly based on self-interest.

The man didn't see it, but his wife unconsciously curled the corners of her mouth because of his previous "greeting"—if possible, perhaps neither of the two girls would choose a man who puts his own interests first and only cares about his own face as his partner.

The woman from the music academy easily escaped using her status and even secured a safe haven for herself.

On the contrary, this businesswoman's husband needs her family fortune, and her younger brother relies on her husband's protection so that he won't be too badly harmed in the chaotic officialdom...

"Alright, you've read the letter, so there's nothing to doubt now, right?"

"Ah."

Neither of them fully revealed their true selves to the other, even though—outside the window were their two laughing children.
"Father, Father, my sister is bullying me again."

"Father, it's clearly..."

"You're a boy, you have to give way to your older sister, understand?" The father picked up his son and gave him a light but firm reprimand.

"Father, what does it mean to give way?" The little daughter didn't feel any favoritism from her father's words. At that moment, her younger brother, who was already riding on his father's shoulders, made an ugly face at her. "Father, he was the one who accused me first. How can it be called giving way to me?"

"Alright, alright, it's just kids playing around. Go back to playing..."

With his youngest son on his shoulders, the father naturally couldn't spare any attention for anyone else. Without turning his head, he instructed his wife, "Madam, it's time to find a tutor for Yang'er to come to the manor soon!"

"The Cheng in the letter... Cheng Jianwei is fine. I heard he used to be a schoolteacher in the village, so he's quite experienced. I'll write an invitation in my name another day and invite him over for a chat."

Of course, a man doesn't need to remember Cheng Jianwei's name too clearly.

Every spring imperial examination produces a few promising talents, but not all of them live long enough to demonstrate their worth, so men don't pay much attention to them too early on.

"Alright, but Mr. Cheng still needs to prepare for the imperial examinations."

Hearing his wife's words, the man walking in front finally stopped. Taking advantage of the fact that his youngest son, who was hanging around his neck, had stopped making a fuss, he quickly put him down on the ground and then turned around to look at his wife: "Then I will personally take care of the matter of opening the school after the imperial examination."

"Alright." The lady nodded, and seeing the disappointment in her youngest daughter's eyes, she sighed softly, "Husband, go ahead and attend to your own business. I'll ask Zhou Ma to play with the children for a while, so they won't disturb your important matters."

The man was clearly pleased with his wife's understanding. He nodded, said nothing, and walked away from the somewhat desolate garden.

"Mommy will hold you." Once the man was out of sight, the mother hugged her daughter tightly.

The two children are only a little over a year apart. Not long after the eldest daughter was born, the mother became pregnant with the younger son. The whole family's attention was focused on the younger one who came later. Now, the father always feels that the eldest daughter should give way to her younger brother, which is really unfair.

"Mommy, I want to hug you too, I want to hug you too."

“You’re all grown up now, even your mother can’t hold you properly. When your father comes back… you’ll want your father to hold you.”

They're all her own children, and as a mother, she does feel sorry for her younger son when he looks at her with his outstretched arms. But considering how arrogantly he acted towards her daughter earlier, no matter how much she loves him, she still has to favor her older daughter a little—this family already favors the younger son enough; it's always unfair to the daughter.

"mother……"

"how?"

"nothing."

"It's not nothing at all," the daughter said, her words tinged with grievance and guilt. She felt she was taking advantage of her mother's favoritism, yet also felt that only her mother offered her genuine affection…

If the younger son is still too young to understand, the daughter, being over a year older, is already capable of showing the dog how different people's attitudes can be.

"Alright, don't think too much. While Mommy can still carry you, let me hold you a little longer..."

If I hold her a little longer, she'll belong to someone else in the future, and I won't see her more than a few times a year—the last time I went home to visit my family, my mother was already bedridden.

The next time I visit my family will probably be when I go home with my husband to see my mother off!
"Let Mom hold me a little longer, hold me a little longer!"