"Village Chief, you must uphold justice for me!" Zhang Yane sobbed.
"That Ling Gongzi from the West Slope has violated me! Although I am just a farmer's daughter, I have always known my place and behaved properly. Who would have thought..."
"That Ling Gongzi doesn't seem like that kind of person," a woman commented.
"One can know a person's face but not their heart. Who knows what kind of person he truly is behind closed doors."
"Maybe he's grown tired of the noble ladies and ge'er from the capital and has taken a liking to Yane's type. You never know."
Zhang Cheng and Cui Shi exchanged a glance, a plan already forming in their minds.
Cui Shi stepped forward, wiping her tears. "My child! That heaven-scourged villain! Don't worry, if he has indeed violated you, your father and I will surely seek justice for you."
Zhang Cheng stepped forward and bowed. "Village Chief, Yane is my only daughter. We've never made her do heavy or dirty work, all so she could marry into a good family. Now she has been violated for no reason, her purity tainted. I beg the Village Chief to uphold justice and make that fellow give us an explanation."
That man is a merchant from the capital. If Yane can marry him, our whole family will enjoy good fortune.
"Father, we should hear Ling Gongzi's side of the story first," Wu Da whispered to his father.
He didn't believe Ling Gongzi would violate Zhang's daughter. This Zhang Yane was usually flirtatious and loved to show off. It was likely she had seduced him herself and was now trying to use the situation to cling to him.
The Village Chief frowned, looking troubled.
"This matter is not easy to handle. That Ling Gongzi..." He paused slightly. "...is not someone we can easily offend."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Cheng stamped his foot in anxiety. "So my daughter's purity is just ruined like that? No! Village Chief, you must give me justice!"
Wu Da's eyes shifted, and he leaned in to whisper a few words into the Village Chief's ear.
The Village Chief hesitated for a moment before saying, "Alright then. The West Slope isn't far. Let's all go there now and clarify this matter face to face."
The Village Chief looked at Zhang Yane. "If he truly violated you, I will see to it that he gives you an explanation."
The Zhang family's faces lit up with joy.
The Village Chief then added, "But if you are falsely accusing Ling Gongzi without evidence, then Yunxi Village will not protect you."
Zhang Yane slightly bowed. "Village Chief, Yane wouldn't dare."
A large crowd marched towards the West Slope, and along the way, more and people joined to watch the spectacle.
On the West Slope, inside the courtyard, Ming Xi and Ling Cang were roasting chestnuts in the house. "So fragrant!" Ming Xi squatted nearby.
Ling Cang's bag seemed like a treasure trove; whatever he wished for appeared.
He had just mentioned wanting to eat chestnuts, and now they were already roasting.
Ling Cang picked one out, shelled it, and handed it to Ming Xi. "Be careful, it's hot."
Ming Xi took it, blew on it carefully, and popped it into his mouth, chewing with his eyes narrowed.
Just as he reached for another one, several knocks sounded from outside the courtyard.
Ming Xi glanced at Ling Cang. "Is it her again?"
Ling Cang stood up, handed him a plate of shelled chestnuts, and said with a smile, "It's not her."
He wiped the chestnut crumbs from the corner of Ming Xi's mouth. "Come out with me to take a look? It's bound to be quite a show."
Ming Xi: "Alright."
Ling Cang opened the door and scanned the crowd. "Can I help you all?"
The people outside all stared at Ming Xi standing behind Ling Cang. This ge'er was exceptionally good-looking; probably no one in the entire Yunxi Village could compare.
Before the Village Chief could speak, Zhang Cheng began to curse. "You hypocritical outsider! How dare you violate my daughter's purity for no reason!"
"Now, I won't make things difficult for you. But since you've already violated her, you must marry her."
"Yes! Our Yane was already promised to someone. But because of your interference today, if you don't marry her, you'll be forcing her to her death!" Cui Shi said fiercely.
Ling Cang stood with his arms crossed, a smile playing on his lips, quietly watching the crowd.
"Ling, young man, is what the Zhang family says true?" The Village Chief stepped forward and asked.
"How amusing. Didn't Miss Zhang say she wanted to be with me? It seems she couldn't resist loneliness," Ling Cang said.
"Ling Gongzi, if you don't want to take responsibility, I won't shamelessly cling to you. But why won't you admit it?" she said, wiping her tears, appearing frail and vulnerable, every bit the victim.
Ming Xi, holding a rabbit, stepped forward and looked her over a few times.
In the past, Father also had people trying to cling to him. Someone took a fancy to Father's business and insisted on marrying their daughter to him. When Father refused, they set a trap. In the end, the girl never entered the Cao residence, and their business was acquired by Father.
"When did my husband ever violate you? I didn't know about it," Ming Xi said, looking up. Though he was a ge'er, the aura around him stunned everyone present.
The Village Chief hurriedly asked Ling Cang, "Who is this?"
"My little husband. Come here, Xi'er." Ling Cang's eyes were full of doting affection. He tightened the ties of Ming Xi's cloak.
"I still have to make dinner for Xi'er later. If you have any more questions, ask him." He pointed at Li Laizi at the back of the crowd.
"He will surely tell you everything he knows, holding nothing back."
The villagers looked at Li Laizi at the back. Then, seeing Ling Cang's righteous and unashamed demeanor and the terror in Zhang Yane's eyes, they understood most of what had happened.
"Pfui! How shameless! Slept with Li Laizi but wants Ling Cang to marry her."
"Good thing my son didn't marry her back then."
Instantly, the crowd looked at Yane with disgust.
Tears streamed down Yane's face. "It's not true! It's not!"
The Village Chief glared at her and flicked his sleeve. "Take her away."
Ling Cang closed the courtyard gate.
He led Ming Xi back into the house.
"You... why did you tell others I'm your husband?"
Ling Cang stopped walking, looked down at him, and curled his lips into a smile.
"Does Xi'er not like it?"
The tips of Ming Xi's ears turned slightly red. "I... I like it."
Ling Cang leaned closer and asked with a smile, "What?"
Ming Xi looked up. "I like it. I like you calling me your husband."
Their eyes met.
Ling Cang couldn't resist bending down to kiss his lips. They were as soft and sweet as he had imagined.
After parting, Ming Xi shyly covered his eyes.
Ling Cang laughed heartily a few times, then scooped him up into a horizontal carry. "Calling Xi'er my husband also brings me great joy," he said, using the ancient imperial pronoun [吾' (wú)], which only those of the highest status would use. Ming Xi's mind was still buzzing from the kiss and he didn't notice this at all.
He gently placed Ming Xi on the kang and whispered in his ear, "My little husband, warm up for a while. Your husband is going to make dinner for you."
"I want to help you too," Ming Xi looked at him.
Ling Cang: "Alright then. Go check the cucumber trellis I built in the room. The cucumbers should be ready to eat."
"Mmhmm. Oh, right, there are still so many peaches left. Should we make preserves?"
Ling Cang: "If you want to eat them, we'll make them. If we run out, I'll just get more for you."
It's just a trip to the celestial realm. I can't shortchange my little husband.
"Then you go make dinner, and I'll go make a cucumber salad." Without waiting for Ling Cang's agreement, Ming Xi dashed out.
Ling Cang usually enjoyed growing vegetables. On the vacant plot next door, he had built a simple shed where he grew various kinds of produce. Ming Xi opened the door, and a wave of warm air rushed out.
On the left was a patch of lush green vegetables, their leaves plump and tender; on the right were bright red peppers hanging from the vines like small lanterns; ahead were shiny purple eggplants, each one round and full, exuding a ripe aroma. In the corner of the shed were piled several pumpkins, round and adorable.
Comments
Post a Comment