Chapter 30 Longing

Yun Ye had been sitting in front of the window for a long time. The moon was about to be full outside the window, and the cold moonlight made him feel even more lonely. In the distant future, there was a woman who was equally stubborn, innocent, and passionate who loved him.

Yun Ye could clearly describe her face in the most beautiful language, and he remembered every moment he spent with her. Even her most disheveled and unkempt appearance was perfect in Yun Ye’s eyes. They had experienced the most unfortunate days together, and even living in an abandoned house in the wilderness was as sweet as spring. Poverty did not separate them, but a wormhole separated them at both ends of the millennium. How many times did Yun Ye cry in his dreams at midnight, covering his mouth with a blanket and sobbing?

He had no nostalgia for the life of the nobility in the Tang Dynasty. If he could go back, he would not hesitate to abandon everything here and throw himself into the warm embrace of his wife. Even if he worked as hard as a dog every day, even if he had to cook every day, and even if he had to face his wife’s nagging every day, he would be happy to do so.

I can’t go back! What a hopeless situation. When he saw Li Anlan again, even if she was wearing a veil and looked graceful, it didn’t arouse Yun Ye’s desire to take a second look. It was just that the mischievous wind lifted her veil, and just a glimpse coincided with the most beautiful face in his heart. He was so excited that he wanted to shout, cry, and immediately embrace her, and tell her about his pain. A thousand words on the tip of his tongue turned into a single word: “Wife!”

Li Anlan may not understand the meaning of the words “wife,” but she understands the feelings they contain. This feeling is a desecration of herself, so she stomps on Yun Ye’s feet to remind him that he is not the carrier of that feeling. She is the proud Li Anlan.

He could not sleep that night, and he could hardly wait for dawn. The night watchmen on the clock tower and drum tower seemed to have died off, and the drumbeat for the fourth watch had not sounded for so long. He was looking forward to dawn, hoping to see that face that haunted his dreams again.

He plunged his face into the icy water, causing his pores to shrink and his face to burn with pain. This was the effect he wanted.

Cheng Chumo was howling, painfully banging his head against the pillar. It was four o’clock in the morning! The chickens weren’t even crowing yet, and the stars were still sleeping in the sky. Since being dragged out of his warm bed by Yun Ye, he had been suicidal. He had gone to comfort Jiuyi last night, and when he got home it was almost two o’clock in the morning. He was caught by his mother and scolded for a long time before falling asleep. Then he was caught by his brother again. Cheng felt that it would be better to die.

“Brother, do you really want to be a son-in-law? Or a son-in-law without a princess?”

“Nonsense. Who likes being a prince consort? I want to marry Li Anlan, not be a prince consort to anyone.” Yun Ye categorically denied.

“So your sister-in-law is the daughter of the emperor, right? If you marry her, she will have a title, and it will be a princess title. How come you won’t be a prince consort?” Cheng Chumo’s logic was a bit confusing.

“I’m going to say that Li Anlan is destined to marry me. Do you believe it?”

“I believe it. If you have any designs on any woman, I believe she will not escape your grasp.”

Yun Ye affirmed the correctness of Cheng Chumo’s words, praised Xiao Cheng’s wise vision, and made Liu Jinbao, who was carrying two lunch boxes, frown. Yun Ye and Xiao Cheng each kicked him in the buttocks.

It was dark, and it was darkest at dawn. Yun Ye didn’t care. Xiao Cheng was chewing on a chicken leg, saying that he was weak and needed to replenish his energy. He wasn’t afraid of the dark, and he stuffed the chicken leg into his nose.

He didn’t expect that someone was already waiting in front of the palace gate. He was not very old, only in his thirties, with a short beard, not wearing a government uniform, wearing a hat with two soft brims hanging behind his head, and his hands behind his back in his sleeves. He was pacing in the open space in front of the palace gate, with two long-term followers following him from a distance to serve him.

When they saw Yun Ye and Cheng Chumo riding their horses, they stopped. Yun Ye and Cheng Chumo exchanged a glance. They didn’t know each other, but someone who was waiting to be summoned in front of the palace gate early in the morning must be an important person. Not wanting to be rude, they jumped off their horses and walked quickly.

“I am Yun Ye, the Marquis of Lantian. I don’t know how to address this nobleman.”

“I am Dou Zhong, a junior official of the Imperial Court. I didn’t know it was you, Lord Yun. My apologies.” The weathered official of the sixth rank didn’t know why he was waiting at the palace gate early in the morning, nor did he know what was so important. He stood aside and waited for the palace gate to open after greeting the junior official.

After a while, the muffled sound of boots came, and the sharp voice of the eunuch came: “His Majesty has decreed that the court councilor Dou Zhong is to be summoned to the palace.” Dou Zhong apologized to Yun Ye and Cheng Chuchu, and hurriedly followed the eunuch into the palace.

Yun Ye always felt as if something was going to happen, but after thinking about it, he couldn’t remember what it was, so he didn’t think about it anymore and felt that he had worried too much.

The five-tael silver coin finally pryed open the mouth of the eunuch in the Tingtao Pavilion. Li Anlan lived behind the Tingtao Pavilion, served only by a small palace maid named Lingdang. When he thought of the missing chicken drumstick, Yun Ye thanked the heavens for their ingenious arrangement. It was really far-sighted of him to bring his own lunch box today. He left one basket for Li Chengqian and his siblings, and the other basket was of course for Li Anlan. Li Chengqian’s future will be discussed later.

Today’s lecture is given by Wang Gui, a senior official who was well-versed in Confucianism and the Hundred Schools of Thought. He wrote the 61-volume History of Liang, which tells the story of the founder of the Liang Dynasty, Xiao Yan, who was fond of Buddhism and sold himself into the Buddhist order to raise money. into the Buddhist sect to raise money for his own redemption, and told the princes that if they were addicted to the gods, they would starve to death. The cruel political struggle was vividly described by the old man, especially the story of Xiao Yan starving to death in the Taicheng was incredibly sad. It was as if he were the repentant Emperor Liang Wu Di. For some reason, he stood next to Yun Ye and lectured, and the surging saliva dripped down on Yun Ye’s head, making him feel like he needed an umbrella.

After instructing the princes to write their reflections, he sat across from Yun Ye and stared at him with his piercing eyes, making him feel uneasy.

“I don’t know what the teacher has to teach, the student is listening with all his heart.” Yun Ye couldn’t help it. You don’t care about the snoring of Cheng Chumo sleeping over there, and I am a good student who listens carefully. What are you looking at?

“Last night, I heard a wonderful enlightenment essay at Master Song’s house. It’s called “Three Character Classic,” and it’s easy to read and listen to. It’s like a waterfall falling down the mountain. There are endless allusions and wonderful stories, which amaze me. I also heard that there are two more. I wonder if I can read them?”

There was nothing to say to the old teacher, so I took out the improved versions of “Hundred Family Names” and “Disciple Rules” from my bosom and handed them to him, hoping that he would leave my ten feet of space. I only let my sister use the clothes that were scented with incense last night! If I get saliva on them, they will be ruined.

Yun Ye smiled bitterly in his heart. These people are like flies that fly over when they smell rotten meat. Last night, Song Lian’s son came to the house to ask for these two manuscripts, and he gave them. He mobilized the whole family to copy twenty copies and delivered them to the homes of familiar bigwigs one by one, claiming that the secrets of the education of disciples by the great masters of the world were not passed on, and they were praised by all the kings and princes. The family has added many valuable calligraphy and paintings, all of which are gifts from various families.

Taking advantage of the old master’s head-shaking while reading the Hundred Family Surnames, he escaped from the school and came to the dining room early. The little palace maid with a double mustache was arranging the dishes, and she saw the fish on the table and drooled, saying, “I can’t eat it anymore, I’ll be discovered, I can’t eat it anymore, I’ll be discovered.”

“Good! You stole the food, give me back the chicken leg.” Yun Ye jumped out of the closet, scaring the little maid who squeaked and said, “I didn’t, I didn’t, I just tasted it.” Tears came out of her eyes, and when she looked back, Yun Ye was crying with a puffed up mouth.

Yun Ye was so embarrassed that he quickly persuaded her, “You didn’t eat it. I did. Look.” He grabbed a piece of fish and stuffed it in his mouth. It was not bad, very fresh and tender. He grabbed another plate and handed it to the little maid: “I’ll treat you to it. It’s not stealing. From now on, whatever you want to eat, I’ll eat it. Is that okay?”

The little maid was still a child, and she couldn’t resist Yun Ye’s temptation. In addition, the fish was very delicious, so she took it and stuffed it in her mouth. Her little mouth wiped out the plate of fish in an instant. She had a good appetite and didn’t even use the sauce.