kvmb Chapter 95 Zhao Chuan
Chapter 95 Zhao Chuan
Yunzhi shook her head indulgently, sighed, and then carried Le'er to pick camellias. "Have you reached them?"
"Yes!" Ye Chengle picked a camellia, her eyes crinkling with joy. "Aunt Yun, you're so kind! I want to give this camellia to my mother!"
The camellia tree in the yard, with its gradient water-red color, has been blooming beautifully ever since they moved here. Every time it blooms, Ye Chengle picks it.
"Take it easy, don't fall." Yunzhi was worried, so she had no choice but to put down what she was doing and follow him.
The house wasn't large, with only two courtyards. When Ye Chengle ran, the flesh on his face jiggled. Once inside the main house, he eagerly held up a camellia, exclaiming, "Mother, Mother, look! This one is the best today!"
Ye Wanning was reading a book in the house when she saw her son pick camellias again. She shook her head helplessly, "Didn't I tell you not to pick them? They're growing perfectly fine on the tree. If you pick them, they'll wither in a couple of days."
Looking at the camellia that was no longer fresh yesterday, Ye Wanning thought that the camellia would be bald in a few days.
"I want to pick one for Mother." Ye Chengle wiggled her round bottom as she climbed onto the soft couch, replaced the one from yesterday, and snuggled up to her mother, rubbing against her affectionately. "Mother, please play with me, okay? Stop reading. What's so interesting about books? Come out and play with me."
Ever since he went out once during the Lantern Festival, Ye Chengle has fallen in love with going out and is always pestering others to go out.
But Ye Wanning doesn't like going out. She spends most of her time at home growing flowers and reading books. The outside world is getting more and more chaotic, and the more she goes out, the easier it is for her to be exposed.
For the past three years, she has lived a very cautious life.
Unable to resist Le Ge'er's persistent pestering, Ye Wanning had no choice but to call Chunxi and ask her to take Le Ge'er to the alley entrance to buy a string of candied hawthorns. "After eating candied hawthorns, you can't play around anymore. You haven't started school today, so come and study with me later."
Chunxi was a refugee that Ye Wanning picked up on the road, along with Chunxi's younger brother. At that time, Ye Wanning had already given birth to Lege'er and was on her way to move. Therefore, in the eyes of Chunxi and her brother, Ye Wanning was just a woman who had come to seek refuge with relatives, but unfortunately, her relatives had also fled and she had no choice but to settle down here.
With Chunxi and her brother around, Ye Wanning no longer needed to hire people. Yunzhi was in charge of the kitchen, Chunxi did cleaning and washing, and Chunxi's brother ran errands. It was always more convenient for men to go out.
Chunxi smiled and took Le Ge'er's hand, "Le Ge'er, come with me."
Ye Chengle obediently took Chunxi's hand and said, "Mother, I'm leaving now. I'll come back to read with you later."
"Alright, alright, he's just keeping me company while I study." After watching her son leave, Yunzhi brought over some bird's nest soup. "Yunzhi, do you think I've been spoiling Le'er a bit too much?"
She always thought that she had been disciplined and taught too many things when she was young, and now that it was Le'er's turn, she shouldn't restrict him too much. She named him Chengle because she hoped that her son would live a peaceful and happy life, and she had no other expectations.
She had no expectations of him passing the imperial examinations or achieving great success; in fact, she didn't want him to take that path. Otherwise, wouldn't he run into so many acquaintances when he went to the capital?
Thinking of the capital, Ye Wanning sighed again.
“Madam loves Le’er, but you are still regulating his behavior. It’s normal for Le’er to like to play since he is young. You don’t need to worry too much.” Yunzhi urged her mistress to eat the bird’s nest. For the past three years, her mistress has not been sleeping well and still worries about things in the capital from time to time.
Ye Wanning ate half of it and then lost her appetite.
The money they brought with them was enough for them to live a life of luxury and wealth, but the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it. Ye Wanning didn't want to be targeted, so after moving several times, she bought a small house in the water towns of Jiangnan.
Although the house is small, it is exquisite and quiet. Apart from the neighbors who moved in a few days ago, it is a very nice place.
Ye Wanning also bought a shop in the city, which is now rented to someone else, Kaimi Grain Store. Chunxi and the others always go to collect the rent, and no one has seen Ye Wanning so far.
Aside from some neighbors, Ye Wanning would occasionally go out and be seen by them by chance.
Having a shop explains why they had money to live on, and they lived a simple and ordinary life.
Her life was uneventful, but the capital was undergoing earth-shattering changes. From the deposed crown prince to the Prince Hui's exile, all sorts of news came. Every time, Ye Wanning couldn't help but wonder if it would implicate the Ye family, and what had happened to Princess Longyu.
This place is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the capital. Sometimes, news takes more than half a month to arrive. There is nothing Ye Wanning can do but silently pray in her heart that the Ye family and Princess Longyu will be safe and well.
"As he got older, he became more fussy. Oh well, let him be. I can't help but soften whenever he cries with me." When Ye Wanning gave birth to Le Ge'er, she barely escaped death. Yunzhi was the only one by her side. Suddenly, there was a commotion in the night, and it started raining heavily. Yunzhi ran to find a midwife, but the midwife had gone to another house. Fortunately, the neighbor next door was an experienced woman who helped with the delivery; otherwise, both mother and child might have died.
As long as the child she gave birth to was of good character, Ye Wanning wouldn't ask for anything else.
“Le Ge’er is still young, there’s no rush for him. You should finish your bird’s nest soup first, don’t waste it.” Yunzhi urged her mistress, “You’re worrying too much right now. The doctor said to relax and not think too much.”
"I can't do anything with you." Ye Wanning obediently finished her bird's nest soup. Seeing that the weather was nice today, she was about to go for a walk in the courtyard with Yunzhi when someone knocked on the door.
Hearing the knock, Yunzhi frowned slightly. When she opened the door, she saw the young master Zhao who lived nearby.
This young master Zhao was an orphan who, relying on the family fortune left by his ancestors, had already passed the imperial examination and obtained the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations). He was also fair-skinned and handsome, and many matchmakers in the city wanted to arrange marriages for him, but he refused them all.
The reason was simple: ever since Ye Wanning went out once, and the wind lifted her veil, Young Master Zhao fell in love with her at first sight and would come to give her things from time to time.
"I went fishing by the lake today, and this crucian carp is the fattest. Miss Yunzhi, it's perfect for making soup." Zhao Chuan held up the crucian carp in his hand with a gentle smile. For the past six months, no matter how Yunzhi and Ye Wanning refused, he still delivered things to their door without fail. He wasn't angry when he was rebuffed, and he would only leave after putting the things down.
"Young Master Zhao, why are you here again?" Yunzhi said irritably. "Didn't I tell you? Our lady has no intention of remarrying. You should leave. If you keep bothering us like this, we will really report you to the authorities."
“A fair maiden is sought after by a gentleman. Miss Yunzhi, why be so absolute? My feelings for your wife are as clear as day. It doesn’t matter if you refuse my gifts. I haven’t forced you to see your wife these past few days. Miss Yunzhi, please understand my devotion and accept my crucian carp.” Zhao Chuan maintained his smile as he handed over the crucian carp.
Unable to argue with Zhao Chuan, Yunzhi gritted her teeth and said, "You're supposed to be a scholar, how can you be so shameless?"
If Zhao Chuan had been less than polite, she could have retorted or even reported him to the authorities. But now, even if she did report him, he hadn't even stepped inside the house; how could the county magistrate possibly punish Zhao Chuan?
Besides, Zhao Chuan is already a Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial civil service examination), and he will be going to the capital next spring to participate in the imperial examination. If he passes and becomes a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), he can enter the court as an official. The county magistrate would certainly not offend such a person.