Xu Wanyi said softly: "That's it, what else can you say now that the matter has come to this? Unfortunately, this marriage does not seem to be of any benefit to you. You see, my father and brother are not willing to come forward. They only want to gain.
But he doesn’t want to pay.”
Zhang Yanling said with a smile: "That's because this matter is likely to bring greater harm. When the harm outweighs the benefits, it is natural to choose the lesser of two evils. So I say, this is a wise choice.
"
Xu Wanyi nodded and said: "I understand. So I am naive. I think it is unfair. I feel that they are not responsible, but it is a naive understanding."
Zhang Yanling shook his head and said: "No, you are right. Your thoughts are those of a normal person. In other words, you have not been tainted by worldly interests, you are still a pure and innocent person. And your father and brother and I have already
A filthy person soaked in dust."
Xu Wanyi looked at Zhang Yanling blankly and said, "I don't know whether you are hurting me or praising me."
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "Of course I am praising you. Not only you, Ruqing, Axiu, but also many, many people are kind and innocent people, and they are also the beauty of this world. Without you people, this world would not be the same."
It would be too filthy. Then it would lose the meaning of existence. We, the ugly ones, exist to set off your beauty."
Xu Wanyi looked at Zhang Yanling with her beautiful eyes wide open, and laughed for a while: "You lied to me. I almost took it seriously. I never expected that you would say such touching words. But I know your words are false.
."
Zhang Yanling laughed. Without explaining, she yawned, leaned back on the chair and closed her eyes.
Xu Wanyi said: "Are you tired?"
Zhang Yanling said: "I'm a little tired. It's time for you to rest. I'll leave by myself in a while."
Xu Wanyi said angrily: "It's rare that the two of us can talk quietly for a few words instead of quarreling. I still want to chat for a while."
Zhang Yanling had no choice but to narrow his eyes and said: "You go ahead and I'm listening."
Xu Wanyi said: "What are you going to do about this matter?"
Zhang Yanling said: "What can we do? We can't offend those military yamen and the inner court, and we can only suffer the consequences of being dumb. Your father and brother don't dare to offend them, so naturally I won't offend them. Unless there is conclusive evidence, otherwise it will be a shame to offend them.
Asking for trouble."
Xu Wanyi remained silent.
Zhang Yanling said: "Do you despise me in your heart for being a coward who dares not avenge himself?"
Xu Wanyi shook his head and said softly: "No. I might have thought so before, but now I know that you are not. A person who dares to face a group of strong men alone is definitely not a coward. You are a real man."
Zhang Yanling opened her eyes and looked at Xu Wanyi, and saw that Xu Wanyi was also looking at him in a daze, with clear and deep eyes.
Zhang Yanling smiled and said: "You suddenly have such a high opinion of me, which makes me a little uncomfortable."
Xu Wanyi turned her head, stared at the dancing candlelight, and said softly: "I realize now that I used to be too arrogant and always thought I knew everything. In fact, I don't know anything."
Zhang Yanling said softly: "There is no need to belittle yourself. There is nothing wrong with you. You have the capital to be proud. Your family is prominent, you are beautiful, and you are proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Anyone can be proud."
Xu Wanyi shook his head and said: "But, in your eyes, I am just a rude and rude shrew, right? In your heart, I may not even be as good as Axiu, let alone Tan Ruqing."
Zhang Yanling didn't know how to answer, so he said after a while: "You will find the hero in your mind. You were right that day, there must be someone waiting for you in this world. God should have arranged everything. How are you in my heart?
It’s not important, besides, I don’t think you are an unruly and rude shrew. There was just a misunderstanding between you and me before. You are a very good woman.”
Xu Wanyi smiled and said: "Yes, you are not the kind of person I thought you were. There was indeed a misunderstanding before. I can also understand why a woman like Tan Ruqing would like you. I thought she was blind before.
I was surprised. I thought she might be vain and wanted your identity and status. I was still too shallow."
Zhang Yanling said: "Everyone is an isolated island in the fog. It is normal for us not to be able to see each other clearly."
Xu Wanyi turned her head and looked at Zhang Yanling blankly. She suddenly discovered that Zhang Yanling was not only not the vulgar and uncultured person she imagined, but he was even a profound thinker who gave her a new feeling.
"Princess, I'm really sleepy. I don't want to be rude, but I really can't hold it anymore. I'm very tired from last night. I want to sleep. How about we talk some other time?" Zhang Yanling's
My eyelids really couldn't hold up any longer and I yawned.
Xu Wanyi said softly: "Okay, you can sleep here. Don't bother. You won't sleep well if you toss back and forth. Maybe more people will come to see you tomorrow. I'll get you a bedding."
If you bring me a pillow, then you can feel better and sleep on the carpet. Shiqing and the others also sleep like this when they stay with her at night."
Zhang Yanling said drowsily: "Okay."
Xu Wanyi stood up, walked into the inner room and brought pillows and quilts, only to find that Zhang Yanling was snoring loudly, leaning on the chair and falling asleep. Xu Wanyi stood aside for a moment, looked at Zhang Yanling's sleeping face, and sighed softly.
With a sound, he put down the bedding and pillows, blew out the lights, and left slowly.
In the middle of the night, it started to rain. The rainwater hit the bamboo leaves outside the window, dripping and rustling. This sound will make it easier for those who are sleeping to calm down and sleep soundly, but it will also make it difficult for those who have trouble sleeping to stay up all night.
sleep.
Xu Wanyi is the person who tosses and turns all night long.
…
The next morning, Zhang Yanling woke up energetically and found himself lying on the ground covered with a thin quilt. He got up quickly, opened the thick curtain of the long window, and found that it was already bright outside.
There was no one in the room. A wisp of light blue smoke slowly emerged from the incense burner in the corner, filling the room with fragrance. It was the smell of soothing incense. It seemed that in order to make herself sleep peacefully, Xu Wan ordered it.
Soothing incense.
Zhang Yanling was stunned and hurried out of the room. Shiqing, the maid who was standing on the porch feeding birds, saw Zhang Yanling and hurriedly saluted and said, "Master, are you awake?"
Zhang Yanling asked: "When is it?"
Shiqing covered her mouth and snickered: "It's time. My uncle sleeps so soundly. He snores so loudly."
Zhang Yanling asked: "Where are the guests from the Duke's Mansion?"
Shiqing said: "The old lady and the young lady went back early in the morning. The princess sent them off. The princess said that my uncle slept soundly, so there was no need to ask you to send them off. So she didn't wake you up."
Zhang Yanling nodded and said, "Oh, where is the princess?"
"The princess went to the back garden to practice the piano. Do you want me to call her back?" Shi Qing said with a smile.
Zhang Yanling hurriedly waved her hands and said, "No, no, I'll go to the west courtyard to wash up. Just tell her when I get back."
Zhang Yanling hurriedly left the main room and went straight to the west courtyard. Passing by the path outside the back garden, he could only hear the melodious music of the piano in the garden. Zhang Yanling listened for a moment and left quickly.