c12 (1/2)
I feel like every chapter of Yun Zhong Ge is like a treasure hunt. What is happening isn’t a big moment or a gotcha scene, it’s in the exquisite details of the interactions and conversations that say so much more than it seems on the surface. We see the beginning of one couple as Liu Bing Yi and Xu Ping Jun get married, but that doesn’t mean all those tangled webs get easily untangled. Sometimes webs might stay tangled long after people have moved on. My perception is that Liu Bing Yi does like Xu Ping Jun, and would have happily married her (and he did), but the catch is that Yun Ge’s sudden and unexpected appearance in their lives kinda threw a tiny little distraction in an otherwise pre-ordained path. Whether it’s ultimately good or bad for everyone, only time will tell.
Chapter 12: Confused Emotional Longing
Mother Xu had warned Liu Bing Yi in advance not to invite his hooligan friends, so Liu Bing Yi and Xu Ping Jun’s wedding ended up being mostly Xu family relatives and friends. With ten tables, the bride side took up nine of them. The last table there was only two people sitting there – Yun Ge and Meng Jue. Despite the dearth of guests from the groom’s side, no one from the bride side dared to give them a side long glance.
In the beginning, before Meng Jue arrived and Yun Ge was the only one there, the Xu guests were all eating and making fun of Liu Bing Yi. Who ever heard of a wedding banquet held by the bride’s family? Plus the groom had only one guest in Yun Ge, such poverty has never been seen. Despite minister Zhang He being the match maker and he showed up, people saw him as Xu Guang Han’s former superior and he was here on the bride’s side of the family. Zhang He could not explain how he could have known Liu Bing Yi so he let this misunderstanding stand.
Mother Xu looked more and more upset, Father Xu kept drinking, and Yun Ge got more and more nervous. This was Xu jiejie and big brother’s once in a lifetime big day, she didn’t want those people ruining it. Right when Yun Ge was fretting, Meng Jue suddenly arrived dressed in finery. Everyone thought he arrived at the wrong place. When it was revealed that Meng Jue was Liu Bing Yi’s friend, and his gift for the couple was a deed to a house, everyone shut up.
Mother Xu finally looked pleased about marrying off her daughter, and Father Xu finally raised his head. Zhang He was shocked and kept staring at Menhg Jue. Everyone wanted to know about Meng Jue and every chance they got they would come and chat. Meng Jue was gracious and welcoming to everyone who wanted to talk with him, always finding a topic of conversing.
What a consummate smooth talker is like, Yun Ge finally saw in action today. One Meng Jue allowed everyone at the banquet to be happy and laughter to flow freely.
After a few drinks, a bold person asked if Meng Jue was married. And the flood gates opened, with everyone offering to match make with their daughter, their neighbors daughter, their relatives daughter, their friend’s daughter, their relatives relative’s daughter, their friend of a friend’s daughter……
Yun Ge realized for the first time how many eligible young ladies were in Chang An, each better than the last. Meng Jue listened with a smile, and Yun Ge listened with a smile plus more wine.
Because of her promise with Ling gege, Yun Ge always saw herself as an engaged woman. As long as that promised remained for a day, Yun Ge would never let it go. So when Liu Bing Yi saw her with Meng Jue, each time she would feel guilty. But today, she broke her own spell on herself. The man she was engaged to was currently wearing the red of a groom and toasting with people. Actually, from the moment she met Liu Bing Yi, Yun Ge knew he was her big brother Liu Bing Yi, and not her Ling gege she created in her heart. Often she actually thought that her feelings towards Liu Bing Yi were more akin to how she felt about her Second and Third Brothers.
Sitting right here at their wedding banquet, she was even more certain that her happiness for Xu jiejie and big brother was genuine, without any forced happiness. She was sad and adrift because she was mourning her past, mourning a promise, mourning the memory of her Ling gege. But she wasn’t mourning losing Liu Bing Yi.
The person sitting next to her always had a smile and was listening intently to anyone talking to him, as if that person was important. Yun Ge couldn’t ever figure out what Meng Jue was thinking. He seemed interested at times, and then seemingly not interested.
She listened as others tries to match make for him and she smiled into her wine cup. If those people knew that Meng Jue was Huo Cheng Jun’s precious love, then who would dare try to set him up today.
And I’m his sister?
Sister! Yun Ge smiled and took another drink. Some people asked Mother Xu to step in and vouch for their girl. Mother Xu was about to say something but then she remembered the look on Meng Jue’s face the night he was carrying Yun Ge in his arms, and she felt a chill go down her spine. Seeing the Meng Jue of today so warm and open, she vowed that it was just her seeing things that day. But she kept her silence now and said nothing.
Meng Jue grabbed Yun Ge’s hand “Don’t drink anymore.” “Who asked what you think?”
“If you don’t mind getting drunk and babbling nonsense, then be my guest.” Meng Jue put another jug of wine in front of Yun Ge. She stared at the wine and then took a jug of tea over and poured herself a cup.
The wedding banquet was surprisingly successful, all because of Meng Jue. The guests departed all happy and well-fed. Liu Bing Yi walked Meng Jue and Yun Ge out, the three of them were unusually quiet as they walked down the lane.
Without the sound of cheers and merrymaking, the mood was odd. Just as Yun Ge was about to say her goodbyes, Meng Jue and Liu Bing Yi exchanged a look and they s.h.i.+fted together to protect her between them.
Liu Bing Yi smiled towards the shadows “Will the good sir reveal yourself, and what you are here for?” He Xiao Qi emerged from the shadows and Liu Bing Yi’s caution went away “Xiao Qi, what are you lurking here for?”
“I’m afraid the old biddy Mother Xu will see me and start berating big brother.” He saw Liu Bing Yi frown so he quickly laughed and amended “Sorry, sorry, I won’t insult her anymore, seeing as our big brother plucked the prettiest Xu flower and I have to be respectful.”
Liu Bing Yi laughingly yelled at him “Tell me what you want! And then go to sleep!” He Xiao Qi took out a box and politely handed it over both hands, trying to say the proper congratulatory words “Big brother, this is a little something from us brothers, wis.h.i.+ng you and sister-in-law grow old together, with hundreds of grandkids, always happy like doves flying, fishes mating………….”
Liu Bing Yi laughed “Enough, enough!”“Big brother, I’m not done yet, we’re coa.r.s.e people and it took me days to come up with these phrases…….” Liu Bing Yi was laughing and crying “Since you thought of so many, save it for the next time another brother gets married.” He Xiao Qi thought about it “Big brother is correct as always.”
Yun Ge couldn’t help it anymore and burst out laughing. When Meng Jue looked at her, Yun Ge’s face turned red.
Liu Bing Yi opened the box and He Xiao Qi quickly added “Big brother, we know your rules, this is not stolen, cheated, or swindled. We worked hard doing random jobs to earn enough money for this gift…….” Liu Bing Yi felt this gift suddenly become very heavy and his hands tightened around the box. He clapped He Xiao Qi on the shoulder and smiled “I accept it, than you all! Big brother is sorry I couldn’t invite you to the wedding banquet…..”
He Xiao Qi laughed “Big brother needn’t worry, we understand. We have plenty of chances to drink. I’m off to bed now” and then he took off. Meng Jue stared at He Xiao Qi’s departing figure and he seemed moved. He said to Liu Bing Yi “You are actually wealthier than most people in Chang An.”
Liu Bing Yi smiled and handed over the house deed back to Meng Jue “Thank you brother Meng, for your well wishes and for handling the wedding banquet for me today.”
Meng Jue glanced at it but didn’t accept “Ping Jun calls me big brother, this is my gift to Ping Jun. If you can give a jade bracelet to Yun Ge, can’t I give a gift to Ping Jun?” Liu Bing Yi silently stared at Meng Jue.
Yun Ge was embarra.s.sed and angry. Xu Ping Jun is now Liu Bing Yi’s wife, but who is Yun Ge to Meng Jue? What was he doing, returning a gift for a gift? That day when the bracelets were given, it was just Yun Ge, Xu Ping Jun, and Liu Bing Yi there, so how did Meng Jue find out?
“Meng s.h.i.+ To! What are you talking about! You give your gift, don’t drag me into it. Big brother, you and Xu jiejie are both friends of Meng s.h.i.+ To, so accept his gift! Since he’s not married, you will have a chance to return a like gift one day. Big brother won’t be taking advantage of him.”
Meng Jue smiled “Groom, every moment tonight is precious. Don’t walk us out any further, hurry back to your bride!” and then he was dragging Yun Ge off.
They walk a long ways and still Meng Jue didn’t let her go. Yun Ge struggled to get free but couldn’t. She was already in a bad mood and forced herself to smile all night, so now her temper was released. She lowered her head and bit him.
Yun Ge’s bit wasn’t light but still Meng Jue made no sound. Yun Ge was shocked, was this person unable to feel pain along with being unable to taste? She stared at him.
It was dark out but the darkness in Meng Jue’s eyes was blacker than even the night. It was like a black abyss without an end, devouring everything, leaving Yun Ge feeling like she was about to be sucked in. Yun Ge tried to run so she kept tugging on her hand, which was when Meng Jue abruptly let her go.
Yun Ge went flying backwards and landed on her rear. “Meng s.h.i.+ To!” Yun Ge rubbed her aching rear as her anger boiled over. Meng Jue laughed “You’re mad if I don’t let you go, you’re mad if I do let you go. Yun Ge, what do you want?”
Yun Ge laughed and got up, continuing Meng Jue’s conversation “Meng Jue, what do you want? Sometimes nice, sometimes mean, sometimes distant, sometimes close. Before mocking someone, consider yourself first.”
Meng Jue smiled “I know exactly what I want. Yun Ge, if you regret it, then go after it. If you don’t want to, then stop feeling sorry for yourself. Perhaps growing up pampered you have no clue what it means to “seek” your own happiness. Everything before you is handed to you by your parents and older brothers. You don’t know that most people in the world have to fight for their own happiness.”
Yun Ge stared at Meng Jue and asked quizzically “Meng s.h.i.+ To, you’re angry? You’re angry at me?
Meng Jue startled and then turned to leave “Because you’re sad about another person? That makes me mad? Don’t think so highly of yourself.” Anger is a feeling that is useless to solving problems and only clouds judgment. Meng Jue thought he had long ago erased this emotion from his heart, but it was this moment that he realized he was genuinely angry right now.
“Meng Jue, you listen! First off, people are not things. Secondly, my feeling sorry for myself, you take up half the reason why.” Yun Ge finished and slammed the door on him.
Meng Jue stopped and looked up at the moon, as if confirming that this was the road he intended to take.
Yun Ge sprawled on the table with a pout. Uncle Chang had been talking for over an hour and didn’t look to stop anytime soon. Xu Ping Jun had nodded off a few times already. Uncle Chang was a talker, and Xu Ping Jun couldn’t make her wine when he was around, so she had to wait. She finally couldn’t stand it and poured him a cup of tea to shut him up.
Xu Ping Jun rubbed her forehead “Yun Ge, the Princess cannot be declined, but if your really don’t want to go, maybe Meng dage can help you get out of it.” Yu Ge’s face turned even more upset “I don’t want to owe him anymore favors.”
“Then you go, cooking in Chang An is the same as cooking in the Gan Quan Palace. Normal people can’t even hope to visit Gan Quan Palace, I’ve heard the view there is spectacular. Just think of it as a fun trip, where you even get paid, and I’ll go with you to keep you company.”
Uncle Chang nodded but shut up with one warning look from Xu Ping Jun. Yun Ge sighed “Fine!” Uncle Chang quickly excused himself happily.
“Xu jiejie, you don’t need to spend time with big brother?” Xu Ping Jun laughed “It’s just a few days away, he’s not a kid, he can take care of himself. In truth, I need to earn more money now and travel when I can. Once a baby arrives, I can’t go anywhere…..”
Yun Ge thought Xu Ping Jun was pregnant already and got excited, but Xu Ping Jun chided her for being so presumptuous. She was just planning to have a baby soon, and enjoying life as much as possible before then.
Yun Ge laughed “I was all happy I was going to be an aunt.” Xu Ping Jun laughed “Counting our expenses, the biggest will be when you or Meng Jue get married. If you worry about our finances, then you need to marry Meng Jue so we can just give one gift to the two of you.” Yun Ge pushed Xu Ping Jun away “Go make wine and stop talking nonsense here.”
Xu Ping Jun toddled off to make wine, busy but looking very content. Yun Ge smiled, too, but then sighed. Xu Ping Jun asked “Haven’t seen Meng dage in over a month.” Yun Ge told her to stop with the close reference to Meng Jue as “Meng dage”, it was giving her the gooseb.u.mps. Xu Ping Jun shook her head and smiled at Yun Ge, who continued to sprawl on the table moping.
Yun Ge was summoned by the Princess but didn’t get to see her this time. They were searched to make sure they were not carrying any weapons, but were treated very respectfully. Xu Ping Jun and Yun Ge rode a carriage together that followed behind the Princess’s procession out of Chang An towards Gan Quan Palace.
Despite being unwilling initially, once they reached the countryside Yun Ge brightened up at the lovely scenery. Arriving at Gan Quan Palace, Yun Ge and Xu Ping Jun were to share a room. The maids were told to help both girls out more since they didn’t understand all the royal etiquette, but it was really a reminder to Yun Ge and Xu Ping Jun to watch themselves.
Xu Ping Jun warned Yun Ge that it wasn’t just the Princess here, there was a long line of carriages leaving Chang An, so they have to be careful not to offend G.o.d knows who.
Yun Ge asked if Liu Bing Yi said anything and Xu Ping Jun replied “Nothing more than what he also said to you. To just concentrate on cooking, everything else we should pretend we’re deaf, blind, and mute. I can’t figure out if he wants us to come or not.”