Chapter 63: Gathering by Wan River (III)

Don’t overdo what?

Lancui Yubuzhe: “Hey boy, don’t overdo it! The host knows what you are doing! ”

Badao Zhongcai: “Oops. I am too innocent to understand a word!”

Toudu Feiqiu: “The joke is so embarrassing. I am turning blue.”

With red cheeks, Feng Jin lowered his voice. “Lanting, how could you say that? I have done nothing!”

Jiang Pengji mocked him. “You did not? Why? Do you need to consult a physician?”

“…”

It was like having yellow mud on his pants; no matter what he said, it would still look like sh*t.

Who said he couldn’t go to brothels for other reasons? Couldn’t he simply watch the pretty ladies dance or listen to them singing?

Jiang Pengji could always spoil his day. Feng Jin didn’t complain but tried to calm himself down with tea.

Then he noticed Xu Ke, who was standing close behind her with his face down. He asked, “This is?”

Jiang Pengji replied, “My new page boy. He’s proud but talented. He might become my righthand man someday.”

“Strange!” cried Feng Jin. “He must be exceptional if he has your high opinion!”

Feng Jin had tasted Jiang Pengji’s criticisms. She could detect every secret. Xu Ke must be extremely competent to have won her approval. Feng Jin couldn’t help but compare himself to the servant.

At the moment, he forgot a crucial fact–that Liu Lanting was actually a girl.

Jiang Pengji glanced at him and took a sip of tea. “Maybe but he is just my bookkeeper.” The flavor of the ancient tea was so different from what she was used to. The various spices added an indescribable flavor to the drink. But even more terrible was the fact that she was beginning to get used to the taste after trying it several times.

Feng Jin greeted some langjuns with a smile and a nod. “Why don’t you join them to write some poems?” Feng Jin whispered in her ear.

Jiang Pengji lifted her eyebrow. “I do not challenge others’ strengths with my shortcomings.”

Feng Jin thought about her strong points and rubbed his forehead. She should not have come at all!

But he attempted to cheer her up. “You can ride a horse, play pitch-pot, or practice archery here. I bet you are good at those things.”

Everyone, including Feng Jin who came from Shangyang, knew that Liu She was a gifted scholar in Hejian. It was surprising that Liu She’s son was illiterate and could compose not a single work. Still, not everyone was a great writer. The child’s talents could be different from the father’s.

“Really?” Jiang Pengji looked around at the langjuns, who were like peacocks opening their tails. She scorned contemptuously. “I have heard that male animals love to show females their charm in the spring. Your recommendations are too difficult for them. Let them sit here and play music, sing, or make disgusting poems as they like.”

“…”

Feng Jin should not have mentioned it. If they continued, they would not be able to leave the place safely without being punched. He shifted the topic to avoid provoking other people.

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“Why did you come today?”

Unlike their usual gatherings, this was a matchmaking event.

Jiang Pengji motioned toward the folding screen that had patterns of mountains and water on it. She answered with warmth in her words. “Because Jing’er is here.”

Others who heard her would have thought that the langjun had come for Wei Jingxian because he missed his future wife. Feng Jin, however, was special. He had not met Jiang Pengji until recently, but he already treated her like a close friend.

He frowned. With a voice that was only audible between them, he asked, “Aren’t the Weis discarding your marriage agreement?”

“Huaiyu, have you forgotten?” Jiang Pengji seemed to be joking. “That bond was never meant to last long. Jing’er is becoming an adult, so she should be married soon after her coming-of-age ceremony. There are not many suitable langjuns in Hejian. It is time for her to look for her match.”

Weddings during ancient times were settled at an early age. Wei Jingxian had to look for a desirable candidate before she became an adult. Otherwise, it would be too late.

Feng Jin showed complex emotions as if he himself had been tricked. “Aren’t you angry?”

She responded by rolling her eyes.

“…”

Oh yes, she was a girl. But he viewed her as a brother.

“There is no reason for you to be here, especially as you have identified the purpose of this gathering.”

Although she was a fake langjun, the Weis should not have persuaded the young lady to cheat on him. Jiang Pengji said, “The sun will not go down simply because I choose to sleep. I like Jing’er, and a nice girl like her deserves a good husband. That is why I have come: to see what kind of langjuns her family is picking for her.”

Wei Jingxian could not fight her parents’ decision. Therefore, Jiang Pengji’s liking for her had not diminished.

“And what are your conclusions?”

It was not Feng Jin’s habit to talk behind peoples’ backs, let alone to their faces. But Jiang Pengji had no problem with it. As she drank her tea, her eyes turned toward a man. “This is a womanizer. The fragrant powder on his clothes belongs to three to four of his attendants, one of which has been pregnant for five months.”

Feng Jin had listened attentively until his eyes widened at her assertions.

“This guy leers at his brother’s newly acquired bride. He must have dreamed about the wonderful time he had with her last night.”

“That one likes men and is too cold toward women. Marrying him would be no different from choosing to be a widow.”

She continued gossiping with Feng Jin secretly. “The one in pink with the flowers on his head is a pedophile and has a fetish for sexual violence. Tsk! His pretty face is ruined by a filthy heart. It will be a misfortune to marry him.”

“As for the teenager in the black robe, he is honest, but he is not quick enough. The mild boy is often stubborn and overly careful. His father is dead, and his mother is authoritative. His bride would no doubt be mistreated. This candidate is also out.”

As she spoke, a young man in stone grey clothes appeared within their sight. His demeanor was as elegant as Feng Jin’s.

Her companion grinned. “How about him? What do you think of him?”

“Not bad upon first sight, but he is not an ideal spouse after all.”

She sipped the tea and cleared her throat, which had become hoarse after whispering for a long time. “His mother passed away when he was little. His family was well-off, but he was often neglected and abused at home, which made his mindset narrow and extreme. Still, he was good at containing his emotions like a hiding snake. But once he breaks free of his former restraints, people are likely to suffer from his real temper…”