Chapter 50 Turning to the Wei Family

After Wei Changying and Song Zaishui sat into the carriage and put down the gauze curtains, Wei Changfeng said to the guard, “Ask that person to talk to me.”

Since that person wanted to climb the hill and appreciate the stele, he wouldn’t refuse Wei Changfeng’s invitation.

Having seen the person in white coming towards them with the guard, both Wei Changying and Song Zaishui were surprised and said, “What? He’s a commoner?” White clothes were not dyed, so they were usually cheap. Therefore, commoners were always in white.

The girls knew that the society in this dynasty was so rigidly stratified that people respected the gentry and suppressed the commoners. Although some commoners had become officials in the Royal Court, those positions with most power and status would never belong to them.

Also, even if the commoners had their property, they couldn’t compare to the gentries. Without a distinguished family background and wealth, how would they have time to care about their manners and appearance?

That was why manners and appearances were only discussed among the nobles.

However, you never knew that there was always someone who had an ordinary family background but outstanding manners, which seemed as if he had been from heaven.

We could only say that they were gifted.

Was this person also a gifted one?

When he came closer, they could see that his white shirt was a bit dusty, and some mud was on the edge of his robe.

The guard didn’t lie. This person truly had extraordinary manners and appearance.

His clothes were simple: a white shirt, a large robe, a bamboo hat, and a pair of clogs. Such simple attire was the most common among poor scholars.

However, wearing such plain garments, the young man whose name was Xin Yong was possessed with a sort of noble temperament.

Xin Yong was handsome and had white skin, but he was not good looking enough to move others. However, walking on the muddy ground in white, he looked so calm that people thought he should be a profound scholar or even a celebrity.

Seeing such manners and appearance, which made people respect or even admire…, Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng had to admit that they had only seen it on Wei Zhenghong.

No wonder the guard told Wei Changfeng that this person was uncommon.

Wei Changfeng had decided that if this person were from a noble family, he would make friends with him. Since he was a commoner, Wei Changfeng immediately made up his mind to hire him. He should have stood in front of the carriage and waited for the person to approach him—it was not an arrogant behavior since Wei Changfeng was the lineal grandson of the eldest branch of the Wei Family and the person was just a commoner. But Wei Changfeng was so amazed at the person’s manners and appearance that he walked several steps towards him and greeted him first.

Seeing this, Wei Changying said in a low voice, “He is uncommon. I wonder whether he comes here on purpose.” If he had been from a noble family, she would have believed that he caught up with the time when the Little Bamboo Hill was blocked. However, he was a commoner who regarded himself as talented but was not successful. Or maybe he didn’t want to take the initiative to meet the rich, so he had chosen such an opportunity to get close to Wei Changfeng in order to find himself a way out…. Although maybe he was self-promoting, those who did this were mostly the talented ones.

As long as they had talent, the distinguished families wouldn’t refuse to give them a status.

Therefore, Wei Changying didn’t look down upon Xin Yong for his purpose. However, Song Zaishui didn’t care much about him. She said, “He’s just a bit like Uncle Wei Zhenghong. How distinguished and admirable Uncle Wei is! No wonder my grandmother told me that when Madam Song was about to be engaged, six distinguished families all attended to engage their children to her, but Madam Song insisted on marrying Uncle Wei.”

“My father’s manners and appearance are indeed more excellent than this person, but his health condition….” Having heard Song Zaishui’s words, Wei Changying felt proud and pity at the same time.

Song Zaishui comforted Wei Changying and said, “Uncle Wei is still well now, isn’t he? Though he’s still a bit weak, and he dislikes noises, it’s Ok for him to recuperate in the Ruiyu Hall. Also, maybe he will recover after a couple of days.”

“Hope so….” This reminded Wei Changying of Ji Qubing. Her heart sank, and her mind went somewhere else.

When she settled her mind, Wei Changfeng had ordered the troop to set out.

Wei Changying asked her brother to come to the carriage and asked, “Where’s that person?”

Wei Changfeng replied, “He went onto the hill to appreciate the stele.”

“How was he?”

She was asking Wei Changfeng how he felt about this person, whether this person was worth embracing, and whether Wei Changfeng succeeded in winning him over. Wei Changfeng smiled and said, “That guard has helped a lot. The person has excellent speech and brilliant ideas. Since he is a commoner, I am planning to solicit him into our family…. I have told him that if he would like to see the authentic calligraphy work of ‘The Little Bamboo Hill’, he can find me in the Ruiyu Hall.”

Wei Changying was surprised. “You promised to give him the authentic calligraphy work of ‘The Little Bamboo Hill’?” She said, “You should ask our grandfather for permission.”

“Of course I didn’t!” said Wei Changfeng, “I said that I could let him have a look. Of course, he will appreciate the calligraphy work at our home.”

He then murmured, “I suppose he will come to our house after a couple of days. Or else, why did he choose today to climb the hill and appreciate the stele?”

Apparently, Wei Changfeng also thought that Xin Yong’s purpose was to get close to him instead of appreciating the stele. If so, even if he didn’t reply to Wei Changfeng’s invitation, he was just playing hard-to-get.

Those who had real talent would never grovel. What’s more, if Xin Yong accepted Wei Changfeng’s invitation immediately, it had no difference to take the initiative to serve for the Wei Family.

The distinguished families liked to solicit talents, and they were always courteous to the wise and condescending to scholars because they could gain a reputation of attaching great importance to talents, as long as the noble families could tolerate them.

Therefore, it was not out of their expectation that Xin Yong still said goodbye to Wei Changfeng and appreciated the stele. They should suspect him if he agreed to go to the Wei Family immediately after talking to Wei Changfeng.

Wei Changfeng had learned from Wei Huan that he shouldn’t rush in a moment while soliciting people. Therefore, based on Xin Yong’s reason for appreciating the stele, Wei Changfeng promised to allow him to see the authentic work of “The Little Bamboo Hill”. In this way, he had not only considered Xin Yong’s face but also showed his generosity. After all, Wei Changfeng would lose nothing if he invited Xin Yong to the Wei Family. But the authentic calligraphy was extremely precious, not all the members of the Wei Family were allowed to see it.

As for a commoner like Xin Yong, such promise was a great temptation, and it had expressed Wei Changfeng’s sincerity and praise on him.

Wei Changying nodded and said, “If so, I guess he will come.” The person had attempted to get close to Wei Changfeng, and Wei Changfeng was humble and had made a promise. Therefore, Xin Yong would probably become Wei Changfeng’s helper in the future…. Although Wei Changfeng had Wei Qing around him, Madam Song had chosen Mo Binwei, who was still missing. So Wei Changfeng actually had talented people around him, but they were chosen by the elders for him. If Xin Yong decided to follow Wei Changfeng, he would be the first talent who Wei Changfeng solicited by himself.

Although he had benefited from his family background, this could prove his ability and influence.

As the only son of the eldest branch, the 15-year-old Wei Changfeng needed such proof.

Wei Changying felt happy for her brother.

He had just turned 15, but he had solicited a talent. Although his method was a little euphemistic, Wei Changfeng was still in a good mood. He then subconsciously became reserved and pretended to be calm. He said, “We still have to check who he is. After all, it’s hard to tell.” However, while saying this, he couldn’t help smiling.

“Indeed, we should check who he is,” she said. Wei Changying was more satisfied with her brother. “We should be careful with those who are around us.”

No one talked on their way home.

After returning to the mansion, Madam Song was so worried that she had waited for them at the spot where they would come off. Though they were separated for only a day or two, Madam Song was still very excited when she saw her children, which seemed that they had been separated for years. After confirming that three of them were alright, she felt relieved and took them to see Old Madam Song.

Compared to Madam Song, Old Madam Song was much calmer. When the children were presenting their respects to Old Madam Song, she first kindly asked Song Zaishui to stand up and sit in front of her, then she angrily ordered Wei Changfeng and Wei Changying to kneel. She then scolded that they were too careless and that they didn’t take care of Song Zaishui, which caused her injury on the Little Bamboo Hill.

Of course, Old Madam Song did this for Song Zaishui in order to show respect to her as well as to implicate that Song Zaishui had caused the children of the eldest branch into trouble.

Song Zaishui could definitely understand what Old Madam Song meant. Although she was a scheming person, she was still young and had been feeling regretful for what she had done. Therefore, when Song Zaishui saw this, her face turned red in a moment and then turned white in the next. She then pleaded for Wei Changying and Wei Changfeng. Soon after Old Madam Song allowed them to stand up, Song Zaishui immediately said that she was going to return to the capital— she was afraid that Old Madam Song would ask her the details about how they got hurt.

Of course, Old Madam Song asked her to stay, and Madam Song said, “You are not recovered yet, how could you leave now? If you are still angry with Changfeng and Changying, I can punish them later.”

“The reason that I want to go back is that I’m not recovered yet,” said Song Zaishui. According to what Wei Changying had reminded her, Song Zaishui pulled her handkerchief and said slowly, “If they didn’t save me and take care of me, I would be worse than now. However, these days I have fallen for several times. Doctor Ji has said that I will recover after the extravasated blood is dissolved. Although it is not totally dissolved yet, I feel something wrong…. Changying said that she had also fallen for many times when she was small and her symptom was not as serious as mine…, though she didn’t hurt her knees at that time.”

“I’m not suspecting Doctor Ji. After all, he has diagnosed my granduncle, so he must be professional. However, every field has its master. Maybe Doctor Ji isn’t proficient in diagnosing my injury, and it will become worse if it is not treated properly as soon as possible, so I think it’s better for me to return to the capital now…. After all, many imperial physicians are over there.”

Old Madam Song and Madam Song looked at each other and thought for a while. Then Old Madam Song said, “It is true that Ji Yun was not proficient in healing injuries. How are your knees now?”

Song Zaishui made a wry smile and said, “I still feel pain when I stand up and walk; it is because of the extravasated blood. But…, sometimes I can’t feel my legs and then fall suddenly. Now I dare not stay too far from Chunjing and the others.”

People in the hall looked towards her after hearing what she said. They saw that Chunjing, Xiajing, and other maidservants were standing very close to Song Zaishui, and some were even prepared to support her from falling.

Seeing this, Old Madam Song and Madam Song looked serious. After all, Old Madam Song was Song Zaishui’s aunt, so she cared more about Song Zaishui’s injury. She asked, “Didn’t Ji Yun say that you would recover in a few days? So are you half recovered or not recovered at all?”

“Not recovered at all,” Wei Changying answered. She frowned and said, “On the way back, cousin fell for once in the carriage. Thanks to Chunjing, who pulled my cousin’s arms immediately, she didn’t fall out from the carriage.”

Hearing this, even Old Madam Song was shocked. “How could it be!?” she said.

Since they had returned to the mansion, it was convenient for them to call a doctor. This time, they had not only asked Ji Yun, but also almost all the famous doctors in Feng Zhou to diagnose Song Zaishui…. Even so, no one had a good idea to heal her.

They all said that Song Zaishui’s pulse was in good condition— but no one could tell why she sometimes couldn’t feel her legs.

After the news had spread, even Wei Huan asked about Song Zaishui’s injury. He wasn’t familiar with her, and he couldn’t ask her directly, so he ordered a servant to gather information about the details. After hearing the details, he immediately asked someone to tell Old Madam Song that something was not right.