Wan Hui presents abacus beads, Shan Bo accepts the promise

Chapter 134 Wan Hui presents abacus beads, Shan Bo accepts the promise

Zhu Yingtai said to Liang Shanbo, "Brother Liang, you know that when I was seven years old, my father planted that loquat tree in the front yard of our house in Shangyu in the spring."

At that time, I was just a little girl with my hair in two buns, squatting beside my father watching him dig the soil, mound the roots, and water the tree, asking him when the tree would bear fruit. My father said, "It will bear fruit when I grow up."

Liang Shanbo listened quietly, as if through her words he could see that spring day, the loquat tree in the front yard of the Zhu family manor that was still a tender sapling, Zhu Guang's figure bent over digging with a shovel, and young Yingtai squatting to the side, her little hands supporting her cheeks, looking up at Zhu Guang and asking innocent questions.

Zhu Yingtai continued, "Later, that loquat tree indeed bore fruit every year. Every April and May, the branches were bent low with the weight of the loquats. I grew up and even disguised myself as a boy to study in Qiantang, where I met you. This May, Brother Liang and I picked the loquats from that tree together."

Today, Brother Liang and I planted this clump of green bamboo in the corner of our new home in Guangling City. From now on, this clump of green bamboo will take root here, and this place can be considered our home.

The loquat tree is a memento left to me by my father, a memory of my maternal home in Shangyu. This clump of green bamboo was planted by my brother Liang and me; it will witness our years living here, perhaps for many years to come.

Even if we leave Guangling in the future, this clump of green bamboo will remain our thoughts and memories of Guangling, and it may stay here for a long time.

Bamboo is a symbol of a virtuous person, a symbol of resilience, undaunted by wind and snow. I hope that my brother Liang and I can be like green bamboo, standing straight, unbroken by the wind, and unyielding under the weight of snow.

Upon hearing these words, Liang Shanbo felt a surge of warmth and peace in his heart.

He recalled that a year ago, he was still a poor scholar whom Ma Wencai ridiculed as a "lowly son from a poor family." He recalled that for most of the year, although he had lived a wonderful and fulfilling life at the Zhu Family Manor in Shangyu, he inevitably had the air of a "son-in-law living with his wife's family." But now, this courtyard with newly planted bamboo, although not his property and not as grand and magnificent as the Zhu Family Manor, was already considered his and Yingtai's home.

Thinking of this, he gazed into his wife's eyes and said softly, "Yes, Ninth Sister, this is our home now. From now on, this clump of green bamboo will grow here, and we will live here for many years, accompanied by this clump of green bamboo."

Next spring, I'll loosen the soil; in the height of summer, you'll water it; and in autumn and winter, we'll watch together as it stands tall and resilient in the wind and snow. This clump of bamboo will grow taller and more lush, just like our lives.”

Zhu Yingtai hummed in agreement, smiled sweetly, bent down, and reached out to stroke the bamboo leaves. The bamboo leaves were tender and cool to the touch, trembling slightly when touched.

Liang Shanbo also reached out and covered the back of her hand, touching the bamboo leaves with her. His hand was a size larger than hers, and his palm was warm.

Zhu Yingtai turned her hand over from under his palm, and grasped his hand in return. She didn't say anything, but held it quietly, feeling the warmth from his palm with her own.

The couple gazed at the green bamboo before them, their expressions both gentle and resolute, as if they were not looking at a clump of tender bamboo, but at a bright future.

The green bamboo swayed gently in the wind, making a soft sound, as if offering a simple and sincere blessing to the young couple's new life.

Yin Xin stood under the eaves of the main house, looking at the two figures standing side by side in front of the bamboo, and a knowing smile appeared on her lips.

Yu Xian and A Mian stood beside Yin Xin. They exchanged a glance and smiled slightly.

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai ate breakfast at Xiao Hu's place that day.

Xiao Hu had a cook who came from the Xiao family in Qiantang. She was quite skilled in cooking and made both meat dishes and side dishes with a distinct Qiantang flavor, which Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai both loved.

When it was time to feed the animals, wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys of Guangling City, scattering across the hazy sky.

Zhu Yingtai, dressed in men's attire, rode with Liang Shanbo in a blue cloth oxcart to Su Wanhui's residence in Guangling City.

The Su family of Huaibei not only had warehouses and stores in Guangling, with managers stationed there year-round to oversee trade affairs, but also owned a quiet courtyard in the city. This courtyard was located in a secluded alley, with walls made of blue bricks and a locust tree standing outside the gate.

For the past two days, Su Guanhui has been staying in this courtyard, packing her belongings, comforting the wounded, and handling matters concerning the caravan. Yesterday, after paying her respects to Xie Xuan at the General's Mansion, Su Guanhui made an appointment with Liang Shanbo for a meal today. She prepared a small feast to express her gratitude and gratitude.

Liang Shanbo had already learned the details of the Su family in Huaibei yesterday.

The Su family was one of the top merchants in the Huaibei area, with trade routes covering the north and south. They had warehouses and stores in the three prefectures of Xu, Yan, and Qing, as well as in the counties of Jiangzuo. Their wealth, connections, and ease of travel between the north and south were unmatched by ordinary merchants.

Although the Su family's roots were within the territory of the Former Qin, such powerful merchants were indispensable to Guangling and even the entire Jiangzuo region; otherwise, trade between the north and south would not have been interrupted.

In fact, one reason why trade between the North and the South could continue even during the period of North-South confrontation was that large merchants like the Su family, who had roots on both sides and could manage both, maintained the trade.

Without the Su family's merchant caravans acting as intermediaries, the official trade channels alone would have been insufficient to meet the needs of both sides, as Jiangzuo needed northern medicinal herbs and leathers, and the north craved southern silks, teas, and lacquerwares.

Now that Xie Xuan is in charge of military affairs in Jiangbei, preparing for war is of paramount importance, but he also values ​​merchants like the Su family who have been trading between the north and south for many years. Yesterday, he even told Liang Shanbo that merchants like the Su family should be treated with courtesy.

Liang Shanbo already had his own plans. The Su family's trade routes covered the north and south, and his dealings with Su Wanhui would allow him to focus on long-term mutually beneficial cooperation, which would be conducive to the grand ambitions he secretly harbored.

He could have declined today's banquet, but he still came, not mainly to receive the Su family's gratitude, but to establish a connection that he might need in the future.

Su Wanhui was already waiting in the main hall. When she learned that Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai's carriage had arrived, she hurriedly led Han Tong, Ling Cheng, and the maid Asu to the courtyard gate to greet them.

Today, she was not as travel-worn as yesterday, but her clothes remained simple and neat. Seeing Liang Shanbo alight from the oxcart and then reach out to help Zhu Yingtai down, she stepped forward, curtsied, and gave Zhu Yingtai a second look. This young lady was still dressed in men's attire, her dashing and spirited appearance unforgettable. Even from this small gesture of Liang Shanbo helping her down from the cart, one could see the loving and harmonious relationship between the couple.

Su Wanhui welcomed Liang and Zhu into the main hall.

A banquet had been set up in the hall. The dishes were not extravagant, but several dishes combined the styles of both the north and the south, retaining the elegance of the south while also having a touch of the richness of the north. The wine was excellent Kuaiji yellow wine, which was sweet and mellow with a long aftertaste.

In Guangling City, a military town on the frontier, it is truly remarkable that Su Wanhui was able to organize such a banquet amidst her busy schedule, which shows her sincerity.

Midway through the banquet, Su Wanhui put down her wine cup, sat up straight, bowed to Liang Shanbo, and said earnestly, "Military Advisor Liang, yesterday on the official road, if it weren't for your timely arrival and the repelling of the enemy, my Su family would have suffered heavy losses. Yesterday, I told you to my face that I would remember this kindness and virtue, and my Su family would repay it generously, without any exaggeration."

At this point, she gave Ling Cheng a wink.

Ling Cheng understood and walked to the wall behind Liang Shanbo, opening the lid of a large wooden box. Inside the box were dozens of bolts of silk, clearly of the highest quality, far superior to ordinary silk from the marketplace.

This large box of silk, at the current market price, is worth about 80,000 coins. For any ordinary family, this would be a huge sum of money enough to buy a house.

Su Wanhui glanced at the large wooden box, then looked back at Liang Shanbo, smiled sweetly, and said in an even more earnest tone, "Military Advisor Liang, this box of silk is just a token of my gratitude. The amount is meager and truly insufficient to repay your great kindness. It is merely a token of my Su family's goodwill."

"Military Advisor Liang, please don't find this offensive or vulgar. My Su family has been merchants for generations, and we have nothing of value to offer. This is all we can give as thanks. Wan Hui is sincere and has no intention of being perfunctory."

Upon hearing this, Liang Shanbo glanced back at the large box of fine silk, his expression calm, already having made up his mind.

This large box of fine silk, presented as a token of gratitude, was quite substantial. In fact, this was the first time anyone had ever given him such a large sum of money. Back in the Qiantang Suihan Qingyin Collection, he had only received forty thousand coins.

He knew in his heart that Su Wanhui's generosity was not only partly out of sincere gratitude, but also likely intended to make friends with him.

After all, he is now a military advisor highly regarded by Xie Xuan. If the Su family can establish a relationship with him, their trade routes in Guangling will have an extra layer of protection in the future.

Su Wanhui is indeed the daughter Su Jingting raised; she's shrewd in business.

He shifted his gaze from the large box of silk, looked at Su Guanhui, cupped his hands in greeting, and calmly said, "I appreciate Miss Su's kindness. Yesterday's events were merely a matter of witnessing injustice and by chance. I cannot accept this box of silk."

Su Wanhui felt a surge of admiration and respect.

Having traveled far and wide over the years, she had met countless people and knew the boundless greed of human nature; many officials and generals would have their eyes light up at the sight of money. This Liang Shanbo before her was only eighteen years old, yet he had become Xie Xuan's trusted military advisor, and he could politely refuse a huge sum of money without batting an eye. Such composure and integrity were truly rare.

She naturally wouldn't give up so easily, and continued to persuade him, "I deeply admire Military Advisor Liang's noble character. However, if Military Advisor Liang refuses to accept it, I will remain uneasy. If my father asks about this matter when I return to Huaibei, I will have no face to explain. How about this: Military Advisor Liang, please accept this batch of silk. Whether you use it for official military purposes or to help the families of your soldiers, you can do as you please. I will not interfere. Is that alright?"

Liang Shanbo shook his head: "It is truly inconvenient to accept this, Miss Su, there is no need for you to do so."

Seeing that he was determined not to accept it, Su Wanhui stopped trying to persuade him and smiled sweetly. Suddenly, she reached into a tassel bag at her waist.

The abacus appeared as early as the Han Dynasty, but until now, the tool used is the "floating bead abacus board". The beads are not fixed on the abacus board. They are usually carried in an abacus bag and taken out and placed on the abacus board when needed. This is different from the abacus with a beam and strung on it in later generations. It was not until the Song Dynasty that this primitive abacus board evolved into the mature abacus with beads strung on the strung on the strung on and fixed in the frame.

An abacus bag was a must-have for Su Guanhui. It contained abacus beads used for daily accounting, which she could access at any time to check the accounts.

At this moment, Su Wanhui took out an abacus bead from her abacus bag and held it between her fingers.

This abacus bead is no bigger than a finger joint and is made of boxwood. Because it has been used for many years, its surface has been worn smooth.

Su Wanhui gently held the abacus beads in her palm, then stood up, walked to Liang Shanbo's seat, bowed respectfully, presented the abacus beads to Liang Shanbo with both hands, and solemnly said, "Military Advisor Liang insists on not accepting that box of silk, and Wanhui will not insist."

However, my Su family truly owes Military Advisor Liang a great debt of gratitude, and this debt of gratitude must be remembered.

This abacus bead is an old item that I often use. Although it is not worth much money, it was one of the abacus beads given to me by my father when I first learned abacus. It has been with me for many years and has a special meaning to me.

Today I present this abacus bead to Military Advisor Liang. From this day forward, this bead represents the Su family's remembrance of this kindness. No matter how time flows or how the world changes, whenever Military Advisor Liang comes to the Su family with this bead, or sends someone with this bead to deliver a message, the Su family will surely repay this debt. This is not repayment, but remembrance; this is not a transaction, but a promise. The Su family will forever owe this kindness and will never renege on it.

Su Wanhui truly lived up to her reputation as a capable young woman of the Su family; she handled the weight of this abacus bead perfectly. It was neither as vulgar and mercenary as merchandise, nor as solemn and contractual as ordinary tokens; it gave Liang Shanbo a dignified way to accept it, and also left a legitimate channel for future interactions between the Su family and Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo looked at the abacus beads in her hand, then glanced at her again. Seeing her clear and sincere eyes, he knew that she was truly sincere this time.

He could no longer refuse this abacus bead.

To refuse again would be unreasonable.

Money can be refused, but a heartfelt promise entrusted with trust, a commitment evidenced by old objects, if rejected, will chill the heart and sever the path to future interaction.

He smiled slightly, stood up, took the abacus beads with both hands, and carefully put them into his pocket. Then, with a smile, he said, "In that case, I am ashamed to accept this. I will remember Miss Su's sincerity. If fate allows, we will meet again in the future."

Su Wanhui smiled as she saw him put the abacus beads away.

She knew that from this day forward, the Su family and this promising young man who had joined the army had a real bond. It wasn't a one-off transaction of money and goods, but a long-lasting friendship based on trust. In her eyes, this friendship was far more precious than the 80,000 coins worth of silk.

As the banquet drew to a close, Su Wanhui rose again and went to Liang Shanbo, personally pouring him a cup of wine and then pouring a cup for Zhu Yingtai before turning back to her seat.

She raised her cup to Liang and Zhu and said, "Wanhui will be setting off north tomorrow. With this last cup of wine, I wish Liang, the military advisor, great success and achievements under General Xie's command; I wish Miss Zhu and Liang, a harmonious and loving couple, to grow old together; and I wish that the trade routes between the north and south will never be interrupted, and that there will always be a place for merchants to live in the world."

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai raised their cups together.