Springtime, Old Visit to the Grass Bridge, Two Jade Pairs

Chapter 94 Springtime, Old Visit to the Grass Bridge, Two Jade Pairs

On the terrace, the night wind was chilly and penetrating.

Zhu Yingtai stood by the railing, the sharp wind of the first month blowing from afar, lifting the light gauze shawl on her shoulders, making it flutter gracefully.

Before my eyes, the outline of the Zhu Family Manor was as black as ink in the night, with a few gauze lanterns hanging in the corridors, casting a dim yellow glow.

She gazed at the familiar scene she had known since childhood, her brows furrowed slightly, her expression melancholy, as if a thousand worries weighed on her brow.

Her personal maid, Yu Xian, walked up behind her and whispered, "Miss, you've had a long and tiring day. Hot water has been prepared; please take a bath and rest early."

Zhu Yingtai did not turn around, her voice weary and indifferent: "I will take a bath in a while. You should go inside first."

Yu Xian's lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something more, but in the end she only responded with a soft "Yes" and retreated quietly.

Zhu Yingtai leaned alone against the railing, her mind a jumble of thoughts.

"Not to mention that the Ma family is now forcing me into marriage, and their pressure is quite intense, even if this incident hadn't happened, how could I possibly marry Brother Liang?"

"Let's not even talk about Brother Liang, that 'fool,' who still doesn't know I'm a woman. Even if he did, would he be willing to marry me? Even if he were, how could a poor man like him marry a lady from the Zhu family?"

"Although Brother Liang is skilled in both literature and martial arts, and his talents are extraordinary, even the Xie family of Chenjun holds him in high regard, he is still of humble origin and his social standing is far inferior. My parents love me dearly, but love is one thing, and marriage is another. How can they be compared?"

"Father can delay for a year, but what about after a year? I will be seventeen years old then. If the Ma family comes to propose marriage again then, and Father refuses again, it will be a blatant offense against the Ma family. How can my Zhu family withstand such immense pressure?"

She gazed into the deep night, a sense of bewilderment rising in her heart, like a boat adrift on a foggy sea, with no shore in sight.

The moonlight shone down gently, falling on the overlapping rooftops of the Zhu family manor, on the gnarled branches of the loquat tree in the courtyard, on the cluster of orchids beneath the tree, and also on her eyes gazing into the night.

It was as if the reflection revealed the helplessness and resentment in her eyes.

It also seemed to illuminate the stubbornness and resilience in her eyes.

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In the blink of an eye, the full moon of the first lunar month has passed, and the festive atmosphere of the New Year is gradually fading.

Zhu Yingtai bid farewell to the Zhu family manor once again, and set off for the Qiantang Wansong Academy with her silver heart and luggage, riding in an oxcart.

This time, she did not make the promise to meet Liang Shanbo in Liu Village, Shanyin, nor did she agree to visit the scenic Mirror Lake together. She simply set off from Shangyu and headed straight for Qiantang.

Upon arriving at Wansong Academy, I pushed open the door to the school building, which had been sealed off for a month. With a creak, a chilly air rushed out. A thin layer of ash, as white as frost, had settled on the long desk in the outer room. The charcoal fire in the corner of the inner room had long since gone cold, its ash now dull and lifeless.

She sat on her own wooden couch, looking at the empty wooden couch opposite her, which seemed to be waiting for the return of her old friend, just like her.

The next day, Liang Shanbo arrived.

He pushed open the door and entered, carrying his luggage. Zhu Yingtai's face suddenly lit up with a smile: "Brother Liang!"

Her smile was genuine joy; her eyes curved like a crescent moon, a brightness emanating from the depths of her heart.

Beneath the joy, however, lay a thousand unspoken words.

She wanted to tell him that her name wasn't Zhu Jiuling, but Zhu Yingtai, and that she was a woman.

She wanted to tell him that during the past year, her family had discussed her marriage, and that the Ma family of Shangyu wanted to force her into marriage.

She wanted to tell him that she had no desire to marry Ma Wencai, but only to stay with him forever and never be separated from him.

But these words, though they reached the tip of his tongue, were ultimately swallowed back down, as bitter as gall.

Liang Shanbo sat down on the wooden couch, smiling as he looked at her, and asked, "My dear brother, how is everything at home this year?"

She paused, then smiled again: "Everything is fine, everything at home is going smoothly, Brother Liang, please don't worry."

Time flies, and before we knew it, it was already March, the height of spring.

The pine needles in the pine forest have quietly turned from the somber dark green of winter to a fresh and vibrant emerald green, making the whole mountain lush and verdant.

The banana trees by the schoolyard wall have sprouted new leaves, their broad leaves trembling gently in the wind like green fans waving.

That night, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai each sat on their own wooden beds, with a dim lamp casting flickering light and shadow.

Zhu Yingtai said to Liang Shanbo, "Brother Liang, in the blink of an eye, we have been sworn brothers for two years."

Liang Shanbo nodded, his gaze softening: "Yes, two years have passed in the blink of an eye."

Zhu Yingtai said softly, "Tomorrow is my day off, and I'd like to go and see the grass bridge where I swore brotherhood with Brother Liang."

Liang Shanbo smiled slightly: "That's perfect, I was just thinking the same thing, I want to revisit this old place."

A look of joy flashed in Zhu Yingtai's eyes, but she quickly composed herself, nodded gently, and said nothing more.

The next day was a day off.

In the morning, the two of them, carrying Yin Xin, left Wansong Academy together, passed through the dense pine forest, and walked slowly along the official road towards Qiantang County.

The roadside weeds were glistening with moisture, as if you could squeeze water out of them.

In the fields on both sides of the road, some farmers were bending over and working, creating a scene of spring plowing in the countryside.

Zhu Yingtai walked beside Liang Shanbo, her clothes fluttering gracefully.

When she caught sight of the outline of the county town wall in the distance, she suddenly stopped and turned to Liang Shanbo, saying, "Brother Liang, you go and wait at the Grass Bridge Pavilion. I need to go into town to buy something."

Liang Shanbo observed her expression but did not ask what she was going to buy. Over the past two years, he had grown accustomed to this; if she refused to tell him, he would not press her for details—a tacit understanding between them.

He nodded: "Alright, I'll wait for you at the Grass Bridge Pavilion."

Zhu Yingtai smiled at him, took Yin Xin with her, and headed towards the city gate.

Liang Shanbo walked alone slowly towards the grass bridge pavilion outside the grass bridge gate on the east side of the county town.

Zhu Yingtai and Yin Xin entered the county town, passed through the bustling main street, turned into a quiet alley, and arrived at the house rented by the Zhu family.

Upon entering the room, Zhu Yingtai instructed Yin Xin, "Go and take out those bolts of silk from the cabinet."

Yin Xin was slightly taken aback.

Those bolts of silk were woven from the finest ramie silk, far more valuable than ordinary silk. What precious item did the young lady come here specifically to retrieve those bolts of silk to buy?

Although she had doubts, she didn't ask aloud, but simply responded and went to open the cabinet.

She took out a silk handkerchief from the cabinet.

The silk was wrapped in a piece of plain cloth. When the cloth was opened, there were six pieces in total, tied tightly.

Zhu Yingtai's gaze swept over the several pieces of silk, then she reached out and stroked them for a while, nodded slightly, and instructed Yin Xin to wrap the silk again.

The master and servant carried the silk out of the rented house, walked through alleys and streets, and arrived at a jade shop in the county town.

This jade shop has a small storefront, and the lintel exudes a rustic charm.

The shopkeeper was an elderly man in his fifties with a thin face. He was sitting behind the counter, holding a plain handkerchief and carefully wiping a jade wall.

Seeing a guest lift the curtain and enter, he looked up and sized up Zhu Yingtai and Yin Xin. He saw that it was a very handsome young man, followed by a page carrying a bundle, and he had an air of refined elegance about him.

"What would you like to see, sir?" The shopkeeper put down the jade disc in his hand and stood up.

Zhu Yingtai strolled to the counter, her gaze slowly sweeping over the displayed jade artifacts: jade discs, jade rings, jade pendants, jade huang pendants...

Jade pendants, a dazzling array, each with its own unique beauty.

She simply watched quietly, remaining silent for a long time, her gaze calm and serene.

Seeing that she was looking at it carefully, the shopkeeper did not urge her, but waited quietly by her side.

Zhu Yingtai looked at it for a long time, then suddenly reached out and pointed with her slender fingers to a piece of green jade pendant in the cabinet: "Please take this one out so I can take a closer look."

The shopkeeper raised an eyebrow slightly, and as instructed, took the jade pendant out of the cabinet and carefully presented it to her.

This jade pendant is not large. Its color is bluish-green with a very faint hint of turquoise, unlike the coolness of white jade or the flamboyance of turquoise. There is a small hole at the top of the pendant, through which a dark blue silk thread is tied, with a double loop at the end.

Zhu Yingtai held the jade pendant in her palm, turning it over and over to examine it for a long time with focused attention.

This jade pendant bears a striking resemblance to one she had worn since childhood, with similar shapes and colors. However, the one she had worn since childhood was an heirloom, with a warmer, more lustrous texture and crimson threads; while this one has dark blue threads and shows fewer signs of age.

"How much is this jade pendant worth?" she asked, looking up at him.

The shopkeeper looked at the jade pendant, then at her, and held out his palm, flipping it over: "It originally cost twelve thousand coins. If you want to buy it, sir, just pay ten thousand coins and that's it. Don't try to lower the price any further."

Zhu Yingtai turned to Yin Xin and said, "Open the bundle."

Yin Xin responded and placed the bundle on the counter, then untied the knot. Six bolts of silk brocade were neatly bound inside the bundle, their sheen shimmering and their texture dense and smooth.

The shopkeeper reached out and gently stroked the silk fabric, feeling the fine and even warp and weft, and the warm and smooth texture.

He knew in his heart that this was woven from the finest ramie silk, far superior to ordinary silk. In the market of Qiantang, a bolt of such ramie silk would be worth about 1,500 coins. Six bolts would be worth 9,000 coins.

"How about these six bolts of silk for this jade pendant?" Zhu Yingtai asked calmly and composedly. "If that doesn't work, I'll just buy it from another jade shop; it won't bother me."

The shopkeeper glanced at Zhu Yingtai, then looked down at the jade pendant, and then at the six bolts of silk. Having made up his mind, he finally nodded: "Alright, as you say, six bolts of silk will be used to offset this jade pendant."

In the Eastern Jin Dynasty, silk was a form of hard currency. In market transactions, silk was often used as a means of exchange. Silk was lighter and easier to carry than copper coins, and more uniform than loose change, making it an extremely popular medium of exchange in the marketplace.

Zhu Yingtai nodded, signaling Yin Xin to leave the silk on the counter, while she carefully put away the jade pendant and hid it close to her body.

After leaving the jade shop, Zhu Yingtai quickened her pace and headed straight for the Caoqiao Gate in the east of the city.

Yin Xin followed behind her, watching her young lady's slightly hurried figure, and sighed inwardly. The young lady spent six bolts of fine silk to buy a jade pendant, and even specially chose one similar to the one she had worn since childhood. She knew perfectly well who this was for.

Once outside the city gate, the grass bridge pavilion came into view in the distance.

The grass bridge pavilion remains unchanged, with four wooden pillars supporting a thatched roof. There are no walls on any side, only a few horizontal beams for passersby to rest. The stone tablet inside the pavilion still stands there, its inscription long since blurred and illegible, the characters worn away by wind and rain, leaving only a faint trace.

At this moment, Liang Shanbo was sitting on the crossbeam in the pavilion, having waited for more than half an hour.

He saw Zhu Yingtai walking briskly towards him from afar, so he stood up to greet her with a slight smile and asked, "Brother, have you bought everything?"

Zhu Yingtai nodded, her breathing a little rapid, and sat down facing him on the crossbeam.

After resting briefly in the pavilion, Zhu Yingtai stood up and said to Liang Shanbo, "Brother Liang, let's go to the grass bridge to talk."

Liang Shanbo nodded in agreement.

The two walked out of the grass bridge pavilion together and strolled slowly to the grass bridge where they had sworn brotherhood.

The grass bridge remains the same as before, with a bridge surface made of wooden planks and thatch, and several wooden stakes driven into the riverbed underneath, which are then tightly tied together with grass ropes for reinforcement.

The bridge is not very wide, just wide enough for two people to cross side by side.

The bridge swayed slightly, and as Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai walked on it, the wooden planks creaked, as if they were softly singing old folk songs for the two of them.

Zhu Yingtai stood on the bridge, leaning on the railing and looking down at the murmuring water. She listened to the gentle murmur of the water and remained silent for a while before turning her head to gaze at Liang Shanbo and asking, "Brother Liang, do you still remember the scene two years ago when we swore brotherhood here?"

Liang Shanbo nodded: "Of course I remember, it's as vivid as if it were just yesterday."

Zhu Yingtai then asked, "Do you still remember when we became sworn brothers, I took off a jade pendant and placed it on one of your handkerchiefs?"

Liang Shanbo looked into her eyes: "Of course I remember. My virtuous brother once said that swearing brotherhood is a big deal and should not be too shabby."

That jade piece is something you've worn since childhood. Take it out as a testament to your sincerity.

Zhu Yingtai's lips curved slightly into a smile, then, with a hint of shyness, she lowered her eyes, reached into her collar, and gently pulled out a scarlet silk thread. At the end of the thread hung a small jade pendant, its shape simple and its color warm and lustrous.

She held the jade pendant in her palm and presented it to Liang Shanbo, smiling sweetly: "This is the jade pendant we used when we became sworn brothers. Brother Liang, do you still recognize it?"

Liang Shanbo looked at the jade pendant lying quietly in her palm, nodded, and gazed tenderly.

Zhu Yingtai suddenly reached into her sleeve again, fumbled for a moment, and took out a small jade pendant. This one was quite similar in shape to the previous one; it was also a green jade pendant, and the silk thread attached to it was dark green.

She smiled sweetly at Liang Shanbo again: "Brother Liang, I just bought this jade pendant today. Take a look, do you think these two jade pendants are similar?"

As she spoke, she handed the two jade pendants to Liang Shanbo.

Liang Shanbo extended both hands and solemnly accepted it.

Two jade pendants lay quietly in his broad palms. One was an heirloom jade that Zhu Yingtai had worn since childhood, and the other was a new jade that Zhu Yingtai had just acquired today in exchange for six bolts of silk. They were similar in shape and color, and indeed, they were seven or eight parts alike.

Liang Shanbo examined the two jade pendants closely for a while, turning them over and over, before looking up at Zhu Yingtai and saying with a smile, "They are indeed very similar, almost like twin sisters."

After saying this, he handed the two jade pendants back to Zhu Yingtai.

Zhu Yingtai reached out her hand, but only accepted the one she had worn since childhood; she did not accept the other, newly bought one.

She looked at him, a hint of shyness on her face, but still said boldly, "Brother Liang, this piece in your hand is a gift I specially bought for you today. We've been sworn brothers for two years now, and our bond is deep. I wanted to keep it as a memento."

In truth, what she really wanted was for these two similar jade pendants to serve as a token between her and Brother Liang. Not a token of brotherhood, but a token of their love.

However, she kept this thought to herself and never spoke it aloud.

Liang Shanbo gently stroked the jade pendant in his hand, remained silent for a moment, then looked up and asked, "Brother, how much is this jade pendant worth?"

Zhu Yingtai shook her head, saying calmly, "Brother Liang, why ask such a question? It's just a small token of my appreciation."

Liang Shanbo already knew the answer in his heart. Jade artifacts were precious items in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, not something that ordinary people could easily acquire. A jade pendant of slightly better quality was worth several thousand coins. The jade in his hand was lustrous and the carving was exquisite, so it must be quite valuable. It was not something that could be easily dismissed as just a "small token of appreciation."

He handed the jade pendant to Zhu Yingtai and solemnly said, "My dear brother, I cannot accept this jade pendant."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yingtai's expression immediately darkened, and she raised an eyebrow slightly: "Brother Liang, we've been sworn brothers for two years now, why are you still being so distant with me? Since I bought it for you, just accept it, there's no need to refuse!"

Liang Shanbo said, "Brother, it's not that I'm being distant. This jade pendant is far too precious. Besides, I'm just a poor scholar in plain clothes. It would be presumptuous for me to wear it."

Zhu Yingtai's expression softened slightly: "Brother Liang, I have already considered this matter. You don't need to wear this jade pendant on your waist or show it to anyone. Just hide it inside your clothes and close to your heart. That way, no one will know."

She gazed intently at Liang Shanbo: "Brother Liang, with your talent, being a disciple of Master Meng, and highly regarded by the Xie family of Chen Commandery, your entry into officialdom is only a matter of time, as easy as taking something out of a bag. When that day comes, this jade pendant will no longer be an excessive possession for you. You can take it out from your clothes, wear it at your waist, and go in and out of the court, traveling far and wide!"

After a moment's thought, Liang Shanbo solemnly said, "Since you say so, my dear brother, then I accept your kind offer. However, it would be best if you kept this jade pendant safe for me for now. When I can wear it openly on my waist in the future, then I will ask you to return it to me, how about that?"

Zhu Yingtai's gaze lingered on his face for a moment before she nodded and said softly, "Alright, then I will keep it safe for Brother Liang, and return it to you on that day."

She took the dark blue jade pendant with silk threads from his palm, and together with the scarlet jade pendant with silk threads that she had worn since childhood, she gently held it in her warm palm.

The two jade pendants were held tightly together in her palm.

One piece belongs to her, and the other already belongs to him.

He had to wait until he took office the following year, until he could wear the jade pendant openly and legitimately.

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