[R18] The stars are brilliant, so lucky even (The stars are brilliant, the moon rises over the sea) – Chapter 74 of “The Stars Are Brilliant, How Lucky They Are (The Stars Are Brilliant·The Moon Rising Over the Sea)” [English]

Chapter 74

Having had enough of his mouth, Shao Shangqiang pretended to be calm, washed and changed clothes, then suppressed his violently beating eyelids and decided to sleep.

But after all, she is not an expert in scheming with a plan in mind. She just used her bravery and fearlessness to spit out all the depression in her heart for many days, and then her worries crept up quietly.Touching the slightly painful bruises on her arms under the thin blanket, she was filled with irritation and a bit of fear.

Ling Buyi looked handsome and fair, but he had been very strong since he was a child.Sometimes he sees Shao Shang struggling to handle large pieces of wood, so he can help her break the wood piles with his hand.Therefore, he had always been very careful when getting along with Shao Shang. However, Ling Buyi obviously failed to control it well when he hugged her just now. He almost squeezed the air out of her chest, not to mention the bruises left on her arms.

So Shaoshang had a nightmare all night, like a replay of an old movie clip. He dreamed repeatedly that Ling Buyi held up the golden, black and red phoenix-like magic weapon and split the gangster in half; and suddenly he dreamed that the corners of his beautiful light red mouth were slightly curved, and he took the sake she offered with a smile – and then easily broke her wrist.

The next day, Ling Buyi didn’t come.

As a responsible troublemaker, Shaoshang dressed up and went to his parents’ house that night to “confess his crime.” After respectfully raising his arms and kowtowing, he told Ling Buyi exactly what he had said last night.

In fact, Cheng Shi and his wife heard the old steward Cheng Shun report the abnormality between their daughter and Ling Buyi last night, but the couple did not take it to heart, thinking that it was just a little trick between young lovers. Anyway, it ended in a hug, so it was not a big deal.

Only when they heard the reason did they realize what was important. The couple looked at each other with uneasiness in their eyes.

“…My daughter makes independent decisions and proposes to Master Ling to withdraw from the engagement. Please ask her parents to punish her.” Shao Shang lay on the ground, his voice did not rise or fall.

Mrs. Xiao’s anger, which had not been unleashed for a long time, surged up again, and she cursed: “You are so brave. Do you know how powerful it is? Is this marriage an appointment between neighbors in the countryside? If you want it, you can back out as soon as you want! Do you know how much trouble it will bring to your family with such an evil obstacle?”

Shao Shang straightened his back stubbornly: “Don’t worry, mom, the family won’t be implicated. I made an agreement with Mr. Ling that our Cheng family can’t talk about this matter, so we can only ask him to solve it by himself.”

“You’re so smart!” Mrs. Xiao was furious and slapped the case hard. “You don’t even think about how you can find a good husband after canceling this marriage! You have made many enemies because of this. Once you lose Ling Buyi’s protection, don’t you think about how many people will come to seek bad luck for you in the future? Will you not leave a way out for yourself! You are a disobedient and unfilial evil. I was right at the beginning. You will eventually cause a big disaster for the family.”

“The worst case scenario is that I will never marry and leave the capital for the countryside. I don’t think there is anything good about getting married!” Shao Shang said loudly, crouching, “If my mother is afraid of being implicated, I can…”

“Okay!” Cheng Shi said in a deep voice, placing his big palm on his wife’s shoulder and signaling with his eyes, “You usually discipline the children, but today I will be the one to take care of it.”

Mrs. Xiao turned her head angrily.

Cheng Shi looked at his daughter kneeling in the middle with a cynical and indifferent look on her face, and sighed: “Niao Niao, are you willing to listen to my father’s words?”

Shaoshang put down his pouted lips and sat down respectfully.

“Ling Buyi is not wrong about this.” Cheng Shi interrupted, “My father has also seen you and he meet several times. You two laughed and talked happily, and you expressed your love for him more than once.The admiration – don’t interrupt, no one is blind, even if it is not the love between men and women, there is always admiration.You said that my heart was filled with passion, and then I proposed to my father, and I agreed, so Ling Buyi did something wrong!”

Shaoshang couldn’t sit still and said anxiously: “I, I didn’t say he was wrong, it’s just that he and I are really not a good match! The life I want to live is not like this! I want… want…

Cheng Shi waved his hand to stop his daughter from talking.

“When my father was young, he once heard a story. Three hunters met a spirit in the mountains. The mountain spirit said that they were destined to meet each other, and asked the three of them to make a wish. The first hunter said that he wanted a lot of gold, silver and jewelry to become the richest man in the world. The mountain spirit said, “It’s easy to do.” The second hunter said, he wants supreme power and becomes the emperor of the world. The mountain spirit said, “It’s not difficult, not difficult.” The third hunter thought for a long time before saying heI hope that I can do what I want to do in my lifetime, without being troubled by fetters or being constrained by coercion.” Shan Ling said silently for a long time, “This is extremely difficult to do.” Cheng Shi finished in one breath.

Shao Shang slowly relaxed his shoulders, thoughtfully.

Cheng Shi watched the change in his daughter’s expression and continued: “In this world, everyone hopes to act according to their own wishes, but there are only a few people who can do it. As a father, I am afraid that even Your Majesty, who is the most respected person in the world, may not be able to do anything at all. Niao Niao, do you think you can be different? Even if you don’t marry Ling Buyi, will you definitely be able to live the life you want?”

These words were so shocking that Shao Shang felt as if he had been hit hard in the chest.She opened her mouth and closed it again. She really couldn’t argue, so she could only say with difficulty: “I know what father means. But the matter may not be so serious! Lord Ling is extremely talented and beautiful, and he will definitely be able to find a better match…”

Mrs. Xiao snorted coldly, Cheng Shi patted his wife to show comfort, and continued to his daughter: “The Huo family is unparalleled in loyalty, and is even more tragic and tragic than the He family. Not to mention that Huo Hou is your majesty’s sworn brother who grew up with you. Your majesty’s full of guilt and comfort will eventually end.”It will fall on Ling Buyi.Ling Buyi is already twenty-one this year, and he is still alone and has no intention of getting married before.How enthusiastic is your Majesty about this marriage now?Can’t you imagine such a smart boy?”

Shaoshang said anxiously but helplessly: “Master Ling will not blame my family…” In fact, she herself was not sure.

Cheng Shi smiled bitterly, looked at his daughter’s innocent and confident face, and said: “First of all, even if Ling Buyi said that he wanted to break off the engagement, last night he reprimanded a room full of Lou family guests for you and shielded you in every possible way. Now that the guests are still drunk, Ling Buyi said that he wanted to break off the engagement. What do you think others will think!”

Shaoshang felt anxious and sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Secondly, even if Ling Buyi’s words are conclusive and concealed properly. Niao Niao, my father tells you that the most unreasonable thing in the world is parental love, and the most irresistible thing is holy will. No matter how Ling Buyi explains it, His Majesty will always blame you. I blame you for not being able to win over Ling Buyi’s heart, blame you for not being considerate and gentle, blame you for letting himI feel lonely again.Niao Niao, do you still feel that you can’t involve your family?”

Shaoshang was speechless and scrunched up his sleeves in panic.

“Thirdly, you must be very proud of what you said last night, forcing Ling Buyi to break off the engagement on his own without having to worry about it. But you dare to manipulate Ling Buyi like this and let him take all the reasons for breaking off the engagement. What are you relying on? Isn’t it because Ling Buyi likes you! This is not what a gentleman does. If Ling Buyi is generous, just let it go; but heIf you are filled with resentment, just tell your Majesty the matter clearly, then walk away and never care about you again. Will Your Majesty let our family go…” At this point, Comrade Lao Cheng’s voice was trembling.

Shao Shang’s hands that were tightly squeezing the sleeves of his robe were shaking. She finally knew why she had such a nightmare last night.Deep in her heart, she vaguely knew that this matter was very dangerous, but she just didn’t want to admit it.

“How could my father not understand your thoughts?” Cheng Shi looked at his trembling daughter with a look of pity. “When my father was as old as you, his thoughts day and night were to be a knight-errant who would be happy in the world. But if I left home, I would be happy, but my parents are old and my siblings are young, and I am afraid I might starve to death in the chaos of war. In life, there are things you do and things you don’t do. So I can’t leave, and then come down like this…”

Shao Shang bit his lip, tears falling from his eyes.

Cheng Shi sighed: “It’s not your fault. My father shouldn’t have been so blinded by favor and wealth that day. In such joy, he opened his mouth and agreed to the marriage…”

“How can I blame you!” Mrs. Xiao patted her knees and said heavily, “We just broke off our engagement with the Lou family. What excuse do you use to reject His Majesty?! Your daughter has no engagement, no one in the family has to pay filial piety, and the Lingchen family has no enmity these days.No grudges in the past!Let’s talk about it, Your Majesty said sincerely. How can we as ministers shirk this marriage?Could it be that this evildoer is used to being bullied and meddling, so he prefers to be meddlesome?She refers to Lou Yao who comes and goes to drink!”

“Then it’s your fault and mine.” Cheng Shi stroked his wife’s back and said softly, “It was us who left Niao Niao behind and neglected our duty of discipline. In the past ten years, she has grown up alone without anyone to teach her, and she has developed such a solitary character. She naturally does not take into account her parents and brothers before and after her thoughts. This is all our fault!”

Shaoshang cried with misty tears and looked at Father Cheng vaguely, at a loss.

Cheng Shi comforted him and said, “Don’t worry too much, Niao Niao. Your Majesty is a generous man and will not confiscate our family and exterminate our clan just because our adopted son’s marriage is not successful…”

“Yes, I won’t confiscate your family and exterminate your clan. At most, your career will be stopped.” Mrs. Xiao said coldly.

Shao Shang was startled and hurriedly went to see Father Cheng. He lowered his head and sighed, as if he had suddenly aged several years.She felt sad and cried, “But my father is talented…”

Mrs. Xiao snorted coldly: “According to his birth status, your majesty has a lot of aristocratic families on your left, and on your right you have important ministers like General Wu Yanghou Jizun who came from a poor background but followed the dragon early. According to their family background, your majesty has classmates and clansmen from the same country who will follow you to the death, and large troops who come to join the army later. Your father is talented, and your majesty is willing to use it, but one more he is not too much, and one less he is not a lot!”

Cheng Shi saw his daughter crying hard and said with a smile: “Don’t cry, Niao. Your mother and I are not people who are greedy for fame and wealth. At the beginning of the uprising, we just wanted to keep the countryside safe and keep our family warm and comfortable. In the past twenty years or so, we have fought in blood and fire, but we have not lost our bodies or our families. We have made a name for ourselves, so we should be satisfied. At the worst, if we don’t serve as officials, we can go back to our hometown and work as farm servants.”

Shaoshang could no longer cry at this time and was full of apologies.

She is not afraid of leaving the capital, so she can go to the impoverished mountainous areas to experience life.With Father Cheng’s prestige in the village, she can always create better living conditions.But these days, the Cheng family provides her with good food and drinks, and cares about her everywhere, and her reward is to ruin her father and brother’s future?

“Niao Niao, please stop crying. You have said everything you want to say, and we will see what Ling Buyi says in the future.” Cheng Shi sighed, “Ah Qing, please send Niao Niao back, and don’t make her cry. My wife and I still have something to discuss.”

Qing Yuan, who was guarding the door, nodded, stepped forward to help the stunned young Shang, and slowly walked out.

When the two of them walked away, the angry Mrs. Xiao suddenly changed her expression, hit her husband hard, and said angrily: “Why am I the one who did the bad things and you did the good ones again? If I didn’t come out first to scold Niao Niao, how could you just keep pretending to be dumbfounded?”

Cheng Shi stopped sighing and worried, and said with a smile: “Madam, you are so majestic. She is so majestic without being angry, and her momentum is like a rainbow. How can I compare…Besides, what we said is all the truth, not lies!” In other words, he was a little more jealous.

Mrs. Xiao nodded: “I’m trying my best to make my daughter hate me, but I have to scare her, so that she doesn’t know the importance of things all her life, and she really thinks that she knows what’s going on!”

“Exactly!” Cheng Shi sighed, “Now I don’t care whether Ling Bujie can be your son-in-law or not. I just hope that Niao Niao can restrain his temper. If you act arbitrarily like this, you will suffer a lot in the future.”

After a while, Mrs. Xiao suddenly said: “Tell me, Ling Buyi will really go to His Majesty to break off the engagement after seeing Niao Niao’s reluctance.”

Cheng Shi had a headache: “Never mind, let’s wait until tomorrow. With Niao Niao and Ling Buyi’s temperament, if they really break off the engagement, it would not be a bad thing. It would be better than breaking up the marriage in the future!”

“Absolute marriage?!” Mrs. Xiao took a breath.I can’t imagine the future.

…

Shaoshang returned to his place, dazed with tears in his eyes. He washed and changed clothes like a wooden man and then lay down to rest.

Lying on the bed unable to fall asleep for a long time, she fumbled and pulled out her beloved bamboo flute from under the pillow, put on her thin silk and satin pajamas, slowly walked to the window and sat down, and played the music faintly. The sound of the flute was as light as the breeze, hesitant and sad.

A few cicadas can be heard chirping on the slightly cooler early summer night, and spring is finally over.

“Young Master, you played really well tonight, but you’d better go to bed early.” Ah Zhu didn’t ask anything, just smiled lovingly.

Shao Shang shook his head, put down his flute, and said nothing. He just stared at the courtyard with the rich smell of vegetation. There was a delicate white magnolia flower swaying gently among the green branches and leaves.

——No one proposed to her, but the engagement was established; before the relationship officially started, she had to find a way to break up.In a daze, she admitted with great difficulty that everything was different after all.

She can’t live in an ivory tower for a lifetime, and she can no longer be stubborn and self-righteous. There are a few people who can really live the life they want according to their own wishes, but even gods may not be able to.

The next morning, Shaoshang stood up for the first time and put on the gauze half-sleeves and thin silk skirt that Ling Buyi had prepared for her early. Her skin was like cream, smeared and bright, but she was cautious and modest.

Then, she sat in the room with big red and swollen eyes and waited quietly – she could get up on time without an alarm clock and was never late.Only a pampered child dares to act willfully. These days, the Cheng family has been too tolerant and comfortable with her, causing her to lose her original guard.Different worlds have different rules of the game, and she not only has to adapt, but also learn to use them without hindrance.

At the end of Mao Shi, a group of palace envoys came to the Cheng Mansion covered with morning frost and announced, “The Queen has ordered to summon the daughter of Duke Cheng, Young Shang.”When Shaoshang heard the news in the house, he laughed at himself softly, and then he was supported by his maid to board the red and splendid palace carriage.

Cheng Shi and Mrs. Xiao stood at the door with their slaves and watched their daughter go away. When she was too far away to see her, Cheng Shi said softly: “That’s all. This noble son-in-law, you and I have to continue to suffer.”

Mrs. Xiao frowned and remained silent, staring at the alley where the palace car and honor guard disappeared. She always felt that she had sent her daughter to a very inappropriate place.But she had no choice.