[R18] The stars are brilliant, so lucky even (The stars are brilliant, the moon rises over the sea) – Chapter 18 of “The Star is Brilliant and the Moon is Rising Over the Sea” Chapter 18 [English]

Chapter 18

The day after Zhengdan, everything is fine, including quarreling.

Shaoshang was writing when the incident occurred.She writes and looks at the copybook, draws and then looks at the copybook, sweating faintly on her tired forehead.These days, she has noticed that these characters seem to be closer to hieroglyphs, and each character is like a small simple stroke.”Water” means a few winding lines, like water flow, “river” means there are houses and mountains beside the water, and “eating” means a small bowl in front of the lips and throat-shaped lines.

She put down her pen and turned over the wooden slips beside the desk. These were interesting folk stories that Song had brought to her from the public a few days ago. Each piece was about three inches wide and four to five inches long. The surface was not very smooth, and there were small burrs on the edges. Naturally, the bamboo slips used by ordinary people were not as smooth as the bamboo slips in the house.Unexpectedly, Shaoshang liked it more and more the more she read it, because she knew almost 95% of the characters on it.

And, she has something in mind.

Such as copybooks, classics, genealogies, and even scholars, officials, and Confucian students, most of them still use the former picture-like writing; but in folk communication and even when petty officials are doing things, the latter type of font that she is familiar with has become very popular.As for this font, even if it is separated by several time and space, it is estimated that people all over the country can automatically convert it without any problem.However, she still has to study the former type of writing seriously. After all, it is useful to read relevant information and literature.

Shaoshang sighed, picked up his pen and continued to draw on the bamboo slips. A-Zhi beside him looked at her with loving eyes, and at the same time, he was roasting the bamboo slips piece by piece by the stove.Common writing carriers in this era included cloth, silk, brocade, and even bronze, but the most common ones were wood and bamboo.Mrs. Xiao was diligent and thrifty in housekeeping and did not allow her children to be extravagant and wasteful. Therefore, the wooden and bamboo slips used by Shao Shang to practice calligraphy were washed out, dried and baked, and then tied up with hemp rope for further use.In order to facilitate cleaning, the ink used for calligraphy practice was made from soot resin mixed with bran slurry. Naturally, it was not dark, bright and fragrant enough, so the young Shang became even more precious about the piece of pine smoke ink given to her by Cheng Yong.

Mrs. Xiao is the kind of boss who only asks about performance and not about working hours, so the excuse “do you know how hard she works?” is a joke.

I got up early at the beginning of this schedule. After wielding the sword a hundred times in the newly decorated front courtyard of Mrs. Xiao’s school, I dragged the two younger brothers who were still sleeping soundly out of the warm bed and said that we would go to find Sang’s brother Sang Yu to “reminisce about the past.”When Cheng Cheng heard this, he wiped his face with cold water, but Cheng Zhi was reluctant – he had seen his brother-in-law often these years, so there was nothing to reminisce about, not to mention that today he wanted to give his wife the most popular eyebrows in the capital.After being glared at by Cheng Shi, he realized what he was doing. Looking at the excited second brother in front of him, he had no choice but to follow.

Cheng’s mother is still hungover, but even if she wakes up, she will probably be groggy for the whole day.Mrs. Xiao was leading Cheng Shu to arrange today’s affairs for the slaves. Originally, the housewife did not have to do everything herself, but she did it specifically to teach Cheng Shu.

Mr. Sang personally made some snacks, gathered his three children and his second child, Zhu Hei, and told them stories leisurely, and led them to play games and memorize children’s songs.

On the other side, Cheng Yong wanted to visit his master’s fellow disciples, but Cheng Song said that those Confucian scholars must not have been released by the emperor, so it was better to go to Uncle Wan to ask for some wine. The two brothers couldn’t argue, so they captured the third brother for divination. As soon as Cheng Shaogong took out the tortoise shell divination money, before he could count the direction with his fingers, a maid came to report that “Mrs. Xiao sent the three young masters to the queen’s main hall.”The three brothers were all stunned.

Cheng Song sighed: “What did you two do wrong again?”

Cheng Song was furious: “If I had known what the prediction was, no matter where I go today, it would be better than staying at home!”

Cheng Shaogong said to the entourage beside him: “Quickly go and ask Third Aunt to come over.” Just after the first day of the day yesterday, Mrs. Xiao had to train people again. It was obviously not a trivial matter, so it would be safer to invite the kind Third Aunt.

The brothers lived farthest from Mrs. Xiao’s Jiu Zhuo Hall, so they were the last to arrive. They approached the hall from a distance, and through the large porch, they saw Mrs. Xiao standing high in the middle. Next to her were the Sang family who had arrived early and the worried Mrs. Qingyuan sitting on the left and right.He actually knelt down alone and sat in the middle of his head – aren’t today’s protagonists brothers?

Before entering the door, I heard Mrs. Xiao angrily questioning Shao Shang: “…What a good thing you have done! I thought you were just ignorant and unskilled, but I didn’t expect you to be narrow-minded and covet other people’s things!”

Shao Shang was really confused: “Mom, you might as well say it clearly, today I have been practicing calligraphy since I got up in the morning, and I haven’t even taken a step out of the room. What can I do?”

Sang smiled and said, “Yeah, I don’t know what happened. I wanted to ask you to try the candy bait I made, but I didn’t want to…” She cursed Cheng Shaogong in her heart, and she didn’t explain clearly when she sent the message, which made her confused for a long time.

Mrs. Xiao asked the young businessman: “How can you rob your cousin?” Then she turned to Mrs. Sang and said, “You don’t know, after I finished discussing the general affairs with my sister today, she invited me to rest in her residence. Who would have thought that she saw these evil servants fighting and hurting people in my sister’s place, and they wanted to snatch a red sandalwood writing case away!”

Cheng Yong outside the door and Shao Shang inside were both surprised – a bookcase?!

Just as she was talking, Mrs. Qingyuan’s maid had brought five or six servants with bruises and swollen faces from the back hall to the hall. The one in front of her was the lotus room. She saw that her makeup was ruined, her hair was messy, her clothes were torn, and her face was covered with snot and tears.

Shao Shang laughed and said, “I just asked you to carry back the bookcase that my elder brother gave me this morning, and also allocated some manpower to you. How could it be like this? Are you going to rob a money shop?”

Mrs. Sang looked at her with interest. Not many people could handle Mrs. Xiao’s anger, but this little girl was calm.

After hearing this, Mrs. Xiao was surprised and said, “Is that the book case that Zi Su gave you?”

Before Shao Shang could open his mouth, Fu’s mother beside Cheng Shu had already said: “Maybe the eldest son gave the fourth lady a writing case, but that red sandalwood writing case may not be the right one.” Lianfang cried anxiously: “That’s the writing case, that’s it!”

Fu’s mother smiled and said: “Since the eldest son gave it to the fourth lady, how did it end up with our female master? This is not easy.” Cheng Shu’s face turned red anxiously and said softly: “Fu’s mother, stop talking, stop talking.”

Lianfang said anxiously: “It was Calamus who asked me to move here!”

Fu’s mother glared and said, “That’s nonsense! I just asked you to hit Calamus on the head, and she fainted and hasn’t woken up yet. You put this crime on her?”

Shaoshang saw that Lianfang had also been severely beaten. His left eye was red and swollen, his cheek was swollen, and he could not speak softly. He smiled and said, “This is not easy. Let my cousin see if the bookcase is his. Then it will become clearer, right?”

Fu’s mother rolled her eyes and said with a smile: “Fourth Lady, I don’t know. When we came out of Ge’s house, there were many things bought there, many of which even our young master didn’t recognize.”

Cheng Yong outside the door couldn’t bear it anymore and said loudly: “Then bring it over and let me see if it is my bookcase. I will still recognize it!” while striding into the hall.

Fu’s mother was shocked. She didn’t expect the little sisters in the inner house to argue. Mrs. Xiao actually called her three sons.Little did she know that Mrs. Xiao had been used to scolding one son by including the others to listen in. If one son had made the same mistake, others would not be allowed to make it again. The effect was very good.Mrs. Xiao had calmed down her anger at this time and waved her sons to sit down on the right side in order.

As soon as Cheng Yong sat down, he immediately held up his hands and said, “Mom, I did give a bookcase to Niao Niao. You have also seen the red sandalwood carving with a unicorn head that Master Shangguan gave to his son. Why don’t you bring the bookcase and take a look at it, and you will know the twists and turns.”

Mrs. Xiao looked a little hesitant, Mrs. Qingyuan thought for a moment, got up and went out quietly.

Seeing that something was wrong, Fu’s mother laughed quickly and said, “With a unicorn head? Ouch, this servant really deserves to die. I was in a panic just now and didn’t look carefully. If there is a unicorn head carved on it, it must be the eldest son’s. But why did it come to our place? Could it be…” She glanced at the lotus room, “Could it be that this wretched maid deliberately carried the book case to show off to my young master?”

Cheng Yong thought that Fu’s mother was very cunning.

Lianfang cried and said, “No, no! It’s just Calamus who asked me to move here! It’s all my fault, I made my own decision! I had the intention of showing off, but I didn’t know that I was deceived!”

Cheng Yong said coldly: “Whether it is to show off or to deceive, you will know after calling the servant named Chang Pu.”

Fu’s mother smiled apologetically and said, “Eldest son, Calamus fainted and hasn’t woken up yet…”

Cheng Song was furious and shouted: “You can’t touch such a little bitch! Sprinkle her with water, burn her with fire, chop off two of her fingers and see if she’s still dizzy!”

Mrs. Xiao slapped the case and scolded: “What are you yelling for? Are you yelling for me?” Although she was scolding fiercely, she already knew in her heart that there was something behind the matter. She glanced at Cheng Shu, who was kneeling and uneasy at the lower left corner. She felt pity in her heart and thought that she could not let this honest child be wronged.

At this time, Mrs. Qingyuan came back, carrying a maidservant with wet clothes behind her, who was Calamus.

Although her name is Liang Pu, this maid has a dignified appearance, with a kind and dumb look on her face. On the contrary, Lian Fang is handsome and smart, but unexpectedly she is pretended to be a pig and eaten by a tiger.Calamus knelt down with a plop and hurriedly told the whole story. With Lianfang interjecting from the side, everyone finally completed the content——

It turned out that early this morning, Lianfang directed four or five maidservants to go to the young master’s residence in the front yard to carry the bookcases. On the way back, he met Changpu. Lianfang liked to talk, and Changpu liked to ask. The former wanted to show off his daughter’s favor, while the latter flattered her and said, “My daughter-in-law also wants to make a new bookcase recently. I wonder if I can ask her to see the style.” Lianfang was so flattered that he fell into a shell.

When they arrived at Cheng Shu’s residence, the real master was nowhere to be seen. Lianfang wanted to go back at that time, but Calamus called a dozen maids to surround them all, and said with a smile, “Why don’t you leave the table first, and we, the young master, will take it back to you after seeing it.”

“So, it’s not that Niao Niao wants to snatch Sisi’s things, but that Sisi wants to snatch Niao Niao’s things?” Cheng Shaogong said coldly.

Mrs. Xiao immediately said: “What are you trying to do?”

Cheng Shu burst into tears and said, “It’s all my fault. I really don’t know why. I apologize to my brothers and Shao Shang.” As he spoke, he bowed to everyone.

Mrs. Xiao said, “You have been with me since this morning. What does it have to do with you?”

Cheng Song said angrily: “Niao Niao has been practicing calligraphy since this morning. Why…” Before she could say anything, Cheng Yong held her down and motioned with her eyes to shut up.

Mrs. Xiao muffled for a long time, exhaled, and said slowly: “The maids in both places are at fault, and they all made their own decisions! Calamus, Sisi has her own ideas about whether she wants this bookcase, and you have to make your own decisions?! Liancang, I just asked you to move the table, so why are you running around here and there! You are the cause of all this trouble now, and you should be punished!”

Fu’s mother was very alert. She quickly came out and kowtowed: “What you are saying is that we are not strict in discipline. Please teach her well when we go back.” She also gave Cheng Shu a little tug, and Cheng Shu said quickly: “Auntie, please forgive me, it’s me who didn’t control them well…”

Mrs. Xiao comforted her with a few gentle words, and Cheng Shu cried and apologized. Seeing that the atmosphere was gradually harmonious, all the unpleasantness could be wiped away. Mrs. Xiao went to see her daughter again, and saw Shao Shang kneeling in the middle with his head bowed, silent, not knowing what he was thinking.

Mrs. Xiao was displeased and snorted coldly.The three brothers of the Cheng family quickly signaled to their younger sister, asking her to cry twice and say something for the occasion – unfortunately, people who lower their heads can’t see their eyes.Cheng Shaogong was anxious and shouted “Shao Shang” in a low voice!

Shaoshang just woke up from a dream and looked up at everyone blankly.In fact, no one knew that she was not in a daze just now, but was thinking about a serious issue——

Should he silently endure the poisonous arrows of fate’s cruelty, or should he stand up and resist the boundless suffering in this world?Should he cry and beg for mercy like Cheng Shu, admit his fault, erase everything and satisfy Mrs. Xiao, or should he never bow his head and seek justice for himself?

she chooses the third path.After all, we have wool to use, so why not get some real stuff!