To Be A Virtuous Wife

40

He Yuan disregarded the guards as they bowed to him and ushered the couple onto the boat. As he led them inside, he informed: "This boat has two levels, we'll go to the top."

Qu Qing Ju found that even the handrail of the stairs was carved with pictures of mountains and rivers. The steps her feet rested on were made from high quality red wood. Each step was as steady as she was walking on solid ground.

He Heng walked at the front, carefully pulling Qu Qing Ju's hand as they went up. Only when they reached the top did he let go.

The windows of the boat were open. Next to the window was a set of table and chairs. He Yuan ushed the two to sit, he himself sitting down by one side before he said to the still standing Qu Yue Su: "Qu san xiao jie, please sit." He knew the idea that Chang De Gong Fu had. He didn't have any interested in this third daughter, but if he took Duan Wang Fei's meimei as qie, what would lao er's face look like?

His good er ge was in love with wang fei, so he thought he wouldn't be angry at her.

Qu Qing Ju sat beside the window, looking at the surface of the river as it turned red due to the lanterns on both shores. She used a hand to prop her chin as she admired the scenery. Occasionally, there were lotus lanterns that floated by, the candle in the middle fluttering, creating another kind of beauty in the night.

"In the cold night, a guest has come with such urgency that tea has to substitute for wine. The water started boiling in the bamboo pot, the fire crimson red and hot." He Yuan raised a teacup, "er ge, er sao, why don't you taste this boat's tea?"

Qu Qing Ju heard his words and felt this couple of Rui Wang both had the habit of wanting people to taste tea. A person like her that didn't have much learning in tea, the thing she disliked most was hearing this type of question. She raised the veil, revealing an ivory chin. Qu Qing Ju smiled as she took a sip and then she lowered her veil, elegantly putting the cup back on the table.

"Simple and elegant, the taste lingers in the mouth," He Heng put down the teacup and smiled. He praised, "San di has such leisurely days. Er ge can't find good things like this."

"Recently I don't have to go to court so naturally I will spend more attention on these things," He Yuan said with a mirthless smile, "er ge has busy duties, there's no attention left for these common things."

Seeing the other mention the court, He Heng turned his head to look outside the window. He turned his head back to say, "San di is joking. Fuhuang is just angry momentarily. Once si di has uncovered the truth, I'm afraid san di will be busy with the court again."

"I hope si di can return soon, and wash away the accusations again didi," He Yuan gave a seemingly helpless sigh. He turned and said to Qu Yue Su who had stayed silent by one side, "I've heard that san xiaojie's is exceptional at the qin. Is it possible for this small wang to hear a song?"

Under the veil, Qu Yue Su's face froze. After a slight pause, she put down the teacup in her hands. With a light voice she said: "An inelegant song, hope everyone doesn't laugh." Finishing, she walked to sit behind the qin. When she plucked the chords, notes rang out.

The smile on He Heng's face didn't change but he looked down even more at the people of Chang De Gong Fu. Now, Qing Ju was Duan Wang Fei. Qu Yue Su, as her sister, was willing to play music for Rui Wang. A didaughter of a gong fu, she was rushing to become a qieshi. He didn't know if it shamed Qing Ju or the reputation of Chang De Gong Fu.

Qu Yue Su's skills were good. Qu Qing Ju listened and had a deeper understanding of the arrogance of He Yuan. He could, in front of her as his er sao, let Qu Yue Su play for him. That was clearly saying that he didn't even put any importance on He Heng and his er sao.

Arrogant people usually died early. Qu Qing Ju smiled icily. Just this type of tactics and he wanted to be emperor. He was delusional. And this Chang De Gong Fu, it was too shameless. Thankfully the entire Jing City knew that she, as Duan Wang Fei, wasn't close to Chang De Gong Fu. Otherwise, if they didn't care about humiliating themselves, she cared.

Qu Yue Su played a famous song called "Clouds Over Xiao and Xiangjiang Rivers[2]". Some thought this was a song lamenting the present and reminiscing on the past, but others felt this song just simply described the scenery. No matter what, this song required very high skills. If there were any weakness, they couldn't play the meaning in the song.

Qu Qing Ju wasn't an expert in the guqin, but as a former dancer, she did have a sense of music. At least she could hear, that when Qu Yue Su was playing this song, her mood wasn't as good as imagined.

"San xiaoji's skills are as extraordinary as said," He Yuang listened for a while before continuing to drink tea. He suddenly remarked, "Er sao's skills must be extraordinary as well."

These words overstepped. Qu Qing Ju smiled rather than get angry. The motion she made as she set down the teacup was heavier than before. She retorted icily: "San shu does indeed have lots of leisure time. No wonder you would pay attention to such insignificant matters."

These words were very impolite, it didn't leave behind any coverings for He Yuan. Sitting by her side, He Heng didn't speak, clearly feeling that there was nothing wrong with what Qu Qing Ju had just done.

He Yuan's face showed an astonished expression. When he had finished speaking, he had already detected it wasn't proper but he was used to being brash, and didn't expect that this er sao would be so impolite.

A flame burned in his heart. He looked at He Heng and saw the other's expression wasn't very good. He could only raise his teacup, "It's didi that transgressed, er sao, please forgive me."

Qu Qing Ju lazily raised her teacup, "San shu is too polite." But she didn't drink the tea.

A sliver of a smile appeared on He Heng's face. He raised the teacup and said to He Yuan: "San di, this tea isn't wine. Don't get intoxicated." His woman, she showed have this daring. If she had to silently suffer such a thing, where did it put him as the husband?

He Yuan squeezed out a smile and took a drink but he felt that the tea in his mouth was bitter and harsh, the fire in his heart unable to be doused.

[1]以直报怨 is an idiom that states to justly treat people that they hate.

[2]潇湘 is a place Hu Nan