Chapter 579: The Snow Stopped |
Inside the Vermilion Steps Great Music Hall, it was completely empty.
The Imperial Music Bureau, which was extremely bustling on ordinary days, unexpectedly didn't even have a single person daring to come in and watch the fun today.
Bai Li stood quietly in the center of the stage where actors and musicians should normally perform, still wearing that hollow blue Daoist robe, her long hair pinned up with a white jade hairpin.
She kept her eyes lightly closed, her hands forming the Three Mountains Hand Seal in front of her. Seemingly with no external things in her heart, she only softly chanted the meaning of the scriptures.
The Music Director sat behind the Imperial Music Bureau's official desk with a tense face, occasionally glancing toward the entrance, and also stealing glances at Bai Long resting with his eyes closed in the first row. "It is already the Hour of Hai (9-11 PM) now, how much longer must we wait? We can't possibly really wait until tomorrow."
Having said that, he used his peripheral vision to glance at the dagger pressed against his neck. Looking up along the dagger, there was a fair and slender hand. Looking further up, there was Jiao Tu sitting cross-legged on the official desk right in front of him: "You are coercing a court official. Can the Secret Spy Division just act wildly as they please?"
Jiao Tu patted the Music Director's cheek with the dagger, smiling a smile that was not a smile: "On ordinary days you curse the Eunuch Faction every day, and even in the storybooks you arrange you have to curse a few lines. Why is it that when you truly encounter the Eunuch Faction, you actually don't call me Eunuch Faction instead? Don't rush. If it were ordinary days, I would also be too lazy to make things difficult for you, but today is a business as big as the sky."
The Music Director was puzzled: "A business as big as the sky?"
Jiao Tu said with a smile: "Helping Lord Chen once today, maybe in the future it can be exchanged for a life back. Human life is bigger than the sky. If this isn't a business as big as the sky, what is?"
Everyone's gazes turned over. Impressively, Qi Zhaoning walked in with a cold face. She wore a bright crimson long skirt with gold-embroidered crabapple flowers and phoenix tails, covered by a Cloud Brocade Rosy Cloud Cape, and a pure gold Phoenix Crown inlaid with jade kingfisher feathers and pearls on her head.
Qi Zhaoning's gaze stared dead at the stage, walking closer step by step, looking up at Bai Li in front of her. The plain and neat Daoist robe on the stage and the rich brocades and clusters of flowers off the stage were like two entirely different worlds.
Qi Zhaoning stared deeply at Bai Li's face: "I am Chen Ji's fiancée. Chen Ji and my Qi Family have already completed five of the Six Rites. The marriage contract is already fixed, known to everyone under heaven."
Bai Li remained unmoved.
Qi Zhaoning said in a condensed voice: "For your sake, he now willingly degrades himself to associate with the Eunuch Faction, abandoning his bright future, stirring up a storm of rumors throughout the entire city. The Adopted Heir position of the Right Prefecture Street Chen Family, he doesn't want it; the Gufu Pavilion his mother left him, he doesn't want it; the five hundred mu of fertile land, he doesn't want it; Plum Blossom Ferry, he doesn't want it; the Salt Certificate business, he doesn't want it; even the Evening News, he doesn't want it. He abandoned so much. Surviving a Narrow Escape, bearing the infamous reputation of the Eunuch Faction just to save you. But what have you done for him?"
Bai Li, whose face had always been like a calm lake, finally had her eyelashes flutter lightly for a moment.
Qi Zhaoning's voice was low: "Do you know, I wouldn't even be this sad losing to Zhang Xia, because Zhang Xia accompanied him for so long, accompanied him through the Narrow Escape in Guyuan, charged through the White Tiger Hall of the Western Capital Circuit for him, and gambled her life for him. But losing to you, I am unwilling. You clearly have never done anything for him, on what basis can you make him abandon everything? If you have him in your heart, you should also let him have a path of survival, do not delay his future prospects anymore."
Jiao Tu let out an "eh", correcting with a smile: "Third Miss Qi, I am the one who knew Chen Ji the earliest. At that time, Chen Ji was just a mud-legged worker in a medical clinic. The Commandery Princess also didn't disdain him; she ordered custom clothes for him, ordered a custom scabbard for him..."
Qi Zhaoning, however, ignored Jiao Tu, angrily looking at the Music Director: "The penal slave Bai Li is here, the bidders have arrived, what are you still waiting for? Auction her immediately!"
The Music Director looked at Bai Long.
But Qi Zhaoning said hysterically: "Why look at him? You are an official of the Ministry of Rites, since when did you have to do things according to the expressions of the Eunuch Faction? My Qi Family hasn't fallen yet! If he has the ability, kill me! If he doesn't dare to kill me, then watch helplessly as I buy Bai Li away."
Bai Long sat in his original spot without moving a single inch, completely ignoring her.
The Music Director hesitated for a moment, then immediately raised the Storyteller's Block on the official desk and slammed it down heavily: "Auction immediately! According to the old precedents of the Imperial Music Bureau, the highest bidder obtains her!"
Qi Zhaoning immediately shouted: "Ten thousand taels!"
Bai Long said calmly: "Fifty thousand taels."
Qi Zhaoning glared angrily at Bai Long: "Sixty thousand taels."
Smiling merrily, Jiao Tu took off a string of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency from her wrist: "Here are twenty thousand taels from this slave's savings over many years. Adding it to Lord Bai Long's side, seventy thousand taels!"
Qi Zhaoning raised her neck: "One hundred thousand taels!"
Now, Jiao Tu also had no options left. She looked at Yun Yang, but Yun Yang turned his head away.
She looked at Bai Long again. Bai Long said calmly: "One hundred and fifty thousand taels."
Jiao Tu sucked in a breath of cold air, praising: "Lord Bai Long is so rich. From where did you scrape all this people's fat and people's ointment? I haven't heard of you executing a Property Confiscation on anyone recently either. I presume Lord Bai Long was born into a wealthy and noble family. I don't know which young master is under this Mask, how about you take it off and let this slave see if you are handsome or not..."
Before her voice could fade, Qi Zhaoning said severely: "Two hundred thousand taels!"
This time, neither Jiao Tu nor Bai Long spoke anymore. Jiao Tu looked at Qi Zhaoning puzzledly: "Where did you get the silver? I want to verify your Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency."
Qi Zhaoning raised the Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency in her hands: "Genuine goods at a fair price."
Jiao Tu jumped off the official desk, arrived in front of Qi Zhaoning, and took the Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency. Just rubbing it with the pad of her finger, she said in astonishment: "It's real! Lord Bai Long, continue to bid, otherwise Commandery Princess Baili is going to be bought away."
But Bai Long didn't speak.
The Music Director looked left and right, hesitant and undecided.
Qi Zhaoning stared dead at him: "The highest bidder obtains her. Do not forget which boat you are on!"
At this moment, the Music Director also couldn't care about that much anymore. He only wanted to quickly end this farce that made his Scalp Tingling. He picked up the Storyteller's Block and raised it high...
But right at this moment, an uproar was heard sounding from outside the Vermilion Steps Great Music Hall: "He's here!"
Qi Zhaoning said severely: "Slam the block quickly!"
The Music Director gritted his teeth and slammed it down, but his wrist was grabbed by Jiao Tu. Jiao Tu leaned her body forward, lowered her voice and said: "A minor Ninth Rank official also dares to mix into this kind of matter? If you dare to slam it, I will kill your entire family tonight. The worst that can happen is the Inner Chancellor demotes me to a Gyrfalcon again, but Chen Ji can definitely help me return to the Zodiacs. When the time comes, after your entire family has reincarnated, I will kill you all one more time."
The tide of voices from the commoners outside the Imperial Music Bureau's doors was coming from far to near, surging over like a tsunami.
"Viscount Wuxiang, Viscount Wuxiang is here!"
"Make way, quickly make way!"
"My heavens, it's really him! That Qilin Rank Robe!"
"He's finally here!"
Yanle Hutong outside the Vermilion Steps Great Music Hall had already been surrounded by commoners until not a drop of water could leak through. The tops of walls, roofs, and even the second-floor windows of the shops facing the street were all crowded with densely packed heads.
At first, people were just holding up the Evening News, discussing the Qi Family's scandal, and angrily condemning them.
But when Chen Ji's figure appeared at the end of the long street, and broke through the crowd with an almost tyrannical speed, all the discussions instantly turned into cries of alarm and more intense surging.
There were no attendants crowding around in front and behind, no carriages, horses, or honor guards.
There was only one person, in an already visibly disheveled Qilin Rank Robe, like a burning arrow, going against the tide of people, splitting open the night color, and shooting straight toward the main gate of the Imperial Music Bureau.
Bai Li finally opened her eyes. Her gaze followed the red carpet in front of her to the end.
A red figure, carrying the heavy night air from outside the doors, charged through the doorway. In those eyes, there were morning glows, there were evening sunsets, there were years upon years, and there were years upon years.
Bai Li's eyes were finally no longer calm, gently letting teardrops fall.
For these seven days, she hadn't shed another single tear.
She had almost learned how to pretend to be an adult whose expression never changed, but the instant she saw Chen Ji, everything still crumbled.
Chen Ji looked at the Music Director, asking in a deep voice: "How much has the bidding reached?"
The Music Director stuttered: "Two... two hundred thousand taels."
Chen Ji said unquestioningly: "Two hundred and forty thousand taels."
Qi Zhaoning looked at Chen Ji: "Two hundred and fifty thousand taels."
Chen Ji frowned: "Third Miss Qi, what need is there?"
Qi Zhaoning said mournfully: "What can I do? I long for it day and night, but alas, it is not a good match. Chen Ji, today I insist on pressing you down by one head, even if it is only pressing you down by one head! To make you feel regret whenever you recall tonight in this life. You were clearly just a little bit away from being able to save her, but you just couldn't save her!"
Right at this moment, Shen Ye walked in from outside the doors, laughing loudly and clearly: "Tonight is destined to be remembered by the people of the world, how can it lack me, Shen Ye? The Poetry魁 (Leader) of the Jiangnan Tiger Hill Poetry Society, the Top Scorer of the First Class in the thirty-second year of Jianing, Shen Ye, offers four thousand taels for Chen Ji. Two hundred and eighty thousand taels."
Qi Zhaoning didn't turn her eyes away, staring dead at Chen Ji: "Two hundred and ninety thousand taels!"
The next moment, Liu Su unexpectedly also walked in from outside the doors: "Plum Blossom Ferry Top Courtesan Liu Su, indebted to the proprietor for taking me in, offers twenty thousand taels for the proprietor. Three hundred thousand taels."
No matter what, the people present hadn't expected that Liu Su would come.
Qi Zhaoning still didn't change her expression: "Three hundred and ten thousand taels!"
Jiao Tu pinched the flesh on Yun Yang's waist: "If you don't help today, don't talk to me anymore in the future!"
Yun Yang said in a muffled voice: "Adding twenty thousand taels. Three hundred and twenty thousand taels... This is all I have."
Qi Zhaoning glared angrily at her surroundings: "Three hundred and thirty thousand taels! Whoever else wants to help her, come together!"
The moment the words fell, a middle-aged man hurried over, covered in the dust of travel.
Chen Ji's face revealed astonishment. He only saw his Eldest Uncle Chen Lizun walk along the red carpet to his side, handing him a string of Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency: "Here is fifty thousand taels, you... This is all Eldest Uncle can help you with."
Seeing the people helping Chen Ji continuously arriving at the Imperial Music Bureau, Qi Zhaoning hysterically bet everything she had: "Five hundred and thirty thousand taels! Nobody think about taking Bai Li away!"
But looking at Chen Ji, she discovered there was no panic in Chen Ji's expression, nor was there anger, only a trace of compassion: "Don't look at me with that kind of gaze! I don't need your pity!"
Chen Ji sighed: "Five hundred and forty thousand taels."
Qi Zhaoning couldn't believe it: "Where did you get so much silver? How could you have so much silver!? Since you had so much silver, why did you previously..."
At this time, Brother Pao also walked into the Imperial Music Bureau, saying with a smile: "My Plum Blossom Ferry does the Salt Certificate business, taking one per thousand. Although this business can't earn much silver right now, the salt merchants consigning the Salt Certificates have to leave their deposits in my Plum Blossom Ferry's accounts for seven days. Accumulating little by little to make a lot, saving and saving, there are over two million taels circulating in our hands. This silver hasn't been sitting idle. I loaned some out at a monthly interest of three percent, and invested some silver with Huang Que to do some small businesses together... Therefore, this proprietor of mine has never lacked silver, you were all deceived by his blinding tricks."
Chen Ji calmly walked onto the stage, throwing all the Buddhist Prayer Beads Currency onto the ground at once.
He arrived in front of Bai Li, grasped Bai Li's wrist, and said softly: "Let's go, taking you home."
Qi Zhaoning collapsed onto the ground: "You used all your silver, all your future prospects just to exchange for her. You have nothing now! Chen Ji, you have completely nothing now!"
Chen Ji turned a deaf ear.
Holding Bai Li's hand, he walked outward without looking back. One person wearing a great red Rank Robe, one person wearing a blue Daoist robe, walking one after the other across the Imperial Music Bureau's long red carpet, walking across the crowded and long tide of people.
The spectating crowd was no longer noisy, parting to both sides as if it were an ocean tide. The densely packed and silent tide of people stood on both sides, just like last year, when Li Changge held the Commandery Princess's hand and passed through that long and gloomy Thread of Sky Pass.
That heavy snow in Luo City fell for two hundred and sixty-eight days, and finally stopped. (End of Chapter)