GBP Chapter 73: Turn around and find the shore
Chapter 73: Turn around and find the shore
Upon reaching the door, Master Nangong repeatedly instructed, "Our daughter is troubled by love. Don't mention Ye Beichen's name in front of her. If you anger her, we really won't be able to persuade her back." Madam Nangong remained silent, her attitude indifferent.
Lady Nangong never imagined that her reunion with her beloved daughter would take place in the Jingci Temple's scripture-reciting pavilion. When her gaze fell upon her daughter, her heart clenched. The girl before her was no longer the radiant little girl in her fine clothes. Now, she wore a coarse blue robe and a tattered blue round hat, her appearance quite ugly. And she was intently reciting scriptures with others, her expression solemn and devout.
Upon seeing this scene, Madam Nangong was startled and stumbled, nearly falling to the ground. Fortunately, Master Nangong, who was following closely behind, reacted quickly and caught her, thus averting an embarrassing situation.
"Miss Nangong, please come with me!" Madam Nangong suppressed her shock and anger, put on a stern face, and said in an unusually serious tone.
Fearing to disturb her fellow disciples who were concentrating on chanting scriptures, Xiao Doukou carefully stood up, tiptoed out of the room, and silently followed Madam Nangong into the courtyard.
As soon as she stood still, before Xiaodoukou could react, a sharp "smack" rang out, and a heavy slap landed hard on her delicate cheek. Instantly, a bright red handprint was clearly visible, and Xiaodoukou felt a burning pain on her face, tears streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.
"Mother, what are you doing?" She tightly covered her red, throbbing cheeks, her eyes filled with tears, and questioned the person in front of her with a heart full of grievance.
Standing opposite her, Madam Nangong's eyes were wide with anger, her face a mixture of rage and disappointment. She snapped, "I'm doing this for your own good! Stop being so stubborn and go home right now!"
At this moment, seeing the mother and daughter arguing so fiercely, Master Nangong, who had been silent all along, wanted to step in as a peacemaker. He quickly said, "Oh dear, let's talk things out. Don't start fighting as soon as you meet." However, before he finished speaking, Madam Nangong had already turned her anger on him, trembling with rage. She pointed her finger at Master Nangong and shouted angrily, "It's all your fault! You didn't keep a close eye on her all the time, which is why she's so willful and has caused such a big mess! And you still have the nerve to pretend to be a good person here!" Master Nangong, frightened by his wife's scolding, immediately lowered his head and dared not utter another word.
Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly tense, Xiaodoukou suddenly shook her head with a bitter smile and slowly said, "Mother, I will walk the path I have chosen, no matter how difficult or dangerous it may be, even if I have to crawl on my knees, I will never back down. The so-called 'sea of suffering is boundless,' but since I chose this path myself, even if there is no end in sight, I will walk it without hesitation. I understand your and Father's good intentions, but you cannot persuade me. I will spend the rest of my life here."
Hearing her daughter's resolute words, Madam Nangong was even more furious and retorted without hesitation, "The sea of suffering is boundless, but there is always a shore to return to! Look at yourself now, where is the semblance of a proper young lady? You are simply a laughing stock! Listen to your mother's advice and come home with me obediently. As long as you are willing to come back, I will naturally take good care of you and will never let you suffer the slightest grievance!"
Little Doukou stood there, her petite body ramrod straight. She bit her lip tightly, her eyes fixed firmly ahead, stubbornly refusing to turn back. All that could be heard was her slightly choked yet incredibly resolute voice saying, "My mind is made up. You should go back; don't try to persuade me anymore."
At this moment, Madam Nangong, who was standing to the side, looked anxious. She took a deep breath, stepped forward and said, "I've heard everything from your father. You like Ye Beichen, don't you? I have a way to make him marry you! Can you agree to come home with us?" After saying that, she looked at Xiaodoukou with anticipation.
Xiao Doukou paused slightly, then a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. She gently raised her chin and said slowly, "Alright then, I'll wait here. I'll give you one day. If he comes to propose to me by this time tomorrow, I'll go back with you. But if he can't come to tell me this in person, then don't mention it again. Just give up." After saying that, she turned away and didn't look at them again.
Madam Nangong and Master Nangong exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of a smile in each other's eyes. Then, they nodded in unison and said, "Okay!" Madam Nangong stayed behind with her daughter, while Master Nangong hurriedly drove the carriage back to fetch reinforcements.
Time passed slowly, the sun gradually set, and the sky grew darker. Just as Xiaodoukou began to feel a little disappointed as night was about to fall, the sound of horses' hooves suddenly came from afar. A magnificent carriage sped towards them and finally came to a steady stop in front of them.
The car door opened, and the first person to step out was Master Nangong. Immediately afterward, a tall, handsome man jumped out of the car. This man was Ye Beichen. He was dressed in a white brocade robe and held a bunch of vibrant red roses. He walked quickly to Xiaodoukou.
Without hesitation, Ye Beichen knelt on one knee, raised the roses in his hand high, gazed deeply into Xiaodoukou's eyes, and said gently but firmly, "Xiaodoukou, marry me!"
Xiao Doukou was so excited that tears streamed down her face, and everyone around her applauded and cheered. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Xiao Doukou accepted Ye Beichen's proposal, saying, "I do!"
Then, with a smile on his face, Ye Beichen gently carried Xiao Doukou into the carriage in a princess carry. Afterwards, he happily embarked on his journey home, his face beaming with happiness and contentment.
On the other side, Master Nangong and Madam Nangong, filled with gratitude, took some silver from their purse and handed it to the abbot as a token of their thanks. After bowing slightly to express their sincere gratitude, they followed closely behind Ye Beichen and left the temple.
After returning to the Nangong residence, Xiaodoukou became exceptionally well-behaved and sensible. She settled down quietly and patiently waited each day for Ye Beichen to come and marry her.
In reality, Ye Beichen was indeed a man of his word. Without hesitation, he approached the old lord and solemnly told him, "Father, I have decided to marry Xiaodoukou as my concubine." However, the old lord strongly opposed the marriage upon hearing this news. But Ye Beichen was determined; he knew he had wronged Xiaodoukou before and felt he had to give her an explanation no matter what. Ultimately, despite the old lord's dissatisfaction, the matter was settled.
Just as Ye Beichen was about to write a letter to Su Yuning to inform her of the situation, the old lord suddenly appeared and stopped him, saying, "Son! You mustn't hurt Miss Su's feelings because of this, okay? You're not young anymore, why can't you think things through? If she finds out about this, what if she comes to cause trouble? Do you think this marriage can still proceed smoothly?" After listening to these words, Ye Beichen pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Alright then, let's keep this from her for now." Every word he spoke was very firm.
In Xinghua Village, after the Spring Festival, the eldest son of the Su family and his wife devoted themselves entirely to making soap. They were busy all day long, mixing raw materials, stirring soap solution, shaping and drying the soap, and enjoying themselves immensely. However, just as the two were fully immersed in soap production, a major event occurred in the village—the school had been completed and they had begun recruiting teachers.
That day, the village chief arrived at the gate of the eldest son of the Su family with steady but slightly hurried steps. His wrinkled face looked particularly serious at that moment, and before even entering the door, he shouted loudly, "Eldest son of the Su family, and your wife, what's going on with you two? The school has already been built and enrollment has begun, so why haven't you made a sound? Don't you know that the village is in dire need of a teacher?!"
Upon hearing the village chief's voice, the eldest son and his wife quickly put down their work and hurried out to greet him. After hearing what the village chief was saying, the two were first taken aback, then looked at each other, their eyes instantly lighting up with joy.
"Oh?! Really? That's wonderful! We've always hoped for the opportunity to be a teacher!" The eldest son of the Su family rubbed his hands together excitedly, unable to contain his joy. His wife, standing beside him, nodded in agreement with a broad smile.
After saying this, the couple excitedly grabbed the village chief's arms on either side and started spinning him around in the yard without saying another word. The poor village chief was old and couldn't withstand such a commotion; he felt dizzy and saw stars.
"Oh dear, stop! Stop! If you keep spinning like this, my old bones will fall apart!" the village chief replied helplessly.
Seeing the village chief in such a disheveled state, the eldest son of the Su family and his wife realized that they had been somewhat out of line, and quickly let go of his hand, laughing embarrassedly.
"I'm so sorry, Village Chief, we're just too happy," Su's wife explained, blushing.
"Yes, village chief, thank you for making the special trip to inform us. Don't worry, we can go to school today!" Yang Yuyan said confidently to the village chief.
The eldest son of the Su family quickly patted his chest and assured the village chief, "Yes, yes, village chief, we will definitely teach diligently and will not let you down!"
The village chief looked at the energetic young couple in front of him, smiled with satisfaction, and then waved his hand and said, "Alright, then you two hurry up and get ready!"
The young couple, hand in hand, left their home full of joy, looking forward to a bright future. However, they were so careless as to forget their young child at home. If the adorable little one hadn't started crying loudly because he couldn't find his parents, even the village chief probably would have turned around and gone home.
Hearing the child's heart-wrenching cries, the village chief stopped, shook his head helplessly, went into the house, and picked up the crying little one. He gently comforted the child as he walked towards Old Su's house.
When the village chief arrived at Old Su's house, he said with a kind smile, "The eldest son of the Su family and his wife will be going to teach at the school starting today. We'll have to trouble you two to take care of this little baby."
The woman, her face beaming with joy, reached out and carefully took the child from the village chief's arms, gently cradling him in her embrace, muttering, "Alright! It's only natural for him to look after his grandson!"
Old Su, standing to the side, also smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly, "Thank you for your kind words, Village Chief! If it weren't for your discerning eye, my son and daughter-in-law would still be doing handicrafts at home."
The village chief, all smiles, waved his hand heartily and said loudly, "Hey! We all live in the same village, so it's only right that we look out for each other. This little thing is nothing, nothing to worry about! Haha... But I have some important things to take care of right now, so I'll take my leave!" With that, he turned and strode away.
Upon seeing this, the elderly couple quickly called out in unison, "Village Chief, please take care! Come visit us often when you have time!"
On this day, the sky was a clear, bright blue, and the sun shone brightly, as if the heavens themselves had bestowed their most beautiful blessings upon this wedding. Ye Beichen, dressed in a brand-new men's suit, looked exceptionally handsome and dashing; while Xiao Doukou, in a vibrant red wedding gown, was radiant and beautiful, like a blooming flower. Hand in hand, their faces beaming with happiness, the two joyfully entered the wedding venue, ready to embrace their sweet moment.
In a solemn yet joyous atmosphere, the experienced master of ceremonies conducted the entire ceremony with remarkable composure. Ye Beichen and Xiao Doukou first devoutly bowed to heaven and earth, expressing gratitude for the beautiful union bestowed upon them by the heavens; then, they respectfully offered tea to their elders, expressing their gratitude for their parents' nurturing; finally, amidst cheers from the crowd, they jointly drank the nuptial wine, symbolizing their eternal union and a long and happy marriage. At this moment, thunderous applause erupted, and everyone's face was filled with joy and blessings.
Just then, someone in the crowd whispered among themselves, "This is really strange. Why haven't we seen the lord's wife? On such an important occasion as today, she should have been there no matter what. Why is she nowhere to be seen?" Another person next to him couldn't help but speculate, "In my opinion, it's probably because the lord married a new wife, and the lord's wife is feeling resentful. She's probably jealous, so she simply didn't come."
However, as they were talking, they suddenly looked up and saw Ye Beichen leading his new wife by the hand, preparing to offer a toast. Both of them had happy smiles on their faces. Instantly, those who had been whispering and gossiping fell silent, each one quickly shutting their mouths and not daring to utter a sound.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Master Nangong and his two wives were sitting comfortably among the crowd. Seeing this scene, the three of them were overjoyed, practically bursting with delight. Especially when their beloved daughter and son-in-law came forward to offer them a toast, the two wives quickly waved their hands with smiles, indicating that they were not good at drinking. Master Nangong, however, appeared exceptionally excited and enthusiastic. He picked up his wine cup, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp, one cup after another, downing several cups of fine wine in succession.
After setting down his wine cup, Master Nangong looked at the young couple with a smile and said, "Although my third daughter has indeed experienced some ups and downs in her love life, the final outcome is quite gratifying. To become the lord's concubine is quite wonderful. Here, I sincerely wish you two a loving and sweet life together, hand in hand, for a lifetime, never to be separated!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Beichen and Miss Nangong quickly responded in unison, "Thank you, Father!" Instantly, a burst of cheerful laughter and enthusiastic applause rang out around them.