Winter Begonia, Chapter 12: the Fiasco and the Gunshot

Winter Begonia 《鬓边不是海棠红》Bin Bian Bu Shi Hai Tang Hong
Winter Begonia, Chapter 12: the Fiasco and the Gunshot

It's getting dark, and the play in the garden has already begun. Cheng Fengtai took the Chang family on a tour of the mansion and introduced them, saying, "This was Prince Rui's Mansion, and Fan Lin knew it, I don't like Chinese houses. It's not well-lit and cold. But Mistress likes it. It's expensive, so I'll buy it! Cousin, do you know how much this house costs? You'll be heartbroken to hear it! It's enough to build another one in its original condition! --Have you seen the well? It's said that in the year of the Gengzi, the Prince Rui jumped to his death in that well. My son wouldn't listen and is usually naught, so I used it to scare him. Ha ha...”


Chang Zhixin listened with a smile and quietly asks Fan Lian, "Is he always like this?”

Fan Lian thinks his brother-in-law is even more clueless today: "He's not usually like this, but today I'm destined for you. Today I'm destined for you.”

Chang Zhixin smiled: "Quite an interesting man, haha.”

Fan Lian smiled bitterly: "It's interesting... so interesting, even ordinary people can't stand his interest.” He ran forward and grabbed Cheng Fengtai.” Brother-in-law, it's almost time. My cousin is staying in Beiping for a while, so when can we stop watching the house? You can't leave your guests in the front yard, can you? I don't think so."

Cheng Fengtai was in high spirits, saying, "They're having fun, so I'm not involved. Do you want me to serve them tea and water? "Suddenly stopping in his tracks, he turned around, slapped his palm, and said, "Oh no! I've forgotten my brother-in-law! My cousin--"

Fan Lian waved him off. ”Cousin, I'll bring him over. Don't let Cao Siling shoot you.”

Although it wasn't a death sentence, Cao Siling's face was already very pale. Because for half an hour or so, Cheng Fengtai hasn't come, Shang Xirui hasn't come out, and there's no beauty to flatter him... Wife Cheng Meixin doesn't count. When Cao Siling was so neglected, he wanted to leave several times, but Cheng Meixin held him back and said, "Darling, Edwin must have gotten caught up in something. Just wait. There's a dinner party later, and you're going to have to punish him with a couple of drinks.”

For the fifth time, Cheng Fengtai finally arrived with a flattering smile on his face. Cao Siling looked at him with a glare, and snorted coldly.

Cheng Fengtai smiled: "Is brother-in-law angry? Don't be! I have a family of relatives who just arrived in Beiping, and I'm busy taking care of them. I'm busy serving them."

Cao Siling said, "Little Feng'er, you're not a moron. They're your relatives, but I'm not? F.uck you!"

Cheng Fengtai was verbally cussed by Cao Siling, but the smile on his face remained unchanged, and he took the hazelnuts and peeled them in a flattering manner. Cao Siling wanted to say he didn't want any, I've been eating them all afternoon, so I ate them till I farted? Who knew that Cheng Fengtai would put them in his own mouth, making Cao Siling angry, laughing at him, scolding him and greeting him. Cheng Fengtai grinned, still did not get angry.

Cao Siling didn't get angry with Cheng Fengtai, because they shared the same temper, and he liked him from the bottom of his heart, more than his own son. Cheng Fengtai doesn't get angry with Cao Siling because he treats him as an elder, a bully, a patron, and he'll just ignore him.

Cheng Meixin leaned back, past Cao Siling and whispered to her brother: "Where do we have relatives in our family? Aren't Second uncle and Little Lady in England?"“

Cheng Fengtai said: "It's not our family, it's the Second Mistress's family, her cousin's wife... Hey! They're Chang Zhixin and Jiang Mengping from Pingyang! "As she raised her chin, Cheng Meixin looked over and saw the beautiful couple by Fan Lian's side. Cheng Meixin was half an eyewitness to the events of Pingyang, so she knew all about them. She took a second look at Chang and thought, "He's really good looking. A woman would have chosen him. What kind of woman would want a child who's angry, crazy and willful?

Thinking of Shang Xirui's disastrous love affair, Cheng Meixin pursed her lips and smiled proudly. Before long, she thought of a great thing, turned around, and said, "I'm going to die! Shang Xirui is here, and you dare to let him stay! You're an awful brothel! You're going to die!"




Cheng Fengtai was stunned, he really didn't worry about the feud: "... In public, can't do anything, right?”

Cheng Meixin said, "You don't know Shang Xirui. I've lived in the same house with him for half a year, and I know him too well! He..." Cheng Meixin looked at Cao Siling, who hated it when women talked behind his back, and said, "He has a temper. That's not good! Go for it! "But that wasn't enough for Shang Xirui, who, after a long while, said: "If he gets mad, he doesn't care how many people you have here. There's no one there he will respect, what's the role of the people down there, what are the consequences. He'll just enjoy himself, and he'll be pissed!”

Cheng Fengtai smiled and ate a snack: "No way? I think he's fine, just a happy kid, not the unreasonable type you say he is."“

Cheng Meixin expected wouldn't believe it, a long sigh, gritted her teeth: "Wait and see.”

The child Shang Xirui, humming opera lyrics, examined himself in front of the mirror, and he's got all his costumes on. Gotta be so good friends with Cheng Fengtai.

Shang Xirui looked at the clock, smacks her lips: "Come! I want some water!”

Xiao Lai shivered and brought a glass of water, Shang Xirui laughed: "You're silly! I can't drink it with makeup on. Get the cereal.”

Xiao Lai nodded blankly, took a wheat pipe from the tea cage and inserted it into the teacup. The laziest of all, Shang Xirui lowered his head and took a couple of puffs on Xiao Lai's hand, only to feel the cup fluttering in Xiao Lai's hand. The water was rippling. And then looking at her face, her cheeks flushed with sweat, he couldn't help laughing: "You girl, you've seen the Emperor's warlords everywhere. This may be a palacial mansion, but it's not the emperors. What are you afraid of?"

Xiao Lai bowed her head: "I didn't...”

Shang Xirui drank the water, hummed a couple of lines, and did a pose in front of the mirror, feeling quite intoxicated herself..

Xiao Lai suddenly bit her lip and said, "Boss Shang, let's stop singing today!”

"What are you talking about? Why did you stop singing? What's the matter with you? "Shang Xirui squeezed her arm: "Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”

Xiao Lai shook her head and turned away as if she were holding back something. In the meantime, Shang Xirui looked at her in the mirror and saw that she had lifted the curtain and was looking down at the stage. There was a big tiger in the audience.

Shang Xirui quietly approached, tapping her on the shoulder: "What are you looking at?”

Xiao Lai turned back with a shriek, her face as pale as if she had seen a ghost. Shang Xirui felt that something was wrong, and lifted the curtain to look down. At first glance, he saw Cheng Fengtai, who winked at him and smiled at him. Next to him were Cao Siling and Cheng Meixin. He wanted to make an appearance later, to force a smile on Cheng Meixin's face as she swallowed her anger at seeing him, but Cheng Meixin was worried she was not going to be able to do anything about it. Shang Xirui followed her gaze and looked the other way, and he was right there.

The drumbeat is a tune too loud for the hero to appear, and the supporting opera actor calls him softly, but he's already gone, it doesn't matter what beat or occasion.

It's been so many years, and I never thought I'd meet him here today.

Shang Xirui felt the hot lava in his head, hot and swollen, painful and buzzing, and his legs were weak. He stood at the door frame for a long time to come to his senses. What a good life she had, well-dressed and radiant, sitting down to hear him sing, like a young lady of the first class. They used to stand on the same stage and sing a play, all sorrows, all joys, all sorrows, and all joys together, and it was a good time, a good time. Then she left, went offstage, and he was the only one left on the stage, the only one left in the world.

She doesn't sing with him anymore, she listens to him.

Shang Xirui stood firm, thinking okay, I'll give you a good performance today.

When Xiao Lai saw Jiang Mengping on stage before, she was scared out of her mind, knowing that it would be a bad day.” Boss Shang!" he cried. No! Let's stop singing! Let's stop singing!"

Shang Xirui forcefully plucked her hand away, lifted the curtain and went out, then stood on the stage without moving, and stared at Jiang Mengping. His eyes were already bright and luminous, a rare watery eye among men, but now he's staring at someone with hatred in his eyes, Cheng. Fengtai was watching from below, his gaze seemed to pierce through people's hearts, so fierce that it hurt, and really made people feel a sense of dread, it's like a silent in a temple.

Shang Xirui hesitated to speak, the huqin and drums stopped beating, and the audience sensed something was wrong.





In the silence, Shang Xirui suddenly drew up his voice and sang harshly: "Do not expect this son to beg for food! Marry him, and forsake him in half a year. And dared not keep him in prison, and beat thee with punches, and kicks, and make thee weep!

It's too late to make up for your troubles when your boat is in the middle of the river. Think ahead, don't regret it. I advise you not to! I'll be ready to rescue you one day! One day I'll be ready to rescue you from the stone of Hope!"

Cheng Fengtai said, "No way, what kind of opera is this? It doesn't sound festive at all. Then he heard the chairs and tables in the back clattering. Jiang Mengping stood up trembling and knocked over the chairs, as if she had seen something horrible, she couldn't stop recoiling.

After four years, she recognizes Shang Xirui right away. She taught him how to do his makeup, so how could she not? He still remembers the past, he still hates her, so much so that he's no longer an actress. When she was in Pingyang, Shang Xirui disgraced her so much that everyone would spit in her face and call her an adulteress. But she was so generous with her food and drink that she brought Shang Xirui up like her own brother, protecting him and spoiling him in every way, in the end, it's a wolf that raised a wolf that will eat her before it stops!

The unbearable memories of the streets of Pingyang have suddenly returned. Jiang Mengping backtracked and tried to escape in a panic, waking up several guests. Chang Zhixin hastily took her in his arms and softly coaxed her.

Shang Xirui on stage, pointing to them.

"Recruit as a wife, run as a concubine! Why don't you go home! You're not going home!"

This sentence, Cheng Fengtai understood.

Cao Siling exclaimed, "Ho! 'The Horse over the Wall'! Little Rui'er's old life is so authentic!”

Jiang Mengping covered her ears and shook her head, tears pouring down, sobbing: "Zhixin, I don't want to be here, Let's go back! Go back!”

Chang Zhixin’s heart ached and he said, "Okay, okay, we're leaving. Fan Lian! You drive me!”

The three of them were making a scene as they were leaving the courtyard. Cao Siling got tired of them, suddenly stood up, drew his gun and fired a round into the air, then pointed the muzzle of the gun at the three men.

Cheng Fengtai turned pale with fright and stood up to take Cao Siling's gun: "Brother-in-law! Don't! No!"

Cao Siling pushed him away, pointing the gun at Jiang Mengping, saying, "Today is my nephew's good day and an auspicious day at that, you sniveling b.itch. What the fuck are you gasping and crying for? Sit down, all of you! No one is leaving!" As soon as the guns were waved, a soldier went and guarded the door with his gun.

Cao Siling was a tyrannical general in the northwest, but as long as there are soldiers in Beiping, he's still the general and the emperor of things, who would want to lay an offense to him.

Chang Zhixin and Cao Siling silently confront each other, fire-spitting from their eyes. Fan Lian whispered to him, "Zhixin! Chang Zhixin! This isn't Pingyang, and you're no longer the third son of the Chang Family! If Cao Siling wants to kill someone, it's like trying to kill a bedbug. Don't be a hero. Be patient!" and he pressed down his shoulders.

Chang Zhixin gritted his teeth, sat down with his wife in his arms, and held her tightly to his chest, as if this could isolate her from the outside world. Humiliated, he instead sat upright and glared angrily at Shang Xirui.




Shang Xirui also stared at him, his eyes shining brightly. He took one of the many passages for Chang Zhixin’s new song, changed the tune, and sang powerfully: "... this skin is your shell, this hammer is your elbow, this nail hole is the hair in your heart. This skin is the upper part of your body, this hammer is your elbow and lower ribs, this nail hole is the hole in your heart, and this stick is your mouth tusks! You've been beaten to a pulp by two mongrels, and you'll never get enough! Let's start from the beginning and listen to us!”

Cao Siling seems to have a sensation like when he saw Shang Xirui on the towers of Pingyang again, with his crazy enthusiasm. All the soldiers in the city were trembling with fear, and he was singing in the midst of the rain and bullets. A concubine Yu, more powerful than the Prince Rui.

Cao Siling shouted, "Yes!”

As soon as Cao Siling shouted yes, the adjutant and the surrounding soldiers followed suit, and the other guests didn't dare not to shout yes, good... I don't know in what emotional state they are. In this play, they are the most inexplicably frightened. However, their support was undoubtedly another insult to Chang Zhixin and Jiang Mengping. Jiang Mengping choked on her tears, and Chang Zhixin held her by the shoulders in a terrifying gesture.

Cheng Fengtai looked at Shang Xirui in frustration, not knowing whether to be angry or to laugh bitterly, and he said, "What's this play called?...

Cheng Meixin looked down at her brother and smirked to herself. Told you, that Shang Xirui, he's really crazy.



~ Winter Begonia ~


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