The Worry on Li Youran’s Mind
The Worry on Li Youran’s Mind
[I'm born anew. I can groom myself again. I can choose a worthy man and get married if I wish to. And, I can make my own decision in this regard now!]
An entirely new life awaited her in the future!
However, Guan Qinghan's eyes were constantly looking out for someone in the crowd even during such an exciting moment…
And, she eventually found the one she was looking for.
That handsome face was softly smiling towards her with a gentle expression in his eyes! Suddenly, she heard a feeble sound. It resembled a mosquito's buzzing. But, it was extremely familiar to her, "Qinghan…"
Guan Qinghan smiled with tears in her eyes, and softly sighed. Her face suddenly started to blush, and reddened as a result. But, her heart was brimming with a sour feeling at the same time. There was a variety of mixed emotions in them. She didn't know whether she ought to laugh or cry. It was obvious that she was happy. However, tears were still flowing down her eyes in silence… It seemed as if she was finally parting from that nightmare of a day…
The distinguished guests took their respective seats under Song Shang's guidance in an orderly manner, and waited for the wine-party to begin. This was the same wine which the Jun Family had previously auctioned for an extremely high price. Each table was provided with more than ten jars of wine. This amount was sufficient to enjoy it. In fact, it was more than sufficient. The feast hadn't even begun. However, the strong smell of the alcohol had already set everyone's mouth in action…
Jun Moxie was about to move forward when he saw a man approaching him with a smile on his face. This man then spoke-up in a soft voice, "Third Young Master Jun, could you spare some time? How about a small chat between us…?" This man was tall, and had a handsome face. His expressions were gentle, and his gaze was cordial. Each of his movements was refined, elegant, and thoughtful. This man was the top talent of the capital city. He was the first son of the Imperial Tutor's lineage. And, he had already been determined as the successor of the Li Family—Li Youran!
"Oh? A chat? A chat with you?" Jun Moxie faked a smile as he saw Li Youran. He then titled his head at a crooked angle, and spoke, "Do you think there's any room for us to talk? Is there anything left to be talked about?"
Li Youran faintly smiled in response. His gaze remained fixed on Jun Moxie as he spoke, "Yes. There's much room for a talk. In fact, I believe that it's necessary for us to talk! Moreover, I'm convinced that the subject of our discussion would interest the Third Young Master!"
Jun Moxie turned his head to look at this man. Then, he muttered, "Oh! You're so confident about it?! Okay. Let's talk and satisfy this cherished desire of yours. I must say that having a chat with you doesn't make much sense under these circumstances. But, it will probably be less boring than the people who've assembled here."
Li Youran forced a smile; [It seems this guy can even see that it's my cherished desire to have a conversation with him. It's fortunate my cherished desires are only limited to a conversations!]
"It's very noisy in here. Follow me…" Jun Moxie said with a mischievous smile, "I presume that you don't wish other people to hear what you talk to me about; right? Therefore, a quieter place will be more comfortable to have a chat!"
Li Youran smiled and said, "Precisely. I'd like to keep the pleasure of disturbing the Third Young Master to myself."
Jun Moxie laughed out loud at first. Then, he turned around, and began to walk while leading the way. Li Youran tailed behind him, and kept pace with him. They were strangers, but they resembled a pair of close friends as they walked while talking along.
Jun Moxie had clearly sensed that the Emperor had gazed at him from a distance when he had turned his head. The Emperor's glance had been too distant to be scared of. However, those deep eyes had contained some incomprehensible emotions…
Jun Moxie led Li Youran a long way away. The two of them crossed a few hallways, and arrived at the garden's pavilion. It was strange to hold a meeting in a garden at such a time of early winter… It could be presumed that this strange thing was happening for the first time in the Tang Xiang city; quite possibly the entire Heavenly Scent Empire for that matter…
A dense red cloud had covered the entire sky. The winds were biting cold. However, the pavilion was even windier since the cold breeze was rushing inside the pavilion from all directions. But, it must be said that the area was bright and spacious. In fact, it was indeed an amazing place…
Also, it was the most suitable place for catching a cold!
However, Jun Moxie hadn't chosen this place because he wanted to neglect his guest. Instead, it was because there was no other suitable place to go. [Numerous guests have arrived to congratulate us! And, they've occupied the entire main hall and the lobby. Guan Qinghan's courtyard is presently occupied by Mei Xueyan and her people. Therefore, these places aren't suited for Li Youran. My courtyard is lodging Ye Guhan and those two handicapped children. So, I can't take him there either. Furthermore, Silver City's Han Yanmeng and Mu Xuetong have been hidden in Third Uncle's courtyard. Also, there are a large number of my soldiers standing guard there. So, that place is even more unsuitable… So, there's only place left—my grandfather's study room. But, wouldn't I be giving him too much importance if I took him there?]
Jun Moxie thought about these things, and decided to bring Li Youran to the garden. Anyway, the two people's strengths were sufficient to prevent any cold or heat from bother them…
Li Youran looked around in astonishment. He then said, "The Third Young Master's residence is genuinely worthy of his name. I can't think of any place in this wintery Heavenly Scent which can match this area."
Jun Moxie laughed out loud. Then, he lifted his hand and offered Li Youran a seat. But, he didn't respond to Li Youran's words.
However, Li Youran didn't sit down. Instead, he stood facing Jun Moxie, and folded his hands behind his back. He seemed spellbound by the greenery around him. He began to talk, but it seemed as if he was muttering to himself, "Jun Moxie, this ought to be our first formal conversation if my memory serves me right."
"Well, it is our first…" Jun Moxie nodded as he sighed, "It's a pity that I wasn't able to take the time out earlier. I genuinely couldn't…"
"I'm eight years older than you. You're only eighteen. And, I started this year at twenty-five!" Li Youran ignored Young Master Jun's scornful joke. In fact, it appeared as if he was lost in his thoughts. His drooping eyebrows had made his loneliness evident. "Third Young Master Jun, are you aware how I've managed everything over these years?
"You don't know why I wish to talk about the issues I've suppressing for such a long time. This is happened because I'm in front of you now. I know that we aren't great friends as of now. But, I have a desire to tell these things to you. I hope Third Young Master doesn't mind listening to me. Please treat it like a story. It's not a very brilliant story, but it's somewhat interesting."
His smiled in self-deprecating manner as he waited for Jun Moxie to answer, "These thing have been in my heart for a very long time! It's unfortunate that I've never found a suitable situation or person whom I could confide in. However, I'm overwhelmed with emotions today, And, I genuinely need to spit it out! I'm saying these things for the first time in my life."
"You've asked me to listen to you. We might be friends. But, I'll be a good listener this once!" Jun Moxie's face unexpectedly revealed a rare expression of seriousness and decency. He had felt the desolation of Li Youran's heart. And, that's why he wasn't able to prevent himself from sympathizing with the man.
Li Youran stood quietly for a while. It seemed as if he was adjusting the train of his thoughts, and organizing them into a suitable manner of speech. Then, he slowly began to speak, "I clearly remember everything. My memory has always been very good. I still remember that my grandfather took me from my mother's care when I was three years of age. He then announced that my mother had died long ago. He had done this because my mother hadn't been able to teach me anything in the time I had been in her care… I still remember that my mother had been very distressed. She had cried a lot. She had even begged my grandfather with her entire face being stained in tears. She had only begged him to let her have me for another year. However, my hard-hearted grandfather didn't agree to it. Though, he allowed her to meet me once a month!
"That was obviously the first profound memory I have of my mother—she was crying," Li Youran closed his eyes as he blurted everything out. Then, he gave out a heavy sigh as his face showed rare traces of emotions. It appeared as if the turmoil in his mind was very forceful.
He continued with his story after a while passed. But, his voice had become steadier, "My rich grandfather hired a Heaven Mystic expert for me when I was three years old. That expert was supposed to clean my meridians for a month so that it could lay down a firm Mystic foundation for me. And, I began to spend my days in cycles from that time onwards. I would have six hours of Mystic practice. There would be six hours of education and etiquettes, and four hours of sword training. And, the remaining time was allotted for eating and sleeping."
Jun Moxie sighed softly. He didn't know what to say; [These high-born people… They endure the kind of hardships and tempering which children from ordinary families don't even dream about in their teenage. And, they're valued very highly by their elders if they are capable of enduring more. That is why they turn into extremely irascible individuals once they grow up into talented individuals. Some of them even become perverted!]
[After all, their characters have been distorted since childhood! They're constantly kept under a lot of pressure. So, they need to release that pressure! That's why they often misuse authority if they're given some. And, that's how they often turn into tyrants. In fact, many tyrants of the past have been shaped in a similar way! Many tyrants from history were talented and virtuous people before they obtained power. However, they became unimaginably violent and brutal after they got their hands on that power!]
"I also wanted to play when I saw the other children at it. But, they could, and I wasn't allowed to. My grandfather would beat me up if I slacked in any way. Moreover, the old man was a hundred times more critical and strict with me than he was with my brothers… even more than that!"
Li Youran was spoking softly. In fact, it seemed as if he was whispering, "He would always tell me when I was a child —'You're different from others. That's why it's important for you to be capable of doing big things when you grow up!' And, I always kept this in mind!
"I eventually accept my high-ranking identity in the midst of countless beatings and criticism—the identity of an individual with an extremely high status!" Li Youran's expressions were tranquil. It appeared as if he was talking about someone else's life, "I have to be calm and cultured at all times. I must never to speak loudly. I need to look calm and undisturbed even if I'm awfully angry. I must look comfortable even if I have a horrible ache in my body. In fact, I must make it look as if I'm enjoying myself. And, that's because my grandfather told me that perseverance is the essence of success in life.
"My mother used to visit me for one day every month back then. Let me tell you that such days would be the happiest ones for me… Because, I wouldn't lag behind in my tasks for that one day! And, this stood true even if the tasks were the same as the day before. Even my supervisors and masters would leave. After all, my mother would accompany me to the practices, sword training, and etiquettes lectures. She would cook for me, and stand quietly on a side to watch me practice. I used to wait for that one day every month. I would never dare to relax on the usual days. That's because my mother's face used to light-up in surprise when she used to see my progress. She used to get so cheerful… She used to get so happy… And, I would feel very happy whenever I saw her like that… Therefore, I wouldn't slack because I wanted to make her happy every month…"
Li Youran shut his eyes tightly. His eyelashes were somewhat moist; expressions of longing had appeared on his face. However, he was standing with his back towards Jun Moxie. Therefore, Jun Moxie couldn't see it.