NOVEL NEXT
Chapter 58
The sunset in the west grew increasingly red.
The barking of village dogs grew louder.
Calling their families to come home.
Little Jiang Yu entered the courtyard to work.
Meng Shaoxia became a little distracted.
His wrist was still slightly aching.
His mind wandered, wondering how such a large eagle could be injured, then thinking that since he too was injured, he should apply some medicinal wine to his wrist when he returned.
He Chen was simply curious about what the ferocious bird looked like, as he had never observed one up close.
Jiang Feng had always been good at reading people's expressions.
Noticing that the two young masters seemed intrigued by his household, he generously invited them into the courtyard.
To the Precious Horse Young Heroes, the courtyard appeared rather cramped, as they had never been in such a small courtyard before.
It had a dirt floor and mud walls, with visible soil particles on the walls, plain windows without carvings, no hanging paintings, and no antique vases on display shelves. However, there were several black clay jars lined up in the corner.
The courtyard was tidy and well-kept, with bamboo poles leaning against the wall for an unknown purpose. (They were clothes poles, and Jiang Feng had just brought in and put away the diapers.)
They didn't seem sturdy enough for physical exercise or to support a person's weight, which piqued Meng Shaoxia's curiosity as he glanced at them.
He Chen stared at the mud wall, part of which had collapsed, revealing a large tree outside. Viewed from this angle, it was unexpectedly beautiful, like a scene from a painting.
Jiang Feng happily explained, "The location of my home is excellent because we have a well right in the courtyard, so we don't need to go out to fetch water. It's very convenient for drinking and cooking."
Meng Shaoxia and He Chen followed Jiang Feng's direction and noticed the covered area, which turned out to be a well.
Next to the well were stepping stones, wooden poles, and wooden buckets.
And a young girl was restraining a giant eagle.
Meng Shaoxia's gaze became flustered once more.
He Chen observed the giant eagle.
Jiang Feng took Mianmian from Mom's arms.
He cradled her in one arm and stroked her head with the other hand, a familiar and natural gesture.
Jiang Mianmian wore an expression of resigned enjoyment, hoping that drinking only milk and well water would help her keep her hair.
With guests present, Qin Luoxia didn't know what to say, so she remained taciturn and focused on her work, handling the old eagle.
Little Jiang Yu lent a hand.
And so, the two young masters from the capital witnessed the ferocious bird being swiftly plucked bare, its feathers scattered everywhere, and its body chopped into pieces...
Jiang Feng's sister deftly assisted in rinsing away any traces, leaving no bones, debris, or bloodstains behind.
The rarely seen giant eagle was quickly filled an entire basin, neatly arranged, making it impossible to discern its former appearance.
Noticing Mom's practiced movements, Jiang Feng instinctively tried to divert the attention of the two young masters.
"Our family is small, and our living quarters are simple. My parents share one room, my sister and I share another, there's one for storage, and one for cooking. When my little sister grows up, we can clear out the storage room for me, and the two sisters can share a room."
"Come, Young Masters Meng and He, let me show you my room."
Meng Shaoxia pondered whether Jiang Feng's sister really shared a room with him. If so, wouldn't he be able to see the young lady's boudoir?
Jiang Feng, carrying Mianmian, led the two to his room.
The room was small, with a low ceiling overhead. The furnishings were extremely simple, containing two small wooden beds separated by a wooden partition.
One of the beds had a small wooden window nearby.
At first, Meng Shaoxia felt a mix of nervousness and excitement, as he was entering a young lady's boudoir.
Strange thoughts arose in his mind.
However, upon entering, he saw one bed, a pillow, and a patched quilt neatly folded, showing no indication that it was a girl's room.
By the bedside was an old, small cabinet on which a pair of embroidered shoes was neatly placed.
He recognized them—the young lady had worn those very shoes when she fiercely kicked the beggar that day.
There were bloodstains on the embroidered shoes.
On the mud wall, a protruding beam held a red cord. (Jiang Yu's had been hung on a tree, and this one was given to her by her mother.)
This was the only touch of color, revealing that it was indeed a young lady's boudoir.
Meng Shaoxia felt a sense of disappointment.
However, He Chen's gaze was drawn to Jiang Feng's side of the room.
Near the window stood a small table, on which lay an open book that appeared well-read and tattered.
He flipped through it and was surprised to find it was a book on medicinal herbs, filled with dense, complex text he had never encountered before.
He Chen remarked in astonishment, "Brother Jiang, you can actually read?"
Initially, they had assumed Jiang Feng was illiterate, as it was more common for layabouts in the streets to be uneducated. Finding a literate person in the commoners' world was like finding a needle in a haystack.
When asked about his ability to read, Jiang Feng recalled the times his father had taught him to recognize characters as a child.
His posture became gentler as he swayed slightly while holding his sister.
He had been a diligent student back then, with an excellent memory, able to remember everything his father taught him. His father would often praise his intelligence.
However, over time, his father taught him less and less.
His father only taught them to recognize characters.
As he grew older, Jiang Feng realized how precious the ability to read and study was, and how it could change one's destiny and bring honor to one's family for some people.
Yet he and his father lacked even the qualification to participate in the imperial examinations, failing the filial piety requirement.
He didn't know what his future held, but having studied gave him more contemplation than other young men, making him feel out of place. Eventually, he became a layabout on the streets.
He continued swaying gently, holding his sister, and responded with an awkward smile, "Not only can I read, but my sister can too. My mom probably recognizes a few characters as well, all taught by my father. It was difficult teaching my sister, though. He had to tell her they represented something delicious for her to remember."
As he spoke these words in the dim room, the young man's eyes became red with tears.
He envied the young masters before him, not for their wealth or prestigious family backgrounds, but for the opportunity to study and take the imperial examinations.
...
In the darkness, the older brother buried his face in Jiang Mianmian's embrace, thinking he had drooled on her face.
She let out a soft cry.
Then he heard her brother's laughter.