Chapter 47 Position

  Chen Jiong followed them to drink and was also making up the numbers.

  He can't hold his liquor and doesn't dare drink more after two cups.

  They think Chen Jing is young and they all love him very much, and don't force him either.

  It was Chen Jing's nephew Chen Wengong who, at a young age, drank four cups and yet his complexion did not change, causing Chen Jing to be greatly astonished.

  At the wine table, Chen Jing finally knew why Li Yongrong and others had a feud with Du Shijiu.

  "...It happened at the beginning of last year. We were playing ball, and Du Shijiu was about to lose, so he sent someone to trip up Xuanning's horse. Xuanning fell off his horse and couldn't move his lower body."

  Xuan Ming is a friend of Li Yong Rong, and used to play basketball with him. He was the best player among them. Later he got into trouble, and Fan Nai Pei took his place.

  Mentioning this, Li Yong Rong and others were furious.

  Deliberately making trouble and turning good people into cripples is indeed a great hatred.

  Du Shijie lost twenty taels of silver. For this matter, we all sued him together, and the county magistrate ruled in his favor. In these two years, we gave some money to Xuanming during every festival.

  He said that he had elderly and young people to support, and his life was getting harder and harder. His son was only four years old, what would happen in the future?" Li Yongrong said this, and then took a big gulp of wine.

  Cai Shuyuan also chimed in: "If it were on my court, I would never let Du Shijie off so easily."

  Two years ago, Li Yongrong and Cai Shuyuan were not familiar with each other, and because the Wangpingge Stadium required a large sum of money to enter, Li Yongrong and his friends rarely went there.

  It was Du Shijie who had excellent horses, ample time and many friends to play ball with, often showing off on the big and small courts along the Yao River.

  That time when something happened, they were playing in a small stadium.

  That master was evasive in front of Du Shi-ji, and when something happened, he would clear himself first and didn't even stand up for Li Yong-rong and others.

  "...let him get a taste of his own medicine, break both his legs and then it's fair." Bai Chenyu slammed her wine cup on the table, splashing wine all over.

  The atmosphere is very depressing.

  Cai Shuyuan then said, "It's all in the past, no need to mention it again."

  Everyone raised their glasses and changed the subject.

  Later, Li Yongrong mentioned winning four thousand two silver today.

  He wants to share it equally with everyone.

  "...take out 20,000 taels and give them to Xuanming, which is enough for him to buy medicine and food for his family for over a decade. Before his son grows up, they won't starve. This is what Du Shijiu owes him. The remaining 20,000 taels will be divided equally among the six of us."

  He also included Chen Jing in it.

  Chen Jing said: "Don't count mine. You all play together, this is yours."

  "You're the real hero today!" Li Yongrong persuaded him, "Without you, we wouldn't have won at all, and maybe now we'd be losing the horse racing and suffering humiliation too. Giving it all to you isn't excessive either. We're brothers from the same family, no need to pretend with you, you must take a share."

  "Yes." Zhou Xun and others also said.

  Even Cai Shuyuan said: "Zhang and brothers, if you don't take it, how can they leave with a clear conscience? Yong Rong and these few friends are all open-minded and fair, rewarding those who have merit. Don't be modest, Zhang and brothers."

  Chen Jiong paused for a moment.

  Cai Shuyuan is one of the older ones in this group, so his words still carry some weight.

  Everyone opened their mouths, and then declined, which seemed hypocritical, also giving people a sense of distance and not worth getting along with. Chen Jing had no choice but to agree, smiling: "Let Ba Ge replace me, and hand it over to my sister-in-law."

  He originally wanted to say it and also tell Mingming about it.

  Anyway, it's Du Shijie's money, and giving it to Xuan Ming, who was paralyzed by Du Shijie, is more useful.

  But then he thought, if Chen Cui is going to say it like that, Li Yongrong and the others might not even dare to take it. He had already given Xuanming 20,000 taels, and that was enough. If Chen Cui insisted on putting on this show, forcing everyone else to contribute as well, it would be a bit nauseating.

  They are certainly willing to help, but in this way, even if they helped, their hearts would not be at ease.

  So Chen Jing's words reached his lips and then swallowed back down.

  "Let's go." Li Yongrong said.

  ***

  It was almost curfew when everyone dispersed and went home.

  Chen Jiong's nephew lay on Chen Jiong's leg, drowsy and asleep. This kid had his first drink, downing six or seven cups in one breath, and was already drunk.

  Li Yongrong sat silently, weighed down by her troubles.

  Today I won a complete victory, winning Du Shijie and helping Xuanming get a huge compensation fee, and also got a sum of money, which should be happy.

  Li Yongrong was very disappointed.

  "Alas!" Li Yongrong suddenly let out a deep sigh, his emotions after drinking no longer hidden.

  "Ba Ge, what's wrong?" Chen Jiong asked.

  "...I thought of my father." Li Yongrong said.

  This remark made Chen Jiong somewhat surprised and unsure of how to respond.

  Li Yongrong's father has been dead for many years.

  "When my father was alive, he always told me not to be lazy, to study hard and take the imperial examination. Bringing honor to our family is secondary, what's most important is being able to stand on one's own two feet. In the past, although I understood these words, I didn't understand them as thoroughly as I do today!" Li Yong Rong muttered to himself, seemingly talking nonsense, "If it weren't for Cai Er Ge and Du Shi Ju owing us money today, what could I have done? If we had lost today, we would definitely have to rely on others, but I wouldn't dare let Du Shi Ju rely on me!"

  Chen Jiong finally understood what he wanted to say.

  He lamented his low status. Compared to the common people, the Li family was also a big clan, but in front of Du Shijie and others, it was nothing, trampled by anyone.

  Low status, everything is out of one's control.

  In this era, for a young man from a humble background, obtaining honors is the only way to elevate his status.

  The contest with Du Shijie, today's lucky win, actually made Li Yongrong suddenly realize so many things. These things were originally known, but not as clear as they are today.

  It's as if a veil had been lifted from before my eyes after many years, and now everything is clear in my mind.

  He said these words, more like talking to himself, and before Chen Jing could respond, he closed his eyes and dozed off.

  Back home, the Dragon Boat Festival banquet at Li's house had yet to conclude.

  Li Yongrong went back to his yard directly.

  Chen Jiong took his nephew to the outer house and had the maid serve him to sleep; also let the maid go tell her sister-in-law, saying they were back.

  After settling in, Chen Xuan went to the banquet hall of Waiyuan Huatang and greeted his elder sister's brothers and nephews.

  Today I arrived at Yaojiang and followed Li Yongrong out, but I haven't seen other members of the Li family yet.

  ".... is just a joke." The elder brother of Da Sao smiled and asked Chen Jing to sit down, refilling his bowl and chopsticks.

  Chen Jiong sat down and drank a few more cups of wine.

  "What about Lao Ba?" Li Dalang asked Chen Jing, "Wasn't he the one who took you all out to play? Why hasn't he come back?"

  "I'm a bit tired today, and Eighth Brother has gone to sleep," said Chen Jiong.

  Li Dalang frowned and thought Li Ba didn't understand things.

  In front of the guests, Li Dalang didn't complain about his brother either, and smiled as he chatted with Chen Jing for a few words.

  Chen Jie accompanied him all the way until the Li family's banquet dispersed before returning.

  In the afternoon, he played ball for only fifteen minutes but was exhausted; after drinking again, Chen Jing washed and slept as soon as he lay down.

  The next day, he woke up at three o'clock in the morning as if he were at home.

  After getting up and washing, Chen Xuan dressed neatly and went to the next room with his nephew to have breakfast in the front hall.

  The hall was packed with people, all of whom were Li's descendants.

  Some of them were busy with household chores, some managed the business, and others studied. They all had their meals at this moment before going about their own affairs.

  Li Balang didn't come.

  Chen Jiong and they exchanged greetings, sat down and had breakfast together.

  After breakfast, he took his nephew into the垂花门 and went to Mrs. Li's courtyard to pay his respects.

  His elder sister-in-law and niece Chen Wenrong, as well as the women of the Li family, were all in this courtyard.

  There were constantly children coming in to pay their respects.

  The house is packed with people again.

  The Li family is populous.

  ".....Did you go play ball with Yong Rong yesterday?" The old lady asked Chen Jiong and Chen Wen Gong with a smile, "How many balls did he lose again?"

  "We didn't lose!" Chen Wengong sat down beside the old lady, proudly saying, "Grandma, Eighth Uncle won. Those people all say that Eighth Uncle and Second Uncle are very formidable!"

  He was on the arrow tower and heard people around him talking. He is already nine years old and can understand what others are saying.

  Mrs. Li smiled.

  Li Balang went out to play ball, and winning or losing was unpredictable.

  Sometimes lose, sometimes win. Win or lose, the old lady is never surprised.

  Nobody is paying attention either.

  "What prize did Eighth Uncle win?" a girl wearing a water-green jacket with embroidered peony flowers asked Chen Wen Gong, smiling. She had thick bangs and wore her hair in two buns.

  In this era, girls at the age of fifteen and wearing their hair in a bun were considered adults. Before that, they would wear two braids and have bangs. Seeing a girl with two braids and thick bangs meant she was under fifteen years old.

  Chen Jiong knew the girl who spoke, they met last New Year's.

  She is the daughter of elder brother's wife, named Li Juanjuan, thirteen years old this year, lively and enthusiastic.

  Today's Li Xuanxuan seems to have slightly swollen eyes and a small red rash on her right cheek.

  "I don't know, ask Second Uncle," said Chen Wengong.

  Li Qianqian smiled and looked at Chen Jing.

  Everyone was curious what it was and they all looked at Chen Jing.

  Chen Jiong smiled and said: "A few cents, just a little silver."

  "What? Are you guys betting money on the game now?" asked Li's wife.

  "No." Chen Jing knew that the women at home didn't like men to gamble outside, so he explained, "Originally, it was said that if we lost, we would have to take off our pants. We won, but those who lost were unwilling to do so, and instead gave silver to Eighth Brother."

  Everyone suddenly realized and they all said they had made a big fuss over nothing.

  If you lose, won't you have to crawl between other people's legs?

  Everyone was chatting and laughing when several more of the Li family's young men came in to pay their respects. Since they all had pressing matters, after paying their respects, they didn't linger and turned around to leave again.

  After several comings and goings, finally no one came in.

  The elder sister-in-law then said to Chen Jing and Chen Wengong: "You two go out and have some fun too."

  Chen Wengong said yes.

  Chen Jing then looked at Li Xuanxuan and asked her: "Xuanxuan, why are your eyes swollen?"

  He was surrounded by his family.

  Everyone's eyes fell on Li Xuanxuan.

  Li Qianqian got up early, and her maid also said that her eyes were a bit swollen. But she didn't take it seriously, just smiled and said: "Baitao also said my eyes are swollen, and asked if I secretly cried. I don't know why, maybe it's because I drank too much wine last night."

  "Is your throat a bit sore too?" Chen Jing asked again.

  After drinking, a bit of eye swelling and throat soreness are all quite normal.

  Li Qianqian nodded again.

  "Are there red rashes on your face and arms?" Chen Jing continued to ask.

  He asked one by one, and the women were a bit surprised.

  Li Qianqian smiled and asked Chen Jing: "Second Uncle, why are you speaking like a doctor diagnosing an illness? Am I sick or something?"

  ***

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