Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 15 Liu Jianjun's Past
The sky had already darkened on the way back.

But Li Xian felt that he had never felt so bright before, and even the eyes of the boy next to him seemed to be shining like stars.

Li Xian suddenly wondered: Why is Liu Jianjun so smart?

Liu Jianjun noticed Li Xian's gaze, turned his head, and said warily, "What are you looking at! Let me tell you, I've remembered what you promised me! Don't try to go back on your word!"

Li Xian was taken aback and subconsciously asked, "What did I promise you?"

But Li Xian quickly realized that Liu Jianjun was referring to the fact that he didn't need to kneel before him. Seeing the boy's raised eyebrows, Li Xian hurriedly pretended to have just remembered and said, "Oh, you mean kneeling! I remember!"

Liu Jianjun then stopped, snorted and emphasized, "It's not about kneeling, it's that no matter what your status is in the future, I will never have to kneel before you!"

Li Xian nodded in agreement.

But after a while, he asked curiously, "Why are you so insistent on not kneeling? Isn't it only natural to kneel before Heaven, Earth, the Emperor, parents, and teachers?"

Liu Jianjun turned his head, his face serious: "Want to hear the truth?"

Li Xian was taken aback and nodded subconsciously.

Liu Jianjun counted on his fingers: "Look, Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, Teacher. Let's not talk about Heaven and Earth, they're inanimate objects; Parents, my parents died a long time ago; Teacher, that official from Chang'an barely qualifies, he also died a long time ago."

"Four out of these five are dead, so I thought we might as well not kneel at all!"

Li Xian found this statement utterly absurd. He glanced over and saw the barely suppressed smile on Liu Jianjun's face. He instantly realized that Liu Jianjun was joking with him and couldn't help but say angrily, "Didn't you just tell the truth?"

"Hehe, remember that time you hung yourself on the tree? I told you, I'd only tell the truth that one time. After that, I'd have to decide whether to tell the truth or not depending on the situation!" Liu Jianjun's eyes were full of cunning.

Li Xian suddenly fell silent.

For some reason, he felt very disappointed when he heard Liu Jianjun say that he might not tell him the truth.

So he resumed his silent state of pulling the cart.

But after a short while, Liu Jianjun came over and bumped him with his shoulder: "Hey, are you angry?"

Li Xian shook his head and didn't say anything.

"You still say you're not angry! Why do you act like a woman?" Liu Jianjun said with obvious disdain.

Li Xian choked, then argued, "I...I was just thinking about what to do after we return to the capital!"

"Tch!" Liu Jianjun scoffed, but he was too lazy to expose Li Xian. "Your top priority is to protect this winter melon! If you lose it, and then a letter comes from Chang'an saying they want to see your melon, let's see what you'll do then!"
"I'm telling you, this is the only melon I'm buying!"

Li Xian hurriedly turned his head to look at the winter melon. He saw that a piece of the burlap covering the melon had collapsed. Remembering what Li Mingshi had said, the frost on the winter melon should not be wiped off, otherwise it would not last long. So he immediately and gently pulled the burlap back up.

Liu Jianjun said speechlessly, "There's no need to be so careful."

But Li Xian ignored him this time, and instead pulled the burlap sack properly before continuing to walk forward.

It was getting darker and darker.

Liu Jianjun remained silent, which made Li Xian feel somewhat uncomfortable. He couldn't help but initiate the conversation: "Why do you want to go to Chang'an so much?"

Didn't I tell you?

“But… if you go to Chang’an, what will happen to your second uncle and aunt? What will happen to your fields? And your half of the mountain… By the way, what are those sheds in your fields for? Your second uncle said they were built for the crops, but I don’t think you’re that bored.”

Liu Jianjun looked speechless: "Why are you talking so much today?"

Li Xian's voice faltered.

He still has the nerve to talk about himself?! But then, Liu Jianjun's tone suddenly turned dejected: "I've been in this world for sixteen years..."

Li Xian thought to himself, "Isn't Liu Jianjun talking nonsense? He's sixteen years old, so that's sixteen years. Could it be fifteen or fourteen years?"

But he didn't interrupt Liu Jianjun, who seemed particularly desolate at that moment.

“My mother died in childbirth, and my grandfather also died one night when he was cooking glutinous rice porridge for me. He hit his head on the stove and fell to his death because Bazhou was too poor and he couldn’t bear to use any oil at night.”

“I’ve never liked to cry since I was little. I wouldn’t even cry if I fell. My grandfather was worried that I would fall in my room and he wouldn’t know. So that night he was holding me. Even when he fell, he instinctively shielded me in front of him, which is why he hit the back of his head. I was lying in his arms, watching his body grow cold, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”

"I had no feelings for either of them... but at that moment..."

Liu Jianjun's voice suddenly became choked with emotion.

Li Xian pursed his lips, feeling a little sad himself, and comforted her, "Your second uncle and aunt are really something, why did they have to tell you all this!"

Li Xian thought to himself, Liu Jianjun knows so much detail, it must all be from his second uncle and aunt.

Liu Jianjun chuckled softly, his expression becoming much more carefree: "So I was thinking, this place is too poor, I must move to the richest place in the Tang Dynasty in the future! At least we can light lamps at night!"
“My second uncle and aunt are very good to me. They raised me since I was a child.”

"But the two of them are actually the kind of..."

Liu Jianjun paused, seemingly thinking of a suitable adjective: "They are very pure farmers. They feel unbalanced because my grandfather left most of the family property to my grandfather, but they also treat me like their own son because my grandfather is their eldest brother."

"So, I actually did think about what would happen to them if I went to Chang'an, but after thinking about it, I felt that it would only add to their troubles."

“My second uncle and his family have Er Gou, so they won’t need me to support them in their old age. If I go to Chang’an, I might as well just give the land and house that my grandfather left me to my second uncle and his family. I should repay their kindness in raising me all these years.”

Li Xian sensed the grief in Liu Jianjun's heart and suddenly felt a pang of self-reproach, realizing he shouldn't have asked those questions.

So, he changed the subject, asking, "What do you plan to do after you get to Chang'an?"

"Didn't I tell you already!" Liu Jianjun shook off his previous dejection and exuded boundless pride: "Let's go drink the strongest Sanlejiang and sleep with the most beautiful women of the Five Surnames!"

Li Xian chuckled to himself.

This wish... is both simple and grand.

Sanlejiang is alright; you can buy it in Chang'an if you have money. But if you're talking about authentic Sanlejiang, you have to go to Shengpingfang. I used to go there often with my embroiderer.

Thinking of this, Li Xian suddenly felt a little hungry.

But if it's a woman from one of the Five Clans, then it's not just a matter of having money to "sleep" with her. Although the Five Clans and Seven Noble Clans have fallen into decline, they are still the object of countless high-ranking officials and nobles who want to curry favor with them. Those who want to marry a woman from one of the Five Clans can even be arranged to go all the way to Luoyang. What virtue or ability does Liu Jianjun have?

"My wise son!"

Liu Jianjun's voice suddenly interrupted Li Xian's recollection.

"Ok?"

"You just asked me why I didn't want to kneel."

"Ah."

“Because… I don’t want to, I simply don’t want to.” Liu Jianjun’s dark eyes reflected starlight, shining like black gemstones: “I think what makes a person human is their ability to refrain from doing things they don’t want to do. I want to be a person who stands tall and upright!”

Inspired by Liu Jianjun's voice, Li Xian nodded emphatically and promised, "Okay, if you don't want to, no one will force you."

……

(End of this chapter)