The Chronicle of the Oriole Island 6

Chapter 6 Ren Shiqiong

Maybe Ah Qiang didn’t know it herself. The first time I saw her, it was not in the ancient hall with carved beams and paintings in Murong’s Mansion, but on the rocky beach under the cliff of Wenjin Pavilion.

When I was twenty-two years old, I had just returned from foreign school. And I wanted to join the army to serve the motherland. I never studied The Four Books and The Five Classics. The imperial examination system was an dead end to me. My father wanted to donate officials for me, but I was arrogant and disdainful. My father reluctantly agreed me to join the Navy, hoping that I would test myself in the army for two years and understand how to be an appropriate officer in Chinese officialdom.

At that time, there were many parties in the country, and the old and new parties were arguing, but the old party had a slight upper hand. My father was in the new party. When I was in the Western country, I had already joined the reform and formation Party, and the Ren family naturally became the nail of the old party. So someone cleverly set up a name and deployed me to the deserted island on the side of the South China Sea.

Life on the island was lonely and laborious. Daily inspections were conducted to the nearby islands. In the evening, soldiers took turns to row boats to the lighthouse within 50 nautical miles to prevent the lights from going out and the movement of merchant ships to be blocked.

The Oriole Island was only five nautical miles away from the island where I am stationed, but since ancient times, it had been the domain of the Murong family. Even the Navi couldn’t go to the Oriole Island without official permission. I could only look at the Oriole Island from far away. In the long run, my spirit gradually faded away, and those lofty aspirations when I first returned to the country felt out of reach and could not help but  dismayed.

Every time after I returned to the garrison island for inspecting the lighthouses, It was already 2 am. But when I looked at the Oriole Island, there was always light flashing. I asked the veteran where that was. The veteran answered with a smile: “That’s WenJin Pavilion.”

“WenJin Pavilion?”

“In fact, I don’t know what it really is, except that it has been lit up in every night for so many years, so the merchant ships in the past have give it a name. It has been said that this is the study room of the owner of the Oriole Island.”

The owner of the island? Suddenly,  a wise old man with a sense of sorrow appeared in my mind, reading books in the lamp at night. I couldn’t help but respect him.

But as I asked the veterans something about the Oriole Island, he answered with no more information.

Every time I returned from the surrounding islands after inspection, I always looked up to the lights in the distance, I felt that looking at it, my heart will be calm and peaceful, and my anger and irritability was going to disappear.

On a night patrol, an sudden storm just happened to hit us. Unfortunately, there was only me on the boat. A leaf boat drifted at sea, and it was going to capsize at any time. I struggled to paddle, and suddenly I saw the lights flashing on the mountain in the distance. I was very excited and suddenly my sour hands were full of strength. All I wanted to do was to drive towards the light, but a big wave came to me, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I was lying on a rocky beach, and felt that someone was pulling my arm hard. I groaned and opened my eyes, only to hear a girl in my ear asked lowly, “Are you awake?”

Her voice was very light and soft, like a wave lightly pats the shore on a summer night. I tried to turn my face and wanted to see what she looked like, but the first thing I saw was those eyes. These eyes looked at me, and they seemed to be a flash light in the pupils, as if they were inhaling the soul of a person. I was so calm, and finally saw that there was a young girl in a green dress and white dress, looking at me with a smile.

“Old man, are you okay?” She asked me.

I froze, and then I realized that life on the island had made my appearance older enough. I hadn’t shaved for a long time. Now I had beard, and no wonder she called me old man.

“It’s okay…” As soon as I started speaking, I realized that my voice was so hoarse. I tried to support my body, and felt only stings in my shoulders. It must been scratched by the rocks on the beach.

“Where is this?” I looked around and asked.

“This is the Oriole Island. uncle, did you come here by a storm?” The girl handed me a kettle with a smile: “Drink some water.”

I took the kettle with emotion. I thought I was going to be buried in the belly of the fish, but who knew that the tide sent me to the Oriole Island. Being alive after the disaster, I was confused.

I stayed there for a while, until the pain came from my back, and I was shocked. Turning my face to see the young girl, she was sitting quietly on the reef next to me, still with a quiet smile on her face, not seeing any emotion.

“Sorry!” I apologized and asked, “I don’t know if there is a doctor on the island. I have an injured shoulder and need treatment.”

“Yes, it’s just …” She looked at me up and down: “Are you a soldier stationed on Greenstone Island?”

Seeing that I nodded gently, the girl frowned slightly: “If the soldiers on Greenstone Island want to go to the Oriole Island, they must obtain the official permission. If they go to the island without permission, they will be heavily punished. Last year, a soldier was also stormed to the island. After that, I heard that he suffered 50 army bats because of the military discipline.”

She looked at me with anxiety: “Uncle, you have already hurt your shoulders, and then if you are going to be hit by fifty army bats… it is better to heal here first, and to plan after the wound is healed.”

I didn’t answer. There were many rules in this noble family. Even if Murong family has declined, if you want to make a fuss about breaking into the noble private island, the people in the capital city also was going to make some things up. So I nodded: “Then sorry for the inconvenience. What’s your name?”

“You can call me Ah Qiang.”

Ah Qiang led me to a cave under the cliff on the shore. I looked up and found that above the cliff was ‘Wanjin Pavilion’. When you walked into the cave, you will be surprised that you have everything you need for living.

“This is……”

Ah Qiang saw me with a puzzled expression and appeased a smile: “Don’t need to worry, this is the place room for Murong family to avoid the heat from summer. It’s almost late autumn. No one will come except me.”

I secretly guessed her identity. She was polite and had a good temperament. She seemed to be a lady from a large family, but she had a friendly attitude and a simple dress, unlike those noble ladies I had seen in the capital city. After thought about it, I still couldn’t guess who she was, but I wasn’t very polite to ask her directly.

I saw Ah Qiang took out a box of objects from the wall and said, “I was supposed to find someone to heal you, but the population of the Oriole Island is very small. If I find someone to heal you here, less than half a day, the news will be spread in the whole island. So, we have to be careful, I had to heal you by myself. Fortunately, you weren’t seriously injured, and I also learned some medical knowledge when I was young. This simple healing is still manageable to me. “

I had been in the foreign country for many years, and I didn’t care much about some small touch between men and women. When I saw Ah Qiang’s gentle and sincere face, I don’t mind those mere courtesy anymore and let her heal me.

I looked around and found a small wooden box on the table in front of me. I was curious to open it, and saw a yellow bird shrinking inwardly. Ah Qiang whispered behind me: “I found this oriole on the windowsill this morning, and when I was looking down, I saw a person lying in a pile of rocks under the cliff. If it weren’t for it, no one would find you now. “

“So, It’s actually my life savior.” I laughed.

“Why don’t name your savior?”

“Since you saw me from the cliff, how about “Tiaotiao( which means far away)?”

I also saw a book under the wooden box. It was a book called “The Business on Seas”.

“Ah Qiang, is this yours?” I  wondered how did a girl like her have an such book ?

“Although the Oriole Island is located in the South China Sea, in recent years, it has been under the order of the Commercial Order from the King. This maritime shipping is in all directions, and maybe it will also occupy a place in this north-south route. I think it is always good to read more books.”

She didn’t say a word anymore because I didn’t reply, and started to bind up my wounds.

After the treatment for me, Ah Qiang poured a pot of tea and sat in front of me.

I asked, “Ah Qiang, you are reading this book now. If in the future it will work, and the Oriole Island will still be a quiet island in the South China Sea. What will you do?”

Ah Qiang lowered her eyebrows for a long time and said, “If this is the case, I can’t control it. But if I am not prepared now, some opportunities might be lost at my fingertips in the future. Besides… ” She raised her eyes and smiled: “There is not only the Oriole Island in this world. “

Many years later, I still remember that when Ah Qiang said these words, her tone was calm, her smile was as gentle as usual, but her eyes were brilliant, which made people dare not stare.

Now if i think about it, I was lost at that time, but I didn’t realize it.

Two days later, my injuries were healed. Ah Qiang found the dinghy to help me go out to sea. I knew she wouldn’t accept any gifts, so I took off the necklace on my neck, and smiled, “Hey, Tiaotiao saved my life, so you give it to her, and I’ll be able to find it in the future to return the favor.”

Ah Qiang knew my heart and didn’t excuse me, reached out her hand and took it over.

I took the dinghy, and finally turned back: “Ah Qiang, who are you?”

She smiled gently, put her hands on her chest, and bowed gently to me: “Murong Qiang, the Oriole Island’s owner Murong Qiang.”

When I returned to Greenstone island, my superior did not have much to blame, because the order from the capital city was issued, and I was transferred to the Northeast Inland Sea. The northeast was bitterly cold, and the conditions were even worse than the South China Sea. However, at this time, my mood was very different, and I no longer spend years in vain. Instead, I read the military books every day, collected coastline data, and analyzed the strategic deployment of the enemy and ourselves.

Three years later, the Dongyi Island nation invaded, and the menace was fierce. Most of the officers were useless in the capital city. The old party recommended me. I must know that the military situation was sinister. They wanted to use me as a scapegoat and take the opportunity to restrain my family. However, they did not expect that in the East China Sea battle, I defeated the enemy and regained the lost ground. Their wishful thinking was finally defeated, and the trend of the government gradually turned to the New Party.

The second time I saw Murong Qiang was three years after the Battle of the East China Sea.

I went to the West to find a weapon manufacturer, when I returned, I met the Ren’s trading company’s fleet and returned home. When the voyage was seven days away from the capital city, the fleet suddenly went south. I didn’t know why, so I asked the captain.

“You haven’t been to the sea for many years, I’m afraid that you don’t know it. There is an island in the south, which is the territory of the Murong family.  The Oriole Island has been the biggest transfer station for the South Sea. The captain replied respectfully.

I laughed because she finally did it.

The boat sailed to the island and I did not disembark. Suddenly I saw a blue and white figure on the pier, very dazzling.

It was her!

I hadn’t seen her for years, but her face was still calm, her posture is getting more mature. I looked at her tender smile and felt something in my heart was being awakened. I turned back to ask the captain: “… Who is she?”

“It is the owner of Oriole Island.”

“Has she ever been married?”

“No.”

I didn’t know why I was very satisfied with this answer.

Back at the home in the capital city, my father asked me one day, “Shi Qiong, do you know the Murong Family?”

I was frightened. It was like being found of stealing maltose from my mother when I was a kid. But I still calmly replied, “I have heard of it before. Father, why do you suddenly mention it?”

The father sighed and said, “Have you heard of Shi’s Trading Company?”

I thought about it: “I’ve heard it vaguely, their names seem to be common in the capital recently.”

“This Shi’s business has suddenly appeared in recent years. I’m not at all aware of who is behind the scenes. But it’s spread that they have close relations with the old party.” My father looked at me and said, “The Shi’s business isn’t an opponent of the house at the moment, but Shiqiong, do you know what I mean? “

“I don’t.”

“Son, we are a business family. In fact, participating in the dispute between the old and new parties was nothing more than finding the best buyer and selling at the best price… If we go all in for the new party and break up completely with the old party… The consequences will be severe!”

“Father!”

“Don’t worry, I know your temper, it is impossible for you to vote in the old party. Besides, the new party is still my most powerful weight … so I want you to propose the young lady from the Murong family.”

I knew what my father meant. Miss Murong had no power in the capital city. Getting married with her was not going to only make the new party jealous, but also show goodwill to the old party. But I…

I liked her, but I didn’t want to marry her for this reason.

My father came over and patted me on the shoulder: “Kid, I know that those of you who return to the home from the West always liked to talk about love and freedom. But you have to remember, you are not alone, you are in the family!”

So with this purpose in mind, I saw Murong Qiang for the third time.

I told the story of Madam Murong’s retribution incessantly. For many years in the capital city, I lied too much and sometimes I could even deceive myself, not to mention others.

Mrs. Murong was naturally overjoyed and called her daughter to meet me.

Ah Qiang quietly listened to her mother talking about the “old age” story, showing confusion. When she looked at me with those clean and bright eyes, I felt complacent, I didn’t dare to look straight at her, I just hurriedly nodded and turned my head elsewhere.

But when I saw Murong Wei, I couldn’t help laughing, because it was not the first time I saw her.

When Ah Qiang healed me, I saw her in the dark. At that time, she was just a little kid, always chasing Ah Qiang’s skirt and calling “Sister, sister, sister”  and in the end, Ah Qiang said, “Whatever!” And then she was going to be proud of herself to walk away.

Unexpectedly, this child has grown into a wonderful young girl. I was so emotional that I couldn’t help softening my voice when I spoke to her, softly and slowly, just like treating the child back then.

As soon as I looked up, I saw Ah Qiang again. She was looking at us with a smile, with a gentle expression like that year, but I knew that she did not recognize me. My heart was so contradictory, I hoped that she recognized me, but in the meantime, I hoped that she never knew who I was. So, I looked at Murong Wei more intently and tries not to look at her.

I was a soldier and I was never going to show timidity on the battlefield. I knew that my expression was still so complacent and calm, but as soon as I saw Ah Qiang’s eyes, I knew that my heart had lost its helmet and armor and fled away.

I didn’t think I should go to the island again, but I still went there.

When I arrived on the island again, I met Xu Zihui.

I had seen this man many times. I didn’t like him. He was always so detached, lawless, and always had a cynical smile. But indeed, he was handsome, talented and was able to make women crazy for him.

When he saw me, he raised his eyebrows in surprise, and said hello.

I didn’t know why he is on the island, but when I saw him with Ah Qiang, I didn’t care about the problem anymore. What I wanted to know was when was he going to leave the island.

When I arrived at the Oriole Island, I wanted to see Ah Qiang, but when I touched her eyes, I flinched again, and talked to Murong Wei more intently.

When she saw us, she looked happy and stepped forward. I stepped back subconsciously, but saw the scroll in her hand.

“What is this?” I asked.

She looked down and replied with a smile: “This is Mr. Xu’s painting.”

“Mr. Xu’s painting?” I couldn’t hide the jealous in my mouth: “I don’t know what a worldly famous painting, so that the young lady held it so cherished in her arms?”

Murong Wei jumped out from the side and laughed, “Oh? It’s Brother Xu’s painting? Sister, let me see it!”

She always spoiled this little girl, so she sighed with a smile and put down the scroll in her hand.

I watched Murong Wei pick up the paintings one by one. In fact, these were not paintings, just random drafts, some were just graffiti.

I sneered again: “It turned out that what the young lady likes is such a random thing, you really have an honest heart!”

“No, Mr. Xu is so talented that even if it’s a graffiti, it is remarkable.” She widened her eyes and wondered why I was tit-for-tat.

Great… Great! Xu Tong, the kid who always played with women in the capital city, was really remarkable!

“The young lady has lived in a remote island for a long time, and it is hard to see people. Use the word of talent to evaluate your Mr. Xu. I’m afraid it is also …”I saw her eyes. Realizing what I was doing, I stopped talking and turned away.

I was hit, I said I couldn’t go to the island anymore, I said I couldn’t look into her eyes anymore, but I still went there.

I walked into the lobby and saw Ah Qiang first. She was carrying a dark bird cage and teasing the oriole in the cage. My eyes were so hot that she hadn’t forgotten so many years.

She looked up and saw me, she was very happy, and smiled: “Mr. Ren!”

I looked at her and felt how useless my original struggle was. No matter what the reason was to marry her, I loved her, wouldn’t it be enough?

I only heard her smile and said to the maid, “Go and call the younger lady, Mr. Ren is here!” Then she turned to look at me again: “Just a moment later, my sister is coming.”

My heart turned cold, she didn’t have me in her heart, only had the Mr. Ren who loved Murong Wei.

Here came Murong Wei, Ah Qiang smiled and wanted to leave with the bird cage. Turned out that she didn’t want to be with me just for a second.

“Why was Miss so anxious to go?” I asked her.

“Did you get bored at the first sight and want to leave early?”

“Or are you hindering me that I’m not welcomed? And you don’t want me to show up again?”

She turned back in amazement, and there was a tinge of pain in her eyes. My heart hurt, and I turned around and left, and saw the bird cage, and said with a grudge, “What a wicked name, how dare you use it!”

I didn’t want to hurt her, but I always hurt her.

I got angry at seeing her lose weight because of working on the Oriole Island; I got angry at seeing her play with Xu Zihui; I saw her pushing me to MuRong Wei … I wanted to see her, but I always got angry when I saw her, I had been hurting her.

Stop seeing her maybe better.

I told my father that I was going to train soldier in the North Sea. Three months later, I came back. My father said that he had asked Miss Murong’s  to marry me on his behalf, and I would get married next month.

“Which is Miss Murong?” I anxiously asked my father.

The father didn’t understand me, and replied, “Miss Murong from the Oriole Island, or is there another Miss Murong from another house?” He handed me the book of my bride’s eight characters of a horoscope.

That was Murong Wei’s character, not hers! Never mind, as far as my father was concerned, as long as it was a girl from Murong’s family, what was the difference between Murong Qiang and Murong Wei?

My father didn’t know why I seemed crazy, and said cautiously: “You were in the North Sea for three month, there was any news about you, and I was afraid that it was going to change, so I propose for you myself. But you have admitted in this affair. Why do you look so?”

I shook my head weakly and said, “Nothing, nothing …”

My father was puzzled, but he didn’t ask much, so he left with confusion.

But I wouldn’t let things go that way. I remembered that Ah Qiang had told me about the strange family rules of the Murong’s family, so I sent someone to notify the Murong’s people, and hinted that the Ren family would help the Murong’s family to recapture lands that had been rapped one by one. Sure enough, the Murong’s people immediately sent a letter to the Oriole Island.

I remembered that Murong Wei had a great fondness for me but had a soft spot for Xu Zihui. Because of her personality, she was never going to marry me, and she was going o try her best to escape it. Maybe I should help her on the island?

I went on the island the next day, I was surprised to hear that Murong Wei and Xu Zihui had run away from the island. At that time Ah Qiang was in front of me, begging for my forgiveness, and I almost laughed out loud. What an Heavenly world!

On the day of her marriage, I saw her winding a golden chain around her wrists, and I suddenly realized that she was explicable.

I will hold your hands forever and go old together. Just like that.