Chapter 160 Leaving the City

In the days that followed, Yu Qingci lived a more comfortable life, managing the household affairs, looking at the account books sent in from outside, chatting with her sister-in-law in her spare time, and strolling around the garden.

With money in the household, Yu Qingci didn't mind using it for enjoyment. She specially set aside a sum and ordered Steward Lu to arrange for people to renovate the courtyard inside and out.

The silt in the lotus pond in the back garden has been cleared, and when the weather gets warmer, water can be drawn in to plant lotus roots, providing another place to enjoy the scenery in the summer.

The General's Mansion had not undergone major repairs since the Lu family moved in. Many walls showed signs of brick and tile falling off. All the doors, windows, pillars under the corridors, and the vermilion gate in front had been repainted with high-quality paint, and the copper nails on them had been replaced. Flowers, grass, and green plants had been replanted in various parts of the courtyard.

Nowadays, there are not many masters in the mansion. The courtyards vacated after the second and fourth branches moved out have been reinforced and repaired and then closed again. Only a few maids are sent in to clean them every day.

The two small courtyards that originally occupied the back garden were simply demolished, the land was cleared, and a large number of peach saplings were specially purchased and planted. Some flowers and grasses were planted around them, and a cobblestone path was laid.

In just a few years, they will be able to enjoy flowers and pick peaches in the mansion.

After a flurry of activity, I did the math and realized I'd spent over five thousand taels of silver.

This distressed Old Madam Ning greatly, and she couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice while holding the account book.

“Daughter-in-law, you earn money with great difficulty. We should save money in our daily lives. There’s no need to make everything so nice and extravagant.”

However, before her daughter-in-law could say anything, her own daughter cut her off.

“Mother, my sister-in-law works so hard every day, spending so much money and effort, all so that we can live more comfortably. How can it be considered extravagance in your eyes? Besides, all the money she spends is earned by her own hands. Being able to earn and spend wisely is the proper way for a housewife to manage a household. Mother should praise her.”

Old Madam Ning looked at her daughter, somewhat amused and exasperated. These days, the little girl only had eyes for her sister-in-law; whatever her sister-in-law said or did, the little girl wholeheartedly agreed.

"Alright, alright. Since your sister-in-law is in charge of this family, you can do whatever you want. But you should also learn from your sister-in-law."

Time flies, and in early April, the anniversary of the death of the general and his son arrived. Only after the anniversary does the period of deep mourning truly end, so there are specific customs and traditions for how to observe this anniversary.

Madam Ning had her own plan. Since it was inevitable to perform a religious ceremony at Taijue Temple and offer eternal lamps, she decided to hold a three-day ceremony involving chanting and worship.

As for the second and fourth branches of the family, they can simply send someone to inform them; whether or not they want to go to the ancestral hall together is up to them.

Soon the servant who was sent out to deliver the message returned, and sure enough, the two families seemed to have discussed it beforehand. They both said they were busy with family matters and could find time to visit the General's Mansion to pay their respects, but they really didn't have time to go to Taijue Temple.

Madam Ma even told them to send a message to the General's Mansion: Lu Yunbing's wedding is set for half a month from now, remember to send the betrothal gifts as soon as possible.

Madam Ma: Everyone knows that the young mistress is capable. She has earned a lot of money before and after the New Year. She can't be stingy with the wedding gift money for her cousin.

Hearing this, Old Madam Ning didn't say anything, so Yu Qingci and Lu Yun Chu were even less likely to have any complaints. It was better that they didn't go, so as not to cause trouble.

This time, they were going to stay at the temple for three days. Yu Qingci sent someone to the temple early to inform them and make all the arrangements in advance. Unexpectedly, the day before the departure, Old Madam Ning fell ill. She probably caught a cold. First, she had a low fever, and then she coughed frequently, which frightened everyone.

They called the prefectural physician overnight for treatment, and after taking a dose of medicine, he felt slightly better, but he couldn't go to Taijue Temple the next day.

The day of the memorial service was fixed and could not be canceled, but they could not leave Old Madam Ning alone in the mansion. After discussing it with Lu Yun Chu, Yu Qing Ci decided to leave Lu Yun Chu in the mansion to take care of her mother, while Yu Qing Ci went to Tai Jue Temple alone.

As a result, most of the carriages, guards, and servants that had been prepared were withdrawn. Yu Qingci only took Pei Mama, Tong'er, Lian Qiao, and a few guards. The next morning, she boarded a carriage and set off for Taijue Temple.

Yu Qingci hadn't left the house for a long time, and now, sitting in the carriage listening to the noise coming in from outside, it felt like a lifetime had passed.

The last time I went out was because of my younger brother, but unfortunately I was too preoccupied with other things and didn't have time to pay attention to what was on the street. This time, although I was going to the temple to pay my respects, I felt a sense of relief and anticipation.

He spoke in hushed tones to Granny Pei, occasionally glancing out through the bamboo curtain hanging in the carriage window.

As I looked around, I noticed something was amiss. The streets didn't seem as lively as I'd imagined; there seemed to be far fewer people, and I could faintly hear soldiers shouting at each other.

Yu Qingci felt strange and quietly lifted a corner of the carriage curtain to look outside. The usually bustling street was indeed not very crowded. The shops on both sides were open, but the shop assistants who usually shouted loudly were all hiding inside the shops. The few pedestrians were also mostly in a hurry.

"Strange, what happened in the city today? Why are there so many soldiers and officers?"

Yu Qingci gazed outside and murmured softly.

Granny Pei craned her neck to look for a while and whispered, "Young Madam, you may not know this, but we've heard that several spies from enemy countries have arrived in the capital, and there have been soldiers patrolling the area for the past few days."

Not just today, but the situation in the capital has become much more tense since two days ago. I have run into them a few times when I went out to check the shops these past two days. Since it has nothing to do with us and the behavior of those officials and soldiers was not excessive, I did not mention it to the young mistress.

"Young mistress, there's no need to worry. This old servant has already inquired and found out. It's fine for the people to leave the city gates, but entering the city is not so easy."

Seeing that Granny Pei's tone was normal, Yu Qingci quickly felt relieved. She knew that if the situation were really serious, Granny Pei would have already reminded her not to go out.

Yu Qingci: "Since it has nothing to do with us, we don't need to pay attention to it."

Soon they arrived at the city gate and saw even more soldiers there. However, it seemed that the soldiers were strictly checking people and vehicles entering the city, while those leaving the city were only asked a few routine questions and given a cursory inspection before being allowed to pass.

Granny Pei lifted the carriage curtain and observed carefully for a while, then withdrew her hand and said to Yu Qingci:

"There are noticeably more soldiers on the streets today. It seems we haven't caught the enemy's spies yet. I hope our trip goes smoothly and nothing goes wrong."

Soon it was the general's carriage's turn.

Only two carriages left the manor today. She and Granny Pei sat in the first carriage, followed by the two maids, Tong'er and Lianqiao, then the coachman and several guards.

The group was inconspicuous, and the vehicle bore the insignia of the General's Mansion. The soldiers asked them a few questions and then let them out.