Chapter 96 Happy Trip "Xue Chan, apologize to me."...

Once the New Year is over, the slanting spring breeze will cut a curtain of pale yellow threads along the Jinliu River, and the Lantern Festival will arrive.

Jiang Ce counted down the time every day, and as soon as the time came, he dragged Xue Chan out the door.

The Lantern Festival in Beijing was as lively as last year, with thousands of lanterns shining brightly.

There were many people, but they couldn't match Jiang Ce's agility.

The two entered the lantern festival empty-handed and left with full hands. Looking at what the other was holding, they laughed together.

At the end of Dengjie Street is Mingyue Bridge, where many women come and go, practicing remedies to ward off illness.

Jiang Ce reached out and hooked Xue Chan's finger with his, and said with a smile, "The spring breeze is just right, and the bright moon hangs in the sky like a ribbon. I'll accompany you through all your illnesses."

Xue Chan hooked her hand back around his, and together they walked onto the Bright Moon Bridge.

A winding bridge stretches from one end to the other, the bright moon shining through the willow branches.

Jiang Ce laughed and said, "Xue Chan, may you live to be a hundred years old!"

Xue Chan said, "As long as you don't make me angry, I will definitely live to be a hundred years old."

"How did I upset you? You're the one who upset me the most."

He feigned a sigh: "I don't even know if I'll live to be a hundred."

"On such a fine day, why are you talking nonsense?" Xue Chan's skirt swayed slightly as she stepped on his foot.

Jiang Ce: "Just kidding."

Xue Chan: "You're not allowed to say jokes either."

"Okay, okay, I won't say anything."

"Say that again and I'll hit you."

As the two walked along the Jinliu River toward Guanyin Lake, Jiang Ce, shoulder to shoulder with her, teased, "If you want to fight, go back and fight."

"......"

Xue Chan ignored him.

It wasn't too far from Mingyue Bridge to Guanyin Lake, but the two walked for a long time.

Watching the art performances, admiring the lanterns, carrying goods... By the time they arrived at Guanyin Lake, it was well past the third watch of the night.

Xue Chan looked at the stage that had already closed and turned to Jiang Ce, saying, "It's all your fault for dawdling. Now look what happened, we bought a bunch of things we don't even know what to do with, and we even missed the Nuo opera."

Jiang Ce's hands were full, and he couldn't spare a hand to poke her.

"And you're talking about me. I don't know who was playing the pitch-pot game with others, and they wouldn't give up until they got a prize. They kept throwing the balls for more than half an hour."

"I don't know who it is, wanting to buy this and that, walking for ages without even leaving the alley."

The two started arguing again after exchanging glances and words.

Jiang Ce was arrogant and domineering, while Xue Chan was quick-witted and sharp-tongued; neither of them gained the upper hand.

One stood with their hands on their hips, the other with their arms crossed, locked in a stalemate on the lakeside.

"Xue Chan, apologize to me."

"Why should I say anything? It's not my fault."

So you're saying it's all my fault?

"Otherwise what?"

Jiang Ce was furious. He chased her away from the lakeside and pushed her a few steps away from the shore with his head.

Just as Xue Chan was about to scold him, she heard someone laughing behind her.

The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw Shen Zhe standing not far away, leading a young woman.

Jiang Ce immediately blushed, feeling a little embarrassed, and asked him, "You...you all saw it?"

Shen Zhe smiled and said, "Actually, I saw you two when I came from the other side, but you were talking so enthusiastically that I didn't go up to say hello. I was thinking of coming with you two, but after you finished talking, I..."

Who knew they could bicker for so long?

Xue Chan's gaze fell on the girl Shen Zhe was leading. She had almond-shaped eyes, wore a pale yellow shirt and a green skirt.

That's probably his wife.

She looked at her, and she looked at her too; they both smiled.

Jiang Ce walked to Xue Chan's side and said, "This must be your family member, right?"

"Yes, that's right." Shen Zhe nodded with a smile, then looked at Jiang Ce, whose hands were full of things, and asked, "Did you two come to Guanyin Lake to watch the Nuo opera?"

"That was the original plan..." Jiang Cewei was a little embarrassed, revealing a faint shyness, "But I came at an inopportune time, the filming had already wrapped up. I guess I'll just have to go home."

As he spoke, he added earnestly, "Speaking of which, I haven't personally congratulated you on your wedding yet. I'll send you an invitation another day, and you and your husband can come over to our house for a visit."

Shen Zhe thought for a moment and then smiled, "The lamps are already dim, why don't you two come to my humble abode for a cup of tea?"

Jiang Ce looked down and exchanged a glance with Xue Chan, who nodded gently: "Since Lord Shen is so kind, we will take our leave."

Xue Chan and Shen Zhe's wife sat in the same carriage, facing each other, and the atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

After a while, Xue Chan broke the silence first: "My surname is Xue, and my given name is Chan, the Chan of Chanjuan. May I ask how you should address me, madam?"

"My surname is Pei, and my given name is Jinglan. Jing means quiet, and Lan means orchid." She seemed very embarrassed, and her voice was very soft and gentle, but she still answered.

After asking for names, the carriage fell silent again.

Pei Jinglan sat with her head down, and Xue Chan wanted to say something, but she immediately became nervous.

Seeing her like this, Xue Chan didn't speak to her again for a while.

Xue Chan remained silent, which made Pei Jinglan relax a little more.

The carriage swayed and rocked, and stopped after about 15 minutes.

Xue Chan took the initiative to lift the curtain, and Jiang Ce helped her out of the carriage. Shen Zhe then dismounted and went to the carriage to help Pei Jinglan.

"My humble abode is simple, but I hope you two will not hesitate to visit."

Jiang Ce raised an eyebrow and said, "If I cared about these things, I wouldn't have made you my friend."

Shen Zhe smiled and led them inside.

The house wasn't big, and there were very few people, but everything was well-maintained, with a tree planted in the southwest corner of the yard.

Shen Zhe gestured for Jiang Ce and Xue Chan to sit down.

Their small house had no servants, so the couple personally took care of all the guests.

Shen Zhe went out to make tea, while Pei Jinglan brought in the cakes and pastries she had bought.

The two were busy working, making the two sitting down seem a little uncomfortable, so they both got up to help.

Shen Zhe quickly reached out to stop him, laughing, "Who lets a guest come and beat them up?"

Jiang Ce didn't bother arguing with him and went straight to get the tea, brew it, and pour it.

Pei Jinglan handed the teacup to Xue Chan: "Please, my lady."

Xue Chan accepted the tea, thanked her, and lowered her head to drink it.

The tea was fresh and sweet upon first sip. Tiny white flowers floated in the teacup, and Xue Chan couldn't help but exclaim, "This flower tea is truly wonderful!"

Sitting next to her, Pei Jinglan said softly, "This is scented tea from our hometown. It's not expensive, so please don't find it too precious."

Xue Chan smiled and said to her, "I think this tea is very good. I wonder if Madam Pei would be willing to give it to me?"

Pei Jinglan was somewhat surprised, and after a moment of hesitation, she said modestly, "It's nothing, I'll go and get some to give to you both."

Xue Chan wanted to stop her and tell her not to rush, but Pei Jinglan walked very fast.

With Shen Zhe gone and Pei Jinglan having gone to fetch tea, only Jiang Ce and she remained sitting in the small hall.

The two looked at each other and laughed.

Xue Chan simply got up and went out of the hall. She saw that the white plum blossoms in the corner of the wall were in full bloom, so she stood under the plum blossoms to admire the flowers.

She was examining the flowers closely when her skirt was tugged.

"Um?"

Xue Chan looked down and saw a small yellow and white dog at her feet, smiling at her.

She blinked, then slowly squatted down to try and touch it.

The puppy was cute and handsome, with round eyes and a tongue sticking out as it smiled.

As soon as she reached out, it came close affectionately, whimpering in a babyish voice.

"Huh? They even have a dog."

Jiang Ce also appeared at some point and squatted down with Xue Chan to rub the puppy's face.

The little dog was friendly yet polite. It didn't reach out to them, but just sat there smiling.

Shen Zhe had just come out of the kitchen and hadn't even finished untying his robe when he saw the two of them squatting together under the plum tree.

"Oh, what are you two doing here? Come on in."

Xue Chan simply picked up the puppy and sat back down with Jiang Ce.

Before long, Pei Jinglan also returned with the tea she had prepared for Xue Chan. Seeing that Xue Chan was teasing her seriously, she said softly.

"Its name is Golden Tiger."

Pei Jinglan met her gaze and immediately felt a little shy.

Xue Chan noticed that her hand, hanging by her side, was secretly fiddling with the ribbon: "It's very affectionate. Our family also raises many little ones."

Pei Jinglan bent down, took out some dried meat, shared a portion with her, and asked, "Is it also from the dog?"

Xue Chan stroked the golden tiger's fluffy head, and it lay down and rolled over, exposing its belly.

"No, there are many. Horses, fish, cats, rabbits, parrots, and even a rose bush and two banana trees."

Pei Jinglan: That's great. Your house must be very lively. You won't feel lonely even when you're home alone.

"My wife and Lord Shen are newly married, and it seems that Lord Shen also cares a lot about his family."

“He often comes back to visit me, but he also has a lot of things to do, and it’s tiring for him to travel back and forth.”

“Most of our relatives have passed away, and we have no relatives or friends in the capital. When he is here, he will keep me company and go on spring outings and play with me. When he is not here, I stay at home by myself to read, write, and do needlework.”

Pei Jinglan lowered her head, her voice soft and ethereal.

She said that Xue Chan would listen to her.

"I'm so sorry to have made Madam Xue listen to all this nonsense."

Xue Chan smiled and said, "It's alright, your husband and my husband are friends. Since I've accepted your tea, I'll send you an invitation another day, and you two can come and visit."

"good"

Xue Chan and the other woman only sat for a short while before bidding them farewell and heading home.

She was still holding Jin Hu when she left, seemingly reluctant to part with him.

Jiang Ce asked her from inside the carriage, "What, you want to get a dog?"

Xue Chan looked at him quietly, thought for a moment, and then turned her head away.

"No."

After the Lantern Festival, it rained twice. Perhaps spring rain is precious, because as the weather gradually warmed up, even the withered rose bush sprouted many tender new vines.

In mid-February, Xue Chan hosted an elegant gathering, inviting Shen Zhe and his wife to her home.

She and Pei Jinglan watched the happy children every year, while Shen Zhe and Jiang Ce looked at the scenery of the courtyard.

At that time, Shen Zhe looked at the rose bush outside the wall that had just sprouted vines but was growing vigorously and said with a smile, "Your roses are growing really well. In two months when they bloom, I think the whole wall will be covered with flowers."

"What does it mean to grow well? It's because I raised it well; it's not something that just grows this well by chance."

Even just hearing his voice from inside the room, Xue Chan could imagine Jiang Ce with his arms crossed, chin raised, and an arrogant look on his face.

"Perfect timing! We just moved and are lacking some flowers and plants. I wonder if Lord Jiang would be so kind as to part with a couple of sections of wisteria for us, so that we may adorn ourselves with some springtime?"

Jiang Ce agreed immediately.

In late February, Jiang Ce was on leave. The weather was warm, so Xue Chan and he tended to the rose bush by the wall.

He first cut two vines, intending to send them to Shen Zhe once they sprouted.

The two vines that were planted just two springs ago still need to be secured with a wooden frame, but now they have grown much thicker and their branches have almost covered most of the wall.

Jiang Ce loosened the soil and trellis below, while Xue Chan used flower shears to prune the branches. This both adjusted the growth pattern and encouraged more branches and leaves to sprout.

Actually, this task could have been done by a craftsman, but most of the flowers, plants, and animals in the courtyard were planted and raised by Jiang Ce himself.

He got used to it and couldn't give it up.

The two of them worked all morning before they finished.

Just as Jiang Ce finished wrapping up the two pieces of rattan, someone outside delivered a message.

"Second Brother, the Marquis requests that you look towards the front courtyard."

He quickly finished, washed his hands, and said to Xue Chan, "I'll be right back. We'll have lunch together later."

Xue Chan, who was arranging flowers, nodded and replied, "Okay."

Jiang Ce left but never returned, only sending someone to tell her to eat by herself first.

Xue Chan started feeling sleepy after lunch. She had just fallen asleep on the couch when Yun Sheng came in.

"girl"

Xue Chan sat up, yawned, and asked her, "What's wrong?"

Yun Sheng said, "Madam Zheng went into labor around noon and is giving birth now."

Xue Chan immediately put on her shoes and clothes and rushed to Zheng Tan's courtyard, but Zheng Tan gave birth quickly, and by the time she arrived, the baby had already been wrapped in swaddling clothes.

She first went inside to look after Zheng Tan for a while.

Zheng Tan said, "The air here is heavy. Go check on the children first, and come back after they've all cleaned up."

Xue Chan was greatly relieved to see that although she was tired, she was in good spirits.

Grandma Qi and Jiang Yao were holding the baby in the east room, and Xue Chan sat with them for a while.

She was still a little worried, so she went out to see Zheng Tan again.

But when she reached the door, the maidservant said to her, "Madam was tired and has just gone to sleep..."

Xue Chan nodded and told them to take good care of her.

She glanced at Zheng Tan, then at the child, and then had someone bring over the little clothes she had made.

Xue Chan felt like she was doing nothing, yet also very busy.

Jiang returned around dusk.

Xue Chan did a quick calculation and figured Jiang Ce had probably returned by now, so she left.

She ran into Jiang Ce on the mountain corridor after he had finished looking after the child. When she saw him, her steps became lighter.

The two walked back along the corridor, but just as they stepped onto the stone steps, spring thunder rumbled outside, and rain began to fall in a drizzle.

As spring rain suddenly fell, they waited in the corridor for someone to bring them an umbrella, while watching the raindrops fall on the lush greenery.

Xue Chan listened quietly to the rain, watching the bamboo stalks being washed clean and overflowing with green.

"I think... there's something I need to tell you."

"Um?"

Xue Chan looked up, and Jiang Ce pursed his lips, his long eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Your Majesty has bestowed a marriage upon the Marquis of Mingyi's family."

She looked at Jiang Ce, her thoughts racing. If it were Xiao Huaiting, Jiang Ce wouldn't have mentioned it to her so seriously.

That is... Xiao Yangjun.

The rain pattered softly, and a light green mist rose from the corridor, enveloping the two in a damp and heavy atmosphere.

Xue Chan took a breath and felt the moisture rush into her body, causing her to choke.

"Miss Xiao, which family received the gift?"

Jiang Ce stared at the bamboo rustling in the rain for a moment before speaking.

"Huan Che, the eldest son of the Huan family, who had just taken over the post of military governor of Jing'an."

"The Huan family?"

"Yes, the Huan family."

"But the northern frontier is so far away..."

Jiang Ce lowered his eyes and raised his hand to touch Xue Chan's slightly cold cheek.

“If you’re worried…” Jiang Ce started to say, then stopped and changed his words, “The eldest son of the Huan family still has more than half a year of mourning left, so his marriage is probably still some time away. If you want, you can go and see her when you have some free time.”

With his words, Xue Chan could roughly understand something, and at the same time, she was certain that this arranged marriage was an unchangeable matter.

She grasped Jiang Ce's wrist, slid down his wrist, and took his hand.

"The rain is getting heavier, let's go back."

"good"

The two walked further and further away in the continuous rain.

It was raining outside, and they slept together on the couch.

But Jiang Ce couldn't sleep and felt uneasy. The emperor had been frequently summoning Jiang Shiyu to the palace lately and often had him watch the imperial guards' drills.

The Marquis of Mingyi's household was generally both happy and unhappy.

It rained all night, but the sun came out the next day.

After seeing Jiang Ce off to court, Xue Chan gave the visiting card to Chu Tao, asking her to deliver it to the Marquis of Mingyi's residence.

Chu Tao had just left when she thought of Cheng Huaizhu again, wondering how heartbroken Cheng Huaizhu would be if she knew about this.

She thought about it and decided to have someone prepare to go to the Cheng family tomorrow.

Before anyone could be called, Yun Sheng rushed in. She quickly walked to Xue Chan's side and spoke urgently in a low voice.

"Something has happened to Miss Huaizhu."