Chapter 178 The Card

Lin Shiyuan was twenty-six and Nie Yun was twenty-five; they were about the same age.

They also raised Lin Qiao together.

Although they were in a superior-subordinate relationship, they shared a special bond, having gone through thick and thin together...

After pondering for a while, Qingling finally understood why she had that indescribable feeling when Lin Shiyuan talked about how he raised Lin Qiao in the past.

After familiarizing herself with the general layout of Mulan Courtyard, Nie Yun came out to say goodbye to Lin Shiyuan.

Lin Shiyuan was talking to her from the side.

Yao Qingling couldn't hear what they were saying.

Lin Shiyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his spine straight, exuding the air of a superior; Nie Yun, shorter in stature, looked at him with her chin raised. During their conversation, her eyes conveyed obedience and respect for her superior. However, upon closer inspection, subtle emotions could be discerned.

Lin Shiyuan left, and as usual, he flew off from the rooftop.

—When they came, they just suddenly appeared out of the sky.

Yao Qingling and Nie Yun looked up together as Lin Shiyuan disappeared into the night, then exchanged another glance.

Nie Yun was taciturn. He nodded to her, then turned and walked to the side, expressionless, holding a sword, and just stood guard over her.

Lou Yue brought in the bird's nest soup. When she passed by Nie Yun, she was startled and almost knocked over the tray.

She was used to this place being empty, so how could she not be frightened by the sudden appearance of such a menacing figure?

She said, "You can be more relaxed in the young lady's courtyard. There's no need to be so tense."

Nie Yun didn't speak, and remained standing straight.

Lou Yue: "..."

She handed the bird's nest to Qingling: "Miss, drink it while it's hot."

As Qingling picked up the bird's nest soup, she glanced at Nie Yun and lowered her voice, saying, "Why did Young Master Lin send over someone who never smiles or speaks? If you weren't paying attention, you'd think it was a mannequin."

Qingling said, "If anyone inquires, tell them that you were introduced by a merchant from out of town, and that you used to be a bodyguard. Remember that?"

Lou Yue and Xia Chan nodded.

They kept in mind that Yao Qingling and Lin Shiyuan were now completely separate people, and they couldn't let anyone know that Lin Shiyuan was sending people to Yao Qingling.

Lou Yue sighed softly, "Sigh, I suddenly miss that girl Lin Qiao."

The two would often get together to eat, and Lin Qiao was especially supportive. Every time she cooked something delicious, the girl would praise it so much that Lou Yue would be very happy.

Of course, when Lin Qiao was instructing Lou Yue in martial arts, her words were no longer sweet; she became incredibly sharp-tongued.

Xia Chan glanced at her and said, "The person Young Master Lin sent must be skilled in martial arts. Lin Qiao is too young; she's still a child."

Lou Yue nodded.

That's true.

It's really hard to bear to see a child in danger, taking the fall for someone else.

Although such a thing hasn't happened yet, it's hard to say what will happen in the future.

Lou Yue went to the manor to see the traitors they had found. They had turned on her and revealed their true colors, with pairs of fierce eyes and bared teeth, as if they wanted to devour her alive; completely different from their previous facade of kindness and honesty.

Lou Yue felt a pang of anxiety when she thought about how she had worked and chatted with these people before.

Moreover, Lou Yue also noticed that Tao Ye's gaze towards people had changed.

She was no longer timid and cowardly; her eyes held a sharp and fierce light.

It's hard to imagine that those traitors were cowardly interrogated by Peach Leaf.

Lou Yue also noticed that the cicadas were different from before.

She had always known that Xia Chan was thoughtful and intelligent, but now she was a capable female manager who could independently manage four grain and oil shops.

Only she herself is still standing still.

New couples are coming into the courtyard one by one. Will she be the only old woman left in the end?

Lou Yue suddenly became melancholy and left in a sullen mood.

The next day, while Qingling was still asleep, she heard heavy "whoosh," "hah," and "hah" sounds coming from outside.

I rubbed my eyes groggily, got up, walked to the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window, and glanced out the window.

Two figures could be seen practicing martial arts as the sun rose.

Nie Yun held a long sword, while Lou Yue wielded a wooden sword; they practiced each move diligently.

It made Qingling vaguely recall the time when Lin Qiao was still in Mulan Courtyard.

Lin Qiao only loves two things: eating and practicing martial arts.

Looking at Nie Yun's expression, Qing Ling understood where Lin Qiao's hobby came from.

However, Nie Yun only arrived last night and seemed cold and aloof. How come Lou Yue became familiar with her so quickly?

Qingling put on her clothes and came out, watching from under the eaves for a while.

Lou Yue followed Nie Yun in a leap and turn, saw Qing Ling, stopped her move, and stepped forward to greet her.

"Miss, did I wake you up?"

Nie Yun also came over to pay her respects, but only performed the traditional military salute of cupped fists.

Qingling frowned slightly and said, "The way you bow makes it obvious that you come from the military. Let Louyue teach you the proper etiquette in the manor."

Nie Yun: "Yes."

There was nothing else to say, so Qingling went back to her room to do her hair and makeup.

After breakfast, Qingling was about to go to Hui Bafang when someone from Dangui Courtyard arrived.

Qin, the old nanny who served Madam Ma, brought an old woman with her, saying that Qingling was about to give birth and that a midwife needed to be prepared in advance.

This old woman, Song, was a well-known midwife in the surrounding area. Madam Ma specially invited her over and kept her in the mansion as a backup.

"...The timing of childbirth is not so precise. You need to have someone push your belly every day to position the fetus in a suitable delivery position to avoid difficult labor."

Lou Yue said, "The midwife is already in the courtyard, and the wet nurse has also been invited. Thank you for your kindness, Madam Hou—"

Before she could finish speaking, Granny Qin interrupted her: "The child in Miss Qingling's belly is of noble birth, the grandson of the Grand Princess. How can we allow any mishap? The Lady of the Marquis is very thoughtful. It would be perfectly acceptable to prepare several more midwives in the manor."

This means that the midwife must stay.

Lou Yue was fuming.

They shove all sorts of cats and dogs into the yard.

A plum vase came over before, and we had to send her away before we could even talk to her.

Now that another midwife has arrived, what good intentions could Lady Hou possibly have?

However, they gave a very good reason for letting people into the yard, so it was hard to refuse.

Qingling looked at the old woman and said with a smile, "Then let her stay. Aunt is right. When other ladies give birth, the mansion prepares four or five midwives and five or six doctors to deal with the situation. I am now considered a noble lady, and the future of the Marquis's mansion is still tied to me. Whether I need them or not is another matter, but I must have the prestige."

Granny Qin glanced at Yao Qingling. Why was she being so agreeable today?

She was already prepared to go back and complain.

Qingling looked at her with a smile: "Granny, is there anything else?"

Granny Qin pursed her lips and left.

Qingling was busy going to Hui Bafang, and after handing the midwife over to Granny Zhu, the head maid of Mulan Courtyard, she left.

Inside the carriage, Lou Yue, still indignant, said, "Madam Hou is definitely up to no good. She'd love for Miss to suffer, so why would she send someone over to help? It's good enough if they don't cause trouble."

Xia Chan: "You knew that, yet you still said it."

Lou Yue: "I'm just unhappy. I'm annoyed by all these people. That plum vase is already a headache enough. I really wish I were a martial arts master so I could kick all these people to the moon to chop down trees."

She muttered to herself, and Xia Chan let her grumble.

Qingling was squinting and catching up on sleep when she suddenly blurted out, "Lou Yue, how did you manage to get Guard Nie to teach you martial arts?"