45 Chapter Forty-Five
Xie Lang strode in, pushed open the door to the main room, and saw that it was empty.
Chapter Forty-Five
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, even in difficult times, every family prepares some fruits to share with their loved ones. This is especially true for royalty and nobility.
This was because the battle to establish the nation more than ten years ago was won during the Mid-Autumn Festival. The mountain next to it, contrary to its usual barren state, was now covered with all kinds of fruit. The Great Ancestor clapped his hands and laughed, saying it was the will of Heaven. He then ordered his soldiers to pick the fruit. At that time, fruit was rarer than meat. The Great Ancestor ordered it to be distributed to the troops, and the whole army rejoiced!
This is how it was passed down.
She instructed her servants to categorize the fruit, and after counting it, she initially intended to divide it into several portions, but then changed her mind and put it all in one place.
She summoned two servants to carry a basket and accompany her to the old lady's residence to pay her respects.
Before the group even arrived at Shian Garden, the old lady had already heard the news. She said her granddaughter-in-law had come to deliver some things.
They were sunbathing in the yard when they heard this and found it interesting. What should they bring?
So I went to the door to wait, and after a while I saw a group of people turn the corner.
The first thing you notice is the huge basket and the overflowing fruits.
"What is this?" the old lady asked, pointing with a puzzled expression.
Liu Qingqing smiled and curtsied first, "These are newly harvested fruits, brought them here for you."
"Where did all these fruits come from?" the old lady asked in surprise.
Fruits and melons are hard to come by. Last year's drought meant that the remaining fields were almost entirely planted with rice and wheat. This basket of fruits and melons is crooked and not particularly beautiful; these are naturally grown, perhaps mixed with some we grew ourselves, and they come in all shapes and sizes.
Liu Qingqing: "My sister sent someone to deliver it, saying that the people picked it and sent it to the temple for offering, and then specially asked my sister to deliver it to the Marquis's residence."
"This..." The old lady was stunned and lost in thought, not expecting this background.
He then reached out and touched one, smelling it carefully. Whether it was because of his own thoughts or not, he felt that the fruit had been imbued with Buddhist incense.
It really was a fruit from the mountains. She had picked it when she was a child; it was small and didn't look very good.
"Did the people really send these?" the old lady asked again.
Liu Qingqing nodded.
Upon receiving a positive reply, the old lady was overjoyed. These were picked from all over the mountains and fields, and offered with utmost reverence, yet they were delivered to the Marquis of Zhongwu's residence.
This shows that the people's hearts are now in high spirits, and secondly, the Marquis's family is considered a good family in the eyes of the people. The people have something to look forward to after they have enough to eat, or they feel grateful because they have received the protection of the Marquis's family.
When the old Marquis followed Emperor Taizu in his campaigns across the land, this was exactly what he sought.
This was the master's last wish.
Upon thinking this, the old lady felt immense relief, and her eyes welled up with tears.
She didn't try to hide it, but gently wiped her eyes with a handkerchief, saying repeatedly, "Okay, okay."
Whether it's due to the stability of the court or the fact that the Marquis's family has won the hearts of the people, whatever the reason, it's all good.
"Then let's break up quickly, what are we waiting for?"
The old lady smiled kindly and gently, "I can't eat much with my old bones. Leave some for the servants, and you can distribute the rest to the various courtyards."
The matriarch distributed this fruit to show that grace is shared and that we should not forget our original intention.
The old lady assigned this task to her, so it's not surprising that she went to various courtyards.
After getting through to the old lady, things became much simpler.
After she left, the old lady glanced at the scarred or oddly shaped fruits with a delighted expression, looking at them with interest. Even gold and silver treasures had never received such favor from the old lady.
After a while, the old lady finally felt tired. After sitting down, she sighed to Granny An, "Look at my granddaughter-in-law, she's really good at winning people over."
The courtyard was filled with the pleasant aroma of fruits and melons, and the old lady squinted at the gradually yellowing grape leaves.
"You've never sent one before, why did you suddenly send one this year?"
The old lady waved her hand, "Granny An, ask Wanyan what's wrong."
Liu Qingqing acted swiftly, not returning to Jialan Garden, but already in the old lady's courtyard instructing the servants to divide the fruit into three portions: two large portions and one small portion.
The portions given to my father-in-law and second uncle were naturally larger.
Her father-in-law was busy with official duties and not at home, so Liu Qingqing explained her purpose and handed over the basket.
Then we were to go to my second uncle's courtyard.
All this buildup was for this.
My second uncle's courtyard is called Tingzhuxuan, which is a small courtyard with one or two sections.
The master was not present at the time, and the courtyard gate was tightly closed.
Liu Qingqing glanced at it, and the servant stepped forward to knock on the door and explain his purpose.
No one responded for a long time.
The servant turned to look at the lady, and seeing that she had no intention of leaving, he continued to knock on the door.
Finally, the door slowly opened from the inside.
Liu Qingqing tensed up.
A lame old servant emerged from the crack in the door. Upon seeing that it was the young mistress, he looked anxious, quickly bowed, and then pointed to his throat.
The servant whispered, "Madam, this is Uncle Lu, the manager of Tingzhu Pavilion. He had a fever when he was young and can hear but cannot speak."
Liu Qingqing acknowledged this and stepped forward, saying gently, "These fruits will spoil if left out too long. Let the servant take them into the courtyard."
Uncle Lu nodded repeatedly, as if that wasn't enough, and thanked his wife. He pointed to the scorching sun overhead and bowed, inviting his wife to go into the courtyard to rest.
This was exactly what Liu Qingqing wanted.
Upon entering Tingzhu Pavilion, Liu Qingqing subtly glanced around.
As she had imagined, aside from the exquisite courtyard with its carved beams and painted rafters, the Marquis's mansion had never been fond of extravagance.
Tingzhuxuan is much simpler and more orderly than Jialanyuan, unlike Jialanyuan which has a side courtyard for Xie Lang to use as his study.
The difference is that the yard is large, and there is a newly dug cellar in the corner.
It was deserted and quiet, with weeds growing on the ground; it was the bachelor's yard.
The cellar was steep and difficult to traverse, so it took longer to reach.
While Uncle Lu and his servant were busy, she boldly took a closer look.
But in this courtyard where everything is laid out before you, could there be any trace of Aunt Jia?
She can't just barge into every house; even if she offered gold, it wouldn't work, let alone fruit.
Seeing that most of the fruits had already been eaten, Liu Qingqing couldn't help but feel anxious, wondering when she would have such a perfect excuse.
My heart was pounding, and I nervously swallowed.
Suddenly, they noticed another small door at the other end, which was now slightly ajar.
A gust of wind came, and the small door creaked and swayed, as if waving to her.
She looked back at Uncle Lu with a guilty conscience, but saw no one. She listened carefully and realized that Uncle Lu had gone downstairs as well because he thought the servant was too slow.
That's good, she thought, clutching her handkerchief tightly as she hurried away.
With renewed vigor, I encouraged myself and pushed open the small door.
It turned out to be a hidden paradise.
Liu Qingqing stared in astonishment. Behind her was a small courtyard, and in the distance stood a tree she didn't recognize, but it was covered in beautiful blossoms. There was even a flowerbed next to the tree.
At first glance, it's clear that it has been meticulously maintained over the years.
She was still in shock when she sensed someone watching her. Her heart skipped a beat.
Could it be that my second uncle caught me red-handed?
My mind raced, trying to come up with a reason.
At the same time, Liu Qingqing pretended to look over there unintentionally and saw a woman in white sitting openly in the pavilion, which surprised her.
When the woman in white saw her looking over, she smiled gently and waved to her.
Liu Qingqing felt numb all over, her legs feeling like wood, and she walked stiffly over. A note was handed to her.
She was bewildered and was about to open it when the other person grabbed her hand and said with a smile, "Go back to your room and look at it later."
Liu Qingqing felt dizzy and disoriented, as if her body didn't belong to her anymore. She didn't know how she got back to Jialan Garden.
Xin Youtian stood on the veranda, watching Granny Li and the others distribute fruits to the servants, giving each person more than one.
Granny Li said, "Our mistress is kind-hearted. Knowing that everyone has family, she gave us extra. We should all be grateful. Why don't we ask other households if they are willing to give their servants so much fruit?"
Granny Li tried her best to win people's hearts. It's unclear when it started, but after receiving the fruits, people would kowtow in front of her.
Thump, thump, thump, he banged his head several times in a row.
Liu Qingqing didn't have time to think about anything else and quickly told people to get up.
Bringing my attention back, I noticed their eyes were red. Their dark skin and red eyes were quite striking.
A warm feeling surged through Liu Qingqing's heart, and she clenched her hands tightly.
Once things were finally settled here, Liu Qingqing returned to her room and closed the door tightly.
She held the note tightly in her hand, not daring to let go. Her palms were sweaty and clumped together.
Liu Qingqing immediately became anxious.
He looked left and right, then glanced back at the tightly closed door.
"No, what if Xie Lang suddenly returns?"
He quickly went into the bathroom and slammed the door shut before he felt relieved.
She crouched down, leaning her back against the door, and opened her hand, staring at the crumpled paper lying in her palm.
Ink seeps through the Xuan paper.
She held her breath and slowly peeled back the crumpled paper, afraid that she would tear it if she moved too fast.
There are only four large characters above it: "Bamboo Grove at the Hour of the Rooster".
Even though there had been prior speculation, and that speculation was almost certainly correct.
But when she actually saw Aunt Jia, who was supposed to have "already passed away," hiding in her second uncle's yard, she felt like her mind was going to explode.
She was so anxious that she paced back and forth in the bathroom.
How could Aunt Jia be so bold!
What on earth is going on?!
Does the Marquis know? Does Xie Lang know?
All the images flashed through my mind quickly, and I came to the conclusion that they must not know.
What should we do?
Aunt Jia is incredibly bold. Although she didn't dare to ask, she knew that both her father-in-law and Xie Lang were secretly looking for her. Aunt Jia actually dared to play this trick of keeping things under wraps.
She felt terrified.
Just as it was almost dusk, a servant came and said that Xie Lang was coming back for dinner and asked the kitchen to prepare extra food.
This made Liu Qingqing so anxious that she paced back and forth in the room.
After thinking it over, I decided to change into a less conspicuous long dress first. I opened the wardrobe and saw an ordinary ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). I reached out to pull it out, but a book fell to the ground.
Liu Qingqing grabbed her ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) with one hand and reached for it with the other. Only then did she realize it was the storybook she had been reading recently.
Lately, I've been preoccupied with many troubles and haven't looked at it for a long time. Liu Qingqing stroked it regretfully, then had no heart to look at it again.
After saying that, he hurriedly stuffed the book into the back and rushed to the bathroom to change his clothes.
After I changed my clothes, dinner was served.
After much deliberation, Liu Qingqing could no longer care about Xie Lang. Now, many things were more important to her than Xie Lang. She sat down to eat, but Li Mama quickly stopped her, "Miss, didn't you say the master would be back tonight? Won't you wait for him to come along?"
This contradicts Liu Qingqing's usual practice of always putting Xie Lang first.
But she didn't want Granny Li to know about these things, as it would only upset her, so she made up an excuse.
"Granny, I'm so hungry my stomach hurts..."
Before she could finish speaking, Granny Li's expression changed immediately. She quickly stepped forward, ladled out a bowl of warm soup, and brought it to her lips, saying, "Drink some soup to soothe your lips first."
As if she weren't the one who had just stopped her from waiting for the adults, Su Shen said to her, "Why didn't you tell me if you were hungry, Miss? You can always eat earlier if you want to eat later."
Seeing that her mistress was teasing her with her eyes, Granny Li blushed, but after a moment she said confidently, "Taking care of your own body is the most important thing; everything else is secondary."
Now that she was married, Liu Qingqing didn't want to ask the nanny to feed her anymore, so she took the soup bowl and sipped the soup. Nanny Li then served her some vegetables, carefully selecting those that were easy to digest.
The meal was unpleasant; I was anxious, but I dared not let Granny Li see that I was anxious.
He ate slowly and methodically, but he was sweating profusely from his eagerness.
After finally finishing her meal, Liu Qingqing urged Granny Li to have her own dinner.
Fearing that someone might follow her, Liu Qingqing quietly left the hospital.
By sheer coincidence, I bumped right into Qingju.
Qingju: "Is Miss going out?"
She glanced behind her again, "Aren't Granny and Pansheng coming along?"
In the past, it was always the nanny who accompanied her, but now Zhao Pansheng has taken her place. It would be a lie to say that she didn't care at all, but Zhao Pansheng was more clever and quick-witted than her, and if something happened, Zhao Pansheng would handle it better.
What you fear most is what happens.
Liu Qingqing clenched her hands, thought for a moment, and said, "I'll go to the study to see if the master has returned to the manor."
Qingju understood and quickly said, "Then Miss, please go quickly, we won't follow you."
The study was a restricted area, and normally only the adults, Xie Wu, and Madam were allowed to set foot there; they usually dared not follow.
-
Seeing that no one was behind her, Liu Qingqing turned and went to the garden. Once inside, she looked around. It was the first time she had done something like this, and her heart was pounding. Just as she was wondering what to do, she heard a clear bird song.
He choked on his breath and followed the sound. After glancing at the bamboo grove next to his second uncle's courtyard, he knew what was going on. He looked around and, seeing that no one was around, he quickly walked towards it.
As you walk deeper in, not far from where she had fainted a few days ago, a woman is standing quietly waiting.
She stepped on a dry branch with a crackling sound, and the person turned to look. Liu Qingqing stopped in her tracks, about to walk away.
It was past dusk, and the sky was getting dark, especially inside the tall bamboo forest.
But if she weren't blind, she could tell that this wasn't Aunt Jia's face at all!
They were caught in a dilemma.
That face was plain and unremarkable, dull and sallow, like a mixture of many women's faces.
Just then, the man reached out his hand to her, "Qingqing, come here."
Liu Qingqing was taken aback, but didn't go over; she remained where she was. "Aunt Jia?"
The man laughed.
Her smile held a carefree and unrestrained air, yet it also revealed Aunt Jia's charm. Liu Qingqing quickly went over and took her hand, staring intently at her face. "Aunt Jia, what's going on?"
Upon seeing this, she understood immediately. No wonder Aunt Jia was able to hide in the Marquis's mansion for so long; she truly had some skills.
Let's not talk about that now.
Aunt Jia's loving gaze gently swept over the dark circles under her eyes. "Qingqing, have you been doing well since you got married?"
Liu Qingqing's smile froze for a moment, then she smiled again, "You're doing well."
Aunt Jia saw it all but didn't say anything; her eyes only showed more tenderness.
She suddenly said, "My son... was naughty and vengeful when he was young. He was extreme in both love and hate. He loved so much that he wanted to live, and hated so much that he wanted to die."
Seeing Liu Qingqing's stunned expression, Aunt Jia chuckled, "He's not like this in front of you, is he? He's always putting on an act. I reckon he's a proper gentleman outside."
"Don't overthink it. Apart from me and his father, no one knows his true nature."
Liu Qingqing did not miss the pause that Aunt Jia made when she mentioned the Marquis.
Seeing her pondering, Aunt Jia didn't hide anything and sighed sadly, "The matter between me and the Marquis is too complicated to explain in a short time. Since our time together is short, let's not talk about him anymore."
Just as I was about to speak again, a commotion of voices arose in the corridor outside.
Aunt Jia glanced around and said, "Let's go somewhere else."
After saying that, he took her hand and walked out, startling Liu Qingqing so much that her heart almost jumped out of her throat!
"I'll walk ahead to guide you."
Stepping out of the bamboo grove, Liu Qingqing realized that Aunt Jia was dressed in the clothes of a servant in the Marquis's mansion, which didn't stand out against her rough face.
It's perfectly normal, just like water flowing into the sea.
Liu Qingqing followed Aunt Jia across the stone bridge over the lake and turned into the giant rock forest behind it.
These are strange stones that were transported from various places.
She followed closely behind Aunt Jia, winding her way around the area, glancing around frequently, and hiding immediately if she encountered anyone.
So he didn't see the specific route clearly. After following Aunt Jia into the stone cave, he was stunned when he saw Aunt Jia push open a stone door.
She had no idea there was a secret passage inside the artificial hill!
Just how many secrets does this Marquis's mansion still hold?
Aunt Jia took out a tinderbox, reached out and picked up the candle on the stone wall, lit it, and lit a dim yellow light.
Aunt Jia, afraid she would be frightened, took her hand. A few steps ahead, there was a tiny open space with a simple couch. There were holes in it, which must have prevented it from being lit.
"It's a bit simple, but please make do with it."
Aunt Jia used her sleeve to sweep away the dust, but Liu Qingqing quickly stopped her and used her own handkerchief to sweep instead.
Where is it rudimentary?
It's quite frightening that they could conjure up a tunnel in such a prime location as the Marquis's mansion!
Her heart is still pounding.
At this moment, Liu Qingqing's face revealed his true feelings, and his eyes showed panic.
Aunt Jia couldn't help but comfort her, "Don't worry, no one else will notice."
Once you enter from the Stone Forest, ordinary people can only take the usual route.
"Time is of the essence, so let's skip the pleasantries."
Aunt Jia grasped her hand and went straight to the point, "I wasn't there when you married Lang'er. How have you two been doing?"
She glanced down at the jade bracelet on Liu Qingqing's wrist, a moment of surprise followed by a smile, "You've finally put this bracelet on."
This question stumped Liu Qingqing.
How could she say something negative in front of someone's own mother? Could she say she wanted to quit?
That won't work either.
Moreover, she was even more worried about Aunt Jia at this moment.
Aunt Jia, being so perceptive, understood her thoughts when she saw that she was hesitant to speak, and said directly, "Don't worry about me, I have my own plan."
Before Liu Qingqing could ask, Aunt Jia said to herself, "The Marquis and I... can't go on like this anymore. As for staying in the Second Master's courtyard, it wasn't my intention either. Now that things are like this, let's just take it one step at a time."
Liu Qingqing understood, but dared not ask, and could only look longingly at Aunt Jia.
Seeing this, Aunt Jia couldn't help but smile mischievously: "Let me tell you a secret, your second uncle thought I had amnesia and lied to me that he was my husband."
Liu Qingqing: "...!"
The barrage of shocking information left her dizzy and disoriented.
She didn't even dare to imagine how Xie Lang would react if he found out.
"Never mind that, how are you two doing?"
Aunt Jia asked again.
After a long while, seeing Liu Qingqing biting her lip and remaining silent with a forced expression, he understood what was going on and the smile on his face vanished. "That bastard Xie Lang has followed his father in doing inhuman things too?"
Liu Qingqing couldn't say anything, she could only say, "It seems that this marriage is unfair to my husband."
Aunt Jia raised her eyebrows upon hearing this: "Even though I was pretending to be dead, I wasn't really dead. I asked him about the marriage back then, and he was the one who went to the Liu residence to propose the engagement himself. Now you feel wronged? Did you lose your mind back then?"
It sounds like Aunt Jia is angry with Xie Lang because of the Marquis.
Aunt Jia looked up and said, "It's getting late, let's get straight to the point."
"If you can't make it work, then don't. Don't waste your years in vain. There are plenty of men in the world; you don't have to serve them all."
Seeing Liu Qingqing's wide, bewildered eyes, Aunt Jia quickly suppressed her murderous intent and softened her voice to steer the conversation back on track, "It's what I truly wanted. If you don't want to live like this, hurry up and leave, or you might not be able to leave at all."
Seeing Liu Qingqing nod blankly, it was time, so Aunt Jia pulled her hand and helped her up.
“I usually can’t come out, for fear of causing trouble. If you need to find me, throw stones into the courtyard. If Xie Pan is not here, I will wait for you in the bamboo forest on the same day or the next day at 5-7 pm.”
"When we go out in a bit, I'll take you around and show you where it's a good spot to throw stones."
Just as she was about to respond, she stepped on a pebble and suddenly stumbled. Liu Qingqing quickly grabbed the wall for support.
After standing still, he frowned and stared at the stone wall.
"What's wrong?"
Aunt Jia noticed that she hadn't followed and turned around to ask.
Liu Qingqing snapped out of her daze, shook her head, and followed.
Separated by a wall.
Xie Lang was returning from the Regent's Palace, deep in thought about his wife's strange behavior lately, when a candle wick crackled in the corridor. Xie Lang suddenly stopped and listened intently.
Xie Wu, following behind, was also lost in thought. Lately, Miss Zhao seemed troubled, as if she were preoccupied. The last time he spoke with her, he noticed her wrist was red from a burn, and he wondered how it happened. She hadn't come to see him lately, so something must have happened…
Just then, he bumped into Xie Lang, which startled him, and he quickly apologized to his master.
Xie Lang raised his hand to signal him to be quiet, and Xie Wu quickly shut his mouth.
A few breaths later, Xie Lang, unsure, furrowed his brows. "Did you hear anything just now?"
"No...no sound?" Xie Wu pointed to the white candles in the corridor. "Just a candle flame popped."
Seeing the official deep in thought, he quickly asked, "Did you hear something, sir?"
Xie Lang shook his head, thinking he must have misheard due to lack of rest lately. "Let's go."
He had no one to ask, and was surrounded by bachelors. Only the lord was not alone. Xie Wu was really flustered, so he mustered up the courage to ask the lord, "Sir, I have a question I would like to ask you."
Since Xie Wu had something to ask, Xie Lang composed himself and turned his head slightly to look at him. "What is it?"
Because the tunnel was deserted, any loud voice would echo, which was quite frightening. Xie Wu lowered his voice and said, "I have a friend... He knows a girl who used to come looking for him, but suddenly she stopped. When we occasionally meet, she doesn't really acknowledge him. What is the reason for this, sir?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Lang paused slightly before quickly continuing.
What a coincidence, he's had similar feelings about his wife lately.
Xie Lang, judging others by his own standards, asked, "Perhaps you did something to upset her?"
Xie Wu scratched his head. "No, it was fine last time, and then suddenly..."
Xie Lang nodded. Yes, suddenly.
Seeing that even adults with exceptional intelligence and insight were baffled, Xie Lang felt even more distressed.
"This woman's heart is truly as unfathomable as a needle at the bottom of the sea..."
Xie Wu felt dejected; he hadn't slept well for days. He felt wronged—why was she ignoring him all of a sudden? Zhao, who used to have such a sweet smile, now seemed to have such a cold look in her eyes.
"Should I ask her next time?"
Seeing the adult looking over, Xie Wu felt a chill run down his spine and quickly changed his words, "I meant, I'll have my friend ask that girl next time."
Xie Lang snapped out of his reverie, chewing softly, "Should I ask?"
Having come up with a plan, Xie Wu perked up, his gaze hardening. "Ask! A real man is going to get his head stabbed anyway, so I might as well find out the truth and die knowing why!"
Hearing the first few sentences, Xie Lang's eyes showed approval, but when it came to the last sentence about dying clearly, Xie Lang hissed, "Don't say such unlucky things."
After exiting the tunnel and entering the study, he wanted to open the study window. After opening it, he turned around and walked to the back window, opening it as well.
It rained a few days ago and the humidity was high, so I haven't opened this window for the past few days.
After opening the window, Xie Lang leaned against it, thinking of his obedient and sensible wife.
I couldn't help but regret how I had taken my anger out on her the other day. What did those things have to do with her anyway?
He lowered his head, silently shaking it, but then noticed that the grass outside was flattened. It seemed someone had been there and was lying in wait.
Xie Lang immediately became serious and summoned someone over.
The study is a sacred place; who would dare to come here?
After hanging up the matter, Xie Lang set off back to the main courtyard.
The main room door was closed. Thinking the young lady was resting, Li Mama bowed respectfully. She considered saying something, but then remembered the recent quarrel between the young couple; perhaps the adults had come to reconcile. So she decided to remain silent.
Xie Lang strode in, pushed open the door to the main room, and saw that the room was empty.
"Where is Madam?"
Xie Lang glanced at the group and asked in a stern voice.
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
"There's a young man at the door who says he's your cousin! Your cousin from the border region!"
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