47 Chapter Forty-Seven
◎The sounds could be faintly discerned as those of Lady Liu and a man. ◎
Chapter Forty-Seven
Granny Li nodded emphatically, "I've verified it. His identity is confirmed; he is Miss's cousin."
For a moment, Liu Qingqing felt it was absurd and strange, "They haven't celebrated the New Year for so many years, why are they suddenly coming to our door now?"
She considered the most likely guess, "Are they here to freeload?"
Granny Li shook her head, "I don't think so. The young master's attire can't hide his noble air, but he also looks rather young."
These days, people who work in the fields or do business get tanned. Only pampered young masters and ladies, or high-ranking officials and nobles, have fair skin.
Military officers are a different story.
Liu Qingqing, who was already leaning on the table to get up, sat back down upon hearing this. "That's even stranger."
After a moment of silence, he asked again, "Is the person still outside the manor?"
Granny Li nodded: "Young Master said he's waiting for Miss outside."
The young master is going up now.
Granny Li was delighted that her young lady had her family to support her. Even if her father and brothers couldn't be relied on, her cousins would do!
After Xie Lang, she dared not trust anyone else.
After thinking it over, Liu Qingqing waved her hand and said, "...Granny, please tell him I'm not feeling well and we can meet another day. Also, ask him where he lives and if he needs any help."
Her cousin?
But that's strange.
They hadn't been looking for it for over a decade, but now it's suddenly reappeared.
It has a strong sense that... offering unsolicited favors is either a sign of ulterior motives or theft.
But this time Liu Qingqing had wronged someone; the person who came was indeed Ying Yucheng.
Ying Yucheng had lived with his father in the northwest border region for many years. When he reached the age of 18, he joined the army. He recently injured his arm while fighting the enemy, and his superiors told him to go back and rest to recover.
His father suddenly received a secret letter and couldn't wait to kick him out of the mansion and send him back to the capital.
He claimed to be returning to the capital to report on his duties, thus making his visit to the Regent's Palace seem legitimate.
Ying Yucheng is twenty-four years old this year. Unlike his military officer status, he has a refined and scholarly air about him. When he takes off his battle robes, he speaks politely and has the demeanor of a gentleman. Although he is still young, he is calm and reliable.
His cousin's refusal to let him into the mansion was to his surprise. Returning to the Regent's Mansion today would be too conspicuous, so he gave the gatekeeper the address of the inn and left.
A few days later, Ying Yucheng went to the Prince's residence again under the pretext of reporting military affairs.
Unfortunately, the prince was not present today, so he went to apologize to the princess.
Although her father spoke of blood ties, she was, after all, the Regent's Consort. She still needed to maintain the proper decorum.
He was bowing his head in shame as he apologized to the princess, saying, "I have failed to live up to your trust, princess. I didn't even get to enter the house or see you."
Ying Yi, being good-tempered, wasn't angry at all; instead, she was quite proud. "It's a good thing that your cousin is quite wary. There's no rush; go and check on her again in a couple of days."
After saying that, he pulled Ying Yucheng aside and started asking him about his family.
Two days later, Ying Yucheng went to the Marquis's residence again. This time, the gatekeeper let him in. The servants served him a cup of hot tea but said that the madam was not in the residence and must have gone to Jialan Residence.
Ying Yucheng went to Jialanju without stopping. The midday sun was strong, and he was covered in sweat.
Upon arriving at Jialan Residence, Ying Yucheng did not rush inside. Instead, he bought a bowl of iced plum drink from a nearby stall, drank it all in one gulp, and stood there waiting for his sweat to cool down before going in.
Liu Qingqing was in a private room on the second floor, peeking down through a crack in the window.
This man was tall and elegant, with his black hair neatly tied up, the ends hanging down, shining in the sunlight like the finest silk. Not to mention his handsome face, bright eyes, clear and intelligent demeanor, and extraordinary refined taste.
She had heard that her uncle's family were military officers, and she imagined that her cousin would be a tall, burly, dark-skinned, and heroic man.
Unexpectedly, he was so handsome. Just look at how many girls were staring at him while he was standing there.
Liu Qingqing was surprised and pointed it out to Granny Li.
Granny Li covered her mouth and laughed: "Young Master is such a handsome young man, look how eye-catching he is, that girl's face is all red."
How could someone who had fought his way through a sea of corpses on the battlefield not know that someone was watching him from upstairs? Ying Yucheng probably guessed who it was, so he didn't look up and let the person look him over.
The two watched with amusement as more and more girls lingered around him, wondering what he would do, when they saw him suddenly walk towards the jewelry store across the street.
A silver shop located across from the capital's premier restaurant was certainly not to be underestimated; ordinary girls, unable to enter, would leave disappointed.
Liu Qingqing assumed her cousin was avoiding people, so she stopped looking, closed the window, and called the waiter to bring up the crispy abalone and snails she had just ordered.
This crispy abalone snail has a rich milky aroma and is crispy and delicious. It tastes best when it's fresh out of the pan, but it's not as good as it is when it sits for a while.
Sure enough, not long after the crispy abalone and snails were served, someone knocked on the door of the private room.
Liu Qingqing and Granny Li exchanged a glance. Granny Li hurriedly went to open the door, afraid that the person outside would run away.
Having already met a couple of days ago, Granny Li beamed, "Young master, you've arrived."
Ying Yucheng smiled and nodded, not putting on any airs of a young master. He handed the brocade box to Granny Li, then looked at Liu Qingqing and said gently, "Cousin, these are some snacks from the Northwest that Father asked me to bring you. They are not rare foods, but they are not easy to find in the capital."
There was not the slightest bit of unfamiliarity.
Liu Qingqing was puzzled.
Her cousin was not only handsome, but also gentle and refined. When he smiled, his eyebrows and eyes showed a hint of shyness, making him look nothing like a warrior who would fight on the battlefield.
Seeing her scrutinizing him, Ying Yucheng was not annoyed at all, and let her look at him openly. After thinking for a moment, he took out a jade pendant from his pocket and handed it to her to look at.
“I know my cousin has doubts. If someone suddenly came to me and said they were a relative, I definitely wouldn’t believe it.”
Her long, slender fingers held the jade pendant. "This is a family heirloom. My father said that everyone in our generation has one. Although the designs are different, the style is the same. Cousin, take a look."
Liu Qingqing glanced at him and took it. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed almost identical to hers.
Above it is an auspicious symbol with a pattern similar to hers.
And this auspicious shape... is even more similar to the jade pendant of that young man.
Seeing this, Liu Qingqing roughly understood the two matters.
This is indeed a member of the Ying family, and the second one is that young man, who must also have a connection with the Ying family.
Seeing that she was lost in thought, Ying Yucheng did not disturb her. Only when she looked up again did he take out another flat box from his bosom.
"This is a coming-of-age gift I just bought for you at the jewelry store across the street," Ying Yucheng said apologetically. "I should have given it to you earlier. We won't make excuses for what happened before; it was all our fault. Please give us a chance to apologize in the future."
Fearing she wouldn't accept it, Ying Yucheng added, "It's nothing valuable. I'm from the Northwest and can't carry much money with me. I didn't dare buy anything when I stayed at the inn the other day, and it's not easy to carry around. This is what I just picked out at the jewelry store across the street. The shopkeeper said it's a popular style in the capital. If you don't like it, you can exchange it."
Ying Yucheng explained everything clearly, and it must be said that Liu Qingqing had a very good impression of him.
At least for now, it's not bad.
What is your cousin's name?
Ying Yucheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she had acknowledged him, and a bright and warm smile finally appeared on his face. "My name is Ying Yucheng."
Liu Qingqing nodded and gave a gentle smile. "Cousin, my name is Liu Qingqing."
Ying Yucheng's eyes finally lit up with a smile: "Cousin, I know."
They looked at each other and saw each other's genuine smiles. Both of them relaxed and inexplicably laughed louder.
Ying Yucheng then asked, "How have you been lately, cousin? Is there anything I can do for you?"
Yes, there is, but Liu Qingqing isn't stupid; she can't just go around shouting that she's leaving.
Although they are cousins, they are no different from strangers.
In the elegant room of Jialan Residence, Xie Lang was meeting with someone.
Hearing what sounded like a familiar voice, Xie Lang frowned, lowered his eyes, and listened intently for a while, his expression not looking good.
It could be vaguely discerned that it was Liu and a man.
In the second half, he barely spoke, only listening to the other person.
He listened to the other person talking about serious business, but couldn't help but drift off into thought. Seeing this, the other person's voice gradually lowered.
Xie Lang suppressed the strange emotions in his heart and waited until the person left before calling Xie Wu in. As he turned to return to the private room, he seemed to glance at the next room unintentionally, and that glance lingered for a few moments.
After Xie Wu followed him in, he gestured with his eyes for Xie Wu to close the door.
Xie Wu accepted the order.
He turned around and was startled to find the adult standing a step away from him like a ghost. The adult whispered, "Go and scout next door. Remember to hide yourself."
This order left Xie Wu completely bewildered. He wanted to ask more, but the adult raised a finger to silence him.
Xie Wu swallowed hard and had no choice but to leave the private room.
After going outside and avoiding people, he skillfully climbed onto the roof.
This is considered the most discreet and difficult-to-detect method.
He clung to the scorching rooftop like a gecko in the afternoon heat, quietly lifting a crack in the blue tile.
After seeing the scene inside the room, they were speechless and stared wide-eyed.
Inside the house was the lady, and not only the lady, but also a young man!
The man was handing the lady a brocade box. The lady opened it, and inside lay an exquisite and dazzling kingfisher feather and gilded hairpin.
I could only vaguely hear what the lady and the man were saying, but I could see the lady's happy expression and her composure as she accepted the brocade box.
Xie Wu choked up, his scalp tingling.
This is Heaven's will to destroy him! What will he say when he goes back?
What did he say? Was the lady in the private room next door really there?
Just then, the man inside suddenly looked up, and Xie Wu quickly moved aside. At the same time, a cold sweat broke out on his back; this man was incredibly perceptive!
This was the first time he had ever been caught doing something wrong!
Unable to delay any longer, Xie Wu hurriedly retreated from the rooftop and returned to the private room.
As soon as he pushed open the door, the adult sitting at the table looked up at him.
Xie Wu: "..."
With just one glance, Xie Lang understood. He hadn't misheard; Madam Liu was in the private room next door. He raised his hand to signal Xie Wu to be quiet.
Suddenly he got up, walked to the window, and opened it.
Xie Wu rushed over and whispered to stop him, "Sir! Do not open the window, there are assassins."
Xie Lang then put a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet.
Unfortunately, the windows in the private room next door were closed, so we couldn't hear anything.
Xie Lang lowered his eyelids, concealing the turmoil in his eyes, and suddenly remembered the female doctor's reply.
It was said that the red marks on Liu's legs did not resemble sores, but rather pinch marks.
Pinching marks?
Suddenly, it seemed that Liu had many secrets right under his nose.
He had noticed her strange behavior lately, and he asked himself if she was trying to do something he had treated fairly well.
Before the marriage, he thought that since they were going to get married eventually, he might as well fulfill the marriage contract and kill three birds with one stone. If she had other intentions in the future, he would generously send her away. For his mother's sake, it wouldn't be unreasonable to prepare a dowry for her.
But now, I only feel something strange in my heart.
He composed himself and ordered Xie Wu in a deep voice, "Go and find out who it is."
Xie Wu naturally understood what he meant.
-
Ying Yucheng escorted Liu Qingqing back to her residence. Since his cousin was already married, it was inconvenient for them to ride in the carriage together, so he rode his horse alongside the carriage.
Seeing his insistence, Liu Qingqing couldn't refuse, so she lifted the carriage curtain and chatted casually with her cousin.
Contrary to her expectations, her cousin was gentle and kind, not at all like a martial arts master. If it weren't for the knife scar on the back of his hand that stretched into his sleeve, she would have thought he was lying to her.
The two had little to talk about, but Ying Yucheng felt that his cousin had had a difficult childhood and always wanted to take extra care of her.
He then told her about his days on the northwestern border.
"Are women in the Northwest different from those in the capital?" Liu Qingqing asked curiously.
Ying Yucheng pondered for a moment and nodded slightly, "It is indeed different."
Seeing Liu Qingqing's curiosity, his heart softened, and he lowered his voice to explain in detail, "There are always battles at the border, and there are also families of soldiers who died in battle. Women and children cannot live a life of luxury like in the capital. Everyone does all sorts of things, each displaying their unique abilities."
"More than that," Ying Yucheng suddenly laughed, recalling an amusing incident, "there was even a self-proclaimed little general a while ago."
"A self-proclaimed young general?"
Ying Yucheng stared at her blinking eyes, then lowered his eyes and continued, "That little general was a ten-year-old girl who loved to be the leader of the children. Later, when her family fell into ruin, she actually discovered a new way to make a living."
Liu Qingqing gripped the window frame with both hands, even more curious, "What kind of business?"
Ying Yucheng glanced at her fair knuckles, then looked away as if he'd been electrocuted. "She beats people up for others, and gets ten copper coins for each beating."
"Everyone was too busy to take care of their children, and some of the children were so domineering that they liked to bully the weak. The weaker children wanted to fight back, but they couldn't beat them, so they went to that young general. That young general was quite righteous and would let them buy on credit."
Hearing such a thing for the first time, Liu Qingqing's eyes widened.
Ying Yucheng continued to explain in a good-natured manner, "The situation on the border is unpredictable, and you never know when you will die, so everyone lives passionately, without any regard for others or anything else. They can't even take care of themselves, let alone others. It's quite a unique experience."
These words struck her heart like an electric current, making it pound wildly.
Is this really how you live?
If children could do this, then...
"Cousin, we've arrived at the Marquis's residence."
Hearing him speak, Liu Qingqing came back to her senses. She looked at the gate of the Marquis's mansion, which resembled a giant beast's mouth, and felt a strange sense of repulsion. She was lost in thought for a moment.
"cousin?"
Liu Qingqing quickly composed herself and looked at her cousin with a hint of reluctance. "Cousin, what you said was very interesting. If you have time in the future, could you tell me about it again?"
Her bright eyes shimmered like golden light. Ying Yucheng's Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he smiled and replied, "Okay, I won't be back in the Northwest for a while. If my cousin wants to hear it, that's fine."
He paused slightly, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze, "There are so many fun things to do in the Northwest."
Having arrived at the Marquis's residence, I had to say goodbye to my cousin, no matter how reluctant I was.
She insisted that her cousin go first, and only turned back to the mansion after she could no longer see him alone on horseback.
Turning around, she saw the Sen Sen Mansion, and her eyes instantly welled up with tears.
She turned back to look at the spot where her cousin had just stood, now empty.
Her heart felt empty.
So this is what it's like to have a good older brother...
As he walked deeper into the mansion, his heart sank further into the house.
He increasingly longed to leave this oppressive mansion.
After leaving the Marquis's residence, Ying Yucheng returned to the inn and did not go to the Regent's Palace again.
It's too conspicuous to keep going to the Regent's Palace; who knows how many eyes are secretly watching that palace.
Back in his inn room, he thought of the princess's hint and his cousin's melancholy expression, and couldn't help but sigh softly.
It seems that my cousin is not having a happy time in the Marquis's mansion. Even though she tries her best to hide it, he can still see the difference between her and his mother, who are always cheerful and relaxed.
When Ying Yucheng heard her say she was going to the Prince's Mansion in the afternoon, his eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't say anything more.
When he arrived, his father told him that this matter was complicated and that it was someone else's family affair, so he should not interfere.
He threw himself onto the bed, his hands covering his chest. Whenever he thought of his cousin's gentle eyes, he felt a pang of guilt.
-
After returning to the manor, Liu Qingqing took advantage of the early hour and continued preparing gifts for the princess.
This should be considered her farewell gift.
She found an ancient remedy for sleep in a book left by her mother, which said it could calm the mind, nourish the blood, and soothe the nerves.
She had visited the Prince's residence several times and knew that the Princess Consort was often troubled and slept restlessly. Knowing that the Princess Consort lacked neither gold nor silver, she made several calming sachets to give to her. She was grateful for the Princess Consort's care, but there was nothing else she could do.
Before presenting it to the princess, it naturally had to be inspected by the divine physician.
While my hands were working, my mind was also busy.
This time, Liu Qingying didn't even return to the Marquis's residence during her leave. She sent a message saying that she was going on a spring outing with her classmates.
It's strange to go on a spring outing when it's already autumn.
However, Liu Qingqing had no say in the matter. After informing Liu Yuanzhou and sending servants to follow them, she left it to her own devices.
She thought of something else.
Upon hearing that Madam Ying had returned to the Liu residence, Liu Qingqing was torn between leaving quietly or going to the trouble of keeping Madam Ying under her protection. She felt that Madam Ying was wicked and worried about future troubles. What if Madam Ying wanted to cause trouble when she was away from the Marquis's residence and had no one to protect her?
"be patient."
She endured years of hardship in the Liu family mansion, relying solely on her patience.
She needs to think it over carefully.
She was like a weed growing at the foot of the Liu family's wall, enduring the scorching summer and the bitter winter, didn't she?
They've even eaten spoiled food at the Liu family's residence, but now they're living a very good life.
She gently patted her chest and comforted herself, "No one can be relied on. I'm not a delicate person. Don't spoil yourself."
That being said, she has been unable to sleep lately.
She was terrified that before she was fully prepared, she would be kicked out of the Marquis's mansion by Xie Lang the moment she opened her eyes.
While telling myself not to be impatient, I was also filled with anxiety.
We still need to speed things up.
Unfortunately, she had very few capable people around her.
Manager Tang secretly sent away Xiao Ying's people from the neighboring shop under some pretext and replaced them with her own people.
They say they're her people, but she doesn't have many trusted confidants these days. However, money does end up in her account.
But if she leaves the Marquis's mansion, she definitely won't stay in the capital.
It doesn't matter whether the shop is still hers or not. She can't just sell the shop in a big way, or the whole capital will know something's wrong.
After a while, he opened a book that was placed at the bottom of the desk and found it contained banknotes.
These were all money Zhao Pansheng had been secretly exchanging at money exchanges lately. To avoid arousing suspicion, she could only use a clumsy method: exchanging some money at one money exchange and then switching to another.
As for the money that belonged to Xie Lang, she kept it all safe and sound, without touching it at all.
When they divorced, regardless of anything else, she didn't covet his money or the Marquis's mansion's money, so she could say she had a clear conscience.
I gathered my thoughts and continued with the work at hand.
She thought of her cousin again, and couldn't help but think how wonderful it would be if her cousin were her biological brother.
With his kind nature, he should protect his sister.
That's all for now, Liu Qingqing could only sigh.
"Everyone has their own destiny..."
Some people have a smooth and good life, like Xie Lang, who was born into a noble family and, after entering officialdom, rose like a dragon with unstoppable momentum, without any worries.
Some people, like her, have very weak family ties and are homeless.
She should be content; it's better than starving and homeless.
There's always a way.
Only by thinking this way can one feel more at ease.
Her heart was pounding when dinner time came, but thankfully, it seemed as if God had heard her prayers and Xie Lang did not return.
She ate a few bites hastily and then went to the east wing to continue her work.
Now she doesn't want to do these things in the main house, as if this huge mansion only has this small east wing as her own little piece of land.
She thought of Aunt Jia again. They had only met briefly last time, and she didn't know what Aunt Jia needed now or whether she had enough money.
I still need to find a way to see Aunt Jia again.
As night deepened, Liu Qingqing only stopped after being urged several times by Granny Li.
She quietly stretched her arms and yawned.
Xie Lang has not returned yet, and it seems he is not going to return.
When she returned to her room, she glanced at the gate and saw that it was locked, and breathed a sigh of relief.
After a good bath in the bathroom, the body, which has been tense for a long time, gradually relaxes in the warm water.
It's quite ironic, really. She used to long for Xie Lang to come, but now she just wants him to leave.
He won't be home tonight, so she can finally get a good night's sleep.
This time her period ended quickly, but Liu Qingqing was worried about Xie Lang, so she still used a menstrual belt even though her period was over. She doesn't need to use it today.
Perhaps because she was in a good mood after recognizing her cousin today, she fell into a deep sleep soon after returning to bed.
-
In the study.
Xie Wu knelt on one knee: "Reporting to Your Excellency, there has been a reply."
"The visitor is Madam's cousin, Ying Yucheng. His father is General Ying Guang, the General Who Guards the North."
"A few days ago, Ying Yucheng came to the capital to meet the Regent on behalf of his father. After leaving the Prince's residence, he came to the Marquis's residence to see the Lady. The Lady must have been suspicious of Ying Yucheng's identity that day, so she did not meet him."
"It was the same at Jialan Residence today. Madam left the residence early, and Ying Yucheng came up empty-handed. Perhaps he heard the news and went to Jialan Residence to find Madam and recognize her."
"Ying Yucheng brought some snacks from Northwest China today, and also went to the jewelry store across the street to buy some jewelry. I sent someone to ask, and they said it was a belated coming-of-age gift for the lady."
He instinctively glanced furtively at the adult's expression, paused slightly, and swallowed hard, thinking about what he was about to say. The adult's gaze was light and casual, yet it felt like a sharp blade on his back.
"I also learned that...Madam Liu initially wanted to arrange a marriage between cousins, but as for why it didn't happen, I haven't found out yet. Please forgive me, sir!"
"To become cousins?"
In the quiet study, Xie Wu listened to the adult slowly and carefully savoring these words, and his scalp tingled, and he secretly swallowed.
He knelt there, steeling himself, waiting for his superior's orders, but the superior remained silent for a long time. Just when Xie Wu almost thought the superior had fallen asleep, he suddenly heard the superior say, "Go down."
After Xie Wu left, Xie Lang carefully closed the study door and slowly leaned back in his chair.
For some reason, he has been feeling a sense of being out of control lately, which he finds repulsive and makes him anxious.
After sitting quietly for a moment, he suddenly remembered the argument his parents had before they fell apart.
Everything was fine until that day. My mother even went to the garden to pick flowers and put them on my father's head, and he indulged her. But the next day, I heard that my usually good-natured mother was furious and insisted on separating from my father.
He asked about the initial details of the matter, but no one answered him.
Just as when he asked Liu Qingqing, she remained silent.
By the time he found out, it was too late.
It doesn't feel good to be kept in the dark.
In the darkness, Xie Lang's eyes churned with dark waves.
In the main room.
Liu Qingqing was sleeping soundly.
A tall, handsome figure bent down beside the bed, his cool fingers gently tracing the wound on her inner thigh. The burning pain was accompanied by a slight tingling sensation.
She awoke with a start, and by the candlelight, she recognized Xie Lang. Her heart leaped into her throat again before she could even relax. But before she could fully regain consciousness, her body reacted first. She recoiled in terror until her back pressed against the corner of the bed, her eyes filled with fear.
Xie Lang remained bent over, his dark eyes slowly moving upwards until they finally settled on her eyes.
[Author's Note]
Next chapter preview:
Xie Lang seemed to understand something, his brows furrowing slightly.
She lied to him?
He then asked, "Where is Madam now?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
