Chapter 198 Cousin
Finally I found my cousin.
Shen Wan was excited, so Shanhu asked, "Is it that maid?"
Chun'er nodded repeatedly, "It's her."
Yinchuan asked, "Where did you find him?"
"Yesterday, the Duke of Ding's mansion was under curfew but couldn't find the person. The Duke had people guard the city gate and check everyone entering and leaving the city, and only then did they find the person."
Chun'er started to spill the beans, telling Chen Wan everything she knew.
The real Ye Caiwei fell into the water four years ago and drifted in the water for two days and hundreds of miles before she was discovered and rescued by the eldest son of the Zhou family who was boating on the lake.
Ye Caiwei lost her memory and had a high fever. She almost died. Although her life was saved, she lost her memory.
When the Zhou family saw that she was wearing Shu brocade and the only earring left on her ear was not something that a small family could afford, they guessed that she was a daughter of a wealthy family who had fallen on hard times, so they kept her in their mansion and waited for someone to come and look for her.
But after waiting day after day, no one came. It would be detrimental to her reputation if she, a girl whose origins were unknown and whose name was not even remembered, stayed in the mansion, so they asked her to be Miss Zhou's maid, accompanying her in studying and learning talents.
Master Ye San failed to escort his niece and caused her to fall into the water. He was afraid that Shen Ji and the Ye family would not forgive him, so he asked Master Er to help conceal the matter. Over the years, Master Ye San had been sending people to look for Ye Caiwei, but they were only looking for her nearby. Who would have thought that Ye Caiwei had drifted hundreds of miles away and had been floating in the water for two days, relying on a piece of driftwood.
Just for this perseverance, Chen Wan admired this cousin from the bottom of her heart.
She looked about 70% similar to the portrait given by Master Ye San, and was about the same age. She was rescued two days after she fell into the water, and was found downstream of the same river. As soon as Manager Li asked her, he knew that this was undoubtedly the cousin that the Duke Dingguo's Mansion was looking for.
On the one hand, he sent someone to tell Shen Ji and Yun Shi, and on the other hand, he sent someone to the Jingbei Palace to tell Shen Wan.
Although Shen Wan had already met her cousin yesterday, she was still very anxious and immediately stood up, “Let’s go back to Duke Dingguo’s Mansion.”
Shen Wan was about to leave when Shanhu asked, "Aren't you going to tell the prince?"
"Need not."
It is no small matter for the Duke Dingguo's Mansion to retrieve the cousin. No one in the Prince Jingbei's Mansion has any reason to stop her from going back, and Xie Jingyu certainly won't do that.
Although they lived under the same roof, she should have informed him, but Xie Jingyu deliberately kept a distance from her. It was not a serious matter, so she should not get close to him.
The little maid ran to the front yard to pass on the message. When Shen Wan arrived, the carriage was ready. Shen Wan took Shanhu in the carriage back to Duke Dingguo's Mansion.
Returning to Duke Dingguo's Mansion, Chen Wan asked the gatekeeper, "Has the cousin been brought into the mansion?"
The servant hurriedly replied, "They have been taken back to the mansion. Mr. Zhou, the eldest young master of the Zhou family, and Miss Zhou are all here."
The Zhou family is not only Ye Caiwei's savior, but also raised Ye Caiwei for four years. They must be thanked very much.
Shen Wan went to the main hall and walked in. Lord Zhou and his family stood up to greet Shen Wan.
"Master Zhou is so polite."
Shen Wan smiled at Miss Zhou and said, "I didn't expect to see you again."
Miss Zhou said, "I didn't expect that..."
Shen Wan said, "I have never seen my cousin before, I have only seen her portrait. Yesterday I saw a maid who looked familiar, but I couldn't remember when I had seen her before. It was only when I went back that I realized she looked like my cousin. I almost missed her."
Miss Zhou said, "I knew Cai'er was probably the daughter of a family in trouble, but I didn't know she was actually the cousin of the Crown Prince of Jingbei, the daughter of the Duke of Dingguo..."
Chen Wan said, "Yesterday you protected my cousin behind you, so I knew that my cousin must have met a good family while wandering around."
Not seeing Ye Caiwei, Shen Wan asked Yunshi, "Mother, where is my cousin?"
Yun smiled and said, "Take her away to dress up."
General Ye's orphan, the cousin of Duke Dingguo, has been brought back to the mansion and must no longer be dressed as a maid. Lord Zhou still has to set off to return to Jizhou, so before leaving, he must ask them to see Ye Caiwei's original identity.
Shen Wan sat down, and soon Ye Caiwei came back.
She wore a Shu brocade orchid-embroidered dress, wore jade jewelry, and put some powder on her face, which made her already beautiful face look even more charming.
With just one glance, Shen Wan forgot what she looked like when she was a maid.
The corners of Ye Caiwei's eyes turned red and she wanted to cry, but she held it back.
Yun walked up to her and said, "She really looks like your mother."
Shen Ji said ashamedly, "Back then, my uncle wanted to take you to Beijing and raise you well, but he didn't expect to harm you. Fortunately, I have found you now, and my uncle will make it up to you."
Ye Caiwei shook her head, but her eyes looked at Miss Zhou and then at Young Master Zhou.
Ye Caiwei fell into the water and lost her memory. She didn't remember anything about the past. She had been in the Zhou family for four years and only trusted the Zhou family members.
But she also knew that the Duke Dingguo's Mansion would not casually recognize an unrelated person as a cousin, not to mention that she had indeed fallen into the water and was rescued by Young Master Zhou. At first, she hoped that someone would come to pick her up, but later she was afraid that someone would come to take her away.
Miss Zhou said, "Call uncle and aunt quickly."
Ye Caiwei shouted with red eyes, "Uncle, aunt."
Lord Zhou smiled and said, "Cai'er... Miss Ye is a person of great fortune and destiny. Now that she has returned to the Duke Dingguo Mansion, my Zhou family is relieved. It's getting late, so we will take our leave first."
Shen Ji tried to persuade him, "Brother Zhou, could you please stay in Kyoto for one more day and give me a chance to thank you?"
Lord Zhou didn't dare to think that he and Duke Dingguo would ever become close brothers. He said, "My mother is ill, otherwise I wouldn't be in such a hurry to go back..."
It is not easy to retain such a Shen Ji, but as an official in the court, there is no need to worry about not having the opportunity to express gratitude.
Shen Ji escorted Lord Zhou out of the house, and Shen Wan and Ye Caiwei saw them off together.
When she reached the door, Ye Caiwei looked at Shen Wan, “Can I…”
She spoke so quietly that little Shen Wan could hardly hear her and asked, "What does my cousin want to say?"
Ye Caiwei shook her head slightly.
Miss Zhou got on the carriage, her eyes showing reluctance to leave Ye Caiwei. After all, they had been together day and night for four years.
Lord Zhou and Young Master Zhou were riding horses.
Young Master Zhou's eyes were fixed on Ye Caiwei's face, with redness at the corners of his eyes and a look of reluctance in his eyes.
They walked away, but Ye Caiwei was still looking in the direction they left.
Shen Wan asked, "Cousin, do you not want to stay in Duke Dingguo's Mansion and want to go with them?"
Ye Caiwei didn't say anything and agreed.
She really wanted to go with them, but she knew it was impossible. Even if the Duke Dingguo's Mansion let her go, the Zhou family would not dare to let her stay any longer.
Shen Wan smiled and said, "It's not impossible for you to go back to the Zhou family if you want."
Ye Caiwei's dim eyes lit up, "Can I still go to Zhou's house?"
Shen Wan said, "It's definitely not possible to go directly, but you can marry into the Zhou family."
Ye Caiwei was stunned for a moment, then her face flushed, "Cousin, what are you talking about..."
Shen Wan said seriously, "Tell your cousin the truth. Do you like Young Master Zhou? If you do, and want to marry her, I'll talk to my father and arrange your marriage. This is your only chance, so make sure you think it over."
Ye Caiwei is already of marriageable age, and Young Master Zhou is also of marriageable age. Jizhou is two or three hundred miles away from Kyoto. If their marriage is not settled today, they will definitely discuss marriage separately in the future.
Ye Caiwei and Young Master Zhou looked at each other with longing, they must like each other very much. If they are interested in each other, Chen Wan would not want them to miss it.
Ye Caiwei is thin-skinned, but she also knows that this is the only chance, and if she misses it, it will be a lifetime.
She nodded heavily.
Shen Wan went to find Shen Ji, but Shen Ji glanced at Ye Caiwei and rode off to chase Lord Zhou.
Besides, as Lord Zhou and his family walked away, Miss Zhou lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked at her eldest brother, feeling a little distressed.
The eldest brother hoped that Ye Caiwei could find her family so that he could propose marriage, but he didn't expect that Ye Caiwei's family background was so good. She was a cousin of Duke Dingguo's mansion, and her father, General Ye, died to save Duke Dingguo. The fake cousin who had impersonated her before was even given the position of county lady by the Princess of Prince Jingbei. She was not someone that their Zhou family could afford.
Just as I was sighing in my heart, a strong and powerful voice came.
"Brother Zhou, please stay!"
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