Xu Lanyin had known Zhao Wu for so long, but she had never heard him talk about his maternal family. She had asked him once before, but Zhao Wu shook his head and said nothing, so Xu Lanyin did not ask any more questions.
Zhao Wu shook his head and said softly, "I don't have any maternal family." Seeing Xu Lanyin's confused look, he explained a little more clearly, "I was still young when my mother passed away, and I never heard her talk about her family. Maybe she did, but I've forgotten. I later asked my eldest brother, and he said that my mother was an orphan and entered a Taoist temple to become a nun at a very young age. One time, my father was injured while hunting in the mountains, and my mother rescued him. She even let him recuperate at the Taoist temple for half a month. They developed feelings for each other...
"Old Madam Wen particularly hated my mother. Even though she's gone, she still cursed her ruthlessly. When my father married my mother, she and Duke Wen disagreed. It was only after my father threatened to commit suicide that he brought her home. Therefore, Old Madam Wen and Duke Wen particularly disliked my mother, my father, and my two brothers... Sister, my mother is also half a year older than my father, and their marriage was also because my mother saved my father. Tell me, are we very similar to them?"
Xu Lanyin wanted to say, no. If she were his mother, knowing his father's family and parents, she wouldn't marry him no matter how much she loved him. However, she also sincerely admired his father. As the heir of the Duke's mansion, he dared to resist the pressure and marry a Taoist nun. His mother was also brave. She returned to the secular world for love and entered the mansion of a man who didn't like her. She died at a young age.
Xu Lanyin once again felt that her rational approach to love was correct, choosing to protect herself first. If she couldn't protect herself, she shouldn't marry, otherwise her children would be pitiful. Look at these two brothers, if she hadn't traveled through time, they would all be dead.
Xu Lanyin said thoughtfully, "Your mother became a Taoist nun at a very young age, so it's impossible for her to have offended anyone. It must be that her parents offended someone when they were alive, which led to a fatal disaster. They were afraid that your mother would be killed, so they made her a Taoist nun at such a young age. But, after your mother married your father, how did they know that she was the daughter of their enemy, and how could they convince your grandparents to help them..."
Zhao Wu pondered for a moment, still unable to figure out the connection. He said, "Sister, you're right. Knowing the Pu family's involvement is a good thing. It's another breakthrough point. I'll find a way to find out. As I said, if you do something, there will be traces."
Xu Lanyin nodded. She thought to herself, the Wen Yans might not know the truth, but Duke Wen and Old Madam Wen certainly knew; otherwise, they wouldn't have persecuted their own family for outsiders. She wondered if she could find an opportunity to spend time with Old Madam Wen someday, to hear her heart. That would be much easier.
Seeing Zhao Wu's gloomy eyes, Xu Lanyin covered Zhao Wu's big hand on the table with her small hand and said, "No matter what the situation is, I support you. We will work together to find out the truth. It's not only to avenge your parents, but also to clear the danger for us and our next generation."
The first time Xu Lanyin shook his hand and mentioned the "next generation," Zhao Wu's eyes immediately filled with joy. He nodded heavily and said, "Yes, we will find out and give the children a safe home. Sister, I like children. Let's have more in the future."
These words made Xu Lanyin, the old-fashioned man, blush a little.
Finally seeing Xu Lanyin's shyness, Zhao Wu felt a sense of accomplishment. He pulled his big hand out of the small hand, then wrapped the small hand tightly, brought it to his lips and kissed it again and again.
Zhao Wu's hands were warm and thick, with rough calluses on the palms. His lips were hot and moist, and he gently kissed the back of her hand and fingertips.
In her two lives, this was the first time Xu Lanyin was kissed by a man. Even though it was the hand that was kissed, it made her heart beat fast.
Just as the two were in the thick of things, a sudden burst of laughter came from the back room. Although they immediately silenced the sound, it still startled Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wu. The charming atmosphere disappeared, and Xu Lanyin quickly withdrew her hand.
Zhao Wu looked at his empty hands and said angrily, "You're too pampering those girls. They don't know the limits, they should be taught a lesson."
Seeing his depressed look, Xu Lanyin giggled.
Xu Lanyin's brilliant smile touched Zhao Wu's heart, brightening his spirit once again. He smiled and said, "There's one more thing I need to tell you, sister. I secretly put a laxative in Wen Yan's tea and saw him drink it with my own eyes. This medicine is much stronger than croton oil, and it will give him diarrhea for at least two weeks. Humph, if I can't kill them, I'll just ask for some interest. From now on, every time I return to the capital, I'll punish them."
Xu Lanyin laughed and said, "Excellent. Those two old villains shouldn't have a good life." She added, "Actually, I really want to go to Chai Zhengguan and scold him on behalf of my mother and grandmother. But it's a pity that my mother can't reveal her identity yet."
The two talked for a while, and Xu Lanyin handed the ten pieces of jewels to Zhao Wu, and asked the two maids to take the gifts for Chai Zixiao and go to the outer courtyard together.
The exterior of the teahouse has been completely renovated. From the outside, it looks beautiful and unique, and in line with the aesthetics and elegance of this era.
Entering the teahouse, Wang Sanni was training the male and female waiters in etiquette in the backyard. She saw Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wu coming and walked over happily.
She knelt and saluted them, smiling, "Sister Xu, Brother Zhao, I knew you were coming and have been looking forward to it."
An authentic Beijing accent.
Wang Sanni, whom I hadn't seen for a long time, had acquired the temperament of a professional woman. She was capable, steady, graceful, and approachable.
Xu Lanyin was extremely satisfied with her general manager. She nodded and smiled, "Very good."
Wang Sanni took Xu Lanyin and Zhao Wulou on a tour of the upstairs and backyard. The interior decoration was also completed. It was roughly similar to the Xinyun Tea in Ningzhou Prefecture, but a little more luxurious and grand.
Wang Sanni said that all the money Xu Lanyin gave her was spent, and Chai Jun took another thousand taels to achieve this decoration effect.
Xu Lanyin was very satisfied with Wang Sanni's work and rewarded her with fifty taels of silver. She also rewarded the two stewards of the Nanyang Princess's Mansion who had been helping out with the work with ten taels of silver each, and several employees she had hired earlier and Ding Xiaoran with five taels of silver each.
Not only did Wang Sanni do her job well, but Chai Jun also had a very good impression of her. He specially found a small courtyard for her family to live in on the back street of the Princess's Mansion, and also arranged for Wang Jincai to go to Chai's family school.
Because they were busy with those important matters, Xu Lanyin and Chai Jun had no time to talk about the teahouse.
Wang Sanni also mentioned that Chai Jun had suggested that, since the 18th of this month was the Emperor's Birthday and everyone was busy with that matter, the teahouse should postpone its opening for another two weeks, to the 26th. She also showed Xu Lanyin the list of participants in the chess tournament on the opening day. This time, they would not only compete in Xinyun Teahouse's signature chess games—chess, military chess, and checkers—but also in Go and Chinese chess.
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