Chapter 166 Lost Memory
Song Jinxiu was originally waiting for Qian Baokun to see him. He had even thought about how he would react when he saw Xiao Yan. That man had a sinister temperament and acted viciously without mercy. This time, he was "forced" to release him because of the Lu family's affairs, and he might be worried. He had to be careful when dealing with him to avoid being plotted against.
There was also Minister Qian, who was thought to be a cautious and sharp person who could sit firmly in the Ministry of Revenue, but he was so easily fooled by Xiao Yan. If he lowered his posture and showed a bit of weakness, he might be able to win Minister Qian's help in the future before the emperor.
But who would have thought that the words brought back by the messenger would make Song Jinxiu freeze in place.
Qian Baokun, don’t see him.
Qian Qingran said, "Mr. Song, my father is busy right now, why don't you go back first..."
Song Jinxiu clenched his palms tightly, lowered his eyes and said in a low voice: "No need, I'll wait for Minister Qian to be free."
Qian Qingran sighed softly upon hearing this. He looked at the man who had been so glorious in the past, but now was so frail that he seemed like he could run away with a gust of wind. He wanted to say something, but when he thought of what the Song family had done, he felt no sympathy.
Qian Qingran knew his father was going to leave Song Jinxiu alone, so after trying to persuade him, he didn't say anything more. He just said, "Song Lu, please sit here first. I have something else to do, so I can't accompany you. If you need anything, please tell the servants."
He had been planning to leave the house originally, but was delayed by Song Jinxiu. Now that the matter was settled, he naturally would not stay any longer.
He directed the outsiders, "You guys, greet Mr. Song well and don't neglect the distinguished guest."
After the servants responded one after another, Qian Qingran nodded to Song Jinxiu and left with his men.
There was wind and rain in front of the eaves, with occasional thunder, and the rain became more and more intense.
Under the heavy rain, water vapor almost splashed into the steps.
Only Song Jinxiu and his servant were left in the Qian family's front hall. The Qian family's servants stood guard outside respectfully. Yinquan stood beside Song Jinxiu, looking at the deserted hall with an angry expression: "My dear, let's go back..."
Song Jinxiu said nothing.
"My dear!"
Yinquan couldn't help getting angry when he saw him with his eyes downcast and not saying anything.
The Qian family clearly did this on purpose. When the eunuch Xiao Yan came, Minister Qian would receive him personally, and his husband would have to wait here when he came for important business.
Even if Minister Qian really had something to do and couldn't see them, the Qian family had other masters, but he just left them here and only asked a few servants to "watch" them. This was clearly bullying his young master because he had less influence than before.
Yinquan said angrily, "Back when the Duke's Mansion was still in existence, you were always treated as a guest of honor wherever you went. The Qian family had to consider whether our family was available to attend the banquet even when they sent an invitation. Now they are treating you so lightly. They are simply blind..."
"Shut up!"
Hearing Yinquan about to say something bad, Song Jinxiu interrupted him. He said calmly, "This is the Qian family."
Yinquan's face turned pale.
Song Jinxiu knew that the Qian family's servants could hear the noises inside and knew that they were looking inside. He whispered, "You also said that it was in the past. The Duke's Mansion is long gone. I am just a sixth-rank lower-level clerk. I want to see the third-rank Minister of Revenue. I should wait."
"Since Minister Qian is discussing matters with Governor Xiao, I will wait here. You don't need to stay with me. Go wait in the carriage first."
Yinquan said anxiously: "My dear..."
"go out."
Yinquan's lips shrank. He felt scared when he saw Song Jinxiu's temperament change drastically. He didn't dare to say anything more. He just took the raincoat he had taken off earlier and put it on and walked out.
After Song Jinxiu and the others left, he didn't say anything else. He just put his hand on his aching left knee, glanced at the cold tea in the cup beside him, lowered his eyes and waited quietly.
…
The Qian family's servants did not send the news of Song Jinxiu's arrival to the backyard, so Qian Qiyue naturally knew nothing about it.
Qian Qiyue pulled Song Tangning to her boudoir and asked the kitchen to prepare some delicious food and send it over. She recognized at a glance that the snacks in the food box were from Xijue Tower. Even the box of the snacks was exactly the same as the one she had seen last time in Tang Mansion.
As she nibbled on a lotus cake, she said, "Your brother is truly heartless."
Tang Ning felt a little embarrassed sitting next to her: "I didn't expect Minister Qian to misunderstand..."
If she had known this earlier, she might as well have made some snacks and brought them over so that she wouldn't feel so guilty.
Seeing her blushing cheeks, Qian Qiyue stuffed a piece of chestnut cake into her hand and said, "You really haven't learned the shamelessness of Governor Xiao at all."
He lied without thinking and almost became her uncle. She nestled beside Tang Ning and said, "I really thought my father was going to find me a cheap uncle. I can't call him that with such a handsome face."
There were a few pillows beside the couch, and two blooming peonies were placed in the white porcelain water basin with lotus leaves on the small table.
The receptacle of the flower drooped slightly, and the petals spread out, just falling on the side of Qian Qiyue's face as she leaned against the table:
"Don't you know how lucky you and Governor Xiao were to come? Otherwise, I would have been in such a mess today. When you came, I was kneeling in the ancestral hall. My mother almost pulled my ears off. Later, although she didn't put me in solitary confinement, she punished me by making me copy Buddhist scriptures fifty times."
"Fifty times..."
She shook her slender white fingers and felt that life was bleak.
Song Tangning listened to her words and looked at her still red earlobes. He was immediately filled with guilt. "It's all my fault. If I hadn't dragged you to the academy in the south of the city, you wouldn't have encountered this. You deceived Minister Qian because you wanted to help me. Otherwise, I would have asked Madam Qian for mercy on your behalf..."
"What are you begging for? My mother is angry, and I'm not standing up for you. It's just that I shouldn't have fooled my father. This is my own fault. What can you do?"
Qian Qiyue rolled her eyes and said, "Besides, we are friends who have risked our lives for each other. If I don't help you, who will? Do you think I can really stand by and watch others bully you?"
Song Tangning was stunned when he heard this.
Qian Qiyue seemed to see the confusion in her eyes and glared at her with her head tilted: "Song Tangning, you didn't really forget, did you?"
There was no response, and the person in front of her was still confused, and looked like he really had no idea what she was talking about. Qian Qiyue immediately sat up straight in annoyance and pointed at her nose.
"I am Qian Qiyue, Sister Ayue!"
Tang Ning: “…”
Qian Qiyue's eyes widened: "Have you really forgotten?"
"Little Cripple, do you remember? We met at Concubine Mu's birthday party when we were little. Someone mocked me for walking awkwardly, and you scolded him back for me."
"My legs and feet were not good at that time, and everyone laughed at me. But you took me everywhere to play, and even climbed the persimmon tree at the Taifu's house. You also took me away from home, and we were caught before we even left the Rong family's gate..."
Seeing that Song Tangning still looked confused, she suddenly became anxious: "You really don't remember anything?"
Song Tangning's mind was blank.
"What about Xu Jing?" Qian Qiyue asked.
Song Tangning opened his mouth: "Xu Jing?"
"You don't even remember her?!"
Qian Qiyue's face was full of disbelief. Xu Jing was also their childhood playmate, and she was one of the few people in Beijing who did not look down on her for her poor legs.
Xu Jing's father was a disciple of Master Rong. Due to family changes, Xu Jing had to stay in the Rong family for a period of time. When she left Beijing and returned to Lingnan, Xu Jing was still there. Later, when Song Tangning wrote to her, he often mentioned the playtimes of the two of them, which made her extremely jealous.
When it came to the last letter, Tang Ning said in the letter that Xu Jing was taken back to her hometown by Xu's parents. She cried for a long time and didn't let her stay. The letter paper sent to Lingnan was all covered with tears.
Qian Qiyue looked at Song Tangning in astonishment and shock. She had forgotten herself and Xu Jing?
Song Tangning felt a little helpless when Qian Qiyue looked at her: "Sister Yue, what are you talking about?"
What about climbing trees and Xu Jing? Didn’t she just get to know Sister A Yue not long ago? Or did they become acquainted because she stood up for her in Prince Cheng’s Mansion? Did they have any interactions before?
Qian Qiyue frowned a little bit, feeling it was ridiculous. The memories of the past were so profound that she had never forgotten them at all for many years.
How could Song Tangning really forget everything?
"Wait a moment."
Qian Qiyue was a little annoyed. She stood up and ran towards the green gauze cabinet in the room like the wind. After a while, she came out holding an old box that looked quite old. She placed it in front of Song Tangning with a "bang".
"Look for yourself!"
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