Chapter 32 032 Carelessness?! She was far from careless.
She was like a babbling mountain stream, traversing rough rocks and sand. At first, she charged down the mountain with the force of thunder, while he was caught in the middle, struggling against her. But as she resisted, he was like a gentle breeze, and before he knew it, she had reached the bottom of the mountain with overwhelming force.
She was resilient and composed, which always made it impossible for him to make a move.
Despite his petty nature, he still hoped that she would need his help in the future.
If she needs nothing, how can he stand on his own two feet?
Suddenly, Qingli thought of something. She swept her eyelashes aside and caught his gaze. She blurted out, "Is something the matter?"
"Like a lady in charge, writing and drawing all this. Is there so much going on in the Meng household?"
......
"You don't know the cost of firewood and rice until you're in charge of the household," she snorted, retorting, "especially with such disdain."
Meng Qingshan suddenly found some amusement in watching her scratch like a kitten, so he deliberately teased her, "Then what's the point of having these servants? They might as well be sent home."
Qingli suddenly remembered the important matter, and instead of answering him, asked, "When will Granny Huaying be back?"
Meng Qingshan paused, frowning as he pondered.
He wouldn't have forgotten about the nanny who asked for leave, would he?
She reminded her, "Granny Qiu said she asked for leave for you."
He deliberately drew out his words, saying, "I remember now."
Facing her expectant gaze, he replied firmly, "I don't know."
Qingli was completely enraged. Why was this person playing games with her? She turned away and ignored him.
"What do you want with her?" Meng Qingshan asked, seeing that she didn't speak, and continued, "To have her tell you about the situation in the palace? She left a place for you before she left, I can send someone to find her."
She pretended to be silent, letting him ask again before casually giving an "Mmm".
The soft, yielding sensation brushed against Meng Qingshan's earlobe, making it feel warm. He raised his hand to rub it, his eyes deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.
After finishing everything, Qingli planned to go back to her room to deliver a message to her grandfather and discuss the situation with him before entering the palace. Just as she stood up, she heard him say with a touch of nonchalance, "If you are not selected, come back. If you are selected, don't be afraid."
She looked up and saw that his expression was serious, not mocking, so she nodded to indicate that she understood. This opportunity to enter the palace was already rare for her, and she wanted to see her aunt, so whether she was selected or not was not within her consideration.
For the next three days, Qingli was extremely busy. The household was managed by Granny Qiu and the steward. Following the pattern of these days, a certain amount of power and money were delegated. Matters were approved at different levels, and the budget was controlled. If there were any uncertainties, they would be reported to the general for a decision.
Her grandfather instructed her to be careful when entering the palace, and she naturally agreed. However, she also had some plans in mind. Firstly, she knew that although her grandfather had not said it explicitly, her aunt had always been on his mind, so she needed to see clearly what her aunt was doing.
Secondly, she suspected that the assassins in Hezhong Prefecture were not ordinary bandits. With no progress in the matter, it would be better to take the initiative to show herself and cause some ripples, as hiding her tracks was not a long-term solution.
When Qingli returned to the mansion and entered Dongwan Garden, she felt a sense of unease mixed with the silence in the air.
The maid lifted the curtain, and she stepped inside.
Startled, Meng Qingshan and Tang Shuqing, sitting on either side of her in the hall, turned their gazes, one looking at the sky and the other at the ground, to her at the same time.
Tang Shuqing seemed to relax all of a sudden, and hurriedly stood up and walked towards her, grabbing her forearms with both hands and pulling hard, saying meaningfully, "Why did you take so long to come back?"
She was momentarily speechless, and just as she was about to make an excuse, she met his meaningful gaze and couldn't say anything more. She could only say, "Why didn't you send someone to deliver a message? I could have waited for you at the manor."
Tang Shuqing seemed to be tormented by the air, turned around, and said regretfully, "I also think so."
Meng Qingshan's gaze was forceful, yet she could still calmly accept it. Tang Shuqing, however, could no longer stand it and was shaking her head, trying to leave. Helpless, she reassured her, "Go to the east side room and wait for me. We'll discuss the matter of entering the palace."
Tang Shuqing was also on the list of those who entered the palace this time.
"Okay, hurry up." Tang Shuqing was as if a fierce beast was behind her, and she rushed into the house like a gust of wind.
Qingli watched as the warm curtain fell, then turned to look at him. Unexpectedly, he was also sulking. He got up and went back to the west side room, followed by an unfamiliar old woman.
She wore a dark red dress that fit her perfectly, and her hair was adorned with a gold and silver hairpin on each side. The style was understated, but the quality was excellent. Her face was slightly round, and a faint smile always played at the corners of her mouth, giving people a relaxed yet stern feeling.
Qingli knew who this person was at first glance.
Unable to resist any longer, he turned and followed them into the west wing.
Meng Qingshan was already half-lying on the daybed, with the soft quilt she usually leaned against behind her placed behind her. She didn't even lift her eyelids, and it was unclear what she was sulking about.
She wondered to herself, could it be that Tang Shuqing's unexpected arrival had offended him? Or was it that seeing his situation made him worried about rumors spreading?
Either way, it's not good, he explained, "She's a good friend of mine, so I'm always more casual with her; she's not a talkative person."
Meng Qingshan barely lifted his eyelids, glanced at her, and then lowered his head back to look at the book in his hands.
His half-dead state felt like a blow to her head.
I'm just annoyed that he's become so shameless. Or maybe the swords didn't hurt his body but pierced his brain instead.
Hua Ying, who had been keeping her eyes down the whole time, was surprised. The general was a man of great righteousness and unconcerned with trivial matters, who was proficient in both literature and martial arts and had a meticulous plan. Yet now he was acting like a child, scheming and plotting.
For a moment, they were at a loss for words, but their expressions showed no sign of distress as they waited for the two sides to begin their rebuttal.
The first snow of the past two days had just stopped, and the dripping of snow from under the eaves was soothing to the ears. Meng Qingshan tightened his fingers, making the paper wrinkled and slightly torn, but he said sarcastically, "You're so busy, you finally remembered that there's a cousin in the west wing who's seriously injured and half-dead, huh?"
...
Qingli hadn't seen him for three days, but with Granny Qiu and Jiang Yue keeping a close eye on him, nothing could have gone missing. Besides, she had already inquired about it, but she couldn't say it aloud; it would be strange to say it out loud.
Unable to explain what had happened, he said, "I was terrified when I entered the palace, so I wanted to go out for a walk to clear my head. It was my carelessness."
Careless?! She wasn't careless at all; she was just too cautious.
Yun Li and Yun Chen reported that when they followed her out, they quickly lost her trail, but two hours later she seemed to reappear in the same spot as if from nowhere, leaving everyone puzzled.
What is she hiding, and who is she going out to see?
But the words stuck in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to ask them. He could only bitterly wonder if his men had been too lax, as they hadn't obtained a single useful piece of information yet.
"This must be Granny Hua Ying."
"Miss, are you well? This old servant is here." Granny Hua Ying stepped forward and bowed, her words gentle and considerate, which made Meng Qingshan's lips slightly upturn. "The general sent people to bring this old servant back overnight, day and night, all for the sake of Miss's worries."
Qingli felt a warmth in her heart. She paused for a moment, about to speak, when she heard him turn to the inside and say in a low voice, "You shall follow Miss's orders for the next two days."
Meng Qingshan knew that she was not truly present, but he still refused to see her bow her head or listen to those high-sounding words.
Qingli led Huaying out of the west side room. The warm curtain fell, and she felt a moment of melancholy, but did not stop before entering the east side room.
Inside, Tang Shuqing and the others could not sit still. Because there was still no news of her brother, and she knew that the roads were difficult due to the heavy snow, and that her father had said that he would definitely bring someone back this time, and that there would not be any news in a few days, she was about to enter the palace. In addition, she was very anxious and wanted to come here to relax.
She hadn't expected that General Meng was recuperating at Dongwan Garden. She explained her purpose to him, and he remained noncommittal. But as they sat facing each other, she felt increasingly terrified.
Feeling dizzy, he went to find Qingli.
"Qingli".
When Granny Hua Ying entered the east side room, she only glanced around before respectfully lowering her eyes and standing behind the floor lamp post, hiding in the shadows, holding her breath, and discreetly concealing herself.
Inside the room, Tang Shuqing tugged at her sleeve and acted coquettishly, her words full of trust. Granny Hua Ying perked up her ears, hoping to hear what the two of them were saying, so as to understand what kind of temperament her young lady was.
"Qingli, I'm worried I won't do a good job." Tang Shuqing sighed. She had seen the list, and all the daughters were from families of officials of the third rank or above. She was the last on the list, so she didn't know what to do.
Being eager to try makes one prone to jealousy, and falling behind in everything leads to ridicule.
Caught between two difficult choices, beset by threats from both sides.
Qingli saw that her fingertips had turned white and she was already so nervous. If she was still like this after entering the palace, she was afraid that she would not even be able to get out unscathed. She comforted her, "Don't be afraid. At this point, being afraid is useless and being anxious is useless. It's better to save this energy and think about what to do."
Tang Shuqing was still unable to calm down and asked anxiously, "How do we do it?"
"Be careful with your words and actions, don't compete or fight. If you feel there is a good opportunity, you must act calmly. If it is difficult to judge whether an opportunity is good or bad, you must think twice before acting. If you feel something is wrong, then danger is already lurking nearby." Qingli has only one principle regarding matters within the palace: things will always turn out badly, and that is the fate of people like them.
The advantage is that it's readily available to those in positions of power.
Upon hearing this, Granny Hua Ying felt a surge of excitement. She suddenly raised her eyes, and her usually calm eyes revealed undisguised admiration. She was already applauding in her heart.
Truly eloquent and insightful.
The fact that Granny Hua Ying had struggled countless times in the palace to figure out was so easily revealed by her, filling me with a mixture of shame and admiration.
Tang Shuqing was on the verge of tears, and said in a panic, "Qingli, I'm even more scared now."
Qingli tapped the tip of her nose and teased, "Fear is useless. As long as you don't need anything from others, you will be fearless and clear-headed. Although you may not achieve great things, you will also not make any mistakes."
Qingli settled her to one side, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Granny Huaying had regained her calm and composed demeanor before slowly saying, "Granny, Shuqing and I are about to enter the palace. In the next few days, please tell us about the rules of the palace."
Hua Ying, the nanny, should naturally agree.
That night, the bright moon and starlight shone on the ground as if covered with a layer of silver frost.
The snow melts and freezes into ice by evening, shimmering like a mirror.
The vast Meng mansion only had two masters, Meng Qingshan and Qingli. Qingli was about to enter the palace, and tonight the clever steward set out a hot pot. The mutton slices sizzled, the hot soup boiled, and steam rose.
The room became a bit more lively.
Meng Qingshan went out during the day and didn't return to the manor until evening. It was unclear what he did. A layer of slightly cold ice crystals was frozen on his fox fur, forming streaks. However, seeing that he looked relaxed, she didn't say anything.
I don't know what he was thinking, but even though he's recovered, he still doesn't plan to go back to the front yard.
Qingli didn't intend to pester him, since she was leaving the manor tomorrow and he could sleep wherever he wanted.
She had something to ask of him, so she poured him a cup of wine and slowly said, "I would like to bring Granny Huaying into the palace. Is that alright?"
In just two days, Hua Ying's actions were proper and steady, and her manners were simple and unassuming. She was the perfect candidate, and I felt more at ease with her than with Qiu and Sui.
The maidservant brought Jiang Yue, who was low-key, patient, and quiet, making her more suitable than Jiang Zhao.
Hua Ying is his person, and his approval is required.
A delicate hand holds the wine pot, and the crisp aroma of the wine wafts over, the sky-blue liquid rippling gently in the white porcelain cup.
Even without drinking, Meng Qingshan was already slightly drunk.
He took the wine pot from her hand and, in return, filled her wine cup.
Qingli hid her hands in her sleeves, the rough texture on the back of her hands rippling through her. The wine cup in front of her jingled, and she looked up, somewhat puzzled.
Suddenly realizing something, she abruptly raised her glass and drank it all in one gulp.
The spiciness slid down her throat, igniting a heat within her abdomen. Within two breaths, her hands and feet were warm, and although her eyes were unfocused, her thoughts remained clear.
This shows their sincerity.
She looked straight back at him, her eyes indicating that it was his turn.
Meng Qingshan was simply thinking that it would be impolite not to reciprocate, and who told her to be so bold? She glanced at him provocatively after finishing her drink, and through the steam rising from the pot, it looked like a clear lake under a thin mist, shimmering with light.
Meng Qingshan held the white porcelain wine cup between two fingers, turning it gently. Having grown accustomed to the fierce swords of the border, Ye Qing's wine was nothing more than plain water. However, he still held it to his lips and watched her with interest. In her increasingly hazy eyes, he tilted his head back and drank it down, savoring its fragrant and light taste.
"You are in charge of the affairs of the manor, and it is up to you to decide who to assign tasks to."
The aftereffects of the wine slowly spread, leaving one feeling lightheaded and slightly tipsy, blurring everything and making one forget worries and troubles. Qingli thought to herself, no wonder people in the world love to drink a little.
Years of hard work were like a sluice gate being opened to release floodwaters, causing Qingli's firm belief in clarity to collapse. She thought about the distant past, then about the present, and then about letting go of the past and starting a new life.
But the things deep inside her stirred within her, refusing to be swayed by reason.
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