Chapter 29: Accumulating Strength. Excusable. Excusable...
In the early morning, the teahouse is filled with fragrance.
After the festival, there were fewer people, and the Tea Master was happy to relax, pouring tea for the guests while listening to their gossip.
One person said, "Last night, the Qin residence was noisy and noisy for most of the night. I don't know what happened."
"I heard that the old lady of the Qin family was so angry that she passed out. The county lady also fainted several times, and it alarmed the palace."
"Alas, God is jealous of talented people. It took the Qin family many years to produce such a person. Who would have known..."
"Poor couple, they got married not long ago, and now..."
"Perhaps Master Qin is a man of good fortune?"
"Little brother, you are too naive. How many days have passed? The petty official was soaked in the river, and I heard... they didn't drown at all..."
Suddenly, the sound of galloping horses echoed outside the door, followed by the rustling of flags in front of the teahouse and the trembling of wind chimes beneath the green gauze windows. Everyone's eyes followed the fleeting figure, and their conversations paused.
A thin man jumped off his horse, strode over the threshold and walked towards the second floor.
Dr. Tea: "Guest..."
The dark figure had already reached the private room and knocked on the door: "Young Madam."
A graceful figure stood by the window, her hair tied high, her complexion as delicate as jade. In her hand, she clutched a pink and white round fan, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white wrist. Just as she turned at the sound of the door opening, the tea drinkers downstairs felt a surge of excitement, craning their necks. The guard in his tight suit gave her a glare, and they hastily glanced away.
Chen Yue saw that the tea on the round table was still steaming slightly, and knew that Lin Meizhu must not have been waiting for long. He felt relieved and said, "My dear Princess, the Crown Prince has been appointed as the Inspector General of Henan Province and has been ordered to investigate the disappearance of Qin Zhushi. The situation is urgent, and he must depart immediately... Therefore, I'm afraid the Crown Prince cannot accompany the Crown Princess back home today."
Worried that Lin Meizhu would be upset, Chen Yue followed Shen Changfeng's instructions and explained a few more words. He whispered, "Based on the current evidence, the disappearance of Qin Zhushi may not be that simple..."
Lin Meizhu nodded. Qin Yan's case was very likely related to the factional struggle. Shen Changfeng had a deep friendship with Qin Yan, and he didn't publicly take sides. He was also well-known to the emperor, making him a good candidate for investigation.
Lin Meizhu left a few maids to pack Shen Changfeng's luggage, put on a veil hat, and led Qing'er out.
Chen Yue followed her out of the teahouse and noticed that she was walking in a different direction. He followed her for two more steps and asked, "Princess, aren't you...going to see the prince off?" After all, this trip would take two or three months at most.
Lin Meizhu shook her head: "He has important things to do. I would be in the way if I went."
Chen Yue didn't know what to say, but Shen Changfeng urged him to come back and report as soon as he got the news. He probably didn't do it because he wanted to see the bag in his hand.
He initially thought that Lin Meiju was angry or disappointed because of Shen Changfeng's slip of the tongue, so she didn't plan to go to the city gate to see him off, but she looked very relaxed, with a faint smile on her face, as if she didn't care.
Lin Meiju suddenly stopped before getting into the sedan chair, and Chen Yue thought she had changed her mind.
He heard her ask with a smile: "Chen Yue, are your injuries healed?" Chen Yue looked at the silhouette of the swaying skirt, and the scars on his back began to itch. "Thank you for your consideration, Princess. I am all healed."
In front of the city gate, Shen Changfeng was busy counting the rations on the road and the horse's food for the twelfth time. Suddenly, his ears moved, and he felt something in his heart. He looked up inadvertently and saw that there was indeed a blue-roofed carriage coming towards him slowly.
He put the whip back into the horse's saddlebag and was about to raise his foot when something beside him jumped out before him.
"It's my wife! It's my wife!"
Shen Changfeng looked at Shao Er who climbed into the carriage using his hands and feet, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
A guard on horseback appeared from behind the carriage and handed the bag to Shen Changfeng.
Shen Changfeng frowned and glanced in the direction he was walking towards, "Where is the Crown Prince's Consort?"
"The Crown Prince's Consort went to the Lin Mansion."
Shao Er had been driven out, but he ran to the small window of the sedan chair and clung to it, refusing to leave: "Madam, please stay and talk with me for a while. I don't know how long you will be gone."
Lu Fei'er thought the way he stuck his butt out was really embarrassing, and scolded him: "Hurry up and let go, I have an appointment later, I don't have time to waste with you."
Shao Erlang said with some resentment: "You are so happy when I leave. Who did you meet?"
Lu Fei'er said unhappily, "Just what I told you the other day, Xiao Shiyi."
Shao Erdao: "Little Eleven? Oh, Eleventh Lady..."
Shen Changfeng inexplicably disliked Shao Er. Even though he was clean-cut and fair-skinned, the kind of person everyone would praise for his good looks and chat with for hours, Shen Changfeng still found him unpleasant. He was so nagging and annoying, what kind of person was he?!
He jumped onto the horse swiftly, gave it a kick, and shouted, "Let's go!"
Shao Eryi looked up and saw that the main force had started to move. He hurriedly picked up his bag and untied the reins, muttering as he ran: "He's jealous! This is definitely jealous!"
The horse's hooves kicked up yellow sand, and the chaotic dust rushed towards him, making his nose dry and astringent. Shen Changfeng looked at the road, his heart faintly resisting. Several times he wanted to tighten the reins and rush back, back to her gentle land. But the person walking beside him helped him maintain his sanity.
Why didn't she come? She must be angry. He didn't come back when she came home, and now he broke his promise. She must be angry. But Chen Yue must have an explanation, so she should be understanding.
Shen Changfeng thought that Lin Youan's letter said that Wang was often drowsy when she was sick. Lin Meiju must have thought that Wang should be more energetic in the morning, so she went there in a hurry.
Extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances.
Shen Changfeng felt that he was being too coy. He and she still had so much time together, so why bother worrying about this short separation? Shen Changfeng, having convinced himself, galloped off into the distance.
Lin Meizhu naturally didn't know what Shen Changfeng was thinking. She wished he could go away for a longer time so that she could let go and do what she wanted to do.
When they arrived at the Lin residence earlier than scheduled, the backyard was quiet. They probably thought that Wang was a light sleeper, so Lin Youan had sent everyone away.
As they approached the main chamber, Lin Meizhu dismissed the maid who had led the way. Before arriving, she had inquired about the medications Wang had been taking recently, which were mostly mild and strengthening. Wang's health had been poor to begin with, and it had deteriorated significantly since giving birth to Lin Zhegui. Her diabetes had become even more severe, and now she had difficulty seeing and ulcers on the soles of her feet. She was probably just trying to prolong her life.
The Lin Mansion's courtyard house was purchased at a discount, so only the facade was presentable; the interior was shabby and worn. The two screen windows in the main room had just been repaired before Lin Meizhu married, but now three more were broken. The sound of whispers could be heard through the drafty screen windows on all sides.
"Second sister, please go get me some paper and pen so I can write a letter to the Wang family."
"What does mother want to say? I will help her write it."
Wang smiled weakly: "While mother is in good spirits these days, I want to pick a good day as soon as possible to send you out."
Lin Youan was anxious: "I don't want it! I want to stay with my mother!"
Wang was silent for a moment before saying, "Silly child, if I leave, you'll have to wait three years. Why not now..."
Lin Youan sounded like she was about to cry: "What are you talking about, mother? I won't let you say that! Mother is not feeling well right now, so I have to stay by her side. How can I get married at this time?"
Lin Youan was very determined and refused to give in no matter what. Wang was probably reluctant to do so and sighed deeply.
Lin Meizhu was about to lift the curtain when she heard Wang say, "Before your father brought my eldest sister back home, I never knew he had another daughter outside."
Lin Meizhu stopped.
Wang's yellowed and swollen face revealed an extremely sarcastic smile, "He almost married his own daughter as a concubine."
Before his transfer to the capital, Lin Qianzu had met a colleague who had returned from visiting relatives in Lingnan. The colleague, having chatted about the customs and people of his hometown, recounted, over a few drinks, a young girl he had met by a pond, jokingly saying, "She was a graceful girl, only thirteen years old, in the prime of her youth, in early February. The spring breeze of ten miles along the Yangzhou road, even with the rolled-up pearl curtain, is nothing compared to her!"
That was when Lin Qianzu was feeling very proud and excited, and he was thinking of taking her as his concubine.
My colleague waved his hands and said, "I had the same idea, but her grandfather had a bad temper and scolded me. I didn't give up and asked him where her parents were. He just said they had died more than ten years ago."
"Is there such a thing? Brother, you are an official appointed by the court, and this old man is so presumptuous?"
"Her grandfather was a local doctor. Although he was poor, he was deeply respected by his neighbors. He was even given wine by the county magistrate because he had adopted many orphans. Seeing that he was truly unwilling, I didn't dare to force him."
Lin Zuqian sounded familiar with the words and asked with a hiss, "What is the name of this doctor?"
A colleague said, "Chen Huisheng."
Lin Zuqian finally remembered that he had a daughter in Lingnan.
Wang coughed a few times and continued, "I shouldn't have told you these things. I'm telling you today so you know this family is rotten to the core. It's a pity it took me more than ten years to see clearly... I want to arrange your marriage while I still have breath. I don't trust them."
Lin Youan held Wang's hand, and her tears wet her palm. "But I can't bear to leave my mother. I can't bear to leave. I'm so scared..."
Wang touched her face and said, "You're grown up now. You have to rely on yourself in the future. Think carefully before you encounter anything. Don't be afraid. Nothing is impossible. But don't let yourself be wronged. Live happily. Don't be like mother. Don't forget who you are just because you become someone else's wife or daughter-in-law."
"Eldest sister has a miserable life too. She's in the palace, she's in the palace... Alas... She has no one to talk to. You should write to her more often and listen to her talk. You are sisters, you should support each other..."
"I know, Mother, I know."
Lin Zhegui's mumbling voice came from the inner room, and then he said in surprise: "Mom! You're awake!"
Wang was actually most worried about Lin Zhegui—he was still so young. But she didn't say anything to her daughter. The world was always more tolerant of men. She said to Lin Zhegui, "My brother, you must study hard. If you have a promising future, your two sisters will have confidence. You must remember to support them, okay?"
Lin Zhegui nodded vigorously. "I will study hard and become a high-ranking official! Then no one will dare to bully my elder sister. I have written many blessing characters for my elder sister and will give them to her on her birthday... When it is my mother's birthday, I will also write a longevity character for her..."
Wang smiled, her voice gradually becoming softer: "Then I'm relieved."
Every word Wang said sounded like a last will and testament. Lin Youan felt uneasy and burst into tears. "Mom, I beg you to stop..."
Lin Meiju stood outside the corridor and shed tears silently. She didn't know whether she was crying for others or for herself.
Her heart was torn apart, one side turned to mud, while the other side bloomed in the mud.
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