044
The investigation into the Lu Tong Academy incident was not pursued further. Qin Sang and her group set off early the next morning to continue their journey to Kyoto.
On her way, she wrote down the names of all the successful officials in the Lutong Academy on paper and pen, intending to find an opportunity to inquire about them after returning to the capital.
Half a month later, the carriage entered the capital smoothly, like a pebble dropped into the sea, silently blending into the countless luxurious carriages of the powerful and wealthy, and arriving at the gate of the Prime Minister's residence without any disturbance.
Knowing that the Prime Minister had an old friend's orphan who was about to enter the mansion, the mansion had already arranged for someone to pick him up. After a brief handover, Shen Que handed the person over to Aunt Kong in the inner courtyard.
Aunt Kong was a long-time servant in the Prime Minister's residence. She was meticulous, experienced, steady, and taciturn. She didn't say much at the moment, but quietly led the person to the inner courtyard that had been arranged in advance.
As Qin Sang walked and observed, she marveled at how large the Prime Minister's residence truly was. The flowers, trees, pavilions, towers, and gardens all exuded a sense of solidity and stability, unlike the delicate and graceful style of the Southern gardens with their winding streams and floating wine cups.
Qin Sang had never heard Qin Baoyun mention the Prime Minister's residence before, and everything inside was unfamiliar to her.
Ying'er and Lingding followed closely behind, and although they tried to keep it under control, it was clear that they were both quite excited.
After passing through corridors and courtyards, we finally entered an open gate, inside which was a simple and elegant little courtyard. Aunt Kong succinctly explained that this was Qin Sang's residence.
It had already been cleaned and the flowers and plants had been carefully tended, so it looked spotless and very refreshing. However, compared to the naturally beautiful and unadorned courtyard in Lixian County, this little courtyard was actually a bit delicate.
Four maids stood under the eaves in the courtyard, all of them looking quite young. Aunt Kong said that these were arranged by the Prime Minister's residence for her to serve; two would do the cleaning and sweeping, and two would attend to her personally. If the young lady had her own arrangements, that was fine too. In short, these four maids were her people.
Aunt Kong said in a businesslike manner, "The Prime Minister instructed Miss to rest after entering. He will send someone to invite her to meet later. The kitchen is always ready with food. If Miss is hungry, please ask Caiye to fetch some. All the furnishings in the room are arranged according to the regulations for young ladies in the manor. If there is anything unsuitable, please just let me know."
Qin Sang nodded, glanced around briefly, and saw that the furnishings inside were simple and practical, not luxurious, but not simple either, and were indeed much more exquisite than the furnishings in remote small towns.
She stared at a bronze incense burner intricately carved with auspicious clouds, leaned closer to smell it, and exclaimed in delight, "The aroma of burning Nanmu tea?"
Aunt Kong said, "It was the second young master who instructed us, saying that the young lady would probably like this."
"Second Young Master?"
Aunt Kong's eyelashes fluttered, and she said, "Yes. The Second Young Master is the third-generation direct grandson of the Prime Minister's Mansion, and the eldest son of Second Master Yuan."
The old servant was experienced and composed; she only touched on the details and didn't elaborate further. The interpersonal relationships within the Prime Minister's residence were endless, and without being instructed, it wasn't her place to interfere.
Qin Sang nodded: "Thank you for your trouble. Everything is fine. If you have other things to do, Aunt, you don't need to stay here with me. If I need anything, I can ask the other aunts."
Aunt Kong's expression remained unchanged as she said "yes," but then added, "They're just a few young maids, Miss. You're the mistress here, so there's no need to be so polite. The Prime Minister's residence has a strict hierarchy, and no one dares to overstep the bounds."
Qin Sang thought to herself that the rules and regulations of the Prime Minister's residence were indeed extraordinary. She wondered which mistress was in charge now, as the servants below were well-trained.
After sending Aunt Kong away, she finally got a moment's relief. Although there was no need to pretend, one still had to maintain appearances in social interactions. If one didn't set the rules properly from the start, it would only cause trouble and invite gossip.
"Hahaha, I never knew you could be so well-behaved." Just as I was lost in thought, a familiar laugh suddenly came from the doorway.
Qin Sang didn't need to look to know that the speaker was none other than Xie Sui'an, the esteemed grandson of the Prime Minister's family.
Half a month had passed, and Xie Sui'an was even paler than when he was in Li County. It seemed he had been well taken care of since returning to the Prime Minister's residence. However, he had lost the carefree spirit of a young man and looked a bit too "delicate."
He stood in the reception room, still fanning himself with a folding fan. Qin Sang was in the living room. The two looked at each other for a moment through a bamboo and beaded curtain, and there was an unexpected awkwardness between them.
Qin Sang looked away from the window at the vibrant forsythia blossoms and sighed, "The Prime Minister's residence is truly enormous."
Xie Sui'an looked around and said, "If you need anything else, just tell me later. Don't be afraid of the trouble, otherwise you'll be the one who suffers in the end."
Qin Sang smiled at him and said, "Of course, do I look like the kind of person who would wrong myself?"
Xie Sui'an smiled and said, "Indeed," then finally asked, "How was your journey? It was a long way, did you experience any discomfort?"
Qin Sang glanced at Lingding, who understood and immediately took several maids to pack their belongings, leaving only Ying'er behind.
After everyone left, Qin Sang felt that the awkwardness had lessened a bit.
She came out of the inner room and went straight to a chair to sit down and drink tea. Ying'er, being obedient, immediately went over and poured a cup for Xie Sui'an as well.
Even so, the two were not as casual as they had been in Lixian County.
Qin Sang took a sip of tea and tried to keep her tone light: "Now that I'm here at your house, I'm considered a guest. Young Master Xie, aren't you afraid of your family gossiping about you coming to my courtyard so casually? You're not afraid, but I am."
Hearing that Qin Sang had arrived, Xie Sui'an was eager to see her. He had kept track of the time and hadn't left the house all day, even turning down two drinking engagements. But when they met, things had changed, and she seemed somewhat unfamiliar and awkward.
He should have known that everything had changed the moment he confirmed Qin Sang was Su Yun'er and learned that his grandfather was going to bring her home.
She was no longer Qin Sang, the arrogant and aloof beauty from the small county town; no longer Qin Sang, the pampered young woman who got along well with her neighbors; no longer Qin Sang, the small landowner who owned a tea garden on the mountain and could sit around the stove to brew tea and watch the clouds rise and fall on rainy days... She came to the capital as Su Yun'er, the daughter of a disgraced official, whose family had been destroyed and who had no one to rely on.
Young Master Xie, who had never thought about this question before, began to question why his grandfather had brought her back.
They gave her freedom, allowing her to grow carefree in the wild into a vibrant wildflower unafraid of wind and rain. So why did they suddenly bring her back, to this small, isolated place, to Kyoto, a city walled with dangers and thorns everywhere?
The naive young master had always thought that his grandfather was taking care of the orphan of an old friend, but when he saw the reserved smile on Qin Sang's face, he suddenly realized what was going on.
Seeing the other person suddenly freeze in surprise, Qin Sang said, "So you're scared after all?"
"What am I afraid of?" Xie Sui'an started fanning himself again. "By the way, why did you bring that woman along? Isn't she a bad person? Why keep her by your side?"
He pointed with his fan at Lingding, who had just left the house; this was none other than Su Qingyan from before.
Qin Sang also looked out and sighed, "After all, she's in an unfamiliar place. Having more helpers provides more protection. She has no relatives or friends here either, so how can she possibly make a name for herself?"
Xie Sui'an scoffed: "You make my house sound like a den of dragons and tigers. With me here, no one dares to bully you. You can rest assured."
Qin Sang finally revealed her usual smile: "That's true, after all, we've been through thick and thin together," she raised her eyes, "Then I'll have to rely on you from now on, brother."
Xie Sui'an had just begun to feel a sense of familiarity when he was stunned by the word "elder brother," causing his lips to twitch.
He looked at her naturally teasing smile and felt a chill in his heart, as if she really had no feelings about it and took it all for granted.
"Brother? What brother?" No, he couldn't be the only one who cared. He snapped, "You're putting on an act with me now, have you forgotten how you used and manipulated me before? You..."
"Oh, Brother Sui'an is here too." Xie Sui'an's words were interrupted by a sweet female voice.
Then, more light and dense footsteps came from outside the door, as if many people had arrived, many graceful and well-mannered women.
Qin Sang stood up, and Xie Suian also stood up. Seeing a group of women dressed in pink and green outside, he said coldly, "You've already brought so many people when the newcomers have just arrived. Aren't you afraid of scaring them?"
One of the long-faced women immediately retorted, "You're talking about us! You've already had your tea, you're even more eager than us sisters..." As she spoke, the long-faced woman lifted her skirt and stepped over the threshold to the main room. Upon seeing Qin Sang, her eyes lit up, "No wonder, such a beautiful younger sister!"
The long-faced woman stood at the door without stepping inside, and said with a hearty laugh, "Sister, would you please invite us in for a cup of tea? From now on, we'll all be family. Mother specially invited us over to get to know each other."
Qin Sang didn't recognize any of them, but judging from the "sisters" she mentioned, she guessed that they were all sisters of the same generation as Xie Sui'an in the Prime Minister's mansion.
She liked the long-faced woman's carefree attitude and immediately smiled and said, "Of course, please come in."
Three or five girls, along with their maids, squeezed into the small hall. They found carved chairs and sat down, leaving Xie Sui'an standing alone in the middle, becoming the center of attention.
The same long-faced woman teased him again: "What are you standing there for? You've had your tea and met your sisters, why are you still standing here? When did you start liking to hang out with your sisters? Aren't you going out for a drink today?"
"What do you mean by 'drinking at a brothel'? When have I ever drunk at a brothel! Xie Wu, don't spread rumors about me!" Xie Suian retorted through gritted teeth to the long-faced woman, then spun around in place before putting his hands behind his back and finding a chair near the door to sit down.
Xie Wu is the third daughter of Xie Sui'an's eldest uncle. She is over seventeen and still unmarried. She has a cheerful and lively personality and is the oldest among the girls. The others look to be around the same age as Qin Sang, while others are younger, appearing to be no more than eleven or twelve.
Xie Wu was advised by her mother that a new sister had arrived, and she should bring the girls to meet her so as not to neglect her. Unexpectedly, she saw Xie Sui'an upon arrival. Not only that, but Xie Sui'an, who had been teased, refused to leave and shamelessly sat down.
This man is usually a spoiled playboy who never stays at home. He likes to go out and hang out with his friends all day long. When has he ever liked to chat idly with the girls in the courtyard?
She had a bad feeling and said, "Hey? Xie Xiaoer, do you know this new girl?"
"Somewhat familiar." Xie Sui'an spoke sparingly, waving his fan with a rather reserved air.
He refused to leave because he was afraid that the group of sisters would bully Qin Sang, so naturally he had to stay here to protect her.
Xie Wu then asked, "How did you meet?"
"We met by chance on the way back to Kyoto."
"I see..." Xie Wu wanted to say that he must have deliberately flirted with the girl because she was pretty, but then he thought that they were all family now, and he couldn't say such things, so he had to let it go: "Alright, that's really fate. We are also destined to have such a beautiful sister as a companion. In the future, when we go out for social events, we will finally have someone to help us out and suppress the arrogance of that Princess Fangfei."
“Why does Sister Wu always boost other people’s morale?” A young girl who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old retorted. “That Princess Fangfei is only good at dressing up. If we’re really talking about looks, she’s not as good as our Ying’er. Ying’er is just young now, but when she grows up, she will be a beauty that can make fish sink and geese fall from the sky.”
The little girl with an oval face sitting next to her blushed and lowered her head.
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