Chapter 119 Why did Meng Xi send a secret letter?
The door closed softly, and the room fell silent.
Wan Wanning's gaze timidly darted around the room...
The carved dressing table, the soft brocade quilt, and even the faint, elegant fragrance in the air.
What an exquisite and elegant boudoir.
She used to live in a dark, low, and cramped little house.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the rough hem of her clothes.
She raised her head and looked at Dongrou, her voice so weak it was almost inaudible: "Sister Dongrou... can I really stay by Madam Lu's side from now on?"
Seeing her cautious demeanor, Dongrou softened her voice: "Of course you can. Since you've asked, please feel at ease staying here. My mistress is kind-hearted, and everyone in the embroidery house is friendly, so you don't need to feel awkward."
Wan Wanning responded softly, lowering her head even further, but her gaze involuntarily drifted towards Dong Rou's hair—
There was a small pearl hairpin there, not luxurious, but unique and gentle.
She couldn't help but whisper, her tone filled with cautious envy: "Sister Dongrou... what you're wearing... is so beautiful."
She paused, then lowered her voice, "Do you... usually wear such pretty hairpins?"
Upon hearing this, Dongrou raised her hand and gently touched the hairpin, smiling as she said, "This was a gift from my wife. She thought it suited me and made me look presentable."
A hint of disbelief flashed across Wan Wanning's eyes as she murmured, "My elder sister... once gave me a wooden hairpin..."
Her voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of melancholy, "It's just... not as exquisite as my sister's, and life is hard. I've never had the good fortune to wear something like my sister every day."
As soon as she said it, she seemed to realize her mistake and quickly pursed her lips, a blush of embarrassment spreading across her face.
Dongrou smiled and said, "My lady just instructed that if you are short of anything or need anything, please just tell me and I will get it right away."
Upon hearing this, Wan Wanning's eyes brightened slightly, but she quickly lowered her head and said timidly in a voice barely audible, "Sister Dongrou... everything in this room is already perfect, I... I have nothing to lack..."
She paused for a moment, glanced at Dongrou's hairpin, then quickly lowered her eyes, her tone filled with cautious probing and envy: "But... Sister Dongrou... the one you're wearing... is so beautiful. I... could I also have one... like this? It doesn't have to be so fancy... something simple will do..."
Seeing her timid yet eager appearance, Dongrou felt a surge of warmth in her heart and said gently with a smile, "I'll go and tell my wife right away, and I promise to pick out a more suitable one for you."
On the second floor of the small building, candlelight flickered gently in the boudoir.
Lu Zhaoruo leaned against the window, her fingertips pressed against her throbbing temples, feeling a splitting headache.
The man with the veiled hat and tall, upright figure always seemed to intrude into her mind at inopportune moments...
The brutal assault in the thatched hut three years ago and the ruthless yet timely rescue in the Shuyu Courtyard two days ago—these two completely different scenes intertwined wildly, almost tearing her reason apart.
Is he a shameless villain or a righteous benefactor?
What troubled her even more was her past life...
Two years later, he stood silently at the foot of the steps, his voice hoarse but firm: "Come with me. I will repay what I owe you with the rest of my life."
Her response to him was a decisive, heart-wrenching blow.
He didn't flinch or dodge, letting the sharp blade pierce him, but just stared intently at her, as if the piercing pain was nothing compared to the remorse in his heart.
Thinking of this, Lu Zhaoruo's head ached even more.
This man is a perpetrator, savior, and redeemer all in one...
She didn't know where to place him in her heart.
The sound of Dong Rou gently knocking on the door rang out.
She snapped out of her thoughts and said, "Come in."
Dongrou stepped forward and whispered, “Madam, Miss Wan has settled in. She seemed timid, and all the furnishings in the room were excellent, with nothing lacking… In the end, she only asked in a low voice if she could have a hairpin similar to the one in my hair.”
She paused slightly, her tone hesitant: "But... Madam, Miss Wan is, after all, the sister of a criminal. If she stays in the boudoir for too long, it might damage your reputation. If outsiders find out, they will inevitably criticize her behind her back, which could cause trouble."
Lu Zhaoruo said calmly, "Her sister sacrificed her own life to save my plan. Since I promised her, I will not go back on my word."
Dongrou hesitated: "But..."
Lu Zhaoruo looked calmly at Dongrou: "Tell everyone that she is the daughter of an old friend of mine. Her family suffered a misfortune and she had no one to rely on, so she came to seek refuge with me. I took pity on her and adopted her as my sworn sister. Tomorrow, you will take her to see Madam Yang and let her start by learning to identify silk threads and needlework. She can also listen and learn accounting from the side."
"Since I promised Wan Miaoniang, I will naturally give her a stable future."
Lu Zhaoruo said calmly, "You should also pay more attention to her character and qualities. If she is someone who can be cultivated, she can stay in the embroidery building to manage affairs, or handle other matters for me. It is all up to her own destiny."
Upon hearing this, Dong Rou understood.
She immediately replied respectfully, "Yes, this servant understands what to do."
The commander's quarters at the naval camp.
Xiao Ye returned without anyone noticing. As soon as he took off his black night clothes, his personal guard Wang Wu appeared silently like a shadow.
He knelt on one knee, his voice solemn: "Commander, those henchmen we captured the night before last all committed suicide by poison after you left! Your subordinate is willing to accept punishment!"
Xiao Yeming's eyes suddenly turned cold, and he remained silent.
That night, he led his troops to lie in wait and witnessed the Maritime Trade Office personnel secretly trading with the Japanese pirates, which allowed him to capture them all in one fell swoop.
During the escort, they happened to see Lu Zhaoruo's personal attendant, Sun Jing, running past with a panicked expression...
He knew that Sun Jing was being kept by her side, and this situation must indicate that something serious had happened to her.
He then handed the captured criminals over to Wang Wu for safekeeping and hurried off to Sweetwater Lane...
Unexpectedly, he actually stumbled upon her in dire straits.
Now that all the criminals have committed suicide and the trail has gone cold, it is difficult to find out who the "official" behind the scenes is.
Xiao Yeming knew it was his fault, so he stopped blaming Wang Wu and said, "This is not your fault."
Wang Wu paused for a moment, then reported, "However... the day before yesterday morning, Meng Xi, the eldest son of Lord Meng who came from the capital, sent someone to deliver a jar of wine, specifically addressing the commander by name. The wine has been tested and is not poisonous, but... I still feel that there is something strange about this matter."
Xiao Yeming's gaze fell on the jar of wine.
He poured out all the wine, and sure enough, there was a rolled-up piece of plain paper at the bottom of the jar.
He took it out and unfolded it, revealing a plain note that read: "The other day, I overheard my father furiously rebuking one of his subordinates for secretly colluding with someone from the Maritime Trade Office, plotting personal gain, and even suspected of treason. However, all bark and no bite; after the rebuke, nothing more was said. It seems my father, to protect his official reputation, has decided to turn a blind eye. Such sordid matters are uninteresting to look at and tiresome to keep. Anyway, the clues are here, which may be of some help to the General. We can burn this filth away cleanly. As for who it is, the General will have to investigate himself."
Xiao Yeming held the note in his hand, his gaze as calm as a still pool.
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