Birthday celebration? "Wedding? Son-in-law?" Qin Weixi's mind raced...
Qin Weixi was both amused and exasperated. Finally, looking into those intensely fixed eyes of his, she asked, "Fourth Brother, aren't you afraid I'll run away with the huge sum of money?"
Chu Yening raised his eyebrows slightly upon hearing this: "If you can live a life of luxury and enjoy yourself with this huge sum of money, that's not impossible." He then took the opportunity to move even closer to her and said with a smile: "Seventh Sister, I'm afraid there won't be a chance to teach you archery today. Your Fourth Brother will definitely teach you another day, and this time I will not give up halfway."
Upon hearing this, Qin Weixi lifted a corner of the curtain and saw that the carriage had already approached the city. The bright, golden sunlight of dusk had quietly slipped away, and a crescent moon had quietly come to take its place.
The carriage suddenly stopped. It turned out that the Zhenfu Division colleagues and Commander Liang Xu and others were about to go to Shuiyun Tower for drinks. Feng Qianshi and Zhang Qianhu spotted the carriage from the Jingning Marquis's residence in the distance and quickly reminded everyone to tactfully move to the sides so that the carriage could greet their superiors.
The newly appointed commander was an unsociable and formidable figure, as everyone knew perfectly well.
Seeing that Jiuqu had slowed down his pace and hearing the laughter and chatter outside the carriage, Chu Yening knew that his trip was going badly and that he had run into an acquaintance.
Feng Qianshi had already cleverly taken the lead and, along with the garrison commander and the commander of the thousand households, bowed to the carriage of the Marquis of Jingning. Liang Xu, on the other hand, remained standing with his hands behind his back, seemingly oblivious to everyone else, his attitude arrogant, but a glint flashed in his eyes.
Feng Qianshi said, "We were just coming out of the Marquis's residence when the gatekeeper said that you were not here, so we thought we'd try our luck on the street. If you weren't here, we wouldn't be able to enjoy our drinks in peace."
She's clever.
A cold smile flickered across Chu Yening's lips as he lifted a corner of the curtain with a finger. Qin Weixi, using the light streaming into the carriage through that sliver, saw Liang Xu staring intently at the curtain by the window.
Liang Xu could also clearly see a woman sitting in the carriage of the Marquis of Jingning through the corner of the curtain that was lifted.
Qin Weixi's eyes instantly turned icy.
Chu Yening lazily raised his eyelids and said with a faint smile, "I don't like drinking, it's rare that Vice Minister Feng is so thoughtful."
"With my young lady here today, I have little desire to drink with that fellow."
Chu Yening remained completely hidden behind the curtain, neither getting out of the car nor showing his face. He only stretched out an arm and rested it on the edge of the car window. His words were not explicitly stated, leaving everyone exchanging bewildered glances.
That guy? There are so many people here today for this feast, who is that guy?
If one were to ask who the Marquis of Jingning harbored grudges against or who he disliked, he would always greet everyone he met at the government office with a smile, though that smile concealed a cold dagger. This was hardly surprising.
If anyone harbored resentment towards him, it would be Commander Liang, who had served as commander for many years and was replaced by the young Marquis of Jingning upon his return to the capital.
Thinking of this, Vice Commissioner Feng subconsciously looked back. Liang Xu was still standing with his hands behind his back, but his face was ashen.
Feng Qianshi shuddered in fright, then turned back and glanced slightly at the person behind the curtain. He caught a glimpse of the woman's silk robe, but that one glance was enough for him to remember the woman's graceful figure.
Before he could think it through, a blade flashed past from behind the curtain.
Feng Qianshi was startled again and quickly smiled and said, "If the young marquis has important business, then I will not disturb you any longer."
The curtains were drawn, and Chu Yening, seemingly from nowhere, produced a tinderbox, picked up an octagonal palace lantern lying on the ground, and lit it. He then grasped her suddenly cold hand. But that chill had already quietly spread throughout her body the moment she saw Liang Xu.
It was freezing cold.
Chu Yening softened her voice and said, "I didn't expect that Liang thief to be here today." Her voice was filled with undisguised apology.
Qin Weixi's gentle words warmed the chill that had been creeping through her body. She smiled and said, "Fourth Brother, I know."
Chu Yening took the opportunity to carefully pull her into his arms: "I don't know what Sun Zheng is begging Liang to do, but it won't be long before he becomes our prisoner as well."
Jiuqu, outside, brandished his riding whip and called out, "My lord, where are we headed now?"
"To the Luo residence!"
The carriage rumbled to the gate of the Luo residence, but Qin Weixi saw that he had no intention of leaving. Instead, he got off the carriage with her, directed Jiuqu to move the wooden box on the table, and then slipped the gold ingot into her hand.
"Just give it to her when you see the sparrow tongue later." He turned back to her and smiled, "Little Seventh Sister, you must keep it safe for me."
Qin Weixi's eyelids twitched when she saw him indeed about to hand her the box full of silver notes. She said, "I have no use for it. Before returning to the capital, my grandmother gave me many silver notes, and after returning, my brother also gave me a lot of his monthly salary, plus my mother at the old house that day..."
Chu Yening didn't allow her to explain, and slightly raised her chin to let Jiuqu go first: "What they gave you is what they gave you, what your fourth brother gave you is another matter. Take these for now, and your fourth brother will give them to you another day."
"besides?"
The two entered the Luo residence side by side, only to find that the residence was different from usual today, brightly lit and decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.
Chu Yening smiled and said, "Old Tao and the others are all here today. They said they absolutely have to celebrate your birthday."
Qin Weixi's eyes suddenly reddened, and tears glistened in them. The birthday banquet was held in the courtyard of Tingyuxuan. Pu Niang and Uncle Gu personally cooked a large table full of dishes. Zhao Shuhan and Ping An also arrived at the Luo residence in advance. Unlike that day, they now wore relaxed and happy smiles. Mu Tong and Zi Jin were also among them.
The table was full of people, but Zhenhui was missing. Jiang Yuanjun seemed to know what she was thinking, and her eyes showed a trace of sadness: "Afu has been suffering from a cold since spring and has not recovered. She has also been unable to leave the palace for a long time due to the assassination attempt some time ago. However, she asked me to bring you a gift."
Qin Weixi nodded, a faint smile appearing on her face, and asked, "Have you been taking your medicine properly?"
Jiang Yuanjun nodded with a smile, then asked, "Did you go to see the Empress Dowager? Is she alright?"
Qin Weixi said, "She is doing well. Today she ate a bowl of almond tea and a little noodle soup. When my fourth brother and I went there, she was still listening to opera in Xiaohe Garden." However, he made no mention of what Cui Lu had said.
This fifth brother has done enough for the Qin family.
Jiang Yuanjun listened with a smile.
The birthday banquet lasted until almost 7 PM before everyone went their separate ways. The elder brothers said they were only having a family meal, but they all gave birthday gifts without prior arrangement.
Luo Ling gave her his monthly salary as usual. Tao Qingyun laughed at him, but Luo Ling didn't care at all and said, "I gave her money, so my little sister can buy whatever she likes. Besides, having money on her side, I think it's perfectly fine."
Zhao Shuhan and Ping An handed over a food box at this moment, and said with a smile, "Ping An made it by hand. I just helped out."
Qin Weixi smiled and thanked Ping An. Zi Jin and Mu Tong also stepped forward and handed her a beautifully crafted dagger. Zi Jin said, "I was thinking of giving her pearl flowers, a silk skirt, rouge, and jewelry, but Mu Tong suggested that we give Miss a dagger for self-defense."
Qin Weixi smiled as she watched the two walking hand in hand, genuinely happy for them.
Tao Qingyun then presented him with a jade bracelet made of mutton fat jade, its texture delicate and pure, clearly a top-quality item. Qin Weixi immediately put it on his wrist.
Seeing this, Tao Qingyun looked smug: "Look, Little Seventh Sister likes it very much. None of you know how to give gifts as well as I do." She then asked Chu Yening, "Huh? You old fox, why haven't I seen your gift?" She ran to his side, looked him up and down, and saw that his hands were empty: "Where's the gift?"
Chu Yening simply looked at her and said, "The gift has already been given."
Tao Qingyun narrowed her eyes slightly and looked him over: "Alright, you even have to be one step ahead of us when it comes to giving gifts."
At this moment, Jiang Yuanjun stepped forward and handed a narrow wooden box, about the size of two palms, to Qin Weixi. Qin Weixi opened it and found a phoenix hairpin made of gold thread, while Jiang Yuanfu had given her a white magnolia hairpin with extremely fine craftsmanship.
But that phoenix hairpin was different from the others. Why was it called a phoenix hairpin? The gold threads must have been made by a skilled craftsman, and what was piled up was a phoenix of exquisite craftsmanship.
Since ancient times, the phoenix has represented the mother of the nation in folk culture.
Tao Qingyun had already craned her neck to look at the wooden box, and upon seeing it, she couldn't help but open her mouth in surprise, saying, "Isn't this the phoenix hairpin that Grandfather Jiang sent back then? He said that one day you..."
Tao Qingyun suddenly sensed that the atmosphere had changed instantly and quickly stopped herself from saying what she was about to say.
Jiang Yuanjun smiled calmly: "Yes, it was given to me by my late grandfather. But I have no other intention in giving this hairpin. Today, I only want to give it to my seventh sister as a birthday gift."
During her years in Jiangnan, Qin Weixi learned from letters sent to Jiangnan by her elder brother Luo Ling that the Eastern Palace had never had a Crown Princess or a Crown Prince's concubine. This hairpin was precious and was a phoenix. If she accepted it today because she had no ulterior motives, Empress Tao in Kunning Palace would probably send Qingpai to inquire about it tomorrow.
At this moment, Luo Ling stepped forward and said with a smile, "If my sister accepts this hairpin today, I'm afraid that when she finds out about this tomorrow, her family, who are infatuated with you, will be so rich that they won't be able to eat their fill."
“You’ve done something wicked, brother. Take it back now. Tomorrow, whether you buy a hundred or a thousand hairpins, or have a palace craftsman carefully make another hairpin, I won’t stop you.”
Zhao Shuhan also tried to step forward at this moment to ease the gradually quieting atmosphere.
Chu Yening, who had been silent all along, stood up from his chair at this moment and slammed the wooden box shut with one hand.
"Ugly." He left with just that one sentence and then casually sat back down.
Tao Qingyun's lips twitched, and he casually stuffed the wooden box containing the phoenix hairpin into his bosom: "I like it. Old wood, I'll keep it for you for now."
Seeing this, Qin Weixi smiled at Jiang Yuanjun and said, "Fifth Brother, these are all material things. I am very happy as long as you can come to celebrate my birthday."
By the moonlight, Jiang Yuanjun looked up and saw her almond-shaped eyes curved and a faint smile on her lips. She smiled and nodded in response.
The next day, when it was broad daylight.
Qin Weixi was awakened from her sleep by the impatient footsteps of Feng Hua in the outer room.
Hearing the noise from inside the inner room, Feng Hua quickly picked up the items in her hands and carefully pushed the door open to go in.
Qin Weixi rubbed her eyes, which were not fully open yet. Seeing that her expression was calm and slightly shy, without any panic, she felt relieved and lazily asked, "What happened? Xiao Fenghua, why are you up so early today?"
Feng Hua couldn't wait any longer and presented the item in her hand to the sleepy girl on the bed. She said urgently, "Miss, take a look. This is my first time making this. If it's not good, then I can't help it." Feng Hua's eyes showed a hint of embarrassment as she said this, and she added, "Everyone was here yesterday, so Pu Niang and I put the gifts away thinking of giving them to you today."
Upon hearing this, Qin Weixi opened her sleepy eyes and took the item with one hand. It felt as smooth as brocade, and upon closer inspection, she realized it was a pale yellow bib embroidered with pink hibiscus flowers.
"A bellyband?" she exclaimed in surprise.
Hearing her exclamation, Feng Hua quickly covered her mouth with her hand: "Pu Niang has asked me many times, but I have never said that it was made for Miss. This servant wanted to wear it on your wedding day, Miss." Finally, her ears turned red and she said: "Young Master, Young Master will definitely like it very much."
"A grand wedding? The son-in-law?" Qin Weixi's mind flashed for a moment, recalling the blurry figure in the dark brocade robe bowing to heaven and earth, and then the scene in the bridal chamber. Her eyes flickered, and she looked back at Feng Hua.
Suddenly, Pu Niang strode from the outer room to the bedside and quickly stuffed the bodice under the pillow.
"Oh dear, little Fenghua, aren't you ashamed? Aren't you ashamed!"
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