The two remained silent on the path where they had exchanged vows, until they almost reached the secret place...
Despite her pale face, Madam Ge's eyes were unusually bright. After a moment's thought, she remembered the girl she had seen at the Marquis's residence that day. She quickly asked, "Is she Luo Yifang's granddaughter?"
Chu Yening smiled again, a slight curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. Just as he was about to reply, a gentle, cool voice suddenly rang out from outside Fanyin Hall: "Is Fourth Brother in the study?"
Then came Songyang's reply: "Third Aunt of the Chu family has arrived at the manor. The Marquis and she are currently in Fanyin Hall. Please come with me, young lady."
The vast Marquis's mansion had not seen any new servants since the young Marquis Jingning was exiled to the border ten years ago and no servants had been added until his return to the capital this spring. As Songyang led Qin Weixi forward, he thought to himself that the Marquis had specifically instructed that if anyone from the Luo family came here, there was no need to announce their arrival.
Jiuqu was dozing off, leaning against the wall under the eaves with his arms crossed, when he heard a girl's voice and immediately snapped awake.
Qin Weixi was somewhat puzzled. She hadn't informed the Jingning Marquis's residence beforehand, yet Songyang led her directly to the study. She raised an eyebrow at Jiuqu before her and asked Songyang, "Don't you need to announce my arrival?"
Chu Yening, who had been sitting casually in the armchair, suddenly stood up. He then glanced behind Qin Weixi, who had already walked to the eaves, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He asked, "Where's Sparrow Tongue?"
She and Feng Hua each carried a food box. The two placed the boxes on the flower table, and Qin Weixi bowed to Madam Ge in front of her as a junior.
Ge's smile widened, and she quickly turned to ask Chu Yening, "Is this the little girl?"
Chu Yening smiled but didn't speak. Madam Ge quickly reached to her temple, then realized it wasn't appropriate, so she reached into her sleeve, took off a jade bracelet, and greeted Qin Weixi with a smile: "I came out in a hurry today, and I really don't have anything worthwhile to give as a gift. This jade bracelet is a bit too meager. I'm afraid Brother Shanming and Sister Zhen will be unhappy."
Shanming was the courtesy name of Luo's grandfather, and Azhen was the childhood name of Luo's grandmother. Qin Weixi found it very familiar, and Chu Yening suddenly smiled and said, "Isn't this Third Aunt's family heirloom?"
Upon hearing this, Madam Ge glared at him: "What? You don't like my jade bracelet?"
Chu Yening said, "I'm overjoyed that my great-aunt gave me a jade bracelet." He then looked at Qin Weixi and said, "But I remembered that my mother also left me something back then, a hairpin that my father gave to my mother as a token of our love. Little Seventh Sister, why don't I give it to you today as well? Consider it a belated birthday gift from Fourth Brother to you for the past ten years." He quickly added, "Since it's from my great-aunt, I'll accept it."
Seeing this, Qin Weixi no longer refused and hurriedly stepped forward to take the jade bracelet, saying, "Thank you, Auntie."
Madam Ge nodded in satisfaction, and was about to ask her grandmother, who was in Jiangnan, when she suddenly caught a glimpse of her little monkey grandson beside her, who was intently watching the girl in front of her. Realizing that staying any longer would be inappropriate, she felt relieved.
She quickly stood up, and Qin Weixi rushed forward to help her. Chu Yening asked, "Is Auntie leaving?"
Madam Ge feigned a stern face and gave a cold "humph": "Why don't you leave? I'll be an eyesore here. Take back what you just said, Auntie." She then turned and gently patted Qin Weixi's slender hand that was resting on her arm: "Please give my regards to your grandmother."
Qin Weixi quickly had Feng Hua take the food box that had been placed on the flower table, and said with a smile, "It's just some food that I made casually. If you like it, Auntie, please take it with you."
She knew of the Ge family, and also of the seven Chu family uncles who had died in battle while following Emperor Taizu on his campaigns. Back then, her mother would often visit this widowed old man.
Feng Hua removed the lid, and Madam Ge saw that it was Suzhou boat snacks and buttered abalone and snails, and chuckled again. The boat snacks were a famous snack in Jiangnan, with glutinous rice flour wrapped around many sweet fillings. Her husband had asked someone to send her a box when he was still alive. After her husband died in battle, she never ate these things again.
Madam Ge sighed softly, then looked back at the little monkey staring longingly at her. She laughed and said, "If I eat this snack today, I'm afraid someone won't be able to sleep tonight!" Then, leaning on her cane, she gestured for Qin Weixi to stay and walked away.
Qin Weixi blinked and looked at Chu Yening standing in the distance. Chu Yening smiled and said, "I'll go see my aunt off. Wait for me."
She nodded and was about to find a chair to sit down when Feng Hua suddenly nudged her elbow gently beside her. She turned around and saw that Feng Hua's ears were flushed red.
"Miss, look..." Feng Hua's voice was very low. She followed Feng Hua's gaze and looked over. She had left in a hurry after being injured at the Jingning Marquis's residence that day and hadn't come to the main hall of the mansion. Just now, because the third aunt of the Chu family was here, she hadn't looked too closely. In the center of the main hall, besides the two grand chairs in front of her, there was a daybed and a chaise lounge on both sides, and the walls were decorated with pictures of a young man in a red robe practicing swordsmanship.
Qin Weixi's lips twitched. Feng Hua, who was beside him, suddenly burst out laughing again.
At this moment, Chu Yening returned, and Feng Hua quickly stopped laughing and hid behind Qin Weixi. After entering the main room, Chu Yening saw the expressions of the master and servant, raised an eyebrow, and was about to speak when his face suddenly darkened for some reason: "Where's Sparrow Tongue?"
Qin Weixi recalled meeting Queshe in the market and how Queshe explained her purpose. She smiled and said, "I met Queshe in the market. She happens to be familiar with Jiubao, so I asked her to deliver some toys for the children." She then pointed to the two food boxes and said, "It's only fair to reciprocate. I'm returning a small gift for a great favor. Fourth Brother, please don't mind."
A sharp glint flashed in Chu Yening's eyes upon hearing this. He had instructed Sparrow Tongue not to appear unless absolutely necessary.
He frowned slightly: "What happened?"
Qin Weixi didn't hide anything, and said briefly and neatly, "It's nothing, I ran into Li Chuirong. Fourth Brother, my status is different now, if she were in the Luo residence, she would probably cause you a lot of trouble." After saying that, she pointed to the food box on the table: "Eat it while it's fresh."
Chu Yening smiled at her bright, blinking eyes, and didn't mention the Sparrow Tongue again. Then, he opened the food box and saw the pastries inside. His brows furrowed slightly as he asked her, "When did you learn to make these things?"
Qin Weixi said, "Since I have nothing to do in Jiangnan, I'll take the time to learn."
Chu Yening turned to look at her: "No need."
In her youth, compared to the daughters of prominent families in the capital, she was not proficient in needlework or cooking. As for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, she wasn't an expert, but she was passable.
“You don’t need to know how to do these things,” he said again. “Would you like to see Grandpa Sun?”
Qin Weixi thought for a moment and nodded. She left Feng Hua to rest in the flower hall, and Chu Yening instructed the only cook in the mansion to serve her food.
He casually picked up the two food boxes, led Qin Weixi out of the Fanyin Hall, then gradually slowed his pace, falling a step behind her, and instructed Songyang and Jiuqu, who were waiting under the eaves, "Go to the secret prison."
Songyang hurriedly replied, "Yes." Jiuqu, however, looked at this person with suspicion, then at that person.
The two remained silent the whole way, but as they approached the secret prison, Chu Yening suddenly said, "It rained last night."
Qin Weixi was completely bewildered by this sudden remark, but Chu Yening remained silent. The secret cell was damp and dark, lit only by a few torches. Song Yang pushed open the unlocked door, and Chu Yening, who had been walking a step behind her, suddenly stepped in first, stepping down the stone steps and naturally extending her hand as she had done with Fanxia Lake.
He said, "It gets darker the further we go in, hold on tight to me."
Qin Weixi reached out and touched him, the scent of blood instantly filling her senses. The stench of blood filled her nostrils, leaving her mind blank for a moment. She remembered the nightmare from that night, her brother's face, mouth, and teeth covered in blood.
The warm, delicate hand that was resting on Chu Yening's palm suddenly paused. When he looked up and saw her trembling slightly, he immediately grasped it tightly without hesitation.
Qin Weixi looked up at the dim end behind Chu Yening. That day, Chu Yening had spoken of Sun Daban, who had been very defiant. Even though he had been poisoned, losing his voice and one eye, the matter of Woxue Pavilion was still unclear, and she had few clues about the culprit who had killed her father. She withdrew the foot she had already stepped down the stone steps, then shook her head and said, "It's not the right time yet."
“Alright. We’ll have plenty of opportunities,” Chu Yening said.
Just then, footsteps sounded behind him, followed by a figure walking up from the dim light. Qin Weixi looked up and saw a very robust, middle-aged man in his fifties with a full beard.
She was startled: "Uncle Zhong!" The hand suddenly slipped out of Chu Yening's palm, and she then lifted her skirt and ran towards the burly man.
Uncle Zhong was taken aback; it had been a very long time since he had heard such a clear and melodious daughter's voice.
He strode forward and stepped out of the shadows. Songyang then opened the prison cell wide again, letting in the sudden light of day and allowing both of them to see each other clearly. Zhong Ti looked at the now graceful young girl before him with eyes that seemed to look at a young girl with the eyes of someone looking at a little girl, eyes brimming with tears. He suddenly recalled the days when he was entrusted by the old Marquis to teach the heir of the Duke of Dingguo swordsmanship at the Qin residence.
Zhong Ti smiled with satisfaction: "I'm getting old. My daughter has grown up so much. Look, even if I met a little girl on the street, she would be scared to tears by me. What little girl would still call me Uncle Zhong so sweetly? Of course, it's the Duke's little daughter!"
With tears in his eyes, Qin Weixi smiled and said, "You are the upright and unyielding Mr. Meibin!"
Zhong Ti couldn't help but sigh, "Two poor children!"
Song Yang, standing behind her, looked on with great surprise. Then he saw Jiu Qu, who was now agape, stammering, "The Duke... the Duke's youngest daughter?"
"The Qin family?"
Zhong Ti chuckled, hands behind his back, and exchanged a glance with Chu Yening: "The real deal!"
"Ah!" Jiuqu scratched the back of his head and paced back and forth in front of Qin Weixi, recalling the scene at Jingyun Temple that day, the assassination attempt behind Woxue Pavilion, and the basket of flower crabs sent by Imperial Censor Zheng. He had even mentioned the girl he had mistaken for the younger sister of Luo Zhanshi.
Tears welled up in Jiuqu's eyes as she looked at Qin Weixi and said, "Your subordinate, your subordinate was confused. Who knew that your subordinate loved to eat crabs? Even the Marquis didn't know. Only you, young lady, knew."
Chu Yening glanced at him with a sullen look upon hearing this.
Jiuqu blinked, then looked at her with a hearty smile, bowed and said, "It's so good that you're still alive, Miss. I sincerely hope that you will be free from disasters and hardships and be happy every year."
Upon hearing this, Qin Weixi curtsied generously and said, "Then I'll accept your kind words."
Chu Yening said, "Go to my study? I have something important to tell you."
Qin Weixi said, "Important matter? Are you trying to trick me?"
Chu Yening: "..."
The two arrived at the study of the Marquis of Jingning's residence, where Jiuqu and the others had already retreated to a distance. The deeper Qin Weixi went, the heavier her heart became. The once vibrant and flourishing mansion now exuded desolation and coldness, especially outside the study. Looking at the many withered trees in the courtyard, she asked, "Why is no one tending to them?"
Chu Yening suddenly stopped, turned around to look at her, and smiled, saying, "I don't want to."
Qin Weixi suddenly recalled that when Aunt Chu passed away, he had suddenly disappeared for several days. When she saw him again, he still had that same unruly, youthful spirit. Her heart ached. Women can cry out loud when they are wronged, but men are reluctant to shed tears because of their pride. Back then, he was still a young man. His father died tragically on the frontier, and perhaps his only solace was this courtyard that Uncle Chu used to frequent.
The two entered the study, and Qin Weixi said, "What is it, Fourth Brother? Is there nothing confidential in Fourth Brother's study? May I come in as I please?" Looking up, he saw that the man's jaw was tense. A moment later, he heard him say, "It's nothing. Did the Crown Prince go to the Luo family last night?"
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