Feelings arose: "Don't offend our young lady's ears." Songyang...
Qin Weixi watched their figures recede into the distance, leaving only the two of them outside the thatched hut. Recalling their earlier conversation about the inner court and the Eastern Depot, Qin Weixi suddenly thought of Chen Guiyi, who always made her feel uneasy.
She looked at Chu Yening and said carefully, "Fourth Brother, do you know Chen Guiyi, the current Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial?"
Chen Guiyi, who quickly rose from a palace servant to the position of Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Director of the Eastern Depot, succeeding Sun Shaopu.
It's Chen Guiyi again!
Chu Yening raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
Old Zhang emerged from the thatched hut, carrying a plate of candied fruit. He chuckled and said, "Young master, you only know how to fight and protect our soldiers. You have no idea about these intricacies. It seems that some things are much more convenient with a young lady by your side." His sharp eyes now revealed a kind smile: "These are candied fruits that I specially made. Young lady, please try them."
Qin Weixi quickly stood up and thanked him, "Thank you, sir. I am but a junior and I am not very knowledgeable. I just said whatever came to mind." Then he picked up a piece of candied fruit and put it in his mouth.
Chu Yening chuckled from the side, "Is the taste acceptable?"
Qin Weixi stopped chewing. She remembered the taste of this candied fruit from when she was young, when she ate it at the Chu family mansion.
She quickly looked at Old Zhang: "Uncle, are you a member of the Chu family?"
Old Zhang stroked his beard and laughed heartily: "I was a member of the Chu family army, and I was also an old cook under the general back then. The general loved to eat this candied fruit that I made. But before the candied fruit was ready, the general led us on an expedition."
Qin Weixi looked surprised: "Uncle?"
Old Zhang laughed again: "The little girl is Le Jin and Pei Zhen's granddaughter? No wonder for a moment I thought I saw Le Jin."
Qin Weixi suddenly stood up: "Old man, do you recognize my ancestor?"
Old Zhang nodded: "I fought alongside your grandparents back then."
Qin Weixi asked, "Why is Old Man Zhang here?"
Chu Yening smiled at her from the side.
Upon hearing this, Old Zhang laughed heartily, then took off the coarse cloth cloak covering him, revealing an empty sleeve underneath.
Old Zhang said, "When you're out in the world, you need to be able to pick up a bow and draw a sword to kill the enemy. I haven't been able to go to the battlefield for ten years." He shook his head again and sighed softly, "Back then, the young prince was half-dead but insisted on rushing back to the capital. At that time, the city was full of smoke and slaughter. The young prince almost lost his life at the border to save Li Mou, and I lost this arm while saving the young prince."
As he said this, his eyes flashed with a cold light: "Back then, the young prince wanted me to return to my hometown to live out my old age in peace, so he bought me fertile land, a mansion, and servants. Or he wanted me to stay in the capital and live out my old age in the Marquis's mansion. But back then, all I knew was how to fight on the battlefield and kill enemies. I didn't achieve anything great, so not many people knew me. After making my choice, I decided to stay in the capital and opened a teahouse. With my old life on my side, I kept an eye on things and exposed those two-faced villains who had set things up back then. But ten years have passed since then, and now that traitor Li is dead."
Qin Weixi recalled everything Chu Yening had told him at the Qin family mansion that day. Back then, he had disregarded everything, even after hearing the shocking news of his uncle Chu's tragic death at Huangtupo, he still wanted to save his father, mother, and brother, who were in dire straits, as well as her, who was in Jiangnan and was rushing to the capital just like him.
So if she had written to the Northwest sooner back then, would the heavy weight in her heart have been lifted sooner? She sat down again, looked at Chu Yening, and after a long while, said to him, "Fourth Brother, are you stupid?"
Old Zhang suddenly slipped away quietly.
Chu Yening raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Right now, we still need to think of a way to get Wu Yunkai to show up."
Qin Weixi thought about Mu Tong's past in the Qin family: "I'll try to find a way."
Chu Yening was about to pour her another cup of cool tea, but hesitated for a moment: "It's windy outside, let's go inside to avoid the wind. Yao Zizhu is with Uncle Zhang now. Before leaving the palace, I already told Queshe to have Lao Tao and the others find a way to get here."
She quickly realized: "Fourth Brother wants to ask about that iron certificate?"
Chu Yening had already stood up, picked up the two cups of tea on the table, and walked towards the house: "Qin Luo, come quickly."
Upon hearing this, Qin Weixi frowned and said, "You are not allowed to..." However, the person had already vanished without a trace.
The thatched hut was very simple. Qin Weixi had just sat down when he heard him laugh and say, "I'll go see if I can find you some dried peaches." He then raised an eyebrow and said, "Don't you like to put dried peaches in your tea the most?"
Qin Weixi blinked: "...Fourth Brother, is there anything else you don't know?"
Chu Yening chuckled softly and walked away gracefully. She suddenly felt an unusual heat coursing through her body. Glancing around the room again, she saw a bamboo fan on the small table, quickly picked it up, and gently waved it. After a moment, she realized it wasn't appropriate; if he returned and saw this, the weather was much cooler than usual today, and she didn't need the fan.
Thinking of this, she got up and put the bamboo fan back, then went to look behind the house. Suddenly, she heard a scream from behind the house. Without listening closely, she knew it was Yao Zizhu's voice. She jumped up, but as soon as she took a step, she felt a sharp pain in her heart and a wave of shock. She clutched her chest with one hand and instinctively fell back onto the bamboo bed behind her.
As Chu Yening stepped into the house, he saw this scene and quickly walked over to help her. However, just as she lost her balance and fell, she grabbed his clothes haphazardly, and the two of them fell onto the bamboo couch.
"Fourth Brother!" Qin Weixi exclaimed in surprise.
Chu Yening had placed one hand under the back of her head and the other on the bamboo couch, his whole body seemingly floating in the air, enveloping her in his arms.
The warm breath from his nose, the familiar faint scent of tangerines, and the long eyelashes fluttering above his bright eyes.
Their eyes met, and Chu Yening's throat bobbed. Looking at Qin Weixi, he immediately blushed. Then, using the force of her hand, she abruptly stood up, unknowingly bumping her head against his chin.
Chu Yening was still unable to dodge in time, and then quickly felt a pain in her jaw.
He stroked his chin and slowly said, "Qin Weixi!"
Old Zhang coughed lightly and entered the house at the opportune moment. Qin Weixi chuckled twice and quickly hid behind Old Zhang.
Old Zhang chuckled, looking at the two children who had lost their father at a young age and shared the same fate, and couldn't help but feel pity. His eyes were full of kindness: "I'll make a few light dishes, and after you eat, you can go back to the city sooner."
As soon as they finished speaking, the three heard intermittent footsteps outside the house. A moment later, Tao Qingyun, dressed in a fitted blue robe, entered the house with an elegant air, lifting her robe with one hand. Jiang Yuanjun, dressed in a moon-white brocade robe, her black hair tied high with a golden crown, entered with a faint smile on her face. The two bowed and greeted Old Man Zhang, who nodded and smiled repeatedly but quickly stepped aside to let them pass.
Tao Qingyun seemed to sense the atmosphere in the room just now, smiled and said, "A-Ling didn't come. He said it would be too conspicuous if we all came, and he would rather stay in front and act as a shield, and sit in the back to keep order."
Jiang Yuanjun said, "A-Fu has been frequently sick lately and doesn't like to leave the house, so I haven't mentioned these things to her."
Qin Weixi watched the two people enter the house one after the other, and her eyes suddenly met those of Jiang Yuanjun, who was standing close by. That rainy night at Tingyu Pavilion...
She smiled faintly at Jiang Yuanjun, but it was a genuine smile, and called out, "Fifth Brother."
Upon hearing this, Tao Qingyun suddenly flicked her on the head: "Little girl, why don't you greet your third brother?"
Jiang Yuanjun smiled gently, no longer as indifferent as before, and nodded: "Seventh Sister."
As soon as he finished speaking, a dark figure flashed past them, followed by another scream from Yao Zizhu in the backyard. Tao Qingyun's lips twitched, and she muttered, "A sweet-faced but ruthless old fox."
The group headed towards the backyard. Jiang Yuanjun gradually slowed down, walking alongside Qin Weixi, and said softly, "Seventh Sister, I've heard about the imperial edict. But I've never heard my grandfather mention it, nor has my father." He looked at the girl in front of him and said, "I'm thinking of finding an opportunity to go up the mountain to see my grandmother another day. Perhaps she..."
"No, wait." Qin Weixi suddenly interrupted him, her voice very soft: "Fifth Brother, let's not disturb her for now."
Tao Qingyun said, "Since Yao Zizhu is working for that Liang traitor, wouldn't he be the best candidate if he could turn against him?"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuanjun chuckled and said, "What if he refuses to work for us?"
Tao Qingyun said resentfully, "What other way is there to deal with this kind of person besides using force?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Weixi's heart stirred, and she suddenly recalled the psychological warfare strategy her grandfather had told her when she was young. It involved deeply dismantling the enemy's psychology, then destroying their spirit, and achieving a goal amidst their chaos.
Yao Zizhu had been confined to a dimly lit woodshed for the past few days. As soon as Qin Weixi entered, she was greeted by the enticing aroma of meat. Then she saw Chu Yening sitting leisurely in a bamboo chair, sipping tea. Upon seeing them enter, he simply said, "Sit."
Tao Qingyun rubbed her eyes, clearly incredulous, and then burst into laughter. Qin Weixi followed Tao Qingyun's gaze and saw that Yao Zizhu was now "roughly" bound to a rack by many thick ropes. A few steps away from him, a hemp rope hung down from the roof beam, with a fragrant braised chicken leg tied tightly inside it.
The braised chicken leg dangled in front of Yao Zizhu, making his stomach rumble, as he hadn't eaten in a long time.
"...You bunch of bastards." Yao Zizhu cursed weakly, his body trembling with hunger.
Qin Weixi's lips twitched involuntarily.
Tao Qingyun laughed non-stop and turned to her, saying, "Only your good brother could come up with such a wicked plan."
Despite Yao Zizhu's foul language, Chu Yening seemed oblivious, showing no anger whatsoever. He then casually pulled over a bamboo chair and sat down, saying, "Don't defile our young lady's ears. Songyang, cut off one of his ears to add to Zhoufeng's meal."
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