In the peach grove, Chu Yening once again embraced her, but felt...
Upon arriving at the peach orchard at the summit of Penglai, Tao Qingyun instructed Fa Cai and the others to set out food and drinks. Being easygoing people, they all sat down on the ground.
Tao Qingyun said with some emotion, "It's a pity that these peach blossoms covering the mountains and fields don't bear fruit, otherwise Third Brother would pick peaches for you to eat."
At this moment, a palace servant guarding the mountain approached Jiang Yuanjun and asked, "Your Highness and the young masters, will you be staying here tonight?"
Jiang Yuanjun shook his head, then looked at the people beside him with a questioning expression.
Chu Yening said first, "I have something to do tonight."
Luo Ling echoed this sentiment.
Fa Cai craned his neck and asked Tao Qingyun, "Young Master, are you going home tonight? I didn't have anyone leave the door open for us. The old master is still angry these past two days."
That night, after returning from the palace, Empress Tao summoned my father, the Earl of Chengyi, to the palace the next day. Upon learning of Tao Qingyun's outspokenness in the palace, the Earl of Chengyi was furious, rolling his eyes. He immediately returned home, retrieved his chicken-wing wood cane, and waited in the inner courtyard: "You little brat, I'm asking you why you haven't taken a wife! Don't you know how sensitive young women are? Is this the Luo family? I'll bring betrothal gifts and pay them a visit right away."
Tao Qingyun couldn't dodge in time, so she jumped up into the tree and laughed, "Oh dear, I was just kidding my aunt! You actually believed me?"
Upon hearing this, Tao Qingyun's face immediately darkened: "I won't..." He stopped there, noticing everyone looking at him. He glanced around, his gaze occasionally landing on Qin Weixi, who was sitting with Zhao Shuhan, a smile on her face. He snorted coldly and said, "If you don't want me to say it, I'm going back tonight."
Since that's the case, these women can't stay either.
Zhao Shuhan asked, "Are you going back to the city to see the lanterns?"
Tao Qingyun asked with a smile, "Is there a lantern festival in the city today? But it's the same old thing every year, it gets a bit boring." He leaned back lazily against a large blue stone and continued, "It's not as nice as the Star Gazing Pavilion here. If Seventh Sister were still here, we would go there every year to watch the stars."
The group was caught off guard by Tao Qingyun's sudden remark. The previously cheerful atmosphere suddenly froze.
Zhao Shuhan broke the silence at the right moment, laughing, "There's nothing new about it, it's just that Ping An likes it. I take Ping An to see the lanterns every year."
Ping An nodded repeatedly: "The lanterns are beautiful, let's buy some candy."
The group laughed heartily again and began eating pastries and drinking calamus wine.
Jiang Yuanfu was very quiet and absentmindedly ate her pastries. When she looked up, she saw Qin Weixi looking at the magnolia tree in the distance, only able to vaguely see the top of the tree.
She asked, "Eighth Sister, would you like to go there to play?"
Qin Weixi turned around, looked at her and smiled: "No. Isn't it better that everyone is here?"
"Ah Fu, I was just wondering if our friendship will be like that of Grandpa and the others?"
Jiang Yuanfu was taken aback. She thought for a moment, then got up and sat down next to her, smiling as she said, "Of course."
Jiang Yuanfu had been feeling down lately, and Qin Weixi assumed it was because of her leg injury. So, she specifically invited the Zhao siblings over. Firstly, Zhao Shuhan didn't have many close female friends in the capital, and Ping'an, due to her illness, also had no playmates. Having more contact with them and someone to talk to would be beneficial for Ping'an. Secondly, having another girl around would make it easier for the three of them to talk.
However, Qin Weixi had been somewhat distracted lately because of Mu Tong's brief appearance, and she had not been able to find him since that day.
Zhao Shuhan specially brought some zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) she had made herself from home and handed them to Qin Weixi and Jiang Yuanfu. Jiang Yuanfu smiled reluctantly, "Thank you, Xiaoshu. I ate too much for breakfast and can't eat now."
Zhao Shuhan asked her with some concern, "What's wrong with Afu lately?"
Qin Weixi glanced at Jiang Yuanfu and smiled as she comforted Zhao Shuhan, "It must be because of the hot weather these days that Afu isn't in a good mood."
Jiang Yuanfu suddenly spoke up: "Xiaoxing, wouldn't it be good to marry into the Jiang family? Since Seventh Sister passed away, I have rarely left the palace, and I have no playmates in the palace. Xiaoxing, Your Majesty will definitely treat you very, very well."
Zhao Shuhan, who was listening from the side, vaguely sensed something unspoken. She saw that Qin Weixi seemed hesitant to speak, and she understood. She said, "Afu, everyone has their own destiny. Xiaoxing probably doesn't want to enter the royal family. I have never heard Ajun mention this matter."
Jiang Yuanfu lowered her eyes: "Cousin is right. I always think that if Eighth Sister could always be by my side, I wouldn't have been unable to protect Seventh Sister like I was back then."
Qin Weixi hesitated before speaking, "Afu, one day I will still have to return to Jiangnan."
Jiang Yuanfu smiled, her expression apologetic, and said, "Eighth Sister, it was my oversight."
Qin Weixi looked at her: "Afu, you weren't like this before." She shifted her gaze to her knees: "The herbal paste that Third Brother brought back back then, hasn't it shown any effect?"
Jiang Yuanfu looked somewhat bewildered: "What kind of herbal paste?"
Qin Weixi looked at Jiang Yuanfu's puzzled expression. Back then, when she was in Jiangnan, she visited many outstanding doctors in Jiangnan during her spare time. It wasn't until she heard that a famous itinerant doctor came to Jiangnan to provide free medical treatment that she found a prescription for treating leg ailments. At that time, Tao Qingyun was traveling and passed through Jiangnan to visit the Luo family. Therefore, she asked Tao Qingyun to bring it back to the capital later.
But......
Qin Weixi said, "It's been too long. I just remembered that I forgot to give it to Third Brother that day."
Zhao Shuhan picked up a piece of chestnut cake and handed it to Jiang Yuanfu: "Afu, this chestnut cake is so delicious today. It was your favorite when you were little. Your great-aunt still remembers it."
Jiang Yuanfu shook her head and said, "I don't like it."
Zhao Shuhan was taken aback, then murmured to herself, "But I remember, Luo Luo would definitely like it."
Qin Weixi's ears suddenly turned red, a bittersweet feeling washing over her. Luoluo was the nickname her grandfather had given her. Legend had it that when her grandfather returned victorious from suppressing bandits in Luocheng, she was just born, her first cry escaping her mother's womb. Her grandfather was overjoyed, and the late emperor bestowed upon her the name Weixi, so he gave her the nickname Luoluo. Only a handful of people knew this, but she felt it clashed with her free-spirited nature. Sometimes when her brother called her that, her cheeks would flush red with annoyance, and over time, she forbade anyone to call her that anymore.
But after being away from Beijing for ten years, she felt an immense sense of familiarity upon hearing it again.
Qin Weixi quickly put that aside, recalling the herbal paste she had just mentioned. Her gaze shifted from the chestnut cake to Tao Qingyun, a hint of doubt in her eyes. Zhao Shuhan handed her a piece of chestnut cake. She immediately dismissed her suspicions and accepted it with a smile.
On the grassy area, the servants and maids of each household gathered together. After several rounds of drinks, Jiuqu began to slur his words, drunkenly whispering to Songyang, "I'm telling you, the Marquis's eyelids were twitching all night, and he didn't sleep well at all. The Marquis even went for a stroll on the roof in the middle of the night. Hehe, I told the Marquis, this might be a sign of impending tribulation!"
His breath reeked of alcohol, and Song Yang frowned as he switched places with Luo Yuan.
Tao Qingyun suddenly turned her head to look at Zhoufeng, who was squatting to the side, and asked Chu Yening with some confusion, "Why is it with A-Ling?" As she spoke, she winked at him.
Chu Yening said, "Watch the house."
Tao Qingyun was puzzled. She leaned closer and said in a low voice with a straight face, "What? If I didn't look for you, you wouldn't have come to me. I haven't asked you about what happened that day. Why have you been acting so mysteriously since you came back?"
Chu Yening lowered his eyes and took a sip of tea: "What is it?" He added, "Does this 'God of Wealth' beside you know kung fu?"
Upon hearing the commotion, Fa Cai, who was not far away, turned pale and secretly glanced at Tao Qingyun.
Tao Qingyun gritted her teeth, glanced sideways at Chu Yening, and quickly smiled, "What do you mean?" He was silent for a while, then chuckled, "Actually, it's nothing much. Today is Grandmother Zhao's birthday, and I see it's still early, so why don't I try my luck and ask Grandmother Zhao to grant me a marriage? After all, Eighth Sister and I are childhood sweethearts, we've known each other since we were little. How could this little sweetheart suffer if she marries me? I will definitely cherish her." He deliberately dragged out his words, speaking towards Qin Weixi, "Little sweetheart, don't you think so?"
Qin Weixi was talking with Zhao Shuhan and Jiang Yuanfu, but the wind was strong in the peach grove and she couldn't hear clearly. Just as she was about to ask, she saw Tao Qingyun turn her head away with a smile.
Tao Qingyun turned to look at Chu Yening and saw that he had a cold and stern expression.
He suddenly felt much better. He dusted off his robes, gazed at the distant mountains, and laughed, "The weather is fine today. Let's go, Fa Cai, let's go somewhere else. Let's calm some people down."
Meanwhile, Qin Weixi found the chestnut cake in front of him rather tasteless, so he got up and walked to Luo Ling, then squatted down and whispered to him, "Brother, I'm going to take a walk in the peach grove."
Seeing that she looked lifeless but not ill, Luo Ling was somewhat worried. Remembering the festival, he said, "Would you like your brother to accompany you?" With that, he got up.
Qin Weixi gently pressed him back down and smiled, "No need. Brother, please rest well." She glanced at Jiang Yuanjun, who was sitting on the ground looking rather sullen, and Chu Yening, who was leisurely drinking tea. Tao Qingyun was nowhere to be seen, so she guessed that she had also gone for a walk in the peach grove.
Tao Qingyun hurriedly returned from her walk, parched with thirst. She picked up the half-finished cup of cold tea she had left behind and was about to gulp it down. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Jiang Yuanjun and Luo Ling playing Go, with Ping An watching them from the sidelines. Chu Yening, on the other hand, calmly continued drinking his tea, while his subordinates chatted and laughed in another area. As for Zhou Feng, he was sitting obediently beside him, sticking out his tongue and watching him.
Tao Qingyun smiled, glanced at Zhou Feng, and was about to open his mouth to drink tea when he said, "Why are you looking at me like that? Don't you recognize me? You..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly stopped, and everyone heard him shout loudly, veins bulging on his forehead, and sparks seemingly flying from his eyes: "Chu! Ye! Ning!"
He stared at the still-warm poop in the teacup, which had come out of the sudden gust of wind, and gritted his teeth in anger.
Chu Yening stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and said leisurely, "A festive gift! What? You don't like it?"
Everyone immediately gathered around to watch, bursting into laughter. Even the usually composed Luo Ling couldn't help but chuckle, looking at the two of them and saying, "When are you two going to stop bickering? You're not as obedient as your little cousin Ping An."
Deep in the peach grove, Qin Weixi stood on a small hillside, gazing at the hillside ablaze with red blossoms. She smiled faintly, but her eyes reddened, and a single, crystal-clear tear clung to the corner of her eye.
"Father, Mother, Brother..."
Today is the Dragon Boat Festival!
A faint smile played on her lips as she stood motionless for what seemed like an eternity, feeling the gentle breeze on her face. Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind her, and she quickly wiped away her tears and turned to look.
It was Chu Yening.
He came from the other side of the peach grove, and at the same time stood in the opposite direction from her, just like their opposing identities.
A series of light footsteps followed, then the sounds of Jiang Yuanfu and Zhao Shuhan talking. Qin Weixi hesitated for a moment, but instead of turning back, she went to her right. She thought that perhaps only in this way would they not walk away from each other, and perhaps only in this way would the line between them not grow longer and longer.
Watching the figure recede into the distance behind him, Chu Yening felt a sharp pain in his heart and rushed towards her without hesitation.
Qin Weixi heard the noise behind her, but before she could look closely, she was suddenly pulled into a cold embrace.
"Qin Weixi!" The clear voice clearly conveyed a sense of restraint and suppressed emotion.
Qin Weixi suddenly raised her head, shocked, puzzled, and confused...
The voices of Jiang Yuanfu and Zhao Shuhan behind her grew clearer and clearer, and they drew closer. She looked up at him with teary eyes, still wet from crying, then bit her lip and stomped on his foot.
Chu Yening was completely unprepared. He felt a sharp pain in his foot and, without thinking, grabbed her hand and held her tightly in his palm as they ran deeper into the peach garden.
Behind a huge boulder, the two stood still, their hearts pounding, their eyes meeting.
"Lolo!"
"Qin Luo!"
"Qin Weixi!"
Chu Yening embraced her again, but felt the girl in his arms suddenly tremble. He abruptly loosened his grip and was about to look down to ask when he met a pair of cold, bright eyes. Before he could get a closer look, the girl in his arms suddenly slammed the top of her head against his chin.
But this time he was still caught off guard, and then he quickly felt a pain in his jaw.
He stroked his chin and gasped. Before he could speak again, the girl with icy eyes grabbed his left arm, bit him hard, and hurried away.
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