Upon entering the nunnery again, Chu Yening lazily asked, "What is the law..."
They didn't return home until very late that night.
Tao Qingyun omitted all other unnecessary details, only saying that the situation was unstable and turbulent at the time, and that she had fallen into the river and caught a chill, resulting in a persistent high fever. Therefore, he took advantage of the situation and arranged for her to be sent to the Luo family in Jiangnan. Jiang Yuanjun didn't say a word, while Jiang Yuanfu held her hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
Soon after, Jiang Yuanfu asked Zishu to send many rare treasures and novelties rarely seen in the capital from the palace. Jiang Yuanjun also asked her subordinate A Xiao to send several large boxes of pastries from several of the city's long-established shops that she used to love as a child, pastries that she would have to queue up early in the morning to buy. A Xiao privately told her that Her Highness wanted to make up for all the things she had missed over the years.
When these items were delivered to the Luo residence, Feng Hua watched with drooling mouth, while Pu Niang sighed with emotion.
The weather was fine that day. Qin Weixi was having breakfast when a maid named Queshe, a subordinate of the Marquis of Jingning's mansion, came to her door. She said that her master had ordered her to escort her safely to the Jinian Nunnery on the outskirts of the city and then escort her safely back. Once that was done, her duty would be fulfilled.
Qin Weixi's thoughts drifted away.
Not only does the Jinian Nunnery house the lantern pavilion personally overseen by Jiang Yuanjun, but it also houses her sister-in-law, Zhu Ruo. Furthermore, she is concerned about Sun Shaopu and wishes to find another opportunity to meet with Chu Yening.
She slept unusually soundly last night. Perhaps it was because of their true reunion after ten years that they were able to open their hearts to each other immediately. Perhaps it was because they returned to the Qin family's old house after many years. Or perhaps it was because she learned that the Chu family had never been instigated by villains to lead them to the so-called opposing sides.
Luo Ling was not at home, so Pu Niang led her to Ting Yu Xuan. Qin Weixi invited her to stay for breakfast, and Que She thanked her generously without refusing.
But those discerning eyes would occasionally glance at her.
Qin Weixi found it amusing and blinked, asking, "What's wrong? Is there some residue on my lips?"
Sparrow Tongue shook his head, laughing and trying to evade the question: "How could that be! I just wanted to see the girl; she's pretty."
Luo Zhaoxing didn't have much of an impression of Sparrow Tongue when she was young. On the contrary, the Qin family was a frequent visitor to the Marquis's mansion, and the little girl who loved to give them food was very popular.
I wonder if that smiling little girl has been reincarnated and reborn into a good family.
God is so unfair!
Once outside the mansion gates, Que She, carrying a sword in her arms and a soft whip hanging at her waist, solemnly surveyed the long street. Seeing Qin Weixi looking at her, she smiled somewhat awkwardly, "The young master said that if you were injured, Miss, he would hold me responsible." She pointed to two fine horses parked to one side of the gate, then asked with some suspicion, "Miss Xiaoxing, can you ride a horse?"
This morning, the young master specifically instructed her to bring out the Chu family's "warhorse" from the stable before he went out.
Qin Weixi followed her gaze and saw Ao Ying.
She smiled and said, "I will." She stepped forward and stroked its head, and Ao Ying leaned down to sniff it. Then she mounted the horse, her smile even brighter: "Let's go."
Sparrow Tongue stared even wider at Ao Ying, who was obediently waiting for her to ride, thinking to herself, "How strange!" She thought to herself that she would definitely ask Jiu Qu and Luo Yuan about it later.
The soft chanting of sutras drifted into the ears of Chengxin Nunnery, while Chu Yening and Tao Qingyun sat drinking tea in the octagonal pavilion of Penglai Garden.
Sparrow Tongue delivered her safely and then ran off in a flash.
Qin Weixi was somewhat surprised to see Tao Qingyun, and Tao Qingyun was clearly the same.
He looked at Chu Yening and said, "At first, I was a little confused when you insisted on having Jiuqu bring me here, but now I'm even more confused. Tell me, what do you want to do? I don't care if you want my life, but... I can help you if you need anything."
Chu Yening held the teapot in one hand and the lid in the other, pouring tea for him and saying with a smile, "This is newly brewed spring tea, Lu'an Melon Seed Tea. Please come and have a taste." He then called to Qin Weixi, "Come and have a taste."
Tao Qingyun was clearly flattered by his tea-pouring ceremony, exclaiming, "Did the sun rise in the west today?" He winked at Qin Weixi, then gestured with his chin toward Chu Yening, "What's going on? Seventh Sister, go check if this old fox has been switched. I've never received this kind of treatment in all these years."
Qin Weixi smiled without saying a word, but her smile quickly froze when she caught a glimpse of the blister on his lip. She lifted her skirt and entered the octagonal pavilion, soon arriving at Tao Qingyun's side. She asked with concern, "Third Brother, why isn't your lip better yet? Should we go to the palace and ask a royal physician to take a look?"
Tao Qingyun waved his hand, seemingly indifferent: "It's nothing, just hot weather in spring! It'll be fine in a while." He then looked at the geese swimming in the lotus pond outside the pavilion and murmured, "But it's already summer now!" He chuckled and smirked, gesturing for Qin Weixi to sit down. He took a sip of tea and said, "Speaking of Lu'an Melon Seed Tea, Uncle Zhu used to love it the most."
"But back then, all his wealth was gone, and he retreated to the countryside. I doubt he could even afford to buy this Lu'an melon seed tea." He sighed. "A few years ago, Ah Ling, Lao Mutou, and I visited him. He was still in high spirits, vigorous for his age, and even looked younger than before. I asked him, 'Uncle Zhu, have you gotten used to living in the countryside all these years?' He said that his mind had calmed down, and he no longer cared about those things. With ministers scheming and the emperor inactive, a bunch of demons and monsters are in the world. Sooner or later, this capital will be completely turned upside down." He lowered his voice as he finished speaking.
He gazed at the sky: "Grandfather often told me that she was my aunt and he was my uncle. The two Tao families were one family, and even if the bones were broken, the tendons would still be connected!" He sighed almost imperceptibly: "Once this matter is settled, I will do my best to travel and enjoy the scenery again!"
"I, Tao, don't want to stay in this capital city for even a moment longer."
Qin Weixi didn't say much, but smiled and said, "Okay, Third Brother, please write a letter whenever you go somewhere. That way we'll know where you are."
Tao Qingyun replied with a smile, "Of course, of course."
A commotion suddenly arose outside Penglai Garden, followed by a shout. Then, the three people inside the pavilion heard a woman's voice, who seemed to be a little older, say, "Damn it! These are the brocade shoes I bought at great expense. How am I supposed to wear them now that you, little nun, have gotten them wet?"
Then a childish voice said, "I am truly sorry, benefactor. This humble monk apologizes to you!"
Then came Sparrow Tongue's voice: "Little Master has already apologized to you. It's just a pair of shoes, isn't it? Do you want me to take off my shoes and give them to you?"
The woman persisted, saying, "You still think you're right? Where is your abbess? I'll let her be the judge."
Qin Weixi couldn't hear it very clearly from inside the pavilion, but she still recognized the childish voice as that of Little Master Juechen. She immediately got up and hurriedly went outside.
The woman was dressed in a noblewoman's attire, dressed extravagantly, and followed by a group of servants. Qin Weixi recognized her at a glance after many years; she was Zhu Ruo's aunt—the Lady Zhu of Changxing Marquis.
Que She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at Zhu Ruo, while the young master Jue Chen stood silently to the side, a large wooden bucket at his feet. Clearly, he had just returned from fetching water and had accidentally spilled it on Zhu Ruo.
Qin Weixi stepped forward and gave Zhu a curtsy with a forced smile, saying, "One should be lenient when one can. Madam is probably over forty this year, so you should understand this principle better than I do."
Madam Zhu looked her up and down and asked the maid beside her, "Whose daughter is she?"
The maid pondered for a while, then whispered in someone's ear, "It should be from the Luo family, the daughter of Grand Tutor Luo."
Chu Yening and Tao Qingyun walked out of the garden one after the other and stood together under the eaves. Tao Qingyun looked at this scene and couldn't help but say, "Do you think she's changed? An eight-year-old child has experienced so much, of course she'll be a little different." He shook his head: "Yening! I've been worried sick for so many years, afraid that you two would have a grudge. But I was judging you with my own petty mind. Back then, if anyone had just said 'I believe you,' she would have gone through fire and water to repay that kindness."
Chu Yening turned to look at him and suddenly remembered the girl from last night, and how she and he had talked about how someone had risked their life to save her on the ever-flowing river.
Thank you.
Tao Qingyun blinked, then slowly turned her head to look at him, only to find that the man hadn't even glanced at her, but was intently watching the slender figure in front of him. She thought she had misheard.
Upon hearing that it was the Luo family, Zhu immediately raised her eyebrows and shrieked, "The Luo family! The Luo family! You three families really ruined my Zhu family back then! My poor niece is still suffering in the nunnery, and my brother gave up a good official position to become a country bumpkin!"
Back when her sister-in-law Zhu Ruo was not yet married to her brother, she accompanied Zhu Ruo to visit the Marquis of Changxing's residence and saw that Zhu Ruo treated her kindly and doted on her.
At that time, the late emperor was still alive, and the three founding families were still very prominent.
Qin Weixi sneered, then resumed his usual calm and indifferent expression, and said to Madam Zhu, "Madam, this is a Buddhist place, you must not be rude! Even a child knows this principle, how can you, as the Madam of a manor, not know this principle?"
Madam Zhu's face immediately darkened. She gritted her teeth and beckoned to the several plump maids behind her, saying, "Slap her! Even if the sky falls, the Marquis will be there to protect her!"
The maids looked troubled, and one of them said, "Madam, if she's from the Luo family, then her brother is currently working under the Crown Prince. He's a man of the Eastern Palace!"
Zhu waved her hand and rolled up her sleeves herself: "I am Aruo's aunt, and Aruo is my own niece. In terms of seniority, she is naturally the same. How can an aunt disciplining her niece and an elder teaching a junior be absolved of all responsibility even if we go to the yamen? Is there no law in this world?" As she spoke, she was about to strike Qin Weixi with a palm.
Qin Weixi looked at her coldly, then said with a half-smile, "As far as I know, Sister Zhu doesn't have any aunts."
Zhu stepped forward, gritting her teeth.
Upon seeing this, Que She and Jue Chen immediately stepped forward to protect Qin Weixi behind them. In an instant, a dark light appeared in front of Qin Weixi, and she felt a sudden darkness before her. Then, a hand blocked the poisonous "claw" that Zhu Shi was about to swing, and quickly captured her.
Chu Yening said lazily, "What is the law? You foolish woman, do you think I am the law?"
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Author's Note: Thank you to the little angel He Xuying for the nutrient solution.
Thank you for reading! [heart emoji]
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