Yu Bingzhu and Qin Weixi smiled as they looked at the two of them, then suddenly thought of her waist...
Qin Weixi followed his gaze and saw that he was staring intently at the purse, so she quickly withdrew her hand.
Cui Lu snapped out of his daze and quickly lowered his head, repeatedly apologizing, "I'm sorry, this servant was so captivated by the painting of those tangerines, it looked so real. Don't worry, young lady, this servant will definitely do it."
The two people behind them also heard the commotion. Tao Qingyun turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"
Cui Lu pursed his lips, lowered his head and stood at attention, remaining silent.
Qin Weixi quickly replied, "It's nothing!"
Chu Yening, on horseback, raised an eyebrow and rode over. Through a window, he reached out and brushed away a broken dandelion petal from her head, a sly smile playing on his lips.
Qin Weixi looked up at him, but he rode away again.
Seeing that there were still traces of her features in her hair, Pu Niang turned around and secretly glared at Feng Hua before reaching out to wipe them clean.
Feng Hua quickly shrank back.
Ding Wei suddenly jogged over and looked outside, as if searching for someone else.
Tao Qingyun dismounted and approached him: "Eunuch Ding, who are you looking for? Is there something you need?"
Ding Wei said, "It's nothing important. The old master instructed me to give this to His Highness the Crown Prince." As he spoke, Ding Wei took out a box that was about six inches long.
"He went down the mountain."
Upon seeing this, Ding Wei presented the box to Tao Qingyun with both hands, saying, "Please give this to His Highness, young master Tao. It is a dagger that the late Emperor cherished and treasured."
Tao Qingyun was puzzled but still accepted it. Then she heard Ding Wei say respectfully, "Please ask Young Master Tao to convey the old master's words to His Highness. The old master said that how to use this item depends entirely on His Highness the Crown Prince."
Tao Qingyun nodded: "No need for such formalities, sir."
Tao Qingyun and Ding Wei walked a distance away, turned around to mount their horses, and when they turned back and saw Qin Weixi looking at them, they raised their eyebrows high, glanced quickly at the two people who were near and far, and said, "I'll go first!"
Qin Weixi's heart stirred as she looked at the box. She nodded and lowered the curtain. Her gaze involuntarily lingered on the hexagonal food box. Then she opened the lid.
Chestnut cake. One of their favorite foods during their carefree childhood in Kunning Palace. She carefully picked up a piece and put it in her mouth, a smile unconsciously spreading across her face.
She then handed the food to Feng Hua and Pu Niang, and then, thinking of handing the second layer of chestnut cake from the food box to the people outside the carriage, she reached out and peeled off the top layer.
She was startled, her hand suddenly frozen in mid-air.
A box full of shimmering, translucent spherical ice beads, like stars shining in the night, or like glistening teardrops.
It felt like I was five years old, on the eve of the late emperor's death. The Persians, speaking in an accent we couldn't understand, presented us with many treasures, including this box of peculiar objects.
On the night of the late emperor's death, Penglai was in chaos. Several girls cried incessantly. She ran outside to look at the starry sky and, facing the brightest star, murmured, "Grandfather, Grandfather, did you see Grandfather Jiang? You must be very happy."
Grandma Zhao hugged her small body and said affectionately, "Your grandfather loves to drink Dongyang wine the most. So when your grandfather Jiang found out, he brought a full jar and sent it over."
She pointed to the sky and asked, "Which star is Grandfather Jiang?"
Grandma Zhao smiled: "My dear Xiaoxi, whichever you think is it, it is all of them. Your grandparents have always been with you, watching you grow up."
She said at the time, "But the stars hang in the night sky, and they disappear during the day."
Later, Grandmother Zhao divided the crystal-clear jade beads into three portions and sent them to the Luo family, the Qin family, and Afu, who had lived with her mother in the Kunning Palace since childhood. Later still, the Qin family was raided, the Luo family left the capital, and the Qin family's property was almost completely confiscated. Before leaving the capital, the Luo family also returned the items that had been bestowed by the imperial family to their rightful owners, and these items eventually returned to the palace.
She casually flicked a finger at the jade ice bead. Feng Hua suddenly lifted the curtain and peeked out at the beautiful scenery outside the carriage. She, too, was involuntarily drawn in.
While Xiaguang Peak may not be as lush as Penglai, in March, the garden is filled with the tranquil beauty of peach blossoms and magnolias in full bloom. However, it boasts numerous strange and giant rocks. In June, when 100,000 apricot trees cover the mountainside, the rising sun illuminates the forest like clouds and snow, and the apricots are juicy and sweet. The golden leaves intermingling with the green leaves create yet another kind of beauty.
But now is not the time.
Pu Niang smiled affectionately at her: "Miss, do you want to eat apricots? Look at the time, there's only a month left until the season for apricots. They ripen earlier in the south. If you want to eat them, why don't you send a letter back and ask the household to buy more and bring them back?"
Feng Hua suddenly chuckled: "Speaking of Jiangnan, it reminds me of something. Some time ago, I overheard you and Pu Niang talking about a letter from Jiangnan. In the letter, Young Master Chen from Master Luo's family kept asking about my little cousin's well-being?"
Luo Chen. The eldest son of Luo's third uncle. Two years older than her, she had lived in Jiangnan for years but seemed to have a sense of isolation from the world, never liking to go to the market like other girls her age, strolling through flower markets, visiting temple fairs, or attending family banquets. So Luo's grandmother hurriedly called her cousins, who were the same age as her, and dragged her to the market to play.
Qin Weixi shook her head with a smile, while Feng Hua swallowed hard. Pu Niang couldn't help but say, "Oh dear, it's not that Miss wants to eat it, it's clearly this glutton!"
"Pu Niang!" Feng Hua's face turned bright red, and she stomped her foot, which made Pu Niang laugh heartily.
Qin Weixi smiled as she looked at the two of them, then suddenly remembered the purse hanging at her waist. She reached out, took it off, and tossed it to Feng Hua: "Take it and burn it. Don't embroider any designs on it again."
Feng Hua looked puzzled.
Miss Mingming loves tangerines the most, and she also loves eating tangerines. Because of this, Young Master Chen from the South, who learned of this by chance, would pick a large basket of them every year.
The rumbling carriage suddenly stopped, and Fa Cai's voice rang out from outside, "Oh my, who is it!" Since Luo Yuan was not at home, they had been taken up the mountain by the carriage of the Marquis of Chengyi's mansion, and after coming down the mountain, they were driven by Fa Cai.
Feng Hua was clever and at the most curious age. She lifted the curtain and saw, besides the group of people, a man and a woman dressed in black robes standing sideways. The man held a sword in his arms, and the woman had a soft whip hanging from her waist. They were staring at Luo Yuan, who stood opposite them with his hands at his sides. Xiao, a courtier of the Eastern Palace, watched the three of them from another spot with his arms crossed.
She had already seen Jiuqu, but the other girl looked familiar though she couldn't see her clearly. She couldn't quite place her, but the two girls approached them and bowed to them.
"Sparrow Tongue." She murmured softly as she finally saw the girl with the soft whip hanging from her waist.
Sparrow Tongue paused slightly, for her hearing was exceptional. She had naturally overheard the whisper.
Back in the days of the Marquis of Jingning's residence, she was one of Chu Yening's four most capable lieutenants. Jiuqu was skilled with the sword, striking unexpectedly and drawing blood with a single blow. Queshe was adept with the whip, each strike hitting a vital point. Songyang was steady and resourceful, and there was also Bitan, a young man who fell in love with her maid, Axia.
Qin Weixi smiled faintly, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth. She couldn't help but think of A-Xia again.
However, these were only rumors at the time, and the two never showed their skills in front of others. It wasn't until the battle with the Liang siblings after the Lantern Festival that the maids and servants of several mansions were in chaos and fought among themselves. The two then won a great victory by using brute force.
Back then, she loved the sudden burst of wind, and often, at Chu Yening's behest, she would deliver it to the Qin family's old residence. Her mother would often prepare several of her signature desserts to entertain the two of them. Jiuqu was efficient; she had many grapevines in her yard, and every midsummer, Tao Qingyun and the others would go to the Qin residence to enjoy the flowers, the moon, and grapes together. Jiuqu would go to the Qin residence in advance to cut the grapes bunch by bunch. The young Chu Yening once teased her, "In my opinion, these two should belong to your Qin family!"
At that moment, the boy's eyes, like stars, shone brightly in the moonlight, like a crescent moon, his long eyelashes fluttering. Just like the two tail-like appendages extending from the hind wings of a butterfly.
She laughed and said, "Huh? Where did these two butterflies come from?"
At that time, Luo Jiaxiaoxing also looked around, craning her neck, "Where? Where?"
She laughed and said, "On your fourth brother's eyes!"
"Huh?" Luo Jiaxiaoxing's mouth dropped open, her face full of shock. Chu Yening's face remained tense, while the others burst into laughter.
Fa Cai's laughter brought her back to reality, and he couldn't help but sigh, "It's been ten years since we parted!"
Yes, it's been ten years. People's appearances change over time.
Tao Qingyun, on horseback, said to Rong Youyan, "Not bad, this young man is teachable!"
Sparrow Tongue, unsuspecting, smiled. She turned and bowed to Chu Yening on horseback, as if she had something to say.
Chu Yening said, "It's alright!"
Sparrow Tongue then spoke up: "My lord, Cai Yuan led his men to vandalize the manor yesterday. Since you were not in the manor, your subordinates dared not act rashly, but we still went to Willow Alley to ask Third Aunt to come and stop them."
Luo Yuan stood a few inches from the car window, and Luo Ling nodded to him, indicating that he could speak.
Luo Yuan said, "Young master, that thief was actually a man. He was the son of one of Liang Xu's advisors, named Yao Zizhu. I heard he was extremely greedy for money, and although his martial arts skills were poor, he was incredibly clever. He came to the capital ten years ago, having grown up in the Lingnan region. Since his martial arts skills were lacking, he must have been using his brain to help the Liang family investigate something. The men I sent out that day chased him all the way, but he seemed extremely familiar with the terrain of Penglai, and even managed to escape through Chengxin Nunnery. Later, they pursued him all the way to Jiangnan, captured him in a dilapidated temple, and interrogated him for two nights. He was very stubborn, refusing to listen to either soft or hard tactics. Then a group of bandits came and took advantage of the chaos to let him escape."
Tao Qingyun had been listening quietly, then suddenly raised her voice and asked, "What? It's a man? The one who gnawed on... Eighth Sister that day?"
Chu Yening, on horseback, suddenly focused his gaze and calmly placed one hand on the sword at his waist.
Luo Yuan continued, "Furthermore, Xu Lin, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, interrogated the Li family father and son. Today, some people in the city are saying that the children from the Qin family's side branch stole money from their master and harassed the maid in Li Sheng's room. Li Sheng accidentally killed someone! The storytellers in several teahouses in the city have also temporarily reversed the direction of the story."
Upon hearing this, Tao Qingyun was furious and said, "What nonsense are you spouting? Those are just kids. These bastards, just wait until I get back and teach them a lesson!" Then he went over and handed the wooden box to Jiang Yuanjun: "Here, Grandmother Zhao asked me to give this to you, and she left a message with her."
Jiang Yuanjun took the wooden box, and while listening to the few words left by her grandmother, she opened the box.
Chu Yening suddenly smiled, his expression nonchalant, and asked, "I've heard that this man is upright and incorruptible. Was it Zhou Quan, the Vice Minister of Revenue, who advised him?"
"Oh, no, what he advised was... that Xu Lin was appointed by His Majesty."
He wounded Cai Yuan, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, with his sword and was exiled to the frontier for ten years before returning. They met several times by chance, but he never mentioned the past. He maintained his unrestrained and frivolous attitude. He quickly ended the conversation there, making no mention of Jiang Yuanjun. After returning to the capital, their conversation was brief, as if that sword that sliced through his simple clothes had truly severed their bond.
It was as if General Chu Lanze, who died on the border, was not his father, and he had never left his homeland of the capital.
Jiang Yuanjun looked at A Xiao, who shook his head at him.
He immediately understood. In the vast sea of people, no one could find Mu Tong's figure. He couldn't help but look at the carriage behind him, and he really wanted to ask the girl who had once fallen ill and cried because of Rabbit, but he had never found the opportunity.
Inside the carriage, Qin Weixi picked up a piece of chestnut cake and put it in her mouth.
Back then, Jiang Yuanjun was under house arrest in the Eastern Palace, and her elder brother Luo Ling was also confined to the palace due to their family backgrounds. Tao Qingyun escaped his confinement and rushed towards Xiaopenglai, but it was too late. He then sneaked into the carriage of Ding Wei, the Grand Eunuch of Cining Palace, and left the capital for Jiangnan to search for her.
Back then, Zhu Ruo was ten months pregnant and about to give birth. A woman with no strength to even kill a chicken couldn't possibly have killed Liang Bai, the tall and strong second son of the Liang family. Therefore, she always believed that Liang Bai was killed by an acquaintance of her father, who was hiding in the shadows at the time. Her brother, who had secretly reported Gao Jian years ago, had told her about this. That cold winter, many innocent court officials who openly pleaded for the Qin family died in the palace. Some had watched her grow up, some were complete strangers.
But later she saw Mu Tong at Jingyun Temple. She wondered, could it be that Liang Bai was killed by Mu Tong?
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