Chapter 60 Unsuitable. All the best young men of the past few generations in the capital have been taken by you…
Songlan's gentle voice woke Meng Lingyao from that strange and languid dream.
It was already broad daylight.
Meng Lingyao opened her eyes and met Songlan's concerned gaze.
“Miss,” Songlan said worriedly, “I heard from Biyi that you didn’t sleep well last night, so you probably didn’t get enough rest. Should we tell Miss Xie that you’ll be going later?”
Meng Lingyao sat up, stretched, and felt refreshed. "No need."
She slept well last night.
However… she bit her lip in frustration, but still had to advise Pei Xu to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Songlan carefully examined her young mistress's complexion, which was bright and radiant, reminding her of flower buds in the garden that had absorbed the morning dew. It didn't seem like she was forcing herself.
"Alright, then this servant will help you with your makeup."
"Tsk tsk."
Xie Chengyu looked Meng Lingyao up and down for a moment, then drawled, "Our Lingyao is truly radiant with joy. Look at her little face, so fair and rosy, and those eyes..."
Meng Lingyao, quick as a flash, grabbed a lotus root starch roll from the table and stuffed it into Xie Chengyu's mouth. "Eat yours. Can't a whole table of snacks shut you up?"
Xie Chengyu smiled and finished the pastries, but still didn't let her go. "This isn't enough to shut me up. It's all over the capital that two young talents are vying to marry you. You're really the talk of the town this time."
“And those people say that you’ve squeezed out all the best young men in the capital.” She waved her fan, mimicking the mannerisms of those noblewomen perfectly.
Meng Lingyao put down her teacup and glared at him. "Where did you learn all this nonsense?"
Still "cherry-picking" the best? Pei Xu and Zhao Xu are one thing, but that's another.
Lu Heming and Zhou Yizhi, who are ahead of us, are still in prison. What makes them any special?
Xie Chengyu was overjoyed, his smile undisguised. Only after he had finished laughing did he composed himself and ask seriously, "I haven't asked you yet, at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet... did something happen?"
"I always felt something was off about the palace maid who brought you the wine that day." She put down her fan, her expression becoming more serious. "Later, I asked Consort Jing to help me find that girl and ask her about it, but I couldn't find her."
Meng Lingyao remained silent for a few moments before saying, "Something did happen, but thankfully it was a close call."
Seeing that she was unharmed and did not seem to want to talk in detail, Xie Chengyu did not press further and simply nodded, saying, "It's good that you're alright."
"It was quite a coincidence. That villa was vacant all year round, and the Emperor would only visit it once a year at most, around the Dragon Boat Festival. As a result, the management inside was inevitably lax. When the palace maid disappeared, from the chief eunuch down to the maids who shared the same room, no one could explain why, as if they were blind. Consort Jing felt something was amiss and reported the lax management to the Empress."
"Her Majesty the Empress has always disliked these treacherous and wicked schemes. Taking advantage of this opportunity, she swiftly carried out a cleanup and rectification, truly rooting out some people of dubious origin and with ulterior motives, and severely punishing them. After this incident, Her Majesty felt even more that my elder sister was meticulous and prudent, and even suggested to the Emperor that my elder sister help manage the six palaces."
At this point, Xie Chengyu suddenly smiled, her eyes shining brightly, "Lingyao, your 'near-death' experience seems to have been guided by fate, giving my elder sister a great opportunity. I must express my gratitude on her behalf."
Meng Lingyao chuckled and raised her cup in thanks, “That’s too kind. If anyone should thank you, it should be Consort Jing and you for your thoughtfulness and care for my shop. If it weren’t for your words on the Dragon Boat Festival, my little shop wouldn’t be where it is today.”
"Why bother with such trivial matters when we have such a good relationship?" Xie Chengyu waved his hand and smiled. "Besides, your perfume is indeed elegant and refined. I was just stating the facts."
She picked up a cherry and put it in her mouth, then suddenly remembered something, her tone slightly amused, "Oh, right, something funny happened during the crackdown. A small-time orchard manager in the villa, I don't know if he was guilty of petty theft or just too cowardly, but when he heard about the palace's strict investigation, he panicked and fell from a tree, breaking his leg! Tsk tsk, now he can't stay in bed anymore, he just submitted his resignation and packed his bags to go home and retire. What do you think of this villa…"
She glanced casually at the street scene outside the window, "How much filth and silt is hidden beneath the clear water?"
What was said without malice may have been taken to heart by the listener.
The words "guilty conscience" felt like a fine needle gently pricking her heart. Meng Lingyao remained calm, remembering the matter firmly, and planning to find an opportunity to inform Pei Xu.
Xie Chengyu took a sip of tea, then curled his lip in disgust. "The tea from Tingyun Society is getting worse and worse. The incense they use is vulgar, with a musty, rusty smell. It's a real waste of my good snacks."
Meng Lingyao, understanding the implied meaning from the music, smiled and said, "In that case, why don't I invite Chengyu to Juxianglou to choose some incense that you like?"
Xie Chengyu's eyes lit up, "Yaoyao is still my favorite!"
The two immediately got up, and Xie Chengyu ordered a carriage to be prepared. The carriage traveled through the streets and alleys, and soon arrived at East Street where Juxianglou was located.
Because the name Juxianglou had already made a name for itself and was a good fit for the business it was doing, Meng Lingyao did not change the name and kept the original name.
Aside from the name remaining unchanged, everything else has been completely renovated. The entrance is brand new, and beneath the elegant black lacquered plaque hangs a sparsely arranged bamboo curtain. Two celadon lotus-patterned incense burners at the entrance emit wisps of smoke, neither noisy nor shabby, but exuding a refined and noble air.
Meng Lingyao put in a lot of effort, personally handling all the furnishings and arrangements, from the layout of the private room to the flower arrangement on the table, everything exuded just the right charm.
At this moment, the area in front of the building is bustling with carriages and guests.
Seeing this, Meng Lingyao had the carriage move to the side to avoid being crowded at the front.
The wheels rolled and came to a stop at the side gate of the quiet back alley.
She had just lifted the car curtain to get out when a familiar voice reached her ears, dry and slightly hoarse, yet filled with suppressed joy.
"Miss Meng...is that you?"
Meng Lingyao paused slightly. Looking in the direction of the sound, she saw Zhao Xu's figure come into view a few steps away.
After several days apart, the once spirited young general seemed like a completely different person. His handsome face had become noticeably thinner, his eyes were bloodshot, and his former radiance had been replaced by a heavy layer of despondency. Only when he recognized her did a few sparks of intense light suddenly ignite in his dim eyes, shining brightly upon her.
Xie Chengyu followed closely behind and got out of the car. She glanced at the scene and immediately smiled, tidied her sideburns, and said crisply, "Oh dear, I'm afraid my few urgently needed spices are going to be all taken! Lingyao, I'll go in first."
Meng Lingyao nodded and instructed Songlan, "Take Miss Xie to the private room on the second floor and treat her well."
Songlan understood, "Yes."
For a moment, only Meng Lingyao and Zhao Xu remained facing each other at the entrance of this narrow alley.
Zhao Xu's gaze was fixed on the calm, expressionless face before him. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, as if a thousand words were stuck in his chest, but in the end, they only turned into a dry, low voice, "Miss Meng, it's been a long time... I..."
Seeing Meng Lingyao's cold attitude, he hurriedly explained, "I didn't intentionally wait here. I came with my younger sister to buy some rouge and face powder. There were too many women in front, and it was inconvenient for a man like me to go in, so I waited around the shop."
He paused, his voice growing even hoarse, "I had absolutely no intention of disturbing you, young lady."
Meng Lingyao's eyes remained expressionless as she casually hummed in agreement, then said politely, "Since Miss Zhao has arrived, why didn't you send someone to inform her? I could have told the shopkeeper to give her a discount so she wouldn't have to wait too long."
Such indifference pierced Zhao Xu's heart like a knife. He gazed at her beautiful face, his heart aching unbearably.
He lied.
He deliberately waited here.
For days, he was like a lost soul, not knowing where to look for her.
First, he lingered around Juxianglou, then went to sit in a teahouse or tavern near Meng's residence, gazing longingly at the high gates and deep courtyards, hoping to catch a glimpse of her.
He even went so far as to shamelessly seek out Zhong Dingming and Zhong Dingyao, hoping they could pass on his message, but they politely declined.
He dared not delve into the reasons behind it, much less ask whether it was at her behest.
A profound sense of loss and bewilderment gripped him.
Just moments before, he was immersed in the most enchanting dream, certain that she understood his feelings and was willing to accept his deep affection.
His mother readily agreed to propose marriage on his behalf, and everything was progressing as he had hoped. But in the blink of an eye, everything changed.
It was as if she had been suddenly awakened from a beautiful dream, only to find that everything before her was an illusion. Her smile no longer bloomed for him, her gaze no longer softened for him, and she even became reluctant to look at him directly.
Zhao Xu licked his dry lips, his voice trembling slightly, "Miss Meng, I... I really don't understand why things have turned out this way?"
His eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment. "Did my aunt say something unpleasant that day? That's just her nature; she meant no harm."
General Zhao had naturally droopy eyes, and when he was sad, his eyes would well up with tears, just like a puppy abandoned by its owner. It was incredibly touching.
However, this gaze did not stir the slightest ripple in Meng Lingyao's heart.
In that long, suffocating dream of the past, those innocent and sorrowful eyes were the reason she repeatedly flew into the fire like a moth to a flame. She was moved by those eyes countless times, softened her heart, compromised, and continued to sink into the mire of pain.
Seeing it again now, I feel utterly disgusted.
With a soft sigh, she said, "General Zhao, we are not suitable for each other."
Zhao Xu's eyes showed even greater confusion, tinged with a hint of innocent bewilderment, "Why...why isn't it suitable?"
This innocence, however, ignited a long-suppressed anger within Meng Lingyao. She looked at him, a cold smile playing on her lips. "General Zhao, you've seen it yourself. Juxianglou is my life's work, something I can't easily relinquish. If I were to truly enter the Wuxing Marquis's household, would the Marquis's household possibly tolerate a daughter-in-law who flaunts her face and engages in business for profit?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu's expression changed slightly, and he quickly said, "I know you enjoy doing these things, and you can continue after marriage. I will never stop you..."
"Does Madam Cui think so too?" Meng Lingyao interrupted him.
Zhao Xu hesitated for a moment, then said, "I will try my best to persuade my mother."
Meng Lingyao smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, making her appear exceptionally aloof.
She suddenly changed the subject and asked, "General Zhao, will you go to the northern frontier again after returning to the capital?"
Zhao Xu, still puzzled, replied, "Military affairs in the northern frontier are of utmost importance. I will follow General Xie's arrangements. When the time is right, I will return to guard the border as soon as possible."
"Is that so? I don't think so."
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