035 Acknowledge feelings
Yuan Chongjing was initially just curious.
Until he picked up the paper and read through all its contents.
After skimming through ten lines, I looked at them again, one word at a time, incredulously.
In an instant, astonishment, sudden realization, and doubt all surged into his mind, chaotic and overwhelming, drowning his consciousness.
He knew he and Li Yang didn't get along. Whatever the reason for their marriage, having such a contract was understandable. But if there really was no affection between them, how did the title of "the most loving couple in the capital" spread? How did they manage to deceive their family and servants with whom they spent every day? Did their four years together in Chenzhou really lead them to confess their feelings?
Recently, thanks to acupuncture, he has been able to vaguely see some hazy scenes in his mind or in the middle of the night. Just like today when he saw Song Xi holding Xiao Taozi with Li Yang standing next to her, he also remembered many happy times playing with Xiao Taozi and Li Yang.
Whenever he thinks about it, he feels light and joyful. Anyone can lie to him, but his own heart will not lie to him.
He really enjoys spending time with Xiao Taozi and Li Yang.
This realization made Yuan Chongjing's heart pound. He stubbornly examined the thin, translucent paper in his hand, turning it over and over, until he finally discovered some flaws.
The paper had been crumpled up in frustration, then flattened and folded into four pieces before being placed inside a book.
Yuan Chongjing couldn't help but think that perhaps, when he was still alive and hadn't lost his memory, he had also struggled, felt lost, and doubted when facing Li Yang. In the end, 'he' decided to truly be with Li Yang, which led to their daughter, Xiao Taozi, and the title of 'the most loving couple in Kyoto'.
All of this is just repeating the path that 'he' walked back then.
Since the end of the road is the same for everyone, why should he persist in this path?
Having figured all this out, Yuan Chongjing finally felt relieved when he heard a knock on the door. Li Yang's voice came through the crack in the door: "Brother Jing, are you in there? I'm coming in."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yang pushed open the door and entered.
In that instant, Yuan Chongjing didn't know what he was thinking. He quickly crumpled the agreement into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket next to him.
Li Yang didn't see his actions, but she did see his guilty expression and the way he avoided looking at her. She asked curiously, "Brother Jing, what's wrong?"
"No, it's nothing, I'm just tidying up the bookshelf," Yuan Chongjing stammered. He blocked the wastebasket with his body and pretended to put the books on the table onto the bookshelf.
Li Yang said, "I came to tell you that tomorrow is my aunt's birthday, and my mother asked me to take Xiao Taozi back with me."
Her aunt married into the Zhongyong Duke's family as his second wife and is now the Zhongyong Duke's wife. Since it's her birthday, the Li family, as her maternal relatives, should send someone. Many things have happened these past few days, and Li's mother is worried about Li Yang, so she wants to use this as an excuse to call her back to stay for a couple of days.
Yuan Chongjing said, "Then I'll go back with you tomorrow."
“No need,” Li Yang refused immediately. Only after saying that did she realize that her reaction was a bit too strong. She explained, “You go to Young Master Song’s place for acupuncture first. I’ll just take Taozi back with me to go through the motions. I’ll be back soon. It’s all women here, and it’s not convenient for a grown man like you to go.”
“Rumors are rampant in Kyoto lately. If I don’t go with you on such an important day, wouldn’t that just confirm that we’ve drifted apart?” Yuan Chongjing said. He reacted quickly, and in just a short while, he had already accepted the fact that he and Li Yang were together and had become husband and wife, and he had processed it well.
Li Yang hesitated, which was also her concern. For her, the Duke of Zhongyong's mansion was a dangerous place, and she really didn't want to go unless absolutely necessary. If Yuan Chongjing were to accompany her... well, forget it. The third young lady of that mansion was still eyeing Yuan Chongjing covetously. Sending the now amnesiac Yuan Chongjing there would undoubtedly be like sending a lamb to the slaughter.
Li Yang said, "It's alright, I can handle it. Your acupuncture is important."
Her repeated refusals left Yuan Chongjing feeling somewhat disappointed. He opened his mouth to try and persuade her again, when he heard Bei Hai calling him from outside the room: "Second Young Master, Young Madam."
Li Yang glanced at Yuan Chongjing, and seeing that he did not refuse, she said to the outside, "Come in."
Bei Hai pushed open the door and entered. Seeing that Li Yang was also there, Yuan Chongjing did not seem to want her to leave. Bei Hai said succinctly, "Second Young Master, we have found out who spread the rumors. The source is the residence of Cao Wenxian, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy."
"Cao Wenxian?" Yuan Chongjing asked in confusion. He did not recognize the man in his memory.
Li Yang immediately replied decisively, "They are the Fifth Prince's men."
Why do you say that?
Li Yang explained, "Cao Wenxian's concubine, Huang Ying, came from the Yanlou brothel. She once told the other women in the brothel that she had an older sister who entered the palace and gained immense wealth and status. And the Fifth Prince's mother was originally a palace maid."
Bei Hai was somewhat puzzled: "This..." How could this be related?
Li Yang saw through his unspoken words and knew that Yuan Chongjing wouldn't believe her either, so she added, "Don't be fooled by their apparent lack of relationship. Sometimes, to avoid suspicion, the more distant people seem on the surface, the closer they are in private."
Yuan Chongjing's attention was elsewhere: "How did you know what happened at the brothel?"
Li Yang chuckled awkwardly, "I heard it from the aunties and grandmas on the street when I was strolling around."
That's true. When he went out with her before, Yuan Chongjing personally witnessed her greeting vendors on the street and chatting from one end of the street to the other. He also said that news circulating from the backyards of various court officials often contained important clues; it all depended on whether the listener could discern them.
"It seems you were right back then. This Fifth Prince is truly a wolf in sheep's clothing," Yuan Chongjing concluded.
Li Yang was taken aback. She recalled that when Yuan Chongjing woke up, the Third Prince, along with the Fifth Prince, the Eighth Prince, and many of his former friends, came to visit him. Li Yang had commented on the Fifth Prince's behavior, saying that he was a wolf in sheep's clothing with only ambition. She hadn't expected that he would remember her casual remark.
Li Yang said, "It's good that you know now. Beihai, remember to remind His Highness the Crown Prince that he must take this Fifth Prince into account when making plans in the future."
Beihai responded.
After finishing this, Li Yang got up and walked outside: "By the way, my sister-in-law said that her family sent some wild game, and she wants us to have dinner in the main hall tonight. It's almost time, so remember to go."
Yuan Chongjing immediately asked, "And what about you?"
"I'll go back and bring Little Peach with me."
"Let's go together then." Yuan Chongjing stood up without thinking and followed her outside.
The whole family gathered for dinner, which was quite lively. However, Yuan Chongjing felt as if he had forgotten something important. He tried hard to remember, but still couldn't come up with a solution.
As he lay sleeping that night, Yuan Chongjing was suddenly jolted awake: that prenuptial agreement! He hadn't retrieved it after throwing it in the wastebasket! If any servant had seen it while tidying the study, the consequences would have been unimaginable!
Thinking of this, Yuan Chongjing grabbed some clothes, put them on, and rushed straight to the study.
But the study had already been cleaned; the wastebasket was completely empty, not even a speck of dust, let alone crumpled paper. Yuan Chongjing paced anxiously for a moment before remembering that Beihai had mentioned that Beihai always took care of his study. Yuan Chongjing then went to knock on Beihai's door.
Bei Hai was fast asleep, and since it was the time when most people were asleep, Yuan Chongjing pounded on him for a long time before he heard Bei Hai mutter as he got out of bed, opened the door, and scolded, "Who's up in the middle of the night... Second Young Master, what's wrong? Why aren't you resting so late?"
Yuan Chongjing asked directly, "Did you tidy up my study today?"
Beihai nodded: "Yes."
"What about the things in my wastebasket?"
Bei Hai replied matter-of-factly, "I burned it. You instructed me before that nothing in the study should be given away, not even a single piece of paper. So the waste paper in the wastebasket was all emptied out after I burned it all in the study."
At this moment, only the first two words of his name were in Yuan Chongjing's mind.
It was burned.
It was burned completely clean.
He was somewhat stunned, a feeling of joy, relief, or something else flashing through his mind. Coming to his senses, he saw Beihai cautiously asking, "What's wrong, Second Young Master? Is there something important?"
Yuan Chongjing shook his head, patted Beihai on the shoulder, and said with emotion, "Well done. Beihai, you've done me a great job!"
Beihai was so startled by his 'friendly' tone that she stammered, "Is...is that so?"
“Of course, it’s getting late, go to sleep early.” Yuan Chongjing said to him, and happily returned to his study. He put the copy of “Biographies of Exemplary Women” with the agreement inside back in its place, and left the bookshelf contentedly to go back to his room to rest.
But a flicker of uncertainty quickly crossed his mind. When he looked at the agreement today, he seemed to have seen the words "two copies." If he wasn't mistaken, that meant Li Yang also had a copy of the agreement.
Damn it, how could he forget something so important!
Yuan Chongjing calmed himself down, went to his desk, and rewrote a new agreement based on what he had written down. However, new paper is not the same as old paper. The agreement that had been burned was written five years ago; the paper was yellowed, and the creases in the middle had worn away, leaving only white paper. The new paper before him, on the other hand, was clean and neat, the ink still wet, faintly exuding a faint fragrance of ink.
He waited for a long time, and after the ink had completely dried, he followed the same method as before, crumpling the whole sheet of paper into a ball, then carefully unfolding it. In the end, he even picked up a little bit of dirt from the ground and placed it on top, then folded it back into the same way as before and put it into the original copy of "Biographies of Exemplary Women".
New paper that hasn't seen the light of day for a long time will become stuffy and damp. After a while, he can take it out and air it out a few times, and it should be just like old paper.
Having done all this, Yuan Chongjing finally felt at ease and went back to his room to sleep.
***
The next morning, Li Yang, accompanied by Xiao Taozi, greeted Madam Yuan and returned to the Li residence.
Li's mother was already prepared, and the two of them got into the carriage as soon as they arrived.
Seeing that neither Li's father nor his younger brother Li Ting were with them, Li Yang asked, "Mother, where are my father and Li Ting?"
Mother Li said, "Your father went to see your uncle. It seems they have something to discuss with your aunt. This is a matter between the siblings, and I shouldn't interfere. Your brother went to the academy early this morning; he doesn't like your aunt's house and didn't want to go."
Li Yang knew that the discord between her mother and aunt stemmed from her paternal aunt. Years ago, her aunt had married into the Zhongyong Duke's household, a decision her mother had opposed. The reason was that the Zhongyong Duke was remarrying; his first wife had died in childbirth, and his marriage was merely to care for the four daughters and one son in the household. Her aunt, on the other hand, was young and beautiful; she had no trouble finding a good husband.
However, her aunt supported the marriage, and secretly persuaded her grandparents to agree to the marriage in order to secure the dowry offered by the Duke of Zhongyong's family. Later, the aunt could not persuade her grandparents otherwise and married into the family. Fearing that the aunt would have another child and that it would be bad for the late Duke of Zhongyong's child, the family of the late Duke of Zhongyong's first wife made the aunt drink medicine, thus eliminating the possibility of her having children in this life.
So despite her glamorous appearance as the wife of the Duke of Zhongyong, her life in the mansion was filled with unhappiness.
Li's mother said, "Your aunt is suffering. We can't visit the Duke of Zhongyong's mansion often. Since it's her birthday today, when we get there, you can take Xiao Taozi and have a good talk with her."
Li Yang nodded and instructed Xiao Taozi to call her "Grandma" when they arrived. Actually, according to etiquette, she should call her "Maternal Grandmother." Li Yang felt that was too formal, so she had Xiao Taozi change the way she addressed her.
The Duke of Zhongyong's family was originally a military family that had conquered considerable territory for the Great Qi Dynasty. Later, the old Duke of Zhongyong was injured and retired from the court, and his sons gradually took the path of civil officials. The current Duke of Zhongyong serves in the Grand Secretariat. Even so, the prestige of the Duke of Zhongyong's family remains. The magnificent and imposing gate of his mansion alone is enough to show that the Duke of Zhongyong still enjoys the favor of the current emperor.
After all, it was the current wife's family home. When Li's mother and the others arrived, the servants of the mansion warmly led them to the residence of the wife of the Duke of Zhongyong.
Lady Zhongyong, seated at the head of the table, hurried to greet them upon their arrival.
She's come to terms with it now. If she can't have children, she can't have children. She doesn't know how long she'll live, so she'll make sure to live each day to the fullest, as comfortably and freely as possible.
With the Duke of Zhongyong's power and wealth, and his lack of extravagance in keeping with him, she was quite content.
Although she was nearly forty, Lady Zhongyong looked only about thirty. Her skin was fair and full, and her black hair was styled in an exquisite updo, adorned with a complete set of jade headdresses. Her makeup was exquisite, and she looked radiant: "Sister-in-law, Yang'er, you've arrived. Oh, whose little fairy is this? How can he be so handsome?"
Little Peach tried to bow respectfully, imitating the etiquette Li Yang had taught her. However, she had eaten too many snacks on the way there in the carriage, and her little belly was bulging, making it impossible for her to bend down. So she simply knelt on the ground and kowtowed deeply to the Lady of Zhongyong, saying in her childish voice, "Little Peach greets Great-Auntie~ May Great-Auntie be blessed... blessed as long as the sea! Grow taller than a tree! Live longer than Little Peach~"
Lady Zhongyong was amused and laughed heartily. She reached out to help her up, saying, "It's our little Peach! Come here, let your great-aunt take a good look at you."
Little Peach saw that she had a kind and gentle face, and with her maternal grandmother and mother present, she followed the Lady of Zhongyong with a smile: "Grandma is beautiful too! Little Peach is a little fairy, and Grandma is a great fairy!"
Lady Zhongyong laughed continuously. After they were seated, she picked up Xiaotaozi and let her sit on her lap. She then gently pinched Xiaotaozi's cheek and said, "How can your little mouth speak so sweetly? Mama Lin, go and get the gift I prepared for Xiaotaozi."
Little Peach, receiving a gift, didn't hold back. Her little mouth chattered, showering everyone with compliments: "Thank you, Great-Auntie! Great-Auntie is so beautiful and generous, and so good to me. When I grow up, I'll definitely take good care of Great-Auntie!"
Lady Zhongyong affectionately patted her head before taking a moment to say to the other two, "Why are you still standing? Sister-in-law, Yang'er, sit down quickly. There's no need to be so polite when you're here with me."
After Li's mother sat down, Li Yang sat down as well: "Little Peach is naughty, I'm sorry to have made Aunt laugh."
Lady Zhongyong, holding Little Peach, swayed her gently, a hint of melancholy in her eyes. "Only when you're here can things be a little more lively. It's alright, I love her no matter how naughty she is, right, Little Peach?"
Little Peach was curiously touching the necklace around her neck when she heard this, and nodded: "Little Peach also likes her naughty great-aunt~"
Lady Zhongyong simply took off her necklace and placed it on Xiaotaozi to play with, then smiled at the two of them and said, "Sister-in-law, who do you think Xiaotaozi is like? I remember Yang'er was very naughty when she was little, and she wasn't this good at coaxing people."
Li's mother said, "Perhaps it resembles Chongjing."
"That's right. That young man tricked our Yang'er into going to Chenzhou to suffer with him. If he didn't know how to say sweet words, Yang'er wouldn't have agreed to it." Lady Zhongyong teased Li Yang.
Li Yang lowered her head shyly: "Oh dear, Aunt, how did this come about me?"
Lady Zhongyong smiled, then her expression turned serious: "Speaking of this, I've heard some rumors lately that Chongjing is having an affair with the eldest daughter-in-law of the Duke of Luo's mansion. Yang'er, tell your aunt that if he doesn't treat you sincerely, your aunt won't let him off the hook. Did he come today? When he comes, tell him to come see your aunt, and your aunt will ask him about it for you."
Li Yang knew her aunt was serious, so she explained, "Those are just rumors. Jing-ge is devoted to me. Some people are just jealous and envious, so they gossip behind my back. Aunt, please don't believe them. Right, Mother?"
Li's mother didn't want these things to bother Lady Zhongyong: "Yes, yes, it's just their business. We elders can just watch. There's a saying that goes, 'They quarrel at the head of the bed and make up at the foot of the bed.' I won't interfere."
Li's mother said a few more things, and that was the end of that matter.
Little Peach got up early and soon started to doze off. Lady Zhongyong had already prepared rooms for them: "Yang'er, take Little Peach downstairs to rest first. Your mother and I will have a private talk."
Li Yang knew they had something to say, so she carried the drowsy little peach to the prepared room.
As the sun rose higher, the manor began to bustle with activity. Even in the courtyard where the Duchess of Zhongyong resided alone, guests and servants frequently passed by to offer their birthday greetings. Li Yang avoided the crowd and carried Xiao Taozi to the next room.
"Stop!" A lazy female voice came from the path beside the road.
Li Yang thought to himself, "They really came."
The visitor was Zhao Qiu'er, the third daughter of the Duke of Zhongyong. The eldest daughter, Zhao Chun'er, and the second daughter, Zhao Xia'er, were already married, leaving only the third and fourth daughters, Zhao Dong'er, and the fifth young master, Zhao Chilai, in the household. Regardless of others, Zhao Qiu'er was a formidable rival to Li Yang.
Back in the academy, the two were so close they were practically inseparable. For Li Yang's sake, Zhao Qiu'er rarely caused trouble for the Lady of Zhongyong in the manor. But later, they both fell in love with Yuan Chongjing.
That's fine. Zhao Qiu'er once said they were best friends. Since they were best friends, their tastes were naturally the same. The fact that they both liked the same man proved that he was indeed outstanding. There was just one thing: Yuan Chongjing belonged to both of them, and neither of them was allowed to have him.
The day after the announcement, Yuan Chongjing went to the Li residence to propose marriage. The two hastily married and set off for Chenzhou the following day, not returning for four years.
This infuriated Zhao Qiu'er. The whole capital was saying that she and Li Yang were sworn enemies and would fight to the death.
Li Yang also heard about this. Normally, unless absolutely necessary, she would never appear where Zhao Qiu'er might be.
Zhao Qiu'er stood with her hands behind her back, followed by four burly women. She walked leisurely and lightly to Li Yang. "Oh, isn't this our 'Young Madam Yuan'? What brings you to our humble residence today?"
Li Yang hugged Xiao Taozi and looked up at her: "Qiu'er, this is between us. Don't frighten my daughter. Let me take her to the room to rest first, okay?"
Zhao Qiu'er glanced at Xiao Taozi with disdain, her eyes filled with contempt: "Daughter? That's ridiculous. Back then, we swore that whoever had the child would have to name the other child by the nickname. But your daughter is already four years old, and I haven't even seen her yet."
"Qiu'er~" Li Yang called out to her helplessly, lowering her voice to plead, "I was wrong before, I apologize to you, please don't be angry anymore, okay?"
"Hmph," Zhao Qiu'er raised a sharp brow: "Who do you think you are, that you're worthy of making me, Zhao Qiu'er, angry!"
She paused for a moment, then continued sarcastically, "Look at your pathetic self. It's a good thing you stole Yuan Chongjing back then, otherwise I would be the one being laughed at today. That scoundrel Yuan Chongjing actually went and seduced a widow, ugh, he disgusts me!"
Little Peach woke up at some point, and hearing her shrill voice cursing her father, she raised her hand to hit Zhao Qiu'er: "You're not allowed to curse my father!"
Zhao Qiu'er reacted quickly, taking half a step back, and Xiao Taozi's slap landed directly on her bulging chest.
The child wasn't very strong, and she dodged quickly, so the force felt like a tickle.
Zhao Qiu'er felt she had lost face, especially since this person was Li Yang's daughter, and in front of Li Yang no less. Her face flushed, she glared at Xiao Taozi and said menacingly, "You dare hit me!"
As soon as she spoke, Zhao Qiu'er raised her right hand high and glared at the four burly women: "Grab her!"
The four women looked at each other in bewilderment. The lady of the house was in charge, and the woman in front of them was her niece. Besides, the third young lady would be married off sooner or later. If they offended the lady of the house, they would be the ones to suffer in the future.
Seeing that they didn't make a move, Zhao Qiu'er muttered "useless" and then raised her hand to slap Li Yang.
Little Peach was so frightened that her eyes filled with tears, and she burst into loud sobs: "Mother, Mother~"
Seeing her helplessly clutching Li Yang's collar, Zhao Qiu'er couldn't bring herself to slap her. She could only yell at her fiercely, "Why are you crying? I haven't even laid a hand on you yet!"
Little Peach looked back at her, saw that her hand was still raised high, and turned back in fright, burying herself in Li Yang's arms: "Mother, save me, save Little Peach~~"
Li Yang patted her shoulders and back, repeatedly comforting her in soft voices.
Zhao Qiu'er reluctantly lowered her hand: "Tch, Li Yang, your daughter is just like you, a complete coward. I won't stoop to the level of a coward!"
After she finished speaking, seeing that Li Yang was only focused on coaxing Xiao Taozi and ignoring her, Zhao Qiu'er felt her anger erupt again. She wanted to fight with Li Yang again when she heard someone walk over from the side: "Third Sister! Stop! What are you trying to do now!"
The one who came this time was a young master dressed in brocade robes. He looked to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, and even the simple brocade robes and attire could not hide his noble air. This person was none other than Zhao Chilai, the fifth young master of the Duke of Zhongyong's mansion.
Zhao Qiu'er said, "What's it to you? Didn't Father ask you to entertain the guests?"
Zhao Chilai said helplessly, "I knew you would cause trouble here. Fourth Sister is looking for you. She said she has something good for you. Go quickly."
Zhao Qiu'er glared at Li Yang arrogantly: "I'll let you off this time for the sake of Fifth Brother. You four, what are you standing there for? Get out of here!"
The five of them left in a grand procession. Zhao Chilai bowed to Li Yang and said, "Cousin, I'm so sorry. It was my third sister who was wrong. I apologize to you on her behalf."
None of the five children in the Duke's mansion were born to their aunt, but since their aunt married into the family, even if they didn't want to admit it, she was still considered their legal mother. Zhao Chilai's address of her as "cousin" was appropriate.
Little Peach had stopped crying and was sobbing against her shoulder. Li Yang held her and nodded to Zhao Chilai, saying, "Fifth Young Master is too polite. This was also my fault, and it's understandable that Qiu'er is angry."
Zhao Chilai smiled gently and said, "Mother must have already prepared a room for you, cousin. Please go and rest."
Li Yang nodded, and after turning around, she heard Zhao Chi say, "I will keep an eye on Third Sister. Although she has a bad temper, she is quite respectful to Mother. Cousin, please rest assured, Mother is doing well in the Duke's mansion. If you have free time in the future, you can come and talk to Mother more often. She will definitely be happy to see you and Xiao Taozi."
Zhao Chilai's gentle and soft-spoken manner made Li Yang feel flattered.
As the only son of the Duke's family, Zhao Chi was pampered from a young age, which naturally made him domineering and selfish. In the past, when she and Qiu'er were on good terms, she had visited the Duke's mansion many times, and all she saw was Zhao Chi taking advantage of the Duke's favor and the servants' affection to bully and oppress others.
Li Yang was genuinely surprised by how gentle he was with people.
Taking advantage of the fact that no one else was in the room and that Xiao Taozi had been coaxed to sleep, Li Yang told her maid Jinghe about her questions: "You've been here with me before, and you've seen Zhao Chi bullying people, right? How come he's become so... cheesy?"
Jinghe tilted her head and thought for a moment: "It must be that the Fifth Young Master has grown up. I've run into him several times when I went out to buy things before. He was always so gentle when he talked to people outside."
"Really?" Li Yang recalled Zhao Chilai, whom she had just seen, and then looked at Jing He, who was patiently covering Xiao Taozi with a blanket. Li Yang suddenly realized why she had felt that Zhao Chilai's eyes were strange and that he was staring at her with a bright look.
So his real intention wasn't the wine, but rather to stare at Jinghe, who had been standing right behind her!
Li Yang immediately asked, "Jinghe, you said you ran into Zhao Chilai 'several times'? Where were those places?"
Jinghe said, "There are many. There are pastry vendors, fabric and embroidery vendors, jewelry stalls on the street, and I even ran into him when my sister and I went to buy silk gauze to make gauze flowers last time."
Upon hearing this, Li Yang felt a chill run down her spine. None of these places were places where Zhao Chilai, the pampered young master of the noble mansion, should be.
"Jinghe, if you ever run into Zhao Chi again, be sure to stay away from him!"
Jinghe nodded, not understanding the meaning behind Li Yang's words. She assumed that Li Yang was being considerate of Zhao Chilai's status as the young master of the Duke of Zhongyong's mansion and was afraid that she would be at a disadvantage if she faced him: "Don't worry, young mistress, I know everything."
Her mother was Zhou Mama, a highly trusted servant of Madam Yuan, and her older sister, Jingzhi, also worked for Madam Yuan. Jinghe grew up under the care of her mother and sister, and was very innocent and obedient. Originally, her sister-in-law wanted to take Jinghe with her to curry favor with Madam Yuan. However, Zhou Mama found a way to refuse. After Li Yang and Yuan Chongjing returned from Chenzhou last year, Zhou Mama secretly tested the waters for a long time before finally sending Jinghe over.
Li Yang looked at her; she had a round little face, her eyes were full of gentleness and purity, and her smile was extremely approachable, calming even the most irritable and impatient heart, as if it could soothe people's souls.
Li Yang didn't say anything, only thinking that she should be more careful after returning to the manor and let her leave the manor less often in the future.
Seeing that the time had come, after Xiao Taozi woke up from her nap, Li Yang made an excuse to say goodbye to Madam Zhongyong and Li's mother, and hurriedly left the Zhongyong Mansion with Jinghe and the other two.
She had to go to Song Xi's residence to bring Yuan Chongjing back to the mansion.
But when the three arrived, they found nothing.
Xiao Han said, "Young Master Yuan left after the acupuncture treatment."
Li Yang found it strange. When they parted that morning, she had promised to pick him up and take him back to the manor together. Logically, Yuan Chongjing shouldn't have left first after the acupuncture treatment.
Seeing that Xiao Han seemed to have something to say, Li Yang asked, "Has he returned to the manor?"
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