Chapter 776 Zhao Qingxiu: Senior Sister, Please Don't Hurt the Girl Wearing This Hairpin
The residence in Huaiye Lane.
The maids in the front house were packing their luggage under Banxi's guidance, waiting for Madam Zhen to return.
Inside a private courtyard called Yinbingzhai in the back courtyard, there was a quietness at the moment.
Yu Nianyuan doubted that he had misunderstood.
This is something that Seventh Sister's frail husband could say.
To pass on a message to her and her senior sister?
Let them choose?
Zhao Qingxiu did not repeat herself. Holding Yu Nianyuan's hand, she continued to write, word by word, occasionally switching between her left and right hands.
She was naturally intelligent, but her right hand was missing a little finger, making it inconvenient for her to hold a sword. She had been left-handed since she started practicing swordsmanship. When it came to writing, both her small hands were very dexterous. She could write with both hands simultaneously and quickly without getting tired of switching hands.
Yu Nianyuan couldn't help but look at his seventh junior sister, who was patiently writing and speaking, and felt the words she was "speaking" in his palm.
Zhao Qingxiu wrote with great focus and seriousness.
She meticulously relayed Tanlang's words.
However, perhaps because Ouyang Rong had given her a few too many instructions and was a bit too nagging to her senior sisters, Zhao Qingxiu took a little longer to write.
Despite being blind and mute, she would occasionally pause, tilting her head to ponder her beloved's meticulous instructions, afraid of missing anything.
However, a faint smile played on her lips as she wrote.
It was an overwhelming joy.
Yu Nianyuan saw Seventh Junior Sister's smiling face.
I have read what she wrote.
The two ladies of Yunmeng frowned deeply.
The atmosphere was somewhat quiet.
"Seventh Junior Sister, are you saying that your husband is the sword wielder? The cauldron sword in Longcheng County has recognized him as its master, and he is the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower sword that was once given to Senior Sister?"
"Um."
Yu Nianyuan's brows furrowed even more.
He stood up, paced back and forth in the courtyard, walked around twice, and stopped in front of Zhao Qingxiu.
She said very seriously:
"Seventh Junior Sister, this matter is not to be taken lightly."
Zhao Qingxiu's small face was firm and determined.
"Second Senior Sister, I saw it all, I saw Tanlang's sword."
Yu Nianyuan still had a somewhat suspicious look on his face.
It's unbelievable.
The main reason is that this matter is completely different from their previous impression of the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower.
The incidents of intercepting the Dingjian sword in Longcheng, fighting with the senior sister and disarming her, and the destruction of the Xingzi Lake Buddha... led Yu Nianyuan and the other Yue women to assume that the master of the Butterfly Love Flower was at least on the same level as the senior sister, Xue Zhongzhu.
In terms of appearance... he should be the kind of shrewd and calculating young man, a seasoned veteran with experience and wisdom.
But now, her seventh junior sister comes to tell her that her sickly husband is the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower.
This is completely contrary to the impression it gave people before.
Yu Nianyuan couldn't help but recall.
She had met her seventh junior sister's husband, nicknamed "Tanlang," once.
He seemed to be a handsome, slender, and scholarly man; if he were in good health, he would be elegant and refined.
Moreover, although he is indeed very good-looking, he inevitably gives people the impression of being a bit weak.
Even though she recently learned that he was Ouyang Lianghan, the governor of Jiangzhou, and slightly revised her opinion of him, Yu Nianyuan was not too surprised. It was far less surprising than the news that Zhao Qingxiu had brought back about Tong Fu's new identity.
This time it's a real world of difference.
The sickly young man, the governor of Jiangzhou, the master of the Butterfly Lovers... are they all the same person?
The absurdity of this matter led Yu Nianyuan to pace around the courtyard again, surveying Ouyang Rong's surroundings, and subconsciously ask in bewilderment:
"How dare he reveal his identity? Doesn't he know that Senior Sister is looking for him...?"
Zhao Qingxiu tilted her head, as if reminding her second senior sister of something.
Yu Nianyuan paused, remembering the message Zhao Qingxiu had just written for "Tanlang".
Not only did he stop hiding his identity and reveal it directly, but for the sake of his seventh junior sister, who was his child bride, he treated them with courtesy before resorting to force, letting them choose.
A sense of rationality shines through the absurdity.
Yu Nianyuan's mouth was a little dry.
The main reason was that this series of news exceeded her expectations for this trip.
"Wait, I have a question."
Yu Nianyuan suddenly stopped, causing the bells on her ankles to ring crisply. She turned and stared at Zhao Qingxiu, saying:
"If he is the master of the Butterfly Love Flower, why did he help us destroy the Xingzi Lake Buddha? Why did he kill the people of the imperial court? Wasn't he just making things difficult for himself?"
Zhao Qingxiu shook her head.
[Danlang must have his own stance.]
Yu Nianyuan pursed his lips and stared at his somewhat innocent and naive seventh junior sister for a while.
Suddenly he spoke:
"Seventh Junior Sister, if he really is the master of the Butterfly Love Flower, then from the perspective of Jianze and Senior Sister, I dislike his words very much, and Senior Sister will probably be angry too. However... if he really said these words, then he does have some sense of responsibility towards you, which is admirable."
Zhao Qingxiu nodded vigorously.
Yu Nianyuan suddenly changed his style and asked:
"Seventh Junior Sister, let me reiterate: you must not joke about this matter. It involves the Dingjian sword, absolutely not. I hate liars more than anything, even your husband. If you do, we senior sisters won't be able to help you dissuade him."
Zhao Qingxiu took Yu Nianyuan's hand again:
[Second Senior Sister still doesn't believe it?]
Yu Nianyuan remained silent.
Zhao Qingxiu paused for a moment, then wrote again:
[Actually, I didn't quite believe it at first, but... I only realized it was real after experiencing it. Just like I have a sect and responsibilities, Tanlang also has a new identity and new responsibilities. Unlike when we were kids, Tanlang is indeed a special person, destined to be extraordinary.]
Upon hearing this, Yu Nianyuan saw his seventh junior sister's dazed and murmuring expression, seemingly sinking deeper into her thoughts, and hesitated to speak.
She warned:
"Seventh Junior Sister, women in love are the most foolish, remember that."
"Also, let's assume he's the master of Butterfly Love Flower. I'll trust you for now. However, everything will have to wait until the Xunyang Grottoes matter is resolved today, and after my senior sister and I have met him. But there's one thing he said that I need to correct."
Yu Nianyuan slightly raised his chin and said calmly:
"The two options he mentioned are a bit too boastful. So what if he is the swordsman? Senior Sister was just underestimating him before. As long as Senior Sister gets serious, just like she did with the Donglin Buddha this time, she will definitely strike with lightning speed."
"Moreover, we Jianze don't really need the friendship of the Xunyang Prince's Mansion. We can handle the matter of the Donglin Buddha and ease the tension with the pseudo-Zhou court... This is not a bargaining chip, so there's no need for him to bother. How the pseudo-Zhou court views Jianze is not important at all."
Zhao Qingxiu wrote:
[Second Senior Sister, Tanlang means that we still can't be careless about the Buddha statue. He personally built it and is familiar with the defenses of the Xunyang Grottoes. He told us to be extra careful after we came out. Second Senior Sister, you must have heard that zither music just now, right?]
"Yes, I heard you."
Yu Nianyuan nodded calmly: "I guessed it long ago. It's not like I haven't heard that old guy's zither playing before. I experienced it firsthand in Xingzifang last time. I never make the same mistake twice."
Zhao Qingxiu asked with some concern:
Where are the senior sisters now? Will they be exposed?
Yu Nianyuan patted Zhao Qingxiu's head and said softly:
"Don't worry, only my spiritual energy pillar was briefly exposed just now. Senior Sister and the others aren't here. You'll meet them later... That zither music was indeed a bit annoying. I was originally arranging people at Xingzi Lake Courtyard and waiting for you there, but the music started and then disappeared. Just in case, I had to move. I just happened to come here to find you."
Zhao Qingxiu, however, did not let her guard down:
[The music sounds different this time, Second Senior Sister. It seems the Buddha statue has been repaired; it's different from the one at Xingzi Lake that wasn't fully prepared back then.]
Yu Nianyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he had seriously considered his words, before finally speaking:
"Seventh Junior Sister, you don't trust Meng Yuan's power?"
Zhao Qingxiu stopped trying to persuade her and nodded gently.
This seems to imply a certain consensus.
Yu Nianyuan then spoke up: "Wait, since he built the Buddha statue, doesn't he feel any remorse? Isn't he a member of the imperial court?"
[Something happened, and Tanlang and the Prince of Xunyang's mansion will no longer stop them.]
Yu Nianyuan pondered for a moment and nodded:
"I see, it's internal strife again. This pseudo-Zhou court is indeed corrupt. Is the Xunyang Grottoes now in the hands of his political enemies?"
Zhao Qingxiu remained quiet, neither admitting nor denying.
Yu Nianyuan immediately expressed his opinion:
"Alright, regardless of whether he is the owner of the Butterfly Love Flower, since he has stopped interfering, we at Jianze will not take the initiative to harm him or the Xunyang Prince's Mansion. Seventh Junior Sister can rest assured about this."
Hearing her second senior sister repeatedly mention the same thing, Zhao Qingxiu's face grew increasingly helpless, and she wrote:
[Second Senior Sister, don't change the subject. Tanlang said you should all choose. Second Senior Sister, you still don't believe him, do you?]
Yu Nianyuan turned his head away, and said somewhat coldly:
"Whether I believe it or not is not important. Of course, I want what's best for you... The most important thing is Senior Sister's attitude. Let me relay her message and let her decide whether or not to meet with your husband to discuss it..."
She paused, then reiterated, "Seventh Junior Sister, I hope you're not using this to stall for time. Eldest Senior Sister hates people who make fun of her."
Just then, the sound of a woman's footsteps suddenly came from outside, growing louder as it approached.
"Knock knock—"
A polite knock sounded, followed by a woman's voice calling out:
"Sister Xiu Niang, Sister Ye asked me to bring you some noodle soup, saying you're hungry."
Yu Nianyuan looked at Zhao Qingxiu.
Zhao Qingxiu was also taken aback. She recognized the young woman who made that voice; her name seemed to be Banxi, and she was a rare Silla maid.
With her eyes blindfolded by ribbons, she raised her index finger to her lips, gesturing to Yu Nianyuan.
The two ladies of Yunmeng disappeared from the spot.
The blindfolded girl stood up from the swing, groped her way to the courtyard gate, and pushed it open.
Outside, a woman with slender fingers held a food box in both hands, standing gracefully, and smiled:
"Madam has just arrived home. Sister Ye was preparing noodles in the kitchen and asked me to bring them over. She went to greet Madam. Also, there are some luggage arrangements that need to be coordinated by her."
After muttering something under her breath, Zhao Qingxiu made some "ee-yah" sounds. Banxi gently stopped her, shaking her head and saying:
"It's alright, Sister Embroidery, please rest well. We can handle these chores. Sister Ye, please eat without worry. Once your luggage is packed, we'll leave together."
Half-heartedly handed out the lacquered food box:
"Look, the noodles are fresh out of the pot, still hot and with a wok hei (wok aroma). Embroiderer, please eat them while they're hot."
Zhao Qingxiu hummed in agreement, took the food box, noticed something, and weighed it in her hand.
There are two bowls of noodles.
She immediately stepped aside, gesturing for Banxi to come in and eat with her.
Banxi didn't enter, shook his head, and then said something that made the white-clad woman hidden somewhere in the courtyard raise an eyebrow:
"It wasn't prepared for me. Sister Ye said it was prepared for Sister Xiu Niang's friend."
Zhao Qingxiu paused.
The man spoke clearly and articulately, relaying the message in detail:
"Sister Ye said she just heard some noise in the courtyard, and also smelled some unfamiliar women's scent. It must be a friend of the embroiderer. Hmm, Sister Ye has a very sensitive nose; she's so familiar with Yinbingzhai, she can't hide it from outsiders..."
At this point, she turned around, took a lacquer box from her maid, and handed it out.
Before Sister Ye went to fetch the eldest lady, she instructed the servants to prepare two cups of tea to welcome the guest, in order to avoid any slights.
Zhao Qingxiu accepted the tea box in a daze.
"Sister Embroiderer, I'll be waiting for you outside. Please have your meal first, and call me if you need anything."
After delivering the message, she smiled sweetly, gave a few words of advice, turned and left, taking her maids to the pavilion outside Yinbingzhai to wait quietly.
Zhao Qingxiu stood at the gate for a moment, then closed the gate again and returned to the courtyard with the tea box and the lacquered food box.
Yu Nianyuan's figure reappeared in front of the swing.
She glanced at the two boxes and spoke first:
"That young lady surnamed Ye is quite interesting. What's her relationship with your husband? She sounds like a head maid. A mere head maid, spending all her time in the garden, how could she have such abilities and knowledge?"
Zhao Qingxiu, wearing a white jade hairpin, walked to the table, put down two boxes, silently opened them, and took out two bowls of noodles and two cups of tea.
She and Yu Nianyuan each received one portion.
Zhao Qingxiu picked up the bowl of noodles, ate a few bites of noodles, and then dipped her fingers in tea to write on the stone table.
When will Second Senior Sister leave?
She changed the subject and didn't mention Ye Weilai.
“This young lady surnamed Ye is keeping a close eye on you, and your heart has already turned towards her, even urging your senior sister.”
Yu Nianyuan sighed softly, didn't press further, glanced at the sun, and said:
"The time has come. Where is the sword that Master gave you? We need to go."
Upon hearing "take a trip," Zhao Qingxiu surprisingly did not refuse. She put down her bowl and then began writing:
[Okay, let's use it and go together. Second Senior Sister, could you do me a small favor?]
Yu Nianyuan glanced sideways: "What is it?"
Zhao Qingxiu took out a red cloth package from her sleeve, opened the red cloth, and revealed a pair of mandarin duck jade hairpins inside.
She picked up the hairpin and gestured to Yu Nianyuan, whose eyes were filled with curiosity:
[Senior sister, if we encounter the young woman wearing this hairpin at the Xunyang Grottoes today, could you please show her mercy and spare her life?]
Yu Nianyuan pondered for a moment, then frowned and asked:
"Xiao Qi, what's your relationship with this young lady that makes you want to protect her?"
Zhao Qingxiu didn't know what she looked like, nor had she heard Tanlang mention her much.
I've only heard that cold, effeminate voice on two separate occasions.
One time was outside the wall of the courtyard in Xingzi Lake.
Another time was at Madam Zhen's birthday banquet.
She came and went in a hurry, her voice was cold and her tone was very impolite to Tanlang, somewhat arrogant and critical.
On the carriage that had just returned to Xunyang City, when Zhao Qingxiu mentioned that her senior sisters would deal with all the hawks and hounds of Xunyang Grottoes, Tanlang fell silent.
Zhao Qingxiu lowered her head and wrote:
[Tanlang hesitated, but she showed mercy.]
Upon hearing these cryptic words, Yu Nianyuan glanced at Zhao Qingxiu, but didn't press for details, simply nodding reluctantly.
"Alright, provided the threat is eliminated, then I can spare his life."
My second senior sister is always reliable in her words and deeds, and her promises are very effective.
Zhao Qingxiu held the bowl of noodles in her hands and smiled gently.
"Um."
(End of this chapter)
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