Fu Weiyun asked without changing his expression, "Is Sister going?"
"I have something to do and can't go."
Xiao Qingyin looked regretful.
"Mother is going to Xilin soon, why don't you take her to see her?"
Fu Weiyun nodded: "Okay."
Meanwhile, Zuo Miaomiao fled back to her own residence, where her heartbeat gradually slowed down.
Back in her room, she collapsed onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow.
She turned over, lying on her back with her arms and legs spread wide, staring blankly into the void, until she could barely breathe.
"What are we going to do now...?"
Does that mean we should avoid Fu Weiyun whenever we see him?
She hasn't done anything wrong, so why is she being so evasive?
They're so thin-skinned.
The next time she sees Fu Weiyun, she must stand in front of him with grace and pretend that nothing has happened.
However, she didn't expect that "next time" would come so soon.
Two days later, after breakfast, the Left Censor urged his daughter to go out.
"Hurry up, don't dawdle, or all the good spots will be taken."
Zuo Miaomiao muttered, "The morning mist hasn't even dissipated yet, who would go to admire the red leaves so early in the morning?"
"Fog creates a sense of atmosphere."
The Left Censor looked at her with disappointment and frustration.
"You're supposed to make a living with your pen, yet you don't even understand this basic elegance."
Zuo Miaomiao: "..."
She only needs to write gossip; she doesn't need refined tastes.
Those who pay for "Xiwen" are ordinary people, not high-ranking officials or nobles. If she wrote in a literary style, no one would read it.
But under her father's nagging, she still made the servants speed up the packing.
It's much more troublesome for women to travel than for men.
Putting everything else aside, just take going to the toilet, men can leave empty-handed without bringing anything with them.
Women, however, were required to bring their own chamber pots for use when relieving themselves.
Of course, some women don't bring food either. If they go on a trip, they start dieting the night before and don't even drink water on the day of the trip.
That way, you won't need to use the restroom all day.
She could be the perfect lady.
Zuo Miaomiao couldn't bear this suffering. If she didn't drink water for an hour, she would feel like a fish out of water.
Therefore, she would rather travel with a bedpan than fast.
When we arrived at Xishan, the sun had just climbed to the top of the mountain, but the trails were already teeming with tourists, including groups of young ladies and groups of scholars.
There are quite a few families like this father and daughter who travel together.
Zuo Miaomiao couldn't help but sigh, "Old ginger is spicier."
The Left Censor rested his chin on his hand, looking smug: "Of course, when I was young, I would come to West Mountain every year to admire the red leaves, so I know the situation here better than anyone."
"No wonder people say that having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. Dad, you are our family's greatest treasure."
Zuo Miaomiao complimented her father as she accompanied him up the mountain.
The mountains are not only home to maple and acer trees, but also to yellow-leafed trees, ginkgo trees, pine trees, and other species, with their colorful leaves that are quite beautiful.
Of course, the most eye-catching is the bright red Japanese maple.
Even on the slightly flatter ground beneath the Japanese maple trees, people were quick to climb up and admire them, or sit on the ground to enjoy tea, discuss philosophy, or paint.
Zuo Miaomiao had no choice but to walk deeper into the mountain path in order to find a less crowded place to sit down and rest.
As they passed a group of scholars from Songyue Academy chatting under a tree, the Left Censor plopped down on a roadside stone, panting, and said, "Miaomiao, your father is tired. Let's rest here."
Seeing that there wasn't a single drop of sweat on his forehead, Zuo Miaomiao immediately understood what was going on.
Her father probably wanted her to take a look at this group of scholars.
To be honest, this group of scholars was quite pleasing to the eye; each of them was gentle and refined, with an otherworldly air.
He speaks in a gentle and soft voice.
She listened for a while and found that they were talking about the report on Baiyun Temple. They said that the content of the report was very good, but unfortunately the writer's writing style was too straightforward and the title was too sensational, which wasted such a good topic.
She was furious and wanted nothing more than to go over and argue with them.
This is a news report, not an imperial examination. Who would quote classical texts and write something obscure and difficult to understand?
If it were written like that, the editor-in-chief of "Xiwen" would throw the manuscript away.
When the Left Censor saw her staring intently at the group of scholars, he assumed she was interested.
"Honey, which one have you taken a fancy to?"
He asked quietly.
Zuo Miaomiao: "..."
I didn't like any of them!
Even if all these learned and talented men were offered to her, she wouldn't want them.
"They're not my type."
Upon hearing this, the Left Censor-in-Chief immediately became worried.
The students at Songyue Academy don't even think it's good enough for him, so where else can he look?
Are we supposed to wait until next year's imperial examination results to find a husband?
I'm afraid that at that time...
well.
He sighed, used the stones to support himself as he stood up, "Alright, Dad's rested enough, let's keep going."
There might be a scholar she finds appealing ahead.
"Wait a minute."
Zuo Miaomiao had her servant bring over the water bag.
"I'd like to have some water first, Dad, would you like some?"
The Left Censor shook his head: "Father isn't thirsty."
Zuo Miaomiao then replenished her fluids on her own.
After walking for about 15 minutes and turning a sharp bend, an empty maple forest appeared before the father and daughter.
Zuo Miaomiao exclaimed with delight, "Dad, let's stay here!"
The Left Censor nodded in agreement: "This place is nice. If you walk to the edge, you can overlook the entire valley and enjoy a panoramic view of the beautiful Western Hills."
A hint of doubt immediately arose in Zuo Miaomiao's heart.
"How come there's no one here in such a nice place?"
As soon as the words were spoken, a white figure floated down from the tree, smiling, and said, "Am I not human?"
Zuo Miaomiao's eyes almost popped out.
"General Fu... General Fu? What are you doing here?"
"Of course we came to admire the autumn leaves."
Fu Weiyun pointed to the bushes not far away.
Zuo Miaomiao then noticed a rattan mat on the ground, with a bunch of things placed next to it.
She gave an awkward smile: "Sorry, I didn't see you just now. If you're here, we won't bother you any longer."
He then said to the Left Censor, "Father, let's walk a little further."
Just as the Left Censor was about to agree, Fu Weiyun laughed and said, "This place is so big, it would be too empty for me to stay here alone. Why don't you stay? The scenery here is the best in the whole mountain."
Zuo Miaomiao still couldn't muster the courage to be with him and was about to refuse him.
Fu Weiyun pointed to a pile of things next to the rattan mat and said, "I specially brought a charcoal stove and some tofu with a crispy skin that my sister had made. We're going to grill tofu. Would you like to try some?"
Grilled tofu?
Zuo Miaomiao unconsciously swallowed.
She had heard Sister Xiao mention roasted tofu once, but had never tried it before.
Should we overcome our embarrassment and stay...?
Before she could make a decision, the Left Censor exclaimed in surprise: "Is that jar of wine a 20-year-old Pear Blossom White?"
Fu Weiyun smiled and said, "That's right. Lord Zuo has a good eye; he saw it at a glance."
The craving for alcohol in the Left Censor's stomach was immediately aroused.
"Miaomiao, since Commander Fu has extended such a warm invitation, let's stay."
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