Spring brings flowers and autumn brings fruits. The once green fields have turned golden, the sky is blue, the rice ears are golden, and even the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of fruits.
The Mid-Autumn Festival has passed, and Dingzhou has also entered the busy farming season.
No one knows what Qiao Si has been busy with recently, and Zhang You hasn't seen her for five days.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, the emperor did not hold the Qiao Palace accountable. Instead, out of respect, he returned the jurisdiction of Dingzhou to the prince. The prince and his wife handed the matter over to Qiao Si, only checking it regularly to ensure everything was in order.
The day after the Mid-Autumn Festival, those in prison died of illness due to the torture.
Qiao Nai's health gradually improved under Qiao Er's care. He only coughed occasionally and could not be exposed to the wind. He had been recuperating in Lanting Courtyard.
Fearing Qiao Nai would get hurt again, the princess gave her maid, Yu Qing, to Qiao Nai. Yu Qing was personally trained by the princess, and her professional skills were no less than Jing Zhu and Jing Lan's. She knew basic medical skills, martial arts, and was also very tactful. With her constantly caring for Qiao Nai, the princess could rest assured.
Ayi had just spoken to Zhang You about Yuqing a couple of days ago, blaming herself for her inability to protect Qiao Nai. After this incident, her fighting spirit was ignited, and she trained with Yuqing daily, determined to change her cowardly character.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, several of Qiao Da's concubines were also killed by those women. Because he had so many concubines, no one discovered their bodies immediately. If Qiao Da had not listened to the crazy woman and hurried back, the bodies would probably have been discovered much later.
Because of Qiao Da's negligence, his women started to scheme against each other behind his back, which implicated Qiao Nai. The princess was very angry and confined him to his home for a month to let him reflect.
During this period, the palace gossip was filled with stories about Qiao Da's romantic affairs, so things were quite quiet.
On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the prince ordered his men to ride as fast as they could to report to the emperor the incident of Chen Shi colluding with foreign enemies and framing loyal ministers.
The emperor's decree came quickly, but he was not so willing to do so. Although Dingzhou was returned to the prince, the salaries of the soldiers under the prince were also reduced. The prince could only rely on Dingzhou's financial turnover to fill this gap.
The emperor only cared about his position and did not consider the lives of the people of Dingzhou at all. It was unknown how long he could stay in that position.
In August, the golden osmanthus is fragrant, and the golden little flowers are hidden among the lush leaves, filling the yard with fragrance.
Zhang You became interested and wanted to pick some to make osmanthus cake.
Her hands were covered with scabs, but she couldn't move them much, so she asked Dongmei and others for help.
Dongmei was very nimble. With one leap, she landed lightly on the big osmanthus tree at the corner.
Chunhua and Qiuyue took a piece of cloth to catch it from below, and Zhang You stood beside and directed Dongmei to shake it.
The osmanthus petals fall down, it is an osmanthus rain unique to autumn.
Several people had a lot of fun.
There is a small kitchen in the yard, and Chunhua helps the aunt who is the chef in the kitchen to cook.
Zhang You wanted to follow, but Chunhua pushed him out on the grounds that her injury had not healed yet.
The sun was shining and the sky was clear. Zhang You was sitting in the small garden in front of the door, feeling leisurely.
The clouds in the sky are of various shapes. Zhang You looks at the shapes of the clouds and imagines them wildly in his mind. Occasionally, a few birds fly past his eyes, bringing with them clear and pleasant calls.
The afternoon sun was lazy, making people drowsy. Zhang You squinted his eyes, enjoying this quiet moment.
A noise outside the yard broke the silence. Zhang You stood up and walked over.
Two doormen came in carrying a box.
"Hey, bro, what is this?"
"What else could it be? It must have been sent by Master Wei. Here, there's also this letter."
The servant handed over a thick piece of letter.
Zhang You held it loosely, not daring to move too much for fear of hurting the wound.
She stroked it and felt that there were probably about ten sheets of letter paper.
"Wow, it's so thick."
Qiuyue and Dongmei heard the noise outside and walked to Zhang You's side. Qiuyue naturally took the letter from Zhang You's hand.
"Is it sent by Master Wei again?"
Qiuyue was slightly surprised when she saw the thickness of the letter.
“So thick!”
I really can't believe this guy is so affectionate.
"It's such a deep love."
Qiuyue couldn't help but sigh.
Dongmei rolled her eyes silently but said nothing.
Dongmei started complaining only after she had instructed the two servants to put the things in the warehouse on the west side.
"What do you mean by affectionate? This guy is too stupid. He still thinks that his feelings towards the princess are just friends. Every time he writes to her, he will make the princess angry within three sentences.
"Mr. Xie is always gentle and kind-hearted, and behaves with moderation. But this guy's words are not to his liking, and he has to make the princess angry. Who likes others to be like this?"
Whenever Dongmei mentioned him, she was puzzled. Why did Qiao Si fall in love with such a childish and boring person?
When the two met, they would start arguing after just a few words, but that person still didn't understand and only treated the princess as a friend.
No way.
It makes me angry just thinking about it.
He sends me letters and things every now and then, so why can't I realize my own thoughts?
So stupid.
"This... is difficult to comment on."
It feels a bit like a pair of bickering lovers.
Zhang You silently felt this way in his heart.
A little bit bumpy.
But at the moment, Qiao Si seems to be avoiding him. If they are a couple, how long will it take for them to understand each other?
Not long after they returned to their room, Chunhua brought in a plate of osmanthus cake.
The good quality osmanthus flowers have been kept to prepare dinner for Qiao Si, and the dish of spring flowers was obtained by the head chef's aunt after much persuasion.
The pastry is made into the shape of a flower, with small osmanthus flowers randomly inlaid in the off-white pastry. The fragrance lingers on your lips and teeth after you take a bite.
Zhang You held it gently with both hands, slowly brought it to her mouth, and took a bite. Beneath the fragrance of glutinous rice was the rich aroma of osmanthus. It was sweet, fragrant, soft and delicious.
She squinted her eyes with a satisfied smile on her face.
"It's so delicious!"
The way she ate at this moment was very much like a little hamster, holding a piece of cake in both hands and gnawing on it with her head down.
Chunhua and the others were amused by her behavior.
A leisurely life coupled with delicious food is truly intoxicating.
Zhang You couldn't help but finish the remaining osmanthus cake on the plate.
The evening breeze made people feel a little cold. It was not until the warm yellow lanterns were hung in the yard that Qiao Si came back.
Following her were two other women, dressed in ordinary clothes. One was older and brought another girl who was about thirteen or fourteen years old.
Qiao Si had dinner with them.
During this period, Zhang You and the others also learned the origins of these two people from Hongmei.
The two of them are master and apprentice. The older one is called Yu Shengsheng, a chivalrous warrior who travels the world. The younger one is called Yu Sheng, an apprentice she accepted a few years ago, and he specially took her surname.
When they arrived in Dingzhou, their money had just run out. Qiao Si met them and felt they had a good relationship, so he asked them to stay as helpers in his house.
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