Chapter 696: Seeing Each Other (5)
It was in stark contrast to the pair of delicate, fair, graceful and charming slender hands before.
She was terrified, not that she would embarrass herself, but that Wanyu and Fu Ming would also be criticized because of her. As she played the guzheng, she watched Madam Mei smile charmingly at her, and Fu Xiuyi's cold and stern expression. She felt so sad she wanted to cry. But Shen Miao couldn't cry. For Wanyu and Fu Ming, she had to be a dignified queen, unfazed by praise or criticism.
She pretended that she didn't care about anything, but after returning to Kunning Palace, she asked Shuangjiang to bring double the amount of sandstone, which she used to grind off a layer of skin on her hands.
Seeing Shen Miao lost in thought, Luo Tan asked, "Little cousin?"
Shen Miao came back to her senses and saw that the pattern of magpies making a fuss in spring in her hand had been cut up. She couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh.
In her new life, her hands are still as delicate and safe as ever, but the calluses seem to still be there, constantly reminding her of her miserable past.
Shen Miao threw the scissors away and said, “I won’t cut anymore.”
Luo Tan exclaimed, "Ah!" and asked, "Why?"
Shen Miao casually said, “It will produce calluses.”
Luo Tan, who had always admired Shen Miao, couldn't help but look strange and said, "It's not like you cut day and night, so how could you get calluses?" He added, "No wonder your nickname is 'Jiao Jiao'."
Shen Miaofang picked up the tea and took a sip, then she saw Guyu walk in from outside and said, "Miss, the Madam wants you to go to the main hall."
Luo Xueyan didn't go to Shangguan today, so she stayed at the mansion. Shen Miao asked, "Mother, is there anything you want to call me for?"
Gu Yu hesitated for a moment and said, "I don't know either, but the Su family's wife has come to our house and is currently talking to you in the main hall."
“The Su family?” Shen Miao paused, put down the teacup, and said, “The Su family of the Earl of Pingnan.”
"Exactly."
…
In the main hall, Luo Xueyan was talking to Madam Su.
Mrs. Su hadn't come empty-handed today. She had come to ask how to raise snow finches, a bird native to the north. She was worried they might spoil, and knowing Luo Xueyan was from the northwest, she'd come to ask how to keep them alive.
Luo Xueyan had initially thought that Madam Su was here to make fun of her, but she saw that Madam Su was sincere and had no intention of teasing. She also brought two baskets of fresh fruits and vegetables that had been sent from the farm in the countryside.
Previously, the Weiwu General's Mansion and the Lin'an Marquisate were rivals, and the Su family was on good terms with the Lin'an Marquisate. Naturally, the Shen and Su families were strangers, and they didn't care about each other. Two years ago, when the Shen family rebelled against the emperor's will, the Su family took advantage of the situation and reported the Shen family. Although this ultimately backfired and caused Emperor Wenhui to relax his vigilance, Luo Xueyan still remembered this incident.
But today, they came so warmly and enthusiastically. As the saying goes, "Don't hit someone who smiles," Luo Xueyan couldn't afford to be cold. She was a little puzzled. Madam Su had come to ask about raising snowbirds, but she hadn't mentioned them a single word in her long conversation. She just pestered Luo Xueyan with stories about Xiaochun City and the wonderful things she had seen. She also praised Luo Xueyan repeatedly for her parenting skills and the wonderful children she had. She praised her so much that Luo Xueyan blushed.
After praising her for so long, Luo Xueyan thought it was time for Shen Miao to come out and meet the guests, so she had Shen Miao summoned. However, she was suspicious. Could it be that the Lin'an Marquisate was on the verge of collapse, and the Su family wanted to find another backer, so they wanted to curry favor with the Shen family?
If that was the case, then the Su family was truly unacceptable. Thinking of this, Luo Xueyan felt that her decision to call Shen Miao over was somewhat impulsive. Seeing Madam Su looking expectantly at the door, she felt even more suffocated. But once words were spoken, they could no longer be refuted, and it was difficult to refute anything at this moment.
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