Chapter 128 The Fairy Grinning While Climbing Mountains and Soaking in Hot Springs
The two had a good night's rest, and the next morning, after eating a bowl of hot millet porridge, they set off for Fragrant Hills.
On the very day of the Double Ninth Festival, Fragrant Hills, one of the three most famous mountains around the capital, was bustling with people. Mu Chuan's promotion to Marquis of Loyalty and Valor further amplified his popularity, which had just subsided. Coupled with his uniquely robust physique, it was clear that everyone knew him, regardless of whether he knew anyone else or not.
Fortunately, those who could come out for an outing at this time were all high-ranking officials and nobles, and there were no particularly rude people. Even if one or two people were oblivious and insisted on coming over, they would give up after being glared at by Mu Chuan.
As Lin Daiyu watched, to put it elegantly, it was a matter of sharing weal and woe; to put it bluntly, it was a matter of great pride.
When the crowd thinned out a bit, Lin Daiyu praised him, saying, "No matter when, I am always happy to stand by Third Brother's side. Third Brother is so much better than Jia Baoyu. My mother used to say that he was extremely unruly and hated studying. He was also spoiled by his grandmother. When I first went there, my second aunt even said that he was a wicked and troublesome person and told me to stay away from him."
Lin Daiyu was being a little deliberate, and Mu Chuan noticed it.
"How can you compare me, a Marquis of Loyalty and Valor, a confidant of the two emperors, the Grand General of the Northern Camp, the Grand General of the Dragon Guard of the Daming Palace, the Vice Minister of War, and the Grand General of the Southern Pacification Garrison, to a nobleman who isn't even a playboy for several generations?"
Lin Daiyu laughed: "You used to always find opportunities to say bad things about him, but now I really think he's not good enough. Why are you dissatisfied again?"
“You can’t talk about other men now,” Mu Chuan said sternly, his face hardening.
Lin Daiyu teased him, saying, "Your Majesty, the Emperor Emeritus, your father-in-law, and my father-in-law."
"...You're asking for a beating."
Fortunately, the road was flat, and Lin Daiyu ran a few steps forward, but then suddenly felt it was unbelievable.
Not only can she climb mountains, she can run too.
In that brief moment of hesitation, Lin Daiyu was captured by Mu Chuan.
"You're underestimating me too much," Mu Chuan laughed. "Even if you ran at full speed, you couldn't outrun me, let alone stop after only a couple of steps."
Lin Daiyu raised her eyebrows and looked at him carefully: "Aren't you going to give in to me? Luckily we're already married. You weren't like this before we got married—"
Halfway through her sentence, Lin Daiyu suddenly chuckled a few times: "Perhaps I like being held by you?"
Even though they were already married, such a direct declaration of love still made Mu Chuan's heart flutter.
He rarely showed any eloquence: "I also like to catch you."
People can really laugh out loud when they're feeling helpless. Lin Daiyu poked his chest and said, "Hurry up and go up the mountain. I want to stand on high ground and look down at all the red leaves on the mountain. I also want to pick out some pretty leaves. If they grow too tall, you'll have to lift me up."
While Mu Chuan and Lin Daiyu enjoyed a happy outing, things were quite different at the Rongguo Mansion.
When Grandmother Jia received the Double Ninth Festival gift from Lin Daiyu, although her face was full of smiles, she showed no joy and felt no positive emotions whatsoever.
Aunt Xue continued to compliment, "This is a black chrysanthemum. These chrysanthemums are hard to find. It's clear that your granddaughter has been raised successfully."
Grandmother Jia didn't even glance in that direction. She didn't believe that Aunt Xue didn't know the inside story and how much dowry the Rongguo Mansion had given away.
That's right, now that Grandmother Jia is no longer talking about a dowry, it's clearly a compensation dowry!
Could it be that she spent nearly two million taels of silver and all she got in return were two pots of chrysanthemums?
She was clearly doing it on purpose.
Aunt Xue was also in a bit of a dilemma. What could she do if she didn't flatter her? She couldn't just stay silent either.
However, Grandmother Jia no longer held much authority, and Aunt Xue felt that as long as things were out in the open, that was enough.
"There are also Chongyang cakes and chrysanthemum wine, both good things for the occasion," Aunt Xue said with a smile.
Madam Xing now only comes once a day, Li Wan is confined to her quarters by Madam Wang, Tan Chun is sick, Wang Xifeng is also sick, Xi Chun says she wants to paint but doesn't come here, Jia Baoyu is even more restricted by Jia Zheng and has no freedom, the only people who are always by Grandmother Jia's side are Madam Wang, Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai, and Yuanyang can also be considered half a companion.
Madam Wang also smiled and said, "In my opinion, the old lady's granddaughter is really well raised. The signature is all Madam Lin, without mentioning her husband at all. It's obvious that she still wants to be the old lady's obedient granddaughter."
This is clearly a case of not wanting to use the name of the Marquis of Zhongyong, and not wanting the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion to be associated with them. This is not about wanting to be her obedient granddaughter; this is clearly forgetting one's roots!
With a stern face, Grandmother Jia forced a smile and said, "What did she send you? After all, she is your second aunt, and you were the one who took care of her the most. If she has anything good, let me see it too."
The word "take care of" was emphasized, and Madam Wang's expression changed. She turned to Xue Baochai with a smile and asked, "I heard you were sick a couple of days ago. Are you feeling better today?"
"It must be healed," Grandmother Jia interjected. "If it weren't, how could it have come out?"
The group exchanged sarcastic remarks and shared their troubles. Although they didn't gain any more happiness themselves, neither did the others, and that was enough.
"My lady is the cousin of the Lady of your esteemed household. It's the Double Ninth Festival, and I've come on behalf of my lady to deliver some festival gifts to the Lady of your esteemed household. These are several pots of chrysanthemums, including Green Peony, Yellow Stone Duke, and Ruiyun Palace. Although your household has plenty of these, they are still a token of my lady's goodwill. There is also this box of Hangzhou white chrysanthemums, specially made for making tea."
When Siqi came last time, after Lin Daiyu learned about the situation and thought about Yingchun's wedding and subsequent return home, she instructed the gatekeeper: "If she comes again, tell her to rest."
However, after saying this, she remembered that her third brother had said that she should not be vague in instructing the servants, so she added, "Send someone in to tell me that if I want to see her, I will naturally have someone call her in."
So when Siqi came this time, the doorman smiled and said, "Please come in for tea. Our lady isn't here, so please rest a bit before you leave."
Siqi breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what, even if it was out of pity or because she was too embarrassed, she had indeed made progress this time.
Last time she managed to stay by insisting, but this time she was genuinely invited to have tea. This way, her mistress could finally relax a bit.
Although the mountain path was still quite primitive at this time, Fragrant Hills was a place frequently visited by dignitaries and nobles from the surrounding area, and some stone steps and other structures had been built. Around noon, Mu Chuan and Lin Daiyu reached the highest platform.
Looking down the mountain, the red leaves stretched out in layers, no longer resembling trees, but rather forming a red cloud.
Lin Daiyu stood in front of the railing, gazing at it for who knows how long.
After a moment, she and Mu Chuan spoke at the same time.
One of them asked with a smile, "Are you inspired to write poetry?"
One of them said confidently, "Third Brother, I'm hungry. I want to eat Chongyang cake with milk crisp and fruit."
The two were stunned at the same time after they finished speaking. Mu Chuan sighed, "A fairy has descended to the mortal world."
Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Even poets need to eat."
"Su Shi, there's also 'My Thatched Hut Is Broken by the Autumn Wind.'" Mu Chuan wanted to list more, but Lin Daiyu stopped him again.
"Third Brother, I can't. If I get hungry, I'll bite you," Lin Daiyu said with a laugh.
Mu Chuan was eager to try, but in the end he called his servants forward to bring over some snacks and other items.
Hot food is not readily available on the mountain, so the two ate some snacks and drank some water. They rested for a while on the platform, then picked some large red leaves from the woods before slowly making their way down the mountain.
"As the saying goes, going up a mountain is easy, but going down is hard. Do you want me to carry you?"
"Third Brother, do you underestimate me? Last time in Linjia Village, I walked down by myself—okay, you carried me up the mountain for a while."
“The hill behind Linjia Village is low.” Mu Chuan shook his head and sighed beside her: “If your legs start to shake, just say so, and I’ll carry you down. Otherwise, your legs will be so sore you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
Lin Daiyu felt she was cured, and indeed she was. Previously, a cough would last at least a month, and she would fall ill four or five times a year; this year had passed in the blink of an eye.
But now, even if she catches a cold, she recovers in three to five days, and she rarely gets sick more than twice a year.
Besides, it will get better in three to five days, so how can this be considered an illness?
Lin Daiyu not only refused Mu Chuan's offer to carry her, but also refused the hiking poles, saying, "I can't walk with these on."
It was the first time using this, so Mu Chuan didn't try to persuade him any further.
There was still some distance to go before reaching the foot of the mountain, and Lin Daiyu felt her legs trembling slightly, though her dress concealed it.
Moreover, she also has a sense of "I should be the best" in her personality. She was suppressed in the Jia family for a long time, and now she is trying to make up for it.
Besides, we were outside, and there were other people around. I felt a little shy about doing it with my back turned.
Lin Daiyu figured she could relax in the hot springs when she got back anyway, so she stopped talking about it.
Fortunately, they soon reached the foot of the mountain and got into the carriage. Lin Daiyu breathed a sigh of relief and lifted the curtain to watch her third brother casually mount his horse, still full of energy, as if the mountain was just a small hill.
"What a beast," Lin Daiyu said with a laugh, then lowered the curtain again.
When the two of them returned to the villa, dinner and hot springs were prepared.
Lin Daiyu got out of the carriage and felt that her legs had stopped shaking, but were still a little sore. She smiled and said, "I read in a travelogue that it's not good to eat too much while soaking in hot springs. How about we have some food and prepare some fruit and snacks to eat while we're in the hot springs?"
Mu Chuan naturally agreed.
However, once inside the hot spring, Lin Daiyu suddenly felt a little embarrassed. Not only did she not take off her inner garment, but she also wrapped herself in her home robe before going out.
Upon seeing her third brother, Lin Daiyu smiled and asked, "Why is Third Brother wrapped up so tightly?"
Mu Chuan was dressed almost the same way as her, except for his hands and feet, everything else was covered up.
Since her usually bold third brother acted this way, Lin Daiyu felt no shame.
Mu Chuan glanced at her, thinking that he would soon teach her a lesson about what it meant to dress like that.
Mu Chuan put down the tray in his hand, reached out, and Lin Daiyu was pulled up.
She had only taken two steps into the pool when Lin Daiyu laughed and said, "It's hot."
Beside the pool, shrouded in steam, Mu Chuan's increasingly deep gaze was actually quite obscured. Even his voice was muffled by the steam, making it difficult to discern the emotions within it.
Mu Chuan splashed some water on his arm and gestured for Lin Daiyu to do the same.
The soft, lightweight cotton undergarments and robes, when wet, gradually became transparent and clung to the body.
But since it was just an arm, Lin Daiyu didn't think much of it. Having been married for so long, she was quite used to having bare arms.
Mu Chuan patted some water on his legs. Seeing his calm and composed demeanor, Lin Daiyu thought he was genuinely trying to teach her how to adapt to the temperature of the hot spring, just like he had always done.
Her limbs were soaked, but she had barely gotten used to it. Mu Chuan pulled her hand and led her down a few more steps, where the water had reached her waist.
But Lin Daiyu couldn't see herself, and Mu Chuan was much taller than her, so she still didn't notice what her soaked undergarment looked like.
The two of them sat down in the pool.
The water was on Lin Daiyu's chest, and also on Mu Chuan's chest.
Lin Daiyu looked over there and exclaimed, "Oh—!"
Obviously, at this moment, being wrapped in semi-transparent cotton cloth, half-concealed and half-revealed, makes people want to cover their eyes even more.
Mu Chuan laughed, took off his outer robe, and said casually, "The clothes are quite heavy now that they're wet."
"Third brother...you're so annoying."
Mu Chuan reached out from the shore and picked up some of Lin Daiyu's favorite snacks: "Would you like some snacks? Or some wine? I'm feeling dizzy, so I won't think about these things."
Mu Chuan leaned closer, fed her some pastries, and then tugged at her hand, saying, "You can't see what I'm feeding you right in front of your eyes."
Lin Daiyu blushed and looked around furtively, glancing at Mu Chuan from left to right, then from right to left again, glancing at him again. Each time she did so, she noticed that his gaze was fixed on her.
"Ah—" Lin Daiyu was startled to realize what he was looking at.
Mu Chuan laughed as he pulled her close to his arms; with the help of the water, the movement was effortless.
“Stand close to me,” he said in a low voice. “If you stand close, I won’t be able to see you. Don’t look at what you shouldn’t.”
When the two were actually pressed together, Lin Daiyu couldn't tell whether the pool water was hotter or her third brother's chest was hotter. She had actually been led by the nose by him all the way to this point.
"Is the robe heavy? Why don't you take it off?"
Lin Daiyu bit his shoulder in a fit of anger.
Mu Chuan spoke more and more slowly: "Don't rush, I'll let you bite to your heart's content in a bit."
The version in the water is naturally brand new.
Mu Chuan even taught her how to swim. Although the way she floated on the water was something she didn't want to recall, she did learn several strokes—she must have learned to swim.
The next morning, Lin Daiyu woke up to find her hands and feet swollen, and her whole body aching. With the slightest exertion, her legs ached so badly that she even clenched her teeth.
Even in bed, you have to use your legs to turn over. Lin Daiyu could only move her neck freely. She turned around and glared at Mu Chuan with her big, watery eyes, looking both cute and fierce: "Is this how you treat me!"
Mu Chuan grasped her hand and held it up in front of her: "You're not very convincing to say that you're holding my hand while you sleep."
Lin Daiyu turned her head away and tried to pull her hand away again.
"Actually, I should have given you an ice pack yesterday. Cold compresses help you recover faster after strenuous exercise."
Lin Daiyu turned her head and glared at him again. Mu Chuan leaned over and kissed her forehead: "You stay in bed and be a good girl. I'll take care of everything for you today."
Today, the fairy didn't have a very fairy-like day.
After all, the legs need to be opened up to heal; otherwise, it will take five or six days to recover.
Today's fairy is a grinning fairy.
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