When Mu Run arrived at the tea grove, Cai Shi came over with a pair of maids.
Hongmi had never met Baochan before, so she was amazed when she first saw her. After learning about Baochan's identity, she became worried for Murun.
Baochan bowed gracefully to Murun, saying, "This humble servant greets Madam."
"You're too kind," Mu Run said. "Miss Bao, you've come up the mountain so early this morning, are you also going to pick tea?"
Baochan smiled and replied, "I heard that Madam was in a hurry to pick tea, so since I had nothing better to do, I took the liberty of coming over to help. I hope Madam doesn't mind."
"Of course not, in fact, you'd be very happy to have one. Sister Cai, please prepare a tea-picking basket for Miss Bao."
Bao Chan's expression stiffened slightly. In reality, she had only come over to go along with the occasion and had no intention of actually picking tea leaves for her. But now that the words had been spoken, she couldn't refuse.
The little fox serving nearby stepped forward, took the basket, and asked in a clear, crisp voice, "Madam, where shall we go to gather?"
Mu Run looked at Xiao Li, whose features were delicate and pretty, and whose eyes were bright. "Then let's go...to that tree."
Mu Run pointed to a clump of short tea trees. She had originally planned to pick them herself today because they looked different from other tea varieties and might produce tea with a unique aroma.
“Madam, let me teach Miss Baochan how to pick tea. You must be tired from climbing the mountain, please have some water and rest for a while,” Cai said to Murun.
Mu Run nodded, "Okay."
Did Baochan notice that Murun, like her, came up in a sedan chair? She wasn't tired at all. How could she be tired? She's just being dramatic.
Hongmi picked up a basket and walked towards another tall ancient tea tree. "Madam, look how lush this tree is."
"Be careful." If Mu Run hadn't had a sore back, she definitely would have gone up too. The tea leaves on this ancient tree were growing very well, lush and green, and even the green leaves had a faint fragrance.
"Don't worry, it's all a piece of cake." Hongmi glanced in Baochan's direction and whispered to Murun, "Sister Run, she's very pretty."
Mu Run understood what she meant. "I wish she could have some skills."
Hongmi: "Oh? Run-jie means she doesn't have the ability yet. No wonder she's showing her face here."
"Who knows?" Mu Run sighed softly. "I'm too lazy to waste my energy on this kind of thing. I'd rather brew a couple more pots of tea."
Seeing that she didn't seem to care, Hongmi knew that talking about being wary of concubines was useless, so she stopped talking and said, "I heard from Uncle Yang that the chieftain is going down the mountain."
"Go down the mountain to rob?" Mu Run asked, his hand reaching for a branch, picking the tender buds and leaves, and then throwing them into Hong Mi's basket.
Hongmi replied, "I don't know, it seems like she didn't bring anyone with her, so it shouldn't be her."
Mu Run paused in picking tea leaves. She occasionally had nightmares about their wedding night, in which he was like a demon from hell, cruelly abusing the Cao family father and son... She would wake up in fright every time.
To be capable of such ruthlessness, sparing even the dead, one must harbor deep-seated hatred. Moreover, on the way back to Bianyun Village, Qiao Dongzi had told her that the Cao family was just the beginning…
"Focus on your own business and don't pry into other people's affairs. Sometimes knowing too much isn't a good thing. Listen more, observe more, think more, and speak less and act cautiously."
Hongmi looked at Murun in surprise, and finally nodded thoughtfully, "Yes, Sister Run."
The two then began chatting about trivial matters concerning the mountain and its surroundings.
Baochan had injured her hand playing the zither the night before, so when picking tea, she used the excuse of hand pain to only pluck two leaves before giving up. She sat on a small stool to rest, watching Xiaoli learn to pick tea leaves from Cai Shi, so focused that she forgot about her mistress.
Feeling a little dissatisfied, he coughed.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Li looked up at Bao Chan and asked, "Is Miss thirsty?"
Madam Cai also looked at her, her expression questioning.
Bao Chan looked slightly embarrassed. "It's alright, you can continue picking."
Xiao Li immediately joined Cai Shi in picking tea, and she quickly got the hang of it, soon becoming like a skilled worker.
Seeing that everything was alright, Madam Cai gave a few instructions and left to attend to Mu Run.
After Cai left, Baochan said to Xiaoli, "Stop picking."
Little Fox asked in confusion, "But didn't we come here to pick tea?"
Baochan bent her injured finger to show Xiaoli, "Can I pick this? Let's go."
Xiao Li looked at the half-full basket of tea leaves, hesitated for a moment, and said, "Miss, why don't you rest a little longer? I'll pick this basket and then we'll go down the mountain."
"You're actually helping her? No way, let's go now." With that, Baochan stood up and headed down the mountain.
Little Fox sighed and had no choice but to follow her, handing over the small half-basket of tea leaves to the tea-collecting manager.
There were even some weighing a couple of pounds. Manager Cha Qing handed Xiao Li a string of copper coins.
Holding the copper coins, Xiao Li's palms felt warm. Looking back at the tea pickers, she hesitated before following Bao Chan down the mountain.
Hongmi, standing on the tree, could see far ahead. Seeing that Baochan and her servant had left, she said to Murun, "Sister Run, Sister Run, they've left."
"What? You left?" Mu Run looked in the direction she was looking and saw Bao Chan leaving in a sedan chair.
"I didn't expect her to do anything anyway, so let her go." He then instructed Cai to arrange for two guards to accompany her, as the mountain road was difficult to traverse and they should be careful that nothing went wrong.
Fu Yunchen rode away from Bianyun Village and passed by Chongyang Inn when he reached the foot of the mountain.
Liu Lao Er followed Fu Yunchen and saw a pretty girl standing at the entrance of the inn. "Boss, it's Xiao Wan."
Fu Yunchen glanced at it and left without stopping.
Liu Lao Er raised his hand to greet Mo Xiaowan, "Good morning—"
Mo Xiaowan waved her hand, but her gaze remained fixed on Fu Yunchen's tall and straight back.
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