Yuwen Leng was happy to watch the show, but she didn't forget Ye Shuang's instructions: she had to give their relationship a final push before leaving.
Fortunately, neither of them were too busy today. Yuwen Leng stopped Ma Rencai and Li Wenyi, who were about to go home: "Sir, Master, the young lady's residence has been prepared. She asked me to invite you two to stay for the night. Are you both free today?"
Li Wenyi glanced at Ma Rencai and asked, "Did you only invite the two of us?"
"Of course not. I've also invited the other brothers from the yamen. Please bring your page, sir. The young lady said she'll need your help in the county, so she asked me to invite you all here as a way of thanking you in advance." Yuwen Leng said quite earnestly.
His sincere gaze and smile made Li Wenyi and Ma Rencai unable to refuse. Moreover, they did feel guilty towards Ye Shuang. The official document to go to the capital had been sent out for a long time without any response, forcing the young lady to pawn her jewelry in order to buy a new house. In the end, it was because they, as the local officials, had not done their job properly. Thinking about it this way, they had even less reason to refuse.
Ma Rencai smiled and said, "Alright, then lead the way. We'd like to see what the house Miss Ye has prepared will look like."
Yuwen chuckled lightly, then said mysteriously, "I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
These words were enough to pique their curiosity, and they didn't want to wait a moment longer, so they headed towards the mansion right away.
Before long, they arrived at the gate of the mansion. The mahogany door and even the plaque were quite different. The three characters "You Ran Ju" were written in very beautiful characters, which was enough to make everyone's curiosity about the inside itch.
Pushing open the door, you are greeted by a gravel path with several stone lanterns standing on both sides. Behind the lanterns are flower beds made of white jade, where lisianthus, gentians, and hydrangeas are in full bloom. Further on, you will see two huge water vats under the eaves, with budding water lilies floating on them and koi swaying in the water, creating a very leisurely atmosphere.
Yuwen Leng led the group to the backyard. The original houses had all been demolished, and a pond had been dug out in the backyard. In the center of the pond sat a small island with a red pavilion standing on it. The white gauze hanging from the pavilion fluttered in the wind, making it look even more dreamlike. The small bridge connecting the island and the pond was like something out of a fairyland.
The pavilion doesn't look very big from the outside, but once you go inside, you'll find that it can accommodate dozens of people at the same time to enjoy the view and have a meal.
Li Wenyi and Ma Rencai arrived relatively early. At this time, only Ye Shuang was waiting in the pavilion. When she saw them come in, she greeted them with a smile: "Brother Li, Master Ma, you've arrived."
Ma Rencai exclaimed in amazement, "Your ingenuity is beyond description, even by a fraction of what I have ever seen or heard in my life. This courtyard, under your care, is like a fairyland, no longer of this mortal realm."
Ye Shuang covered her mouth and chuckled softly, generously accepting the praise: "If Master Ma thinks it's beautiful, then all my hard work in creating it has not been in vain. Please, both of you, take your seats."
After Li Wenyi sat down, he realized that looking out from the pavilion, the courtyard walls seemed to disappear under the white gauze that partially obscured them, and the surrounding waterscape appeared boundless. It was as if they had arrived at a garden in Jiangnan.
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