On the outskirts of Yuezhou, where many trees grew thick and lush, a thatched cottage stood among them. Inside, a young man in his twenties peeled back the veil and said to the middle-aged man in black clothes, who was facing him with his back, "Foster father, Xingjian was careless."
This young man was the person Ye Zelin and Yu Chisu were tracking, Bai Xingjian, and the middle-aged man in black clothes with his back to him was his adoptive father Bai Yanlang.
Bai Yanlang stood six feet one inch tall, his body radiating a fierce aura. His eyes, unlike those of others, were filled with calculation and ferocity. He said, "You were indeed careless. They've already discovered you and will undoubtedly be searching the entire city. We must make a quick decision. Kill the Minister of Justice as soon as possible while I look for the account book."
They had come to Yuezhou on the orders of their master for two reasons: first, to prevent the court from pursuing Cheng Wenbo's case and killing Yu Xuanji; second, to recover Cheng Wenbo's account book, which recorded the corruption and bribery of Dongting Jiedushi Cai Yuanchang, the amount of money he had extorted from the people, the human trafficking, and the profits he had made. This account book had originally been in Cai Yuanchang's possession, but it had been stolen by Cheng Wenbo. As far as they knew, it should still be in the Cheng family, but their exact location was unknown.
Bai Xingjian nodded and bowed, "I understand, my son."
May 11th was the wedding day of Lu Youqi, the third son of the Lu family, and Wang Luo, the daughter of the Minister of War. When Hua Fushu, Madam Ouyang, Dugu Lanxi, and Ruhuan arrived at the Lu residence, they found it festooned with lights and festive decorations. After exiting the carriage, they were ushered in. The mansion was bustling with people, dressed in jade belts and green collars, and red dresses with emerald sleeves. Hua Fushu couldn't help but sigh softly. The Lu family was truly the most prestigious family in the Song Dynasty. Even a concubine's son's wedding invited important officials from the imperial court. When she married Ye Zelin, the number of guests she invited wasn't even a third of that.
A young woman in a lilac jacket, looking dignified and generous, came over to greet Madam Ouyang and the others. This young woman was Madam Huaping's eldest daughter-in-law, Zhuang. Zhuang smiled and said, "Aunt Ouyang, you're here so soon."
Madam Ouyang looked at the people filling the courtyard and smiled, "I'm not that early. Look, General Zhao's family and Mr. Sheng's family are already here." She glanced at Hua Fushu and joked, "My young wife and your daughter Tianyun hit it off right away. They've been urging us to come, and even if they tried their best, it's still only now."
Being teased by Madam Ouyang, Hua Fushu looked a little embarrassed. Zhuang looked at her and couldn't help laughing. "Sister, wait a moment. Let's have some tea first. I'll ask someone to invite Sister Yun'er over later."
Hua Fushu was about to answer, but Madam Ouyang said, "Niece-in-law, there's no need to ask Miss Tianyun to come over. There are so many people here, and the two young ladies haven't seen each other for a while. I'm afraid they have a lot to talk about. Why don't you have someone take her to find Miss Tianyun?"
Hua Fushu responded, "Sister, you're very busy. Don't worry about me. I'm thinking about meeting Tianyun. Sister, just ask someone to take me to Tianyun."
Zhuang originally thought it would be inappropriate to let Hua Fushu go to Lu Tianyun without a reception, but seeing that she was polite and sweet-talking, she agreed and called a maid over: "Xinyan, this lady is a good friend of Sister Yun'er. Take her to Youlan Pavilion to see Sister Yun'er."
The girl called Xinyan was Lu Tianyun's maid. She was assigned by Lu Tianyun to help with the wedding of the third son of the Lu family. She came over and made a gesture of invitation: "Madam, please follow me."
Hua Fushu was about to go to Lu Tianyun's place with Xinyan, but Madam Ouyang warned her, "Hua'er, be careful and don't bump into anyone."
She nodded in agreement and followed Xinyan to the backyard, with Sanqiao following beside her.
Xinyan led the way and soon asked, "Madam, are you the young lady of the Ye Mansion?"
Hua Fushu only recognized Lu Tianyun and Bisi, but not Xinyan. He was slightly startled when he heard her words, "Young lady, do you know my identity?"
Xinyan smiled and said, "I am a maid in Youlan Pavilion, serving Miss Tianyun. I know all of my lady's friends in the boudoir, but I have never seen you. And since you were with the general's wife, I knew you were the chivalrous woman my lady mentioned."
Female knight?
Hua Fushu naturally knew what Xinyan was referring to. That time, she had just helped someone in need and had never expected to meet a friend like Lu Tianyun. She smiled faintly and said, "Miss, let's go."
Xinyan led the way, and after passing through two moon-shaped gates, Sanqiao said, "Miss, do you think there is a carp pond in the Shangshu Mansion? The colorful carp would look like clouds in the sky."
Hearing this, Xinyan smiled and said, "You're right. We really do have a carp pond in our mansion. We raise koi in the pond. They are colorful and beautiful."
Sanqiao asked tentatively, "Miss, let's go take a look later, okay?"
Hua Fushu knew Sanqiao's thoughts and was afraid that she was eager to fly to the carp pond to watch the carp, so he said, "Let me let you feast your eyes first."
Sanqiao was overjoyed.
Hua Fushu and Xinyan said, "Miss, let's go to the carp pond first, and then go find Tianyun later."
Xinyan took the two of them to the carp pond, which was already surrounded by people.
The carp pond is filled with pretty girls and dignified young women, who watch the colorful koi in the pond and laugh happily.
"Princess, look, does that koi look like the Shu brocade that was tributed from Shu?" Xijun, the youngest daughter of the Yan family, who was wearing an apricot-red double-breasted skirt, pointed at a koi in the water and said to Princess Xinyang beside her.
Princess Xinyang, Zhao Yinong, wore a rouge-colored dress with her hair tied up in a bun. The crystal tassels hanging from the two butterfly-loving flower hairpins sparkled. In her hand, she held a fan with a colorful butterfly-playing-with-peony pattern. She looked gentle and lovely. Her appearance was not outstanding, but because of her different status, she was also a dazzling presence in the crowd.
Today is the wedding of her third cousin Lu Youqi. She felt bored staying in the palace, so she had to coax her mother with kind words before she agreed to let her leave the palace and come to Lu's house.
She said, "This koi is the same species as the carp in the imperial pond in the palace. It is the aristocrat among carp. What is Shu brocade compared to it?"
Yan Xijun smiled flatteringly: "Your Highness is right, Shu brocade is not as valuable as this koi."
Zhao Yinong called the servant to bring fish food. Soon, the servant brought the fish food. She took it and sprinkled it into the carp pond little by little. The colorful carp floated to the surface of the water to compete for the food, which made everyone laugh.
Suddenly, a female voice with laughter came, "Qiao'er, look at this scene, isn't it exactly what you described in those few lines of poetry? There are thousands of koi in the pond, their colors ablaze with clouds. On both sides of the river, people in green silk skirts are laughing happily, and flocks of birds from ten miles away are vying to come."
The voice sounded familiar. Zhao Yinong looked over suddenly and saw the person wearing a Tianshui green skirt and a Chaoyun Jinxiang bun. Her face was fair and her features were pretty. This face was clearly the Hua Fushu whom she least wanted to see!
Hua Fushu was slightly stunned. She didn't expect to meet the Princess at the Lu Mansion. Suddenly, she thought that the Minister of the Chancellery was her biological uncle, and she was her cousin of the Third Young Master of the Lu Family. It was not surprising that she appeared at the Lu Mansion.
She remembered that the first time she met the Princess was at the General's Mansion. She was good friends with Ruhuan, and for Ruhuan's sake, she actually slapped her. At that time, the slap hurt her so much!
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