Chapter 58058 The Wind is Light and the Clouds are Clear
Chapter 58
Seeing the guard's nervous expression, Meng Yuning quickly said, "I'm fine, don't worry."
The guards breathed a sigh of relief. In recent days, the craftsmen in the mansion had been coming in and out frequently. They were ordered to disperse throughout the place, tidying up the yard while keeping a secret watch to prevent any bad guys from sneaking in among the craftsmen and taking the opportunity to cause trouble.
Just now, he saw a gardener carrying saplings here alone, so he stared at him for a few more seconds. The man's eyes immediately became vague, and he looked nervous and guilty.
He thought of Miss Meng who had just passed by, and his heart tightened. He didn't care about that person for a moment and hurriedly chased after her.
Fortunately, Miss Meng was fine, but he still said, "Miss Meng, wherever you go, I will accompany you."
"No need." Meng Yuning shook her head and added, "That man just now seemed suspicious. Keep an eye on him, but don't alert the enemy. I'll go find His Highness."
The guard's expression froze. Even Miss Meng could see something was amiss, so there had to be something fishy about this man. The more this became apparent, the more he worried he'd leave Miss Meng alone. After a moment's thought, he whistled.
Soon, Mu Jiang appeared from not far ahead and ran over in three or two steps: "What happened?"
The guard briefly explained the situation, and Mu Jiang nodded: "You follow quietly, I will accompany Miss Meng to find His Highness."
The guard then bowed to Meng Yuning, turned around and ran in the direction the gardener left.
Mu Jiang: "Miss Meng, His Highness and the Little Prince are both in the courtyard in front."
"Okay, let's go over there." Meng Yuning held the plate with the chicken rack in one hand and the note in the other. Without hesitation, she followed the direction Mu Jiang pointed and walked quickly forward. Soon, she came to a courtyard not far from the main courtyard.
As soon as you step into the yard, it's like entering a blue and purple ocean.
There is a tall jacaranda tree in the corner of the yard against the wall, and two rows of crape myrtles are planted on both sides of the path in the middle of the yard. Lush blue vines hang down from the wooden pavilion, and the outside of the pavilion is covered with blue snow flowers. All the flowers in bloom at this moment are blue and purple.
Yi'er was holding a lotus leaf umbrella and was directing Mu Ying and Mu Li to help him pick flowers: "This one looks good, pick this one."
At his feet was a small bamboo basket, half filled with purple branches.
Qi Jingyan and Yu Xiao, one sitting in a wheelchair and the other standing, were talking in low voices while watching Yi'er running around busying herself.
Meng Yuning clutched the note in her hand, not having time to appreciate this warm and beautiful scene. She quickly walked forward and greeted the little boy first: "Yier, come and have some delicious food."
When the little kid heard there was something delicious, he forgot about picking flowers and ran over happily: "A Ning, what's delicious?"
Meng Yuning squatted down and handed the plate to him: "Fried chicken rack."
Yier came over and sniffed it, grinning from ear to ear: "The fried chicken rack smells so good."
Meng Yuning nodded and handed the plate to Mu Ying beside her: "Yier, go wash your hands first, then eat, okay?"
Yier nodded obediently and followed Mu Ying and Mu Li out of the yard to find a place to wash his hands.
Meng Yuning stood up and looked at Qi Jingyan, and saw that he was looking at her with a slight smile.
She walked up to him, thrust the piece of paper in her hand in front of him, and said seriously, "Your Highness, I was coming this way just now and met a craftsman on the way. He took advantage of the moment when no one was around and slipped this piece of paper into my hand."
Hearing this, Qi Jingyan's heart suddenly tightened. Thinking that the unknown person might take the opportunity to harm An Ning, his eyes suddenly darkened. He grabbed her slender wrist and pulled her towards him, looking her carefully: "Are you frightened?"
Meng Yuning shook her head slightly: "I wasn't scared. The man just handed me a note and ran away without saying anything."
Mu Jiang stepped forward, clasped his fists, and apologized: "It was my fault that I failed to protect Miss Meng in time. I had already asked a brother to follow and keep an eye on her."
Yu Xiao's face wasn't looking good either. "There are so many guards at the mansion, and I'm stationed in Canghai, never leaving. How dare these people be so brazen as to send a note directly into the mansion? Yunzhou, are they looking down on you, or do they think I'm dead?"
This was like adding fuel to the fire. Qi Jingyan's expression grew even darker. However, when he spoke to Meng Yuning, his voice was gentle: "What's written on this note?"
Meng Yuning waved her hands quickly: "I haven't seen it yet."
She had to deliberately avoid Qi Jingyan's people and secretly pass the note to her. Considering her identity as the "daughter of the Meng family", it was definitely not a good thing behind this, so she didn't even want to look at it.
She had already made her position clear to Qi Jingyan that she would cut off all ties with the Meng family from now on, so she had made up her mind that if anyone came to her house in a sneaky way, she would inform Qi Jingyan immediately and let him deal with it.
This way, she wouldn't have to worry about it, and he wouldn't be suspicious. It was the best of both worlds, so why not?
Qi Jingyan and Yu Xiao were both a little surprised by her answer, but at the same time they secretly admired her decisiveness and frankness.
Qi Jingyan unfolded the folded paper. Yu Xiao stood beside him and read the words aloud: "Tomorrow at noon, on the second floor of Chacuixuan in the west of the city."
Meng Yuning was curious: "Your Highness, who wrote this note?"
Qi Jingyan handed her the note: "There is no signature."
Meng Yuning asked again: "Then do I need to go?"
Fearing that he might misunderstand something, she explained, "Your Highness and I are in the same boat. If Your Highness needs my help in investigating something, I will certainly help you."
Hearing these words, Qi Jingyan felt relieved and held her hand: "A Ning, it's just a small matter, there's no need for you to come forward."
Meng Yuning breathed a sigh of relief: "Okay." Who would want to get into trouble when they can live a peaceful life?
After she finished speaking, she felt relieved and pulled her hand out of Qi Jingyan's: "Your Highness, I'll go back to the kitchen first. There's still glutinous rice and chicken steaming in the pot."
Qi Jingyan smiled slightly and nodded: "Go."
Meng Yuning walked briskly. Qi Jingyan glanced at Mu Jiang, and Mu Jiang hurried to catch up.
Looking at Ah Ning's back, Qi Jingyan's face turned cold: "Mu Yun, go check."
This kind of thing happened in the mansion because of the dereliction of duty of Mu Yun, the commander of the guards. His face was tense, he bowed in response, and turned to leave.
---
Meng Yuning went outside the yard and didn't walk far before she saw Yi'er sitting on a stone block under a sweet-scented osmanthus tree on the roadside, chewing on a chicken rack with relish.
Mu Ying squatted aside with a plate in her hand. Mu Li held a lotus leaf in one hand as an umbrella over Yier's head, and in the other hand held another lotus leaf to catch the chicken bones that Yier had finished eating.
Meng Yuning walked over with a smile: "Yier, is it delicious?"
Yi'er looked up when he heard the sound and nodded with a smile: "It's delicious."
As he said this, he placed the cleaned chicken bone in his hand on the lotus leaf in Mu Li's hand and pointed at it proudly: "Yier ate so much."
Meng Yuning smiled and praised: "Wow, Yi'er is so capable."
Then he took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands: "This chicken rack is fried. Eating too much will make you get irritated. This is all we can eat today, okay?"
Yi'er licked his lips and nodded: "Okay."
Then he tilted his head and asked curiously, "A Ning, what is getting angry?"
Meng Yuning explained in a gentle voice, "When you get angry, your mouth, throat, and teeth will hurt. Then you won't be able to eat anything."
Alas, everything about Lingnan is good except that it is too hot and I get angry easily.
When Yi'er heard that so many places would hurt, she waved her hands nervously: "Yi'er, don't get angry."
Having said that, he stared at the plate of crispy fried chicken with reluctance: "But, there are still so many left."
Meng Yuning: "Can you give the rest to Mu Ying and Mu Li?"
Yier nodded with difficulty: "Okay."
Mu Ying and Mu Li hurriedly stood up to thank him, then one of them held the plate while the other held the chicken bones on a lotus leaf and stood there motionless.
Meng Yuning knew that they were still reluctant to relax after just arriving, so she smiled and said, "Come with me after you two finish eating." Then she took Yi'er's hand and walked towards the kitchen.
The two of them agreed, stayed where they were, and looked at each other for a moment before one of them tentatively picked up a piece of chicken carcass and started gnawing on it. After a moment of hesitation, they ate faster and faster.
As Yi'er was walking, she suddenly stomped her little feet and said, "Aning, Yi'er picked some flowers for you, go get them now." Then she turned around and was about to run.
Meng Yuning reached out and hugged the little baby, then turned around and said, "Mu Ying, after you finish eating, go get the flowers that Yi'er picked."
The two people who were busy chewing looked up and responded with a bit of embarrassment.
Meng Yuning waved her hand and said with a smile, "It's okay, don't worry, go after you finish eating."
Yi'er leaned on An Ning's shoulder and urged, "Pick more and fill the basket."
Meng Yuning walked forward holding Yi'er in her arms, and asked with a smile, "Why did Yi'er think of picking flowers for Aning?"
Yi'er curved her eyes and said, "A Ning likes flowers."
Meng Yuning continued, "So, when Yi'er saw the flowers over there, he wanted to help Aning pick them, right?"
Yier nodded: "Yeah."
Meng Yuning and the little kid bumped their heads together and said, "How come our Yi'er is so considerate?"
Yier giggled: "Yier likes An Ning."
---
The group returned to the kitchen. The lotus leaf chicken had already been steamed. The fire in the stove was off and the lid of the steamer was opened, emitting steam.
Meng Yuning stepped forward, picked one up with chopsticks, placed it on a plate, and brought it to the table under the awning outside: "Yier, this is for you to try, but you have to let it cool before you eat it."
Yier climbed onto the stool, put his two little hands on the table, nodded, and said yes obediently.
Meng Yuning reached out and touched his little head, asked Mu Jiang and the others to stay outside, and went into the kitchen to make spicy and sour lotus stems.
First, cut the lotus stems into small pieces with a slanting knife, put them into a basin, add clean water, and then add a little white vinegar to prevent the lotus stems from turning black.
After the oil in the pan is heated, add onion, ginger, garlic and dried chilies and stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in the drained lotus root and stir-fry over high heat for a while. Then add appropriate amount of salt, sugar and white vinegar to season, stir-fry evenly, add onion segments and continue stir-frying for a few more times before serving.
Meng Yuning fried one pot and left the rest to Mu Shan and the others. Soon, two large pots of spicy and sour lotus stems were ready.
Seeing that there was newly bought dried seaweed in the kitchen, Meng Yuning taught Mu Shan and the others to make two large pots of seaweed egg drop soup.
Add the braised tofu and stir-fried choy sum made by Mu Shan and the others, and the meal is ready.
The guards divided the food for the craftsmen and gave each of them a glutinous rice chicken according to the number of people. Several people carried it and sent it out.
Someone had already called Qi Jingyan and the others, and now everyone was there. Meng Yuning asked everyone to save the food for the guards on duty, and then placed the food on the long table under the awning in the yard.
After everyone sat down, the meal began to flow lively.
Yi'er was still guarding his glutinous rice chicken. The weather was too hot and not yet cool enough, and the little boy was licking his lips anxiously.
Meng Yuning couldn't help laughing when she saw this and handed him a spoon: "Yier, dig out a little bit so it cools down faster."
Yi'er did as he was told, scooped out a piece of dried scallop with a little glutinous rice with a spoon, put it in his mouth and ate it. The little boy nodded repeatedly like a chicken pecking at rice, "A Ning, this glutinous rice chicken is delicious."
"If it tastes good, eat more. This glutinous rice is steamed until soft." Meng Yuning said with a smile. She also handed Qi Jingyan a glutinous rice chicken and kindly helped him peel the lotus leaves. "Your Highness, try it too."
Qi Jingyan smiled and said yes, picked up a piece of glutinous rice with chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and savored it slowly.
The glutinous rice is steamed until soft and sticky, exuding the fragrance of lotus leaves. It has absorbed the sauce and has the aroma of chicken and shrimp. It is so delicious that you can’t stop eating it.
He nodded and picked up another piece of chicken to eat. The chicken was tender and the sauce was rich and fragrant.
Meng Yuning waited quietly for him to finish eating and swallowing before asking, "How was it?"
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Not bad."
He was always frugal with his words when praising the food, so if he said "not bad", it meant it was delicious. Meng Yuning smiled happily.
She turned around and wanted to ask everyone to try it, but she found that everyone was holding a glutinous rice chicken and was already concentrating on eating it.
She couldn't help laughing, so she took a glutinous rice chicken, opened the lotus leaf, and started eating it. After taking a bite, her eyes narrowed.
The ones I made myself are just to my taste and very fragrant. Next time I will definitely remember to add a salted egg yolk, it will be even more perfect.
She took a few bites of the glutinous rice chicken and enthusiastically recommended it to everyone: "Try the hot and sour lotus stems, it goes perfectly with the glutinous rice chicken."
Qi Jingyan picked up a piece of lotus stem with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. The lotus stem was crisp, tender, sweet, sour and spicy, which was an appetizer and just the right amount of relief from the greasy glutinous rice chicken.
He nodded, changed his serving chopsticks, picked up a few pieces of lotus stems and put them in Meng Yuning's bowl: "A Ning, have a few bites too, to relieve the greasiness."
Meng Yuning agreed and started eating, taking a bite of glutinous rice chicken and a bite of lotus root.
Everyone also picked up the lotus root stems and took a bite. They were sour, spicy and crispy, which was a perfect match for glutinous rice chicken.
Seeing Aning and her brother eating happily, with no one paying any attention to him, Yi'er stretched out his little hand and tugged at Aning's sleeve: "Aning, Yi'er wants to eat this too."
Meng Yuning quickly agreed and picked up two pieces for Yi'er: "It's a little spicy, Yi'er, try one first."
"Yier can eat spicy food." The little boy said, and scooped a piece of lotus root with a spoon and ate it. As a result, his face turned red due to the spiciness, and his mouth began to make a sizzling sound.
Meng Yuning hurriedly asked Meng Jin to pour a glass of cold boiled water and fed him a drink. "Yier, eat less. Aning, make Yier a little spicy food next time."
Yi'er nodded, pinched his thumb and index finger together, and gestured to An Ning, "Just a little bit of spiciness is fine."
Meng Yuning smiled and agreed. Seeing that the little boy had finished all the side dishes in the glutinous rice chicken and had taken a few bites of glutinous rice, she served him a small bowl of seaweed egg drop soup and scooped some braised tofu and choy sum into the bowl: "Come on, Yi'er, let's combine meat and vegetables."
Seeing that Aning was busy taking care of Yier, Qi Jingyan reached out and pinched her shoulder: "Yier can eat by herself, Aning, please eat too."
Meng Yuning agreed, turned around, and continued to eat the spicy and sour lotus root and the glutinous rice chicken.
Yu Xiao ate two sticky rice chickens in one go, then rubbed his stomach and said, "Miss Meng, your sticky rice chicken is really delicious. When I leave in a few days, please make some for me so I can take them with me on the road."
Meng Yuning had also finished her glutinous rice chicken and was wiping her hands with a handkerchief when she heard this. She was a little surprised: "Young Marquis, are you leaving so soon?"
Yu Xiao nodded: "We can't delay any longer, otherwise the palace will send someone to urge us."
Meng Yuning looked past Yi'er and looked at Cai Yuezhao reluctantly: "Sister Zhao, are you coming with us?"
Cai Yuezhao put down his chopsticks, his eyes also filled with reluctance: "Yeah, I have to go too."
Thinking of the impending separation, the originally relaxed and cheerful atmosphere at the table suddenly became a bit dull, and everyone ate more slowly.
Meng Yuning took Cai Yuezhao's hand across from Yi'er: "Sister Zhao, please stay tonight. I want to talk to you."
Cai Yuezhao looked at Qi Jingyan with some hesitation in her eyes: "Is this appropriate? Will it disturb the peace of His Highnesses?"
She knew that An Ning had always slept with His Highness and the Little Prince. If she stayed, An Ning would definitely have to talk to her, which would disturb the Princes' rest.
Meng Yuning followed Cai Yuezhao's gaze and looked at Qi Jingyan. It was then that she realized that Sister Zhao always seemed a little restrained in front of His Highness. She looked at Qi Jingyan with a smile: "Your Highness, is this okay?"
Qi Jingyan looked at Meng Yuning with a gentle gaze: "On matters like these in the harem, it's up to An Ning to make the decisions."
Meng Yuning smiled happily: "Thank you, Your Highness."
When Yu Xiao heard this, he immediately slapped the armrest of his chair and said, "Then I want to stay too."
Qi Jingyan did not refuse: "It's up to you, find a place to sleep."
Yu Xiao was not happy when he heard this: "They two sisters sleep on the same bed, so it would be perfect for me to sleep with you."
Qi Jingyan didn't hesitate for a moment and rejected it directly and mercilessly: "No."
Meng Yuning ignored the two people's quarrel and had already pulled Cai Yuezhao to start planning excitedly: "Sister Zhao, my west wing is almost ready, but the bed hasn't been delivered yet. But it doesn't matter. I'll spread a mat on the floor and put two mattresses on it. We can sleep on the floor. It will be cooler."
Cai Yuezhao was also very happy: "Okay, okay."
Yi'er saw the two of them talking excitedly above him, but he didn't care and buried his head in eating his meal. Because he knew that even if An Ning slept with A Zhao, she would take him with her.
But soon, at night, the little boy found out that he was wrong.
The beechwood bunk bed that Mu Jiu and his friends had built had already been placed in the main bedroom.
In the evening, after dinner, Meng Yuning took Meng Jin and Meng Yin to make the bedding on the bed, and then went to the east wing. She picked out a white gauze curtain from the boxes sent by the empress dowager and hung it up.
Afterwards, he divided the lotus flowers picked by Qi Jingyan and the purple bouquet picked by Yier into half, packed them up, moved them to the bedroom, and placed them on the table by the window.
Looking at the lively bedroom, she clapped her hands in satisfaction, called Meng Jin and Meng Yin, and went to the west wing with the remaining half of the flowers.
While they were busy, Yi'er ran around happily. When he saw An Ning go to the west wing, he ran out too.
Unexpectedly, just as she ran out the door and passed by Qi Jingyan's wheelchair, he grabbed her by the back of her neck and lifted her up.
Yi'er suddenly took off into the air. Thinking his brother was playing with him, he giggled and kicked his feet twice: "Brother, what are you doing?"
Qi Jingyan threw him to Mu Yun aside and said, "Let Mu Yun give you a bath."
Mu Yun quickly reached out to catch the little prince, carefully holding him steady: "Yes, I'll go right away."
But Yier refused to do it, crossed his arms, and said with a stern face: "No, Yier wants Aning to wash it."
Ever since they were in the mountains, it was An Ning who bathed him, and he liked An Ning bathing him.
Mu Yun looked at Qi Jingyan with an embarrassed expression: "Your Highness, the young prince said he doesn't want me to wash it."
Qi Jingyan glanced at him calmly, then looked at Yi'er: "Yi'er, you are a man and Aning is a woman. You can't always let Aning help you bathe. This is unreasonable."
Yi'er looked eagerly towards the west wing, tugging at the corner of her clothes with her little hands, and lowered her head: "But, Yi'er still wants An Ning to wash today."
Seeing his pitiful appearance, Qi Jingyan finally relented: "Forget it, then just wash for one more day."
Yi'er was happy again. He kicked his short legs and got out of Mu Yun's arms, then ran to the west wing.
Meng Jin, Meng Yin and others spread mats and bedding on the floor in the north room and slept on the floor. Meng Yuning held Cai Yuezhao's hand and sat on the couch by the window, chatting and laughing.
Yi'er walked in and threw herself on Aning's legs, "Aning, give Yi'er a bath."
Seeing that it was getting dark outside, Meng Yuning agreed and picked up the little baby: "Sister Zhao, ask Meng Jin and the others to fetch some water and wash up in the south room. I'll be back soon."
Cai Yuezhao knew that she was going to give the little prince a bath and coax him to sleep, so she nodded and sent them out.
Meng Yuning carried Yi'er back to the bathroom in the main house, washed the little boy from head to toe, changed him into short-sleeved pajamas and pants, dried his hair, and then carried him to bed.
Normally at this time of the day, Yi'er would have played for a while, but today Meng Yuning was thinking about talking to Cai Yuezhao, so she just hummed a little tune and started to coax him to sleep.
Yi'er was a little puzzled and pointed out the window with his little hand: "Aning, aren't we going to sleep on the bed on the floor?" He saw that there was a bed on the floor of the west wing.
Meng Yuning thought that the little boy was really hard to fool. She kissed him on the forehead and on both sides of his cheeks and lied to him for the first time: "We'll sleep here."
She didn't mean to deceive Yi'er, the main reason was that Qi Jingyan would not allow her to take Yi'er out to sleep.
In the original book, they were constantly assassinated on their journey south, most of their guards were killed or injured, and the two brothers also escaped death. By the time they arrived in Lingnan, Qi Jingyan was already on high alert and had been hiding in Lingnan for several years. He kept Yi'er by his side every night and never left her side.
When they returned to Beijing and the palace, Yi'er was haunted by nightmares again. He still stayed by Yi'er's bedside and accompanied her until Yi'er was seven years old. The nightmares in the middle of the night gradually subsided, and the two brothers slept in separate rooms.
Yier trusted Aning wholeheartedly. He believed what Aning said. The little boy giggled at Aning's kiss and nudged himself into Aning's arms, coquettishly confirming, "Aning, you will always be with Yier, right?"
Meng Yuning patted his round little butt gently: "Well, Aning will accompany our Yi'er."
The little baby was tired after running around all day. Now he nestled in a familiar embrace, listening to the familiar tune, and soon fell asleep.
Meng Yuning stayed with him for a while until Yi'er fell asleep, then she got up quietly, got out of bed, put on her shoes, and walked out.
Before I even walked out the door, I saw Qi Jingyan walking in in a wheelchair.
Meng Yuning pointed to the bed and whispered to him, "Your Highness, Yi'er is asleep. I'll go over first."
Qi Jingyan nodded slightly and moved his wheelchair aside. Looking at the girl who was almost jumping for joy, he shook his head and couldn't help laughing.
He sat quietly facing the door for a long time before calling Mu Yun to help him take a bath. After he finished changing his clothes, he lay down on the bed to rest.
Perhaps it was because he had just changed his bed, he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep at all. Even late into the night, he still felt clear-headed.
Listening to the faint laughter coming from the west wing, he slowly sat up on the couch with his hands. After sitting quietly for a while, he turned around and saw Yi'er sleeping on his stomach with his little butt sticking up. He couldn't help but sigh softly, raised his hand and slapped his little butt lightly, then reached out to hug him, intending to turn him over to stop him from pressing on his chest.
Unexpectedly, Yi'er had been sleeping uneasily to begin with, and he woke up immediately after being startled. He rolled over and sat up, his sleepy eyes full of confusion, not knowing what had happened.
Seeing Yi'er wake up, Qi Jingyan suddenly changed his mind and reminded him: "Move inside and lie down and sleep well."
Upon hearing this, Yi'er crawled in obediently, groping with his little hands to get into Aning's arms, but after searching for a long time he couldn't find anyone. He quickly stood up and looked around, but there was no sign of Aning.
The little boy looked anxious: "Brother, An Ning is missing."
Qi Jingyan looked out the window towards the west wing and said calmly, "Aning went to sleep in the west wing."
Yi'er pouted: "Aning doesn't take Yi'er with her."
Qi Jingyan slowly lay back on the pillow, folding his arms behind his head, looking calm and composed: "A Ning is not here, what's the point of crying in front of me?"
Yi'er was woken up in the middle of his sleep and was already in a bad mood.
Thinking about how Aning said she would always be with him before going to bed, but now she didn't want him anymore, the little boy suddenly felt very aggrieved. He stuck out his little butt, covered his little face with his hands, lay on his tiger-head quilt, and started crying.
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