Chapter 102
The morning light softly streamed into the yard. Yining had just woken up. She hadn't slept so well in a long time.
She stood on the corridor behind the house, looking at the water lilies in the pond. The scenery in the yard was very quiet and elegant, but the bustling sounds of the market could be heard in the distance.
The Duke of Ying's mansion was close to the Imperial City, and there were no bustling markets around it. Xinqiao Hutong, however, was bustling with activity, and even a river ran through it not far away. Merchants and shipping vessels came and went in an endless stream.
She hadn't been out for a walk in such a long time since she came to Beijing, so she was looking forward to it.
Zhenzhu brought her a bowl of hot tea and put a long jacket on her, saying, "You just got up, and the wind outside is still cold."
Yi Ning looked at the steam rising from the cup and suddenly said, "Father should have left the city by now."
Wei Ling left for the battle early this morning. Yi Ning wanted to see him off, but he wouldn't. Thinking of Wei Ling, armored and leading his troops on a long march, drifting away in the morning mist, Yi Ning felt a sense of powerlessness, perhaps a human unease about the unknown. Thinking this way, it was better not to see him off. Wei Ling probably wouldn't want her to see him off, either.
She took a sip of the hot tea and found that it was the sesame oil tea that she loved to drink when she was a child.
Zhenzhu said, "They must have left the city. I think the scenery in this mansion is really nice. The young master wants to come with you. It would be more lively if he came too."
Ting'er was taken to the garrison by Wei Ling, who wanted him to practice martial arts with his master. He was no longer a child, so it was time to start building a solid foundation.
Of course, Ting'er was reluctant. The Duke of Ying's mansion was much more comfortable than the garrison. Wei Ling disliked his spoiled behavior. He had been trained in the military camp since childhood and was already fighting before he reached adulthood. Regardless of Ting'er's willingness, he was taken to the garrison, not allowing any maids or servants to take care of him. Mother Tong loved him the most and was probably still crying in the mansion, missing him.
Yi Ning smiled as she thought of Ting Ge'er. She handed the teacup to Zhenzhu and asked the maid, "Is Third Brother up by now?"
The maid bowed and said, "...The Third Young Master always gets up early. Miss, do you want me to tell him?"
Yining waved her hand and said, "No need, just lead the way." She happened to be going to his yard to take a look, and she didn't know what he was doing in the morning.
The maidservant nodded and led the way for her.
This palace is truly beautifully built, with lush vegetation and a poetic atmosphere. Walking through the bamboo forest path, one arrives at a large lake with a winding corridor. Passing through a main hall and through a moon-shaped gate, a spacious courtyard emerges. It, too, is paved with neatly arranged bluestone bricks and meticulously swept. Tall trees line the courtyard, and guards stand on all sides.
Yining discovered that these guards were not from the Luo family. They seemed to be more well-trained, with their breathing being dense and seamless. They were all trained martial artists.
The leader of the group bowed to her and said, "Lord Luo is in the study. I'll pass the message on. Miss, please wait a moment."
The guards here are better than those in the East Garden...Yining thought to himself, but he didn't make things difficult for the guard. He went to the porch and sat for a while.
But Luo Shenyuan came out soon. He didn't like wearing a straight robe anymore. Instead, he wore a gray-blue robe with a round collar and a right-side opening. He also wore a jade pendant on his waist. He looked a little more fierce than before. Seeing that she didn't drink the tea, Luo Shenyuan came over and took her into the house. "I asked someone to prepare oil tea this morning. Do you like it? It's the cook I brought from home."
When the guards saw Luo Shenyuan leading her in, they respectfully made way.
Yi Ning looked at the guard's respectful expression, then at his calm demeanor, and felt a little strange. "Third brother, where did these guards come from? I think they're no worse than those at the Duke of Ying's mansion. Your mansion is really heavily guarded. I didn't even need a call when I went to your place."
Luo Shenyuan laughed and said, "Just tell them not to stop you next time."
Perhaps because of his changed status, he used to be silent and patient, but now he has a sense of momentum.
Yi Ning followed him into the study. He was probably reading a case file. The windows were open, and outside the windows was a pine forest.
"I heard Xinqiao Hutong is next to a canal," Yi Ning said to him, sitting down in the study. "I haven't even seen the canal yet!"
Seeing her excited look, Luo Shenyuan said, "I'll take you there later. I'll leave after I've finished looking around here."
He lowered his head to look at the files, feeling somewhat bored. She paced back and forth in his study. His collection had always been extensive, and now it was filled with densely packed files. She was only of average height for a woman, and next to him, petite. She tried to reach the book high up, the "Compilation of the Book of Documents," but couldn't reach it. His cloak was on a nearby shelf, and she accidentally knocked it over as she reached for the book.
Luo Shenyuan looked up at her.
Yining chuckled and said, "Just keep reading...it's okay." She picked up the clothes hanger and found him walking over to her and asked, "Which one do you want to read?"
Luo Shenyuan helped her take the book down. He moved closer to her as he took the book. Yi Ning saw his hand raised above his head, and then he handed the book to her. Yi Ning looked up at him, and he asked gently, "Are you bored? If you are bored, go play outside for a while."
At this time, someone outside the door announced: "Sir... Guard Shi invites you in."
Luo Shenyuan replied calmly, "I see. I'll be there right away." He placed the book in her hands and said, "I'll be there in a moment."
Yi Ning saw him leave the study, followed by the guard. She suddenly became curious and flipped through the book twice, but she didn't find anything interesting. She waited for a while, but Luo Shenyuan didn't come back. Didn't he say he would be back soon? There wasn't even a maid outside the study, so she might as well go look for him herself.
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