Chapter 266 Ordering Wedding Attire for He Ran
Three days later, in the study.
The cold wind still howled outside the window, but the silver charcoal burning inside made the room warm and cozy.
Meng Shilan was looking at the account book by the window, while Fu'er and Xiao Pangxi were playing with the nine-linked rings on a soft couch not far away, and Chunxing was watching carefully from the side.
The world is peaceful and serene, as if the bloodshed and conspiracy of the past few days were just a distant nightmare.
There was a gentle knock on the door.
He Zhuo walked in, still dressed in a black outfit, his steps silent, yet carrying an inescapable aura of iron-bloodedness.
"Miss Meng."
He got straight to the point, without uttering a single unnecessary word.
He handed a neatly folded piece of paper to Meng Shilan.
On the paper were a few lines of writing, hasty and filled with panic.
The list above includes three addresses and several names.
"This is……"
Meng Shilan's breath hitched, and she abruptly looked up at He Zhuo.
"The spy hideout that Song Jiyun revealed, which Wule had planted in the capital."
He Zhuo's tone was as calm as if he were talking about the weather today.
These few words, however, struck Meng Shilan like a thunderclap.
Meng Shilan's knuckles turned white as she held the note in her hand.
Her gaze was fixed on He Zhuo, and the question that had been lingering in her mind for three days finally slipped out.
"What...what method did you use?"
What kind of method could make Song Jiyun reveal such a deadly secret in the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea?
He Zhuo's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile, but the smile did not reach his eyes.
"The method is too dirty."
He spoke slowly, his voice low, as if afraid of disturbing the child on the other side.
"It's best if Miss Meng doesn't know."
Meng Shilan's heart sank again.
To deal with certain people, the only way is to be more ruthless and decisive than them, so that they will feel fear from the bottom of their hearts.
“My father and brothers guarded the border for many years and fought against Chi Rong no less than a hundred times.”
He Zhuo seemed to notice her shock and offered an extra explanation, which was unusual for him.
"There is a set of rules for dealing with spies from enemy countries."
His father and brothers had asked him to escort their family back to the capital, and he was somewhat annoyed.
Unexpectedly, this trip to Beijing brought an unexpected surprise.
A woman from the inner quarters of the capital unexpectedly uncovered a hidden connection with the Ule people.
If we follow this lead...
He Zhuo did not stay any longer.
He left the note behind and turned to leave, just as quietly as he had come.
Meng Shilan knew that he must have gone to deal with that hidden line of work.
From that day on, He Zhuo and Guo Fan seemed to have vanished into thin air.
...
Autumn deepens in Beijing, and the chill in the air grows stronger.
With Meng Shilan's company, Mother He and her two daughters-in-law gradually adapted to life in the capital.
They never mentioned the war at the border, nor did they ask where He Zhuo was. They spent their days enjoying their grandchildren and taking care of everyday matters, as if they were really just staying in the capital temporarily.
That day, as Mother He looked at the fallen leaves being swept up by the wind outside the window, she suddenly remembered something.
"It's getting colder and colder, we need to buy some new clothes for the children to wear in the winter."
As she spoke, she took Meng Shilan's hand and smiled kindly, "We're new here and not familiar with the fabric shops in the capital. We'll have to trouble Shilan to take us around."
Meng Shilan smiled and agreed.
The eldest daughter-in-law of the He family also said, "It's time to buy some. My third brother should also have two sets of thick winter clothes made. With his personality, he's always running around outside. We shouldn't let him catch a cold."
The smile on Mother He's face froze as soon as she finished speaking.
She seemed to have just remembered that her youngest son, whom she worried about the most, hadn't appeared for many days.
Where is Zhuo'er?
Mother He looked around, her eyes instantly filled with worry.
"How come we haven't seen this child for days on end?"
"Just a few days ago he said he'd take me to see a play in the south of the city, and now he's vanished!"
Meng Shilan's heart skipped a beat.
The eldest sister-in-law of the He family quickly reassured her, "Mother, you know my third brother's temperament. He's like a wild horse; how can you tame him?"
The second sister-in-law also chimed in, "Yes, Mother, wasn't he like this back in Bianzhou? Maybe he went hunting with some friends and didn't return to camp for ten days or half a month at a time. Just relax."
Seeing this, Meng Shilan quickly smiled and smoothed things over, "Auntie, don't worry, the Third Young Master is highly skilled in martial arts and is with Guo Fan, so he won't get into any trouble in the capital."
As she spoke, she refilled Mother He's teacup with hot tea.
But in her heart, there was an inescapable heaviness.
To raid enemy agents is an extremely dangerous undertaking!
Amidst the clash of swords and the shadows of death, every step is fraught with danger; a single misstep could lead to utter annihilation.
She looked at He's mother and her two sisters-in-law.
They spoke words of comfort, but how could she miss the fleeting shadow in their eyes?
These are the family members of military officers.
Husbands, sons, brothers, on the battlefield and in the shadows, dance with death, facing near-death experiences.
And all they, as their closest relatives, could do was wait.
Even if they have countless worries in their hearts, they must never show their sorrow on their faces every day, so as not to cause their relatives far away any more concern.
The resilience and bitterness hidden beneath that smile tugged at Meng Shilan's heart.
After being comforted by her daughter-in-law and Meng Shilan, Mother He's expression softened slightly, and she nodded reluctantly.
"Forget it, let him be. He's a grown man, he won't starve himself."
Even so, the worry between his brows did not completely dissipate.
The two carriages stopped at Jinxiu Villa.
The fashions in the capital are all different. Women love beauty. Even those who are worried about their families every day can temporarily forget their worries when they see the dazzling array of fabrics and sample clothes.
Just then, the embroiderer Haitang gracefully entered, carrying a huge brocade box.
"Miss Meng."
Haitang curtsied, her face beaming with joy.
"Your wedding dress is all ready."
"I was just about to find some time to send it to your residence for you to take a look. Would you like to try it on now? If there's anything that doesn't fit, I can make adjustments as soon as possible."
One sentence instantly ignited the atmosphere in the room.
The attention of Mother He and her two sisters-in-law was immediately drawn to it.
"Quick! Open it and let us see!"
The brocade box was slowly opened.
A dazzling red color instantly captured everyone's attention.
Exquisitely beautiful.
The phoenix, with its wings outstretched as if about to take flight, is embroidered with gold thread, layer upon layer, shimmering with light and color.
The blooming peonies, with their full petals and exquisite embroidery, resemble real flowers blooming on brocade.
At the hem of the skirt, auspicious clouds rolled, adorned with countless tiny pearls, their luster warm and dazzling as the fabric swayed.
The entire room seemed to be brightened by the radiance of the wedding dress.
Mother He was stunned.
She reached out her hand, her fingertips trembling, wanting to touch the exquisite embroidery, but then stopped in mid-air as if afraid of breaking it.
After a long while, she finally let out a long sigh.
"So beautiful..."
Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, a glint flashed in her eyes, and she clapped her hands sharply.
She turned to her eldest daughter-in-law beside her and said loudly, "Let's not just focus on Shi Lan anymore!"
"Let's also order a wedding dress for Ran'er!"
"Once the New Year is over and spring is in full bloom, we'll find an auspicious day to move up the wedding date between Ran'er and Xingjiang!"
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