Chapter 481 An Old Friend Visits
The letter, written by Daiyu herself, meticulously describes the scenery of Sichuan, the unique culture of the Qiang women, and how they resolved a commercial dispute on the Ancient Tea Horse Road.
At the end of the letter, Daiyu wrote:
"...Granny, the Shu embroidery is exquisite. I am enclosing a 'Begonia Sleeping in Spring' painting with this letter. I hope you will accept it with a smile."
Whenever I travel to a place and see a woman struggling or achieving something, I always think of your teachings from back then.
Yu'er knows very well that without your strict yet kind approach and careful guidance, Daiyu would not be as carefree as she is today.
You often say that we women should broaden our horizons, and Yu'er now wholeheartedly agrees.
There are so many things that can and should be done for this vast land and its people.
Yu'er's heart has never felt so at peace and full as it does now.
Please take good care of yourself, Granny. We'll return to the capital to hear your lessons again. At that time, Yu'er will also have many new experiences to share with you..."
Yuan Hongqu stroked the letter, gazing at the magnificent sunset on the horizon, a smile of immense satisfaction and peace spreading across her face.
Time has etched its marks on her face, but it has never dimmed the light in her eyes.
She looked south, as if she could see through mountains and rivers to the couple walking hand in hand.
The courtyard was quiet, with only the fragrance of flowers floating in the air and a gentle evening breeze.
The journey that belongs to Daiyu and the Tenth Prince is still very long.
Their carriages will continue to travel across this vast and vibrant land, bringing gentle breezes, bright moonlight, and hope wherever they go.
In October, the sky over Beijing is high, vast, and a deep blue, like the finest indigo glaze.
The backyard of the Women's Academy, where Hongqu once lived, is especially colorful in autumn.
Several tall ginkgo trees were already covered in golden leaves. When the wind blew, the fan-shaped leaves fluttered down and covered the ground in a thick layer. They rustled softly underfoot.
Yuan Hongqu was sitting on the warm couch by the window, reading Daiyu's latest letter from Lingnan in the bright autumn light.
The letter mentions the straightforward and bold nature of women from Lingnan, which differs from that of women from the North, as well as their remarkable talent in overseas trade. The letter is filled with fresh observations and reflections.
Yuan Hongqu watched intently, a satisfied smile always playing on her lips.
At this moment, her personal maid tiptoed in and reported, "Granny, the Second Mistress of Rongguo Mansion has sent an invitation, saying that she would like to visit you this afternoon and asks you to do her the honor of having some snacks and having a chat."
Upon hearing this, a hint of understanding and warmth flashed in Yuan Hongqu's eyes.
The afternoon sun was shining brightly, casting a warm glow into the flower hall.
When Wang Xifeng arrived, she was not dressed in overly ornate attire begonia-red silk-trimmed long jacket with a moon-white silk skirt. She wore a simple red-gold and kingfisher-feather hairpin in her hair. Although she still looked noble, she appeared less sharp and calculating than she had in previous years at the Rongguo Mansion, and more composed and gentle.
Ping'er, who followed behind her, was also dressed appropriately, with a rosy complexion, and was holding an exquisite food box in her hands.
"How have you been lately, sister?" Wang Xifeng smiled before speaking, her movements still carrying her characteristic straightforwardness, but no longer the sharp and capable kind, but a calm and relaxed one.
She personally took the food box from Ping'er's hand and said with a smile, "I know you have everything you need here, sister. These are some new kinds of fancy pastries that my husband brought from the south. I brought them here especially for you to try."
Yuan Hongqu smiled and asked her to sit down, then ordered someone to brew some tea: "It's kind of you to always think of me. Qiao'er met me at the academy a few days ago and mentioned that you were talking about me at home."
When her daughter was mentioned, Wang Xifeng's smile became even more genuine: "That girl, now her mind is all on her little family. She rarely comes back, and she keeps talking about how you taught her to manage the household, which has benefited her a lot."
She waved her hand, telling Ping'er and Yuan Hongqu's maids to wait outside, leaving only the two of them in the flower hall.
As the autumn sun shone through the openwork window lattice, casting dappled shadows on the polished floor, the atmosphere suddenly became subtle and tranquil amidst the wafting aroma of tea.
Wang Xifeng picked up the clear, slightly yellow Lu'an melon seed tea, but did not drink it immediately. Her fingertips gently caressed the warm porcelain cup, and her gaze was fixed on the magnificent golden ginkgo tree outside the window, as if she could see a very distant place through it.
“Sister,” she said again, her voice carrying an indescribable wistfulness and intimacy that she only revealed when she was alone with Yuan Hongqu, “Last night I dreamed about us… about what happened over there.”
Yuan Hongqu paused slightly in her teacup, looked up at her with a gentle and tolerant gaze, carrying a kind of wisdom that came from experiencing two lifetimes.
Wang Xifeng smiled, a complex emotion lurking within her smile: "In my dream, I was practicing my expressions in front of the mirror, trying to perfect the lines of a lowly maid in a palace drama who wouldn't survive three episodes. On my phone, your latest video was playing..."
She paused, then shook her head self-deprecatingly, "Back then, I never imagined that I would actually become this 'Sister Feng,' let alone that the academic superstar blogger in the video, whom I admired so much, would become my lifeline here."
Yuan Hongqu sighed softly, put down her teacup, and said gently, "It's all in the past. Why bother thinking about it?"
"How could I not think about it?" Wang Xifeng turned her head, her eyes shining brightly, filled with the excitement of surviving a calamity.
"Sir, if it weren't for you... I don't even dare to imagine where I would be now! Is it really like what's written in the books, or that the Rongguo Mansion was raided, I did all sorts of bad things, was abandoned by everyone, and finally fell ill and was left with only one breath, wrapped in a tattered mat, and dragged out in that freezing snow...?"
Her throat tightened, and she couldn't continue speaking. She just clenched the handkerchief in her hand tightly.
That was a fear etched deep into her soul.
When she first transmigrated and realized she was Wang Xifeng, she had nightmares almost every night. The suffocating feeling of knowing the inevitable tragedy but being powerless to escape it was even more despairing than when she was struggling as an unknown nobody with no future in sight.
Yuan Hongqu stood up, walked to her side, and gently patted her shoulder.
This gesture carried not only the comfort of an elder, but also a sense of solace shared by people from the same world, a feeling that only they could understand.
"It's all in the past, Feng'er." Yuan Hongqu's voice was steady.
“Look at the Rongguo Mansion now, it’s doing just fine, not much worse than when our ancestors were at their most prosperous. Jia Lian, though not particularly talented, is good enough to maintain the status quo. Qiao Jie has married a wonderful husband, and the couple lives in harmony. Your son, though not exceptionally gifted in his studies, is kind-hearted and sincere. He’ll be a wealthy man in the future, living a peaceful and prosperous life. Isn’t that a great blessing?”
When her children were mentioned, Wang Xifeng's tense shoulders finally relaxed, and her eyes revealed genuine tenderness and satisfaction.
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