Chapter Thirteen: Disposal of Hong Luo

  Xu Mingjin paid his respects to Madame Fan and saw that her physical condition was getting better day by day, the worries hidden in her heart had unknowingly decreased a lot. It seemed that he had been overthinking. He had invited nearly ten famous doctors from Liu City, all of whom said with one voice that Madame Fan's body was very good and there were no problems. Everyone thought that Madame Fan had already recovered.

  After finishing breakfast, she practiced calligraphy in the study for a while, then went to paint the "Clear and Bright River" picture. After thinking about it for several days, she slowly painted it out, and now half of it is done. The lotus flower painting she had previously drawn with the theme: "I alone love the lotus that comes out of the mud but is not stained, washed in clear water but is not seductive, straight inside and outside, not sprawling or branching, fragrant and far-reaching, clean and elegant, can be seen from afar but cannot be played with" has been completed by Xu Mingjin and others after days and nights of hard work. Xu Mingjin finally achieved her dream of seeing the lotus flower painting she had been obsessed with transformed into an embroidery piece. She couldn't bear to part with it, and when she saw it, she joked: "Miss, why don't you just keep this embroidery for yourself as a dowry?" Chun Xiang immediately became anxious and said: "Miss, your future dowry will be much better than this!" When she saw Xu Mingjin looking at her, Chun Xiang proudly said: "When Miss enters the capital in the future, she will definitely marry someone of high status. At that time, there will be countless silks, jades, and precious stones. Miss won't even look at this embroidery then." After finishing speaking, Chun Xiang looked up at Xu Mingjin with a flattering expression and asked: "Miss, am I wrong?" Xu Mingjin couldn't help but smile and said: "Chun Xiang is right. However..." Chun Xiang quickly asked: "However what?" Xu Mingjin smiled slightly and said: "How do you know that I will definitely enter the capital? Or are you actually hoping to go to the capital yourself? At that time, Miss will find a suitable match for you, and there will be countless silks, jades, and precious stones. You'll be set for life, Chun Xiang!" Chun Xiang's face turned bright red as she stomped her foot and said: "Miss, you're teasing me again!" Xu Mingjin, along with the others, couldn't help but burst out laughing at Chun Xiang's adorable expression. Chun Xiang was so embarrassed that she didn't know whether to stand or sit, and in her heart, she thought: My Miss, I just hope you'll find a good family when you return to the capital. Is that wrong?

  Spring Apricot really didn't know, Xu Mingjin actually didn't want to return to the capital at all. She was looking for someone who could match her status as a concubine-born daughter of a high-ranking official, namely a man from a prominent family or aristocratic clan. Alternatively, she might be given away by Xu Ruoyi as a gift to some high-ranking official or member of the imperial family. If that were the case, she would be in trouble. In either situation, she would have to face the intrigue and scheming within a large family. She was someone who didn't like to think deeply and had no feelings. If she entered that circle, she wouldn't even be left with bones! Moreover, when it came to love, she had already become disillusioned. Disillusioned with the repeated breakups and reunions. In modern times, sometimes she would think that her boyfriend was just an optional existence. When he was around, she didn't feel anything special; when he wasn't around, she didn't miss him either. But deep down, she always knew there was someone who belonged to her. So, she felt at peace. After crossing over into this unknown era, she finally lost him.

  Xu Mingjin was not used to it, extremely not used to it.

  She just wants to live a simple life. Be with her family. Paint and practice calligraphy in her free time, earn some small money. Occasionally, she misses her boyfriend. That's all there is to her life.

  "Alright." Xu Mingjin smiled and said, "You hurry up and go now." After finishing speaking, she gave Chun Xiang a signal with her eyes. Chun Xiang understood the hint and immediately straightened her expression, bid farewell and left, going out of the mansion directly.

  Miss, the red silk has been tied up and thrown into the back house according to your orders. She's been shouting loudly, but I've had someone gag her mouth." Xu Mingjin's brush didn't stop moving as she replied calmly, "Oh? When you searched for things, was it in front of her that you found them?" Madam Xu said, "That's right." Xu Mingjin stopped painting and looked up at Madam Xu, saying, "Since the person and the stolen goods were caught together, what is there to shout about? Does she think I've wronged her?" Madam Xu indignantly replied, "Who says not?! She stole so many pieces of jewelry from Miss, and Miss only ordered that she be tied up without even hitting her with a board - this is already showing mercy because of her service to Miss!"

  Xu Mingjin shook his head and said, "Auntie, don't bother with her. I have my own plans." Madam Xu hummed in response and stopped asking questions.

  Xu Mingjin didn't think about Hong Luo's matter at all, as if he hadn't put it in his heart.

  Until she had lunch, Xu Mingjin painted for a long time, and Chun Xing finally returned panting. As soon as she entered the house, she panted and said to Xu Mingjin: "Miss, I'll have some tea first, I'm dying of thirst!" She was about to go pour tea when she saw a delicate jade hand handing her a cup of tea. She was so thirsty that she didn't think much and took it in one gulp. Feeling still thirsty, she handed the cup back to the delicate jade hand, and when the hand handed her another full cup of tea, she drank it all in one go. When she looked up, she finally realized that the owner of the delicate jade hand was Xu Mingjin. At this moment, Xu Mingjin held the empty teacup in his hand and smiled: "Want more?" Chun Xing was so scared that she knelt down immediately.

  Xu Mingjin looked at her and restrained his smile, saying: "What's wrong, I'm pouring you tea to drink, but you're not happy about it?" Chun Xing hurriedly said: "Of course, this servant is happy! It's just that..." Xu Mingjin interrupted him, saying: "Since you're happy, then don't say anything else." As he spoke, he pulled Chun Xing up from the ground. Chun Xing thought to herself, how could Master Xu pour tea for her, a mere maid? Just as she was about to protest, she heard Xu Mingjin say: "I don't have time to listen to your nonsense, hurry up and speak of the matter at hand!"

  The thousand words in Chun Xiang's heart just stopped there.

  Xu Ayi and Chun Xing exchanged a glance, one went to the door to keep watch, and the other went to tidy up the study.

  Chun Xiang slowly spoke: "After I left the mansion, I went to find Zhang Shuozi. He was also anxious to find me..." Xu Mingjin interrupted: "This part can be skipped, get to the point!" Chun Xiang choked for a moment before continuing: "Zhang Shuozi told me that he inquired with the neighbors around Hong Luo's house. Since Hong Luo sold herself to our mansion on Qingming Festival, their family has been prosperous. Originally, they were extremely poor and had no choice but to sell their daughter. Unexpectedly, after selling their daughter, it was as if a lucky star had emerged from their door, and their home became auspicious! Now, the Hong Luo family not only moved out of their original dilapidated house but also into a spacious and bright new one. Her mother is adorned with gold and silver, and her father goes to the gambling den every day. It's said that he loses several taels of silver every day, and he even boasts: 'I'm not afraid even if I lose like this every day!'"

  After hearing Chun Xing's words, Xu Mingjin began to ponder deeply.

  Hong Luo was sold here just before and after the Qingming Festival, and Xu Ruoyi also sneaked in to see Fan's wife before the Qingming Festival, but was discovered by his own wife. Afterwards, rumors about their reputation spread, Xu Ruoyi hastily returned to Beijing, and Fan's wife fell ill for no reason. She went to Baishun Temple to burn incense on behalf of her mother but was intercepted... Xu Mingjin felt that there was an invisible hand controlling him and the people around him like puppets.

  Xu Mingjin said: "Let's go and take a look at Hong Luo."

  As they arrived at the back house where Hong Luo was being held, Xu Mingjin noticed that it was a storage room with no one living there normally. Spring Apricot pushed open the door and a pungent smell wafted out, causing Xu Mingjin to cover her nose with a handkerchief as she stood upwind, waiting for the smell to dissipate before slowly entering the room. The lighting inside was very dim, so Madam Xu lit some candles, allowing Xu Mingjin to see the person huddled on the floor in the center of the room. It was indeed Hong Luo, with her hair disheveled and her clothes dirty and disordered, a far cry from her usual coquettish self, almost like two different people. Xu Mingjin sneered coldly - if you have the guts to do something, then you should have the ability to bear the consequences. She wouldn't show mercy to her enemies. However, she still couldn't understand how a country bumpkin like Hong Luo could change into someone who seemed to be specially trained.

  Hong Luo had already heard the voice, she got up from the ground, tears streaming down her face, and rushed to Xu Mingjin's front, chokingly saying: "Miss, I'm innocent! Those things must have been framed by someone else!" She knelt down, stretched out her hand to grab Xu Mingjin's foot, but grabbed nothing. She grasped a corner of Xu Mingjin's clothes, sobbing silently, although she looked disheveled, but her crying made people feel a hint of "pearl tears", a pitiful and touching feeling. Xu Mingjin was even more convinced that this Hong Luo must not be the daughter of that peasant family, but also not a clever person, she had already shown that she wanted to punish her. What was she still doing here, crying and making a scene, trying to make her change her mind and spare her? Truly, she didn't look at the situation, nor did she see who was standing in front of her!

  Xu Mingjin remained expressionless, coldly watching Hong Luo monologue in front of her.

  After a long time, Hong Luo finally couldn't speak anymore and had cried herself out. A person's tears are limited after all. Xu Ming Jin said: You're not good at crying? I thought you could cry for three days and three nights! She was thinking whether she should go back first and wait until Hong Luo had cried enough before coming again, but just then, Hong Luo finally stopped making noise and looked at Xu Ming Jin with those upward-slanting phoenix eyes, looking pitiful. Xu Ming Jin turned her head away, suppressing the feeling of wanting to vomit. Hong Luo didn't know that with this appearance and expression, she hadn't achieved the effect she wanted, but instead looked ugly and made people want to vomit.

  Xu Mingjin waited until she stopped crying before slowly asking: "After all, who sent you?"

  Hong Luo was taken aback by his words and her face turned pale.