Chapter Fifty-Seven Reunion (One)

  After a long time, Yuandai slowly said: "So that's how it is!" She moved her gaze deeply towards Du Ruo, and soon she said: "Since you've already spoken out about these things, your heart must have already made up its mind. It doesn't matter if you tell me what you're thinking now!"

  Du Ruo's eyes flickered slightly, but after a while, she didn't answer and instead asked: "Miss, what do you think I would be thinking?"

  Yan Dai didn't think she would ask herself such a question, and after losing her smile, she also said frankly: "It's hard to paint the bones of a tiger or leopard, knowing people is easy but knowing their hearts is difficult. People's hearts are always the hardest to measure, so I rarely waste my energy trying to guess other people's intentions."

  She said this, and then seemed to remember something, got up and helped Du Ruo up, while softly saying: "You don't have to worry, I asked you about your thoughts now, but it's absolutely not with the intention of harming you! If you really want to climb that high branch, I'm even willing to lend you a helping hand! If you have other ideas, I'll also do my best to fulfill them for you!" After saying this, she didn't look at Du Ruo's expression again, and waved her hand towards her, saying: "I've said all I need to say, how you decide is up to you, take your time to think carefully!"

  Du Ruo's expression changed several times, and after a while, she suddenly asked: "Miss, don't you want to know how the old lady arranged for you?" The more she stayed by this miss's side, the more she felt that this miss was difficult to measure, and this feeling was something she had rarely experienced when she was with Xiao Lao Tai Jun.

  With a slightly tired look, she sat down on the kang, and with a faintly raised eyebrow, said: "The old lady's good intentions, wholeheartedly wanting to help me climb high, but unfortunately, compared to perching on a high branch, I think it's more stable to have my feet firmly on the ground. I'm afraid I'll inevitably disappoint the old lady's kindness!"

  Du Ruo was taken aback, her expression changing suddenly, and for a long time she remained silent, then quietly lowered her head and backed away.

  She had just withdrawn when Wenping brought in the tea. Silently, she changed the cups for Yuedai, who was about to retire with the already cooled clear tea, but Yuedai suddenly spoke up: "From today on, there's no need to deliberately guard against Du Ruo!"

  Wen Ping listened to these words and didn't show too much surprise on his face. He just nodded and said, "I understand!"

  After the text on the screen disappeared, she lay down on the kang and didn't feel like thinking about those messy things anymore. A long time ago, she had already understood the truth of doing her best and leaving the rest to fate. She had made up her mind to let go and give it a try, even if it wouldn't work out in the end, at least she would have tried her best. Although there was regret, there was no need for remorse.

  Just as she calmed down, the fatigue that had been suppressed earlier came flooding back like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelming her. In a daze, she seemed to sense someone approaching. A thin quilt was gently placed over her body, but she still couldn't be bothered to open her eyes to take a look. This sleep lasted until the sky turned dark, and it wasn't until then that Wenjing lazily opened her eyes. Wenshu was quietly sitting on the edge of the kang, head bowed as she worked on her embroidery.

  Yuandai had just moved, and she quickly raised her eyes to see that Yuandai was already awake. She hurriedly got up and smiled: "Miss is finally awake! Cui Lan from Xiao's place has come twice, but since Miss was sleeping, she didn't disturb you!"

  After saying this, Wenping immediately called out in a loud voice for Cuiyi to bring water to attend to Yuandai's washing. Cuiyi responded from outside and brought in a copper basin. It seemed that everything had been prepared long ago, they were just waiting for Yuandai to wake up.

  Yan Dai smiled slightly, and with a nod, she signaled to Cui Yi to put down the water. At the same time, she instructed: "Since Qiao Lan has come twice, you go over to Miss Xiao's side first and tell her that I'm awake, ask if there's anything going on!"

  Cui Yi nodded and retreated. On this side, Wen Ping was serving Yu Dai as she washed up, while softly saying: "Since speaking with Miss, Du Ruo has been in a distracted state of mind. Just now, from time to time, she would glance at me with her eyes, seemingly wanting to ask something, yet hesitating and not daring to speak out. I was thinking of asking Miss, if she really asks me, how should I respond?"

  She raised an eyebrow and replied faintly, "Just answer her truthfully!" At first, when she asked Du Ye, she didn't expect him to surrender so quickly, not even revealing her trump card. Later, thinking back, she understood. As for Xiao Lao's arrangement regarding this matter, although Du Ye didn't say anything, he probably wasn't too willing in his heart either.

  It takes all sorts of rice to feed all sorts of people, and under this sky, not everyone is willing to be a concubine.

  Wen Ping opened her mouth, still wanting to ask more questions, but thinking that Du Ruo was outside, it wasn't convenient to talk, so she endured and didn't continue asking. After washing up, Yuan Dai sat in front of the dressing mirror, taking out a precious tooth comb to tidy up her slightly disheveled hair. Just as she put down the comb, Shao Chengyan's voice came from the doorway: "Ninth sister is finally awake!" Along with this voice, Shao Chengyan had already brought in Cui Lan with a smiling face.

  Yuan Dai heard the sound and hurriedly got up to welcome her, smiling and saying: "I heard that sister made Cai Lan come over twice?"

  Xiao Chengyan shook her head involuntarily as soon as she heard this, and her expression became somewhat strange: "Yes! I had Cui Lan come to tell you that as soon as I left your place, someone came to report that Prince An had arrived!"

  As soon as the words came out, Yuandai didn't have time to say anything, and he had already heard a crisp "bang" sound coming from the door. Everyone looked at each other in shock, only to see Du Ruo standing pale-faced at the door, nervously clutching the red lacquer tray in his hand. On the ground, a tea cup with a colorful lotus pattern had been smashed into eight pieces, amidst which were scattered green tea leaves and rising hot air.

  Her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she turned her head to instruct Wenping: "Go help her clean up, be careful not to cut your hand!"

  Wenping hurriedly responded and quickly walked away. Du Ruo also came back to her senses at this time, and she couldn't care about anything else, so she hastily squatted down to pick up the ceramic pieces. Wenping went forward, laughing and pulled her hand saying: "Let me do it! Sister, you're not feeling well today, go rest for a while!" While speaking, he had already given Du Ruo a signal with his eyes.

  Du You remained silent for a moment before finally admitting his guilt and stepping down.

  After Hou left, Xiao Xian said with a hint of surprise: "Du Ruo used to be extremely careful when serving the mistress, how did she manage to break a teacup today? Looking at her expression just now, it's as if she saw a ghost!"

  Yan Dai smiled lightly and said slowly, "To say that even if a ghost came now, it's unlikely to scare her as much as An Qing Wang did!" Seeing Xiao Chengyan's puzzled expression, she didn't explain further but asked casually, "I heard there's a big stone near your family's other courtyard called Zhaoshui. The scenery around the stone is beautiful and suitable for appreciation?"

  Xiao Cheng looked at her with a bewildered expression, and although he had many doubts in his heart, he still replied: "In the back of our family's other courtyard, there is a lake that is said to have been dug by Emperor Ai of the previous dynasty. The surroundings of the lake are all planted with Shui Mei flowers. On the east side of the lake, there is a large stone with the two characters 'Shui' carved on it!"

  With a thoughtful smile, Yuan Dai said: "I see! Now that it's already December, I suppose the plum blossoms by the pond should be in bloom too!"

  Xiao Chengyan nodded and said, "That's natural! On this Luoying Ridge, apart from the winter plum blossoms, there are also early plum blossoms, mid-plum blossoms, and late plum blossoms. From the time the winter plum blossoms bud to when the late plum blossoms fall, it takes a total of two or three months, which is why they say that Luoying Ridge surpasses all other places in the vicinity of Pingjing!"

  Yuan Dai smiled and nodded: "You've said that, I almost want to go out and take a stroll right now!"

  The two were talking, when suddenly the voice of Wen Ping was heard outside: "Miss, Miss Shi has arrived!" The two heard the sound and quickly got up to welcome her. As soon as they came out of the inner room, they saw Ling Yuexian bringing Yan Liu into the house. After a while, Ling Yuexian's face no longer showed any signs of embarrassment from earlier, but when she caught sight of the two, her eyes couldn't help but flash with a hint of unease.

  Xiao Chengxian saw her coming over, and also unintentionally brought up the matter just now, only smiled and said: "Since tenth sister has come, we will go to my mother's place for dinner first, and then slowly talk when we return!"

  She had just spoken, and Faru's sisters had nothing to say. Wenping on the side had already taken the cloak and put it on her. The three of them went out of the door and headed towards the main courtyard where Madame Du lived. Just as they were approaching the entrance of the main courtyard, they saw Xiao Chengyan leading Baili Yi and Ling Yuqing out of the courtyard. The two groups happened to run into each other. Faru quickly pulled Ling Yuqian back half a step with her, and they both paid their respects. Seeing that Ling Yuqian still had a bewildered look on his face, Xiao Chengyan smiled and pointed at Baili Yi: "Tenth sister probably doesn't recognize him. This is the current Prince An!"

  Ling Yuexuan didn't know that Baili Yiyi had arrived at the Xiao family's side house, so when she heard this, she was taken aback. Just as she was hesitating about whether to pay her respects again, Baili Yiyi glanced at Xiao Zhenxian and said, "Since we're all here to admire the plum blossoms, why bring up social status?" His voice was clear and bright as always, with a hint of displeasure in his tone, but no anger showed on his face.

  Xiao Cheng Ye couldn't help but glance at Xiao Cheng Yan after hearing her words, and then quickly turned to smile at Ling Yuan Xuan: "Now that we're neither in the imperial court nor the palace, even if we were to discuss it, it would only be about familial relationships. Tenth Young Miss, please don't be restrained!"

  He said, and then turned to Baili Yu: "This is the tenth young lady of the third house of the Ling family!"

  Baili's face still didn't show much expression, and he simply nodded at Ling Yuexuan. Then, however, he shifted his gaze to Yuandai, slightly cupped his hands, and said: "The two pots of flowers that Ninth Young Lady gave me last time, I've already given them to the Empress! The Empress treasures them very much! And since getting those two pots of flowers, the Empress's sleep has also improved a lot in recent days!" His tone seemed to carry a hint of gratitude.

  Yan Dai then curtsied slightly and said in a gentle voice, "Those two pots of jasmine I gave to the prince are now his property! The prince giving them to the empress is out of filial piety as a son, it has nothing to do with me! The prince doesn't have to be so polite!"

  Baili looked at her deeply, but said: "This flower was originally yours, I just passed it on, how can I take credit for your work! The other day when I entered the palace to pay respects to the empress, the empress was watering that flower. When she saw me come, she even asked a few questions about you."

  Yuan Dai suddenly heard these words, and her heart was greatly shocked.

  ps：

  Well, there should be another small chapter tonight