Chapter 375: Too Capable
Chapter 375: Too Capable
Upon waking up, Baoshu's first thought was to find Meng Qianqian.
Liu Qingyun sent Tan'er to accompany her to the mansion, pretending to search for her. After a long search, both the young and old were exhausted.
"I can't walk anymore," Tan'er said, panting as she held the little one's hand.
"I'm so tired!" Tan'er exclaimed as they returned to the opera house.
Baoshu was barely over a year old, and just as she had learned to walk steadily, winter arrived. Wrapped up like a zongzi, she stumbled and fell with every step.
She fell and couldn't get up on her own, so she could only lie in the snow, waiting for someone to pick her up.
Tan'er had been carrying her all the way, and her back was about to break!
"I want to go back to the mansion! I want to find my sister!" Baoshu demanded.
Liu Qingyun firmly said, "No going back."
Tan'er, hands on her waist, insisted, "I want to go back!"
Bai Yuwei glared at her, "Hey, you're just a maid. Who gave you the courage to speak to my aunt like that?"
Tan'er wasn't afraid, "I'm just saying, what's the big deal?"
Bai Yuwei couldn't do anything, neither by scolding nor by fighting.
Despite being a mere maid, her status was higher than her master's. Even Lu Yuan spoke to her gently, never raising his voice, always treating her like a child to be coaxed.
Bai Yuwei shook Liu Qingyun's arm, "Auntie, you discipline her!"
Let your aunt teach you a lesson!
Liu Qingyun indeed spoke up, "Tan'er, if you're in such a hurry to go back, is the braised pork at the Princess Mansion not to your liking?"
Bai Yuwei: "..."
"I want my mother, I want my mother!" Baoshu protested.
But Liu Qingyun wasn't having it. She picked up the little one and held her in her arms, "Today, we won't look for your mother. Let your mother and father give you a little piglet?"
Baoshu's face turned serious, "I don't want that."
Liu Qingyun raised an eyebrow and casually tossed a gold ingot, "Oh, did someone drop their golden treasure over there?"
Baoshu immediately climbed down from her leg and hurriedly crawled towards the gold ingot, stuffing it into her pocket.
"Hmm? There's more over there."
Liu Qingyun scattered a handful of golden beans.
Baoshu began digging for the golden beans in the snow.
Bai Yuwei hugged herself, "Children are so easy to coax."
This was Tan'er's usual posture, and after spending so much time together, Bai Yuwei unconsciously picked up some of Tan'er's mannerisms without even realizing it.
Tan'er, eyes wide, said, "But those are gold!"
Liu Qingyun handed Tan'er a money pouch.
Tan'er hugged herself, "I don't want gold."
Liu Qingyun said, "Inside is a property deed, I bought you a skewer candy shop."
Tan'er's expression changed instantly. With her hands supporting her chin, her eyes shone, "Madam, you're so generous, thoughtful, and gentle. I really like you!"
Liu Qingyun said, "Go take a look at the shop, and then come back here to keep me company."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Tan'er took the money pouch and left in a flash.
Liu Qingyun casually said, "Take Bai Yuwei with you."
Whoosh! Tan'er returned and hoisted Bai Yuwei onto her shoulder.
Bai Yuwei was furious, "Hey! What are you doing? I'm not going to your shop!"
Tan'er's face turned serious, "Re-fused!"
"Ahh—"
Bai Yuwei disappeared, leaving behind a string of screams.
Liu Qingyun, as the daughter of the Majestic King of Miaojiang, was the guest of honor at the Princess Mansion today.
The troupe leader was skilled at reading people's expressions. As the performance was about to end, he immediately presented the play list to Liu Qingyun and asked with a smile, "Lady Lu, please choose a play."
Recently, Liu Qingyun had been socializing with the ladies of the capital to expand her son's connections, and she had watched many plays.
Without looking at the play list, she directly requested, "Let's have a performance of 'Five Scholars Ascending the Ranks'."
The Minister of Rites' Lady, sitting nearby, smiled and said, "Lady Lu must be wishing for Princess Wanping and her husband to have a child soon, and for all their children to succeed."
Liu Qingyun took a sip of tea, "I'm wishing for my own daughter-in-law and son."
Minister of Rites' Lady: "..."
Troupe Leader: "..."
Liu Qingyun lazily said, "And let's have 'Five Daughters Paying Respects to Their Mother'. Don't give me any sad twists, I only want to hear happy ones."
"I understand," the troupe leader said, his eyes lighting up as he accepted the stack of silver notes. "I'll make the changes right away!"
Soon, a new song echoed from the stage.
The Majestic King strode over with an air of importance, "My dear, when are we returning to the mansion?"
Liu Qingyun replied, "We're not going back."
"Alright!"
The Majestic King turned and left, his presence as grand as before, "Keep drinking!"
-
Duke's Mansion.
The physician invited by Yu Zichuan was sent away by Wan Mumu.
Even the maids summoned to sweep the snow in the courtyard were redirected by her to the neighboring courtyard.
Li Mumu, who had just returned from the accounting room, asked, "I just saw Doctor Zhang. Who's sick?"
Wan Mumu said, "Me! My old cold legs are acting up again!"
"You should go back and rest!" Li Mumu urged.
Wan Mumu blocked the courtyard entrance, "No, no, no. It's a rare joyous day. Let's have a drink, just the two of us?"
"It's noon. What are you talking about? I still have work to finish," Li Mumu replied.
Wan Mumu held her arm, "It's not just any day. Hu Pozi and Du Wangzi are also here. Let's roast the venison the young miss rewarded us with and have a couple of shots of liquor. Won't that be delightful?"
Li Mumu was half-supported, half-dragged away.
The Dragon and Phoenix Incense Candle burned out, and the bed shook until dawn.
-
Meng Qianqian woke up, and it was already the night of the second day.
The room was dark, and inside the curtain, it was pitch black.
She heard the howling cold wind outside the window, but she didn't feel cold.
Her mind was hazy, and she couldn't recall what had happened. Instinctively, she moved, only to feel soreness throughout her body.
The pain unlocked the gates of her memory.
In an instant, scenes that made her blush and her heart race flashed through her mind like a revolving lantern.
It's not over.
Not yet.
Still not over.
So... there's more?
Did she really do those things?
"Grand Marshal, Xiaojiu, I want to commit inferior overpowers superior."
"Wait until tomorrow. Xiaojiu will take responsibility and beg for forgiveness with a rod on the back."
"Grand Marshal, you smell so good."
"Xiaojiu, I only want to do this with you."
Meng Qianqian's face flushed red!
This can't be real! She couldn't have said such shameful words!
She lifted the quilt and looked down.
Her nightgown was intact.
Perhaps it was just a spring dream.
She parted the curtain, got out of bed, and her first step landed on a piece of clothing.
She picked it up and took a look.
It was Lu Yuan's nightgown.
That wasn't the main issue. The problem was... it was torn.
As a disciple of Yun Madam, she could tell it had been ripped by brute force.
"You're awake?"
A languid, unrestrained voice sounded from within the curtain.
Meng Qianqian shivered and quickly hid the torn nightgown behind her.
Lu Yuan parted the curtain, sitting on the edge of the bed with only his pants on, revealing his robust and powerful arms and chest.
Meng Qianqian hurriedly covered her eyes.
Lu Yuan stood up and took a few steps towards her, his movements carrying a hint of aggression, "Meng Xiaojiu, isn't it too late to cover your eyes now?"
Meng Qianqian whispered, "I didn't do anything to you either."
Lu Yuan guessed she wouldn't admit it, "Do you want to take a look at the clothes in your hand before speaking?"
Meng Qianqian replied seriously, "I accidentally tore it just now."
Lu Yuan hooked his lips and scanned the mess on the ground, "This one too? And this? And this... all of them?"
Meng Qianqian moved her fingers aside and, mustering her courage, looked down. She nearly fell as she took in the sight.
How... the ground was covered with Lu Yuan's torn nightgowns?
Lu Yuan smiled dangerously, "I wear one, you tear one. How many times did you do this? Should I count them for you?"
(End of Chapter)
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