♂?，，

  Chapter 33

  Those piercing eyes suddenly woke Ming Xuan up, and she cursed herself for staring at that person for so long, despite knowing that there were dark secrets in this medicine shop. Shouldnt she have avoided such a strange situation? But now she had already seen the other persons face clearly. If those two were really doing something evil and happened to be discovered by her, wouldnt they want to silence her by killing her?

  She was shocked and terrified, and didnt dare stay a second longer, hastily fleeing away.

  Chang Geng slightly raised an eyebrow, "This medicine shop will have to wait until spring to reopen. The mountain path behind has been neglected for years and is full of steep cliffs and jagged rocks, the people from the temple dont like to come here, usually there are hardly any visitors, but today is unusual, just now I saw a sturdy man in his forties wandering around under the giant pine tree up front, and now another young lady has passed by."

  He thought for a moment, then suddenly clapped his hands and said, "Today, the only ones who came to the temple to worship Buddha are from the Yongning Marquiss residence. I heard that their elderly lady is bringing the seventh young miss here to pay respects to her deceased mother. The seventh young miss... isnt she the kind-hearted person who helped us out of a predicament on Qingliang Mountain last time?"

  That beautiful woman was Gu Qi, whom Pei Jing had often met at banquets and celebrations, so he naturally recognized her at a glance.

  At that time, the three houses of Gus family were at their peak. Miss Gu Qiuling, Ming Xuan, was not only born beautiful but also had a lively and carefree personality. Wherever she went, she was the center of attention in the crowd. The aristocratic men and women all admired her, but he didnt think much of her. His stepmother, Yang Shi, was that kind of arrogant woman who, with the identity of a noble lady, had a heart as venomous as a snake or scorpion.

  Bai Jingchen thought of past events and his eyes narrowed slightly.

  His reputation as a sickly child had been known throughout the city since he was young, and everyone in Shengjing City knew that he was in a difficult situation and was not seen by the Pei family. However, his identity and bloodline were there, so if there was a flower banquet, he would inevitably be on the list of invited guests. Those dull banquets, he mostly declined due to physical discomfort, but if he knew that there were notable figures on the guest list, he would occasionally attend a few times.

  He Pei Jingchen is not only the eldest grandson of Prince Pingguo Pei, but also the only grandson of Xiangchu Wang, who was sealed as a war god twenty years ago for his bravery and martial arts. Although he lost to the Northern Hu that year, the previous emperor also showed various dissatisfaction, but Xiangchu Wang did not have his title taken away and was still buried with the rites of a close prince. The mansion of Xiangchu Wang has not been reclaimed by the imperial family until now.

  Now the Zhou royal family is declining, he has the blood of Xiang Chu Wang in his body. Even if he is weak and sickly, even if his stepmother dislikes him, outsiders still have to look up to him a bit. Those old people who know the previous situation are even more polite to him.

  People of the same age cant help but keep a distance from him, Gu Qis fiancé Han Xiu is a brave and powerful general, she naturally looks down on this "weak" husband, every time they meet, there are some sarcastic remarks between them. He dislikes her temperament and doesnt like her sharp tongue, in fact, he cant stand her.

  Never thought that in just three years of not seeing her, she had actually changed beyond recognition...

  Chang Gengs eyes flashed with a few threads of doubt, and he muttered to himself, "How could Gu Jias seventh young lady appear in such a desolate place? Even if she came to enjoy the breeze and scenery, she shouldnt have walked so deep, unless... unless that middle-aged man and others were her?"

  He immediately shook his head in a hurry, "No, shes a lady who was raised in the inner chambers, how could she secretly meet with an outsider like this?"

  Bai Jingchen remained silent, gazing at the fleeing figure until it disappeared from view. After a while, he spoke in a low tone, "Contact Greedy Wolf and tell him not to come see me on the mountain for the next few days. If theres anything important, have him get in touch with you instead. No matter what, be cautious."

  Today is the birthday of Mrs. Lu, the wife of Gus third house. The temple has been preparing for this ceremony in the Jinglian Hall since the day before yesterday. Miss Gu Qi has already passed her mourning period, and on a day like today, she will definitely come to offer incense and oil to her birth mother. However, the small path behind the mountain happens to pass by that giant pine tree, and if Miss Gu Qi really comes from that direction, she will inevitably run into Greedy Wolf. Since Miss Gu Qi secretly met with an outsider, its likely that she wants to keep it a secret. Greedy Wolf is certain that she wont reveal this matter, but to be cautious, he can no longer appear in the temple.

  Pei Jingchens tone was slightly paused, and his eyes flashed with a few points of inquiry. He whispered, "Also, go check the other persons background."

  If it werent for the urgency of the matter, a lady from a respectable family wouldnt have possibly met someone in private on the mountain behind her house under the pretext of visiting her mothers grave. If she had indeed encountered some trouble, perhaps he could help her. Even if he had previously disliked the woman, on that day, on the steep mountain path, she had borne an undeserved calamity for him, and it was also her kindness that allowed him to safely avoid his stepmothers sinister calculations. Both emotionally and rationally, he should repay her.

  Ming Xuan returned to the Chan Institute and saw that a horse-drawn carriage with the emblem of Yongning Hou Mansion was already harnessed and parked in the front yard. From time to time, a young maid would hurry to load things onto the carriage. She furrowed her brow and called over an old woman to ask, "Grandmother said wed return to the mansion at the beginning of Shen, but its still early, whats going on?"

  The old woman was quick-witted and hastily replied, "Just now, Madame Hou sent a servant over to report that the Second Elder Madam of our familys Wenchang Alley had passed away. Upon hearing this, Old Madame said she would rush over to pay her respects."

  In the south of the city, there is a large compound of connected mansions in Wen Chang Alley, all belonging to the collateral branches of the Gong family of Yongning Marquis. The late Second Lady was the legitimate wife of the second uncle of the old marquis, and when the old marquis struggled to maintain his title, she and her son suffered many open and secret attacks, and their relatives avoided them like a tiger, except for the second uncles house, which often spoke out in support. Because of this, the Hou Mansion was closest to this branch, and Old Lady Zhu also respected this aunt the most.

  Ming Xuan hurried into the inner chamber and saw that Old Lady Zhus expression was low, with hidden tears in her eyes. She knew that her grandmother was heartbroken, so she took over the task from Sheng Concubines hands and personally helped her grandmother tie up the large woolen cloak. As she comforted her, she said, "Birth, old age, sickness, and death are all natural principles. Grandmother shouldnt be too sad. Besides, our familys Second Old Madam is a happy funeral, we should send her off with joy."

  The two old ladies, although not wealthy or of high social status in this life, relied on the Hou Mansions great tree and ultimately lived a rich and comfortable life. She lived to be over 80 years old, which was considered rare longevity at that time. Five generations were together under one roof, with children and grandchildren surrounding her knees. Although no one in the family had become a high-ranking official, they all lived well, and the old lady passed away peacefully, enjoying both good fortune and longevity, making it a joyous funeral.

  Madam Zhu felt a bit better in her heart, and then she gathered up some of the sorrowful thoughts that had been weighing on her mind. She grasped Ming Xuans hand and said, "Its still you, elder sister, who knows best how to comfort people. Indeed, Second Elder Madam was a blessed person - how many people in this world can be so fortunate? Now that she has ascended to the heavens, we should rejoice for her instead."

  She helped Ming Xuan tidy up her clothes. "The things have been collected by Mother Shen, lets go down the mountain."

  Although it is said so, but the elders who often come and go have passed away, anyone will always have a few points of sadness.

  Ming Xuan saw that Madam Zhu was not in high spirits, and she had originally wanted to ask about Han Xis matter and inquire about the marriage between their families, but now that her grandmother was like this, it wasnt good to bother her with these things, so she could only bury this worry deep down.

  The funeral of the second old lady in Wen Chang Alley had been bustling for several days, and Madam Zhu would take Ming Xuan and others there every day. After finally sending off the second old lady with dignity, Madam Zhu fell ill on this side. The people from Wen Chang Alley were frightened, and several groups came to kneel and ask after her health. Even the people from the Dongping Wangfu and the Fuguo Gongfu came to visit her. As Madam Zhu loved Ming Xuan the most, she would naturally be by her side whenever she received guests.

  Thus, after Mrs. Zhus body recovered, it turned out that more than half a month had passed without her realizing it.

  Its almost the end of February now, and next month on the 16th will be a good day for Minghe to come out of her boudoir.

  Qingping Junwang Pan was located in the northeast, although it was not far from Shengjing City, but the grand wedding was held in the Qingping Junwang Mansion in the inner city. However, after Minghe and Qingping Junwangs son Zhou Muzhao got married, they had to move back to their hometown of Rongzhou immediately.

  Madam Ji felt that Rongzhou was not as prosperous as Shengjing, and she was afraid that her beloved daughter would suffer in the future. These days, she has been busy running around, wanting to move all the good things from the shops in the city back to the mansion. The 128 sedan chairs of dowry were all filled with real goods, so full that one couldnt even insert a hand, yet she still felt it was not enough.

  Xue Su saw it, and her heart was slightly worried. She furrowed her brow and said to Ming Xuan, "The dowry of the sixth miss is so generous, 128 chests have already made people speechless. I heard that there are still many shops, houses, and fields in Jiangnan on the gift list. As a legitimate daughter of the Marquiss household, and also getting married one after another, its inevitable to be compared by others. In comparison, Miss, your share is..."

  The Yan familys status may not be comparable to that of the Qingping Junwangfu, but the Sixth and Seventh Misses are on an equal footing in terms of their identity.

  These days, the mansion is also preparing for Seventh Misss dowry. However, what was sent by Gong Zhong is still a bit less. With 5,000 taels of silver, how many good things can be bought? Even if we include Lu Shis dowry and the private property secretly given by Old Madame, it only adds up to 68 chests in total. Although it can be made into 128 chests, it still doesnt look very good.

  Ming Xuan smiled upon hearing this, "The second house has money, and Sixth Sister married the crown prince of a duchy, which is naturally different from me. Moreover, the Yan family is just a small household, if my dowry list is too luxurious, it would be inappropriate. You should know that above Yan Gongzi there is still an elder brother, if I were to bring over 128 chests and those shops and water fields, how could the eldest sister-in-law of the Yan family handle it?"

  She has been worried these days, always afraid that Han Xiu would put pressure on the Yan family, causing them to cancel the engagement. But the news from her grandmothers side was all good: first, they got a auspicious sign of a perfect match during the marriage divination, and then both the betrothal gifts and the wedding ceremony went smoothly, now they just need to wait for Minghes engagement to be finalized.

  Everything went so smoothly that it made her feel a bit unreal, but she was now only two steps away from marrying into the Yan family.

  Just then, a little maid came in and reported, "Miss, the second lady has arrived."

  Complete works txt download, full text free, e-book, remember 77 reading books