Very soon, they were led by the steward to Li Garden.
The steward stood beside the moon gate, inviting the five individuals inside with a respectful attitude, while secretly observing their reactions.
This is the finest guest courtyard in Prince Shuo’s Mansion, he couldn’t believe these traveling Taoists had experienced better hospitality before!
But to his disappointnt, among the five, not a single face showed the surprise or astonishnt he was expecting to see.
They all walked in calmly, their expressions as if entering just another clean inn.
Even the Taoist with a veil, whose appearance was unseen, walked straight through the moon gate, without even glancing around.
This left the steward inevitably surprised.
What kind of place is this Shanqing Temple? How can the Taoists there have such high standards?
In truth, the five did not notice the steward’s little thoughts.
For Zhu Yu, there seed to be nothing novel in Prince Shuo’s Mansion, not even in Li Garden or even the Zhu Garden of Zhu Cheng and his wife, which she had not entered but did not find curious.
Yan Daoxin inherently had no pursuit of material things, as long as it wasn’t as miserable as the places plagued by floods in Huazhou, it was enough for him.
As for Lu Qing and his two servants... although Lu Qing’s Prince Xiaoyao Mansion wasn’t luxurious, it was still grander compared to Prince Shuo’s Mansion, so they felt no surprise, much less the thought of being placed in the most esteed guest courtyard of Prince Shuo’s Mansion.
The steward pondered secretly but didn’t reveal much outwardly, respectfully inviting them to rest in the guest courtyard, and called for servants to bring hot water and tea for washing and drinking, then left Li Garden, not disturbing them any further.
Once the steward left, the five felt more at ease, Zhu Yu lifted the veil of her hat, wiped her face with a wet cloth, and helped arrange for everyone in their respective rooms.
In Li Garden, except for the main house being slightly different, the other rooms were quite similar, to avoid giving anyone an unpleasant feeling of being slighted when hosting guests. Hence, when allocating rooms, there wasn’t much to consider, and Fu Wen and Fu Lu were placed in rooms closer to each side of the main house.
"Master, madam, how do you plan on using this room?" Fu Lu hesitated for a mont, then decided to ask.
Yan Daoxin glanced at him: "Even a cow wouldn’t ask such a dull question!
What did you just call them? Master and madam! How do you think they’ll use it?"
Fu Lu felt slightly aggrieved, scratching the back of his head.
He certainly knew that his master and madam had been married for quite a while and should be living together.
However, outside, the two had always been living separately...
"This is Prince Shuo’s Mansion, if I and my wife live separately, how would the people in Prince Shuo’s Mansion regard this marriage, and how would that let my wife face her family?" Lu Qing waved to Fu Lu, "Just move our things into the main house."
Upon hearing this, Fu Lu nodded quickly, and began moving things into the house.
Seeing this, Fu Wen was montarily surprised, but also filled with delight, hastily assisting his brother.
They didn’t carry much with them, so it didn’t take long to settle everything.
"Shall we sit in the guest hall of the courtyard and wait for your father?
At first, I thought your father was trying to make a show of authority, giving these ’roaming Taoists’ a hard ti, but later when the steward ca to settle us, it didn’t seem like that." Yan Daoxin asked Zhu Yu.
Zhu Yu shook her head: "No need. My father is not a complex person, if he truly despised you from the heart, he wouldn’t have even let you through the door.
Inviting us in politely, offering hot tea and refreshnts, naturally treats us as honored guests.
As for why no one is seen... it’s probably because sothing ca up at the Weapon Supervision that called him away."
"Never mind, after all, traveling is tiring, it’s just as well he’s busy, and we’ll take the chance to rest." Yan Daoxin, when faced with changing circumstances, was indifferent, stretched lazily, and headed to his room’s door, "I’ll go take a nap first, if Prince Shuo sends soone for us, Fu Wen rember to call !"
Fu Wen promptly acknowledged, and Yan Daoxin yawned as he went back to his room.
"Master, madam, you should rest a bit too, if soone from Prince Shuo’s Mansion cos, we’ll knock on your door." Fu Wen gave Fu Lu a knowing glance, and the two clasped their fists in salute, turning towards the moon gate.
This ti the madam returned incognito, she hadn’t lifted the veil in public outside, revealing her true appearance, probably intending to decide after observing Prince Shuo’s attitude.
Since that’s the case, naturally she must not let the servants of the mansion recognize her before eting Prince Shuo.
Zhu Yu and Lu Qing entered the main house.
Even though Zhu Yu had lived in Prince Shuo Mansion for several years from the day she was born until she got married, it was her first ti in Li Garden.
After all, this place was for entertaining distinguished guests, even when no guests were present, she, as a concubine’s daughter, couldn’t just run in to play.
Sitting by the tea table in the main house, Zhu Yu marveled at the wonders of fate, just a few months ago she couldn’t have imagined, after being married off to Jin Country by imperial decree, she would return to Prince Shuo Mansion in such an identity and visage.
If Princess Shuo hadn’t been reluctant to part with her treasured Zhu Ning...
Zhu Yu glanced at Lu Qing—perhaps now, whether for him or Prince Shuo Mansion, what lies ahead might have been a calamity.
Lu Qing, observing Zhu Yu’s expression, sensed she was filled with thoughts, suspecting that she was indeed experiencing the anxiety of being near ho, suddenly returning after months away but needing to remain as a Taoist in the guest courtyard, unable to visit her forr room or see her mother, hence feeling complicated.
"Once your father returns and sees us, you can visit your mother." Lu Qing, never having such bonds with blood relatives nor experiencing familial concern and attachnt, found these feelings foreign and could only offer comforting words based on his own understanding.
Zhu Yu, returning to her senses, understood Lu Qing’s words, realizing he misunderstood her earlier contemplation, but she didn’t intend to explain, and smiled, nodding.
Earlier, realizing that Zhu Cheng initially worried about displeasing Emperor Jin, planned on following precedent by marrying off his legitimate daughter Zhu Ning to Lu Qing, caused a strange discomfort to spring up within Zhu Yu.
Thus, her earlier thoughts on the wonders of fate, she subconsciously chose not to share with Lu Qing.
User Comments
0 comments from readers