It was already late at night, and all around was quiet.
Lin Youning was still afraid of being heard, so she asked Shanmoi to co onto the bed as well, and the two of them talked in low voices.
"After I got separated from you, Miss, I was pushed along by the crowd, until Li Si, who was with the Marquis, pulled out of the crowd. At that ti, the Marquis was present too. When he heard that you and I were separated by the crowd, he rushed into it. Li Si took back to the mansion before he went back to find the Marquis." Shanmoi ntioned this with a bit of lingering fear.
Hearing this, Lin Youning was even more sleepless, "My elder brother went to look for and hasn’t returned yet, while I’m here sleeping. How can I possibly fall asleep."
Shanmoi also sat up, "I feel the sa way. If the side door wasn’t locked, I would have gone to check if the Marquis returned."
Lin Youning said nothing, suddenly her eyes lit up, "I wonder if the Snow Sculpture will co to the yard tonight."
"It gets along well with Snowball, it cos every night." Shanmoi laughed, as if thinking of sothing joyful, "Miss, I heard from Li Si that the Snow Sculpture is quite intelligent, maybe we could ask it to see if the Marquis is back?"
Lin Youning raised her hand and knocked on her head, "Nonsense, do you believe that too? It’s intelligent, but it doesn’t understand who we want it to find."
Previously, Lin Youning wanted to tie a note to the Snow Sculpture’s leg to send to her elder brother, but he usually fed the Snow Sculpture in the morning, so sending a ssage then would be pointless.
The two of them, master and servant, had no ideas, so they lay back on the bed.
"I originally intended to go to the Lin Family to check, but Li Si insisted on accompanying to the mansion, and I couldn’t send him away, so I had to co back first." Shanmoi ntioned this with so guilt.
Lin Youning laughed, "Forget it, maybe it’s just that we’re not fated to et. Don’t dwell on it, after all these years, I’ve long considered not having them."
"Miss, perhaps they’re afraid of offending the Marquis Mansion, so they don’t dare to co." Shanmoi tried to comfort her mistress, but even she felt her words lacked conviction.
After all, everyone knew Miss was raised in the Marquis Mansion, not hiding her identity.
"Perhaps." Lin Youning thought otherwise.
If they really considered her nonexistent, why would they send New Year gifts?
"It’s late, let’s sleep." Lin Youning turned away, no longer wanting to think about her family.
Those so-called family mbers, do they even rember having her as a daughter? They probably sent gifts hoping to rely on the Marquis Mansion once returning to the Capital.
Her aunt had diated for her.
She understood why her aunt said to follow Lin Mansion’s example of returning gifts; if Lin Mansion only sent a few jujubes and the Marquis Mansion reciprocated with insignificant items, they’d naturally assu she wasn’t living well there.
By then, they wouldn’t need to probe further nor visit the Marquis Mansion.
Her aunt’s small gesture revealed that such relatives only had eyes for benefits, not affection.
Not being in touch is better, sparing her from burdens in the future.
In her hazy state, Lin Youning fell asleep, but she had developed a fever the next day, knowing it was due to catching a cold last night.
Mrs. Gu Sr. ca personally, invited the Imperial Physician, and prepared dicine, only leaving Shi’an Garden when Lin Youning’s fever subsided by noon.
In her haze, Lin Youning seed to hear her elder brother’s voice, though soft and dreamlike, making her soon fall back into deep sleep.
By the ti she truly woke up, it was already evening.
Shanmoi fed her bird’s nest porridge gently, recounting the happenings of the day, "After Miss’s fever subsided, Mrs. Gu Sr. returned to Shi’an Garden and summoned the Second Young Master, who got a scolding before coming to see Miss, only to leave when he saw Miss asleep. An hour ago, the Marquis ca by, seeing you still asleep, reviewed the Imperial Physician’s prescription, and reduced the dosage of one ingredient, saying Miss has a frail constitution."
Lin Youning nodded lightly, "Did my elder brother co to the Warm Pavilion?"
"The Marquis has always adhered to rules, he couldn’t co in. He left after hearing Miss was asleep and reviewing the prescription." Shanmoi didn’t notice the fleeting sadness on her mistress’s face after she spoke.
But it was only for a mont.
Lin Youning mumbled, "I still haven’t asked my elder brother when he returned last night."
"I already asked. I told the Marquis that Miss was worried about him before bed, and he said he ca back when he heard that Miss had returned but the gates of the courtyards were locked, so he didn’t co to see Miss." Shanmoi proudly continued, "I knew Miss would have this on her mind."
Lin Youning laughed, "Alright, alright, I know Shanmoi is the best."
Shanmoi’s face reddened, "Miss, you’re teasing ."
Lin Youning just laughed.
When Gu Yifeng entered the courtyard, he heard the crisp laughter coming from the room, a hint of warmth fleeting in his eyes.
That was until the little maid’s ’I greet the Marquis’ interrupted the laughter inside.
Gu Yifeng then stepped into the Warm Pavilion.
Inside, Lin Youning had Shanmoi busy with her hair, only twisting it simply, without any adornnts, before hurrying to the Warm Pavilion.
"The fever just broke, don’t catch cold again." Gu Yifeng had a look of helplessness, instructing the servants in the room to add a few more charcoal basins.
Lin Youning quickly stopped him, "Elder brother knows I can’t stand the sll of charcoal, I’m dressed warmly, and it’s not cold in the Warm Pavilion."
Gu Yifeng then dismissed the servants, while thinking to have craftsn install floor heating indoors and outdoors co spring, thus eliminating the need for charcoal basins.
Lin Youning was busy directing the maids to serve tea and snacks, "Elder brother, it was my fault yesterday, keeping you outside in the middle of the night."
"I had to leave the mansion at that ti anyway, later t Xu Kuan, and since he said you were fine, I joined him for a few drinks." Implying he hadn’t been searching all along and she needn’t feel guilty.
Lin Youning’s eyes widened, "So that’s how it is, now I can feel relieved, otherwise I’d truly feel guilty for troubling elder brother all along."
He knew this would be her reaction.
Seeing her jubilant expression, Gu Yifeng also smiled. Though what he said was true, he had already been inford by the mansion when he t Xu Kuan.
But not letting this little girl worry, he realized telling this lie was right.
Otherwise, with her kind nature, she wouldn’t stop feeling guilty.
Gu Yifeng had arrived by evening, and dined at Tingxue Hall before returning.
Lin Youning’s illness recovered swiftly, allowing her to rise early the next day and join Mrs. Gu Sr. for breakfast at Shi’an Garden.
After the New Year, the day of great celebration for the Wu and Xu families arrived.
User Comments
0 comments from readers