Changn Village’s main gate was just ahead, where a ssenger was bending over to tie up a horse.
Feng Yun couldn’t help but quicken her steps.
"Princess."
Upon the guard’s shout, the ssenger heard the voice, looked up for a glimpse, and quickly tied the horse’s reins to the hitching post before turning back to salute Feng Yun with a clasped fist.
"At the Governor’s command, I’ve co to deliver a ssage."
Feng Yun suppressed her emotions, offering a faint smile.
"Whose letter?"
The ssenger presented it with both hands, "It cos from the northwest, passed on to Andu, and the Governor sent to deliver it overnight."
A letter from the distant northwest deserts would have passed through how many horses, how many hands, before traversing thousands of mountains and rivers to reach Andu County, to the Governor’s Office...
He Qia knew Feng Yun was waiting and, leaving aside the official docunts, he imdiately sent over the private letter from the Great King to the Princess, not daring to delay a mont.
The ssenger could scarcely contain his excitent. Gazing at the Princess’s calm visage, as if afraid she might not realize it, he said excitedly:
"There’s also news from Xijing, saying the Great King will soon return to court and will arrive in Xijing in a few days."
Feng Yun thanked him and, taking the letter, instructed Xiaoman.
"Please invite our ssenger brother inside for a cup of tea, to rest for a mont."
The visitor grinned, "Thank you, Princess, but I won’t sit. I’m in a hurry to return and report. The Governor has been busy visiting the villages these last few days, and I’ve been run ragged following him around. I just want to get back and sleep a solid sleep..."
Feng Yun asked, "How’s the locust plague in Liu Family Village?"
The ssenger replied with a laugh, "The Princess’s thod worked wonders. The Governor, in Xinyi and Andu, found more than ten duck farms, large duck breeders, and had the duck herders drive their ducks to Liu Family Village. These past few days, they say, the ducks have put on quite so weight."
Feng Yun smiled fondly, "That’s good to hear."
The ssenger’s brows creased.
"However, just as Liu Family Village’s plight was easing, a few villages in Yupu Prefecture began to show signs of trouble. These past days, our Governor has been frantically searching for more ducks, utterly overwheld."
Feng Yun chuckled softly.
She signaled Xiaoman to dig into her pocket and give the ssenger a few large coins.
"Wish you a safe journey, brother ssenger, and pass a ssage for to the Governor. Thank him for his kind intentions. Regarding the locust disaster, should there be any changes, please report back imdiately."
The ssenger accepted the money, his face beaming with joy.
"Thank you, Princess, I’ll make sure to pass the ssage. I always like visiting Huaxi Village."
The Princess was always kindly and generous, and who wouldn’t enjoy that?
Feng Yun watched the ssenger ride away before suddenly changing direction.
She didn’t enter the main house but walked towards the farm tool workshop instead.
Xiaoman was puzzled, "It’s so late, the workshop’s closed. What’s the mistress doing there?"
Feng Yun replied, "I’m going to see my ducks."
Xiaoman watched her place the letter inside her attire, at a loss for words.
The King had sent a letter, yet the mistress was not in a hurry to read the Great General’s ssage, instead going to see the ducks?
If it were her, she would have been frantic...
But then again, no one would send her a letter.
The one she worried about truly hadn’t sent even a single word.
During the days when Pei Jue’s whereabouts were completely unknown, Xiaoman also kept thinking to herself if the Left Guard might have been killed in action...
Even until now.
She didn’t even know if Zuo Zhong was alive.
-
The farm tool workshop was originally built on a piece of wasteland overgrown with weeds and thorns. After the workshop started operating, residential houses were gradually built nearby for the artisans to live and rest in.
There were no good fields behind the workshop, so Feng Yun built a pigsty there, and raised so chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep, using the manure as fertilizer.
However, the quantity of ducks wasn’t that high initially. With the recent locust plague, batches of fuzzy ducklings officially took up residence in Huaxi Village.
Not only did Changn raise many, but other farrs followed suit, trying to emulate the Village Chief’s wife by raising ducks with all their might.
The ducklings grew quickly and were very cute. Feng Yun played with them cheerfully for a while, checked the environnt of the breeding grounds, and after giving a few instructions to the caretakers, she departed and then went to the clothing workshop.
She talked with Kong Yun’e, admired treasures from Hengyang, and played with six little kittens.
She seed quite at ease.
Xiaoman couldn’t understand her.
At this hour, why not read the letter instead of wandering everywhere?
Was she avoiding it?
Didn’t she care whether the Great General was returning or not?
Or was she upset that the Great General had to return to Xijing first?
After andering outside for roughly an hour, Feng Yun finally returned to the estate.
After bathing and changing, she sent Xiaoman and the other servant girls out before she sat down, lit the oil lamp, and opened the letter.
There were only a few words on the envelope.
"For Lady Yun’s personal perusal."
Feng Yun humd softly through her nostrils.
Her face revealed no emotion, and her movents to open the letter were very slow. She used scissors to precisely cut the envelope open, as if savoring a carefully cooked al, simply enjoying the process of opening the letter...
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