Chapter 288 - 287: Huang Lian (JoJo He Shi Bi+)
"I lost." Mu Lianxiao answered frankly.
His chess skills were not bad, but compared to those two, he was still a bit too immature.
When playing against Du Huaili, Mu Lianxiao had only one thought in his mind: the Minister of War said the Ministry of Rites was a den of foxes, and he wasn’t wrong at all.
And when facing Du Gongfu...
Older ginger is spicier, and foxes have different ways.
Du Yunluo knew well the chess styles of Du Gongfu and Du Huaili and couldn’t help but smile, laughing with a giggle.
Mu Lianxiao’s head tilted onto her shoulder, and as Du Yunluo laughed, her chest rose and fell noticeably, causing Mu Lianxiao to momentarily hold his breath.
Clearly, she was such a petite person, her head only reaching his chest, yet her figure was exquisitely alluring, with curves so enticing that he couldn’t let go.
There was also Jin Rui in the carriage, so Mu Lianxiao had to suppress any thoughts he might have had.
The carriage entered Dingyuan Marquis Mansion.
The two returned to Shaohui Garden to change clothes when they suddenly heard a crash in the yard.
Jin Rui glanced at Du Yunluo, turned around to check, and quickly returned, saying, "A clumsy little maid broke a flowerpot, Lian Qiao is dealing with it, madam need not worry."
Du Yunluo nodded; this had happened in her previous life too. Due to her unhappiness with her family, she had used it as an excuse to throw a tantrum.
This time, since Lian Qiao dealt with it, she need not concern herself.
Jin Rui re-did Du Yunluo’s hair, whispering, "I heard in Qinghui Garden that Second Master, during his midday rest, didn’t let Cailian serve in the room. Instead, he sent her to prepare her dowry, and in a few days, she will return to the Xia Family.
In Chunhua Courtyard, they say that Second Madam treats Cailian well, and at that time the dowry she adds won’t be less than what madam gave Jin Ling. Who knew Cailian would turn around and run, making people laugh at her thin skin.
As it happened, when Shui Yue went to find Big Aunt, she heard someone crying behind a rockery, but didn’t see their face, only saw that the sleeves were green."
Du Yunluo understood; today, indeed, Cailian’s sleeves were green.
Only a few people knew about what happened in the Flower Hall that day.
Xia Anxin’s handling of Cailian quietly, sending her back to the Xia Family, was entirely reasonable.
Cailian’s plans had been dashed, yet Xia Anxin never blamed her for her mistakes. At the time of the incident, her words were so light they could hardly be called such, not even mentioning or writing.
Cailian, like a mute swallowing bitter medicine, had nothing to say or do, except hide and cry.
But Du Yunluo wouldn’t sympathize with her.
If it hadn’t been Lanzhi who went to the Flower Hall that day, the result would have been entirely different.
Wasn’t Huizhu also like a mute swallowing bitter medicine, unable to speak clearly, and could only prove her resolve with death?
If that matter had been made public, Xia Anxin would be the same, a mute swallowing bitter medicine, the bitterness and difficulty must be swallowed on her own.
Cailian betraying her master, was in itself a grave sin.
Du Yunluo’s eyelashes fluttered; with Xia Anxin’s character, before Du Yunluo returns to the Du Family next time, Cailian will definitely have been sent away.
Du Yunluo and Mu Lianxiao went to Jingshui Hall where Mrs. Zhou lived.
The main house had three bright and two dark rooms.
Du Yunluo hadn’t been here often before, but she still had some impression of the general layout and decoration.
This place was still full of Mu Yuance’s living presence.
On the antique rack between the bright and the west side room, there were many curiosities displayed, and one of them, it was said, was personally carved by Mu Yuance.
On the wall of the west side room hung a large bow that Mu Yuance used when he was alive.
The study housed a bookshelf full of military books, many of which had dense annotations written by Mu Yuance.
Since Mu Yuance’s death, it had been over six years, and Mrs. Zhou had always guarded this room, just as she did when her husband was alive.
In this regard, Mrs. Zhou was far stronger and braver than Du Yunluo. When Du Yunluo moved out of Shaohui Garden, she was afraid of becoming nostalgic, but Mrs. Zhou never avoided it.
It was precisely because Mrs. Zhou was of such character that when she was found dead in the room, Nanny Su never believed that Mrs. Zhou committed suicide.
In Nanny Su’s eyes, Mrs. Zhou was not someone who would use death as an escape.
Du Yunluo took a deep breath and followed Mu Lianxiao into the east side room.
Mrs. Zhou was sitting on the Arhat Bed, and among the pieces was a chessboard, with black and white chess baskets in front of her, playing against herself.
"Sit." Mrs. Zhou motioned for Nanny Su to serve tea, then carefully asked about their return visit, and knowing everything went well, she felt relieved.
When it was time for dinner, Mrs. Zhou went to Baijie Hall, and Mu Lianxiao and Du Yunluo returned to Shaohui Garden.
Back when the Old Marquis was around, except for the New Year, festivals, and the first and fifteenth of the lunar month, each room would have its own meals.
Even now, Madam Wu hadn’t thought of changing the rules and only asked Mrs. Zhou to serve her and keep her company as an elder with some meals, while Mrs. Xu and Mrs. Lu ate vegetarian meals. Madam Wu didn’t force them to face a table full of meat.
Lian Qiao efficiently laid the table.
There was plenty on the table for the two, but Mu Lianxiao had a big appetite and ended up eating most of it.
The wind was strong at night, so the two didn’t go out for a walk to digest.
Du Yunluo took up her needlework, seriously working on a shoe pad.
Mu Lianxiao leaned over to watch, and the size of the shoe pad made it obvious to him, he smiled and said, "For me?"
"Yes," Du Yunluo glanced at him, "Mother said, undergarments, shoe pads, these things are never too many, so I should make you more."
Mu Lianxiao’s gaze fell on her slender fingers.
A wife preparing clothes for her husband was only natural. When Mu Lianxiao was in military training, he often heard the married soldiers compare needlework and craftsmanship to relieve homesickness.
He had thought before, that in the future, Du Yunluo preparing things for him stitch by stitch would be extremely wonderful.
Yet at this moment, he felt a twinge of pain and guilt.
Because he would soon leave for the frontier, Du Yunluo was hurriedly preparing for him.
Others enjoyed a sweet life after marriage, but theirs would be very short.
Mu Lianxiao gently hugged Du Yunluo’s shoulder and leaned over, placing a kiss on her brow.
Du Yunluo was slightly startled, then smiled, holding a needle in her hand, she said, "Be careful, it hurts if you get poked."
Mu Lianxiao also smiled, he fetched a book from the study, sat by Du Yunlo, alternating between flipping through the book and watching her do needlework.
Under the oil lamp, Du Yunluo looked as picturesque as ever.
Mu Lianxiao curved the corners of his lips; what he thought in the morning was absolutely right, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Du Yunluo like this.
The lamp wick burned black, and the light dimmed significantly. Du Yunluo rubbed her eyes, stabbed the needle into the shoe pad, and used scissors to poke around.
Mu Lianxiao grabbed her hand, pulled the shoe pad and placed it in the embroidery basket, saying, "Leave it for tomorrow."
What Du Yunluo was about to say turned into a low exclamation.
Mu Lianxiao blew out the oil lamp, carried her horizontally, and returned to the inner room.
There was no light in the inner room, only the faint moonlight outside casting shadows, barely enough to see each other’s outline.
Du Yunluo looked up and asked, "Where did you put the needle? Make sure it doesn’t poke anyone."
Mu Lianxiao removed her shoes, saying, "Isn’t it poked into the shoe pad?"
At his mention, Du Yunluo remembered and couldn’t help but respond with a huff, "You sure were paying attention."