Chapter 207 Retelling Old Stories

“Master, didn’t you tell us that you would not get involved in the affairs of the empress unless it was necessary?”

Night did not ever question any order that Long Tianhao issued. But investigating the empress mattered a lot.

Once the secret of the existence of the Qing Sect was exposed too soon, it would be extremely bad for Long Tianhao.

Therefore, Night had to remain cautious.

“I refused to get involved because the empress still leaves me leeway no matter what she did. But now, she did plot against my mother. I’m afraid that she would remove everyone around me before I take measures.”

After coming to his senses, Long Tianhao felt there were more dirty tricks in this event.

Since she was being kept in the Empress’s Palace, the empress inevitably had something on Concubine De.

Therefore, they made a deal, at the expense of Lin Mengya.

Otherwise, Concubine De would not keep purposely making difficulties for Lin Mengya the moment she left the palace.

So Long Tianhao made up his mind to figure out what actually happened between Concubine De and the empress!

“You’re right, Master. But I heard that the Crown Prince was ordered to reflect on himself in his house in a few days. In addition, the empress called the Taoist priest in the Imperial Taoist Abbey to hold a blessing ceremony.”

What Night said actually astonished Long Tianhao.

The continuous failure of the Crown Prince the other day had irritated the Empress, he believed.

Reflection on himself was really a good excuse. But Long Tianhao failed to guess what the real purpose of the empress was.

“As for the Crown Prince’s Mansion, you’d better keep your eyes on it more closely.”

Without the empress’s guidance, the Crown Prince was just an idiot.

The opposite play against the empress just began.

“Little girl, it’s very crowded in Qinwu Courtyard tonight.”

Standing under the roof and leaning against the window, Qinghu was chatting with Lin Mengya.

“I almost told him everything. If he didn’t take action, it would be a truly weird thing.”

Inside the room, Lin Mengya was learning how to embroider from Baiji. Baiji was excellent at embroidering, but she was not. Every time she got hold of the needles or threads, she would lose control of them. They would separate like wild horses.

But Lin Mengya still believed that doing something focused like this would be helpful for her to concentrate.

“Right. But, little girl, now that we’ve gathered lots of people together, as the Master, is it time to have a look?”

Lin Mengya lifted up her head and looked at Qinghu, who was smiling.

“He’s right. It’s time to have a look and make those restless vagabonds know who the Master is and set their minds at ease.”

“Okay. I’ll have a look in a few days. Wait for my arrangement.”

The argument in Art Courtyard that night had irritated Concubine De so much that she got quite sick.

She refused to accept anyone’s visit for several days. Jiang Ruqin, who was always arrogant and willful, quieted down for a few days.

It was getting colder.

Furnaces were turned on in every courtyard. In Liuxin Courtyard, Lin Zhongyu and Qinghu used some methods unbeknownst to others to make it full of blossomed, colorful flowers.

It looked quite strangely interesting when colorful flowers grew under the dry brown sticks.

In a watery pink-lined jacket, Baiji walked in a rush into the main room of Liuxin Courtyard.

She drew back the heavy curtains, and what greeted her was warmth with a light fragrance.

Baizhi and Baisu were playing “five-in-a-row” on the heating bed while Qinghu and Lin Zhongyu were arguing with each other to decide who would draw a picture for Lin Mengya.

Lin Mengya, who was reading a book on the couch by the window, was the only person enjoying her time.

“Master, here is the money my father gave me. He told me that we had good profits this month. But also, some drugstores not far away from our store made a disturbance several times.”

Lin Mengya, while taking the money Baiji was holding, cracked a big smile.

No matter what, this was the first pot of gold she earned in ancient times. She should feel exalted.

“Don’t worry about the disturbances. Fight fire with water. Oh, did your mother and father keep their salaries?”

Baiji smiled and nodded. Such a good profit was beyond her father’s expectation because they always gave drugs for free or at half price.

“The Winter Solstice Festival is approaching. Have you prepared everything?”

Steward Deng made a list of what they should get ready.

The four maids were thoughtful and capable. Almost everything was ready.

They would make a rearrangement after Prince Yu and Princess Yu returned from the ancestor worship in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

“Stop what you’re doing. I’m excited today. Let’s go outside and have fun.”

They immediately stopped what they were doing, clustered around Lin Mengya, and left Prince Yu’s Mansion.

“Baishao is absent again, Master?”

When no one noticed them, Baiji secretly asked her.

Lin Mengya raised her eyebrows and spoke while looking around.

“The festival is coming. She may be busy with her own things.”

In fact, she had not seen Baishao for a few days.

She was so busy that no one could catch a glimpse of her figure.

“Later on, if we buy something, buy one for her.”

Baishao nodded in doubt. Although it was the Master’s order, she still felt uncomfortable with it.

“Baishao would not do something against her conscience, I hope.”

They left the mansion in herds. It was really like that the festival was near. There came more and more sellers.

Due to the charcoal burner, it was very warm inside the spacious carriage.

Looking out of the window at the crowd, she would rather sit in the carriage than be crowded outside.

“You can go outside. I’d better stay here and read a book.”

From the beginning of winter, she felt tired more easily.

She was afraid of the cold so much that she slept or lazily stayed in her room.

It had to be because she lived in the warm south always, which was like spring, for more than 20 years in her previous life.

So when it came to the climate in the Capital City with four distinctive seasons, she failed to get used to it so far.

“Sister, I’ll stay here with you.”

Qinghu pouted because he was ordered by Lin Mengya to accompany the three maids to go shopping.

Lin Zhongyu got a reason to stay with Lin Mengya.

“Okay. Won’t you feel bored?”

She lifted up her head and looked at the boy, who was like a jade in appearance.

He became taller and more handsome than when he was taken back.

She put out her slender hands to touch his small face, and then lightly pinched his skin, which was tenderer than a woman’s.

“Ah, when you grow up, lots of girls will fall for you. I’m afraid that the money I save for your marriage may not be enough.”

Lin Zhongyu reluctantly pulled her hands down, but he silently felt worried due to the coldness of her hands.

Qinghu told him before that the veins around her heart were damaged so the winter was the hardest time for her.

Lin Zhongyu warmed up her small hands with his big hands. But a feeling of fright rose up in his mind for no reason.

“Will you leave me, sister?”

Lin Mengya smiled but nodded.

“Sooner or later, you will have your own family. I would like to witness you get married, have a baby, and live a safe, happy life forever.”

In recent days, she had heard quarrels coming from Lin Zhongyu’s room many times.

Although they deliberately lowered their voices, Lin Mengya still heard them.

Xiaoyu was a grown-up but he stayed in Liuxin Courtyard every day. Lin Mengya thought that she might be an obstacle in his way to achieving his ambitions.

But she became very concerned as she thought of Mr. Rosa Multiflora, Xin Li.

“What if…” “What if that mad guy really did something to Xiaoyu. Would he manage to escape from him?”

“I hate leaving you. I don’t want to get married and settle down!”

Lin Zhongyu, while moving his eyebrows together, muttered.

“Silly, you can’t stay with me forever, can you? Xiaoyu, I never press you for an answer. But I know that you have a tough time in recent days, right?”

When Lin Zhongyu was about to deny it, Lin Mengya told him from her eyes that she already knew everything.

He eventually failed to keep it from Lin Mengya.

“I… They asked me to go away with them. I refused, so…”

Lin Zhongyu dropped his head, worrying about the possible scolding from Lin Mengya.

But Lin Mengya just slightly frowned. It was apparent that Xin Li was eyeing Xiaoyu.

But he was dreading something and it was not the time for him to take action.

Those guards could protect Xiaoyu for a moment, but not forever.

“In this case, it’s necessary to have a profound talk with the one behind Xiaoyu.”

“They can’t take you away until they get my permission. Don’t worry, I will protect you. Later on, you must find a time to have me talk with their temporary boss, okay?”

The haze of worries disappeared from his eyes.

Since he had met Lin Mengya, he never saw there be a difficulty that she failed to handle.

He nodded vigorously. “I wish that Senior Sister would succeed in persuading that stubborn old man.”

“Well, don’t worry. I’ll be there for you.”

Sitting in the carriage, Lin Zhongyu, whose pressure was greatly relieved, was telling jokes to please Lin Mengya.

Their carriage stopped in an isolated place. The driver went somewhere to urinate. Thus, Lin Mengya and Xiaoyu were left alone in the carriage.

“Hush, Senior Sister, someone is coming toward us, a master of kung fu.”

Suddenly, Xiaoyu put up one finger to tell Lin Mengya to be silent.

They had a strong crisis awareness. Both of them leaned against the corner of the carriage, trying to not make a sound.

“Oo—Oo—”

Outside their carriage came a weak sound of struggling suddenly. Lin Mengya secretly opened the window partway and peeked outside.

She saw several tall, strong men with a child in their arms, covering his mouth.

The child looked to be five or six. He was clearly scared.

The kid was trying very hard to free himself as his eyes were brimming with tears.

“They—they are from the Willow Gang! Previously, they kidnapped me in the same way!”

Lin Zhongyu was hopping mad. It was a normal reaction when a person came across his enemy.

And before Lin Mengya could stop him, he had rushed out.

“Be careful!”

She had to silently exhort him to be careful. Then, she found him cleverly choose the strong man standing with his back to him.

She had no need to worry about the result. Xiaoyu beat away those seemingly strong guys in a short time.

That poor kid was taken back into their carriage.

But the kid was so frightened that he was crying and curling himself up, daring not get close to Lin Mengya.