After returning from Jiaozhou, it was already late winter. In the following days, the weather gradually warmed up, and unnoticed, the branches in the courtyard were almost ready to bud.
Chun Mei was washing and drying winter clothes by the well in the corridor, while Su Mi took advantage of the sun and also sun-dried a box of repaired old books sent by Li’s shopkeeper.
While drying her cotton coat, Chun Mei turned around and looked at Su Mi in confusion. She asked, “Miss, do we need to dry these old books like we do with clothes?”
Su Mi spread open a book on the ground and replied, “Yes, drying them removes the musty smell. Then we can store them properly in the camphorwood box.”
It was something she started paying attention to after Qin Yan’s cloak was damaged by insects the last time. After researching, she discovered that books, just like silk, were susceptible to moth damage. She had already suffered a loss once, and she didn’t want these hard-earned books to be ruined again.
“Oh…” Chun Mei vaguely responded and turned back to continue drying.
“By the way, Miss, has Young Master been away for several days again?”
“Yes,” Sumi replied, her hand flipping through the pages of a book and freezing for a moment.
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Gqvla zkhkdt kd vbl xydpksd qsa vblpl qlo eyup, pbl bye clnsxl qyxkzkya okvb y ryvvlad. Ebldlhla Ckd Zyd eked’v alvwad qsa plhlayz nsdplnwvkhl eyup, kv wpwyzzu xlydv bl oyp tskdt sd y fswadlu vs ydsvbla rzynl.
Jwv vbkp vkxl, dscseu xldvksdle Ckd Zyd’p elryavwal vs bla. Eyp kv bla xkpvyjl, sa eke Ckd Zyd alvwad qasx Kkysgbsw pvkzz wrplv yde dsv oydv vs xldvksd kv vs bla?
Ebld Fw Yk qlzv psxlobyv wdlypu, Wldt Jys ldvlale vbl nswavuyae nyaaukdt y qsse csm.
Ubwd Ylk dsvknle bkx yde nswzed’v blzr cwv ypj, “Wldt Jys, yal usw elzkhlakdt qsse vs vbl Zswdt Yypvla?”
“Zlp, R oydvle vs kdqsax vbl xyeyx clqsal zlyhkdt,” Wldt Jys alrzkle okvb y pxkzl.
Fw Yk, obs oyp vbkdjkdt ycswv Ckd Zyd, nswzed’v alpkpv ypjkdt, “Wldt Jys, kp vbl Nsae tskdt sd y zsdt fswadlu kd y qlo eyup?”
Wldt Jys nbwnjzle. “R byhld’v blyae vbl xypvla xldvksd kv. Xdnl R yaakhl yv vbl Oypvlad Jwalyw, R nyd kdiwkal sd Yyeyx’p clbyzq.”
Fw Yk oyhle bla byde yde pyke, “Wsatlv kv; kq vbl Nsae eslpd’v xldvksd kv, vbld vblal’p ds dlle vs ypj.”
Qin Yan was so busy, and Su Mi didn’t expect him to remember to tell her every time.
However, even though Qin Yan often came back late, sometimes she had fallen asleep before he returned, and she felt an extraordinary sweetness just by sensing his presence beside her.
This time, after their argument during his return from Jiaozhou, they didn’t have a chance to spend quality time together, and now he was about to leave again. Thinking about this, Su Mi felt particularly empty in her heart.
“Madam, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Alright.”
After Feng Bao finished speaking, he turned around, but a touch of sadness appeared on his face.
In fact, he knew what Su Mi was asking about. The Master was indeed planning to embark on a journey in a few days, but he didn’t dare mention it without the Master’s instructions.
Sometimes, being a servant was really distressing.
…
Deep in thought, Feng Bao rode in the carriage, and soon they arrived at the main hall of the Eastern Bureau.
No one was present in the hall, so Feng Bao gently placed the food box on a small table beside the desk.
According to the Master’s orders, he would usually leave at this time, but today he wanted to wait for the Master’s return and ask whether he should inform the Madam about the journey. So he lingered behind the door.
Feng Bao stood there for quite a while until Qin Yan finally returned from the North Garrison, with the chief of penalty deparment, Zhou Zheng, following him, wearing an unfriendly expression.
As soon as he saw Feng Bao at the door, Qin Yan frowned and asked, “What’s the matter?”
Feng Bao glanced at Zhou Zheng, standing behind Qin Yan.
Zhou Zheng immediately understood and recognized Feng Bao. He often stayed in the mansion, so he guessed that the Madam might have something to discuss, and as an outsider, he shouldn’t eavesdrop.
“Master, I’ll go to the prison department first and see the newly captured criminals.”
“Okay.”
After watching Zhou Zheng leave, Feng Bao approached and bowed, saying, “Master, I have something to consult with you.”
“Today, when Madam asked me, I didn’t say anything about you going on another journey. It was not mentioned unless you instructed me to do so.”
Qin Yan paused his hand, which was flipping through a case file, and raised his gaze. “Did Su Mi ask you to inquire about this?”
“Madam didn’t ask the servant to inquire…” Feng Bao immediately added, “But I noticed that her expression didn’t look good.”
“She’s not happy?” Qin Yan asked.
Feng Bao pondered for a moment and said, “From what I can see, Madam doesn’t want to let go of you and is afraid of you leaving.”
Afraid of him leaving?
Qin Yan suddenly remembered Su Mi’s occasional displays of petulance and chuckled lightly.
He had been busy with various matters these past few days, and he genuinely forgot to mention it. However, now he had some other plans.
“On my behalf, say that I will be away for over a month.”
“Master…” Feng Bao was extremely surprised by his words. If he were to say it on his behalf, that would mean secretly informing the madam.
What was wrong with the master? Could it be that he was still upset from his last return from Jiaozhou? But no, when the master mentioned the madam, his expression was quite good.
Feng Bao didn’t have time to think it through, and the next sentence made him even more puzzled.
“Tomorrow, have someone from the Brocade Attire Workshop come to the Eastern Bureau.”
“Yes…”
The spring clothes were prepared even during the winter. What was the master plan? Well, today, Feng Bao genuinely didn’t understand a single word the Master said.
…
Three or four days flew by, and it was the day Qin Yan was about to set off.
After Feng Bao returned from delivering the food box, he hesitated and mentioned the master’s departure, risking telling her in secret.
It turned out that the master really didn’t want her to know.
Su Mi didn’t know whether it was because she felt uncomfortable about Qin Yan leaving for a month or because he intentionally didn’t mention it, but her mood wasn’t good.
She thought that he might come back last night before setting off today, but as the midnight hour arrived, there was no movement in the courtyard.
Su Mi sighed softly as she rested her head on the embroidery table. Maybe Qin Yan was still upset from their previous argument, and that’s why he didn’t mention it. As she thought about it, a sense of uneasiness crept into her heart. Could it be that Qin Yan would come back and continue ignoring her?
Lost in her thoughts, Su Mi suddenly caught a glimpse of a bright figure approaching.
She turned her head and unexpectedly collided with Qin Yan’s eyes, filled with a smile.
He stood in the corridor, unmatched in his handsome appearance, tall and elegant. He wore a purple silk brocade robe with golden clouds and a silver filigree border, revealing a glimpse of the silver-embroidered magnolia flower. The purple color became even more radiant.
His ink-black hair was not yet tied up; only a single silk ribbon held it loosely, adding a touch of charm compared to the past.
This was the first time Su Mi saw Qin Yan dressed like this, resembling those aristocratic youths but a hundred times more attractive than them.
Su Mi couldn’t take her eyes off him. It turned out that there really were people who could stand out no matter what they wore.
While she was lost in her thoughts, Qin Yan approached slowly. He leaned the jade-colored bone fan he held in his left hand against the stone table and leaned closer to Su Mi.
“Why are you staring at me?”
“N-No, I wasn’t.” She lowered her head, feeling embarrassed.
Qin Yan’s gaze briefly passed over her flushed ears, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. He straightened up and casually flicked the embroidered fabric on the table with the bone fan. “It seems like you’re usually so idle. I guess I should find something for you to do.”
Just as Su Mi was about to speak, realizing that she had just finished settling the accounts and taking a break, she suddenly felt something was amiss.
She had been so focused on looking at the difference in Qin Yan’s appearance today that she almost forgot he had already left. Why did he come back?
“Master… Weren’t you supposed to go somewhere else?”
“Yes, but I forgot something and came back especially to get it.”
“Oh…”
She lowered her head. She thought Qin Yan had changed his mind at the last moment, and her heart leaped with joy for a moment.
“So, what does the Master want? I can go and get it for you.”
Qin Yan chuckled lightly and tapped her head with the jade fan.
“You.”
🫢