"I mean, what's his name, and where does he live?"
“How would I know?” the boy exclaimed, jumping up and down. “He was playing hide-and-seek with his friends in the alley and was hiding in an empty earthenware jar in front of Er Gouzi’s house when the older brother pulled me out, gave me some money and told me to deliver a message, and then he left.”
Jun Nian silently weighed whether his words were credible. For a moment, she even wondered if the child had done this specifically to save Fang Rulan. However, when she glanced at the letter, she saw that the handwriting was strong and powerful, which could not have been achieved without three to five years of practice. It was impossible for a young child to have written it, so she dismissed her doubts.
Besides, Jun Nian had no intention of taking Fang Rulan's life. Regardless of whether the contents of the letter were true or false, he could save her life at this moment and ensure that his daughter and niece would not be harmed. So, even if he believed it, it wouldn't hurt.
"What did you say? After Jun Nian captured that woman, the carriage went all the way back to the Marquis of Runan's residence and never came out again?" He Yao, who was confident of victory, couldn't help but change his expression after hearing the head guard's report. "Did you see that clearly?"
"As long as the princess commands, your subordinate will do his best and dare not neglect the slightest detail."
"I can't believe it! Is Jun Nian out of his mind?!" He Yao said angrily. "That woman harmed people and stole money, and he actually brought her home. Could it be that he can't forget his old flame and plans to take her back as a concubine? Wasn't He Caiqiong a favorite of his? She even gave birth to a son. It's ridiculous."
He continued to curse, his mind racing as he considered what to do next.
Sending guards to spy on the Marquis of Runan's residence at night wasn't out of the question, but if they were discovered... noble families wouldn't easily retaliate against members of the imperial family, and she had no evidence of her scheming and plotting behind the scenes. But if she were caught red-handed, it would be incredibly shameful. Marquis Junshu of Runan was a figure highly valued by the Emperor, and he would most likely not let it go so easily if his family was infiltrated by members of the imperial family for no reason.
"Go and inform Qi Lan. She works at the Marquis of Runan's residence, so it's much easier for her to gather information than for outsiders. Tell her to find out where Fang Rulan is being hidden, and then we'll act accordingly."
Qi Lan quickly sent the message back.
She explained that she was just an ordinary maid in the laundry room, and because she was clumsy and awkward, she hadn't gained favor with her superiors over the years. She hadn't been promoted, nor had she made any connections with the people in the various courtyards. The rules of the Runan Marquis's residence were strict; maids weren't allowed to wander around freely. Even when the laundry staff went out to deliver clean clothes to the courtyards, they had to go in pairs, making it difficult to inquire about anything private. However, she would do her best, but she needed the princess's patience.
He Yao was very unwilling, but he could only wait.
Little did they know, Qi Lan's answer was something she had already discussed with Jun Shu beforehand.
Although Jun Nian did not know who had leaked the information to Jun Shu, upon hearing that the First Princess's residence wanted to find out Fang Rulan's whereabouts, she could guess that it was them who wanted to frame her three young ladies. She immediately became furious and wanted to find Wu Hui to question her, to see if she had offended someone at the Princess's residence in a reckless manner and implicated her sisters.
Junshu, unwilling to alert the enemy, stopped him and tried to persuade him gently.
"If you ask such a question, it would be tantamount to telling the Princess's residence that we know all their conspiracies and tricks, and it would also expose that they are on our side. In that case, we would not be able to prepare for any future moves they might make, which would be extremely disadvantageous."
Jun Nian was somewhat impulsive, but not unreasonable. After listening to his brother's analysis, he finally calmed down and secretly sent people to keep a close watch on the small courtyard where Fang Rulan was being held. Not only was Fang Rulan not allowed to come out, but no one was allowed to go in to see her either.
Wuyou and Wushuang, who were innocently involved, were completely unaware of these events.
Wuyou assumed that her birth mother had been sent to a country estate in the suburbs to be kept under surveillance, just as her father had said. Although she had no freedom, she was not worried about food and clothing. This was something her father had only agreed to after she had begged for a long time, and she could not ask for more.
Wushuang, after all, had spent years traveling and enjoying the wild life in Fujian with her father, frequently going out to sightsee and even boarding a warship under Jun Shu's guidance, sailing with the navy on patrols. Now, sitting obediently in the embroidery room every day, embroidering, was truly boring for her.
Fortunately, Wushuang still had friends in the capital. On the fifth day of her boredom, she received an invitation from Chu Wan, inviting her to visit the Prince of Ying's residence. It was like a godsend, just when she was about to go to sleep. Wushuang hurriedly replied to the invitation, agreeing to visit the Prince of Ying's residence the next day.
Chapter 76 | Table of Contents
Chapter Seventy-Six:
The next day, Wushuang got up very early, dressed herself up, and excitedly left home for her appointment.
When the old lady received the news, she knew without a doubt that the woman had been drowsy in the embroidery room the past few days.
"This girl's temperament has been spoiled by her parents." The old lady said helplessly while drinking tea. "I've never heard of a girl who runs away from home like she's fleeing a disaster just to avoid going to the embroidery room."
Wushuang, of course, couldn't hear these words. She happily rode in the carriage all the way to the side gate of the Prince of Ying's mansion.
"Shuangshuang!" Chu Wan personally went to the door to greet her. Seeing Wushuang get off the carriage, she disregarded the ladylike image that a princess should have and ran to meet her with small, quick steps, lifting her skirt. The morning sunlight shone on her pale pink cheeks, which were the same color as her dress, making her look exceptionally sweet and lovely.
But as soon as she arrived in front of Wushuang, Chu Wan exclaimed, "Shuangshuang, we used to be the same height, how come you are so much taller than me now?" As she spoke, she used her small hand to push from the top of her head to Wushuang's ear.
Wu Shuang is thirteen years old this year. She grew quite a bit before her first period at the beginning of the year. Chu Wan is a year younger than her and has not yet had her period. Her small body has not yet developed, so of course she cannot compare with the already developed Wu Shuang.
It's said that girls change a lot as they grow up, and they look different every day. This is exactly what they mean by this time.
Seeing that Chu Wan was very conflicted, as if the difference in height would cause a rift between them and they would no longer be close friends, Wu Shuang leaned over and whispered a few words to her. The gist of it was about the little secrets of a girl's growth and development, and she also told Chu Wan that her height would catch up soon.
Chu Wan was still as innocent and easy to coax as she was when she was a child. She smiled broadly as soon as she heard the news and affectionately took Wu Shuang's arm and led her inside.
The two had been separated for many years, but maintained correspondence, and felt no awkwardness when they met. Moreover, their different living environments over the years meant they could talk for hours on end simply exchanging their experiences. [Fast updates, clean website layout, few ads]
When Chu Wan heard Wu Shuang mention that she had patrolled with the army on a warship and even visited islands near the sea, she couldn't help but say enviously, "I asked Mr. Cao, and he said that Ryukyu is also an island. My mother has rarely written letters in recent years, and I don't know if she and my sister are still in Ryukyu. I have always wanted to take a boat to find them, but my aunt said that going to sea is very dangerous and forbids me from going."
A mother's bond is strong, and blood is thicker than water. Even though Chu Wan no longer remembers what her birth mother looks like, she still thinks about her all the time.
When Wushuang saw that she frowned and looked unhappy when she mentioned the old Princess Consort of Ying, she gently advised, "Your sister is about four or five years older than you, and she is also of marriageable age. Maybe they will come back soon."
“Yes!” Chu Wan immediately perked up upon hearing this. “Then I’ll tell my brother to renovate and decorate Mother’s and Sister’s courtyards so they can live more comfortably when they come back.”
Of course, this was a matter for the Chu family to decide. Wushuang simply smiled and nodded along, though she couldn't help feeling indignant for Chu Wan. How heartless must a mother be to abandon such a lovely and considerate daughter, neglecting her for so many years?
While she was lost in thought, Chu Wan changed the subject herself: "Brother promised to go shopping with you. Many new shops have opened in the capital in recent years, selling everything from food to daily necessities. Unfortunately, someone from the palace came to deliver a message just as dawn broke today, asking him to come to the palace to see his uncle."
Wu Shuang didn't feel it was a pity. Now that she's grown up, she can no longer act like a child and act spoiled like before. Besides, she and Chu Yao are now engaged, so it would be a bit awkward to meet. It's better not to meet at all.
“We can go even if he doesn’t come with us,” Wushuang said. “We girls are more happy playing by ourselves without him watching over us.”
Wushuang really needs to know more about what girls in the capital like to eat and what clothes are fashionable, so that she won't be ridiculed as a "country bumpkin" when she goes out to visit others in the future.
Chu Wan glanced at the Western-style grandfather clock in the corner: "It's already 9:45 AM. The shops on the street should be open by now. Let's take a stroll around and it'll be about time for lunch. Today, I'll treat you to Peking duck at Quanjude."
The two girls were both straightforward people. After saying their piece, they set off and didn't return until late afternoon (1 p.m.) with large bags and small packages, their bellies bulging.
After lunch, they should have rested for a while, but since it was not easy to get together with Wushuang, Chu Wan naturally did not want to waste time, so she asked someone to arrange for them to go to the Yuanxiang Hall Water Pavilion to enjoy flowers and tea.
When Wushuang heard the words "Yuanxiang Hall," it sounded familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. She simply assumed it was just a random place in the Prince of Ying's mansion.
But when Chu Wan led Wu Shuang through the black lacquered Ruyi Gate and saw the "Yuanxiang Hall" plaque in Han Dynasty official script with gilded silver on the lintel, memories from many years ago suddenly flooded back. Wasn't this the legendary courtyard that Chu Yao had prepared for his future queen? He had once carried Wu Shuang on a tour, and the two of them had even taken a nap together here.
"Shuangshuang, your brother really loves you so much," Chu Wan said softly. "When you came here when you were little, you said you wanted to plant more grapes and pomegranates, and your brother did just that."