Небо над реками и озерами очень чистое

Глава 98

The Twin Wings Chapter

Wanderer

"You are... Qinglan?" After looking her over for a while, she dared to confirm that the person in front of her with clear features was indeed the naughty and mischievous little boy from back then.

"Fourth Brother doesn't even recognize me?" Qinglan twisted her body and brushed away the hand that was rubbing her head. "No wonder, it's been almost ten years since you last came back, and Mother often thinks about you."

Xie Feilan laughed. "I've been too busy with things in Quanzhou to come here. I heard that Mother liked the oolong tea and tea cakes I brought last time, so I brought some more this time."

"Nothing is better than your personal return." Qinglan circled around him, looking at him with a sigh. "Quanzhou is by the sea, and the wind has made Fourth Brother quite tanned and thin. Mother must be very worried about him and will definitely make you have a good nourishing meal."

Hearing this, Xie Feilan's lips twitched, and he really wanted to reach out and poke this mischievous monkey. Ten years had passed and he had grown taller, so he was no longer the same as he had been in his youth. He was clearly much stronger now, but he couldn't go against his mother's loving wishes, and he was afraid that he would have to force himself to drink a bellyful of nourishing soup, which made him shudder at the thought.

"What is it that Father specifically ordered me to come back this time?" This forced him to leave his eldest and third brothers, who were still in Qiongzhou dealing with remaining matters, and rush back first.

Qinglan glanced around furtively and lowered her voice.

"Fourth Brother isn't engaged yet? Father is willing to play matchmaker for you."

…As expected, he was too busy with maritime affairs to pay attention to this matter, so he didn't care. However, his elders mentioned it frequently and seemed quite concerned.

"Which family's daughter is she?" he asked casually, not really caring. Anyway, it didn't matter who he married, since his parents had made the decision.

“It’s the second young lady of the Bai family in Hangzhou.” Qinglan hesitated for a moment. “Father’s opinion is still to follow yours. It just so happens that Second Sister-in-law has invited us to our home. It would be best if Fourth Brother himself agrees.”

Xie Feilan pondered for a moment. "Is it pretty?"

Qinglan nodded. "Of course, she is the most beautiful among the daughters of prominent families in Jiangnan."

"That's fine then. Tell Dad I have no objections." He gave his consent casually, without any awareness of the importance of discussing his life's most important matter.

"Fourth Brother," Qinglan said anxiously, revealing the true reason she had been waiting here all morning. "You can't agree to that. Don't you know that Sister Fengge likes…"

"Third Brother?" The man raised an eyebrow, unsurprised by his younger brother's stunned face. "Of course I know." He spoke with the smugness of an elder brother. "Don't think I was unaware just because I was in Quanzhou. When I came back, Third Brother reminded Father that there might be such an arrangement."

"Then why..." Qinglan stammered.

It all started with Third Brother. He married Miss Jun at an astonishing speed, leaving everyone speechless. Miss Bai, heartbroken and longing for him, remained unmarried for years, her family keeping silent about the marriage, her youth wasted. Old Master Bai was deeply troubled by his daughter's situation, and Xie Zhenchuan, feeling guilty, summoned his fourth son back to Quanzhou to test the waters.

"Oh, what does it matter?" Xie Feilan rubbed his face, looking somewhat nonchalant and roguish. "Anyway, she's a woman, so let's just marry her. It'll also help Third Brother out of a troublesome situation. He can take concubines in the future, just pick a few he likes. It won't cause any problems. She shouldn't be as fierce as Second Sister-in-law, right?"

………………

Ignoring Qinglan's silly look, Xie Feilan teased, "I didn't expect Third Brother to be so charming. Even after being married for several years, he still makes people unable to forget him. I knew from a young age that his face would definitely cause trouble, and I was right."

Fourth Brother... is still the same as always.

Qinglan's lips drooped weakly. How could her carefree fourth brother be troubled by a woman? She herself, who had been worrying about him all along, seemed like... a complete fool.

That said, it's hard to tell whether Fourth Brother truly doesn't mind Qinglan.

Watching her brother stand alone at the table, his back looking lonely and lost, she couldn't help but ask him something.

"Fourth Brother?"

The man turned around, his thick brows furrowed, looking troubled and depressed. Qinglan immediately tensed up. He couldn't possibly be so carefree; after all, this was a life-altering event…

"What happened? It's not too late to regret it. I can't force you, Dad..."

"Qinglan." The man sighed, his carefree demeanor turning into helplessness. "Thinking about it... it really is a bit..."

"Well?"

"I sacrificed myself to help my third brother... to resolve Father's worries and make the Xie and Bai families related by marriage. Even if she is beautiful, it was still a sacrifice..."

"So?" Qinglan saw her fourth brother's unprecedented troubles and blurted out, "Is it because you're afraid you won't be able to refuse in front of Father? Then I'll go and talk to him."

“No need for that.” The man’s expression was sincere and earnest. “Qinglan, could you do me a favor?”

"Fourth Brother, please speak freely. I'm willing to go through fire and water for anything I can help you with."

His handsome face suddenly brightened, and he patted his younger brother's shoulder forcefully.

"Hey bro, drink this soup for me."

………………

Qinglan stared blankly at the huge soup bowl that appeared on the table after her brother moved it away, and blinked after a long while.

"You mean..."

"I really can't stand the chicken soup my mother sent, but I feel bad about throwing it away, so I'm asking you to take care of it." Xie Feilan said with a relaxed expression, radiating the joy of relief.

"...Why are there three bowls...?" Qinglan's face turned from white to green.

"Three times a day, it's all here. No need to go through fire and water, just drink it for me." With that, he casually flicked his sleeve and cheerfully left the room, only to be suddenly grabbed by someone.

"By the way, Fourth Brother, are you planning to seduce some maid again?" Temporarily pulling her gaze away from the chicken soup, Qinglan finally remembered the purpose of her visit. This Fourth Brother was good in every other way, except for his dissolute and frivolous ways. Since he was temporarily back in the care of their parents and it was inconvenient to keep a close eye on him, his behavior was much less restrained than that of his other brothers, making him even more unrestrained.

"Don't say such harsh things. I was just chatting with them to relieve my boredom." The man patted his younger brother's head nonchalantly. "Kids don't understand."

"Me~~~~!"

Suppressing her anger, Qinglan said seriously, "Fourth Brother, don't blame me for not warning you. You haven't been back for many years and may not be familiar with the situation. Whichever branch of the family you're from, just don't mess with Third Sister-in-law's family, otherwise..."

"What else?" He prided himself on being a charming womanizer, claiming that all his relationships with women were mutually affectionate and that he was generous with his money, and that he had nothing to be ashamed of.

"Anyway, she's the last person you should mess with in the Xie family, so be careful."

Xie Feilan stroked his chin with amusement and asked curiously.

"So, Third Brother married a shrew? She's not even the legitimate daughter of the Jun family, why would he do that?" I saw Xie Yunshu sending letters home every day in Quanzhou, presumably all to his beloved wife.

“She’s Jun Suiyu’s younger sister, but their relationship isn’t officially public.” Qinglan rolled her eyes. “I’m advising you because your third brother protects her fiercely, and your mother dotes on her. If you offend her, you’ll definitely regret it.”

Such caution is nothing more than valuing the prestigious status of the Jun family, Xie Feilan silently muttered to himself.

"I have something to tell you." Qinglan glanced at her brother and revealed some gossip about the Xie family before the New Year.

About half a year ago, the young couple had their first argument. The reason was unknown, but the third young mistress's anger was undeniable. The servants had never seen her so angry. Startled by the frequent cracking sounds, they quickly informed Xie Zhenchuan and his wife, which alarmed all the other households. They sent their personal maids to investigate for their mistress. Qinglan naturally couldn't resist her curiosity as well.

In Xie Yunshu's bedroom, shattered porcelain and jade were scattered everywhere, some even spilling out onto the corridor. The items they used daily were all precious treasures, and those used to vent their anger were no exception. A nine-dragon black jade lamp, a rhinoceros horn agate cup, a mutton-fat white jade pot, an ice-patterned crystal plate… each piece was smashed to pieces, a sight that pained even the most discerning eye. However, seeing the beautiful woman in the room, her cheeks flushed and her anger barely contained, it all seemed insignificant.

The person being attacked smiled and made no attempt to stop it, nor did they allow anyone else to intervene, only offering gentle and soft-spoken advice.

Watch your step, be careful not to hurt yourself...

Don't throw it too far, it takes a lot of effort...

Drink some water before you continue throwing things; getting angry makes your mouth dry...

………

Hearing this, one wanted to beat one's chest and stamp one's feet. This was nothing like the renowned young master of the Xie family, who at home was actually as afraid of his wife as a tiger.

The solo performance was rather dull, and even the person who had fallen was exhausted, panting heavily with sweat dripping down her face. She held up a Yue kiln celadon jar with carved floral patterns in her slender hand. Suddenly, a figure flashed, and the man who had been silent for a long time snatched it away. The maids and women watching secretly cheered, thinking that they had finally stopped watching and were hoping that the young master could show his power and tame his wife.

But Xie Yunshu snatched the porcelain jar away, stuffed a luminous lamp into it, and coaxed it with soft words.

That one is too heavy, this one is lighter, and it will make a nicer sound when it's dropped.

………

Xie Feilan stared in disbelief for a long time, then coughed. "Are you really talking about Third Brother?"

"There's no mistake," Qinglan swore. "I saw it with my own eyes."

"Didn't your parents... take care of you?"

"Father pretends not to know. Mother said that Third Sister-in-law is often ill and inevitably irritable. She'll be fine once she gets over her anger."

“…Okay…” Xie Feilan remained silent for a long time before speaking again.

"Thank you for reminding me, I'll stay away from that area."

Mirror Flower

Yangzhou is a wonderful place with its gentle breezes and warm sunshine, and its beautiful and charming young women who are tender and affectionate.

Xie Feilan sighed again. If his third uncle's only son hadn't died young, he would surely be living a blissful life in this paradise on earth. But beauties are everywhere, and achieving success in Quanzhou is a completely different experience.

He stretched lazily, estimating when his two elder brothers would return, half his mind still savoring the warmth and fragrance of the previous night. As he walked, he suddenly lost his bearings. Getting lost in his own courtyard was something he'd probably be laughed at if word got out, so he shrugged self-deprecatingly and tried to find his way out of the maze.

In the quiet afternoon, the entire courtyard fell into a deep sleep, and not a single person could be seen.

After passing through several similar courtyards, the uniform black tiles and white walls made it difficult to distinguish one from another. I simply wandered around aimlessly, and after passing a round doorway, I suddenly stopped.

Under the scorching sun, a refreshing mist wafted from inside, its coolness inviting. Large, vibrant green lotus blossoms, like arrows, bloomed densely, filling the eye. Layer upon layer, they swayed in the breeze, their pink, white, and delicate red petals displaying a myriad of forms, the boundless green seeming to bring a touch of coolness to the sweltering summer. Willows lined the pond like wisps of smoke, their jade-white railings encircling it like ribbons, highlighting the exquisite elegance of the small pavilion in the center of the pond. Snow-white gauze curtains fluttered in the breeze, and in the distance, a row of vermilion pavilions stood majestically and serenely in the sunlight.

When did you dig such a big pond to grow lotus in your house?

I glanced around and saw that it must have been Fanghua Garden, which used to be used for entertaining guests. I didn't expect it to have changed into this state after not returning for several years. The scenery was captivating.

Beneath the layers of green leaves, there was another place to step. The stone slabs, about the size of lotus leaves, floated on the water. Walking among the flowers, leaves, and ripples was charming and delightful. He praised the ingenuity while looking around, wondering which brother had created such a beautiful scene. He was certain it was not his eldest brother.

I strolled into the small pavilion, surrounded by layers of lotus leaves. The misty, snowy fabric gently swayed, filtering out the slightly stronger wind, and everything seemed to stand still.

Someone was asleep on a reclining chair in the pavilion. Despite the sweltering heat, the bamboo chair was cushioned with a white tiger skin, and the soft, delicate body was curled up like a baby. With fair skin and a beautiful face, she slept peacefully with her hand resting on her cheek, completely unaware that someone had appeared beside her.

He should have left immediately, but his eyes wouldn't leave, and his heart suddenly started pounding.

Her dark, flowing hair was disheveled, her enchanting beauty like a scene from a painting; a closer look only intensified her allure. A faint fragrance wafted to her nose, indistinguishable between the scent of lotus and…

A sudden gust of wind struck, and he instinctively bounced back. By the time he regained his senses, he had already tumbled outside the white pavilion, and suddenly there was another person in front of him. The young man who had attacked him pointed his long sword at the ground, protecting the woman.

"His skills are not bad," he thought to himself.

"Who are you!" the young man asked in a cold and wary tone.

He crossed his arms and faced the camera, adopting the posture of the host.

"Young man, that's the question I should be asking you. You're staying here as a guest, and you don't even recognize your host family?"

The boy was stunned for a moment, then suddenly remembered something.

"Are you the fourth young master of the Xie family?"

"Not bad." His eyes swept over the person behind the boy. "It's my turn to ask for your guidance..."

“Even if you are Xie Feilan, you should not enter this private quarters without permission,” the young man interrupted coldly. “Fourth Young Master is being disrespectful.”

Unexpectedly, the other party was unfriendly, making him feel somewhat embarrassed. "I was just admiring the scenery, I didn't expect there to be anyone here."

"Now that you know, you may leave." The young man sheathed his sword, his demeanor dignified, showing no weakness despite his youth. "Please, Fourth Young Master, show some respect."