Before Yinping went out, Qing Luan was selecting women brought by the matchmaker. Although it was a temporary residence, the courtyard still needed to hire a cook and a gatekeeper to live comfortably.
Fortunately, Qing Luan had seen all aspects of the world, having interacted with everyone from high-ranking officials and nobles to street vendors and laborers. Choosing a few trustworthy and capable people was not a problem for her, so she told Yinping to go buy groceries with peace of mind.
An hour later, Yinping returned with a vegetable basket. As she entered the alley, she saw a carriage parked outside the courtyard gate—it was a carriage from Qifu.
The main gate was tightly shut, and Granny Liu from Qifu stood beside the carriage, looking flustered and anxious.
Yinping didn’t know what was happening, but she felt that having Qifu send someone to their door so soon after they had moved in couldn’t be a good sign.
Although she was a maid purchased by Qifu, her deed of sale and household registration were both in Qing Luan’s hands. Her life, death, and whether she stayed or left were all decided by Qing Luan, so naturally, she prioritized Qing Luan in everything.
She was considering whether to avoid the people at the front gate and go around to the back door when Granny Liu, with her sharp ears, heard footsteps and looked over. Recognizing Yinping and identifying her, she immediately approached.
“Isn’t this Yinping, the one by Miss Qing’s side? Are you going inside? Come quickly and help me talk some sense into them. The gatekeeper in this courtyard truly has no manners. I’ve already introduced myself, but she won’t even pass on a message or open the gate. It’s infuriating.”
Yinping forced a strained smile and had no choice but to walk with her to the main gate.
She tentatively asked, “Why has Granny Liu come here?”
Granny Liu waved her hand dismissively. “There’s a matter at the residence that requires the lady’s presence. That’s why I’ve come to invite her.”
“What matter is it?”
“Nothing major. Once I meet the lady, I’ll explain everything clearly.” Granny Liu evaded the question, leading her to the gate and urging, “Miss, please hurry and ask the people inside to open the door. This basket of fresh vegetables can’t be left out for long.”
Unable to get any information from Granny Liu and not wanting to offend her, Yinping had no choice but to knock on the door.
The gatekeeper inside, hearing it was Yinping, opened a crack.
Yinping held onto the crack, blocking Granny Liu with her entire body, and turned to say, “Granny Liu, please wait a moment. I’ll go inside to inform the lady and then invite you in.”
Granny Liu’s face hardened. “There’s no need for such trouble. The ladies at the residence are waiting to see someone. I’ll personally invite Miss Qing so we can return to the residence quickly to meet the guests.”
With that, she pushed Yinping aside by the shoulder and squeezed through the gate on her own.
Yinping tried to stop her, but unexpectedly, two maidservants stepped down from the nearby carriage. One held Yinping back while the other followed Granny Liu into the courtyard.
It seemed less like an invitation and more like a kidnapping.
After struggling briefly with the young maid, Yinping hurriedly chased into the courtyard. “Granny Liu, isn’t this too rude!”
Granny Liu and her group didn’t linger but headed straight for the main room. There, seated in the hall was a stunningly beautiful young woman with skin as fair as congealed fat. She wore a verdant pine-colored dress, which added a touch of serenity to her lively and charming appearance—this was Qing Luan.
Beside her was an exquisite white porcelain teacup. Two older women were seated on either side of the hall, and upon seeing Granny Liu’s aggressive approach, they immediately stood up, looking wary.
Yinping and the gatekeeper caught up from behind, effectively trapping Granny Liu and her group in the middle.
Granny Liu had no choice but to compose herself. She bowed to Qing Luan and said politely, “The grandaunt and great-aunt are visiting the residence and have specifically asked to see you, miss. Please come with us.”
Qing Luan cast a disdainful glance with her charming eyes, set down her teacup, leaned back languidly, and teased, “What grandaunts or great-aunts? My family doesn’t have so many relatives.”
Mama Liu was taken aback. “That is the general’s grandaunt, an elder of Qi Jia. You must not be disrespectful, madam.”
“If we’re speaking of disrespect, how should we account for you barging in without announcement?” Qing Luan glanced at her, her voice light. “When the general was home, I never saw him invite any elders over, nor did anyone come to visit. The moment he leaves Jingcheng, the elders swarm in, specifically asking to see me. How amusing.”
Mama Liu was left speechless and embarrassed.
Qing Luan continued, “Don’t put on airs with me. I’m not a proper member of Qi Jia, I don’t care to listen to lectures, and I have no time to flatter elders. Your trespassing is already a crime. If you don’t want your limbs broken, leave now.”
Mama Liu snapped back to her senses and noticed that two people beside Qing Luan had, at some point, picked up tools—a rolling pin and a laundry baton—that could indeed break limbs.
After a moment’s hesitation, the three of them scurried away in disgrace.
Yinping watched as the carriage outside departed and the gate was bolted before she finally relaxed. She turned to look at Qing Luan.
Qing Luan paid it no mind. She instructed the three newly hired maidservants to attend to their duties, stood up, smoothed the wrinkles in her clothes, and remained calm as if nothing had happened.
“Madam, that scared me half to death just now.”
Yinping let out a long sigh of relief, grateful that Qing Luan had acted decisively and hired enough help that very day. Otherwise, the two of them would surely have been taken back to Qifu to face those grandaunts and the “virtuous and gentle” Liu Xirou, with no telling what fate awaited them.
Qing Luan glanced at the vegetables in Yinping’s basket. “You bought so much. We’ll have a good meal tonight.”
Yinping frowned. “Madam, you’re still thinking about food? We drove them away this time, but what about next? If the general doesn’t return, no one will back you up, and there will be plenty of people waiting to take advantage of you.”
“What’s there to fear? We come from humble backgrounds and are used to having no face to lose. They, however, are proper ladies of the inner chambers. If they can’t summon me, would they really come personally to block the door?” Qing Luan chuckled and sent her off to the kitchen.
As the sun dipped westward, the women in Jingyiju had been waiting for a long time, growing visibly impatient.
First, they had called for the coachman to inquire about Qing Luan’s whereabouts, then sent Mama Liu in the carriage to fetch her. The round trip had taken quite some time.
Originally intending to put the mistress in her place and humble her pride, they hadn’t expected even Mama Liu to fail in bringing her back. Hearing Mama Liu relay the mistress’s arrogant words, the grandaunt’s expression darkened. She slammed the table and angrily rebuked, “She puts on such airs before even entering the family, showing no respect for her elders. Does she rely on Zheng’er to back her up, or does she think an old woman like me isn’t worthy of her personal visit?”
The women hurried to console her, saying, “There’s no need to bother with a nameless servant,” offering her a way to save face and extricating themselves from the situation.
Seeing the grandaunt putting on such a show, Liu Xirou gritted her teeth in secret, knowing this move had failed. She could only put on a gentle, worried expression to soothe the old woman’s anger, while the rest of her plans remained stuck in her throat, unspoken.
The spring breeze carried warmth, turning the inside and outside of Jingcheng green.
At first, people from Qifu would occasionally come to the door, bringing worthless food and conveying empty words of concern.
Then, unknown grandaunts would put on airs and knock, attempting to enter and teach them the rules women in the household should follow. All were left cold at the door by Qing Luan, who paid them no heed.
Both families, being people who valued their reputations, finally quieted down after realizing she was impervious to both soft and hard tactics.
Two months later, the weather gradually grew warmer.
Qing Luan prepared to make summer clothes and called Yinping to go out together to buy fabric. After selecting the cloth and stepping out of the shop, she saw a familiar figure emerging from the bookstore across the street.
“What a coincidence, it’s the Eldest Young Master! Shouldn’t you go over and greet him, Mistress?” Yinping whispered, tugging at Qing Luan’s sleeve.
Children were like that—if you were kind to them, they would like you.
—Wasn’t that exactly how Liu Xirou had won over the hearts of the two brothers, making everyone in the household think she was a great benefactor? And wasn’t it because the General needed her to care for his two sons that he allowed her to stay in the residence for so long?
If Liu Xirou could use such methods, naturally others could too. This was the perfect opportunity.
But after a few tugs, Qing Luan remained unmoved. Her beautiful eyes fell on the books held by the young boy, and her expression revealed admiration.
He was only nine years old, sheltered by his father, with no worries about food, clothing, or daily life. He could focus solely on learning to read and study, free from distractions.
Recalling how she had been sold by her family when she was young—thin, small, dark, and ugly—she had fetched a mere three taels of silver, a price even lower than that of a single book in his hands.
With complex emotions swirling in her heart, Qing Luan watched as the young boy turned to call the servant carrying the books to follow him. Their eyes briefly met, and in that instant, his relaxed and natural expression immediately turned tense. He pursed his lips, staring at her like a puppy baring its milk teeth at a hunting eagle.
Why was he so hostile toward her?
Qing Luan felt both puzzled and amused. It wasn’t as if she would eat him.
But lately, her days had been peaceful and uneventful, and this rare bit of fun made her want to tease him all the more. The more he disliked her, the more she wanted to provoke him. Lowering her eyelashes slightly, her gaze did not retreat but instead pressed forward.
Qi Zhaoye had always prided himself on his intelligence. Coupled with his quick and excellent progress in his studies, those around him praised him as if he were the reincarnation of a literary star. Even though his father did not dote on him, he had his own pride.
Yet under Qing Luan’s gaze, he seemed to lose all his brilliance, reverting to a mere nine-year-old child—weak and powerless.
Flushed with shame and anger, Qi Zhaoye turned away, hurriedly boarded his carriage, urged the coachman to drive quickly, and fled as if escaping.
Standing in place, Qing Luan couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Yinping was puzzled. “Did the Eldest Young Master see you? Why didn’t he even say a word, avoiding us as if we were plague carriers… He dislikes you so much, yet you can still laugh, Mistress…”
“That child is just too amusing,” Qing Luan said, unable to stop her laughter.
She had thought that as the eldest son, doted on by those around him, he would be like other privileged young masters, throwing his weight around. Unexpectedly, he had been scared off by just a momentary glance from her.
He seemed as if he had deep schemes, but in reality, he was just like the snot-nosed, mud-playing children in the streets—utterly simple.
Thanks to him, Qing Luan was in high spirits.
Returning to the residence, she cut fabric and embroidered handkerchiefs, both to add to the household supplies and to pass the time.
“This fabric in your hands doesn’t seem like something a woman would wear,” Yinping teased playfully. “Could it be that you’re planning to personally sew clothes for the General? Do you still remember the General’s measurements?”
Qing Luan’s cheeks flushed slightly. “Focus on your work and stop being cheeky.”
It wasn’t that she wanted to make clothes for Qi Zheng—Qi Zheng certainly didn’t lack a set of summer clothes. Besides, even if he returned, it would be autumn at the earliest, so he wouldn’t be able to wear them regardless.
It was just that she was spending the silver he gave her, living in the residence he had gifted her, and with nothing else to do, she thought of making something for him with her own hands to express her gratitude.
This garment—she would stitch a few threads whenever she had the time.
A full month had passed since the work was completed.
In the early summer, the weather was sultry. Moonlight spilled over the eaves at night, seeping through the open window and quietly creeping onto the pillow of the dreamer.
“Qing Luan… Qing Luan…”
Someone was calling her by her ear. Qing Luan opened her eyes drowsily, slowly sitting up from the bed. In her blurred vision, dark red and black intertwined. As everything cleared, she saw Qi Zheng sitting by the bedside.
“You’re back!” Qing Luan exclaimed, a joy she herself hardly noticed curling at the corners of her lips. It was as if her dull and empty heart had come alive again with his return.
Perhaps this was how people were—not loving deeply enough to call it love, yet not without a trace of attachment either.
She threw herself into his arms. “General, I missed you.”
She missed his money, his protection, the feeling of having someone to rely on, the companionship in the quiet of the night… That should count as missing him.
The man remained silent, his strong arms holding her tightly. His hoarse voice murmured by her ear, not as if suppressing excitement, but more like something was stuck in his throat, making his words rough and grating.
“Qing Luan…” he seemed to muster all his strength, his raspy voice brushing against her ear. “I can no longer protect you… You must take care of yourself, even alone.”
Hearing this, Qing Luan’s heart instantly turned cold, filled with fear and unease. Why was he saying these things? Did he no longer want her? Was he going to send her away?
Before she could ask, she suddenly felt a warmth spreading across her chest, and a pungent smell of blood rushed to her nostrils, startling her into letting go of him.
Sitting up straight, what met her eyes was the man’s battered body covered in wounds. A gaping hole pierced through his chest, blood gushing out like a fountain. She could even see torn flesh and broken white ribs!
Qing Luan’s eyes widened, and she gasped sharply, jolting upright from the dream.
Cold sweat drenched her body, and her heart pounded like a drum, echoing loudly in the empty room… Her body stiffened and turned cold, and it took a long while for her to recover. She looked toward the wide-open window.
Last night, to catch the cool breeze, she had only opened a crack in the window. It must have been blown open by the night wind, and the chill had made her uncomfortable, leading to the nightmare.
The sky was just brightening. As she sat up, about to call Yinping to prepare water for her to wash, hurried footsteps sounded from the corridor outside, and the door was knocked.
“Is the lady awake?” Yinping’s voice trembled.
Qing Luan called her in. “What happened? Why are you so flustered?”
Yinping, still catching her breath and pale-faced, said, “I went out to buy groceries and heard rumors in the neighborhood. The Ministry of War received a battle report last night, saying that our general was ambushed by the Xiongnu. He fought to the death and refused to surrender… and has already… fallen in battle…”
In an instant, Qing Luan’s heart felt hollow.