On the tenth day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, dozens of grayish-brown mule carts were lined up in front of the Shunzhen Palace gate, just as they were when they came. These carts were used to transport the unsuccessful candidates from various provinces back to their hometowns. The carts from Jiaozhou were placed in a relatively remote location from the palace gate. However, Su Mi was not with the group of candidates but standing alone by the palace gate.
She had changed into the embroidered dress she wore when she arrived, standing there brightly like a beautiful flower poking out of the solemn red palace wall.
Many passing candidates cast suspicious glances at her, followed by whispers that she could almost guess the content of. Su Mi didn’t know what Qin Yan’s plan was, but earlier, an eunuch came to find her, saying that a carriage would take her back to her home in Jiangling city, and asked her to wait by the palace gate. While she was waiting like this, others might have spread rumors about her being bestowed upon Qin Yan.
As the mule carts carrying the candidates dwindled, Feng Bao finally arrived, smiling as he approached Su Mi.
“Miss Su, greetings.” Feng Bao respectfully made a bow.
“Hello, sir,” Su Mi greeted him.
Just as she was about to return the courtesy, Feng Bao quickly made way for her, saying, “Miss Su, I’m not worthy of such a gesture.”
Su Mi understood that his meaning was about her marriage to Qin Yan, and a faint blush appeared on her face; fortunately, it was light and disappeared quickly.
“Su Miss, please come with me,” Feng Bao led the way, taking Su Mi along the palace wall to the right angle, turning a corner, and revealing two carriages with the same exterior style, the kind that Qin Yan was accustomed to riding with two high horses.
This place was not far from the Shunzhen Gate, but because of the corner, no one would notice the commotion under the trees unless they paid attention.
Feng Bao’s direction was obvious; he was heading towards the left carriage, and Su Mi followed him, looking to the right.
Since there were two carriages, was Qin Yan sitting in that one? Was he in the carriage now?
Yesterday’s events seemed like a dream, and Su Mi had thought about them all night, from meeting Qin Yan to the end, but it was Zhang Yue’er’s words that stood out.
Was it love? She would miss him if she didn’t see him, and when she did, her heart would beat rapidly. Perhaps it was love. In the novels, when an imperial lady met a destitute scholar, it seemed to be the same feeling.
But she was afraid of him, so was it love or not? Was it gratitude, or…
Su Mi walked behind, lost in thought, and when she stopped, Feng Bao had already placed a stool. He looked at Su Mi’s face, which was inexplicably red, and wondered why she was so tired even though he hadn’t walked that fast.
Su Mi stepped up onto the stool and turned her head to look at the carriage on the right. She couldn’t help but ask, “Little Palace attendant, is Lord Qin in that carriage?”
“Yes, Miss. The Lord has some business to attend to. After he finishes, he will go to the Su family in Jiangling City to propose to you. Miss Su doesn’t have to worry.”
Su Mi blushed. She wasn’t worried; she just wanted to ask. She shyly turned her head and quickly lifted the curtain to climb into the carriage.
In the carriage on the right. This chapter was copied from g.com without permission.
On the inner side of the window covered with crepe, the delicate jade finger that had been holding up the window screen slowly retracted, leaving only the veil floating back and forth.
If Su Mi were there, she would recognize this carriage as the one that came from Jiaozhou to the capital that day. It still had the same plain curtain and rosewood table and had not changed positions.
“Let’s go.” Qin Yan closed his eyes and leaned back on the cushion.
Ling An, with a cold expression, sat on the front seat of the carriage, holding the reins, and turned his head back to ask, “Lord, are we going directly to the Dongchang prison?”
“Yes.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Ling An pulled the reins tightly, then released them, and two fiery red horses neighed before immediately galloping out.
Su Mi sat in the carriage, looking at Feng Bao sitting opposite her at the low wooden table. She could tell that Feng Bao was Qin Yan’s close attendant and thought he was probably just accompanying her to the carriage. She didn’t expect that they would be going to Jiangling City together.
Feng Bao noticed the surprise in Su Mi’s eyes.
“Miss Su, the lord ordered me to go with you to Jiangling City.” Feng Bao continued with a smile, “The lord has a villa in Jiangling City, but it was only recently purchased and is still quite empty.”
His implication was that the wedding house was too simple, and of course, Qin Yan only ordered him to accompany Su Mi back and tidy up the villa along the way, but Feng Bao felt that he knew what the lord wanted. As an attendant, he needed to be considerate.
Su Mi didn’t think much about it. She only understood that Qin Yan asked Feng Bao to send her back, so she replied, “Thank you, little eunuch.”
Seeing Su Mi’s response, Feng Bao thought that she understood his meaning and felt that he had shown his diligence in front of the future master’s wife. He had been by Qin Yan’s side for so long, and other than the young lady Yun Shuang in the mansion, he had not seen Qin Yan have any dealings with other women. But Qin Yan treated Su Mi differently from Yun Shuang, perhaps with more smiles, but he didn’t know why.
He dared not please Qin Yan, but he could build a good relationship with the future master’s wife.
“Miss Su can call me Feng Bao.”
Su Mi naturally accepted the goodwill conveyed by Feng Bao and nodded with a smile. “Feng Bao, have you always been by the side of the master?”
Feng Bao pinched his fingers and said, “Well… probably about five or six years.”
Su Mi’s carriage went straight to Jiangling City, passing through Yong’an Street in the capital city on the way.
Yong’an Street is a main street parallel to the palace gate of Ying Tian. The street is spacious, with liquor shops and merchants lining both sides, and occasionally small stalls selling calligraphy and painting items can be seen between the gaps of the shops.
Su Mi was casually chatting with Feng Bao when suddenly, a horse neighed and the carriage lifted slightly, causing Su Mi to lose her balance and hit her back on the cushion.
“Miss Su?” Feng Bao anxiously asked. He couldn’t afford any mishaps at this time!
“Feng Bao, I’m fine; the cushion is soft.” Su Mi rubbed her back. The cushion was indeed soft, but only in the waist area. Her back unexpectedly hit the hard wooden carriage body, and her bones felt sore.
Feng Bao breathed a sigh of relief and discreetly stood in front of Su Mi, frowning as he asked, “What happened?”
The coachman in front snickered, “Nothing; someone suddenly walked out, and I had to stop the carriage. Now let’s go. let’s go.”
As it was a time when few people were on the street, the coachman’s mind was somewhat lazy. He slightly veered the carriage and brushed past a poor scholar’s booth on the side of the road.
After the coachman finished speaking, he glared fiercely at the fallen scholar and, looking at the overturned table, lowly scolded, “Why did you set up a stall on Yong’an Street? Roll away from me in the future.”
With that, he turned around and drove the carriage away as if fleeing, afraid of being extorted. After all, he was driving the carriage of the Eastern Bureau Chief. It was his own bad luck.
Feng Bao waited for a while, seeing that the carriage had stabilized, and sat back in front of Su Mi.
“Miss Su, it was just a false alarm. Please take good care of yourself.”
“Mmm,” Su Mi supported her back and smiled.
The window curtain of the carriage was blown by the wind, and through the swaying gap, there was a faint figure of light blue. As she turned her head, she coincidentally brushed past it.
Jian Yujue slowly stood up, propping himself up on the stone floor. He seemed unfazed by the vulgar words of the carriage driver, calmly patting the dust off his knees and legs.
The ill-fitting water-blue coarse cotton garment, with its white double-breasted front, looked somewhat washed out. It was clearly bought cheaply and altered at the tailor’s. Fortunately, he was tall and handsome, and the old clothes on him still exuded an air of elegance.
He stood tall and straight, his eyes gentle and calm like a pool of spring water. With just one glance at the official carriage that was gradually getting farther away, he silently picked up the scattered white paper and inkstone, his slender fingers sliding over the ink-stained paper.
He murmured softly to himself, “It’s just a pity for you all.”